UNITED NATIONS, November 19 -- There was rare good news, or at least it was presented as such, at the UN on Monday: the land around Chernobyl is safe and not radioactive, potatoes can be grown and eaten, the cancer deaths are due to cigarettes and alcoholism. This was the message of the UN Development Program, delivered by Ms. Cihan Sultanoglu, Deputy Director of the Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States, and until recently UNDP's resident coordinator in Belarus. She presented a slide show replete with photos of tomatoes growth near the reactors.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres will visit Belarus on 28-29 July. The main goal of the visit it to sign an agreement between Belarus and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on cooperation and legal status of the UNHCR Office and its personnel in Belarus.
