United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-01-23

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

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, January 23, 2004

UN SECURITY LIAISON TEAM ARRIVES IN IRAQ

A two-person UN security liaison team, consisting of military advisor and a security coordinator, arrived in Baghdad today. This teams primary purpose will be to liaise with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and the Coalition forces, which is very important in achieving enhanced safety and security for national UN personnel, as well as that of UN premises.

The opening of a direct line of communication with the Coalition on security matters is necessary to plan for the safety and security of UN personnel, activities and assets in Iraq and for an eventual return of UN international staff to Iraq.

A separate field security assessment will be needed should Secretary-General Kofi Annan decide to send in an electoral team.

Asked further about the teams work, he said that the two people who have gone to Iraq are there to open channels of communication with the coalition forces and the CPA, but they would not make a field security assessment, which is what would be needed should the Secretary-General decide to send in an electoral team.

The arrival of the team now in Baghdad, he added, had been planned for some time, with letters being exchanged between the United Nations and United States on their travel earlier this month. There is no time frame for how long their work will take, he said.

Asked about the possibility that an electoral team would be sent, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General said earlier today in Davos that he expects to make a decision on that in the next few days.

U.N. ADVISOR BRAHIMI VISITS WASHINGTON, D.C., MEETS U.S. OFFICIALS

Asked about UN Special Advisor Lakhdar Brahimis visit to Washington on Thursday, the Spokesman confirmed that Brahimi was invited for consultations by Ambassador Robert Blackwell of the National Security Council.

The meeting took place in the White House and included National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell, and focused on Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Spokesman added that, as a senior advisor to the Secretary-General on peace and security issues, it is only normal for Brahimi to be consulted on Iraq, one of the most pressing international concerns. He noted Brahimis unique mix of talent and experience and said it was unsurprising that his views were sought, but added that he has not been offered the job of UN Special Representative for Iraq. As an Advisor, Brahimi will be based in New York.

UNHCR AGREES ON RETURN OF TURKISH KURDS FROM IRAQ

Iraqi, Turkish and officials for the UN refugee agency have agreed on the modalities of voluntary return to Turkey from Iraq of up to 13,000 Turkish citizens. These ethnic Kurds have lived in exile in northern Iraq since the early 1990s.

Under the agreement reached on Thursday in the Turkish capital, Ankara, the Iraqi authorities will ensure that the return is voluntary and that the refugees are not subjected to pressure. The accord stipulates that UNHCR will have full and unhindered access to the refugees both on Iraqi territory and once they have gone back to Turkey.

IN DAVOS, ANNAN STRESSES NEED TO REBALANCE WORLD AGENDA

The Secretary-General told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, today that, in just a few short years, the prevailing atmosphere has shifted from a belief in the near-inevitability of globalization to a deep uncertainty about the very survival of our global order.

He said that it is in the interest of business for Governments to meet the Millennium Development Goals, as we struggle together for peace and dignity.

Noting that the war in Iraq had shifted attention from those goals, he warned, It is time to rebalance the international agenda. In particular, he said, a deal on agriculture is needed that would help the poor and eliminate agricultural subsidies.

The Secretary-General drew attention to the accomplishments of his Global Compact in pushing for corporate responsibility over the past five years, but said more must be accomplished. He said he would convene a Global Compact Summit at UN Headquarters in June to reassess the Compacts work.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISCUSSES ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONCERNS

In the margins of the forum, the Secretary-General had a full program of bilateral meetings.

He met with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, and discussed with him Israels separation barrier, which he sees as an obstacle to the Road Map for peace.

In separate meetings with Shalom and with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, he discussed conditions for resuming the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue and raised the matter of the pending advisory opinion of the World Court on the separation barrier, as requested by the General Assembly.

He also met this morning with the President of Poland, with whom he discussed Iraq and the expansion of the European Community to 25 members.

The Secretary-General and new Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin discussed efforts to provide affordable medication for AIDS patients in poor countries. He briefed the Prime Minister on Iraq, while Martin raised the issues of Zimbabwe and the Secretary-Generals high-level panel on threats, challenges and change.

