United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-02-07

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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 FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, February 7, 2005

ANNAN TO MEET BLAIR AND SCHROEDER DURING TRIP TO EUROPE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is scheduled to leave tomorrow for London, where on Thursday he will meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair and other senior government officials.

The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister will then attend an event at which the Secretary-General will make a major speech on his 2005 agenda for both development and security.

He will then travel to Munich, Germany, where he will attend an annual security conference and deliver a speech on A More Secure World: The Role of the United Nations.

In Munich, the Secretary-General will also hold meetings with German officials, including Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, as well as with other European leaders.

The Secretary-General will return to New York on Sunday.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals speech in London, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General has recently received major reports on security matters, in the case of the

High-Level Panel report last December, and on development, as with the report by Jeffrey Sachs and the Millennium Project on the

Millennium Development Goals. The Secretary-General, he added, would issue his own report on those issues in March, with the London speech serving as a preview of that report.

Asked about the Munich Conference, the Spokesman said it would be a more in-depth discussion on security issues, as part of the 41st Munich Conference on Security Policy.

Asked whether the Secretary-General would meet on the Quartet for the Middle East while he is in London, the Spokesman said that, as of now, the Quartet is not on the agenda, although the Middle East could come up in bilateral discussions.

ANNAN EXPRESSES SORROW OVER DEATH OF TOGOS PRESIDENT

In a

statement issued Saturday, the

Secretary-General expressed his deep sorrow upon learning of the sudden death of President Gnassingbe Eyadema of the Republic of Togo.

President Eyadema played a central role in the governance of his country for almost forty years, the statement said. During that period, he also made a significant contribution to the peaceful settlement of disputes in Africa in general and in West Africa in particular.

The Secretary-General extended his sincere condolences to the bereaved family and to the Government and people of Togo.

In that statement, the Secretary-General said he trusts that the Togolese authorities will take all necessary measures to preserve stability in the country and ensure a peaceful transfer of power consistent with the constitution and the rule of law.

The UN flag at UN Headquarters were flown at half-mast today in observance of the official mourning of President Eyadema.

ANNAN CONCERNED OVER TRANSFER OF POWER IN TOGO

In a

statement issued today following the swearing-in of Faure Gnassingbe as the new president of Togo, the

Secretary-General expressed his concern that the transfer of power that has taken place in Togo following the death of President Eyadema has not been done in full respect of the provisions of the Constitution.

The Secretary-General reemphasizes the need for constitutionality and respect for the rule of law.

UNITED NATIONS SUSPENDS TWO STAFF MEMBERS

FOLLOWING OIL-FOR-FOOD REPORT

Based on the information contained the interim

report of the

Independent Inquiry Commission, the United Nations has initiated procedures against the two staff named in the report, Benon Sevan and Joseph Stephanides.

Both are expected to receive by Wednesday official letters which outline the internal charges against them. They then have two weeks to respond, at which time the administration will take its final decision on appropriate sanction.

This is only the beginning of a disciplinary procedure, respectful of due process.

Asked about the suspensions with pay, the Spokesman said that was the standard way of proceeding when there is a disciplinary action proceeding. He said the two were informed last Friday that they had been suspended with pay.

Asked about the lifting of immunity, the Spokesman said that no action has been taken on immunity. Neither individual has had criminal charges laid at their doorstep by the Volcker committee, although, Eckhard noted, Volcker has said that the investigation of Sevan is continuing.

What is involved now, the Spokesman said, does not involve a prosecutable offense, but concerns the breaking of UN rules and regulations. The question of immunity would arise if there were an indictment by a national authority, Eckhard said, adding, Were not there yet.

Asked what the suspensions entail, the Spokesman said the two should not come onto UN premises, unless it is in connection with preparing their defense, which they should deliver in writing within 14 days. Sevans files, he added in response to another question, had already all been given to Volcker.

Asked what further punishments the two could face, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has the option to summarily dismiss them, to put a note in their file or to find them not guilty.

The Secretary-General, he added, could also refer the matter to the Joint Disciplinary Committee, which can make a recommendation to the Secretary-General, involving a range of options from closing the case to dismissing the staff members.

Asked how meaningful those steps are, given that Sevan is retired, the Spokesman noted that Sevan is technically still a staff member, and the process allows him to defend himself against the charges.

Asked whether pensions could be affected by the disciplinary measures, the Spokesman said that they were separate and could not be touched.

