THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE NEWS
Tuesday, 3 February 2004
UNEP and the Executive Director in the News
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Xinhua - China's largest wetland museum opens
The Miami Herald - Students show off talents, win cruises
Reuters - Nuclear weapons among UNEP's Inspiring Ideas
Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA.) - Environmental conference seeks
delegates
Sunday Times (London) - Has the chalet market peaked?
Financial Express – Constructive dialogue can go a long way
ENS - Safeguards Enfold Wetland Treasures Around the World
Other Environment-related News
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BBC - Antarctica's resources 'at risk'
The Independent - On thin ice: how the quest for a billion-dollar microbe is
running out of control in Earth's last wilderness
ENS – Earth ‘shook off’ ancient warming
The East African Standard (Nairobi) - Experts: GM Foods Dangerous If Used As
Main Meals
BBC - UK urged to ratify seabird treaty
ENS - Children's Health Panel Red Flags Bush Mercury Plan
Environmental News from the UNEP Regions
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ROA
ROAP
Other UN News
 U.N. Highlights of 30 January and 1 February 2004
 S.G.'s Spokesman Daily Press Briefing of 30 January and 1 February 2004
Communications and Public Information, P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254-2) 623292/93, Fax: [254-2] 62 3927/623692, Email:cpiinfo@unep.org, http://www.unep.org
XINHUA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
February 2, 2004,
China's largest wetland museum opens
JINAN, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) --China's largest wetland museum, Huanghekou Wetland Museum, in Dongying City,
east China's Shandong Province, has opened to visitors.
Covering 7,856 square meters and with an investment of six million yuan (722,892 US dollars), the museum
lies in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, which boasts one of the 13 most important wetlands in
the world under the protection of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
"The museum will collect and exhibit rare wetland resources, and become a research center for experts and
institutions both at home and abroad and an educational base for students and environmentalists," said Liu
Yunhua, director of the local environmental protection bureau.
The nature reserve covering an area of 153,000 hectares is the largest delta nature reserve in China and an
important transfer station and habitat for birds from northeast Asia and around the western Pacific.
With the most complete, widest and youngest wetland ecosystem in a warm temperature zone in China, the
reserve boasts five wetland types including shrub wetland, meadow wetland, swamp wetland, river wetland
and shore wetland.
It has 393 known species of plants and 1,542 species of animal. Among them, 58 animals such as the redcrowned crane, ern, bustard and China merganser are under state protection.
The reserve is also one of the most important habitats for the endangered black-beaked gull.
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The Miami Herald
February 1, 2004 Sunday ZNNE EDITION
Students show off talents, win cruises
UNITED NATIONS
Adrian Mahoney, a 12-year-old student at Miami Country Day School, was recently selected by the United
Nations Environment Programme to be a member of the Junior Board at the 2004 Tunza International
Children's Conference.
The conference, organized by the International Coalition for Children and the Environment, will be held in
New London, Conn., on July 19-23. It will bring together 600 children and their adult chaperones from more
than 100 countries to discuss and learn about the environment.
The conference will focus on topics such as extinction and biodiversity, indigenous peoples and their
environmental ways, recycling, and oceans, rivers and waterways.
The Junior Board consists of nine children from around the world who play an important role in advising
conference organizers about proposed conference events such as workshops, fieldtrips, menu choices and
overall programming.
Junior Board members will have conferences regularly by telephone and the Internet conference and Web
conference to discuss details of the conference.
Reuters
Nuclear weapons among UNEP's Inspiring Ideas
LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - What do nuclear weapons and Moroccan forests have in common?
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The answer at first sight would seem to be very little. But the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) knows better.
It has included Britain's Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, southern England, in its list of
Inspiring Ideas for World Environment Day in June.
Each year the Nairobi-based UNEP has a theme for the June 5 World Environment Day ranging from water in
2003 to life on Earth in 1997 and trees for peace in 1986.
This year the theme is the far broader "Inspiring Ideas" which so far includes land-reclamation in Mauritius
and tree-planting in Morocco's Atlas mountains as well as an exhibition due to be staged at Aldermaston -- the
institution which has inspired anti-nuclear marches since 1958.
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SATURDAY State-Times/Morning Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA.)
January 31, 2004, Saturday METRO EDITION
SECTION: Youth
Environmental conference seeks delegates
BYLINE: RELMA HARGUS
BODY:
Are you involved in an environmental project or interested in environmental issues and 10 to 13 years old?
If yes, you can apply to be a delegate at the 2004 Tunza International Children's Conference on the
Environment.
The 600 delegates from 100 countries will meet July 19-23 at Connecticut College in New London, Conn., and
speak on what they think should be done to save the environment.
The delegates will participate in hands-on sessions, workshops and field trips and will present findings to be
published.
Children from other conferences, summer camps and Southern Hemisphere schools will be invited to connect
into the conference through the Internet.
On the third day of the conference, delegates will board the historic vessels of the Tall Ships(Registered
Trademark) fleet to share thoughts with the people from Ships to Save the Waters, an environmental
organization. The organization was founded by Pete Seeger to restore the Hudson River and make it accessible
to all.
The deadline for applying has been extended. Visit http://www.icc04.org to learn requirements, which include
being nominated by a school or community group.
The conference is the fifth International Children's Conference on the Environment sponsored by the United
Nations Environment Programme, but the first time it has been in the United States.
LOAD-DATE: February 2, 2004
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Sunday Times (London)
February 1, 2004, Sunday
Has the chalet market peaked?
BYLINE: Graham Duffill
If you're a frequent skier, buying a place in France or Switzerland can make financial sense. GRAHAM
DUFFILL answers your questions about regions, types of property and rental potential
Should I buy a flat or chalet in the French or Swiss Alps? It's a question that tantalises regular skiers every
winter. So do the doubts. Will I be able to let my property? Will price rises justify my investment? What about
the effects of global warming on snow?
Our answers to would-be buyers' most frequently asked questions should help to resolve the issue -for one
more ski season at least.
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How much will it cost?
In France's most chic resorts, such as Courchevel 1850, prices outstrip Mayfair.
Chalets start at £700,000 and £2m is more typical. Roman Abramovich, the Russian oil tycoon who owns
Chelsea football club, was unable to buy in Courchevel 1850 at any price this autumn.
But if altitude and good slopes are your priority, rather than social cachet, there are plenty of world-class
resorts with reasonable prices. Chamonix, a good summer and winter French resort, has studios from £42,000
and one-bed apartments from £75,000.
In the newly built village at France's Les Arcs -Arc 1950, named after its 1,950m altitude -the first phase of
one-bed apartments was priced from Pounds 119,000 and two-beds from £185,000. In the latest phase, prices
run from £150,000 for a studio to £750,000 for a three-bed apartment.
Most British buyers head for France. The most popular destination is the Tarentaise Valley and, within that,
the Three Valleys region of Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens, where chalets cost at least £500,000. In less
popular regions, such as Morzine and Avoriaz (jointly known as Portes du Soleil), three-bedroom chalets can
be found from £110,000.
Switzerland is not as expensive at the top end of the market as France, and £1.4m will buy you a new chalet in
the trendy resort of Verbier.
Where should I buy?
The higher you go, the more chance of good snow, so look for somewhere with access to slopes above 2,000m.
Snow-sure resorts such as Val d'Isere, in France, have the highest prices, but there is affordable property in Les
Contamines, near Megeve.
Dave Watts, editor of Where to Ski and Snowboard, says: "Consider buying in a village without lifts but
within an easy drive of good resorts. Aime and Peisey, below La Plagne and Les Arcs, have knockdown prices
compared with resort property."
Remember that many houses in places such as Courchevel are boarded up in summer.
Simon Malster, of the Alpine specialist Investors in Property, says: "There are a handful of resorts that
combine altitude, attractive villages and a good summer season, and I expect these to be the star performers in
future. My favourite is Saas Fee in Switzerland, where prices start at £125,000 for a new one bed apartment
and £200,000 for two beds."
Will I be able to rent it out?
Most agents will want to let a ski property for 10 to 14 weeks in the winter, and six to eight weeks in summer.
To save on the 19.6% Vat purchasers are liable for in France, they can take advantage of a government
initiative called leaseback.
Under this, buyers agree to let their property through an approved agent (generally the developer or a
management agency appointed by it) for a set number of weeks per year, for a set time period (usually 11
years). Leaseback owners have very restricted use -those at Arc 1950 can stay in their apartment for between
two and seven weeks a year, spread across summer and winter -but most developers guarantee a gross annual
income of 5% of the purchase price.
What will the rental income be?
Zigi Davenport, of the ski specialist estate agency Alpine Apartments Agency, says if you buy a property this
year you can average a gross return of 8% of the purchase price if you are prepared to do some of the letting
yourself. Remember you will incur overheads such as taxes, service charges and insurance. Davenport
estimates that on a French buy-to-let property, these are roughly equivalent to three weeks' rental in February.
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Malster cautions there is a trade-off between rental income and capital growth: "A studio in Chamonix will
rent well, but will get knocked about and may not appreciate much. A luxury chalet in a resort such as Megeve
may not produce as high a rental return, but is more likely to be well cared for and increase in value."
Should I wait or buy now?
Any alpine estate agent will tell you to buy now. Prices rise every year, they claim, and most resorts have built
to their limits. Davenport says the costs of land and property are rising more than 10% a year: "Chalets
appreciate better than apartments, so in Megeve we have seen price rises for the past two years of about 30%
for chalets and 20% for apartments."
MGM built chalets in the small resort of Sainte Foy, near Val d'Isere, three years ago, selling four-bed chalets
for £250,000 and six beds for Pounds 400,000.
These are now being resold for £400,000 and £800,000.
Prices in snow-sure resorts are unlikely to come tumbling down, but skiing is at risk from the effects of global
warming. A recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme warned temperature rises could
force up to half of Alpine ski resorts to close in the next 50 years.
Where is up and coming?
Watts tips Sainte Foy, which is due for more development, and Brusson, near Verbier, which the developer
Intrawest is rumoured to be sizing up as a potential location for its next village. According to Davenport,
Vallorcine, near Chamonix, is planning a new ski link and developers may get the go-ahead to build villages
there.
However, Kit Harrison, who buys and rents chalets for his company Descent International, says established
resorts are a sounder investment: "New resorts take time to catch up. Over the next few years watch out for
Klosters in Switzerland to re-emerge."
Should I buy property off-plan?
Many new developments, such as Arc 1950, are sold out before they are built.
Buying off-plan should allow you to make internal changes to the layout and choose finishes. The price will be
fixed and payments staged. You can also save on solicitor's fees in France, which are about 2.5% on new
homes, but 6.5% to 7% for older ones. Regulations should also assure the build quality and your property
should come with a 10-year guarantee.
If you buy off-plan, check what future development might interfere with the views or access. Engage a
qualified lawyer and do not rely solely on the services of the impartial notary.
Are there local restrictions on buyers?
In Switzerland, Simon Malster recommends the cantons of Vaud (with resorts such as Villars) and Valais
(including Verbier) for the fewest restrictions, but says individual resorts have their own laws. "In
Grindelwald, you can only buy property over £285,000, to keep cheaper homes for locals; in Wengen, you
can't buy a chalet," he warns.
nArc 1950, Erna Low, 08707 506 820, www.ernalow.co.uk; Descent International, 020 7384 3854,
www.descent.co.uk
James Davis Worldwide/World Pictures
FACT FILE
* In France, property purchases attract Vat of 19.6%, but this can be avoided through the leaseback scheme.
Leaseback restricts the number of weeks per year that a buyer can use their property, so that it can be rented
out as holiday accommodation * In Switzerland, different resorts have different rules about which properties
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foreigners are permitted to buy. Some do not allow foreigners to buy certain types of property (eg chalets);
others set minimum purchase prices * For a new French property bought this year, gross rental income would
be about 5% of the purchase price under the leaseback scheme or 8% for purchasers organising their own
rentals * Small properties tend to generate a large rental income proportional to the purchase price, but large
properties see a higher percentage capital appreciation
LOAD-DATE: February 2, 2004
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Financial Express
January 30, 2004
CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE CAN GO A LONG WAY
Amidst the substantial media attention surrounding the collapse of the world trade talks in Cancun, experts
blamed the failure to arrive at a consensus on high-profile sticking points, like agricultural subsidies and the
Singapore issues. In the acrimony and finger-pointing that followed, the world lost an important opportunity to
take stock of other equally important though less high-profile issues which formed part of the Doha
Development Agenda and were to be discussed and resolved at Cancun before the January 1, 2005 deadline.
The discussions on the relationship between environment and trade was one such forgotten issue. The
relationship between environmental measures that affect trade and vice-versa has been discussed for several
years now at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), with its members deciding at the end of the Uruguay
Round of Trade negotiations in 1994, to create the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) to look
into this relationship. While most of its members agreed that the WTO was meant to restrict itself to
addressing issues concerning international trade and was never meant to be an environmental agency, they
equally recognised that increasingly, trade measures and environmental protection were beginning to overlap.
