Noon briefing of 18 April 2011

BAN KI-MOON ENCOURAGED BY LIBYA’S AGREEMENT ON HUMANITARIAN PRESENCE IN TRIPOLI

• The Secretary-General, speaking to reporters in Hungary today, said that his Special Envoy for Libya, Abdul Ilah al-Khatib, visited Tripoli yesterday, together with the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos. He said that he was encouraged to report that, as a result, the United Nations reached an agreement on Sunday on a humanitarian presence in Tripoli.
  

• Meanwhile, he added, our talks on the political situation continue. Once a ceasefire is eventually reached, the Secretary-General said, Libya will require wide-ranging efforts in peacemaking, peacebuilding and reconstruction.
  

• During their Sunday visit, Mr. Khatib and Ms. Amos met with senior Government officials, including the Prime Minister, Mahmoud Al-Baghdadi, and the Foreign Minister, Abdel Ati Al-Obeidi.
  

• The Special Envoy and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs reiterated the strong condemnation by the international community of the use of force against the civilians of Libya and urged the Libyan authorities to stop military attacks immediately against all parts of the country, especially Misrata, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need.
  

• Asked about the details of the agreement that was reached, the Spokesperson said that he understood that the Government of Libya agreed to facilitate a humanitarian presence in Tripoli. They agreed to facilitation the provision of equipment for international staff, and also agreed on steps to allow for the entry of international staff.
  

• Haq added that the Government said that it would ensure unimpeded access through the Tunisian border into Libya, up to Tripoli. It said it would ensure safe passage for humanitarian workers to areas where it is in control.
  

• The Spokesperson said that, regarding Misrata, the United Nations is seeking access for a UN mission so that it can assess the situation and the needs there.

BAN KI-MOON, HUNGARIAN OFFICIALS DISCUSS MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, CONSTITUTION AND MEDIA LAW

• The Secretary-General held separate meetings in Budapest today with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi. The Secretary-General briefed them on developments in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly the situation in Libya. They also discussed Hungary's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union.
  

• On Hungary's media law and new constitution, the Secretary-General, in his discussions with the Prime Minister, noted that some provisions in both had raised concerns among Hungary's neighbours and elsewhere. He said he hoped the Hungarian Government, as befits its regional and international role, would continue to promote its own reforms and uphold fundamental democratic principles, including freedom of expression.
  

• Earlier in the day, the Secretary-General met with Hungarian President Pal Schmitt and spoke to reporters afterwards. He addressed the Hungarian Academy of Sciences later in the day.

REPORT ON SRI LANKA TO BE MADE PUBLIC FOLLOWING REVIEW

• Asked about the report of the Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka, which had reportedly been leaked to one Sri Lankan newspaper, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General and his senior advisers are finalising their review of the Report of the Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka. The UN will make the report public this week, he said.
  

• Asked whether the United Nations was waiting for Sri Lanka’s response to the report before issuing it, Haq said that the United Nations intends to release the report as soon as the United Nations has finalised its own review. The hope was that it would go out together with a formal response from the Government of Sri Lanka.
  

• Asked about the accuracy of the leaks, the Spokesperson said that he understood that the published parts of the leaked report are accurate renditions of the relevant parts of the report.
  

• Asked why Sri Lanka had received the report, he added that the Secretary-General has always stressed the Government of Sri Lanka’s pre-eminent responsibility in this matter. Sharing a copy of the report of the affected Member State is in line with the organization’s customary practice.
  

• Asked about planned protests organized by the Government of Sri Lanka, Haq said that the United Nations takes seriously the security of its staff in Sri Lanka, and has once more underscored to the Sri Lankan Government its responsibility to ensure the safety of UN personnel.

MISSION IN DARFUR HELPS TO DISARM FORMER FIGHTERS

• The UN/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is providing support to a Sudanese-led disarmament drive in El Geneina, in West Darfur.
  

• The Mission said Sunday that it expects more than 1,000 former fighters in the Darfur conflict to give up their weapons and reintegrate into civilian life through this initiative. They include one-time Government troops, as well as combatants from various Darfuri armed movements.

MISSION IN IRAQ SHARES EARLY FINDINGS ON CAMP ASHRAF KILLINGS WITH GOVERNMENT

• The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has been in close contact with the Iraqi Authorities with regard to the events of 7-8 April in Camp Ashraf.
  

• Following a monitoring visit to the camp last Wednesday, 13 April, UNAMI met with the Iraqi authorities and shared with them the initial findings, confirming the death of 34 people with dozens injured.
  

• The UN Mission has expressed deep concern over the events and has repeatedly urged the Government of Iraq to refrain from the use of force.
  

• The UN Mission stands ready to provide documentation resulting from the mission to Ashraf.
  

• Asked whether the Government could provide a genuinely independent investigation into what happened, the Spokesperson said that UNAMI has noted the initiative of the Government to establish a commission of inquiry and expects such a commission to be independent and to start its work without delay. The Mission would follow up with the Government accordingly.

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS FIRST ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY

• The Secretary-General has appointed Ms. Mbaranga Gasarabwe of Rwanda as the first Assistant Secretary-General for Safety and Security, following the General Assembly’s endorsement of the Secretary-General’s proposal to reclassify the post at this level.
  

• As deputy to the Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, the Assistant Secretary-General will be responsible for the day-to-day overall management of the Department and for strengthening internal management, as well as representing the Department in the absence of the Under-Secretary-General.
  

• Ms. Gasarabwe, who is currently the Resident Coordinator/Resident Representative and Designated Official in Mali, has served as Resident Coordinator in Guinea and Djibouti, and Resident Representative ad interim and Deputy Resident Representative in Benin since 1998. Since 1991, she held various positions with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in New York, including Chief of Division ad interim for Eastern and Central Africa; and prior to this, she worked in other international institutions.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

SECURITY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE PERIODIC BRIEFING ON U.N. POLITICAL WORK: The Security Council will hold consultations at 3:00 this afternoon. Council members will receive an update on a range of political matters from the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe.

LATEST STATISTICS ON ALLEGED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE BY U.N. FIELD STAFF: The Departments of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and Field Support (DFS) released today statistics on allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse and other forms of misconduct in the field missions for the first quarter of 2011.

SECRETARY-GENERAL UNDERSCORED CONCERNS ON BAHRAIN WITH FOREIGN MINISTER: In response to questions on Bahrain, the Spokesperson noted the Secretary-General’s concerns about Bahrain and his recent meeting in Doha with Bahrain’s foreign minister. Asked about a visit to Bahrain by Terje Roed-Larsen, he added that Roed-Larsen did not visit in his UN capacity.

UNITED NATIONS AWARE OF NEED TO DO MORE WITH LESS: Asked about the Secretary-General’s discussions on the UN budget, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General will discuss the matter with all Member States. He added that the United Nations is fully conscious that the international community is going through an era of austerity, and that the United Nations is being asked to do more with less.