we are dead even. the economy is bad. it stinks. people feel it instinctively. if you are a democrat, you are willing to make accommodations for the president and if you are not you don't. >> it is like a dead heat out there. it is more anti-incumbent regardless of the party right now. you could see republicans take significant losses in the house. thus kinds of things could happen. it does not quite jelled the way we normally would think of it. it what i think the most likely to be with obama then romney.

i do not mean this in a partisan sense. the power of incumbency, crawl knows what it is like to have that power behind the a in terms of what you can do. the way the electoral map looks in terms of what romney has, if iran may somehow does not get there, or if something goes wrong, a could really go wrong. i do not see that happening with the president. a lot of the avenues they have been through already. that is a very big deal. i think romney may have a great team. they have not been 3 general

election yet. they could stumble. something could go wrong. i think we can have this. but it all falls back in place, it starts to look like a blowout the other way. wow. >> i think we have concluded that we will have a close election one way or another. i want to thank my panelists for their wonderful contribution. [applause] in particular, i want to thank all of you for coming to kick off our event series. we hope to see at another event soon. thank you so much for coming.

[applause] >> tomorrow on washington journal, a discussion on cell phone providers adding gps information to law enforcement officials without warning. our guest is from the american civil liberties union. then, virgil goode will talk about winning the constitution party presidential nomination. later, a lookit the library of book,ss' upcoming "presidential campaign posters." washington journal take your calls and e-mail is like every morning starting at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. monday, the bipartisan policy center holds a forum looking at the next round of talks with iran. speakers include former ambassador dennis ross and nicholas burns. you can watch it live starting at 10:00 a.m. eastern here on c- span.

>> over the past year, c-span public local content vehicle has taken booktv and american history on the road. last month, oklahoma city. the crews have the did the places that define a city's bearded and literary life. june 2-third, watch for special programming from wichita, kansas. >> the atlantic council held its annual awards dinner this week in washington. honorees include england's prince harry, who received a humanitarian award. we join the event as former secretary of state: powell gives a speech. this is 10 minutes. >> thank you, very much, for your kind introduction.

all of you know him as prince harry. do not forget, capt.. [applause] apart from recognizing his contributions to humanitarian projects, i would be remiss if i did not note that his presence has altered the normal demographic makeup of our audience. [laughter] we have a record number of young, single women attending this year, prince harry. when you saw them outside -- i also have to say that the average age for an atlantic council dinner has dropped 25 years as a result of your

presence. for that, we really, really thank you. [laughter] [applause] prince harry is a young man who has grown up, not just with good looks and royal privileges, it would have been easy for him to choose a life of eat -- ease in leisure. instead, he chose a more difficult path. by so doing, he is become an example to millions of others. it is a path that fully embraces the noblest traditions of service to country and to his fellow human beings. on the one hand, prince harry has bravely followed the traditions generations of british royals before him by serving his country in the military. he is an army officer in the british army since 2006 and deployed with the household

cavalry regiment's battle group to helmut province in 2008. he served on the frontline directing british and american aircraft onto enemy targets. he has shown he knows what it means to lead by example. even when it means possibly paying the ultimate price. only three years ago he applied for pilot training with the army air corps. his aptitude and skills or ideally suited for this role and he earned a place in an apache attack helicopter as a result of that. at the end of his training this year, he was awarded the prize for best co-pilot, one of two awards that marked the best students in the course. he is now serving as an apache pilot with the regiment air corps. prince harry has wholeheartedly continued the royal tradition

of advocating on behalf of society's unfortunate members. clearly, the loving effort princess diana made to teach her sons of the importance of serving others has touched the hearts and souls of her to the zero sons and continues her legacy. harry and his brother, prince william, have always focused on the principal causes of their charitable lies. they helped the heroes in 2007. both played a leading role, giving -- using their positions to put the spotlight on this extraordinary charity. since the creation of the foundation of prince william and prince harry in 2009, both have moved to make their own mark in the world of philanthropy. they have acted together in support of veteran's charities, undertaking numerous engagements, and developing many different initiatives to help

veterans. for someone so young, his charitable ambitions are notable and the impact of his work is very significant. through his efforts, he restores hope and confidence to those who have been wounded in the service of their country. the most prominent example of this is the participation -- his participation in the walking with the winded program, which helps with the troops the metric their courage and determination as they prepare for return to civilian life. prince harry has shown a remarkable ability to lead by example and demonstrates the importance of using one's experience, talent, and 1's position to benefit one's fellow man. the atlantic council recognizes the tremendous commitment prince harry brings to these humanitarian endeavors and honors him for the impact of his charitable work on behalf of soldiers and their families.

