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Leaders clash in UN General Assembly amid global crisis

2020-09-23T10:38:06.669Z


The 75th anniversary of the UN was overshadowed by deteriorating relations and a sense of intensification of the international crisis.


This left Trump and Jinping's speeches at the UN 2:00

(CNN) -

World leaders met virtually Tuesday for the United Nations General Assembly.

The historic 75th anniversary of the UN was overshadowed by strong men, deteriorating relations, and a sense of intensifying international crisis.

The summit was forced to take place online this year due to the pandemic and 14-day quarantine regulations in New York.

The covid-19 appeared with force during the first day of the event.

Instead of meeting in person, UN officials, presidents and prime ministers sent pre-recorded speeches to mark the occasion.

US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and a group of strongmen including Xi Jinping of China, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Vladimir Putin of Russia spoke early Tuesday. .

UN Secretary General António Guterres called the health crisis "our own 1945 moment," a reference to World War II.

And he described Covid-19 as "a toxic virus that shakes the democratic foundations in many countries."

Guterres' statements touched on the increase in global poverty and fractured diplomatic relations.

And they warned of the increasingly bitter standoff between China and the United States, whose diplomatic relationship, he said, was moving "in a very dangerous direction."

“Our world cannot afford a future in which the two largest economies divide the world into a Great Fracture.

Each with its own business and financial rules and artificial intelligence and Internet capabilities, ”he said.

Guterres also suggested a New Global Pact to resolve the crisis, based on a multilateral approach.

But Tuesday's session often highlighted the lack of unity among UN members, with tensions particularly glaring between the United States and China.

Trump praised his own handling of the pandemic in the US and touted his role in facilitating the peace accords between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel.

And he said that more peace accords would come soon.

He used some of his time to attack China, calling the coronavirus the "China virus" and urging the UN to hold Beijing responsible for the pandemic.

He accused Beijing of "allowing the flights to leave China and infect the world" and of "virtually controlling" the World Health Organization.

WHO Communications Director Gabby Stern responded on Twitter, writing that WHO “has 194 member states;

no government controls us.

In a direct challenge to multilateralism, the US president also said world leaders should put their own countries first.

“For decades, the same tired voices came up with the same failed solutions pursuing global ambitions at the expense of their own people.

But only when you take care of your own citizens will you find a true basis for cooperation, "Trump said.

He added: “As president, I have rejected the failed approaches of the past.

And I'm proud to put America first, just as you should put your countries first.

That's fine.

That's what they should be doing.

MIRA

: The most significant of Trump and Xi Jinping's speeches at the UN, according to Jorge Dávila

Speaking right after President Xi's prerecorded message, China's ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jan, rejected Trump's "baseless allegations."

Later, at the Chinese Mission in New York, he described the United States' handling of the pandemic as "a complete failure."

And he said China would formally respond to Trump's allegations later in the week.

Xi, for his part, deliberately expressed his country's commitment to pursuing "open and inclusive development."

To build an open world economy and to defend the multilateral trade regime "with the WTO (World Trade Organization) as the cornerstone."

"We should say no to unilateralism and protectionism," Xi said.

Xi also announced that China aims to achieve a 'peak' in CO2 emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Unlike Trump, Putin praised the UN, saying that for decades it had "ably carried out its mission of protecting peace, promoting the sustainable development of peoples and continents, and providing assistance to mitigate local crises."

"This enormous potential and experience of the UN is relevant and serves as a solid basis for moving forward," he said.

Meanwhile, Jair Bolsonaro used his message to accuse foreign agents of exaggerating the fires in the Amazon.

The flames are currently burning in the Amazon for the second year in a row.

And deforestation has increased since Bolsonaro took office.

"We are victims of the most brutal disinformation campaign about the Brazilian Amazon and wetlands," Bolsonaro said.

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Another clash, this time in Europe, took center stage when Erdogan spoke.

The Turkish leader called for a regional conference to address tensions in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey and Greece.

And he accused Greece of causing trouble in the region.

Avoid 'vaccination', pleads the UN

Vaccines were also on the minds of several leaders.

After Guterres' opening speech called on UN member states to avoid nationalism when it comes to curbing the pandemic.

Several leaders touted their country's vaccine candidates as a possible solution.

Putin said the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russia was "reliable, safe and effective."

Moscow sparked criticism when it approved Sputnik V earlier this summer before conducting phase 3 clinical trials.

He added that he would be willing to provide the vaccine to UN personnel.

“Russia is ready to provide the UN with all necessary qualified assistance.

In particular, we are offering to provide our vaccine, free of charge, for the voluntary vaccination of UN staff and their offices, ”she said.

Maduro wants to apply the Russian vaccine to candidates 0:26

Xi said the Beijing vaccines would be a "global public good" once developed, noting that there were several in phase 3 clinical trials.

He added that if a vaccine was developed, it would "be provided to other developing countries on a priority basis."

LEE

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Although national leaders stayed home, the iconic UN Assembly Hall was not completely empty this week.

One diplomat per country can present their leader's speech.

On the sidelines, largely virtual meetings will also take place on topics such as climate change, biodiversity and Lebanon.

CNN's Richard Roth and Laura Dolan contributed to this report.

UN Assembly

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2020-09-23

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