23 September, New York
In what appears as one of the incendiary statement, the speech of Iranian President in United Nations General Assembly has triggered walk-outs of many Western delegates. The delegates from the United States, all EU countries, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Costarica walked out as a protest during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech which assimilated verbal attacks to the US, Israel and the Western world at large. Accusing US and other Western power of ushering a propaganda in name of ‘fight against terrorism’, Ahmadinejad said he saw some segment within the US government orchestrated 9/11 attacks, in his own words,” to reverse the declining national economy and its grip on the Middle East.” He also proposed the UN set up an independent fact-finding group for 9/11 attacks and announced his country will be hosting a conference to study terrorism and the means to confront it.
Though the Western delegates are familiar with Ahmadinejad’s rave and rant comments, particularly the statement of accusing US designing the 9/11 attacks left them aghast. US soon denounced his remarks as ” abhorrent and delusional”. After these developments, the General Debate in UN General Assembly seems to see more exchange of fire-words making it really a “hot debate”.
Ahmadinejad also criticized Israel accusing it of committing horrible crimes against the ‘defenseless people’ in Palestine and Lebanon. Coincidentally, Israeli delegates, celebrating a Jewish holiday, were not present in the General Assembly to hear him.
Ahmadinejad lambasted the world nuclear powers for attempting to stop its nuclear program. Repeating Iranian nuclear program for the peaceful purpose he warned the nuclear powers not to equate nuclear energy with nuclear bomb. “They have equated nuclear energy with the nuclear bomb, and have distanced this energy from the reach of most of the nations by establishing monopolies and pressurizing the IAEA”, he added, “At the same time, they have continued to maintain, expand and upgrade their own nuclear power”.
Before Ahmadinejad, US President Barack Obama, addressing the General Assembly, called on Iran to withdraw its nuclear plans and engage in diplomatic deliberations. Obama urged the world leaders to help him moving Middle East peace talks to a logical end and said he expects a ‘sovereign Palestinian state’ when the next General Assembly convenes.