On Wednesday night the Netherlands walked out of the Iranian president’s speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York. Other European countries and the US also left in protest after President Ahmedinejad made anti-Semitic statements. Earlier that day the American President Obama had called for more international collaboration and for UN member states to take more responsibility.

Clear message
After Mr Obama’s speech, Prime Minister Balkenende showed his approval of the American president’s message:

“Obama is a man who wants to work together, but who at the same time asks other countries to take their responsibility and dedicate themselves to all current issues. And I think it is very understandable that he says that in the past there has been a lot of criticism of the US, but that sometimes this has been an excuse not to do anything. That’s a clear message, and I think that was accepted and appreciated by those present.”

Dark powers
The Libyan leader Muammar Khadafi spoke directly after Mr Obama. It was clear from his speech that not all UN members were in agreement with the US and the Netherlands. For an hour and a half Mr Khadafi went on attacking the colonial powers, the UN Security Council - of which Libya itself is a member! – and the dark powers behind the conspiracy that landed the world with the Mexican flu virus. Through the UN interpreter he proclaimed:

“It was created in the laboratory and it got out of control because it was meant, in the beginning, to be used as a military weapon…”

Zionist regime
Although he was long-winded and difficult to follow, Mr Khadafi received applause especially from the Third World countries. Several other countries walked out, but the anger did not rise as high as during Ahmedinejad’s speech on Wednesday night, when the majority of those present walked out. Mr Ahmedinejad lashed out against Capitalism, certain Western countries and the Zionist regime.

The Netherlands and many other countries had had enough when he started to complain in unmistakably anti-Semitic language about “a small minority that is allowed to dominate the politics, economy and culture of large parts of the world…”

“…through a complicated network, and establish a new form, in fact, of slavery, and harm the reputation of other nations, even European nations and the United States, to attain its racist ambitions…"

Irreconcilable
The US gave the “hateful, offensive, anti-Semitic rhetoric,” as their reason for walking out. There were only a few listeners left when Mr Ahmedinejad congratulated himself with “the large majority of votes” with which he had won “the successful, glorious and completely democratic presidential elections” in his country earlier this year.

His irreconcilable speech won’t have made the negotiations with the US and the European Union about Iran’s controversial nuclear programme any easier. But according to Iran experts, it might strengthen his position within the Ayatollah regime in his own country. And like Mr Khadafi, President Ahmedinejad also received applause from countries who share Iran’s grievances against the richer, more powerful countries.

“Long live love and spirituality, long live peace and security, long live justice and freedom…”

(Photo: ANP)