Thank you all for coming out today this
meeting today this lecture that we're so

fortunate to have was
co-sponsored by George a lot of

the international players
graduate organization and

I'm looking out there but
anyone here either of those organizations

with indigo thank you so

much from here it's so
busy at this time of year on campus.

What can I say but
thank you all for being here.

Those who are here and I want to tell you
there is an opportunity in the back to

sign up for
you know United Nations Association

and of those who regard is here and
yours or any of your questions.

I also want to introduce
one person in the audience

here and there

it is there

is really a very well known local and

national and your She's written
extensively on the Middle East.

She told me she's trying to retire but he
believes that a good man as a speaker and

she got the opportunity and so

are we in Sorenson here.

Thank you so much for coming from.

We're just real and

it will be a live web site there in
your future Sorenson has had an AMAZING.

We had a little tiny bit
of it on our flight.

So just point.

Two things because there really is so
much that she you know.

She very hard or cold for

a number of years and
she also hard plastic or

personal diplomacy and
again these are just you.

Miscellaneous items and
I mention this or your husband.

So we're hearing.

She was going to be last in this but

her husband you know
worked Sorenson kill so

many world in Europe that
he was really an icon for

many of us grew up in the sixty's and
beyond all of your prize

winner major assistance to
join you know why why are you.

Well which is the mark.

Person.

We welcome.

Historians and say Thank you

Rob Good morning Atlanta.

And good morning to you
out to tech I am so

pleased to be here all this is
the first time I've ever had a chance

to speak with the football
people of the time.

I'm sad that window.

I mean was heard about Georgia Tech.

It's also the first time I visited this
amazing campus and I'm so glad to be here.

I welcome the opportunity and
I thank you for

that nice introduction your reference
to my husband and I'm glad to see

you are our friends from the model U.N.
and from United Nations Association and

I have an opportunity to talk a bit about
a subject that probably doesn't come up

too often in Georgia and
to show a bit of experience and and

hopefully provoke your thinking
in in ways that will be useful.

I have in fact had three incarnations
at the United Nations for twelve years

I was the New York City Commissioner for
the U.N. That is I worked for

Mayor Ed cut but I ran the U.S.
on office with the affair diplomatic.

Core U.N. and consular Corps both
thirty thousand diplomats in New York

had been was recruited inside
the United Nations secretary and by then.

Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali
worked for him for

four years then was part of the transition
to coffee and on to leadership and

worked with him as assistant
secretary general for another six or

more years and then crossed
the street that is first Avenue.

Once again.

And I've been based at the U.N.
Foundation.

Since then the organization launched
by Atlanta's own Ted Turner.

When he gave a billion dollar
contribution twelve years ago to create

a new entity an independent
foundation whose mission and

purpose would be to assist the U.N.
to do more to reach further and would also

make every effort to educate Americans and
members of Congress about the U.N.

and the issues the values
the the purpose and so on and

the foundation is now well underway it's
doing good work both here and overseas.

Ted Turner's still determine of
the board the very attentive term and

I must say and
Tim Wirth former senator from Colorado is

the president as he has
been from the beginning.

So I feel privileged to have a base
a home base at the foundation.

Tim had come by my office in the U.N.

one morning and said clearly and you're
spending too much time behind a desk.

You have a an ability a gift.

I guess he said to carry a message.

Why don't you think about coming
across the street make your home in

the foundation offices and head out.

My seven friends tell me
I'm riding the circuit.

And I am going to way that so
I'm not a preacher but

I am an advocate a teacher a defender and

debater if you will because the U.S.

and the U.N. have have come through some
very rocky times in this long relations.

SCHIP my goal.

My hope is to engage and
elevate this debate and

to address some of the myths and
misperceptions about the U.N.

those misperceptions that refused
to die and to bring to attention.

The importance of this institution
not just in an abstract

way something that was miles out there but
in ways that come close to home.

That mattered to us
individually here in Atlanta.

I've worked with the U.N.

and so many ways both inside and
outside of the aisle spoken to.

I would say over five hundred odd
youngsters half of them at universities

and the other half at civic groups of
every kind like whoa re on faith groups

and women's groups and so on and
it has been a fascinating journey.

And I've learned a lot about this country.

About what people care about and
how they understand the organization and

I have often been inspired and moved by
the commitment that people have especially

young people wanting to contribute
wanting to make a difference and

trying to explore how they can do that and
bring their their ideals and

their odd vision if you will to move this
cause and I always say to them it is one

possibility for you to work with the U.N.
or with international organizations but

do remember we don't have to go to the
other side of the earth to do that we have

issues toast a home where you can
also put your talents to good use.

So as I have traveled.

I've tried to be very frank about the U.N.
its strengths and its limitations.

And I've talked often a bit
about the history because

many Americans don't know I don't
understand that most of you do.

I'm certain that the you
know I was at the U.N.

when I was out of
the ashes of World War two.

Out of the.

The nightmare of one hundred million
people died in the dying in that

terrible war and the need to create some
new organization that would draw on me.

The shortcomings of the League of Nations.

And would do better and

even in the middle of the war in one
nine hundred forty two I heard this.

Hyde Park conference
recently Franklin Roosevelt

was speculating as to what that
new organization could be.

How it could be different and better and
he even speculated as to whether he

might resign the presidency and
seek to become the new leader

of the organization for peace which
is quite an extraordinary thought.

