BAN DISCUSSES LIBYA WITH OBAMA; URGES PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR VIOLENCE

BAN DISCUSSES LIBYA WITH OBAMA; URGES PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR VIOLENCE
New York, Feb 28 2011 9:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held talks on Libya with United States President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., today, later stating that Muammar Al-Qadhafi's regime had declared war on its own people and must be brought to account for possible crimes against humanity.

"We agreed that the international community must stand firmly together during this historic transition toward a more democratic, secure and prosperous Middle East," Mr. Ban said of his talks with Mr. Obama in the Oval Office, praising the president's "firm leadership" and telling Mr. Qadhafi that he should listen to his people's call to leave. The crisis in Libya has seen elements of Mr. Qadhafi's government use deadly force in its repression of protesters.

Earlier Monday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said he would decide "without delay" whether to open an investigation into whether the violent repression of peaceful protesters amounted to crimes against humanity, stressing that there would be no impunity for guilty leaders.

On Saturday, in a unanimously adopted resolution, the Security Council imposed sanctions against the Libyan authorities, placing an arms embargo against the country and freezing the assets of its leaders, while referring the ongoing violent repression of civilian demonstrators to the ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands.

<"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1736">Speaking to reporters at Washington, D.C.'s Holocaust Museum after his White House visit, Mr. Ban said the Council's actions are "important and unprecedented, and I'll make sure that these measures are implemented swiftly."

Already last week, Mr. Ban condemned Mr. Qadhafi's actions against protestors as possible crimes against humanity, calling for the punishment of those who "brutally shed" the blood of innocents. Media reports on the number of people killed range from the hundreds into the thousands.

It was a message he underscored in a statement delivered at the Holocaust Museum, in which he recalled that 70 years ago six million people were murdered at the instigation of a state.

"This museum commemorates that appalling truth," he said. "It calls upon us to remember – and to act. 'Never again,'" the Secretary-General said. "Once again, we are being tested. In Libya, a regime that has lost all legitimacy has declared war on its people. It is up to us, the community of nations, to stand against this crime… Gross violations of human rights will not be tolerated; those responsible will be punished."

In response to a question afterwards, Mr. Ban said Mr. Qadhafi had lost his legitimacy when he declared war on his people. "I sincerely hope and urge him to listen to his people's call," he added. "That's my message to him."

'Never Again' is a clarion call to moral action, the UN chief said, stressing that it is for all people in all places – whether in Côte d'Ivoire where civilians are being killed as they stand for democracy, or in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region, or in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the UN is working to prevent some of the darkest crimes against humanity.

"History's most tragic chapters are written when we fail to heed that call. Let us not fall short. Together, let the world speak loud and clear – through action," he added.

Meanwhile, the ICC prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said his office – which has to decide whether an investigation into crimes against humanity should be opened – is assessing allegations of widespread or systematic attacks against civilians, and liaising with relevant bodies, including the Arab League, African Union, UN Council on Human Rights, UN High Commission for Human Rights, and with states to collect the required information.

"Information suggests that forces loyal to President Muammar Qadhafi are attacking civilians in Libya," he said in a statement. "This could constitute crimes against humanity and must stop. The Office will act swiftly and impartially. There will be no impunity for leaders involved in the commission of crimes."

The prosecutor is interested in receiving footage and images to confirm the alleged crimes, the statement added, noting that it is liaising with Libyan officials and army officers for information on the identity of authorities with command and control over the organizations allegedly involved in the crimes.

Stressing that the prosecutor has to act impartially, the statement said the next step will be to decide whether to open an investigation, and eventually collect evidence and request an arrest warrant against those identified as the most responsible. In accordance with its mandate to end impunity and to contribute to the prevention of future crimes, the prosecutor will act without delay, it added.

The ICC President, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, welcomed the Security Council's resolution from Saturday as an expression of trust in the court's role "as the first permanent and independent international judicial institution with jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole."
Feb 28 2011 9:10PM
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UN CHIEF ENCOURAGES PHILANTHROPISTS TO INVEST MORE IN EDUCATION

UN CHIEF ENCOURAGES PHILANTHROPISTS TO INVEST MORE IN EDUCATION
New York, Feb 28 2011 7:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today lauded the role philanthropists play in facilitating access to education and encouraged them to commit more resources to improve quality and ensure that even the most marginalized children have opportunities to acquire education.

"The world needs you to do even more: more giving, more advocacy, more sharing best practices and more teamwork, including with the United Nations," the Secretary-General said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5115">speech delivered on his behalf by his Chef de Cabinet, Vijay Nambiar, to a special event in New York to strengthen partnership between the United Nations and the philanthropic community.

