United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-09-26

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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 OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, September 26, 2003

MIDDLE EAST DIPLOMATIC QUARTET

URGES PARTIES TO ADDRESS CORE CONCERNS

This morning at UN headquarters, Secretary-General Kofi Annan hosted a meeting of the Middle East Quartet, which also includes the United States, the Russian Federation and the European Union.

In reading a summary of the Quartet statement at a press conference, the Secretary-General said that each party must do more to address, immediately and simultaneously, the core concerns of the other, as described in the Road Map. The Quartet members reaffirm their commitment to the Road Map and to resumed progress by the parties toward its rapid implementation.

He added that the members of the Quartet look forward to continuing to work together with each other, as well as with regional parties, to help achieve progress between Israelis and Palestinians. The group, he said, will meet again at the Principals level before the end of the year.

The Secretary-General then shared some of his own thoughts on the situation. He said that the Quartet had presented the parties with the Road Map, but unfortunately, both of them have failed to take the steps along the road, even with the inducement of the international community.

He went on to say that while the peace process remains stalled, facts on the ground are being created which complicate the vision of a two-state solution. I would like, he said, to remind the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority and the entire international community that the only alternative to a two-state solution is long-term conflict and chaos.

The Secretary-General called for bold steps, in line with the Road Map, to salvage the peace process, since small steps have not worked. Such steps, however, must be taken with the consent of the parties as well as through a revitalized and active international presence.

Asked whether such bold steps would include the speedy creation of a Palestinian State, the Spokesman said that they might not, although he added that, the more quickly you can move to a two-state solution, the better. The Spokesman added that the Secretary-General has mentioned in the past the possibility of sending in a multinational force.

ANNAN GRATIFIED BY SUCCESSFUL HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON DR CONGO

In a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General issued on Thursday afternoon, the Secretary-General expressed his gratification at the successful conclusion of the high-level meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) convened by him earlier that day. The meeting brought together leaders of the Governments of Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

The Secretary-General paid tribute to the efforts of the Congolese people and their leaders, and the support provided by the African Union and the regional leaders. He applauded the opening of a new chapter in the peace process in the Great Lakes region, and called on all parties to seize this window of opportunity to take a range of steps to normalize their bilateral relations.

At the end of the meeting, the participants adopted the Principles on Good-Neighbourly Relations and Cooperation, in which they reaffirmed their commitment, among other things, to refrain from interfering directly or indirectly in one anothers internal affairs and to normalize their bilateral relations.

UN OFFICE IN BAGHDAD STILL DETERMINING WITHDRAWALS

The Spokesman, asked about the status of UN personnels withdrawals from Iraq, said that the officer-in-charge for the United Nations in Baghdad, Kevin Kennedy, is still sorting out who will stay and who will go. Three staff entered Baghdad since Thursday, he added, with fewer than 10 staff, net, leaving the country in the past 24 hours.

Asked how the withdrawals would affect discussions in the Security Council about the UN role in Iraq, the Spokesman said they were two separate issues. He added that the Secretary-General was pleased that countries are working seriously at a high level to bridge their differences, and feels that the extra time they spend working on a draft text will be good for everyone.

Security in Iraq, meanwhile, is being evaluated daily. The hope, he said, is that if the right kind of resolution can be obtained, the security situation will be ameliorated, and the international community could resume work in Iraq with a full staff.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF WELCOMES RULING IN NIGERIA

Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan welcomed the decision taken Thursday by a court of appeal in northern Nigeria to overturn the death sentence against Amina Lawal in an adultery case, calling the outcome in her case a step in the direction of decency and justice.

He commended the work of those inside and outside Nigeria who had campaigned for Lawal, and expressed particular appreciation for Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjos support on the issue. The High Commissioners Office had been in constant contact with the Nigerian authorities on this matter, calling for international human rights standards to be upheld.

MILLIONS FACE FOOD SHORTAGES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

The World Food Programme (WFP) today warned that millions of people in southern Africa will face massive food shortages as early as next month due to significant funding shortfalls.

The shortages will be most acute in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where food needs are greatest.

In July, WFP had launched an appeal for $308 million to distribute more than 500,000 tons of food to 6.5 million people until next June in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland, Lesotho and Malawi. Despite repeated appeals, only 24 percent of the needed money has been donated.

LIBERIAN REFUGEES FROM COTE D'IVOIRE RETURNING TO EAST

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that Liberian refugees in Côte d'Ivoire have begun trickling back into the relatively peaceful Zwedru area in eastern Liberia. The mission said the area was under the control of the rebel group Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD).

