Asia Pacific

UN agency plans large-scale resettlement of Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal

6 November 2007
The United Nations refugee agency and its partners are laying the groundwork for the large-scale resettlement of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in Nepal following the Government's announcement that they can go to other countries.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro

UN rights expert to visit Myanmar next week

6 November 2007
An independent United Nations human rights expert on Myanmar today welcomed an invitation by the country's authorities to visit from 11 to 15 November.

Secretary-General deplores deadly suicide attack in Afghanistan

6 November 2007
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today denounced the suicide attack that killed more than 40 civilians and injured scores of others in the northern Afghan town of Baghlan – one of the deadliest the war-torn nation has witnessed in recent years.
Ibrahim Gambari

Myanmar: UN envoy stresses need to lift restrictions on political detainees

6 November 2007
Continuing his consultations with the authorities in Myanmar, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser today again stressed the need for dialogue between the country’s leadership and the opposition, and urged that all restrictions on political detainees, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, be lifted as a critical first step.
Ian Martin

Nepal: UN envoy calls for frank assessment of electoral outlook

6 November 2007
Nepal’s politicians and civil society must conduct a clear assessment of why elections for its Constituent Assembly have had to be postponed twice this year, the senior United Nations envoy to the country said today, calling on all sides to outline a realistic road map for the future.

Security Council to send mission to Timor-Leste this month

6 November 2007
The Security Council will send a mission to Timor-Leste to build on the success of the tiny nation’s recent elections and to support efforts to bolster peace and democracy, it was announced today.
Ban Ki-moon

Ban Ki-moon repeats call for return to democratic rule in Pakistan

6 November 2007
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today repeated his call for a return to democratic rule in Pakistan and the release of all detained political leaders and lawyers as well as a United Nations human rights expert.

Ban Ki-moon urges Pakistan to release detained, return to democratic rule

5 November 2007
Reacting to the imposition of a state of emergency in Pakistan, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on the country’s authorities to release those who have been detained, including a United Nations human rights expert, and to take steps for a return to democratic rule.
Ibrahim Gambari

Special envoy tackles relations between Myanmar and UN country team

5 November 2007
The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari, continued his visit to Myanmar today with discussions on future cooperation between the Government and the United Nations Country Team, after authorities last week declared they did not want the world body’s top official in the South-East Asian nation to continue his service.

Ban Ki-moon calls on States to uphold pledges to fight terrorism in Afghanistan

5 November 2007
Concerned about recent fighting in Afghanistan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed to all States assisting the violence-wracked nation to maintain their existing commitments to root out terrorism and rebuild a peaceful society.