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Ìý


HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SPOKESMAN'S NOON
BRIEFING


BY MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY
SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN HEADQUARTERS,Ìý NEW YORK

Thursday, July 21, 2005

ZIMBABWE REPORT
TO BE RELEASED FRIDAY

  • The report on
    Zimbabwe drafted by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy Anna Tibaijuka,
    after a to that country, is scheduled to be made
    public tomorrow.
    Ìý

  • Ms. Tibaijuka will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. in
    this room to release the report.

SECURITY
COUNCIL DEBATES GAZA WITHDRAWAL

  • Israel’s forthcoming withdrawal from Gaza and parts of
    the northern West Bank continues to overshadow all other issues, Alvaro de
    Soto, the UN Special Coordinator for the
    ¹ú²úAV Process,
    . It is a moment pregnant with hope, but also
    fraught with peril.
    Ìý

  • Addressing today’s
    public meeting on the Middle East, de Soto said that
    Israel’s domestic preparations for the withdrawal continue at a rapid pace. He
    said that the Israeli authorities have given clear evidence that they will not
    allow Israeli extremists to prevent the plan from being carried out.
    Ìý

  • At the same time, de Soto noted, there is considerable
    evidence that settlement activity continues, and Israel has also continued and
    accelerated construction of its barrier in the West Bank.
    Ìý

  • He added that, while the deterioration of the informal
    cease-fire is profoundly disquieting, there have been encouraging developments
    since last week, consisting of the actions of the Palestinian security forces
    to take vigorous action to restore law and order, and particularly to
    intercept militants preparing to attack Israelis.
    Ìý

  • The Security Council is proceeding with a debate on the
    Middle East, following a request by the Arab Group to discuss recent
    developments, including settlement activities and construction of the barrier.

ÌýSECURITY COUNCIL URGES ALL STATES TO
JOIN ANTI-TERROR PACTS

  • The
    wrapped up its open meeting on terrorism on Wednesday
    afternoon by adopting a
    reiterating its call on all Member States to become
    parties to all 12 International Conventions against terrorism.
    Ìý

  • In that context, the Council drew attention to this
    September’s treaty event in New York, and encouraged Member States also to
    sign the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
    Ìý

  • The Council also urged all States to cooperate to bring
    to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of acts of terrorism.

ÌýLATEST GENERAL ASSEMBLY SUMMIT DRAFT DUE
OUT FRIDAY

  • The closed informal meeting of the plenary scheduled for
    Friday afternoon to introduce the revised version of General Assembly
    President Jean Ping’s draft outcome document for the September summit has been
    cancelled, as the President’s return to New York has been delayed by one day.
    Ìý

  • However, the revised outcome document will still be
    submitted to member states tomorrow.

MONTHLY DARFUR
REPORT SENT TO SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

  • The latest monthly report on
    has gone to Security Council members, but is not out yet as a
    document.
    Ìý

  • Jan Pronk, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative
    for Sudan, will be briefing the Security Council on Sudan in an open meeting
    on Friday.

U.N. ENVOY AND
KURDISH LEADER DISCUSS KURDISH ISSUES

  • Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary General’s Deputy
    Special Representative for
    , met with Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s
    Coordinator to the United Nations, to discuss future UN activities in Northern
    Iraq.
    Ìý

  • They agreed that Dr. Zebari will help formulate two pilot
    programs in collaboration with the Kurdistan Regional Government in order to
    ensure that the UN addresses the key priorities of the people of Kurdistan.

MORE THAN 3.7 MILLION AFGHAN REFUGEES
RETURN HOME SINCE 2002

  • The
    reports that the number of Afghan refugees who
    have returned from Pakistan has now passed 2.5 million. That brings the total
    of people who have come back to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan since 2002
    to more than 3.7 million.
    Ìý

  • So far this year, the Office of the UN High Commissioner
    for Refugees (UNHCR) has helped more than 200,000 Afghans return from Pakistan
    and 26,000 Afghans return from Iran.

