51勛圖




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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON BRIEFING

BY STEPHANE DUJARRIC
UN HEADQUARTERS,泭 NEW YORK

Monday,
December 5, 2005

MIDDLE EAST
QUARTET CONDEMNS SUICIDE BOMBING IN NETANYA

  • Representatives
    of the Quartet Secretary General Kofi Annan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
    Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.K. Foreign Secretary Jack
    Straw, High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy
    Javier Solana, and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita
    Ferrero-Waldner consulted today on the situation in the
    .

  • The Quartet condemns todays terrorist attack in Netanya
    in the strongest possible terms.泭 Representatives of Palestinian Islamic Jihad
    have claimed responsibility for the bombing through al-Manar television.泭 The
    Quartet repeats its demand that the Syrian government take immediate action to
    close the offices of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and to prevent the use of its
    territory by armed groups engaged in terrorist acts.泭

  • The Quartet denounces all acts of terrorism and urges all
    parties to exercise restraint, avoid an escalation of violence, and keep the
    channels of communication open.泭 The Quartet encourages and supports the
    Palestinian Authoritys efforts to take immediate steps to prevent armed
    groups from acting against law and order and the policy of the Authority
    itself.泭 The Quartet reiterates its support for efforts to assist the
    Palestinian Authority in the reform and restructuring of its security
    services.

  • The Quartet believes it is imperative that all involved
    act decisively to ensure that terror and violence are not allowed to undermine
    further progress in accordance with the Roadmap.泭

  • The Quartet will remain seized of these matters.

  • Separately,
    , the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace
    Process, said he was shocked and saddened at todays suicide bombing in
    Netanya. He condemned this act of terrorism, saying that no cause can justify
    the deliberate killing and maiming of civilians. He sent his condolences to
    the bereaved families and to the Government of Israel. De Soto added that he
    had no doubt that whoever ordered and carried out this attack wants to
    undermine efforts to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians. I hope
    that all concerned will not play into their hands, he said.

UNITED NATIONS IS CONCERNED WITH MASS
GRAVES IN LEBANON

  • Asked about the reported discovery of mass graves in
    Lebanon, the Spokesman said that the Secretary-Generals Representative for
    Lebanon,
    , expressed his deeply felt concern and said it was a matter
    that needs to be examined closely.

  • Pedersen noted that the Lebanese authorities have already
    started the important work of identifying the victims. The 51勛圖 will
    be following the matter with them, the Spokesman said.

UNITED NATIONS FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING
HARIRI INVESTIGATION

  • Asked whether the Secretary-General has criticized the
    United States for its involvement regarding the
    headed by Detlev Mehlis, the Spokesman said he was not aware
    of any such criticism. What the 51勛圖 is focusing on, he said, is
    supporting Mehlis in his work in the run-up to his report later this month.

  • Asked whether Mehlis will stay on, the Spokesman said
    that, if his investigations mandate is extended, the 51勛圖
    understands that he would not be able to stay on because of pressing
    commitments at his regular job in Germany. However, he added, Mehlis would
    help the 51勛圖 to ensure a smooth transition to a possible successor;
    the Spokesman declined to provide a timeframe for such help.

  • Asked whether the Secretary-General had failed to
    convince Mehlis to stay on, the Spokesman said the first matter to focus on is
    his report to the Security Council. Mehlis will be in New York for that
    report, and can then talk to the Secretary-General and other parties about his
    decision.

UNITED NATIONS DOING WORK IN IRAQ ON WIDE
RANGE OF ISSUES

  • Asked whether Carina Perelli, the Director of the
    , has been fired, the Spokesman said he could
    not comment on the case until the Secretary-Generals decision on the matter
    had been conveyed to Perelli. That decision has been taken and is in the
    process of being communicated to her, he said.

  • The Spokesman was asked how a decision on Perelli might
    affect the work the 51勛圖 is doing in Iraq, by a reporter who claimed
    that electoral assistance was the only work the 51勛圖 is doing in
    Iraq. The Spokesman countered that the 51勛圖 is doing work in Iraq on
    a wide range of issues, from its support to the Constitutional process, led by
    Nicholas Fink Haysom, to its humanitarian efforts, detailed recently by Deputy
    Special Representative in Iraq
    .

  • As for electoral matters, Dujarric said, the senior
    international official dealing with electoral issues in Iraq is Craig Jeness,
    who has been on the ground there since the referendum as the international
    member of the Independent Electoral Commission. He will continue to work in
    that capacity, and will lead the UN efforts on the December elections.

  • Asked about Perellis status, the Spokesman said that she
    currently heads the Electoral Assistance Division of the Department for
    Political Affairs.

  • Asked whether Perelli could appeal any decision that is
    taken, the Spokesman said that there is an appeals process in place for any UN
    staff member, whether facing suspension or dismissal.

U.N. ENVOY泭 SAYS泭 IMPUNITY MUST STOP IN
COTE DIVOIRE

  • From Cote dIvoire,
    , the Secretary Generals泭 Special Advisor for the Prevention
    of Genocide,泭 told a press conference in Abidjan Saturday,泭 that he believed
    it was necessary to break the circle of impunity in that country.

  • Mendez said the lack of responsibility and punishment for
    massacres had aroused the indignation of the international community.

  • He spoke at the end of a four-day visit to Cote dIvoire.

