SOUTH SUDAN: BAN WELCOMES JAPAN’S CONTRIBUTION OF ENGINEERS TO UN MISSION

SOUTH SUDAN: BAN WELCOMES JAPAN'S CONTRIBUTION OF ENGINEERS TO UN MISSION
New York, Nov 1 2011 7:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed Japan's decision to contribute an engineering company to the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan, saying the unit will boost the mission's capacity to assist the Government to build basic infrastructure and extend State authority.

The Japanese engineering company is scheduled to join the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in January, according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5654">statement issued by the spokesperson of the Secretary-General.

"The Secretary-General expresses his sincere gratitude for the strong commitment shown by Japan to peacekeeping and particularly acknowledges this contribution at a time when Japan is still recovering from the earthquake," said the statement.

Japan was struck by a massive quake in March that triggered a devastating tsunami, which severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, prompting a radiation emergency.

UNMISS currently has a total of 5,600 uniformed personnel. Its authorized maximum strength is up to 7,000 military personnel and 900 police.
Nov 1 2011 7:10PM
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BAN LAUNCHES HIGH-LEVEL GROUP TO MOBILIZE ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL

BAN LAUNCHES HIGH-LEVEL GROUP TO MOBILIZE ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL
New York, Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the members of a high-level group tasked with mobilize action among governments, the private sector and civil society for one of his key initiatives – supporting the provision of clean and affordable energy for everyone.

"From job creation to economic development, from security concerns to health and the status of women, energy lies at the heart of all countries' core interests," Mr. Ban told reporters today at a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=2067">press briefing on the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in New York.

"Energy is the golden thread that runs right through all," he said, adding that the international community needs to work together to minimize the negative effects of fossil-fuel based energy sources and move towards a "clean energy" economy.

The high-level group consists of 46 members who are global leaders in business, finance, government and civil society, and their job is "to catalyze partnerships, commitments and action – in corporate board rooms, in government ministries, and on the ground in thousands of local communities," said Mr. Ban.

The group will help to develop an action agenda to support Mr. Ban's vision statement on his initiative, also released today, which sets three objectives to be achieved by 2030: ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the rate of improvement of energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

Mr. Ban emphasized the relevance of the initiative by highlighting the ways in which affordable energy can alleviate certain aspects of the current economic crisis by helping to "reduce poverty, drive economic dynamism and reduce risks of climate change."

The group will be co-chaired by Kandeh Yumkella, the Chair of UN Energy and the Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Charles Holliday, Chairman of Bank of America. Its other members include Peter Löscher, chief executive of Siemens; Ibrahim Mayaki, the chief executive of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD); and Petter Nore from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, among others.

Mr. Yumkella stressed that "many of the world's most pressing challenges can not be addressed when 20 per cent of humanity has no access to electricity, and nearly 40 per cent rely on charcoal or wood for cooking or heating."

Speaking about the group's mandate, Mr. Yumkella added its goal is "to help change people's lives so they have the access to energy they need to build more productive, healthier lives."

Mr. Ban also called on the General Assembly to lend its support to the high-level group, highlighting during an address this afternoon the importance of gathering political will to achieve the objectives of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.

In addition to the action agenda, the high-level group will announce a range of commitments and partnerships at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio +20, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next June.
Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
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HEAD OF UN HEALTH AGENCY OUTLINES REFORMS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY

HEAD OF UN HEALTH AGENCY OUTLINES REFORMS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY
New York, Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
The head of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today stressed that planned reforms are intended to make the agency more efficient as it strives to improve global health amid multiple challenges that have an impact on human well-being.

"On top of enduring fuel, food, and financial crises, the challenges of climate change, conflicts, emerging and epidemic-prone diseases, ageing populations, bulging cities, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental disorders, disabilities, and rapidly rising health-care costs will certainly aggravate inequities in both health determinants and outcomes within and between countries," said Margaret Chan, the WHO Director-General, <"http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2011/who_reform_01_11/en/index.html">addressing the opening session of the agency's Executive Board special session on reform in Geneva.

