United Nations Daily Highlights, 99-11-17

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

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS

NEW YORK

Wednesday, November 17, 1999

KOFI ANNAN ENDS VISIT TO CHINA, TRAVELS TO TURKEY

Secretary-General Kofi Annan concluded his official visit to China today with an address at a seminar hosted by the United Nations Association of China on the subject of "The United Nations in the 21st Century." His address had two themes: humanitarian intervention and the dialogue of civilizations.

The dialogue, he said, "is based on the belief that global diversity is a precious asset, and that we can all learn from the beliefs and the ways of life of other peoples and other cultures."

"It is diversity which gives humanity its promise," he added. "No union of nations, no assembly of people and no community can thrive without tolerance. Without that basic respect between human beings, ...the United Nations -- as an idea and a reality -- will never fulfill its destiny."

The Secretary-General left Beijing for Istanbul, Turkey, where he will attend the summit meeting of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES IRAQ'S OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME

The Security Council held informal consultations today on the latest oil-for-food report. The Council was briefed by the Executive Director of the Iraq Programme, Benon Sevan.

The report noted that over the past 180-day period, contracts for a total of $389 billion worth of oil were approved. The total revenue for the 180-day period is expected to reach $7.2 billion, which is still $1.3 billion short of the increase in revenues that was authorized by the Council last month.

Sevan noted in his briefing, the Security Council Sanctions Committee continues to place a large number of holds on applications for Iraqi imports. As of November 15, he said, the total value of applications placed on hold amounted to $1.042 billion, compared with approved applications worth $8.770 billion.

He noted in particular holds placed on nearly $750 million worth of applications in the electricity sector, saying that Iraq's electricity supply could increase by 50 percent if these holds were released.

Sevan said that the Secretary-General intends to submit a thorough review of the Office of the Iraq Programme by February of next year.

Peter Van Walsum, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to the United Nations, chairman of the Sanctions Committee, presented his report to the Council.

The United States circulated a draft resolution on a technical rollover of the programme, and the Commission of Experts was to discuss it this afternoon.

OGATA MEETS RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN MOSCOW

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata, in Russia as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, met today in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. Ogata was also scheduled to meet today with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

She is scheduled to travel on Thursday to Ingushetia, where according to UNHCR, the authorities have now registered 195,000 displaced people from Chechnya. The total number of displaced Chechens now exceeds 200,000.

VIEIRA DE MELLO MEETS OFFICIALS IN DILI

Sergio Vieira de Mello, in his first full day on the job as head of the new UN mission in East Timor, met this morning with the commander of the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET), Gen. Peter Cosgrove, and with the outgoing Acting Special Representative, Ian Martin.

In the afternoon, he met East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao.

The repatriation of East Timorese continued, with large crossings into Suai, Maliana and the Ambeno enclave. All roads in East Timor have been designated as secure by INTERFET, and military escorts are no longer required.

Seeds for planting are being distributed throughout the territory, and 15,000 agricultural tool kits are being distributed this week.

UN ENCOURAGES DISARMAMENT EFFORTS IN SIERRA LEONE

The UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), continues its efforts to encourage former rebel leaders to bring their constituencies under control. Today, Col. Johnny Paul Koroma went on a sensitization mission to Okra Hills to meet with his field commanders and get them to register in the disarmament program.

This is the first time Koroma returns to his rebel stronghold in Okra Hills since his return to Freetown. Several thousands former rebels are still in Okra Hills, a volatile group which had held 35 hostages last August, including UN personnel. Abductees and child combatants are assumed to still be held there as well.

MEMORIAL SERVICES BEGIN FOR KOSOVO PLANE CRASH VICTIMS

The first of a several memorial services this week for the 24 victims of last Friday's World Food Programme (WFP) plane crash in Kosovo was held today at the WFP headquarters in Rome.

In New York, the UN flag flew at half mast today in honor of the victims. From 12:45 to 1 p.m. at UN Headquarters, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette led a service during which she paid tribute to those who lost their lives in a mission to improve the lives of others.

KOSOVO: NEW REGULATIONS ON BANKING, HOUSING, GAMBLING

In Kosovo, three press releases were issued on new regulations signed by the Secretary-General's Special Representative Bernard Kouchner.

Two of the regulations concerned banking, another regulation prohibited casino-style gambling and a fourth established an internationally supervised body to regularize housing and property rights and to adjudicate disputes. The last is intended to begin a process to resolve the complex issue of residential property ownership, which will be guided by the UN Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the UN Center for Human Settlements (HABITAT).

The spokesman in Pristina for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the situation at the border crossing with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continues to hinder humanitarian aid.

WFP LAUNCHES APPEAL FOR DISPLACED PERSONS IN COLOMBIA

The World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that it would provide food assistance to 227,000 displaced people in Colombia, in an operation that is scheduled to begin in February 2000. The operation is expected to cost $8.9 million.

The two-year operation is intended to address the living conditions of people who have been internally displaced by the conflict in Colombia, where the Government has been fighting the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Since 1996, roughly 180,000 Colombians have been displaced each year, and more than 1.5 million people have been driven from their homes over the past 15 years, according to WFP.

The WFP operation will include the establishment of food production projects like fish tanks, chick hatcheries and vegetable gardens, in which displaced persons will be given job training. Young children and nursing mothers will also be provided with supplementary diets.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The ozone "hole" in the Antarctic is as big as ever, cautioned the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) today. The hole covers an area of 22 million square kilometers - more than twice the size of China.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has stepped up its relief activities in the Indian state of Orissa, releasing three million dollars from its Emergency Fund to finance programmes in health, education, nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection.

Next Tuesday, November 23, is World Humanitarian Day. The Secretary-General will preside over the second global launch of the Consolidated Inter-agency Appeals in Geneva. These appeals will seek funding for humanitarian operations in 14 complex emergencies around the world. The acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, and the heads of UN relief agencies, will also be present.

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