United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-12-03

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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, December 3, 2002

UN WEAPONS INSPECTORS VISIT PRESIDENTIAL SITE IN IRAQ

Today, teams from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted an unannounced joint inspection of one of the eight Iraqi Presidential sites, the Sijood site, located on the west bank of the Tigris river in Baghdad.

This was the first inspection of a Presidential site since the return of the inspectors to Iraq and was carried out pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 1441.

The inspection team was able to enter the site within a few minutes. The site was frozen during the inspection in order to avoid any exit. However, senior Iraqi officials were allowed to enter. When the inspection was completed, the freeze was lifted. Access to the entire site was provided without difficulty, and the planned inspection activity was completed.

On Monday, an UNMOVIC team visited the Waziriyah site of the al Karama General Company, on the northern outskirts of Baghdad, one of Iraq's principal missile development sites. It was able to carry out planned inspection tasks, and found that pieces of equipment and monitoring cameras put in place by the United Nations, which had been at the site in 1998, were no longer there. It was claimed that some equipment had been destroyed by the bombing of the site, and some had been transferred elsewhere.

An IAEA inspection team went Monday to three small industrial sites, two of which had never been visited before, which proved to be dedicated to the production of alcohol.

ANNAN WELCOMES EFFECTIVE USE OF AUTHORITY BY INSPECTORS

Upon entering the building this morning, Secretary-General Kofi Annan took a few questions from reporters, and was asked about the inspection of an Iraqi Presidential site by UN inspectors today. He responded that todays events were an indication that the inspectors are using their new authority effectively, and added that it was a good indication that the Iraqis were cooperating.

But he added, This is only a beginning. He told reporters that cooperation seems to be good, but this is not a one-week wonder. The Secretary-General added that he would wait for the inspectors to analyze their data and brief the Security Council.

The Spokesman declined to detail how the declaration by Iraq of its weapons programs would be handled once it was received. He noted that the Secretary-General today said that there were media reports that the report may be turned in on December 7, a day before the deadline, but the United Nations has no official confirmation of that.

Asked about contact between the Secretary-General and chief weapons inspector Hans Blix, the Spokesman noted that they spoke by telephone this morning. They are to meet at 3:00 this afternoon.

ANNAN HOPES THAT IRAQIS INTERESTS NOT JEOPARDIZED

Asked about the oil-for-food program, the current extension of which expires on Wednesday, the Secretary-General said this morning, I hope nothing will be done to jeopardize the interests of the population that we seek to help.

The Office of the Iraq Programme reports that, in the week that ended last Friday, Iraqi oil exports averaged 1.7 million barrels per day, for a total of 11.9 million barrels in the week ending November 29, down from the previous weeks high of 17.1 million barrels.

The weeks exports generated an estimated $258 million in revenue, at current prices and rate of exchange.

Estimated revenue in this phase, Phase XII of the oil-for-food program, presently stands at $5.28 billion. Iraq would need to export about $7 billon worth of oil during the current phase in order to meet its humanitarian budget of over $5 billion.

ANNAN HOPES TO SEE UNITED CYPRUS ADMITTED TO EUROPEAN UNION

The Secretary-General, in his comments to reporters today, also discussed his dream for Cyprus, saying he wanted to see a united Cyprus admitted to the European Union and prospering as one nation. I hope the two leaders will seize the opportunity and bring peace and stability to the island, and make history, he said.

He was asked about the short amount of time between now and December 12, when the summit on EU expansion will be held in Copenhagen, and responded, We do have time to come to an agreement.

Asked about the limited time left, the Spokesman said that the clock was ticking, but added that the United Nations was hopeful that it would get substantive responses from both sides to the Secretary-Generals proposals, in the next day or so.

After that, he said, the United Nations would work with both sides to reduce differences between them and come up with a common text. The Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, was in Cyprus, prepared to do the leg work in such an effort.

Eckhard did not rule out the possibility of the Secretary-Generals involvement in that process. But he said, in response to a question, that there was no plan currently for Annan to travel to Cyprus. He was also unaware whether the Secretary-General would meet Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.

Asked about what would happen if no agreement would be reached in the days ahead, the Spokesman said the United Nations had been dealing with Cyprus for 28 years, and would continue to do so, but now is a great opportunity for progress.

SECRETARY-GENERAL COMPLETES VISIT TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

On Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C., the Secretary-General met with a group of scholars from the Woodrow Wilson Center for an informal discussion on a number of issues including nuclear non-proliferation, water, the study of cold war archives and globalization.

Prior to the discussion, the Secretary-General briefly addressed some 60 fellows and staff of the center. In his comments, he said the center is a living memorial to the vision of Woodrow Wilson, who did, perhaps, more than any other American to inspire the idea of the United Nations.

As members of the Center, he added, you are also carrying forward the belief that a world of laws, and a world of order based on multinational cooperation is a world where all states pursue their aims in peace.

In the evening, the Secretary-General was the keynote speaker that 100th anniversary dinner of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES BURUNDI CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT

At the 19th Summit of the Regional Initiative, which was held on Sunday and Monday in Arusha, Tanzania, the Transitional Government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD concluded a cease-fire agreement. The agreement constitutes an important and positive development in the search for a comprehensive peace in Burundi.

