DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Juan Carlos Brandt, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon briefing by announcing that the Security Council was now meeting formally on the situation in Albania. A draft presidential statement that might be adopted at the meeting and the list of speakers were available in his office.

Mr. Brandt drew attention to the issuance of the Secretary-General's report on the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) (document S/1997/631), which describes relations between The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and its neighbours as strengthening. Internally, however, economic and social problems posed a significant threat to the country's integration and long-term stability, with a risk of further exacerbating inter-ethnic tensions. The Secretary-General suggested that it was advisable to pursue implementation of the Council's decision to start, as from 1 October, a two-month phased reduction of the military component of UNPREDEP by 300 all ranks, taking into consideration the conditions in the region at that time.

As to the type of international presence to succeed UNPREDEP in the country after 1 December, the Secretary-General had asked his staff to consult with the host Government, other international organizations and interested Member States on an appropriate presence, Mr. Brandt said. The outcome of the consultations would be reflected in the Secretary-General's report prior to the end of UNPREDEP's current mandate on 30 November. The Force's current strength stood at 1,079 troops -- 995 operational, 48 headquarters and 36 military observers -- and 24 civilian police.

Turning to implementation of the oil-for-food programme in Iraq, the Associate Spokesman said United Nations Overseers had approved two more oil contracts and received another. That action took the number of contracts approved to 16 out of the 22 received, and brought the total oil sales volume approved to 83.52 million barrels. A breakdown of the volumes and the nationalities of the buying parties was available in the Spokesman's office.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda had extended the detention of the former Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda for 30 more days, after he had expressed no objections, Mr. Brandt said. The Tribunal was expected to decide later today on whether or not to extend the detention of five other suspects, whose names and designations were also available in the Spokesman's office. A press release with more details was expected from the Tribunal shortly.

The Department of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva yesterday issued its fourth situation report on the volcanic eruption in Montserrat, the Associate Spokesman said. Available in his office, the report provided a comprehensive description of the volcanic activity that began in July 1995.

The Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Carol Bellamy, had expressed concern about the decrease in aid to developing countries to an all-time low in 1996, Mr. Brandt said. Despite a steady increase in the number of people with income of less than $1 a day, overall aid to developing countries fell by 4 per cent in real terms compared to 1995 -- to $55.1 billion from $58.9 billion. Those figures were based on a report by the 29-member Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A UNICEF press release with further details was available.

The Secretary-General had begun his day in Finland by meeting with its Prime Minister, Paavo Tapio Lipponen, who pledged that country's support for the United Nations, Mr. Brandt said. They discussed such topics as payments to the Organization, Security Council reform and the scale of assessments used to spread the United Nations expenses among Member States.

The Secretary-General then met with the Minister of Cooperation and Development and Minister of Environment Pekka Haavisto. They discussed how to make the Economic and Social Council more effective in the environmental area, how to strengthen the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the reorganization of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs and the Organization's role in coordinating humanitarian assistance, private sector financing, and cooperation with the World Bank.

Later, the Secretary-General had visited the World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER Institute), Mr. Brandt said. From there, he visited the House of Parliament and met with its Speaker, Riitta Uosoukainen, as well as with the Chairman and members of its Foreign Affairs Committee. With the Committee's members, he discussed rapid deployment, United Nations reform, preventive action and the United Nations future relations with parliamentarians. He then attended a luncheon hosted by the Speaker and gave a press conference afterwards.

The Secretary-General then left Helsinki for a two-week vacation, Mr. Brandt said. His next public activity would be connected to the Venice Film Festival, where he would attend several events. From Venice, he would visit other countries in the area. The overall significance of the Secretary- General's trip was to help shore up his political base for the General Assembly's consideration of his reform package during its next session.

Mr. Brandt announced that the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) was inviting its members to a briefing at 11 a.m., tomorrow, Friday, 15 August, by the Resident Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in South Africa, Jay Parsons. Mr. Parsons would talk about family planning in post-apartheid South Africa, as well as such topics as AIDS prevention programmes and UNFPA's contributions to constitutional reforms in that country.

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 14 August 1997

Asked when the Venice Film Festival would be held, Mr. Brandt said it would begin on Thursday, 28 August. The Secretary-General would visit the Festival on 29 and 30 August.

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Correction:In the penultimate paragraph on page 3 of the Daily Press Briefing of 13 August, the second line should read, "military mission the Organization planned to send to the Republic..." The first part of the first sentence in the final paragraph should read, "Asked whether President Laurent-Desire Kabila of the Republic of the Congo had responded...". The last two lines of that paragraph should read, "The team would hold a press conference next week before leaving for the Republic".