United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-10-24

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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, October 24, 2005

SECURITY COUNCIL ENDORSES START OF POLITICAL PROCESS

TO DETERMINE KOSOVO'S FUTURE STATUS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan attended an

open meeting in the Security Council on Kosovo. Speaking in that meeting were the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for reviewing the situation in Kosovo, Kai Eide, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative in Kosovo,

Søren Jessen-Petersen, and the Prime Minister of Serbia and Montenegro.

The Security Council was discussing

Kai Eides recent report, which concluded that the time had come to move to the next phase of the political process in Kosovo.

In his remarks to the Council, Søren Jessen-Petersen said that, though its ultimate outcome could not be known, the resolution of Kosovos status could only have a positive effect on the wider region, including on Serbia, in terms of political stabilization.

He also said that, over the coming months, the

UN Mission in Kosovo would focus on six priority areas, namely implementing the internationally-agreed standards for Kosovo, reforming the local government, bolstering Kosovos institutions, restructuring the UN Mission, and maintaining a safe and secure environment for everyone in Kosovo.

The Security Council then held consultations on Kosovo.

[It later issued a presidential statement, which said that it supports the Secretary-General's intention to start a political process to determine Kosovo's Future Status."]

The Secretary-General was asked at a press encounter, following todays Security Council meeting on Kosovo, about his intention to appoint a Special Envoy to deal with status talks there. He said he expected to make an appointment over the course of the week, and that it is likely to be

Martti Ahtisaari, the former Finnish President

SECURITY COUNCIL TO TAKE UP ISSUE OF WESTERN SAHARA TODAY

The Security Council is scheduled to hold a 3:00 p.m. meeting with troop-contributing countries for the UN Mission in Western Sahara.

Following that meeting, the Council has scheduled consultations on Western Sahara.

WORSENING WEATHER COULD HAMPER SOUTH ASIA QUAKE AID EFFORT

Plunging temperatures and sheer desperation are driving earthquake survivors out of their devastated mountain villages into a rising number of camps in northern Pakistan, where the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

says it is rushing supplies to people who have lost their homes.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

says there is a three-week window of opportunity to deliver assistance to quake-hit areas of Pakistan before the first snowfall. In addition, severe weather, with heavy rain, is forecast to hit the are in the next three to four days.

MEHLIS TO BRIEF SECURITY COUNCIL TUESDAY MORNING

The Secretary-General took questions from the press today about

Detlev Mehliss

report on Lebanon, on which he said, We are at the beginning of the process, not the end. The investigation will continue, with the mandate of the Mehlis team extended until 15 December, he noted.

Mehlis will brief the Security Council in an open meeting, followed by consultations, tomorrow morning.

Asked about comments made by the Secretary-General this morning that indicated that he intended to meet with the Syrian Foreign Minister in New York, the Spokesman said that the United Nations had been advised today that the Foreign Minister would not be coming. Because of his participation in the Council meeting, the Secretary-General had not been informed of that change of plans when he made his comments this morning.

Asked whether the Secretary-General might still receive a message from the Syrian Government, Dujarric noted that Syria could send a message through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations if it so chooses.

Asked when the Secretary-Generals report on the implementation of

Resolution 1559 would go to the Security Council, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General said he expected to release it sometime this week. It would not come out on Tuesday, to avoid confusion with the Mehlis report, he added.

The 1559 report, the Spokesman asserted, is the Secretary-Generals report, and he will release it when he is ready with it.

FURTHER RESTRICTIONS FACED BY U.N. PEACEKEEPERS IN ERITREA

The

UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), whose peacekeeping operations are already being hampered by the ban on its helicopter flights, now reports restrictions on its land vehicle movements.

UNMEE reports an increase in restrictions to the freedom of movement of its patrols at the local level during the past two weeks, especially after dusk. In some areas patrols have indeed been warned "to confine their land vehicle movements to the main roads" in the 25-kilometre (16-mile) wide demilitarised buffer zone.

The issue has been taken up at the Sector level and with the Eritrean Commissioner for Coordination with the Peacekeeping Mission. In both instances, officials have denied issuing any official orders to this effect. These restrictions, however, continue.

Asked how significant the most recent restriction was, the Spokesman said that the UN Mission wants to go wherever its patrols feel they need to go. Noting the hard terrain in the area, he said that confining the Mission to main roads hampers its work.

Asked about a letter from the Eritrean President questioning the UNs authority on this issue, the Spokesman noted that the UNs role is set by a Security Council mandate. The United Nations, he added, will continue to seek a response from Eritrea on why it persists in restricting the UN Missions freedom of movement.

U.N. SOLDIER SHOT IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

A Nepalese peacekeeper serving with the

UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was wounded over the weekend during an operation in the northeastern district of Ituri. The peacekeeper was part of a unit made up of more than 30 blue helmets.

They had been sent to Fataki, around 70 kilometres north of the city of Bunia, to search for weapons following reports of militia activity there.

The patrol came under fire while in Fataki's marketplace, and it returned fire it was able to capture one of the attackers, while the other suspected militia members escaped.

During the exchange, the peacekeeper received a gunshot wound to the head.

He was evacuated and is now in Kinshasa where he is in a stable condition.

U.N. MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN REACTS TO JAILING OF REPORTER

The

UN Mission in Afghanistan expressed its concerns today about the case of an Afghan journalist who was sentenced to two years in prison for publishing an article considered by a court to be offensive to Islam.

The Mission, in a statement, said it believes the right to freedom of expression applies to everyone, including journalists, and should be strongly defended.

UNITED NATIONS TO HELP BIRD FLU BATTLE IN INDONESIA

The UN

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today announced that it will assemble a team of experts in Indonesia to help that country start a new phase of the battle against avian flu.

The new team will include national veterinary authorities, ministries, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme, the agency said.

The project is supported by a donation of $1.5 million from the US Agency for International Development.

Asked whether the United Nations may immunize its staff from avian influenza, the Spokesman said that was an issue that the United Nations was exploring, with advice from the World Health Organization.

UNITED NATIONS MARKS 60TH BIRTHDAY

The Secretary-General today marked the 60th birthday of the United Nations, noting that the anniversary is being celebrated around the world by men and women coming together from all walks of life.

He said that celebrating UN Day energizes us and pledged to make the United Nations as effective as it can be. The Secretary-General this morning also honored our fallen colleagues with a wreath-laying ceremony.

In a video message, the Secretary-General said that, if the United Nations is to serve the peoples of the world, it must reflect the new age and respond to its challenges, including epidemics, climate change, terrorism and deadly weapons.

General Assembly President Jan Eliasson participated in this mornings ceremony, where he stated that we need to work with a sense of urgency and common purpose to implement the necessary reforms to make the United Nations an even stronger and more effective actor on the international scene. He told the crowd present that their continued dedication to the Organization was the best birthday gift possible. We have those remarks upstairs

Among the events scheduled to mark the Day, at 6:00 this evening, the Deputy Secretary-General will participate in a ceremony to dedicate the completed restoration of the Peace Window done by Marc Chagall.

Then at 7:00, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a concert at the General Assembly Hall, at which the Secretary-General will speak.

Also, the building will be lit up at night to read UN 60.