Cablegate: Un General Debate Continues: Netherlands, Egypt

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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000889

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON KPKO UNGA BY TH NL KG TV TD
WS, BG, SC, LT, NP, TN, LA, EG, JO, LO, MO
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUES: NETHERLANDS, EGYPT
AND JORDAN SPEAK

1. SUMMARY: The ninth plenary meeting of the 64th UN general
assembly was held on the morning of September 26. The themes
of the economic crisis, climate change and UN reform,
specifically the expansion of permanent members of the
Security Council continued. Iran's nuclear program was
addressed by the Netherlands and Slovakia, with the
Netherlands also addressing Iran's human rights record.
Regional issues were discussed by Burundi, Thailand, Kyrgyz
Republic, Egypt and Jordan. The Israel - Palestine situation
was addressed by Middle Eastern countries. END SUMMARY

2. The following countries representative's spoke: Burundi's
second vice-president Ntisezerana, Prime Minister of Thailand
Vekkakiva, Netherlands Prime Minister Balkenende, Kyrgyz
Republic Prime Minister Chudinov, Tuvalu Prime Minister
Ielemia, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Manning, Somoa
Prime Minister Malielegaoi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina,
Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Douglas, Lesotho Prime
Minister Mosisili, Nepal Prime Minister Kumar, Tonga Prime
Minister Sevele, Lao Foreign Affairs Minister Sisoulith,
Egypt Foreign Affairs Minister Gheit, Jordan Foreign Affair
Minister Judeh, Slovakia Foreign Affairs Minister Lajcak and
Morocco Foreign Affairs Minister Fihri. Full text is
statement is available at un.org/ga/64/generaldebate, video
archives are at un.org/webcast/2009html.

3. Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina spoke about domestic
issues, specifically elections, education and health. She
then addressed climate change and the economic crisis. On
climate change, she pointed out that as a low-lying coastal
country Bangladesh will bear a heavy burden if sea levels
rise. She praised the proposal by U.K. Prime Minister Gordon
Brown to establish a fund to support climate change
mitigation. On peacekeeping operations, she pointed out that
while Bangladesh is the second largest contributor to
peacekeeping missions it does not have proportional
representation at Peacekeeping Operations in UN headquarters.
She finished with a call to make Bangla one of the UN's
official languages.

4. Netherlands Prime Minister Balkenende addressed the
financial crisis but argued that it should not displace other
issues like human rights and climate change. He singled out
Iran for its human rights violations, stating "we are
concerned about the worsening human rights situation and
violent crackdown on popular protests". He also addressed
the recently revealed Iranian nuclear facility stating that
it was a "major challenge to international peace and
security, to regional stability and to the nonproliferation
regime". Slovakian Foreign Minister Lajack also addressed
Iran's nuclear program, stating his government was gravely
concerned at Iran's continued defiance of international
obligations. He condemned the DPRK's nuclear test and called
on it to join the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. He
addressed climate change and the economic crisis. Slovakia
supports Security Council expansion.

5. Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister Gheit spoke about the
impact of the financial crisis and the importance of
collective work on climate change. He stated that Egypt was
"unsatisfied with the politicization of human rights issues"
and advocated a draft resolution on freedom of expression.
He called for all Middle Eastern countries to subject all
nuclear facilities to IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards. Gheit
pushed for renewed negotiations on the Israel-Palestine issue
stating that "Israel has shown lack of the necessary
political will" to engage in negotiations and "the
international community should put forward the formula for
the final settlement to the conflict." He called on Israel
to freeze settlement activity and said that the 1967 borders
should be recognized in any settlement. On Sudan, he hoped
that "unity becomes the first and the most attractive option
for all Sudanese".

6. Foreign Affairs Minister Dudeh of Jordan also addressed
climate change and the economic crisis. He echoed Egypt's

USUN NEW Y 00000889 002 OF 002

position on Israel - Palestine. He was critical of Israel
for denying Palestinian self determination and advocated for
a two state solution. He called for recovery of Syrian and
Lebanese occupied territories. Dudeh stated that Israel
continues build settlements and the United Nations has the
responsibility to push for negotiations and peace. Dudeh
called on the Human Rights Council (Gladstone) Gaza fact
finding report to be implemented. On Iraq, he advocated
peace and was opposed to "external interference in internal
affairs." Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Fihri addressed
the Arab - Israeli issue, stating "the peace process is the
only viable option." He called for the creation of a
Palestine state, and echoed Jordan's position on the
territorial integrity of Iraq.

7. Burundian second vice-president Ntisezerana focused on
regional issues that are affecting the Great Lakes region,
such as recent conflicts, land disputes and population
growth. He spoke about peace in Burundi and how the "last
rebel group has laid down its arms" and are being integrated
into the military and government. He addressed the upcoming
elections this year, improving health care and appealed to
the developed countries for aid towards the Millennium
Development Goals. He pointed out that twenty five Burundian
peacekeepers had been killed in Somalia and asked that the
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) mandate be modified
to allow offensive actions.

8. Samoan Prime Minister Malielegaoi, Tuvalu Prime Minister
Ielemia and Tongan Prime Minister Sevele addressed climate
change and the effects of the economic crisis. They warned
that without efforts to halt rising sea levels, their islands
may cease to exist. All were in favor of Security Council
expansion. Tonga PM Sevele looked forward to the "renewed
interest in United States engagement with Pacific Island
countries."

9. Kyrgyz Republic Prime Minister Chudnov addressed Central
Asian issues such as the war in Afghanistan, environmental
and ecological problems and water use. Thailand pushed for
liberalizing trade and the positions that the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) support. Both Trinidad and
Tobago's Prime Minister Manning and St. Kitts and Nevis's
Prime Minister Douglas addressed climate change, the economic
crisis and crime in the Caribbean basin. Lesotho Prime
Minister Mosisili spoke of the need to expand the Security
Council and against the embargo of Cuba. Lao Foreign Affairs
Minister Sisoulith spoke against cluster munitions, citing
how much his country has suffered from Vietnam war era
weapons. He also spoke against the Cuban embargo.
RICE

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