United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-09-13

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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 FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, September 13, 2004

ANNAN CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON U.N. PREMISES IN HERAT, AFGHANISTAN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a

statement released on Sunday, condemned the attacks that took place that day against UN offices, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the Independent Human Rights Commission in Herat, in Western

Afghanistan.

The Secretary-General called upon all concerned, including Afghan and international security forces, to help create a safe environment for the holding of the upcoming election in the Western region, and in the country at large. We have the full text of that statement upstairs.

The UN Mission in Afghanistans office in Herat suffered considerable damage, as did equipment and vehicles at the compound. Similar damage was reported at the office of the

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

There were no injuries reported among the UN staff in the city, and U.S. forces stationed nearby yesterday took the international staff members to safety.

The UN Mission in Afghanistan today sent a mission to Herat, led by Deputy Special Representative Filippo Grandi, which met with UN staff there. The Mission decided that some 15 UN international personnel, supported by hundreds of UN national staff, will continue on in Herat, while some 38 UN international staff were relocated to Kabul for a few days.

Today, the High Commissioner for Refugees,

Ruud Lubbers,

said that he is deeply concerned at the latest flare-up of violence, which prompted UNHCR to suspend its operations in western Afghanistan for the second time in less than a month.

SURVEY CONCLUDES DEATHS IN DARFUR EXCEED EMERGENCY THRESHHOLD

[A mortality survey has just been conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Sudan's Ministry of Health in two of the States in Sudan's Darfur region. It concludes that death rates amongst internally displaced people still surpass the threshold for a humanitarian emergency, underscoring the need for urgent increases in, and focus on, assistance to displaced people in the region.

According to a WHO press release issued in Geneva after the noon briefing, 1.2 million people in Darfur region have fled their villages and are camped in 129 settlements across an area the size of France. The "crude mortality rate" that is usually used to define a humanitarian crisis is one death per 10,000 people per day. The WHO survey found the crude mortality rate to be 1.5 deaths per 10,000 people per day in North Darfur, and 2.9 in West Darfur. The survey looked at overall deaths and their causes between 15 June and 15 August 2004. Results show that displaced people, in North and West Darfur are dying at between three and six times the expected rate.

"This survey confirms what the humanitarian community has suspected for some weeks. The results, along with the other information gathered by our staff, tell us that the people in Darfur need more assistance. Thousands, including thousands of children under five, are dying every month from diseases which can be easily prevented and treated. Increased and better focused action is now vital," said Dr. Lee Jong-wook, Director-General of the WHO.]

ANNAN CONCERNED ABOUT HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF HURRICANE IVAN

In a

statement issued through his Spokesman, the

Secretary-General today said he is deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of Hurricane Ivan, which has wreaked havoc across the Caribbean.

He is deeply saddened by the loss of life, injuries and destruction that have resulted from the disaster.

He wishes to convey his condolences to the people and Governments of Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Secretary-General requests the international community to offer solidarity and the resources necessary to alleviate the hurricanes effects.

The UN system is providing assistance to the Caribbean nations affected by

Hurricane Ivan.

In Grenada, a team from the

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is arranging for emergency funds and working with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency on incoming relief supplies. Of immediate and urgent concern is the condition of the estimated 5,000 to 8,000 persons housed in temporary shelters. Shortages of food and water and poor sanitation conditions have been also reported.

UNICEF, yesterday flew health kits, oral rehydration packets and other supplies into the

island. According to an assessment by the Pan American Health Organization, Grenadas General Hospital has lost its roof and most of its equipment.

Similar assistance is being provided to Jamaica where the United Nations is facilitating coordination among international partners and the Jamaican Government. Some 12,000 people remain in 285 emergency shelters. National authorities have called urgently for tents, lanterns, blankets, food, water, generators, and heavy-duty removal equipment.

As the hurricane progresses, the UN system will continue to monitor needs in other areas, especially the Cayman Islands where initial reports have indicated major damage and Cuba.

ANNAN SADDENED BY DEATH OF GREEK PATRIARCH PETROS VII

In a statement issued Saturday, the

Secretary-General said he is

saddened to learn of the death of His Beatitude Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, in a helicopter crash on Saturday morning in Greece.

He conveys his sincere condolences to his family, as well as to the families of the other victims of the crash, and to the Greek Orthodox community.

JOINT IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISM ON SUDAN TO MEET FRIDAY;

CONCERNS GROW OVER REPORTS OF VIOLENCE IN DARFUR

The UN Mission in Khartoum reports that the Joint Implementation Mechanism, co-chaired by the Special Representative for the Secretary-General for

Sudan, Jan Pronk, and the Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman, is scheduled to hold its next meeting this Friday.

The meeting, the first since the submission of the Secretary-General's

report on Darfur to the

Security Council, is expected to focus on how to move forward the implementation of the Sudanese Government's commitments under the Joint Communiqué.

Meanwhile, the UN mission says it continues to receive reports on clashes and violence in different areas in Darfur, particularly North Darfur, which has led to a number of casualties. These reports include fighting between the Government forces and the rebel SLA forces outside the areas designated by the Government to be made safe and secure, tribal clashes, as well as militia activities.

Reacting to these reports, Pronk has expressed his concern about the increased tensions and violence and called on all parties to the Abuja Talks to resume negotiations on the remaining key issues on the Agenda, in particular the security cluster.

He has stressed that a negotiated political solution was the only sustainable way to settle the Darfur crisis and ensure the safety and security for the people of Darfur.

The heads of the delegations of the parties to the Abuja Talks are expected to meet tomorrow with President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, current chair of the African Union, in order to discuss where and when the talks, which have been adjourned over the weekend, could be resumed.

