New UN General Assembly session opens with denunciation of US policies

UNITED NATIONS - The 63rd session of the U.N. General Assembly opened Tuesday with a sharp attack on the United States by assembly's new president, who called for reforming the Security Council as some of its members were "addicted to war" and misusing their veto powers.  

In a blunt opening address, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, a former Nicaraguan foreign minister, said it was "undeniable" that the actions of some members of the 15-member council threatened international peace and security.  And In a scarcely veiled reference to President George W. Bush's administration, d'Escoto said no nation has the right "to decide on its own which states are sponsors of terrorism, and which are not."

"By now, over 1.2 million people have died as a direct consequence of that aggression and occupation," d'Escoto said about the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

The 75-year-old diplomat, an outspoken Roman Catholic priest, told a press conference later he intends to try to reform the U.N. to give the 192-member General Assembly a stronger role, compared to the Security Council, whose permanent members - the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - have veto power over U.N. decisions.  

"The state of our world today is deplorable, inexcusable and, therefore, shameful," d'Escoto said. "All of us, without exception, share responsibility for the state of our world."

D'Escoto said the International Monetary Fund and World Bank are "basically controlled by the United States and Europe ... and are used as instruments of domination."

"The world resents this and this situation must change," said d'Escoto said.

He said the word democracy at the United Nations has become "empty, with no real meaning or substance."

He attacked the five-decade-old US trade embargo against Cuba despite UN demands for Washington to rescind it.