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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 USUN NEW YORK 000888 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNGA PREL PGOV ECON AORC KPKO SW UK IT AR
TI, CH, MN, CO, RS, SF, EZ, ES, EK, DR, IR, BL, UP, PL, AS 
SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE CONTINUES (SEPTEMBER 23 PM): 
IRAN AND OTHERS 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000888  001.2 OF 006 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The September 23rd afternoon session of the 
General debate saw the U.S. delegation walk out of Iranian 
President Ahmedinejad's fiery diatribe against the U.S. and 
Israel. The Iranian President derided capitalist economic 
systems, defended recent election results, and condemned both 
the U.S. and Israel for a wide array of recent global ills. 
President Morales of Bolivia followed with stinging remarks 
against U.S. military intervention in Latin America.  China 
pledged support for those countries hit hard by the economic 
crisis, while affirming its support for non-proliferation 
efforts. Russia's President blasted Georgia for its actions 
in South Ossetia, while lauding President Obama for his 
decision to reverse plans on the U.S. missile defense system. 
Many leaders used their time to call for countries to take 
immediate steps to curtail climate change, to bemoan the 
plight of developing countries, to call for structural 
reforms in the wake of the financial crisis, and to offer 
support for steps aimed at nuclear non-proliferation. A 
number of countries offered optimistic comments on the 
direction the U.N. might take under President Obama. Full 
text of statements available on 
at www.un.org/ga/64/generaldebate, video archives are at 
www.un.org/webcast/2009.html. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) SWEDEN:  Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, speaking on 
behalf of the European Union (EU), welcomed the U.S.'s wish 
to work with multilateral institutions.  He highlighted the 
EU's climate change goals to reduce emissions by 25-40 
percent from 1990 levels by 2020.  Reinfeldt reaffirmed the 
EU's commitment towards human rights, the empowerment of 
women and gender equality (UNSCR 1325/1820), the 
International Criminal Court, the Millennium Development 
Goals (MDG), and support for U.S. efforts in the Mideast 
peace process.  Reinfeldt also urged the Democratic People's 
Republic of Korea to renounce nuclear weapons and called on 
Iran and Burma to ensure human rights.  Finally, he 
reaffirmed the EU's support for Afghanistan, Pakistan, and 
the Alliance of Civilizations.  His statement that the EU 
continues to call for the worldwide abolition of the death 
penalty was met with applause, 
 
¶3. (U) ITALY:  Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi provided a 
summary of the July 8-10 G-8 meeting in L'Aquila July 8-10 
and the issues to be discussed at the G-20 meeting in 
Pittsburgh.  In L'Aquila, the G-8 focused on 
banking/financial regulation, climate change, food security 
(including the creation of a USD 20 billion fund for 
agricultural development), and countering stock market 
speculation and the manipulation of commodity and energy 
markets.  Berlusconi also proposed a global system of 
strategic commodities reserve to prevent speculation and he 
criticized tax havens.  Finally, with regard to UN Security 
Council reform, "new national permanent members would simply 
increase the sense of exclusion of all countries that 
contribute." 
 
¶4. (U) UNITED KINGDOM:  Prime Minister Gordon Brown began his 
speech, in contrast to Qadhafi's (Libya), stating "I stand 
here to reaffirm the UN Charter, not to tear it up," which 
drew immediate applause from the members.  He identified five 
global challenges requiring global "momentous" decisions: 
climate change, terrorism, nuclear non-proliferation, shared 
prosperity, and poverty/MDG's.  Brown highlighted the 
importance of the Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen and 
announced that he plans to attend and asked other world 
leaders to as well.  He called for an "Afghanization" 
strategy requiring Afghanistan taking a greater 
responsibility for its security.  He characterized the UNSC 
Summit resolution (September 24) on nuclear non-proliferation 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000888  002.2 OF 006 
 
 
as a "vital" move towards the April 2010 Global Nuclear 
Security Summit.  He warned Iran and the Democratic People's 
Republic of Korea that the world will be tougher on 
proliferation and that further sanctions could be possible. 
To help non nuclear countries that are ready to renounce 
nuclear weapons, Brown said that the UK will sponsor a 
uranium bank to support civil nuclear power as well as a new 
nuclear center of excellence to develop a low carbon nuclear 
fuel cycle.  With regard to shared prosperity, Brown said the 
G-20 must ensure the economic recovery does not falter and 
that stronger economic coordination is necessary.  This must 
be done through comprehensive reforms of the financial sector 
(specifically targeting tax havens).  Finally, Brown exhorted 
member nations not to forget about the MDGs and applauded the 
free universal health care plans announced by Burundi, Sierra 
Leone, Malawi, Nepal, Liberia, and Ghana. 
 
