United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-09-06

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON

BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, September 6, 2005

KOFI ANNAN WELCOMES DONATIONS TO AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA FUND

In London today, Secretary-General Kofi Annan

told the Replenishment Meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria that the pledges to be made at the meeting will go a long way to ensuring the Fund's long-term sustainability. [Global Fund

announced that international donors pledged a total of $3.7 billion.]

And, he added, they will help to provide hope that we can make major progress in reversing the spread of AIDS and other infectious diseases.

The Secretary-General added that "it is not enough to raise more money. It is equally important to ensure that the money is made to work for the people who need it most" -- which, in turn, requires better coordination among donors. We have copies of that speech upstairs.

He also held bilateral meetings with officials attending the conference, including the senior officials dealing with AIDS for the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Commission.

Yesterday, he had a working luncheon with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, with whom he discussed UN reform and next week's Summit in New York. Other topics at that meeting included developments in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Zimbabwe.

The Secretary-General is expected to return to New York later today.

UNITED NATIONS MOBILIZES TEAMS TO HELP IN HURRICANE KATRINA

On Sunday, a

statement was issued to say that the U.S. Government had accepted the UNs offer of help.

And the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs now

reports that, as a first step, the United Nations has mobilized three inter-agency teams to work on logistics and coordination in conjunction with the United States authorities.

At present, one five-person liaison team is based in the U.S. Agency for International Developments Hurricane Katrina Operations Centre in Arlington, Virginia. The other teams will be deployed to regional coordination centres in Texas and Georgia.

Additional deployments may occur within the next few days, given the United States decision to establish a larger inter-agency assistance hub in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a forward aid distribution centre in Kessla, near New Orleans.

SECRETARY-GENERAL OFFERS TO HELP NEPAL SEARCH FOR PEACE

According to

statement on Nepal issued yesterday, the Secretary-General took note of the appeal addressed to him by a large number of non-governmental and civil society representatives in Nepal, requesting his good offices to help find a peaceful solution to the conflict there.

The Secretary-General made known to all interested parties his availability to help in the search for a solution.

Having learned of the decision by the Communist Party of Nepal to declare a three-month ceasefire, the Secretary-General hoped that all sides would take measures that would lead to peace talks.

VOLCKER REPORT ON UN'S OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME DUE TOMORROW

The Security Council this morning discussed the format of the presentation tomorrow of the report by the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) into the UN

Oil-for-Food Programme.

According to the Security Council presidency, the Council is scheduled to hold an open meeting at 10 a.m. tomorrow during which IIC Chairman Paul Volcker will present the report.

The Secretary-General is scheduled to attend the meeting.

Both Volcker and the Secretary-General are expected to speak in the meeting.

Closed consultations on the report on expected to follow.

The President will provide us with more details following this mornings consultations.

Asked why the report was being presented to the Security Council, the Spokesman said that this was normal, especially given the fact that this was to be Volckers final substantive report. The Spokesman also noted that, since there was a Security Council resolution backing the report, Volcker was working under the Councils authority. Furthermore, the Oil-for Food Programme had been run under the Councils authority as well.

Asked if the Secretary-General had any response to the reports findings, some of which had already been leaked and published by the media, the Spokesman said that the UNs response would come tomorrow, after the report was officially presented. He added that the UN wanted to see the whole report before commenting on it.

Pressed about comments that the Secretary-General had already made to the media on the report, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General had not said anything new; rather, he had simply remarked that he had braced himself for criticism.

In response to a further question, Dujarric said that he expected Volcker to come to UN Headquarters tomorrow morning, as usual, to present the report to the Secretary-General.

Asked if the Secretary-General still intended to serve out the full remainder of his term, the Spokesman said yes.

SECURITY COUNCIL BEEFS UP D.C. CONGO MISSION FOR ELECTIONS

The Security Council held an open meeting this morning on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At that meeting, the Council adopted a resolution in which it called on all Congolese parties to ensure free and fair elections.

Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, it also authorized the temporary increase in strength for the

UN Mission in the DRC. The authorization covers 841 personnel, including up to five formed police units of 125 officers each.

After that meeting, the Council held consultations on the latest quarterly report of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CORE GROUP AND SUBGROUPS DISCUSS SUMMIT

The General Assemblys different sub-groups held intensive consultations over the weekend on the draft outcome document for the summit.

The Core Group on

UN reform ,also met on Saturday to hear progress reports form the sub-groups.

General Assembly President Jean Ping will present to the core group at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon a revised version of the document which reflects the current state of play and which will serve as the basis for further negotiations among Member States.

U.N. ENVOY IN KOSOVO CONCERNED WITH ILLNESS OF PRESIDENT

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Kosovo, Søren Jessen-Petersen issued a statement yesterday, expressing his sadness over the announcement by President Rugova that he was suffering from lung cancer.

He also appealed to the citizens of Kosovo to stay united and to continue their efforts towards a peaceful, stable, democratic, multi-ethnic and prosperous society.

CHERNOBYL DEATH TOLL COULD REACH 4,000

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

said today that up to 4,000 people could eventually die of radiation exposure from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident nearly 20 years ago.

That figure is published in a report by more than 100 scientists, published today by the IAEA, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Development Programme.

The agencies cite several specific recommendations, including focusing assistance on highly contaminated areas, and redesigning programs to help those genuinely in need.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

EDUCATION IS THE WAY OUT OF POVERTY: The

UN Food and Agriculture Organization today said that education is the best way for the rural poor to work their way out of poverty. In a paper to be delivered tomorrow in Addis Ababa at a rural education seminar arranged by FAO and the

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization , FAO

says the illiteracy is what hinders rural development and food security. UNESCO meanwhile is marking international literacy Thursday by

calling on all governments to give renewed attention to literacy programs. Both UN agencies said literacy was the best route to achieving millennium goals.

UNITED NATIONS URGES CAUTION WITH ANTI-MALARIAL DRUGS: The World Health Organization today

urged caution in use and monitoring of newly widespread anti-malarial drugs. The report urges the more than 50 nations who have adopted the WHOs recommendations on multiple drugs, to closely monitor the use of the drugs to measure their effectiveness, and to use them I in conjunction with each other.

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

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