25 September, 2007: United Nations -- Iran’s controversial president has used his third speech at the United Nations to launch a scathing attack on the Israeli occupation of Palestine and American foreign policy. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused “certain powers” of extensive human rights violations and duplicity.

"They use various pretexts to occupy sovereign states and cause insecurity and division, and then use the prevailing situation as an excuse to continue their occupation. For more than 60 years, Palestine, as compensation for the loss they incurred during the war in Europe, has been under occupation of the illegal Zionist regime,” he said.

He also accused the U.S. of “setting up secret prisons, abducting persons, trials, and secret punishments without regard to due process.” Iran he said had “spared no effort” in trying to build confidence in its nuclear program, which he insisted is for peaceful purposes. He said Security Council sanctions were illegal and the work of “bullying powers.”

UN Photo by Mark Garten

“Fortunately, the IAEA has recently tried to regain its legal role as a supporter of the rights of its members while supervising nuclear activities,” he said.

“We see this as a correct approach adopted by the Agency. Previously, they illegally insisted on politicizing the Iranian nation’s nuclear case, but today, because of the resistance of he Iranian nation, the issue is back to Agency, and I officially announce that in our opinion the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary Agency matter,” he added.

Ahmadinejad’s visit to the 62nd General Assembly has been dogged by protests. The president of Columbia University Lee Bollinger called him a “petty and cruel dictator” before the head of state spoke to students on Monday. New York tabloids dubbed him “mad”, “evil” and “demented.” According to reports from Iran, many believe the treatment he has received only furthered the perception of America as a hostile nation.
Meanwhile, U.S. President George Bush announced new economic and visa sanctions against the military junta in Burma. He accused the 12 senior generals who seized power in a 1988 crackdown of orchestrating a “reign of fear.”

“Basic freedoms of speech, assembly, and worship are severely restricted. Ethnic minorities are persecuted. Forced child labor, human trafficking, and rape are common. The regime is holding more than a thousand political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was elected overwhelmingly by the Burmese people in 1990. The ruling junta remains unyielding, yet the people’s desire for freedom is unmistakable,” he said.
Bush delivered a low key speech that barely mentioned the Middle East and focused instead on themes of freedom, poverty, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He said, “Every civilized nation also has a responsibility to stand up for the people suffering under dictatorship in Belarus, North Korea, Syria, and Iran, brutal regimes deny their people the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration.

“Changing these underlying conditions is what the declaration calls the work of larger freedom and it must be the work of every nation in this assembly. This great institution must work for great purposes: to free people from tyranny and violence, hunger and diseases, illiteracy and ignorance, and poverty and despair.”

The Cuban delegation walked out when he said, “In Cuba, the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end. The Cuban people are ready for their freedom. And as that nation enters a period of transition, the United Nations must insist on free speech, free assembly and, ultimately, free and competitive elections.”

In his first address the UN, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, “If we allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, we would incur an unacceptable risk to stability in the region and in the world. There will not be peace in the world if the international community falters in the face of the proliferation of nuclear arms.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was up to Iran to prove its nuclear ambitions were peaceful and that if reassurances were not forthcoming, Germany would advocate for harsher sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

On Sunday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai met at the UN to garner a deal which would increase international support for the war-torn state. Both leaders hailed the high-level meeting, which was also attended by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, European Union foreign affairs chief Javier Solana, and NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, a success.

Talks focused on the Afghan Compact signed in London, January 2006. The document outlines a five-year plan for promoting national peace and security.

According to a joint communiqué released after the meeting, the architects of the Compact reiterated “their commitment to the emergence of Afghanistan as a stable, peaceful, prosperous and democratic member of the family of nations.”

Speaking to reporters Ban said, “We had a very useful and constructive meeting. All the participants agree that Afghanistan is going through a crucially important transition. While we agree that the challenges are enormous and difficult, we also hope that the Afghan government under the leadership of President Karzai will continue to focus their efforts on good governance, the eradication of corruption, and the eradication of opium cultivation and trafficking.”

President Karzai said Afghans were grateful to the international community for “bringing their precious taxpayers’ money to help with the rebuilding of Afghanistan.” But he added, “Of course we always need more.”

Last week, UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, stressed a solution to Afghanistan’s security problems was essential. “We need more troops, we need more money, and we need a sustainable commitment in Afghanistan. There must be a comprehensive strategy which comprises civilian and military action, so we come to a political offensive against the insurgency,” he said.

Karzai’s government and a massive international military presence comprised of U.S.-led forces and UN-mandated NATO troops have so far failed to tame Afghanistan’s southern provinces. Just last week the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said opium production had reached record levels.

Secretary-General Ban urged President Karzai to engage in “inclusive political dialogue” with all of Afghanistan’s tribal and regional factions.

President Karzai said his government was ready to work with moderate members of the Taliban who were not aligned with al-Qaeda.

“There is also efforts going on to bring back all those Taliban who are not part of al-Qaeda, who are not part of terrorist networks, who have for one reason or another, been forced or found in a position to leave Afghanistan or to pick up guns. We are working hard on that, we are trying very hard to bring them back to the fold, to make them return and participate in the making of the country. It’s extremely important this process goes on,” he said.