Eurasia Press & News
TEHRAN (FNA)- The UN General Assembly’s head Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann apparently annoyed several western countries when he dismissed West’s negative propaganda against Iran at a time the Islamic Republic is seeking to become a UN Security Council member.
Brockmann dismissed western propaganda about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s anti-Israeli remarks, saying that some other nations have done “infinitely worse things”.
The question came up during Brockmann’s press conference in the light of possibility of Iran contesting for non- permanent seat of the UN Security Council later this year.
Asked whether Iran should be allowed to submit a bid for temporary membership of the Council in the light of sanctions against it and Ahmadinejad’s anti-Israeli remarks, Brockmann said, “There are members in the Security Council right now who have done things infinitely worse than Iran could ever do.”
“The world is not destroyed by words but by actions … I put more importance to deeds than words,” he said.
“To say that is one thing and to commit crimes against the sovereign rights and independence of another country is something else … I think we all have to agree that no one dies because of words.”
The Assembly President declined to name the specific Security Council members he was referring to, but quoted a Spanish saying instead, “For those who have the power of understanding, you need only a few words.”
Diplomats said Brockmann was obviously referring to the United States’ military action in Iraq.
In a General Assembly election on October 17, Iran will be running against Japan for a non-permanent Asian seat on the Security Council that falls vacant at the end of the year. Japan is widely expected to win the seat and a two-year term on the council.
The United States, China, Britain, France and Russia are the only permanent members of the Security Council, with the power of a veto.
Asked about his opinion on the possible indictment of the President of the Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, by the International Criminal Court (ICC), he explained that it was often difficult for the President of the General Assembly to speak out on certain issues when negotiations were ongoing.
“I’m trying to work for unity and this is a delicate thing.”
ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has sought an arrest warrant against Bashir for crimes against humanity in Darfur.
Sudan has warned that issuance of warrants could have disastrous consequences and some members of the Security Council are calling for delaying the process by at least one year.
The Council, which has asked ICC to investigate, can suspend the process for one year at a time.
