United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-09-23

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 23 September, 1998

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Colombia's President says eradication of illicit drug crops will be central to peace talks with armed groups.
• President of Suriname says attacks on international workers should be treated as crimes against humanity.
• Prime Minister of Mauritius says that sustainable development in Africa is conditional on peace.
• Secretary-General urges all leaders in Lesotho to work together to restore normalcy in the country.
• United Nations appeals for $139 million to help flood victims in China.
• International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia issues search warrants to collect documents.

International support was needed to complement the country's efforts to build peace, said President Pastrana. Outlining his government's plan to achieve peace through diplomacy, he observed, "If we can achieve peace in Colombia, it would be an important initial contribution to the liberation of mankind from one of the twentieth century's greatest evils: the world problem of illicit drugs." He said that if the peasant farmers of Colombia could pursue alternative forms of development, with fair prices for their products at home and abroad, they would become less dependent on illicit crops.

Cooperation for development must receive a "massive injection" to save it from decline, said President Pastrana. "We need multilateralism with social content, in which the human being is the central priority, and in which development is the guiding principle in decisions," he observed. "I stand before you to make an appeal for all nations to contribute to the burial of the post- cold war period... and to open the door wide to an era of creative and more humane multilateralism."

Addressing the forty-third session of the General Assembly, President Jules Albert Wijdenbosch characterized the attacks against international workers, including United Nations field officers, as a "disturbing and despicable act" which must be condemned in the strongest terms. He said these workers were men and women who were contributing to the cause of humanity.

The President of Suriname also spoke out against terrorism. He said that recent terrorist attacks in Africa, Europe and elsewhere had once more shocked the international community and left it in a state of dismay. President Wijdenbosch said that his country condemned international terrorism and welcomed the conclusion of regional agreements and mutually agreed declaration to combat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The President of Suriname also touched on a number of other issues of concern to the international community, including the stalled peace process in the Middle East, the phenomenon of globalization, nuclear disarmament, the promotion of human right, the preservation of the environment, and the problem of drugs.

In his address to the General Assembly on Wednesday, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam said that the grim situation in Africa remained one of the most intractable challenges to the world community. "It is sad indeed that year after year the number of potential flashpoints seem to grow more numerous," the Prime Minister of Mauritius said. He added that the peoples of Africa could ill-afford the pointless strife and violence visited upon them at a time when the priorities should be economic and social development. "We in Africa, naturally have to bear the primary responsibility for assuring lasting peace for our peoples," the leader of Mauritius said.

On the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Prime Minister Navinchandra appealed to all the parties involved to resolve their differences through political dialogue and diplomacy. He also said that his country was fully participating in the efforts of the Organization of African Unity and the countries in the region to peacefully resolve the crisis facing Comoros where there is a separatist insurgency on the island of Anjouan.

"Fortunately, however, not all is gloom when we survey Africa," the Prime Minister of Mauritius added. He noted with satisfaction the continuous positive economic growth that most of Sub-Saharan countries had enjoyed lately. He said that governments in Africa were becoming increasingly more democratic and responsive, putting more emphasis on economic development, greater openness and embracing market-oriented policies and greater economic freedom.

In a statement issued by his spokesman in the wake of violent clashes in the country, the Secretary-General said that he was very disturbed by the turn of events in Lesotho and was following them closely.

The Secretary-General said that he was in contact with leaders in the region with a view to helping in the restoration of normalcy and the pursuit of a meaningful national dialogue to resolve the recent political problems.

Events took another turn on Tuesday when South African troops crossed into Maseru, the country's capital, where demonstrators supporting the opposition had been challenging the results of the May elections.

The flood disaster is affecting 223 million people in 29 provinces -- one fifth of China's population. More than 3,000 people have died, while by the end of August, direct economic damage was estimated at over $20 billion. The flood disaster is of a magnitude unprecedented over the last decades, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The appeal, which was launched in Beijing, urges governments, non- governmental organizations, private donors and others to contribute quickly in order to strengthen the relief efforts mounted by the Chinese Government and the Red Cross. Funds will be used to provide shelter, food, health care, water and sanitation services, rehabilitation of schools and health centres, agriculture and education.

A number of United Nations agencies are participating in the appeal, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The Tribunal on Wednesday confirmed that members of Prosecutor Louise Arbour's office are in the process of executing search warrants issued at her request by one of the Tribunal's judges in several locations in Siroki Brijeg, Mostar and Vitez. The purpose of these warrants is to collect documents related to ongoing investigations and trials.

According to the Tribunal, the operation is being conducted with the cooperation of the local authorities, the NATO Stabilisation Force (SFOR) and the International Police Task Force.

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

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