His last meeting this morning was with Dr. Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

This afternoon's meetings to include the President of Pakistan, the Foreign Minister of Iran, the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the President of the U.S. pharmaceutical company Merck.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals reaction to recent meetings concerning Kashmir, the Spokesman said that he was encouraged by the positive dialogue on that issue taking place at the highest level between India and Pakistan.

UN MISSION INVESTIGATES MASSACRE REPORTS IN DR CONGO

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo is investigating reports of a massacre which is reported to have been perpetrated on January 15 at a site along the shores of Lake Albert in the northeast of the country.

Preliminary accounts by witnesses indicate that several passenger boats carrying close to 300 displaced people were attacked by armed militias and forced to go to the shore, after which the assailants reportedly killed the men and abducted the women and children.

The UN Mission has sent a team to the area to interview survivors and is investigating the circumstances of the attack and the number of casualties.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES PROGRESS IN WEST AFRICA

The Security Council this morning held an open meeting on the Secretary-Generals report concerning last years Council mission to West Africa, and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh told the Council that appreciable progress continues to be made in implementing that missions recommendations.

Kalomoh added that the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis peace agreement in Cote dIvoire continues to be hampered by the parties unwillingness to abide by its spirit and letter. He also expressed the hope that the international community would ensure the success of the donors conference for Liberia that will take place in New York on February 5-6.

This afternoon, the Security Council will hold consultations on the work of the UN Peace-Building Office in the Central African Republic, with a briefing by the head of that Office, General Lamine Cisse.

Separately, the Council will also hold meetings this afternoon with the troop contributing countries for the UN Missions in Georgia, Lebanon and Western Sahara.

ANNAN NOTES POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN CENTRAL AFRICA

The Secretary-General has provided a report on the recommendations of the recent Security Council mission to Central Africa, in which he said that the installation of the transitional Government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has brought positive developments to the country. However, much work remains to be done there, including reform of the security sector, progress in the rule of law and human rights, and elections.

In Burundi, he writes, the prospects for peace have improved considerably and it is hoped that the recent declaration by the Palipehutu-FNL rebel group will be followed by concrete steps towards peace by that group.

RWANDAN EDUCATION MINISTER SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda yesterday convicted the countrys former Education Minister of genocide and crimes against humanity and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The Tribunal found that the accused, Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, intended to destroy the Tutsi ethnic group and ordered the killing of Tutsis by soldiers, police and militia members.

MORE SUDANESE REFUGEES CROSSING INTO CHAD

UN refugee agency teams in Eastern Chad are monitoring the border region with Sudan amid reports that another 18,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad in the past week following heavy fighting in the Darfur region.

According to refugees interviewed by UNHCR, Sudanese forces attacked ten villages in the canton of Djerbira in the early morning hours of last Friday, January 16. The refugees said the troops burned houses and dynamited wells, provoking an exodus by villagers across the border.

UNICEF says that officials from the rebel Sudanese Peoples' Liberation Army (SPLA) movement of southern Sudan have begun a large demobilization of children in the volatile Western Upper Nile region. The first back of

94 child soldiers, who are among an estimated 800 in the area, were ordered by commanders to put down their guns, give back their uniforms, return to their families and go to school during a ceremony in the village of Tam.

ANNAN TO ADDRESS DONORS MEETING ON LIBERIA NEXT MONTH

The Secretary-General, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and C. Gyude Bryant, Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, are scheduled to address the International Reconstruction Conference on Liberia at the United Nations on February 5-6.

The meeting will highlight Liberia's needs for financial assistance following 15 years of civil conflict and will offer the international community an opportunity to pledge support to help rebuild the country.

UN REFUGEE OFFICIAL VISITS COLOMBIA TO DISCUSS DISPLACED PERSONS

The Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, Kamel Morjane, is in Colombia, to discuss the situation of displaced persons with government authorities and representatives of civil society. He will also visit neighbouring Ecuador where a growing number of Colombians are seeking asylum.

