United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-06-08

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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, June 8, 2005

ANNAN CONDEMNS VIOLENCE IN ADDIS ABABA

Secretary-General Kofi Annan

condemns the violence in Addis Ababa that resulted in the shooting and reported killing of a number of demonstrators by security forces.

The Secretary-General is seriously concerned about the tense situation that has arisen due to controversies regarding the conduct of the recent elections.

The Secretary-General calls on the Ethiopian Government and the opposition leaders to do everything possible to resolve their differences through dialogue and legal means. The efforts of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia to investigate the allegations of election irregularities, with the participation of all relevant parties, must be fully supported.

The Secretary-General urges the parties to commit themselves firmly to accept the final results that will be announced after investigations are completed. In the meantime, he calls on all parties for calm, respect for the law and the rights of the people.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON U.N. MONITORING COMMISSION

The

Security Council met in closed consultations today.

Demetrius Perricos, the acting Executive Chairman of the

UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission briefed Council members on the latest report concerning the Commissions activities.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNED MASSACRES IN WESTERN COTE DIVOIRE

After a briefing late Tuesday by Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for

Peacekeeping Operations, the

Security Council issued a press statement condemning the massacres that occurred in the region of Duékoué, in western Côte dIvoire.

Council members urged the Ivorian authorities to conduct without delay an inquiry into these crimes, so that their perpetrators are quickly brought to justice and condemned.

On the ground, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte dIvoire,

Pierre Schori, and the Force Commander,

General Abdoulaye Fall, traveled to Duekoue today to assess the situation and see how best the

UN Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) can help restore peace to the area.

In a statement issued earlier today, Pierre Schori condemned the killings and other abuses perpetrated in Duékoue and urged parties to avoid all acts that could aggravate the situation.

The situation in Duékoue and its environs remains tense and unpredictable, UNOCI reports.

And in a letter, the

Secretary-General has informed the

Security Council that he has appointed Jean-Pierre Witty of Canada to the post of expert in regard to the Councils

resolution 1572 concerning Cote dIvoire, as his original appointee, Gilbert Charles Barthe, was unable to take up the appointment because of unforeseen circumstances.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNED KILLING OF LEBANESE JOURNALIST SAMI QASSIR

The

Security Council, in a brief formal meeting yesterday afternoon, adopted a

presidential statement in which it condemned in the strongest terms the 2 June terrorist bombing in Beirut, that killed Lebanese journalist Samir Qassir.

The Council called Qassir a symbol of political independence and freedom.

The Council welcomed the determination and commitment of the Government of Lebanon to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of his assassination. It warned that the sponsors of recent terrorist acts against political leaders and leading members of civil society in Lebanon should not be permitted to jeopardize the holding of parliamentary elections in transparent, free and democratic conditions.

Asked about the anticipated trip by the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy dealing with Resolution 1559, Terje Roed-Larsen, the Spokesman said the details of the trip are being worked out, but Roed-Larsen is expected to travel soon. He did not give any details of the message that Roed-Larsen would give to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying that Assad should be the first to receive it.

U.N. ENVOY FOR SUDAN TO ATTEND PEACE TALKS IN ABUJA ON THURSDAY

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Sudan,

Jan Pronk, and his Principal Deputy, Taye Zerihoun and other senior officials of the

UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) will head tomorrow to Abuja, Nigeria.

They will attend the talks between the Government of Sudan and the two rebel groups of Darfur, which are scheduled to start on Friday.

Pronk met earlier this week with the with the African Unions Chief Mediator for the talks, Salim Ahmed Salim. They discussed preparations for the forthcoming round of Abuja talks, including the representation of the parties, particularly the rebel groups.

At its weekly press briefing in Khartoum, UNMIS also reported that the second Crude Mortality Survey in Darfur, conducted by the

World Health Organization and the Sudan Ministry of Health, has started.

It is expected that the interviews and data processing will be completed by the end of the month of June.

SITUATION IN CYPRUS REMAINS CALM BUT DISTRUST PERSISTS

The

Secretary-General describes the situation in

Cyprus as calm in his latest

report to the Security Council, but he adds that the distrust between the Turkish Cypriot and the Greek Cypriot side has persisted, as has the military posture and the perception of threat.

As such, he says, the presence of the UN peacekeeping force on the island remains necessary.

He recommends that the

Security Council extend the mandate of the

UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for six months, through 15 December, under its present authorized strength and concept of operations.

During this time, UNFICYPs operations will be kept under close review, and the Secretary-General will report to the Security Council in the event that major changes in the Mission are warranted.

