United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-12-14

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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

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

ANNAN URGES RESPECT FOR LIBERIAN ELECTION RESULTS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is

concerned about the recent disturbances in Monrovia and the tensions resulting from protests by supporters of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) against the results of the run-off presidential election of 8 November.

The Secretary-General calls on the leaders and supporters of the CDC to respect the internationally certified results of the election and adhere to universally accepted standards of democratic governance and the rule of law.

The leadership of the CDC and their followers should refrain from any violence, which is absolutely unacceptable, and allow any complaints to go through the full legal process set out in

Liberias electoral legal framework.

The Secretary-General calls on all Liberians to work together in charting a course for political stability, social and economic development, and the strengthening of the rule of law in their country.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO MAKE STATEMENT ON ERITREA & ETHIOPIA

Jane Holl-Lute, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, briefed the Security Council this morning on the situation in

Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Secretary-General was present throughout the consultations.

The Security Council is expected to make a Presidential Statement today on its decision.

GUINEA-BISSAU, IRAQ AND CYPRUS ARE ON SECURITY COUNCIL AGENDA

The Security Council this morning also held consultations on

Iraq and on

Guinea-Bissau.

On Iraq, Council members discussed the latest report concerning the work of Yuliy Vorontsov, the High-Level Coordinator dealing with missing Kuwaiti and other persons and property.

On Guinea-Bissau, they discussed the Secretary-Generals latest report on the UN office there.

This afternoon, the Security Council is holding a formal meeting to vote on the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

After that, Council members will hear from Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari, in an open briefing on the latest developments in Iraq. That briefing will be followed by consultations, also on Iraq.

ANNAN TO SEND ENVOY TO BOLIVIA, AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

The Secretary-General has been closely following the situation in Bolivia ahead of national elections this weekend.

He has decided to send Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Angela Kane to the country in order to deliver a message on his behalf to President Rodriguez, expressing his support for peaceful and democratic elections.

Kane is expected to travel to Bolivia today and to meet with the President on Thursday.

U.N. PROBE INTO KILLING OF EX-LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER

RECEIVES CONFLICTING SIGNALS FROM SYRIA

Detlev Mehlis, the head of the UN International Independent Investigation

Commission,

briefed the Security Council Tuesday afternoon on the investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 other people. He said the Commission has interviewed more than 500 witnesses, and has established, together with the Lebanese authorities, a list of 19 suspects.

He noted the cooperation by the Lebanese authorities, but said that the Commission has received conflicting signals from Syria. At the same time, the Syrian authorities did make five Syrian suspects available for questioning, which Mehlis said might be the starting point for Syrias full and unconditional cooperation with the investigation.

Council members discussed Mehliss second report, first in an open meeting and then in consultations. Following those consultations, Mehlis spoke to the press, saying that he had personally assured the Syrian authorities that Syrian suspects would be given the same rights that they would be given in their own country.

Asked about the search for candidates to replace Mehlis, the Spokesman said the search was continuing to find a potential successor as soon as possible, although he noted that investigative judges with the appropriate antiterrorism credentials are not lining up on First Avenue looking for a job.

Asked about the delay in finding a successor, the Spokesman said that it would not damage the investigation, since Mehlis had agreed to remain as the titular head of the investigation until a replacement was chosen and would help to ensure a smooth transition to a successor. The Spokesman stressed that the Secretariat was very much focused on finding a successor as quickly as possible.

Asked whether the Mehlis investigation would be expanded, the Spokesman said that was a decision for the Security Council to consider.

TWO ROADS TO RE-OPEN TO HUMANITARIAN AID TRAFFIC IN WEST DARFUR

The UN Mission in Sudan today reports that it has decided to open two roads east of Geneina in West Darfur, which had been closed for safety reasons.

The decision followed a meeting held by the United Nations with over 45 community leaders, who gave their assurances that humanitarian vehicles would be granted safe passage. The United Nations will immediately begin assessing humanitarian needs in the area.

