United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-04-03

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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

Thursday, April 3, 2003

ANNAN SEES NO IMMEDIATE PROSPECT OF CEASE-FIRE IN IRAQ

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in an interview yesterday with al-Jazeera, said that he did not see any immediate prospect for a cease-fire in the war in Iraq. He noted that, earlier yesterday, he met at lunch with the members of the Security Council, in which the issue of a cease-fire came up, and he added that Council members are going to continue discussing the issue among themselves.

The Secretary-General added, I wish I could say there is an immediate prospect for a cease-fire, and that an appeal from the Security Council will lead to a cease-fire. I dont think that is that case. He reiterated his view that war is a human catastrophe, and in fact in war, all are losers.

Asked about the legitimacy of the war, he said, Obviously, it is not a UN-sanctioned war. He added that he has never justified nor supported this war.

Concerning the humanitarian situation, he reiterated the responsibility of the belligerent parties for the welfare of the population in the areas they control, and added, As soon as the situation permits, we will be back doing our work.

The Secretary-General emphasized that the nature and extent of any future UN role in Iraq will have to be discussed by the Security Council and the Member States. But he asserted, I have no doubt that, regardless of how this war ends, the UN will have an important role to play.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN IRAQ

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette met in consultations today with the Security Council to brief them on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiro Lopes de Silva was present to take questions from Council members.

She informed the Security Council that the humanitarian needs in Iraq are not considered to be very critical at present but are likely to be so in the near future as the situation deteriorates. It is expected that households will begin to run out of food after 4 to 5 weeks, she said.

As for other needs, she said that there are shortages of water and electricity in cities, including Basra, where shortages are up to 50%, and Baghdad. Water and sanitation supplies, including water treatment and hygiene items are required. The disruption of potable water supplies increases the likelihood of epidemics, and medicine is required to treat them. Hospitals are starting to run out of certain supplies.

The Deputy Secretary-General said that more than 3,000 UN national staff are doing their best to continue providing essential assistance to the extent possible.

A UN security assessment mission went to Umm Qasr and recommended that UN staff be authorized to start operations in Umm Qasr.

The Council was also informed that the United Nations is currently considering arrangements to deliver assistance on the basis of need to different parts of the country through cross-border and cross-line operations.

The Deputy Secretary-General told the Council that so far, there have been firm indications or pledges of some $1.2 billion in response to the Appeal.

The spokesman was asked what the next step would be in Umm Qasr, now that there has been a security assessment. He replied that the standard procedure was that the first step was a security assessment and the second step a needs assessment. In Amman today, David Wimhurst, Spokesman for the Humanitarian Coordinator, gave more detail about Umm Qasr saying a preliminary assessment of the situation there shows that the port is heavily silted and requires dredging. Although the equipment to do this is present, it needs repairs. The food distribution system is no longer functioning and has been replaced by a community-based system organized by the military forces in control in the area.

In response to a question about the possibility of the United Nations appointing a coordinator to work with military forces in Iraq, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General had already said any such role for United Nations will be discussed by Security Council and other member states. He added that the Secretary-General had no intention of naming a coordinator before he has a very clear idea of what responsibilities that coordinator would have and that is a matter for the Security Council to determine.

SECURITY COUNCIL AGREES TO EXTEND MANDATE OF IRAQ-KUWAIT MISSION

The Security Council started consultations with a discussion on the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), the current mandate of which expires on Saturday. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi briefed members on the latest UNIKOM report in which the Secretary-General recommended that the Security Council maintain a presence for three months until July 6. Council members agreed to that extension and Security Council President Ambassador Adolfo Aguilar Zinser of Mexico is expected to send a letter to the Secretary-General on this matter.

The Council President read a press statement on Burundi that paid tribute to President Pierre Buyoyas efforts to move the peace process forward. He said the Council welcomed the announcement by President Buyoya that, in accordance with the transitional Constitution, he will yield the presidency on May 1 to Vice President Domitien Ndayizeye for the second phase of the transition. The Council also called on the political parties and the Burundian people to continue to settle the issues linked to the restoration of peace in Burundi through dialogue and consultation.

UNRWA PROTESTS ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF GIRLS SCHOOL IN TULKAREM

Early Wednesday morning, Israeli military forces broke into and occupied a girls school run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), in Tulkarems refugee camp in the West Bank. The Israeli forces proceeded to use that school as a detention center for the camps male residents between the ages of 15 and 40.

