GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMENDS OAU EFFORTS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS IN AFRICA

13 December 1996

Press Release
GA/9203

GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMENDS OAU EFFORTS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS IN AFRICA

19961213 Texts on Mine Clearance, Special Economic Assistance, Cooperation Between UN and International Organization for Migration Also Adopted

The General Assembly this afternoon commended the efforts of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to resolve conflicts in Africa, as well as its work to strengthen its capacity in the fields of conflict resolution and prevention, by adopting, without a vote, a text on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU.

The Assembly also called for strengthening mechanisms for information exchange between the United Nations and the OAU in areas such as preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping operations, under the terms of the resolution, which was one of several acted upon without a vote.

Further, by the 28-operative-paragraph text, the Assembly invited the United Nations to support such OAU efforts as the development of an early- warning system and the coordination of information exchange between the United Nations and the OAU's respective early-warning systems.

By a text on cooperation between the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Assembly noted with satisfaction the completion of the Cooperation Agreement between the two organizations. The Secretary-General was invited to take measures, in consultation with the IOM Director-General, to ensure effective cooperation and liaison between the two organizations.

Adopting a resolution on assistance in mine clearance, the Assembly welcomed the support the United Nations had provided for the development of mine-clearance capacities in countries where mines threaten the safety, health and lives of the population. States and organizations were urged to cooperate with those efforts through the exchange of information and technology on mine clearance and to support scientific research on humanitarian mine-clearance methods and low-cost technologies.

Also this afternoon, the Assembly called on States, the donor community, and international organizations to provide assistance to five specific States or regions, as follows:

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-- In the Comoros, assistance was called for to help the Government in repairing damage caused by the act of aggression in 1995 when an army of international mercenaries invaded the Comoros and overthrew the President of the Republic;

-- In Somalia, assistance was requested for, among others, efforts to rehabilitate basic social and economic services, as well as institution- building aimed at the restoration of civil administration at the local level in areas where security and stability prevail;

-- Assistance to Rwanda was requested to help reintegrate returning refugees, restore total peace, reconstruction and socio-economic development; support was also requested for rehabilitation in the areas of education, health, justice, security and public infrastructure; and

-- Economic and social assistance for the Palestinian people was called for to assist with the development of the West Bank and Gaza, and the dispersement of assistance already pledged was urged.

By another text, the Assembly urged the provision of financial, material and technical assistance needed to develop the capacity of the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to reconstruct, rehabilitate and develop their economies.

In addition, during the Assembly's review this afternoon of the situation in Afghanistan, the representative of Germany introduced a two-part draft resolution on international assistance for Afghanistan and the implication of the situation in that country on international peace and security.

Statements during the discussion on Afghanistan were made by the representatives of the Russian Federation, Iran, Japan, Afghanistan, India, Ireland, United States, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan. The observer for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) also spoke.

The representatives of the Comoros, Djibouti, Congo, Rwanda and Ireland (for the European Union and associated States) spoke during the discussion of humanitarian assistance. The representative of Israel spoke in explanation of position.

Statements relating to the IOM were made by the representatives of Portugal, Pakistan, Philippines and the observer for that organization. On mine clearance, the representative of Ireland spoke and the representatives of China and Cuba spoke in explanation of position. The representative of Congo spoke in connection to cooperation with the OAU.

The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 16 December, to take up the reports of its Sixth Committee (Legal), as well as reports of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), on the financing of United Nations peace-keeping operations.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this afternoon to consider several items, including cooperation between the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration, assistance in mine clearance, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and its implication for international peace and security, and election of the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

In addition, it was scheduled to take action on reports of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) relating to the financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM).

Other matters scheduled to be taken up included the following: action on draft resolutions related to special economic assistance to the Comoros, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo, as well as to assistance to the Palestinian people; a draft relating to cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU); and recommendations of the Fifth Committee on the financing of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES), and the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP). (For background information on those items, see Press Release GA/9199 of 12 December.)

Cooperation with IOM

The Assembly had before it a draft resolution relating to a new item on its agenda: cooperation between the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) (document A/51/L.53).

By the terms of the draft, the Assembly would take note of, with satisfaction, the Cooperation Agreement between the two organizations concluded in June. The Secretary-General would be invited to take measures, in consultation with the IOM Director-General, to ensure effective cooperation and liaison between the secretariats of the two organizations to ensure complementary actions. The Secretary-General would also be requested to foster systematic consultations on matters of common interest. The United Nations system would be invited to initiate, maintain and increase consultation and programmes with the IOM.

The draft is sponsored by Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Italy, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines and Portugal.

Mine Clearance

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Also before the Assembly is a draft resolution on assistance in mine clearance (document A/51/L.44). By its terms, the Assembly would welcome the efforts made by the United Nations to foster the establishment of mine- clearance capacities in countries where mines constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the local population. Emphasizing the importance of developing national mine-clearance capacities, the Assembly would urge Member States with the capacity do so to assist afflicted countries in developing national mine-clearance capacities.

Also by the draft, Member States would be invited to develop national programmes, in cooperation with the relevant bodies of the United Nations, to promote awareness of land mines, especially among children. They would also be asked to provide the necessary information and technical and material assistance and to locate, remove, destroy or otherwise render ineffective minefields, mines, booby-traps and other devices in accordance with international law.

In addition, States, organizations and foundations would be urged to continue to extend full assistance and cooperation to the Secretary-General in areas such as the provision of information and resources to strengthen the coordination role of the United Nations in mine-clearance efforts. Member States and international organizations would be urged to promote technological assistance, scientific research and the development on humanitarian mine- clearance techniques and low-cost technologies. They would also be urged to continue to support ongoing activities to promote appropriate technology, as well as international operational and safety standards for humanitarian mine- clearance activities.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Togo, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

(For background information on the item on assistance in mine clearance, see Press Release GA/9185 of 5 December.)

