New Page 1

                                                                                                           
 

           
ARCHIVES

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

                                                                       

BY MARIE OKABE

ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, June 18, 2004

ANNAN TO APPOINT JAN PRONK AS SPECIAL ENVOY FOR SUDAN



In a letter to the


President of the
Security Council,
the Secretary-General
has informed Council members of his intention to appoint Jan Pronk of the
Netherlands, as his Special Representative for the
Sudan.

 

Pronk, a former Minister for Development Cooperation who has also served
in senior UN positions, would also be the head of the peace support
operation that may be authorized by the Security Council at the end of the
conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of
Sudan and the Sudan’s People Liberation Movement, says the letter.

 

A response from the Council President is expected shortly.

 CHAD: RACE AGAINST RAINS TO ASSIST REFUGEES FROM DARFUR,
SUDAN


On Darfur, the

UN
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
says
it has now transported more than 100,000 Sudanese refugees from the border
into camps inside Chad. The movement continued as the rainy season, which
would render the roads impassable, draws nearer.

 

UNHCR also says it now completed its latest airlift into Chad. So far
this year, it has brought in 40 flights from Tanzania, Pakistan, Denmark,
Germany and Gibraltar with over 1,700 metric tons of aid for the refugees in
eastern Chad.

 SECURITY COUNCIL SATISFIED BY PROGRESS MADE IN
GUINEA-BISSAU


The

Security
Council this morning is receiving a
briefing on the situation in Guinea-Bissau from Tuliameni Kalomoh, Assistant
Secretary-General for Political Affairs.

 

Once consultations ended, the Council went into a formal meeting to adopt
a Presidential Statement on Guinea-Bissau. The Security Council, in the

statement,
expressed its satisfaction regarding progress made by national authorities
towards restoring constitutional order, and encourages all parties and the
new government to faithfully adhere to the provisions of the Transition
Charter.

 

In its consultations, the Council received an update from Assistant
Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi on security
conditions in


Afghanistan.

 

Council members will hold their monthly luncheon with the
Secretary-General.



UN REFUGEE AGENCY OFFICE ATTACKED IN AFGHANISTAN


Several rocket-propelled grenades were fired on an office of


UNHCR
in the city of Kandahar, in southern
Afghanistan,
today.

 

The firing caused little, if any, damage and no casualties. The


UN Mission
notes that the attack nevertheless is a matter of grave concern, as an
attack on UN premises. An investigation is ongoing into the attack.

 U.N. NUCLEAR AGENCY DEPLORES IRAN’S LACK OF FULL
COOPERATION


The

Board of
Governors of the
International Atomic Energy
Agency today adopted a
resolution
deploring the fact that, overall,
Iran’s
cooperation with it hasn’t been as "full, timely and proactive" as it should
have been.

 

The resolution underlines that, with the passage of time, it’s becoming
ever more important that Iran work proactively to enable the IAEA to gain a
full understanding of Iran’s enrichment programme by providing all relevant
information.

 

The resolution also calls on Iran to urgently take all necessary steps to
help resolve all of the IAEA’s outstanding questions.

 ANNAN SAYS SOMALI LEADERS SHOW LACK OF VISION AND WILL


The


Secretary-General, in a
report
that is out on the racks today, says that in large parts of Somalia,
politicians, businessmen and faction leaders have charted out armed control
over their fiefdoms. They continue to demonstrate a lack of vision and
political will, he informs the
Security Council
in the report.

 

He says that the active engagement of the Security Council, and the
putting in place of the Arms Embargo Monitoring Group, could help to support
peace and national reconciliation in Somalia. The report also notes the
response by aid agencies to the humanitarian crises in the country.



DR CONGO REFUGEES CONTINUE TO ARRIVE IN BURUNDI


From Burundi,


UNHCR reports that refugees fleeing
from the Democratic
Republic of Congo continue to cross
the border into Burundi, where an estimated 25,000 have already sought
safety since 9 June.

 

The sites where the Congolese refugees are being sheltered are too close
to the border to become permanent. Saturday, UNHCR plans to start moving the
refugees away from the border to transit sites further inland. The
Government of Burundi has agreed in principle to provide additional land
where Congolese refugees could be sheltered and consultations to this end
are underway.



IRAQI REFUGEES CONTINUE TO RETURN HOME


Despite security concerns, refugees continue to return to


Iraq
ahead of the June 30 hand-over of power to the Iraqi Interim Government.