The event, "<I>Partnering with the philanthropic community to promote education for all</I>," organized by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), brought together four hundred philanthropists, corporate and civil society leaders to UN Headquarters to share best practices and lessons to boost global private funding for the education of boys and girls.

In his remarks to the event, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the role played by philanthropic investments in spearheading innovation and providing the impetus for wider reforms.

"They are leveraging technology and providing new models of community involvement; they are bringing added value to your companies and society alike," the Secretary-General said, while also thanking the philanthropic community for its wide-ranging engagement.

He outlined three ways in which more could be done: first, by making multi-year commitments to investments in education that address the root of the education deficit; second, by joining existing multi-partner efforts; and thirdly, by solving critical bottlenecks such as in teacher preparation, the monitoring of school and student performance and finding alternatives for scarce school supplies such as textbooks.

Mr. Ban noted that the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has said that achieving the Education for All goals will require a global investment of $16 billion. Launched in 1990, the Education for All movement is a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all children, youth and adults, through six key education goals which aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015.

The Secretary-General also noted that nearly two million teachers will be needed by 2015 to achieve the global goal of universal primary education. "All of this requires greater investment. That is where the philanthropic community can play such a critical role," he said.

Mr. Ban acknowledged the austerity characterizing current economic conditions but pointed out that education is a long-term investment that will help countries to recover and spur economic growth.

"Let us support proven efforts, take these to scale and find innovative ways to help those hardest to reach," the Secretary-General said in his remarks, adding "those 67 million children waiting for a chance for education and opportunity should not have to wait any longer."

In his remarks to the event, the President of ECOSOC, Lazarous Kapambwe, encouraged philanthropists to continue supporting the less fortunate and also explore other ways of improving the quality of education. "Philanthropy should continue to do what it does best – helping the marginalized and vulnerable catch up, while not shying away from risk either," he said.

Addressing the event, UNESCO's Executive Director, Irina Bokova, praised the role the philanthropic community played in increasing learning opportunities and stimulating innovation. "We need to strengthen this dialogue and work together with governments and communities to accelerate progress and enable all children, youth and adults to enjoy access to quality education," Ms. Bokova said.

Of the grants announced at the event today, the Dublin-based Cathal Ryan Trust contributed $14 million to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to build schools in Sri Lanka for 6,000 children and rehabilitate health-care facilities for 25,000 children under the age of five, 5,000 pregnant women and 5,000 lactating women.

Symantec's contribution of $900,000 – in addition to $100,000 given last year to the non-governmental organization, Room to Read – will enable more than 20,000 boys and girls in India gain access to quality education programmes.

Western Union Foundation's $500,000 contribution to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) will enable migrants from the Philippines and Morocco living and working abroad to contribute to sustainable local development, including education, in their home countries. The contribution is part of a $1.1 million grant from the Western Union Foundation to support UN efforts to advance the Millennium Development Goals.

Last November, telecommunications giant Nokia contributed between $5 million and $10 million to UNESCO to promote the use of mobile technologies in education projects worldwide.
Feb 28 2011 7:10PM
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UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS MURDER OF PAKISTANI JOURNALIST

UNESCO CHIEF CONDEMNS MURDER OF PAKISTANI JOURNALIST
New York, Feb 28 2011 6:10PM
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with protecting the freedom of expression today condemned the killing of a Pakistani journalist, Abdost Rind, in the south-western province of Balochistan, and voiced concern over the safety of media professionals in the country.

"The killing of Abdos Rind raises further concern over the ability of media workers in Pakistan to exercise the fundamental human right of freedom of expression," said the Director-General of the UN Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, in a <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_condems_murder_of_pakistani_journalist_abdost_rind_in_balochistan/">statement.

Mr. Rind, who had been working for an Urdu language newspaper, the Daily Eagle, is reported to have been shot repeatedly by unidentified assailants on 18 February while on his way home from work. He is the second media worker killed in Balochistan this year, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

The press freedom advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders, has said that 11 journalists were killed in Pakistan last year, making it the most dangerous place in the world for the profession.
Feb 28 2011 6:10PM
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UN MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DESTRUCTION OF GIANT BUDDHA STATUES IN AFGHANISTAN

UN MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF DESTRUCTION OF GIANT BUDDHA STATUES IN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Feb 28 2011 6:10PM
On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the giant Buddha statues of Bamiyan, in Afghanistan, by the then-ruling fundamentalist Islamic Taliban, the United Nations cultural chief today called on the world to protect the heritage of humanity from damage, turmoil and theft.

