HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MICHELE MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Thursday,
February 8, 2007
SECRETARY-GENERAL, UNITED NATIONS EXPRESS CONCERN
OVER LATEST ISRAEL-LEBANON SKIRMISH
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned about
the exchange of fire between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel
Defence Forces (IDF) across the Blue Line last night in the general area of
Maroun Al Ras.
The exchange of fire, which was initiated by the LAF
after an IDF bulldozer crossed the technical fence in an apparent attempt to
clear the area between the technical fence and the Blue Line of mines,
constitutes a breach of the cessation of hostilities as laid out in Security
Council
resolution 1701 (2006).
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) deployed
to the area immediately and was in contact with both sides urging them to
cease hostilities. UNIFIL is currently ascertaining all the facts concerning
the incident. The Secretary-General encourages the parties to make use of the
tripartite coordination mechanism in order to avoid similar incidents in the
future.
All such violations of Security Council resolution 1701
(2006) endanger the fragile calm that prevails in southern Lebanon. The
Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid
provocative actions and display responsibility in implementing resolution 1701
(2006).
The UNIFIL Force Commander, Major General Claude
Graziano, was in contact with both sides, urging them to cease hostilities
immediately. At around 23:30 hrs both sides ceased firing.
UNIFIL troops have been deployed in the area and are
ascertaining the facts concerning the incident.
In response to further questions about the situation on
the ground, the Spokeswoman said that, according to UNIFIL, the situation in
the general area of Maroun Al Ras has been relatively quiet today.
UNIFIL troops have been deployed in significant numbers.
They have been ascertaining the facts of yesterday’s incident and the findings
will be communicated to both parties.
UNIFIL troops, in coordination with the Lebanese army,
have also placed a sign to visibly mark the Blue Line in this area.
The Force Commander, Maj. Gen Graziano, has been in
contact with the parties and has called for a tripartite meeting with the
senior representatives of the Lebanese Army and the Israel Defence Force early
next week, Montas added.
After the noon briefing, the Security Council read a
press statement on the same subject that said, "The members of the Council
expressed deep concern about this incident. They look forward to the
ascertaining of all the facts by UNIFIL and to the forthcoming tripartite
meeting asked for by UNIFIL Force Commander. The members of the Council
appealed to all parties to respect the Blue Line in its entirety, to exercise
utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that could further escalate
the situation."
IRAQ: HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF AGAINST DEATH
PENALTY
FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN’S CO-DEFENDANT
High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour today
filed a legal brief with the Iraqi High Tribunal asserting that international
law prohibits the imposition of the death penalty in the case of Taha Yassin
Ramadan.
Arbour’s intervention was submitted in connection with
the Court's reconsideration of the sentence of Ramadan, a co-defendant
alongside Saddam Hussein, Awad Bandar and Barzan Hassan in proceedings
concerning events at Dujail.
In the brief, Arbour argues that the Court’s imposition
of the death sentence on Taha Yassin Ramadan would violate Iraq’s obligations
under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Covenant,
which Iraq has ratified, provides that a death sentence may only be imposed
following proceedings conducted in strict adherence to due process
requirements, and guarantees the right to seek a commutation or pardon. In
these circumstances, Arbour says, the Court should refrain from imposing the
death sentence.
Asked whether Arbour had taken a similar initiative
concerning Saddam Hussein and his two co-defendants, the Spokeswoman said that
Arbour had made appeals in those cases.
SECURITY COUNCIL TAKES UP COMPREHENSIVE
PEACE AGREEMENT IN SUDAN
The Security Council today held consultations on Sudan.
Council members heard a briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping
Operations Jean Marie Guéhenno about the Secretary-General’s recent
report on
the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and on the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement between northern and southern Sudan.
In that report, the Secretary-General warned that both
parties must cease using militias as proxy forces and make the integration of
other armed groups a top priority. He added that a swift, peaceful resolution
to the Darfur conflict could go a long way towards restoring trust between the
parties to the Agreement.
DARFUR: INCREASING ATTACKS ON AFRICAN
UNION FORCE CONDEMNED
The UN Mission in Sudan reports a number of incidents in
Darfur, including an assault on a group of women from the Kalma Camp housing
displaced persons who were on their way to collect firewood. The assailants
attempted to abduct one of the women but failed, the Mission said.
