United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-05-17

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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

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

ANNAN APPOINTS NEW MANAGEMENT CHIEF OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed Christopher Bancroft Burnham of the United States as the new Under-Secretary-General for Management, succeeding Catherine Bertini.

He will take up his duties on 1 June. Burnham comes to us from the U.S. Department of State, and he brings with him extensive experience in management.

SUDAN: WIDESPREAD BANDITRY CONTINUES IN DARFUR

The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno, and the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Sudan, Jan Pronk, today traveled from Khartoum to the southern Sudanese town of Rumbek, where they met with John Garang, Chairman of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement.

The Secretary-Generals Special Advisor, Lakhdar Brahimi, who is also in Sudan, today remained in Khartoum, and is scheduled to have meetings with Sudanese government officials.

The UN Mission in Khartoum, meanwhile, reports that the security situation in Darfur over the week was fairly calm in terms of clashes between the government and rebel groups and armed tribesmen, although there were some reports of attacks and clashes.

Widespread banditry continues to prevail in the Darfurs, with hijacking and detention of humanitarian staff being reported in South and North Darfur.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONCERNED BY POLITICAL SITUATION IN GUINEA-BISSAU

The Security Council held consultations this morning on

Sierra Leone.

Briefing the Council on the Secretary-Generals latest

report on Sierra Leone is Special Representative Daudi Mwakawago.

Then following consultations, Council President Ellen Margrethe Løj of

Denmark read a press statement on Guinea Bissau.

In it, the Security Council reiterated their concern for the political situation in Guinea-Bissau, particularly for recent statements which may produce undesirable consequences for the restoration of constitutional governance and the holding of the presidential elections on 19 June 2005. At the same time, Council Members reaffirmed their support for the countrys national authorities, especially for President Henrique Rosa.

On Monday afternoon, the Security Council heard a

briefing on Timor-Leste from Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hédi Annabi, who talked about the peaceful holding of local elections in March and the improving relations between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

Annabi said some of the current military officers with the UN peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste would remain in the country beyond May 20, to ensure a smooth transition to the UN Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL). Annabi said that further generous support for the country would remain indispensable, to consolidate the remarkable gains made so far.

D.R. CONGO: ANNAN WELCOMES NEW DRAFT CONSTITUTION

In a

statement issued yesterday afternoon, the Secretary-General welcomed the adoption on 13 May of the draft constitution by the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He looks forward to the draft being put to a popular referendum in the shortest time possible, and notes with satisfaction the progress made recently in technical preparations for the upcoming presidential, parliamentary, and local elections. In this connection, he urges the transitional institutions to continue to take concrete steps towards the holding of free and fair elections, including by adopting all necessary laws as quickly as possible.

The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to assist the transitional authorities, with the support of regional leaders as well as bilateral and multilateral donors, in completing the transitional process, facilitating the further development of democratic governance, and promoting other necessary political and economic reforms.

ANNAN CONGRATULATES KUWAIT FOR GRANTING WOMENS SUFFRAGE

The Secretary-General, in a

statement issued yesterday afternoon, welcomed the passing by Majlis al-Umma, Kuwaits legislative body, of a law granting women for the first time the right to vote and run for parliament.

The Secretary-General congratulates the people of Kuwait on this historic step.

UZBEKISTAN & KYRGYZSTAN URGED TO KEEP BORDER OPEN

Following the violent events in Andijan on Friday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is

urging both the Uzbek and Kyrgyz governments to leave the border open to all civilians at every crossing point.

A UNHCR emergency team to support staff already on the ground is also on the way to the region, and aid supplies from the agencys warehouse in the nearby regional center of Osh have been sent to the border area and are being distributed. Additional supplies, including tents, are being sent by road from stockpiles in Tajikistan.

UNHCR said the asylum seekers told the agency that they had been out in Andijan on Friday afternoon when the army opened fire. They said that panic spread through the city, and many people tried to escape, but that the streets were cordoned off by the military. They said they walked for 10 hours to reach the border, where they were helped by local villagers who led them across to safety in Kyrgyzstan.

