United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-02-23

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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 MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY

SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, February 23, 2007

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES ANNOUNCED VISIT BY I.A.E.A. CHIEF

TO THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is wrapping up his official visit to Austria today.

He had a joint press encounter with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei after meeting with him. The IAEA Director General announced that he would visit the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea after receiving an invitation from the government to work toward normalization of relationship between the Agency and DPRK.

ElBaradei went on to say that he believe this is very much a step in the right direction toward implementation of the normalization and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The Secretary-General welcomed the development, saying that he is confident that the IAEA chief's visit to Pyongyang will make a great contribution to implement the joint statement, which was adopted among Six Parties on February 13. He said he hoped that he and his delegation will be able to discuss with North Korean authorities on detailed matters, on first freezing nuclear facilities and including the eventual dismantlement of all nuclear weapons and facilities.

He added that he is confident that through this process, the Korean Peninsula will be able to realize the ultimate denuclearization, which has been a long commitment both of South and North Korea and a wish of the international community.

Earlier today, the Secretary-General met with Martti Ahtisaari, his Special Envoy for the Future Status Process for Kosovo.

He is scheduled to meet this evening with several dozen Austrian CEOs and other business leaders.

Asked if he Secretary-General backed the current dual approach of diplomatic negotiations along with threats of sanctions championed by some members of the international community on Iran's nuclear pursuits, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General's position has repeatedly expressed his concerns that Iran

had not been able to meet and comply fully with Security Council resolutions but that he still hopes that Iranian authorities will continue their dialogue with the international community.

The Secretary-General, the Spokeswoman noted, believes that dialogue is the best way to resolve this issue. He hopes, she added, that Iran will learn from the example set by the apparent start of a solution to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear issue and that Iran's leaders will keep in mind the welfare of their country and people.

Asked if the Secretary-General was working on an alternative formula for a solution should the current approach fail, Okabe said that the above was the Secretary-General's position now and that he realizes that the Security Council is fully seized of the matter and will determine the next step in this process.

SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS OPEN DEBATE ON NON-PROLIFERATION

The Security Council is today holding an open debate on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

In remarks to the meeting this morning, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Nobuaki Tanaka said that, while the dangers from the global proliferation or terrorist acquisition of weapons of mass destruction are now widely recognized, much work remains to be done to reduce such threats.

Also addressing the meeting was Gustavo Zlauvinen of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He spoke of ways to strengthen cooperation between the IAEA and the Security Councils so-called 1540 Committee, which deals with the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO TAKE UP REPORT NEXT TUESDAY

ON CHAD/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC/SUDAN

The

Secretary-Generals report on Chad and the Central African Republic based on the findings of a technical assessment mission is now out as a document, and the Security Council is now scheduled to discuss the report next Tuesday.

It details proposals for the size, structure and mandate of a UN multi-dimensional presence in the two countries.

In it, the Secretary-General outlines challenging environment in eastern Chad, which he says is facing a multi-faceted security and humanitarian crisis, which includes ongoing clashes.

On the Central African Republic, he describes the situation as less acute but there is continued risk that violence may erupt again.

He says the UN force would be clearly focused on two principal objectives: protecting civilians at risk, particularly displaced persons and refugees, and deter cross-border attacks through its presence. He recommends so-called option B be selected which is a total force, numbering some 10,900.

Asked if, in the context of the Secretary-General's report, there had been any consideration of sending a force or technical assessment team to the northwestern part of the Central African Republic, the Spokeswoman recalled that the report is based on a Security Council mandate, which requested the Secretary-General to send a technical assessment mission to study the situation along the Chad./Sudan and CAR/Sudan borders with objectives including the protection of civilians and the prevention of cross-border attacks.

An advance mission, she added, should be going to the region soon, as mandated by the Security Council.

Asked if the Secretary-General had received a reply to his letter to the Sudanese President on the heavy package support to the African Union force in Darfur, the Okabe said the Secretary-General was still hopeful that the reply from President Bashir would be forthcoming and positive.

Asked if a delegation of the Human Rights Council was able to conduct its intended work on Darfur in the wake of denial of visa by the Sudanese authorities, the Spokeswoman said that the team had

announced last week that it would conduct its work in neighboring Chad. She added that the Secretary-General had expressed his strong disappointment at the Sudanese decision not to grant the visas to the team.

Asked about the recent joint UN/African Union mission to Sudan, Okabe said that UN Special Envoy Jan Eliasson and AU Special Envoy Salim al-Salam had completed their mission last week and met with the Sudanese President. She added that their mandate was to reenergize the Darfur peace progress and get the non-signatories of the Darfur Peace Agreement to join the process.

Asked why a new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan had not yet been appointed, Okabe explained the Secretary-General was consulting the relevant parties, including the African Union, and that he had full confidence in his Acting Special Representative while these negotiations proceed.