When Roosevelt died as
some of you may know

just a month one month before the car but
Charter conference of the US.

Which took place in the late summer and
fall of one nine hundred forty five and

then with the really active
leadership of Americans.

Not just our secretary of
state Edwards Titania's but

others who were drafted in and much
involved a very visible very constructive.

The design for the new UN came into
being and they were visionary.

If you look at that original concept.

It is still relevant today and

the basic framework still hope Holmes with
the our security council the Economic and

Social Council the Secretariat for the men
do you realize issues the world court

the courts which are based in The Hague
and so forth and so on and that holds.

That of course this is sixty five years
later so much has changed and evolved.

And the UN has as well.

It has taken many steps over the course
of time to stay current and relevant.

And to address the the crises of our time

one issue that didn't even come to
mind in one hundred forty five.

Was the environment climate issues.

It was not on on their screen.

But of course today it is and
it was a major component of UN's work.

Another was that human rights got
passing mention in the charter.

But it was only some years later that the
Declaration of Human Rights was drafted

with leadership from
Eleanor Roosevelt among others.

And of course that today
is a key component.

Another is the idea of peace keeping
the room or peacekeeping saunters

it was planned as a more of a diplomatic
function mediation function

and it was only some years after that when
dukkha Marshall was secretary general that

the notion of actual soldiers not
a not fenced off ends of army but

soldiers that would have
military training but would do.

Are a sort of there would be of a military
presence that would hope things at bay.

Would that would hold the status quo and
keep people in safety while mediators and

negotiators did their work are around
the margins of that and so

things have moved a pace and
indeed much has happened and

I would add one other
thing in the early years.

There was no connection whatsoever between
the United Nations and the private sector.

It was just they lived in different
universes where under Kofi Annan.

Time after time business
leaders would say to him.

How can we help.

What could we do.

And we had a very serious
discussion about that.

What did they mean by that.

And was that correct.

To make some kind of relationship
with the private sector

where some of the more offer an expertise
like communications support or

logistical support somewhat
baffling material vaccines

digital cameras those of that kind
of computer systems or helped in.

Even the UN fluent in its slightly
antiquated i t functions and so forth.

Today we have a very active relationship
with the private sector and

it has helped a great
deal because the U.N.

alone does not have the capacity
to do all that needs doing.

And in addition to the private
sector we have very active relations

with over four thousand
non-governmental organizations.

I mentioned rotary But you know many
of the others the Red Cross and

the Girl Scouts and and care and World
Vision and International Rescue Committee.

There are embryos in everything.

Aspect from health human
rights the environment.

The rights of the disabled and
so on and so

on all the way down the line they are
almost always single issue organizations

they are passionate about their issues and
they are very expert.

They are not just do gooders they know
their stuff they are politically savvy

they are media smart and
they have bloomed to maximize

their relationship with the U.N.
to help us move forward but

to use that relationship also to
dramatize and publicize and move forward.

These particular issues
can be on the one F. and

used to say that the M G O's
are our essential partners and

he meant it meant it and
we that was part of my function

the relations will be many N.G.O.s
in development disarmament.

Human rights and so much more and that of
course included faith groups many Tertius

were part of the original group of
N.G.O.s and still are so today.

The UN is the same and

very different from what it
was sixty five years ago but

I would maintain that it is
more relevant today than ever.

We have we.

I say the collective we the United States
has relations around the world in many

ways and we of course have bilateral
relations country to country.

We have regional relations such as
the Organization of American States

we have close connections
to the European Union and

the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations.

And the African Union and so forth.

But there is only one universal
organization and that's the UN.

That is the only place where
the entire world is represented

in the beginning that meant fifty two
member states today it is one hundred

ninety two the entire earth is there
a large powers the small powers

the democracies which represent
over two thirds of the whole.

Monarchies dictatorships
some benign some not in any

case it is the world as it really
is not in a state of perfection but

they come because everyone
knows that this is the forum.

This is the place to me.

This is the chance to
engage the conversation.

And for countries who belong to
that a sense of goodwill and

a commitment to succeed.

They have the opportunity.

Every day.

To to open this circle to persuade
to discuss to put a human face on

on the other and the Memnon diplomats
they have the chance to make friends.

In a personal way with diplomats
from other parts of the world.

And I see today ambassadors who I
met twenty years ago as the most

junior diplomats who risen in their
foreign service who have served elsewhere.

And now come back to the U.N. and I can
tell you that their human experience and

their Shall I say the New York
experience or the American experience

has stayed with them and for
the most part that are is a very good.

Thing web so
we have these hundred ninety two countries

present and
we have the basic agenda of the UN.

I would need a loud red
truck behind me to show you.

But let me do as quick a skin over
that as I can because I think I do see

that many Americans no buts and pieces but
have very little sense of the whole.

I would refer to peacekeeping
first because that makes

the most headlines I want only
twenty percent of the UN function.

We have today.

Seventeen peacekeeping
operations on the frontlines.

These are peacekeeping efforts
that the U.S. has supported

because we're in the Security Council
that is we've have voted for it.

But we don't have the means the soldiers.

We don't we're not able to make it
happen except that we fully recognize

that by joining together it can happen and
we have a national interest in that.