COLOMBIA: UNHCR CONCERNED BY VIOLENCE

AGAINST YOUNG INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees today said that it was

concerned about reports of violence and intimidation against young internally displaced persons in Colombian cities.

Those reports include accounts of irregular armed groups forcibly recruiting young men in several regions.

There are over 1.5 million registered internally displaced persons in Colombia, although estimates of the total number range between 2 million and 3.5 million.

TSUNAMI ENVOY BILL CLINTON MEETS WITH U.K.-BASED HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES

The UNs Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, Bill Clinton, today met with the Disasters Emergency Committee an umbrella group of 13 leading UK-based humanitarian agencies for talks aimed at ensuring the swift delivery of aid to the hardest-hit tsunami survivors.

During the meeting, Clinton said, As we transition from relief to recovery, it is imperative that local communities participate in the decision-making process and that the needs of families, and especially children, are at the heart of the recovery agenda.

NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION CONFERENCE ELECTS BUREAU

The Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference met formally yesterday afternoon, for the first time since its agenda was adopted last week, and

completed the election of its Bureau.

The President of the Conference, Sergio de Queiroz Duarte of Brazil, reported that consultations with regional groups, concerning the allocation of substantive items to the three Main Committees, had so far not produced the expected results. He said that the current situation could not continue indefinitely.

AFRICA ENTERING PERIOD OF HOPE, NEW CRIME REPORT SAYS

Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the

UN Office on Drugs and Crime, today launched the Offices first report on crime in Africa, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The report says that crime is a factor that is often overlooked when explaining Africas persistent underdevelopment. But it also notes that, despite significant challenges, the continent seems to have entered a period of hope, with military coups becoming rare and democratically elected governments on the rise.

It also notes that pan-African initiatives are multiplying, and that African states now view themselves as shareholders in a collective destiny.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHANGING FORA WILL NOT SOLVE PROBLEM IN IRAN: In response to a question asked yesterday about the Secretary-Generals comments on Iran, the Secretary-General was making the point, as he has done in the past, that on issues where a dialogue is already taking place, attention should remain on the existing negotiating process until it produces results. Changing fora will not solve the problem. At the same time, however, it is not the intention of the Secretary-General to prejudice the role to be played by the Security Council should the issue come to the Council.

CYPRUS TALKS CONTINUE: Asked about the talks taking place at the United Nations on Cyprus, the Spokesman said that on Monday, there was a preliminary discussion, for a bit over an hour, which focused on process. A more substantive discussion will take place this afternoon with Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast.

MALLOCH BROWN TO REMAIN CHEF DE CABINET: In answer to a question raised yesterday about Mark Malloch Browns position, he is serving as the Secretary-Generals Chef de Cabinet, at the Under-Secretary-General level. There are no plans for him to be elevated to the pay scale of Deputy Secretary-General.

TOGOLESE REFUGEE FLOW SUBSIDES: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

says that the flow of refugees from Togo into neighboring Benin and Ghana is continuing to diminish, with the combined total of refugees in both countries nearly reaching 31,000.

HEAD OF LEBANON INVESTIGATION TEAM TO COME TO NEW YORK: Asked about the independent international investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Spokesman said that the head of the investigation, Detlev Mehlis, is expected to come to New York early this week to familiarize himself with the UNs work. Then, he is expected to go to Beirut with a small team for initial work on the ground.

HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK LAUNCHED: The World Health Organizations

World Health Assembly began yesterday in Geneva. And today, it saw the launch of the

Health Metrics Network, a new global partnership, which will focus on strengthening health information systems throughout the world. In related news, WHO Director-General, Lee Jong-wook, yesterday

appointed the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador.

NON-SELF-GOVERNING PEOPLES MUST KNOW THEIR OPTIONS: In a

message to the Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonization, being held today in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Secretary-General said it was essential that the people of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories understood the options regarding their political status and their right to choose their future freely.

ANNAN OBSERVES WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION DAY: Today is World Telecommunication Day, and the Secretary-General has issued a

message, attaching importance to efforts to build an equitable and accessible information society for all the worlds people. The Secretary-General also notes that today marks the 140th anniversary of the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

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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