United Nations Daily Highlights, 00-08-14

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

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MANOEL DE ALMEIDA E SILVA
DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

• The Security Council went into formal session this morning to approve unanimously a resolution on the trial of Sierra Leoneans (S/RES/1315) accused of egregious crimes and violations of international humanitarian law.

• The resolution calls on the Secretary-General to negotiate an agreement with the Government of Sierra Leone on an independent special court and to report to the Council within 30 days.

COUNCIL DISCUSSES EXPANSION OF ETHIOPIA/ERITREA MISSION

• Following the meeting on Sierra Leone, the Security Council, in an open session, heard a briefing from Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Bernard Miyet on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).

• Miyet told the Council that the United Nations had proceeded to deploy five military liaison officers respectively to the capitals of Ethiopia and Eritrea. This initial step is to pave the way for the deployment, intended by the end of this month, of a first group of 100 military observers.

• Last week, in a report to the Security Council, the Secretary-General recommended that there be a second phase of deployment, in which the Mission would be expanded to up to 4,200 military personnel, including 220 military observers, three infantry battalions and necessary support units.

• The Mission, Miyet noted, would divide its operations into three sectors, with headquarters based in Barentu for the western sector, Adigrat for the central sector, and Assba in the east.

• Following his briefing, the Council proceeded to an open debate on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

UNMIK TAKES CONTROL OF POLLUTING PLANT IN MITROVICA

• The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo today assumed responsibility for a smelter that has been linked to rising levels of atmospheric lead in northern Mitrovica.

• Some readings indicated last month that atmospheric lead levels were 200 times the acceptable levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

• UN administrators, supported by UN police and the Kosovo Force (KFOR), took control of the Zvecan smelter this morning, in an effort to safeguard the health of the community after the resumption of the plant's operations in June subjected the population to unprecedented levels of atmospheric lead.

• The UN Mission informed workers that they would continue to be paid while the plant is retrofitted. An assessment of the cost and duration of the operation to install air pollution control mechanisms at the Zvecan plant is expected in about two weeks.

• Bernard Kouchner, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said, in a press release, "As a doctor, as well as chief administrator of Kosovo, I would be derelict if I let this threat to the health of children and pregnant women continue for one more day."

• The United Nations also took action to improve management of Northern Kosovo’s Trepca complex, of which this smelter is a part. On Sunday, the United Nations concluded agreement with a US/French/Swedish consortium to assess the viability of the entire Trepca complex. The UN Mission will take remedial action for the environment. Sixteen million dollars have been raised for this effort so far.

• On Saturday, Kouchner announced that municipal elections would be held in Kosovo on October 28. This decision was taken in consultation with the Secretary General. This Wednesday, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will hold a lottery to confirm the order in which political parties, coalitions and citizens' initiatives will be placed on the ballot.

UN ENVOY CONCLUDES CONSULTATIONS ON AFGHANISTAN

• The Secretary-General's Personal Representative, Francesc Vendrell, will conclude a round of talks with Afghanistan's neighboring Governments on Tuesday in Iran.

• Starting at the end of July, he visited the capitals of Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. In the course of his visits, Vendrell discussed possible ways to address the conflict in Afghanistan, and the Governments reiterated their full support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Representative.

UN CONFERENCE ON DISPLACED PERSONS OPENS IN BURUNDI

• The Sub-Regional Conference on Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons in Central Africa opened today in Bujumbura, Burundi.

• The objective of this UN-sponsored conference is to sensitize and seek assistance from the international community for the ever-growing problem of refugees and internally displaced people in this sub-region. The conference will cover, among many other topics, the cause and consequences of the massive displacement of people as well as problems specific to women and children refugees in the region. The conference will conclude on August 16.

ELECTRICITY PAYMENTS BEGIN IN EAST TIMOR

• The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) has started charging electricity fees to large commercial customers for the first time. The charges will apply to hotels, restaurants, shops, offices, ports, airports, UN premises and the offices of non-governmental organizations.

• In a visit today to one of the electric plants in Dili, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Sergio Viera de Mello, said, "We will charge domestic customers only after a review is conducted to confirm their ability to pay."

• Before the September 1999 violence, East Timor had 60 power stations; currently, only 30 are working. The other 30 plants were destroyed or burnt to the ground.
  

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development began its second session today, electing Christian Katsande of Zimbabwe as its chair for the current session. Starting this afternoon, the Committee will hold parallel meetings of its two sub-groups, on energy and water, which are to last through this week. The Committee's current session will last through August 25.

• Working through two non-governmental organizations, the World Food Programme today dispatched two food convoys to Chechnya to give desperately needed food assistance to some 31,000 internally displaced persons facing starvation in this long-running military conflict. The main recipients will be elderly, ill and handicapped Chechens, along with single mothers with children.

• The Office of the Iraq Programme reported that, for the week ending August 11, Iraq exported 14.2 million barrels of oil with an estimated value of $348 million. The revenue from the beginning of Phase VIII is now estimated to be around $2.906 billion, from the export of 121 million barrels of oil. On the contracts side, the Security Council sanctions committee last week approved a further three contracts, bringing the total approved to 95.

• Sudan becomes the 108^th Member State to pay its dues in full for the year 2000 by making a payment of just over $73,000.

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