United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-06-22

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MANOEL DE ALMEIDA E SILVA

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, June 22, 2001

ANNAN ASKS UK BUSINESS TO SUPPORT GLOBAL COMPACT, AIDS FUND

Secretary-General Kofi Annan addressed some 75 top corporate leaders from the United Kingdom at a breakfast meeting this morning.

He called for corporate support for the nine principles of the Global Compact for the voluntary respect of core standards on human rights, labour relations and the environment.

The Secretary-General also asked for them to support the global battle against HIV/AIDS and invited them to contribute to the Global AIDS and Health Fund.

"You can play an almost revolutionary role," he said. HIV/AIDS affects business, he argued, by causing costs to expand and markets to shrink and by contributing to political instability. He called on the companies to support their employees and their families by providing voluntary testing and counselling on AIDS.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES KOSOVO FOLLOWING RECENT MISSION

Today the Security Council held an open meeting on Kosovo, during which all the Council members spoke.

Council members were briefed by Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who focused on the Secretary-Generals report on the UN Mission in Kosovo ( UNMIK) and the report of the Security Councils trip to Kosovo and Belgrade, which ended on Monday.

He noted several issues as crucial to the future development of Kosovo, including multi-ethnicity, the engagement of all communities in the political process and the creation of confidence-building measures.

Guéhenno added that the Council mission had succeeded in delivering the message that the international community and the UN are committed to ensuring the rights of all communities, but that the people of Kosovo must also accept their share of responsibility.

REFUGEE CROSSINGS FROM FYROM INTO KOSOVO INCREASE AGAIN

Hundreds of people entered Kosovo today from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), fleeing the latest fighting near the border. On Thursday, some 1,400 refugees entered Kosovo from the Blace crossing point, bringing the total number of FYROM refugees in Kosovo to more than 50,000 since fighting intensified this year.

The flow of refugees had slowed down last week, but picked up again this week as fighting was reported near the FYROM capital, Skopje.

ANNAN SEEKS DISCUSSIONS ON WESTERN SAHARA FRAMEWORK PLAN

The Secretary-General's report on Western Sahara, which went to the Security Council this morning, notes efforts made by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, James Baker, to communicate with the parties on a plan of devolution of authority in the area. Those efforts included visits by Baker to Algiers and Tindouf in early May to discuss a draft framework agreement on the status of Western Sahara, which is included as an annex to the report.

The Secretary-General says he hopes that Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania will agree to meet as parties to discuss that framework agreement, which intends to achieve an early, durable and agreed resolution of the conflict in a way that does not foreclose self-determination, but indeed provides for it.

He notes that the framework would allow the population of Western Sahara the right to elect their own executive and legislative bodies and to have exclusive competence over local government administration and a range of economic, legal and social affairs. Within five years, a referendum on the final status of the territory would be held.

The Secretary-General asks in the report for the Security Council to extend the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara ( MINURSO) by five months, until the end of November, to allow Baker time to conduct consultations on the Framework Agreement. Over that time, Baker is to invite the parties to engage in direct or proximity talks and, if possible, negotiate such changes as would make the plan acceptable to them.

The Secretary-General concludes by noting that 26 years have elapsed since the outbreak of the conflict and adds, "The proposed framework agreement offers what may be the last window of opportunity for years to come."

The Council is expected to take up Western Sahara in consultations next Tuesday, when Baker is to brief them on the report.

ANNAN CONCERNED ABOUT AMBUSH OF AID WORKERS IN BURUNDI

In a statement, the Secretary-General said he is deeply grieved to learn of the ambush on a vehicle belonging to the British non-governmental organization Children's Aid Direct (CAD) near Bubanza, Burundi, on June 21. In that incident, the vehicle's driver was murdered and three others were briefly held hostage before their release following action by Government forces.

That atrocity occurred just five weeks after six other aid workers were kidnapped and held hostage for five days in Makamba province. The Secretary-General called on all parties in Burundi to respect the neutrality of humanitarian workers, and to ensure their safety and security.

UNRWA APPEALS FOR $77 MILLION FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES

Peter Hansen, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees ( UNRWA), today launched the third emergency appeal since October 2000 for projects in Gaza and the West Bank. Hansen asked the international community to provide $77 million to buy and distribute urgently needed food aid and medical supplies and to provide emergency work programs for Palestinian refugees.

