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MICHELE
MONTAS is the Spokesperson for U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
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The
Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General and the Spokesperson for
the President of the General Assembly.
TV: UN
WEBCAST TV VIDEO
- 18 minutes
UN:
UNITED NATIONS BRIEFING AND TV: FRIDAY, 25/01/2008
(MaximsNews Network)
UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / - 25
January 2008 -- Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the
Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General and UN Webcast TV Video.
BY
MARIE OKABE
DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
Friday,
January 25, 2008
BAN
KI-MOON CONDEMNS LATEST LEBANON ATTACK
-
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon strongly condemns
the terrorist attack today in Lebanon that killed an officer of the Internal
Security Forces and reportedly five others and injured 20. He extends
his sincere condolences to the families of those killed and the Government
of Lebanon.
-
This
latest act of terror should not be allowed to undermine the security,
stability and sovereignty of Lebanon.
-
The
Secretary-General reiterates his call on the people of Lebanon to continue
exercising restraint and for those behind this and previous attacks to be
brought to justice.
BAN
KI-MOON SAYS 2008 IS THE YEAR OF THE “BOTTOM BILLION”
-
The
Secretary-General today addressed
the press in Davos, Switzerland, pressing his call for 2008
to be the year of the “bottom billion,” the people he described as
“the forgotten ones, the nearly one billion left behind by global
growth”.
-
He
said that he is launching a new initiative this September, when the United
Nations will host a high-level meeting on the Millennium
Development Goals, with a special focus on Africa. He said, “We will
bring together world leaders and, together, demand action.”
-
Before
leaving Davos, the Secretary-General conducted several bilateral meetings
with the leaders attending the World Economic Forum, including British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
-
This
evening, he travels to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, where he will
meet with the Prime Minister, Janez Jansa, and the two of them are to hold a
joint press conference afterward. This is his first visit as
Secretary-General to Slovenia, which currently holds the Presidency of the
European Union.
-
Also
from Davos, several of the companies at the World Economic Forum and the UN
launched two initiatives to promote greater support from the private sector
for humanitarian relief operations.
-
One
initiative is a set of Guiding Principles for coordinating such efforts.
The other is a joint collaboration involving leading transport companies,
who will help with emergency response logistics in the wake of major natural
disasters.
FUEL
SHORTAGES HAMPER PEACEKEEPERS’ WORK IN ETHIOPIA & ERITREA
-
The
Security Council today held
consultations on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),
and received a briefing on the Mission by Azouz Ennifar, the acting head of
that Mission.
-
Ennifar
discussed recent developments and presented the Secretary-General’s latest
report
on UNMEE, which went to Council members yesterday.
-
In
that report, the Secretary-General says that UN peacekeepers in Eritrea are
facing serious difficulties in sustaining their operations and reliable
communications, because they have not received any fuel from suppliers in
Eritrea since 1 December 2007.
-
The
latest imposed fuel shortage has forced UN peacekeepers to cut back on key
operational activities, including patrols, demining and administrative
support to regional locations and team sites.
-
In
light of this and some 45 other restrictions on UN peacekeepers, the
Secretary-General recommends a one-month technical roll-over of the mandate
of the Mission.
-
The
Secretary-General says he will review developments on the ground and the
challenges facing the Mission, and prepare specific recommendations on the
future direction of the Mission, including possible withdrawal or
relocation.
-
He
adds that the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia remains very tense, as
the parties continue to move troops along their shared borders.
SECURITY
COUNCIL TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS ON SITUATION IN GAZA
GAZA:
CROSSINGS REMAIN CLOSED, POWER CUTS CONTINUE
-
On
Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports
that all three crossings for goods from Israel into Gaza were closed today.
As a result, the World Food Programme will be unable to give a full ration
of food to 10,000 of its poorest beneficiaries on Sunday.
-
Three
hundred thousand liters of industrial fuel did make it into Gaza today. But
due to limited reserves, the Gaza power plant has reduced its power output,
causing power cuts of eight hours a day. Fuel reserves are expected to run
out on Sunday, according to OCHA.
-
OCHA
also reports that about half of Gazan households have access to running
water for only one or two hours a day.
-
In
addition, Gaza’s waste water system is currently only partially
functioning, leading to the daily dumping of 30 million liters of untreated
sewage into the sea.
-
Asked
what the Secretary-General is doing to alleviate the humanitarian problems
in Gaza, the Spokeswoman noted that the Secretary-General has been talking
to all parties concerned. She noted in particular his call earlier this week
to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his meeting with Israeli leaders,
including the President and Foreign Minister, while he was in Davos.
-
Meanwhile,
Okabe added, UN humanitarian agencies are doing what they can on the ground
in Gaza to meet the urgent needs of the people.
WOMEN
& CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM VIOLENCE IN KENYA
-
Children,
teenagers and women have borne the worst of the violence in Kenya.
-
UNICEF
says today that
while they have been reluctant to talk about sexual attacks, the reality of
their being abused in the midst of the political crisis is all too evident.
