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President Obama Convenes Meeting of UN Security Council
September 24, 2009 10:23 AM
President Obama chaired a meeting of the United Nations Security Council this morning where a resolution reaffirming the UN's goal of a world without nuclear weapons passed unanimously."We now face proliferation of a scope and complexity that demands new strategies and new approaches," the president said. "The historic resolution we just adopted enshrines our shared commitment to a goal of a world without nuclear weapons, and it brings Security Council agreement on a broad framework for action to reduce nuclear dangers as we work toward that goal."
Mr. Obama quoted Reagan's April 30, 1984 speech at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, where the Republican leader said, "A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. And no matter how great the obstacles may seem, we must never stop our efforts to reduce the weapons of war. We must never stop at all until we see the day when nuclear arms have been banished from the face of this Earth."
After working the room -- shaking hands and being photographed -- President Obama gaveled open the 6,191st meeting of the Security Council and introduced the draft resolution (read it HERE) which passed 15-0. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and other world leaders supported the resolution.
Today's even marked the first time an American president has chaired a meeting of the Security Council.
In addition to the five permanent members of the Security Council — China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States — the 10 rotating members of the Security Council are Austria, Japan, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Libya, Viet Nam, Costa Rica, Mexico, Croatia, and Turkey.
The resolution calls for further progress on nuclear arms reductions through a strengthened Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, a UN treaty first opened for signature in 1968, and since amended, under which nuclear power nations agree to refrain from transferring nuclear weapons or related technology to any non-nuclear-weapon state and to "pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control." A total of 187 nations have signed the treaty, though Israel, India, and Pakistan are not among them, and North Korea withdrew from the treaty in 2003.
Today's resolution calls for improved security for nuclear weapons materials, and calls for the convening of a Nuclear Security Summit in 2010 and proposes ways to deter any nation from withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
And though President Obama said the summit was "not about singling out individual nations," the White House says the resolution also re-affirms previous Security Council resolutions dealing with the nuclear weapons programs of Iran and North Korea, even if they are not named.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Ambassador to the UN Dr. Susan Rice sat behind the president.
Others in the room included President Nixon's Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Dr. Henry Kissinger, President Reagan's Secretary of State George Shultz, President Clinton's Defense Secretary William Perry, and former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., all of whom issued a statement saying that the summit "brings much-needed global focus to the risks posed by the spread of nuclear weapons, nuclear know-how and nuclear material. By convening heads of state, the meeting can help build the necessary political will around the urgent steps required to reduce nuclear dangers...We welcome the leadership of the U.S. administration in this effort."
Former head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission Dr. Hans Blix, UN "Ambassador of Peace" actor Michael Douglas and UN Foundation Chairman Ted Turner were also in attendance.
- jpt
September 24, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (27)
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A new CBS/NYT poll asked Americans how satisfied they are with the quality of their health care:
41% Very satisfied
37% Somewhat satisfied
18% Dissatisfied
How satisfied are you with the cost of your current health care:
22% Very satisfied
26% Somewhat satisfied
47% Dissatisfied
Current Healthcare System needs:
19% Only Minor Changes
51% Fundamental Changes
27% Complete Rebuild
Asked how they felt about Obama’s proposed health care changes:
30% Mostly Support
23% Mostly Oppose
46% Don’t Know Enough
Posted by: Numeros | Sep 25, 2009 3:29:59 AM
ever since watching the President on tv yesterday and this morning, Steely Dan's old song, "Only a Fool Would Say That' has been bouncing around in my mind.
Posted by: matt | Sep 24, 2009 6:33:24 PM
I'm glad we have a President who is addressing the real problems the world faces. From reducing nuclear proliferation, eventual elimination of nuclear weapons world-wide and working to address global climate change Obama is focusing on the greatest threats to mankind.
To those who criticize even this speech, I am confused about where your loyalties lie. Could anyone have good intentions for our kids and grandkids and not be concerned about nuclear weapons?
Posted by: Lydia | Sep 24, 2009 6:07:04 PM
I am a uniquely post-American fresh start; the era of Bush and our dreadful past is over; and because this is our moment, you, the world, owe me attention and support for my redefining America more to your tastes."
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | Sep 24, 2009 3:12:37 PM
"failure to appreciate the inherent belligerency of all nondemocratic regimes results in the dangerous illusion that they can serve as reliable allies in preserving international peace and stability." - Natan Sharansky
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | Sep 24, 2009 3:06:37 PM
I have no problem at all with the president talking to foreign leaders. The problem arises when he persists in saying preposterously stupid and vacuous things, as Mr. Obama does.
When I see someone refer to the "Zionists," I know I am reading the words of an anti-Semitic bigot.
