United Nations Daily Highlights, 08-07-07

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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

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, July 7, 2008

BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBING IN KABUL

The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the suicide bombing in Kabul today, which took place in the vicinity of the Afghan Ministry of Interior and the Indian Embassy. A reported 40 people were killed, including numerous civilians and several Indian Embassy guards.

The perpetrators of this attack targeted innocent civilians. The Secretary-General reiterates that no political agenda or grievance can justify such reprehensible means. He urges that those responsible be brought to justice.

The Secretary-General sends his deepest sympathy to the Governments of Afghanistan and India, his condolences to the families of those killed, and his best wishes for a rapid recovery to those who were injured.

Kai Eide, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, also condemned todays suicide attack in the strongest possible terms. He said that the total disregard for innocent lives was staggering, and those behind this must be held responsible.

The Secretary-General, in a report today, says that the level of insurgent and terrorist activity in Afghanistan has increased, particularly in the south and the east of the country. He said that it is of great concern that the highest number of security incidents in the country since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001 was recorded this past May. The report also outlines the priorities that the UN Mission in Afghanistan has in fulfilling its mandate.

Also today, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime reports that the farmers of Badakhshan Province have responded well to the Governments programme to reduce opium poppy cultivation, with the area under cultivation dropping from more than 13,000 hectares in 2006 to 3,642 hectares in 2007.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEPLORES BRUTAL KILLING OF U.N. OFFICIAL IN SOMALIA

The Secretary-General condemns the brutal killing of the acting head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) office in Mogadishu yesterday by unidentified gunmen. He expresses his heartfelt sympathies to the victims family and colleagues, as well as to those injured in the attack. The killing of Osman Ali Ahmed is a loss not only for the United Nations but also for the Somali people, who are the ultimate victims when humanitarian workers and aid officials are targeted in this way.

The Secretary-General encourages all Somalis to reflect on this latest senseless act of violence and to work together in the search for peace and reconciliation.

The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) has also strongly

condemned the assassination. A 14-year veteran of the development agency, Ahmed was shot by unidentified gunmen as he left a Mogadishu mosque with his son and brother, both of whom were wounded in the attack.

Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, the Secretary-Generals

Special Representative for Somalia, has also condemned the murder of Ahmed, pledging that such killings will not deter the United Nations from carrying on its vital work in Somalia.

Mark Bowden, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, has

denounced this apparent targeted killing of a UN development assistance officer as particularly outrageous and worrying at this critical time when Somalias need for assistance is rapidly increasing.

SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS BOMBINGS IN GEORGIA

The Secretary-General condemns the recent bombings in the cities of Gagra, Sukhumi and Gali on Abkhaz-controlled territory as well as in the immediate vicinity of the cease fire line on Georgian-controlled territory. All together, the bombings on Abkhaz-controlled territory have left four dead and 16 wounded, mostly civilians. One of those killed was a national staff member of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), and another UNOMIG national staff member is among the wounded.

The Secretary-General calls for an immediate and thorough investigation of the incidents and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

The Secretary-General notes that these incidents have taken place against the background of a sharp increase in tension in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. He calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to refrain from violence and to work together in search for a peaceful and lasting settlement.

BAN KI-MOON DEPLORES SUICIDE BOMBING IN PAKISTAN

The Secretary-General strongly condemns yesterdays suicide bombing in front of a police station near the Red Mosque in Islamabad, which has claimed the lives of a large number of people, many of them police, and injured dozens more. There have also been reports today of a series of explosions in Karachi, that have resulted in more casualties.

The Secretary-General urges all political forces to unite against the scourge of terrorism and expresses his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan.

SUDAN: U.N. ENVOY CONDEMNS SHOOTING OF MILITARY OBSERVER

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan, strongly condemned the Sudan Peoples Liberation Armys (SPLA) shooting of a UN Military Observer and a Sudanese Armed Forces National Monitor in Agok this morning.

Qazi called upon the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement to identify the SPLA soldier or soldiers responsible for wounding the two officers and to bring the perpetrators of this egregious act to justice. Qazi strongly urged the parties not to allow this incident to impede or interfere with implementation of the Abyei road map, which is so vital to maintaining the process of implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES G-8 LEADERS TO ADDRESS FOOD, CLIMATE AND DEVELOPMENT CRISES

The Secretary-General gave a joint press conference with World Bank President Robert Zoellick at the end of the first day of the outreach session of the Group of Eight Summit in Hokkaido, Japan, today.

