United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-03-09

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, 9 March 1998

HEADLINES

• Iraqi Foreign Minister and United Nations Secretary-General discuss oil- for-food programme.
• United Nations Special Envoy for Iraq will travel to Baghdad to set up his office.
• United Nations refugee agency urges European governments to stop sending back asylum-seekers from Kosovo.
• United Nations Observer Mission in Tajikistan withdraws three teams from remote areas.
• Angolan parties set new deadline for completion of peace process.
• Organization of African Unity calls on Security Council to consider three options to resolve Lockerbie issue.
• Secretary-General calls on authorities in Afghanistan to recognize and act on the human rights of women.
• General Assembly President says United Nations legacy of work to define women's rights must be matched with action.
• Head of UN food agency says United Nations must treat sexism like it did racism in anti-apartheid struggle.
• United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization says women's contribution to food security is not appreciated.
• United Nations agencies say accord is near on treaty regulating trade in hazardous chemicals and pesticides.
• Secretary-General appoints experts to review progress in United Nations efforts against illicit drugs.
• United Nations Office of Drug Control and Crime Prevention announces new agreement with Asian countries.
• In Geneva, countries work to strengthen Biological Weapons Convention's verification procedure.
• General Assembly's Fifth Committee resumes session to discuss range of administrative and financial issues.

After a break, the talks resumed under the chairmanship of Deputy Secretary- General Louise Frechette, who was given the responsibility of overseeing the oil-for-food programme.

The Security Council recently decided to expand the oil-for-food programme by authorizing Iraq to sell $5.2 billion worth of oil for every six months. The amount is up from $2 billion under previous arrangement.

Iraq recently indicated to the Secretary-General that it could only export a maximum of $4 billion worth of petroleum and that any higher target was unrealistic and unfeasible. The Security Council requested the Secretary- General to appoint a group of experts to determine, in consultation with Iraq, whether the country could export $5.2 billion worth of oil.

Ambassador Prakash Shah was named as Special Envoy last week in order to improve the lines of communication between the Government of Iraq and the Office of United Nations Secretary- General Kofi Annan. Mr. Shah told reporters that he was preparing to go to Iraq on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

He said that he would set up his office before the end of the month, as had been promised in a letter sent by the Secretary- General to the Security Council.

In a related development, UNSCOM reported on Monday that Scott Ritter and his team had since Friday inspected a total of eight sensitive sites, five of which were inspected over the weekend.

The statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) came in the wake of an upsurge in violence which left dozens of people dead in Kosovo.

Dennis McNamara, UNHCR's Director of International Protection, said that given the current situation in Kosovo, his agency was urging governments to suspend on humanitarian grounds the return of rejected asylum-seekers.

The refugee agency said that Kosovo Albanians whose asylum applications had been rejected should not be sent back until the situation in the province stabilized.

There are currently more than 150,000 people, mostly Kosovo Albanians, who are in line for return based on bilateral agreements between countries of asylum and Yugoslav authorities.

United Nations Spokesman Fred Eckhard said that the decision was taken because the teams were isolated due to heavy snow and avalanches and because the Tajik authorities were not allowing the United Nations Mission to use the airport in Dushanbe.

Spokesman Eckhard said that the mission was entitled to freedom of movement and the free use of the airport under the Status of Forces Agreement.

United Nations Spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters on Monday that the remaining elements of the residual forces of UNITA would be demobilized between 11 and 15 of this month. He added that UNITA's high ranking officers would be demobilized in Bailundo between 16 and 19 of March and that the Government and UNITA had made a commitment to demobilize and integrate the 400 strong personal guards of UNITA leader Dr. Jonas Savimbi into the National Police on 20 March.

According to this new timetable the Angolan parties agreed that the "sensitive" areas under UNITA control, including Bailundu and Andulo, would be placed under Government control by 1 April.

The parties also agreed to implement a 12-point calendar culminating in the ending of UNITA's Radio Vorgan broadcasts and the installation of UNITA leadership in Luanda on 31 March.

The Angolan Government is expected to issue a declaration on 11 March on the legalization of UNITA as a political party and to promulgate a law giving a special status to Dr. Savimbi.

Last Friday, UNITA issued a formal declaration saying that it no longer had a military force. The declaration, presented to a meeting of the Joint Commission, recalled that 7,877 soldiers had been registered and 5,980 demobilized since December 1997.

The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Angola Behrooz Sadry praised UNITA and the Government of Angola for their commitment to the peace process. He said that the UNITA declaration would boost the peace process and facilitate the conclusion of remaining tasks in the Lusaka Protocol.

In a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General, Salim Ahmed Salim said that the three options, jointly submitted to the Council by the OAU and the League of Arab States, were aimed at promoting a lasting and peaceful resolution to the crisis over Lockerbie issue.

The United States and the United Kingdom want Libya to surrender two Libyan nationals suspected of causing the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 which crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988.

Under the first option, the OAU and the League of Arab States propose the holding of the trial in a third and neutral country to be determined by the Security Council.

The second option would have the suspects tried by Scottish judges at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, in accordance with Scottish law.

Under the third option, a special criminal tribunal would be established at the Headquarters of the International Court of Justice at the Hague to try the suspects.

The Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity reiterated the Organization's call for the lifting of sanctions imposed by the Security Council on the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya following the Lockerbie incident.

Mr. Salim Ahmed Salim repeated the concern of the OAU at the continuing dispute. He added that the issue was again discussed at the session of the Council of Ministers of the OAU at the end of last month.

The Council of Ministers reiterated its position and strongly supported the call by Libya for the convening of an open session of the Security Council to discuss the issue this month.

In his message marking International Women's Day on 8 March, Secretary- General Kofi Annan said that in Afghanistan, the needs for international assistance were compelling, but policies excluding women "not only contravene established human rights standards, but may also gravely compromise the effect of that assistance."

Much of the message was devoted to the plight of women and girls in armed conflict. Mr. Annan said that violence against women and girls cut across lines of income, class and culture, but in conflicts, they were particularly likely to suffer. The Secretary-General noted that in the past, the phrase "women and children first" used to refer to the seats in the lifeboats of a sinking ship, but now, "it seems all too often to refer to the victims of a country in conflict."

Drawing from his recent diplomatic success in Iraq, the Secretary-General called for a global partnership for human rights, bringing together governments and civil society. "When I returned from my recent mission to Baghdad, I said that when we pull together from across the world and work together to solve a problem, we will almost always succeed," he said. "I believe we will see more of this over the coming year."

In celebrating the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations was working to spread the message that "human rights are not something to be given or taken away by a government like a subsidy," Mr. Annan said. He stressed that human rights are "intrinsic to humanity."

The Secretary-General also spoke on Monday at a panel discussion on "Women and the United Nations: Challenges for the Millennium" marking International Women's Day. Among others participating were Deputy Secretary- General Louise Frechette and special guest Bianca Jagger.

In his message marking International Women's Day on 8 March, Mr. Udovenko noted that women still suffer disproportionately as a result of discrimination. "Sadly, as we look at the world today, women still represent a striking majority among those who are most exposed to inequality and injustice," he said. The General Assembly President noted that women constituted 70 per cent of the world's poor and the vast majority of the world's illiterate adults, while suffering the most from different forms of violence. "Their plight is particularly tragic in societies torn apart by conflict and crisis, where women and girls are usually among the first to become victims," Mr. Udovenko added.

The General Assembly President noted that the United Nations, beginning with its Charter, had always stood for the equal rights of women. "This cornerstone United Nations principle was reaffirmed at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, which declared that the human rights of women were an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights," he said. This historic legacy must be matched "with an equally strong action in all areas of critical concern to women's advancement, including such vital issues as poverty, education, health, violence against women, and women's participation in economic and political life," Mr. Udovenko concluded.

