HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MICHELE
MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
U.N.
HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday, June
29, 2007
BAN KI-MOON MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO KABUL
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid a
surprise visit to Kabul today, his first to Afghanistan since taking the
post. He met President Hamid Karzai, Speaker of Parliament Yunus Qanooni, and
General Dan McNeill, the commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance
Force, as well as senior UN staff.
The Secretary-General spoke in detail with President
Karzai on questions of governance, including the fight against illegal drugs and
corruption. They agreed that to address such problems, strong leadership was
needed, accompanied by visible action. They also discussed progress on economic
development and the need to promote regional cooperation, as well as the
paramount importance of education.
The issue of civilian casualties was raised separately
during talks with General McNeill and President Karzai. General McNeill
expressed his intention to do all he could to reduce the impact that the
conflict is having on civilians. President Karzai and the Secretary-General
acknowledged the huge importance of the issue and agreed that steps are needed
to ensure that Afghan civilians are safe.
The Secretary-General and President Karzai will be
traveling to Rome in the coming days to attend the July 2-3 Rule of Law
Conference on Afghanistan, where they will continue their dialogue.
The Secretary-General is on his way now to Geneva,
where he will attend the ECOSOC High-Level Meeting on Monday.
SECRETARY-GENERAL CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
ON COTE D’IVOIRE PRIME MINISTER
The
Secretary-General is
shocked at today's rocket attack on an aircraft that was carrying Prime
Minister Guillaume Soro at Bouake airport, resulting in the killing of at least
three people with several others wounded.
The
Secretary-General strongly condemns this attack.
He calls on all
Ivorian parties to continue to work together and in close consultation with the
United Nations towards implementing the Ouagadougou Agreement.
The
Secretary-General reminds all the Ivorian people that this Agreement represents
a unique opportunity for a peaceful solution to the protracted Ivorian crisis,
which should be used for the benefit of the people of Côte d’Ivoire and the
entire sub-region.
The UN Mission in
Côte d’Ivoire also
condemned
the attack. It asked the country’s authorities to identify those responsible for
this attack and bring them to justice. The UN Mission is calling on all parties
to refrain from any action that could compromise the Ouagadougou Agreement.
BAN
KI-MOON WELCOMES GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTION
OF RESOLUTION ON RESTRUCTURING
The
Secretary-General warmly
welcomes the
General Assembly’s adoption of resolution
61/279,
approving the thrust of his proposals aimed at strengthening the capacity of the
Organization to manage and sustain peace operations.
The proposals
approved by the General Assembly include a restructuring of the
Department of Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO); the establishment of a separate
Department of Field Support (DFS), headed by an Under-Secretary-General; a major
augmentation of working-level resources in both Departments and in other parts
of the Secretariat; and new capacities as well as integrated structures to match
the growing complexity of mandated activities.
The approved reform
package has been carefully crafted to ensure that the two Departments, DPKO and
DFS, will work in harmony, so as to provide unity of command, coherence in
policy and strategy, and operational efficiency, while promoting the overall
effectiveness and oversight of peacekeeping operations.
The
Secretary-General is grateful that the General Assembly was able to tackle the
daunting task of approving such wide-ranging proposals in a short period of
time. Through this resolution, Member States have reaffirmed the importance they
attach to UN peacekeeping, and demonstrated their willingness to substantially
invest in bolstering the Secretariat’s capacity in this key endeavor.
The
Secretary-General is confident that the Secretariat can now move quickly to make
appointments and implement the new arrangements.
Asked whether the
Secretary-General regarded the General Assembly’s vote as a victory for him, the
Spokeswoman said that he did. She noted that he did not get everything from the
Assembly that he had asked for, but added that the resolution was nevertheless a
very positive development.
SECURITY COUNCIL ENDS U.N. WEAPONS VERIFICATION MANDATE FOR IRAQ
On the last
scheduled working day of the Security Council during Belgium’s Presidency in the
month of June, the Council held a formal meeting to discuss the work of the UN
Monitoring, Verification and Inspections Commission (UNMOVIC)
and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Iraq.
Security Council
members voted 14 to 0, with Russia abstaining, on a resolution today to
terminate those two bodies’ mandates in Iraq.
Prior to that,
Council members heard from Demetrius Perricos, the Acting Chairman of the
Commission, and Gustavo Zlauvinen of the IAEA about the inspectors’ work over
the years. Perricos warned that, in Iraq’s current security environment, it
should not be discounted that non-state actors may seek to acquire toxic agents
or their chemical precursors in small quantities.
Earlier, the Council
issued a Presidential Statement that, among other things, encourages increased
efforts to end the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons.
EN ROUTE TO
AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL PROMOTES PEACE AND GOOD
GOVERNANCE IN GUINEA-BISSAU
The Deputy
Secretary-General has arrived in Guinea-Bissau as part of efforts to consolidate
peace and promote good governance in that country.
She was in the
Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Thursday evening. She spoke to media on arrival and
highlighted the efforts being made by the United Nations and the African Union
in dealing with the
Darfur crisis.
