DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19960702
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Sylvana Foa began today's noon briefing by announcing that the Secretary-General, who was at the United Nations Office at Geneva, this morning chaired a meeting of informal consultations with donor countries for the Initiative on Africa. At the meeting, which included ministers from the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Portugal, he described the Initiative as "the largest coordinated United Nations undertaking in history". She said the Bretton Woods institutions were fully involved in the Initiative which, based on priorities identified by Africans, addressed the special needs of countries recovering from civil conflict.
The Secretary-General, taking some time away from the meeting, had a 20- minute conversation with the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, she said. Among the points taken up were and relations between Egypt and the United Nations -- which are "excellent" -- and the next summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Addressing the report of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on the Cuban incident, Ms. Foa said it was 94 pages long and included 143 pages of annexes. There was also a cover letter from the President of ICAO to the Secretary-General and a two-page resolution, adding up to a grand total of 240 pages. If the members of the Security Council agreed to a partial translation of the document into Chinese, they would be able to deal with the report by 8 July. If the whole report had to be translated, that date would have to be pushed back.
As was mentioned yesterday, the United Nations Moderator for the Peace Process in Guatemala, Jean Arnault, had indeed been in the city yesterday, but was now on his way to Mexico City and would be unable to come to the noon briefing, Ms. Foa said. However, he had clarified that the talks between the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) did not include the issue of a possible amnesty. The talks centred on the strengthening of civilian authorities and the role of the Army in a democratic society.
"What they're talking about is reintegration of the URNG into the political life of the country", Ms. Foa said. It was generally recognized that a legal framework would have to be defined to enable ex-combatants to rejoin Guatemalan society under conditions of legal and political security. Meanwhile, the United Nations was working with human rights organizations within Guatemala and looking at ways of protecting the interests of the victims of human rights violations, while at the same time achieving national reconciliation.
On Liberia, the Field Commander of ECOMOG -- the Military Observer Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) -- said Monrovia had now been fully restored to its "safe haven" status, Ms. Foa said. A conducive atmosphere now existed for the Liberian Transitional Government to resume government business at all levels. Although some fighters still remained in Monrovia, most had now left. ECOMOG was now fully deployed throughout the city and would be carrying out day and night patrols. Its forces were also engaged in cordon and search operations to confiscate hidden weapons. They had already collected 515 rifles, 47 sub-machine guns, 168 bombs and 10,000 rounds of ammunition, "and they still have a lot of the city to go through". The Spriggs Payne Airfield had also been fully restored to commercial use.
A monthly update of humanitarian appeals launched during 1996, as compiled by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs, was now available in the Spokesman's office, Ms. Foa said. The list included humanitarian requirements, how much had been collected, what the shortfall was, and who the beneficiaries were in each area. "The bottom line is, they had requirements of almost $2.5 billion and they've received less than a billion -- 39.4 per cent of the humanitarian requirements. The rest is still lacking", Ms. Foa said. Similar appeal updates would be put out by the Spokesman's office on a regular basis.
The Security Council would be taking up the question of human rights in Croatia, Ms. Foa said. They would also be discussing the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES). "We saw a draft on both, but not firm enough yet for us to give you anything on it."
Ms. Foa then raised the question of a fund at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva involving an American citizen, which came up at yesterday's briefing. "The man is under arrest", she said. It was not United Nations policy to give the name of the person until all formal legal charges were levelled. However, the team headed by Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services Karl Theodor Paschke had uncovered evidence of fraud amounting to at least 500,000 Swiss francs, or some $400,000. Mr. Paschke's team was in Geneva again today for the second round of the investigation.
What was happening with Cuba this week? a correspondent asked, citing the presence in the building of the Cuban Foreign Minister. Ms. Foa said she did not know. "I also heard a report that the American Secretary of Transportation was also in the building today, but we haven't been able to track down either one", she said, adding that the ICAO report would not be seen by the Security Council until 8 July.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 2 July 1996
A correspondent asked about a meeting between the head of the Iraqi delegation to the food-for-oil talks, Abdul Amir Al-Anbari, and officials of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs. Ms. Foa said he was meeting with the head of the Department's New York Office, Shaukat Fareed, and that it was the second such meeting with people from that office. Ambassador Al-Anbari met with Mr. Fareed and with Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Yasushi Akashi on Friday, "right after the [distribution] plan came in". It was a normal process.
"Basically, we're taking a good look at the plan", she said. "It's almost 600 pages long, so it's going to take some time. We are scrutinizing it, to make sure the contents are consistent with Security Council resolution 986 and with the Memorandum of Understanding."
"We will also be conferring with the Iraqis as questions or proposals come up", Ms. Foa continued. "We don't expect to put out a big statement on what we like or don't like. Rather, we will try to iron things out, the way we usually do here."
Would the Secretary-General withdraw at the end of the year? a correspondent asked. "I think the Secretary-General has made it very, very clear that he is available for a second term", Ms Foa said.
