United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-02-10

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

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADERS ARRIVE FOR TALKS AT UNITED NATIONS

Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders had arrived in New York pursuant to Secretary-General Kofi Annans invitation. Delegations of the three guarantor parties were also on hand, as the Secretary&#8209;General requested.

The Secretary-General wrote on February 4 to the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot leaders inviting them to come to New York today to resume negotiations on the basis of his

plan. The objective of the negotiations would be to put a completed text to referenda in April 2004, in time for a reunited Cyprus to accede to the European Union on May 1, 2004.

At 4 p.m. today, there would be a meeting of the Greek Cypriot side and the Turkish Cypriot side with the Secretary-General.

Prior to that meeting, there would be brief separate calls by the leaders on the Secretary-General; at 3.30pm the Greek Cypriot side and at 3.45pm the Turkish Cypriot side.

Asked if the Cyprus talks could end today, the Spokesman replied that we should not kill the talks before they had started. He said what the United Nations hoped to establish in this afternoons meeting was a commitment by the two parties to reach an agreement. If that was forthcoming, it was assumed that detailed technical talks would resume as soon as possible with both sides.

The Spokesman later confirmed that each side would have four representatives; namely, the principal plus three other persons on each side.

Regarding the involvement of the guarantor nations in the talks, the Spokesman said that, at the suggestion of the Secretary-General, representatives of the guarantor states (United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey) were in New York. They would not be in the meetings but they would be in the margins, ready to play a supporting role as required.

Asked why the talks were announced only three hours before the leaders were to meet with the Secretary-General, the Spokesman replied that Alvaro de Soto had wanted to meet with both delegations to discuss the details of the talks such as who should attend and when they would be held. He met with the Turkish Cypriot side on Monday night and was not able to meet with the Greek Cypriot side until first thing today. He was unable to confirm details until after that second meeting finished this morning.

He said that, following a single session with the Secretary-General in New York, the detailed nuts and bolts negotiations could proceed with de Soto in a good offices function. Where those would take place, it was too early to say.

Asked whether the deadlines for the Cyprus peace process were flexible, the Spokesman said that the European Union accession date of May 1 provided motivation for the parties to restart talks in a serious way. The parties had indicated to the Secretary-General that they were prepared to do that and everyone was working on the assumption that what they are beginning to undertake today was with a view to concluding by May 1.

U.N. TEAM CONTINUES CONTACTS IN BAGHDAD

The UN electoral fact-finding team in

Iraq led by Special Adviser Lahkdar Brahimi began its work today by meeting with a non-governmental organization, the International Foundation for Electoral Assistance, which is providing advice for the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Later, the team met with three members of the Iraqi Governing Council: Samir Sumaidy, who is Sunni; Mahmoud Othman, who is Kurdish; and Son Gul Omer Chapook, who is from the Turkmen minority. They expressed their support for a unified Iraq, in which Arabs and Kurds can live together.

Tonight, the team is scheduled to meet with a senior Shiite cleric, Ayatollah al-Sadr.

IRAQ PROGRAM CHIEF RESPONDS TO REPORTED CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

Benon Sevan, the Executive Director of the

Office of the Iraq Programme, has asked the Office of the Spokesman to read out the following statement: I should like to state that there is absolutely no substance to the allegations made in a local Iraqi newspaper, now appearing in some international media, that I had received oil or oil monies from the former Iraqi regime.

Those making the allegations should come forward and provide the necessary documentary evidence. They should submit their evidence to the Under-Secretary-General, Office of the Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

Asked whether OIOS had started an investigation on this matter, the Spokesman replied that it had not, as it was not yet clear what the accusations were, neither was it clear how the alleged activities could have been possible given the way the Oil for Food Programme operated. He reiterated confidence in Benon Sevan's integrity and noted that the Programme has been repeatedly audited.

The allegations appeared to be based on some sort of documentary evidence that was in the hands of the Coalition Provisional Authority or the Iraqi Governing Council. But if there were allegations, the United Nations wanted to see the evidence and was asking for those who had made the allegations to provide the documentary evidence.

Asked whether UN officials had full diplomatic immunity with regard to charges such as these, the Spokesman said he would prefer to consult the Office of Legal Affairs. In this case, he would assume that immunity would apply, seeing as the allegations apply to Sevans work as a UN official. But the Secretary-General could waive that immunity at any time.

FIVE HUNDRED IRAQI REFUGEES RETURN FROM IRAN

In the last two days, 500

Iraqi refugees have returned from camps in Iran in two separate convoys. According to the

UN

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this brings to more than 2,600 the total number who have returned from Iran with assistance from the UN since the return initiative got underway last November.

UNHCR says it is not encouraging any refugees to return to Iraq due to the security problems and fragile humanitarian situation. Iranian authorities estimate that more than 5,000 may have spontaneously gone back in recent months.

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS LOOMS OVER HAITI

The Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan has

said he is gravely concerned by the violent situation in Haiti. He particularly deplores the killings and destruction over the past week in the cities of Gonaives and Saint Marc and he strongly encourages all concerned to resolve the political crisis in a peaceful and constitutional manner.

Meanwhile, a UN inter-agency mission arrived in Haiti on Sunday to assess the critical humanitarian situation that appears to be looming and update contingency plans. The World Food Programme is particularly worried about serious food shortages in the north of Haiti because of insecure roads.

HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES HOPE TO BOOST AID TO DARFUR, SUDAN

The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator welcomed an announcement by the Sudanese President to provide access to aid workers so that they can reach millions of suffering civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Jan Egeland said that the humanitarian community is ready to seize this opportunity to increase the amount of assistance within Darfur, where half of the six million-strong population affected by the conflict have remained beyond the reach of aid agencies.

