Susilo wants MDGs accelerated
Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, New York
The scene outside the United Nations headquarters in New York during the first day of the three-day 2005 World Summit on Wednesday (local time), especially with the presence of U.S. President George W. Bush, resembled a Hollywood movie.
Police tightly patrolled the streets around the UN headquarters and their cars blocked several streets, helicopters were flying overhead and police sirens were often heard.
At the entrance of the UN office, police dogs sniffed the bags of journalists. Muslim journalists could only cringe because they could not prevent the dogs from touching their bags.
The UN office described the summit as biggest ever event in history with the attendance of most leaders of the UN member countries to discuss UN reform.
The American media however paid little attention to the mega summit. CNN, Fox News, New York Times and USA Today focused their headline news on other issues, like the Katrina hurricane aftermath and the hearing of chief justice nominee John Roberts.
Inside the building the situation was gloomy as there was practically no hope that the summit could accomplish its target to reform the world body following strong resistance from the U.S. administration and the other five permanent members of the Security Council.
All delegation leaders had the chance to address the summit for three minutes, but many leaders from developing countries went over the limit despite repeated warnings from the session chairman.
"What message can be delivered in such a short time?" an Indonesian delegate complained.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono joined the desperate chorus of developing countries on Wednesday (local time), the majority of UN members, to demand the acceleration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which they understand as the flow of much more generous aid, more foreign direct investment and fairer trade practices.
While developed countries, championed by President Bush, also reiterated the same demands to the poor countries: Good governance, democratization, corruption eradication and intensifying the fight against terrorism.
In his address, Susilo pointed out that while sharing the demands for good governance and combating corruption and the strengthening of the private sector, he reminded developed countries against the danger of imposing too many conditions on aid for developing countries.
"So many conditions are imposed on developing countries before they qualify for financial aid for development. On the other hand, the obligations of developed countries are worded in the vaguest of terms," he said.
He also urged the establishment of timetables for developed countries to fulfill the commitment of 0.7 percent of their GNPs to the official development assistance (ODA).
The President also lamented the deadlock in the negotiations on the Outcome Document of the High-Level Plenary Meeting (summit), which he said had not turned out to be a balanced document.
"The document leaves out many issues relevant to international trade that developing countries have been watching with keen anticipation. This omission renders the Doha Round of trade negotiations unfriendly to development," said the President.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda meanwhile said the summit would unlikely be able to reach its original objectives, and only a very compromised document could be achieved.
"But much of our interests have been accommodated, like the MDGs for our development and our war on terrorism," he said.