United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-07-20

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, 20 July, 1998

HEADLINES

• Security Council extends mandate of UN Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara.
• Secretary-General describes the establishment of the permanent international criminal court as "a gift of hope".
• The Secretary-General resumes his visit to Latin America.
• Secretary-General expresses sympathy to the government and people of Papua New Guinea.
• General Assembly President hopes ongoing recovery efforts will prevent further loss of life in Papua New Guinea.
• UNHCR and WFP condemn murder of aid workers in Afghanistan.
• The Secretary-General recommends an extension of the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
• The Secretary-General recommends an extension of the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia.

In unanimously adopting resolution 1185 (1998), the Council called upon the parties -- the Government of Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y del Rio Oro (Frente POLISARIO) -- to cooperate constructively with the United Nations, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General and the Identification Commission in order to complete the identification of voters phase of the Settlement Plan and the agreements reached for its implementation.

The Council also noted with satisfaction the expressed readiness of the Moroccan Government to cooperate with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in order to formalize the presence of UNHCR in Western Sahara.

Reiterating its commitment to assist the parties to achieve a just and lasting solution to the question of Western Sahara, the Council called for a prompt conclusion of the status-of-forces agreements with the Secretary- General to facilitate the full and timely deployment of MINURSO-formed military units, in particular the deployment of the military engineering support and demining units.

The Council also called for the lifting of any restrictions imposed on MINURSO aircraft, or on passengers whose travel MINURSO determined to be of assistance in the fulfillment of the mandate, in line with the practice of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

The Secretary-General was requested to report to the Council every 30 days on the progress of the implementation of the Settlement Plan and the agreements reached between the parties, and to keep the Council regularly informed of all significant developments in the interim period.

Mr.Annan said that the decision (to establish the court) had special significance for the United Nations. "We never forget that our Organization has its origins in a global struggle against regimes which were guilty of mass murder on a horrendous scale. And unhappily, we have had to deal all too recently,..... with new crimes of the same appalling nature, if not quite of the same magnitude, the Secretary-General added.

The permanent court will judge the most serious crimes of concern to the international community such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Statute which was opened for signature on Friday has already been signed by 26 States. It must be signed and ratified by sixty nations to come into effect. The international criminal court will come into effect one month after the sixtieth ratification. It will remain in Rome until October 17, then deposited with the Secretary-General in New York where it will stay open for signature until December 31, 2000.

The Secretary-General was expected to meet with President Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of Guatemala at 5:30 p.m local time and at 6:15, the president was scheduled to decorate the secretary-general with the medal of Quetzal Order, which is the highest honour the government can bestow on a civilian", the Spokesman added.

Mr. Annan began his Latin American tour in Brazil and has so far also visited Uruguay and Argentina. His next and last stop is Mexico.

The Spokesman said the Secretary-General "hopes the international community will give generous and timely assistance to the government and people of Papua New Guinea in their hour of need", adding that the "United Nations stands ready to help in assessing the damage and in mobilising the necessary international relief effort".

Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), has put on stand-by a four person United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) South Pacific team to assist the national authorities and the UN Development Programme Office in Port Moresby, in needs assessment, coordination of the relief activities, mobilization of international assistance and reporting. OCHA has also offered the Deputy UN Resident Representative the release of an emergency grant of up to USD$ 50,000 for the local purchase of relief supplies, following an appeal by the Government of Papua New Guinea.

The Assembly President also expressed his heartfelt sympathy to the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea and conveyed his condolences to the families of the victims. "He is hoping that the ongoing recovery efforts will be able to prevent further loss of life and bring relief to those injured by this calamity", the statement concluded.

WFP's Executive Director Catherine Bertini said that all at WFP "are united in condemning this evil act". "These brutal killings are a cruel reminder that despite appeals for greater respect for humanitarian workers, some people or groups continue to kill with impunity", Ms. Bertini said.

The victims, who worked for the United Nations agencies, were kidnapped a week ago from in front of Jalalabad University while waiting for a UN vehicle to transport them to work. Their bodies were found over the weekend. Both workers had worked on UNHCR's programme for the reintegration of refugees returning from Pakistan to the Jalalabad area.

Mr. Annan also drew attention to the "serious shortfall in the funding of the Force", noting that unpaid assessments amounted to $103.5 million. "I appeal to all Member States to pay their assessments promptly and in full and to clear all remaining arrears, he concluded.

The Secretary-General said that the situation on the ground was tense and the risk of new confrontation high. "My Special Representative as well as the Russian Federation in its capacity as facilitator were forced to address one immediate crisis after another, caused by the lack of willingness on the part of both sides to renounce violence and seriously consider peaceful options", the secretary-general said. He reported the burning and looting of some 14 hundred private homes, including those recently rebuilt with international assistance at a cost of $2 million and the plight of some 40-thousand people forced by the hostilities to leave their homes for a second time. "I deplore such reprehensible acts, whose motive appears to be to expel people from their home areas", the secretary- general stressed.

Mr. Annan also condemned attacks against peacekeepers of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and reiterated that protection of unarmed United Nations military observers rested with the parties - the Georgian and Abkhaz authorities. "Both sides still have to make substantial efforts to contain the threat on the ground", he said.

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

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