Tom Vraalsen, the Special Envoy for the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Needs in Sudan, has been asked to return to Sudan as soon as possible to follow up on the announcement.

The UN refugee agency, meanwhile, continued to move refugees who have fled Darfur away from the volatile Sudan-Chad border area.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO CALM RETURNS TO BUKAVU

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the

UN Mission has reported that tensions in the city of Bukavu, in South Kivu province, have abated and the situation is now calm.

Tensions rose in the past days after the provincial Governor, and former rebel leader, Xavier Ciribanya, was suspended by the central transitional government of the DRC after illegal arms caches were discovered in Bukavu.

The UN Mission has collected the arms and is patrolling the area.

UN REFUGEE AGENCY CONDEMNS KILLINGS IN COLOMBIA

The

UN Refugee Agency has condemned the murder in Colombia of two members of an association of displaced persons on Sunday in the north-western city of Apartado. The victims were murdered in front of their homes in separate attacks by unidentified armed men in civilian clothing.

The murders are the latest in a string of attacks against individuals involved in human rights work for Colombias 3 million internally displaced people.

UNHCR urges the authorities to prosecute these crimes and to ensure the protection of other local leaders who have been threatened.

In a related development,

UNHCR has welcomed Venezuelas recognition of the first 47 Colombian refugees to pass through a newly established asylum process. UNHCR considers this is a significant step in addressing the previously invisible plight of some 15 thousand Colombian refugees who are believed to be living in Venezuela.

AFGHANISTAN ABOUT TO BECOME A NARCO-STATE

The executive director of the

UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio Maria Costa, has warned that

Afghanistan is a critical juncture in regards to becoming a narco-state. Speaking to the press in Kabul today, Costa said it could go either way.

He welcomed political efforts to fight the drug trade in Afghanistan, but warned that the more the narco-economy is allowed to infiltrate life there, then the greater the risk of the country becoming a narco-state.

Costa is in Kabul for the International Counter-Narcotics Conference on Afghanistan.

NORTH KOREA FOOD SHORTAGES HAD BEEN FLAGGED FOR MONTHS

Regarding whether the Secretary-General would speak out following the World Food Programmes warning that it would be unable to feed people in North Korea for the coming months, the Spokesman replied that this was a very serious situation which WFP had been warning about for months. The Spokesmans Office had been broadcasting that if WFP did not receive contributions soon, there would be an interruption in food aid. Those contributions had not come in.

The WFP in North Korea acknowledged that it was a difficult political environment to work in but it had done everything possible. The WFP knew the situation was serious and had flagged it publicly to donor countries. The alarm bells had rung long ago, the Spokesman said, and nothing had happened.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

REPORTED BUGGING OF DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IS A BILATERAL MATTER: Asked about the rumour that the United States may have bugged Missions last year in the run up to the resolutions on Iraq, the Spokesman replied that this was not a matter for the Secretary-General or the Secretariat to get involved in. It was a bilateral matter between the country that may have the complaint and the host country, the United States. He added that the General Assemblys Committee on Host Country Relations could deal with the issue, but so far, no delegation had brought a complaint on the matter to that Committee.

POLICE FACILITY RENOVATION LAUNCHED IN LIBERIA: In a development hailed as a crucial step towards the reestablishment of the rule of law in Liberia, the

UN Mission and community leaders launched a renovation project for a police station in an area with no police presence in Monrovia. The station, which was constructed by the Liberian Government in 1972, was extensively looted and vandalized during the conflict and served as an operational base for one of the military factions. The Liberian national police chief said, A few years ago, you ran from the police. Now you are going to run to us.

UN CALLS FOR FREEDOM OF OPINION IN COTE DIVOIRE: The UNs Special Rapporteur on the right of freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo,

said today hell call on the Government of Cote dIvoire to seek the help of the UN and other international bodies to overcome a serious shortcoming the country faces. These problems include the free circulation of balances opinions and ideas, and acts of violence that seem to dominate various aspects of daily life. Ligabos comments come at the end of six-day visit to Cote dIvoire, where he was invited by the Government.

YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL LIMITS CONTACTS FOR MILOSEVIC AND SESELJ: The

Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today announced that two of its detainees Slobodan Milosevic and Vojislav Seselj would be prohibited from all outside contact, except for those with their legal counsel, diplomatic or consular representatives and immediate family members.

GEORGIA AND ABKHAZIA RE-OPEN PEACE TALKS: In Georgia today representatives from Georgia and Abkhazia held a second meeting on the issue of security guarantees. The two sides reiterated their commitment to the non-resumption of hostilities and the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means. The meeting was conducted under the Chairmanship of the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Georgia, Heidi Tagliavini and also involved the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General. The next meeting on security guarantees will take place on 20 May.

HOLDERS OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE SHOULD REAP BENEFITS: The ways in which the benefits provided by genetic resources and traditional knowledge are shared, particularly with indigenous peoples, need to be improved to ensure that those who provide those promising discoveries can be rewarded. That is one of the

conclusions of a study commissioned jointly by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the UN Environment Programme. Later this month, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a conference of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will discuss how to develop an equitable international system for benefit-sharing.

INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES ON HERBAL MEDICINE RELEASED: The World Health Organization has

released guidelines for good agricultural and collection practices for medicinal plants. The guidelines are intended for national governments to make sure production of herbal medicines is of good quality, safe, sustainable and poses no threat to either people or the environment. In addition to WHOs concern about patient safety issues, it says theres also the risk that a growing herbal market could lead to the extinction of endangered species and the destruction of natural habitats and resources.

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

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