"The case for reform is clear. The world needs a strong WHO to lead global efforts to improve health. The world needs a WHO that has a broad and wise vision, is quick to act, and never afraid to act in the interests of public health. [It] requires a WHO that is effective, efficient, transparent, and accountable," said Dr. Chan.

She emphasized that stronger leadership from WHO will align its actions with the priorities and capacities in countries that receive its services in ways that build self-reliance, and add value to investments in health.

Dr. Chan said she looked forward to a future "where the gaps in health outcomes have narrowed and access to universal health care has expanded."

The anticipated reforms should help more developing countries build resilient health systems that are based on the provision of primary health care to enable them achieve their poverty reduction and social development goals, prevent NCDs, and cope with disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and the health hazards of a changing climate.

"Money is tight. Countries and development partners want value for money. They want results that they can measure, and show to taxpayers and parliamentarians. And they want a quick return on their investments.

"Our job as public health officials is to demonstrate a thirst for efficiency and an intolerance of waste. Many of the proposed reforms are driven by this keen desire for efficiency and for measurable results, especially at the country level," she added.
Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
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SOUTH SUDAN: UN MISSION VOICES DEEP CONCERN AFTER DEADLY ATTACK BY REBELS

SOUTH SUDAN: UN MISSION VOICES DEEP CONCERN AFTER DEADLY ATTACK BY REBELS
New York, Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
The United Nations has dispatched peacekeepers and medical staff to the north of South Sudan after members of a rebel group attacked a town at the weekend, killing nearly a dozen people and burning a number of homes.

At least nine civilians, including four children, are confirmed to have been killed in the attack by the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) against Mayom on Saturday morning, and two other people are missing and presumed dead, according to Aleem Siddique, a spokesperson for the UN operation in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Mr. Siddique said armed forces and police officers had eventually repelled the attack and the situation in Mayom, a key town in Unity state, had since calmed.

UNMISS sent a team of peacekeepers, medical staff and civilian experts to the area on Sunday to help local authorities deal with the aftermath of the attack, while the mission also evacuated several wounded civilians to a UN hospital in the town of Bentiu, the state capital.

Mr. Siddique said the mission was deeply concerned by the killings, which followed a warning from the SSLA urging staff from the UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to leave the area for their own safety.

He stressed that UNMISS was not evacuating its staff from either Unity or neighbouring Warrap state.

"We remain firmly committed to serving the people of South Sudan," he said, adding the mission would work closely with state and national authorities in the new country to tackle causes of insecurity.

Since South Sudan became independent in July after a referendum in which voters overwhelmingly backed secession from Sudan, the country has experienced a series of deadly inter-ethnic clashes as well as fighting involving rebel groups opposed to the Government.
Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
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VITAL THAT LESSONS ARE LEARNED FROM JAPANESE NUCLEAR ACCIDENT, SAYS UN OFFICIAL

VITAL THAT LESSONS ARE LEARNED FROM JAPANESE NUCLEAR ACCIDENT, SAYS UN OFFICIAL
New York, Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
Nuclear security is an extremely important issue for all countries and it is vital that the right lessons are learned from the accident at the Japanese power plant earlier this year, the head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told Member States.

Reporting on activities over the past year, Yukiya Amano <"http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/statements/2011/amsp2011n029.html">told the General Assembly that the IAEA has been doing everything it can to help Japan bring the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant under control and to mitigate the consequences of the accident.

Since the accident, which occurred in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March, the international community has mobilized to assess and apply lessons learned. It has discussed the issue at numerous forums and taken concrete steps, including the adoption by the IAEA of an action plan to strengthen nuclear safety.

The action plan includes agreement for a "stress test" of nuclear power plants in all countries with active nuclear programmes, the strengthening of the IAEA peer review system on operational safety, and a review of relevant safety standards and conventions.

"The action plan represents a significant step forward," said Mr. Amano. "It is vital that it is fully implemented in all countries with nuclear power and that the right lessons are learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident."

Despite the accident, he noted, the agency's latest projection is that the number of operating nuclear reactors in the world will continue to increase steadily in the coming decades, although less rapidly than was anticipated before the accident. Most of the growth will occur in countries that already have operating nuclear power plants, such as China and India.

