WHO RELEASES FINDINGS ON TRAVEL AND BLOOD CLOTS

WHO RELEASES FINDINGS ON TRAVEL AND BLOOD CLOTS
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) <" http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr35/en/index.html">released today results from a research project warning that the risk of developing fatal blood clots during travel doubles after the passenger has been seated for four hours or more.

The condition, known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), involves first the formation of a clot, or thrombosis that develops in a deep vein – usually the leg, according to WHO. This condition, called Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) can be potentially life-threatening if the thrombosis then breaks off and travels through the body to the lung where it becomes lodged and blocks blood flow. This latter condition of VTE is known as pulmonary embolism. Symptoms of DVT are pain, tenderness and swelling, while symptoms of the embolism include chest pain and difficulty breathing.

"The study does confirm that there is an increased risk of venous thromboembolism during travel where the passenger is seated and immobile over four hours, whether in a plane, train, bus or car," said Dr. Catherine Le Galès-Camus, WHO Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Disease and Mental Health.

At the same time, she noted that "it is important to remember that the risk of developing VTE when traveling remains relatively low." Even with the increased risk, the absolute risk of developing VTE, if seated and immobile for more than four hours remains at about 1 in 6000.

The findings come from Phase I of the World Health Organization Research into Global Hazards of Travel Project. The first phase aims to confirm whether the risk of VTE is increased by air travel and to determine the magnitude of the risk.

In addition to travel lasting more than four hours, other factors contributing to the possibility of developing VTE include obesity, use of oral contraceptives and a family history of increased clotting tendency, WHO said. As the risk of VTE remains elevated for about four weeks after a trip is over, those who travel multiple trips of short periods of time are also potentially at risk.

The study did not explicitly investigate preventative measures against DVT and VTE, but the experts said that up-and-down movements of the feet at the ankle while seated can promote blood circulation. Upon receiving additional funding, further studies needed to identify effective preventive measures will begin under Phase II.

The report calls for transport authorities, airlines and medical professionals to inform travelers of the conditions and risk of VTE.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UNESCO ADDS THREE NEW SITES TO WORLD HERITAGE LIST

UNESCO ADDS THREE NEW SITES TO WORLD HERITAGE LIST
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today wrapped up this year's review of its World Heritage List by <" http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/364">adding three sites in Serbia, Azerbaijan and Mexico.
Today's inscriptions, which took place during the annual meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Christchurch, New Zealand, means there are now 851 sites which have made the List for their outstanding cultural or natural value since it began in 1978.
Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius, in eastern Serbia, is a Late Roman era fortified palace compound and memorial complex that was commissioned by Emperor Caius Valerius Galerius Maximianus in the late 3rd or early 4th century. The site includes fortifications, a palace, basilicas, temples, hot baths and a memorial complex.
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape encompasses three areas of a rocky plateau in the semi-desert of central Azerbaijan that are home to a collection of 6,000 rock engravings stretching over 4,000 years. The site also contains remnants of settlements and burials from humans who lived there during the period after the last Ice Age.
In the Mexican capital, the ensemble of buildings, sports facilities and open spaces of the Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) were built between 1949 and 1952 by more than 60 architects, engineers and artists. The campus is considered a unique example of 20th century modernism and includes references to local traditions, particularly to Mexico's pre-Hispanic history.
In total this week the World Heritage Committee inscribed 22 new sites on the List and took the unprecedented step of removing one site – the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman – because of the country's failure to adequately preserve the property.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN FOOD AGENCY APPEALS FOR FUNDS TO ASSIST DROUGHT VICTIMS IN TIMOR-LESTE

UN FOOD AGENCY APPEALS FOR FUNDS TO ASSIST DROUGHT VICTIMS IN TIMOR-LESTE
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations World Food Programme (<" http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2549">WFP) today announced plans to assist nearly 200,000 people in Timor-Leste affected by an ongoing drought and appealed for additional funds to provide food aid.

"There is a need for food assistance due to the persistence of the drought, and we will work closely with the Government to ensure that food is available through the lean season," said Tarek Elguindi, WFP Representative in Timor-Leste. "With our Ministry counterparts, WFP has met international agencies and donors to alert them to this urgent need."

A recent food security and crop survey conducted by WFP and the UN Food and Agriculture Agency (<"http://www.fao.org">FAO) found that drought conditions and a locust outbreak had caused a 30 per cent decline in crop production on the island in the past year, leaving one fifth of the population vulnerable to food shortages through the coming "lean season."

WFP estimates that the drought has resulted in an overall food shortage of 85,000 metric tons, and indicates that at least 16,000 tons of additional food assistance, valued at up to $12 million, will be needed to meet the country's food needs in the coming year.

Contributions are being sought from international donors to cover the costs of food assistance which will be delivered by WFP and the Timorese Government.

In assisting the Government, WFP will increase food deliveries through community-level Food for Work projects and with increased food assistance to children and pregnant women and nursing mothers, through WFP's Maternal and Child Health and School Feeding programmes.

Working closely with the Government, WFP and FAO have already taken several measures to avert food shortages during the lean season, including pre-positioning emergency food stocks in drought-affected areas and assisting the Government in procuring seeds for next year's planting.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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IRAQ: UN REFUGEE AGENCY ISSUES URGENT APPEAL TO EVACUATE SERIOUSLY ILL PALESTINIANS

IRAQ: UN REFUGEE AGENCY ISSUES URGENT APPEAL TO EVACUATE SERIOUSLY ILL PALESTINIANS
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
Without immediate evacuation and life-saving medical help, roughly one dozen seriously ill Palestinians – mostly young children stranded in Baghdad or in a make-shift camp close to the Syrian border – could die or suffer complications, the United Nations refugee agency said today, appealing for urgent assistance.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468529f04.html">UNHCR) believes that there could be more Palestinians who could be in urgent need of medical attention.

"UNHCR continues to receive reports from Baghdad of Palestinians who refuse to go for medical care because they are afraid for their safety," the agency's spokesperson Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4684fe772.html">told reporters in Geneva. "We know of some people who refused to seek medical attention for fear of attacks and later died in their homes as a consequence."

Palestinians residing in Iraq are in desperate need of a humanitarian solution, as 1,450 live in grim conditions at two border camps, while up to 13,000 are still living in Baghdad, down from 34,000 in 2003.

Those living in Iraq – who continue to be targeted – have no access to other countries and no communities to seek refuge from within Iraq.

Despite their best efforts, UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross are facing obstacles in their efforts to help. The two "have been trying everything to provide proper medical care but this is very difficult in the dusty border camps and volatile Baghdad," Mr. Redmond said.

Earlier this week, UNHCR spotlighted the plights of children – suffering from such conditions as Hodgkin's disease, a hole in the heart and vascular problems – in desperate need of medical care living in Al Waleed camp, home to over 1,000 Palestinians.

There is only one doctor to tend to patients in the camp, and he alone cannot treat all those in need, Mr. Redmond noted.

Residents of the camp include a two-year-old with cerebral palsy whose immune system is not functioning properly and has stopped eating.

Another camp inhabitant, a 13-year-old girl, has a spinal injury and will be permanently paralyzed from the neck down without prompt treatment. Her mother died several years ago, her father was murdered in January and her home was burned down by militia.

Meanwhile in Baghdad, urgent cases include a 14-year-old boy who has had 13 operations but suffers from severe urinary and bladder problems, and a 15-month-old boy with spinal problems at risk of permanent paralysis from the waist down.

"And there are more," Mr. Redmond said.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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MIGIRO VISITS GUINEA-BISSAU IN SHOW OF UN'S SUPPORT

MIGIRO VISITS GUINEA-BISSAU IN SHOW OF UN'S SUPPORT
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro arrived in Guinea-Bissau today on a visit intended to reaffirm the world body's support for the West African's country's ongoing efforts to consolidate peace, national reconciliation and constitutional governance.

