United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-05-28

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, May 28, 2002

COLOMBIA: UN TO EXAMINE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S PROPOSALS TO END WAR

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement issued through his Spokesman today, says the United Nations welcomes the fact that the Colombian people were able to exercise their right to vote on Sunday, May 26, 2002, and have acted decisively to elect the candidate of their choice.

The United Nations has been supporting peace efforts in Colombia, and will examine with care and interest president-elect Alvaro Uribe's proposals regarding a future role for the Organization in new peace efforts.

UN STAFF MEMBER FREED IN SOMALIA

A Somali national officer employed by the UN Development Programme who had been kidnapped in Mogadishu on April 28 was released over the weekend

.

Professor Mohamed Ali Aborkor was released around 10 a.m. Saturday in the kilometer five area of Mogadishu to a Somali elder who acted as a UN intermediary.

Aborkor was taken to UNDP compound where he was seen by a doctor and reunited with his family.

UN CONCERNED AT INTIMIDATION OF LOYA JIRGA CANDIDATES

The spokesman for the UN mission in Afghanistan said, referring to the killings of several people in recent weeks, that while there is no certainty that the motivation of these murders was political, in the minds of people these events are related to the current political process.

In addition, on Monday, the Independent Special Commission for the convening of the Emergency Loya Jirga informed the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan that two representatives selected during phase one of the Loya Jirga process were arrested in Herat.

These developments come after a number of incidents of intimidation in several districts in the west.

The Independent Commission and the United Nations have already expressed their concern to the authorities of Herat with regards to the cases of intimidation that have occurred in that area.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES ITS WORKING METHODS

The Security Council is meeting in consultations on the Informal Working Group concerning the Councils documentation and other procedural questions.

Singapore, which holds the Councils Presidency this month, has posted on its website a comprehensive summary of items discussed by Council members during the fourth week of May.

UN ENVOY CONDEMNS LATEST SUICIDE BOMBING IN ISRAEL

In a statement issued last night, following the suicide bombing against Israeli civilians in Petah Tikva, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Terje Roed Larsen said, such attacks can not be endured and must stop.

He reiterated his longstanding condemnation of terrorist attacks and stressed that the Secretary-General had clearly and repeatedly stated that such attacks against civilians were morally repugnant and a clear violation of international law.

Larsen added that terrorist attacks from any quarter were unacceptable and could not be tolerated by the international community.

UN CALLS FOR ACCESS TO WAR-TORN AREA IN REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Mary Robinson, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a statement today expressing her concern at the deteriorating situation in the Pool region of the Republic of the Congo.

Since late March, serious fighting has fighting some 45,000 civilians have been displaced in the Pool region, and humanitarian access to the most affected parts of the region has been denied for the last two months.

According to witnesses, Robinson says in her statement, government forces have used helicopter gunships to attack inhabited villages in the region. An unknown number of civilians have been killed and injured as a result of indiscriminate rocket and machinegun fire.

Dozens of women have allegedly been raped by men in uniform. A number of young men are reported to have been abducted from camps for internally displaced persons. Their fate and whereabouts are unknown.

I appeal to the Government of the Republic of Congo to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and integrity of the civilian population," Robinson says. "I urge the warring parties to grant humanitarian agencies free and unconditional access reach all those in need of assistance in the region of Pool.

SIERRE LEONEAN REFUGEES IN LIBERIA CUT OFF FROM AID

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees today said it is concerned over the safety of Sierra Leonean refugees in Liberia.

According to UNHCR, the refugees, like many Liberians, are caught up in an unpredictable situation with some camps situated near conflict zones and refugees getting increasingly nervous.

Refugee camps near the border with Sierra Leone have been cut off to all humanitarian aid for more than two weeks now. UNHCR says it can maintain radio contact to the refugees thanks to a generator now running short of fuel.

UNHCR says it is making plans to resume repatriation by sea for Sierra Leonean refugees who wish to return home.

DESIGNER GIORGIO ARMANI TO BE NAMED UNHCR GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced today that Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani was to be appointed the refugee agencys goodwill ambassador.

The appointment was to be made official during the annual Pavarotti and Friends concert in Modena, Italy.

UN TEAM ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA TO EXAMINE REFUGEE CAMPS

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention arrived in Australia today to begin its examination of Australias administrative custody of illegal aliens.

The working group is accompanied by the High Commissioners Special Envoy, P.N. Bagwati.

The visit will continue until June 6.

UN PREPARATORY MEETING ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY

The preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development began Monday in Bali, Indonesia.

Secretary-General of the Summit, Nitin Desai, said the main issue was not just to complete negotiations on a program of action but to ensure the outcome document would be bold and firm enough to meet the high expectations that people have for the Johannesburg Summit.

Negotiations on the 39-page, 100 paragraph Chairmans text continued today in the various working groups.

Some of the key issues being worked on are a World Solidarity Fund for Poverty, an action program to reduce by half the number of people without access to clean water and electricity.

U.S. DONATES FOOD FOR WFPS SOUTHERN AFRICA OPERATION

The UN World Food Programme said that the United States has donated 33,000 metric tons of food to its relief efforts to help feed millions of people facing food shortages across Southern Africa. The rapid arrival of such a large food shipment will greatly help millions of families suffering from severe hunger in southern Africa, said Judith Lewis, WFP Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

In Geneva, a spokesperson for the WFP said lack of funds was threatening more and more WFP operations, in particular those for victims of drought; displaced persons; returnees; and programmes involving food for work and food at school.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

In a decision issued today, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia granted provisional release to Dragan Jokic. Jokic, who had been transferred to The Hague 10 days ago, faces two separate indictments for crimes allegedly committed in the Omarska and Keraterm camps. In 1992. The indictments includes six counts of crime against humanity.

The United Nations Children's Fund announced that the proceeds of an on-line auction of football gear will go to the organization to help improve the welfare of children worldwide. The auction is sponsored by the world football body, FIFA, and will include items signed by Brazilian football legend Pele, popstar Anastacia and many of the World Cup squads

The United Nations Environment Programme today announced that the Technical Working Group of the Basel Convention on hazardous wastes has formulated new guidelines for the collection, transport, storage and recycling of used lead-acid batteries. Recycling the lead from old batteries can cut 25 percent from the energy bill compared with mining new lead. About 75 percent of the 2.5 million tons of lead produced annually goes into lead-acid batteries used in automobiles, industrial facilities and portable tools.

The UN office in Lebanon announced that the second phase of a $50 million project for de-mining south Lebanon, Operation Emirates Solidarity, was officially launched today in Beit Yahun, South Lebanon. To date, nearly 4,000 from an estimated 400,000 landmines have been removed from south Lebanon through Operation Emirates Solidarity.

Asked to comment on recent press reports from Baghdad confirming the dates for the next round of discussion between the Secretary-General and Iraqi officials, the Spokesman said he could not yet confirm specific dates.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General United Nations, S-378 New York, NY 10017 Tel. 212-963-7162 - press/media only Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212) 963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

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