United Nations Daily Highlights 96-04-15

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: [email protected]

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Monday, 15 April 1996

HEADLINES

• Security Council hears condemnation by Palestinian Authority of Israel's closures of occupied territories; Israeli Ambassador explains closures essential for country's security.
• Improving public administration systems special priority of United Nations, Secretary-General tells General Assembly's resumed session.
• In increasingly global society, international community needs to mobilize all members, Secretary-General says in message to Inter- Parliamentary Conference.
• Situation in Liberia improves with only sporadic firing in past two days.
• Health sector is humanitarian aspect of most concern in Iraq, Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs says.
• Preparatory Committee on Establishment of International Criminal Court approves draft summary of proceedings.
• UN Population Fund appoints Japanese actress as new "Goodwill Ambassador".

The restrictions were also preventing the movements of goods destined for or originating from a third party, Mr. Al-Kidwa said. The borders of the West Bank and Gaza with Jordan and Egypt were also closed. In addition, the Israeli closures prevented Palestinian workers from earning a daily living. They further eliminated any possibility of creating a viable Palestinian economy, including the development of external trade and a free market.

The representative of Israel, Ambassador Gad Yaacobi, explained that the rationale behind the closure of the borders was to restore a sense of security to the Israeli people. The borders had been closed in response to the February and March terrorist attacks which killed 59 people and wounded 200.

The closures were not a form of collective punishment against the Palestinian people, Mr Yaacobi emphasized. Their purpose was to ensure security for Israel since a clear link between the easing of the closures and an increase in terrorist activities had been recognized. He urged that Palestinians, Israelis and others look beyond the immediate hardships in order to achieve the long-term goals of peace and security.

At the Assembly's one-week resumed session on Public Administration and Development, Dr. Boutros-Ghali said that no task is more critical for any State than the creation of a national modus vivendi in economic, political and social relations. In that endeavor, public administration has a vital role and it was the practical mechanism for turning the objectives, aspirations, and decisions of States into reality. Public administration was the backbone of effective government, the Secretary- General added.

Democratization is often the most important factor for improved public administration, the Secretary-General said. It increased accountability and encouraged development of a professional, rather than a political public administration. Democratization was the enemy of corruption, inefficiency, and poor management, he added.

The resumed session represents the first time the Assembly will meet specifically to consider public administration. It will explore themes contained in two distinct categories: the role of public administration, and capacity-building for effective administration. On the role of public administration, it will address such areas as sustained economic growth and the promotion of social development. With respect to capacity-building, the Assembly will discuss matters such as improving civil service systems and organizational strengthening.

The circulation of goods or of capital, the publicizing of information, the protection of the environment, the control of transnational crime and the struggle against terrorism, could no longer be grasped only at the national level, the Secretary-General said.

Also in his statement to the Conference, which began today in Istanbul, Dr. Boutros-Ghali praised the non-governmental organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, for their work at world conferences such as the UN Conference on Environment and Development and the World Summit for Social Development.

There were still 40 UN personnel in north Monrovia at the River View compound, Ms. Foa said. The staff included 13 from UN agencies, 22 UNOMIL civilians and 5 UNOMIL military observers. Fifteen UN vehicles had been taken into the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group's (ECOMOG) base for safe keeping. In addition, Charles Taylor, head of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, had visited the River View compound and returned six UN trucks that had been stolen. He had expressed his gratefulness at the UN's efforts.

About 22 per cent of the Iraqi population was affected by malnutrition, Mr. Zejjari said. Malnourished children under five years old were at a greater risk. The high prices of food, which was increasingly scarce, was also to be blamed for the malnutrition problems. In addition, even though the government had made efforts to increase the local production of food, the lack of fertilizers and pesticides had impeded its success.

The six-part draft summary of proceedings covers the discussions held by the Preparatory Committee on such areas as the scope of jurisdiction and definition of crimes; aggression; and serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts. The draft summary also has annexes dealing with questions of general principles of criminal law, cooperation between the court and national jurisdictions as well as trigger mechanisms.

The Preparatory Committee will meet again from 12 to 30 August for its second session, at which it will conduct a second reading of the issues raised at the first session. Following that session, it will submit its report on the proposed international criminal court to the fifty-first General Assembly.

The announcement was made today at Headquarters by Dr. Nafis Sadik, UNFPA Executive Director, who said Ms. Kishi will represent the Population Fund in her travels throughout the world and, in addition, will film, write and speak out on population issues.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: [email protected]

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