¶5. (U) ARGENTINA:  President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 
stated her intention to talk about the current socioeconomic 
crisis but recent developments in Honduras had forced her to 
change it; several days ago, Argentina's Embassy in Honduras 
(as well as the Brazilian Embassy) had its power cut off 
because of its support for ousted President Zelaya.  She 
criticized Iran for not allowing the extradition of several 
Iranian suspects sought in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish 
community center in Buenos Aires (one of whom is now a 
minister in the Iranian government).  Kirchner highlighted 
several encouraging developments: the recent visit of the 
Inter American Commission on Human Rights to Argentina to 
review crimes under the previous dictatorship; and the recent 
bill to protect freedom of the press. 
 
¶6. (U) TAJIKISTAN:  President Emomali Rahmon focused his 
speech on what his country has done to promote disarmament, 
prohibit land mines, and stop illicit drug trafficking. 
Rahmon supports stability in Afghanistan and an integrated 
approach in the use of natural resources to combat climate 
change. 
 
¶7. (U) CHINA:  President Hu Jintao promoted globalization and 
mutual cooperation.  He said that China continues to stand 
for the complete prohibition and destruction of nuclear 
weapons and promotes peaceful use of nuclear energy.  Hu 
believes the UN needs to advance development and counter the 
financial crisis by increasing trade and completing the Doha 
Round.  According to Hu, food, energy and public health 
security as well as climate change are all global problems 
which need to be addressed through international cooperation. 
 China will increase its support to countries hit hard by the 
financial crisis and will continue efforts to reach the MDGs. 
 
¶8. (U) MONACO:  H.S.H. Prince Albert II emphasized Monaco's 
support for the implementation of the MDGs by 2015.  He said 
that economic assistance to countries hit hard by the 
financial meltdown must increase during this crisis, not 
decrease.  Prince Albert reiterated Monaco's commitment to 
the Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen and supports the 
goal to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020. 
Finally, he called on the G-20 to resolve the financial 
crisis and for the United Nations to continue its 
peacekeeping operations. 
 
¶9. (U) COLUMBIA:  President Alvaro Uribe Velez focused most 
of his speech on Colombia's advances against drug traffickers 
and guerillas.  Uribe stated that Colombia has dismantled 
"paramilitarism" and regained its ability to combat criminals 
and deliver justice to terrorists.  Colombia plans to take a 
tough stance not only on drug production but on drug 
consumption.  He blamed the current economic crisis on 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000888  003.2 OF 006 
 
 
speculation and is worried about a new era of protectionism. 
Colombia supports the Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen, 
as it is a net producer of oxygen, and is in favor of 
stricter international conventions with effective binding 
instruments. 
 
¶10. (U) RUSSIAN FEDERATION:  President Dmitry Medvedev 
divided his speech into five themes: (1) the timing of UNGA, 
(2) existing problems, (3) disarmament, (4) regional 
security, and (5) human rights.  Medvedev said this session 
was taking place during a crucial time in history (the "first 
wide-scale crisis of the globalization era").  He listed 
disruption of the MDGs, unemployment and social problems as 
current dilemmas and suggested increased donor assistance, 
improved energy security, and reform of the Security Council 
as possible solutions.  Medvedev explained the Russian 
Federation's support for disarmament such as the 
Russian-Chinese initiative on the prevention of the 
deployment of weapons in outer space and the recent treaty 
with the U.S.  He also lauded President Obama's change in 
policy towards a missile defense system.  With regard to 
regional security, Medvedev promoted regional peace and 
criticized Georgia for its use of force in South Ossetia. 
Finally, he emphasized the protection of human rights and 
called for the establishment of a High Level Group on 
Interreligious Dialogue.  He closed his remarks by 
disparaging those who attempt to "whitewash Nazism, to deny 
the Holocaust, (or) revise the decisions of the Nuremberg 
Tribunal." 
 