The U.S. never contributes soldiers
because it's a hot political issue here

but we do contribute transport
training and logistical support and

that's an American specialty that's
important to remember soldiers come from

any many different countries including
our Canadian friends and the French and

the Arjun tiles and the gun hands and
the and the Indians and so on.

It's a it's a mix of soldiers but with
some common training at a high level and

they do peacekeeping duty in difficult and
dangerous places but

to quickly move from their development
as the next long function and

appeared with peacekeeping.

Development meaning your effort to address
the circumstances of the poorest of

the poor and Maginnis a billion people
live in conditions of absolute poverty.

No decent shelter not clean water.

No health care.

No education or literacy.

No.
Secure jobs no more surance of a meal

tomorrow.

They are entirely vulnerable to
exploitation or to recruitment.

Into criminal gangs or
prostitution or even terrorism.

That is a circumstance
that has an acceptable.

And I don't know how to address that
in the year two thousand the UN would

this support of all its members draft
of the Millennium Development Goals and

would be G.'s we call.

Everything has an acronym and a loser.

Kind of would mess up.

It is a a blueprint you could say
as to how to address poverty and

what does that mean.

And of course it have to has
to begin with safe birth.

We take it for granted here but
in the developing world.

One mother in twelve dies giving birth one
twelve year it's not one in two thousand.

So you birth clean water
primary education.

Opportunity and empowerment of women
protection of the environment and so

on the last of those goals is to ask the
developed countries that is the wealthy

countries of which of course we are one to
contribute point seven percent of G.D.P.

to assistance to the poor and
seven tenths of one percent.

Where we're not even close.

So we contribute less than point three
percent three tenths of one percent.

But in any case the blueprint
is there we are making progress.

The target year is twenty fifteen.

And we'll see how we are coming.

We will reach those goals but it's
important to have defined them and to give

countries a common language a common point
of reference in their web development.

And disarmament.

This is an issue that Sam Nunn
made enormous contributions to

to the issues of
the reduction of nuclear arms

addressing the proliferation of
chemical and biological weapons.

The U.N. has deep.

Expertise.

In this.

And if there's an issue
that crosses borders.

It's this one.

It would be it's folly to imagine that
any single country alone could address

such a matter and the America and
the United States knows that and

works closely with them and I would add
to that the lead the level of small arms.

That fuel and feed these lethal
conflicts in many parts of the world.

And I'm sad to say that
the United States is today.

The biggest maker and
seller of arms in the world by far.

That is something I deeply regret.

Because I don't think those manufacturers
really think about the purpose and

consequence of all of those thousands and
thousands of arms and landmines and such.

Well them Amendment odd that see
development democratisation human rights

of course set in the norms and standards
defining those what does that mean is it

just a privilege for those of us who live
in a country like this who have educated.

No it is for everybody on Earth including
women including the poorest and

to have that defined and there is
important but it is more than words.

The U.N.
puts a spotlight on the worst offenders.

We have monitors they
call them reporters who

analyze every country including
this one around the world.

And do what we can and it's not easy
because we can't enforce this minute in

a military way but we can we can we
use the issue as a as an example.

We can lead by example.

How do we protect and and

further on the rights of everyone and
seek that we lease of those imprisoned.

I went on more than one occasion
with Kofi Annan on the one

that is most vivid in my mind
as we were on our way to work.

His college when he came to this.

Country he went to a small school
in Minnesota called McAllister.

He was their first African exchange
student and we went through St Paul.

And there is a center there for
the victims of torture.

There are up about twenty of
those around the country.

And they are they're not hospitals but

they are homes for
people who have endured and

survived the most unbelievable
situations you can possibly imagine.

And in one way and another often
with the UN's assistance they

have managed to escape or to be released
and they come here and they spend time.

Sometimes many months in these centers.

To recover and he said in his quiet way
as he often did tell me your story.

And then and and

then would talk in words that were so
precise.

It was as if it happened last week.

Not last year or the year before in
terms of what they went through the kind

of torture the kind of deprivation and
especially the kind of isolation.

One of them talked about being held for

nearly three years in a cell
hardly bigger than a toilet stall.

And that he had only other one
room where light came through so

that could tell him whether it was night
or day up there and he said I'm here.

My body has survived.

But I don't know of my soul
that will ever recover.

And this wonderful place the Center for
Victims of Torture.

Both physical and psychological therapy
and help for them to come through that

to acknowledge to speak of what what
terrible things had happened and

to try to bring themselves back as
horrible people as best they could and

to begin to move their lives forward.

Some of them were still in their twenty's.

Some of them had been arrested but
weazened unrelated to them and.

May have been their
brother who was the one

who had spoken against the government for
instance.

And so on it it just wouldn't work
your heart to hear these stories but

the UN is really involved in
these issues and when you talk

about the numbers who are imprisoned
because of speaking not speaking out.

It is in the memory thousands and
these are not just numbers or

statistics these are human beings like us.

And we have to personalize
it in that way and

to realize how much how
important is this work and

the work of related N.G.O.s like
the like Human Rights Watch and others.

We could talk much less about that but

I kept time doesn't allow let me speak
a moment about humanitarian relief.

As we sit here this morning the U.N.

is sheltering more than
twenty million refugees.

Some of them from natural disasters
like the terminal both quakes and

the tsunami and floods and hurricanes but

my one of them from the consequences
of war and conflict.

