14 September 2005
International leaders including Tony Blair have assembled at the United Nations in New York for the 2005 World Summit, expected to be the largest such gathering ever held.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan and US President George Bush spoke to the assembly as the summit got under way.
During three days of meetings, the leaders are expected to approve a document dealing with development, a peace-building commission, a new Human Rights Council, terrorism and the establishment of a democracy fund.
More than 150 monarchs, presidents and prime ministers are due to attend the discussions, which mark the 60th anniversary of the UN.
Mr Annan said ‘millions of lives and the hopes of billions’ rested on fulfilling the pledges contained in the meeting’s outcome document.
Later today the PM will address the General Assemby to talk about trade, development and how to build on the outcomes of the Gleneagles G8 summit.
Mr Blair is also expected to attend former US President Bill Clinton’s ‘global initiative’ where more than 800 people will gather to discuss ways to tackle poverty, climate change, governance and religion.
Last week while in India he said he was hoping that a ‘very strong statement’ on terrorism would come out of the summit.
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