This visit marks the first-ever by a Secretary-General or Deputy Secretary-General since Guinea-Bissau joined the UN in 1974.

Her stop in Guinea-Bissau is part of a four-country trip including Austria, Ghana and Kenya.

Last night, she was in Accra, Ghana's capital, where she spoke to reporters upon arrival regarding the UN and African Union (AU) efforts regarding the situation in Darfur, according to the Secretary-General's spokesperson Michele Montas.

Ms. Migiro is scheduled to return to Accra on Saturday to address the annual summit of Heads of State and Government of the AU.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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ROCKET ATTACK AGAINST IVORIAN LEADER SPARKS UN CONDEMNATION

ROCKET ATTACK AGAINST IVORIAN LEADER SPARKS UN CONDEMNATION
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The Security Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire joined forces to denounce today's deadly rocket attack on a plane carrying the country's Prime Minister Guillaume Soro.

Mr. Soro survived but at least three people were killed and several others injured in the attack, which occurred at the airport in Bouake, situated in the north of the divided West African country.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9066.doc.htm">statement read out by Ambassador Johan Verbeke of Belgium, which holds the rotating presidency this month, the Security Council strongly condemned the attack "and any attempt to destabilize the peace process by force."

The presidential statement said Council members backed March's Ouagadougou agreement, which sets out a series of measures to deal with the political divide in Côte d'Ivoire. The country has been split between the Government-controlled south and the rebel Forces Nouvelles-held north since 2002.

The 15-member Council "stresses that it is critical that all parties continue to work within the framework of the Ouagadougou political agreement, which is the way to settle the crisis Côte d'Ivoire."

The accord calls, among other steps, for: creating a new transitional government; organizing free and fair presidential elections; merging the Forces Nouvelles and the national defence and security forces through the establishment of an integrated command centre; dismantling the militias, disarming ex-combatants and enrolling them in civil services programmes; and replacing the so-called zone of confidence separating north and south with a green line to be monitored by the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI).

Since then President Laurent Gbagbo and Mr. Soro reached a separate pact designating Mr. Soro as the new Prime Minister, stipulating he will remain in office until presidential elections are held, and then barring him from running in that election.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2639">statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban voiced shock at the rocket attack and urged all Ivorian parties to work closely together, with the help of the UN, to implement the Ouagadougou pact, which he described as "a unique opportunity for a peaceful solution to the protracted Ivorian crisis."

<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI issued its own statement deploring the loss of lives and endorsing the importance of the current peace process. It called on Ivorian authorities to take the measures necessary to identify who conducted the attack and to bring them to justice.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY SET TO END LIBERIAN REPATRIATION PROGRAMME

UN REFUGEE AGENCY SET TO END LIBERIAN REPATRIATION PROGRAMME
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
On the eve of the end of the United Nations refugee agency's two-and-a-half year repatriation programme for Liberians, its spokesperson today said plans are underway to continue helping the people of the country to rebuild their lives.

"As the next step, after the end of organized repatriation, we are preparing, together with the countries still hosting thousands of Liberian refugees, to start a number of long-term projects aimed at achieving their local integration," said Ron Redmond of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/home.html">UNHCR).

"The purpose of these projects will be to bring the main displacement chapter in West African region to a genuine and successful closure," he added.

The departure of the last repatriation convey which transported 550 Liberians yesterday from Kouankan camp in the Nzérékoré area of eastern Guinea to the Loufa County in the neighbouring Liberia, signalled "the end of an era of large repatriation in the West African region," Mr. Redmond told a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4684fe7aa.html">press briefing in Geneva.

Between 1989 and 2003, more than 350,000 Liberian refugees fled the civil war raging in their country. The fighting left an estimated 200,000 dead, and over 800,000 internally displaced, and devastated the country's infrastructure and economy.

Launched in October 2004, the programme, which has helped to repatriate more than 105,000 refugees mostly from Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria, is one of the largest UNHCR operations in recent African history.

To date, more than 150,000 refugees have returned to Liberia, with 50,000 registered Liberian refugees returning home on their own, in addition to the over 100,000 refugees who returned with the assistance of the UNHCR. "They were encouraged by the restoration of peace and inauguration of the democratically elected president and Government," Mr. Redmond said.

UNHCR was also involved in the return of some 326,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their areas of origin in Liberia through a programme that was successfully completed in April 2006. These IDPs had been living in camps, mainly around the capital, Monrovia.

"This success story was possible because of the unambiguous wish of the Liberian refugees to return, the commitment of the Liberian government to bring its people back home, the efforts of UNHCR and other partners and the support of all countries in the West African region," Mr. Redmond said.

At the same time, he noted that there are some 80,000 Liberian refugees in West Africa, including more than 23,000 in Ghana, 22,000 in Côte d'Ivoire, 13,000 in Sierra Leone, 14,000 in Guinea, some 5,000 in Nigeria and the rest scattered in other countries in the region.

As the next step, after the end of organized repatriation, UNHCR is preparing, together with countries still hosting thousands of Liberian refugees, to start a number of long-term projects aimed at achieving their local integration. The purpose of these projects will be to bring the main displacement chapter in West African region to a genuine and successful closure.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN STUDY CHALLENGES ASSUMPTIONS ON HIV SPREAD AND REFUGEES IN AFRICA

UN STUDY CHALLENGES ASSUMPTIONS ON HIV SPREAD AND REFUGEES IN AFRICA
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
A new study by the United Nations refugee agency disputes assumptions that violence and rape propel the HIV epidemic in conflict areas, with those forced to flee having a high prevalence of the virus.

Published this week in the British medical journal <i>The Lancet</i>, the report examined 12 refugee camps in seven African nations: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Burundi.

It found that nine of the camps had lower rates of infection than surrounding communities, two had a similar prevalence and only one had higher rates.

"In the seven African countries, conflict appeared to keep the HIV prevalence lower than surrounding countries that did not have conflict," said Paul Spiegel, the report's lead author and head of UNHCR's HIV and AIDS unit.

"Since refugees come from these areas, refugees often have lower HIV prevalence than the surrounding communities, which ultimately will increase their vulnerability towards HIV," he added.

The results also showed that there is no data to show that rape increased HIV rates, despite widespread rape in many countries.

But Dr. Spiegel warned that given the "right circumstances," HIV prevalence could increase due to rape.

He added, "every single rape is a tragedy and we must provide strong care and support to rape survivors at all times."

Dr. Spiegel emphasized that the survey's results cannot be applied to all of the world's conflicts.

"Every case must be examined individually and context is very important," he said.

Dr. Spiegel also underscored that people should not interpret the results to mean that there is no cause to worry about HIV in conflict areas.

Previously reported high rates of HIV cases in conflict are due to poor survey methods and biased data interpretation, the report's authors suggested.

The study is partially targeted at policymakers and the media "to not always blame refugees for everything," Dr. Spiegel explained.

He called for the establishment of effective prevention programmes to protect refugees against HIV and that initiatives must be implemented in the post-conflict period to curb virus transmission as well.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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IRAQ: SECURITY COUNCIL ENDS MANDATE OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS

IRAQ: SECURITY COUNCIL ENDS MANDATE OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
Closing a chapter it opened over 16 years ago, the Security Council today terminated the mandate of United Nations weapons inspectors in Iraq, with the Russian Federation abstaining during <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9064.doc.htm">voting on a resolution sponsored by the United Kingdom and the United States.

The resolution, which passed with 14 votes in favour, immediately terminated the mandates of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (<"http://www.unmovic.org/">UNMOVIC) and the Security Council-mandated work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iraq.

Explaining the Russian Federation's decision to abstain, the country's Ambassador, Speaking after the vote, Vitaly Churkin said there had yet been no definitive statement about the existence of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq.