in presenting him with the 2012 distinguished humanitarian leadership award, we know he will continue to be an inspiring example to young people around the world on the importance of service to others. ladies and gentlemen, i am honored to present to you the recipient of the 2012 distinguished humanitarian leadership award, his royal highness prince harry. [applause] >> thank you.

♪ >> this test nothing at all. and general powell, thank you for your incredibly kind words. for a captain in the british army to be with such a world renowned soldier and statesman is truly humbling and a little terrifying. it is with great humility that i accept this award. generally, i obviously do not feel i have done enough to deserve it, but i am immensely grateful to the atlantic council, chuck hegel, fred camp, and the board of the atlantic council for affording me this great honor. if i may, i would like to accept the award on behalf of my

brother, william, our foundation, all those on both sides of the atlantic who worked so tirelessly to support our wounded veterans, but particularly to the guys for this is their award. it would be wrong of me to speak for these heroes, but not presumptuous of me to pay tribute to them. so many of our servicemen and women have made the ultimate sacrifice. so many lives have been lost and so many changed forever by the wounds they have suffered. they have paid a terrible price to keep us safe and free. at the very least, we owe them to make sure that they and their brave families have everything they need in the darkest days and, in time, regain the hope and confidence to flourish again. for these selfless people, it is often where the real fight

begins, a fight that may last the rest of their lives. we all continue to support our armed forces in defense of freedom at home and abroad, but sooner or later, the coverage of them in the media will diminish or sees as coalition forces withdraw from afghanistan. they will no longer be at the forefront of our minds. the injuries left from a bullet, an ied, or watching a fellow comrades injured or killed, these are experiences that remain with you for life, both physically and mentally. we must be there for our service men and women and their families, standing shoulder to shoulder. british and american forces trained together, they fight together, and, tragically, some are wounded and some die together. it makes perfect sense to me, therefore, that we should, wherever possible inappropriate,

work together by pulling our expertise and experience to support the winded of veterans of both of our nations. truly, brothers and sisters in arms. it was a privilege for me to fight alongside members of the united states armed forces. their professionalism and dedication to the values we share and hold dear are inspirational. i would personally like to congratulate marine sergeant maker -- a sergeant major receiving an award tonight recognizing the united states armed forces contributions to the defense of freedom. i have sought to raise awareness of the challenges facing our wounded, to help mobilize support and resources for them. we have tried to do what we can to help service men and women

leave the military with purpose, hope, and confidence. whether in their working in garments or in the wider community, these fine people are examples to us all and have made an invaluable contribution. last year, i struggled to keep up with four british soldiers who i joined in an expedition to the north pole. each of these men had been gravely wounded on the battlefield of afghanistan theirs was the fastest team to reach people that season. at this very moment, another team of our wounded are returning from mount everest. sadly, i have to be the first to say they were frustrated from reaching the summit by the unusually warm weather, which brings particularly dangerous -- dangerous conditions, however, the mere fact they are up on that peake i find totally amazing. ladies and gentlemen, these

people, hours and yours, are extraordinary. that is why i feel so humble in except in this wonderful honor. i congratulate wholeheartedly my fellow award winners, but most of all, i salute our wounded veterans. thank you very much. [applause] >> on monday, a look at nato's new strategic prospects and its emerged -- its response to emerging terrorism. the british american society along with george washington university's elliott school for international affairs and nato- watched are watching that -- boasting that forum. we will have that live monday at 1:30 p.m. eastern on c-span3. tomorrow on washington journal, a discussion on cell phone providers allowing gps information to law enforcement

officials without warrant. our guest is from the american civil liberties union. then, former u.s. representative from virginia, virgil goode will talk about winning the constitution party provincial nomination. later, a look to the library of congress upcoming book "a presidential campaign posters." we will hear from ralph eubanks. washington journal takes your calls and e-mail is like every morning starting at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. >> cutting back in an age where crime is global in ways it was not 10 years ago, and by that i mean whether it be organized crime, whether it be cyber crime, white-collar crime, gangs, they are globalized and, consequently, the entity that has the best chance for addressing globalized criminal activity is the fbi. consequently, it to cut us from

