This is ‘Global Village Today’, which brings you important news from various countries around the world.
Host) What news is there today?
Reporter) Yes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia’s invasion at the UN Security Council as a crime that undermines the UN Charter. The Chairman of the Security Council retorted to the Russian ambassador, who objected to President Zelenskyy’s priority order of remarks, that Russia should just end the war. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Hangzhou, China, where the Asian Games are being held. President Assad, who is visiting China for the first time in about 20 years, is also scheduled to hold a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Host) This is today’s first news from the global village. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the UN Security Council meeting?
Reporter) Yes. President Zelenskyy attended the UN Security Council ministerial-level open discussion on the 20th as an interested party. This is the first time that President Zelensky has visited the United Nations General Assembly in New York since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. It was also his first time attending a Security Council meeting in person.
Host) You said that President Zelenskyy attended as an interested party. What was the topic of the Security Council meeting that day?
Reporter) It was ‘Peace Maintenance and Security of Ukraine’. President Zelensky criticized Russia for committing a ‘criminal and illegal invasion’ that undermines the UN Charter and all rules of war. President Zelensky also called for reform of the United Nations and emphasized that Russia should be stripped of its veto power.
Host) You were pointing out the situation in which the Security Council continues to fail to adopt related resolutions due to Russia’s exercise of its veto, right?
Reporter) That’s right. The Security Council consists of 15 members, including 5 permanent members: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Russia, and 10 non-permanent members. Decisions are made through the approval of more than 9 countries, including 5 permanent members. However, if even one of the permanent members with the right to veto objects, no decision can be made. Russia has repeatedly exercised its veto.
Host) Who from the Russian government attended the meeting?
Reporter) Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenja attended. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov usually attended the Security Council ministerial meeting, and because of that, there was a lot of speculation before the meeting whether President Zelensky and Minister Lavrov, Russia’s highest-ranking diplomat, would clash or avoid each other. However, President Zelensky left the conference room immediately after his speech, and Minister Lavrov entered the conference room after President Zelensky’s speech and there was no confrontation between them.
Host) But did Ambassador Nevenja raise objections to the way the Security Council meetings were run?
Reporter) That’s right. On this day, President Zelenskyy was the first individual country to receive the right to speak, following UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Ambassador Nevenja objected to the chairman’s decision to have President Zelensky speak before the 15 members of the Security Council, arguing that it undermined the authority of the Security Council.
Host) What did the Chairman of the Security Council say about Ambassador Nevenja’s claims?
Reporter) Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who holds the presidency this month, began by saying, “I want to assure our Russian friends and everyone here that this is not a special operation of the Albanian government.” Prime Minister Rama is well known as a politician with a sharp sense of humor. Some attendees smiled quietly at these words. “Here is the solution,” Prime Minister Rama responded. “If you agree, stop the war, and then President Zelenskyy will not have to stand here.”
Host) Was President Zelenskyy present when this conversation was taking place?
Reporter) Yes. President Zelenskyy and Ukrainian representatives in military uniform listened to Prime Minister Rama’s remarks. President Zelenskyy later thanked Prime Minister Rama on social media, saying he had “showed the world how to properly deal with Russia, their lies and hypocrisy.”
Host) President Zelenskyy’s attendance at the UN General Assembly in a time of war appears to be a move to urge the international community to unite and provide continued support. What kind of leaders did you meet at the general meeting?
Host) Yes. The first head of state to meet was Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The meeting took place on the 20th at Ukraine’s request. After the meeting, President Lula said on social media ‘X’ that the two men discussed the importance of establishing peace. President Zelensky also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Zelenskyy, who is of Jewish descent, has appealed for his support, emphasizing the connection that Israel has with many Ukrainian Jews living there. President Zelenskiy also had a busy schedule, meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, and Chilean President Gabriel Borić. .
Host) We will have a summit meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington, right?
