United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-06-10

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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, June 10, 2005

IBRAHIM GAMBARI OF NIGERIA NAMED NEW HEAD OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is pleaded to announce the appointment of Ibrahim A. Gambari of Nigeria as the new Under-Secretary-General for

Political Affairs, succeeding

Kieran Prendergast, effective 1 July 2005. He will serve until the end of the Secretary-Generals term.

Ibrahim Agboola Gambari currently holds the position of Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa at the United Nations.

In that capacity, his functions include promoting UN and international support for African development in general and the New Partnership for African Development.

Gambari served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Mission to Angola, from September 2002 to February 2003.

DARFUR, SUDAN: ANNAN WELCOMES RESUMPTION OF ABUJA PEACE TALKS

AND OFFER TO AIRLIFT AFRICAN UNION TROOPS

The Secretary-General

welcomes the news that NATO and the European Union will be airlifting African Union peacekeepers into Sudans Darfur region - something he has strongly advocated and sought to facilitate over the last six months or more.

He believes this assistance will help to ensure the timely expansion of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), looks forward to additional practical support, and encourages donor countries to make good on the pledges given at the conference which he co-chaired with AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konaré in Addis Ababa on 26 May.

The Secretary-General also welcomes the long-awaited resumption of the negotiations in Abuja between the Government of Sudan, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement on a political settlement of the Darfur conflict.

He urges all parties to make full use of these talks, under the able mediation of AU Special Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim, so that an early political settlement to the conflict may be concluded.

The Secretary-General emphasizes that lasting security for the people of Darfur can only be based on a negotiated resolution of the conflict.

PEOPLE DISPLACED BY FIGHTING IN DARFUR HEAD HOME

The

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says a first group of internally displaced people have left their camp in

Sudan's South Darfur province for their home province of West Darfur under a government-run return operation closely monitored by UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations.

Yesterday, 200 displaced people left Kalma camp, near Nyalav in South Darfur, on 20 trucks provided by the Sudanese government.

They are part of the total 30,000 displaced people (or 6,000 families) the government plans to return to their areas of origin in West Darfur.

UNHCR and the

International Organization for Migration are carefully monitoring the return movements and are conducting interviews with the displaced people this week to make sure that they are returning to West Darfur on a voluntary basis.

Asked whether the protection of the displaced people returning from Kalma camp and whether the African Union was going to protect them when they back to their towns, the Spokesman said that UN agencies would monitor their returns to make sure they are done in a proper manner.

"If people freely want to go back, the international community has a duty to provide them with assistance in their villages of origin," said Jean-Marie Fakhouri, UNHCR's Director of the Sudan and Chad Operation. "However, in view of continued concern over insecurity in some areas, we would rely on the human and logistic capacity of the African Union to be more present in areas of origin."

ANNAN CALLS FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF SITUATION IN ETHIOPIA

The Secretary-General has spoken several times in the last few days to both Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the opposition leaders in Ethiopia.

He has urged a peaceful resolution of the situation, and called for respect for the electoral outcome. He continues to monitor the situation closely.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONSIDERS NEXT STEPS ON CYPRUS

The

Secretary-General is currently considering what steps to take in the pursuit of his mission of good offices on

Cyprus, following the pulse-taking visit of

Kieran Prendergast to the region, the Spokesman said in response to questions on Cyprus.

The Secretary-General has been fully briefed on the concerns and views of all parties - including the concerns of Greek Cypriots that led them to vote the way they did last year, and the concerns of the Turkish Cypriots about the situation in which they find themselves despite the way they voted last year.

Any steps the Secretary-General takes in the pursuit of his mission of good offices will be based on his assessment of how best to assist the parties to find, as only they can, a mutually acceptable settlement that can be approved by the people on each side, the Spokesman added.

In this context, and as is well known, the Secretary-General reported to the

Security Council in May of last year on his mission of good offices, and the Council would normally respond to such reports in order to give the Secretary-General support and advice as to the future.

UN ENVOY TO TRAVEL TO SYRIA IN COMING DAYS

In response to questions, the Spokesman said that the

Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the implementation of resolution 1559,

Terje Roed-Larsen, would travel to Damascus to convey a message to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

He declined to describe that message, saying that President Assad should be the first to hear it. The Spokesman added that he did not have the exact dates yet for the meeting with the President.

The Spokesman said, in response to a question on whether the United Nations would send its verification team back to Lebanon, that he had nothing to add beyond the Secretary-Generals comments on Thursday that the possibility was being considered.

Asked about the investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Spokesman said the head of the investigation,

Detlev Mehlis, was in Lebanon, and, at some point, it would be announced when the mission becomes operational.

ANNAN TO ADDRESS BUSINESS CONFERENCE IN PARIS NEXT WEEK

The

Secretary-General will be in Paris next Monday and Tuesday.

On Tuesday, he will deliver an address at a major international event attended by international business leaders hosted by President Jacques Chirac with the support of the Global Compact.

The conference, which will be held at the Elysee Palace, is entitled "The Business Contribution to the Millennium Development Goals," and almost 200 CEO participants of the

Global Compact from more than 30 countries have confirmed their participation.

The Secretary-General will also have official meetings with President Chirac and Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy.

While in Paris, the Secretary-General will have a working lunch with the French President and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, with whom he will also have a bilateral meeting. The Secretary-General is expected back in the office on Thursday.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals meetings, the Spokesman said he would have a working lunch with both Prime Minister Blair and President Chirac, as well as bilaterally meetings with them individually.

At those meetings, the Secretary-General would be expected to discuss UN reform, the summit of the Group of Eight nations and development aid, the Spokesman added.

