United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-09-12

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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

Thursday, September 12, 2002

ANNAN STRESSES NEED FOR MULTI-LATERALISM, URGES ACTION ON FOUR FRONTS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan opened the general debate at the 57th session of the General Assembly this morning by reflecting on the terrorist attacks of last September 11, which he called an extreme example of a global scourge, which requires a broad, sustained and global response.

The response to terrorism, he said, can only succeed if full use is made of multilateral institutions, and he told those gathered, I stand before you as a multilateralist by precedent, by principle, by Charter and by duty.

On matters ranging from the fight against terrorism to action against poverty and AIDS, he said, for any one State large or small choosing to follow or reject the multilateral path must not be a simple matter of political convenience. Rather, he argued, the existence of an effective international security situation depends on the authority of the Security Council, and there is no substitute for the unique legitimacy provided by the United Nations.

The Secretary-General then pointed to four current threats to world peace that require true leadership and effective action.

First, he urged a return to the search for a just and comprehensive solution in the Middle East, saying that the vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within recognized and secure borders can only be reached if we move rapidly and in parallel on all fronts. The so-called sequential approach has failed.

He urged Iraq to comply with its obligations under UN resolutions, for the sake of its own people and for the sake of world order. If Iraqs defiance continues, he said, the Council must face its responsibilities.

The Secretary-General also urged nations to maintain their commitment to Afghanistan, by helping the government to extend its authority throughout the country and by following through on commitments for Afghanistans rehabilitation, reconstruction and development.

Last, in South Asia, he warned, the world had come closer than in past years to a direct conflict between two nations with nuclear weapons capabilities, in a situation which has calmed but remains perilous. The underlying causes, he said, must be addressed.

BUSH AND ANNAN HOLD "SUBSTANTIVE, CORDIAL AND RELAXED" MEETING

The Secretary-General met this morning for over half an hour with U.S. President George W. Bush, prior to this morning's opening of the General Assembly's General Debate. Their focus was almost exclusively on international security issues.

Not surprisingly, the first item on their agenda was Iraq. But they also discussed the search for a peaceful solution to the Arab/Israeli conflict, the situation in South Asia, including India and Pakistan, and efforts to restore stability to Afghanistan.

The Secretary-General raised a number of African issues, including Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Sudan.

They reviewed the conflict in Colombia and the progress being made by the new democracies in Central America.

The Secretary-General also raised the issue of United Nations reform and the subject of arrears in payments to the UN.

The talks were substantive, cordial and relaxed.

With the U.S. President were Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. On the Secretary-General's side, there was Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast, Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guehenno and Under Secretary-General for Management, Joseph Connor.

ANNAN NAMES NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ANGOLA

The Secretary-General has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Ibrahim Gambari as his Special Representative for Angola.

Gambari will also serve as Chairman of the recently re-established Joint Commission for the Angolan peace process.

Gambari, has been serving as the Secretary-Generals Special Advisor for Special Assignments in Africa, and has been closely involved in promoting the peace process in Angola.

He is expected to leave New York later today to take up his new assignment.

ANNAN OUTLINES DRAW-DOWN PROPOSALS FOR UN MISSION IN SIERRA LEONE

The Secretary-Generals report to the Security Council on the UN mission in Sierra Leone has been issued. The report, which assesses the security situation and describes the concept for the adjustment and draw down of the mission, is scheduled to be discussed in the Security Council next Wednesday.

The report says encouraging developments such as completion of the disarmament process, the successful May elections and the establishment of the Special Court, make it possible to consider beginning the draw down.

The draw-down proposals are a product of close consultations with the Government, and the views of Council members and troop contributors were also sought and taken into account. It says the military component could be expected to draw down over a period of approximately two years. A target date of December 2004 is mentioned.

The Secretary-General expresses deep concern about the conflict in neighboring Liberia, saying that unless the international community urgently addresses the Liberian issue, it could escalate, and jeopardize the progress achieved in Sierra Leone and destabilize the region.

The Secretary-General recommends the Security Council approve the draw down proposals and extend the mandate of the mission for a further six months in order to facilitate the start of what he considers a crucial process.

DE MELLO STARTS AS UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF, OUTLINES PRIORITIES

Today in Geneva, Sergio Vieira de Mello walked into his office on his first day at work as High Commissioner for Human Rights.

While attending the flag-raising ceremony at the Geneva UN Headquarters for the newest UN Member States Switzerland itself he told reporters this morning that his priorities would be the protection of civilian populations in conflict, the fight against racism and for womens rights.

