Sep122017

Russia-Lebanon talks

Russia

Dmitry Medvedev held talks with Lebanon’s President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri.

Excerpts from the transcript:

Meeting with Lebanon’s President of the Council of Ministers Saad Hariri

Dmitry Medvedev: Your visit coincided with a period when our business links and the contacts between our governments are intensifying. The bilateral dialogue and contacts between our business communities are developing, which has led to the drafting of documents to be signed during your visit. There was a certain decline in our business activity but we have seen it building back up recently, particularly this year. This includes the structure of bilateral trade which, in our view, is becoming more optimal.

I would like to note your consistent policy of expanding cooperation with our country.

In every possible way, we support your course toward strengthening Lebanon’s unity, preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both our countries are facing all the problems of the modern world, including terrorism. In this context, I would like to congratulate you on the successful completion of the operation to eliminate extremist groups in Lebanon.

We are ready to further enhance our counter-terrorism cooperation and cooperation in other sensitive areas. 

Tomorrow you are meeting with President Putin. Hopefully, your visit will start a new chapter in Russia-Lebanon relations. 

Saad Hariri (via interpreter): Our political relations have reached an exceptional level and we would like our economic relations to reach the same level. Indeed, Lebanon is experiencing many problems, one of which is terrorism. We are defeating the terrorists but Lebanon still needs the help of friends like Russia.

There are many issues caused by the presence of Syrian refugees in our country. Should a political solution be found in Syria, it must provide for the return of Syrian refugees to their homes. I am not only talking about those in Lebanon but elsewhere in the world.

We are extremely serious about the need to develop our economic relations. At this particular time, it is very important to make sure that my visit becomes a significant investment in the strengthening of these relations.

Russian companies are now competing in tenders to develop gas deposits. We really want Russian businesses to have a presence in our country.

Shortly, we will get started on infrastructure investment projects and we would also like to see Russian companies operating in Lebanon.

We continue the rearmament of the Lebanese army and our wish is also to establish military cooperation with Russia.

To this day, we have managed to ensure the security of our country and stability in Lebanon. But the current task is to neutralise the threats coming from Syria and several other countries in the region, including Israel.

To secure our sovereignty, we need to further expand cooperation between security services and corresponding agencies.

Sep122017

INTERVIEW: UN Assembly President aims to achieve ‘results for people’

United Nations

12 September 2017 – Miroslav Lajčák hopes, that under his presidency, the United Nations General Assembly will overcome narrow national interests and produce tangible benefits for people.

“My hope is that the 72nd session of the General Assembly will be a good one, a productive one that will result in many concrete solutions to the world’s problems,” Mr. Lajčák told UN News ahead of the session’s opening today.

The career diplomat from Slovakia, who was elected by the 193-member Assembly as its President, highlighted two of the world’s most pressing issues – conflict and migration – as his priorities.

“I wish to pay attention to what we can do better to prevent conflict. Because by avoiding conflict, we save human lives and we also save money,” he said, while noting that Member States will also be devoting time and energy to the drafting of a global compact on migration, which is expected to be adopted in 2018.

Having been through difficult missions, particularly in the Balkans, Mr. Lajčák said he understands what it takes to succeed in multilateralism.

“If we disagree, this is not the reason to punish each other. It’s the reason to sit down and try to find a consensus or compromise. This is what I understand as the essence of diplomacy,” he said.

VIDEO: Miroslav Lajcák outlines priorities for his tenure as President of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, aiming to bolster the world body’s efforts to promote peace and security, sustainable development and human rights.

UN News: How do you view the role of the General Assembly in the 21st century?

Miroslav Lajčák: The General Assembly is a unique organ. It’s the most representative organ of the United Nations, where all 193 Member States are present. Each has one vote regardless of its size, power or wealth. That gives the body a huge authority. Plus, according to the [UN] Charter, the General Assembly can discuss any matter. So, therefore, I wish to see the General Assembly being a body where the most important issues are being discussed and where we are able to generate answers to the questions that our people are expecting from us.

UN News: What are your hopes for the new session? What do you see as the biggest challenges?

I believe in respect. We might be different, we might have different views, different interests, but we have to respect each other.

Miroslav Lajčák: My hope is that the 72nd session of the General Assembly will be a good one, a productive one that will result in many concrete solutions to the world’s problems. Most pertinent being probably the two of them. First is the prevention of conflict, because I don’t think we can say that we are in control of what’s happening around us. There are too many conflicts, and too few solutions. So, I wish to pay attention to what can we do better to prevent conflict. Because by avoiding conflict, we save human lives and we also save money.

