United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-10-09

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

HUA JIANG

DEPUTY SPOKESWOMAN

FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, October 9, 2003

KOFI ANNAN STRONGLY CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN BAGHDAD;

EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT SECURITY IN IRAQ

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement issued through his Spokesman, strongly condemns todays suicide bombing at a police station in Baghdad and the killing of Spanish diplomat Jose Antonio Bernal.

The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the toll of dead and wounded arising from these murderous attacks.

He conveys his condolences to the families of the victims and hopes that the injured will make a full recovery.

The Secretary-General reiterates that all terrorist acts, from whatever quarter and whatever their justification, are morally repugnant and indefensible.

He remains greatly concerned about the security situation in Iraq.

Meanwhile, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari who heads the Independent Panel on the Safety and Security of UN Personnel in Iraq, has left the Iraqi capital.

Asked if the Secretary-General supported the holding of the Madrid donors conference, the Spokeswoman later said that the UNs role at the conference is confined to providing technical support, mainly by making available the findings of its joint Needs Assessment with the World Bank. The UN delegation, the Spokeswoman added, will be headed by UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown.

UN MIDDLE EAST ENVOY MEETS WITH SYRIAN LEADERSHIP IN DAMASCUS

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Terje Roed Larsen, is continuing his regional tour. Earlier today he met, at the request of the Secretary-General, with Syrias President, Bashar al-Assad, to discuss the grave situation in the region. He also met with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara.

After his meeting with the President, Larsen told reporters that attacks and counter attacks, such as the recent Israeli air attack on Syrian territory and the attack on Israel across the Blue Line earlier this week, only lead down a steep and precarious path towards more violence. I seriously advise the parties, Larsen said in a statement, not to travel down this road.

The next step for the parties, he said, is to abstain for further action that could increase the already high level of tension in the region.

Larsen called on them to work exclusively through diplomatic means and to allow the international community to work out a solution that would defuse the tensions.

UN WITNESSES SIGNING OF SECURITY ACCORD IN AFGHAN PROVINCE

The UN Mission in Afghanistan reported that an "Agreement by the High-Ranking Delegation for solving the current tensions in Balkh province" was signed today, with the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan as one of the witnesses.

The agreement was signed after fighting broke out Wednesday between factions of Jamiat and Jumbesh in Fayzadad District. According to preliminary reports, the conflict was very intense with both sides using tanks as well as mortars. High numbers of casualties were reported, though the UN Mission is not able to confirm the number at this time.

As a result of the fighting, the United Nations suspended road missions to the west of Mazar city.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN LIBERIA

The Security Council met in closed consultations this morning and will hold an open meeting this afternoon.

This morning, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi gave an update on Liberia.

[Following consultations, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte, in his capacity as Security Council President, read a press statement on Liberia. Council members expressed concern that former President Charles Taylor is still attempting to influence events in Liberia and noted that any interference from him could threaten the carefully constructed peace agreement in Liberia.They also underscored the importance of a program to demobilize, disarm, reintegrate and repatriate combatants to peace and security for Liberia and urged all parties to commit to such a program immediately.

]

Council members also heard a briefing on Burundi. [In a press statement on Burundi, also read by Negroponte, Council members welcomed the signing on 8 October of the Pretoria Protocol on political, defense and security power-sharing between the Transitional Government of Burundi and the Conseil National pour la Défense de la Démocratie/Force pour la Défense de la Démocratie (CNDD/FDD).] On Wednesday, the Secretary-General had welcomed the signing of that agreement..

SECURITY COUNCIL TO HEAR BRIEFINGS FROM UN TRIBUNAL PRESIDENTS

This afternoon, the Security Council will hold an open meeting to hear briefings from the Presidents of the two International Criminal Tribunals. Judge Theodor Meron will present the annual report on the Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, while Judge Erik Mose will report on the Rwanda Tribunals work over the past year; both of them also presented their reports this morning to the General Assembly. Also addressing the Council will be Carla Del Ponte, the Prosecutor for the Yugoslavia Tribunal.

