UN: NEW YORK: UN EARTH SUMMIT PREVIEW

(23 Jun 1997) English/Nat Heads of state and foreign ministers from 173 nations are to meet in the United Nations this week for the Earth Summit Plus Five. U-S President Clinton and nearly sixty other leaders will take stock of the progress that has been made on the environment since the Rio summit five years ago. A preliminary look at the city of New York shows how the UN and New Yorkers alike are preparing. The United Nations' headquarters in New York City seems a long way from the problems of vanishing forests, dying species and toxic drinking water. But the world's leaders who are meeting here to discuss these problems will attempt to address some of these issues in five days of five minute speeches. US Vice President Al Gore kicks off the summit on Monday and President Clinton will be here on Thursday. All visitors attending this Earth Summit will have to pass-by some thirty exhibits set up in the UN lobby- thirty exhibits which offer advice on how to keep our environment clean while maintaining our economic progress. The mammoth problems afflicting mother nature seem lost on the tourists who flock to the city. UN security forced them to leave the premises several hours early to allow for summit preparation to go unhampered. The visitors will be allowed back after the summit has concluded. This Cuban American woman meanwhile is mobilising a group to protest against Fidel Castro's visit. Now that Castro has cancelled his visit, her mission seems useless. The media outside the UN seemed equally oblivious of the news. But some sixty other world leaders will be present here for the media to pursue and many of them will be staying at the Waldorf Towers, the most exclusive part of the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel. Although the Waldorf would neither confirm or deny it, the rumour is that President Clinton will be staying here next week. This understated room on the thirty fifth floor costs a whopping six thousand five hundred dollars. But of course, history has its price and this suite has accommodated every US president since Hoover and many other world leaders in between. SOUNDBITE: "Everyone from Nikita Kruschev to Queen Elisabeth and there are a number of others that have stayed in not only this suite but in several of the other big presidential style suites within the property." SUPER CAPTION: Eric Long, General Manager, The Waldorf Astoria The general manager is not the only one feeling the pressure. The Waldorf's chefs must guarantee the finest food for their esteemed guests next week. SOUNDBITE: (English) "It's stressful, it mounts up, my job is basically to make sure that everything is followed through." SUPER CAPTION: David Cox, Executive Sous Chef, The Waldorf Astoria While the Waldorf and other major hotels welcome the green notes they are banking from this summit, ordinary New Yorkers an cabdrivers alike seem none too pleased. Gridlock will likely be the order of the day with so many international top brass being chauffeured around by police escorts. SOUNDBITE: I think the U-N does nothing...all these nations are wasting their own money." SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop, Mirza Matin, Taxi Driver from Pakistan SOUNDBITE: "There will be a lot of traffic caused by this summit and it will cause me to lose lots of money. SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop, Nana Ekow-Daniels, Taxi Driver from Ghana SOUNDBITE: "The U-N should do a better job - they don't do anything at all" SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop, Roland Archide, Taxi Driver from Haiti Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/46a72fd7dbc26b65d3e9c80085dce06f