The factors contributing to increasing interest in nuclear power have not changed, said Mr. Amano. These include increasing global demand for energy, as well as concerns about climate change, volatile fossil fuel prices and security of energy supply.

Mr. Amano also reported on the agency's continued safeguards activities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iran and Syria. He urged Iran to take steps to "establish international confidence" in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear programme, and urged DPRK to fully comply with relevant IAEA and Security Council resolutions.

He announced that the agency will hold a forum in Vienna on 21 and 22 November to consider the relevance to the Middle East of the experience of Africa, the South Pacific, South-East Asia, Central Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean in establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones.

A UN-sponsored conference is slated to be held next year on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. All States in the region are expected to attend the meeting, which will be hosted by Finland.
Nov 1 2011 5:10PM
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LIBYA: UN OFFICIAL URGES QUICK INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR MINE ACTION

LIBYA: UN OFFICIAL URGES QUICK INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR MINE ACTION
New York, Nov 1 2011 4:10PM
The United Nations official coordinating efforts to ensure that Libya is free from the threat of landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) following the recent conflict today urged the international community to quickly provide the required assistance for the work to start.

Max Dyck, programme manager for the UN-led Joint Mine Action Coordination Team in Libya (<"http://www.mineaction.org/overview.asp?o=3994&status_flag=L">JMACT), told a news conference at UN Headquarters that although Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) is aware it will have to fund the mine action effort, the interim authorities were not yet in a position to do so.

He said the release of Libya's frozen funds from foreign countries will take time, and that it will also be a while before Tripoli has put in place the mechanisms to receive the funds.

"It's gone take a while to get their systems up into a stage to be able to accept the funds and to be able to put that through to where it is needed," said Mr. Dyck.

"If the nations of the world do not assist the Libyans now in trying to get to grips with this problem, nobody can come back in six months and complain when it winds up in places where they don't want it to. Now is the time to be dealing with it, and now is the time that the world should be helping," he said.

Aside from mines, Libya also faces the problem of ERW and large amounts of unsecured ammunition and weapons systems. Some 440 of the several thousands of air strikes in Libya were carried out against ammunition storage sites, Mr. Dyck said.

"There are also quite large security problems… in terms of movements of munitions around the country, the security of the ammunitions and various weapons systems. It is substantial issues, both humanitarian and security – the NTC are very aware of the issues and are working very closely with us and the various actors in trying to get on top of it," he said.

The Security Council yesterday called on the NTC to take action to prevent the proliferation of arms, missiles and related materiel, warning of the danger they pose country and the region.

In a resolution adopted unanimously, the Council also authorized its committee on Libyan sanctions to draw up proposals for how to keep any stockpiles of arms and materiel away from terrorist groups, including the group known as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

The resolution, adopted hours before the mandate for authorized international military action in Libya came to an end, voiced concern about the proliferation of arms in the region, especially man-portable surface-to-air missiles – otherwise known as MANPADS.
Nov 1 2011 4:10PM
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UN EXPERTS ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES TO REVIEW 400 CASES IN CURRENT SESSION

UN EXPERTS ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES TO REVIEW 400 CASES IN CURRENT SESSION
New York, Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
The United Nations independent human rights experts on enforced or involuntary disappearances today <a herf="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11559&LangID=E">started reviewing more than 400 cases, including recently submitted information on previous ones, and other communications concerning almost 40 countries.

The five-member UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances will hold meetings in Geneva between today and 11 November with government delegations and civil society representatives, as well as with relatives of disappeared persons, to exchange views on individual cases under consideration and on enforced disappearances in general.

The Working Group will also examine allegations submitted by sources regarding obstacles encountered in the implementation of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

It will also hold discussions on two general comments, its methods of work, as well as on past and potential country visits. In addition, it will adopt its annual report, which will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council during its 19th session in March next year.

The Working Group's current 95th session will last until 11 November.

Its Chair-Rapporteur is Jeremy Sarkin (South Africa) and the other members are Ariel Dulitzky (Argentina), Jasminka Dzumhur (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Osman El-Hajjé (Lebanon) and Olivier de Frouville (France).

