United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-11-19

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Thursday, 19 November, 1998

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Security Council calls for measures to curb illicit arms flows in Africa.
• Security Council to consider having stand-by military and police units trained for humanitarian operations.
• Security Council members welcome improvement of situation in Kosovo but voice concern about persisting tensions.
• United Nations to keep presence in Burundi through 1999 to help promote reconciliation.
• Security Council members endorse Secretary-General's proposal to keep his envoy's office in Cambodia.

By resolution 1209 (1998), the Council stressed the importance of all Member States restricting arms transfers which could provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in Africa. States were urged to cooperate with African countries to strengthen their capacity to combat illicit arms flows.

African States were encouraged to enact legislation on the domestic possession and use of arms, and to implement effective import, export and re- export controls. They were also encouraged to participate in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and to establish their own conventional arms registers.

The Council adopted its resolution in response to a report of the Secretary- General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. A number of provisions in the resolution related to action he should take, including exploring means of identifying international arms dealers acting in contravention of national legislation or embargoes established by the United Nations on arms transfers to and in Africa.

The Secretary-General was encouraged, in consultation with Member States, to explore means for collecting, sharing and disseminating information on illicit small arms flows and their destabilizing effects.

Recognizing the importance of programmes for voluntary weapons collection, disposal and destruction in specific post-conflict situations in Africa, the Council said it would consider including means to facilitate such programmes in the mandates of future peacekeeping operations it authorizes in Africa. The Secretary-General was asked to consider practical ways to work with African States in implementing those programmes, including the possibility of a fund for that end.

The Council also stressed the importance of calling public attention to the negative impact of illicit arms flows to and in Africa.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1208 (1998), the Council suggested that relevant United Nations bodies and organizations could draw on those units in the maintenance of the security of refugee camps and settlements and the preservation of their humanitarian character.

The Council was acting on the recommendations contained in a report of the Secretary-General on causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa. It requested him to respond to requests from African States, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and subregional organizations for advice and technical assistance in the implementation of international refugee, human rights and humanitarian law. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and others concerned were urged to provide advice, training and technical or other assistance to African States which host refugee populations.

The Council noted that a range of measures by the international community are needed to share the burden borne by African States hosting refugees and to support their efforts to ensure the security and civilian and humanitarian character of refugee camps and settlements. Those measures could include training, logistical and technical advice and assistance, financial support, the enhancement of national law enforcement mechanisms, the provision or supervision of security guards and the deployment -- in accordance with the United Nations Charter -- of international police and military forces.

The Security Council had met on Thursday to discuss the recent report of the Secretary-General on Kosovo. Following the meeting, the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Peter Burleigh of the United States, told the press that Council members welcomed the fact that the recent agreements on Kosovo were contributing to defusing the immediate crisis and creating more favourable conditions for a political settlement which respects the full rights of all the people of Kosovo. He said that the members of the Security Council reaffirmed their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Nevertheless, Ambassador Burleigh added, the members of the Council were concerned about persisting tensions in many areas as described in the Secretary-General's report. Council members stressed the importance of an early deployment of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM). In this context, he said, they called upon all parties concerned to comply fully with the Security Council resolutions, to cooperate with the Kosovo Verification Mission, to honour their commitments and to provide for the security of all KVM personnel.

Ambassador Burleigh said that Council members commended the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Kosovo. Council members also welcomed ongoing efforts to promote a political dialogue and emphasized the urgency of that dialogue.

In a recent letter to the President of the Security Council, the Secretary- General recalls that the Office was established, at the request of the Security Council, to promote peace and reconciliation following the tragic events of October 1993.

The Secretary-General points out that since its establishment, the Office, which is currently headed by Cheikh-Tidiane Sy of Senegal, has played an active role in improving the relationships between the major political actors within Burundi. He adds that the Office has also assisted with the National Debate and the internal negotiations which culminated in the adoption last June of a political partnership and the formation of a transitional, broad-based government.

Mr. Annan says that in view of the important role of the Office in Burundi, he intends to extend its mandate for one year. In response to the Secretary- General's letter, the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Peter Burleigh of the United States, said that members of the Council took note of the Secretary-General's intention.

In a letter to the Secretary-General, the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Peter Burleigh of the United States, said that the proposal had been brought to the attention of Council members.

The proposal is contained in a letter from the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council, in which he reported that Cambodian leaders had agreed that the Office should continue its functions pending the establishment of a new government that would decide on the future of the Office. The Secretary-General had proposed in July that the Office be extended for a further six-month period starting on 27 July 1998.

The Secretary-General said that as soon as the new government was established, and subject to its approval, he proposed to further extend the Office for a period of 12 months in order to continue its present functions.

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

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