HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
 
BY MARTIN NESIRKY, SPOKESPERSON FOR

SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
 
THURSDAY, 10 MAY 2012

 

U.N. STRONGLY CONDEMNS ATTACK IN DAMASCUS

  • The UN-League of Arab States Joint Special Envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, has condemned in the strongest possible terms the attacks that took place earlier on Thursday in Damascus.
  • He is saddened by the loss of life resulting from the two blasts and extends his condolences to the families of the victims. These abhorrent acts are unacceptable and the violence in Syria must stop.
  • He reiterates his call to all parties to adhere to the cessation of violence. Any action that serves to escalate tensions and raise the level of violence can only be counter-productive to the interests of all parties.
  • The Joint Special Envoy calls on all parties to avoid further bloodshed and to protect civilians. The Syrian people have already suffered too much.
  • Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, the head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), visited one of the sites of Thursday’s attacks and said it was yet another example of the suffering brought upon the people of Syria from acts of violence.
  • In response to questions, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General strongly condemns Thursday’s attacks in Damascus, which killed more than 50 persons and injured scores of others.  
  • The Secretary-General reiterates his urgent call on all sides fully to comply with their obligations to cease armed violence in all its forms, and to protect civilians, as well as to distance themselves from indiscriminate bombings and other terrorist acts. All sides must abide by Security Council resolution 2043 and the six point plan, which commit the parties to a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
  • The Secretary-General underscores once more the need for immediate and full cooperation with UN efforts aimed at ending all violence and human rights violations, securing humanitarian access and facilitating a Syrian-led political transition leading to a democratic and plural political system in Syria. The United Nations is committed to continue doing all it can to achieve these goals.
  • Asked whether the recent bombings were terrorist attacks, the Spokesperson reiterated the importance for all sides to cease armed violence in all its forms.
  • Asked about the Wednesday incident in which an explosion took place near a UN convoy, the Spokesperson said that the United Nations has no specific information on whether it was a targeted attack.

 

U.N. ENVOY BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL ON LIBYA

  • Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, will brief the Security Council on Thursday afternoon on the work of the UN Mission there.
  • Afterwards, he will speak to reporters at the Security Council stakeout.
  • And on Thursday morning, Council members held a meeting to receive updates from the ambassadors chairing the Security Council Committees that deal with al-Qaeda, counter-terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

 

U.N. CONCERNED ABOUT CONDITIONS OF PALESTINIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS ON HUNGER STRIKE IN ISRAELI JAILS

  • The Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Filippo Grandi, expressed his grave concern today about the current medical and health conditions of the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli prisons.
  • He appealed to the Israeli Government to find an acceptable solution, noting that the hunger strikers’ demands are generally related to the basic rights of prisoners, as stipulated in the Geneva Conventions.
  • Mr. Grandi reiterated the call by the Secretary-General, which we shared with you yesterday, that those under administrative detention be brought to trial or be set free.
  • The Secretary-General also urged all concerned to reach a solution without delay; he fully supports in this regard the work of his Envoy, Robert Serry, who is actively engaged on this issue with the parties on the ground. Mr. Serry met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah today, and they agreed on the need to resolve the issue of Palestinian prisoners immediately.
  •  

SENIOR U.N. OFFICIAL HIGHLIGHTS THE HUMANITARIAN IMPACT OF UNDER-DEVELOPMENT

  • The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, visited Balkh province in northern Afghanistan on Thursday. There she met families affected by natural disaster and conflict, as well as with the humanitarian community.
  • In Mazar-i-Sharif, Ms. Amos met with families displaced by conflict in areas of the north that had been previously seen as calm. She heard heartbreaking stories of the violence and intimidation which had resulted in their displacement.
  • She called on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, saying, “Every effort must be made to minimize harm to civilians and ensure respect for and protection of civilians.”

 

U.N. AGENCY WARNS OF FUNDING GAP FOR INITIATIVES IN SAHEL AND HORN OF AFRICA

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today warned that although there is "increasing convergence" on how to boost food security and development", funding is currently a significant problem.
  • A dramatic example is the funding gap for FAO initiatives in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.
  • Speaking at the Foro Nueva Economía international economic forum in Madrid, Spain, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said that in the Horn of Africa, we are losing the window of opportunity to build on recent achievements - which helped to overcome the famine declared last year in Somalia - increasing the resilience of families facing drought.
  • With one in every seven people in the world suffering from chronic hunger and malnutrition, "fighting hunger is a challenge too great for FAO or any government to overcome alone," da Silva added. "It must involve civil society, private enterprise, international agencies, and the governments of developing and developed countries.  

 

U.N. OFFICE CONFIRMS ATTACK AGAINST WEBSITE

  • In response to a question about a possible hacking incident against the UN website, the Spokesperson said that the Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) has informed us that a “Denial of Service” attack against the United Nations network infrastructure took place beginning on May 8th.  
  • This attack flooded some of the Organization's Internet connections and temporarily affected the availability of the UN website, however, the website was not hacked and no unauthorized access has been detected.

 
 

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PAPUA NEW GUINEA’S DECISION TO GO FORWARD WITH ELECTIONS: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the decision by Papua New Guinea to carry out elections within the timeframe stipulated by the constitution, following recent uncertainties in relation to the country’s next parliamentary elections, and stressed that they should be carried out in a transparent and peaceful manner. In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the Secretary-General encourages all relevant parties in Papua New Guinea to uphold the democratic process and ensure that the elections are held in a transparent, credible and peaceful manner. He hopes that the rule of law is strengthened and freedom of the press and the independence of the judiciary are upheld. The United Nations stands ready to assist in this regard.

U.N. REPORT FORECASTS FURTHER SLOWDOWN OF ASIA-PACIFIC GROWTH IN 2012: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) released its flagship publication, Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2012, in Bangkok on Thursday. Under the title of Pursuing shared prosperity in an era of turbulence and high commodity prices, the report says Asia and the Pacific faces another year of slowing growth as demand for its exports falls in developed nations and capital costs rise, but the region will remain the anchor of global economic stability.

BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD BEAR PART OF U.N. DELEGATION’S COSTS FOR RIO+20 CONFERENCE: Asked about expenses for staying in Rio for the Rio plus 20 conference, the Spokesperson said that he understood the costs for part of the UN delegation would be borne by the Brazilian Government.

U.N. SAYS REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GROUPS CAN HELP ENSURE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: Asked what different groups of Member States can do for sustainable development, the Spokesperson said it’s important to look at what regional and international groups can do to help ensure sustainable development, including sustainable energy.

 

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