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United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-01-24United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSFriday, 24 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
UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan says his report on the reform of the world body would be completed by the end of July. Addressing the National Press Club in Washington D.C., Friday, Mr. Annan outlined various components of his reform strategy. The components, he said, involved expanding and accelerating the managerial reforms and efficiency review processes, simplification and rationalisation of organisational structures, and the involving of Member States in the reform process. "We must understand first of all that the crisis facing the United Nations is not one that can be dealt with by tinkering with the budget or using better cash management techniques. It is rather a political crisis - a crisis of faith in the Organisation," Mr. Annan said. The Secretary-General said that since last December, the Organisation had taken steps to live within a no-growth budget capped at $2.608 billion for the two year period, 1996 - 1997. "During the last twelve months, the Secretariat initiated more than 400 efficiency projects with concrete results already in hand,", he explained. During his three-day official visit to Washington D.C., Mr. Annan held meetings with President Bill Clinton of the United States, senior United States administration officials, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and other elected representatives in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Secretary-General also met with the Washington Post Editorial Board at their headquarters. In his discussions with President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Albert Gore, the Secretary-General was given the assurances that the United States would pay its arrears and "do its part". Congressman Benjamin Gilman (Republican-New York) informed the Secretary- General that the United States Congress was happy that the Secretary- General had eliminated a layer of bureaucracy. He said the Congress was trying to work out a formula for paying United States arrears, conditional on reform. Among measures Congress would hope the United Nations would implement, he cited establishment of a code of conduct, a salary freeze, and procurement reform. Congressman Gilman expressed concern over the suggestion that the United Nations impose a global tax, and mentioned the possibility of the United States reducing its contributions to both the regular and peace- keeping budgets. While approving of a code of conduct, Mr. Annan told Congressman Gilman that the United States could not be delinquent and a leader at the same time. On global taxation, he said that there was no support among Member states for a tax on citizens. Earlier, Mr. Annan told journalists that reform would go forward, but, "we can't do it on a shoestring," adding that the focus was not just on arrears but on the future. The inauguration of the Angolan Government of Unity and National Reconciliation, initially scheduled for 25 January 1997 had been delayed, according to the Associate Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Juan Carlos Brandt. That decision, the Spokesman added, became inevitable when the Government of Angola failed to be formed on 23 January as previously agreed. "The Joint Commission agreed not to set a new date for the event until the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) deputies and Government appointees arrive in Luanda. Their return to Luanda has been fixed by the Joint Commission for 12 February without fail," the Spokesman said, adding that the date was chosen by UNITA which had announced that it no longer linked the formation of the National Reconciliation Government to the resolution of Dr. Jonas Savimbi's special status. The Joint Commission is expected to meet in ordinary session on 30 January when it would approve the methodology for extending the State Administration throughout the national territory. Members of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women have expressed concern that many of the proposed laws to improve the status of women in Venezuela, including a bill on sexual and family violence, had not yet been adopted. They also noted the wide discrepancy in wages for women and men and the marginalisation of women into lower paid, stereotypical work. The Committee, which monitors the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, was responding to the third report by Venezuela. One expert cited decreased government funding for health care and said figures for budgetary health allocations were very important to monitor compliance with the Convention. The newly elected President of the Economic and Social Council, Karel Kovanda (Czech Republic), has called for seriousness, commitment and dedication in members' approach to the Council's business, as he addressed the first meeting of its 1997 organisational session, Thursday. Mr. Kovanda said it was not a sign of seriousness or commitment to draw up a work programme that manifestly could not be fulfilled, or focus on issues twice, in the Council and in the General Assembly's Main Committees. It was also not a sign of dedication to ask the Secretary- General to produce more reports than could possibly be read, much less discussed. He expressed the hope that much of the Council's discussions and negotiations would run across group boundaries and pre-set positions and that the automatic adoption of positions of blocs and groups of countries would abate. 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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