09/27/2000

Agenda Contracts reviewed: The General Assembly: Fifth Committee will be looking into far-reaching personnel issues with particular impact on the contractual status of staff. Those who do not have permanent contracts may have to forget about them. Those who do may not feel so certain about them - in deed they may not feel what is really happening until it's over.

What next for the Peacekeeping Report: Heads of State of Security Council members agreed to nominate a focal point each to follow-up on their own brief meeting in New York in early September. Now that the discussions will focus on actual issues, several side meetings, and closed sessions are expected.

UN Staff are not an easy target: Now that the staff have demonstrated against the senseless murder of their colleagues in the field, a request has been placed for a special security council meeting to review practical measures to protect mission volunteers. That meeting is not yet definite. What is definite, though, is a solid determination to send a clear message to host countries that UN Staff are not easy targets.