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)

Juan Carlos Brandt, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General, explained that today's briefing had been delayed to enable correspondents to listen to the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission (UNSCOM), Richard Butler, at the stakeout position outside the Security Council. Ambassador Butler, who would shortly be leaving for Iraq, had just concluded briefing the Security Council at their consultations concerning that visit, and on the exchange of letters between him and the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz.

On the subject of Iraq, Mr. Brandt said that United Nations officials met yesterday with Iraqi Government representatives in Baghdad to discuss various aspects of the third distribution plan (Phase III) of the oil-for-food programme. Another meeting was scheduled to take place in the next few days. In the meantime, the United Nations was finalizing with local authorities its input for the distribution plan in northern Iraq, which would be incorporated into the nationwide plan. Once it was completed, the Government of Iraq would submit it to the Secretary-General for approval. In reference to questions received by his office this morning about an Iraqi letter indicating Iraq's agreement to extend the memorandum of understanding for Phase III, the Associate Spokesman said he was "sorry", but such a letter had not yet been received.

To give correspondents a "head-up" for the Council's future activities, the Associate Spokesman said that the Council was expected to discuss tomorrow the report of the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES). On Wednesday, it would deal with the reports on the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA), and the Inter-African Mission for the Implementation of the Bangui Agreements (MISAB). On Thursday, the Council would deal with the report on Sierra Leone.

Mr. Brandt said that, owing to weather problems, the human rights investigative team to the Democratic Republic of the Congo finally left for Mbandaka this morning, two days later than originally scheduled. Mr. Brandt said some 30 to 40 protesters had demonstrated at the airport against the mission upon their arrival in Mbandaka. About 15 human rights officers, forensic, security and logistical experts would be conducting the investigations on allegations of massacres against Rwandan refugees earlier this year. It was expected that the mission would stay in Mbandaka until late December. Correspondents would be kept informed as more information came in, the Associate Spokesman added, noting that the mission's spokesman, Jose Diaz, was in that team.

The Secretary-General's progress report on MONUA was out as a Security Council document today, Mr. Brandt continued, reminding correspondents that it had been requested following the Council's imposition of additional measures on the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) on 29 October. In the report, the Secretary-General indicated that he noted no significant progress in the implementation of the remaining tasks, saying, "both parties, but in particular UNITA, are responsible for this state of affairs". The Secretary-General urged UNITA to complete, without further delay, the crucial task of demilitarization and extension of State administration throughout Angola. The Secretary-General also indicated his intention to reduce MONUA's military component, as previously planned. Its current strength was approximately 2,500. With the completion of the quartering of UNITA troops, which was their main task, the military component would be gradually reduced to approximately 1,750 by the first week of January.

The Associate Spokesman said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, yesterday issued a statement in Kigali, on the last day of her visit to Rwanda. Copies of the statement, which had been made available earlier in Geneva, were now available in the Spokesman's Office.

On Sierra Leone, Mr. Brandt said that the second report of the Secretary-General was out as document S/1997/958 and covered developments in that country since the 21 October report. The Secretary-General considered that the United Nations should be prepared, where appropriate, to take an active part to help ensure proper implementation of the Conakry Agreement. In that connection, should steps be taken for the implementation, and should conditions on the ground permit, the Secretary-General intended to dispatch a technical survey team which would assist him in recommending to the Council the role that the Organization could play in assisting implementation of the Conakry Agreement. In the meantime, he had requested his Special Envoy for Sierra Leone, Francis G. Okelo of Uganda, to reopen a small liaison office in Sierra Leone. Its functions would include liaison with the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and several political forces there.

Turning to Cambodia, he said that Prince Norodom Ranariddh of Cambodia was now meeting with the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, in the absence of the Secretary-General, to discuss the latest developments in that country. The United Nations hoped that Prince Ranariddh would be able to return to Cambodia under the guarantees laid out by Ung Huot and Hun Sen in their 22 October letter to the Secretary-General. In that letter, the Government undertook to guarantee the physical security and safety of members of the National Assembly and other political leaders wishing to return to Cambodia and resume their political activities. In addition, the Government undertook to guarantee their freedom from arrest and detention in

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 8 December 1997

respect of acts done and words spoken prior to their return, and thereafter in respect of acts and words spoken in connection with their electoral activities.