Overall, 80% are satisfied with the quality of medical care available to them, including 39% who are very satisfied. Sixty-one percent are satisfied with the cost of their medical care, including 20% who are very satisfied.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | Sep 24, 2009 3:04:21 PM
President Ronald Reagan (Republican) Mikhail Gorbachev (USSR) was there first:
"In 1986 at the Reykjavik summit, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, both passionate about nuclear disarmament, shocked deterrence experts with an unimaginable proposal – total nuclear disarmament. “It would be fine with me if we eliminated all nuclear weapons,” said Reagan. “We can do that,” replied Gorbachev, “Let’s eliminate them. We can eliminate them.”
Posted by: History Reminder | Sep 24, 2009 2:55:53 PM
Too bad Israel has become our "unruly cousin" It's becoming well known that the current conservative rule supports the Zionist land grabbing and assorted "ethnic cleansing" toward the Palestinians.
In the vernacular of another poster on this blog site:
Not very "Christian" of you, Israel. God blesses all his children.
Posted by: gus amaral | Sep 24, 2009 2:45:19 PM
Rapture: are'nt you glad you live in a country where you can speak you mind, even if you have little left, and not be put into a cell and left to rot.
Posted by: Lizzie | Sep 24, 2009 1:53:39 PM
President Obama continues to patiently pursue an ambitious agenda of chipping away at all of the "intractible issues," making progress as fast as the rest of the world will let him. I support his multi-faceted approach and wish his opponents would be less fearful, less fear-mongering, and more cooperative. His goals are truly admirable, even if the results sometimes seem painfully slow...
Posted by: Neal | Sep 24, 2009 1:53:24 PM
Assertions are made here that the President actually talking to other world leaders is a bad thing.
Thanks Mr. Obama - great vision, great expectations. Too bad that his
many talk show critics will find fault with everything he says or does. The talk show hosts will do anything to make money. Obama will do anything to make the U.S. and the world a better place. I'm finally proud of my leader.
Posted by: Conserva Tiff | Sep 24, 2009 1:52:24 PM
Obama is the worst enemy America has at
the present. America is based on GOD
and we have a Christian duty to stand
by Israel. Obama is not a christian he
possesses none of the christian faith
background any where in his life. But
he does have the mentality thoughts of
the Arab world. If he had his way he
would give Israel's GOD given homeland
to the Arab nation. He has never once
said anything positive about America
to the other nations except apolagize
thats not a strong America leader at
all. That is America's worst enemy.
Posted by: jerry | Sep 24, 2009 1:49:38 PM
How refreshing to hear the President of the United States speak to the world in an inclusive way, using proper grammar, complete sentences and not smirking when he speaks of war and suffering.
Posted by: James | Sep 24, 2009 1:46:39 PM
It is so amazing to have a feeling of pride when I see/hear the leader of my country speaking to others around the world. I guess it shouldn't be, but after the past decade or so I had forgotten it was possible. I know problems were not fixed from this speech...words are just words...the USA has a reputation to repair. We must first let the world know, then back it up with action.
Posted by: Ad | Sep 24, 2009 1:45:14 PM
NYT: UNITED NATIONS — President Obama, in his first visit to the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, made progress Wednesday on two key issues, wringing a concession from Russia to consider tough new sanctions against Iran and securing support from Moscow and Beijing for a Security Council resolution to curb nuclear weapons.
_______________________________
Thank you President Obama.
Posted by: gus amaral | Sep 24, 2009 1:42:16 PM
BBC: 'The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution calling for nuclear disarmament, in a session chaired by US President Barack Obama.
The resolution calls for further efforts to stop the spread of nuclear arms, to boost disarmament and to lower the risk of "nuclear terrorism".
It was the first time a US president had chaired a Security Council summit.
The resolution comes amid growing concerns among Western powers over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"The historic resolution we just adopted enshrines our shared commitment to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons," Mr Obama told the Security Council after the resolution was adopted...UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the resolution "a fresh start toward a new future".'
_______________
Thank you President Obama, for your attention to our nation's safety.
Posted by: gus amaral | Sep 24, 2009 1:39:06 PM
"I'm the King of the World!!!"
I coulda been a contender...
Posted by: Stella! | Sep 24, 2009 12:35:32 PM
-Great. Now Obama's man in Honduras says Israeli agents are torturing him with mind rays.-
The Brazilians should never have let Zelaya inside. Stupid. Now he's their problem. A 6 pack of warm Pabst says that the current Brazilian ambassador to Honduras gets reassigned to someplace like Bhutan whe this is over.
Posted by: Curacao | Sep 24, 2009 12:26:29 PM
"We now face proliferation of a scope and complexity that demands new strategies and new approaches,"
Oh, now we do. How many Democrats will claim to be tricked about this WMD scam?
Posted by: Kleen | Sep 24, 2009 12:23:21 PM
I'm the King of the World!!!
Posted by: tjp612 | Sep 24, 2009 12:17:37 PM
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