United Nations Daily Highlights, 10-06-25

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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 THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

SPOKESPERSON MARTIN NESIRKY

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, June 25, 2010

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ATTEND G20 SUMMIT THIS WEEKEND

This weekend, the

Secretary-General will be in Toronto to attend the summit of the Group of 20 (G-20) leaders, and to hold bilateral meetings with many of the leaders attending that summit.

As he

said earlier this week, he will bring the concerns of the developing world and a message of human development with him to the G-20 Summit, and he will call on leaders to strengthen their focus on three areas: priorities, political will and partnerships. Among other things, he will also urge leaders to support the UNs global action plan on women's and children's health.

Then on Monday night, as he has already announced, the Secretary-General will leave for the

Democratic Republic of the Congo. He will be in Kinshasa on 30 June to attend the celebration of the 50th anniversary of that country's independence.

The next day, he will be in Libreville, Gabon, for an official visit. He is expected back in New York on 2 July.

SECRETARY-GENERAL PAYS TRIBUTE TO SACRIFICES MADE IN KOREAN WAR

The

Secretary-General attended an event in New York this morning marking the 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War.

During the event at the Korean War Memorial zone in Manhattans Battery Park, the Secretary-General also participated in a wreath-laying ceremony for the 54,200 US soldiers who gave their lives during the Korean War.

Calling the war an unforgettable victory, the Secretary-General paid tribute to all the millions of soldiers in the United States and around the world for their sacrifice to bring peace, freedom, democracy, and economic prosperity to the Republic of Korea.

SITUATION IN KYRGYZSTAN IMPROVING; DIFFICULTIES IN REACHING THOSE IN NEED PERSIST

The

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the situation in Kyrgyzstan was improving, even if it is still tense and humanitarian workers are finding it difficult to reach all of those in need due to security concerns.

It said the situation in Osh has improved with many small shops and banks opening up, with traffic in circulation and with farmers from neighbouring provinces bringing in products. However, food, shelter, non-food items and hygiene kits remain important needs.

A high-level UN delegation visited Osh on Thursday and met with the local authorities, non-governmental organizations and UN agencies.

OCHA said that in Osh, the Interim Government had registered a total of 2,200 tonnes of humanitarian relief, in addition to relief items that had not been registered by the authorities.

The

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

said that amid the mass returns from

Uzbekistan to

Kyrgyzstan, its field officers had been visiting groups of returning refugees and displaced people near Osh and Jalalabad. According to the Kyrgyz authorities, 70,000 refugees have returned so far.

UNHCR said that both refugees and internally displaced persons had expressed mixed feelings about going back; although they wanted to be reunited with their families, many were worried for their safety and about going back to destroyed, damaged or looted homes.

Asked about reports that some of the people returning to Kyrgyzstan claim to have been forced back, the Spokesperson said that UNHCR is not in a position to monitor the returns but is verifying the voluntary nature of these returns on the Kyrgyz side of the border.

He said that UNHCR appreciates the efforts of both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to find a resolution to the current crisis and to address the needs of people who have been forcibly displaced.

Nesirky emphasised that it is essential that, where people are returning, they are able to do so safely, voluntarily and in a sustainable manner. We also urge that returns should happen foremost to areas that humanitarian agencies have access to.

Asked about an acceptable turnout level for the Kyrgyzstan referendum, the Spokesperson said that was a matter for the Kyrgyz authorities. He said that the United Nations had made clear that it wants the process to be as inclusive as possible.

SECRETARY-GENERAL REMAINS HOPEFUL FOR POSITIVE RESPONSE TO INQUIRY PROPOSAL

Asked about the

Secretary-Generals proposal for an international investigation into the 31 May incident involving a flotilla headed for

Gaza, the Spokesperson said that the proposal remains on the table and the Secretary-General looks forward to a swift and positive response from the Israelis. He noted that, under that proposal, Turkish and Israeli involvement would be critical.

In response to a question, the Spokesperson said that it was encouraging that there has been a shift in Israels approach on the question of goods going into Gaza, but added that it was crucial to see how that shift would be implemented.

Asked about ships intended to carry aid into Gaza, he noted that the Quartet, in its recent

statement, urged all those wishing to deliver goods to do so through established channels. The Quartet emphasized that there is no need for unnecessary confrontations.

Nesirky added that it was important for proximity talks to continue.

SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS STRESSED THAT BURUNDI ELECTORAL CYCLE BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE

Asked about the situation in Burundi prior to elections there, the Spokesperson said that the

Secretary-General stressed during his recent visit to Burundi that it is important that the remainder of the electoral cycle be as inclusive as possible, so that the Burundians conclude this critical phase of peace consolidation smoothly. He added that the

Security Council's recent

Press Statement points in the same direction.

Nesirky said that the Secretary-General is continuing to follow developments closely, through his Executive Representative on the ground,

Charles Petrie, who is working very closely with the African Union, as well as regional partners and all stakeholders in Burundi.

OPENING OF SPECIAL PIRACY COURT IN KENYA WELCOMED

The

UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has

hailed as a major milestone the opening of a new high security courtroom in Mombasa, Kenya, which will hear cases of maritime

piracy and other serious criminal offences. The court was built by the UNODC Counter-Piracy Programme through contributions of donors: Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany and the United States.

Kenya has taken on the largest number of suspected pirates for prosecution in the region 123 to date. The new court in Mombasa is intended to increase trial efficiency in the system and provide a secure, modern environment suitable for piracy cases.

