DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19970313
FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon briefing by expressing the Secretary-General's shock over the news that a Jordanian soldier had fired upon a group of Israeli schoolgirls, killing seven and wounding several others. He had deplored that act of violence, the Spokesman said, and extended condolences to the families of the victims and the Government and people of Israel. "Today's tragic incident highlights the need to renew confidence in the peace process, whose objective is the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement in the Middle East", the Secretary-General had stressed.
On eastern Zaire, Mr. Eckhard informed correspondents that more than 100,000 refugees had now massed on the eastern bank of the Zaire River at Ubundu. Fifty thousand more were moving along the route into Ubundu. The refugee leaders had said they wanted to cross the river, which was quite wide at that point, and to receive aid on the other side, the left bank. From there, they would continue westward into the interior of Zaire. They feared the advancing rebel forces, the Spokesman added.
Mr. Eckhard further told correspondents that about 2,000 refugees had already crossed the river by boat, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), adding that the single barge that was ferrying them across was transporting about 800 persons per hour. The refugees had appeared to be in "extremely bad shape", and the World Food Programme (WFP) was continuing to bring in food by train from Kisangani. The WFP feared, however, that if the refugees went to the other side and moved deeper into Zaire, it would be impossible for the international community to maintain an aid chain to them.
Mr. Eckhard said that in Kisangani, the WFP had today delivered 30,000 tons of food. Two international staff had been left on the ground there, and an additional 80,000 tons of food were planned to be delivered tomorrow. Those supplies were transported by train and barge to Ubundu. From Tingi- Tingi, according to the inter-agency mission -- a combination of United Nations agencies, as well as such non-governmental organizations as Médecins sans frontières and OXFAM -- there were 500 refugees left in the camp, all of them in poor health and poor condition. The death rate had been between 20 and 30 persons over the last three days.
The Spokesman said that yesterday, in an addition to the Secretary- General's calendar, he had also met with the Permanent Representative of Albania, Pellumb Kulla, and they discussed the deteriorating situation in that country. The Ambassador was seeking assistance from the international
community and had declared his intention to call the matter to the attention of the Security Council. Mr. Eckhard added that he understood that this morning the Council had received two letters, one from Albania and the other from Italy, calling for an urgent meeting of the Council to consider the situation in Albania.
Mr. Eckhard said that the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Zaire, Roberto Garretón, had expressed his profound concern over the continuing deterioration of human rights in eastern Zaire, and had asked to visit the country in coming weeks to provide updated information to the Commission on Human Rights, which was now meeting in Geneva. There was a press release on the issue from Geneva, available to correspondents in the Spokesman's Office, he added.
Continuing, Mr. Eckhard said that the Security Council was holding consultations this morning on the two documents on the "oil-for-food" regime that he had mentioned yesterday: the report of the Secretary-General; and the letter from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established to monitor the sanctions against Iraq.
Concerning the Secretary-General's appointments for the day, Mr. Eckhard said there would be a luncheon for members of the panel of high-level personalities on African development. Those experts were here today and tomorrow, Mr. Eckhard pointed out, and their agenda included reviewing major developments in Africa in 1996 and discussing good governance in Africa, as well as agriculture and food security. There was also a press release and a list of participants available in the Spokesman's Office.
He announced that the new United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, had today taken up his duties in Iraq, recalling that Mr. de Mistura's appointment had been mentioned in the Secretary- General's 90-day review report on resolution 986 (1995).
Responding to a question on the issue of political assassinations in Haiti, Mr. Eckhard said that, as far as the United Nations role in monitoring the security situation there was concerned, the information was contained in the Secretary-General's report of 2 December 1996.
On eastern Zaire, another correspondent said he had been under the impression that United Nations staff had left Kisangani. Since the Spokesman had said the WFP had delivered food from Kisangani, were the staff back? he asked.
Mr. Eckhard confirmed that two international staff had returned to Kisangani. On general United Nations presence in the area, he said that, although he did not have actual numbers, it was "quite meagre". He would get the figures for the correspondent, however. Further asked if the UNHCR also had people in the area, he replied that he would check, but pointed out that
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it had ongoing aid efforts in the area. The formula, basically, was for a few internationals and a more significant number of local employees to carry out the relief operations and deliver the goods. He said it was possible to get a read-out on the area.
Had the United Nations killed off all the squirrels in the North Lawn of the Headquarters complex? Mr. Eckhard was asked. "We have not killed a single squirrel", he answered, laughing. "I checked with Building Management Services and we are in full compliance with New York City and New York State laws that prohibit the use of any materials or machines that could harm animals. When we do have an infestation -- which we do not have at the moment -- we would have an exterminator remove them, catch them in traps and remove them to a state-designated area."
Had that been done? the correspondent persisted. Mr. Eckhard responded, "This was not done at this time, but this is the procedure we would follow, and we would hire an exterminator licensed in the State of New York and who would have to follow the rules of the State of New York or he would lose his license."
Mr. Eckhard added that he did not know where the squirrel stories started, noting that the correspondent was not the only one to have brought it to his attention. He stressed that he was satisfied that the United Nations had not killed any squirrels. The correspondent informed the Spokesman that the genesis of the story was that animal lovers on the staff had noticed a "sudden decrease" in the squirrel population and come to the conclusion that the Organization had probably poisoned them. "I can assure you that we did not", Mr. Eckhard stressed.
To an enquiry as to whether the Secretary-General had answered the letter from Pope John Paul II, the Spokesman said he would check if there had been such a response.
He announced that Zimbabwe had become the forty-second Member State to pay in full its 1997 assessment, with a check for just under $108,000.
Samsiah Abdul-Majid, spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), told correspondents that the Assembly would meet this afternoon to consider a draft resolution on Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in occupied East Jerusalem. The provisional draft made available to correspondents yesterday was now available as a plenary document. The text remained the same; however, four additional co-sponsors had been included, bringing the total to 42.
By the operational paragraphs of the draft, she said the Assembly would call upon the Israeli authorities to refrain from all actions or measures, including settlement activities, which alter the facts on the ground,
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pre-empting the final status negotiations, and have negative implications for the Middle East peace process.
The Assembly would also call Israel, the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war, and would call upon all parties to continue, in the interests of peace and security, their negotiations within the Middle East peace process on its agreed basis and the timely implementation of the agreements reached. It would also request the Secretary-General to bring to the attention of the Government of Israel the provisions of the resolution.
The draft would be introduced by Indonesia, she said, and three countries -- United States, Israel and Norway -- had requested to speak before the vote. Bolivia was listed to speak after the vote. [Note: The draft was adopted by a vote of 130 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 2 abstentions (Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands). Israel, Norway, Lebanon and Peru spoke before the vote. Speaking after the vote were Bolivia, United States, Canada, Syria, Netherlands and Jordan, as well as the Observer for Palestine.]
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