The Council resolution said the continued operations of UNMOVIC and the IAEA's Iraq Nuclear Verification Office are no longer necessary to verify Iraqi compliance with its obligations.

The resolution "closes a cycle of many years of verification, where the UN showed that it can implement successfully the activities demanded by the international community despite difficulties and frequently a lack of cooperation from the inspected party," said UNMOVIC's Acting Executive Chairman, Demetrius Perricos, in an address to the Council.

Mr. Perricos warned against complacency. "In the present security environment of Iraq, the possibility should not be discounted that non-State actors may seek to acquire toxic agents or their chemical precursors in small quantities," he said. "The possibility of non-State actors getting their hands on other – more toxic – agents is real."

He also pointed out that the main finding of the US-led Iraq Survey Group's Comprehensive Report, "namely the absence of any stockpiles of WMD or evidence of a revival of WMD-related programmes proscribed under the Security Council resolutions," corresponded to conclusions reported by UNMOVIC to the Council in June 2003.

Also addressing the Council, Gustavo Zlauvinen, a representative of the IAEA Director-General, recalled in early March of 2003, he had told the Council that the IAEA had found "no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons programme in Iraq."

A detailed assessment could have been produced within months of that date, he added, but the IAEA has not been able to carry out its mandate since 17 March. That was the date when the withdrawal of UN staff from Iraq was announced. Days later, the war broke out.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq noted that the weapons inspectors accomplished a great deal on the ground both in terms of monitoring and in terms of destroying or verifying the destruction of WMDs before their work was interrupted by the war in 2003.

He said UNMOVIC's just-released 1,160-page Compendium of Iraq's Proscribed Weapons Programmes in the Chemical, Biological and Missile areas is "the best testament to the work of the Commission and its value."

The Council's resolution today requested the Secretary-General "to take all necessary measures to provide for the appropriate disposition of UNMOVIC's archives and other property under arrangements ensuring, in particular, that sensitive proliferation information or information provided in confidence by Member States is kept under strict control."

UNMOVIC's predecessor, the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM), set up at the end of the war in 1991, destroyed missiles, mobile launchers, fixed launch sites, chemical munitions, a chemical weapons complex and a germ warfare complex as well as tons of missile fuel, chemical warfare agents, precursor chemicals and bacteria growth media. UNMOVIC inspectors destroyed dozens of Iraqi Al Samoud 2 missiles and warheads, as well as launchers, shells filled with chemical weapons precursors and other arms.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN REFUGEE AGENCY STEPS UP ACTIVITIES ALONG COLOMBIAN-VENEZUELAN BORDER

UN REFUGEE AGENCY STEPS UP ACTIVITIES ALONG COLOMBIAN-VENEZUELAN BORDER
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
To meet the needs of a growing number of Colombian refugees arriving in Venezuela after fleeing violence and threats, United Nations refugee agency is stepping up its intervention along the border.

The United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) is as of this month extending activities along Venezuela's side of the border with Colombia, with new projects in the Amazonas region to the south, and the "Sur del Lago" region further to the north.

In a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4684fe792.html">press briefing in Geneva today, Ron Redmond, <"http://www.unhcr.org/home.html">UNHCR spokesman explained that intervention will begin with the training of armed forces and civilian authorities in refugee law and human rights. The aim in both regions will at first be "conflict-prevention, to reduce the risk of tension that large influxes of people can cause," he added.

Testimonies by the civilian population, reported by UNHCR, detail threats, targeted killings, and widespread intimidation that affect especially the rural areas in Colombia, They also voiced general concern that violence would flare before the upcoming elections in October.

The humanitarian situation in Colombia is increasingly cause for concern; the rates of forced displacement registered last year in the region of Catatumbo to the north and Arauca further to the south were some of the highest in the whole of Colombia. These regions see also some of the worst indices of targeted killings, landmine accidents and armed fighting, explained Mr. Redmond.

In the Arauca region alone, UNHCR found evidence during a fact-finding mission earlier this month that the number of new cases recorded in the national system for registration of displaced people tripled last year: from 1,000 in the first six months to 3,000 in the second half of 2006. This number does not include the displaced people who do not come forward for registration.

Figures for the first six months of 2007 are not yet consolidated, but local authorities say the numbers keep rising. In the town of Tame, the authorities dealt with 2,500 new cases of displacement between January and May of this year, compared with 1,250 in the whole of 2006. The situation is similar in the rest of Arauca, where the country's two guerrilla group, the FARC and the ELN, having been fighting for territory since March of last year.

Some 2 million people are on the national registry for displaced people in Colombia with official estimates that another million have been victims of forced displacement but are not registered. UNHCR and the Venezuelan government calculate that some 200,000 Colombians may be in need of international protection in Venezuela. UNHCR has three field offices on the Venezuelan side of the border.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS WORK OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

SECRETARY-GENERAL HAILS WORK OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is one of the "major achievements in international law during the past century," providing the opportunity to hold to account the world's worst war criminals, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2641">statement released today to mark a key anniversary in the ICC's founding.

Sunday will be the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute of the <"http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC, which allowed the Court to be formally established after years of negotiation between countries.

"During the relatively short time of its existence, the Court has already established itself as the centrepiece of a system of international criminal justice," Mr. Ban said in his statement. "It is both the embodiment of, and the driving force behind, a profound evolution of international culture and law."

The ICC is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of carrying out the most serious crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. It holds trials only when national courts cannot or will not conduct their own proceedings.

The Rome Statute which brought the Court into being now has 104 States Parties, and Mr. Ban urged those nations that have not yet become parties to do so.

He added that "already the activities of the Court and its Prosecutor [Luis Moreno-Ocampo] have a deterring effect on potential perpetrators of international crimes."

So far the ICC has issued arrest warrants for two suspects accused of war crimes in Sudan's Darfur region and five leaders of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda. Thomas Lubanga, a rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was arrested last year. The Court has also opened investigations into allegations of killings and rapes in the Central African Republic (CAR).
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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STATES REACH PARTIAL AGREEMENT ON MARINE GENETIC RESOURCES AT UN TALKS

STATES REACH PARTIAL AGREEMENT ON MARINE GENETIC RESOURCES AT UN TALKS
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
Countries participating in annual United Nations-sponsored talks this week on oceans and the law of the sea have agreed to some recommendations on how to manage and protect increasingly valuable marine genetic resources.

In a meeting that wrapped up today, countries attending the UN Open-ended Informal Consultation Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea recognized the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea as the legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas. But they disagreed on how the Convention applies to marine genetic resources beyond areas under national jurisdiction.

While the G-77 group of developing countries and China said these areas are governed by the Convention's provisions relating to the "Area," which considers these resources as "the common heritage of mankind," Japan, the United States and some other developed countries said marine genetic resources fall under the provisions of the Convention relating to the high seas. The European Union argued for a middle position.

The issue of marine genetic resources beyond national jurisdiction will now be taken up early next year at the UN Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction.

In their recommendations, countries acknowledged that vulnerable marine genetic resources were threatened by pollution, climate change, destruction of habitats, destructive fishing practices, overexploitation and other factors. They stressed the need to support collaborative efforts to research, access and use these resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction so as to realize their potential, and emphasized the needs to share the results of marine scientific research. These recommendations will feed into the General Assembly's resolutions on the law of the sea and sustainable fisheries.

Participants raised several related concerns. An expert from Indonesia said the country had already lost 26 islands to climate change, while several countries stressed that destructive fishing practices, and especially bottom trawling, was damaging fragile marine genetic resources.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN CHILDREN'S AGENCY RUSHES RELIEF SUPPLIES TO FLOOD-RAVAGED PAKISTAN

UN CHILDREN'S AGENCY RUSHES RELIEF SUPPLIES TO FLOOD-RAVAGED PAKISTAN
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is rushing emergency supplies – including tents food, medicine, hygiene supplies and equipment – to people hit by heavy rains in the western Pakistani province of Balochistan.