So the consequences are different but
the outcome is similar.

They've lost their homes they fled
with only what they can carry

on their back on their heads
they often have children.

The great majority are women and children.

The Anderson often fall away.

They cannot keep up.

And so they drop out and die.

The young men are elsewhere.

Either they're at war or
perhaps they've died.

And so it has a largely female that child.

Population in desperate for
food and shelter and for

an understanding of why they are in the
circumstance and how can they get back and

what has happened to their small
patch of of farming then so on.

The UN has been duped expertise in
this we worked in the refugee area.

For decades and there are no many
N.G.O.s who do this work also.

But they always turn to the U.N.

and we believe the lead
coordinator because by definition.

These are circumstances of chaos and
certainly at the outset.

When people are flooding in.

And they're exhausted and
desperate and hungry.

And so forth.

For instance flooding
over the borders of Iraq.

We have seven million refugees
now in Jordan and Syria and

they may have been well off before
they may be educated people or

they may be farmers whatever it's
a mix but their circumstance.

At that moment is complete deprivation
whatever they had is left behind.

So these.

This requires special talent in
terms of leadership organizational

skills compassion but also clear
eyed ability to put order to this.

And to protect the true refugees from
the perpetrators who very often go

there their uniforms if they have one and
kind of insinuate themselves into

the refugee flow and that presents a sort
of Madeleine are because occasionally.

The refugees will say you see that
person he is a he is a perpetrator he

is a general see there he is
one who committed genocide.

How do you separate those out.

Do you feed them as well as the others and
such.

These are difficult
decisions almost bought.

But this is important work and
it's in our interest that it be done.

And I mean one let me talk
a moment about global health and

what Health Organization
is part of the U.N. family.

And that means health in the broad
sense AIDS malaria tuberculosis and

within the next few years you will see and

we will celebrate the eradication
of polio on this earth.

Some of us remember.

Remember polio.

And that was devastating.

I still have a classmate of
mine who works on two canes

who last a whole use of
his legs from polio.

Yeah I'm getting young people don't
know that anymore in this country and

it has largely been wiped out with that
partnership of grow to re I salute.

In bad parts of the world except we care.

Yes and they're difficult areas but
we are cornering those final cases and

and hopefully you'll see the end of that
as with smallpox in the next few years.

And of course the are coming of
certain epidemics swine flu and

even flu that need an alert to all the
health ministry surround the world W.H.O.

does a tremendous job on that.

And that's important to our own health.

Especially if we travel anywhere.

And that also connects to safe birth and
family Pret planning.

We're very proud of
the UN's work in that area.

I wish you could see the safe birth kit.

A doctor at one of your fabulous
hospitals might shake his head but

it is often the difference between life
and death in in the poorest countries.

An antiseptic razor to
cut the umbilical cord so

there's no infection very very important
a candle in case the birth is happening in

the dark of night a clean net a septic
cloth so you can catch the baby without

again without any dirt and of course wipes
so that hands can be cleaned and so forth.

It is the most basic equipment you can
imagine fitting into a kit like this and

that but it is not just a kit.

It's training the traditional midwives.

Who have rather high standing in
these communities to accept this

new our weight or
these new items in terms of giving birth.

If it's a perfectly normal natural birth.

They can often attend it but
with the slightest complex complication.

Often the mother or the baby will die.

And so this is a help in obvious ways and
family planning.

My daughter served in peace corps in
Morocco and described to me in vivid terms

the situation because
the girls are often married.

They're married very young fourteen or

fifteen years of age by
the age of twenty five.

They may have six children or
seven Tilden and

he said they simply cannot
do with the human body.

It is just too much and he said You see
them feed that was the word she used to

have the energy the ability to cope just
drained out of them often they die young.

They did aged very young and if they died.

Of course the consequences to the
surviving children are really dire and she

said you don't have to be literate because
her village was entirely illiterate.

You don't have to be literate to know
that if you can space your children.

That is one baby in two years or
three years instead of one every year.

Then you will have a much greater
tense of a family that survives

both mother and children.

So when we move without family
planning options to the countries

that request it would to over one hundred
countries that is always welcome.

And it needs to be explained in the most
fundamental ways but it is life changing.

When the last point in and
scientists let me goes out.

I would mention it is the newer
subject on the UN agenda and

that's to do with climate change.

Yet again a global issue that requires
global response a couple of years ago you

might recall that our Gore won the Nobel
Prize for his remarkable work on time and.

Paignton the wonderful
film that he did but

does anybody remember that
that was a shared prize.

The other half of the prize went to
the UN's our Scientific Committee on

Climate Change which had been documenting
scientists looking for the water.

Documenting up over decades.

The changes in the environment.

And was able to give irrefutable
scientific proof that this was real.

This was urgent.

It was not a figment of the imagination.

And we were very proud of of that prize.

You went to work in bringing countries
together to address these issues but

because the consequences.

Excuse me.

You can hear my voice as a little husky.

I think you.

I fear you have pollen here.

Maybe that's.

I'm sorry.

I'm.

In many cases there's tremendous
response to this in every country.

The circumstances different
the pollution maybe from factories.

It may be from from our cook stoves.

You know many places they
cook with wood or or dumb.

And that the U.N.

Foundation has helped develop team cook
stoves almost smokeless cook stoves.

If you have smoke inside your
small house all the time

the effects on the lungs bronchitis.

