United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-10-21

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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, October 21, 2005

LEBANON BOMB PROBE REPORT GIVEN TO SECURITY COUNCIL

The report by

Detlev Mehlis and the

UN International Independent Investigation Commission was transmitted late yesterday by the Secretary-General to the Security Council.

In his letter transmitting the report, the Secretary-General said that the report details progress made in the investigation of the 14 February bombing that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others. A criminal investigation, however, is yet to be completed, and the report points out in detail the necessary steps to advance further the investigation as it is taken up by the Lebanese authorities.

The Secretary-General also said he intends to extend the Commissions mandate until 15 December, during which period it would continue its investigation and assist the Lebanese authorities.

The Security Council intends to discuss the report when it receives a public briefing by Mehlis, followed by consultations, next Tuesday.

ANNAN INSISTS ON INDEPENDENCE OF LEBANON PROBE

The Secretary-General has insisted throughout the process on the importance of the independence of the Mehlis investigation. This is his investigation. This is his report. The Secretary-General has at no time made any attempt to influence the content of the report.

Asked about the changes in the document in the period after Mehlis met the Secretary-General on Thursday morning, the Spokesman provided a chronology of events that took place following that meeting, which had been scheduled for some time but took place before the report had been completed.

Mehlis had told the Secretary-General at that meeting, which started at 11:37 a.m., that he had been working under tight deadlines, so some editing was still being done at that time. They then had a short, roughly 10-minute meeting, which ended at about 11:47.

The Secretary-General told Mehlis they would meet again once he had read the report, and they met at about 3:00 p.m. for some 40 minutes. By that point, the report had been finalized, the Spokesman noted.

By 11:37, the version that Mehlis had handed to the Secretary-General was simply the latest one that had been ready at that time, the Spokesman added in response to questions.

Asked whether the report had been discredited because of the perception that it had been changed, the Spokesman asserted that the report that was issued was drafted by Mehlis, and that the Secretary-General did not at any time make any effort to influence the report.

The Spokesman said that Mehlis was expected to issue a statement this afternoon that would help to clarify the issue.

Asked about Mehliss comment earlier today that he had decided to take some names out of the report when he learned that it would be made public, the Spokesman said that, when Mehlis was told to give a report to the Security Council, it hadnt been made clear to him that it would be a public document.

Asked which draft of the report was official, the Spokesman said it was the hard copy that went to the press on Thursday. That is the version the Security Council has before it for its discussions.

Asked why the Security Council, and some media, had received copies of the earlier version, the Spokesman called it an unfortunate clerical error.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had met with Mehlis earlier than Thursday morning, the Spokesman said he had not.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals reaction to the report, the Spokesman said he had received it with great interest and was continuing to study it.

Asked about the status of the investigation, he said it is an ongoing process.

ANNAN ISSUES URGENT CALL FOR QUAKE FUNDS

The Secretary-General sent a letter today to all Member States, calling on them to urgently contribute much needed funds and assets to the UNs relief effort in quake-stricken Pakistan. Noting that there is a growing sense of desperation among the people waiting for assistance, he stressed that the next few weeks are critical.

Emergency Relief Coordinator

Jan Egeland met in Brussels today with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and addressed the NATO Council on the Pakistan situation. Egeland said after the meeting that NATO would work closely with the UN and the Pakistani Government as it increases its operations in the area.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that a massive NATO/UNHCR airlift for earthquake survivors is now in its third day of operation and has so far delivered more than 60 tons of life-saving tents, blankets and other relief items to Pakistan. With help from the Turkish Government, the airlift will be rushing in additional emergency materials over the next several days, using military planes from many NATO Member States. Separately, UNHCR has sent in 10 planeloads of supplies from its stockpiles in Copenhagen, Dubai and Jordan.

Also continuing their work on the ground are the

World Food Programme, which reports that every day, some 50 tons of food are being shuttled in, and the UN Childrens Fund, which has sent in 200 education kits.

