DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19961017
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Ahmad Fawzi, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, told correspondents at today's noon briefing that the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), James Gustave Speth, would address the briefing in commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which is being observed today, 17 October (issued separately).
"We were all quite shocked to learn about the tragedy in Guatemala City", Mr. Fawzi said. The Secretary-General, who was currently in Germany, had learned of the news with great sadness. The tragedy had occurred at the Matias Flores National Stadium in Guatemala City. On behalf of the United Nations, the Secretary-General "would like to express his deepest condolences to the families of those who died and his hopes that those injured will have a speedy recovery", he continued. In his statement, the Secretary-General had added that "as a partner in Guatemala's efforts towards peace and reconciliation, the United Nations stands ready to provide to the Guatemalan authorities whatever support may be required at this time of need", Mr. Fawzi said. (The Secretary-General's statement was issued today as Press Release SG/SM/6085.)
The Secretary-General was in Lubeck, Germany, where he had met today with the Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel at 4 p.m. local time, Mr. Fawzi said. They had discussed a number of topics, including the situation in Burundi, Rwanda, and in Nigeria, as well as the Kivu region in Zaire. They had also reviewed the most recent developments in Afghanistan. In addition, the Secretary-General had paid tribute to the excellent work being done by the head of the United Nations Special Mission in Afghanistan, Norbert Heinrich Holl, and had said that such work must continue.
"As I speak, the Secretary-General is delivering the keynote address at the eleventh Malente Symposium in Lubeck", Mr. Fawzi said. The theme of the symposium was Economies in Transition and Globalized Markets: The Challenge to International Economic Organizations. The Secretary-General's address was entitled "Integration of Economies in Transition into the World Economy". Mr. Kinkel would be introducing the Secretary-General. The symposium was also being addressed by representatives from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the European Parliament, the Democratic Party in Bucharest, the Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Finance Minister of Hungary, the World Trade Organization-Geneva, the Economic Commission for Europe, the National Bank of Poland, the UNDP and others. The Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister would host a dinner for the participants in the symposium in honour of the Secretary-General, Mr. Fawzi added.
Daily Press Briefing - 2 - 17 October 1996
In his speech at the symposium, Mr. Fawzi continued, the Secretary- General was saying that "this is a time of transition in every part of the world, and in every aspect of human society", and "it is a time that calls for an unprecedented degree of international cooperation". It was a time of a new multilateralism involving agents from the private sector and non-governmental organizations and calling for a greater role for the United Nations through peace-building and electoral assistance. In addition, in his speech the Secretary-General "reviews the four types of economic systems in the world today" -- market economies; economies in transition from central planning to market economies; developing countries in transition to a market economy; and countries with economic priorities reflecting the transition from a crisis economy (for instance, due to civil war). (The Secretary-General's address was issued as Press Release SG/SM/6084.)
There was also a message by the Secretary-General concerning a commemorative stone in honour of the victims of extreme poverty, which was being inaugurated on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Mr. Fawzi said. The United Nations event was sponsored by the Permanent Mission of France, as well as the International Movement A.T.D. Fourth World. In his message, the Secretary-General stated that "this stone will stand as a permanent tribute to all those who face the daily struggle to overcome the burdens of poverty", Mr. Fawzi said. It was estimated that more than 1 billion people survived on less than $1 a day, he added. (The Secretary-General's message was issued today as Press Release SG/SM/6083).
There was a new summary of outstanding contributions to the United Nations regular and peace-keeping budgets, Mr. Fawzi announced. As of 15 October 1996, outstanding assessed contributions to the United Nations totalled $2.5 billion. Of that amount, $707 million was for the regular budget and $1.76 billion was for peace-keeping operations. There was an additional $20.4 million owed for the International Tribunals. Included in the figure for peace-keeping were assessments within the 30-day due period.
On the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Deputy Spokesman said that Tunisia had signed yesterday, bringing the total to date to 126 signatures. Fiji was still the only ratification.
The Security Council was dealing with the United Nations Special Commission set up under Security Council resolution 687 (1991) in connection with the disposal of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, Mr. Fawzi announced. It had already been briefed by the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission, Rolf Ekeus, whose report was already out. Mr. Ekeus was currently taking questions from the members, Mr. Fawzi said. Today, the Council would also be discussing a draft resolution on Afghanistan and later, under other matters, it would be briefed on Somalia by Under-Secretary-General Chinmaya R. Gharekhan.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 17 October 1996
Samsiah Abdul-Majid, spokeswoman for General Assembly President Razali Ismail (Malaysia), said the Assembly this morning had heard six speakers on the follow-up to the 1990 World Summit for Children.
The Assembly was currently discussing the implementation of the outcome of the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, Ms. Abdul-Majid announced. Twelve delegations were listed to speak on the item. In addition, the Assembly was scheduled to take up three draft texts -- on the financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) and United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL).
On the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Assembly President had addressed this morning non-governmental organizations at the Department of Public Information (DPI) weekly briefing, the spokeswoman said. In his statement, the President had said that despite repeated pledges by Governments to fight this scourge and despite the expansion of the global economy, the tentacles of poverty were widening to a greater number of people each year. The President had underscored the need for real and political actions such as the reduction of military expenditure and increase spending on health care and education; the cancellation of foreign debt without imposing conditionalities that hurt the poor and the vulnerable; and the need for the Bretton Woods institutions to be transparent. He had further said that Governments of rich countries and elites in the North and in the South "must recognize their special responsibility in alleviating poverty by making choices that alter the unsustainable consumption patterns and lifestyles". He had further said that "Governments must recognize the importance of public policy that regulates against the excesses of the market place", Ms. Abdul-Majid said. (For the complete text, see Press Release GA/9137).
The General Assembly would take up elections of non-permanent members of the Security Council on Monday, 21 October, Ms. Abdul-Majid announced.
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