The much publicised shrimp-turtle dispute between India (amongst other countries) and the US over a law
which stipulated that shrimp harvested with technology that may adversely affect certain sea turtles may not be
imported into the US, is a classic example of how environmental laws affect trade. At the 4th Ministerial at
Doha, Qatar in 2001, the relationship between trade and environment was squarely placed on the WTOs'
agenda when member countries decided that the CTE should begin working on how to resolve, amongst
others, three key issues. These were: (i) the effect that measures taken to protect the environment could have
on the ability of members, particularly those from developing countries, to trade freely in each others' markets
(i.e., market access issues); (ii) the relationship between WTO rules on the one hand and on the other, specific
trade-restrictive measures contained in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), such as the CITES
(Convention on Trade in Endangered Species); and (iii) the impact that the eco-labelling of environmental
products could have on the ability to trade freely in those products. The Doha Declaration envisaged that
member countries would begin negotiations with a view to enhancing the mutual supportiveness of trade and
environment and that the CTE would work on these issues amongst others, and submit its report to the Fifth
Session of the Ministerial Conference (at Cancun) making its recommendations on a future course of action to
be taken, including whether further negotiations were desirable. The collapse of the Cancun negotiations
virtually ensured that there would be no decision on trade and the environment issues before the expiry of the
deadline on January 1, 2005. The CTE had, in fact, conducted five meetings between Doha and Cancun, where
member countries (including India) had made their positions known on various issues, international
organisations, such as UNEP and UNCTAD, had been consulted and various workshops across the world had
been held to elicit opinion on how countries should resolve the conflict between trade rules and environmental
protection within the framework of the WTO Agreements. From India's viewpoint or, for that matter, from the
viewpoint of most developing and less-developed countries (LDCs), was the failure to discuss issues relating
to trade and environment in Cancun a significant loss or a strategic victory? On balance of properties, it was
probably a significant loss. The debate on linking trade rules with environmental protection has met with
considerable resistance from certain lobbies in developing countries like India who see it as a measure to
impose western standards of environmental protection upon the developing world - a form of "ecoimperialism". It is true that the introduction of environmental standards through eco-labelling and
environmental certification schemes poses a challenge to a developing country, which may not be able to meet
such standards or be able to cope with the costs of implementing them. But it is this very truth that makes it
imperative that countries enter into a dialogue with each other to protect themselves from the potential adverse
effects of an otherwise essential process. The process is essential because every country - developed,
developing and least developed - has embraced the protection of the environment as a universal goal. It is true
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that some like the US and Russia continue to pay only lip service to the cause, but constructive dialogue
between member countries at the WTO would go a long way in ensuring that future agreements on
environmental protection are not struck down as being trade restrictive. An important illustration of how
discussions at the WTO may be used by developing countries to their advantage can be drawn from the
ongoing controversy surrounding GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms. The Bio-safety Protocol is a
multilateral environmental agreement which regulates the trade in all living modified organisms (LMOs),
including GMOs. The Protocol (to which, unsurprisingly, the US is not a signatory) creates strict labelling and
reporting requirements, a bio-safety "clearing house" mechanism where countries can share information on the
GMO products that they are about to import, and allows countries to impose an outright ban on GMO products
which it considers unsafe for its environment. However, by using a trade-restrictive mechanism, like an
outright ban on the import of GMOs, the Bio-safety Protocol runs the risk of being challenged under WTO
trade rules which disallow countries from distinguishing between products that are essentially the same; or
"like" products. Despite demands from some parties to the Protocol that the operation of its rules be expressly
extended to supersede WTO trade rules, the Protocol in its present form remains ambiguous on how a conflict
between the two would be resolved. Most environmental activists and policy-makers in India have argued
vociferously for the strict regulation of GMOs in India and would, therefore, benefit tremendously if the Biosafety Protocol was protected from the operation of WTO trade rules. Clearly, it is in India's interests to
negotiate a "carve out" from the operation of WTO trade rules to permit important multilateral environmental
agreements such as the Bio-Safety Protocol to which it is signatory, to work effectively. Then would it not be
in India's own strategic interests to encourage negotiations on certain issues relating to trade and the
environment? Would not the negotiations at the CTE be the appropriate forum to hammer out a workable
solution? And finally, would not Indian interests have been better served if the CTE's agenda in Cancun had
been completed? An important lesson for developing countries like India is that to hold out on negotiations is
not always a good thing. While the introduction of uniform, global environmental standards may be an issue it
wishes to avoid, establishing the supremacy of a multilateral environmental agreement over WTO trade rules
may be an objective it wishes to achieve. Negotiation is about tactically accepting what a country thinks best
suits her interests and strategically working around issues that do not. Perhaps it is time that instead of taking a
blanket, defensive position on environmental standards, developing countries used the WTO's negotiations and
their own numerical majority to ensure that they set the standards and not merely accept or reject them. But
that is a discussion for another day. (The author is with the Trade and Environment Division of the WTO in
Geneva. The views expressed in this article are personal and are in no way associated with the work or opinion
of the WTO Secretariat)
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ENS
Safeguards Enfold Wetland Treasures Around the World
GLAND, Switzerland, February 2, 2004 (ENS) - One of the main breeding refuges for grey whales, a
hypersaline coastal lagoon on the Baja Peninsula in an area once earmarked for commercial development as a
saltworks, was today designated as a wetland of international importance by the government of Mexico to
celebrate World Wetlands Day.
February 2 each year is World Wetlands Day, marking the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on February
2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. The treaty now has 138 participating governments, which have
designated a total of 1,366 wetlands, covering a surface area 119,588,432 hectares (461,733 square miles). The
Ramsar Secretariat says it is, by far, the largest protected
area network in the world.
Gray whales in the Ojo de Liebre lagoon on the
central Baja Peninsula (Photo courtesy UNESCO)
A new WWF report, released Saturday to mark World
Wetlands Day 2004, shows that US$70 billion worth of
goods and services from freshwater resources could be at
risk annually if governments fail to manage their wetlands
sustainably.
The report, "The Economic Values of the World’s
Wetlands," is the first comprehensive overview of the
economic values of the world’s wetlands. It analyzes the
89 existing valuation studies and uses a database covering
a wetland area of 630,000 square kilometers, putting the
annual value of wetlands at a very conservative US$3.4 billion.
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More than half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900 as a result of human population increase
and development. The WWF report shows that amenities and recreation, flood control, recreational fishing,
and water filtration are the most valued functions of wetlands.
"Decision-makers often have insufficient understanding of the values of wetlands and fail to consider their
protection as a serious issue," said Dr. Kirsten Schuyt, WWF International’s resource economist and co-author
of the report. "Wetlands are often perceived to have little or no economic value compared to land use activities
which may yield more visible and immediate economic benefits."
The World Wetlands Day Ramsar anniversary provides an opportunity for governments, wetlands site
managers, nongovernmental organizations, and citizens to celebrate and raise public awareness about
wetlands. This year World Wetlands Day is being celebrated in 80 countries around the world with TV
screenings of the Ramsar video in local languages, art contests and raft races for children, cleanup days,
seminars and open houses, newspaper articles, birdwatching and guided wetland tours.
In Mexico today, 34 new wetlands were set aside for conservation, in the process setting a world record for the
number of Ramsar sites designated in a single day, according to Dwight Peck of the Ramsar Secretariat.
On the central Baja peninsula, grey whales use the coastal lagoons of Ojo de Liebre and San Ignacio for
pairing, breeding and raising their young. Mexico today protected Ojo de Liebre under the Ramsar
Convention.
It is not the first form of protection for the lagoon. A 1972 Federal Decree declared Laguna Ojo de Liebre a
marine refuge zone for whales. But oil drilling poses a serious potential problem to the region, according to the
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.
In addition, the over-exploitation of the area for fishing, and waste disposal, as a consequence of the fishing
activities, disturb the ecosystem. An aquaculture facility produces commercial oysters, and five fishing cooperatives operate in the area.
The constant passing of cargo ships through the lagoons also is a problem, and tourism has also had a
significant impact on the whale population as power boats disturb coastal waters.
Ojo de Liebre harbors a wide variety of birds along the river and in the islands in the lagoon - a total of 94
species were counted between 1995 and 1996. The harbor seal, California sea lion, northern elephant-seal and
blue whale can also be found sheltering in the lagoons, which are also home to four species of endangered
marine turtles. They will all receive a higher degree of protection under the new Ramsar designation.
Ramsar Secretary General Peter Bridgewater is in Mexico for the designation of the 34 new Ramsar Sites, a
vast array of wetland types ranging from highland
lakes to coastal lagoons and offshore coral reefs.
Laguna de Términos is a biodiversity hotspot, full
of rare species and at risk of pollution and
industrial development. (Photo courtesy
SEMARNAT)
The designation ceremonies took place at the 6th
Workshop on Management and Conservation of
Wetlands in Mexico at the Guadalajara University in
Zapopan, Jalisco. The workshop is attended by Jalisco
Governor Francisco Ramírez Acuña; Duane Shroufe of
the Arizona Game and Fish Department, who is
president of the North American Wetlands
Conservation Council; and Steve Williams, director of
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The largest coastal lagoon on the Mexican shore of the
Gulf of Mexico, Laguna de Términos, was one of the
34 sites designated as a wetland of international
importance today. Mangrove forests inhabited by
jabiru storks, horseshoe crabs, and endemic amphibians
and reptiles are features of this site.
The industrial port of Ciudad del Carmen, with a population of almost 100,000, is located on the barrier island
of the lagoon. Fishing, agricultural and livestock raising activities are done in the site, causing problems of
sedimentation, pollution, deforestation and reduction of stocks. Conflicts have arisen with the oil pipes that
traverse the area.
Mexico's newly designated sites will include almost all the different wetland types defined under the Ramsar
Convention, from mountain lakes to coral reefs, from salt marshes to turtle breeding beaches, or underground
hydrological systems, known as karsts.
Bala'an K'aax in the state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatán peninsula is a karstic example of a newly designated
Ramsar site. Flooded low everlasting forests shelter the many endemic plant and animal species in the
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inaccessible region. The area's vegetation supplies water for the region and also to other wetlands closer to the
coast.
Because of the karstic nature of the ground, a complex subterranean system is present together with "unique
and unknown biodiversity," the Ramsar Secretariat says. This site contains some 601 vertebrate species, of
which nearly one-third are threatened, under special protection or endangered according to international or
national lists. Changes in land property and planning for development are the main threat to the area.
See the full list of Mexico's newly designated Ramsar sites online at:
http://ramsar.org/wwd2004_rpt_mexico1.htm
Several other countries are celebrating World Wetlands Day by designating their most important wetlands as
Ramsar sites.
The Inner Niger Delta in Mali is a vast floodplain situated in
the middle of the dry African Sahel. The image was
photographed from space aboard a NASA satellite. (Photo
courtesy SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight
Center, and ORBIMAGE)
The West African nation of Mali has set aside a four million
hectare (15,444 square mile) portion of the Inner Niger Delta,
incorporating all three of its existing Ramsar sites, as well as the
parts of the delta without status until now, to form the third
largest Ramsar site in the world.
It is the largest inland wetland in West Africa and the second
largest wetland in Africa, after the Okavanga Delta in Botswana.
Nearly one million people and their livestock live on the
resources of the delta ecosystems.
It is a refuge for many migratory birds, hosting more than 350
species, with 103 waterfowl species listed between 1998 and
2001. Each year more than one million birds come from more
than 80 countries to use the delta. The delta is also a gathering
place for some Ethiopian species which breed there between
migrations.
The hippopotamus and the manatee, both species registered on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species,
still exist in the delta, although their survival is now threatened.
Nassima Aghanim of Ramsar says the main threats to the Inner Niger Delta come from climate change,
reduction of the volume and duration of the floods, the sedimentation that is responsible for the non-flooding
of the left bank lakes, and the management practices of the Sélingué dam. The building of new dams, still at
the stage of projects, may well have some negative impacts on the socio-economic aspects of the ecosystems,
Aghanim says.
The Inner Niger Delta site is a major step in efforts by Mali, Ramsar, and WWF's Living Waters Programme to
bring integrated wetland management to the Niger Basin. A ceremony to mark the designation of the Inner
Niger Delta is taking place in Mopti, Mali today.
A workshop in Mopti today involves all the countries of the Niger Delta - Cameroon, Mali, Ivory Coast,
Senegal and Benin. Inspired by a WWF proposal, the seminar aims to set the basis for a regional network for
the preservation of the Niger delta.
In Europe, Austria has designated five new Ramsar sites, four mire complexes in the Salzburg region and a
limestone Alpine national park, the Kalkalpen National Park. Part of the northern limestone alps, most of the
site is karstified and has a tight network of gorges and canyons, natural, pure brooks and some 800 springs
which represent hotspots of biodiversity.
The Kalkalpen National Park in Austria contains high
mountain wetlands. (Photo courtesy Ramsar
Secretariat)
This national park has already been designated a Natura
2000 site in the European Union system of protected
areas, and also as an Important Bird Area with 22 birds
listed in the European Birds Directive.
The largest forested reserve in Austria, Kalkalpen hosts
the brown bear and the lynx, and brown trout. Although
forestry activities have influenced the area, since 1997 it is
under a strict management plan which prohibits any
economic use. The Austrian National Park administration
runs a water analysis laboratory and has developed a karst
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research program including the monitoring of springs and meteorology.
