Editor's Note: Mark Leon Goldberg is the managing editor of the UN Dispatch blog.
By Mark Leon Goldberg, UN Dispatch
UN Week is here. Soon, world leaders will descend on Turtle Bay for the annual ritual of speeches, press conferences and back-room wheeling and dealing. Here are the top five stories on the agenda this week in New York, ranked in descending order of likely media interest. So, without further ado - 5 stories to watch during UN Week.
5) Non-Communicable Diseases
One of the major thematic focuses of this year’s UN General Assembly is the rise of non-communicable diseases in the developing world. Long thought of as diseases only suffered in rich countries (we are talking about heart diseases, diabetes, respiratory illness, cancer) NCDs are becoming increasingly common in developing world countries. This is partly a success of economic development, but it is also a challenge for the international community. The fact that there are four oncologists in a country of 82 million people is problematic.
In June, the World Health Organization released a first of its kind global snapshot of the toll that NCDs take worldwide. It found: “Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, are by far the leading cause of mortality in the world, representing 63% of all deaths. Out of the 36 million people who died from chronic disease in 2008, 29% were under 60 and half were women.” The report also finds that the burden of suffering from NCDs is disproportionately felt by the developing world,which accounts for 80% of all NCD related mortality. Oh, and it should not come as a surprise, but tobacco use is one of the leading causes of NCD-related mortality, killing some 6 million people a year.
On Monday and Tuesday, health ministers and other world leaders will gather for a first of its kind summit on NCDs. This is only the second time the General Assembly has met on a health issue - the first time was on HIV/AIDS in 2002. According to the WHO “The aim is for countries to adopt a concise, action-oriented outcome document that will shape the global agendas for generations to come.”
Read: More about noncommunicable diseases.
4) The World’s Shame in Somalia
The worst drought in 60 years in the Horn of Africa has led to the first famine of the 21st century. The United Nations warns that 750,000 people could die in the coming months if international humanitarian assistance to the Horn of Africa is not scaled up. Six regions of Somalia are suffering from famine...so far - it is expected to spread further as population disruptions continue. About one in every three Somalis are living as refugees or as internally displaced persons. Kenya and Ethiopia are also bearing the brunt of the crisis. Refugee camps over the border from Somalia are overflowing with families who have fled famine stricken areas.
The UN says that humanitarian groups on the ground like the World Food Program, Red Cross/Red Crescent, UNICEF and others need a total of $2.4 billion to meet the basic humanitarian needs of 13 million people affected by this crisis. So far, they have only been able to raise about or 62% of that total, leaving a funding gap of $943 million (as of last week). The United States is by far the most generous donor to this crisis–having contributed over $590 million. But unless world leaders are content to watch nearly 1 million people needlessly waste away in the coming months, more funding is going to be required. Expect tapped out Americans and Europeans to lean on non-traditional donors, like the Chinese and Arab oil states to pick up some of the slack.
Read: The plight of southern Pakistan.
3) Syria
Over 2,600 people have been killed in the violent suppression of a popular rebellion in Syria. The Security Council, though, is basically stuck. The United States, United Kingdom and France are pushing hard for a resolution that would, at the very least, impose an asset freeze and travel ban on top members of the Assad regime and impose and arms embargo. So far, this move has been steadfastly resisted by Russia and China.
The key swing vote in this debate is the Arab League. If the Arab League backs sanctioning one of its own, it is almost certain that Russia and China would abstain from the vote. So far, though, the Arab league has tried to play the role of peace broker. Last week, its head visited Damascus to press Assad into accepting its proposal for a transition to democracy by 2014. Protesters seem almost as displeased with this proposal as Assad himself.
The summit provides the opportunity for some face to face meetings in which western powers may try to convince key regional players to support sanctions against the Syrian regime. Until they do so, the UN’s role in Syria remains in limbo.
2) Libya and the Arab Spring
Fixtures like Hosni Mubarak and Tunisia’s Ben Ali will be conspicuously absent from the General Assembly podium this year. And to the delight of overworked translators and chagrin of late night comics, there shall be no long rambling speech from Moammar Gadhafi.