He noted that the staff members had the option, down the line, to appeal their case to the UNs Joint Appeals Board and then to the UN Administrative Tribunal, whose decisions are binding.

Asked whether the Secretary-General should recuse himself from dealing with their case given the ongoing investigation, the Spokesman said he did not think that anything that Volcker has come up with to date reflects negatively on the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General, he added, is the chief UN administrative officer and is following due process in dealing with the staff members.

Asked whether Volcker had obtained full access to Kofi Annans e-mails and documents, the Spokesman said that he had.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals letter last week to UN staff, the Spokesman said it was intended to assure staff that the findings in the Volcker report would be acted upon promptly.

Asked about criticisms of the UN management of the oil-for-food program made by Iraqs UN Ambassador, the Spokesman said that it was for Volcker to decide how the so-called "2.2" administrative cost account had been managed. He added that Volcker was expected to look at the role of member states, including Security Council members, in the administration of the program.

Asked who was replacing Stephanides in his post, the Spokesman later said that Linda Perkin, Stephanides' deputy, was now acting Director of the Security Council Affairs Branch.

UNITED NATIONS REPAIRING SCHOOLS IN IRAQ

The

UN Assistance Mission in Iraq is continuing to rehabilitate schools throughout

Iraq, with the

UN Childrens Fund currently carrying out comprehensive rehabilitation of 84 schools. It is also repairing water and sanitation facilities in 20 schools.

Meanwhile, the

UN Development Programme trained seven mine action advisers in Amman, Jordan, last month, who are being deployed in Iraq.

Over the weekend, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq,

Ashraf Qazi, met with Sheikh Hareth al-Dhari, head of the Association of Muslim Scholars, and told him that the United Nations is exploring means to encourage a broad-based national dialogue among all Iraqis.

Qazi also met on Saturday with the Interim Iraqi Minister of Planning, Mahdi Hafeth, for similar talks on the political environment in the country. |

Asked about UN efforts to placate Sunni elements in Iraq, the Spokesman said that Qazi was actively trying to bring in as many elements of Iraqi society under the tent for the writing of the Constitution. He noted that the Secretary-General had said that even those who did not participate in the elections should join that process.

Qazi, Eckhard said, has received indications from some political elements that had stayed outside the process that they want to be involved in writing the Constitution, and Qazi is looking to facilitate that.

ANNAN LOOKS FORWARD TO EARLY IMPLEMENTATION

OF DISENGAGEMENT PLAN IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

The

Secretary-General said this morning that the coming year is an important one for the cause of peace in the

Middle East, which began auspiciously with the successful holding of the Palestinian presidential elections.

Speaking to the opening session of the

Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the Secretary-General said that the meeting, scheduled for tomorrow in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders is a welcome initiative.

He said he was sure that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would move swiftly to act on his commitments to restructure the Palestinian security forces, strengthen Palestinian institutions and carry forward democratic reform.

The Secretary-General also looks forward to the early implementation of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharons disengagement plan, in coordination with the Palestinian leadership.

NO U.N. OFFICIAL TO ATTEND MIDDLE EAST SUMMIT AT SHARM EL SHEIKH

There will be no UN representative at the summit in Sharm el Shaikh.

The Sharm el Sheikh summit is an Egyptian initiative. There will be Israeli and Palestinian officials, as well as Jordanians, but no member of the Quartet will be there.

Kieran Prendergast, Under Secretary-General for

Political Affairs, is currently in London where he is attending a meeting of the

Middle East Quartet envoys in preparation for a possible Quartet meeting next month.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING ON SUDAN TOMORROW

There are no meetings or consultations of the

Security Council scheduled for today.

Tomorrow morning, a public meeting on Sudan has been scheduled.

Invited and expected to attend that meeting are Sudanese Vice President Osman Taha, John Garang, Chairman of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement, and African Union Representative Baba Gana Kingibe.

The

Secretary-General, when asked about that meeting this morning, told reporters that he believed it was important to have them all here to discuss not only the peace process but the implementation of the process and the action they need to take on the ground to make it hold.

Meanwhile, the

UN Mission in Sudan continues to report on insecurity in Darfur and the

World Health Organization warns of risks of a meningitis outbreak in

Sudan.

Asked whether the Secretary-General would enter UN Headquarters for the Sudan meeting before traveling from New York, the Spokesman said he would do so.

U.N. ENVOY MEETS LEBANESE AND SYRIAN OFFICIALS

Terje Roed-Larsen, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council

resolution 1559 is meeting with both Lebanese and Syrian officials for the first time since assuming his new responsibilities.

