Secretary-General

Noon briefing of 29 April 2005


HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, 29 April, 2005

“MOMENTOUS” SYRIAN WITHDRAWAL FROM LEBANON TO BE VERIFIED BY U.N. TEAM ON GROUND

  • Earlier today, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for resolution 1559, Terje Roed Larsen, presented to the Security Council his latest report.

  • The visible withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and Damascus’s official notification that it had removed all its troops, military assets and intelligence apparatus is a momentous event, Larsen said.

  • Larsen noted that the verification of the withdrawal was going to be completed by a UN team, which is already on the ground.

  • The Secretary-General, Larsen said, has also assigned a very high priority to the matter of Lebanese parliamentary elections, which should be held on time and without delay. Larson informed Council members that next week a team of UN electoral advisors would be traveling to Lebanon to assist the government.

  • In closing, Larsen said that the United Nations believes that a full implementation of all requirements of the resolution would help enable the people of Lebanon and of the entire region to begin setting aside the enchaining and constraining vestiges of a captive past.

  • Asked about the UN electoral team going to Lebanon, the Spokesman said it would comprise staff from the UN Electoral Affairs Division, who would assist the Government of Lebanon in any way they can in the holding of the elections. The team will travel to Lebanon next week, he said.

ANNAN APPEALS TO ALL IRAQIS TO DESIST FROM VIOLENT ACTS

  • The Secretary-General, talking to reporters following the Security Council meeting on Lebanon, said he was happy that at last there is a government in Iraq, but added that it was unfortunate that the designation of a government coincided with the atrocities that took place earlier today.

  • “I appeal to all Iraqis to desist from these violent acts,” he said. “The people deserve better. They want to get on with their lives.” He said that we should do everything we can to assist the Iraqis in creating a society that is inclusive and participatory.

PEACEKEEPING DEPT. & U.N. MISSION INVESTIGATING SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS IN LIBERIA

  • This past week, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) received information concerning a number of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel serving with the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).

  • The allegations range from the exchange of goods, money or services for sex to the sexual exploitation of a minor.

  • Preliminary investigations undertaken by the Mission have indicated that some of the allegations have been substantiated while others have not. DPKO and UNMIL are taking appropriate follow up action.

  • DPKO has been in touch with the relevant troop contributing countries to inform them of the allegations and to seek their full cooperation.

  • The United Nations treats this issue with the utmost seriousness.

  • As we continue to clamp down on misconduct throughout all peacekeeping missions, it is likely that the number of allegations will increase.

  • Asked about the allegations, the Spokesman said that the United Nations was following up on all the allegations. He noted that some of them had come to light because of a hotline set up by the United Nations, while others came up as the United Nations followed up on media reports.

  • Asked whether departing Special Representative in Liberia Jacques Klein was leaving because of these allegations, the Spokesman said that Klein had come to the end of his contract, and a replacement was now being sought. He added, in response to questions, that Klein is leaving with the thanks of the Organization for the work he has done.

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS PRESENCE BOLSTERED IN NEPAL

  • The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says that it will deploy a group of eight human rights monitors and support staff to Nepal early next month. They would join human rights staff already in that country, bringing the total to 12. These staffers, in turn, would lead the way for the deployment of a larger contingent in the coming weeks and months.

  • The deployment in Nepal is the result of the agreement signed between the Office and the Nepalese Government on 11 April. The operation will be headed by Ian Martin, a former Secretary-General of Amnesty International, who, among other positions, has also served as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in East Timor .

MORE TOGOLESE REFUGEES FLEE TO BENIN AND GHANA

  • The number of refugees fleeing insecurity in Togo has risen to nearly 6,000 in Benin and more than 600 in Ghana, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

  • Prior to the Togo elections, UNHCR had pre-positioned basic supplies for 2,500 refugees in Benin, and the supplies currently being trucked in from the agency’s stockpile in Ghana should meet the needs of a further 5,000 people.

  • UNHCR also says that it is concerned about the welfare of some 1,200 urban refugees of various nationalities – mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Côte d'Ivoire – living in Togo's capital, Lomé.

NEW VACCINE TO COMBAT POLIO OUTBREAK IN YEMEN

  • In Yemen today, 18 new cases of polio were announced, ending the country’s polio-free status and causing experts to fear that the number of cases will rise in the immediate future.

  • Teams from the World Health Organization, together with Yemeni health authorities, are working on investigating and controlling the outbreak, as well as planning for supplementary immunization activities.

  • A new vaccine will be used for the first time to curb the outbreak.

U.N. LOOKS INTO HIRING OF STEP-DAUGHTER BY KOREA ADVISER

  • Asked whether Maurice Strong, who recently stepped aside from his work as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), had hired a relative, the Spokesman said that it had come to the UN’s knowledge that Strong did hire his stepdaughter, Christina Mayo, in violation of UN regulations. The United Nations is looking into the matter.

