UN GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUES (SEPT. 24 A.M.)

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000885 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNGA AORC PGOV CN GH BK RW LH CY TP SL PM SZ, SP, JA, TU, IS SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUES (SEPT. 24 A.M.) ¶1. SUMMARY: During the September 24 morning meeting of the UNGA General Debate, heads of state or governments from Comoros, Ghana, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, Lithuania, Cyprus, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Panama, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, Turkey, and Israel spoke. Common themes were the global financial crisis; climate change; implementation of the Millennium Development Goals; peace and security; and United Nations reform, especially the Security Council. Several speakers addressed Iran's nuclear program. Full text of statements is available at www.un.org/ga/64/generaldebate; video archives are at www.un.org/webcast/2009.html. END SUMMARY. ¶2. Ghana: Millennium Development Goals are Unattainable. President Mills cataloged the current state of the economy, climate change, and high food and energy prices threatening its economic and democratic achievements over the past two decades. To counter this, he requested the support of the United Nations and Ghana's regional allies but stated that the Millennium Development Goals were "unattainable in any meaningful way." To combat the economic crisis, Ghana has put in place several measures, including fiscal restraint. Mills stressed that realizing social and economic development for Africa depends on commitment to good governance. ¶3. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Preventive Diplomacy. Chairman of the Presidency, Komsic, stated that the principal threat to global peace and stability was the economic and financial crisis, and that if the opportunity to correct it were missed, it could create "unimaginable consequences" throughout the world. He also cited climate change as an urgent issue and hoped that the Copenhagen Summit would succeed and build upon the Kyoto Protocol. Komsic remained committed to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia as well as police missions in the DRC, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Liberia, Sudan, East Timor, Cyprus, and Haiti. He declared that Security Council reform was paramount, to include greater engagement of "preventive diplomacy" to avoid conflicts. Additionally, Bosnia and Herzegovina reminded the member states of its candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council in 2010-2011. ¶4. Lithuania: Touts Sustained Development. President Grybauskaite listed the challenges to the global community (economic crisis, terrorism, weapons proliferation, and climate change) and prescribed the transformation of the UN so as to face these challenges. For sustained development he prescribed: 1) continued peacekeeping efforts, 2) stronger United Nations policy against nuclear proliferation, 3) better and more responsible global governance, 4) addressing climate issues, and 5) greater regional responsibility. ¶5. Cyprus: Blames the "system" and "market lawlessness" for the global crisis. President Christofias focused on the global economic crisis, blaming the "system" with its "neo-liberalism" and "market lawlessness" forcing states to re-evaluate priorities. Cyprus reasserted Turkish war crimes of 1975 and appreciated United Nations resolutions passed in support of Cyprus. Christofias reiterated willingness to initiate dialogue with Turkey. ¶6. Sao Tome and Principe: Mentioned United States trade embargo with Cuba. President Menezes praised political efforts between China and Taiwan and encouraged a more robust "participation for the Republic of China-Taiwan at the United Nations." Menezes expressed disappointment with the lack of progress regarding the trade embargo with Cuba, hoping that the new United States President will soon bring it to an end. ¶7. Panama: "Is open for business." In contrast to other speakers, President Berrocal was more positive, but still expressed concern over climate change and the economic meltdown. Even with the financial downturn, he noted planned large-scale construction, such as building a third set of locks to expand the capacity of the Panama Canal to "transform Panama into the Hong Kong or the Dubai of America." Berrocal believes that the rule of law needs to be returned to Honduras and that of Central America, and hopes for a smooth reconciliation process. He reported Panama's ongoing cooperation with Mexico and Columbia in their battle against organized and drug and arms trafficking. ¶8. Japan: The "New Japan" as a bridge. Japan's new Prime Minister as of September 16, Hatoyama, promoted Japan's role as a bridge between the East and West, developing and developed countries, and cultures. Therefore his "New Japan" program includes: 1) respond to the global economic crisis, 2) address climate change, 3) support nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, 4) address peace-building, development and poverty, and 5) build the East Asian community. He noted that Japan was the only country that had suffered the destruction of atomic bombs, citing President Obama's speech in Prague laying out a "world without nuclear weapons." He stressed that North Korean nuclear missile tests "cannot be condoned under any circumstances." ¶9. Turkey: Issues possible ultimatum on relationship with Cyprus. Prime Minister Erdogan's speech touched on the economic crisis, climate change, terrorism, reform of the Security Council, and strong support for Palestinians in Gaza. his focus turned to regional issues. He focused on the "zero problem with neighbors" approach which has resulted in improved bilateral relationships with Greece and Armenia. Turkey strongly supported the Palestinian people and denounced the "aggression against Gaza" while calling on states not to ignore further suffering. The Prime Minister stated that the solution to the Turkish-Cyprus issue was within the United Nations but went further in stressing that, "if a solution cannot be found due to Greek Cypriot intransigence, as was the case in 2004, the normalization of the status of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will become a necessity which can no longer be delayed." He added that negotiations cannot last forever and the window of opportunity will close, (he did not specify a time frame). ¶10. Israel: Denounces "terrorist regime of Iran;" rejects Human Rights Council report on Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu focused on two main themes throughout his speech, Iran and Gaza. He called on member sates of the United Nations to live up to the challenge of preventing Tehran from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, saying that, "the greatest threat facing the world today is the marriage between religious fanaticism and the weapons of mass destruction." He asked if the international community was willing to stop the "terrorist regime of Iran" from acquiring atomic weapons, thus threatening world peace. He denounced Iran's assault on the truth while holding up a copy of the minutes issued by the Nazis in 1945 instructing the extermination of the Jews. He passionately asked, "Is this a lie", referring to the document. Netanyahu asked to the group if President Obama paid tribute to a lie by visiting the Buchenwald concentration camp. Halfway through the speech, the Prime Minister changed focus to the report by the Human Rights Council condemning Israel for its actions in Gaza and said, "if this body does not reject this report, it would send a message to terrorists everywhere: Terror pays; if you launch your attacks from densely populated areas, you will win immunity." He called the report biased, unjust and a farce, asking the international community, "will you stand with Israel or will you stand with the terrorists?" ¶11. Other Interventions: Comoros, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, and Spain addressed the General Debate's key topics: climate change, the economic and financial crisis, security and peace, the Millennium Development Goals, and United Nations and Security Council reform. They reiterated that the international community needed to work together to solve these issues. Rwanda called for better global governance; Switzerland viewed the "trend towards protectionism as a recipe for disaster;" Spain praised President Obama's willingness to put disarmament on the table and urged the abolition of nuclear weapons. RICE