 

While,

UNHCR
is not encouraging Iraqis to return, it is facilitating convoys in
cooperation with the Iraqi authorities for those who wish to go home. To
date the total number of returnees to Iraq has reached 11,500 with most
coming from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

 UN-CIVIL SOCIETY REPORT DUE ON MONDAY


The Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relationships, headed by
former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, will present its
report on the ways the United Nations can build on its links with civil
society next Monday.

 

Deputy Secretary-General


Louise Fréchette
will open a briefing to Member States in Conference Room Four, which will
begin at 10:00 a.m., at which President Cardoso will introduce the panel’s
report.

 

President Cardoso will also be the guest at the noon briefing, when he
and two other panel members – Kumi Naidoo of South Africa and Bagher Asadi
of Iran – will speak about the report.



OLYMPIC TORCH CEREMONY AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS TOMORROW


The Olympic Flame is expected to arrive Saturday at UN Headquarters for a
special ceremony in honor of the Olympic Truce.

 

The Secretary-General will light a cauldron from the flame from the
Olympic Torch in a ceremony that will take place, rain or shine, at 8:30
p.m..

 

Two young people


chosen by
UNICEF,
the UN Children’s Fund, will bring the Olympic Flame to the United Nations.

 OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNCTAD XI EXPECTED TO ADOPT THREE DOCUMENTS TODAY: Today is the last day
of the

11th session
of the UN Conference on
Trade and Development, currently
underway in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Conference was expected today to adopt three
documents. These are: a political declaration, an operational text and an annex
on the partnerships that were created during the Conference.

UNICEF RECEIVES DONATION TO FIGHT FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION:


UNICEF,
the UN Children’s Fund, has
received a 1.8 million euro donation
from the Italian government, aimed at putting an end to female genital
mutilation and cutting. UNICEF says this procedure is still performed on some
two million girls each year – and that to date, there are more than 100 million
women and girls who have suffered some form of it.

ANNAN HAD ARTICULATED MATTER ON PRINCIPLE ON PEACEKEEPER IMMUNITY: In
response to a question on immunities for U.S. peacekeepers, the Spokeswoman
noted that the


Secretary-General on Thursday had
told
reporters that, if a resolution exempting peacekeepers from
International Criminal Court
prosecutions should be adopted by the
Security Council,
it would discredit the Security Council and the United Nations. She said he was
articulating a matter of principle on that issue.

 



THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Saturday, June 19

At 8:30 p.m., the Olympic Torch is to make its way to the United Nations, for
a special ceremony in honor of the Olympic Truce. The Secretary-General and the
President of the General Assembly will speak at the event.

Sunday, June 20

The Security Council mission to West Africa led by Ambassador Emyr Jones
Parry of the United Kingdom is expected to depart on a mission from June
20-29. The mission is expected to include visits to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote
d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea Bissau and Nigeria.

World Refugee Day

will be observed
around the world, including a ceremony in Barcelona, Spain, featuring UN High
Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubbers and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina
Jolie.

Monday, June 21

The report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relationships
will be launched, in a meeting opened by the Deputy Secretary-General. The Chair
of the Panel, former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and other
panel members will speak to the press at noon.

The Secretary-General will open a seminar on "Confronting Anti-Semitism:
Education for Tolerance and Understanding," which is part of a series of events
to promote respect and understanding among peoples. Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel
will give the keynote address to the daylong seminar, which takes place in
Conference Room One.

Tuesday, June 22

The Security Council has scheduled an open debate on the role of civil
society in post-conflict peace-building. The Secretary-General expects to
address that meeting.

At 11:00 a.m., Professor John Ruggie of Harvard University will give a press
conference on the upcoming Global Compact Leaders’ Summit.

Wednesday, June 23

The Security Council has scheduled an open briefing, followed by
consultations, on the Middle East.

The Secretary-General will address the 100th commencement of Stuyvesant High
School.

Thursday, June 24

The Secretary-General will address the Global Compact Leaders’ Summit, which
will take place at UN Headquarters and will bring together representatives from
governments, business and civil society to take stock of the Global Compact and
chart its future course.

The Security Council will meet with countries that contribute troops to the
UN Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights.

At 10:00 a.m., Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mario Baccini, and the
Director-General of the International Labour Organization, Juan Somavia, will
hold a press conference to discuss the Global Compact.

At 2:00 p.m., the President-elect of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernández
Reyna, will speak to the press.

Friday, June 25

The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the UN Disengagement
Observer Force (UNDOF).

Today is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Trafficking. The World
Drug Report for 2004 will be launched at the noon briefing.

  

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

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

 



Back to the Spokesman's Page

Secretary-General

Schedule

Resources