United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-09-05

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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, September 5, 2002

ANNAN SHOCKED BY ATTACKS AGAINST AFGHAN CAPITAL, PRESIDENT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement, expressed his profound shock at the assassination attempt against Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Governor Gul Agha Sherzai in Kandahar, as well as by a terrorist car bomb explosion in the center of Kabul that reportedly killed more than 15 Afghan citizens and injured many more.

The Secretary-General voiced his relief that President Karzai was apparently unhurt and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the affected families in Kabul and to the Transitional Administration of Afghanistan. He condemned these acts in the strongest possible terms and urged the Afghan authorities to investigate fully these terrorist attacks and bring their perpetrators to justice.

The Secretary-General noted that todays terrorist attacks took place in a climate of continuing insecurity in Afghanistan. At the same time, he expressed his confidence that these senseless attacks will only strengthen the resolve of the international community and the legitimate Afghan authorities to bring security and stability to Afghanistan.

The UN Mission in Kabul is still trying to obtain information about todays explosion. The information received so far indicates that no UN staff or facilities were affected by the attack.

UN STAFF ALLOWED TO RESUME WORK IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN

The UN Mission in Afghanistan said today that, following an assessment of the situation in the eastern provinces, UN staff have been advised that they can resume their operations and presence in the areas of Gardez, Khost, Paktia and Paktika. However, the eastern region is still not considered stable, and caution is necessary during travel there.

The UN Mission this week also sent a team to northern Afghanistan, where they met with leaders of various northern factions to discuss the gravesites found in Dasht-e-Laily and other areas. The team, which returned to Kabul on Wednesday, reiterated that the UN Mission and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights are ready to assist with any independent investigation of those gravesites.

The northern faction leaders said they could offer some security to investigators and witnesses, but also said they would not be able to guarantee full security and would therefore need international assistance.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON RECENT ARRESTS IN KOSOVO

The Security Council this morning began an open debate on Kosovo, on which Council members first received a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi.

Annabi drew attention to the arrests over the past month of several former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, including the August 11 arrest of a former high-ranking officer, Rrustem Mustafa, on suspicion of illegally detaining, torturing and murdering five Kosovo Albanians in 1998 and 1999.

He conceded, There was some tension as a result of the arrests last month. More recently, however, the Kosovo Albanian leadership, which earlier characterized the arrests as political, now has a better understanding that they were the result of lengthy investigations carried out in accordance with established judicial procedures, he said.

Meanwhile, Annabi added, preparations for Kosovos municipal elections are proceeding smoothly, with the electoral campaign scheduled to begin on September 10. The Serbian Presidential elections are scheduled to take place on September 29, meanwhile, and Annabi noted that the UN Mission in Kosovo will not stand in the way of Kosovo Serbs exercising their right to vote in that election.

Also today, a list was issued of 25 individuals and entities added by the Security Council sanctions committee on Resolution 1267, concerning Afghanistan, to the larger consolidated list of members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and other individuals, groups and entities associated with them.

ANNAN PRESENT AT TALKS BETWEEN NIGERIA, CAMEROON

The Secretary-General is in Paris today, after leaving Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday evening on the final day of the World Summit for Sustainable Development.

At the invitation of the Secretary-General, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Paul Biya of Cameroon met today in Paris, in the Secretary-General's presence, to discuss the Bakassi Peninsula, as well as other issues of common interest.

In the course of their meeting, both Presidents agreed to: respect and implement the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Bakassi Peninsula; establish an implementation mechanism, with the support of the United Nations; and resume, in Abuja on September 30, Ministerial-level meetings of the Joint Commission. They also agreed on the need for confidence-building measures.

ANNAN ARRIVES IN PARIS IN ADVANCE OF CYPRUS TALKS

On Friday, while the Secretary-General is in Paris, he is expected to meet, both separately and then together, with Glafkos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader. This evening, he will meet with his Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, to prepare for Fridays talks.

Also, this evening, he is scheduled to meet with the French Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin.

UN REFUGEE AGENCY PROTESTS FORCED REPATRIATION BY RWANDA

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today protested against the apparent forced repatriation of some 1,500 Congolese refugees by the Rwandan government, calling for an end to the ongoing operation.

The appeal was made in a letter to Rwandan President Paul Kagame from High Commissioner Ruud Lubbers.

SUMMIT MATERIALS WILL BE DONATED TO JOHANNESBURG

The Secretary-General of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Nitin Desai, announced that all print material remaining at the close of the Summit would be donated to libraries in Johannesburg. The material includes educational and outreach material addressing every aspect of sustainable development and produced by UN agencies, delegations, non-governmental organizations and other groups.

In keeping with the principle of sustainable use of resources, Desai said, we are pleased that these leftover materials will find a home in Johannesburgs libraries.

SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNESCO MARK INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY

International Literacy Day will be observed on Sunday, but the day is also being marked today with an all-day event organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The Secretary-General said in his message, read this morning by Gillian Sorenson, Assistant Secretary-General for External Affairs, that one in every seven people is illiterate. Of the 880 million illiterate adults, more than 500 million are women, which the Secretary-General said is not only unacceptable, but an affront to individual human dignity.

Achieving universal literacy, he concluded, is everybodys concern Let us rededicate ourselves to playing our full part in that mission.

This mornings activities include a panel discussion chaired by Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Asked whether the Secretary-General had reacted to the announcement by U.S. President George W. Bush that he would consult within the United States and internationally before any attack on Iraq, the Spokesman said that Annan did not give any formal reaction but added, Im sure he is relieved that the President is going this route. The Secretary-General, he noted, believes that international consultations are essential.

A number of treaties relating to sustainable development were signed as part of a treaty event held in conjunction with the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which ended Wednesday. During the period from August 26 to September 4, 48 states and one international organization completed 83 treaty actions, including signatures and ratifications, relating to 39 treaties.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378 New York, NY 10017 Tel. 212-963-7162 - press/media only Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212) 963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

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