United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-08-24

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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 STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

U.N. ENVOY DISCUSSED ROLE OF UNITED NATIONS IN RECONSTRUCTION OF

IRAQ

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, today met with the country's Minister of planning in Baghdad to discuss the UN role in assisting the Iraqi authorities in the reconstruction efforts that focus on cities like Najaf and Al Thawra city, also known as Al-Sadr city, near Baghdad where the minister said unemployment and poverty lead to the proliferation of crime and terrorism.

Qazi also discussed with Planning Minister Mahdi al-Hafez the Iraqi Interim governments development priorities. The Planning Minister called for an active UN role in his countrys reconstruction and rehabilitation programme as well as in the transitional political process. The meeting was attended by Iraqs Minister of State Kassim Daoud.

The UN Envoy pledged the full dedication of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) to support the Iraqi people in cooperation with the interim government, security circumstances permitting.

The UNs assistance in the electoral process that would lead to the general elections, due to take place at the end of 2005, was also discussed.

[Yesterday, Iraqs Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi requested the UN Envoy to assist the Iraqi authorities in preparing for a national conference that would focus on the acute social and economic problems in the poverty-affected areas in the major cities in Iraq.]

Earlier Ashraf Qazi met Hussain al-Sadr, head of the delegation of good offices that was dispatched last week by the National Conference to seek a peaceful solution to the crisis in Najaf.

The Spokesman, in response to a question, declined to speculate on whether elections would be held in Iraq on schedule next January. He stressed that the United Nations continues to work closely with Iraqs independent electoral commission to prepare for the elections.

ANNAN CONCERNED OVER REPORTS OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENT EXPANSION IN WEST BANK

In a statement issued through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General expressed strong concern over reports of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, through the Government of Israels (GOI) recent publication of tenders for construction of new housing units.

Such activities clearly contradict Israels obligations under the Road Map which unequivocally stipulate that consistent with the Mitchell Report, GOI freezes all settlement activity, (including natural growth of settlements).

The Secretary-General calls on the Government of Israel to cease this settlement expansion and to fulfill its Road Map obligations.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO HOLD CONSULTATIONS ON

SUDAN

The Security Council, at 3:00 p.m. today, will hold consultations on Sudan. Council members will be briefed on the situation in Darfur by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh.

UN ENVOY TO SUDAN

DISCUSSED DARFUR, PEACE TALKS WITH UK

FOREIGN SECRETARY

In Khartoum today, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, met with British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, who is currently on a visit to the Sudan.

Among the matters discussed, were the Darfur crisis, the Joint Implementation Mechanism mission to Darfur from 26 to 29 August and the Naivasha peace talks between the Sudanese Government and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement.

Meanwhile in Abuja, Nigeria, Sudanese parties, namely the Government of Sudan, the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army are meeting to discuss the Darfur conflict. Convened by the African Union, this meeting is a follow-up to the one held in Addis Ababa from 15 to 17 June.

The United Nations has observer status at this meeting and is represented by the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser, Mohammed Sahnoun.

On the humanitarian side, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR), reports that the Sudanese Government is investigating the situation in West Darfur after UNHCR warned that some 30,000 displaced persons were considering crossing into Chad if the security situation did not improve.

SITUATION IN TIMOR-LESTE HAS REMAINED STABLE SINCE MAY

The situation in Timor-Leste has remained stable and largely peaceful since the Timorese Government assumed responsibility for security in May, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi told the Security Council today.

He noted some recent concerns, however, including a demonstration that took place on July 19 and 20, as well as a recent resurgence of fights between martial arts groups. Annabi told the Council, in the public meeting on Timor-Leste, that, although the country is making steady progress towards achieving self-sufficiency, it will continue for some time to require international assistance.

Annabi also said that many persons outside of Timor-Leste who were indicted for serious crimes committed in 1999 have not been brought to justice.

CONGOLESE REFUGEES TO START LEAVING INSECURE BORDER AREA IN BURUNDI

From Burundi, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR) reports that the first of some 20,000 Congolese refugees living near the insecure border of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are set to move to a camp further inside Burundi.

