UN must be centre of Multilateral Action by Olara Otunnu 9:04am 14th Sep, 2004   13 September 2004    No country can protect itself from threats - ranging from the AIDS pandemic to global warming to the spread of radical ideologies - by turning itself into an impregnable military fortress, according to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who reminded nations of the need in today's world to work together in dealing with such issues.    "For good or ill, we live in an age of interdependence, and we must manage it collectively," Mr. Annan said in a message delivered yesterday in Rome by Olara Otunnu, his Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, to mark the second Interdependence Day.    Although the United Nations is a far from perfect organization, it is the locus of international legitimacy and must the vital centre of multilateral action, he stressed, noting also his appointment of a blue-ribbon panel to generate a shared analysis of current threats - including global terrorism - and a set of recommendations on how to face them.    "I will be calling on the nations of the world to respond to those recommendations with vision and a sense of responsibility and solidarity," he said.    The event in Rome was to bring together the Italian Speaker of the House, Pier Ferdinando Casini, former Governor Howard Dean, former President of Slovenia Milan Kucan, Polish Solidarity leader Adam Michnik, former Mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando, former French Prime Minister and European Parliamentarian Michel Rocard and many others.    Among the civic leaders that were also invited were former Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss, former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev and former European Commission President Romano Prodi.    The first Interdependence Day was marked last year in Philadelphia, site of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.    September 15, 2004    "President of UN General Assembly Jean Ping promises to strengthen UN". (The Australian)    The president of the 59th session of the UN General Assembly vowed today to work hard to reinforce the United Nations and provided it with all the resources necessary to fulfill its mission.    But in his speech at the opening of the session, former Gabonese foreign minister Jean Ping warned the success of the mission will depend in large measure on whether the world body would be successful in reforming its Security Council.    "More than ever, people of the world have their eyes turned toward the United Nations, a unique organisation where the human race - in all its diversity - can express its worries and aspirations," said Mr Ping, who added that the world was facing multiple threats and challenges.    He cited among the most prominent problems multiplying conflict situations, proliferation of dangerous weapons, terrorism, poverty, the deteriorating environment and spreading AIDS epidemic.    Speaking about international flash points, the president stressed the importance of making progress in resolving the Middle East conflict. "The Middle East is the cradle of human civilisation," said Mr Ping, "and the future of all of us is at stake there."    He mentioned the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as numerous conflict situations in Africa. Mr Ping argued in favour of convening an international conference on peace, security and economic development in Africa's Great Lakes region. The conference has already been accepted in principle by the world community.
	Next (more recent) news item
	Next (older) news item