United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-10-14

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 14 October, 1998

HEADLINES

• General Assembly, voting 157 in favour to 2 against, adopts resolution on need to end United States embargo against Cuba.
• President of International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia welcomes Kosovo agreements.
• Secretary-General says opening of bilateral talks to resolve disputed issue of Prevlaka is a step forward.
• Secretary-General's envoy for Afghanistan says there is basis to diffuse tension between Iran and Taliban in Afghanistan.
• United Nations food agency reports that food crises are on the rise around the world.
• Winner of Nobel prize for Economics says famines are linked to absence of democracy.
• Secretary-General, saying world cannot afford to rely on relief when disaster strikes, calls for prevention.
• Deputy Secretary-General says industrialized countries must do their part to protect refugees and asylum-seekers.
• World Health Organization launches first joint study of quality of life of Parkinson's disease patients.
• Head of UNESCO allays concern that a newly announced reproductive technique is an attempt at human cloning.

With 157 countries voting in favour to 2 against -- the United States and Israel -- the Assembly reiterated its call on all States to refrain from promulgating and applying unilateral laws and measures that affect the free flow of international trade, in conformity with their obligations under the United Nations Charter and international law.

The Assembly once again urged States that have and continue to apply such laws and measures to take steps to repeal or invalidate them as soon as possible. It also requested the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly's next session on the need to end the United States embargo against Cuba, and decided to include the matter on the agenda of that session.

This marks the seventh year in a row that the Assembly has adopted a resolution on the need to end the United States embargo against Cuba. In 1992, the Assembly took the decision by a much closer vote: 59 in favour to 3 against (United States, Israel and Romania), with 71 abstentions. By 1997, the vote was 143 in favour to three against (United States, Israel and Uzbekistan), with 17 abstentions.

By the text adopted on Wednesday, the Assembly expressed concern that further measures were being applied to strengthen and extend the embargo. It expressed concern about the adverse effects of this on the Cuban people and Cuban nationals living in other countries.

"Blind and deaf, the United States of America continues to ignore the demands made by this Assembly for six successive years to put an end to its long, harsh and merciless economic, commercial and financial war against Cuba," said the country's Foreign Minister, Roberto Robaina Gonzalez, prior to the vote.

Mr. Robaina directed his comments at the Helms-Burton Act -- also mentioned in the Assembly resolution -- which he said was "passed as an attempt to enshrine hegemonism, extraterritoriality and unilateralism in international law, and in a manner that makes a mockery of the US allies, stomps US partners and further humiliates other States." Quoting from a report of the American World Health Association, he said the consequences of the embargo included a significant rise in suffering and -- even deaths -- in Cuba.

On his country's decision to refuse emergency food assistance from the United States, Foreign Minister Robaina said, "To accept crumbs from our executioner while the blockade becomes increasingly tight and merciless would not be proper for a person of dignity." He concluded by calling on the Assembly to support the draft "on behalf of the 11 million Cubans who do not implore, but rather demand, on their feet, an end to this dirty war, and who do not accept any disgraceful assistance, for they know they can rise and walk on their own."

United States representative A. Peter Burleigh said his country's concern about Cuba stemmed from its Government's "systematic denial of universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms to the Cuban people." The sanctions against Cuba were "but one element of a broad policy aimed at promoting a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba."

Mr. Burleigh said that support for the Cuban people remained a central thrust of the United States policy. Dozens of non-governmental groups in the United States were engaged in projects with independent Cuban groups, and the Government had licensed over $2 billion in private humanitarian assistance from those groups and individuals for the people of Cuba, he added.

For his part, Secretary-General Kofi Annan, addressing reporters in New York on Wednesday, said the agreement was obviously a step in the right direction, but it had to be tested. "We have to be vigilant to ensure that the Yugoslav Government does indeed implement the Security Council resolution," he said.

Mr. Annan expressed hope that humanitarian agencies which were returning to Kosovo would be able to function. "I hope the situation will continue to calm down to allow them to do their work."

