UN Radio: Nigerian UN Troops Deploy To Liberia

UN Radio: Nigerian UN Troops Begin to Deploy in War-Ravaged Liberian Capital

Nigerian UN Troops Begin to Deploy in War-Ravaged Liberian Capital

More than one hundred Nigerian troops have begun deploying in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, on Monday. The contingent, which is being moved from the UN Mission in neighbouring Sierra Leone, was airlifted to the rain-drenched city by UN helicopters in the morning. Meanwhile the World Food Programme has continued to airlift much needed food and medical supplies to Monrovia. The emergency operation started on Saturday and a boat is expected to be sent to the city late on Monday. WFP spokesman Richard Lee says a lot more needs to be done.

"Over all in the course of this week, we're hoping to get 12 metric tons of high-energy biscuits into the city and that's enough for round about a hundred thousand of the most vulnerable people. This is just an emergency ration. What we really need to do is get access to our stocks of food in Monrovia because there hundreds of thousands of people who need food and will need for weeks and weeks to come."

Meanwhile, President Charles Taylor who has been indicted for war crimes by UN-backed Special Court in Sierra Leone has said that he will resign on Monday 11th August.

UN Strongly Condemns the Killing of Indian UN Police Officer in Kosovo

The Acting United Nations Special Representative in Kosovo, Charles Brayshaw has strongly condemned the killing of an Indian police officer in Kosovo late on Sunday night. It is the first death of a UN peacekeeper in Kosovo in four years. The officer, Major Satish Menon, was killed when the clearly-marked UN vehicle he was travelling in was fired on by unknown suspects. A spokesman for the Police in the UN Mission in Kosovo, Derrick Chappell, says the killing has affected the morale of many UN staff.

"Everybody has been shocked. Part of our reaction is confusion because we don't know who is responsible. There is a lot of speculation that it might be the work of criminal groups but the investigation has so far not linked this to any persons or any groups and we're still trying to understand why this man lost his life trying to protect the people of Kosovo."

The UN Mission in Kosovo says it will make every effort to find the killers of the Indian officer, who's survived by a wife and two children.

Atomic Energy Agency Legal Team Holds Discussion with Iranian Authorities

A 2-member legal team from the International Atomic Energy Agency has arrived in the Iranian capital, Teheran to discuss how Iran could sign a new protocol that allows flash or unannounced inspections of its nuclear facilities. IAEA Spokesman, Lothar Wedekind, says the team should conclude its deliberations by Wednesday 6th August.

"They would clarify exactly what rights of access to information and other sites the agency inspectors might have and also the obligations on Iran's side. And the reporting requirements and all the matters involved in verifying a nuclear programme."

Spokesman Wedekind added that Iran needs to be open and transparent about its nuclear activities.

WHO New Chief Urges Quick Action against Tobacco The new Director-General of the WHO, Dr Lee Jong-Wook has called on all countries to sign and ratify the recently adopted Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Dr Lee was speaking at the 12th World Conference on Tobacco or Health currently taking place in Helsinki, Finland. The convention requires, among other things, that very bold health warning be placed on cigarette packets. UN spokesman Fred Eckhard says more countries need to sign the Convention for its legality to be recognized.

"Since the unanimous adoption of the Convention by 192 member states in May, 47 countries have signed and one country - Norway - has ratified the treaty. Ratification by 40 countries is needed before it can enter into force and become a legally binding document."

Tobacco use kills 4.9 million people each year, many of them in developing countries.

UN Special Rep for Iraq holds Discussions in Turkey

The UN Special Representative for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello has been holding discussions with the Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara about the role that Turkey - Iraq's northern neighbour - could play in the reconstruction of Iraq. The UN has described the 3-hour discussion as productive and fruitful.

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