¶11. (U) SOUTH AFRICA:  President Jacob Zuma observed that 
2009 marks the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of 
resolution 44/27 which signaled UN support for the 
eradication of apartheid.  Zuma, like others, commented that 
developing countries did not cause the economic crisis yet 
they are bearing the brunt of it and that it should not be an 
excuse to delay the MDGs.  He urged conclusion of the Doha 
Round, promoted nuclear non-proliferation and called for the 
lifting of the trade embargo on Cuba.  Zuma blamed climate 
change on the developed countries and wanted Copenhagen to 
result in quantified, legally binding emission reductions. 
He also called for the expansion of both permanent and 
non-permanent members of the Security Council.  Finally, he 
advocated for a resolution to declare 18 July as Nelson 
Mandela day. 
 
¶12. (U) CZECH REPUBLIC:  President Vaclav Klaus argued that 
the economic crisis will lead to protectionism and set the 
blame squarely on governments, not markets.  Too much 
regulation, he cautioned, would be a tragic mistake; business 
cycles will always exist.  He also briefly mentioned Czech 
Republic support for Security Council reform. 
 
¶13. (U) EL SALVADOR:  President Carlos Mauricio Funes 
Cartagena described his new government's efforts to 
strengthen democracy within El Salvador; he is committed to 
raise the country out of the economic crisis and move it 
toward social inclusion, peace and security, and fair 
economic distribution.  He noted the contributions by 
overseas El Salvadorans and is looking forward to the Third 
Global Forum on Migration and Development in Athens November 
4-5.  He backed exiled Honduran President Zelaya and stated 
that the world cannot permit such a setback in the region. 
Funes supported the MDGs, called for the reform of the UN's 
principal organs, promoted the conclusion of the Doha Round, 
and agreed that climate change needs to be addressed. 
 
¶14. (U) EQUITORIAL GUINEA: President Teodoro Obiang Nguema 
Mbasogo's remarks urged nations to consider a reordering of 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000888  004.2 OF 006 
 
 
the global economic system in order to more equitably 
distribute wealth and to alleviate conditions of poverty in 
developing countries. Mbasogo pointed out that only 20% of 
the Millennium Development Goals have not been met. Mbasogo 
bemoaned that his country had become a victim of attacks and 
attempts to control the country's natural resources despite 
the claim that Equatorial Guinea has always been a 
peace-loving country that has worked towards international 
cooperation. 
 
¶15. (U) DOMINICAN REPUBLICAN: The remarks by President Leonel 
Fernandez Reyna were focused mostly on economic themes, with 
a particular emphasis on the grave impacts that the financial 
crisis has had on vulnerable communities and developing 
countries. Reyna called for the international community to 
work towards creating a greater distribution of wealth to 
take strides at alleviating poverty. On the matter of the 
recent coup in Honduras, the President expressed strong 
support for the Zelaya government and remarked that his 
actions have been, "a great show of personal courage and 
audacity." Prodding the international community to take a 
strong stance against the coup, Reyna said, "We must show the 
same level of commitment." 
 
¶16. (U) IRAN: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech was 
pointedly anti-U.S. and anti-Israel, while taking particular 
aim against capitalist economic systems. The President's most 
injurious remarks conjured up the anti-Semitic concept of the 
Protocols of the Elders of Zion, noting that, "It is no 
longer acceptable that a small minority would dominate the 
politics, economy and culture of major parts of the world by 
its complicated networks, and establish a new form of 
slavery, and harm the reputation of other nations, even 
European nations and the U.S., to attain its racist 
ambitions." (See notes below on U.S. delegation walkout.) 
Ahmadinejad often referred to the U.S. in a thinly guised 
veil, at one point noting that, "It is not acceptable that 
some who are several thousands of kilometers away from the 
Middle East would send their troops for military intervention 
and for spreading war, bloodshed, aggression, terror and 
intimidation." At no point did Ahmedinejad refer to the U.S. 
by name, but continued to offer stinging comments, clearly 
referring to the U.S. military budget, it's powerful role in 
the Security Council, and his assessment that America is 
responsible for a host of global ills. The President spent 
considerable time decrying the capitalist system of the West, 
referring to capitalism as an "unfair system of thought." 
Ahmedinejad pressed nations to move towards greater faith and 
religiosity, portraying Iran as a successful country owing to 
its piousness. Referring to the recent hostilities in Gaza, 
Ahmadinejad called this a "22-day barbaric attack by the 
Zionist regime." Speaking of the recent and highly 
controversial Iranian Presidential election, Ahmedinejad 
defended the results, firmly declaring that "our nation has 
successfully gone through a glorious and fully-democratic 
election." 
 