This is the first major global meeting since the Arab Spring movement. Without a doubt the rhetorical nods that leaders tend to give to themes of democracy and good governance will take on new meaning. Expect the Arab Spring to play a prominent role in nearly every speech by every global leader who speaks at the General Debate next week.
This will take on particular urgency on Libya. Last Friday night, the Security Council approved a new UN Mission to Libya. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is tasked with supporting the National Transitional Council organize elections, help draft a constitution, coordinate the international humanitarian response and promote economic development activities. Divvying up national responsibilities in each of these areas (and deciding who will staff the new mission) will likely be a big topic of discussions in the corridors of the UN this week.
1) “Member State of Palestine?”
One year ago, President Obama boldly stated “when we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United Nations - an independent, sovereign state of Palestine, living in peace with Israel.” It would appear that the Palestinians are prepared to take him up on that.
For weeks, the Palestinians have said they will ask the General Assembly to vote on Palestinian membership to the United Nations. Until last Friday it was unclear what, exactly the Palestinians would ask of the General Assembly. A vote on full membership to the UN would have to be referred to the Security Council, where it almost certainly faces an American veto. A vote to confer “observer state” status for Palestine would grant Palestine the same level of membership as, say, the Vatican (and probably allow it to join other treaty based organizations), but would not require any action by the Security Council. Until last Friday it was unclear which path the Palestinians would choose. Then, in a dramatic televised speech, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said the will go for option 1: full membership.
Read: Palestinians' UN vote and the International Criminal Court conundrum.
This puts the Palestinians on a collision course with the United States. After the GA vote this week the Security Council will take some time to act on the resolution - and in the meantime there is going to be some heavy jockeying for votes. To pass the Security Council requires 9 affirmative votes and no vetoes. If the USA can convince enough other countries to abstain, they won’t have to cast a potentially embarrassing veto. Stay tuned.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mark Leon Goldberg.
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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What GE is making in USA now? I have question to all the CEO's who are moving the manufacturing job to China and abroad, please tell the truth that it is not the labor cost, it is not world market. Still America is the biggest market in world. The products you manufactured in China and abroad, what % you sale in China. Why not manufacture the products in USA customer consumed. I watch your GPS and it is one of our favorite show beside Jon Stewart's The Daily Show.
There are alot of 'reasons' why we outsource labor, but one of the biggest ones is our crippling reliance on unions. For so many of the jobs that we outsource, we have labor unions that make standards way too difficult for companies to agree to. Labor unions may have once been useful for the US, but they've gone way away from what they were intended to and now just make businesses prefer sending jobs overseas, where they don't have to deal with ridiculous stipends, answering to the workers on every matter, and paying much more than they need to. When a union has the 'right' to pay a bonus to someone just for showing up to work on time, that's when you know things have gone too far!
When world leaders convene at the United Nations in New York, their wives very often come along as well. As long as the expenditure is reasonable, their tax-payers turn a blind eye to it. Some autocrats take an entourage with them. Their wives indulge themselves in a shopping spree at exclusive stores on Fifth Avenue. Laila, wife of the disposed Ben Ali of Tunisia and Grace Mugabe are known for their penchant for expansive vulgarity!
So what.
That's one of the reasons that gave rise to the Arab Spring!
Well, I guess we now know where that phoney roadmap mentioned by Pres. Bush is supposed to guide the Palestinians. Could that possibly have something to do with why there is all that unrest in the Islamic countries? Yes, I think so. I'll let you all decide on the solution for that important question. People don't seem to value my opinion any too highly. God bless, and I do mean almighty Jupiter.
FL Schmild, No one values opinions that are based on fiction, not fact. The "roadmap" during P. Bush was based on negotiation bsetween Israel and the Palestinians which would have brought peace first and a state afterwards. P. Obama decided to empower the Palestinians through irresponsible remarks that he ultimately had to backtrack on. Now they are demanding a state without a guarantee of peace or even recognition of Israel. This administration missed a great opportunity for peace, just because they couldn't admit that the previous administration did anything right. I think its about time that people grow up and quite throwing the baby out with the bath water, all in the name of politics.
Kevin, You can fool few people some of time, but you can't fool everyone all the time. you can go back and get your brain washed by ABCNNBCCBC. Peace will come to the Middle East when Isreal ends it illegal occupation and land grabs.
