United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-11-08

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF

THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, November 8, 2001

BRAHIMI RETURNS TO NEW YORK AFTER REGIONAL TOUR

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, today arrived in Paris where he was expected to meet with French President Jacques Chirac.

Brahimi is expected to be in New York tomorrow where is expected to meet with, among others, the Secretary-General.

In Rome yesterday, Brahimi said the former King of Afghanistan Mohammad Zahir Shah was willing to help in the manner that is useful and acceptable by everyone.

On the humanitarian front, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers today reminded the humanitarian community of its responsibility for civilians caught in the conflict.

"The fight against terrorism is important," Lubbers said. But he said action must be taken to make good on the promises made to the Afghan people at the beginning of this conflict that "they are not the target of this war and will not be forgotten."

Lubbers again appealed to neighboring states to open their borders to those in need of temporary protection and assistance.

The World Food Programme ( WFP) said within the first six days of November it has been able to send more than 15,000 tons of food into Afghanistan. Adding that it is hopeful that it can reach its target of bringing 52,000 tons of food into the country.

WFP is also efforting to reach Afghans in the western part of the country a region plagued by drought and suffering from insecurity due to banditry and civil war for the past three years -- where there about two million people who are dependent on food aid. About 300,000 of them are Internally Displaced and live in camps in and around Herat City.

As UN agencies and non-governmental organizations are racing against the clock to reach needy Afghans with winter provisions, the UN humanitarian coordinators office reported on the tense security situation in Kandahar.

Several UN offices remain occupied by local Taliban authorities and three NGOs have reported that their office equipment and vehicles have been seized. An NGO providing health services to people in Kandahar City had two of its ambulances destroyed in the US-led air strike.

The UN Children's Fund ( UNICEF) said on the third and final day of the National Immunization Days inside Afghanistan that reports indicate there has been very little disruption so far in the campaign to immunize against polio and administer Vitamin A drops to millions of Afghan children. So far, the only region which reports problems of access is Mazar-i-Sharif, where two districts were apparently inaccessible for immunization teams.

Asked about the "6+2" meetings on Afghanistan, the Spokesman said there would be a first meeting at the working level on Saturday morning and that on Monday morning there would be a second meeting at the Foreign Minister's level.

In response to a query on the reason for the Secretary-General's meeting with President Mohammed Khatami of Iran, the Spokesman said that Iran is a member of the "6+2" group on Afghanistan and is also a pivotal player in the UN's efforts to get the Afghan parties, and the countries neighbours, pulling in the same direction. The Spokesman also added that Iran presides over the Dialogue Among Civilizations effort.

UN CHOPPER CRASHED IN SIERRA LEONE, SEVEN FEARED DEAD

There was a tragic accident in Sierra Leone yesterday.

A Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter, flight number UN-103, which was traveling from the UN mission's ( UNAMSIL) headquarters to Lungi Airport on official duties, crashed into the sea shortly after taking off, at approximately 7:50pm local time.

The helicopter was carrying 4 crew members, 2 Zambian military officers and one UN civilian Air Operations staff member.

UNAMSIL launched an extensive search and rescue operation, with the assistance of the Government of Sierra Leone, the U.K. and the U.S. Three bodies were recovered before the search was discontinued at midnight. The search and rescue operation resumed at 6:00am local time and is continuing. Initial indications are that the cause of the accident is mechanical and no foul play or sabotage is suspected.

The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the Governments of the Ukraine and Zambia and to the bereaved families. He also wishes to express his deep appreciation of the services rendered by these UNAMSIL staff members in the pursuit of peace in Sierra Leone.

The four Ukrainian crew members on the helicopter have been identified as Lt. Col. Vladimir Savchuk, Capt. Sergei Filippovich, Capt. Sergei Ayushev and Senior Lt. Andrei Kulikov. The two UN Zambian staff officers were Lt. Col. Kasonde Mwale and Lt. Col. Timmy Kasamu. The civilian air operations official was a UN Volunteer identified as Dimitar Atanassov of Bulgaria.

COUNCIL DISCUSSES KOSOVO, SIERRA LEONE AND BURUNDI

The Security Council met this morning in closed consultations to a draft presidential statement on Kosovo and decided that they would continue to work on the text at the expert level.

Following that item, Council members recieved a briefing Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, on the latest developments in Sierra Leone, including yesterdays tragic helicopter accident.

