Secretary-GeneralKofiAnnan
met today in Bangkok with the Thai Prime Minister, ThaksinShinawatra, with whom he discussed the response to
the global AIDS crisis and the outcome of the International AIDS Conference that is currently taking place. They also discussed Thailand’s support for Timor-Leste, the
UN role in Iraq, Myanmar and the Thai-UN relationship.
The Prime Minister then
presented the Secretary-General with a report on Thailand’s efforts to meet and to exceed the Millennium Development Goals.
The Secretary-General
thanked him, saying that the report is “elegant testimony to Thailand’s remarkable success in reaching most, if not all, the MDG
targets, well ahead of schedule.”
Following a luncheon hosted
by the Prime Minister, the Secretary-General was asked by a journalist about
the appointment of AshrafJehangirQazi as his new Special Representative for Iraq.He said the United Nations had considered three excellent
candidates – one each from India, Pakistan and Thailand – and asserted, “It was a difficult choice, but I think we
have selected the right man, who has experience with the region.”
Asked about security in Iraq, the Secretary-General added, “We don’t live in a
risk-free environment, but the risk has to be managed.”
The Secretary-General and NaneAnnan then had an audience
with the King and Queen of Thailand, after which they had an informal dinner with the Prime
Minister and his wife.
Earlier in the day, the
Secretary-General had interviews with two TV stations, discussing AIDS.
Speaking to Phoenix China TV, he said of AIDS victims, “Whether they are drug
users, whether they are prostitutes, whether they are homosexuals, they are
human beings and their problems should be a concern to you and me.” He was
asked by BBC about whether policies should focus on abstinence or condom use,
and responded, “I think it’s a false debate. Frankly, you need both.”
SOUTH ASIAFACES TWO MAJOR CHALLENGES IN AIDS PREVENTION
Stigma and discrimination
against people living with HIV and gender inequality remain the two biggest
challenges to AIDS prevention in south Asia. That
was one of the findings of experts gathered at a satellite session at the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok today.
The UN-supported Global Media AIDS Initiative today announced new HIV-focused public education efforts
in Russia, India, China, Indonesia and the United States. The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Peter Piot, said, “The coming together of media organizations to
harness their collective power to the fight against AIDS is one of the most
important partnerships forged to date.”
ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL OFFERS CHANCE TO REVIVE MIDDLE EAST
PEACE PROCESS
The diary of violent acts
in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to be painfully long, UN Special
Coordinator for the Middle EastTerjeRoed-Larsen
told the Security Council today.
Speaking to an open meeting
of the Council, Larsen reiterated that the proposed Israeli withdrawal from Gaza offers a unique opportunity to revive the peace process. But he noted
that some Israelis and Palestinians still raise reservations about this
initiative and its possible impact on the peace process.
Some Palestinians, he said,
fear that the withdrawal is a smoke screen that would divert world attention
away from the implementation of the Road Map, while some Israelis fear it might
turn Gaza into an incubator for terrorism. But fears, though
legitimate, should not become an excuse for inaction and passivity, Larsen
said.
He warned that the
Palestinian Authority, despite consistent promises by its leadership, has made
no progress on its core obligation to take immediate action on the ground to
end violence and combat terror. Larsen said that Israel’s lack of compliance on the sensitive issue of settlements
is equally frustrating, adding that settlement expansion has to come to a
complete stop.
The Council followed its
open meeting with consultations, also on the Middle East.
LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS HINDER FOOD SUPPLY IN WESTERN DARFUR
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that conditions in Western Darfur, Sudan, are such that many of the aid workers are themselves
falling sick.
Logistical problems, as
well as a shortage of resources and staff, have prevented the World Food Programme (WFP) from pre-positioning any food for the rainy season
as planned.
Also in Western Darfur, in the town of Al-Junaynah, aid workers are finding it almost impossible to tell the
difference between internally displaced persons and the town's 100,000
residents. Despite the difficulties, however, WFP managed to register 40,000
displaced persons last week.
