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10 DECEMBER 1999

Today is Human Rights Day. In his message to the nations and citizens of the world, the President of the General Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab, said this century launched the first World Organization committed to freedom, peace, justice, economic and social progress, respect for the rules of international law, settlement of disputes among States by peaceful means, respect for the ideals of self-determination and of the equal rights of men and women. "On this Human Rights Day, I congratulate the States and peoples of the United Nations on a remarkable record of achievements in the promotion and defence of human rights. Let us make the next century one of tangible and universal realization of human rights. Let a culture of human rights take roots, spread and flourish all over the globe". Copies of that message are available in room 378 and as Press Release GA/SM/138-HR4447.

"Dialogue among civilizations" is the topic being discussed this morning in the General Assembly. The Assembly has proclaimed 2001 as the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, an initiative spearheaded by the President of Iran. After hearing some 20 speakers, the Assembly will adopt a draft resolution (A/54/L.60), introduced by Iran. By its provisions, the Assembly would invite Governments, the UN system and other relevant international and non-governmental organizations to continue and further intensify planning and organizing appropriate cultural, educational and social programmes to promote the concept of dialogue among civilizations, including through organizing conferences and seminars and disseminating information and scholarly material on the subject. The Assembly would call upon Governments to encourage all members of society to take part in promoting dialogue among civilizations and to provide them with an opportunity to make contributions to the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.

The Assembly has before it the related report of the Secretary-General (A/54/546). In August 1999, he appointed Giandomenico Picco as his Personal Representative for the United Nations Year, to assist him in preparing for the observance. In his first report, Mr. Picco sets out his initial findings.

The concept of dialogue among civilizations is subject to various interpretations, he observes. It has a range of different implications, from a cultural dialogue between Islam and the West to a dialogue among major religions and a cultural-political exchange among the descendants of historic civilizations. This raises other issues and questions, and the discussions could open the door to political and cultural misunderstandings that could ultimately lead in the opposite direction from that which the Assembly had in mind. He recommends a different approach. The establishment of the United Nations was intended to provide a paradigm of international relations based on inclusion rather than exclusion, he states. It seems appropriate, therefore, to speak, within the United Nations context, of two sets of civilizations: those that perceive diversity as a threat and those that perceive diversity as an integral component of growth. The dialogue should be between these two civilizations or set of civilizations.

When it turns its attention to Afghanistan, Germany will introduce two draft resolutions (A/54/L.58), and the Assembly will hear 10 statements on two related items. However, action on the two drafts will be taken at a later date pending a review of the programme budget implications.

By draft resolution A, on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security, the Assembly would strongly condemn the sharp escalation of the conflict; would note with distress reports indicating the involvement, mainly on the side of the Taliban forces, of 2000-5000 non-Afghan nationals, mostly from religious schools, and some of them still children; would strongly condemn the fact that foreign military support to the Afghan parties continued unabated through 1999; would support the intention of the Secretary-General to strengthen the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan and to redouble its efforts to achieve a durable and equitable political settlement; would support his intention to continue to work with the "six plus two" group; and would condemn the acts of terrorists based in Afghanistan, including those in support of extremist groups operating against the interests of Member States and against their citizens, deplore the fact that the Taliban continued to provide safe haven to Usama bin Laden and to allow him and his associates to use Afghanistan as a base from which to sponsor international terrorist operations, would recall that the Security Council, in resolution 1267 (1999) of 15 October, had demanded that the Taliban turn over bin Laden without further delay and would urge the Taliban to comply.

By draft resolution B, on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan, the Assembly would stress that the responsibility for the humanitarian crisis lies with all warring parties, in particular with the Taliban; would call upon the leaders of all Afghan parties to place the highest priority on national reconciliation, acknowledging the desire of the Afghan people for rehabilitation, reconstruction and economic and social development; would demand that all Afghan parties fully cooperate with the United Nations and associated bodies as well as with other agencies and humanitarian organizations in their efforts to respond to the humanitarian needs of the people of Afghanistan and urge them to secure the uninterrupted supply of humanitarian aid to all in need of it; would denounce the continuing discrimination against girls and women as well as ethnic and religious groups, including minorities, and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Afghanistan, while calling upon all the parties to respect fully the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion; would urge all Afghan parties to prohibit conscripting or enlisting children or using them to participate in hostilities in violation of international law.

The documents on the two items are: reports of the Secretary-General on emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan (A/54/297); two reports on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (A/54/378 and 536); and a summary of the report of the United Nations investigation team for Afghanistan, submitted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/54/626).

This morning, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is taking up the financing of the International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, as well as the financing of UN peacekeeping operations. It will also take action on a draft resolution on financial reports and audited financial statements and reports of the Board of Auditors (A/C.5/54/L.15).

Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, the Assembly will consider the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the global implications of the year 2000 date conversion problem of computers. On Tuesday, the 14th, there will be open-ended informal consultations of the plenary on agenda item 49 (b), the Millennium Assembly of the United Nations. On Thursday, 16 December, the Assembly will consider the question of the equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. On Friday, it will consider reports of the Third Committee. The Second and Fifth Committees will continue their work.

Concerning the appointments of the President, at 12:30 p.m., he will attend the African Action on AIDS’ annual end-of-year millennium stocktaking event. He will also meet with the Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic, Ambassador Peter Tomka. The President will attend a luncheon to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the opening for signature of the Optional Protocol to the Convention. At 3:30 p.m., the President will address the closing session of the day-long Student Conference on Human Rights and the Culture of Peace in the New Millennium, in Conference Room 1. This evening, he will attend a reception hosted by the Permanent Representative of South Africa, Ambassador Dumisana Kumalo.

I wish to inform correspondents that on Monday, 13 December, there will be a ceremony at Headquarters, in connection with the launch of the International Year of Thanksgiving 2000. The President of the General Assembly, Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, will unveil a commemorative stamp depicting the Glory Window in the Chapel of Thanksgiving at Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas. The ceremony will be held in front of the Norman Rockwell mosaic, "Do Unto Others", located on the 3^rd floor, starting at 12:30 p.m. A Note to Correspondents is being issued about the event, and there is a press release from the Center for World Thanksgiving, available at the Documents Counter. The Press is invited to witness the ceremony.