According to the refugee agency, some returnees said they felt they were no longer welcome in Côte d'Ivoire, which was engulfed in civil strife after a failed coup a year ago. Others feared the continuing political uncertainty there.

The UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) today urged the people of Liberia to support fully the campaign to return Liberian children to school as soon as possible. At this point, UNICEF is in the middle of a rapid assessment campaign of Liberias schools and other locations used for teaching children, of which the vast majority is in need of rehabilitation or reconstruction. The agency hopes that the return to school would be possible around October 20.

BURUNDI: DETERIORATING SECURITY HAMPERING FOOD AID EFFORTS

The World Food Programme (WFP) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Burundi, which is hampering its efforts to reach thousands of displaced people in dire need of food assistance. More than 53,000 people have fled their homes escaping fights in three provinces in Burundi recently, where looting of their houses and fields took place.

WFP has succeeded in delivering food rations to around 59,800 displaced people in the past weeks. However, it is deeply concerned with the security deterioration there, which is hindering its urgent food aid distribution and might interfere with the farming season.

GUATEMALA: U.N. MISSION EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER MILITARY SPENDING

The UN Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) today expressed its concern over the 2004 budget proposed by the Guatemalan Government. MINUGUA notes that the budget proposes to increase military spending significantly while decreasing funds for public security and the rule of law.

MINUGUA points out that these measures would run counter to the Peace Agreements and to commitments made with donors at the 2002 Consultative Group meeting.

ANNAN TO CALL ON STATES TO OBSERVE OLYMPIC TRUCE

This evening at 6:30, the Secretary-General is scheduled to join General Assembly President Julian Hunte, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou and members of the Olympic Movement to mark the introduction at this years General Assembly session of a resolution calling on countries to observe the Olympic Truce.

The Truce revives an ancient Greek tradition establishing a period of time during which conflict ceased to allow athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. The Secretary-General will use the occasion to call on States to express their resolve that peaceful competition, unmarred by violent conflicts anywhere, will mark the upcoming Olympics.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS GUINEA BISSAU, OIL-FOR-FOOD: There are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council planned for today. On the Security Council agenda Monday is Guinea Bissau and the oil-for-food program for Iraq.

POLAND PRESENTS SCULPTURE OF ARTUR RUBINSTEIN: On Thursday evening, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, on behalf of the United Nations, accepted a gift from Poland. The gift, which was presented by the Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, is a sculpture of Artur Rubinstein playing piano. She said the gift would be placed by the Delegates Entrance to greet representatives of every nation as they arrive every day to discuss the challenges of our time.

AFRICA PRODUCES MALARIA-FIGHTING MOSQUITO NETS: The World Health Organization, the UN Childrens Fund and the Acumen Fund today announced a breakthrough of long-lasting anti-mosquito nets that could drastically reduce death from malaria, especially for Africa, where 90 percent of the worlds malaria deaths occur. The mosquito nets, which cost $5 per net, are being produced for the first time in Africa, and are expected to retain effectiveness for up to four years.

UN TEAM ASSESSES HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN NORTH KOREA: A Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission by the Food and Agriculture Organization and WFP arrived in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea this week to assess the main maize and rice crop harvests. The mission will also assess issues of household food security. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, shortfalls of more than 100,000 metric tons in the food pipeline are projected for the next six months.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS Monday, September 29

The Security Council is scheduled to hold an open briefing on Guinea-Bissau. It also intends to discuss the oil-for-food program for Iraq.

UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer will attend the World Conference on Climate Change in Moscow and deliver a message on the Secretary-Generals behalf.

More than 20 African Heads of State will gather in Tokyo for the third Tokyo International Conference on African Development, which the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Africa, Ibrahim Gambari, will attend on the Secretary-Generals behalf.

Tuesday, September 30

The Security Council will hold an open debate on Justice and the Rule of Law: The UN Role, and it will wrap up its work for September, under the British Presidency of the Council.

Lakhdar Brahimi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, will attend the ministerial coordination meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in New York.

Wednesday, October 1

Ambassador John Negroponte of the United States succeeds Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry of the United Kingdom as Security Council President for October.

Today is the International Day of Older Persons.

Thursday, October 2

The UN Conference on Trade and Development will launch the 2003 report on commerce and development.

Friday, October 3

At 11:00 a.m., Anna Tibaijuka, the Executive Director of UN Habitat, and Jeffrey Sachs will hold a press conference to introduce the Global Report on Human Settlements.