doing it at a point in time when much of the crime is globalized, it is a double hit in some sense. >> on wednesday, the fbi director testified on capitol hill about the negative impact of budget cuts, political correctness, in reviewing the foreign intelligence surveillance act. watch it on line at the c-span video library. it is one of many discussions we covered this past week, all archived and searchable. c-span.org/videolibrary. >> now, more from the atlantic council awards dinner. ban ki-moon was recognized for his leadership in addressing global challenges. this portion of the ceremony is one hour. >> i can imagine no man or a. to announce the next award than the most senior enlisted man,

chuck table. -- chuck hegle. this is the one who served in the ninth entry division in 1906 -- ninth infantry division in 1968 during vietnam. these two soldiers were literally brothers in arms, serving side-by-side. they as often as not walked point together, the most dangerous spot, in the steaming jungles of the delta. they watched firsthand after comrades perished around them, still managing to forge ahead. an act of bravery that resulted in five purple hearts, two four chalk, and free for tom.

they also saved each other's lies. shot hegel pulled his unconscious brother out of a burning armored personnel carrier just before it blew up. blisters. he prayed as he watched blood poured out of his ears. he reflected after that as he was near death, severely burned, in a makeshift hospital. "i made a promise to myself that if i got out of that place will and was in a position to do something about war, i would do whatever i could do to stop it. i have never forgotten that promise." here understands the commitment and sacrifices we honor this evening because he has made them. he understands how difficult it

is to rejoin society. he understands the physical and psychological traumas. his remarkable life of public service has been informed in some ways from what he experienced as a young man. we salute you. [applause] >> thank you. i am grateful for the opportunity to make this award presentation. not just because i was once an enlisted man in the armed forces, and not because i have anything against officers. the enlisted men and women are the ones who earn an honest

living. when i was in the army, generals used to paralyze me and scare the hell out of me. that is no longer the case, but sergeant major is due. that is right. you are a former sergeant major. our men and women deserve special recognition, not sliding are officers and those who dedicate themselves to our country to make it a better world. tonight we honor the enlisted men and women in our armed forces. represented here tonight are some many ambassadors, from all over the world. each of those ambassadors represents a a nation with an armed force.

i have low is believed it is the enlisted men and women of many countries armed force that makes up the sinew and the tissue when the muscle and the fabric and the spirit of our services. i doubt if there is an officer in this room beginning with general powell and other leaders, who disagree with anything i have said norwood they disagree with the facts we are honoring our enlisted men and women. since i have the microphone, that is the way we're going to do it. enlisted men and women do not have much to do with making policy. but they always carry out the policy.

they do not ask for anything special. it is the people in their families that are the ones who really take a tremendous amount of the brunt of active duty were and make a tremendous amount of the sacrifices. i doubt if there is a general or spouse that would question that. i thought prince harry's comments about families was particularly important and i want to thank prince harry and prince william for what they continue to do in recognizing our men and women in uniform all over the world. men and women who served in the armed forces do it because they believe in something. they believe in a noble cause, they believe in their country.

they believe in security for their country but they believe in something deeper and bigger than that. they believe in a better world. they believe they can help make a better world. regardless of the service or the pepsi n -- the ngo service, or what paul polman talked about, it is about making a better world. it is about leaving behind a better world. it is about young people. we understand that. every parent in this room understands it very well. to recognize these heroes, it is the right thing to do. it balances out very well the other honorees tonight.

it recognizes the sacrifice and the service of these men and women and their families. but it makes a statement about who we are. any man or woman who has served his or her country in uniform knows those individuals are the ones who most hate and test war. they also understand that a strong defense and security is of vital to building a bridge to a better understanding. it is about that platform building that i referred to in my remarks earlier. i am going to ask a distinguished individual, an adviser to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff to come up here in a moment. i want to tell you about him. bryan battaglia will come up here and receive the award on

