United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-10-05

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

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, October 5, 2005

KOFI ANNAN, SECURITY COUNCIL ASK ERITREA TO LIFT U.N. FLIGHT BAN

The Security Council held consultations late Tuesday afternoon during which Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno, in the presence of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, briefed on Eritreas decision to restrict all helicopter flights of the

UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) effective today.

The Security Council immediately held a formal meeting and Council President Ambassador Mihnea Motoc of Romania read out a

Presidential Statement calling on Eritrea to reverse the decision.

The Secretary-General learned on 4 September that the Eritrean authorities have decided to restrict all types of helicopter flights by the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) within Eritrean air space, effective as of 5 October 2005. In view of the seriousness of the matter, the Security Council met yesterday evening to consider the situation at the request of the Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General is very concerned about Eritreas decision, which will seriously limit UNMEEs operational capacity to implement its mandate as requested by the parties and authorized by the Security Council. This development could exacerbate the existing suspicions at the border area and create instability. The restriction will also negatively affect the security of UNMEE personnel and their operations. The Secretary-General wishes to stress that freedom of movement is a fundamental principle of all peacekeeping missions.

The Secretary-General

joins the Security Council in calling for the Government of Eritrea to immediately reverse its decision, and for both parties to show maximum restraint.

The Secretary-General insists on the urgent necessity to bring the peace process to a conclusion by fully implementing the Algiers Agreements and the decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission and by engaging in political dialogue.

Guehenno told reporters after the briefing that if UN peacekeepers are not able to move around effectively without helicopters, they will have much less visibility on whats going on the ground, which he said can in turn create suspicions and more instability.

Asked whether UNMEE helicopters are flying today, the Spokesman said that the helicopters have been grounded. The Spokesman added that the UN mission could not fly helicopters without the permission of the Eritrean government.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS INCURSION INTO DR CONGO

The Secretary-General strongly

condemns the recent incursion by armed elements of the Lords Resistance Army into the Democratic Republic of the Congo and supports the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congos commitment to disarm the group, with the assistance of the

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

The Secretary-General welcomes in this regard the strong presidential statement issued by the Security Council on 4 October 2005. In this context, he wishes to remind Governments that any recourse to the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, contravenes the United Nations Charter as well as mutual commitments made recently between States in the Great Lakes region. Furthermore, inflammatory statements detrimental to the conduct of United Nations operations do not serve the cause of peace and could result in putting the lives of United Nations personnel in danger.

The Secretary-General strongly encourages all Governments of the region to use established mechanisms, including the Tripartite Commission, to resolve the situation through concerted action amongst Member States and welcomes assistance by international partners towards that end. He also calls on the countries in the region to undertake strengthened and determined efforts to bring an end to the activities of all illegal armed groups that are inflicting such immense suffering on the people in the Great Lakes region.

Asked whether MONUC has changed its force composition or its strategy, the Spokesman said that the Mission is in close contact with the DRC government and is doing whatever it can to assist it in sending troops to the area. He added that UN troops are clearly stretched, given the events taking place in the eastern Congo.

In a press release issued after the briefing, the MONUC today

reports that is airlifting some 300 commando troops of the Congolese Armed Forces to the northern locality of Aba to assist the Government counter the recent infiltration into its territory of some 380 remnant elements of Uganda-based Lords Resistance Army (LRA).

The mission is supported by a MONUC MI-25 attack helicopter. The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are also deploying ground troops in Garamba National Park close to the border with Sudan where LRA elements are reported to have splintered.

SECRETARY-GENERAL PRAISES IRAQI ASSEMBLY VOTE

The Secretary-General, in comments to reporters today, said that he thought it was important that Iraqs Transitional National Assembly voted today to reverse the decision it had taken on Sunday on the rules applying to the 15 October referendum. The earlier decision, he said, was patently inappropriate, and we made that clear to them.

The Secretary-General, in response to further questions, says that the United Nations continues to hope that the Iraqis will find a process of reconciling and maintaining a united and peaceful

Iraq. Meanwhile, he said, the United Nations is playing an effective role in the elections and the constitutional process, and being as active as we can be.

He also spoke to reporters about the situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and his receipt yesterday of Special Envoy Kai Eides report on Kosovo.

Asked whether it is possible to have reconciliation in time for the Iraqi referendum, the Spokesman said the United Nations hopes that the referendum itself will be used as a pathway for reconciliation.

Asked whether the United Nations had been informed about the 2 October changes before they took place, the Spokesman said it had not.

ANNAN SAYS MIGRATION CAN BENEFIT COUNTRIES, MIGRANTS

The Secretary-General today accepted the report of the Global Commission on International Migration.

In his remarks he

said that international migration is an inevitable feature of modern society. The important challenge is to find ways to manage migration for the benefit of all of sending countries, receiving countries, transit countries, and the migrants themselves.

U.N. ENVOY TO COTE DIVOIRE HEADS TO SUMMIT IN ADDIS ABABA

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte dIvoire,

Pierre Schori, left Abidjan today for Addis Ababa to participate in tomorrows summit of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. Last night he met with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo to discuss the current situation.

At the summit in Addis Ababa the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will present its recommendations from the meeting it held last week in Abuja on the way forward for Côte dIvoire, especially after 30 October.

SECRETARY-GENERAL NAMES ADVISOR ON GLOBAL COMPACT

The Secretary-General today named Prof. Klaus M. Leisinger, President of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, as his new Special Advisor on the Global Compact.

He will act as an ambassador of the Global Compact and he will advance critical issue areas relevant to the initiative.

ANNAN CALLS FOR ACTION TO PROTECT CHILDREN IN CONFLICT

Out on the racks today is the

report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

In it, the Secretary-General recommends that states harness the present strong momentum for the protection of war- affected children into effective action.

The Secretary-General lists several specific recommendations, including asking states to stop cross-border abduction of children as well as other cross border activities that impact children, such as illicit trade in natural resources and small arms.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNITED NATIONS CANNOT CONFIRM MEETING WITH PRINCE CHARLES: Asked about a meeting later this year between the Secretary-General and Prince Charles, the Spokesman said that he had seen that meeting announced by other sources, but that the United Nations could not confirm it at this time.

NEW U.N. FINANCIAL PROCEDURE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON: In response to questions concerning business deals made by former special advisor Giandomenico Picco, the Spokesman he had no information. However, he noted that the United Nations hopes to introduce shortly new and stronger policies on conflicts of interest and on financial disclosure.

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