United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-02-28

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Friday, February 28, 2003

ANNAN ENDS CYPRUS TRIP; TO MEET LEADERS IN THE HAGUE IN MARCH

Secretary-General Kofi Annan ended his trip to Cyprus today, following a meeting this morning for more than an hour with the newly-inaugurated Greek Cypriot leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, the outgoing Greek Cypriot leader, Glafcos Clerides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash.

He said, as he departed Cyprus for London, on his way back to New York, that he was satisfied with the outcome of his mission over the past few days to Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, and was pleased that Denktash and Papadopoulos agreed to meet him again in The Hague on March 10.

He said, I have asked the two leaders to arrive at The Hague prepared to tell me, there and then, whether or not they would sign a commitment to submit the Foundation Agreement to approval at separate, simultaneous referenda on March 30 to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. He also asked them to have completed all necessary internal consultations by the time they get to The Hague, so that their response on March 10 would be definitive.

The Secretary-General said he left the region convinced that all concerned understand that the holding of the referenda is the key to a reunited Cyprus joining the European Union on April 16, and he emphasized, There is a unique opportunity that must not be missed.

He called the Plan for Settlement fair and balanced, adding, Of course it is a compromise. But all negotiated settlements require compromise. I urge all concerned to catch the tide before it turns, perhaps irreversibly.

Responding to a question, the Secretary-General reiterated that if the answer from one party or the other is no, there should be no doubt that we are at the end of the road. He added that that would be a sad day for the people of the island and the region.

The Secretary-General will spend tonight in London, and is expected to return to New York on Saturday.

Asked whether the United Nations would organize the referenda, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General expected the two sides would organize them, and he was unaware of any provision for UN technical assistance for the referenda.

UN CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR RECEIVES LETTER FROM IRAQ ON MISSILES

On Thursday afternoon, Hans Blix, the Executive Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) received a letter from the Iraqi authorities stating in principle that Iraq accepts the requests for the destruction of the al-Samoud missile.

On his way into the building this morning, Blix said that his deputy, Demetrius Perricos, who is currently in Baghdad, would discuss the program of destruction with the Iraqi authorities. Blix also said he had sent a letter back to the Iraqi authorities to clarify certain points.

Asked about the destruction of the missile, Blix said: Its a very big chunk of things. There are very many of these missiles, a lot of items that pertain to them [] which are to be destroyed.

When asked if he considered the glass half full or half empty, Blix answered, Its a glass where theyve poured more water.

UNMOVICs quarterly report to the Security Council will be made available this afternoon to all Council members of the Security Council.

Meanwhile, the UN inspectors from both UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continued their activities, with an UNMOVIC biological team returning to the Al-Azizayah Airfield and Firing Range and observing further digging in search of R-400 aerial bombs and bomb fragments that Iraq claimed were filled with biological agents. An UNMOVIC missile team travelled to the Al-Harith Missile Maintenance Workshop, while an IAEA team conducted a car-borne radiation survey in an area 10 kilometers north of Baghdad.

GUINEA TO TAKE OVER SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Today is the last day of Germany's presidency, and Guinea takes over the Security Council presidency on March 1, Saturday.

The Council President for the month of March, Ambassador Mamady Traoré of Guinea, is expected to brief reporters on the Councils program of work on Tuesday, following its approval in consultations.

There are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council scheduled for today.

At 3:00 p.m., there is a meeting of the Security Council Committee on sanctions against Al Qaeda.

ANNAN SAYS LIBERIA IS AT CROSSROADS AS ELECTIONS APPROACH

The Secretary-Generals report to the Security Council on Liberia says that Liberia finds itself at a critical crossroads, with elections approaching.

He says, It could either turn a new page towards sustainable peace and progress under enhanced governance or continue to fester in conflict and poverty, with deleterious effects for its people and the subregion.

He says the first step is to end the fighting. He commends the local and regional initiatives that have made it possible for the Government and the rebel movement Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) to start dialogue.

He goes on to say that the International Contact Group on Liberia provides the best forum for the international community to engage Liberia constructively and to find a comprehensive solution.

That group is meeting at UN headquarters today. The United Nations is being represented by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh and the Secretary-Generals Representative, Abou Moussa.

The meeting is co-chaired by Ghana, the current chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Sweden, the European Union Representative for the Mano River Union.

ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHT TEAM ARRIVES IN COTE DIVOIRE

The High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva today reported that an advance team to look into conditions of setting up a possible commission of inquiry on violations of human rights and humanitarian rights in the context of the current crisis on Cote dIvoire had arrived in Abidjan.

The advance team was made up of representatives of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Department of Political Affairs, as well as a forensic expert.

The team would be in Cote d'Ivoire until March 11 and would then submit a report to the Secretary-General, through the High Commissioner.

RIVALRIES SPARK SOMALIA HOSTILITIES, ANNAN SAYS

In a report to the Security Council on Somalia, the Secretary-General notes the Somali national reconciliation process that began with the convening of the Eldoret Conference in Kenya last October, under the auspices of the regions Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

The Secretary-General encourages all the Somali leaders participating in the Conference to rededicate themselves to the search for national reconciliation in their country, and to agree on an inclusive political dispensation for the countrys future.

He says that it has become increasingly clear that inside Somalia, the continued outbreaks of hostilities are motivated by individual rivalries of faction leaders and criminal activities, rather than wider issues.

The Secretary-General also notes recent hostilities involving the militias, which have seriously affected humanitarian aid delivery, notably around Mogadishu and Baidoa.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

WAR-AFFECTED CHILDREN IN SIERRA LEONE: At the conclusion of a week-long visit to Sierra Leone, Olara Otunnu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, called upon the international community to continue to support the country in the peace-building period so that the impressive gains made so far in the rehabilitation and the protection of war-affected children can be strengthened and sustained.

YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL: Today in The Hague, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia released Agim Murtezi, one of a group of four Kosovo Albanians who had been detained in Kosovo and transferred to The Hague earlier this month, following a statement issued by his defense attorney that Murtezi claimed he was not the person referred to in the indictment. The indictment against Murtezi was withdrawn today, and he was ordered to be released immediately.

HUMAN RIGHTS IN CENTRAL ASIA: Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan will begin a visit to Central Asia next week, to follow up on the visit the Secretary-General made to the region last October. Ramcharan will travel to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan over the next two weeks, to enhance dialogue and technical cooperation on human rights in those countries.

HOUSING CONDITIONS IN PERU: The special rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights dealing with adequate housing, Miloon Kothari, will visit Peru starting next week, at the Governments invitation. During his visit, from March 3-14, Kothari will meet with representatives from the government, United Nations and civil society and will visit communities in Lima, Iquitos and Ica to assess housing and living conditions.

TOBACCO CONVENTION: The sixth and final round of negotiations for the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are expected to close in Geneva late tonight, with a final text expected to be produced that can then be presented to the World Health Assembly in May. The World Health Organization (WHO), under whose auspices the negotiations are being held, said that the treaty is to include international rules on tobacco taxation, smoking prevention and treatment, illicit trade, advertising and promotion, and product regulation. WHO says that last year, 4.9 million people died due to the use of tobacco.

THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS: Today in Burkina Faso, some 150 participants in Africas premier film festival, the Pan-African Film and Television Festival, took time out from the movies to discuss what African actors can do to help fight HIV/AIDS, at a panel organized with the UN Development Programme. In a message of support, the Secretary-General said that creative artists can help us to better understand contemporary Africa not only its problems, but the positive changes that are happening everywhere and are a real cause for hope.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Saturday, March 1

Guinea takes over the Presidency of the Security Council from Germany.

The Secretary-General is expected to return to New York from Cyprus.

Sunday, March 2

Monday, March 3

Ambassador Mamady Traoré, the Security Council President for March, expects to hold bilateral consultations with other Council members on the program of work for the month.

The Commission on the Status of Women will begin a two-week session at UN Headquarters.

Tuesday, March 4

At 11:00 a.m., the European Commission is sponsoring a press briefing featuring European Parliamentarians who recently visited Iraq.

The Security Council expects to hold consultations on its program of work for March. Ambassador Mamady Traoré of Guinea will brief the press about those consultations afterward, at about 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 5

Thursday, March 6

Friday, March 7

International Womens Day will be observed at UN Headquarters. In Conference Room 2 at 10:00 a.m., there will be a ceremony to mark the occasion, including Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette and other speakers.

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

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212) 963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article