United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-09-10

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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

Tuesday, September 10th, 2002

ANNAN: INT'L CRIMINAL COURT MUST SERVE AS BASTION AGAINST TYRANNY

At the meeting of the States Parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that in creating the Court, good people had stood up on behalf of the innocent victims of the horrendous crimes. An idea that arose in the throes of the Holocaust has finally come to fruition, he said.

The Secretary-General went on to say that the ICC is different than the Tribunals in Nuremberg, The Hague, Nuremberg and Arusha, which were established after the fact. Indeed, Annan said, by its very existence, the Court can act as a deterrent.

He urged the assembled delegates to make sure that ICC begins its life on a secure footing with a strong financial base and that its staff -- judges, prosecutors and others meet the highest standards of legal rigour, human sensitivity and professional probity.

In his speech, he also said that the independence, impartiality and integrity of the Court must be preserved above all. The ICC is not and must never become an organ for political witch hunting, Annan declared. Rather, it must serve as a bastion against tyranny and lawlessness, and as a building block in the global architecture of collective security.

In a separate event relating to the ICC, a ceremony was held in the Trusteeship Council Chamber marking the opening for signature of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Criminal Court. The following 13 states signed the Agreement: Austria, Benin, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Namibia, Norway, Peru, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom. Norway is also expected to deposit the first instrument of ratification of the Agreement.

REPORT: UNITED NATIONS MUST SEND CLEAR MESSAGE ON TERRORISM

Almost a year to the day after the terrorist attacks on the United States, an expert report outlining new ways the United Nations can contribute to the international battle against terrorism was released this morning.

The report, prepared for the Secretary-General by a group of senior UN officials and outside experts, identifies the policy dimensions of terrorism for the United Nations, and offers a series of 31 recommendations on steps the Organization can take to further address the problem.

The group concentrated on areas where the United Nations has a comparative advantage over other entities, and aims to ensure the Organization adds value to, rather than duplicates, international efforts.

It argues that the United Nations must project a clear and principled message that terrorism, whatever the cause in whose name it is undertaken, is unacceptable and deserves universal condemnation.

It notes that terrorist acts constitute an assault on human rights, but makes clear that human rights must be respected in the fight against terrorism.

The United Nations should be wary of offering, or being perceived to be offering, a blanket endorsement of measures taken in the name of counter-terrorism, and that its efforts to reduce terrorism must not be at the expense of its core responsibilities, it says.

SWITZERLAND BECOMES 190th MEMBER OF UNITED NATIONS

Later this afternoon, the Secretary-General will attend the raising of the flag of Switzerland, as it becomes the 190th member state of the United Nations.

In speaking to Swiss journalists this morning, the Secretary-General said, "We have all waited a long time for this day. In a way, it feels as if the family of nations has finally united and come together and this is really wonderful".

In a statement he plans to deliver at the flag raising ceremony, he will praise Switzerland for embodying what the United Nations stand for a peaceful and multicultural society built on strong democratic traditions.

UNMOVIC CHIEF BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL ON LATEST QUARTERLY REPORT

Hans Blix, Executive Chairman of UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission briefed the Security Council in closed consultations on his latest Quarterly report, which was issued last week.

IRAQI NATIONALS TOP LIST OF ASYLUM SEEKERS TO INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS

New statistics compiled by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on asylum seekers in 28 mostly industrialized countries show that overall in the first six months of 2002 the number of people seeking asylum fell by 12 percent compared to the previous six-month period.

Iraq remained the largest nationality of origin of asylum seekers overall in the 28 countries combined, with more than 22,000 applications in the first half of the year.

IRAQ OIL EXPORTS SLOW TO A TRICKLE

According to the weekly figures of the Office of the Iraq Programme, Iraqi oil exports were down to trickle at 2.6 million barrels in the week that ended on 6 September.

The weeks total netted $69 million in estimated revenue.

Reduced oil exports with a consequent revenue shortfall have left more than $2.2 billion worth of approved humanitarian supply contracts without available funds.

On a positive note, some $354 million worth of supplies previously placed on hold by the Security Councils 661 Sanctions Committee, have now been re-assessed by the UN Secretariat experts as not to contain Goods Review List (GRL) items under resolution 1409 and, therefore, approved by the Office of the Iraq Programme.

UN ENVOY WITNESSES LANDMARK AGREEMENT BETWEEN KOSOVO AND ALBANIA

In Tirana, Albania, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, Michael Steiner, and the Albanian Foreign Minister, Ilir Meta, witnessed the signing of two memoranda of understanding between Kosovo and Albania.

The first Memorandum concerned the exchange of information on organized crime, corruption, trafficking and drugs. The second was on the mutual recognition of insurance.

Today, Steiner traveled to the border town of Morina in Albania, where, along with the Foreign Minister of Albania, he formally launched the cooperation on insurance. According to the understanding people traveling from Kosovo to Albania and vice versa will no longer need to purchase additional insurance as both countries will recognize the insurance policies taken out in the other.

ANNAN TO ATTEND FOUR 9/11 COMMEMORATIONS

Tomorrow morning at 8:30am, the Secretary-General is scheduled to attend an interfaith service at St. Bartholomew's Church where he will make some remarks.

At 10 a.m., he plans to attend the UNs ceremony of remembrance to be held on the North Lawn.

The ceremony is expected to last approximately 40 minutes. Statements are expected to be made by the Secretary-General, the president of the General Assembly Jan Kavan U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte and the President of the Staff Committee, Rosemary Waters. A selected number of staff members will be invited to speak as well. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the General Assembly Hall.

Then from 12: 45 p.m to 1:15 p.m., the Secretary-General is scheduled to attend a high-level open meeting of the Security Council convened to pay tribute to the memory of victims of the terrorist acts that struck the United States a year ago tomorrow. The meeting will be chaired by President Georgi Parvanov of Bulgaria, which holds the presidency of the Council for September. Statements are expected by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and the Secretary-General. A presidential statement will be issued.

Finally, the Secretary-General is scheduled to attend an evening ceremony organized by the City of New York. The Secretary-General is not expected to make a statement at this event.

UN ENVOY TACKLES FOOD CRISIS IN MALAWI

The World Food Programme and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have signed an agreement today in Malawi on an operational partnership as part of their response to the unfolding food crisis in southern Africa.

The agreement was signed by Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross on behalf of the International Federation, together with James Morris, WFPs Executive Director and UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on the region's humanitarian crisis, who is in Malawi today as part of his two-week UN mission to the six countries affected by the crisis.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The office of the UN Children's Fund in Kigali today reports that the outbreak of meningitis in Rwanda continues to affect some 2 million people. There are fears that the disease may spread to the capital, Kigali, endangering another million people. An appeal has been launched to raise one million dollars for a vaccination programme for the 2 million people most at risk. UNICEF has already provided 665,000 doses of vaccine and a further 250,000 arrived in Kigali today.

The UN Development Programme team is participating in a joint mission to Venezuela it is undertaking with the Organization of American States and the Carter Center. The mission will meet today with the President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez and members of the opposition in an effort to facilitate dialogue and help to overcome the current political crisis.

Thailand today paid its regular budget contribution for 2002 in full with a payment of more than $2.8 million. We now have 98 fully paid up Member States. At this time last year we had 114 fully paid up Members.

This afternoon, the Secretary-General received the keys to a new armored vehicle from Volvo. The car, which will be handed over at the Secretariat entrance, is a gift from Volvo to the United Nations.

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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