United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-02-03

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, February 3, 2004

SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS PRESIDENT BUSH IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan travelled to Washington, D.C. this morning, to meet with President George W. Bush and other senior US officials, as part of the regular exchanges he holds twice a year with officials in Washington.

This morning, the Secretary-General met with Secretary of State Colin Powell for about 45 minutes. In response to questions, the Spokeswoman said they held wide-ranging discussions on Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Cyprus and Liberia.

He then went to the White House, where he met with President Bush. He will also have lunch with the President, after which he will meet with National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

Before he leaves Washington, D.C.,later today, the Secretary-General was scheduled to also meet with members of the U.S. Congress, including Senate Majority leader Bill Frist, House of Representatives' Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Representative Bill Young, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Asked whether Special Advisor Lakhdar Brahimi had been part of the Secretary-Generals delegation on this trip, the Spokeswoman said he had not.

Asked whether decisions would be made during todays meetings about the sending of a UN electoral team to Iraq, she noted that todays discussions touched on a range of subjects, including Iraq, and added that the Secretary-General would speak to the press after meeting the President. Asked about when the electoral team would arrive in Iraq, she said she had nothing further to report at present.

[The Secretary-General said at that press encounter that he hoped the team "will be able to play a role getting the Iraqis to understand that if they could come to some consensus and some agreement on how to establish that government." He added, "We are going to go there to help the Iraqis, to help them establish a government that is Iraqi, a government that will work with them to assure their future in terms of political and economic destiny."]

Asked whether the ricin scare at the Senate offices in Washington would affect the scheduled meeting with Senator Frist, the Spokeswoman said that so far, there was no change in the venues for meetings.

ANNAN HOPES FOR CONCRETE IDEAS ON CYPRUS

Asked about whether the United Nations is close to resuming a role on Cyprus, the Spokeswoman noted that the Secretary-General had said in Brussels last week that we have very little time, and that he hopes that all the parties will come up with concrete ideas to move forward. The Secretary-General spoke by telephone with the Greek Foreign Minister on Monday.

[When asked about Cyprus at an afternoon press encounter in Washington, D.C., the Secretary-General noted that he has been in contact recently with the Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the Turkish Prime Minister and the Greek Cypriot leader, although not with the Turkish Cypriot leader. All sides, he said, had indicated their willingness to resume negotiations, and he added, "I hope to be able to invite them to a meeting shortly."]

IN GENEVA, ANNAN HOLDS SUMMIT WITH NIGERIA, CAMEROON LEADERS

The Secretary-General last Saturday held a series of meetings in Geneva with the leaders of Nigeria and Cameroon, to discuss the follow-up to the 2002 International Court of Justice ruling on their border dispute.

He met, first separately and then together, with Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Paul Biya of Cameroon. Following an afternoon meeting, the two sides issued a joint communiqué and all three men spoke to the press.

The Secretary-General praised the two Presidents for their incredible leadership in agreeing to abide by the Courts decision and setting up mechanisms for its implementation.

He said the two had agreed to strengthen confidence building measures, including an exchange of ambassadors and the introduction of joint security patrols, and also said they would consider a non-aggression treaty between their two countries.

ACTING U.N. ENVOY IN IRAQ CONDEMNS BOMBING IN NORTHERN IRAQ

The acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq, Ross Mountain, on Monday expressed his profound sorrow at the devastating explosions that took place on Sunday in Erbil, which caused so many deaths and injuries. Among those killed, he said in a condolence letter, were numerous distinguished Iraqi Kurdish political and public figures with whom the UN had enjoyed close working relations over the years.

Mountain condemned the murderous acts of violence, which have taken place, he wrote, without any regard for one of the holiest feasts of Islam.

CHINA ASSUMES SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY FOR FEBRUARY

Ambassador Wang Guangya of China has assumed the role of Security Council President for this month. The Ambassador today is holding bilateral meetings with other Council members on its program of work for February. Accordingly, there are no consultations or meetings of the Council scheduled for today.

On Wednesday, the Council expects to hold consultations on its program of work for the month. After those consultations conclude, Ambassador Wang expects to talk to the press about the Councils work during February.

Late Friday afternoon, the Security Council tightened the sanctions regime against the Taliban and al-Qaeda, in what the Council President called a significant step forward in the struggle against terrorism.

UNITED NATIONS TO CONDUCT STAFF SURVEY ON INTEGRITY

The United Nations is conducting a survey to strengthen awareness of integrity and professional ethics in the Organization, which is being conducted this week and next by the consulting firm Deloitte.

The purpose of the Integrity Perception Survey is to gauge the staffs views about integrity within the United Nations. Deloitte will prepare the results of the survey, which is confidential, and will serve as the basis for developing strategies and programs to reinforce integrity and ethics within the UN Secretariat.

BIRD FLU MEETING CONVENED IN ROME AMONG UN AGENCIES

The Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Animal Health Organization, and the World Health Organization are today holding an urgent meeting of experts to discuss the Avian Influenza, or bird flu, crisis in Asia and chart out a coordinated response strategy.

The meeting is being held to develop shared strategies to help affected countries respond to the existing emergency and prevent future outbreaks of the disease. The meeting will continue Wednesday, and a wrap-up press conference will be held on Thursday at FAOs Rome headquarters.

So far, twelve people in Asia have died from bird flu and thousands of birds have been culled.

NORTH KOREANS NEED MORE FOOD DURING COLDEST WINTER MONTHS

The World Food Programme has said that it will not be able to respond to the food needs of four million North Koreans, including vulnerable women and children, as cereal rations for February and March from the United States and Russia have not been delivered on time.

Until now, WFP has been providing close to half of the cereal needs of the vulnerable population, the rest being made up from public Korean distributions. The new delays will leave many North Koreans living on half rations during the coldest winter months.

WFP has urged that new contributions be received as soon as possible, as it takes between three to four months for boats carrying food to reach North Korea.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

DISASTER PREPARATION COULD SAVE LIVES: Better preparation for natural disasters could save millions of lives in developing nations, according to a new report from the UN Development Programme. With billions of people facing at least one earthquake, cyclone, flood, or drought during their lifetimes, the report urges governments to do more to anticipate and reduce the risks from natural disasters. UN experts say the report is the most extensive study ever published of global trends in exposure, risk, and vulnerability.

CONVENTION ON HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS MEETS: The Committee reviewing the Rotterdam Convention on Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides is meeting in Geneva this week. The Convention, which will enter into force on February 24, enables countries to decide which potentially hazardous chemicals they want to import and to exclude those they cannot manage safely. At this weeks meeting, it is expected that leaded gasoline additives will be placed on the list of chemicals that countries can decide not to import.

* The guest at the noon briefing was the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Ethiopia and Eritrea, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila.

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