United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-12-20

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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

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

COTE DIVOIRE: ANNAN DEEPLY CONCERNED BY STALEMATE IN PEACE PROCESS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is deeply concerned about the continued stalemate in the Ivorian peace process, which has led to a deterioration of the political climate in the country. The Ivorian people and the international community have invested considerable efforts in the political process, as defined in the roadmap based on a number of Security Council resolutions, including resolution 1721 (2006), as well as the decisions of the African Union.

The Secretary-General urges President Gbagbo and Prime Minister Banny to initiate sustained political dialogue, with the participation of all Ivorian political leaders, in order to find common ground for resuming disarmament, identification of the population and electoral preparations, as well as on possible post-electoral arrangements.

The Secretary-General trusts that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union will do everything possible to assist the Ivorian leaders relaunch the peace process in earnest. The United Nations stands ready to explore additional practical ways of moving the peace process forward.

A UN Environment Programme (UNEP) mission has just

returned from Cote dIvoire, where it was looking into ways to best deal with the recent toxic waste dump in that country. UNEP head Achim Steiner has called on international donors to help Cote dIvoire overcome its funding shortfall of 15 million euros, which is hindering the clean-up effort.

Asked if the above statement was in relation to the a proposed national, home-grown peace proposal announced yesterday by President Laurent Gbagbo, the Spokesman said that the statement was in relation to the current stalemate, due to tensions and the lack of progress, in the peace process in that country.

Asked if the Secretary-General or his representatives in Cote d'Ivoire would comment on the President Gbagbo charge that the United Nations had failed to restore peace in Cote d'Ivoire and his stated desire to do away with a UN-manned buffer zone between the rebel-held north and the government-controlled south, Dujarric said the United Nations is very concerned about any threats of unilateral move counter to the decision of Security Council and the diplomatic efforts by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, two regional bodies actively working on ensuring a full implementation of the road map for a resolution of the Cote d'Ivoire conflict.

U.N. ENVOY IN KHARTOUM TO PRESENT LETTER

FROM ANNAN TO SUDANESE PRESIDENT

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the senior UN official sent to Khartoum,

Sudan, by the Secretary-General, has arrived in the Sudanese capital and met this morning with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Karti.

Ould-Abdallah, who is seeking clarification on the proposed United Nations-African Union (AU) joint peacekeeping force in Darfur, is expected to deliver a letter from the Secretary-General to Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir. That meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.

The UN Mission, meanwhile, continues to report that the security situation in much of Darfur remains tense. In the last two to three weeks, a total of 25 vehicles, mostly belonging to the humanitarian community or to the AU Mission, have been stolen or car-jacked.

At UN Headquarters yesterday afternoon, the Security Council called on all parties to facilitate the immediate deployment of the United Nations Light and Heavy Support Package to the AU Mission in the Sudan, with backstopping and command and control structures provided by the United Nations.

Through a statement read out by its President for December, Ambassador Nassir Abdulazziz Al-Nasser of Qatar, the Council endorsed the conclusions of the 16 November Addis Ababa high-level consultation on Darfur and the communiqué of the AU Peace and Security Council in Abuja. It also welcomed the stated commitment of the Government of National Unity in Sudan to the conclusions.

SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES THREAT OF TERRORISM TO WORLD PEACE

The Security Council held consultations this morning on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, as well as other matters.

It then went into a formal meeting, to hear briefings by the outgoing Chairmen of the Councils subsidiary bodies.

Following that, the Security Council held another meeting, to adopt a resolution extending until 20 June 2007 the mandate of the Panel of Experts dealing with Liberia sanctions.

This afternoon at three, the Security Council will hold a meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes region. Ibrahima Fall, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, will brief on the Great Lakes conference, which was held last week.

MANDATES OF DR CONGO AND SOMALIA PANEL OF EXPERTS EXTENDED

Available as documents today are two letters from the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council, which extend the mandates of the groups of experts dealing with sanctions in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo by 6 and 7 months respectively.

And regarding the Councils activities yesterday, a draft resolution on Iran was circulated in closed consultations.

ADVANCE PART FOR NEW UNIT JOINS U.N. FORCE IN LEBANON

The UN Interim Force for Lebanon says that an advance party for an infantry unit from Qatar has joined the Force ahead of a full deployment of Qatari peacekeepers.

Meanwhile, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Massimo DAlema, visited the Italian peacekeepers serving with the UN Force. D Alema arrived earlier today at Tibnine, where the Italian contingent is headquartered, and was greeted by the Italian commander before receiving a briefing on the activities of the Italian peacekeepers.

LAST U.N. PEACEKEEPER TO LEAVE BURUNDI ON DECEMBER 29

The UN Operation in Burundi yesterday held a farewell military parade at the UN compound in Bujumbura to mark the end of its mandate on December 31 and the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers.

The event was attended by Burundis political and army leaders and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Youssef Mahmoud, who will assume the office of the Executive Special Representative of the Secretary-General when the mandate of the new UN Integrated Office becomes effective on January 1.

Meanwhile, all UN military units will cease operation today and the last UN peacekeeper is expected to leave on December 29.

Asked if there is a monitoring mechanism to ensure the good use of grants allocated to reconstruction projects in Burundi by the Peacebuilding Commission, the Spokesman said that existing internal and external UN auditing mechanisms were sufficient to ensure against any abuses of those funds.

Asked if there is a monitoring mechanism to ensure the good use of grants allocated to reconstruction projects in Burundi by the Peacebuilding Commission, the Spokesman said that existing internal and external UN auditing mechanisms were sufficient to ensure against any abuses of those funds.