President Obama boldly stated “when we come back here next year, we can have an agreement that will lead to a new member of the United Nations – an independent, sovereign state of Palestine, living in peace with Israel.” – but then Benjamin Netanyahu said NO and Mr.Obama obeyed like a slave obeys his master!!
That's right and Mahmoud Abbas just translated Obama's words into action, as simple as that!
Most probably because a key ingredient would be missing – "living in peace with Israel." Sorry John but Jewish blood is not for free. דם יהודי אינו הפקר
All the blood, my Jewish friend, is coming out of the Palestinians, not the Israelis. Very few are listening to you crying Wolf! yet again.
So perhaps someone who speaks fluent in “Political-ese” can explain to me why the US, or any country for that matter, would make a statement that they are not actually prepared to back up with actions? “We will vote for Palestine….except when it comes time to, we’re NOT going to vote for Palestine.” If we weren’t planning on ever supporting them, and in fact trying to get OTHER countries to not support them, why would we say we WOULD support them in the first place? Seems to me like we shouldn’t be making promises we aren’t prepared to ever actually keep.
Read Obama's statement again. He said “when we come back here next year, we can HAVE AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL LEAD TO a new member of the United Nations". He didnt say that next year this time we will have a Palestinian state but rather an agreement that will lead to one. The agreement needs to precede the establishment of the state. And you cant have an agreement with a people that is not ready to consent to peace. Simple as that.
Israel is not interested in an "agreement". They only do dictates. Either end the colonies and declare East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine or there will be no peace, no justice. The world is sick and tired of Israeli dictates and arrogance.
Eric ,,, the fact that the israelies have not implemented any of the U.N resolutions, neither have acted upon any of the deals made and agreed on between the PLO, USA and israel .. only explains that israel was never looking for peace, the continued building of those illegal settlements was one of the easiest steps israelies could have put their foot on and worked to prevent it but they didnt.. in fact , israelies embarrassed so far every U.S president we elected so far , by continuing attack on un-armed civilians and children, the latest attack on the turkish flotilla and refusing to apologize on the death of those turkish citizens that israel supposed to be their ally country ! ... not one single agreement ever signed by israel and palestinians under our government supervision (the U.S) was ever implemented by the israelies.. We citizens of the U.S are now fully aware of who the israelies are, and i think the rest of the world know now what the israelies really want. . and its not peace ..
i applaud Abbas and the palestinians for going through with this .. its time someone says No to the dictators and the occupiers
Jacko and Jason,
Maybe there will be peace when people like you stop the BS. You are so one sided in your opinions that no matter what Israel does it wont be enough. You both cant accept the fact that like the US Israel has a right to defend its citizens and stand up for herself. Dont preach to me about what Israel has being doing wrong when the US has killed thousands and thousands of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq with Turkish support needles to say.
Its a known FACT that Palestinians living in the west bank have more rights than their brethren living in Lebanon. If you truly care about the Palestinians then you would stand up for them no matter where they lived. Also a known fact, Muslim Arab women have more rights and freedom in Israel than they have in the West Bank. Or maybe you could tell me how many gay rights organizations currently exist in the West Bank?
Do you really care about Palestinian sovereignty or do you just hate Israel? You guys are a bunch of cowards and hypocrites.
Jason, you said "the fact that the israelies have not implemented any of the U.N resolutions". When you choose to state facts, you probably should state facts. Israel is not in Sinai because of UN resolutions and treaties, Israel is not in Lebanon because of UN resolutions and treaties, and Israel is not in the Gaza strip because of UN resolutions. Your comment so far are based solely on hatred foir Israel and you can't seem to find real facts to prop up your opinion. Eric is right about the rights and comfort of the Palestinians in Israel verses their own territory, so maybe one should quit demanding the destruction of Israel. The Palestinians have signed a number of agreements with Israel, and very few of them are actually being followed. The Arabs still harass Israelis at the temple mount, they still fire rockets into Israel, they still smuggle under the borders, and they still commit acts of violence against Israelis just because of hate and their (Hamas) stated position that Israel doesn't have a right to exist. These really are facts and you can look any of them up on the open Internet. There will never be peace until all parties decide the others can exist and bring about policies that enforce that. When is the last time you heard of a Palestinians being arrested for terrorism charges by a Palestinian police officer??? Israel has arrested, charged and emprisoned their own citizens because of hate crimes against the Palestinians. One sided, isn't it? Always, one-sided.
