United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-11-10

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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 MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, November 10, 2005

UNITED NATIONS CONDEMNS JORDAN BOMBINGS

Following brief consultations this morning, the Security Council adopted a

Presidential Statement condemning in the strongest terms the terrorist bombings that took place yesterday in Amman, Jordan.

The Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these intolerable acts to justice, and urged all States to provide support and assistance as appropriate to the Jordanian Government.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a

statement condemning the bombing issued yesterday afternoon in Amman, Jordan, sent his condolences to the families of the bereaved and to the people and government of Jordan.

During his current tour of the Middle East, the Secretary-General has taken every opportunity to underscore the need for collective action against terrorism, the statement added. The people of this region have particularly suffered from this scourge. In his recent meetings with Saudi and Egyptian authorities, the Secretary-General stressed the need for Member States to adopt a comprehensive convention against terrorism as soon as possible.

In response to questions that had been asked about the Secretary-Generals travel schedule, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General had postponed his trip to Jordan in the aftermath of the bombings in Amman, because he felt his visit would be an added burden on the Jordanian authorities.

However, she noted, when the Secretary-General called King Abdullah to express his condolences, it was made clear that the Secretary-General's visit would be appreciated by the King and people of Jordan. The Secretary-General will be in Jordan on Friday to express his support and to pay his respects and meet with the UN staff there.

ANNAN APPALLED BY LATEST SUICIDE ATTACK IN IRAQ

The Secretary-General strongly

condemns the latest suicide bombing that took place today in the centre of Baghdad, in which more than 30 people were killed and many more wounded.

The Secretary-General is appalled by the continued indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, which no cause can justify. He sends his condolences to the families of the victims.

U.N. POLITICAL CHIEF TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs

Ibrahim Gambari will next week make his first trip to the

Middle East since assuming the helm of the Department of Political Affairs. He is to visit Jordan,

Lebanon, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Gambari intends to see firsthand the various UN operations carrying out political mandates in the region, while also taking the pulse of political developments at a critical juncture for Lebanon and for the Middle East peace process.

In addition to his contacts with the UN family in each country, Gambari is also looking forward to meeting and exchanging viewpoints with a broad range of interlocutors including senior government officials, leaders of political parties, religious authorities, and members of the international community.

ANNAN EXPECTS SYRIAN COOPERATION WITH HARIRI INVESTIGATION

Asked about the Secretary-Generals response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assads speech today, concerning cooperation with the investigation into the 14 February assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General's message is clear.

"He expects Syria to cooperate and to cooperate fully," she said.

LEBANON: U.N. ENVOY DEPLORES ISRAELI BLUE LINE VIOLATIONS

Geir Pedersen, the Secretary-Generals Personal Representative for southern

Lebanon, in a statement, deplored the Israeli air violations of the Blue Line that took place yesterday. Five Israeli over-flights were recorded over southern Lebanon.

He reiterated that it is of the greatest importance that all parties continue to exercise the utmost restraint, and he reminded them that one violation cannot justify another.

POST-ELECTION LIBERIA REPORTEDLY CALM;

U.N. PEACEKEEPERS REMAIN ON FULL ALERT

The

UN Mission in Liberia reports that there have been no significant disruptions or incidents of violence reported since the election took place, and UN peacekeepers remain on full alert throughout the country.

The UN Mission is aware of the allegations made by the CDC party, and today, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Liberia,

Alan Doss, met Ambassador George Weah, the CDC candidate, to discuss these allegations.

Doss urged him to file the CDC complaints as soon as possible with the Liberian National Election Commission, which has the legal responsibility to investigate such allegations and assured him that the UN will follow the matter closely.

Asked whether the Secretary-General is concerned that objections about vote fraud could lead to violence, the Spokeswoman said that the UN Mission had reported the situation on the ground as generally calm, and the regular UN updates on the situation had indicated that the elections have so far been peaceful. Now, she said, the official results were being awaited.

SUDAN: U.N. MISSION LEARNS OF ATTACKS ON VILLAGES IN SOUTH DARFUR

The

UN Mission in Sudan today said that it has received unconfirmed reports that on Sunday and Monday some 1,500 armed tribesmen riding camels and horses attacked and burned six villages in southern Darfur. The African Union has been notified of these reports and is to investigate them.

The Secretary Generals Special Representative in Sudan, Jan Pronk, also reports that he sent a demarche to the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on an incident that on Saturday in which he said two members of U.N. panel of experts had been roughed up.

Pronk said he met with the Ministry today and had been promised that the mission of the panel would not be further hindered. The panel is monitoring an arms embargo.

SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION ENDS IN TANZANIA

The Security Council mission to the Great Lakes region of Africa wound up its five nation visit today in Dar es Salaam, where this morning the delegation met the Tanzanian President, Benjamin Mkapa.

