United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-11-03

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, November 3, 2003

SECRETARY-GENERAL NOTES UN FOLLOW-UP ON SAFETY IN IRAQ

Secretary-General Kofi Annan was asked by reporters today about the status of UN international staff in Baghdad, and said that in principle, they should all be out or on their way out.

Asked about changes in light of the independent panels report on the security of UN personnel in Iraq, the Secretary-General said the United Nations was currently trying to find out exactly who did what, who didnt do what, and we are going to be making some changes. Some changes, he said, have already been made, noting efforts by the World Food Programme to tighten security measures for its offices around the world.

In response to questions on when the United Nations would establish a high-level panel on accountability, one of the follow-up measures to the panels report, the Spokesman said an announcement on the team was expected in the next two days.

Asked about when the panel on UN revitalization would be announced, he said an announcement was expected before the Secretary-General leaves for Latin America on Tuesday.

ANGOLA TAKES OVER AS SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR NOVEMBER

A new Security Council President, Ambassador Ismael Abraão Gaspar Martins of Angola, has taken over the office for the month, and he is expected to discuss the Councils program of work for November with other Council members today. No Council meetings or consultations are scheduled for today.

On Tuesday, it is expected that the Council will hold consultations on its program of work for the month, and it may also hold consultations on Somalia, with a briefing by the Secretary-Generals Representative for that country, Winston Tubman.

The Secretary-General, in a report to the Security Council on Somalia, notes the progress made at the Somalia National Reconciliation Conference in Kenya this past June in endorsing reports by five reconciliation committees. At the same time, he says, differences over federalism and the relationship between a future government and regional and local authorities have slowed further progress.

He writes, Somali leaders face the historical challenge of bridging their differences in order to reach agreement on a viable government. I urge them to continue their dialogue to ensure an inclusive solution that they can all support and implement in good faith.

He adds that the UN Political Office in Somalia and the country team are actively developing a peace-building plan to be implemented in Somalia once a definitive agreement is reached in the conference.

SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION TO AFGHANISTAN VISITS HERAT

The Security Council mission led by German Ambassador Gunter Pleuger, which arrived in Kabul on Sunday to show the worlds commitment to peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, just completed a day-long visit to the western city of Herat.

The 15-member delegation began its visit to Herat with a meeting with the Deputy Governor, Haji Miv Abdel Khaliq, at the Governors residence, and they discussed cooperation with the central government, the need to end factional fighting and violence and the role of human rights in building a free society.

The mission also met with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and other civil society representatives during which the participants underscored the importance of human rights, in particular womens rights, in order to establish long-lasting stability.

Before returning to Kabul, Ambassador Pleuger told reporters at a press encounter that the Council delegation, by visiting Herat, was able to obtain a good impression of the magnitude of problems facing Afghans on the path towards democracy and prosperity.

He said the mission could visit only two provinces, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif, but wanted to emphasize the importance of cooperation between the provinces and the central Government, as well as the message that factional strife and violence have to be stopped.

He also highlighted the importance of the human rights of women in Herat. These women are a very valuable human resource and it is in the interests of every country and every society to develop this human resource, he said, adding that the Council mission has received a positive response from the human rights people.

COUNCIL MISSION MEETS WITH AFGHAN PRESIDENT

On Sunday afternoon, immediately after arriving in Kabul, the Security Council delegation met with Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah before holding a wide-ranging discussion on the achievements and challenges facing Afghanistan with President Hamid Karzai and senior members of his Government.

That meeting at the Presidential Palace was briefly suspended to join the Afghan leaders for an Iftar meal, marking the end of the days Ramadan fast. On Sunday evening, the Council members heard a briefing by Lieutenant General Gotz Gliemeroth, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Upon arrival, Ambassador Pleuger told reporters that the Council was in Afghanistan to show the Afghan people that the international community supports the peace and reconstruction process, and to show the Karzai Government that the Security Council supports his efforts to implement the Bonn Accord.

The third message, he said, was to the factional and provincial leaders to cooperate fully with central Government, because otherwise we would not have the necessary security to do the preparations necessary for the elections planned for next year.

ANNAN URGES GEORGIAN, ABKHAZ SIDES TO DEAL WITH CORE ISSUES

The Secretary-Generals latest report to the Security Council on Georgia notes the determined efforts by the UN Mission in Georgia to bring the Georgian and Abkhaz sides together at a brainstorming session, and says that the presence of the two sides at one such session in July was a welcome development in the peace process.

It is important, the Secretary-General says, that the momentum gained since last February not be lost. He adds that, in order to achieve lasting stability and security, the political issue at the heart of the conflict ultimately must be addressed, and he strongly urges both sides, in particular the Abkhaz side, to enter into a meaningful dialogue on the core issues of the conflict.

UN ENVOY INSPECTS WEAPONS CACHE IN LIBERIA

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia, Jacques Klein, and members of the UN Panel of Experts monitoring sanctions on Liberia witnessed the opening and inspection of a 40-foot container loaded with about 22 tons of assorted weapons imported by the former Government.

The inspection revealed a shipment that comprised two 60mm mortars, 149 boxes of mortar ammunition, 67 boxes of rocket-propelled grenades, 299 boxes of AK-47 rifles and about 699,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition.

The weapons are in the safe custody of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), and the ammunition was scheduled for immediate destruction.

HEAD OF UN DRUGS OFFICE WILL EXAMINE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSES

Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the Office on Drugs and Crime, responded today to the resignation of one of that Offices inter-regional advisers, Samuel González-Ruiz, who had alluded to irregularities in issuing contracts, petty corruption and abuses of administrative discretion as reasons for his departure. Costa said the Office is taking the allegations very seriously, and that the results of its examination will be made as soon as they are available.

The Office of Internal Oversight Services has already started its investigation.

Costa said that the Office on Drugs and Crime is proud of its recent reforms, and will proceed with the necessary severity if the allegations are corroborated. He added that, because of the reforms, he is convinced that major evidence of misbehavior is unlikely.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN SAYS UN WILL WORK WITH NATIONS ON GOVERNANCE: In a message to the Fifth Global Forum on Reinventing Government, which began today in Mexico City, the Secretary-General says that there are no ready-made, one-size-fits-all solutions to the challenges of governance, and that Governments must find initiatives that best address their particular concerns. The United Nations, he says, will continue to work closely with Governments in their quest for better, more effective governance.

UNEP NOTES AGREEMENT ON CASPIAN SEA: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reports from Tehran that ministers from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan are meeting there today and Tuesday to sign the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea. The agreement will promote the conservation of the largest freshwater lake in the world. The convention, negotiated under UNEP auspices, is the first legally binding treaty on any subject to be adopted by the five neighbors.

TWO DOZEN UN RUNNERS PARTICIPATE IN MARATHON: Congratulations are in order for the more than two dozen members of the UN Athletics Cub who ran in the New York City marathon on Sunday. The club reports the highest ranking in the final results was Stephanie Hodge of UNDP, who placed 32nd among the women with a time of 2 hours and 54 minutes. Fred Soltau of DESA was the fastest male, with a time of 3 hours and 26 minutes. Club president Kevin Shelton-Smith of DPKO says he ran the course twice, first from the finish to the start, where he turned around and did it again.

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