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Tampa chats with U.N. leader
By BABITA PERSAUD
© St. Petersburg Times, Tampa joined nine other cities via satellite Thursday in a national town hall meeting sponsored by the United Nations. At noon, on a giant television screen at the University of Tampa, retired CBS anchor Walter Cronkite introduced United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan for U.N. Reaches Out to America, a question-and-answer session. The satellite town meeting beamed live from New York was a first for Annan, who was born in Ghana and educated in the United States, and a first for the United Nations Annan's opening comments, vowing to continue the humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, were followed by questions. Not surprisingly, many of the questions Annan faced dealt with terrorism and Afghanistan. A questioner from Denver wanted to know the position of the United Nations, a humanitarian organization, on the use of force? "With the attack against the World Trade Center, the U.S. has the right to self-defense," Annan said. From Houston: What was Afghanistan's role in the United Nations? The Afghani seat is filled by a representative from the Northern Alliance. The United Nations does not recognize the Taliban, Annan said. Then, Tampa's turn: A recent poll showed nine of 10 Americans think the United Nations should play a role in the fight against terrorism. Do you think this is the case? Yes, Annan said, adding that he would like to see Americans start asking not "Why do they hate us?" but rather look at the support America has received and say, "We didn't know we had so many friends out there." The satellite-linked town hall meeting was produced by the Better World Fund, which is funded by a $1-billion gift from media tycoon Ted Turner to the United Nations a few years ago. Cronkite moderated the discussion among the panels in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Seattle and Tampa. Tampa was selected through the efforts of Bill Frederick, a vice president of a Tampa public relations firm who has helped with many charity and grass-roots U.N. efforts here, including UNICEF drives. After 35-minute Annan segment, the Tampa audience engaged in a lively debate with a five-member panel that included local lawyers and terrorism experts. Most questions were directed to Michael Doyle, assistant secretary general and special adviser to the secretary general, who graduated from Jesuit High School in Tampa. Chris Shephard, a Tampa substitute teacher, wanted to know why the United Nations seemed to be taking a back seat and the United States is in the forefront. The United States has the full right to protect itself, Doyle said. Largo immigration lawyer Drucilla Bell asked about Taliban rule and the oppression of women there. Doyle said the United Nations position is to support a government that better represents all the people of Afghanistan. University of Tampa government and world affairs student Viancca Burger, 20, had a personal question for the panel. Her father is an American Airlines pilot and she wanted to know about safety measures. What could the United Nations do? Doyle told her that the United Nations is against hijacking, but security is really a national responsibility. Organizers hope to air U.N. Reaches Out to America on C-SPAN. The meeting was not open to the public. About 100 guests -- police officers, military personnel, lawyers and business owners -- were in the audience in the domed Fletcher Lounge at the University of Tampa's Plant Hall.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
