United Nations Daily Highlights 96-08-16

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, August 16, 1996

HEADLINES

• Security Council decides to impose an air embargo against the Sudan unless that country complies, within 90 days, with its earlier resolutions.
• UN Official outlines proposed budget for 1998-1999 biennium and points to significant reductions and cost containments.
• The UN Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has completed its review of the events surrounding the demonstration of Wednesday.
• UN officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina prepare to ensure conditions for free and fair elections next month.
• The refusal of accused persons to appear before a proposed international criminal court would be enough grounds for initiating a trial in absentia, the Preparatory Committee is told.
• Children of Bosnia and Herzegovina are to take part in a Youth Poll.

In adopting resolution 1070 (1996), by a vote of thirteen in favour, with two abstentions (China and the Russian Federation), the Council said the embargo would apply to aircraft registered in Sudan, or owned, leased or operated by or on behalf of Sudan Airways. It would also apply to any undertaking wherever located or organised, which is substantially owned or controlled by Sudan Airways as well as those owned, leased or operated by the Government or public authorities of Sudan.

The Council emphasised that the embargo would enter into force 90 days after the adoption of the resolution unless Sudan complies with the Council's earlier resolution that it surrender the three remaining suspects responsible for plotting the terrorist attack on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and end its support for terrorism.

The Council reaffirmed that the suppression of acts of international terrorism, including those in which States are involved, was essential for the maintenance of international peace and security.

In a statement to the Council, representative of Sudan said his country's condemnation of terrorism was firm in all international fora including the United Nations. "Our condemnation stems from our firm principles that desist from violence and that follows a path of peace and security," he said.

The representative of the United Kingdom said the Sudan needed to do more to comply with the demands of resolution 1044 (1996). "By adopting the resolution, the Security Council will show the Government of the Sudan that it remains engaged in this matter and that it will not hesitate to implement air sanctions after a period of 90 days if the Sudanese compliance is not forthcoming," he concluded.

Outlining the 1998-1999 budget, Mr. Connor told UN correspondents that resources provided for the 1998/99 biennium amount to $2,429.4 million, a decrease of $178.9 million, compared to $2,608.3 during the 1996/97 biennium. "Streamlined structures and work processes have resulted in reductions and cost containments in the programme budget in 1996/97. More will follow in 1998/99," Mr. Connor said.

According to Mr. Connor, the process of identifying productivity improvements and efficiency gains had become a way of life in the Secretariat, noting that the process was becoming institutionalised.

He said that staff levels were down by 1,500 since the beginning of 1996 and the decrease in real resources was sufficient to cover likely inflation in 1998/99 and still maintain a budget amount for 1998/99 of $2,559 million, an amount just below that of 1996/97. "The budget outline amount also absorbs the cost of new special political missions for 1998/99 with enough margin to provide a modest contingency fund," he stated.

Meanwhile, in reaction to the proposed budget outline, the United States representative to the UN, Ambassador Madeleine Albright welcomed the budget outline for 1998/99 noting that it was an important and responsive step towards the fiscal reform mandated by the General Assembly last December. "As I have often said, one of the hallmarks of a more efficient UN is the streamlining and consolidation of UN staff. The impact of the proposals announced today, together with those already underway, will amount to a 15 per cent contraction in UN staffing," Ambassador Albright said.

The Force Commander of UNFICYP accompanied by the Chief of Staff met with the Commander of the Turkish Forces in Cyprus on Wednesday to strongly protest the totally unwarranted use of force by Turkish or Turkish Cypriot military personnel which resulted in the killing of a Greek Cypriot male and in injuries to two peacekeepers and two civilians.

Several delegations spoke of the need to balance the internationally recognised right to self-defence with the exceptionally serious international nature of crimes to be prosecuted by the proposed court.

The representative of Egypt said that while the right to self- defence was fundamental, the international court would be rendering judgement on powerful persons in a unique position to obstruct justice. Argentina called for terms under which in absentia trials might be carried out to be clearly spelt out.

The Implementation Force troops (IFOR) and UNICEF staff would be handing out ballots to children, and to further emphasise the importance policy makers should give to children and their future, a poster will be distributed with a Dear Politician letter from a child, superimposed on a child's drawing.

"Children are rarely given an opportunity to voice what is on their minds. Articles 12 and 13 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child call for children's participation and freedom of expression. We saw this poll as an opportunity for children to be heard during this critical time for the purpose of Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Tom McDermott, Unicef's Special Representative.

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

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