United Nations Daily Highlights, 00-03-31

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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 OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, March 31, 2000

ANNAN ADDRESSES SECURITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP FOR MARCH

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today attended closed consultations of the Security Council, which was called to wrap up its work for the month of March. First, Council President Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh reviewed the Council's work over the past month.

The Secretary-General began by noting the Council members' trip to Washington, D.C. on Thursday. He said, "It's been quite a journey, close and yet quite far, and I believe you have bridged quite a gulf."

Annan briefed the Council on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, noting the importance of an early conclusion of a status-of-forces agreement with the Congolese Government and a urgent relocation of the Joint Military Commission (JMC) as the UN mission prepares for expanded deployment of military personnel. (The Lusaka Cease-fire Agreement provided for the creation of the JMC, which, together with the United Nations and Organization of African Unity (OAU), would be responsible for executing peacekeeping operations until the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force.)

He urged the early scheduling of proximity talks between the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea, which were to have taken place in Algiers this month but were postponed. And he also drew attention to the need to ensure that UN Missions -- notably those in Kosovo, East Timor and Haiti -- have resources adequate to perform their mandates. A general discussion followed.

Earlier, the Security Council this morning held a formal meeting, in which it unanimously approved a resolution to allow Iraq to use up to $600 million from the funds in the escrow account of the "oil-for-food" program to pay for repairs to its oil industry.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION DIRE IN EASTERN DR OF CONGO

Ross Mountain, Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator, who is on a humanitarian assessment mission in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reported from Goma today that the humanitarian situation there is dire.

There are more than 500,000 displaced persons in the eastern DRC. The population in the east is caught up in a war involving national and regional groups vying for control of the territory, which has left them homeless. They need humanitarian assistance to survive, Mountain said. Civilians are offered no protection and are in fact targeted by all parties to the conflict. Access is difficult, with roughly half the population who are in need inaccessible.

Mountain also reported that discussions with the parties have been positive and all parties understand the need to assist populations regardless of their location. The mission has received commitments from both sides to the Principles of Engagement for Emergency Humanitarian Assistance, which is used to guide relief operations throughout the whole territory of the vast country.

Mountain is scheduled to give a briefing on his findings to reporters in Nairobi on Monday.

INDONESIA EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR EAST TIMOR RETURNS

The Indonesian Government has informed the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that the deadline for refugees returning to East Timor from West Timor will be extended by three months. The deadline had been scheduled for today.

UNHCR also reports that support to the refugee camps in West Timor will not be cut off by the Indonesian Government, as had been feared.

There are still up to 100,000 refugees in West Timor, and at least half are expected to want to return to East Timor following the deadline extension.

The UN Transitional Administrator in East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, said today in Jakarta that there is good will from senior government officials to try to halt militia incursions from West Timor. De Mello has repeatedly requested the Indonesian Armed Forces control any extremists in West Timor and stop militia incursions.

His remarks followed a meeting with Defense Minister Admiral Juwono Sudarsono.

UN RAPID DEPLOYMENT CAPABILITY DISCUSSED

Assistant Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi addressed the International Peace Academy this morning on "Enhancing UN Rapid Deployment Capability."

He said that the most important aspect of rapid deployment is political will. He also pointed out the need for what is sometimes called a "fairy godmother" - a state willing and able to provide immediate capacities that cannot be contracted quickly on the open market.

Annabi also discussed the UN's Standby Arrangements system, which involves 88 Member States, 32 of which have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations.

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UN ASSISTS EMERGENCY DE-MINING IN MOZAMBIQUE FOLLOWING FLOODS

The United Nations has helped Mozambique establish an emergency mine action cell to help that country deal with impact of the recent, devastating floods on landmines.

An estimated 70,000 mines have been cleared since 1992. Many landmines shifted location following the flooding.

UN operators are already carrying out emergency de-mining since the flooding, in areas that are accessible. The United Nations is also providing emergency mine awareness information to the thousands of people housed in temporary, alerting them to possible dangers when they return home.

IRAQ SANCTIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES LISTS FOR EXPEDITED APPROVAL

The Security Council's Sanctions Committee for Iraq has approved two additional lists of goods eligible for the accelerated approval procedures provided for in Resolution 1284 (1999).

One list covers pharmaceuticals and basic medical equipment, and the other covers standard agricultural equipment and supplies.

This completes the approval of lists for expedited approval procedures. Lists for food and education were approved at the beginning of this month. The new lists will be posted shortly on the Office of the Iraq Programme's web site.