The report from the Yugoslavia Tribunal published today, and it says that the pace of the Tribunals activities has reached an all-time high. Holding six trials simultaneously throughout the year, he trial chambers have handled more cases over the past year than ever before, while an increasing number of plea agreements have been struck.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO HOLD CONSULTATIONS ON MIDDLE EAST FRIDAY

[Following consultations, Security Council President Negroponte told reporters that the Security Council has scheduled consultations at 10 a.m. Friday to discuss a letter submitted by Syria, which requests an immediate meeting of the Security Council and contains a draft resolution.]

PAKISTANI GENERAL NAMED UN FORCE COMMANDER IN SIERRA LEONE

Major General Sajjad Akram of Pakistan has been appointed as the Force Commander (FC) for the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

He replaces Lieutenant General Daniel Opande who is now the Force Commander for the UN Mission in Liberia.

Until his appointment, Maj. Gen. Akram was UNAMSILs Deputy Force Commander.

ANNAN HONORS GATES CONTRIBUTION TO FIGHT AGAINST AIDS

The Secretary-General, in a message issued to coincide with tonights Africare Bishop Walker Dinner in Washington, says that Bill and Melinda Gates have helped to set new standards in philanthropy and partnerships.

The contribution they have made to the fight against AIDS not only serves as a powerful example to other donors and to Governments, he says; it is also helping to save millions of lives.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL ADDRESSES INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette this morning participated in a roundtable discussion sponsored by the International Crisis Group on key issues in conflict resolution and told them that the war on Iraq and its aftermath have brought us all face to face with a host of fundamental questions of principal and practice.

Added to the setback in trade talks in Cancún, Mexico, last month, she said, You begin to sense that the consensus that appeared to be so solid behind the Millennium Declaration maybe is not quite as solid as it was three years ago.

She notes the Secretary-Generals efforts to find ways to strengthen the United Nations, including his intention to appoint a panel of wise men and women to examine that topic.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTS NOTES CONTINUING PROBLEMS IN CAMBODIA

Published today is a report on the Situation of human rights in Cambodia, which was transmitted to the General Assembly by the Secretary-General.

In this report, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for human rights in Cambodia, Peter Leuprecht, notes that the three National Assembly elections held since the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1991 mark an import step in the countrys efforts to establish a multiparty democracy. However, the report notes, the establishment of a level playing field for all political parties still encountered significant obstacles and the enforcement of the law also remains a continuing problem.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SUDANESE REFUGEES IN CHAD: Continuing reports of raids, landmine incidents and rebel presence along the border highlight the urgent need to move more than 65,000 Sudanese refugees further inland into eastern Chad. But so far, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has had little luck finding suitable sites for relocation.

STUDY ON DISPLACED PERSONS IN BOGOTA: A new study co-published by the agency has found that despite skyrocketing numbers of internally displaced persons in Bogotá, these people especially indigenous communities lack assistance to integrate in the capital.

LIBERIANS DISPLACED BY HARASSMENT: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that Liberians displaced by harassment and abuse continue to flee to areas recently visited by humanitarian agencies in the central part of the country.

CONVENTIONAL ARMS: The Secretary-Generals report to the General Assembly on the UN Register of Conventional Arms is published today. The report, which is the eleventh since the establishment of the Register in 1991, contains data and information provided by 115 Governments on imports and exports of conventional arms.

WORLD SIGHT DAY: To mark the occasion of World Sight Day today, VISION 2020: The Right To Sight, a joint global initiative of World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness - is launching a tool kit to help governments and health professionals develop national blindness prevention plans. Some 40-45 million people are blind, however World Health Organization estimates that 80% of visual impairment could be avoided or cured.

"THE RIGHT TO PLAY": Johann Koss, Norwegian Olympic speed skating champion and head of the non-governmental organization The Right To Play, along with Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) launched a child development partnership in the West Bank Palestine refugee camp of Aqabat Jabr. Under the agreement signed today, The Right To Play will send several project coordinators to the West Bank to bring sport and play programs to children in Ramallah and Jericho.

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