"The two monumental statues had stood for one and a half millennia as proud testimonies to the greatness of our shared humanity," the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, said in a <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/ten_years_on_remembering_the_tragic_destruction_of_the_giant_buddha_statues_of_bamiyan_afghanistan/">statement. "They were destroyed in the context of the conflict devastating Afghanistan and to undermine the power of culture as a cohesive force for the Afghan people."

Ms. Bokova noted that UNESCO and the world "watched helplessly" ten years ago as Taliban Government leader Mullah Mohammed Omar ordered tanks and artillery to bombard and dynamite the huge statues carved in enormous mountain niches, beginning on 2 March 2001.

"Since then, we have witnessed other instances where cultural heritage has fallen prey to conflict, political turmoil and misappropriation," she added, calling on governments, educators and the media to raise awareness of various international accords preserving cultural properties and banning looting, smuggling and the illicit trade in cultural objects.

Tolerance and cultural rapprochement will be the theme of a commemorative forum at UNESCO's Paris headquarters on 2 March, followed by the 9th Bamiyan Expert Working Group on 3 and 4 March – both of which are being organized with Afghanistan's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.

Formed in 2002, the Expert Working Group brings together Afghan officials, international experts, donors and other stakeholders with the aim of safeguarding Bamiyan. The future of the niches and options to present the remains of the Buddha statue will be among the subjects to be examined by the group next month.

UNESCO does not favour rebuilding the Buddha statues, but the experts will examine other ways to present the remains and niches while maintaining research and preservation at the site, which testifies to the region's rich Gandhara school of Buddhist art that integrated different cultural influences from East and West during the 1st to 13th centuries.

The site contains numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices from the Islamic period.
Feb 28 2011 6:10PM
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SENIOR UN OFFICIAL TO VISIT DR CONGO AHEAD OF MASS VACCINATION FOR POLIO OUTBREAK

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL TO VISIT DR CONGO AHEAD OF MASS VACCINATION FOR POLIO OUTBREAK
New York, Feb 28 2011 6:10PM
With a polio outbreak rapidly spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) begins a four-day visit tomorrow to meet with key government officials ahead of a mass campaign to vaccinate over 14 million children.

"UNICEF will do everything we can to support the DRC's collective effort to defeat this evil virus once and for all," UNICEF's Executive Director, Anthony Lake, <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_57751.html">said from Brussels ahead of the visit. "Eradicating polio in DRC and everywhere requires an absolute commitment by government and its partners to vaccinate every child."

The DRC has witnessed a sharp resurgence of polio as conditions in the country continue to complicate vaccination efforts, potentially undermining global eradication of the crippling disease. From January 2010 to February 2011, there were 112 new cases. In 2009, only three cases were detected.

In response, preparations are underway to go door to door to vaccinate more than 14 million children by the end of May. The aim is to make sure that no child is left unprotected.

This is Mr. Lake's second visit in 2011 to support polio eradication in western Africa. At the end of January, he was in Angola where a major outbreak has spread into two neighbouring countries.

In the second part of his current mission, he will travel to eastern DRC to meet with survivors of sexual violence and children affected by the conflict, as well as volunteers and partners working on the crisis.

An estimated 200,000 women have been raped in the DRC during the last 12 years. Since the beginning of 2011, 120 alleged cases of rape have been perpetrated by both rebels and the national army in the country's east, where more than 300 civilians, including some boys and men, were raped in a single weekend last summer by members of rebel armed groups.

Earlier this month, in a move welcomed by the UN, a DRC national army commander, Lt. Col. Kibibi Mutware, was jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of crimes against humanity for sending his troops to rape, beat and loot the population of Fizi during the night of 1-2 January 2011. Judges also sentenced three officers serving under the commander to 20 years in jail and five soldiers to between 10 and 15 years.

It was the first time that a high-ranking commander and several other personnel serving with the Congolese national armed forces were arrested, tried and sentenced for conflict-related sexual violence.

Since 1999 UN peacekeeping missions in the DRC have overseen the vast country's emergence from years of civil war and factional chaos, culminating most notably in 2006 with the first democratic elections in over four decades.

But fighting has continued with various rebel forces amid frequent reports of rape and other abuses in the east, where the bulk of UN forces, currently comprising over 19,000 uniformed personnel, are deployed.
Feb 28 2011 6:10PM
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AMID REPORTS OF CONTINUED VIOLENCE IN LIBYA, UN RAMPS UP HUMANITARIAN AID

AMID REPORTS OF CONTINUED VIOLENCE IN LIBYA, UN RAMPS UP HUMANITARIAN AID
New York, Feb 28 2011 5:10PM
Faced with an exodus of refugees from Libya amid reported violence by President Muammar Al-Qadhafi's loyalists, potential food and medical shortages and growing insecurity, the United Nations is ramping up aid efforts within the country, along the borders and inside its neighbours.