behalf of all the enlisted men and women. battaglia is an advisor to the joint chiefs of staff. he is the senior noncommissioned officer in the armed forces. he serves as the principal military adviser to the chairman, the secretary of defense, on all matters involving a joint and utilization, the health of the force, and joint development for enlisted personnel. he is the recipient of many, many prestigious military honors, awards, and decorations, including the bronze star, purpleheart, and others. his wife, mrs. ban ki m battagls

also here tonight. the men and women around the room in uniform are here to represent their colleagues in the five services of our country. we applaud them and had an opportunity right before dinner was served to have them backstage in get photographs with members like general powell and all of the honorees, which was a great treat for them. each of them said it was a bigger treat for them to get their picture taken with these enlisted men and women. as an old army sergeant, i would say in bringing sergeant major battaglia up here, for a marine, a he is all right. [laughter] yan ban kiajor br on up.taglia, come

[applause]

>> members of the atlantic county, and gas, ladies and gentlemen, good evening. -- guests. as i stand before you, let me thank you for this prestigious honor. those who have served and those who are serving as members of our armed forces. we are extremely grateful -- [applause] thank you. we are extremely grateful to be recognized alongside others here

this evening. to express my appreciation for what you do. as our senior officer and a lifelong member to this profession, it is humbling to represent an enlisted corps of over 1 million men and women, a diverse and powerful composition reaching all walks of life. no corner of our country untouched which has continuously involved to our inventory of dynamic leaders. traditionally referred to as the backbone of our military, are forced brings a robust strength, skills, and the grit to carry a heavy load. across the years, we have witnessed a transformation of crass firm -- craftsman to a 21st century multitalented

enlisted corps that comprises over 80% of our force. as times have of all, so has our society and the value of our service members. equally important are noncommissioned officers who bring advanced portfolio of expertise and art. we are no longer simply a defender of society but rather a vigorous group which helps sustain the commitments of americans to everything we value, honor, in equal opportunity, leadership, and integrity, to mention a few. many of you in this room, notably prince harry, a fighter pilot, understands the trust, confidence, and leadership and commitment needed from his shoulders in order for the mission to get accomplished. -- soldiers in order for the

mission to get accomplished. lisa, air force, lisa ann, coast guard. [applause] they stand here this evening and share the pride in representing an unlisted force past and present, service members dating back 237 years, the beginning of building a world-class military that have the serbs this nation today it sure it across the decades, -- gladly serves this nation today. across the decades, our men and

women have provided freedoms within the borders of our homeland and beyond. unlisted warriors the past, like the person who led an attack on a german machine-gun nest, eliminating a platoon of enemy soldiers in capturing 132 others. warriors like our special forces who risk much to ensure our adversaries bring nor harm. like our national guardsmen who can bring immediate relief to our communities and neighborhoods. unlisted more years to give their full devotion of duty -- enlisted warriors who give their full devotion of duty who are now when our cemeteries. sons, daughters, siblings, who look for no fanfare but

opportunity. opportunity to make a difference, to make our country a better place. ladies and gentlemen, it would please me to know and a fallen listed service members past and present -- to no end if all unlisted numbers past and present please stand so we can recognize you. [applause] thank you. this robust and artistic groups you recognize would have never accelerated or developed over the years if not for the vision

of our commission officer corps. our leaders capture the potential value. it is those which have bridge to the trust between our officers and noncommissioned officers. general dempsey and i are proud of our force but we also recognize we cannot do what we do without the support of our families. the commitment and sacrifice of our spouses, children, parents, and siblings play a role to our success and sustainment of our future. let me proclaim that our enlisted men and women representing all volunteer of force to remain attached to our society and a central part in the shaping of our country. they are not just guardians of our nation but the future of our democracy and the aspiration of the world's people. thank you for this honor and may god continue to bless our troops

and their families. thank you. [applause] >> now we call on to the culminating portion of the evening when we award the 2012 distinguished international leadership award. it is my privilege to invite to this stage the man who will present the award to this year's recipients, united nations

secretary general ban ki moon. doctor henry kissinger. after which, after ban ki moon, anne-sophie mutter will send us home with a musical tribute to the secretary general and united nations. henry kissinger is a man who needs no introduction. let me repeat that. henry kissinger is a man who needs no introduction. wait a minute. i am not sure enough i got that right. the last time i heard doctor kissinger introduce that way years ago, he came to the podium and said, thank you but your introduction was too modest. when he was called upon again to

introduce doctor kissinger, the message -- mentioned his comment and then went on at some length about his brilliance, his books, his government service, his nobel peace prize, and so on. then he came to the podium and said to the audience, it is true that no man needs an introduction less than i do but no man appreciates one more. as national security adviser and secretary of state to presidents nixon and ford, kissinger was a key participant at every stage of their presidencies. during his decade of dominance in american foreign policy, he brokered historic to deals and engineered ships in the international relations landscaped affect us to this day.

