DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19960725
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Sylvana Foa, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon briefing by stating that "what we all had hoped wouldn't happen, seems to be happening". She said the Secretary-General was deeply concerned by reports that the armed forces of Burundi had overthrown the legitimate coalition government and had announced the installation of a new president. The situation remained uncertain and the Secretary-General was in frequent contact with his Special Representative for Burundi, Marc Faguy. The Secretary- General had strongly urged all concerned to uphold the Constitution and to bear in mind that the international community would on no account accept a change of government by force or other illegitimate means in Burundi. The armed forces should also recognize that a coup d'etat would not solve any of Burundi's problems and was only likely to intensify violence on all sides. (See Press Release SG/SM/6029 issued today.)
The Secretary-General had called upon the armed forces, all political parties and the people of Burundi to show restraint and prevent a new outbreak of violence which would only increase the extent and duration of the suffering of the people of Burundi. The Secretary-General supported calls for a regional meeting that should be urgently convened to discuss ways of calming the situation in Burundi.
The Spokesman said the Security Council, in its presidential statement yesterday, had again urged the Secretary-General to continue with contingency planning for a rapid humanitarian response in the event of widespread violence in Burundi. The Secretariat had intensified the consultations it had been holding with Member States over the last few months concerning the creation of and support for such an intervention force.
Clarifying information about the number of United Nations personnel in Burundi, she said the entire staff of the United Nations family, including humanitarian agencies, totalled 207. She said that because of the situation in Burundi, the United Nations had in the past two years had only essential staff stationed there. However, in the last couple of months several staff members had gone there on missions. "We're not evacuating non-essential staff because we only have essential staff", she said. Those on mission would be asked to cut their missions short and leave when the airport opened.
On another subject, she said the Secretary-General had learned with horror of the loss of a large number of lives and of the many injuries caused by an explosion on a crowded train on the outskirts of Colombo. He condemned in the strongest possible terms all such attacks targeting civilians, and he extended sympathies to the families of the victims.
The Spokesman said the Iraqi Sanctions Committee would hold a formal meeting at 3 p.m. on Monday, 29 July. The draft procedures on the
implementation of Security Council resolution 986 (1995) would be the first item to be taken up at the meeting. "Hopefully, we will have some more information on that soon", she stated.
The Security Council was still considering a draft resolution on the report of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The United States delegation had put forward that draft with other delegations submitting a number of amendments. A draft text was to be taken up again in formal consultations today.
On the Sudan, the Security Council had undertaken a second round of informal consultations yesterday on the Secretary-General's latest report on that country, pursuant to Security Council resolution 1054 (1996). The Council had not yet concluded its deliberations on the subject. The Spokesman said some delegations would like to request the Secretariat to prepare an assessment of what kind of impact any new measures adopted by the Security Council might have on the Sudanese people.
The Spokesman said the Secretary-General had sent a message to the International Institute for Non-Aligned Studies which was holding a conference in New Delhi on democracy and terrorism starting from today. Copies of the message were available at the Spokesman's office. (See Press Release SG/SM/6028 issued today.) In his message, the Secretary-General said, today the United Nations stood ready to coordinate new counter-terrorist measures on a global scale. "If we are to defeat terrorism, responding to individual acts of terror can never be enough. We need to widen our efforts to combat terrorist organizations at every stage of their fund-raising, planning and procurement activities," the Secretary-General said.
The Spokesman said that at 4 p.m. today, in the map room, Assistant Secretary-General Rosario Green would receive, on behalf of the Secretary- General, a traditional and symbolic olive tree from the "Olympia to Atlanta Committee" organization. The presentation would be made by Christopher Janus, Honourary Chairman of the Committee.
Asked whether people had to die before the world intervened, the Spokesman said the Secretary-General had been "beating the drum on Burundi for the past two years. It is a very scary situation".
A correspondent observed that the cherry trees in the United Nations garden were suffering from blight and asked whether it had something to do with lack of maintenance. The Spokesman drew attention to the state of the ceiling in the lobby of the Secretariat building and commented that anyone seeing it would not want to walk in again. "You'll also notice that the marble panels on the walls are being held up by scotch tape. I think we do have a problem."
A correspondent said United States troops, armed with heavy equipment had yesterday landed in Port-au-Prince. The Spokesman said she had not heard
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 25 July 1996
of any such report, and referred the correspondent to the United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Reverting to the situation in Burundi, a correspondent asked what type of intervention force the Secretary-General would like to see sent there. The Spokesman said he had been calling for a contingency force to be available to prevent a humanitarian tragedy. That force would be multinational and issues such as its possible funding by the United Nations had not yet been worked out. The United Nations would cooperate with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and other regional bodies, especially those involved in the Arusha Agreement to pool resources and try to avert more violence.
Responding to a further question on Burundi, she said Under-Secretary- General Chinmaya Gharekhan had briefed the Security Council in the morning on developments in that country based on reports from the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Mr. Faguy. The developments were "unfolding for you at the same time that they are for us". She also said OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim had sent a letter to the Secretary-General.
Replying to a question about the whereabouts of President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya and requests for more information, the Spokesman said she understood that the President was still at the United States Ambassador's residence. There had been an announcement on the radio of a coup. The airport and borders had been closed and a 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew imposed. It had been announced that a former ruler, Pierre Buyoya, had taken over. The Secretariat had been told that the Parliament and all political parties had been suspended. United Nations officials had reported that roadblocks had been erected across the capital. There had been reports of gunfire being heard. She said it was a very confusing, chaotic situation and hoped further substantive reports might be received later in the day from United Nations officials there. Communications were very difficult. Information received from United Nations officials, if different from wire service reports, would be passed on to correspondents.
Responding to a question about the meeting last Tuesday between the Secretary-General and the President-elect of the Dominican Republic, Juan Carlos Brandt of the Spokesman's office said it was a brief, courtesy call. Two issues had been raised by the President-elect: his country's desire to have the United Nations Development Programme continue its useful work in the Dominican Republic and his intention to ensure that the Dominican Republic played an even more useful role in international affairs.
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Note: The correction included in the last page of yesterday's noon briefing notes should read:
"She reminded correspondents that the Commission was established to look into the assassination of the President of Burundi, Melchior Ndadaye, in October 1993 and the events that followed it."