United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-06-16

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, June 16, 2004

ANNAN PLANS TO APPOINT JESSEN-PETERSEN AS KOSOVO ENVOY

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has informed the Security Council that he intends to appoint Søren Jessen-Petersen, of Denmark, as his new Special Representative for Kosovo and head of the UN Mission there.

Jessen-Petersen will be succeeding Harri Holkeri, who resigned recently for health reasons.

The Secretary-General would like to take this opportunity to express his deep appreciation for the dedicated service and leadership provided by Holkeri in often very difficult circumstances, and to commend Holkeris contribution to the implementation of resolution 1244.

Jessen-Petersen has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an international civil servant, working with UNHCR, the UN Secretariat and most recently the European Union, with whom he has served as the EU Special Representative in Skopje since February this year.

The Security Council is expected to respond in the next few days.

PREPARATIONS ON TRACK FOR UN MISSION IN HAITI, COUNCIL TOLD

The Security Council this morning received a briefing on Haiti in its closed consultations, from Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi.

Annabi discussed the start-up of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, where preparations seem to be on track for the transfer of authority from the multinational force to the UN Mission on or before July 1.

He also discussed the humanitarian situation in the country, which was aggravated by the recent floods that left more than one thousand people dead.

After consultations ended, the President of the Council, Ambassador Lauro Baja of the Philippines, told the press that Council members welcomed the deployment of the UN Mission and expressed hope that troop-contributing countries would fulfil their offers. They called on the international community to assist the Transitional Government in its endeavor to establish secure and stable conditions in Haiti.

GENOCIDE NOT COMMITTED IN BUKAVU, UN MISSION SAYS

A preliminary report issued by the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, concludes that genocide was not committed in the eastern town of Bukavu during the recent fighting there, contrary to allegations by dissident General Laurent Nkunda that the violence in the area was directed against people of the Banyamulenge community.

Roberto Ricci, head of MONUCs Humanitarian Section, confirmed that over 60 people died during the fighting in Bukavu, that some 31 rapes were committed and that many homes were pillaged. However, he noted that the preliminary investigations indicate that all communities living in Bukavu, especially civilians, were affected by the fighting and that all belligerent factions committed violations.

ANNAN SAYS EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT ROAD MAP UNSATISFACTORY

In a message to the International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East, the Secretary-General says that efforts to implement the Road Map remain deeply unsatisfactory.

In a message, delivered by Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor at a media seminar in Beijing on peace in the Middle East, the Secretary-General called on civil society to play a role in countering the view that there are no serious partners for peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He stressed that non-governmental organizations, citizens groups and others often have greater freedom to speak and act than Governments and other officials.

The Secretary-General added that civil society will find in the United Nations a willing partner, equally dedicated to the just, lasting and comprehensive solution for which we have all yearned for so long.

SOUTHERN SUDAN LAGS IN KEY INDICATORS FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN

A new study by UNICEF, the UN Childrens Fund, says that a girl born in southern Sudan has a better chance of dying in pregnancy or in childbirth than of completing primary school.

Meanwhile, UNICEF adds, some 95,000 children under the age of five are estimated to have died last year in southern Sudan, mostly of preventable diseases.

After 21 years of war, southern Sudan ranks as the worst place in the world for many key indicators of well being for women and children, including rates of chronic malnutrition, primary school completion, immunization and antenatal care.

As the Sudan peace process approaches its final stage, UNICEF urges all parties and international donors to make the survival of children their top priority.

TRIBUNAL DISMISSES MOTIONS FROM MILOSEVIC DEFENCE

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today dismissed several motions submitted by the defence in former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevics case.

Regarding Bosnia, the Tribunal deemed that there is sufficient evidence that a joint criminal enterprise existed to destroy part of the Bosnian Muslims as a group, and that participants in that enterprise committed genocide in parts of Bosnia. With one dissent, the judges also agreed that Milosevic was a participant in that criminal enterprise.

The judges also dismissed motions from Milosevics defence challenging counts in the indictments concerning Croatia and Kosovo. They did, however, grant some challenges from the defence concerning the sufficiency of evidence in some specific charges.

ANDEAN DRUG REPORT TO BE RELEASED ON THURSDAY

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime is releasing its Andean Coca Surveys 2003 Thursday simultaneously at UN headquarters, Washington DC and Vienna.

The survey makes extensive use of satellite imagery and aerial verification, and offers responses to key questions: What is the area under illicit coca cultivation and the potential cocaine production in each of the three countries and in the Andean region as a whole in 2003? And is there a further decline of cultivation and production in Colombia, and has there been a shift of cultivation to Peru and Bolivia?

The UNODC executive director, Antonio Maria Costa, will attend the reports presentation in Washington, while the UNODCs New York representative, Vincent McClean, will present the report at the noon briefing.

FAO CHIEF RESPONDS TO CRITICISM OF BIOTECHNOLOGY REPORT

Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, has issued a letter in which he responds to recent criticism by NGOs of a section of the Organizations State of Food and Agriculture 2003-2004 report. The criticism is contained in an open letter to Diouf and is circulating on the Internet.

In his response, Diouf says the criticism stems from misleading press headlines and a mistaken interpretation of the FAO's report, entitled Agricultural biotechnology: meeting the needs of the poor? Diouf urges those who have seen this open letter to read his speech introducing the report and the report itself, rather than relying on secondary interpretations of this very important and complex subject.

OLYMPIC TORCH TO ARRIVE AT UN HEADQUARTERS ON SATURDAY

This Saturday, the Olympic Flame will arrive at the UN Headquarters for a special ceremony in honor of the Olympic Truce. On that day, the Olympic Torch will be making its way through New York City, carried by some 140 torchbearers.

The torch is expected to arrive on the UN premises around at 8:30 p.m. Speaking at the event will be the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly. Also on hand will be the Greek Minister of Culture, Fanny Palli-Petralia, and the head of the Athens Organizing Committee for this summers games, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN COMPLETES BRAZIL VISIT: The Secretary-General has ended his visit to Brazil, and is back in New York today, where he is working from his residence. He is expected back at UN Headquarters on Thursday.

PLANS UNDERWAY FOR ANNAN TO VISIT SUDAN: Asked whether the Secretary-General was planning a trip to Sudan, the Spokesman said that plans were being made for the Secretary-General to visit Africa, sometime later this month and in the early part of July, and that Sudan was one of the countries being considered. He added that, for security reasons, he would not be able to provide any details until closer to departure time.

ANNAN HONORED TO RECEIVE TAMBO AWARD: The Secretary-General today was granted the Order of the Companions of Oliver Tambo, an award conferred in a ceremony in Pretoria, South Africa. In a message delivered by Special Representative Ibrahima Fall, the Secretary-General said it was a singular honor to receive the award, and to be called a companion of Tambo, who played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid. The Secretary-General also pledged the United Nations continued support in the effort to build a stronger, ever more successful South Africa.

DEPUTY-SECRETARY-GENERAL TO DELIVER CONVOCATION ADDRESS: The Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette, will travel Thursday to the University of Waterloo in Canada, where she will be granted an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the University's Spring Convocation. She will deliver the convocation address for graduating students from the Faculty of Arts.

UN COMMEMORATES DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD: Today is the Day of the African Child, which commemorates the children killed in Soweto in 1976 while protesting for better educational opportunities under the apartheid regime. On this occasion, the UN system has called attention to the plight of the millions of African children who continue to suffer the devastating effects of war, disease, hunger and lack of schooling.