Created in 1980, the working group's members are independent and report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
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UNICEF CALLS FOR URGENT FUNDING FOR NUTRITION CRISIS IN DPR KOREA

UNICEF CALLS FOR URGENT FUNDING FOR NUTRITION CRISIS IN DPR KOREA
New York, Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today called for funding to assist millions of people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), particularly children and women, who are at risk of becoming severely malnourished.

"If the funding does not arrive and we are unable to keep up our nutrition programmes to treat those children who are severely malnourished, these children will suffer irreversible consequences on their growth and development capacity," <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_60344.html">said Bijaya Rajbhandari, UNICEF Representative in DPRK.

The agency, which has been working in DPRK for over 25 years, has requested $20.4 million for its emergency response for this year but has only received $4.6 million, it stated in a news release. Other agencies working in the country are facing similar funding shortfalls.

"We must continue to address the poor public nutrition situation in DPRK in combination with adequate health, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions which are also underlying factors to the malnutrition situation in DPRK," said Mr. Rajbhandari.

According to UNICEF reports, maternal under-nutrition is of great concern, as over a quarter of women in DPRK aged 15 to 49 are under-nourished.

This puts them at greater risk of delivering infants with low birth weight who are at higher risk of mortality and diseases, increasing widespread chronic malnutrition with catastrophic long-term effects on children's development.

During her recent visit to the DPRK, UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos warned that the country cannot feed its people for the "foreseeable future," and urged the world to step up its humanitarian support for an estimated six million people who now depend on food aid.

Ms. Amos, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported that the country remains "highly food insecure," with daily rations recently reduced, unreliable food supplies, restricted agricultural production and many children left stunted.
Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
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TRACKING 20 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, UN REPORT LAYS OUT CHALLENGES AHEAD

TRACKING 20 YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, UN REPORT LAYS OUT CHALLENGES AHEAD
New York, Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
Concerted and rapid action is urgently needed to curb resource depletion and ensure human activities do not destroy the very environment that supports economies and sustains life, warned a United Nations report released today, which tracks the environmental changes the planet has gone through over the past 20 years.

The report, <i><"http://www.unep.org/GEO/pdfs/Keeping_Track.pdf">Keeping Track of our Changing Environment: From Rio to Rio+20</i>, compiles relevant statistical data on population, climate change, energy and food security among other key issues, to draw a picture of the current environmental landscape, spotlighting challenges ahead.

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said the report was a timely reminder for world leaders of the areas that continue to need urgent attention such as the rapid build-up of greenhouse gases, the erosion of biodiversity and the use of natural resources, which increased by 40 per cent from 1992 to 2005, a much faster pace than population growth.

Other key issues highlighted by the report include ongoing forest loss in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, with a decrease of 300 million hectares of forest areas in the region since 1990, and the diminishing glaciers which have influenced the current rise in sea-levels, threatening the well-being of approximately one sixth of the world's population.

However, Mr. Steiner <"http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=2656&ArticleID=8922&l=en">said the report also highlights areas where progress has been made and "underlines how, when the world decides to act it can dramatically alter the trajectory of hazardous trends that threaten human well-being – action to phase-out ozone-damaging chemicals being a spirited and powerful example."

The report notes that many environmental issues, which were only emerging in 1992, when the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, are now part of mainstream policy-making in many countries due to consumer and civil society demands.

Some of these issues include the implementation of recycling practices, the commercialization of renewable energy, the rise in sales of organic products and eco-labelling, and the use of carbon trading as a way to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, the report draws attention to the increase in the support for developing green economies, with more government investment in ways to effectively manage their resources and curb their carbon emissions as part of their broader economic development strategy.

Mr. Steiner said the upcoming <"http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/">UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro next June could help address the negative effects mentioned in the report and enhance efforts already having a positive impact.

"Rio+20, under the two themes of a Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and an institutional framework for sustainable development, can, with the requisite level of leadership, trigger the necessary switches that may ensure that the balance of negative versus positive trends moves from the red into the black and that the right to development is enjoyed by the many rather than the few," he said.

