United Nations Wrap Up



(image via caeds)

The jury is still out as to whether or not the United Nations will devolve into a cacophony of hot wind (as per usual) or will it actually accomplish preparing the ground for meaningful reform and international cooperation this week. At 60, the UN is going through a late midlife crisis; the UN has gone gray -- a glorious silvery gray? Today the key word is "Redemption." Will the UN redeem itself? Or does it simply lack the will to change? Here are some of the reports from the anniversary meeting around the web:

Says The Sydney Herald Sun: "THE UN's failure to act on nuclear disarmament ahead of a meeting of world leaders is a disgrace, says Secretary General Kofi Annan.

"The meeting, which started overnight, is billed as one of the largest summits in history, with about 150 kings, presidents and prime ministers converging on the Manhattan headquarters of the UN to mark its 60th anniversary.

"Mr Annan had called the summit a 'once-in-a-generation' opportunity to reshape the troubled world body and set its agenda for the 21st century."

Warren Hoge of The Old Gray Lady writes: "The General Assembly unanimously approved a scaled-down statement of goals Tuesday that Secretary-General Kofi Annan said would still give world leaders gathering today a basis for recommendations to reform the organization and combat poverty.

"Loud cheers from the delegates, however, could not disguise widespread disappointment at the weakening of the 35-page document.

"When Annan first proposed the statement it represented an ambitious blueprint for attempting to balance the concerns of great powers over security, human rights and management efficiency with the developing world's needs for increased assistance and measures to cut poverty. In the end, virtually every section underwent severe cutbacks.

"'Obviously we didn't get everything we wanted. With 191 member states, it's not easy to get an agreement,'' Annan said. But, he added, 'we can build on it.'''

Maria Newman reports on The President's speech (transcript): "'If member countries want the United Nations to be respected -- respected and effective, they should begin by making sure it is worthy of respect,' he said.

"'The United Nations must be strong and efficient, free of corruption, and accountable to the people it serves.'

"As for human rights, he said, 'When this great institution's member states choose notorious abusers of human rights to sit on the U.N. Human Rights Commission, they discredit a noble effort and undermine the credibility of the whole organization.'

"The president also said he was launching a new international partnership on avian influenza.

"'If left unchallenged, this virus could become the first pandemic of the 21st century. We must not allow that to happen,' he said."

From TheScotsman: "The UN summit marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations has opened with an appeal for collective action to prevent conflict and genocide and to protect human rights.

"Facing over 150 world leaders, Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson, the summit co-chair, warned that millions of lives will be lost if significant steps aren't taken now to fight global poverty 'and we will pass on a more unfair and more unsafe world to the next generation.'

"At a time of turmoil, conflict and terrorist attacks, Persson stressed that the world needed to act together.

"'We the heads of state and government owe this to coming generations,' he said. 'We cannot afford to fail. We need to find collective solutions based on the rule of law and for this we need a stronger United Nations.'"

Which, of course, is a very Swedish-humanitarian sentiment.