United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-04-25

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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

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

MANY IRAQIS STILL FACE INTIMIDATION & KILLINGS

The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has

issued its tenth report on the human rights situation in that country, which notes, despite some progress, frequent failures of the Iraqi institutions to protect the life and dignity of all Iraqis in a manner that conforms to international humanitarian and human rights laws.

With regard to the ongoing Baghdad Security Plan, UNAMI is concerned that large numbers of Iraqis, among them professional groups and law enforcement personnel, continued to experience intimidation and killings.

It also notes continued political interference in the affairs of the judiciary, a matter in need of urgent attention.

Unlike previous reports, the Missions now-quarterly human rights report does not contain official statistics of violent deaths regularly gathered by the Ministry of Health and the Medico-Legal Institute in Baghdad. This is because the Iraqi Government decided not to make such data available to UNAMI.

This is a matter of regret because UNAMI reports have been regarded as a credible source of information regarding developments in the human rights situation in Iraq.

The Mission will continue to speak with the Iraqi authorities and urge them to provide the necessary information.

BAN KI-MOONS TRIP TO SYRIA SHORT BUT PRODUCTIVE

The Secretary-General is on his way back to New York, ending his week-long trip to Italy, Switzerland, Qatar and Syria.

Speaking to reporters yesterday as he was leaving Damascus, the Secretary-General said that he was delighted with his first visit to Syria, adding, It was short but productive.

He said that, during his discussions with President Bashar al-Assad, he had encouraged the President to reach a border agreement with Lebanon, and Assad had agreed to reactivate the Border Committee with Lebanon. The Secretary-General warmly welcomed this positive step.

The Secretary-General told reporters that he had discussed the issue of a tribunal for Lebanon with President Assad at length, and the President had said he would encourage the Lebanese people to arrive at a national consensus.

The Secretary-General said that the most desirable path is that the Lebanese people should find their own way, in accordance with the constitutional procedure.

Asked about Syrias response regarding the tribunal for Lebanon, the Spokeswoman said that President Assad had said he would encourage the Lebanese people to arrive at a national consensus on that issue.

MIDDLE EAST DIPLOMACY EVOLVING IN POSITIVE FASHION

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe this morning briefed the Security Council in its open meeting on the Middle East, telling them that the political and diplomatic initiatives aimed at rejuvenating peacemaking in that region have continued to evolve in a mostly positive fashion.

However, Pascoe said, the forward momentum we are witnessing on the political and diplomatic level is threatened by the deteriorating security situation on the ground, especially the continuing violence experienced by both Israelis and Palestinians.

Leaders on all sides must do their utmost to prevent this latest upsurge of violence from escalating any further.

He noted that last weekend, Israel carried out a number of arrest raids into West Bank cities, during which nine Palestinians were killed, and a rocket hit the town of Sderot. Yesterday morning, Israel reported that over 24 rockets and mortars were fired from Gaza and Hamass military wing has claimed responsibility. The Palestinian Government, however, has called for the ceasefire to be respected, and the Israeli government has exercised restraint.

Pascoe added that the United Nations continues to be deeply concerned about the fate of kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston, and reiterates the Secretary-Generals call for his safety and immediate release.

SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION ARRIVES IN BRUSSELS

The Security Council mission to Kosovo arrived in Brussels today, where it was received by Belgiums Foreign Minister.

Mission participants met with Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Secretary-General of NATO, as well as a representative of Javier Solana, the European Unions High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The mission also held a working lunch with the EUs Commissioner for Enlargement, Ollie Rehn. This evening, the mission heads to Belgrade.

REFUGEE AGENCY CHIEF CALLS FOR IMPROVED SECURITY IN SUDAN

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres arrived in West Darfur yesterday, where he urged local officials to improve security, on the start of a four-day mission to Sudan. He announced that Sudan had agreed to an expansion of UNHCRs work in West Darfur.

The UN Mission in Sudan reports that the cooperation between the United Nations, the Sudanese Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan to implement the joint Plan for Returns continues.

Since road convoys started in February 2007, more than 26,000 internally displaced persons have been assisted to return to their homes.

U.N. BODIES SEND HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES TO CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Regarding the Central African Republic, UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have sent a seven-truck convoy from the capital, Bangui, to a northeastern area of the country near the border with Darfur.

That humanitarian convoy carried seeds from FAO, food from WFP and educational materials from UNICEF.

This year the UN and its humanitarian partners have asked for nearly $55 million in aid for the Central African Republic. Only 32% of those funds have been received so far.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL WRAPS UP VISIT TO D.R. CONGO

The Deputy-Secretary General has wrapped up her visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is now in Brazzaville to attend a meeting of UNDP country directors for Africa.

During her stay in the DRC, the Deputy-Secretary-General met with President Joseph Kabila and various political leaders, including members of the opposition.

Her message to all her interlocutors was that the United Nations is prepared to continue working with the Congolese authorities and Congolese people to promote reconciliation and reconstruction.

