United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-11-18

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 18 November, 1998

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General decides to keep United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia through end of 1999.
• Secretary-General says UN Disengagement Observer Force should remain in Israeli-Syrian sector through May 1999.
• Joint trial of two genocide suspects draws to a close at International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
• International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia says Belgrade must act to hand over suspects.
• United Nations nutritional survey confirms serious malnutrition in Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In a recent letter to the President of the Security Council, the Secretary- General explains that he is taking this decision in view of the very positive role currently being played by UNOL as well as Liberia's continuing need for special support.

Since its establishment at the end of September, 1997, UNOL has focused on the consolidation of peace. It has promoted reconciliation and the strengthening of democratic institutions in Liberia. Further, the Support Office has provided political support for efforts to mobilize international resources and assistance for national recovery and reconstruction.

The Secretary-General's Representative, Felix Downes-Thomas, has been active in efforts to reduce tensions between Liberia and some of its neighbours, as well as tensions that have at times arisen between the Liberian Government and the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Group, according to the letter. "Most recently," the Secretary- General observes, "the Office has continued to be involved in efforts to promote reconciliation and to calm tensions in the wake of the disturbances that occurred in Monrovia on 18 September 1998 and afterwards."

In a reply to the Secretary-General released on Wednesday, Security Council President, Ambassador A. Peter Burleigh of the United States, says that Council members have taken note of the Secretary-General's intention to extend UNOL's mandate until the end of next December.

In a report to the Security Council issued Wednesday, the Secretary-General says that despite the present quiet in that sector, the situation in the Middle East continues to be potentially dangerous and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the problem can be reached. "I hope that determined efforts will be made by all concerned to tackle the problem in all its aspects, with a view to arriving at a just and durable peace settlement, as called for by the Security Council in its resolution 338 (1973).

The Secretary-General reports that the presence of UNDOF in the area is essential. He draws attention to the serious shortfall in funding for the Force. Currently, unpaid dues amount to $52.9 million. "I appeal to all Member States to pay their assessments promptly and in full and to clear all remaining arrears."

The Security Council established UNDOF by its resolution 350 (1974) on 31 May 1974 to maintain the ceasefire and supervise the Agreement on Disengagement and the related Protocol signed by Israel and Syria. It is currently comprised of 1,046 troops from Austria, Canada, Japan, Poland and Slovakia.

Judges are deliberating on the case and are expected to render a judgement early next year, according to the Tribunal.

In both cases, the Prosecution is seeking life imprisonment for a series of crimes, including murder, extermination, and inhumane acts. For others crimes, the Prosecution is seeking a 20 to 30-year sentence. The Defence argued for acquittal of both suspects, arguing that they were not responsible for the genocide in Rwanda in 1994.

The 44-year old Mr. Kayishema is a former Prefect of Kibuye region, as well as a medical doctor. He was arrested on 2 May 1996 in Zambia and transferred to Arusha on 26 May 1996. Mr. Ruzindana, 39, a native of Kibuye and a businessman, was arrested on 20 September 1996 in Kenya and transferred to Arusha on 22 September 1996.

Jim Landale welcomed Security Council resolution 1207 (1998), adopted on Tuesday, which condemned the failure of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to execute the three arrest warrants against three men charged with the massacre of unarmed men after the fall of Vukovar in late 1991.

"It is explicit and unequivocal in what is expected from the authorities in Belgrade and should leave them in no doubt that the international community will hold them to their obligations under international law," said Mr. Landale. "The ball is now in their court and we expect them to take immediate action."

Asked how this latest resolution was different from the previous ones on Kosovo and whether the Tribunal expected compliance, Mr. Landale replied that the Tribunal expected Belgrade to change its position. He said the latest resolution was different since it was specifically for the Tribunal, and was adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which allows for enforcement.

Acute malnutrition of children in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea stands at approximately 16 per cent, according to the survey, which was the first of its kind to use nationwide random sampling.

The survey put the Democratic People's Republic of Korea among the top 10 countries with the highest malnutrition in rates in the world. Sixty-two per cent of the country's children were found to be stunted and short for their age, indicating that the nutrition problem has probably existed for many years. The phenomenon of wasting, which reflects the current state of affairs, affected some 16 per cent of all children.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been ravaged for the last several years by the decline of its economy and, more recently, by floods and drought which have sparked massive food shortages as well as the collapse of water, sanitation, health and other social services.

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

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article