United Nations Daily Highlights, 02-12-10

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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, December 10, 2002

UN ENVOY DELIVERS REVISED CYPRUS DOCUMENT TO PARTIES

Letters from Secretary-General Kofi Annan were delivered this morning to Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader, and Rauf Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, by the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto. With these letters he conveyed a revision of his proposed Basis for Agreement on a Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem, which had been conveyed to the two sides on November 11.

The document was revised following intensive consultations with the two sides participating in the negotiation. These consultations were stepped up in the past few days following receipt last week of the two sides comments, suggestions and requests, with de Soto and his colleagues shuttling between the two leaders and their colleagues with a view to improving the text.

In his letter, the Secretary-General asks the two leaders to give the revision the most urgent consideration with a view to reaching a decisive conclusion this week, so that a reunited Cyprus may accede to the European Union. The Secretary-General has asked the two sides to be available in Copenhagen later this week should that prove necessary.

Cyprus has a rendezvous with history, the Secretary-General said in his letter. It should not be missed.

The Spokesman declined to comment on the revisions in the Cyprus document, noting that the discussions taking place on the text were strictly confidential and that the Security Council had not received the revised text, or a summary of it.

Asked about how Denktashs reported illness might affect the talks, the Spokesman said it need not be an obstacle, since the Secretary-General had no problem in dealing with anyone whom the Turkish Cypriots might designate to negotiate in Denktashs place.

He reiterated that the clock is ticking, and asked for patience.

UN INSPECTORS PICK UP PACE OF WORK; MORE INSPECTORS ARRIVE

Today was the busiest day yet for UN weapons inspections in Iraq, with a biological team from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) carrying out inspections at two sites, while International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) teams visited four different facilities.

The UNMOVIC biological team inspected the National Project for Controlling Brucellosis and Tuberculosis and the Saddam Center for Biotechnology. The team accomplished its inspection objectives smoothly.

Meanwhile, at Tuwaitha, an IAEA team continued to take a physical inventory of nuclear materials from Iraqs past nuclear program. This work should be completed by the end of Thursday.

Another team investigated an outlying site of the Al Qa Qaa explosives plant, as well as the Al Furat State Company for Chemical Industries in Mussayib. Inspections were made at a complex of sites belonging to the Al Karama facility, and another IAEA team departed Baghdad for the Qaim Phosphate Complex near the town of al-Qaim on the western border of Iraq. Qaim was previously associated with Iraqs production of uranium from ores found in the area.

While the inspectors carried out their work, their ranks were bolstered by the arrival of 28 additional UNMOVIC inspectors today. There are now a total of 70 inspectors in Iraq, with 43 of them from UNMOVIC and 27 from the IAEA.

UN OFFICE NOTES SLIGHT DECLINE IN IRAQI OIL EXPORTS

The Office of the Iraq Programme reports today that oil exports under the UN oil-for-food program are down slightly for the week ending December 6, to 10.8 million barrels, compared with the previous weeks 11.9 million barrels.

A cumulative oil revenue shortfall, dating from the second half of December 2000, has left some $3.2 billion worth of UN-approved humanitarian supply contracts without funds.

About $25.6 billion worth of humanitarian supplies and equipment have been delivered to Iraq under the oil-for-food program since December 1996.

ANNAN WELCOMES AGREEMENT ON PREVLAKA, END OF MISSION

In a statement, the Secretary-General welcomed the signature of the Protocol between the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the Interim Regime along the Southern Border between the two States. With this agreement, the two countries have taken another encouraging step towards normal, good-neighborly relations.

For 10 years, the UN Mission in Prevlaka (UNMOP) has monitored the demilitarization of the peninsula and thereby contributed to insulating it from tensions created by hostilities nearby. The UN observers can now leave the area, when their mandate comes to an end on December 15, in the full confidence that their mission has been successfully accomplished.

The UN Mission in Prevlaka has demonstrated that even a small UN presence, properly conceived and executed, can make a positive difference.

UNRWA ISSUES $94 MILLION APPEAL FOR FIRST HALF OF NEXT YEAR

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) today launched an appeal, amounting to $94 million, to allow it to carry out emergency relief work in the occupied Palestinian territory during the first half of 2003.

The Agency reports that two years of violence, curfews and closures have had a catastrophic impact on the 1.5 million Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and Gaza. Around 22 percent of the children suffer from acute or chronic malnutrition, and more than 60 percent of the population is living on less than two dollars a day.

Under the appeal, the Agency plans to launch the largest food aid program ever seen in the territories, under which some 1.1 million people will receive regular supplies of flour, chickpeas, olive oil and other staple goods. Also, UNRWA plans a major rebuilding program for shelters damaged or destroyed by Israeli military operations, as well as additional efforts to provide employment.

The Agencys Commissioner-General, Peter Hansen, said today, So rapid has been the humanitarian collapse that it will take an emergency program of the scale we present today to prevent a complete breakdown in Palestinian society.

ANNAN CALLS FOR PRACTICAL ACTION TO PROTECT CIVILIANS

The Secretary-General addressed the Security Council in an open formal meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, telling them, What we need most of all is practical action and a clear path from policy to implementation.

He added, We need to move forward and develop a more systematic approach to this issue. We need to build a solid structure through which analysis and policy, and an awareness of best practices, will translate immediately into practical action that makes a difference in people's lives. He referred to his report, which contained recommendations.

Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Kenzo Oshima and Angelo Gnaedinger, Director General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, were among the more than 30 speakers at the meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Carolina Barco of Colombia, which holds this months Council presidency.

Security Council members have scheduled their monthly luncheon with the Secretary-General at 1:15 today.

Asked about the statement by the Colombian Presidency that a working version of the Iraqi declaration of its weapons programs would be prepared, the Spokesman said that he understood that the Council intended to produce a sanitized version of the document, from which would be expunged any sensitive information that could be covered by international non-proliferation treaties that prohibit the sharing or acquisition of information about prohibited weapons.

SECURITY COUNCIL LIFTS SANCTIONS ON FORMER ANGOLA REBELS

The Security Council, welcoming progress in the Angolan peace process, on Monday voted to end the remaining sanctions on the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), beginning with Resolution 864 of 1993.

The Council President, Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso of Colombia, also read a press statement at the end of two private meetings on the Central African Republic, which noted with satisfaction that both the Central African Republic and Chad are willing to show mutual restraint and to settle their differences through political dialogue.

UNHCR PREPARES TO EVACUATE THOUSANDS FROM COTE DIVOIRE

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says it is drawing up plans to evacuate thousands of refugees from Côte d'Ivoire once security and logistical arrangements can be worked out.

UNHCR says its efforts to draw up an evacuation plan suffered a setback on Sunday when Ivoirian Government forces destroyed a river ferry belonging to the agency in the south of the country by detonating three grenades wired to the boat. The ferry, which had been used in the past for the repatriation of Liberians, could have been used to evacuate people to Liberia.

UNHCR says it is very concerned about the incident, which affects the ability of UN agencies to operate in a climate of safety and respect for the UN property guaranteed by various international agreements.

Meanwhile, people continue to flee from Côte d'Ivoire to the neighbouring countries, mostly to Liberia. Over the past 10 days, 32,000 persons have crossed into Liberia.

UN MISSION TO HELP STRENGTHEN TIMOR-LESTE POLICE AFTER RIOTS

Following the riots on December 4 in Dili, Timor-Leste, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, announced today that a number of steps will be taken immediately to strengthen the security capacity.

These measures include stepping up the training of the Timor-Leste Police Service (TLPS), developing a Code of Conduct and making efforts to improve community police relationships. The UN Mission in Timor-Leste also said that the police will now be asked to use teargas and other non-lethal means for crowd control if necessary.

UNHCR TO PROVIDE BLANKETS TO AFGHAN REFUGEES AT BORDER

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced today that it begun the emergency distribution of more than 160,000 blankets around the Pakistani border city of Chaman, and in other refugee camps in the region, to protect thousands of Afghans threatened by a wave of freezing weather.

The UN refugee agency also is transferring 20,000 blankets from its Chaman warehouses for distribution among the internally displaced Afghans in Spin Boldak, the town just across the border inside Afghanistan.

The cold weather, with temperatures plunging at night to below -10°C, had triggered rumors of deaths among the refugees and internally displaced Afghans living across the frontier in five makeshift camps located at Spin Boldak. While there have been deaths from various causes over recent weeks, UNHCR has been unable to verify that any were caused by the current low temperatures.

TRIBUNAL PRESIDENT REGRETS CANCELLATION BY RWANDAN TEAM

Judge Navanethem Pillay, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, expressed her regret that a senior Rwandan delegation, including that countrys Justice Minister and Prosecutor-General, cancelled an official visit to the Tribunal that was scheduled to begin today.

Pillay noted that over the past year, the Tribunals relations with Rwanda have deteriorated to the point where two trial chambers were obliged to remind the Rwandan Government of its legal obligation to cooperate with the Tribunal.

She hoped that the Rwandan authorities would reconsider their position and visit the Tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania, to observe how the Tribunal functions and to discuss matters of mutual concern.

ANNAN, UN MISSIONS MARK HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

Today is Human Rights Day, and the Secretary-General, in a message to mark the occasion, says that one of the most outstanding legacies of the last century was the development of a body of international law that can protect the individual from injustice, arbitrary treatment and assaults on fundamental security. He appeals to all Governments, communities and individuals to recommit themselves to the universal application of the rule of law.

In addition to the commemoration of Human Rights Day at the General Assembly, other events took place around the world to mark the Day, including the formal signing by Timor-Lestes Government of all seven core international human rights treaties. In Dili, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Kamalesh Sharma, praised the Timor-Leste Government, calling it an example to other nations.

In Afghanistan, meanwhile, Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi said that the UN Mission in that country will continue to carry out its human rights mandate, by investigating violations, analyzing their root causes and proposing constructive measures in response.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

At 3:30 this afternoon at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, the Secretary-General is scheduled to present a special BBC World Service lecture as part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and he will discuss a range of issues, from threats to peace and security, whether in Africa or the Middle East, to the goals enshrined in the Millennium Declaration. And he will also pay tribute to another force that connected people around the world, long before the Internet: a love of good radio.

At 1:00 p.m., Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor will be among the speakers at a special screening of the first episode of the BBC/Discovery Channel series The Blue Planet. The series is the most complete exploration of the marine world with footage of many new species and previously unrecorded marine behaviour.

The Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Criminal Court was signed this morning by Portugal and now has 24 signatures.

The Protocols on the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons, supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime were each signed by the Czech Republic, Latvia and Saudi Arabia.

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

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article