United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-12-17

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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 17, 2002

ANNAN WELCOMES CONGOLESE ACCORD ON TRANSITION OF POWER

Today in Pretoria, South Africa, the Congolese parties signed an accord on an all-inclusive power-sharing arrangement for the transition government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following intensive negotiations mediated jointly by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, Moustapha Niasse, and the Government of South Africa.

In a statement, the Secretary-General welcomes this long-awaited progress in the Congolese peace process as a significant step towards lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region as a whole. He praised the Congolese parties for their courageous decision to find a peaceful solution to end the suffering of the Congolese people and embark upon a path to reconciliation, reconstruction and development. He also commends his Special Envoy and the Government of South Africa for their untiring efforts to help the Congolese parties reach this accord.

The Secretary-General hopes that this accord will be endorsed without delay at a plenary session of the inter-Congolese dialogue, to be convened by the Facilitator, Sir Ketumile Masire.

The Secretary-General pledges that the United Nations will continue to support the peace process in the DRC, which promises to enter a transition period, that would, in turn, lead to free, transparent and democratic elections.

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also welcomed the signing of the accord in Pretoria. The accord, Ngongi said, has been made possible by the signatories commitment, having managed to overcome their old reflexes of distrust and surpass all their differences for the benefit of the Congolese people who have the right to peace and happiness.

ANNAN FULLY SUPPORTS OAS MEDIATION EFFORTS IN VENEZUELA

The Secretary-General reiterates his full support for the mediation efforts undertaken in Venezuela by the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States, Cesar Gaviria. These talks provide an opportunity which must not be missed to find a peaceful political solution to the present crisis on the basis of constitutionality.

The Secretary-General urges the Government and the opposition to cooperate in earnest with Gavirias efforts and to refrain from behaviour that disrupts normal life in Venezuela and may sharpen tensions.

UN TEAMS INSPECT BIOLOGICAL AND MISSILE SITES IN IRAQ

According to the daily UN briefing in Iraq, one team from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) biological team inspected the Department of Biotechnology Baghdad University while another biological team headed for Mosul to inspect biologically declared sites in that region.

Meanwhile, two UNMOVIC teams of missile inspectors visited separate locations involved in missile activity. The first was the Oxidiser Production plant which is engaged in the production of fuel and oxidizer for missiles, such as the Volga/SA-2 and the Al Samood.

The second team inspected the Al-Almeen Factory which produces the motor cases and nozzle housings for the Al-Feth and the Al-Abour Missiles.

Today, an additional 8 inspectors from UNMOVIC arrived in Baghdad, bringing the total number of UNMOVIC inspectors to 94. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has 19 inspectors.

The number of inspectors from UNMOVIC and the IAEA now stands at 113.

Concerning the Iraqi declaration, the version edited by UNMOVIC is expected to be available to all members of the Security Council later today. The same holds for the parts of the declaration edited by the IAEA.

Last Thursday, UNMOVICs Executive Chairman, Hans Blix, wrote to Iraqi authorities to ask for the list of personnel who had been associated with their weapons programmes, either now or in the past. Security Council Resolution 1441 gives the inspectors the authority to ask for such a list.

ANNAN URGES IRAQ TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS FOR RETURN OF KUWAITI PROPERTY

Published today is the Secretary-Generals latest report on the issue of the return by Iraq of Kuwaiti property as well as missing Kuwaitis and third country nationals, in which he gives an account the activities of the High-Level Coordinator for these issues, Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov.

In the report the Secretary-General notes that on the issue of the return of Kuwaiti archives there have been some encouraging developments, notably the return by Iraq of a first batch of documents in October of this year.

I appeal to the Iraqi authorities, the Secretary-General writes, to redouble their efforts aimed at the return of remaining Kuwaiti property without delay.

On the issue of repatriation of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, progress has been limited despite some new positive elements, the Secretary-General said.

Last week, the Permanent Representative of Iraq, Ambassador Mohammed Al-Douri wrote to Vorontsov informing him that that the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq would welcome his visit to Baghdad.

It is my sincere hope, the Secretary-General says in the report, that this and other developments noted [] are the beginning of a process, which would eventually enable me to report more substantive progress in the near future.

Asked when Vorontsov would travel to Iraq, the Spokesman said no date had yet been set.

IRAQ EXPORTS 3.7 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL LAST WEEK

According to the weekly update from the Office of the Iraq Programme, the United Nations and the Government of Iraq have agreed to extend the Memorandum of Understanding for the oil-for-food programme for an additional 180 days. This is phase 13 of the programme.

In terms of oil exports, for the week of December 7th, Iraq exported 3.7 million barrels under the programme for an estimated revenue of $84 million.

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF UN OBSERVERS IN GOLAN HEIGHTS

This morning, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1451 (2002) extending the mandate of the UN Disengagement Force in the Golan (UNDOF) for a further six months, until June 30, 2003.

Earlier this morning, the Security Council held a meeting with troop contributing countries to the UNDOF. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi briefed members on the Secretary-Generals latest report.

The new UN military advisor Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert was introduce at the meeting.

Council members then went into consultations today on UNDOF with a view to a formal meeting to extend that mission's mandate by six months.

At 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Angola Ibrahim Gambari will brief the Council on the latest report, first in an open meeting and then in consultations.

Cyprus, which had been scheduled for this morning, has been moved to Wednesday afternoon.

Monday afternoon, Terje Roed Larsen, The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process briefed the Council in an open meeting on the situation in the Middle East. Amid a growing consensus on the need for a two-State solution to the Middle East conflict, bloodshed and economic collapse are intensifying in the region, Larsen said. He urged the international efforts to reconcile plans with reality. Larsen also noted that the roadmap for peace outlined by the diplomatic Quartet - the United Nations, United States, Russian Federation and European Union - provides the best tool to achieve this goal. During consultations, a draft resolution on the recent deaths of three UN workers in Occupied Palestinian territory was introduced.

