HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, 8 August 2006 

  

LEBANON: ANNAN SUPPORTS CALLS FOR PROBE OF QANA BOMBING

  • Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday afternoon submitted, as requested, a letter to the Security Council on the circumstances of the incident that took place in the Lebanese city of Qana on 30 July.
  • The Secretary-General notes that a proper gathering of all relevant facts cannot be completed in seven day, and adds that no UN personnel were present at Qana when the Israeli air strikes occurred. The UN peacekeeping mission was not in a position to confirm or deny whether Hezbollah was launching military activities from Qana prior to or on 30 July.
  • In the letter, the Secretary-General expresses his grave distress at the tragic events in Qana and by the overall effect of the conflict on civilians in Lebanon and Israel. He says that the attack on Qana should be seen in the broader context of what could be, based on preliminary information available to the United Nations, a pattern of violations of international law.
  • The effects of the current conflict on civilians in Lebanon and Israel rise to a level of seriousness that requires further gathering of information, including violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, he writes. Accordingly, the Secretary-General supports the calls for a more comprehensive investigation.
  • Asked about the difference between the number of casualties listed in the report and the Secretary-General’s comments to the Security Council of 30 July when he said that at least 56 people had been killed there, the Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General had made it clear at the time that he was basing his preliminary information on what the Lebanese authorities were saying.
  • Asked insistently how casualty figures for civilians, as well as the numbers of displaced civilians, were calculated, the Spokesman reiterated the Secretary-General’s point about the difficulty of gathering comprehensive information in seven days. The information in the letter was based partly on data gathered by UNIFIL, and other sources of information were mentioned in annexes to the letter.
  • The Spokesman reiterated that the report should be looked at in the context of the deadly effect on Lebanese and Israeli civilians, as well as the displacement of one quarter of Lebanon’s population and the large number of Israelis having to move to shelters for their safety. Such a situation, he said, rises to a level that requires the further gathering of information, including violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
  • Asked whether the report satisfies the Security Council’s request and what type of further investigation the Secretary-General was suggesting, Dujarric said that the report was in response to the Council’s Presidential Statement, and the United Nations now awaits the response from the members of the Council on what the next steps should be.
  • Asked what the Secretary-General meant in his conclusions, the Spokesman said that the broader context is that a large number of those killed on both sides of the Blue Line had been civilians.
  • Asked what action the United Nations is taking to ensure that evidence is not tampered in Qana or at the UN observer post in Khiam, the Spokesman said that the Government of Lebanon is responsible for Qana, while the United Nations still holds responsibility for the Khiam post.

 

FIGHTING RAGES IN BLUE LINE BETWEEN ISRAEL/LEBANON

  • The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reports intensive Israeli air strikes and shelling this morning in its eastern sector of operations, and adds that Israeli gunboats also shelled the coastal areas north of Naqoura.
  • There were two incidents of firing from the Israeli side close to a UNIFIL position in the area of El Meri, and one incident of firing close to a UNIFIL position by Hezbollah in the area of Hula yesterday.
  • The UN Mission adds that this morning, Hezbollah fired rockets from the vicinity of the UN position in Tibnin, and the Israeli Air Force carried out air strikes on the areas from which the fire originated. UNIFIL strongly protested all these incidents to the Lebanese and Israeli authorities respectively.
  • Asked about the Secretary-General’s position regarding the Lebanese Government’s offer to deploy 15,000 troops in southern Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the deployment of the Lebanese army to the south is in keeping with earlier plans, and is broadly consistent with the Secretary-General's position. He said the United Nations welcomes the Government of Lebanon’s proposal but added that any deployment by the army would need to be assisted by UNIFIL or a UN force.
  • The timing for any such deployment by the army remains among the issues to be worked out, he said.
  • Asked whether troop contributors are expressing interest in forming a new contingent in southern Lebanon, Dujarric said that some informal contacts were being held, but added it was a “chicken and egg” situation, with some potential contributors waiting to see what mandate would be given before committing troops.
  • Asked whether the Secretary-General would be in contact with Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General’s interlocutor was the Government of Lebanon, of which Lebanon is a member.

 

LEBANON: FIGHTING SLOWS HUMANITARIAN HELP, U.N AGENCIES SAY

  • According to UN humanitarian agencies on the ground in Lebanon, the southern city of Tyre is currently effectively cut off, since the Israeli bombing of a provisional bridge across the Litani River yesterday. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is looking into repairing the bridge, but is first seeking assurances from the Israeli Defense Forces that it would not be destroyed again.
  • The United Nations is looking into alternative routes for providing aid to Lebanon by sea, especially with the bad condition of the road transport network due to Israeli raids. One major route would be by sea directly to Beirut, Sidon and Tyre.
  • Fuel shipments are ready to be sent to Lebanon as soon as the security situation allows. Fuel tanks are also ready to be sent from Beirut to other areas in Lebanon in convoys, provided security is ensured.
  • The World Health Organization yesterday urged all parties to secure safe passage of fuel supplies for health facilities. WHO has warned that if fuel is not delivered this week, 60% of all hospitals in Lebanon, in addition to other health facilities will simply cease to function.
  • Asked what is delaying arrangements for a sea route to southern Lebanon, the Spokesman said that part of the hold-up concerns providing ship owners with guarantees regarding insurance and safety issues, which the United Nations is pursuing with ship owners and the Israeli authorities.
  • Asked about UN action in repairing bridges, the Spokesman said that the United Nations’ concern is in providing humanitarian assistance to people in need in the south, which would involve rebuilding bridges. The United Nations wants assurances that when it does so, the bridges would not simply be destroyed again, and is in liaison with the Israeli authorities on that matter.
  • Asked about the alleged use of depleted uranium (DU) in Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the Department of Disarmament Affairs said that the United Nations does not have a clear position on the use of DU munitions. He added that the use of DU had been examined in Bosnia and Kosovo, in the context of post-conflict situations.

