United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-10-31

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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

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, October 31, 2005

SECURITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES RESOLUTION ON SYRIA

Following consultations this morning, the

Security Council unanimously approved a resolution responding to the report issued by the International Independent Investigation Commission concerning the

14 February bombing in Lebanon, which killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, among others.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan was in attendance for todays Council vote.

The resolution asks all States to prevent entry or transit through their territories to all individuals designated by the Commission or the Government of Lebanon to have been involved in the bombing, as well as a freeze in all funds and financial assets held by such individuals. It also asks Syria to detain Syrian officials or individuals that the Commission considers as suspects.

Todays meeting is being presided over by the Foreign Minister of Romania, Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, and 10 other foreign ministers are also participating, as well as four Permanent Representatives.

Separately, the Security Council, after its meeting on Lebanon, held a meeting to adopt a Presidential Statement concerning the weekend terrorist bombings in the Indian capital, New Delhi.

ANNAN IS DEEPLY CONCERNED BY HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan remains deeply concerned by the

humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. The United Nations continues to receive reports that tens of thousands of people are still homeless and in need of assistance, months after the eviction campaign began in May 2005.

He is particularly dismayed to learn that the Government of Zimbabwes Ad-Hoc Inter-Ministerial Cabinet Committee has rejected offers of UN assistance. In an official communication, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development stated that there is no longer a compelling need to provide temporary shelter as there is no humanitarian crisis. The Minister, in the same communication, also claims that Government interventions have addressed the most urgent shelter needs.

The above statements directly contradict the report by the Secretary-Generals

Special Envoy on Human Settlements Issues in Zimbabwe, Ms Anna Tibaijuka, as well as most recent reports from the United Nations and the humanitarian community. A large number of vulnerable groups, including the recent evictees as well as other vulnerable populations, remain in need of immediate humanitarian assistance, including shelter. Furthermore there is no clear evidence that subsequent Government efforts have significantly benefited these groups.

The Secretary-General notes the Governments decision to decline assistance comes despite extensive consultations on relief efforts that ensued in the past months between the United Nations and the Government. Meanwhile the impending rainy season threatens to worsen the living conditions of the affected population.

The Secretary-General is disturbed by the continued suffering and makes a strong appeal to the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure that those who are out in the open, without shelter and without means of sustaining their livelihoods, are provided with humanitarian assistance in collaboration with the United Nations and the humanitarian community in order to avert a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.

ANNAN URGES BOLIVIANS TO FIND SOLUTION

TO POLITICAL IMPASSE ON ELECTIONS

The

Secretary-General is following closely political developments in Bolivia and expresses concern about the critical juncture the country is going through.

The Secretary-General urges all political and social actors to reach a solution to the political impasse regarding the necessary steps to hold elections in December 2005.

The United Nations is ready to assist Bolivia in finding solutions to the challenges it is facing.

ANNAN APPALLED BY WEEKEND TERRORIST BOMBINGS IN NEW DELHI

In a

statement issued on Saturday, the

Secretary-General was appalled by and condemns the series of terrorist bombings which have resulted in many deaths in the Indian capital, New Delhi. He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the Indian government and people.

The Secretary-General is particularly shocked that this latest terrorist outrage has occurred on the eve of the major Hindu festival of Diwali.

He urges the Indian government to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice as soon as possible.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS IRANIAN PRESIDENTS REMARKS ABOUT ISRAEL

On Friday,

Security Council members, in a statement to the press, condemned the remarks about Israel attributed to the President of Iran.

Council members supported the

Secretary-Generals recent statement that noted that, under the

United Nations Charter, all Members have undertaken to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State.

PROSPECT OF A SECOND HUMANITARIAN DISASTER LOOMS

FOLLOWING SOUTH ASIA QUAKE

The

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the prospect of a second humanitarian disaster in South Asia continues to loom as thousands of injured people remain stranded in isolated mountainous areas, without food, shelter or sanitation. It is especially concerned about people living above elevations of 5,000 feet.

Meanwhile, the

World Food Programme may be forced to ground its relief helicopters as it lacks the funds to fly them. The helicopters are the only means to reach hundreds of thousands of survivors cut off by landslides in the rugged mountains of northeast Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

IVORIAN PARTIES URGED TO REFRAIN FROM CAUSING TENSION

The arrangements proposed by the African Union (AU) on 6 October, which have been endorsed by the

Security Council, provide a clear framework for the governance arrangements and for moving the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire after 30 October, the

Secretary-General said in a

statement issued on Saturday.

