United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-11-21

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, 21 November 1997

HEADLINES

• UN Disengagement Observer Force will continue monitoring Israeli-Syrian sector for another six months.
• Klaus Topfer of Germany named by UN Secretary-General to head United Nations Environment Programme.
• Ghanaian United Nations peacekeeper serving with UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission wounded in shooting incident.
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees says 1998 must be "year of the return of ethnic minorities" in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Thai troops forcibly relocated 1,100 Karen refugees from Myanmar last week, UNHCR Spokesman said on Friday.
• World Television Forum hears proposal for United Nations world telethon to aid children victimized by war.

The Council, by unanimously adopting resolution 1139 (1997), also called upon the parties to immediately implement its resolution 338 (1973). That landmark text calls on the parties to immediately start negotiations to establish a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. It also reaffirmed resolution 242 of 1967 -- another landmark -- which defined the principles for such a peace, including the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the 1967 conflict.

In a report to the Security Council recommending that UNDOF be maintained for a further six months, the Secretary-General warned that, "Despite the present quiet in the Israeli-Syrian sector, the situation in the Middle East continues to be potentially dangerous and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached."

That view was endorsed by Council members in a statement read out on their behalf by the Council President, Qin Huasan of China.

The report generally portrays a stable situation, noting that for the past six months, the Israel-Syria sector was maintained without serious incident and the Force's area of operation remained calm.

The Secretary-General notes that there is a "serious shortfall" in the funding of the Force, which is owed $50.9 million in unpaid contributions. This sum, far larger than the current annual budget of UNDOF, represents money owed to Member States that contribute the troops who make up the Force. "I appeal to all Member States to pay their assessments promptly and in full and to clear all remaining arrears."

UNDOF was set up in 1974 to supervise the agreement on disengagement reached between Israeli and Syrian forces on 31 May of that year. The agreement provided for an area of separation and for zones of limited forces and armaments on both sides.

Mr. Topfer has a long and distinguished career in both government and the academic world. Among other positions, he served as the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety from May 1987 to November 1994. Prior to that, from May 1995, he was the Minister for Environment and Health of the Land of Rhineland-Palatinate. He served from 1978 to 1985 as State Secretary at the Ministry for Social Affairs.

The General Assembly must approve the Secretary-General's nomination. If elected, Mr. Topfer will serve a four-year term.

The incident took place on the Iraqi side of the demilitarized zone. According to UNIKOM, the officer sustained a thigh injury from bullets shot from a nearby road. He is in stable condition and is being treated at Al- Jahra Hospital.

"We have no idea of who might have fired on this observation post of UNIKOM", said UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard. An investigation is ongoing, he added.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Sadako Ogata, who recently went on a three-day visit to the region, said she was encouraged to see returnees rebuilding their houses. She added, however, that "so far, only a fraction of those who lost their homes during the war have returned".

Mrs. Ogata made her remarks on the second anniversary of the Dayton Accord of 21 December 1995 which was signed a month later. She said the ultimate test for the Peace Agreement will be whether refugees and displaced people are able to safely return to their homes. Particular emphasis, she added, must be placed on the return of people to areas where they are a minority.

In order to boost the return of ethnic minorities, UNHCR launched an "Open Cities" project this year. The project offers international aid to towns where authorities are committed to ensuring the safe return and decent treatment of minorities. So far, five cities -- Bihac, Busovaca, Gorazde, Konjic and Vogosca -- in the Bosniac-Croat Federation have earned the "Open Cities" status.

During her trip to the region, Ms. Ogata received assurances from the President of the Republika Srpska's, Biljana Plavic, that minority Croats and Bosniacs will be allowed to return to Banja Luka, the territory's largest city where ethnic minorities had been driven out during the war.

Since the Dayton Accord, the majority of 400,000 Bosnians from abroad and within Bosnia and Herzegovina have returned to areas where they are a minority. There are still 700,000 refugees and 300,000 displaced persons within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Addressing reporters in Geneva, Pam O'Toole said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had sent a fact finding mission to the Thai-Myanmar border to verify reports that the refugees were forcibly relocated last week.

According to eyewitnesses, several incidents occurred between 14 and 15 November, Pam O'Toole said. On Friday, she added, the camp of The Po Lortwe was cordoned off by Thai troops. In the early hours of Saturday the camp was shelled and two people were injured. The Thai troops then entered the camp and told people to move. The people resisted. Then armed masked men entered the camp, fired in the air, and beat and pushed the refugees. According to the refugees, the actions of the armed men caused a stampede during which several people fell to the ground, although no one can confirm any fatalities.

Ms. O'Toole said the border area where the incident occurred is close to a Myanmar army post.

UNHCR Spokeswoman said the Thai authorities were allowing non- governmental organizations to send in only medicines, although there are no food supplies and no proper shelter for the refugees.

The United Nations refugee agency deplored this incident and has raised the issue with the Thai authorities both in Bangkok and Geneva. According to Ms. O'Toole, UNHCR has called for and received assurances that this will not happen again.

There some 115,000 mainly Karen refugees from Myanmar in camps along the Thai border.

Mr. Siciliano also said the media could be an effective instrument in the fight against drugs, and called for television to join that struggle.

Leaders from the broadcast industry took part in the Forum, which was organized by the Department of Public of Information (DPI). In closing remarks, the Assistant Secretary-General for Public Information, Samir Sanbar, expressed hope that the event would spur greater cooperation between the United Nations and the media.

The Director of the United Nations Media Division, Nadia Younes, announced that the United Nations would soon inaugurate a new multimedia website featuring print, radio and photos covering fast-breaking news about the UN. "We want to make the website a user-friendly place where broadcasters not only can find out what services we have available, but can also directly access material about the UN", she said.

Ms. Younes also reviewed the work of UNTV, which includes coverage of all newsworthy events at UN Headquarters; providing condensed daily video packages; videotaping stories where the UN has unique access, such as Tajikistan; and producing short television news magazines, such a "UN in Action".

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

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