United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-08-03

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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 Friday, August 3, 2001

ANNAN REGRETS FAILURE TO CONVEY INFORMATION ON KIDNAPPING

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has read the report of Under-Secretary-General for Management Joseph Connor's investigation team with great care. He accepts its findings and has authorized the release of the report to the press.

It is clear that serious errors of judgement were made, in particular by those who failed to convey information to the Israelis which would have been helpful in an assessment of the condition of the three abducted soldiers. The Secretary-General regrets this error. He repeats his offer to show to the Governments of Israel and Lebanon an edited version of the videotape made on October 8. He now extends this offer to cover the videotape of October 7, which the investigation has uncovered, and is also willing to show these two Governments items recovered from the vehicles which may have a bearing on the condition of the soldiers.

The report also reveals serious shortcomings in internal communications within the United Nations, and the way procedures for handling sensitive information are applied. The Secretary-General will now take administrative measures, including measures to tighten up these procedures, with a view to ensuring that such lapses in assessment and communication - within the UN chain of command and between the UN and Member Governments - do not recur.

Finally, the Secretary-General wishes once more to express his indignation at the use of United Nations equipment and insignia in the abduction. He regards this as a very serious matter, which he continues to pursue with the Government of Lebanon.

REPORT ON LEBANON VIDEO PRESENTED TO SECURITY COUNCIL

Under-Secretary-General for Management Joseph Connor this morning briefed the Security Council on his fact-finding investigation relating to the circumstances surrounding the abduction of three Israeli soldiers on October 7, 2000, and related events.

He then briefed the press on the report, which was made public as an unofficial document.

The report noted that no videotape or photograph of the abduction itself is in the United Nations' possession. However, the investigation team said that the delay in informing the Israeli authorities of the videotape resulted by inadequate internal communications and poor judgment by several senior officials who did not share information promptly.

The Security Council also held closed consultations to discuss its draft program of work for the month of August.

THREE BOSNIAN MUSLIMS TO BE TRIED IN THE HAGUE

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) today announced that it expects the transfer to The Hague in the coming days of three former commanders of the Bosnian Army, who were arrested yesterday by the Bosnian authorities.

The three Bosnian Muslims -- General Enver Hadzihasanovic, General Mehmed Alagic and Colonel Amir Kubara, were all in positions of command in the Bosnian Army's Third Corps, and were indicted by Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte for war crimes and breaches of the Geneva Convention. In particular, the three are accused of responsibility for massacres, beatings and other abuses, mostly committed against Bosnian Croats, in Central Bosnia between January 1993 and January 1994.

The indictment had been kept confidential until the accused were arrested. Arrest warrants have now been forwarded to the Bosnian authorities, and it is expected that arrangements will be made shortly for the suspects' transfer to The Hague.

INQUIRY STUDIES ALLEGED SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IN EAST TIMOR

The UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), after investigating allegations of sexual misconduct by UN peacekeepers in East Timor's Oecussi enclave, has found strong grounds that an alleged act of sexual misconduct by UN soldiers occurred in Oecussi on the night of May 27/28.

As soon as the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, had been made aware of the allegations in mid-June, a UN Board of Inquiry had been established to investigate the charges.

The investigation by the Board will be followed by another one by the East Timor Prosecutor-General's office and with full cooperation and participation of the authorities of the troop-contributing country in question.

The investigation also brought to light other alleged acts of sexual misconduct by UN soldiers in Oecussi, and these will also be thoroughly investigated.

UN TO PERMIT RETURN OF STAFF TO PARTS OF WEST TIMOR

Based on the recommendations of a UN inter-agency security assessment mission, the United Nations has decided to permit the return of staff members to specific areas of West Timor, in order to conduct emergency or humanitarian relief operations.

The security assessment mission conducted its work in West Timor from July 8-14. The decision to permit UN staff to return is subject to the completion of an agreement specifying security responsibilities with the Government of Indonesia.

ANNAN TO MEET DENKTASH IN SALZBURG

The Spokesman on Thursday afternoon announced that the Secretary-General will be meeting His Excellency Rauf Denktash on 28 August in Salzburg, Austria.

Shortly after that meeting Alvaro de Soto, the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser, plans to go to Cyprus for consultations with His Excellency Glafcos Clerides and His Excellency Rauf Denktash.

UN TO MARK DAY OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE NEXT WEEK

The International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People will be observed next week with two days of activities on August 9 and 10.

On Thursday, August 9, the traditional Sacred Pipe Ceremony will take place on the Public Plaza at the Visitors Entrance. It will be carried out by Dr. Arvol Looking Horse, who is the 19th generation keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe. The Mohawk Singers and Dancers will also perform. This event is open to the public.

On Thursday and Friday, there will be consultations on the recently established Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which will meet for the first time here at Headquarters from May 6-17, 2002. The consultative sessions will be open to the press.

Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Chief Ted Moses of the Cree will give a press conference on indigenous issues on Thursday morning at 11:00 a.m. in Room 226.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) notes that the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sierra Leone, Oluyemi Adeniji, on Thursday launched a program in the northern town of Makeni to strengthen community awareness of the work of the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. UN Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Daniel Opande, this week visited parts of the Kono District as well as to Makeni to assess the progress made so far in disarmament there.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Thursday delivered two truckloads of aid supplies to families returning to the village of Aracinovo in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. More than 5,000 villagers have returned to Aracinovo since the Government re-opened the village last Sunday, out of an estimated 10,000 that had fled when fighting broke out there in June.

Nine members of the Eminent Persons Group assembled by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, held a roundtable discussion in Geneva this morning.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS Sunday, August 5 The fourth session of the World Youth Forum of the UN System will be held in Dakar, Senegal, from today through August 12. The Forum is intended to prepare recommendations, strategies and tolls to empower young people. Monday, August 6 Tuesday, August 7 The UN Statistics Division will host a symposium, taking place through Friday, on a global review of the year 2000 round of population and housing censuses. Wednesday, August 8 A group of governmental experts will meet through Friday to prepare a UN study on disarmament and non-proliferation education. Thursday, August 9 The Security Council will hold consultations on Sierra Leone. Today is the International Day of the World's Indigenous People. At 11:00 a.m., there will be a press conference by Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Chief Ted Moses of the Cree.

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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