United Nations Daily Highlights 96-08-27

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, August 27, 1996

HEADLINES

• UN Secretary-General says it is imperative that efforts continue to reduce the level of unpaid assessed contributions to the UN.
• Observer States of the Angolan peace process express concern at lack of progress in resolving key issues.
• The UN Compensation Commission has demonstrated the potential of the United Nations to face new challenges, Governing Council President says.
• The Preparatory Committee for the International Criminal Court discusses method of court's establishment.

In a report on improving the financial situation of the United Nations, dated 1 August, Dr. Boutros-Ghali noted that the combined cash position of the United Nations would remain negative through the end of 1996, and was now projected to be $550 million as of 31 December. That, according to the report, was based on a negative balance of $287 million for the combined General Fund, and a positive balance of $837 million for peace-keeping operations. It reflected an overall improvement compared with the earlier estimate of $388 million, but a worsening of the regular budget, he said.

The Secretary-General said the level of peace-keeping assessments was being reduced and would diminish further when the General Assembly decided to apply available credits against future assessments.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General's Spokesman said on Monday that the Organisation was still owed $2.9 billion by Member States, of which $2.1 billion was for peacekeeping budget and $800 million for the regular budget.

Following a review of the peace process, the observer States, comprising Portugal, the Russian Federation, and the United States, welcomed the announced meeting in Angola between President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Dr. Jonas Savimbi before the end of August. They expressed the firm hope that those issues would be resolved during that meeting.

In a letter to the President of the Security Council, the observer States expressed concern at the failure of the Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (UNITA) to fulfil its public commitment to send its 10 senior generals to Luanda to begin the process of military integration as described by the Lusaka Protocol.

"The Observers recognise that questions have been raised concerning the duties the generals will exercise and their personal security within Luanda. However, the observers believe that the conditions are now adequate for this key step to be taken and believe that the remaining concerns can be best resolved once the process of general officer integration has begun, " the observers stated.

Noting that the process of UNITA quartering and disarmament, including the collection of heavy weapons, was close to completion and should be concluded in coming days, the observer States cautioned that peace would not truly be at hand until a unified national army was formed.

The observer States encouraged the process to move forward expeditiously, adding that they remained concerned that delays in military integration had been a factor in the postponement of the formation of a government of national unity.

They called on both President dos Santos and Dr. Savimbi to settle any outstanding issues, including the issue of Dr. Savimbi's status, at their upcoming meeting, and to begin the formation of a unified government within 14 days of that meeting.

In a report to the Security Council, the President of the Compensation Commission, Mr. Giuseppe Baldocci said the Commission received 2.6 million claims with a total asserted value of over $200 billion. Some 4,000 successful claims for serious personal injury or death had been paid in full.

The Compensation Commission was set up to provide relieve to millions of victims of the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

A number of speakers maintained that while the new criminal court should be independent from United Nations political and legal bodies, it should be funded by the Organisation's regular budget.

Representatives urged that the number of ratifications required for the entry-into-force of the treaty be broad enough to give the court a solid foundation.

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

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