United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-06-05

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, 5 June, 1998

HEADLINES

• Security Council lifts sanctions imposed on Sierra Leone following military coup in 1997.
• Security Council President says he intends to convene meeting on Saturday to adopt draft on nuclear testing.
• Security Council members prepare draft imposing further sanctions on UNITA if it fails to uphold obligations.
• Secretary-General appeals to Ethiopia and Eritrea to cease hostilities and give diplomacy a chance.
• Security Council members call for end to violence in Kosovo, particularly against civilians.
• Secretary-General condemns atrocities committed by Serbian forces against unarmed civilians in Kosovo.
• UN drug official says money laundering will be high on agenda of next week's special session on world drug problem.
• United Nations-NGO partnership discussed at conference in London.
• Officials from Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia exchange views on outstanding issues.
• United Nations refugee agency completes repatriation of Ethiopian refugees from Sudan.
• United Nations refugee agency ends repatriation of refugees from Niger in Algeria.
• Romania, UN Centre for International Crime Prevention and UN Development Programme join to combat corruption.
• On World Environment Day, United Nations food agency calls for better management of natural resources.
• United Nations Environment Programme issues guide to electronic information on sustainable development.

In resolution 1171 (1998) unanimously adopted on Friday, the Council further decided that all states shall prevent the sale or supply of all types of arms and related material, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts to Sierra Leone other than to the Government. The Council stipulated that such supplies should be through named points of entry on a list to be supplied by the Government to the Secretary-General who shall promptly notify all Member States of the list.

The Council also decided that these restrictions shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material to be used in Sierra Leone by the Military Observer Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG) or the United Nations.

The Security Council further decided that States shall notify its Sanctions Committee of all exports from their territories of arms and related material to Sierra Leone. It decided that the Government of Sierra Leone shall mark, register and notify the Committee of all imports of arms and related material and that the Committee shall report regularly to the Council on notifications so received.

The Council decided that all States shall prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of leading members of the former military junta and of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) as designated by the Committee, provided that such entry or transit through a particular state of any such person has been authorized by the Committee.

Deciding that the Sanctions Committee shall continue to do its work, the Council expressed its readiness to terminate the restrictions it has imposed once the control of the Government of Sierra Leone has been fully re-established all over the country and when all non-governmental forces have been disarmed and demobilized.

The Council requested the Secretary-General to report to it within three months of the date of the adoption of the resolution and again within six months regarding, in particular, the export of arms and related material referred to in its resolution and on progress made in the restoration of Government authority and the disarming and demobilization of all non- governmental forces in Sierra Leone.

"My intention is to convene a formal meeting of the Security Council to approve the draft that we are working on tomorrow at 10:30," the Council's current President, Ambassador Antonio Monteiro of Portugal, told reporters during a break between meetings.

Since the tests began late last month, the Security Council has adopted two presidential statements on the matter, both of which deplored the actions by India and Pakistan. The Presidential statements also strongly urged the two countries to refrain from any further tests. The Council affirmed the crucial importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and appealed to India and Pakistan, and all other States which had not yet done so, to become parties to those instruments without delay and without conditions.

On Thursday, a joint communiqu‚ was issued by the five permanent members of the Security Council -- China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States -- after a meeting of their foreign ministers in Geneva. The "P-Five" pledged to cooperate closely in urgent efforts to prevent a nuclear and missile arms race in the subcontinent, to bolster the non-proliferation regime and to encourage reconciliation and peaceful resolution of differences between India and Pakistan.

"The Five will seek firm commitments by India and Pakistan not to weaponize or deploy nuclear weapons or missiles," states the communiqu‚. While emphasizing the importance of the NPT, the Five asserted that notwithstanding their recent nuclear tests, India and Pakistan do not have the status of nuclear weapons States in accordance with that treaty.

The Ministers confirmed their respective policies to prevent the export of equipment, materials or technology that could in any way assist programmes in India or Pakistan for nuclear weapons or for ballistic missiles capable of delivering such weapons. They also undertook to do all they could to facilitate a reduction of tensions between those States, and to provide assistance, at the request of both parties, in the development and implementation of confidence- and security-building measures. In addition, they expressed their continued determination to fulfill their commitments relating to nuclear disarmament under the NPT.

Ambassador Antonio Monteiro of Portugal, the current President of the Security Council, told reporters on Friday that members of the Council are concerned about the failure of UNITA to abide by its obligations, namely the completion of the normalization of State administration. "The Security Council is currently working on a draft resolution on Angola based on the plan by the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Alioune Blondin Beye, for the resolution of the present crisis, which had been accepted by both sides."