The Agency, in a press release today, strongly protests this flagrant violation of UN privileges and immunities, and the continuing denial to UNRWA of access to the school and the camp as a whole, which has been declared a closed military zone.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen today called the occupation of the Agencys school a violation of international legal norms, and he called on the Israeli authorities to leave the school and to allow the Agency to have access to its other facilities in the Tulkarem camp, so that essential services can be restored to the refugees.

This is not the first time that the Agencys schools have been used as detention centers. In previous cases, the Agency has protested to the Israeli authorities but received no response.

ANNAN PLEASED WITH MEETING OF NEW CABINET IN COTE DIVOIRE

At a Cabinet meeting of the new government of national unity of Cote DIvoire that took place in Yamoussoukro today, and at which all the parties were represented, Special Representative Albert Tevoedjre, delivered a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General expressed his profound satisfaction on the occasion of the meeting of and he urged the leaders to seize the opportunity to render the peace process irreversible.

The Secretary-General and the entire UN system are committed to support the efforts to rebuild Cote DIvoire as a peaceful country and an economic engine of the sub-region, he said.

UN POLICE IN TIMOR-LESTE HAND OVER TO NATIONAL POLICE IN LAUTEM

A ceremony was held in Timor-Leste today, marking the transfer of responsibility from the UN Police to the National Police of Timor-Leste in Lautem District.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Kamalesh Sharma, said that the hand-over of Lautem is a historic day for Lautem District and indeed Timor-Leste itself, as a majority of the 13 districts are now under responsibility of the Timor-Leste Police. Lautem is also the first district where full responsibility for security and law enforcement has been handed over by the UN Mission.

Kamalesh Sharma also said in his message that the community will be watching the police officers performance very closely. [You] must demonstrate to the people that this truly is a new, democratic Timor-Leste in which police and other security forces are not feared but respected. They do not control or coerce, but lead and advise.

UN BRINGS MORE AID TO LANDSLIDE VICTIMS IN BOLIVIA

After a landslide struck the rural town of Chima, Bolivia on March 31, UN Agencies including the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), undertook, together with Bolivian authorities and NGO partners, a damage and needs assessment in the area affected.

The number of persons still missing is still not known as search and rescue operations continue. The United Nations can confirm that the landslide claimed the lives of at least 14 people and injured 168 more. More than 200 homes were destroyed, affecting roughly 600 persons.

WFP has provided 22 metric tonnes of food for the victims, while UNICEF and WFP have provided shovels, pickaxes and other tools and WHO some 2000 first aid kits. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, has released an emergency cash grant of $10,000 dollars and has allocated a $20,000 contribution from the Norwegian emergency fund OCHA manages.

NOBEL LAUREATE ADDRESSES POPULATION COMMISSION

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen yesterday delivered the keynote address to the Commission on Population and Development, telling them of the ways in which schooling could be central to human development and human security. Illiteracy and innumeracy or mathematical illiteracy are forms of insecurity in themselves, he argued, which could muffle the political voice of underdogs.

He also said in his lecture that there was no historical justification to categorize science and mathematics as Western contributions, noting that Arab and Muslim societies, for example, had historically contributed greatly to both fields. He pleaded that respect for the plurality of all our identities was key to a harmonious contemporary world.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

REPORT ON CYPRUS NEGOTIATION PROCESS DUE OUT SHORTLY: When asked if the United Nations was studying the new proposal for peace in Cyprus by Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General had received copies of letters exchanged between Denktash and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. His assessment of March 11 outlines the positions taken by the two leaders at The Hague. His report to the Security Council on the negotiation process, which came to an end on that day, will be issued as a document shortly.

WORLD CANCER REPORT LAUNCHED: The World Health Organization today launched the World Cancer Report. The report is the most comprehensive examination of cancer to date and finds that cancer rates could increase by 50 percent to 15 million new cases a year by the year 2020. It outlines areas where action can lead to a reduction in the number of cases including the reduction of tobacco consumption, healthier lifestyles and early detection through screening.

FORMER SENIOR UN OFFICIAL DIES: Former Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Phillipe de Seynes, passed away in Paris yesterday at the age of 93. A French national, de Seynes headed the economic and social department for twenty years, between 1955 and 1975. A statement said he was an intellectual giant and pioneer in his field, who shaped the way the United Nations was to function in the economic and social sphere for several decades to come.

VENEZUELA SIGNS TAMPERE CONVENTION: Venezuela today became the 55th country to sign the Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations.

UN ISSUES NEW STAMPS: The United Nations Postal Administration today launched a set of 12 stamps in the Endangered Species series. There are four stamps in each of the three denominations of the Postal Administration portraying endangered birds. First Day covers for collectors and a special collection folder are also available.

UN BUDGET: The Netherlands made a payment of more than $15 million to the peacekeeping budget today..

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