U.N. MISSION IN NEPAL COMPLETES STAGE ONE REGISTRATION

OF MAOIST ARMY COMBATANTS AND WEAPONS

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Nepal, Ian Martin, announced that the UN Mission in Nepal completed the first stage of registration of combatants and weapons at the Maoist army cantonment sites on 17 February, and that all activities in support of the peace process are progressing well.

So far, the total number of Maoist army combatants registered at the seven main cantonment sites, is 30,852. The total number of weapons registered is 3,428.

The UN Mission is also in the process of registering members of the Maoist army currently engaged in leadership security arrangements or undergoing medical treatment outside the cantonment sites.

U.N. POLICE INVESTIGATES SHOOTING INCIDENT NEAR DILI AIRPORT

In Timor-Leste, UN Police is investigating this mornings incident in which a Timorese national was killed and two others were injured, at an internally displaced persons camp near the Dili airport.

The situation is now reported to be calm and the Secretary-Generals Special Representative Atul Khare has reassured the people of Dili that the security situation at the IDP camp is under control.

While thanking the people of Timor-Leste for having maintained peace in Dili over the past 36 hours, Special Representative Khare urged them to cooperate with UN and local police officers as well as International Security Forces (ISF) soldiers who are working to provide security across Dili.

CHISSANO TO MEET WITH FACILITATOR OF PEACE NEGOTIATIONS

BETWEEN LORD RESISTANCE ARMY AND UGANDA

In response to questions, we can now confirm that the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for the Lords Resistance Army (LRA)-affected regions, former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, is currently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo capital of Kinshasa.

Chissano will travel further to Kampala, Uganda and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he is scheduled to meet with the African Union and officials from the Government of Sudan, which is the facilitator of the peace negotiation between the LRA and the Government of Uganda.

The objective of the mission is to explore ways of getting the parties back to the negotiations.

He is expected in New York at the end of the mission.

U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR WEST AFRICA

HAS REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON CRISIS IN GUINEA

In response to questions yesterday on the UN efforts to help solve the crisis in Guinea, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa says that Special Envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah has just completed a series of regional consultations.

Mr. Ould-Abdallah met with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOEAS) Envoy to Guinea, former Nigerian leader General Ibrahim Babangida, and the Chairman of the ECOWAS Commission, Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

Ould-Abdallah also discussed the Guinea crisis with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, the current Chair of the African Union.

INTL CONFERENCE ON HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN IRAQ TO BE HELD IN APRIL

High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres announced during his recent mission to the Middle East that his agency will be convening an international conference in Geneva on the humanitarian needs of refugees and displaced people in Iraq and the surrounding region.

The dates for that ministerial-level conference have now been set for April 17th and 18th.

The conference will bring together representatives of the United Nations, Iraq, Iraqs neighboring countries, donor and refugee-hosting countries, regional organizations and non-governmental organizations, among others.

While not a pledging conference, the gathering will seek commitments to address humanitarian problems, including through more international burden-sharing to ease the strain on current refugee-hosting countries. We have more on that upstairs.

U.N. LAUNCHES $9 MILLION APPEAL ON BOLIVIA FLOOD SURVIVORS

The United Nations today launched a six-month flash appeal for more than $9 million, to help flood survivors in Bolivia.

A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team has been dispatched to help with the relief effort. In addition, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has made a $50,000 emergency cash grant available, and the UN Development Programme has released $100,000.

For its part, the World Food Programme has already provided food to more than 12,000 families. And UNICEF will clean contaminated wells, build temporary latrines, and help rehabilitate schools. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization and the UN Population Fund will provide health care and work to prevent disease outbreaks.

The Food and Agriculture Organization is also involved, through its provision of agricultural supplies and veterinary assistance.

UNITED NATIONS MAKES $7.6 MILLION AVAILABLE

FOR MOZAMBIQUE FLOOD VICTIMS

The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund has made more than $7.6 million available for life-saving activities in Mozambique, where severe flooding has displaced some 142,000 people and the National Institute for Disaster Management estimates that as many as 285,000 people could be affected by the flooding if the situation worsens.

Some $2.8 million of that grant will go to the World Food Programme for food aid and another $1.12 million for logistics and communications. Other UN agencies receiving portions of the grant for assistance projects include UNICEF, UN Population Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

UNICEF GETS FINANCIAL BOOST FOR ZIMBABWE CHILDREN

UNICEF reports that its programmes to help orphaned and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe today got a major financial boost from Germany.

Thanks to the new funding, UNICEF will be able to strengthen its efforts to increase school enrolment for orphans, protect children from abuse, violence and exploitation, and bolster school nutrition programmes.

51ST SESSION ON COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN OPENS MONDAY

The 51st session of the Commission on the Status of Women will begin on Monday and run for two weeks. The main theme is "Eliminating discrimination and violence against the girl child".

Approximately 15 to 20 Ministers are expected to attend and participate in high-level roundtable discussions on the first day. Over 2,000 representatives of non-governmental organizations are also expected to attend.

