Noon Briefings

The Secretary-General, reporting to the General Assembly on the G-20 Summit in Cannes, said that the repercussions of the Greek crisis and the threat of contagion to other Eurozone economies had dominated the event. His message to leaders was nonetheless consistent: Do not overlook the most vulnerable people.

The Secretary-General today told the Security Council that protection of civilians in armed conflict situations requires: compliance with humanitarian law; compliance by non-State actors; appropriately resourced peacekeepers; better humanitarian access to those affected; and stronger accountability.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said today that the death toll in Syria now exceeds 3,500. High Commissioner Navi Pillay is deeply concerned about the situation and by the Syrian Government's failure to take heed of international and regional calls for an end to the bloodshed.

The World Food Programme has reached 60,000 people affected by flooding in Cambodia with food assistance. It aims to reach 150,000 people — first with emergency supplies, and then eventually with food-for-work and other schemes in a recovery phase.

The Secretary-General said today that the Cannes summit must be about more than financial fire-fighting. It is time to write a new social contract that includes a Global Jobs Pact. At a time of crisis and confusion, discord and division, inequality and injustice, everyone is called to moral battle once again.

The Secretary-General and General Assembly President met today with members of the Libyan National Transitional Council and civil society. To the press, the Secretary-General said he was honoured to visit Tripoli at this historic moment and to salute the brave people of Libya, who had paid a heavy price for freedom.

Suicide bombers and gunmen attacked a UN compound in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, this morning, killing three employees of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and wounding two others. António Guterres, the High Commissioner for Refugees, has said “this is a tragedy for UNHCR and for the families of the dead and wounded”.

The Secretary-General addressed the Security Council’s open meeting on women, peace and security today, and he said that women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution remains low. This has to change, he said, adding that he is determined that the UN system should lead by example.

The Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution this morning which ended specific measures on the no-fly zone and protection of civilians in Libya, as of one minute before midnight on the last day of October. The Council also welcomed recent positive developments in Libya, but also expressed grave concern about continuing reports of reprisals, arbitrary detentions, wrongful imprisonment and extrajudicial executions.

This morning, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, Ian Martin, briefed the Security Council, telling them that Muammar and Motassim Qadhafi were mistreated and killed in circumstances which require investigation. Such killings were contrary to the orders of the National Transitional Council, and he welcomed their announcement of an investigation.