Reporter) That’s right. I will visit the White House at 3pm on the 21st, Eastern US time. Next, we will hold a summit meeting. This is President Zelensky’s third visit to the White House. This is my second visit since the Russian invasion. President Zelensky surprised the world by visiting Washington amid tight security on December 21 last year.
Host) And you are visiting Washington again after 9 months.
Reporter) That’s right. President Zelenskyy was warmly welcomed by the American people as a defender of democracy and freedom at the time. But the atmosphere in Washington now is not as good as it was then. As the war prolongs and develops into a war of attrition, negative voices are emerging asking how long we will have to support Ukraine. In addition, if the U.S. Congress does not process the 2024 fiscal year budget by the end of this month, the federal government is in a situation where it could fall into a temporary ‘shutdown’ state. Meanwhile, President Zelensky is visiting Washington. Unlike his last visit, President Zelenskyy will not address a joint session of the U.S. Congress this time, but is reportedly scheduled to meet some lawmakers privately.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (center) arrives at Beijing Airport, China, on the 21st and is welcomed by Chinese officials.
Host) This is the next news from Global Village Today. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited China?
Reporter) Yes. Syrian President Assad visited Hangzhou, a city in eastern China, on the 21st. It has been President Assad’s first visit to China in about 20 years, and he visited Beijing in 2004 and had a summit meeting with then-President Hu Jintao.
Host) President Assad has been gradually appearing in the international community recently.
Reporter) That’s right. Syria has been in a civil war for 12 years since 2011. President Assad was isolated from the international community amid criticism that the Syrian government was committing horrific human rights violations and that Syria’s humanitarian situation was facing the worst crisis in the world. However, it appears to be broadening its stride after attending the Arab League summit held in Saudi Arabia last May.
Host) The earthquake that occurred in Syria was also a trigger, right?
Reporter) That’s right. Last February, a large-scale earthquake occurred in Turkiye and Syria. At the time, the damage from the earthquake was so severe that nearly 60,000 people died in Turkiye, and because the earthquake occurred in Syria in a rebel-occupied area, the damage in Syria was not well known. However, Arab countries that had previously turned their backs on Syria also extended a helping hand, opening the way for improved relations.
Host) How was the relationship between Syria and China?
Reporter) China, along with Syria’s main allies Russia and Iran, has always supported and maintained relations with the Assad regime. The U.S. government has been trying to get the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution condemning or sanctioning the Assad regime, but it has been unsuccessful due to opposition from China and Russia. According to Reuters, China has voted against the adoption of resolutions related to Syria at least eight times so far.
Host) Syria is currently experiencing economic difficulties due to Western sanctions, right?
Reporter) That’s right. The governments of the United States, Europe, Australia, and Canada are imposing economic sanctions against the Assad government. The Assad government claims that its economic crisis is due to Western sanctions. They also accuse the United States of supporting Kurdish rebels who control oil fields bordering Iraq.
Host) President Assad’s visit to Hangzhou is related to the Asian Games, right?
Reporter) That’s right. The 19th Asian Games opening ceremony will be held in Hangzhou this weekend, on the 23rd, and President Assad is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal will also attend the opening ceremony.
Host) Will Chinese President Xi Jinping also attend the opening ceremony?
Reporter) Yes. President Xi will arrive in Hangzhou on the 22nd and attend the opening ceremony. The summit between President Xi and President Assad is scheduled to be held on the 22nd.
Host) Recently, China has been noticeably expanding its relations with Middle Eastern countries, right?
Reporter) That’s right. One example is China’s mediation in helping Saudi Arabia and Iran reach an agreement to normalize relations last March. Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Islamic suzerain, and Iran, a Shiite powerhouse, are the greatest enemies in the Middle East. These two countries suddenly announced in Beijing that they would restore diplomatic relations after seven years. This was evaluated as China’s new challenge to the United States, which has long exercised influence in the Middle East.
Host) We will listen to this part of the global village today.
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2023-09-21 14:05:00
