Friday, 2 January 2004
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Happy New Year from the UN Radio Team!

Relief Workers Continue to Help Earthquake Victims in Iran

Humanitarian workers continue to distribute relief items such as blankets and tents to victims of the earthquake that hit the Iranian town of Bam last week. Approximately 80,000 people have been left homeless and there are concerns about their situation as the winter temperatures begin to drop. Close to 30,000 people died in the catastrophe. The spokesman for the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Denis McLean , says one of the priorities now is the construction of a referral hospital:

"It will have 200 beds when completed and this will replace the previous facilities here in Bam which were destroyed in the earthquake. The first patients are being brought into the hospital tonight. We expect that it will be fully operational early next week."

Mr. McLean says another challenge is the reunification of more than one thousand children who have been separated from their families.

The Assembly is expected to resume its deliberations on Saturday.

Secretary-General Congratulates Haiti on Its Bicentennial Anniversary

The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has congratulated Haitians on the celebration of their bicentennial anniversary of their independent republic. Haiti proclaimed independence on the first of January 1804. In his message, the Secretary-General said that proclamation was the beginning of the end of slavery in the Americas. This day, he added, was an ideal way to mark the beginning of a year that has been declared by the General Assembly as the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition. UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard says the Secretary-General hopes that as they recall the spirit of their forefathers, Haitians will find a way to overcome the current political impasse in their country:

"While noting the deep significance of Haitian independence in 1804, as the first step towards ending slavery in the Americas, the Secretary-General said there was now a need for Haitians to build consensus to pursue good governance, human rights, and economic and social recovery."

The Secretary-General pledged the UN's readiness to help build a better future for all Haitians. The celebrations were marred by reported clashes between opposition groups.

UN Secretary-General Says Situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea Remains Difficult

The Secretary-General warns that the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea remains difficult. In a progress report out today, he says he is concerned that a minor miscalculation by one side could have serious consequences on the peace process. He notes that while there are no evident signs of preparations for hostilities on either side of the temporary security zones, recent inflammatory rhetoric, particularly in Eritrea, has done nothing to advance the peace process. The Secretary-General reiterates that a fundamental requirement for peace lies in an early demarcation of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

UN Agencies Will Help Monitor Elections in Georgia

The United Nations and the UN Volunteers Programme, UNV, have teamed up with the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor presidential elections in Georgia on Sunday.