DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

19 May 1997

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

19970519 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon briefing by announcing that the Secretary-General had expressed his satisfaction that a transfer of power had taken place in Kinshasa "without a major loss of life" and had called for continued restraint from all parties. The Secretary-General, who was in Vienna, said he trusted that the government, which was expected to be formed early this week, would be broad-based, including other political groups, and that the new authorities would work for political reconciliation, democracy and prosperity for the peoples of the country.

The joint United Nations/Organization of African Unity (OAU) Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, Mohamed Sahnoun, had met with the leader of the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo/Zaire (ADFL), Laurent Kabila, yesterday in Lubumbashi, Mr. Eckhard continued. The Secretary-General welcomed the assurances the Special Representative had received on cooperation with international organizations. The Secretary- General expected the new authorities to work closely with the United Nations and the international community in assuring that the human rights of all were fully respected and that the victims of the conflict, in particular refugees, received all necessary assistance. The people of the Great Lakes region of Africa needed the support of the international community to rebuild their institutions and reconstruct their societies. The Secretary-General called on all Member States to extend generous assistance to the governments and peoples of the Great Lakes region to enable them to recover from the ravages of war and to fulfil their great economic potential.

On the humanitarian side in eastern Zaire, Mr. Eckhard said that the humanitarian mission to Mdbandaka, which was located near the Congo border, had arrived over the weekend. The mission had not yet returned, but a preliminary report indicated that 2,000 disarmed refuges had been found at the airport and had asked to be repatriated. A total of 20,000 refugees were believed to be in the area, with a majority still in hiding. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had still not been granted access to the road south of Biaro camp, and, as of last night, 32,000 refugees from Rwanda had been airlifted home from eastern Zaire, an average of 2,000 per day.

Former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere was visiting Headquarters today, Mr. Eckhard said. Mr. Nyerere would informally brief the members of the Security Council under the Arria formula on his efforts in the mediation for the peace process in Burundi. The meeting would be closed and would take place at 3:30 p.m. in Conference Room 7.

Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov and the main Tajik opposition leader, Sayid Abdullo Nuri, had made substantive progress yesterday in their summit meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Eckhard said. They had signed a memorandum and protocol on political issues, which included the lifting of the ban on political parties and movements. They also agreed on the deployment of 460 United Tajik Opposition fighters in Dushanbe, as well as 40 fighters for the security of opposition members of the Commission on National Reconciliation. The next round of inter-Tajik talks would open in Tehran tomorrow to resolve the remaining issues, and Gerd Merrem, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Tajikistan would be present at those talks.

Mr. Eckhard said the Security Council Committee established to monitor the sanctions against Libya would meet today at 5 p.m. in Conference Room 7 in a closed meeting. Tomorrow, the Security Council would consider the situation in Western Sahara, as the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) would expire at the end of this month. The Secretary-General's Special Envoy, James Baker III, would not be coming to Headquarters in connection with this meeting.

The Security Council would also tomorrow hold consultations on Guatemala, he continued. The United Nations peace-keeping tasks there were complete, and the withdrawal of the mission had begun. About one-third of the 146 military observers of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) had left Guatemala, and the Secretary-General's report was expected at the end of May. The Secretary-General had been emphasizing the importance of a seamless bridge between peace-keeping and peace building, and, in that connection, the United Nations was now entering a second phase in support of the peace process and rehabilitation in Guatemala. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would help reintegrate the former combatants into civilian life and improve living conditions in war-torn areas, including health services and housing. The UNDP would also provide training for income generating activities. Details were in a "UNDP Flash" made available today.

There were only sketchy details available about an incident which occurred in Angola this morning, Mr. Eckhard said. At 9 a.m. local time, a United Nations vehicle was ambushed. The vehicle was providing escort to a civilian convoy from Villanova to Boas-Akeas, in the central region of Angola. During the attack, two Brazilian peace-keepers were injured. One of the soldiers died from his injuries after being evacuated to Huambo. The United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) was investigating the preliminary reports of this incident, and it was not yet known whether or not the civilian convoy was humanitarian.

Mr. Eckhard said the Secretary-General was pleased to announce the appointment of John Ruggie, former Dean of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, as Adviser in his Executive Office.

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 19 May 1997

Mr. Ruggie was a distinguished scholar and policy analyst and a recognized authority in the field of international relations, specifically international organizations. With his background and experience, Mr. Ruggie would draw on the immense resources of academic and research institutions in advising the Secretary-General on identifying and analysing political trends. A statement on the appointment would be made available in the Spokesman's Office.