witness the reverberant -- reverberating breakthrough with hina on the f40th anniversary of the visit. you are welcome for the plug of your book. he has continued to be an advisor to presidents and has exercised influence on the decisions of statesmen around the world. doctor kissinger, you have been something of a mentor to the secretary general and others leaders. you are also the longest serving board member of the atlantic's council. we have proffered from your intellect, and yes, your wicked sense of humor. ladies and gentlemen, doctor henry kissinger. [applause]

>> your royal highnesses, mr. secretary-general, ladies and gentlemen, on one occasion, an fter an eloquent introduction up to me following the reception and said, i understand you are a fascinating man. she said, fascinate me. [laughter] it was one of the less successful conversations. [laughter] that i have had.

in 1951, before i was henry kissinger -- [laughter] i was an intern at an organization called the operation research office of the department of the army. they sent me to korea to study the impact of the u.s. army on korea in life for which i was -- korean life for which i was spectacularly ill-equipped. [laughter] but it gave me an opportunity to travel around the country in the middle of the korean war.

the country was devastated. the largest building in seoul was the headquarters of the japanese government that had since been torn down. no one would have believed it, that a day would come that a secretary-general of the united nations would be a distinguished korean leader. or that korea would look at it

as today. -- as it does today. it would have seemed totally improbable that a korean diplomat would travel around the world, acting in some respects as the conscience of mankind. a secretary general of the united nations who is active in places as far-flung as syria, sudan, burma, seeking to mediate and delay suffering.

that this was possible at all is a tribute to the faith and dedication of the korean people, who had the vision -- who had a vision to overcome their suffering and their destruction, and emerge as one of the leading countries of asia, and of the world. and it is equally true, due to the qualities of secretary- general, who, as a diplomat, and now in his current position, has taken a position

of wise and subtle leadership. his conduct is unassuming. his demeanor is modest. and as he has said on one occasion, modesty is an aspect of demeanor. it is not an attribute of vision and purpose. he has shown vision and purpose, and he has done it from the delicate position of having to earn the confidence of the many conflicting tendencies that exist in the world today.

this is really the first period in which international affairs have become truly global in the sense that actions in any part of the world affect every other part. and in this capacity, the secretary-general, ban ki-moon, has put forward a five year action plan that deals with climate and environmental challenges, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, combating infectious disease,

strengthening the international financial system, ensuring global growth and sustainability. and so it is no accident that the first asian leader to receive this award from the atlantic council should receive it, not primarily for the efforts he conducted on behalf of his nation, but for the efforts he has conducted on behalf of of humanity, of providing a forum where disputes can be aired, a mechanism where reconciliation can be attempted, and a

possibility in which serious efforts can be made to discuss many technical problems in a world in which the traditional conflicts are no long dominant but new visions are needed for those issues that can only be dealt with on a global basis. so i'm very grateful to the atlantic council for giving me this opportunity to pay tribute to a distinguished leader. and i am obliged to point out to you that the organizers not

fully confident that i would represent myself adequately of this, have asked me not only to introduce the secretary- general, but introduce a video of the secretary-general. [laughter] after which i will give the award for the distinguished international leadership to my secretary-general of the united nations. [applause] >> the last 10 days, including 120 meetings with the government and foreign head of state, head

of ministers. i chaired the high level meeting of pakistan, and so many spent -- somalia. >> what huge amount of work gets done but also the opportunity to have a voice, talking about the issues that they care about. >> climate change and public issues. we were able to mobilize $40 billion to reduce brutality and dying of women and children. >> it is amazing to watch. one day he gives 30 speeches on different topics, different priorities. >> i wake up at 4:00 a.m. that gives me the best time, without any interruption. i have private time. it's like i am on conveyor belt. i spend time with my family

members. unfortunately, my youngest randdaughter, i am immensely grateful to my wife, my children for having been very patient, understanding my situation. >> he has 192 constituents he looks after. 192 nations with interests that he must fairly reflect. >> when i was a young child, chil my background as a person was born in very poor country, which country has risen as one important economic power. that i can play a role between developing and developed countries. i start every day, every morning as if this is the first day in my office as secretary- general. each time i have met those young people who seemingly would

have any hope before, who would have hope for me, and you cannot help but be trooper. how united nations can have opportunity. today we are being tested in all we do. let us send a clear message there can be no peace without trust. [applause] [applause]

