United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-07-10

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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 MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, July 10, 2006

ANNAN WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF NEW PRIME MINISTER IN TIMOR-LESTE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomes the establishment of a new Government in Timor-Leste. He congratulates Jose Ramos-Horta on his appointment as Prime Minister, and looks forward to the formation of the full Government, which he trusts will serve the needs of all Timorese.

The Secretary-General calls on all parties in Timor-Leste to move forward in a spirit of dialogue, unity and reconciliation, as the country prepares for its first presidential and parliamentary elections since independence.

He also looks forward to receiving the report of his Special Envoy, Ian Martin, on how the United Nations can best assist the Timorese people, as they build a democratic and peaceful future for their country; and he thanks Martin for successfully completing his important and sensitive mission.

Before leaving Dili, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy, Ian Martin, held a press conference. He

said that the main areas in which Timor-Leste is looking to the United Nations to help with in the future include policing both in the short-term and in the long-term development of the national police force; help with carrying out the Presidential and Parliamentary elections next year, and supporting the administration of justice the latter which now has even greater challenges because of recent events and promoting respect for human rights.

ANNAN DISAPPOINTED WITH LACK OF AGREEMENT AT SMALL ARMS CONFERENCE

The Secretary-General is disappointed that the UN Conference to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons has ended without agreeing on an outcome document.

He notes, however, that many States sent high-level representatives to the conference, and that many civil society groups contributed energetically to its discussions.

To that extent, the Conference did succeed in recalling the issue of small arms and light weapons to the attention of the international community, which clearly remains committed to the Programme of Action as the main framework for measures to curtail the illegal trade in these weapons.

Delegates from all parts of the world reaffirmed that the most urgent task is to take firm steps to control illicit arms brokers. This issue will be studied in depth by a UN intergovernmental expert group, which will hold its first session in November.

ANNAN, IN BERLIN, DISCUSSES AFRICA, PEACEKEEPING IN DR CONGO

Early on Monday morning, the Secretary-General and his wife, Nane, traveled to Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the German President, for a breakfast hosted by President Horst Köhler and his wife, Eva Luise.

The Secretary-General congratulated the President for Germany for organizing the most successful World Cup ever, and noted how the tournament had sparked a show of support among Germans for their own country.

The President discussed a number of issues related to development in Africa.

Later in the day the Secretary-General traveled to the Henning von Treskow barracks, the location of the EU Operations Headquarters, for a briefing on the force. While at the barracks, the Secretary-General was the guest at a working lunch hosted by the Federal Defense Minister, Franz-Josef Jung.

Prior to the lunch, the Secretary-General and the Defense Minister discussed issues relating to peacekeeping, including the European force being deployed to support the elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Secretary-General thanked Germany for its leadership role in the mission.

This evening, the Secretary-General will speak at a forum organized jointly by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the UN Association for Germany. In that speech, which is to be delivered right about now, he is to draw attention to the need for the Group of Eight nations to deal with energy security at their meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, and to warn that we cannot achieve energy security unless we address the environmental consequences of energy consumption.

In a separate programme, Mrs. Annan met and spoke with volunteers and students involved in UNICEF Germanys campaign You and me against AIDS. Children are the hidden face of AIDS, she said. We must ensure that children are not forgotten in the global fight against AIDS. In the afternoon Mrs. Annan visited a cultural integration centre for Turkish, Arabic and Kurdish girls. The girls, aged 10 to 20, spoke with Mrs. Annan about their lives and how the centre had helped them, providing a comfortable place to meet friends, work on creative projects, get help with homework and job applications and talk through problems dealing with families, cultural and religious issues.

On Sunday afternoon, the Secretary-General met with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister. They discussed a wide-ranging number of issues, including the ongoing talks over Irans nuclear programme,

Iraq, the

Human Rights Council, the

Middle East,

Darfur, the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan and Cyprus.

Afterwards, the Secretary-General joined President Köhler in attending the World Cup final at Berlins Olympic Stadium.

