SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS PANEL
OF INQUIRY ON FLOTILLA INCIDENT

• Starting at
  noon, the
  
  Secretary-General met the members of the
  
  Panel of Inquiry on the flotilla incident of 31 May
  2010. Mr. Geoffrey
  Palmer, the Chairperson, and Mr. Alvaro Uribe, the Vice
  Chair, were joined by the Israeli and Turkish members of
  the panel, respectively Mr. Joseph Ciechanover and Mr.
  Özdem Sanberk. 
   

• The Secretary-General
  expressed his appreciation to the members of the Panel
  for undertaking this important responsibility and for
  the commitment with which they were approaching this
  task.  He referred, with appreciation, to the support he
  had received from both the Turkish and Israeli
  Governments in establishing this panel.
   

• The Panel will spend the
  coming days determining how they will undertake their
  task, and in this effort, the Secretary-General stressed
  they should seek the fullest cooperation of the national
  authorities.  He reminded the members of the panel to
  discharge their mandate in the light of the Presidential
  Statement of the Security Council on this issue.  The
  Secretary-General looks forward to their first progress
  report by 15 September 2010.
   

• The Panel is not designed to
  determine individual criminal responsibility, but to
  examine and identify the facts, circumstances and the
  context of the incident, as well as to recommend ways of
  avoiding future incidents.  For that purpose, the Panel
  will receive and review reports of national
  investigations into the incident and request such
  clarifications and information as it may require from
  relevant national authorities.
   

• The Secretary-General
  expressed the hope that this Inquiry would also make a
  positive contribution to the broader peace process, and
  more specifically to improving relations between Turkey
  and Israel.  He promised the full support of the
  Secretariat, and expected that they would also receive
  the fullest cooperation of the relevant national
  authorities.
   

• In response to questions, the
  Spokesperson noted that, for the conduct of its work,
  the panel will decide what steps it will take and will
  work with the national authorities.
   

• As was repeatedly emphasized,
  the cooperation of the parties is crucial to the panel’s
  work. Today, he said, the Secretary-General is renewing
  his call on the parties to fully cooperate with the
  panel.
   

• Nesirky added that the panel
  can do its work in parallel with the work of national
  investigations, but would look into the materials
  provided by those investigations.
   

• Asked whether the panel can
  issue subpoenas, the Spokesperson noted that it was not
  a criminal investigation and is not looking into
  criminal responsibility.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SADDENED BY
SUFFERING CAUSED BY FIRES IN RUSSIA

• The
  
  Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the loss of
  life and suffering caused by the fires that have
  affected the territory of the Russian Federation outside
  Moscow. He extends his deepest condolences to the
  families of those who have died or been injured.
   

• The
  Secretary-General is aware of the tremendous efforts
  being undertaken by the Government of the Russian
  Federation to bring the situation under control.  He
  reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to assist
  in any way in this effort should it be required.    
  

BAN KI-MOON EXTENDS CONDOLENCES
FOLLOWING FLOODS IN CHINA

• The
  Secretary-General is
  
  deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation
  caused by the severe flooding that has affected
  considerable portions of China.  He extends his deepest
  condolences to the families of those who have died or
  been injured or lost their homes and possessions.
   

• The
  Secretary-General is aware of the tremendous efforts
  being undertaken by the Government of China to evacuate
  people out of harm’s way, to carry out search and rescue
  operations, and to respond to needs arising from this
  situation.  He reaffirms the commitment of the United
  Nations to assist in any way in this effort should it be
  required.    

FLASH APPEAL FOR PAKISTAN TO BE
LAUNCHED ON WEDNESDAY

• As the
  Secretary-General
  
  said on Monday, an Emergency Response Plan and an
  appeal for several hundred million dollars will soon be
  issued to respond to immediate needs following the
  floods in Pakistan.
   

