HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY FRED ECKHARD
SPOKESMAN FOR THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL
OF THE UNITED NATIONS
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Thursday,
September 30, 2004
ANNAN CONCERNED ABOUT ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN GAZA STRIP
Secretary-General
Kofi
Annan
is gravely
concerned at the escalation of violence and the rising toll of casualties
on both sides in the Gaza Strip and adjacent Israeli areas in the past 24
hours. He especially mourns the death and injuries of children.
The Secretary-General remains
deeply convinced that there is no military solution to this conflict.
He urges both parties immediately
to cease all forms of violence, to act in strict compliance with their
obligations under the
Road Map and international law and to renew their search for a peaceful
solution to the conflict.
ISRAELI
MILITARY OPERATIONS DISRUPTING U.N. OPERATIONS IN GAZA
The
UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
says that the on-going large scale Israeli military operations in Gaza
have once again severely disrupted the agency’s work.
Due to Israeli-imposed internal
closures in Gaza, UNRWA has been forced to suspend many of its normal
operations. This includes emergency food distribution.
Furthermore, the closures are
also preventing some 750 staff members from returning to their homes.
The Agency has reminded the
Government of Israel of its obligations under international law, including
bilateral agreements with UNRWA.
It once again calls on Israel to
restore the freedom of movement of Agency staff and guarantee their safety at
all times.
HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSIONER BRIEFS SECURITY
COUNCIL;
RECOMMENDS INTERNATIONAL POLICE PRESENCE IN DARFUR, SUDAN
UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Louise Arbour, and the
Secretary-General's
Special
Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Juan Mendez,
will brief on their recent mission to
Sudan. The
Secretary-General accompanied them to the briefing.
The Secretary-General
had recently asked the pair to
visit Darfur to see what can be
done, now and in the future, to provide better protection for the civilians
who are desperately in need of it.
briefed on the general findings of their mission, most importantly the
recommendation that there should be an international police presence in
Darfur, to monitor and assist Sudanese police in their tasks, particularly in
and around camps for displaced persons.
insufficient, but, even when the police presence has substantially increased,
people have no confidence in it. Some IDPs have claimed that they recognized
some police officers as former Janjaweed elements, she said.
international police assistance, Arbour said that, if Sudan does not do so, it
would be up to the Security Council to make any decision that it deems
appropriate.
Government officials, Arbour said those reports were widespread. She said she
hopes to be able to follow up on those reports.
conditions that were conducive to safe and voluntary return. Arbour said that
the camp residents were "trapped in prisons without walls."
individual attacks on a massive scale, which she said were also taking place
now.
Mendez noted that the terms of his mandate are not to qualify whether genocide
has happened or not. He had focused on his mission on the protection of ethnic
groups, saying that "we have not turned a corner" in terms of preventing
genocide.]
At 3:00 p.m., the Council has scheduled a private meeting at which Sudan’s
Foreign Minister Mustafa, Osman Ismail, is scheduled to brief.
ANNAN PLEASED WITH CONSTRUCTIVE
DISCUSSIONS ON MYANMAR
The
Secretary-General convened a high-level informal consultation on Myanmar,
which was attended by senior representatives of a dozen Member States, as well
as representatives from the
United Nations Development Programme and the
World Bank.
In a
statement issued following the
Wednesday afternoon
discussions, the
Secretary-General expressed his pleasure at the constructive discussions,
which strengthened the sense of common purpose on how to assist Myanmar in
making its process of democratic transition more inclusive and sustainable.
The
Secretary-General hopes that the countries participating in the discussions
would redouble their individual and collective efforts to move the process
forward.
He also urges
the Myanmar authorities to listen to advice given by friendly countries, in
goodwill, and allow his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, to visit the country as
soon as possible.
In comments
made to reporters
after the meeting, the Secretary-General said that the Member States who
participated all have different and complementary roles, and we would use the
individual influence of each country to move the process forward.
He added that the
participants all wanted to see the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
ANNAN
WELCOMES RUSSIAN CABINET’S ENDORSEMENT OF KYOTO PROTOCOL
The
Secretary-General was
pleased to learn today that the Russian cabinet has asked the State Duma
to ratify the 1997
Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change.
He welcomes
this step, since the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, made possible by
Russia’s ratification, will be the essential first step in tackling the
planetary challenge posed by climate change.
He takes this
occasion to remind the entire international community of the need to bring a
greater sense of urgency to this crucial issue of human security and
well-being.
RUSSIA’S ACTION WILL
INVIGORATE CLIMATE TALKS IN DECEMBER
Meanwhile,
Klaus Toepfer, the Executive Director of the
United Nations Environment Programme, has
welcomed Russia’s intent to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as a cause for
celebration as it’s the final step needed to bring the treaty into force.