Asked where the Secretary-General will travel after Germany, the Spokeswoman noted that he will first go to Italy, and then to the Group of Eight summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, with possible additional stops later.

U.N. HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES ALARMED AT DEVELOPMENTS IN GAZA

The UN humanitarian agencies working in the occupied Palestinian territory have expressed their alarm at developments on the ground there.

In a joint press release, they say that an already alarming situation in

Gaza, with poverty rates at nearly 80% and unemployment at nearly 40%, is likely to deteriorate rapidly, unless immediate and urgent action is taken.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Secretary-General appealed for urgent action to alleviate the desperate humanitarian situation of the civilian population in Gaza. To address shortages of basic foodstuffs, and to maintain essential health and sanitation services, the Secretary-General called on the Government of Israel to restore and maintain the continuous and uninterrupted supply of fuel to Gaza and to act expeditiously to replace the destroyed equipment at the Gaza power plant.

He also reiterated his appeal to all concerned to exercise maximum restraint and to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Asked whether the Secretary-General has spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert about the situation in Gaza, the Spokeswoman said that, as his statements reflect, the Secretary-General has been in touch with the parties both publicly, as reflected in statements, and in private in telephone conversations. He is consistently in touch with all the leaders in the region.

Asked about a Friday statement in which the Secretary-General had urged the Security Council to take a clear position on Gaza, the Spokeswoman said the statement was simply his appeal for the Council to look into the matter.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE BRIEFING ON SOMALIA

The Security Council postponed its consultations on Somalia and other matters, which were initially scheduled for 10:00 this morning, to 3:00 p.m. today.

At that time, the Council will take up recent developments in Somalia, and will hear from the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for that country, Francois Lonseny Fall.

CYPRIOT LEADERS COMMIT TO PROCEED WITH TECHNICAL TALKS

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari,

chaired a meeting in Nicosia on Saturday between Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

Following that encounter, the two leaders committed to proceed by the end of July with technical talks on issues affecting the day-to-day life of people on both sides. They also agreed on broader principles concerning the need to seek a comprehensive settlement.

That set of principles includes commitment to the unification of Cyprus based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation and political equality, as set out in Security Council resolutions.

The principles also make clear that the status quo is unacceptable and that its continuation would have negative consequences for both the Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

CAPTIVE PEACEKEEPERS IN D.R. CONGO RELEASED OVER WEEKEND

In the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, the remaining five out of a total of seven UN peacekeepers from Nepal, taken captive by the Front des Nationalistes et des Intégrationistes militia in the countrys northeast more than a month ago, were released over the weekend.

The seven Nepalese had become separated from their unit during a joint operation with the Congolese national army in the area of Fataki, about 60 kilometers northeast of Bunia, the capital of the Ituri district. Two of the seven had been released on 27 June.

The five peacekeepers were unharmed and have now rejoined their contingent.

The Secretary-General has welcomed their release, and reiterated his profound condolences to the family of the peacekeeper who was killed during the initial encounter with the militia.Along with the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he also thanked local community leaders for their assistance in securing the peacekeepers liberation.

Asked for details about the release of the Nepalese peacekeepers, the Spokeswoman noted that they were released on Saturday, in tired but excellent condition and were now under observation. They had been treated well throughout their captivity and had been allowed to receive food and medicine. As for the circumstances behind their release, she said the important point was that they were released unharmed.

She confirmed, in response to a further question, that Peter Karim headed the group which had taken the soldiers.

U.N. MISSION CONDEMNS MURDER OF JOURNALIST IN D.R. CONGO

The UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has condemned the murder of Bapuwa Mwamba, a Congolese independent journalist, who was shot dead at his home in Kinshasa on 8 July, reportedly by unidentified gunmen.

MONUC noted that this latest murder of a Congolese journalist comes eight month after the killing of Franck Ngyke Kangundu of the daily La Reference, who was shot dead along with his wife by unidentified assailants.

The UN mission has asked the Congolese authorities to investigate this and other attacks on the press and reiterated its call for a safe media environment as the Congolese people prepare to cast their votes in the historic 30 July general elections.

