United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-07-21

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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

Monday, July 21, 2003

ANNAN: IRAQIS NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR FUTURE

Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq, will be arriving in New York later today, and on Tuesday will address the Security Council to present the Secretary-Generals report.

In the report, Secretary-General Kofi Annan writes that the United Nations should help the Iraqis participate and take ownership of the process that will help shape the future of their country.

During consultations with a broad representation of Iraqi society, Vieira de Mello found an overwhelming demand for self rule without democracy being imposed from the outside. Other concerns relayed to the Special Representative include the precarious security situation. If it is not addressed quickly it could hamper progress in many sectors of life, the Secretary-General says. Another concern relates to the treatment and conditions of detention of Iraqis arrested by the Coalition for a variety of offenses.

In order to allay some of the concerns of Iraqis, it is important that Iraqis are able to see a clear timetable leading to the full restoration of sovereignty, the Secretary-General says. There is a pressing need to set out a clear and specific sequence of events leading to the end of military occupation.

In the report, he also outlines areas in which the UN will be active in the near future. These include humanitarian assistance, human rights -- notably in training police officers regarding human rights issues, electoral assistance and other specific projects, including some involving the Iraqi media. He also details the preparations for transfer of Oil for Food projects to the Authority by November 21.

Lastly, the Secretary-General proposes consolidating the existing UN secretariat staff in Iraq into the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, to be known as UNAMI, with a staff of more than 300 people. The number of international personnel would be less than half of the total, with the mission relying on a skilled Iraqi work force.

Asked when an electoral assistance mission would go to Iraq, the Spokesman later answered that it was expected to travel to Baghdad during the first two weeks of August.

Asked if the Secretary-General recognized the Iraqi Governing Council as the Iraqi Interim Authority, as noted in resolution 1483, the Spokesman said the at the Governing Council was a step in the right direction but it was up to the Security Council to decide whether it embodied the Interim Authority.

DRIVER FOR IOM CONVOY KILLED IN BAGHDAD

On Sunday morning in Baghdad, shots were fired from a passing car at a two-vehicle convoy belonging to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). One of the vehicles that came under fire subsequently collided with a bus, killing the driver, who was a national staff member, and injuring an international staff member.

There was a separate World Health Organization convoy in the vicinity, which subsequently caught up with the IOM convoy and rendered assistance to the staff involved.

Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq condemned the shooting and extended his condolences to the family of the national staff member.

IOM is an independent organization that is not a member of the UN system, which works very closely with the United Nations in Iraq and other UN operations around the world.

SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS OPEN MEETING ON IRAQ ON TUESDAY

The open Security Council meeting on Iraq is expected to start on Tuesday at 10 a.m., with the Foreign Minister of Spain, Ana Palacio, presiding.

In addition to members of the Security Council, the Secretary-General and his Special Representative for Iraq will speak.

There is no meeting of the Security Council scheduled for today.

Asked under what modalities the delegation of the Iraqi Governing Council would address the Security Council, the Spokesman said that Council members could invite anyone they wanted to address them. In this particular case, the Spokesman later added, the Iraqis would be addressing the Council under rule 39 of its Provisional Rules of Procedures.

UNMOVIC EXTENDS SYMPATHIES TO FAMILY OF DAVID KELLY

Over the weekend, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) issued a statement extending its deepest sympathies to the members of Dr. David Kelly's family following the news of his death.

Dr. Kelly was well known for his professionalism and for the respect that his colleagues had for him, the statement said.

ANNAN CALLS FOR CEASE-FIRE, DEPLOYMENT OF FORCES IN LIBERIA

The Secretary-General, in a statement issued through his Spokesman, condemns the resumption of hostilities in Monrovia. He calls on the parties concerned and, in particular, the Liberians United for Democracy and Reconciliation, to fully observe the ceasefire.

He strongly believes that the Liberian crisis cannot be solved by military confrontation. Such confrontation can only lead to a further deterioration of an already dire humanitarian situation. The Secretary-General reiterates that any attempt to seize power by force would be unacceptable to the international community.

He reminds all those who may be responsible for gross human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law that they will be held accountable, individually and collectively, for their actions.

He urges all the stakeholders at the ECOWAS-led Liberian Peace Talks in Accra to ensure a speedy conclusion of a negotiated settlement.

The Secretary-General renews his call to ECOWAS to deploy without delay the proposed vanguard force to restore calm and security. He urges the United States to spare no effort to support this deployment and to announce its own decision on the deployment of US troops before it is too late.

Earlier today, on entering the building this morning, the Secretary-General said that Liberia today is poised between hope and disaster, and added that the situation could be salvaged if troops were to be deployed urgently. We have copies of that press encounter upstairs.

Asked if this was the right time for the Secretary-General to appeal for an international force, the Spokesman answered that the Secretary-General believes that an outside force is needed to stabilize the situation. The Secretary-General, over the past weekend, was in regular contact with officials from Nigeria, Ghana and the United States to try to firm up plans for the deployment of an ECOWAS vanguard force, to be followed by US troops. The worse it gets, the more such a force is needed, the Spokesman added.

