VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0874/01 2731634
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291634Z SEP 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5012

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000874 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON PHUM UNGA PK ZI SU AS JA KS
NO, NL, SP, KU, FM, PU, WZ, TT, CM, BX, AN, SM, SC 
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE:  PAKISTAN, ZIMBABWE, SUDAN AND 
OTHERS 
 
REF: STATE 98982 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  During the afternoon of September 25, the UN 
General Assembly General Debate continued with its tenth 
plenary meeting.  In an afternoon featuring Pakistan and 
Zimbabwe's Heads of State and Sudan's Vice-President, 
security issues were a primary focus.  Participants called 
for peace in the Middle East, continued efforts to combat 
terrorism, and the proliferation of Weapons of Mass 
Destruction, and expressed concerns regarding nuclear energy 
(specifically in reference to Iran and North Korea).  The 
leaders of several developed countries emphasized that 
increased efforts to protect the environment were critical to 
counter the effects of climate change and the global food 
crisis.  Calls for UN reform, particularly for 
"democratization" of the United Nations and expansion of the 
Security Council continued.  Many speakers called for greater 
measures to ensure the protection of human rights, with 
several focusing on women's rights and religious tolerance, 
and some calling for the elimination of the death penalty. 
As in previous meetings, many speakers focused on achievement 
of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with the leaders 
of developing nations calling upon the developed world to 
fulfill MDG commitments.  Several speakers -- from both 
developed and developing countries -- focused on health care 
reform, particularly concerning reproductive health.  END 
SUMMARY 
 
¶2. During the meeting, the following spoke:  Micronesian 
President Mori; Guinean President Vieira; Swazi King Mswati 
III; Timorese President Ramos-Horta; Zimbabwean President 
Mugabe; Cameroonian President Biya; Pakistani President 
Zardari; Sudanese Vice-President Taha; Spanish President 
Zapatero; Japanese Prime Minister Aso; Kuwaiti Prime Minister 
Sheikh Al-Sabah; Korean Prime Minister Seung-soo; Bruneian 
Crown Prince Haji Billah; Australian Prime Minister Kevin 
Rudd; Andorran Chief of Government Pintat; Sammarinese Head 
of Government Stolfi; Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg; 
Kittitian/Nevisian Prime Minister Douglas; and Dutch Prime 
Minister Balkenende.  All statements are available at 
www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate. 
 
PAKISTAN 
-------- 
 
¶3. President Zardari eulogized his late wife, former Prime 
Minister Benazir Bhutto, praised democracy, pledged support 
in combating terrorism, and asserted Pakistani sovereignty. 
Citing last week's bombing of the Marriott Hotel in 
Islamabad, Zardari emphasized Pakistan's victimization:  "We 
do not learn about terror from reading newspapers....We have 
lost more soldiers than all 37 countries that have forces in 
Afghanistan put together."  Zardari appealed for time and 
space to combat terrorism.  "A democratic Pakistan is in the 
process of reaching the national consensus necessary to 
confront and defeat the terrorists," he said.  With no 
specific reference to the United States, Zardari warned that 
"Unilateral actions of great powers should not inflame the 
passions of allies.  Violating our nation's sovereignty is 
not helpful in eliminating the terrorist menace.  Indeed, 
this could have the opposite effect."  Zardari pledged to 
bring order to Pakistani territory, cooperate with 
Afghanistan and NATO, and continue dialogue with India.  He 
denounced the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he 
called the democratically elected leader of Myanmar. 
Diverging from his prepared remarks, Zardari expressed 
specific appreciation for the support of FLOTUS Laura Bush on 
this issue. 
 
ZIMBABWE 
-------- 
 
¶4. Per reftel instructions, all senior USG officials vacated 
the U.S. chair during Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's 
intervention, leaving only a notetaker.  Mugabe denounced the 
United States and the United Kingdom for committing 
"genocide" in Iraq.  He called for an end to the 
"self-righteous unilateral sanctions" based on "lies and 
machinations" so that Zimbabwe could "focus undisturbed on 
its economic turnaround program."  On the Zimbabwean 
power-sharing agreement, Mugabe stated "Africa is capable of 
solving her own problems" and thanked former South African 
President Thabo Mbeki for his mediation. 
 
SUDAN 
----- 
 
¶5. In a 30-minute intervention, Sudanese Vice-President Taha 
chided the international community for tardy follow-through 
an financial commitments and interference in Sudan's internal 
affairs.  He asserted Sudan's sole responsibility for Darfur 
and denounced "foreign conspiracies that threaten peace."  He 
 
 
said such movements did not seek peace in Darfur, but regime 
change in Sudan, adding that the Sudanese government is 
implementing its agreements "in an exemplary manner".  Taha 
characterized the arrest warrant against Sudan's President as 
a "moral assassination" with "ulterior motives".  (NOTE: 
This week's Group of 77 Ministerial Meeting, taking place in 
New York, elected Sudan as Chairman of the G-77 for 2009. 
END NOTE.) 
 
HUMAN RIGHTS 
------------ 
 
¶6. Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende recalled the "four 
freedoms" as defined by former U.S. President Franklin Delano 
Roosevelt (freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from 
want and fear), and emphasized the need for greater efforts 
to eliminate the use of torture and the death penalty and to 
promote freedom of expression and belief.  He called for 
wider acceptance of the jurisdiction of the International 
Court of Justice, and called for a fair and balanced Human 
Rights Council.  Balkende also characterized the access to 
potable water as a human right.  Norwegian Prime Minister 
Stoltenberg reminded the Assembly that the Universal 
Declaration on Human Rights was to guide the body in its 
actions, arguing that the job of the United Nations is to 
ensure the rights and opportunities of individuals, groups, 
and countries.  Spanish President Zapatero urged the Assembly 
to not be "complacent" in working to protect the rights 
outlined in the declaration, and called for a universal 
moratorium on the death penalty by 2015.  Andorra, Kuwait, 
San Marino and Swaziland called for progress in the area of 
women's rights, and Brunei and San Marino urged the practice 
of religious tolerance. 
 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 
------------------------ 
 
¶7. Virtually all speakers raised concerns regarding climate 
change and the need for greater environmental protection 
measures.  Noting that carbon emissions from one part of the 
planet affect the entire planet and could radically impact 
our future, Australian Prime Minister Rudd implored Member 
States to take collective action to reduce carbon emissions. 
Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg called for efforts 
against deforestation, which he said would be the most 
effective and quickest way to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions.  The leaders of many developing nations said that 
climate change was having devastating effects on their 
countries, particularly by virtue of more frequent natural 
disasters and the diminishing availability of food staples 
due to phenomena like deforestation, desertification, and 
flooding. 
 
ECONOMIC REFORM 
--------------- 
 
¶8. Australian Prime Minister Rudd termed the current "quantum 
of financial institutional failure" "significant" and 
"unprecedented."  He believed the global financial crisis 
served as a call to the international community to act, and 
said that governments have a responsibility to protect 
financial markets.  Rudd called for reform of financial 
markets and regulatory systems and for clear incentives to 
encourage financial institutions to behave responsibly. 
Japanese Prime Minister Aso urged calm in the face of the 
financial crisis.  Micronesian President Mori said that the 
financial turbulence emanating from the larger economies 
placed everyone at risk.  Norwegian Prime Minister 
Stoltenberg referred to the "unsound investment" which 
"threatens the homes and the jobs of the middle class."  The 
leaders of several developing countries noted that the 
economic stability stemming from developed countries had a 
global impact. 
Khalilzad