United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-09-12

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN

FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, September 12, 2003

ANNAN URGES ISRAEL NOT TO EXPEL ARAFAT; SECURITY COUNCIL TO MEET

In a statement, Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly urged the Israeli Government to reconsider the Security Cabinets decision in principle to expel President Yasser Arafat. The forcible transfer of President Arafat is dangerous and counterproductive in a situation of tension and instability in the region.

The Secretary-General notes that the trend of developments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in recent weeks has been increasingly grim. He urges both sides to live up to their responsibilities under the Quartets Road Map and to exercise the utmost restraint and statesmanship.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the Middle East at 3:00 p.m.

ANNAN WELCOMES LIFTING OF U.N. SANCTIONS ON LIBYA

The Secretary-General welcomed the adoption today by the Security Council of a resolution lifting sanctions against the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The Council voted to lift UN sanctions on Libya in a resolution that passed by a vote of 13-0, with France and the United States abstaining.

The Secretary-General hopes that this important step, along with the settlement arrangements agreed following many years of intensive negotiations, will help bring some comfort to the families of the victims of the tragic events over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 and Niger in 1989 as the international community strives to bring this tragic chapter to a close.

ANNAN MEETS WITH KEY HUMANITARIAN OFFICIALS ON IRAQ

The Secretary-General today met in Geneva with the principal UN and other humanitarian officials who comprise the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, telling reporters afterwards that they had discussed the situation in Iraq, especially focusing on the continuing but reduced humanitarian operations by UN agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organizations.

He said the Committee had discussed what security measures are needed in Iraq, and added that they had agreed not to abandon the Iraqi people in their time of need. He said, We need to find a way to maximize the contribution we are making to the people of Iraq while minimizing the risk to our staff. He also stressed the importance that humanitarian assistance be seen as independent from political or military processes.

The Secretary-General said he would convey his humanitarian colleagues concerns to the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the Security Council when they meet with him on Saturday to discuss Iraq.

Asked whether he expected an agreement Saturday among the five permanent members on a resolution for Iraq, the Secretary-General said he didnt think the text of a resolution would be discussed at tomorrows meeting. Instead, he said, We are going to discuss the situation and the way forward, and I hope there can be some convergence that will facilitate discussion in New York with the full Council.

Concerning the August 19 attack in Baghdad, he confirmed that the United Nations has done some preliminary investigation, but it is setting up an independent investigation, led by a prominent person and including experienced investigators, to come up with a definitive report.

Asked who would lead that investigation, the Spokesman said that the United Nations was not yet ready to make an announcement about that, although one was expected before long.

U.N. CHIEF OF STAFF SPENDS THREE DAYS IN IRAQ

Iqbal Riza, the Secretary-Generals Chief of Staff, is in Amman, Jordan, today after spending three days in Baghdad meeting with UN local and international staff and assuring them of the Secretary-Generals concern for their security.

In Amman, he was scheduled to visit wounded staff in hospital as well as with other UN staff there who have been evacuated from Iraq.

He arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday, and was briefed by U.S. officials responsible for the security of the UN compound.

On Wednesday, he met with local and international staff working for UN organizations and agencies currently operating in Iraq. He met with staff at all levels, including the senior national staff member of each agency, who kept UN humanitarian operations running during the war when international staff had to be evacuated.

He toured the Canal Hotel bomb blast site and was briefed on the events of August 19. He also went to the separate headquarters buildings occupied by UNICEF and UNDP.

While he was there, he also paid courtesy calls on the U.S. Administrator, L. Paul Bremer, and this months President of the Governing Council, Ahmad Chalabi, before he met with all members of the Governing Council

On Thursday, he talked to people at UN Headquarters, including medical personnel and staff counselors.

Today, he flew to Erbil, where again he met with staff and toured facilities before flying to Amman. He is expected to be back in New York on Tuesday.

SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS ON ETHIOPIA-ERITREA, KOSOVO

In addition to its vote to lift sanctions on Libya, the Security Council this morning voted unanimously on a six-month extension for the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The Security Council then began an open meeting on Kosovo, on which Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi briefed Council members, saying that the period since July has been characterized by a number of violent attacks and shootings, primarily targeting the Kosovo Serb community as well as UN law enforcement authorities.

He noted in particular the killing of two Kosovo Serb youths, and the wounding of four others, in a shooting incident in Gorazdevac on August 13, with no arrests having yet been made in connection with the incident. The violence has further raised feelings of insecurity among Kosovo Serbs, and there have been signs of an increase in inter-ethnic tensions.

Annabi said that a priority at this time is the initiation of a direct dialogue on practical matters of mutual concern between Belgrade and Pristina, and added that the new Special Representative in Kosovo, Harri Holkeri, is actively engaged in pursuing that dialogue.

HUMANITARIAN TEAM HEADS FOR LIBERIAN COASTAL TOWN

The World Food Programme (WFP) relief ship Martin I Majuro steamed out of Monrovia harbor this afternoon, bound for the southern Liberian coastal town of Harper.

On board, an inter-agency UN and international non-governmental organization mission is poised to dock and enter Harper, territory held by forces from the rebel group Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL).

Access to Harper will widen the international net of assistance to Liberias most vulnerable people.

ASSESSMENT TEAM SENT TO BURUNDIS BUBANDA PROVINCE

In response to reports that civilians had fled fighting in Bubanda Province in Burundi, UN humanitarian agencies have sent an assessment team to the area. Based on the assessment, the World Food Programme plans to deliver food assistance to an estimated 15,000 internally displaced persons around the town of Mubimbi early next week.