-
Preliminary
reports suggest that girls and women in camps for the internally displaced
are trading sex for food, protection or transportation, according to UNICEF.
Women, young and old, are raped while trying to use public toilets at night.
Some boys have also been sexually assaulted, the agency says, adding victims
most often do not report these attacks for fear of reprisals.
-
To
date, UNICEF has allocated $1.2 million dollars in emergency supplies. The
agency also says that while the Kenyan government has been trying to close
down camps for displaced people in Nairobi, many among the displaced have
expressed fear about returning home.
-
The
World Food Programme (WFP), meanwhile, continues
emergency food distribution in camps for the internally displaced, now
reaching some 168,000 people in the Rift Valley and western Kenya.
-
Meanwhile,
the number of registered Kenyan refugees in Uganda is still above 6,000. Registration
for new arrivals has been suspended while those already registered are being
transferred to camps deeper inside Uganda.
MYANMAR:
U.N. ENVOY HOLDS CONSULTATIONS IN BRUSSELS
-
Ibrahim
Gambari, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser dealing with Myanmar,
arrived today in Brussels for consultations with European Union (EU)
counterparts, including EU High Representative Javier Solana, the Office of
the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and the EU
Presidency.
-
From
Brussels, Gambari is expected to travel to New Delhi, where he will meet
with Indian officials from 29 to 31 January.
-
He
also intends to visit Beijing during the month of February.
-
Gambari’s
meetings are a continuation of his high-level consultations with key
interested Member States in the implementation of the Secretary-General’s
good offices mandate in Myanmar.
-
Asked
about reports of additional arrests in Myanmar, the Spokeswoman said that
the United Nations was not in a position to verify those reports
independently. However, she said, Gambari was continuing to work toward a
resolution in Myanmar.
FORMER
BOSNIAN SERB COMMANDER TRANSFERRED TO NORWAY
-
Vidoje
Blagojevic, a former Bosnian Serb Army commander in eastern Bosnia and
Herzegovina, was today transferred
to Norway to serve his sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for his role in
the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
-
On
17 January 2005, the Trial Chamber sentenced Blagojevic to 18 years’
imprisonment for aiding and abetting the persecution, forcible transfer and
murder of the Bosnian Muslim population of the Srebrenica enclave in July
1995. He was also found guilty of aiding and abetting the murders of
Bosnian Muslim men and boys from the Srebrenica enclave who were taken to
nearby town of Bratunac after the enclave fell.
-
Blagojevic
was the commander of the Bratunac Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army in the
Bratunac and Zvornik municipalities in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina
ALLEGATIONS
LEAD TO TENSIONS BETWEEN GEORGIAN & ABKHAZ SIDES
-
The
Secretary-General’s latest report
on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia is out today.
-
In
it, he says that there have been no recent incidents between the Georgian
and Abkhaz sides. Nevertheless, allegations concerning the deployment of
forces on both sides of the ceasefire line generated tensions during the
reporting period.
-
In
that regard, the Secretary-General said that the disconnect between the
realities on the ground, on the one hand, and media reports or official
statements, on the other, is a matter of concern.
-
For
its part, the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG),
despite its limited resources, has made strenuous efforts to verify as many
reports as possible concerning events in its area of responsibility. The
Secretary-General said the Mission’s findings should be fully taken into
account by the sides.
NUCLEAR
INSPECTORS VISIT SOUTH AFRICA
-
International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
experts have completed a visit to the Pelindaba nuclear facility in South
Africa, following an invitation from South African authorities to exchange
views on the lessons learned after armed men broke into the complex on 8
November, 2007.
-
The
team reported that there was no evidence that sensitive nuclear areas were
under any threat at any time during the incident. It recommended specific
proposals for security training and equipment to the South African
authorities.
RELIEF
RESPONSE NEEDED FOR BANGLADESHI CYCLONE SURVIVORS
-
Regarding
Bangladesh, the World Food Programme is warning
that, for many families in areas affected by last year’s Cyclone Sidr,
access to food remains an urgent priority.
-
A
new WFP assessment finds that prices for locally grown wheat and rice have
risen since the storm destroyed crops and food stocks. More than one
fifth of the population is suffering from malnutrition, according to WFP.
-
The
agency is calling for a continued and strong relief response. It
urgently needs more than 20 million dollars to continue delivering
assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable through mid May, when the next
harvest comes on the market.
BAN
KI-MOON STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
-
This
Sunday will mark the third International Day in Memory of the Victims of the
Holocaust, which was unanimously proclaimed in 2005 by the General Assembly.
-
In
a message,
the Secretary-General says he stands in solidarity with Holocaust survivors
and victims’ families around the world.
-
He
adds that, to those who claim that the Holocaust never happened, or has been
exaggerated, we respond by reiterating our determination to honor the memory
of every innocent person murdered at the hands of the Nazis and their
accomplices.
OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CAMPAIGN
LAUNCHED TO FIGHT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: The UN Development Fund for Women
(UNIFEM) and its Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women are the beneficiaries
of a new online campaign
by the UN Foundation. As part of the “Say No to Violence Against Women”
campaign, the Foundation will donate one dollar for each of the first 100,000
signatures to its online campaign. People can sign up at
www.saynotoviolence.org.
NORTH
KOREA PANEL TO PRESENT FINDINGS IN MARCH:
Asked about a U.S. Senate hearing on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK) and UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Spokeswoman declined to comment
until an independent panel, headed by Miklos Nemeth, comes out with its own
findings on that issue. The panel is expected to complete its work in March.
BAN
KI-MOON IS FOLLOWING SECURITY COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS ON IRAN:
Asked about the Secretary-General’s views on the need for a new resolution on
Iran, the Spokeswoman said that his position has not changed for Iran to
comply fully with the relevant Security Council resolutions. She also said he is
following what kind of action the Security Council will take on this issue.
MALAWI
FUNDRAISING EVENT TO TAKE PLACE ON U.N. LAWN:
Asked about an event taking place on the UN Headquarters’ North Lawn, the
Spokeswoman said that "A Night to Benefit Raising Malawi and UNICEF"
will take place there on February 6. The event is being underwritten and hosted
by Gucci, as part of a celebration of the opening of its New York Fifth Avenue
Flagship store, she said. Okabe noted that UNICEF has a longstanding partnership
with Gucci.
THE
WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
Saturday,
January 26
The
Secretary-General is on an official visit to Slovenia today.
Through
30 January, the Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the illicit
movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment
of human rights, Okechukwu Ibeanu, visits Tanzania at the invitation of the
Government (trip began 21 January).
Sunday,
January 27
Today
and tomorrow, the Secretary-General is on an official visit to Slovakia.
Today
is the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the
Holocaust. Numerous events are taking place at Headquarters and at duty
stations around the world.
Monday,
January 28
At
11 a.m. in Room S-226, the Holocaust Remembrance Stamp will be launched by Ariel
Atias, Minister of Communications of Israel; Amb. Dan Gillerman of Israel;
Under-Secretary-General for Management, Alicia Barcena; and
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Kiyotaka
Akasaka.
From
1.15 to 2.30 p.m. in Conference Room 4, there will be a roundtable discussion on
“Financing for gender equality”.
From
1.30 to 4.30 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
panel discussion (organized by B’nai B’rith International) on
"Holocaust education in action" and a screening of the award-winning
film “Paper Clips”.
From
6 to 8:30 p.m. in the General Assembly Hall, the Holocaust Remembrance Day
Memorial Ceremony and Concert will take place.
The
UN Special Envoy for the Darfur Peace Process, Jan Eliasson, is in Brussels,
Belgium, to brief European Union Foreign Ministers on his recent trip to Darfur,
as well as on the overall situation of the political process there.
From
today through 1 February in Bali, Indonesia, the states parties to the UN
Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) attend a high-level conference to review
progress in enforcing the UNCAC.
Tuesday,
January 29
The
Secretary-General is on an official visit today to Rwanda, where he will visit
the Genocide Memorial in Kigali.
This
morning, the Security Council is scheduled to hold consultations on the UN
Observer Mission in Georgia.
From
6 to 8 p.m. in the UN Visitors’ Lobby, two new exhibits are scheduled to open.
They are “BESA: A Code of Honor, Muslim Albanians who Rescued Jews during the
Holocaust” and a “Carl Lutz and the Legendary Glass House in Budapest”.
From
today through 31 January, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Ibrahim
Gambari is in New Delhi, where he will meet with Indian officials to discuss the
situation in Myanmar.
Wednesday,
January 30
From
today through Friday, the Secretary-General is on an official visit to Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, where he will tomorrow give a speech at the opening of the
African Union Summit.
This
morning, the Security Council is scheduled to adopt a resolution on the UN
Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, followed by a debate on the Middle East and
consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At
10 a.m. in Conference Room 3, there will be a Special Meeting of States Parties
to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to elect one member of the
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
From
1.15 p.m. to 2.45 p.m. in Conference Room D, there will be a UN University-UN
Forum on “Intercultural and interreligious dialogue: The pathway to peace”.
From
6 to 7:30 p.m. on the third floor of the UN Conference Building, the opening of
the Permanent Holocaust Exhibit takes place.
From
today through 8 February, the Special Rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowak,
visits Equatorial Guinea, at the invitation of the Government.
Thursday,
January 31
Today
is the last day of Libya’s Security Council presidency.
At
11 a.m., in Room S-226, George Clooney, UN Messenger of Peace, will be
introduced by Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public
Information, Kiyotaka Akasaka.
From
6 to 9 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, there will be a
screening of the academy award-winning documentary “Into the Arms of
Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport”.
Friday,
February 1
Today
is the first day of Panama’s Security Council presidency.
Office
of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
United Nations, S-378
New York, NY 10017
Tel. 212-963-7162
Fax. 212-963-7055
Labels: United
Nations, U.N. Daily
Press Briefing, Secretary-General
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