United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-09-06

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

ANNAN IS DISMAYED BY ERITREAS EXPULSION OF U.N. STAFF

Secretary-General Kofi Annan is dismayed by the Eritrean Governments decision to expel from Eritrea five UN security personnel.

He is also concerned about the recent arrest of a staff member of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) by the Eritrean authorities, and their refusal to provide access to him and explain the reasons for this arrest.

These actions contravene Eritreas obligations under the UN Charter, the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, and the model status-of-forces-agreement which applies to UNMEEs operations in the country.

The Secretary-General urges the Eritrean authorities to rescind their decision on the UN personnel, release the detained UNMEE staff member, and provide urgent clarification on their actions, while the UN investigates the unsubstantiated allegations.

The Secretary-General expresses his deep concern about the pattern of hostility at the United Nations in Eritrea, and calls on the Government to end its public campaign against UNMEE, and fully cooperate with this important peacekeeping mission and other UN agencies operating in the country.

ANNAN PRAISES TURKEYS DECISION TO JOIN U.N. FORCE IN LEBANON

The Secretary-General today met in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Ahmed Necdet Sezer. In his meetings with the Turkish leaders, he discussed the implementation of Security Council

resolution 1701 and the deployment of Turkish troops to the expanded UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

In a press conference following his meeting with Prime Minister Erdogan, the Secretary-General praised Turkeys decision to join the expanded UNIFIL, saying that its contribution was a sign of international solidarity.

The Secretary-General is now on his way to Madrid, the last stop of his travels to move forward with the implementation of resolution 1701. He plans to meet with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and other senior officials tomorrow before returning to New York.

Asked about an agreement for an international force to come to Lebanons coast and for Israels blockade of Lebanon to be lifted, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has been working the phones to resolve the issue, and hopes to see it resolved within the next day or so. He is extremely hopeful that the blockade will be lifted, the Spokesman said.

Asked about the expansion of UNIFIL, the Spokesman said it was progressing well, with troop levels nearing 3,500. He noted, among others, that Italian forces were moving into Lebanon, while the United Nations was working with Indonesia on moving its forces into the country.

Dujarric said the United Nations hopes to have 5,000 troops in UNIFIL by the middle of this month and that the focus is to try to get as many forces on the ground as soon as possible.

The Spokesman, in response to questions, said he had no new information to convey about the UN facilitator dealing with the issue of Lebanese or Israeli prisoners, or about any progress on the prisoner issue.

LEGAL CHIEF HEADS TO BEIRUT FOR TALKS ON POSSIBLE HARIRI TRIBUNAL

Nicolas Michel, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel, will visit Beirut from today until 8 September.

He will continue ongoing discussions with the Lebanese authorities aimed at the establishment of a tribunal of an international character, pursuant to

Security Council resolution 1664 (2006), to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others.

Also on Lebanon, the World Health Organization (WHO) in findings

released of its recent assessment of health facilities in that country said results show that a quarter of the hospitals and clinics that were examined are not functioning due to physical damage, or a lack of staff or accessibility. WHO also says that water and fuel shortages remain a serious concern. At the same time, demands on the health system are growing, given the number of people injured during the conflict and the fact that people returning to their communities require health care.

Asked about a recent incident in Lebanon in which an intelligence officer was injured and other people killed, the Spokesman said that the United Nations is concerned by the incident and is awaiting further details from the Lebanese authorities. The United Nations is committed to Lebanon's stability and unity in these difficult times for the country and condemns strongly any efforts to undermine it, he said.

The Spokesman added that the United Nations expresses condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and those injured.

Asked when Commissioner Serge Brammertzs next report was due, the Spokesman said it was expected around 29 September.

ARMED MEN FIRE AT AFRICAN UNION PATROLS IN DARFUR, SUDAN

The UN Mission in

Sudan (UNMIS) says that the African Union has reported that one of its patrols, made up of six vehicles, was fired at by armed men, near Kutum in North Darfur, two days ago.

