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United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-12-07

United Nations Daily Highlights Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

ARCHIVES

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, December 7, 2005

UNITED NATIONS REJECTS LATEST ERITREAN DECISION

INVOLVING U.N. OPERATION

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is extremely concerned about yesterdays decision by the Government of Eritrea to request that certain members of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) who are nationals of certain specified Member States should leave the country within ten days.

The Secretary-General wishes to stress that the request contravenes Eritreas obligation under the

UN charter to respect the exclusively international character of United Nations staff. This obligation is a fundamental principle of UN peacekeeping. The request is inconsistent with the authority of the Secretary-General, in whom command of the peacekeeping operation has been vested by the Security Council, as well as with the international responsibilities of the Secretary-General and the staff of the Organization.

In light of the above, the United Nations cannot accede to Eritreas request. Therefore, the Secretary-General expects that the Government of Eritrea will urgently reconsider its decision. This position is being communicated to the Eritrean authorities In the meantime, the Secretariat has informed the Security Council of this development.

The Secretary-General's statement was issued after the Security Council was briefed in consultations today by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean Marie Guéhenno. It also heard comments from the Secretary-General.

The Security Council then met in a formal meeting and adopted a presidential statement on the matter, condemning Eritreas decision and unequivocally demanding that Eritrea immediately reverse that decision without preconditions. It also called Eritreas actions completely unacceptable.

The statements were issued after the Eritrean Government communicated to UNMEE its request for staff from the Mission, from the United States, Canada and Europe, including Russia, to leave the country within 10 days. No reason was given.

Asked whether the Secretary-General intends to ask Eritrea for its reasons for this action, the Spokesman stressed that the most important thing is that Eritreas request is a direct violation of Eritreas obligations under Article 100 of the UN Charter. That article asks all Member States to respect the exclusively international character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General and the staff.

The Spokesman noted that Eritrea has yet to provide a reason for its earlier ban on UN helicopter flights on its side of the Temporary Security Zone and Adjacent Areas. Asked whether the Secretary-General had asked for a reason in that case, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General had asked by letter, and a variety of UN officials have asked at various levels, for a reason ever since that ban was imposed. However, the United Nations has never received a response.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS CYPRUS & IRAQ WEAPONS INSPECTORS

In addition to the briefing under other matters on Eritrea, the Security Council also discussed in its consultations today the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission for Iraq (UNMOVIC).

Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi briefed the Council on Cyprus. Demetrius Perricos, the head of UNMOVIC, briefed the Council on that commissions work.

The Security Council has already received

reports on both of those topics, which are available to the public.

Todays consultations were preceded by a meeting with the countries that contribute troops to the Cyprus mission.

WORLDS RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE INADEQUATE

This morning in Montreal,

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette addressed the High-Level Segment of the 11th

Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change and the 1st Conference of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

In her remarks, she said that, although the evidence for climate change was solid, the worlds response was inadequate.

She also urged all industrialized countries to intensify their efforts to bring greenhouse gas emissions well below 1990 levels, thus paving the way for action in the developing world.

Meanwhile, the year 2005 has witnessed the largest weather or natural disaster-related financial losses ever, according to statistics released at the Conference. Preliminary estimates presented by the Munich Re Foundation, a re-insurance company, put the economic losses at more than $200 billion with insured losses running at more than $70 billion, the UN Environment Programme

reported.

IRAQ: U.N. ENVOY DISMAYED BY ELECTION-RELATED VIOLENCE

Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for

Iraq,

expressed his serious concern at reports of grave election-related violence in the governorates of Dohuk and Erbil yesterday.

Qazi said that these incidents, which have also occurred in other places such as the Shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf, underlined the responsibility of all political leaders to ensure that their supporters and activists exhibit the necessary restraint during the election campaign. This restraint should extend to election speeches and slogans.

Qazi also called on the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) to ensure that no actions are taken that could in any way negatively reflect on the credibility of the electoral process.