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, announced today that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which she heads, is rapidly deploying a team to Cairo to reinforce the UN Resident Coordinator in Tripoli, Libya's capital, and put in place immediately coordination mechanisms.

Resident Coordinators are the designated representatives of the Secretary-General for development operations.

"The humanitarian arm of the United Nations is taking all measures to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality," Ms. Amos told a news conference in New York, noting that OCHA's new Director of the Coordination and Response Division, John Ging – previously the top UN official in Gaza – is now in Cairo to oversee this process.

The crisis in Libya has seen Libyan President Muammar Al-Qadhafi's government use deadly force in its repression of protesters. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has spoken out, including to the Libyan leader, on the need to stop the violence, respect human rights and heed the aspirations and calls of the demonstrators.

In her remarks to the press, Ms. Amos voiced deep concern at "the alarming reports" of continued violence in Libya, citing accounts that civilians including women and children have been gravely injured, with estimates of dead and wounded ranging from hundreds to thousands, while more than 100,000 people have so far fled to neighbouring countries – 61,000 to Egypt, 40,000 to Tunisia, and 1,000 to Niger.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has deployed teams to Egypt and Tunisia and is working with the Tunisian Government to establish a camp, flying in 10,000 tents and other basic materials over the past weekend. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has sent trauma and surgical kits to Benghazi, the eastern city held by anti-Qadhafi forces, calling the health situation precarious.

"Governments have shown incredible generosity and ordinary people, particularly in Tunisia, have been hosting people in their homes," Ms. Amos said, calling on Egypt and Tunisia to keep their borders open to those fleeing and on European Union countries also to help.

She noted that the majority of people entering Tunisia are Tunisian migrant workers, but the government there has asked for help to respond to the needs of non-Tunisian nationals, amid concerns over the provision of water and sanitation.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) is dispatching staff to the Egyptian and Tunisian borders to assess needs and "do contingency planning for delivering food assistance to people affected by the violence inside Libya, if there is a need and once the security situation allows," she said.

"First-hand accounts from people arriving at the borders mention shortages in food, petrol and medical supplies," Ms. Amos added. "Libya depends on food imports and could see a potential interruption in its food supply chain due to the unrest."

While there is no clear information on internal population movements inside Libya "there are concerns that Libyans deeper inside the country and in the capital are being prevented from fleeing," the humanitarian chief said.

She added that a primary concern is getting access to Tripoli and neighbouring areas where the security situation is "extremely volatile," noting that according to reports supplies have managed to get through in Benghazi and the east, where the situation is "almost normal."

"We want to go in to do proper assessments," Ms. Amos said. "We're seeing, of course, terrible photographs on our television screens as people are fleeing, but we need to have a proper sense of what the needs are."
Feb 28 2011 5:10PM
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BAN CALLS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ARMS EMBARGO IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE

BAN CALLS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ARMS EMBARGO IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE
New York, Feb 28 2011 4:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for full compliance with the arms embargo placed on Côte d'Ivoire, in the wake of reports that attack helicopters have been provided to forces loyal to former president Laurent Gbagbo.

"The Secretary-General demands full compliance with the arms embargo and warns both the supplier of this military equipment and Mr. Gbagbo that appropriate action will be taken in response to the violation," Mr. Ban's spokesperson said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5113">statement issued overnight, which said that the reported delivery of the helicopters and other material could be "a serious violation" of the arms embargo, mandated by the Security Council, which has been in place since 2004.

Côte d'Ivoire has been caught in a political deadlock with growing reports of tension and violence – between rival groups as well as on UN peacekeepers – since Mr. Gbagbo refused to leave office after he was defeated by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara in a presidential election held last November.

The spokesperson's statement added that the violation of the embargo has been brought to the attention of the Security Council committee charged with the responsibility for sanctions against Côte d'Ivoire.

Speaking to the press today, Mr. Ban's spokesperson stated that the UN peacekeeping mission in the West African country – the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) – reported that a flight carrying some of the helicopter parts landed at the capital, Yamoussoukro. A team made up of members of the group of experts and an UNOCI officer travelled to the city's airport but was unable to verify the information and was forced to withdraw when they were fired upon by armed elements.

On Monday, some media reports identified Belarus as the source of the helicopters and equipment. In a statement posted on the website of the country's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, in New York, the spokesperson from Belarus' foreign ministry denied the reports, noting that "the Republic of Belarus has always regarded UN Security Council's decisions very responsibly."

