United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-07-13

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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

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

ANNAN OUTRAGED AT BOMBING OF CHILDREN IN IRAQ

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is

repulsed and outraged by the deaths of a large number of children, among other civilians, in the latest suicide bombing today in

Baghdad.

He condemns in the strongest terms this senseless act of violence. As the Secretary-General has said repeatedly, there can be no justification for the deliberate targeting of civilians much less children, who are our hope for the future. Nothing will be accomplished by todays killing of innocents.

KILLINGS IN KENYA ARE "DEPLORABLE"

Asked about reports that fifty people have been killed in Kenya, the Spokesman called the killings deplorable

[Later Wednesday, Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said "the direct targeting of a school is particularly reprehensible." In response, the UN office for the Coodination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nairobi convened an urgent meeting with partners and government representatives on how to respond to the immediate needs of the victims.]

UNITED NATIONS CONDEMNS SUICIDE ATTACK IN ISRAEL, BOMBING IN LEBANON

In a

statement we issued yesterday afternoon, the Secretary-General strongly condemned the suicide attack in

Israel earlier that day that took at least two lives, and wounded many others. He is unwavering in his conviction that nothing can justify terror. Now and in the days ahead, it is critical that all measures be taken to ensure that such attacks do not reoccur, and that the admirable restraint recently observed be maintained so that the violence does not escalate.

Yesterday afternoon, following brief consultations, the Council President, Ambassador Vassilakis of Greece, read a

press statement which said that Security Council members unequivocally condemned the terrorist bombing that took place earlier that day in

Lebanon. Council members also expressed their condemnation of the terrorist attack in the

Israeli city of Netanya.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO MEET ON D.R. CONGO

At 3:15 this afternoon, the

Security Council will hold consultations on the

Democratic Republic of the Congo. Council members will receive a briefing from the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, William Swing, on the latest developments in that country.

Swing will later meet with the press at the stakeout position on the second floor.

SUDANS PEACE PROCESS GETTING SUPPORT, SAYS U.N. ENVOY

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Sudan, Jan Pronk, has returned from a two-day visit to North Darfur, where he met with the rebel Sudan Liberation Army leadership. Pronk says that he has good reason to believe that the Abuja peace process is supported at the field level.

Pronk is planning to intensify his meetings with other rebel groups with a visit to South Darfur. These meetings will keep the parties informed of the preparations for the next round of Abuja discussions which are to take place on 24 August.

Pronk will travel tomorrow to Asmara where he will meet with Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki.

Next week, he will be in New York to brief the Security Council on July 22.

UNICEF ASKS SUDAN TO STRIKE DEATH PENALTY FOR CHILDREN

UNICEF has

welcomed provisions in the Interim National Constitution of Sudan, which strengthen the rights of children and women. But it also calls for the elimination of clauses which allow for the death penalty to be imposed on children under 18 years of age.

The Agency also noted that the document does not prohibit either the recruitment or the voluntary signing-up into the armed forces, of children under 18 years.

UNICEF urges that the final Constitution be brought into conformity with the international and regional conventions that Sudan has ratified.

UNITED NATIONS STRESSES RULE OF LAW IN IRAQ

Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Iraq, yesterday co-chaired a round-table on the reform of that countrys justice system, in which he said that strengthening the rule of law is vital to restoring public order and respect for human rights in Iraq.

Yesterdays session placed a special emphasis on Iraqs correctional facilities and the juvenile justice system.

U.N. PRAISES DONORS FOR DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN HAITI

The Secretary-Generals Deputy Representative in

Haiti, Adama Guindo, has

praised the Transitional Government and international donors, who have worked together on development projects in that country for the past year.

Guindo spoke at a press conference yesterday marking the first anniversary of the establishment of the Interim Cooperative Framework for Haiti.

Among the notable donors he recognized were Real Madrid football players Ronaldo de Lima and Zinedine Zidane who pledged $120,000 for programs in Cite Soleil.

BILL CLINTON TO REPORT ON TSUNAMI RECOVERY

Former U.S. President

Bill Clinton, the UNs Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, will address the

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) tomorrow at around noon in the ECOSOC Chamber.

Clinton will give an assessment of the tsunami recovery effort and highlight specific policy questions which need to be resolved. Following that, he will engage in a question and answer session with delegates from the Member States.

ANNAN CALLS FOR U.N. COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN WORK

A

report by the Secretary-General calls for strengthening the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance.

Among other things, it says that the tsunami showed that the worlds humanitarian system has considerable resources. But such assets would be more efficiently used if they were deployed under or coordinated with the UN.

The report also stresses the need to observe humanitarian principles in peace-building missions.

NEW U.N. SECURITY CHIEF IS APPOINTED

Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security David Veness is pleased to confirm that Bruno Henn has been appointed as Chief of the Security and Safety Service at UN Headquarters.

Henn had been the officer-in-charge of the Safety and Security Service in New York, replacing Michael McCann, since June of last year, and took up his appointment as Chief at the start of this month. He is a former member of the German Police Service, with more than 23 years of experience in law enforcement and security management.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNANS SHOULDER: Asked about the Secretary-Generals shoulder injury, the Spokesman said that he had torn a rotator cuff while skiing last winter. He said, in response to further questions, that the Secretary-General would undergo surgery in a New York area hospital, under a type of surgery normally done using local anesthetic.

BENON SEVAN: Asked about Benon Sevans whereabouts, the Spokesman noted that Sevans main responsibility is to make himself available to Paul Volckers Independent Inquiry Committee, and the United Nations has not heard from the Committee that Sevan has not done so.

D.R. CONGO KILLINGS: Asked about the killings in Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Spokesman said the UN Mission in that country was still investigating the matter.

CAPITAL MASTER PLAN: Asked whether the Secretary-General plans to meet with Donald Trump, the Spokesman said that Trump and the Secretary-General had met over a year ago. The United Nations would wait to see what Trump has to say on the

Capital Master Plan before the U.S. Congress.

KOREA TALKS: Asked whether the United Nations was participating in the six-party talks on the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the Spokesman noted that the United Nations was not a party to those talks but was following them closely. In response to another question, he said there was no change in the status of Special Envoy Maurice Strong.

SECURITY MEASURES: In response to a question about whether there were additional security measures in place at UN headquarters today, the Spokesman later said no.

TREE RESEARCH: According to a new global study of biotechnology in forestry

released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the rapid scientific advancement of genetically modified trees calls for a systematic assessment of the benefits, as well as the potential risks, associated with them. To this end, a global regulatory framework to govern research and application of genetically modified forest trees is essential.

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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