Bush: World must stand firm against Iran, N. Korea

US president tells UN multinational organizations "needed more than ever" to combat terrorists, extremists.

By ALLISON HOFFMAN, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT IN NY
bush at un 224.88 (photo credit: )
bush at un 224.88
(photo credit: )
Tyranny presents as great a threat to world peace and stability as terrorism, US President George Bush told the members of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Speaking on the opening day of the annual UN gathering in New York, Bush laid out a moral case to world leaders for supporting "brave young democracies" to prevent the spread of terrorism and the popular discontent that fuels it. Bush called for the stricter enforcement of sanctions against Iran and North Korea, and again drew the link between tyranny and terror, saying the world must "continue working to deny terrorists refuge anywhere in the world." "We must not relent until our people are safe against this threat to our civilization," he said. "Instead of treating all forms of government as equally tolerable, we must actively challenge the conditions of tyranny and despair that allow terror and extremists to thrive." In his remarks, Bush singled out Lebanon for its "hard-won independence" and called attention to "the people of Palestine" and their struggle for nationhood for particular attention and support. "History shows that when citizens have a voice... they're less likely to search for meaning in ideologies," Bush said. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who spoke immediately after Bush left the stage, spoke much more pointedly, addressing the respective governments of Iran and Israel directly. Europe, he said, was "telling Iran" that it respected the country's right to develop nuclear power for peaceful purposes, but would not stand of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons or for repeated threats against Israel by its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "Europe is also telling Iran that it cannot tolerate Iran's calling for the destruction of the State of Israel, and I say this very solemnly," Sarkozy said. Turning to Israeli leaders, he offered support tempered with a demand for a deal guaranteeing Palestinian statehood. "Europe is telling Israel that it is a friend," Sarkozy said. "It is equally telling Israel, with the same sincerity, that there will be no peace unless there is a viable Palestinian state."