United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-11-16

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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

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

KOFI ANNAN DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER REPORTS OF DETAINEE ABUSE IN IRAQ

Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, was deeply

concerned to learn about the reported abuse of a large number of detainees at an Iraqi interior ministry building.

The Secretary-General welcomes the immediate investigation announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari yesterday.

The Secretary-General also welcomes the Prime Ministers statement that such practices are completely contrary to Iraqi Government policy.

The United Nations has repeatedly expressed concern about ongoing human rights violations in

Iraq, and specifically the lack of due process for detainees and abuses against them.

Most recently, such concerns were expressed by the

United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) in its second bimonthly report on the human rights situation in Iraq dated 14 November 2005.

Asked whether the Secretary-General would take up the issue of human rights concerns with the Security Council, the Spokeswoman referred to the human rights report by UNAMI that came out on Monday, and also noted the Councils monthly briefings on developments in Iraq.

UNITED NATIONS SEEKS TO ENSURE THE INTERNET BENEFITS EVERYONE

In Tunis today, the

Secretary-General

spoke at the opening of the

World Summit on the Information Society, saying that it must be a summit of solutions that would lead to information and communications technologies being used in new ways to benefit all social classes.

He emphasized that the United Nations does not want to take over the Internet, but to protect and strengthen it to ensure that its benefits are available for all. And, as I mentioned yesterday, he stressed the importance of freedom and openness to the information society, saying that, without the right to receive and impart information through any media regardless of frontiers, the information revolution will be stillborn.

Speaking at a press conference later, he

noted the intense debate over free speech and human rights at this summit.

The Secretary-General said that, when such a discussion takes place, it can only be beneficial to the society concerned and other societies around the world.

AGREEMENT REACHED ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE

Delegations in Tunis reached an agreement on Internet governance late last night, just ahead of the Tunis Phase of the

World Summit on the Information Society. The agreement, which will make up part of the Summits outcome document, contains a number of breakthroughs, according to the Summit spokespeople.

For example, it recognizes that all Governments have equal roles and responsibilities when it comes to Internet governance. It also asks the Secretary-General to convene and invite participants to a new democratic and transparent Internet governance forum, which would have no oversight function and would not replace existing arrangements, but would allow for dialogue between stakeholders.

Delegates also agreed that, while the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) would still be in charge of technical management of the Internet, individual countries would now manage their own country-code Top-Level Domains.

ANNAN ORGANIZES TRILATERAL MEETING WITH ABBAS AND SHALOM

Earlier today, on the sidelines of the World Summit, the

Secretary-General organized a short trilateral meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom.

The Secretary-General congratulated them for the agreement reached yesterday between

Israel and the Palestinian Authority regarding the movement of Palestinian goods and people in and out of the Gaza Strip. He hoped that all sides will press ahead with implementing that agreement, adding, This is only a beginning of better days to come.

The Secretary-General also met separately today with President Abbas. The President briefed him on the recently agreed measures to ease the movement of goods and people in and out of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. They also discussed the upcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority.

The Secretary-General

told reporters afterward, The Palestinians are talented people, but they need help. They need material help and support to get the job done. The transcript of those comments is upstairs.

Among others, he met Huang Ju, Executive Vice-Premier of China, with whom he discussed avian influenza. The Secretary-General thanked the Chinese authorities for all the measures they have taken to deal with this disease, saying that international cooperation is the most efficient way to fight it.

The Secretary-General also had a tete-a-tete meeting with President Emile Lahoud of Lebanon. They discussed the implementation of UN resolutions dealing with the situation in

Lebanon and Syria. The President understands the need for all to cooperate with UN resolutions. They also discussed stability in the region.

The Secretary-General assured President Lahoud that the

Security Council wants to get to the truth and find the perpetrators of the attack that killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others. The Security Council, the Secretary-General told the President, is conscious of the need for stability in the region.

Asked whether the Secretary-General was trying to achieve a compromise between Syria and Mehliss investigation into Hariris assassination, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General had spoken by phone with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday.

The Secretary-General had urged cooperation from the Syrian authorities regarding the Mehlis investigation. The Secretary-General, Okabe added, respects Mehliss lead on that investigation.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals views on where Syrian suspects should be interviewed, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General has not conveyed his views on that matter and would leave that decision to Mehlis.

U.N. OFFICIAL RENEWS PLEA FOR SYRIAN COOPERATION WITH HARIRI PROBE

The Under-Secretary-General for

Political Affairs,

Ibrahim Gambari, met in Beirut today with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.

At a news conference following their meeting, Gambari made a renewed plea for cooperation by Syria with the

U.N. independent investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and others. We are waiting for the concrete manifestation of that cooperation, he said.

Gambari said Mehlis has made a request to Syria and is awaiting their response. Referring to Mehlis as an impartial, professional prosecutor who has the full confidence of the United Nations, Gambari reiterated his view that there is no real option but for Syria to cooperate.

At a press conference, Gambari also said that the mandate of

Geir Pedersen, originally the Secretary-Generals Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon, has now been expanded to cover all of Lebanon and to encompass economic and social development issues, in addition to matters of peace and security.

Asked about the reasons for the expansion of Pedersens mandate, the Spokeswoman said it had been under consideration for some time, and was in response to developments in Lebanon. [Gambari, in his press briefing, said the extension was so that issues of sovereignty, independence and stability in Lebanon would be dealt with in a coordinated manner, and that Pedersens new job would not substitute for the work of other UN envoys.]

