DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Press Briefing

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Manoel de Almeida e Silva, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Kosovo

As we mentioned on Friday, the Secretary-General's Special Envoys for the Balkans will convene in Geneva tomorrow an informal, working-level meeting on conceptual planning for civilian implementation in Kosovo. The aim of the meeting is to bring together actors who are likely to be involved in post-conflict activities.

Meanwhile, intense planning for the return of refugees and internally displaced people continues. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is meeting today with other United Nations agencies and, following the Tuesday meeting, will convene two meetings on Wednesday; one with representatives of non-governmental organizations and another with donor countries on the return issue. UNHCR and its partners will need to go into Kosovo quickly, as soon as security is assured, in order to assist the internally displaced and to prepare for returns.

The UNHCR said it was concerned about the situation of the remaining Serbian civilian population in Kosovo, once the Yugoslav forces withdraw. The UNHCR believes that the Kosovo Serbs' right to remain in their home areas must be safeguarded, as the return proceeds.

A mass information campaign will be launched in the asylum countries in an effort to provide the refugees with information about return and assistance, as well as to raise awareness of the risks posed by landmines, unexploded ordnance and booby-traps.

On the ground over the weekend, the Kosovo-Albanian border remained volatile with continued clashes between the KLA and Serb forces.

In the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, an angry group of Kosovars at Stenkovec I Camp attacked a family belonging to the Roma ethnic group on Saturday, after a member was identified by a refugee as having allegedly been involved in the killing of his father in Podujevo town. Rioting broke out until UNHCR, United States Ambassador to FYROM Christopher Hill, and NGO staff intervened. Some staff members suffered minor injuries during the rioting.

Statement Attributable to the Spokesman on Angola

The Secretary-General today expressed deep concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Angola, where the extremely precarious security

situation now requires the distribution of most humanitarian aid by air -- an effort threatened by lack of funding. If funds are not immediately made available for air transportation, the entire humanitarian effort will stop and hundreds of thousands of Angolans will face severe malnutrition, disease and death.

The Secretary-General appeals for the cooperation of the Government of Angola and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) to allow for access to all those in need of assistance and to the international donor community, to urgently support humanitarian activities in Angola to avoid a massive human tragedy. He also appeals to both parties to end the conflict and to take necessary steps to safeguard the lives of the civilian population and of the dedicated humanitarian workers who are doing their utmost to assist Angolans in need.

Still on Angola, this morning the Security Council heard a briefing by Ambassador Fowler of Canada in his capacity of Chairman of the Sanctions Committee on Angola on his recent trip in the region.

The discussions are still ongoing. Ambassador Fowler will not attend the noon briefing, but he is going to speak to correspondents as he leaves the Council consultations.

Secretary-General's Report on Sierra Leone

The Secretary-General's report to the Security Council on Sierra Leone is expected to be issued later today.

We have, in the meantime, a statement by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Sergio Vieira de Mello, in which he commends an agreement reached between the Government and the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone guaranteeing the safe and unhindered access by humanitarian agencies to all areas under their control. At least 2.6 million people, or 55 per cent of the population, live in areas inaccessible to humanitarian agencies due to insecurity in Sierra Leone.

The Under-Secretary-General urged the parties to make every effort in ensuring the agreement's immediate and effective implementation.

Press Release on United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Georgia, Liviu Bota, opened talks today in Istanbul between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides.

Addressing the parties, Mr. Bota noted that the passing of time alone was not enough to heal wounds, restore mutual confidence or bring about a solution to the conflict. He stressed that confidence must be achieved

Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 7 June 1999

through concrete projects that produce measurable results which resonate through society.

The press release is available in the Spokesman's Office.

New Report on Haiti

Out on the racks this morning you'll find the Secretary-General's latest report on the situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti (A/53/950).

The Secretary-General concludes that the overall human rights situation has been adversely affected by Haiti's political and institutional crisis, but there have been certain positive developments. These include the maintenance of broad respect for the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and association.

The Secretary-General expresses concern about shortcomings in Haiti's judicial system, which he says must be forcefully addressed, and about police involvement in crime. The International Civilian Mission is working to bring cases of ill-treatment by the police to the attention of local authorities. It is also monitoring cases of police abuse. In addition, the Mission is working with others to administer a training course to police groups. Given the impact of the protracted crisis, it is apparent that much remains to be done to strengthen Haiti's State institutions and civil society organizations, according to the report.

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette opened the session commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women this morning. In her address she said: "On the eve of the new millennium, even as we celebrate this twentieth anniversary of the Convention, women's human rights continue to be disregarded and violated all over the world". Her address was followed by other statements from various United Nations officials and delegates, mainly concentrating on the history of the drafting of the Convention, and the recent adoption by the Commission on the Status of Women of an Optional Protocol to the Convention, providing for the right to petition by individual women. The commemoration will continue this afternoon, when a round table on the impact of the Convention at the domestic level will take place.

Announcements

Civilization magazine is hosting a reception this evening in connection with the publication of its June-July issue, which was guest-edited by the Secretary-General. The reception starts at 5:30 p.m., and you are all invited to attend. At 6:30 p.m., the Secretary-General will be interviewed by Lesley Stahl of CBS on his thoughts on the new millennium, and you are welcome to

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stay for that portion of the event, as well. Civilization magazine is put out by the Library of Congress.

Our guest at tomorrow's briefing is Olara Otunnu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, following his recent visit to Colombia.

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