DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19961203
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Sylvana Foa, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began the noon briefing today by announcing that the third edition of The Blue Helmets: A Review of United Nations Peace-Keeping was available. That book details "everything you ever wanted to know about 41 main peace-keeping operations" between 1948 and early 1996. It profiled 23 operations established since the last edition was published in 1990. It had deployment maps for most operations and a quick reference appendix with statistics, dates and contributors for all operations. The book would be made available to members of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) for free. Otherwise, the book would be available at the United Nations bookstore and through United Nations Publications.
The Secretary-General this morning was at UNICEF House for a meeting with Parliamentarians for Global Action, which was undertaking a Special Parliamentary Session on Africa, she said. He told them that the United Nations was working on many fronts to break the vicious cycle of marginalization, underdevelopment, poverty and insecurity. United Nations actions were predicated on the principle that assistance to Africa was an investment, not a charity.
"Your objectives are our objectives", the Secretary-General said. "To further democratization, to strengthen parliaments and democratic institutions, to empower citizens, to improve electoral systems and improve relations between governments and opposition groups, and between parliaments and constituents, and to facilitate active partnership between legislators and United Nations agencies." Tomorrow, the Parliamentarians for Global Action would be available to speak with correspondents in the UNCA Club.
At 11 a.m. this morning, the Secretary-General met with Rufus Kupolati, Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).
Ms. Foa then announced that a report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security was available. He was heartened that the international community seemed prepared to refocus its attention on the situation in Afghanistan. The meeting which took place at the invitation of the Secretary-General on 18 November had been a useful first gathering of countries particularly well-placed to support United Nations efforts to carry out the mandates of the Security Council and of the General Assembly.
The Secretary-General intended to convene further informal meetings of the group from time to time, he said. He said that he had already taken necessary steps to strengthen the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan. Four additional political affairs officers authorized by Assembly resolution 50/88 had been appointed, and he proposed that the number of military advisers be increased from two to five. That increase would enhance the capability of the Mission to understand the fast-changing military situation, and to facilitate the parties' discussion of options for the demilitarization of Kabul and other measures.
The Secretary-General had also proposed the assignment of two civilian police advisers to the Mission in connection with the current discussion between the Afghan parties about the establishment of a neutral force to police a demilitarized Kabul, she said. He was seeking the General Assembly's endorsement of that approach and of the proposed additions to strengthen the Special Mission. The main thing, Ms. Foa said, had been the increase in the number of military advisers from two to five, and the addition of police officers, she said.
At 11 a.m. this morning, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Yasushi Akashi, had launched the 1997 consolidated inter-agency appeal for Afghanistan. They were looking for $133 million. "As someone in Kabul said, $133 million is a `drop in the ocean' compared to needs of that country, so let's come up with that money."
That appeal was prepared in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), United Nations International Drug Control Programme, many non-governmental organizations and donors, she said. The appeal was for emergency relief for immediate needs in the country, as well as assistance to meet the basic longer-term needs of particular regions for water, sanitation, agriculture, health and education. The last appeal in 1996 was for only $124 million, and they received "substantially less than half", Ms. Foa said.
Mr. Akashi had said that the Afghan people were facing very severe hardships, the Spokesman continued. The winter season was coming and the country had an enormous need for support from the international community. A press release and background information were available.
Ms. Foa then announced that Kenya had become the ninety-seventh Member State to pay its 1996 regular budget dues in full, with a check for $108,770. Also, the United States had delivered a check for $150,776,858 as payment to the regular budget. That meant that the debt of the United States to the United Nations had dropped to $1.3 billion. The total debt of Member States
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 3 December 1996
now stood at $2.3 billion -- $500 million to the regular budget and $1.7 billion to peace-keeping.
Zambia had signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), Ms. Foa then announced. The Treaty had received 137 signatures and had been ratified by one State, Fiji. Among those that had not signed the Treaty were three "core countries" -- the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India and Pakistan.
Ms. Foa then announced that the Security Council Committee set up under resolution 661 (1990) to monitor the sanctions against Iraq would meet at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon in Conference Room 7. Committee Chairman Tono Eitel (Germany) would brief the press afterward, probably at 5:30 p.m. at the earliest. There were some 16 items on the Committee's agenda. The Committee would also receive an update from the Secretariat on preparations for the implementation of resolution 986 (1995).
Meanwhile, Ms. Foa continued, Saybolt, the Dutch company contracted to provide 14 oil inspectors in Iraq, had dispatched a team to the town of Zakho in northern Iraq to look at a broken meter. A team from the Lloyds' Register, which was providing 32 customs inspectors, had completed a survey mission. The United Nations was now awaiting their report.
Ms. Foa then announced that Franjo Tudjman, President of Croatia, had visited Eastern Slavonia for the first time at the invitation of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES). He had driven through Vukovar, met a representative of the Serb community, and had visited the site of a reconstruction project being prepared for the return of Croat displaced persons. It was hoped that the visit would improve the political atmosphere in Eastern Slavonia.
