Mugabe accused US and UK of genocide in Iraq

President Robert Mugabe denounced the United States and Britain for committing genocide in Iraq but all senior US government officials had vacated as per instructions during his speech leaving only a note taker.

Mugabe was speaking at the United Nations where he also called for an end to the “self-righteous unilateral sanctions” on Zimbabwe based on “lies and machinations” so that Zimbabwe could “focus undisturbed on its economic turnaround program”.

Mugabe said “Africa is capable of solving her own problems” and thanked former South African President Thabo Mbeki for his mediation which had brought about the Global Political Agreement against all odds.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 08USUNNEWYORK874, UN GENERAL DEBATE: PAKISTAN, ZIMBABWE, SUDAN AND

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VZCZCXYZ0008

PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0874/01 2731634

ZNR UUUUU ZZH

P 291634Z SEP 08

FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5012

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000874

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON PHUM UNGA PK ZI SU AS JA KS

NO, NL, SP, KU, FM, PU, WZ, TT, CM, BX, AN, SM, SC

SUBJECT: UN GENERAL DEBATE: PAKISTAN, ZIMBABWE, SUDAN AND

OTHERS

REF: STATE 98982

¶1. SUMMARY: During the afternoon of September 25, the UN

General Assembly General Debate continued with its tenth

plenary meeting. In an afternoon featuring Pakistan and

Zimbabwe’s Heads of State and Sudan’s Vice-President,

security issues were a primary focus. Participants called

for peace in the Middle East, continued efforts to combat

terrorism, and the proliferation of Weapons of Mass

Destruction, and expressed concerns regarding nuclear energy

(specifically in reference to Iran and North Korea). The

leaders of several developed countries emphasized that

increased efforts to protect the environment were critical to

counter the effects of climate change and the global food

crisis. Calls for UN reform, particularly for

“democratization” of the United Nations and expansion of the

Security Council continued. Many speakers called for greater

measures to ensure the protection of human rights, with

several focusing on women’s rights and religious tolerance,

and some calling for the elimination of the death penalty.

As in previous meetings, many speakers focused on achievement

of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), with the leaders

of developing nations calling upon the developed world to

fulfill MDG commitments. Several speakers — from both

developed and developing countries — focused on health care

reform, particularly concerning reproductive health. END

SUMMARY

¶2. During the meeting, the following spoke: Micronesian

President Mori; Guinean President Vieira; Swazi King Mswati

III; Timorese President Ramos-Horta; Zimbabwean President

Mugabe; Cameroonian President Biya; Pakistani President

Zardari; Sudanese Vice-President Taha; Spanish President

Zapatero; Japanese Prime Minister Aso; Kuwaiti Prime Minister

Sheikh Al-Sabah; Korean Prime Minister Seung-soo; Bruneian

Crown Prince Haji Billah; Australian Prime Minister Kevin

Rudd; Andorran Chief of Government Pintat; Sammarinese Head

of Government Stolfi; Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg;

Kittitian/Nevisian Prime Minister Douglas; and Dutch Prime

Minister Balkenende. All statements are available at

www.un.org/ga/63/generaldebate.

PAKISTAN

——–

¶3. President Zardari eulogized his late wife, former Prime

Minister Benazir Bhutto, praised democracy, pledged support

in combating terrorism, and asserted Pakistani sovereignty.

Citing last week’s bombing of the Marriott Hotel in

Islamabad, Zardari emphasized Pakistan’s victimization: “We

do not learn about terror from reading newspapers….We have

lost more soldiers than all 37 countries that have forces in

Afghanistan put together.” Zardari appealed for time and

space to combat terrorism. “A democratic Pakistan is in the

process of reaching the national consensus necessary to

confront and defeat the terrorists,” he said. With no

specific reference to the United States, Zardari warned that

“Unilateral actions of great powers should not inflame the

passions of allies. Violating our nation’s sovereignty is

not helpful in eliminating the terrorist menace. Indeed,

this could have the opposite effect.” Zardari pledged to

bring order to Pakistani territory, cooperate with

Afghanistan and NATO, and continue dialogue with India. He

denounced the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he

called the democratically elected leader of Myanmar.