A World Wetlands Day event was organized by the MedWet Coordination Unit in Athens, Greece. The Greek
Minister of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works Vasso Papandreou opened the event, while the
opening speech was given by the Deputy Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention Dr. Nick Davidson.
The MedWet Initiative, guided by the Mediterranean Wetlands Committee (MedWet/Com) of the Ramsar
Convention, is a long term, collaborative effort towards the conservation and wise use of Mediterranean
wetlands.
MedWet brings together all the 25 governments of the region, the Palestinian Authority, the United Nations
Development Programme, the European Commission, the Barcelona, Bern and Ramsar Conventions, and eight
international NGOs and wetland centres.
Finland is today announcing the intended designation of 49 more Ramsar sites for protection.
In South America, Argentina today designated a large floodplain complex along the Paraná and Paraguay
Rivers in the Chaco region surrounding the city of Resistencia. The landscape is a complex of open water,
aquatic vegetation, grasslands, and gallery forests.
Endangered species inhabit the humid site, including the marsh deer, the Neotropical otter, the bare-faced
curassow, several crocodile species, the Coscoroba swan, and the South American lungfish, which is found
here and nowhere else on Earth. Since the 1960s, dam building in the Upper Paraná in Brazil, deforestation,
and an increase in rainfall have changed the water flow of this site.
Many countries that are not designating wetlands today, still are celebrating the wetlands they already have. In
Jamaica, the National Environment and Planning Agency in collaboration with the Negril Environmental
Protection Trust and the Ridge to Reef Watershed Project have organized several displays, a poster
competition, environmental storytelling and a composting demonstration.
Jamaica's Black River Lower Morass was listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar
Convention in 1998. It supports some 94 species of flowering plants, including 27 rare species and seven
species found only in Jamaica. Agostinho Pinnock of the National Environment and Planning Agency says the
variety of habitats in the area, mangrove forests, sedge marshes, swamp and riparian forests, peat lands and
limestone islands, contribute to the uniqueness of the site.
The mighty Mekong River flows from the mountains to the sea through six Asian countries - China, Myanmar,
Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. For World Wetlands Day 2004, IUCN-The World Conservation
Union in cooperation with the governments of the four nations in the Lower Mekong Basin have organized
educational and awareness activities at wetland sites within the Mekong Basin.
Cambodia's first World Wetlands Day celebration will include smart games involving the police, military,
teachers and students, a local press forum, television interview and broadcasting at local and national levels, a
traditional dance competition, and public as well as official site visits by Ministers, provincial governors,
department directors, and wetlands managers.
These activities also mark the start of a five year Mekong Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation Programme
jointly organized and funded by the Global Environment Facility and the UN Development Programme.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
BBC
Antarctica's resources 'at risk'
By Alex Kirby
BBC News Online environment correspondent
Antarctic organisms face an onslaught by prospectors anxious to exploit their unique nature, the United
Nations says.
The UN University says "extremophiles", creatures adapted to life in the polar wastes, are being relentlessly
hunted in what is virtually a new gold rush.
A successful search could uncover new drugs, industrial compounds and some commercial applications, the
UN says.
It says the existing Antarctic Treaty System cannot adequately regulate the possible consequences to
Antarctica.
The UN University's report, The International Regime For Bioprospecting: Existing Policies And Emerging
Issues For Antarctica, is published by its Institute of Advanced Studies, based in Tokyo, Japan.
Survival mysteries
10
The publication comes a week before the start of a meeting on 9 February of the UN's Convention on
Biological Diversity in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The search for extremophiles threatens the hallmarks of Antarctic scientific research, its transparency
and cooperation
Sam Johnston, UN University
Extremophiles comprise principally bacteria, which have the remarkable ability to thrive in conditions that
would be hazardous to other lifeforms - extremes of temperature, radiation, salinity, and metal toxicity.
These organisms, which have fundamentally different metabolisms to normal microbes, are found in
hydrothermal vents on the deep-ocean floor and in rocks and springs hundreds of metres below the surface of
the Earth.
Understanding their biology may lead scientists to tap new energy sources and make novel drugs.
But it is the race to find and exploit the microbes that can survive in the very cold, dry or salty conditions of
Antarctica that is raising particular concern for the UN University.
Its report says the search to unlock the secrets of these lifeforms' success could be a repeat of the 19th
Century's gold rush, a free-for-all to find and patent new cancer treatments, antibiotics and industrial products.
Dr A H Zakri, the institute's director, said: "Biological prospecting for extremophiles is already occurring and
is certain to accelerate in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
"This report suggests that efforts to exploit this new frontier are now threatening to outpace the capacity of
national and international law to regulate... ownership of genetic materials, the issuing of patents... and the
potential environmental consequences of harvesting these resources."
However, it is not just bacteria that are being targeted. Higher lifeforms are being investigated, too.
One promising discovery is a glycoprotein which prevents Antarctic fish from freezing. It could help fish
farmers, extend the shelf life of frozen food, improve surgery and tissue transplants, and make plants more
tolerant of freezing.
Other Antarctic discoveries include an extract from green algae for use in cosmetic skin treatment, and antitumour properties in a strain of yeast.
New era of competition
The report says Antarctic bioprospecting so far has usually been the work of consortia of public and private
bodies, like universities and pharmaceutical companies.
It says: "This has made it difficult to draw a clear line between scientific research and commercial activities."
Sam Johnston, the report's co-author, says the Antarctic Treaty System, the main international agreement
governing activity on the continent, does not specifically regulate bioprospecting.
He told BBC News Online: "The search for extremophiles threatens the hallmarks of Antarctic scientific
research, its transparency and cooperation.
"We're not saying there's much danger of environmental damage, but it does pose a challenge.
"It's likely to inhibit scientists in the future, and companies will be less interested in working in the Antarctic
because there won't be any clarity over who owns what."
All images copyright and courtesy of the British Antarctic Survey.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Independent
On thin ice: how the quest for a billion-dollar microbe is running out of control in Earth's last wilderness
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
02 February 2004
11
The United Nations warns today of the dangers posed by biotechnology companies scrambling to turn
Antarctica's microscopic life forms into the raw material for a billion-dollar industry making everything from
detergents to cancer treatments.
It declares that a 21st-century gold rush is threatening to plunder the planet's last wilderness for its
"extremophiles" - bacteria, fungi and algae - that thrive in the frozen wastes.
The UN study warns that if unchecked, the bioprospectors' activities could turn into an unregulated free-for-all,
undermining the potential human benefits of the Antarctic's unique flora and fauna.
Researchers from the Institute of Advanced Studies in Tokyo found that there were vigorous attempts to
control intellectual property rights on inventions resulting from Antarctic exploration.
They found 62 patents in the European Patent Office that had relied to some extent on Antarctic wildlife, and a
further 300 references and 92 applications referring to the Antarctic in the United States Patent and Trademark
Office.
Recent examples included a Spanish patent for a protein extracted from an Antarctic bacteria that was
allegedly able to treat damaged hair, skin and nails as well as having a wound-healing property.
Another skin treatment derived from a green alga found in the Antarctic had been patented in Germany, and
the Russian patent office had registered a product with anti-cancer properties that had been extracted from the
Antarctic black yeast.
It is not just Antarctic microbes that have generated new products. Scientists have isolated antifreeze proteins
from the great Antarctic cod which prevent the cods' blood from freezing. The protein could be used
commercially for anything from ice-cream to organ transplants.
But the search for life at the ends of the earth threatens to undermine the international rules on intellectual
property rights, and could pose a threat to the fragile environment of the Antarctic, according to Hamid Zakri,
an academic with the United Nations University.
"Biological prospecting for extremophiles is already occurring and is certain to accelerate in Antarctica and the
southern oceans," said Dr Zakri, who is the director of the institute which carried out the study. "This report
suggests that efforts to exploit this new frontier are now threatening to outpace the capacity of national and
international law to regulate such things as ownership of genetic materials, the issuing of patents on products
that may arise from them and the potential environmental consequences of harvesting these resources."
Part of the problem is that nobody owns the genetic resources of the Antarctic. Sam Johnston, one of the
authors of the UN report, said that this meant that the more ethical companies felt they could not assert their
intellectual property rights with government agencies. "The concern we have is that there's an issue of equity the benefits of these resources are not being distributed fairly," he said. "Unlike the open sea, which is seen as
international territory, the Antarctic is neither international territory nor is it clearly within national
jurisdiction.
"The governments who are active in Antarctica need to develop a protocol that assesses the genetic resources
and the costs of exploiting them." Although the Antarctic Treaty System is designed to protect the region's
environment, the treaty does not directly regulate bioprospecting activities, Dr Johnston said.
The report says that bioprospecting has usually been done by consortiums composed of private and public
bodies, such as universities and government research institutes. This has made it difficult to draw a distinct line
between scientific research and commercial activities, although it is clear that a lot of the recent activity has
led to commercial applications.
Financial gain is a motive for much of the search for new microbes with unusual properties. The UN estimates
that the combined market for products derived from genetic resources in the cosmetics and drug industry is
worth up to $100bn (£58bn). "Sixty-two per cent of cancer drugs approved by the US Food and Drug
Administration are of natural origin or modelled on natural products," the report says. "A consequence of this
trend is that naturally occurring genetic resources and biochemical processes will most likely receive greater
attention from the private sector. In other words, based on the global biotechnology trends, it can be assumed
that bioprospecting is likely to increase."
12
Extremophiles living at the edges of the habitable environment are a natural target for biotechnology
companiesbecause the microbes haveadapted through millions of years of evolution to life at freezing
temperatures, intense aridity, acidity or high salt concentrations.
The report says: "The application of extremophiles in industrial processes ranges from their use in liposomes
[fatty particles] for drug delivery and cosmetics, waste treatment, molecular biology to the food industry. The
greatest commercial impact so far has been made by enzymes from extremophiles ... due to the species' robust
nature, the enzymes can be exposed to harsh conditions such as bleach chemicals and high temperature, and
have been successfully used as protein degrading additives in detergents."
But Professor David Walton of the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge said that only a few companies were
pursuing the idea of biprospecting in Antarctica and that the search for microbes with unusual properties had
been carefully controlled.
He said: "As with all BAS Antarctic field programmes, this work is subject to environmental assessment
before it can proceed. The amounts of material needed for such analyses are so small that sampling causes no
significant impacts."
Hans van Ginkel, rector of the UN University, said that although bioprospecting globally had experienced a
recent downturn, there was evidence that the commercial use of extremophiles would increase in the near
future.
He said: "The world must be better prepared for this, especially with respect to the Antarctic. Many issues
need to be resolved in advance of the further exploitation of genetic resources at the pole."
THE WORLD OF 'EXTREMOPHILES'
Thermus aquaticus
Springs or geysers, right, welling up from hot volcanic sources have generated commercially important
extremophiles. The best-known is Thermus aquaticus, a bacterium that can live at temperatures exceeding
70C. Scientists have isolated a heat-stable enzyme called DNA polymerase from this microbe which is at the
heart of the multimillion-pound PCR (polymer- case chain reaction) test used in medicine and forensic science.
The PCR test is used to boost minute samples of DNA, left, to quantities that can be further analysed and is
used by forensic scientists in conjunction with genetic fingerprinting to identify tiny tissue samples at scenes of
crime. The Californian Kary Mullis won a Nobel prize in 1993 for the PCR test.
Streptococcus bacteria
High salt concentrations, or low and high acidity, are examples of life at the extreme. In 1998, the American
biotechnology company Genencor isolated an enzyme from the highly alkaline environment of Lake Nakuru in
Kenya, asoda lake. The microbe, right, belonging to the Streptococcus family of bacteria, had evolved to
survive the extreme environment of the lake's mud flats. The enzyme proved to be highly effective in treating
new denim jeans to produce a worn, stone-washed look and is now used extensively. The enzyme is sold as a
product called Puradex. Soda lakes around the world are the subject of intense scrutiny by companies looking
for other new microbes with unusual properties.
Antarctic cod
Many of the fish that live in the Antarctic have "antifreeze" in their blood systems to prevent ice crystals from
forming in the sub-zero temperatures. One such anti-freeze chemical is a glycoprotein identified in the
Antarctic cod, right, and other fish of the southern oceans. Scientists are working with this glycoprotein to
develop products for a range of applications such as improving the freeze-tolerance of commercial plants to
make them frost resistant, improving the production of fish-farming in cold climates, extending the shelf-life
for frozen food such as ice-cream, and improving surgical techniques involving the transplanting of frozen
organs and tissues.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
ENS
Earth 'shook off' ancient warming
UK scientists claim they now know how Earth recovered on its own from a sudden episode of severe
global warming at the time of the dinosaurs.
13
Understanding what happened could help experts plan for the future impact of man-made global warming,
experts say.
Rock erosion may have leached chemicals into the sea, where they combined with carbon dioxide, causing
levels of the greenhouse gas to fall worldwide.
UK scientists report the details of their research in the journal Geology.
What we have learned from these rocks is how the Earth can, over a long time, combat global warming
Dr Anthony Cohen, Open University
About 180 million years ago, temperatures on Earth rapidly shot up by about 5 Celsius.