In her statement, issued Wednesday, Tribunal President Gabrielle Kirk McDonald said that she has not yet had the opportunity to review the agreements, and was not familiar with their provisions. She reiterated that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was legally required to cooperate with the Tribunal. "She reminds all involved parties of the need to ensure the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's full compliance with all of its obligations towards the International Tribunal," according to the statement.

Noting that the Security Council was expected to review the agreement, the President recalled her efforts to bring the Council's attention to the persistent failure of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to surrender three persons indicted by the Tribunal in November 1995. Mile Mrksic, Miroslav Radic and Veselin Sljivancanin are charged with the murder of 260 unarmed men following the fall of the city of Vukovar in late 1991. "Today they remain at liberty," said the President. "The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia continues to flout the law and the will of the international community by refusing to transfer them to the International Tribunal."

Tribunal Prosecutor Louise Arbour told the press in New York that there were reports that President Slobodan Milosevic had refused to acknowledge the Tribunal's jurisdiction, but that he would allow freedom of access for operations there. She stressed that the Tribunal's jurisdiction "is not for Mr. Milosevic to decide, nor is it subject to negotiations between him and anyone else." That jurisdiction was set out in unambiguous terms in the Tribunal's Statute, which was created by a resolution of the Security Council. "The interpretation of the scope of the jurisdiction is for the judges of the Tribunal to determine and for the Security Council to modify or expand, but it is not subject to anyone's consent."

Ms. Arbour stressed that the Tribunal had jurisdiction over "crimes committed during an internal armed conflict in Kosovo since 1991 on a continuing basis, today and into the future." The Prosecutor was entitled to conduct on-site negotiations with the cooperation of all States. The Prosecutor had a very small office in Belgrade, and it planned to resume its investigations in Kosovo. "I expect to be granted access for missions of whatever size we deem appropriate." She said that she would start finalizing plans for the next mission upon her return to the Tribunal's seat at The Hague on Thursday.

In his report on the United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), the Secretary-General recalls that in each of its resolutions on the issue, the Security Council has urged the parties to negotiate constructively towards a solution. "Therefore I am pleased to report that such negotiations are at last under way." However, he cautions that "it would be premature to state that the parties are close to a final agreement."

According to the Secretary-General, the presence of UNMOP on the ground in the area has played a key role in creating conditions conducive to the opening of talks between the two sides. He urges both parties to take full advantage of the presence of UNMOP to pursue and conclude their discussions while conditions remain favourable for securing a lasting peace.

UNMOP continues to monitor the demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula and the neighbouring areas in Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by carrying out vehicle and food patrols on both sides of the border except when prevented from doing so by restrictions imposed by one party or the other.

The mission, consisting of 28 United Nations military observers, also holds regular meetings with local authorities in order to strengthen liaison, reduce tension, improve safety and security and promote confidence between the parties.

The Secretary-General says that although violations of the demilitarization regime by both sides persisted, including restrictions on the movement of United Nations military observers, deployment of military elements from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the occasional presence of Croatian Army personnel, the situation in the area remained stable.

Mr. Brahimi was speaking to the press at the Islamabad airport in Pakistan, after a meeting with the Supreme Leader of the Taliban Movement, Mullah Mohammed Omar and his colleagues, in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Mr. Brahimi said that during the discussion, which lasted for more than three hours, his delegation suggested that Iran and the Taliban authorities meet at a responsible political level and at any venue the two sides would agree on. He said that the Taliban leader agreed to the suggestion.

During the discussion of the killing of Iranian diplomats in Mazar- i- Sharif, Mullah Mohammed Omar repeated that the Taliban condemned this act, that those who committed it were not acting under orders of the leadership nor were they acting with the approval of their local commanders.

The Taliban leader also confirmed that his movement was "actively trying to identify the guilty individuals and that when they are found they will receive their just retribution," Mr. Brahimi said. Mullar Omar added that his authorities would support and cooperate with an international investigation into the killings of the Iranian diplomats, the envoy said.

Regarding the Iranian prisoners held by the Taliban, Mr. Brahimi said that he was delighted to announce that "the Supreme Leader Mullah Mohamed Omar has authorized us to tell you that all Iranian nationals who are still in detention in Afghanistan will be released immediately." Mr. Brahimi added that his delegation undertook to do its utmost to secure the release of Taliban prisoners and "we are confident that we shall succeed."

