DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's briefing by welcoming Henryk Sokalski (Poland), Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and Chief of Mission for the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), who was present to talk to correspondents about that mission. [Mr. Sokalski's briefing is being issued separately.]

In connection with the bomb attack in Cairo, Egypt, earlier today, Mr. Eckhard read the following statement, attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General: "The Secretary-General was shocked to learn that innocent lives were lost as a result of a bomb attack against a tourist bus in Cairo today. He condemns the acts of terrorism whatever the source in most resolute terms. He expresses his deep condolences to the families of the victims." (See Press Release SG/SM/6331 issued today.)

Turning to the Oslo conference on landmines, Mr. Eckhard read part of a statement, also attributable to the Spokesman: "The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the adoption of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction in Oslo today. By this act, a standard has been set for moving towards the elimination of this "invisible enemy", which kills innocent civilians everyday and robs people of their means of livelihood.

"The sense of mission and determination that were shown in negotiating this treaty must be sustained; Governments will have to allocate resources to implement its provisions and everyone in various forums -- the United Nations, the Conference on Disarmament, regional organizations, review conferences of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and non-governmental organizations -- will have to work strenuously to promote its universalization. The Secretary-General pledges to fulfil the functions entrusted to him and to the United Nations Secretariat under this new Convention." (See Press Release SG/SM/6332 issued today.)

Today, the Security Council had the Central African Republic on its agenda, Mr. Eckhard continued. It would review the third report on the Inter- African Mission to Monitor the Implementation of the Bangui Agreements (MISAB), the multinational force there whose work had been endorsed by the Security Council. They would also take up the Secretary-General's report on Somalia, which was on the racks today. Ibrahima Fall, Assistant Secretary- General Department for Political Affairs, would brief the Council on Somalia.

Still on Somalia, the Spokesman told correspondents that based on the recent mission of Ismat Kittani, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General who had held consultations with the parties in the region and governments concerned, the Secretary-General was taking several steps. First, a meeting at the ambassadorial level would be convened at Headquarters this month. It

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would be chaired by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, and would have the participation of representatives of all the countries visited by Mr. Kittani, together with concerned regional organizations. Secondly, the Secretary-General had decided to strengthen the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) by adding another Professional officer. Thirdly, every effort would continue to be made to help the Somali people in the relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development fields, as circumstances permitted. Fourthly, a general review of the role of the United Nations in Somalia would be conducted in November/December this year.

On Cambodia, the Spokesman said Alvaro de Soto, Assistant Secretary- General for Political Affairs, would brief the Council on preparations for elections and other matters concerning that country. The Council would also consider a draft presidential statement on Croatia, specifically the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES). There might also be a formal meeting afterwards, on that subject.

Mr. Eckhard also told correspondents of a press release from the International Court of Justice, saying that it would deliver its judgement in the case concerning the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project between Hungary and Slovakia at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 24 September. The case had been brought to the Court in 1993 and concerned a long-standing dispute about the construction and operation of a major system of dams on the Danube river. It had raised important issues about treaty and environmental law, as well as the law of international watercourses.

Concerning Sierra Leone, five Foreign Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) -- Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria -- were scheduled to arrive New York today. Tomorrow, in a meeting with the Secretary-General, they would take up the issue of sanctions against Sierra Leone and then, under the Aria formula, brief members of the Security Council on the issue at 3:30 p.m. [Aria formula: an informal consultation process, initiated by Diego Aria of Venezuela, which affords members of the Security Council the opportunity to hear persons in a confidential informal setting. The meetings are presided over by a member of the Council serving as facilitator for the discussions, and not by the Council President.]

There would be a closed troop-contributors meeting this afternoon on the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) at 3:30 p.m. in Conference Room 7.

India and Pakistan had today concluded three days of peace talks, the Spokesman continued. In connection with that subject, there had been some questions relating to the Secretary-General's annual report, especially why more space had not been given to the issue of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). He drew attention to the fact

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that the format of the report had been completely modified from last year; it had also been reduced in size from 350 to 28 pages. It had therefore become necessary to restrict the space devoted to individual items in the report, including UNMOGIP. The brevity of the corresponding text did not in any way diminish the importance which the Secretary-General attached to the mission's mandate, entrusting it with the supervision of the cease-fire in Jammu and Kashmir. He was convinced that the search for a peaceful settlement was a matter of urgency and welcomed the current round of bilateral talks at the Foreign Secretaries' level, which he hoped would result in progress towards a solution.

