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United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-01-23United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSThursday, 23 January 1997This 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
United States President, Bill Clinton, Thursday said he would be working with the US Congress to reach an agreement through which the United States would pay its arrears to the UN, meet its obligations and continue to spur real progress. Addressing a joint press conference in Washington D.C., following discussions with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, President Clinton said the US could not expect to lead through the United Nations unless "we are prepared to pay what we owe". Warmly endorsing Mr. Annan and pledging his Administration's support for the United Nations, President Clinton said the United Nations was critical in advancing the progress and peace of the world. "..From Angola to Middle East, UN Peace-keepers are giving diplomacy a chance to work, and peace a chance to take hold," President Clinton said. Expressing satisfaction with the appointment of Mr. Annan, President Clinton said Mr. Annan was an experienced diplomat, and a proven reformer with a commitment to revitalise the United Nations. President Clinton said his discussions with Mr. Annan focussed on the need to put the UN back on sound financial footing, adding, that would demand far-reaching reform and the elimination of waste, streamlining staff and wiping out overlap and abuse. During his remarks, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was pleased to hear that the United States would do its part and encourage the Congress to release the funds for the United Nations. "...what the United Nations wants is what the United States also wants: a reformed United Nations, that is effective, efficient, leaner and relevant to the tasks that Member States want to set for us", Mr. Annan said. He said he had given his commitment to President Clinton that he would pursue reforms. "If we do not change, we may lose our relevance," Mr. Annan said. The UN Secretary-General is in Washington D.C on an official visit where he has met with Vice-President Albert Gore, and newly appointed Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the Government of Tajikistan and the United Tajik Opposition have made progress in their negotiations. In his report to the Security Council on the situation in Tajikistan, Mr. Annan said the agreement reached in Moscow had broken the long impasse that had existed between the parties on the main political issues. Noting that the progress represented qualitative change for the better, the Secretary-General expressed the hope that the Tehran talks, held from 6 January to 19 January would result in more progress. "Two important elements remain unresolved, the allocation of seats on the Commission of the Parties and Independent Persons, and appropriate security guarantees for the United Tajik Opposition (UTO) members," the Secretary- General stated. He said the two sides agreed to continue work on a compromise proposal suggested by the United Nations. The Italian Foreign Minister, Lamberto Dini has told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Tuesday, that after the successful negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) last year, the time was now ripe for talks on a convention banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. He said the Conference was also best placed to deal with negotiations on a total ban on the transfer, production and storage of anti-personnel land- mines. The Italian Foreign Minister's call came as members of the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum continued working to agree on an agenda for the 1997 session in Geneva, set to last until September. Conference President Joun Young Sun (Republic of Korea) said the long and painstaking negotiations leading to the adoption of the CTBT last year had also brought the Conference to a crossroads in terms of redefining its future role and enhancing its credibility. The Conference, he said, must consolidate its relevance and viability as a multilateral negotiating forum. Venezuela appeared to have taken a step backwards since 1992 in its efforts to advance the status of women, a member of the Committee which monitors the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination said Wednesday. There was a high rate of female illiteracy, women working primarily in service areas were unemployed, the penal code had not been reformed and the national law continued to contravene the Convention, the Committee was told. More than two million people would go hungry in former Yugoslavia unless donor countries come forward immediately with food aid, the World Food Programme (WFP) said Wednesday. The agency issued an appeal for supplies or cash, warning that if the 1.8 million needy people in Bosnia and Herzegovina do not receive their basic food aid ration, social stability could be undermined "at this crucial stage in the peace process". The WFP said that shortage of food would also seriously aggravate the distress of hundreds of thousands of refugees in Serbia, Montenegro and eastern Slavonia. According to the WFP, supplies of wheat flour would run out in March in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia), in April in Eastern Slavonia and in May in Bosnia and Herzegovina, leaving a total of 2.2 million people without their staple ration of bread, WFP stated. The agency called for donations immediately because pledged food takes three months to reach the beneficiaries. 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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