PRESS BRIEFING BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Outgoing Security Council President Hans Dahlgren (Sweden) told a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon that the situations in Kosovo, Iraq and Africa had dominated Council activities during the month of September. Reviewing the work of the Council on the last day of his month-long term as President, he noted that September had been a busy month, with meetings and consultations almost every weekday.

During the Council's consideration of the Secretary-General's most recent report on Kosovo, members had been briefed on the humanitarian situation by the Special Envoy for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Yugoslavia, Nicholas Morris. Describing that as one of the best briefings heard in the Council, he said Mr. Morris had used stark words to make clear that the international community was facing a humanitarian disaster in Kosovo as a result of the Serb offensive. Following that briefing, the majority of Council members had underlined the need to take action.

After intensive negotiations, the consultative and coordinating process of the Contact Group in New York (France, Germany, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States plus Italy, Japan and Portugal) introduced a draft to the Council which set forth a number of concrete demands to be met by the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic, as well as by the Kosovo Albanian leadership. By adopting that resolution on 23 September, the Council had made clear that if the demands were not met, it would consider further action and additional measures to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Council adopted resolution 1199 (1998), under Chapter VII of the Charter. The Council expected the next report on Kosovo by the middle of next week.

Regarding Iraq, he said that the Council had received updates early in the month from the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), following the decision by the Iraqi leaders in early August to suspend cooperation with UNSCOM inspections. The Council had adopted resolution 1194 (1998) by which it decided to suspend sanctions reviews until Iraq resumed full cooperation. The Council also invited the Secretary-General to provide his views on a comprehensive review of Iraq's fulfilment of its obligation. In turn, the Secretary-General had invited Council members to inform him with regard to their thinking on the matter. The thinking process had started, but the comprehensive review could not begin until Iraq had rescinded its decision.

A high-level Iraqi delegation was in town and, while they had not met with the full Council, they had seen a number of Council members, including the Non-Aligned Movement caucus. He hoped the Iraqi delegation would be told by all members that there was a need to rescind their decision. The item would be prominent on the Council agenda next month.

Dahlgren Briefing - 2 - 30 September 1998

The Council had worked intensively on the follow-up to the Secretary- General's April report on progress in achieving peace and security in Africa, culminating in the ministerial-level meeting of the Council on 24 September. At the end of the meeting, the President had read a statement on behalf of the Council containing strong words about the Council's commitment to peace and security in Africa. It had requested the United Nations system follow-up on the recommendations, working towards a comprehensive treatment of the Secretary-General's proposals.

Asked where the Security Council stood on the issue of terrorism, he said the subject had not been a topic before the Council during September. In the past, the Council had addressed the issue in terms of actual events, rather than as a concept.

A correspondent stated that in spite of government claims that Serb operations in Kosovo had stopped, the attacks were continuing. What would be the impact of the Council's resolution on Kosovo "in the field"? he asked. The President said that when the Council adopted a resolution, particularly with such strong terms as in resolution 1199 (1998), the members expected results. President Milosevic should listen carefully. The Council had adopted that resolution under Chapter VII of the Charter. Should President Milosevic not take the concrete measures demanded, the Council was ready to consider stronger action to maintain or restore peace and stability to the region. Should the Council vote in favour of taking stronger action -- military action -- the Government of Sweden would be willing to consider participation in such an operation, he said.

Asked about possible North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) actions and what options the Council would consider with regard to Kosovo, he said it was the feeling of his Government that the right place for discussion of further action was in the Council.

Asked where the Russian Federation and China stood with regard to stronger action, he said it was extremely important for the Council to stand together on that issue. He recalled that Russia had voted in favour of the resolution and China had abstained. There had been a number of contacts at the highest level with the Russians and others in the Contact Group.

Responding to a question, he said he had not been asked by the Council to meet with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

He was asked if he had been informed, as a member of the Council, on Iraq's possible capability if they were to obtain uranium, along with the core parts or nuclear devices they allegedly possessed. Was he concerned that the Council had not been notified? Mr. Dahlgren replied that he had just been told about the story and he would like to read it before making a comment.

Dahlgren Briefing - 3 - 30 September 1998

A correspondent asked if any Council member had raised the point that Washington's "bottom line" position was the removal of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Mr. Dahlgren said he had not heard that particular comment.

Asked what the Council had done to establish some kind of medium to communicate with the Taliban authority, Mr. Dahlgren said he had had a discussion with the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, before he had left for the region a week ago and asked if the Council could do anything to facilitate his mission. When Mr. Brahimi returned to New York, he would brief the Council. Moreover, the Secretariat had felt that the Council should wait until the "Six Plus Two" on Afghanistan (Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, plus the Russian Federation and the United States) meeting had taken place before taking up the issue.

A correspondent asked if the Council would need to adopt a new resolution in order to "bomb" or use NATO or other military force to stop Milosevic. He replied that it was the understanding of his Government that such decisions should be taken by the Council. The current resolution did not authorize military force.

To a correspondent's comment that in the meantime there would be more casualties, Mr. Dahlgren said he hoped that the "meantime" would be as short as possible. But the conflict, in the end, could not be solved by military means. The solution must be built on dialogue and negotiations; however, he was aware that goal might not be reached without some pressure. Asked what the action would be, he said the Council had not specified that.

He was asked for comment on the report that Robin Cook, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, had called for an emergency meeting of the Council tomorrow to discuss the recent Kosovo massacres, and Mr. Cook had asked the Secretary-General to report on whether or not the demands outlined in resolution 1199 had been complied with. Mr. Dahlgren said that the question had not been raised in this morning's consultations. There would be consultations this afternoon, and any member would be able to raise the subject. He noted that the United Kingdom would take over the presidency of the Council tomorrow.

In reply to a question, he said the issue of the United States bombing of the factory in the Sudan was still being considered in consultations. He had been given a draft resolution by the Arab Group which contained a demand for the Secretary-General to send a fact-finding mission to the Sudan, but no draft resolution had been formally introduced in the Council.

Regarding peace and security in Africa, he said there would probably be many more resolutions. Three of the subgroups of the Council's Ad Hoc Working Group on the matter were continuing their work.

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