DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19960827
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Sylvana Foa, Spokesman for Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, began today's noon briefing by saying that in the afternoon the Secretary- General would meet with Ambassador Ahmad Kamal of Pakistan. "And then we have a kind of a fun one." The runner-up for the Boutros Boutros-Ghali Peace and Development Prize, Felipe Carreira da Silva, would have a brief photo opportunity with the Secretary-General. The prize, which is awarded every two years, was established in Portugal for university-level students. The candidates wrote essays on the "The World of the United Nations in the Fields of Peace and Development". The winner of the 1995 Prize was awarded 1 million Portuguese escudos (approximately $6,600), and Mr. Carreira da Silva won a trip to New York and the chance to have his picture taken with the Secretary- General.
The Secretary-General would also meet with Ambassador Alfredo Lopes Cabral of Guinea-Bissau, who would be the President of the Security Council for September, the Spokesman continued. And then there would be two sad farewells: one with the Permanent Representative of Mongolia, Luvsangiin Erdenechuluun, and one with the Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan, Fatikh G. Teshabaev.
During the morning the Security Council had been briefed by Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Liberia, James O.C. Jonah, Ms. Foa said. Mr. Jonah had briefed the Council on the outcome of the summit meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which had been held in Abuja, Nigeria on 17 August. He told them that at the meeting ECOWAS had agreed on a new timetable for the implementation of the Abuja peace accords for Liberia. It would begin with a restoration of the cease-fire by 31 August and would conclude with the holding of free and fair elections on 30 May 1997. It was expected that a new Liberian government would be installed by 15 June 1997.
The Spokesman said that the Security Council was also taking up the Secretary-General's latest report on Liberia in which he recommended an extension of the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL), which expires on 31 August. He was asking for another three months and the deployment of an additional 24 United Nations military observers. He wanted to beef up the mission.
The Council had also taken up the Secretary-General's recent report on possibly establishing a United Nations human rights office in Georgia, Ms. Foa continued. Lieutenant-General Manfred Eisele, Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of Peace-keeping Operations, would be answering a number of questions that Council members had about the proposed office. After that, the Council would return to the subject of demining in the context of peace- keeping operations.
Another round of talks between the Guatemalan Government and the Unidad Revolucionaría Nacional Guatemalteca (UNRG), moderated by the United Nations, would take place in Mexico City from today until 29 August. The parties were still discussing the agenda item on strengthening civil power and the role of the army in a democratic society. Jean Arnault was the moderator. At the last round of talks in Mexico City two weeks ago, the two parties had committed themselves to finalizing a comprehensive peace agreement before the end of 1996.
"Fun stuff on the Internet today", Ms. Foa said. "People who use the Internet are reporting a big freight train travelling across the United States, covered with tarps. And one of the tarps blew lose, and they saw an armoured personnel carrier painted white with United Nations markings. This has created quite a flurry on the Internet. We're thrilled to death about it. No black helicopters, but white armoured personnel carriers (APCs) on flatbeds travelling across the United States. What does it mean?"
The Spokesman said that upon looking into the matter, it was discovered that "yes, six leased armoured personnel carriers of various types are being transported back to their depot in the United States from various United Nations peace-keeping missions. These six APCs were used in Rwanda, and some were also used in Somalia. Their two-year lease has now expired and they're going back to their owners. So they're being shipped back--via Croatia, for some reason -- to the Defense Distribution Depot in Texarkana, Texas. There was no cause for alarm, and the APCs would be repainted once they got to the depot. So anybody here who hears about APCs travelling across America -- not to worry."
In the evening in Baghdad, Rolf Ekeus, the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission established by Security Council resolution 687 (1991) to investigate Iraq's biological, chemical and missile capabilities, would again meet with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, the Spokesman said. It would be their third meeting during Mr. Ekeus' current visit to that country. The Special Commission was conducting the bi-monthly review agreed to in June. Mr. Ekeus was expected to leave Baghdad tomorrow, though his schedule might change depending on how the evening meeting went.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 27 August 1996
Tomorrow at 10:30 a.m., representatives of the Russian and United States missions would deposit with the Secretary-General the Agreement for the Bank for Economic Cooperation Development in the Middle East and North Africa, Ms. Foa continued. The Secretary-General had agreed to serve as depository for that instrument, which would be open for signature by prospective members of the Bank. The Bank was a unique new institution, the result of a historic joint proposal by Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians. It was designed to support the Middle East peace process by strengthening and expanding the economic foundation necessary for a durable peace in the region.
The ceremony would take place in the thirty-second floor Treaty Room, which was a small room, Ms. Foa said. The organizers had asked that there just be a pool of journalists. Journalists interested in taking part in the pool should see Associate Spokesman Juan Carlos Brandt.
A correspondent asked if the Spokesman was aware of any problem hindering the implementation of the oil-for-food formula. Ms. Foa said no. "We're chugging along nicely." It was expected that the Secretary-General would be able to report to the Security Council soon.
Asked if there was a deadline for the payment of United Nations assessments by the Member States, Ms. Foa said, "Well, they were supposed to have paid by 31 January, so everybody who's paying is already late. And you know there's no interest. Hmmp."
She noted that under Article 19 of the Charter, a Member State that was two years or more in arrears had no vote in the General Assembly, unless it was given an exemption because its failure to pay was due to conditions beyond its control. At one point 27 countries were under Article 19 and now there were 16. Five had been given exemptions because they had such terrible economic problems at home and they were really trying. A list of the exemptions that have been granted could be obtained from the Spokesman's Office.
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