United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-03-05

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 5 March 1997

HEADLINES

• Security Council welcomes deployment on 3 March 1997 of group of United Nations military observers in Guatemala.
• UN Secretary-General reiterates continuous support of United Nations to peace process in meeting with Chairman of Palestine Liberation Organisation.
• Government of Zaire expels 40 relief workers including United Nations staff.
• United Nations finances "less bad, not good, managed to hang on one more year", senior United Nations official says.
• Angolan Government of National Unity and Reconciliation is to be inaugurated on 20 March, heads of delegation to Joint Commission decide.
• UN Transitional Authority in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium announces reintegration and shared use of Television transmission Tower in region.
• Commission for Social Development nominates new board members to UN Research Institute for Social Development.
• Empowering women in Southern Africa tops agenda for Namibia meeting.

In a Presidential statement, Council President Ambassador Zbigniew M. Wlosowicz said the Council reaffirmed its full support for the peace process in Guatemala.

He said the Council called on both parties to cooperate fully with the verification of the cease-fire, separation of forces, disarmament and demobilisation of URNG combatants, as well as the commitments under the other agreements in the overall package of Peace Accords.

Chairman Arafat expressed the hope that the discussions in the Council would result in a resolution and that the Council would be able to take meaningful action on that, the Spokesman said.

The President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Razali Ismail of Malaysia also met with Mr. Arafat, the Spokeswoman for the Assembly President, Samsiah Abdul-Majid said.

They exchanged views on the current situation in the Middle East and underlined the need for all parties to honour their agreements and United Nations resolutions, the Spokeswoman noted.

"The Assembly President congratulated Chairman Arafat for his courageous attempt to move the peace process, including the issue of Jerusalem, which will benefit both Palestine and Israel, as well as the region", she said.

The agency said the interior Ministry summoned representatives of UN agencies and NGOs to a meeting Tuesday and announced that the expatriate workers who were evacuating from Kisangani Saturday were being asked to leave the country.

"However, a government statement released to the press Tuesday night left the door open for continued international humanitarian operations in Zaire, " the agency said.

Meanwhile, UNHCR and other UN agencies are holding discussions with Zairian officials in an attempt to reverse the expulsion order.

Speaking to United Nations correspondents, Mr. Connor said that unpaid assessed contributions totalled less than $ 2.2 billion at the end of 1996 - a decrease in the all time high of 2.3 billion at the end of 1995. He however noted that despite the drop, the 1996 year-end level of unpaid assessment was $400 million higher than in 1994, adding that while the aggregate decrease was good, it was not as good as it should be.

He said 1996 was the first year that the amount of regular budget collections outpaced, by more than a nominal amount, the extent of the new assessments that were made.

The meeting also reviewed the assumption of seats in the National Assembly as well as the formation of the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation, the Spokesman said. He said the meeting concluded that all UNITA deputies and officials designated for the posts should arrive by 15 March in Luanda.

The UNITA deputies should assume their seats in the National Assembly by 18 March and the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation inaugurated on 20 March, the Spokesman noted, adding that the meeting approved a new timetable for demobilisation, incorporation and selection of the military process.

Three channels will be made available to programmes from the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia and UNTAES each, to ensure free flow of information for the public during the election period, the Spokesman said. All registered political parties in the election will be invited for programmes on the UNTAES channel.

Introducing the Institute's report to the Commission, its Director, Dharam Gai, said the Institute had undertaken research into the reconstruction of war-torn societies by creating discussion forums in countries that required them, such as Eritrea, Somalia, Guatemala and Cambodia. The Institute had also studied the impact of environmental initiatives on the issue of livelihood, he said.

The meeting, "Towards Practical Gender Equality: From Dialogue to Action", will be hosted by Dr. Mose Tjitendero, Speaker of the Namibian National Assembly. Other topics to be covered at the meeting include: mobilising Southern African Development Community women's parliamentary networks, advancing the agenda for the education of girls and women, balancing gender in society, and building strategic alliances between parliamentarians, NGOs and the media.

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

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