As of last
week, 125 countries have ratified or acceded to the Protocol, which is part of
the
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
To enter
into force,
55 Parties to the Convention must
ratify the Protocol, including developed countries whose combined 1990
emissions of carbon dioxide exceed 55% of that group’s total.
Russia, with
17% of the emissions, would push the amount beyond the threshold.
While the Russian
parliament still has to approve the ratification, Toepfer said Russia’s action
will breathe new life into the international climate negotiations which resume
in Argentina this December.
As well, he said,
ratification will invigorate research into cleaner fuels, more efficient
energy generation and renewable energies such as wind, solar and wave power.
SECURITY COUNCIL
DISCUSSES UN MISSIONS IN IRAQ, DR CONGO
Earlier today, the Security Council
held closed
consultations on security aspects of the UN Mission in
Iraq.
The other item on
the agenda is the extension of the mandate of the
UN Mission in DR Congo,
which expires tomorrow.
Today is the last day
of the Spanish
Presidency of the
Security Council.
Starting
tomorrow, the United Kingdom
assumes the presidency of the
Security Council for the month of October.
UNICEF CHIEF CALLS FOR
SPEEDY ASSISTANCE FOR HAITI’S STORM VICTIMS
Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of
UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund, is
calling for assistance to the victims of tropical Storm Jeanne.
Wrapping up a
visit to
Haiti she said she was returning to New York to advocate more attention
and support. “After what I saw in Gonaives today, we have to move fast” she
said.
According to
Bellamy, the at-risk population includes 30,000 children under the age of five
and 8,000 women who are pregnant or lactating.
Meanwhile,
the
World Food Programme (WFP) reports that a giant Antonov-124 cargo plane
took off today from the
United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot in Brindisi, Italy, carrying
100 metric tons of High Energy Biscuits for the victims of the floods in
the country’s northwest. The flight is expected to arrive in Port au Prince on
Friday.
“For the most
vulnerable people, these biscuits could mean the difference between life and
death, especially as so many of them no longer have the means to heat and
prepare food," said Guy Gauvreau, WFP’s Country Director in Haiti.
U.N. MISSION IN GUATEMALA
ISSUES LAST REPORT BEFORE CLOSURE
The report
of the UN Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) has been issued. The
Mission is slated to close in December 2004 after close to ten years in the
country, and this is its final report on implementation of the 1996 peace
agreements.
The report
indicates impressive accomplishments in Guatemala. Among them: the end of
conflict and state-sponsored human rights violations; the reduction of the
military and the integration of the insurgents into civilian life; peaceful
elections and political debate and the start of key institutional reforms.
Yet, the
report adds, serious problems persist, such as corruption, inequality, racism,
crime and weak rule of law, and their resolution will require the dedication
of all Guatemalans.
The report
indicates that the departure of MINUGUA is neither the end of the peace
process not the end of UN involvement in the country.
The UN
System will continue to work with Guatemala in the building of a more just,
equitable and peaceful society.
ANNAN: GROUP OF 77
PLAY
IMPORTANT ROLE
IN DEVELOPMENT
The
Secretary-General today praised the Group of 77 coalition of developing
countries, which is now celebrating its
40th anniversary.
He said that
the group, which now comprises 132 members, continues to play an important
role in defending and promoting the interests of developing countries.
Addressing
the Group’s Foreign Ministers this morning, the Secretary-General said that
next year will be a significant test of resolve as the
General Assembly holds its first comprehensive review of the
Millennium Declaration.
He told the
Foreign Ministers, “Your engagement in the review process is essential.”
The Group of
77 also today elected Jamaica as its chair for next year, replacing this
year’s chair, Qatar.
FINAL ROUND OF DISARMAMENT PROGRAM
LAUNCHED IN LIBERIA
With the deadline for the disarmament of Liberia’s
warring factions set to expire in just one month, the
UN Mission in Liberia
(UNMIL) yesterday launched the final round of its nation-wide disarmament
program in the provincial city of Harper, Maryland County, about 750
kilometers, southeast of the capital, Monrovia.
Approximately 1,000 combatants of the armed group
Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) in the southeastern counties of
Maryland, Grand Kru and River Gee are expected to turn in their weapons during
this last round.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SOME
20,000 CHILDREN DEMOBILIZED IN
SOUTHERN SUDAN:
UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund,
says that around 20,000
children have been demobilized from the ranks of southern Sudanese rebel
forces since 2001. These developments are contained in an article published in
the journal “Forced Migration Review,” which summarizes a major evaluation of
child demobilization in
Sudan.
FINAL
PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR AFGHAN ELECTIONS:
The UN Mission for
Afghanistan today provided details of the final preparations for the 9
October elections. Right now, some 115,000 polling officials are being trained
in their election day duties, at the roughly 25,000 voting stations that will be
in place throughout the country. Also, some 300 donkeys will be used for the
elections – to deliver voting materials in several Afghan provinces.
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