He said, Those are the three huge chapters that require a lot of attention, in addition to all the geographic hot spots that are well known.

In the afternoon, he met for an hour with the staff of the Human Rights Office, introducing himself to all staff and discussing the goals he wants to achieve over his four-year term, in what staff members later described as a friendly first meeting.

UNESCO CHIEF WARMLY WELCOMES U.S. RETURN TO THE ORGANIZATION

Koichiro Matsuura, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) warmly welcomed the announcement by President Bush this morning that the United States would return to UNESCO after an absence of 18 years.

I believe the United States return to UNESCO supports effective reform and renewal within the multilateral system, he said, affirming UNESCOs steady forward progress over the past years.

Asked to expand on the reaction to the decision by the United States to return to UNESCO, the Spokesman said that since their departure, which came following criticism of the agencys management and performance, there had been a consistent effort over the years to improve UNESCOs organization and performance. Having a country with the resources of the United States, the Spokesman went to say, will energize the organization.

IN MALAWI, UN ENVOY PRAISES RESPONSE TO HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

As a rising number of people face increasing hardship in many parts of Malawi, the Secretary Generals Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, James Morris, praised the international communitys efforts to curb an escalation of the humanitarian crisis in the region.

On Thursday, in a press release issued in Malawi, Morris highlighted two significant developments which will improve the logistics infrastructure in the region, bringing short-term and long-term benefits to Malawi and the region as a whole.

The first is a newly approved special operation by the World Food Programme to repair the Nacala railway line, the only direct rail link between Mozambique and land-locked Malawi. Eight locomotives will also be leased in order to increase the pushing power and hence improve the capacity of the railway.

The number of people at risk in Malawi soared this month from 500,000 to 2.1 million, while resources pledged so far stand at 57 percent, with $62 million of the $144 million requested still needed for food and non-food assistance.

Morris arrived in Malawi on Tuesday as part of his ongoing mission through six southern African countries, accompanied by Carolyn McAskie, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator for the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and key technical experts involved in the crisis response.

PALESTINIAN TERRITORY RESEMBLES "COMPLEX HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY"

The increased closures regime imposed on the Occupied Palestinian Territory since April of this year has created a situation in the Palestinian territory that resembles complex humanitarian emergencies, according to a report officially released today by the UN Conference on Trade and Development. (UNCTAD)

In such situations, vulnerability is great and the impact on productive capacity, institutional infrastructure and the economy as a whole is severe, says UNCTAD.

As a result of this situation, the Palestinian Authority has been forced into heavy dependence on donor support for maintaining emergency and basic activities, diverting its attention away from key development objectives, the Report suggests.

This renders even more urgent the need for concerted efforts to identify strategies and policies to set the Palestinian economy on a path of recovery and sustained development -- a "still-elusive" goal that remains intertwined with the achievement of peace and security in the region.

UN TEAM TO EXAMINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF WAR ON AFGHANISTAN

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has dispatched five teams to various parts of Afghanistan to assess how 30 years of conflict have affected the country's environment. The teams will identify pollution hotspots and the immediate and long-term threats to these sites.

It is estimated that Afghanistan has lost up to 30% of its forests since 1979, so that less than 2% of the country remains forested.

In addition, UNEP will conduct an in-depth analysis of international environmental conventions to determine what opportunities and potential benefits they may offer Afghanistan.

The final report detailing the findings will be published this December.

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ONGOING IN GUATEMALA

The Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, has completed a 10-day visit to Guatemala.

In his speech before leaving the country Stavenhagen mentioned the continuing discrimination against the half of Guatemala's people who are indigenous. He urged the approval of legislation relating to racial and ethnic discrimination pending in Congress. Stavenhagen will present his final report, including recommendations, to the Human Rights Commission next April.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

In Kisangani yesterday, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a second group of future police instructors began a training course organized by the UN mission in that country. Fifty three men and one woman will be part of this five-week course which is being led by UN civil police officers.

There are no meetings of the Security Council scheduled for today.

The Secretary-General has re-appointed Professor Hans van Ginkel of the Netherlands to a second five-year term as Rector of the United Nations University. The appointment, which takes effect from 1 September 2002.

Two more Member States have paid their 2002 regular budget contributions in full today. Madagascar made a payment of more than $33,000 and Mauritania more than $11,000. One hundred members states are now fully paid-up for this budget year.

Earlier today, Peru ratified the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Protocol now has 94 Parties.

Madagascar today signed the Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations and the Convention on the Nationality of Married Women.

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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