United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-12-15

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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

Friday, December 15, 2006

ANNAN CONCERNED AT PALESTINES WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is deeply concerned over the recent deterioration in the security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory and the increase of intra-Palestinian violence.

The Secretary-General calls for respect by all parties for the rule of law, and for Palestinians to resume dialogue in order to resolve differences peacefully and seek national unity.

ANNAN URGES BANGLADESHI PARTIES TO ENSURE PEACEFUL ELECTIONS

The Secretary-General continues to be concerned about the situation in Bangladesh in the lead-up to next months elections. He hopes that all parties will make the necessary compromises to ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral environment.

He calls upon the non-party Caretaker Government to ensure a level playing field for the elections, particularly through the restoration of confidence in the Bangladesh Election Commission. And he encourages the main political parties to work to overcome their differences in the interest of democracy.

The Secretary-General appreciates the efforts by political parties to refrain from the use of violence in their programmes and he urges continued restraint. He also hopes the Army will continue to play a neutral role, thereby creating an environment conducive to peaceful elections.

ANNAN ATTENDS FAREWELL LUNCHEON IN HIS HONOR

The Secretary-General traveled to Washington, D.C., this morning, where he will shortly be attending a farewell luncheon held in his honour, hosted by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The Secretary-General is accompanied by his Under-Secretaries-General for Peacekeeping and for Political Affairs, Jean Marie Guéhenno and Ibrahim Gambari.

CHIEFS OF U.N. TRIBUNALS BRIEF THE SECURITY COUNCIL

Carla Del Ponte, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), told the Security Council in an open meeting that the Council needs to send a strong message to fugitive suspects Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, that they can be tried in The Hague at any time until 2010, or a mechanism to try them at The Hague will be set up after that date. She warned that victims should not be given further reason to believe that the United Nations and the Council did not do everything they could to ensure that the most responsible accused are brought to justice.

Meanwhile, the Presidents of the tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia briefed the Council on their completion strategies, with the Yugoslavia Tribunal set to finish all current trials no later than 2009 and the Rwanda Tribunal on schedule to complete its current caseload by the end of 2008.

Earlier, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Cote dIvoire by three weeks, until 10 January 2007. It also extended the mandate of the group of experts dealing with sanctions in Cote dIvoire by six months. And the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus was extended by six months, until the middle of next June.

In the afternoon, the Security Council scheduled consultations on Guinea Bissau.

ANNAN RECOMMENDS MANDATE EXTENSION

FOR GUINEA-BISSAU PEACEBUILDING

Available on the racks is a letter from the Secretary-General to the Security Council President on the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau.

The letter recommends extending that Offices mandate through the end of next year with a focus on promoting dialogue and reconciliation in order to prevent a relapse into conflict.

INT'L CRIMINAL COURT ALMOST READY TO FILE CHARGES IN DARFUR PROBE

Yesterday afternoon, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, (ICC) told the Security Council that he has nearly completed an investigation into some of the worst crimes committed in Darfur. He is preparing to submit evidence to the ICC judges no later than February 2007 and is putting measures in place to protect victims and witnesses.

Moreno-Ocampos first case focuses on a series of incidents in 2003 and 2004, when the most serious crimes occurred in large numbers. Perhaps most significant, the evidence reveals an underlying operational system that enabled the commission of massive crimes.

In November, the Sudanese Government had told Moreno-Ocampo that 14 individuals had been arrested for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses. The Prosecutor responded that he would request the cooperation of the Government of the Sudan to facilitate a visit by his Office to Sudan next month, to interview the individuals in custody.

ANNAN DISCUSSES DARFUR WITH ACTOR-ACTIVISTS

GROUP HEADED BY GEORGE CLOONEY

Asked about the Secretary-Generals meeting with a delegation headed by actor George Clooney this morning, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General had listened closely to what the delegation members had to say and encouraged them to continue their efforts to raise consciousness about the need for a solution in Darfur. Their work, Dujarric said, is in line with the Secretary-Generals efforts to have non-governmental organizations and other groups reach out on Darfur.

He noted that the Secretary-General, at a recent human rights event, had also urged those countries that have strong economic and political ties with Khartoum to use their influence to bring about a solution in Darfur.

Asked about Clooneys statement that Egypt and China wanted Kofi Annan to work as an envoy on Darfur after he leaves his post as Secretary-General, the Spokesman noted that Annan intends to take some time off after his departure from his current job, after which he would decide on his priorities.

Asked whether the United Nations would continue to have Darfur as a priority, Dujarric said that the main issues on the UN agenda wouldnt disappear after the end of the year. He noted that the Secretary-General had briefed his successor, Ban Ki-moon, on key issues including Darfur.

UNITED NATIONS WILL HAVE ADVISORY ROLE

IN PROPOSED SOMALIA PEACEKEEPING MISSION

Asked whether the United Nations is playing a role in advising the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) force that is to go to Somalia, the Spokesman said that the Security Council, in resolution 1725, made it clear that the UN Secretariats only responsibility is to report on the IGAD deployment, without giving it any mandate to have a direct role in that deployment.