The report is part of UNEP's Global Environmental Outlook-5 (GEO-5) series, which assesses the state and trends of the global environment. The full GEO-5 report will be launched next May, one month ahead of Rio+20.
Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
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SOMALIA: UN ENVOY CALLS FOR AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE TO REACH FULL STRENGTH

SOMALIA: UN ENVOY CALLS FOR AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE TO REACH FULL STRENGTH
New York, Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
The United Nations envoy for Somalia has stressed the need to bring the strength of the African Union peacekeeping force in the Horn of Africa country to the 12,000 troops mandated by the Security Council, adding that the force also needs the capacity to deal with unconventional tactics of war.

Augustine Mahiga, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, told a <"http://unpos.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1911&ctl=Details&mid=2201&ItemID=15547">news conference in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, yesterday that Al Shabaab insurgents, who are opposed to Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), were increasingly resorting to unconventional warfare, especially the use of bombs and other explosives to carry out acts of terrorism against civilians.

"In this last effort to clear Al Shabaab in north-eastern corner of the city [Mogadishu], we are witnessing a combination" of conventional warfare methods and terrorist attacks, said Mr. Mahiga.

"It is, of course, quite a challenge and in a sense an important reminder to the troop-contributing countries and to the international community that we must expedite the deployment of the remaining 3,000 troops which have been authorized by the Security Council.

"There is the need for reorientation of the fighting forces of AMISOM [African Mission in Somalia] to deal with these unconventional methods of warfare," he said.

Asked about the presence of Kenya troops in Somalia, Mr. Mahiga said the decision to deploy Kenyan forces was a bilateral one between the two countries and was in no way related to the deployment of AMISOM, which has a Security Council mandate.

There are currently 9,000 AMISOM troops in Somalia, including a police element – all of them from Uganda and Burundi, according to Mr. Mahiga. He said there were indications that Djibouti and Sierra Leone could provide some of the 3,000 soldiers required to bring the peacekeeping force to its authorized maximum strength.
Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
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UN AGENCY DELIVERS MORE AID TO QUAKE SURVIVORS IN TURKEY

UN AGENCY DELIVERS MORE AID TO QUAKE SURVIVORS IN TURKEY
New York, Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
The United Nations refugee agency reported today it has airlifted more than 100 tons of relief materials into Turkey to assist survivors of last week's devastating earthquake in the country's southeast.

Two flights at the weekend <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=40234&Cr=Turkey&Cr1=">delivered 1,000 tents and 20,000 blankets, Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR), <"http://www.unhcr.org/4eafee269.html">told reporters in Geneva.

A third flight landed in the city of Erzurum earlier today with more tents and blankets, and the final flight is due to land within the next 24 hours with additional relief items from the agency's stockpile in Dubai, according to Mr. Mahecic.

The aid is likely to be distributed in and around the badly damaged town of Ercis, which is located close to the epicentre of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the area on 23 October. More than 600 people were killed and 4,000 were injured in the earthquake, according to official figures.

In total, UNHCR plans to donate 4,000 tents, 50,000 blankets and 10,000 sleeping mats for the neediest families. The agency is focusing on the well-being of some 2,000 refugees and asylum-seekers known to have been living in the area. Most are Iranian or Afghan nationals.

They are in need of food, water and shelter as autumn and winter in that part of Turkey are harsh, with night temperatures dropping to below freezing.

Relief assistance in the stricken city of Van is increasing with three aid distribution points now operational, according to the UNHCR, which, along with its partners, has been providing updated information to refugees and asylum-seekers.

On Friday, UNHCR sent <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=40223&Cr=turkey&Cr1=">additional teams to support staff who were present during the quake and who volunteered to remain there.

The Turkish Government and local authorities in Van are working on a plan to relocate some people away from the disaster zone. Relocations of registered asylum-seekers and refugees are being organized on a voluntary basis, and UNHCR teams in Van are offering counselling and advice to the people concerned.
Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
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DEAL BETWEEN GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADERS IS ATTAINABLE – UN CHIEF

DEAL BETWEEN GREEK CYPRIOT AND TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADERS IS ATTAINABLE – UN CHIEF
New York, Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today he is confident that a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus issue can be reached, following progress made during two days of talks with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders in New York.