In the area of human rights, according to Mr. Brahimi, the Taliban authorities said they were ready "to cooperate with the international investigation into the reported mass killings and mass graves of Taliban fighters in Mazar-i-Sharif, Dasht-i-Leli, in the jail of Bamiyan and the recent claims and reports of mass killings."

Mr. Brahimi said that the discussions with the Taliban authorities also covered the activities of the United Nations which have been suspended since the attack, in Kabul, of two officials and the subsequent death of Lieutenant Colonel Carmine Calo. He said that the Taliban authorities confirmed that they would soon send a delegation to Islamabad to address the United Nations concerns "and, hopefully, create the conditions which will allow the UN to resume its activities in full."

Regarding a political settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan, Mr. Brahimi said he delegation told the Taliban authorities that "winning a battle does not necessarily mean that lasting peace has been won." He added that national reconciliation required a real, open, wide-ranging dialogue. "The important thing is that no community is left out, no community should feel forgotten, neglected, or worse, persecuted."

Mr. Brahimi said that no final conclusion was reached on this point, and that he told the Taliban leader that he would report his views to the Secretary-General, the Six Plus Two, and the Security Council, if asked by its President.

In the lead up to World Food Day, which will be marked on Friday, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said that compared to one year ago, many more people in the world were suffering from malnutrition and hunger. WFP has had to greatly increase its food aid to millions of people due to the increase in natural disasters, economic emergencies and man-made catastrophes, said Catherine Bertini, the Executive Director of WFP.

The United Nations food agency attributed the increase in the number of the food crises to devastating floods and drought caused by the El Ni¤o phenomenon in Africa and Asia, the economic down-turn in Southeast Asia, and the wars and civil strife in parts of Africa and the Balkans.

Ms. Bertini said it was now more important than ever to bring the "hunger agenda" to the attention of the international community. She added that this year's crises were an indication that people could be thrown into a "hunger trap" in a moment's notice, whether by the usual culprits of war and weather or by the seemingly less probable problems of economic recession and instability.

The head of WFP said she was, at the same time, concerned about the ongoing plight of more than 800 million people around the world who are chronically undernourished as a result of abject poverty. She stressed that irrespective of the causes of hunger, continued assistance would be necessary to stabilize the situation of the most vulnerable people.

WFP has responded to emergencies around the world by expanding the number of its operations. Its major programmes include provision of food assistance to people in the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Korea, Bangladesh, the People's Republic of China, Kosovo, Albania and Indonesia.

Addressing a press conference at United Nations in New York, Amartya Sen, an economist from India who has participated in the preparation of the annual development report of the United Nations Development Programme, said that famines were peculiarly extreme deprivations which were also easy to prevent.

Mr. Sen said that although there were other economic factors which caused famines, in the political arena very often governments did not have incentives to prevent such famines because while they might kill millions, they typically did not affect the rulers.

Mr. Sen said that democracy makes the rulers pay a cost, because once a famine comes the rulers would be criticized by the free press, they would be attacked by other political parties, if other political parties were tolerated, and they would be chastised in parliament if there was a parliament. "And you will lose the next election, if there are elections. So a democratic government immediately has an incentive not to have a famine."

According to Mr. Sen countries that were currently experiencing famine, whether in Africa or Asia, "are countries without a democratic form of government." He said he was depressed by this because he did not think that winning as a scientist was more important than winning as a human being. "I would wish that my predictions were proved wrong and there would be no famines even in these dictatorships because a lot people live under dictatorships," the 1998 Nobel laureate for Economics said.

In a message marking the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction, the Secretary-General said that while the international community could not stop the forces of nature, "we can and must prevent them from turning into major social and economic disasters."

The Secretary-General said natural disasters disrupted market stability, leading to tremendous declines in national revenue. "In many developing countries, 5 per cent of gross national product may be lost to natural disasters each year," he said.

