South African President Thabo Mbeki pointed a finger of blame Sunday at the United Nations for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has cost more than 200 lives since the end of September.
"The seeming inability, or reluctance, to utilize the UN effectively to deal with the drawn-out Middle East conflict by ensuring that Israel complies with the resolutions of the world body will further buttress the conviction that the UN is not allowed by some to carry out its charter responsibilities," he said, apparently referring to US support for Israel.
Mbeki, invited to speak as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on the opening day of an Islamic summit in Doha, called for "the restructuring of the UN so that it reflects more correctly the realities of the world of the 21st century."
"The NAM and the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) should work together and intensify our efforts to ensure the democratization of the UN as well as other political and financial global multilateral organizations," he proposed.
Mbeki and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who was also among the observers at the summit focused on the Palestinian uprising, were to meet separately with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat later Sunday, delegates said -- DOHA (AFP)
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