US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took centre-stage at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to address world leaders on the war in Ukraine that has divided the global body. Biden has urged world leaders to stand with Kyiv against Russian aggression, while also touching on Washington's tense relationship with China.
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Paraguay leader calls for Taiwan to return to UN
The leader of Paraguay, one of a dwindling number of countries that recognise Taiwan, called Tuesday for its readmission to the United Nations in recognition of its democratic credentials.
Addressing the General Assembly, President Santiago Pena said that the world body should reflect "participatory, democratic and equitable practices" in line with the United Nations Charter.
"In this light, Paraguay expresses its support for the Republic of China – Taiwan – to be an integral part of the United Nations," Pena said.
His remarks come as China steps up pressure to exclude Taiwan entirely from international bodies.
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Japan PM says open to meeting N.Korean leader
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday he was willing to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, seeking a diplomatic path as tensions soar over Pyongyang's weapons programs.
Kishida reiterated the public offer at the UN General Assembly days after his government publicly announced his willingness for a summit.
In a speech from the UN rostrum, Kishida said that Japan was willing to resolve all issues with North Korea – including Pyongyang's past kidnappings of Japanese civilians to train its spies.
"From the perspective of opening up a new era together, I would like to convey my determination to meet with President Kim Jong Un face to face at any time without any conditions," Kishida said.
He said he would "like to hold high-level talks under my direct supervision to realize a summit meeting at an early time".
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Nigeria's Tinubu tells UN he seeks to restore democratic order in Niger
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday he was seeking to re-establish constitutional order to address political and economic problems in neighboring Niger following a July coup and welcomed any support for the process.
In a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Tinubu assailed military coups, which have swept through West Africa in the past few years and are sometimes cheered by citizens.
"The wave crossing parts of Africa does not demonstrate favor towards coups. It is a demand for solutions to perennial problems," Tinubu said.
"Regarding Niger, we are negotiating with the military leaders. As chairman of ECOWAS, I seek to help re-establish democratic governance in a manner that addresses the political and economic challenges confronting that nation, including the violent extremists who seek to foment instability in our region."
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Islamic leaders bash West at UN over Koran burnings
Sweden has seen a series of burnings of the Islamic holy book, with the government voicing condemnation but saying it cannot stop acts protected under laws on free expression.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who has put pressure for months on Sweden over its welcome to Kurdish activists Turkey sees as terrorists – said that Western countries were seeing "a plague" of racism including Islamophobia.
"It has reached intolerable levels," he told the UN General Assembly.
"Unfortunately, populist politicians in many countries continue to play with fire by encouraging such dangerous trends," he said.
"The mentality that encourages the hideous attacks against the holy Koran in Europe, by allowing them under the guise of freedom of expression, is essentially darkening (Europe's) own future through its own hands."
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Zelensky says Russia seeking to 'weaponise' food, energy and children
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's has accused Russia of “weaponising” everything from food and energy to abducted children in his speech at the UN General Assembly.
Addressing world leaders in New York, Zelensky said Moscow was using a global food shortage triggered by its blockade of Ukrainian grain "in return for recognition of some, if not all, of the Ukrainian territory it has captured".
The Ukrainian leader also accused Russia of carrying out "genocide" by abducting Ukrainian children.
"Those children in Russia are taught to hate Ukraine and all ties with their families are broken. And this is clearly a genocide," Zelensky said.
"The aggressor is weaponising many other things, and those things are used not only against our country but against all of yours as well," he said.
Wearing his trademark military fatigues, Zelensky also renewed his call for a summit of like-minded nations.
"We are preparing a Global Peace Summit. I invite all of you – all of you who do not tolerate any aggression – to jointly prepare the summit," he said.
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Turkey's Erdogan pledges to step up diplomacy to end Ukraine war
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to increase his diplomatic efforts to seek an end to Russia's war in Ukraine in his UN address.
"We have been endeavoring to keep both our Russian and Ukrainian friends around the table with a thesis that war will have no winners and peace will have no losers," Erdogan said in a speech to the General Assembly.
"We will step up our efforts to end the war through diplomacy and dialogue on the basis of Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity," he added.
The Turkish leader, an ally of Azerbaijan, also spoke about the violence flaring in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Baku's forces launched a military operation against Armenian separatists on Tuesday.
Erdogan said Nagorno-Karabakh was a part of Azerbaijan's sovereign territory and that the imposition of another status for the breakaway region was "unacceptable".
Read moreAzerbaijan launches Karabakh operation, urges Armenian separatists to surrender
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Biden says US does not want China relationship to 'tip into conflict'
The United States is seeking to "responsibly manage" its rivalry with China to avoid any possible war, US President Joe Biden has told the UN General Assembly.
"When it comes to China, I want to be clear and consistent. We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict," Biden said in a speech.
Touching at length on the war in Ukraine, the US president appealed to world leaders to stand with Kyiv against Russian invaders – hoping Republicans in Congress will also take notice.
"Russia believes that the world will grow weary and allow it to brutalise Ukraine without consequence," Biden said in his speech to UNGA. "If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure?"
Biden has made rallying US allies to support Ukraine a leading component of US foreign policy, arguing that the world must send a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will not be able to outlast the West.
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Brazil's Lula calls for dialogue to achieve peace in Ukraine
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, saying "no solution will be lasting if it is not based on dialogue".
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Lula said: "I have reiterated that work needs to be done to create space for negotiations."
Brazil's leader has been criticised in the West for failing to openly condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and suggesting presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky were equally to blame for the war.
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UN chief says invasion of Ukraine 'unleashed nexus of horror'
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has kicked off this year's UN General Assembly with a stinging rebuke of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Moscow's invasion marked a violation of the UN Charter that "has unleashed a nexus of horror", Gutierres told the annual gathering of world leaders.
He warned that the world badly needs Ukrainian food and Russian food and fertilisers to stabilise markets and guarantee food security, adding – to the applause of leaders – "I will not give up on my efforts to make it happen."
(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)
