United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-04-16

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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 MICHELE

MONTAS

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N.

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, April 16, 2007

BAN KI-MOON NOTIFIED OF SUDANS ACCEPTANCE OF DARFUR PEACEKEEPING PACKAGE

The Secretary-General this morning met with Alpha Oumar Konaré, the Chairman of the African Union, to discuss, among other matters, ways to move forward with the AU-UN partnership on

Darfur.

Even as that meeting began, the Security Council today received a letter from the Sudanese Government about the heavy support package for Darfur, indicating Sudans approval of the helicopters component of that plan. Earlier, the Secretary-General had said of the reported acceptance of the heavy support package by the Sudanese Government, It is a good sign.

The Secretary-General told Konaré that the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur remains difficult, with reports of tribal inter-ethnic fighting in South Darfur and the resumption of the Sudanese Governments aerial campaign in North Darfur.

The Secretary-General, Konaré, and their respective envoys for Darfur Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim then discussed ways to move forward on the hybrid force and other ways to protect the people of Darfur. They will all continue that discussion this afternoon when they meet informally with the members of the Security Council.

Asked whether Sudan reserved the right on who would name the pilots for the helicopter gunships, the Spokeswoman said that there was no mention of any restrictions in the letter from the Sudanese Government, which stated, I am pleased, upon instructions from my Government, to convey to Your Excellency Sudans approval of the helicopters component.

Asked what had been agreed to for the heavy support package, Montas said that last week, in Addis Ababa, the Sudanese Government had agreed to all of the steps outlined previously by the United Nations and the African Union on the package, except for the issue of helicopter gunships, which had now also been accepted.

SUDAN: U.N. MISSION CONDEMNS KILLING OF AFRICAN UNION OFFICER

The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) strongly condemns the killing of an officer of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) on 14 April, near the AMIS camp in El Fasher, by unknown armed men.

The UN Mission is deeply concerned about the repeated attacks against AMIS personnel that resulted in ten deaths since the beginning of the year, as well as several carjackings. The UN Mission calls on all parties to stop forthwith attacks against AMIS personnel and assets and to respect fully the agreements they have signed to improve the security situation in Darfur.

BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES EXTENSION OF CEASE-FIRE IN NORTHERN UGANDA

The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement reached over the weekend between the Government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to extend the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement until the end of June, and to resume peace talks in Juba on 26 April under the mediation of the Vice-President of the Government of Southern Sudan. The Secretary-General expresses his appreciation to his Special Envoy, Joaquim Chissano, for the role he played in facilitating the discussions.

The Secretary-General commends the parties for their expressed commitment to the peace process. He hopes that the resumed negotiations in Juba will create momentum towards a comprehensive settlement to this conflict, which has brought immense suffering to the people of Northern Uganda. The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to all of the international and regional actors who have been assisting the peace process and calls on them to continue their support.

SECRETARY-GENERAL: GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS MUST ACKNOWLEDGE TODAYS ECONOMIC REALITIES

The Secretary-General this morning addressed a special meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council with the Bretton Woods Institutions, World Trade Organization and UN Conference on Trade and Development.

He said reports show that the recent, unprecedented period of sustained and widespread economic growth continues, particularly in the developing world. But those same reports also warn us that the risks are increasing, as global imbalances and the volatility of some financial markets worsen.

The Secretary-General also said that if international economic institutions are to strengthen their own legitimacy and credibility -- and better serve the worlds peoples -- they must engage more deeply in reforms that reflect todays economic realities.

IRAQ: U.N. ENVOY DENOUNCES WEEKEND BOMBINGS

Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Iraq,

denounced in the strongest terms the bombings in Karbala, and Al Jaderyia Bridge in Baghdad on Saturday and in the Al-Ottaeefia neighborhood on Sunday, which caused the death and injury of more than 200 innocent civilians.

Qazi warned, Only by coming together, opting for national dialogue and reconciliation, and collectively renouncing all forms of violence, could the Iraqi people overcome the scourge of the unbridled violence that threatens their very existence.

He called on all authorities to vigorously pursue the perpetrators of these criminal acts and bring them to justice, and urged all political, religious, tribal and civil society leaders to mobilize all means to bring down the level of violence.

Asked whether the United Nations can play a role in Iraq given the deteriorating situation there, the Spokeswoman said that the United Nations already has a Mission in Iraq, and any changes to the work done by that Mission would need to be decided by the Security Council.

U.N. LEGAL CHIEF TO HEAD TO LEBANON

The Secretary-General told reporters last Friday that he had informed the Security Council of his intention to send Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel to visit

Lebanon this week.

The purpose of Michels visit, the Secretary-General said, is to offer his legal assistance to the Lebanese Government and political leaders, to help their constitutional procedures concerning a tribunal to deal with the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.

Michel told journalists that he intended to help the Lebanese parties find common ground, to promote the process to ratify the agreement on the tribunal.

He stressed that he is working in the spirit of assistance, of national dialogue, of reconciliation, and of mutual understanding towards the establishment of the tribunal. He will depart today.

YUGOSLAV TRIBUNAL PROSECUTOR REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF DEAL WITH SERBIA

Asked about media allegations that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, had made a deal with Serbian authorities to conceal documents from the International Court of Justice in the case between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro, the Spokeswoman noted that the Office of the Prosecutor has issued a statement rejecting those allegations in the strongest terms

In a statement, Montas said, the Office of the Prosecutor notes that the Tribunal and the International Court of Justice are entirely separate legal institutions, and that the Tribunals Office of the Prosecutor has no involvement in proceedings before the Court.

It further notes that, under the Tribunals Rules of Procedure, only judges not the Prosecutor can decide on protective measures to keep material from the public.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS UNDER SERIOUS THREAT, SAYS UNESCO

A team from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), recently returned from a mission to the Galapagos National Park and Marine Preserve in Ecuador, confirms that the islands are facing serious threats to their physical integrity.

UNESCO says that the failure of various institutions and agencies to deal with threats from invasive species, increasing human immigration, and uncontrolled tourism development are endangering the World Heritage Site. The team will report its full findings to the World Heritage Committee at the Committees next meeting in June.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECURITY COUNCIL HEARS UPDATE ON DPRK SANCTIONS: The Security Council this morning held consultations on the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, to hear an update on the implementation of sanctions there by the Chairman of the Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Marcello Spatafora of Italy.

CYRPUS ENVOY VISITS U.N. HEADQUARTERS FOR CONSULTATIONS: Asked about the presence of the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Cyprus, Michael Moller, in New York, the Spokeswoman later informed reporters that Moller was at UN Headquarters for regular consultations.

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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