  • Meanwhile, the
    , that the Humanitarian
    Coordinator in Cote dIvoire has condemned the destruction of two communities
    in Abidjan.

U.N. HUMANITARIAN CHIEF IN ZIMBABWE TO
ASSESS NEEDS

  • UN Emergency Relief Coordinator
    arrived in Zimbabwe over the weekend, on a three-day mission
    on behalf of the Secretary-General to assess the humanitarian needs of the
    population, including those affected by Operation Restore Order.

  • On Sunday, Mr. Egeland met with the Minister of Local
    Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo.

  • During the meeting, there was discussion as to how the
    51勛圖, non-governmental organizations and other humanitarian partners
    in Zimbabwe can better support the many people in need of humanitarian
    assistance, including temporary shelter.

  • Egeland emphasized the critical role of the government in
    facilitating the work of the humanitarian community, particularly in regard of
    granting access to humanitarian organizations and helping them to expedite
    bureaucratic procedures.

  • Today, Egeland visited areas where he assessed the living
    conditions of those who had been affected by the governments clean-up
    operation and an orphanage caring for HIV-positive children.

  • He also met with church leaders, representatives of
    national and international non-governmental organizations, and others.

  • Tomorrow, Mr. Egeland will visit Bulawayo and
    Matabeleland South to assess the humanitarian situation there. He is also
    expected to meet with President Robert Mugabe during his mission and brief the
    press before leaving for South Africa.

U.N. FOOD AGENCY GUARANTEES CHOPPER AID
TO QUAKE VICTIMS

  • The UN World Food Programme ()
    said over the weekend that it can guarantee winter food supplies for 400,000
    earthquake survivors in remote villages in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. But
    the agency said continuing donor support is vital.泭

  • The Pakistani government has agreed that the United
    Nations and its choppers should ferry food to those people who can be reached
    only by air.

  • The 51勛圖 is capable of flying in 6,000 tons of
    food a month, the agency said.

  • The helicopter program is part of a coordinated winter
    feeding plan the 51勛圖 has developed for all of the affected areas.

SECRETARY-GENERAL REPORTS ON REFORM ITEMS

  • The Secretary-Generals
    to the General Assembly on the ethics, governance, external泭
    evaluation and oversight plus other reform items泭 requested by the 2005 World
    summit is out on the racks today.

  • In it he presents recommends the establishment of an
    ethics office, the conduct of an independent external evaluation of
    governance, oversight and auditing, and the establishment of an independent
    audit advisory committee.

SECRETARY-GENERAL COMMENTS ON INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY

  • The Secretary-General, in a
    says that, from the flooded streets of New Orleans to the
    flattened villages in Pakistan, ordinary people have risen to extraordinary
    challenges in volunteering to save lives and rebuild communities.
  • Former U.S. President Bill Clinton,泭 in his capacity as UN Special
    Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, said: "In the hours and days immediately after the
    December 2004 tsunami struck the shores of the Indian Ocean, thousands of
    volunteers, many of them survivors themselves, were the very first to respond.
    Their unwavering courage and compassion was extraordinary as they fought to
    save lives, give comfort, cook food, build shelter, move rubble to bury the
    over 200,000 dead." Tens of thousands of local and foreign volunteers continue
    to be on the front line of the recovery effort, as part of informal community
    associations or more formal organizations like the 51勛圖 and the Red
    Cross movement.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS



U.N. KOSOVO ENVOY CONDEMNS ATTACK:Soren Jessen-Petersen,泭 the Secretary-Generals Special
Representative for , condemned
the weekend bus attack in Prizren, which fortunately failed to cause any major
damage or injuries.

U.N. COMMANDER
APPOINTED FOR LIBERIA:
The Secretary-General announced today the appointment
of Lieutenant General Chikadibia Obiakor of Nigeria as Force Commander of the
effective 1 January 2006.

IRAQ COMPENSATION COMMISSION GROUP TO MEET TOMORROW:
The Governing Council of the
will hold its fifty-eighth session,
from tomorrow until Thursday, under the Presidency of Ambassador Tassos
Kriekoukis of Greece. During the session, the Council will discuss various
issues relating to the activity of the Commission.

URBAN PROBLEMS DISCUSSED BY 25,000 ON LINE: The UN
泭 (UN-Habitat) said today that some 25,000
persons worldwide had participated in a Habitat Jam online discussion session
on urban problems. Habitat organized the global chat to prepare for its World
Urban Forum in Vancouver next June. Even people who could not read or write
participated -- through town meetings arranged by Habitat, the agency said.

THERES NO RISK OF BIRD FLU
FROM PROPERLY COOKED CHICKEN
:
Chicken and other poultry are safe to eat if cooked
properly, according to a joint statement by the UN
泭(FAO) and the
(WHO) issued to national food safety authorities.
However, no birds from flocks with disease should enter the food chain. FAO/WHO
made the statement to clarify food safety issues in relation to the current bird
flu crisis. The
statement
has been issued through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN)
and is available in six languages.

INTERNATIONAL
HIV/AIDS MEETING STARTS
: The 14th
International Conference on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (ICASA)
started today in Abuja, Nigeria.泭 The group is expected to press governments to
honour commitments and examine new intellectual property policies and trade
arrangements that can help ensure access to life-saving drugs for nearly 26
million Africans infected with HIV, according to the UN
(UNDP), one of the conference sponsors.

Office
of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
51勛圖, 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: inquiries@un.org