Deputy Prime Minister addresses UN

Had it not been for the United Nations special millennium summit, the season’s big diplomatic event would have been the convening of the 54th General Assembly. But with 160 of the world’s leaders speaking their minds last week, today’s opening received less than top billing. It did offer a chance to see some new faces, however, one of which belonged to Deputy Prime Minster Johnny Briceno. In his brief address to the UN, Briceno elaborated on the themes outlined by Prime Minister Said Musa and called for a more equitable process of globalisation and for rich nations to make good on their pledges to help the South develop. In terms of hard political issues, Briceno endorsed both the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination as well as the right of the people of Taiwan to be represented in the United Nations.