And the second hope is linked to the issue of migration. It’s a global phenomenon. It’s an issue that we are all confronted with, one way or another. We have a task or mandate to prepare the Global Compact on Migration. This will take a lot of time during the 72nd session. But I really hope that we will be able to present a document that is rich in substance, that is credible, and that will be well received by our citizens.

UN News: In your acceptance speech, you spoke about wanting to focus on six priorities [people; peace and prevention; migration; the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate action; human rights; and quality]. Given the situation in international affairs now, do you envisage difficulty in keeping your focus on these six priorities?

Miroslav Lajčák: We have to have priorities. At the same time, we have to be flexible and to be able to deal with the issues that we were not foreseeing at the time when we were preparing priorities. So, my six priorities cover all three pillars of the UN work, namely peace and security, development and human rights, and also the ongoing activities. I mentioned already peace and prevention, I mentioned migration. Of course, there is a sustainable development agenda, and the climate agenda where we have to stay focused. There is an agenda of human rights and human dignity. And there is an agenda of a modern UN, which means to support the reforms and also to adopt a budget that will allow us to work also for the future. But as I said, we must not be rigid in sticking to these priorities. Whenever there is a need to address an issue that has emerged and the UN is expected to deal with, we should be ready to do so.

Secretary-General António Guterres looks on. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe”>

Peter Thomson (left), President of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly, passes the gavel on to Miroslav Lajčák (right), President of the seventy-second session, as Secretary-General António Guterres looks on. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

UN News: Your predecessor made oceans and SDGs a key part of his term in office. What topics or themes do you hope to focus on? And why?

Miroslav Lajčák: I’m not bringing into this job an agenda that will be my agenda. My agenda is the UN agenda. The programme is so full. There are so many events that are already mandated and are expected to take place during my mandate, that we can’t easily cover all the priorities. And also out of respect for smaller delegations that have problems to cope with a huge number of meetings, I said, I’m not going to announce additional topics, I would focus on the quality of the meetings that are already mandated, and they are there. I’m comfortable that through those meetings, and those agendas, we will be able to address all the priorities.

UN News: You also spoke about making the General Assembly more effective. How will you do this?

If we disagree, this is not the reason to punish each other, it’s the reason to sit down and try to find a consensus or compromise. This is what I understand as the essence of diplomacy.

Miroslav Lajčák: The most important thing for me is to understand that what we do here is meant to improve the lives of people on this planet. We are not here because of ourselves and we are not here because of fighting over the text of resolutions. But these resolutions serve concrete purposes. So, let us not forget for a minute that we have to focus on people, on their lives and on their concerns. Second, to be representative, as we are or wish to be, we have to be open, we have to communicate with our partners, with the young generations, with media, with civic activists, and NGOs, and with the business community, so that we are really reflecting the hopes, needs and expectations of the world’s public.

UN News: What made you want to seek this position as the President of the General Assembly?

Miroslav Lajčák: This is a very important position. I’ve always believed in the United Nations. I’m a career diplomat. I spent 30 years as a diplomat, out of which, seven years as foreign minister. I’ve always believed in the United Nations as a centre of multilateralism and multilateral diplomacy. So, I want to use this position to promote further the United Nations, the role of the United Nations, and increase the relevance of the United Nations.

Miroslav Lajčák takes the oath of office as President of the General Assembly. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

UN News: You’ve served your country, the European Union and the international community. How do you expect that your past experiences will facilitate your work here?

Miroslav Lajčák: I do hope that I’ve learned something and understood something over those 30 years. That’s what I am bringing with me into this job. I believe in respect. We might be different, we might have different views, different interests, but we have to respect each other and dialogue. Unfortunately, there is less and less dialogue, and less and less willingness to engage in a dialogue. We are rather exchanging monologues. So, I really want to promote the ability to listen to each other and to hear what we say. And if we disagree, this is not the reason to punish each other, it’s the reason to sit down and try to find a consensus or compromise. This is what I understand as the essence of diplomacy.

I’ve been through difficult missions, particularly in the Balkans. I always tried to listen to the views of the local people, or the views of the region. I never try to impose a solution that I brought with me, but I rather created a solution which was based on the understanding of the local mentality, history, psychology and situation there. And it usually worked. I will try to promote this principle – respect, understanding and dialogue – also into my work here.

UN News: In a year’s time, when you sit here for an exit interview, what do you hope to be able to say as the outgoing President of the General Assembly?

Miroslav Lajčák: I do hope to be able to say that it was a good session of the General Assembly – good because we delivered concrete results for people, and that we were able to overcome our narrow national views and positions in the interest of compromise, which is good for all of us.

