A Pahad: Briefing notes on current international issues

15 August 2007

SADC

As you know, the Ministerial session preceding the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) Summit is currently underway. South Africa is
being represented by a very high level delegation: Ministers Nkosazana Dlamini
Zuma, Trevor Manuel, Mandisi Mpahlwa, Lulu Xingwana, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula,
Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, Charles Nqakula, Mosiuoa Lekota and Deputy Minister
Rob Davies.

South African President Thabo Mbeki will, later today, Wednesday, 15 August,
depart for Zambia where he will lead a high-powered South African Ministerial
delegation to the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled for
Thursday to Friday, 16 to 17 August in Lusaka.

On Wednesday, President Mbeki supported by Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected
to participate in the meeting of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security
Co-operation scheduled for later in the day to discuss the regional political
situation. 

As is widely expected, following the decision by the SADC Extraordinary
Summit in March this year to launch two initiatives, President Mbeki will
report on the progress his facilitation has achieved in terms of the political
initiative undertaken by SADC to help the Zimbabweans create the climate in
which they could conclude discussions so that the 2008 elections will be free
and fair.

It is also expected that the Executive Secretary of SADC will report on the
second initiative decided at the Extraordinary Summit, i.e. the economic
initiative. 

There will therefore be two reports: the political and the economic.

We are very surprised at reports in the international and domestic media of
a leaked report purported to be coming from the President dealing with the
facilitation and indeed indicating that this report of the President is
apportioning blame to the British government.

I want to categorically state that we are not aware of any such report
prepared by the President and indeed, the President's mandate is only to deal
with the political facilitation process so the source of these reports is
difficult to determine.

In this respect the Foreign Affairs spokesman of the Democratic Alliance has
just issued a very strong statement, again commenting on a report of which we
have no knowledge or any information of its origins and authenticity. I can
again categorically state that we are not aware of any such report prepared by
the President.

We do want to state however, it is important for all sections of the South
African media, and especially the opposition party, to not comment on
unsubstantiated leaked reports. It would have been easy to check with any of
the officials in Foreign Affairs or indeed at the Presidency if such a report
has been made.  I do expect the Presidency will issue a statement on this
matter later this morning.

This is the annual meeting of the SADC Foreign Ministers and Heads of State
and Government.

Of course some of the major political issues will be tackled within the
framework of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation. 
But there are certain matters that must be tackled.

Following the Grand Debate at the African Union (AU) Summit in Ghana in July
this year on the African government and the processes that would culminate in
this government, this SADC Summit has to pay special attention to the attention
of the economic integration processes in the region.

One of the priorities, within this context, is infrastructure development.
The Summit will also have to assess the progress we have made in the
implementation of the Free Trade Area which is scheduled to be implemented by
2008. Indeed, this Summit will impact on the processes of fast-tracking the
integration of the region to enable us to move towards an African government at
the appropriate time.

In the context of reports (that I will come back to) on the matter of
climate change and its disastrous possible consequences for Africa, food
security is also high on the agenda of the Summit. As you know, I briefed you
last time that the relevant United Nations (UN) agencies had made emergency
appeals to alleviate a food disaster situation in Lesotho, Swaziland and
Zimbabwe.

The other area that will be high on the agenda is the 2010 FIFA World Cup
that will be held in South Africa, with albeit, an African focus and the
Confederation of African Football (CAF) Tournament scheduled for Angola.

These are some of the key issues this Summit will have to come to grips
with.

At this Summit, on Friday, 17 August 2007, the SADC Brigade of the African
Standby Force will be launched. This is a very important development – the
launching of the SADC Brigade as part of the African Standby Force - because it
is increasingly clear that the United Nations has come to the conclusion that
in conflict resolution it has to deal with sub-regional organisations and that
this is part of new innovations to deal with conflict resolution in the
post-Cold War era.

The African Standby Force will not be based in Botswana but each component
of it will be resident in their respective countries. The South African
component will therefore be based in South Africa on a permanent alert basis.
This is a very important development that will allow us to more effectively
deal with conflict resolution within SADC and the African continent as a
whole.

Official launching of the Southern African Development Community Brigade
(SADCBRIG)

The security of African Nations remains subject to a variety of military and
non-military risks that are multi-dimensional and often difficult to predict.
Whilst the potential for inter-state disputes have not diminished, the last ten
years have seen the appearance of complex new risks to peace and stability,
including oppression, ethnic conflict, economic distress, the collapse of
political order, the proliferation of small arms and organised international
crime. When crises arise they are increasingly involving many factions and
contain conflict elements which may be inter and intra and/or trans national in
nature and involve the cross border movement of refugees, internally displaced
people, migrants and wide spread human rights abuses. Such intra state
conflicts and trans-national activities are generally perpetrated by sub state
actors or 'war lords', non-state actors, militias, criminal elements and armed
civilians and not solely by regular armies. As a result social cohesion and
state institutions collapse, law and order breaks down, banditry and chaos
prevail and the civilian population flees the conflict region or the
country.

The international community is compelled to respond to complex emergencies
by deploying assets that have multiple functions to crisis zones. Such
crisis-induced operations are generally described as peace support operations
(PSO) and may be co-ordinated under the auspices of the United Nations (UN),
the African Union (AU), or African regional organisations such as the Southern
African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), etc.

Initial engagement with the host nation may be limited to socio-economic and
political development as part of international conflict prevention efforts and
relief agencies. Such development and relief agencies may be UN bodies, such as
United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHRC) and United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF) or independent non-governmental organisations (NGOs),
such as Save the Children and CARE or international and intergovernmental
organisations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). However, should the crisis
develop and further political engagement becomes necessary, the situation may
demand military and civilian components intervention.

Military intervention may be conducted by a regional or sub-regional
organisation or, in the case of more complex operations requiring a robust
command and control infrastructure by a UN commanded force, military alliance
or a coalition of willing member states operating under an internationally
recognised mandate.

Efforts by the international community to respond to such crises aimed at
restoring law and order and to create a self-sustaining peace must address both
the underlying causes, as well as the symptoms of the crisis or conflict
related disaster. A crisis instigated response or peace support operation will
therefore generally include political, diplomatic, military, and civilian
(including police, rule of law and civilian administration) and humanitarian
efforts to control any conflict and this culminate in the promotion of
reconciliation, the re-establishment of effective government and a
self-sustaining peace.

Complex governance crises involving conflict and a humanitarian disaster
tend to engage a wide range of political bodies. Recent operations have
involved not only the UN, but also organisations such as the European Union,
NATO, AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and others, and international
financial institutions like the World Bank and other regional and ad hoc
political bodies. It is at this political level that the mandate for an
operation is developed with advice from member states.

The UN remains the prime International Organisation and the only body which
can endorse the existence of such regional or sub-regional organisations in
accordance with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. The UN Charter provides the
terms of reference for the various elements of the UN, and for regional
arrangements and agencies in fulfilling this responsibility. Although the
Charter makes no specific reference to PSO, the three chapters which most
relate to PSO are: Chapter VI, that deals with the pacific settlement of
disputes; Chapter VII, that refers to such actions by air, sea or land forces
as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security;
and Chapter VIII, that deals with regional arrangements.

The establishment of the African Standby Force

The African leaders have stood firm in a bid to resist conflicts and are
keen to develop the necessary structures to respond to continental problems.
They were guided by a common vision of a united and strong Africa and took up
the multifaceted challenges that confront the continent and peoples in the
light of the social, economic and political changes taking place in the world.
They realised that the scourge of conflicts in Africa constitutes a major
impediment to the socio-economic development of the continent and that they
need to promote peace, security and stability as a prerequisite for Africa's
development and integration. The African leaders decided among other things to
establish an African Union, in conformity with the UN Charter and the ultimate
objectives of the OAU Charter.  The hitherto conflict management mechanism
that was developed in 1993 was replaced by a new mechanism in 2002. The
mechanism consists of five organs prominent amongst which are the Peace and
Security Council (PSC), the African Standby Force (ASF) and the Military Staff
Committee (MSC).

The concept of shared responsibility between the UN and some regional
organisations is one of the most important innovations in the management of
international security in the post-Cold War era for the effective management of
conflicts within the regions of the world. Africa is at the forefront of
efforts to formalise the relationship between the UN and a regional
organisation, in this case the AU, with the specific objective of enhancing the
management of conflicts. At the same time, the deterioration of security in
Africa, especially the rise in the number and intensity of internal conflicts,
led to a re-opening of the debate on the need for a continental security agenda
and ultimately led to the creation of the AU in 2002.

The Policy Framework Document for the Establishment of the ASF and MSC was
approved by the African Heads of State in Addis Ababa in July 2004. The
establishment of the force has been given legal backing in Article 4(d) of the
Constitutive Act of the African Union and Article 13 of the Protocol Relating
to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.
The concept is that once fully established the ASF will consist of standby
multidisciplinary contingents, with civilian and military components located in
their countries of origin and ready for rapid deployment anywhere in Africa at
appropriate notice. The Framework Document called for the establishment of the
ASF in two phases, Phase One ended on 30 June 2005, Phase Two will end by 30
June 2010.

