HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Monday, 23 January, 2006
ANNAN CONDEMNS KILLINGS OF U.N. PEACEKEEPERS IN D.R. CONGO
The Secretary-General is deeply saddened at and condemns the killing earlier today of eight Guatemalan peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and the wounding of five others, which occurred in the Garamba National Park, about 70 kilometres from the border with Sudan in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The peacekeepers were involved in an operation against suspected elements of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), reported to be present in the park, that have contributed to displace thousands of innocent civilians. Following the incident, MONUC immediately launched a search and rescue operation, which has been successfully completed.
The Secretary-General expresses deep condolences to the Government of Guatemala, to the families of the deceased soldiers, and to all victims of these tragic developments.
In terms of further background, the Guatemalan peacekeepers came into contact with armed elements earlier today, and in the ensuing firefight – which lasted four hours – they called for the support from the UN Mission’s combat helicopters.
Peacekeepers from the Mission’s Nepalese contingent were airlifted by helicopter into the scene of the fighting to cordon and search the area.
The wounded peacekeepers were evacuated to a UN Mission hospital in Bunia, the capital of the Ituri district in the country’s northeast.
Separately, Indian peacekeepers serving in the North Kivus came under fire by armed insurgents while on reconnaissance and heading to the city of Rawindi.
They returned fire in self-defence, and in the firefight that followed, four of the rebels were killed and three were captured. The peacekeepers also captured 20 weapons as well as ammunition and communication equipment.
The peacekeepers had deployed to the area following armed confrontations between soldiers from the Congolese national army and former soldiers who had refused to take part in the new army integration process.
The UN Mission is sending a humanitarian team to the area to assess the needs of thousands of people who were displaced by the fighting.
Asked about the recent violence directed against UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti and Cote d’Ivoire, the Spokesman noted that all those Missions operated in difficult environments, with the UN Mission in the DRC working in a hostile environment. He said that the nature of the peacekeepers’ work posed some great risks to them.
ANNAN WELCOMES BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER’S VISIT TO CYPRUS
The Secretary-General welcomes the initiative of the British Foreign Secretary, H.E. Mr. Jack Straw, to undertake a mission to Cyprus, Greece and Turkey this week.
He remains deeply committed to the search for a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue and is confident that Mr. Straw’s mission will complement the active engagement of the United Nations.
ANNAN SENDS CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES OF SLOVAK CRASH VICTIMS
The Secretary-General was saddened to learn that 42 Slovak soldiers and civilians, serving with NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), had been killed following the crash of a military plane last Thursday night in northeastern Hungary. He extends his profound condolences to the Slovak Government and to the bereaved families and wishes a speedy recovery to the sole survivor.
U.N. OFFICIALS MOURN KOSOVO PRESIDENT’S DEATH
In light of Kosovo's President Ibrahim Rugova passing away over the weekend, the Secretary-General issued a statement, expressing his sadness and noting that Rugova’s death came at a crucial moment of final preparations for the talks on Kosovo's future status.
The Secretary General added that he trusted in the maturity of Kosovo's institutions and believed that the loss of Rugova would not disrupt the status process.
There also were similar messages from the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, and the Special Envoy for the status process, Martti Ahtisaari, who has decided to delay the decentralization talks that were previously scheduled to take place in Vienna on 25 January, out of respect for the late President.
NEW U.N. ENVOY FOR MIGRATION ON DEVELOPMENT APPOINTED
The Secretary-General is delighted to announce that Mr. Peter Sutherland has agreed to act as his Special Representative to assist in the preparation of the high-level dialogue on international migration and development, to be held by the General Assembly in September.
Mr. Sutherland – a former Attorney General of Ireland, former EU Commissioner and former Director-General of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the World Trade Organization – is currently Chairman of BP plc.
He has indicated that he wishes his new assignment to be on a pro bono basis.
ANNAN: PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS A MILESTONE IN A LONG AND DIFFICULT HISTORY
Over the weekend, the Secretary-General issued a message to the Palestinian people as they approach the legislative election on 25 January, telling them, “This will be an important milestone in your long and difficult history.” He said voting is not just a right but a responsibility, and encouraged all Palestinians to vote this Wednesday.
He said that the Palestinians deserve a free, fair and peaceful election, and that, whether they live in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, they must be able to exercise their democratic rights.
He said that, to achieve its goal of statehood, the Palestinian Authority must pursue the path of reform and peace. In particular, the Palestinian Authority must establish its monopoly on the use of force. This is a difficult challenge, the Secretary-General added, but it must be tackled.
ANNAN BRIEFED ON COTE D’IVOIRE WHILE IN GENEVA
The Secretary-General is in Geneva today, at the start of a trip to Switzerland that will include attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos later this week.
Today, the Secretary-General received an update on the situation in Cote d’Ivoire from his Special Representative to that country, Pierre Schori, who had stopped in Geneva on his way to New York.
SECURITY COUNCIL ASKED TO CONSIDER TIMOR-LESTE’S REQUEST FOR ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE
Sukehiro Hasegawa, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Timor-Leste today briefed the Security Council on the work of the UN in that country over the past five months.
Hasegawa said that although the Timorese had made progress in all aspects of institution-building, he recommended that the Council authorize continued assistance in judicial, prosecutorial and financial levels.
He also asked the Council to give careful consideration to the Government’s request for help in the national elections scheduled for next year.