In the statement issued overnight, Mr. Ban's spokesperson said the Secretary-General has asked UNOCI to monitor the situation closely and to take all necessary action, within its mandate, to ensure that the delivered equipment is not prepared for use.

Last week, the Secretary-General reiterated his deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Côte d'Ivoire. Last year's election was meant to be the culmination of efforts to reunify the country, which was split by civil war in 2002 into a government-controlled south and a rebel-held north.<p class="kword">Cote</p>
Feb 28 2011 4:10PM
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SECURITY COUNCIL STRESSES NEED FOR DUE PROCESS IN AL-QAIDA SANCTIONS REGIME

SECURITY COUNCIL STRESSES NEED FOR DUE PROCESS IN AL-QAIDA SANCTIONS REGIME
New York, Feb 28 2011 3:10PM
While underlining the importance of the United Nations sanctions regime against individuals and entities linked to the Taliban or Al-Qaida as an essential tool in fighting terrorism, the Security Council today also stressed the need for fair and due process for those implicated.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/sc10189.doc.htm">presidential statement, the 15-member body welcomed the first report of the Office of the Ombudsperson, which it set up 14 months ago to help the Council's Sanctions Committee decide on the merit of petitions by people or entities seeking to be removed from the so-called Consolidated List that imposes mandatory assets freezes, travel bans and arms embargoes.

The List stems from Council resolution 1267 of 1999 and related resolutions requiring all member states to impose sanctions on Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and those associated with them.

"The Security Council underlines the important role of the ombudsperson in ensuring fair and clear procedures for individuals designated pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and encourages individuals seeking delisting from the Consolidated List to pursue their case through the ombudsperson," the statement said, adding that it intends to renew the office's mandate when it expires in June.

In her report, Ombudsperson Kimberly Prost underscored the office's key tasks of independence and accessibility, noting that so far it had received seven de-listing requests and accepted six of them for investigation, all involving association with Al-Qaida – five of them from individuals and one from an entity.

"In particular, the aim is to make maximum use of the accorded mandate to provide fair and due process to petitioners," she wrote, stressing that she was trying to draw out as much information about the specific cases as possible from states and, while strictly adhering to confidentiality constraints, presenting it to the petitioner so that he or she can be fully informed of the case against him or her.

She noted the office's ability to provide detailed information and thorough analysis to assist the Committee depends heavily on the cooperation of states, which have so far been cooperative, but cited possible confidentiality restrictions that would prevent disclosing the identity of the designating state to the petitioner as a potential impediment to the delivery of effective due process.

"A petitioner may face a significant disadvantage in answering a case without knowing the identity of the state or states that proposed the listing," she wrote. She also called for the provision of resources "commensurate with its responsibilities and case load," including for travel where necessary, noting that "existing cases are already taxing the resources to the maximum and it is anticipated that this case load will continue to grow."

The Council said it would respond to Ms. Prost's observations and requests when renewing the office's mandate in June.

The Consolidated List currently comprises 256 individuals and 92 entities linked to Al-Qaida and 137 individuals linked to the Taliban, while 45 individuals and 45 entities have been de-listed, including 12 Taliban individuals, nine Taliban entities, 33 Al-Qaida individuals and 36 Al-Qaida entities.

Echoing past resolutions and statements, the Council denounced terrorism as "one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, the enjoyment of human rights, the social and economic development of all member states," stressed that it undermined global stability and prosperity, and recalled its own "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security under the Charter of the United Nations."
Feb 28 2011 3:10PM
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UN POLITICAL CHIEF PLEDGES ORGANIZATION’S CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR TRANSITION IN EGYPT

UN POLITICAL CHIEF PLEDGES ORGANIZATION'S CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR TRANSITION IN EGYPT
New York, Feb 28 2011 2:10PM
The United Nations stands ready to support Egypt's political transition, the United Nation's top political official has said, noting the world body understands that the process must be led by Egyptians.

"The UN fully respects and understands that Egypt's transition must be done by and for Egyptians – this is and must be an Egyptian process," the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, said at a press conference in Cairo on Monday at the end of a visit to Egypt. "The UN will be ready to support Egypt wherever that is useful and wherever our help is sought."

Hosni Mubarak, who led Egypt as president for three decades, stepped down on 11 February after weeks of anti-government protests by crowds calling for greater democracy and respect of human rights.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had recently asked Mr. Pascoe to lead a high-level delegation to Egypt to speak with the government and a wide range of Egyptians in order to get a first-hand impression of the transition taking place and to explore how the UN can be of assistance.  Other members of the delegation included the Executive Secretary of UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia, Rima Khalaf, and an Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Development Programme, Amat Al Alim Asoswa.