UNESCO CALLS FOR GREATER PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN D.R. CONGO

The head of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is calling for greater protection of endangered animals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Koïchiro Matsuura, in a letter to President Kabila and UN peacekeeping head Jean-Marie Guéhenno, requested that the mandate of the UN mission there be expanded to include the protection of the DRCs five World Heritage Sites and several other areas.

The presence of armed groups on these sites has made rangers unable to stop the reported killing of hundreds of animals in recent months.

LIVING CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO DECLINE IN OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

In its latest report, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) finds that living conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory continued to decline during the second half of 2006.

Israels impounding of customs revenues and the freeze in donor support has left the Palestinian Authority starved of resources and unable to provide basic services, UNRWA said.

It found especially dire conditions in Gaza, where 80 percent of households were living on less than a dollar a day, and unemployment stood at 40 percent.

HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF CONCERNED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN KYRGYZSTAN

High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour today

wrapped up a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan. She met with a variety of officials, including the countrys President and Foreign Minister.

Arbour said she was pleased by Kyrgyzstans efforts to develop a strong civil society. But at the same time, she raised concerns about domestic violence in the country and reports of ill-treatment and torture of detainees. Arbour is now in Tajikistan, where she will stay for several days before heading to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Also on Central Asia, the UNs Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) says it will hold its next session in Kazakhstan in late May. It will be the first time the Commissions highest decision-making body is meeting in Central Asia.

U.N. LAUNCHES EFFORT TO BUILD HUMANITARIAN CAPACITY

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today launched a $62.5 million inter-agency appeal for Building Global Humanitarian Response Capacity.

The appeal seeks funding for eleven sectors to strengthen global humanitarian response capacity; these areas include agriculture, camp coordination and management, early recovery, education, emergency shelter, emergency telecommunications, health, logistics, nutrition, protection, water, sanitation and hygiene.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, stressed that the aim of the appeal is to reinforce UN support to governments in providing relief and protection to people affected by emergencies.

Partners in the global capacity-building exercise include United Nations (UN) agencies, the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and non-governmental organisations.

U.N. OBSERVES AFRICA MALARIA DAY

Today is Africa Malaria Day. This years focus is on fighting the disease in countries where it is endemic.

Each year, one million people die from malaria. More than 80 percent of those deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, and malaria is responsible for almost one in five deaths of African children, according to UNICEF.

The agencys Executive Director, Ann Veneman, is calling for greater use of insecticide-treated bed nets, which cost just 10 dollars each and have been shown to significantly reduce malaria deaths.

U.N. DEVELOPMENT BODY HAD 24 ACTIVE PROJECTS IN NORTH KOREA AT TIME OF SUSPENSION

Asked about the transfer of assets by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) as its last staff members were set to leave the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Spokeswoman noted that UNDP said that it had 24 active projects at the time of its suspension and 6 projects which were operationally complete.

Where the projects were operationally complete, UNDP had informed the Spokeswoman, standard UNDP procedures came into play, including the transfer of ownership of project assets that is, items used for projects to government counterparts. Where projects were halted pending decisions about UNDPs future in the country, the DPRK authorities have signed for custody of project assets, but formal title transfer has not taken place.

A full inventory of all items and their value will be completed before the staff leaves the country.

Montas said that it is important to keep in mind that in all cases the DPRK authorities were already in possession of the assets, in some cases for several years. Nothing new has been given or physically transferred to the DPRK authorities, according to the information provided by UNDP.

The Spokeswoman added that UNDP had earlier made clear that the equipment owned by UNDP in the DPRK would be transferred to the World Food Programme.

Asked about the effects of the UNDP suspension on the work being done by auditors, the Spokeswoman said that UNDP had said that the audit should not be affected. UNDPs accounts are still open so that auditors will be able to go about their work.

Asked whether the previous UNDP coordinator in the DPRK would be involved in the audit process, Montas said that everyone involved in the project would be available to auditors.

Asked whether the audit was being extended, the Spokeswoman noted that the auditors worked independently and followed their own schedule.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. MANAGEMENT AND STAFF TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON MOBILITY: Asked about objections by some UN staff to a mobility package presented by the Secretary-General, the Spokeswoman said that discussions between the Department of Management and staff representatives on that package had been taking place and would continue.

RWANDA EXHIBITION ALMOST FINALIZED: Asked about the status of an exhibition at UN Headquarters on the Rwanda genocide, the Spokeswoman said that arrangements for the exhibition was almost finalized, and now the exhibition panels had to be physically transferred from London, where they were being printed. The exhibition could be ready by Friday or early next week.

NIGERIA ELECTION CONTESTANTS SHOULD GO THROUGH ELECTORAL PROCESS: Asked about reported irregularities in the Nigerian elections, the Spokeswoman reiterated the UNs view that all those who are contesting the election results should do so through the electoral process.

*** The guest at the briefing today was Ambassador John McNee, Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN and head of the Economic and Social Councils Ad Hoc Advisory Groups four-day mission to Haiti.

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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