Current operationalisation stage of the SADCBRIG

The purpose of SADCBRIG is to participate in Missions as envisaged in
Article 13 section "Mandate" of the Protocol Establishing the PSC of the AU
that includes performing the functions which are: (1) observation and
monitoring missions; (2) other types of peace support missions; (3)
intervention in a Member State in respect of grave circumstances or at the
request of a Member State in order to restore peace and security, in accordance
with Article 4(h) and (j) of the Constitutive Act; (4) preventive deployment in
order to prevent 9[i] a dispute or a conflict from escalating, [ii] an ongoing
violent conflict from spreading to neighbouring areas or States, and [iii] the
resurgence of violence after parties to a conflict have reached an agreement;
(5) peace-building, including post-conflict disarmament and demobilisation; (6)
humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of civilian population in
conflict areas and support efforts to address major natural disasters; and (7)
any other functions as may be mandated by the PSC or Assembly.

SADCBRIG, like all other regional brigades, will be part and parcel of the
ASF. The conceptual framework is designed in such a way that the earmarked
capabilities of the Troop or Personnel Contributing Countries and pledged to
SADCBRIG, should remain domiciled within their countries of origin, on an 'on
call' level of alert for the duration of the assignment in line with the
response times as prescribed. In short, this is in fact a permanent standby
arrangement.

Unlike other Regional Economic Communities or Regions which have permanent
Brigade headquarters and the Planning Elements (PLANELMs), the only permanent
structure SADC has is the PLANELM, which is located at the SADC Headquarters in
Gaborone and composed of a regional military, police and civilian staff on
secondment from SADC Member States on rotation. The SADC PLANELM is an
autonomous organisation which is not intended to be incorporated into the
SADCBRIG structure during actual missions. It operates on a daily basis as a
tool of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation and
receives its guidance from the SADC Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff and
the Committee of SADC Police Chiefs.

The launching of the SADCBRIG

A Memorandum of Understanding was concluded among the participating nations
in order to provide a sound legal basis for their co-operation in the
establishment and maintenance of SADCBRIG.

Most of the preparatory work with regard to the establishment of the
SADCBRIG is completed and it will be officially launched by the SADC Summit on
17 August 2007 in Lusaka, the Republic of Zambia. Activities towards the launch
of SADCBRIG are underway and the Launching Preparatory Team is already
appointed comprising the Organ Troika, the SADCBRIG Planning Element (PLANELM)
and the Host (Zambia).

Future plans of the region towards the SADCBRIG

The readiness of any force is determined by a combination of its training,
easy mobilisation procedures as well as the rehearsed generic contingencies.
Training the Brigade at all levels will remain key priority in order to achieve
the principle of compatibility and interoperability of its systems and
equipment. The training of soldiers and units for peace support operations
remains the responsibility of the participating nation. Due to the differences
inherent in general military training among the various nations, the required
level of training proficiency for soldiers and units assigned to SADCBRIG
should be achieved by standardised training objectives rather than through a
standardised training curriculum. Common standards must be developed as to the
minimum training objectives to be achieved. These standards should be
compatible with the standards already developed by the United Nations. The work
already done by the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee in this area
will serve as a sound basis for a way forward. The RPTC and other national
peace support training institutions will play the central role of training
military commanders, police officers and civilian officials at various levels
while, at the same time, acting as a "Clearing House" for all peace support
operations training activities in SADC.

Improvement of the strategic management structure of SADCBRIG will also be a
priority to be able to identify emerging conflicts and project credible force
as dictated by the prevailing situation. Improvement in the formulation of
peace support operations doctrines and policies will also continue. Further,
the SADCBRIG should possess a rapid deployment capability for deployments of a
limited duration within SADC region or beyond on a United Nations, African
Union or SADC mandate. The Brigade must include, in its composition, a robust
capacity for self-defence and self-extrication in the event of a mission
becoming untenable.

The Roadmap for the operationalisation of the SADCBRIG was produced covering
the period up to the year 2010 and is in tandem with that of AU and the other
RECs' Roadmaps.

The region agreed to establish the Main Logistics Depot Botswana in order to
support the operations of the Brigade. The purpose of establishing a central
depot is to keep stock of the operational requirements. Discussions between the
SADC Secretariat and the Government of Botswana are at the advanced stage to
enter into agreement in a form of Memorandum of Understanding on the
establishment and operations of the Depot.

SA-DRC BNC

South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Saturday,
18 August 2007, depart from Lusaka, Zambia for Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of
Congo ahead of the South Africa – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Binational
Commission (BNC) scheduled on Tuesday, 21 August 2007.

The SA-DRC BNC to be co-chaired by Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Joseph Kabila
will be preceded by a Ministerial meeting to be co-chaired by Minister Dlamini
Zuma and her counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International
Co-operation Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi scheduled from Sunday to Monday, 19 to 20
August 2007.

South Africa's participation in the fourth session of the South Africa - DRC
BNC comes within the context of its commitment to consolidate relations with
the DRC and to support the political, economic reconciliation and nation
building processes in the country.

This session of the Binational Commission comes at a very important
time.  It follows the conclusion of democratic processes through which
free and fair elections were held in the DRC after more than 40 years, the
presence of the opposition leader Jean Pierre Bemba in Portugal and indeed a
volatile security situation in the east of the country.

The fourth session of the South Africa - DRC Bi-national Commission is
expected to evaluate:
* The status of Politics and Diplomacy co-operation includes the capacity
building project, the public service census project, population and immigration
matters;
* Defence and security co-operation includes security sector reform
projects;
* Economy, finance and infrastructure co-operation includes spatial development
initiatives, mining, geology and metallurgy, energy, civil aviation, technical
assistance in financial administration and agriculture;
* Social and humanitarian affairs which includes co-operation in the fields of
education, and humanitarian and health projects; and
* Evaluate how current projects support the development priorities of the DRC
and the identification of possible additional projects to this
effect. 

South Africa is heavily involved in the post-reconstruction and development
processes in the DRC.

South Africa's assistance to the DRC is informed by its vision of an
"African Renaissance" of peace, stability and security and sustained renewal,
growth and socio-economic development for the African Continent. South Africa
is committed to a strategy for post conflict reconstruction and development in
the DRC that is aligned with that of the African Union and the New Partnership
for Africa's Development (Nepad). South Africa's assistance to the DRC is
broadly based on three key areas as decided by Cabinet, which are: the Security
Sector Reform (SSR), Institutional capacity building, and Economic development.
In this regard, the following Government Departments are currently active in
the DRC:

The Department of Foreign Affairs has engaged its DRC counterpart in a
capacity-building programme which includes the facilitation of the first phase
of training of DRC ambassadors; training of two groups of line-function
officials with a third training session planned for the second half of 2007. A
joint project has also been established with the DRC Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to refurbish the Diplomatic Academy.

The Department of Defence continues its support to the Armed Forces of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) in terms of the registering of
soldiers and the integration process in general. It assists with the training
of the newly integrated units and to provide essential basic services.

The South African Police Service facilitates the development of medium term
organisational development plan for policing in the DRC, provide technical
assistance and mentoring, facilitate the development of a regulatory framework
for policing, operational development support and infrastructure
development.

The Department of Home Affairs provides capacity building in population and
immigration matters, training of trainers, identification for the supply of
relevant equipment and infrastructure technology transfer, development of
standard operating procedures regarding immigration and population matters and
the development of national population register and identification cards
production.

The Department of Housing provides assistance to formulate policy and
legislative frameworks for the provision of housing, institutional capacity
building, land management, land lease and sites servicing mechanisms,
development of urban planning and management tools, micro finance and savings
linked credit schemes for housing, community driven and developer driven
housing, upgrading of informal settlements and urban renewal.

The South African Management Development Institute (SAMDI) supports the
establishment of a National School for Public Administration that has started
with training of public service officials. SAMDI will also continue to support
training for management and leadership development, re-building of public
administration and human resource planning.

The Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs is assisting with the
rehabilitation of the Inga 1 and 2, electrification of Kimbanseke, the
installation of pre-paid metering, the rehabilitation of the Zongo power plant
including the electrification of the Bas Congo. On the mining sector, both the
Ministries of Mines and Minerals and Energy (South African Diamond Board)
co-operates on diamond evaluation, marketing and reinforcement of regulations
to improve and guard against fraud in the diamond sector would be explored.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) will extend technical support to
the DRC Revenue Service to implement the Agreements on The Avoidance of Double
Taxation (DTA) and Mutual Assistance on Customs Co-operation (MAA).
 
With regard to economic development, the Department of Trade and Industry
(dti), will support the Bas Congo Spatial Development Initiative (SDI). The Bas
Congo corridor provides Kinshasa with a crucial link to the coast. On 23 and 24
April 2007, the dti invited South African Businesses to the ASCCI Conference
addressed by President Joseph Kabila. The South Africa-DRC Business Forum aims
at highlighting trade and investment opportunities in the DRC especially since
the new Government has committed itself to encourage local and foreign
investment in the country to stimulate economic growth and development.

The Department of Social Development will assist the DRC Ministry of Social
Affairs with the categorisation of identified personnel with the aim of
developing of tailor-made curriculae for the various categories of social work
personnel. The Department will also conduct a workshop during 2007 to sensitise
and exchange information on South African programmes for vulnerable groups such
as children as well as persons with disabilities.

Given the magnitude of the task, it is clear that the reconstruction process
in the DRC will continue to need international support. However as a newly
elected government and with most of the Government Ministers having very little
experience, South Africa should support the DRC to channel and organise its
development needs while maintaining its sovereignty as an independent state. In
this regard, South Africa could share her experience of engaging the
international community and international financial institutions, following its
own 1994 landmark elections.

