United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-07-14

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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

Friday, July 14, 2006

HIGH-LEVEL U.N. TEAM ARRIVES IN CAIRO AT START OF MIDDLE EAST MISSION

Secretary-General Kofi Annans high-level UN mission to the Middle East headed by the Secretary-Generals senior advisor V.J. Nambiar has arrived in Cairo, Egypt.

The mission's first meeting is scheduled with Egyptian Foreign Minister Abu Ghait. Following that meeting, the mission is expected to meet with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa.

In a press statement read by Security Council President Jean-Marc de La Sablière of France, the Council welcomed the Secretary-Generals decision to dispatch to the Middle East a senior-level team and called on all concerned States and parties to extend their full cooperation to the team.

Asked where the team is and where it would be going, the Spokeswoman said that Nambiar and the other team members -- senior UN officials Alvaro de Soto and Terje Roed-Larsen -- are now in Cairo. From there, she said, they expect to travel to Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria and other stops as needed.

Asked whether the sending of the team was the idea of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General decided to send the delegation to defuse the crisis in the Middle East following the numerous phone calls he had made with officials around the world about the escalation in the region, and was also a response to that escalation.

SECURITY COUNCIL TAKES UP THE SITUATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON

In an open meeting today, the Security Council received briefings this morning from the senior UN peacekeeping and political officials about the situation between Israel and Lebanon over the past few days.

The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, briefed the Council on the fighting by Hezbollah and by the Israeli Defense Forces since Wednesday. He said that the UN Interim Force in Lebanon is in contact with the parties urging them to exercise restraint.

The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, said that the United Nations is emphasizing to all parties that a qualitative escalation of the conflict is in no ones best interests, and the space for diplomatic initiatives is quickly closing. All parties must do their utmost to ensure that this space remains open.

The open meeting on the

Middle East continued with Council members speaking, following speeches by the representatives of Israel and Lebanon.

Asked about a request from Lebanons Foreign Minister to the Security Council to follow up on allegations that Israels Mossad had been working to assassinate Hezbollah leaders, the Spokeswoman said that any follow-up would be up to Council members. She added that the Secretary-General was personally involved in trying to defuse the situation in the region, which is why he sent a high-level delegation there.

U.N. HUMANITARIAN CHIEF: SITUATION IN GAZA IS THE WORST IN DECADES

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, said that the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories in recent days was the worst that the area had seen in the past decades. He called the situation on the ground a recipe for more violence, more extremism and less security for all people in the region.

In Gaza, he said, a social crisis was becoming a humanitarian crisis affecting the 1.4 million people living there. The United Nations was equally concerned with Lebanese civilians being caught in the same vicious cycle, he added. The United Nations, Egeland said, was calling for an end to disproportionate responses; an end to rocket attacks; and for all kidnapped individuals to be released.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour expressed her concerns about recent developments.

UNITED STATES VETOED RESOLUTION ON MIDDLE EAST YESTERDAY

Yesterday afternoon, the Security Council failed to adopt a resolution on the

Middle East, concerning the situation in Gaza, when the United States exercised its veto. The Councils vote on that resolution was 10 in favour, one (the US) against and four abstentions: Denmark, Peru, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.

The Security Council yesterday also adopted a resolution increasing the authorized size of the UN Mission in Liberias civilian police component by 125, and decreasing the size of its military component by the same number.

It also adopted a

Presidential Statement on Somalia welcoming the agreement reached last month in Khartoum between the Transitional Federal Government and the Islamic Courts. The Council stated its willingness to consider an African Union request for a Peace Support Mission in Somalia, and to consider as well a limited modification of the arms embargo on that country.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL DISCUSSES HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS

In the course of its 2006 Substantive Session, now underway in Geneva, the UN Economic and Social Council today opened a segment dedicated to humanitarian affairs. The segment will continue through 19 July and includes among its speakers, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, Jan Egeland.

Egeland and other participants will reflect on how to strengthen coordination of UN humanitarian assistance and how to improve humanitarian response at all levels, including strengthening capacity.

