UN: end Mideast, Darfur crises
2007-09-25 22:07
New York - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has pledged to push for lasting peace in the Middle East and an end to the conflict in Darfur in the coming year, telling world leaders it will be one of the most challenging years in UN history.
At the opening of the UN General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting on Tuesday, Ban called for "an internal climate of change" at the world body to address the growing number of issues requiring collective action.
The high-level session which ends on October 3, opened with speeches by Ban and US President George W Bush.
Nearly 100 presidents and prime ministers are attending the General Assembly ministerial meeting, (including President Thabo Mbeki) and senior officials from 91 other UN member states.
Ban said peace in the Middle East was vital to the stability of the region and the world.
He also said the UN would "leave no stone unturned to end the tragedy in Darfur" and urged the Sudanese government to live up to its pledge to implement a cease-fire and join peace talks starting October 27 on ending the conflict in the war-ravaged region.
Global warming is also a main theme of the ministerial session. About 80 world leaders, as well as California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and former US vice-president Al Gore, attended a day-long UN summit on the issue on Monday, and many leaders talked about the challenges the world faces in their speeches to the General Assembly.
- AP