Meanwhile, the Darfur Peace Agreement Joint Commission
met in North Darfur yesterday and issued a statement that deplored and
strongly condemned the increase in assaults and attacks on the African Union
force in Darfur, as well as aid agencies and organizations’ personnel and
properties, including killings, abduction, stealing and snatching of vehicles.
The meeting was chaired by the African Union and was
attended by the signatories of the Darfur Peace Agreement and the Declaration
of Commitment, the United Nations, the European Union and the United States as
members, and Canada, France, the League of Arab States, the Netherlands, Egypt
and the United Kingdom as observers.
AGENCY FOR PALESTINIAN REFUGEES RESTORES
OPERATIONS IN GAZA
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in
the Near East (UNRWA) has
restored
its humanitarian operations in Gaza, which had been interrupted during recent
factional fighting, to full operation.
In a meeting with head teachers from the worst-affected
schools in Gaza City, UNRWA’s Director of Operations in Gaza, John Ging,
expressed the Agency’s commitment to continue with the delivery of
humanitarian services, in spite of the new and dangerous challenges it faces.
He added, “We are all hoping that the political leaders
meeting in Mecca will have the courage and wisdom to find solutions to avoid a
return to the violence of the past days.”
TIMOR-LESTE: SITUATION REMAINS VOLATILE
The UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)
reports that the situation in Dili remains volatile with some 24 reported
instances of fighting and stone-throwing. Ten houses were torched and three UN
vehicles were damaged overnight.
Meanwhile yesterday’s influx of Movement of National
Unity of the Republic (MUNJ) supporters from Liquica District into Dili
continued.
Earlier today some 400 to 500 MUNJ supporters made their
way to the Government Building, where three representatives met with President
Gusmao. Demonstrators are now reportedly moving back toward Liquica, east of
Dili.
UNITED NATIONS IS INVESTIGATING RECENT
VIOLENCE IN D.R. CONGO
The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
has put at 134 the number of civilians killed in the recent violence in the
Bas Congo province. The Mission says that human rights officers attached to
the multidisciplinary teams now investigating the aftermath of the violence
will also conduct a survey in four of the province’s towns worst affected by
the fighting.
While the World Food Programme continues food delivery to
the wounded now in treatment at the Kikanda general hospital, a Mission
helicopter yesterday flew a team from the Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to South Kivu to assess humanitarian conditions
there, a few days after UN peacekeepers deployed a mobile operations unit to
help maintain public order in the region.
U.N. AGENCIES IS HELPING INDONESIAN
FLOOD SURVIVORS
Yesterday it was announced that the World Food Programme
was feeding Indonesian flood survivors in Jakarta, following Indonesia’s
request for international assistance. Other UN agencies are now
involved in that relief effort as well. UNICEF, for example, is preparing
water bladders and purification tablets and will provide zinc supplements to
children to treat diarrhea.
For its part, the UN Population Fund will distribute
hygiene kits and reproductive health packages. And the World Health
Organization has already helped to establish 15 mobile health units across
Jakarta and is carefully monitoring cases of a number of diseases.
CATS CAN GET INFECTED WITH BIRD FLU
VIRUS
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is
warning
today that cats can become infected with the bird flu virus. But currently,
there is no scientific evidence to suggest that there has been sustained
transmission in cats or from cat to human.
As a precautionary measure, FAO recommends that, in areas
where the virus has been found in poultry or wild birds, cats should be
separated from infected birds until the danger has passed. On commercial
poultry premises, cats should even be kept indoors.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS ON SENIOR APPOINTMENTS EXPECTED TOMORROW:
Asked whether senior appointments at the UN Secretariat would be announced on
Friday, the Spokeswoman said she hoped there would be announcements tomorrow. In
response to further questions, she added, some senior appointments would be
announced prior to the conclusion of the restructuring process.
UNITED NATIONS AWARE OF PROTESTS IN HAITI: Asked
about protests against UN peacekeepers in Haiti, the Spokeswoman said that the
United Nations was aware of the protests, which have been going on in recent
weeks. She added that the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
was not reacting to those protests.
NO CHANGE IN START DATE FOR FOOD AGENCY CHIEF: Asked
about the Secretary-General’s meeting with World Food Programme Executive
Director-designate, Josette Sheeran, the Spokeswoman said that there has been no
change in the date, in April, when she will take up her duties.
***The guest at today’s noon briefing was the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika
Coomaraswamy, who briefed on her recent mission to Sudan and on the recent “Free
Children from War” conference in Paris.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
