United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-10-18

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY HUA JIANG

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, October 18, 2002

ANNAN EXTREMELY CONCERNED BY REPORTED DPRK NUCLEAR WEAPONS PLAN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement released by through his Spokesman, is extremely concerned by the reported existence in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) of a programme to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons, as announced by the United States. State Department, following the recent DPRK-U.S. discussions in Pyongyang.

If confirmed, the alleged programme would not be in conformity with the DPRKs international obligations, including under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It would also be contrary to international efforts to reduce and eliminate weapons of mass destruction.

The Secretary-General welcomes the consultations that have already begun among interested countries --- issues related to weapons of mass destruction must be accorded highest priority.

Following the International Atomic Energy Agency's request Thursday to the DPRK for information about the reports of an undeclared uranium enrichment facility, IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei today wrote a message to the DPRK, confirming the Agency's readiness to dispatch a senior team to that country, or to receive a DPRK team in Vienna, to discuss this matter and the general question of the implementation of IAEA safeguards in the DPRK. The Director-General expressed the hope that the DPRK will without delay come back into full compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation obligations.

ANNAN WELCOMES AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUDAN AND REBELS

The Secretary-General, in a statement released through his Spokesman, welcomes the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding to cease hostilities by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement on 15 October 2002 in Machakos, Kenya, and the resumption of peace talks under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The Secretary-General commends the parties for committing themselves to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas and for people in need, in accordance with the Operation Lifeline Sudan Agreement and calls upon them urgently to agree on modalities for such unimpeded access. The Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and Country Team are at an advanced stage of preparing a humanitarian action plan that will expand operations to all areas of the Sudan that have been affected by the conflict. The success of the plan will depend on immediate and unimpeded access to all civilians in need.

The Secretary-General is concerned about reports that hostilities may be continuing in some parts of the country and that such activities could once again jeopardize the important talks underway at Machakos. The progress that has been made so far has raised the hope of the people of Sudan and of the international community that a milestone may have been reached in the IGAD-led effort to restore peace to the country.

The Secretary-General appeals to the Sudanese parties to pursue the negotiations in earnest and to ensure that agreement on a comprehensive settlement of the devastating conflict in the country is reached without further delay. He reiterates the support of the United Nations to the peace process and its readiness to contribute to efforts to implement a peace agreement.

ANNAN DEPLORES LOSS OF PALESTINIAN LIFE IN GAZA ATTACK

In a statement released late Thursday afternoon, the Secretary-General deplored the attacks in Gaza yesterday by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in which at least six Palestinians were killed.

He was especially disturbed that the IDF fired tank rounds and heavy machine gun fire at two schools, one of which belonged to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In the statement, the Secretary-General once again called on the Government of Israel to halt such military actions in heavily populated areas and live up to its obligations under international humanitarian law to take special care to protect civilians, as well as to ensure the security of United Nations installations.

He also reiterated his appeal to both sides to stop all acts of violence and provocation, as called for by the Security Council.

Today, UNRWA sent an assessment team to Rafah to look at the damage caused by the fighting. Initial reports suggest that 20 refugee shelters, which are home to 39 families, were damaged to such an extent that they are now uninhabitable.

IRAQ TO START RETURN OF KUWAITI ARCHIVES UNDER UN AUSPICES

Saturday 19 October, Iraq will commence returning to Kuwait the Kuwaiti Archives which were taken by Iraq following its occupation of Kuwait in 1990.

The details of the transfer were arranged with Iraq and Kuwait by the United Nations in August 2002.

The return will take place at Camp Abdaly, the headquarters of the northern sector of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission, which is located in the Kuwaiti sector of the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait.

This small UN operation is headed by J. Richard Foran, Team Leader for the Return of the Kuwaiti National Archives.

Iraq is obligated to return all Kuwaiti property in accordance with Security Council resolutions 686 (1991) and 687 (1991) as well as 1284 (1999). Forans mandate derives from operative paragraph 14 of resolution 1284 and he reports through the High-level Coordinator, Ambassador Yuli M. Vorontsov.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES MIDDLE EAST, DR CONGO, CENTRAL AFRICA

The Security Council began with consultations on presidential statements for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast then gave a monthly review on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question.

At 3 p.m., the Security Council is scheduled to discuss Angola. Members are expected to discuss the extension of the monitoring mechanism on sanctions against the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).

Once its consultations adjourn, the Council expects to hold formal meetings on the DRC, Angola and the Central African Republic.

ANNAN, IN UZBEKISTAN, DISCUSSES TERRORISM, ENVIRONMENT

The Secretary-General is in Uzbekistan, having arrived at midday at Tashkent, where he spoke briefly at the airport with Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov before meeting with the UN country team.

The Secretary-General visited the Uzbek Parliament, where he met privately with committee chairs and other parliamentary leaders, to discuss democratic and economic reforms, environmental issues and the protection of women, and ways that the United Nations could assist in those areas.

After the talks in the Parliament, the Secretary-General met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov and with Foreign Minister Komilov.

At a press encounter afterwards, the Secretary-General said he and the President had discussed the international fight against terrorism, water management, regional environmental issues, good governance, and cooperation between the Government and the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He said of UN-Uzbek relations, Theyre good, and we would want to strengthen it further.

In the evening, the President hosted a dinner in honor of the Secretary-General and his wife, Nane.