"The sides have made some encouraging progress during these two days on some of the remaining core issues," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=1362">told reporters at UN Headquarters, flanked by Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Dervis Eroglu.

"This has given me confidence that a comprehensive settlement can be achieved. Both leaders have assured me that they believe that they can finalize a deal," he added.

The leaders met with Mr. Ban outside New York City on 30 and 31 October, the fourth such meeting with the UN chief as part of the ongoing talks aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island.

At their previous meeting with the Secretary-General in July, it was agreed that the two sides would intensify the talks to reach convergences on outstanding core issues in the negotiations, which include governance and power-sharing, economy, European Union matters, property, territory and security.

Despite the progress made, Mr. Ban acknowledged that "there is still work to be done." Both leaders have agreed that further efforts are essential over the next two months to move to the "end game of the negotiations," and he has invited them to meet with him again in a similar format in January next year.

"By then, I expect the internal aspects of the Cyprus problem to have been resolved so that we can move to the multilateral conference shortly thereafter," said Mr. Ban.

The UN-backed talks began in 2008 with the aim of setting up a federal government with a single international personality in a bi-zonal, bi-communal country, with Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot constituent states of equal status.
Nov 1 2011 1:10PM
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RISE IN MERCENARY ACTIVITIES WARRANTS URGENT ATTENTION, SAYS UN EXPERT GROUP

RISE IN MERCENARY ACTIVITIES WARRANTS URGENT ATTENTION, SAYS UN EXPERT GROUP
New York, Nov 1 2011 12:10PM
A United Nations expert panel today warned of an alarming resurgence of the use of mercenaries in armed conflict, and called for regulating private military and security companies, whose activities raise numerous human rights challenges.

"Mercenaries pose a threat not only to security, but also to human rights and potentially to the right of peoples to self-determination," said Faiza Patel, who currently heads the <"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Mercenaries/WGMercenaries/Pages/WGMercenariesIndex.aspx">Working Group on the use of mercenaries. "It is crucial that States cooperate to eliminate this phenomenon."

While traditionally mercenaries are understood to be soldiers hired to fight in an armed conflict or to overthrow a government, they have been used by governments in some recent conflicts against their own populations.

In Côte d'Ivoire there is "considerable" evidence that the Government used some 4,500 Liberian mercenaries to avoid the results of a democratic election at the end of 2010, according to a news release issued by the five-member Working Group.

In Libya, foreign fighters' involvement in the repression of peaceful demonstrations was reported earlier this year. Such mercenaries were allegedly recruited from neighbouring African countries and Eastern Europe.

Ms. Patel, who presented the group's report to the General Assembly on Monday, told a news conference at UN Headquarters today that the panel will be visiting both Côte d'Ivoire and Libya in the next few months. Over the past year, it made three country visits – Equatorial Guinea and South Africa in 2010, and Iraq in early 2011.

In addition to mercenaries, the "ever-expanding" activities of private military and security companies continue to raise a number of challenges, Ms. Patel said.

"Providing security to its people is a fundamental responsibility of the State and outsourcing security to private military and security companies creates risks for human rights, hence the need to regulate their activities."

She noted that these companies continue to undertake a growing range of activities in an increasing number of countries from drug-eradication programmes in Colombia to post-conflict reconstruction.

"And it is not just governments who take advantage of their services, but also NGOs [non-governmental organizations], private companies and the United Nations," she added.

For the Working Group, "the potential impact of the widespread activities of private military and security companies on human rights means that they cannot be allowed to continue to operate without adequate regulation and mechanisms to ensure accountability."
Nov 1 2011 12:10PM
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UN EXPERTS WARN OF SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON TIBETAN MONASTERIES IN CHINA

UN EXPERTS WARN OF SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON TIBETAN MONASTERIES IN CHINA
New York, Nov 1 2011 10:10AM
A group of United Nations experts today voiced grave concern over reports of severe human rights restrictions on Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in China's Sichuan province, including intimidation, security raids and surveillance of the sites and religious activities.

