United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-09-14

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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 YVES SOROKOBI

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, September 14, 2006

ANNAN HEADS TO CUBA FOR NON-ALIGNED SUMMIT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is travelling to Havana, Cuba, this afternoon to attend the summit meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

On Friday morning, he will deliver remarks to the plenary meeting of the NAM.

While in Havana, the Secretary-General is expected to have bilateral meetings with senior Cuban officials, as well as with a number of heads of delegations who will be attending the summit.

The Secretary-General is scheduled to be back in the office on Monday

ANNAN HIGHLIGHTS BENEFITS OF MIGRATION

The Secretary-General this morning addressed the General Assemblys High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development.

In his remarks, he said that more and more people are becoming excited about the ways in which migrants can help transform their adopted and native countries. More and more people understand that governments can cooperate to create triple winsfor migrants, for their countries of origin, and for the societies that receive them.

The Secretary-General also said that now was the right time to have an international dialogue on migration for three reasons.

First, more countries are now significantly involved in, and affected by, international migration than at any time in history. Second, the evidence on migrations potential benefits is mounting. And third, Governments are now beginning to see international migration through the prism of opportunity, rather than of fear.

Asked about reports that the Iranian Interior Minister would not be able to attend the High-Level Dialogue because the United States has not issued a visa for him to enter the country, the Spokesman noted the obligation of Member States, when hosting UN offices, to facilitate the travel of people attending UN events.

The United Nations, he said, could take steps to try to ensure that such officials are provided with visas. If they are not, he noted, it would be up to the relevant government o decide how it is to be represented at the event.

ANNAN WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENTS OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO AFRICA

The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the recent, separate announcements by an alliance of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in support of a new African Green Revolution and the generous financial support of George Soros and the Open Society Institute for the Millennium Villages Project of the Millennium Promise Organization.

The two initiatives represent the kind of clear, practical support needed to help give Africans living in rural areas, where the needs are greatest, the tools and support needed to help feed themselves and their children and pull themselves out of poverty.

The Secretary-General is particularly pleased to note that much of the work that will be done by both initiatives follows key recommendations by the UN Millennium Project that he commissioned and underpins the vision of an African Green Revolution that he has long championed and hopes to spend a significant portion of his time and energy after he leaves office to helping reach fruition.

He hopes that these far-sighted actions will encourage others to step forward and support the work by the United Nations and other partners in assisting African countries in their fight against the challenges of poverty, disease and hunger as they seek to meet all the Millennium Development Goals.

LEBANON: U.N. MISSION EXPECTS COMPLETE

ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL BY END OF MONTH

Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini, the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said today that he took satisfaction in how much has been accomplished since the cessation of hostilities took effect one month ago today.

He said that the cessation of hostilities has been generally maintained, the Israeli Army is continuing to withdraw from South Lebanon, and the Lebanese Army is deploying in these areas. I expect the withdrawal to be complete by the end of this month, Pellegrini added.

UNIFIL has observed a number of minor incidents and violations in its area of operation between the Litani River and the Blue Line, but they have not been of an offensive and hostile character, and the parties seem determined to uphold the agreement.

Pellegrini said that the UN Force has been reinforced by Italian and French troops, and he expects the Spanish contingent to arrive tomorrow.

We are starting to have the numbers that we need, we have a detailed concept of operation and the required rules of engagement, he said. Working in conjunction with the Lebanese Armed Forces, and in close coordination with the Israeli Army, I think we can ensure a stable environment here in South Lebanon, something that the people need very much to get on with their lives.

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES PROVIDE INTERIM NAVAL TASK FORCE FOR LEBANON

The Secretary-General, in an exchange of letters with the Security Council, says that a group of Member States, comprising France, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom, have provided an interim naval task force in Lebanon, led by an Italian commander.

Meanwhile, the preparations for the deployment of a full naval task force under the command of UNIFIL are proceeding.

The interim task force currently comprises five Italian ships, as well as one ship each from France, Greece and the UK.

IRAQS CHALLENGES MORE DAUNTING THAN EVER

The challenges facing the Iraqi people have never appeared more daunting, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, told the Security Council in an open meeting this morning.

He said that the key challenge for the Government of Iraq is to develop a truly national agenda that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of all Iraqis.

Discussing the Secretary-Generals recent report on the country, Qazi said that Iraq today has become one of the most violent conflict areas in the world.

