United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-05-24

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

NOON

BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, May 24, 2004

ANNAN WELCOMES TALKS BETWEEN NORTH KOREAAND JAPAN

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Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomes the resumption of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK)-Japandialogue at the highest level as a timely and encouraging step.

He hopes that the discussions between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission Kim Jong Il, which has helped to resolve some difficult issues, will lead to a normalization of bilateral relations.

The Secretary-General is pleased to note the commitment of the two leaders to continue to resolve the nuclear issue within the Beijingprocess. This is also the message that his Personal Envoy, Maurice F. Strong, received during his visit to the DPRK last week.

The Secretary-General is grateful for Japans decision to resume providing humanitarian aid to the DPRK, which has been the subject of special efforts by the United Nations.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES IRAQRESOLUTION

The Security Council met in consultations today to discuss a draft resolution on Iraq, which was introduced this morning. [The next consultations on the Iraqdraft resolution is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.]

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Council members are also expected to discuss a new date for the vote and the open debate on the resolution regarding UN peacekeepers and the International Criminal Court. That meeting had been scheduled for today but was postponed at the request of the resolutions sponsor.

Asked when the Council would vote on the Iraqresolution, the Spokesman said the question would need to be addressed to Council members.

BRAHIMI MET REPRESENTATIVES OF CHINAAND JAPANIN IRAQ

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The consultations of Lakhdar Brahimi, the Secretary-Generals Special Advisor, continue.

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His activities over the past few days have included meetings with the Japanese and Chinese representatives in Iraq, the Iraqi National Founding Congress, and the current Minister of Education, Dr Ala Alwan. He also met the Islamic Dawa Party, of which the Minister of Communications, Dr Haidar el-Obadi, was a representative.

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This afternoon, he met three groups: one representing the Iraqi Republican Coalition, another representing the city of Fallujah, and the last representing Sunni clerics. He listened to their aspirations and opinions about what they think their new government should look like, and briefed them on his own activities.

Asked whether Brahimi would brief the Security Council before it votes on a resolution on Iraq, the Spokesman said the question of the Councils intentions would need to be addressed to Council members, adding that Brahimi wasnt expected back before the end of the month.

U.N. MISSIONIN COTEDIVOIRE COMMITTED TO DISARMAMENT CAMPAIGN

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Addressing the people of Côte d'Ivoire, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative to that country, Albert Tevoedjre, has reiterated the UNs full support for the country's disarmament campaign.

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In a public statement released in AbidjanSunday, Tevoedjre said the United Nations would assist the Government of National Reconciliation as well as the National Disarmament Commission based on the mandate determined by the Security Council.

He emphasized that all parties to the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement had endorsed the aim of disarmament and underscored the responsibility of the Government of National Reconciliation in reaching this goal. He added that the United Nations could in no way substitute for the country's authorities or for parties to that Agreement.

U.N. ENVOY WELCOMES DISARMAMENT COMMITMENT BY AFGHAN LEADERS

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In Afghanistan today, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Jean Arnault, met in Kabul with the Governor of Herat, Ismail Khan, General Ustad Atta Mohammad, Commander of the 7th Corps and General Daoud, Commander of the 6th Corps.

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They discussed key aspects of the national agenda, including disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security, the fight against drugs and the restoration of law and order.

In a statement, Jean Arnault said he welcomes the commitments made by all three interlocutors, particularly in the area of disarmament, and he trusts that this will result in tangible benefits for demobilized soldiers as well as for the stability and security of Afghanistan.

CONGOLESE REMINDED OF RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

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Over the weekend, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, continued his official visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At an event in Kinshasahe reminded the Congolese people of their responsibilities with regards to the huge tasks ahead to achieve a successful Transition in the DRC.

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The International Community only plays a supportive role to the central one, which is to be played by the Congolese themselves, he said.

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Guéhenno added that recent decisions made by Congolese authorities, including the signing of the Ituri Commitment Act and the nominations of Governors, were major steps in the right direction.

On Saturday, Guehenno travelled to Ugandawhere met President Museveni. On Sunday, he flew to Ituri, in the north-east of the DR Congo. Guehennos visit comes midway in the DR Congos transition that is, a year after the Transitional Government was put in place and a year before the elections scheduled for June 2005.

CHILD LABOUR CONVENTION CLOSER TO UNIVERSAL RATIFICATION

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Kyrgyzstanhas become the 150th country to ratify Convention No. 182 the world's fundamental international standard for combating the worst forms of child labour.

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The International Labour Organization (ILO) says the ratification puts the convention within sight of achieving universal ratification by all of the Organization's 177 Member States.

The Convention provides the basis for national law and practice against the worst forms of child labour, and its received the most ratifications in the shortest time of any Convention in the 85-year history of the ILO. Should the Convention be ratified by all ILO's Member States, it would become the first ILO convention ever to receive universal support.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

PROTEST OVER ISRAELI MILITARYS INCURSION INTO U.N. PREMISES: The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has protested against an incursion last Thursday by Israeli military forces into its Jenin Camp Reconstruction Project Office in the West Bank . During the incursion, a shot was fired in the direction of the Agencys senior project manager as he attempted to gain access to the office.

EBOLA OUTBREAK IN SOUTHERN SUDAN: The World Health OrganizationsSouth Sudan Early Warning and Response Network is working closely with Sudanese health authorities and partners to create a Crisis Committee to control an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF). This follows tests performed by the Kenya Medical Research Institute and by the United States Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention which have confirmed the presence of EHF in Yambio, Western Equatoria, southernSudan. As of today, the health authorities of Yambio Countyhave reported a total of 19 cases of EHF, including 4 deaths.

FIRST WEST AFRICADISARMAMENT MEETING HELD The first sub-regional meeting on Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration of ex-combatants (DDR) in West Africa, convened by the UN Office for West Africa(UNOWA), took place inDakaron 21 May 2004. Representatives from UN peace missions, DDR National Commissions and development partners from Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leoneattended. They stressed the need to harmonize national DDR programs in West Africa, a region where violence easily spreads across state boundaries and with massive cross border circulation of combatants and illicit weapons.

ANNAN WARNS OF CONSEQUENCES OF LOSS OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: Last Saturday was the International Day for Biological Diversity, and in a message to mark the occasion, the Secretary-General warned that the consequences of failing to stop the loss of biodiversity are too awful to contemplate. He called on national governments and all individuals, local communities, sectors and organizations, to support and promote actions aimed at reducing the rate of biodiversity loss.

COUNTRIES IN NEAR EAST INTERESTED IN TREE PLANTING:Countries in the Near East, the most parched region in the world, are showing increasing interest in planting trees to boost water quality and food security but face an imminent water shortage and the threat of deforestation due to agricultural expansion and urbanization, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Some 20 countries are discussing the role of forests in food and water security at a four-day meeting at the FAOs Near East Forestry Commission in Beirut beginning today.

HUMAN RIGHTS IS TOPIC OF SECRETARY-GENERALS LECTURE SERIES: A reminder that the next installment of the Secretary-Generals Lecture Series is on tomorrow. The lecture, entitled Who is Afraid of Human Rights?, will take place at UN headquarters from 1:25 p.m.to 2:45 p.m.The Secretary-General will chair the lecture, and the three guest speakers are: Ambassador Najat Al-Hajjaji of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Professor Ali Mazrui of the Instituteof Global Cultural Studies, at Binghamton University, and William F. Schulz of Amnesty International USA.