South Africa also welcomes the renewed MONUC mandate which has been extended
to December 2007. The mandate that has a membership of 17, 030 military
personnel and 1 900 military observers, police and police trainers, spells out
the United Nations role to train the Congolese armed forces and police in
observing human rights. The maintenance of the MONUC force in the DRC will
contribute to contain and eventually eradicate the violence committed by armed
militias especially in the volatile eastern part of the country. The refusal of
militia leaders, like the former General Laurent Nkundabatware, to fully commit
themselves to the integration of their troops into the FARDC, remains a source
of instability and violence in the Kivu Province. The DRC government is
currently launching initiatives, with the assistance of the international
community, in an attempt to bring peace, security and stability back to regions
in the eastern Congo afflicted by conflict and instability.

Climate change

This is an issue that is gaining relevance with the region, the continent
and indeed globally. I refer to the fact that all reports are indicating that
Africa will suffer the worst effects of this phenomenon.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) in Geneva on Tuesday, 7 August
2007 said weather and climate have been marked by record extremes in many
regions across the world since January 2007. In January and April 2007 it is
likely that global land surface temperatures ranked warmest since records began
in 1880, 1.89°C warmer than average for January and 1.37°C warmer than average
for April. Several regions have experienced extremely heavy precipitation,
leading to severe floods. The Fourth Assessment Report of the WMO /UNEP (United
Nations Environmental Programme) Intergovernmental Group on Climate Change
(IPCC) notes an increasing trend in extreme events observed during the last 50
years. IPCC further projects it to be very likely that hot extremes, heat waves
and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more frequent.

WMO and the national meteorological and hydrological services of its 188
members are working with other UN agencies and partners towards the
establishment of a multi-hazard early warning system. Furthermore, they are
putting in place sustainable observation systems needed for monitoring and
assessing the impacts of climate change and determining the adaptation
priorities for the most vulnerable countries.

We do hope that the issue of climate change within the developmental context
will gain increasingly prominence in our foreign policy, through the relevant
Ministries.

I also hope that the media will play a role in projecting the dangers of
climate change that are becoming increasingly pronounced throughout the
world.

Climate change and food security
Climate change could lead to potential food shortages and increase the risk of
hunger in developing countries.

However, industrialised countries could see an increase in their crop
yields, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) Director-General Jacques Diouf
said in a speech in Chennai, India on August 7th 2007.

At low latitudes, more frequent droughts and floods would decrease local
production. "Rain-fed agriculture in marginal areas in semi-arid and sub-humid
regions is mostly at risk."

For example, India stands to lose 125 million tons of its rain-fed cereal
production, close to 20%of its total production.

Sudan

We continue to be happy with the progress that has been made on the
operationalisation of the AU-UN Hybrid Force for Darfur (UNAMID).

The immediate task is to establish a core command and control capacity,
leading to, by October, the full financial and administrative arrangements
necessary for the transfer of authority from the African Union Mission in the
Sudan (AMIS) to UNAMID. The new force would take effect on or before 31
October.

There is continuous dialogue with the African Union and its partners
concerning the African Mission in Sudan (AMIS) needs during the transition, as
well as active dialogue with the Government of the Sudan.

With more than 26,000 military and policy personnel mandated by the Council,
in addition to some 5,000 civilian staff, the operation would be the largest of
its kind ever deployed by the United Nations. This would be the largest such
operation ever deployed under the auspices of the United Nations.  One can
therefore expect many difficulties and new innovative ways of dealing with the
mandate of this operation.

At a meeting of troop-contributing countries held on 2 August substantial
pledges needed for infantry elements were made, which, as planned, looked like
they would be dominated by African units.

The force was planned to be a highly mobile, dynamic one, not confined to
static bases, with robust rules of engagement under Chapter VII of the United
Nations Charter. In addition to the standard armaments of infantry battalions,
attack helicopters had been requested.

The operational concept was still being finalised, however, and would be
continue to be developed as the force became familiar with the territory, she
said. As mentioned in the Council resolution, it was still Sudan's
responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens. There were no provisions
for "hot pursuit" of malfeasants across borders.

However, important support, such as aviation and ground support that were
expected from the non-African contributing countries, still fell short. In the
tight time frame, firm commitments from the troop contributors were needed by
today 15 August, with all contributions finalised within 30 days, according to
the Council resolution.

The United Nations will supply the civilian staffing and management.
Commercial contractors will provide the remaining services and resources.

It is expected that the operation's headquarters will be located near the
town of El Fasher in central Darfur, with additional sector headquarters in
Nyala in the south and El Geneina in the west. The subsector headquarters was
planned for Zalingie, and up to 55 troop deployment sites were anticipated.

The major logistical difficulties being anticipated included the size and
aridity of the province, hence the need for transport aircraft and a complex
water strategy, now being developed in conjunction with technical
consultants. 

Funding remains a challenge with the cost of the operation estimated at over
$2 billion annually, but the figures could not be confirmed because such a
large hybrid force was unprecedented.

Humanitarian support for such activities was a priority of the operation,
which, like all other components, required the continued co-operation of the
Sudanese Government.

It is vital that the developed countries, not only those in the Security
Council, who have been clamouring for a hybrid force for Sudan must commit
themselves to moving more decisively to make the necessary resources –
financial and others - available for this force to be operationalised by
October 2007.

Experts needed for Darfur mission, says UN

African nations have confirmed pledges of 11 000 to 12 000 troops for
Darfur's joint United Nations-African Union mission so far.

"African pledges to participate (in the force) have reached 13-14
battalions, which is equivalent to 11 000 to 12 000 troops," SMC quoted
Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad as saying.

A senior UN peacekeeping official earlier this month said mostly African
nations had pledged infantry but key logistics and air support was lacking.

Analysts say much of this support needs to come from Western nations, which
have yet to give any firm pledges of military personnel.

Darfur Peace Talks

We have always maintained that a military solution would not be possible for
Darfur and while we prepare for the hybrid force, we must intensify our efforts
to facilitate a conclusion to the peace talks.

We are happy that the UN-AU sponsored "pre-negotiation" talks held from 3-6
August 2007 in Arusha, Tanzania have been successful. Indeed, the groups have
now agreed to work together to try to devise a solution to the deadly conflict
that has devastated the Sudanese region since 2003.

Four days of talks in Arusha in Tanzania ended with a pledge from the rebels
reaffirming their commitment to the Road-Map outlined by the UN and African
Union Special Envoys Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim.

The representatives of the rebel movements agreed to present a common
platform on the sharing of power and wealth, security arrangements, land and
humanitarian issues, and they also recommended that final talks towards a
political solution to the Darfur conflict be held in two or three months'
time.

Mr Eliasson and Mr Salim chaired the Arusha talks, which were also attended
by representatives of Chad, Egypt, Eritrea and Libya, to chart the progress
being made towards the staging of final negotiations on the Darfur crisis.

The talks also intended to "create an enabling environment for the
non-signatories [to last year's Darfur Peace Agreement] to meet and consult
among themselves, with other participants and the Special Envoys in order to
facilitate the preparations for the negotiation.".

Not all of the non-signatories attended the Arusha talks. In the statement
of conclusions, the rebel groups that participated "decided to keep open the
possibility for those who were invited but did not participate in the Arusha
Consultations, to join their common platform."

Security Council press statement on Darfur

The following press statement on Darfur was read out on Thursday, 9 August
2007 by Council President Pascal Gayama (Congo):

The members of the Security Council welcome the substantial progress made by
the Special Envoys [Jan Eliasson for the United Nations and Salim Ahmed Salim
for the African Union] at Arusha on Darfur.  That progress builds on the
momentum generated by the meeting held in Tripoli on 13 July 2007 and the
adoption of Security Council resolution 1769 (2007).  The Council
continues to stress the importance of pursuing the political and peacekeeping
tracks simultaneously.

The members of the Security Council now call on all parties to move from
pre-negotiations to negotiations as soon as possible and to demonstrate their
commitment to the political process through concrete actions, in particular a
cessation of hostilities.

The members also call on all key movement leaders to enter and participate
in the AU-UN process.

Discussions with Government of Sudan to implement 6 August agreement
Senior United Nations officials on Friday 10 August 2007 held their first round
of high-level consultations with the Government of Southern Sudan to see how to
better implement the January 2005 comprehensive peace agreement that ended the
country's protracted north-south war.

A delegation from the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), headed by the
Secretary-General's Acting Special Representative Tayé-Brook Zerihoun,
travelled to Juba in Southern Sudan for the talks.

The meeting is being staged after the parties to the peace pact agreed in
June to hold periodic consultations with UNMIS to review the agreement's
implementation.

We want to expedite movement in this regard.

Aid to Sudanese flood victims

Up to half a million Sudanese flood victims have received emergency aid from
United Nations agencies and their partners, including water purification
products to avert the huge risk of epidemics, in the wake of four weeks after
torrential rains that have devastated many parts of the vast country.

"Although the floods came earlier than expected, the response has been swift
and successful," acting UN Resident and Humanitarian Co-ordinator David Gressly
said today. "We had contingency measures in place, and were able to prevent
further distress to the population."

But he warned that if current flooding patterns continued unabated, the
situation would deteriorate considerably. The rains are expected to continue
until at least mid-September.

The UN and its partners have so far supplied essential supplies to some 200
000 people, whose indispensable household goods were lost in the destruction.
Families received badly needed commodities, such as blankets, plastic sheeting
for shelter, jerry cans for carrying and storing clean water, cooking sets, and
sleeping mats. But it is estimated that many more people will need similar
relief over the coming months.

