United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-02-12

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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

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, February 12, 2003

IAEA BOARD SAYS NORTH KOREA IN FURTHER NON-COMPLIANCE

The 35-member Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today adopted a resolution, with two abstentions, expressing its deep concern that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) has not cooperated fully with the IAEA, and called upon it to do so.

Based on a report that Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei provided the Board today, it also declared the DPRK to be in further non-compliance with its obligations under the Safeguards Agreement it has with the IAEA.

The Board, in its resolution, also decided to report the matter to the Security Council and General Assembly, while stressing its desire for a peaceful resolution to the nuclear issue.

ElBaradei earlier said his numerous and repeated efforts to engage the DPRK have been in vain, and the current situation clearly sets a dangerous precedent, with the Agency unable to verify that there has been no diversion of nuclear material in that country.

In a press conference in Vienna after the vote, ElBaradei said todays action was meant to preserve the integrity of the IAEAs non-proliferation regime, and added that the Board members had made clear that they did not wish to see sanctions imposed at this stage.

IRAQ: ANNAN TO GIVE INFORMAL BRIEF ON UN HUMANITARIAN PLANNING

In response to questions, the Spokesman confirmed late Monday that Secretary-General Kofi Annan will brief members of the Security Council informally on Thursday in his conference room on the status of UN Secretariat humanitarian contingency planning for Iraq.

While the Secretary-General still feels that war in not inevitable, he thinks that he should share the status of the UN contingency plans with the Council at this stage. About two months ago, he asked Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette to consult with UN agencies, funds and programs for maximum coordination system-wide in the event of a humanitarian emergency. He wishes to report now on the result of her efforts.

Such planning is a normal part of the work of the United Nations.

UNMOVIC CHAIRMAN TO MEET COLLEGE OF COMMISSIONERS

Hans Blix, the Executive Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), is now back in New York.

This afternoon, he will meet with UNMOVICs College of Commissioners to discuss his recent trip to Baghdad and his upcoming briefing to the Security Council on Friday.

This is not part of the regular cycle of meetings for the College of Commissioners. They will meet again on February 24 and 25 in preparation for UNMOVICs next quarterly report, which is due March 1.

Meanwhile, according to the weekly figures released by the Office of the Iraq Programme, in the week ending February 7, Iraq exported 11.8 million barrels of oil, an average of about 1.7 million barrels per day. The exports generated $320 million in revenue.

ANNAN VOICES CONCERN AT ARRESTS OF OPPOSITION IN MYANMAR

The Secretary-General, in a statement today, expressed his concern at the arrests by the Myanmar authorities of 12 members of opposition parties, including 7 members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) as well as Sai Nyunt Lwin, the Secretary-General of the Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD).

He reiterated his strong belief that national reconciliation is possible only through a constructive dialogue between the Myanmar authorities and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, which is being facilitated by his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail. For such a constructive dialogue to move forward, the opposition parties, including NLD, should be able to engage freely in political activities in Myanmar.

He once again urged the Myanmar authorities to release without delay all political prisoners, and to engage in substantive political dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES RESIDUAL UN ROLE IN ANGOLA

The Security Council met this morning on Angola, and Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for that country, briefed Council members on the latest report on Angola.

In that report, the Secretary-General says that the UN Mission has completed its mandated political tasks, as set out in resolution 1433 of August 15, 2002. However, he says, residual tasks, including those concerning human rights, mine action, reintegration and resettlement of ex-combatants, humanitarian assistance, economic recovery and electoral assistance, require continued attention and support.

The Secretary-General proposes that the UN Resident Coordinator resume the responsibility for UN activities in Angola upon the conclusion of the UN Missions mandate this February 15.

He adds, "The Office of the Resident Coordinator will be strengthened for this transitional period by adding a unit under his supervision to address the residual tasks, for which additional resources may be required."

[The Council President, Ambassador Gunter Pleuger of Germany, said in a press statement following consultations that the Council welcomed the steps taken by the Government of Angola toward the full implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, and commended Ibrahim Gambari for his efforts to bring this important phase of the UN involvement in Angola to a successful conclusion.]