The UN High Commissioner for
Refugees has opened its ninth camp for
Sudanese refugees fleeing Darfur
into Chad. In all, more than 123,000 refugees are now in the nine
camps in Chad. Also, UNHCR's emergency airlift
to bring assistance to Sudanese refugees in eastern Chadcontinues with a flight from Denmark today. The airlift will bring in nearly 180 metric tons of
blankets, jerry cans, plastic sheeting, kitchen sets and prefabricated
warehouses.
NIGERIA,CAMEROONTO TRANSFER AUTHORITY OVER CONTESTED AREAS
Cameroon and Nigeria today begins the second stage of their implementation of
the International Court of Justice’s decision concerning the border dispute
between them.
The UN Office for West Africa
said the two nations are set to transfer authority today over two contested
areas, with one zone being turned over to Nigeria and Cameroon assuming control over another one. Observers of the Mixed
Commission, set up by the United Nations in 2002, will be deployed in the area
to reinforce the process.
AhmedouOuldAbdallah,
the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa,
said, “It is the right decision at the right time and for the right reasons.”
MORE THAN 500 EX-COMBATANTS DISARMED IN SOUTHEAST LIBERIA
The latest round in the
disarmament and demobilization of combatants in southeast Liberia continues. Between last Friday and yesterday, more than
500 ex-fighters have disarmed to peacekeepers from the UN Mission in Liberia
in Zwedru, about 400 kilometers southeast of the
capital, Monrovia.
Elsewhere in Liberia, the Chairman of the National Transitional Government of
Liberia, Charles Gyude Bryant, and the Secretary
General’s Special Representative, Jacques Klein, yesterday launched a training
program for Liberia’s new police service at the newly reopened PoliceServiceTrainingAcademy in Monrovia.
Also, over the weekend,
Klein launched a “Face Lift” project at the University
of Liberia’s LouisArthurGrimesLawSchool. The project will rehabilitate the dilapidated law faculty
building.
REFUGEE AGENCY WELCOMES ITALIAN GOVERNMENT’S
DECISION
TO ALLOW REFUGEE BOAT TO DISEMBARK
The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, warmly welcomes the Italian
government's decision to allow 37 refugees on the “Cap Anamur”
boat to disembark in Italy.
UNHCR said it is grateful
to the Italians for putting humanitarian considerations to the forefront,
rather than continuing with the impasse that had developed over the past 10
days.
It is not yet clear where
the rescued people are from. Reports from the boat were suggesting that some or
all of them are from Sudan, but reports from Italy yesterday were citing their countries of origin as Ghana and Nigeria.
UNHCR has a team in Sicily, and they are closely monitoring the situation. Some in
the group had already made asylum claims while still on board the boat.
However, it's still unknown whether any of them have claimed asylum in Italy. UNHCR is seeking access to the centre where they are
being held.
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
TWO NEW FORCE COMMANDERS
APPOINTED: Two new force commanders have
been appointed to UN peacekeeping operations. They are Major-General Rajender Singh of India, the new Force Commander of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), and the UN Operation
in Burundi’s Force Commander,
Major General Derrick Mgwebi. Mgwebi
previously headed the forces of the African Mission in Burundi. Those forces were re-hatted as
Blue Helmets on 1 June.
U.N.AGENCIESHELPCENTRALAFRICANREPUBLICWITH INFANT MORTALITY: UN agencies are helping the
Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) launch a "2004-2015
Operational Plan" to reduce maternal and infant mortality. The plan
includes improvement of services in rural areas, the promotion of breast
feeding, and global care for HIV/AIDS patients. In CAR, there is only one
health centre per 6,000 inhabitants and one hospital bed for every 1,095
patients across the country. Separately, last weekend, almost no population
movement was registered at the border between Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
DATE PRODUCTION FACING
SERIOUS PROBLEMS: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is warning that global date palm production is
facing serious problems. These include low yields, due to the lack of research,
and the spread of pests as well as marketing constraints. Date palms are mainly
grown in southwest Asia and North
Africa, and they’re an extremely
important subsistence crop in most of the desert regions. The FAO has recently
launched a network to promote research and exchange of information on
production, and on the ecological and social benefits of date palms.
** William
Gaylord, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia , was the guest at today’s briefing. He spoke about the
situation in that country.
Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY10017
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
