'No!' Palestinian U.N. diplomat seen shaking his head as Obama calls on
Palestine to drop bid for independence
- President
Barack Obama speaks at U.N. General Assembly in New York
- Frustrated at
lack of Israel-Palestine progress and urged face-to-face talks
- Hailed
'remarkable year' for peace after Gaddafi's
fall and Bin Laden's death
- Obama wants
Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas to end U.N. full membership bid
- Palestinian U.N.
representative seen shaking his head when Obama calls for both parties to 'see
the world through the other's eyes'
By
Mark Duell
Last updated at 7:12 PM on 21st September 2011
Barack Obama's attempt to take charge of the
Middle East peace talks was met with an
instant rebuff today when a Palestinian
representative was filmed shaking his head during the President's address to the
United Nations.
The delegate was clearly seen expressing his
disapproval as Mr Obama called on
Palestinians to withdraw their U.N. resolution for independence.
Addressing the U.N. General Assembly in New
York, the President spoke of his frustration at a lack of progress in the
Israel-Palestine conflict and urged both parties to resolve their differences
through negotiations.
Scroll down
for videos and transcript
Talks: President Obama addresses the 66th United Nations
General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York
On camera: A Palestinian U.N. representative, centre, was
seen on TV shaking his head when Mr Obama said the Palestinians and Israelis
must learn to 'see the world through the other's eyes' (scroll down for
video)
But the Palestinian representative at the
venue was seen on television shaking his head when Mr Obama said the
Palestinians and Israelis must learn to 'see the world through the other's
eyes'.
The graphic show of displeasure will enrage
White House aides who are keen to promote the President's determination to play
a central role in finiding a breakthrough in the Middle East.
However, it is likely to be well received by
many Jewish voters in America who have frequently accused Mr Obama of being
pro-Palestinian.
In his speech, the President also
hailed a ‘remarkable year’ for peace in
which Colonel Gaddafi’s regime fell in Libya and former Al Qaeda leader Osama
Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan.
He said 2011 has already been a year of
‘extraordinary transformation’ after a ‘difficult decade’ and told the Middle
East it has 'a chance to move decisively in the direction of peace'.
The President is pushing for the Palestinians
to drop a statehood bid and will follow up his speech with separate meetings
with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to coax both back to direct peace
talks.
Big speech: President Obama said 2011 has already been a
year of 'extraordinary transformation' after a 'difficult decade' and told the
U.N. it has 'a chance to move decisively in the direction of peace'
'Peace is more than just the absence of war,’
President Obama said. ‘A lasting peace for nations and individuals depends on a
sense of justice, opportunity, dignity and freedom.'
President Barack Obama speaks
on...
-
LIBYA: 'After decades of iron rule by
one man, it will take time to build the institutions needed for a democratic
Libya'
-
AL QAEDA: 'Bin Laden is gone, and the
idea that change could only come through violence has been buried with him'
-
ISRAEL-PALESTINE: 'It is Israelis and
Palestinians - not us - who must reach agreement on the issues that divide
them'
-
U.S. TROOPS: 'When I took office,
roughly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. By the end of
this year, that number will be cut in half'
He praised President Franklin Roosevelt’s role
in setting up the UN - and quoted him as saying: 'We've got to make not merely a
peace, but a peace that will last.’
‘One year ago I stood at this podium and I
called for an independent Palestine,’ President Obama added. ‘I believed then
and I believe now that the Palestinian people deserve a state of their
own.’
‘A genuine peace can only be realised between
the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves. Israelis must know that any
agreement provides assurances for their security.
‘I know many are frustrated by the lack of
progress. I assure you – so am I. The question is: how do we reach that goal?
Ultimately it’s the Israelis and Palestinians who must live by side by
side.’
Mr Obama said they must reach an agreement on
borders, security, refugees and security - and talked about the lessons learned
from previous conflicts in Northern Ireland and Sudan.
Talk: He spoke to the U.N. General Assembly today about a
'remarkable year' for peace in which Colonel Gaddafi's regime fell in Libya and
former Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan
Point: Mr Obama praised President Franklin Roosevelt's
role in setting up the UN - and quoted him saying: 'We've got to make not merely
a peace, but a peace that will last'
‘We seek a future where Palestinians live in a
sovereign state of their own where there are no limits on what they can
achieve,’ he said.
_________________________________________________________
(Obama: The first Jewish
President?
Democrats claim that Mr Obama is pro-Jewish
and pro-Israel - and he was even labelled as 'the first Jewish President' in the
latest issue of New York Magazine.
