Yearly Archives: 2006
Lebanon Calls for Cease-Fire Under UN
AP: “In an emotional televised speech, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora called on the United Nations to broker an immediate cease-fire to end Israel’s land, sea and air offensive against Lebanon.
He also pledged to reassert government authority all over Lebanese territory – suggesting the possibility of deploying the Lebanese army in the south, which Hezbollah effectively controls. That would meet a repeated U.N. and U.S. demand.”
“Love, Labor, Loss”
“A few weeks ago I attended a film fest with my oldest daughter Tonya Sargent. One of the films we watched was a documentary called “Love, Labor, Loss” that told the story of women with fistulas, or holes, caused by obstructed labour…. Fistulas mainly affect women who live in poverty in the developing world and can’t obtain quality health care, mostly in Africa, Asia and some Arab states. As a result of this condition, they are often shunned and ostracized by society. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), obstetric fistula affects an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 women around the world every year.” [More]
Sudan Under Pressure to Accept UN Darfur Mission
“World powers will next week press Sudan to accept a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur amid reports of increasing violence in the province.
Tens of thousands have been killed and 2.5 million people forced into camps during three years of rape, murder and pillage in Darfur, in lawless western Sudan.” [Read more]
Annan to Send Team to Middle East to Urge Restraint
Reuters: “U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is sending a three-person team to the Middle East to urge all parties to exercise restraint and help defuse the major crisis in the region, a spokesman said on Thursday…. Vijay Nambiar, Annan’s political adviser, is to head the team. The other members are U.N. Middle East envoys Terje Roed Larsen and Alvaro de Soto.”
Nations Sending Iran to Security Council
“World powers agreed Wednesday to send Iran back to the United Nations Security Council for possible punishment, saying the clerical regime has given no sign it means to negotiate seriously over its disputed nuclear program.
The United States and other permanent members of the powerful U.N. body said Iran has had long enough to say whether it will meet the world’s terms to open bargaining that would give Tehran economic and energy incentives in exchange for giving up suspicious activities.” [Full story]
Correcting the Record on the Human Rights Council
There have been some misstatements recently about the membership of the new UN Human Rights Council by members of Congress who wish to starve it of US funding. Let’s correct the record.
Senator Norm Coleman issued a statement condemning the Council because its members “include many of the worst human rights violators who had made a mockery of the previous commission — Cuba, Iran and Syria.” But Syria and Iran are not on the new Council. In fact, Iran stood for membership, but was not approved by a vote of the General Assembly.
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The SC; HRC; DPRK; South Sudan
The SC: The Security Council today held its last consultations under the Council Presidency of ROK. Tomorrow, Russia will take over the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for March under Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
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The SG; Mali; Middle East; Palestine
The SG: At the Fifth Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Vienna, Austria today, the SG emphasized the role of youth in ensuring a “prosperous, equitable and peaceful future.”
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The SG; DRC; HRC; Palestinian Prisoner
The SG: In Ethiopia over the weekend, the SG is now in the United Arab Emirates. Today he met with Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, where the two discussed developments in the region, including Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and in the Middle East Peace Process.
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