United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-02-26

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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 26, 2003

SECRETARY-GENERAL IN CYPRUS TO DISCUSS NEW PLAN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Larnaca, Cyprus, this afternoon, after spending a day in Greece, and, in his opening statement to the press upon his arrival, he said that he would present a revision of the agreement on Cyprus to the parties this afternoon, which he plans to discuss with them on Thursday.

He said, "I have come to Cyprus to tell you that the entire international community is hoping and praying that a Cyprus settlement, so long delayed, is at last at hand." He added his hope that the Greek and Turkish Cypriots would understand the urgency of the task at hand, asserting, "It is no exaggeration to say that you have a rendezvous with destiny."

The Secretary-General called first on Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, at his home. He followed that meeting with one with Tassos Papadopoulos, the incoming Greek Cypriot leader, at the residence of the chief of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

He later met with Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, at the same residence. All the meetings were expected to last roughly one hour.

On Tuesday night, the Secretary-General met in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis and Foreign Minister George Papandreou, explaining to them the plan he intends to submit to the parties, and they also touched on Iraq.

Afterwards, in a press encounter, the Secretary-General noted the unique opportunity for a united Cyprus to be brought into the European Union, saying, "It is an opportunity and a window that is not going to remain open forever."

Asked whether the revised plan would be balanced, the Secretary-General said it would, adding, "This is a zero-sum game, and we will keep it balanced."

INSPECTORS REVISIT AERIAL BOMB SITE IN IRAQ

A team from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC)) returned today to the Al Aziziyah Range, where excavations of R400 aerial bombs were under way. Iraq claims that these bombs, filled with biological agents, had been unilaterally destroyed in 1991. The team observed the excavation of a pit and inspected excavated munitions and fragments. UNMOVIC also conducted an aerial survey of the site.

Other UNMOVIC teams visited various sites having to do with missile production. An UNMOVIC chemical team resumed the destruction of mustard-filled artillery shells.

Other UNMOVIC teams and inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited a number of other sites in the Baghdad and Mosul regions. This included a visit to a research center for raw materials for the medical industry.

The IAEA also conducted two private interviews with engineers formerly associated with Iraq's former gas centrifuge enrichment program.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES REPORT ON DR-CONGO

The Security Council today held consultations on the Secretary-General's latest report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Briefings were given by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno and the Secretary-General's Special Representative for DRC Amos Namanga Ngongi.

After the meeting, Council President Gunther Pleuger of Germany said that Council members expressed their concerns at the serious violations of human rights in the DRC that were reported by High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello. They also expressed their concern at the situation in Ituri.

ANNAN ENDORSES COMMISSION OF INQUIRY IN COTE D'IVOIRE

The Secretary-General has sent a letter to President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire following the President's request to establish an International Commission of Inquiry.

In the letter, the Secretary-General says the establishment of such a Commission is in the spirit of the Linas-Marcoussis agreement.

In order to shed light on the human rights and humanitarian rights violations, as well as fighting against a culture of impunity, the Commission's mandate should enable it to establish the facts and circumstances that led to the current crisis.

It should determine the nature and identify those responsible of human rights and humanitarian rights violations committed in Cote d'Ivoire since September 19, 2002. It will also have to recommend measures that will put an end to impunity and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice and that the victims and their families are compensated.

The Commission will also have to investigate acts committed by the "death squads" and other such groups.

An advance UN team that intends to see whether the conditions are right for deployment of the Commission is scheduled to leave Geneva today, and will begin work this weekend in the country to determine what cooperation a human rights investigation would receive.

The team comprises experts from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Department of Political Affairs, as well as a forensics expert.

ANNAN WELCOMES REPATRIATION OF PRISONERS OF WAR TO MOROCCO

The 100 prisoners of war, whose release was announced by the Frente POLISARIO on February 10, were repatriated to the Kingdom of Morocco by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today. The Secretary-General, in a statement attributable to his Spokesman, welcomed this step, which responds to numerous Security Council Resolutions and Presidential Statements calling for the release of all prisoners of war.

The Secretary-General appealed to the Frente POLISARIO to accelerate the release of all remaining prisoners of war, and urged the parties to continue to cooperate with the efforts of the ICRC to resolve the fate of all those unaccounted for since the beginning of the conflict. He also urged the parties to cooperate with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to embark on an early implementation of confidence-building measures.

WFP HEAD SAYS WORLD NOT DOING ENOUGH TO COMBAT HUNGER

James Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, on Tuesday warned the United States Congress that the world was not doing enough in the battle against hunger.

Morris told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, "We have succeeded in averting famine and starvation in emergencies like those in Afghanistan, North Korea and Africa so far, but we still have a gigantic task there. Equally, much more needs to be done in the battle against the chronic hunger that bedevils the lives of hundreds of millions of people - who are not the victims of war or natural disasters." Among other things, he called for "stronger and more consistent funding for humanitarian aid."

Morris is scheduled to address the House International Relations Committee on Thursday.

UN REFUGEE CHIEF BEGINS TEN-DAY MISSION TO AFGHANISTAN

High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers arrived in Kabul at the start of a 10-day mission to the region. Prior to his departure to Kabul, Lubbers said he was concerned that the world's preoccupation with Iraq could take much-needed attention away from Afghanistan.

Lubbers urged the international community to keep helping Afghans who are returning to their shattered country, which is still reeling from more than two decades of war.

Last Saturday in Tokyo, donors, led by Japan, pledged a total of $50.7 million for demobilization in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan's New Beginning Program will collect weapons and offer former army soldiers and militia fighters alternative sources of income in exchange for weapons.

HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF WELCOMES STEPS IN PAKISTAN

At the end of his three-day visit to Pakistan, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, expressed satisfaction at Pakistan's stated commitment to a clear policy of ensuring respect for human rights in all spheres of the public and private life, and at the new Parliament's declaration that it would respect democratic values.

Vieira de Mello had discussed women's rights with all the officials and civil society members with whom he spoke, praising the fact that women compose 21 percent of the new Assembly and about 17 percent of the Senate, and noting efforts to raise the level of female literacy and increase the number of girls in schools. The High Commissioner insisted on the need for the Government to pursue its efforts to prosecute crimes against women, like honor killings. There should be no tolerance for violence against women, he said.

Discussing anti-terror measures, he said that he understood very well the difficult situation faced by Pakistan, but stressed the need to fight terror while respecting the rule of law and civil liberties.

REPORT: DRUG PROFITS DON'T REACH FARMERS IN DEVELOPING WORLD

The annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board is out today, and it says that the overwhelming share of profits made from illicit drug trafficking takes place in the countries where the finished products are illegally sold - not those in which the drugs are cultivated. In fact, only one percent of the money spent on illegal drugs is earned as farm income in developing countries, with the rest earned at other points along the drug trafficking chain.

The report also highlights the need for a comprehensive and coherent strategy to tackle opium cultivation in Afghanistan, and to control synthetic drugs, like Ecstasy, which could become the main illicit drugs in the future.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

HEALTH: The United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organization welcomed the commitment by the generic pharmaceutical industry to work with UN agencies to provide medicines for priority diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. UNICEF and WHO said the generic pharmaceutical industry has a vital role to play in providing safe and effective medicines at a low cost to improve health and save lives.

BUDGET: Today Cameroon became the 52nd Member State to pay its 2003 regular budget contribution in full with a payment of more than $121,000.

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