ÌýU.N. REFUGEE CHIEF HIGHLIGHTS ASYLUM
CONCERNS

  • High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, today
    gave his first press conference at the UN’s Palais des Nations in Geneva,
    since taking office just over one month ago.
    Ìý

  • In his opening statement, he said he was concerned by how
    difficult it was to preserve asylum rights and to protect refugees in an
    environment of growing intolerance and extremism.Ìý Saying that nothing could
    justify terrorism, he added that we would only be able to defeat terror if we
    stuck to our values. In short, he said, the institution of asylum was an
    essential part of democracy and human rights.
    Ìý

  • He also said he was personally committed to having his
    agency deal with internally displaced persons, even though such people were
    not technically refugees.

ÌýANNAN NAMES NEW HEAD OF U.N. OFFICE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.

  • In response to
    questions, the Spokeswoman said that the
    Secretary-General has appointed William K. Davis as the new Director of the
    United Nations’ office in Washington.
    Ìý

  • Davis is an expert on international economic
    matters, human rights, development assistance, and peacekeeping. Having worked
    in every Administration since President Reagan, Davis comes to the post with a
    distinguished record of public service and extensive experience working with
    individuals across the political spectrum in Washington.
    Ìý

  • Asked when Davis would start
    work at the Washington office, the Spokeswoman said his official start date
    was August 22.

ÌýBURNHAM TO BRIEF U.S. SENATE ON CAPITAL
MASTER PLAN

  • In response to
    questions, Under-Secretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham is in
    Washington, D.C. today. He will provide a briefing to a U.S. Senate
    subcommittee that is today holding a hearing about the
    .
    Ìý

  • Asked about recent comments made in the press by Burnham
    about his loyalty to the United States, the Spokeswoman said Burnham had
    provided a clarification, saying that, as with all UN officials, Burnham took
    the oath of office upon joining the United Nations and understands that his
    professional obligation is to the United Nations and the Secretary-General.
    Ìý

  • He is fully committed to help implement the
    Secretary-General’s reform agenda and to improve the management of the United
    Nations.
    Ìý

  • Asked about the UN’s view on Burnham’s comments, the
    Spokeswoman said that the status of international civil servants is absolutely
    clear: their professional loyalty is to the United Nations and loyalty to
    their national government is put aside. Every UN official signs or takes an
    oath of office on joining the United Nations, she said, and is bound by
    .

ÌýOTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

FAO WARNS LOCUSTS STILL THREATEN AFRICA: The UN Food
and Agriculture Organization today warned that the remains of last year’s locust
invasion of the northern Sahel could threaten the area again this year. A
released in Rome today said that the emergency is not over as
fresh rains in breeding areas may increase locust numbers.Ìý FAO is monitoring
the situation.

TSUNAMI WARNING EXPERTS SET MEETING FOR AUGUST: The
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization today
that the first meeting of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and
Mitigation System will be held August 3 through 5 in Perth, Australia. The
meeting is expected to concentrate on technical and scientific requirements for
tsunami warning systems, UNESCO said.

U.N. MEETING URGES BAN ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT:
Representatives of some 300 African government agencies and NGOs have called for
a complete ban on corporal punishment for children. The
came at the end of a three day meeting in Johannesburg organized
by the UN Children’s Fund in connection with theÌýÌý Secretary- General’s Study on
Violence against Children.Ìý The study is due out next year.

HEALTH AGENCY TO CONTINUE WITH POLIO IMMUNIZATIONS IN
INDONESIA: According to the World Health Organization, on 19 July 2005, 4
new polio cases were
in Indonesia, in districts already infected, namely Bogor (West
Java province) and Lebak (Banten province). The total number of cases is now
153. These new cases are within the areas included during the two emergency
vaccination campaigns held on 31 May and 28 June. Plans are underway for
National Immunization Days targeting 24.4 million children under 5 years old
throughout the country on 30 August and 27 September.

*The guest at today's noon briefing was Rosario Manalo,
Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women,
who talked about the work of the Committee's current session.

Ìý

ÌýOffice
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: inquiries@un.org


Ìý


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