Meanwhile, the

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the UNs flash appeal remains only 18 per cent funded.

Today, the

UN Population Fund sent a new shipment of emergency reproductive health equipment and supplies to Pakistan. These include 20,000 individual kits for clean home deliveries, to be given to women who are six months pregnant, and kits for 10,000 clinical deliveries by doctors and trained midwives.

ANNAN WRITES TO ERITREAN PRESIDENT OVER HELICOPTER BAN

The Secretary-General wrote a letter this week to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki regarding his governments ban on UN helicopter flights.

The decision, he says, severely inhibits the UN mission from carrying out its mandate as requested by Eritreaand Ethiopia and authorized by the

Security Council.

He also expresses his concern about the negative implications for the security of the UN peacekeepers and their operations, and reminds the President that freedom of movement is a fundamental principle of peacekeeping.

The Secretary-General also writes that any decisions to undermine the effectiveness of the UN

Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea and the cease-fire arrangements on the ground will not advance the peace process, which he acknowledged was stalemated.

Finally, he expresses his growing concern about the restrictions placed on humanitarian operations in Eritrea, where food insecurity remains of paramount concern .It is critical that these restrictions be lifted, irrespective of political issues and considerations, he says.

Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator

Margareta Wahlstrom today briefed the Security Council this morning on the humanitarian situation in Eritrea, where 2.3 million people face a crisis. She said food insecurity and widespread poor nutritional status among women and children remains the paramount humanitarian concern in Eritrea.

There are few countries in the world where 60 percent of the entire population is dependent on international relief assistance for survival, she said. Eritrea, for the time being, is one of those countries.

Asked about the UN Missions work, the Spokesman said that, as the ban continues, it makes it more difficult for the Mission to operate.

Asked what incentive Eritrea has to lift the ban, Dujarric said that a crippled peacekeeping force is in no ones interest.

Asked about the decision to send a letter to Eritrea, the Spokesman said that decision had been taken a few days ago.

SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON COTE D'IVOIRE

Also this morning, the Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Cote dIvoire, which supports an African Union resolution on a solution to the crisis there.

It calls for the strengthening of the role of the Prime Minister in that country.

Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, the chairman of the Sanctions Committee for Cote dIvoire wraps his visit to that country today. He is to hold meetings with leaders of the Forces Nouvelles and political parties who were signatories to the 2003 peace agreement. His trip is in connection with a Security Council resolution passed last year which allows targeted sanctions to be applied to persons who block the peace process there, violate human rights or break an arms embargo on Cote dIvoire.

ANNAN WELCOMES GEORGIAN AND ABKHAZIAN DIALOGUE

Available now on the Security Councils web site is the Secretary-Generals latest

report on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia. In it, the Secretary-General says that the resumption of dialogue between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides is a welcome development.

At the same time, however, he urges the Georgian side to address the Abkhaz security concerns and urges the Abkhaz side to meet practical and security concerns of the local population in the Gali district.

He also says that the security of UN personnel remains a primary concern, and he calls on both sides to ensure their safety and security throughout the zone of conflict.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR NEXT PHASE IN KOSOVO PROCESS

Out on the racks today is a

report by Kai Eide, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the comprehensive review of the situation in Kosovo. In a letter attached to that report, the Secretary-General says that he accepts Eides conclusion that the time has come to move to the next phase of the political process in Kosovo. He therefore intends to start preparations for the possible appointment of a special envoy to lead the future status process.

The Security Council will hold an open meeting followed by consultations on Kosovo on Monday. Kai Eide and the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, will both be present. A presidential statement is expected.

UNITED NATIONS SUSPENDS CONTRACTOR, PENDING AN INVESTIGATION

On October 20 2005, the United Nations considered several cases related to publicized allegations of unethical or otherwise improper behavior of certain UN contractors.

In this connection, the United Nations has decided to suspend Eurest Support Services (ESS) as a registered UN vendor pending the completion of a UN investigation into allegations that ESS had improperly obtained internal United Nations information with respect to proposals for a food rations contract for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Liberia.

