ARCHIVES
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
OF THE UNITED NATIONS
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Wednesday, June
9, 2004
SECURITY
COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON IRAQ TRANSITION
On
Tuesday afternoon, the Security Council
unanimously adopted resolution
1546 on Iraq,
which welcomes a new phase in Iraq’s transition to a democratically
elected government.
In
the text, Council members look forward to the end of the occupation which
paves the way for Iraqis to assume “full responsibility and authority”
for their country, including decisions on security matters, at the end of
the month.
The
resolution also spells out a leading role for the UN to help convene a
national conference in July to select a Consultative Council; to advise and
support the new authorities on the process for holding elections, scheduled
for January 2005; and to promote national dialogue and consensus on the
drafting of a new constitution.
ANNAN
WELCOMES RESOLUTION, URGES SUPPORT FOR IRAQI GOVERNMENT
In
comments made
to the press following the Tuesday Security Council vote, Secretary-General
Kofi Annan said he welcomed the resolution and saw it as a genuine
expression of the international community’s willingness to come together
to help the Iraqi
people take charge of their own political destiny.
He
added that the new Interim Iraqi Government has to been given a fair chance
and that it will be judged on it performance. He went on to say that “a
great deal is riding on its success, and we should all give it whatever help
we can.”
Asked
on what basis he would make the decision to send UN international staff back
to Iraq, the Secretary-General said that there needs to be an environment
that allows for reasonable mobility and flexibility for the UN to do its
work. He added that the UN operates in the real world, where there is no
such thing as one hundred percent security. Wherever the UN is, there are
risks he said, but there are certain limits that we have to impose on
ourselves.
Asked
about a response to the situation involving Iraq’s Kurdish leaders, the
Spokesman noted that the Secretary-General had addressed that question in
his Tuesday press comments.
Asked
about the future role of Lakhdar Brahimi, the Spokesman said he will
continue his work as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, and will
remain available to advise the Secretary-General on a range of issues.
This
morning, the Security Council met in closed consultations to receive a
briefing by Demetrius Pericos, the Acting Executive
Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission
for Iraq, who submitted his latest quarterly
report to the Council earlier this week.
They
also received a briefing on the situation in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo from Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping
Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno.
This
afternoon, the Council will reconvene in closed consultations on the
non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
UN
MISSION REPORTS WITHDRAWAL OF REBEL FORCES FROM BUKAVU
The UN Mission in the
Democratic
Republic of the Congo reports that the rebel troops of Colonel Laurent
Nkunda and General Jules Mutebutsi have withdrawn from Bukavu and that
government forces, predominantly Mayi Mayi troops, are now in the city. No
firing has been heard in the city, but there are reports of looting,
allegedly both by the troops who have taken over as well as by Congolese
civilians.
General Nkunda’s
troops are reported to be back in Goma while Colonel Mutebutsi and most of
his troops (excluding 32 defectors, who are under UN guard) crossed the
border into Rwanda early this morning.
While the border with
Rwanda remains closed, the UN Mission notes that those civilians who are
accompanied to the border are allowed to cross over into Rwanda, where they
are met by the UN
refugee agency.
In a press release,
the UN Mission in the DRC stresses that it will continue to provide
assistance to the civilian population in Bukavu, in cooperation with the
regional authorities and Transitional Government.
According to the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, humanitarian agencies
expect that both government and rebel forces will facilitate access to
civilians in the area, so that they can resume their assistance to some 3.3
million people, which has largely been suspended due to the recent violence.
SECRETARY-GENERAL
TO DELIVER HARVARD COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
The Secretary-General
will discuss the importance of multilateralism, and the challenges of
collective security, global solidarity and cultural division, on Thursday
when he delivers the commencement address at Harvard University.
He will emphasize
that American leaders have understood that true leadership is ultimately
based on common values and a shared view of the future, which has proved to
be a winning formula over the past sixty years.
He will travel to
Cambridge, Massachusetts, and return later on Thursday.
UN agencies in Eritrea
are reporting that growing water shortages are compounding the humanitarian
situation there.
There has been a lack
of rain across Eritrea in recent weeks, and, with water scarce, people have
started to migrate in search of alternative water sources and grazing lands
for their animals.
The
role of civil society in promoting a just and lasting peace in the Middle
East will be the subject of an international media seminar organized by
the Department of Public Information (DPI), in cooperation with the Chinese
Foreign Ministry in Beijing, China, on June 16 and 17.
The
two-day meeting will bring together present and former policy-makers from
Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, including Members of the
Knesset and a former Palestinian Minister of Information, as well as civil
society representatives, senior UN officials, international experts and
representatives of the world media.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162 -
press/media only
Fax. 212-963-7055
All other inquiries to be addressed to (212)
963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org
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