VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0871/01 2731444
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291444Z SEP 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5005

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000871 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON UNGA HO EN MI CY CO LG NR
ES, NS, GT, PL, CT, CV, AL, CS, MG 
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUES: FOOD CRISIS, 
TERRORISM, CLIMATE CHANGE KEY THEMES IN EIGHTH PLENARY 
MEETING 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  During the afternoon meeting of the 63rd UN 
General Assembly on September 24, the General Debate focused 
on the food crisis, climate change and the increasing price 
of energy, with many noting a need for a more modern, 
efficient United Nations.  The leaders of developing 
countries called for donor countries to meet Millennium 
Development Goal commitments.  Several speakers raised 
concerns over terrorism and organized crime.  Eastern 
European leaders discussed energy security, territorial 
integrity, and state sovereignty, with an eye on Russia's 
recent actions in Georgia.  The Latin American countries 
expressed strong concern over the financial crisis, and 
called for more control over private companies and financial 
institutions.  The leaders of several countries touched upon 
immigration, with the Latin American leaders focusing on 
immigrants' rights, and African and Pacific Rim leaders 
pleading for developed countries to open their borders.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. The following participated:  Honduran President Rosales; 
Mozambican President Guebuza; Estonian President Ilves; 
Malawian President Mutharika; Cypriot President Christofias; 
Colombian President Uribe; Latvian President Zatlers; Nauruan 
President Stephen; Salvadoran President Gonzalez; Surinamese 
President Venetiaan; Guatemalan President Caballeros; Polish 
President Kaczynski; Central African President Bozize; Cape 
Verdean President Pires; Albanian President Topi; Costa Rican 
President Sanchez; and Mongolian Prime Minister Bayar.  All 
statements are available at www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate. 
 
ENERGY SECURITY, TERRITORIAL ISSUES CRITICAL TO EASTERN EUROPE 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
¶3. Estonian President Ilves stressed the gravity of the 
Russian-Georgian conflict, stating that Russia's actions had 
seriously violated the principles governing relations between 
states and had proven that it is possible for even a Security 
Council Permanent Five member to get away with disregarding 
international treaties and law.  Latvian President Zatlers 
called for adherence to and implementation of the cease-fire 
agreement by Russia, the removal of all foreign troops from 
Georgian territory, and the establishment of a European Union 
(EU) monitoring mission in Georgia.  After witnessing the 
"illegal military aggression and division" of Georgia, Polish 
President Kaczynski said that "certain states" use energy 
resources to manipulate political outcomes in neighboring 
countries, underscoring the urgency for Europe to diversify 
its energy supplies and expand its energy transport 
infrastructure.  Albanian President Topi rejected out of hand 
any linkage between Georgia and Kosovo, calling the latter a 
sui generis case.  Kosovar independence enables the Balkans 
to escape from "historical injustices," he added, and urged 
the United Nations to admit Kosovo as a member. 
 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WORRIED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD CRISIS 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
¶4. Mozambique, Malawi, El Salvador, Suriname, the Central 
African Republic, Cape Verde, Mongolia and Nauru related the 
difficult situations their countries and regions faced as a 
result of climate change, the food crisis and rising energy 
prices.  Several leaders underscored the devastating impact 
of natural disasters on their countries, with Nauru President 
Stephen calling for the Security Council to discuss climate 
change, as he said it presents a threat to international 
peace and security.  The Presidents of Mozambique, Honduras 
and Suriname called for the elimination of developed 
countries' "unfair" and protectionist agricultural policies. 
Malawi requested that the international community consider 
granting agricultural subsidies to developing countries, 
specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Central African Republic 
President Bozize added that African farmers need assistance 
in improving agricultural production, calling hunger "one of 
the worst weapons of mass destruction."  In contrast to the 
call from many developing countries for developed countries 
to fulfill their Millennium Development Goal commitments, 
Estonian President Ilves stated that "every nation is itself 
primarily responsible for its own development." 
 
A PLEA FOR IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS, OPEN BORDERS 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. Honduran President Rosales stated that immigration was a 
human right rather than a crime, and appealed to the United 
States and Europe to consider immigrants' rights and promote 
the reunification of split families.  Salvadoran President 
Gonzalez called for the United States to consider the rights 
of its nearly 12 million undocumented migrants, and noted the 
importance of international coordination on migration 
policies to prevent transnational crimes like trafficking in 
persons.  Guatemalan President Caballeros argued for 
 
 
 
acceptance of the globalization and free flow of labor and 
migration, just as the world has accepted the free flow of 
material and information.  He proposed the Secretary-General 
convene a panel to examine the nature and consequences of 
global migration.  Nauruan President Stephen appealed to the 
developed countries to open their labor markets to workers 
from developing countries, to reduce trade barriers, and to 
promote labor mobility.  He specifically requested the United 
States to grant preferential access for Nauruan workers to 
economic opportunities created by the U.S. military presence 
in Guam. 
 
LATIN AMERICA FOCUSED ON FINANCIAL CRISIS, FIGHTING TERRORISM 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
 
¶6. Honduran President Rosales criticized multinational 
companies for their role in the financial crisis, which he 
said has triggered "rapid and devastating spikes" in food and 
energy prices.  The "wild and savage" capitalist system with 
its "demonic" market laws was now "paradoxically devouring 
its very creators," he said.  Rosales said that aid to 
developing countries should be given without imposed 
conditions.  Guatemalan President Caballeros blamed 
manipulation and speculation for exacerbating the global 
financial crisis.  Salvadoran President Gonzalez called for 
those countries involved in the financial crisis to meet to 
discuss possible solutions before losing ground on advances 
made in fighting poverty in recent years. 
 
¶7. Colombian President Uribe highlighted the progress 
Colombia has made in fighting terrorism and reducing crime, 
resulting in lower homicide rates, the dismantling of 
paramilitary groups, and the release of many hostages.  He 
explained that Columbia is giving special protection to union 
leaders, teachers, and journalists in an effort to eliminate 
impunity.  Democracy is key to the ongoing fight against 
terrorism and organized crime, he added.  Costa Rican 
President Sanchez argued in an eloquently delivered discourse 
on disarmament that all nations should divert "excessive" 
military spending to address poverty and hunger, claiming 
that, "every tank is a symbol of postponed attention to the 
needs of our people."  Moving beyond the region, Sanchez 
called for those responsible for crimes in Darfur to be 
brought before the International Criminal Court, lest the 
history of Kosovo, Bosnia, Rwanda and Cambodia repeat itself. 
Khalilzad