United Nations Daily Highlights, 99-07-27

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

Tuesday, 27 July, 1999

HEADLINES

• Stressing need for reconciliation, Secretary-General says UN will stay the course to build multi-ethnic Kosovo.
• Security Council members condemn massacre of 14 Serb farmers in Kosovo.
• UN refugee agency releases new findings on destruction of housing in Kosovo villages.
• UN-led team of experts assesses environmental impact of Balkans crisis.
• United Nations mission to continue registration of voters for East Timor vote.
• Secretary-General says African leaders need support of world community in promoting peace on continent.
• Security Council members welcome appointment of new High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Italy ratifies Statute of International Criminal Court.

"Our message is one of reconciliation and we want to build a multi- ethnic Kosovo and we are going to stay on the course," the Secretary- General told the press at UN Headquarters this afternoon outside the Security Council chamber.

Responding to a question from a reporter about the inquiry into Friday's massacre of 14 Serb farmers, Mr. Annan said that his Special Representative Dr. Bernard Kouchner was energetically looking for those responsible to ensure that they were punished.

"This kind of impunity cannot be allowed to stand," the Secretary- General stressed. While noting that the anger and the frustration was understandable, he underscored that violence was not the way to resolve this kind of conflict.

Meanwhile in Kosovo, the UN civilian police have begun questioning witnesses and others who might have information about the shootings of the Serb civilians.

The UN police are working closely with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and KFOR to quickly bring those responsible for the mass killing to justice.

Dr. Bernard Kouchner, who heads the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, announced today that he would attend the funeral for the 14 victims, which scheduled to be held on Wednesday in the village of Gracko.

In a press statement issued Monday evening, the members of the Council said they were "deeply shocked and gravely concerned" at the massacre of the Serbian civilians and called for a speedy investigation to bring those responsible for the criminal act to justice.

Council members voiced their support for the work of the UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the international security force, KFOR, to ensure peace and security for all inhabitants of Kosovo.

According to the UN agency's survey of roughly one third of all villages, 54 per cent of the houses suffered severe damage or complete destruction, with nearly 40 per cent falling in the "completely destroyed" category.

The assessment of 456 villages also found severe damage or complete destruction of 32 per cent of village schools.

The assessment, which was conducted by UNHCR with the help of numerous NGOs, is a follow-up to an earlier survey which covered only 141 villages.

The team from the joint Balkans Task Force of two UN agencies -- the UN Environment Programme and the UN Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT) -- ended its work on Monday after visiting the hardest-hit industrial sites in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

As part of an independent scientific and technical assessment of the impact of the Balkans crisis, the team of 12 scientists visited such sites as the Pancevo industrial complex, which includes a fertilizer plant, oil refinery and petrochemical factory, as well as fuel depots and car, copper and transformer factories.

The scientists looked for toxic compounds such as dioxins and PCBs and took extensive soil and ground-water samples, which will be sent to independent laboratories for analysis. In addition, they gathered information on earlier pollution incidents to build up a picture of the state of the environment before the conflict.

A second Task Force team, based in Pristina, is remaining in the area to develop systems for land title registration, and means for resolving tenancy and property disputes. Cooperating closely with the UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), that team is also working to strengthen municipal administrations and leadership.

In a letter sent to the Security Council late on Monday, Mr. Annan said overall security conditions in East Timor "remain inadequate" although there are signs of improvement in some provinces due partly to Indonesia's greater cooperation with UNAMET.

In the face of continuing intimidation, the people of East Timor were showing "laudable determination" to participate in the popular consultation, said Mr. Annan.

"I therefore intend to continue registration on the understanding that the Indonesian authorities will work with UNAMET to achieve the further necessary improvements in the security situation and urgently address the problem of internal displacement," the Secretary-General said.

Mr. Annan added, however, that preparations for the ballot would depend on "my being satisfied that these improvements are achieved and sustained." Mr. Annan noted that conditions for a "largely technical exercise" such as registration are less stringent than those needed for campaigning in the run-up to the ballot.

Intimidation by armed militia groups is prevalent in the western districts, with tens of thousands of internally displaced people being unable to return to their homes in safety, the Secretary-General said.

UNAMET has registered 239,893 East Timorese in the last 10 days for the ballot scheduled for latter part of August. The Secretary-General told reporters in New York that he would decide in "the next day or so" on the exact date for the vote.

The Secretary-General was speaking to reporters after briefing the Security Council about his recent trip to the continent. Earlier this month, Mr. Annan visited Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, Nigeria and Guinea and attended the Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in Algiers from 11 to 14 July.

Mr. Annan said he had seen first-hand Nigeria's early strides towards democratization and economic recovery. He also cited other positive developments in Africa such as the ceasefire agreements in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and an understanding between Eritrea and Ethiopia on their conflict.

Coming on the heels of those agreements, the Secretary-General said, the OAU Summit was a rare opportunity for African heads of State and Government to discuss potential solutions to three crises. He said the discussions had focused on good governance, respect for human rights, and the need for economic and social development, as well as the importance of not recognizing governments which came into office by force and respecting the will of the people.

In response to a reporter's question, Mr. Annan said his discussions with the Security Council also dealt with Angola and efforts by African leaders to find a solution to that "desperate and really dangerous situation". The Council was very concerned with Angola and efforts to try to break the impasse were continuing, he said.

In a statement to the press, the Council members expressed support for the High Representative's central role in guiding and coordinating the activities of civilian organizations and agencies involved in implementing the Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Council members also expressed support for the High Representative's role in making recommendations to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its entities.

Ambassador Petritsch is succeeding Ambassador Carlos Westendorp, who briefed the Council earlier on Tuesday on the latest developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Court will be established when 60 countries ratify its Statute adopted last year at a UN diplomatic conference in Rome. Eighty-three countries have signed the Statute, indicating their intention to ratify. So far, four countries, including Italy, have ratified it. The others are San Marino, Senegal and Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile, the Preparatory Commission, which is laying the groundwork for the Court's operations, is meeting at UN Headquarters in New York. The Commission, which opened its second session on Monday, has the mandate to complete its work on the Court's rules of procedure and evidence and the elements of crimes by 30 June 2000.

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

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article