United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-06-06

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

ANNAN TO LAUNCH REPORT ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan will be launching his report on international migration and development in the General Assembly this afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

SECURITY COUNCIL BEGINS MISSION TO SUDAN

The Security Council mission to

Sudan and Chad, led by British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, began its first day today with a briefing by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative Jan Pronk and his deputies at the UN Mission in Khartoum.

The 15 members of the Council delegation then met with President Omar al Basher and other senior Sudanese government leaders, as well as members of Parliament.

The Council members also met with a group of non-governmental organizations. They will also meet with opposition party leaders.

A short while ago, Ambassador Jones Parry talked to reporters at a press conference during which he said the mission was there to listen to the Government of Sudan and all the parties on how the United Nations, and specifically the Security Council, can support the African Union and assist the people of Sudan and Darfur.

Asked whether the reported dispute between Jan Pronk and the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) had been resolved, the Spokesman said that the outstanding issues between them had been resolved in such a way as to allow auditors to conduct their work, and he voiced satisfaction at that development.

CHAD: REFUGEE AGENCY EXTREMELY CONCERNED BY MILITIA ATTACKS

The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is extremely

concerned about continuing attacks by Janjaweed militia in eastern Chad and the potential for more internal displacement of local Chadians and some 213,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur living in a dozen UNHCR-administered camps in the border region between Chad and Sudan.

UNHCR was reacting to last Saturdays raid by armed militiamen of a village in the Goz Beida region of eastern Chad. No casualties were reported, but UNHCR said that attacks by Janjaweed militias against Chadians appear to have become more systematic and deadly in recent months.

There are presently an estimated 50,000 displaced people in eastern Chad who have fled their homes in recent months following dozens of attacks by Janjaweed. In some cases, people flee out of fear of impending attacks, and many have been displaced several times.

FIGHTING IN SOMALIA AGGRAVATES HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, today noted the reconciliatory statements from the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), and he said that members of the international community encourage a similar approach from the Union of Islamic Courts and other parties in Mogadishu.

A

statement issued yesterday afternoon said that the Secretary-General continues to be concerned about the violence in Mogadishu and its surroundings, and appeals to all sides to stop the fighting and enter into negotiations.

The Secretary-General stressed that all parties to the conflict should resolve their differences and address outstanding issues in accordance with the Transitional Federal Charter of Somalia.

Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says it is concerned that the fighting in Mogadishu is delaying polio and measles vaccination campaigns and aggravating an existing humanitarian emergency in southern Somalia.

OCHA also points out that the supply of imported food has been disrupted by the ongoing conflict, resulting in 20% to 30% price increases.

The World Food Programme maintains an office in Mogadishu, which is staffed by Somali nationals. Because of the recent fighting, WFP has provided food upon request for patients in one of the largest hospitals in the city.

Asked about meaning of Ambassador Falls statement, the Spokesman said that the focus for the United Nations is on supporting the Transitional Federal Institutions, and all Somali parties need to work through those institutions.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS GOLAN HEIGHTS MISSION

The Security Council today held consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights (UNDOF) and received a briefing on that mission from Lisa Buttenheim, Director of the Asia and Middle East Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Security Council members also received copies of a draft resolution and draft statement concerning the extension of that Missions mandate.

TIMOR-LESTE: U.N. ENVOY MEETS WITH REBELS IN EFFORT TO END TURMOIL

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, today flew to meet rebels in the western mountains for the second time in as many days to try to bring an end to the turmoil in the country.

Hasegawa and Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta met with rebel leader Maj. Alfredo Reinado in Maubisse, 25 kilometers southwest of the capital. Reinado, a former military police commander, heads one of the groups demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri

After the trip, Hasegawa conferred with President Xanana Gusmão in the presidential office, while outside, a crowd from the western part of the country demanded the removal of Alkatiri. Gusmão asked them to return to their homes and said his priority was to re-stabilize the country so people will not live in fear.

Today, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy to Timor-Leste, Ian Martin, spent the last full day of his mission to assess the situation on the ground, meeting with police commanders and Timorese specialists in human rights, governance and anti-corruption, as well as the Minister of the Interior. He leaves Wednesday for New York where he will report to the Secretary-General.

The UN Development Programme today said that an assessment of eight districts outside the capital show some 49,000 persons have been displaced. The previous working figure was 30,000 for all 13 districts. The new figure is expected to climb.

