ARCHIVES
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARTIN NESIRKY, SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
FRIDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2011
FINLAND DESIGNATED AS HOST OF CONFERENCE ON
NUCLEAR WEAPONS FREE ZONE IN MIDDLE EAST
- In
accordance with the practical steps endorsed by the Parties to the 2010 Review Conference of
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the
Secretary-General and the Governments of the Russian Federation, the
United Kingdom and the United States, as co-sponsors of the 1995 NPT
Resolution on the Middle East and depositary States of the Treaty, in consultation
with the States of the region, are pleased to announce the appointment of
Mr. Jaakko Laajava,
Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, as
facilitator and the designation of Finland as the host Government for the
2012 Conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear
weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.
SYRIA: HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE
MEASURES TO PROTECT POPULATION
- The
High Commissioner for Human Rights
today expressed
her deep dismay at the worsening human rights situation in Syria,
calling on the international community to take immediate measures to
protect the country’s people.
- Navi Pillay noted that there
has been a devastatingly remorseless toll of human lives, with the number
of people killed since March now having exceeded 3,000. That figure
includes at least 187 children.
- The High
Commissioner said the Government of Syria has manifestly failed to protect
its population, Furthermore, it has ignored the
international community’s calls to cooperate with international
investigations.
- Ms. Pillay said as more members of the military refuse to
attack civilians and change sides, the crisis is
already showing worrying signs of descending into an armed struggle.
- Asked
about the number of deaths in Syria as reported by the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Spokesperson
underscored the Secretary-General's view that violence and bloodshed from
any quarter should be stopped, but we have to be absolutely clear that the
Government of Syria bears a heavy responsibility to ensure that that
bloodshed stops. It is incumbent on the Government of Syria to rein in its
security forces and to stop the bloodshed right now.
U.N. LEGAL COUNCIL TO TRAVEL TO CAMBODIA
- The
Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, the Legal Counsel, Patricia
O'Brien, will be travelling to Phnom
Penh next week for meetings with the Royal
Government of Cambodia and others concerning the Extraordinary Chambers in
the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).
- Ms.
O'Brien's visit follows the resignation on 9 October of international
Co-Investigating Judge Siegfried Blunk. In his letter of resignation, Judge Blunk stated that statements by senior officials of
the Cambodian Government opposing the progress of Cases 003 and 004 before
the ECCC could be used to call into question his ability to withstand
pressure by Government officials and to perform his duties independently,
and that this would call into doubt the integrity of the whole proceedings
in Cases 003 and 004.
- The
United Nations has consistently called upon all persons to refrain from
interfering with the work of the ECCC.
Immediately following the resignation of Judge Blunk,
the Deputy Spokesperson stated that the ECCC must be permitted to proceed
with its work without interference from any entity, including the Royal
Government of Cambodia. He also
reiterated that the United Nations would continue to monitor the situation
closely, including in consultation with the Royal Government of Cambodia. The decision that the Legal Counsel
would visit Phnom Penh
was taken at that time.
- In
addition to concerns with respect to the issue of government interference
in the work of the ECCC, there have also been concerns raised with respect
to other aspects of the Court's work.
It is important that the United Nations talks to senior officials
in the ECCC and others to gain the best possible understanding of these
concerns. These matters will also
be addressed during the Legal Counsel's visit.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME BOOSTING ASSISTANCE IN PAKISTAN
- The
World Food Programme (WFP) has so far
provided life-saving assistance to more than one million people in Pakistan’s
flood-affected Sindh province.
- Together
with its partners, the Programme is boosting its efforts in Sindh, working double shifts to ensure that the food
is being delivered to 2.5 million people in the coming weeks.
- While
the Programme’s funding will allow it to continue its activities until the
end of November, it is calling for additional resources to ensure that it
can carry on its work beyond then.
CYPRUS LEADERS DISCUSS PROPERTY, TERRITORY AND
POWER-SHARING
- The
leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities today held a
lengthy discussion on the property issue, territory and power-sharing.
- Alexander
Downer, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, told reporters
afterwards that the leaders’ meeting was very fruitful.
- Their
next meeting will be on Wednesday, 19 October.
CHIEF OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HEADS TO FRANCE,
CHINA AND MONGOLIA
- United
Nations Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark is in Paris today to
participate in the G20 Finance Ministers meeting on behalf of the
Secretary-General.
- On
Monday, she will be in China
to celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty at an
event in Beijing,
and launch a photo contest sponsored by Xinhua and UNDP to raise
awareness about poverty, and to help improve the lives of the world’s most
vulnerable communities.