Sep122017

Ongoing tensions pose continued dangers for civilians in eastern Ukraine, notes UN report

United Nations

12 September 2017 – Last month saw a decrease in the number of civilian casualties due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, according to a new report issued today by the United Nations human rights office, which added that the sudden flaring and easing of tensions continues to make daily life dangerous for civilians living close to the so-called “contact line.”

A press release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted that the “harvest ceasefire,” which began at the end of June, may have contributed to the decrease in civilian casualties in August.

“However, the ceasefire never fully took hold, with hostilities suddenly flaring and then easing,” it added, noting that this unpredictability made daily life particularly dangerous for civilians living close to the contact line on both sides.

From 16 May to 15 August 2017, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine recorded 26 conflict-related civilian deaths and 135 injuries. At least 2,803 civilians have been killed, and between 7,000 and 9,000 civilians injured during the conflict overall.

OHCHR is concerned that there is no mechanism for victims to seek reparation and compensation, especially for those who have been injured and the families of people who have been killed. The report also highlights the need to develop a mechanism for compensation or restitution for property destroyed or damaged due to the conflict.

Calling on all parties to immediately adhere to the ceasefire, the report describes incidents of shelling which damaged residential neighbourhoods, schools, hospitals, and water and power facilities. It also raises concerns about unlawful detentions, continued killings and enforced disappearances in the conflict zone.

Among other things, the report also contains new allegations of the use of torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, to extract confessions from conflict-related detainees on both sides of the contact line.

The report also points to a new development, namely business people being detained by law enforcement in government-controlled territory on charges of financing terrorism after they paid “taxes” in territory controlled by armed groups.

More than 1.7 million people have been displaced in Ukraine since the start of the conflict four years ago. During a visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in June, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all sides to fully respect the ceasefire and underscored the world body’s support to the country and its people.

In addition to today’s report, OHCHR will later this month issue a report on the human rights situation in Crimea, as mandated by the General Assembly.

Sep122017

Press release: Improving work health for a healthy economy

HM Government

A healthy population is the engine of a healthy economy, says Public Health England’s (PHE) Chief Executive.

Speaking at the opening of PHE’s annual conference, Duncan Selbie said we must look further than the NHS if we are to ensure everyone has a fair chance of good health.

PHE believes that health and wealth are 2 sides of the same coin. Having a job is the key to a long, happy and healthy life.

Illness among working age people costs the UK economy £100 billion a year. About 330,000 every year become unemployed because of health-related issues.

For every unemployed person who gets a job there is an estimated saving to society of £12,035 in a one-year period.

We take an estimated 137.3 million days of sick leave and more than a third of those (£46 million) are due to poor mental health and lower neck and back pain.

But workplace health and wellbeing programmes such as exercise, healthy eating and stop smoking support can make a real difference. Successful programmes such as these have been found to return £2 to £10 for every £1 spent, benefiting staff wellbeing and economic productivity.

Most big employers already have some plans in place that help to improve and protect their staff’s health but many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) do not currently benefit from such programmes.

PHE and Healthy Working Futures, a workplace health provider, has set out advice for SMEs, which account for 60% of private sector employment.

It gives SMEs a series of questions on health and wellbeing including smoking, fitness and sleep, which staff can answer anonymously, enabling them to assess the specific needs of their workforce and create tailored steps to improve their staff’s health and wellbeing, based on evidence.

Later this week, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) will also publish new guidelines on how businesses can improve their workers’ health, with advice on physical and mental health.

PHE has also created a series of guidance for employers on important issues, such as musculoskeletal (MSK) and mental health, impacting on employees with Business in the Community. Further advice is being developed covering issues including:

  • physical activity
  • diet and weight
  • drugs
  • alcohol
  • tobacco

Duncan Selbie, Public Health England (PHE) Chief Executive, said:

Work is the key to a long, happy and healthy life. But sickness absence and tackling early retirement due to ill health are still major challenges for the economy.

This new package of support for small businesses will help businesses improve the health of their staff.

We can no longer see the health service as the only solution to our ills. We’ve got individual responsibility, and so do employers. Keeping people healthy not only benefits the individual but also benefits the economy and the local community.

We must do more to improve health outcomes, and in turn the health and economic productivity of the country. I urge employers to take advantage of this support.

Mike Cherry, Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said:

Improved wellbeing benefits individual businesses. But more than that, it helps the wider economy, government and public services, as well as the local communities where small businesses play such an important role. There’s never going to be a ‘one size fits all’ approach and not every idea will work for every business – that’s why we’re very pleased to be working with Public Health England in particular to help smaller businesses and the self-employed.

