United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-08-05

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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

Friday, August 5, 2005

U.N. ENVOY TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS IN SUDANESE PEACE PROCESS

DURING VISIT TO SOUTH FOR JOHN GARANG' S FUNERAL

On the eve of the funeral service for Sudanese First Vice President John Garang, the UN Mission in

Sudan reports that, while Khartoum remains calm, an overnight curfew is still in effect. In southern Sudan, the situation is also reported to be calm, but tension persists.

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, is scheduled to be in the southern city of Jubafor the funeral ceremony tomorrow and plans to be back in Khartoum on Sunday.

While he is in Juba, Pronk plans to have meetings with the leadership of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) to discuss the next steps toward the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, in which Garang had played a crucial role.

ISRAEL: ANNAN CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK IN ARAB TOWN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is

saddened by the news of the deaths of four innocent civilians, including two girls not yet 20, who lost their lives yesterday in a bus in the Arab town of Shfaram in northern Israel at the hands of an Israeli in IDF uniform who had gone AWOL.

He sends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes those injured a speedy recovery.

The Secretary-General condemns this terrorist act. Although the incident is under investigation, it appears that the killer was lynched by the surrounding people. The incident is thus not only a painful tragedy but also a cautionary tale, vividly illustrating the dangers of fanaticism run amok in an atmosphere of tension at a crucial time.

ANNAN CALLS FOR EXTENSION OF U.N. MISSION IN IRAQ

The Secretary-General, in a

letter to the Security Council, says that the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has grown in size and expanded its activities despite severe operational and security constraints.

At present, he says, there are 260 UN civilian and military personnel based in Iraq, and that number is expected to rise further this year with the operational use of new facilities in Erbil and Basra.

The Secretary-General recommends that the Council extend the UN Missions mandate, which is currently scheduled to expire on 12 August, for a further period of 12 months.

The Security Council plans to discuss Iraq in its next consultations, which are scheduled for next Tuesday, 9 August.

UNITED NATIONS ADVISES IRAQIS ON BEST PRACTICES FOR CONSTITUTION

The United Nations is actively working with the Constitutional Drafting Committee of the Transitional National Assembly of Iraq and continues to advise the Committee to adhere to international best practices. This is especially true in the areas of human rights and womens rights.

Representatives of over 60 womens groups met the Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, in Baghdad last week, raising their concerns that womens rights might be rolled back from what they currently enjoy. UNAMI has also met with parliamentarians and Constitutional Committee members representing a wide range of views in this area.

Qazi and the UNAMI Office of Constitutional Support have accordingly provided the Committee with advice on Iraqs commitments under the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which Iraq has ratified, in addition to examples of how other States in the Arab and Islamic world have adhered to CEDAW.

Qazi will remain apprised of this matter and continues to support the maintenance and advancement of the rights of women in Iraq. The United Nations understands that there has recently been a significant improvement in the draft text of the constitution as a result of submissions to the Constitutional Committee. These amendments have removed clauses which had been the subject of criticism.

U.N. NUCLEAR WATCHDOG TO DISCUSS IRAN SAFEGUARDS NEXT WEEK

The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency will hold a

meeting next Tuesday, at 10:30 a.m. in Vienna, to discuss Iran.

The meeting was requested by the Permanent Missions of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in a letter on August 4 to the Chair of the Board. Those countries want to discuss the implementation of IAEA Safeguards in Iran and related Board resolutions. The meeting is closed to the press.

NEW HEAD OF U.N. MISSION IN WESTERN SAHARA IS NAMED

The Secretary-General has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Mr. Francesco Bastagli (Italy) as Head of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

He replaces Alvaro de Soto who is now UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority. A response from the Security Council is expected shortly.

Bastagli has been with the United Nations since 1974 and is currently Deputy Special Representative for Civil Administration for the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

SOMALI FACTIONS TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH U.N. ENVOY

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, this week presented an agenda for dialogue to Somalias President, Prime Minister and the Speaker and other Members of Parliament, in trips he made to Jowhar and Mogadishu on Monday and Wednesday.

Fall had extensive and frank exchanges with both groups on reconciliation, the relocation of the government, security issues and the deployment of peace support troops.

In spite of differences among the members of the Somali Federal Institutions, the Jowhar and Mogadishu groups responded positively to Falls initiative, and said they would continue discussions with him on the issues raised.

He intends to continue his shuttle consultation between the two groups to narrow the gap between them before organizing a meeting of the parties.

U.N. MISSION IN COTE DIVOIRE CONDEMNS BLOCKAGE OF ITS WORK

The UN Operation in Cote dIvoire (UNOCI) has

issued a strong condemnation of obstructions put in the way of its mission.

