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Harsh Words at UN from Turkey about Israel, and from Iran about the U.S.
(New York Times) Neil MacFarquhar - Evidently heedless of American attempts to engineer a thaw in Turkish-Israeli relations, Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey used his appearance before the UN General Assembly on Thursday to enumerate a long list of grievances with Israel. Representatives of the Quartet were still trying to reach an agreement on a statement about moving peace negotiations forward, intended to counterbalance the proposal for UN membership that PA President Abbas has vowed to present. The Americans and Europeans, close to an agreement, may issue a statement by themselves. Iranian President Ahmadinejad delivered one of his characteristic anti-Western broadsides, embroidered with tinges of religious mysticism. He blamed the U.S., Israel and Europe for the global recession and a list of other ills. He also suggested that America's killing of Osama bin Laden last May was part of a dark conspiracy to conceal the real perpetrators of the Sept. 11 attacks. Ahmadinejad's remarks provoked what has become a ritual large-scale walkout of delegations, led by the U.S.