Earlier today, the Secretary-General concluded his visit to Kazakhstan, meeting with the UN country team there to discuss the Kazakh Governments progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. After that, he addressed the upper and lower houses of the Kazakh Parliament, noting the challenges of globalization, which in some areas has led to a reaction where communities turn inward increasing the dangers of intolerance and xenophobia. By contrast, he said, the people and Parliament of Kazakhstan are living examples of the dialogue among civilizations.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SPEAKS TO FRANCOPHONIE SUMMIT

This morning in Beirut, Lebanon, the Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette, delivered at the speech the summit meeting of the Francophonie Organization.

The theme of this summit is dialogue of cultures. This dialogue, the Deputy Secretary-General said, must be based on the respect and dignity of cultures and all civilizations. Cultural diversity, she went on to say, is a source of vitality and a wealth we have a duty to preserve.

Turning to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Deputy Secretary-General said it was clear that it would never be resolved by military force or violence, in whatever shape. It will have to be a political solution negotiated on equal footing.

But how many hundreds of thousands of people must die and how much hardship must people endure, before leaders on both sides have the foresight and courage to accept the inevitable, she asked.

ANNAN ON KOSOVO: PLANNED ELECTIONS WILL BE MILESTONE FOR DEMOCRACY

The Secretary-General, in his latest report on the UN Mission in Kosovo, which was published today, the racks today, says that the municipal elections that will be held there at the end of this month mark another milestone in the development of Kosovos democratic institutions.

He said it is important that the campaign and the ballot take place without incident, and that all communities participate.

The Secretary-General also stresses that elections are only the first step, highlighting the importance of meaningful participation in all elected bodies by all Kosovos communities, and the need to create conditions conducive to the sustainable return of all individuals to their homes.

The report notes that the security situation has remained calm in recent months, despite isolated incidents of unrest. The report also provides details on recent efforts to enforce the rule of law in Kosovo, with the Secretary-General asserting that no one is above the law.

UN REFUGEE CHIEF WELCOMES COTE DIVOIRE CEASEFIRE

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees today welcomed news of the ceasefire agreement in Côte d'Ivoire.UNHCR said it hopes for a return to normalcy as soon as possible so hundreds of thousands of displaced people can go home.

The UN Childrens Fund said that the humanitarian situation inside the country was getting more and more critical day by day, and a humanitarian crisis would unfold if it continued like this. Many of the 600,000 inhabitants of Bouake had fled the city, some taking refuge in the town of Brobo which had no water, electricity or health infrastructure to speak of. The challenges were enormous.

SLIGHT INCREASE OF WOMEN IN PROFESSIONAL POSTS AT UNITED NATIONS

According to the Secretary-Generals latest report on the Improvement of the status of women in the United Nations system, there was an overall slight increase of 0.4 percent in the number of women occupying professional posts in the Secretariat in the reporting period, June 30, 2001 to June 30, 2002.

Of the 24 Departments and Offices of the Secretariat only four have reached the gender balance goal of 50 percent and four have women at less than 30 percent of female professional staff.

The report concludes that with the addition of new systems and management tools as well as the appointment of the Ombudsman, the Secretariat is expected to perform better in the future.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia released a statement condemning the forced displacement of 800 indigenous people, including some 250 children, in Tierralta, Cordoba after they received threats by the guerrilla group known as the FARC. The Office says the displacement is a grave infraction of international Human Rights law and calls on the government to fulfill its duty to protect the indigenous population.

As the Nobel Peace Price laureates hold a meeting in Rome today, their fellow laureate, the Secretary-General, issued a message to them conveying his greetings and his congratulations to the newest Nobel Peace Prize winner, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The Secretary-General said that Carter has earned the prize by his tireless efforts to promote peace, even in the most difficult circumstances.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia yesterday sentenced Milan Simic, who had pleaded guilty to two counts of torture as crimes against humanity, to five years in prison

The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization announced today the launch of a new Internet-based network for sharing information on acrylamide in food. Acrylamide caused cancer in animals and can be found in some foods cooked at high temperatures.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS Sunday, October 20 The Secretary-General will leave Uzbekistan for the Kyrgyz Republic, where he will meet with President Askar Akayev and other senior officials.

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette will arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan, where she will meet with the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Lakhdar Brahimi, and other senior officials.

Monday, October 21 The Secretary-General will travel to Tajikistan, where he will meet with President Emomali Rakhmanov and other senior officials and address the Tajik Parliament.

The Security Council will vote on candidates to fill vacancies next year on the International Court of Justice. In Afghanistan, the Deputy Secretary-General will visit mine action projects in the Shomali Plains.

The United Nations University is organizing a book launch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, for the book Governing Globalization. Issues and Institutions. The discussion at the launch will be chaired by Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Nitin Desai.

Tuesday, October 22 The Secretary-General will travel to Turkmenistan, where he will meet with President Saparmurat Niyazov.

The Security Council intends to hold an open meeting on cooperation between the UN system and the Central African region on peace and security issues.

Wednesday, October 23 The Secretary-General will meet with representatives of civil society in Turkmenistan before departing for New York.

The Security Council will hold an open meeting on Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a briefing by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Jacques Klein.

Thursday, October 24 The Security Council expects to hold consultations on its annual report to the General Assembly, Liberia and the report of the panel dealing with the exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It also intends to hold a formal meeting to consider the report of the panel dealing with the exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This is United Nations Day, marking the anniversary of the UN Charters entry into force in 1945.

At 11:00 a.m., Chilean Ambassador J. Gabriel Valdés will brief the press.

Friday, October 25 The Security Council will hold an open meeting on women, peace and security. At 11:15 a.m., the chair of the expert panel on the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mahmoud Kassem, will brief the press.

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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