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.

**Liberia

Hello, good afternoon. Today, 26 July, is Liberia's independence day, and the country's commemorating their 152nd independence day by destroying arms and ammunition collected by the United Nations and the ECOMOG, which, as you know, is the Monitoring Group of the West African States. The reason they are burning the arms during independence celebrations is that weapons were meant to destroy the country, and by destroying them instead, Liberia is symbolically destroying any leftover animosity.

In a message delivered on his behalf by the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, the Secretary-General hailed the event, which he said would be the largest single public display of conventional weapons destruction carried out in peacetime. He also stressed its symbolic value, saying, "Today, with these flames of peace, peace in Liberia burns more brightly, and we can see a glimmer of hope for peace and security across the African continent." We have copies of the Secretary-General's speech upstairs. (See also Press Release SG/SM/7078-AFR/160.)

The substantive burning began yesterday on the Bomi hills near Tupmanburg. Heavy earth-moving equipment and loaders were used to destroy three tons of small ammunition in five steel containers. The activity continues today, and while we don't have the final count yet of how much was destroyed, everything is proceeding according to schedule, Monrovia told us this morning. And a final note on this, a German non-governmental organization, GTZ, has been contracted to manufacture farming implements out of the leftover metal. The incinerator has been set up in such a way that they will be able to collect a substantial portion of the melted metal, which will be shipped to Germany, where the implements will be manufactured and then returned to farmers in Liberia. This is what we would say is a good example of "turning swords into ploughshares".

**Kosovo

Now, moving onto Kosovo, the massacre late on Friday of 14 Serb farmers as they worked in their fields outside the village of Gracko, near Lipljan, has been widely condemned. The Kosovo Security Force, KFOR, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia have launched an investigation into the killings. Throughout the province, Serb and Roma communities continued over the past week to be victims of violent acts, including theft, physical assault, arson, kidnapping and murder. As a result,

Serbs and Roma have been on the move in search of safety, both within Kosovo and to Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

On behalf of the Secretary-General, his Special Representative for Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner, said that he expected an urgent and relentless investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice without delay. Accompanied by the Serb Archbishop Artemije, Mr. Kouchner spent more than four hours in Gracko, where he visited with the families of the victims, expressing his sorrow and compassion on behalf of the Secretary-General. In the aftermath of the killing, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it relocated three Kosovar Serbs from the town. This was done in response to a request from them to be relocated to safer locations. There are 20 more Kosovar Serbs who are requesting relocation from that town.

Louise Arbour, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, has instructed the Tribunal's investigators to begin an investigation into the killings of the 14 Serb villagers. They will be working in cooperation with the investigation launched by KFOR military and United Nations civilian police forces. In a statement issued out of The Hague this weekend, the Prosecutor recalled that her jurisdiction includes offences committed in Kosovo before and after the formal end of the NATO bombing campaign. The full text of that statement and those by Mr. Kouchner are available in our Office. (See also Press Release SG/SM/7077.)

On Sunday morning, Mr. Kouchner signed "regulation number one". According to the regulation, all legislative and executive authority with respect to Kosovo is vested in United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and exercised by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, who has the power to appoint any person to perform functions in the civil administration in Kosovo. All persons undertaking public duties or holding public office in Kosovo shall observe internationally recognized human rights standards. Mr. Kouchner also named, over the weekend, 11 new judges to the Pristina District and municipal courts, bringing to 30 the number of justice officials in the new independent and multi-ethnic judiciary system created by the United Nations mission. So far, the judges and prosecutors have conducted hearings for 49 detainees.

Also on Kosovo, we have a press release being issued jointly in New York and Geneva today in which 12 United Nations humanitarian agencies and the International Organization for Migration are urging donors for more than $400 million to continue to fund work in the Balkans this year. This appeal will launched at a donors meeting tomorrow in Geneva (See also Press Release IHA/684.) **The Secretary-General

Today, the United Nations flag is flying at half-mast, and that is in observance of the death of King Hassan II of Morocco, who passed away on Friday. The Secretary-General is back in New York now, this morning, after

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having attended the funeral in Rabat yesterday. The Secretary-General left New York Saturday morning for Paris, and on Sunday he flew to Morocco with French Foreign Minister Hubert Védrine and returned to Paris with President Jacques Chirac.

While in Paris, in a brief press encounter, he reiterated a message he issued here in New York Friday evening. The Secretary-General said that, "Above all, King Hassan's legacy will be that of a leader who brought his people into the modern age while upholding respect and reverence for its ancient and glorious Islamic and Maghrebi traditions." The Secretary-General also said that King Hassan "made Morocco a bridge of understanding and cooperation between Europe and Africa, North and South, East and West". In his message, the Secretary-General wished Crown Prince Sidi Mohamed "the courage and wisdom of his father as he leads his people to a new era of peace and stability". The text of the Secretary-General's statement is available in our Office. (See also Press Releases SG/SM/7076 of 23 July and SG/T/2198 of 26 July.)

**The Security Council

The Security Council is meeting in open session now on the subject of promoting peace and security: humanitarian assistance to refugees in Africa. Opening the session, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, appealed for resources to support the implementation of the Sierra Leone peace agreement. "The Lusaka agreement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo also deserves strong international support", she said, noting that these two agreements could help resolve some of the worst refugee problems on the continent. She called the agreements of Lusaka and Lomé "windows of opportunity" which might not stay open for long. Copies of her speech are available in our Office.

Still on the Council, at 3:30 p.m., they will hold consultations on Iraq. And also, for your information, what we had indicated as the Security Council luncheon with the Secretary-General scheduled for today has been postponed as a consequence of the Secretary-General's trip, having arrived just now.

