United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-09-12

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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

Monday, September 12, 2005

KOFI ANNAN ENCOURAGES SPIRIT OF GIVE AND TAKE AMID

INTENSIVE NEGOTIATIONS ON WORLD SUMMIT DOCUMENT ON U.N. REFORM

Intensive negotiations were held in the

General Assembly over the weekend on the draft outcome document for the

summit, and they are still continuing.

Progress was made in the areas of development, terrorism and management reform. Differences still exist in other areas, especially the section on disarmament and non-proliferation.

General Assembly President Jean Ping will submit to Member States later in the day a revised version of his negotiating document for their further consideration.

Ping is scheduled to chair this afternoon the last plenary meeting of the 59th session of the General Assembly.

Due to the ongoing discussions within the General Assembly, the Secretary-General decided to postpone a planned press conference for today. It will likely be rescheduled for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General met this morning with both the incoming and outgoing Presidents of the General Assembly. He intends to meet with them again later this afternoon.

Asked what the Secretary-General is doing to help come out with an outcome document, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has been meeting daily with both the incoming and outgoing Assembly Presidents, discussing the matter today with the chairs of regional groups and speaking by phone with Member States. He has been encouraging all sides to have the necessary spirit of give and take so that the Member States can arrive at a successful outcome document.

Asked whether there is enough time for a successful outcome to be achieved, the Spokesman said that there was a sense of urgency, with the clock ticking. Negotiators, he said, have left this matter perilously late. The Secretary-General was concerned, but he has obviously not given up, the Spokesman said.

Asked whether President Ping would hold a press conference today, the Spokesman said he intended to do so.

LEBANON: ANNAN SUPPORTS EXTENSION OF PROBE

INTO ASSASSINATION OF EX-PRIME MINISTER

The Secretary-General has informed the members of the Security Council, in a letter, that Detlev Mehlis, head of the UN International Independent Investigation Commission dealing with the 14 February Beirut bombing, has asked for a 40-day extension of his teams work.

That extension means the investigators mandate would last until 25 October.

The Secretary-General told the Security Council it is his intention to grant that extension.

Mehlis, meanwhile, arrived in Syria today, to continue the investigation into the bombing that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Asked about the work done by Special Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, it was later noted he was holding discussions with concerned Member States about the implementation of

Resolution 1559.

LIBERIANS MAKING STEADY PROGRESS TOWARDS ELECTIONS

The

Security Council held consultations this morning on

Liberia, on which members were briefed by the Secretary-Generals Special Representative, Alan Doss.

Doss presented to Council members the Secretary-Generals recent

report on Liberia, which says that Liberians have made steady progress in preparing for the October national elections.

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The report adds that the re-integration of ex-combatants, vital to heading off an increase in crime, is facing a funding shortfall.

SUDAN: ATTACKS ON TRUCKS CARRYING HUMANITARIAN AID CONTINUE

The UN Mission in

Sudan, in an update on the security situation in Darfur, reports continuous armed attacks on commercial trucks and trucks carrying humanitarian relief food items.

The Mission also reports clashes between rebel and Sudanese Armed Forces in South Darfur. And it cites reports reaching the African Union, which say that a village came under attack this month in West Darfur.

ANNAN TO CHAIR MEETING ON BURUNDIS NEW GOVERNMENT

The Secretary-General and the President of the Republic of Uganda are scheduled to chair a meeting on

Burundi tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to mark the installation of the new government in that country. The new president, Pierre Nkurunziza, will attend, as will Heads of State and Heads of Government from the Great Lakes Region.

The group is expected to establish an international body to coordinate assistance to the new government.

UNICEF SENDS SCHOOL-IN-A-BOX KITS

TO YOUNG HURRICANE KATRINA SURVIVORS

In light of Hurricane Katrina leaving hundreds of thousands of school-age child evacuees without classrooms and school supplies, the

U.S. Fund for the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has begun coordinating the delivery of UNICEF

"School-in-a-Box" kits to several aid partners assisting the displaced population.

Some 235 School-in-a-Box kits have been shipped from UNICEF's global supply hub in Copenhagen, Denmark, and arrived last Friday in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Each kit will supply approximately 80 children with basic supplies for education. A second shipment is expected tomorrow.

Additionally, some 740 Recreation-in-a-Box" kits are also being loaded and shipped for immediate distribution.

PARTNERSHIP ON MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH LAUNCHED

For the first time, the worlds leading maternal, newborn and child health professionals have formally joined forces to step up efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals for child and maternal health.

The new Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health was

launched today in New York and unites developing and donor countries, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and other partners.

Hosted by the World Health Organization in Geneva, the Partnership will work to change the worlds present situation, in which more than half a million women die in pregnancy or childbirth each year, and in which nearly 11 million children die, mostly from preventable causes.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

TIMELINE FOR IRAQS REFERENDUM AND ELECTIONS UP TO IRAQIS: Asked whether Iraqs upcoming referendum and elections, currently scheduled for 15 October and 15 December, should be postponed, the Spokesman said that it is the prerogative of the Iraqi authorities to decide on timing of these events. The United Nations is committed to assisting Iraqi authorities in fulfilling their responsibilities within an agreed timetable.

CYPRUS MIGHT SURFACE DURING WORLD SUMMIT BILATERAL MEETINGS: Asked whether there is enough ground to prepare a new UN effort in

Cyprus, the Spokesman said he had nothing to add to the Secretary-General's known position on Cyprus but he added that Cyprus would come up in bilateral meetings between the Secretary-General and world leaders in the days ahead. He added that he had nothing new to say about the appointment of a new UN representative for Cyprus.

U.N. REPORT OFFERS SOLUTIONS TO FUTURE URBAN NEEDS: According to a new

report out today by the UN Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) in 25 years an extra 3 billion people will need urban housing, water supply sanitation, and other city services. The estimate is contained in the UN-HABITAT report on financing for future homes and shelter. The report concludes that contributions from the public sector will continue to be necessary far into the future.

KIDS HELP PROVIDE CLEAN DRINKING WATER IN MOZAMBIQUE: Although they may not know it, some 40,000 school children in Mozambique will soon be helping to provide clean drinking water to their school and surrounding communities. The

initiative unveiled today by the World Food Programme, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the Dutch logistics company TNT involves a new carousel at the childrens playground. As children spin the carousel while playing, they will now inadvertently pump safe drinking water from a borehole into a tank.

ROUNDTABLE ON SCIENCE AND MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS TO BE HELD:: Tomorrow afternoon, from 2:00 to 5:00 at the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel across the street from UN Headquarters, there will be a roundtable on scaling science and technology to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Invited participants include the presidents of Indonesia, Senegal and the Dominican Republic, the prime minister of Malaysia and Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University.

ANNAN INVITES SUMMIT LEADERS TO SIGN/RATIFY TREATIES: The Secretary-General has invited Heads of State and Government attending the 2005 World Summit to take the opportunity to sign, ratify or accede to key treaties for which the Secretary-General is depositary. This continues an initiative begun at the Millennium Summit in 2000 that has since become an annual treaty event held during the opening of each General Assembly.

**For additional Summit-related events, please visit:

http://www.un.org/summit2005/events_schedule.pdf

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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