With the funds from this appeal UNRWA will, among other things, provide 217,000 refugee families with basic food aid and rebuild some 200 refugee shelters that have been destroyed by shelling or bulldozing by Israeli security forces.

The appeal is also needed because of the severe decline in the Palestinian economy and the impact of the violence on the health and welfare of refugees. According to Hansen, these effects will not be reversed quickly even if there were an immediate cessation in violence and an end to Israelis policy of closures and other punitive measures in Gaza and the West Bank.

ILO ANNOUNCES NEW GUIDELINES FOR AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE

The International Labour Organization (ILO) today announced a new set of guidelines to address the impact of AIDS in the workplace. The Code of Practice will provide workers, employers and Governments with guidelines to help boost efforts to prevent the spread of HIV, provide care to those affected by the disease and reduce the discrimination attached to it.

ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said the code was about "respecting the dignity of others and learning to live with the reality of HIV/AIDS." He will brief the press on the Code on Monday at 11 a.m.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson has approved, on behalf of the Secretary-General, grants amounting to $8 million to organizations supporting survivors of torture. The amount represents an increase of $1 million in comparison with last year.

A two-day donors conference will begin on Monday in Dili, which intends to find sources of funding for the East Timor Defence Force, which Thursday held a graduation ceremony for its first 247 cadets. The event was an important step in turning a guerilla force into the beginnings of the East Timor Defence Force. The 68 officers, 130 sergeants and 49 privates completed four months of basic training.

Nearly 96 percent of East Timors estimated population has now been registered by the United Nations Civilian Registration Unit. Registration has ended in all districts except Dili.

On Thursday afternoon, Denmark became the 140th country to sign and the 35th to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), today became the chair of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). She replaces World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland. Bellamy said her focus would be on improving the capacity of Governments to provide immunization services and increase immunization rates.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, June 25

The General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS will begin at 8 a.m., with the unfolding of the AIDS Memorial Quilt by the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General will also make a statement at the opening plenary of the Special Session and will present the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights to UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot.

General Assembly President Harri Holkeri will give a press conference at 11:30, among other press conferences expected over the three-day period of the Special Session. An up-to-date list of press conferences during the Special Session will be available at: www.un.org/News/ossg/conf.htm

The first HIV/AIDS roundtable, on prevention and care, will take place in the afternoon.

Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahima Fall will attend the weeklong session 7of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Bamako, Mali.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations in the afternoon on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea ( UNMEE).

Tuesday, June 26

The Secretary-General will meet with the Global Business Council, the International Labour Organization and business leaders on AIDS. He will also participate in a special event on a dialogue with people living with AIDS, which is to take place in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at 3:30 p.m.

In other Special Session-related events, the second roundtable, on AIDS and human rights, will take place in the morning, and the third, on the socio-economic impact of AIDS, will be held in the afternoon. Both chairs plan to give press conferences. President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, Presidend Daniel arap Moi of Kenya and Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland will be among the other speakers at press conferences scheduled today.

The Security Council will hear a briefing in closed consultations by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, James Baker.

In the early part of the week, the Secretary-General's reports on UN Offices in the Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau, as well as a progress report on the UN Mission in Sierra Leone ( UNAMSIL), are expected.

The Secretary-General will issue a message to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse.

The Secretary-General will issue a message to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Wednesday, June 27

At noon, the Secretary-General will hold a press conference on the General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS.

The fourth roundtable of the Special Session, on international funding and cooperation, will take place in the morning. Its chair, President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania, is expected to brief the press afterward.

The Security Council has scheduled a private meeting to consider the next five-year term for UN Secretary-General. In the afternoon, it has also scheduled consultations on Burundi.

In The Hague, the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will meet through Friday.

Thursday, June 28

The Security Council expects to hold a public meeting on Sierra Leone.

Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari will represent the Secretary-General at a two-day conference on conflict prevention and peace-building in Africa, which is to be held in Maputo, Mozambique.

Former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, chair of the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Financing for Development, will present the panel's report and will also deliver a press briefing at 12:45 p.m.

At 3:15 p.m., Swedish Ambassador Pierre Schori will give a press briefing on the end of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union.

Friday, June 29

The Security Council expects to hold a formal meeting to consider the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara, which is set to expire on June 30. The session is also likely to mark the end of the Council Presidency of Bangladesh; China will preside over the Council's work in July.