Politicians always make promises they aren't prepared to actually keep.
And yes, you can't have an agreement with people who are not ready to consent to peace. And no, I'm not just talking about the Palestinians.
Bob, go ahead and say it. It's ok, they can't hurt you. Even in the United States we can now talk about Israel openly. It feels great, try it!
Your right Bob, unfortunately P. Obama decided to abandon the peace process that was on-track for years getting the Israelis and Palestinians to agree to a peaceful settlement. Instead, P. Obama recklessly (by his own admission) made statements that he ultimately had to backtrack on. This opened the door for a unilateral demand for recognition with out a stated peace treaty with Israel. Dozens of years of work just went down the toilet, because P. Obama wanted to force an issue. This goes back to his stated M.O. where anything republican had to be overturned or dismissed. Too bad too, because the road map for peace under P. Bush was actually making headway; ie, territory was given back, M. Abbas was starting to act like a stateman, even road blocks were coming down. All that ended with P. Obama. Remember the first person he called when he took office was Abbas, no one in Europe (our closest allies in most everything), not Asia, not even our immediate neighbors Canada and Mexico. Now rockets fly into Israel again, Turkey is about to force the Gaza blockade, and militants are empowered on the Egyptian side of the border. So like I said, Bob, you are right, the Palestinians cannot be trusted until they agree to the existance of Israel as a nation. Until they agree to that, they cannot be trusted as a nation.
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/as-the-crow-flies/
I just wish online news stories were better edited before being posted...
Some great writing here:
in 2008, 29% were under 60 and half were women.
So the other half afflicted were men? Good call. Trying to make women seem like they are suffering more than men... Which in many cases they are, but attempting to highlight it that way was just stupid.
It truly amazes me that the world still views the Palestinian/Israeli conflict as one that can actually be resolved. Contrary to what most people are led to believe there is only one thing standing in the way of peace and that is the fact that the Palestinian people do not want Israel to exist. Anything short of Israel ceasing to exist is not acceptable to the Palestinian people. These are not partners in peace. These are people who hide among there own children using them as human shields!! The words of Golda Meir have never been more true, that there will never be peace until the Palestinians love their children more than they hate Israelis.
George C. funny but the U.N rights movement, have made reports denying the use of human shields by palestinians , and infact proposed facts and videos of how the IDF uses palestinians kids to raid houses .. get your facts straight .. israel was never a peaceful nation, attacking neighbouring countries and israelies even having a fight with Turkey now .. lol .. the only ally israel has is the U.S and that is not because we love israel, its because our government have sold their dignity to the israelies banks
Jason, know your facts. Hours and hours of video during the Gaza invasion showed the Palestinians using human shields. How can you dismiss what the rest of the world saw with their own eyes? I suppose pure hate does that, but really man, take off the specks and see the real world. UN stated that the flotilla raid was lawful, but Israel used exessive force...which is funny because the video from that raid showed the "peaceful" turks attacking the Israelis with knives and metals rods. This is video and its even on Youtube. Why believe something just because you read it on some anti-Israel website? Why not look at the evidence for yourself and make an educated decision? By the way, Turkey is threatening war with Israel. Its not the other war around, no matter how you try to twist it.
Kevin, and Eric – Keep trying to peddle your BS. What you don't realize that people are more aware of what is going on. You two are the one's trying to twist facts.
Stop having jews write stories that have anything to do with the Middle East or Arab issues. Can you not see how an internal conflict of interest is going to present itself in a biased story? Hell, why not let prisoners write critiques of our justice system?
i think we all owe the palestinians an apology for all the bad things we have done , starting by establishing a land for israelies on their own land (palestine), to making millions of palestinians refugees, to our silence and ignorance against all the massacres the israelies have commited against those palestinians ... I am sorry
Jason,
Its because of people like you that Wikipedia had to lock down the pages on Palestine and Israel. If you guys were given the chance you would rewrite as much as history as you already have rewritten.
Why the "descending order" of likely media interest?
