United Nations Daily Highlights 96-08-09

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, August 9, 1996

HEADLINES

• UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali calls for redoubling of efforts to address concerns of Indigenous People.
• The Security Council Committee on Sanctions against Iraq adopts procedures to facilitate its mandate.
• The war-lords in the Liberian conflict know they do not have much sympathy, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Liberia says.
• The Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of the International Criminal Court to focus on the role of the Security Council in relation to the proposed court.
• UNHCR says some 17,000 Rwandese refugees are voluntarily heading home.

In a message, on the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People, Dr. Boutros-Ghali said discrimination, oppression and disease had all taken a terrible toll on indigenous peoples around the world. "It is right that we recognise injustice and discrimination, but in itself this will do little to ensure that indigenous peoples take their rightful place as full participants in the community of nations. This will require a conscious shift in national and international priorities," Dr. Boutros-Ghali said.

He said the UN was making great efforts to strengthen international cooperation and international understanding on issues of central concern to the world's indigenous people. "At the national level, many Member States are already encouraging the direct political involvement of indigenous peoples, to combat racism and discrimination, and to alleviate poverty and environmental destruction," the Secretary-General noted.

The Secretary-General stated that the creation of a permanent forum for indigenous people within the United Nations system had been recognised by the General Assembly as a possible way forward. "Direct participation and the establishment of new channels for consultation remain key objectives of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People," he concluded.

The procedures, among others, deal with the sale of petroleum and petroleum products originated in Iraq, import by Turkey of petroleum and petroleum products originating in Iraq, export to Iraq of humanitarian supplies, and export to Iraq of parts and equipment, and financial transactions related thereto.

Following the adoption of the procedures, the Committee agreed to introduce a new application form for sending humanitarian supplies to Iraq, to be made available to all States and relevant national organisations.

The Committee considered a request from Turkey to resume the import of petroleum and petroleum products from Iraq for domestic purposes, given the serious economic difficulties it has suffered as a result of the sanctions against Iraq. In view of the complexity of the matter and its implications for the sanctions regime, the Committee deferred the matter for members to study the request.

Mr. Jonah said there were governments giving comfort to the war- lords in Liberia. He, however refused to name these governments. The Special Envoy stated that some international business concerns were still trading with the war-lords in Liberia, adding that the OAU and ECOWAS had made clear to the war-lords that if they used force to obtain power, they would not be recognised. Mr. Jonah on Thursday briefed the Security Council on the situation in Liberia.

The Preparatory Committee was set up by the General Assembly and is charged with preparing a widely acceptable consolidated text of a convention for such a court. At its first session earlier this year, the Preparatory Committee undertook a comprehensive analysis of the draft statute of the proposed court.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article