VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0895/01 2751900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011900Z OCT 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5042

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PBTS UNGA LA TX MD LS SN YM JO
BM, BC, CD, CF, IV, KG, LY, EC, DA 
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE: BURMA, LIBYA, AND OTHERS 
 
REF: STATE 98982 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  During the morning UN General Assembly General 
Debate on September 29, Lao, Turkmenistan, Moldova, 
Liechtenstein, Singapore, Yemen, Jordan, Burma, Botswana, 
Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Cote D'Ivoire, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, 
Ecuador, and Denmark spoke.  Speakers continued discussing 
the energy, food, and financial crises; climate change; 
poverty eradication and implementation of the Millennium 
Development Goals; regional security issues, including peace 
in the Middle East, the "frozen" conflicts in the Former 
Soviet Union, and African conflicts; human rights; and UN 
reform.  Burma criticized the "unfair, immoral, and 
unwarranted" sanctions imposed on Burma, and said that 
Burma's cooperation with the international community in the 
wake of Cyclone Nargis was a "model" for natural-disaster 
response.  Libya emphasized that terrorism should not be 
confused with the rights of peoples to resist foreign 
occupation and to self-determination.  Ecuador expressed 
strong concern over the violation of the human rights of 
suspected terrorists, and stressed that the fight against 
terrorism could not be an excuse for states to disregard 
international law.  All speeches are available at 
www.un.org/ga/generaldebate.  END SUMMARY 
 
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IN AREAS WITH "FROZEN" CONFLICTS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶2. Moldova cautioned that "frozen" conflicts, like those in 
Georgia and Transnistria, fostered instability, and that 
international recognition of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia 
would not stabilize the situation.  Moldova, the speaker 
said, rejected the use of force in conflict settlement; he 
called for the United Nations to take more direct actions to 
prevent and manage conflicts, and to address the resulting 
humanitarian needs.  The speaker emphasized the importance of 
respecting Georgia's territorial integrity, and called for 
"demilitarization and democratization" of the Transnistrian 
region.  Denmark noted that the conflict in Georgia 
dramatically affected the region, but also had more serious 
repercussions, and called for a peaceful solution to the 
conflict that respected Georgia's independence, sovereignty, 
and territorial integrity.  Singapore characterized Russia's 
recent recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as 
"unsettling" and said that Georgia should not be linked to 
Kosovo.  Yemen declared its support for Georgian sovereignty. 
 
DARFUR AND SOMALIA 
------------------ 
 
¶3. Chad recounted the economic, social, and environmental 
impact to the country caused by the crisis in Darfur, 
particularly the high IDP/refugee burden in eastern Chad. 
The speaker called for the international community to 
contribute all available resources to work towards a lasting, 
comprehensive solution and to assist with humanitarian needs. 
 Botswana expressed deep concern over the "ever-worsening" 
situation in Darfur, noting that the continuation of armed 
hostilities despite UN efforts was "disconcerting."  The 
speaker called upon all parties to commit to a political 
dialogue to work towards lasting peace.  He also called for 
Somalia to commit to an "all-inclusive" political process to 
achieve peace, and stressed the need for international 
humanitarian assistance to Somalia.  Congo termed the 
International Criminal Court's (ICC's) indictment against the 
Sudanese President "counterproductive,"  Yemen also disagreed 
with the indictment, and called for outside powers to cease 
"meddling" in Somalia.  Denmark noted its support for the 
ICC's decision, and called for those responsible for the 
grave crimes committed in Darfur to be held accountable.  The 
speaker also underscored that piracy was undermining 
stability in Somalia, and called for increased international 
efforts to fight piracy. 
 
PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. Libya, Jordan, and Yemen called for peace and stability in 
the region via the establishment of a Palestinian state. 
Libya blasted Israel for subjecting Palestinians to "the 
fiercest form of occupation and extermination practiced 
against civilians," and called for Israel to withdraw from 
the Golan Heights and Lebanese territory.  Yemen termed the 
situation for Palestinians "a source of grave concern," and 
called on the international community to establish conditions 
that would allow for peace.  Jordan criticized Israel for 
acting "in defiance" of the International Court of Justice's 
decision regarding the construction of a separation wall, and 
for intensifying its settlement activities, which Jordan said 
threatened the chance for establishment of an independent and 
viable Palestinian state.  Denmark urged all parties involved 
 
 
to honor their Road Map commitments, and strongly condemned 
the "unacceptable" remarks made by the Iranian President 
"calling for wiping Israel off the face of the map."  Yemen 
and Jordan explicitly welcomed the "remarkable progress" in 
Iraq, and Yemen condemned the terrorist attack on the U.S. 
Embassy in Sana'a. 
 
SHARP CRITICISM OF OCCUPATION, FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶5. Libyan Permanent Representative Giadalla Ettalhi 
emphasized that terrorism should not be confused with the 
legitimate right of peoples to resist foreign occupation "in 
order to obtain their freedom and independence," nor with 
their right to self-determination.  He underscored that 
associating the term "terrorism" with specific religions, 
nationalities, or cultures would "inflame conflicts," and 
said that a system based on that perception was 
"incompatible" with relations between governments and 
cultures based on respect.  Ettalhi declared the practice of 
foreign occupation, which he said violated internationally 
agreed human rights standards, "one of the worst forms of 
terrorism in our modern world."  Ecuadorian Permanent 
Representative Maria Fernada Espinosa stressed that the fight 
against terrorism could not be used as an excuse for "some 
states" to disregard international law, particularly the 
sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations, and 
non-intervention in their internal affairs.  She expressed 
strong concern over the "very serious precedent" set by the 
violation of the human rights of suspected terrorists, whom 
she said "have been tortured, have been incarcerated in 
clandestine military prisons, and have been deprived of the 
elemental right to defend themselves," practices which she 
said "must be condemned" by the international community. 
 
BURMA: DISASTER RESPONSE "A MODEL" FOR COOPERATION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6. Per reftel instructions, all senior USG officials vacated 
the U.S. chair during Burmese Foreign Minister U Nyan Win's 
intervention, leaving only a notetaker.  Win termed the 
unilateral sanctions imposed on Burma as "unwarranted," 
"against international law," "unfair," and "immoral."  He 
emphasized that "political and social progress can only be 
achieved through development, never through coercive economic 
measures," which he said would "only serve to worsen the 
plight of the people."  Noting that Cyclone Nargis had caused 
"unprecedented death and destruction," Win said that his 
nation was united in its response to the emergency.  He 
thanked international donors for their "overwhelming" 
generosity in the wake of the storm, and said that Burma had 
demonstrated its "willingness and ability" to work "in 
concert" with the international community, a response which 
he said was "widely regarded as a model for effective 
cooperation in the case of natural disasters."  Win concluded 
by stating that "the international community can best assist 
Myanmar's democratization process by respecting the will of 
its people expressed in the recent referendum." 
Khalilzad