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Thursday, 08 July 2004
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IAEA chief sees possible dialogue with Israel on nuclear free zone

The head of UN nuclear agency Mohamed ElBaradei says he's won a promise from Israel that it's prepared to talk about a nuclear free zone in the Middle East. Dr. El Baradei says while it's not a new policy, he finds it to be quite a welcome and positive development. He made his comments after meeting the Israeli prime minister for more than an hour in Jerusalem.

"The prime minister this morning affirmed to me that Israel's policy continues to be that in the context of peace in the Middle East. Israel would be looking favorably to the establishment of a nuclear weapon free zone in the Middle East. I was happy to hear that. That's the first time I hear that from the prime minister of Israel"

Mr. El Baradei says a dialogue on security issues could be envisaged as part of the roadmap to peace, drafted last year by the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.

AIDS could cost more than $17 billion a year

The cost of the AIDS epidemic in Asia could jump by more than $10 billion annually by 2010, unless countries in the region take urgent steps to halt its spread. That according to a joint report by UNAIDS and the Asian Development Bank.
It says the cost of fighting the epidemic in Asia is expected to soar to more than $17 billion annually if anti-AIDS programmes are not improved.
It warns that failure to bolster current HIV treatment and prevention programmes could result in about 10 million more infections by the end of the decade. The report calls for Asian nations to step up their anti-AIDS programmes to include " programmes for vulnerable groups and young people, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, condom promotion, the use of disposable syringes and the provision of highly active anti-retroviral therapy." The report was released ahead of the 15th International AIDS Conference, opening in Thailand on Sunday.

Southern African women have highest HIV infection rates

Women in sub-Saharan Africa make up the majority of people living with HIV and AIDS with nearly 60 per cent of them between 15 and 49 years old.
This according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in a report on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls in Southern Africa. The report says that despite women's higher biological vulnerability, it is the legal, social and economic disadvantages faced by women and girls in most societies that greatly increase their HIV vulnerability.
Currently, nearly 50 per cent of people living with HIV globally are women.

Annan calls for speedy resolution of Darfur conflict

Secretary-general Kofi Annan on Thursday called for an urgent resolution of the conflict in western Sudan's Darfur region, saying the crisis is a big challenge to lasting peace in the country. Annan, in Nairobi for talks with Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki, says "the situation in Darfur has to be dealt with quickly, otherwise Sudan cannot talk in terms of comprehensive peace, even though the north-south negotiations have gone extremely well…"
The secretary-general says he had exhaustive discussions on the progress in the peace processes in Sudan and Somalia.

Secretary-General Concludes African Trip with Visit to Kenya

Secretary-General Kofi Annan met in Nairobi Thursday with the Kenyan negotiators for the peace processes in Sudan and Somalia. With the negotiator for Sudan, he discussed a new political process to deal with the recent conflict in Darfur, in the west of the country. The Secretary-General then visited the Nairobi suburb, where some 500 delegates were gathered for the Somali peace talks, which have been going on in Kenya for nearly two years. Patrick Hayford, an adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa, said Mr. Annan urged the negotiators to do everything in their power to conclude the negotiations, which aim to establish an inclusive government structure in Somalia by the 31st of July.

"He promised that if they do successfully conclude, the international community and the UN will be ready to do whatever they can to accompany them in the peace process, but he stressed that the primary responsibility for peace in Somalia is that of the people of Somalia and particularly their leaders"

Special Adviser on Africa to the Secretary, General Patrick Hayford.

UN Reports ongoing Fighting between Janjaweed Militia and SLA in Darfur

On the ground in Sudan, fighting is ongoing in south Darfur between the Janjaweed militia and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA). UN Spokesperson Marie Okabe says the UN humanitarian coordinator is concerned about the continued activity of highway robbers and attacks on roads and convoys by unknown elements.