United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-12-12

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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

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

ANNAN: MIDDLE EAST, IN PROFOUND CRISIS, FACES DIM PROSPECTS

In his last briefing to the Security Council on the Middle East, Secretary-General Kofi Annan this morning said that the region today faces grim prospects and is in profound crisis. The situation is more complex, more fragile and more dangerous than it has been for a very long time.

The Secretary-General warned that mistrust between Israelis and Palestinians has reached new heights. As his term ends, he has presented the Security Council with a report that suggests ways that the Council and the Middle East Quartet can revitalize efforts to find peace in the region.

The time has come for the Quartet to be clearer at the outset on the parameters of an end-game deal, the Secretary-General said. And it will have to be open to new ideas and initiatives.

He also delivered messages to both parties, saying that Israel needs to reach a negotiated end to its occupation based on the principle of land for peace, while Palestinians and their supporters will never be truly effective if they focus solely on Israels transgressions, without conceding any justice or legitimacy to Israels own concerns.

Asked why the Secretary-General did not mention in his speech the work of his facilitator dealing with the Israel-Lebanon prisoner issue, the Spokesman said that the speech was about the Middle East situation in general. The Secretary-General, Dujarric emphasised, remains focused on the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, and the facilitator is continuing his work.

ANNAN URGES RIGHTS COUNCIL TO SEND ASSESSMENT TEAM TO DARFUR

The Human Rights Councils

Special Session on Darfur is currently underway in Geneva.

In a video message to the gathering, the Secretary-General said it was essential that the Human Rights Council send a clear and united message to warn all concerned that the current situation was simply unacceptable and would not be allowed to continue. Stressing that the people in Darfur could not afford to wait another day, he urged the Human Rights Council to send without delay a human rights assessment mission to Darfur. Such a mission would be mandated by the two draft resolutions that are currently before the Special Session, and which are to be acted on tomorrow.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour also

addressed the Special Session, highlighting increased ground attacks on civilians by the Sudanese Armed Forces, as well as indiscriminate bombardment by Government planes. She added that the victims were entitled to expect a credible response from the Human Rights Council.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland also sent a message to the Special Session, saying that it is intolerable that, after more than three years of conflict and violence, those committing the gravest crimes against civilians are enjoying more freedom than those trying to save the lives of millions. He added that what we need now is urgent action to ensure that we do not miss what may be our final opportunity to reverse the trends that are pushing Darfur and the region towards disaster.

The Special Session is continuing to hear speeches, and is expected to take action on draft texts tomorrow.

INSECURITY PREVAILS IN MANY PARTS OF DARFUR

In the context of the follow up of the implementation of the UN light support package to the African Union mission in Darfur (AMIS), the Tripartite Mechanism composed of representatives of the United Nations, the African Union and the Government of Sudan will hold its first meeting tomorrow.

The Tripartite Mechanism aims at ensuring a more transparent, systematic, and efficient provision of UN support to AMIS. During tomorrows meeting, UNMIS will present a list of equipment and personnel ready to be deployed in support of AMIS.

Insecurity continues to prevail in many parts in Darfur. For instance in West Darfur, a vehicle donated by a UN agency to the local ministry of health to assist in mobile vaccination and immunization of infants and children was hijacked alongside with the driver outside of a camp housing displaced persons.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency reports that the voluntary return of Sudanese refugees to south Sudan is set to gather new momentum this week with the scheduled re-launch of return convoys from Ethiopia starting tomorrow Wednesday, and from Central African Republic (CAR) on Saturday.

ANNAN COMMENDS WORK OF OUTGOING HUMANITARIAN CHIEF

In a statement, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today commended the work of Jan Egeland, the outgoing Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, who resigned from his post effective today.

Over the past three and a half years, the Secretary-General said, Jan Egeland has led our joint efforts to provide desperately needed relief in the wake of a number of disasters including the devastating earthquake in Bam (Iran), the Indian Ocean earthquakes and tsunami, the South Asia earthquake, the drought in West Africa the drought and flooding in the Horn of Africa, and the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Jan has coordinated our humanitarian efforts in neglected and forgotten crises from northern Uganda to Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has travelled to the frontlines of conflicts to bear witness to the suffering of civilian populations in Darfur, Sudan, Colombia, Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and brought the world's attention to the suffering there.

Jan has led the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the wider humanitarian community through the most significant reform process since the establishment of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs in 1991. Thanks largely to his tireless advocacy, the humanitarian reforms which I proposed in my report, In Larger Freedom, have been put in place: the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has been established and is making humanitarian funding more predictable and equitable; new humanitarian partnerships are closing gaps in the provision of humanitarian aid, and designated agencies of last resort are ensuring that needs are covered; and our humanitarian leadership is being strengthened at the country level.

I wish Jan the very best as he prepares to return to Norway to spend more time with his family. His leadership will be sorely missed. But I also know his voice will always be heard, speaking up on behalf of those who need it most.