But Mr Obama's aides are worried about him
losing Jewish voters after his party lost Anthony Weiner's seat in the 9th
congressional district of New York City, which has a large proportion of
Jews.
Earlier this month Bob Turner became the first
Republican to win the two-fifths Jewish district since 1920 - and Mr Obama's
policy on Israel and the Middle East was blamed for the loss.
A poll showed 54 per cent of Jewish Americans
approved of Mr Obama's performance in September - down from 68 per cent in
May.
Since Obama was NOT born from a Jewish Mother he is NOT JEWISH. END OF STORY!!!!
However his father was MUSLIM which makes OBAMA MUSLIM)
_____________________________________________________________
‘America’s commitment to Israel’s security is
unshakable. Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring.’
He also spoke about the importance of peace
worldwide and repeated the phrase: ‘Peace is hard.’ President Obama added: ‘We
still live in a world scarred by conflict and plagued by poverty.
‘Something’s happening in our world,’ he said.
The way things have been is not the way they will be.’
President Obama also said the U.S. military
operation in Iraq will soon be ending and talked about 'building an enduring
partnership with the Afghan people'. 'The tide of war is receding,’ he
said.
President Obama was pressuring his Palestinian
counterpart, trying to persuade Mahmoud Abbas to end his bid for full U.N.
membership and to instead seek upgraded status in the world body.
U.S. officials conceded they cannot stop Mr
Abbas from officially launching his case for the Security Council's approval of
the statehood effort.
But they have also made the case for the
Palestinian leader to essentially drop the move for statehood recognition after
delivering his letter of intent to the U.N.
Religious unrest: Palestinian demonstrators carry a
slingshot and rocks past a burning rubbish bin during clashes with Israeli
soldiers today
Violence: A Palestinian holds a slingshot as others roll
tires to burn during clashes with Israeli soldiers, at the Qalandia checkpoint
between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem
Mr Abbas was expected to announce a formal
request for statehood recognition on Friday when he speaks to the General
Assembly. But it could take months for the U.N. to act on the
request.
'America’s
commitment to Israel’s security is unshakable. Our friendship with Israel is
deep and enduring'
President Barack
Obama
While Mr Obama will formally ask Mr Abbas not
to pursue the statehood bid, the mission is actually directed at containing the
fallout by urging him not to push for an actual vote in the Council.
The U.S. has promised a veto. A delay would
give international peacemakers time to produce a statement that would be the
basis for resumed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Mr Obama will also meet with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who arrived in New York early on
Wednesday.
Diagrams: These maps show the possible land swap scenarios
for Israel and Palestine in the Middle East
In carefully orchestrated demonstrations,
thousands of flag-waving Palestinians rallied Wednesday in towns across the West
Bank to show support for their president's bid for U.N. recognition.
'Something’s happening in
our world. The way things have been is not the way they will be'
President Barack
Obama
A new poll indicated an overwhelming majority
supports Mr Abbas' quest for U.N. recognition of a state in the West Bank, Gaza
and east Jerusalem, the areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast
War.
Were the Palestinians to bow to the ideas of
Mr Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, they would become a non-member
observer state, a status similar to that of the Holy See.
That would give them an opportunity to seek
membership in U.N. agencies and join treaties, including the Rome statute that
established the International Criminal Court.
See video of
Palestinian U.N. representative shaking his head here (go to
1:50)
President Barack Obama's full
speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York
Mr President, Mr Secretary-General, fellow
delegates, ladies and gentlemen: I would like to talk to you about a subject
that is at the heart of the United Nations – the pursuit of peace in an
imperfect world.
War and conflict have been with us since the
beginning of civilization. But in the first part of the 20th century, the
advance of modern weaponry led to death on a staggering scale. It was this
killing that compelled the founders of this body to build an institution that
was focused not just on ending one war, but on averting others; a union of
sovereign states that would seek to prevent conflict, while also addressing its
causes.
No American did more to pursue this objective
than President Franklin Roosevelt. He knew that a victory in war was not enough.
As he said at one of the very first meetings on the founding of the United
Nations: ‘We have got to make, not merely a peace, but a peace that will
last.’
The men and women who built this
institution understood that peace is more than the absence of war. A lasting
peace – for nations and individuals – depends upon a sense of justice and
opportunity; of dignity and freedom. It depends upon struggle and sacrifice; on
compromise, and a sense of common humanity.
