Peacekeeping:

The United Nations General Assembly approved a budget of $2.17 billion to finance 11 active peacekeeping missions for next year, a reduction of $430 million from the current year. This decrease is mostly due to the closing of the UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) and downsizing operations in Kosovo, Timor-Leste, Sierra Leone and Lebanon.

Iran:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called on Iran "to allow environmental sampling of alleged enrichment activities and to agree to enhanced inspections of its nuclear programmes following an official report that it had failed to disclose certain nuclear material and activities." Iran is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which the IAEA is assigned with verifying.

Liberia:

Despite a ceasefire agreement 2 weeks ago between the Liberian Government and the country's two main rebel factions, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy and Elections in Liberia (MODEL), fighting resumed. NGOs report the number of cholera cases has increased and that water and sanitation continue to be major problems for the thousands of internally displaced persons in camps in and around Monrovia.

Middle East:

Last week Secretary General Kofi Annan recommended that the UN's Israeli-Syrian Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), first deployed in 1974, remain an additional 6 months. He said that while lately the situation in the Golan Heights has been "generally quiet," the situation in the Middle East is "very tense and likely to remain so." In addition, the age of landmines in the area and their deteriorating explosives pose a growing threat to UN personnel and locals. UNDOF is working with UNICEF to promote mine awareness to civilians. The Security Council complied with his request on June 26. Both Syria and Israel have agreed to the extension, which would extend the force through 31 December.

TIMOR-LESTE:

Sandra Peisley, the first female United Nations' police commissioner started her new job this week with the UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET). She is an Assistant Commissioner in the Australian Federal Police with a background in police training, management, investigations and close protection.

Congo (DRC):

The Acte d'Engagement for the Cessation of Hostilities in the eastern and north-eastern DRC was signed in Bujumbura on June 19, under the mediation of Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative, Mr. Amos Namanga Ngongi. The Act of Engagement was signed by the Government, the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie (RCD-Goma) and the RCD-Kisangani/Mouvement de Liberation (RCD-K/ML). Nonetheless, fighting has continued. MONUC reports that the RCD-Goma, following its capture of Lubero, continues its move northward toward Beni and Butembo.

On the day of the signing, two United Nations military observers were abducted in the town of Beni. MONUC, the UN Organization Mission in the DRC, later in the week reported the two, from Tunisia and Russia, had been found safe and brought back to their base by helicopter on Saturday.

On June 23 MONUC started its "weapons-free Bunia" initiative. The Interim Emergency Multinational Force is taking the program to outlying neighborhoods.

Conference on Disarmament:

Last week the final session of the CD under the Israeli presidency was held. The boycott by the Islamic Conference Organization is predicted to end next week, when Italy assumes the presidency. On June 19 several nations made official statements. In his statement Ambassador Filip of Romania described the concept of micro-disarmament. That is, preventing the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons. He called this "practical disarmament."

The Conference on Disarmament is the world's only multilateral negotiating forum for disarmament.

Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security:

Thanks to Peacewomen, a project of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security has been translated into 19 languages. It is available on their website in the official UN languages as well as Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Ciluba (Democratic Republic of Congo), Finnish, Georgian, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Kikongo (DRC), Kiswahili (DRC), Lingala (DRC), Swedish and Turkish. Translations in Dari, Farsi, German, Greek, Nepali, and Serbo-Croatian are expected shortly.

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