United Nations Daily Highlights, 00-02-24

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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

Thursday, February 24, 2000

SECRETARY-GENERAL ENDS VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

Secretary-General Kofi Annan concluded his official visit to New Zealand today, starting with a "powhiri," a welcome ceremony of the indigenous Maori people, which took place in a traditional Maori meeting house called a "marae."

The Secretary-General then went to Parliament House for a working lunch with Foreign Minister Phil Goff. After that he met with Defence Minister Mark Burton, followed by a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition, former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley.

The Secretary-General then began his 21-hour journey home by air. He is expected to arrive in New York by about midnight tonight, and he will work from his home on Friday.

SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES EXPANSION OF UN FORCE IN CONGO

The Security Council this morning resumed its closed consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with Council members trying to resolve their remaining differences over a draft resolution to expand the UN Mission to more than 5,500 military personnel. The Council then went into a formal meeting at 11:30 to approve the resolution. The Council vote was unanimous, 15-0, in favor of the resolution.

On Wednesday, the Council's consultations on that subject lasted past 8:30 in the evening. In those consultations, the Secretariat expressed its concern to the Security Council about the further deterioration of the security situation in the eastern part of the country, in particular in the Bukavu area. A radio station there, which broadcast anti-Tutsi messages in August 1998 that were linked to massacres of local Tutsi, has begun to broadcast again.

The Council was also informed of the outflow of refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Congo Brazzaville and the negative impact of the government's unfavorable foreign currency and exchange rate policies on UN humanitarian activities.

At 3:30 this afternoon, the Council has scheduled consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, the current mandate of which is set to expire on February 29.

The Secretary-General, in his latest report on Western Sahara, noted the obstacles hindering UN efforts to hold a referendum there, but recommended a three-month extension of the UN Mission while his Personal Envoy, James Baker, consults with the parties to resolve their differences.

UN PEACEKEEPERS BLOCKED IN SIERRA LEONE

This morning, two companies from the UN Mission in Sierra Leone, one from Ghana and one from India, arrived at a place between Kenema and Daru in the eastern part of Sierra Leone, where they were stopped by a force of about 300 rebels from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who refused to let the troops pass.

The rebels were tactically deployed in fighting position on high ground and were heavily armed, including with rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

The UN Mission has contacted a former RUF Brigadier, who is now a member of the Government and who happened to be in the region. He has traveled to the scene in an effort to help resolve this situation.

WFP TO LAUNCH EMERGENCY OPERATION FOR ETHIOPIA

This Friday, the World Food Programme (WFP) will launch a nine-month emergency operation at a cost of $136.8 million dollars for food and non-food items, as well as logistics, to feed 2.3 million of the most vulnerable victims of drought and crop failure in Ethiopia. The emergency operation is part of the overall UN country team appeal for $190.7 million, issued on January 28. The number of vulnerable has dramatically increased since last year when WFP distributed food to 1.2 million people.

A recent WFP and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) food and crop assessment indicated that there are 7.8 million people in need of food aid.

For the past two decades there has been a shortage of food in Ethiopia, caused largely by unfavorable weather conditions. Food insecurity remains chronic, due to limited availability and access by the majority of the population.

"It is the hope that by acting now we can prevent a human catastrophe from developing in the near future," the Spokesman said.

Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest countries, ranking 172nd out of 174 in the 1999 United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index. It also has one of the highest levels of stunting among children, due to lack of adequate nutrition, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

ANNAN CONDEMNS TERRORIST ACTS IN SPAIN

In a statement issued through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General strongly deplored the recent terrorist acts in Spain and emphasized that "the only way to resolve grievances is to abjure violence and seek solutions by peaceful means."

"He joins the Spanish people in calling for an end to all such terrorism," the statement said.

COUNCIL SANCTIONS COMMITTEE ISSUES REPORT ON IRAQ

The fourth annual report of the Security Council Committee, which oversees the sanctions on Iraq under Security Council resolution 661, was issued today, dealing with the period from August 1, 1998 until November 20, 1999.

The report said that during the reporting period the export of petroleum and petroleum products from Iraq proceeded smoothly with excellent cooperation among the oil overseers, the UN independent inspection agents, the State Oil Marketing Organization of Iraq and national oil purchasers.

The revenue generated from oil sales during this period amounted to $13.58 billion.

The Committee continued to implement the simplified procedures to process applications for foodstuffs and other humanitarian supplies.

Members of the Committee also continued to express concerns about the effect of the holds placed on humanitarian contracts, including oil spare parts and equipment, on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. The Committee will continue to review those hold cases.

For the latest figures on various aspects of the oil for food programme, please consult the Weekly Update, compiled by the Office of the Iraq Programme.

ANNAN PAYS TRIBUTE TO FORMER IAEA HEAD

Sigvard Eklund of Sweden, who headed the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1961 to 1981, has died at the age of 89. His death occurred in Vienna on January 30, but was only reported this week.

As the Agency's second director, he established its main scientific and technical programs, and was named Director General Emeritus for life in recognition of his achievements.

The Secretary-General paid tribute to Sigvard Eklund for his towering contribution to the United Nations in the field of nuclear energy, and expresses his sincere condolences to his family and to the Government and people of Sweden.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The next family reunion of East Timorese sponsored by the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) is expected to take place at the Batugade border of East and West Timor on Saturday, February 26. Last Saturday, a planned family reunion was disrupted by a brawl that broke out among East Timorese and the subsequent firing of shots by the Indonesian military. UNTAET stressed at a meeting with the local commanders of the Indonesian military last Tuesday that such incidents should not happen again. The Indonesian military said that it was investigating the case. The UN Mission is planning to increase its civilian police presence at the next family reunion.&nbsp;

This morning in Geneva, two experts of the UN Commission on Human Rights appealed to Governor George W. Bush of Texas not to execute Betty Lou Beets, a woman sentenced to death in 1985 for the murder of her husband, following a trial which has been criticized as flawed.

The International Court of Justice announced that it would hold public hearings on April 3 in The Hague, in a case involving the downing last year of a Pakistani naval aircraft by India. The hearings are to last a week and will deal exclusively with the question of the Court's jurisdiction in this dispute. Pakistan instituted proceedings before the Court one month after its aircraft was shot down last August 10.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons issued a press release, noting Eritrea's ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Eritrea will now become the 130th State Party to the Convention.

The Secretary-General circulated a report on a hearing held last September in Santiago, Chile, by the Economic and Social Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, which discussed the region's proposals to strengthen the United Nations. That hearing is one of several regional meetings held in conjunction with preparations for this year's Millennium Assembly.

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) is prepared to launch in Bamako, Mali, an initiative to eliminate avoidable river blindness.