United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-08-28

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Marie Okabe

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Marie Okabe

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2001-08-28T17:58:00Z

2001-08-28T18:31:00Z

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HIGHLIGHTS

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, August 28, 2001

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCLUDES AUSTRIA VISIT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in an address opening the Salzburg Dialogue Among Civilizations, described one objective of the World Conference against Racism, scheduled to begin in South Africa later this week, as reinvigorating the fight against intolerance. "Just as people can be taught to hate," he said, "so they can learn to treat others with dignity and respect."

The United Nations, he said, at its best, can be a forum where the dialogue among civilizations can flourish. One of the main lessons of the UN's first half century, he observed, is that without such dialogue, no peace can be lasting and no prosperity can be secure.

The opening session of the Salzburg Dialogue was also addressed by Wolfgang Schuessel, the Austrian Federal Chancellor, and by Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

The Secretary-General and the Federal Chancellor then met privately for discussions that focused primarily on the current Middle East crisis and efforts to restore peace to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as how to bolster Balkan security in the longer term.

The Secretary-General conferred with his Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro De Soto, before meeting with Rauf Denktash for more than an hour. In a statement issued through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General described the meeting as very good and very useful. The Secretary-General has asked his Special Advisor on Cyprus to travel Wednesday to the island for consultations with both His Excellency Mr. Glafcos Clerides and Mr. Rauf Denktash. At the conclusion of his visit on September 5, de Soto will hold a press conference.

ANNAN ON WAY TO DURBAN TO ADDRESS UN CONFERENCE ON RACISM

The Secretary-General left Salzburg, and Austria, to fly overnight to Durban, South Africa, where he will open the UN Conference on Racism on Friday.

The Secretary-General said today during a press encounter that he hoped all governments would participate at the highest level, adding that "it is also clear that the decision to participate or not and whom to send is a sovereign right of each country."

In relation to the participation of the United States to the Conference, the Secretary-General told reporters that "he hopes that the US will participate and that they will come and sit down with other governments to move the process forward, to fight for their common ground and to get the right language"

In response to a question, the Associate Spokesman said the Secretary-General will also address the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Forum, a parallel event of the Conference, on Thursday or Friday.

TOP UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL ADDRESSES NGO FORUM ON RACISM

In Durban, with just a couple of days to go before the official opening of the Conference, High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson addressed the 7,000 people attending the NGO Forum.

The High Commissioner saluted the efforts made by NGOs in the preparation of the Conference. "Your efforts have helped ensure that the topics to be addressed by this world conference will be broad," she said.

SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS OPEN MEETING ON KOSOVO

The Security Council is holding an open meeting on Kosovo today.

The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno briefed on preparations for the 17 November elections and the handover to provisional self-government institutions, as well as efforts to improve law and order, engage minority communities in public life and undertake confidence-building measures to bridge the gap among the different communities.

The Under-Secretary-General expressed hope that recent clear signals from Belgrade calling on Kosovo Serbs to register for the elections -- notably those by President Vojislav Kostunica and Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic -- will lead Kosovo Serbs to register in greater numbers.

All Council members are expected to speak along with Belgium, Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Meanwhile, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported today that around 900 refugees went back from Kosovo to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia yesterday, Monday, in the largest return in recent days. Nearly 30,000 have now returned from Kosovo. More than 50,000 still remain there.

TIMORESE PRAISED FOR VIOLENCE-FREE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN

The Secretary-General Special Representative in East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, today praised the people of East Timor for conducting a violence-free electoral campaign, and, echoing appeals from the UN Secretary-General and Security Council, urged all East Timorese to exercise their right to vote.

Speaking at press conference in Dili, de Mello said that "the East Timorese people have given us a lesson in democracy, in maturity..."

In addition, he said that he hoped to announce the new, all-East Timorese Transitional Cabinet on September 15, the same day the newly elected Constituent Assembly will be sworn in, and that he intends to appoint an East Timorese Chief Minister who will take over the running of the day-to-day affairs of the government.

Today is the final day of the electoral campaign as tomorrow is designated as a "cooling-off" day ahead of Thursday's Constituent Assembly elections.

INCREASE IN NUMBER OF COLOMBIANS SEEKING ASYLUM WORLDWIDE

The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees today highlights the significant increase in the number of asylum seekers from Colombia around the world this year. UNHCR attributes this increase to the deterioration of the conflict in Colombia over the past 12 months.

In Europe and North America, Colombians now represent the 12ths largest nationality requesting asylum up from a ranking of 21st for the first six months of last year.

The Secretary-General's Special Advisor for that country, Jan Egeland, is back in Colombia on one of his regular visits. Tomorrow he is scheduled to hold a press conference in Bogota.

UNDP HEAD VISITS MOZAMBIQUE

United Nations Development Programme Administrator, Mark Malloch Brown, is on an official visit to Mozambique.

This morning he visited Gaza Province, which was severely affected by floods last year. With funding from the Italian government, UNDP has put in place a programme there to encourage the population to move from low-lying, flood-prone areas to safer locations on higher ground. The programme has provided people with wells and waterpipes, as well as tools and basic construction supplies to build new homes on higher ground.

Tomorrow, Malloch Brown is scheduled to meet with the President of Mozambique, Joachim Chissano.On Wednesday afternoon, he travels to South Africa where he will participate in the World Conference Against Racism.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

On Iraq, according to the weekly update from the Office of the Iraq Programme, there was a noticeable increase in the volume of Iraqi oil exports under the United Nations oil-for-food programme in the week ending 24 August. At an average rate of 2.4 million barrels a day, Iraq exported 16.8 million barrels of oil, compared with the previous weekly volume of 13.9 million barrels during two consecutive weeks. So far into the current phase X of the programme, which runs from 4 July to 30 November of this year, Iraq has exported 96.3 million barrels of oil. There are altogether 98 approved oil purchase contracts in the phase for the lifting of 282 million barrels of oil.

The United Nations Information Centre in Colombia reported the death of Lars Franklin, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Colombia. Franklin of Sweden, a career diplomat, worked for the United Nations during the last seven years, first in Guatemala and since May 2001, in Colombia. Franklin died of natural causes.

Today, Ecuador is scheduled to sign the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

In response to a question, the Associate Spokesman said that the matter of the restraining notice against the bank accounts of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations had been dealt with in the Committee on Relations with the Host Country (documents A/AC.154/341, A/AC.154/342, A/AC.154/343).

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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