United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-02-20

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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

Friday, February 20, 2004

ANNAN INTENDS TO APPOINT LOUISE ARBOUR AS HUMAN RIGHTS HEAD

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint Justice Louise Arbour, of Canada, as the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

On Thursday, the Secretary-General had consulted with the chairmen of the five regional groups of Member States about his intention to appoint Arbour.

The General Assembly is expected to consider the nomination in the near future. If the Assembly approves that nomination, Justice Arbour would be expected to retire from the Supreme Court of Canada in late June to take up her new assignment.

Judge Arbour has served on the Supreme Court of Canada since 1999. Before that, she had served as Chief Prosecutor for the two International Criminal Tribunals, for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, for three years.

Asked about the process by which Arbour could become High Commissioner, the Spokesman said that the first step was for the Secretary-General to inform the Commission on Human Rights, after which he met with the chairs of the five regional groups.

After that, he said, he sends a letter to the General Assembly announcing his intention to appoint Arbour, and the General Assembly would then vote on it.

He noted, in response to another question, that Judge Arbour would not complete her duties in Canada in time for the March session of the Commission on Human Rights. Acting High Commissioner Bertrand Ramcharan would be present for that session.

Asked if Arbour and the Secretary-General would meet this week in Asia, the Spokesman said no such meeting was on the schedule for now.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOLD SITUATION IN HAITI IS VOLATILE

The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, briefed the General Assembly this morning on the situation in Haiti, saying that the political situation in Haiti since the flawed elections of May 2000 had been volatile and unsettled. He described the social deterioration and growing violence of recent weeks and the efforts underway by the UN system to address grave humanitarian needs.

Prendergast noted that the Secretary-General had repeatedly underlined the UNs full support to the mediation role in Haiti of the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community. The UN would now be assessing its own role to see how it could be more helpful in facilitating mediation efforts.

To this end, the Secretary-General intended to appoint a Special Advisor for Haiti to have high-level contacts with the OAS and CARICOM and to advise him on possible future UN roles in Haiti.

Prendergast also noted that the Secretary-General had asked him to brief the Security Council on the situation in Haiti next week.

Asked further about the Special Advisor, the Spokesman said an announcement would be made shortly. That person, he said, could be expected to travel to the region as necessary.

As for a possible UN role, he said, the initial idea is to increase humanitarian assistance and to provide political support to the OAS and CARICOM. Should the Haitian Government ask for additional UN assistance in some form, the Special Advisor would be in a position to make recommendations.

Asked whether there would be a UN presence at an upcoming meeting in Port-au-Prince, the Spokesman said he did not know. The President of the General Assembly, he noted, has been very active on Haiti, but he had also been acting in his personal capacity.

CYPRUS PARTIES CONTINUE TALKS IN NICOSIA

The on-going talks in Cyprus are settling into a routine in Nicosia.

As scheduled, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Tassos Papadopoulos, met in the presence of the Secretary-Generals Special Advisor, Alvaro de Soto. One of the technical committees also met separately.

The next session for the two leaders is set for Tuesday morning, as Monday is a local holiday.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES UN ROLE IN TIMOR LESTE

The UN Secretariat has concluded that the continued presence of a UN peacekeeping operation in Timor Leste, for an additional, one-year consolidation phase, is essential to reinforce and strengthen what has been achieved today, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean Marie Guéhenno told the Security Council today.

Addressing the Councils open meeting on Timor Leste, Guéhenno said, We believe that this additional year of support would make a meaningful difference in enabling the country to reach the threshold of self-sufficiency.

The UN Mission, he noted, would include a small military presence, of some 310 personnel. Meanwhile, Timorese now comprise some 11,000 civil servants in the Government, and significant headway has been made in strengthening state institutions.

UNRWA, SWITZERLAND TO ORGANIZE CONFERENCE IN JUNE

Peter Hansen, the head of the UN Palestine refugee agency, known as UNRWA, announced today that the agency and the Swiss Government will organize a conference to discuss the future of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees.

The meeting, which will be held in Geneva in early June, will be an opportunity for the donor community to discuss and plan humanitarian and human development strategies for the refugees.

Participants will look at future initiatives around several themes: refugee children, housing, infrastructure and the environment in Palestinian refugee camps, refugee participation in regional economic development and, lastly, the management and mobilization of resources on behalf of refugees.

