Monday, June 01, 2009

BAN PRESENTS UN POPULATION AWARD TO EGYPTIAN DOCTOR, NICARAGUAN NGO

BAN PRESENTS UN POPULATION AWARD TO EGYPTIAN DOCTOR, NICARAGUAN NGO
New York, Jun 1 2009 6:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today presented the United Nations <"http://www.unfpa.org/about/popaward/index.htm">Population Award to an Egyptian doctor and a Nicaraguan non-governmental organization (NGO), in recognition of their contributions to public health and efforts to reduce maternal deaths.

Mahmoud Fathalla and Movimiento Comunal Nicaragüense (MCN) were chosen from 18 nominees by an Award Committee, headed by Ambassador Hamdon Ali of Malaysia, to receive the honour, which consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize.

"Dr. Fathalla has made a major impact in the field of family planning, reproductive rights and ending maternal deaths," Mr. Ban told the awards ceremony in New York.

The Secretary-General noted that, among his achievements, he helped to found the 'Safe Motherhood Initiative,' which is saving women from dying in pregnancy and childbirth, and in 1974, established the Egyptian Fertility Care Society, one of the first family planning organizations in the Arab world.

Highlighting his work with various UN agencies, Mr. Ban paid special tribute to "his recognition of the important role of women in contraceptive research."

He stressed that Dr. Fathalla "richly deserves the UN Population Award" for demonstrating "how science, academics and advocacy can come together to help the women of the world."

Mr. Ban also paid tribute to MCN, which was created in 1978 to boost living conditions in Nicaragua through social and community development, gender equality and environmental protection.

He noted that the NGO has trained people in more than 2,000 local communities, "and has mobilized an impressive 20,000 people, including leaders, educators and midwives, to improve public health."

The group's efforts have led to advances in literacy, polio eradication and reduction of maternal and child mortality rates, said Mr. Ban. "It has also improved conditions for Nicaraguans by focusing on youth, gender relations, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases and early pregnancies."

Drawing inspiration from the work of the award winners, Mr. Ban called for "a world where women do not die needlessly in childbirth; where girls get the education they deserve; where young people are protected from HIV; and where couples can decide how many children to have."
Jun 1 2009 6:10PM
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ITALY TAKES HELM OF UN COASTAL FLEET IN LEBANON

ITALY TAKES HELM OF UN COASTAL FLEET IN LEBANON
New York, Jun 1 2009 5:10PM
Italy has taken command of the United Nations maritime task force (MTF), which was deployed off the Lebanese coast in 2006 to curtail arms smuggling following that year's Israel-Hizbollah war.

The naval force, part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/">UNIFIL), is the first to be part of a UN peacekeeping mission. The MTF has been deployed on the request of the Lebanese Government to help the country's navy secure territorial waters and help prevent the unauthorized entry of arms and other materials by sea into the Middle Eastern nation.

At a handover ceremony from Belgium to Italy aboard the flagship BNS Leopold I over the weekend, UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Claudio Graziano commended "the constructive relationship between the MTF and Lebanese Navy."

He applauded the "spirit of cooperation" between the two, which he said is crucial to successfully implementing Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war.

Since its operations began in October 2006, the MTF has hailed some 24,000 ships and referred nearly 300 suspicious vessels to the Lebanese authorities.

To date, 13 countries – Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Turkey – have contributed naval units to the force.
Jun 1 2009 5:10PM
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LACK OF FUNDS THREATENS AID TO PAKISTAN’S 2.5 MILLION DISPLACED, WARNS UN

LACK OF FUNDS THREATENS AID TO PAKISTAN'S 2.5 MILLION DISPLACED, WARNS UN
New York, Jun 1 2009 5:10PM
The United Nations said today that the number of people displaced by the conflict in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province has risen above 2.5 million, and a shortage of funds could cut relief services there.

UN spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters in New York that the new figure, an increase of about 100,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) over last week's estimate, was based on numbers collected by the UN refugee agency (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4a2010ce4.html">UNHCR) and Pakistani authorities, which are registering people both inside and outside camps.

More than two million people have been driven from their homes by clashes between the Government and militants in the past month, in addition to the 400,000 already displaced in fighting last year.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a briefing to the General Assembly today, emphasized the need for greater support to scale up the response of the international community and the Pakistani Government to the situation.

"The human suffering is immense," he said.

The UN and its partners launched an appeal for $543 million on 22 May, of which just over one-fifth has been funded to date. "If we do not get the rest of the funds, we will have to start cutting services," the Secretary-General warned, adding that there is a risk of a destabilizing secondary crisis.

