HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING
BY FARHAN HAQ
ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS,
NEW YORK
Friday, May 5, 2006
ANNAN
URGES PARTIES TO SEIZE OPPORTUNITY FOR SAKE OF PEOPLE IN DARFUR
Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was at George Washington
University’s Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, D.C. right
now, where he delivered the first of a series of annual lectures on the
relationship between the United States and
United Nations.
In that
speech, he underscored how urgent it was that we all do more to help the
people of Darfur, whose human rights have been violated in the most appalling
way.
The
Secretary-General said that he still hopes that, within the next day or two,
we may have an agreement embracing all the parties in Darfur. He appealed to
all of them to seize this opportunity and come to a peace agreement for the
sake of their people, who have suffered so much.
Even if an
agreement is reached, he said, we should not imagine that the problem is
solved. The humanitarian agencies urgently need financial support, and
humanitarian workers need a more secure environment.
On Thursday
night, the Secretary-General
addressed the centennial dinner of the American Jewish Committee, telling
them that the United Nations is “fully engaged in the struggle against
anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination.”
He mentioned
in particular last year’s General Assembly special session marking the
60th
anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps, and the observance this
year of what will now be an annual international day of remembrance for the
victims of the Holocaust. In addition, he said, the United Nations is an
organization in which the State of Israel increasingly enjoys the same rights
and responsibilities as every other member.
Prior to that
dinner, the Secretary-General met in Washington with the Secretary-General of
the Organization of American States, José Miguel Insulza. They discussed
common issues of cooperation between their organizations, including Haiti.
Asked about
comments the Secretary-General made on Thursday about contacts between the
United States and Iran, and whether the Secretary-General was meeting
officials in Washington to discuss U.S.-Iran
contacts, the Spokesman referred to a media interview the Secretary-General
gave
yesterday, and said that the
Secretary-General had not had any formal meetings with U.S.
officials and had wrapped up his programme in Washington.
Asked whether
the Secretary-General had met with U.S.
President George W. Bush at the Thursday night dinner of the American Jewish
Committee, the Spokesman said that they did not have any bilateral meeting,
although the Secretary-General, President Bush and German Chancellor Angela
Merkel all spoke at the Committee’s centennial dinner.
SECURITY COUNCIL TO HEAR UPDATE ON
ABUJA PEACE TALKS ON DARFUR
The Security Council is taking up
Sudan this afternoon at 3 p.m.
in consultations.
An update on the Abuja peace talks on Darfur is expected then.
HUMAN
RIGHTS SITUATION IN DARFUR WORSE THAN BEFORE
The
High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour is wrapping up her one-week
visit to Sudan.
In a
statement issued at the end of her visit, which took her to Darfur and
South Sudan, she notes that situation in Darfur is just as critical, and in
some respects worse, than her visit in September 2004.
Despite a
number of measures taken by the authorities, notably the establishment of
special courts and committees, impunity remains the norm in most cases of
human rights violations in Darfur, she says.
She goes on
to say the responsibility to protect entails not only putting an immediate
stop to violations: it also means prevention and prosecution. Where impunity
is allowed to prevail, protection will remain elusive.
She also
urges the international community should wholeheartedly support the efforts of
southern Sudan and NGOs to strengthen the judiciary.
TIMOR-LESTE: U.N. PRESENCE IMPORTANT
FOR PEACE AND STABILITY
Sukehiro
Hasegawa, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for
Timor-Leste, today told the Security Council that, following the
completion of the mandate of the current UN Office in that country, the
presence of a small integrated UN office would be of utmost importance in
helping the country maintain peace and stability.
In an open
meeting of the Council, the Special Representative said that while significant
advances have been made in the past five years, recent developments have
reminded us that democracy in Timor-Leste is still fragile.
He told the
Council about the demonstration last week in which some youth and political
elements attacked a Timorese Government building and the Government deployed
the military in response. The UN Office estimates that five people were killed
and at least 60 injured in the ensuing rioting.
He added that
the psychological impact of these events was immense, with as many as 14,000
people seeking refuge in parts of Dili, and more than 1,000 people yesterday
coming to seek a haven in the UN Headquarters compound there.
GAZA HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
“ON OUR DOORSTEP”
In a
statement issued today, John Ging, the Director of Operations in Gaza of the
UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA),
said that, while two weeks ago we were counting down to a humanitarian crisis
in Gaza, “today that crisis is on our doorstep”.
