US-based Arab association meets with Kofi Annan
Regional-Palestine, Politics, 12/21/2000

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan met on Tuesday a delegation representing the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) to discuss the situation in the Middle East and the UN role in the region.

ADC said the meeting held at UN headquarters in New York, focussed on the situation in Palestine and the sanctions regime imposed on Iraq.

ADC delegates expressed deep concern and outrage of Arab Americans regarding the continuing Israeli occupation and military aggression against the Palestinians and demanded that a UN observer force be sent promptly to Palestine.

As for Iraq, the discussion focussed on the need to end the sanctions against Iraq that have immeasurably harmed the Iraqi people and caused so many deaths.

Annan reiterated his personal concern and that of the United Nations regarding the escalating violence in Palestine and the devastating impact it has had on the human, economic and social aspects of Palestinian life. He warned that if the situation is prolonged it will become increasingly difficult to persuade embittered and disenchanted populations in the region of the benefits of peace. He emphasized that the international community must act together to have the maximal impact on the situation in the region.

Annan further revealed the formation of a new three-member human rights commission on Palestine to follow up on the recommendation of the recently released report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson.

Annan also expressed support for the Mitchell Commission investigating the causes and remedy for recent events in Palestine and expressed his intention to contribute actively to its report.

Annan briefed the ADC group about various steps undertaken by the United Nations to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people and lessen the damaging impact of the sanctions regime on their lives. The Secretary General admitted, however, that despite these efforts, the living conditions of the average Iraqi have not changed significantly and much is needed to be done in this regard. He further concurred with the ADC representatives that opposition to the sanctions has become widespread causing a serious moral dilemma for the UN. What is missing, he concluded, is the equivalent of a Marshall Plan to rebuild Iraq.

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