AT THE UN, IRAN, GEORGIA, BOLIVIA AND OTHERS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000870 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON UNGA AORC FI BK RW LH IR LE KE, PM, GG, GY, UG, BL, WA, BN SUBJECT: AT THE UN, IRAN, GEORGIA, BOLIVIA AND OTHERS CONTINUE THE GENERAL DEBATE REF: A. STATE 98982 ¶B. USUNNY 864 ¶1. Summary: The annual UN General Debate continued in the afternoon of September 23 on the themes of global food crisis and UN reform among others. Iran and Lebanon strongly criticized Israel. Iran also defended its nuclear program. Georgia spoke about the need for a stronger UN role given Russia provocations in the region; Lithuania echoed Georgia's call. Bolivia accused the United States of interfering in its domestic affairs. The heads of state of Finland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Lithuania, Iran, Lebanon, Kenya, Panama, Uganda, Guyana, Georgia, Bolivia, Namibia, and Benin made interventions. Video and texts of the speeches can be found at www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate . End Summary. Iran attacks "Zionist" interference in world affairs -------------- -------------- ¶2. Iranian President Mahmood Ahmadinejad said that Iraq was attacked under false pretenses and argued that narcotics production and terrorism have increased in Afghanistan since NATO forces arrived. He defended Iran's "peaceful nuclear program" as its inalienable right. He said the U.S. opposes other nations' progress, monopolizing technology in order to impose its will on other nations. ¶3. Ahmadinejad claimed that "Zionists" and the United States control the United Nations and the rest of the world due to U.S. power in NATO and status on the UNSC. He called "deceitful and furtive" the "Zionists" who he claims dominate financial centers and political decision making in the West. He also claimed that "Zionist murderers" were supported by the UNSC under pressure from "a few bullying powers" in their "invasion" of Palestine. However, he commented that a declining hegemony means the next U.S. rulers will be forced to limit their interference to their own borders. (Note: Per guidance, the USDEL vacated the U.S. desk leaving only a note taker. End Note.) Georgia pledges to fight aggression with democracy -------------- -------------- ¶4. President Saakashvili of Georgia said the implications of Russia's recent invasion of his country cut to the heart of the UN Charter. He asked if the United Nations would support its principles or allow them "to be crushed under the treads of invading tanks, under the boots of ethnic cleansers, under the immobilizing impact of cyber attacks, and under the pernicious tactics of violent separatism." Saakashvili urged that Member States support UN principles by speaking out against this violation of human rights, adopting a non-recognition policy toward the provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, ensuring compliance with the ceasefire agreement, and creating a meaningful UN conflict resolution process to reunify Georgia. ¶5. Saakashvili emphasized repeatedly Georgia's pledge to be a transparent democracy. He invited an investigation of the cause of the invasion. He said "whereas others waged this war with arms, we will wage it with (democratic) values." He listed the invitations for talks Georgia had extended to Russia, which he said were refused. Lebanon's Intervention Focuses on Israel -------------- ¶6. Lebanese President General Sleiman requested the UN and the international community stop Israel's threats of war against Lebanon and provide assistance in regaining territories that Israel occupies. Sleiman reiterated his country's commitment to UNSC resolution 1701, but argued that Israel's failure to comply with 1701 pushed Lebanon toward other, "legitimate options." He made three arguments against the resettlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon: 1) it violates their right to their homeland, 2) it would overextend Lebanon's limited resources, and 3) resettlement is rejected in the Lebanese Constitution. Sleiman announced Lebanon's candidacy for the Security Council election in October 2009. Bolivian President speaks out against the U.S. -------------- - ¶7. Bolivian President Evo Morales Morales directly addressed his reasons for expelling the U.S. Ambassador in early September. First, he argued that the United States did not denounce the groups in Bolivia who were destroying oil and gas pipelines. Morales called these "acts of terrorism." He expressly made reference to President Bush's call to denounce terrorism during his intervention in the General Debate (Ref B). Morales also claimed that the United States had orchestrated his 2002 expulsion from parliament. He claimed that U.S. programs for civil society undermined his attempts at reform. Morales also alleged that the United States consistently tries to control members of the Bolivian military. He further complained that the United States said that farmers from the Andes are "Taliban" and that he himself is from the Andes. Morales based a majority of his speech on his pamphlet "The Ten Commandments to Save the Planet, Humankind and Life." These include ending capitalism and imperialism and multiple injunctions to respect and protect the environment. General Themes of the Afternoon -------------- ¶8. Lithuania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Lebanon, and Kenya called for the United Nations to take a stronger stand in conflict resolution and mediation of justice in their respective regions. Speeches by Finland, Rwanda, Kenya, Panama, Uganda, Namibia, and Benin concentrated on the global food crisis and its effects on poverty and the democratization of the United Nations. Namibia, Rwanda and Benin all pointed out that rising food costs counteract progress in poverty reduction. Uganda, however, called the food crisis an economic opportunity for equatorial Africa and said it would be "very good" for Ugandan farmers. Most speeches called for investment in agriculture and increased attention to climate change as an exacerbating cause of food and energy shortages. Guyana spoke at length about the international financial crisis. On the democratization of the United Nations, Benin and Kenya called for reform of the UN Security Council (UNSC). Kenya stated that Africa should have permanent representation on the UNSC. Other speeches lauded the idea of UN reform and democratization, but offered no concrete suggestions. Khalilzad