According to media reports, the Pakistani army has stepped up its offensive in the Swat Valley and other areas of the North West Frontier Province as part of its expanded campaign against the Taliban and Al-Qaida.

Ms. Montas said that over the past week, five spontaneous camps have been closed with people moving into established camps.

"The existence of numerous spontaneous camps continues to be matter of concern as they impede registration procedures for IDPs," she said. "They also restrict their ability to receive relief supplies, services and information on long-term support."

Rising temperatures are making it more difficult for families to remain in tents, Ms. Montas added. To address the problem, UNHCR and the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP) are attempting to provide facilities such as shaded areas, water points and toilets for IDPs living outside camps.

The UN Population Fund (<"http://www.unfpa.org/public/">UNFPA), for its part, has begun psycho-social support for women in camps of four districts – Lower Dir, Peshawar, Nowshera and Charsadda – through individual counselling and focus group discussions. The agency is also conducting general health, hygiene awareness and reproductive health sessions, Ms. Montas said.

Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/pakistan_49840.html">UNICEF) is supporting 29 child-friendly spaces, engaging children in different learning, creative and recreational activities in 13 IDP camps, she said.

Ms. Montas added that water and sanitation conditions in IDP camps need urgent attention to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases.
Jun 1 2009 5:10PM
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UN AGENCIES WORKING TO AID GROWING NUMBER OF DISPLACED SOMALIS

UN AGENCIES WORKING TO AID GROWING NUMBER OF DISPLACED SOMALIS
New York, Jun 1 2009 5:10PM
United Nations agencies are continuing to assist the growing number of Somalis – now estimated to be at least 70,000 – who have been uprooted by the recent surge in fighting in and around the capital, the world body's humanitarian wing said today.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR) has begun distributing relief items, including plastic sheets, blankets and kitchen utensils, to some 50,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Afgooye corridor, a 30-kilometre stretch of ramshackle houses north-west of Mogadishu, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) reported.

At least 70,000 people have been newly displaced to the corridor since fresh fighting erupted between Government forces and rebel militias in Mogadishu on 8 May, according to UNHCR. Most of those displaced are in need of emergency shelter, sanitation and water.

The UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and local partners are already serving some 250,000 IDPs in the Afgooye corridor with clean piped and trucked water. Additional water trucking is planned for 18,000 IDPs located in remote areas, OCHA said.

In addition, the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/">WFP) and a partner organization last week distributed 4,600 metric tons of assorted food commodities to around 333,900 beneficiaries in the corridor, including 80,000 cooked meals.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) and UNICEF have begun a campaign to screen and treat women and children in the area. The two agencies and their local partners aim to reach at least 130,000 children under the age of five and 153,000 women of child-bearing age.

Also, the Government of Italy dispatched an emergency humanitarian flight carrying part of a 23-ton consignment of health care supplies into Mogadishu for distribution to five hospitals and other health institutions in the capital, OCHA said.
Jun 1 2009 5:10PM
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ICC CONSIDERS ADMISSIBILITY MOTION IN CASE OF CONGOLESE MILITIA LEADER

ICC CONSIDERS ADMISSIBILITY MOTION IN CASE OF CONGOLESE MILITIA LEADER
New York, Jun 1 2009 3:10PM
The International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/6330CCF6-1A4A-4133-8044-6753FDA54F70.htm">ICC) began public hearings today to consider challenges by defense lawyers to the admissibility of the case against alleged Congolese militia commander Germain Katanga.

This is the first time that the Court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, will take up a challenge to admissibility based on the complementarity principle, according to a news release.

The Counsel of the accused maintain that legal proceedings were brought against him – partly for the same crimes – before the courts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The principle of complementarity requires the Court not to investigate or prosecute individuals unless the State concerned is genuinely unable to or has no intention to carry out the investigation or prosecution. The principle gives precedence to national systems.

A senior commander from the group known as the Force de Résistance Patriotique en Ituri (FRPI), Mr. Katanga was arrested and transferred to the Court in October 2007.

He faces three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes for a deadly assault on the village of Bogoro, in the province of Ituri. Hundreds of people were killed and many women forced into sexual slavery in that February 2003 attack.

