United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-04-23

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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

Friday, April 23, 2004

ANNAN EXTENDS CONDOLENCES FOLLOWING TRAIN ACCIDENT IN

NORTH KOREA;

UNITED NATIONS TO TRAVEL TO SITE TO ASSESS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan extends his sincere condolences to the people and Government of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the heavy loss of life and injuries caused by the tragic train accident near the city of

Ryongchon

yesterday.

This morning the DPRK Ambassador called on the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, with an official request for international assistance. In response, the United Nations will make emergency relief supplies available from existing stocks in

North Korea

and release emergency cash grants.

Saturday, a UN inter-agency mission will be on the site of the disaster to assess humanitarian needs, so as to mobilize immediate support and assistance to the people in the affected area.

According to initial reports from the DPRK Government, the explosion injured more than 1,000 people and killed 50 people, and completely destroyed more than 1,800 dwellings.

PEACE EFFORTS IN MIDDLE EAST AT CRUCIAL JUNCTURE

In his periodic briefing given to the Security Council, UN Envoy Terje Roed Larsen focused on what he sees as a crucial and potentially seminal juncture for peace efforts in the Middle East.

A critical lesson, he said, from the last three years of violence is that only an overall political settlement can reverse the deteriorating humanitarian, security and economic situation.

Turning to the proposed Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Larsen said if it is carried out in the right way it can usher a new era of peacemaking in the region. If, however, it is done the wrong way, it will only lead to new violence.

The right way, Larsen told the Council, is for the withdrawal to be a complete end to the occupation and not just a military redeployment with Palestinians gaining control over their affairs in Gaza.

He went on to say that one way to address Israeli security concerns after a withdrawal would be through temporary and internationally supervised security arrangements, with the consent of the parties. The withdrawal should also be accompanied by the implementation of Israeli and Palestinian obligations under the Road Map.

The international community, he said, will not prejudice the outcome of final status negotiations. Those are matters for the parties.

As a member of the Quartet, Larsen added, the United Nations, emphasizes that no declared views on the possible shape of a final settlement can pre-empt the negotiation of that settlement. This would destroy the hope that drives the Road Map and erode the parties ability to perform the tasks it stipulates.

The Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Larsen said, sets the stage for the next step of the Councils stewardship over the peace process. He suggested that the withdrawal could be supervised and certified by the United Nations, as was the case with the Israeli pull-back from Southern Lebanon in 2000.

In closing,he told the Council that crucial choices lie ahead for all concerned: the Israelis, the Palestinians and the International Community. For the latter, the choice is between vigorous involvement in helping transform the Gaza

initiative into a full implementation of the Road Map or standing by and watching events as they unfold.

The open session of the Security Council was presided over by Minister of State of Germany Kerstin Müller.

Following the meeting, Council members moved into closed consultations during which a draft resolution on the Middle East was circulated by Algeria.

Asked whether the Secretary-General shared Larsens views on the possible need for an international presence in Gaza, the Spokesman said that the UN position for some time has been that an international presence could be helpful. The form of such a presence is for the Security Council to consider.

Asked about recent comments made by Special mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-US; Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi on the Middle East, the Spokesman said that Brahimi, a former Foreign Minister of Algeria, brings to the table strongly-held and strongly-expressed opinions about the Middle East peace process. However, the official position of the United Nations on such matters is that set out by the Secretary-General in numerous statements issued by him over the past seven years.

CYPRUS REFERENDA TO BE HELD TOMORROW

The Secretary-Generals Special Advisor on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, today conveyed to both Cypriot parties and to the guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, the authenticated version of the Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem.

Saturday, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will vote in simultaneous referenda on whether adopt the comprehensive settlement plan.

U.N. HUMANITARIAN

MISSION

TO VISIT

SUDAN'S DARFUR

REGION

At the request of the Secretary-General, James Morris, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, will lead a high-level humanitarian mission to the Darfur region of Sudan .

The inter-agency mission, scheduled to be in

Sudan

from 27 April until 2 May, will get a first-hand look at the humanitarian situation, assess the scope of the crisis, and identify any gaps in humanitarian assistance.

One of the missions most urgent tasks will be to identify ways to pre-position humanitarian supplies before the rainy season. It will also assess the possibility for conducting cross-border operations, airlifts and airdrops.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AFFECTING EVERY AFRICAN COUNTRY

Trafficking of human beings affects every country in Africa for which data is available, and trafficking of children is particularly widespread, according to a UNICEF report, launched today in Benin.

The report looks at trafficking information from 53 African countries and provides an analysis of the patterns, root causes, and existing national and regional policy responses to it.

Among the report's key observations: Trafficking occurs most frequently when a child's protective environment collapses due to conflict, economic hardship, and discrimination.

FOLLOWING REBEL RAIDS IN NORTHERN UGANDA, UN TEAM TO ASSESS NEEDS

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said today that it is worried about the fate of thousands of people, both local Ugandans and Sudanese refugees, who have reportedly fled settlements in northern Ugandas Adjumani district in recent weeks following a series of raids by rebels of the feared Lords Resistance Army (LRA).

Due to the recent raids and reports of extensive population displacement in northern Uganda, representatives of UNHCR, the World Food Programme, and the Ugandan government are travelling to the affected area this weekend to assess the situation in the important refugee-hosting region.

