DAILY HIGHLIGHTS FOR: 14 February 1996
Press Release
DH/2081
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS FOR: 14 February 1996
19960214 * Two senior Bosnian Serb military officers detained by International Criminal Tribunal might provide important information on other investigations, says Prosecutor.* Over 13,000 UNITA soldiers register at quartering sites; more than 2,000 troops from Angolan Government's rapid reaction force also quartered.
* United Nations-sponsored Guatemalan peace talks to resume next week in Mexico City; Secretary-General urges parties to show flexibility.
* Huairou Commission established to ensure Habitat II preparations and follow-up are gender sensitive.
* UNESCO announces world solar summit will be held in Zimbabwe next September; to promote greater use of renewable and non-polluting energies.
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Two senior Bosnian Serb military officers, detained by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, might be able to provide investigators with important information relevant to other inquiries, according to Prosecutor, Justice Richard Goldstone. However, it was premature to speculate on how, if at all, they could help, he said. General Djordje Djukic and Colonel Aleksa Krsmanovic, who had been transferred from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Tribunal's detention centre in The Hague, were suspected of serious violations of international humanitarian law. They had been transferred after being formally summoned for questioning under Tribunal rules which did not specify how long people might be held in custody in such circumstances. However, prolonged, pre-trial detention was only possible after a person had been indicted. Therefore, further urgent inquiries were being undertaken and questioning had begun, he added.
Justice Goldstone said the two men would be questioned in the presence of their own counsel and assisted by an interpreter, if they wished. They had
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already been informed of their right to remain silent. He stressed that his policy was to investigate and prosecute those who might be responsible for war crimes, irrespective of their political or ethnic group. Investigations were evidence-driven, and he welcomed information on all crimes and all persons who might be responsible. For this reason, he was eager to open a liaison office in Belgrade and was concerned that, while the authorities had agreed in principle, his staff had not received permission to take up their posts. He welcomed the Bosnian Government's announcement that it would only arrest and detain persons for serious humanitarian violations -- other than those indicted -- after a decision by the International Tribunal.
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In Angola, 13,368 soldiers from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) have registered at four quartering sites, and approximately 12,000 of them had turned in their weapons, a United Nations spokesman said today. According to an agreement between the parties, some 16,500 UNITA troops should have been quartered by 8 February. On the government side, 2,179 soldiers out of a declared strength of 2,445 troops from its rapid reaction force were quartered in three different sites yesterday.
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The Guatemalan Government and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) will resume negotiations in Mexico City on 22 and 23 February, a United Nations spokesman said today. At their first meeting, the parties will continue consideration of the social and economic aspects of the agrarian situation in the country. The United Nations invited the parties to resume talks following the Government's appointment of its negotiating commission earlier this week.
Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has urged the parties to show flexibility in their negotiations and to respond to hopes in Guatemala and the international community that rapid progress will be made at the negotiation table, the spokesman said. The Secretary-General reiterated his willingness to help the parties build on the agreements already concluded and promptly reach a comprehensive and lasting peace.
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A new advisory body has been created to ensure women's concerns are addressed during preparations for the upcoming United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II). Named the Huairou Commission, after the Chinese city which hosted the non-governmental forum for the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Commission will advise the Secretary-General of Habitat II, Wally N'Dow, on gender issues during Conference preparations and
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follow-up. Mr. N'Dow told correspondents today the Commission would build on the experience and commitment of the Beijing Conference. Habitat II's goal of adequate shelter for all in the context of a sustainable human settlements would be meaningless unless the world community moved forward hand-in-hand with women, he added.
The Huairou Commission's mandate is to highlight women's concerns in the creation of human settlements; ensure Habitat II's agenda reflects their central decision-making roles and responsibilities; develop a programme so women's organizational capacity can build on Habitat II's results; and identify and establish a "Best Practices" which reflect women's concerns and input. Mr. N'Dow said the Commission would be made up of women with exceptional experience and its establishment had received support from the United Nations community, governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and the youth movement.
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A world solar summit to promote greater use of renewable and non- polluting energies will be held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in September, a representative of the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) announced yesterday. Mr. Alfatih I. Hama told the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development that preparations were being overseen by the world solar commission. It is chaired by Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, and made up of 15 heads of State and government serving in their personal capacities.
Mr. Hama said a series of technical and ministerial-level meetings had been organized in all regions to identify priorities. He reiterated UNESCO's invitation for the Committee to associate itself with the world solar programme and consider the summit's results. Several Committee experts asked for information on financial aspects of the summit; whether it would concentrate on research and development or education and United Nations support. One expert said he had detected a lack of interest in the summit by developed countries and feared it could turn into a gathering of only developing countries.
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