DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Manoel Almeida e Silva, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon briefing by noting the presence at the briefing today of the Deputy Spokesman of the French Foreign Ministry in Paris.

Mr. Almeida e Silva then said the Security Council had held a formal meeting on Sierra Leone at 9:30 a.m. today. Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Bernard Miyet, had introduced the Secretary-General's third progress report on the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL). The Permanent Representative of Sweden to the United Nations, Hans Dahlgren, had briefed the Council on his recent visit to Sierra Leone in his capacity as Chairman of the Sanctions Committee on that country. Mr. Miyet's full statement to the Council was available in room S-378.

The Deputy Spokesman observed that it was the first time a report of the Secretary-General on a peacekeeping mission had been introduced in a formal meeting of the Security Council. It was also the first time the Chairman of the Sanctions Committee had briefed the Council during a formal meeting. Both innovations were a result of efforts to make the Council's work more transparent.

Following the formal meeting on Sierra Leone, Mr. Almeida e Silva said the Council had moved into informal consultations to continue discussions on Iraq. Two senior United Nations officials were now updating the Council on Iraq -- the Deputy to the Chef de Cabinet, Rolf Knutsson, and Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme and United Nations Coordinator, Benon Sevan.

Mr. Almeida e Silva said the Secretary-General's report on the UNOMSIL operation in Sierra Leone was now on the racks. In the report, the Secretary- General had condemned the serious violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law being carried out by the rebels in Sierra Leone. He had called on the Revolutionary United Front and on the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council to desist from attacks against their unarmed compatriots and to lay down their arms and surrender. UNOMSIL had proved its value to the Government and people of Sierra Leone, as they have pursued their recovery from the illegal seizure of power by the military junta in May 1997 along with all its nefarious consequences, the Secretary-General had concluded. He had recommended a further extension of the UNOMSIL mandate for six months until 13 July 1999, beyond the present mandate that would expire on 13 January 1999.

Mr. Almeida e Silva then read the following statement on Iraq attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

"Due to the prevailing situation in Iraq, 106 United Nations staff members with the humanitarian programme left Baghdad by road early this

morning for Amman, Jordan, for temporary relocation. For the past few days, all United Nations personnel were staying at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, where the United Nations office is located.

"The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Prakash Shah, and the Humanitarian Coordinator, Hans von Sponeck, remain in Baghdad along with 26 United Nations personnel, including representatives of the United Nations agencies and programmes. In addition, the programme employs 578 national staff in the centre and south of Iraq.

"The humanitarian programme in the three northern governorates, implemented by the United Nations on behalf of the Government of Iraq, continues its operations without interruption. There are 232 international and 880 national United Nations personnel working with the programme in the three northern governorates.

"The United Nations remains fully committed to implementation of the "oil-for-food" programme and expresses the hope that all those relocated temporarily will soon resume their duties in Iraq". (Also issued as Press Release SG/SM/6845-IK/268.)

The Secretary-General's agenda for early next year had been determined, the Deputy Spokesman announced. In January, he would pay official visits to Ireland and Belgium, and would also travel to Switzerland. He would be in Dublin on 21 and 22 January and would then go to Geneva, on the 23rd and 24th, to visit the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). From Geneva, the Secretary-General would fly to Brussels for visits with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Commission from 27-28 January. Finally, the Secretary-General would attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which would be held from 29 to 31 January.

In another statement attributed to the Spokesman, Mr. Almeida e Silva said, the Secretary-General had expressed satisfaction at the agreement signed by the Presidents of Argentina and Chile concerning the long-standing border dispute between the two countries. "The ratification of this agreement by the congresses of both countries will mark the end of the dispute, thus paving the way for further integration and cooperation in the region", the Deputy Spokesman quoted the Secretary-General as saying. (See Press Release SG/SM/6847.)

Between Georgia and Abkhazia (Republic of Georgia), Mr. Almeida e Silva then declared, alarming news of rising tensions was causing concern. Both sides were reportedly mobilizing troops and using tough rhetoric, developments particularly regrettable in view of United Nations efforts to promote political dialogue and reconciliation. The escalation of tensions was negatively affecting the ongoing sixth session of the Coordinating Council

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presently being conducted in Geneva by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Georgia, Liviu Bota. The Secretary-General had appealed to both sides to exercise restraint and to avoid any actions that could lead to violence or undermine the peace-making efforts of the United Nations and the international community. (See Press Release SG/SM/6846)

The Deputy Spokesman said that yesterday New Zealand had become the 22nd country to ratify the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel and thus the Convention would enter into force 30 days from that date, i.e. on 15 January 1999. The Secretary-General who had repeatedly urged governments to sign and ratify the Convention had welcomed the development he had described as a "positive way to ring in the New Year".

