New York - The 58th Session of the United Nations General Assembly opened officiallly yesterday in the midst of a crisis which presents the organization with a chance for reforms in the near future. In the inaugural speech at the session, secretary general Kofi Annan proposed the creation of a high-level panel to examine ways to enable the United Nations to keep the peace and ensure global security. Annan declared that the decisions to be made at the 58th session could be as important as those which created the UN in 1945.

Following UN custom, the next speaker after Annan was the representative from Brazil. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva began by paying homage to Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN envoy who died in Baghdad in August. In most of his remarks Lula focused on international issues, pointing out the need for the "humanization of humanity." His words were incisive but tender, as he called for the creation of an international fund to combat hunger. Lula cited the words of pacificists such as pope Paul VI and Ghandi to back up his position. He also referred to "democratic dialogue," "the power of dialogue," and "the need to avoid a slide into political and spiritual decline," in order to build, "under the reinvigorated leadership of the UN, an international climate of peace and conciliation."

In another part of his speech, Lula declared: "The more we celebrate God by generating riches, the more we hurt our ideals by not minimally sharing those riches." And then he asked: "What is the use of all our scientific and technological genius, of all the abundance and luxury that it has generated, if we do not put it to use, guaranteeing the most sacred of rights: the right to life?"

Lula made concrete proposals for UN reform. He called for strengthening the Economic and Social Council ("capable of bringing about a fair and just economic order") and expanding the Security Council. He once again stated that Brazil wants a permanent seat on the latter.

Lula also once again criticized the American attack on Iraq, expressing concern over the tendency to divest the UN of its authority. "The United Nations was conceived to do more than simply clear away the rubble of conflicts it was unable to prevent," he said. Lula and a number of speakers at a seminar on terrorism the day before had already made negative evaluations of the American action in Iraq, calling it unilateral and disrespectful of the UN Security Council.

The president of the United States, George W. Bush, spoke after Lula. He also paid homage to Sergio Vieira de Mello. Then Bush declared that governments that use weapons of mass destruction have to be removed, saying that justified the attack on Iraq. His promise to "reveal the full extent" of that country's illegal weapons programs fell mostly on deaf ears especially as no such weapons have been found so far.

A TENSE DAY IN NEW YORK

Outside in New York city, the opening day of the UN General Assembly was a rainy one. Streets around the UN were blocked and a rigid security plan was in effect. Traffic was backed up, there were police cars everywhere.

At the entrance to the UN building, a long line of journalists snaked out into the rain. It moved very slowly as body searches were sluggish, like the weather, especially for cameramen who had to open their equipment for further detailed searches. Others had to take off belts and shoes. Bags were opened and everything in them carefully looked at by guards.

That is what you get when 100 heads of government and state are in town. (AB)