As mentioned before, the Secretary-General was in Austria for his first official visit to that country, the Spokesman said. Today the Secretary- General met with the Defense Minister, Werner Fasslabend, and Interior Minister, Karl Schlogl. He also met with Simon Wiesenthal, head of the Jewish Documentation Centre. Mr. Wiesenthal was offering to lend his name and reputation to the United Nations campaign to ban the use of land-mines. This evening, the Secretary-General would be a guest at a dinner hosted by Vienna Mayor Michael Haupl.

The Secretary-General had been travelling a fair amount, Mr. Eckhard said, and a few correspondents had noted his absence from Headquarters and had hinted that he could be doing something better with his time. It was important for a Secretary-General to meet with the national leaders, particularly the Governments of the five permanent members of the Security Council, during the first year of his term. With this visit, the Secretary- General would have met with the governments of all five permanent members of the Council. At every stop along his travels, the Secretary-General was briefing governments on his United Nations reform package, which would be announced in July, because without the support of Member States reform would go nowhere. Coincidentally, but perhaps not entirely so, the Secretary- General's visit to the Russian Federation "shook loose" $37 million of its outstanding contributions for the year and $125 million from Japan, so the trips were even paying off financially.

A pop music concert would take place tonight in the United Nations buffer zone in Cyprus with the participation of popular Greek and Turkish singers, Mr. Eckhard announced. It was the first event of its kind, and the United Nations was providing assistance to the commercial organizers, allowing the use of a stadium in the buffer zone. The event was being hailed by leaders of the two Cypriot communities.

Asked what the United Nations procedure was for the recognition of the new government of Zaire and its change of name, Mr. Eckhard said the United Nations did not recognize governments; governments recognized governments. Therefore, the United Nations would wait until a "critical mass" of governments recognized the regime of Laurent Kabila, and then that duly recognized government could call the nation whatever it chose.

Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 19 May 1997

A correspondent asked if the post to which John Ruggie had been appointed was new, if it was paid and why was there a need for such a post. Mr. Eckhard said it appeared that the Secretary-General wanted a deep-thinker on the thirty-eighth floor. Mr. Ruggie's contract would initially be for six months, and it could be extended for a maximum of one year. He was taking a public service leave from Columbia University to carry out the temporary assignment for the Secretary-General. The post was at the Assistant Secretary-General level.

Asked if Mr. Ruggie's was another dollar-per-year post, Mr. Eckhard said professors did not make enough money to work for a dollar per year.

Considering that the Taliban was also waiting for official United Nations recognition, a correspondent asked if there was a formal procedure that determined who held a country's seat in the General Assembly. Mr. Eckhard said he would check and inform correspondents after the briefing.

How could the Secretary-General welcome the relatively peaceful transition of power when there were reports that over 200 people had died in Zaire over the weekend? a correspondent asked. Mr. Eckhard said that many parties, including the Secretary-General, had anticipated a bloody battle for Kinshasa or extensive looting by troops. But both those things had been avoided. The outcome, which was better than the worst case scenario, was partly due to the extensive amount of international involvement which had helped to cushion the rebels arrival and President Mobutu Sese Seko's departure.

Asked if the United Nations still recognized Mr. Mobutu's government, Mr. Eckhard said that Zaire was a Member State, and it was now a question of which representative of Zaire would be recognized as legitimate.

Mr. Eckhard asked if Samsiah Abdul-Majid, spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly, had anything to say about the credentials procedure. She replied that, the Head of Government or State or the Foreign Minister must submit the credentials of the representatives to the General Assembly. Then, the Credentials Committee would examine the credentials and make its recommendations to the Assembly. Until the General Assembly gave its decision, the existing representatives continued their participation. In the case of Afghanistan, the Credentials Committee had not technically considered the credentials of the representatives of a new authority.

A correspondent asked what the latest developments in Haiti were. Mr. Eckhard said that correspondents should check with his office after the briefing.