• That appeal is
  expected to be launched in New York on Wednesday by the
  
  UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and
  Emergency Relief Coordinator,
  
  John Holmes, and by representatives of the
  Government of Pakistan.
   

• The UN relief
  agencies are concentrating on the six million persons in
  direct need of humanitarian assistance. According to
  initial estimates, more than 290,000 homes have been
  damaged or destroyed in the floods. Priority needs
  include providing shelter to more than two million
  persons. These are still very preliminary estimations,
  as the real extent of the destruction will be available
  only after the waters have receded.
   

• The
  
  World Food Programme (WFP) says that weather
  conditions improved slightly yesterday, allowing WFP to
  get its helicopters off the ground for the first time in
  three days to help the affected people in Pakistan. 
  

U.N. MISSION: AFGHAN CIVILIAN
CASUALTIES UP 31% FROM PREVIOUS YEAR

• The
  
  UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says
  that there was a 31 per cent increase in
  conflict-related
  
  Afghan civilian casualties in the first six months
  of 2010, as compared with the same period in 2009.
   

• From 1 January
  to 30 June 2010, UNAMA’s Human Rights Unit documented
  3,268 civilian casualties, including 1,271 deaths and
  1,997 injuries. Anti-Government elements were
  responsible for 76 per cent of all casualties, while 12
  percent of the casualties were attributed to activities
  by pro-Government forces.
   

• Among those
  killed or injured by the Taliban and other
  anti-Government elements were 55 per cent more children
  than in 2009, along with six per cent more women. The
  head of UNAMA,
  
  
  Staffan de Mistura,
  
  said, “Afghan children and women are increasingly
  bearing the brunt of this conflict. They are being
  killed and injured in their homes and communities in
  greater numbers than ever before.”
   

• In response to questions, the
  Spokesperson noted the figures provided by UNAMA’s Human
  Rights Unit, adding that the anti-Government elements
  were responsible for 2,477 casualties (76 percent of all
  casualties, up 53 percent from 2009) while 386 were
  attributed to activities by pro-Government forces (12
  percent, down 30 percent).
   

• The 1,271 total civilian
  deaths in the first half of 2010 was a 21 per cent
  increase over the number documented in the first half of
  2009. In total, 920 (72 per cent of total civilian
  deaths) were attributed to anti-Government elements, up
  48 per cent from the first half of 2009. Pro-Government
  forces were linked to 223 deaths or 18 per cent of total
  civilian deaths, down 29 per from 2009.
   

• The Spokesperson added that
  UNAMA could not attribute the remaining 128 deaths (10
  per cent of civilian deaths) to either party to the
  conflict.

U.N. ENVOY HOPEFUL FOR INCREASED U.N.
PRESENCE IN SOMALIA

SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFED ON CENTRAL
AFRICAN REPUBLIC AND CHAD

• The Acting
  Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the
  Central African Republic and Chad,
  
  Youssef Mahmoud, briefed the
  
  Security Council earlier this morning in an open
  meeting.
   

• He said that
  peacekeepers in eastern Chad have ceased all
  area-security patrols and escorts, as the Mission
  implements the May 2010 Security Council
  
  resolution on its drawdown and termination. He added
  that the Chadian Government has assumed full
  responsibility for the security and protection of
  civilians and aid workers in that region.
   

• Meanwhile,
  despite some reported returns of internally displaced
  persons, the humanitarian situation remains of concern,
  as a new wave of Sudanese refugees reach the Chadian
  border. Council members also held consultations on the
  same subject.

CONCERNS OVER UNDER-FUNDED FLASH
APPEAL FOR KYRGYZSTAN

• The
  
  UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
  (OCHA)
  
  says that the situation in Kyrgyzstan remains tense
  in the southern provinces of Osh and Jalalabad.
   

• It says that
  there are concerns that, with the
  
  revised Flash Appeal for $96 million only funded at
  30 per cent so far, immediate humanitarian concerns will
  go unmet.
   