CONGOLESE MINERS EXPELLED

FROM ANGOLA NEED HUMANITARIAN AID

UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Wendy Chamberlin, who is in Angola, has appealed to aid agencies to work together to assist tens of thousands of Congolese diamond miners expelled from Angola, and urged the two governments to respect their basic rights. Although the Congolese were not in Angola as refugees and therefore do not come under UNHCRs mandate, the agency has called for assistance to the group on humanitarian grounds.

UNHCR also notes that the expelled workers are arriving in an area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the agency has operations to assist some 42,000 Angolan refugees, who could return home under a repatriation programme this year. UNHCR has expressed concern for the security of the Angolan refugees in the area following attacks by the angry crowds of expelled Congolese.

IMBALANCE BETWEEN RICH AND POOR COUNTRIES MUST BE ADDRESSED

The global imbalance between rich and poor countries must be urgently addressed if the world is to prosper into the 21st century, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings will be told this weekend.

The 2004 Global Development Finance Report (GDF), released ahead of the spring meetings, shows that imbalances are continuing. The report finds most of the rebound in net private capital flows went to Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico and Russia. But other low income countries were not sharing in the rebound in private capital inflows.

The World Bank and IMF will also use the meetings in Washington

this weekend to urge nations to do more to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Then, on Monday, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette will address the Economic and Social Councils High Level Meeting with the Bretton Woods Institutions and the World Trade Organization.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHINA REPORTS FOUR SUSPECTED SARS CASES: China's Ministry of Health has informed the World Health Organizations office in Beijing that there are four patients suspected of having SARS - two each in Beijing and Anhui province - in China. One of them has died, and the three other remain under medical care. The Ministry has supplied WHO with some details of the laboratory results and other evidence that it used to make its classifications of the cases. WHO has requested more information on the clinical status of the patients and laboratory findings.

AIRLIFT OF LIBERIAN REFUGEES TO START SATURDAY: UNHCR, in collaboration with the UN mission in Liberia (UNMIL), will begin on Saturday an airlift of 229 Liberian refugees. The group, which consists mainly of women and children, has been stranded at the Mali border since early March when they decided to return to Liberia after living for years as refugees in Ghana.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, April 26

The Secretary-General is expected to issue a statement marking the 18th anniversary of the nuclear accident in Chernobyl.

The Security Council expects to hold consultations concerning a draft resolution on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The Deputy Secretary-General will address the Economic and Social Councils High Level Meeting with the Bretton Woods Institutions and the World Trade Organization, which follow the weekend meetings in Washington of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Also, Oscar de Rojas, Director of the Financing for Development Office in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will be the guest at the noon briefing, to discuss the high-level meeting.

The third session of the Preparatory Conference of States Parties to the Non Proliferation Treaty will begin in New York.

Anna Tibaijuka, the head of UN Habitat, will brief the press at 11:15 a.m.

Jan Karlsson, Co-Chair of the Global Commission on International Migration, will hold a press conference at 1:15 p.m. He will be accompanied by Rolf K. Jenny, Executive Director of the Commission Secretariat, and Joseph Chamie, Director of the Population Division.

A press conference for a Millennium Campaign event, on the launch of theSocial Watch Report for 2004 will be held at 4:00 p.m. Speakers will include Leonor Briones of Social Watch Philippines and Ziad Abdel Sama of the Arab NGO Network for Development.

The Latin American and Caribbean Regional Session on Sustainable Development will be held to review the progress on human settlements water and sanitation since the agreements adopted at the 2002 Johannesburg Summit. The Session runs from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Conference Room 1.

Tuesday, April 27

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing, followed by consultations, on Iraq, on which it is to receive a briefing from the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi. It also expects to hold consultations on Western Sahara.

WHO will hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on the launch of two reports: The Sanitation Challenge Turning Commitment into Reality, and an evaluation of the costs and benefits of water and sanitation improvements at the global level. The briefing will be by Dr Kirstin Leitner, WHO Assistant Director-General for Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments.

Johan Schölvinck, Director of the Division of Social Policy and Development, will be the guest at the noon briefing, to launch the World Youth Report.

At 12:45 p.m., UNCTAD Secretary-General Rubens Ricupero will brief the press on the upcoming 11th UN Conference on Trade and Development, in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson will brief the press at 3:20 p.m.

Wednesday, April 28

The high-level segment of the Commission on Sustainable Development will open in New York.

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing on Cyprus.

At 1:15 p.m., there will be a press conference by the Mayors for Peace delegation to the third session of the Preparatory Conference of States Parties to the Non Proliferation Treaty.

Thursday, April 29

The Security Council has scheduled a formal meeting, to consider the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara , and it also expects to hold consultations on

Georgia

.

At 11:15 a.m., the Foreign Minister of Mauritius will brief the press.

At 3:30 p.m., Leonard Good, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Environment Facility, will brief the press.

At 4:15 p.m., there will be a press conference by the French Deputy Minister for Cooperation and the State Secretary for Sustainable Development.

Friday, April 30

Today is the last day of the German Presidency of the Security Council. Pakistan will take over the rotating Security Council Presidency for May.

The guest at the noon briefing will be Kalman Miszei of the UN Development Programme, who will discuss the European Unions expansion.

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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