United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-07-18

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 STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, July 18, 2003

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

This morning, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1492, approving the recommendation of the Secretary-General that the draw-down of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone should proceed according to the modified status quo option, with the Missions full withdrawal taking place by the end of December 2004.

Following that, the Council held an open meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, first briefed the Council on the situation in Bunia.

He underscored that, despite encouraging initial steps toward normalising life in Bunia, many challenges lie ahead. Above all, the most difficult task will be to end the pervasive culture of war and impunity, Guéhenno said. He appealed to the international community to increase its efforts to assist the Ituri Interim Administration to restore basic services in Ituri, especially police, judiciary and corrections work.

Amos Namanga Ngongi, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the DRC, then briefed the Council on the developments related to the Transitional Government, whose swearing-in on July 17 was, he said, a landmark event, and a decisive moment in the four-year old peace process.

There are 29 inscribed speakers on the list for the Council debate, including Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union.

UNHCR CONCERNED BY FIGHTING OUTSIDE LIBERIAN CAPITAL

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is very concerned about the latest reports of fighting on the outskirts of the Liberian capital, Monrovia. On Thursday afternoon, UNHCR staff in Monrovia said that renewed fighting had been reported in Sastown, about 25 kilometers from the capital, provoking more people to flee the conflict area toward the center of Monrovia.

UNHCR is worried that any further deterioration will affect the emergency evacuation of Sierra Leonean refugees, which began earlier this month and has to date assisted nearly 1,250 Sierra Leoneans to return home.

ANNAN PRAISES CHINAS EFFORTS TO RESUME KOREA TALKS

The Charge daffaires of Chinas UN Mission, Ambassador Zhang Yishan, informed Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday about the encouraging results of the recent visit by Chinas special envoy to the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. The envoy is currently in Washington for consultations.

The Secretary-General praised the efforts of Chinas leadership to encourage and promote a diplomatic solution of the current nuclear controversy. He is hopeful about the early resumption of the Beijing talks. There is a similarity of approach between the United Nations and China in terms of nuclear-weapon-free Korean Peninsula and the need to resolve the matter peacefully.

The Secretary-General and China will remain in close touch regarding further developments.

HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES VISITS NORTHERN IRAQ

Today, High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers is spending his second day in northern Iraq, as part of his eight-day, four-nation tour in the Middle East. One of the main issues he was discussing was a possible solution for the hundreds of thousands of people, mostly Kurds, who were forcibly displaced under Saddam Hussein's devastating "Arabization" policy.

In comments earlier today, the High Commissioner said that while the major challenge now was to reverse this policy so that the Kurds who were expelled could return to their homes, fair solutions were also needed for the Arab families who were resettled by Saddam Hussein in the Kirkuk area.

He said that UNHCR is ready to work on this issue but primary responsibility lies with the new authorities in Iraq, and particularly the Provisional Authority. While the liberation of Kirkuk was done in an exemplary way, we now need to follow up on this, and to follow up quickly, to prevent disillusionment and renewed conflict, Lubbers said.

This afternoon, the High Commissioner will visit a site for internally displaced persons in a suburb of Sulaymaniyah, in order to get first-hand experience of the problems they face.

Asked about the challenge of assisting the Kurds returning to northern Iraq, the Spokesman noted the need to be able to provide homes to returnees while ensuring that housing would not be taken from the people to whom it belonged.

IAEA BOARD OF GOVERNORS AGREES ON BUDGET INCREASE

The International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEAs) Board of Governors today agreed on the first IAEA significant budget increase in more than a decade and a half. The increase of $15 million over the $245 million 2003 regular budget is envisioned to grow to $27 million by 2007. The budget is subject to approval by the IAEAs General Conference in September.

This represents a real vote of confidence in the IAEA and a recognition of the importance of our work, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said.

SECRETARY-GENERAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO NELSON MANDELA

In a letter he sent to Nelson Mandela to mark the former South African Presidents 85th birthday, the Secretary-General asked how one can properly congratulate someone who is probably the single most admired and respected international figure, as well as a tireless worker for peace and reconciliation.

The only adequate way to express ones gratitude, the Secretary-General writes, is for every one of us to try to follow Mandelas example. If we could live up to just one fraction of the standards you have set for yourself, then Africa, and the world, would be a far, far better place, he says in the letter.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW UN FORCE COMMANDER NAMED FOR TIMOR-LESTE: The Secretary-General and the Security Council exchanged letters on the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Timor-Leste. The Secretary-General informed the Council of his intention to appoint Lieutenant General Khairuddin Mat Yusof of Malaysia to succeed Major General Huck Gim Tan of Singapore as the Force Commander with effect from August 31.

COUNTER TERRORISM COMMITTEE ISSUES 90-DAY REPORT: The Counter Terrorism Committees latest 90-day report, which looks ahead at Committees work until September, says that its objectives will continue to be raising the international communitys awareness that every terrorist act is a threat to international peace and security. Special emphasis will be given to practical measures designed to help Member States combat terror.

YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL ISSUES SUBPOENA TO SERB LEADER: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on Thursday issued a subpoena for Milorad Dodik, former Prime Minister of the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to appear as a witness in an ongoing case. Under the terms of the subpoena, he is ordered to appear and testify, starting on July 31, and a wilful failure to comply would constitute contempt.

WFP APPOINTS NEW AMBASSADOR AGAINST HUNGER: The World Food Programme (WFP) today announced that Cesária Évora, one of Africas greatest voices, is becoming WFP Ambassador against hunger and in favour of school feeding. Cesária Évora, who for years refused to associate her name with any humanitarian agency, has accepted this role with WFP because of the impact of the agencys School Feeding Programme in her home country, Cape Verde.

UNHCR NOTES RETURN HOME OF 5,300 ANGOLANS: UNHCR today noted the return home of more than 5,300 Angolan refugees since an organized return movement began on June 20.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS Monday, July 21

Jong Wook Lee will take over as Director-General of the World Health Organization.

The Sixth Session of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of the Convention against Corruption will begin in Vienna.

Tuesday, July 22

The Security Council has scheduled an open meeting on Iraq, at which it will receive a briefing by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, who will also speak to the press afterward. After the meeting, Council members will hold their monthly luncheon with the Secretary-General.

Wednesday, July 23

The Security Council has scheduled an open meeting on the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Thursday, July 24

The Security Council has scheduled consultations to discuss the follow-up to its recent missions to Africa. It will also hold consultations on the work of the expert panel on the exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Friday, July 25

At noon, the Secretary-General will make remarks at the launch of the Commission on the Private Sector and Development. UN Development Programme Administrator Mark Malloch Brown will be the guest at the noon briefing, to introduce the chairs of the Commission.

The Security Council intends to hold an open briefing on Cote dIvoire. It also expects to meet with countries contributing troops to the UN peacekeeping missions in Georgia and Lebanon; reports on those two missions are expected this week.

style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight: 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