United Nations Daily Highlights, 07-12-05

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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 SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

LEBANON: BAN KI-MOON SPEAKS TO KEY POLITICAL LEADERS

TO URGE A SOLUTION

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is extremely concerned about the continuing delay in the election of a new president in Lebanon, which has extended well past the constitutional timeframe.

Over the past few days he has spoken to key political leaders in the country to urge a solution, including Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, Speaker Nabih Berri and Majority Leader Saad Hariri.

He believes it is now time for this matter to be resolved without further delay.

The Secretary-General will remain in close touch with Lebanese political leaders who bear, both to the people of Lebanon and to the future of the country, the responsibility to find a solution.

INT'L CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR SAYS SUDAN

IS NOT COMPLYING WITH LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

Today at Headquarters, Luis Moreno Ocampo, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), briefed the Security Council in an open meeting about the Courts investigation into the violence in Darfur.

Moreno Ocampo told the Council that the Government of Sudan has not complied with its legal obligations, and is not cooperating with the Court. Two suspects, Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb, have not been arrested, and the Sudanese Government has taken no steps to prosecute them domestically or to transfer them to The Hague.

He added that he is preparing to open two new investigations one concerning the pattern of attacks against civilians, particularly the 2.5 million people forcibly displaced into camps, and the other into attacks on humanitarian personnel and peacekeepers, with rebel involvement, as took place in Haskanita.

Asked whether the Secretary-General believes that the suspects sought by the ICC should be arrested by Sudan, the Spokeswoman noted that he made his position clear in his statement to the meeting of the State Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on Monday, during which he said there are still a number of outstanding arrest warrants that have to be executed and urged all Member States to do everything within their powers to assist in enforcing these warrants.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals views about the ICCs work, Okabe noted that he had also said on Monday that there can be no sustainable peace without justice. Peace and justice, accountability and reconciliation are not mutually exclusive. To the contrary, they go hand in hand, the Secretary-General said. And so the work of the ICC goes hand in hand with that of the United Nations.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO BE BRIEFED ON INVESTIGATION

INTO HARIRI ASSASSINATION

This afternoon, the Security Council is scheduled to receive a briefing, in an open meeting, from Serge Brammertz, the head of the International Independent Investigation Commission dealing with Lebanon, in his last appearance to the Council in that post. That will be followed by consultations, also on Lebanon.

In its latest report, the Commission says that it is increasingly able to draw preliminary conclusions on an important number of aspects of the investigation of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Also, it has continued to support the Lebanese authorities in their investigations in 18 cases of targeted assassinations and bombings.

DARFUR PEACE ENVOYS URGE MOVEMENTS

TO AGREE ON COMMON NEGOTIATING POSITIONS

The African Union and United Nations Special Envoys for Darfur, Salim Ahmed Salim and Jan Eliasson, met yesterday with the Foreign Ministers of Chad, Egypt and Libya and senior representatives of the Eritrean President.

They took stock of the political and security situation in the region, assessed the progress of the movements unification efforts in Juba and Darfur and discussed possible options for the way forward.

They agreed that the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) should be commended on its facilitation efforts and that the movements should be encouraged to continue and finalize their work on the nomination of a negotiation team and the development of common negotiating positions.

They also discussed the worrying situation in Chad and its impact on both the Darfur situation and Chad-Sudan relations.

Eliasson arrived in Khartoum today to begin a week-long visit. During the visit, he will spend three days meeting with the movements and members of civil society in Darfur, hopes to travel to Juba to meet with the SPLM Task Force, and will meet with Government officials in Khartoum.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPEALS FOR POLITICAL STABILITY

IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

In his latest report on the Central African Republic, the Secretary-General says that preparations continue for an inclusive political dialogue to deal with the crisis brought about by rebel activities in the northwestern and northeastern regions of the country.

