The long-honored understanding that presidents of the General Assembly eschew political remarks when addressing that body was broken by Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria whose opening speech yesterday was an unabashed attack on the big powers, notably those of the West, and vigorous championship of the cause of the non-aligned nations and so-called “freedom fighters” among which he included the Palestinians.
UN delegates and observers who had expected adherence to the tradition of neutrality on the part of the unanimously elected president of the General Assembly’s 29th annual session were more than mildly surprised by his strident references to the Middle East.
SOUNDS WARNING ABOUT THE MIDEAST
Bouteflika said, “No one could ask us to be optimistic as long as the conquered territories have not been restored and, since the Palestinian homeland has been given up in the circumstances we are aware of, no one can expect the international community to bargain with its solidarity with the Palestinian people until, in accordance with the principles of the Charter and the pertinent resolutions of the United Nations, it has had, like other peoples, the opportunity to exercise its right to self-determination.”
He added, “The events in Cyprus have added further anxiety as far as the situation in the Middle East is concerned.” Bouteflika noted that less than ever can the Mediterranean “now be regarded as a lake of peace, because the Middle East has become the stake for major rivalries. The repercussions of events in that region which is a nerve center will undoubtedly be felt even beyond adjacent continents. Already, the attention which is being paid by Africa, Asia and Europe to the development of the struggle of the Arab peoples is a harbinger of developments of which it is difficult today to measure in full impact.”
The GA session, over which the 37-year-old Algerian diplomat will preside, has on its agenda a debate on the Middle East and a request for granting the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) observer status. Bouteflika made no direct references to Israel in his speech which ranged from the Cyprus situation to Indo-China. The Israeli delegation was absent due to the Rosh Hashana holiday.
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