MICHELE MONTAS is the Spokesperson for U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General and the Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly.
TV: UN WEBCAST TV VIDEO - 44 minutes

UN: UNITED NATIONS BRIEFING AND TV: MONDAY, 21/04/2008 (MaximsNews Network)

UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / - 21 April 2008 -- Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General and UN Webcast TV Video.

by Michele Montas
Spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Monday, April 21, 2008

BAN KI-MOON CONCERNED BY LATEST FIGHTING IN SOMALIA

• Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned about the heavy fighting over the weekend in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and he deplores the substantial loss of life and injuries among the civilian population. 

• He urges parties to the conflict in Mogadishu to refrain from the indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force that endangers the lives of civilians, particularly in heavily populated civilian areas, and reminds them that any targeting of non-combatants is a violation of international humanitarian law.

• Meanwhile, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, condemned as “senseless” the most recent outbreak of violence in Mogadishu, saying that once again it is the innocent who are the victims. He warned that the fighting, the worst in months, would only make reconciliation and reconstruction more difficult.

• Ould-Abdallah said that it was unjustifiable for such violence to erupt, particularly when both the Transitional Federal Government and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia have courageously expressed their willingness to talk about peace and reconciliation. He appealed to all sides to accelerate efforts to restore stability and unity and stop the violence which is bringing only misery and destruction to the people of Somalia.

• Scores of civilians were killed during a particularly bloody weekend in Mogadishu and some 130 were admitted to the three main hospitals with war wounds, according to reports from the field office of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

• The use of heavy artillery in residential areas was reportedly one of the reasons for the high civilian casualties. With many more unaccounted for or unable to reach hospitals, the figure of those wounded or killed is expected to rise. Mass displacement is also ongoing both within and from Mogadishu, OCHA says.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO NAME TASK FORCE TO DEAL WITH FOOD PRICES SITUATION

• The Secretary-General just ended a three-day visit to Accra, Ghana, where yesterday he addressed the twelfth UN Conference on Trade and Development, warning about the problems caused by the sky-rocketing price of food.

• The reasons for the crisis are many and cannot be solely ascribed, as some do, to a simple trade-off between biofuels and agriculture, the Secretary-General said. One thing is certain: for the past three years, the world has consumed more food than it produces. Grain stocks are at their lowest in 30 years. The situation is unsustainable.

• He said that the United Nations must take a lead in coordinating a global response, working with the World Bank and the IMF. The Secretary-General announced that he would immediately establish a high-powered Task Force, comprised of eminent experts and leading policy authorities to address this issue. The Task Force must also deal with the longer term security issues of agricultural productivity, land utilization, financing mechanisms and all other elements of the current crisis.

• As the Secretary-General left Ghana today, he addressed the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Trade and Development, warning about problems that can keep countries from implementing the Millennium Development Goals, including the rise in food prices, which, he said, threaten to undo the gains made so far in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. And he called on the leaders of the international community to help redeem his pledge to make this the year of the “bottom billion.”

• During his time at the Conference, the Secretary-General met with a number of leaders, including the Presidents of Brazil, Finland and Ghana and the Vice President of El Salvador, and discussed the issue of rising food costs with all of them.

• He then traveled to Liberia, where he will meet the President and see the work of the UN Mission in that country.

• Asked about the composition of the Task Force dealing with the food crisis, the Spokeswoman said that the composition has yet to be decided; first, it will be discussed at a meeting of the heads of UN agencies, funds and programmes, known as the Chief Executives Board, which will meet in Bern, Switzerland, next week.

• Montas said that the Task Force will include people from various agencies in the UN system, including those dealing specifically with food issues and those, like the Bretton Woods institutions, that deal with financing.

• Asked whether the Secretary-General would call a summit to discuss issues of food prices and food production, the Spokeswoman said that it is being considered. She later cited the Secretary-General’s pledge in Accra to invest the full force of his office to galvanize international action on the issue. Meanwhile, she noted, the Secretary-General is to attend a high-level meeting in Rome that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will convene in June.

BAN KI-MOON MEETS WITH ZIMBABWE OPPOSITION LEADER

• The Secretary-General, before departing for Monrovia, met for half an hour with the Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, in Accra upon Tsvangirai’s request.  The opposition leader complained about the deadlock and the deterioration of the humanitarian and political situation in Zimbabwe. He appealed for an intervention by the African Union and the United Nations since he felt there was no progress with the efforts made by the Southern African Development Community.

• The Secretary-General reiterated his deep concern that the situation still has not been resolved, as well as his concern about the reported violence. He appealed once more for the release of the electoral results as soon as possible and said he would consult the President of the African Union on possible ways forward.