Addressing the press after the Council was briefed by Mr. Beye, Ambassador Monteiro said the "troika" States -- Portugal, the Russian Federation and the United States -- were preparing a draft with a view to submitting it to the Council as soon as possible. The proposed text envisaged the adoption of additional measures against UNITA if it did not comply with its commitments. "This is a very serious situation in Angola, and we want very much to save the peace process, to get it back on track," he said.

"The Secretary-General has been in touch with the leaders of the two countries and with other leaders and will continue to do everything he can to help the parties find a peaceful solution to the dispute," said his Spokesman, Juan Carlos Brandt.

According to Mr. Brandt, the Secretary-General was deeply distressed at the escalation in fighting between the two countries, despite ongoing intensive efforts to mediate the dispute. He had been encouraged by an Ethiopian statement provisionally accepting the proposals put forward by mediators from Rwanda and the United States, as well as by the Eritrean Government's statement that it did not view those proposals as controversial. "It seems to him that there is much common ground between the two sides to the dispute, and that it is important to build on this," Mr. Brandt added.

Members of the Security Council deplored the escalation of the conflict and called for an immediate ceasefire, according to Council President Ambassador Antonio Monteiro of Portugal. He told the press that Council members were asking Eritrea and Ethiopia to affirm their commitment to resolve the dispute peacefully.

Addressing reporters on behalf of the members, Council President Ambassador Antonio Monteiro of Portugal said they were greatly concerned at the rapidly deteriorating situation, which had caused thousands of civilians to flee their homes in Kosovo, many of them crossing the border into Albania. "The members of the Council call for an immediate cessation of all acts of violence and use of force in Kosovo, particularly the excessive use of force against the civilian population," he said.

According to Ambassador Monteiro, Council members agreed on the need for urgent and productive results from the unconditional dialogue between the parties, particularly on concrete measures to reduce tensions. "Council members call for immediate and unimpeded access of humanitarian organizations to all parts of Kosovo," he said, adding that the Council would continue to follow the situation closely.

Ambassador Monteiro's comments came after the Security Council was briefed on the situation in Kosovo by officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The United Nations has no political presence in the area.

"The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by the latest reports of an intensifying campaign against the unarmed, civilian population in Kosovo," his Spokesman, Juan Carlos Brandt, told reporters. "He reiterates, in the strongest possible terms his condemnation of the atrocities committed by Serbian military and para-military forces."

Mr. Brandt emphasized that Serbian forces must not be allowed to repeat the campaign of "ethnic cleansing" and indiscriminate attacks on civilians that had characterized the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. "If the world has learned anything from that dark chapter in history, it is that this kind of aggression must be confronted immediately and with determination," said Mr. Brandt. He added that the Secretary-General was encouraged by NATO's resolve to prevent a further escalation of the fighting, and reiterated his call for a negotiated settlement that will facilitate a peaceful and democratic future for the people of Kosovo.

Jean Francois Thorny of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) was speaking at a press conference at United Nations Headquarters on Friday. Mr. Thorny, who is the head of the UNDCP Global Programme against Money Laundering said this criminal activity has been facilitated by globalization and liberalization of the world economy.

Mr. Thorny also announced the release of a preliminary report entitled "Financial Havens, Banking Secrecy and Money Laundering." The report describes money laundering as a "dynamic three-stage process" which requires moving the funds from direct association with the crime, disguising the trail to foil pursuit, and making the money available to the criminal once again with its occupational and geographic origins hidden from view.

Mr. Thorny identified bank secrecy and financial havens as two main factors which fuel money laundering. He said that although 145 states have ratified a convention to remove bank secrecy in all cases of investigations of drug trafficking and money laundering, "less than forty states in the world really comply with international standards" set up to ensure transparency.

On the use of financial havens, the United Nations official said that more than $1 billion a day is being laundered throughout the world through such mechanisms. These havens include "off shore" corporations which are licensed to do business outside the country of incorporation, are free of tax regulation and are protected by corporate secrecy laws. He added that laundering money using such off-shore financial havens has been facilitated by globalization which encourages competition between states. According to Mr. Thorny, some states have built their financial sectors by offering competitive or attractive financial services. While his agency is not opposed to such incentives, he added, what "is questionable is that some of the services offered by these off-shore centres aim at hiding the real ownership of assets and their actual origin."