"We cam here, first and foremost, to listen," Mr. Pascoe said in his remarks to the press.

He added that transitions are not easy and need to be comprehensive, both economically and politically as both areas impact on each other. He also expressed appreciation for the spirit of dialogue encountered during meetings with Egyptian government ministers, noting that "they seemed open and interested in the role that the UN could play."

"I should emphasize that we are hardly starting from scratch – we already have a significant programme here in Egypt and the real issue is how and where we adjust and expand it to meet the needs of the time," Mr. Pascoe said.

In addition to meeting government officials, the delegation also had discussions with a wide range of representatives from civil society, including a group of about 20 young men and women – Egyptian youth played a major role in the anti-government protests which helped spark the transition.

"I must say I cane away from those discussions with feeling that the future of Egypt is very promising indeed," Mr. Pascoe said. "We were left in absolutely no doubt that Egyptians will continue the work they have started. We all feel that Egyptians have a right to be proud of the country as a whole and of their young people in particular."<br>
<br>
The delegation also discussed the regional situation, including Libya, with the Egyptian authorities and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa.  
Feb 28 2011 2:10PM
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CYPRIOT LEADERS HOLD UN-SPONSORED TALKS ON REUNIFICATION; MEET AGAIN ON FRIDAY

CYPRIOT LEADERS HOLD UN-SPONSORED TALKS ON REUNIFICATION; MEET AGAIN ON FRIDAY
New York, Feb 28 2011 12:10PM
Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders today held the first of two top-level meetings scheduled for this week, under United Nations sponsorship, as they intensified their efforts to reunify the Mediterranean island which has been split for almost 50 years.

"The leaders had a good and long discussion today for around two and a half hours," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alexander Downer, <"http://www.unficyp.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=3327&tt=graphic&lang=l1">told reporters following the meeting between Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Dervis Eroglu. "It was a good opportunity for them to talk about a range of issues."

Mr. Downer added that the pair would meet again on Friday, when the talks would focus on governance and power-sharing.

"All chapters are being negotiated with the aim of increasing the points of convergence on the understanding that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed," the Special Adviser said.

The leaders have met more than 90 times since the UN-sponsored 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.

The leaders' representatives have also met scores of times and will hold another meeting on Wednesday to discuss issues ahead of Friday's top-level talks.

In a report in December, Mr. Ban warned that that the talks could "founder fatally" if substantive agreement is not reached within the next few months. "A critical window of opportunity is rapidly closing," he said, stressing that Greek Cypriot parliamentary elections scheduled for May and elections in Turkey in June militate against constructive talks in the second quarter of 2011.

The Secretary-General met with both leaders in Geneva at the end of January, and the two agreed to intensify the reunification talks for an island that has been split since inter-communal violence erupted in 1964.

The UN has maintained a peacekeeping force on the island – known by its acronym UNFICYP – since 1964, with a current strength of nearly 1,000 uniformed personnel and 150 international and national civilian staff.
Feb 28 2011 12:10PM
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2011-Feb-28

ACCOMMODATION

A new listing with title 1BHK furnished 73m2 attached terrace & Balcony at Saligao, North Goa (Near Calangute). has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20015&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title Attention tourists, foreigners, SBR furnished flats with Ac, swimming pool, walking distance to the beach in Benaulim. has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20014&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

ACCOMMODATION - AVAILABLE
A new listing with title 2bhk for rent has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20071&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title PG accommodation for sutdent & working male at Porvorim and Salgonda. has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20058&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

APPOINTMENTS

A new listing with title Wanted Urgently Graphic Designers has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20388&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title Wanted Urgently Software Testers has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20387&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

BUS. PREM.

A new listing with title shop to let on rent - in aquem alto margao goa. rent: Rs 4000 only has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=19926&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

BUS. PREM. - FOR LEASE

A new listing with title SHOPS FOR RENT, FATORDA-MARGAO, GOA has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=19769&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

ESTATES, PROPERTIES - APARTMENTS

A new listing with title Sol Sienda 2 bhk Apartment in goa is available for sale@3600/sq-ft.The typical size of the land @1652/sq-ft has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20303&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title Sol Sienda 2 bhk Apartment in goa is available for sale@3600 sq-ft.The typical size of the land @1652 sq-ft has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20302&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

ESTATES, PROPERTIES - FOR SALE

A new listing with title 2bhk flat for sale in 85.5sqmt aldona ,near boys high school,river view,road side facing has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20199&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title 2BHK flat for sale has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=19992&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