The Security Council also scheduled consultations at 3:30 this afternoon, on Lebanon, with a view to a formal meeting afterward.
NEW HEAD OF HARIRI BOMB PROBE VISITS LEBANESE OFFICIALS
Serge Brammertz, head of the investigation into Rafik Hariri’s assassination, over the last few days has been paying courtesy calls on senior Lebanese officials, following his arrival in Beirut last Thursday.
Brammertz has also invited his predecessor, Detlev Mehlis, to come to Lebanon, for a formal handover of responsibilities. Brammertz has already taken charge of the investigation, and the work of the investigators is continuing.
Asked whom Brammertz had seen, the Spokesman said that he had met with the Prime Minister, Speaker of the Assembly and President of Lebanon.
Asked whether a UN legal team is traveling to Lebanon, the Spokesman said that a team will travel to Lebanon, to follow up on Resolution 1636 and assist the Lebanese Government on its proposal to have “a tribunal of international character.” He said that an announcement was expected later this week.
NEW BLUEPRINT TO ENSURE THAT INTERNATIONAL AID TO AFGHANISTAN IMPROVES
The Afghan Government today announced that the Afghanistan Compact, a blueprint for the future reconstruction of that country, has been finalized, and will be launched next week at the London Conference dealing with Afghan reconstruction.
Jean Arnault, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the country, said that the Compact is “a remarkable document, the fruit of detailed consultations between the Afghan government and the international community.” The Compact, he said, intends to make sure that “international assistance to Afghanistan is not only maintained but improved.”
ANNAN RECOMMENDS EXTENSION OF U.N. MISSION IN GEORGIA
Available today is the Secretary-General’s latest report on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia.
In it, the Secretary-General calls “encouraging” the fact that the Georgian and Abkhaz sides have exchanged joint draft documents on the non-resumption of hostilities and the return of refugees and internally displaced persons. The Secretary-General hopes that these exchanges will lead to a meeting between the sides at the highest level.
Also, because he remains convinced that the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) is critical for stability on the ground, the Secretary-General recommends a six-month extension of its mandate, until 31 July 2006.
2006 BRINGS “HUGE CHALLENGES” FOR AFRICA, ANNAN TELLS AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT
In a message to today’s African Union (AU) Summit Meeting in Khartoum, the Secretary-General says that this year brings huge challenges, with the situation between Ethiopia and Eritrea causing acute concern, the conflict in Northern Uganda leading to one of the worst humanitarian tragedies in the world, and violent disturbances in Cote d'Ivoire endangering the fragile peace process there.
He also says that, in Sudan, last year was both momentous and tragic: momentous in what was achieved in Naivasha, yet tragic that this feat, despite high hopes, was not translated into similar successes in Darfur and Eastern Sudan. He adds that the UN will continue to work closely with the AU to improve security, ensure humanitarian access and energize the peace process.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) has issued its own message to the gathering, calling on African leaders and international donors to boost their support for the fight against hunger in Africa. Nearly $2 billion in food aid will be required in 2006 to stave off widespread hunger and starvation, WFP says.
OIL-FOR-FOOD PROBE STILL IN OPERATION SO THAT NATIONAL AUTHORITIES CAN ACCESS DOCUMENTS
Asked about the status of the oil-for-food inquiry, the Spokesman said that the office of the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) has been extended until the end of March to enable national authorities to have full access to documents.
The United Nations, he said, is working with the Committee to deal with making the documents accessible. Dujarric said that the intention was to make the documents as accessible as possible, keeping in mind the confidential nature of documents provided by some governments.
The Spokesman declined to answer questions concerning the Secretary-General and Cotecna, saying that he had nothing to add to the voluminous work done by the Committee.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
U.N.’S IRAQ ENVOY WELCOMES AGREEMENT ON KURDISH REGION: The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, has written to the President of Iraq, Jalal Talabani, and the President of the Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, to extend his congratulations for signing an agreement which paves the way for a single administration in the Kurdish region. Qazi wrote, “It is the hope of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) that institution building in the region and other areas of Iraq will lay the foundations for long-term stability and prosperity of its citizens.”
U.N. BODIES APPEAL FOR HUMANITARIAN FUNDING: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has asked for $805 million to assist children and women in 29 humanitarian emergencies worldwide. Separately, the UN Country Team in Ethiopia has joined in an emergency request for non-food aid for that country. About a third of the funds requested by UNICEF is earmarked for Sudan where continuing conflict in Darfur has disrupted the lives of an estimated 3.4 million people and is threatening the survival of 1.4 million children, the agency said. The Ethiopian request is the largest non-food appeal since the drought emergency of 2003.
U.N. OBSERVES HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE WEEK: The International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust will be observed this Friday. This whole week, the Department of Public Information will be holding events to mark the occasion, including an art exhibit, a movie screening and a candlelight vigil.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION TO ADDRESS MAJOR ISSUES: The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) opens its twice yearly session today. Bird flu, the South Asia earthquake, universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care, polio eradication, smallpox research, sickle cell anemia and other health issues are on the agenda.
NAIR INVESTIGATION STILL ONGOING: Asked about the status of Jerome Ackerman’s investigation into the allegations concerning former Under-Secretary-General Dileep Nair, the Spokesman said that Ackerman is going about his work but is not a position to provide an end date for it.
***The guest at the noon briefing was Under-Secretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham, who briefed on UN procurement.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 100178
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
