United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-08-02

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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 Thursday, August 2, 2001

TRIBUNAL FINDS BOSNIAN SERB GENERAL GUILTY OF GENOCIDE

Today in The Hague, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) said it was "convinced beyond any reasonable doubt" that a crime of genocide had been committed in the Srebrenica enclave in 1995, and it found General Radislav Krstic guilty of genocide and sentenced him to 46 years in prison. The Tribunal found that between 7,000 and 8,000 men were captured during the takeover of Srebrenica, then a UN "safe area," by Bosnian Serb forces -- under the command of General Ratko Mladic, General Krstic and several others -- and that almost all of them were killed. Presiding Judge Almiro Rodrigues told General Krstic today, "You are guilty of the murder of thousands of Bosnian Muslims between 10 and 19 July 1995, whether these be murders committed sporadically in Potocari or murders planned in the form of mass executions." However, Rodrigues said, in determining the penalty for his crimes, the Tribunal wished to show that there are other people whose individual responsibility for those crimes was greater than his own. This case is the first one where the Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has made a judgment of genocide; the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has delivered several such sentences, most notably against former Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda.

ANNAN SAYS PROGRESS ON SMALL ARMS MUST BE CONSOLIDATED

At today's Security Council open debate on the question of small arms, Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the Programme of Action reached at last month's UN Conference on Small Arms, but added that the progress made at the Conference must now be consolidated. "A program of action is a beginning," he said, "not an end in itself. Implementation will be the true test." The Secretary-General urged Governments to continue the work on issues on which they could not find consensus at the Small Arms Conference, and said in particular that the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons is conspicuous for its lack of a framework of binding norms and standards. The Secretary-General also mentioned the need to address the supply side of the problem, with the number of companies and countries that manufacture small arms on the rise since the mid-1980s. The open debate, which is presided by Colombian Foreign Minister Guillermo Fern&aacute;ndez de Soto, is expected to last through the afternoon with forty delegations expected to speak.

REPORT ON LEBANON VIDEO TO GO TO COUNCIL FRIDAY

The Secretary-General has completed his review of the report by Joseph Connor, Under-Secretary-General for Management, concerning the UN's handling of a videotape taken by peacekeepers the day after the abduction of three Israeli soldiers on the Israel-Lebanon border last October. At the Secretary-General's request, Connor will brief the Security Council tomorrow morning and the press immediately afterwards. The full text of the report will be made available, as an unofficial document, to Council Members and to journalists. In response to a question, the Spokesman said that Connor would brief the Council in closed consultations in the morning and would talk to the press in the early afternoon.

UNHCR, PAKISTAN AGREE TO JOINT SCREENING OF AFGHAN REFUGEES

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Government of Pakistan today signed an agreement establishing a joint screening process for some of the 180,000 estimated Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Thirty joint teams will begin screening the refugees in the Jalozai and Nasir Bagh camps in Northwest Pakistan. Within three weeks the number of teams will increase to 55 and the camp at Shamshatoo will be added. During the exercise, the refugees will be asked for general family information and whether or not they wish to return home. Those wishing to return will be given a repatriation grant. Those who need protection will be relocated to settlements in Pakistan and will receive assistance from UNHCR and its partners. Afghans will have the right to appeal if their case is rejected, but once a final decision is made, they would have to return home.

ANNAN NAMES NEW HEAD OF UN MISSION IN DR OF CONGO

The Secretary-General has appointed Amos Namanga Ngongi of Cameroon as his Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ngongi currently serves as Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) and has had a distinguished career within that Organization and in the diplomatic service of his country. He will succeed Kamel Morjane of Tunisia as the Secretary-General's Special Representative and will assume his functions by the end of this month. The Secretary-General expressed his deep appreciation for the tremendous efforts made by Morjane in bringing peace to central Africa and wished him well in his next important assignment.

ANNAN APPOINTS USG FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AFFAIRS

The Secretary-General has appointed Chen Jian to be the Under-Secretary-General for General Assembly Affairs and Conference Services, replacing Yongjian Jin, who is retiring. Ambassador Chen has most recently served as China's Ambassador to Japan, a position he has held since 1998. He has also served in China's Mission to the UN several times, most recently as China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN from 1992 to 1994.

UN ENVOY TO CAMBODIA CONCERNED AT PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE

Peter Leuprecht, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Human Rights in Cambodia, released a statement in Phnom Penh today in which said that he "remains convinced that properly conducted, free and fair commune elections will contribute to the consolidation of pluralist democracy in Cambodia." However, he is gravely concerned about recent instances of violence against election candidates and members of political parties. He added that such violence could have a serious and negative effect on the publics confidence in the elections planned for February of 2001. Leuprecht called on the Cambodian Government to take swift action in response to these incidents.

ANNAN APPROVES DISTRIBUTION PLAN FOR IRAQ

The Secretary-General has approved the distribution plan for the current Phase X of the "oil-for-food" program (OIP), which is in effect from July 4 to November 30. The plan was submitted by the Government of Iraq on July 23. It is based on a foreseen budget of $5.5 billion for the humanitarian program, spread over 12 sectors countrywide, including an allocation of $600 million for oil industry spare parts and equipment and $384 million to meet the needs of especially vulnerable groups. More than $1.27 billion is earmarked for the food sector, while $250 million is set aside for the purchase of medicines and medical supplies.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), along with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), has established a mediation panel to assist East Timorese parties and candidates in resolving any disputes that may arise from the media coverage of the August 30 elections for the Constituent Assembly. The Secretary-Generals Special Envoy to Myanmar, Razali Ismail, will travel to that country on August 27. More details on his visit will be issued as they become available. The Secretariat of the World Conference on Racism has issued a press release with background information on the meeting Friday in Geneva of the nine members of Eminent Persons Group set up by Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights, to strengthen the efforts to foster racial harmony and tolerance. The World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that it will provide food to 405,000 people in Central America who have lost between 50 and 100 percent of their crops due to drought. Nearly 1.4 million people have been affected by drought and about half are facing critical food shortage. WFP says it can provide assistance to about half of the vulnerable population in the region and is appealing for more funds for its Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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