One delegate to the San Francisco Conference
that led to the creation of United Nations put it well – ‘Many people,’ she
said, ‘have talked as if all we had to do to get peace was…to say loudly and
frequently that we loved peace and hated war. Now we have learned that no matter
how much we love peace and hate war, we cannot avoid having war brought upon us
if there are convulsions in other parts of the world.’
The fact is, peace is hard, but our people
demand it. Over nearly seven decades, even as the United Nations helped avert a
third World War, we still live in a world scarred by conflict and plagued by
poverty. Even as we proclaim our love for peace and hatred of war, there are
convulsions in our world that endanger us all.
I took office at a time of two wars for the
United States. Moreover, the violent extremists who drew us into war in the
first place – Osama Bin Laden, and his Al Qaeda organisation – remained at
large. Today, we have set a new direction.
At the end of this year, America’s military
operation in Iraq will be over. We will have a normal relationship with a
sovereign nation that is a member of the community of nations. That equal
partnership will be strengthened by our support for Iraq – for its government
and Security Forces; for its people and their aspirations.
As we end the war in Iraq, the United States
and our coalition partners have begun a transition in Afghanistan. Between now
and 2014, an increasingly capable Afghan government and Security Forces will
step forward to take responsibility for the future of their country. As they do,
we are drawing down our own forces, while building an enduring partnership with
the Afghan people.
So let there be no doubt: the tide of war is
receding. When I took office, roughly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan. By the end of this year, that number will be cut in half, and it
will continue to decline. This is critical to the sovereignty of Iraq and
Afghanistan, and to the strength of the United States as we build our nation at
home.
Moreover, we are poised to end these wars from
a position of strength. Ten years ago, there was an open wound of twisted steel
and broken hearts in this city. Today, as a new tower rising at Ground Zero
symbolizes New York’s renewal, al Qaeda is under more pressure than ever before.
Its leadership has been degraded. And Osama bin Laden, a man who murdered
thousands of people from dozens of countries, will never endanger the peace of
the world again.
Yes, this has been a difficult decade. But
today, we stand at a crossroads of history with the chance to move decisively in
the direction of peace. To do so, we must return to the wisdom of those who
created this institution. The UN’s Founding Charter calls upon us, ‘to unite our
strength to maintain international peace and security.’ And Article 1 of this
General Assembly’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds us that: ‘All
human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.’ Those bedrock
beliefs – in the responsibility of states, and the rights of men and women –
must be our guide.
In that effort, we have reason to hope. This
year has been a time of transformation. More nations have stepped forward to
maintain international peace and security. And more individuals are claiming
their universal right to live in freedom and dignity.
One year ago, when we met here in New York,
the prospect of a successful referendum in South Sudan was in doubt. But the
international community overcame old divisions to support the agreement that had
been negotiated to give South Sudan self-determination. And last summer, as a
new flag went up in Juba, former soldiers laid down their arms; men and women
wept with joy; and children finally knew the promise of looking to a future that
they will shape.
One year ago, the people of Cote D’Ivoire
approached a landmark election. And when the incumbent lost, and refused to
respect the results, the world refused to look the other way. UN peacekeepers
were harassed, but did not leave their posts. The Security Council, led by the
United States, Nigeria, and France, came together to support the will of the
people. And Cote D’Ivoire is now governed by the man who was elected to
lead.
One year ago, the hopes of the people of
Tunisia were suppressed. But they chose the dignity of peaceful protest over the
rule of an iron fist. A vendor lit a spark that took his own life, but ignited a
movement. In the face of a crackdown, students spelled out the word freedom. The
balance of fear shifted from the ruler to those that he ruled. Now the people of
Tunisia are preparing for elections that will move them one step closer to the
democracy they deserve.
One year ago, Egypt had known one President
for nearly thirty years. But for 18 days, the eyes of the world were on Tahrir
Square, where Egyptians from all walks of life – men and women; young and old;
Muslim and Christian – demanded their universal rights. We saw in those
protesters the moral force of non-violence that has lit the world from Delhi to
Warsaw; from Selma to South Africa – and we knew that change had come to Egypt
and to the Arab World.
One year ago, the people of Libya were ruled
by the world’s longest serving dictator. But faced with bullets and bombs and a
dictator who threatened to hunt them down like rats, they showed relentless
bravery. We will never forget the words of the Libyan who stood up in those
early days of revolution and said: ‘Our words are free now. It’s a feeling you
can’t explain.’