• OCHA also says
  there are concerns over reports of serious human rights
  abuses in the country’s south, including abuse of power,
  arbitrary detentions and ill-treatment and extortion by
  law enforcement officials. It has also been reported
  that persons detained are coerced to sign false
  confessions and that false evidence is used during
  search operations, as well as unconfirmed allegations of
  secret detention facilities.

ZIMBABWE FOOD SECURITY IMPROVES, BUT
1.68 MILLION PEOPLE STILL NEED ASSISTANCE

• A new
  
  report by the
  
  Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the
  
  World Food Programme (WFP)
  
  says that food security in Zimbabwe improved
  significantly following government efforts and
  international assistance, but the country still needs
  agricultural and food assistance next year for some 1.68
  million people.
   

• The joint
  mission, which went to Zimbabwe in June, found that
  despite the improved availability of food, up to 1.68
  million people will need food assistance because prices
  remain comparatively high for families with low incomes.
  
   

• The report also
  notes that general poverty and chronic food insecurity
  had led to reduced diversity of consumption and had also
  contributed to an increased prevalence of chronic
  malnutrition among young children. 

SUDANESE GOVERNMENT MUST
RESUME FULL HUMANITARIAN ACCESS TO KALMA CAMP

• In response to questions, the
  Spokesperson said that the situation in the Kalma camp
  in
  
  Darfur remains tense and insecure, with reports of
  sporadic firing.
   

• The
  Force Commander of the
  
  African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in
  Darfur’s (UNAMID) visited the camp over the weekend
  to discuss the situation with teams on the
  ground.  Several thousand displaced people are still
  taking refuge outside of UNAMID’s Community Policing
  Centre in the camp. Many others have gone to a nearby
  camp at Bileil, which is stretching resources there.
   

• The
  humanitarian community currently has no access to Kalma,
  where it is believed over 50,000 internally displaced
  people still reside.
   

• The Spokesperson said that
  the United Nations is concerned by shortages of food and
  fuel; deliveries have stopped and fuel for water pumps
  has run out. Sanitation is a major concern, as it is the
  middle of the rainy season.
   

• The Government must resume
  full humanitarian access to Kalma and to surrounding
  areas where displaced people have fled, Nesirky said.
   

• UNAMID
  continues to be engaged with the Government at all
  levels to peacefully resolve the situation and ensure
  protection for all
  
  internally displaced persons
  and civilians. In this
  regard, UNAMID has stepped up patrols in and around
  Kalma and is on high alert.

SECRETARY-GENERAL BELIEVES
FREE PRESS IS ESSENTIAL

• Asked about reports of a
  media crackdown in Rwanda, the Spokesperson said that
  the
  
  Secretary-General
  hopes for a peaceful process going forward and continued
  progress in the economic and democratic development of
  the country.
   

• On the issue of media
  freedom, he feels strongly that a free press is
  essential in a democracy. Professional media can play a
  very constructive role in promoting moderation and
  discouraging the violence that has often characterized
  elections in Africa.
   

• Asked about recent killings
  in Rwanda, the Spokesperson noted that when the
  Secretary-General met President Paul Kagame last month
  in Madrid, he stressed the importance of investigating
  crimes that were causing political tensions in the
  country.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

CYPRUS PARTIES TO
MEET AGAIN AT END OF AUGUST:
The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus,

Alexander Downer,

spoke to the press in Nicosia today. He told them that
the leaders had had a long discussion on the property issue
today, in their last meeting before a three-week break,
after which they will meet again on 31 August.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR TOP
INVESTIGATOR TO START AFTER NEW DIRECTOR HAS STARTED WORK:
Asked about comments by the

Secretary-General
concerning hiring at the

Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the
Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General wants to make
it absolutely clear that the recruitment process for the
Director of the Investigations Division will start only
after the new Under-Secretary-General of OIOS has taken up
her post. This selection will be conducted strictly in
accordance with the established rules and procedures.