UN fact-finding mission to arrive in Middle East on Saturday
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 4/25/2002

UN report:

A United Nations fact-finding mission initiated by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and welcomed by the Security Council to develop accurate information regarding recent events in the Jenin refugee camp is expected to be in the Middle East by Saturday, a spokesman travelling with the team announced today in Geneva.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that members of the mission and a number of additional experts had convened in the Swiss city for an internal organizational meeting. "As other members of the team gather in Geneva over the next few days, the fact-finding team will continue to prepare its mission," he added.

In addition to those members already announced, two additional advisors were present at the meeting, according to the spokesman: a legal advisor, Tyge Lehmann, the Senior Legal Advisor for the Danish Government, and a medical advisor, Helena Ranta, of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University of Helsinki.

Announcing the mission on Monday, the Secretary-General said it would be headed by Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland, who would be joined by former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata and former President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Cornelio Sommaruga. Mr. Annan also said that retired United States General Bill Nash would serve as military adviser while Thomas Peter Fitzgerald of Ireland would be police adviser.

Previous Stories:
  Guardian report: Israel breached the Geneva conventions   (4/24/2002)
  Reporters Sans Frontieres on Israeli practices against journalists in Palestine   (4/24/2002)
  Amnesty International delegates' visit to Jenin   (4/23/2002)

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