The Secretary-General, Mr. Almeida e Silva went on to say, had also used the opportunity of the signing to again call attention to the pressing issue of the safety and security of United Nations personnel working in the field, saying "civilians today are being encouraged to go where governments are unwilling to expose their troops". While the United Nations could take many measures to protect its staff, primary responsibility for the security and protection of staff rested with host governments, the Secretary-General had said, renewing his appeal to governments to help the United Nations in its efforts to keep United Nations staff safe.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had flagged the intensified fighting in Angola, Mr. Almeida e Silva announced. The situation there was said to have worsened dramatically over the past week with the fighting concentrated in the central highland area of Huambo and Bie. UNHCR had also noted that the 255,000 Angolan refugees created by the 20-year civil war were still being hosted in Zambia, Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Namibia. "That is in addition to the estimated 1.4 million people displaced inside their homeland", the Deputy Spokesman added.

Still on Angola, Mr. Almeida e Silva said the World Food Programme (WFP) had issued a news release stating it had delivered food to Angolans isolated by heavy fighting.

Meanwhile, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Deputy Spokesman said, the UNHCR had reported the arrival of 8,500 new refugees from the border villages of Congo-Brazzaville in the Luozi district west-south-west of the capital. The new arrivals, fleeing battles over the past weeks between rival militias, comprised both refugees and Democratic Republic of the Congo nationals living in Congo-Brazzaville. The group had adequate food at present but was in urgent need of medical assistance, the UNHCR had said, adding that several children had died from lack of care since crossing into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNHCR was distributing medical kits to local health posts and soap to area villages.

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It had been announced today in Geneva that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) would take the lead in organizing an investigation into alleged massacres in northern and central Afghanistan during 1997 and 1998, Mr. Almeida e Silva said. The proposed investigative team would comprise five investigators, and a number of conditions were to be met prior to the inquiry going forward. Among those conditions were acceptance of the terms of reference for such an investigative mission by the Afghan parties, clear agreement that the safety and security of the investigation or its members would not be hindered or impinged upon, and the securing of sufficient funding for the investigation. Provided all conditions were met, the mission would commence early next year.

The Deputy Spokesman then said the International Court of Justice today had taken a procedural decision in two cases brought by Libya against the United States and the United Kingdom over the Lockerbie affair. Libya, the Deputy Spokesman recalled, was contending its right to try the two Lockerbie suspects by virtue of Tripoli being party to the 1971 Montreal Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation. The United States and the United Kingdom, he continued, were arguing that the Security Council's primacy over the Montreal Convention made Libya's claims groundless. In today's development, Mr. Almeida e Silva explained, the Court had extended time-limits for the United States and the United Kingdom to file documents in the case. A press release in English or French with all the details was available in room S-378.

Beginning a series of short announcements, Mr. Almeida e Silva said the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had issued a press release today about five new projects in Central America to help Honduras and Nicaragua recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch. The press release with details was available in room S-378.

Another press release available in room S-378, Mr. Almeida e Silva said, was from the World Food Programme (WFP) and had been issued in Islamabad today. The release stated that the WFP, together with several private relief groups and survivors of the May 1998 earthquake in the remote northeastern corner of Afghanistan, were finishing up more than 14,000 newly built earthquake resistant homes.

The Deputy Spokesman said that today Paraguay had made a payment of over $147,000 to the United Nations regular budget. A total of 115 Member States had now paid their contributions in full. Yesterday, he continued, Algeria had signed the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, becoming the 40th State to do so. Today at 4:00 p.m. Canada would sign the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, bringing the number of signatory parties to 68.

Mr. Almeida e Silva began the week ahead by announcing that the High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, would leave on Sunday for a three-day

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trip to Kosovo. The aim of her trip was to strengthen cooperation on the ground between the humanitarian operations and the civilian verification mission, which together constituted the bulk of the international presence in Kosovo for the assistance of displaced persons and returnees.

Early in the week, Mr. Almeida e Silva said, two Security Council reports were due. The Secretary-General's report on the Central African Republic was expected to be issued on Sunday and the report on the International Police Task Force in Bosnia on Monday. Also on Monday, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was expected to release a report on the food supply situation and crop prospects in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to assessing general conditions, the report would deal with food supply difficulties or emergencies in specific countries.

On Tuesday, the Central African Republic and Somalia were on the agenda of Security Council consultations, Mr. Almeida e Silva said. On Wednesday, the Security Council was scheduled to hold consultations on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the morning and then to resume the open meeting on the maintenance of peace and security and post-conflict peace-building. No events were planned for Thursday, and Friday would be the Christmas holiday.

Mr. Almeida e Silva announced that Andrea Tenenti, who had been a most valuable member of the Spokesman's team, was leaving and this was his last day. While he would remain in the United Nations system, this was a good opportunity to thank him for his contribution, and wish him luck with his new assignment.

Also, the former Spokesman for two Secretaries-General and "a very dear colleague for many", Joe Sills, Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Washington D.C., had reached the retirement age and would this month leave the United Nations after 17 years of service. Mr. Sills had paid a farewell call on the Secretary-General yesterday.

"Whether working on United Nations arrears or speaking from this podium, Joe was always honest, spoke from the heart, and was genteel, in a distinctive southern manner that only he possesses", the Deputy Spokesman continued. Mr. Sills would return to his native Tennessee in the United States, he added, but had made "promises to come to New York from time to time".