- From China she will travel to Mongolia for her first
official visit to that country. In Mongolia, she will co-host an international conference with Prime
Minister Sukhbaataryn Batbold
on managing extractive industries for human development. She will also host an event marking the
50th anniversary of the United Nations in Mongolia.
U.N. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HEAD SAYS COUNTRY NEED TO FIND THEIR OWN GREEN PATH
- Under-Secretary-General
for Economic and Social Affairs, Sha Zukang, just concluded a high-level meeting in Poland on Sharing Green Economy Best
Practices towards Rio + 20.
- He told
participants at the event that countries are at very different levels of
development and that each must have enough policy space to find its own
green path.
- Mr. Sha, who also serves as Secretary-General for Rio+20
conference, will then travel to the Republic of Korea, where he will
participate in several meetings related to that meeting.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SECURITY COUNCIL
EXTENDS MANDATE OF U.N. MISSION
IN HAITI:
The Security Council adopted a resolution this morning to renew the mandate of
the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for
an additional year.
The Council then received its monthly briefing from
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe.
FLOODS IN ASIA
AFFECTING MORE THAN 8 MILLION PEOPLE: The Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that
more than eight million people have been affected by flooding and typhoons in Thailand, Cambodia,
Viet Nam, Laos and the Philippines. So far, Thailand
and Cambodia
have been hit the hardest, and the Office says that the situation could worsen
over the coming days since more rains are predicted for the weekend.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
15 – 21 OCTOBER 2011
(This document is for planning purposes and is subject to change.)
Saturday, 15 October
Today is the International Day of Rural Women.
Sunday, 16 October
Today is World Food Day (Food and Agriculture Organization).
Today, the Secretary-General will begin a visit to Switzerland. His first destination
will be Berne, where he will attend the
inaugural ceremony of the 125th Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary
Union (IPU) and meet with Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the Swiss Confederation, the Swiss
Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee and senior representatives of the Swiss
Federal Administration. He will also visit Geneva, where he will participate in the
Executive Committee Meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE) and stop at the Center for
Humanitarian Dialogue.
Monday, 17 October
Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark will celebrate the Day
at an event in Beijing.
This morning, the Security Council will hold consultations on the United
Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUSCO).
At 12:30 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
press conference with Udo Janz, Director of
the Executive Office of the United Nations Refugee Agency in New York, and John Prendergast, Co-Founder
of the Enough Project.
At 1:15 p.m., there will be an event marking the International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber of
the North Lawn Building (NLB). The Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(DESA) is among the event’s co-organizers.
Tuesday, 18 October
Today, the High-Level Symposium of the United Nations Development Cooperation
Forum (DCF) on “Working together to increase the development impact of aid”
will begin in Luxembourg.
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and ECOSOC President Lazaroud
Kapambwe will speak at the event and take part in a
press conference at 10.a.m. The Symposium will conclude on 19 October.
Today, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark will begin her first official visit to
Mongolia, where she will co-host an international conference with Prime Minister
Sukhbaataryn Batbold on
managing extractive industries for human development. She will also host an
event marking the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in Mongolia.
At 1:15 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a press
conference with human rights experts on the issue of torture. Speakers will
include Claudio Grossman, Chair of the Committee Against Torture; Malcolm
Evans, Chair of the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture; and Juan Mendez,
Special Rapporteur on Torture.
Wednesday, 19 October
This morning, the Security Council will be briefed on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
At 1:15 p.m., there will be a panel discussion on the theme, “Women of African
descent,” in observance of the International Year for People of African
Descent, in Conference Room 7 (NLB). The discussion is being organized by the
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Thursday, 20 October
This morning, the Security Council will hold consultations on the Côte d’Ivoire.
At 10:30 a.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
press conference by Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.
At 11:15 a.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
press conference by Tomas Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
At 12:30 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
press conference by Marzuki Darusman,
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
in the Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea.
At 1:15 p.m., there will be a round table on the theme, “Human Rights in Central Africa: Challenges and opportunities,” in
Conference Room 7 (NLB). It is being organized by the Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights (OHCHR).
At 1:15 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a press
conference by Heiner Bielefeldt,
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
At 2:00 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a press
conference by Richard Falk, Special Rapporteur on the
situation of human rights in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
Friday, 21 October
Today, the Security Council will hold elections.
At 10:30 a.m., in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
press conference on the situation of religious freedom in the Middle
East with His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara
Boutros al-Rahi, Maronite
Patriarch. This event is sponsored by the Holy See Mission.
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, SA-1B15
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
