United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-02-04

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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

Wednesday, February 4, 2004

IRAQ: ANNAN DESCRIBES TASK FACING U.N. TEAM "HIGHLY POLITICAL"

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in response to questions at a press encounter upon entering HQ headquarters, told reporters this morning that the UN team that is to go shortly to

Iraq to determine whether elections are possible between now and the end of May would explore what options the Iraqis can agree on.

The task facing them, he noted, is described as technical, but is also highly political, in which you need to talk to some of the leaders.

Speaking to reporters at the United Nations one day after he met with President George W. Bush and other senior U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., the Secretary-General said the UN team would go to Iraq as soon as practical and security arrangements are assured.

The United Nations, he added, was not going to go back permanently just yet, but it has always assumed it would have a role in working with a provisional Iraqi government on a Constitution and on national elections, perhaps later next year.

He noted that, in his meeting with Iraqi Governing Council and Coalition Provisional Authority officials on January 19, those two parties indicated they would accept his recommendations regarding elections or other possible options.

When pressed about more details regarding the travel plans of the UN team going to Iraq, the Spokeswoman said no further details would be released because of security reasons.

ANNAN WELCOMES ISRAELI DECISION TO PULL OUT OF GAZA

Asked about the

Middle East, he said he was quite intrigued by recent comments by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon concerning the removal of settlements from Gaza, calling it a positive development and a first, essential step that could help move the process forward.

He added that withdrawal from the West Bank would also be required to allow for two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace.

Asked about accusations from the Permanent Observer of Palestine, Amb. Nasser al-Kidwa, that Secretariat staff had leaked documents relating to the Barrier and the on-going case at the International Court of Justices, the Spokesman said that the dossier submitted by the United Nations to the court was available on the courts

website.

CYPRUS: ANNAN SAYS HE INTENDS TO INVITE PARTIES SHORTLY

Asked about his talks on

Cyprus, the Secretary-General noted his recent contacts with the Turkish Prime Minister, the Greek Cypriot leader and the Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, who all indicated their willingness to resume talks.

He said he intends to invite the parties to talks fairly shortly, and expects to send invitations in the next day or so.

ANNAN DISCUSSES IRAQ, AFRICA,

AIDS WITH U.S. CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS

Following his meetings at the White House yesterday, the Secretary-General travelled to the U.S. Capitol where he held a series of meetings with the Congressional leadership.

The Secretary-General was able to have a wide exchange of views with Senate Majority leader Bill Frist, as well as Senators Carl Levin, Richard Lugar, Tom Daschle and Harry Reid.

He then met with members of the House Appropriations Committee, led by Representative Bill Young. They also discussed many items relating to peace and security, as well as budgetary matters.

Finally, before departing the Hill, the Secretary-General met with House Minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, and other members of the House of Representatives. Afterwards he told journalists that he had a very good discussion on issues of

Iraq,

Afghanistan and a whole range of issues in Africa-- from conflict resolution to the fight against HIV, economic and social issues.

Just prior to leaving the White House, the Secretary-General had a chance encounter with a group of Iraqi Fulbright Scholars who were visiting the White House. He congratulated and encouraged them, and especially the women in the group, to continue their work and pursue their goals.

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS U.N. MISSION MANDATE IN COTE DIVOIRE

Earlier today, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Cote dIvoire until February 27th 2004.

By unanimously adopting resolution 1527, Council members also requested that the Secretary-General prepare for the deployment of a possible peacekeeping operation to the country, pending a final decision by the Council.

The vote took place following closed consultations, the first under the Presidency of Amb. Wang Guangyu of China, who assumed the Presidency of the Council for the month of February.

During consultations, members discussed the Programme of Work for the month, as well as the Cote dIvoire resolution.

U.N. MISSION TO PROBE REPORTED KILLINGS IN NORTHEAST DR CONGO

The

UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo sent a team to the town of Gobu, in the northeast of the country to look into recent allegations of killings, which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 10 people. The UN personnel is traveling to the area by boat since air and road access to the area is not possible.

In a separate operation, on Sunday the UN mission used two speed boats and a helicopter to evacuate approximately 280 passengers who had survived a fire aboard a ferry.

ANNAN BRINGS TOGETHER HEADS OF UN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS

All of the

Secretary-Generals Special Representatives who are also heads of

Peacekeeping Missions are here at UN Headquarters today for their annual meeting.

The two-day gathering allows the missions and headquarters to discuss common issues in depth, with the aim of improving the work of peacekeepers on the ground.

This is the only occasion where the Secretary-General is able to meet with all of his Special Representatives at the same time in the same place. The Secretary-General addressed the meeting this morning.

EGYPTIAN JUDGE TO PARTICIPATE IN INT'L COURT OF JUSTICE CASE ON WALL

The

International Court of Justice decided Tuesday, in a 13-1 vote, that Egyptian Judge Nabil Elaraby could participate in the case concerning the construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Court ruled following its receipt of a letter from the Israeli Government which contended that Judge Elaraby had actively engaged in opposition to Israel, including on matters that go directly to aspects of the current case.

The Court, in its opinion, said that the Judges activities were performed in his capacity as a diplomatic representative of his country, most of them many years before the question of the walls construction arose.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SOMALIA: The independent UN expert dealing with human rights in Somalia today

voiced his grave concern at the abduction of a UN staff member in that country last week, and called on the group responsible to free the staff member, Rolf Helmrich, immediately.

DISARMAMENT: The Secretary-General will meet this afternoon with his Advisory Board on Disarmament, and will note the attention paid over the past year to disarmament issues, and the need to show that the United Nations can deal effectively with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. He will also underscore the much more direct threat many people around the world face: the day-to-day violence fought with small arms.

GUINEA-WORM DISEASE: Former US President Jimmy Carter today called for urgency in the fight to wipe out guinea-worm disease in West Africa. Along with officials from the

UN Childrens Fund and

the World Health Organization, Mr Carter visited a region in Ghana where guinea-worm is endemic. UN agencies are helping national governments in the area to wipe out guinea-worm disease. It is expected to be the first parasitic disease to be eradicated.

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