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General Assembly begins here today amid a storm over the US’ continued violation of its host agreement in the wake of Washington’s denial of visas to 20 members of the Iranian delegation including two ministers.
Some members of the Zimbabwean delegation, among them ZBC chief correspondent Reuben Barwe, have been denied visas by the US embassy in Harare in recent years preventing them from covering the General Assembly without impediments as stipulated in the UN Host Agreement.
Zimbabwe officially lodged a complaint with the office of the secretary general. President Mugabe, who arrived here on Thursday last week, is set to address the General Assembly on Wednesday afternoon.
His speech is highly anticipated as he has traditionally set the tone for the concerns of the developing world.
The Grand Debate, whose theme this year is peaceful resolution of international disputes, affords member states the platform to contribute on pressing global issues.
Since its inception at the end of the second European War, more than 60 years ago, the UN General Assembly has been more of a talk shop where “small” countries get the chance to make lofty declarations, sometimes audacious rhetoric, and vainglorious debate about the pressing issues of the day though without the mandate to enforce as that is the preserve of the five victorious allies of the Second European War with permanent membership of the Security Council.
The Security Council is the only UN organ that enforces decisions and is mandated to maintain international peace and security throughout the world including establishing peacekeeping missions, imposing international sanctions, and authorising military action against errant member states.
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Its powers should be exercised through UN Security Council resolutions. But this has not been the case since the end of the Cold War which was manifest in the collapse of the USSR as the sole global superpower — the US — has tended to act unilaterally albeit illegally in ignoring UN resolutions and protocol.
The 67th Session opened last Tuesday. This year, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will once again submit a bid for non-member state recognition, despite opposition from the US which fights from Israel’s corner.
Mr Abbas plans to submit his request to the General Assembly on Thursday, September 27. Unlike last year’s abortive bid for full UN membership, which required Security Council approval, this year’s bid is bound to succeed as it only requires a simple majority vote in the 163-member General Assembly.
Other items on the agenda include a high-level meeting on the rule of law at the national and international level; implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS; the situation in the Falkland Islands, development in Africa; prosecution of persons responsible for the genocides in Rwanda and Yugoslavia, disarmament; and international drug control.
Not surprisingly the agenda is conveniently silent on Anglo-Saxon atrocities in Iraq, Afghanistan and lately Libya and Syria.
The UNGA convenes under the shadow of continued US-Israeli aggression against Iran that has been manifest in wanton murder of scientists. This year’s theme centres on peaceful solutions to international disputes at a time the UN host country; the United States has embarked on a concerted campaign of aggression in the Middle East and Africa.
Washington’s sabre-rattling has been largely held in check by the veto powers of China and Russia in the Security Council.
Online Reporter