UN: Bush and Annan clash
2004-09-22 07:18
United Nations - The United Nations annual debate opened in sombre mood on Tuesday with a clash between George W Bush's vision of global security and Kofi Annan's warnings about the collapse of international law.
The United States president and United Nations chief, long at odds over the Iraq war, unavoidably set the tone for the two-week meeting of world leaders as the United Nations looks to redefine its role for the new challenges of the 21st century.
Bush issued an unapologetic defence of US military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and pressed sceptical nations to back his drive for democracy to fight the forces of terrorism and violence.
"We all have a stake in the success of the world's newest democracies," Bush said, with Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and Afghan President Hamid Karzai among the nearly 100 heads of state or government in the audience.
'Shameless disregard'
"The security of our world is found in the advancing rights of mankind," he said. "These rights are advancing across the world, and across the world the enemies of human rights are responding with violence."
But Annan cast grave doubts about fundamental laws of humankind that he said were being "shameless disregarded" - noting the case of Iraqi prisoners "disgracefully abused" by US troops.
"Today the rule of law is at risk around the world," Annan said. In addition to the chaos in Iraq, he cited the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the catastrophe in Sudan and the recent Russian hostage tragedy.
Annan repeated his warning that the United Nations was at a "fork in the road" after the Iraq war, and urged world leaders to focus on his calls for a sweeping UN overhaul, including at the UN Security Council.
"If you, the political leaders of the world's nations, cannot reach agreement on the way forward, history will take the decisions for you," Annan said.
Brazil, Germany, India and Japan on Tuesday launched a joint bid for permanent seats on a reformed Security Council, saying that the council must "reflect the realities of the international community in the 21st century."
Building a better world
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan, which pays more into the United Nations than any country except the United States, said it was time that his country's contributions were recognised.
Bush said the United Nations was at a moment of "tremendous opportunity" and should "promote hope and progress as the alternatives" to bloodshed and violence.
"Our great purpose is to build a better world beyond the war on terror," Bush said.
But Annan has repeatedly argued that while the United States and other developed nations may be focused on terror, many more people around the globe were concerned with problems like poverty and the spread of HIV/Aids.
- AFP