The UN office in Burundi is also looking into disturbing reports that 17 civilians, including 14 children, were killed near Cibitoke (some 40 km east of Bujumbura) earlier this week.

Humanitarian personnel have limited access to the area due to a high degree of instability.

ANNAN WELCOMES ELECTION OF BOARD FOR ICC VICTIMS FUND

Earlier this morning, the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court, meeting downstairs, elected five eminent persons to the Board of Directors of the International Criminal Courts trust fund for victims.

Those elected today were Queen Rania al-Abdullah of Jordan; former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sánchez; former Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki; former French Health Minister Simone Veil; and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.

The Secretary-General, in a statement, welcomed the Boards election today. The Secretary-General is pleased that five distinguished international figures have been elected to manage the Trust Fund, the success of which will have an important bearing on the success of the Court itself.

DEL PONTE SPEAKS ON SPLITTING OF U.N. PROSECUTORIAL POSTS

In The Hague today, Carla Del Ponte, the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, held a press conference noting that, starting September 15, Hassan Bubacar Jallow will take over from her as Prosecutor for the International Tribunal dealing with Rwanda.

Del Ponte said that the Security Councils decision to split the prosecutorial functions for the two tribunals has saddened her, but she added, I am also confident that what we achieved there with my office in Arusha and Kigali will facilitate the task of my successor.

As for the Yugoslavia Tribunal, she said that she intends to complete all her investigations by 2004 and work to finalize all trials by 2008. To do that, Del Ponte said, all remaining fugitives including Ratko Mladic, Radovan Karadzic and Ante Gotovina must be transferred to the Tribunals custody.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UN ENVOY NOTES IMPROVEMENT IN COTE DIVOIRE: The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Cote dIvoire, Albert Tevoedjre, in a press release issued in Abidjan, announced the improvement in the security situation on the ground in that country.

FOOD SHORTFALLS IN NORTH KOREA PROJECTED: According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, shortfalls of about 110,000 metric tons of food are projected for the next six months, from September through February 2004, in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). This includes about 90,000 metric tons of cereals, in addition to blended food, sugar, pulses and oil.

THOUSANDS RECEIVE AID FOLLOWING U.N. BUNIA DEPLOYMENT: The World Food Programme said that following the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WFP was able to start reaching part of the thousands of persons who had been cut off from all humanitarian aid for many months because of inter-ethnic combat. No one knew exactly how many persons were hiding in the forests, but some of them, encouraged by the recent political developments and an improvement in the security conditions, were returning home.

ANNAN TO NOTE FIRST INTERDEPENDENCE DAY: This afternoon in Philadelphia, members of civil society will gather for the first annual Interdependence Day, to underscore the growing interdependence of the worlds peoples, and the Secretary-General will have a message delivered to mark the occasion, noting that citizens need to think and act globally, so as to influence global decisions.

UNEP RELEASES STUDY ON BIODIVERSITY AND TOURISM: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), together with Conservation International, a U.S.-based international non-profit corporation, today released the most comprehensive study ever focusing on the impacts of tourism on biological diversity.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS Saturday, September 13

In Geneva, the Secretary-General is scheduled to meet with the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the Security Council, and they are to discuss Iraq, from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. A press conference is to follow the meeting.

Monday, September 15

The Security Council is scheduled to hold an open briefing, followed by consultations, on the Middle East, including the question of Palestine, with UN Special Coordinator Terje Roed Larsen briefing the Council.

James Morris, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa, and Jan Egeland, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will meet with key donors to discuss the international response to the UN 2003/04 Regional Consolidated Appeal (CAP) for southern Africa.

At 11:00 a.m., Under-Secretary-General for Public Information Shashi Tharoor will hold a press conference to show public service announcements featuring Messengers of Peace Luciano Pavarotti and Muhammad Ali.

The guests at the noon briefing will be UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy and World Health Organization Director-General Jong-Wook Lee.

In Vienna, the Office of Internal Oversight Services will open an office of its investigations division, which will be marked in a ceremony attended by Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services Dileep Nair.

The World Summit on the Information Societys Third Preparatory Committee will meet in Geneva through September 26, to discuss a Draft Declaration and Action Plan.

At 1:30 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium, Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University will deliver a lecture on Islam and the West, as part of the Secretary-Generals lecture series. The Secretary-General is scheduled to also deliver remarks at the occasion.

Tuesday, September 16

The 58th session of the General Assembly will begin in New York. A new General Assembly President is expected to be elected.

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Liberia, Jacques Klein, will brief the Security Council in an open meeting, followed by consultations. The Council will also meet in the afternoon with troop contributors for the UN Mission in Sierra Leone.

Today is the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

Wednesday, September 17

The Secretary-General is scheduled to deliver remarks at the Dag Hammarskjöld memorial service.

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on Sierra Leone, and it also intends to hold its monthly luncheon with the Secretary-General.

The guests at the noon briefing will be UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy and Adolf Ogi, who will earlier have presented the Secretary-General with the report of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Sport and Development for Peace.

Thursday, September 18

Friday, September 19

The Secretary-General will ring the Peace Bell at a ceremony in the morning, which will also be attended by five UN Messengers of Peace. After that, Nane Annan will lead students to Conference Room 4 for the annual student observance of the International Day of Peace, which will be formally observed on September 21.

At 4:00 p.m., a memorial service is planned in honor of the UN staff who were killed one month ago in Baghdad. Then in the evening, Brazilian musician and Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil will perform a concert in honor of those who died in Baghdad.

The Security Council has scheduled an open meeting on Sierra Leone, followed by consultations on the annual report of the Security Council.