DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

18 October 1996

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

19961018 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

Ahmad Fawzi, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, told correspondents at today's noon briefing that there had been military reports of alleged infiltration of armed men from Burundi into Zaire last night. The incident had prompted the staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the Uvira region to put off activities for today in at least three camps -- Runingo, Biriba and Kagunga. There had apparently been a small exchange of arms fire and automatic weapons fire as Zairian troops encountered the men from Burundi.

There was no movement in the Biriba and Kagunga camps, while the Runingo camp had remained practically empty since the attack on Sunday, 13 October, when four refugees were killed and the majority of the 18,900 Rwandan and Burundi refugees had fled, Mr. Fawzi said. There were about 3,000 Burundi refugees in Biriba, while the Kagunga camp had about 24,300 Burundi and 2,400 Rwandan refugees. There were 13 camps in the Uvira region with a total population of 219,000 -- out of which 143,000 were of Burundi and 75,900 were of Rwanda.

The Secretary-General -- currently in Germany -- was extremely concerned about the deterioration, once again, of the situation in eastern Zaire, Mr. Fawzi said. "We have received reports from the UNHCR, as well as from various agencies, but most important of all is that the Secretary-General has sent his Special Envoy, Ibrahima Fall, to the region", he said. Mr. Fall was talking to the people concerned, appealing for peace and for restraint. "We are hoping to hear from him very soon", he added. Mr. Fall was currently in Kinshasa and would head to Kivu on Sunday where he would spend three days. Afterwards, he would return to Kinshasa before going to Geneva for a brief visit; then, he would be back in New York for consultations and to submit his report to the Secretary-General. "So, I expect him here towards the end of next week", Mr. Fawzi added.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had reported that one of its planes had been shot at when it had attempted to land in Kiliva, near Uvira. As a consequence of the attack, the plane had been forced to fly back to Nairobi. Nobody had been injured in the attack.

The Secretary-General had delivered three speeches today, Mr. Fawzi said. The first had been at the swearing-in of the 21 Judges of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany. The Secretary-General had referred to it as a historic event. On behalf of the family of nations, he had welcomed the invitation by Germany to establish the International Tribunal in Hamburg. He had further emphasized that it would be

an institution upholding the rule of law not only between States, but among States. He had welcomed "the swearing-in of the 21 Judges who constitute this International Tribunal, dedicated to resolve disputes relating to seas and oceans and on the seabed, a jurisdiction which include almost 75 per cent of the surface of our blue planet", Mr. Fawzi continued. (See today's Press Release SG/SM//6089-SEA/1534.)

The second address of the day by the Secretary-General had been at the laying of the foundation-stone of the future headquarters of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea, Mr. Fawzi said. As a host city for the Tribunal, the Secretary-General had said that Hamburg was helping to strengthen the regime of international law. He had also said that it was one of the greatest projects of modern times. It was more than bricks and mortar; it was a foundation-stone for the continuing construction of an edifice of international law that the world of the future simply could not do without. (See Press Release SG/SM/6088-SEA/1533 issued today.)

The third speech delivered today by the Secretary-General had been to the Hamburg Overseas Club, Mr. Fawzi announced. There, he had said that "a new era was born in Germany with the collapse of the Berlin Wall". Today, he had called upon the entire family of nations to tear down the walls that "divide us and to strengthen the foundation of our common future". The walls that divided us being the walls of isolationism, fear, ignorance and fanaticism, Mr. Fawzi said. (Press Release SG/SM/6090/Rev.1)

Tomorrow, the Secretary-General would be flying back to Paris to attend the two-day conference being held by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in honour of ninety-year-old Leopold Senghor, former President of Senegal, poet, writer and statesman, as well as an old friend of the Secretary-General, Mr. Fawzi announced. The Secretary-General would be delivering a speech at the UNESCO-sponsored conference in which he "will recall his collaboration with President Senghor over the past few decades", he added.

Despite the rumours, the United Nations was not evacuating from Kabul, Mr. Fawzi emphasized. There were still seven internationally recruited United Nations staff there, in addition to staff locally recruited. The seven internationally recruited staff were one each from: the World Health Organization (WHO); the UNHCR; the World Food Programme (WFP); the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat); the Coordination Office for Humanitarian Assistance; and two from the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan. "Others move in and out of the city on a regular basis up to three times a week on United Nations flights which land at Kabul's airport", Mr. Fawzi said. "So, we are there and we continue to be there, and Norbert Heinrich Holl, the Head of the United Nations Mission to Afghanistan, continues to do a brilliant job seeking to negotiate a peaceful settlement with all the parties", he added. A cease-fire had just been called for and "we appeal to the parties to accept and respect it", he said.