Was the Secretary-General making requests of any countries during his travels, a correspondent asked. Was he raising the question of his second term? How had the problem with Washington changed his discussions? He would not bring it up as he has much too much real work to do", Ms. Foa said. "It certainly has come up. I've been reading the newspapers and it seems it comes up quite regularly; but the Secretary-General wouldn't bring it up".
Had the Secretary-General met with President Clinton of the United States at the "Group of Seven" meeting? a correspondent asked. The Secretary- General had met with President Clinton and Secretary of State Warren Christopher and the meeting had been "businesslike", Hiro Ueki of the Spokesman's office said.
Asked what charges had been levelled against the person involved in the UNCTAD fraud case, Ms. Foa said the case was in the hands of the Geneva authorities.
In Liberia, one member of the Transitional Council was on the run and two others were attacking him, a correspondent said. What was the present situation? Ms. Foa said General Roosevelt Johnson of the Council was in Accra, Ghana.
Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 2 July 1996
"General Johnson has been on the phone several times with the Secretary- General's Special Representative to Liberia, Anthony Nyakyi", Ms. Foa said. "Mainly, they've been discussing the fact that there was still some fighting in Liberia -- especially in Bomi county -- which has prevented the delivery of humanitarian relief supplies. So, we have been asking General Johnson to please agree to a cease-fire there so we can get humanitarian supplies through. Councilman Alhaji Kromah has agreed to the cease-fire, so if we can get General Johnson to agree, we could get some supplies up there."
When the United States approved its appropriations for the United Nations in April, the Organization had waited for a big check which apparently never arrived, a correspondent said. What happened? "I hope it's in the mail", Ms. Foa said. "Mr. Connor said yesterday that we had received about $10 million, but we were looking for a check a bit over $200 million. It would be very nice if it did come."
Had the Secretary-General responded specifically to the Group of Seven's recommendations for restructuring and reforming the United Nations? a correspondent asked. Ms. Foa said the Secretary-General had "welcomed the recommendations, and was particularly happy about their commitment to make contributions to the United Nations more equitable, and make sure there were timely payments. He was also quite pleased with the section on development that was issued on Friday".
What was the exact procedure for electing a Secretary-General? a correspondent asked. If the Security Council came up with a name but the United States vetoed it, was it true that it could still go to the General Assembly, or did they have to come up with another name? In other words, how could the Secretary-General run against a United States veto?
Ms. Foa said that "in this situation, everybody has been going into the history books, and there are quite a few occasions when there have been disagreements in the Security Council on a candidate. On one occasion it took six weeks and 16 ballots before they finally agreed on a compromise, which was Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar".
"What you're referring to now", Ms. Foa continued, "is something that happened 46 years ago, in 1950, with Secretary-General Trygve Lie's first re- election, which evidently was vetoed by a Permanent Member of the Security Council. The Americans had the presidency of the Security Council. At one point -- according to third-hand reports, as these things are all very secret -- it was decided simply to send it to the General Assembly, saying 'we're deadlocked', or 'there's a stand-off, we can't make up our mind', and the General Assembly simply went ahead. But that's a very old scenario and we're not looking at that sort of thing right now. History tells us that it was almost impossible for Secretary-General Trygve Lie to function effectively, and he resigned after three years or so."
Daily Press Briefing - 5 - 2 July 1996
Asked if the Legal Office had been consulted on the matter, Ms. Foa said it had not been. The United Nations Charter "is rather vague on the whole thing", she added. "It just says that the General Assembly would elect the Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Security Council. That leaves a lot of grey area, and I do not think anybody is going to rule on the grey area. It will be up to the Security Council."
Given that Trygve Lie had such trouble, did not the Secretary-General take that into account? a correspondent asked. "Of course; we all take these things into account", Ms. Foa said. "The Secretary-General has said that he hopes that the Clinton administration will change its mind."
In the meeting with President Clinton, was a one or two-year extension discussed? a correspondent asked. What was the latest possible date that the vote could take place? Could the Security Council wait until after the United States elections on 5 November? "I understand the Council can wait till 31 December, New Year's Eve", Ms. Foa said.
When was the Secretary-General returning to Headquarters? a correspondent asked. Ms. Foa said he would be attending the OAU summit, which concludes on 10 July. It was likely he would be back by 11 July.
Was there any news on the Solomon Islands which, according to the wires, was requesting United Nations assistance? a correspondent asked. "Yes, we did receive a request from the President of Solomon Islands", Ms. Foa said. "Evidently there has been some border tension between Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, due to fighting on Bougainville. The Secretary-General was consulting with his advisers on the issue of his good offices."
Speaking of Papua New Guinea, did the Decolonization Committee hold the meeting there, and what were the costs? a correspondent asked. Ms. Foa said she had not seen the bills yet, but as to the costs, it had been figured out that "according to the Committee of 24, it was at least $20,000 cheaper to hold the meeting in Papua New Guinea rather than in New York, because more people would have had to fly from the Pacific to New York, and back".
It would be interesting to know, since it was a Decolonization meeting, whether Bougainville got a chance to speak out against Papua New Guinea, the correspondent added. Ms. Foa said she would find out.
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