United Nations Daily Highlights, 04-12-06

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN FOR THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, December 6, 2004

AFGHANISTAN: COMPETENT AND DIVERSE CABINET CRITICAL

FOR NATIONAL RECONCILIATION IN AFGHANISTAN

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a

report issued today, says that the year ahead will present many challenges to

Afghanistans political and economic recovery.

For the first time, however, Afghanistan will face these challenges with a directly elected President endowed with a strong popular mandate, the Secretary-General said.

President Hamid Karzai has an opportunity now to select an effective Cabinet that is able to extend government authority throughout the country and deliver basic services, he added. A Cabinet that is both competent and representative of Afghanistans diversity will be critical for advancing national reconciliation, he said.

Many issues, including social indicators and human rights, remain insufficiently addressed, he said.

But he asserts that it is a cause for hope and optimism that Afghans have embraced with such enthusiasm the transition to civilian, democratic rule.

Meanwhile, Lakhdar Brahimi, the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser, arrived in Kabul today to head the UN delegation that will attend Karzai's inauguration tomorrow. During his three-day stay in Kabul, Brahimi will meet with the President and other senior Afghan officials, and will also hold discussions with the head of the

UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Jean Arnault, and UN agency heads.

TOP U.N. OFFICIAL IN COTE DIVOIRE RESIGNS

The

UN Operation in Cote dIvoire has confirmed that the Secretary-Generals Special Representative Albert Tevoedjre has submitted his resignation, in a letter dated November 24.

The Special Representative is expected to stay on the job until the end of January. He is expected to be in New York next week for consultations in the Security Council on Cote dIvoire, which are scheduled for Monday.

Asked why Tevoedjre was resigning, the Spokesman said that the Special Representative was 75-years-old and felt hes made a good effort, but its time for him to move on. Teveodjre will stay until a replacement can be found, Eckhard added.

In Cote d'Ivoire, the Deputy Secretary-General for Cote dIvoire, Alan Doss, traveled to Bouake yesterday along with visiting South African President Thabo Mbeki, in a bid to revive the peace process. Doss took part in a close-door meeting Mbeki held with the Secretary-General of the Mouvement Patriotique de Côte dIvoire, Guillaume Soro.

The general situation is reported to be calm in Abidjan and throughout the country, and UN peacekeepers are conducting their normal patrols.

U.N. PEACEKEEPERS SHOT IN DR CONGO

Peacekeepers from the

UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) carried out a police operation yesterday to disarm an armed group in the Ituri region. The operation was carried out as part of the Missions role in protecting civilians.

Its aim was to investigate allegations that the militia belonging to the Armed Forces of the Congolese People, known by its French acronym FAPC had executed a number of civilians, as well as child members of the militia, who had attempted to flee.

Two UN peacekeepers and a civilian were wounded during the operation, and two militia fighters were killed. A number of militia members, along with their families, escaped into the bush.

U.N. ENVOY DISCUSSES ELECTIONS, SECURITY WITH IRAQI OFFICIALS

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Iraq, Ashraf Qazi held separate talks in Baghdad yesterday with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh and Minister of Defense Hazem Sha'lan.

The talks tackled progress in the political process, as well as preparations for Iraq's national elections, scheduled for Jan. 30.

Qazi and the two ministers also discussed the security situation in Iraq and efforts to improve it ahead of the elections.

Qazi, who is continuing contacts with Iraqi officials and political activists, also met with civil society groups for discussions on how the UN can further contribute to advancing the political process in the country.

Asked about recent comments made by Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi on the difficulty of holding Iraqi elections, the Spokesman said that Brahimi was speaking in his personal capacity and not on the Secretary-Generals behalf.

Asked whether Qazi had determined that the situation was sufficiently stable to hold elections, the Spokesman said that the matter was not one for the United Nations to decide; rather, it is up to the Iraqis to determine whether they can hold elections or not.

Asked whether Iraq would return to its previous status as an occupied country if elections were not held by January 30, Eckhard said that the Iraqi government would have to decide how to bridge the gap in the Transitional Administrative Law.

Asked how many UN electoral staff were now in Iraq, the Spokesman said that it was roughly 20, with the ceiling remaining at 59 total international staff.

U.N. ENVOY LOOKS AT PROGRESS MADE IN SUDANESE PEACE PROCESS

The Special Representative for

Sudan, Jan Pronk, met today in Naivasha, Kenya, with General Lazarus Sumbeiywo, the chief mediator to the Sudan talks.

They discussed the level of progress made so far by the parties towards achieving a comprehensive peace agreement.

Pronk is also scheduled to meet later today with Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Taha and John Garang of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M). He will be reviewing with them separately the progress achieved so far, and the prospects for meeting the 31 December deadline for concluding a comprehensive peace agreement.

NEWLY ELECTED SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

PREPARE FOR JANUARY 2005

There are no meetings or consultations of the

Security Council scheduled for today.

There is a note from the President of the Security Council out on the racks today, saying that newly elected Council members whose terms will not begin until 1 January have been invited to attend the informal consultations of the whole, as well as both formal and informal meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Council.

The agreement applies, as of December 1, to Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania.