>> >> sav for that kind introduction. -- thank you for that kind introduction. your contribution has been great. i think you, doctor kissinger, for your support of the united nations and for myself as the secretary general. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, let me join in congratulating the other honorees of this meeting. paul polman, enlisted men and women of the united states, and

his royal highness prince harry. this is a distinguished company indeed. [applause] general colin powell, doctor rajiv shah, maestro andre previn, honorable members of the congress, excellencies, members of the diplomatic quorum, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, thank you as well for your warm welcome. thank you to the board of the atlantic council, chairman senator hagel and president frederick kempe, for their extraordinary honor. i take it as an eloquent symbol of partnership, united states and the united nations, and, therefore, all the staff and peacekeeping operations staff, and i humbly accept this honor.

seldom, if ever, have our principles and shared been more relevant. seldom if ever has this partnership been more vital than at this moment. ladies and gentlemen, our world is rough place. as secretary-general of the united nations, my thoughts are n.th more than 120,000 u.s peacekeeping operations staff, from more than 120 countries, who are walking day and night on the very difficult and dangerous continents. -- circumstances.

my deepest admiration's to all of them, and to all the people who are walking tirelessly for -- working tirelessly for peace and stability around the world. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, let us cast our eyes across the globchd political landscape. in syria, the violence still continues. we are in a race against time to prevent a full scale civil war. tensions between iran remains dangerous. they recently launched another missile, and appear to be contemplating another nuclear tests in defiance of the entire

community. we see famine coming into the sahara. military coups in mali. south sudan is on the brink of famine that not long ago claimed 2 million lives. -- conflict that not long ago claimed 2 million lives. euroto this the crisis in you area, climate change, the pressure of a growing population, 7 billion, on our planet. we have planetary limitations. almost every year we look in the sense we see growing insecurity, growing injustice, growing social inequality. if i were to speak like an economist, i might say we have an oversupply of problems.

and the deficit of solutions, our deficits of leadership. that partly reflects the great changes of transforming our modern world. power is shifting. breaking downsis and we do not yet know the shape of the new. 20 years ago at the end of the cold war, the united states and its traditional allies could be ounted on to lead the warorld through uncertainty and change. today, that is much more different. -- difficult. and yet tonight, i want to state clearly, we need leadership, your leadership. in these times of deep uncertainty during this era of change and transformation, we need a sort of leadership that

has long distinguished this venerable atlantic council. a leadership dedicated to the common good of a global common good, a leadership of nations, acting in concert as we have seen, with truly global -- th stewardship. this is the leadership that created the united nations and is the founding channel. this is the leadership that will keep our principles all live and strong. ladies and gentlemen, as you may know, i lived through the korean war, as was eloquently introduced by dr. kissinger. the united nations, led by the united states, helped us through that dark hour. they came to us to rescue on the brink of collapse.

forever after, the united nations community has been -a beacon of hope and is still is, billions of others around the world. when ever i see all of them who are looking to the united nations, i am humbled. what kind of support can i bring to them? today, as then, i believe the united nations can and must be the solution to the worlds great challenges. engagement through the united nations, share the costs and responsibilities of leadership for all universal values and to steer the world through this great transition. that is why in january, as i

begin my second term, i sent out a roadmap for my five year second term as secretary- general. they are in effect five imperatives of collective global action, opportunities to create the future we want, how to fight climate change and chart a new development. a path of sustainable growth and development. how to prevent country and response to disasters and other humanitarian emergencies, from many man-made tragedies, man- made crisis. how to create a more just secure and equitable world grounded in universal human rights. how to support the nation's in transmission -- nations in

transition for democracy. where many people still in arab and north africa are suffering for their rights and forth their aspirations, rights for human dignity. and how to give the world of women and young children greater voice and opportunity. let me say a few words about the common thread that leads us -- weaves through all of them. that is the importance of putting people first. this is what politicians often say. but not many politicians are putting people first. the role of justice and fundamental freedoms, and essential quality of human dignity. this is what united nations and i as secretary-general is trying to do, putting people first.

