United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-02-23

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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

Monday, February 23, 2004

UN REPORT ON IRAQ: AT LEAST EIGHT MONTHS NEEDED FOR CREDIBLE ELECTIONS, CAUCUS SYSTEM NOT PRACTICAL

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has sent to the

recommendations of the Iraq electoral fact finding team to the Iraqi Governing Council, to the Coalition Provisional Authority and to the members of the Security Council.

The report concludes that, while there is consensus in Iraq that elections are a necessary step in rebuilding democracy in the country, credible elections cannot be held by June 30. The team also concludes that the proposed caucus system as it now stands is not practical and is not a substitute for elections.

Any elections need to be well prepared and should take place in the best possible environment. Therefore, the mission says Iraqis themselves need, as soon as possible, to agree on a legal framework for the elections.

The team concluded that preparations for elections would take a minimum of eighth months, to align all the necessary political and technical conditions, including the creation of an independent electoral commission.

As for security, it remains of paramount importance to both the success of the electoral process and the United Nations participation.

ANNAN CONDEMNS SENSELESS MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN UGANDA

The Secretary-General, in a

statement released through his Spokesman, strongly condemns the senseless massacre of at least 190 civilians, including many women and children, in a displaced persons camp near Lira in northern

Uganda on Saturday.

The massacre was reportedly carried out by the Lords Resistance Army and comes some two weeks after yet another massacre of civilians in a displaced persons camp in the area. United Nations agencies in Uganda are on standby to bring assistance to the survivors as soon as safe passage to the area is guaranteed.

The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the families of the victims of this heinous crime. The Secretary-General appeals to all those at the national and international level who are in a position to stop the terrible cycle of violence in northern Uganda to do their utmost to protect innocent civilians.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS JERUSALEM BOMBING HEINOUS CRIME

The Secretary General, in a

statement released in Tokyo through his Spokesman, condemned the suicide bombing Sunday in Jerusalem. The deliberate targeting of civilians is a heinous crime and cannot be justified by any cause.

The Secretary-General urged the Palestinian Authority to take the steps necessary to bring to justice those who plan, facilitate and carry out such crimes. His thoughts and condolences go out to the families and victims of this crime.

ANNAN DISCUSSES IRAQ WITH JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER

The Secretary-General met in Tokyo late today with the Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, for an hour, and

told the press afterward that they discussed Iraq and his fact-finding mission to that country. He said, We both agreed that the electoral issue is extremely important and we need to find a way of moving forward.

He said that he assured the Prime Minister that the UN has always been ready to play its role in Iraq, once the circumstances, notably the security situation, are right.

At a working dinner with the Prime Minister, there was a wide-ranging discussion on issues including

UN reform, North Korea,

Afghanistan, the

Global Compact and Japans continued support for the United Nations work.

The Secretary-General began the day with an audience with Emperor Akihito of Japan, at the Imperial Palace. He also had lunch today with the leaders of the Japan Business Federation, including representatives of three Japanese companies that have joined the Global Compact.

On Sunday, the Secretary-General met with Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, and discussed with her Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, the Korean peninsula, African development, AIDS and UN reform. The Secretary-General

told reporters afterward that international cooperation would be essential in helping the Iraqi people to regain their sovereignty and build a peaceful, democratic and stable Iraq.

UN PEACEKEEPER KILLED IN LEBANON; INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

The UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) says that on Saturday, a Ghanaian soldier serving with the force was fatally shot during a scuffle initiated by the Kurdish migrants at the UN position at the Ras Naqoura crossing between Israel and Lebanon. An official investigation has been opened into the matter.

Since August 9, 2001, UN peacekeepers have been providing shelter, food, and medical assistance to a group of 46 Iraqi Kurds who had crossed illegally from Lebanon to Israel, and were consequently returned by the Israeli Army to the Lebanese side of the crossing.

Last October a number of them were repatriated to Iraq by the UN refugee agency. The remaining group has insisted on being resettled in a third country. Since early November, they have resorted to violent acts against UN property at the crossing and have also blocked UN vehicles and personnel, preventing any traffic from moving through this crossing point.

INTERNATIONAL COURT OPENS HEARING ON ISRAELI BARRIER

Earlier today in The Hague, the International Court of Justice opened its public hearings in the case concerning Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The verbatim transcript of the morning session is available on the courts web site. (www.icj-cij.org)

UN AGENCIES CALL FOR ACTION AGAINST SPREAD OF AIDS IN EUROPE

The World Health Organization, the

UN Childrens Fund and the

Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS are among a group of organizations which today called on European Ministers to take action urgently to prevent the further spread of AIDS across Europe and to treat those in need. The agencies are taking part in a Ministerial Conference which opened today in Dublin, hosted by the Irish EU Presidency, called "Breaking the Barriers - Partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia.

The call comes as AIDS spreads rapidly in Eastern Europe and rises again in Western Europe because integrated prevention and treatment programs havent been sustained or dont exist.

WHO STRESSES SAFETY OF POLIO VACCINE

At the start of a massive polio vaccination campaign which began today across 10 African countries. The

World Health Organization says concerns that the vaccine may be unsafe are without foundation. There have been reports of resistance to the vaccine in some regions, because of concerns about the vaccines safety.

As recently as last week, as many as seven states potentially may not have participated in the immunization campaign, but the latest information indicates that some of these states appear to have gone ahead.

PRESIDING JUDGE IN MILOSEVIC TRIAL STEPS DOWN FOR HEALTH REASONS

Judge Richard May of the United Kingdom has resigned from the

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia due to health reasons. His resignation will become effective on May 31.

In a statement, the Tribunal President, Judge Theodor Meron, says that Judge Mays formidable intellect and unwavering dedication have made him one of the Tribunals mainstays. He also voices confidence that Judge Mays resignation will not unduly disrupt the Tribunals proceedings, and he wishes May a swift and full recovery.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

NO SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS SCHEDULED: There are no formal meetings or consultations of the Security Council scheduled for today.

UN TEAM TRAVELS TO NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN: A joint delegation from the

UN Mission in Afghanistan and from that countrys Security Commission have travelled to the Sholgara District, in the northern Balkh province, to help restore order following fighting there last Wednesday. The team has confirmed that, during the fighting, four commanders of the Jamiat faction were ambushed and killed, and eight commanders of the rival Jumbesh faction have been identified as suspects. The delegation intends to bring about the peaceful transfer of the suspects to Mazar-e-Sharif, and adds that there have been no further reports of violence.

FAO ISSUES APPEAL TO FIGHT LOCUSTS: The

Food and Agriculture Organization has launched an appeal for $6 million urgently needed to support desert locust control operations in Mauritania and another $3 million for Mali, Niger and Chad, in order to prevent the early stages of the current upsurge from developing into a plague. FAO says the locust situation continues to deteriorate in the western and northern areas of Mauritania, and in the Western Sahara. It warns that swarms that escape control are likely to move into Algeria and Morocco within a matter of weeks or even days, where a further cycle of breeding may take place in spring.

UNICEF AMBASSADOR NOTES BIRTH REGISTRATION:

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Harry Belafonte today

appealed to African countries to redouble their efforts at registering births, calling birth registration a fundamental human right. Fifty million births went unregistered globally in 2000, out of a total of 130 million births. In sub-Saharan Africa, 70 percent of births or 17 million children went unregistered. Belafonte was attending the first regional conference on birth registration in West and Central Africa, which was co-sponsored by agencies including the

UN Childrens Fund and the

UN Population Fund.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

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New York, NY 10017

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Fax. 212-963-7055

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