In the wake of Cyclone Yemyin, flooding has affected over 800,000 people in Balochistan, with officials reporting dozens of villages being submerged, thousands forced to flee their homes and damage to roads and bridges.

<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40154.html">UNICEF has supplied to Balochistan's Government 740,000 water purification tablets, 33,600 blankets and 4,000 jerry cans, as well as tents, and 50 tons of Unmix, a nutrient-rich food supplement for women and children.

The agency has already sent two emergency health kits, which can address the immediate health needs of 20,000 people for three months, to the most affected districts.

UNICEF is working with the national and provincial Governments and with other UN agencies as well as with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Also in Pakistan, a new stage of a UN-backed national measles campaign – the country's largest ever – was launched today, aiming to reach over 63 million children by March 2008.

This campaign, led by the Pakistani Government, will be a major step in reaching the global goal of slashing measles deaths by 90 per cent by 2010. More than 20,000 children in the South Asian nation die yearly from measles and its complications.

Between 2 and 18 July, 1.5 children between the ages of nine months and 13 years will be vaccinated in eight districts of Balochistan. This process will be conducted in phases throughout the country until next March.

The first stage began this March in four districts, and reached 96 per cent of children in the target age group.

This current phase in Balochistan will mobilize 600 vaccination teams comprising over 3,000 trained health staff and volunteers to reach children in remote rural areas.

The scheme receives financial and technical support from the Measles Initiative, comprising the United Nations Foundation, <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40153.html">UNICEF, the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/">WHO), the American Red Cross and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In another development, ahead of tomorrow's planned closure by the Pakistani Government of two Afghan refugee camps, the UN refugee agency is urging officials and refugees to engage in a dialogue to ensure the process is peaceful.

The decision to close the camps was reached last year in a tripartite meeting among the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4684fe7911.html">UNHCR), Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The two camps closing house over 82,000 registered Afghans, and the refugees were given two options by the Pakistani Government: to repatriate to Afghanistan with UNHCR assistance, or to relocate to an existing camp in Pakistan.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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FRANCE AND SPAIN REMAIN WORLD'S TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS - UN AGENCY

FRANCE AND SPAIN REMAIN WORLD'S TOP TOURIST DESTINATIONS – UN AGENCY
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
France and Spain remained the top destinations for visitors in 2006, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (<"http://www.world-tourism.org/newsroom/news/en/press_det.php?id=971&idioma=E">UNWTO) said in a new report.

France has held the top spot for over a decade, recording almost 80 million arrivals in 2006, according to UNTWO's "<"http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/unwto_barom07_2_en_excerpt.pdf">World Tourism Barometer," which is updated three times a year.

Spain, with 58.5 million arrivals, came in second place, a position it has held since overtaking the United States in 2004.

Rounding out the top ten of the highest number of arrivals in 2006 are the US, China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, Austria and Russia.

Around the world, tourism has surged six per cent – or 15 million arrivals – from January to April of this year, compared to the same time last year.

Asia and the Pacific recorded the strongest growth, rising 9 per cent, followed by Africa and the Middle East at eight per cent each, Europe at 6 per cent and the Americas at four per cent.

On the impact of climate change, the agency in a news release said, "Responsible and sustainable growth of the tourism sector will provide exports and jobs for the world economy generally and the poorest countries specifically, but this must be balanced with firm action to reduce the industry's carbon footprint."

The growth in tourism has mainly been propelled by continuing world prosperity, especially by the extraordinary strength of emerging markets and developing economies in Asia, UNTWO said.

The proliferation of low-cost airlines also is a factor explaining increased tourist arrivals.

UNTWO's Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli pointed out that "growing recognition of tourism's contribution to economic growth and job creation means that it is being given more and more attention by national governments, especially those in developing regions."
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN MEETS WITH POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO HYBRID PEACE FORCE IN DARFUR

UN MEETS WITH POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO HYBRID PEACE FORCE IN DARFUR
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) met today with potential contributors of troops and police to the planned African Union-UN hybrid operation for the violence-wracked Darfur region in Sudan.

DPKO regarded today's meeting as "a constructive start," spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters, adding that it plans to hold informal discussions with the potential contributors and then another meeting after the Security Council officially authorizes the hybrid operation and establishes a mandate.

Earlier this month the Sudanese Government agreed to the deployment of a hybrid force to stem the fighting in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people are estimated to have been killed and at least 2 million others displaced from their homes since 2003, when fighting broke out between armed rebel groups, Government forces and allied Janjaweed militias.

Ms. Montas said Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno opened today's meeting with an appeal to participants for early contributions. He said offers from African countries will be given priority but other offers will also be accepted, especially if there are not enough suitable African commitments.

The potential contributors received a briefing on the requirements for the hybrid force, which is expected to need almost 20,000 troops, more than 6,000 police and nearly 5,000 civilians at full deployment. They also heard about the logistical challenges of deploying in Darfur, a remote and impoverished region the size of France on Sudan's western flank.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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AS TIMORESE PREPARE TO VOTE, SECURITY COUNCIL APPEALS FOR PEACEFUL ELECTIONS

AS TIMORESE PREPARE TO VOTE, SECURITY COUNCIL APPEALS FOR PEACEFUL ELECTIONS
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
United Nations Security Council members today expressed their full support for the Timor-Leste parliamentary elections to be held tomorrow and called on the country's people to ensure that the polls are free, fair and peaceful.

The Council, in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9068.doc.htm">press statement read out by its President, Ambassador Johan C. Verbeke of Belgium "called upon all parties in Timor-Leste to adhere to the principles of non-violence and to democratic and legal processes to ensure that these elections have a unifying impact and contribute to bringing the people of Timor-Leste together."

The 15-member body called on the people of the small South-East Asian nation, which the UN helped to shepherd to independence in 2002, to "ensure that free, fair and peaceful parliamentary elections take place."

The members also appealed to the population to respect the National Commission's electoral Code of Conduct.

Underscoring the importance of the international community's support in the country, the Council "welcomed the presence of domestic as well as international electoral observers in Timor-Leste for these elections."

Voters will go to the polls to elect 65 members of Parliament to serve five-year terms.

Yesterday, the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste – known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmit/index.html">UNMIT – began distributing ballot papers, with a total of 652,000 ballot papers to be distributed throughout the country and a reserve will be stored in all districts to deal with contingencies.

Also, in a video <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm11064.doc.htm">message yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on candidates and their supporters "to react to the results in a peaceful manner, and to raise any concerns they may have about the process through the appropriate legal channels."

Recalling the successful presidential elections of April and May, he said that he "was moved by the graceful transfer of responsibility from the first President to his successor, through the freely expressed will of the people."

In another development, the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) has called for increased participation of women in politics.

The fund's scheme, called Integrated Programme for Women in Politics and Decisions Making, also seeks to raise awareness of the status of Timorese women.

Workshops to draw attention to the electoral process were held last month bringing together experts from the European Union, the National Electoral Commission and the UNIFEM-backed observer group known as KOMEG, along with ten parties participating in the elections.

All of the women representatives endorsed a Women's Political Platform signed on 28 May, which prioritizes such issues as economic advance and health care for women; justice and security; and media reporting on and for women.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES APPROVAL OF PEACEKEEPING RESTRUCTURING

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES APPROVAL OF PEACEKEEPING RESTRUCTURING
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the General Assembly's decision to approve the thrust of his proposals aimed at strengthening the capacity of the United Nations to mount and sustain peacekeeping operations in an era when the demand for blue helmets has reached at an all-time high.

The proposals, approved by the Assembly in a resolution this morning, include a restructuring of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO); the creation of a separate Department of Field Support (DFS), to be headed by an Under-Secretary-General; a major increase in working-level resources in both departments and in other parts of the UN Secretariat; and new capacities and integrated structures to match the growing complexity of mandated activities.