"Such restrictive measures not only curtail the right to freedom of religion or belief, but further exacerbate the existing tensions, and are counterproductive," said Heiner Bielefeldt, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

Heavy security measures have been reported in and around the area of the Tibetan Buddhist Kirti monastery, which houses some 2,500 monks, and other monasteries in Aba county, an area of the south-western Chinese province of Sichuan with many ethnic Tibetans.

The measures include security raids and surveillance within monasteries, with police presence inside and outside monasteries to monitor religious activities, according to a <"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11555&LangID=E">news release issued by the experts.

The recent deployment of security forces is reported to include officers in riot gear, soldiers with automatic rifles, and trucks and armed personnel on the streets leading to the monastery.

"Intimidation of the lay and monastic community must be avoided, and the right of members of the monastic community, and the wider community to freely practice their religion, should be fully respected and guaranteed by the Chinese Government," stressed Mr. Bielefeldt.

The measures have resulted in increased tensions between the Chinese authorities and members of the monastic community, particularly since March, a period which has seen a rise in protests by both lay persons and members of the monastic community calling for religious freedom.

Frank La Rue, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, voiced his "deep concern about allegations of restrictions to Internet access and mobile messaging services within Aba county, as well as journalists' lack of access to the region."

He stated that rather than taking such measures, the Government should instead "listen to and address the legitimate grievances of the monastic community."

The severe restrictions on freedoms of religion, expression and association, have led to hundreds of monks reportedly leaving the monastery, with many being arrested or subjected to enforced disappearance.

"Any enforced disappearance is unacceptable and such practices are in violation of international law," said the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, Jeremy Sarkin.

He also voiced concern that a proposed revision to the Chinese criminal procedure law will legalize enforced disappearances in the country.

"This heinous practice is not permitted under any circumstances. No exceptional circumstances whatsoever may be invoked to justify an enforced disappearance."

Meanwhile, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention spoke out about the recurring practice of arbitrary arrests and detention of monks in the area of Sichuan province.

"No individual can be arrested on the ground of peacefully exercising the rights and freedoms guaranteed under international human rights law," stressed El Hadji Malick Sow, the Group's Chair-Rapporteur.

The Independent Expert on minority issues, Rita Izsák, and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, also voiced their concerns regarding the measures imposed by the Chinese authorities.

UN human rights experts work in an independent and unpaid capacity, and report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Nov 1 2011 10:10AM
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SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS ON LIBYAN AUTHORITIES TO STEM PROLIFERATION OF ARMS

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS ON LIBYAN AUTHORITIES TO STEM PROLIFERATION OF ARMS
New York, Nov 1 2011 10:10AM
The Security Council has called on interim authorities in Libya to take action to prevent the proliferation of arms, missiles and related materiel, warning of the danger they pose to the newly liberated North African country and the wider region.

In a resolution adopted unanimously yesterday, Council members also authorized its committee on Libyan sanctions to draw up proposals for how to keep any stockpiles of arms and materiel away from terrorist groups, including the group known as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

The resolution, adopted hours before the mandate for authorized international military action in Libya came to an end, voiced concern about the proliferation of arms in the region, especially man-portable surface-to-air missiles – otherwise known as MANPADS.

The text said Libyan authorities must take "all necessary steps to prevent the proliferation of all arms and related materiel of all types, in particular man-portable surface-to-air missiles, to ensure their proper custody, as well as to meet Libya's arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation obligations under international law."

Council members called on Libyan authorities to work closely with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) with the aim of destroying the country's stockpiles of chemical weapons. In addition, States in the region were asked to play their part to prevent arms proliferation.

The committee set up after sanctions were imposed earlier this year was asked "to assess the threats and challenges, in particular related to terrorism, posed by the proliferation of all arms and related materiel of all types."

A report will be prepared by the committee on preventing proliferation, as well as on how to ensure that any stockpiles are managed safely and securely, that border controls are strengthened and that transport security is boosted.

Last week Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) declared the full liberation of the country, more than eight months after a popular uprising began against the regime of Muammar al-Qadhafi, and days after his death in his home town of Sirte.

The uprising in Libya was part of the so-called Arab Spring, a wider pro-democracy movement across North Africa and the Middle East that has also led to the toppling of long-standing regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.
Nov 1 2011 10:10AM
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