United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-09-30

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 30 September, 1998

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General expresses outrage at reports of atrocities perpetrated by security forces in Kosovo.
• Secretary-General recommends continuation of United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission.
• United Nations Compensation Commission pays out over $690 million for losses arising from Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
• Prime Minister of Dominica recommends establishment of a fund to help disaster-affected small States.
• United Nations announces winners of its Sasakawa Disaster Prevention Award.

A statement issued by his spokesman on Wednesday said that these reports were particularly shocking to the Secretary-General in light of denials that such actions were taking place received from the Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia whom he met on Tuesday.

The statement recalled that the Security Council had recently reaffirmed the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. From this, the statement added, it followed that the authorities of Yugoslavia had the right and the duty to maintain public order and to defend the country from provocative actions such as those which had been committed by Kosovar Albanian separatist extremists.

"But those actions can never justify the pattern of terror, including the burning of houses, looting, killing of livestock and wanton killing that have been reported these past few days," the Secretary-General said. Stressing that such actions were totally unacceptable to the international community, the Secretary-General reiterated that it was the duty of security forces to protect citizens, not to intimidate them.

The Secretary-General "utterly" condemned these actions and renewed his strong representations to the government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, made directly to the Foreign Minister, to desist from repeating them. "He once again calls upon all parties to cease violence and to concentrate on the search for a negotiated solution to the crisis in Kosovo according to law," the statement said.

In his latest report on UNIKOM, the Secretary-General said that during the past six months, the mission, which is monitoring the demilitarized zone along the Iraq-Kuwait border, continued to contribute to the maintenance of calm and stability in the zone.

"The situation along the border was generally quiet", the Secretary-General said, adding that UNIKOM received cooperation of the Kuwaiti and Iraqi authorities in discharging its duty. During the period under review, from 24 March 1998 to 23 September 1998, UNIKOM carried out its normal operations without interruption, the report of the Secretary-General said.

According to the report, the number of violations in the demilitarized zone dropped by more than fifty per cent, from 175 to 67.

UNIKOM continued to dispose of unexploded mines and bomblets in the demilitarized zone, with a total of 5,823 unexploded devices destroyed, the report said. It added that unexploded mines and other ordnance inside the demilitarized zone, mostly on the Iraqi side, continued to cause casualties among civilians living and working in the area.

A total of $519,520,000 was paid to 67 Governments and three international organizations for distribution to 207,808 successful claimants whose claims arose in connection with their departure from Iraq or Kuwait. The Commission also made available $171,255,083 to 50 Governments and three international organizations for distribution to 70,557 successful claimants whose claims concerned individual losses of up to $100,000.

The funding for the payments being made comes from the 30 per cent share of the revenue derived from Iraqi petroleum sold under what is known as the "oil-for-food" programme

Wednesday's payment brings the overall amount of compensation made available by the Compensation Commission to a total of $1,915,019,127.

Addressing the fifty-third session of the General Assembly, Prime Minister Edison James said that the Fund, under the auspices of the United Nations, would mobilize resources which would be available for quick and effective response to the needs of small States affected by natural disasters.

Prime Minister James reminded the General Assembly that only a few days ago, the Caribbean had been "severely impacted upon" by one such natural disaster, Hurricane Georges. He said that the damage inflicted was extensive, particularly in St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda. "It is on their behalf that I urge this body to generously respond to their expressed need for assistance in the reconstruction work," the leader of Dominica said.

Prime Minister James also called for more action to halt global warming and the greenhouse effect blamed for the changing weather patterns.

The Award is being presented in the wake of the worst floods China suffered this century, which claimed over 3,000 lives. Economic damage is estimated to reach around $30 billion. The Award is a tribute to the work of the Chinese authorities in reducing the human and economic impact of the floods, which could have taken a far larger toll on the country.

Duo Ji Cai Rang has played a key role in the establishment of China's National Disaster Reduction Plan. He also led the planning and building of the Chinese National Centre for Natural Disaster Reduction, and the creation of a network on national disaster information and evaluation systems.

Wang Ang-Sheng, a scientist and member of the Chinese Institute of Atmospheric Physics and of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is being recognized for his many activities to raise awareness about the importance of natural disaster prevention and preparedness both regionally and internationally.

The Award will be presented to the winners at a ceremony on 14 October -- World Disaster Reduction Day -- at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Award, which carries a prize of $50,000, was created in 1986. It was endowed by the then-chairperson of the Nippon Foundation, the late Ryoichi Sasakawa.

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

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