Asked whether the

Secretary-General could quickly convene an inquiry into genocide charges in Darfur, the Spokesman said that the draft resolution currently before the Security Council contained a provision calling on the Secretary-General to conduct an inquiry. Should the Council approve the resolution, he said, the Secretary-General would move quickly to set up a group. However, he added, he could not imagine that an inquiry could be conducted in a few days, or even a few weeks, although he promised that the United Nations would do that work as quickly and thoroughly as possible, if asked to do so.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON SANCTIONS AGAINST AL-QAIDA;

SCHEDULES CONSULTATIONS ON ERITREA/ETHIOPIA AT 3 P.M.

The

Security Council is holding a public meeting on Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Chilean Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz, Chairman of the Councils Committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaida and the Taliban, gave his second 120-day oral assessment. Ambassador Munoz already briefed the press two weeks ago on the latest report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team.

Also on the Security Council program today at 3:00 p.m. are consultations on the latest report of the Secretary-General on the

UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and other matters.

ANNAN: CIVIL SOCIETY HAS ROLE TO PLAY IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

Under-Secretary-General for

Political Affairs

Kieran Prendergast delivered a message on behalf of the Secretary-General to the

International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People.

In the

message, the Secretary-General said that the international community, including civil society, cannot turn away from its obligation to do all it can to alleviate the plight of the Palestinian people and to help cultivate a climate conducive to political negotiations and reconciliation between the two peoples.

Civil society and grass roots efforts have an important role to play in conflict resolution. Non-governmental organizations, he said, have the experience and knowledge to explore new ways of working together to find common ground.

But, he added that a peace settlement can only be reached through official political negotiation. Otherwise, both sides will face the grim reality of a never-ending stalemate and continued violence.

U.N. ATOMIC AGENCY CHIEF URGES IRAN TO SPEED UP COOPERATION

The

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today began a meeting of its

Board of Governors in Vienna, and its Director-General,

Mohamed ElBaradei,

said that the Agency is making steady progress in understanding the nature and extent of Irans nuclear program.

He urged Iran to continue to accelerate its cooperation and pursue a policy of maximum transparency and confidence building, so that outstanding issues can be resolved within the next few months.

He added that IAEA teams have examined facilities in South Korea since the Agency was informed about uranium enrichment experiments conducted by scientists there.

ElBaradei said it is a matter of serious concern that the conversion and enrichment of uranium and the separation of plutonium were not reported to the Agency.

U.N. MISSION AIDS OPENING OF GREEK-LANGUAGE SCHOOL IN NORTHERN CYPRUS

With the help of the

UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the Greek Cypriot enclave of Rizokarpasso in the northern part of the island now has its first Greek-language secondary school.

Previously elementary school students wishing to continue their education had to move to the south.

The UN mission sought the cooperation of officials from both Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot authorities to make this project a reality.

The head of the Civil Affairs unit of the UN mission, Kannan Rajarathinam, personally delivered text books to the school this morning.

He told reporters that this day ''is a happy day and belongs to all Cypriots,'' noting that ''UNFICYP is happy that it has been of some assistance.''

FAO, EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO REINFORCE EFFORTS TO REDUCE HUNGER

The

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the European Commission today

signed a strategic partnership agreement designed to reinforce their joint efforts to reduce poverty, promote agricultural development and fight hunger in developing countries.

Under the new partnership, the Commission and FAO will further enhance policy dialogue at headquarters level and strengthen collaboration, particularly at country level.

This will help to bring the country support strategies of the Commission and FAO's technical assistance into closer harmony, resulting in greater synergies and improved efficiency in delivering assistance to developing countries. Specific areas of

collaboration include food security, sustainable rural development and agricultural policies.

ANNAN: CITIES MUST BECOME EXAMPLES OF INCLUSIVENESS, EQUITY

Today in Barcelona, Spain,

Anna Tibaijuka, the Executive Director of

UN-HABITAT, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme,

opened the World Urban Forum.

Held every two years, it is part of a global initiative to address one the challenges of the new Millennium: the planet's transition to an urban world. This meeting will focus on cities as crossroads of culture.

In a

message to the gathering, the

Secretary-General said that the worlds cities must become genuine examples of inclusiveness and equity, as called for in the

Millennium Declaration. Otherwise, he added, they will remain reservoirs of poverty and potential flashpoints of conflict and ultimately, barriers to advancing the human condition.

The message was delivered

Mervat Tallawy, Executive Secretary of the

UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.

At the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafic Harriri, was

awarded the Special Citation of the UN-HABITAT Scroll of Honor Award for his leadership in the reconstruction his war-torn country.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE REGRETS EXECUTIONS IN UZBEKISTAN: The UN Special Rapporteur dealing with torture, Theo van Boven, today

said he regretted that he continues to receive information that people were executed in Uzbekistan whose confessions were allegedly extracted under torture. He noted the recent execution of at least nine death-row prisoners in Uzbekistan, despite requests from the

UN Human Rights Committee to stay executions pending consideration of the cases.

UNITED NATIONS MUST BE CENTER OF MULTILATERAL ACTION: No country can protect itself from threats by turning itself into an impregnable military fortress, the

Secretary-General said in a message issued yesterday to mark the Second Interdependence Day in Rome. He said that, although the United Nations is a far from perfect organization, it is the locus of international legitimacy and must the vital center of multilateral action.

STATE OF THE WORLD POPULATION REPORT DUE WEDNESDAY: The

UN Population Fund (UNFPA) will put out its new

State of the World Population report this Wednesday. The report reviews progress in the 10 years since the

International Conference on Population and Development took place in Cairo.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

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