Meetings today included a working breakfast with the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Ibrahima Fall, and a working lunch with Jakaya Kikwete, Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The delegation also met with heads of UN agencies working in Tanzania, with a group of experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and with academics.

In a press conference wrapping up the visit, team leader Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sablière of France expressed appreciation to the Government of Tanzania for hosting thousands of refugees resulting from conflicts in the region, and for its contribution to peace efforts in the Great Lakes region.

FEMALE MEDICAL STAFF NEEDED IN QUAKE-STRICKEN PAKISTAN

Turning now to the South Asia

quake, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) notes that, given increasing health concerns, there is an urgent need for female medical staff in hard-hit areas.

Also, bearing in mind the lack of funding for the

flash appeal, the UN and its humanitarian partners have decided to target up to 200,000 people living in the higher valleys above the snowline, who may become inaccessible within the next four weeks, as well as an estimated 150,000 people who may choose to move down to the lower valleys.

Asked about the need for female medical staff, the Spokeswoman said that in any humanitarian emergency, there is often a need to provide female workers on the ground. She later informed the correspondent that female medical staff had been requested out of sensitivity to the local women's preferences.

Asked whether there was sufficient medical staff in the area, she said that the number of staff in the region has been increasing, although the effort to reach those who are inaccessible still continues. She later added that the overall number of medical staff was sufficient at present.

NIGER: OVERALL FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IMPROVING

On Niger, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

reports that food security in that country is improving nationally, with favourable rains meaning that harvests will probably be good next season.

But while the general agricultural outlook is positive, a recent World Food Programme (WFP) survey shows continued heightened food insecurity in rural areas.

Although general food distributions have now ended, WFP continues to provide supplementary food for pregnant and lactating women and children under five, as well as a protection ration for their families.

Recognizing the need for continued vigilance, OCHA and the UN Development Programme will co-host a regional meeting on lessons learned and the way forward, in Dakar, Senegal, from 15 to 16 November.

U.N. UNABLE TO DEPLOY TO BASRA & ERBIL WITHOUT AIR SUPPORT

Asked about UN requests for air support in Iraq, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General had written last week, on November 3, to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to say that the United Nations cannot proceed with plans to deploy to the Iraqi cities of Basra and Erbil without dedicated air support. The only practical source of air support is the coalition, Okabe said.

The United Nations is looking for other options, but it appears that no others are currently practical.

No replies to the letters have been received as yet, she added.

In response to further questions about the proposed plans to deploy in the two cities, she later said that the air support was needed for transport purposes and to move staff around. She also said the United Nations currently had small liaison detachments in Basra and Erbil, and the plan was to open UN facilities by the end of the year that would substantively increase the number of security, support and substantive staff.

NEW PROJECT TO TACKLE HAZARDOUS POLLUTION IN IRAQ

The UN Environmental Programme today

launched a project aimed at cleaning up a highly polluted industrial site south of Baghdad, in Iraq.

The Al Qadissiya metal-plating facility has been found to contain numerous hazardous wastes including several tons of health hazardous cyanide compounds.

The six-month project follows a

study of environmental hot spots in Iraq.

It may start as soon as December and will entail removing, storing and treating the cyanide wastes to reduce the public health risks which are currently considered to be severe.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

NANE ANNAN VISITS SAUDI WOMENS COLLEGE: The Secretary-Generals wife, Nane Annan, today visited Effat College, Saudi Arabias first independent womens college, established in Jeddah in 1999. Staff and students told Mrs. Annan about their courses and discussed the mission of the College, which aims to empower young Saudi women to become leaders in shaping the countrys goals and policies in the 21st century, as envisaged by its founder, the late Queen Effat.

GLOBAL FUND ENDS BLOCKS ON UGANDA GRANTS: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has

lifted the suspensions of all its five grants to Uganda, following the signing today of an agreement restructuring the management of the grants. Over the past two months, the Global Fund has been heartened by the intensive efforts of our partners in Uganda, said Dr. Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund. We are very pleased that the progress made enables us to lift the suspension of Ugandas grants.

UNITED NATIONS TRAINS EL SALVADORS MILITARY IN A.I.D.S. PREVENTION: The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) are signing an agreement today with the Salvadoran Ministry of Defence that will help educate El Salvadors military about sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS prevention. The $220,000 project is financed jointly by the Salvadorean Armed Forces, UNAIDS, and UNFPA. Its aimed at educating officers and soldiers at all levels in the countrys armed forces a total of about 10,000 people over the coming two years.

UNITED NATIONS FOLLOWED UP ON VOLCKER FINDINGS: Asked why Joseph Stephanides had been punished if the

Independent Inquiry Committee was not a prosecutorial body, the Spokeswoman recalled that she had said earlier this week that the Committee led by Paul Volcker is a fact-finding body and cannot make any binding judicial determination of fact or law. The United Nations followed up on its findings, and, in the case of Stephanides, determined that staff rules had been violated.

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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