United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-05-04

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

THE PRESS CONFERENCE

FOLLOWING A MEETING OF THE MIDDLE EAST "QUARTET"

BY UN

SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL, RUSSIAN

FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV, IRISH FOREIGN MINISTER BRIAN COWAN, EU HIGH

REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY JAVIER SOLANA, AND EU

EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMISSIONER CHRIS PATTEN

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Secretary-General Kofi Annan read the following statement following the

Quartet meeting.

"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for waiting. Let me now read you what the Quartet has agreed:

We reaffirm our commitment to our shared vision of two states living side by side in peace and security. One of those states will be Israel and the other a viable, democratic, sovereign and contiguous Palestine.

We call on both parties to take steps to fulfil their obligations under the roadmap, as called for in Security Council resolution 1515 and in our previous statements, and to meet the commitments they made at the Red Sea Summits in Aqaba and Sharm el Sheikh.

In that context, we welcome the Israeli government's recent reaffirmation of its readiness to implement certain obligations under the roadmap, including progress towards a freeze on settlement activity. We urge the Israeli government to implement these commitments, and to fully meet its roadmap obligations.

We view the present situation in the Middle East with great concern. We condemn the continuing terror attacks on Israel, and call on the Palestinian Authority to take immediate action against terrorist groups and individuals who plan and execute such attacks.

While recognizing Israel's legitimate right to self-defence in the face of terrorist attacks against its citizens, within the parameters of international humanitarian law, we call on the Government of Israel to exert maximum efforts to avoid civilian casualties.

We also call on the Government of Israel to take all possible steps now, consistent with Israel's legitimate security needs, to ease the humanitarian and economic plight of the Palestinian people, including increasing freedom of movement for people and goods both within and from the West Bank and Gaza, removing checkpoints, and other steps to respect the dignity of the Palestinian people and improve their quality of life.

The Government of Israel should take no actions undermining trust such as deportation, attacks on civilians, confiscation and/or demolition of Palestinian homes and property, and other measures specified in the Tenet work plan. The Quartet calls for renewed efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire as a step towards dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and infrastructure, and renewed progress towards peace through implementation of the roadmap.

We note the Government of Israel's pledge that the barrier is a security rather than a political barrier and should be temporary rather than permanent. We continue to note with great concern the actual and proposed route of the barrier, particularly as it results in the confiscation of Palestinian land, cuts off the movement of people and goods, and undermines Palestinians' trust in the roadmap process by appearing to prejudge the final borders of a future Palestinian state.

We took positive note of Prime Minister Sharon's announced intention to withdraw from all Gaza settlements and parts of the West Bank. This should provide a rare moment of opportunity in the search for peace in the Middle East. This initiative, which must lead to a full Israeli withdrawal and complete end of occupation in Gaza, can be a step towards achieving the two-state vision; and could restart progress on the roadmap.

We further note that any unilateral initiatives by the Government of Israel should be undertaken in a manner consistent with the roadmap, and with the two-state vision that underlies the roadmap. We reaffirm President Bush's June 24, 2002 call for an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, through a settlement negotiated between the parties.

We also note that no party should take unilateral actions that seek to predetermine issues that can only be resolved through negotiation and agreement between the two parties.

Any final settlement on issues such as borders and refugees must be mutually agreed to by Israelis and Palestinians, based on Security Council resolutions 242, 338, 1397 and 1515, the terms of reference of the Madrid peace process, previous agreements, and the initiative of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah endorsed by the Beirut Arab League Summit. It must also be consistent with the roadmap.

We have agreed to undertake the following steps, with appropriate mechanisms established to monitor progress and performance by all sides:

We will act on an urgent basis, in conjunction with the World Bank, the UN Special Coordinator (UNSCO) and the Ad-hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), on the basis of a World Bank/UNSCO rapid-assessment study, to ensure that Palestinian humanitarian needs are met, Palestinian infrastructure is restored and developed, and economic activity is reinvigorated.

We are prepared to engage with a responsible and accountable Palestinian leadership, committed to reform and security performance. The Quartet members will undertake to oversee and monitor progress on these fronts.

We will seek to ensure that arrangements are put in place to ensure security for Palestinians and Israelis, as well as freedom of movement, and greater mobility and access, for Palestinians. We underscore the need for agreed, transparent arrangements with all sides on access, mobility and safety for international organizations, and for bilateral donors and their personnel.

