U.N. General Assembly speeches in 2015 focus on Iran deal, migrants

More than 150 world leaders are gathering at U.N. headquarters in New York this week with a migrant crisis, cyber warfare and raging Syrian conflict as the backdrop.

The Syrian conflict, now in its fourth year, is straining neighboring countries in the Middle East and has spread to Europe, where government officials are trying to come up with a coordinated response. The United States has upped its quota of refugees, but many in the international community think it isn’t enough.

The United Nations members also are working on updating their development goals and looking toward December’s U.N. climate conference in Paris, where participants will be drafting a new international protocol for the environment.

President Barack Obama said Monday the U.S. is willing to work with Russia and Iran on a “managed transition” to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was a “mistake” not to involve Assad’s military in the fight against the Islamic State group.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, following approval of a comprehensive nuclear deal, that a “new chapter” has started in Iran’s relations with the world.

Cuban President Raul Castro spoke of the particularly harmful effects climate change has on developing island nations and African countries, and demanded fair treatment for them.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi described his country’s fight against extremism and the need to direct young people’s energies toward positive choices.

Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah called on Pakistan to help crack down on terror networks. He said Afghanistan agreed to peace talks with the Taliban and later learned the Taliban leader had been dead for more than two years, making the talks a “sham.”

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Tuesday that unmarked Russian military servicemen are continuing to occupy parts of Ukraine, and sanctions against Russia should be stiffened.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced the end to his country’s conflict to applause from the attendees. He said the fighting factions are prepared to sign a peace agreement by March 23, 2016.

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council of the European Union, said the migrant crisis has global dimensions and that Europe was trying to be fair when discussing a system of quotas for taking in refugees. “Everyone can offer help to the refugees. And those who do not want to, at least shouldn’t hide their indifference by criticizing Europe for doing too little,” he said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that Israeli extremist groups are preventing Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. “I call on the Israeli government, before it is too late, to cease its use of brutal force to impose its plans to undermines the Islamic and Christian sanctities in Jerusalem,” he said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said as his country battles terrorist groups, it also needs help from other countries and institutions on repairing the damaged infrastructure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told members of the U.N. General Assembly Thursday to “check your enthusiasm at the door” on the deal to curb Iran’s nuclear weapons program, saying it would only bring nations closer to war. He also said he remains committed to a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict but that it was the Palestinians who refused to talk.

On the migrant crisis, Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his country has taken in 600,000 refugees and 10,000 more are arriving every day. “We have to end the brutality of Assad’s dictatorship, as evinced by its use of barrel bombs and torture; break the control of Islamic State; and silence the guns in Syria, and provide for humanitarian access,” Steinmeier said.

Vice President of South Sudan James Wani Igga cited the signing of the peace accord in August that ended his country’s civil war and urged the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) regional body to quickly implement an enforcement mechanism.

Burundi’s Vice President Joseph Butore downplayed a recent military coup attempt in his country.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said Friday that “Syria will continue to fight terrorism” and it is the duty of the international community to help. He said the only way to a political solution is through a Syrian-led national dialogue without any foreign influence. He praised Russia for its help, criticized Israel and Turkey for causing destruction, and called upon the European Union and United States to lift sanctions.

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