Day after day, in the face of bullets and
bombs, the Libyan people refused to give back that freedom. And when they were
threatened by the kind of mass atrocity that often went unchallenged in the last
century, the United Nations lived up to its charter. The Security Council
authorized all necessary measures to prevent a massacre. The Arab League called
for this effort, and Arab nations joined a NATO-led coalition that halted
Qadhafi’s forces in their tracks.
In the months that followed, the will of the
coalition proved unbreakable, and the will of the Libyan people could not be
denied. Forty-two years of tyranny was ended in six months. From Tripoli to
Misratah to Benghazi – today, Libya is free. Yesterday, the leaders of a new
Libya took their rightful place beside us, and this week, the United States is
reopening our Embassy in Tripoli. This is how the international community is
supposed to work – nations standing together for the sake of peace and security;
individuals claiming their rights. Now, all of us have a responsibility to
support the new Libyan government as they confront the challenge of turning this
moment of promise into a just and lasting peace for all Libyans.
So it has been a remarkable year. The Qadhafi
regime is over. Gbagbo, Ben Ali, and Mubarak are no longer in power. Osama bin
Laden is gone, and the idea that change could only come through violence has
been buried with him. Something is happening in our world. The way things have
been is not the way they will be. The humiliating grip of corruption and tyranny
is being pried open. Technology is putting power in the hands of the people. The
youth are delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship, and rejecting the lie
that some races, religions and ethnicities do not desire democracy. The promise
written down on paper – ‘all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights’ – is closer at hand.
But let us remember: peace is hard. Progress
can be reversed. Prosperity comes slowly. Societies can split apart. The measure
of our success must be whether people can live in sustained freedom, dignity,
and security. And the United Nations and its member states must do their part to
support those basic aspirations.
In Iran, we have seen a government that
refuses to recognize the rights of its own people. And as we meet here today,
men, women and children are being tortured, detained and murdered by the Syrian
regime. Thousands have been killed, many during the holy time of Ramadan.
Thousands more have poured across Syria’s borders. The Syrian people have shown
dignity and courage in their pursuit of justice – protesting peacefully,
standing silently in the streets, dying for the same values that this
institution is supposed to stand for. The question for us is clear: Will we
stand with the Syrian people, or with their oppressors?
Already, the United States has imposed strong
sanctions on Syria’s leaders. We have supported a transfer of power that is
responsive to the Syrian people. Many of our allies have joined us in this
effort. But for the sake of Syria – and the peace and security of the world – we
must speak with one voice. There is no excuse for inaction. Now is the time for
the United Nations Security Council to sanction the Syrian regime, and to stand
with the Syrian people.
Throughout the region, we will have to respond
to the calls for change. In Yemen, men, women and children gather by the
thousands in towns and city squares every day with the hope that their
determination and spilled blood will prevail over a corrupt system. America
supports their aspirations. We must work with Yemen’s neighbours and our
partners around the world to seek a path that allows for a peaceful transition
of power from President Saleh, and a movement to free and fair elections as soon
as possible. In Bahrain, steps have been taken toward reform and accountability,
but more are required. America is a close friend of Bahrain, and we will
continue to call on the government and the main opposition bloc – the Wifaq – to
pursue a meaningful dialogue that brings peaceful change that is responsive to
the people. And we believe the patriotism that binds Bahrainis together must be
more powerful than the sectarian forces that would tear them
apart.
Each nation must chart its own course to
fulfil the aspirations of its people, and America does not expect to agree with
every party or person who expresses themselves politically. But we will always
stand up for the universal rights that were embraced by this Assembly. Those
rights depend upon elections that are free and fair; governance that is
transparent and accountable; respect for the rights of women and minorities; and
justice that is equal and fair. That is what our people deserve. Those are
elements of a peace that lasts.
Moreover, the United States will continue to
support those nations that transition to democracy – with greater trade and
investment, so that freedom is followed by opportunity. We will pursue a deeper
engagement with governments, but also civil society – students and
entrepreneurs; political parties and the press. We have banned those who abuse
human rights from travelling to our country, and sanctioned those who trample on
human rights abroad. And we will always serve as a voice for those who have been
silenced.
Now I know that for many in this hall, one
issue stands as a test for these principles – and for American foreign policy:
the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.
One year ago, I stood at this podium and
called for an independent Palestine. I believed then – and I believe now – that
the Palestinian people deserve a state of their own. But what I also said is
that genuine peace can only be realized between Israelis and Palestinians
themselves. One year later, despite extensive efforts by America and others, the
parties have not bridged their differences. Faced with this stalemate, I put
forward a new basis for negotiations in May. That basis is clear, and well known
to all of us here. Israelis must know that any agreement provides assurances for
their security. Palestinians deserve to know the territorial basis of their
state.
