United Nations General Debate starts today

[Ariddia]

No time to discuss this in depth myself, but I thought it worth mentioning, if the rest of you want to discuss it.

The leaders or Foreign Affairs Ministers of almost all 192 UN member countries will be addressing the UN General Assembly over the next few days, giving their perspectives on world issues.

Those addressing the UNGA today (on day 1) include:

2. Barack Obama, President of the United States of America
Interesting to watch for obvious reasons. Obama's first address to the UNGA. Should set the tone of US foreign policy priorities.

3. Colonel Muammar Al-Qadhafi, Leader of the Revolution of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Libya has been in the news for various reasons recently. And Qadhafi, in addition to his dangerous excentricity, is one of the world's longest "serving" dictators. More to the point, it's apparently the first time he'll be addressing the UN himself. So he probably has something he wants to say.

7. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan
Came to power when the world's most bizarre dictator, President Niyazov, died a few years ago. The election pitted him against candidates who were all of his own party, and who all asked voters to vote for him rather than for them. Berdimuhamedov rules a dictatorship that's rarely in the media spotlight; it's supported by Western powers for economic reasons.

11. Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France
Should be talking about France's aims regarding foreign policies. Worth noting as one of the "big 5" on the UNSC.

13. Silvio Berlusconi, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy
One of Europe's causes for shame comes to talk to the world.

14. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Like France, the UK still has some influence in world affairs, and is one of the UN's "big 5".

15. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President of Argentina
Argentina's centre-left leader. (Also one of the world's few female presidents.)

16. Hu Jintao, President of China
See France and UK.

17. His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco
On this list just because I like seeing what microstates have to say to the world. I'll also be watching out for San Marino.

18. Álvaro Uribe Vélez, President of Colombia
The staunchly right-wing leader of Columbia, in a mostly left-wing region. The US' closest ally in Latin America. Runs a country with notorious crime problems and rogue, murderous army officers. I'd heard he'd caught swine flu, but if he's going to be allowed to breathe over the world's assembled leaders, he's presumably recovered.

19. José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, President of Honduras
Interesting for obvious reasons. Although he's recognised as President by the international community, Zelaya was recently thrown out in a coup, and no longer has any power in his country.

20. Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation.
See other "big 5".

24. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea
One of Africa's most unpleasant dictators. Came to power by murdering his uncle - also a brutal dictator. A staunch ally of the West, who support him for economic reasons. For that reason, this is one dictatorship you never hear about. Equatorial Guinea has by far the highest GDP per capita in Africa, and one of the very highest in the world, but it's all in the hands of the local political and economic elite, and of Western foreign investors. The population is dirt poor; most people in the capital have no electricity.
Obiang's party has 99 seats out of 100 in Parliament, and the opposition is muzzled. He once declared on radio that God talks to him and tells him he can kill whoever he wants; he's also known to have promoted rumours that he was a cannibal, just to scare his opponents.

26. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran's noxious leader always causes a scene when he addresses the international community. Expect much vomit-inducing rhetoric. The world's eyes will be on him more than ever, following his stealing of the election, and bloody repression of protests.

27. Evo Morales Ayma, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
Hmm. So Bolivia's changed its name recently. I rather like Morales. He's a principled left-wing leader, and unlike his buddy Chavez, seems to be keeping his head above populist rhetoric. He seems to bring a refreshing face of honesty to politics (to some degree at least). Last year he spoke without notes, leaving translators struggling to keep up. Morales, the Indigenous rural worker and trade unionist who became President, is always worth watching.

30. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia.
I'll be watching him too. Since coming to power at the end of 2007, Rudd has redefined Australia's foreign policy - maintaining strong relations with the US, but expanding his country's engagement with other countries (notably China; he's probably the world's only white leader who speaks fluent Mandarin), and trying to give Australia a more active role on the world stage.

Once the videos are up, you can watch them here:
http://www.un.org/ga/64/generaldebate/

[Twigica]

Oh, god we're all going to die of boredom. Let's just hope that Gordon doesn't say the c word again.

[Blouman Empire]

30. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia.
I'll be watching him too. Since coming to power at the end of 2007, Rudd has redefined Australia's foreign policy - maintaining strong relations with the US, but expanding his country's engagement with other countries (notably China; he's probably the world's only white leader who speaks fluent Mandarin), and trying to give Australia a more active role on the world stage.

Once the videos are up, you can watch them here:
http://www.un.org/ga/64/generaldebate/

If by redefined, you mean offend the Japanese as well as straining relationships with China. As for maintaining strong relationships with the US, well in order to actually wreck it you have to do something major to wreck it. At least the best PM Australia never had will soon be the ambassador to the UN.

Yes I'll be watching him too, I'm sure half of it will be a bunch of shit that means nothing and the rest will just be some crap that is pure symbolism.

[Post-Unity Terra]

I wish I had a title like 'His Serene Highness'.