In March 2008, the Court decided to join his case and that of accused Congolese militia leader Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui of the Nationalist Integrationist Front (FNI) – who is alleged to have played a key role in designing and carrying out the Bogoro attack – into one single case of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Jun 1 2009 3:10PM
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NEARLY $720 MILLION SOUGHT FOR ZIMBABWE AID EFFORTS – UN

NEARLY $720 MILLION SOUGHT FOR ZIMBABWE AID EFFORTS – UN
New York, Jun 1 2009 2:10PM
Aid agencies in Zimbabwe today issued an appeal for $718 million to meet the humanitarian needs of some 6 million people in the southern African nation, an increase of $168 million from the original appeal launched last November, the United Nations announced.

The country has witnessed a sharp decline in the provision of basic services, considered to be one of the root causes of the spread of cholera which has infected nearly 100,000 people and claimed nearly 4,280 lives to date, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) said.

The collapse of basic social services, combined with food insecurity and hyperinflation, has left 6 million people in need of humanitarian aid.

In November 2008, agencies had requested some $550 million to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, of which only $246 million has been received. Those funds have helped save lives by containing the cholera outbreak, providing food and agricultural assistance to vulnerable populations, and supporting vital social services including health, water and education.

Aid requirements have, however, outstripped the funds sought previously, OCHA added.

A UN inter-agency mission that visited Zimbabwe in February stressed that the country's humanitarian crisis remains grave, and urged both the Government and the international community to support the strengthening of aid efforts.

"We hope that donors will continue to be generous to the people of Zimbabwe who need help to save and rebuild their lives after years of adversity," <"http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/VDUX-7SLKFF?OpenDocument&cc=zwe">said Catherine Bragg, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Ms. Bragg, who led the assessment mission in February, added that adequate support now for a crucial sector such as agriculture will ensure that those who are currently dependent on food aid will be able to feed themselves next year.

In addition to resources to effectively contain the cholera outbreak and help improve food security, funds are also needed to enhance health care and repair water and sewage systems.

According to OCHA, 6 million people in Zimbabwe have limited or no access to safe water and sanitation in rural and urban areas. Also, some 1.3 million Zimbabweans are infected with HIV/AIDS, including 133,000 children under the age of 14. There are also 1.5 million orphaned and vulnerable children, including over 100,000 child-headed households, and thousands who remain internally displaced.

Aid agencies are concerned that unless conditions change, outbreaks of water-borne diseases at the onset of the next rainy season could lead to new cholera cases, and a serious humanitarian crisis, OCHA stated.
Jun 1 2009 2:10PM
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SRI LANKA: BAN STRONGLY REJECTS UN AS SOURCE OF CASUALTY REPORTS

SRI LANKA: BAN STRONGLY REJECTS UN AS SOURCE OF CASUALTY REPORTS
New York, Jun 1 2009 2:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today reiterated his strong concerns over "unacceptably high" civilian casualties in the conflict between the Sri Lankan Government and Tamil rebels, while rejecting in the strongest terms any figure attributed to the United Nations.

Briefing the General Assembly today on his recent visit to Sri Lanka and other travels, Mr. Ban said media reports alleging that some 20,000 civilians may have been killed during the last phase of the conflict "do not emanate from the UN and most are not consistent with the information at our disposal."

Last month, Sri Lanka's Government declared that its military operation against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was over, ending more than two decades of fighting.

"I categorically reject – repeat, categorically – any suggestion that the United Nations has deliberately under-estimated any figures," the Secretary-General underscored.

"Let me also say, whatever the total, the casualties in the conflict were unacceptably high – as I have also said repeatedly," he added.

Mr. Ban told the Assembly that during his 22-23 May visit to the South Asian island nation, he pressed the Government to heed international calls for an inquiry into alleged abuses and underscored the need for full accountability and transparency.

"Any inquiry conducted by the international community would require, first, the full cooperation of the host government, or, second, the support of the UN Member States, expressed through the Human Rights Council, the General Assembly or the Security Council," he said.

At the Human Rights Council's special session on Sri Lanka last week, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that investigating abuses allegedly committed against civilians by both the Government and LTTE will help the country transition into a new future.

"There are strong reasons to believe that both sides have grossly disregarded the fundamental principle of the inviolability of civilians," Ms. Pillay had stated, with the LTTE being accused of using civilians as human shields and the Government reportedly using heavy weapons on the small and densely-populated area of conflict in northern Sri Lanka.

An "independent and credible international investigation into recent events should be dispatched to ascertain the occurrence, nature and scale of violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as specific responsibilities," she said.

The Secretary-General today voiced hope that the authorities will follow through with a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2009/sg2151.doc.htm">statement issued jointly with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the end of his trip, in which they stressed that addressing the aspirations and grievances of all communities, as well as finding a lasting political solution, is essential for long-term development following the long-running conflict's end.

