United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-02-02

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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 FARHAN HAQ

SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, February 2, 2007

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES FINDINGS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The Secretary-General welcomes the important findings of the Working Group 1 contribution of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released today in Paris. The report highlights the scientific consensus regarding the quickening and threatening pace of human-induced climate change.

The global response therefore needs to move much more rapidly as well, and with more determination.

The Secretary-General congratulates the panel of independent climate scientists and experts, who have deepened our understanding of the changes that are affecting the global environment and the human causes at their root.

Todays study, and the follow-up reports of the IPCC during 2007, will be critical guides for the UNs response to anthropogenic climate change, and undoubtedly will assist many other stakeholders in taking actions at the global, national and local levels.

MIDDLE EAST QUARTET MEETING OPENS IN WASHINGTON

The Secretary-General is in Washington today, where he is currently participating in a meeting with the other principal members of the Quartet dealing with the Middle East.

The other senior participants at that meeting are US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, representing the Presidency of the European Union.

At the end of the meeting, there will be a joint press encounter by the principal members of the Quartet.

The Secretary-General met earlier this morning separately with Foreign Ministers Lavrov and Steinmeier, and he will attend a working luncheon with Secretary Rice and the other Quartet principals after the meeting ends.

He plans to be in New York this evening to attend the concert by Maestro Ennio Morricone in honour of staff working in the areas of peace and development. That concert is sponsored by the Mission of Italy and the UN Staff Council.

Asked if Lebanon would come up in todays Quartet meeting, the Spokesman urged reporters to wait for the groups communiqué, which was expected to be issued later this afternoon.

NEW DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL TO BE OFFICIALLY INDUCTED ON MONDAY

The Secretary-General will meet with the Member States informally on Monday morning, at 10:00 a.m., to talk to them about his restructuring proposals and his recent travels.

Prior to that, at 9:00, the Secretary-General and the new Deputy Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro, will attend a meeting of the UNs senior managers, at which the Deputy Secretary-General will sign a declaration in the presence of the Secretary-General and the other senior officials, to mark her formal induction.

SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS CONSULTATIONS ON SOMALIA

The Security Council today held consultations on its programme of work, Somalia and other matters.

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari briefed the Council on Somalia, emphasizing the importance of political dialogue and inclusiveness in that country.

Regarding the African Unions encouragement of an African force in Somalia, Gambari informed the Council that next week a UN team would discuss operational plans for such a force with the African Union.

U.N. ENVOY UNVEILS KOSOVO PLAN TO BELGRADE AND PRISTINA

Today the UN Special Envoy for the Kosovo Final Status Process, Martti Ahtisaari, presented his status proposal to Belgrade and Pristina. An

executive summary of that proposal is now available.

The summary of the proposal says that Kosovo shall have the right to negotiate and conclude international agreements, including the right to seek membership in international organizations.

At the same time, the proposal foresees a future international civilian and military presence in Kosovo, to help Kosovos authorities ensure peace and stability, among other things.

Asked about the next steps on Kosovo, the Spokesman said that Ahtisaari would engage the parties in the coming weeks for more discussions and consultations before finalizing the proposal and sending it to the Secretary-General.

Thereafter, the proposal would be transmitted to the Security Council, and it would be up to the Council to decide how it wanted to consider it. No date had yet been set.

Haq added that it was important that the future status process not lose momentum and move forward, and that the Secretary-General hoped that the two sides would discuss the plan in a serious manner and show responsibility and flexibility in this process.

He later said that Ahtisaari would be in New York next week and would give a press conference on Thursday.

LEBANON: U.N. FORCE COMMANDER HANDS OVER CONTROL TO SUCCESSOR

The formal ceremony marking the transfer of command of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) took place today between Major-General Alain Pellegrini (France) and his successor, Major-General Claudio Graziano (Italy).

Major-General Pellegrini, who has been UNIFIL Force Commander since February 2004, extended his appreciation to colleagues in peacekeeping, the Lebanese Army and to the communities in southern Lebanon. He told them, I leave with the conviction that we have together laid new foundations for a solid and, I hope, lasting stability.

Major-General Graziano expressed his appreciation to Pellegrini and underscored his own determination to ensure that UNIFIL accomplishes the job with which it is tasked.

Asked why UNIFIL had said there had been no infiltration of arms into Lebanon despite reports to the contrary, the Spokesman clarified that UNIFIL only reported on events taking place within its own area of operations.

Haq added that UN Special Envoy Terje-Roed Larsen had mentioned such reports about infiltration but had added that he had no hard evidence to support them.

INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE RETURN FROM KHARTOUM

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) says that tomorrow, the first group of internally displaced persons will depart in an organized return from a camp in Khartoum to southern Sudan and South Kordofan.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is escorting the convoy of 300 IDPs.

The return process is a joint effort bringing together the UN Mission, the IOM, Sudans Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan.

