HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Thursday,
December 15, 2005
FORMER
U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH TO BE U.N. ENVOY FOR EARTHQUAKE EFFORT
Secretary-General Kofi Annan today appointed former U.S.
President George Herbert Walker Bush as his Special Envoy for the South Asian
Earthquake Disaster.
As the Special Envoy, former President Bush will
represent the Secretary-General and the United Nations system in the national
and international response to the 8 October earthquake in South Asia. He will
lead the Organization’s efforts and sustain international political will to
support humanitarian, medium-term and long-term rehabilitation, reconstruction
and risk reduction.
The devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck
South Asia on 8 October killed more than 73,000 people in Pakistan and 1,300
in India. An additional 69,000 people in Pakistan were injured in the
earthquake.
SECURITY COUNCIL MOVES U.N. STAFF FROM
ERITREA
The Security Council, in a Presidential
Statement yesterday afternoon, agreed, in consultation with the
Secretary-General, to temporarily relocate military and civilian staff of the
UN
Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) from Eritrea to Ethiopia. That
relocation has been taking place today.
The Council intends to maintain an UNMEE military
presence in Eritrea during the period in which it is reviewing future plans
for UNMEE.
The Security Council made clear that it approved this
decision solely in the interests of the safety and security of UNMEE staff.
The Council strongly condemned Eritrea’s unacceptable actions and
restrictions on UNMEE. It intends, with the Secretariat, to review promptly
all options for UNMEE’s deployment and functions in the context of its
original purpose, capacity to act effectively and the different military
options available.
Under-Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operation Jean-Marie Guéhenno, who had been in Eritrea,
emphasized that this relocation was temporary, in the face of the unacceptable
decision of the Eritreans.
He referred to the deadlines
given to both Ethiopia and Eritrea to comply with resolution 1640 and
expressed the hope that both countries would take advantage of the window of
opportunity being offered to respond to the demands of the Security Council.
Failure to comply will mean that the UN will have 'difficult choices' to make
regarding the future of the Mission, he said.
The Secretary-General, asked about the redeployment at a
press stakeout, said
the restrictions placed by the Eritrean authorities made it impossible for us
to operate as effectively as we want to.
He also said an options document on the way ahead would
be presented to the Security Council next week.
The Secretary-General said that he gave a clear and firm
message to the Eritrean authorities when he met with the new Eritrean
ambassador to the United Nations yesterday.
The Spokesman said, in response to a question, that
Guéhenno had not been able to meet with any Eritrean officials while in that
country.
SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES IRAQIS TO VOTE
The Secretary-General, in a
statement issued yesterday afternoon, encouraged Iraqi voters to exercise
their democratic right to vote as a first step towards building together a
stable, united and prosperous Iraq. “This is your chance to let your voice be
heard as a force for peace and national reconciliation,” he said, adding,
“Ultimately, only you as a people can move Iraq forward.”
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs
Ibrahim Gambari also briefed the Security Council on Iraq yesterday
afternoon, saying that, after the election, a new political landscape will
emerge in Iraq. Irrespective of the election’s outcome, he added, the need for
national dialogue and reconciliation is real, and the United Nations stands
ready to contribute to supporting this goal in a direct and practical way.
Asked whether the Secretary-General was encouraged by the
reports about the Iraqi elections, the Spokesman said that, judging from the
reports that have been received, voting has been proceeding relatively
smoothly. However, he added, for an official sitting in New York, or even in
Baghdad, it is much too soon to offer a definitive view of the situation on
the ground.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES EMERGENCY
RESPONSE FUND
The General
Assembly has decided by consensus to establish the
Central Emergency Response Fund, a key component of the
Secretary-General’s
reform package. The Fund will provide immediate resources for life-saving
aid during the early days and months of emergencies. It will also help to
ensure that aid is channeled to overlooked and under funded crises. The Fund,
which aims to hold $500 million, will be operational in early 2006.