Both leaders also agreed that with the conclusion of military operations, Sri Lanka has entered a new post-conflict phase and faces many obstacles relating to relief, rehabilitation, resettlement and reconciliation.

"I stand ready to do whatever we can in the interests of justice, human rights and Sri Lanka's political future," the Secretary-General said in his address to the Assembly today.

His recent travels have also taken him to Bahrain and Geneva, where he addressed the Conference on Disarmament which adopted a programme of work last Friday, breaking an impasse that had last more than a decade.

Mr. Ban today also expressed his deep concern over the crisis in Pakistan, where 2 million people having been driven from their homes by clashes between the Government and militants in the past month. Some 400,000 people were uprooted in fighting last year, bringing the total number of displaced in the area to 2.4 million.

"The human suffering is immense," he said, emphasizing the need for international support to scale up the response of the international community and the Pakistani Government to the situation.

The UN and its partners launched an appeal for $543 million on 22 May, of which just over one-fifth has been funded to date. "If we do not get the rest of the funds, we will have to start cutting services," the Secretary-General warned, adding that there is a risk of a destabilizing secondary crisis.
Jun 1 2009 2:10PM
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EXPERTS FROM 120 COUNTRIES MEET IN TUNIS FOR UN-BACKED PLANT DIVERSITY FORUM

EXPERTS FROM 120 COUNTRIES MEET IN TUNIS FOR UN-BACKED PLANT DIVERSITY FORUM
New York, Jun 1 2009 1:10PM
Delegates from some 120 countries today opened a United Nations-supported meeting in Tunis to discuss plant genetics and food resources, the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) said.

Participants at the five-day meeting, the third session of the governing body of the 2004 International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, are seeking agreement on ways to further speed up the benefit-sharing aspects of the Treaty, FAO noted in a <"http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/20166/icode/">press release.

"No country is self-sufficient in plant genetic resources; all depend on genetic diversity in crops from other countries and regions. International cooperation and open exchange of genetic resources are therefore essential for food security," stated the agency.

"Climate change has made this challenge even more pressing as there is a need to preserve all the crops developed over millennia that can resist cold winters or hot summers.

"Yet, agricultural biodiversity, which is the basis for food production, is in sharp decline due the effects of modernization, changes in diets and increasing population density."

The agency said about three-quarters of the genetic diversity found in agricultural crops has been lost over the last century, and this genetic erosion continues.

Jun 1 2009 1:10PM
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VOTER REGISTRATION IN KURDISTAN OFF TO GOOD START – UN ENVOY

VOTER REGISTRATION IN KURDISTAN OFF TO GOOD START – UN ENVOY
New York, Jun 1 2009 12:10PM
The United Nations envoy to Iraq has congratulated the election officials and people of the Northern Region of Kurdistan "for completing a successful and peaceful first week of the voter registration" for next month's regional elections.

Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq, said 89 voter registration update centres successfully opened across the Northern Region of Kurdistan (KRG) and in Baghdad, according to a <"http://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=1044">news release issued by the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/default.asp">UNAMI).

In addition, nearly 40,480 people visited the centres during the first week to verify or correct their information so that they are properly registered to vote in the KRG elections on 25 July.

Mr. de Mistura said that the turnout and participation in the voter registration update in the KRG is a "positive signal" for greater participation in the national voter registration update scheduled to begin in early August for the Council of Representatives election in January 2010.

He urged everyone in the KRG to visit the registration update centres in the coming week to ensure they are properly listed on the voters list before the process is completed.
Jun 1 2009 12:10PM
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UN BEGINS TRAINING 35,000 AFGHAN POLICE OFFICERS AHEAD OF ELECTIONS

UN BEGINS TRAINING 35,000 AFGHAN POLICE OFFICERS AHEAD OF ELECTIONS
New York, Jun 1 2009 12:10PM
The first batch of Afghan police wrapped up a training programme today that will eventually reach tens of thousands of officers in preparation for this year's presidential and provincial council elections, announced the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (<"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1741">UNAMA).

Some 25 police officers have completed a two-day course in Kabul in the first phase of a programme that will train 350 officers in Herat, Kabul, Mazar and Kandahar who will then pass on their skills to 35,000 officers across the country ahead of the 20 August polls.

The programme aims to prime the police officers to tackle security threats and provide voters with the confidence needed to come out in large numbers and cast their ballots without fear, a UNAMA spokesperson <"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1761&ctl=Details&mid=1892&ItemID=4052">told reporters in Kabul.

