Rob Watson at the United Nations: "A wave of spontaneous sympathy from the assembly floor."

The speech, which coincided with the broadcast of his video-taped testimony to the Grand Jury investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair, also referred to regional conflicts in Europe and Asia.

He was given a standing ovation by the audience, which included almost 50 world leaders and 100 foreign ministers.

Speech was overshadowed by the Lewinsky scandal

President Clinton said: "Terrorism is not a way to tomorrow, it is only a throwback to yesterday.

"Together we can meet it and overcome its threats, its injuries and its fears with confidence."

Before his address began, the White House insisted that for President Clinton it was business as usual, despite the broadcast of the tapes.

A White House spokesman said Mr Clinton would "represent this country at the UN and he will undoubtedly do it with distinction and it [the Monica Lewinsky case] will not have an impact."

Annan criticises 'individual action'

Kofi Annan: Concerned at US approach to terrorism

The Assembly opened with a speech by the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan.

Mr Annan used the opportunity to implicitly criticise the United States for its missile attacks against suspected terrorist targets in Sudan.

"Terrorism is a global menace, which clearly calls for global action," he said.

"Individual actions by member states, whether aimed at state or non-state actors, cannot in themselves provide a solution. We must meet this threat together."

Iran's return

UN assistant secretary-general John Ruggie: "It's an unusually high number of challenges that this assembly confronts"

Among the main speakers in the two-week debate is Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, who is making the first speech before the UN General Assembly by an Iranian head of state since 1986.

President Khatami is expected to speak on Iran's foreign policy.

On the sidelines of the debate there will be an eight-nation meeting, including Iran, the US and the UK, on the tensions between Iran and the Taleban militia in Afghanistan.

'First' for Arafat

The Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat will participate in the debate for the first time, following the upgrading of the Palestine mission to the UN to a special status just short of statehood.

Mr Arafat is expected to use his speech to try and gain support for his plans to declare a Palestinian state in May 1999.

Bilateral meetings

After President Clinton's address, he is due to meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for talks focused on the recent nuclear tests by Pakistan and India.