SECURITY COUNCIL WRAPS UP MISSION TO KOSOVO, BELGRADE

The Security Council mission headed by Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby of Norway ended its visit to Kosovo and Belgrade today, with Ambassador Kolby holding a press conference in Belgrade to say that the delegation had met yesterday with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and other senior officials.

During those meetings, he said, the Council members stressed the importance of Belgrades full cooperation with Council resolutions on Kosovo and with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Also, he said, the delegation had emphasized that outstanding issues in Kosovo can only be resolved by dialogue among all affected parties, and that Kosovo Serbs should be encouraged to participate fully in Kosovos institutions.

The Council mission is heading back to New York, where it will report back to the Security Council on its four-day visit to the region.

ANNAN URGES SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY AND SECURITY OF AFGHANISTAN

In a message to a meeting of the Afghan Support Group, the Secretary-General urged the international community to continue to invest in the recovery and security of Afghanistan.

He noted the many achievements in the past twelve months in the country, and stresses: The changes in the political and security landscape of Afghanistan are inextricably linked to the resolution of humanitarian plight still facing millions of Afghans, and to the essential requirement for accelerated social and economic reconstruction.

His message was delivered by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan Lakhadar Brahimi, who also addressed the meeting in Oslo, Norway.

He reminded the audience that a year ago, when in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the Secretary-General invited people to think about a little girl born on the day in far away Afghanistan, as a symbol of the need for international solidarity and cooperation. Brahimi invited the audience to keep thinking of the need of that little girl born today and the respective responsibilities that the international community have to that girl.

At todays meeting, an appeal for the amount of $815 million was launched for the 2003 United Nations Transitional Assistance Programme for Afghanistan.

EX-U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE TESTIFIES IN PLAVSIC TRIAL AT THE HAGUE

Witness testimony in the sentencing hearing for former Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic wrapped up today in The Hague, with the prosecution and defence to present their closing arguments Wednesday.

Among those testifying today were former UN envoy for the Balkans Carl Bildt and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has marked the importance of the proceedings underway, which are the first time that any politician in the former Yugoslavia has accepted responsibility for actions during the Bosnian war.

Plavsic entered a guilty plea for one count of persecution as a crime against humanity a broad category that incorporates mass killings, the detention and mistreatment of non-Serbs and destruction of property.

WORLD COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF MALAYSIA IN DISPUTE WITH INDONESIA

The International Court of Justice ruled today that Malaysia has sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipidan, two small islands off the north-eastern coast of the island of Borneo that had also been claimed by Indonesia.

In its judgment, which was decided by a vote of 16 in favor and one against, the World Court found that neither party had a treaty-based title to the islands; consequently, the Court determined whether the two nations claims to sovereignty were based on evidence of an actual, continued exercise of authority over the islands. It was on that basis that the Court ruled in favor of Malaysia.

ANNAN CONCERNED AT GUINEA BISSAU SITUATION

The Secretary-Generals report on developments in Guinea Bissau and on the activities of the UN Peace-building Support Office in that country was published today.

He says that the political, economic and social situation in Guinea-Bissau continues to be of great concern. He notes there has been no resort to violence and it is clear that the people of Guinea-Bissau are united in their desire for peace, but adds that political developments have not been encouraging.

He urges President Kumba Yala to move purposefully towards the promulgation of the Constitution. He also urges the international community to respond favorably to any request the Government of Guinea-Bissau may make for assistance in organizing and holding legislative elections. Citing acute financial and economic difficulties, he notes the need for short-term emergency aid.

POPULATION ISSUES ARE KEY TO POVERTY REDUCTION

The Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference concluded today with the adoption by consensus of a Plan of Action on Population and Poverty, which addressed population issues as a key contribution to reducing poverty and meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals.

However, the United States expressed strong reservations about two sections of the Plan of Action which relate to reproductive rights and reproductive health services, and adolescent reproductive health.

To address the continuing problem of poverty in the region, the document urges Governments to ensure that demographic and population factors are fully integrated into all levels planning, in particular addressing the needs of the poor and the disadvantaged.

In a press release today, the UN Population Fund hailed the pledge by the governments to give priority to population and reproductive health concerns in their work to reduce poverty.

Nearly 600 participants from around 40 member countries participated in the two-day meeting.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The Secretary-General and his wife, Nane, is scheduled to go to the UN Book Shop at 1:30 today, where the Secretary-General will speak at the launch of David Rockefellers Memoirs, where the author will also speak and sign copies of his book.

This evening, at about 8:00, the Secretary-General is scheduled to speak at a ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at which Seton Hall Universitys School of Diplomacy and International Relations is to be named officially after John Whitehead, the former chairman of the UN Association of the United States. He will draw attention to the role that Whitehead has plated in informing the U.S. public about the work of the United Nations.

The World Health Organization today presented a report to the government of China on the link between sustainable development and investment in health and their implications for the Chinese economy. The report, written by WHO's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, finds that investment in health strongly contributes to economic growth and development and recommends that focus should be on the deadliest and most debilitating diseases.

The Pan American Health Organization, the arm of the World Health Organization operating in the Americas, today issued a new report on the operations of tobacco companies in the region. The report shows that, in the last ten years, transnational tobacco companies have conducted active campaigns of deception regarding the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke.

This morning, Canada became the 100th country to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Seychelles today became the 116th Member State to pay its regular budget contribution in full with a payment of more than $22,000.