HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
NEW YORK
Wednesday,
January 11, 2006
ANNAN APPOINTS
SERGE BRAMMERTZ OF BELGIUM AS
HEAD OF PROBE INTO ASSASSINATION OF EX-PRIME MINISTER HARIRI
Secretary-General Kofi Annan today sent a letter to the
President of the Security Council informing the Council of his intention to
appoint Serge Brammertz of Belgium as the Commissioner of the UN International
Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC)
into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Brammertz succeeds Detlev Mehlis.
Brammertz is currently the Deputy Prosecutor for
Investigations of the International Criminal Court. Before his election to
that position he was the first Federal Prosecutor of the Kingdom of Belgium.
He will proceed to Beirut to take up his assignment as
soon as is practicable.
The Secretary-General wishes to thank Mehlis for his
excellent work in establishing the investigation and setting it on a firm and
professional footing. He reiterates his unwavering commitment to support the
work of the Commission to fulfill its mandate to assist the Lebanese
authorities to bring to justice the perpetrators of this crime.
In particular, the Secretary-General has taken steps to
fulfill the mandate of Security Council resolution 1644 (2005) to help the
Lebanese Government identify the nature and scope of the international
assistance needed for those charged with the crime to be tried by a tribunal
of an international character.
In near future, he will dispatch a mission to Lebanon for
this purpose. In addition, the Secretary-General will consult with Brammertz
and the Lebanese authorities regarding the most effective manner of expanding
the work of the Commission to assist the Lebanese authorities to investigate
other terrorist attacks since 1 October 2004.
Asked about
the period of time that Brammertz will serve as head of the investigation, the
Spokesman said that his appointment is for six months, as is the mandate for
the investigation.
Asked
whether Brammertz would stay on longer than that if needed, the Spokesman said
that the focus for now is on the next six months, and on the task at hand for
the investigators.
ANNAN CONCERNED BY IRAN’S DECISION TO
RESUME NUCLEAR RESEARCH
Asked about the
Secretary-General’s reaction to the latest developments in Iran, the Spokesman
said that the Secretary-General is very concerned by Iran’s decision to resume
nuclear research.
He noted that the
Secretary-General is in close touch with International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General
Mohamed ElBaradei, with whom he has spoken in the past few days.
The Secretary-General, Dujarric
said, is mindful and appreciative of the efforts of the three European states
– France, Germany and the United Kingdom – and Russia to find a diplomatic
solution to this issue. He noted that the IAEA, the three European states and
Russia remain clearly in the lead on this issue.
Meanwhile, Mohamed ElBaradei
expressed his serious concern about Iran’s decision to unravel the
suspension of enrichment-related activities, before the Agency has clarified
the nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
Dr. ElBaradei said in a statement that
maintaining the suspension, resuming the dialogue with all concerned parties,
and providing the necessary cooperation and transparency to the IAEA are
conditions for a comprehensive and equitable solution that ensures Iran’s
right to peaceful nuclear activities, while assuring the international
community of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
IAEA inspectors confirmed yesterday that
Iran started to remove IAEA seals on enrichment-related equipment and material
at Natanz. Based on the information currently available, the removal of Agency
seals at the enrichment site of Natanz and at two related storage and testing
locations will be completed by today.
The activities at the Natanz facility
will continue to be covered by IAEA containment and surveillance measures.
HEAVY RAINS
WORSEN FOOD INSECURITY IN MALAWI
Heavy rains, strong winds and flooding in Malawi have
worsened the food security situation there, according to the Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In light of growing malnutrition among children, the UN
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is supporting nearly a hundred nutritional
rehabilitation centers throughout the country. And the World Food Programme
has almost doubled the outreach of its school feeding program to reach more
than 400,000 children in seven districts.
Last August, the United Nations launched a six-month $74
million
flash appeal for Malawi, to help improve the food situation there. As of
now, that appeal remains only 56 per cent funded.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONSULTATIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TAKING PLACE
TODAY: The World Summit follow-up process resumes today, with informal
consultations on the Human Rights Council taking place this morning and this
afternoon at UN Headquarters; those consultations will continue on Friday
afternoon. In addition, consultations on Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
reform and on development are scheduled for Friday and Monday morning.
Meanwhile, General Assembly President Jan Eliasson will take part tomorrow
morning in a ceremony to mark the formal handover of the chairmanship of the
Group of 77 from Jamaica to South Africa.
BIRD FLU IN TURKEY COULD
SPREAD THROUGH REGION: The Food and
Agriculture Organization today
warned that bird flu could become endemic in Turkey and poses a serious risk
to neighbouring countries. The agency called upon neighbouring countries,
including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iraq, Iran and Syria to be on high
alert. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization’s
Regional Director for Europe, Marc Danzon,
has
flown to Ankara to assure the Government of
Turkey of WHO's support in containing the outbreak and to learn first hand from
national health authorities about the assistance the country needs.
U.N. MISSION IN SUDAN GETS NEW FORCE
COMMANDER: The Secretary-General, in an exchange of
letters with the Security Council, appointed Lt. Gen. Jasbir Singh Lidder of
India as the Force Commander of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).
The general replaces Maj. Gen. Fazle Elahi Akbar of Bangladesh.
UNAIDS CONCERNED BY ARRESTS OF MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN
IN INDIA: The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has
expressed concern at the recent arrest of a number of men who have sex with
men in Lucknow, India and warns that the criminalization of people most at risk
of HIV infection may increase stigma and discrimination, ultimately fuelling the
AIDS epidemic. UNAIDS underlines that in India, as in other countries where sex
between men is criminalized by law, fear of prosecution often prevents men who
have sex with men from accessing information and services they need to protect
themselves from HIV infection.
U.N. ENVOY URGES ROMA TO MOVE TO NEW LEAD-FREE CAMP IN
KOSOVO: The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Kosovo, Søren
Jessen-Petersen, yesterday urged Roma to take advantage of the better conditions
offered by
Camp Osterode, a temporary new camp that, unlike the Roma’s current
facilities, is not plagued by unhealthy lead levels. Listening to views and
concerns expressed by Roma leaders, he said, “Of course, this is not the
permanent solution, but there is no doubt that conditions are much, much better”
in the new camp.
** Speaking to the press after the noon briefing was Dr.
David Nabarro,
Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza.
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