WASHINGTON, 1 November — With signs of growing diplomatic disquiet and public concern about the direction and pace the US military campaign is taking as it enters its fourth week of bombing assaults against Afghanistan’s ruling Taleban, and the terrorists that the regime shelters, dozens of world leaders are opting to attend the UN General Assembly next week.
The news that President George W. Bush will make his first appearance before the United Nations on Nov. 10, the first day of the weeklong meeting, caused several governments to upgrade their participation at the annual event.
Although details regarding the event are still sketchy, UN and US officials say the fight against terrorism — specifically in Afghanistan and the Middle East, and the importance of international legal conventions — will undoubtedly dominate both the public addresses and the private meetings at the General Assembly.
Forty-nine world leaders have confirmed their participation at the general debate, which was postponed from mid-September because of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Several high-level meetings are planned during at the UN during the meeting, including a largely summit-level meeting of the 53-member Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Also, President Bush will meet, and dine with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to discuss a $500 million aid package, regional security, the bombing campaign, and other matters.
The meetings offer world leaders the opportunity to articulate their nation’s goals and priorities in public, and also to voice their opinion about the US campaign in Afghanistan.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan Tuesday called for the allies to end the bombing campaign as soon as possible. He said humanitarian aid for millions in Afghanistan, who are facing starvation, depended on ending the hostilities.
“What is important from our point of view is that we need to see the operation ended as soon as possible so that we can step up our humanitarian effort, get in as much food as we can and prepare for the winter,” Annan, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, told journalists.
Asked how long the freeze would take, Annan said: “I haven’t referred to a halt. What I am saying is that we would want to see this whole military operation ended as soon as possible, particularly the air action, so that we can begin to move our supplies.”
Annan will also focus on the worsening situation in the Middle East, and will push the leaders of Pakistan and India to meet and discuss a resolution regarding Kashmir.