The cause is thought to have been a sudden release of huge amounts of methane from the sea bed. Methane is
itself a greenhouse gas but it is short-lived.
However, it is easily oxidised to carbon dioxide (CO2) which lingers in the atmosphere for long periods of
time.
Mass extinction
Plants and animals were affected by the sudden rise in atmospheric CO2. Scientists have found evidence of a
marine mass extinction during this period that killed off 84% of bivalve shellfish.
Over a period of about 150,000 years, the Earth returned to normal and life continued flourishing. How this
happened was a mystery, but now scientists from the Open University in Milton Keynes claim to have a
possible answer.
"Our new evidence has shown that this warming caused the weathering of rocks on the Earth's surface to
rapidly increase by at least 400%," said Dr Anthony Cohen, who led the research.
"This intense rock-weathering effectively put a brake on global warming through chemical reactions that
consumed the atmosphere's extra carbon dioxide."
They discovered that intense rock weathering coincided with warm conditions and high atmospheric CO2.
'Methane burp'
Weathering occurs through the action of rain. Although the researchers did not uncover direct evidence for
increased precipitation, they believe there were no limitations on water during the period.
The warm conditions caused by the "methane burp" would have sped up the rate at which weathering occurred.
This led to minerals such as calcium and magnesium eroding from rocks and pouring into the sea.
Calcium combined with CO2, for instance, would have caused the precipitation of calcium carbonate. This
process of CO2 consumption would have lowered levels of the greenhouse gas on a global scale.
As CO2 levels fell, so did global temperatures.
"Global warming is affecting the climate today, but it's very difficult to predict what's going to happen," Dr
Cohen told BBC News Online.
"The reason for doing these studies is that you get the whole history. If you learn what happened then, that can
inform how you deal with [the same problem] in future."
Dr Cohen added that there are still vast reserves of carbon - possibly as much as 14,000 gigatons - locked up as
methane ice in ocean sediments.
If global temperatures reach a critical point, it is possible they might suddenly be released into the atmosphere
causing a similar event to the one that occurred during the Jurassic.
"What we have learned from these rocks is how the Earth can, over a long time, combat global warming. What
we need to discover now is why and at what point it goes into combat mode, and precisely how long the
conflict takes to resolve," he explained.
14
Dr Cohen and his colleagues based their results on studies of mudrock rich in organic material and collected
near Whitby in North Yorkshire.
Story from BBC NEWS:
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
Experts: GM Foods Dangerous If Used As Main Meals
NEWS
February 2, 2004
Posted to the web February 2, 2004
By Dauti Kahura
Nairobi
Three months ago, the United Nations Bio-safety Protocol allowed countries, under international law, to ban
food imports containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that they think is unsafe.
But even as the EU pushes for stiffer penalties against GM foods, some proponents of GM foods are of the
opinion that the ban may have an "adverse effect on biological diversity and human health."
Yet, the United States of America (USA), the biggest contributor of relief food to the world's biggest food
agency, the World Food Programme (WFP), has said that it will not guarantee that its food aid will not
necessary be genetically modified.
The UN Bio-safety Protocol immediately angered the US, which argued that the protocol breached World
Trade Organisation (WTO) rules on free trade.
The arising disputes threaten to suck in developing countries, which rely on the two for agriculture produce
and food subsidies. Tewolde Egziabher, one of the architects of Bio-safety Protocol and Director of Ethiopia's
Environmental Protection Authority has termed the US stand as designed to intimidate the African Countries.
"They want to use the protocol to set up their own systems for regulating imports of GM foods, including US
food aid."
In Kenya, the GM proponents and food technologists are divided. Sam Omondi, a Food technologist, says that
the raging debate on GM foods in Kenya -- as indeed in the rest of the world - is not one of right or wrong,
"but one of proper legislation by respective Governments who must set standards and regulations to be
followed."
These standards must take into account the people's health and also safeguard the environment. As a matter of
fact, Friends of the Earth campaigns director, Liana Staples, points out that the US government seems to be
attempting to bulldoze other countries without regard to their rights to protect their people and the
environment.
But Kenya's own scientist and pioneer in the science of GM foods, Dr Florence Wambugu, argues that GM
foods are good for Africa because Africa's priority is food security and anything that will increase crop yields
should be greatly encouraged. Dr Wambugu pioneered the first genetically modified sweet potato in Africa in
the early 1990s.
Supporters of bio-engineered foods like Wambugu observe that in less developing countries struggling to meet
the food demands for their people, biotechnology has come in handy as a tool that can be used to raise crop
yields, create drought resistant crops and boost nutrition for millions of half starving people.
The scientist cites, for example, the experiment of farmers growing tissue-cultured bananas in East Africa that
has been able to triple their incomes and double the yields.
Others argue that while Europe and the US can have the luxury of engaging in academic debates on food
security, Africa can hardly afford to do the same. One of the most frequently asked questions is to do with the
risks involved in genetic engineering.
Scientifically, genes determine traits of individuals. Genes from unrelated species do not naturally mix.
15
However, through genetic engineering, a gene or genes from a totally unrelated species can be introduced into
another.
For instance, a bacterium can be introduced into a maize seedling and from humans to bacteria. In the
beginning of the year, the drought stricken southern Africa countries urgently required food aid.
When the US responded by offering genetically engineered foods, Zambia, one of the famine stricken
countries, refjected it for fear that it could have negative impact on the people.
Other countries like Malawi and Zimbabwe said they had accepted that there could be risks to agriculture but
not to human health. The two countries thus insisted that GM maize be imported only as flour. Recently, a
study to estimate the risks to human health by genetically engineered maize was conducted in the US and
Sweden.
The study showed that the prevalence of unexplained alimentary canal complications in the US where GM
foods are allowed was higher than in Sweden where GM foods are not allowed. Yet in the US, GM maize
constitutes only a small percentage of the diet. Thus, food experts are arguing that if GM maize were to be
given to people as the main diet, it would be more devastating.
Experts have also warned that when GM maize is eaten in large quantities, it is possible that human
reproduction will be reduced, as has been the case among pigs. Maize is the most important food crop in most
of the sub-Saharan Africa and such a contamination would be a major disaster. Other experts have argued that
contrary to popular belief, the introduction of GM maize will not increase yields.
They say that various studies have shown that GM crops usually yield lower than their respective non-GM
equivalents. In Africa, South Africa is by far the most advanced in the use of genetically modified organisms.
But the anti-GM groups in South Africa want the government to hold off all GM food imports and exports as
well as their cultivation until there has been sufficient public debate.
Africa is the biggest market for South African cereals, and the government would not be keen to lose the
market.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
BBC
UK urged to ratify seabird treaty
Britain has been criticised by bird conservation groups for not ratifying a global treaty to protect the
albatross, which comes into force on Sunday.
Under the accord, action will be taken against long fishing lines, often used to catch tuna but which kill about
100,000 of the seabirds every year.
Britain's participation is important because its overseas territories of the Falklands, South Georgia and Tristan
da Cunha are breeding grounds for the bird.
It has been ratified by Australia, Spain, Ecuador, New Zealand and South Africa.
The UK Government signed the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) three
years ago but is thought to be trying to overcome international legal problems.
Reducing seabird by-catch
Until the UK and its overseas territories ratify ACAP, they will be mere observers and unable to
influence action taken under the treaty
Dr Euan Dunn
RSPB and Birdlife International
The ACAP means fishing vessels using the waters of ratifying countries will be obliged to take measures to
reduce seabird by-catch.
Dr Euan Dunn, of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and BirdLife International said: "This is a
massive step forward in efforts to curb the senseless slaughter of these majestic birds and signatory countries
now have no choice but to take steps to get them off the hook."
16
Measures to be taken to reduce seabird by-catch include setting lines at night, deploying bird-scaring
streamers, and weighting lines so that the baited hooks sink more quickly.
The five states involved will also be required to protect the birds' breeding grounds, reduce habitat loss and
tackle marine pollution in the waters under their jurisdiction.
Endangered species
Dr Dunn said the measures must be much more widely adopted to save the birds from extinction.
"The UK has a major responsibility because its overseas territories, particularly Tristan da Cunha, South
Georgia and the Falklands, are vitally important to populations of globally threatened species.
"Until the UK and its Overseas Territories ratify ACAP, they will be mere observers and unable to influence
action taken under the treaty."
According to BirdLife International, two albatross species are classed as critically endangered, three as
endangered and a further 12 as vulnerable.
ENS
Children's Health Panel Red Flags Bush Mercury Plan
By J.R. Pegg
WASHINGTON, DC, February 2, 2004 (ENS) - Infants, children, and women of childbearing age are not
adequately protected by the Bush administration's proposal to reduce mercury emissions from coal fired power
plants warns a federal advisory committee on children's health protection. In a letter released last week, the
panel urged the White House to reconsider its proposal, which environmentalists and public health
organizations say is far too lax.
The 27 member Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee, which advises the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) on regulations relevant to children, consists of representatives from state and federal
agencies, environmental groups, universities, and industry.
"From our understanding, the unique vulnerabilities of children, infants, and women of childbearing age were
not considered in the development of EPA's proposed rules," the committee wrote. "We recommend that EPA
promulgate a mercury rule that results in the most child protective and cost effective reductions of mercury
from coal fired power plants that are possible, since they represent the largest remaining source of mercury
emissions in the United States."
Scientists have shown that mercury can cause brain and nerve damage and studies indicate children and
women of childbearing age are at a disproportionate risk.
"The fact that this advisory committee, which includes representatives from Bayer, British Petroleum,
Monsanto, and Procter & Gamble, unanimously signed off on this letter should make Administrator [Mike]
Leavitt sit up and take notice," said Linda Greer, an environmental toxicologist with the Natural Resources
Defense Council.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that eight percent of women of
childbearing age have unsafe levels of mercury in their bodies. This puts the number of babies at risk of
mercury poisoning at about 300,000.
Mercury emissions from coal fired power plants are currently unregulated - these facilities emit some 48 tons
of mercury each year, accounting for about 40 percent of the
nation's mercury pollution.
Critics say President Bush is falling short on his
commitment to children's environmental health programs.
(Photo by Paul Morse courtesy the White House)
Critics believe the Bush plan is a drastic shift the regulation of
mercury emissions because it requires the EPA to revise its
December 2000 finding that such emissions should be
regulated as hazardous air pollution. That finding requires the
17
EPA to regulate emissions of the toxic metal using "maximum achievable control technologies" (MACT).
In 2001 the EPA said that the use of MACT standards could reduce mercury emissions by some 90 percent - to
5.5 million tons - by 2008.
MACT standards have been used to rein in the two other largest sources of the toxic metal - medical and
municipal waste incinerators.
Those regulations have reduced emissions from medical and municipal waste incinerators by more than 90
percent in less than a decade, and environmentalists believe the law sets an appropriate course for reducing
mercury emissions from power plants as well.
But the coal fired power plant industry says commercial technologies are too new and expensive to achieve
such reductions. The industry argues that if the EPA proceeds with a MACT rulemaking, utilities will be
forced to switch from coal to more expensive natural gas.
The Bush administration has accepted this position and says a mercury emissions trading program will cut
emissions faster and at less cost.
Its plan is twofold - one proposed rule calls for power plants to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxide. As a secondary benefit from the technologies used to cut those pollutants, some 14 tons of mercury
emissions could be removed from the U.S. environment within two years, the Bush administration says.
Under the second proposed rule, the EPA would set an industry cap on mercury emissions in 2010 and allow
owners of coal fired power plants to trade emissions credits to reduce the total amount of mercury emitted to
15 tons by 2018 - a reduction of 70 percent from current levels.
In its letter to Leavitt, the committee wrote that "while cost effectiveness is important, the priority should be to
protect children's health in a timely manner."
The panel expressed its concern that "mercury emissions are not adequately addressed when relying on
reduced mercury emissions as a side benefit achieved by the rule ... designed to reduce emissions of sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides."
In addition, the committee raised concerns that the proposed cap and trade program "may not address existing
hot spots and may create new local hot spots for mercury, disproportionately impacting local communities."
A report in December 2003 by the environmental group Environmental Defense analyzed air pollution
modeling data from the EPA and found that local sources commonly contribute 50 to 80 percent of mercury
deposition at the nation's current hot spots.
The finding refutes a key argument by supporters of the cap and trade system, who say local hot spots are not a
serious problem. Industry representatives consistently cite
figures from the Electric Power Research Industry
estimating that on average some 70 percent of mercury
deposits come from global sources.
Last year some 30 percent of U.S. lakes and 13 percent
of rivers were under active mercury advisories, which
urge people to avoid or limit consumption of fish due
to high levels of mercury. (Photo by George Gentry
courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Mercury does not break down in the environment, and
current emissions of mercury add to the existing pool,
which is continuously mobilized, deposited on land and
water, and remobilized.
The committee recommended that the EPA evaluate the
Bush administration's proposal's health risks to infants,
children, and women of childbearing age and how those
risks might be different under other regulatory options.
It also called on the agency to analyze the technologies,
costs, health impact, and economic benefits before
choosing a regulatory option and to evaluate the possibility that hot spots could result from the proposed
trading program.
