Secretary-General

Noon briefing of 24 March 2006


HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Friday, 24 March, 2006

ANNAN URGES SPEEDING UP TALKS ON EQUATORIAL GUINEA AND GABON MARITIME DISPUTE

  • Secretary-General Kofi Annan is on a stopover in Accra, Ghana, after a nearly two-week trip to Africa, and he is expected back in the office on Monday.

  • He flew to Accra today from the commercial city of Bata in Equatorial Guinea, where he met with President Teodoro Obiang.

  • The Secretary-General had met last night with President Omar Bongo in Libreville, Gabon. He visited both leaders as part of his efforts to mediate a maritime territorial dispute between the two countries.

  • Following his meeting in Bata, he told reporters that discussions are continuing, and that experts would again be meeting in Geneva in May. The Secretary-General said it was important that he and the two Presidents accelerate the process to finish the negotiations and have positive results between now and the end of the year.

SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD THAT U.N. MISSION IN LIBERIA COMPLETED MANY OF ITS INITIAL TASKS

  • The Security Council was briefed today on the work of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) by the head of that Mission, Alan Doss.

  • Doss briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest report on UNMIL, in which the Secretary-General says that, following the installation of a democratically-elected government there, the Mission has completed many of its initial tasks.

  • Accordingly, he says, the Mission could be reduced by one battalion by the middle of this year, and by another battalion early next year. That reduction could be complemented by the deployment of an additional formed police unit.

  • In addition to Liberia, the Security Council this morning also expects to hold consultations on a draft resolution on the mandate of the UN Mission in Sudan.

  • Then, at 3:00 this afternoon, the Council has scheduled consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

U.N. SECRETARIAT READY TO ACT ON SECURITY COUNCIL’S DECISION ON HARIRI TRIBUNAL

  • Yesterday afternoon, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Nicolas Michel, briefed the Security Council on his preliminary talks with Lebanese officials on a tribunal of an international character to try suspects in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others.

  • After those consultations ended, Michel told reporters that the Secretariat was prepared to act immediately upon decisions taken by the Security Council on such a tribunal.

  • He said that it was generally felt that the best outcome would be a mixed tribunal with both international and Lebanese participation, as suggested by the Secretary-General’s recent report.

  • He added that it would be extremely difficult for the tribunal to be located on Lebanese territory, due to security concerns and other factors.

U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY TO CONSULT WITH LEBANESE OFFICIALS

  • The Special Envoy for the Implementation of Security Council resolution 1559, Terje Rød-Larsen, arrived in Beirut last night for consultations with Lebanese officials in preparation for the Secretary-General’s third semi-annual report on the implementation of the resolution, expected in mid-April this year.

  • Arriving in Beirut, Rød-Larsen lauded the ongoing National Dialogue in Lebanon, at which Lebanese political forces are discussing a variety of defining subjects.

  • There have been very positive results to date, with agreement reached among all Lebanese parties that formal diplomatic relations should be established and the border be demarcated between Lebanon and Syria, and that Palestinian militias outside the refugee camps are to be disarmed within a period of six months.

MANDATE OF OIL-FOR-FOOD INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE EXTENDED

  • Regarding the future of the Office of the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) into the Oil for Food Programme, the Secretary-General has decided to extend the office’s mandate until 31 December 2006.

  • The office’s exclusive function is to work with national law enforcement authorities of member states seeking to follow-up on the findings of the final IIC report.

  • The related administrative and financial arrangements, which are currently under discussion, will be finalized shortly.

  • Asked why the decision was taken to extend the mandate of the office of the IIC, the Spokesman said that the United Nations was encouraged by the Iraqi authorities to extend the mandate. He added that the United Nations also wanted to facilitate the work being done by a number of national investigations.

  • Asked about the handling of documents that are in the IIC’s possession, the Spokesman said that discussions between the United Nations and the Committee on that topic are progressing.

  • However, he added, at this stage, it is easier for national authorities who are following up on the investigations to deal with the IIC, which has knowledge of the documents and of the history of the investigations.

U.N. ENVOY APPEALS FOR END TO HOSTILITIES IN SOMALIA

  • Francois Lonseny Fall, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, today appealed to the leaders of warring parties in Mogadishu to end their hostilities and allow families caught in the crossfire to return safely to their homes.

  • He said that the renewal and escalation of fighting this week is unacceptable.

U.N. HUMANITARIAN CHIEF CONCERNED OVER CLASHES IN NORTHERN GUINEA-BISSAU

  • The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, today expressed grave concern for 5,500 civilians who have fled recent clashes between rebels from Senegal’s Cassamance region and the national armed forces in northern Guinea-Bissau.

  • Responding to a request from the Government of Guinea-Bissau, the World Food Programme has been distributing food to those who have fled. And the UN Children’s Fund has handed out essential drugs and clean drinking water.

ANNAN: GEORGIA AND ABKHAZIA MUST ACTIVELY FOLLOW UP ON UNDERSTANDINGS

  • The Secretary-General’s latest report on Abkhazia, Georgia, was issued today.

  • In it, the Secretary-General says that the Georgian and Abkhaz sides must actively follow up on the understandings reached at the last Geneva meeting of the Group of Friends – particularly in the areas of the non-use of force and the return of internally displaced persons and refugees.

  • He also recommends that the mandate of UN Observer Mission in Georgia be extended until 30 September 2006.

ANNAN SUPPORTS COMMENTS MADE BY HIS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR AFGHANISTAN

  • Asked why the Secretary-General had not commented personally on the trial in Afghanistan of Abdel Rahman, an Afghan who had converted from Islam to Christianity, the Spokesman noted that Tom Koenigs, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, had issued a statement, and was speaking for the Secretary-General.