UN agencies participating in a joint humanitarian task force report that, in general terms, the food shortage for more than 100,000 displaced persons has been met. Now their attentions are turning to longer term projects including the provision of health services for all the displaced.

The UN refugee agencys

emergency airlift of lightweight family tents, plastic sheets and jerry cans for some 30,000 displaced people in Timor-Leste is well underway, with the first flight having landed in Dili yesterday. A second flight will be leaving from Jordan later today. In coordination with other agencies, UNHCR will use the newly arrived supplies to ease congestion among the more crowded spontaneous sites that have sprung up in Dili.

AUDIT ON STAMP ARCHIVE SALE CLOSE TO BEING FINALIZED

Asked whether the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had contacted the United Nations about its investigation of a company involved in the purchase of the UN stamps archive, the Spokesman said he was not aware that the United Nations has been contacted.

Normally, he said, any such request would come through the U.S. Mission to the United Nations to the Secretary-General, who would then forward it to the relevant offices for follow-up.

Dujarric noted that Under-Secretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham had ordered the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to conduct an audit into the sale of the stamp archives. That audit is close to being finalized, and would be made available to Member States upon their request.

ANNAN, IN MESSAGE WITH FIFA HEAD, WELCOMES OPENING OF WORLD CUP

The Secretary-General, in a

joint message with Joseph Blatter, President of the Fédération International de Football Association (FIFA), welcomed the opening of the World Cup, saying, Football is a global language which can bridge social, cultural and religious divides.

That is why the United Nations is using football as a tool in its work to reach the Millennium Development Goals, and it is also why the United Nations is turning to football in its efforts to heal the emotional wounds of war among young people in refugee camps, and in countries recovering from armed conflict.

Over the next few weeks, as billions of people worldwide focus on the FIFA World Cup, the Secretary-General and FIFA President Blatter appeal to players and fans everywhere to harness the magic of football to their quest for development and peace.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN MEETS WITH U.S. AMBASSADOR: Asked about a meeting today between the Secretary-General and the Permanent Representative from the United States, Ambassador John Bolton, the Spokesman later added that it touched upon a number of areas on the current UN agenda, including Darfur, Somalia and UN reform.

U.N. LOOKS TO HADITHA INVESTIGATION: Asked about a request from Iraqs Vice President for the United Nations to conduct an inquiry into the killings of Iraqi civilians by the multinational force, the Spokesman said he was not aware that such a request had been received. He reiterated that the United Nations looks forward to the investigation by the multinational force into the events at Haditha. Also, the United Nations has had an ongoing dialogue with that force and with the Iraqis about the need for security forces to abide by international law and norms.

NO CHANGE IN U.N. FLAGS: Asked whether the flag of Serbia and Montenegro still flies at the United Nations following Montenegros call for independence, the Spokesman said that the membership of the United Nations remains at 191 Member States, with the same flags flying as before. The inclusion of new members into the United Nations, he emphasized, is up to the Member States.

IRAN PACKAGE DRAWN UP BY CONCERNED COUNTRIES: Asked about the package of proposals transmitted to Iran, the Spokesman refrained from comment, noting that the package had only been recently been presented. He noted that it was drawn up by concerned countries, not by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

NO UPDATE ON DETAINED PEACEKEEPERS IN D.R. CONGO: Asked whether there has been any change in the situation of the detained UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congos Ituri Province, the Spokesman said there had not.

VACCINATION CAMPAIGN TO START FOR INDONESIAN QUAKE SURVIVORS: The United Nations and partners are continuing to support the Government of Indonesia in responding to the needs created by the 27 May earthquake. As part of the response in the health sector, approximately 130,000 children under five will be vaccinated against measles and given vitamin A supplements in an immunization campaign to begin Wednesday, 7 June. The campaign will run with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF).

PROTOCOL SIGNED FOR DISPLACED PERSONS IN KOSOVO: The Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Kosovo, Søren Jessen-Petersen, today welcomed the Protocol on Voluntary and Sustainable Return, which he signed along with representatives of both Pristina and Belgrade. The Protocol seeks to improve the conditions for the return of internally displaced persons.

OUTER SPACE COMMITTEE TO MEET IN VIENNA: The UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space will hold its 49th session in Vienna, Austria, from 7 to 16 June. The Committees 49th session is expected to cover issued relating to space and water, space and education and the recommendations of the World Summit on the Information Society. The Committee will also discuss issues including space-system-based disaster management support, the use of nuclear power sources in outer space, and the practice of States and international organizations in registering space objects.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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