United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-12-17

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE

SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, December 17, 2004

ANNAN TELLS EUROPEAN LEADERS: 2005 MUST BE YEAR OF BOLD ACTION

Secretary-General Kofi Annan today

addressed the summit of the European Council in Brussels, telling them the strong European-UN partnership gives him hope that they can make progress to meet the threats of the 21st century.

He urged the gathered European leaders to be ready over the coming year to reach agreement and take action on the recommendations by the

High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change.

He told them, If 2003 was a year of deep division and 2004 has been a time of sober reflection, 2005 must be a year of bold action. Historic, fundamental progress is possible.

He then spoke at a

joint press conference that included European Council President Jan Balkenende, who started off by saying that Kofi Annan can be sure the European Union is a partner for him and the United Nations.

The Secretary-General was asked about

Cyprus, and he said that he has indicated that the parties should reflect on how they want to move ahead, and, after they have done that, his good offices could be available. But for the moment, he said, he has no plans to resume the talks.

ANNAN HOLDS BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH EUROPEAN LEADERS

The Secretary-General held a number of bilateral meetings today with European leaders who had come to Brussels for the summit.

This morning, he met privately for half an hour with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

In the afternoon, he had a private meeting with Javier Solana, the European Unions High Level Representative for Common, Foreign and Security Policy. He then saw Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt for a detailed discussion of the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the evening, he was to meet first with José Manuel Barosso, the President of the European Commission, and then with the EU Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero Waldner. A joint press conference is scheduled afterwards.

ANNAN DISCUSSES PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS WITH U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR

Before heading off to Brussels, the Secretary-General met in Washington with U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.

They had a very positive and substantive meeting, on a whole range of issues, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Haiti, Liberia and the Middle East Peace Process and notably the upcoming Palestinian presidential elections.

Asked whether Rice expressed confidence in the Secretary-General, the Spokesman said the discussions with Rice did not focus at all on the Secretary-Generals job, but on issues on which the United Nations and United States are working closely.

The purpose of the Secretary-Generals visit, he said, was to present the High-Level Panels report to an influential panel and to hold substantive working meetings with U.S. officials, including Powell and Rice. The objective of the visit, he added, was accomplished.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SPEAKS ON U.N. REFORM IN WASHINGTON

The Deputy Secretary-General is in Washington D.C. this morning to attend an Open Forum, organized jointly by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the United Nations Foundation.

The focus of her intervention is An agenda for UN Reform in 2005: Iraq, Darfur and Beyond.

She returns to UN Headquarters this afternoon.

D.R. CONGO: U.N. MISSION CALLS ON REBELS TO STOP FIGHTING;

REDEPLOYS ALL AVAILABLE TROOPS TO EASTERN PROVINCE

The

UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has congratulated the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for its decision to send an investigation and conciliation team to the countrys east following an outbreak of fighting there, centered around the locality of Kanyabayonga and believed to involve a rebel faction of the national army.

The government team, composed of senior officials, was flown to Goma today, on board four airplanes belonging to the UN Mission.

The Mission is also calling on the rebel troops to stop fighting, and for a unilateral truce ordered by the DRC government to be respected.

The UN Mission is currently proceeding with the redeployment of all its available troops to North Kivu, in order to dissuade the rebel troops from continuing their activities.

The Mission says its extremely concerned about the new crisis provoked by the fighting which is said to have displaced more than 30,000 people.

It is currently assessing the displaced persons humanitarian needs.

Separately, the Mission says it is convinced that foreign troops have entered the DRC in the wake of threats made to that effect by the Rwandan government in late November.

The Mission is calling for foreign groups engaged in the conflict to halt all support to the rebel troops.

Since the beginning of the crisis, the UN Mission has stepped up its reconnaissance patrols in the province of North Kivu, and these patrols have confirmed that unidentified soldiers have received weapons and supplies of foreign origin.

SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORES PARTIES FAILURE TO HONOR

PEACE AGREEMENT IN COTE DIVOIRE

This morning, Chilean Ambassador Heraldo Munoz briefed Security Council members on the work of the

sanctions committee on Al Qaeda and the Taliban, which he chairs. He said it was his last briefing as Chairman of the Committee.

Yesterday afternoon, the Council held consultations on Somalia. Members also received an update on the latest developments on

Haiti. Afterwards, the Security Council adopted a

presidential statement on Cote dIvoire.

The Security Council last month imposed an arms embargo on Côte dIvoire and gave the parties to the conflict until 15 December to implement their commitments under the peace agreements or also face travel bans and a freeze in financial assets.

In the statement yesterday afternoon, Council members

deplored the fact that the parties have not implemented all their commitments and expressed their intention to consider without delay further steps to ensure the effective monitoring and implementation of the arms embargo.