Asked about recent reported threats against Prime Minister Sanioras government, the Spokeswoman later noted that the UN supports the sovereignty, independence, stability and security of Lebanon, and has expressed its support for the elected government.

U.N. ENVOY FOR SUDAN MEETS DARFUR REBEL MOVEMENT COMMANDERS

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan,

Jan Pronk, left for

South Darfur today where he will meet commanders of the Sudan Liberation Movement and Army.

He will discuss a range of issues with them, including their participation in the seventh round of Abuja talks scheduled to start next Monday.

The

UN Mission in Sudan says the relocation of staff affected by fighting among the local population in Yambio, the state capital of Western Equatoria in Southern Sudan, iss temporary and they will return as soon as the situation is normalized. The fighting had led to casualties and the looting of a compound run by the

World Health Organization, as well as the evacuation of U.N. and international NGO staff members.

Unfortunately, the fighting there has led to the postponement of a massive measles immunization campaign that was due to start next week.

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON SUDAN AND COTE DIVOIRE

The

Security Council held closed consultations this morning in which it was briefed by Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis of Greece, in his capacity as chairman of the Councils sanctions committees for Sudan and Cote dIvoire.

He spoke about the work of the panel of experts for

Sudan, and then about his recent visit to

Cote dIvoire.

Also, at 3:30 p.m. today, the Councils Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict will hold a closed meeting.

U.N. PEACEKEEPERS ENGAGE IN EIGHT-HOUR GUN BATTLE

WITH ARMED GANGS IN HAITI

The

U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) reports that U.N. peacekeepers fought a gun battle with gang members in the Cite Militaire area of Port-au-Prince yesterday and killed four of them.

The mission said a Brazilian patrol stopped to check on a barricade under construction in the Pele zone of Cite Militaire when they came under attack by men firing heavy weapons.

The blue helmets returned fire and called for back up. Some 200 U.N. peacekeepers battled the gangs for about eight hours, the mission said.

Besides the four killed, 33 other gang members were apprehended and turned over to Haitian authorities.

There were no civilians injured in the battle and no casualties among the Blue Helmets. Two other UN posts came under attack yesterday, the mission said. There were no UN casualties.

U.N. AID EFFORT FOR SOUTH ASIA QUAKE VICTIMS REMAINS UNDER-FUNDED

The

U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the UN flash appeal for the

South Asia quake remains under 30% funded. Moreover, only 5% of shelter needs and 9% of water and sanitation requirements have been met.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the

U.N. Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT),

Anna Tibaijuka, leaves for Pakistan tonight, where she will spend four days meeting with government officials and donors.

UN-HABITAT is currently coordinating with the

U.N. Development Programme to distribute winter shelter rehabilitation kits, so that people can construct warm rooms. The kits have been designed so that the materials can be reused when permanent shelters are rebuilt in the spring.

The

Food and Agriculture Organization

reports that losses of crops, livestock and irrigation infrastructure as a result of the earthquake amount to more than $440 million.

ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT INFORMED OF U.N. CONCERN

OVER SUDDEN RE-EVICTION ACTIONS

Asked whether the situation in

Zimbabwe quiet, the Spokeswoman responded, All is not quiet.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator/ Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe, Agostinho Zacarias, has expressed his deep concern on the sudden re-eviction on 14 November of hundreds of vulnerable individuals who had already been affected by Operation Restore Order/Murambatsvina and who were staying in the Tsiga area in the Mbare neighborhood of the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.

The resident coordinator, in a note verbale sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, further stresses that the evictions make it hard for the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected populations.

In that note verbale, he also noted that the decision on Tuesday by the Government of Zimbabwe to accept UN assistance in constructing temporary shelter is a positive development.

VOLCKER COMMITTEE TO CONTINUE OPERATING UNTIL END OF DECEMBER

Asked where the discussions between the United Nations and Paul Volckers

Independent Inquiry Committee stand, the Spokeswoman noted that the Committee, in a press release today, said that it would remain in existence until the end of December, and that discussions were continuing with the United Nations and the Iraqi authorities on the handling of documents.

Asked whether the United Nations would take any kind of action against staff member Wagaye Assebe, the Spokeswoman said that the

Committee had not issued any adverse findings against her. The Secretary-General, she added, had the highest regard for Assebes work.

Asked whether a written censure of Joseph Stephanides was public, Okabe said it was not; it would be a confidential letter in his file.

ANNAN: NEED FOR TOLERANCE IS GREATER TODAY THAN ANY OTHER TIME

Today is

International Day of Tolerance, which is observed every year to focus the world's attention on tolerance as an essential condition for peace, democracy and sustainable development.

The

Secretary-General, in his message marking the day, said, The need for tolerance is greater today than at anytime in the United Nations' past.

He warned of a rising tide of xenophobia and extremism which, he said, demands our strongest response.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERALS OFFICE REVIEWING DOCUMENTAION PLANS: Asked about reports that City College of New York and Yale University would create a database of Kofi Annans letters, and whether it would include oil-for-food documents, the Spokeswoman said she was aware of those reports, and noted that the university official cited, Jean Krasno, has been authorized to undertake this project. At the same time, the Executive Office of the

Secretary-General is still reviewing all its aspects, including its timing and logistics, as well as archival rules and legal aspects which must be taken into consideration.

TSUNAMI RECOVERY OFFICE LAUNCHES WEBSITE: The Office of the Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery is launching its new website today. The website features up-to-date data on the tsunami- affected region and ongoing progress in the recovery effort. The websites address is:

www.tsunamispecialenvoy.org.

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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