HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Thursday, December 7, 2006
HUMANITARIAN FUND HAS HELPED THOSE MOST IN NEED
The Secretary-General today addressed
the High-Level Conference on the Central Emergency Response Fund, which
took place this morning at UN Headquarters.
In his
remarks, the
Secretary-General noted that, in just eight short months, the upgraded Fund
has delivered on its promise to help those most in need, committing $230
million to over 320 projects in 30 countries. The Fund has also allowed the UN
to do more, and to do it sooner, he added.
ANNAN ALARMED AT HUMANITARIAN TOLL OF DARFUR VIOLENCE
The Secretary-General is deeply
concerned about
the worsening security situation in Darfur and its consequences for the wider
region, including Chad and the Central African Republic. He is alarmed by the
devastating impact the violence is having on the civilian population in the
region, and strongly condemns the recent attacks and destruction of dozens of
villages in North Darfur. More than 80,000 people have been forced to flee
their homes in the last six weeks alone, 50,000 of them in Darfur and 30,000
in Chad. Several hundred civilians, including women, children and elderly,
have been killed and there are very disturbing reports of mass rapes and other
gross violations of human rights.
The Secretary-General also deplores
the fact that the escalating violence is cutting off almost one million people
across Darfur from desperately needed humanitarian relief. Recent clashes
between armed militia and SLA (Minnawi) elements in El Fasher have forced the
relocation of UN and NGO staff and are threatening relief operations for more
than 1.3 million people across North Darfur. The fighting has also
interrupted UN support to AMIS. Violence in Chad is disrupting relief
operations to more than 300,000 people. In both Darfur and Chad, relief
workers are being attacked on a daily basis, and dozens of their vehicles have
been hijacked in the last few weeks, threatening the humanitarian lifeline for
a total of 4.3 million people in the region.
The Secretary-General appeals to all
parties in the strongest terms to immediately cease hostilities and stop all
attacks against civilians. Those violating international humanitarian law by
attacking civilians and relief workers must be held accountable. He further
calls upon the Government of Sudan to reestablish law and order in the areas
under its control, especially El Fasher and El Geneina, and calls on all
parties to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need.
Moreover, the Secretary-General calls
on the Government to engage all groups and provide opportunities for
grievances and aspirations to be addressed through political discussion. The
United Nations and the African Union stand ready to provide co-mediation and
to extend all necessary support to the urgently needed Darfur-Darfur Dialogue
and Consultation.
SUDAN: PROTEST AGAINST
ARAB MILITIA TURNS VIOLENT
From the field, the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
today reports that the situation is tense in Al Fasher where yesterday a
demonstration, involving students protesting against the presence of Arab
militia in the area, turned violent when they threw stones at the Government
police in the main market, and the Government used teargas to disperse the
crowd.
Also reported yesterday was a protest
by people displaced by the violence at the Zam Zam camp outside Al Fasher, who
were also protesting the presence of Arab militia and the lack of protection
from them.
Asked about the state of activity on a
hybrid force for Darfur, the Spokesman said that intensive diplomatic activity
is continuing on a variety of levels, trying to move forward on the
discussions last week in Abuja. He said that the situation on the ground makes
the need to move forward that much more important.
TERRORISM, CORRUPTION & DRUGS THREATEN NATION-BUILDING IN
AFGHANISTAN
The Security Council this morning held
an open meeting to discuss the work of the Security Council mission, led by
Ambassador Kenzo Oshima of Japan, which traveled to Afghanistan last month.
Ambassador Oshima briefed other Council members on that mission and on the
recent report
about its findings.
Among other things, the Council
mission found that the spread of the insurgency, along with terrorist
activity, corruption and the drug trade, collectively pose a grave threat to
reconstruction and nation-building in Afghanistan. But the Council mission is
convinced that the Afghan Government and the international community have
established a sound strategy to overcome these challenges.
Immediately following the
adjournment of this morning’s meeting on Afghanistan, there were consultations
on Lebanon.
Council members afterward held their
last monthly luncheon with Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
This afternoon at 3:45, the Security
Council has scheduled consultations on Sierra Leone, to receive a briefing by
the head of the UN office in that country, Victor de Angelo.
Under other matters, Council members
also expect to hear from Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs
Angela Kane about the recent coup in Fiji.
SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES EAST AFRICAN GROUP TO ESTABLISH
MISSION IN SOMALIA
Yesterday afternoon, the Security
Council unanimously adopted a
resolution
that authorized the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and
member states of the African Union to establish a protection and training
mission in Somalia. It also endorsed the idea that states bordering Somalia
would not deploy troops to the country.
The Council also adopted a
Presidential
Statement, congratulating Joseph Kabila on his election as President of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and welcoming the commitment by his
challenger, Jean-Pierre Bemba, to continue to participate actively in
Congolese politics within the framework of the DRC’s institutions.
Asked whether the United Nations would
help IGAD to form a force in Somalia, the Spokesman said that the resolution
does not give the UN a mandate with regard to the establishment or deployment
of the force. It only gives the UN a role in reporting on the implementation
of the force’s mandate, in consultation with the African Union and IGAD.
He said that the Secretary-General
hopes that the resolution will succeed in stabilizing the situation in Somalia
and contribute to the restoration of peace in the country.
In this regard, Dujarric added, the
Secretary-General urges the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of
Islamic Courts to resume their dialogue in Khartoum without any preconditions,
with a view to reaching a peaceful settlement of the crisis.
Asked about press reports that Somalis
who do not pray five times a day were being threatened with beheading, the
Spokesman said he had no information about that. The Secretary-General, he
said, is greatly concerned by the situation in Somalia and is trying to bring
the parties together with the help of his Special Representative, Francois
Lonseny Fall.
U.N. LOOKS FORWARD TO DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL PARTIES ON FUTURE
U.N. ROLE IN IRAQ
Asked about the Secretary-General’s
reaction to the report issued on Wednesday by the Iraq Study Group, the
Spokesman said that the Secretary-General is pleased that the United Nations
was consulted in the drafting of this report. He noted that the
Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General and Special Representative Ashraf
Qazi were interviewed by the Commission that wrote the report.
While this report is primarily for the
consideration of the United States Government and representatives of the
American people, the Spokesman said, a number of its recommendations are
consistent with the latest report of the Secretary-General to the Security
Council -- in particular, the Secretary-General’s call for “convergence at the
national, regional and international levels to stabilize the situation in
Iraq.”
Asked whether the United Nations will
do more in Iraq in response to the report, the Spokesman said that the United
Nations looks forward to discussions with Iraq, the United States, and other
key regional and international actors on the future role of the United
Nations. He noted that the UN mandate in Iraq is based on Security Council
resolutions.
Asked whether the Secretary-General
agrees that dialogue with Iran and Syria would help to resolve the situation,
the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General in general favours dialogue, and
has pursued it with Iran and Syria a number of times, including by asking them
to help resolve the situation in Lebanon.
Asked whether dialogue with Iran
should be pursued even without the end of its nuclear programme, the Spokesman
said that the Secretary-General’s position on dialogue with Iran is unchanged.
U.N. MISSION TO HEAD TO NEPAL THIS WEEKEND
In keeping with the Secretary
General’s commitment to respond promptly to Nepal’s request for assistance in
the peace process, a UN technical assessment mission will be on the ground in
Nepal from 10-16 December; that team will plan for a full-fledged UN mission
to support the peace process.
The technical assessment mission will
be led by Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative in
Nepal, and will include members of his staff based in Kathmandu as well as
officials arriving from New York, with expertise in areas including political
and military affairs, logistics and public information.
Meanwhile, recruitment continues for a
team of up to 35 advance monitors to be deployed, ahead of a full-fledged
mission, to monitor provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. We also
are proceeding with our efforts to recruit 25 electoral experts to assist in
carrying out Constituent Assembly elections.
ANNAN STILL CONCERNED ABOUT POLITICAL STALEMATE IN LEBANON
Asked about a report that 50 al-Qaeda
militants had come to Lebanon from Iraq to kill Lebanese politicians, the
Spokesman said he could not confirm information that may or may not have come
out of a confidential document. He noted that the United Nations regularly
receives reporting from the field, some of which is confidential.
Dujarric said that the
Secretary-General has been reporting regularly to the Security Council on the
implementation of resolutions
1559
and
1701, both concerning Lebanon. The Secretary-General continues to be
concerned about the political stalemate in Lebanon, and renews his call for
the government and the opposition to resume their dialogue and resolve their
differences peacefully.
