United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-03-24

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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

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

SECRETARY-GENERAL OUTRAGED BY KOSOVO POLICE KILLINGS

The Secretary-General is shocked and outraged at the killing Tuesday night in Kosovo of two UNMIK police officers one from Ghana and one from Kosovo itself.

The two were shot dead by automatic gunfire while carrying out routine police work near Podujevo, in Pristina region. The international police officer was killed instantly; the Kosovo police officer later died of his wounds. An UNMIK language assistant was also shot and is in serious but stable condition.

The Secretary-General condemns this inexcusable act in the strongest possible terms. He sends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and also to the Government of Ghana, whose police officers have served the United Nations with dedication and courage.

The current violence and instability in Kosovo cannot be tolerated. The targeting of UNMIK and KFOR staff must stop immediately. The Secretary-General calls on all inhabitants of Kosovo to cooperate with UNMIK and KFOR in support of the police investigation, so that those responsible for the killing of the police officers will be brought to justice.

Local and international police have begun an intensive investigation into this grave crime.

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Harri Holkeri, condemned the killings and sent his personal condolences to the families of the officers, in recognition of their honorable service to Kosovo.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO TRAVEL TO EUROPE AND TUNISIA

Secretary-General Kofi Annan will leave this weekend for Bürgenstock in Switzerland to attend the Cyprus talks.

He will then go to Tunis, to attend and address the meeting of the League of Arab States there.

Then he will travel to Vienna to attend the semi-annual meeting of the CEB, or Chief Executives Board, which brings together heads of UN specialized agencies, funds and programs.

From there he will go to Moscow for an official visit. He is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other officials.

Finally, he will return to Switzerland, to address the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

The Secretary-General is expected back in New York before Easter.

Asked why the Secretary-General was visiting Tunis, the Spokesman said it was not uncommon for him to attend Arab League summits. He finds them extremely important. The Secretary-General intends to deliver a message to the summit, as well as to meet with the leaders gathered there.

Asked about his visit to Bürgenstock, the Spokesman said it was hoped that it would be the final leg of marathon talks on the Cyprus settlement. The United Nations has been trying to get the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, together with the help of Greece and Turkey, to agree on the plan the Secretary-General put forward, and, in accordance with the February 13 agreement, to let the Secretary-General fill in the blanks where they do not agree.

CYPRUS PARTIES BEGIN DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES IN SWITZERLAND

The Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers have joined the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot delegations in Burgenstock, Switzerland. The Secretary-Generals Special Adviser, Alvaro de Soto, will have met each of the four by the end of today.

In the meantime, intense and fluid diplomatic exchanges are taking place.

ANNAN APPEALS FOR RESTRAINT FROM COTE DIVOIRE PARTIES

The Secretary-General has been following with deep concern the recent deterioration of the situation in Cote dIvoire, including plans for rival massive demonstrations to be held in Abidjan on 25 March.

The Secretary-General appeals to all Ivorian parties to exercise utmost restraint, reduce tensions and avoid any steps that could further exacerbate the situation in the country.

He also appeals to the leaders of all Ivorian political parties to demonstrate statesmanship and engage in constructive consultations, as recently promised by President Gbagbo, in order to move forward with the implementation of the letter and spirit of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had spoken to Gbagbo, the Spokesman said that he has been in phone contact with the President in recent days.

SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS UN VISITS TO IRAQ

The Security Council this morning adopted a Presidential Statement that welcomed and strongly supported the Secretary-Generals decision to dispatch a team led by Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi to Iraq, as well as an electoral assistance team. The Council called on all parties in Iraq to cooperate fully with these UN teams.

Asked about visits by UN personnel to Iraq in recent weeks, the Spokesman noted that Acting Special Representative Ross Mountain had visited the country for several days, while a number of security personnel have been there for ongoing security assessments.

Asked whether Brahimi would meet with Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the Spokesman said that Brahimi intends to talk to as many religious, political and civil society leaders as he can, and help the Iraqis as they deal with the transition process.

ANNAN INTENDS TO NAME OIL-FOR-FOOD PANEL BY END OF WEEK

Asked about the proposed independent investigation into allegations of corruption in the oil-for-food program, the Spokesman reiterated that the Secretary-General intends to present the Security Council with the terms of reference and names of panel members before he leaves for Europe at the end of this week. He hopes that the Council will indicate its support for the panel.

Asked about reports that France wants clarifications on the panel, the Spokesman said that on Tuesday, the Secretary-General spoke by phone with French Ambassador Jean Marc de la Sabliere. Discussions are continuing.

Asked whether the Iraqi Governing Council had responded to two requests for cooperation with the investigation, the Spokesman said the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services had not received a formal response.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON AFGHAN VOTER REGISTRATION

The Security Council followed the brief formal meeting on Iraq with an open briefing on Afghanistan. Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi said that the first phase of voter registration in that country has progressed more or less on target. As of Tuesday, 1.56 million voters, out of an estimated 1.9 million eligible voters in eight key cities, have registered.

