Much Ado about…?
By Javid Ghorban-Oghli
The World Conference against Racism in Geneva, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Summit in Rome, five yearly UN general assemblies in New York, and now, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is preparing for his eighth trip to participate in yet another UN conference—this time the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Former Iranian president’s aggregate trips to the UN (and its various meetings) are probably significantly less than Ahmadinejad’s.
In diplomatic conventions, the presence of the head of state at a conference signifies its importance for that country. Nevertheless, the Iranian president’s participation in a conference held at the level of foreign ministers -or lower- is unlike anything we’ve seen before. It may also imply that Mr. Ahmadinejad does not believe his foreign minister fully capable of leading the Iranian delegation.
It often seems that our president cannot resist the lure of the spotlight, whether it is inside the country or on the international scene. International reaction to President Ahmadinejad’s latest foray—one of general surprise—especially from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, is surely proof enough. (And it doesn’t make it any better knowing that Ahmadinejad’s record is not much of a cause of pride for Iranians.)
In his first appearance at the UN General Assembly in 2005, Iran’s nuclear proposal was overshadowed by the president’s now notorious story of an “Aura of Light”—which Ahmadinejad claimed had surrounded him during his speech. His masterpiece of diplomacy though, was attending the UN Geneva conference against racism (Durban II) and giving a virulent anti-Israel speech which could not have made the Jewish state any happier at the time, diverting attention away, as it did, from Israel’s atrocious attacks on the people of Gaza (which had raised the ire of the international community only a few months earlier). Gaza, it seemed, was forgotten almost before his speech ended and as attendees walked out in protest.
Interestingly, many of the meetings involving President Ahmadinejad, especially his most recent address to the UN General Assembly in 2009, have seen more than half of the delegations present simply walk out. And at the FAO conference in Rome, Ahmadinejad and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe were the only attendees not invited to the UN dinner.
It is not yet clear what Mr. Ahmadinejad’s motive is for attending the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Does he have any plans to convince the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program? Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was quoted as saying that if “he brings some good constructive proposal in resolving Iranian nuclear issues, that will be helpful”. We would also hope that Mr. Ahmadinejad puts forth a plan that defends our inalienable rights and respects our dignity, although Iran’s international profile is an altogether different issue.
There is now the worry that despite the Iranian president’s presence, the NPT conference may still turn into a platform for criticizing Iran’s nuclear program. President Obama must have had such plans in mind when he hosted world leaders in April at the Nuclear Security Summit—what was certainly a prelude to the UN conference. If that is the case, Ahmadinejad will have attended yet another futile but controversial conference which only undermines our national interests.
Javid Ghorban-Oghli is Iran’s former ambassador to South Africa.
In diplomatic conventions, the presence of the head of state at a conference signifies its importance for that country. Nevertheless, the Iranian president’s participation in a conference held at the level of foreign ministers -or lower- is unlike anything we’ve seen before. It may also imply that Mr. Ahmadinejad does not believe his foreign minister fully capable of leading the Iranian delegation.
It often seems that our president cannot resist the lure of the spotlight, whether it is inside the country or on the international scene. International reaction to President Ahmadinejad’s latest foray—one of general surprise—especially from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, is surely proof enough. (And it doesn’t make it any better knowing that Ahmadinejad’s record is not much of a cause of pride for Iranians.)
In his first appearance at the UN General Assembly in 2005, Iran’s nuclear proposal was overshadowed by the president’s now notorious story of an “Aura of Light”—which Ahmadinejad claimed had surrounded him during his speech. His masterpiece of diplomacy though, was attending the UN Geneva conference against racism (Durban II) and giving a virulent anti-Israel speech which could not have made the Jewish state any happier at the time, diverting attention away, as it did, from Israel’s atrocious attacks on the people of Gaza (which had raised the ire of the international community only a few months earlier). Gaza, it seemed, was forgotten almost before his speech ended and as attendees walked out in protest.
Interestingly, many of the meetings involving President Ahmadinejad, especially his most recent address to the UN General Assembly in 2009, have seen more than half of the delegations present simply walk out. And at the FAO conference in Rome, Ahmadinejad and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe were the only attendees not invited to the UN dinner.
It is not yet clear what Mr. Ahmadinejad’s motive is for attending the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Does he have any plans to convince the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program? Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was quoted as saying that if “he brings some good constructive proposal in resolving Iranian nuclear issues, that will be helpful”. We would also hope that Mr. Ahmadinejad puts forth a plan that defends our inalienable rights and respects our dignity, although Iran’s international profile is an altogether different issue.
There is now the worry that despite the Iranian president’s presence, the NPT conference may still turn into a platform for criticizing Iran’s nuclear program. President Obama must have had such plans in mind when he hosted world leaders in April at the Nuclear Security Summit—what was certainly a prelude to the UN conference. If that is the case, Ahmadinejad will have attended yet another futile but controversial conference which only undermines our national interests.
Javid Ghorban-Oghli is Iran’s former ambassador to South Africa.