Asked whether UNIFIL’s mandate deals
with determining the existence of foreign fighters in Lebanon, the Spokesman
recalled that the Force’s mandate applies to its area of responsibility south
of the Litani River. In addition, he said, UNIFIL has been working with the
Government of Lebanon to ensure that it is the only force operating with arms
in Lebanon.
Dujarric noted that the
Secretary-General, in his recent report, also noted bilateral agreements with
the Lebanese Government to strengthen its border security.
Asked about the next report in the
Rafik Hariri investigation by Commissioner Serge Brammertz, the Spokesman said
it was expected towards the middle of December.
U.N. URGES ALL PARTIES TO IMPLEMENT COTE D’IVOIRE RESOLUTION
Asked about people being killed in
protests in Cote d’Ivoire, the Spokesman said that the UN Mission in that
country has been talking to all the country’s parties.
The United Nations, he said, is very
concerned about the stalemate, and urges all the parties to implement Security
Council resolution
1721,
passed last month. The United Nations, he added, was working with the Economic
Community of West African States and the African Union to facilitate a
resumption of the peace process.
HUMANITARIAN APPEAL LAUNCHED FOR OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN
TERRITORY
Twelve UN agencies, together with 14
non-governmental organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian
territory, today
launched an emergency appeal for more then $450 million to help meet
increasing Palestinian humanitarian needs in 2007.
It is the largest appeal for emergency
humanitarian assistance ever launched in the occupied Palestinian territory
and the third biggest in the world.
Karen AbuZayd, head of the UN Relief
and Works Agency (UNRWA), called the loss of life, livelihood and security in
the territory “most distressing.”
TIMOR-LESTE:
U.N. MISSION GETS NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER
The UN Integrated Mission in
Timor-Leste says it has appointed Rodolfo Asel Tor, a senior police advisor
from the Philippines, as its new Police Commissioner. Before joining the
Mission, Tor was the planning director at the Philippines National Police. He
replaces Antero Lopes who will return to his post at UN Headquarters.
The Acting Special Representative of
the Secretary General for Timor-Leste, Finn Reske-Nielsen, has welcomed Tor’s
appointment by noting that his vast experience in police matters will be of
great help to the Mission at a time when the security situation in Timor-Leste
is susceptible to disruptions and outbreaks of violence.
ARAB WOMEN DENIED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Women in the Arab world are not
realizing their full potential and are still denied equal opportunity,
according to the UN Development Programme’s “Arab Human Development Report
2005: Toward the rise of women in the Arab world”, which is being launched
today in Sana’a, Yemen.
The
report argues that the lack of opportunity for Arab women in their
societies represents not just a problem for women, but a barrier to progress
and prosperity in the Arab world as a whole.
“Full participation and empowerment of
women will be a source of strength for Arab Nations and will allow them to
reach greater prosperity,” said the UN Development Programme’s head, Kemal
Dervis.
U.N. HELPS RESTORE FABLED IRAQI MARSHLANDS
Through a program managed by the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP), almost half the Iraqi Marshlands, considered by
some to be the original “Garden of Eden,” have recovered to their former 1970s
extent.
In addition, up to 22,000 people
living in the area are now getting access to safe drinking water and some 300
Iraqis have been trained in marshland management techniques and policies.
ANNAN WELCOMES LAUNCH OF PROCESS FOR ARMS TRADE TREATY
HOLOCAUST MUST
NOT BE DENIED
In answer to a question, the Spokesman
said the Secretary-General would deeply deplore any conference whose purpose
is to question or deny the reality of the Holocaust. Only a year ago the
General Assembly passed a resolution which "rejects any denial of the
Holocaust as an historical event, either in full or part". The
Secretary-General personally believes that any attempt to cast doubt on the
reality of this unique and undeniable horror must be firmly resisted by all
people of goodwill and of whatever faith.
He spoke to President Ahmadinejad about
this when he met him in Tehran in September.
In the same resolution, the GA
designated 27 January as an annual International Day of Commemoration in
memory of the victims of the Holocaust.
Asked whether the Secretary-General’s
views were being expressed solely in relation to the Holocaust Conference in
Iran, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-General’s position on the
Holocaust was clearly expressed when he spoke as the General Assembly passed
its resolution on the Holocaust, when he referred to people who deny the
Holocaust as “bigots”.