Amidst the risk of waterborne epidemics, the lack of clean water has been a
primary concern. In co-operation with the Government, the UN and partners have
so far provided purification products and hygiene education to some 500 000
people without access to clean water, with over 1 400 kilograms of chlorine
powder and 878 000 chlorine tablets already supplied.

In Kassala near the Eritrean border, tankers are delivering clean water to
the worst affected, covering at least 10 000 people. Over the rest of the rainy
season clean water – a potential life-saver – will continue to be a priority
need for hundreds of thousands.

Despite these measures, 637 cases of suspected acute watery diarrhoea were
reported in the states of Gedaref and Kassala in the country's east, leading to
39 known deaths. Emergency epidemic surveillance measures have been put in
place, along with pre-positioning of preventive and curative health supplies.
Over 34 000 people in the affected areas have received cholera awareness
education.

In order to respond to the increased risk of potential diseases
transmittable by insects, the UN and partners will endeavour to procure
sufficient medicines, mosquito nets, insecticides and other supplies to cover
all those in need until the emergency is over.

So far, 40 000 flood victims have received food, but the UN estimates that
many more could soon be in need of emergency food rations.

"We are working closely with the Government, to reach accurate estimates of
the needs of those affected, and of the funding requirements," said John
Clarke, the UN official at the forefront in co-ordinating the response to the
floods. "This will ensure that, together, we maximise the efficiency of our
efforts to bring relief to those in need."

The worst affected areas are the states of Kassala, Khartoum, Northern
Kordofan, Unity, and Upper Nile. Well over 30,000 houses were fully destroyed
there and at least 365 000 people have already been directly affected,
including a reported 64 dead and 335 injured.

On a second front, some 4.9 million children across the north of Sudan are
being targeted in a special three-day round of polio immunisation starting
today, led by the Health Ministry and backed by the UN Children's Fund
(UNICEF), the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners in response
to reports of polio being discovered in neighbouring Chad.

Sudan has not reported any cases of polio itself since 2005. "In the last
few years, incredible efforts in the face of many challenges have led us to a
point where polio could soon be stamped out in Sudan," UNICEF Representative
Ted Chaiban said. "But because polio respects no borders, we have to ensure
that when cases are found close to home, we redouble our efforts to protect
children."

Demobilisation of soldiers in South Sudan

This is an area outside of Darfur with which we are concerned.

South Sudan will begin to demobilise at least 25 021 soldiers, but full
support packages for former combatants are not assured yet because of United
Nations funding delays.

The UN is expected to provide packages including seeds and tools to help
soldiers reintegrate into society.

The soldiers to be demobilised cost the semi-autonomous southern government
$5 million a month in salaries.

In June, the southern Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) integrated
31 000 former militia members, which analysts said strained the army's
budget.
The SPLA had at least 170 000 soldiers.

Arop Monytoc, head of the South DDR Commission, said registration of the
soldiers to be demobilised would begin whether or not the UN DDR body, which
had promised support packages, was ready to assist, but he criticised them for
being too slow.

Somalia

We continue to be concerned about this matter. Violence continues
unabated.

It has been conservatively estimated that between February and May, over 400
000 civilians had fled heavy fighting between the Ethiopian-backed TFG and
insurgents in the volatile Somali capital. Of those 400 000, some 125 000 have
returned to the city, according to figures compiled by UNHCR and a network of
partners. At the same time, another 27 000 fled in June and July.

Refugees say the insecurity is widespread, with constant bombing and gun
battles. Mothers are unable to buy food for their children and workers unable
to make a living. They also complain that their children cannot attend school
and many neighbourhoods are isolated because of insecurity or road
closures.

The crisis in Somalia will continue unabated unless we find a political
solution to the matter.

UNHCR on July 24 July issued a $48 million appeal to fund our work in
Somalia and neighbouring countries until the end of next year.

World Food Programme aid to Somalia

A health assessment by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) among the internally
displaced people (IDPs), indicated a global malnutrition rate of 21.5% among
children under the age of five and a severe acute malnutrition rate of 3% - a
nutritional emergency, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

UNESCO concerned at growing incidents of violence against the media
The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, on Tuesday, 14 August
2007 voiced grave concern at the growing violence against the media in Somalia
following the murder of two journalists and the injuring of a third.

"Journalists and media workers provide a service that is essential for any
democratic society, a service that becomes all the more vital in societies that
are trying to find their way out of strife," Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura
said in a statement.

"Journalists play an indispensable role in enabling citizens to hold open
debate and make informed decisions. There can be no acceptable political or
religious reason for attacking the men and women who make possible the
fundamental human right of freedom of expression," he added.

HornAfrik Radio journalist Mahad Ahmed Elmi was gunned down by four unknown
men on Saturday and Ali Iman Sharmarke, founder and chairman of HornAfrik, was
killed in his car by a remotely detonated mine as he returned from his
colleague's funeral. Reuters News Agency Reporter Sahal Abdulle was injured in
the blast.

Burundi

Not much progress has been made in getting the Paliphehutu-FNL to political
process by agreeing to the comprehensive peace agreement.

We need a solution to this situation because here too, the United Nations
agencies has appealed to donors on Tuesday, 14 August 2007 for at least $20
million for increased food aid to help many of the 149 000 Burundian refugees
in camps in Tanzania to return home, warning that without more funding the
initiative may collapse.

"Unless new contributions arrive now, we will have to cut rations across the
board to everyone we assist or face a complete break in supplies in December,"
UN World Food Programme (WFP) Burundi Country Director Gerard van Dijk
said.

 "While security has improved significantly in Burundi, refugees say
that with improved food security, there would be better prospects for return,"
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) country representative Bo Schack
said, echoing WFP's appeal.

"The increased food package is an important step in our joint effort to help
returnees reintegrate in their home communities. We are appealing for strong
donor support for this initiative."

Since April, WFP has provided a four-month food ration to returnees from
Tanzania. The agency and its partner Caritas, a non-governmental organisation,
will now provide a six-month ration, helping families through their first
difficult months before their first harvest in their homeland. "We hope that
this larger ration will speed up the pace of returns to Burundi this year," Mr
van Dijk said.

It is "particularly worrying that we are in a funding crunch at the same
time as the Government of Tanzania is pushing for more refugees to return
home," he added. "We need to be able to tell families considering a return that
they can count on food and other aid to help them."

Returning refugees receive a two-month ration as they start their journey in
Tanzania, and can then use vouchers to collect the remaining four-month
entitlement close to their homes. Forty-five permanent distribution centres and
72 mobile distribution facilities have been set up in the provinces.

In a similar bid to boost repatriation, UNHCR introduced a cash grant in
July. Each returnee receives the equivalent of almost $50 upon arrival to buy
essential goods. Some 6 000 refugees have returned since the launch of the cash
initiative, more than half of the over 10 000 returnees since the beginning of
the year.

Since 2002, more than 340 000 refugees have returned voluntarily. Overall,
Tanzania hosts nearly half a million refugees, making it one of the largest
asylum countries in Africa. In addition to the 149 000 Burundians, there are
also 110 000 Congolese living in camps in northwestern Tanzania, where they
receive UNHCR and WFP aid. According to Government estimates, another 200 000
Burundians live outside the camps.

Western Sahara

A second round of United Nations-backed talks on Western Sahara took place
on Friday to Saturday, 10 to 11 August 2007 outside of Manhasset, New York.

Talks led by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara,
Peter van Walsum, were attended by Morocco and the Frente Polisario and
neighbouring countries Algeria and Mauritania.

Morocco and Frente Polisario agreed that the status quo is unacceptable and
the process of negotiations will continue.

In a communiqué, Mr van Walsum said that, at his initiative, the parties
heard presentations by UN experts on specific issues, including natural
resources and local administration, while confidence-building measures between
the two sides were also proposed for discussion.

Communiqué of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara
(In agreement with the Parties)

Representatives of Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO met in Manhasset, New
York, at the Greentree Estate, on 10 and 11 August 2007, continuing their
discussion under the auspices of the Secretary-General, and in accordance with
Security Council resolution 1754 of 30 April 2007. Representatives of the
neighbouring countries, Algeria and Mauritania, were also present at the
opening and closing sessions and were consulted separately during the
talks.

I am pleased that we were able to hold substantive talks in which the
parties interacted with one another and expressed their views. A debate took
place with regard to the implementation of Security Council resolution 1754.
Also, at my initiative, the parties heard presentations by United Nations
experts on specific issues such as natural resources and local administration.
Confidence-building measures were also proposed for discussion.

The parties acknowledge that the current status quo is unacceptable and they
have committed to continue these negotiations in good faith. They have agreed
that the process of negotiations will continue and that appropriate
consultations will be completed regarding the date and venue of the coming
round.

Statement by Mahfoud Ali Beiba, head of POLISARIO Delegation, on 11 August
2007
"The second round of negotiations between the Frente POLISARIO and Morocco,
which has just ended in Manhasset, was useful. It gave the Frente POLISARIO the
opportunity to reaffirm its readiness and to present the outline and advantages
for the region of its proposal regarding a just and lasting solution to the
decolonisation conflict of Western Sahara.

"The Frente POLISARIO has fully co-operated with Mr Peter van Walsum,
Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, in the discussion of the
confidence-building measures needed for creating a positive climate between the
two parties. The delegation of the Frente POLISARIO was prompted by the concern
to ensure that Morocco puts an end to its repressive practices and repeated
violations of human rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.

