Bush's man 'listening instead of talking'

John Bolton, the outspoken new United States ambassador to the United Nations, has said he's following the advice of former US Secretary of State George Shultz and listening instead of talking.

Bolton met UN General Assembly President Jean Ping, saying there "was a lot of important work" to be done. "I think it's been productive and I'm certainly enjoying myself.

"You know former Secretary of State George Shultz once said listening is vastly underrated as a method of obtaining information, so I was following his advice today."

President George W. Bush appointed Bolton without the approval of the US Senate.