HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday, 27 May 2005
[UN Headquarters will be closed on Monday, 31 May 2005, in observance of Memorial Day]
ANNAN: DONORS SHOULD SEND RESOURCES TO SOUTH SUDAN AS WELL AS DARFUR
The Secretary-General arrived in Khartoum today for a three-day visit that will take him to Darfur and southern Sudan.
In the Sudanese capital he held an initial meeting with a senior government official, Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail.
Speaking to the press afterwards, the Secretary-General said he was encouraged that the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace agreement was moving forward.
He also said the two of them discussed the need to do everything possible to bring security to Darfur and to ensure that the farmers can get back to their land, plant and cultivate and harvest their crops.
He added that he would be going to Darfur to see things for himself. The Secretary-General said the Foreign Minister assured him that the Sudanese government would do everything to facilitate the work of the humanitarian community in the region.
And he drew attention to the funding shortages in the UN’s humanitarian programme in the south, in response to a question about food shortages in southern Sudan, saying that it is a shame that in the south we have a peace agreement, but we do not have the resources required. It looks like governments have shifted support they used to give to the South to Darfur. What was needed are additional resources to cover both crises, he said.
Accompanying the Secretary-General on the Sudan leg of the trip are three heads of the Non-Governmental Organizations, George Rupp of the International Rescue Committee, Tom Arnold of Concern and Ken Bacon of Refugees International.
ANNAN CONDEMNS TERRORIST BOMBING IN PAKISTAN
The Secretary-General strongly condemns the senseless terrorist bombing at a shrine in Islamabad today that killed at least 20 people and injured many more, according to reports.
He is outraged by the repeated targeting of civilians at their place of worship.
The Secretary-General calls on authorities to spare no effort to bring those responsible to justice, and he appeals for calm on the part of all Pakistanis. His heart goes out to the bereaved families and to those injured in the attack.
ANNAN CONCERNED BY SOCIAL TENSION IN BOLIVIA
The Secretary-General is following with concern the growing social tensions in Bolivia.
He urges all Bolivians to peacefully and democratically resolve their differences over major issues of national interest – the use of natural resources, questions of regional autonomy and proposals for a constituent assembly.
The Secretary-General calls on all citizens to engage in a constructive dialogue to allow for the democratic and non-violent resolution of their differences. He reaffirms the need to abide by constitutional principles and to fully respect human rights.
The United Nations is ready to assist all Bolivians in finding solutions to the challenges they are facing.
ANNAN CONGRATULATES NEW HEAD OF WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
RESOLUTION OF KOSOVO’S FINAL STATUS WOULD LEAD TO MORE NOTEWORTHY RESULTS THERE
The Security Council held an open meeting on Kosovo this morning, during which the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, briefed Council members on the latest developments there.
Saying “Let there be no doubt that there has been progress,” Jessen-Petersen added that, with a resolution to the status issue and an end to the uncertainty, the world would see even more significant results on issues such as returns, freedom of movement, and the economy.
He noted positive developments on dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. But at the same time, he was concerned that there was still no clear signal from Belgrade to the Kosovo Serbs to participate in Kosovo’s institutions.
He also said that, despite improved security and signs of increased freedom of movement by Kosovo Serbs, the number of Serbs returning to their homes was still disappointingly low.
SECURITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZES ROLE OF PROPOSED PEACEBUILDING COMMISION
The Security Council President issued a statement Thursday afternoon following its meeting on post-conflict peacebuilding.
In the statement, the Council recognizes the important role that the Secretary-General’s proposed Peacebuilding Commission could play to bridge the gap between the maintenance of international peace and security and the work of humanitarian and economic development assistance.
SPECIAL ENVOY FOR TSUNAMI VISITS AFFECTED AREAS IN INDIA
Former US President, Bill Clinton, currently serving as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for tsunami recovery, visited two sites in southern India, which were struck especially hard by last December’s tsunami.
Among his stops were a temporary shelter housing over 4000 people and a UN-supported child-care centre, staffed with UN-trained youth volunteers involved in psycho-social care.