**Sierra Leone

Still on Sierra Leone, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that it was stepping up its supply of food aid in Sierra Leone to help care for the thousands of child soldiers and war victims expected to be released, following the recent peace agreements ending the country's civil war. There's a press release issued by the WFP, which is available in our Office.

**East Timor

The Secretary-General's letter to the Security Council with an assessment of conditions on East Timor is expected to be submitted to the Security Council

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later today. Still on East Timor, I would like to bring to your attention the transcript of the press conference of the three electoral commissioners for the East Timor popular consultation. This happened this morning in Dili, East Timor, and these commissioners, as you know, are an independent group appointed by the Secretary-General following the 5 May agreement.

**Reports of Secretary-General

Two reports are out today. One, the Secretary-General's report on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in which he details developments in UNIFIL's area of operations and UNIFIL's efforts to limit conflict and protect inhabitants. Through its network of checkpoints and observation posts and active programme of patrolling, and continuous contact with the parties, the Force did its best during the reporting period to limit hostilities. Nevertheless, the Secretary-General warns that the situation in the area remains volatile, giving cause for serious concern. Civilians have been targeted, resulting in casualties. The UNIFIL itself was also targeted on several occasions, and last May, one Irish soldier was killed and two were wounded. Noting that UNIFIL's contribution to stability and protection remains important, the Secretary-General recommends extending the mission's mandate to 31 January 2000.

The second report is on Georgia. The Secretary-General says that, despite difficulties in the negotiation process, contacts between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides have continued to grow over the past few months. But he points out that they must demonstrate the necessary political will to agree on the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to the Gali district. On the ground, the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) has persuaded the sides to significantly reduce the strength and deployment of their armed personnel along the ceasefire line. The Secretary-General stresses the Mission's essential role in stabilizing the situation, and in the search for a peaceful solution to the conflict. He recommends that the Security Council extend the Mission's mandate for six more months, through the end of next January.

**International Criminal Court

The Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court began a three-week session today here in New York. Addressing the opening meeting, the Chairman, Ambassador Philippe Kirsch of Canada, said that delegates must quicken the pace of their work in order to remain on schedule. They are charged with completing the rules of procedure and evidence, and the elements of crimes in the Court's Statute, by the end of next June. "We must make every effort to complete our work plan at every session in order not to fall behind", the Chairman said, adding, "We still have a lot to do." The Commission will go into informal consultations before meeting in open meeting again on Friday, when it will hear a statement by the President of the

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International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Justice Kirk McDonald. A press release on this meeting today is on the racks (L/2929).

**Addis Ababa Trade Seminar

Speaking of press releases, on Friday we promised you the round-up press release from a United Nations seminar in Addis Ababa on trade issues. It's now available in our Office. The press release describes how participants at the three-day meeting are organizing, in advance of upcoming trade negotiations, to put fair trade to Africa high on the agenda.

**New Publication

And my final note for this briefing is to bring to your attention what you may have already noticed, a free publication in the corridors. It is the UNDiplomatic Times (later clarified to be pronounced "undiplomatic") and it's edited by our very own colleague from UNCA, Papa Menon. The paper got its very first letter to the editor from the Secretary-General, who said that "by providing information and an analysis of the complex challenges we face", the paper will be doing the United nations a great service. Papa asked me to tell you that free copies are available on the third floor. Any questions?

**Question-and-Answer Segment

Question: In light of the new development in Kosovo, will Mr. Kouchner continue with his plans for a transitional council?

Deputy Spokesman: I think he would want, more than ever, all groups that should be present to be present in this group. All the efforts for reconciliation have to continue and be strengthened, but reconciliation can only happen if people want it. It's necessary that the leadership of the different groups, the Albanians, Serb and other minorities, participate in order to start building a new Kosovo.

Question: Why did Mrs. Ogata skip the question of Angola in her speech before the Security Council? In light of the recent reports about waves of refugees there, why do you think Angola has been skipped over?

Deputy Spokesman: I think you should ask Mrs. Ogata the question.

Question: What does the Secretary-General think about the Government in Angola having issued an arrest warrant for Jonas Savimbi? If Mr. Savimbi is considered a criminal, what does this mean for the prospects of peace?

Deputy Spokesman: I was not aware of that development and I will check for you. As you know, the United Nations has not been able to continue with the mission as it had. There is a smaller presence now. Even for the

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humanitarian side, we have access to less than 10 per cent of the country's territory. It's again one of those issues where, if the parties don't want peace, there's not much you can do, even to help their own citizens.

Question: With regard to turning weapons into farm implements in Liberia, why does the metal have to go to Germany for processing? Is there any talk of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) setting up a processing plant in Liberia?

Deputy Spokesman: I imagine the necessary facilities aren't there. I can ask about any specific plans for you.

Question: Are the international war criminals still on the loose in the Balkans?

Deputy Spokesman: The International Tribunal continues its work of investigating and building cases regarding indictments, but, of course, the Tribunal itself does not arrest. Those people have to be turned in to the court in The Hague.

Question: Have those indicted been brought to justice yet?

Deputy Spokesman: In the case of the Rwanda Tribunal, some sentences have already been carried out. In the case of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, an expert from our Office can help out with the answer.

Information Officer: There have been no new arrests since the last one about two weeks ago.

Question: During the last Assembly, there was a resolution asking the Secretary-General to use his good offices to help solve the question of the Falkland Islands. Has there been any move by either Argentina or United Kingdom to use this facility?

Deputy Spokesman: There have been contacts with the Secretary-General, and, recently, you may have seen, the parties made agreements to establish airline links again to the Falkland-Malvinas Islands, which was welcomed as a positive step. Thank you so much, have a nice afternoon.

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