Diverging from his prepared remarks, Zardari expressed

specific appreciation for the support of FLOTUS Laura Bush on

this issue.

ZIMBABWE

——–

¶4. Per reftel instructions, all senior USG officials vacated

the U.S. chair during Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s

intervention, leaving only a notetaker. Mugabe denounced the

United States and the United Kingdom for committing

“genocide” in Iraq. He called for an end to the

“self-righteous unilateral sanctions” based on “lies and

machinations” so that Zimbabwe could “focus undisturbed on

its economic turnaround program.” On the Zimbabwean

power-sharing agreement, Mugabe stated “Africa is capable of

solving her own problems” and thanked former South African

President Thabo Mbeki for his mediation.

SUDAN

—–

¶5. In a 30-minute intervention, Sudanese Vice-President Taha

chided the international community for tardy follow-through

an financial commitments and interference in Sudan’s internal

affairs. He asserted Sudan’s sole responsibility for Darfur

and denounced “foreign conspiracies that threaten peace.” He

said such movements did not seek peace in Darfur, but regime

change in Sudan, adding that the Sudanese government is

implementing its agreements “in an exemplary manner”. Taha

characterized the arrest warrant against Sudan’s President as

a “moral assassination” with “ulterior motives”. (NOTE:

This week’s Group of 77 Ministerial Meeting, taking place in

New York, elected Sudan as Chairman of the G-77 for 2009.

END NOTE.)

HUMAN RIGHTS

————

¶6. Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende recalled the “four

freedoms” as defined by former U.S. President Franklin Delano

Roosevelt (freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from

want and fear), and emphasized the need for greater efforts

to eliminate the use of torture and the death penalty and to

promote freedom of expression and belief. He called for

wider acceptance of the jurisdiction of the International

Court of Justice, and called for a fair and balanced Human

Rights Council. Balkende also characterized the access to

potable water as a human right. Norwegian Prime Minister

Stoltenberg reminded the Assembly that the Universal

Declaration on Human Rights was to guide the body in its

actions, arguing that the job of the United Nations is to

ensure the rights and opportunities of individuals, groups,

and countries. Spanish President Zapatero urged the Assembly

to not be “complacent” in working to protect the rights

outlined in the declaration, and called for a universal

moratorium on the death penalty by 2015. Andorra, Kuwait,

San Marino and Swaziland called for progress in the area of

women’s rights, and Brunei and San Marino urged the practice

of religious tolerance.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

————————

¶7. Virtually all speakers raised concerns regarding climate

change and the need for greater environmental protection

measures. Noting that carbon emissions from one part of the

planet affect the entire planet and could radically impact

our future, Australian Prime Minister Rudd implored Member

States to take collective action to reduce carbon emissions.

Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg called for efforts

against deforestation, which he said would be the most

effective and quickest way to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions. The leaders of many developing nations said that

climate change was having devastating effects on their

countries, particularly by virtue of more frequent natural

disasters and the diminishing availability of food staples

due to phenomena like deforestation, desertification, and

flooding.

ECONOMIC REFORM

—————

¶8. Australian Prime Minister Rudd termed the current “quantum

of financial institutional failure” “significant” and

“unprecedented.” He believed the global financial crisis

served as a call to the international community to act, and

said that governments have a responsibility to protect

financial markets. Rudd called for reform of financial

markets and regulatory systems and for clear incentives to

encourage financial institutions to behave responsibly.

Japanese Prime Minister Aso urged calm in the face of the

financial crisis. Micronesian President Mori said that the

financial turbulence emanating from the larger economies

placed everyone at risk. Norwegian Prime Minister

Stoltenberg referred to the “unsound investment” which

“threatens the homes and the jobs of the middle class.” The

leaders of several developing countries noted that the

economic stability stemming from developed countries had a

global impact.

Khalilzad

(17 VIEWS)

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