In remarks to the General Assembly, the Secretary-General
said he was “delighted” that the Fund had been approved, adding that, “quite
simply, it will save lives.”
He also said that, for far too long, humanitarian
assistance for disaster victims had remained a reactive process, and that
lives which could and should have been saved were lost. Now, however, today’s
decision would ensure that in the critical realm of humanitarian aid, the UN
would do more, sooner.
SECURITY COUNCIL FOCUSES ON YUGOSLAV AND
RWANDAN TRIBUNALS
The Security Council is receiving briefings right now
from the main officials of the International Tribunals for the former
Yugoslavia and for Rwanda on their continuing work.
Carla Del Ponte said that Serbia and Montenegro should be
held accountable for the failure to bring Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic to
justice. The international community must remain fully committed to their
transfer, she said.
The Presidents of the two Tribunals -- Erik Mose for
Rwanda and Fausto Pocar for the former Yugoslavia -- also briefed the Council
on the progress of the completion strategies for each Tribunal.
Earlier today, the Security Council approved a
resolution, renewing for one year the sanctions provisions on Cote d’Ivoire
detailed in resolution 1572.
This afternoon at 3:00, Council members will hold
consultations to discuss a draft resolution concerning the mandate of the
International Independent Investigation Commission dealing with Lebanon.
U.N. TROOPS LEAVE SIERRA LEONE AFTER SIX
YEARS OF PEACEKEEPING
Today, 290 Pakistani peacekeepers left Sierra Leone, just
two weeks short of the end of the UN Mission’s mandate there.
Also in Freetown, the Secretary-General’s Special
Representative, Daudi Mwakawago , turned over to the government some 25
light vehicles and hundreds of radios.
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In the Secretary-General’s last report on the mission,
out on the racks today, he says it is with a deep sense of satisfaction that
he can report on what he calls the remarkable accomplishments of the UN
Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) over the past six years. He said
UNAMSIL’s methods are now being studied by other UN missions.
The Secretary-General said that although most blue
helmets were leaving, the United Nations was staying in Sierra Leone in the
form of a new, integrated UN office that would continue the process of peace
consolidation.
U.N. FOOD PROGRAMME ENDS WORK IN CHINA
Having fed 30 million people in China over the past 26
years, the World Food Programme (WFP)
will end its food aid to the country at the end of 2005.
Speaking in Beijing today, WFP head James Morris said,
“The Chinese Government’s tremendous success in alleviating hunger means our
food aid can be put to better use elsewhere.”
WFP is now looking to
China for a broader partnership to combat hunger worldwide.
UNITED NATIONS SIGNS DEAL WITH DHL TO
SPEED HUMANITARIAN DELIVERY
This afternoon, Kemal Dervis, the Administrator of the UN
Development Programme and Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs, will sign a disaster relief partnership with the
shipping company DHL.
The agreement is aimed at speeding up delivery of UN aid
to remote disaster areas.
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY WORKS ON PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION
Yesterday afternoon, the Assembly President presented a new text of a draft
resolution for the Peacebuilding Commission to Member States at the informal
consultations. He told delegates that the text is his “best attempt to strike
the middle ground without giving up important principles related to the
Peacebuilding Commission.” He stated that he hoped that Member States would be
ready to adopt this draft resolution early next week.
This morning the Plenary also approved the recommendation from the General
Committee, proposed by Costa Rica, for inclusion in the Assembly’s agenda of
an item on the follow-up to the Volcker report.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Developing countries losing out in cultural TRADE:
Three countries - the United Kingdom, United
States and China - produced 40 percent of the world’s cultural trade products in
2002, while Latin America and Africa together accounted for less than four
percent according to a new report by the UN
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The report
analyses cross-border trade data from about 120 countries on books, CDs,
videogames and sculptures, and other cultural products. The report says, “While
globalization offers great potential for countries to share their cultures and
creative talents, it is clear that not all nations are able to take advantage of
this opportunity.”
*** The guest at the noon
briefing was David Gressly, UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Southern
Sudan.
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