I know that many are frustrated by the lack of
progress. So am I. But the question isn’t the goal we seek – the question is how
to reach it. And I am convinced that there is no short cut to the end of a
conflict that has endured for decades. Peace will not come through statements
and resolutions at the UN – if it were that easy, it would have been
accomplished by now. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live
side by side. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians – not us – who must
reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on
refugees and Jerusalem.
Peace depends upon compromise among peoples
who must live together long after our speeches are over, and our votes have been
counted. That is the lesson of Northern Ireland, where ancient antagonists
bridged their differences. That is the lesson of Sudan, where a negotiated
settlement led to an independent state. And that is the path to a Palestinian
state.
We seek a future where Palestinians live in a
sovereign state of their own, with no limit to what they can achieve. There is
no question that the Palestinians have seen that vision delayed for too long.
And it is precisely because we believe so strongly in the aspirations of the
Palestinian people that America has invested so much time and effort in the
building of a Palestinian state, and the negotiations that can achieve
one.
America’s commitment to Israel’s security is
unshakeable, and our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring. And so we
believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns
that Israel faces every single day. Let’s be honest: Israel is surrounded by
neighbours that have waged repeated wars against it. Israel’s citizens have been
killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses.
Israel’s children come of age knowing that throughout the region, other children
are taught to hate them. Israel, a small country of less than eight million
people, looks out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to
wipe it off of the map. The Jewish people carry the burden of centuries of
exile, persecution, and the fresh memory of knowing that six million people were
killed simply because of who they were.
These facts cannot be denied. The Jewish
people have forged a successful state in their historic homeland. Israel
deserves recognition. It deserves normal relations with its neighbours. And
friends of the Palestinians do them no favours by ignoring this truth, just as
friends of Israel must recognize the need to pursue a two state solution with a
secure Israel next to an independent Palestine.
That truth – that each side has legitimate
aspirations – is what makes peace so hard. And the deadlock will only be broken
when each side learns to stand in each other’s shoes. That’s what we should be
encouraging. This body – founded, as it was, out of the ashes of war and
genocide; dedicated, as it is, to the dignity of every person – must recognize
the reality that is lived by both the Palestinians and the Israelis. The measure
of our actions must always be whether they advance the right of Israeli and
Palestinian children to live in peace and security, with dignity and
opportunity. We will only succeed in that effort if we can encourage the parties
to sit down together, to listen to each other, and to understand each other’s
hopes and fears. That is the project to which America is committed. And that is
what the United Nations should be focused on in the weeks and months to
come.
Now, even as we confront these challenges of
conflict and revolution, we must also recognize once more that peace is not just
the absence of war. True peace depends upon creating the opportunity that makes
life worth living. And to do that, we must confront the common enemies of human
beings: nuclear weapons and poverty; ignorance and disease. These forces corrode
the possibility of lasting peace, and together we are called upon to confront
them.
To lift the spectre of mass destruction, we
must come together to pursue the peace and security of a world without nuclear
weapons. Over the last two years, we have begun to walk down that path. Since
our Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, nearly 50 nations have taken steps to
secure nuclear materials from terrorists and smugglers. Next March, a Summit in
Seoul will advance our efforts to lock down all of them. The New START Treaty
between the United States and Russia will cut our deployed arsenals to the
lowest level in a half century, and our nations are pursuing talks on how to
achieve deeper reductions. America will continue to work for a ban on the
testing of nuclear weapons, and the production of fissile material needed to
make them.
As we meet our obligations, we have
strengthened the treaties and institutions that help stop the spread of these
weapons. To do so, we must continue to hold accountable those nations that flout
them. The Iranian government cannot demonstrate that its program is peaceful,
has not met its obligations, and rejected offers that would provide it with
peaceful nuclear power. North Korea has yet to take concrete steps toward
abandoning its weapons, and continues belligerent actions against the South.
There is a future of greater opportunity for the people of these nations if
their governments meet their obligations. But if they continue down a path that
is outside international law, they must be met with greater pressure and
isolation. That is what our commitment to peace demands.
