HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING
BY FRED ECKHARD
SPOKESMAN FOR THE
SECRETARY-GENERAL
OF THE UNITED NATIONS
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday,
October 8, 2004
ANNAN
CONDEMNS BOMB ATTACKS IN TABA, EGYPT
Secretary-General Kofi Annan
condemns in the strongest terms yesterday’s bomb attacks in Taba, Egypt,
that claimed the lives of more than 30 people and injured more than 120. He
extends his condolences to the families of the victims, as well as their
Governments, and sends his best wishes for a speedy recovery to all those
injured.
The
Secretary-General wishes to emphasize yet again that no cause can justify acts
of terror, perpetrated against civilians.
He denounces
the attack against a site that has long been a tangible example of peaceful
coexistence in the
Middle East. He hopes that the perpetrators will be speedily brought to
justice.
SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS RECENT
TERRORIST ATTACKS
FOLLOWING ADOPTION ON NEW COUNTER-TERRORISM RESOLUTION
The
Security Council, in a unanimous
vote of 15-0, adopted
resolution 1566, which "reaffirmed
the central role of the United Nations in the fight against terrorism and the
determination of the Council to stand together in confronting the scourge of
terrorism."
In a press statement read by Security
Council President, U.K. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, members of the Security
Council also "strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in which many lives
were claimed and people injured, including the horrific attacks in Pakistan,
yesterday’s heinous attack in Taba, Egypt, and the murder of a British
civilian in Baghdad.
By adopting resolution 1566 by consensus, the Council has
reaffirmed the central role of the United Nations in the fight against
terrorism and the determination of the Council to stand together in
confronting the scourge of terrorism. The Council urges all States, in
accordance with their obligations under resolution 1373 (2001) and other
relevant Council resolutions, to cooperate actively in their efforts to find
and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors of terrorist
acts.
Members of the Council reaffirmed their view that
terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most
serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of
terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation,
whenever and by whomsoever committed."
ANNAN DELIGHTED WITH NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE AWARD TO WANGARI MAATHAI
The
Secretary-General was
delighted to learn of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 to
Wangari Maathai, which shows that the Nobel Committee shares his view on the
need for a broad vision of human security, in which the connections between
peace, development and responsible stewardship of the environment are clearly
understood.
Renowned and admired throughout
her native Kenya and across Africa for her pioneering struggle against
deforestation and for women’s rights and democracy, Ms. Maathai has also
played an important role at UN conferences such as the Earth Summit, making an
imprint on the global quest for sustainable development.
She has had a long and fruitful
relationship with the United Nations, including membership on various UN
advisory boards and juries.
Selfless and steadfast, Ms.
Maathai has been a champion of the environment, of women, of Africa, and of
anyone concerned about our future security.
As a fellow African, as well as
in his official capacity, the Secretary-General warmly congratulates Ms.
Maathai on this richly earned recognition, and hopes this timely award will
bring new urgency to the causes to which she has devoted her life.
Maathai is
scheduled to be the keynote speaker at
UN Environment Programme's
first ever
Global Women's Assembly on the Environment in Nairobi on Monday morning –
she’ll be speaking on the subject of "A World in Need of Womens' Leadership."
AFGHANS TO VOTE FOR THEIR
PRESIDENT TOMORROW
Tomorrow will
be election day in
Afghanistan, allowing the people of that country to vote for their
president for the first time.
The
UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan says that 4,900 polling stations will
be open in the country’s 34 provinces. More than 122,000 election workers will
be deployed in Afghanistan, supported by some 600 international staff.
In addition,
the Mission says that there will be some 19,000 Afghan election workers
helping to make sure that out-of-country voting takes place among Afghan
refugees in Iran and Pakistan.
The Mission
also noted today that some rockets were fired in eastern
Kabul yesterday evening and early this morning, although no casualties were
reported. Two children were wounded when rockets were fired early this morning
in Jalalabad.
SANCTIONS ON LIBERIA’S
DIAMOND AND TIMBER TO REMAIN;
SECURITY COUNCIL
CONDEMNS USE OF FORCE IN GUINEA BISSAU
The
Security Council, in a
press statement on
Liberia following consultations yesterday morning, concluded that the
conditions for lifting sanctions on diamond and timber were not yet fully
met. Council members noted progress towards meeting the conditions.
In the
afternoon, in another
press statement on Guinea Bissau, Council members of the Council condemned
the use of force to settle differences or address grievances regarding
long-standing problems in the military sector.
They deplored
the loss of life including, in particular, the killing of the Armed Forces
Chief of Staff, and called on all concerned to come to a speedy agreement
consistent with respect for constitutional authority and the rule of law.
SURGE IN VIOLATIONS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTED
IN COTE D’IVOIRE
The
UN
Operation in Côte d’Ivoire
has
expressed its deep concern at the surge of violations of human rights in
that country.
It is
particularly disturbed by the incident that took place at the home of Alassane
Ouattara, President of the Rally for Republicans, in Abidjan on 4 October
2004, during which one of his employees was murdered and three others were
tortured.
The Mission
appeals to the national authorities, primarily responsible for the security of
all citizens, to conduct investigations in order to shed light on this matter.
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
IN DARFUR
COULD CONSTITUTE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY
The special
rapporteur dealing with executions says in a report that she saw strong
indications when she visited Darfur,
Sudan, in June that human rights violations there could constitute crimes
against humanity.
In a report
issued
today, Asma Jahangir says that
there is a compelling need to carry out a comprehensive documentation of
extrajudicial and summary executions in Darfur, in order to bring the
perpetrators to justice.
She also
discusses reports of executions around the world, and emphasizes that the
death penalty must be interpreted in the most restrictive manner possible.
[The Secretary-General yesterday
announced
the establishment of an international commission of inquiry, which would
determine whether or not acts of genocide have occurred in Darfur,
Sudan. The commission is also to investigate reports of violations of
international humanitarian law and human rights law in Darfur.]
AFRICA'S LARGEST IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY
Africa’s largest
ever immunization campaign
began today.
More than one
million
polio vaccinators in 23 African countries are taking part in the campaign,
which aims to immunize 80 million children across
sub-Saharan Africa against polio over just four days.
This effort is a
direct response to an
ongoing polio epidemic in the region.
Those involved in
the campaign are going from house-to-house and village-to-village, to
hand-deliver the vaccine to every child under the age of five years – and
they’re doing it on foot, horseback, bicycle, boat, car or whatever means
possible, often in extreme weather and amid civil unrest.
Health experts say
that if the campaigns reach enough children in the region's hotspots, polio
transmission can be expected to slow significantly by the end of this year,
and even stop completely in some countries.
UNICEF: PACE OF PROGRESS ON REDUCING
CHILD DEATHS IS TOO SLOW
New
country-by-country
data released by
UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund,
reveals alarmingly slow progress on reducing child deaths despite the
availability of proven, low-cost interventions.
UNICEF said
that while 90 countries are on track to meet the target of reducing child
deaths by two-thirds by 2015, 98 countries are considerably off track, and
globally the pace of progress is far too slow.
Child mortality rates vary considerably among regions and countries, but
the most disturbing findings are those countries with rising child mortality
rates.
In several
countries in sub-Saharan
Africa and the
Commonwealth of Independent States, children are less likely to make it to
their fifth birthdays than they were in 1990.
According to
UNICEF’s Executive Director,
Carol Bellamy, “it is incredible that in an age of technological and
medical marvels, child survival is so tenuous in so many places, especially
for the poor and marginalized.” She added: “We can do better than this.”
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
MILLIONS OF
AFRICANS SAVED THROUGH ADDITION OF VITAMINS:
Africa is
fighting back against vitamin and mineral deficiencies – saving millions of
women and children from death and illness through simple, cost effective
strategies such as fortifying staple foods. But millions of children can still
be helped if current strategies and partnerships are extended to reach every
country and every child. That’s one of the key findings of a new report released
today, co-authored by the
World Health Organization and
UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund, among others.
POLAND
EMERGES AS A DONOR COUNTRY:
The
UN Development Programme
reports that the Polish government has pledged to devote 0.1 percent of
Poland’s gross domestic product to development assistance by 2006. In monetary
terms, that means that from $27 million last year, Poland will now raise
development assistance to $230 million within two years. Most of the money will
go towards helping poor African and Asian countries achieve the
Millennium Development Goals. Poland’s emergence as a donor country is a
turn-around – given that for the past decade, it was a recipient of
international economic assistance as it prepared for entry into the European
Union.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE
UNITED NATIONS
Saturday, October
9
The
Secretary-General is travelling to Beijing, where he will make an official visit
to China, including meetings over the coming days with President Hu Jintao and
other senior officials.
The
Presidential elections in Afghanistan will take place.
Sunday, October
10
Monday, October
11
The Security
Council has scheduled consultations on Cyprus and Bougainville.
The guest at
the noon briefing will be Vincent McClean of the Office on Drugs and Crime, who
will present the Myanmar Opium Survey for this year.
From Monday
through Wednesday, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will host the first
Global Women’s Assembly on Environment: Women as the Voice for the Environment
(WAVE) at its headquarters in Nairobi. Professor Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel
Peace Prize Laureate, and Assistant Minister of Environment for Kenya, is
scheduled to speak at the opening session on the subject of "A World in Need of
Women’s Leadership."
Tuesday, October
12
The Security
Council has scheduled an open meeting, followed by consultations, on
Afghanistan.
The guest at
the noon briefing will be Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch of Austria, the
President-designate of the First Review Conference for the 2004 Nairobi Summit
on a Mine-Free World.
Wednesday,
October 13
In the middle
of the week, the Secretary-General will depart China for Ireland, where he will
pay an official visit, including meetings over the coming days with Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern and other senior officials.
At 10:30 a.m.,
there will be a press briefing by Tim Wirth of the UN Foundation.
At 12:30 p.m.,
there will be a briefing by the Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette.
Thursday, October
14
At 11:15 a.m.,
there will be a press conference to mark the International Day of Poverty,
featuring Ambassadors Michael Kafando of Burkina Faso, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere
of France, and other speakers.
Friday, October
15
The General
Assembly is expected to vote on the new Security Council members for the 2005-6
term.
At 3:00 p.m.,
the Anglican UN Office is organizing a press briefing on the Micah Challenge, to
help achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
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