WFP Executive Director Catherine Bertini joined Secretary- General Kofi Annan in calling for an end to violence against women, particularly in Afghanistan.

"WFP shares the urgent concern expressed by the Secretary- General over the issue of violence against women and the suffering women and children undergo in situations of armed conflict," Ms. Bertini said in a statement marking International Women's Day. "I am very proud that the Secretary- General has taken a clear stand that the United Nations will not fund development in Afghanistan that is not equitable for women and men," she said.

Not only do women play a key role now, but "they represent a formidable potential that could help in meeting the challenges of food security in the twenty-first century," said FAO Director- General Jacques Diouf.

According to FAO, women produce more than half of the world's food. In Africa, they produce up to 80 per cent of all basic foodstuffs, while in Asia, they provide between 50 to 90 per cent of the labour for rice cultivation. Women in rural areas are almost exclusively responsible for the nutrition of their children.

Women also spend a significant part of their household income -- a much larger part proportionately than men -- on buying additional food for the family, says FAO. In much of the world, women spend up to five hours a day collecting firewood and water and up to four hours preparing food. Rural women provide a significant amount of labour for farming.

Despite their contribution to food security, women's work is poorly understood and underestimated, according to FAO. Work in the household is often considered part of a woman's duty as a wife and mother, not an occupation to be accounted for in the national economy. Even outside the house, many rural women are not paid for their work. In most countries, women do not own the land they work, and when they do, it tends to be smaller, less valuable plots than those owned by men.

FAO blames prevailing attitudes for worsening the plight of rural women by denying them political power and social representation. Gender-biased legal and social structures are among the factors preventing women from improving their economic situation, thus increasing the feminization of poverty. Since the 1970s, the number of women living below the poverty line has increased by 50 per cent, compared with 30 per cent for men. FAO is working to mobilize all people in the fight to end world hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than 100 countries now meeting in Brussels are expected to conclude negotiations this week on a convention on the international trade in hazardous chemicals and pesticides.

The new treaty, which is being negotiated during a week-long session that began on Monday, will limit the trade in hazardous chemicals and pesticides, such as PCBs, Lindane, Aldrin, Dieldrin and harmful pesticide formulations.

The trade in extremely hazardous chemicals and pesticides is currently subject to the FAO/UNEP-administered voluntary Prior Informed Consent procedure in which 154 countries are participating. Under this procedure, 22 harmful pesticides and five industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely restricted in a number of countries should not be exported unless agreed by the importing country. The new convention will replace the current voluntary system.

Many chemicals and pesticides are harmful to humans, animals and ecosystems, according to the United Nations agencies. These substances may cause cancer or birth defects, or enter the food chain and accumulate in the tissues of people or animals.

According to UNEP, the past use and trade of these chemicals has left a legacy of lasting problems. Several substances whose use has been banned and phased out in industrialized countries are still widely used in the developing world and in countries with economies in transition. DDT is one such pesticide, which is banned or severely restricted in Europe and North America but continues to be released into the environment in developing countries, poisoning wildlife there.

The global market for pesticides continues to grow and is estimated at $30 billion for 1996. Companies based in Western Europe are currently the world's largest chemical producers. The fastest growing markets are in developing countries.

A diplomatic conference will be held later this year in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to adopt and sign the new Convention.

The 13 experts will undertake a comprehensive review of how the activities against illicit drugs have evolved within the United Nations system since the General Assembly established the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in 1991.

The experts are also charged with formulating recommendations on how to strengthen future international cooperation against illicit drugs. In addition, they will identify measures aimed at reinforcing UNDCP's activities in the field of drug control, including through increased financial resources.

The group's first meeting will be held in Vienna from 22 to 24 April. During that session, the group is expected to prepare a progress report to be submitted to the General Assembly special session on international drug control, which will be held in New York from 8 to 10 June 1998.

