DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19960801
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Sylvana Foa, the Spokesman for Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali, began today's noon briefing by announcing that the Secretary-General had moved to his "summer headquarters", but would be dropping in to the Secretariat regularly. He would also remain in contact with his office by telephone.
No Security Council meetings had been scheduled for either today or tomorrow, Ms. Foa said. That would allow the Council President for August, Tono Eitel (Germany), to hold consultations on the Council's work programme for August. That was the normal procedure for the first two days of a new presidency.
The Secretary-General was expected to issue a number of reports to the Council in early August, she continued. They included reports on the situation in Burundi, in Georgia and the monthly progress report on the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES).
Ms. Foa informed corespondents that, yesterday, the Council had responded to a recent statement by Libya's President, Colonel Muammar Al-Qadhafi, that he would undertake air travel in spite of the current sanctions the Council had imposed on that Member State, pursuant to resolution 748 (1992). In a statement issued by the Council's President, the Council requested the Libyan Government to reconsider its position in light of the fact that the Council's sanctions were still in force.
A correspondent asked what would happen if the Council's statement was not heeded. Ms. Foa said she had also asked the question, but had not received an answer.
Responding to a number of previous queries about the International Police Task Force (IPTF) monitors, Ms. Foa referred to the so-called "secret bank account" to which Nepalese police monitors were required to put $450 each per month. She said an account did exist, but it was a very public account in which each monitor deposited a portion of his salary. The funds were used for a mass benefit scheme which paid for a hospital for police officers and their families, and for retired police personnel; five regional schools; and a central high school in Kathmandu for the children of police personnel. In addition, the funds would be used to assist families during periods of national disasters. The account was ratified by the Nepalese Government and was audited annually by the country's Auditor-General. Ms. Foa added that it was a scheme that was agreed to by all involved, and there seemed to be no complaints by the participants.
In response to requests from correspondents, a list of incidents involving IPTF monitors was available in the Spokesman's Office, Ms. Foa said. It provided information on four major incidents in July: the threat made by the police chief of Pale that IPTF personnel would be taken hostage if Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was arrested; a related threat made by the Mayor of Heljevik to shoot IPTF monitors if Mr. Karadzic was arrested; threats made by the west Mostar police; and threats made by two senior Bugojno police officers to arrest, kidnap and shoot IPTF monitors when they tried to intervene to prevent a Croat family from being evicted from their home.
The Spokesman then gave an update on the number of United States citizens and citizens from other countries who had sent cheques to the United Nations in response to the financial crisis. As at the end of July, the Secretariat had received 2,884 cheques for a total amount of $44,197.75 from 6,945 individuals. Cheques had been received from places such as Alaska, Ecuador, England, Italy and the Philippines.
A background note on the election process of United Nations officials was available in the Spokesman's Office, Ms. Foa continued. It provided information on the election procedures for the heads of selected agencies or programmes in the United Nations system, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Ms. Foa then announced that two press conferences would take place in room 226 tomorrow. At 11 a.m., the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Nations would sponsor a press conference by representatives from the Muslim National Council of Sanjak, who would give an update on the current conditions there. At 3:30 p.m., the new Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Hyong U, would respond to correspondents' requests for interviews by holding a general press conference.
Ms. Foa told correspondents that, in response to their requests, she had found an appropriate farewell gift for "our own Jamie Rubin" -- a Minister Counsellor in the United States Permanent Mission and spokesman for the United States Permanent Representative. She offered bottles from "a new shipment of Boutras Boutras Garlic". Enough were available for each correspondent to give Mr. Rubin one with his/her signature on it. "They are available in my office on a first-come first-served basis", she added. The profits from the sales would go the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to buy weighing scales for children in the Masisi.
A correspondent asked what was the Secretary-General's response to the latest delays by the United States regarding the draft procedures to implement the oil-for-food arrangements in Iraq. Ms. Foa reminded correspondents that when the distribution plan was approved, the Secretary-General had voiced the very strong hope that the arrangements would progress quickly. The
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 1 August 1996
Secretariat's task force was on track. However, it was awaiting the approval of the draft procedures by the Security Council Committee responsible for deciding on them -- the Committee established pursuant to resolution 661 (1990).
Citing a recommendation by the "Group of 77" developing countries and China on the restructuring of the Secretariat and a recent recommendation made by the UNDP Administrator on the clustering of the secretariats of the entire United Nations system, a correspondent asked if any action would be taken on those proposals in the near future. Ms. Foa said such proposals were sent to the relevant General Assembly committees which were expected to make recommendations on the issue. For several years, clustering had been discussed by the various heads in the United Nations system. The Secretary- General had urged senior aides to look at ways in which the system's resources could be better utilized by clustering of programmes and funds. Organigrams were now being proposed to reflect cost-effective ways of achieving clustering. Ms. Foa added that she would inquire further on the procedures for the proposals that were being received.
Asked if the Secretary-General was planning to appoint a Russian adviser to the Special Mission in Afghanistan, Ms. Foa said the composition of the political office in Jalalabad had not yet been determined. It was expected to have five political officers and two military advisers. However, Ms. Foa said, she would inquire and respond to the correspondent's question.
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