While it would still be critical to prepare for more efficient rescue operations, greater attention should be paid to preventive strategies aimed at saving lives and protecting assets before they were lost, he stated.

"Prevention begins with information," noted Mr. Annan. "On this International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction, I wish to encourage the widest possible partnership, communication and exchange of information among all groups of society and all nations to ensure a sustained commitment to a safer world, a world more resilient to the impact of natural hazards and disasters."

In an address to the International Association of Refugee Law Judges, Ms. Fr‚chette stressed that the great majority of refugees and displaced persons in the world remained in their regions of origin. Only a small minority reached the countries of Western Europe and North America. "Understandably perhaps, governments in industrialized countries would on the whole prefer to keep things that way," she noted. While there were some good arguments for that, she stressed that industrialized countries must assist those countries which had to handle much larger refugee flows with fewer resources than developed States.

Ms. Fr‚chette said that some Governments were taking measures that had the effect of preventing people who were in fear for their lives from leaving their countries, or from reaching another country in which they could feel safe. "Unhappily, that is the effect of measures taken by some States to reduce the number of asylum-seekers reaching their territory, ostensibly in order to prevent abuse of the asylum system." This trend was a cause for great concern.

The Deputy Secretary-General noted that refugee problems must be tackled at the root: oppression and conflict. She underscored the fact that the vast majority of refugee flows in the world today arose from conflicts within States. Human rights violations were a chief cause, she said, stressing that the United Nations had learned in practice that "human rights are not a purely internal affair, to be left to the discretion of individual Member States, but an issue of international concern."

Calling humanitarian action "the great growth industry of our Organization during the decade," Ms. Fr‚chette expressed fear that the United Nations had not "kept pace with the growth of human misery." She questioned how humanitarian action could be an adequate response, when the killing, maiming and displacement of civilians was not an incidental element in the political or military strategy of warring parties, but its major objective.

The disease is a progressive neuro-degenerative disorder which affects the movement or the control of movement, including speech and body language. At the moment, it is incurable and the main treatment is drug therapy, although surgical techniques are also used.

The study, known as the Global Parkinson's Disease Survey, which has been jointly launched by WHO, the European Parkinson's Disease Association and the United States-based National Parkinson Foundation, will cover three continents and involve six countries: Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The United Nations health agency said that a total of more than 2,000 randomly chosen patients, carers and specialist clinicians would be interviewed face to face by professionally trained medical interviewers. The survey will investigate additional factors other than disease severity and drug therapy which affect the quality of life of the patients of the disease. These factors include the patients' access to a support group, the ability to gain the information, and use of non-drug therapies.

According to WHO, although some people in the later stages might become mentally confused or demented, most retained their intellectual facilities while living in a body which was becoming increasingly disabled. This in itself, the agency added, could contribute to the boredom, social isolation and depression commonly experienced by sufferers.

The United Nations health agency said that although in 1990, there were an estimated 4 million people suffering from Parkinson's disease, there were few reliable data of global prevalence or morbidity of the disease.

WHO said that the importance of Parkinson's disease as a public health issue was expected to increase as a result of the ageing of the world population. The United Nations agency also pointed out that although the incidence of the disease was higher in the elderly population, more than one in ten sufferers was diagnosed by the age of 50.

UNESCO Director-General, Federico Mayor was responding to the announcement by a team of researchers at New York University that they had succeeded in transferring the genetic nucleus of an egg from an infertile woman into another previously denucleated egg before conducting an in vitro fertilization. According to UNESCO, the announcement had given rise to concern that this could be a step towards human cloning.

Mr. Mayor said that the development of this new technique was an important step forward in the treatment of female infertility. "In no way can it be considered as an attempt to undertake reproductive human cloning," he said, adding that the genetic make-up of the embryo would not be predetermined. He said that the embryo, combining the genes from both of its parents, would not be identical to either one of its parents.

The head of UNESCO said that human cloning was ethically unacceptable because it predetermined the characteristics of a distinct human being. He recalled Article 11 of the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, by UNESCO's General Conference on 11 November 1997, which rules out human cloning and all applications of this technology "that might affect respect for the dignity and identity of every individual."



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