  • The Secretary-General, Dujarric said, fully backs what Koenigs has said on the matter, and believes, as Koenigs also stated, that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights applies to all people, including Abdel Rahman. The Secretary-General believes that the rights inscribed in the Universal Declaration, including the freedom to choose religion, should be respected.

TALKS AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS ON RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR QUAKE-HIT AREAS IN PAKISTAN

  • The UN Special Envoy for the South Asia Earthquake, former US president George H. W. Bush, met today with Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland and UN Development Programme Administrator Kemal Dervis at U.N. Headquarters.

  • Their discussion focused on ways to move forward from relief to recovery in Pakistan's earthquake-hit areas. They also highlighted the importance of ensuring continued support and funding during this critical transition period, in order to build upon the success of the relief phase.

  • The Special Envoy is continuing his work to highlight the needs of the people and Government of Pakistan, and to ensure the prompt conversion of pledges into contributions.

  • During the relief phase, which is now drawing to a close, more than 520,000 tents and millions of iron sheets, blankets and plastic sheets were delivered. Also, latrines were installed and safe drinking water was restored for hundreds of thousands of people.

  • In addition, over 1.2 million children were vaccinated against measles, and some 25 helicopters brought in food and basic supplies.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT SETS OUT WORK PLAN FOR COMING MONTHS

  • The Spokesperson for the General Assembly President said that today the General Assembly President, Jan Eliasson, will participate in a brief ceremony in his office marking the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members. The Day, usually observed on 25 March, marks the abduction in Beirut in 1985 of Alec Collett, a staff member on assignment with UNRWA whose fate has never been determined. The President received from Mr. Collett’s wife Elaine the first of the lapel pins to be distributed in the Secretariat lobby to highlight the importance of staff safety and security.

  • Following the milestone last week of the adoption of the resolution establishing the Human Rights Council, the President is today sending to all Member States a letter setting out his plan of work for the coming months, on issues still awaiting action. We hope to be able to circulate that to you by the end of the day.

  • On Monday afternoon, the General Assembly will meet in Plenary to consider the follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society, the second phase of which was held in Tunis in November 2005. The draft resolution will be introduced by Tunisia’s Minister of Communications Technologies, Montasser Ouaili.

  • The President will be travelling to Sweden this evening. He says he has been summoned home by his wife and his government, in that order. He will be back at Headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNAN URGES SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL PLAN TO STOP TUBERCULOSIS: The Secretary-General marked World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, which is today, with a message urging support for the Global Plan to Stop TB. He says the plan, launched in January, is aimed at treating 50 million people with new drugs, and saving at least 14 million lives in the next 10 years. The forecast is ambitious, he says, but achievable.

ATTENTION DRAWN TO DANGERS FACED BY U.N. STAFF: The Secretary-General is observing the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, by issuing a statement aimed at raising global awareness of the risks faced by UN staff, NGO personnel, and members of the press. He says violence, hostility and crime continue to plague the ability of the UN and others to do their jobs. The number of UN personnel arrested, under detention or missing since the beginning of last year increased from 26 to 43.

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY CONCERNED OVER PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN IRAQ: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is growing more concerned over the situation of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Baghdad amid reports that more than 100 families had received written death threats and that many are in a state of shock and panic. The agency says this panic may spread and lead to more Palestinians fleeing Baghdad.

TURNSTILES AT U.N. HEADQUARTERS ARE FOR SECURITY PURPOSES: Asked about the need for turnstiles at UN Headquarters, the Spokesman said that they were purely a security measure, to protect UN staff and all those who are inside UN Headquarters, in line with the heightened security measures at a number of places in New York since the 11th September attack. He dismissed the idea that they would be used to monitor staff movement, and, in response to a question about a similar effort to install turnstiles a decade ago, said that he hoped that whatever problems existed at that time have since been solved.

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS

March 24, 2006

Monday, March 27

Today the Security Council will hold an open debate in the morning on Haiti, at which Haitian President-elect René Préval is expected to speak. Préval also expects to meet with the Secretary-General, and will brief the press in room S-226 at 12:30 p.m.

At 11:30 a.m., Greek Foreign Minister Theodora Bakoyannis will hold a press conference in room S-226.

This afternoon, the General Assembly will meet in plenary to consider the follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society. The draft resolution will be introduced by Tunisia’s Minister of Communications Technologies, Montasser Ouaili.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland and UN Tsunami Envoy Bill Clinton will attend the International Early Warning Conference in Bonn, Germany. Egeland will then head to East Africa for a nine-day mission to Uganda, Sudan (including Darfur), Chad and Kenya.

Tuesday, March 28

The Security Council will hold a private meeting in the morning with troop-contributing countries to the UN Observation Mission in Georgia followed by consultations on Georgia.

At 1:30 p.m., in the ECOSOC Chamber, the next installment of the Secretary-General’s lecture series will take place with authors Chinua Achebe and Paul Muldoon. They will speak on “The Use of Language in War and Peace.”

Wednesday, March 29

The Security Council will meet on Cote d’Ivoire in the morning followed by consultations.

Thursday, March 30

The Secretary-General will present to the General Assembly his report to facilitate the review of mandates.

There will be a public meeting of the Security Council on the Middle East in the morning followed by a formal meeting on the UN Mission in Liberia and the UN Mission in Georgia.

The New York launch of the 2006 Survey of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific will take place today at 11:15 am in S-226. Ambassador Yerzhan Kazykhanov of Kazakhstan and Robert Vos, chief of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ Development Policy and Analysis Division, will brief.