Kudos to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for speaking harshly against Iran, in Iran, at the Non-Aligned Movement Summit today. Earlier this week Ban faced sharp criticism for even attending the NAM Summit in Iran because his attendance was seen as legitimizing the Iranian government and its many provocative statements.
However, quite unexpectedly, Ban used the NAM forum to publicly call out the Iranian government by authoritatively stating global objections to Iran's behaviour - objections which the West has been raising for many years. Ban even specifically defended Israel's existence, too, uttering the very name, "Israel", which Iranian government representatives are forbidden from using (preferring instead their pejorative and geographically abstract term "Zionist regime").
Here are some of Ban's bold, necessary and critical comments against the theocratic Iranian regime. We need more of this from the rest of the world. Iran's nuclear program must be stopped. Faster, please. - R.O.
Tehran, 30 August 2012 - Secretary-General's remarks to the High-Level Segment of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit
Tehran, 30 August 2012 - Secretary-General's remarks to the High-Level Segment of the 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon
"And from this platform – as I have repeatedly stated around the world -- I strongly reject threats by any member state to destroy another or outrageous attempts to deny historical facts, such as the Holocaust.
Claiming that another UN Member State, Israel, does not have the right to exist, or describing it in racist terms, is not only utterly wrong but undermines the very principles we have all pledged to uphold."
and...
"Assuming the leadership of the NAM provides Iran with the opportunity to demonstrate that it can play a moderate and constructive role internationally. That includes responsible action on the nuclear programme which is among the top concerns of the international community.
This concern has been demonstrated in repeated Security Council resolutions, including under Chapter VII authority, calling for transparency and full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
For the sake of peace and security in this region and globally, I urge the Government of Iran to take the necessary measures to build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.
This can be done by fully complying with the relevant Security Council resolutions and thoroughly cooperating with the IAEA.
I urge, also, constructive engagement with the P5+1 to quickly reach a diplomatic solution."
Claiming that another UN Member State, Israel, does not have the right to exist, or describing it in racist terms, is not only utterly wrong but undermines the very principles we have all pledged to uphold."
and...
"Assuming the leadership of the NAM provides Iran with the opportunity to demonstrate that it can play a moderate and constructive role internationally. That includes responsible action on the nuclear programme which is among the top concerns of the international community.
This concern has been demonstrated in repeated Security Council resolutions, including under Chapter VII authority, calling for transparency and full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
For the sake of peace and security in this region and globally, I urge the Government of Iran to take the necessary measures to build international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.
This can be done by fully complying with the relevant Security Council resolutions and thoroughly cooperating with the IAEA.
I urge, also, constructive engagement with the P5+1 to quickly reach a diplomatic solution."
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