United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-12-04

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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

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, December 4, 2006

NO ONE IN UNITED NATIONS IS ABOVE THE LAW ,

ANNAN SAYS AT SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CONFERENCE

Secretary-General Kofi Annan this morning spoke at a High-Level Conference on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by UN and NGO Personnel, telling participants that it is tragic and intolerable that the courageous work of UN staff and uniformed personnel are undermined by a small number of individuals who commit such abuses.

He reiterated the zero tolerance policy we have on such abuses, and also emphasized the need to create an environment in which people feel able to report abuses without fear of retaliation.

Adding that no one in the United Nations is above the law, the Secretary-General noted that a group of legal experts that he established has issued a report that proposes an international convention on strengthening the accountability of UN staff and related personnel.

SITUATION IN DARFUR REMAINS VOLATILE

The UN Mission in Sudan reports that fewer security incidents have been reported over the last week, as compared to previous weeks in November. But the situation in Darfur,

Sudan, remains volatile.

In North Darfur, Government forces and militia reportedly attacked one village twice on Friday and Saturday and burned it down. There are reports on civilian casualties and reports indicate that all livestock of the villagers was looted. Meanwhile, humanitarian efforts continue to face difficulties.

In Khartoum, upon his return from Abuja, Nigeria where he attended the Summit of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council on Darfur, the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, met over the weekend with Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

This was the second meeting between the two officials to discuss follow up actions in implantation of the agreement reached in Addis Ababa meeting on Darfur regarding the need to broaden the Darfur Peace Agreement support base by making the agreement more inclusive.

Zerihoun met on Sunday Sudans Foreign Minister Lam Akol on cooperation and working relations between the UN mission and the Government of Sudan including implementation of the UN light support package to the AU mission in Darfur.

Here in New York, out as a document is a letter from the Secretary-General appointing five experts of the Panel of Experts on sanctions measures involving Darfur.

Asked about the formation of a force in Darfur, the Spokesman said that participants in the meeting that took place in Abuja last week agreed to extend the mandate of the AU Mission in Sudan, which, he said, we very much welcome.

He said that the Abuja meeting was a step forward in the regional and international community's engagement with the Government of Sudan in trying to resolve the crisis in Darfur.

The United Nations, he said, will be studying the communiqué and the discussions that took place in Abuja and it will in the coming days be discussing the next steps with the African Union, and also with the AU's partners in the international community.

LEBANON: ANNAN FOLLOWING SITUATION CLOSELY

Asked about the possibility of violence taking place in Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General was following the situation in Beirut closely and with great concern. He has received regular updates from his Special Representative in Lebanon, Geir Pedersen, who has been in talks with all the political actors in the country, especially the government and the opposition.

Dujarric noted that Pedersen has been conveying to all parties the message of the need for them to return to negotiations and for a peaceful resolution of the current situation.

Asked about discussions concerning an Israeli withdrawal from the northern part of the village of Ghajar, the Spokesman said those discussions are ongoing. He said that the UN Mission in that country (UNIFIL) is hopeful that an agreement will be reached very soon, and that a full Israeli withdrawal from all of Lebanon will then be completed.

Asked why the UNIFIL Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini, was in New York, the Spokesman said he was attending the annual meeting of the force commanders of UN peacekeeping missions held in New York. Pellegrini is not scheduled to meet the press.

NUMBER OF VIOLENT ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIANS GROWING

The Security Council in its consultations this morning adopted its programme of work for December. Council members also received a briefing by Dimitry Titov, Director of the Africa Division of the Division for Peacekeeping Operations, on developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Council then began a formal meeting to hear from the departing Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. He said that there has been a steady decline in the number of conflicts in recent years, and yet violent attacks against non-combatants have been growing.

Egeland said of Iraq, Nowhere in the world do more civilians die right now from violence directed against them. And he warned of rapes and pervasive sexual violence in places like Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

ANNAN NAMES FORMER MOZAMBICAN PRESIDENT

AS ENVOY FOR AREAS AFFECTED BY LORDS RESISTANCE ARMY

In light of the regional dimension of the activities of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), which over the past 20 years, have caused death and displacement in Uganda, disrupted humanitarian operations in Sudan, and posed security threats in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Secretary-General has decided to appoint former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano as his Special Envoy for LRA-affected areas. More information is available in a letter from the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council.

In another letter to the Council President also available today, the Secretary-General says he is concerned by the deteriorating security situation in the Central African Republic, which is aggravated not only by the ongoing rebellion in the northeastern part of the country, but also by instability along the countrys borders with Chad and Sudan.

HAITI: U.N. MISSION SATISFIED BY CONDUCT IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

The UN Assistance Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) expressed its satisfaction with the conduct the municipal and local elections and several legislative run-offs held yesterday.

But MINUSTAH said it nevertheless regretted the isolated incidents of violence which upset the balloting, even if these affected only a small percentage of the electorate.

The Mission was tasked with providing security and logistic support throughout the country, including distributing election material to the polling stations and securing the transport of the ballots to the counting centers.

ANNAN TO BRIEF PRESS ON 19 DECEMBER

Asked about the press briefing by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Spokesman said it would take place on 19 December, while Secretary-General-designate Ban Ki-moon will likely speak to the press on 14 December, following his swearing-in.

Kofi Annan will continue to serve as Secretary-General through 31 December, he added in response to a further question.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. ENVOY BILL CLINTON WRAPS UP LAST TOUR TO TSUNAMI-HIT REGION: Former US President Bill Clinton completed a tour over the weekend of tsunami-hit areas in India, Thailand and Indonesia, for his third and final time as the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery.

SPOKESMAN HAS NO COMMENT ON U.S. AMBASSADORS DEPARTURE: Asked about the departure of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, the Spokesman declined to comment beyond noting that the Secretary-General had made some brief comments about that subject this morning.

ANNANS COMMENTS ON IRAQ CLEAR: Asked about the Secretary-Generals recent comments on whether Iraq is in a civil war, the Spokesman said the Secretary-Generals comments are clear and speak for themselves. He added, in response to a further question, that the United Nations continues to implement its Security Council mandate in Iraq, working on development, human rights and other issues where it can make valuable contributions.

U.N. ENVOY STILL WORKING TOWARDS KOSOVO FINAL STATUS: The Spokesman declined to respond to criticism made by Russian officials of the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the Future Status Process in Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari. He noted, however, that Ahtisaari and the UN Secretariat are continuing to try to find a settlement of the final status issue. It is clear that will not happen until early next year, following the elections in Serbia.

UNITED NATIONS STILL ABLE TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN SERVICE IN CHAD: Asked about the movements of UN humanitarian staff in Chad, the Spokesman said that there has been some regrouping, but the United Nations is not yet in a position where it is not able to provide the needed services.

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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