United Nations Daily Highlights 96-04-23

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, April 23, 1996

HEADLINES

• Security Council calls on States in Great Lakes region to ensure their territory is not used for armed groups to launch attacks.
• General Assembly meets in resumed session on situation in Middle East; Lebanese President condemns Israel's crimes against humanity; Israeli Ambassador says actions undertaken to protect its citizens.
• Secretary-General expresses support to cease-fire and to opening of coastal highway for humanitarian assistance, in meeting with Lebanon's President.
• World Book and Copyright Day symbolizes support for liberty of thought and freedom of information, Secretary-General says in message on Day.
• Number of displaced persons in Lebanon rises to 500,000; Major- General Van Kappen's report on that country to be ready by end of week.
• Factions in Liberia agree on terms of cease-fire proposal by mediation team; request full deployment of ECOMOG.

The Council took that action today by adopting resolution 1053 (1996) which requested the Secretary-General to maintain the UN Commission of Inquiry charged with monitoring the arms embargo against the former Rwandan government forces. The resolution also called upon States, in particular those whose nationals have been implicated by the report of the Commission of Inquiry, to investigate the apparent complicity of their officials or private citizens in the purchase of arms from Seychelles in June 1994, and in other suspected violations of the relevant Council resolutions.

States were further called upon by the Council to make available to the Commission of Inquiry, the results of their investigations, and to cooperate fully with the Commission at any time they request access to airfields and to witnesses.

In his address to the Assembly, President of Lebanon, Elias Hraoui said there was no excuse behind Israel's killing of 175 innocent Lebanese civilians and its invasion of Lebanese territory.

The Lebanese President called for the condemnation and punishment of Israel for its crimes against the Lebanese people, in particular, its crimes against humanity. He demanded the implementation of Security Council resolution 425 calling for the withdrawal of Israel from the territories it occupies. As soon as Israel withdrew, Lebanon would guarantee the security of its southern part, he emphasized. In addition, President Hraoui called for redress for his country for the loss resulting from the Israeli aggression.

For Israel, Ambassador, Gad Yaacobi said Hezbollah factions had fired wave after wave of katiusha rockets from their bases in Lebanon at towns in northern Israel. Since the Lebanese government did not have the ability - or will - to control Hezbollah activities, his government had no choice but to protect the security of its citizens.

Israel's activities in Lebanon did not contradict its pursuit of peace, Ambassador Yaacobi said. On the contrary, they were undertaken in order to save the peace from the hands of those who vowed to destroy it. Hezbollah's Vice Chairman had clearly stated that its goal was not the removal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon but the destruction of Israel. His country was ready to agree to a cease-fire if the other party also agreed with it. Israel was willing to accept resolution 425 only within the framework of an overall peace settlement.

The Lebanese President described, in detail, the devastation and human suffering caused by the Israeli attacks and their impact on the Lebanese economy and infrastructure, according to a statement by the UN Spokesman today. The President agreed with the Secretary-General that the first priority is to achieve a cease-fire. In addition, they agreed on the need to open the coastal highway from Beirut to the South to ensure the supply of humanitarian assistance and to allow medical evacuation.

In his message on the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day, the Secretary-General said books represented the very concept of freedom of information. Since books could not be dissociated from their authors and their readers, it was important to continue the efforts towards copyright legislation. The concept of copyright needed to be extended into the political area, Dr. Boutros-Ghali said. A society which valued books should not engage in censorship, he added.

In a statement also in commemoration of the World Book and Copyright Day, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director- General, Federico Mayor, said non-governmental organizations should encourage initiatives and activities to make this day "a true book- festival" where all could discover or rediscover the interest of reading and the importance of copyright.

In commemoration of the World Book and Copyright Day, the UN would join publishers and booksellers with a variety of events at Headquarters, UN Spokesman, Sylvanna Foa said today. The events were intended to raise global consciousness about the important role books play world-wide, she said.

In the spirit of a Catalonian Tradition of books and roses, the UN Bookstore handed out roses to the first 200 customers purchasing a book, Ms. Foa said. In addition, a book signing was held at the UN Bookstore throughout the day as well as a UN publications display in the UN Secretariat lobby.

After his arrival in Lebanon on Saturday, the Secretary-General's Senior Military Officer, Major-General Frank Van Kappen of the Netherlands, had inspected the headquarters of the Fijian battalion where the shelling incident had occurred, Ms. Foa said. In addition, he met with the Israeli Defense Force Deputy Chief of Staff, Major-General Matnan Dilnai in Tel Aviv, and also visited the battery from which the fatal shots had been fired.

Major-General Van Kappen had also met the Lebanese Minister of Defense in Beirut as well as the Commander of the Lebanese Army, Ms. Foa said. He was expected to complete his report by the end of the week, she announced.

A convoy of 13 UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) vehicles - loaded with commodities - has travelled from Beirut to South Lebanon, the UN Spokesman said. The commodities would be distributed to 600 displaced Lebanese and Palestinians who had taken refuge in the UNRWA installations in the Saida and Tyre areas. The Lebanese government had reported that the number of displaced persons in the country was 500,000.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG) and the UN Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) were making regular joint patrols in Monrovia, Ms. Foa said. In addition, ECOMOG was strengthening its deployment in the city. The lack of food and water was still the main concern, as well as the spread of diseases. UNOMIL was insisting that all UN vehicles, taken by factions, be returned, Ms. Foa said.

All factions had agreed to the terms of the cease-fire proposals made by the mediation team - composed of UNOMIL, ECOWAS, and the Ambassadors of Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the United States and the Secretary- General's Special Envoy, James Jonah, the UN Spokesman said. As part of the cease fire, factions were asking for the full deployment of ECOMOG in Monrovia before they began their withdrawal. Furthermore, the Cease Fire Violations Committee - which would be monitoring the cease fire - had been reconvened.

Also, in a statement, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the present needs in Liberia could only be met through a large-scale operation. However, no such operation could be carried out unless steps were taken to ensure the safety both of the victims and of those coming to their aid. The humanitarian agencies' supplies, equipment and vehicles had been regularly and systematically stolen and used to increase the means at the disposal of the warring factions.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

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