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), in a press release yesterday, strongly condemned the killing of a member of Civilian Police of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) who was shot dead by unknown armed men during a hijacking of an AMIS vehicle in North Darfur.

The UN Mission in Sudan urges all parties to fully cooperate with AMIS and to ensure the safety and security of its personnel, and it also requests the release of the AMIS peacekeeper abducted on 10 December 2006 and the handover of all hijacked AMIS vehicles

The Mission is particularly alarmed at the fact that the killing happened inside a camp for internally displaced persons and urges all concerned to prevent the presence and access of armed individuals to the camps.

D.R. CONGO: U.N. MISSION CONCERNED BY VIOLENCE

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic (MONUC) of the Congo says it is gravely concerned about the recent incidents in the Lower Congo province, which have claimed scores of lives and left a great number of people wounded.

The Mission calls for an immediate return to calm and appeals to all involved for an end to the violence. The Mission also urges the Congolese military and police forces to restore order and appeals to the political authorities to work toward a comprehensive solution to the crisis.

The Mission will be sending a multidisciplinary team to the region to assess the security and humanitarian needs of the civilian population.

HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF CONCERNED BY VIOLATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN

High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Louise Arbour has expressed concern that the national stability plan passed by Afghanistan's lower house of Parliament, the Wolesi Jirga, on 31 January, could lead to past serious human rights violations going unpunished.

The High Commissioner said the plan "will undermine the process towards securing long term peace through re-establishing the rule of law in Afghanistan".

U.N. ENVOY TO MEET WITH FOUR PARTNERS ON IRAQ

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres leaves today on a weeklong mission to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria, aimed at strengthening cooperation between UNHCR and its partners in the four countries and assessing its programmes for hundreds of thousands of displaced Iraqis in the region.

UNHCR just issued a $60 million appeal to fund its work for Iraqis displaced inside their country, for non-Iraqi refugees in Iraq, and for Iraqis and others who have fled to neighbouring countries. We have more on Guterres trip in todays UNHCR briefing notes.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

LATEST ACTIVITIES BY SPECIAL ENVOY ON IRAQ: Asked about the latest activities by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, the Spokesman said that Qazi had recently met with senior officials in Syria and Saudi Arabia, to discuss recent developments in Iraq.

INVESTIGATION ON DEATH OF FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER ONGOING: One reporter asked about Serge Brammertz, head of the International Independent Investigation

Commission into the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and whether his June report would be his last. The Spokesman responded that Brammertz himself had told reporters in December that he did not think it was possible to wrap up his investigation by this coming June. Nevertheless, Haq added, we should wait for that June report before speculating.

SECRETARY-GENERAL BELIEVES IN HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE: Asked about the Secretary-Generals views about gay and lesbian non-governmental organizations being denied consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General believed in human rights for all people. At the same time, it was up to Member States to decide how to conduct proceedings in bodies such as ECOSOC.

CALLING FOR MORE REPRESENTATION IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL: Asked if the Secretary-General was encouraging seats for Islamic countries in the Security Council, the Spokesman said that was a matter for Member States, adding that the Secretary-General recommended a larger and more representative Security Council.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

3-9 February 2007

[This document is for planning purposes only and is subject to change.]

Monday, February 5

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the new Deputy Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro, will sign a declaration in the presence of the Secretary-General and other senior officials, to mark her formal induction. She will then be introduced by the Secretary-General at the press stakeout at about 9:40 a.m. At 10:00 a.m. the Secretary-General will meet with the Member States informally, in the General Assembly Hall, to talk about his restructuring proposals and his recent travels.

The first session of the Conference of States Parties to the International Convention against Doping in Sport will be convened today by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, and will end on 7 February at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Paul Hunt, Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health started his visit to Uganda yesterday, at the invitation of the Government. He will end his visit on Friday.

Tuesday, February 6

This morning at 10:00 a.m. there will be a General Assembly plenary meeting in the General assembly Hall, on the progress in the work of the Peacebuilding Commission.

Wednesday, February 7

At 1:15 pm, there will be a press briefing on the 45th session of the Commission for Social Development, which starts today. The press conference will be held by the Chair of the Commission and Iranian Deputy Permanent Representative Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi, as well as Barbados Central Bank Governor Marion Williams.

Thursday, February 8

At 11:00 a.m., there will be a press briefing by Martti Ahtisaari, the UN Special Envoy for the Future Status Process for Kosovo.

The guest at todays briefing will be Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, to brief on her mission to Sudan.The General Assemblys Open-Ended Working Group on Security Council reform is scheduled to meet this morning at 10:00 a.m. in a closed, informal meeting.

Friday, February 9

Today at 11:15 a.m., Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development Jomo Kwame Sundaram and expert Jacques Baudot will present their new book: "Flat World, Big Gaps: Economic Liberalization, Globalization, Poverty and Inequality."

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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