United Nations Daily Highlights 96-09-19

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, September 19, 1996

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General sends special envoy to Zaire to clarify misunderstandings on UN High Commissioner for Refugees operations.
• Government of Guatemala and Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca sign an Agreement on Strengthening of Civilian Power and Role of the Army in a Democratic Society.
• President of General Assembly says UN reform process should not only engage Secretariat but member States should also actively participate in reform process.
• UN Office at Geneva sheds 200 posts as its contribution to UN streamlining process.
• UN Conference on Trade and Development says successful export- oriented industrialisation in East Asia can be replicated by other developing countries.
• Use and trade of toxic pesticides and chemicals should be better controlled in Africa, Food and Agriculture Organisation says.
• Committee on the Rights of the Child to meet in Geneva to discuss protection of children's rights in several countries.

Last week, the Secretary-General expressed concern about the accusations made by the government of Zaire that the UNHCR had provided logistic support to armed groups infiltrating Zaire from Rwanda and Burundi, the Spokesman said. The mission, prepared to leave as soon as possible, includes representatives of UNHCR and International Migration Organization (IOM), she added.

The agreement was signed in Mexico City with the participation of officials from the Government of Mexico, the United Nations, and the Countries Members of the Group of Friends - Colombia, Mexico, Norway, Spain, the United States and Venezuela- and representatives of the Guatemalan Government and sectors of society.

"Following the signing of the Agreement on Social and Economic Aspects and Agrarian Situation on 6 May 1996, the conclusion of this agreement is another major step towards the signing of a final peace agreement," the statement said.

Based on the parties' recognition that the end of war offered an historic opportunity to overhaul, strengthen and further democratize Guatemalan institutions, the agreement provided for several significant reforms to be carried out in such sensitive areas as the administration of justice, the police, the army and intelligence services, the statement noted.

Under a reformed Constitution limiting the Army's role to external defence, the Government would carry out a redefinition of military doctrine, education and deployment. The agreement provided for a 33% reduction in troop strength in 1997 and a 33% reduction in the Army's budget by 1999.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali congratulated the parties on their achievement and pledged his continued support to the two parties in fulfilling their pledge to conclude the negotiating process in the course of this year.

Commenting on wide ranging issues affecting the United Nations, including the reform of the Organisation, the Assembly President said the reform process should engage not only the Secretariat but also the member States, adding that there had not been any sustained pattern of international leadership available in the United Nations as far as international issues were concerned.

He said the Office's reform efforts involved structural and procedural changes aimed at simplification and avoiding or eliminating duplication. They would also involve consolidating activities to ensure better delivery of services in response to the increasing demands by Member States.

The cost-cutting programmes announced earlier this year by the Secretary- General total $154 million for the 1996/97 programme budget. Geneva's share of that amounts to $35.5 million, to be borne by the department's administered by the Office or located in Geneva.

These were some of the conclusions of an in-depth analysis of the underlying factors of the East Asian success contained in the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Trade and Development Report for 1996.

The report stated that over the past three decades, per capita income in the Republic of Korea, Taiwan province of China, Hong Kong and Singapore rose at an average rate of almost 7 per cent per annum.

"A second tier of newly industrialising countries has now emerged - Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand- for which average annual growth in the past decade has been 6 per cent. A third tier is now emerging, including China," the report stated.

The talks are expected to lead to a legally binding treaty regulating the import and export of hazardous chemicals through the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure. The conference is jointly organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and FAO.

During the meeting, representatives of these Governments would consider reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in their respective countries and respond to oral and written questions from the Committee.

In addition to examining reports from the six countries, the Committee would hold a general discussion on the child and the media. According to a paper prepared for the discussion, the Convention recognises the vulnerability for children in certain circumstances but also their capacity and strength for development.

The paper says the media should be careful not to violate the integrity of individual children in their reporting on, for instance, crime and sexual abuse, since the Convention specifically protects the individual child from violations of his or her privacy, honour and reputation. The Convention has been accepted by a greater number of states than any other international instrument on human rights.

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

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