I don't know says and so on is very dire.

And and so to have a team cookstoves this
is a really is a really wonderful help.

Well I could add further to that.

Let me but I would just say this.

It touches almost every
aspect of life now.

IMO that there are a lot
of critics of the U.N. and.

In this country.

I sometimes call them
un bashers There were

days when it seemed to me it
had become a popular sport.

And there is a group that
perpetuates this myth.

About the UN being a threat
to our sovereignty.

Need I say that's completely faults and

is a complete misunderstanding
of what sovereignty means.

Our presence in the UN is
an expression of sovereignty.

It's also a recognition that one
hundred ninety one other nations

are sovereign nations.

The UN has no capacity in
any sovereign way to tax to

order our soldiers to do this or
that to interfere in our government.

It is a voluntary
organization of governments.

Who come together by choice
because they understand.

But the notion of burden sharing we share
the risk but cost the responsibility and

we trust the benefits of joint action now.

The U.S. of course is a major presence.

You might say with a gorilla in
the center of the living room by and

large it's a PAS positive presence but

it's something we have to be very careful
about because we're so big and so powerful

that we do when say is written large and
long when membered and

to sun we are perceived as the cost us.

The juggernaut.

And for that reason it's serves
us well to lead our voice a bit.

And to move on a better effort to
communicate the sense that we want

to work together we're committed to the
success and to listen better listen up.

If you will and to hear the views
of our good nations not just in.

In China and so on the U.K. but small and

mid-size nations as well
who have much to contribute

because as my mum right used to say even

superpowers need friends even

superpowers need friends how true in every
one of these issues that are touched upon.

There is no way we can
handle those by ourselves.

And to the extent that we consider
ourselves as part of the human family.

And make our best efforts to make
those connections to open the circle

Ogg to level our voice to
encourage others to step front and

lead on certain efforts as
we're doing today in Libya.

That is to the good.

I've not mentioned.

Iraq Afghanistan and
now the Middle East and

I'll close with just a reference to that.

Without saying the U.N. is.

An essential are participant they are.

You know very well that in the second Iraq
war that our we took a preemptive strike.

We had dismissed in the ignored the United
Nations and the Security Council which had

wanted us that there were no
weapons of mass destruction.

Nonetheless we went to war.

And it was not six months later
before the U.S. came back to the U.N.

and said please help please help us draft
help the Iraqis draft a new constitution.

Help us train civil police had passed
books and birth clinics because the bad

hospitals had been devastated happiness
lead the conversation the dialogue.

In the neighboring states because the U.S.

had lost credibility to do that and
the bad.

Please can you help us handle the flood
of refugees pouring over the border.

Now I can tell you that inside the U.N.

many people were deeply conflicted about
that because most of them profoundly

disagreed with that decision to go
to war but what was done was done.

And everybody had an interest
in a more peaceful.

Middle East.

But here we are eight years later much
longer than World War two still involved.

Up to here in Iraq.

I simply say this so that to
the people who would dismiss the U.N.

as they like to say irrelevant.

I would say to you.

It's war useful.

My own essential than almost anybody knows
or recognizes and I wish just one time

in ten the reporters who make a habit of
of of attacking and criticizing the U.N.

would write a story about the good news or
the positive news or the progress made or

the lives saved or the democracy
reinforced and strengthened or

the free elections monitored and
confirmed but then well and

one of the good news doesn't
make news crisis makes news and

scandal makes news but I hope you
will remember there is good news.

In Afghanistan.

It's even more so.

And again I don't play
with them that the U.S.

doesn't listen better to
the experts inside the U.N.

We have people there who know one of those
regions like the palm of their hands.

They speak the language they
understand deeply the problem.

Maybe historic ethnic conflicts but the
Palmer feel the DO YA graffiti of those

areas they can then limit
in advance what be and

what does the dangers what the limitations
are or how they can suggest or

propose how to proceed in a way
that might have the best outcome.

And I wish that our country
would draw upon that better.

In our military we.

We have barely a handful who speak
the languages in that part of the world.

So without even if you have a good will.

If you have to work through an interpreter
every step of the way it's not a saying.

That's just a command he wins.

Our expertise and remarkable language
skills and to make use of that and

then of course to the problems in
the Middle East today we aren't yet

again the U.S. has a presence in most of
those countries often related to refugee

assistance or UNICEF and its work for
the safety in the health of children.

Of course to some degree in a to work for

health issues safe birth and and so
on but now this is different and

the current secretary general
Ban Ki moon from South Korea.

Is very active in LI events.

These days.

You know I'm sure that.

The president has tried very much.

He has learned from the past he's tried
as as hard as possible to be certain

that this is not seen as
an American war and a bad one.

I know that it is not seen as
an American war against Islam which

has been the case particularly in Iraq but
rather that it is

the the are joined action are many
countries including an Arabic speaking or

Muslim countries who are responding to

these crimes against humanity
in particular in Libya.

I've witnessed a cut off in
numbers of times in the U.N..

Huge.

Each head of state has a test to
speak in the General Assembly.

That's normal.

And most of the make very
thoughtful very interesting

features they spent a great deal of time.

I'm sure with their advisors and
speechwriters to sell something.

That is a relevant then and
and and profound.

But could not be as a free man and

I don't think he has
a speechwriter because he just.