Situation in Afghanistan

The Secretary-General's report on emergency assistance to Afghanistan (document A/51/704) states that the protracted conflict in that country has

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had grave implications for the general population. The fighting has produced a refugee population of at least 6 million people, most of whom have been relocated to camps in Pakistan and Iran. Of the approximately 4 million that have been repatriated, many have returned to homes that have been destroyed, fields that have been rendered incapable of agricultural production, and water supplies that have been polluted. Within the country itself, up to 500,000 Afghans have been forced to relocate in the last two years.

According to the report, until the beginning of September, Afghanistan was under the control of five main factions: the Taliban, which possesses control of 14 provinces in the southern, south-western and western parts of the country; the Government forces of Burhanuddin Rabbani and the chief military commander Ahmad Shah Masoud in control of Kabul and its neighbouring five provinces in the north-east; General Rashid Dostum and allies in six provinces mainly in the north of the country; the Hajji Abdul Qadir-led shura in control of the three eastern provinces; and the Hezb-e-Wahdat, which controls Bamyan and parts of the Ghor provinces in central Afghanistan.

Fighting in September between the Taliban and Government forces around Kabul blocked the main supply road from Jalalabad and caused an acute shortage of food and fuel, the report goes on. In mid-September, the Taliban took control of Jalalabad and by 27 September had entered Kabul, taking control from Rabbani's forces with only minor resistance.

It is estimated that up to 10 million land-mines are still buried in Afghanistan, preventing the safe and efficient implementation of humanitarian programmes, the return of internally displaced persons and the reclamation of fields for agricultural production, says the Secretary-General. Preventable communicable diseases are the leading cause of death among Afghan children. Malnutrition, for example, affects between 15 and 20 per cent of all children under the age of five.

Also, the basic welfare of women has deteriorated considerably. Afghanistan is now listed as the last of the 130 countries on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) gender development index, which measures female literacy, life expectancy and school enrolment. In the two thirds of Afghanistan that is controlled by the Taliban, girls are generally denied access to education and women are denied access to work.

Infant, childhood and maternal mortality rates are also cause for concern, the report states. For every 1,000 infants born, it is estimated that 182 die, while 257 out of every 1,000 children die before they reach the age of five. Some 1,700 mothers die for every 100,000 that give birth and only 12 per cent of pregnant women have access to the most basic health care. Furthermore, there is an acute shortage of health personnel at all levels. Only 5 per cent of the rural population and at best only 40 per cent of the urban population have access to safe drinking water. In the past two years

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Afghanistan has had typhoid and cholera epidemics, while pneumonia threatens the majority of children.

The provision of humanitarian relief assistance is critical for the survival of the most vulnerable people of Afghanistan in the short term, says the Secretary-General. A political settlement and peace could have a real impact on the results of the humanitarian work undertaken by the aid agencies. To avert a further worsening of the humanitarian situation during the coming winter, particularly for the poorest residents of Kabul, there is an urgent need to replenish depleted food stocks, fuel and medical supplies.

A number of incidents in Kabul since the Taliban took control have raised serious concerns about the safety and security of United Nations staff, both local and international, the report continues. Some local staff have been apprehended and subjected to harassment, while United Nations premises and some residences of international staff members have been encroached upon. The authorities throughout Afghanistan, particularly in Kabul, are urged to exercise restraint and to respect the privileges and immunities of United Nations staff and their personal property in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the rules of international law.

The report states that the severe restrictions on women's access to work and girls' access to education, in areas controlled by the Taliban, have had a negative impact on the implementation of humanitarian programmes. Some activities, specifically involving female workers and targeting women beneficiaries, have been suspended. That continues to be a matter of serious concern to the United Nations, and it is hoped that the concerned Afghan authorities will respect the rights of all the Afghan people.

The Secretary-General calls upon the international donor community to continue to provide voluntary contributions in support of the humanitarian assistance programmes in Afghanistan in order to maintain essential activities of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, as well as other humanitarian initiatives there.

The Secretary-General goes on to review in detail humanitarian assistance efforts relating to the internally displaced, mine clearance, voluntary repatriation of refugees, food aid, water supply and sanitation, nutrition, and related issues concerning women and children. Coordination of humanitarian programmes and rehabilitation and development activities are also reviewed.

Reporting on the implications of the Afghan situation on international peace and security, as well as the progress of the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan (document A/51/698-S/1996/988), the Secretary-General discusses recent political, military and other developments. Talks initiated by the head of the Special Mission have focused on the urgency of breaking the deadlock between the parties and the need to cooperate with the United

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Nations, beginning with an immediate cease-fire. The Secretary-General calls on the head of the Mission to press the leaders of the warring factions to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities and to begin serious negotiations, through the good offices of the United Nations.

Parallel to the efforts of the Special Mission, 19 nations from the regional and other interested States, as well as the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), met in New York in November at the invitation of the Secretary-General. Participants in the one-day meeting were briefed on the current political and humanitarian efforts of the United Nations in Afghanistan. The group also discussed what additional support could be rendered, particularly with regard to the conclusion of a cease-fire and the initiation of a political process leading to a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan. The Member States invited, all of whom accepted the invitation, were China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan.