¶17. (SBU) US DELEGATION WALKS OUT OF IRAN SPEECH: The line 
alluding to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion was agreed to 
have crossed the previously established Redlines for the U.S. 
delegation to exit the speech. The U.S. left at the point 
that this line was spoken and was then followed almost 
immediately by other countries. Canada had walked out at the 
start of the speech. Immediately following the walk-out by 
the U.S. and other delegations, delegates convened on the 
sidelines and compared notes regarding the Redlines, as well 
as comparing the list of the countries that had left. Based 
on observation and discussions with delegates, at least 17 
countries walked-out including: Argentina, Australia, Canada, 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000888  005.2 OF 006 
 
 
Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary,  Italy, New 
Zealand, Palau, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom, 
Uruguay, and the United States. Notably, the delegations of 
Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden remained. 
Conversations indicated some countries had made the decision 
to leave based on pre-established red-lines, while others 
decided to follow the lead of other delegations. 
 
¶18. (U) BOLIVIA: President Evo Morales Ayma had harsh words 
for the U.S. in the already charged atmosphere following 
Ahmadinejad's speech. (Note: The Iranian leader remained 
present for his speech).  Morales focused his criticism on 
U.S. military bases in Latin America, on economic blockades 
and tariffs that he claimed are "direct interference of the 
United States" in the affairs of sovereign countries and then 
declared, "We know what uniformed personnel of the Unites 
States can do in a country."  Morales strongly defended the 
right of his country to grow coca, saying "the coca plant is 
one thing, cocaine is another." Morales echoed the support of 
other regional leaders for the ousted Honduran President 
Zelaya and urged the U.N. to "issue an ultimatum" to the de 
facto government in order to restore Zelaya's power. Despite 
a rhetorical theme of criticizing the role of the U.S. in 
Latin America and beyond, Morales noted that, "I have great 
hope for President Obama." He specifically praised the 
decision of the U.S. to close the detention center at 
Guantanamo Bay, but then called for the blockade against Cuba 
to be lifted. Morales urged the U.N. to reform the Security 
Council, emphasizing a need to end the veto. 
 
¶19. (U) UKRAINE: President Victor Yushchenko focused on the 
themes of freedom in the early part of his speech, reflecting 
on the history of the U.N. and lamenting on how far the world 
and his country have come since the bipolar order dominated 
the agenda. He noted that "As a free nation, we shall not 
accept any forms of interference into the internal affairs of 
sovereign countries." Yushchenko emphasized the need for 
countries to maintain territorial integrity and to reject 
authoritarianism and interference. The President devoted 
several minutes of his speech to the fight against piracy, 
pointing out the risks, and urging that the issue be 
considered not only a local matter, but a global one. He 
clearly stated Ukraine's commitment to combating piracy in 
all ways necessary. 
 
¶20. (U) POLAND: President Lech Kaczynski encouraged members 
to take advantage of the new direction the U.N. may take 
while President Obama is in office, declaring that "this will 
be a phase of its (the U.N's) greatness."  Kaczynski 
commented that President Obama's promise to take a new 
direction with the U.N. also implied a responsibility for the 
other member states to embrace the moment. He used much of 
his time to address ways of working through the financial 
crisis and suggested that that the Bretton Woods organization 
be reformed. He added that U.N. institutions including the 
ILO could be better used in addressing global economic 
stress.  Kaczynski also  spoke about the importance of 
territorial integrity, emphasizing Georgia's case as an 
example of where the use of force has been used illegally. 
 
¶21. (U) AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called on member 
states to think seriously about climate change, urging them 
to reach a "grand bargain" to avoid its most catastrophic 
effects. Rudd laid out the conflict between developing and 
developed countries on this issue and recognized that 
competing claims make forging an agreement challenging.  He 
agreed that the arguments of both sides have validity, but 
that countries must look beyond their self-interest if any 
progress can take place. Rudd spoke about the financial 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000888  006.2 OF 006 
 
 
crisis and suggested that a restructuring of the economic 
system is necessary, asking members to "reform the 
institutions of global government."  Rudd finished his speech 
by imploring nations to cooperate on key issues and reminded 
nations that the U.N. is a collective, "the U.N. is not a 
place, it is not an institution, it is us." Rudd urged 
leaders to take steps for a better future, reminding them 
that, "the challenge of leadership is to imagine a future 
worth having." 
RICE