He said that the world faces three simultaneous crises: a food crisis, a climate crisis, and a development crisis. The three are deeply inter-connected and need to be addressed as such, he stressed.

The Secretary-General warned that, at the midpoint in our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, progress in many countries is off track, particularly in Africa.

On climate change, he said that we need to set a long-term goal of at least cutting by half emissions by 2050. But we also need short and medium-term targets that will drive today's market forces toward technological change and market transformations that are needed.

He suggested that we must take an investment approach, emphasizing that every dollar, Euro, or Yen invested today, as well as every ounce of effort, is worth ten tomorrow, and a hundred the day after.

The Secretary-General traveled yesterday to Japan from the Republic of Korea, where he paid his first visit since taking up his duties at the United Nations. On Saturday, he paid an emotional visit to Haeng-chi, the village where he was born, to a rapturous welcome by relatives, villagers and admirers. He paid tribute to his ancestors during that visit, and said, I am very grateful to the grace of my ancestors, my father. I wish my father could have seen what I am now.

JUNIOR DELEGATES PRESENT PROPOSALS TO G-8 LEADERS

Parallel to the Group of 8 Summit, the Junior 8, or J-8, is also holding its own summit in Japan. As part of the UNICEF-led initiative, young people from both G-8 and developing countries today presented their recommendations to G-8 leaders.

These include: establishing an international organization to evaluate products based on Green Indexes, such as energy efficiency, waste management, packaging and product composition, having G-8 leaders sign a declaration prohibiting tied-aid donations that are made for political gain rather than the common good; and supporting educational programmes, such as disease prevention, nutrition, sanitation and sexual education, while preventing Governments from restricting access to contraceptives and health education.

U.N. ENVOY CONGRATULATES SIERRA LEONE ON PEACEFUL LOCAL ELECTIONS

The Acting Executive Representative of the Secretary-General in Sierra Leone has congratulated that countrys people on the successful conduct of local council elections over the weekend. Michael von der Schulenberg said he was pleased that Saturdays polls were generally peaceful, orderly and efficient.

Noting the exemplary conduct of the 2007 elections, he called on Sierra Leoneans to ensure that subsequent electoral processes, including the counting, collation and certification of election results, are finalized without rancor, and that any disputes are resolved within the bounds of law.

FOUR NEW SITES ADDED TO WORLD HERITAGE LIST

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has

added four new sites to its World Heritage List.

They are: the mountain of Le Morne, a former hideout for runaway slaves in Mauritius; the Nabatean archaeological site of Al-Hijr, the first World Heritage property to be inscribed in Saudi Arabia; the multi-story earthen houses of Chinas Fujian Province, some of which can house up to 800 people each; and fortified Armenian monasteries in northeastern Iran, the oldest of which dates back to the seventh century.

The World Heritage Committee is meeting through Thursday in Quebec City.

WINTER OLYMPICS FACILITIES TO BE MOVED, FOLLOWING U.N. ENVIRONMENTAL RECOMMENDATIONS

The organizers of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, to be held in the Russian town of Sochi, have

decided to move several facilities away from a protected wilderness area, following recommendations from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Those facilities include the bobsleigh and luge tracks, as well as the mountain village, which were to be built on the edge of a fragile nature reserve.

UNEPs Executive Director, Achim Steiner, said the decision to relocate is a significant step forward in the greening of the Games.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISCUSSED SAUDI INTERFAITH INITIATIVE DURING RECENT VISIT: Asked about a Saudi interfaith initiative, the Spokeswoman noted that this is not a UN initiative, but the Secretary-General discussed it with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia when he visited that country last month.

SECRETARY-GENERAL NOT PLANNING TO MEET ZIMBABWES PRESIDENT: In response to a question, the Spokeswoman said she was no aware of any plans by the Secretary-General to meet with President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES RESPONSIBLE FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST PEACEKEEPERS: Asked about a decision by an Indian court not to discipline some Indian soldiers who had served in the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Spokeswoman said that, although the United Nations can press troop contributing countries to take actions against soldiers suspected of any violations of the rules, any disciplinary action is the responsibility of the countries that provide the troops.