RWANDA TRIBUNAL REVERSES APPEAL DECISION TO FREE SUSPECT

The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, in a decision issued today, reversed its earlier decision to release detainee Jean-Bosco Barayagwiza, whose rights it had deemed to have been violated by prolonged detention without trial.

The Appeals Chamber today decided that Barayagwiza will stand trial for genocide and related charges brought against him. It also ruled that he is entitled to reparations for the violations of his rights.

Today's decision followed the disclosure of new factors mitigating the blame previously attached to the Prosecutor of the Tribunal and the seriousness of the violations suffered by Barayagwiza.

UN MISSION DISARMS COMBATANTS IN SIERRA LEONE

Last night, in Northern Sierra Leone, 240 combatants -- all belonging to the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council -- were disarmed by the UN peacekeepers in the single largest disarmament operation carried out by the UN Mission in that country. Today's operation followed the disarming of 60 rebels on Thursday. The rebels handed over assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and other weapons.

After 10 days of clashes between the rival Revolutionary United Front and Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (ex-Sierra Leone Army), the UN peacekeepers convinced one of the faction leader, who calls himself "Colonel Savage," to come out of the bush and bring out his fighters. The leader of the military observer team said, "This is a signal, and I hope that all other rebel group will come out and disarm."

The disarmed combatants and their families are being transported in a UN convoy from Kabala to Lungi, where the rebels will register to the disarmament program. Another 95 rebels came out of the bush without weapons and are also being registered.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees said today that the trickle of people leaving Chechnya has dried up while the number of those going back to Chechnya has increased. On Wednesday, some 700 persons went back to Chechnya, comprising the highest daily return figure since last December. The day before 260 people went back to two districts of Grozny.

Asked whether the United Nations may receive more money from the United States following the visit by the Security Council Ambassadors to Washington on Thursday, the Spokesman noted that legislation for the partial payment of US arrears is already in place. However, he said, the legislation sets conditions on the payment of arrears, including reductions in the US assessments for the regular and peacekeeping budgets. The United States in recent years has been keeping up to date on current payments, although the arrears remain a problem, he added.

The United Kingdom made a payment today of over $16.5 million, becoming the 76th Member State to have paid its regular budget dues in full for the year 2000.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Saturday, April 1

Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, will travel to Ingushetia to examine conditions among displaced Chechens. On Sunday, she will travel to Grozny, Chechnya.

Monday, April 3

At 10 a.m., the Secretary-General will present his Report on the Millennium Assembly and the Millennium Summit to the General Assembly. He will follow the launch of the report with a press briefing at 10:45.

In the evening, the Secretary-General will leave New York for Geneva.

The President of the Security Council for the month of April, Ambassador Robert Fowler of Canada, will hold bilateral consultations with Council members.

There will be a program to commemorate the more than 80 diplomats who risked their lives to rescue refugees during the Holocaust at the Visitors' Lobby of the United Nations, starting with a 9 a.m. press conference and including a convocation at 7 p.m. with Nane Annan.

The Executive Board for the UN Development Programme and UN Population Fund will meet throughout the week.

At 10 a.m., the UN Staff Committee will hold a brief ceremony to inaugurate a redesigned exhibit on the Safety and Security of UN Personnel at the entrance area of the General Assembly building.

The Committee for Development Policy will meet through Friday in New York.

A two-week meeting will begin of a Preparatory Committee dealing with the General Assembly Special Session to follow up the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, which had been held in Copenhagen. The General Assembly session will take place in Geneva from June 26-30.

Ambassador Andre Mwamba Kapanga of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. at UN Headquarters.

The United Nations hopes to launch an Inter-Agency Appeal for Mongolia, which is facing a severe food shortage following last summer's drought and recent heavy snowstorms.

Tuesday, April 4

The Security Council is expected to hold consultations on its program of work for April.

The Secretary-General will address the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

In The Hague, the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will meet through Friday.

Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), together with the Ambassadors of Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda, will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. to discuss the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation's grant to protect African Youth against AIDS.

"Overcoming Human Poverty: UNDP Poverty Report 2000" will be launched by Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), at a press conference at 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 5

The Secretary-General begins a series of meetings in Rome at the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Administrative Committee on Coordination.

Thursday, April 6

The Secretary-General will attend a session of the Administrative Committee on Coordination in Rome, and will also deliver a speech on UN priorities at a joint session of the Foreign Relations Committees of the Italian Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

Friday, April 7

The Security Council will hold an open meeting on Afghanistan.

Friday is World Health Day. This year's theme is the need for safe blood supplies, and the Secretary-General will issue a message on the importance for safe blood transfusions.

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