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United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-03-21United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.orgDAILY HIGHLIGHTSFriday, 21 March 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
The United States on Friday evening vetoed another Security Council draft resolution on the occupied Arab territories. Under the draft resolution, the Council would have demanded that Israel immediately cease construction of the Jabal Abu Ghneim settlement in East Jerusalem, as well as all other Israeli settlement activities in the occupied territories. As a result of a negative vote of the United States, the Council failed to adopt the draft resolution which was supported by 13 members of the Council with one abstention (Costa Rica). The draft resolution was sponsored by Egypt and Qatar. The Security Council has expressed its full support for Secretary- General Kofi Annan in his mission to Angola to assess the situation and impress upon the parties the need to establish the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation without any further delay. In a Presidential statement on Friday, the Council President Ambassador Zbigniew Wlosowicz of Poland said the Council called upon the parties, in particular Uniao para a Independencia Total de Angola (UNITA), to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General, his Special Representative, and the Observer States and to use the occasion of the Secretary-General's visit to install the new Government. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday concluded his official visit to South Africa. Before departing from Cape Town, Mr. Annan paid a visit to Robben Island for a guided tour of the former prison. The visit to Robben Island was particularly significant as South Africa, on Friday, observed the national Human Rights Day, marking the Sharpeville massacre. The Secretary-General also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alfred Nzo, exchanging views on the developments in the Great Lakes region and other areas of mutual interest and concern. Mr. Annan concluded his visit with an address to the South African Institute of International Affairs in Johannesburg on the subject of "South Africa and the United Nations". He recalled the significant role played by the United Nations in the elimination of apartheid and bringing about a multi-racial and democratic South Africa. Mr. Annan highlighted the fact that the United Nations had a deep and abiding commitment to the well-being of Africa and South Africa in particular. He said that he placed great importance on strengthening the already close ties that existed between South Africa and the United Nations in areas of peace, conflict resolution and social development. The Secretary-General recalled that South Africa was actively promoting the process of national reconciliation in Angola. "South African people are bringing to these and other international initiatives the same determination they displayed throughout the decades of apartheid. Let us now focus those formidable energies on the great global challenges of peace, development and the realisation of all human rights for all Africans and all people around the world," Mr. Annan said. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has strongly condemned the bombing in Tel Aviv, Israel on Friday which caused death and injury to numerous civilians, according to the Associate Spokesman for the Secretary- General, Juan Carlos Brandt. Mr. Annan expressed condolences to the bereaved families and to the Government and people of Israel, the Spokesman said. "At the same time, the Secretary-General wishes to reiterate his appeal to the parties not to allow odious acts of this nature to derail the peace process. He sincerely hopes that both parties will intensify their efforts to overcome existing obstacles to a speedy return to the peace process", the Spokesman added. In an unprecedented move on Friday, top refugee officials from the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina made a joint statement expressing their commitment to the safe return of refugees and displaced persons. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' Special Envoy for Operations related to the former Yugoslavia, Carrol Faubert said the joint declaration by the governments of their commitment to facilitate the safe return of refugees and displaced persons, including the return to minority areas, was a breakthrough in the efforts to reconstruct peace and stability in the war-torn region. The joint statement was issued in Geneva at a Regional Meeting of Refugee Ministers and Commissioners of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Speaking on behalf of both entities, the Minister for Civil Affairs and Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Spasoje Albijanic, said the authorities would make joint efforts to facilitate voluntary returns to areas where returnees may become a minority. The Commission on the Status of Women would express serious concern about the unabating traffic in women and girl children and the misuse of advanced information technology for pornography and trafficking purposes, under the terms of one of nine draft texts introduced on Thursday. Under the provisions of some of the drafts introduced, the Commission would condemn violent acts in contravention of international humanitarian law against civilian women and children in areas of armed conflict. It would request the Secretary-General to ensure that all United Nations assisted programmes are formulated in such a way as to promote the full participation of women in all their aspects, including design, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The Commission would recommend for adoption by the Economic and Social Council a text reaffirming that the Israeli occupation remains a major obstacle for Palestinian women with regard to their advancement, self- reliance and integration in the development planning of their society. "The World's Water: Is there Enough?" will be the theme of this year's World Day for Water, which is observed annually on 22 March. The major global observance of the World Day for Water coordinated by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is being held in Marrakesh, Morocco, from 20 to 24 March, in cooperation with the World Water Council and the Moroccan Government. In a message marking the World Day for Water, UNESCO Director- General Federico Mayor said that rational and equitable water use was ultimately the responsibility of all. He said the world's water problems arose not so much from a shortage of fresh water as from its uneven distribution, from ever-increasing demand and from practices detrimental to water quality. "To cope with the looming water crisis, water resources development must be placed at the top of national and international agendas. New water projects - conceived in an ecologically sensitive way - take 15 to 20 years to plan and implement", Mr. Mayor said. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a statement that integrated management must be the primary approach to addressing sustainable water resources, both for national and international water systems. It said international cooperation to secure an integrated approach to sustainable management and use of transboundary water resources was the key to minimising the potential for water-related conflicts. "Human needs for this precious resource will not diminish, particularly in view of increasing population growth, urbanisation and economic development. If we ignore this reality, it is equally clear that nature will eventually take the necessary corrective measures for us", the statement said. The Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Peter Piot has called for renewed action to combat the dual epidemic of tuberculosis and AIDS. In a message marking the World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, Mr. Piot said that real progress in controlling TB and HIV can only be made through a dual strategy that targets both epidemics. He said one arm of the dual strategy was to control tuberculosis by detecting cases and ensuring that the patient then follows the required antibiotic treatment course, otherwise known as DOTS - Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course. The other arm he said, was to reinforce action to prevent infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The DOTS Strategy had been used successfully in some regions of the world, but in order to defeat the TB/HIV threat, DOTS needs to be introduced more widely, he explained. The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Professor Hans J.A. van Ginkel of the Netherlands as Rector of the United Nations University. Professor van Ginkel will be the fourth Rector of the United Nations University. He is expected to assume his position at the University's headquarters in Tokyo on 1 September. Professor van Ginkel will succeed Professor Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, who completes his second five-year term as the third Rector of the University on 31 August. 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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