All participants agreed that the situation was intolerable in terms of the suffering it caused on the population and the threats it posed to regional stability, as well as regional drug trafficking, illegal arms trade and terrorism. They also confirmed that the United Nations had a central role to play in helping the Afghan parties define and implement a peace process, in close consultation with the OIC. Unanimously pledging support to the continued work of the Special Mission, participants agreed to close coordination between their own mediating efforts and those of the United Nations.

Responding to requests of the Secretary-General, participants also indicated that they would use their influence with the various factions to persuade them to give up the military option and join in the common search for a negotiated peace. They also agreed to remain ready, individually or collectively, to help the United Nations efforts when so requested. There was widespread support for the convening of an international conference to assist negotiations and endorse their results, with a number of delegations offering to host such a conference and/or earlier direct negotiations between the Afghan parties.

The Secretary-General states his intention to convene further informal meetings of the group from time to time at various levels. The Special Mission would lead the United Nations efforts to help bring peace to Afghanistan by assisting the parties in negotiating a broad-based settlement. The Secretary-General has already taken steps to strengthen the Mission by appointing four additional political affairs officers and he proposes increasing the Mission's military advisers from two to five. The Secretary- General also proposes assigning two civilian police advisers to the Mission in

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connection with current discussions between the Afghan parties about the establishment of a neutral force to police a demilitarized Kabul.

In cooperation with the United Nations agencies and programmes operating in Afghanistan, the Special Mission will continue to raise issues of equal treatment, the observance of human rights, and the unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the needy. The Mission will also insist on strict respect for the privileges and immunities of United Nations staff and premises. The Secretary-General calls for the Assembly's endorsement of his proposed approach, including the additions to the strength of the Special Mission.

Also before the Assembly is a two-part draft resolution addressing, firstly, international assistance for Afghanistan; and, secondly, the implication of the situation in Afghanistan on international peace and security (document A/51/L.49).

Relating to international assistance for Afghanistan, the draft would have the Assembly request the Secretary-General to authorize the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan to continue its efforts to facilitate national reconciliation and reconstruction in that country. The Secretary- General would also be asked to develop plans for national reconstruction and rehabilitation beginning in areas of peace and security.

The Assembly would call upon the leaders of all Afghan parties to place the highest priority on national reconciliation, acknowledging the war- weariness of the Afghan people and their desire for rehabilitation, reconstruction and economic and social development. It would demand that all Afghan parties fulfil their obligations and honour their commitments regarding the safety and full freedom of movement of United Nations personnel and other international personnel, as well as the security of their premises in Afghanistan. It would also demand that the parties cooperate fully with the United Nations, associated bodies and humanitarian organizations in their efforts to respond to the humanitarian needs of the people of Afghanistan. It would call upon the parties not to hamper the delivery of humanitarian assistance, while expressing grave concern at the indiscriminate use of land- mines in Afghanistan.

Also by the draft, the Assembly would urgently appeal to all States, United Nations bodies and international organizations to continue to provide, on a priority basis, and as far as conditions on the ground permit, all possible financial, technical and material assistance. That assistance would be utilized for the restoration of the basic services and the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and the voluntary, safe and secure return of refugees and internally displaced persons, with dignity and honour. It would appeal to the international financial and development institutions to assist in the planning of the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Also, the international community would

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be called on to respond to the inter-agency consolidated appeal for emergency humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan.

Further, by the draft, the Assembly would denounce the discrimination against girls and women and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Afghanistan, and note with deep concern possible repercussions on international relief and reconstruction programmes in Afghanistan.

Addressing the implications to international peace and security, the draft would have the Assembly stress that the main responsibility for finding a political solution to the conflict lies with the Afghan parties. The Assembly would call upon those parties to cease immediately all armed hostilities, to renounce the use of force, to put aside their differences and to engage in a political dialogue aimed at achieving national reconciliation, a lasting political settlement, and establishing a fully representative and broad-based transitional government of national unity.

While calling on the Afghan parties to cooperate with the United Nations Special Mission, the Assembly would demand that all Afghan parties fulfil their obligations and honour their commitments regarding the safety and full freedom of movement of United Nations personnel, in particular the personnel of the United Nations Special Mission, as well as the security of their premises in Afghanistan. States and international organizations would be urged to take all steps necessary to promote peace in Afghanistan, to support the United Nations efforts to that end and to use any influence they have to encourage the parties to cooperate fully with the Special Mission.

The Secretary-General would be requested to authorize the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan to continue its efforts to facilitate national reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan, specifically to mediate an end to the conflict and to facilitate the implementation of a comprehensive peaceful settlement, to be agreed upon by the Afghan parties. Such a settlement would include the following elements: an immediate and durable cease-fire among the Afghan parties, to be supervised by a commission composed of representatives of all the warring parties, facilitated by the United Nations and the OIC; and the demilitarization of Kabul, with adequate safeguards to ensure security and public order.

Such a settlement would also include a provision on the establishment of a broad-based and fully representative authoritative council, with authority to: create and control a national security force to provide for security and oversee the demobilization of all the warring parties through the collection and safeguarding of all heavy weapons in the country, and to stop the flow of arms and of equipment related to arms production to the parties; and to form a fully representative and broad-based transitional government which would control the national security force and create conditions for free and fair elections leading to a representative national government.

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In addition, the Assembly would express its support for the proposal by the Secretary-General to further strengthen the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan by increasing the number of its military advisers from the current two to five and also by assigning to it two civilian police advisers.

All States would be called on to refrain from any outside interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, and to immediately end the supply of arms, ammunition, military equipment, training or any other military support to all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan.

The draft is sponsored by Afghanistan, Egypt, France, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkey, United Kingdom and Uzbekistan.

