DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19960415
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Sylvana Foa, Spokesman for Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, began today's noon briefing by saying that she was being joined by Mohammed Zejjair, Coordinator of the United Nations humanitarian relief efforts in Iraq. Mr. Zejjair was there to answer any questions that the correspondents might have about the situation in Iraq. The situation had improved slightly with the reports of what was going on here in New York. He could give correspondents a real update. (Notes on the briefing are issued separately.)
Ms. Foa said that this morning the Secretary-General spoke to the resumed fiftieth session of the General Assembly on public administration and development. That statement was available in her office.
At 4:30 p.m. today, the Secretary-General would be seeing the Defence Minister of Finland, Ms. Anneli Taina, she continued. He would then see Robert Pelletreau, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, at 5 p.m.
Turning to Liberia, Ms. Foa said that things seemed to be looking up. "According to the last phone conversation we had with our people there, which was at about 8 o'clock this morning, looting still continues in Monrovia as faction leaders are trying to move their fighters out of the city. The faction leaders are telling their guys, 'Hey kids, out. It's time to leave. Go back out to the countryside'. But the fighters seem quite reluctant to leave. But they say the past two days have been relatively calm and only sporadic firing has been reported."
She said that, at the moment, there were 40 United Nations personnel still in Liberia. They were all in the Riverview compound. They included 13 persons from the United Nations agencies (World Food Programme, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Children's Fund, World Health Organization, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)), and the Department of Humanitarian Affairs; and 22 civilians and five military observers from the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL).
"On the good news front, they tell us that they managed to put 15 United Nations vehicles into the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) base for safe keeping", she said.
She said that on Sunday, Charles Taylor, one of the faction leaders, visited the Riverview compound and returned six looted United Nations trucks that his people had found. "They got them back and brought them to us in Riverview. Mr. Taylor said that Liberia needed the United Nations and thanked
the people who were there for staying. He also told us that he and another militia leader, Mr. Kromah, had ordered all fighters to leave the Mamba point area today and that the Liberian Foreign Minister, who was in Washington, would be travelling to New York to brief and consult with members of the Security Council." Ms. Foa also said that yesterday the United Nations managed to move some food to Mamba point, and the WFP got eight metric tonnes of food to hospitals in the city, which was a big relief. "So food is moving. Things are a little quieter. But there is still sporadic firing and still some looting." She told correspondents that the Security Council was meeting on the situation in the West Bank. The meeting was requested by the United Arab Emirates as current Chairman of the Arab Group. So far, 32 speakers had been listed. This evening, there would be another meeting on the situation in Lebanon arising from the continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah forces. "Again, it is quite an extensive list. That (meeting) will start at 6 p.m. and, as far as we know, will go on until at least 9 p.m. because of the number of speakers." "Our guys in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) say that they have about 5,000 people who have sought refuge in their positions. They are doing their best to give them food and medical assistance. They have also been in touch with UNDP about getting more emergency humanitarian supplies. The UNIFIL says the exodus of the local population towards the north continued, and that most of the villages in the area are now deserted", she said. Turning to Nigeria, she said that the United Nations fact-finding mission returned to Headquarters over the weekend and was now preparing its report to the Secretary-General. The mission was in Nigeria from 28 March to 12 April. It met government officials, opposition leaders, and local dignitaries in different parts of the country. It had gone to review the recent trial and execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and others, and at the plans of the Nigerian Government to restore the country to democratic rule. "So we are waiting for their report." Ms. Foa said that the Secretary-General had sent a letter to the President of the Security Council regarding the situation in Burundi. He said that the security situation in Burundi took a turn for the worst last month. "I fear there is a real danger of the situation degenerating to a point where it might erupt into a genocidal conflict", she quoted the Secretary-General as saying. He cited heavy fighting which used to be concentrated in the northern part of the country, but which had now spread to the south, Ms. Foa continued. He said the rebels seemed to be establishing casual or light fortifications and were using much more sophisticated equipment, including mines. There were also disturbing reports that some armaments had been distributed recently to civilians in Bujumbura and elsewhere.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 15 April 1996
Ms. Foa announced that her office had available a summary of contributions both to the regular peace-keeping and tribunal budgets as at 31 March. "No one paid today. Only 53 Members States have paid in full. We are still owed $2.8 billion as of today." On announcements from the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA), she said that UNCA had requested her to announce the cancellation of today's briefing by Juan Somavía, Permanent Representative of Chile, because of the informal consultations of the Security Council. "They will, however, have a party on 18 April at 5:30 p.m. in the UNCA Club to launch the 1996 UNCA Directory", she said. "UNCA also tells us that they now have a second annual prize for the best media coverage of the United Nations and its agencies", she said. It was worth $1,000 and was open to all journalists anywhere in the world in any media and was for the best story, programme or series concerning the United Nations and its agencies published between July 1995 and July 1996. The Association was looking for entries with impact, insight and originality and would take into account the courage and assiduity of the journalists. They were also looking for investigative work. Entries were expected by 31 August addressed to Ian Williams, the President of UNCA.
"This is going to be a hard call because a lot of stories, series and programmes were written about the United Nations and its agencies this year", she said.
Ms. Foa said that at 11:15 a.m. tomorrow in room 226, Khalil Rahman, senior economist of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), would hold a press conference on the occasion of the launching of UNCTAD's annual report on least developed countries.
On Wednesday at 11 a.m. in room 226, the Mission of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will sponsor a press conference by Dr. Milan Bulajic, Director of the Museum of Genocide Victims.
She announced that the Secretary-General's message to the Inter- Parliamentary Union in Istanbul, today, was available in her office in French and English.
A correspondent asked for information on a meeting of the five permanent members of the Security Council on Cyprus. Ms. Foa responded that her office might have something on the meeting by tomorrow. "My understanding is there is a meeting. That is confirmed now. We'll get whatever we have for you by tomorrow."
On a question regarding when the Liberian Foreign Minister would be in New York, she said that she was not sure. "All we know is that Charles Taylor told our people in Monrovia that he was coming. I haven't gotten a date yet."
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Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 15 April 1996