66th session of U.N. General Assembly opens

The annual event, which is being dominated this year by the Palestinians’ bid for full membership, gathers more than 100 heads of state and government for high-level meetings on nuclear safety, regional conflicts, health and nutrition and environmental issues.

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Sept. 23, 2011

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Richard Drew / AP

Sept. 23, 2011

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Richard Drew / AP

Sept. 23, 2011

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, left, gives a letter requesting recognition of Palestine as a state to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during the 66th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters.

Seth Wenig / AP

Sept. 22, 2011

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gestures at another participant as he waits to address the 66th U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

Sept. 22, 2011

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff attends a high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security at U.N. headquarters in New York.

Emmanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 22, 2011

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon opens a meeting on nuclear safety and security at the United Nations.

Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 22, 2011

Tanzania's President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, right, talks with a U.N. official as he arrives to address the 66th U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

Sept. 22, 2011

Sebastián Piñera Echenique, president of Chile, addresses the 66th General Assembly session at the United Nations in New York.

Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 22, 2011

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, right, president of Iran, hugs a member of the Kuwaiti delegation before he addresses the 66th U.N. General Assembly.

Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 22, 2011

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, second from right, and his delegation listen during a high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security at U.N. headquarters.

EricThayer / Reuters

Sept. 22, 2011

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda addresses a high-level meeting on nuclear safety and security at the 66th session of the U.N. General Assembly.

Richard Drew / AP

Sept. 22, 2011

Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa, addresses a high-level meeting on the Durban Declaration at U.N. headquarters in New York. The Durban Declaration is a statement signed in 2000 by more than 5,000 physicians and scientists affirming that HIV is the cause of AIDS.

Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 22, 2011

King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, king of Bahrain, sits after addressing the General Debate of the 66th U.N. General Assembly session.

Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 22, 2011

The French delegation's seats were empty at a high-level meeting of the Durban III Conference Against Racism during the 66th session of the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Andrew Burton / AP

Sept. 22, 2011

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of Iran, addresses the 66th General Assembly at the U.N. in New York.

Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 21, 2011

Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's president, speaks during the 66th annual U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg

Sept. 21, 2011

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton applauds Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff during the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

Sept. 21, 2011

Jordan's King Abdullah listens to Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, right, as they attend the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters

Eric Thayer / Reuters

Sept. 21, 2011

Argentina President Cristina Fernandez addresses the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Jason DeCrow / AP

Sept. 21, 2011

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, president of Equatorial Guinea, addresses the U.N. General Assembly.

Richard Drew / AP

Sept. 21, 2011

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akhbar Salehi listens to President Obama as he addresses the U.N. General Assembly.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

Sept. 21, 2011

Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar speaks to the U.N. General Assembly.

Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 21, 2011

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak addresses the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

Sept. 21, 2011

People stand in the aisles to listen to President Obama speak to the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 21, 2011

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon greets President Obama as he arrives to address the U.N. General Assembly.

Eric Thayer / Reuters

Sept. 21, 2011

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas listens as President Obama speaks during the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Seth Wenig / AP

Sept. 21, 2011

President Obama addresses the opening of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Mario Tama / Getty Images

Sept. 21, 2011

First lady Michelle Obama, center, listens as President Obama addresses the the U.N. General Assembly.

Jason DeCrow / AP

Sept. 21, 2011

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives to address the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

Sept. 21, 2011

The Israeli delegation, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, center row, left, listens to President Obama speak to the U.N. General Assembly.

Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 21, 2011

French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaks to the U.N. General Assembly.

Stan Honda / AFP/Getty Images

Sept. 21, 2011

Officials including Libya's National Transitional Council Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, center, listen during the U.N. General Assembly.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

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