In the statement read out by Council President, Ambassador Abdallah Baali of Algeria, the Council expressed full support for the facilitation mission taken by South African President Thabo Mbeki on behalf of the African Union to promote dialogue and relaunch the peace and national reconciliation process in Côte dIvoire.

It underlined that any failure by the Ivorian parties to respect their commitments to President Mbeki would constitute a threat to the implementation of peace and national reconciliation process, as defined in the Linas-Marcoussis and Accra III Agreements.

HUMANITARIAN NEEDS GROWING IN NORTHERN COTE DIVOIRE

On the ground in

Cote dIvoire, UN peacekeepers and government troops are preparing joint patrols in Abidjan and other key towns due to start on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that recent assessments undertaken by UN aid agencies in Cote dIvoire reveal that humanitarian needs are growing in the north of the country.

A revised humanitarian appeal is expected to be launched on Monday.

BURUNDI: U.N. MISSION SUSPENDS TWO SOLDIERS

AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Two soldiers serving with the

United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) have been suspended from duty with immediate effect.

The UN mission says the two soldiers are currently under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct this past weekend in Muyinga.

An official United Nations investigation commenced on Monday and will conclude its deliberations expeditiously.

The UN Mission in Burundi says it will not waver from its responsibility to the Burundian people and international community to ensure absolute implementation of the Secretary-Generals zero-tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel.

Asked about UN efforts to deal with sexual abuse by peacekeepers, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General takes the problem extremely seriously. At the level of peacekeeping missions, personal conduct officers work with peacekeeping troops, with backup at UN Headquarters.

Also, he said the Secretary-General has called on Jordans Permanent Representative to the UN, Prince Zeid, to address the issue of sexual exploitation and to work closely with troop-contributing and police-contributing countries.

CERTAIN STANDARDS DESIGNATED AS PRIORITIES IN KOSOVO

Søren Jessen-Petersen, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, and Ramush Haradinaj, Kosovos Prime Minister, this morning announced an agreement between the Kosovo Government and the

UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) on the prioritisation of certain standards which include the issues of returns, freedom of movement, the rule of law, and decentralization.

They are considered the most urgent, in terms of developing a sustainable, multi-ethnic Kosovo, and their implementation has been designated key to unlocking further progress on the other standards as well.

The prioritisation of certain standards was

recommended by the Secretary-General, on the basis of Ambassador Kai Eides report.

U.N. ENVOY TO ASSUME NEW RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING LEBANON

Today, outgoing UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Terje Roed-Larsen will leave the region tomorrow to assume new responsibilities as the Secretarys Special Envoy for the implementation of

Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004). He will be based in New York and also serving as the President of the International Peace Academy.

Asked about Larsens new responsibilities, the Spokesman clarified that it would deal with Lebanon. The Secretary-General would call on Larsen to assist in writing the reports on follow-up to

Resolution 1559.

U.N. TO FIELD 25 ELECTORAL OFFICIALS IN IRAQ

Asked whether there are any moves to increase the number of UN electoral personnel in

Iraq, the Spokesman said that the United Nations was moving towards the goal of fielding 25 international electoral officials in Iraq, with an equal number based in Amman, Jordan.

He said that the United Nations continues to work extremely closely with the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq on the goal of holding fair and credible elections by the end of January.

Asked about UN deployments in Iraqi cities besides Baghdad, the Spokesman said the United Nations was sending assessment missions to Basra and Erbil. It may place some four or five staff in each city, depending on security conditions. He said that, as the UN Mission in Iraq grows in size, it would be because it has received the security assurances it needs.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

URGENT DONATIONS NEEDED TO FEED REFUGEES IN KENYA: The World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that 224,000 refugees in Kenya will go hungry unless it receives immediate donations. Rations were already cut by 12 percent in November, and the agency requires nine million dollars for the next six months to avoid further reductions. By April, all available commodities will have been exhausted. The refugees are mainly from Sudan and Somalia.

SUGAR PRODUCTION TO RESTART IN AFGHANISTAN: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is to help Afghanistan to resume sugar production, it

announced today. Through a project financed by Germany, FAO will rehabilitate the country's only sugar factory in Baghlan, which ceased operations in the late 1970s. Afghanistan is currently relying entirely on imported sugar.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, 20 December

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Guinea-Bissau.

At 4:00, Zepherin Diabre, Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme and Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Laureate 2004, will hold a press conference to announce the observance of UN Day for South-South Cooperation.

Tuesday, 21 December

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on a review of sanctions on Liberia, as well as on the UN Mission in Liberia and the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Today is also the final day of the current mandate of the Liberia panel of experts.

Wednesday, 22 December

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing by the Chairmen of the Security Council Sanctions Committees and Working Groups. It has also scheduled consultations on Bougainville.

Thursday, 23 December

Friday, 24 December

UN Headquarters will be closed to mark the Christmas Holiday.

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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