[11 May, 2005]

General Assembly Marks 60th Anniversary of End of World War II in Europe

As the world's nations looked back May 9 to honour the dead and pay respects to the heroes of World War II, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette said it was equally important to look ahead and "reaffirm our commitment to the goal of building a world fit for humankind." "That is the best tribute we can pay to the millions who perished in World War II," Ms. Fréchette said as she opened a solemn ceremony by the General Assembly marking the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the conflict in Europe. "As fascism fell, the United Nations rose.a new organization designed.most of all, to help prevent such catastrophes from happening again." Ms. Fréchette recalled that while World War II had triggered a "descent into the abyss that spared no one," when the end finally came, it also unleashed a flood of feelings and the work of rebuilding millions of wrecked lives was taken up with vigour. As delegates gathered in San Francisco to draft the UN Charter, a quick succession of events - the liberation of the death camps, the advance of the allied armies and the fall of the Nazi regime - brought new hope to a world wearied by years of conflict (UN News Service)

[05 May, 2005]

Security Council Voices Support for UN Efforts in Georgian-Abkhaz Conflict

The members of the Security Council voiced their continued support for United Nations efforts to build trust between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides for meaningful negotiations on a lasting political settlement to their conflict. In a statement to the press read out by the Council President for May, Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark, the 15-member body welcomed the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends last month in Geneva, where both sides participated for the first time since July 2004 and expressed their willingness to intensify the search for a settlement of the conflict by peaceful means only (UN News Service, New York, May 4 2005 7:00PM)

[24 April, 2005]

ISRAEL AND PALESTINIANS MUST DO MORE TO SUSTAIN PEACE HOPES, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD

The Palestinians must do more to reorganize their security forces to prevent violence and Israel must halt all settlement activity if recent hopes for resolving the Middle East conflict are to be sustained, the top United Nations political officer told the Security Council Apr. 21. "Recent events in the Middle East continue to confirm the potential for peace, but warn us as well that this new process is still fragile," Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast said in his latest monthly briefing, citing "a degree of edginess and renewed suspicion" about Israeli intentions and Palestinian resolve and capabilities. He welcomed the public reiteration by both sides of their willingness to coordinate Israel's planned withdrawal of its settlements in the Gaza Strip this summer, but voiced concern "at reports that this announced readiness to coordinate has not yet been sufficiently translated into practice. (UN News Service)

[19 April, 2005]

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS TREATY AGAINST NUCLEAR TERRORISM

The United Nations General Assembly adopted April 13 by consensus an international treaty against nuclear terrorism, strengthening the global legal framework to combat it, requiring the extradition or prosecution of those implicated, and encouraging the exchange of information and cooperation among States. The Nuclear Terrorism Convention, seven years in the making by a special Assembly committee, will open for signature on 14 September at the high-level plenary meeting scheduled for the Assembly's sixtieth session and enter into force after 22 States ratify it. The treaty aims to deal with both crisis situations by assisting States in thwarting terrorist groups possessing nuclear material, and post-crisis situations by rendering the nuclear material safe in accordance with safeguards provided by the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). For the details see "Voice of Peacemakers" # 190 (http://un-museum.ru/vestnik/190.htm#5)

[11 April, 2005]

Last UN Food Aid Arrives in China as Country Turns from Recipient to Donor

A 25-year-long $1-billion United Nations aid programme for China that fed over 30 million people drew to a close Apr.8 with the arrival of a final shipment of grain, and a senior UN official urged the world's most populous country to now step up support for hundreds of millions of malnourished people beyond its borders. "This final cargo is above all a tribute to China's singular success in alleviating hunger at home," World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director James Morris said as the MV Blue Dream docked in the southeastern city of Shenzhen. "China is now one of the world's leaders in fighting hunger - this is a truly historic moment." "WFP has phased out assistance to more than two dozen countries over the past 10 years, but China's transition is by far the most significant. We need China's help and resources to apply the crucial lessons learned here to other countries still struggling with hunger," he added.

[03 April, 2005]

UN Committee Adopts Draft Treaty Against Nuclear Terrorism

After seven years of negotiations, a United Nations committee adopted April 1-st a draft international treaty to fight nuclear terrorism, with Secretary-General Kofi Annan calling on all states to sign on in order to pre-empt what he called "one of the most urgent threats of our time" that with one attack could change the world forever. The draft adopted by consensus defines acts of nuclear terrorism and strengthens the international legal framework to combat it, requiring those who threaten or commit such crimes to be extradited or prosecuted and encouraging exchange of information and cooperation among states and a broad range of mutual assistance obligations. "The Nuclear Terrorism Convention will help prevent terrorists from gaining access to the most lethal weapons known to man," Mr. Annan told the Ad Hoc Committee established by the General Assembly in 1996 to draw up an international convention for the suppression of terrorist bombings and entrusted in 1998 with drafting an international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.

[28 March, 2005]

"Young Peacemaker" Badges for Most Active Children

The session of Council of Veterans of the Museum of Peacekeeping Operations devoted to organization of the Spring Peacemaking Action was held in Moscow March 24. After the discussion of the idea to organize this action from April 15 to May 15, 2005 the council decided to encourage its most active participants with the honourable badges "Young Peacemaker". The badges were designed and adopted for the first time by the Museum to award participants of the game "Model of UN Peacekeeping" in 1998. For the details click http://www.un-museum.ru/vestnik/187.htm#5

[21 March, 2005]

Chiefs of UN Peacekeeping Missions meet at Annual New York Retreat

The heads of the 18 United Nations peacekeeping missions will hold their annual meeting to exchange experiences and opinions on integrating former combatants into communities and on their own management and accountability. Sixteen heads of mission will attend the three-day meeting in Glen Cove, New York, while two missions will be represented by principal deputies. "The conference provides an opportunity for the UN's senior field leadership to interact directly with each other and their counterparts from Headquarters, and provide a forum for an informal exchange of information and opinions on issues of common concern,"UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said at the daily Headquarters briefing in New York. New York, Mar 17 2005 5:00PM

[14 March, 2005]

World Report on A Culture of Peace

You can contribute to the World Report on the Culture of Peace! We are mid-way through the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, 2001-2010. The World Report will offer an assessment of our progress and help focus and expand our efforts for the second half of the decade. Sources will include organizations ranging from NGOs to universities, schools, institutes, museums, communities of faith and advocacy groups, among others. You are invited to contribute to this World Report on the Culture of Peace and to invite other groups to also participate. People all over the world need to know the many ways private and public organizations are working to create and expand the culture of peace, globally and locally. Special thanks go to Fundacion Cultura de Paz for creating the report website at: http://decade-culture-of-peace.org. Please visit this website to learn more about the World Report on the Culture of Peace and to participate (IPSGeneva). For the details see " Voice of Peacemakers" # 185

[07 March, 2005]

Middle East: UN Envoy to Visit Beirut and Damascus for Talks

New York, Mar 6 2005 12:00AM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is dispatching a senior envoy to the Middle East for talks on the withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, a spokesman for the world body announced today. Special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen will travel to Beirut and Damascus this week "to discuss with Lebanese and Syrian officials the full, complete and immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 1559," a spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a statement released in New York. The resolution, adopted last September, calls for a pullout of all foreign forces from Lebanon as well as an end to all militias and the extension of government control over the whole country. Syrian troops have been in Lebanon since the early stages of the 1975-1990 civil war. (UN News Service)

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