United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-10-16

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

FRED

ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN

FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, October 16, 2003

ANNAN PLEDGES TO DO UTMOST TO IMPLEMENT NEW IRAQ RESOLUTION

This morning the Security Council

unanimously adopted a follow-up resolution on Iraq, resolution 1511 (2003).

Speaking immediately after the vote, the Secretary-General commended the members of the Security Council for having reached what he called a significant agreement which addresses the complex situation in Iraq.

He acknowledged that the process had been difficult but that todays outcome clearly showed the will of the Council members to place the interests of the Iraqi people above all other considerations.

The Secretary-General went on to say the he would do his utmost to implement this resolution, bearing in mind his responsibilities to the safety and security of UN staff. I am grateful to the Council, he added, for the flexibility that the new resolution gives me in this respect.

He reiterated the UN's determination to continue helping the Iraqi people as best as is possible, both from inside and outside the country, primarily with humanitarian aid.

I have no doubt, the Secretary-General told Council members in closing, that we all look forward to the earliest possible establishment of an elected Government that will return Iraq to full sovereignty.

SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS OPEN DEBATE ON COUNTER TERRORISM

Following the meeting on Iraq, the Security Council today held an open debate during which members are to hear a periodic update on the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee by its Chairman, Ambassador Innocencio Arias of Spain.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee, known as the CTC, established by Security Council Resolution 1373, is a monitoring body that aims to increase the capability of States to fight terrorism. The CTC is not a sanctions committee and does not have a list of terrorist organizations or individuals.

In addition to the briefer, there are more than 30 speakers.

ANNAN TO ISLAMIC SUMMIT: MUSLIMS ARE CAPABLE OF MUCH GREATER THINGS

Earlier today in Putrajaya, Malaysia, a message from the Secretary-General to the 10th summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference cited the rich history of Islam and asserted, There is nothing natural or inevitable about the sad state in which so much of the Islamic world finds itself today.

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, read out the message on the Secretary-Generals behalf, saying, The Muslim peoples are capable of much greater things and they know it. Most Islamic societies have fallen far behind in a rapidly changing world, the Secretary-General contends.

He says that the path of political reform, education and development is the only one that offers real hope of a more prosperous present and a glorious future.

He draws attention to the suffering of Muslims in many parts of the world, emphasizing that the Road Map devised by the Quarter is the only route that holds any promise of freedom for the Palestinians, while he asserts that Iraqis need an inclusive political process that enjoys the widest possible support and commitment, both at home and abroad.

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES DIRECT DIALOGUE ON KOSOVO

[In a press statement on Kosovo released by the Security Council President, members welcomed the opening of a direct dialogue on practical issues of mutual interest between authorities in Belgrade and Pristina on October 14 in Vienna, Austria.

They asserted their commitment to the direct dialogue as a means to foster confidence between the parties and to improve peoples daily lives.]

TWO FLAGS OF UNITED NATIONS FLY ABOARD CHINESE SPACECRAFT

Two UN flags were on board the Shen Zhou V spacecraft during its historic flight, as a symbol of the firm commitment to use outer space for peaceful purposes and for the betterment of all humankind.

The UN flags that were on board will later be presented to the Secretary-General at UN Headquarters, in keeping with the past practice in which Secretaries-General are presented with UN flags that have been flown in space.

In a statement issued through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General extends his warm congratulations to the astronaut on board the spacecraft, Yang Liwei, and to the people of China, on the successful conclusion of this historic mission. The Secretary-General hopes that it will usher in a new era of international cooperation in the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space.

SECRETARY-GENERAL MOURNS THE DEATH FIRST MAURITANIAN PRESIDENT

The Secretary-General, in a statement issued through his Spokesman, was saddened to learn of the death of Moktar Ould Daddah, who led Mauritania to independence and served as the country's first president from 1961 to 1978.

He joins other Africans in mourning yet another of modern Africa's founding fathers -- one of the continent's pioneers who through his courage and commitment propelled his people to freedom and worked for social and economic development in the post-colonial era.

UN MISSION REPORTS IMPROVEMENT IN SECURITY IN NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN

The UN Mission in Afghanistan has lifted its suspension of road travel from Mazar-i-Sharif to the west. The Mission said that the situation in the area where the recent fighting took place are reported to be calm, with the agreements of October 9 and 11 holding.

Troops have been withdrawn while armored vehicles belonging to the warring factions have been returned to their respective bases.

A 278-strong Kabul-based police contingent arrived yesterday in Mazar. The deployment of the policemen to Mazar was one of the terms of an agreement reached on October 9.

UN road missions to Maimana in Faryab province have also resumed, following suspensions that were put in place after fighting there on 7 October.

The city is calm and the police have now taken over the security.

ON WORLD FOOD DAY, ANNAN CALLS FOR ALLIANCE AGAINST HUNGER

The Secretary-General, in a message, marks this years World Food Day by noting that the Millennium Development Goals will be met only if we forge a true International Alliance against Hunger an alliance encompassing governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, religious groups and individuals.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Jacques Diouf appealed for an international alliance against hunger, as FAO commemorated its foundation in 1945.

Also today, the World Food Programme (WFP) marked World Food Day by announcing that it has joined as a co-sponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). WFP committed $195 million to AIDS programs in 2002.

ANNAN CONGRATULATES BERTINI ON RECEIVING WORLD FOOD PRIZE

The Secretary-General today offered his congratulations to his Under-Secretary-General for Management, Catherine Bertini, who tonight will receive the World Food Prize for her efforts in fighting global hunger when she was Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP).

Thanks to her outstanding leadership, the World Food Programme is today on the front lines of the worlds battle against hunger, the Secretary-General said in a video message to the World Food Prize Symposium, which takes place tonight in Des Moines, Iowa. Its staff have made many sacrifices in the line of duty, and have helped save millions from the scourge of famine. Lets congratulate them, too.

Bertini plans to donate the award, which is worth 250,000 dollars, to the Friends of the World Food Programme, to help fund education initiatives for girls, which she says represents the fastest and most efficient way to saving and improving peoples lives in poor countries.

James Morris, the current Executive Director of WFP, announced that the agency would match the $250,000 award and allocate the same amount of money to the girls education initiatives that Bertini will support.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS VOICE CONCERNS ABOUT BOLIVIA: Five UN human rights rapporteurs today expressed their concern about the situation in Bolivia. The rapporteurs, who deal with torture, extrajudicial executions, human rights defenders, indigenous people and the freedom of expression, echoed the Secretary-General's concerns about violence and loss of life in several parts of the country, notably the Alto.

PAYMENTS MADE BY IRAQ COMPENSATION COMMISSION: The UN Compensation Commission made available today more than $196 million to 26 Governments and 3 international organizations. Todays payment brings the overall amount of compensation made available to date by the commission to close to $18 billion.

EARLY WARNING AS MEANS TO REDUCE LOSSES FROM NATURAL DISASTERS: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland opened the Second International Conference on Early Warning in Bonn, Germany. This conference, hosted by the Government of Germany and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, aims to identify ways to improve the use of early warning mechanisms in reducing the human, economic and environmental losses from natural disasters. A checklist on how to integrate early warning into public policies aimed at decision makers is an expected outcome of the conference.

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