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United Nations Daily Highlights 96-04-26United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSFriday, April 26, 1996This document is prepared by the Central News Section of the Department of Public Information and is updated every week-day at approximately 6:00 PM. HEADLINES
Calling him the "god-father" of the African continent, Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali expressed his gratitude to South African President Nelson Mandela for his support to the United Nations. According to UN Spokesman Sylvanna Foa, during their meeting in Pretoria, the Secretary-General and President Mandela discussed various issues including Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Western Sahara. The Secretary-General will address on April 27, the opening of the ninth meeting of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in South Africa. About 3,000 heads of State and delegates from more than 150 countries will be present at the meeting. The Conference is expected to address the issue of partnership between developed and developing countries. In addition, it will address the economic development and prosperity of the world's excluded 2 billion. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has appointed Han Sung-Joo, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, as his Special Representative for Cyprus, effective 1 May, according to a UN Spokesman. Mr. Han was Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea from February 1993 to December 1994. In addition, he has been an adviser to his Government on foreign affairs, national defence and unification issues since the late 1970's. Mar. Han is at present Professor of Political Science and President of the Ilmin International Relations Institute at Korea University. He has held a variety of positions in the academic world at different universities and research institutions, including the University of California at Berkeley, City University of New York, and Stanford University. There has been a renewed interest in nuclear safety and its humanitarian aspect, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Yasushi Akashi, said today at a special commemorative meeting on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The meeting was an opportunity to realize the great potential as well as the dangers of scientific discoveries, he said. During the commemorative meeting, tribute was paid to the "unselfish acts of bravery" demonstrated by many, such as fire fighters - many of whom died immediately after the accident, Mr. Akashi said. In addition, tribute was paid to the innocent victims of the disaster especially in the Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine. Solidarity was expressed to the thousands of people who continued to suffer physically, economically and psychologically due to the disaster. Commemorating the Chernobyl accident was not about what happened 10 years ago, but rather, what started 10 years ago and continued today, Mr. Akashi emphasized. Also, in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl accident, a press conference at Headquarters took place today by the representatives of Belarus, Russian Federation and Ukraine. Deputy Minister on Emergency Situation of the Russian Federation, Sergei Khetagurov, said the coming years would be marked by a peak of radiologically induced thyroid cancer, especially among children. Further scientific research was needed to eliminate the consequences of the disaster, and to provide an adequate response to possible radiological emergencies in the future, he added. For his part, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Ivan Antonovich, said the major issue was prevention of a future radiological accident. There was a deep emotional issue that had enormous importance to the citizens of his country - nobody expected Chernobyl and thus, nobody was immediately ready to respond to it. On the other hand, Permanent Representative of the Ukraine, Anatoli M. Zlenko, read out a statement by Ukraine's President, Leonid Kuchma, saying that the alarm bells of Chernobyl which had been sounding for 10 years would continue to ring. It was time to bow down to the souls who unhesitatingly stepped into that "nuclear hell". The World Food Programme (WFP) has approved an emergency operation for 100, 000 people, mostly women and children, who have been displaced or whose lives have been disrupted by military operations in south Lebanon. According to a statement by WFP, the Programme will send one-month emergency food rations to the affected people, most of whom fled with little or no belongings. Up to 500,000 people fled their homes to seek shelter in the Greater Beirut, and in the Saida region following the beginning of military operations in south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on April 11. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued an appeal for $9.1 million for the repatriation and reintegration of some 100,000 Togolese refugees remaining in Ghana and Benin. As part of the year-long repatriation operation which is already underway in Ghana, each returnee received a three-month food ration and a $50 cash grant to cover the costs of transportation and household utensils. An initial group of 9,000 began departing from Ghana; an operation expected to last two weeks. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is UNHCR's implementing partner in the project. UNHCR's $9.1 million appeal includes $1.4 million for transportation and $3.3 million for domestic support. For information purposes only - - not an official record From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgUnited Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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