ARCHIVES
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY MARTIN NESIRKY, SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011
SECURITY COUNCIL SENDS PALESTINIAN APPLICATION TO ITS ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
- In a formal meeting this morning, the
Security Council agreed to send
the application received last Friday from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the
Standing Committee on new admissions. The Standing Committee will hold its
first meeting on the matter on Friday.
- On Wednesday afternoon, the Security
Council has scheduled closed consultations on Kosovo.
U.N. MIDDLE
EAST ENVOY CONCERNED AT ISRAELI PLANS FOR NEW SETTLEMENTS
- He said the decision ignores the
Quartet’s appeal of last Friday to the parties to refrain from provocative
actions. This sends the wrong signal at this sensitive time. Mr. Serry added that settlement activity is contrary to
the Roadmap and to international law, and undermines the prospect of
resuming negotiations and reaching a two state solution to the conflict.
- Under-Secretary-General for Political
Affairs, Lynn Pascoe, told the Security Council on Tuesday that the latest
settlement decision was of particular concern.
TERRORISM
STILL A POTENT THREAT, SECRETARY-GENERAL STRESSES
- The Secretary-General spoke at a
counter-terrorism event this morning, noting that
ten years ago today, the Security
Council took a momentous step against the threat posed by terrorism to
international peace and security.
- The adoption of resolution
1373 was a milestone in the strong leadership of the United Nations in
combating terrorism globally.
- The Secretary-General stressed that
terrorism is still as potent a threat today as it was a decade ago. He
welcomed the Council’s resolve to ensure that no effort is spared to
strengthen international action against this global peril.
U.N.
HUMANITARIAN CHIEF KICKS OFF VISIT TO HAITI
- The Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency
Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, is starting a 3-day visit to Haiti
today.
- She will review the humanitarian
situation and assistance being provided to people affected by the
earthquake of January last year and the cholera epidemic.
- In Port-au-Prince, Ms. Amos is scheduled to
meet internally displaced communities, President Michel Martelly, and key humanitarian officials.
FOUR
MILLION PEOPLE IN CRISIS IN SOMALIA,
SAYS U.N. RELIEF WING
- The Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that in Somalia, four million people
are in crisis, three million of them in the country’s south.
- Some 750,000 people are at risk of
dying in the next four months.
- More than 1,000 Somalis continue to
arrive in Kenya
every day, with the Dadaab camp hosting nearly
450,000 people.
- By the third week of this month, food
supplies are estimated to have reached some 1.85 million people – nearly
half of those who need food assistance.
MYANMAR: SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES GOVERNMENT TO ENHANCE REFORM
EFFORTS
- The Group of Friends of the
Secretary-General on Myanmar
met at the ministerial level on Tuesday afternoon, and the
Secretary-General issued a press statement
afterwards. In it, he said that the Group recognized the significance of
recent developments in Myanmar
and welcomed President Thein Sein’s
pledge for Myanmar
to “catch up with the changing world.”
- The Secretary-General said that real
opportunities for progress exist, but the Government must step up its
efforts for reform if it is to bring about an inclusive – and irreversible
– transition. In particular, he said, the authorities must cultivate
improved dialogue with all political actors and release all remaining
political prisoners.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SECRETARY-GENERAL,
SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSED DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA: Asked about
the meeting
between
the Secretary-General and the Syrian Foreign Minister, the Spokesperson said
they had a long and frank exchange of views, and that the meeting focused
exclusively on events and developments in Syria.
DECISION TO
RECONSTITUTE ARMED FORCES FOR HAITI
TO MAKE: Asked about reports the Haitian Government is planning to reconstitute Haiti's
Armed Forces, the Spokesperson said that any decision is a matter for the Haitian Government.
SECRETARY-GENERAL
URGES CONTINUED DIALOGUE ON KOSOVO: Asked about the deterioration
of talks on Kosovo, the Spokesperson
reiterated the Secretary-General's call on both sides to avoid confrontation
and violence there, and continue the dialogue under the auspices of the
European Union.
Office of the Spokesperson for the
Secretary-General
United Nations, SA-1B15
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