Currently, the United Nations has seven contracts with ESS for the provision of food rations to approximately 30,000 troops in seven peacekeeping missions.

The United Nations intends to issue new tenders as soon as possible for the provision of food rations at various peacekeeping operations. The request for expressions of interest to participate in these tenders will be posted on the UN Procurement Services website.

On a related case involving publicized allegations concerning IHC Services, the United Nations has decided to continue suspension of that company pending the completion of ongoing investigations.

The United Nations reiterates that it will strictly enforce a zero tolerance policy concerning unethical, unprofessional or fraudulent behaviour for UN contractors.

Asked about the cases the United Nations was looking at, the Spokesman said that the main one concerned ESS, while the other company involved was IHC Services.

UNITED NATIONS TO CELEBRATE ITS BIRTHDAY MONDAY

Monday is UN Day.

The Secretary-General will begin the commemoration by laying a wreath in memory of our fallen colleagues. The Secretary-General and the General Assembly President will also ring the Harmony Bell.

The day will be marked by many more events, including films showing and lectures. A full

schedule is upstairs.

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra will give a concert in the evening.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, October 24

Today is UN Day.

The official ceremony celebrating the Organizations 60th anniversary begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Visitors Lobby and will include a wreath-laying ceremony by the Secretary-General to honour fallen colleagues, and ringing of the Harmony Bell by the Secretary-General and the General Assembly President.

At 7:00 p.m., the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra will perform for the UN Day concert at the General Assembly Hall.

This morning in the Security Council, there will be an open meeting and consultations on Kosovo. Soren Jessen-Petersen, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Kosovo, and Kai Eide, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the Comprehensive Review of Kosovo, will be present.

In the afternoon, the Security Council will hold a private meeting and consultations on Western Sahara.

At 11:15 a.m., Peter McDermott, chief of UNICEFs HIV/AIDS Section, will brief on children and AIDS in advance of UNICEFs launch of its global campaign, Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS.

Tuesday, October 25

There will be an open briefing and consultations on Lebanon in the Security Council this morning. Detlev Mehlis, head of the investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, will brief on his recent report.

UNICEF and its partners will launch the global AIDS campaign, Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS, at 10:00 a.m. in the Trusteeship Council Chamber

At 11:15 a.m., the UN Environment Programme will hold a press conference on its two-day global roundtable, Innovative Financing for Sustainability, which begins today in the Economic and Social Council Chamber.

Wednesday, October 26

There will be an emergency donors meeting in Geneva for the South Asia earthquake. The Secretary-General, accompanied by Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, will be there.

In the Security Council, there will be a public morning meeting on the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the 1267 Committee on Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions, and the 1540 Committee on the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Guests at the noon briefing will be Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Jose Antonio Ocampo and Director of the Division for Public Administration and Development Management Guido Bertuci, who will launch the World Public Sector Report 2005.

At 1:30 p.m., Manfred Nowak, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, will hold a press conference.

At 2:15 p.m., Martin Sheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, will hold a press conference.

Thursday, October 27

The Security Council will hold an open debate this morning on women and peace and security.

At 10:30 a.m., Leandro Despouy, Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, will hold a press conference.

At 11:15, Rachael Mayanja, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, will brief on women, peace and security.

The guest at the noon briefing will be Arthur Levin, head of coordination, external relations and communications for the International Telecommunications Union, who will brief on the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, taking place in Tunis from 16 to 18 November.

At approximately 1:15 p.m., following the Security Council meeting on Women, Peace and Security, the Canadian Mission will be sponsoring a press conference by the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security.

At 3:00 p.m., Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur on the right to food, will hold a press conference.

Friday, October 28

This morning the Security Council will hold a formal meeting on the UN Mission in Western Sahara, followed by a private meeting and consultations on Georgia.

At 11:00, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, will hold a press conference.

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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