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, Senior Associate Spokesman for the Secretary- General, began Friday's press briefing by saying that the Secretary-General arrived today at the Saddam Hussein International Airport in Baghdad at 5:50 p.m. local time. He was met by the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz.

At the airport, the Secretary-General made remarks and answered a few questions. The text of that exchange was made available by the Office of the Spokesman earlier, Mr. Brandt continued, pointing out that the Secretary- General described his visit as "a sacred duty". He also stated that, as Secretary-General, he had "an obligation, a juridical and moral obligation to try and reduce international tensions wherever I can", adding that that was the purpose of his mission.

Mr. Aziz had also spoken at the airport, said Mr. Brandt, stating that he shared the optimism of the Secretary-General about the outcome of his visit. Mr. Aziz also indicated that the Government of Iraq wanted a "peaceful, balanced and fair solution", one that would "preserve the sovereignty, dignity and national security of Iraq, as well as the implementation of Security Council resolutions".

Leaving the airport, the Secretary-General went to the Guest House, where he would be staying in the course of his visit, and then into a one-on- one meeting with Mr. Aziz. That meeting had been in progress for about 45 minutes by the time Mr. Brandt had spoken to Fred Eckhard, the Spokesman travelling with the Secretary-General, this morning. It was understood that on Saturday the Secretary-General would start the day with a similar meeting with Mr. Aziz at 9 a.m. at the Foreign Ministry. At 9:30 a.m., that meeting would be expanded into a full meeting between the Secretary-General's delegation and the Iraqi delegation, led by Mr. Aziz. In anticipation of correspondents' questions, Mr. Brandt said that was all the information he had at this time. As information arrived from Iraq, however, it would be passed on to the correspondents.

Concerning questions his Office had received this morning about an incident at the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) a few days ago, he said that an official vehicle with two military observers had been forced to a halt at a roadblock during a night patrol at about 9:35 p.m. local time on 18 February. Two unknown armed men ordered the military observers out of the vehicle and drove away in it. That incident happened on the Iraqi side of the demilitarized zone and UNIKOM protested to the Iraqi authorities, while investigating the incident. The mission believed, for now, that it was just an act of criminal activity unrelated to the current situation over inspections. The UNIKOM had been monitoring the border between Iraq and Kuwait since April 1991, he added, noting that approximately 1,100 people had served in it.

Continuing, Mr. Brandt said that before the Secretary-General travelled to Baghdad, his only meeting in Paris today had been with Bertrand Dufourq, the Secretary-General of the Quai d'Orsay, at 8:30 a.m. local time. Mr. Dufourq, of course, had been sent earlier to Baghdad as an envoy of his Government.

Mr. Brandt drew the attention of correspondents to two exchanges the Secretary-General had with the press in Paris yesterday, the texts of which were received in New York this morning. It was in French, and had taken place at the airport, after the Secretary-General had arrived in Paris and also, after his meeting with President Jacques Chirac.

Concerning the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) in Iraq, Mr. Brandt told correspondents that the Commission continued to carry out normal monitoring activities involving the designated and well-known sites. He pointed out that at issue were the presidential and sovereign sites, which Iraq had declared off-limits to UNSCOM.

The Security Council was today discussing the draft resolution on the oil-for-food programme for Iraq, Mr. Brand continued. At the time of the briefing, that text was being amended, although it was expected to be adopted before the end of the day. Under "other matters", the Council would receive a briefing from the Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Sierra Leone. The briefing would inform the Council that, owing to their support, humanitarian assistance was now flowing into the country, but in as yet insufficient quantities and to a limited number of locations. The Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) was in control of Freetown, and electricity and water had returned to some parts of the city. First priorities for the city, however, included food, medicines and improved sanitation. United Nations agencies and non- governmental organizations stood prepared to participate and implement an operational plan to demobilize, together with ECOMOG and the Government of Sierra Leone, the irregular elements.

Meanwhile, Sierra Leonans continued to arrive in Conakry by boat, Mr. Brandt added. Since 6 February more than 6,000 had arrived. Discussions had started with the Government of Sierra Leone on plans for repatriation back to Sierra Leone. Following a further influx of refugees into Liberia last week, aid agencies estimated the total number of incoming refugees stood at about 50,000.

Mr. Brandt said that the letter of the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was available today, under document symbol S/1998/142. In that report, the first since 30 November 1997, the Secretary-General noted the arrival of his special representative, Charles Dunbar, in the mission area on 9 February. He also stated that during the reporting period his acting special representative, Erik Jensen, had

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 20 February 1998

maintained regular contacts with the parties to resolve difficulties that continued to arise, especially in the identification process. During the 11 weeks since the resumption of that process (3 December to 18 February), 42,484 persons were convoked by the Identification Commission, bringing the total number of persons identified, since the start in August 1994, to 90,537. The Commission expected to identify, in the latter part of February and in March, about 4,000 unconvoked individuals and their families listed in the 1974 census.

The Secretary-General indicated his intention to report again to the Council, in due course, before the expiration of the current mandate on 20 April, said Mr. Brandt. In the report, he also reiterated his appeal to the Council to support continued preparations and provide the necessary resources for the full deployment of MINURSO. The Secretary-General said he counted on the parties to refrain from any statements or action that could undermine the significant progress made so far in the identification process, and to cooperate fully with MINURSO in completing the process, so that the transitional process could start as planned.

