Highlights

Sumario: April 19, 2002: Weekly Highlights: Middle East, ECHO Annual Report, Commission on Human Rights, International Criminal Court

Welcome to the official e-mail alert service of the European Union at the United Nations.

As the situation in the Middle East unfolds, the EU made a major statement yesterday at the Security Council, deploring the fact that Security Council Resolutions 1402 and 1403 continue to be ignored despite all calls of the international community. For further information on the subject, please click here.

The main results of the EU's General Affairs Council this week can be downloaded here. Of particular interest to those dealing with UN issues are details of how the EU intends to take action against the terrorist threat concerning non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control (see pages II-VI at end); the state of play on the EU Action Plan against terrorism (page 8); and how the EU intends to support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (pages 17-19) among many other foreign policy issues. This week, the EU also delivered a statement at the Security Council reviewing the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson launched 'ECHO 2001', the latest Annual Review of the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office. During 2001, between 15 and 20 million people across the world in over 60 countries benefited from ECHO-funded interventions totalling €544 million. The Commissioner also delivered a sharp rebuke to countries, which "ignore the basic principles of humanitarian law". Links to the report can be found here.

At the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, the EU said that the fight against terrorism must be carried out with full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Please click here for further information. The EU also restated its full commitment to a new partnership between developed and developing countries which respects human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and sound management of public affairs: The EU also said many human rights violations take place as a consequence of the abuse of states of emergency and that the EU continues to support the abolition of the death penalty. Please click here.

During the past few days, issues of further interest include:

* The results of G8 Environment meeting in Banff, Canada discussed the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. For more information, please click here and here.

* The EU welcomes the decision of the Boundary Commission on the final legal settlement of the Ethiopia/Eritrea border

* The European Commission grants €36 million in humanitarian aid for Serbia

* The EU will be sending election observers to Sierra Leone and has given €2 million to support its National Election Commission.

* Further EU statements to mark the deposit of the first 60 instruments for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court can be found here and here.

And finally …the Euro Currency for New York campaign organized by the EU in New York raised $26,793 for the Twin Towers Fund . Last week, Mr. Larry Levy, President of the Twin Towers Fund, received a cheque for that amount from the EU and the Bank of New York in the presence of Deputy Commissioner for the UN Consular Corps, Ms. Marjorie Tiven.

Ref: NEWS02-013EN
Fuente UE: Comisión Europea
Foro NU:
Fecha: 19/4/2002

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