D.R. CONGO: U.N. MISSION WELCOMES ARREST OF MILITIA LEADER

The UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has welcomed the arrest of Justin Ngole Dalo, also known as Koliba the leader of the militia known by the French acronym FNI in the Ituri district in the countrys north-east.

Koliba is suspected of having led violent attacks in Ituri earlier this year notably, the slaughter of around one hundred people in the Gobu locality, and of involvement in the ambush that led to the deaths of nine Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the Kafé locality in February.

Koliba was arrested by Congolese military authorities last Friday, and MONUC helped transfer him to the central prison of Makala in the capital Kinshasa.

MONUC says it will provide Congolese authorities with assistance so that Koliba can face the accusations before a court.

Meanwhile, according to humanitarian sources on the ground, some 25,000 civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congos southeastern Katanga province are fleeing their villages after recent fighting between the national army and Mayi-mayi militia warriors. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is actively coordinating and implementing the humanitarian response in the area. It is also working with the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) to bring in basic supplies. The World Food Programme is preparing to send in 109 tons of food.

HAITIAN ELECTORAL CANDIDATES SHOULD SHOW TOLERANCE AND MODERATION

The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) reports that, along with the UN Development Programme and the Transitional Government of Haiti, it

met with Haitian political parties yesterday in order to share with them a strategy document for the sustainable development of

Haiti.

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Haiti, Juan Gabriel Valdes, also asked the parties electoral candidates to show tolerance and moderation during the electoral process and to respect the final decision of the Haitian people.

Valdes also said that the UN Mission and the Haitian National Police are working together, along with electoral observers, in order to minimize the possibility of electoral fraud.

DELEGATES PLEDGE TO USE SPORTS FOR PEACE

Over 400 participants from 70 countries concluded the 2nd Magglingen

Conference on Sport and Development in Switzerland yesterday, resolving to use sport to improve the quality of education and health, eradicate poverty, and foster peace and tolerance.

The event was the culmination of the International

Year of Sport and Physical Education and showcased sport for development and peace initiatives from around the world.

We must use the substantial dynamic generated by the International Year to anchor sport firmly in the global development agenda, said Adolf Ogi, the Secretary-Generals Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

HUMANITARIAN CHIEF WRAPS UP ZIMBABWE TRIP: UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland wrapped up his visit to Zimbabwe earlier today and is now in South Africa, where he held a press conference. Meanwhile, UNAIDS has issued a

press release saying that HIV prevalence has fallen in Zimbabwe over the past five years, and that HIV incidence has also declined.

ANNAN, SECURITY COUNCIL EXCHANGE LETTERS ON CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: The Secretary-General has recommended to the Security Council that the mandate of the UN Peacebuilding Support Office in the Central African Republic be extended from 1 January to 31 December 2006. He

informs the Council of his intention to raise the rank of his representative in that country, General Lamine Cissé, to that of Special Representative, at the Assistant Secretary-General level. Council members have

taken note of the recommendation and the intention.

TRADE REFORM BENEFITS MIGHT NOT REACH POOR FARMERS: The Food and Agriculture Organization today

warned that the benefits of trade reform may not reach the poor unless urgent complementary policies and investments are made. In its annual State of Food and Agriculture

report, the agency says agriculture trade liberalization generally benefits developing countries. But it also notes that some poorer groups can be hurt in the short run. The report contains several recommendations, including educational programs for the poorest farmers.

HEALTH AGENCY HIGHLIGHTS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST MENTALLY DISABLED: For this years International Human Rights Day, which will be observed on 10 December, the World Health Organization (WHO) will be

highlighting human rights violations against people with mental disorders. According to the agency, people with mental disorders face an alarming range of human rights abuses in countries throughout the world; yet there are proven ways to dramatically improve the situation.

POLAND AND SOLOMON ISLANDS PAY U.N. DUES: Checks have arrived from Poland and the Solomon Islands, bringing the list of fully paid-up Member States to 132. Poland paid $8,203,537 and the Solomon Islands paid $17,795.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 100178

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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