United Nations Daily Highlights, 96-12-18

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 18 December 1996

HEADLINES

• UN Secretary-General expresses shock at attack on residence of Ambassador of Japan in Lima, Peru.
• UN Secretary-General-designate says the Organisation cannot operate effectively and efficiently without sound financial basis.
• Security Council gives go-ahead for assessment mission to Sierra Leone.
• General Assembly calls for additional information from Security Council, as it adopts resolution on Council's annual report.
• General Assembly takes action to facilitate establishment of International Criminal Court.
• United Nations Centre for Regional Development commemorates its twenty- fifth anniversary.
• Legal Commission of International Bioethics Committee approves draft declaration on Human Genome.
• Founder of Focolare Movement receives UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.

"He condemns this violation of international law and calls for the swift and safe release of all of those being held," the Spokesman said. She said several United Nations staff are among those being held.

Addressing UN correspondents Wednesday, the Secretary-General- designate said the Organisation could not operate effectively and efficiently without a sound financial basis. "I am confident that the United States will do all that it can. We, on our side, also have to do what is expected of us. And by this I mean ongoing reforms and the search for excellence is an ongoing process," he said.

Mr. Annan told correspondents that Member States should begin to discuss what the United Nations should be doing. "I would hope to be able to engage the Member States in that debate, and once we have been able to set our objectives, we can then re-focus and re-orient the efforts of the Organisation towards those objectives," he said.

On the issue of Security Council reform, Mr. Annan said the Council, as it existed today, by and large reflected the political and economic realities of 1945 and that it had to be brought into line with the realities of today.

The assessment mission, to be headed by the Deputy Force Commander of the UN Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III), would develop recommendations on ways the United Nations can assist the peace process in that country, she said. The mission would include seven military and civilian staff members, expected to arrive in Sierra Leone later this month.

The Spokesman said that both the President of Sierra Leone and the opposition leader had requested the Secretary-General to send neutral international observers to assist in the implementation of the peace accord.

In taking that action, the Assembly requested the Council to highlight in its report to what extent Assembly resolutions were taken into account by the Council.

Following the vote, several representatives, speaking in explanation of position, objected to the way the resolution addressed only some aspects of Security Council reform, while Assembly working groups were attempting to craft a comprehensive reform package.

In another action, the Assembly welcomed the signing in April of the political charter between the Government and many factions of the rebel movement in the Sudan. By a vote of 103 in favour to 34 against, with 15 abstentions, the Assembly adopted a resolution encouraging the remaining factions to join the peace process so as to establish durable peace and stability in the country and to facilitate relief efforts.

In another action, the Assembly strongly condemned all acts of international terrorism. It called on all States to adopt a wide range of specified measures to prevent terrorism and to strengthen international cooperation against it. The Assembly also established an ad hoc committee to elaborate an international convention for the suppression of terrorist bombings and acts of nuclear terrorism.

The United Nations Centre for Regional Development, located in Nagoya City, was established under the agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Japan in 1971 as a trust fund project executed by the UN Department of Development Support and Management Services Department (DDSMS).

One of its primary objectives was to promote sub-national regional development in developing countries through research and training, as well as advisory service to concerned governments and organisations.

Meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for its eighth session, the 20- member commission revised the draft declaration in view of observations and suggestions made about the text during the fourth session of the IBC held last October.

The draft declaration proclaimed that the principles it set forth were based on recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family, reflecting the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Its seven chapters cover areas such as research in the human genome, rights of persons concerned, conditions for the exercise of scientific activity and the duty of states to show solidarity toward individuals, families and population groups particularly vulnerable to genetic diseases.

Francine Fournier, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, presented Ms. Lubich with a statuette by the Catalan sculptor Fenosa and a cheque for US$25,000 in recognition of her work in favour of peace education, of reconciliation and confidence among human beings on all continents and of all religious, spiritual or philosophical traditions.

The Focolare Movement is present in 180 countries with some 200,000 active members and two million followers. "This movement which contributes to peace and mutual understanding, builds bridges among persons, generations, social classes and peoples," the UNESCO Assistant Director-General said.

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

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