NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is urging the United Nations to end terrorism, telling the General Assembly it must act in what he called the fight between murder and humanity.
Mr. Giuliani made the remarks Monday as he opened a week-long U.N. debate on terrorism less than three kilometers from the site of the World Trade Center – destroyed in terrorist attacks nearly three weeks ago. Delegates from more than 150 countries are participating in the debate.
Mr. Giuliani was the first U.S. mayor to address the world body in half a century.
Then, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said he believes only a broad international coalition is capable of defeating terrorism.
In his address, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said the United States has the right of self-defense, but will not proceed in a fight against terrorism by itself.
Meanwhile, British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock said he believes U.N. delegates agree on what terrorism is. He said terrorism uses violence to kill and damage indiscriminately to make a point in his words “unfairly and amorally.”
The U.N. debate was designed to give each of the 189 member-nations an opportunity to voice their official positions on terrorism. So far, more than 140 nations are on the speakers’ list.
