DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

(Incorporates briefing by spokesman for General Assembly President.)

Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, informed correspondents at today's briefing that Iraq had today blocked a United Nations inspection team for the eighth time, objecting to the presence of Americans on the team. Subsequently, three other teams had been recalled before they reached their planned inspection sites.

In response to statements made by Iraqi officials yesterday that Americans made up more than 30 per cent of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), its Executive Director, Richard Butler, had briefed the media earlier this morning, the Spokesman said. He told correspondents that UNSCOM in New York, Baghdad and Bahrain had 180 staff -- professional and support -- who were of 35 different nationalities. Chile had the largest contribution with 22 per cent, the United States had 14 per cent, the United Kingdom 11 per cent, New Zealand 9 per cent, Iraq 6 per cent, and Australia 5 per cent. The Ambassador had given no further breakdown, he added.

Mr. Eckhard said the Secretary-General had reported to the Security Council yesterday afternoon on the mission of his three envoys to Iraq, and that the Council was unanimous in welcoming that initiative. In closing, the Secretary-General had wished the Council "wisdom, vision and fortitude" in their dealing with the crisis.

As a result of that meeting, the President of the Council, Ambassador Qin Huasun (China), met with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz, at 11 a.m today. The Council President had been requested by the other Council members to convey to Mr. Aziz that Iraq should comply fully with Security Council resolutions, and that the Council was united on that point. Mr. Eckhard said it was understood that some Council members were discussing a draft resolution on Iraq this morning, and that Iraq would most likely be discussed under "other matters" in the Council consultations today.

Turning to northern Iraq, he said that the fighting between Kurdish factions had continued and could endanger the distribution of humanitarian supplies in the region. For now, the United Nations was allowed to transport humanitarian supplies along the route between Erbil and Suleimaniyah, crossing the frontlines. On the subject of humanitarian supplies, he pointed out that the United Nations yesterday provided Iraq with Weekly Report No. 38 on the implementation of the "oil-for-food" programme. The 661 Committee, which oversees the sanctions, last week approved 24 humanitarian sales applications, blocked none, and put on hold two applications, Mr. Eckhard said. Of those

applications, he noted that they were for Phase II, the current 180-day period. For the first (Phase I), the Committee had approved five applications and blocked eight. The total current oil proceeds had exceeded $1 billion, against a ceiling of $2 billion.

Concerning the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, who had been invited to join the briefing after he had finished with the Security Council, the Spokesman alerted correspondents that the briefing might not happen. He noted that apart from Iraq, the Council was today taking up Bosnia and Herzegovina as the main item on its agenda. [Later in the briefing, the Spokesman announced that Mr. Westendorp would be unable to come to room S-226; instead, he would meet the press at the stakeout position outside the Security Council Chamber. The Spokesman's Office would "squawk" when the ambassador was ready.]

The Secretary-General's human rights investigative team to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was expected to arrive in Kinshasa at about 1:30 p.m., New York time, Mr. Eckhard said. The members of the team had already informed the Government of the Congo of their plan to operate two missions simultaneously: one to Mbadanka in the north, and the other to Kisangani in the east. They had also requested to meet with the liaison committee of the Government to work out the final practical details for their deployment.

Mr. Eckhard informed correspondents of a press release from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) concerning refugees in Thailand. A UNHCR delegation which visited Cambodia today had expressed deep concern over the large number of refugees in Thailand, more than 60,000, who had fled Cambodia to escape the fighting. The press release, which was available in the Spokesman's Office, also had a map, he said.

Mr. Eckhard said the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Roberto Garretón, had issued a report that was available today. Also issued today were a report on the situation of human rights in Burundi, and a report by the Secretary-General on emergency assistance to the Sudan.

The Spokesman drew attention to a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) press release, available in room S-378, which said that two national UNICEF staff members were detained by the Taliban in Jalalabad on Saturday, 8 November. No concrete reason was offered for the detentions, and the staff were taken to a public place where one of them was given 10 lashes in front of a crowd of onlookers; his colleague escaped. The Executive Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy, had condemned the treatment of UNICEF staff as "an unacceptable affront to the most fundamental principles of humanitarianism".

