United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-07-27

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES SUDAN DRAFT RESOLUTION

Security Council members expect to discuss a draft resolution on Sudan in consultations this afternoon, according to the Council Presidency.

In Sudan, the security verification mission organized under the auspices of the Joint Implementation Mechanism comprised of UN and Sudanese Government officials and their partners visited two locations by helicopter in South Darfur today.

The mission visited a village, Sania Daliebe, that had been previously attacked and where former villagers had returned. It also visited a small urban area, Kass, where the mission interacted with groups of internally displaced persons who had congregated there, including women and community leaders.

On Wednesday, the mission travels to West Darfur.

Humanitarian agencies remain very concerned about poor sanitation and access problems in West Darfur. Food airdrops are scheduled to begin there next week.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals position on whether military action is needed in Sudan, the Spokeswoman said the Secretary-General has been working on many fronts to get Sudan to implement the commitments to which it had agreed in the Joint Communiqué earlier this month.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON U.N. FORCE IN LEBANON

The Security Council held consultations this morning on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), on which they received a briefing by Lisa Buttenheim, Director of the Asia and Middle East Division in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

In his latest report on that force, the Secretary-General recommended that the Council renew UNIFILs mandate for six months, until January 15, 2005. He also noted that, while both Israel and Lebanon have proclaimed their aspirations to avoid destabilizing the area, only one month, in the past six, has gone by without a confrontation.

This afternoon, at 3:00, the Security Council has scheduled consultations, to be followed by a formal meeting, on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The consultations and meeting are to consider a draft resolution, concerning the arms embargo in that country and the mandate of the panel of experts dealing with the implementation of those sanctions.

ANNAN STRESSES VALUE OF INCLUSIVE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN IRAQ

Asked about the timing of the National Conference for Iraq, the Spokeswoman said that Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly believes that a more inclusive and transparent National Conference would contribute to stability in Iraq and would enhance the chances for a peaceful political transition. Creating the conditions for a successful outcome to the National Conference is therefore more important than holding it on time.

Asked whether Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi was in Iraq, she said he was not. The UN international presence in Iraq consists of a small team of experts helping in preparations for the National Conference, she said.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had received a letter from British Members of Parliament asking for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on Iraq, the Spokeswoman said the letter had been received.

FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT BY ICC TAKES PLACE IN DR CONGO

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has started its first official visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This step follows the decision, announced on June 23 by the Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, to open the first investigation of the ICC by looking into grave crimes allegedly committed on the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo since July 1, 2002.|

Officials of the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry arrived in the DRC on Monday and will remain there until Friday, July 30. They will hold closed meetings with representatives of the national authorities, civil society, and international organizations present in the country. The aim of the visit is to evaluate the possibilities for future cooperation.

NEW HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT NAMED FOR DR CONGO

Titinga Frédéric Pacéré, a lawyer from Burkina Faso, has been appointed as Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The appointment was made on July 22 by the Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Mike Smith of Australia, in consultation with representatives of the different regional groups.

U.N. ENVOY FOR HAITI MEETS PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Haiti, and Head of the UN Mission there, Juan Gabriel Valdes, met the provisional President of Haiti, Boniface Alexandre, on Monday in Port au Prince. Prior to this meeting, he also met Prime Minister Gérard Latortue and Foreign Minister, Yvon Siméon.

Among the issues discussed in the meetings were security, humanitarian concerns, development needs, the electoral process and the national dialogue.

Later in the day, the Special Representative met members of Haitis provisional electoral council.

VENEZUELA: POLITICAL ACTORS ACCEPT U.N. PROPOSAL FOR DIALOGUE Diego Cordovez, the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Latin America, met the Secretary-General yesterday to report on his mission to Venezuela last week. In his meeting, Cordovez emphasized that all political actors in the Venezuelan crisis have accepted the UN proposal for a dialogue.

The purpose of Cordovezs visit to Venezuela was to keep the Secretary-General abreast of the latest developments regarding the referendum to be held on August 15.

ASSISTANCE SENT FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKE IN AFGHANISTAN

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that emergency assistance has been sent to areas in south-eastern and western Afghanistan, which were recently hit by earthquakes.

Relief agencies, in collaboration with the United Nations, are supplying food and water to people affected by the earthquake in the provinces of Herat and Paktia. Tents and bed sheets are being given to those left homeless by the disaster.

Also, two assessment teams, including UN, Afghan government and non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives, are evaluating the situation on the ground.

U.N. AGENCIES STEP UP AID EFFORTS IN BANGLADESH

UN agencies are stepping up their efforts to help Bangladesh deal with a worsening flood situation, and the United Nations, the World Bank and other bodies have set up a new coordination room in Dhaka to consolidate all assessments of the situation on the ground.

In addition, UN agencies, including the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme and the UN Childrens Fund, are sending supplies, including food, water and medicine, to help the affected population. So far, more than 23 million people have been affected by the floods, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS CALL ON IRAN TO ENSURE DUE PROCESS

Three UN human rights experts today called on the government of Iran to comply with humanitarian norms, warning that failure to ensure due process sets the ground for similar abuses in the future.

The call stems from the experts concern regarding the recent acquittal of an Iranian intelligence officer charged with the alleged killing of journalist Zahra Kazemi near Tehran earlier this month.

The experts fear that by failing to ensure an open trial and independent judiciary, the authorities are favoring a climate of impunity for law enforcement officials and setting the ground for the recurrence of similar human rights violations in the future.

LOCUST SWARMS INVADING MAURITANIA, SENEGAL AND MALI

The Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) says the number of desert locust swarms invading cropping areas in Mauritania, Senegal and Mali from northwest Africa has increased in the past two weeks.

FAO says no swarms have been reported in Chad or Darfur, Sudan, but the risk there remains high, and there is also a potential danger that swarms could also reach Burkina Faso.

So far, $9 million of emergency assistance has been pledged. But several countries have appealed for more international help to supplement the major national efforts already made, and to prevent the situation from developing into a plague.

SNORKELLERS AND SCUBA DIVERS ENLISTED TO SAVE OCEANS

Snorkellers and scuba divers across the globe are being enlisted to help save the world's oceans and seas.

A new initiative, called Earthdive, is being supported by the UN Environment Programme through its World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge, England.

The scheme urges professional and amateur divers to study the health of the marine environment including coral reefs, mangrove swamps and coastal waters, and to record their findings on the Earthdive website.

By doing this, they will be contributing scientific data on key indicator species to build a Global Dive Log. Members also sign an international petition, demanding action to protect the oceans and donating 50 percent of membership fees directly to marine conservation projects.

According to Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director, In conserving the oceans, we are not only saving a key part of the planet's life support systems and many wonderful marine life-forms, we are also playing a key role in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals in areas from poverty eradication to hunger reduction."

NANE ANNAN ADDRESSES GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE

Before flying to Ghana with the Secretary-General on Monday night, Nane Annan addressed some 2,000 clergy and lay members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America at the National Philoptochos Biennial Convention Banquet at New Yorks Marriott Marquis Hotel.

Addressing the theme of the banquet, Making a Difference Through Service, Mrs. Annan spoke about women she has met while traveling with her husband in the developing world. They are women who are not and will not be in history books or in headlines, she said, but who are performing miracles in their search for human dignity, for themselves and their families. She highlighted in particular their efforts to obtain access to safe water and sanitation, to provide for girls education, and to fight against AIDS.

After Mrs. Annans address, the National Philoptochos Society presented a $50,000 check to UNICEF for projects to assist women and children.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

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press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)

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