Hans Corell, the United Nations Legal Counsel, then spoke to the Council on the Special Court for Sierra Leone. During his briefing Corell noted that the UN has sent to the Government of Sierra Leone a draft agreement for the Court, with a statute for the Court as an annex and he also discussed with the members the issue of financing for the court.

The Legal Counsel also said that a planning mission for the Court will be sent from UN Headquarters.

Council members met with the Secretary-General for their regular monthly working luncheon with him.

This afternoon, starting at 3:00, the Security Council will hold a public meeting on Burundi during which, in addition to Council members, representatives of the Regional Peace Initiative, other Member States and the Secretariat are expected to take the floor.

Following the public meeting, participants will continue their their discussion in a private meeting which will be followed by an additional formal meeting during which the Council is expected to hold adopt a formal statement on Burundi.

Asked about the state of the financing of the special court for Sierra Leone, the Spokesman answered that $16.8 million was being sought for the first year operation and that so far $10 million has been received with some additional money available, but with conditions attached.

ANNAN TO CALL FOR A "TRUE DEVELOPMENT ROUND" AT WTO MEETING

The fourth ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will begin tomorrow in Doha, Qatar, and the Secretary-General in a message to be delivered by Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will call for the ministers to launch a true "development round" of trade negotiations.

In his message, which we will make available to you this afternoon in embargoed copies, he will call for a round of negotiations that will address the central concerns of developing countries and strengthen their competitive position.

GENERAL DEBATE TO OFFER DISCUSSION OF TERRORISM, SECURITY

Asked about how the UN and the Secretary-General sees this coming session of the General Debate, the Spokesman said that in light of the September 11 attacks all countries were reviewing their security policies and the Secretary-General has sensed a clear interest on the part of most country to work more closely together. In addition the Spokesman said, this session being the first high-level meeting since the attacks it will be an opportunity for a number of countries to hold interesting bilateral meetings, in addition to more formal meetings on the subject of terrorism. This gathering, the Spokesman added, will provide an opportunity for possible progress on resolving perennial conflicts, such as the situation in the Middle East.

Responding to a question on the Secretary-General's specific efforts to try get countries to meet which have, in the past, shown reluctance to do so, the Spokesman said that over the last few months, even before September 11, the Secretary-General was pressuring a number of key actors to attend the general debate in the hope that, in the margins of the official meeting, he could arrange a few key bilateral exchanges that might be helpful in the peace process in the Middle East, on Cyprus and on Kashmir, to name a few. The Secretary-General hopes, the Spokesman added, that the UN can make a contribution on one or more of these issues.

Asked for details on the Secretary-General's bilateral meetings during the general debate, the Spokesman said that the list was not finalized, but that one of those meetings would be with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat on Sunday morning.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Iraq 661 Sanctions Committee is meeting formally this afternoon to discuss, among other items, the case of alleged oil smuggling involving the tanker TT Essex. Following the closed meeting, the committees chair, Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby of Norway, will brief the press.

Issued today is the latest report of the Committee on relations with the host country which outlines t outlines some of the work and discussions the committee has had concerning, among other topics, travel restrictions, taxation and immigration issues.

The monthly update of on the on the number of peacekeepers was issued today. As of 31 October 2001, 47,669 military and police personnel from 87 countries serve in the 15 UN peacekeeping operations.

Speaking at the 7th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakech, Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme said that billion of people in the tropics could face acute hunger and malnutrition unless the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are reduced. New studies indicate that for every temperature rise of one degree Centigrade in the Tropics, crop yields could fall by as much as 10 percent.

The World Food Programme ( WFP) announced plans for a large-scale food relief operation in Zimbabwe in response to the growing number of Zimbabweans facing hunger. The emergency intervention is aimed at 558,000 rural people facing acute food shortages and who do not receive assistance from NGO bilateral food aid programmes.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced that a mass immunization against measles will take place in Uganda on 11 and 12 November. Children under five years of age will be immunized and given Vitamin A capsules in 11 districts.

In response to a question on the Secretary-General's efforts to assist the member states in agreeing to a definition of terrorism as relating to international conventions, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General had met twice this week with a working group from the Sixth [Legal] Committee to try to move them forward on the issue. Those discussions are getting close to an agreement, the Spokesman added. The Secretary-General feels, the Spokesman went on to say, that unanimity on the issue of definition is essential.

In response to a question seeking a reaction to a statement by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash that he wanted face to face talks with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides, the Spokesman said after the briefing that the UN had no comment since the Mr. Denktash's statement was not aimed at the UN.

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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