Global tension tops UN agenda

WORLD leaders meeting at the UN starting today will be trying to make progress on two intractable problems at the top of the global agenda – the biggest refugee crisis since World War II and the Syrian conflict, now in its sixth year, which has claimed over 300 000 lives.

Against a backdrop of rising ethnic and religious tension, fighting elsewhere in the Mid-East and Africa, extremist attacks across the world and a warming planet, there are plenty of other issues for the 135 heads of state and government and more than 50 ministers expected to attend to try to tackle.

“It’s no secret there’s a lot of fear out there,” US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters, citing uncertainties sparked by Britain’s vote to leave the EU, the threat posed by the Islamic State extremist group, and attacks in many parts of the world by IS and other terrorist groups.

But Syria, where a tense ceasefire brokered by Moscow and Washington went into effect last Monday, remains at the top of the agenda at the UN General Assembly’s annual ministerial meeting. An apparently errant airstrike on Saturday in which the US military may have unintentionally struck Syrian troops while carrying out a raid against the Islamic State group could deal a crushing blow to the US-Russian-brokered ceasefire. It does not apply to attacks on IS. It has largely held for five days despite dozens of alleged violations on both sides.

The UN Security Council held a closed emergency meeting on Saturday night at Russia’s request to discuss the airstrike. The acrimonious meeting offered a harbinger of the difficulties ahead as the US and Russia remain suspicious of each other’s intents in Syria.

Power accused Russia of pulling “a stunt” that is “cynical and hypocritical” in calling for the meeting while not taking similar action in response to atrocities committed by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he had never seen “such an extraordinary display of American heavy-handedness”.

The acrimony over the airstrike could spill over into a Security Council ministerial meeting on Syria scheduled for Wednesday. Russia was pushing for a resolution to endorse the cessation of hostilities and look ahead, but the US refused to make public details of the ceasefire deal, citing “operational security”. Churkin has called the US unco-operative and said that is was likely “we’re not going to have a resolution”.

With the truce still fragile, and supporters and opponents of the Syrian government trading accusations, diplomats said there may be a meeting tomorrow of some 20 key countries on both sides who are part of the International Syria Support Group to chart the next steps.

The spotlight is also certain to shine on three leaders, who are scheduled to speak at the assembly’s opening ministerial session tomorrow: UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon who steps down on December 31, and President Barack Obama, who will leave office in January, will be addressing the 193-member world body for the last time.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is making her debut on the world stage less than three months after the vote to leave the EU.

The question of Ban’s successor will be a hot topic. Portugal’s former prime minister Antonio Guterres has topped all four informal polls in the Security Council but he could be vetoed, possibly by Russia, and there are rumours of new candidates throwing their hats into the ring.

The US presidential race is a hot topic. Leaders will be privately discussing the impact of a victory by Hillary Clinton, and especially Donald Trump. – AP