Meanwhile, the Mission has received reports that last Friday, armed tribesmen attacked eight civilians in a village in South Darfur, killing two and looting their belongings.

INSECURITY BLOCKS HUMANITARIAN DELIVERIES IN SOMALIA

Francois Lonseny Fall, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Somalia, today warned that insecurity was blocking deliveries of humanitarian relief and jeopardizing the lives of people in urgent need of assistance.

I could not stress enough the need and the urgency to provide a safe operating space for humanitarian agencies to reach these people, Fall said.

According to this years estimates, one million Somalis are in need of urgent assistance and protection, mostly in the south/central part of the country.

ANTI-CORRUPTION TREATY ENTERS INTO FORCE

The UN

Convention Against Corruption enters into force today, with 140 signatures and 38 ratifications.

To mark the occasion, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the treatys custodian, will hold a panel discussion on combating corruption.

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton will be the keynote speaker. And the panelists will include Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari and Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services Inga-Britt Ahlenius.

The event, which will be moderated by UNODC head Antonio Maria Costa, will take place tomorrow in the Trusteeship Council Chamber from 11.00 a.m. to 1 p.m.

FUTURE SIERRA LEONE OFFICE GETS NEW CHIEF

Available today is the exchange of letters between the Secretary-General and the Security Council confirming the appointment of Victor da Silva Angelo as the Secretary-Generals Executive Representative for the new UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL).

The new, integrated office starts work on 1 January. The mandate of the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) expires at the end of the year.

Da Silva, from Portugal, is the current Deputy Special Representative in Sierra Leone. He will continue to hold his position as the Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme in that country.

ANNAN CALLS ON MIDDLE EASTERN & NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRIES

TO RAMP UP FIGHT AGAINST A.I.D.S.

The Secretary-General has called on the governments of the Middle East and North Africa not only to review their domestic budgets devoted to

AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, but also to assess how their overseas development assistance can be mobilized to meet the global challenge posed by AIDS and other development issues.

The call was part of a message delivered on his behalf today at the high-level session of the

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Morocco.

Health ministers of the Middle East and North Africa were also in attendance.

In his message, the Secretary-General added that the countries of the Middle East and North Africa have an unprecedented opportunity to help the international community in guaranteeing the long-term security and predictability of resource flows for the global AIDS response, including through mechanisms such as the Global Fund.

HOUSING AGENCY APPEALS FOR FUNDS FOR ZIMBABWE & PAKISTAN

Today the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) gathered donors in Nairobi to raise funds intended for shelter recovery -- for both Zimbabwean evictees and Pakistani quake survivors.

The President of UN-HABITATs Governing Council, who is also Polands ambassador to Kenya, and the Chair of UN-HABITATs Committee of Permanent Representatives opened the meeting by pledging personal funds to build houses in the two countries.

In Zimbabwe, UN-HABITAT has helped the UN Country Team to design a new cost-effective shelter model on land provided by the Government. The Government-approved structures use local materials, and can be easily built by the people who will be living in them. Moreover, they are designed so that the materials can be reused when families are in a position to build more permanent homes.

Regarding Pakistan, UN-HABITAT has put forth a number of proposals, including one concerning a new winterised shelter design that incorporates quake-resistant techniques. The project would initially culminate in 4,000 units for some 28,000 people, at a cost of $2 million.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTED ABUSE IN IRAQ

Asked about UN concerns about human rights in Iraq, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General is very concerned about a new report on abuse of detainees in another facility controlled by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. Both the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, have expressed concerns to the Iraqi authorities.

The Spokesman noted that, in a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaffari dated 25 November, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour called for an international element to be added to the Government's investigation into conditions of detention in Iraq. The Secretary-General very much looks forward to the early issuance of the reports on the Government's investigation.

Meanwhile, Dujarric added, Qazi and the UN Mission in Iraqs Office of Human Rights continue to raise the issue with Iraq officials and follow up on abuse reports, bringing them to the attention of relevant Iraqi authorities. Also, the UN Mission actively supports human rights training programs for members of Iraqi security forces.

