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United Nations Daily Highlights 96-04-09United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSTuesday, 9 April 1996This document is prepared by the Central News Section of the Department of Public Information and is updated every week-day at approximately 6:00 PM. HEADLINES
The Security Council has expressed its grave concern at the outbreak of fighting in Monrovia and the rapidly deteriorating situation throughout Liberia. In a presidential statement today, members of the Council said this new outbreak of factional fighting, the harassment and abuse of the civilian population and humanitarian and relief workers, threatens the peace process and raises serious doubts about the commitment of the factions to its implementation. Security Council President for April, Ambassador Juan Somavia of Chile reading the statement on behalf of its members, said the Security Council expressed its deep concern at the failure of the Council of State and the faction leaders to demonstrate the political will and determination required for implementation of the Abuja Agreement. Unless Liberia's political leaders immediately showed by concrete positive actions, a reaffirmation of their commitment to the Abuja agreement and fully honour their obligation to re-establish and maintain the ceasefire, they risk losing the support of the international community. The Council reaffirmed its support for the Abuja Agreement as the only existing framework for resolving the political crisis and the crucial role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in bringing the conflict to an end. It called on the Liberian National Transitional Government and the Liberian parties to work with the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) immediately to disengage all forces, re-establish peace and law and order in Monrovia and an effective and comprehensive ceasefire throughout the country. Meanwhile, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has said it is important for the United Nations to maintain a presence in Liberia since without the UN's presence the situation could get worse. Speaking to correspondents today he said he was sending Special Representative James Jonah to the area to assess the situation see what can be done. In Liberia, the situation is reported to be a bit calmer, but still very tense. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Liberia is quoted as saying that ECOMOG appears to be reinforcing in the capital and he was hopeful that there would be immediate results, according to UN Spokesman Sylvanna Foa. She said UN staff are in various locations but everybody is accounted for and safe. There were about 40 people in the UN compound and about 500 staff had taken shelter in the UNDP and the UNICEF offices, she said. The World Food Programme (WFP) was moving food out of it's warehouses inside Monrovia, to assist people trapped in some locations. There had been some terrible looting, Ms. Foa said. The UNOMIL warehouse and most of the humanitarian offices had been looted. The Security Council met today hearing a general exchange of views on the situation in Afghanistan. In a statement, the representative of the United States said that neither the Security Council, the United Nations nor the international community could create peace in Afghanistan. Ambassador Edward Gnehm said only when the parties have the political will to make peace, will Afghanistan be able to build its way to stability and reconciliation. He called upon the Afghan factions and the outside parties that supported them with funds and weapons to realize the futility of continuing the conflict in Afghanistan. A military solution will not and cannot provide a lasting peace, he said. The Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan Abdul Rahim Ghafourzai said Pakistan had been responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan. He said this was hostile and unjust and had given rise to a "renewed and wider Afghan resistance, while creating legitimate concerns of the countries of the region". Meanwhile, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has said the military race is on for the control of Kabul. In a report on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, the Secretary-General said the general assessment of a Special Mission to Afghanistan was that the military option still seemed to be the course of action preferred by the main warring parties. He said most of the parties did not seem genuinely ready to pursue a peaceful political settlement through the United Nations. According to the Secretary-General, the escalating foreign interference by countries in the region and beyond, often in the form of support for one faction or the other, further complicated the peace process and fueled the machinery for war. However, he noted that the countries concerned either categorically denied any involvement in Afghanistan, or referred to it as legitimate assistance to the Afghan people. The Secretary-General said that despite these difficulties, he remained convinced that the establishment of a fully representative and broad-based authoritative council, through a peaceful dialogue among the Afghans, was the most appropriate formula for opening the way towards a lasting settlement and peace in Afghanistan. The Secretary-General remains optimistic that an agreement will be reached on the oil-for-food formula with Iraq, according to a UN spokesman. The spokesman said the Secretary-General's optimism is based on the continuing reports received by him particularly from non- governmental organizations (NGO's), and UN humanitarian agencies inside Iraq, because of the humanitarian situation there. The UN and Iraqi delegations met Tuesday afternoon. The experts reported to the full delegation on some of the remaining issues. The two sides are expected to meet again tomorrow. In Burundi, the situation is reported to be the worst it has been in three months and the Secretary-General is concerned at the deterioration in the security conditions, according to UN Spokesman Sylvanna Foa. She said evidently confrontations had spread into areas in the south that had been fairly untouched by violence previously and there were also reports of the resumption of violence in some areas that had seen fighting but had been relatively calm. In the week that ended 3 April, well over a hundred people were killed, Ms. Foa said. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has estimated that there have been at least 55,000 new displaced people in the last two months and of that number 15 to 20,000 have been displaced in the south since the fighting ignited there. For information purposes only - - not an official record From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgUnited Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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