• Asked whether the Secretary-General has been formally approached on a proposal for a UN-African Union monitoring force, and whether he would approve of it, the Spokeswoman said that the Secretary-General has not been approached on it. As for specific measures, she said, the Secretary-General made clear that he would need first to consult African Union President Jakaya Kikwete.

• She added, in response to a question, that the Secretary-General has met in the past with other opposition leaders from other countries on conflict issues. In this case, this meeting was in response to a specific request from Tsvangirai, who traveled to Ghana to meet with the Secretary-General.

SECURITY COUNCIL TAKES UP WESTERN SAHARA, NEPAL, KOSOVO

• The Security Council held consultations this morning to hear from the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy dealing with Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum, and from the head of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Julian Harston. Those two officials earlier today also briefed troop-contributing countries for MINURSO.

• After the Western Sahara consultations, Council members heard from Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Angela Kane about the elections in Nepal, also in closed consultations. Following those consultations, the Council President, Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo of South Africa, read a press statement saying that Council members welcomed the successful holding of elections in Nepal.

• Then, at 3:00 this afternoon, the Security Council will hold a private meeting on Kosovo, at which the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, Joachim Rücker, will speak.

SUDAN ENVOYS DISTURBED BY WORSENING SECURITY SITUATION

• Jan Eliasson, the UN Special Envoy for Darfur, and his African Union counterpart, Salim Ahmed Salim, have ended a two-week visit to Sudan during which they met with Government officials and the leaders of many of Darfur’s factions, and they spoke to reporters on Saturday about their meetings.

• Eliasson said that the strong emphasis on this visit has been on the deteriorating security situation. The two envoys, he said, are deeply disturbed by the escalation of hostilities and by the deterioration of the security situation that has occurred in Darfur and in the region during the past few months.

• He said that he and Salim were preparing for consultations among the Darfur parties that would deal with three key issues: preparations for a ceasefire; cooperation between the Government, the Movements and the UN-AU hybrid operation (UNAMID); and the issue of banditry and access for humanitarian workers.

U.N. POLITICAL CHIEF MEETS WITH IRAQI LEADERS IN BAGHDAD

• The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, has just completed a three-day visit to Baghdad, during which he met with the staff and leadership of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), and held discussions with senior officials of the Iraqi Government and the Multinational Forces. He is now traveling to Kuwait, where he will attend, on the Secretary-General’s behalf, a meeting of Iraq and neighboring countries.

• Pascoe had meetings with Iraqi Vice President Adil Abdel Mahdi and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih.  He held discussions today with US Ambassador Ryan Crocker and with the Commander of the Multinational Force, General David Petraeus. 

• He is expected to brief the Security Council next week on Iraq, following his return, on the occasion of the publication of UNAMI’s quarterly report.

GAZA: HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS TO SHUT DOWN IN DAYS UNLESS FUEL SUPPLIES RESTORED IMMEDIATELY

• The UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, met on Sunday with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, in Riyadh. 

• Serry and the Foreign Minister discussed the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and UN and Arab efforts to support the process. They also discussed the situation on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territory, including efforts to bring calm and alleviate the grave humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. In addition, they discussed efforts to ensure implementation of Phase I Road Map obligations. 

• Serry and the Foreign Minister also stressed the continued importance of the Arab Peace Initiative and their shared commitment to a comprehensive regional peace based on Security Council resolutions and international law.

• Meanwhile, Serry’s office in Jerusalem, known as UNSCO, reports that no diesel or petrol has entered Gaza since the attack on 9 April by Palestinian militants on the Nahal Oz fuel depot.

• Already heavily constrained by shortages, UN and other humanitarian operations -- which provide health, education, food, water, sanitation and other vital services to the 1.5 million residents of the Gaza Strip -- will shut down in a matter of days unless fuel supplies are restored immediately. 

• All international humanitarian agencies operating in Gaza will hold an emergency meeting there on Tuesday morning to further assess the increasingly dire humanitarian situation.

• Asked about former US President Jimmy Carter’s comments that Hamas is ready to recognize Israel, the Spokeswoman said she had no comment on President Carter’s private initiative. She noted, in response to a further question, that the Secretary-General is closely following the different initiatives that are taking place.

U.N. MISSION URGES GEORGIAN, ABKHAZ SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM ACTIONS THAT COULD INCREASE TENSION

• According to the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), Abkhaz and Georgian media have been reporting a build-up of forces by both sides in the zone of conflict. In response, the UN Mission has intensified its monitoring in all areas concerned but has not observed anything to substantiate those reports.

