United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-10-24

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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

Thursday, October 24, 2002

ANNAN, SECURITY COUNCIL URGE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MOSCOW HOSTAGES

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement, expressed his utmost concern the events unfolding in the Melnikov Street theatre in Moscow. He extended his heartfelt sympathy to the Government and people of the Russian Federation at this very difficult time, and urged the perpetrators to release all the hostages immediately and without pre-conditions. No cause can justify the use of force against innocent civilians, he said

The Security Council, in a five-point resolution adopted unanimously in a formal meeting, condemned the "heinous act" of taking hostages in Moscow, and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The Council said it "regards such acts, like any act of international terrorism, as a threat to international peace and security."

High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello also condemned the hostage incident in Moscow, saying, Hostage taking, wherever and by whomever committed, is an illegal act aimed at the destruction of human rights and is, whatever the cause, unjustifiable.

ANNAN URGES NATIONS TO FULFILL MILLENNIUM PLEDGES ON UN DAY

In his message to mark UN Day, the Secretary-General notes that, with the inclusion this year of Switzerland and Timor-Leste, the United Nations represents the whole human family more clearly than ever.

The Secretary-General says that, for this UN Day, the 57th anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter, we must work to fulfil the pledges made two years ago at the Millennium Summit, on issues ranging from the fight against AIDS to the reduction of poverty. If we dont do better in the next twelve years than in the last ten, he warns, we shall miss most of those Goals.

This morning, in Ralph Bunche Park, New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs Office issued a Proclamation on the occasion of UN Day, and Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette spoke to mark the occasion. A group of New York City school children read the Preamble to the UN Charter at the ceremony.

Also today, several times each hour, there will be a billboard message over the MSNBC ticker in Times Square wishing a "Happy United Nations Day," accompanied by a video image of the UN. The display was facilitated by the help of Mayor Bloombergs office. The Empire State Building will be lit in blue and white for UN Day, as well.

Tonight at 7:00 in the General Assembly Hall, there will be a concert for UN Day by the Korean Broadcasting System Traditional Music Orchestra, and the Secretary-General and General Assembly President Jan Kavan will speak at that occasion.

SECURITY COUNCIL RECEIVES DRAFT RESOLUTION ON IRAQ

The Security Council met in consultations on Iraq for three hours on Wednesday night during which a draft resolution was introduced. The next round of consultations on Iraq is scheduled for Friday.

Asked whether chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix would brief the Council, the Spokeswoman noted that several Council members had suggested they would like Blixs presence as they discuss the draft text.

EXPLOITATION OF DR-CONGO RESOURCES ON SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA

The Security Council held consultations this morning on the Annual Report of the Security Council to the General Assembly.

Those consultations were followed by a formal meeting to adopt the resolution regarding the hostage-taking situation in Moscow (see above) and another meeting during which Council President, Ambassador Martin Belinga-Eboutou of Cameroon, read a presidential statement on Kosovo that welcomed the progress made in preparing for the upcoming municipal elections and called upon all eligible voters to take part.

This afternoon, the Security Council is scheduled to reconvene and hold a formal meeting on the latest report of Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Chair of that panel, Mahmoud Kassem, is presenting that report.

There are several changes in the Security Council program for the remainder of the month, with the open meeting on Women, Peace and Security, which had been scheduled for Friday, having been rescheduled for Monday to make way for the consultations on Iraq. A private meeting with the President of the International Court of Justice, Gilbert Guillaume, which had been scheduled for Monday, has now been moved to Tuesday afternoon. Scheduled consultations on Liberia have been postponed, and consultations on the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been added for Wednesday.

ONE THIRD OF ANGOLANS ARE DISPLACED, SAYS UN ASSESSMENT

The Humanitarian Coordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Angola, Erick de Mul, today released in Luanda the UNs Common Country Assessment for 2002. The assessment, conducted jointly by UN agencies between September 2001 and June 2002, intends to provide a strategic vision for the UN agencies working in the country.

According to the document, the Government says 4 million people, or almost one third of the total population, were internally displaced, more than 60 percent of the population live below the poverty line, which is equivalent to $1.68 a day, and life expectancy remains 42 years. In addition, the country has the second highest under-five mortality rate in the world: 295 per 1,000 live births.

The report notes that the new peace in Angola pushes to the foreground a series of other deep-seated underlying problems that now need to be seriously addressed.

YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL NOTES REFORMS TO SPEED UP WORK

The annual report of the work done by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which is available today, details the reforms the Tribunal has undertaken to cope with an increased workload and to focus on the most serious violations, with an objective to complete trials by around 2008.

The report notes that several of the accused, including some of the high-ranking military and political officials, remain at large, and stresses the need for the full cooperation of States in the Tribunals work.

The Tribunals President, Judge Claude Jorda who Wednesday informed the Security Council that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was not cooperating with the Tribunal will brief the Council on the Tribunals work next Tuesday.

UN BODY HAS PAID $16 BILLION IN CLAIMS FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY IRAQ

The UN Compensation Commission in Geneva announced its latest payments to governments and individual claimants, with the overall amount of compensation made available to date now $16.04 billion.

The Compensation Commission is a subsidiary body of the Security Council. Established in 1991. It processes claims and pays compensation for losses resulting from Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Asked about Nigerias position on the International Court of Justice ruling on its boundary with Cameroon, the Spokeswoman said the United Nations had only received the statement from the Nigerian Government on Wednesday night, and was still studying it.

Asked whether new security restrictions dealing with the press had been put in place, the Spokeswoman said that a checkpoint had been established on the second floor of the UN Headquarters, not to restrict the movement of the press but to prevent uninvited visitors from entering.

Kamal Hossain, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, plans to arrive in Kabul on Friday. Hossain will meet with senior Government authorities and civil society organizations. He will also undertake a field visit to Bamyan during his four-day stay.

Faced with a mounting toll of violence afflicting on average one of every two health workers worldwide, a joint program of labor, health and public service organizations today launched a new initiative aimed at helping health professionals fight fear, assault, humiliation and even homicide where they work. While ambulance staff are reported to be at greatest risk, nurses are three times more likely on average to experience violence in the workplace than other occupational groups.

A UN needs assessment team is concluding a week-long visit to the Solomon Islands today, in its effort to assist the Government there in reducing ethnic tension and stopping ongoing violent incidents. The teams recommendations, which are to include proposals on reconciliation, weapons collection and security sector reform, will be submitted to the Secretary-General.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime will release its annual Opium Poppy Survey on Friday, at 2:00 p.m. in Rome, which is 9:00 a.m. in New York.

Two special sets of stamps were launched today by the UN Postal Administration: one on the theme of AIDS awareness and one commemorating Switzerlands admission as a member of 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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