World leaders to mull stance on Syria strife
Summit offers chance to take united action
A failure by the 15-member Security Council to pass a resolution backing the Russia-US chemical arms plan will ‘‘haunt’’ the General Assembly speeches, according to Richard Gowan of New York University’s Centre on International Cooperation.
‘‘In the absence of a resolution, Obama and other Western leaders, such as Francois Hollande of France, may feel obliged to demand increased diplomatic pressure on Syria and that could actually complicate talks with Russia and China,’’ Mr Gowan said.
As neither Russia’s President Vladimir Putin nor China’s President Xi Jinping will be at the UN, no serious diplomatic commitments are likely on Syria or any other topic, he said.
The General Assembly will also see key ministerial meetings on conflict on Democratic Republic of Congo today and growing worries about Central African Republic.
Mr Ban will hold several meetings in a bid to renew efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and start a new anti-poverty campaign after that timeframe.
After dominating previous General Assembly meetings, the IsraelPalestinian conflict will take a lower profile amid new US efforts to revive talks between the two sides.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who last year brandished a sketch of Iran’s bomb in his speech, will be the final leader to take the stage on Oct 1.
Whether US President Barack Obama meets and greets Iran’s President Hassan Rohani is the other main talking point.
Mr Ban is hosting a lunch for world leaders tomorrow when a handshake is diplomatically possible, according to Asia Society vice-president Suzanne DiMaggio, who has closely followed the Iran nuclear crisis.
With Iran’s power firmly controlled by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, any gesture would only be a tentative sign of a thaw.