ESTATES, PROPERTIES - LAND (HUGE) SALE

A new listing with title Beach side property (270000 sq.mts) for urgent sale in South Goa. has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20376&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

ESTATES, PROPERTIES - PLOTS FOR SALE
A new listing with title plot for sale at GOA VELHA has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20032&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title Plot No A/2 Navo Bazar Macazana,Salcette,Goa,690 m2 plot for sale. has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=20023&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

ESTATES, PROPERTIES - PLOTS WANTED

A new listing with title looking for plot of 400 to 500 sq.mtr reasonable price in South Goa has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=19776&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

A new listing with title looking for plot of 400 to 500 sq.mtr reasonable price in South Goa has just been submitted. =================================================== http://beaches.magicingoa.com/index.php?list=advertisement&method=showdetails&rollid=19776&eid=phoenixnews09@gmail.com =================================================== Additional message: Unsubscribe from our newsletters http://beaches.magicingoa.com/unsubscribe.php

Today's News from TheEagle.com

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• Baseball booster
• Health Science Center overbooks Class of 2015
• Road rage claim gets man three charges
• Human medical testing uncovered
• Detroit seeing war of classes
• 'King's Speech' awarded best picture
• About 110,000 acres burn in West Texas wildfires
• Docs: Parents shouldn't fret over fevers
• Last living US WWI vet dies in W. Va. at age 110
• High pump prices rattle drivers and businesses
• Governors challenge Obama legislation
• Charge to be filed in deadly Houston daycare fire
• Calif. pot retailers get huge tax bills
• Dallas-area man, 66, dies in police shooting
• Gadhafi: An 'eccentric' man
• N. Korea threatens to attack, build up arsenal
• Christchurch prays for quake victims
• Afghan gov't: 65 civilians killed in op
• A banner week for our local arts
• Stop robbing Peter to pay Paul
• Inside the Oscars: Moments you didn't see on TV
• Blues legend Eddie Kirkland dies in Fla. wreck
• Divas, rockers, stars flock to Oscar parties
• Sheen says he wants a raise to return to show
• Letters for February 28

Baseball booster Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:28 PM PST Ellison Sims, 5, gets some extra assistance from the steady hand of her mother, Jillian Sims, as they watch Texas A&M bat in the fifth inning against Gonzaga on Sunday at Olsen Field. The Bulldogs' bats connected for a 6-3 win over the Aggies.

Health Science Center overbooks Class of 2015 Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:28 PM PST The number of students higher-education institutions accept is a calculated risk: Space is limited, and officials each year make more offers than they can accommodate, with the knowledge that all who are accepted won't agree to attend. This year, ...

Road rage claim gets man three charges Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:34 PM PST Eagle Staff Report An apparent case of road rage at Northgate turned into three felony charges for a 27-year-old Fayetteville man early Saturday. According to police documents, Herman Jerome Harris Jr. nearly hit another car in a convenience store ...

Human medical testing uncovered Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:27 PM PST ATLANTA -- Shocking as it may seem, U.S. government doctors once thought it was fine to experiment on disabled people and prison inmates. Such experiments included giving hepatitis to mental patients in Connecticut, squirting a pandemic flu virus u ...

Detroit seeing war of classes Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:27 PM PST SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- Three years ago, Lamar Grace left Detroit for the suburb of Southfield. He got a good deal -- a 3,000-square-foot colonial that once was worth $220,000. In foreclosure, he paid $109,000. The neighbors were not pleased. "They ...

'King's Speech' awarded best picture Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:27 PM PST LOS ANGELES -- The King's Speech was crowned best picture Sunday at an Academy Awards ceremony as precise as a state coronation, the monarchy drama leading as expected with four Oscars and predictable favorites claiming acting honors. Colin Firth ...

About 110,000 acres burn in West Texas wildfires Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:29 PM PST AMARILLO, Texas -- Wildfires have burned more than 110,000 acres and destroyed nearly 70 homes after a dry, windy day in West Texas. Texas Forest Service spokesman Lewis Kearney says the agency's firefighting aircraft, which were grounded Sunday d ...

Docs: Parents shouldn't fret over fevers Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:27 PM PST CHICAGO -- Fever phobia is rampant among parents of young children, according to a myth-busting American Academy of Pediatrics report that advises against treatment every time a kid's temperature inches up. "There's a lot of parental anxiety about ...

Last living US WWI vet dies in W. Va. at age 110 Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:36 PM PST MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- He was repeatedly rejected by military recruiters and got into uniform at age 16 after lying about his age. But Frank Buckles would later become the last surviving U.S. veteran of Wold War I. A family spokesman says Buckles, w ...