REPORTER’S POSTINGS HARMING REPUTATION OF “DECENT & HONORABLE”
U.N. EMPLOYEE
In response to a demand from a
correspondent for an apology from the Deputy Secretary-General regarding
allegedly insulting comments made to the correspondent for Inner City Press,
the Spokesman conceded that Mark Malloch Brown used the word “jerk” in
response to a specific question about UNDP staff member Brian Gleeson that was
thrown to him as he was going from one meeting to another.
Malloch Brown, the Spokesman said,
sincerely believes that Brian Gleeson is a highly qualified professional, and
it was clear that the story that Inner City Press posted about Gleeson failed
to report the Spokesman’s on-the-record denial of the allegation that Malloch
Brown had been involved in Gleeson's change of job at UNDP.
The Spokesman added that people change
jobs often, and it should not always be seen as a demotion.
The Deputy Secretary-General believes
that the Inner City reporter, through his postings, impugned the reputation of
a decent and honorable man. These postings did not meet basic journalistic
standards, Dujarric added.
If Inner City Press will withdraw the
material from its website and acknowledge that it was inappropriate, the
Spokesman said, the Deputy Secretary-General will happily withdraw his
remarks.
In response to further questions, the
Spokesman said that UNDP has been answering the Inner City reporter’s many
questions – more than 50 previously, and 16 more made overnight. UNDP has said
that it is concerned that some of their answers have been improperly described
or distorted.
As for other questions about UNDP, the
Spokesman noted that UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis will brief the press on
18 December.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
SECURITY FOR MAJOR EVENTS CRITICAL:
Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security David Veness attended a meeting
this morning convened by the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute on enhancing security for major events. He delivered a
message from the
Secretary-General, who noted that the concept of an “Olympic truce” to allow
those games to take place in peace has been revived in modern times, even if it
has not had the desired impact. Still, we must act in that spirit and do our
utmost to ensure that major large-scale events can take place in peace.
SIERRA LEONE COURT GETS NEW CHIEF
PROSECUTOR: The
Special Court for Sierra Leone yesterday confirmed the appointment of
Stephen Rapp to be the Court’s next Chief Prosecutor. Rapp joins the Special
Court from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda where he has held the
position of Chief of Prosecution since May 2005. In this position, Rapp has been
responsible for supervising the prosecution of the military, government and
political leaders most responsible for the Rwandan genocide in trials at the
ICTR.
COMMITMENT BY SRI LANKAN FACTION
WELCOMED: Regarding Sri Lanka, the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict,
Radhika Coomaraswamy, has
welcomed the commitment by the so-called Karuna faction, which broke away
from the Tamil Tigers, to work with UNICEF in ensuring that children are
protected. She says this is a major step forward that will help to prevent
children from being used by armed groups in Sri Lanka, and hopes to receive a
similar commitment from the Tamil Tigers.
U.N. ENVOY URGES SERBS IN KOSOVO TO
JOIN INSTITUTIONS: The Secretary-General’s Special
Representative in Kosovo, Joachim Rücker, today
urged the Serb communities in northern Kosovo to join Kosovo’s institutions
and make their voices heard, noting that many of their problems would be easier
to fix through the institutions rather than from outside them. “I see the
municipalities in the north as being part of a democratic and multi-ethnic
Kosovo,” Mr. Rücker said.
CEREAL PRICES REACH RECORD HIGH:
Cereal prices, particularly for wheat and maize, have
reached
levels not seen for a decade, according to the Food and Agriculture
Organizations’s latest Food Outlook report. Poor harvests in key producing
countries and a fast-growing demand for biofuel production have driven up grain
prices, while supply constraints have also dominated the rice economy, the
report said.
ANNAN REMAINS SECRETARY-GENERAL UNTIL
END OF YEAR: Asked about the transition period to
a new Secretary-General, the Spokesman said the transition lasts until 31
December. The Secretary-General-designate, Ban Ki-moon, would be sworn in on 14
December, and may provide more information on the transition at that time, but
Kofi Annan remains Secretary-General through the end of the year.
ANNAN & BUSH HAVE WARM PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP: Asked about the dinner that took
place on Monday between US President George W. Bush and the Secretary-General,
the Spokesman said it went well. The President and the Secretary-General have a
warm personal relationship, he said, and both understand that they can differ on
a number of issues without it affecting their relationship. The
Secretary-General, he added, was pleased by the warm reception he received from
the President and First Lady Laura Bush.
*** The guest today was
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland, who briefed on the
High-Level Conference on the Central Emergency Response Fund.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
