HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S BRIEFING
BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
ASSOCIATE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday,
January 14, 2005
ANNAN CONDEMNS
PALESTINIAN TERROR ATTACK,
CALLS FOR THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE
Kofi Annan,
in a statement issued through his Spokesman,
the Palestinian terror attack that caused the death of six
Israeli civilians and injury to four others at the Karni crossing between
Israel and the Gaza Strip yesterday evening. He wishes to express his deepest
condolences to the families of those killed and injured.
The Secretary-General hopes that this terrible incident
will not be allowed to undermine the recent positive steps made by both
parties.
He also calls on the new Palestinian leadership to make
all possible attempts to bring to justice the organizers and perpetrators of
this attack.
The Secretary-General emphasizes again that violence
cannot provide a solution to the
, and that only through negotiation can peace be achieved.
ANNAN HEARTENED BY RESPONSE TO TSUNAMI
DISASTER,
WELCOMES SUPPORT FOR EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
On his last day in Mauritius, the
that he has been heartened by what he has seen in terms of
response to the tsunami, with “communities pulling together to restore their
Ǵǻ.”
The Secretary-General also said "in order to ensure
maximum coherence and coordination of relief, recovery and reconstruction
efforts, I have decided to appoint a special envoy and I hope to announce the
name by the end of next week."
He added that he is happy that his call for a global
early warning system has been enthusiastically supported at the
that wrapped up today. But he
added that the humanitarian crises in other parts of the world should not be
forgotten.
The Secretary-General today also conducted bilateral
meetings with leaders gathered for the Mauritius conference, including the
Presidents of Madagascar and Equatorial Guinea.
In the afternoon, he and his wife Nane planted a green
mangrove tree at a botanical garden, where they met with five Mauritian
religious leaders, who discussed signs of stigma and prejudice against people
suffering from
.
The Secretary-General told reporters afterward that the
leaders were committed to helping people living with AIDS, “to show compassion
and sensitivity and not to cast them aside.”
ANNAN: IRAQI
ELECTIONS MUST BE AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE
The
spoke to reporters today about the elections in
, saying, “It is clear that the vast majority of Iraqis are eager to
exercise their democratic right to vote. But it is equally obvious that the
conditions in which the elections are being held is far from ideal.”
He added that “the elections must be as inclusive as
possible” if they are to contribute positively to the country’s political
transition. He emphasized the need for outreach, especially to Sunni Arabs.
The Secretary-General encouraged all Iraqis to exercise
their democratic right to vote, saying that Iraq needs “as broad a base as
possible for a successful transition.” Asked if he was concerned about the
legitimacy of the Iraqi elections, he said, “We need to see how things
evolve.” He said that there would be attempts at intimidation, and there has
been regrettable violence, but he also noted that efforts are being made to
pull in as many people as possible.
Asked about the meaning of the
ٲ-ұԱ’s comments, the Spokesman
said that polls show that a majority of Iraqis want to participate in
elections, but he added that it is a fact that the security situation is
clearly less than ideal.
Asked what could be done about
that, the Spokesman noted that any decision about the elections is in the
hands of the Iraqis, and recalled that the Transitional Administrative Law
makes clear that only Iraq’s Independent Electoral Commission can adjust the
date of the elections.
U.N. ENVOY MEETS WITH LEBANESE OFFICIALS
ON IRAQI ELECTIONS
The ٲ-ұԱ’s Special Representative for Iraq,
, is in Beirut for talks with Iraqi political figures based in
Lebanon and Lebanese officials on the political situation in
and efforts to ensure the success of the transitional process.
Qazi, accompanied by his Deputy,
, met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud for
a detailed discussion of the situation In Iraq ahead of the country’s
elections scheduled for 30 January.
In remarks to the press after the meeting, Qazi stressed
the need for all Iraqis to participate in the elections which he said
represent a milestone in the political process.
He also stressed the importance of continuing efforts to
broaden dialogue among all Iraqis so as to ensure a broad based and inclusive
political process that will bring Iraqis together in rebuilding their country
on the basis of democracy and equal rights for all.
NO OBSTACLES BEING PLACED ON
HUMANITARIAN AID IN INDONESIA
Margareta Wahlstrom, the Special Coordinator for
Humanitarian Assistance to Tsunami Affected Communities, has been meeting with
local Indonesian authorities to discuss the Indonesian decision to register
all humanitarian aid workers. Thus far, there have been no reports of
obstacles being placed on humanitarian aid by either the Government or the
Aceh separatist movement.
The
(UNHCR)
has carried out an
on Aceh’s west coast by helicopter. The mission found
more than half of the total population of 23,400 displaced and in urgent need
of shelter and assistance. UNHCR plans to fly in relief supplies by
helicopter this weekend.
In Banda Aceh today, UNHCR
started distributing some of its 2,000 tents to house displaced people at a
temporary settlement that has been set up on the grounds of a local television
station.
From 18 to 20 January, UNHCR’s Assistant High
Commissioner, Kamel Morjane, will be visiting Sri Lanka, where some 130,000
tsunami-displaced people have received shelter and supplies from the agency.
The Executive Director of the
(WFP),
, will also be visiting Sri Lanka. He arrives tomorrow. To
date, WFP has distributed more than 10,000 tons of food to more than 1 million
tsunami victims. In Aceh, WFP has reached out to 300,000 persons, but
hopes to increase that figure to 400,000 by the end of next week.
In other news,
, the UN Children’s Fund, has
that getting children back in school
is essential for their recovery, even if it takes place in tents. This week,
UNICEF helped open two schools near Banda Aceh, and is shipping educational
materials -- including school tents, school-in-a-box kits and recreation kits
-- to Aceh. The supplies are for the more than 100,000 school children and
4,000 teachers in hard-hit areas of the Indonesian province.