UNEP Election

The Assembly is also scheduled to elect the Executive Director of UNEP. It has before it a note from the Secretary-General recommending that the Assembly extend the term of office of the present Executive Director of UNEP, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, for a period of one year beginning on 1 January 1997.

Reports of Fifth Committee

A report of the Fifth Committee on the report of the Economic and Social Council (document A/51/706) recommends a draft decision by which the Assembly would take note of chapters I, V (sections E and G) and VII of that report.

A report of the Fifth Committee on the financing of UNDOF (document A/51/724) contains a draft decision by which the Assembly would decide on what to do with an unencumbered balance of $1.2 million gross ($973,100 net) in the mission's account for the period from 1 December 1994 to 30 November 1995. For Member States that had paid up their dues to the mission, their respective shares in that balance would be used to set off some of their future assessments. However, the respective shares of Member States that owed money to the mission would be used to reduce their arrears.

The draft decision in the report of the Fifth Committee on the financing of UNIFIL (document A/51/725) would have the Assembly decide to treat in the same way as above the unencumbered balance of some $10.6 million gross ($8.8 million net) in the mission's account for the period from 1 February 1995 to 31 January 1996.

The report on the financing of UNIKOM (document A/51/726), recommends a draft decision which would have the Assembly decide that for Member States that have fulfilled their financial obligations to the mission, their respective share in an unencumbered balance of $2.4 million gross ($1.6 million net) will be applied to their future assessments. That amount represents one third of the unencumbered balance of $5.7 million gross

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($4.9 million net) for the period from 1 November 1994 to 31 December 1995. The draft also takes into consideration the voluntary contributions from the Government of Kuwait of the two-thirds share of the cost of the Observation Mission.

For Member States that have not fulfilled their financial obligations to the mission, their share in the unencumbered balance shall be set off against their outstanding obligations. The Assembly would be asked further to decide that two thirds of the net unencumbered balance of $4.9 million, equivalent to $3.3 million, shall be returned to the Government of Kuwait.

The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to take immediate action to recover the overpayment of an estimated $844,000 of mission subsistence allowance. He would also be requested to report to the Assembly, no later than 31 May 1997, on the results of the actions taken for its recovery.

Cooperation with the Organization for Migration

MIGUEL JERONIMO (Portugal), as representative of the Presidency of the OIM, introduced the draft resolution on Cooperation between the United Nations and the OIM. Also sponsoring the resolution were Canada, Chile, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and the United States.

AHMAD KAMAL (Pakistan) said the history of the world was, to a large extent, the history of human migration. "Starting from it original beginnings, somewhere in East Africa, the human race has moved across vast distances and continents, to reach the furthest outposts of geographic space. To that extent, each one of us is an immigrant", he said. Migration was the search for a better life, in dignity. People did not leave their homes unless they had to, or were forced to. Islam recognized the importance of migration; the Islamic calendar, called the Hijra or Migration, marked one of the most important migrations in history, from Mecca to Madinah.

Today there were over 130 million migrants which subsumed all categories, he continued. While some efforts had been made to promote respect for the rights of migrants, discrimination against them was rampant in many countries. Regulatory regimes in the receiving States were not geared towards giving full protection to migrants. Recent years had witnessed a sad revival of racism, xenophobia and religious intolerance. The granting of observer status to the OIM in 1992 was a step in the right direction. The present resolution fell short of expectations, but Pakistan had decided to accept it so that the process of cooperation between the United Nations and the OIM would continue to receive the support of Member States. The efforts to convene a United Nations Conference on international migration and development should be stepped up.

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FELIPE MABILANGAN (Philippines) said his Government believed that there was a need for strong and continuous cooperation and collaboration between the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The IOM acted with its partners in the international community to advance understanding of migration issues, to encourage social and economic development through migration, and to achieve respect for the dignity and well-being of migrants. The many facets of migration were covered by the four broad categories of the IOM's programme of activity: humanitarian migration, migration for development, technical cooperation, and migration debate, research and information. The various activities carried out by the IOM under each programme supported and complimented those of the United Nations in the same or relevant areas.

JAMES PURCELL, Director General of the IOM, said greater cooperation and coordination between the United Nations and the IOM was not just an option, but rather a necessity, at a time when the international community was looking for increased effectiveness, efficiency and synergy among existing organizations. For an intergovernmental organization like the IOM, which worked in a field dealt with by a number of United Nations organizations and bodies, timely, systematic interchanges and close working relations with partners promoted the kind of innovative, practical, cost-effective initiatives required to address migration issues. Effective multilateral cooperation in the field of migration was being advanced by the actions taking place this afternoon.

The President of the Assembly, RAZALI ISMAIL (Malaysia), noted that Japan and the Netherlands had joined as co-sponsors of the draft.

The Assembly adopted, without a vote, the resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the IOM.

Mine Clearance

CONOR MURPHY (Ireland), speaking for the European Union, introduced the draft resolution on assistance in mine clearance. He noted that the following Member States had joined as co-sponsors of the draft: Angola, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Guatemala, Kazakstan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Ukraine. He called on the Assembly to adopt that draft by consensus.

The Assembly, acting without a vote, adopted the resolution on assistance in mine clearance.

Speaking in explanation of position, WANG XIAOLIN (China) said her delegation had joined the consensus on the draft in support of the humanitarian efforts of the international community to mitigate the threat of mines to the civilian population. However, a balance must be struck between humanitarian concerns and States' needs for self-defense, particularly for countries with long borders and those without advanced military technology.

