United Nations Daily Highlights, 00-04-18

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

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, April 18, 2000

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON ANGOLA SANCTIONS

The Security Council began its work today with consultations on Angola, in which members discussed a draft resolution on strengthening the sanctions imposed on the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).

The Council then began an open debate on the implementation of sanctions in Angola and, after that discussion concludes, is expected to vote on the resolution in the afternoon.

On Monday afternoon, the Council continued the discussion of sanctions regimes that began earlier that day with a seminar conducted by the International Peace Academy on the new report, "The Sanctions Decade."

In the afternoon discussion, which went on into the evening, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast underscored that the Secretariat has undertaken a review of recent sanctions regimes in order to devise "smart" sanctions that may be more humane and more effective than at present. "There is a need for the Secretariat to be equipped with the necessary resources and specialized expertise if it is to administer the sanctions regimes effectively," Prenddergast said. Among other things, he noted, the Security Council and its sanctions committees should have comprehensive impact assessments of any sanctions regimes.

Member States who participated in that debate voiced the opinion that sanctions need to be adjusted to prevent harm to civilian populations and to be used more effectively.

On Wednesday, there will be another open debate, on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

The Council is expected to receive today a report from the Secretary-General on missing persons and property by Kuwaiti and other nationals. That subject will also be discussed in the Security Council next week.

Asked about the Secretary-General's opinion on sanctions in Angola, the Spokesman said that the matter was before the Security Council, which was considering a proposed resolution to tighten the sanctions regime. The Secretary-General would not "pre-judge the outcome of today's meeting," he said.

ANNAN ADDRESSES FINANCE MINISTERS AT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

This morning, at 9:30, Secretary-General Kofi Annan participated in the third annual meeting between the Economic and Social Council and finance ministers who participated in the spring meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C.

The Secretary-General welcomed the assembled guests, including Stanley Fischer, the Acting Managing Director of the IMF, the finance ministers of Thailand, Switzerland and Portugal and the President of the Central Bank of Peru.

The Secretary-General said, "In an age when globalization and new technology are bringing hitherto unimaginable benefits to one part of humankind, it is shameful and unacceptable that another part -- and by most reckonings, the larger part -- remains excluded from those benefits, subjected to a life of grinding poverty often accompanied by malnutrition and disease."

He noted the proposal contained in the Millennium Report to reduce poverty by half by the year 2015, and urged policies for sustained economic growth, as well as efforts to invest in education and deal with the AIDS crisis, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. He added that, next week in Dakar, Senegal, he plans to launch a new UN initiative to "Educate Girls Now" at the World Education Forum.

Following his address, a panel discussion on reform of the global financial system began, and continued into the afternoon.

CEASE-FIRE HOLDS, AIRPORT RE-OPENS IN DR OF CONGO

There have no reports of cease-fire violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the past four days, according to the UN Mission there, which also reported that it has now received cease-fire orders from the parties to the conflict including the rebel movements.

In addition, the UN Mission reports that the Kinshasa airport has opened for Sabena, the Belgian airline.

The first UN flight to the airport since explosions forced the facility's closure on Friday was expected to arrive today, carrying the Special Representative for the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kamel Morjane. He was arriving from Addis Ababa where he had met with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim.

The UN team, which completed its assessment of damage to UN equipment at the airport, said that two UN aircraft at the airport at the time of the explosions -- an Ilyushin and Antonov -- were damaged, but were expected to be repaired on the ground.

ENVOY TO HORN OF AFRICA TO ADDRESS PRESS IN KENYA

The Secretary-General's Special Envoy on the Drought in the Horn of Africa, Catherine Bertini, has taken slightly ill on the last leg of her mission to the region and was not able to make a scheduled trip to northern Kenya today.

Bertini, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, will give a press conference in Nairobi Wednesday at 11 a.m. local time, as planned.

In a press release, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today that a human disaster could be averted in the Horn of Africa, but only if there is "inspired leadership" at every level. UNICEF outlines the threats to children and women in five eastern Africa countries.

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Jacques Diouf -- the recently appointed chairman of the UN Task Force for long-term food security, agricultural development and related aspects in the Horn of Africa -- appealed for an urgent and adequate response from the international community.

AUTOPSIES CONDUCTED ON BODIES TAKEN FROM EAST TIMOR ENCLAVE

Autopsies on 20 bodies exhumed last week in Oecussi were conducted today in Dili, East Timor, to determine the age and gender of the victims. An estimated 75 people were killed during the Passabe massacre in Oecussi last September. So far, 65 bodies have been exhumed.

Also today, more than 500 East Timorese left Kupang in West Timor for Dili. This group includes 30 demobilized soldiers from the Indonesian Armed Forces. Earlier this month, 60 demobilized soldiers returned home to East Timor without any problems.

On Wednesday, the guest at the noon briefing will be Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, Deputy Legal Adviser to the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor, who will discuss the creation of a new judicial system in East Timor.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Asked about the situation in Zimbabwe, the Spokesman said that the United Nations deplores reports of violence in Zimbabwe, and has been monitoring the situation closely. The United Nations believes that all differences over land reform should be settled by peaceful and constitutional means, he added

Asked about the next UN actions in Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the United Nations is still awaiting the Security Council's response to a letter sent Monday by the Secretary-General, informing them of Israel's formal notification of its plans to withdraw from Lebanon. In that letter, Eckhard noted, the Secretary-General said he would send his Special Envoy, Terje Roed Larsen, to the region; that may take place next week, he added. Meanwhile, UN contingency plans are continuing.

The Spokesman noted, in response to a question on unrest in Irian Jaya, that the Secretary-General has discussed the situation in Indonesia with Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid during their last two meetings, and the need to resolve internal disputes peacefully.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today that sporadic fighting across Chechnya is causing new displacement and slowing the pace of returns, even though some people, mostly women with small children, keep going back. The situation was further complicated by the closure last week for security reasons of the main highway linking Chechnya and Ingushetia, according to UNHCR.

The Commission on Human Rights today is voting on draft resolutions dealing with human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, the situation in Southern Lebanon and in West Bekaa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Equatorial Guinea, Burundi, Rwanda, China, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Cuba, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the human rights situation in the Sudan.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia announced that the United Nations and Canada today signed an agreement for Canada to provide qualified personnel to assist in the Tribunal's investigations in Kosovo. The first Canadian team will depart for Kosovo on May 1.

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