• The UN Mission says the media reports and resulting official statements have led to an increase in tensions and the possibility of a serious incident between the sides. The reported shooting down of an unmanned aerial vehicle in the zone of conflict on Sunday is a case in point.

• For its part, the UN Mission will continue to conduct focused monitoring in order to address both sides’ concerns. The Mission urges both sides to exercise restraint and to refrain from actions which could risk escalating the already tense situation. It also encourages the sides to engage seriously in dialogue on security matters as soon as possible.

PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION POSTPONES VISIT TO BURUNDI

• The UN’s Peacebuilding Commission has informed the Government of Burundi that it has decided to postpone its visit to that country, following reports of resumed fighting between the National Defense Forces of Burundi and the Palipehutu-FNL. The Peacebuilding Commission will continue to monitor the situation and stands ready to reschedule its visit to Burundi for the earliest possible date.

• Late on Friday, a statement was issued, expressing the Secretary-General’s grave concern over the heavy exchange of fire and his deep regret over the loss of life resulting from the renewed violence.

RWANDAN, CONGOLESE DELEGATES REVIEW PROGRESS IN DEALING WITH ARMED GROUPS

• Regarding Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), representatives of the signatories of the Nairobi Communiqué of November 2008 met in New York on Friday to review progress in dealing with armed groups. The meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group’s Special Envoys was chaired by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Edmond Mulet, and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the DRC, Alan Doss.

• The Congolese delegation informed the gathering of its intention to invite leaders of the ex-FAR/Interahamwe to Kisangani in early May. The meeting would be held in order to deliver a firm message to them to seize the opportunity of voluntary disarmament and repatriation or face the consequences of a refusal, including military operations and sanctions, as outlined in Security Council resolution 1804. It was decided that the next meeting of the Joint Monitoring Group’s Special Envoys will take place in Kigali.

DURBAN CONFERENCE SHOULD RENEW COMMITMENT AGAINST RACISM

• The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has begun a series of meetings to prepare for the Durban Review Conference on racism. Speaking at the first meeting, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said the Durban Review Conference is not and should not be seen as a repetition of the 2001 World Conference against Racism. Instead, it should be a platform from which all relevant stakeholders can renew their commitment to fight racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

• Arbour said global efforts to eliminate racial discrimination have failed to make much progress, since some Governments fail to recognize the existence of racism as a phenomenon.

• Asked about the Durban Review Conference’s role as a follow-up to the 2001 World Conference against Racism in Durban, the Spokeswoman acknowledged that the new conference, scheduled for 2009, was intended to follow up on issues of racism. However, she said, Arbour made clear that it should not be a repetition of the incidents that took place in Durban.

NEPAL: FINAL ELECTION RESULTS EXPECTED TUESDAY

• The United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) today confirmed that Nepal’s Election Commission declared results in 239 of 240 constituencies in the first-past-the-post vote, and in 232 constituencies in the proportional representation race.

• Final results from both races are expected on Tuesday, after which the commission will take a few days to tabulate the results and allot seats in the Constituent Assembly to all eligible political parties.

• The Secretary-General’s Special Representative there, Ian Martin, in an interview, said that as the electoral process is finalized in all districts, UNMIN’s electoral teams are preparing to return home.

• He added that following this election, the UN Development Programme’s Constitution Advisory Support Unit has already been working to increase awareness about the constitution-making processes.

• Martin stressed that the United Nations is fully ready to offer support to the constitution-making process, if requested, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is also in a position to offer advice about the human rights aspects of constitutions.

BAN KI-MOON APPLAUDS INDIGENOUS FORUM’S FOCUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

• The Secretary-General in a video message today congratulated the opening of the session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and applauded their choice of climate change as the special theme of this session.

• Adding that this session meets at a historic crossroads with the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Secretary-General stressed that the Permanent Forum takes on a new role to translate the Declaration into a living document at the national and international levels.

• He also welcomed the Forum’s focus on the Pacific for this session and stressed that this will spur greater cooperation and solidarity among Governments, indigenous peoples and the UN family in the region.

ASIA-PACIFIC FORUM CONSIDERS NEEDS OF LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

• Starting Tuesday, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok is set to launch a meeting examining the progress on the special needs of landlocked countries around the world.

• In the two-day meeting, experts from Asia and Europe will examine the progress on implementing the Almaty Programme of Action, adopted by the UN in 2003 to link landlocked countries to seaports through the development of better transport systems. Participants will also discuss a strategy for further implementation.

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., Secretary-General

 

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