Asked whether the resolution could help to trigger further fighting in Somalia, Dujarric voiced the Secretary-Generals hope that the resolutions passage would help to contribute to efforts to stabilise Somalia and to find peace.

The Secretary-General hopes that the countries that contribute to the Somalia force make it clear that they are not there to fight any faction and are there to help all Somalis.

Asked whether the United Nations was worried about the current situation in Somalia, the Spokesman called it extremely worrisome and added his hope that the new initiatives would contribute to peace there.

NUMBER OF LEBANON PEACEKEEPERS HITS ANOTHER MILESTONE

The strength of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has surpassed the 11,000 mark with the full deployment of an infantry battalion from Indonesia and an engineering unit from Portugal.

The current total, of more than 11,000 from 23 countries, is made up of more than 9,000 ground troops and more than 1,700 naval personnel.

UNIFIL peacekeepers continued to provide humanitarian assistance to the local population, with 552 instances where UNIFIL peacekeepers provided medical assistance over the past week. Meanwhile, in the last week, UNIFIL de-miners from various national contingents destroyed a total of 1,305 separate explosive devices, including rockets, grenades and cluster bombs.

Asked about the reimbursement of costs for the maritime deployment, the Spokesman said that the United Nations was still trying to work out financial arrangements with the Member States.

REMAINING CONGOLESE MILITIA GROUPS JOINS DISARMAMENT PROGRAMME

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reports that the last three remaining militia groups in the eastern province of Ituri have agreed to join the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration process, which will affect some 8,000 combattants.

Following the example of the militia groups Cobra Matata and the Mouvement Révolutionnaire Congolais, the Front des Nationalistes Intégrationistes yesterday signed a general agreement with the Congolese army, UNDP and the UN peacekeeping force to this effect. Negotiations between Congolese authorities and the militia groups were facilitated and witnessed by the UN peacekeeping force, an agreement now in its implementation phase, the Mission says.

Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission has registered some 1100 candidates for the 108 seats in the Senate. The Commission also adopted the procedure for the selection of an assembly of traditional chiefs, which will take place from 19 to 20 December. This Assembly will then designate the 58 traditional chiefs who will be appointed as senators, during meetings held in the provincial capitals on 26 and 27 December.

ANNAN NOTES PROGRESS IN LIBERIAS PEACE CONSOLIDATION

The Secretary-Generals latest report to the Security Council on the UN Mission in Liberia is out as a document.

It notes that President Johnson-Sirleaf has continued to make encouraging progress in consolidating peace, promoting national reconciliation and stimulating economic recovery.

But there are still serious challenges that must be addressed. First and foremost, the government needs to take steps that will allow Liberian security agencies to sustain the stability currently ensured by UNMIL. The Secretary-General says this is crucial to the drawdown of UN forces in Liberia.

AGENCY BEGINS REFUGEES TRANSFER TO SOUTHERN CHAD

The UN refugee agency has started transferring some 6,000 refugees from the Central African Republic, who had been living temporarily on the extension of an existing refugee camp in Chad, to a new site, which is close to Goré, the main town in southern Chad.

So far, more than 1,500 refugees have been transferred, and the rest are expected to move over the next few days. Any new arrivals from the border will now be transferred directly to this new site, which can host up to 10,000 people and has space for each family to cultivate land.

URGENT APPEAL LAUNCHED FOR PHILIPPINES TYPHOON VICTIMS

Regarding the recent devastating typhoons in the Philippines, the United Nations today

appealed for $46 million to meet the urgent relief and early recovery needs of the most vulnerable survivors.

Some initial emergency relief has already been made possible through a grant of $2.6 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL TO JOIN YALE UNIVERSITY NEXT YEAR

The Deputy Secretary-General, whose contract with the United Nations ends at the end of this month, will be joining the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization as Distinguished Visiting Fellow for the spring of 2007.

The Fellowship will provide him an opportunity to focus on research and writing in addition to interacting with the faculty and students of Yale University. He plans to concentrate on writing a book that will focus on changing leadership in a globalized world where old models of organization no longer prevail.

The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization awards Fellowships to distinguished individuals who influence policy making and generate ideas for seizing globalizations opportunities and overcoming its challenges.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN WARNS AGAINST ABUSE OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER: Asked whether the Secretary-General has given up on Zimbabwe, following reports that President Robert Mugabe may seek to extend his term, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has been clear that leaders in power should not use constitutional or extra-constitutional means to extend their time in office.

U.N. WHISTLEBLOWER POLICIES DEFY CULTURE OF SILENCE: Asked about a European Parliament statement concerning a culture of silence in UN peacekeeping missions, the Spokesman said that the United Nations has taken a considerable number of preventive efforts to change that culture, including by providing protections to whistle-blowers, so as to put an end to some practices by a small number of peacekeepers.

COMMISSIONER BRAMMERTZ TO BRIEF SECURITY COUNCIL: Asked when Serge Brammertz, the head of the Hariri investigation, would brief the Security Council, the Spokesman said it would be on Monday afternoon.