Within that framework, on 17 July, delegates will also take on the issue of violence against women, in particular gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies.

The Substantive Session is scheduled to close on 28 July.

U.N. MISSION IN HAITI PLANS STRONG PRESENCE

DURING FORMER PRESIDENTS BIRTHDAY

Ahead of the birthday of former Haitian president, Jean-Betrand Aristide this weekend, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) says it plans to have a strong and visible presence on the streets of

Port-au-Prince in case of any violence.

Earlier today, peacekeepers exchanged fire in an encounter with armed people in the suburb of Cite Militaire.

Also, the Mission says that three Brazilian peacekeepers were wounded by gunfire yesterday in the suburb of Cite Soleil. The first two received a stomach and arm wound respectively while patrolling the area, and the third was wounded in the mouth while manning a checkpoint.

MINUSTAH says Brazilian peacekeepers remain in position and have not withdrawn from the area following the incidents.

MEDIA SEMINAR HELD IN SUPPORT OF ELECTION PLANNING IN DR CONGO

In the UNs continued efforts to support general elections planned for 30 July, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in that country, William Swing, has opened a seminar for Congolese media professionals in the capital Kinshasa.

The seminar aims to explain the principles guiding the actions of the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) while also giving Congolese journalists a progress report on MONUCs contribution to the electoral process.

Speaking a week after the targeted killing of a Congolese journalist, Swing said that freedom of the press is a pillar of a democratic society, and that assassinations of journalists are among the worst things which can happen to such a society.

The seminar will end today with a joint press conference by staff members of the Independent Electoral Commission, MONUC and other UN agencies.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME LAUNCHES AID OPERATION IN MINDANAO: The World Food Programme this week

launched an aid operation to support a critical peace initiative in the war-ravaged region of Mindanao, in the Philippines. The $27 million operation will help more than two million people living in five of the regions poorest provinces.

U.N. OFFICIAL ATTENDS SWEARING-IN OF NEW CABINET IN TIMOR-LESTE: In Timor-Leste, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for that country, Anis Bajwa, today attended the inauguration of Timor-Lestes second constitutional government. Afterwards, Bajwa said that the United Nations is looking forward to cooperating with the new Government in its restoration of peace and stability.

F.A.O. HELPS LAUNCH ANIMAL DISEASE CRISIS MANAGEMENT CENTRE: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will send four veterinary specialists to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome to launch a new crisis management center for enhancing worldwide response to animal disease. Set to begin operations by the end of July, the Center will work to reduce the risk of spread of diseases like H5N1 avian influenza, a highly pathogenic virus now present in at least 32 countries.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, July 17

The Secretary-General will meet in St. Petersburg with the Group of Eight (G8) leaders, as well as with other leaders invited to the G8 Summit.

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will discuss the issue of violence against women in Geneva.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland will be in London to brief Parliament on humanitarian reform.

Tuesday, July 18

The Secretary-General will co-chair a pledging conference in Brussels for the African Union Mission in Sudan.

The Advisory Board of the UN Democracy Fund will meet this afternoon at Headquarters. The Board will review the first batch of project applications for the Fund and make recommendations to the Secretary-General for final selection.

Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will convene a meeting in Geneva on the Mid-Year Review of the Consolidated Appeals Process.

Wednesday, July 19

The humanitarian segment of ECOSOCs Substantive Session ends in Geneva.

Thursday, July 20

This morning the Security Council has scheduled consultations on Guinea-Bissau, as well as on sanctions related to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The General Assembly has scheduled a debate on Security Council reform.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will launch its Least Developed Countries Report 2006. Charles Gore, author of the report, will hold a press briefing at 11:00.

At 3:30, Under-Secretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham and the members of the Redesign Panel will brief the press on the Panels report.

Friday, July 21

This morning the Security Council is scheduled to hold a public meeting on the Middle East.

The Secretary-General will attend the Security Council luncheon.

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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