DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19990813
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon. Our guest at the briefing today is Ambassador Philippe Kirsch of Canada, who is the Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court, that is just wrapping up a three-week session. He will be talking to you about the outcome in just a minute.
**Kosovo
Having determined that the tensions in Mitrovica were stirred up by agitators brought in from the outside, the United Nations Mission yesterday evening issued its second Regulation; this one, authorizing KFOR and the international police to deny access to individuals to troubled locations or to remove people from troubled locations.
We expect to have the text of that Regulation in my office shortly.
Mitrovica, by the way, was reported as calm today.
The Spokeswoman for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Nadia Younes, also announced today that a waste disposal campaign would be launched in Pristina on Monday, thanks to a grant of $200,000 from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that will help fund this project for an initial three months. Garbage will be collected and be disposed of at an ecologically suitable dump. Glass, paper and metal will be recycled. And the Special Representatives' Trust Fund will be used to purchase new trash bins that will carry the logo, "I love Pristina." Sounds very politically correct to me.
Today is the two-month anniversary of the United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees' (UNHCR) return to Kosovo. During the past eight weeks, three- quarters of a million Kosovar Albanians have returned home. It is estimated that no more than 50,000 remain in neighbouring countries in the region. Of the roughly 91,000 who were evacuated to 29 different countries, already nearly a third of those have returned. But during the same period, about a 130,000 Serbs and Roma fled Kosovo to Serbia and Montenegro, joining the roughly 50,000 who had fled since the conflict started
up in the spring of 1998, bringing to 180,000 the number of non-Albanians displaced from Kosovo.
UNHCR says it remains deeply concerned about the security situation of Serbs in Kosovo. There have been numerous incidents, as you know, that we have
reported to you, of murder and intimidation of Serbs, many of whom have been forced from their homes. Until adequate levels of security exist, it would not be possible, UNHCR says, for them to encourage Serbs to return home.
**East Timor
Today in Jakarta, the tripartite senior officials' meeting on East Timor is continuing.
Meanwhile, tomorrow marks the start of the political campaign period for the popular consultation.
We have the briefing notes from Dili, if you are interested.
**Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
An inter-agency group involving the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as, the Swedish Radiation Institute, began on 3 August to look into the issue of depleted uranium in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). That issue, of course, relates to the uranium tipped bombs dropped by NATO. This group, working from Geneva under the UNEP/Habitat Balkan Task Force umbrella, is collecting and collating information on that subject from a variety of sources.
A meeting of the relevant organisations is planned for 1 September in Geneva to review the work of this group. They expect then, to take a decision on whether or not to send a full-scale assessment mission to the region to look in detail at the depleted uranium issue.
**Central African Republic
Last evening, the Mixed and Independent Electoral Commission in the Central African Republic (CAR) announced that the first round of presidential elections was postponed from 29 August to 12 September. If there is a second round, it will take place three weeks later, on 3 October.
You recall that in his last report to the Security Council, the Secretary- General called attention to the increasingly tense situation in that country, and requested 148 additional troops for the United Nations Mission there.
The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) was established a year and a half ago to assist in maintaining and enhancing security and stability in the capital Bangui, and to play a supportive role in the conduct of the presidential elections.
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The hope now is that despite this delay, the presidential electoral process will be completed before the end of the mission's mandate period, which is currently fixed at 15 November by the Security Council. The Secretary-General is expected to report to the Council on the situation in the Central African Republic by the end of September.
**Liberia
There was a hostage situation in Liberia related to the one in Sierra Leone. No United Nations personnel were involved this time.
The following statement is attributable to the Spokesman.
"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the abduction of six expatriates and three national staff of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Liberia by an armed group on 11 August. The Secretary-General deplores this serious incident and calls on the concerned group to release all the hostages immediately and without any conditions. He welcomes the efforts of the Government of Liberia to seek the earliest release of all the hostages and to ensure the safety and security of all international personnel in its territory."
**Tajikistan
We also have a statement here on positive developments in Tajikistan.
"The Secretary-General welcomes the decision by the Supreme Court of Tajikistan taken on 12 August to legalize the political parties belonging to the United Tajik Opposition (UTO). The UTO had publicly declared the disbandment of its armed forces on 3 August, and the decision by the Government is another significant step in the implementation of the peace agreement."
**Western Sahara
On the racks today, you will find the Secretary-General's report on the situation in the Western Sahara (document S/1999/875).
The report reviews the status of preparations for the Referendum which will allow the people to choose between independence or integration with Morocco. Thanks to a diplomatic breakthrough earlier this year, the identification process resumed in mid-June, as you'll remember. Since the start of the United Nations operation, over 155,000 people have been identified.
Now, the United Nations for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINORSO) is continuing to identify members of so-called "contested tribes", while at the same time, conducting the appeals process for those who were identified but deemed
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ineligible to participate in the Referendum. Preparations are also under way for the return of refugees to the Territory.
But the Mission still faces delays, in part because of staffing shortages. The Secretariat is making special efforts to increase staffing to the required levels, but considering the amount of work ahead, additional resources may be needed in order to keep the current timetable. The Secretary-General stresses that the full cooperation of both parties with the United Nations Mission remains essential.
**Angola
In a new letter to the Security Council President (document S/1999/871), the Secretary-General says he intends to start practical arrangements for the early establishment of a new United Nations office in Angola. The Secretary- General will also work to conclude a status-of-mission agreement with the Angolan Government as soon as possible.
The new office will be staffed by 30 professionals who would liaise with the Angolan authorities, including political leaders, the military and the police. The necessary administrative and support personnel would also be provided.
The overall task of the office is to explore measures for restoring peace, and to assist the Angolan people in capacity-building and promoting human rights.
**Sierra Leone
Also out on the racks today is an addendum to the Secretary-General's report on the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) concerning the new budgetary requirements (document S/1999/836/Add.1).
The full cost, provisionally expanding UNOMSIL, is estimated at some $24.3 million for a ten-month period ending on June 30th, 2000. This would include funding to gradually phase in an additional 140 military observers, and to expand the Mission by 59 international civilian personnel and 21 local staff.
You'll find a detailed break down of the cost estimates in the report.
**Recycling
You all might have seen a little blue can at your door when you got in to work this morning. This is part of new measures introduced by the United Nations to expand its recycling programme. We want to collect as much more recyclable paper as we can, to reduce the amount of garbage sent to the city's landfills, which are already filled to capacity. Please cooperate with the instructions that were included.
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**The Week Ahead
It looks like a quiet week next week, but on Monday, Param Cumaraswamy, the Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, will be in Guatamala starting Monday.
Tuesday, the Security Council will hold consultations on Western Sahara.
Wednesday, the Secretary-General's report on East Timor is due.
Thursday, the Council is scheduled to hold consultations on Tajikistan and Somalia.
Those are some of the highlights. Any questions before we go to Ambassador Kirsch?
Question: What is the status of mine cleaning in Kosovo?
Spokesman: It is very active. The United Nations Mine Centre has established an operation in Pristina. They are working, as far as I know, throughout the province. The task is going to take a long time to complete, given the volume of unexploded ordnance in Kosovo. But let me get a more specific response to your question.
Question: You talked about trashcans with "I love Pristina", which is very cute. But do we assume then, that human needs such as food, medicine and shelter have been taken care of and that there is money left over for beautification?
Spokesman: I am afraid that garbage collection is not beautification. I mean, it is an essential health activity to remove the garbage. The fact that it is being done with recycling capacity, I think, just anticipates a future time when civil life will be restored in Kosovo. But certainly, the collection of garbage is essential.
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