Mr. Brandt announced that Bangladesh would become the thirteenth Member State to sign a memorandum of understanding on the stand-by arrangements for United Nations peacekeeping operations. The signing ceremony would take place at Headquarters at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, 10 December. So far, 67 countries had officially expressed their willingness to participate in the stand-by arrangements regime, which was designed to speed up the deployment of a new United Nations peacekeeping operation or to reinforce rapidly the existing operations.

In Kyoto, the High-level segment of the Climate Change Conference was opened this morning by Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, the Associate Spokesman said. Opening addresses were also delivered by President Jose Maria Figueres Olsen of Costa Rica, President Kinza Clodumar of Nauru, and Vice-President Al Gore of the United States. The message of the Secretary-General, which was now on the racks, had been delivered by the Executive Coordinator of United Nations Reform, Maurice Strong.

In his message, the Secretary-General said that the risk of climate change posed the most critical and pervasive threat ever to the security of the human community and to life on Earth as we know it. Wishing them well, he told the negotiators that, as their difficult work had demonstrated, reaching an agreement was not an easy task. "But the very fact that legally binding targets and timetables for limiting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions are now in prospect show how far the community of nations has come in accepting responsibility for its shared stewardship for the future of our planet."

Mr. Brandt reminded correspondents that the Secretary-General was in transit today, on his way to Tehran. That visit would officially start tomorrow, when he would attend the opening ceremony of the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The Spokesman for the Secretary- General, Fred Eckhard, would be supplying details of the trip on a daily basis.

The Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Vladimir Petrovsky, had met this morning with Miguel Angel Martinez, the President of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Secretary-General of that organization, Pierre Cornillon. A press release on that, originally issued in Geneva, was now available in the Spokesman's office, Mr. Brandt said.

Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 8 December 1997

He announced that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would be releasing a new discussion paper entitled, "Valuing Our Future: Cost Benefit Analysis and Sustainability", at a press conference and luncheon at 1 p.m. Tuesday, 9 December, in the Hank Shannon Conference Room, DC1 (twenty- first floor). The press was invited.

The Associate Spokesman also announced the showing today at 1:15 p.m, of a movie sponsored by the delegation of Denmark. Entitled "Calling the Ghost", it was billed as "a story about rape, war and women", and had been an official selection at the Toronto and Berlin Film Festivals.

Asked to confirm the visit of the First Lady of the United States, Hillary Rhodam Clinton, to Headquarters this week, Mr. Brandt said it was on the occasion of Human Rights Day activities on Wednesday. He drew attention to a press release on the subject, as well as additional information in today's Journal.

A correspondent told Mr. Brandt that a United Nations humanitarian agency criticized the economic sanctions imposed by the Security Council for "failing to take into account the immense suffering" in countries so punished, citing Haiti, Iraq and Cuba. What options did such countries have in times of economic sanctions? the correspondent asked.

Mr. Brandt replied that the Security Council was quite mindful of the "needs, necessities and problems" facing populations in countries where sanctions existed. That was why the Council had given mandates to address their humanitarian needs. He referred the correspondent to members of the Council because "they are the masters of their own procedure" and who, "when faced with a situation such as this, meet and come out with a resolution that is intended to alleviate those concerns".

Alex Taukatch, spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine), on the issue just raised about Human Rights Day and Mrs. Clinton's visiting Headquarters, clarified that the special event would take place not at the General Assembly Hall, but in the Economic and Social Council Chamber. Mr. Udovenko would be there to deliver opening remarks.

Mr. Taukatch said the General Assembly this morning took up a number of items. As the first order of the day it took note of the report of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, (A/52/582), which had been introduced by the President of the Tribunal, Judge Laity Kama. Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Italy and Malaysia also spoke.

Another item on the agenda this morning was "Elimination of coercive economic measures as a means of political and economic compulsion", he added. Following consultations, the Assembly deferred consideration of the item to

Daily Press Briefing - 5 - 8 December 1997

the fifty-third session. By way of background, the spokesman pointed out that in November 1996 the Assembly adopted a resolution on the item requesting the Secretary-General to present a report. The Secretary-General's report (A/52/343) contained replies from governments on that subject.

Also this morning, the Assembly took up the agenda item on the situation in Central America. Before them were two reports of the Secretary-General: A/52/344 and A/52/554, and two draft resolutions, A/52/L.19 and A/52/L.31. The spokesman said action on them was deferred to a later date.