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HUMBERTO RIVERO ROSARIO (Cuba) said his delegation agreed with the terms of the resolution and it had played an active role in the recent meeting of States parties of the Inhumane Weapon Convention. However, Cuba also agreed that a balance was needed between humanitarian interests and the security concerns of States.

Situation in Afghanistan

TONO EITEL (Germany), introducing the draft on assistance to Afghanistan and the implications of the Afghan situation for international peace and security, said the following had joined as co-sponsors: Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkmenistan.

ALEKSANDR GORELIK (Russian Federation) said recent events had forced the need to re-think the crisis in Afghanistan. It was a destabilizing situation for the entire region. The killing of the former President of Afghanistan was a clear indication of the denial of human rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban administration, which was also denying women and girls their basic rights. The detention of international officials, including the recent forcing of a plane to land, was another example of the escalation of events in Afghanistan. Under the Taliban administration, Afghanistan was now a major producer of narcotic drugs, and the presence of international terrorists in the country was also a matter of concern. It was impossible for any ethnic group to be dominant. The international community should send an unequivocal signal to the Taliban in order to start negotiations and establish a broad transition government of national unity. The CIS had made an appeal for assistance, and the OIC had also made efforts towards peace.

The key role in encouraging the Afghan parties to dialogue should be played by the United Nations, he said. The Organization's humanitarian efforts were highly valued. The forthcoming meeting in January was welcomed. Russia would continue to render humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. All the organizations involved should continue to make efforts towards peace and towards relieving the suffering of the Afghan people.

MAJID TAKHT-RAVANCHI (Iran) said that since the adoption of last year's resolution on Afghanistan by the Assembly, the situation had continued to deteriorate. The people of Afghanistan were suffering from a cycle of fratricidal war and violence which had destroyed its infrastructure. It was a source of instability and concern in the region and a threat to international peace and security. While two million Afghan refugees had not been able to return to their country, the recent fighting had created tens of thousands of displaced persons within the country. Those who survived the war were now being forced to survive hunger and disease.

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The conflict in Afghanistan went beyond its borders. Illicit arms and narcotic trafficking were now rampant in the region, as some of the warring factions relied on drug trafficking for their income. Some Afghan parties seemed to prefer the military option, but the crisis in Afghanistan had no military solution. Nothing justified the violence and bloodshed in that country, and no faction or State could justify it in the name of Islam. Some practices attributed to Islam were clearly anti-Islamic.

The Secretary-General's statement that the international community was prepared to refocus its attention on Afghanistan was to be welcomed. The international community should do more to save the people and the country of Afghanistan from disintegration. The United Nations special mission should continue its efforts to find a political solution to the crisis.

MASAKI KONISHI (Japan) said the conflict in Afghanistan posed a threat to the political stability and economic development of the surrounding countries, and therefore, the peaceful solution to the fighting and the development of Afghanistan as a stable, sovereign country was of profound importance to all Member States. His Government called on the warring factions to cease all armed hostilities immediately, renounce the use of force, and engage without delay in a political dialogue aimed at national reconciliation and the establishment of a government based on the broad support of the people of Afghanistan, who were the only ones who could resolve the conflict. Japan was also concerned about the havoc and destruction wreaked by anti-personal land-mines which posed a tremendous obstacle to Afghanistan's post-conflict rehabilitation and development.

Member States should support the United Nations in its efforts, as an impartial mediator, to create an environment in which the Afghan factions would be encouraged to engage in dialogue, he said. Moreover, it was incumbent upon the international community to prevent outside interference in the form of military and financial assistance provided by third countries. In addition, countries which had influence over one or another of the warring factions should use that influence in a constructive manner by persuading them not to take any actions that would undermine efforts to achieve a peaceful solution. Japan was willing to provide a venue for a meeting among the factions, if they considered that such a meeting would help the peace process. It also intended to contribute to peace implementation efforts within an international framework for the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan, once such a framework was established.

ABDUL RAHIM GHAFOORZAI (Afghanistan) said that, in the year since the adoption of the last resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, the Afghan people had yet to see peace and complete stability restored in their homeland. Instead, the suffering of the people had been further exacerbated. The Taliban mercenaries, with outside help, invaded Kabul on 27 September and, in so doing, closed schools, technical- and teacher-training institutions and universities for girls and women. A Serbian-type ethnic cleansing had been

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exercised by the Taliban, and, as a result of these repressive measures, up to 50,000 Kabul citizens had been made refugees and internally displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In short, general poverty and destitution had befallen the inhabitants of Kabul.

Even before the establishment of the United Nations Special Mission, the Islamic State of Afghanistan had stressed the principle of a solution based on genuine inter-Afghan dialogue, he said. It had also always emphasized the central role of the United Nations in the peace process. By undertaking new endeavors in intra-Afghan dialogue, the Islamic State of Afghanistan was able to persuade former opponents, as one of the steps of a comprehensive peace plan, to broaden the base of the Government. All of the steps were taken in good will and in compliance with United Nations resolutions and decisions, which requested that all parties to the conflict settle their differences through peaceful means. Unfortunately, due to the Taliban's reliance on an exclusively military option, the conflict had yet to cease.

It had become evident to the international community that the Afghan nation had once again fallen victim to a classic form of neo-colonial expansionism because of the economic and strategic interests of foreign powers, he said. To serve their interests, these foreign interests had trained, financed and equipped the Taliban mercenaries and worked out their subsequent deployment on Afghan soil. The people of Afghanistan would not accept foreign rule, regardless of its origins or pretexts, and Afghanistan would preserve its geopolitical role. Expansionist policies against Afghanistan had inevitably created a bitter backlash and consequences for the expansionists. Continued political and military meddling in Afghanistan would only result in protracted instability throughout the region.