Today is International Day of Disabled Persons, Ms. Foa announced. The theme of today's observance was "Poverty and Disability". This year was the International Year of the Eradication of Poverty, so the themes were being linked for the Day's observance. An exhibit in the public lobby -- "Inspiration and Innovation: Helen Keller and the American Foundation for the Blind" -- would remain open until the end of December. In observance of the Day, a message from the Secretary-General had been read by the Under- Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development, Nitin Desai.
Ms. Foa then announced that the Press Office of the Permanent Mission of France had invited correspondents to taste the first of the 1996 Beaujolais Nouveau on Thursday, 5 December at 5:30 p.m. at the UNCA Club.
A correspondent then asked whether the Secretary-General had received a communication from the Danish Mission regarding a request of the Danish Government that an inquiry be carried out into the matter of the "Dallaire
Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 3 December 1996
cable" -- the 11 January 1994 cable by General Romeo Dallaire, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) in Kigali, to General Maurice Baril, regarding information on plans to kill Tutsis.
Ms. Foa responded that the Permanent Representative of Denmark had met yesterday with Chinmaya R. Gharekhan, Senior Adviser to the Secretary-General. Mr. Gharekhan was not in the building today, so she had no read out of that meeting. The United Nations had no problem with requests from missions regarding decision-making processes and had absolutely nothing to hide, she said.
Regarding the election of the Secretary-General and the letter from President Paul Biya of Cameroon, a correspondent asked what would happen regarding the names of candidates. Would the Secretary-General withdraw his candidacy?
Ms. Foa said that all members of the Security Council were playing their cards close to their chests in a "wonderful dance". The letter from President Paul Biya, current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), asked for the views of African heads of State regarding a proposal that African countries be allowed to submit names directly to the Security Council. The letter clearly reaffirmed that Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was still the candidate of the OAU.
As she saw it, there would have to be consensus from the other members of the OAU that other names could be submitted directly to the Security Council. Anyone could submit names to the Council; some had even submitted their own names. "I was tempted to submit mine", Ms. Foa joked. The Secretary-General had no reason to object if other names were submitted, she said.
Was the Secretary-General still travelling to Bolivia this weekend? a correspondent asked. Ms. Foa responded that she had no information as yet; she hoped that she would tomorrow.
Samsiah Abdul-Majid, spokeswoman for General Assembly President Razali Ismail (Malaysia), said that the plenary this morning was considering the item on the situation in the Middle East. It had before it a report of the Secretary-General and three draft resolutions. In his report, the Secretary- General observed that over the past year, the Middle East peace process had been challenged by a series of tragic incidents. The absence of progress in the peace process in the second half of this year had caused frustration and disappointment. It had been expected from the outset of the negotiation process that the road to peace would not be easy. But the only alternative to that process was a return to instability, endemic violence, regional tensions and uncertain economic prospects. That imposed on all the participants in the peace talks a duty to listen to reason and to show the determination and flexibility needed to carry out the negotiations in earnest. For the Middle
Daily Press Briefing - 5 - 3 December 1996
East peace process to produce truly comprehensive and lasting results, progress must be made also on the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese tracks of negotiation.
The three draft resolutions would to be taken up tomorrow, together with drafts on the situation in Palestine, Ms. Abdul-Majid said. One of the drafts would call for the immediate acceleration of negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed basis and would call upon all Member States to extend economic, financial and technical assistance to parties in the region and to render support for the peace process. It would also have the Assembly consider that an active United Nations role in the peace process and in assisting in implementation of the Declaration of Principles could make a positive contribution. The other drafts would have the Assembly demand that Israel resume the talks on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks, and determine that the decision of Israel to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the holy city of Jerusalem was illegal.
The General Assembly President had made a statement at the World AIDS Day observance held at Headquarters under his auspices. He referred to the inequality of access to health care for HIV-infected persons. He had also referred to the need to redress the inequity of responses to AIDS by ensuring that the concentrating of resources in developed countries did not skew research and other HIV-related agendas in the direction of privileged groups. It was essential for societal mores and traditional cultural norms to give way to tolerance and enlightened initiatives. The text of the statement had been made available to correspondents yesterday afternoon and subsequently issued as a press release. (See Press Release GA/9181.)
The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) yesterday had completed its work by approving some 25 draft texts, including drafts on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people over their natural resources, United Nations declaration against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions, net flow and transfer of resources, global financial integration, international trade and development, the implementation of the decisions the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat II) and of the World Summit for Children and the special session of the General Assembly to review the implementation of Agenda 21. A listing of the drafts approved was available to correspondents.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) yesterday considered the financing of several missions, including those for the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) and UNTAES for the period from July 1996 to June 1997.
To an earlier question on the next meeting of the Credentials Committee, she said it would meet before the end of the current segment of the General Assembly. However, no definite date had been set. * *** *