The elections support project of the UN Development Programme in Afghanistan (UNDP/ELECT), together with the European Union's Police Mission (EUPOL) and the Ministry of Interior, is training officers on the electoral process, Afghanistan's election law, international standards of elections and their role during the elections.

UNAMA and the <"http://afghanelections.org/">UNDP/ELECT project are supporting Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission in organizing the polls, for which nominations closed on 8 May with 44 candidates in the running for the presidential election and 3,324 for the provincial council elections.

The UN Mission also announced that a girls' high school has opened in the Qaramqul district of the northern province of Faryab with $257,000 in funding from Norway.

The project was implemented by the Department of Rehabilitation and Rural Development under <"http://www.undp.org/">UNDP's National Area Based Development Programme.

The school, which can house 640 students at a time, is one of nine school projects which are under construction or rehabilitation by the area based programme in Faryab province with a total budget of close to $2 million.

In addition, children in the north-eastern province of Kunduz will have a new school building, where 15,000 students in the Qala-i-Zal district will be able to study in the school's 16-classrooms thanks to the UNDP Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme.

The Department of Rehabilitation and Rural Development is building the school which costs $127,818, said UNAMA.
Jun 1 2009 12:10PM
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TOBACCO USE ‘NEEDLESS THREAT’ TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL

TOBACCO USE 'NEEDLESS THREAT' TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL
New York, Jun 1 2009 12:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged governments everywhere to address tobacco consumption, which he described as a "needless threat" to public health.

In a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp">message to mark World No Tobacco Day, observed on 31 May, Mr. Ban noted that every year, some 5.4 million people die from illnesses caused by tobacco consumption, 80 per cent of them in low- and middle-income countries. Left unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will rise to more than 8 million by 2030.

In addition, lung cancer, heart disease and other tobacco-related illnesses are part of a broader epidemic of non-communicable diseases, which include strokes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.

"These diseases have become the world's leading cause of mortality," the Secretary-General noted, adding that 60 per cent of all deaths globally are caused by them, with women being the hardest hit.

"That we continue to allow such diseases to be caused by tobacco consumption is a global tragedy. It also comes at vast expense," he added.

Mr. Ban pointed out that economies are harmed by the costs of treating of tobacco-caused diseases and by decreased productivity due to illness and premature death, while families whose members die or become ill due to tobacco use endure an unnecessary financial burden.

Decreasing tobacco use was the theme of this year's Day, and in an effort to raise the public's awareness of the related dangers, the World Health Organization (<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO) had called on governments to require that all tobacco packages include pictures to warn consumers of the ill effects of tobacco use.

WHO said that effective health warnings, especially those that include pictures, have been proven to motivate users to quit and to reduce the appeal of tobacco for those who are not yet addicted.
Jun 1 2009 12:10PM
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DISCUSSIONS ON NEGOTIATING TEXTS ON PACT TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING KICK OFF – UN

DISCUSSIONS ON NEGOTIATING TEXTS ON PACT TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING KICK OFF – UN
New York, Jun 1 2009 11:10AM
Delegates from 182 nations are gathering in Bonn, Germany, today to initiate discussions on negotiating texts which could form the basis of an ambitious United Nations-backed climate change deal, to slash greenhouse gas emissions, expected to be clinched in December.

The two-week Bonn talks, the second round of UN climate change talks this year, are expected to draw over 4,000 participants, including representatives from Governments, the private sector, environmental organizations and research institutions.

The new pact, to be concluded in Copenhagen, Denmark, is intended to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period ends in 2012.

"The political moment is right to reach an agreement," <"http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20090106_opening_pr_sbs_2009.pdf">said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (<"http://unfccc.int/2860.php">UNFCCC). "There is no doubt in my mind that the Copenhagen climate conference in December is going to lead to a result."

The current financial crisis has reinforced the need for a global response to global issues, he added.

The negotiating texts serve as a "starting point" for talks among nations, according to Michael Zammit Cutajar, who chairs the working group for long-term cooperation under the UNFCCC.

Also expected to be discussed in Bonn are how to improve emissions trading and coverage of emissions credits, among other topics.

In recent weeks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been exhorting nations to "seal the deal" on a new climate change pact, warning that cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of taking decisive action now.

"We live in an interconnected world," he <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=500">told business leaders last month. "An effective agreement in Copenhagen would be a powerful vote of confidence in multilateralism. By the same token, failure would be bad news for everyone."
Jun 1 2009 11:10AM
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