United Nations Daily Highlights, 01-06-21

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

FROM THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MANOEL DE ALMEIDA E SILVA

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, June 21, 2001

ANNAN MEETS BLAIR IN LONDON

Secretary-General Kofi, Annan met with Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom this morning and discussed in great detail the situation in the Middle East following the Secretary-Generals recent visit to the region. Their talks also touched on Iraq, the Balkans, the proposed Global Fund against AIDS, economic assistance to Africa and progress in Sierra Leone.

In a press encounter afterwards, the Secretary-General said he described to the Prime Minister the mood in the Middle East as the Security Council debates a revision of the Iraq oil-for-food programme. Asked if the Council doesnt meet the deadline of July 3, whether the effort would die, the Secretary-General replied, I dont think so. He added, The assistance to the Iraqi people is essential, and so they will find a way out.

The Secretary-General went on to Marlboro House to meet with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Donald McKinnon. McKinnon briefed the Secretary-General on Commonwealth activities in Fiji and on land reform in Zimbabwe. They also touched on the situation in West Africa, including the proposed special court for Sierra Leone, the UN Conference on Racism and UN efforts to combat AIDS.

The Secretary-General also had the opportunity to meet with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa.

He attended a working lunch with Clare Short, the U.K. Secretary for International Development. Their wide-ranging discussions included Sierra Leone, neighboring Guinea and Liberia, peacekeeping training and rapid reaction, the architecture of the proposed Global Fund for AIDS, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( MONUC), peace efforts in Burundi, the upcoming UN Conference on Racism, the forthcoming UN report on financing for development, the General Assemblys planned special session on children, and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, along with the problem of security for humanitarian workers.

The Secretary-General met with Geoffrey Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defense. The Secretary-General first raised the issue of the training of African troops for peacekeeping in Africa by the United Kingdom and other advanced military powers. He also brought up the Brahimi Report on overhauling UN peace operations, especially the role of well-trained police, as well as NATO's plans for sending troops to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

He also asked for U.K. support for the economic reconstruction of East Timor. They discussed Sierra Leone in some detail. The Secretary-General then asked about the future of the international presence in Bosnia, and the related issue of neighboring Kosovo. They talked of the impact on UN peacekeeping of the European Union's developing of a rapid reaction capability.

The Secretary-Generals other engagements included a private meeting with the Prince of Wales and a one-on-one meeting with the new Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Jack Straw.

ANNAN WELCOMES RELEASE OF OPPOSITION MEMBERS IN MYANAMR

In a statement attributable to his Spokesman, the Secretary-General welcomed the release on today of five more Members of Parliament of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Myanmar, which he hoped will provide a new impetus to the on-going talks between the Government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for democratization and national reconciliation in the country.

The Secretary-General has been encouraged by a series of recent developments, including the release last week of a dozen political prisoners and the opening of some NLD offices in Yangon, that have unfolded since the visit to the country of his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, in early June. He called on the two sides to build on this momentum to achieve further progress in their dialogue process.

SECURITY COUNCIL DEBATES CONFLICT PREVENTION

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette began the Security Council's open debate on conflict prevention by presenting the Secretary-General's recent report, which proposes 10 principles to guide the UN's future approach to preventing conflicts. She said, "If this report has one message, it is that we must intensify our efforts to move from a culture of reaction to one of prevention."

She noted that the report also proposes the establishment of new mechanisms for discussing prevention cases in a more structured way, and the Secretary-General's intention to provide periodic regional or sub-regional reports to the Council on disputes that can potentially threaten international peace and stability.

The Deputy Secretary-General added that, following three open debates in the Security Council over the past two years on preventive action, "the time has come to translate the rhetoric of conflict prevention into concrete action."

The open debate is continuing today, presided over by the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Abdus Samad Azad.

Prior to its formal meeting on conflict prevention, the Council unanimously voted in favor of a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina ( UNMIBH) by one year, until June 21, 2001.

