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United Nations Daily Highlights, 96-11-27United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSWednesday, 27 November 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
The Security Council on Wednesday decided to extend the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for another period of six months, until 31 May 1997. Unanimously adopting resolution 1081 (1996), the Council requested the Secretary-General to submit, at the end of the period, a report on the development in the situation and the measures taken to implement Security Council resolution 338 (1973). That resolution calls on Israel and Syria to arrive at comprehensive and durable peace. Reiterating the view expressed in the report of the Secretary- General on the UN Disengagement Force, the Council President, Ambassador Nugroho Wisnumurti of Indonesia said despite the present quiet in the Israel - Syria sector, the situation in the Middle East continued to be potentially dangerous and was likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem could be reached. UNDOF's mandate was to maintain the cease-fire between Israel and Syria, to supervise the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces, and to supervise the areas of separation and limitation. In another action, the Security Council on Wednesday decided to extend the mandate of the UN Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia until 31 May 1997. It said all ranks of UNPREDEP military component should be reduced by 300 by 30 April 1997 with a view to concluding the mandate as and when circumstances permitted. In a vote of fourteen in favour, none against and one abstention (Russian Federation), the Council called on Member States to consider favourably requests by the Secretary-General for necessary assistance to UNPREDEP in the performance of its mandate. The Council noted that the security situation of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continued to improve, but that peace and stability in the broader region had not yet been fully achieved. It expressed the hope that developments in the region would contribute to increased confidence and stability in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, permitting the further drawing down of UNPREDEP towards its conclusion. Continuing its busy schedule, in separate meetings, the Council unanimously voted to extend the mandates of the UN Military Observer in Liberia (UNOMIL) and that of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for another six months. In extending the mandate of UNOMIL, in resolution 1083 (1996), the Council emphasised that the continued presence of UNOMIL was predicated on the presence of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). In regard to the extension of the mandate of MINURSO, resolution 1084 (1996), the Council reiterated its commitment to the holding, as soon as possible, of a free, fair and impartial referendum for the self- determination of the people of Western Sahara in accordance with the Settlement Plan. UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali says significant progress has been made in the implementation of the oil-for-food formula contained in Security Council resolution 986, according to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Sylvana Foa. In his interim report to the Security Council on the implementation of the Council resolution, the Secretary-General said most of the arrangements required to bring the resolution into effect were in place. Meanwhile, there had been no objection to the oil-pricing formula and the formula had been accepted, according to the office of the Spokesman to the Secretary-General. Earlier this week, Iraq had said that it agreed with the views of the United Nations Secretariat on the modalities of the implementation of the oil-for-food formula (resolution 986) and the Memorandum of Understanding. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday warned that the sudden influx of refugees from Eastern Zaire would require a major expansion of food aid projects to facilitate the reintegration of returnees. The Agency said that the food relief was the primary source of sustenance for all returnees, and would continue to be so, until they can harvest their own crops from the next agricultural season due to begin in January and be harvested in July. WFP plans to integrate many of the recent returnees into new and existing food-for-work projects over the coming weeks. Concern over the tendency of the Security Council to rely on options outside the United Nations to respond to certain crisis situations was expressed on Tuesday as the General Assembly concluded its discussion of the Councils annual report. The representative of Canada referred to the Council's reliance on external options, stating that was largely because the United Nations, and Department of Peace-keeping Operations in particular, still did not have the resources or capabilities necessary for it to be the instrument of choice when the Council decided to address a particular crisis. Earlier, the Assembly heard that the Security Council's working methods had become more transparent, its procedure more relevant and methods more responsive to the demands of the general United Nations membership. At the same time, several Member States expressed concern and disappointment over the report's lack of analytical information. The General Assembly would call on Afghanistan's authorities to ensure the effective participation of women in social, political and cultural life throughout the country, according to the terms of a draft resolution adopted by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural). The authorities would be urged to restore respect for women's human rights, including their right to work and the right of girls to education without discrimination. According to the terms of another draft, the Assembly would ask the international community, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to continue providing funds to reform the Haitian judicial system and contribute to social and economic development. It would also encourage generous contributions to the Trust Fund for the Haitian National Police. The General Assembly would urge States that have not yet done so to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to those conventions which have emerged from the work of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), by the terms of one of four resolutions approved by the Sixth Committee (Legal). By other terms of that text, the Assembly would recommend that all States give favourable consideration to the Commissions Model Law on Electronic Commerce when they enact or revise their laws, in view of the need for uniformity of the law applicable to alternatives to paper-based methods of communication and information storage. Scientific and technical advances and verification measures were cited as focal points of the fourth Review Conference of the Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention, as the two-week meeting opened in Geneva on Tuesday. The Conference will meet over the course of the session in plenary and as a Committee of the Whole. It will consider proposals to strengthen the Convention, the first multilateral disarmament instrument to ban a whole category of weapons. In a message read out at the meeting, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros- Ghali said there was a clear need for a coherent regime to enhance compliance with the Convention, given the evidence that had come to light a year ago that a party to the Treaty had been able to acquire a full-scale biological weapons programme. A solemn meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will be held on Friday, 29 November, to commemorate the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The International Day is observed annually in accordance with a General Assembly resolution adopted in 1977. All Member States, United Nations bodies and specialised agencies, observers and non-governmental organisations are invited to attend the meeting. In addition, a cultural exhibit will be opened on Friday, 29 November, in the public lobby of the General Assembly building. Entitled "Preserving the Legacy, A New Dawn of Hope", the exhibit will be on view until 5 December, and is associated with the annual commemoration of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. 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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