He just goes on.

It's like stream of consciousness and
sometimes it's been very dramatic and

everyone wants words I am
most humorous but not quite.

Because you know that he is
the leader of a large country

with many millions of people.

And that he is.

My sense was that he is
in some ways very smart.

But also in some ways unhinged.

And that the megalomania that has
come to him over four decades

of being in that post has
really gone to his head.

So we're dealing with a very
unpredictable are person.

And we have to be careful.

And we have to draw upon the knowledge
of that man and his apparatus.

By people who really know.

The circumstance very well.

I am riveted as I'm sure you are by what's
happening in the middle middle east.

These days I think it will never go back
to what it was before the lid was off.

The tremendous young population there
has a sense that life can be different.

That freedom is possible that
justice are and democracy and

the right to speak up and jobs and
then that we are they right to.

And I'm inspired by their courage.

This is not just walking
around the square.

This is really putting
their lives on the line.

When you consider the numbers
that have been shot.

Most often by their own government but

they know that things can be different and
to this of course we have to credit

somewhat the social media and
the Internet.

That's why in cell phones
because information could flow.

They.

You know going to where to meet and
I was so interested that they had studied.

Particularly in Egypt they had
studied the tactics of nonviolence.

Martin Luther King and Gandhi.

They had learned how we can
stand up to the oppressors

in ways that were different
from simply Western into it.

And that that could have
a more positive outcome.

So we have no way of predicting
where this will end.

I am most hopeful about
Egypt because it does have

a significant middle class or other still
the percentage of illiteracy is one

hundred twenty five percent in the country
but they do have a significant educated

population including a large young
educated population but with no jobs.

That's one reason they are so
frustrated and so angry about this.

And they have concepts of what
democracy is but they have had no

experience with it not practice with it
and because of suppression was so total.

Then it had moved leaders that
have had attempts to rise and

begin to be known and and
sort of make their name.

Because when people were imprisoned there
mostly biggest appeared simply vanished.

So it's not like Nelson Mandela who was
imprisoned for twenty seven years but

his name was known his his one was
known he became a most historic or

her one would if you will
the very few like that.

I'm looking and hoping for them.

That's a man that lives in
the Middle East who can lead this and

we're hoping that they can
do in a matter of months.

What it took us two
hundred years to do and

plenty of mistakes along
the way from which we learned.

But we really need to find ways
to help them as much as possible.

We give a billion dollars
to Egypt every year.

For military.

How about taking a fraction of that and
put it toward to assist and

encourage the development
of civil society and

to bring in some young scholars and
want entrepreneurs here.

Or maybe even to have
a cultural exchanges.

And to begin a flow so that so that we
can have a wheel experience in this and

develop their skills and their
confidence and take that call me again.

So what situation.

Each country each country is different
because Libya is far behind and

much more dangerous but
you also have Yemen and Bahrain and

Tunisia of course and
Syria which is very dangerous as well.

Jordan is a little different because
the young kid News has a broader view of

things he's lived abroad he is
responding then and adjusting and

the rocket to the young Can they are.

Is is making some teenagers.

That will help.

Interesting that the monarchies
are doing better than the dictatorships

the monarchies and most of those countries
have a degree of of authenticity or

of respect that is
different from the others.

So it's a fascinating process there and
the U.N. is deeply involved in this.

We hope that the outcome
will be a good one but

we won't know for a long time to come.

In closing let me say.

Again when is it an instrument that
reflects the will of the member state.

It is not a government it responds to
the mandates of the member states and

when those mandates are clear and coherent
and backed up with the resources both

human and financial to succeed
then anything is possible but

one woman stumbles it's often because
the member states have stumbled.

Because there is not consensus and
not to reinforce the UN's work.

So we should know that the UN
cannot do everything but

in many instances it can make
the difference between life and death and

it will go on where Don't one else can.

And that the human successes
are in our national interest.

Our personal interest are so
if the security our health our prosperity

our ability to travel and safety even
softens our ability to send a letter

from here to to to Word to depend on
the governor and know that it will

get there the international postal union
this as a part of the U.N. family.

It is part of this delicate network this
web if you will of international law

international organizations that collect
connects us to the rest of humanity.

And I must remember that
although we are a powerful nation

we have the greatest military and economy.

Well the economy less so good.

Then recently but
we are a powerful nation and yet.

One Americans represent just four

percent of the population
on this earth four percent.

So consider how we will relate to
the other ninety six percent of humanity.

And where are we going to meet them.

And how I was going to bring I was sources
and I capacity to lead to lead by example.

We're going to our high standard.

How can we bring that to bear.

Because I believe that leadership is or
that leadership function that leadership.

Is both a an obligation but
even more an opportunity.

And to ignore that to abdicate that is

are a dereliction of not just a duty but

it's the loss that a loss
that cannot be would read.

I was will feel will back you that you.

Paean Union is already doing that and
others spot the opportunity.

So if we're going to continue to remain.

I don't like the term superpower but

continue to remain a beacon
in a very special nation.

We should bring all our our many
strengths and our values to bear.

Not just national interest.

But national values and
hold tight to the lines.

And if we do that.

I do believe that we have a chance of
a world where peace justice hope and

freedom survive.

Thank you very much.

Yes

Yes Or Hello.

Indeed.

This is a question I know a lot of
question relates to the chance of reform

for the Security Council.