Daily Press Briefing - 5 - 19 May 1997

Since the contents of the Secretary-General's reform package would not be announced until July, what exactly was he selling on his current trip? a correspondent asked. Mr. Eckhard said the Secretary-General was selling a broad concept and asking, in a general way, for political support for his efforts. He thought that the United Nations, like any organization or any corporation, needed to reassess its way of doing things and adapt to changing times. Geopolitically, the times had changed dramatically as a result of the end of the cold war. The Secretary-General's pitch was to say to Member States: "As the next century approaches, let's define, in a context of shrinking resources, what the priorities of the Untied Nations are. It is you, the Member States, that need to do that. I'm going to help you by giving you a few ideas in July, but you are going to have to do it. Are you with me?" The Secretary-General was getting reassuring responses, but he was also the first one to say that the devil was in the details. He has told Member States that he hoped they would not back away when they saw the July package, but he has not given them any previews of what the contents would be.

Introducing the items on the General Assembly's agenda for tomorrow, Ms. Abdul-Majid said the Assembly was scheduled to elect 11 judges of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia from a list of 19 provided by the Security Council. The judges would be elected for a term of office of four years beginning 16 November 1997. According to Article 13 of the Statute of the Court, the judges would be elected by a vote of absolute majority of Member States and non-members maintaining permanent observer missions at Headquarters. Currently, the absolute majority was 94.

The 19 judges (eight were standing for re-election) were: Masoud Mohamed Al-Amri (Qatar), George Randolph Tissa Dias Bandaranayake (Sri Lanka), Antonio Cassese (Italy), Babiker Zain Elabideen Elbashir (Sudan), Saad Saood Jan (Pakistan), Claude Jorda (France), Adolphus Godwin Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria), Richard George May (United Kingdom), Gabrielle Kirk McDonald (United States), Florence Ndepele Mwachande Mumba (Zambia), Rafael Nieto Navia (Colombia), Daniel David Ntanda Nsereko (Uganda), Elizabeth Odio Benito (Costa Rica), Fouad Abdel-Moneim Riad (Egypt), Almiro Simões Rodrigues (Portugal), Mohamed Shahabuddeen (Guyana), Jan Skupinski (Poland), Wang Tieya (China) and Lal Chand Vohrah (Malaysia).

Also tomorrow, the Assembly was expected to adopt the convention on the law of the non-navigational uses of international watercourses, which was the first international convention of its kind, Ms. Abdul-Majid said. The seven- part, 37-article convention served as a guideline for future watercourse agreements and applied to uses of international watercourses for purposes other than navigation and to measures of protection, preservation and management related to the uses of those water courses. The convention would come into force on the ninetieth day following the date of deposit of the thirty-fifth instrument of ratification, and it would be open for signature tomorrow for a period of three years, until 19 May 2000.

Daily Press Briefing - 6 - 19 May 1997

The Assembly would also consider a request by the Netherlands to include an item on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Convention, she said. The recommendation for the inclusion of the item was made by the General Committee on 7 May. The Convention came into force on 29 April, and it provided for special cooperative relations to be established between the new body and the Assembly.

According to the explanatory memorandum annexed to the request, two issues have to be addressed, she continued. The first was the agreement concerning the general relationship between the new organization and the United Nations. To that end, the memorandum pointed out that it was highly desirable for the Assembly to invite the Secretary-General to enter into negotiations with a view to concluding such an agreement. The second issue was the use of United Nations laissez-passer by inspectors of the new body to enable them to travel for inspection purposes as soon as possible after the entry into force of the Convention.

The Assembly would consider re-opening the following two sub-items: macroeconomic policy questions and environment and sustainable development, she said.

Ms. Abdul-Majid said the Assembly would also consider the appointment of five members to the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) for a five-year term from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2002. The JIU, based in Geneva, was comprised of 11 inspectors who served in their personal capacity and had broad powers of investigation in all matters bearing on efficiency and the proper use of funds. Following consultations with regional groups, the President of the Economic and Social Council and the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, the Assembly President proposed the following list of candidates: Fatih Bouayad-Agha (Algeria), Homero Luis Hernandez Sanchez (Dominican Republic), Eduard Kudriavtsev (Russian Federation), Francesco Mezzalama (Italy) and Khalis Issa Othman (Jordan). All the candidates, except Mr. Kudriavtsev of the Russian Federation, were currently members of the JIU.

Ms. Abdul-Majid said, as already announced last week, the President of the Assembly had received a letter from the Secretary-General requesting that the Assembly confirm the appointment of James Gustave Speth as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for a further four-year term, beginning on 16 July. The last item before the Assembly was a letter from Bolivia requesting membership in the Special Committee on decolonization. The Committee, also known as the Committee of 24, was established in 1961 to examine the application of the 1960 Decolonization Declaration. Currently, there were 23 members; earlier this year Antigua and Barbuda and St. Lucia had become members of the Committee.

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