The Deputy
Secretary-General is expected back in the Ghanaian capital on Saturday afternoon
for the African Union Summit.
UNITED
NATIONS APPEALS FOR EARLY TROOP AND POLICE
OFFERS FOR PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN DARFUR
The Department of
Peacekeeping Operations this morning met with potential troop and police
contributing countries for the African Union-United Nations hybrid operation for
Darfur.
Jean-Marie Guéhenno,
the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, opened the meeting and
appealed to the participants for early contributions. He also noted that
suitable offers from African contributors will be given priority but if there
are not enough such offers, offers from outside Africa would be accepted.
The potential
contributors were briefed on the military and police requirements of the hybrid
operation as outlined in the AU-UN joint report issued earlier this month. They
also heard a briefing on the logistical challenges of deploying in Darfur.
DPKO characterized
today’s meeting as a constructive start, and it will press ahead with informal
discussions with the potential contributors and hold the next meeting after the
Security Council officially authorizes the operation and establishes a mandate.
BAN KI-MOON SENDS MESSAGE TO PEOPLE OF TIMOR LESTE
ON EVE OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION
Tomorrow is Election
Day in Timor-Leste and the Secretary-General, in a video message recorded last
week, expressed the hope that Timorese voters will demonstrate a determination
to see genuine multi-party democracy prevail in the young nation.
He called on
candidates to accept the results of the parliamentary elections and to raise any
concerns about the vote through the appropriate legal channels.
He also renewed the
UN commitment to stand by Timor-Leste’s side as the country consolidates the
foundations of democratic governance.
The UN Integrated
Mission (UNMIT), meanwhile, says that
representatives of the five leading political parties met yesterday to discuss
threats of violence looming over the election and how best to prevent violence
during and after the vote. The Mission was also represented at that meeting,
which saw participants commit to more dialogue on a number of specific
violence-prone areas.
Meanwhile, the UN
Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM, has actively promoted the participation of
women in Timorese politics. UNIFEM says that it conducted workshops on the
electoral process in a democracy as young as Timor-Leste’s.
UNITED
NATIONS PROMOTES CONFIDENCE MEASURES TO RIVAL GEORGIAN PARTIES AND GEORGIA’S
PARTNERS
The UN
Observer Mission in Georgia says that senior representatives of the
Secretary-General’s Group of Friends of Georgia met earlier this week in Bonn,
Germany under the chairmanship of Jean-Marie Guehenno, the
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.
The meeting, attended by the Georgian and
Abkhaz delegations, addressed the enduring tensions in the zone of conflict, the
absence of dialogue between the sides and the need to promote the
confidence-building measures endorsed by the Security Council.
The Group of Friends includes France, Germany, the
Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.
ON ITS FIFTH
ANNIVERSARY, BAN KI-MOON LAUDS
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
This Sunday will
mark the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court. The Secretary-General regards the creation of
the Court as one of the major achievements in international law during the
past century.
A
statement marking
the fifth anniversary, which we have upstairs, says that the Court has already
established itself as the centerpiece of a system of international criminal
justice. It provides a unique opportunity to hold people responsible for the
most serious crimes, and already the Court’s activities have helped to deter
potential perpetrators of international crimes.
REPORT ON
WESTERN SAHARA TALKS TO BE REISSUED SHORTLY
Asked about the
Secretary-General’s latest report on Western Sahara, the Spokeswoman said that
there would probably be a revised version of that report coming out in the next
few days. Asked why the report was being revised, Montas said that was in
response to reservations expressed by all the parties.
[In addition to the information provided at
today’s noon briefing regarding the Secretary-General’s report on Western
Sahara, correspondents are advised that the report will be reissued shortly
without the final section of Observations. It was felt by all concerned that at
this stage in the talks it would be in the best interests of the process for the
Secretary-General’s envoy to share observations and recommendations to the
Security Council in his coming oral briefing to the Council and to the parties
directly within the negotiations themselves, rather than in a public report. ]
NO DECISION
TAKEN ON PROSECUTOR FOR EX-YUGOSLAVIA TRIBUNAL
In response to
questions, the Spokeswoman emphasized that it is up to the Security Council to
decide who will be the next prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia, upon recommendations by the Secretary-General.
The
Secretary-General would like to ensure a transition as smooth and rational as
possible between Prosecutor Carla del Ponte and her replacement.
Confidential
discussions are underway but no decision has yet been taken.
The matter has not
yet been brought to the attention of Security Council and the Council members
will be informed once all necessary details have been agreed upon.
As to Serge
Brammertz, the Secretary-General greatly appreciates his skills and the manner
in which he is discharging his duties as head of the International Independent
Investigation Commission for Lebanon. The Secretary-General wishes to be able to
rely on his talents so that the United Nations will continue to benefit from
them.
Asked whether
Brammertz is being considered to become the next ICTY prosecutor, the
Spokeswoman said that consultations are taking place on Del Ponte’s successor.
Asked how many
reports Brammertz would issue in his current position prior to the end of the
year, Montas said that was up to him.
