HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MICHELE
MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
U.N.
HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Tuesday, July
10, 2007
SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR IMPROVING TREATMENT
OF MIGRANTS
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
today addressed
the Inaugural Global Forum on Migration and Development taking place in
Brussels, saying that, as we have grasped migration’s powerful potential for
good, old stereotypes have crumbled, and new opportunities have captured our
imaginations.
He said that migration
continues to increase -- driven by the age-old pursuit of a better life, as
well as by increasingly understood phenomena such as climate change. The
Secretary-General stressed that we can do a great deal to build a better
migration experience, including by ensuring that people move in a way that is
safe and legal, and which protects their rights.
The Secretary-General
added that he will remain deeply committed to the Forum’s work, and pledged to
maintain its link to the United Nations through his Special Representative for
Migration and Development, Peter Sutherland, who was re-appointed today.
The Secretary-General also
met today with the European Union’s High Representative for Common Foreign and
Security Policy, Javier Solana.
He was
asked
afterwards by a reporter about Kosovo, and responded that any further delay or
prolongation of that issue will not be beneficial, for the Balkan states or
for the European Union. At the same time, he asked the parties concerned not
to take any premature unilateral action which may further complicate this
already complicated issue.
The Secretary-General also
held a press conference, in which, in response to a question, he said he was
concerned about the ongoing situation in Pakistan. He stressed that the issue
should be resolved peacefully, with respect for human rights.
U.N. ENVOY CONDEMNS BOMB ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN
Tom Koenigs, the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, condemned today’s
bomb attack in the Dihrawud district of Uruzgan province, saying, “In no
culture, no country, and no religion is there any excuse or justification for
mass murder.”
He said he was especially
concerned by the reports that a large number of children were among the dead
from today’s bomb, adding that such utter disregard for innocent lives is
staggering.
The UN Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stressed
repeatedly the need for all sides in this conflict to do their utmost to
prevent harm coming to civilians.
UNICEF, in
a statement, said that it is concerned by these incidents and the intimidation
in some communities aimed at stopping families from sending children to
school. Schools are a visible sign of reconstruction and progress, and there
are those who perhaps fear such progress, UNICEF says.
SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON GUINEA-BISSAU, KOREA
SANCTIONS
The Security
Council this morning heard a briefing
on the latest developments in Guinea-Bissau by the Secretary-General’s
Representative for that country, Shola Omoregie. He presented the
Secretary-General’s latest
report on Guinea Bissau. Following consultations, the Council President
read out a
statement to the press about Guinea-Bissau.
Also this morning, Council
members discussed the work of the sanctions committee dealing with the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and heard from the chairman of that
committee, Ambassador Marcello Spatafora of Italy.
Ambassador Peter Burian of
Slovakia also briefed on the progress of the Council’s Working Group on
Procedures and Documentation.
SECRETARY-GENERAL DISTURBED BY REPORTED BREACHES
OF LEBANON ARMS EMBARGO
The Secretary-General’s
latest report on the implementation of resolution
1701,
which is out today, says that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned that
Lebanon remains in the midst of a debilitating political crisis and faces
ongoing attacks aimed at destabilizing and undermining its sovereignty,
territorial integrity and independence.
He says he is disturbed by
the persistent reports pointing to breaches of the arms embargo along the
Lebanese-Syrian border. He notes with concern that the Lebanon Independent
Border Assessment Team, whose own report is also out today, concludes that the
border is not sufficiently secure and that Lebanese capabilities are lacking.
The Secretary-General
commends the senior UN cartographer on his work to date on developing an
accurate territorial definition of the Shab’a Farms area, and says he is
pleased that Israel has agreed to a visit by the cartographer to the area. The
report also discusses the killings last month of six UN peacekeepers in
southern Lebanon.
CROSSING CLOSURES THREATEN HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
IN GAZA
The Office for the
Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
says that imports of food, fuel and cash into the Gaza Strip are helping to meet some of the minimum food needs in the territory. Nonetheless, three quarters of Gaza’s factories are closed or
operating at minimal capacity.
Meanwhile, border
restrictions are preventing agricultural exports from reaching the market,
while essential items like milk powder, baby formula and vegetable oil are in
short supply.
Under-Secretary-General
for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes warned of serious social, economic and
humanitarian concerns unless all crossings return to their operational levels
of a month ago.
PIRACY OFF COAST OF SOMALIA ENDANGERS AID
DELIVERIES
The World Food Programme (WFP)
and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) today made a joint
call for
concerted and coordinated international action to deal with the threat of
piracy and armed robbery in waters off the coast of Somalia.
The joint appeal comes
amid growing concern about the perils it poses for commercial shipping,
fishing and other vessels and the delivery of humanitarian assistance needed
by hundreds of thousands of Somali men, women and children.
The Secretary-General of
the International Maritime Organisation, Efthimios Mitropoulos, and WFP
Executive Director, Josette Sheeran, warned that piracy off the coast of
Somalia threatens regional sea lanes and endangers the fragile delivery line
of food aid to Somalis already affected by the ravages of 15 years of civil
strife, political instability and recurring natural disasters.
REFUGEE DEATHS DURING GULF OF ADEN CROSSING
CONTINUE TO RISE
The number of refugees
dying while crossing the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen continues to
rise. At least 367 people died in the first six months of this year, or more
than in all of 2006, according to the UN Refugee agency.
UNHCR
says many of those
who lost their lives were forced by smugglers to disembark in deep waters and
drowned while trying to swim to shore. Others were beaten to death by
smugglers or attacked by sharks after being thrown overboard.
U.N. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN DRC CONDEMNS
ASSASSINATION IN GOMA
The Special Representative
of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
William Lacy Swing, has condemned in the strongest terms the assassination of
Floribert Bwana Chuy Bin Kositi, a regional leader of the Congolese Rally for
Democracy political party. Kositi was found dead yesterday in Goma, the main
town in the eastern province of North Kivu.
