The Guardian 30 November, 2005
Global briefs
KOSOVO: The US military HAS denied that it was running a Guantánamo-style prison for terror suspects in Kosovo, as tensions continued to simmer over reports of secret CIA flights across Europe. "There are no secret detention facilities located on Camp Bondsteel (eastern Kosovo)", Major Michael Wunn, US military spokesman in Kosovo. The major was responding to comments last week by Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Alvaro Gil-Robles, who claimed to have seen Muslims being held at a facility in Kosovo which looked like the Guantánamo Bay prison in Cuba, used to house captives from the US-led "war on terror". Mr Gil-Robles told France’s Le Monde newspaper that he had been "shocked" by conditions at the centre, which he said he witnessed in 2002.
MALTA: The Prime Minister of Pakistan has given his backing to Australia’s counter-terrorism legislation, saying all countries have the right to come up with laws that meet their needs. Shaukat Aziz was speaking at a news conference in Malta, where the leaders of 53 countries are holding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). On the second day of the meeting where leaders are discussing the issue of terrorism and security, Mr Aziz told journalists that the nature of the threats facing the world meant the security and legislative environment would have to change in most countries. He was asked specifically about his view of the UK and Australian counter-terrorism legislation. On the converse side, Mr Aziz said it was also important to reflect on whether any local issues create a certain type of behaviour and to address those issues. "We need to ponder the root causes of terrorism", he said.
UN: The UN refugee agency has announced that it needs $1.65 billion to run its worldwide operations next year. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the money is required for its budget to help just over 19 million people. "UNHCR is almost exclusively funded through voluntary contributions, so we rely totally on the generosity of donors to support our work to protect and help some of the most vulnerable people on this planet", said High Commissioner Antonio Guterres in a statement. The agency’s regular budget for 2005 was $1.49 billion. UNHCR usually manages to gather 80 per cent of the funds it needs during the year, officials said. In all, the UNHCR said, some 43 per cent of the 2006 budget will be allocated to programmes in Africa, including some $349 million for Central Africa and the Great Lakes, $135 million for East Africa and the Horn, and $139 million for West Africa. Other sizeable operations are linked to refugee return and reintegration programmes, including $137 million across Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, and over $61 million in the Balkans. In addition to the regular 2006 budget, the UNHCR said it will issue separate appeals for South Sudan, Darfur and Iraq later.