 

LEBANON: U.N. TO ASSESS DAMAGE CAUSED BY OIL SPILL

  • The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says that two experts have arrived in Syria to evaluate the consequences of the oil spill that’s already polluted over 140 kilometres of the Lebanese coastline and has spread north into Syrian waters.
  • At this stage information about the extent of the spill remains sketchy and no clean-up action has been possible.
  • UNEP says that in the worst case scenario, and if all the oil contained in the bombed Jiyyeh power plant leaked into the sea, the Lebanese oil spill could well rival the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989.
  • Asked why it was not safe to pursue action dealing with the oil spill, the Spokesman said it was because of military activity.
  • Asked how the oil spill compared to the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989, the Spokesman later noted that UNEP says that, in the worst case scenario, if all the oil contained in the bombed Jiyyeh power plant leaked into the sea, the Lebanese oil spill could well rival the Exxon Valdez disaster.

 

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES TO LEBANON DELAYED: U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY

  • The UN Refugee Agency reports that a humanitarian relief convoy originally expected in Beirut yesterday was still being held back at the border between Lebanon and Syria, awaiting final security clearance to proceed. The six-truck convoy is carrying emergency supplies of blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets and tents.
  • Meanwhile, the agency says that its Assistant High Commissioner for Operations Judy Cheng-Hopkins is scheduled to arrive today in Damascus on a three- day visit. During her stay in the Syrian capital, she will meet with senior government officials, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and UN agencies. She will make a field visit to Homs and to the border with Lebanon.

 

U.N., AFRICAN UNION AND SUDANESE OFFICIALS DISCUSS DARFUR PEACE DEAL

  • Jan Pronk, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan met today with an adviser to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir who is in charge of the Darfur file, Magzoub Alkhalifa, as well as with Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, the Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson in Sudan. In both meetings, his discussions focused on the situation in Darfur.
  • Pronk yesterday attended the swearing-in ceremony for SLM leader Minni Minawi as the new Special Assistant to the Sudanese President and ex-officio head of the Transitional Darfur Regional Authority.

 

SECURITY COUNCIL TO HOLD MEETING ON MIDDLE EAST CRISIS

  • At 3:30 p.m. the Security Council will hold a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, during which the Security Council is expected to hear the views of an Arab League delegation regarding the draft resolution on Lebanon. 
  • The Secretary-General is expected to attend.
  • Asked about the other activities of the Arab League delegation, the Spokesman said that the delegation would meet with the Secretary-General at 2:30 today.
  • The speakers for the Council meeting, he added in response to another question, would be the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, as well as representatives from Israel and Lebanon.
  • Asked whether there would be a ministerial-level meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday, the Spokesman said he was not aware of any such meeting.
  • Asked whether the Secretary-General is dismayed at the pace of Council action on Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General continues to believe that we need a resolution and a cessation of hostilities as soon as possible, to alleviate the suffering of civilians on both sides. The discussions are continuing, he added, and the United Nations hopes for a resolution soon.
  • The delegation would meet with the Secretary-General at 2:30 today.
  • The speakers for the Council meeting, he added in response to another question, would be the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, as well as representatives from Israel and Lebanon.
  • Asked whether there would be a ministerial-level meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday, the Spokesman said he was not aware of any such meeting.

 

U.N. MISSION URGES PATIENCE AS VOTES ARE COUNTED IN D.R. CONGO

  • Asked what the UN Oganization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) was doing regarding the elections in that country, the Spokesman said that the Mission was dealing with the enormous challenge facing the Congolese people as they had participated in the elections.
  • MONUC, he said, was working to ensure that the elections are held in a calm atmosphere, and was urging patience until the results are announced.
  • Asked whether the United Nations could confirm that uranium had been transported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Iran, the Spokesman said that was information attributed to the Monitoring Group dealing with DRC sanctions. It is not the UN Mission’s mandate, he said, to monitor the export of resources from the DRC.
  • He added that a large amount of the DRC’s natural resources had been taken out of the country in recent years.

 

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

DEATHS IN IRAQ REMAIN OF GREAT CONCERN: Asked about UN actions in Iraq, the Spokesman said that civilian deaths there continue to be of great concern, and noted a recent human rights report issued by the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq.

 

 

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