UNICEF PROVIDES EMERGENCY AID TO PAKISTAN
FLOOD VICTIMS
UNICEF is providing emergency supplies in the province of
Balochistan, where more than 800-thousand people have been affected by
flooding. Heavy rains and a recent cyclone have left dozens of villages under
water, and thousands of people homeless.
UNICEF is providing tents, blankets, medicine, and water
purification tablets, as well as 50 tons of food supplements.
Asked whether the United
Nations would assist the population in Karachi that needs help, the
Spokeswoman noted that it was primarily the responsibility of the Pakistani
Government to deal with the response to the floods. She said that the United
Nations would provide help to Pakistan as requested.
MEDICAL
EVACUATION URGED FOR PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IN IRAQ
In Iraq, the UN refugee agency is making an
urgent plea for
the immediate evacuation of at least a dozen seriously-ill Palestinians,
mostly young children, who are stuck in Baghdad or in makeshift camps on the
Syrian border.
Thousands more Palestinian refugees in Iraq are living in
dire conditions and have nowhere to go, UNHCR says.
In other news, UNHCR’s two and half year repatriation
program for Liberian refugees is set to end tomorrow. The last repatriation
convoy, transporting 550 Liberians, departed yesterday from a camp in eastern
Guinea. More than 100 thousand refugees have returned home to Liberia with
UNHCR’s help since October 2004.
HIGHER RISK OF BLOOD CLOTS FOR
PASSENGERS
TRAVELING FOUR HOURS OR LONGER
In a
study released today, the World Health Organization says that the risk of
developing venous thromboembolism – or blood clots—doubles for passengers who
remain seated or immobile after travel of four hours or more – whether it’s in
a plane, train, bus or car.
The study also found that those taking multiple
flights over a short period of time are at higher risk. Walk around, WHO
advises, stressing, however, that the risk of developing blood clots when
traveling are relatively low, at about 1 in 6000.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
REVOLVING-DOOR
POLICY DOES NOT LIMIT POST-U.N. POLITICAL FUNCTIONS FOR FORMER STAFF:
In answer to a question, the Spokeswoman referred
to a bulletin issued last December putting into force regulations regarding
post-employment restrictions. It outlines clear limitations on UN staff who have
been involved in various levels of "procurement activity" but in no way concerns
accepting a political post.
STUDY BY REFUGEE AGENCY SHOWS NO LINK
BETWEEN CONFLICT AND AIDS PREVALENCE: A study by the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees is challenging assumptions that conflict increases the prevalence
of HIV infection. In the seven African countries where it collected data, the
UNHCR did not find evidence that conflict, forced displacement and wide-scale
rape lead to a higher prevalence of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the
results of the study showed no link between refugees fleeing conflict and the
spread infection in host communities.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
[This document is for planning purposes
only and is subject to change.]
Saturday, June 30
Today is the Belgium’s last day as Security Council
president.
Through Friday in Bangkok, the second session of the
Conference of the Parties to the World Health Organization Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control takes place.
Sunday, July 1
The
Deputy Secretary-General to address the Summit of the African Union in Accra,
Ghana.
Today is China’s first day as Security Council president.
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the entry into force
of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Monday, July 2
From today through 27 July in
Geneva, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) holds its substantive session.
The Secretary-General will open the high-level segment, which runs today through
Thursday, and present the Millennium Development Goals Report 2007.
The International Conference
on “Rule of Law in Afghanistan” takes place today and tomorrow at the Italian
Foreign Ministry in Rome. The Secretary-General is expected to co-chair part of
the session.
Through Saturday in Rome, the
30th annual meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the joint
international food standard-setting body of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization, takes place..
From today through Friday in
Cape Town, South Africa, the International Atomic Energy Agency hosts a global
workshop on radioactive waste.
Tuesday, July 3
In Geneva, ECOSOC holds its
first Annual Ministerial Review on the theme of strengthening efforts to
eradicate poverty and hunger, including through the global partnership for
development. The Review will close tomorrow with the adoption of the Ministerial
Declaration.
Following the noon briefing in Room 226, Ambassador Wang
Guangya of China will brief the press, in his capacity as the Security Council’s
President for July, on the Council’s programme of work for the month.
Wednesday, July 4
Today is an official holiday
in New York. UN Headquarters will be closed.
The Secretary-General is
scheduled to be in Turin, Italy, today to visit the UN Staff College.
Thursday, July 5
In Geneva, ECOSOC launches the Development Cooperation
Forum and holds parallel roundtables on the role of national aid coordination
and management and on South-South and triangular cooperation.
The Global Compact Leaders Summit takes place today and
tomorrow in Geneva.
Friday, July 6
In Geneva, the Coordination Segment of the ECOSOC
Substantive Session opens today. Through 10 July, the segment will focus on the
role of the UN System in promoting full and productive employment and decent
work for all. This morning, there will also be a dialogue of ECOSOC with the
Executive Secretaries of the Regional Commissions.
Office of the Spokesman for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
