Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe opened the Security Council’s debate on the Middle East today by warning of heightened tensions in both the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Lebanon. On the Israeli-Palestinian track, he expressed serious concern at the continuing lack of progress; on the dissolution of the coalition Government in Lebanon, he called for dialogue among all Lebanese leaders to address the current political situation.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
This morning, the Security Council heard from the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, Haile Menkerios, about the referendum for Southern Sudan that has just concluded. In an open briefing, Menkerios said that the conclusion of the referendum marks an historic milestone in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
Speaking to reporters earlier today in the United Arab Emirates, the Secretary-General said he was closely monitoring developments in Lebanon and he reiterated his strong support for the independent work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The independent judicial process should not be linked with any political debate, he said, cautioning against prejudging the outcome of the investigation.
Last night, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Côte d’Ivoire, Choi Young-Jin, went to the PK-18 area of the Abobo neighborhood of Abidjan to monitor the security situation there. The situation in Abobo has been tense in the last few days. Mr. Choi’s delegation to Abobo is intended to assure the protection of the civilian population who face the risk of human rights violations from forces in Laurent Gbagbo’s camp.
The Secretary-General will address a wreath-laying ceremony this afternoon at UN Headquarters to mark the first anniversary of the Haiti earthquake of 12 January 2010. After a symbolic silence of 47 seconds - the duration of the quake - the Secretary-General will express solidarity with the people of Haiti, as well as the families of 102 United Nations colleagues who lost their lives.
The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the recent reports of clashes in the Abyei area of Sudan. He condemns the reported loss of life and says the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) has intensified its patrolling activities on the ground and is on standby to reinforce its peacekeeping presence if the need arises.
The Secretary-General deplores yesterday’s destruction of the Shepherd’s Hotel in occupied East Jerusalem to make way for new settlement units in the heart of a Palestinian neighbourhood, which only serves to heighten tensions. It is deeply regrettable that growing international concern at unilateral expansion of illegal Israeli settlements is not being heeded.
The Secretary-General chaired a video and telephone conference call earlier on Friday on the Southern Sudan referendum, recent fighting in Darfur and developments in the Doha peace process. He was briefed by Ibrahim Gambari, UN Mission in Sudan head Haile Menkerios, Chairman of the Sudan Referendum Panel President Benjamin Mkapa, and Djibril Bassole, the Join UN-African Union Mediator for Darfur.
Members of the Secretary-General’s panel tasked with monitoring the upcoming referendum on self-determination in Sudan arrived in Khartoum. The three-member panel will travel countrywide this month to monitor the polling, counting and aggregation of results phases of the referendum on the future of Southern Sudan. The polling is expected to end on 15 January; final results to be declared on or about 6 February.
The UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire, UNOCI, is calling for the immediate cessation of the negative campaign carried out by Laurent Gbagbo’s camp via Radio Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI). The mission says that RTI has continually broadcast images of two injured persons presented as victims of shootings by a UNOCI patrol in Abobo.