United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-08-06

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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

ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N.

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, August 6, 2007

DARFUR MEETING PARTICIPANTS REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO SPECIAL ENVOYS ROAD MAP

The meeting of leading personalities of the

Darfur movements, which UN Special Envoy Jan Eliasson and African Union Special Envoy Salim Ahmed Salim had chaired in Arusha since last Friday, ended today with the participants reaffirming their commitment to the Special Envoys Road Map.

The participants presented a common platform on power sharing, wealth sharing, security arrangements, land and humanitarian issues for the final negotiations, and recommended that final talks should be held between two and three months from now. They decided to keep open the possibility that parties that did not participate in the Arusha consultations could join the common platform.

Eliasson and Salim welcomed the common positions as an important development in preparations for the negotiations, and they will consult the Government of Sudan and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Special Envoys recalled that they had taken up the situation of Suleiman Jamous, an elder of Darfur who is detained in Sudan, with the Government of Sudan, and they expressed their intention to pursue the matter in view of the role that Mr. Jamous can play in the political process.

Eliasson has arrived in Khartoum, where he will meet with Government officials today and Tuesday. Then, for the second half of the week, he will visit all three states in Darfur before going to Chad on Saturday.

U.N. RESPONDS SWIFTLY TO SUDAN FLOODS

Four weeks after torrential rains started to devastate many parts of the Sudan, the United

Nations and partners, in support of the Government, have so far assisted up to half a million people affected by the floods. This includes aid of a preventive nature, designed to avert the huge risk of epidemics.

David Gressly, the acting United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, said that, although the floods came earlier than expected, the response has been swift and successful. But he warned that the rains are expected to continue until at least mid-September. At least 365,000 people have already been directly affected so far, including a reported 64 dead and 335 injured.

The United Nations and partners have so far supplied blankets, plastic sheeting, jerry cans, cooking sets, and sleeping mats to approximately 200,000 people, whose household goods were lost in the destruction. However, it is estimated that many more people will need similar relief over the coming months.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO BE BRIEFED ON U.N. IRAQ MISSION

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Tuesday on Iraq, and Under-Secretary-General Lynn Pascoe will brief the Security Council on the work being done by the UN Mission in that country (UNAMI). The mandate of the Mission expires at the end of this week, and Council members are expected to discuss that mandate.

There are no meetings or consultations of the Council scheduled today.

Asked how security concerned affected the possible increasing involvement of the United Nations in Iraq, the Spokesman said that these concerns remained but that the United Nations was exploring ways to expand its work in areas where the Organization had particular expertise, such as reconciliation, constitutional reform, electoral assistance and humanitarian activities.

Haq noted that the level of involvement on the ground depended on security conditions.

Asked whether the Secretary-General supported the increased role of the United Nations in Iraq, as put out in a proposed resolution by the United Kingdom and the United States, the Spokesman declined to comment on details of Security Council resolutions while they were under discussion.

He stressed that the Secretary-General had stated his willingness to do as much as possible to help the people of Iraq and was waiting to see what the Security Councils decision will be.

URGENT NEED FOR BASIC SUPPLIES FOLLOWING SOUTH ASIAN FLOODING

According to UNICEF, the size and scale of the flooding and the massive numbers of people affected poses an unprecedented challenge to the delivery of humanitarian assistance by governments and the aid community at large.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says shelter and access to fresh water, food, emergency medical supplies and basic household items are urgently required given the loss of infrastructure, including basic health units and hospitals.

In India, Bangladesh and Nepal, UNICEF has been providing, among other things, water purification tablets, oral rehydration salts, mosquito nets and plastic sheets.

U.N. ENVOY WELCOMES FORMATION OF TIMOR-LESTE GOVERNMENT

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, welcomed the announcement today of a new government resulting from the June 30 legislative elections.

Khare congratulated President José Ramos-Horta for his efforts in finding a solution to the best interests of the country. President Ramos-Horta today announced his appointment of Xanana Gusmão as the new Prime Minister.

The Special Representative complimented the Timorese people for their exemplary commitment to the democratic process and for all people to follow the wise example of their leaders.

He said the UN Mission there (UNMIT) looks forward to working with the government and people of Timor-Leste on such urgent issues as security sector reform, strengthening of the justice sector, the promotion of democratic governance and social and economic development.

U.N. AFGHANISTAN REPRESENTATIVE CONDEMNS MURDER OF DE-MINERS

Tom Koenigs, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, today

said he was appalled and saddened to have learnt of the murder of three de-miners working for the Mine Detection and Dog Center in the province of Kandahar. He said that it is abhorrent that anyone would target such selfless individuals working tirelessly to free the people of Afghanistan from the risk of death and injury caused by land mines.

UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) are helping Afghanistans Health Ministry carry out a new nationwide polio vaccination this week, which aims eventually to protect over 7 million children under the age of five from the highly infectious disease. The UN Mission in Afghanistan said today that we are on the verge of eliminating polio from Afghanistan, but will need the cooperation of local communities to achieve that goal.