The EPA has yet to release information about the number or location of public meetings it plans to hold on the
final mercury rule, which is set to be issued in December 2004.
Officials say information about public meetings will be posted here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR AFRICA (ROA)- NEWS UPDATE
03 February 2004
UNEP in the news
18
American antelopes find new home in Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Some 18 Bongo antelopes, which lived in captivity for 40 years in the US have been
repatriated to a sanctuary in Kenya, where they would be quarantined to avoid spreading or contracting any
diseases. The antelopes, flown to the world heritage site in Mount Kenya in a 60-hour chattered flight were
collected from 13 zoos in America, where they had been domiciled since their grandparents were captured in
the 1960s and 70s. According to conservationists from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), the animals will be used to boost the local population now threatened with
extinction. A press release Monday said the antelopes would be released into the wild within a few years.
Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservation chairman Don Hunta told PANA 40 more antelopes would be repatriated
in the near future, adding that the details were still being worked out.
http://www.panapress.com/newslat.asp?code=eng029589&dte=02/02/2004
General environment news
Renewed Fears Over Possible Risks From Modified Foodstuffs
The East African Standard (Nairobi): Kenyans have been consuming imported foods that were long banned
without their knowledge. Many supermarkets in Kenya have stocks of these banned foods, also known as
genetically modified (GM), and the Government is helpless because it does not have the capacity to test and
detect if the food is unnatural. "They operate from the principal of do they know--do they need to know?" said
an official of a non-governmental-organisation who is involved in distributing some of the foods to faminestricken parts of Kenya. The head of KARI Biotechnology center said it was impossible to tell the difference
between GM crops and non-GM, or organic, because they look and taste the same. Even before KARI can start
its research into the BT maize early this year, importers are already smuggling the grains from South Africa or
the US through the ports of Mombasa for milling and selling in the local supermarkets. The most consumed
GM food comes into Kenya from import food markets like South Africa and the US. Questions are being
raised on whether the US Agency for International Development distributes such maize in the form of relief
aid through the UN's World Food Programme. WFP information officer Katharine Hodgson was, however,
unable to respond to queries. She, however, pointed out that WFP had recently spent US$10 million buying
Kenyan maize, which was presumably non-GM.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200402020910.html
Official urges integrated management of Congolese forests
Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - Forest Economy director-general has recommended that the government,
logging companies and civil society be involved jointly design and implement management plans so as to
ensure sustainable management. He made the suggestion at a national workshop held to adopt the terms of
reference for the conception of management plans and directives on forest exploitation licenced companies.
Also speaking at the forum, UNICONGO Agro-Forests federation president noted that with 22 million
hectares of dense forests, the country accounts for a substantial part of the Congo Basin forests in central
Africa. "It is a biodiversity treasure, which plays a key role for the world environment," He acknowledged,
adding "the Congolese private sector has become aware of the need to sustainably manage forest concessions
allocated it."
http://www.panapress.com/newslat.asp?code=eng029599&dte=02/02/2004
Rising Waters Spread Alarm
The Namibian (Windhoek): THE Regional Emergency Management Units in both the Caprivi and Kavango
have been put on constant alert to monitor and assess rising river levels that could result in flooding. In the
Caprivi, crop fields in the north-east are already waterlogged, threatening food security. At present the Caprivi
task force, which has to report back to head office in Windhoek every five days, has been advising people to
move to higher ground. At present more than 6 000 people in four areas of the Caprivi have been identified as
affected by the overflowing Zambezi. The waters have already encroached on villages in the Kongola area
overflow from the Kwando River has left fields waterlogged. Cabinet is expected to discuss an EMU report
soon on the situation in the Caprivi, while in the Kavango officials are working on an assessment report. Last
19
week, several lodges on the riverbanks and some fields east and west of Rundu were flooded by the Okavango
River which is unusually high for this time of year.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200402020615.html
_________________________________________________________________________________________
ROAP Media Update – 03 February 2004
UN or UNEP in the news
Nation's largest wetland museum opens
JINAN, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- China's largest wetland museum, Huanghekou Wetland Museum, in Dongying
City, east China's Shandong Province, has opened to visitors.
Covering 7,856 square meters and with an investment of six million yuan (722,892 US dollars), the museum
lies in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, which boasts one of the 13 most important wetlands in
the world under the protection of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-02/02/content_1295110.htm
Constructive Dialogue Can Go A Long Way
The Financial Express, Jan 31, 2004 (SAMIR R GANDHI) -Amidst the substantial media attention
surrounding the collapse of the world trade talks in Cancun, experts blamed the failure to arrive at a consensus
on high-profile sticking points, like agricultural subsidies and the Singapore issues. In the acrimony and fingerpointing that followed, the world lost an important opportunity to take stock of other equally important though
less high-profile issues which formed part of the Doha Development Agenda and were to be discussed and
resolved at Cancun before the January 1, 2005 deadline. The discussions on the relationship between
environment and trade was one such forgotten issue.
…The collapse of the Cancun negotiations virtually ensured that there would be no decision on trade and the
environment issues before the expiry of the deadline on January 1, 2005. The CTE had, in fact, conducted five
meetings between Doha and Cancun, where member countries (including India) had made their positions
known on various issues, international organisations, such as UNEP and UNCTAD, had been consulted and
various workshops across the world had been held to elicit opinion on how countries should resolve the
conflict between trade rules and environmental protection within the framework of the WTO Agreements.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=51542
Biotechnology gold-rush threatens the last wilderness
The New Zealand Herald, 03.02.2004 (By STEVE CONNOR) - A biotechnology "gold-rush" is threatening an
unregulated harvest of "extremophiles" - bacteria, fungi and algae - that thrive in Antarctica, says the United
Nations.
….A UN study warns that if unchecked, the bio-prospectors' activities could turn into an unregulated free-forall, undermining the potential human benefits of Antarctica's unique flora and fauna.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3547064&thesection=news&thesubsection=world
General Environment News
Ministries should cooperate on ecotourism
Yujiro Ogawa Yomiuri Shimbun, Staff Writer, Jan 31, 2004 - The Environment Ministry has launched a
project to promote a new type of ecotourism that will help stimulate regional economies while enhancing
environmental conservation efforts. …
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040131wo33.htm
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Prepared by News Services Section
DH/4071
http://www.un.org/News/
30 January 2004
FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS
*
Security Council tightens sanctions against Taliban and Al-Qaida
20
*
Implementing anti-terrorism resolution hits obstacles, Security Council panel says
*
UN electoral team set to travel to Iraq in a ‘few days,’ Annan says
*
Annan hails agreement on new transitional charter for Somalia
*
UN official urges immediate release of kidnapped staff member in Somalia
*
Canada’s ex-Foreign Minister Axworthy named UN envoy to Eritrea and Ethiopia
*
Annan welcomes decision to have international observation of voting in Venezuela
*
Security Council extends UN mandate in Western Sahara until April
*
UN mission in Georgia to stay through July
*
Security Council extends mandate of UN force in Lebanon
*
New UN report paints mixed picture of Kosovo’s Provisional Institutions
*
Senior UN refugee official meets Colombian asylum seekers in Ecuador
*
UN refugee agency urgently appeals for aid for Sudanese fleeing to Chad
*
Bird flu: UN agency calls for mass cullings, international aid for compensation
*
Ministers adopt Declaration on small island developing States
*
Health professionals to promote new code of conduct on tobacco control – UN
*
Annan pays tribute to memory of UN official killed in Uzbek plane crash
****
Al Qaida
30 January – The Security Council today tightened the sanctions regime against the Taliban and AlQaida in what the President of the 15-member UN body called a significant step forward in the struggle against
terrorism.
“We’ve learned the lessons of our past errors to close the gaps that we had in the previous regime
system,” Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile told reporters following the resolution’s adoption, adding that
the process of improving the measures would continue.
The sanctions were originally adopted, and later tightened, in response to the indictment of Usama bin
Laden for the 1998 terrorist bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam.
States were required to freeze financial resources, including funds derived or generated by any
undertaking owned or controlled by the Taliban, and to ensure that they are not used by the group. Countries
were also obliged to freeze funds and other financial assets of Usama bin Laden and his associates in the AlQaida organization, and to prevent their entry or transit through the State's territory. In addition, nations must
prevent the supply, sale and transfer of all arms and materiel – along with any form of military training – to the
named individuals and entities.
Those measures were expanded by today’s resolution, which covers additional kinds of financial
assets while setting up mechanisms to ensure implementation.
“The decision has been made to upgrade – to improve – the sanctions against the terrorist network of
Al-Qaida and the Taliban,” Ambassador Muñoz explained. “The idea is to, through renewed efforts, not only
freeze assets and economic resources, but very specific reference is made to properties, to concrete resources
other than bank accounts.”
21
He called this “a signal for countries to look at charities and also to be mindful of alternative
remittance systems that could be used by terrorists to channel funds.”
The resolution sets 31 March as the deadline for countries to submit written reports on the measures
they have taken or to give reasons for not reporting. Those that do not comply will be named on a list to be
circulated by the Security Council committee monitoring the implementation of the sanctions.
“I think that is a strong signal so that countries do what they have to do – in other words, comply with
the Security Council resolutions,” the President said.
Under the resolution, the Council also established a New York-based Analytical Support and
Sanctions Monitoring Team to work at the Committee’s direction for the next year and a half. The SecretaryGeneral was asked to name eight experts to serve on that team, which will periodically report to the Council on
the implementation of the improved sanctions regime.
***
Counter-terrorism
30 January – The United Nations Security Council’ s Counter-terrorism Committee (CTC) says the
implementation of a resolution to monitor and try to increase the capability of States to fight terrorism “is
encountering serious problems, both at the States and at the (committee) levels.”
The committee, which has the same 15 members as the Council itself, says in a report issued today
the crucial prevention and suppression of the financing of terrorism “has the effect of placing new burdens on
banking institutions and financial professions.”
Some States argue that passing anti-money laundering legislation is enough to prevent the financing
of terrorism, but the transfers of terrorist funds “have different characteristics from other criminal funds (for
example, they may have a legal origin),” the report says.
“Efforts to prevent the financing of terrorism are therefore undermined by the lack of transparency of
international financial transactions and the weakness of national legislation to prevent inflows of criminal
money.”
Measures to improve State control over illegal or even informal financing systems should be
considered as essential complements to the present banking regulations, the committee says.
On the links between organized crime and terrorist groups, the report says trafficking of drugs,
weapons and contraband generated by organized crime often constitutes a source of financing for terrorists,
“thus efforts to combat organized crime are a direct means of preventing terrorist phenomena” as pointed out
in Resolution 1373, adopted in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
On the work of the committee, the report says the panel sometimes need the service of international
experts who are regarded as short-term consultants, but are then expected to work for longer than a year
without being granted the medical and other “benefits that would make living in New York feasible, let alone
compensate them for the disruption of their careers.”
These financial restraints are part of the broader situation in which the CTC finds itself, with a need
now for experts on weapons of mass destruction, small arms, self-portable air defence systems and general
technical assistance, it says.
The present structure of the CTC makes it difficult to assess its costs and resources, preventing the
CTC from accurately evaluating its performance. A complete budget would allow a certain degree of CTC
accountability, it says.
***
Iraq
30 January – An electoral team from the United Nations should be heading to Iraq in a few days to
assess the feasibility of holding elections before the transfer of sovereignty at the end of June, SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan said today.
22
“The coalition has promised to do the maximum to protect the team working in Iraq. I think that in a
few days the team will be able to travel and start its work,” the Secretary-General told reporters in Brussels
after inaugurating the UN’s new European Regional Information Centre, which replaces nine national UN
information centres that were closed down at the end of 2003.
The Secretary-General announced Tuesday that he would follow through with a request earlier this
month by Iraqi and coalition officials for a UN technical mission to visit Iraq to establish whether elections for
a transitional national assembly can be held before 30 June, and, if not, what alternative arrangement would be
acceptable.
Two separate UN security teams are already in the country; the first is liasing with the Coalition
Provisional Authority (CPA) and the coalition forces, as well as providing a focal point for UN national staff
remaining in Iraq, while the second is preparing for the arrival of the electoral team.
Responding to other questions during the press encounter, the Secretary-General said he was
concerned about the situation in the Middle East, describing it as “extremely worrying.”
“We have seen in the last couple of days many, many people killed,” he said. “As you know, I have
always condemned without reservation suicide bombings that take innocent lives and have also indicated that
we need to be active and energize our efforts to find a way of bringing the parties to the table.”
“And it is essential that we do all we can to lead them to the path of peace and I believe we owe it to
the people in the region, their families and their children, to really find a way of breaking this cycle of violence
and revenge,” he added, stressing that, “The only solution to this is to focus on peace.”
On his talks last night with the President of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos, Mr. Annan said they had a
good discussion and that the President also affirmed his determination to resume talks – “the sooner the
better.”
The Secretary-General added that he would still need to hear from the Turkish Cypriots, “and I would
also be in touch with the Greek Government, which is one of the motherlands.”
Mr. Annan also noted that he spoke last night to United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, who
indicated that Washington would be supportive. “We will need all the support we can” get, the SecretaryGeneral said. “We have very little time and I hope the parties will come to the table with concrete ideas and
determined to move forward.” Ten nations, including Cyprus, are scheduled to join the European Union on 1
May.
