UN General Assembly: Climate change and nuclear weapons to dominate

[Editors: this is a preview - it should run some time before morning
of Monday 23rd Sept]

Climate change and nuclear weapons are expected to dominate this
year's United Nations General Assembly.

This annual event in New York is a chance for countries' leaders to
lay out their plans and air their concerns.

But despite 193 nations taking part, the last two years have seen one
particular President dominate the headlines.

As Nick Harper reports from UN headquarters in New York.

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193 countries. 2 weeks of conferences, events and summits.
But, recently at least, one President has hogged the headlines.
In 2017 American President Donald Trump warned the General Assembly
the US would "totally destroy" North Korea.

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"Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. "

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In 2018 diplomats marveled at the assessment of his success.

SOT - Trump 2
"My administration has accomplished more than almost any
administration in the history of our country. So true. [laughs] Didn't
expect that reaction. But that's ok."

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There's no love lost between the UN and President Trump. He's
repeatedly attacked the body's multilateral approach, preferring a
unilateral, America-first way. Here's UN Director at the International
Crisis Group, Richard Gowan.

SOT - Gowan
"I think that many leaders are concerned that the multilateral system
is crumbling and they're also worried about the rise of authoritarian
leaders in many states. It's notable that the first speakers at this
General Assembly will include not only President Trump but also
President Bolsonaro of Brazil, Sisi from Egypt and Erdogan from
Turkey. That's a pretty illiberal quartet."

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The big theme up for discussion this year is climate change. World
leaders are expected to outline new emissions targets at a summit on
Monday. But UN watchers, like Jonathan Cristol, research fellow at
Adelphi University, worry we could see repackaged ideas rather than
new promises.

SOT - Cristol
"As long as the major powers and the major polluters are either
unwilling to dial back their carbon emissions, or in the case of the
United States, are unwilling now to even acknowledge the problem, I'm
not sure what you can hope to achieve other than that it doesn't fall
off the agenda."

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Some experts also remain skeptical about the level of progress at
Thursday's high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament.
Professor Michael John Williams is the Director International
Relations Program at New York University.

SOT - Williams
"We'll probably hear a lot of platitudes and discussion about the need
to have a nuclear-free world, but they remain a cornerstone of the
US-NATO deterrence in Europe, the Russias maintain a massive nuclear
arsenal, and because we have proliferation into east Asia and south
Asia, all those states see those weapons as critical to their
security. So I doubt we'll see any progress towards a nuclear free
world."

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The ramped up rhetoric between Iran and the US, with threats of war,
will likely prevent a meeting between President Trump and President
Hassan Rouhani.
Also likely to feature through the week will be the flaring tensions
between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, the seemingly unending
conflict in Yemen, and the ever-growing global migrant crisis.
Diplomats hope all the talking will translate to action.
As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, he wants "concrete
plans", not just "beautiful speeches".

I'm Nick Harper in New York.