On the humanitarian situation, he says that conditions have stabilized following the signing of a peace agreement between the Government and the UFDR rebel group in April, and displaced persons are returning to their villages. This has brought the number of internally displaced persons to 45,000, down from 65,000, while another 45,000 remain in refugee camps in neighboring Cameroon.

The Secretary-General says that the recent encouraging prospects from the Brussels Donors Round Table can only be sustained in a stable political environment. He welcomes the decision by the African Union and the European Union to extend and strengthen the mandate of the regional peacekeeping effort known as FOMUC, and preparation for the deployment European force in northeastern CAR to protect civilians. He also appeals to local political actors to overcome their differences and start a credible dialogue.

U.N. CERTIFIES KOSOVO ASSEMBLY ELECTION RESULTS

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, Joachim Rücker, today certified election results for the Assembly of Kosovo.

He said he was pleased that the electoral process is moving forward in a peaceful atmosphere. That shows the maturity of the Kosovo people and the political parties, he added.

The balloting for the Assembly of Kosovo was held on 17 November, when the electorate also chose Municipal Assembly Members and, for the first time, directly voted for a mayor for each of Kosovos 30 municipalities.

Asked about the transmission of the Contact Group report on Kosovo to the Security Council, the Spokeswoman said that it is expected that the report would be transmitted to the Council on 10 December, after the Secretary-General has received it.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS ADOPTION

OF PEACE-BUILDING MECHANISM IN BURUNDI

Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today addressed the Burundi Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission here at Headquarters.

She said todays adoption of a Monitoring and Tracking Mechanism for the Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding in Burundi is a critical step, not only for Burundi and its people but also for the work of the Peacebuilding Commission.

She said that the Mechanism, the first of its kind, paves the way for a principled and active partnership between countries under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission, the entire UN system and the larger international community.

It is a practical and powerful tool to ensure dialogue and enhanced coordination between key stakeholders, she added.

CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON ADAPTATION

After three days of discussions, one of the main concerns that has emerged during the climate change negotiations taking place in Bali, Indonesia, is adaptation.

Speaking at a press conference today, the Executive Secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, said that failing to take action to address the impacts of climate change is effectively a direct attack on the poor, since they have the fewest resources to adapt.

He added that one way to address this is through the Kyoto Protocols self-financing Adaptation Fund, which could be enhanced through a levy on the Protocols Clean Development Mechanism. That mechanism allows industrialized countries to earn emission reduction credits by investing in clean technology projects in developing countries.

FIGHTING IN CHAD PREVENTS FLOW OF HUMANITARIAN AID

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is expressing deep concern about the ongoing fighting in eastern Chad and how it is preventing humanitarian workers from reaching refugees and displaced persons.

The conflict is threatening the delivery of aid to more than 230,000 Sudanese refugees and 180,000 internally displaced persons, according to OCHA.

U.N. ENVOY DISCUSSES F.Y.R.O.M. NAME ISSUE WITH GREEK LEADERS

The Secretary-Generals Personal Envoy for the talks between Greece and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Matthew Nimetz, was in Athens today, where he met with Greeces Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, opposition leader and other officials.

Nimetz found heightened concern in the region about the possibility of deteriorating relations between Greece and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as a result of the name issue. But at the same time, there was recognition of the positive developments that could ensue if a solution is reached.

The next rounds of direct talks will take place in the region for the first time, as opposed to in New York. The first round will take place in Skopje in January and will be hosted by the Foreign Minister of The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. A further round will be hosted by the Greek Foreign Minister in Athens.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

DECISION ON A U.N. ENVOY IN AFGHANISTAN RESTS WITH THE SECURITY COUNCIL: Asked whether Lord Paddy Ashdown would be named as a UN envoy in Afghanistan, the Spokeswoman said she had no information to substantiate that report. She added, in response to a question on how such a post could be created, that it would be up to the Security Council to determine if it is necessary.

NO DATE SET FOR BRIEFING ON MYANMAR IN SECURITY COUNCIL: Asked whether Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari would brief the Security Council, the Spokeswoman said that no date has been set for such a meeting.