United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-05-29

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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

Wednesday, May 29, 2002

SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS RENEWAL OF MISSION IN GOLAN HEIGHTS

The Security Council met in closed consultations this morning on the Secretary-General's latest report on the UN mission in Golan Heights in which he recommends a mandate renewal. A draft resolution and a draft statement by the Council President were introduced. Both are on the website of Singapore, which holds the Council Presidency.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON IRAQ OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM

Benon Sevan, Executive Director of the Iraq Oil for Food Programme, this morning updated the Security Council on the status of the programme, as well as steps taken, thus far, by his Office in putting in place the new procedures for the processing of contracts, as required under Security Council resolution 1409, which was adopted on May 14. That resolution introduced the Goods Review List and a new set of procedures for the processing and review of contracts for the purchase of humanitarian supplies and equipment by the Government of Iraq under the oil-for-food programme.

The next phase of the Oil for Food Programme, phase XII, becomes effective Thursday for six months. Tuesday, there was an exchange of letters between the United Nations and the Permanent Mission of Iraq, extending the Memorandum of Understanding on the oil-for-food programme.

Sevan told the Council that his office will be applying the revised procedures gradually with a goal of having them fully in place no later than July 15. In the application of these new procedures, Sevan said there already is much closer cooperation among the Oil-for-Food Program, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The weekly oil figures show that, while remaining well below the expected average, Iraqi oil exports totaled nine million barrels in the week ending May 24. The weeks exports generated an estimated $205 million in revenue.

SECURITY COUNCIL REVIEWS ERITREA-ETHIOPIA PEACE PROCESS

Members of the Security Council were briefed by Jean-Marie Guehenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, on the peace process involving Ethiopia and Eritrea.

[In a press statement delivered by the Council President, Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani of Singapore, Council members reiterated the importance of close consultations between the parties and the Boundary Commission and the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) on the implementation of the border delimitation decision, and welcomed in this regard the recent meeting in the Hague. They also expressed their anticipation that a follow-up by Ethiopian authorities to the meeting in the Hague will soon be forthcoming with the view to establishing the modalities for an expeditious implementation of the border delimitation decision.]

LIBERIA ASKED TO HELP PREVENT CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS INTO SIERRA LEONE

The Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), Lt. Gen. Daniel I. Opande, has toured several border towns to assess the impact of the current influx of Liberian refugees on security along the Sierra Leonean border.

Some of the Liberian refugees told the Force Commander Tuesday that they fled their homes when the Armed Forces of Liberia warned them that the rebels were coming to attack them. They also said that Liberian troops were demanding money from them before they could be allowed to go through the Dar-es-Salaam border crossing point into Sierra Leone. An average of slightly more than 100 refugees were crossing the border into Sierra Leone daily.

The Force Commander then crossed the Mano River Bridge to the Liberian side of the border at Bo Waterside for a meeting with the Liberian Minister of Defense. During the meeting, Opande appealed to the Liberian Government to monitor its side of the border to prevent cross-border attacks against Sierra Leonean villages.

Opande stressed that the UN mission was doing everything in its power, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Armed Forces, to police the Sierra Leonean side of the border. He requested the same from Liberian authorities, emphasizing that peace in one of the Mano River Union countries without peace in the others is no peace at all.

UN DRUG CONTROL BODY STUDIES AFGHAN OPIUM PRODUCTION

Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), Antonio Maria Costa, in his first press briefing since taking up duties this month, announced that there would be a Terrorism Symposium in Vienna next week to discuss ideas and proposals for tackling terrorism worldwide.

On Afghanistan, Costa said that his Office had 35 projects ranging from assisting the Afghan Authority in establishing a counter-narcotics agency to the establishment of border police. He said the Office had initiated a comprehensive study on the economics of narcotic dependence as this was key in trying to undermine the narcotics trade. He also pointed out that only 2.5 percent of the land in Afghanistan was used for opium cultivation and yet opium was the countrys largest single export item.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

In response to a question on whether the United Nations was concerned that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals had turned over to the United States information on possible terrorist operations, the Spokesman said that both the Security Council and General Assembly had called on Member States to cooperate fully in the fight against terrorism. He added that the United Nations considers that it also has an obligation to assist states especially if a state has been a target of terrorist activities.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that at least 10 million people in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland are on the brink of starvation and the number could rise when reports from Zambia and Mozambique are completed. Over the next year, about 4 million metric tons of food will be required to meet the minimum food needs of populations under threat and 1.2 million metric tons of emergency food assistance is needed immediately.

FAO Director-General Jacques Diouff said today at the Regional Conference for Europe in Nicosia, Cyprus, that Europe can do more and better to help less advanced countries by investment and technology transfer. Diouff said that assistance programmes for developing countries are an ideal framework and would confirm Europes central role in ensuring stability and progress worldwide.

In Bali, Indonesia, the final preparatory meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) wrapped up its discussion on civil society, capacity building and partnerships. Two of the priorities that were identified during the discussion were the need to develop public services in rural areas and recognition of womens role in the achievement of sustainable development.

Thirty military officers and six civilian police officers from 25 countries will be awarded the UN Service Medal by the Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno. The medal, which has plain blue ribbon, is awarded after six months continuous service.

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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