United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-04-12

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

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, April 12, 2004

ANNAN WELCOMES FREEING OF AID WORKER ABDUCTED IN DAGESTAN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement issued through his Spokesman, warmly welcomes the freeing of Arjan Erkel, a volunteer for the non-governmental aid organization, Medecins Sans Frontiers, who had been abducted on 12 August 2002 while working in the Russian

Republic of Dagestan.

He thanks the Russian and Dagestani authorities for their efforts to facilitate Mr. Erkels release.

ANNAN CALLS FOR RESTRAINT IN IRAQ

In a statement issued late Saturday on Iraq, the Secretary-General said he was following the recent developments with great anxiety. The Secretary-Generalsaid he wasalarmed by the increasing numbers of civilian casualties and appealedto all parties to exercise restrain in order to minimize the danger to innocent lives.

On Thursday evening, in another statement issued on Iraq, the Secretary-General said he strongly believes that an inclusive dialogue and a patiently pursued political process involving all Iraqi constituencies are essential at this particularly sensitive phase on the road toward the restoration of sovereignty, stability and the rule of law.

His Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi and his team, the Secretary-General said, are currently in Iraq to support the Iraqi people to achieve these objectives.

BRAHIMI MEETS IRAQIS OF ALL PERSUASIONS ON TRANSITION TO SOVEREIGNTY

The Secretary-Generals Special Adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi, and his team have continued their talks today and over the weekend with Iraqis of all persuasions, to listen to their views on how best to deal with the transition to sovereignty and create a framework acceptable to all.

On Saturday, the team went to Mosul, where it met with civic, religious and political leaders, tribal chiefs and members of the local council.

Today, Brahimi met with Adnan Pachachi, a member of the Governing Council and head of its sub-committee on elections. He also met with this months President of the Governing Council, Massoud Barzani, and also with a group of 10 people representing the Iraqi Institute for Development and Democracy, who presented him with a paper on the transition of sovereignty to the Iraqis.

Yesterday, the team met with another Governing Council member, Jalal Talabani, and with a delegation from the Muslim Clerics Association.

The acting Special Representative for Iraq, Ross Mountain, has released a statement in which he notes that that humanitarian access to affected civilians in Fallujah and other Iraqi cities are of major concern.

Aid workers, NGOs and humanitarian organizations must be able to safely reach populations in distress, including those who require urgent medical assistance, Mountain said. He also condemned the recent kidnappings of aid workers who were seeking to help the Iraqi people.

Asked about how the violence in Iraq might affect plans for UN personnel to return there, the Spokeswoman said that the security situation is of the utmost concern, and any decisions on the return of staff would be based on security assessments.

She said she was unaware whether Brahimi had met with anyone representing Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

ANNAN TO MEET BRITISH PRIME MINISTER ON THURSDAY

In response to questions, the Spokeswoman confirmed that the Secretary-General was scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday. That was expected to be an evening meeting, and she said it was hoped that there would be a press encounter.

Asked about the U.N.'s position on allegations that the United Kingdom had been involved in bugging at the UN Headquarters, she noted that the Secretary-General had issued a statement through his spokesman on the subject in late February. In response to a question about whether the United Nations required further assurances regarding the bugging issue, the Spokeswoman said she would have to seek guidance on that matter.

In response to other questions, she said that the Secretary-General does not plan to come into UN Headquarters today, and is working from his residence. She said that he had seen doctors after feeling ill in

Moscow

last week, and they had recommended that he get some rest, since he had been losing his voice.

U.N. MISSION REPORTS NEW MASSACRE IN

EASTERN D.R.

CONGO

A spokeswoman for the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported that at least 25 people were killed in a remote village in North Kivu province after a campaign of rape, arson and murder committed by gunmen on 12 March.

According to the spokeswoman, news of the attack only emerged now because the village has no accessible roads and is surrounded by thick jungle in which rebels from neighbouring Rwanda continue to operate.