Demand for UN peace operations is surging, with nearly 100,000 field personnel deployed across 18 DPKO-led missions and several other missions supported by the Department.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11066.doc.htm">statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said he was grateful the Assembly "was able to tackle the daunting task of approving such wide-ranging proposals in a short period of time," adding that it demonstrated the commitment of UN Member States to the world body's role in peacekeeping.

"The Secretary-General is confident that the Secretariat can now move quickly to make appointments and implement the new arrangements," the statement added.

It noted that the reform package had been crafted to ensure that DPKO and DFS work in harmony so as to provide unity of command, coherence in policy and strategy and operational efficiency in peacekeeping missions.

The approved package includes 287 new posts, down from Mr. Ban's original proposal of 400 posts. The Under-Secretary-General for DFS post is funded for the next three years, with further funding subject to a review of the restructure after that time. The procurement operation is also staying in the Department of Management, rather than becoming part of the restructured peacekeeping operations.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED PEACE BROKERS IN GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ CONFLICT HOLD FRESH TALKS

UN-BACKED PEACE BROKERS IN GEORGIAN-ABKHAZ CONFLICT HOLD FRESH TALKS
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
Senior representatives of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General have held talks with the Georgian and Abkhaz sides amid concerns over tensions in their zone of conflict and the lack of recent dialogue between the two sides, the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unomig/index.html">UNOMIG) said in a press statement issued in Tbilisi today.

The two-day talks in the German city of Bonn, which ended yesterday, were also convened to help promote confidence-building measures presented at the Group's previous meeting, according to UNOMIG.

Aside from the Group of Friends (France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) and the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Georgia Jean Arnault also participated in the talks, which took place under the chairmanship of the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.

The UNOMIG statement noted that the Georgian and Abkhaz sides outlined their positions, which continue to differ on several issues, but were able to agree on some steps relating to security, dialogue and confidence-building in the zone of conflict.

"They also agreed to cooperate in implementing the European Commission-funded rehabilitation programme, as well as a number of humanitarian initiatives," the statement said.

Both the UN and the Group of Friends stressed the importance of preserving stability and dialogue, "and encouraged the parties to seek vigorously the creation of basic levels of trust between the sides and their respective communities."

UNOMIG was established in August 1993 to verify compliance with the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Georgia and the Abkhaz authorities in Georgia. Its mandate was expanded following the signing by the parties of the 1994 Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN ENVOY APPOINTED FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

NEW UN ENVOY APPOINTED FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
New York, Jun 30 2007 10:00AM
The Security Council today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9067.doc.htm">welcomed and agreed to the appointment of Miroslav Lajcák of Slovakia as the new High Representative for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In a resolution adopted unanimously, the 15-member body stressed the importance of the High Representative's role in the implementation of the peace agreement in the European country.

Mr. Lajcák was designated by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council on 19 June.

Currently the Director-General for Political Affairs in the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he is a 44-year-old career diplomat with extensive experience in Southeastern Europe.

He also served as mediator and personal representative of the European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, in Montenegro last year, overseeing the referendum.

The Council also paid tribute to Christian Schwarz-Schilling, Mr. Lajcák's predecessor, who had served from early 2006.
2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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IAEA HELPS CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES DEAL WITH OLD URANIUM SITES

IAEA HELPS CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES DEAL WITH OLD URANIUM SITES
New York, Jun 29 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is helping Central Asian countries to take steps toward securing millions of tonnes of uranium tailings -- a potential source of radioactive and heavy metal pollution -- in abandoned sites.

The sites are the legacy that has accumulated in the region over five decades of operation of uranium mines and mills without proper environment management programmes in place, the Agency said.

Tajikistan, for example, has sites near towns and villages in the north. In Taboshar, a former centre of uranium mining and milling, a hill of more than 1 million tonnes of process residue tailings lies unprotected, vulnerable to erosion by wind and rain, the IAEA warned.

Animals drink from pools of water that gather at the foot of the hill when seasonal rains fall, and children play around it. Some material from the tailings sites has also been used in home construction, according to the Agency, which said Tajikistan is ill-equipped to undertake, on its own, the task of securing the tailings legacy.

An IAEA programme is assisting Tajikistan assess the impact of the sites - a first step towards seeking donor funding to secure them.

"The IAEA doesn't have the resources to undertake management of the tailings sites, but we can provide the expertise and the knowledge to Tajikistan that will assist it best help itself," said Ana María Cetto, IAEA Deputy Director General and head of its Technical Cooperation Department, who visited the country in May.

Since Tajikistan became a member of the IAEA in 2001 it has received technical assistance in other areas of nuclear and radiation applications to develop diagnostic nuclear medicine, cancer treatment, as well as control of soil erosion and improved land management practices.

2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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UNICEF CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON SCHOOLCHILDREN IN CONFLICT AREAS

UNICEF CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON SCHOOLCHILDREN IN CONFLICT AREAS
New York, Jun 29 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today condemned continuing attacks on schoolchildren and educational facilities in conflict zones around the world, citing recent incidents in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

"Attacks on schoolchildren are unacceptable," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman. "Schools must be safe environments for children to learn and thrive."

In recent weeks, at a girls' school in Afghanistan, two schoolgirls were killed, and another three students and a teacher were injured, while in Gaza, one student traveling to national college entrance exams was killed, and in a separate incident another was injured, in crossfire.

"In parts of Iraq parents remain justly concerned about the risks involved in sending their children to school, and insecurity has closed schools in the Central African Republic, in Nepal and in Sri Lanka ," the agency said in a news release.

At the same time, UNICEF cited evidence that where an education system continues to function, students will face real risks to take advantage of the opportunities that education provides. In the occupied Palestinian territory in June, some 60,000 students in both Gaza and the West Bank made it through 10 days of entrance exams, despite the current crisis.

"Children have the right to a safe learning environment at all times, even under the most difficult of circumstances," Ms. Veneman stated.

2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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BAN KI-MOON MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN

BAN KI-MOON MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN
New York, Jun 29 2007 8:00AM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made a surprise visit to Afghanistan today, meeting with top officials there ahead of a planned conference on the country he will attend early next month in Rome.

During a four-hour stay in Kabul, the Secretary General met with President Hamid Karzai, with the leader of the Wolesi Jirga (House of the People), Yunus Qanuni, with the military commander of the International Security Assistance Force, General Dan McNeal and with members of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

"Responding to a long-standing invitation from President Karzai, the Secretary General wanted to evaluate the situation on the ground, better assess the progress made, and the role the United Nations can play," according to his spokesperson.

Mr. Ban has left Kabul and will be heading to Europe, where he will meet President Karzai once more on 3 July in Rome at the Conference on the Rule of Law in Afghanistan, which will be co-chaired by the UN and the Afghan and Italian Governments. The Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, will also attend the Rome conference.

Before going to Rome, the Secretary-General is expected in Geneva Monday for the opening of the High-level meeting of the Economic and Social Council.

2007-06-29 00:00:00.000

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LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES MOST VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE - UN OFFICIAL

LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES MOST VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE – UN OFFICIAL
New York, Jun 28 2007 7:00PM
Efforts must be intensified to assist the world's least developed countries and small island developing States, the most vulnerable nations in the world to the impact of climate change, a top United Nations official said today.

"The UN debate on climate change will lose credibility if the concerns of these countries are sidelined or marginalized," Anwarul Chowdhury, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/070628_Chowdhury.doc.htm">told reporters in New York.

Mr. Chowdhury, whose last day in his position is this Saturday, launched a new study entitled "Climate Change Report 2007," which was presented to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this morning.

While acknowledging that the report is neither academic nor scientific, he said he hoped it would spur interest among the media and support groups to advocate on behalf of these countries and raise awareness of the obstacles LDCs and SIDS face.