As Israel withdraws, custody of Israeli-built infrastructure and land evacuated by Israel should be transferred, through an appropriate mechanism, to a reorganized Palestinian Authority, which in coordination with representatives of Palestinian civil society, the Quartet, and other representatives of the international community will as quickly as possible determine equitable and transparent arrangements for the ultimate disposition of these areas.

Effective security arrangements continue to be critical to any possibility of progress. Palestinian security services should be restructured and retrained, consistent with the roadmap, to provide law and order and security to the Palestinians, and to end terror attacks against Israel.

Finally, we reaffirm our commitment to a just, comprehensive, and lasting settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict, based on Resolutions 242 and 338. We remind all parties of the need to take into account the long-term consequences of their actions, and of their obligation to make rapid progress toward resumption of a political dialogue.

An appropriate coordinating and oversight mechanism will be established, under the Quartet's authority.

We call on all states in the region to exert every effort to promote peace and to combat terrorism.

Thank you very much. We will now take your questions."

[Click here for full communiqué.]

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The Secretary-General, asked about reform of the Palestinian Authority, noted the need for an empowered Prime Minister, and for financial and economic reforms, in addition to reforms in the security sector. He emphasized the importance of a Palestinian Authority that can take on its full responsibility with appropriate capabilities.

Asked about the Sunday referendum in Israel, the Secretary-General noted that the Likud Party has voted against the plan but the Prime Minister has said he intends to push ahead with it. He said that "we are monitoring" developments and need to see how the situation evolves.

Asked about the World Bank involvement in assistance to the Palestinians, the Secretary-General said that the World Bank has been involved for some time in helping the Palestinians. "We cannot let the humanitarian and economic situation wait until some other day," he added, stressing the need to take action.

Asked whether the letters exchanged between Bush and Sharon were in keeping with UN resolutions, the Secretary-General noted that the Quartet, which includes the United States, today reaffirmed the resolutions as the basis for the peace process. The basis for moving forward, on the terms of "land for peace," is accepted by all, including the United States, he said.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UN SYSTEM

SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO BRIEF ON MAY PROGRAM TODAY

The Security Council held consultations today to approve the program of work for the month, and heard a briefing on recent developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Briefings on Burundi and the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) were also planned.

[Following consultations, Council President, Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan, read a press statement reflecting concern by Council members at the deterioration in the cooperation of Eritrea with UNMEE. According to the statement, Council members also view with disappointment Ethiopia's continued rejection of significant parts of the decision by the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC).]

Ambassador Akram is scheduled to brief reporters on the program at 3 p.m. today.

ELECTIONS HELD FOR COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The Economic and Social Council today held elections to fill 14 vacancies on the

Commission on Human Rights, for three-year terms beginning in 2005.

Eight vacancies were filled without a vote, when the number of endorsed candidates was equal to the number of vacancies: Guinea, Kenya, Sudan and Togo were elected for Africa; Armenia and Romania were elected for Eastern Europe; and Ecuador and Mexico were elected for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Secret ballots were conducted to select three candidates each from Asia and from Western Europe and Other States. Malaysia, Pakistan and the Republic of Korea were elected from Asia, while Canada, Finland and France were elected from Western Europe and Others.

HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF VOICES REVULSION AT IRAQ ABUSE REPORTS

Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan added his voice to the expressions of revulsion regarding reports and photographs depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by Coalition forces.

Work has begun on collecting information for a report by the High Commissioner on human rights in Iraq, which will be carried out by staff from the High Commissioners office who worked in Iraq and in the region. Ramcharan hopes to have the report ready by the end of May, at which point it would be submitted to the Commission on Human Rights.

DARFUR HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IS ENORMOUS

The High Commissioner for Human Rights

said that the Offices fact-finding team, which had gone to Sudan to assess the human rights situation in Darfur, had returned to Geneva and was finalizing its report, which it said would be made public.

Meanwhile, World Food Programme Executive Director James Morris, who led the humanitarian mission to Darfur, is scheduled to brief the Security Council in New York on Friday.

At a press conference in London today, Morris said "the humanitarian crisis is enormous." Responding to a question about the scale of the crisis, Morris said, "Its very, very serious. Its as serious as anything in the world today. You have a large number of people who have been chased from their homes in the most violent of circumstances. Their lives are very vulnerable, theyre severely at risk. They need food, water, education, healthcare, clothing, and any time one person is at risk, its a serious matter."