He also noted the constant increase overall of womens participation, although only 28 percent of registered voters are women. The next phase of registration, he added, will demand an enormous rise in logistics needs, increased security risks and organizational requirements.

Annabi also cautioned that the recent fighting in Herat, and recent factional fighting in the north, strongly indicate that security remains an unresolved problem. The situation in Herat has calmed down following the deployment of Afghan Government troops.

The formal meeting was followed by consultations, also on Afghanistan.

At 4:00 p.m., the Council will hold consultations on West Africa.

ANNAN SEEKS YEAR-LONG EXTENSION OF UN AFGHANISTAN MISSION

The Secretary-General, in his report to the Security Council and General Assembly on the UN Missions work in Afghanistan, recommends that the Missions mandate be extended by a further 12 months.

He says that the peace process has brought many benefits, in particular to large parts of the urban population, but many Afghans still feel that the peace is not irreversible, and act accordingly. He says that, outside the main city centers, much work remains to be done.

Asked whether the Secretary-General would attend the Afghanistan meeting next week in Germany, the Spokesman said that Lakhdar Brahimi would represent the Secretary-General at the meeting.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON UN ACTIVITIES IN HAITI

The Security Council held informal consultations Tuesday on Haiti, with Assistant Secretary-General Danilo Turk briefing members on the situation in that country.

Turk provided an update on the security situation, political developments, and the humanitarian situation. He also outlined the activities of the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Haiti, Reginald Dumas and those of the UN mission that is assessing the requirements for a peacekeeping operation in Haiti.

SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATES ASSASSINATION OF SHEIKH YASSIN

Following the informal consultations on Haiti, the Council held an open debate on the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin on March 22. Most of the 41 speakers condemned the assassination, saying that it would trigger further violence in the region and further complicate prospects for a peace process.

In Geneva today, the Commission on Human Rights began a special sitting to discuss the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories resulting from Mondays assassination of Sheikh Yassin.

That session comes after a vote Tuesday afternoon, in which 34 countries voted in favor of holding the special session, with three countries against (US, Eritrea and Australia) and 14 abstentions.

Also today, the special rapporteur dealing with extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions said she was aghast at the deliberate execution of Sheikh Yassin, which also killed seven other civilians.

UN LEBANON ENVOY CONCERNED BY VIOLATIONS OF BLUE LINE

On Tuesday, the Secretary-Generals Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon, Staffan de Mistura, noted the serious violations of the Blue Line earlier this week.

On Monday afternoon, he said, Hizballah launched a heavy attack on Israeli military positions in the Sheba farms area, using rockets and mortars. There was an immediate and heavy retaliation by Israeli forces.

De Mistura expressed the United Nations deep concern regarding the attack by Hizballah, launched at a time when regional tensions are already at a high point. Both Hizballahs action and the Israeli response constitute grave breaches of the Blue Line and risk a further, dangerous escalation.

ANNAN CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN COLOMBIA

The Secretary-General met on Tuesday with the head of the UN Human Rights Office in Colombia, Mr. Michael Fruhling, who briefed him on the High Commissioner for Human Rights new report on the situation in the country. The Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the continuing violations of human rights, and offered his full support to the work of the Office. He also voiced dismay over grave abuses of human rights by both the guerrillas and paramilitaries, especially actions against civilians.

The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the cooperation that the Colombian Government has extended to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia. He hopes that the Colombian Government will take urgent steps to implement the recommendations contained in the report; and that both the guerrillas and paramilitaries will cease their violations of international humanitarian law.

ANNAN SEEKS RESIDUAL UN FORCE FOR SIERRA LEONE

The Secretary-General, in a report, says that the Security Council should consider authorizing a residual UN peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone once the current UN Mission in that country ends its mandate at the end of this year.

The residual force would comprise 3,250 troops, as well as a little over 200 military observers and civilian police down from the present level of 11,500 troops. It would focus its work on the capital, Freetown; the center of the country; and the border and sensitive diamond-mining areas in the east.

The Secretary-General also recommends that, as the current UN Mission draws down over the course of the year, the reduction of its military strength should be conducted gradually, down to a level of 5,000 troops by the end of December.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN MARKS WORLD TB DAY: Today is the annual observance of World Tuberculosis Day, and the Secretary-General, in a message, says that we must spare no effort in our work to meet the targets to halt, and begin to reverse, the spread of TB by 2015. What that means, he says, is that by next year, we must identify 70 percent of all infectious cases and treat successfully 85 percent of those that we identify.

ANNAN, COUNCIL HAVE NOT RECEIVED LETTER ON LAOS: Asked about a letter from US Senators asking for a UN fact-finding team to go to Laos, the Spokesman said after the briefing that the Secretary-General and Security Council had not received the letter.