Two points –
1. More people were killed by the government in Yemen than in Syria yesterday.
2. The disastrous UN "food relief" program has helped cause the famine in Somalia.
Attacking other nations? Israeli Banks? what are you talking about? And since when is the UN evenhanded about their reports? What about all of the rockets being shot from Gaza into Israel? What about all of the suicide bombers? Its pretty clear that you believe just about anything you read so long as its not the truth.
rockets that have killed how many ? 1 or 2 israelies .... how many kids alone have the israeli army killed so far ? 1 or 2 minimum every day ... the suicide bombing was stopped long time ago, or you just want to keep repeating the past but ignoring all the massacres commited by the IDF till this current day ? .. and i dont just say believe anything i read, i volunteer for the international red cross and seen on first hand all the illegal weapons israelies use against un-armed civilians .. starting with the "white phosphorus" bombs which are against Geneva convention , and exploding bullets that blow up your insides, which is also still used recently by israeli army and which are considered illegal weapons too by international law
"the suicide bombing was stopped long time ago"
Yes because of the "Wall". Thank God for the "Wall."
Jason, wrong again-white phosphorus is not against international law. Look it up. They don't use "exploding rounds" but they do use armor piercing (which is legal). Honestly I doubt you are a Red Cross volunteer because "first-hand" knowledge would have prepared you better for this type of debate. Israel doesn't engage unarmed civilians, but they do go after terrorists launchig rockets into their territory. Israel could have wiped Gaza off the map, but restrained themselves because of their consideration for the unarmed civilians. If you were really there, you would know about the multiple rocket launchings from the school that the Israelis chose not to destroy. You would also know about the dozens of rocket launchings from the mosques in southern Gaza. The rockets have killed a lot more than 1-2 Israelis as well. That, by far, is the dumbest thing you said. Know what your talking about, state it with facts or stop contributing to the problem of hate.
why praise a wall? a wall constructed in stolen land.....mmmm what a contradiction that jews praise about a walls...all about guettos during the nazi regime was forgotten so quickly???
DON'T DO TO THE OTHERS WHAT YOU WON'T RECEIVE ON YOU
comparing an F-16 to a stone thrower .. how fare is that
F16s are not attacking stone throwers. They are attacking people launching rockets! AGAIN, know what your talking about.
isarelies attack them every single day .. but God forbid, someone retaliates back
Grow up!
Wow Eric that was an insightful comment. No disputing the fact that more Palestinians are killed by Israeli's than vice-versa. You fall back on a second grade retort. impressive.
Wrong again. Facts are: Palestinians launch rockets into Israel and THEN Israel retaliates. Its not the other way around. Watch TV once in a while and learn. Try something other than Al Arabiya or Al Jezeera. No wonder Eric said, Grow Up! Your acting like a child who can't have his way (destruction of Israel) so you chose to attack without any facts to back up your argument. Grow Up indeed.
"Peace will come to the Middle East when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us." – Golda Meir
Very true Eric.
So that makes it ok? What a great idea!! Let's wait until they kill a bunch of people before we defend ourselves!! What would the U.S. do if Mexico started to shoot rockets into Texas and New Mexico? And I guess you already forgot about (or never read about) the attack on an Israeli bus near Eilat in August or the school bus that was hit in April, or the public bus that was blown up in March in Jerusalem? And why do you think the Palestinian kids were killed? Because they hide among them!!
So that makes it ok? What a great idea!! Let's wait until they kill a bunch of people before we defend ourselves!! What would the U.S. do if Mexico started to shoot rockets into Texas and New Mexico? And I guess you already forgot about (or never read about) the attack on an Israeli bus near Eilat in August or the school bus that was hit in April, or the public bus that was blown up in March in Jerusalem?
Disband the UN . It has long ouytlived ist usefulness and ios a paper tiger only good for bashing of 1st world nations by 3rd world nations,. Obama should not speak ther the US should give them a year to move out of NYC and cvrtawl back to Geneva or some other place. But 1st worlld nations should abandon it and all its works
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. Zechariah 12:2-3
Go ahead make Gods day.