GOVERNMENTS NEED TO DO MORE TO HELP FAMILIES, ANNAN SAYS

Policies and programs must recognize that strong and healthy family structures are essential for human well being, the Secretary-General

told the General Assembly this morning.

He spoke at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the International Year of the Family.

He also said that, although families take many different forms, all confront very serious pressures. So Governments need to do more to help them adapt, thrive, and fulfil their social, cultural and economic roles.

DONORS URGED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO SOMALIA

Over the weekend, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland wrapped up a three-day mission in Somalia.

In Nairobi, Kenya, today, Egeland urged the donor community and the press to pay closer attention to Somalia, where a major humanitarian crisis had been all but forgotten.

With the establishment of a transitional government, he said, Somalia had reached a turning point.

For UN agencies to be effective in their efforts to capitalize on this momentum, they would need a much stronger response to the

2005 Humanitarian Appeal for Somalia, totaling $164 million.

NOT EASY FOR ANNAN TO HEAR DEMANDS FOR RESIGNATION

The Spokesman responded to a question on whether the Secretary-General was in torment over the allegations made against him by saying that he was not; rather, the Secretary-General is focused on his substantive work, most particularly the reform of the United Nations and the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

He said it was not easy for the Secretary-General to hear demands for his resignation from a few politicians and a few media outlets.

But, in response to a question on when the Secretary-General would talk to the press, he said that he expects to give a year-end press conference before the December holidays. He noted that security restrictions had limited his press availability somewhat, but added that the Secretary-General had been giving one-on-one interviews with journalists, as well.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals recent comment to the press that his son, Kojo Annan, had introduced him to some of his friends, the Spokesman said that the point was that casual social encounters naturally take place without being linked to business activities.

The Spokesman said, in response to another question, that he did not want to speculate on why the accusations against the Secretary-General were coming out now, but added that the Secretary-General feels that he has the strong support of the UN Member States.

U.N. ENVOY CONCERNED BY ISRAELI VIOLATIONS OF LEBANESE AIR SPACE

The Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for

Southern Lebanon, Staffan de Mistura, today expressed his deep concern over the numerous Israeli air violations of the Blue Line that occurred yesterday.

A total of 14 overflights were recorded.

De Mistura reiterates the United Nations call on Israel to cease these violations and reminds all parties that one violation cannot justify another.

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP TO EXAMINE ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES IN NEPAL

A

UN human rights working group that deals with enforced or involuntary disappearances today began a field visit to Nepal.

The panel of experts, established by the UN Commission on Human Rights, intends to examine the overall situation regarding enforced disappearances.

During its visit, which is to last until December 14, the group will meet with the King of Nepal and other senior officials.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. DISASTER TEAM ARRIVES IN PHILIPPINES: A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination -- or UNDAC -- team has arrived in the Philippines to help that country cope with the recent floods. The UN Development Program has provided emergency kits for 10,000 families. However, more supplies are still needed, especially since the World Health Organization is warning that malaria outbreaks can be expected in flood-hit areas in the next six to eight weeks.

WHEAT SHIPMENT TO ERITREA WELCOMED: The World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed the arrival of 42,500 metric tons of wheat to help alleviate the suffering of 600,000 Eritreans suffering from drought, as well as an additional 300,000 suffering from the effects of war and its economic Impact. The shipment consists of 38,000 tons of wheat from the European Commission, along with smaller amounts from Ireland, the United States and Japan. Two-thirds of the population is unable to meet daily food needs.

REALISTIC PICTURE OF SHARKS SHOWN WITH NEW FILM: The UN Environment Programme

(UNEP), Jean-Michel Cousteau and 3D Entertainment have joined forces to protect sharks with a

new 3D IMAX Theatre Film, SHARKS 3D, that will have its world premiere screening on 15 December in Las Vegas. Audiences will experience the sharks as they truly are in their natural habitat, not wicked man-eating creatures, but wild, fascinating, and highly endangered animals, UNEP said.

TEA PRODUCTION HIT RECORD HIGH IN 2003: World tea production in 2003 reached 3.15 million tonnes, 75 000 tonnes more than in 2002, largely as a result of favourable weather conditions, according to

a report released by FAO. India accounted for 27.4% of world output, followed by China (24.6%), Sri Lanka (9.75%), and Kenya (9.4%). Production in India reached 857 000 tonnes in 2003, from 829 000 tonnes in the previous year.

NEW IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR SEAFARERS ANNOUNCED: The International Labour Office (ILO)

announced on Friday that the new biometric system for issuing secure identity documents to the world's 1.2 million seafarers is ready for implementation, following successful testing of products that met the challenging requirement of "global interoperability" for such documents. The new system represents a comprehensive response to the need for greater global security while guaranteeing the rights of workers in the global shipping fleet.

STAFF COUNCIL TOLD IT COULD SUBMIT NEW INFORMATION ABOUT CASE INVOLVING SENIOR U.N. OFFICIAL: Asked about a newspaper article in which Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) head Dileep Nair said he had been assured there would not be a re-opening of his case, the Spokesman said that statement ran counter to what he had been told and to what Under-Secretary-General for Management Catherine Bertini told the leadership of the UN Staff Council. Bertini, he said, had asked the Staff Council to submit any information they had, and, if there was fresh information, she would take a fresh look at the allegations.

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

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)

963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article