United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-12-06

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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

Tuesday, December 6, 2005

U.N. ELECTORAL CHIEF RECEIVES LETTER OF DISMISSAL

Carina Perelli, Director of the Electoral Assistance Division, received a letter this morning informing her of the Secretary-Generals decision to summarily dismiss her for misconduct.

The decision was effective immediately.

Asked about the charges against Perelli, the Spokesman confirmed that the complaints included allegations of harassment, including sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. In response to further questions, he declined to provide specific details, noting that the case will likely be appealed.

He said, in response to a question, that the United Nations felt strongly about the veracity of the charges, given the serious action it took in response.

He said that the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) had interviewed dozens of people. Asked whether Perelli was interviewed, the Spokesman said that Carina Perelli was made aware of the charges against her, and given several opportunities to comment on the charges.

During this time, he noted, she was away on mission for several weeks. The charge letter was sent to her on August 4. The standard extension is two weeks, but in this case, following a number of extensions, Perelli responded on November 17. Between August and December, the Spokesman said, there had been an exchange of views with Perelli on administrative and procedural matters.

Perelli was given written allegations of misconduct and all relevant documentation, Dujarric said. All relevant procedures were followed.

Asked about Perellis status at the United Nations, the Spokesman said that her work at the United Nations ends today. Asked whether the locks to Perellis office had been changed several days ago, the Spokesman said he was assured the locks were changed only this morning. She cannot enter the building except by appointment, he said, adding that he understood she would be able to do so to conduct business regarding an appeal.

Asked whether todays decision resulted from a review conducted late last year by the Swiss firm Mannet, the Spokesman said that the dismissal was not based on Mannets work but on OHRMs own investigation. During the course of that review, staff complaints came to light, and it was recommended that an investigation should be undertaken.

The Mannet review had been studied by the then-head of the

Department of Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, who asked the Office of Human Resources Management to look into the allegations of harassment and sexual harassment cited in the Mannet review. The Spokesman said that Mannet flagged some issues, but OHRM interviewed a large number of people and did not rely on Mannets information for its conclusions.

Asked how the dismissal would affect UN support for the Iraqi elections, the Spokesman said it should not affect the UNs electoral work in Iraq or anywhere else.

In Iraq, he noted, Craig Jenness of Canada serves as International Commissioner on the Independent Electoral Commission for Iraq and leads the UN effort on the Iraqi elections. Jenness leads a team of 24 international electoral staff currently in Baghdad. Jenness has been in Iraq since October 23, he added. Since that time, the Spokesman said, Jenness has been the main UN electoral official for Iraq, not Perelli.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had made a mistake in sending Perelli on crucial electoral work in places in Lebanon and Iraq while her case was being reviewed, the Spokesman said that was a decision the United Nations had to take, and it had to follow due process and wait for Perelli to respond to the complaints.

Asked about the UNs zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, the Spokesman said that each case is analyzed and assessed on its own merits. The United Nations has a duty to act when these matters arise, he said. The Secretary-General, he said, had made a decision based on the merits of the case.

ANNAN CONFERS WITH PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE ON BIRD FLU

The Secretary-General has met with Franz Humer, Chairman and CEO of the pharmaceutical Roche group and discussed preparations to deal with a possible global avian flu pandemic.

In that meeting which took place yesterday, the Secretary-General congratulated Roche and Dr. Humer for their responsiveness, and reiterated the importance of ensuring access of preferentially priced treatment for Avian Flu to the poorest and neediest countries.

He also expressed the hope that the donors would be generous with funding to buy Tamiflu in bulk for poor countries.

The Secretary-General reiterated that the best way to protect the intellectual property rights was to make sure that the poorest and neediest countries get the medicines they need at a preferential price.

They agreed to keep their channels of communications open.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS VIOLENCE IN SRI LANKA

Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly

condemns the recent violence in Jaffna and the northeast of Sri Lanka, in which more than 20 soldiers and civilians have reportedly been killed over the last three days.

The Secretary-General is very concerned about the increasing tensions in the country and appeals to all parties to uphold the 2003 ceasefire agreement.

He hopes that the violence will not undermine the commitment of the new Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to the peace process.

U.N. RELIEF COORDINATOR MEETS ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator

Jan Egeland, who is in Zimbabwe to assess the humanitarian situation in that country, met with President Robert Mugabe this morning.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Egeland said he had a long, good and frank exchange. He said he explained to the President that the United Nations can be more effective if there are better procedures for how to help.

In response to a question, Egeland said that he did not think they disagreed on the need to help the people to help themselves. There is disagreement around the eviction campaign, he said. There is disagreement on how to help those who were evicted. There has been some concern on how to reach food security. But this is not the time to list all the points of disagreement.

He went on to say that there is agreement to work to redouble our efforts to be more effective to meet the challenges of millions of people who are infected with HIV and the more than a million children who are AIDS orphans.