  • Asked who is handling the DPRK at present, the Spokesman said that the Department of Political Affairs is following the issue, and will send staff to the region if needed.

  • Asked whether there has been any decision to replace Strong, the Spokesman said that the UN position on the matter has not changed.

NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR FORMER OIL-FOR-FOOD CHIEF’S LEGAL FEES BECAUSE OF ADVERSE FINDINGS

  • Asked who gave Benon Sevan the promise to reimburse his legal costs, the Spokesman said that promise was made in verbal discussions between Sevan and former Chef de Cabinet Iqbal Riza and in written correspondence between Sevan and current Chef de Cabinet Mark Malloch Brown.

  • He said that there had been an arrangement to reimburse Sevan’s legal fees, in line with common practice in many companies and countries. Following the adverse findings against Sevan in the February 3 interim report by Paul Volcker’s Independent Inquiry Committee, the United Nations took the decision initially not to reimburse him for any expenses incurred after that date.

  • Later, the Spokesman added, a decision was made not to repay any of the legal costs. That decision stands, he said.

  • Asked whether Sevan will remain on a dollar-a-year contract, the Spokesman said that decision is unchanged. The contract assures Sevan’s cooperation with the Volcker panel and will last as long as the Volcker inquiry is doing its work. Meanwhile, he added, the UN internal charge process against Sevan continues.

  • Asked about diplomatic immunity for Volcker’s staff, the Spokesman said later that it was the Secretary-General that established the Volcker panel with the blessing of the Security Council. Volcker was given the freedom to hire the experts he wanted. For those experts to do their work unimpeded, they needed protection from outside interference. Immunity merely enhances their independence.

COUNTER-TERRORISM EXPERTS TO VISIT KENYA

  • On Monday, the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate, Javier Rupérez, will lead a group of counter-terrorism experts on a five-day visit to Kenya.

  • The visit is the second in a series of country visits, following a visit in the middle of March to Morocco.

  • The purpose of country visits is to establish direct contact with the various departments and officials in charge of counter-terrorism efforts, to assess how Member States implement the obligations of Security Council resolution 1373.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW U.N. ENVOY FOR GUINEA-BISSAU APPOINTED: The Secretary-General has appointed former President Joaquim Alberto Chissano of Mozambique as his Special Envoy for Guinea-Bissau. His task will be to facilitate peaceful and credible presidential elections in that country on 19 June 2005 as an important step along a transition towards full restoration of constitutional order and stability.

SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES REMAIN IN TIMOR-LESTE: The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Timor-Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, today praised the Security Council’s adoption yesterday of a resolution establishing a one-year UN special political mission in that country. Hasegawa said the Council, in authorizing that mission, recognized that the UN has achieved a great deal in Timor-Leste, but significant challenges remain for realizing long-term security and sustainable development. “The emerging institutions in this newest country are still fragile,” he said.

FLOODS WORSEN IN SOMALIA: The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the flood situation is worsening in Somalia. The floods, unprecedented in recent times, are now passing into Central Somalia. In a meeting between authorities and humanitarian agencies, it was agreed that more large scale protection of the river embankment was required and will be supported by UNICEF. A humanitarian contingency plan is also being developed.

COMOROS TO APPEAL FOR AID AFTER VOLCANO ERUPTION: In the Comoros, the government is in the process of preparing an appeal to respond to needs arising from the recent volcanic eruption there. Last week, authorities launched an emergency plan to supply clean water to those in need with the support of humanitarian partners. UN agencies are providing vehicles.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Monday, 2 May

The plenary of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall. The Secretary-General will address the opening of the review conference, followed by Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Loj of Denmark will take over the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of May. She is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other Council members on its program of work for the month.

The guests at the noon briefing are Francois Dureau, Chief of the Department of Peacekeeping Operation’s (DPKO) Situation Centre and Margaret Carey, Principal Officer in the Africa Division, DPKO, who will brief on recent developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The first meeting of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) will begin in Punta del Este, Uruguay. For more information, see www.pops.int

The Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate, Javier Ruperez, will lead a group of counter-terrorism experts on a five-day visit to Kenya .

Tuesday, 3 May

The Secretary-General will address the Women’s International Forum.

At 11:15 a.m., the Bangladesh Mission is sponsoring a press conference by the Mayors for Peace on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The Security Council is expected to hold consultations on its programme of work for May. Following consultations, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Loj of Denmark, the Council President, will brief the press.

Today is World Press Freedom Day. The Department of Public Information will mark the event with a seminar, at which Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor will launch the Ten Most Under-reported Stories.

Wednesday, 4 May

The World Health Organization will begin a three-day meeting in Thailand concerning its work in the region following the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Thursday, May 5

The UN Headquarters in Geneva will be closed for a holiday.

**The guests at today’s noon briefing were Ambassador Sergio de Queiroz Duarte (Brazil), President-elect of the 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and Nobuyasu Abe, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs.