HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY FRED ECKHARD
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
 OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Wednesday, 3 November, 2004

ANNAN CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT BUSH ON HIS RE-ELECTION

• The Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, warmly congratulates President Bush on his re-election, and the American people on the impressive demonstration of democracy they have given by turning out in record numbers to participate in yesterday’s election.  
   

• He also congratulates Senator Kerry on his prompt and statesmanlike decision to accept the outcome.
   

• The Secretary-General is committed to continuing to work with President Bush and his administration on the whole range of issues facing the United Nations and the world.
   

• Asked how the election would affect US-UN relations, the Spokesman said that the United Nations and United States have had a solid and productive relationship over the past few years. 
   

• He acknowledged that there had been one fundamental disagreement, over Iraq, but added that the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change was dealing now with the UN Charter issue involved in that disagreement.
   

• Eckhard said that “the Secretary-General looks forward to another productive four years” and expects the United States to take a leadership role in the United Nations that is commensurate with its political and economic importance in the world at large.

ANNAN WELCOMES CERTIFICATION OF AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS

• The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) certifying the results of the 9 October Presidential election in Afghanistan. 
   

• The Secretary-General has noted that the JEMB, after considering the results of the counting, the report of the impartial panel of international electoral experts, and the work of their own complaints and investigations mechanism, declared that President Hamid Karzai, having secured 55.4% of the vote, is the first elected President of Afghanistan. 
   

• The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to extend to President Karzai his sincere congratulations and wishes him well as he addresses the challenges that still remain in Afghanistan's path to lasting peace, stability and economic recovery.  
   

• The Secretary-General wishes to pay tribute to all Presidential candidates and their supporters for their important role in the democratic process.  He also applauds the very active participation of party and candidate agents and domestic and international observers who played an integral role in this first exercise of democratic elections.
   

• The Secretary-General congratulates the people and the Government of Afghanistan, as well as the JEMB, for having conducted a successful and credible election under such difficult circumstances.
   

• The Secretary-General is gratified that the United Nations, especially the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, played a significant role in the conduct of a peaceful and credible electoral process.  He wishes to assure the new Government that it can rely on the assistance of the United Nations to provide continuing support as the political process progresses to consolidate peaceful and secure conditions in Afghanistan.

AFGHAN ELECTION RESULTS NOT “MATERIALLY AFFECTED” BY SHORTCOMINGS

• The declaration on the results of the Presidential election in Afghanistan, by the Joint Electoral Management Body was made after an expert panel, which investigated electoral complaints, verified earlier today that there were shortcomings with the elections, which deserve to be considered to help shape improvements for future elections. 
   

• However, the panel said, the problems that were identified “could not have materially affected the overall result.”

U.N. ENVOY, IRAQI VICE-PRESIDENT REVIEWED PROGRESS ON ELECTIONS

• The role of the United Nations in the rebuilding process in Iraq was at the centre of the talks that the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, held with Iraqi Vice-President Rowsch Shaways in Baghdad earlier today.
   

• Qazi and the Vice-President reviewed progress in preparations for the country's first democratic elections, set to take place towards the end of January, as well as the security situation.  
   

• The two also discussed the reconstruction process in Iraq, with focus on the humanitarian work the UN is carrying out in the country. Vice-President Shaways, a member of the Kurdish Democratic Party, and Qazi also discussed the situation in Kurdistan.
   

• Voter registration continued in centres set up by the Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission across the country.   
   

• The certification process of political entities planning to compete in the elections has also started, as the Commission continued technical preparations for the polls.
   

• The registration process for political entities certification will end on 30 November, while voter registration will last for six weeks starting 1 November.

 ANNAN CONCERNED OVER DETERIORATING SECURITY IN DARFUR, SUDAN

• In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, the Secretary-General is very concerned by the deteriorating situation in Darfur, following the recent kidnapping of 18 hostages by the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), and the mobilization of thousands of Arab militias in areas of West and South Darfur.  
   

• The Secretary-General urged the parties to the conflict to respect the N’Djamena ceasefire in its entirety and reminded the Government of Sudan of its responsibility under international humanitarian law to prevent any attacks against civilians.
   