Yesterday and today, he was in Damascus, where he met with Foreign Minister Farouk al Shara and Deputy Foreign Minister Wald Muallen.

He is now headed to Beirut, where he will meet with senior officials including President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Omar Kamari and the Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.

U.N. MISSION APPOINTS LIAISON OFFICER

TO COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING AFGHAN PLANE CRASH

The

UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan over the weekend

expressed its deepest sympathies following the crash of a Kam Air flight, with 104 passengers on board, last Thursday.

The Mission welcomed the establishment of a Joint Security Committee Center to investigate the crash; the Mission has a liaison officer within that Committee.

Also, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights in Afghanistan,

Cherif Bassiouni, gave a press conference on Saturday summarizing his latest mission to the country, in which he expressed, among other things, his concern that foreign forces in the country have arrested and detained, and even mistreated prisoners, without any legal process.

ANNAN: STATES NEED A PRINCIPLED STRATEGY AGAINST TERROR

The

Secretary-General, in a message, praised a counter-terrorism conference that began in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday for sending out the message that terrorism is a threat to all civilized countries, and anathema to all faiths.

In the message, he says that all States need a principled strategy against terrorism that includes, but is much broader than, coercive measures.

He added that, while all States have a duty to speak out against terrorism, they also have a duty to hear the full range of voices within the Islamic world, so that people can see that legitimate grievances can be addressed through peaceful means.

ALMOST 500,000 TSUNAMI SURVIVORS RECEIVE FOOD IN INDONESIA

The

World Food Programme (WFP) reports that, in Indonesia, close to 500,000 people have each received a one-month supply of food.

WFP also says it is rapidly increasing its logistical capacity in Aceh province, with seven to 10 helicopters now at its disposal.

Meanwhile, a landing craft off the coast of Meulaboh has begun to ferry food from a floating warehouse to a storage space on land, to preposition supplies there.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.S. CONGRESSMAN TO BRIEF ANNAN ON RECENT VISIT TO NORTH KOREA: Asked about the

Secretary-Generals meeting with U.S. Congressman Curtis Weldon, the Spokesman said that Weldon had wanted to brief the Secretary-General on his recent visit to North Korea.

U.N. ENVOY CONVEYS SUFFERING OF CHILDREN ORPHANED BY AIDS:

Stephen Lewis, the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, today reported on a wrenching scene of HIV-positive children -- neglected and suffering -- in a project in Lusaka, Zambia. He did so in remarks at a conference organized by the

UN Childrens Fund, or UNICEF, in Barcelona, Spain, focusing on children orphaned by

AIDS. When it comes to the treatment of children living with AIDS, the

Convention on the Rights of the Child is a virtual dead letter, he says.

U.N. REFUGEE CHIEF CALLS FOR REGIONAL APPROACH IN WEST AFRICA: The

UN High Commissioner for Refugees,

Ruud Lubbers, has

called for a regional approach to disarmament in order to firmly stabilize the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, thereby allowing refugees to return in safety and dignity. He made those remarks at the end of a visit to West Africa.

U.N. OFFICIALS IN TALKS ON SECURITY CONCERNS IN COTE DIVOIRE: The Acting Special Representative for

Cote dIvoire,

Alan Doss, and UN Force Commander General

Abdoulaye Fall traveled to Bouake to carry on discussions on security concerns of Forces Nouvelles officials who are reluctant to return to cabinet meetings without their own body guards.

UNICEF RENEWS CALLS FOR END TO FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION: The

UN Childrens Fund, or UNICEF, has

reiterated its call on governments to move swiftly to stop the harmful practice of

female genital mutilation and cutting. Speaking on the eve of the International Day of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation, UNICEF Executive Director

Carol Bellamy said that ending the practice is crucial to the success of two of the Millennium Development Goals: improving maternal health and promoting gender equality.

RECENT CASES OF MAD COW DISEASE ARE ISOLATED INCIDENTS: The few cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) or 'mad cow disease' in cattle in Canada and the United States should not cause panic among consumers and producers, the

UN Food and Agriculture Organization said in a

statement today. Nor should the single case of BSE recently confirmed in a goat in France.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO REVIEW COMMITMENTS: The

Commission on Social Development will meet, starting this Wednesday, to

review the commitments made by world leaders at the World Summit for Social Development, which took place in Copenhagen ten years ago.

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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