"With the prospect of the recovery of the Saharawi State of its full
sovereignty over its territory, the Saharawi delegation has presented the view
and policy of the Frente POLISARIO regarding the management of natural
resources of the country and administration of local communities.

"During the second round, the Personal Envoy and the Special Representative
of the UN Secretary-General have demonstrated great determination to bring
about, with the necessary co-operation of both parties, a breakthrough in the
negotiations. For its part, the Frente POLISARIO has made its contribution in
this spirit and in this direction.

"The Frente POLISARIO is hopeful that the third round of negotiations would
mark a qualitative development of the process as a whole. We hope that the
other party would cease its dilatory manoeuvres and engage, in good faith, in
the effective implementation of the Security Council resolution 1754.

[Comment by Deputy Minister Pahad: Clearly both sides remain committed to
their positions: Morocco maintains its autonomous policy; Western Sahara
insists that, in line with UN resolutions, you cannot avoid implementing the UN
resolutions that speak for more than 30 years, of decolonisation.

We do hope that these talks will bring about some resolution.

One of the Chief Negotiators of the Frente Polisario is visiting South
Africa and we will meet with him later today to get an understanding of the
negotiating processes and what they expect South Africa and Africa to do to
assist in finding a solution.)

Middle East

Ehud Olmert, Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian
Authority president, met in Jericho on Monday, 6 August 2007 to discuss
resuming negotiations on Palestinian statehood.

The Israeli leader made it clear at the outset of the three-hour summit,
their first in the West Bank, that it was not the opening of bargaining about
core issues but rather talks about talks.

"I came here in order to discuss with you the fundamental issues outstanding
between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, hoping that this will lead us
soon into negotiations about the creation of a Palestinian state," Mr Olmert
said.

Both leaders have pointed out the need for broad agreement on principles
before detailed negotiations could begin. For the Palestinians that means
establishing the outlines of a final peace settlement that would include the
most contentious issues.

Humanitarian crisis

Across Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have been
forced to halt all of its construction projects – some 93 million dollars worth
– because we have been unable to import building supplies in sufficient
quantities. We urgently need to get these into Gaza if we are to avoid a
significant worsening of the living conditions of those who have waited months,
and even years to have their own homes.

The urgency of opening up the crossings, not just for humanitarian supplies,
but for imports and exports cannot be over-emphasised.

It is estimated that the total accumulative loss to industry in Gaza has
reached 23 million dollars since June – that amounts to an average of half a
million dollars lost every day, since the closures were imposed. If this
continues, the PAB predicts that at least 120,000 workers in Gaza will lose
their jobs. In the construction sector alone, about 160 million dollars worth
of projects have been halted, which includes the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency (UNRWA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
others.

The Deputy Commissioner-General of UNRWA Filippo Grandi warned that Gaza
risks becoming a virtually one hundred percent aid dependent, closed down and
isolated community within a matter of months, or even weeks, if the present
regime of closures continues.

He appealed to the Palestinian authorities, to Israel and all other parties
to take immediate steps to open up the Karni Crossing, to imports and exports,
as well as humanitarian goods, in compliance with the demands of the United
Nations and of the Quartet. Only this will allow the little that remains of
Gaza's economy to survive.

Failure to do this will lead to disastrous consequences: an atmosphere of
hopelessness and despair in which extremism is likely to take hold.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Iran

Acting Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Abdolreza Rahmani
Fazli on Tuesday, 7 August 2007 rejected the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) Chief Mohammad ElBaradei's offer for direct talks with the United States
(US) on Iran's nuclear problem.

"Minor talks can however be held within the G5+1 framework with the US as a
member of the UN Security Council so as to solve the nuclear issue speedily,"
said Fazli.

He called on the West to put forward the ideas which could both honour
Iran's legitimate right and allay their real concerns.

On Iraq, Fazli dismissed the US' "repetitive" accusations against Iran and
said that's a mere propaganda to cover up Washington's real image. "Tehran has
evidence that Americans do not co-operate with Iraq's legal government
seriously and that they occasionally incite and mobilise different factions and
ethnic groups against the government there," he added.

IAEA-Iran co-operation

Iran has announced its willingness to grant more access to United Nations
nuclear agency inspectors to help it avert further UN sanctions.

Iran intends that in return for its vast co-operation with the agency ...
some proper actions will be taken in order to create mutual trust. These
actions can include the prevention of another (UN sanctions) resolution.

New sanctions could harm "Iran's co-operation with the agency and make the
atmosphere harsh," Rahmani-Fazli said.

Iran would not accept any proposal that included the idea of suspension of
nuclear activities, he said, but he also appeared not to rule out the idea of
Iran ceasing to expand its nuclear programme if major powers did not push for
more sanctions.

"If they (the West) mean that we continue our (nuclear) activities to some
extent and at the same time negotiate with them, that is a different issue," he
said.

Comments by President Ahmadinejad

On Tuesday, 7 August 2007, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated
his country would continue its nuclear work, which Tehran says is solely aimed
at generating electricity so that it can export more oil and gas.

US-Iran negotiations

US and Iranian officials held talks in Baghdad on Monday, 6 August 2007 as a
security sub-committee set up two weeks ago met for the first time.

The US and Iran, which have had limited contacts since the 1979 Iranian
revolution, agreed to set up the committee last month during a meeting of their
respective ambassadors in an effort to stabilise Iraq.

The formation of the committee was seen as a key step to enabling dialogue
between the two countries and officials said the talks would continue at a
future date.

The US accuses Iran of providing support to Shia militia networks in Iraq,
including a deadly variant of roadside bomb. Iran denies the allegations.

Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, hosted the talks, which included Marcie
Ries, the US embassy's counsellor for political and military affairs, and Mr
Abdollahian.

The talks, which lasted several hours, and were described by both sides as
"frank and serious", dealt with security issues in Iraq, a US embassy official
said.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who led the Iranian delegation, said the sides had
discussed "the way the wrong policies of the [US] occupiers in Iraq have led to
the strengthening of terrorism".

The Financial Times reported that Iran's leadership believed some progress
was possible. One official said Iran's calculation in talking to Washington was
that the US was close to accepting the reality of a Shia-led government in
Iraq, even though that was resisted by the Sunni Arab establishment, including
Saudi Arabia.

Tehran in turn is keen that the US take steps to curb the growth of Al-Qaeda
and other extreme Sunni groups, which have flourished in Iraq since the 2003
invasion. Iranian leaders are worried about the spread of militant Wahabbi
Islam.

Meanwhile, five government ministers loyal to the Iraqi National List of
Iyad Allawi, the former prime minister, began a boycott of the Iraqi
cabinet.

Members of parliament from the party, which classes itself as non-sectarian,
said the ministers were carrying out the boycott because Nouri al-Maliki,
Iraq's Shia prime minister, had failed to meet the party's demands on political
reform.

This comes after last week's resignation of six ministers who are members of
the main Sunni Arab political coalition.

Iraq

We are very concerned about the security situation. The South African
government strongly condemns the suicide bombings on Tuesday, 14 August 2007 in
which at least 175 people have been killed and 200 more
wounded in northern Iraq that targeted the Yazidi religious sect.

These barbaric terrorist attacks against innocent civilians cannot be
justified no matter the cause.
 
The fuel tanker attacks occurred about 8 pm local time in two residential areas
near the town of Qahataniya, 120 km west of Mosul, Ghanim Riyadh, a police
captain, said.

In a second incident in the same city, one policeman was killed and
eight others wounded - five of them civilians - when a police patrol was
attacked by a car bomber.
 
Elsewhere in Iraq scores of armed men wearing uniform stormed an
Iraqi oil ministry compound and abducted a deputy oil minister and four other
officials.

Abdel Jabar al Wagaa, senior assistant to Hussain al-Sharistani, Iraq's
oil minister, was taken by at least 50 men wearing security service uniforms,
Assem Jihad, a spokesperson for the oil ministry, said.
 
An interior ministry official, speaking anonymously, said an official in the
State Oil Marketing Organisation and three directors-general in the operation
were also abducted.
 
The operation was described as part of a larger nationwide Operation Phantom
Strike, which US forces announced on Monday.

Iraqis facing shortage of clean water

Many internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps in Iraq are facing
shortages of water, especially clean drinking water, and the situation is being
exploited by unscrupulous militants, local non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) say.
 
Some displaced families have said militants have been delivering clean water to
their camps by truck and demanding money, goods or "favours" in return.

"They [militants] sometimes ask for money knowing we don't have any, and
then start to search our tents to see if there is something useful, while armed
men stay near the truck with their guns aimed at us," said Omar Lattif, 45, an
IDP at Rahman camp on the outskirts of Missan in southern Iraq.

"Sometimes they even ask for fun with 'nice girls'," he said, adding that
two men in the community had been killed for confronting militants demanding
sex for water.

Fatah Ahmed, a spokesman for the Iraq Aid Association (IAA), said they had
informed the local authorities of such cases but had not received a
response.

A joint report released on 30 July by UK-based charity Oxfam and the NGO
Co-ordination Committee in Iraq said around eight million Iraqis were in urgent
need of water and sanitation. The report said 70 percent of Iraqis do not have
adequate water supplies - up from 50 percent in 2003.

Earlier this month, a report by the world's principal intergovernmental body
on migration, the International Organisation for Migration, warned that the
scale of Iraqi displacement was "fast becoming a regional and ultimately
international crisis".

"Most IDP camps are very far from cities and towns, making it harder for
families to search for other sources of water," Ahmed said. "They are sometimes
driven to walking long distances in dangerous areas, and many have been
reported killed."