UNODC has been assisting Kenya in bringing pirates to justice by working with police, prosecutors, courts and prison systems within the country. This has had wider benefits for the Kenyan justice system, not just piracy trials.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR ACTION ON ANTI-TORTURE TREATY: Tomorrow is the

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. In a message to mark the occasion, the

Secretary-General says that torture is a crime under international law, and the prohibition of torture is absolute and unambiguous. And yet, torture is still practiced or tolerated by many States, and impunity persists for the perpetrators. He calls for all States to ratify the relevant

UN conventions against torture and to implement them.

LABORATORY SET UP IN COTE DIVOIRE TO HELP IMPROVE MONITORING OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: The

UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has

helped set up a new laboratory in the Ivorian port city of Abidjan to improve the monitoring of hazardous materials. The laboratory is part of a UNEP-backed project that aims to prevent a repeat of a notorious incident in which thousands of people were sickened by toxic waste. The laboratory, which has been handed over to

Cote dIvoires environment ministry, is equipped to test for waste in ships entering the port.

NO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF U.N. PERSONNEL IN AFGHANISTAN: Asked whether the United Nations was reducing its personnel in

Afghanistan, the Spokesperson said it was not. Rather, he said, some UN administrative staff might be moved to other countries where they can do their work, freeing up secure accommodation for other staff to use. The overall numbers of staff are to remain broadly the same.

ADVISORY PANEL TO DECIDE ON WHETHER TO VISIT SRI LANKA: Asked whether it was unfortunate that

Sri Lanka said it would deny visas for the Panel of Experts to enter that country, the Spokesperson said that it would be up to the panel to decide whether they need to visit Sri Lanka or not. The Advisory Panel is not required to make visits to Sri Lanka, Nesirky said, adding that the Panel is not a fact-finding or investigative body.

UNITED NATIONS WORKING HARD TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY:

Asked about the effort to have a unified gender entity at the United Nations, the Spokesperson said that gender empowerment and gender equality were a major priority for the United Nations, and the

Secretary-General and

Deputy Secretary-General were working hard to promote the idea of such an entity.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS[1]

28 June 2 July

Saturday, 26 June

Today and tomorrow, the Secretary-General will be in Toronto to attend the summit of the Group of 20 leaders.

Today is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

Today is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

Monday, 28 June

The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet on the issue of judges for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; a briefing from the 1737 Committee; consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force and a briefing and consultations on the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic.

At 11:00 a.m., at the North Lawn Building stakeout position, Andrew Mitchell MP, Development Minister of the United Kingdom, will speak to correspondents following his remarks at the 2010 ECOSOC High-Level Segment.

At 12:30 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, the Academy Award-winning actress and founder of the non-profit organization the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Geena Davis, will speak to journalists following the opening of the 2010 ECOSOC High-Level Segment.

Tuesday, 29 June

The Secretary-General will arrive in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to attend the countrys 50th anniversary of the independence, which takes place on 30 June.

The UN Security Council will hold an open debate on justice and the rule of law.

At 11:00 a.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, Jomo Kwame Sundaram, and the Director of the Development Policy and Analysis Division, Rob Vos, will hold a press conference on the launch of the annual World Economic and Social Survey 2010. The theme of this year's report is "Retooling Global Development." The report notes that recent global crises have exposed systemic weaknesses which the international community continues to explore ways to overcome.

At 1:00 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, there will be a press conference by the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) entitled Women Empowerment through Sport: Civil Society serving Gender Equality and the MDGs. Participants include: Amir Dossal, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships; Anita L. DeFrantz, Chairperson of the International Olympic Committee (IOC); and Charles Moore, former Olympian and Governor of the National Art Museum of Sport and Executive Director of the Centre for Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.

At 2:30 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, there will be a press conference with Paavo Väyrynen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland, in conjunction with the ECOSOC High-Level segment (28 June - 2 July).

Wednesday, 30 June

The UN Security Council will hold a meeting on Afghanistan.

At 4:00 p.m. at the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, there will be the UNTV debate on Women's Empowerment, Development Cooperation and Culture, moderated by Daljit Dhaliwal, as part of the UN 21st Century Television Series. The speakers will include Thoraya Obaid of the UN Population Fund; Irina Bokova of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; Kavita Ramdas of the Global Fund for Women; and Kwame Anthony Appiah of Princeton University. This is an event organized by DESA, DPI, UNFPA and UNESCO on the occasion of the High-level Segment and the International Year for the Rapprochement de Cultures (http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/tvdebate/).

Thursday, 1 July

The Secretary-General will be in Libreville, Gabon, for an official visit.

At 12:00 p.m., the Under-Secretary-General for Management, Angela Kane; the UN Ombudsman, John Barkat; and the Executive Director of the Office for the Administration of Justice, Andrei Terekhov, will be the guests at the Noon Briefing. They will discuss the United Nations new system of administration of justice.

Nigeria will assume the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of July.

Friday, 2 July

The Secretary-General will return to New York.

At 12:30 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, H.E. Mrs. U. Joy Ogwu, Permanent Representative of Nigeria and President of the Security Council for the month of July 2010, will hold a press conference on the programme of work for the month of July.

At 1:15 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, Hamidon Ali, President of ECOSOC, will hold a press conference in conjunction with the closing of the 2010 ECOSOC High-Level Segment.

[1]This document is for planning purposes only and is current as of DATE \@ "HH:mm" 14:36 DATE \@ "dddd, dd MMMM, yyyy" Friday, 25 June, 2010.

Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

United Nations, SA-1B15

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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