[applause] during the past year our collective values were tested. the international community responded with courage, decisiveness and unity. where the incumbent president refused to stand down after having lost the election. when he threatened his people with a civil war in order to preserve his own power, illegal power, we stood for democracy and human rights. today he is awaiting trial in the international criminal court

in the hague, and other president is in office. when moammar gadhafi threatened and killed his own people, we acted. in doing so we have forced a fundamental new principle. the responsibility to protect. in each case, it is important to recognize that there will be action collectively under the umbrella of legitimacy provided by the african union, united states and others. general brent scowcroft, who has been such a strong leader of the atlantic council, said himself that this is the way of future, and i couldn't agree more. few events in modern memory have been more inspiring or more challenging than the arab

spring. from the outset, i called -- the united nations have called on theirs to listen to people. to enter into an inclusive dialogue with them. for some, it was too late. now we must have these nations. that is one of my priorities. in tunisia, egypt, libya and israel, we are walking for -- working for solutions that focus on people. building democratic institutions, helping to promote human rights, creating jobs and economies, economic opportunities, especially for

women and young people. the challenge in syria is especially difficult. the government continues to assault its people everyday. unfortunately, we see the most appalling images, firing in city centers, innocent civilians are dying, even children. security forces are arresting and torturing people with great to brutality. meanwhile, attacks by the opposition have escalated. as of today, the united nations has deployed 59 supervision nations, and we will expedite this number. the district will have more than 130, and by 15 of this may we will have more than 230

people. and we are accelerating to implement secretary council resolutions to complement our 300 military supervisors, and approximately 100 before this month. our most immediate call is to save human life, to see the end of this violence. and the presence of u.n. monitors have, in some cases, reduced the intensity of violence in syria. but it is still very precarious. but we must also create an opening for political engagement. between the government and those seeking change. let me say clearly, this is a difficult mission and a difficult moment. this is a dangerous issue. -- mission.

we know the risk to our brave service. -- observers. we know that syrian citizens could face punishment for even speaking with them, and we know the nature of the regime, which could very choose the presence further violence. the effortof the nation to prepare for the importance of our joint of the i call on the syrian government to follow up on the six point plan without further delay. partnerships are indispensable.

the league of arab states and others presented here tonight. we cannot predict how this will land but we do know that there can be no compromise on fundamental principles of justice and human rights in syria or elsewhere. no amount of force -- [applause] no amount of force can crush people's aspirations. 12 days ago, charles taylor was found guilty by a special tribunal. today, i say no leader anywhere at anytime should think he or immunity from crimes

of atrocity. [applause] those responsible for such acts in syria or elsewhere must be held accountable by the international community. ladies and gentlemen, i began these remarks with a call for a collective efforts, putting people first. we need to create a more human world, a world of resolutions for ordinary people. a world of greater justice with a proactive protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms with a greater security and equity for all. as i see it, justice and integrity are not abstractions.

they are not mere aspirations. they are rights of people. they are the responsibilities of governments to deliver. none of these ideas are alien to anyone here this evening. they are core american values. they are core transatlantic values. increasingly, widely shared around the world. our challenge is to continue to spread these principles all around the world. that takes leadership, your leadership. if i could leave you with just one thought, it would be this -- the atlantic council has always stood firm for justice and equal rights.

now is not to the moment to lose heart or change course. thank you for this honor, and thank you for your leadership and commitment. let us work together to make this world better for all. [applause] thank you so much. >> ladies and gentleman, the great anne-sophie mutter.

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>> thank you, anne-sophie mutter. what a brilliant performance. this ends the celebration. thank you for attending. see you all next year. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012]

>> former secretary of state and ambassador nicholas burns has authored a report on the importance of the atlantic alliance. he will speak about his report and take questions monday at the atlantic council. you can watch it at 4:00 p.m. eastern here on c-span. tomorrow "washington journal," allowing the use of gps unit -- information without warrant. our guest is christopher calabrese. then winning the constitution party presidential nomination and a look at the library of congress' upcoming book. we will hear from the director of