"The situation is critical and in some areas aid workers have been unable to
offer assistance for over two months," Fatah Ahmed said.

"We have been informed that in some displacement camps near Baqouba, Najaf
and Missan, families have been taking water from nearby open sewage drains,
using cloths to filter it, and then drinking it without boiling it," he
said.

Claire Hajaj, communications officer with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Iraq, told IRIN: "There's no doubt that many displaced and settled families are
living without safe water - partly because of insecurity and partly because of
lack of electricity or infrastructure to support water supply. Many families
are resorting to illegally tapping pipes, digging wells or drinking river
water."

According to the IAA, at least 450 000 IDPs lack water and proper sewage
systems, increasing the possibility of water-borne diseases and
dehydration.
South Peace Organisation (SPO), an NGO based in southern Iraq, said water-borne
diseases and dehydration were becoming common among displaced children.

"At least 58 percent of displaced children in Iraq have one kind of ailment
or another, mostly water-borne illnesses like diarrhoea," said Mayada Obeid, a
spokesperson for SPO. "Doctors have found the main reason has been the hot
weather and dirty water delivered to them."

"Displaced children are extremely vulnerable to unsafe water, particularly
when they move to areas that have no existing supply. Diarrhoea rates are more
likely to rise in areas where water supplies are stretched and many people are
living without safe supplies," Hajaj of UNICEF said.

"Although local authorities and NGOs are making a significant effort to
provide safe water to displaced families, the scale of the crisis is
outstripping the response," she added.

Displaced on the outskirts of Diyala Province, northeast of Baghdad, with an
unemployed husband and no aid assistance, Um Barak, mother of four, said: "We
have just a few litres of water a day for drinking, washing our dishes and
clothes, and when we can, taking a bath." She said the water was dirty but they
had no choice but to drink it.

Water is ferried in by local NGOs, including the IAA, but both displaced
families and aid workers concede that it is not enough to meet all the needs of
the displaced.

"The lack of security near our camp has prevented NGOs from reaching our
tents and the water, which is provided once a week, hardly lasts for three
days, especially with the new families arriving on a daily basis. I cannot let
my children die of dehydration," Um Barak said as she cooked rice and beans in
dirty water.

Lebanon

We remain very concerned about the situation in Lebanon. It is clear that
all the political parties must rise above the narrow political-party interests
and seek national solutions. Without this, we believe that the future of
Lebanon will also be very bleak.

Lebanon's people cannot afford the "fractious political atmosphere" that has
emerged during the past year to continue, Geir Pedersen, the UN Special
Co-ordinator for Lebanon warned on Tuesday, 14 August 2007 on the on the
anniversary of the end of the war between Hizbollah and the Israeli Defence
Forces (IDF).

Pedersen urged the country's leaders to prove that they can overcome their
differences and serve national interests rather than the agenda of the parties
and cautioned that the country's future economic and social progress was being
jeopardised by the political deadlock.

In a statement which appeared in several Lebanese papers, Mr Pedersen said
"this stalemate has given rise to new dangers. The atmosphere of political
division quickly gave way to clashes in January of this year, which turned
deadly. More worrying has been the resurgence of sectarian language in many
circles."

A new president will have to be elected in the coming weeks and Mr Pedersen
said "this event represents an opportunity" for the leaders of the country's
ruling majority and opposition to rise above their recent disputes.

"It is high time that discussions focus on programmes and ideas that address
issues of national interest, rather than narrow party agendas," he said.

The Special Co-ordinator stressed that the responsibility lies with the
Lebanese themselves to sort out their differences and determine the path
ahead.

"There are a number of initiatives to assist the various parties to come
together in dialogue and reach mutually acceptable solutions, both on the
presidency and the composition of the government.

"These efforts will continue, and will be supported to the utmost extent
possible by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. In all cases, the
emergence of two competing governments must be avoided."

Mr Pedersen also said that Lebanon has made positive but incomplete progress
in its reconstruction since the war ended, and that much more work is needed,
as well as to ensure a sustainable ceasefire and not just a cessation of
hostilities.

"Israeli overflights into Lebanese territory will have to stop and Lebanese
borders properly secured to prevent arms smuggling. The issue of the Shaba'a
Farms is under close study and solid progress has been made towards a
provisional determination of the geographical extent of the area."

"Similarly, negotiations to bring about the release of the two Israeli
soldiers [captured just before the war began], as well as of Lebanese
prisoners, are ongoing, and will hopefully bear results in the near
future."

Mr Pedersen's comments were echoed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who
told reporters today at UN Headquarters that it was vital to restore Lebanon's
political and social stability so that its people could enjoy greater economic
prosperity.

He called on Lebanese political leaders to ensure that their dialogue with
others is as inclusive as possible to promote reconciliation between the
country's different groups.

We continue to reiterate our call for the two Israeli soldiers as well as
the Lebanese detainees because we believe, this will make an important
contribution to confidence building in that part of the world and lead to
long-term sustainable solutions.

Security Council resolutions

I will not elaborate on this matter suffice to say that we have been very
active on the UN Security Council: Lebanon, DRC and the Iraq issue have been
high on our agenda.

We are fully in favour of the new mandate given to the UN to play a bigger
role to find a solution to the Iraqi crisis.  We believe that we will not
find a solution to this matter outside of such a multilateral approach.

Lebanon

Security Council, in Presidential statement, expresses grave concern at
breaches of arms embargo along Lebanon-Syria border

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2007/29 reads as follows:

"The Security Council recalls its previous resolutions and statements on
Lebanon.  It welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 28 June 2007
(S/2007/392).  It reaffirms its strong support for the sovereignty,
territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon within its
internationally recognised borders and under the sole and exclusive authority
of its Government.  The Council encourages efforts towards national
reconciliation and political dialogue.  It reiterates its full support for
the legitimate and democratically elected Government of Lebanon, calls for full
respect for the democratic institutions of the country, in conformity with its
constitution, and condemns any effort to destabilise Lebanon.  The Council
also reiterates its full support for the efforts carried out by the Lebanese
Army to ensure security and stability throughout Lebanon, and reaffirms that
there should be no weapons or authority in Lebanon other than that of the
Lebanese State.

"The Security Council reiterates its attachment to the full implementation
of all provisions of resolution 1701 (2006) and urges all concerned parties to
co-operate fully with the Security Council and the Secretary-General to achieve
a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in the resolution.
 It also takes note of the Government of Lebanon's letter, in which it
reaffirmed its commitment to the role of United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon (UNIFIL), and asked for the renewal of its mandate.  The Council
reaffirms its full support for UNIFIL, condemns all terrorist attacks against
it and calls on all parties to abide by their obligation to respect the safety
of United Nations personnel.  It also emphasises the need for UNIFIL to
enhance its investigative capacity in response to the attacks.  The
Council welcomes the tripartite arrangements referred to in the report, notes
the commitments to reach an agreement on the northern part of Ghajar and
encourages the parties to co-operate with UNIFIL to visibly mark the Blue
Line.  It expresses its deep concern at the increase in Israeli violations
of Lebanese air space and appeals to all parties concerned to respect the
cessation of hostilities and the Blue Line in its entirety.

"The Security Council, in this context, expresses grave concern at
persistent reports of breaches of the arms embargo along the Lebanon-Syria
border.  It expresses concern at any allegation of rearming of Lebanese
and non-Lebanese armed groups and militias, and reiterates that there should be
no sale or supply of arms and related materiel to Lebanon except as authorised
by its Government.  In this regard, it expresses concern about the recent
statement by Hizbullah that it retains the military capacity to strike all
parts of Israel, and calls on all parties to refrain from statements and
activities that could jeopardise the cessation of hostilities.  The
Council takes note of the detailed information conveyed by the Government of
Lebanon about the dangerous activities of armed elements and groups, in
particular PFLP-GC and Fatah Intifada, and reiterates its call for the
disbanding and disarmament of all militias and armed groups in Lebanon.
 It underscores the obligation of all Member States, in particular in the
region, to take all necessary measures to implement paragraph 15 of resolution
1701 to enforce the arms embargo.

"The Security Council welcomes the recommendations of the Lebanon
Independent Border Assessment Team (LIBAT) and looks forward to their
implementation.  It requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with
the Government of Lebanon, to assess their implementation and to regularly
update the Council on this issue in his regular reports on the implementation
of resolution 1701, including as appropriate and in co-ordination with the
Government of Lebanon, on the basis of follow-up field visits.  The
Council welcomes the assistance provided by donors to help the Government of
Lebanon to secure its borders, and encourages further such assistance,
including by continuing to provide equipment and border security experts.
 Underlining that Syria and Lebanon share responsibility for controlling
their border, it notes that the Government of Syria has stated that it has
taken measures, reiterates its call on that Government to take further measures
to reinforce control at the border and looks forward to additional proposals in
this regard in light of the Secretary-General's visit to Syria.  The
Council also calls for enhanced cross-border co-operation to secure the
Syrian-Lebanese border.

"The Security Council emphasises the need for greater progress on all the
principles and elements required for a permanent ceasefire and long-term
solution identified in resolution 1701.  The Council expresses deep
concern that Hizbullah has not returned the two Israeli soldiers it abducted,
or even provided proof of life, and calls for their immediate and unconditional
return.  It further encourages efforts to urgently settle the issue of
Lebanese prisoners detained in Israel.