UN INTERNATIONAL STAFF DEPARTS FROM MONROVIA

Early this morning, at 10:35 local time, the last seven international staff members working for the United Nations in Liberia left Monrovia by a US helicopter, and they are all now in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

At the end of last week, the Secretary-Generals Representative for Liberia, Abou Moussa, left the country as the latest round of fighting in and around the capital began; the UN resident coordinator, Marc de Bernis, has now also left the country.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs today warned that the situation in Monrovia is becoming desperate.

The US diplomatic residential compound at Greystone is crammed with over 10,000 displaced persons who have fled the recent fighting, and all UN compounds in the capital are housing displaced persons. As of last week, there were an estimate 200,000 displaced persons scattered throughout the city.

ANNAN SAYS STATEMENT FROM COLOMBIAN REBELS SEEMS POSITIVE

Late last week, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) issued a public statement expressing their willingness to meet with the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Colombia, James LeMoyne.

In a statement issued Saturday, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General has been informed of the communication by the FARC-EP and considers it to be positive. He has always made clear that his good offices are available to the parties.

UN REPORTS 80 CIVILIANS KILLED NEAR BUNIA, DR-CONGO

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has sent an observer mission to the villages of Tchomia and Kasenya, approximately 50 km from Bunia, over the weekend to investigate reports of recent fighting there.

The Mission was informed that 80 civilians were killed, and 250 houses were burned during the fighting.

Witnesses told the UN that the latest attack was carried out by Lendu militias.

DESAI NAMED AS SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION

In a statement issued today, the Secretary-General appointed Nitin Desai as his Special Adviser for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), which opens in Geneva on December 10, 2003.

WSIS is the first Summit to deal with the information society, including critical issues in the use and dissemination of information and communications technology in development programs and policies. It will take place in two phases first in Geneva in December, then in Tunis in November 2005. It is being held under the patronage of the Secretary-General and has been welcomed by the General Assembly.

The existing digital divide threatens to exacerbate the gaps between rich and poor, within and among countries, the Secretary-General said. He called on leaders from the developed and developing world, private sector and civil society to use the unique opportunity provided by the Summit to forge an action plan that will put technology at the service of human development.

Desai, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, was the Secretary-General of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg last year.

We are delighted Mr. Desai has agreed to assist us in the successful completion of WSIS, said Yoshio Utsumi, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union. The General Assembly has invited the ITU to take the lead responsibility in the organization of WSIS, with full support from the UN family.

A WSIS inter-sessional meeting, underway in Paris this week, has gathered 700 delegates in preparation for the Summit. It is an important step toward a meaningful declaration of principles and action plan to bridge the digital divide and address key policy issues and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.

UN MISSION SENDS DELEGATION TO AFGHAN PROVINCE AFTER FIGHTING

The UN Mission in Afghanistan has accompanied a delegation of the Security Commission of Afghanistan to visit Balkhab District in Sar-i-Pul province, after reports indicate that tension between two local factions (Wahdat-Akbari and Wahdat-Muhaqiq) has caused instability in the area.

The UN Mission said that since April, several cases of factional fighting have been reported in the north and, in an unofficial count, at least 66 people have been killed in these incidents. The fighting has also caused the destruction of houses and businesses and the killing and theft of livestock, severely disrupting life in the villages.

However, the UN Mission said that these skirmishes often happen in isolated areas and do not have the potential of expanding into larger conflicts.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

BOARD OF GOVERNORS INCREASES IAEA BUDGET: Last Friday afternoon, the International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEA) Board of Governors agreed on the first significant budget increase for the Agency in more than a decade and a half. The increase, which is $15 million more than 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.

POLISH GENERAL TO HEAD UN GOLAN OBSERVATION FORCE: The Secretary-General announced the appointment of Major-General Franciszek Gagor of Poland as Force Commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) with effect from August 13. He will succeed Major-General Bo Wranker of Sweden. Major-General Gagor has served in the Polish Armed Forces for 34 years.

NEW WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CHIEF TAKES OFFICE: Dr. Jong-wook Lee took office today and started his five-year term as the new Director-General of the World Health Organization, with a pledge to give new focus and priority to the global combat against HIV/AIDS.

UNDP HELPING CAMBODIA WITH ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE: Asked about electoral assistance for Cambodia, the Spokesman said that the United Nations is providing Cambodia for its upcoming electionsthrough the UN Development Programme, in the areas of electoral law, access to media, capacity building and donor coordination. The UN does not provide electoral observers to Cambodia and was not requested to do so, he added.

UN REGULAR BUDGET: Three more Member States have paid their UN regular budget dues in full for this year: China, with a payment of more than $10 million: Libya, with a payment of more than $900,000; and Nicaragua, which paid off the balance of its dues with a contribution of more than $2,000. There are now 96 Member States that have paid their dues in full for 2003.

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