The Secretary-General had concluded his official visit to Belgium this morning with a meeting with
Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and a dozen senior members of his Government, including Foreign Minister
Louis Michel.
In the hour-long meeting, they discussed the situation in Iraq. The Secretary-General also made a
strong pitch for troop contributions to peacekeeping operations. In addition, the two reviewed in detail the
subject of UN reform, according to UN spokesperson in New York.
Before leaving Brussels, the Secretary-General received an honorary doctorate degree from Ghent
University, and then had a working lunch with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and senior members of
their staffs, discussing Cyprus and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
After lunch, the Secretary-General flew to Geneva, where he was to meet with Presidents Luis Inacio
Lula da Silva of Brazil, Ricardo Lagos Escobar of Chile and Jacques Chirac of France on a fresh initiative to
combat global hunger and poverty.
***
Somalia
30 January – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the accord signed by
Somali leaders on the political transition of their country, which has long been wracked by war and poverty.
23
Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, they reached agreement on a charter that would help lay the
foundations for an effective, working system of government after years of civil conflict.
Mr. Annan “encourages Somali leaders to build on the progress achieved and swiftly conclude the
Somali National Reconciliation Conference with the establishment of an inclusive government,” he said in a
statement issued by his spokesman in New York.
The Secretary-General also praised the work of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Uganda President
Yoweri Museveni, other leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and
international supporters of the Somali peace process for their perseverance.
Mr. Annan’s statement came as the UN refugee agency called for “a drastic increase” in support for
the UN’s programmes in Somalia to take advantage of the progress in the peace talks.
A high-level team from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today concluded a 20day mission to Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Senior UNHCR officials reviewed the existing refugee schemes in Somalia and neighbouring
countries. An estimated 200,000 Somali refugees are spread across Kenya, Yemen, Djibouti and Ethiopia.
UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said more than half the country is enjoying a period of relative
peace and stability. He told the press in Geneva that this “window of opportunity” should be exploited to
promote the return of up to 30,000 refugees to the Somaliland and Puntland regions of Somalia.
Somalia remains one of the world’s most destitute countries, ranking third poorest out of 174 nations
surveyed in the latest UN Human Development Index. The UNHCR estimates that more than 90 per cent of
returning refugees do not have enough money to meet their basic needs.
***
Abduction
30 January – The top United Nations official in Somalia today strongly condemned the abduction of a
UN staff member in the Horn of Africa country, calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Rolf Helmrich, a German national, was abducted late yesterday morning about 45 kilometres north of
Kismaayo in the Lower Juba region in Somalia’s south.
Maxwell Gaylard, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and Designated Official for UN
Security in Somalia, issued a statement deploring Mr. Helmrich’s abduction.
“The UN mandate is to support the Somali people in their development and peace-building efforts
and our staff need to be safe in order to carry out their duties,” Mr. Gaylard said.
Yesterday the UN began communicating with the region’s de facto authorities in a bid to secure Mr.
Helmrich’s release.
***
Eritrea/Ethiopia
30 January – Concerned about the lack of progress in arbitrating the border dispute between Ethiopia
and Eritrea according to the Algiers Agreement, United Nations Kofi Annan today appointed former Canadian
Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy his Special Envoy for the two Horn of Africa countries.
“The Secretary-General hopes that in carrying out this important assignment, the Special Envoy will
enjoy the full cooperation of all parties concerned,” a UN spokesman said in a statement.
In a subsequent press statement, the current President of the Security Council, Ambassador Heraldo
Muñoz of Chile, welcomed Mr. Axworthy’s appointment and voiced full support for the good offices mission
aimed at facilitating implementation of the Algiers Agreement, the decision of the Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary
Commission, and the Council’s own resolutions and decisions.
24
In addition to having served in several Canadian government cabinet positions, Mr. Axworthy helped
to negotiate the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines and was nominated for a Nobel Peace
prize in 1997. He has been director and CEO of the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British
Columbia since 2001.
By signing the Algiers peace agreement of December 2000, the two governments committed
themselves to renounce violence as a means of solving their problems, to use technical means to demarcate the
border and, if all else failed, to accept “appropriate means of arbitration.”
Earlier this month, the Security Council, discussing Ethiopia and Eritrea, supported Mr. Annan’s
intention to “consider additional measures to move demarcation and the peace process forward and help the
parties overcome their differences, in particular through good offices.”
The Council also urged the two governments to establish a broad political dialogue that would help to
improve their relations.
***
Venezuela
30 January – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the decision by
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council to involve international observers in the search by government and
opposition for a constitutional solution to the country’s political stalemate.
In a statement released by his spokesman, Mr. Annan called the decision “an important element in
ensuring a peaceful, electoral and constitutional solution to the country’s political impasse.”
The Government and the opposition Coordinadora Democratica signed an agreement on 29 May 2003
to seek a constitutional solution.
***
Western Sahara
30 January – The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping
mission to Western Sahara, due to expire tomorrow, until the end of April.
The unanimous vote of approval for a three-month extension comes after Secretary-General Kofi
Annan earlier this month asked the Council to give more time for consultations between Morocco and James
Baker, his Personal Envoy, over a peace plan for the disputed territory.
The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has been in place since April
1991 after Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Frente
POLISARIO) agreed to a ceasefire in their long-running dispute over the status of Western Sahara.
The peace plan, submitted by Mr. Baker last year, calls for a referendum on the permanent future
status of Western Sahara within four or five years. It was accepted by Frente POLISARIO in July.
***
Georgia
30 January – The Security Council today unanimously extended the 10-year-old United Nations
Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) through July after Secretary-General Kofi Annan reported that it was
critical to maintaining stability along the ceasefire lines between Georgian and Abkhaz separatist forces.
Stressing the urgent need for progress on the question of refugees and internally displaced persons,
the Council resolution called on both sides to display a genuine commitment to make returns the focus of
special attention.
UNOMIG, which consists of some 115 military observers and a civilian component seeking to
resolve the conflict in northwestern Georgia, was established in 1994 after an accord reached in Moscow
ended fighting that had forced nearly 300,000 refugees to flee.
25
The Council welcomed the start of UNOMIG civilian police deployment in the Zugdidi district on the
Georgian government side of the ceasefire lines and looked forward to an early confirmation by the Abkhaz
side that deployment in the Gali district of the remaining police officers could proceed.
Deploring the deterioration in security in the Gali sector, including repeated killings and abductions,
the resolution called in particular on the Abkhaz side to improve law enforcement involving the local
population.
It recalled that the Abkhaz side bore a particular responsibility to protect the returnees and to facilitate
the return of the remaining displaced people, reaffirming the unacceptability of demographic changes resulting
from the conflict.
In his latest report to the Council Mr. Annan noted that two years after finalization of a paper on
various competences, talks on Abkhazia’s future political status within Georgia had still not started, with the
Abkhaz side continuing to invoke its unilateral 1999 ‘declaration of independence’ in refusing to receive the
paper.
Today’s resolution “deeply regretted” the continued refusal of the Abkhaz side to agree to a
discussion on the substance of that document. It stressed negotiations leading to a lasting political settlement
would require concessions from both sides.
Underlining the primary responsibility of both sides to provide appropriate security for UNOMIG and
ensure freedom of movement for the Mission as well as the Commonwealth of Independent States
peacekeeping force and other international staff, the Council strongly condemned the repeated abduction of
personnel of those missions.
Deeply deploring the fact that none of the perpetrators have ever been identified or brought to justice,
the Council urged the parties once again to bring to justice those responsible for shooting down a UNOMIG
helicopter in 2001.
***
Lebanon
30 January – Calling on the Government of Lebanon to return its effective authority over its southern
area bordering Israel, the United Nations Security Council today extended for six months the mandate of the
UN force in the area.
Unanimously adopting a new resolution, the Council endorsed Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s recent
recommendation to maintain the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), due to expire tomorrow, until 31
July.
The proposal was included in the Secretary-General’s latest report on UNIFIL, which says the relative
calm of the first six months of 2003 has given way to exchanges of fire across the line of withdrawal, or Blue
Line.
“Air strikes and shooting incidents across the Blue Line resulted in the deaths of three Israelis, two
soldiers and a civilian, and three Lebanese civilians,” the report says. “The persistent Israeli violations of
Lebanese airspace and several instances of Hizbollah anti-fire directed towards Israeli villages contributed
significantly to the tension.”
By today’s resolution, the Council condemned all acts of violence, voicing “great concern about the
serious breaches and the sea, land and continuing air violations of the withdrawal line.” The parties were urged
to halt violations, refrain from provocations that could further escalate the tension, and cooperate fully with the
UN.
Welcoming the steps taken by the Government of Lebanon to assert its control over the south of the
country, including the deployment of Lebanese armed forces, the Council called for the extension of those
measures and urged Lebanon to do its utmost to ensure calm throughout the south.
26
It also applauded progress in removing landmines and took note of communications to the
Government of Lebanon and UNIFIL of maps and information on the location of mines. The Council stressed
the need to provide the Government and the mission with any additional landmine maps and records.
***
Kosovo
30 January – The record of achievements by Kosovo’s Provisional Institutions is mixed, with
progress apparently stalled in some areas, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new
document made public today.
In a report to the Security Council on the activities of the UN Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Annan calls for Kosovo’s leaders and institutions to uphold the values of multiethnicity, tolerance and equal rights for all communities.
The Secretary-General notes that not all ethnic communities meaningfully participate in the
Provisional Institutions – the presidency, the government and the Kosovo Assembly. He voices concern that
the Assembly “is once again refusing to take into account legitimate minority concerns in the legislative
process, [and is] over-stepping its competencies.”
But Mr. Annan says he was encouraged by some progress, including the preparation and adoption of
laws at the central and local levels of self-government.
Established in June 1999 following war in the province, UNMIK is an interim civilian administration
led by the UN under which Kosovans can progressively enjoy greater autonomy.
UNMIK retains certain reserved powers in Kosovo, including control over security, foreign relations,
minority rights protection and energy, until the province’s final status is determined.
Mr. Annan observed that in November a mechanism was set up to review and measure the progress
made by the Provisional Institutions towards the benchmarks required before any final decision on Kosovo’s
status can be made.
In another development, UNMIK customs officers today detected a large quantity of what is
suspected to be heroin in the boot of a car leaving Kosovo for Albania.
The seized goods – the latest in a series of discoveries by UNMIK customs officers – have been
transferred to the border police, with laboratory analysts set to determine the precise nature of the substance.
***
Ecuador
30 January – A senior official of the United Nations refugee agency is in Ecuador today continuing
the second part of a week-long mission that began in Colombia, which has sent large numbers of asylum
seekers to its South American neighbour.
Yesterday, Assistant High Commissioner Kamel Morjane met with representatives of the Ecuadorian
Bishops’ Conference, the main partner of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ecuador, a
spokesman for the agency said in Geneva.
Mr. Morjane then visited the premises of the Bishops’ Conference Committee for Refugees – the
largest refugee and asylum seeker reception centre in the country. There, he met Colombian asylum seekers as
they waited to be interviewed. Since January 2000, Ecuador has received more than 21,000 asylum seekers and
has granted refugee status to almost 7,000 individuals, mostly from Colombia.
Later yesterday, Mr. Morjane travelled to Lago Agrio in the northern province of Sucumbios, close to
the Colombian border. “He said he was struck by the seriousness of the plight of Colombian refugees, but was
heartened to see a number of small-scale activities that are benefiting both refugees and local residents,”
spokesman Kris Janowski said, hailing a women’s initiative to produce fruit jam and preserves for the local
market, supporting community health promoters and organic home farming initiatives in the process.
27
Mr. Morjane arrived in the Ecuadorian capital Quito on Wednesday, where he visited the Office for
Refugees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He then met with the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Patricio
Zuquilanda. During their talks, the UN official thanked Ecuador for its tradition of hospitality to refugees and
urged the Minister to continue to receive Colombian refugees in the same humanitarian spirit.
The Assistant High Commissioner also stressed the need to distinguish between people with genuine
protection concerns from people engaged in illegal activities, and assured the minister of UNHCR’s continued
support to Ecuador in the task of providing protection and assistance to refugees, according to the spokesman.
***
Chad
30 January – Declaring that it is in a race against time, the United Nations refugee agency today
issued an urgent appeal for funds for its emergency operation to help up to 135,000 Sudanese who have fled
into barren remote parts of eastern Chad from fighting in their own country.
“So far, we have not received any contributions for the Chad emergency for 2004,” UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Kris Janowski told a news briefing in Geneva. “Funds are
urgently needed because we are in a race against time to relocate refugees from the volatile border area to safer
sites further inside Chad.”
The urgency was underscored yesterday by the bombing of the town of Tine when at least 2 people
were killed and 15 wounded, Mr. Janowski said. UNHCR needs to move up to 110,000 people from the
volatile border area before the start of the rainy season in May when the sandy roads would become
impassable.
Last September the agency appealed for $10.3 million for 2004 to aid some 65,000 refugees. This
figure is currently being revised upwards in light of ongoing new arrivals of refugees, including some 30,000
in December and another 18,000 in January.