"The Council expresses deep concern at the presence of unexploded ordnance
in south Lebanon and renews its support for the Secretary-General's request to
Israel to provide to the United Nations detailed data on its use of cluster
munitions in southern Lebanon.

"The Security Council, bearing in mind the relevant provisions of
resolutions 1559 (2004), 1680 (2006) and 1701 on the delineation of the
Syrian-Lebanese border, looks forward to the reactivation of the
Syrian-Lebanese boundary committee.  It takes note of the solid progress
made by the cartographer towards a provisional determination of the
geographical extent of the Shebaa Farms and welcomes the Secretary-General's
intention to engage in further discussions with the parties on the Shebaa Farms
area, including on its territorial definition, that will strengthen a
diplomatic process aimed at resolving this key issue in accordance with the
relevant provisions of resolution 1701.  It also reiterates its
appreciation for the process launched by the Secretary-General to investigate
the implications of the interim proposal contained in the seven-point plan of
the Government of Lebanon regarding the Shebaa Farms area.  Recalling
paragraph 62 of the Secretary-General's report, the Council underlines that
progress should also be made on all the other issues identified in operative
paragraph 10 of resolution 1701.  In this regard, the Security Council
requests, pursuant to resolution 1701, that the Secretary-General continue to
develop, in liaison with relevant actors and the concerned parties, proposals
to implement the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords and resolutions 1559
(2004) and 1680 (2006), including disarmament.

"The Security Council stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a
comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on all its
relevant resolutions, including its resolutions 242 (1967) of 22 November 1967
and 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973."

International Tribunal

The United Nations' top legal official Nicolas Michel has sent a letter
inviting UN Member States to submit names of candidates to be considered as
international judges of an independent tribunal to try the suspected killers of
the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri.

UN Legal Counsel Nicolas Michel sent the letter on behalf of
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asking for names to be submitted by 24 September
this year, spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters.

Mr Ban will appoint the judges based on the recommendation of a selection
panel established by him, after he has indicated his intentions to the Security
Council, Mr Haq added.

That selection panel – which is itself yet to be appointed – will comprise
two judges, either sitting or retired from an international tribunal, and a
representative of the Secretary-General.

The tribunal will be of "an international character" to deal with the
assassination of Mr Hariri, who was killed along with 22 others in a massive
car bombing in downtown Beirut in February 2005.

Once it is formally established, it will be up to the tribunal to determine
whether other political killings in Lebanon since October 2004 were connected
to Mr Hariri's assassination and could therefore be dealt with by the
tribunal.

In June Mr Ban began taking the steps and measures to formally establish the
tribunal after Lebanon missed a deadline to ratify itself.

That month a senior UN official also told reporters that it is likely to
take at least a year for the tribunal to begin operations as funds have to be
generated, a seat for the court must be found, judges and other officials
appointed and security arrangements for staff, victims and witnesses
determined.

According to the applicable rules, the Tribunal will not be established
until there are sufficient financial contributions to create the court and run
it for a year and enough pledges to meet the expected expenses of another two
years.

The senior UN official said about $30 million could be needed to finance the
court's first year, but that amount may change depending on whether the
Tribunal is housed in existing buildings, a renovated complex or an entirely
new structure. The Tribunal will be based outside Lebanon at a venue to be
determined.

Iraq

Expressing United Nations deep commitment to people of Iraq,
Secretary-General Welcomes Security Council Resolution 1770 as chance to
enhance contribution

Following is the text of the statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
to the Security Council today:

I welcome the decision of the Security Council today to renew and strengthen
the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) through
the unanimous adoption of resolution 1770 (2007).

The United Nations is deeply committed to helping the people of Iraq, and I
am pleased to have the opportunity to now enhance, where possible, our
contributions in crucial areas, such as national reconciliation, regional
dialogue, humanitarian assistance and human rights.

A peaceful and prosperous future is for Iraqis themselves to create, with
the international community lending support to their efforts.

The United Nations looks forward to working in close partnership with the
leaders and people of Iraq to explore how we can further our assistance under
the terms of this resolution.

I take this opportunity to express my profound appreciation and respect to
the people and Government of Iraq for their courageous efforts to make their
country more stable, democratic and prosperous.

As we remember our colleagues who died in Baghdad four years ago, I also
take this opportunity to pay tribute to the brave men and women who continue to
serve the United Nations in Iraq.  As we move forward, their safety and
security will remain a paramount concern.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Security Council renews arms embargo in Democratic Republic of Congo until
15 February 2008, unanimously adopting Resolution 1771 (2007)

The full text of resolution 1771 (2007) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular resolution 1756 (2007),
and the statements by its President concerning the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, in particular on 23 July 2007,

"Reaffirming its commitment to respect the sovereignty, territorial
integrity and political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as
well as all States in the region,

"Welcoming the establishment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of
democratically elected institutions, and reaffirming the sovereign authority of
the elected government to establish effective security and control throughout
the national territory,

"Taking note with satisfaction of the adoption of the programme of the
Government, in particular the governance contract included therein,

"Taking note of the final report (S/2007/423) of the Group of Experts on the
Democratic Republic of the Congo established pursuant to resolution 1698
(2006),

"Condemning the continuing illicit flow of weapons within and into the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, declaring its determination to continue close
monitoring of the implementation of the arms embargo imposed by resolution 1493
(2003) and expanded by resolution 1596 (2005), and to enforce the measures
provided for in resolution 1596 against persons and entities acting in
violation of this embargo, as amended and expanded by resolutions 1649 (2005)
and resolution 1698, and recognising the linkage between the illegal
exploitation of natural resources, illicit trade in such resources and the
proliferation and trafficking of arms as one of the factors fuelling and
exacerbating conflicts in the Great Lakes region of Africa,

"Recalling its resolution 1612 (2005) and its previous resolutions on
children and armed conflict, and once again strongly condemning the continued
recruitment and use of children in violation of applicable international law,
in the hostilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

"Reiterating its serious concern regarding the presence of armed groups and
militias in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
particularly in the provinces of North and South Kivu and the Ituri district,
which perpetuate a climate of insecurity in the whole region,

"Taking note of the report of the Security Council mission which visited
Kinshasa on 20 June 2007 (S/2007/421),

"Recalling the importance of urgently carrying out security sector reform
and of disarming, demobilising, resettling or repatriating, as appropriate, and
reintegrating Congolese and foreign armed groups for the long-term
stabilisation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

"Noting that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues
to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

"Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

"1.   Decides to renew until 15 February 2008 the measures on arms
imposed by paragraph 20 of resolution 1493 as amended and expanded by paragraph
1 of resolution 1596;

"2.   Reaffirms paragraph 21 of resolution 1493 and paragraph 2 of
resolution 1596, and recalls in particular that the measures referred to in
paragraph 1 above shall not apply to supplies of arms and related materiel or
technical training and assistance intended solely for support of or use by
units of the army and police of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, provided
that the said units:

(a)   Have completed the process of their integration, or
(b)   Operate under the command, respectively, of the état-major
intégré of the Armed Forces or of the National Police of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, or

(c)   Are in the process of their integration, in the territory of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo outside the provinces of North and South
Kivu and the Ituri district;

"3.   Decides further that the measures referred to in paragraph 1
above shall not apply to technical training and assistance agreed to by the
Government and intended solely for support of units of the army and police of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo that are in the process of their
integration in the provinces of North and South Kivu and the Ituri
district;

"4.   Decides that the conditions specified in paragraph 4 of
resolution 1596, as now applied to the Government, shall apply to supplies of
arms and related materiel as well as technical training and assistance which
are consistent with such exemptions noted in paragraph 2 and 3 above and notes
in this regard that States have an obligation to notify such supplies in
advance to the Committee referred to in paragraph 7;

"5.   Decides to renew, for the period specified in paragraph 1
above, the measures on transport imposed by paragraphs 6, 7 and 10 of
resolution 1596;

"6.   Decides to renew, for the period specified in paragraph 1
above the financial and travel measures imposed by paragraphs 13 and 15 of
resolution 1596, paragraph 2 of resolution 1649, and paragraph 13 of resolution
1698, and reaffirms the provisions of paragraph 14 and 16 of resolution 1596,
and paragraph 3 of resolution 1698;

"7.   Recalls the mandate of the Committee established pursuant to
paragraph 8 of resolution 1533 (2004), as expanded pursuant to paragraph 18 of
resolution 1596, paragraph 4 of resolution 1649 and paragraph 14 of resolution
1698;

"8.   Calls upon all States, in particular those of the region, to
support the implementation of the arms embargo and to co-operate fully with the
Committee in carrying out its mandate;

"9.   Requests the Secretary-General to re-establish for a period
expiring on 15 February 2008 the Group of Experts established pursuant to
paragraph 10 of resolution 1533 and expanded pursuant to paragraph 21 of
resolution 1596;

"10.  Requests the Group of Experts to fulfil its mandate as defined in
paragraph 5 and 17 of resolution 1698, to update the Committee on its work as
appropriate, and to report to the Council in writing, through the Committee, by
15 January 2008;

"11.  Requests MONUC, within its existing capabilities and without
prejudice to the performance of its current mandate, and the Group of Experts
referred to in paragraph 9 above to continue to focus their monitoring
activities in North and South Kivu and in Ituri;

"12.  Reaffirms its demand, expressed in paragraph 19 of resolution
1596, that all parties and all States co-operate fully with the work of the
Group of Experts, and that they ensure:

--the safety of its members,

--unhindered and immediate access, in particular to persons, documents and
sites the Group of Experts deems relevant to the execution of its mandate;

"13. Further demands that all parties and all States ensure the co-operation
with the Group of Experts of individuals and entities within their jurisdiction
or under their control, and calls on all States in the region to implement
fully their obligations under paragraph 12 above;

"14.  Decides that, no later than 15 February 2008, it shall review the
measures set forth in paragraphs 1, 5 and 6 above, with a view to adjusting
them, as appropriate, in the light of consolidation of the security situation
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular progress in security
sector reform including the integration of the armed forces and the reform of
the national police, and in disarming, demobilising, resettling or
repatriating, as appropriate, and reintegrating Congolese and foreign armed
groups;

"15.  Decides to remain actively seized of the matter."

