United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-04-11

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

FROM THE NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, April 11, 2001

ANNAN URGES STEPS TO RESUME ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATIONS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement, voiced his concern that the steady escalation in Israeli-Palestinian violence "threatens to get out of control, with unpredictable consequences." He reiterated that the only way out of the current crisis is through the resumption of political negotiations, and that, in his view, "security measures alone will not halt the growing violence."

Having talked with several regional and international leaders over the past few days, the Secretary-General called for urgent steps taken to control the situation. There should be parallel confidence-building measures and a resumption of security cooperation.

He insisted on the need for a halt to all violence, and full implementation of the Sharm el Sheikh understandings. Israel should end its six-month old blockade on Palestinian areas, and transfer to the Palestinian Authority all outstanding revenues. The Secretary-General believes that these steps could serve as a basis for getting the parties back to the table.

Asked about what conversations the Secretary-General had held on the Middle East, the Spokesman said that, since the past weekend, he had talked with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, and King Abdullah II of Jordan, among others.

In response to a question about the validity of the understandings reached by the two parties at a meeting in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, in October 2000, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General thought that it was useful and continues to emphasize it, but he also wished to underscore that more than just security measures was needed.

Today, Eckhard noted, Israeli tanks went into a Palestinian refugee camp, destroying buildings in an incident in which two Palestinians were killed. In general, he said, the situation threatened to get out of control, and both sides had to de-escalate tensions.

The Spokesman also noted the work by the Secretary-General's Special Coordinator on the Middle East, Terje Roed Larsen, who remains in daily contact with the Israelis and Palestinians.

ANNAN WELCOMES RESOLUTION OF US-CHINA DISPUTE

The Secretary-General told reporters this morning, upon his arrival at UN Headquarters, that he was relieved and happy at the resolution of the dispute between the United States and China following last week's plane collision.

He said, "I'm extremely happy that this issue has been resolved, because we were all concerned that the longer it got drawn out, the more likelihood, the possibility, that positions would have hardened in both countries and complicated, and perhaps harmed, the relationship that has taken so long to put together."

Now that it is over, he added, "I hope we can go back to business."

The Secretary-General said he would be in touch with the Chinese leadership, and that he had already contacted the White House and Secretary of State Colin Powell to congratulate the work of the U.S. foreign policy team.

Asked about the Secretary-General's discussions, the Spokesman said he had spoken today with U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and had been trying to contact the Chinese authorities, to congratulate both on the end of the standoff. He noted that there may have been factions on either side that prevented a quicker resolution of the matter, but that it was now over.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES POSSIBLE MISSION TO CONGO

The Security Council held consultations this morning on plans for a possible Security Council mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other countries in the region.

They are discussed the format of the meeting, to be held on April 27, between Council members and members of the bureau of the Economic and Social Council. At that meeting, delegates from these two UN bodies are expected to discuss the coordination of conflict management.

UN OFFICIALS MEET WITH REBEL LEADERS ON CONGO PULLBACKS

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) reports that the Secretary-Generals Special Representative Kamel Morjane and Force Commander Gen. Mountaga Diallo were in Goma Tuesday to review with officials of the rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) difficulties delaying their verification exercise in Kalemie.

The RCD leadership promised to lift all "technical and administrative" obstacles in order to let UN observers do their work in the best possible conditions.

The two sides confirmed the arrival of 100 Moroccan troops as the first group of a contingent of 380 men to be deployed to Kisangani between April 15-16.

Morjane and Diallo also plan to visit Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC), to finalize the deployment of extra military observers in areas from which the Movement is expected to withdraw.

The UN Mission also said the verification of the disengagement of Government troops would start Thursday in Kananga, one of the four Sector Headquarters.

TOP UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL DESCRIBES NEEDS IN THE CONGO

Kenzo Oshima, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said today that the scope of the humanitarian needs in the country is far greater than the resources available to international organizations and local non-governmental organizations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He made that statement to reporters in Kinshasa today at the end of his six-day visit to the country.

Oshima went on to say that humanitarian workers do not have access to the most vulnerable segment of the population because of poor infrastructure and lack of adequate security. He added that he has obtained an agreement in principle to put into place a mechanism of dialogue between the DRC Government and humanitarian actors.

SERB RETURNS TO KOSOVO LEGAL FRAMEWORK COMMITTEE

The UN Mission in Kosovo ( UNMIK) reported that a Serb representative today returned to a committee finalizing the so-called legal framework for provisional self-government for Kosovo.

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, in his meeting with Secretary-Generals Special Representative Hans Haekkerup last week, agreed to urge the Kosovo Serbs to participate in that process.

YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL TO MODIFY RULES AS ADDITIONAL JUDGES JOIN

On Thursday at The Hague, the judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ( ICTY) will hold an extraordinary plenary session to modify the rules of procedure and evidence to prepare for the arrival of short-term "ad litem" judges, whose addition to the Tribunal was approved by the Security Council in Resolution 1329 (2001).

The Council approved the idea of having judges added to the court on a short-term, ad hoc basis in order to expedite the Tribunal's proceedings.

Discussions at Thursday's session will include arrangements for the "ad litem" judges and the use of senior legal officers for pre-trial management.

Tribunal officials today also reiterated the legal obligation by the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to transfer former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to The Hague.

FOOD SHORTAGES MAY SOON RUN OUT IN KENYA, AGENCIES WARN

A group of 42 leading humanitarian and development agencies involved in life-saving emergency operations in Kenya announced that food shortages are once again creating a desperate situation.

They said that, after years of drought, more than four million vulnerable people in Kenya are still facing starvation, yet the international community is not responding adequately to appeals for food.

They urged Governments and donors to support the $89 million appeal for food by the Government of Kenya and the World Food Programme (WFP), launched in February 2001. So far, there are very few pledges to the operation, and WFP fears that food will run out this month.

WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF DRUG PRICING

In her closing remarks at a workshop on drug pricing in Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said, "The price of drugs matters it matters to poor people, and it matters to poor countries." She went on to say that she thought there was a strong case for the establishment of a new international health fund to give political prominence and priority to health issues such as HIV/AIDS.

The workshop, organized jointly by WHO and the World Trade Organization, looked at ways to reduce the prices of pharmaceuticals in low-income countries and increase financing so that the world's poorest people can obtain medicines necessary to fight diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Asked about slavery in the Sudan, the Spokesman said that the issue has come up in the Human Rights Commission in Geneva, where significant pressure has been placed against Sudan's Government. He noted the "crescendo of voices" that had spoken out internationally regarding the slavery issue.

The UN Centre for Human Settlements, also known as Habitat, noted the launch by President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria of Habitat's campaign for global governance.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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