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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Chavez tells UN Bush is 'devil' | Chavez tells UN Bush is 'devil' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez has called US President George W Bush "the devil" in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. | |
| "The devil came here yesterday," he said, referring to Mr Bush's speech on Tuesday. "It still smells of sulphur today," he added. | "The devil came here yesterday," he said, referring to Mr Bush's speech on Tuesday. "It still smells of sulphur today," he added. |
| US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said it was disappointing to see a head of state speak in such a way. | |
| Mr Chavez went on to criticise the UN system, which he said was "worthless". | |
| The left-wing Venezuelan leader - allied to Cuba's Fidel Castro and with growing ties to fellow oil-producer Iran - has long had tense relations with the US. | The left-wing Venezuelan leader - allied to Cuba's Fidel Castro and with growing ties to fellow oil-producer Iran - has long had tense relations with the US. |
| UN 'worthless' | UN 'worthless' |
| On Tuesday, Mr Bush had defended his policies on the Middle East and said democracy was gaining ground as terrorists were marginalised. | On Tuesday, Mr Bush had defended his policies on the Middle East and said democracy was gaining ground as terrorists were marginalised. |
| The UN system born after World War II collapsed. It's worthless Hugo ChavezVenezuelan President UN session at a glance | The UN system born after World War II collapsed. It's worthless Hugo ChavezVenezuelan President UN session at a glance |
| Mr Chavez, who brandished a copy of American leftist writer Noam Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance, said Mr Bush promoted "a false democracy of the elite" and a "democracy of bombs". | Mr Chavez, who brandished a copy of American leftist writer Noam Chomsky's Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance, said Mr Bush promoted "a false democracy of the elite" and a "democracy of bombs". |
| "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world," the Venezuelan leader said. | "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world," the Venezuelan leader said. |
| He called for drastic reform of the UN to reduce what he called US influence. | He called for drastic reform of the UN to reduce what he called US influence. |
| The UN in its current form "doesn't work", he said. | The UN in its current form "doesn't work", he said. |
| "I don't think anybody in this room could defend the system," the Venezuelan leader added. | "I don't think anybody in this room could defend the system," the Venezuelan leader added. |
| The UN General Assembly is holding its 61st session | The UN General Assembly is holding its 61st session |
| "Let's be honest. The UN system born after World War II collapsed. It's worthless." | "Let's be honest. The UN system born after World War II collapsed. It's worthless." |
| Mr Chavez's criticism of the UN echoed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech to the assembly late on Tuesday, BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall reports from New York. | Mr Chavez's criticism of the UN echoed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech to the assembly late on Tuesday, BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall reports from New York. |
| "As long as the UN Security Council is unable to act on behalf of the entire international community in a transparent, just and democratic manner, it will neither be legitimate nor effective," Mr Ahmadinejad said in a speech delivered a few hours after Mr Bush's appearance. | "As long as the UN Security Council is unable to act on behalf of the entire international community in a transparent, just and democratic manner, it will neither be legitimate nor effective," Mr Ahmadinejad said in a speech delivered a few hours after Mr Bush's appearance. |
| Afghan appeal | |
| Wednesday's session opened with a speech by Afghan President Hamid Karzai who argued military action alone would not stop terrorism in his country. | Wednesday's session opened with a speech by Afghan President Hamid Karzai who argued military action alone would not stop terrorism in his country. |
| They decapitate elderly women, blow up mosques full of worshipers and kill school-going children in indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas Hamid KarzaiAfghan president Karzai addresses UN | They decapitate elderly women, blow up mosques full of worshipers and kill school-going children in indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas Hamid KarzaiAfghan president Karzai addresses UN |
| He called for the destruction of safe havens and elaborate networks operating in the region to recruit, train, finance, arm and deploy terrorists. | He called for the destruction of safe havens and elaborate networks operating in the region to recruit, train, finance, arm and deploy terrorists. |
| And he said the answer to defeating the drugs trade lay in international support for providing a "meaningful alternative livelihood to our farmers". | And he said the answer to defeating the drugs trade lay in international support for providing a "meaningful alternative livelihood to our farmers". |
| In other business at the General Assembly | |
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