Tomorrow, UNHCR plans to start relocating the refugees from two transit centres (Rugombo and Karurama) in western Burundi's Cibitoke province to an existing refugee camp at Gasorwe in north-eastern Burundi.

Also, the meningitis vaccination campaign in northern Burundi was extended yesterday to two areas where six people died from the disease last week, according to the Burundian health ministry.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) are supporting the campaign. According to WHO, more than 250,000 people have been vaccinated in the north during the past month.

POLIO OUTBREAK SPREADS FROM NIGERIA

TO GUINEA, MALI, SUDAN

The ongoing polio outbreak which began in northern Nigeria

has spread to other parts of Africa. There have been re-infections in Guinea

and Mali, and three new cases in the Darfur

region of Sudan.

The World Health Organization says the spread underscores the threat of a major epidemic across west and central Africa. The Guinea

and Mali cases come just two weeks after the resumption of polio immunization campaigns in the northern Nigerian state of Kano

and re-affirms the need to urgently boost population immunity levels throughout the region.

These new cases bring the number of previously polio-free countries to be re-infected since January 2003 to twelve.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

WFP RESUMES OPERATIONS IN

INDONESIA

AFTER LIFTING ON RICE IMPORT BAN: The World Food Programme (WFP) will resume its operation to feed 1.7 million people in

Indonesia

the majority of them malnourished mothers and infants. The move comes after the decision by the Government of Indonesia to exempt humanitarian agencies from its ban on rice imports, made in an effort to protect local farmers. Nearly 12,000 metric tons of rice destined for WFP beneficiaries was held in warehouses and ports while additional aid shipments of rice en route to

Indonesia

had to be diverted to other destinations during the time the ban was in place.

UN REFUGEE AGENCY SEEKING TO ALLEVIATE GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN

COLOMBIA: The Office of the High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR) has met with Colombian human rights officials to discuss ways to alleviate the grave human rights situation of the population in Altos de Cazuca, an area close to the capital which is home to tens of thousands of displaced persons. The refugee agency says that many displaced persons arriving in Altos de Cazuca find a situation no different from the violence from which they were fleeing. UNHCRs representative in Colombia, Roberto Meier, says, It would appear that the conflict is following its victims.

UN REFUGEE AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS NEEDS OF MINORITIES IN KOSOVO: The Office of the High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR) today advised asylum countries that members of Kosovo's minority communities, as well as some other vulnerable groups, are still in need of international protection and should not be returned against their will, even if their asylum claims are rejected. Nor is it appropriate to send them into alternative displacement in other parts of Serbia and Montenegro, according to a separate UNHCR position paper issued simultaneously with the protection advice and a detailed 62-page report on the situation of minorities in Kosovo during the period January 2003 to April 2004.

UNICEF HEAD IN LIBERIA TO ASSESS CHILD SOLDIER REINTEGRATION PROGRAMME: Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), yesterday began a three-day visit to Liberia to assess the progress made in reintegrating former child combatants with their families. She will talk to demobilized children, who are now living at a UNICEF-supported interim care center, and will also visit a center for sexually abused children.

UN STUDY DETAILS THREATS TO BARENTS SEA

ECOSYSTEM: Overfishing, nuclear waste storage, the invasion of the red king crab and a projected six-fold increase in oil and gas transportation are key issues which threaten the unique Barents Sea Arctic ecosystem. Those are the findings of a new study by the United Nations Environment Programme and Global International Waters Assessment. The study says an absence of long-term planning and legislation are the main causes of these threats. It recommends that new regulations for different sectors should be adopted and enforced, along with rigorous adherence to existing international environmental agreements.

US

TENNIS OPEN DRAW AT UN HEADQUARTERS TOMORROW: Tomorrow, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Shashi Tharoor, will launch the US Open Tennis Tournament Draw Ceremony, at UN Headquarters. The draw is the selection process for seeding the majority of players for the Tournament. The launch will take place in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, between 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Other speakers at this media event include UN Messenger of Peace and former world-ranked tennis player, Vijay Amritraj, and tennis officials. During the ceremony, former top ranked tennis players, Zina Garrison and Patrick Mc Enroe, will provide commentary and analysis of the draw.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162 -

press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)

963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

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