United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-08-13

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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 Monday, August 13, 2001

ANNAN CALLS FOR END OF ISRAELI SEIZURE OF ORIENT HOUSE

Following the seizure by the Israeli authorities of the Orient House and other properties related to Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem, Secretary-General Kofi Annan received a letter from Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, and has also been in touch with him on the telephone.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Spokesman, the Secretary-General said he considers this action to be an unwise step, which is leading to even greater friction and further violence. He urges that the occupation of Orient House and the other properties be ended without delay.

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS TO DISCUSS FYR-MACEDONIA

Earlier this afternoon, the Security Council met in closed consultations to discuss the situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), where a Framework Agreement was signed by President Boris Trajkovski and the leaders of four political parties today. The Council will meet again at 4:30 p.m. today to discuss a draft Presidential Statement on FYROM.

On Tuesday, the Council is scheduled to meet in consultations to receive a briefing from the Department of Political Affairs on Bougainville.

In response to a query on the possibility of a Security Council meeting on the Middle East, the Spokesman said he had no information on the issue.

TALIBAN GRANT VISAS FOR DIPLOMATS TO VISIT KABUL

According to the UN Special Mission to Afghanistan, the Taliban authorities have agreed today to grant visas to German, Australian and US diplomats so that they can visit Kabul to discuss the case of eight foreign nationals who have been detained by the Taliban.

The visas will allow the officials to hold talks with Taliban officials in Kabul, but the Taliban still say they will not allow consular access to the eight foreign nationals -- eight Germans, two Australians and two US -- all of whom work for the non-governmental organization (NGO) Shelter Now International.

Over the weekend, the Secretary-General's Personal Representative for Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell, was in Afghanistan for meetings he had scheduled prior to the arrest early last week of the eight international staff and 16 Afghan staff of Shelter Now International.

However, Vendrell did discuss the matter in his talks with the Taliban Deputy Justice Minister on Saturday and the Taliban Deputy Foreign Minister and the Governor of Kandehar on Sunday.

Vendrell had stressed the need for consular access to the eight international staff, but was told that the NGO staff were all in good health, but that such access was not possible until an investigation into allegations that the staff was proselytizing was completed.

ANNAN: UN IS READY TO ASSIST FLOOD VICTIMS IN IRAN

The Secretary-General said in a statement that he is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and devastation caused by flash floods in northeastern Iran.

He extends his deepest condolences to the people and Government of Iran, and assures them that the United Nations stands ready to assist in the relief and rehabilitation of the affected areas.

THAI GENERAL NAMED NEW FORCE COMMANDER IN EAST TIMOR

The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Lt. Gen. Winai Phattiyakul as Force Commander of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), to succeed Lieutenant-General Boonsrang Niumpradit who will relinquish the command on August 31.

General Phattiyakul was born in 1948 and has served in the Royal Thai Armed Forces since 1969. He is currently the Director of the Directorate of the Joint Intelligence, Supreme Command Headquarters of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

The East Timor Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced today that it has so far accredited 252 international electoral observers from 40 countries, as well as 719 Timorese electoral observers from 18 organizations covering all East Timors districts.

UN POLICE OFFICERS DISCIPLINED IN KOSOVO

The UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has concluded an internal investigation into allegations that some UN police officers were involved in the movement of women for the purposes of prostitution. It found that two officers contravened the UN Police Code of Conduct and, as a result, they were repatriated to their home country.

Two other officers have received letters of reprimand.

UN BROKERS ACCORD ON DISARMAMENT IN SIERRA LEONE

Late last Friday, the Government of Sierra Leone and the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) signed a communique pledging to begin disarmament of combatants in the provinces of Moyamba and Koinadugu over the coming week.

The parties, following a meeting on Friday chaired by the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sierra Leone, Oluyemi Adeniji, in the town of Kenema, decided to begin disarmament in Moyamba this Wednesday and in Koinadugu on Monday, August 20.

They also expressed satisfaction in the disarmament process in the districts of Kambia and Port Loko, but noted that pockets of combatants remain in the districts of Kono and Bonthe. The Government and RUF called on RUF and Civilian Defence Force leaders in those two districts to ensure that disarmament there can be completed by August 17.

"PEACE BOAT" ARRIVES IN NORTHERN DR OF CONGO

The Office of the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that on Sunday, the first "peace boat" arrived in Mongalu, in the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after a 12-day trip from Kinshasa.

The boat is carrying 650 tons of medical, educational and other relief supplies. In Mongalu, it will load 1000 tons of maize for distribution to vulnerable groups in Kinshasa.

This program is a new UN initiative aimed at connecting communities separated by the frontlines, re-invigorating economic life and providing much needed humanitarian assistance.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun delivery of food aid to 40,000 people in previously inaccessible areas in the eastern DRC. WFP estimates that more than 300,000 people are displaced in Government-held areas of Katanga province and that half are in need of food aid.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Journalists who wish to accompany the Secretary-General during his visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda in early September need to contact the Spokesmans Office.

Nepal made a payment of more than $41,000 and Saint Lucia made a payment of more than $20,000 to the UN regular budget, bringing the total number of fully paid-up Member States to 103. Switzerland, a non-Member State, also made its full contribution to the UN budget today with a payment of $3.9 million.

Asked whether the Secretary-General was worried that the Preparatory Committee of the World Conference Against Racism had failed to agree on language for the final documents, the Spokesman noted that Annan has been in contact with Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights and Secretary-General of the Conference. He added that the working groups dealing with the final declaration and the plan of action will resume their work at the start of the conference in an effort to resolve the remaining differences.

A book reviewing the UN reform efforts, particularly over the past five years -- titled Reforming the United Nations: the Quiet Revolution -- was released last week in Geneva. It was prepared by Joachim Mueller, a staff member of the World Intellectual Property Organization, and was published by Kluwer Law International (www.kluwerlaw.com).

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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