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All must join in the mission of
liberation - President Bush
From: Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, New York
New York, Sept. 25, Ghanadot/GNA - US President George W.
Bush on Tuesday addressing the formal session of the 62nd
General Assembly of the United Nations called on member
countries to join in the "mission of liberation" and
promotion of democracy.
"Every civilized nation also has a responsibility to stand
up for the people suffering under dictatorship".
He stated that when innocent people were trapped in a life
of murder and fear the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
was not being upheld.
"This great institution must work for great purposes - to
free people from tyranny and violence...hunger and
disease...illiteracy and ignorance...poverty and despair".
President Bush expressed his country's outrage by the
political situation in Burma and announced series of steps
to help bring peaceful change in that country.
These include tightening of economic sanctions on the
leaders, expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most
egregious violations of human rights and their family
members.
The US, he said, would continue to support the efforts of
humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma.
President Bush encouraged the UN and all nations to use
their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese
to reclaim their freedom.
On Darfur, he said, the world body "must answer the
challenge to conscience - and live up to its promise to
promptly deploy peacekeeping forces to Darfur".
To help lift many people, especially, those in developing
countries out of poverty, he said it was important to
promote trade and investment.
"Open markets ignite growth, encourage investment, increase
transparency, strengthen the rule of law, and help countries
to help themselves".
President Bush therefore, made a strong case for the world
to successfully conclude the Doha round of trade talks to
ensure real and substantial openings in agriculture, goods,
services and significant reductions in trade subsidies.
He unveiled his proposed innovative initiative to alleviate
hunger in Africa under which the US would purchase the crops
in Africa and other places - rather than shipping in food
from the developed world.
This, President Bush said, would help to build up local
agriculture and break the cycle of famine in developing
countries and urged the US Congress to support it.
UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon in his report, warned of
challenges ahead and said there was the need to focus more
on results and less rhetoric.
Ghana's President John Agyekum Kufuor was among the first
batch of political leaders who addressed the Assembly after
the formal opening session.
GNA
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