SECURITY COUNCIL FOCUSES ON GREAT LAKES, CENTRAL AFRICA

The

Security Council held a public meeting today, to discuss the recent Council mission to the Great Lakes area and Central Africa.

Ambassador Jean Marc de la Sabliere, who led the mission, briefed the Council on its work, and on the written report that followed it.

The ambassadors of Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo also contributed to the discussion.

DARFUR PLAGUED BY BANDITRY, LOOTING, FIGHTING

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, is scheduled to travel to Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday to assist in boosting the ongoing Darfur peace talks, which do not seem to progress as expeditiously as hoped, in order to reach an agreement by the end of this year, according to the UN

mission in Khartoum.

The mission reports that the security situation in Darfur remains of concern. It is characterised by banditry activities, looting, inter-tribal fighting as well as clashes allegedly between the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) rebels and tribes. Harassment and threats, and beatings in some instances, of aid workers continue to be reported. Attacks on displaced persons and refugees are also being reported.

Meanwhile, the Office of the

UN High Commissioner for Refugees reports that as South Sudanese refugees start to go back to their homeland after more than two decades of exile, a group of refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is getting ready to leave South Sudan to return to their home country after 40 years in exile.

ANNAN WELCOMES NEW IVORIAN MINISTER; ASKS COOPERATION

The Secretary-General, in a statement issued Monday evening, welcomes the appointment of Charles Konan Banny as the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire for the transition period.

The Secretary-General congratulates the Ivorian parties on this important first step in implementing the African Union decision of 6 October 2005 endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 1633 (2005). He is particularly grateful to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Tandja Mamadou of the Niger, who contributed so much to this decision.

The Secretary-General urges the parties to cooperate fully with Mr. Charles Konan Banny and encourages his Government to move without delay, working with the International Working Group to implement the roadmap for the transition period and interacting with the High Representative for the elections to resolve the stalemate in the Independent Electoral Commission.

The Secretary-General commends the outgoing Prime Minister, Mr. Seydou Diarra, for his tireless efforts in the cause of peace for his country.

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY READY TO EVACUATE QUAKE VICTIMS

The UN refugee agency, or UNHCR,

says that it is standing by for a possible exodus of up to 230,000 earthquake survivors from higher elevations in Pakistan where snow has begun to fall.

In the coming weeks, UNHCR together with NATO plans to bring in 30,000 stoves. And the agency is consulting Afghan refugees on how to safely use those stoves to winterize tents.

UNHCR says that it is crucial that every tent has a minimum of two plastic sheets, four mattresses, a stove and fuel, and that each person has three blankets.

ANNAN FORWARDS REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF HARIRI BOMB PROBE

Asked whether the

investigation headed by Detlev Mehlis will be extended, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General was shown a letter from the Prime Minister of Lebanon, asking for an extension of the Mehlis Commission by a further six months. The Secretary-General will forward that letter to the Security Council.

Asked who paid for the recent travel by Syrian suspects to Vienna to meet with the investigators, the Spokesman later informed correspondents that the Syrians paid for their expenses.

TERRORISTS NOW SUBJECT TO U.N. SANCTIONS

Interpol has published its first notices for suspected terrorists that are subject to UN sanctions, based on the consolidated list of the Security Councils

1267 Committee on sanctions against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

The creation of the InterpolUN Special Notices is a result of ongoing close cooperation between the two organizations, and is in direct response to Security Council

Resolution 1617, which called on the Secretary-General to work with Interpol.

According to César Mayoral, Chairman of the Security Councils 1267 Sanctions Committee, the Interpol-UN Special Notices send an important message to the international community of the common commitment of the United Nations and Interpol to fight terrorism.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNESCO CONDEMNS MURDER OF PHILIPPINE JOURNALIST: The UN

Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today condemned the murder of Philippine journalist George Banaojan last Thursday on the island of Cebu. UNESCO also expressed deep concern over the violence to which journalists are exposed in that country.

MIDDLE EAST PEACE ENVOY CONFERS WITH LEBANESE LEADERS: Alvaro de Soto, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, returned to Jerusalem today from Lebanon. While in Beirut, de Soto met Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Speaker of the House Nabih Berri, and Foreign Minister Fawzi Shalloukh. He also paid a courtesy call on President Emile Lahoud. De Soto was accompanied by the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for Lebanon, Geir Pedersen.

CROATIAN GENERAL NAMED TO INDIA/PAKISTAN OBSERVER GROUP: The Secretary-General has informed the Security Council of his intention to appoint Major-General Dragutin Repinc of Croatia as Chief Military Observer in the UN

Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). Repinc will replace Maj. Gen. Guido Dante Palmieri of Italy who left the mission in September.

CASE OF FORMER OVERSIGHT UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL STILL UNDER REVIEW: Asked about the case of former Under-Secretary-General for

Internal Oversight Dileep Nair, the Spokesman said that Jerome Ackerman, the official reviewing that case, was continuing with his work and had not yet provided an end date for it.