UNITED NATIONS AND GUATEMALA

SIGN AGREEMENT IN FIGHT AGAINST IMPUNITY

In a step to help Guatemala battle criminal groups who have become a threat to human rights in the country, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari signed an agreement today with the Vice-President of Guatemala, Eduardo Stein, to establish the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala.

That Commission is to be an independent body, whose commissioner is to be appointed by the Secretary-General and is to report periodically to him.

Under the agreements terms, the Commission will have an initial two-year mandate to investigate the existence of illegal security groups and clandestine security organizations and to assist Guatemalan justice authorities in carrying out criminal prosecutions against them.

ANNAN IS WATCHING DEVELOPMENTS IN FIJI CLOSELY

Asked whether the United Nations would follow up on language in an earlier statement suggesting that Fijian involvement in UN peacekeeping would be affected by a coup in Fiji, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has called for a return to constitutional rule in Fiji and supports the efforts of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The Secretary-General, he added, is watching developments in Fiji closely.

Asked whether Fijian guards could be trusted to watch over UN staff in Baghdad when Fijian military had been involved in a coup, the Spokesman said that the Fijians were doing an admirable job, working under the command and control of the United Nations in Baghdad. The United Nations had full confidence in them and stressed that there were no discussions taking place on any change in the make-up of that guard unit.

INNOCENT CHILDREN SUFFER DIRECT ATTACKS IN SRI LANKA

The United Nations is gravely concerned at the deteriorating prospects facing civilians in the town of Vaharai, in eastern Sri Lanka, as intense shelling continues for the fifth day in the area.

According to the Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka, an unconfirmed number of civilians are dead, with dozens lying wounded at Vaharai hospital. Innocent civilians and school children suffered direct attacks on a school and private homes.

Humanitarian agencies are delivering immediate assistance to the affected population and stand ready to undertake humanitarian response operations to address evolving needs, the Humanitarian Coordinators Office said.

PEACE-BUILDING COMMISSION DISCUSSES PROPOSED BURUNDI PROJECTS

The Peacebuilding Commission began its second round of country-specific meetings today with a discussion on Burundi. Tomorrow it will discuss Sierra Leone.

Meanwhile, the Advisory Board of the UN Democracy Fund met this morning to review progress on the implementation of its first batch of 125 projects, which were approved by the Secretary-General in August, as well as to endorse guidelines for monitoring, evaluation and accountability.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN SPEAKS FOR BETTER FRAMEWORK FOR NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION: Asked about reports that Israels Prime Minister had indicated that Israel may have nuclear weapons, the Spokesman declined to comment on press accounts, but he noted that the Secretary-General has consistently spoken out against the failure of Member States to create a better framework for nuclear non-proliferation.

ANNAN MET WITH BRAMMERTZ: Asked whether the Secretary-General will meet with Serge Brammertz, the head of the inquiry dealing with Rafik Hariris assassination, the Spokesman said that the two had met earlier this month.

INCREASED COHERENCE IN U.N. SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT COMMUNICATIONS: Asked whether having a "one UN" policy at the country level would consolidate the UNs communications work in those countries, the Spokesman said that the increased coherence in the UN system at the country level could be expected to affect communications, as well. He noted that the report on this idea is still being discussed by the General Assembly.

BAN KI-MOON OATH-OF-OFFICE CEREMONY SLATED FOR 14 DECEMBER: Asked about the Secretary-Generals farewell address to the General Assembly, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General would speak at the Assembly during Ban Ki-moons swearing-in on 14 December but added that the Secretary-Generals speech to the General Assembly plenary in September was really his final message to it. The Spokesman added that the Secretary-General also planned to hold an informal farewell to staff next week.

ANNAN SPEECH IN MISSOURI WARMLY GREETED: Asked about critical responses to the Secretary-Generals speech in Missouri on Monday, the Spokesman noted that the speech had been warmly greeted by his audience, which included Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike.

MAURICE STRONG NO LONGER HAS DIRECT LINKS WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL: The Spokesman would not confirm whether there had been any private visit between the Secretary-General and Maurice Strong in Beijing recently, noting that private meetings were, by definition, private. Strong, he noted, no longer has any direct links with the Secretary-General.

UNDP TO GIVE PRESS BRIEFING BEFORE END OF THE YEAR: Asked whether UNDP would brief the press, the Spokesman said that a senior UNDP official was expected to give a press briefing before the end of this year. He defended the professional work of UNDPs staff, following criticism by one reporter with which the Spokesman disagreed.

U.N TO HOST TWO MAJOR PRESS EVENTS TOMORROW: Tomorrow at 11:00 in this room, Ambassador Ali Hachani of Tunisia, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), will hold a press conference to discuss ECOSOC reform. Then at 1:00, Ambassador Don MacKay of New Zealand, chairman of the General Assembly committee that negotiated the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, will hold a press conference on the Assemblys adoption of the Convention, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning.

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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