In a statement, the Secretary-General welcomed this very important step ahead and commended the efforts of the Regional Initiative and the facilitation led by Deputy President Jacob Zuma of South Africa in helping the Burundi parties reach this agreement. He encouraged the parties to abide by their commitments and implement the agreement fully.

The United Nations will continue to support the efforts of the Burundi parties to implement the Arusha Agreement through its office in Burundi and its Chairmanship of the Implementation Monitoring Committee.

Zuma is scheduled to brief the Security Council Wednesday on Burundi. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Burundi, Berhanu Dinka, is also expected to be in New York for that briefing.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES PROGRAM OF WORK, DRC, IRAQ

The Security Council held consultations this morning on its program of work for December, on a draft resolution concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on the extension of the "oil-for-food" program for Iraq.

After morning consultations ended, the Council President, Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia, briefed the press about December work program.

At 3:00 p.m. this afternoon, World Food Programme Executive Director James Morris is scheduled to address the Council in an open briefing on Africas food crisis as a threat to peace and security. Morris is expected to issue a global alert.

Focusing on the food crisis in Africa in particular, where 38 million people are threatened, Morris will also deliver a stark warning about the unprecedented scale of starvation around the world.

In attendance as observers in consultations this morning were the five new elected members who will join the Security Council in 2003: Angola, Chile, Germany, Pakistan and Spain.

EIGHT JUDGES SWORN IN FOR SIERRA LEONE SPECIAL COURT

On Monday in Freetown, Sierra Leone, eight judges were sworn in to serve on the newly-established Special Court for Sierra Leone.

After the judges were sworn in by the Courts registrar, Robin Vincent, the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sierra Leone, Behrooz Sadry, told them that, in discharging their responsibilities, they were offering hope to future generations that no more may deeds which offend the conscience of mankind go unpunished.

NIGERIA-CAMEROON COMMISSION MEETS, ISSUES COMMUNIQUÉ

The first meeting, held Monday in Yaoundé, Cameroon, of the Cameroon-Nigeria mixed commission, chaired by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for West Africa, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, included the release of a joint communiqué.

The commission, set up to consider ways of following up on the October 10 ruling by the International Court of Justice, agreed to set up a sub-commission on demarcation of the land boundary between the two countries and to consider the assignment of UN military liaison officers in both countries at a later date.

The commission also agreed to meet on the first Tuesday every two months. The next meeting is scheduled to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, starting on February 4.

SARAJEVO HAGGADAH UNVEILED TO PUBLIC IN BOSNIA

On Monday night in Sarajevo, the Sarajevo Haggadah a sacred Jewish document dating back to 14th-century Barcelona, whose description of human history stretches from the beginning of the universe to the death of Moses was unveiled in a public setting for the first time, at the inauguration of a vault room in Sarejevos National Museum.

Tonight, the odyssey of the Sarajevo Haggadah has come to an end, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jacques Klein, said. It is home. It is safe.

A variety of organizations, including the United Nations Trust Fund, the World Bank, and many governments and charitable foundations, helped to bring about the construction of a room at the National Museum for the Haggadah. Klein said their efforts show that the survival of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with its precious heritage of cultural and religious harmony, is possible.

UNFPA RELEASES STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) today launched its State of World Population 2002 report, entitled, People, Poverty and Possibilities: Making Development Work for the Poor. The report says that, despite strides towards gender equality, more women still live in poverty than men. The disparity is attributed to gender inequalities in all areas of life, from access to social and legal institutions, resources and employment to social and political participation.

The report says the effects of inequality are felt most in the poorest countries, whereas those that have taken steps to reduce the gender gap and improve womens participation in society have had more success in reducing poverty.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Ruud Lubbers, warning of a looming humanitarian crisis, today called on West African countries to keep their borders open to innocent civilians caught in intensified fighting in Côte d'Ivoire. UNHCR has issued an urgent appeal for $6.1 million to respond to emergencies in Côte d'Ivoire and neighbouring countries for three months.

This afternoon, Professors Rajendra Pachauri and Nebojsa Nakicenovic discussed the interface between energy and climate change in the third of the Secretary-Generals lecture series. The Secretary-General hosted a luncheon for the two guest speakers and introduced them, saying that we have no time to lose if we are to learn to use energy differently, and to use different energy sources.

Today is the International Day of Disabled Persons and the theme of this years observance is Independent Living and Sustainable Livelihoods. In his message, the Secretary-General called for the renewal of the pledge to build a society in which persons with disabilities are seen not only as beneficiaries of societys support, but as an empowered and empowering source of social, cultural, political and economic development.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is urging the international community to support a new $201 million emergency operation in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. The operation aims to provide food aid to 6.4 million of the most vulnerable people in 2002. A better cereal harvest this year has lowered the food gap from 1.3 million metric tons to 1.1 million metric tons, but WFP still requires more than 500,000 metric tons of food aid.

The United Nations Children's Fund announced a new campaign to increase the rate of school attendance for girls in 25 priority countries. Executive Director Carol Bellamy made the announcement at a meeting of Education Ministers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where she said that no girl would be left behind as her country attempts to move forward.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said today it is conducting a livestock survey in Afghanistan. The national livestock census will involve more than 30,000 villages and farming communities in the coming months to provide a detailed picture of the number of animals in the country and the livestock production practices used. The census will be used to plan the rehabilitation and development of the sector.

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

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