The African Union says that after an exchange of gunfire, the armed men fled when one of their five vehicles was hit, and the African Union patrol returned safely to Kutum.

In Nyala in South Darfur, 10,000 demonstrators protested yesterday against the Security Councils

resolution 1706, and a large number of demonstrators threw stones at UN offices, as well as NGO compounds and vehicles.

Asked what the United Nations could do regarding the situation in Darfur, the Spokesman noted that the Security Council has passed resolution 1706, and the United Nations is working with the Council and others to help implement it.

The Secretary-General, Dujarric said, was clear in his comments yesterday about Sudans responsibilities to its people and to the international community.

Todays incident, the Spokesman said, was another sign of the insecurity in Darfur.

Asked whether Special Representative for Sudan Jan Pronk was in Darfur, the Spokesman said he was not. He noted that, soon after the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed, Pronk had traveled to Darfur to inform local leaders about what it entailed and the importance of abiding by the agreement; that effort to inform leaders continues.

Asked about the Sudanese proposal to send its own troops into Darfur, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General has been very clear about his concerns about that proposal.

Asked about the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services work with the UN Mission in Sudan, the Spokesman said that the misunderstandings to its work have been cleared and it is proceeding smoothly.

SOMALIA: ANNAN WELCOMES OUTCOME OF LATEST TALKS

A statement was issued yesterday afternoon that said that the Secretary-General welcomed the outcome of the second round of talks held between Somalias Transitional Federal Institutions and the Islamic Courts in Khartoum.

During those talks, both sides signed an accord that commits them to honour previous agreements and to reconstitute the Somali national army and the national police force and work towards reintegration of the forces of the Islamic Courts, the Transitional Federal Government and other armed militias in the country.

The Secretary-General commends the parties for having taken this positive step forward. He encourages the parties to implement what has been agreed upon thus far, and to do everything possible to ensure a conducive environment for the next round of talks, which will take up crucial political, power-sharing and security issues.

HUMANITARIAN CHIEF VISITS INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

AND SEX ABUSE VICTIMS IN D.R. CONGO

Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland traveled today to Katanga, the southernmost province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where he visited a camp for the internally displaced and a demobilization site, and met with representatives from non-governmental organizations working in the area.

Egeland is expected to head tomorrow to Bukavu in South Kivu province, to visit a clinic that specializes in treating victims of sexual violence.

During a meeting yesterday evening in Kinshasa with President Joseph Kabila, Egeland stressed the need to expand humanitarian and development operations in the DRC. He recalled that, so far, $38 million had been allocated to the country from the UNs Central Emergency Response Fund.

He also underscored the need to fight impunity, particularly with regard to the violence that has been inflicted upon the civilian population and the sexual abuse perpetrated against women and children.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN SUPPORTS DIALOGUE ON IRAN: Asked whether the Secretary-General had any comment on a proposal made by Irans President to debate the U.S. President at the General Assembly, the Spokesman declined specific comment. He noted, however, that the Secretary-General continues to support having a dialogue between the three European Union nations and three other Security Council permanent members and Iran, regarding the nuclear issue.

HEALTH AGENCY CONSIDERS SUCCESSORS TO LATE DIRECTOR-GENERAL: The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a

press release listing the proposals for nominations for the post of Director-General of the agency. In a special session on 9 November, the World Health Assembly will consider the Board's nomination and appoint a Director-General, WHO says. Former Director-General Lee Jong-wook died suddenly in May, two years before the end of his five-year term.

NEW DEADLY TUBERCULOSIS STRAIN A CAUSE FOR CONCERN: The World Health Organization (WHO) has

expressed concern over the emergence of virulent drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) and is calling for measures to be strengthened and implemented to prevent the global spread of the deadly strains. Tomorrow, WHO will join other TB experts at a two-day meeting in South Africa to discuss the necessary response to the new threat, particularly in Africa.