United Nations Daily Highlights, 00-07-14

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NOON BRIEFING
BY THE ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
MARIE OKABE
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

• The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East, Terje Roed-Larsen is in Beirut for meetings with Lebanese officials and representatives of the diplomatic community.

• The Special Coordinator described to reporters his meeting with President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Selim Hoss as "especially constructive."

• He also told reporters that he informed the Lebanese government of Israel’s commitment to rapidly rectify the violations along the border and that "most of the violations we had observed have already been rectified."

• It was also decided that on Monday a joint team composed of personnel from the United Nations mission in Southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, and the Lebanese Army would tour the line of withdrawal to evaluate the process of rectification.

• A significant part of Larsen’s meeting with the President and Prime Minister of Lebanon was also devoted to the launching on July 27 of an ambassadorial-level meeting where the urgent needs of south Lebanon will be presented to key donor representatives.

• Larsen also met ambassadors to Lebanon of the permanent members of the Security Council to brief them on all aspects of his current mission.

• Larson will continue high-level meetings tomorrow before ending his trip on Sunday.

• The security situation in Sierra Leone can be described as "calm but unpredictable".

• The situation concerning the 222 peacekeepers and 11 Military Observers at Kailahun, in the eastern part of the country remains unchanged.

• The United Nations continues to make every effort and look at every option to resolve this situation.

• The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Angola and United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, issued a statement strongly condemning the attack carried out in the evening of July 9^th by a group of about 100 armed men on a center called "Children’s Town," a residence, school and training center for children – many of them orphans – in the town of Quissala.

• A 16-year-old boy was killed and four children between the ages of 14 and16 were injured in the attack. In addition, 21 children between the ages of 11 and 18 were abducted by the attackers and their current welfare and whereabouts remain unknown.

• UNICEF and the Humanitarian Coordinator call on the perpetrators of this cowardly crime to ensure the safe and immediate release of the children.

• In another incident, a local UNICEF staff member was seriously injured today in a vehicle hijacking in capital Luanda. The staff member remains in serious condition after being shot three times.

• The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has issued a press release denouncing the continued violence in East Timorese refugee camps located in West Timor. UNHCR said the Indonesian government’s failure to live up to its commitments may force UNHCR to review its operations in West Timor.

• UNHCR has called off a program to register this week an estimated 125,000 East Timorese refugees in West Timor after pro-Indonesian ex-militias members threatened and stoned workers in four incidents, injuring one and damaging offices and vehicles. Soldiers had two fire shots in the air to extricate staff members in two camps.

• Under an agreement signed in October, the Indonesian government agreed to insure unhindered access to camps and allow refugees to freely decide on their future.

• UNHCR has repeatedly requested the government of Indonesia to maintain order in the camps, separate troublemakers from refugees and clarify the status of East Timorese enlisted in the Indonesian army, police and civil service.

• There were no Security Council activities scheduled for today.

• On Monday morning, the Security Council will hold a public meeting to discuss "The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Peace and Security." It is expected that they will vote on a US-sponsored resolution on that subject.

• Peter Piot, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, will brief the council during that session. He’s also expected to brief reporters afterwards.

• On Monday afternoon, the council will meet in consultations with troop contributors to discuss the situation in the Western Sahara.

• The Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council (S/2000/683) on Western Sahara is now available.

• In it, the Secretary General writes that he hopes that some progress can be achieved during the forthcoming expert-level meetings in Geneva, despite the lack of progress in the London meeting between the parties.

• Following those consultations, the Secretary-General expects his Personal Envoy, James Baker III, to meet again with the parties to try once again to resolve the problems relating to the implementation of the settlement plan, and to try to agree on any other political solution to their dispute.

• Annan recommends that the Security Council extend the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until October 31, 2000.

• In response questions on the lack of progress on Western Sahara, the Spokesman said more talks are still scheduled for next week and that the Secretary General hopes that progress can be made at that time. She said the Secretary General is not giving up on the peace process.

• Austria became the 100^th member state to have paid its dues in full to the UN regular budget.

• As of June 30, 2000, just over 36,000 military and civilian police personnel from 89 countries were deployed in 14 UN peacekeeping operations world wide.

• The UNHCR briefing notes mentions the deteriorating security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which is forcing the refugee agency to temporarily suspend some activities for refugees from that country now located in the Republic of Congo.

• In response of to a question on the humanitarian appeal for the Republic of the Congo, the Spokesman said only about 6% percent of total requested has been received. The Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs is in process of reviewing all of their consolidated appeals. They are scheduled to meet on July 26 to re-assess all of their appeals. The Spokesman also said that the Secretary General has been consistently appealing to countries to generously contribute to these humanitarian appeals.

• In response to a question on the situation in Afghanistan, the Spokesman said that the United Nations Coordinator for Afghanistan, Erick de Mul, had traveled to Kandahar last week to discuss the edict with the Taliban "Foreign Minister." After positive discussions he returned directly to Islamabad. He’s still scheduled to travel to Kabul on Sunday to meet with the Ministry of Planning because it was the one who had originally issued the decree. All signs point to a resolution of this problem.

• In response to a question on the Angola sanctions panel, which was named Thursday, their first meeting will be in New York in the middle next week but their work will also call on them to travel.
• Today's press briefing notes for the UN Mission in Pristina contains an update with the on-going registration process for the elections on Kosovo.

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article