POST-CONFLICT SOLUTIONS CANNOT BE IMPOSED, FRECHETTE SAYS

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette addressed the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy on Thursday on Rethinking Interdisciplinary Action in Conflict.

She noted that the most important lesson of all is that, no matter how well-meaning the international community may be, and no matter how abundant the resources it is prepared to offer, it cannot and should not impose its own ideals and visions onto societies emerging from conflict. People want to control their own destinies.

The best service the international community can offer, she said, is to be attentive to the specific circumstances of the societies it seeks to help, be respectful of its aspirations and be ready to support national efforts with advice, expertise and resources. Such an approach, she said, can make the difference between sustainable peace and a relapse into instability and conflict.

The final lesson, she concluded, is that international engagement must be sustained over a long period of time.

UN HUMANITARIAN ADVISER TO VISIT CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Ramiro Lopes da Silva will be traveling to the Central African Republic next week on behalf of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. During this mission, Lopes da Silva will strive to raise awareness and understanding of the growing complexity of the humanitarian situation in the country and its implications for the Central Africa sub-region.

He will also assess the nature and scale of the humanitarian crisis, review coordination and preparedness structures, and recommend immediate measures necessary to expand humanitarian assistance.

The most recent humanitarian appeal for the CAR was for $17 million to respond to urgent humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable groups. So far only $700,000 have been received.

Late last month, the UNs chief humanitarian officer, Jan Egeland, named Lopes da Silva as a Special Humanitarian Advisor for the Central African Republic.

UNHCR TO HELP OPEN TRANSFER ROUTE FOR SUDANESE REFUGEES

On Saturday, the UN Refugee Agency and others will open a new transfer route for the relocation of thousands of Sudanese refugees along the Chad-Sudan border to the third and newest camp further inside Chad.

Nearly 4,300 refugees have been moved from the border to the first two camps since the operation began on January 17.

The agency reports that water remains a major challenge in the camps so additional water bladders are being brought in and wells are being drilled. Meanwhile, an emergency airlift bringing some 256 tons of relief supplies for the 110,000 refugees in this remote region is continuing.

Carol Bellamy, the executive director of UNICEF, the UN Childrens Fund, said today that attacks on civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan are threatening the lives of the hundreds of thousands of children who have fled their homes.

Bellamy called on the Government of Sudan to "enforce the rule of law, and take aggressive steps to protect civilians." She also called on the warring parties to agree to an immediate cease-fire, and ensure safe access for humanitarian agencies and supplies for all those displaced by the fighting.

An estimated 100,000 displaced have already reached Kutum in North Darfur, with more arriving each day.

WHO SUPPORTS AFRICAN CAMPAIGN TO WIPE OUT POLIO

Just one month after an emergency meeting of Health Ministers committed to end polio transmission in 2004, African countries are responding with a massive, synchronized polio immunization campaign, aiming to vaccinate 63 million children over the next few days.

From February 23 onwards, ten countries will begin polio immunization campaigns: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Togo and the Central African Republic.

In recent months, polio has again spread across west and central Africa, paralyzing children in seven previously polio-free countries and putting millions more at risk.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which includes the World Health Organization as a leading member, say that if upcoming campaigns over the next several months reach every child, polio in Africa could be stopped in its tracks in 2004.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

IRAQ REPORT EXPECTED OUT ON MONDAY: Asked about UN recommendations on Iraq, the Spokesman said that an initial report following the work of the fact-finding team to Iraq is expected to go to the Iraqi Governing Council, the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Security Council on Monday. Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimis intention is then to ask the Iraqis how an interim government can be set up, and the United Nations is poised to help as requested.

UNECE TO ISSUE ANNUAL REPORT NEXT WEEK: The annual report of the UN Economic Commission for Europe is due out next week. The report, The Economic Survey of Europe, examines the sustainability of the economic recovery in Europe.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, February 23

The International Court of Justice expects to open proceedings on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Tuesday, February 24

The Secretary-General is expected to speak to the Japanese Diet.

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing on Iraq, focusing on paragraph 24 of Resolution 1483.

The UN Economic Survey of Europe will be issued, examining the sustainability of the European economic recovery.

Wednesday, February 25

The Secretary-General is expected to end his visit to Japan and return to New York.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Somalia.

Thursday, February 26

Friday, February 27

The Chinese Presidency of the Security Council will end over the weekend. France will take over as Security Council President for March.

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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