Asia Pacific

UN rights official wraps up visit to Central Asia

17 March 2003
A top United Nations rights official has wrapped up a two-week visit to Central Asia with a stop in Turkmenistan, where he urged decision-makers to step up cooperation with human rights institutions and activists to help address widespread allegations of grave violations of human rights.

UN and Cambodia reach draft agreement for prosecuting Khmer Rouge crimes

17 March 2003
The United Nations and Cambodia have reached a draft agreement concerning the prosecution under that country's law of crimes committed during the period of Democratic Kampuchea.

Nane Annan stresses importance of hygiene education at World Water Forum

17 March 2003
Nane Annan, wife of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, participated today in the Third World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan, where experts have gathered to seek ideas to forestall a future water crisis caused by population growth, pollution and climate change.

Top UN official seeks to promote human rights in Central Asia

14 March 2003
A senior United Nations human rights official, on a two-week visit to countries of Central Asia, has discussed efforts to improve respect for civil liberties with the governments of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

UN, Cambodia begin talks on accord for special court for Khmer Rouge

14 March 2003
Representatives from the United Nations and Cambodia today began intensive talks in Phnom Penh on a draft agreement for a special court to try former leaders of the Khmer Rouge.
Hans Corell

UN legal counsel in Cambodia for talks on special court for Khmer Rouge

13 March 2003
The United Nations Legal Counsel, Hans Corell, met today with a senior Cambodian official in Phnom Penh to discuss the work programme for negotiations on the remaining parts of a draft agreement concerning the trial of Khmer Rouge leaders.

UN health agency issues global alert on atypical pneumonia

12 March 2003
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert today about a severe, atypical form of pneumonia reported to have spread among hospital staff in Viet Nam and Hong Kong, and in Guangdong province in China.

UN agency kicks off plan to mobilize world youth to protect the environment

12 March 2003
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched in Sydney today the first event in a campaign to mobilize the world's children and youth to protect the planet's environment.

Timor-Leste: UN honours four Korean peacekeepers killed in river accident

12 March 2003
The United Nations today honoured four peacekeepers from the Republic of Korea who died in a river accident last week in Timor-Leste.

Steep drop in aid for DPR of Korea could endanger child health, UNICEF warns

12 March 2003
Warning that the dramatic fall-off in humanitarian aid for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) may soon leave clinics without medicines and supplies - wiping out recent hard-won gains in child health care - the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reiterated an urgent appeal for donations today.