The Islamic State of Afghanistan was grateful for the concern and efforts aimed at the restoration of peace in Afghanistan, and welcomed the Security Council's adoption of resolution 1076 (1996), he said. It supported an immediate and durable cease-fire based upon the demilitarization of Kabul, the creation of a neutral police force in the capital and the establishment of a transitional government of national unity encompassing all major Afghan sides. Political negotiations, along with United Nations mediation and cooperation could create a basis that all sides could endorse. The collection of heavy weapons, designation of military barracks for armed groups, establishment of a transitional government of national unity, the drafting of a constitution and an electoral law, and the supervision of the implementation of agreements could only be worked out and conducted through political negotiations. To achieve those objectives, the United Nations Special Mission was required to introduce an appropriate mechanism through which authorized representatives of parties to the conflict could meet and draft a blueprint for a national peace accord.

His expressed the hope that the adoption of the resolution under consideration would convince those who had chosen the military option to

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cooperate with the United Nations Special Mission for restoration of national unity and peace throughout Afghanistan. The international community should not allow Afghanistan to be subjugated to further sufferings as a result of continued foreign interventions. The Islamic State of Afghanistan was aware that the prime responsibility of not allowing its territory to once again turn into a battleground for the pursuit of outside political and strategic interests rested upon the shoulders of the Afghan people. However, due to the complexity of the outside involvement, it had come to the United Nations as a beacon of hope for small nations, to assist the Afghan people in saving their country from further destruction.

PRAKASH SHAH (India) said India fully supported the unity, independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Afghanistan, all essential to the well-being of the Afghan people. Cessation of foreign interference in Afghanistan was an essential prerequisite for the resolution of the situation. The situation should be resolved through peaceful discussions and negotiations between Afghan parties; Afghan leaders should forsake the path of confrontation and conflict. India fully supported the United Nations Secretary-General and his special representative.

The supply of arms to Afghanistan must be stopped; the growth in drug trafficking and terrorism, as a result of the conflict in Afghanistan, were matters of concern. The Government of India, he continued, would look after the family of former Afghan President Najibullah, whose extrajudicial murder by the Taliban administration had been a "brutal and abhorrent act". India was disturbed by the denial of human rights, especially the rights of women and girls, imposed by the Taliban leadership. The unsettled conditions in Afghanistan affected India. More than 80,000 Afghans had found refuge in India. The United Nations had a central role to play in helping Afghan parties define and implement the peace process; India had an abiding interest in the restoration of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

NIALL HOLOHAN (Ireland) spoke on behalf of the European Union and the associated States of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, as well as Iceland and Norway. He called for the immediate cessation of hostilities and urged all parties to seek a peaceful settlement through negotiations. Only negotiations and cooperation between the parties could bring stability to Afghanistan.

The European Union reaffirmed its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, he said. All States must refrain from interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. In particular, the flow of arms and military equipment to Afghanistan must end. In that regard, the European Union was considering the imposition of an embargo on the export to Afghanistan of arms, munitions and military/dual-use equipment. Also, the European Union appealed to the Afghan parties to stop the use of land-mines.

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The European Union called on all Afghan parties to act in accordance with the Charter and to fully respect human rights, for it could not accept discrimination on the basis of gender, he said. He expressed particular concern over recent measures restricting female employment and the education of girls. Likewise, the security of all international personnel providing humanitarian assistance must be guaranteed. The European Union, a long-time donor to Afghanistan, was willing to continue cooperation when it was confident that all would receive assistance, irrespective of their gender, ethnic or religious background. The European Union called on the Afghan parties to cooperate closely with the Special Mission which was uniquely placed to act as an impartial mediator.

EDWARD W. GNEHM (United States) said this month marked the seventeenth anniversary of nearly constant war in Afghanistan. The experience of an entire generation of Afghans had been little more than violence and bloodshed. Women and girls faced the indignities and deprivations imposed by the Taliban. Nonetheless, the United States believed that there was hope for a political settlement in Afghanistan.

He said that at the recent meeting of interested States attended by his Government, all participants agreed on the basic elements necessary for the achievement of a political settlement in Afghanistan. Those elements were incorporated in the draft resolution now before the Assembly. They included: respect for Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity; respect for basic human rights of all individuals and groups without regard to ethnicity or gender; and the affirmation of the central role of the Special Mission in negotiating a cease-fire in leading the parties towards peace and national reconciliation. In addition, participants agreed that foreign interference must end, particulary in relationship to the supply of arms and ammunition.

MAGED ABDEL AZIZ (Egypt) said it was a source of grave concern that in the sixteenth paragraph of the Secretary-General's report it states that, for the first time in its history, Afghanistan was divided into north and south. Such a division could not reflect the true will of the Afghan people; rather, it illustrated a move toward hegemony by the leaders of the factions. His Government reaffirmed that the correct analysis of the situation in Afghanistan was that the principal problem did not end at the origin of religion or faith; the factions were trying to get hold of more power. Afghanistan had become a centre of criminal activity, including drug and weapons trafficking, which threatened neighbouring States. The United Nations should lead the response of all Member States and put an end to aid and military assistance to the factions, which would in turn lead to an easier peace and an interim adminstration that would represent all the factions in Afghanistan.

The planting of an estimated 10 million land-mines and the lack of food were currently issues of great concern for the international community, he

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said. The limits on women and the refugee problem also required attention. Egypt agreed with the satisfaction expressed by the Secretary-General that the international community seemed ready to concentrate on the situation in Afghanistan, and it supported the recommendations of his report. The Afghan leadership most demonstrate the will to start a genuine political dialogue through which national reconciliation could be achieved, so the country could be rebuilt.