UN officials investigating the massacre have found a number of bodies in shallow graves. Another team is returning to the area this week to collect further evidence.

MORE THAN $100 MILLION SOUGHT FOR

SUDAN

HUMANITARIAN APPEAL

The United Nations today issued a revised humanitarian appeal for the Sudan Assistance Programme, seeking more than $115 million for the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. The new appeal includes programmes to provide food aid, health care, agricultural assistance, relief supplies including shelter, water and sanitation, education, protection and coordination.

The Secretary-General, in a statement issued Thursday afternoon, had welcomed the signing of a humanitarian cease-fire agreement between the Government of Sudan, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

UN agencies estimate that over 700,000 Sudanese have become internally displaced in Darfur since fighting erupted early last year between the Sudanese Government, allied militias and rebel groups. Tens of thousands of refugees have fled into neighbouring Chad.

UNICEF in Khartoum has just informed its headquarters that it is launching two rapid response efforts. One is the rehabilitation of water pumps at the village level (20th April start up) and another is an effort with the World Health Organization to launch a measles immunization campaign. Both efforts are in support of the government.

UNITED NATIONS AND CARRIBEAN COMMUNITY DISCUSS COOPERATION

A two-day meeting between representatives of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the UN system got under way this morning.

Opening the meeting, the Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette, spoke of the need to strengthen cooperation between the two Secretariats in matters such as trade, the fight against AIDS, and security threats caused by political violence, money laundering and drug trafficking.

She noted that the United Nations was currently preparing to field a peacekeeping operation in CARICOMs youngest member Haiti. The United Nations was conscious that no organization or agency could go it alone in Haiti. Since CARICOM, the OAS, and the UN system would remain in Haiti

long after the peacekeeping phase ended, it was important to ensure a common approach. Getting it right this time means doing things differently,

she said, and, above all, keeping attention and resources engaged for the long haul.

POLICE ARREST MAN OVER ALLEGED LINKS TO MARCH RIOTS IN KOSOVO

Police from the UN Mission in Kosovo have detained a Kosovo Albanian man in relation to the March riots. Avdyl Mushkolaj was arrested on Saturday, for allegedly leading and inciting riots in Decani on 17 March. The warrant for his arrest was issued by an international judge.

The March riots left 19 people dead, hundreds of homes destroyed and more than 4,000 people were driven from their homes.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNITED NATIONS FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS IN

CYPRUS: Asked about recent developments in Cyprus, the Spokeswoman said the United Nations has been informed of the position taken by political party AKEL towards the referendum. The United Nations continues to follow this and other developments. It was agreed on February 13 February that referenda should be held in advance of 1 May. The date for the referenda was set by the Secretary-General on

March 31, at Burgenstock following consultation with the parties to the 13 February agreement.

OIL-FOR-FOOD PANEL ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED SOON: Asked about the announcement of a panel to deal with an inquiry into the oil-for-food program, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations hopes to announce the panel as soon as it can. The Secretary-General, she said, has been working over the weekend on the panel, to get the highest calibre of persons to be on it. She said that the recent holiday season, including Easter Mondays observance in Europe, could account for some delays in obtaining responses on the panel.

NO SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TODAY: There are no Security Council meetings or consultations scheduled for today. The Council has scheduled a public meeting on Kosovo, to take place Tuesday morning.

LIBERIA

DISARMAMENT PROGRAM TO RESUME ON APRIL 15: The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Liberia, Jacques Paul Klein, and the Chairman of the National Transitional Government C. Gyude Bryant, today announced that the disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration program will resume on April 15.

FOUR PEOPLE INJURED DURING AFGHAN ROCK-THROWING INCIDENT: The UN Mission in Afghanistan noted that four people were injured on Saturday in Maimana, in the north, during a rock-throwing melee involving supporters and opponents of Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum. Apart from that incident, the UN Mission reports that the situation in Maimana, and the northern province of Faryab in general, have remained largely calm since last Thursday.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162 - press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)

963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

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