HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

MONDAY, 20 JULY 2015

 

NO GRIEVANCE JUSTIFIES TARGETING OF CIVILIANS, SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS AFTER DEADLY TERRORIST ATTACK IN TURKEY

  • In a statement, the Secretary-General condemns the deadly terrorist attack that took place today in the Turkish town of Suruc, which has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 28 people and injured more than a hundred.  No cause or grievance ever justifies the targeting of civilians.
  • The Secretary-General hopes the perpetrators of this act will be swiftly identified and brought to justice. He sends his deepest condolences to the victims and their families, as well as to the Government and people of Turkey, and wishes those injured a speedy recovery.

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION ON IRAN NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

  • The Security Council this morning unanimously adopted Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), which follows the historic agreement in Vienna last week between the E3+3 and Iran on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme.
  • In a statement, the Secretary-General welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2231, which he said will ensure the enforcement of the JCPOA. It establishes procedures that will facilitate the JCPOA’s implementation, enabling all States to carry out their obligations contained in the Agreement.
  • The resolution provides for the eventual removal of all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. It guarantees that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue to verify Iran’s compliance with its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan.
  • The Secretary-General said that the United Nations stands ready to provide whatever assistance is required in giving effect to the resolution.
  • Also, last week, the Secretary-General spoke by telephone separately with the foreign ministers of many of the countries involved in the Vienna negotiations, as well as with the European Union’s High Representative dealing with foreign policy.
  • This afternoon, the Security Council will hold consultations on Ukraine.

U.N. SYRIA ENVOY HOLDS TALKS IN CHINA, EGYPT

  • The Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, visited Beijing today, where he met with the Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Li Baodong, and the Director-General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, Li Junhua. 
  • During his meetings in Beijing, the Special Envoy discussed the regional situation and the importance for the Security Council members to reach a common understanding on how to proceed with a political process aimed at operationalizing the Geneva Communiqué. 
  • Prior to Beijing, the Special Envoy went to Cairo, where he met with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Nabil El Araby.  They discussed the meeting of the Security Council on Syria, scheduled for the end of this month, and exchanged views on ways to promote a political solution to the conflict. 
  • While in Cairo, Mr. De Mistura also met with Syrian opposition figures present there.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: U.N. MISSION SPEAKS OUT AGAINST STEPPED UP ROAD ATTACKS BY REBELS

  • The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has strongly condemned the marked increase of armed attacks on the Main Supply Road 1 (MSR1) attributable to members of the rebel group Front démocratique du peuple centrafricain (FDPC).
  • The latest incident took place over the weekend when gun shots were fired against a convoy with World Food Programme (WFP) supplies, escorted by MINUSCA peacekeepers, in the North-Western part of the Central African Republic (CAR). The driver was fatally wounded and his truck shoved on the side causing serious injuries to other passengers.
  • The Mission says it will reinforce the robust measures aimed at raising the level of security on this vital route that supplies the country.

AFGHANISTAN: U.N. MISSION CALLS NEW ELECTORAL REFORM COMMISSION AN ‘IMPORTANT STEP’

  • Over the weekend, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomed the establishment of the Electoral System Reform Commission by the National Unity Government.
  • Calling this an important step, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Nicholas Haysom, added that the UN looks forward to a credible, inclusive and transparent electoral reform process.
  • The UN will provide advice and technical expertise based on international best practices, while respecting the sovereign right of Afghanistan to make the final decisions on electoral reforms.

U.N. AGENCY WARNS SPERAD OF AVIAN FLU ACROSS WEST AFRICA ‘INEVITABLE’ WITHOUT TIMELY INTERVENTION

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is warning today that without timely intervention to stem outbreaks of the highly virulent avian flu virus H5N1 across West Africa, further spread across the region and beyond is inevitable.
  • The agency is calling for $20 million for prevention and response activities, following outbreaks of the virus in poultry farms, markets and family holdings in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.
  • Because the disease can be transmitted to humans and is considered highly lethal, FAO is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) on country assessments, contingency plans, offering technical assistance and investigating potential cases.

QATAR BECOMES 107TH MEMBER STATE TO PAY DUES IN FULL

  • Qatar has paid its dues in full, becoming the 107th Member-State to do so.

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