ANNAN ADDS MEMBERS TO ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS PANEL

The Secretary-General today announced the complete composition of the High-level Group for the

Alliance of Civilizations, with two names added: those of Professor Candido Mendes of Brazil, and Professor Pan Guang of China. The additions bring the membership of the High-level Group to a total of 20.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals meeting today with his Special Advisor on the Alliance of Civilizations, Iqbal Riza, the Spokesman said that they would discuss the High-Level Groups recent meeting in Spain. Todays meeting would also be the first one between the Secretary-General and the Director of the Office for the Alliance of Civilizations, Thomas Mastnak, and the Deputy Director, Shamil Idriss.

ANNAN IS CLEAR IN CONDEMNATION OF IRANIAN PRESIDENTS

COMMENTS ON ISRAEL

Asked about recent comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that reportedly disputed the Holocaust and suggested that Israel be moved to a different area, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General was very clear in his condemnation of those comments when President Ahmadinejad had first made them.

The Secretary-General, he said, continues to be shocked by these remarks every time that the Iranian President makes them.

Asked whether Iran could be suspended from UN membership over such remarks, the Spokesman said that, in accordance with the UN Charter, that was a matter in the hands of the Member States.

The Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General had reminded Iran that Israel is a long-standing member of the United Nations, with the same rights and obligations as every other member. The Secretary-General recalled in particular 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.

U.N. STAFF MUST NOT TAKE ORDERS FROM HOME COUNTRIES

Asked about allegations of wrongdoing made against a UN procurement official on secondment from India, the Spokesman said that the United Nations expects all staff to act with complete independence from their home countries, and noted that they had taken oaths to that effect.

He noted that Under-Secretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham had drawn attention to the ongoing and expanding investigation by the Office for Internal Oversight Services into procurement, as well as efforts to overhaul rules to detect potential conflicts of interest.

The Spokesman responded to a reporters quip about cufflinks worn by Burnham that show the United States Presidential seal by noting that the United Nations does not dictate sartorial rules to staff. The Spokesman stressed that no one should question the independence of UN officials based on what cufflinks, suits or hats they had on.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

MEMBER STATES HAVE HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE ON U.N. BUDGET: Asked whether the United Nations has a plan for how to assess the UN budget if the gridlock in budget talks continues, the Spokesman said that the UN budget is designed on a two-year cycle by decision of the General Assembly, and any change in how it is designed would also have to be made by the General Assembly. The Secretary-General, he said, made it clear that the United Nations needs a budget by the end of this year; the Member States consequently have hard decisions to make soon.

U.N. ENVOY ATTENDS LONDON MEETING ON MIDDLE EAST: Alvaro de Soto, the UN Special Coordinator for the

Middle East Peace Process, is today attending the annual Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting in London. At that meeting, key donors, along with representatives of the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel, are discussing the humanitarian, social and economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and Palestinian reform.

UNICEF DRAWS ATTENTION TO CHILD EXPLOITATION: The UN Childrens Fund issued its annual

report today on the state of the worlds children. In it, the agency claims that hundreds of millions of children are suffering from severe exploitation. Their plight is being ignored, the agency said, and these children have become virtually invisible. The report recommends specific measures, including increased research to bring to light the depth of the problem and programs to protect and monitor children.

TRANSPORT COMPANY TO JOIN FORCES WITH UNITED NATIONS: The UN Development Programme and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will

sign tomorrow a disaster relief partnership with transportation company DHL. This is an attempt to ensure the delivery of immediate aid to remote disaster areas following catastrophes.

VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT CHAVEZ TO RECEIVE UNESCO AWARD: President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela will receive the 2005 International José Martí Prize in a ceremony that will take place in Havana on 28 January, the UN

Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced. The ceremony will coincide with the anniversary of the birth, in 1853, of José Martí the Cuban humanist, writer, translator, diplomat and teacher.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 100178

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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