United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-06-16

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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

Thursday, June 16, 2005

UN TEAM INVESTIGATING HARIRI KILLING NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL

This morning the Secretary-General

wrote to the Security Council informing them that the UN International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC) investigating the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri and 20 others is fully operational as of today.

This notification marks the start of the three-month period given by the Security Council to the Commission to carry out its investigation. This time period, established in resolution 1595 (2005) could be extended for up to three additional months at the discretion of the Secretary-General.

Detlev Mehlis, the head of the Commission, arrived in Beirut on 26 May and immediately began discussions with the Lebanese authorities regarding the operations of the Commission.

He and the Government of Lebanon concluded a memorandum of understanding this week. Since his arrival, Mehlis and his team have been reviewing the materials and evidence collected by other investigations and inquiries.

ANNAN SAYS SYRIAN PRESIDENT GAVE ASSURANCES TO ENVOY

The Secretary-General, in response to a question from a reporter this morning,

said that his envoy dealing with

resolution 1559, Terje Roed-Larsen, had a very good discussion with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend, in which he received the assurance that Syria will work with the United Nations to implement that resolution fully.

The Secretary-General noted that a UN verification team is back in

Lebanon, following information that other elements may have gone back to Lebanon after the withdrawal of Syrian troops and security forces.

ANNAN WELCOMES AGREEMENT ON IRAQI CONSTITUTION

The Secretary-General

welcomes the important agreement reached today to expand Iraqs Constitution Drafting Committee so that it is more inclusive of the countrys Sunni Arab community. He is pleased that his Special Representative for

Iraq,

Ashraf Qazi and the Head of the Office of Constitutional Support of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Nicholas Haysom, were able to help facilitate the agreement.

The Secretary-General hopes that the people of Iraq will seize this historic opportunity to pursue a constitutional process that is responsive to the key demands of all Iraqi political constituencies and that every effort will be made to complete the drafting of the constitution in accordance with the agreed timetable.

The United Nations will continue to do everything possible to support the constitution-making process and to facilitate Iraqs political transition in accordance with its mandate under Security Council

resolution 1546.

Qazi today met separately with Barham Saleh, the Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation, and with Ali Abdelamir Allawi, the Finance Minister. He discussed the coordination of donor resources with both men, and also briefed them on preparations for the upcoming International Conference on Iraq, to be co-hosted by the US and the European Union in Brussels on 22 June.

Asked whether Qazi has been reticent to speak out to reporters about the situation in Iraq, the Spokesman said that Qazi is willing to talk to the press, but he added that Qazis work is in Iraq, and it is best for him to be on the ground in Baghdad to provide whatever assistance the United Nations can bring to the Iraqis.

ANNAN URGES MYANMAR TO RELEASE PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST

The Secretary-General was asked today about Aung San Suu Kyi, and he

said that it is unfortunate that she is celebrating her 60th birthday under circumstances that one would not have wished for her.

He urged the Myanmar Government to release her and let her join the process on national dialogue and national reconciliation.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES LIBERIA, WILL MEET ON IRAQ

The

Security Council this morning is holding consultations to review the sanctions on

Liberia, a subject on which the Secretary-General issued a

report a few days ago.

A separate

Report of the Panel of Experts on Liberia concludes that until the rule of law can be re-established in Liberia, exploitation of resources and abuse of fundamental human rights will continue to be practiced with impunity.

The report makes various recommendations, including paying urgent attention to unregulated and illegal harvesting of timber and rubber and creating short- to medium-term employment and training for ex-combatants and others.

Council members received a draft resolution concerning diamond sanctions and the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Liberia.

This afternoon at 3:00, the Council will have a formal meeting, followed by consultations, on the work of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON COMMISSION FOR BURUNDI

On Wednesday afternoon, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Ralph Zacklin

told the Security Council that a UN

assessment mission recommended setting up a Truth Commission and a Special Chamber within

Burundis court system to look into the massacres that have beset that country.

He said that both the Truth Commission and Special Chamber would have personnel coming both from Burundi and from outside. The Special Chamber, he said, should have a majority of international judges and an international prosecutor and registrar.

The Council yesterday also unanimously

agreed to a six-month extension of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus, and

adopted a Presidential Statement welcoming the start of the autonomous government in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea.

UN REMAINS CONCERNED AT FORCED REPATRIATION IN BURUNDI

At her weekly press briefing, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Carolyn McAskie said that the UN remains highly concerned at the forceful repatriation of Rwandese asylum seekers in

Burundi.

McAskie added that the UN is not against the efforts of the Government of Rwanda to resolve the question of impunity, which is part of the process of judging people who are connected to the 1994 genocide. She said that if both Burundi and Rwanda want an end to impunity, they must start by respecting international law, which means abiding by the very conventions to which they agreed at the international level.

UN WARNS OF SLOW DONOR RESPONSE FOR ERITREA

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the relief aid situation in Eritrea is troubling, with slow donor response already having forced some UN agencies to slow down their activities or stop aid programs entirely.

The UN requested $157 million for Eritrea for 2005. But only some $82 million has been committed so far.

According to OCHA, more than 70 percent of the UN appeal is intended for food assistance, since Eritrea is of the worlds most food aid-dependent countries.

UNICEF, WHO SUPPORT POLIO IMMUNIZATION IN SOMALIA

The UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization are

supporting a nationwide emergency polio immunization campaign for children in Somalia.

Starting Friday, the campaign will involve tens of thousands of volunteers, health workers, parents, and community leaders. They will systematically go house-to-house across the country, to hand-deliver polio vaccines to every child under the age of five.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

GLOBAL FUND WELCOMES INCREASE IN FRENCH FUNDING: The

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today welcomed French President Jacques Chiracs announcement of new, increased pledges to the Global Fund for the next two years. France will significantly increase its contribution, to 300 million euros by 2007, double what it has given this year.

MAJOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVE LAUNCHED:

The International Telecommunications Union today launched a major new drive to help an estimated one billion people around the world to gain access to information and communication technology. Called Connect the World, the initiative is designed to encourage new partnerships and projects to bridge the digital divide. The initiative has 20 founding partners, including such leading corporate players as Intel, Microsoft and Infosys.

HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF WELCOMES ARGENTINAS REPEAL OF AMNESTY LAWS: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour today

welcomed the 14 June ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of Argentina invalidating two amnesty laws that shielded military officers from prosecution for crimes allegedly committed during the country's so-called "Dirty War." "This is a historic step for Argentina", Arbour said.

UNICEF HELPS BUILD SCHOOLS IN TSUNAMI-HIT INDONESIA: Work has started on a fast-track building program that will see two hundred temporary schools built in one month across the tsunami-damaged region of Aceh, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) said today. Up to 42,000 children will be educated in the temporary buildings, which are costing $11,500 each to build.

JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR AFGHAN KIDS TO BE STRENGTHENED: A new partnership between the Afghan Ministry of Justice, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will help to strengthen the juvenile justice sector in Afghanistan. The partnership will be launched on 18 June.

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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