A UN spokesman in Abidjan said local armed groups had repeatedly blocked Blue Helmets and civilian UN employees from carrying out their work.

The spokesman said the blockages were inadmissible and had hampered efforts to implement a peace agreement.

MYANMAR MUST DO MORE TO HELP ITS HUNGRY MILLIONS

James Morris, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), has just wrapped up a four-day mission to Myanmar, and has

concluded that the Asian country must do more to help its hungry millions.

Morris also urged the international community to step up support for Myanmars people, noting that just 20 per cent of the $8 million required to feed former opium poppy growers has been secured.

WFP says that one out of every three young children in Myanmar is chronically malnourished or physically stunted.

ANNAN WARNS AGAINST CASCADE OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

This weekend in Hiroshima, the Secretary-General will send a message to a Peace Memorial Ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Japan.

He is expected to note that, without concerted action, we may face a cascade of nuclear proliferation.

He will challenge world leaders, due to gather at next months 2005 World Summit in New York, to use the occasion to break the deadlock on the most pressing challenges in nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament.

FIRST-EVER DISABILITIES TREATY IS BEING DRAFTED AT UNITED NATIONS

During the first week of its current session, the General Assembly Committee that is drafting the first-ever treaty to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities conducted a second reading of articles 15 through 18 and 24 bis, which deal with living independently and being included in the community, women with disabilities, children with disabilities, education, participation in political and public life and international cooperation.

The leaders of the global disability movement, themselves persons with disabilities, are attending the session at UN Headquarters, and many national delegations are represented by persons with disabilities.

Negotiations are moving forward, and see a wider than before participation by developing countries.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

HOST COUNTRY OBLIGATED NOT TO IMPEDE TRAVEL TO U.N. HEADQUARTERS: Asked whether or the UN agreement with the host country allowed the United States to bar any Head of State from coming to attend the September summit, the Spokesman said that, according to the

host country agreement, the local authorities (in the case of UN events in New York, the U.S. authorities) have an obligation not to impede the travel to UN Headquarters of officials from Member States or UN staff traveling on official business.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY DOCUMENT ON U.N. REFORM TO BE ISSUED TODAY: The newly revised draft outcome document on UN reform for the September summit is being finalized for submission to Member States this afternoon. Key in the process has been Ambassador Christopher Hackett of Barbados, who is one of General Assembly President Jean Ping's facilitators in the ongoing process and who has been closely involved in the drafting of the new text.

U.N. ENVOY URGES HALT TO ISRAELI AIR VIOLATIONS IN LEBANON: Geir Pedersen, the Secretary-Generals Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon, expressed his concern over Israels air violations of the Blue Line today. Five Israeli overflights were recorded in southern Lebanon. Pedersen reiterated the UNs call on Israel to cease its air violation and reminded all parties that one violation cannot justify another.

UNICEF FIGHTS HUNGER IN NIGER: The Deputy Executive Director of the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), Rima Salah, is in Maradi, Niger, today, where she

lauded Canadas decision to increase its contributions by more than $8 million to fight hunger in Africas Sahel region, including Niger. Thus far, UNICEF has delivered over 41 tons of therapeutic milk to Niger. It has also been working with the World Food Programme to get food to some 200,000 persons, including 40,000 children under the age of five.

ACTION PLAN FOR TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING SYSTEM ADOPTED TODAY: The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO) today reports that a three-day intergovernmental meeting on the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System completed its work in Perth, Australia today, with an agreement on an action plan. UNESCO also reports that it is expected that before the end of the year all 23 proposed real-time sea-level monitoring stations will be established in countries of the Indian Ocean.

EX-REFUGEES WHO RETURNED FROM CAMBODIA TO VIETNAM ARE DOING WELL: The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today

reports that it has completed its first visit to Montagnards, who have recently returned to Vietnam from Cambodia. The team said that the small group of Montagnards it visited in the Vietnamese central highlands seemed to be faring well. They did not appear to be endangered or threatened, as had been reported in some quarters, the agency said.

UNITED NATIONS PROMOTES SUPER-MARATHON: The United Nations is promoting a Super-marathon that will be run from Vienna, Austria to Budepest, Hungary this October, from the 19th to the 23rd, under the theme, Run without borders! The event will help to underline the Secretary-Generals statement that sport is a universal language that can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status.

PLANS FOR NEW U.N. BUILDING STILL NOT FINAL: Asked about plans to relocate staff from UN Headquarters while the building is being refurbished, the Spokesman said that the Capital Master Plan to refurbish the UN Headquarters complex has not been finalized. The United Nations, he said, is still waiting for the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly to approve the U.S. loan offer for the Plan.