United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-05-04

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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

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

ANNAN GRAVELY CONCERNED OVER RESTRICTIONS

PLACED ON U.N. VERIFICATION TEAM IN LEBANON

Secretary-General Kofi Annan was gravely

concerned to learn that members of the United Nations

verification mission currently in Lebanon to verify the full withdrawal of Syrian troops, military assets and the intelligence apparatus were denied freedom of movement as Palestinian armed elements fired warning shots in the air when they were inspecting sites in the Bekaa Valley.

The Secretary-General deplores this incident. He expects the Government of Lebanon to ensure the safety of the verification mission.

He further expects the mission to be afforded full and unconditional freedom of movement throughout Lebanon at all times. The Secretary-General reiterates his call on all concerned parties to fully implement

Resolution 1559 without delay.

He emphasizes that the resolution calls on the Government of Lebanon to extend its authority over all Lebanese territory under its sole and exclusive control.

Asked how many UN officials were involved, the Spokesman said that the incident had involved the three members of the verification team, their interpreter and the Lebanese officials who were accompanying them.

Asked why the team had gone to the camp, the Spokesman said it had received information about a possible Syrian presence there and was following up.

The shots were fired as they approached the camp, he said, and they turned back. In their report, he added, the verification team will mention any such incidents in which they were blocked. The Spokesman added, in response to another question, that the team members believed that the shots fired were warning shots.

Asked about the work of the UN team investigating the 14 February bombing, the Spokesman said that the search for a head of investigations is intensifying, although there is no announcement to be made yet.

Asked about contacts between the UN and Lebanese authorities, the Spokesman later said there have been intensive contacts at the field level.

U.N. ELECTORAL TEAM DEPARTS FOR LEBANON TO ASSIST GOVERNMENT

As agreed with the Government of Lebanon, the

Secretary-General is

dispatching an electoral team to Beirut today.

The two-person team, led by Carina Perelli, Director of the

Electoral Assistance Division and accompanied by Scott Smith of her staff, will remain in Lebanon for approximately two weeks.

Its task will be to assist the government in its preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections and in the coordination of the deployment of international observers.

The

Secretary-General reiterates his strong support for the Government of Lebanon's pledge to organize and conduct the elections on time, beginning on 29 May. He stands ready to provide further assistance as required.

Asked how the work of the electoral team in Lebanon is affected by the recent reviews of the Electoral Affairs Division, the Spokesman said that Carina Perelli is a top electoral official and one of the leading electoral experts in the world. Her ability to assist the Lebanese Government in their preparations for elections, he said, will not be affected by issues unrelated to her substantive functions.

LEBANON, COTE D'IVOIRE, GEORGIA AND SUDAN ON SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA

The

Security Council held consultations this morning on the Middle East. Discussions on elements of a draft presidential statement following up from last Fridays debate on Lebanon will be continued this afternoon.

This afternoons Council program is as follows:

At 3:00 p.m., the Council has scheduled a meeting to vote on a resolution on Cote dIvoire. The mandate of the

UN Operation in Cote dIvoire expires today. Council

President, Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark,

said yesterday that the Council was expected to adopt a four-week rollover of the mandate because it needed time to prepare a comprehensive resolution.

Following that meeting is a closed one on Georgia. The Special Representative of the President of Georgia for conflict resolution in Abkhazia, Irakli Alasania, is expected to address the Council in a private meeting, which would be followed by consultations on the same subject.

During the afternoon consultations Council members will hear a briefing by Under-Secretary-General for

Peacekeeping Operations

Jean-Marie Guéhenno on

Sudan, focusing on deployments there. They will also continue the discussions on the Lebanon draft statement.

U.N. ENVOY CONDEMNS KILLING OF TWO AID WORKERS IN SUDAN

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan,

Jan Pronk, today condemned the killing of two staff members of the Sudanese Red Crescent in Kassala,

Eastern Sudan, after being reportedly ambushed while performing their duties.

A driver and a nurse died on the spot from their wounds while another staff member was severely injured. A fourth member of the convoy remains unaccounted for.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DISPLACED BY RECENT CLASHES IN COTE DIVOIRE

The

UN Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) reports that humanitarian agencies are now saying that thousands of people were displaced by the recent ethnic clashes in Duékoué.

After conducting a joint assessment mission to Duékoué, humanitarian agencies underscored the importance of UNOCI providing adequate protection to the sites where displaced people are camping, by strengthening UN patrols and positioning men in the vicinity of these sites and host families.

NUMBER OF REFUGEES FLEEING UNREST IN TOGO PASSES 20,000

The number of refugees fleeing political unrest in Togo is continuing at a steady pace, with more than 20,000 Togolese now seeking refuge in neighboring Benin and Ghana.

