United Nations Daily Highlights, 05-09-27

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: [email protected]

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE

DUJARRIC

SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES I.R.A. DECOMMISSION REPORT

Secretary-General Kofi Annan

welcomes the news that a major obstacle to the search for a lasting and sustainable political settlement in Northern Ireland has been removed, with the announcement by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning that the Irish Republican Army (IRA) has completed the decommissioning of its weapons.

This development is a critical step in the IRAs fulfilment of the commitment it gave on 28 July to pursue its goals henceforth through exclusively peaceful and democratic means.

The Secretary-General calls on all parties to seize this unique opportunity to consolidate the Good Friday Agreement.

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY NOTES DETERIORATION OF SECURITY IN PARTS OF IRAQ

In its latest

advisory on

Iraq, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says that the security situation in much of Iraq has shown no improvement and has actually deteriorated in many places compared to the same period a year ago.

Despite the January 2005 elections, UNHCR says, authorities are not yet able to protect citizens from violent attacks, including those specifically targeting civilians in southern and central Iraq.

As a result, UNHCR encourages governments to postpone the introduction of measures which are intended to promote or induce voluntary returns for persons originating from southern or central Iraq.

Asked whether the UN Secretariat shares UNHCRs assessment that the violence in Iraq has worsened over the past year, the Spokesman noted that the United Nations remains concerned about the violence, to which it has repeatedly drawn attention. He added that the UNHCR assessment was focused specifically on whether conditions were right so that people could return voluntarily to central and southern Iraq.

Asked for the Secretary-Generals reaction to the killings of the Iraqi teachers on Monday, the Spokesman said that the United Nations condemned such actions, and particularly the targeting of teachers. The murders underscored the concerns about the situation in Iraq, he said.

U.N. ENVOY CONDEMNS MURDER OF AFGHAN CANDIDATE

Jean Arnault, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Afghanistan, expressed his great concern at the killing this afternoon of a candidate in the election for the Wolesi Jirga, lower house of parliament, Ashraf Ramazan.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) condemns this murder and calls upon the Afghan authorities to carry out a thorough investigation and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.

EXPERT TEAM TO ASSESS POTENTIAL FLOOD RISK IN CAMEROON

The

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Environment Programme have dispatched a team of technical experts to northwestern Cameroon, following reports that a natural dam on a lake there could potentially collapse.

According to OCHA, if the dam collapses, tens of thousands of Cameroonians and Nigerians will be hit by flooding, and toxic carbon dioxide gas stored in the deeper layers of the lake could be released. A similar gas release in 1986 killed more than 1,700 people.

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION REPORT ON DPR KOREA OUT TODAY

Out as a document today is a

report on the human rights situation in the Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea, written by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights.

This is one of several Special Rapporteur reports submitted every year to the Third Committee of the General Assembly. An updated list of reports and expected reports is on the web page of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

PAID-UP MEMBER STATES HONOUR ROLL REACHES 124

A check from Saudi Arabia arrived today, bringing to 124, the number of fully paid up member states

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNITED NATIONS AND ZIMBABWE IN TALKS ON A SECRETARY-GENERAL VISIT: Asked about conditions for the Secretary-Generals visit to Zimbabwe, the Spokesman stressed that the visit would have to be properly planned in terms of its agenda and its aims. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari was in discussion with Zimbabwean officials on those matters, he added.

UNITED NATIONS IN COMMUNICATION WITH AUTHORITIES ON SAHARAWI DETAINEES: Asked about Saharawi detainees who are on hunger strike, the Spokesman said that their situation is a matter of concern to the United Nations. There have been a number of letters sent to relevant authorities by the United Nations on that matter, he said.

ALL COUNTRIES MUST BE PREPARED FOR FLU EPIDEMIC: There will be another influenza pandemic, and no government can afford to be caught off guard, according to

World Health Organization Director-General

Dr. Lee Jong-wook.

Speaking today to health ministers from throughout the Americas at the Pan American Health Organizations 46th Directing Council meeting in Washington, DC, Jong-wook called for support for the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza launched recently by President George W. Bush at the United Nations General Assembly.

NEW U.N. MEDIA CALENDAR AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE: A new United Nations system calendar of major media events is now available on the UN home page. It provides brief description of launches of major UN reports, conferences and meetings, and special events at UN Headquarters and in locations around the world. Contact information for the media is also included for each entry in the calendar. The URL for the new website is

http://www.un.org/events/calendar.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162 - press/media only

Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212) 963-4475 or by e-mail to: [email protected]

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