WFP RESUMES AID FLIGHTS IN ANGOLA

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The World Food Programme (WFP) today announced the resumption of humanitarian assistance flights in Angola, ending a six-day suspension of such operations forced by two attacks on its aircraft this month. Flights will resume to all areas except Kuito, in the Central Highlands, where flights will resume as soon as runway conditions permit.

WFP, which feeds over one million people in Angola, urged all parties in the conflict to respect the neutrality of its humanitarian operations and allow unhindered delivery of aid.

FIVE MURDERS IN THREE DAYS IN KOSOVO

According to the UN mission in Kosovo ( UNMIK), UN police reported five murders in three days, including that of one of the last living Serbs in Maticane. The 70-year-old man was shot while watching television in his home and is in critical condition in Pristina hospital under UN police guard.

The Mission announced that firefighters in Klina decided to name their firehouse after UN Fire Chief Robert Triozzi, who recently left that position. Triozzi had put together a single Kosovo-wide fire department with the objective of keeping it multi-ethnic. The success of the force was most evident when the Kosovo Fire Department took part in the World Extrication Championships in South Africa. The Kosovo team, comprised of four Albanians and two Serbs, beat seasoned teams from Spain, Scotland, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

FLOODS IN EAST TIMOR LEAVE 1,000 HOMELESS

The UN Mission in East Timor ( UNTAET) reports that an estimated 1,000 people have been left homeless in the town of Lospalos in the eastern part of the country, following three days of heavy flooding earlier this week. Some residents say the floods are the worst to hit that area in nearly 50 years.

UN peacekeeping forces in the area are setting up relief and protection centers, supplying food, blankets and medical support and rescuing people living in isolated areas. The Republic of Korea's battalion has evacuated more than 200 people from some flood-hit areas.

UN VOLUNTEERS CELEBRATE 30 YEARS

The UN Volunteers ( UNV) celebrate their 30th anniversary with an event in New York today. The Deputy Secretary-General opened this event by saluting the dedication of UN volunteers who serve in all corners of the world in support of almost every UN agency. She is expected to make a special mention of the UN Volunteers who participate in the UNs peacekeeping operations. On her recent trip to Sierra Leone, she was able to witness the essential work of some of 70 volunteers serving with UN Mission ( UNAMSIL) in that country.

More than 300 people are expected to take part in this event, which will include musical performances by two groups, Ashe from Jamaica and Dreamz FM from Singapore. Both groups have donated the proceeds from some of their recordings to the UNV programme.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN NORTH AFGHANISTAN WORSENING

The Office of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan today said the situation of vulnerable communities in northern Afghanistan is getting worse and is of great concern. The Office announced that camps will be set up in northern Afghanistan, where at least 150,000 people are been displaced by war, drought and widespread poverty.

Since the summer last year, more than one million Afghans have left their homes; over 700,000 of them remain inside the country.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Executive Director of the United Nations Office of Drug Control and Crime Prevention, Pino Arlacchi, is in Australia for a two-day visit. This morning he met with senior Australian officials to discuss money laundering, human trafficking, corruption and related issues. He also gave the keynote address at the Fourth National Outlook Symposium on Crime in Australia.

The 40th meeting of the UN Compensation Commission ended today in Geneva, under the Presidency of Ambassador Sverre Bergh Johansen of Norway. During this session, the Commission approved $842 million in compensation, including $243 million awarded for environmental monitoring and assessment to five countries: Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Syria. To date the commission has awarded over $35 billion to claimants.

The Special Committee of 24, which deals with decolonization issues, is hearing today from 29 representatives of various political parties and other organizations dealing with Puerto Rico, which has been part of the Committee's annual work over the past three years. The Committee's proceedings will also include testimony from parties in Western Sahara and Gibraltar.

Slovenia this morning became the 90th Member State to pay its 2001 regular budget contribution in full with a payment of more than $800,000.

At the end of May, a total of 43,885 military and police personnel from 89 countries were serving with 16 UN peacekeeping operations.

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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