• The Secretary General was also troubled by reports received Tuesday indicating that, in a pre-dawn operation, the Government of Sudan organized the involuntary relocation of internally displaced persons from Al Geer village, near Nyala in South Darfur. 
   

• He strongly urged the Government to halt immediately all such relocation operations and to facilitate the return of the affected persons from the inappropriate sites to which they have been taken.

 U.N. STAFF TRYING TO HELP INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN DARFUR

• From Sudan, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that UN staff in Nyala, South Darfur, are trying to locate and assist all of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) that had to move after the sudden closing of the Al Geer camp on Tuesday.  
   

• It also reports that the Sudanese authorities appear to have taken no further action to relocate IDPs from Otash camp for the time being.
   

• UN agencies remain very concerned about large numbers of IDPs in West Darfur , after the withdrawal of many UN and non-governmental organization staff members from Zalingei and other areas over the past few days.  Many relief operations have had to be suspended due to the deteriorating security situation there.  
   

• The UN Humanitarian Office has also received reports of relocations of some 300 families of displaced persons from Abu Shouk camp to Korma in North Darfur.  
   

• It appears that no international agencies were consulted on these relocations, which have been ongoing for several days.

 SECURITY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE BRIEFING ON REFORM EFFORTS AT U.N. MISSION IN DR CONGO

• This afternoon, the Security Council will be holding consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi. 
   

• As requested in a resolution a month ago, Council members will be briefed by the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, on steps to reform command and control structures and the management of military information in the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The resolution also requests a report on steps to rationalize the civilian and police components of the Mission .
   

• The Under-Secretary-General will also introduce the report on the massacre which occurred in the Gatumba refugee transit centre in Burundi on 13 August. 
   

• The report, jointly prepared by the UN Missions in the DRC and in Burundi, and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was issued last week.   

 ANNAN MET HEADS OF OTHER FIVE PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN ANNUAL MEETING

• The Secretary-General met the heads of the other five principal organs of the United Nations yesterday, following that annual meeting by hosting a luncheon with the five Presidents. Besides the Secretary-General, the heads of the six principal UN organs are the Presidents of the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the International Court of Justice.
   

• The Secretary-General and the other heads discussed, among other topics, UN reform, preparations for major events in 2005 and the current challenges faced by the United Nations.
   

• They also received a briefing by Stephen Stedman, the research director of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, on the Panel’s work and some of its major findings.
   

• In addition, the Secretary-General met with members of the High-Level Panel this morning, as they hold discussions on their report here in New York .
   

• Asked whether the High-Level Panel had received the views of non-governmental organizations, the Spokesman said the Panel had met during the course of its work with representatives of civil society.

 REPORT RELEASED ON HIGH-LEVEL SUMMIT ON MILLENNIUM DECLARATION

• The Secretary-General’s report to the General Assembly on the format and organization of next year’s high-level summit, which will be held at the start of the 60th General Assembly next year, was released today.
   

• The summit will review the implementation of the Millennium Declaration. This was adopted by the world’s leaders at the Millennium Summit in 2000, and it sets out the aims of a world united by common values, peace and decent living standards for every man, woman and child.
   

• In his report, the Secretary-General also urges Member States to take an active and positive interest in the issues before the summit meeting.

 ANNAN MOURNS DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

• The Secretary-General learned with profound sadness on Tuesday of the death of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, President of the United Arab Emirates.  
   

• Sheikh Zayed al-Nahayan was a most distinguished statesman, who had led the UAE since its formation in 1971.  
   

• He devoted tireless efforts to building the state and nation, and in so doing, earned the respect of the population for his wisdom, his generosity, and his achievements in constructing a prosperous economy. 
   

• Sheikh Zayed’s wisdom, strong belief in diplomacy and generous assistance to developing countries also won him wide renown outside his own country – in the Islamic world and even further afield.  And he was a friend of the United Nations, who sought always to strengthen relations between the Organization and his country.
   

• The Secretary-General wishes to convey his deep condolences to the family of the late President, and to the Government and people of the United Arab Emirates.
   

• The United Nations flag is being flown at half-mast today, in observance of the official mourning for Sheikh Zayed.

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