HUSEYIN E. CELEM (Turkey) said the international community's fundamental responsibility under the present circumstances was to unreservedly respect and support Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, to strictly refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, to respect the right of the Afghan people to determine their own destiny, and to abstain from any action that could further aggravate and complicate the situation. It was also crucial for third countries to refrain from providing weapons and ammunition to the warring parties, because any military assistance given to one of the parties would induce that group to seek superiority on the ground and, consequently, discourage it from engaging in negotiations. This, in turn, would lead to counter-measures by the other parties and the spiralling of the arms race.

Only by securing an immediate cease-fire can the international community help the Afghan parties to engage in a serious political dialogue to achieve national reconciliation, he said. His Government believed that serious consideration should be given to the option of putting Kabul, at least for a temporary period, under United Nations or OIC control, or a collective administration of the warring parties, before an attempt was made towards launching the negotiation process. However, the demilitarization of Kabul must be a prerequisite for the realization of any solution because, otherwise, a cease-fire would not hold. Turkey attached a special importance to the continuation of the constructive role the OIC had played to forge a common understanding among the parties in Afghanistan and welcomed the recent visit of the OIC delegation of Afghanistan.

Durable peace in Afghanistan could only be brought about through the establishment of an all-inclusive and broad-based government, he said. And lasting peace could only be accomplished through the exercise of the free will of the people of Afghanistan. Turkey once again urged all Afghan parties to embark on the path for national reconciliation through peaceful means and political dialogue. It also strongly supported the appeal in relevant paragraphs of the draft resolution to all Member States to provide all possible financial, technical and material assistance for the repatriation and settlement of Afghan refugees and displaced persons.

AHMAD KAMAL (Pakistan) said his delegation had stated its views on Afghanistan before the Assembly in October and also before the Security Council. It was sad to see "this proud land of Afghanistan, rich in history and culture, present such a picture of turmoil. Afghanistan continued to go

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through such a crisis because some continued to ignore the fact that a solution could only be found in negotiations. Afghans themselves needed to understand that internecine fighting went against their own interests. They should understand the realities of their land and move towards peace and rebuilding after two decades of war and turmoil.

So close were the links between Pakistan and Afghanistan that the impact had been felt immediately, he said. Pakistan also found itself the object of terrorist attacks from both within and without Afghanistan. Pakistan wished to concentrate on the real task at hand: the 10 million land-mines left behind by the Soviet occupying soldiers, the rehabilitation of the hundreds of thousands that had lost their limbs, and the reconstruction of the country.

MOHAMMED PEYROVI, observer for the OIC, said the OIC joined the United Nations in expressing its continued concern over Afghanistan. In the OIC's contacts with the various Afghan leaders, especially during its missions in the country, it had consistently tried to convince them of the futility of seeking a military solution instead of negotiations. The effects of instability and chaos in Afghanistan were also felt outside the country.

The OIC had been complementing the United Nations in the collective efforts to assist the diverse Afghan leadership within its limited means, he continued. A number of high-level OIC missions had been sent to Afghanistan; another high-level OIC mission led by Ambassador Ibrahim Bakr, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, visited Afghanistan again recently and some other interested countries to complement the United Nations efforts for reconciliation. The OIC was fully committed to playing a constructive role in facilitating the mission of the United Nations representative and the overall peace process in Afghanistan.

A representative of the Secretariat informed the Assembly that action on the draft relating to the situation in Afghanistan had been postponed until Tuesday, 17 December, in order to allow the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) to review the programme budget implications.

Economic Assistance

SAID OMAR SAID AHMED, the Foreign Minister of the Comoros, introduced the draft resolution on emergency assistance to the Comoros.

By the terms of that draft (document A/51/L.27/Rev.1), the Assembly would urgently appeal to all States and appropriate international organizations to provide assistance to the Comoros Government in repairing the damage caused by the act of aggression of 28 September 1995. In the text's preambular part, the Assembly takes note of the fact that on that day an army of international mercenaries invaded the Comoros and overthrew the President of the Republic.

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The Secretary-General would be requested to furnish all necessary support for such international assistance. He would be asked to dispatch to Moroni, as soon as possible, a multidisciplinary humanitarian and technical assessment mission to study the needs of the country in terms of assistance. Also, the donor community and the United Nations would be asked to grant to the Comoros all necessary humanitarian, financial, economic and technical assistance, in order to enable it to attain national reconstruction and sustainable development.

The sponsors of that draft are Belize, Congo, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

ROBLEH OLHAYE OUDINE (Djibouti) introduced the draft on assistance to Somalia.

The draft resolution (document A/51/L.37/Rev.1) would have the Assembly appeal to all Somali parties to terminate hostilities and to engage in a national reconciliation process that allows for transition from relief to reconstruction and development. All parties, movements and factions in Somalia would be called upon to respect the security and safety of personnel of the United Nations and its specialized agencies and of non-governmental organizations, and to guarantee their complete freedom of movement throughout Somalia.

The Assembly would emphasize that the Somali people, particularly at the local level, bore primary responsibility for their own development and for the sustainability of rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance programmes. The Assembly would note the importance of collaborative systems between the United Nations and both international and local organizations for the execution of rehabilitation and development activities in parts of the country where peace and security prevail.

States and organizations would be urged to assist the Somali people in efforts to rehabilitate basic social and economic services, as well as institution-building aimed at the restoration of civil administration at the local level in areas where security and stability prevail. The Secretary- General would be asked to mobilize international humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance for Somalia, and the international community would be called upon to contribute funds to meet the needs outlined in the recent inter-agency appeal for Somalia.