Mr. Janowski said the agency is “extremely concerned” about the deteriorating situation in Tine, a
town that straddles the border, which was bombed several times yesterday morning.
Fighting between forces loyal to the Sudanese Government and the Sudan Liberation Movement
(SLM) in the three states of Darfur in the western part of Africa’s largest country has disrupted the livelihood
of an estimated 1 million people, while sending refugees pouring into Chad. Around 40 per cent of them are
severely undernourished children under five.
***
Bird flu
30 January – With a highly contagious strain of bird flu erupting in Asia and fears that in a worst case
scenario it could mutate into a deadly human-to-human infection, the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) today called for speedy mass killing of exposed birds and international aid to farmers hit
by the measures.
“Mass cullings in affected areas are currently considered as the most effective way of stamping out
the highly contagious virus that has so far hit 10 countries in Asia,” the agency’s senior animal production and
health officer, Hans Wagner, said of the measures which have so far resulted in 25 million birds being killed.
“We are, however, concerned that mass cullings are not taking place at a speed we consider
absolutely necessary to contain the virus H5N1 [the current avian flu strain] in the region,” Mr. Wagner added.
Noting that lack of compensation discouraged small producers dependent on chickens and eggs for
their daily income from applying necessary emergency measures, he called on the international community to
urgently address the problem of financial assistance and advice, especially in poorer countries.
“The campaign against avian flu can only be successful if we convince poultry farmers in all affected
countries to apply drastic emergency measures such as cullings,” Mr. Wagner said. “There is a real threat that
the virus may linger on in poorer countries which are without adequate resources to apply control measures.”
28
Only two countries, Viet Nam and Thailand, have so far reported laboratory confirmed cases of bird
flu infection in humans, the former with eight cases, six of them fatal, the latter with three cases, two of them
fatal. None of those involved human-to-human transmission.
But the FAO and UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned earlier this week that the virus
risked evolving into “an efficient and dangerous human pathogen.” If the virus circulates long enough in
humans and farm animals “there is an increased risk that it may evolve into a pandemic influenza strain which
could cause disease worldwide,” they added.
***
Small island developing States
30 January – Ministers and senior government officials meeting in Nassau, Bahamas, today adopted a
Ministerial Declaration reaffirming the validity of the Barbados Programme of Action – a blueprint adopted 10
years ago for the sustainable development of small island developing States (SIDS).
Culminating a weeklong Interregional Preparatory Meeting, the Declaration constitutes a common
platform for the International Conference for the 10-year review of the Barbados Programme of Action for the
Sustainable Development of the Small Island Developing States, to be held in Mauritius from 30 August to 4
September.
The Declaration reaffirms commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a series of
time-bound targets adopted at a 2000 UN Summit aimed at eradicating a range of social ills. It also
acknowledges that small island development States have made some progress in implementing the Programme
of Action “largely through domestic measures, despite the impediments posed by their structural disadvantages
and vulnerabilities.”
But the Declaration voices concern over the weakening economic performance of many of these
countries due in part to their declining trade performance. “We recognize that international trade is important
for the building of resilience and sustainable development of SIDS,” the Ministers state.
Concerned that these nations are unable to effectively participate in multilateral trade negotiations, the
Declaration calls on the World Trade Organization (WTO) to “recognize the special case of SIDS and take
appropriate action.”
Voicing appreciation for support rendered so far, the text notes, however, that not all commitments
have been honoured, while changing internal circumstances are further exacerbating the challenges faced by
SIDS. The Declaration calls for “greater support for and improved coordination among” development partners
for the effective implementation of the Programme of Action.
“We emphasize the urgent needs of small island developing states for new and additional financial
resources, provided in adequate, predictable and timely flows, in order to respond effectively to these
challenges,” the Declaration says.
When the forum opened on Monday, Anwarul K. Chowdhury, the Secretary-General of the Mauritius,
meeting stressed that SIDS, though facing a set of specific challenges, have a great contribution to make to the
global community.
“For the conference in Barbados, our slogan was ‘Small Islands, Big Issues,’” Mr. Chowdhury, who
is also Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked
Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, had said. “For Mauritius, reflecting today’s
realities, I would like to adjust it to say: ‘Small Islands, Big Potential.’”
***
Tobacco
30 January – To stem trends in tobacco use, which currently causes nearly 5 million deaths each year,
healthcare professionals at a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting in Geneva today agreed to promote a
new code of conduct, which includes a pledge to quit smoking.
Smoking prevalence among health professionals in many countries is the same if not higher than the
average of the population, according to WHO. In Albania in 2000, 44 per cent of medical students smoked,
29
compared with 39 per cent of the population. In Saudi Arabia, 20 per cent of the doctors smoke whereas the
average for the population is 13 per cent.
Studies have shown that even brief counselling by health professionals on the dangers of smoking and
importance of quitting is one of the most cost-effective methods of reducing the harmful practice, according to
WHO.
“When it comes to tobacco use, health professionals have the opportunity to help people change their
behaviour,” said Dr. Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, Director of WHO’s Tobacco Free Initiative. “Their
involvement is key to successfully curbing the tobacco epidemic.”
The associations, meeting this week at WHO headquarters in Geneva, represent members in almost
all countries and participants include pharmacists, dentists, nurses, midwifes, chiropractors and physicians.
During the discussions, professionals vowed to strengthen tobacco surveillance and cessation programmes,
ensure access to tobacco-free healthcare facilities and implement education and community advocacy
programmes.
The participants agreed that health professionals should introduce tobacco control in the national
public health agenda, support the signature and ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control (FCTC) by their governments, and back the treaty’s implementation.
The FCTC, adopted in last May, sets out the standards on tobacco-related issues, such as price and tax
increases, illicit trade, labelling, advertising and sponsorship and second-hand smoke. Since its adoption, 87
countries and the European Community have signed it, and six – Fiji, Malta, New Zealand, Norway,
Seychelles and Sri Lanka – have ratified the accord. The treaty will become law 90 days after 40 countries
have signed and ratified it, binding States parties to legislate according to its provisions.
***
UNDP
30 January – Secretary-General Kofi Annan today mourned the death of the United Nations
Development Programme’s (UNDP) top official in Uzbekistan, killed earlier this month in a plane crash,
remembering him as not only a dedicated and talented colleague but also “a thoroughly decent human being.”
In a message to a memorial service for Richard Conroy, who was among those killed when a
passenger airliner crashed on 13 January in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, the Secretary-General described him
as possessing a rare blend of qualities that epitomized the characteristics needed to represent the UN in the
field.
“When I met Richard on a visit to Uzbekistan a year and a half ago, I was impressed by his
commitment to the United Nations’ goals and ideals, his expertise in the work for development, and his
knowledge of the region,” the Secretary-General said in a message delivered by UNDP Administrator Mark
Malloch Brown.
“But I was equally struck by his integrity and engagement, his warmth and generosity of spirit, and
his infallible good cheer,” he added. “Richard’s smile was special, and I know he often used his sense of
humour to ease tensions and encourage those around him in daunting situations.”
The Secretary-General recalled that when Mr. Conroy took up his duties in Uzbekistan in 2001, two
weeks after the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States, he was immediately plunged into one of the
most challenging periods in the history of the region.
“Thanks to his energy and determination, we were able to open the Friendship Bridge to Afghanistan,
allowing crucial humanitarian assistance to flow in from the Uzbek border town of Termez to the Afghan
people in their hour of need,” he said, hailing Mr. Conroy’s ability to ensure the success of that endeavour.
A citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom, Mr. Conroy, 56, joined UNDP in 1990 and served in
China, Sri Lanka and India before assuming his post in Uzbekistan.
* *** *
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DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARYGENERAL AND THE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT
Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Marie Okabe, Associate
Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, and Michéle Montas, Spokeswoman for the General Assembly
President.
Good Afternoon.
I understand we have visiting journalists here today. Welcome to the United Nations, and I hope you
are enjoying your stay here.
**Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General --Special Envoy of the
Secretary-General for Ethiopia and Eritrea
I have a number of statements today. The first one is regarding a Special Envoy of the SecretaryGeneral for Ethiopia and Eritrea:
“The Secretary-General has been very concerned about the lack of progress in the implementation of
the Algiers Agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
“In order to help move the process forward, the Secretary-General offered his good offices to the two
parties, and has appointed Mr. Lloyd Axworthy, former Foreign Minister of Canada, as his Special Envoy for
Ethiopia and Eritrea.
“The Secretary-General hopes that, in carrying out this important assignment, the Special Envoy will
enjoy the full cooperation of all parties concerned.”
We have copies of Mr. Axworthy’s bio in the Spokesman’s office.
**Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General -- Agreement reached by Somali
Leaders
The second statement we have is on Somalia:
“The Secretary-General welcomed the agreement of Somali leaders on a transitional charter signed in
Nairobi on 29 January. He encourages Somali leaders to build on the progress achieved and swiftly conclude
the Somali National Reconciliation Conference with the establishment of an inclusive government.
“The Secretary-General warmly commends President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, President Yoweri
Museveni of Uganda, other leaders of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and
international supporters of the Somali National Reconciliation Conference for their perseverance to help
Somalis reach national reconciliation.”
Also on the topic of Somalia, the top UN official there today strongly condemned the abduction of a
UN staff member and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
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German national Rolf Helmrich was abducted yesterday morning, approximately 45 kilometres north
of Kismayo.
**Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General --Latest developments in
Venezuela
The third statement we have is on Venezuela:
“The Secretary-General is following with special interest the latest developments in Venezuela and
welcomes the constructive attitude of all parties in the search for a constitutional solution, as established in the
agreement of 29 May 2003 signed by the Government and the opposition Coordinadora Democratica.
“In this context, the Secretary-General welcomes the decision of the National Electoral Council
(CNE) to involve international observers in its ongoing work, an important element in ensuring a peaceful,
electoral, and constitutional solution to the country’s political impasse.”
**SG Travels
The Secretary-General today concluded his official visit to Belgium with a meeting with Prime
Minister Guy Verhofstadt and a dozen senior members of his Government, including Foreign Minister Louis
Michel.
In the hour-long meeting, they discussed the situation in Iraq; the Secretary-General made a strong
pitch for troop contributions to peacekeeping operations; and they had a detailed overview of the subject of
UN reform.
At a press encounter afterwards, the Secretary-General was first asked about Cyprus. He said he had
had a good meeting last night with his excellency Tassos Papadopoulos, who indicated his determination to
proceed with renewed talks with the Turkish Cypriots. The Secretary-General said he had not yet heard from
the Turkish Cypriots, but he had spoken last night with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who said that the
United States would be supportive of the process.
Asked about the Middle East, the Secretary-General said the situation there is extremely worrying,
with many people killed over the last several days. He added, “I have always condemned without reservation
suicide bombings that take innocent lives, and have also indicated that we need to be active and energize our
efforts to find a way of bringing the parties to the table”.
He sent his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of all those who lost loved ones and
those who have been injured. “But the only solution to this”, he said, “is to focus on peace”. We have the
transcript of his comments upstairs.
Later, the Secretary-General flew to Geneva, where he is now and where he will meet with the
Presidents of Brazil, Chile and France on a fresh initiative to combat global hunger and poverty. They are also
expected to issue a joint declaration and to attend a public meeting to unveil the plan. We will have copies of
that upstairs as soon as they are ready.
**Security Council
Here, the Security Council this morning, in a series of formal meetings, unanimously voted to extend
the mandates of three UN peacekeeping missions, which were due to expire at the end of the month. The
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Council granted a three-month extension of the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara, until the end of
April. It also voted to extend the missions in Georgia and in Lebanon by six months, until the end of July.
Following the adoption of the three resolutions on the peacekeeping operations, the Security Council
has gone into experts’ level consultations to discuss a draft resolution regarding measures dealing with Al
Qaeda and the Taliban. [She announced later that 4 p.m. consultations had been scheduled to discuss the draft
resolution.]
Today is the last day of the Chilean Presidency of the Security Council, and China will take over the
Council Presidency as of February the 1st.
**SG/UNMIK Report
The Secretary-General’s latest report to the Security Council on the UN Mission in Kosovo is out on
the racks today. In it, the Secretary-General notes that while there has been progress in some areas, such as the
preparation of legislation at both the central and local levels of self-government in Kosovo, much remains to
be done. He notes that one of the areas of concern is that the Kosovo Assembly is again refusing to take into
account the legitimate concerns of minority groups and is over-stepping its competencies. We have copies of
that on the racks upstairs.
**International Criminal Court
And yesterday in London, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo,
said he has determined that there is sufficient basis to plan for the first investigation of the Court, dealing with
allegations against Uganda’s rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The determination to initiate an
investigation will take place in the coming months.
Moreno Ocampo met yesterday with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who wanted to establish a
basis for Ugandan cooperation with the Court, including the key issue of locating and arresting the LRA
leadership. The Court put out a press release yesterday afternoon and that has a lot more details than this.
**UNHCR: Ecuador/Colombia
Turning to a few matters regarding refugees. After visiting Colombia, the Assistant High
Commissioner for Refugees, Kamel Morjane, is in neighbouringEcuador to review the situation of some 7,000
refugees and 2,000 asylum seekers who come mainly from Colombia. You can read more about that in the
UNHCR briefing notes upstairs.
