United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-09-27

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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

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

LEBANESE ARMY HELICOPTER LANDS IN SOUTH LEBANESE CITY

FOR FIRST TIME IN DECADES

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reports that a Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) helicopter landed in Naqoura yesterday, for the first time since the establishment of UNIFIL. The helicopter had carried the Lebanese delegation for a meeting with the UNIFIL Force Commander.

UNIFIL reports that, since 14 August, when the cessation of hostilities went into effect, UNIFIL has cleared thousands of meters of roads, distributed more than 1.7 million litres of water, and provided medical and dental treatment to over 3,000 civilians in South Lebanon. UNIFIL de-mining teams, most of them from the Chinese Battalion, have collected and destroyed approximately 3,500 unexploded ordnances.

Asked whether the United Nations would share a report on the death of four military observers in Lebanon, the Spokesman noted that the report put out by the UN Board of Inquiry, under the standard policy of such Boards, would not be released. The report would be shared with the countries concerned. Dujarric added that the United Nations intends to make some of the reports conclusions available, likely before the end of this week.

Asked about efforts to release the Israeli and Lebanese prisoners, the Spokesman recalled that the Secretary-General had appointed a facilitator, who continues to work under the radar screen.

DARFUR, SUDAN: LACK OF GOVERNMENT CONSENT SHOULD

NOT PREVENT U.N.S DEPLOYMENT PREPARATIONS

Asked whether UN troops cannot deploy in Sudan until the Sudanese Government accepts such deployment, the Spokesman said that it is clear from Security Council

resolution 1706 that Sudanese consent is needed for the United Nations to deploy, and that consent has not yet been received.

However, he said, that ought not stop the United Nations from preparing for an eventual deployment, so that it can move quickly once consent is given.

Asked about specific UN follow-up, Dujarric said that communications with potential troop contributing countries will continue in the weeks ahead, and will try to turn the pledges received so far into firm commitments.

SECURITY COUNCIL IS BRIEFED ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, William Lacey Swing, briefed the Security Council in consultations this morning on the Secretary-Generals latest report on the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

That report recommends that MONUCs mandate be extended for four-and-a-half months to allow for consultations with the government on MONUCs future role.

Prior to the consultations, the Security Council held a meeting with the troop contributors to MONUC.

COUNTRIES INTRODUCE NEW MEASURES TO FIGHT TERRORISM

Available today is the latest report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, and that report is prefaced with a letter to the President of the Security Council from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee on Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities.

In the report, the Sanctions Monitoring Team says that several States have introduced new measures to counter terrorism and that implementation of the relevant Security Council resolution 1267 has proceeded steadily.

TIMOR-LESTE: MEMBERS OF NATIONAL POLICE RETURN TO DUTY

The UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) says that a first group of the countrys national police force is returning to duty this week in Dili under a mentoring scheme being run by the United Nations Police.

Timor Lestes police were relieved of duties following the violence of April and May this year, in which military and police factions were involved.

UNMIT says the return to duty of these 25 police officers is a crucial step in restoring Timorese public authority and ensuring law and order to the streets of Dili and the whole country.

The 25 police officers are taking part in an ongoing screening process that began in early September with a call to registration by the Ministry of Interior.

Approximately 900 Dili-based national police force members have registered for screening a prerequisite to returning to work.

U.N. AGENCY CHIEFS BRIEF UNITED STATES CONGRESS

World Food Programme (WFP) head James Morris and UNICEF chief Ann Veneman briefed the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday in Washington, D.C., on the Ending Child Hunger and Undernutrition Initiative.

The two UN agency heads are working to engage partners throughout the aid world humanitarian organizations, foundations and businesses, as well as governments to eliminate the extreme hunger that still threatens the lives of an estimated 400 million children in the developing world today.

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TAKES UP COUNTRY-SPECIFIC REPORTS

Today the Human Rights Council in Geneva discussed several country reports presented by special rapporteurs namely, on the human rights situations in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Sudan and Belarus.

It also held an interactive discussion on human rights and extreme poverty.

Before concluding its meeting today, the Council considered the report of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

CLAIMS OF HOLOCAUST DENIERS MUST BE REJECTED, ANNAN SAYS

The Secretary-General today sent a message Kiev, Ukraine to the Ceremony and International Forum Commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the Tragedy of Babyn Yar.

Saying that communities under assault must not be left alone to defend themselves, the Secretary-General added that we must reject the false claims of those who say the Holocaust never happened or has been exaggerated.

In that context, he flagged the UNs launch of the

Alliance of Civilizations, as an important addition to the UNs wide-ranging, long-standing work to promote and protect human rights.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN ADDRESSES INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY MEETING: This afternoon, the Secretary-General is addressing the High-Level Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Global Alliance on Information and Communications Technologies. The Alliance is one of his initiatives.

RAINS CUT NUMBER OF KENYANS IN NEED OF FOOD AID: The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that rains have reduced the number of drought-hit Kenyans in need of food aid from 3.5 million to 3 million.But despite that good news, WFP still needs $44 million to continue feeding those still in need for another six months. Among the Kenyans who still require assistance are nomadic herders in the North and Northeast, who lost all their livestock their only assets in the drought.

EX-BOSNIAN SERB LEADER IS SENTENCED TO 27 YEARS: Regarding the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, judges today sentenced a former member of the Bosnian Serb leadership, Momcilo Krajisnik, to 27 years, convicting him of persecutions, extermination, murder, deportation and forced transfer of non-Serb civilians during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

MISS UNIVERSE SPEAKS OF A.I.D.S. AWARENESS: Miss Universe 2006, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, was the United Nations this afternoon to launch the AIDS Awareness Tour, an initiative supported by UNAIDS, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the Give them a Hand Foundation.

INITIATIVE WIDENS ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH: Over 100 of the worlds poorest countries will now be able to access leading food and agriculture journals with the launch of the second phase of the Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA) initiative, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced today. AGORA is a successful public-private partnership between FAO, 37 of the worlds leading universities, research institutes, government ministries and NGOs.