In light of the tragic loss of his wife, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria has not yet been able to travel to Cote d'Ivoire to consult with all the Ivorian parties on the implementation of the AU decision and Security Council resolution 1633 (2005), including on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. I am, however, in close contact with the President and will extend all the necessary support to him on these consultations, the Secretary-General said.

He added that, in the meantime, he calls on all the Ivorian parties and their followers to refrain from any actions that might create tensions and to remain committed to the ongoing process aimed at restoring lasting peace and stability to their country. He also urged them to continue cooperating with their international partners under the current political arrangements, pending the upcoming mission by President Obasanjo to Côte d'Ivoire.

U.N. ENVOY CONDEMNS KILLING OF TWO DE-MINERS IN SUDAN

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan,

Jan Pronk, condemns the killing today of two de-miners in an ambush allegedly perpetrated by the Lords Resistance Army in southern Sudan.

Pronk expresses his outrage at this cowardly attack that jeopardizes efforts in clearing vital roads to ensure the safety of returnees and to pave the way for the economic reconstruction of Southern Sudan.

He urges a speedy investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the attack and identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Meanwhile, the

UN Mission in Sudan reports the situation in Darfur remains tense as banditry and looting continue in many parts.

U.N. PEACEKEEPERS HELP MAKE DR CONGO NATIONAL PARK

A WEAPONS-FREE ZONE

Peacekeepers with the

UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are supporting soldiers from the national army of the country in an operation today, aimed at clearing Virunga National Park in the country's north-east of all armed groups and making it a weapons-free zone.

Militias there have been a cause of concern, having led to increased insecurity in the area. They have also been taking part in illegal poaching and smuggling in the National Park.

Five camps belonging to militias were cleared today as part of the operation's first stage. The results so far have been that around 15 combatants were captured or surrendered.

U.N. ENVOY MEETS IRAQI PRIME MINISTER FOR TALKS

Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative in

Iraq, yesterday met Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Qazi discussed with the Prime Minister the results of the referendum, UN support to the electoral process and the latest political developments.

They also discussed the recent visit of the Secretary-General of the Arab League to Baghdad, and the December elections.

On Saturday, Qazi had traveled to Kirkuk and met many of the communities there. During those talks, he emphasized the importance of an inclusive participatory process among all communities in the region.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC RETURNING TO A PATH TO PEACE

The

Secretary-Generals report on the Central African Republic is out as a document today.

In the report, the Secretary-General notes that the country is gradually returning to a path to peace, economic recovery, reconstruction and sustainable development.

These efforts, he says, require a comprehensive approach and joint action by all of the countrys development partners. He encourages closer cooperation between the UN system and other multilateral and bilateral partners.

U.N. NUCLEAR CHIEF: LACK OF AGREEMENT

AT NUCLEAR CONFERENCE WAS DISAPPOINTING

Mohamed ElBaradei, the Director-General of the

International Atomic Energy Agency, today presented his Agencys annual report to the

General Assembly, and

said that the lack of agreement at the

Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference was extremely disappointing.

He also urged the commencement of negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament on a treaty to ban the production of material for nuclear materials.

UNITED NATIONS TO HOST BIRD FLU CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK

The

UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the

World Health Organization today announced they

will host an international conference in Geneva next week to set a global strategy to combat

avian influenza, also known as bird flu.

The meeting will bring together experts from Member States and NGOs to set policy on controlling the disease in birds, and preparing for any potential pandemic in humans.

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE TO BE TAKEN UP BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

General Assembly President Jan Eliasson opened the plenary meeting with a statement on the terrorist attacks in New Delhi, India, on Saturday.

The plenary meeting will continue this afternoon, when the item on Holocaust remembrance will be taken up. The Assembly President is expected to make a statement on the item. A draft resolution has been tabled resolving that the United Nations designate 27 January as an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

Tomorrow informal consultations of the plenary on the Human Rights Council will be held in both morning and afternoon, to discuss rules and procedures, working methods and transitional arrangements for the new Council.

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