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 18 October 1996

On 16 October, a workshop on preventive diplomacy had opened in Skopje, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Fawzi said. President Kiro Gligorov himself had opened the workshop. The entire leadership of the Government and many leaders of other parties had attended, as well as about 60 international academics. The workshop, which would continue until 19 October, was organized by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, in cooperation with the United Nations. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), Henryk J. Sokalski, was representing the United Nations. There was a press release available from UNPREDEP on that story.

The Secretary-General's nineteenth progress report on the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) (document S/1996/858) was out, Mr. Fawzi announced. It covered developments since 22 August. The report stated that despite the commitment of faction leaders of last August to lay down their arms and to cooperate fully with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and with the international community, once again they were engaged in hostilities in parts of the country outside Monrovia. The report further stated that "unless the faction leaders finally decide to match their words with clear and verifiable deeds, the international community is unlikely to continue to extend its support to the peace process in Liberia", Mr. Fawzi continued. The Secretary-General noted that there were 15,000 to 20,000 child soldiers who were under the control of six major warring factions. He further stated that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was re-establishing a programme to address the needs of those youth. Mr. Fawzi emphasized that the report was not a renewal of the mandate in Liberia -- which was due on 21 November -- but a progress report.

On Sunday, 20 October, there would be a five-mile walk against breast cancer, Mr. Fawzi announced. More than 30 United Nations staff members and friends had so far signed up for it. "If you are interested in joining this group, you should know that it starts at the corner of 98th street and Fifth Avenue between 9 and 9:30 a.m.", he explained. The United Nations group would be identified by United Nations blue and white balloons. The Spokesman's Office was proud to be represented at the walk by "our two highly esteemed interns, Anne-Sophie and Patricia", he said. The Secretary-General was sponsoring every United Nations staff member participating. "It's a five-mile walk and its $1 a mile, so that's $5 per person", he said.

A world vigil to protest the United Nations financial crisis would be held on 23 October, the eve of United Nations Day, Mr. Fawzi announced. The protest was being organized by a coalition of non-governmental organizations. They would protest against the failure of Member States to pay their dues to the United Nations "on time, in full and without condition", he said. "On Wednesday evening, they will have a candlelight vigil outside the United Nations", he added. There was a press release in the Spokesman's Office on the matter.

Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 18 October 1996

Mr. Fawzi announced that today, at 2:30 p.m., the World Chronicle television programme would present Ambassador J. Ramaker, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Conference on Disarmament, who headed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) negotiations. It would be on in-house television channels 6, 23 or 38.

On Monday, 21 October, at noon, there would be a press conference by Ambassador Richard Butler (Australia) at the Australian Mission to the United Nations, Mr. Fawzi said. He would be talking following the General Assembly election to fill five rotating seats on the Security Council. (This might be rescheduled depending on the proceedings at the plenary.)

There were no Security Council activities scheduled for today or Monday, Mr. Fawzi said. Today, Council members were still discussing the draft resolution on Afghanistan.

Asked whether the event in honour of former President Senghor was part of UNESCO's work programme, Mr. Fawzi replied that the correspondent should inquire with UNESCO's liaison office in New York.

What was the brilliance in Norbert Holl's work in Afghanistan? the same correspondent asked. Mr. Fawzi said Mr. Holl had done great work in the region. He had been in touch with the Taliban and with the forces in the north and had attempted to make them resolve their differences. "We believe, and so does the Secretary-General, that he is doing brilliant work in the area and we hope it produces results", Mr. Fawzi said.

Samsiah Abdul-Majid, spokeswoman for General Assembly President Razali Ismail (Malaysia), said that the candidates for Monday's election of the non- permanent members of the Security Council by the Assembly were Kenya, India and Japan for African and Asian States. For Latin American and Caribbean States, the candidates were Costa Rica and Bolivia. Australia, Portugal and Sweden were the candidates for Western Europe and Other States. The retiring members were Germany, Honduras, Indonesia and Italy.

Ms. Abdul-Majid said that under rule 83 of the rules of procedure of the Assembly, the election of a non-permanent member of the Security Council required a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Members present and voting meant members casting either a positive or negative vote. Those which abstained were considered as not voting. The presence of 93 States constituted a quorum. For those interested, copies of a list of Member States which had served as non-permanent members of the Security Council since 1946 was available.

Responding to questions, Ms. Abdul-Majid said it was uncertain how long the balloting process would last. The election would be held in the General Assembly Hall at 10 a.m., Monday, 21 October.

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