Posted on 09/15/2005 6:26:58 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
NEW YORK (AFP) - Former US president Bill Clinton gathered world leaders at his alternative to the UN summit, with the same goals of reducing poverty and conflict and highlighting Gaza on opening night.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, King Abdullah II of Jordan and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were the stars at the first session of the Clinton Global Initiative on Thursday night.
While the UN summit struggles to answer the main problems facing the planet: nuclear proliferation, terrorism and the fight against poverty and disease, Clinton hopes to secure concrete commitments to counter the different scourges from his powerful guests.
The priorities of Clinton's three-day gathering is the battle against poverty, conflict and global climate change.
On opening night, guests encouraged private investment in Gaza.
"There is a lot of poverty and despair but there's new hope and opportunities because of the Israel withdrawal," Rice said during the informal discussion.
"I would urge the people in this room to think early and often on what opportunities there might be for private investments in Gaza, for job creation, for small businesses, because the Palestinian people are quite a remarkable people," she said.
"I would urge people to get involved," Blair said.
"Gaza is a very poor place, over a million people living in very tight circumstances," said Clinton, who moderated the discussion.
He called investment "an insurance program against terror ... for a fairly modest premium, and we would set up a pool," he said.
Finally, Jordan's King Abdullah II called Gaza's economy "a major challenge."
"To give peace a chance, to give hope, we do need support of the international community, NGOs and private sector.
"If we can do that, then we show the people of Gaza and the people of the region that peace can work," he said.
About 1,000 presidents, prime ministers, kings, tycoons and humanitarian organizers have been invited to the New York hotel close to the UN headquarters where the other summit is going ahead.
Roundtable discussions on relations between Islam and the West, how to finance clean energy and investment in the developing world will be addressed by presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz, tycoons George Soros and Rupert Murdoch, head of the Irish Republican party Sinn Fein Gerry Adams, intellectuals like Nobel prize winner Elie Wiesel and Queen Rania of Jordan.
The Middle East will be the subject of a special session on Friday featuring Israeli deputy prime minister Shimon Peres, US special envoy James Wolfensohn and another former US peace broker Dennis Ross.
Other special meetings will be held on the Sudan crisis, with a speech by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and global warming, with former US vice president Al Gore weighing in.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will speak on Saturday before Clinton announces his plan of action at the end of the conference.
Clinton has made it clear he wants "action" at the conferences, with every participant making commitments to a list of tasks. He told a British newspaper, The Independent, "Those who do not fulfill their tasks will not come back the following year."
Former US President Bill Clinton (seen on a big screen) opens the 'Clinton Global Initiative' in New York. Clinton gathered world leaders at his alternative to the UN summit, with the same goals of reducing poverty and conflict and highlighting Gaza on opening night.(AFP/Hector Mata)
Wait a minute, I'm confused....I though we elected BUSH?
Remember, when Clinton says "investment", he means "taxes".
Remember, when Clinton says "investment", he means "taxes".
Rice, Blair, Clinton call for investment in Gaza
NEW YORK (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former US president Bill Clinton, met in New York to call for development investments in Gaza.
"There is a lot of poverty and despair but there's new hope and opportunities because of the Israel withdrawal," Rice said during an informal discussion organized by Clinton around the opening of the summit.
"I would urge the people in this room to think early and often on what opportunities there might be for private investments in Gaza, for job creation, for small businesses, because the Palestinian people are quite a remarkable people," she said. "They're energetic, entrepreneurial," Rice said.
"I would urge people to get involved," Blair said.
"If the people on the Palestinian side can see this happening ... that can give them a sense of hope and confidence that they can do it," he said.
"Gaza is a very poor place, over a million people living in very tight circumstances," said Clinton, who moderated the discussion.
He called investment "an insurance program against terror ... for a fairly modest premium, and we would set up a pool," he said.
"I think it can make a big difference."
Finally, Jordan's King Abdullah II called Gaza's economy "a major challenge."
"The level of poverty is an all-time low," he said.
"To give peace a chance, to give hope, we do need support of the international community, NGOs and private sector.
"If we can do that, then we show the people of Gaza and the people of the region that peace can work," he said.
"Clinton has made it clear he wants "action" at the conferences, with every participant making commitments to a list of tasks."
Since when does this scum bag have any authority to gather world leaders let alone tell them they must obligate themselves to whatever.
Can you say, "Secretary General?" Clinton's poised to take Kofi's place at the UN? The US can NOT afford to join any thing else.
The antichrist has arisen. LOL
*****Since when does this scum bag have any authority to gather world leaders let alone tell them they must obligate themselves to whatever.******
He has no authority, If they decide to go they go on their own accord. And they pay $15,000 dollars for the privilege.
I cant understand it, seems like a lot of people to all have their heads up their butts.
Beelzebubba...
"He has no authority, If they decide to go they go on their own accord. And they pay $15,000 dollars for the privilege.
I cant understand it, seems like a lot of people to all have their heads up their butts."
Guess Condi's fee gets paid out of DoS pocket change.
What are things? Well, they are social justice, economic justice, environmental justice, and justice justice (I suppose).
Ya see, Davos is too much talk. BJ wants to speed up his New Democrat Third Way "progressives'" top-down Marxist revolution. He's got American corporate useful idiots free tradin' technology, wealth, and production to developing countries like Red China -- it's just a matter of time before he and his leftist European chattering class, hate-America comrades send out a memo asking if the useful idiots sell rope.
Clinton: NUCLEAR ATTENTION WHORE
well i, i, signed that danged KYOTO treaty, but, but, it was the American PEOPLE telling that darned Senate NO and they voted UNANIMOUSLY AGAINT ME... er US!!!
Gee, err America, Al Bore's failed TV gig, and now Clinton will have his lasting legacy, another belly flop failure.
I'd like to see who donates to this and where the money goes...
hilarious! Beelzebubba indeed.
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