United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-03-30

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

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, March 30, 2004

ANNA MEETS WITH CYPRUS DELEGATIONS IN SWITZERLAND

Secretary-General Kofi Annan met separately today with the Greek Cypriot delegation and the Turkish Cypriot delegation in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, to receive their reactions to the draft plan that he unveiled on Monday.

Alvaro de Soto, the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Cyprus, met with Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Valinikis for the same purpose. He had received the reaction of the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after the Prime Ministers arrival in Bürgenstock on Monday night. Greek Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis is also participating in the talks.

Contacts at the working level are continuing, while the Secretary-General and his team evaluate the reactions they have received to see whether further adjustments can be made in the time remaining.

The Secretary-General began the day by meeting the European Commissioner for enlargement, Günter Verheugen.

Late in the afternoon, the Swiss Foreign Minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, paid him a courtesy call.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISMAYED BY UZBEKISTAN VIOLENCE

The Secretary-General expressed his dismay about the series of terrorist bombings and other violent acts perpetrated in the past two days in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, and the provincial center, Bukhara, which reportedly claimed the lives of more than 20 people and left more than 50 injured, most them civilians.

The Secretary-General condemns those criminal acts in the strongest terms. Targeting of civilians is a crime, which cannot be justified by any cause.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES HAITI, EXTENDS SIERRA LEONE MISSION

The Security Council held consultations this morning on Haiti, on which it received a briefing by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, John Reginald Dumas.

The Council then went into two formal meetings. The first was to adopt a resolution on a six-month extension of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), and the second was to adopt a presidential statement to extend the present arrangements of the Security Councils Counter-Terrorism Committee, also by six months.

ANNAN SADDENED BY KILLING OF U.N. PEACEKEEPER IN DR CONGO

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) reports that a South African peacekeeper was shot dead Monday in an isolated incident in the vicinity of Bukavu.

The soldier had been outside the camp and was on his way back when he was fired upon. He was rescued and taken into the camp but died of his wounds a few hours later.

In a statement, the Secretary-General expressed his deep sadness at the killing. While the perpetrators of the incident remain unknown, he condemns in the strongest possible terms any attempts to deter MONUC from carrying out its mandate.

MONUC is carrying out a full investigation into the incident.

DR CONGO REPORT NOTES REPORTED ATROCITIES IN ITURI

The peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing daunting challenges, says the Secretary-General in his latest report on the UN Mission in that country, which was issued on Monday.

In the report, the Secretary-General expresses deep concern continuing reports of atrocities against civilians by militia groups, especially in Ituri. He also regrets that the pace of normalization of relations between the DRC and its neighbors has slowed down.

He draws attention to serious delays in enacting key legislation which would pave the way towards national elections in 2005, and which would also trigger essential international assistance. The Secretary-General says that the increasing factionalism within the Transitional Government is disquieting. He calls on all Government members to work together to build on the progress achieved, so as to keep the peace process on track.

The Spokeswoman, in answer to questions, noted that the Secretary-General had also issued a statement Monday on a reported coup attempt in Kinshasa, and that the Security Council would discuss the report shortly.

IRAQ: U.N. SPECIAL ADVISER EXPECTED TO GO SOON

The Spokeswoman, in answer to questions, said that UN Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi was expected to go to Iraq soon, and the United Nations would announce his arrival as soon as it has taken place.

Currently on the ground, she said, is a technical team, headed by Carina Perelli, Chief of the Electoral Assistance Division. [According to the electoral mission, it is in Iraq to assess what tasks will be required to be undertaken for credible elections to occur by January 31, 2005; identify what mechanisms and electoral modalities will make implementing these tasks feasible by January 31, 2005; and to determine the appropriateness and degree to which the United Nations can assist in the implementation of these electoral tasks.]

Asked about whether security assessments would allow UN staff to return to Iraq, she said that, before UN teams arrive in the country, security assessments have been made. Any large-scale return of UN staff, she added, would depend on further security assessments.

Asked whether any senior UN officials would speak about the report concerning accountability for the August 19 bombing in Baghdad which was presented on Monday the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General had intended to be in New York when the findings of and response to that report were presented. She noted that it was unfortunate the announcement could not be made prior to his departure last Friday for Switzerland.