**UNHCR/Sudan
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, is urgently appealing for funds to help up to 135,000 Sudanese
refugees in the border area with Chad. UNHCR says it’s racing against time to relocate refugees to safer areas
inside Chad. Its call comes amid a bombing attack that we reported on yesterday to you.
**FAO/Bird flu
The success of eradication of bird flu in affected countries in Asia will depend heavily on mass
cullings, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says. You can read more about that upstairs.
33
**Conference on Small Islands wraps up in Bahamas
And the interregional meeting of Small Island Developing States is wrapping up in the Bahamas
today, with delegates evaluating how much has been achieved since the Barbados Programme of Action was
agreed upon in 1994. We expect a final statement on this later today.
**The Week Ahead at the United Nations
We have upstairs The Week Ahead for your planning purposes for next week.
**UN Holiday
And just to remind you that Monday is the Eid Holiday and United Nations Headquarters will be
closed. The Spokesman’s office will be staffed at regular weekend holiday staffing levels and there will be a
duty officer.
**Guest at Noon -– Tuesday
And finally, on Tuesday our guest at the noon briefing will be Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Ethiopia/Eritrea, who will be joining us to brief you on the work of
the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE).
And that’s what I have for you today. Before I turn to Michéle, Bennie and then Mark.
Questions and Answers
Question: The Israeli Ambassador was here earlier. Perhaps you’ve heard that he’s dissatisfied with
the response the Secretary-General had to the bombing in Israel. Also, he said that perhaps the SecretaryGeneral didn’t actually sign off on that. He speculated that it may have been somebody else that wrote it for
him. Can you shed any light on that?
Associate Spokesperson: Well, let’s start at the top. There has been no change in UN policy on these
issues. The Secretary-General has consistently and strongly condemned all acts of terrorism from whatever
quarter, including the suicide bombing in Israel yesterday. Today, I’d like to refer you to his remarks, which I
quoted from already, and from there you can tell that what he is saying, which I echoed earlier on. And in it,
he says he sends his deepest sympathy and condolences. And he says he has always condemned without
reservation suicide bombings that take innocent lives, and have also indicated that we need to be active and
energize our efforts to find a way of bringing the parties to the table. His main message being that he is doing
everything he can to stop the killings.
On your second question about the statement, I think Fred Eckhard has mentioned to you in his past
briefings that the Secretary-General does see and read and sign off on everything that he reads in public. Yes?
Mark was first and then...
Question: Just regarding the appointment of Lloyd Axworthy. So, have the Eritreans dropped their
objections to that?
34
Associate Spokesperson: In the appointment, as you saw, the Secretary-General calls on all parties
for their cooperation. I can’t get into what the procedure was along the way. But the fact that we have made
the appointment clearly is an indication that he wants this process to move forward.
Question: I know, but Eritrea has been extremely vocal saying it did not accept the appointment of
this representative because they didn’t believe that there was anything to talk about. Has anything changed?
Have the Eritreans transmitted any change of stance on that or do they still oppose the appointment?
Associate Spokesperson: I think you have to ask the Eritreans that.
Question: Have they transmitted anything to you?
Associate Spokesperson: I have not heard anything recently, no. Yes?
Question: How concerned, if at all, is the Secretariat about the criticism made earlier today by the
Israeli Ambassador?
Associate Spokesperson: Well, first of all, the press conference finished just minutes before I walked
in here. So, I can’t give you an account of how the Secretariat would feel. I think the position that I just stated
sums up what the Secretary-General feels and how the UN feels; that that one statement does not make a
policy and that what the Secretary-General said before; what he will say from here on out on his views, which
have always been consistent, will always stand.
Question: But is there a feeling that such criticism, which has become recurrent, could push the UN
to review that policy?
Associate Spokesperson: As I said, the press conference just ended now. I don’t have any read out
from anybody directly right now on the exact words from the previous press conference. All I can tell you
again is that the Secretary-General and the United Nations feel that our position is fair and balanced and the
central focus of the Secretary-General’s efforts in this region are to stop the killings and to focus on peace. I
mean, that’s what he is working towards. Yes? Warren and then David?
Question: On this same subject. I spoke to the Israeli Ambassador after the press conference and told
him of the press briefing today in Brussels that you read from. It was the first that he’d heard about it. So, we
have a timing thing here going on. I guess what my question is, to ask you, could you do something for us,
which is: Can we get to Fred Eckhard, or to the Secretary-General, to say this statement has now come after
the one you’ve made in Brussels. Will there be any further response from the Secretary-General? This is
rather direct, this statement here, and it’s critical of the statement yesterday, which is pretty much the same
statement that came out today from Brussels. So, can we expect to get another answer from the SecretaryGeneral or his entourage to this rather direct accusation?
Associate Spokesperson: No.
Question: You said ‘No?’
Associate Spokesperson: No. David?
Question: It’s the same as Warren’s but I’ll try it a little bit differently and hope we get a different
answer. The Israeli Ambassador clearly said he would be happy if the Secretary-General found it right to
35
condemn the massacre in the strongest terms possible. And I am a little bit unsure about the timing itself. But
should the statement that came out of Brussels be considered that condemnation of what the Israeli
Ambassador called the massacre in stronger terms, or did the timing happen so as this statement came before
the SG was in touch with the Israeli Government over their concerns?
Associate Spokesperson: The remarks that the SG made today in Brussels were made this morning at
a press encounter in…(Inaudible interruption)
Question: …in the region that they could have…(Inaudible)
Associate Spokesperson: I am just giving you a time line. He made the remarks in Brussels this
morning when he was asked about his comments on the Middle East in which he gave the remarks that you see
in the press and what I have quoted from them and from what we have upstairs. The press conference just
occurred now. The Secretary-General is obviously not aware of the exact wording that was used in this press
conference here… (Interrupted)
Question: Yet, he is in touch with the (Inaudible) before or prior to this press conference either in the
region or on the telephone, where the concerns of the Israeli Government might have been relayed to him.
Associate Spokesperson: He is in constant touch with the parties in the Middle East and his only aim
in doing that is bring peace to the Middle East. His focus is on peace. And I think what we’re saying here is
that one press statement does not make a policy. If you look at his words and his deeds before, today and after,
you will see that his only objective and the only objective that he is working towards in this region is to make
the parties focus on peace.
Question: But Marie, about what you said, ‘One press statement does not make a policy’, to what
extent are you implying here that that press statement might have been a little bit miscalculated?
Associate Spokesperson: I am not commenting on whether the press statement was miscalculated. I
am simply stating the policy of the Secretary-General and the position of the United Nations regarding its
quest for peace in the Middle East. Yes?
Question: Marie, I’ve been following those statements on bus bombings and Israeli responses in the
end, whichever way you want to characterize them, forever. I’ve never seen such a tepid and non-responsive
statement as the one that you initially came up with. It’s clearly the exception to the rule of what the
Secretary-General has been saying in the past. What led to that kind of exception? That’s the question I think
that everybody here wants to know about.
Associate Spokesperson: I don’t think we’re going to get into how a statement was written and the
details of that. The statement came out, as you know, it was issued in Brussels. We read it here. Subsequent
to that, the Secretary-General has gone public. He has condemned without reservation suicide bombings. And
again I said that he has consistently and strongly condemned all acts of terrorism and from whatever quarter.
He has described them and will continue to describe suicide bombings as morally repugnant and as I said, one
press statement does not make a policy.
Question: It’s a different press statement, which means that it may indicate a change of policy
because it is such a different statement than in the past.
Associate Spokesperson: I repeat; there’s been no change in UN policy on these issues. Yes?
36
Question: On Iraq, the Secretary-General made a comment that the (Inaudible) should be going with
the UN. Does this mean that the security team is already there…? (Inaudible)
Associate Spokesperson: The security team arrived early this week. It is doing its work. It’s doing
its work on schedule.
Question: (Inaudible)
Associate Spokesperson: The green light of sending in an electoral team will be based on the findings
of the report from the security team to the Secretary-General. And he will make that determination. I have
said previously, that because this involves the security of staff, we will not be reporting in advance if and when
these movements of staff are going to be and that we simply probably will be able to confirm to you once an
event has occurred.
Question: Any…(Inaudible) about the CPA…?
Associate Spokesperson: No. Any other questions?
Question: How large is the electoral assistance team likely to be and how long are they likely to be in
Iraq for?
Associate Spokesperson: I can’t answer that. The Secretary-General will have to decide that based
on the findings from the security assessment team, which is currently conducting its work in Iraq.
Question: Is the UN going to be doing any mediation in terms of political (inaudible) between the
Coalition Provisional Authority and (inaudible)
Associate Spokesperson: I don’t think we’re going to get into any details of this electoral assessment
team again until the Secretary-General decides in what form, when it is going, etc.
Question: Any statement about personnel of that team?
Associate Spokesperson: Excuse me?
Question: About personnel? Who will be in that team?
Associate Spokesperson: Not yet. Yes, Akram?
Question: When do you think the United Nations is going to be involved in this Middle East
problem?
Associate Spokesperson: Excuse me?
Question: When is the UN going to be involved definitely for this Road Map, so called Road Map?
37
Associate Spokesperson: As you know, the Secretary-General has been devoting a great deal of
energy throughout his term in office involved in trying to bring peace; to bring the parties to focus on peace in
the Middle East. He has been involved for as long as he has been here.
Question: Any updates?
Associate Spokesperson: Nothing new today. As there are no more questions, I would like to turn
over to Michéle.
Spokeswoman for General Assembly President
Thank you Marie and good afternoon.
About the General Assembly, this morning informal consultations were held in the Assembly on
suggested reforms of the Security Council. President Hunte, as Chairman of the “Open-ended working Group
on the question of equitable representation on, and increase in the Membership of the Security Council” had
previously submitted an informal note that was discussed this morning. All permanent representatives were
invited to participate and a large number contributed to the debate today.
President Hunte stressed his intention to ensure that the momentum on reform that was started last
year is maintained and intensified over the coming months. The informal note that was circulated this week on
Security Council reform takes stock of where the debate stands on the issue of Council reform since the
General Assembly established the working group in 1993. The working group has been considering two sets
of issues.
The first set is concerned with the expansion of the Council; that is categories of membership, nonpermanent and permanent, and the size of the enlarged Council, and with decision making in the Security
Council, including the veto. It should be noted that the number of non-permanent members of the Security
Council was increased from 11 to 15 in 1963.
The second cluster of issues deals with the working methods of the Security Council and the
transparency of its work.
In his statement this morning, President Hunte noted that the outcome of the working group’s
deliberations to date has been somewhat of a disappointment. The President of the session appealed to
influential Member States to give new impetus to Security Council reforms, noting that the provisions of the
Charter give a very small number of Member States an important role to play in Security Council matters. He
also underlined the desire of most Member States to continue to be involved in the process. President Hunte
also asked in his remarks this morning: “What is the role of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Eminent Persons
on our deliberations?” He noted that the Panel was not set up by the General Assembly nor did the Assembly
determine its terms of reference. “We have not been asked by the Secretary-General to suspend our work
while the Panel deliberates. It is unclear if and how the Panel will specifically deal with issues of Security
Council reform. And, it is uncertain when the Assembly will receive information on the deliberations and
conclusions of the Panel.”
President Julian Hunte has asked the Permanent Representative of Ecuador H.E. Mr. Luis Gallegos
Chiriboga and the Permanent Representative of Lichtenstein, H.E. Mr. Christian Wenaweser to be vice chairs
of the open-ended working group on Security Council reform.
38
“This is undoubtedly the year of reform”, President Julian Hunte said at a recent European Union
lunch. He was referring to two parallel processes taking place right now in the General Assembly, as the
General Assembly is also pursuing its work on revitalization after the resolution it adopted last December.
I will get a chance in the next few days to brief you on that one issue. I also want to attract your
attention this morning on the work of the Interregional Preparatory Meeting onSmall Island Developing States
that is to conclude its work today, in theBahamas, as Marie mentioned. Speaking earlier this week in Nassau,
President Hunte said to some 300 representatives of small islands, including several ministers, many donor
countries, UN officials, experts and non-governmental organizations, that thefocus must now change, to
empowering small island developing States to implement policies that put them on a straight path to
sustainable development.
“Our small size and small populations force most of us into the role of importers, especially in the
vital areas of food and energy; but we have little or no control over the prices of these imports”, said President
Hunte. “We live”, he said, “in a world where the rights of shareholders in a multinational corporation are
judged to have priority over the rights of banana growers in the eastern Caribbean, and entire economies are
thrown into total collapse to protect these rights”.
The Bahamas forum has been addressing pressing issues for small islands such as the rising level of
seas due to global warming, vulnerability to cyclones, trade, tourism, freshwater, energy, transport and
communications, good governance and HIV/AIDS.
The week-long meeting in Nassau is part of the preparatory process for a meeting slated for later this
year in Mauritius to review progress since the adoption, in 1994, of the Barbados Programme of Action for the
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.
You will be briefed on the outcome of the Interregional Preparatory Meeting (Bahamas) and on the
forthcoming International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Mauritius on Tuesday afternoon
by Mr. Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Secretary-General of the Conference.
This is all I have for you. Thank you.
* *** *
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