Asked with whom the Secretary-General had spoken concerning the hostages in Afghanistan, the Spokesman said that he would rather not give details about the talks concerning these hostages, in light of their delicate state.

He stressed the UNs humanitarian concern about the seizure of such a large group of hostages. Haq said the United Nations was supporting the efforts of Governments of Afghanistan and the Republic of Korea to deal with this situation and hoped it would be resolved peacefully.

U.N. MYANMAR ENVOY BEGINS TRAVELS TO SOUTHEAST ASIA

The Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, arrived today in Singapore, where he is scheduled to hold consultations with senior Government officials. From there he will travel to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta for further meetings with Government counterparts.

All of Gambaris consultations are taking place in the implementation of the Secretary-Generals good offices mandate for Myanmar, in support of which Myanmars regional neighbours can play an important role.

U.N. HUMANITARIAN CHIEF MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF KILLING OF SRI LANKAN AID WORKERS

In Sri Lanka, Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes today

marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of 17 aid workers with a call to protect humanitarian workers throughout the world.

Speaking at a ceremony in Colombo, Holmes called the massacre in the eastern town of Muttur one of the worst crimes committed against humanitarian workers in recent history. The Sri Lankan men and women working for the French NGO Action contre la Faim were forced to lie on the floor and were executed with bullets to their heads.

Holmes reiterated the Secretary-Generals call for the Sri Lankan government to investigate this murder with the full weight and force of the justice system.

Holmes is on a four-day visit to the island nation to boost coordination between government relief and various other humanitarian agencies there.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION ONE OF WORLDS MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS

In a message to the Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima, Japan, commemorating the nuclear attack of 6 August 1945, the Secretary-General said that nuclear proliferation is one of the most pressing problems confronting our world today.

Stressing that tens of thousands of nuclear weapons still remain, the Secretary-General said the emergence of a nuclear black market and attempts by terrorists to acquire nuclear weapons and materials have compounded the nuclear threat.

He stressed that it is our challenge -- as it was for the founders of the United Nations -- to make the world safer for succeeding generations. This requires us to continue to work towards a world free of nuclear dangers, and ultimately, of nuclear weapons.

U.N. MARITIME TRIBUNAL ISSUES JUDGMENTS IN DISPUTES BETWEEN JAPAN AND RUSSIA

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has rendered its judgments in disputes between Japan and the Russian Federation over Russias confiscation over the past year of two Japanese fishing vessels, the Hoshinmaru and the Tomimaru. Russia had accused the two vessels of fishing illegally in Russian waters.

In the Hoshinmaru case, the Tribunal faulted Russia, ordering the prompt release of the fishing vessel, which was boarded earlier this year, upon the posting of a $392,000 bond.

In the Tomimaru case, the Tribunal found that the application for the release of the vessel is without object. Japans submission to the Tribunal is too vague and general, the Tribunal found, in a ruling that sends the matter back to the Russian court system.

U.N. WORKING WITH U.S. AUTHORITIES OVER TRANSLATOR CHARGED WITH IMMIGRATION FRAUD

Asked about the arrest of an UN employee on charges of helping aliens to enter the United States illegally, the Spokesperson confirmed that Vyacheslav Manokhin, a UN employee working as a Russian translator for the documents service, was charged with immigration fraud by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He later said that the employee has not been suspended thus far.

Haq noted that on 27 July, the United Nations had informed the US Attorney that the Secretary-General had waived Manokhins immunity, in accordance with the relevant legal treaties. He also said that the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) had worked, through the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), with the US authorities on this matter, at their request.

Asked about employees authorized to ask for visa requests at the United Nations, the Spokesman said he did not want to comment on the details of the ongoing case, to avoid saying anything that could be prejudicial to the US Attorneys case. He specified that the United States Mission was aware of who was or was not entitled to deal with immigration matters.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

WILLIAMS TO REMAIN AS U.N. MIDDLE EAST PEACE COORDINATOR THROUGH SEPTEMBER: Asked about the nomination of a new UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, the Spokesman said that the UN had been informed by the UK authorities that they were appointing Michael Williams, the current Special Coordinator, to a position within their government. He added that Williams had agreed to stay on until September in order to give the United Nations time to find a successor. Haq also said there was no indication yet as to who would be appointed to this post.

U.N. ENCOURAGES ISRAELI/PALESTINIAN CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES: Asked whether the Secretary-General was taking action to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners, Haq said that the United Nations had encouraged both sides to take confidence-building measures, including on the treatment of prisoners.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONTINUES CARIBBEAN TRAVELS: Asked about the Secretary-Generals schedule, the Spokesman said that he was continuing his travels in the Caribbean.

NO RESPONSE FROM DUTCH GOVERNMENT ON HOSTING OF HARIRI TRIBUNAL: Asked whether the Dutch Government had accepted to host the tribunal dealing with Rafik Hariris assassination, the Spokesman said that no reply had been received so far. He noted that the Secretary-General had to report back to the Security Council on the Special Tribunal at the end of the month and hoped more information would be available by then.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

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