United Nations Daily Highlights, 10-08-05

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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

MARTIN NESIRKY

SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, August 5, 2010

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ATTEND PEACE MEMORIAL CEREMONY IN HIROSHIMA

The

Secretary-General spent what he described as a profoundly moving day in Nagasaki. He has now started his visit to Hiroshima, where he will become the first Secretary-General to attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony, on the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing on Friday.

In Nagasaki on Thursday morning, the Secretary-General toured the Atomic Bomb Museum and met with a number of survivors. He

said his visit to Nagasaki had strengthened his conviction that nuclear weapons must be outlawed, and he urged all nations to support his five-point action plan for nuclear

disarmament and to agree to negotiate a nuclear weapons convention at the earliest possible date.

The Secretary-General and his wife also

laid a wreath at the monument located at ground zero in Nagasaki and

visited a separate memorial for Korean victims.

AN ESTIMATED 4.5 MILLION PEOPLE AFFECTED BY PAKISTAN FLOODING

The

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that it has devised a rough estimate that some 4.5 million people have been affected by the flooding in

Pakistan.

In the north-western districts (called Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) alone, people are finding housing in some 310 collective centres, like schools and mosques, five informal camps and some 100 roadside encampments. OCHA says that about 100,000 homes have been destroyed, and 50,000 damaged, in the north-western districts, while another 25,000 homes have been destroyed and 48,000 damaged in Punjab.

So far, OCHA says, a total of 20,000 tents have been distributed to families in need. Some 700,000 people have been reached with tanker water, while 22,000 families have received food supplies. Meanwhile, the

World Health Organization

warns of a potential outbreak of acute

diarrhoea.

While the local Emergency Relief Fund and the

Central Emergency Response Fund have already made resources available, OCHA is considering what sort of appeal might be appropriate.

OCHA is urging those who want to help to refrain from sending unsolicited and uncoordinated supplies, as this would stretch limited logistics resources. Instead, its recommending that people support reputable, well-established aid agencies that are already on the ground and which can buy goods locally to reach people quickly, with those items they actually need the most.

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS MANDATE OF U.N. MISSION IN IRAQ; BRIEFED ON CENTRAL ASIA

The

Security Council this morning unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the

UN Assistance Mission for Iraq until the end of July 2011.

After that, the Council went into consultations, to hear a briefing by

Miroslav Jenca about the work of the

UN Regional Centre for Central Asia, which he heads. The Council President, Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia, read a press statement appreciating the work of the Regional Centre, after consultations ended.

PARTIES RENEW COMMITMENT TO CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES ACROSS BLUE LINE

Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas, the Force Commander of the

UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), chaired an extraordinary tripartite meeting last night with senior representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). The

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon,

Michael Williams, also attended that meeting.

The meeting specifically addressed the serious situation that developed following the exchange of fire between Lebanese and Israeli forces across the Blue Line in El Adeisse, in southern

Lebanon, on Tuesday. UNIFIL informed the parties that a thorough investigation into the events is underway and presented its preliminary findings.

Following the tripartite meeting, Major-General Asarta said that both the parties renewed their commitment to the cessation of hostilities and to UN Security Council

resolution 1701 (2006). He added that the situation has returned to normal and quiet prevails in UNIFILs area of operations at this time.

U.N. MISSION TAKES NOTE OF NEW ELECTION DATE IN COTE DIVOIRE, CALLS FOR CREDIBLE TIMETABLE

The

UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) says it has taken note of the announcement of a new date for the holding of the countrys presidential election. The Ivorian Government earlier today confirmed October 31 as Election Day, following up on a proposal by the Independent Electoral Commission.

UNOCI, meanwhile, is urging stakeholders in the electoral and reunification processes to set up a credible timetable to deal with planning and other challenges before October 31. In that regard, the Mission says that the next crucial step will be the publication of the final voter list. It also reiterated its availability and readiness to assist with the process.

FLOTILLA PANEL WILL DECIDE ON STEPS TO CARRY OUT MANDATE

Asked about the Panel of Experts looking into the 31 May flotilla incident, the Spokesperson said that the Panel has been tasked with making findings about the facts, circumstances and context of the incident, as well as recommending ways of avoiding similar incidents in the future.

The Panel, Nesirky said, will decide what steps it needs to take to carry out its mandate. He noted that it would meet on 10 August and could determine at that point the work that it needs to do to fulfil its mandate.

He added that the Panel will receive and review copies of the national investigations into the flotilla incident. It will be for the Panel to decide what steps it may need to take in order to obtain clarifications and information from relevant national authorities.

Asked about the members of the Panel, he noted that the Secretary-General had appointed Sir Geoffrey Palmer and President Alvaro Uribe as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Panel, respectively. Other members are to be designated by the Governments of Israel and Turkey, respectively.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. PEACEKEEPERS STEP UP PATROLS IN DARFURS KALMA CAMP: Asked about the situation in the Kalma Camp, in Darfur, the Spokesperson said that the situation remains tense, with sporadic firing heard. The

African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) continues to be engaged at all levels to peacefully resolve the situation and ensure security for internally displaced persons and civilians. In this regard, UNAMID has stepped up patrols and is on high alert.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE ON MONDAY: Asked about the

Secretary-Generals next press conference at UN Headquarters, the Spokesperson confirmed that it would be on Monday, 9 August, at 11:00 a.m.

FINAL RESULTS OF KENYAN ELECTION AWAITED: Asked about the referendum in Kenya, the Spokesperson said that the

Secretary-General was informed of the provisional results and was awaiting the publication of the final results.

INVESTIGATION INTO EVENTS IN KYRGYZSTAN BEING CONSIDERED: Asked about a possible international investigation into the causes of the recent violence in Kyrgyzstan, the Spokesperson said that, in addition to a domestic inquiry, the United Nations has been in touch with regional groups, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, on an inquiry with an international presence, and what role the United Nations would play.

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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