The thirteen experts are : Gustavo Albˇn Santos, of M‚xico; Philip O. Emafo, of Nigeria; Nobuaki Ito, of Japan; Hans Lundborg, of Sweden; Alvaro Jos‚ da Costa Mendon‡a e Moura, of Portugal; Nozipho Joice Mxakato-Diseko, of South Africa; Daniela Rozgonova, of Slovakia; Missouri Sherman-Peters, of the Bahamas;N. K. Singh, of India; Joseph C. Snyder III, of the United States; Kalman Szendrei, of Hungary; Peter Thompson, of the United Kingdom; and Belisario Velazco Baranoa, of Chile.

ECO is a regional organization which promotes economic, technical and cultural cooperation among its 10 member States: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The ECO region, with a population of 320 million people, is the largest opium, morphine, heroin and cannabis producing and trafficking area in the world.

Pino Arlacchi, Director-General of United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the Drug Control and Crime Prevention Office, signed an agreement last Thursday with the Secretary-General of ECO, Onder Ozar, to provide assistance in the creation of a drug control coordination unit at the ECO secretariat headquarters in Tehran. The new accord also calls for new training support for drug control experts from all ECO member States and will establish a periodic reporting system on the drug situation in the region.

"This agreement will strongly contribute to the fight against the problem of drugs and drug trafficking in central Asia", Mr. Arlacchi said. "I am very glad to see this kind of cooperation agreement. It is an essential part of our overall strategy to strengthen drug control all over the world."

"We are ready to support your efforts and this agreement will constitute a concrete step in this direction," Mr. Ozar said. He thanked Mr. Arlacchi and the Drug Control Office for "the resolute stand of your organization in the fight against drugs."

At a press briefing at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva on Monday, the group's Chairman outlined measures being discussed to strengthen the Convention's enforcement and verification measures. Ambassador Tibor Toth of Hungary said work began on Monday to address the questions of compliance, types of declarations, visits and inspections. He said the debate on what kinds of declarations would be required of States parties focused on striking a balance between a narrow scope which would add little to transparency, or a broad scope which would burden pharmaceutical research industries. Efforts were also being made to strike a balance between having an investigation and preventing "abusive" investigations.

Ambassador Toth said there was broad agreement in principle on making declarations mandatory, and on having declarations include bio-defence substances and vaccines. Such legitimate activities were not prohibited by the Convention, he noted, adding that the challenge was to be able to differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate activities.

In a related development, the United Kingdom announced on Monday that it would work towards the early conclusion of the draft protocol to the Convention establishing a verification regime. "We are pleased that on 4 March the European Union agreed, at our initiative, a common position which shows the EU's strong support for this endeavour," the United Kingdom said in a press release.

Biological weapons have been banned since 1975 when the Convention entered into force. Since 1994, the group has been meeting in Geneva periodically to consider measures to strengthen the Convention. The group's current session will run through 13 March.

During the three-week session, the Committee will consider fifteen agenda items, including a number of peacekeeping operations. In particular, the Committee will consider the financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT), the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) and the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA).

The Committee will also discuss the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight's review of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Other Oversight Office reports include its audit of the United Nations' use of consultants; its audit of the five regional commissions; its review of the International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO); an alleged conflict of interest in United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat); and its review of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division.

Introducing reports on the United Nations administrative and financial efficiency, Under-Secretary-General for Management Joseph Connor said that the Organization's supplier roster for procurement contracts was being expanded. He added that bidding guidelines and contract information would soon be available on the Internet, as one of several initiatives to broaden the roster's geographical reach.

The Committee will meet again on Tuesday to continue its review of the Organization's administrative and financial efficiency. It will also begin considering aspects of the 1998- 1999 programme budget, including the Secretary-General's proposal to redirect savings resulting from cuts in non- programme costs towards a development fund.

For information purposes only - - not an official record

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

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