Hundreds of girls under the age of 18 will also attend, both as members of delegations and to participate in some of the dozens of parallel events.

A special observance will be held for International Women's Day on 8 March. Press materials will be distributed on Monday; schedules and documents are available on-line at www.un.org/womenwatch.

UN COMPENSATION COMMISSION FOR IRAQ AND KUWAIT CONCLUDES SESSION

The Governing Council of the UN Compensation Commission for Iraq and Kuwait yesterday concluded its 62nd session, during which it took up the distribution of payments to successful claimants, the transparency of that process and the return of undistributed funds. Most notably, the Council approved a number of claims for correction, which it now estimates to some $77 million.

The Council also recalled its earlier decisions on how to recover overpayments, including the requirement on Governments and claimants to return the overpaid amounts to the Commission.

The next payment to successful claimants is scheduled to be made in April 2007. There are now 43 approved claims, with a total outstanding balance of approximately $30.6 billion that have yet to be settled in full. And the overall disbursement of compensation by the UN Compensation Commission to date amounts to more than 21 billion dollars.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

BAN KI-MOON MET WITH SPECIAL ENVOY FOR KOSOVO IN VIENNA: Asked if the Secretary-General was working on contingency plans for Kosovo should the current talks on the province's status fail, the Spokeswoman said that it was too early to judge because Special Envoy Matti htisaari was still consulting with the parties in Vienna. She added that Ban Ki-moon met with his Special Envoy today in Vienna and has full confidence in his efforts, which he encouraged.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Saturday, February 24

The Secretary-Generals Representative for the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Walter Kälin, will visit the Central African Republic from 24 February to 3 March 2007.

Sunday, February 25

The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy, will visit the Maldives from 25 February to 1 March, to assist the authorities in implementing judicial reforms.

Monday, February 26

The Security Council is scheduled to hold consultations this morning on the Peacebuilding Commission.

The International Court of Justice, the UN's highest court will deliver judgment on Monday upon Bosnia's demand to take Serbia accountable for the slaughter, terrorising, rape and displacement of Bosnian Muslims in the early 1990s.

Ian Martin, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Nepal, will be the guest at the noon briefing.

The 51st session of the Commission on the Status of Women starts today in Conference Room 2 and lasts until 9 March. The Deputy Secretary-General will speak at 10:15 a.m.

The Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for the 15th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development will start today in Conference Room 4 and continue until 2 March.

Asma Jahangir, the Human Rights Councils Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief will visit Tajikistan from 26 February to 3 March.

Tuesday, February 27

The Security Council is scheduled to hold consultations this morning on Chad, the Central African Republic and Sudan.

Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of the International Criminal Court will submit evidence, in connection with named individuals, of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The Prosecutor will file his evidence with the ICC judges and then brief the press.

At 11:00 a.m. - Confronting Climate Change: Avoiding the Unmanageable, Managing the Unavoidable - a report of the Scientific Expert Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, prepared as input for the 15th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, will be launched at a press conference. Senator Timothy E. Wirth, President of United Nations Foundation, and others, will brief.

The guest at todays noon briefing will be Mia Farrow, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, who will speak about her recent visit to Chad and the Central African Republic.

The 38th session of the UN Statistical Commission opens today and marks the Commission's 60th anniversary. A number of commemorative events will take place until 2 March.

iKNOW Politics, the first global online network specifically designed to advance the role and the number of women in political and public life will be launched at 1.15 p.m. in conference room 2.

Wednesday, February 28

Today is the last day of Slovakias Presidency of the Security Council.

At 10:30 a.m., the non-governmental organization Peace and Cooperation will give a press conference in Room 226.

At 11:15 a.m., there will be a press briefing by Joel Boutroue, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, on the humanitarian situation in Haiti.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour will be the guest at the noon briefing.

A panel discussion entitled Girls of War will be held from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room 8. It will be moderated by Belgian Ambassador Johan Verbeke. The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, will participate.

Thursday, March 1

Today, South Africa assumes the rotating Presidency of the Security Council.

Annual Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2006 is due to be issued today.

At 11:00 a.m., the International Parliamentary Union will hold a press conference on annual statistics of women in parliament and the role of women leaders.

At 12:30 p.m., there will be a press briefing by Eric Laroche, the UNs Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.

At 1:15 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, UNAIDS and Johnson & Johnson will announce grants totaling $500,000 to organizations in five countries to tackle the links between gender-based violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Friday, March 2

At 11:00 a.m., the Brazilian Mission to the United Nations will host a press conference in Room 226 on the use of biofuels and recent cooperation agreements signed by Brazil and other countries.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., Security Council President for March, Amb. Dumisani S. Kumalo of South Africa, will brief on the Councils Programme of Work for the month.

CBS News Anchor Katie Couric will moderate an event called 'Girls Speak Out', which will give an opportunity for girls from around the world, including ex-child soldiers, to speak about their personal experiences. That event will be held from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. in the ECOSOC Chamber.

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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