Aside from the environmental effects, the report said that climate change impacts LDCs and SIDS in the economic, human and social cultural realms as well.

Reduced rainfall and prolonged droughts could lead to dwindling water supplies, while subsistence agriculture, on which these countries depend heavily, will be harmed by increased tropical cyclones, droughts and loss of soil fertility. Coastal flooding, droughts and disease could also force many people out of their homes.

Due to their limited financial and technical resources, high rates of poverty and – in the case of the SIDS – small size, these countries are not as adept at adapting to climate change, noted the report.

At the global level, the study recommended that these countries be provided adequate financial and technical support to better deal with climate change and that partnerships with international organizations be established to aid LDCs and SIDS.

Meanwhile, the report suggested that at the national level, these countries demand that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (<"http://www.ipcc.ch/">IPCC) publish a report specific to their situation.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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MYANMAR AGREES TO ADDRESS SITUATION OF CHILDREN WITH UN - ENVOY

MYANMAR AGREES TO ADDRESS SITUATION OF CHILDREN WITH UN – ENVOY
New York, Jun 28 2007 6:00PM
Wrapping up a five-day official visit to Myanmar, the United Nations envoy for children and armed conflict today its Government has agreed to name an official to deal with the plight of the country's young in cooperation with the UN.

"This visit is a beginning in seeking to address some of the important issues relating to child protection in Myanmar," said Radhika Coomaraswamy.

In her talks with authorities, including acting Prime Minister Thein Sein, she explained the framework of the 2005 Security Council resolution which established a mechanism to monitor grave violations by both Governments and insurgents, focusing especially on crimes, including recruiting child soldiers in violation of international instruments.

In response, the Government agreed to name a high-level official from the South-East Asian nation to liaise with the UN Country Team and the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) on all matters pertaining to children and armed conflict.

"The Government responded favourably to an on-going dialogue with the United Nations," Ms. Coomaraswamy said during her visit.

The Special Representative held a working session with the Government's Committee for the Prevention of Military Recruitment of Underage Children, at which it was decided that Myanmar would create an action plan in collaboration with UNICEF. This new scheme would undertake the reintegration of children, and the Ministry of Defence would regularly organize trainings on protecting children during conflict.

She met with the United Wa State Army, a non-State party, urging them to cooperate with the UN to cease recruitment of child soldiers and develop a reintegration programme.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's report on the situation of children and armed conflict in Myanmar – scheduled to be released later this year – will include information collected and verified by the UN Task Force.

"This report will provide us with a clearer understanding of the situation of children affected by the conflict in Myanmar," Ms. Coomaraswamy said.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES SUPPORT FOR SIERRA LEONE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL

SECURITY COUNCIL URGES SUPPORT FOR SIERRA LEONE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL
New York, Jun 28 2007 6:00PM
The Security Council today called on the international community to maintain its financial support of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), saying the war crimes tribunal needs more help to complete its efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the worst crimes during the country's prolonged civil war.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9062.doc.htm">statement read out by Ambassador Johan Verbeke of Belgium, which holds the rotating Council presidency this month, the 15-member body reiterated its strong support for the UN-backed <"http://www.sc-sl.org/">SCSL and the progress it has achieved so far.

Earlier this month the trial of the notorious former Liberian president Charles Taylor began in The Hague, while last week the SCSL issued its first verdicts, finding three former rebel leaders guilty of multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"The Security Council particularly notes the contribution of the Special Court to strengthening stability in Sierra Leone and the subregion and bringing an end to impunity," the statement said.

The second international war crimes tribunal established in Africa, the SCSL was mandated to try those bearing the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian and Sierra Leonean law within Sierra Leone's borders after 30 November 1996.

Mr. Verbeke said the Council recognized the Court's efforts to meet its completion strategy, particularly as it moves towards its final stage of work now that trials are under way and verdicts are beginning to be handed down.

"The Security Council emphasizes the vital need for further pledges of voluntary contributions in order to allow the Special Court to complete its mandate in a timely manner, and asks all United Nations Member States to consider making such pledges."
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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BALLOT DISTRIBUTION BEGINS AHEAD OF TIMOR-LESTE ELECTIONS - UN

BALLOT DISTRIBUTION BEGINS AHEAD OF TIMOR-LESTE ELECTIONS – UN
New York, Jun 28 2007 6:00PM
The UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmit/index.html">UNMIT) today reported that the distribution of ballot papers for this weekend's parliamentary elections has begun in both the capital Dili and the main towns of the country's 13 districts.

Working in cooperation with the Timorese Secretariat for Electoral Administration, the ballot papers are being transported from Dili and other district capitals to the more than 700 polling stations and 520 polling centres by helicopters, vehicles and horses with porters.

A total of 652,000 ballot papers will be distributed throughout the country and a reserve will be stored in all districts to deal with contingencies.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a video <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sgsm11064.doc.htm">message released ahead of the elections, called on candidates and their supporters "to react to the results in a peaceful manner, and to raise any concerns they may have about the process through the appropriate legal channels."

Mr. Ban recalled the recent success in the presidential elections of April and May. "I was moved by the graceful transfer of responsibility from the first President to his successor, through the freely expressed will of the people," he said.

He pledged the UN's continued support for the Timorese as they "consolidate the foundations of democratic governance to ensure enduring stability and development."

The election is for 65 members of Parliament to serve five-year terms.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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RE-OPENING OF KEY GAZA BORDER CROSSING WELCOMED BY UN AID AGENCY

RE-OPENING OF KEY GAZA BORDER CROSSING WELCOMED BY UN AID AGENCY
New York, Jun 28 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees today welcomed the opening of the Karni crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which has allowed 5,000 tons of wheat to reach Gaza.

UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (<"http://www.un.org/unrwa/english.html">UNRWA) spokesperson Chris Gunness said it was now crucial that Karni is permanently open and fully functional.

"If we are to avoid total aid dependency for Gaza, we need to get commercial imports and exports moving," Mr. Gunness said.

UNRWA and other UN aid agencies have been warning that Gaza faces food shortages within weeks unless the border crossing points into Israel are re-opened after they were closed during the deadly intra-Palestinian fighting that erupted earlier this month.

The Karni crossing is considered particularly vital as it used to handle 200 to 300 trucks each day and is the main commercial crossing between Gaza and Israel.

The Erez crossing remains open to international agencies' staff and to health referrals to Israel, while no interruptions have so far occurred along the Nahal Oz line, which supplies petrol, diesel and cooking gas to Gaza. But the Rafah crossing – the main crossing for people – has been closed since 10 June, and an estimated 5,000 Palestinians are waiting at the Egyptian border to return to their homes in Gaza.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline3.un.org/">OCHA) said UN agencies are currently meeting the basic needs of the Gaza Strip's estimated 1.4 million residents, with about 80 to 90 trucks carrying relief supplies able to enter the territory daily.

But there is still a long way to go, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said today.

"Everyone is working hard on this and I welcome the news of our increased capacity to deliver urgently-needed aid in Gaza, but I cannot over-emphasize the importance of ensuring the resumption of full-scale supplies through the main crossing points and beginning to open up regular economic access too."

Since the crisis began in the Gaza Strip, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP) has reported that there are 100,000 additional recipients of food aid in the crowded territory. The Programme helps about 377,000 people in Gaza, while UNRWA provides food assistance to some 860,000 others there.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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UN HONOURS IRAQ ENVOY SLAIN IN 2003 BAGHDAD TERROR ATTACK

UN HONOURS IRAQ ENVOY SLAIN IN 2003 BAGHDAD TERROR ATTACK
New York, Jun 28 2007 6:00PM
The United Nations today honoured the late Sergio Vieira de Mello with the unveiling in Geneva of a bronze likeness of the 30-year Brazilian veteran of many United Nations peacekeeping operations who was killed during a terrorist attack while on assignment in Iraq.

