FYI
------- Forwarded message follows -------
       Copyright 1999 InterPress Service, all rights reserved.
          Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.

                      *** 14-Dec-99 ***

Title: CONFLICT-POLITICS: More "Humanitarian" Intervention in 2000

By Jim Wurst

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 14 (IPS) - UN intervention in the name of
humanitarianism is likely to figure more prominently in efforts to
end conflict throughout the world in the year 2000, says UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The need for such intervention has been hotly debated this
year, especially in light of the increasing number of conflicts
that have taken place within a state, rather than between states.

"All too often in these conflicts, one or more of the parties
shows a shameful disregard for the provisions of international
humanitarian and human rights law," Annan said Tuesday at his end
of year news conference.

In what is becoming known as the "Annan Doctrine," the UN and
some states are arguing for greater efforts to be made to support
civilians under siege in the name of human rights.

"I knew it  would draw a very strong debate, but I thought it was
an issue we  couldn't side-step," Annan said.

It has been "a very active debate...It is a healthy sign, it
is important that this debate is going on." Annan noted that there
are working groups in the General Assembly and Security Council on
this issue and he has set up a task force within the secretariat.

In six to 12 months, "we should have enough ideas...to come to
some understanding as to when we intervene and when we don't," he
said.

Three months ago, in opening of the latest session of the UN
General Assembly, Annan said that nothing in the Charter precluded
recognition that "there are rights beyond borders...indeed, the
very letter and spirit of the Charter is   the affirmation of
those fundamental human rights."

Annan declared that " we have learned that intervention must be
based on legitimate and universal principles if it is to enjoy the
sustained support of the world's people."

Many of the governments argued on both sides of this issue
during the session. Dutch foreign minister Jozias van Aartsen
said, "Today, human rights have come to outrank
sovereignty...Today we regard it as a generally-accepted rule of
international law that no sovereign state has the right to
terrorize its own citizens."

Singapore's foreign minister S. Jayakumar warned against
selective intervention and asked "How to choose when to intervene
among  all too many conflicts?"

While sovereignty now "co-exists uneasily with a different
current of international law concerned with the rights of
individuals, these trends have not yet been reconciled...", he
said. "Rules and objective criteria for such interventions are
urgently needed."

Annan admitted that the UN had handled the conflict in Chechnya
"quite differently" to that in Kosovo and East Timor, meaning the
world body was not challenging the behavior of a permanent member
of the Security Council.

"It was these sorts of contradictions and accusations of double
standards and selectivity which I thought the debate... might
help," he said.

While no UN troops had been committed to Chechnya, the
international community "has not sat with their arms crossed,"
Annan said, noting his talks with Russian officials and the visit
to the region by Sadako Ogata, the High Commissioner for Refugees,
to "enhance humanitarian assistance."

The chronic problems of Africa - war, poverty, AIDS - also
figured prominently in Annan's remarks. Citing numerous sessions
of the General Assembly and Security Council on African issues,
including a Security Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, he
said, "If Africans think the world has forgotten them, they should
take heart.

"I would not pretend that we are close to solving all  Africa's
problems, but I believe we are now giving them the  serious
attention they deserve. In this I include not only the  problems
of bringing peace to the many African countries that have suffered
long and bitter conflicts but also, and no less urgently, the
battle against AIDS."

Annan addressed other issues including:

- Terrorism: "We need to work across national boundaries to
ensure that terrorists are not given refuge in one country or
another. But in fighting terrorism, we need to make sure
international humanitarian law is respected... If we fall into the
trap of using the means the terrorists use in fighting them, we
will be doing the work for them."

- Cyprus: Talks with Greek and Turkish officials  ended today,
with plans to resume in January. Nothing came from  the 12 days of
negotiations, but Annan said, "The new dynamic  between Turkey and
the European Union, and between Greece and  Turkey, provides a
hopeful context in which to continue."

- UN partnership with civil society and private sector: Annan
said cooperation is necessary. "NGOs are sometimes difficult...
but on quite a few issues they are ahead of us... They can be a
force for good," he said, "People do not want to be looked after,
they want to participate, we need to accept this and organize
ourselves and be prepared to work with them."

The private sector "has become a major force in the globalized
economy...They have capital, technology, management, we need to
encourage them to open  up to the Third World and work with them,"
Annan said. (END/IPS/jw/mk/99)

Origin: ROMAWAS/CONFLICT-POLITICS/
                              ----

       [c] 1999, InterPress Third World News Agency (IPS)
                     All rights reserved
------- End of forwarded message -------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------