The draft is sponsored by Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, India, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen and Zaire.

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GEORGE BAKALA (Congo) introduced the draft decision on special assistance to the front-line States.

The draft decision on special assistance to the front-line States and other neighbouring States (document A/51/L.43) would have the Assembly welcome the establishment of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, which effectively supersedes "the front- line States".

Also by that draft, the Assembly would urge the international community to continue to provide financial, material and technical assistance needed to develop the capacity of SADC countries to reconstruct, rehabilitate and develop their economies. The Assembly would discontinue consideration of the issues related to the "front-line States" under its current agenda item relating to humanitarian assistance, and instead consider them in relation to cooperation between the United Nations and the SADC.

GIDEON KAYINAMURA (Rwanda) introduced the draft resolution concerning international assistance to Rwanda for the reintegration of returning refugees, the restoration of total peace, reconstruction and socio- economic development in that country. He announced that the following States had joined as co-sponsors of the draft: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, United States.

That draft resolution (document A/51/L.50/Rev.1), sponsored by New Zealand and Rwanda, would have the Assembly welcome the commitment of the Government of Rwanda to cooperate with and to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of all humanitarian personnel, including personnel of non-governmental organizations operating in the country. States and organizations would be urged to continue to assist Rwanda in the resettlement and reintegration of refugees and other vulnerable groups in the context of the national reconciliation process. Those bodies would also be called upon to assist with the rehabilitation in the areas of education, health, justice, security and public infrastructure.

Also by the draft, the international community would be called upon to continue its assistance, with a view to alleviating the intolerable conditions in Rwanda's prisons and to expediting the processing of cases. The Government would be encouraged to continue its efforts to improve the judicial system, including by expediting the trial process, and also to continue to improve the situation in the prisons. In addition, the International Tribunal for Rwanda would be encouraged to pursue its work speedily. States would be called upon to cooperate with the Tribunal, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, and would also be urged to provide funds to projects and programmes for the reintegration of refugees.

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According to the text, States, in particular the States of the Great Lakes region, would be called upon to act in accordance with the recommendations adopted by the Nairobi Summit (January 1995), the Regional Conference on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region (Bujumbura, February 1995), and with those contained in the Cairo Declaration on the Great Lakes Region. States of the region would also be requested to continue efforts with regard to the search for peace in the Great Lakes region, in particular the convening of a conference on security, stability and development there, after consulting the countries of the region.

Action

NIALL HOLOHAN (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, introduced the draft resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people. China and the Czech Republic also wished to co-sponsor the draft.

By the terms of that draft, the Assembly would urge States and organizations to extend economic and social assistance to the Palestinian people in order to assist in the development of the West Bank and Gaza, and to do so in close cooperation with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and through official Palestinian institutions. Also, organizations and agencies would be called upon to intensify their assistance in response to the urgent needs of the Palestinian people in accordance with the Palestinian priorities set forth by the Palestinian Authority, with emphasis on national execution and capacity-building.

Member States would be urged to open their markets to exports from the West Bank and Gaza and on the most favourable terms, consistent with appropriate trading rules. The international donor community would be called upon to expedite the delivery of pledged assistance to the Palestinian people to meet their urgent needs. The Assembly would stress the importance of the work done by the United Nations Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories and of the steps taken under the auspices of the Secretary-General to ensure the achievement of a coordinated mechanism for United Nations activities throughout the occupied territories.

In addition, the Assembly would suggest the convening in 1997 of a United Nations-sponsored seminar on the Palestinian economy. The Secretary- General would be requested to submit a report to the Assembly's next session, through the Economic and Social Council, with assessments of the assistance actually received by the Palestinian people, as well as an assessment of the needs still not met and specific proposals for responding effectively to them.

The draft is sponsored by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

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Speaking before action, DAVID PELEG (Israel) said that he wished to share his outrage at the murder of an Israeli woman and her twelve-year-old son and the wounding of five members of her family by Palestinian terrorists of the Popular Front. He called on the Assembly to condemn the murder and to extradite the murderers to Israel. Israel fully supported technical and financial assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. It had made a genuine effort to reach a consensus on the draft. Development could be reached only through consensus, and Israel hoped there would be more consensus resolutions relating to the Middle East.

The representatives of Qatar and France expressed the wish to be additional co-sponsors to the draft resolution on special emergency economic assistance to the Comoros.

The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution on special assistance to the Comoros without a vote.

The draft resolution on assistance for humanitarian relief and the economic and social rehabilitation of Somalia was adopted without a vote.

The draft resolution on international assistance to Rwanda for the reintegration of returning refugees, the restoration of total peace, reconstruction and socio-economic development, was also adopted without a vote.

The draft decision on special assistance to the front-line States and neighbouring States was also adopted without a vote.

The draft resolution on assistance to the Palestinian people was also adopted without a vote.

Cooperation with OAU

Mr. BAKALA (Congo) introduced the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU.

A representative of the Secretariat announced that if the Assembly were to adopt that draft, it would request the convening of a follow-up meeting in Addis Ababa in 1997 to review and evaluate progress towards the implementation of recommendations agreed to at a 1995 meeting of the two secretariats and adopt new joint actions. The follow-up meeting would be held for five days with two sessions per day, with interpretation into English and French. In addition, pre- and post-session documentation, as well as in-session documentation would be required. After considering the implication of adding that meeting to the calendar of conferences, it had been indicated to the Fifth Committee that the meeting could be accommodated within available conference servicing resources.

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The draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU was adopted by the Assembly without a vote.

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