MORE MILITIAS JOIN U.N.-RUN DISARMAMENT PROGRAMME IN DR CONGO

The UN Mission in the DRC today welcomed the improvement in the security situation, with more militia groups joining the UN-run disarmament programme. The Mission says the situation is now calm in the east where fighting between the Congolese Army and fighters loyal to rogue General Laurent Nkunda, 60 of whom joined the disarmament programme in South Kivu. And at a UN-brokered meeting with Congolese military leaders, Nkunda also agreed to ensure total freedom of movement for civilians as well as an imminent withdrawal of his fighters from occupied areas in North Kivu.

Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that recent fighting in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has forced some 65,000 people to flee the town of Sake and other localities.

OCHA says that the UN Rapid Response Mechanism, which it operates jointly with UNICEF, has assisted some 35,000 people with blankets, plastic sheeting and cooking sets. Water and sanitation services have also been provided, including the construction of latrines and distribution of chlorination tablets. Another 20,000 received food assistance from the World Food Programme.

U.N. MILLION IN HAITI CONDEMNS KIDNAPPINGS OF CHILDREN

From Haiti, the UN Mission there expresses its grave concern at the recent increase in acts of kidnappings targeting particularly children. The Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Edmond Mulet, condemns in the strongest terms these despicable crimes which undermine concerted efforts by the international community and Haitian authorities to bring stability to Haiti.

To address the current wave of kidnappings, the UN Mission has intensified its joint operations with the Haitian National Police in Port-au-Prince and in areas where kidnappings were recently reported.

The UN Mission and the Government of Haiti have created two special intervention groups to conduct high-risk arrests and security operations. In the past week, these operations resulted in the arrest of two dozen kidnapping suspects and the liberation of six kidnapped victims. A number of weapons were also seized.

Mulet has urged the population to cooperate with the Haitian National Police and the UN Mission, and to come forward with any information that could lead to the arrest of kidnappers in order to put an end to this spate of kidnappings.

INTRA-PALESTINIAN VIOLENCE PUTS U.N. HUMANITARIAN OPERATION AT RISK

Despite public statements from the Palestinian parties concerned that the ceasefire is holding, five more persons died today in Gaza, either as a consequence of injuries sustained earlier or else as a result of fresh clashes today in Gaza City, some of them related to clan feuds, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

However, UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip closed earlier in the week for precautionary reasons reopened today.

The agency expressed its concern at the recent intra-Palestinian violence which has put the UNs humanitarian operation at risk.

SOMALIA: UNITED NATIONS ENCOURAGES PROMPT FORCE DEPLOYMENT

Asked for a UN analysis of what seems like an outbreak of all-out war in Somalia, Dujarric said that the United Nations is concerned about the latest outburst of violence in Somalia. He added, "We continue to encourage a prompt deployment of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peacekeeping force as mandated by the Security Council. The African Union is taking the lead in putting together such force and it would be best if countries could contribute to such a force and do so quickly."

In response to a further question, Dujarric said that the UN had no technical involvement in, and has received no update yet from the African Union or the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, on putting together that force.

FRIDAY'S NOON BRIEFING IS THE LAST ONE SCHEDULED FOR 2006

Asked about the public activities of Secretary-General designate Ban Ki-moon before his assumption of office on 1 January, the Spokesman advised the reporter to contact to the media relations officer of Mr. Ban's transition team.

Asked if the contracts of current Special Representatives of the Secretary-General would be reviewed by the incoming Ban Ki-moon administration, the Spokesman said that it was up to the new administration.

Asked if he would retain his position as Spokesman for the Secretary-General in the Ban Ki-moon administration, Dujarric declined to comment on the appointments and activities of the next UN chief.

Asked if Friday's press briefing would be the Spokesman's last for this year, Dujarric said that it would be. However, he added, should circumstances require it he would be available until December 31 to do another briefing. Although he could not say who would be briefing the press on behalf of the Ban Ki-moon administration, Dujarric assured the correspondent that the Spokesman's Office is fully staffed to address any emergency and that there would be continuity.

Asked if there would an announcement of who would be in charge of the Spokesman's Office, Dujarric said there would be one as soon as a decision is made in that regard.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN ANSWERED IRAN QUESTIONS AT FAREWELL PRESS CONFERENCE: Asked if the Secretary-General will respond to a letter from the Iranian Ambassador on Israel's reported admission of possessing nuclear weapons, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General had spoken on the issue yesterday at his farewell press conference. Asked if the Secretary-General had anything to say about current Security Council deliberations on a draft resolution on Iran's nuclear programme, Dujarric referred the correspondent to the text of Kofi Annan's press conference of yesterday, during which he addressed this matter.

ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED ON ACCESS TO VOLCKER COMMISSION ARCHIVES: Asked for an explanation of how a Mercedes was reportedly purchased using UN diplomatic discount by the Secretary-General's son, Kojo Annan, the Spokesman said that he had nothing to add to comments by the Secretary-General on the subject and to the conclusions of the Volcker Commission set up to investigate the Iraq oil-for-food programme. In response to another question, the Spokesman added that he expected to announce the agreement between the Volcker Commission and the United Nations on the policy for access to the Volcker Commission archives so as to facilitate the work of national jurisdictions pursuing cases related to the oil-for-food programme.

INVESTIGATION OF DESA IS ONGOING: Asked if the Secretary-General would suspend top-raking UN officials allegedly implicated in a reported alleged mismanagement of funds at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Spokesman refrain from speculating, saying that the investigation was ongoing and that the presumption of innocence applied in this case.

ANNAN WAS PLEASED AND DEEPLY MOVED AT WARM FAREWELL FROM COLLEAGUES: Asked for the Secretary-General's reaction to a farewell event organized by the Secretariat staff, Dujarric said it was an extremely warm and pleasant gathering and that Kofi Annan was very pleased and deeply moved by the good wishes from his colleagues.