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Peter Daou

Top UN Official Meets Iraqi Leaders

"The No. 2 United Nations official met with top Iraqi leaders in Baghdad on Thursday to promote a new partnership meant to help muster political and economic support for Iraq's government, the U.N. said. Mark Malloch Brown, the deputy U.N. secretary-general, discussed setting up a preparatory group that will have the backing of the World Bank and include representatives of international donors, the U.N. said in a news release from its headquarters in New York." [More]

World Cup Scores Green Goal

Worldcup.jpg "Organizers of the soccer World Cup in Germany are earning praise for the event's execution -- and its environmental friendliness." Link The 'Green Goal' project--the inspiration of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2006 FFIA World Cup and the German Ministry of the Environment-aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from transport and electricity generation during the month long tournament. A preliminary snapshot indicates that the 'Green Goal', which is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and private business, is meeting if not exceeding expectations. Link

Nepal Rebels Unhappy Over UN Invitation on Arms

Alertnet: "Nepal's Maoists are unhappy with the government's invitation to the United Nations to monitor weapons held by the guerrillas and the army ahead of elections, a rebel leader said on Thursday. The comments came three days after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala wrote to ask Secretary-General Kofi Annan for U.N. monitoring in the run-up the polls for an assembly to map the nation's political future."

World Condemns North Korean Missile Tests

"North Korea test-fired a seventh missile Wednesday, intensifying the furor that began when the reclusive regime defied international protests by launching a long-range missile and at least five shorter-range rockets earlier in the day.... The missiles, all of which apparently fell harmlessly into the Sea of Japan, provoked international condemnation, the convening of an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and calls in Tokyo for economic sanctions against the impoverished communist regime." [More] UPDATE: Bloggers weigh in... QandO FP Passport Outside the Beltway Defense Tech Daily Kos

North Korea Launches Missiles, US Holds UN Talks

"North Korea launched at least six missiles on Wednesday, including a long-range Taepodong-2, a move the United States called provocative and in defiance of the international community. The United States said it was urgently consulting other U.N. Security Council members after the launches, which came despite repeated warnings from the reclusive Stalinist country's neighbors and from Washington." [Full story]

Egeland: Ensure Better Protection for Civilians in Armed Conflict

"There are too many times when we still do not come to the defence of civilian populations in need," Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said at the outset of the [Security] Council's open debate. "When our response is weak, we appear to wash our hands of our humanitarian responsibilities to protect lives. The world is a safer place for most of us, but it is still a death trap for too many defenceless civilians, men, women and children."

Funds Needed to Prevent Afghans From Drifting to Armed Groups

29-06afghan.jpg "With tens of thousands of illiterate and unskilled former child soldiers in Afghanistan providing a tempting target for recruitment by one of the war-torn country's numerous armed groups, United Nations agencies need additional funds to continue training projects to reintegrate them as members of a peaceful society." [More]

Seizing the Moment in Darfur

"To seize the moment of opportunity that the Abuja peace deal offers for ending the suffering in Sudan's Darfur region, African peacekeeping must immediately be bolstered in anticipation of a "substantial" United Nations force and dialogue must start quickly between the local parties, the world body's top peacekeeping official said today.