Global Policy Forum

By Barbara Crossette

Secretary General Kofi Annan, in his strongest expression of alarm about the situation facing Palestinians under an Israeli assault, called today for an international force to be sent to the Middle East.

Israel has always opposed the introduction of outsiders, except possibly for American peace guarantors at some future date. Mr. Annan has in the past often referred to stiff Israeli opposition as a reason not to press the issue.

But in recent days, the Palestinians and Arab nations here have renewed their demand for peacekeepers, a move the United States opposes and would be expected to try to block in the Security Council. Although Mr. Annan has no power to order United Nations troops to go anywhere, his unexpectedly strong remarks today, made to reporters in Geneva, where he spoke at the United Nations Human Rights Commission annual meeting, lend strong weight to the Palestinian request. They will certainly provoke a debate here.

The Secretary General called the situation in the Palestinian refugee camps so dangerous — and the human rights situation "so appalling" — that "the proposition that a force should be sent in there to create a secure environment as well as provide space for for diplomatic and political negotiation can no longer be deferred."

Mr. Annan said that the United Nations, with about 12,000 relief workers in the Palestinian camps and settlements, has been getting reports of Israeli violations of codes of conduct in war. "The Red Cross is there, and other agencies," he said. "So we get a lot of reports. That is why I am very worried."

Peter Hansen, who administers Palestinian programs through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, has sent a series of increasingly anguished reports to United Nations headquarters. United Nations employees have often been caught in the fighting or been blocked from doing their jobs. Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has been trying to send a delegation to observe the situation of the Palestinians, but has so far not been given visas by Israel, United Nations officials say.

Mr. Annan said today that while he supported the proposal to send a human rights mission, he did not see a direct mediating role for himself. The Secretary General, who met Secretary of State Colin L. Powell in Madrid this week for discussions on the Mideast crisis, instead reiterated his support for the Powell mission to the region. "There is a mediator, the United States," Mr. Annan said. "Mr. Powell is there today. I am in contact with him and others, and we support his effort. We must not have a multiplicity of mediators."

The Security Council has deferred debate on he Mideast during the Powell trip.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C íŸ 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.