As a point of interest, the Deputy Spokesman noted, newspapers around the United States would this Sunday carry the Parade Magazine supplement featuring a letter from the Secretary-General to children all around the world. He would be responding to children who had written to ask what they could do to make a difference, and the answer was to encourage children to become familiar with people whose lives looked different from theirs, and find out what they had in common.

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In the article, Mr. Almeida e Silva continued, the Secretary-General advises that when they see something wrong, no matter how big the problem, children should think, "Who else would like to change this? How can we work together?" In that way, the Deputy Spokesman said, the Secretary-General hoped that the children of the world would inherit the spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt to "light a single candle rather than curse the darkness". Holding up the issue of Parade with the Secretary-General on the cover, Mr. Almeida e Silva previewed the two-page letter inside.

A correspondent asked why the Women's Forum had been closed to journalists. After pointing out that the session had been aired by UNTV, Mr. Almeida e Silva said he had no information on why the session had not been open to correspondents.

The Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme, Benon Sevan, had said at the stake-out there were no plans to evacuate humanitarian workers from Baghdad. What had made him change his mind and had he received any warnings of the bombings continuing? a correspondent asked.

Mr. Almeida e Silva said the situation had been under constant review. Mr. Sevan had weighed the security concerns as well as the potential for effectiveness of work, and it had been deemed appropriate to relocate the humanitarian staff. The skeleton staff had remained in Baghdad with the two most senior representatives, and it was hoped all would be able to return soon to Baghdad and resume their work.

At whose behest did the Executive Director of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), Richard Butler, serve? a correspondent asked. The Secretary-General or the Security Council? How long was his tenure and who determined whether he would serve it completely or not?

Mr. Almeida e Silva said he did not know the length of Mr. Butler's appointment. Mr. Butler had been appointed by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Security Council since the Special Commission was a subsidiary organ of the Council. Any decisions regarding UNSCOM or its Chairman would fall within the competence of the Council.

Asked who would make the decision to remove the Chairman if that decision were to be made, the Deputy Spokesman said it would be likely that the Council would be heard, since it was a subsidiary organ of the Council. Could the Secretary-General veto that? the correspondent asked. The Council's guidance had to be followed, Mr. Almeida e Silva answered.

In response to a question on how many staff were left in Baghdad, Mr. Almeida e Silva said 28, including the two senior officials.

Asked what the Secretary-General was doing to build consensus on how to proceed once the strikes were over, Mr. Almeida e Silva said the Secretary- General was following events and it was too early to speculate on what steps would come next.

A correspondent asked what the procedure of reporting was at the United Nations, whether the Council or the Secretary-General was the first to be informed. Mr. Almeida e Silva said it depended on which channel of reporting

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the resolution had called for. Asked for the method of reporting on the Iraq matter in particular, Mr. Almeida e Silva said Ambassador Butler was to have reported to the Secretary-General. When asked if the Secretary-General was concerned that Ambassador Butler, according to the New York Times, had first talked with American President Bill Clinton in advance of reporting to the Council, Mr. Almeida e Silva said it was not known that such a sequence had occurred. Further, the Secretary-General had nothing further to add to what he had already said regarding Ambassador Butler.

A correspondent then asked whether the Secretary-General had any reaction to the heightened tensions between two Member States, namely the two Koreas, and the presumed sinking of a submarine. Mr. Almeida e Silva said he would look into that.

In the course of the briefing, a correspondent said, it had been announced by the United States that the refinery at Basra in Iraq had been struck. What would be the impact of such an action? The Deputy Spokesman said he would find out and report on that later.

Had the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation asked for Ambassador Butler's resignation? a correspondent asked. Mr. Almeida e Silva said the meeting between Ambassador Lavrov and the Secretary-General had been a tête-a-tête, the content of which had not been disclosed.

Had the Secretary-General lost confidence in Ambassador Butler? a correspondent asked. Mr. Almeida e Silva said the Secretary-General had nothing further to add to what he had already said about Ambassador Butler. "Also, Ambassador Butler is part of UNSCOM, a subsidiary organ of the Security Council", the Deputy Spokesman added.

Asked about a meeting at 4:45 p.m. between the Secretary-General and the Permanent Representatives of the United States, the Russian Federation and Portugal, Mr. Almeida e Silva said he imagined it would concern Angola.

Jadranka Mihalic, spokesman for General Assembly President Didier Opertti (Uruguay), said the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) had still not completed its deliberations. It was scheduled to meet at 3:00 p.m.. If the Committee completed its work for this part of the fifty- third session this afternoon, there would be an evening meeting of the plenary to consider the report of the Committee and to close the first part of the session.

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During the plenary meeting yesterday afternoon, the President of the fifty-third session had made closing remarks summarizing the debate, Ms. Mihalic continued. The statement would be available on the racks in Spanish and English. Also yesterday, the President had issued a statement on the developments in Iraq and that was available on the racks in room S-378. The President had left New York yesterday evening.

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