High pump prices rattle drivers and businesses Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:34 PM PST By JONATHAN FAHEY and SANDY SHORE AP Energy Writers NEW YORK -- High fuel prices are putting the squeeze on drivers' wallets just as they are starting to feel better about the economy. They're also forcing tough choices on small-business owners who ...

Governors challenge Obama legislation Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:28 PM PST WASHINGTON -- Their ranks swollen after the last election, Republican governors from Florida to Alaska are undermining President Barack Obama's agenda at every turn ahead of the Democrat's 2012 re-election campaign.Some are rejecting federal money fo ...

Charge to be filed in deadly Houston daycare fire Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:32 PM PST HOUSTON -- Prosecutors say they plan to file a charge against a woman who ran a Houston home daycare center where a deadly blaze last week killed four children. Harris County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Donna Hawkins said Sunday that Je ...

Calif. pot retailers get huge tax bills Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:27 PM PST BERKELEY, Calif. -- In Northern California, few cities have worked as long or as hard as Berkeley and Oakland to nudge medical marijuana into the mainstream. But life in the mainstream brings its own set of mainstream problems. Even as fears of cr ...

Dallas-area man, 66, dies in police shooting Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:33 PM PST GARLAND, Texas -- A 66-year-old Dallas-area man is dead after, according to police, he threatened officers with a gun.The incident happened Saturday night in a residential neighborhood of Garland, a northeastern suburb of Dallas. A Garland police sta ...

Gadhafi: An 'eccentric' man Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:28 PM PST Moammar Gadhafi was many things over many years: a dashing icon of Libyan revolution, a brazen patron of terrorists, the custodian of vast oil wealth, a dictator whose flamboyance masked grit and guile, and a longtime pariah on the road to rehabili ...

N. Korea threatens to attack, build up arsenal Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:28 PM PST SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea threatened Sunday to enlarge its nuclear arsenal and "mercilessly" attack South Korea and the United States, as the allies prepared for joint military drills which the North considers a rehearsal for invasion.North K ...

Christchurch prays for quake victims Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:28 PM PST CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand -- Parishioners came together Sunday in parks and on the lawns of churches broken in New Zealand's earthquake to pray for the dead and missing. They sought togetherness and an answer to the question on everyone's mind: Why ...

Afghan gov't: 65 civilians killed in op Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:27 PM PST KABUL, Afghanistan -- Sixty-five civilians, including 40 children, were killed in a NATO assault on insurgents in eastern Afghanistan earlier this month, according to findings of an Afghan government investigation released Sunday.Tribal leaders had a ...

A banner week for our local arts Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:05 PM PST What a fantastic week last week, for the Borden family, but, more importantly, for the arts community and, indeed, the entire Brazos Valley. For me, it began on Feb. 20 with the world premiere of a composition for jazz quartet and orchestra by the ...

Stop robbing Peter to pay Paul Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:05 PM PST By BILLY HAMILTON It's official. With the comptroller's revenue estimate released, the task ahead for Texas lawmakers will be extremely challenging. No one expected anything less. With a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall, it will take some t ...

Inside the Oscars: Moments you didn't see on TV Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:42 PM PST LOS ANGELES -- The highest concentration of cameras anywhere in the world Sunday was probably at the 83rd Academy Awards. Besides the hundreds of TV cameras on the red carpet, and a worldwide broadcast beamed to more than 200 countries, there were we ...

Blues legend Eddie Kirkland dies in Fla. wreck Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:38 PM PST CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. -- An 88-year-old blues legend known as the "Gypsy of the Blues" was killed in Florida when his car turned into the path of a Greyhound bus. Eddie Kirkland was traveling southeast on U.S. Highway 98 in Crystal River, north of T ...

Divas, rockers, stars flock to Oscar parties Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:38 PM PST WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Cee Lo Green, Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler. With pop stars, R&B singers and long-haired rockers galore at parties following the Academy Awards, the glam festivities felt more like the Grammys th ...

Sheen says he wants a raise to return to show Posted: 27 Feb 2011 11:37 PM PST NEW YORK -- Charlie Sheen says he wants a raise to come back to the CBS show "Two and a Half Men."The troubled star appeared on dueling morning show interviews Monday to continue an attack on CBS and producers of his hit sitcom for shutting down the ...

Letters for February 28 Posted: 27 Feb 2011 04:05 PM PST CS wise to promote walking and bicycling As a member of the College Station Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Advisory Board, I volunteer my time to support ongoing bicycling and walking projects and programs sponsored by and funded by the city. ...

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