United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-11-13

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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

Wednesday, November 13, 2002

SECURITY COUNCIL INFORMED IRAQ WILL ACCEPT RESOLUTION 1441

The Security Council President, Ambassador Zhang Yishan of China, told reporters this morning that he had spoken to the Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad al-Douri. According to Zhang, the Iraqi ambassador said that Iraq had decided to accept Security Council resolution 1441 and it welcomes inspectors to come back to Iraq.

The Chinese ambassador said he informed the other members of the Council, who welcomed the correct decision. He added Council members would like to see that resolution 1441 be implemented fully and effectively.

In response to a question, he said only after reading the letter would the Security Council have a full picture of the response from the Government. Council members subsequently received copies of the Iraqi letter to the Secretary-General.

Also today, the Security Council is holding consultations on the most recent report on illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At 3:00 p.m., the Security Council Sanctions Committee on Sierra Leone has scheduled a meeting.

ANNAN AND BUSH MEET IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

[Secretary-General Kofi Annan met with President George W. Bush at the White House before returning to New York, where he is expected to conduct some work at Headquarters in the late afternoon.

The Secretary-General spoke to reporters before and after his meeting with the U.S. President. Commenting on the Iraqi letter, he said: "Today I received a letter from the Iraqi government, accepting the resolution and that they would work with the resolution. (The Executive Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), Hans) Mr. Blix and his team will go back. We expect them to get there on the 18th, and actively begin their work. It's a Chapter VII resolution, and it must be heeded."]

Earlier in the day, he traveled to the University of Maryland, where he delivered the Anwar Sadat Memorial Lecture, in which he said that the courage, vision and leadership that Sadat showed are badly needed, but sadly lacking, in the Middle East today. He also emphasized that the main lines of a lasting peace in the Middle East are clear, but hope and trust must be restored among the Israelis and Palestinians.

While at the University, the Secretary-General also received an honorary doctorate.

ANNAN CONFERS WITH POWELL, RECEIVES AWARD

On Tuesday afternoon, upon his arrival in Washington, the Secretary-General met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, first one-on-one for 15 minutes, and then with delegations. The talks touched on Iraq, political and humanitarian aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Cyprus, Côte dIvoire, Nigeria-Cameroon territorial issues, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, and US-UN issues, such as funding for the UN Population Fund and the Capital Master Plan. The Security-General thanked Powell for U.S. efforts to pay its arrears to the United Nations.

Afterwards, the two men addressed the press. Asked whether Iraq is getting imports that it shouldnt, due to loopholes in the oil for food program, the Secretary-General replied, It is not excluded that there may be items which are civilian use but may have other uses that may get through, but we try to ensure that any items that could be put to military use and are of military importance are kept out of the list.

The Secretary-General had traveled to Washington to accept the International Visionaries Award offered by the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) and the Business Council for the United Nations, which he received at a dinner last night.

He was introduced by Secretary of State Powell, who said of him, He works with the high and mighty but never forgets the least of Gods children.

In accepting the award, the Secretary-General said that the world had rarely needed the United Nations as much as it does today. He welcomed the unanimous Security Council resolution for the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq, but he added that the broader effort against terrorism was just as important a cause. He added, Just as terrorism must never be excused, so must genuine grievances never be ignored. Otherwise, we risk losing that most central of wars the war for the hearts and minds of mankind.

ANNAN URGES TRADE MINISTERS TO ALLOW AFFORDABLE MEDICINES

According to a statement issued though his Spokesman, the Secretary-General believes that trade can make an important contribution to development and is therefore concerned about the continuing difficulties faced by developing countries in competing in world markets.

At their meeting in Doha, Qatar, last year, World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministers acknowledged that trading rules regulating intellectual property must not act as a barrier to the promotion and protection of public health. Accordingly, they instructed the WTO Council for TRIPs (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) to find, before the end of 2002, a solution that gives developing countries with insufficient or no manufacturing capacities in the pharmaceutical sector real flexibility to confront their public health problems.

That deadline is imminent. The Secretary-General strongly urges the Trade Ministers meeting in Sydney, Australia, to propose, without delay, a long-term solution that will deliver affordable medicines and vaccines to the millions of people suffering from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other deadly diseases. He regards this as both a moral imperative and an economic and social necessity.

SIERRA LEONE NEEDS CONTINUED SUPPORT, ANNAN SAYS

The Secretary-General gave a message, delivered by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi, to the meeting of the Sierra Leone Consultative Group in Paris.

He says that at this critical juncture, Sierra Leone needs the continued support of the international community to consolidate the peace and stability that have prevailed since the end of the long conflict and the holding of national elections earlier this year.

He also notes the Security Councils approval of his proposal for a gradual downsizing of the UN Mission over a period of two years, until 2004, and flags what he described as a vital area: the reintegration of ex-combatants.

UN MISSION IN DR-CONGO REPATRIATES 120 RWANDANS

At the weekly press briefing in Kinshasa, the Spokesman for the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced that today a further 120 former Rwandan combatants were to be voluntarily repatriated to their home country from Kamina in the eastern DRC.

Since the start of the operation in October, some 600 former combatants, and their dependents, have returned home.

SERVICE HELD IN TIMOR-LESTE FOR SOLDIERS MISSING SINCE BALI BLAST

The UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) today held a memorial service in Timor-Leste for two UN peacekeepers believed to have been killed in last months bomb explosion at a Bali nightclub. Sergeant Marco Antônio Farias of Brazil and Private Diogo Miguel Dantas Ribeirinho of Portugal have been missing since the terrorist incident occurred on October 12, while they were on holiday from the Mission.

In a ceremony at Dilis Motael Church, the two soldiers were praised by their colleagues as loyal and dedicated soldiers and thoughtful and helpful friends.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Francis Deng, the Secretary-Generals Representative on Internally Displaced Persons, concluded his weeklong visit to the Philippines, during which he visited the island of Mindanao, where displacement has been largely concentrated. He underscored that the root causes of displacement in Mindanao are inherently linked to the status of development and governance in the region, but also drew attention to the need to move the peace process forward.

In Milan, Italy, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers highlighted the worsening situation of displaced people in Colombia and Colombian refugees in other countries. More than 200,000 people have fled their homes this year alone, and there are some 2 million people displaced by decades of conflict. Lubbers announced the agency would need over $10 million to finance its operations in South America, with $5.6 million being earmarked for Colombia.

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today launched the 2002 Education For All Global Monitoring Report. The report says that although 83 countries are set to achieve the targets of Education for All by 2015, set in Dakar, Senegal in April 2000, more than 70 countries will not reach the target and some are even moving backwards.

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