We're going to pose and say.

I'm including it should happen today.

But we move with political realities with
the Security Council that was designed

sixty five years ago as you are surely
know it has fifteen members just fifteen

the five permanent members not United
States United Kingdom France Russia and

China and then ten other members with
twenty to rotating seats to your terms.

I'm innocent anomaly.

There has been discussion
both informal and formal now

over quite a period of time about
enlarging that's what you really mean by.

Reform and large in the Security Council
adding some a powerful members who

are great contributors who are major
countries particularly I wouldn't say.

India Brazil.

And so on and and

if you're thinking in academic
terms it makes perfect sense.

The problem is that for that to happen
the permanent five called the P five

have to be willing ought to give up
a little of that privilege that they

have enjoyed for fifty for
sixty five years and to this date.

They are not when some
of the aspirants to this

position got together they called
themselves the quartet that was

in the UN Brazil Japan and Germany.

And they made clear they were going
to make a flame a bid to do this and

being immediately China made
clear that they would veto pen.

Now consider the political reasons for
all of that.

And the United States made clear
that it would support Japan but

it would veto Germany Brazil and

like this to him and Germany and
Brazil of in particular.

So that was a shock to those countries.

In those I think entirely political in
Germany for instance if you think of how

your Europe is represented we already have
you know our United Kingdom and France.

If you consider Russia part of
Germany kind of Europe rather

that's fully represented if we
were starting from scratch.

Today we might have a European Union
seat but that's not going to happen.

So we live with a historical anomaly.

I would say that by and large the Security
Council functions pretty well but

he would be perceived better.

If it hadn't had a larger number twenty.

Perhaps twenty two greater diversity.

Greater chance for each country to lead
because there's a different president.

Well paining presidency every month or
so you will get I remember for

instance when Singapore
had had the presidency

Singapore isn't much larger than
Manhattan but they did a remarkable job

that ambassador was so
brilliant so committed to kill it.

He just moved things forward in it and
it was great.

So it comes down to
the political realities and

the readiness of the permanent five
to say yes and to open this up.

I have been told that
the administration this administration

is are reviewing that's the verb
they used as a noncommittal for

women the circumstance
of the Security Council.

But I heard that a year ago I've
not heard discussion of it since.

So I think for the time being it's not
going to change but it should stay tuned.

I hope and believe it will happen
in the near foreseeable future.

Yes but.

It.

Is.

OK.

I'm going let's do so and
we have in the past at times been

deeply in a weird and
that is not right it's very damaging.

If you join the club you
pay your dues right.

If you don't pay your dues you leave but
you can't have a both ways.

Are the do.

Social became a political football in
Congress particularly in the house.

It's not just a contribution it's
a MOAB it's a legal obligation and

I would say a mad obligation.

Great nations pay their debts and
their dues and

the government functions on a shoestring.

When the human United States doesn't
pay that presents a financial crisis to

the U.N. So it is not right when the code
book was our ambassador to the U.N.

He had to spend nearly two years
struggling to get the house to see

that issue differently and I remember well
when he persuaded for the first time ever.

Jesse Helms to come to the U.N..

He had never been there.

And.

He spent a full way there.

He went to the Security Council.

He said he said his piece and

then I have to say a few diplomats
spoke in response to that in a very

powerful respectful powerful way about
what it meant to the rest of the world.

When the U.S. stood back like that.

I think he was surprised.

I can tell you by the end of the day and

a series of following a series
of very interesting exchanges.

He was wearing a I remember
as this color cap.

There was then at the end.

And about a month after that Jesse Helms
sent through his college Winthrop college

sent an invitation to the secretary
general to give a commencement speech.

That crossed my desk and

the estrie Sector General had already
he had accepted I believe three.

And turned down about thirty
other invitations and

at that point he had said
no more would do the three.

But when most came I took it to him
I said you want to see this you may

want to reconsider.

And he almost instantly
said yes will do that.

And I was part of the group small
group that traveled with him.

To Winthrop college to.

Helms couldn't have been more hospitable

southern hospitality at its very best
secretary general gave a wonderful speech

the commencement was great
the day was beautiful.

They connected as human beings and

about a month after that the lock
on the U.N. dues was lifted.

Which is to say that human contact.

Let's make a difference in which
the doors were set right for

a number of years and but today I'm sad
to say we're approaching that again.

Some of the new will.

Hard right.

Anti U.N. types have even proposed
right up the well contributions of

all together everything not just
the dues but peacekeeping contribution

family planning contributions are our
commitments to health to everything.

Now I ask you why would this nation.

How could we imagine doing that.

So we have a political situation in
Washington that's going to be tough and

over again and human F. U.N. Foundation
is very attentive to doing that.

But Ron Paul who ran ran and
ran the young when Rand Paul

is leading this and the new head of the
House International Relations Committee.

Ileana was let in and
she's congressman from Miami cut cut.

Just like Jesse Helms
doesn't know about the U.N.

She's never been to the U.N.
but she has targeted.

So we're in for
some hard times once again.

I'm sorry to say.

And quickly on the population a billion.

We're doing what I can that
we can with family planning.

When can we do.

Would we try to see the children are or

are being raised in a healthy way
that they're protected they're safe.

They're educated because we know a lot
more education you have the healthier

families.

The men and so on.

But you two never country
needs to consider this.

