United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-09-02

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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 STEPHANE DUJARRIC

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, September 2, 2004

SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD SUDANESE GOVERNMENT

HAS NOT STOPPED MILITIA ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS

The Security Council began today with an open briefing by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, on the Secretary-Generals report on Sudan. The meeting was followed by closed consultations on the report.

In his briefing, Pronk noted progress made by the Sudanese government in ten areas, but flagged two key areas in which the government has not met its commitments.

First, he said, the government has not been able to stop attacks by militias against civilians nor disarm these militias.

Second, he said, no concrete steps have been taken to bring to justice or even identify any of the militia leaders or perpetrators of these attacks, allowing violations of human rights to continue in a climate of impunity.

Citing continued insecurity and the responsibility of the Government to protect its people against attacks and violations of human rights the essential message of Resolution 1556 Pronk urged the Government, if it is unable to fully protect its citizens itself, to seek, request and accept assistance from the international community.

Referring the Secretary-Generals report, he said an expanded African Union mission in Darfur offers a way towards this end: independent from the parties, widespread, neutral, efficient, reliably backed with logistics and resources supplied by the international community.

Urging a political settlement leading towards sustainable peace, he appealed to the parties to stay at the negotiation table even when they feel frustrated or provoked.

Finally, he said that the Darfur crisis cannot be seen in isolation from the search for a comprehensive solution in Sudan. Pronk concluded by saying, we need a lot of attention, a lot of talking, a lot of pressure and a lot of resources.

SUDAN

PEACE TALKS IN

ABUJA

PROGRESSING

In Abuja, the Sudan peace talks are progressing.

The Government and the two rebel groups reached an agreement yesterday on the draft protocol on the improvement of the humanitarian situation in the Darfur region, prepared by the African Union with the assistance of the United Nations and other partners.

The peace talks are expected to focus next on the security issues.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNED HOSTAGE TAKING IN

RUSSIAN SCHOOL

The Security Council yesterday evening adopted a Presidential Statement condemning in the strongest terms the taking of hostages at a secondary school in the Russian town of Beslan. The Council demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

That statement was adopted following consultations on Wednesday afternoon, chaired by new Council President Juan Antonio Yañez-Barnuevo of Spain, in which Council members agreed on a program of work for this month.

Separately, the United States and France also circulated, and put into blue, a draft resolution on the Middle East, concerning Lebanon and Syria.

Council members were given time to consider that draft text, and the Council intends to hold consultations some time on Thursday afternoon, with a view to a formal meeting to vote on it.

ROLE OF UNITED NATIONS IN

IRAQ

DISCUSSED WITH IRAQI PRESIDENT

Ross Mountain, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Iraq, met this morning with Sheikh Ghazi Al Yawer, Interim President of Iraq.

They discussed the UN role in the electoral, political, humanitarian and reconstruction sectors. The discussions also focused on the security situation in the country.

The President said he looked forward to more of a UN role in his country as UN support is essential for the ongoing Iraqi transitional process.

Mountain stressed the UNs commitment to assist the Iraqi people not only in the political process but also through the provision of humanitarian and reconstruction support.

U.N. MISSION

IN

GUATEMALA CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO SQUATTER VIOLENCE

The UN Verification Mission in Guatemala, MINUGUA, has called on authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the violence surrounding the eviction of squatters from a farm in southern Guatemala on Tuesday.

MINUGUA calls for the investigation to look into the alleged kidnapping and disappearance of a peasant farmer in the same area a year ago, as well as into human rights abuses which took place during this weeks eviction.

The Mission urges rural workers, landowners and the Guatemalan authorities to refrain from inflammatory statements and to focus on the promotion of a rural development policy.

DISARMAMENT PROCESS IN LIBERIA

TO END IN OCTOBER

The head of the UN Mission in Liberia, Jacques Klein, yesterday announced plans to conclude the disarmament of Liberian ex-combatants at the end of October, giving the remaining fighters two more months to give up their arms.

Klein said the leaders of Liberias three warring factions would then come together on 1 November to announce formally the end of the disarmament exercise, and anyone found with weapons after 30 October would be prosecuted for illegal possession of weapons under Liberian law.

UNITED NATIONS HOSTED MORE THAN 400 YOUNG REPUBLICANS

Asked whether the United Nations was being scape-goated by some speakers at the Republican National Convention, the Spokesman declined to comment on speeches made at a political convention during an election year.

However, he said, on Wednesday, the United Nations hosted more than 400 young Republicans who came for a tour of the United Nations and spoke to senior UN officials. The atmosphere, he added, could not have been any better, and the young Republicans were well informed about the UNs work and key issues on the UN agenda.

Also, he added, other Republicans have toured the United Nations, as part of the UN effort, along with the UN Foundation, to reach out to convention participants.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had met with any of the conventioneers, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General was on annual leave.

Asked whether the Secretary-General had met recently with U.S. Senator John Kerry, the Spokesman said he had not.

ANNAN SADDENED BY DEATH OF AMBASSADOR ABDULLAH SALEH AL-ASHTAL

In a statement released yesterday afternoon through his Spokesman, the Secretary-General said he as saddened to learn of the death of Ambassador Abdullah Saleh Al-Ashtal, who served as Yemen's Permanent Representative to the United Nations for almost 30 years.

The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the family of Ambassador Al-Ashtal, as well as to the Government of Yemen.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. ENVOY WELCOMES ELECTORAL COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS IN BURUNDI: The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Burundi, Carolyn McAskie, yesterday welcomed the appointment of the five members of the Independent National Electoral Commission that will organize the countrys elections

MORE FUNDS NEEDED TO SUPPORT DROUGHT-AFFECTED PEOPLE IN

SOMALIA: The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Somalia has appealed for more funds to support drought-affected people there. According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization, up to a million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance throughout the country including more than 600,000 who are directly affected by the current drought. Authorities in both the self-declared Republic

of Somaliland

and the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland have declared an emergency in their northern territories

and have requested international assistance.

The drought, going on for four years there, has been the worst since 1974.

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY WELCOMES RETURN OF ONE MILLIONTH AFGHAN FROM IRAN: The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, welcomed the news of the one millionth Afghan to return home from Iran as a positive step for Afghanistan. Lubbers said, Behind this figure of one million returns from Iran, there are one million individual stories, one million people who made the choice to go back, and are now rebuilding not just their own lives, but also their homeland.

REGISTRAR TO APPOINT COUNSEL FOR SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC: The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia today instructed its registrar to appoint counsel for Slobodan Milosevic. It said that the registrar should try first to secure the appointment of British attorneys Steven Kay and Gillian Higgins. It is open to Milosevic, the court added, to invite the trial chamber to consider a reasonable request to be permitted to instruct his own counsel.

NEXT TWO MONTHS WILL BE EXTREMELY CRUCIAL FOR LOCUST OUTBREAK IN WEST AFRICA:The next two months will be extremely crucial" in the battle to control the desert locust outbreak in west Africa, according to Dr Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He said that to make a real impact, help must arrive this month in order to disrupt the next locust breeding cycle in October otherwise the infestation could spread to even more countries in Africa. FAO has called on international donors for $100 million to help fight the pest so far, it has received pledges for $37 million.

OUTCOME OF U.N. DISABILITY MEETING TO BE PRESENTED FRIDAY: Ad Hoc Committee Chairman Ambassador Luis Gallegos and Committee Coordinator Ambassador Don MacKay will illustrate the outcome of the fourth session of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Convention to promote the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162 -

press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

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