SECURITY COUNCIL TO HOLD OPEN BRIEFING ON IRAQ ON FRIDAY

[Following discussions on the format of the Friday briefing on Iraq, Ambassador Pleuger told reporters that on Friday, starting 10:15 a.m., the Security Council will hold an open meeting to hear a briefing by Blix and ElBaradei, followed by a closed meeting of Council members. He said six or seven foreign ministers were expected to attend the session.

Then, on Tuesday, Feb 18, another formal meeting is scheduled to be held, to give an opportunity for the remaining members of the United Nations to air their views on Iraq.]

At 4:00 p.m. today, the Security Council Committee on Counter-Terrorism is meeting to brief member states in the Economic and Social Council Chamber.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONSIDERING TRIP TO CYPRUS, REGION

In response to a question about whether the Secretary-General would visit Cyprus soon, the Spokesman confirmed that the Secretary-General is considering a trip to the region during the last week of February, which is the period at which an agreement on Cyprus must be reached if the opportunity that now exists is to be seized.

The Secretary-General strongly hopes that the negotiations under way will indeed be successful, and is prepared to continue playing a personal role to this end. Greece and Turkey have been approached. The precise itinerary of his travel will reflect a judgment made closer to the time regarding the possibility of his playing a personal role in bringing efforts to achieve a comprehensive settlement to a decisive conclusion.

Alvaro de Soto, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, is in New York today and Thursday to meet the Secretary-General.

UN ENVOY NOTES SERIOUS SITUATION IN WESTERN COTE DIVOIRE

Carolyn McAskie, the Secretary-Generals Humanitarian Envoy for the crisis in Cote dIvoire, at the conclusion of her five-nation West African assessment mission, said the most serious area of concern was in the western part of that country.

At a press conference in Geneva, McAskie said that the area along Cote dIvoires Liberian border was where "Liberian militias were running rampant and drugged kids with guns were committing every kind of atrocity possible. These areas were no-go even for the UNs traditional partners, such as the International Committee for the Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres.

She said she would now report to the Secretary-General, mainly on the humanitarian situation, and would also make recommendations in other areas due to the complexity of the regional humanitarian, economic and political crisis.

McAskie said she felt that the fact that the peace accord was holding was a credit to the international community and the West African states. Keeping Côte d'Ivoire stable was critical for the stability of the region, which would suffer disastrous economic and political consequences should the country fall.

She was to meet with donors in Geneva today to encourage them to contribute to the life-saving requirements.

ANNAN OPENS ANNUAL UN MEETING ON DECOLONIZATION

The Secretary-General spoke to the Special Committee on Decolonization, which opened its yearly session this morning, and he noted that this years meeting comes after Timor-Leste, a former non-self-governing territory, has taken its place in the United Nations as a sovereign nation.

The Secretary-General expressed his desire for the Committee to continue to seek appropriate arrangements for the 16 non-self-governing territories that remain in the world, adding that many of them have made considerable progress by developing their constitutional, political and economic systems.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECURITY DRILLS: Asked about a security drill outside the United Nations, the Spokesman said he was unaware of any outside drill, but he noted that UN Security had briefly conducted a drill today at the UN Cafeteria.

SIERRA LEONE-GUINEA BORDER: The UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) reports it conducted the first joint border patrol with the Sierra Leone Armed Forces in the northern district of Kambia along the border with Guinea. The three-day patrol, starting on February 8, was the first significant operation of its kind involving the two forces in that border area of the country.

UGANDA-HUMANITARIAN: A persistent lack of security and funding shortfalls drought are placing already vulnerable populations in greater danger in Uganda, and the situation in northern Uganda remains bleak, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says.

CHILDREN IN KENYA: Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), will begin her two-day visit to Kenya Thursday to meet some of the children who will benefit from the initiative to assist the Government in its policy to provide universal primary education. She will also meet with the President Mwai Kibaki and key cabinet ministers.

LONG-TERM HEALTH CARE: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new report, which focuses on many of the ethical and social issues associated with the long-term care of people suffering from chronic illnesses or disabilities. A recent WHO study reveals that in many developing countries, the need for long-term care will increase by as much as 400 percent in the coming decades.

UN BUDGET: Two more Member States have paid their 2003 regular budget contributions in full. Croatia made a payment of more than $500,000 and Mauritius over $100,000, bringing the number of fully paid-up Member States to 42.