UNITED NATIONS
CONFIRMS INTENTION TO RELEASE SRI LANKA PANEL OF EXPERTS REPORT

• In response to questions about the
  report of the Panel of Experts concerning Sri
  Lanka, the Spokesperson confirmed that it remains the United Nations’
  intention to publish the report, in full and
  without amendment.
   

• “It is our intention to
  release it as soon as is possible, and we still would like to publish it
  simultaneously with a response by the Sri Lankan Government,” he said.
   

• “We are still trying to
  ascertain whether they are willing to avail themselves of this offer,” he
  added.
   

• Asked further about why the report has not been
  published yet, the Spokesperson said that the United Nations is in talks
  with the Sri Lankan Government, including through its Permanent Mission to
  the United Nations, to see whether Sri Lanka would avail itself in good
  faith of the opportunity to respond to the report.
   

• He emphasized that the United Nations would issue
  the report in full. At the same time, it was allowing the involved Member
  State to exercise its own right to respond.
   

• Asked why the report had been written, Haq
  recalled that one of the key principles of the agreement reached in 2009
  between the Secretary-General and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was
  to establish accountability. The Secretary-General named the Panel of
  Experts in 2010 in order to explore the issue of accountability regarding
  the Sri Lanka conflict, and the report is the result of the Panel’s work.
   

• Asked whether the Panel overstepped its mandate,
  the Spokesperson said the report would speak for itself. He added that the
  Secretary-General believed the Panel had performed its job conscientiously.
   

• Asked about leaks, Haq said
  that the United Nations has kept scrupulously to its word to keep the
  contents of the report confidential until it is released.

 

RENEWED
VIOLENCE, PERSISTING STALEMATE IN MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS A SOURCE OF CONCERN

• B. Lynn Pascoe, the Under-Secretary-General for
  Political Affairs, told the
  
  Security Council in an open meeting this morning that the persisting
  stalemate
  
  in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is of particular concern, given the
  institutional achievements of the Palestinian Authority and the evolving
  regional situation.
   

• He said that bold and decisive steps are needed to
  resolve this decades-long conflict, with vision, leadership and
  responsibility from all concerned. It is also important that any outbreaks
  of violence that could undermine political efforts are prevented, and that
  the parties refrain from provocative steps on the ground.
   

• Mr. Pascoe noted that recent weeks have seen the
  highest levels of violence in Gaza and Israel since Operation Cast Lead more
  than two years ago.
   

• In the context of media reports of potential flotillas,
  Mr. Pascoe reiterated the position of the United Nations that the
  appropriate way to meet needs in Gaza is through legitimate crossings.  In
  this regard, he recalled the position of the Quartet, as expressed in its 21
  June 2010 statement, that those wishing to deliver goods to Gaza do so
  through established channels so that their cargo can be inspected and
  transferred via land crossings into Gaza. 

 

BAN KI-MOON, IN
MOSCOW, VISITS CENTRE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN

 

• The Secretary-General is in Moscow, where he visited a
  centre for disabled children. He discussed the global problem of disability,
  at a time when about 10 per cent of the world’s people live with a
  disability, whether it is physical, emotional or sensory.
  And he emphasized that inclusive societies and inclusive education benefit
  everyone.
   

• Earlier today, he left Ukraine, where
  he
  
  spoke at the Kiev Institute of International Relations this morning. He
  discussed the question of nuclear safety, and also talked about the recent
  dispute in
  
  Côte d’Ivoire, noting that throughout
  the problems there, the international community stood firm on principle:
  that in a democracy, people have the right to choose their leaders. The
  power comes from the people.

 

U.N. MISSION IN COTE D’IVOIRE WARNS RECENT CLASHES COULD
JEOPARDIZE PEACE

• The UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire,
  
  UNOCI, has
  
  deplored the ongoing fighting in the Yopougon and Abobo neighborhoods of
  Abidjan. The Mission says that these clashes could threaten efforts to
  restore peace.
   

• ONUCI says it is holding discussions
  with the parties to resolve the situation. The Mission has also reinforced
  its presence in Yopougon.
   

• On Wednesday, the UN Mission started
  joint patrols with the Republican Forces of Côte d’Ivoire to restore law and
  order in Abidjan.

 

DARFUR MEDIATOR ANNOUNCES INTENTION TO LEAVE POST

• In response to questions, the Spokesperson said that
  the AU-UN Joint Chief Mediator for
  
  Darfur, Djibril Yipènè Bassolé, has informed the United Nations that he
  has decided to accept the offer of appointment as Foreign Minister of
  Burkina Faso.
   

• Once Mr. Bassolé's new appointment is confirmed, Haq
  said, the Secretary-General will consult Chairperson Jean Ping of the
  African Union Commission, the Government of Qatar, and other key partners to
  ensure that the recent progress in the negotiations in Doha can lead to an
  outcome document which will be discussed at the All Darfur Stakeholders
  Conference next month.

 

U.N. MISSION IN
HAITI OFFERS NEW TEMPORARY BUILDING TO PARLIAMENT

• On Wednesday in Haiti, the Secretary-General’s Special
  Representative, Edmond Mulet, handed over the keys to the new temporary
  building which will house the Haitian Parliament. The Parliament was
  destroyed in the January 2010 earthquake.
   

• The UN Mission in Haiti,
  
  MINUSTAH, suggested this initiative to allow for the opening of the next
  parliamentary session on 27 April

 

OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

UNESCO CHIEF CALLS FOR PROBE INTO KILLINGS OF LEADING
BAHRAIN JOURNALISTS: The
Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
Irina Bokova today called for an investigation into the deaths of Karim Fakhrawi,
a co-founder of Bahrain’s independent newspaper, Al-Wasat, and online writer
Zakariya Rashid Hassan. Both journalists died in prison in Bahrain earlier this
month.

 

U.N. OFFICIALS BRIEFED
SECURITY COUNCIL ON YEMEN: Asked about UN
action concerning Yemen, the Spokesperson noted that a senior UN official, Jamal
Benomar, visited Yemen recently. Mr. Benomar and Under-Secretary-General for
Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe briefed the Security Council on Yemen earlier
this week.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD
AT THE UNITED NATIONS

23 – 29 APRIL
2011

 

 

 

Monday, 25 April

 

This morning, the Security Council will hear a briefing on
small arms.

 

Today is World Malaria Day.

 

Tuesday, 26 April

 

Today the Security Council is expected to adopt a
resolution on the mandate of the Côte d’Ivoire Group of Experts.

 

Wednesday, 27 April

 

This morning the Security Council is expected to adopt
resolution on the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the UN Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

 

Thursday, 28 April

 

Today, the Security Council will hold consultations on
Libya.

 

Friday, 29 April

 

There are no major events scheduled for today.