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UN chief calls for global action | |
(40 minutes later) | |
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has told global leaders the world faces "a daunting array of challenges", from poverty and climate change to conflict in Darfur. | UN chief Ban Ki-moon has told global leaders the world faces "a daunting array of challenges", from poverty and climate change to conflict in Darfur. |
Opening the UN general assembly, he said the world body needed to adapt and focus not on rhetoric but on results. | |
US President George W Bush used his 15 minutes at the podium to highlight human rights violations, naming Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Iran. | |
Iran's controversial leader is expected to address the assembly later. | |
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in an uncompromising mood on Monday in a speech at New York's Columbia University. | |
He argued for further research on the Holocaust and insisted that his country was entitled to its nuclear programme, which he said was entirely peaceful. | |
Uncompromising | Uncompromising |
Addressing the general assembly for the first time as UN chief, Mr Ban called for "an internal climate of change" at the international body to deal with a "fractured world". | |
"I expect the year ahead to be among the most challenging in our history. And I am sure that, together, we can make it one of the most successful. | "I expect the year ahead to be among the most challenging in our history. And I am sure that, together, we can make it one of the most successful. |
"We need to pay less attention to rhetoric, and more attention to results - to getting things done," he said. | "We need to pay less attention to rhetoric, and more attention to results - to getting things done," he said. |
He stressed that peace in the Middle East was vital to regional and world stability. He also said "no stone would be left unturned to end the tragedy in Darfur". | He stressed that peace in the Middle East was vital to regional and world stability. He also said "no stone would be left unturned to end the tragedy in Darfur". |
He also called on Burma's military leaders to show restraint in the face of continued pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks. | |
This line was echoed by President Bush, who said Americans were "outraged by the situation in Burma". | |
He announced "tighter" economic sanctions against the junta and urged other nations to apply pressure on the leaders of Burma's "19-year reign of fear". | |
The US leader's speech focused on the themes that have dominated much of his presidency: the need to spread freedom, to reward advocates of democracy and to isolate regimes whose policies run counter to what he sees as the tide of history. | |
Shift in tone | |
The ritual of the general assembly allows each country's head of state or head of government - though some are represented by their foreign minister - to speak for 15 minutes. | The ritual of the general assembly allows each country's head of state or head of government - though some are represented by their foreign minister - to speak for 15 minutes. |
Each country determines the issues that it wants to raise. | Each country determines the issues that it wants to raise. |
There is no agenda as such, but the speeches of key countries are closely watched for any evidence of an inflection or shift in their foreign policies. | There is no agenda as such, but the speeches of key countries are closely watched for any evidence of an inflection or shift in their foreign policies. |
Nearly 200 speeches and several days later, the representative of Trinidad and Tobago will be the last to speak. | Nearly 200 speeches and several days later, the representative of Trinidad and Tobago will be the last to speak. |
The speech from the relatively new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, will also be watched carefully. | The speech from the relatively new French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, will also be watched carefully. |
He has brought a significant shift in both the tone and content of French foreign policy, and the UN will provide him with a platform to set out the main themes that will dominate his presidency abroad. | He has brought a significant shift in both the tone and content of French foreign policy, and the UN will provide him with a platform to set out the main themes that will dominate his presidency abroad. |
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also speaking later on Tuesday. |