Ging said
that there are now shortages of medical supplies in the public hospitals in
the Gaza Strip and UNRWA has seen a large increase in the number of refugees
coming to its centers seeking food aid and cash assistance.
Furthermore,
at a time when money is in short supply, UNRWA is paying $78,000 a month in
surcharges, because its empty food containers are stuck in Gaza as a result of
the refusal to allow exports at Karni commercial crossing between Israel and
the Gaza Strip.
Asked whether
UNRWA has received any response to its recent protests, the Spokesman said
that the Agency was awaiting responses to the protests that it had made
concerning recent restrictions, both in Gaza and in the West Bank.
COMMON GROUND FOUND IN
KOSOVO STATUS TALKS
Regarding
Kosovo status talks, delegations from Pristina and Belgrade today
wrapped up their fourth round of direct negotiations on decentralization
in Vienna.
The
delegations discussed the criteria to be applied to the creation of new
municipalities, including those which would have Kosovo Serb majorities. The
Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Envoy for the Kosovo status talks, Albert
Rohan,
said that while it was true that there had been no agreement on the entire
range of issues at hand, common ground had indeed been found.
The next
round of direct talks will take place in Vienna on 23 May and will focus on
the protection of cultural and religious sites.
A
COLOMBIAN
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
FACES EXTINCTION
The Colombia
office of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
says that the Nukak Maku, an indigenous community of Colombia, is at risk
of extinction.
In the last
20 years, the population has declined by almost 60%, and today they have less
than 500 members, of whom more than half have been forcibly displaced from
their homes.
Since their
first contact with outsiders in 1988, the Nukak population has been devastated
by malaria and flu, and now their lands have been occupied by coca growers and
parties to the conflict.
REFUGEE AGENCY STILL
REACHING OUT TO PAKISTAN QUAKE SURVIORS
The
Office of the high Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR)
reports that quake survivors are continuing to return home at a steady
pace. But although some 100,000 camp dwellers have returned to rebuild their
homes in the last month, about 55,000 people remain in nearly 100 camps.
UNHCR is
providing cars, office equipment and camp management training to the civilian
authorities in charge of those camps.
UNHCR has
also given $2.25 million to the International Organization for Migration,
which is working to facilitate the voluntary and safe return of quake
survivors to their home villages.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHOLERA
OUTBREAK HITS ANGOLA:
UNICEF is appealing for $1 million to fight a serious cholera outbreak in
Angola. Despite efforts by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the
Angolan Government and other partners to get care and medication to the sick,
the ongoing rainy season has made it likely that the epidemic will spread.
According to WHO, the outbreak, which has already claimed over 1,000 lives, is
Angola’s biggest since 1988.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Saturday,
May 6
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland
arrives
in Sudan
today. He is scheduled to visit South Darfur
during his visit.
Monday, May 8
The Security Council
will be holding a private meeting in the morning with troop contributing
countries to the UN Mission in
Ethiopia
and Eritrea, followed by consultations on the UN Mission in
Ethiopia
and Eritrea.
At 3:00 p.m., the
General Assembly Plenary will take action on Fifth Committee reports, including
on management reform, and on a draft resolution on the election of the
Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission.
Tuesday, May
9
The members of the
Middle East Quartet will meet at the principals’ level here at UN Headquarters,
and will also be joined for part of the day by several foreign ministers from
the Middle East. From 5:00 to 5:30, the Quartet principals are expected to give
a press conference in Conference Room Three.
At 10:00 a.m., the
General Assembly Plenary will hold elections for the Human Rights Council
members. The elections are expected to continue into the afternoon.
Some 300 representatives from 32 African countries will gather in Kigali,
Rwanda, from 9-11 May, for a forum on implementing the African Peer Review
Mechanism, which will allow nations in the region to evaluate one another’s
democratic performance. The UN Development Programme’s Regional Director for
Africa,
Gilbert Houngbo,
will attend.
Wednesday,
May 10
The
Security Council will be holding consultations in the morning, followed by a
meeting, on the Somalia Monitoring Group.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland heads to Chad
today.
Thursday,
May 11
The guest at
the noon briefing will be Tunku Abdul Aziz, Special Advisor for the Ethics
Office, who will brief on the work of the Ethics Office and its scope.
Friday, May
12
The Security
Council will be meeting in the morning to discuss a draft resolution on the UN
Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, as well as a draft resolution on the UN Office
in Timor-Leste.
At 11:00,
Richard Kinley, acting head of the Climate Change Secretariat, will hold a press
conference on climate change and sustainable development.
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