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Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Libyan Leader Mua'ammar Al-Qadhafi, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on September 23, 2009.
Mua'ammar Al-Qadhafi: I have the UN charter with me. The Charter's preamble is one thing, and its articles ate another. How did this happen? The people who convened in San Francisco in 1945 participated in creating the preamble, but they left the other articles, including the internal procedures of the so-called Security Council, to experts and politicians from the countries that formed the Security Council, and from the countries that united against Germany. The preamble is very appealing, and we have nothing against it, but everything that follows it completely contradicts it. This is what we are protesting against, rejecting, and will not continue to uphold. The time of this thing passed after World War II.
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The preamble says that nations "large and small" are equal. Are we equal with regard to the permanent seats? Absolutely not. But the preamble says that nations large and small have equal rights. Are we equal with regard to the Right of Veto? The preamble says that nations large and small have equal rights. This is in the preamble. This is what we agreed upon. Therefore, the Right of Veto contradicts the Charter. The permanent seats contradict the Charter. We do not recognize them, and we do not accept them. The preamble of the Charter states: "Armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest." This is in the preamble which we signed, and on the basis of which we joined the UN. It says that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest of all nations. But 65 wars have broken out since the establishment of the UN and the Security Council in their present form. In these 65 wars, there were millions of casualties – more than in the world war. Was the force that was used in these 65 wars in the common interest? Absolutely not. It was in the interest of one country, or 2-3 countries.
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"Nothing in this Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state." The system of government is the domestic matter of certain state, and nobody has the right to intervene in it. Whether a regime is a dictatorial, or democratic, socialist, capitalist, reactionary, or progressive is up to society. It is a domestic matter. Once, Rome elected Julius Caesar to be a dictator. The senate empowered him to become a dictator, because they thought that a dictatorship would be beneficial for Rome at that time. This is a domestic matter. Who would dare ask Rome why it elected Julius Caesar as a dictator?
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It is written that the General Assembly should do this and that upon the recommendation of the Security Council. This is wrong. It should be the other way around. The Security Council should do his and that upon the instructions of the General Assembly. These are the nations. These are all of the 190 united nations, not the Security Council in that hall over there – 10 people altogether. What kind of democracy is this? What security? How can we secure world peace, when our destiny is in the hands of 5 or 10 people, who, in addition, are controlled by one country. We are 190 nations here, but it's like Hyde Park. They have turned you into a decor. You are like Hyde Park. They treat you as if you are worthless. It is nothing but a podium. It's exactly like making a speech at Hyde Park. You make a speech and walk away. That’s what you are like.
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The fact that the Right of Veto and the permanent seats were given to the strong constitutes abdominal injustice and terrorism, which we will not tolerate anymore. The superpowers have interests around the world, and they use the Right of Veto, the Security Council, and the power of the UN to protect their interests. This has terrorized the Third World. The Third World lives in terror. Since its establishment in 1945, the Security Council has not given us any security. It has given us only sanctions and fear. It is used against us alone. Therefore, we are not obliged to obey the resolutions of the Security Council, as of this 40th convention.
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The IAEA is an important institution in the UN, but the superpowers are not under its jurisdiction. We have found out that it is used against us alone. If it really is an "international" agency, all of the countries of the world should be under its jurisdiction. If it is not international, we should shut the door in its face, and cease to recognize it, as of now. The General Assembly should hold a hearing with the [new] IAEA chief and with his predecessor, ElBaradei, and ask him: Are you carrying out an inspection of the nuclear stockpile of the nuclear countries? Are you monitoring whether this stockpile increases or decreases? If he says: "Yes, these countries are within my authority" – we will be within his authority as well. But if he says: "I cannot go near the superpowers with nuclear bombs. I have no authority over them" – then don' come near us either. We will shut the door in his face. Gentlemen, you should know that during the Libyan nuclear bomb crisis, I called the former IAEA director-general, ElBaradei, and said to him: With regard to the agreements between the nuclear countries to reduce their WMD stockpiles – do you monitor whether they actually reduce them? If a certain country obtains more nuclear bombs or missiles, do you know about this? He answered me: Absolutely not. We cannot go near these superpowers."
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No doubt the Africans in particular are happy and proud that one of the sons of Africa is ruling the United States. This is an historic event. There was a time when black people couldn't enter the same restaurant as white people, or ride the same bus. Now, the American people voted, with unprecedented enthusiasm, for the black, African, Kenyan young man Obama, as President of the United States. This is a great thing. We are proud of him, and think he may become...This is the beginning of change. I consider Obama to be a spark [of hope] in a darkness that lasted 4 or 8 years, but I fear that after him, things will go back to what they were. Who knows what will happen in America when Obama is gone? Do you? Nobody knows. We would be happy if Obama remained ruler of America forever. The speech Obama delivered before me...I agree wholeheartedly with the speech by Obama son of Obama. He is completely different from any US president we have known.
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You have all come here from across the ocean, from other continents. You crossed the Atlantic Ocean of the Pacific Ocean, from Asia, Europe, and Africa, in order to get here. Why? Is this Jerusalem, the Vatican, or Mecca? You are all tired, asleep, suffering from the time differences. You are in a deplorable physical state. Can anyone spend 20 hours in the air, and then make a speech about the destiny of the world?! You are all tired, you are all asleep. Why are you so tired? People in your country are asleep. It is the middle of the night there, but you are awake. You should be fast asleep, according to your time. I woke up today at 4 a.m. New York time, because in Libya it was 11 a.m. It is considered late to wake up at 11 a.m. in Libya. I have been awake since 4 a.m. Think about it and tell me why we should be so tired. This place was decided upon in 1945, but must remain here until now? We should think of a more convenient and central venue. That’s one thing. Second, the US bears the cost of the security of the UN headquarters, as well as the permanent delegations, and of the dozens of heads of state who come here every year. Our living at the expense of New York and the US costs them a lot. We should relieve the US of this burden. We should thank the US...We should say to America: Thank you, but we want to help you. New York and the US will no longer be responsible for the dozens of states who come here. Suppose someone bombs a president's plane or car...A terrorist might come and...Moreover, this building, for your information, is a target for Al-Qaeda. The fact that they didn't attack it on 9/11 was not because they didn't want to. The planes may have been on their way here. This place is the next target. I'm not just talking. We have dozens of Al-Qaeda members in prison, and their confessions are very disturbing. The US is on edge, because the UN building might be hit by a hijacked plane or missile. Dozens of heads of state might die. We can relieve the US of this concern. We can say: Thank you, we want to help you by moving the headquarters to a place that is not a target.
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The UN General Assembly should start an investigation into the assassination of US President Kennedy. We know that he was killed by one Lee Harvey. Then came one Jack Ruby, and killed Lee Harvey, Kennedy's killer. Why did he kill him? Jack Ruby was an Israeli who killed Lee Harvey, Kennedy's killer. Why would this Israeli kill Kennedy's killer? Then Jack Ruby, the killer of Kennedy's killer, died in mysterious circumstances before his retrial. Why? Open the files. What I know, and what we are taught in history class, is that Kennedy had decided to hold an inspection of the Israeli Dimona nuclear plant to find out whether there were nuclear bombs there. This is why they got rid of him.
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