How things have changed. Largely because of the UN's robust reaction to the events of Sept. 11 and the belated realization in Washington that the US, superpower though it be, still needs friends ready, willing and able to help in bad times, one early response to the terrorist attacks was confirmation by the Senate of President Bush's nominee for UN representative.

Confirmation had languished for months because of doubts about his suitability, but, in the event, the nominee, John D. Negroponte, sailed through the Senate process. It was widely recognized that it was not very smart to have left the UN post open after the departure of Richard Holbrooke, President Clinton's UN ambassador.

In New York, Negroponte has turned out to be a pretty good ambassador, by most accounts. Politically conservative, but fair and willing to give the UN its due. Which he did last week in testimony before a House of Representatives panel.

"A unique partner in troubled times" was how he described the Organization.

Partner? Unique? Can't get much better than that. The UN might consider using the phrase as its slogan, have it printed on decals, for instance. If some members of the subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations were surprised by the tribute, they haven't been reading the papers. As Negroponte pointed out, the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and Secretary General Kofi Annan all stepped boldly up to the plate in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks to declare solidarity with the US against a global menace that until 9/11 was only partly discerned.

Recalling Bush's remarks that the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon struck not just the US but the entire civilized world, Negroponte hailed the "extraordinary level of solidarity, support and cooperation at the UN" that was an immediate consequence of the outrage that took 3,000 lives.

He spoke of "the single most powerful response" that was the Security Council's unanimous resolution of Sept. 28 "instructing all member states to review their domestic laws and practices to ensure that terrorists could not finance their operations or find safe haven for their adherents or their operations."

A committee set up to monitor compliance has received detailed reports from all but 45 of the 189 member states on what they have done in connection with a resolution that "makes an important contribution to our effort to eliminate terrorist attacks once and for all," the ambassador noted. The Secretary General has spoken out repeatedly and in the most supportive terms of the anguish the US is passing through and of the threat of terrorist attacks elsewhere. But he also has an international organization to run, and Negroponte made clear that the Bush administration is well satisfied with his administrative performance. For example, the new budget (about $5 bill for 2 years) "is consistent with our firm approach to maintain" fiscal discipline'" said the ambassador.

He also welcomed the Secretary General's recently announced review of major UN operations and call for an analysis of "low priority or obsolete mandates [in order] to free up resources."

Bush's credentials as a multilateralist remain suspect in many quarters, not least within the European Union. But, referring to the Monterrey conference on financing for development, Negroponte said the fact that the President decided to lead the US delegation (he speaks Friday) "is a sign of our commitment to work in partnership with the developing world and other donors on this important issue." Emphasis on private sector investment and trade, rather than high levels of development assistance, is the US-favored basis for economic growth in developing countries, the ambassador explained.

As of the end of last year, 204 UN staff sent into the field never returned. Their deaths in action demonstrated the essential need for safety and security for all UN personnel in the successful performance of field operations, Negroponte said. "We would not unduly put our diplomats overseas in harm's way, nor should we expect UN personnel to be exposed to unnecessary danger," he added.

Nobody yet knows, perhaps not even Bush, what action to take over Iraq. But Negroponte said the ball is in Saddam Hussein's court: "He is the one who must open his doors to the world, not the world to him." The Iraqi people are not the target, he emphasized, adding that the UN oil-for-food program would work better if Baghdad cooperated with it instead of obstructing its benefits to the ordinary citizen.

After acknowledging the value of UN peacekeeping operations and supporting proposals to renovate the New York headquarters, Negroponte delivered his "unique partner in troubled times" affirmation and concluded his statement as follows:

"The war against global terrorism comes first, but fortifying the conditions of peace is an agenda we will not lightly surrender. We are making progress and will not be deterred on either front."