Also available now, Mr. Brandt said, was the latest report on the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA), with symbol number A/52/757.

Updating the hostage incident involving the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), first reported yesterday, Mr. Brandt said that today representatives of the mission had direct contact with the hostage takers. That happened outside the house where the military observers were being held. A second meeting would take place at 8 a.m. Saturday. The hostages were in good health and their captors called themselves the National Guard of the legitimate government of Georgia. The Georgian negotiating team had left the scene for the time being, even though the Georgian authorities would continue to be in charge of the negotiations. Due to security threats to the United Nations peacekeepers, the mission had taken additional security measures. "The standoff, unfortunately, continues", Mr. Brandt added.

At the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, he said that the latest information on the Jean-Paul Akayesu trial was that Trial Chamber I had authorized the United Nations Secretariat to appear before it as amicus curiae (friend of the court). That was in accordance with the provisions of rule 74 of the Tribunal's rules of procedure and evidence. The Secretariat representative would make a statement on the scope of the waiver of immunity enjoyed by General Romeo Dallaire, as former Force Commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda. The Trial Chamber's decision to authorize that presentation recognized the Secretariat's request to be represented during the testimony of General Dallaire. Daphna Sharaga, from the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, would be representing the Secretariat. General Dallaire would testify as a witness for the defence

Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 20 February 1998

beginning 23 February. Further information was available in the Spokesman's Office.

Saying that it was "not because they were not important, but because there are so many of them", Mr. Brandt then "quickly" drew attention to the following press releases:

-- from OCHA, an update on the appeal for international assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was further to an earlier report on the floods in the country, the worst of which was now considered to be over;

-- the first situation report from the humanitarian coordinator in Georgia for the period 1 to 31 January;

-- a humanitarian situation report on Sierra Leone covering 21 January to 12 February;

-- briefing notes from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which included the information that on 17 February, UNHCR staff in Iraq visited Turkish refugees in northern Iraq who had left their camps at Ain-Sufni and moved towards Iraqi-controlled territory over the weekend of 14 to 15 February. About 6,800 refugees were reported to have moved about 3 kilometres towards the Iraqi checkpoint at Shaikhan. The refugee leaders told the UNHCR staff that they moved from Ain-Sufni for security reasons. Also, the High Commissioner, Sadako Ogata, arrived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo yesterday and had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bizima Karaha. The UNHCR notes also included an update on Sierra Leone;

-- from the World Health Organization (WHO), setting the record straight and affirming that WHO did not bow to political pressure in publishing a report on cannabis;

-- from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), on Sierra Leone, with accounts of last week's fighting in Freetown and an update on relief efforts in the country. It also contained a telephone number for Tim Wall (325-7506); and,

-- from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, on the ratification earlier this month by Mauritania of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction;

Mr. Brandt also drew attention to a weekly report on the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, as well as the 1997 Report of the International Narcotics Control Board, copies of which were available in the six official languages on the third floor. Mr. Brandt drew attention to the embargo on that report. Its contents were not to be

Daily Press Briefing - 5 - 20 February 1998

published or broadcast before 24 February. In connection with the report, he announced a press conference with Herbert Okun, a member of the Board, at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, 24 February, in room 226. Any correspondent seeking additional information should contact Bill Hass on extension 3-1303.

As correspondents were expected to be closely following the progress of the Secretary-General in Iraq in the next few days, Mr. Brandt informed them that the Office of the Spokesman would not only be open, as usual, throughout the weekend, it would be provided with more staff. Rolando Gomez would be there on both Saturday and Sunday. In addition, on Saturday, Agnes Marcaillou and Sophie Sebirot would be there. On Sunday, Hiro Ueki and Mr. Brandt would be there. Information on their telephone/beeper numbers would be available in the Office of the Spokesman later in the day.

To a correspondent who asked for information on a possible meeting between the Secretary-General and President Hussein, Mr. Brandt referred him to a statement made a few days ago by the Secretary-General as he entered Headquarters in the morning. Would he be meeting with President Hussein, a journalist had asked, to which the Secretary-General replied, "yes".

When was the Executive Chairman of UNSCOM, Richard Butler, going to brief the Security Council, since the briefing that had been scheduled for yesterday was aborted? a correspondent asked Mr. Brandt reiterated that the Council was today dealing with the oil-for-food draft resolution, and there was as yet no indication that Mr. Butler's briefing had been rescheduled. Whenever that was done, he would inform the correspondent.

Asked the identity of refugees to which he had alluded, Iraqi Kurds or Turkish Kurds, Mr. Brandt said that information was not contained in the briefing he had just given. He referred the correspondent to the UNHCR press release, which was available in the Spokesman's Office. The notes before him, he stated, simply said "Turkish" refugees of which there were 6,800, but did not indicate ethnicity.

In the absence of the Secretary-General at Headquarters, asked another correspondent, what were the duties of the Deputy Secretary-General, of whom nothing had been heard in the one month since she was appointed? Mr. Brandt recalled that when she met with correspondents, she had stated that she would assume her position on 1 March. He pointed out that she had been a very senior official in the Government of Canada, who was having to relocate. Taking care of her professional and personal matters had made it necessary for her to take some time before assuming duties at the United Nations. She was expected to be on board on 1 March, and to be fully in charge in the absence of the Secretary-General.

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