Asked about the fall of the town of Tchei, the Spokeswoman said it was a volatile area in the country, with considerable daily movement going on.

MUCH WORK TO BE DONE ON BIRD FLU DESPITE PROGRESS MADE

The Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza, David Nabarro, and President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Ambassador Ali Hachani, today held a press conference in Geneva following an ECOSOC event on bird flu.

Nabarro said that, despite considerable success in containing the spread of the disease and in improving preparedness, there were many countries, particularly in Africa, where there was still a lot of work to be done. Pointing to a lack of resources, he urged donor nations to help out, since bird flu knew no borders.

In response to questions, Nabarro said that the scientific community at large was looking to find dangerous mutations that could lead to human to human transmission but so far this had not yet been seen. He added that they still did not know for sure why the H5N1 virus affects some humans and not others.

U.N. REFUGEE CHIEF CALLS FOR RIGHTS OF REFUGEES TO BE UPHELD

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, today

called for governments and regional, international and non-governmental organisations to work together, to uphold the rights of refugees and migrants in mixed migratory movements.

Unveiling a 10-point action plan at the Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development in Rabat, Morocco, Guterres noted that the current movement of people from Africa towards Europe, due to its irregular nature, presents a number of challenges to European and African states.

U.N. REFORM: MANY MORE ISSUES REMAINS TO BE DEALT WITH

Asked about the Secretary-Generals response to the actions taken by the General Assembly on Friday afternoon, the Spokeswoman said that on Friday, General Assembly President Jan Eliasson put out a statement and letter outlining the issues on which progress had been made in terms of UN reform.

The Secretary-General had not been asked about the topic during his current travels, Okabe noted, but he had indicated that he was pleased by movement on some issues by countries, although many more issues remain to be dealt with. The Secretary-General encourages the Member States to move ahead on the remaining issues, she said.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. ENVOY FOR IRAQ IN IRAN FOR REGIONAL CONFERENCE: Asked why the

Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq had been in Iran, the Spokeswoman said he was attending a regional conference that dealt with issues relevant to

Iraq. She later told the reporter that the meeting, the latest in a series, brought together the Foreign Minister of Iraq and neighboring countries to discuss regional cooperation.

NO OPINION EXPRESSED ON INDIAN MISSILE TEST: Asked whether the Secretary-General had expressed an opinion on Indias missile test, the Spokeswoman said he had not.

ANNAN HOPES FOR RESUMPTION OF SIX-PARTY TALKS ON NORTH KOREA: Asked about the Secretary-Generals position on the

Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the Spokeswoman said that he is not commenting while the Security Council's deliberations on that matter are ongoing. He has repeatedly stated his hopes for the resumption of six-party talks.

ANNANS VIEWS ON UGANDAN AMNESTY FOR REBEL LEADER CONTAINED IN WEDNESDAY REPORT: Asked about the Secretary-Generals reaction to the recent acceptance by Lords Resistance Army officials to an amnesty offered by the President of Uganda, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-Generals views on the matter were contained in a report that was expected to be issued on Wednesday.

WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE OPENS: The 30th session of the World Heritage Committee opened on 9 July in Vilnius, Lithuania, with an address by the Director-General of

UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, who highlighted the need to preserve tangible heritage so as to ensure the worlds cultural diversity stay in tact for future generations. The conference also focused on ways to accommodate business and investment needs, how to meet heritage protection requirements, and strategies to increase the presence of under-represented African countries on the World Heritage Committee.

PORTABLE SATELLITE TERMINALS ARE PROVIDED FOR DISASTER RELIEF: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, a company based in the United Arab Emirates, have agreed to provide portable satellite terminals, discounted airtime, equipment transportation and technical expertise to countries for disaster relief. In light of recent natural disasters, the World Telecommunication Development Conference decided in March 2006 to call upon ITU to improve early-warning communication, disaster preparedness and mitigation especially in countries with fragile economies and special needs.

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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