United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-05-17

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

FROM THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MANOEL DE ALMEIDA E SILVA

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, May 17, 2001

SECRETARY-GENERAL OUTLINES PLANS FOR GLOBAL AIDS FUND

Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Geneva this morning and he addressed the World Health Assembly. This year, 125 Ministers of Health are attending the annual meeting of the World Health Organization ( WHO).

The Secretary-General focused his remarks on the fight against HIV/AIDS which, he said, needs two things: leadership and resources. He outlined plans for his proposed Global AIDS and Health Fund, saying that it would be governed by an independent Board representing all significant stakeholders, including Governments of developing countries. The Secretariat of that Fund would be kept small, he added, and there would be an advisory board made up of the "best international experts."

Broad policies would be set by the Board, which would use the money to support national programmes and strategies, decided by national leaders. The Board would insist on transparency and accountability to ensure that the money reached the people who need it most.

He stressed that "the fund must be additional to existing funds and mechanisms, not just a new way of channeling money that is already earmarked for development."

The Secretary-General then met with WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland and Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for a strategy session on the Fund, which he hopes to present in detail to the UN General Assembly's Special Session on AIDS in June.

The Secretary-General, in a brief press encounter afterward, said that he did not call the Global Fund a UN Fund on purpose, "because I want it to attract others to join the fight." It will be open to donor governments, he explained, but also to the private sector, foundations and individuals. He added that he expects the European Union "will join the global approach and make contributions to the fund."

The Secretary-General then participated at a luncheon with the Ministers of Health gathered for the Assembly. He urged the Ministers to raise the political profile of HIV/AIDS by bringing it up in cabinet meetings and urging their Presidents or Prime Ministers to lead.

The Secretary-General will return to New York on Friday.

ANNAN NOTES POSSIBILITY OF COUNCIL ACTION ON IRAQ SANCTIONS

In Geneva today, the Secretary-General, in response to questions from reporters on the Iraqi sanctions review process, said that the Security Council would have to consider the issue. He said, "I do not know how long it will take the Council to act. There are some suggestions that they should conclude their deliberations in time for the extension of the oil-for-food scheme on June 6, as we enter the 10th phase."

He added, "Any attempts that would ease the impact of sanctions on the population and allow the people to have a normal life is something that we should all support."

SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS PROPOSAL FOR MIDDLE EAST MEETING

The Security Council began consultations at 11 a.m. today on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

The President of the Council received a letter Wednesday from Ambassador Nasser al-Kidwa of the Palestinian Observer Mission to the United Nations, in his capacity as chair of the Group of Arab States for this month. Al-Kidwa conveyed the request of members of the Arab Group for an immediate meeting of the Security Council to discuss the situation in the Palestinian territory.

Council members discussed that request in today's consultations, for about half an hour. U.S. Ambassador James Cunningham, the Security Council President for this month, told reporters following the consultations that Council members would take time to reflect on the request before making a decision.

COUNCIL MISSION WELCOMES LIFTING OF PARTY BAN IN DR OF CONGO

Ambassador Jean David Levitte of France, who is leading the Security Council mission to the Great Lakes region of Africa, today welcomed President Joseph Kabila's announcement that he was lifting the ban on political parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"This sets the stage for positive developments in the days to come," Levitte told journalists following the mission's meeting with South African President Thabo Mbeki in Johannesburg.

When asked by journalists how this announcement would affect the Council's mission, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom said that the lifting of the ban gives momentum to the Council's push, along with former Botswanan President Ketumile Masire, of the process of internal dialogue in the DRC. He added, "For us it is extremely good news."

The Council mission is leaving South Africa this evening for Kinshasa, where the members are scheduled to meet President Kabila on Friday.

Earlier today, the mission met with Masire, the facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue. After that meeting, Levitte warned that movement on troop withdrawals without parallel movement in the national dialogue could lead to a dangerous situation where the national armed parties might use force and not political dialogue to solve the problem.

The ambassadors also met with former South African President Nelson Mandela, facilitator of the Burundi peace process, who told reporters that he is "optimistic, as always, that we are going to have a humanitarian breakthrough in Burundi."

Levitte added on Burundi that the Council mission "will exert the strongest pressure on the leaders of the two main armed groups, so that they choose peace and not resume fighting and war. There is no military solution in the country. Only discussion can bring peace."

UNHCR DISTURBED BY CLOSURE OF GUINEA-LIBERIA BORDER

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR) says it is deeply disturbed by Guineas continued closure of its southern border with Liberia and its refusal to allow Liberian asylum seekers into the country.

This morning, UNHCR's Representative in Guinea met with senior officials to express the agency's growing concern over Guinea's failure to meet its international obligations under the 1951 Geneva Convention.

A UNHCR team which traveled to two southern border towns over the weekend were told by villagers that scores of Liberian asylum seekers fleeing renewed violence in Liberia's Lofa county had been turned back by Guinean military when they tried to enter the country. Hundreds of others had reportedly gathered on the Liberian side of the border waiting to be let through.

UNHCR is caring for over 80,000 Liberian refugees in Guinea.

UN MISSION NOTES RUF REBEL REPORTS OF NEW FIGHTING

The UN Mission in Sierra Leone ( UNAMSIL) today said that the Revolutionary United Front rebel group has reported new cease-fire violations by the pro-Government militia Civil Defense Forces in two villages on May 14 and 15 in the RUF-controlled Kono district. UNAMSIL Force Commander Lt. Gen. Daniel Opande was told of the reported allegations by RUF interim leader Issa Sesay.

Meanwhile, senior UN mission officials traveled to Kambia to raise awareness among local RUF representatives about the upcoming disarmament process agreed upon in Freetown on Tuesday.

ALBANIAN REBELS SURRENDER TO KOSOVO FORCE

Some 100 ethnic Albanians have given themselves up to Kosovo Force (KFOR) troops in Kosovo, KFOR reported a day after it offered amnesty to ethnic Albanian rebels if they lay down their arms and surrender in Kosovo.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR) says it remains extremely concerned about the possible humanitarian consequences that could result from an expeditious return of Serbian forces to the buffer zone. NATO has given permission for the controlled return of Yugoslav forces to enter the last part, or Sector B, of the Ground Safety Zone, beginning May 24.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

In response to a question on whether the selection of a Secretary-General, due before the end of this year, could be expedited, the Spokesman noted that such a decision was in the hands of Member States and not the Secretariat. He also noted Russia's endorsement Wednesday of a second term for Kofi Annan.

Jacinta Correia, a Judge in the Appellate Court of Dili and a founder of the East Timor Womens Network, and Armindo Maia, the rector of the University of East Timor, were appointed to the Independent Electoral Commission for East Timor today. The two new Commissioners, along with the two international Commissioners who arrived in Dili on Wednesday, held an informal meeting with Chief Electoral Officer, Carlos Valenzuela, today.

In Geneva today, the UN Compensation Commission dealing with claims concerning Iraq made available payments totaling more than $760 million dollars to 16 Governments, for distribution to 311 successful claimants. Today's payment brings the overall amount of compensation made available by the Commission to more than $12 billion. Funds to pay the awards are drawn from the UN Compensation Fund, which receives up to 30 percent of the revenue generated by the export of Iraqi oil and petroleum products.

Today, two more Member States paid their regular budget contributions in full for this year. Mauritius made a payment of more than $113,000 and Saudi Arabia a payment of more than $5.7 million, bringing the number of fully paid-up States to 77.

On May 14, Cape Verde deposited its instrument of ratification to become the 114th party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article