Meanwhile, UNICEF is building two hundred temporary primary schools in the areas of Aceh, Indonesia, that were hardest hit by the tsunami.
UN HUMAN RIGHTS PLAN OF ACTION ENSURES IMPLEMENTATION OF FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
The UN Human Rights High Commissioner, Louise Arbour, has released a strategic plan which outlines her vision for the future of her office with the aim of ensuring better implementation of fundamental freedoms around the world.
The plan’s recommendations include strengthening of the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as enhanced monitoring of human rights situations and a faster response to request from assistance from countries.
The report, “Plan of Action: Protection and Empowerment,” is a response to the Secretary-General’s UN reform report – “In Larger Freedom” – which reaffirms the centrality of human rights to the UN and recalls that the protection of human rights is essential to building a more secure and prosperous world.
Arbour’s plan of action was transmitted to the General Assembly today, and we have copies of it upstairs in the Spokesman’s Office.
UN ENVOY FOR SOMALIA ARRIVES IN NAIROBI
The Secretary-General’s new Special Representative for Somalia, François Lonseny Fall of Guinea, is due to arrive in Nairobi today to take up his duties as head of the UN Political Office for Somalia, which is located in the Kenyan capital.
Upon arrival, Fall will embark on a round of consultations with Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government and all other relevant actors in the Somali peace process.
The UN has been asked by the Transitional Federal Government, countries in the region and the international donor community to take the lead in implementing the agreements reached at the Somali National Reconciliation Conference.
WFP WARNS OF FOOD SHORTAGES IN NORTH KOREA , BURUNDI
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
RED CROSS DEALING WITH US GOVERNMENT ON ACCESS TO GUANTANAMO DETENTION CENTRE: Asked if the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) had been given access to US detention centres in Guantanamo, Cuba, the Spokesman said that issue was being dealt with directly between the US Government and the ICRC.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Monday, 30 May
The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) has convened the 10th Meeting of its Special Committee on Natural Disasters in Havana, Cuba. UN Emergency Relief Corodinator Jan Egeland will give the opening statement. Three following days after the Special Committee session will be dedicated to the ACS “Seminar for National Authorities: Risk Management Policies, Systems and Successful Experiences in the Caribbean”, 1-3 June 2005, with support from UNDP, UN OCHA and Cuban Civil Defence.
The 119 member Governments to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety will be meeting in Montreal from Monday until Friday, 3 June, to clarify international trade rules for genetically modified commodities. The Biosafety Protocol was adopted in January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity.
Tuesday, 31 May
The main international observances for World Environment Day will begin in San Francsico and run until Sunday, 5 June. Under the theme of "Green Cities -- Plan for the Planet!", more than 200 events, exhibits and seminars are planned. They include a conference of mayors at which a set of ground-breaking environmental actions for cities -- the Urban Environmental Accords -- are to be signed. Attending the celebrations will be UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former US Vice President Al Gore and mayors from around 60 cities including Curitiba (Brazil) London, Shanghai, Kabul, Buenos Aires, Moscow, Dublin, Phnom Penh, Caracas, Jakarta and Istanbul.
Wednesday, 1 June
11:00 a.m. Room 226: Press Conference by UNFPA, on the launch of a report on HIV/AIDS: "Our Voice, Our Future: Young People Report on Progress Made on the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS." The speakers will include Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, and Youth Authors Vikram Singh Laishram of India and Enice Aghete of Nigeria.
Thursday, 2 June
General Assembly High-level meeting on HIV/AIDS (opening and closing plenary mtgs + 5 closed round tables; all day).
Guest at the noon briefing: Dr. Jim Yong Kim of the World Health Organization, who will brief on HIV/AIDS.
1:15 p.m. room 226: Ambassador Jean Marc de la Sablière, Permanent Representative of France, will brief the press on the Security Council’s programme of work for the month of June.
Friday, 3 June
GA President will submit to GA first draft of outcome document for September Summit (informal consultations, 10:00 a.m.).
11:00 a.m. room 226: Press Conference by GA President Jean Ping on the draft outcome document for the September Summit.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
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