Mr. Eckhard then announced that the Secretary-General's report on the situation in Afghanistan was also out today. It was a progress report and was expected by the Security Council every three months. In the report, the Secretary-General had noted the continuing military confrontation between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance, with very little change in the political situation, rising numbers of victims in the conflict, and the negotiating efforts of Norbert Heinrich Holl, the Head of the United Nations Special Mission in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, added Mr. Eckhard, Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Afghanistan, was today in London holding consultations with officials of the United Kingdom on Afghanistan. He was expected in New York next week.

As of 3 September, total pledges and contributions in the United Nations Consolidated Appeal were $41 million, representing 31 per cent of the total requirement of $133 million.

A new survey of landmines had indicated that nearly 777 square kilometres had been contaminated by mines, an increase of over 550 square kilometres from the earlier assessment.

Argentina would become the eleventh nation to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations concerning the standby arrangement for peacekeeping missions. That would take place at 3:35 p.m. tomorrow, 19 September, in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Argentina would sign for his Government. [It was later announced that the signing had been postponed a week to Friday, 22 September.]

Mr. Eckhard told correspondents of a press release from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which today warned against the hasty deportation of rejected Algerian asylum-seekers in the midst of an upsurge of violence in Algeria. Last year, of the 5,950 Algerian applicants in 14 European countries, Canada and the United States, only 670 were

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approved, a low acceptance-rating of 8 per cent. The UNHCR believed that certain groups of asylum-seekers could face serious security problems should they return to Algeria at this time.

Mary Robinson, the new High Commissioner for Human Rights, had given her first press conference in Geneva, the Spokesman said. A summary of the conference was available in the Spokesman's office.

On press briefings, he announced that George Kell, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), along with Robert Lipsey, Director of the National Bureau of Economic Research, would hold a briefing tomorrow at 11 a.m. to launch the World Investment Report 1997. Limited copies of the report would be available at the briefing; it was embargoed until 5 p.m. (EDT), Sunday, 21 September.

There was a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) press release available in the Spokesman's office, he went on, which deplored flagrant child-rights abuses by the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda. The abuse had been documented by Amnesty International in London and Human Rights Watch in New York, in two separate studies. In a separate press release, Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the Fund, had welcomed the anti-personnel landmines agreement in Oslo.

Mr. Eckhard announced an invitation to correspondents from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the opening reception today of "Art Without Borders". The premiere, in the Public Lobby at 6:30 p.m., would feature distinguished artists selected to represent their countries in an international travelling exhibition.

Finally, he announced the funeral ceremony for Bill Oatis, the Associated Press correspondent who had served at the United Nations for 30 years. It was scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, 27 September, at the Andrett Funeral Home, 353 Second Avenue (between 20th and 21st streets).

A correspondent, saying he had learnt of a conversation between President Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bill Richardson, President of the Security Council, asked for a description of the discussion. Mr. Eckhard said he had no authority to speak for the President, but that he understood they had had two discussions, one yesterday and one today. The Security Council had considered the report of the Human Rights Investigative Team, as conveyed to it yesterday by Mr. Prendergast, and had again taken up the matter this morning. Beyond that, the Spokesman said he had no details, and suggested that the correspondent asked the President of the Council. On the current status of the team, he said he had nothing to add to what he told the correspondents yesterday: that the Secretary-General expected his team to carry out its mandate.

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Did the Secretary-General have any comments on the moving of settlers into East Jerusalem? Mr. Eckhard was also asked. He replied that while the Secretary-General was watching the matter closely, he had no comments at this time.

Alex Taukatch, Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine), said his comments would be brief, since the Assembly President had just held an extensive press conference in the same room. The General Committee had concluded its meeting this morning, Mr. Taukatch went on, and the General Assembly would meet tomorrow morning in plenary to consider the Committee's recommendations.

Also scheduled for tomorrow was the meeting of the Credentials Committee, which had been suspended yesterday. Three Main Committees -- the Second, Third and Fifth -- would also be meeting tomorrow.

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