United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-08-09

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

BY MANOEL DE ALMEIDA E SILVA

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK Thursday, August 9, 2001

ANNAN CONDEMNS JERUSALEM ATTACK, CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement, condemned today's terror attack by a suicide bomber in Jerusalem. He deplores all acts of terror and is deeply disturbed by the terrible loss of life. He emphasizes that attacks against civilians violate international and human rights law.

The Secretary-General is alarmed that escalating violence continues to spread death and misery among both Israelis and Palestinians. He urges all concerned to exercise restraint. The violence of the recent days demonstrates that there is no alternative to dialogue between the parties to bring an end to the violence and a return to the political process.

COUNCIL BRIEFED ON SIERRA LEONE DISARMAMENT PROCESS

This morning, the Security Council met in closed consultations to receive a briefing on the situation in Sierra Leone by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hedi Annabi.

Annabi noted that, since the current disarmament exercise began on May 18, more than 13,000 combatants have been disarmed through August 6, and more than 1,100 children have been released by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) over the same period.

However, there have been logistical constraints, including challenges in transporting combatants to disarmament centers, which have impeded disarmament efforts in the Kono and Bonthe districts.

The UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) reports that it has, meanwhile, has reached a troop strength of 14,378 with the induction of the first Pakistani battalion, which was completed on July 25.

On the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Annabi noted an appeal from the Secretary-General to donors to disburse pledges for the Court and to propose candidates for a prosecutor.

RIGHTS COMMISSIONER CALLS FOR FINAL PUSH BEFORE CONFERENCE

This morning in Geneva, Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights and Secretary-General of the World Conference against Racism, addressed the bureau of the third preparatory committee of the conference.

In an effort to encourage committee members to make a final push as the work of the preparatory committee nears it end, Robinson said that despite the lateness of negotiations there is still a chance of working through the difficult issues before the conference opens on August 31. "It behooves all of us to persist in this endeavor and to work for success at Durban," she said.

The High Commissioner highlighted an important breakthrough concerning the right of victims of human rights violations to have access to the judicial process. She also recognized the substantial progress in the discussions on recognizing historical injustices.

She told the bureau that she understands the need for more time to negotiate the difficult issues regarding Israelis and Palestinians. On that topic she suggested some principles to assist the negotiations, including the recognition of the equal rights and the right to self-determination of both peoples and an emphasis on solutions achieved through negotiations pursued in good faith by all sides.

She added that she was pleased and encouraged by the fact that everyone involved in the negotiations understood that there can be no return to the equation of Zionism and racism, which the General Assembly rescinded in 1991.

The High Commissioner will hold a press conference Friday to mark the closing of the preparatory committee.

ANNAN CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

Today is the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, and the Secretary-General, in a statement, says that the day should be used to pay tribute to the rich cultures and traditions of indigenous peoples and to pledge to protect their interests and rights.

This year, he notes, the Day is observed at a time of intensive preparation for the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which the Secretary-General says is a pioneering initiative aimed at giving indigenous peoples the chance to bring their concerns to the attention of the world. By the end of this year, 16 independent experts -- half to be nominated by indigenous peoples -- will have been elected to the Forum, which will have its first meeting next May.

Consultations on the Forum will begin this afternoon and go on Friday at UN Headquarters.

UN ENVOY ASKS ETHIOPIA, ERITREA TO LESSEN VIOLENT RHETORIC

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Ethiopia and Eritrea, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, today gave a press conference to the media of both countries at the Mereb River Bridge between the countries, in which he renewed his appeal to both Governments to tone down their violent rhetoric.

He said that "words, whether written or spoken, can keep a war alive, even after the guns have fallen silent."

He noted that the UN Mission (UNMEE) patrolling the Temporary Security Zone had investigated allegations that Ethiopian forces were in the Zone, and reported that there is no cause for concern and that, by and large, both sides are abiding by their commitment to peace.

UN Force Commander Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert added that, at the meeting of the Military Coordination Commission that he chaired Wednesday in Nairobi, he had emphasized the importance of establishing face-to-face contact between Ethiopian and Eritrean officials at the local level. He also noted that, although both sides had expressed dissatisfaction about elements of the Temporary Security Zone, they had also emphasized the importance of reaching a formal agreement on it.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY CONSIDER HUMAN CLONING

Asked for the Secretary-Generals position on the French-German initiative to get a binding convention to ban human cloning, the Spokesman answered that the Secretary-General had not expressed his views on the issue.

He added that the General Assembly had expressed itself on this matter in 1999, when it said that human cloning is contrary to human dignity and shall not be permitted. The 56th session of the General Assembly beginning next month, the Spokesman said, is very likely to take up this topic again since there has been a request to have it included as an agenda item.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that more people are continuing to return to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) from Kosovo over the past three days, although the pace of returns slowed down yesterday. Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 78,000 people have arrived in Kosovo from FYROM, while approximately 24,000 of that number has returned back.

Today in The Hague, three Bosnian Muslims who have been charged with war crimes and violations of the Geneva Conventions pleaded "not guilty" to each of the 19 counts against them in their initial appearance before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The three men -- General Enver Hadzihasanovic, General Mehmed Alagic and Colonel Amir Kubura -- are accused of killings and other atrocities, committed largely against Bosnian Croats, in central Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993.

Today, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced that the Government of Italy has pledged $1 million to support UNICEF's programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The funds will be used in projects to improve the health network in that country and to support the education of 50,000 displaced children. Italy has also contributed an additional $2 million to its 2001 contribution to UNICEF's core funding.

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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