DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19970312
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan, told correspondents at the start of today's noon briefing that the Secretary- General was in the General Assembly Hall for the debate on the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine.
Referring to a question asked yesterday on contingency planning for eastern Zaire, he recalled what he had said earlier. The Department of Peace- keeping Operations was doing contingency planning on the basis of a cease-fire or cessation of hostilities. He noted that the first objective was to support the humanitarian effort, and the second, to monitor a cease-fire. Those plans were being discussed between the Department and the Secretary-General.
Concerning the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in eastern Zaire, he said that the first humanitarian mission since Sunday, carrying a one-tonne supply of high-protein biscuits, as well as medical and other forms of emergency assistance, had flown from Goma to Tingi-Tingi and Amisi today. Public address equipment (microphones and loudspeakers) had also been taken along, in the hopes of using them to call out to the refugees to come to the site. The UNHCR hoped that that would be the first of daily flights connecting Goma with Tingi-Tingi.
Mr. Eckhard said that an inter-agency mission which included the UNHCR, the World Food Programme (WFP) and some non-governmental organizations and journalists had left Kinshasa for Kisangani en route to Ubundu -- about 100 kilometres south of Kisangani -- where up to 100,000 refugees were reported to be coming in. The UNHCR and other aid agencies hoped to persuade the new arrivals to receive assistance where they were to enable them to gather their strength before being repatriated to Rwanda.
He told correspondents about a news release from the WFP, to the effect that a mission headed by the Programme's Executive Director Catherine Bertini was travelling to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on 15 March. During her four-day visit, she intended to travel to areas affected by two consecutive years of floods that had destroyed 2 million metric tonnes of grain and damaged some 400,000 hectares of crop land. Details were available in the WFP press release, he added.
Similarly, Mr. Eckhard announced, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs would be sending a small mission to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from 18 to 29 March. Their objective was to prepare the new United Nations consolidated inter-agency appeal for flood-related emergency humanitarian assistance to that country. The current appeal would expire on 31 March. The WFP, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children's
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Fund (UNICEF), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) were also expected to take part in the new appeal.
Mr. Eckhard said that the Security Council had two items on its agenda for today: the Secretary-General's progress report on Western Sahara, and a draft presidential statement on the security of personnel in United Nations operations. Under "other matters", the Department of Political Affairs would be updating the Council on the situation in Afghanistan.
On the agreement reached between the Government of Tajikistan and the United Tajik Opposition in Moscow under United Nations auspices -- which included the signing of a protocol on military issues -- the Spokesman, "formally, on behalf of the Secretary-General", expressed gratitude to the Russian Federation for facilitating those negotiations. The Secretary-General had "welcomed the important and significant step in the process of national reconciliation and peace in Tajikistan, and hopes it will contribute to the return of safety and security in the country". He had also urged the parties to pursue vigorously the process of comprehensive peaceful settlement of the inter-Tajik conflict. The text of the statement was available in the Spokesman's office.
Mr. Eckhard said the Security Council Committee established to monitor the sanctions against Iraq had submitted to the Council its report on the work pertaining to the implementation, for the first 90 days, of resolution 986 (1995) on the "oil-for-food" formula. The report explained the term and spot oil contracts approved, oil loadings, the latest figures on the sales applications as of 10 March, and the expedited procedures for the processing of humanitarian supplies to Iraq. He pointed out that the report was to be read along with the Secretary-General's 90-day report which came out yesterday.
On Eastern Slavonia, he said that the United Nations-supervised free elections in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium would be held on Sunday, 13 April, along with municipal and regional elections in the whole of Croatia. He noted that a press release by United Nations Transitional Administrator for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium, Jacques Klein, on the matter had actually arrived yesterday, but did so too late to be circulated.
On the question asked yesterday about the Secretary-General's meeting with the representative of the East Timor Independence Movement and co-winner of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize Jose Ramos Horta, he said that the meeting had lasted about 20 minutes. The two men had discussed the situation in East Timor and the Secretary-General's good offices efforts, including the appointment of a Secretary-General's Personal Representative for East Timor. Both sides noted the need for flexibility, the Spokesman said.