In his statement, Swing
also urged Congolese authorities to ensure that this crime does not go
unpunished, saying that this crime occurs at a time when a new peace drive is
raising the hopes of achieving peace in the region. He said that this latest
killing appears to be part of an emerging pattern of assassinating political
and business officials in the eastern Congolese provinces.
HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS ON IRAN TO PREVENT
EXECUTION BY STONING
The High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Louise Arbour, is expressing deep
concern at reports out of Iran that a man was stoned to death near Tehran
last week. Her office is still trying to find out more information from the
Government about the case, which reportedly involves a man and his female
companion, who were imprisoned for more than 11 years for adultery.
The High Commissioner is
calling on Iranian authorities to stop the execution of the woman involved in
the case, as well as all such executions in Iran.
U.N. AGENCIES PROVIDE FLOOD RELIEF IN PAKISTAN,
MYANMAR AND SUDAN
In Pakistan, flood relief
efforts have been stepped up as the water starts to recede. According to the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
the World Food Programme (WFP) has provided almost 60 metrics tonnes of food,
while UNICEF has supplied the same amount of food for vulnerable children and
pregnant women. As for the UN Refugee Agency, it expects to deliver, by the
end of the week, more than 250 tonnes of emergency supplies to Quetta, the
capital of Balochistan province. OCHA estimates that more than two million
people were affected by the floods.
In Myanmar, the annual
monsoon season began two weeks ago, resulting in floods in many areas. UNICEF
has been able to distribute essential drugs, oral-rehydration salts, water
purification tablets and family kits, in part because of supplies
pre-positioned from the response to the Indian Ocean tsunami.
And finally, floods have
also affected the north of Sudan, and a multi-agency emergency response there
is also providing essential supplies. UNICEF
reports that the
humanitarian community has distributed, among other items, plastic sheeting,
blankets and cooking sets to more than 1,000 families.
WFP LAUNCHES APPEAL TO SUPPORT NEPAL’S PEACE
PROCESS
The World Food Programme (WFP) is
launching an
international appeal for $49 million to support Nepal’s peace process.
This year-long recovery programme will assist over
1.2 million people in the country who continue to struggle daily with the
effects of the recently ended eleven-year conflict.
In addition to delivering food aid, the programme
aims to provide quick-impact economic opportunities and to support
community-based activities to contribute to longer-term food security in
Nepal.
WEST AFRICAN COUNTRIES, DONORS TO DISCUSS
COUNTER-TERRORISM
Sixteen West African countries are set to meet
with donors on Wednesday at UN Headquarters to discuss a more targeted and
regional approach to building their ability to fight terrorism, both within
their borders and across the region.
The day-long informal meeting between the West
African States and some 20 donor nations and international organizations is
intended to give participants the opportunity to exchange views on the
challenges faced by countries in putting into practice the various Security
Council counter-terrorism resolutions, particularly resolution 1373 (2001),
and by providers in delivering counter-terrorism related technical assistance.
The meeting is organized
by the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate (CTED)
and also aims to encourage the implementation of the relevant provisions of
the Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy
adopted by the General Assembly in September 2006.
U.N. RENEWS CALL FOR ALL STATES TO TRANSFER
SREBRENICA SUSPECTS TO THE HAGUE
Asked about the
anniversary of the horrific crimes that took place in Srebrenica, the
Spokesperson said that the United Nations stresses once more the need for all
States to act to transfer to The Hague all of the suspects indicted for their
involvement in the killings, notably Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic.
The UN system, notably the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY),
have tried to obtain justice for all those who suffered from the killings in
Srebrenica, and the transfers are essential to achieving that aim, she said.
Montas added, in response
to a further question, that the Tribunal cannot arrest suspects; that is the
responsibility of Member States.
Asked about remarks by the
Mothers of Srebrenica that Tribunal Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte is not welcome
at the Srebrenica anniversary, the Spokeswoman said it would be up to Bosnia
to decide whom to invite to the commemorative events.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
UPCOMING PRESS
CONFERENCES BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL:
The guest at the noon briefing on Wednesday will be Deputy Secretary-General,
Asha-Rose Migiro, who will brief on her recent trip to Austria, Guinea-Bissau,
Ghana and Kenya. Meanwhile, the Secretary-General is now scheduled to have a
press conference on Monday, July 16, at 10:30 a.m., at a location to be
announced.
MERGING OF TWO U.N.
OFFICES UNDER CONSIDERATION: Asked
whether the Office of the Special Adviser for Africa would be merged into the
Office of the High Level Representative, which deals with land-locked countries,
least developed countries and small island states, the Spokeswoman said that was
being considered.
U.N. ETHICS OFFICE
REVIEWING CASE OF POTENTIAL WHISTLEBLOWER:
Asked whether the head of the UN Ethics Office has received a letter concerning
a potential U.N. Development Programme whistleblower, the Spokeswoman reiterated
that the Ethics Office is reviewing the issue, and has 45 days to do so.
NO DECISION ON NAMING OF
NEW U.N. IRAQ REPRESENTATIVE: Asked
whether Ghassan Salameh of Lebanon has been picked to replace the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative for
Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, the Spokeswoman said that no decision has been taken. She
acknowledged that Qazi would be leaving his post soon.
SECURITY CONCERNS PREVENT
INCREASE IN U.N. PRESENCE IN IRAQ:
Asked whether the United Nations would increase its presence in Iraq, the
Spokeswoman recalled that the Secretary-General has expressed the desire to
increase the UN presence there, but there has been no specific decision for such
an increase, and there continue to be security concerns.
Office of the Spokesman for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