TWO SLAIN POLICE OFFICERS MOURNED IN KOSOVO

Harri Holkeri, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, today delivered a message on the Secretary-Generals behalf, at a ceremony commemorating the two police officers killed there recently.

The two officers, one from Ghana and one from Kosovo itself, while they were carrying out routine work in a marked car near Podujevo, in the Pristina region. A UN language assistant who was also shot is in serious but stable condition.

At the ceremony, Holkeri extended his condolences to the families of the officers. He also said that their killers and other would-be extremists shouldnt underestimate the determination of the UN and the international community to continue its mission in Kosovo.

Holkeri also signed today signed an Executive Decision to set up a Crisis Management Review Body to review the UN Mission in Kosovos response to the disturbances there during March 17-18. The body, to be chaired by an international judge or jurist, will include qualified international crisis management experts as members, to be appointed by Holkeri.

It will evaluate and assess the response of the UN Mission to the crisis, and make recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of security and protection mechanisms and procedures for future crises. The group will report to Holkeri within 30 days of the appointment of its members.

HUMANITARIAN SITUATION WORSENING IN DARFUR, SUDAN;

ANNAN DISPATCHES ENVOY TO DARFUR CEASE-FIRE TALKS

Civilians in Darfur, Sudan, who continue to be attacked by armed groups, also now face shortages of water, and outbreaks of communicable diseases such as measles, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

It says internally displaced persons continue to face repeated attacks and the looting of humanitarian aid. Indiscriminate killings, gang rapes, abductions, looting, forced migration and general intimidation are reportedly occurring on a daily basis and are widespread throughout the region.

Attacks against civilians are forcing internally displaced persons to congregate in larger and more urban areas, which increases the risk of disease outbreaks. There have already been reports of up to thirty cases of measles in one location. Scarce sources of water around which the internally displaced congregate are dwindling rapidly.

Growing needs are overwhelming the current capacity of aid groups, who are strengthening their staff and material resources and pre-positioning stocks. Aid agencies in the area report that violence limits their ability to sufficiently assess the needs of internally displaced persons.

Tom Vraalsen, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs for Sudan, meanwhile, arrived today in NDjamena, Chad for talks on a humanitarian cease-fire for the conflict stricken Darfur region of Sudan.

UNHCR CONFIRMS HEAVY FIGHTING IN WESTERN COLOMBIA

The UN

High Commissioner for Refugees has sent staff and aid to parts of western Colombia, amid reports of intensified fighting that has displaced more than 1,500 people in the last two weeks.

UNHCR confirmed that heavy fighting between left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitaries in the Choco region had driven more than 500 indigenous Embera people from their homes. Elsewhere, along the Napipi River, armed clashes have forced a separate group, of nearly 700 indigenous people, to flee.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

PRENATAL CARE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN INCREASES: The number of pregnant women in the developing world who are receiving care during their pregnancies has increased significantly since 1990, according to a joint report issued today by the UN Childrens Fund and the World Health Organization. The number of women receiving care has increased by 20 percent since 1990, with the greatest progress reported in Asia (by 31 percent), and the least improvement in sub-Saharan Africa (by four percent).

SMALL ISLANDS NEED HELP TO COPE WITH RISING TIDE OF RUBBISH: Urgent international assistance is needed to help small island states deal with a rising tide of rubbish and wastes, according to studies carried out by the UN Environment Programme. UNEP says the waste material not only threatens public health but also livelihoods, as many small island developing states are dependent on income from tourists. UNEP, in collaboration with other UN agencies and waste institutions, has been helping small island states to fight the problem.

ANNAN SADDENED BY ALISTAIR COOKES DEATH: The Secretary-General was saddened by the death of Alistair Cooke. The Secretary-General was a great admirer of Cookes renowned Letter from America, and he also had a special place in the history of the United Nations, as a journalist for the Manchester Guardian who covered the San Francisco conference at which the United Nations was founded. The Secretary-General pays tribute to Cookes lifelong efforts to increase mutual understanding between peoples, and extends condolences to his family and all others touched by this loss.

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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