Questions and answers

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, with the anti-mercenary bill having been
concluded some time ago, will the South African government attempt to trace the
South African mercenaries in Iraq?

Answer: Let me say that this problem of South Africans in Iraq continues to
be of deep concern to the government. We do not have any diplomatic
representation in Iraq and our consultations with other governments have not
enabled us to determine exactly how many South Africans are in Iraq.
Unscientific reports seem to indicate that the numbers could be in the region
of 10 000. Some of these are South Africans with dual nationalities and many do
not travel directly from South Africa to Iraq so it is very difficult to
determine real numbers. We are only aware of South Africans in Iraq when we
receive reports of casualties. But I can confirm that there are many South
Africans in Iraq participating in what they claim to be defence and security
related activities and not mercenary activities. 

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, regarding global warming: you say there are
expected to be increased highs and lows in weather patterns.  Has the
South African government researched this matter? 

Answer              The
Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism is preparing a document for
Cabinet on this matter in which he will outline increasing reports of this
threat and its specific impact on South Africa and also within the context of
Africa. 
                             

                             
We are now linking global warming to development because if it continues as it
has been, then there is no way in which Africa will achieve the Millennium
Development Goals.

                             
We await this Cabinet Memorandum outlining South Africa's preparations and how
we can assist the region for what is going to hit us sooner rather than
later.

Question            Deputy
Minister Pahad, the South African National Defence Force today indicated that
we had been requested to provide troops to Darfur.  Can you provide more
information in this regard?  Have we been requested to provide any of the
commanders?
Answer:
              Let
me say, this is a matter for the Department of Defence.  This has not yet
been shared with us.

                             
But obviously, South Africa will have to make a major contribution to what is
going to be an African force in Sudan.  By its very nature it will include
military personnel but also logistical and other support.

                             
There is a general agreement that we should support this Hybrid Force in Darfur
in whatever way we can.

                             
The details will only be provided when the Ministry of Defence has indicated
what is available in the Defence Force.

Question            Deputy
Minister Pahad, the Heads of State of North and South Korea will hold their
first meeting in many years later this month.  Could you please comment on
this?
Answer:
              We
have previously said that the 6-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue
were progressing well and we were hoping that this momentum would be sustained
since it would impact on other non-proliferation issues, inter alia, the
Iranian nuclear situation.

                             
This North Korea – South Korea meeting is part of this broader confidence
building that has to take place.  These talks had gone a long way before
the North Koreans restarted their nuclear programme.  There was even talk
of opening the borders and working towards one Korea.  We hope these talks
would be fruitful and further improve the climate the successfully conclude the
6-Party Talks.  We must end the impasse and the isolation of the North
Koreans which has been going on for so long with all of its negative
effects.

Question            Deputy
Minister Pahad, on the Zimbabwe-SADC report: which parts, if any, of the report
will be made public?  Can you confirm for us if the report at all mentions
that the limited sanctions imposed by the British government on Zimbabwe is
hampering progress towards a solution?

Answer: South Africa was mandated by the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and
Security Co-operation, hence our expectation that both reports will be
presented to the Troika of the Organ following which the Organ will decide on
how to proceed with handling this matter including tabling to the Summit and
greater public access.

The challenge with a report of this type is that by its very nature, all
parties did agree that to allow the mediation attempts to succeed we should
avoid discussing this matter through the media. 

If Troika and subsequently Summit decides differently then that is
altogether a different matter.

The Executive Secretary is expected to report on the economic situation and
the impact of sanctions on the situation. The reality is that there is a
serious economic crisis and we have to stop looking at what caused it and
rather what can to done to address this. 

However the reality is also that you cannot have economic progress if you do
not deal with the political challenges.

As President Mbeki said when addressing the media after the Cabinet Lekgotla
in July this year, it's important that when elections take place in 2008 that
the results should not be contested. "In other words you must have elections in
Zimbabwe that are free and fair, and therefore produce a government that will
be acceptable to all the people of Zimbabwe as a legitimate government emerging
out of a democratic process. It is therefore necessary that everything is done
to achieve that outcome."

If the process moves politically, we will be able to solve the economic
crisis.

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, we have just learnt that there was a
meeting between the Zimbabwe civil society and (inaudible).  Are you able
to comment on this? (inaudible)

Answer: Foreign Affairs has not been part of the facilitation process. 
We are not therefore privy to what all parties think the state of preparations
are for elections. I expect that once the President presents his report to the
Troika that we may be able to get a better understanding of what progress has
been made and what obstacles remain.

I read of the meeting with the NGOs in the media.  It might be better
if you ask the Facilitator of the meeting Minister Mufamadi.

We as Foreign Affairs met with a senior delegation of international NGOs
from Civicus to get a report of their visit to Zimbabwe a few months ago and
their recommendations.

We are interacting at various levels with anyone who can assist us to make a
contribution to finding a solution to the crisis in Zimbabwe.

I saw in the media the suggestion that these meetings were being held to
fool SADC.  I am not sure how this can be done.  Our meeting with the
Civicus was prepared six months ago – long before we were even given the
mandate to facilitate in the process.

We interact at the levels of religious leaders, political formations, trade
unions, private sector and through governmental structures.

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, you say you met with the NGOs.  What
kind of picture did they paint of the situation in Zimbabwe?

Answer: They reported on their visit which took place in December last
year.  They also gave us their recommendations on the way forward. 
Broadly speaking they spoke of the necessity to ensure that civil society is
involved in any and all consultative processes, the need to have consultations
and dialogue with everybody including the government and civil society, to
ensure that the repressive laws identified (press laws, public attendance laws)
must be looked at in order to ensure the conditions are created for free and
fair elections.

They therefore gave us their own assessment and we agreed to keep in touch
so that we could exchange more information to see how we could assist the
processes.  This is something we will continue to do on a regular
basis.

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, regarding the two South Africans kidnapped
in Iraq: the last thing that was said by the government was a request to allow
you to do your work.  Do you have an update on this matter?

Answer: The situation is that we are working and as you will appreciate
we had to work very quietly through the companies that had recruited them.

They had guaranteed that we would make progress but the long and the short
of it is that not much progress has been made.  We are continuing, through
the various channels to see whether we can bring about a solution to the
matter.

Our biggest challenge is that we are not in touch with any of the groups
that are involved in the violence so we do not have any access.  Our
Ambassador in Jordan where many Iraqis are gathered, is in touch with the
Iraqis to raise the matter to see what we can do. Our Ambassador in Kuwait is
also trying to signal to the Iraqis to see what the situation is.  We are
also in touch with other governments, the Coalition of the Willing, to see how
they can assist us.

The reality is that not much is forthcoming.

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, the US Ambassador to the IAEA was in South
Africa last week.  He expressed concern that the Iranians would ask South
Africa to vote against sanctions to buy time.  South Africa supported the
last UN Security Council resolution against Iran.  Have we decided on how
we will vote this time?

Answer: The reports we have been given is that the talks between the P5+1
and Larijani and the Larijani-Solana talks are continuing.

All reports indicate that at the moment, there is no draft resolution
against Iran circulating in the Security Council.

The recent reported progress in the discussions between the Iranians and the
IAEA and increased opening up of inspections to IAEA delegations are seen as
signals of the Iranian commitment to deal with the last outstanding issues
raised by the IAEA.  If this is the situation, then we will all be happy
that confidence can be restored that Iran does not an agenda to move towards a
nuclear weapons capability.  Everyone is trying to further support these
positive steps.

South Africa is, through the IAEA, trying to support these positive
steps.

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, could you please confirm for me: are you
saying categorically that you have no knowledge of anything in the President's
report that reflects what has been said by the Democratic Alliance (DA) or in
media reports?

Answer: I categorically deny that there has ever been such a report from the
President because he would do such a report by himself.  I can
categorically deny such an element in his report.

Indeed, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs said yesterday: the report will
only be tabled to the Troika today so we are speculating on something that no
one can confirm.

Question: Deputy Minister Pahad, regarding the SADC-Zimbabwe report – will
an investigation be launched into the source of these reports?

Answer: I think the Presidency has issued a statement confirming what I have
just said – we are not aware of such a report.

This is why we continually ask that if the media hears of such reports –
even if they are leaked – that we should be approached for a comment.

It is very worrying that following these reports appeared in domestic and
international media.

The statement by the Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs Mr Tony Leon
goes over the top in saying that we are making excuses and protecting
Zimbabwe.

It is worrying that Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs should make
statements based on leaked reports when the information has not been verified
and this is a bit irresponsible.  Our doors are open – we hosted the
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee last week and had extensive discussions with
them on all issues.  We have agreed to work with them and to brief the
opposition parties in confidence on all issues that we would not necessarily
make public.  I would have hoped that the DA would have called us to
confirm whether this report was indeed leaked from the Presidents office.

Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
15 August 2007