United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-10-05

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, 5 October, 1998

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General warns that thousands could die in winter if present situation persists in Kosovo.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees urges development of "global solidarity agenda" for new millennium.
• UNAIDS warns that HIV epidemic is posing increasing threat to world's children.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees honours a Crimean Tatar activist for reintegration effort in Ukraine.
• United Nations is investigating possible abuse of access to duty-free goods by peacekeepers in Cyprus.
• United Nations Population Fund signs cooperation agreement with Organization of Islamic Conference.

In his latest periodic report to the Security Council on the situation in Kosovo, dated 3 October 1998, the Secretary-General said that fighting, which has displaced thousands of people, continued in Kosovo. "The pattern of displacement is fast-changing and unpredictable as people flee in response to the actions and real or perceived threats of the security forces," the Secretary- General says. He adds that even though there have been some returns, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more than 200,000 persons remain displaced in Kosovo and some 80,000 are in neighbouring countries.

The Secretary-General says that appalling atrocities have been committed in Kosovo, including the massacres of civilians and the destruction of homes. "It is clear beyond reasonable doubt that the great majority of such acts have been committed by security forces in Kosovo acting under the authority of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," Mr. Kofi Annan said. However, he adds, Kosovar Albanian paramilitary units have engaged in armed action also, and there is good reason to believe that they too have committed atrocities.

"If the present state of affairs persists, thousands could die in the winter," Mr. Annan warns. He calls for the creation of conditions to allow the return of a significant number of internally displaced persons, some of whom are living in the open. He says that this requires a radical change of policy and behaviour and the introduction of confidence-building measures, such as the withdrawal of police units, a declaration of amnesty and a release of prisoners.

The Secretary-General also expresses the hope that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Albanian leadership will resume negotiations without delay and produce early agreements that will result in the restoration of confidence needed for the return of all those who have fled their homes in fear. The Secretary- General says that the international community recognizes that the humanitarian crisis in Kosovo is a consequence of " what is fundamentally a political problem, which requires a comprehensive political solution through a negotiated settlement."

Opening the forty-ninth annual meeting of UNHCR's Executive Committee in Geneva, Mrs. Ogata said that international solidarity is needed more than ever before to halt the conflicts which cause so many to flee and which impede their return home, and to shore up fragile peace in many countries.

The High Commissioner pointed out that the number of conflicts around the world has continued to increase and their causes have become more complex, yet "political interest in resolving some crises seems to be receding." She also deplored the increased trend toward violence against civilians.

Mrs. Ogata expressed concern that in industrialized and developing countries alike, "governments adopt more restrictive asylum policies, resorting to a narrower interpretation of refugee law." She called for confidence in asylum to be restored, reminding governments that "asylum is often the only tool left to the international community to rescue a life in danger." Resettlement of refugees is, Ogata said, a"concrete reflection of international cooperation."

European countries, Ogata said, were "rightly concerned by the possibility that the Kosovo crisis, if left unresolved, will continue to compel civilians to flee to neighboring countries and to western Europe." She appealed to governments to "maintain an open attitude" toward asylum- seekers from Kosovo, as long as "violence and oppression continue to prevail," and to "intensify political efforts to find a solution to the conflict."

The High Commissioner pointed out that the security and welfare of UNHCR staff must also assured, 21 per cent of whom are working in high-risk locations. She paid particular tribute to Vincent Cochetel, the 37-year-old head of UNHCR's office in North Ossetia, who was abducted in late January of this year in Vladikavkaz and is still being held hostage. Mrs. Ogata called on the Russian Federation to bring a swift and positive end to Cochetel's ordeal.

Dr. Piot made his remarks in Geneva during a discussion on children living in a world with AIDS organized by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the body of independent experts which monitors States' compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"The AIDS epidemic is having a devastating impact on children around the world," said Dr. Piot. He stressed that governments must be both responsible and accountable for improving the conditions of children infected by HIV and those affected by the infection of members of their families and communities, as well as for strengthening measures to prevent infection.

UNAIDS estimates that over 500,000 infants were infected with HIV in 1997 through mother-to-child transmission before or during birth or through breastfeeding. Around 1.6 million children were orphaned by AIDS in 1997. In addition, almost half of all new HIV infections - some 7000 every day - occur in the age range of 10 to 24 years. As they enter adolescence, girls and boys are now among those at the highest risk of HIV infection as a result of engaging in unprotected sex and of sharing contaminated needles while injecting drugs.

Dr. Piot said that restricting children's access to sexual health education aimed at postponing first sexual intercourse and practicing safer sex amounted to a violation of their rights. "Girls and boys need to understand how to help take charge of their own lives - to protect themselves and others from the virus in situations of risk." He added that girls and boys must included in efforts to combat this epidemic, "for they are an essential part of the solution."

Under the Convention, governments undertake to ensure that all persons below the age of 18, including those living with HIV and AIDS, have access to health facilities, care, education and psychological and social support.

The Convention is the first international treaty to give children's rights the force of international law. It has now been ratified by 191 States -- all but Somalia and the United States.

High Commissioner Sadako Ogata presented the medal to Mustafa Dzhemilev at a ceremony at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, saying he was chosen "for his commitment to the right of return of the Crimean Tatar people." The Nansen Medal, which is named after the Norwegian diplomat and explorer Fridtjof Nansen, the first High Commissioner for Refugees under the League of Nations, is awarded for exceptional service to the cause of refugees.

Mr. Dzhemilev was born in 1943 in Crimea. In May 1944, when he was less than a year old, Stalin's troops rounded up the entire Tatar population þ- around 200,000 people þ- and deported them to Central Asia, accusing them of collaboration with the Nazis, according to UNHCR.

When the Soviet empire collapsed, hundreds of thousands of people found themselves stateless in the newly-independent countries which emerged from the former Soviet Union. The Government of Ukraine gave the Tatars permission to return in 1989, after more than 40 years in exile, mostly in Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and the Russian Federation. It asked UNHCR to help in addressing the numerous problems arising from their return, including the question of citizenship.

As President of the Association of Crimean Tatars (the Mejlis) and as a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Dzhemilev has worked side by side with UNHCR to help tens of thousands of Tatars recover their Ukrainian citizenship and their basic rights.

In a speech delivered on behalf of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Vladimir Petrovsky, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, praised Mr. Dzhemilev for his work on behalf of the Crimean Tatars.

"The United Nations is investigating possible abuse of access to duty-free liquor and cigarettes by a small number of members of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)," said Spokesman Fred Eckhard on Saturday. The possible abuse was discovered in a routine check by UNFICYP and an investigation was immediately initiated.

A formal report is expected to be forwarded to United Nations Headquarters in New York shortly. Upon the completion of the investigation, necessary action will be taken in accordance with United Nations rules, Mr. Eckhard noted.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed on 2 October, UNFPA and the OIC agreed to consider holding high-level meetings to find ways of cooperating in population-related areas, such as reproductive health, including family life education, censuses and surveys.

"This is the beginning of new cooperation and of doing many things together, " said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Nafis Sadik. "With this agreement, we hope to put population issues high on the agenda of the member countries of the OIC," she added.

By the terms of the Memorandum, which took effect immediately, the two organizations will share information on their work and invite each other to their respective meetings.

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

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