Debate is continuing for a third day Friday at the United Nations
General Assembly in New York City, with more than 20 world leaders
scheduled to speak.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was
Friday's first speaker, and he accused Western nations of imposing
"illegal sanctions" on his country.
Mr. Mugabe said foreign
powers had been working "strenuously" to divide parties in what he
called Zimbabwe's "inclusive" government. He called on Western
governments to stop what he said were their "filthy," "clandestine" and
"divisive" practices. He did not name specific countries.
In
February, Mr. Mugabe entered into a unity government with Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, a former opposition leader. Mr. Tsvangirai
has accused politicians loyal to Mr. Mugabe of continuing to violate
laws and ignore international treaties.
Later Friday, Somali
President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed told the assembly that "foreign
elements" had joined the ranks of rebels who are trying to overthrow
his government.
The Somali leader said
his government is determined to continue political dialogue, which he
said is open to all parties in the country - including rebels.
However, he said the "rebels believe only in firepower."
Insurgent
groups have been trying to topple Somalia's fragile government and set
up an Islamic state. The groups control much of southern Somalia,
including large parts of the capital, Mogadishu.
Ivory Coast
President Laurent Gbagbo has also addressed the world body. He said
the Ivory Coast is working to free itself from debt, which he said has
"cast a cloud" over the country's goals.
Mr. Gbagbo also said
many "small, fragile" African countries are overburdened with debt as a
result of foreign loans taken out between the 1960s and 1980s. He
called on world powers to help African countries reduce debt.
Madagascar's
Andry Rajoelina and Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga are among the
other African leaders scheduled to address the General Assembly Friday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez spoke Thursday. Mr. Netanyahu said Iran poses a
threat to world peace, and that its "fanatic" regime should not be
allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.
Mr. Chavez called on U.S.
President Barack Obama to lift the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba. He also
called for the removal of U.S. troops from Colombia's military bases,
saying the arrangement is a threat to peace in South America.
Libyan
leader Moammar Gadhafi denounced the U.N. Security Council, defended
the Taliban, and critiqued historic events during a rambling, 96-minute
speech.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a lengthy
discourse on religion, humanity, and what he sees as the world's ills - mainly capitalism, Zionism and liberalism.
Zimbabwe's Mugabe Criticizes Sanctions Against his Country
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