Morally and ethically speaking, the Palestinians should have been granted full UN membership long ago. They have their own state (albeit an occupied one). A UN resolution already exists that defines their borders. The worst that can happen is that Palestine, as a voting UN member, can pursue legal action against Israel. Win or lose, it will make little difference due to the fact that Israel will continue to do whatever the hell it wants, and they will continue to occupy Palestine. They may or may not have a good reason for doing so, depending on whom you ask, but the hard truth is that UN resolutions do not compel a country to behave a certain way. And since Israel has the the power of the United States tucked firmly in its back pocket, there is very little the rest of the world can do about it.
Did you know that the "occupied" territory was actually part of Jordan (legally speaking) and is recognized by the UN as such? There really isn't a "nation" called Palestine. After Jordan lost the W. Bank, they ceded the land to Israel (part of the peace treaty) so legally speaking it is Israeli territory. The Palestinians have a home and its called Jordan.
And the Palestinians are not really welcome in Jordan (Remember Black September). Come to think of it, the Palestinians are not really welcome in Lebanon, a beautiful country that they really helped to screw up. The only place that they are welcome is Israel where 1.3 million of them seem to live in relative peace and 70% of them seemingly voted in a poll that they would prefer to be citizens of Israel, rather than an Arab state!
the west bank was ceded to Israel from Jordan?....when??? no one noticed that...no country noticed that...another israeli lie I assume
Did you know the country of Isreal did not exist before 1948?
Yes let's give more money to Somla. Last CNN report was that the "rebels" were taking all the aid and no food was actually given to the civilians,
But hey let's spend more money and later watch them carrying our dead soldiers through the street. I can't wait, maybe they'll kill more us soldiers this time
The Palestinian terrorists are the ones that are firing the rockets at Israel. Israel is only trying to defend THEIR LAND. Yes their Land. Check your History.
EVERY INCH OF ISRAEL BELONGS TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE! Those that stand with ISRAEL will be blessed and those that go against will be cursed!
There are actually better reasons to support Israel, like the fact that they are the only really stable democratic country in the ME.
mmm hard to say...should have Hitler complete his task for the rest of the world have peace???
Does anyone care? Let them kill each other since they seem to like it so much. The rest of us actually have better things to think about.
Seriously... #1? The international worldview is seriously flawed.
After the killing is over in Syria and Assad has his neck stretched, will the people of Syria remember how their friends in Russia and China let them die, while only the US, EU and other infidels tried to stand up for them?
The one thing that makes me confused is The UN always tries to solve the things happen, why they aren't able to avoid the situation before. It's better to use the power not to wound than to apply the treatment.
All these problems started in the Middle East with the advent of Islam in 632 A.D. They cannot co-exist with people of different religions and races or even among themselves which is the sad part of the story and the root cause.
Palestinians do not believe in peace period! Israelis are fighting for their survival in the Middle East.
LOL
Two states for two peoples. Jewish people is a nation state with the Palestinians. An Arab community that wants to stay right in the Jewish state. As above who wants to remain a Jewish settlement in the state of Palestinians. Must be reciprocity. Impossible for Palestinians to say that the state should be free of Jewish settlements and the same thing in reverse. The only problem which prevents peace today is not jewish settlements but the refusal of the Palestinians to recognize the Jewish state.
They say "2 states solution". they refuse to say "2 states for 2 nations". when palestinians say "2 states" they mean – 2 states for palestinians. unfortunatly, people are not aware to that of this important nuance.
5 millions palestinians live inside israeli boarders, while the number of Jews is not more than 5 millions also, but the Jews control every thing and every thing, and the palestinians (muslim and christians) have no right as human right, palestinians live under siege and israel keep steal their land to build settlmets for Jews immigrants who come from outside of israel, israel do that and do it's racial discrimination against palestinians from decades. This what CNN and anothar american media not show, but all other world know it.
A possible 6th story to follow would be the promotion of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly as recommended by the European Parliament earlier this year: http://en.unpacampaign.org/news/563.php
Yesterday in Germany around 40 NGOs and 150 VIPs published an open letter to Angela Merkel and Guido Westerwelle urging them to step up for democracy also within the United Nations. Here is a brief report: http://en.unpacampaign.org/news/577.php
I would appreciate GPS reporting on this possible 6th story.
there's the US veto waiting, swindlers have corrupted america