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 11 November 1997

He announced two new conference room papers on United Nations reform, now out as documents. They were being issued as addenda to the report of the Secretary-General of 16 July, and related to the revolving credit fund and the dividend for development.

Depending on how things went in the General Assembly this afternoon, continued Mr. Eckhard, alluding to the scheduled consultations on United Nations reform, a background briefing might be arranged for correspondents by senior officials on the subject tomorrow, immediately following the noon briefing.

Also available in room S-378, he said, were a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) press release, as well as another from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Mr. Eckhard announced a press briefing for tomorrow at 11 a.m, at which the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Elizabeth Dowdeswell, would introduce Barbara Pyle, Vice-President of Environmental Policy of the Turner Broadcasting System and Cable News Network's Environmental Editor. Ms. Pyle had recently been awarded the 1997 UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize. The media was also invited to the actual award ceremony, which would take place tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the Delegates' Dining Room West Terrace. It would be attended by the Secretary-General, as well as Ted Turner and Jane Fonda on behalf of Turner Broadcasting.

Mr. Eckhard also announced another press briefing tomorrow, to be given by the Executive Director of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Gert Rosenthal, on the subject of "Revitalizing the Regional Commissions". It would take place at 2 p.m. in Conference Room 8. The press was invited.

Asked if written figures on "the crux of the disagreement between Mr. Aziz and Mr. Butler" on UNSCOM staff in Iraq could be obtained, Mr. Eckhard replied that Mr. Butler had said "all he wants to say about this" at his briefing today. "I don't believe he wants to put anything in writing", he added. "He gave the few numbers he wanted to give you orally."

Alex Taukatch, spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine), said the Assembly yesterday took note of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization, and thus concluded that stage of its consideration of the item. He noted that he was stressing "that stage" because there were several other matters still to be taken up under the agenda item.

In considering the Secretary-General's report, he continued, the Assembly had held a thought-provoking discussion on a number of vital issues facing the Organization; not surprisingly, reform was one of them. Continuing on the subject of reform, Mr. Taukatch drew attention to the fact that the twelfth meeting of open-ended, informal consultations of the plenary on United

Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 11 November 1997

Nations reform was scheduled for 4 o'clock this afternoon. That meeting, under "this novel negotiating mechanism", would focus on actions contained in the report of the Secretary-General: "Renewing the United Nations: a programme for reform". The President of the Assembly was hoping that a thirteenth meeting would not be necessary. He noted that, at this afternoon's meeting, the delegations would have before them a draft text of possible action by the General Assembly. Mr. Udovenko hoped that the text could be finalized during today's meeting.

In that connection, the spokesman pointed out that an ambassadorial level meeting of the Group of 77 of the Whole had met today at 11 a.m. on the subject of United Nations reform.

Looking ahead, Mr. Taukatch said that, tomorrow, the Assembly would take up agenda item 14: Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Twenty speakers were inscribed on that list.

Turning to the Main Committees, he said the First Committee had before it a total of 34 draft texts -- of which 23 had been submitted on Thursday and 11 more on Friday. He referred those who may be interested to press releases of those two days, which could be a handy guide as to the gist of the drafts.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) had yesterday begun consideration of its review of the whole question of peacekeeping in all its aspects, Mr. Taukatch said. At that meeting, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace-keeping Operations, Bernard Miyet, had said that, although there was a recent tendency in the media to downplay peacekeeping activities, they remained crucial, particularly in view of the grave implications of today's conflicts for neighbouring countries. That general debate would continue this afternoon.

Mr. Taukatch said that at the Second Committee this morning, there had been a video-conference panel discussion on "Havana + 50: New challenges for the international trading system". It was the fourth in the series of keynote addresses and panel discussions at the Committee, organized, in part, with the support of the United Nations University.

The Fifth Committee was always dealing with a broad range of issues concerning financing, Mr. Taukatch noted. Today, it was continuing its general discussion on human resources management. It would also consider the financial reports and audited financial statements and reports of the Board of Auditors, as well as the proposed programme budget for the biennium 1998-1999.

As for the Sixth Committee, it was today considering the Convention on jurisdictional immunities of States and their property.

Turning to the Third Committee, he said it would meet this afternoon to take up, among other issues, the report of the UNHCR, and questions relating to refugees.

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