2005 World Summit

Bolton swiftly issued a list of new demands[3] (including dropping the use of the words "Millennium Development Goals"), which days before the summit had still not been settled.

Some observers contended that on the eve of the summit the U.S. struck a more conciliatory tone than expected,[4] something partly credited as a consequence of the outpouring of international support for the U.S. after Hurricane Katrina.

As well as discussing progress on the Millennium Development Goals and re-iterating the world's commitment to them, the summit was convened to address the possible reform of the United Nations; much of this was eventually postponed to a later date.

For example, John Bolton said: "I do wish to make one point clear: the United States understands that reference to the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the use of the phrase 'reproductive health' in paragraphs 57 (g) and 58 (c) of the outcome document do not create any rights and cannot be interpreted to constitute support, endorsement, or promotion of abortion.

"[10] The pressure group The United Nations Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UNA-UK) contend that: Delegates to the UN Summit have been accused of producing a 'watered-down' outcome document which merely reiterates existing pledges.