To bring prosperity to our people, we must
promote the growth that creates opportunity. In this effort, let us not forget
that we have made enormous progress over the last several decades. Closed
societies gave way to open markets. Innovation and entrepreneurship has
transformed the way we live and the things that we can do. Emerging economies
from Asia to the Americas have lifted hundreds of millions from poverty. Yet
three years ago, we confronted the worst financial crisis in eight decades. That
crisis proved a fact that has become clearer with each passing year – our fate
is interconnected; in a global economy, nations will rise, or fall,
together.
Today, we confront the challenges that have
followed that crisis. Recovery is fragile. Markets are volatile. Too many people
are out of work. Too many others are struggling to get by. We acted together to
avert a Depression in 2009. We must take urgent and coordinated action once
more. Here in the United States, I have announced a plan to put Americans back
to work and jumpstart our economy, and committed to substantially reduce our
deficit over time. We stand with our European allies as they reshape their
institutions and address their own fiscal challenge. For other countries,
leaders face a different challenge as they shift their economies towards more
self-reliance, boosting domestic demand while slowing inflation. So we will work
with emerging economies that have rebounded strongly, so that rising standards
of living create new markets that promote global growth. That is what our
commitment to prosperity demands.
To combat the poverty that punishes our
children, we must act on the belief that freedom from want is a basic human
right. The United States has made it a focus of our engagement abroad to help
people to feed themselves. And today, as drought and conflict have brought
famine to the Horn of Africa, our conscience calls on us to act. Together, we
must continue to provide assistance, and support organizations that can reach
those in need. And together, we must insist on unrestricted humanitarian access
so that we can save the lives of thousands of men, women and children. Our
common humanity is at stake. Let us show that the life of a child in Somalia is
as precious as any other. That is what our commitment to our fellow human beings
demands.
To stop disease that spreads across borders,
we must strengthen our systems of public health. We will continue the fight
against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. We will focus on the health of
mothers and children. And we must come together to prevent, detect, and fight
every kind of biological danger – whether it is a pandemic like H1N1, a
terrorist threat, or a treatable disease. This week, America signed an agreement
with the World Health Organization to affirm our commitment to meet this
challenge. Today, I urge all nations to join us in meeting the WHO’s goal of
making sure all nations have core capacities to address public health
emergencies in place by 2012. That is what our commitment to the health of our
people demands.
To preserve our planet, we must not put off
the action that a changing climate demands. We must tap the power of science to
save those resources that are scarce. Together, we must continue our work to
build on the progress made in Copenhagen and Cancun, so that all of the major
economies here today follow through on the commitments that were made. Together,
we must work to transform the energy that powers are economies, and support
others as they move down that path. That is what our commitment to the next
generation demands.
And to make sure our societies reach their
potential, we must allow our citizens to reach theirs. No country can afford the
cancer of corruption. Together, we must harness the power of open societies and
open economies. That is why we have partnered with countries from across the
globe to launch a new partnership on Open Government that helps ensure
accountability and empower their citizens. No country should deny people their
rights because of who they love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of
gays and lesbians everywhere. And no country can realize its potential if half
its population cannot reach theirs. This week, the United States signed a new
Declaration on Women’s Participation. Next year, we should each announce the
steps we are taking to break down economic and political barriers that stand in
the way of women and girls. That is what our commitment to human progress
demands.
I know that there is no straight line to
progress, no single path to success. We come from different cultures, and carry
with us different histories. But let us never forget that even as we gather here
as heads of different governments, we represent citizens who share the same
basic aspirations – to live with dignity and freedom; to get an education and
pursue opportunity; to love our families and our God. To live in the kind of
peace that makes life worth living.
It is the nature of our imperfect world that
we are forced to learn this lesson over and over again. Conflict and repression
will endure so long as some people refuse to do unto others as we would have
them do unto us. Yet that is precisely why we have built institutions like this
that bind our fates together – because those who came before us believed that
peace is preferable to war; freedom is preferable to suppression; and prosperity
is preferable to poverty. That is the message that comes not from capitals, but
from citizens.
When the corner-stone of this very building
was put in place, President Truman came here to New York and said: ‘The United
Nations is essentially an expression of the moral nature of man’s aspirations.’
As we live in a world that is changing at a breath-taking pace, that is a lesson
that we must never forget.
Peace is hard, but we know that it is
possible. Together, let us resolve to see that it is defined by our hopes and
not our fears. Together, let us work to make, not merely a peace, but a peace
that will last. Thank you.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2040087/Obama-calls-Palestine-drop-UN-independence-bid-claims-tide-war-turning.html#ixzz1YcN3Upo8
