United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-12-10

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, December 10, 2004

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY MARKED WITH CALLS FOR ACTION AND EDUCATION

The United Nations family around the world marked

International Human Rights Day with calls for education and action, exhibitions and panel discussions.

Noting the enormous efforts still required to make human rights a reality for all, Secretary-General Kofi Annan cast the spotlight on the vital role of education in the battle.

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette, in her statement to the General Assembly on Human Rights Day, also focused on the importance of human rights education.

She said she joins the

High Commissioner for Human Rights in paying tribute to the many human rights educators and human rights defenders around the world who contribute day after day to building a universal culture of human rights. They should serve as an inspiration to all of us, she said.

U.N. ENVOY DISCUSSES IRAQ WITH TOP U.S. OFFICIAL

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, is meeting today in Washington, D.C. with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

They are expected to have a wide-ranging discussion on Iraq, including the UNs support for the elections and the political process.

Qazi will be in New York on Monday, when he will present to the Security Council the Secretary-Generals latest

report on Iraq.

DARFUR: PARTIES MUST SHOW RESTRAINT IF TALKS ARE TO SUCCEED

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for

Sudan, Jan Pronk, has

expressed his concern at the escalation of violence in Darfur, in direct violation of the NDjamena Ceasefire Agreement and the Abuja Protocols on humanitarian and security issues.

He drew particular attention to the Government of Sudans military action on the roads around Al Fasher, which has led to the eruption of a new round of fighting in Darfur this week.

Pronk says he is worried about the possible negative impact of the fighting on the Abuja talks on Darfur. He fears that this round of negotiations, due to begin shortly, is headed for failure if the parties do not show restraint.

Pronk is scheduled to be in New York next week, and we have asked him to be our guest at the noon briefing on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Asked about the deteriorating situation, the Spokesman said that not only has there not been progress, but there has been regression. He said it was now up to the international community to put as much pressure as it can on the Government and the rebel groups to honor the cease-fire, to negotiate seriously and in good faith, to get an agreement between North and South as well as on Darfur, and to keep the fire from spreading anywhere else in the country.

RENEWED FIGHTING LEADS TO MORE DISPLACED PERSONS IN DARFUR

Humanitarian agencies are reporting new waves of population displacements as a result of the renewed fighting in Darfur.

For example, the 16,000 Sudanese who had recently fled their town after it came under attack on 22 November have reportedly dispersed once more due to the attacks Wednesday on Thabit, where they had sought refuge.

Agencies report ongoing negotiations with the authorities to locate a new site for a large number of people displaced by the recent wave of insecurity.

TOP U.N. ENVOY IN MIDDLE EAST TRAVELS FROM LEBANON TO SAUDI ARABIA

Terje Roed-Larsen, Special Coordinator for the

Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, paid a farewell call to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He met with the Force Commander, General Alain Pelligrini.

While in Lebanon, he also paid a farewell call to the Speaker of the Parliament, Nabih Berri. The Speaker thanked Larsen for his efforts over the years as the UNs Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, notably for his efforts during the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Larsen is now heading for Saudi Arabia, where he is set to meet with a number of senior officials.

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS WITH TROOP-CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES

TO GOLAN HEIGHTS MISSION

The only meeting of the Security Council scheduled today was an 11:00 a.m. session with the troop-contributing countries to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), in the Golan Heights.

Looking ahead to Monday, the Security Council will take up Iraq in the morning, and UNDOF and Cote dIvoire in the afternoon.

UN REFUGEE AGENCY LAUNCHES $1.1 BILLION APPEAL FOR 2005

The

Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is today presenting its

budget for 2005 to donor countries attending a pledging conference in Geneva.

The budget amounts $1.1 billion, and is needed to assist some 17 million people -- including refugees, asylum seekers, returnees, and internally displaced persons.

Forty-two percent of the total budget is allocated to programs in Africa, but other sizeable operations involve repatriation and reintegration programs in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and the Balkans.

U.N. AND CAMBODIA AGREE ON BUDGET FOR SPECIAL

KHMER ROUGE COURTS

A six-member UN team wrapped up discussions in Phnom Penh with the Government of Cambodia today on a budget for the Extraordinary Chambers that will try people for crimes committed during the Khmer Rouges rule in that country.

The United Nations and the Cambodian Government agreed on a budget of $56 million for the Chambers, and they also agreed on the premises and infrastructure for the trials. The UN team, led by Mohammed Said, will now return to New York to brief officials here on the budgetary talks.

Asked who would be left to try in Cambodia, the Spokesman said it would be left to the Extraordinary Chambers to decide.

U.N. WELCOMES U.S. SUPPORT FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Asked about the UN reaction to the statement made by U.S. Ambassador John Danforth concerning the Secretary-General, the Spokesman said that the United Nations welcomed the statement. The Secretary-General, he said, has had a long record of working together with the United States, and will continue to do so, on a number of issues, most notably Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and UN reform.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had received an expression of support from the U.S. administration, the Spokesman noted that Ambassador Danforth, in response to a question on Thursday, had indicated that he was speaking on behalf of the US State Department and the White House. We saw it as an official expression of U.S. Government policy, Eckhard said.

In response to another question, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General had not asked for the statement, and the United Nations was unaware that it would be made until the last minute.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals contacts with the U.S. administration, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General had spoken to his principal contact, U.S, Secretary of State Colin Powell, three or four times over the past month.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals year-end press conference, the Spokesman said that the schedule has not been decided, because the Secretary-General may have to travel this month, on trips that have yet to be officially announced.

Asked whether the Secretary-General would travel to a summit of European Union in Brussels next week, the Spokesman declined to announce details, but could confirm that the European Union had invited the Secretary-General to attend that summit.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNHCR TO DOCUMENT REFUGEES IN MALAYSIA: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will next week begin to send

mobile registration teams to jungle camps in Malaysia to document hundreds of refugees, ahead of an expected crackdown on illegal migrants, and others known as people of concern, early next year. Among the 28,000 people to whom UNHCR seeks to provide documentation are some 10,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. The Malaysian Government said that it would grant the Rohingyas temporary stay permits, as a humanitarian gesture.

GLOBAL CEREAL OUTPUT HITS RECORD HIGH: Global cereal production is expected to hit a record 2.04 billion tons in 2004, which would lead to an increase in cereal stocks for the first time in five years, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO

report adds that this is a positive development for world food security after sharp drawdowns in the past four years.

NEW CARTOON USES FOOTBALL TO SPREAD HIV/AIDS MESSAGE: The World Health Organization (WHO) has teamed up with FIFA, the international football federation, to

address the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS with a cartoon booklet called HIV/AIDS - Stand Up for Human Rights. The booklet is being distributed in Botswana, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia. The cartoon begins with young footballers from around the world, discussing HIV/AIDS and the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, December 13

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing on Iraq by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi. It has also scheduled consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights and on Cote dIvoire.

Tuesday, December 14

The Security Council has scheduled an open debate on the protection of civilians.

Wednesday, December 15

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Sierra Leone, Iraq and Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has also scheduled a formal meeting on the UN Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights.

Thursday, December 16

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing, followed by consultations, on the Middle East. It also intends to hold consultations on Somalia.

Friday, December 17

The Security Council expects to hold an open briefing on the work of the 1267 Committee, which deals with the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

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

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article