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United Nations Daily Highlights, 96-12-20United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSFriday, 20 December 1996This document is prepared by the Central News Section of the Department of Public Information and is updated every week-day at approximately 6:00 PM. HEADLINES
The Security Council has expressed grave concern at the resumption of fighting in Mogadishu, Somalia, where the latest clashes were taking an increasingly heavy toll in human lives. In a Presidential statement Friday, the Council President, Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci of Italy said the Council was deeply concerned, in particular, at the plight of the civilian population, whose suffering was increased even further by the fighting. He said the Council fully supported the efforts of the countries of the region as well as of international and regional organisations to facilitate a political settlement of the crisis in Somalia. "It appeals to all Somali factions to join in such efforts and to start a process of national reconciliation aimed at the establishment of a broad-based national Government," the Council President said. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has called for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Somalia, the Secretary- General's Spokesman told UN correspondents. "The Secretary-General has been following with deep concern the renewed fighting in Mogadishu, Somalia which since last week has claimed the lives of over 100 people," the Spokesman said. The Spokesman said that the Secretary-General urged the Somali leaders to demonstrate political wisdom and patriotism and to desist from all action which served to undermine the positive contributions to peacemaking coming from within that region. The Security Council has said that it was deeply concerned that inspite of its previous requests there had been little progress on the issue of the return of the Croatian Serb refugees. In a Presidential statement Friday, the Council President Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci of Italy said the Council urged the Government of Croatia to adopt a comprehensive approach in order to facilitate the return of refugees originating from Croatia to their homes of origin throughout Croatia. He said the Council deplored the continued failure by the Government of Croatia to safeguard effectively the property rights of returning refugees. It equally deplored the situation where many of those Serbs who have returned to the former sectors have been unable to regain possession of their properties. "The Security Council is deeply concerned at reports that the new amnesty law was not being implemented in a fair and equitable manner. It underlines that equitable application of that law was vital for building confidence and promoting reconciliation in Croatia as well as for the peaceful reintegration of the Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium," the Council President said. Ambassador Fulci said the Council called upon the Government of Croatia to intensify its efforts to improve the security situation and to ensure adequate security conditions for the local Serb population including the urgent re-establishment of a functioning court system in the former sectors North and South. The Angolan Government and the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) have agreed on a new timetable to complete the remaining military and political tasks, the Secretary-General's Spokesman, Sylvana Foa said. The Spokesman said that under the new timetable, the Angolan Government of Unity and National Reconciliation would be formed on 23 January 1997 and would assume its functions on 25 January 1997. A vehicle convoy travelling between the town of Garm and Dushanbe in Tajikistan has been taken hostage by an armed group, the Secretary- General's Spokesman Sylvana Foa said today. Among the twenty-three people taken hostage are seven United Nations military observers, the Spokesman said. According to the Spokesman, the Commander of the armed group had demanded the release by the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) of several people as well as the formation of a protected quarter from the Afghan- Tajik border to his present location to ensure that his group of rebels currently in Afghanistan can join them. She said the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) had been in urgent contact with the Government of Tajikistan and the UTO leadership to resolve the crisis. For information purposes only - - not an official record From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgUnited Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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