United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-05-06

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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

Friday, May 6, 2005

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONGRATULATES BLAIR ON U.K. ELECTIONS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a

statement, expressed his warmest congratulations to Prime Minister Tony Blair on the results of the elections held in the United Kingdom yesterday. He greatly values the close working relationship he has established over the past eight years with Blair and his Government.

The Secretary-General looks forward to continued collaboration with the British Government in dealing with the many challenging issues before the United Nations, including the critical process of

reform the Organization is undertaking.

ANNAN TO OBSERVE VICTORY DAY IN MOSCOW, ATTEND QUARTET MEETING

The Secretary-General will leave for Moscow this weekend to participate in the commemoration entitled "the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War." [At UN headquarters, the General Assembly will also hold a plenary meeting to observe that event, next Monday.]

While in Moscow, the Secretary-General may hold a number of bilateral meetings with a number of heads of state and government, who are also participating in the ceremonies.

On the sidelines of these commemorations, the Secretary-General will join the other members of the

Middle East

Quartet for a working meeting.

Also attending will be the Quartets Special Envoy, James Wolfensohn, and the U.S. Security Coordinator, Gen. William Ward. They will brief the Quartet members on the situation on the ground and the latest developments regarding the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

The Secretary-General will then travel to Geneva, where on Wednesday he will host a mini-summit with President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Paul Biya of Cameroon to discuss the Bakassi Peninsula.

The Secretary-General will be back in New York towards the end of next week.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL FOLLOWS UP ON INTEGRITY SURVEY

On Thursday, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette concluded two days of meetings in which she received feedback from more than 50 different UN department representatives around the world, to follow up on the findings of integrity survey that the United Nations commissioned last year.

The talks included a dialogue with UN staff on the

reform initiatives that are being rolled out in the coming months, developed this year.

On a specific reform proposal - the draft policy on whistleblower protection posted on the internal website three weeks ago - the Deputy Secretary-General also received constructive suggestions and input from staff. This is the first time that a major policy decision goes through this kind of process of informal staff consultation. It does not replace the formal consultative process with the official UN Staff bodies.

SPOKESMAN TAKES QUESTIONS ON OIL-FOR-FOOD INVESTIGATION

Asked whether the United Nations would sue former

Independent Inquiry Committee investigator Robert Parton concerning documents that he provided to the U.S. Congress, the Spokesman said that the issue of confidentiality and immunity at this point being dealt with between Paul Volcker, who chairs the Independent Inquiry Committee, and members of Congress.

He said that it is a fact that immunity belongs to the United Nations, and can only be lifted by the Organization. In these cases, he added, the United Nations will be guided by Volcker and whatever he decides to do to protect the integrity of the investigation.

Asked whether the United Nations was frustrated that the Volcker committee may be losing its authority because of a political game, the Spokesman said that the Volcker panel was established close to a year ago, to provide in-depth answers about the

oil-for-food program. The United Nations feels that the panel has the tools for a deep and wide investigation, and hopes that it is able to conclude its work.

He said that he could not speak to the motivations of the U.S. Congress, but added that Volcker was trying to protect the integrity of the investigation, which was also of concern to the United Nations. Volcker, he noted, has not concluded his work.

Asked about a letter issued by the UN Office of Legal Affairs on the issue of immunity, the Spokesman said that the United Nations had received a letter from Robert Partons lawyer. It answered, on the same day, by stating the facts: the experts from the committee are covered by functional immunity as defined in the Convention on the Privileges and Immunity of the United Nations.

The United Nations informed Partons lawyer that, should he receive a subpoena, or any other legal process, from any government entity, he should forward that document to the United Nations.

Asked whether the Secretary-Generals interviews with the Volcker committee were taped, the Spokesman said that the records were all kept by the Committee. The Secretary-General, he said, made himself and all his files available to the Committee.

Asked whether the Secretary-General objected to the handover of the documents, the Spokesman said that attacks on the integrity of the investigation were of concern to the United Nations. He emphasized that the Secretary-General was completely open with the Committee and had nothing to hide from them. What he told them is summarized in the panels interim report.

U.N. STRESSES NEED FOR UNFETTERED ACCESS FOR LEBANON TEAM

Asked about the work of the UN verification team in

Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the team has its own timetable for work, and will report back as it deems necessary. He said the United Nations wants them to have free and unfettered access throughout the country, adding that the team would try to resolve any problems locally.

He noted that the Secretary-General would meet the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lebanon this afternoon.

Asked about the investigation into the killing of Rafik Hariri, the Spokesman said the United Nations was still looking for someone to head that team. Meanwhile, an administrative team was in Lebanon for a week, preparing the ground for the eventual arrival of the investigative team.

Asked about the status of Hezbollah, the Spokesman said the issue of militias and other armed groups in Lebanon will be dealt with in the next report by the UN Special Envoy on the issue, Terje Roed-Larsen.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN REPORTS RISE IN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION ALLEGATIONS: In a

report to the

General Assembly, the Secretary-General says that the number of allegations of sexual exploitation or abuse within the UN system in 2004 totaled 121, up from 53 allegations the previous year. Most of the allegations occurred in peacekeeping missions. The report also details whats being done to deal with the issue.

NO SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TODAY: The

Security Council has no meetings or consultations scheduled for today.

UNICEF SUPPORTS POLIO VACCINATIONS IN INDONESIA:

UNICEF says it is supporting the emergency vaccination of children in a district near Jakarta, Indonesia, in an attempt to halt the spread of an outbreak of polio. It also says that an immunization campaign against measles, mumps and rubella was launched today for 1.2 million children and young people in the West Bank and Gaza strip.

U.N. STAFFER RELEASED: The United Nations was in close contact on Thursday with the New York Police Department concerning the explosion earlier that morning at the UK Consulate. The Police Department informed the UN that a UN staff member had been taken into custody for questioning. The United Nations was later informed that the staff member has been released.

BIOTECHNOLOGY MATURES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: Several developing countries now have well-developed biotechnology programs, according to a new

FAO assessment on the status of research and application of crop biotechnologies in developing countries. They are approaching the leading edge of biotechnology applications and have significant research capacity, with the leading countries being Argentina, Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Mexico and South Africa.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, May 9

The Secretary-General will be in Moscow, where he will participate in the 60th observance of Victory Day. He will also represent the United Nations at the principals-level meeting of the Quartet dealing with the Middle East.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Following the noon briefing, UN officials from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Political Affairs and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will hold a background briefing on Sudan.

In Copenhagen, Denmark, the United Nations and World Bank are co-organizing a technical meeting on the progress of reconstruction in Liberia.

Tuesday, May 10

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the humanitarian situation in Africa.

The 2005 International Investor Summit on Climate Risk, which is co-sponsored by the UN Fund for International Partnerships, the UN Foundation, and Ceres, will be held in the ECOSOC Chamber. The main speakers at the meeting will hold a press conference at 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 11

In Geneva, the Secretary-General will hold a mini-summit with the Presidents of Nigeria and Cameroon.

The Security Council has scheduled a public meeting to discuss its recent mission to Haiti.

Thursday, May 12

The Security Council has scheduled a public meeting, followed by consultations, on Sudan.

Friday, May 13

The Security Council may meet with countries contributing troops to the UN Mission in Timor-Leste.

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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