[New Chalcedon]

30. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia.
I'll be watching him too. Since coming to power at the end of 2007, Rudd has redefined Australia's foreign policy - maintaining strong relations with the US, but expanding his country's engagement with other countries (notably China; he's probably the world's only white leader who speaks fluent Mandarin), and trying to give Australia a more active role on the world stage.

Once the videos are up, you can watch them here:
http://www.un.org/ga/64/generaldebate/

If by redefined, you mean offend the Japanese as well as straining relationships with China. As for maintaining strong relationships with the US, well in order to actually wreck it you have to do something major to wreck it. At least the best PM Australia never had will soon be the ambassador to the UN.

Yes I'll be watching him too, I'm sure half of it will be a bunch of shit that means nothing and the rest will just be some crap that is pure symbolism.

"Offending the Japanese" is code-speak for "saving the whales", which he campaigned on an election promise to do something about. We voted for him (well, I didn't, but the majority did) on that basis (among others), and now that he does it, we bitch and moan. Yay us.

For the context-light, in January 2008 Rudd acted in the High Court to declare Japan's so-called "scientific" whaling illegal, and pressured Japan's 'Institute of Cetacean Research' to return two Sea Shepherd personnel captured whilst interfering with the hunt. Given that it was being conducted in (among other areas) Australia's territorial waters off Heard and Macquarie Islands, and in our EEZ in that area, Rudd informed Japan that their whaling vessels weren't welcome there.

Further, given Japan's insanely mercantilist attitude in regards to Australia (levying tarriffs as high as 500% on some products to protect their own industry), I can't say that Howard's 'softly, softly' approach actually, you know, did anything to help Australian interests in any conceivable fashion.

"Straining Chinese-Australian relations" is code-speak for "insisting on Australian sovereignty", apparently. Let's see - what has he done in this area. First, he had the gall to block a bid by China's government to purchase Rio Tinto. Then, he had the temerity to allow someone the Chinese had blacklisted to visit Australia - how dare he refuse to let Beijing dictate who can and can't visit Australia! And, the final straw was apparently acting to defend an Australian citizen arrested on trumped-up charges of spying and corruption. Speaking as someone who studies Asian business and governmental practices in some depth, I can safely say that you, good sir, don't have a clue what you're talking about if you think that China is the wronged party in this situation. They have acted, at every turn, to test our commitment to our own sovereignty, and Rudd has acted exactly as required - by letting Beijing know that we're not their vassal. The Chinese do not respect weakness, real or perceived.

And as for your last statement, I'm sure that you were quite happy with a PM who only spoke English. But I, for one, am actually quite impressed with that aspect of Rudd - a national leader should be able to think outside his own borders, and to formulate policy for his own nation, rather than tamely accepting whatever his "great and powerful ally" tells him to do. (Yes, I am referring to Howard's disastrous credulity and lack of intelligence regarding the Iraq War.)

P.S. Kim Beazley will become the Ambassador to the US, not to the UN.

[Blouman Empire]

"Offending the Japanese" is code-speak for "saving the whales", which he campaigned on an election promise to do something about. We voted for him (well, I didn't, but the majority did) on that basis (among others), and now that he does it, we bitch and moan. Yay us.

Actually offending the Japanese is code speak for snubbing them when he was doing a tour of Asia, nothing about the whales which had a very small part to do with him being voted in.

And those that didn't vote for him shouldn't be able to bitch and moan? Yeah us, for exposing the government for what it really is.

"Straining Chinese-Australian relations" is code-speak for "insisting on Australian sovereignty", apparently. Let's see - what has he done in this area. First, he had the gall to block a bid by China's government to purchase Rio Tinto. Then, he had the temerity to allow someone the Chinese had blacklisted to visit Australia - how dare he refuse to let Beijing dictate who can and can't visit Australia! And, the final straw was apparently acting to defend an Australian citizen arrested on trumped-up charges of spying and corruption. Speaking as someone who studies Asian business and governmental practices in some depth, I can safely say that you, good sir, don't have a clue what you're talking about if you think that China is the wronged party in this situation. They have acted, at every turn, to test our commitment to our own sovereignty, and Rudd has acted exactly as required - by letting Beijing know that we're not their vassal. The Chinese do not respect weakness, real or perceived.

And yet it is still strained, thank you for proving my point. And acting is certainly what he did do, pretended that he was acting for a Australian citizen when he should have been much more tougher on the Chinese where it was obvious they had done this to gain information about one of Australias biggest mining companies.

And as for your last statement, I'm sure that you were quite happy with a PM who only spoke English. But I, for one, am actually quite impressed with that aspect of Rudd - a national leader should be able to think outside his own borders, and to formulate policy for his own nation, rather than tamely accepting whatever his "great and powerful ally" tells him to do. (Yes, I am referring to Howard's disastrous credulity and lack of intelligence regarding the Iraq War.)

Yes, I am sure you are impressed that he like 900 million other people can speak Mandarin, one of the reasons why he would show it off when he could.