The UN refugee agency

reports that more than 50,000 Sudanese refugees have now moved from the Chad-Sudan border to camps in the interior of Chad.

UN AGENCIES DRAW ATTENTION TO 'FORGOTTEN CRISIS' IN NAMIBIA

The World Food Programme (WFP) says

Namibia was one of the worlds forgotten crises.

WFP and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) had

launched

emergency appeals totalling $5.8 million to help more than 600,000 orphans, vulnerable children and women in Namibia who were suffering from the combined effects of erratic weather, severe poverty and the worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic. Both agencies say they have "received nothing" to date.

SERBIAN COOPERATION "NEARLY NON-EXISTENT"

In a letter to the President of the Security Council, Judge Theodor Meron, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, notes that Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte describes Serbia and Montenegros cooperation with the Tribunal as "nearly non-existent."

Cooperation, she says, has declined following the December 2003 elections. Judge Meron said that Serbia and Montenegro is failing to comply with its obligations, and such failures could seriously affect the Tribunals efforts to complete its work.

HIGH CRIME RATE IN HAITI NOTED: The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the high crime rate in Haiti is affecting humanitarian assistance in that country. Some 25,000 persons around the country are believed to have small arms and other weapons in their possession; kidnapping and theft have increased and the police forces are still understaffed and poorly armed. Crime during February and March also caused enormous damage to the water sector, including sabotage of installations, looting of premises and theft of spare parts and means of transportation. As a direct consequence, water supply has fallen to 75 percent of what it was before the latest crisis.

GLOBAL COMPACT IN ITALY LAUNCHED: Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette attended the formal launch of the Global Compact in Italy today, a part of the 1999 UN initiative to have business leaders to embrace universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour and the environment. Speaking at the event in Rome, Fréchette said that the Italian Government and the business community had shown great leadership in advancing the Compact. She noted that there were convincing reasons for the corporate world to embrace an agenda of development and peace, as the more than 1,200 companies from over 70 countries which had joined the Compact went to show. Tomorrow, the Deputy-Secretary-General will visit the UN System Staff College in Turin, where she is President of the Board.

AFRICAN PEACEKEEPERS' TRAINING UNDERWAY AT UN STAFF COLLEGE: Thirty-five officers from the Armed Forces of various African countries began yesterday an intense, three-weeks training programme on conflict prevention and management issues, at the UN Staff College in Turin, Italy.

Financed by Italy's Foreign Ministry, the course falls under the framework of the G-8 Action plan for Africa and efforts of the international community to strengthen African peacekeeping capacities.

ANNAN TO RECEIVE FDR FOUR FREEDOMS AWARD: The Secretary General was due to travel soon to Middelburg, in the Netherlands, where he was to receive the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Award on 8 May. But due to world events which require his presence here at UN headquarters, he can no longer attend the ceremony. His wife, Nane Annan, will formally accept the award on his behalf during the ceremony, which will be attended by Her Majesty the Queen. The Four Freedoms Award are presented to national and world citizens of who have made extraordinary contributions to advancing freedom on a global scale.

INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE TO CHANGE TO "SUSTAINABLE" HABITS: In a video message to the International Consultation on Education for Sustainable Development, the Secretary-General said every country, and every individual, has a responsibility to change to habits which are sustainable to move from exploiting the environment to looking after it. He added that the policies needed to fight global warming, to defeat hunger and disease, and to promote balanced growth, are known what must be found is the will, and the resources, to put them into practice. The event is being held in Goteborg, Sweden, and runs until 7 May.

UNICEF SUPPLIES SENT TO VIOLENCE-HIT THAI PROVINCES: UNICEF is sending school supplies to the three southern provinces in Thailand affected by the recent violence. Since January 2004, an estimated 30 schools have been destroyed in southern Thailand, affecting some 5,000 students. Teachers have been intimidated and there is a fear that some schools may not reopen after the current holiday due to security considerations, according to UNICEF.

ANNAN TO RECEIVE HUMANITARIAN AWARD FROM REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL: This afternoon, the Secretary-General is scheduled to leave for McLean, Virginia, to receive the first humanitarian award from Refugees International. He will return to New York on Wednesday.

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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