The Secretary-General adds that he does not believe that the time is ripe to appoint a full-time person dedicated to his good offices. Security Council consultations on Cyprus are scheduled for tomorrow.

ANNAN WELCOME U.S.-U.K. INITIATIVE FOR FUNDING FOR AFRICAN AID

In a

statement issued yesterday afternoon, the

Secretary-General welcomed the joint initiative by the United States and the United Kingdom appealing to the world donor community for a significant increase in emergency funding for Africa.

The Secretary-General joins them in their call on behalf of people in acute need in many parts of Africa and encourages other nations to follow with their own contributions.

The Secretary-General hopes that this focus on African needs will be translated into action by the Group of Eight at its upcoming Summit.

DEPUTY-SECRETARY-GENERAL STARTS BURUNDI VISIT

The

Deputy-Secretary-General, Louise Frechette, arrived in Bujumbura this morning from Kosovo , and told reporters at the airport that her visit was aimed at raising awareness of the Secretary-Generals zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation.

She also said she would have the opportunity to discuss the challenges ahead with Special Representative

Carolyn McAskie and her colleagues, adding that the holding of elections shows that much has been done in the right direction.

The

UN Operation in Burundi, meanwhile, reported that the re-voting at polling centres that were most affected by the violence in Burundis local elections on 3 June took place yesterday without incident.

FUNDING SHORTFALLS FOR HUMANITARIAN APPEALS

FOR HORN OF AFRICA STAND AT NEARLY $600 MILLION

The

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that current shortfalls in funding for humanitarian assistance in the Horn of Africa stand at $596 million.

Up to now, Ethiopias humanitarian appeal of $320 million has received close to half of that amount.

However, only $19 million or just 12% of the $157 million needed for Eritrea has been received. More worryingly, only 9%, or $14.8 million, has been received for Somalias appeal despite the need there for $164 million.

And the appeal for Djibouti, for $7.5 million, has received just $400,000 just 5% of what is needed there.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNITED NATIONS CLOSELY FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING NORTH KOREAS SIX-PARTY TALKS: Asked whether the Secretary-General would appoint someone in Maurice Strongs place to deal with the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the Spokesman said that the United Nations was closely following recent developments concerning the six-party talks, through its

Department for Political Affairs. Should the need arise, he said, the United Nations would appoint someone to temporarily fill Strongs post.

NEW HEAD OF U.N. POLITICAL DEPARTMENT TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON: Asked whether the Assistant Secretary-General for

Political Affairs,

Danilo Turk, was a candidate to replace departing Under-Secretary-General

Kieran Prendergast, the Spokesman said the United Nations would not name candidates for internal appointments. He expected Prendergasts replacement to be announced soon.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO DECIDE ON ISSUE OF BALKAN COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL: Asked about the consequences if Balkans states do not cooperate more with Carla Del Ponte, the Prosecutor of the

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Spokesman said that would be a question for the Security Council to decide. He noted that Del Ponte said the Tribunal could not implement its strategy to complete its work until it has the main suspects in custody.

CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE TO BE HELD: An international conference on information and communication technologies and health care will be held tomorrow, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m., at UN headquarters. It will examine how information and communication technologies can improve health care delivery and effectiveness.

EXPANDING LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IS DESTROYING SOUTH AMERICAS RAIN FORESTS: Expanding livestock production is one of the main drivers of the destruction of tropical rain forests in Latin America, which is causing serious environmental degradation in the region, the

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

said today. FAO projects that by 2010, 62% of the deforested area in South America will be used for pasture, with the pressure particularly strong in Ecuador, Guyana and Venezuela (more than 80%). In Central America, pasture expansion is expected to affect a considerable portion of forest cover in Nicaragua and Panama.

CONSUMER GROUPS INVITED TO FOOD SAFETY MEETING: In a new effort to broaden the technical advice it receives in advance of framing policy recommendations to its Member States, the

World Health Organization (WHO) and the

Food and Agriculture Organization are

inviting consumer associations from 25 countries, representing more than three billion people, to meet with them from 8-10 June at WHO headquarters in Geneva. The meeting is organized in collaboration with Safe Food International, an international non-governmental organization that seeks to establish a common platform for consumer groups and others in advocating for stronger national

food safety standards.

FILIPINO POPULATION SCHOLAR RECEIVES U.N. POPULATION AWARD: The

United Nations Population Fund reports that a leading demographics and population scholar, Mercedes Concepcion, of the Philippines, and Guatemalas largest private family planning provider, Asociacion Pro Bienestar de la Famila de Guatemala (APROFAM ONG), have won this years United Nations Population Award.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

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