On 19 August 2003, Mr. Vieira de Mello – who was serving as the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Iraq at the time – and 21 other colleagues lost their lives when UN headquarters in the country was bombed.

The bust, which is a gift from Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and created by world-famous Georgian artist and philanthropist Zurab Tseretelli, rests upon a base which carries the names of Mr. Vieira de Mello's colleagues who lost their lives in the attack.

Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan presided over the ceremony, which was also attended by Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, survivors of the bombing, family members of victims, representatives from the UN as well as non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), and diplomats.

Swiss authorities supplied the landscaping of the memorial in the grounds in front of the Palais Wilson.

Mr. Vieira de Mello also served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a post to which he was appointed in 2002. Prior to that, he was the UN Transitional Administrator in East Timor after having briefly held the position of Special Representative for Kosovo. He had extensive Headquarters and field experience in humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, including in Bangladesh, Sudan, Cyprus, Mozambique, Peru and Lebanon.

"Those who killed him have committed a crime, not only against the United Nations but against Iraq itself," Mr. Annan said shortly after Mr. Vieira de Mello's death.

"The death of any colleague is hard to bear, but I can think of no one we could less afford to spare, or who would be more acutely missed throughout the UN system, than Sergio," said the then-Secretary-General. "Throughout his career he has been an outstanding servant of humanity, dedicated to relieving the suffering of his fellow men and women, helping them to resolve their conflicts and rebuild their war-torn societies."
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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SOMALIA: THOUSANDS FLEE MOGADISHU AMID RENEWED VIOLENCE, UN REPORTS

SOMALIA: THOUSANDS FLEE MOGADISHU AMID RENEWED VIOLENCE, UN REPORTS
New York, Jun 28 2007 5:00PM
Escalating violence in Mogadishu this month has forced more than 3,500 people to flee the Somali capital in recent weeks, the United Nations refugee agency has reported.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) also reported that only 123,000 of the estimated 401,000 civilians who fled the heavy fighting that raged in Mogadishu between February and May have returned to the capital, citing to figures compiled by the agency and its partners.

Even as people continue leave Mogadishu, they are returning at nearly a tenfold rate. UNHCR said that while more than 3,500 people fled the city in June, an estimated 33,000 returned there in the same period.

In another major new displacement development, UNHCR's local partners report that some 10,000 people have fled violence between rival clans in and around the southern coastal city of Kismayo.

Most of those unwilling to return to Mogadishu cite continuing insecurity at a time when daily acts of violence are rising despite claims by the Ethiopian-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that it has defeated insurgent forces.

"These people say they will not come back until Mogadishu is completely safe," a <"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4682938a4.html">UNHCR staff member reported from the capital.

The latest fighting has left many civilians dead and injured from rocket attacks, roadside bombs and crossfire, the agency said.

The UNHCR staffer said that some of the civilians who recently returned to the capital are leaving it once more because of the insecurity. "Others leave their neighbourhood to move to another part of the city because of persistent bomb explosions close to their homes, especially in the north of the city. They fear being caught in skirmishes," he added.

Some 250,000 Somalis who have resided on state property such as ministerial buildings, police stations or even electric power plants face the same threat. Some families had been living at such sites since fleeing their homes in 1991, when warlords overthrew President Mohammed Siad Barre before turning on each other.

The TFG has to date evicted 2,000 people in order to restore the buildings to public use. "These families are lost, they can no longer access the place where they used to live and sometimes their houses have been already destroyed by the authorities," said a local aid worker whose organization works with UNHCR.

He said these vulnerable people needed water, food and shelter. Many of them also needed to find employment so that they could support their families. UNHCR has asked the TFG to halt the evictions and to help provide basic services and find alternative solutions for these displaced people.

In his latest progress <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/381">report on the situation in Somalia, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the TFG's efforts to secure key public institutions in Mogadishu are continuing to face significant resistance from remnants of the deposed Union of Islamic Courts and from various sub-clans of the Hawiye clan, which is dominant in the city.

The rest of the country remains plagued by widespread banditry, lawlessness and intra-clan violence, he adds in the report, noting the situation is more volatile since tensions erupted again in the Puntland and Somaliland regions in April.

He stresses that the UN system would continue its efforts to meet the serious humanitarian needs across the impoverished country.

Mr. Ban met Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi yesterday, and his spokesperson said the Secretary-General was encouraged by Mr. Gedi's assurance that plans are on track to start the National Reconciliation Congress next month.

Mr. Ban said it was important for the Somali transitional government to reach out to opposition groups to ensure that Congress is as inclusive as possible, adding he pledged to encourage troop contributions and other support to the existing African Union mission in the country, known as AMISOM.

Mr. Gedi also addressed the Security Council in a closed meeting this morning.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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UNCERTAINTY HINDERING MANAGEMENT OF MARINE GENETIC RESOURCES, UN MEETING TOLD

UNCERTAINTY HINDERING MANAGEMENT OF MARINE GENETIC RESOURCES, UN MEETING TOLD
New York, Jun 28 2007 3:00PM
Uncertainty on how to deal with marine genetic resources beyond national jurisdictions is restricting research and utilization of such resources, several experts have told a United Nations meeting taking place this week at UN Headquarters in New York.

At the annual meeting of the UN informal consultations on oceans and the law of the sea, Sam Johnston, a senior researcher at UN University, told participants that the current lack of clear rules was slowing down research and use of such resources. It created uncertainty for industry, hampered information exchange among scientists and held back government efforts to negotiate arrangements on sharing the benefits deriving from such resources.

Lisa Speer, of the Natural Resources Defence Council, said the legal system has fallen behind managing areas beyond national jurisdiction and called for a new implementing agreement of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the management of genetic resources in these areas.

Timothy Hodges, Co-Chair of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Working Group on Access and Benefit-Sharing, said the institutional framework for marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction was poorly understood and governance structures were under debate.

There was a high potential of monetary and non-monetary wealth to be derived from such resources and the outcome could be "a win-win situation," he said, especially if the capacity-building needs of indigenous and coastal communities were met and their knowledge was recognized.

Philippines' delegate Emma Sarne said that while bioprospecting – or research and development related to marine genetic resources – for academic research was beneficial, if the materials were subsequently patented to foreign investors, the country of origin could lose control over its own marine genetic resources.

The experts recommended regulations that are practical and enforceable, set out liabilities and responsibilities among all interested parties, allow work to proceed and encourage collaboration. The goal should be to facilitate access and to ensure legal certainty for scientists and bioprospectors, while retaining coastal state involvement.

The informal consultations will conclude tomorrow, with the expected adoption of agreed elements feeding into the General Assembly's resolution on the law of the sea and sustainable fisheries.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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DESERTIFICATION COULD LEAD TO MASS MIGRATIONS, UN STUDY WARNS

DESERTIFICATION COULD LEAD TO MASS MIGRATIONS, UN STUDY WARNS
New York, Jun 28 2007 3:00PM
Governments must adopt strategies to mitigate the effects of desertification which are aggravated by climate change and could lead to mass migrations of tens of millions of people in the next decade, a new United Nations study cautioned today.

One third of the global population – or about 2 billion people – are threatened by encroaching desertification. If no actions are taken, over the next 10 years roughly 50 million people, equivalent to the total number of people in South Africa or the Republic of Korea, are in danger of being displaced.

Experts from the UN University (<"http://www.inweh.unu.edu/inweh">UNU) said that the loss of soil productivity and the degradation of nature threaten international stability, and appealed to governments to take an integrated approach to tackling issues concerning desertification, climate change and poverty reduction.

"It is imperative that effective policies and sustainable agricultural policies be put in place to reverse the decline of dry lands," said Hans van Ginkel, Under-Secretary-General and UNU Rector.

Countries must bolster efforts regarding land use policy to bring an end to overgrazing, over-exploitation, trampling and unsustainable irrigation practices, he added.