P.S. Kim Beazley will become the Ambassador to the US, not to the UN.

Which is what I meant to write.

[New Chalcedon]

Actually offending the Japanese is code speak for snubbing them when he was doing a tour of Asia, nothing about the whales which had a very small part to do with him being voted in.

And those that didn't vote for him shouldn't be able to bitch and moan? Yeah us, for exposing the government for what it really is.

1. Granted, he didn't mollycoddle Japanese sensibilities the way Howard did. In all seriousness, he should have spent more effort on them in his first months as PM. However, the fact is that people have been bitching and moaning about his steps to stop whaling, when he promised to do that. Oppose it, by all means - that is your right. But don't expect him not to do it when he promised he would.

And yet it is still strained, thank you for proving my point. And acting is certainly what he did do, pretended that he was acting for a Australian citizen when he should have been much more tougher on the Chinese where it was obvious they had done this to gain information about one of Australias biggest mining companies.

So, let me get this stright: You're pissed-off at Rudd for annoying China (per your first post), when - in your opinion - he should have taken a harder line over the Hu affair, thus annoying China more? Talk about inconsistency....perhaps you can explain that.

Yes, I am sure you are impressed that he like 900 million other people can speak Mandarin, one of the reasons why he would show it off when he could.

Thanks for selectively answering that point. I'm not so much impressed by the fact that he can speak Mandarin, I'm impressed by the fact that going to the effort to learn *a* foreign tongue shows that he can at least think outside Australian borders. I didn't think that I'd have to spell it out...sheesh.

Which is what I meant to write.

Thank you.

[Blouman Empire]

1. Granted, he didn't mollycoddle Japanese sensibilities the way Howard did. In all seriousness, he should have spent more effort on them in his first months as PM. However, the fact is that people have been bitching and moaning about his steps to stop whaling, when he promised to do that. Oppose it, by all means - that is your right. But don't expect him not to do it when he promised he would.

Well, I don't know much about the whaling and wasn't talking about that.

So, let me get this stright: You're pissed-off at Rudd for annoying China (per your first post), when - in your opinion - he should have taken a harder line over the Hu affair, thus annoying China more? Talk about inconsistency....perhaps you can explain that.

I was just saying that he has strained the relationship with China not strengthening it, it is not something I am saying is right or wrong.

Thanks for selectively answering that point. I'm not so much impressed by the fact that he can speak Mandarin, I'm impressed by the fact that going to the effort to learn *a* foreign tongue shows that he can at least think outside Australian borders. I didn't think that I'd have to spell it out...sheesh.

You do know that he learnt it, because 1) The Australian taxpayer paid for it 2) It helped him because it was a benefit to his career as a diplomat and 3) Living in China for many many years usually helps people learn the langauage properly.

He didn't go out of his way to learn it on the side and one can think outside of Australian borders without having to learn another language.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

[New Chalcedon]

Well, I don't know much about the whaling and wasn't talking about that.

Fair enough, it's just something that peeves me here, that's all.

I was just saying that he has strained the relationship with China not strengthening it, it is not something I am saying is right or wrong.

I beg to differ - in your first post, the context you used clearly indicated that you belived it to be a bad thing. And, in fairness to Rudd, I doubt that anything short of abandoning Hu altogether would have made the Chinese happy.

You do know that he learnt it, because 1) The Australian taxpayer paid for it 2) It helped him because it was a benefit to his career as a diplomat and 3) Living in China for many many years usually helps people learn the langauage properly.

He didn't go out of his way to learn it on the side and one can think outside of Australian borders without having to learn another language.

And why was Rudd a diplomat in the first place? Because he has a habit of thinking outside of Australia's borders. Of course another language isn't necessary (I, regretabbly, only speak English), but it is a useful indicator.

And I think that that's about enough for the threadjack, at least on my part. Feel free to respond to me, BE - but after your response, we should probably let the thread go back to the UNGA debate.

[Blouman Empire]

Fair enough, it's just something that peeves me here, that's all.

Fair enough and for the record I would support Rudd in any attempts to stop the Japanese whaling.

I beg to differ - in your first post, the context you used clearly indicated that you belived it to be a bad thing. And, in fairness to Rudd, I doubt that anything short of abandoning Hu altogether would have made the Chinese happy.

Actually it was more of an attack on what the OP said rather than an attack on Rudd.

And why was Rudd a diplomat in the first place? Because he has a habit of thinking outside of Australia's borders. Of course another language isn't necessary (I, regretabbly, only speak English), but it is a useful indicator.

We may have to disagree that it is but in saying that, thinking outside of Australias borders is a good thing but I don't really think that someone being able to speak another langauge isn't something I would look for come election time.

Also I'm not to sure why he did decide to go into diplomacy it may have been because he wanted to help Australia or maybe he wanted to work overseas.

And I think that that's about enough for the threadjack, at least on my part. Feel free to respond to me, BE - but after your response, we should probably let the thread go back to the UNGA debate.

Why not, be interesting to see what other people say.