Given Iraqs importance and potential, its neighbours and the wider international community have a vital stake in helping Iraq become a peaceful, stable and prosperous partner, fully integrated within the region and the international community, Qazi said. The International Compact with Iraq could become an important vehicle towards this end.

He noted that the Secretary-General has taken the initiative to convene a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters on 18 September, which will review progress in the implementation of resolution 1546 and review the development of the International Compact.

Also today, the Security Council held a formal meeting to vote on a draft resolution extending the mandate of the panel of experts dealing with sanctions on Cote dIvoire.

The Council then held consultations, to hear a briefing from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on the Russian strategic cell that is to assist in the implementation of

resolution 1701 in Lebanon.

GEORGE CLOONEY, ELIE WIESEL TO ADDRESS

SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON DARFUR

This afternoon, at 3:00, the United States has also invited the Security Council members to a meeting under the so-called Arria formula on Sudan.

UN Messenger of Peace Elie Wiesel, and actor George Clooney will address Council members on the crisis in Darfur.

SUDAN: FIGHTING CONTINUES IN DARFUR

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) says that it has received reports from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) that two shots were fired by an unknown man at an AMIS post near the Kutum airstrip in

North Darfur. One soldier was shot in the leg, and the gunman escaped.

AMIS also reported that 10 armed men forced their way into the Tawilla camp for internally displaced people, southwest of El Fasher, on Tuesday and stole animals belonging to the camps occupants. One of the armed men was killed in an exchange of fire with AMIS peacekeepers.

Meanwhile, in South Darfur, UNMIS says the Buram area still cannot be reached because of continued fighting and lack of security guarantees on the ground.

In West Darfur, UNMIS says there are reports of fighting these past few days between factions of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) group that have and haven not signed the Darfur Peace Agreement.

ANNAN CALLS FOR SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE IN KOSOVO

Asked what the Secretary-General meant by his call for a spirit of compromise among the parties in Kosovo in his recent report, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General believes that the negotiating parties need to work in a way that will bring them together.

He said compromise is possible if the parties can avoid situations where people would consider resorting to violence, including inter-ethnic violence.

He said that the Secretary-General had recently appointed a new Special Representative for Kosovo who will be working to ensure that peace and dialogue prevail there. Meanwhile, efforts continue to ensure that the talks on Kosovo proceed in a friendly spirit.

Asked when the talks will end, Sorokobi said that is up to the parties, not the Secretary-General.

SPOKESMAN CLARIFIES NATURE OF UZBEKISTAN GIFT

Asked about an award reportedly given by the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the President of Uzbekistan, the Spokesman made clear that it was not a prize, but rather a protocol-related gift.

The gift was not given to the Uzbek President, he said, but to the nation in recognition of the heritage of Uzbekistan and those who have worked to conserve it.

He added that the gift that the UNESCO head gave was actually a small coin, which anyone can obtain in the UNESCO gift shop in Paris. This was not a prize, and there was no ceremony. That gift, he said, in no way confers any distinction on Uzbekistan regarding its human rights record.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN HONORS HIS OBLIGATIONS: Asked about the Secretary-Generals response to a question on Wednesday on whether he would fill out the UNs financial disclosure forms, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General made clear that he honors all his obligations, as he has always done. Responding to questions suggesting that the response was a legalistic way of saying that he would not fill out the forms, the Spokesman cautioned against reading into his comment more than what was said.

GUILTY PARTIES IN UGANDA MUST FACE JUSTICE: Asked about the indictments of leaders of the Lords Resistance Army in Uganda, and whether an amnesty would prevent those indictments from being pursued, the Spokesman said that the United Nations believes that both justice and peace must prevail, and that those guilty of crimes must face justice. He noted that Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel recently said what now needs to be explored is the sequencing of those goals.

U.N. AGENCIES REACH OUT TO NEPALESE FLOOD SURVIVORS: Regarding the recent floods and landslides in Nepal, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

says that UN agencies are still working to get aid to the survivors. The World Food Programme is delivering rice, lentils, salt and oil to those in need in the western part of the country. In addition, nearly 6,000 educational kits will be provided by UNICEF.

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY TEAMS UP WITH GOOGLE: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has

teamed up with Google to feature an atlas of the changing environment on Google Earth, offering satellite images of 100 environmental hotspots from around the world. Google Earth will provide before and after images of things like melting ice in polar and mountain areas, as well as forest loss in the Amazon and forest fires across sub-Saharan Africa.