There are limits to what
the Earth can sustain.

So.

That that continues the U.S.
when Obama came in almost immediately.

He recommitted us to the family
planning efforts we had been absent for

eight years.

And we had paid our what we had missed not
the full amount over those eight years but

we made a major contribution in
effect saying the U.S. is back.

This is important we
share this commitment.

And that mattered a lot not just the
dollars which of course were important but

the symbolic value as well.

And as far as that.

See I didn't see that assists refugees in
the Middle East particularly in Gaza and

the West Bank and they are underfunded the
numbers are in the hundreds of thousands

and they do a pretty good job but
of course it's a controversial issue.

They will be there for the time to
come because the resolution on BET.

Determine is is determined by the larger
resolution of the matters between

Israel and.

Their Arab neighbors.

Yes or.

Yes.

In the end and the Bama as well.

Were criticized both for
moving too fast and when to slow.

The debate and
the discussion was very intense.

And in the U.N. in the Security Council.

It rests on a concept that
was designed some years back.

Not so many years but four or five
years back called the responsibility to

protect that sense that someone nations
have to respond just what it says.

Responsibility to Protect as best I
can the citizens in their own country.

And if they commit against all citizens
crimes against humanity or genocide.

Then other nations do have
the right to intervene.

Those are the clearly responsible are two
people they call it responds well to

protect and the right to
intervene when protest is now.

And it's it's interesting I

feel ready criticisms of well the UN is a
hasn't gone into Ivory Coast for instance.

So more things are happening
they are that's a reality

UN cannot do everything or
go everywhere but in with case of Libya.

There was by and
large a consensus that came together.

Given the actions of Gadhafi
government members who had been killed.

Point blank.

Most of them on the armed given
the statements that he had said about

he would preserve he would not present he
would proceed without mercy have to house.

And so in what I think was a real test and
a courageous response.

The Security Council gave the go ahead.

And the legitimacy the unique
legitimacy to this action.

The primary military
force is actually NATO.

Right now and I'm glad of that
Americans are stepping back a bit.

It's better that it be a combined force.

I hope it will be swift.

I hope that the civilian deaths would

be few but we know how these things
can can go in unpredictable ways.

And we'll see what the outcome
is it is it is the maximum test.

But I think if we didn't act this
time if Security Council didn't.

Respond in what got to the morning
of responsibility to protect.

So that's not how it came about and

they did get the support
needed to proceed in this way.

Yes.

Well the private sector Yeah yeah.

There was that.

For.

Sure that no

one is there that danger but

that little things that.

I'm not familiar with the point you
make about the disparity in the numbers

of injured.

Twelve thousand.

That sounds that sounds
not credible to me.

I would want to go back in and verify
that I mean we know the consequences of

turnover and exist to this and
then do you know about this.

Yes Well I think your research and
what you're talking about you.

Yes.

We're.

Young interesting.

Well a Hazara and a monitoring and
oversight function.

Focused on the countries that
possess nuclear capacity and

those who are trying to get it.

That's that's a major concern
especially with the dissolution

of the Soviet Union and
what they sometimes call loose nukes.

They have hundreds if
not thousands of nuclear

bombs are that are not very well secured.

There is possibility of those being so
or stolen or

transported to will be leaders
of one kind or another.

When Qaddafi renounced any
interest in that some years back.

People thought well maybe he's maybe he's
reforming maybe he's coming into a new way

of understanding things.

I.E. a dozen important work on information

on safety issues on monitoring on can

to account what people are doing and
urging governments to respect and

and restrain itself in
the development of for their nukes.

We have to some degree complied.

We have to some limited
degree we do star own but

we still have three thousand
nukes with our art.

What are they called
has entered her learnt.

Now how many nukes do you need one two.

Why in God's name do
we need three thousand

if tunics go off and that's it.

So.

I think the I.A.E.A. plays a very
important function the US has represent.

And and so on.

I mean.

I've don't think that they are influenced
a lot by the private sector but

I'm sorry I'm not in a position
to say I'm much more about that.

Yes.

Well I have a consequences on
the environment are up for discussion.

And you know that the countries decimate
the natural resources in ways differently

from very poor countries in Haiti for
instance.

They're not reason he anymore.

And then of course
the latter runs down and

needs to lead than it was
normally hillsides and so on.

No trees because that would was needed for
firewood.

In this country it's different.

We have pollution of the atmosphere
in ways from factories and and so on.

The U.N. has had several major conferences
on the environment there will be one next

year in Rio de Janeiro which marks twenty
years from the first very widely known.

We're going to come front
on the environment.

They were measuring how far we've
come they have measured the.

The steps the growth.

That would be fine.

Back then they have both encouraged and
pressure name.

And to do the right thing when they can.

And I'm going back to my
reference to clean cookstoves.

Simple plans like that can sometimes
help because the absence of trees and

and what if you have an alternative.

Can make a huge difference.

And one that we all have
an interest in this.

And the human and
serves as the legacy for discussion.

Of at least things that cost borders.

And affect our life and our populations.

There are limits to what we can do but
we we train we analyze and

monitor and
do everything we can within our limits

to see that there is improvement and
certainly awareness of what is happening.

That would also be true in terms of Japan.

The I.A.E.A.
its its attention to what's happening

as a consequence of
the nuclear of problems there.

Thank you.

One.