According to UNHCR, unofficial estimates place the number of persons displaced in Colombia since 1985 at 3 million, making it the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western hemisphere.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UN RELIEF HEAD TO VISIT RUSSIA: Jean Egeland, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will pay an official visit to Russia, including the North Caucasus, starting next Monday and continuing through January 29. While in the North Caucasus, he will visit camps for displaced persons and meet the leaders of Chechnya and Ingushetia. He will also meet senior officials in Moscow, and will discuss with them the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

IRANIAN WOMEN'S HEALTH THREATENED IN WAKE OF BAM QUAKE: UNFPA, the UN Population Fund, has warned that in the wake of the Bam earthquake, worsening hygienic conditions and a lack of reproductive health services continue to threaten the well-being of thousands of Iranian women. Of a $31.3 million humanitarian appeal currently underway, UNFPA is asking donors for $710,000 to meet the minimum reproductive health needs of the affected population.

UNICEF LAUNCHES MEASLES VACCINATION IN COTE DIVOIRE: In Cote dIvoire today, UNICEF launched the third phase of its mass vaccination campaign against measles in various northern districts. UNICEF is targeting over 450,000 children, aged from 6 months to 14 years. The UNs Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, will visit Cote dIvoire at the end of the month at the Governments invitation.

WORLD REACHES RECORD OF 185 MILLION UNEMPLOYED: Global unemployment rose last year to a record of more than 185 million people, or just over six per cent of the labour force, according to the UN International Labour Organizations annual jobs report. However, there was some optimism in the report, which found that the worldwide economic recovery in the second half of 2003 may have helped to improve the global employment situation.

UNDP, MICROSOFT TO COLLABORATE ON COMMUNITY EDUCATION: The UN Development Programme and Microsoft Corporation will work together to build capacity in developing countries around the world by providing technology-enabled training for youth and adults in community education centers. The agreement is aimed at helping developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Sunday, January 25

In Stockholm, Sweden, the Secretary-General is scheduled to meet with Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland will begin a visit to Russia, including the North Caucasus.

Monday, January 26

In Stockholm, the Secretary-General will address the opening of the Stockholm International Forum 2004 Preventing Genocide: Threats and Responsibilities.

The Security Council will hold an open debate on post-conflict national reconciliation and the role of the United Nations.

An inter-regional meeting on small island states will be held this week in the Bahamas, in preparation for the 10-year review of the Barbados Programme of Action.

Tuesday, January 27

The Secretary-General is scheduled to attend a working luncheon in Paris, hosted by President Jacques Chirac, and address a Global Compact meeting.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the UN Missions in Lebanon, Georgia and Western Sahara.

Wednesday, January 28

In Brussels, Belgium, the Secretary-General will hold meetings with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the European Union College of Commissioners, the European Commission President, and the Irish European Union Presidency.

The guest at the noon briefing will be Joseph Chamie, Director of the Population Division, who will discuss migration policies.

Thursday, January 29

On Thursday morning in Brussels, the Secretary-General will receive the Sakharov Prize at a European Parliament ceremony, after which he is scheduled to have an audience with His Majesty King Albert II of Belgium and then have meetings with Belgian Government officials.

Later in the day, together with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the Secretary-General will inaugurate the Regional UN Information Centre (RUNIC).

The guest at the noon briefing will be the current chair of the Commission on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Feride Acar, who will discuss the Commissions work during its 30th session.

There will be a DPI/NGO panel discussion on the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, with that Panels research director, Stephen Stedman, and Panel member David Hannay among the speakers.

Friday, January 30

In Gent on Friday, the Secretary-General will be receiving in person doctorate honoris causa from the University of Gent, which was awarded to him last year. He then returns to Brussels for a working lunch hosted by the Prime Minister of Belgium before proceeding to Geneva.

In Geneva that afternoon, the Secretary-General is expected to meet with President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and President Jacques Chirac of France on the fight against poverty and hunger.

The Security Council has scheduled formal meetings to consider resolutions on the mandates of the UN Missions in Lebanon, Georgia and Western Sahara. This is expected to be the Councils last day of work in January, after which China will replace Chile as Council President for the month of February.

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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