Mr. Thorny concluded his remarks by saying that the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention and its Global Programme against Money Laundering will continue to monitor the situation and to alert member states on the weaknesses of the global financial systems. "These weaknesses offer too many possibilities and too many opportunities to traffickers, criminal organizations and money launderers."

Calling the discussions "truly thought-provoking," the Director of the United Nations information centre in London, Ahmad Fawzi, commented that "this is what we are all about -- bringing people together, the UN and NGOs, raising issues, encouraging dialogue and seeking a harmonious working partnership."

Gillian Martin Sorensen, the Assistant Secretary-General for External Affairs, opened the Conference and moderated a panel discussion on the current interaction between the United Nations and NGOs which featured Nicholas Stockton, Emergencies Director of OXFAM, and Raymonde Martineau, NGO Liaison Officer from the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, spoke on the topic of "sharing responsibility for a common future: 50 years of human rights." Guy Tousignant, the Secretary-General of CARE International, also addressed that subject.

A panel discussion on human rights and development covered those issues from a variety of perspectives, including the right to development as well as population and women's rights. Other matters discussed during the conference were new initiatives on economic rights and child labour, the rights of children and older persons, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Participating United Nations agencies included the International Labour Organisation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The parties continued to exchange views in the context of an "Interim Accord" concluded between the two countries on 13 September 1995. They decided to meet again after this summer, according to the spokesman.

The Greek side was represented by the Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations, Christos Zacharakis. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was represented by Ivan Tosevki.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that a final group of 700 refugees crossed into their homeland in an operation which started in 1993. The last convoy left Sudan on Thursday accompanied by UNHCR escorts and officials of Sudan's Refugee Commission who saw it cross the border near Gallabat.

UNHCR has helped in the repatriation of nearly 68,000 refugees, some of whom had spent more than 20 years in exile. There are now only 8,000 Ethiopian refugees remaining in camps in Sudan.

In the coming months, UNHCR staff will review the status of the remaining refugees some of whom may still decide to repatriate individually or to continue to require protection. The refugee agency said it will continue to assist these refugees.

The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday that vehicles collected the returnees along the 400 kilometre stretch between Tamanrasset and the border town of Guezzam. UNHCR will deliver the returnees to its sites in Agadez and Tahoua in Niger.

Tuareg refugees fled both Niger and Mali during the period of armed rebellion and drought in the early 1990's. After a fragile peace was restored in 1995, the Tuaregs, who were mainly nomadic herders, started to return to their countries.

The project aims to strengthen Romania's institutional capacity to fight corruption through a series of measures, including the enactment of legislation on corruption and the establishment of an anti-corruption ministerial body. Once in place, this will provide Romania with an effective tool to support the creation of a special unit of judges and prosecutors as well as law enforcement, customs and tax officers designed to nip corrupt practices in the bud.

The project will also organize public awareness campaigns to publicize specific actions that individuals can take to prevent corruption. The United States and Greece have provided most of the funding for the project, totalling more than $550,000.

The project agreement was signed by Valeriu Stoica, the Minister of Justice for Romania, Francesco Bastagli of the Crime Prevention Centre, and Leueen Miller of UNDP.

Addressing ceremonies marking the Day at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy's Minister of the Environment, Edo Ronchi, said the current global economy could not continue to expand under its present structure if the ecosystems on which it depended deteriorated at the present rate. "We have to bear in mind to use only the renewable resources that are necessary to us, and not to overexploit them," Minister Ronchi declared. "We have to make a firm commitment to combat factors such as climate change, which influences the availability of resources. We must also not forget the sustainable management of the marine and water resources," he added.

FAO Assistant Director-General Moritaka Hayashi called attention to the fact that 1998 is being commemorated as the International Year of the Ocean. "It would make little sense to argue that the marine and coastal environment should be turned into an environmental sanctuary, while their renewable resources are badly needed to support and feed the ever-growing world population," he said. "It is our duty, however, to ensure that the resources of the seas are utilized and managed in a sustainable, environmentally acceptable manner."

The "Guide to Environment and Development Sources of Information on CD-ROM and the Internet" was released during World Environment Day celebrations hosted by the Russian Federation in Moscow.

The Guide aims to assist users in locating relevant information sources on environment and sustainable development. It was produced by UNEP and the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom. The publication of the Guide is part of a series of initiatives geared towards expanding access to information on the environment and development.

Among those expected to benefit from the new publication are librarians, database developers, thesaurus developers, terminologists, translators, interpreters and environment and development information specialists in general.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

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