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He added that Ambassador Jamsheed Marker, the Secretary-General's Personal Representative for East Timor, would be leaving for the region on 18 March and was expected to be back at Headquarters around the first days of April. At that time, "we would try to bring him to the briefing", he said.
Mr. Eckhard said that the monthly summary of outstanding contributions to the United Nations regular budget, the peace-keeping budget and to the International Tribunals as of 28 February was ready. The list was available in his office, he said, noting that the figures he had given yesterday did not include the International Tribunals, which were owed $13.8 million.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) had produced a "setting the record straight" fact sheet on United Nations salaries and benefits, which the Spokesman recommended to correspondents, and which was also available in his office.
He also informed correspondents that United Nations television programme World Chronicle, which featured the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Hazem Abdel Aziz El Beblawi, would be shown today on in-house television channels 6 and 23 or 38 at 2:30 p.m.
Asked to confirm the involvement of troops of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and the Movimento Popular de Libertaçao de Angola (MPLA) in eastern Zaire and also the dates of the Secretary- General's trip to Angola, Mr. Eckhard said he could not, although he was aware of one news report involving an unnamed United Nations official who had made some comments on the subject of the second part of the question. He noted that the Secretary-General had said he would be going to southern Africa and Angola at the middle of March. "We are still juggling the dates and will probably announce it tomorrow, but he will be leaving next week", he added.
A correspondent stated that at a United States Senate hearing yesterday, a United States Senator had said he would ask United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director-nominee Anthony Lake, concerning 28 political murders in Haiti, and that that hearing had now begun. What did the United Nations know about the murders, given its human rights office in the country? Mr. Eckhard was asked. He replied that he would check up on it, as he had no guidance on the subject at the moment.
Samsiah Abdul-Majid, spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), said that the Assembly had this morning begun discussing the situation in the Middle East and the question of Palestine (items 33 and 35), following the requests for an urgent meeting by Qatar as Chairman of the Arab Group of States for March, and Colombia, as Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement. The Observer for Palestine and the representative of Israel had already spoken; Senegal, the third speaker, was on the podium when she left for the briefing. There were 33 speakers inscribed as of 11 a.m. The Assembly would therefore meet in
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the afternoon as indicated in the Journal. Announcing changes to the provisional list of speakers provided to correspondents earlier in the day, she said Viet Nam, Nigeria, India, Namibia, Uruguay, Sierra Leone, Morocco and the Philippines should be added to the list, and United Arab Emirates and Egypt deleted.
Asked whether the United States was on the list, she answered, "no".
On the status of resolutions, about which correspondents had asked her, she said she understood that negotiations were going on between the Non- aligned Movement and the European Union and a draft resolution was expected to be considered by the Assembly tomorrow.
Ms. Abdul-Majid said that at the beginning of this morning's meeting the Assembly observed a minute of silence in memory of the paramount leader of China, Deng Xiaoping, and the late President of Guyana, Cheddi Jagan. The Assembly President referred to Deng Xiaoping as a man with "a vision of reform and pragmatism". He said Mr. Deng would be remembered as an astute leader who had steered the course of China towards international peace and security during a time of global transition. He would also be remembered for his unparalleled contributions as the chief architect of modernization, liberalization and economic prosperity in China.
She said the President had described Mr. Jagan as a man who had distinguished himself as a tireless champion for democracy at home and as a staunch supporter for the ideals and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. On behalf of the Assembly, the President expressed heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Governments and peoples of China and of Guyana and to the bereaved families.
Ms. Abdul-Majid said that a couple of speakers had also referred to the passing away of former Jamaican Prime Minister, Michael Manley.
The Assembly President had also, on behalf of the Assembly, extended "deepest sympathy" to the Government and people of Iran for the loss of life and extensive material damage from the recent earthquake. He expressed the hope that the international community would respond generously to any request for help.
He had also announced to the Assembly, she continued, that the Secretary-General had informed him that eight countries had made the necessary payments to reduce their arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the United Nations Charter, bringing the number down to 33. The eight were Afghanistan, Belarus, Djibouti, Honduras, Panama, Sierra Leone, Turkmenistan and Yemen.
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