The study – which is based on the input of 200 experts from 25 countries and was presented at UN Headquarters in New York today – observed that policy decisions are often made in isolation, with potentially counterproductive results.

"Some forces of globalization, while striving to reduce economic inequality and eliminate poverty, are contributing to worsening desertification," said Professor Ginkel.

In addition, the formulation of policies to combat desertification "has been hindered by the lack of concrete data about rates and extent of desertification," said Zafar Adeel, lead author of the study and Director of UNU's International Network on Water, Environment and Health.

"We must, as the global international community interested in desertification, put monitoring and assessment at the top of our policy agenda."

The analysis recommends that governments create financial incentives for those who use dry land to preserve and maintain their ecosystems and better educate local populations and policymakers who often do not have a good understanding of the basic concepts of dry lands and desertification.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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UN-REAL MADRID AGREEMENT HELPS REFUGEE CHILDREN IN PANAMA

UN-REAL MADRID AGREEMENT HELPS REFUGEE CHILDREN IN PANAMA
New York, Jun 28 2007 1:00PM
An agreement between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/468255d14.html">UNHCR) and the Real Madrid Foundation has paved the way for nearly a dozen refugee children to attend school and sports activities in Panama.

The accord opened the doors of the "City of Knowledge," a group of several prestigious universities and schools built on the site of Panama's last United States naval base, which closed in 1999. They include the School for Sports Education and Social Integration, which was opened by the Real Madrid Foundation last year to teach football and provide a rounded education for hundreds of Panamanian youngsters.

Eleven refugee children in Panama City joined more than 500 other students aged between 5 and 18 who joined the school this year, UNHCR said in a news release.

"Of course we want to train good players, but we also want to give the kids a chance to develop their full potential as human beings," explained the school's technical director, former Real Madrid player Angel Pérez.

Tuition at the School for Sports Education and Social Integration is free for refugee children and the school also pays for transport, uniforms and two meals a day.

"Football brings people together; this is a very good way for young refugees to get to know other children," said UNHCR Representative in Panama Jose Euceda, adding that the Government was very supportive of the project.

"Children can feel very isolated when they reach a new country and often they are at risk of being marginalized, so the Real Madrid school really helps them a lot," he added.

The Real Madrid Foundation runs similar schools in Chile, Bolivia, El Salvador and Ecuador and is planning to open several more in other American countries. UNHCR said it hopes to "extend its collaboration with the Foundation to give more young refugees a chance to fulfill their potential."
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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OMAN SANCTUARY FIRST SITE TO BE REMOVED FROM UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE LIST

OMAN SANCTUARY FIRST SITE TO BE REMOVED FROM UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE LIST
New York, Jun 28 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today took the unprecedented step of removing the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman – home to the rare antelope – from its World Heritage List due to what the agency deemed as the country's failure to fulfil its conservation obligations with regard to the site.

The World Heritage Committee, which is currently holding its annual meeting in Christchurch, New Zealand, deleted the <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/362">Sanctuary – which had been on the List since 1994 – because of Oman's decision to reduce the size of the protected area by 90 per cent, contravening the guidelines of UNESCO's 1972 <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/convention">World Heritage Convention.

In 1996, the population of the Arabian Oryx in the site was at 450 but it has since dwindled to 65 with only about four breeding pairs – mainly due to poaching and habitat degradation – thus "making its future viability uncertain," according to a press release issued by the agency.

The Committee decided that the reduction in the size of the Sanctuary would "destroy the value and integrity of the property," which is also home to other endangered species including the Arabian Gazelle and houbara bustard – a large bird prized in the region.

Also today, the Committee <"http://whc.unesco.org">inscribed 15 new sites on the List including Japan's Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, Turkmenistan's Parthian Fortresses of Nisa, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, India's Red Fort Complex, the Mehmed Paša Sokolovic Bridge of Višegrad (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Rideau Canal (Canada), the historic centre of Bordeaux, Port of the Moon (France), the Old Town of Corfu (Greece), and Lavaux vineyard terraces (Switzerland).

Also added were the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (South Africa), Twyfelfontein rock carvings (Namibia), the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (China) and Samarra Archaeological City (Iraq), which was also placed on the List of <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/158">World Heritage in Danger.

In addition, Teide National Park (Spain) and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathian (Slovakia, Ukraine) were added as natural sites, and the Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda (Gabon) was inscribed as a mixed - cultural and natural - site.

The Committee also decided to approve the extension of the natural site of Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn, (Switzerland).

The Committee also <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/363">approved a request from Poland to change the name of Auschwitz on the World Heritage List to "Auschwitz-Birkenau" with the subtitle "German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945)."

In a statement issued following its decision, the Committee said that the remains of the two camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau, as well as its Protective Zone, were placed on the List as evidence of the "inhumane, cruel and methodical effort to deny human dignity to groups considered inferior, leading to their systematic murder."

The <"http://whc.unesco.org/en/list">World Heritage List includes 848 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having "outstanding universal value."
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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UN'S IRAQ ENVOY PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW PROCESS

UN'S IRAQ ENVOY PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW PROCESS
New York, Jun 28 2007 1:00PM
The senior United Nations envoy to Iraq today pledged the world body's full support for the country's constitutional review process.

During talks with the Chair of the Constitutional Review Committee, Humam Hamoudi, and Deputy Chair Ayad al-Samaraie, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative, Ashraf Qazi, reiterated his earlier commendation of the panel's work "and the professional and constructive problem-solving approach it adopted," according to a news release from the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org">UNAMI).

Mr.Qazi reaffirmed the UN's willingness to continue assisting the Committee in reviewing outstanding technical issues, drawing on its international experience and knowledge of best practice in comparable situations, UNAMI said.

The envoy also emphasized that the UN is firmly committed to assisting in the implementation of the constitution and any approved amendments, noting that its technical and advisory role is always carried out at the request of the Government.

The Committee has already advanced proposals on the distribution of powers and in principle on the national collection and fair sharing of oil revenues, UNAMI said in a news release at the weekend. Issues still meriting consideration relate to Iraq's federal architecture and to the Constitution's Human Rights Chapter.

The Committee is working to forge an agreement that can be put to the Iraqi people for their endorsement.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED DRIVE AIMS TO PROTECT 2 MILLION ZAMBIAN CHILDREN FROM MEASLES

UN-BACKED DRIVE AIMS TO PROTECT 2 MILLION ZAMBIAN CHILDREN FROM MEASLES
New York, Jun 28 2007 1:00PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) and the UN World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en">WHO) are gearing up for up for a vaccination campaign that aims to protect 2 million children in Zambia from measles.

The <"http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LSGZ-74LETV?OpenDocument&rc=1&cc=zmb">drive, which will be held from 9 to 14 July, involves nearly 9,000 vaccinators and volunteers, still has a $500,000 shortfall in its $3 million budget, said the agencies, which have provided over $2 million for the effort.

In addition to providing measles vaccines to over 2 million children, the campaign includes Vitamin A supplementation -- to boost immunity -- and de-worming Mebendazole tablets.

In her address at last week's measles campaign advocacy meeting in Lusaka, WHO Representative in Zambia, Dr. Stella Anyangwe, pointed out that measles can be prevented with a simple vaccine which costing less than a dollar per child. "It is therefore unpardonable to allow the disease to continue to kill, to sicken and to disable our children," she said.

Also speaking at the advocacy meeting, UNICEF Zambia Deputy Representative, Elspeth Erickson, stressed the need to reach out to every child in the targeted age group with the measles vaccine.

"It is a travesty that globally measles is still one of the major causes of childhood illness and a leading cause of child death in many developing countries, despite the fact that a safe vaccine has been available for many decades. We need to ensure that every child in Zambia is vaccinated against measles," she said.
2007-06-28 00:00:00.000

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