The FSB will soon launch its first wellbeing campaign aimed at providing some simple ideas and suggestions that smaller firms can look to adopt to support themselves and their staff. This sits alongside the medical and health advice service we already offer our members. We are delighted to receive the support of PHE for our campaign and we hope it acts as a catalyst for a positive conversation on wellbeing and mental health.

Louise Aston, Wellbeing Director, Business in the Community, said:

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Public Health England, taking an innovative co-production, whole person, whole system approach to producing a suite of interconnected toolkits that address the two leading causes of days lost at work – mental and musculoskeletal health.

Our suite of toolkits consolidates the very best evidence with the very best employer practice, aligned with freely available resources that are useful to all employers, wherever they are on their journey.

PHE and Business in the Community have developed a series of toolkits for employers.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust introduced a physiotherapy service for staff with MSK absence from work because it was the second highest reason for sickness absence among staff, and employees had asked for support in this area in health and wellbeing surveys.

Following a successful pilot of early intervention for staff with MSK absence at Wansbeck General Hospital in 2014, the service was extended trust-wide in January 2016.

An additional whole-time equivalent physiotherapist was provided to deliver the service for staff who can either self-refer using the online referral system or be referred by their manager, ideally on the first day of absence.

Staff are then given an appointment with a physiotherapist within 3 days.

Findings show:

  • 15% of staff (86) on short-term MSK absence were referred to the staff physiotherapy service
  • absence length for staff on short-term absence was reduced by 31% when referred on first day of absence, compared to day 2 or more
  • 25% of staff (44) on long-term MSK absence were referred to physiotherapy
  • absence length for staff on long-term absence was reduced by 11% when referred on first day of absence, compared to day 2 or more

For further information on this case study, please contact Jaclyn Curry, Media and Communications Officer, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on 0191 203 1654 or jaclyn.curry@northumbria.nhs.uk.

Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. It does this through world-class science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and the delivery of specialist public health services. PHE is an operationally autonomous executive agency of the Department of Health. Follow us on Twitter: @PHE_uk and Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland.

Sep122017

Press release: New figures reveal junior fishing licences increase 25%

Environment Agency

Sales of junior fishing licences across England and Wales, have received a welcome boost over the summer, according to the latest figures from the Environment Agency. The figures reveal junior fishing licence sales increased by 25.7% from 2016/17. The fishing licence, which is now free for 12 to16 year olds, shows figures increased from 52,117 at the end of 2016/17 to 65,487 as of 21 August 2017.

The increase in sales is welcomed by the Environment Agency which highlighted the challenge of attracting juniors to the sport given the popularity of game consoles, TV and social media. The rise in sales figures was helped by last year’s changes to fishing licences which included making them free to anyone aged 12 to16*.

Figures from 2009 to 2016 showed a 52.6% decline in junior licence sales reaching just 52,117 in 2016. It’s hoped that the recent increase marks the start of an upward trend that will help secure the future of the sport. The free juniors fishing licence is supported by hundreds of partnership fishing events run alongside partners including the Angling Trust, Get Hooked on Fishing and National Fishing Month. The events include free family fun days and taster sessions which help remove barriers for juniors and families enabling them to consider taking up fishing.

Kevin Austin, Head of Fisheries at the Environment Agency, said:

Children today have a wealth of technology at their fingertips, and coupled with the costs parents face, it’s easy to see why fewer children are enjoying outdoor activities. We’re really pleased to see that a growing number of young people are taking up the offer of a free junior licence, helping them to enjoy the great outdoors and this great sport.

Today’s children are the anglers of tomorrow. It’s important we attract them to the sport early and offering a free fishing licence is one way to achieve that. Not only does fishing offer great health and educational benefits, angling generates over £1 billion for the UK economy and creates over 37,000 full time jobs.

The Environment Agency works in partnership with the Angling Trust, Get Hooked on Fishing and National Fishing Month to offer free fishing events and activities. To find an event close to you take a look at www.getfishing.org.uk.

The free junior fishing licence is made possible as a result of income generated from adult fishing licence holders.

ENDS.

Notes to editors

  • Figures quoted are for England and Wales
  • *Juniors still need to get a licence in order to fish but the licence will be free www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence.
  • These changes have also been implemented across Wales. Natural Resources Wales is the lead.
  • Anglers are legally required to hold a valid fishing licence to fish in rivers, lakes and other inland waters in England (except the River Tweed) and the Border Esk (and its tributaries) in Scotland.