United Nations Daily Highlights, 06-07-06

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, July 6, 2006

ANNAN URGES ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS TO STEP BACK FROM THE BRINK

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has warned that the situation between the Israelis and Palestinians is dangerous and could be explosive.

The Secretary-General urges all concerned to step back from the brink.

In a statement issued last night in Accra, Ghana, the Secretary-General reminded the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority of their obligations under international humanitarian law regarding protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and also repeated his call for the immediate release of Corporal Gilad Shalit.

Asked about the Israeli incursion into Gaza and reports that it could be setting up a buffer zone there, the Spokeswoman referred to the Secretary-Generals statement, adding that he has noted that the Security Council has also taken up the situation in the Middle East.

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DECIDES TO SEND FACT-FINDING MISSION

TO OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

In Geneva, the Human Rights Council

decided to urgently send John Dugard, the Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, on a fact-finding mission to that area.

According to the resolution which was adopted by a vote of 29 in favour to 11 against, with five abstentions the Council, among other things, demanded that Israel end its military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory and expressed grave concern at the detrimental impact of the current Israeli military operation on the already deteriorating humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian people.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS IRAQ

FOR TALKS ON NEW INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP

Upon the invitation of the Government of Iraq, Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown is

visiting Baghdad yesterday and today. He held consultations with the Iraqi Government regarding its initiative for a new partnership with the international community the International Compact for Iraq. The purpose of the compact is to achieve a National Vision for Iraq, which aims to consolidate peace and pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years.

During his visit, Malloch Brown met with the Iraqi President and Vice Presidents, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, and a host of key Iraqi political leaders and members of the international donor community.

Discussions focused on the Government of Iraqs establishment of a Preparatory Group which it will co-chair with the United Nations. This Group will assist with preparations for the Compact and will be strongly supported by the World Bank in coordination with the International Monetary Fund and other regional financial institutions. It will include key members of the international donor community. The Preparatory Group will report directly to Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh and the Deputy Secretary-General.

SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS DRAFT RESOLUTIONS

ON NORTH KOREA MISSILE TESTS AND MIDDLE EAST

The Security Council this morning held an open meeting on the visit last month by a Council mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That meeting began with a briefing by the leader of that mission, French Ambassador Jean Marc de la Sabliere.

The Security Council then held consultations on the Middle East, on which Council members received the text of a draft resolution introduced by Qatar.

Meanwhile, the talks on the draft resolution concerning the missile tests by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) continued at the experts level this morning.

Asked about the Secretary-Generals views on the situation in the DPRK, the Spokeswoman noted that the Secretary-General has repeatedly called for a resumption of the six-party talks concerning that nation.

As for the incident that took place on 4 July, she said, the Secretary-General has deferred comment while the Security Council is seized with the matter.

Asked whether the Secretary-General would appoint a new envoy for the DPRK after the departure last year of Maurice Strong, Okabe said that the Secretary-General appoints special envoys when he feels that there is space to conduct successful good offices work. Up to this point, she added, there has not been that space, so a new envoy has not been named.

ANNAN HOPES ALL WILL DO THEIR PART FOR COTE DIVOIRE PEACE PROCESS

The Secretary-General spoke to the press in Cote dIvoire yesterday following the end of a mini-summit of Ivorian and African leaders, concerning the implementation of that countrys road map. He said the meeting had been very constructive, adding that the participants agreed to meet again on the margins of the General Assembly in September, to take stock.

Asked about potential delays in the timetable for Cote dIvoire, the Secretary-General responded, I think every participant indicated that they are going to do their maximum to ensure that the calendar is respected, and I hope that everyone will do their part.

FOLLOW-UP MEETING ON CAMEROON-NIGERIA AGREEMENT HELD IN ABUJA

The fourth extraordinary meeting of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission took place in Abuja today in the presence of Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa.

The Abuja meeting was convened to prepare reports for the follow-up committee on the implementation of the agreement between Cameroon and Nigeria on the Bakassi peninsula, which is scheduled to meet on 10 July in Geneva.

The follow-up committee was established by the 12 June Greentree Agreement between the two countries, which was brokered by the Secretary-General.

TIMOR-LESTE: U.N. ENVOYS MEET WITH DISARMED REBEL SOLDIERS

The Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Timor-Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, and Special Envoy Ian Martin the UNs two top officials in that country

met today with a group of rebel soldiers who had surrendered automatic weapons yesterday and urged the soldiers to press their case in a peaceful, non-violent manner.

Earlier in the day, Hasegawa and others took part in a meeting chaired by coordinating minister Jose Ramos-Horta to come up with a method of allowing the internally displaced persons to safely return to their homes and remain in a secure environment.

CYPRUS: U.N. POLITICAL CHIEF DISCUSSES WAY FORWARD

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari is continuing his trip to Cyprus, where he met today with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat.

Gambari told reporters that the very good meetings will help him to prepare his report to the Secretary-General, which he will write upon return to New York. That report will contain recommendations on how best to move closer to the possible re-launching of political discussions and a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem.

Gambari will remain on the island until Sunday morning and has follow-up meetings planned with each of the two leaders, beginning tomorrow.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. ENVOY HOPES ATTACK WON'T ADVERSELY IMPACT DARFUR PEACE PROCESS: The Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary General in Sudan Jan Pronk described the recent attack on the town of Hamrat El-Sheikh as a serious event and expressed the hope that it would not have adverse effects on the Darfur peace process. Pronk said it remains to be seen if that attack on the town some 200 kilometers north of Khartoum would mark the beginning of a new strategy to extend hostilities outside Darfur by the holdout rebel groups behind the assault or if it was just an isolated attack. He said the UN Mission in Sudan will be closely watching the situation and its potential consequences for the peace process.

STUDY DOCUMENTS HUNGRY INDONESIANS: According to a new

study conducted by the World Food Programme and the Indonesian Government, many people in Indonesia do not get enough to eat, significant numbers of the countrys children are underweight and infant mortality continues to be a problem across the archipelago. The study is called the Nutrition Map of Indonesia.

ASIAN COUNTRIES SIGN ON TO TREATY ON CONTRACTS: At UN Headquarters today, China, Singapore and Sri Lanka signed the UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts. The Convention aims to improve legal certainty and commercial predictability where electronic communications are used in international contracts.

Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

United Nations, S-378

New York, NY 10017

Tel. 212-963-7162

Fax. 212-963-7055

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