The

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

says that this is up from 18,500 on Tuesday a week after the outflow started.

GLOBAL FOOD AID FIGURES DECLINE NEARLY 30 PERCENT

Global food aid figures for 2004 show a slide of almost 30% to 7.5 million tons, down from 10.3 million tons in 2003, according to figures were released today by the

World Food Program.

It says the figures are part of an overall decline in food aid volume since 1999; while at the same time, the number of chronically hungry people around the world has risen by 8%.

WFP says its disturbed by the figures, and has called for aid policies, which put food first.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CONSIDER NEW HEADS OF U.N. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

AND OFFICE FOR INTERNAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES

At 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, the

General Assembly will consider the selection of a new Administrator for the

UN Development Programme (UNDP), and of a new Under-Secretary-General for

Internal Oversight Services.

The Secretary-General has requested the General Assembly to approve the appointment of

Kemal Dervis of Turkey to be the next UNDP Administrator, and to approve Inga-Britt Ahlenius of Sweden as the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services.

Asked why the nominee to head the

UN Conference on Trade and Development, Supichai Panitchpakdi, was not being considered by the General Assembly on Thursday, the Spokesman said that the appointment is still being discussed by Assembly members. He said that Supichais name continues to be the one put forward by the Secretary-General.

DAMAGE TO HOMES IN GRENADA REMAINS EXTENSIVE

A question came up yesterday doubting the veracity of one of the items on the UN Department of Public Informations

ten stories that the world should know more about. The question was about

Grenada and the devastation caused by hurricane Ivan.

The Resident Coordinator for the

UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Grenada said that eight months after the hurricane the country is still struggling to recover. Ten thousand homes needed to be replaced and 22,000 needed repairs.

To date, the government has repaired only 2,000 homes and replaced fewer than 300. Many are still living in temporary housing made with plastic sheeting or scraps from debris.

Funding continues to be a big problem. The UNDP Flash appeal for another $8 million has only received $22,000 from the government of Singapore.

The UN official in Grenada said that anyone who says the homes have been rebuilt must have visited a different Grenada.

UNITED NATIONS REACHES OUT TO U.S. UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The Under-Secretary-General for Public Information and Communication, Shashi Tharoor, today signed a memorandum of understanding with Ambassador Bill Luers, the President of the UN Association of the USA, and Michael Adams, the President of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The memorandum marks the start of a project in which video-conferencing will be used to educate university students across the United States about the work of the United Nations.

Asked about the agreement with the universities, the Spokesman stressed that it was a voluntary agreement, which would allow interested universities to inform students about the work of the United Nations.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNICEF ALLOCATES $90 MILLION TO REBUILD TSUNAMI-AFFECTED SCHOOLS:

UNICEF, the UN Childrens Fund, is

allocating $90 million to help rebuild 300 primary schools destroyed by the tsunami in

Indonesia. Itll also help repair another 200 damaged schools. Construction is due to begin in the middle of this year.

FISHERIES BODY CREATED: A new regional fisheries body of the

Food and Agriculture Organization has been

established to promote sustainable fishing in the south-western Indian Ocean.

The South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) will function as an advisory body promoting the sustainable development and utilization of coastal fishery resources. At present, obtaining an accurate picture of the state of fish stocks is difficult, since data collection in the region is weak or non-existent.

UNEP WINS PRESTIGIOUS U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD: The

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has

won the United States Environmental Protection Agency Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award. This is the first time ever for a United Nations programme to receive the prestigious prize. It was awarded to the Paris-based

OzonAction Branch of UNEPs Division of Technology, Industry and Economics.

UNITED NATIONS EXPLORES CHANGES TO FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS: Asked about UN concerns about potential conflicts of interest by UN envoys, the Spokesman said that the United Nations is exploring changes in the forms such envoys would fill out upon joining the United Nations, and particularly at financial disclosures they would have to make.

PAUL VOLCKER TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON IMMUNITY ISSUE: Asked about the lifting of immunity for the staff of

Paul Volckers

Independent Inquiry Committee, the Spokesman said the United Nations would be guided by Volckers wishes. He noted media reports that Volcker was discussing the matter with members of Congress. He added, in response to further questions, that the Volcker panel was put together in the interest of transparency, and it was provided with the immunity and independence necessary to do its work.

UNA-USA IS A REGISTERED NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION: Asked about the status of UNA-USA, the Spokesman said it was a registered non-governmental organization. Asked whether Maurice Strong, the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, had contributed funds to UNA-USA, the Spokesman said that question would need to be directed to Strong or UNA-USA.

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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