In Sri Lanka, UNICEF is
providing the Ministry of Education with school supplies, text books and
teaching aids, in order to get all children in the tsunami-hit areas back in
school by January 20.
In Thailand, UNICEF is
supplying children from hard-hit coastal provinces with cooking utensils,
school materials, textbooks, uniforms, and playground and sports equipment. It
is also supporting the construction of temporary schools.
In the Maldives, UNICEF is
helping the government build 73 temporary classrooms, so that students will be
able to go back to school on January 25. The agency is also helping to clean
school premises and ensure adequate sanitation facilities there.
The
that it has sent maternity-related equipment and supplies to Aceh. Items
include simple provisions for safe and sanitary home deliveries, as well as
hospital equipment for re-establishing emergency obstetric care.
Because information and communication technology have
been critical in coordinating the UN’s relief effort, the
has
15 satellite earth stations available for emergency deployment by he
hardest-hit Member States.
For its part, the
has
its members to consider trade policies that would help
tsunami-stricken economies to recover.
Meanwhile, the
that there is no evidence that illnesses related to fish
consumption have increased in Asian countries hit by the tsunami. The
announcement is significant because rumors -- which say it is dangerous to eat
fish that have been in proximity to or have fed on victims' bodies -- are
circulating in southern Asia, where seafood plays a major nutritional role.
Reports suggest that fish consumption is dropping off because of the rumors.
According to OCHA, there are currently 500 UN
humanitarian aid workers in Banda Aceh, and the number continues to
grow.However, interpreters are badly needed. The
(OCHA) has also
expressed concern that only 20% of Banda Aceh’s population has been inoculated
against measles.
SMALL ISLAND CONFERENCE ENDS WITH PLAN
TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMME OF ACTION
The
concluded its work today in Mauritius.
Governments adopted a Strategy to implement the Programme
of Action and an accompanying political statement, called the Mauritius
Declaration.
The meeting was attended by 18 Presidents, Vice
Presidents and Prime Ministers, as well as some 60 ministers and nearly 2,000
delegates, civil society representatives and journalists from 114 countries.
In the closing ceremony, the Secretary-General of the
International Meeting,
, said he believed the process of implementation should
begin with the drawing up of a Road Map for the implementation of the
Mauritius Strategy. Such a Road Map would serve as an overarching guideline
and provide a basis for monitoring and review.
SECURITY
COUNCIL BRIEFED ON WORK
OF INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY AND MONITORING BOARD FOR IRAQ
The
, in consultations this morning, heard a briefing by
Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, the ٲ-ұԱ’s Representative to the
(IAMB).
Council members discussed a letter the
transmitted to the Security Council on the review of the
IAMB’s work over the past year.
UP TO 7,000 CONGOLESE REFUGEES IN NEED OF
IMMEDIATE AID IN UGANDA
The
(UNHCR)
that several thousand Congolese refugees have arrived in Uganda in
recent days, saying that they are fleeing fighting in the Ituri region of the
neighbouring
.
The refugees are estimated to number up to 7,000; and the
majority is made up of women and children, many in poor health and in
immediate need of assistance.
The refugees are stuck at the bottom of a sharp
escarpment on the shores of Lake Albert, and most of them are not strong
enough for the three-hour walk up it. UNHCR has dispatched emergency relief
items, and will set up a temporary transit centre.
ANNAN TO RECEIVE REPORT OF MILLENNIUM
PROJECT ON MONDAY
The
is scheduled to receive the report of the
at noon on Monday.
After comments by the Secretary-General, Millennium
Project Director Jeffrey Sachs will discuss the report, entitled “Investing in
Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals”.
Also addressing the press will be former President of
Mexico Ernesto Zedillo, one of the Task Force leaders of the Millennium
Project; and the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs,
.
The Millennium Project was commissioned by the
Secretary-General to propose the best strategies for meeting the
.
Prior to this press event and upon arrival at UN
Headquarters Monday morning, the Secretary-General is expected to take a few
questions on other subjects, as is customary when he returns from overseas.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Asked about media reports that
the United Nations is looking for a head of its Washington office, the
Spokesman said that the United Nations currently has an acting director of its
Information Centre in Washington and is looking for a full-time director.
*** Today’s guest at the Noon Briefing was Carol
Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund. She spoke about
her recent visit to areas affected by the tsunami in Asia.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Monday, January 17
At noon in Room 226, the Secretary-General will receive the
report “Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium
Development Goals,” by the UN Millennium Project, headed by Professor Jeffrey
Sachs. The Secretary-General and Professor Sachs will talk to the press.
Tuesday, January 18
The General Assembly will be hold
a plenary meeting at 10:00 a.m., in the General Assembly Hall, to consider the
strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief
assistance. The Secretary-General is expected to address the meeting.
The Security Council will hold a
public meeting on the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. It has also
scheduled the monthly luncheon between the Secretary-General and the members of
the Security Council.
At 11:15 a.m., the Ambassador of
Luxembourg, Jean-Marc Hoscheit, will brief the press on Luxembourg’s Presidency
of the Council of the European Union.
In Kobe, Japan, the World
Conference on Disaster Reduction begins. It will continue through Friday.
Wednesday, January 19
The Security Council has scheduled consultations on the
arms embargo on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At 12:45 p.m., Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov and Javier
Ruperez, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, will brief the
press on the Committee’s work.
Thursday, January 20
Friday, January 21
UN Headquarters will be closed in observance of the Eid
holiday.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162 -
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Fax. 212-963-7055
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