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United Nations Daily Highlights 96-04-22United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSMonday, April 22, 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
Expressing his admiration at the second space Shuttle-Mir docking mission, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said the mission was a great example of how two former enemies could not only live as friends but also combine their knowledge for the well-being of human-kind. At a special ceremony today at UN Headquarters, attended by United States Space Shuttle Atlantis astronauts and Russian Mir Space Station cosmonauts, Dr. Boutros-Ghali called their mission a "scientific triumph". The Secretary-General was presented with the flag and treaty scrolls carried aboard the shuttle - as part of the celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of the UN. After viewing a 15-minute video of mission highlights, the Commander of the Shuttle, Kenneth Cameron of the United States, spoke of the symbolism of opening the hatch between the Mir Station and the Space Shuttle. He hoped that the UN and the individual countries would continue their cooperation towards similar ventures. The Commander of Mir-29, Yuri Gidzenko, of the Russian Federation, said that in outer space, the planet earth seemed very fragile and no boundaries between States could be seen. He hoped for the preservation of the planet for our descendants. Mutual respect and cooperation had been demonstrated by the docking mission, Shuttle Mission Specialist, Chris A. Hadfield of Canada said. Cosmonaut- Researcher for Mir-29, Thomas Reiter of Germany called the 179- day mission a "unique operation" and a symbol for international cooperation. At the ceremony, the Secretary-General presented the astronauts and cosmonauts with UN Peace medals. The magnitude of the problem posed by the millions of land-mines scattered around the world has deepened the understanding that the international community can deal with it only through coordinated actions, Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has said in a message delivered by Director- General of the UN office in Geneva, Vladimir Petrovsky, to the review Conference on the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. United Nations personnel were increasingly engaged in the dangerous task mine clearance, a major activity of peace-building, the Secretary- General said. However, such efforts needed to go hand-in-hand with a strengthened Convention and a strengthened Protocol II. Agreement on issues such as the transfer of anti-personnel land-mines should now be possible, he emphasized. In his message, the Secretary-General urged the international community to demonstrate flexibility and compromise so that the tragic consequences of land-mines could be further reduced. Failure to agree on restrictions on the use and transfer of land-mines could seriously jeopardize the elimination of anti-personnel land-mines, he added. The General Assembly has invited governments to strengthen their public administrative and financial management capacities and has encouraged the decentralization of public institutions, where appropriate. Concluding its one-week session on the role of public administration in development, the General Assembly asked the UN Secretariat to develop strategies, at the request of interested countries, for the rebuilding of public administration in post-conflict situations. It also invited the international community to consider providing adequate resources to assist national efforts in enhancing public administration in developing countries and economies in transition. If the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was to be successful in the long-term, it needed to go beyond national constituencies and win the hearts of ordinary citizens, Executive Director of UNEP, Elizabeth Dowdeswell said today at Headquarters. In commemoration of Earth Day, Ms. Dowdeswell presented UNEP's latest work geared at mobilizing citizens and their governments to do something about environmental problems. The first was a guide-book for citizens and their communities called Taking action. Ms. Dowdeswell also presented, Tierra America, a newspaper supplement engaging newspapers in Latin America to make citizens aware of UNEP's environmental agenda. She presented the Environmental Citizenship Programme which was geared to empowering ordinary citizens with the necessary tools to address environmental problems in the new age of globalization. The forthcoming UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will try to reclaim the "high crown" of development issues, Officer in charge of UNCTAD's New York Office, George Kell said today. UNCTAD's ninth session, to be held in Midrand, South Africa, from 27 April to 11 May, will emphasize the need of the United Nations to promote equitable economic development. In the last few years, the UN had focused on peace-keeping, social issues and human rights. However, it had neglected the needs of over 2 billion persons who were excluded from the emerging global economy, Mr. Kell said. The Conference will attempt to devise global development strategies for the future and the promotion of international trade. Some 2,500 participants from the 188 member States of UNCTAD are expected to attend, he added. Mr. Kell also announced UNCTAD'S reform which has reduced the number of its divisions from nine to four and cut the number of its high-level posts. He called it a "radical stream-lining" intended to make the Conference's work more focused. UNCTAD's small number of professionals and limited budget threatened its ability to deliver, he cautioned. International arms transfers, the proposed fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, and nuclear issues will be considered by the Disarmament Commission's 1996 substantive session which began today. The General Assembly, at its 1995 session, through its First Committee (Disarmament) requested the Commission to expedite its consideration of its item on international arms transfers, with special emphasis on the adverse effects of the illicit transfer of arms and ammunition. It also requested the Commission to study and report on measures to curb the illicit transfer and use of conventional arms. The arms transfer issue is a particular response to an Assembly resolution of 6 December 1991 which called upon States to give high priority to eradicating the illicit trade in weapons and military equipment. Major drug-consuming countries should reduce demand in their territories, speakers have told the Commission on Narcotic Drugs as it concluded its general debate in Vienna. The three-day general debate focused on government action to implement the Global Programme of Action on drug abuse and trafficking, and on policy directives addressed to the UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). In various statements made, participants continued to oppose the legalization of narcotic substances. Many of the total of 24 speakers stated that the negative consequences of legal drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, outweighed those of illicit drugs. During the session, Executive Director of UNDCP, Giorgio Giacomelli said the drug phenomenon demonstrated a unique capacity to exploit new technologies, diversify channels, and take advantage of weaknesses created by changing economic and political circumstances. Particularly disturbing were the new trends related to psychotropic substances which were cheaper than cocaine, had a longer effect and their supply was difficult to control. The UNDCP would seek to involve policy makers in considering counter measures against the illicit manufacture and trafficking of stimulants, he emphasized. A cooperation agreement that will strengthen the work of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) has been signed at the end of ECLAC'S 26th session in San Jose, Costa Rica. Under the agreement, the two institutions will search for common objectives and exchange information on strategies and plans of action in the region. They will also explore areas where studies, programmes and projects may be jointly financed. The agreement is the first of its kind in the framework of a key resolution approved during the ministerial stage of the Conference on the "Reform of the UN and its impact on ECLAC". The resolution urges ECLAC to coordinate its activities more with other multilateral organizations like the Organization of American States (OAS) as well as with other UN and regional agencies. It further recommends that ECLAC should continue working in those areas where it has proven excellence such as its technical assistance to countries in the region. The United Nations has launched an appeal for $139 million in humanitarian assistance to support the transition to peace and reconstruction in Angola. According to a press release by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs, the 1996 humanitarian programme for Angola has three main components: relief and resettlement; assistance for the demobilization and social reintegration of former combatants; and action to eliminate the threat of some 10 million land mines scattered throughout the country. The appeal provides for assistance to some 200,000 refugees expected to return to Angola over the course of the year, as well as 700,000 internally displaced persons. In addition, it will assist the 1.8 million people who depend on some form of humanitarian assistance as a consequence of the 1992- 1994 civil war. 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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