In a statement, Ban called on conflicting factions to observe a 24-hour global cease-fire, declaring: “The symbolism of a day without fighting is a crucial reminder that conflict can and must come to an end”.
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At this moment, we all face a choice.
“We all know that what is happening in Syria, for example, is unacceptable”, Mr. Obama said.
“I think most people would accept we do a good job of resettling refugees”.
A day after the U.S., Russian Federation and other powers sought to keep the week-old cease-fire alive, the same set of characters debated the conflict in open setting.
China and the United States, the two largest emitters, gave a major boost to the accord when they signed on during a summit earlier this month between presidents Xi Jinping and Barack Obama. He said that would send the message that countries like the U.S. were “somehow opposed to Islam”. I believe the road of true democracy remains the better path.
According to a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the summit, at least 45 countries are expected to make pledges that will meet or exceed USA goals of increasing humanitarian aid by $3 billion, doubling resettlement and lawful admission spots, and increasing access to education for 1 million youngsters and access to employment by 1 million.
Mr Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has vowed to pull the USA out of the accord if he is elected.
“This crisis is one of the most urgent tests of our time; [it tests] our capacity for collective action”, the president said.
MAN: The prime minister of the United Kingdom.
“As we’ve seen in the past, countries have a bad habit of coming to pledging conferences and making commitments and then not delivering”, she said. “They reflect dissatisfaction among too many of our citizens”.
“It’s a truism that global integration has led to a collision of cultures: trade, migration, the internet; all these things can challenge and unsettle our most cherished identities”.
JUDY WOODRUFF: But for many leaders, Syria topped the agenda.
Obama also took the opportunity to criticize Security Council rivals Russian Federation and China.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: In a world that left the age of empire behind, we see Russian Federation attempting to recover lost glory through force.
Baku-APA.US President Barack Obama has urged world leaders to “open our hearts” to refugees, in his final United Nations speech, APA reports quoting BBC.
Abe is in NY for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.
“Many groups have killed innocent civilians – none more so than the government of Syria, which continues to barrel bomb neighbourhoods and systematically torture thousands of detainees”.
“Powerful patrons that keep feeding the war machine also have blood on their hands”.
JUDY WOODRUFF: French President Francois Hollande added his own demand to stop the killing in Syria.
France’s President Francois Hollande addressed the 71st session of UNGA and called for an end to the Syrian crisis. Whole populations are starving.
A United Nations humanitarian aid convoy in Syria was hit by airstrikes on Monday. Chemical weapons are being used.
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The president evoked the memory of countries, including the USA, turning away Jews fleeing Europe during the Holocaust.
