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American Morning

Officials Gather for U.N. Special Session on AIDS

Aired June 25, 2001 - 10:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: New York is often considered the crossroads of the world, and today world leaders will meet there to chart the course of action against AIDS. Thousands of top officials from politics, business and medicine are gathering for a special session of the United Nations. Under the microscope, if you will, is the disease considered by some the greatest medical threat of modern times.

Our senior United Nations correspondent Richard Roth joins us now, with more -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Leon, with 22 million people already dead and 36 million living with HIV- AIDS world leaders have been behind the curve. They admit they've come late to this, but feel there's some momentum, and this unprecedented three-day General Assembly special session is designed to give a real impetus, a real push, to curbing the disease's spread.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan opened the event along with the General Assembly president by unveiling an AIDS quilt in memorial to all of those who have died from the disease, and with thoughts and reflections for those who may be infected now.

There are many world leaders here, some 20 heads of states from African governments. The United States is represented by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Powell met earlier with several of the delegates, over breakfast and coffee.

Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general, has been spearheading the drive here. Some had accused him in the past of being a little slow, but this has been become, perhaps, his lead issue. For the General Assembly, this has never been done before, to have a special session dedicated to a health issue.

The Security Council, last year, said AIDS was a threat to international peace and security. It's a national emergency in many countries. It certainly affects neighbors of those countries economically and politically, and the spread of AIDS through military forces has been cited by the Security Council.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his remarks, asked for funds for his global war chest he would like to create -- $7 billion to 10 billion worth -- but he also focused on the divisions inside the General Assembly, regarding human rights -- whether those who had spread the disease, who were the high-risk groups, should be included in the declaration of commitments by the world leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: We cannot deal with AIDS by making moral judgments or refusing to face unpleasant facts, and still less by stigmatizing those who are infected and making out that it is all their fault. We can only do it by speaking clearly and plainly about the ways that people become infected and about what they can do to avoid infection.

And let us remember that every person who is infected, whatever the reason, is a fellow human being with human rights and human needs. Let no one imagine that we can protect ourselves by building barriers between us and them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Egypt -- other Islamic countries are on one side. Canada, several European countries, and Latin American nations regarding this human rights issue -- who are the vulnerable groups and whether they are indeed covered by the declaration. That debate is to be fought in the hallways and private negotiating rooms throughout the three-day conference.

Richard Roth, CNN, reporting live at the AIDS conference, at the United Nations.

HARRIS: Thank you, Richard.

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