The opening of the UN General Assembly has sparked a new dynamic within the organisation. The heads of state and government and diplomats who have been meeting at UN headquarters are displaying a greater will to tackle global problems collectively than in previous years.

These were some of the conclusions of Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen after the first week of meetings.

The new tone at the United Nations was set by President Obama. In his speech he stressed that the US was prepared to listen to others, to work with them in dealing with the economic crisis and opposing the spread of nuclear weapons and conflict zones in the world.

‘The reactions were very positive,’ said Mr Verhagen. ‘Countries are again prepared to shoulder their international responsibility. That’s good news for the Netherlands, because we need other countries to help confront the challenges facing us all, such as retaining jobs and keeping our countries safe and secure.’

The session of the Security Council which unanimously adopted a resolution on the importance of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation was a highlight for the minister. ‘There is genuine political will to drastically reduce the number of nuclear weapons.’ The Netherlands has not ruled out that ongoing START negotiations between Russia and the United States could also have an effect on NATO’s nuclear responsibilities in Europe.

A low point of the General Assembly, in Mr Verhagen’s view, was the speech by the Iranian president. ‘This would have been a perfect opportunity for Iran to accept the outstretched hand of the international community. Unfortunately it chose not to do so.’ Iran refuses to implement the resolutions of the Security Council and to stop enriching nuclear fuel. During the General Assembly, the Netherlands spoke informally with other countries about the possibility of tightening existing sanctions if Iran does not change its course.

During the General Assembly, Mr Verhagen engaged in over 20 sets of bilateral talks, held a conference with Brazil and the United States on eliminating violence against girls, and took part in discussions on a variety of topics, including the UN’s ‘responsibility to protect’ principle and the impact of climate change on global security.

These were some of the conclusions of Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen after the first week of meetings. The new tone at the United Nations was set by President Obama. In his speech he stressed that the US was prepared to listen to others, to work with them in dealing with the economic crisis and opposing the spread of nuclear weapons and conflict zones in the world.

‘The reactions were very positive,’ said Mr Verhagen. ‘Countries are again prepared to shoulder their international responsibility. That’s good news for the Netherlands, because we need other countries to help confront the challenges facing us all, such as retaining jobs and keeping our countries safe and secure.’

The session of the Security Council which unanimously adopted a resolution on the importance of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation was a highlight for the minister. ‘There is genuine political will to drastically reduce the number of nuclear weapons.’ The Netherlands has not ruled out that ongoing START negotiations between Russia and the United States could also have an effect on NATO’s nuclear responsibilities in Europe.

A low point of the General Assembly, in Mr Verhagen’s view, was the speech by the Iranian president. ‘This would have been a perfect opportunity for Iran to accept the outstretched hand of the international community. Unfortunately it chose not to do so.’ Iran refuses to implement the resolutions of the Security Council and to stop enriching nuclear fuel. During the General Assembly, the Netherlands spoke informally with other countries about the possibility of tightening existing sanctions if Iran does not change its course.

During the General Assembly, Mr Verhagen engaged in over 20 sets of bilateral talks, held a conference with Brazil and the United States on eliminating violence against girls, and took part in discussions on a variety of topics, including the UN’s ‘responsibility to protect’ principle and the impact of climate change on global security.



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