NO SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON FRIDAY

There are no meetings or consultations of the

Security Council scheduled today.

The members of the Security Council will hold their monthly luncheon with the

Secretary-General this afternoon.

PROGRESS NEEDED IN SECURITY FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION

OF IRAQS POLITICAL TRANSITION

The

Secretary-General, in his latest

report to the

Security Council on Iraq, says that a successful completion of the political transition in that country requires tangible progress in improving security and the living conditions of all Iraqis.

The report says that the drafting of a national constitution over the coming months provides a historic opportunity for Iraqis to come together.

The

UN Missions Office of Constitutional Support, headed by Nicholas Haysom, is engaged with key members of the Iraqi Transitional Government, and in the coming months, the UN will further increase its efforts to maximize its assistance.

The United Nations is equally committed to continue its role supporting the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq in preparation for the planned constitutional referendum (by 15 October) and the next elections (by 15 December).

In addition, the United Nations stands ready to assist in drafting new legislation related to the elections, including a referendum law.

The continued lack of a secure environment continues to severely limit the ability of the UN Mission to implement its mandate filly and exposes its staff to considerable risk, the Secretary-General adds.

Asked about U.S. objections to the reports reference to the treatment of Iraqi prisoners, the Spokesman said that the report stands, and that it is up to the members of the

Security Council to debate and discuss it.

Asked about the level of UN personnel in Iraq, the Spokesman said the United Nations had some 50 substantive people deployed in Iraq, accompanied by security personnel, and had a main office in Baghdad and liaison offices in Basra and Erbil.

FOUR WOUNDED IN SHOOTING IN HAITI

The

UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti

says that one of its peacekeepers and three Haitian civilians were wounded, one severely, in a shooting in Cite Soleil, in the capital

Port-au-Prince yesterday.

The wounded were part of a joint UN-Red Cross patrol which was gathered in front of a hospital when it came under fire.

The wounded include two Haiti Red Cross volunteers, and theyre all receiving medical treatment.

JOINT PATROLS CONTINUE IN DUEKOUE, COTE DIVOIRE

Joint patrols by troops by the

UN Operation in Côte dIvoire (UNOCI) and the Defence and Security Forces of Côte dIvoire are ongoing in Duékoue and its environs, the site of recent ethnic violence. UNOCI continued helicopter reconnaissance in the zone of confidence.

Duékoue remains tense but the situation there is improving, the mission reports. Residents are gradually getting back to conducting normal commercial activities. The market is open and people are moving about the town.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. ENVOY FOR KOSOVO WELCOMES CONTINUED PROGRESS BETWEEN PRISTINE AND BELGRADE:

Soren Jessen-Petersen, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, met today in Belgrade with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and other senior officials from Serbia and Montenegro.He welcomed the continued openness and progress on dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, and underlined that the

UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo remains ready to facilitate such dialogue.

DEPUTY-SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS LEFT BURUNDI: The

Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Frechette, has just left Burundi. She gave a press conference and said there were two reasons for her coming to Burundi -- to assess the

UN Operation in Burundi, and to appreciate what has been accomplished in one year, especially regarding the electoral/peace process; and to talk about the UN Code of Conduct to military as well as civilian staff, and to see which measures are in place to make sure that staff members respect the Code, and also to see which mechanism could be developed to investigate cases of sexual abuses.

GREATER EFFORTS NEEDED TO ERADICATE CHILD HUNGER IN AFRICA: President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and the Executive Director of the

UN World Food Programme (WFP), James Morris, today called for greater efforts to eradicate child hunger and malnutrition in Africa, ahead of next months summit of the G8 leading industrialised countries in Scotland. President Obasanjo was in Rome for discussions with Morris, as well as to address WFPs governing Executive Board.

FREE GUIDED TOURS AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS THIS WEEKEND: In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the United Nations is offering

free guided tours on a first-come, first-served basis on Sundays in June, which is the month that the Charter was signed in San Francisco in 1945. The 30-minute lecture tour

offered during this promotion includes visits to the Security Council Chamber and the General Assembly Hall. The United Nations Foundation is providing funding for the free tours.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Sunday, June 12

The World Food Programme is sponsoring Walk the World, a walk in New Yorks Battery Park City to raise awareness about world hunger, that begins at 10:00 a.m.

Monday, June 13

The Security Council has scheduled a public meeting to hear briefings from the senior offices of the Tribunals dealing with Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. The Council also plans a meeting with the countries contributing troops to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for the Golan Heights.

The General Assembly will elect a President and Vice Presidents for its 60th session. Afterward, at 11:00 a.m., the incoming President is to give a press conference.

Tuesday, June 14

The Secretary-General expects to meet with French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, while in Paris. He will attend an event on the business contribution to the Millennium Development Goals, with the participation of President Chirac and companies that have signed up to the Global Compact.

In Vienna, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime will launch its Andean Coca Surveys for 2005.

A message will be delivered on the Secretary-Generals behalf to the Ninth St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia.

Wednesday, June 15

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights. It has also scheduled a meeting to consider a resolution on the extension of the mandate of the UN Force in Cyprus, which expires today.

In the afternoon, the Security Council has scheduled an open briefing on Burundi.

Thursday, June 16

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the UN Mission in Liberia, as well as on sanctions in Liberia. In the afternoon, it intends to hold consultations on Iraq.

Friday, June 17

The Security Council has scheduled a formal meeting to consider a draft resolution on the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force. It has also scheduled an open briefing, followed by consultations, on the Middle East.

Today is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, and the Secretary-General will have a message to mark the occasion.

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

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article