DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19990210
The following is a near verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Fred Eckhard:
**Security Council:
Good afternoon. The Security Council is holding consultations this morning on the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Secretary-General is present. Council members have been briefed by Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun, the Special Envoy in Africa, who, as you know, just returned from a visit to those two countries. Council members will discuss a draft resolution on this conflict, which is probably circulating among members now.
The second item on the Council's agenda for this morning is Western Sahara. They have before them a draft resolution on extending the mandate of the United Nations force there, and they may go into a formal meeting to adopt a resolution after they conclude the consultations.
The Secretary-General will brief the Council tomorrow on a number of peace and security issues, mostly in Africa, and including Kosovo.
**Sierra Leone:
On Sierra Leone, Francis Okelo, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, who has been in close contact with the parties to the conflict in that country, has welcomed President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah's address to the nation of 7 February, which he said represents "a significant breakthrough" in the efforts towards resolving the Sierra Leonean conflict.
Mr. Okello highlighted four important areas mentioned by the President: direct dialogue between the Government and the rebel leaders; a face-to-face meeting of rebel leader Foday Sankoh and his followers; the use of the Abidjan peace accord as the frame of reference for a peaceful settlement; and, close involvement of civil society in the formulation of a framework for dialogue with the rebels.
** Angola:
We received word that the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Angola, Issa Diallo, finally was able to deliver the Secretary-General's letter to Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Mr. Diallo was scheduled to leave Luanda this weekend for New York, and he is hoping to bring with him a written response from President dos Santos to the Secretary-General.
As you recall, the Secretary-General wrote in this letter to President Dos Santos a request for the President's view on a continued United Nations presence in Angola.
**Press Releases:
We have a series of press releases, first from FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). Today, they expressed their grave concern that the outbreak of animal diseases in Iraq may spread to other countries in the Middle East, seriously undermining food security in the region.
In the press release, which was issued in Rome, FAO said the animal disease situation in Iraq has been aggravated by the collapse of the veterinary infrastructure and disease investigation, surveillance and diagnostic services in the country. The Government has been unable to adequately monitor and control the spread of these diseases, partly because of the difficulties it has in obtaining equipment and supplies, particularly vaccines. As a result, the Iraqi Government has repeatedly sought the assistance of FAO to deal with the outbreaks.
Then, we have a flyer in my office on the Year for Older Persons; that's 1999. There'll be a global video conference tomorrow in the Economic and Social Council chamber from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.. The Secretary-General will address the event, which will involve the participation of NGO (non-governmental organization) representatives from Chile, Egypt, China, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Switzerland -- all by video hook-up.
From the environment programme in Nairobi, we have a press release saying that talks will start next week in Cartagena, Colombia focusing on a legally binding agreement to reduce potential risks -- concentrate now -- from the transboundary movement of living modified organisms, which are created through modern biotechnology and genetic engineering. Okay, spooky new living things moving across borders. You'll see the press release if you want to understand what that's all about.
From UNAIDS we have a press release, it actually came in yesterday, expressing support for Thailand's decision to move ahead with large-scale human testing of the AIDS vaccine. You can pick up copies in my office.
From the Population Fund (UNFPA), another press release. This is on yesterday's activities at The Hague Forum in the Netherlands.
**Payments to the United Nations:
Two more countries are now paid in full for 1999 -- Belize with a check for just over $10,000, and the Czech Republic with over $1.2 million. Thirty-eight Member States are now paid in full.
**Press Conferences:
A second announcement on this press conference that we mentioned to you yesterday: it will take place at 2:30 today, and it will launch a tenth annual youth art competition. It is hosted by the Airline Ambassadors International, and sponsored by the Mission of Spain.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 10 February 1999
We are going to try and get Ambassador Sahnoun to speak to you in this room (S-226) sometime this afternoon, perhaps after this 2:30 press conference, but we'll squawk it when we've nailed it down.
**Question-and-Answer Session:
Question: Fred, there was a previous letter to Jonas Savimbi from the Secretary-General. Has this letter been delivered?
Spokesman: Gee, I'll have to look into that.
Question: Secondly, last week there was a U.S. Congressional delegation to Port au Prince, Haiti, led by Congressman Gillman. One of the findings of his Commission is a request to convene the OAS (Organization of American States) at the Foreign Ministry level. Has this Commission shared its finding with the Secretary-General, and was there any reply to a letter from Parliament, which was sent to the Secretary-General?
Spokesman: I'll have to get guidance on that as well.
Question: Why, Fred, do we not know anything going on about Haiti while all these activities are going on in Washington? Is the United Nations transferring its mandate to Washington?
Spokesman: No, but the United Nations's role in Haiti is very precisely defined. We report to you as often as we feel you're interested in having information, but except for you, I don't sense any compelling demand for the routine day-to-day information of our mission there. Thanks very much.
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