This afternoon, Mr. Taukatch said, consultations on the reform issue by the "two friends" of Mr. Udovenko, the Permanent Representative of Botswana, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, and the Permanent Representative of Ireland, John Campbell, would continue. It was expected that they would conclude the first reading of the draft proposals today, after which it would be distributed to Member States for their review and comments. In the afternoon, the President of the General Assembly was expected to meet with the Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, in his capacity as Chairman of the "Group of 77" Developing countries, to continue consultations on the reform item.

Mr. Taukatch said that Mr. Udovenko was also meeting this afternoon with the Permanent Representative of Israel and the Permanent Observer of Palestine. Both meetings were in anticipation of tomorrow afternoon's meeting of the Assembly on the two agenda items on which action was deferred last week: the Situation in the Middle East; and the Question of Palestine. Introduction of resolutions and action on them were expected on both subjects. Concerning the draft resolutions on Palestine, he pointed out that a revision to one of them had been issued this morning (A/52/L.53/Rev.1).

Meanwhile tomorrow morning, he continued, the Assembly would take up the reports of the First Committee, which had been rescheduled from Friday because of the debate on the reform of the Security Council. Concerning the other Main Committees, he noted that the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) had not concluded its work on Friday as expected. That might now happen tomorrow. The Assembly was expected to take up the report of the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) on Wednesday, 10 December. The reports of the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) would be taken up on Friday, and those of the Sixth Committee (Legal) on Monday, 15 December. Concerning the Second Committee and Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), "we will have to wait until they complete their work", he added.

Alex Taukatch, spokesman for the President of the General Assembly, Hennadiy Udovenko (Ukraine), on the issue just raised about Human Rights Day and Mrs. Clinton's visiting Headquarters, clarified that the special event would take place not at the General Assembly Hall, but in the Economic and Social Council Chamber. Mr. Udovenko would be there to deliver opening remarks.

Daily Press Briefing - 6 - 8 December 1997

Mr. Taukatch said the General Assembly this morning took up a number of items. As the first order of the day, it took note of the report of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (A/52/582), which had been introduced by the President of the Tribunal, Judge Laity Kama. Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Italy and Malaysia also spoke.

Another item on the agenda this morning was "Elimination of coercive economic measures as a means of political and economic compulsion", he added. Following consultations, the Assembly deferred consideration of the item to the fifty-third session. By way of background, the spokesman pointed out that in November 1996 the Assembly adopted a resolution on the item requesting the Secretary-General to present a report. The Secretary-General's report (A/52/343) contained replies from governments on that subject.

Also this morning, the Assembly took up the agenda item on the situation in Central America. Before them were two reports of the Secretary-General: A/52/344 and A/52/554, and two draft resolutions, A/52/L.19 and A/52/L.31. The spokesman said action on them was deferred to a later date.

This afternoon, Mr. Taukatch said, consultations on the reform issue by the "two friends" of Mr. Udovenko, the Permanent Representative of Botswana, Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, and the Permanent Representative of Ireland, John Campbell, would continue. It was expected that they would conclude the first reading of the draft proposals today, after which it would be distributed to Member States for their review and comments. In the afternoon, the President of the General Assembly was expected to meet with the Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, in his capacity as Chairman of the "Group of 77" developing countries, to continue consultations on the reform item.

Mr. Taukatch said that Mr. Udovenko was also meeting this afternoon with the Permanent Representative of Israel and the Permanent Observer for Palestine. Both meetings were in anticipation of tomorrow afternoon's meeting of the Assembly on the two agenda items on which action was deferred last week: the situation in the Middle East; and the question of Palestine. Introduction of resolutions and action on them were expected on both subjects. Concerning the draft resolutions on Palestine, he pointed out that a revision to one of them had been issued this morning (A/52/L.53/Rev.1).

Meanwhile, tomorrow morning, he continued, the Assembly would take up the reports of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), which had been rescheduled from Friday because of the debate on the reform of the Security Council. Concerning the other Main Committees, he noted that the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) had not concluded its work on Friday as expected. That might now happen tomorrow. The Assembly was expected to take up the report of the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) on Wednesday, 10 December. The reports of the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) would be taken up on Friday, and those of the Sixth Committee (Legal) on Monday, 15 December. Concerning the Second Committee and Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), "we will have to wait until they complete their work", he added.

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