DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19990820The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Manoel de Almeida e Silva, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Security Council
Good afternoon. The Security Council this morning heard a briefing by Hedi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, on the status of deployment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (on which I briefed you yesterday). The Members of the Council then went to the Security Council formal Chamber, where they are scheduled to vote on a resolution expanding considerably the United Nations presence in Sierra Leone and authorizing the Secretary-General to deploy up to 210 military observers in Sierra Leone.
As indicated in the Secretary-General's last report, these military observers will, among other tasks, monitor the military and security situation in the country, and assist and monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants in areas where adequate security is provided.
The disarmament exercise has actually already started with the provisional registration by United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) of some 300 rebel fighters who surrendered to the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG), although without weapons. Joint reconnaissance missions are currently under way to assess the logistical conditions at the six sites that have been initially selected to carry out the full Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration programme.
**Kosovo
On Kosovo today, the news I have is that tomorrow the Kosovo Transitional Council will hold its second meeting. It will be chaired by Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bernard Kouchner and attended by KFOR Commander Lieutenant General Mike Jackson. The heads of the four pillars of UNMIK will also be present. The members of the Council in attendance will be the same as the first meeting, this time including Kosovo Democratic League President Ibrahim Rugova. The agenda of the meeting will include the security situation, economics and reconstruction, as well as the future work of the Transitional Council.
Today Mitrovica saw a very important activity, which is the beginning of the voluntary resettlement of Albanians to the northern part of the town. The first group of seven families was to be moved back to their former homes. This UNMIK initiative will be implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and KFOR. KFOR will be responsible for providing transport and security for the returning Albanians, while UNHCR will ascertain and provide assistance for the initial needs of these returnees.
On Sunday -- the day after tomorrow -- the Special Representative of the Secretary-General will meet with members of the health community in Kosovo. One hundred fifty six medical staff, including doctors, nurses, and technical and administrative staff, will participate in the meeting. These will be people of both Albanian and Serb origin. Among the issues to be discussed will be the structure of Kosovo's medical care system, retraining of medical personnel, and the financing of medical care services.
**East Timor
Moving now to East Timor: in spite of incidents of violence, the campaign continues in East Timor. In today's briefing in Dili, the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) Spokesman informed correspondents of incidents yesterday in Suai and in Manatuto. In both cases militia activity disturbed the public peace. In Suai the militia harassed people who had attended the pro-independence CNRT rally the day before. CNRT, as you will know, is the National Council for Timorese Resistance, which is a pro-independence group. In Manatuto, UNAMET Military Liaison Officers were threatened by militia who pointed weapons at their vehicle. The militia also attacked the local CNRT office in Manatuto.
More details on these incidents are available in the transcript of the briefing, which was held in Dili this morning, and the transcript is available in our office.
As you entered the room here today, you may have seen a display with some of the materials, which have been produced by the UNAMET for the campaign in the Territory. They are all available on the web site www.unamet.org.
Some of the materials I will briefly show you. They include the 5 May Agreement in four languages; the two posters in local languages calling on people to register; the posters on the ballot itself, one demonstrating the two options which people have when they cast their vote on August 30, and another on the secret aspect of the voting; also a poster illustrating the role of UNAMET in East Timor and the important fact that the Mission will remain in East Timor, regardless of the result of the ballot. You will also find there the new materials, which tell people "Vote as you want -- not as you are told"; "Peace is the prize"; "Come together, so we can walk forward"; and "UNAMET will stay after the vote". These are stickers which are being given out as of today or next week.
You can also listen to the song that was produced by UNAMET in East Timor, which is called "Please Decide". I am told it has become a big hit in East Timor, everyone singing it. If you dial 3-3777, you can listen to the song here in the building. Calling from outside, you can dial 963-3777.
**Polio Vaccination Campaign in Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as you know, the Secretary-General has called for days of tranquility for the anti-polio campaign, and the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have just released preliminary figures on their recent vaccination campaign in the DRC.
Of the country's 10 million children under five, 8.2 million were successfully vaccinated against polio. That figure could rise to 9 million, once all of the data has finally been compiled. During the 13-day campaign, over 75,000 volunteers reached these children. In Kisangani, 70 per cent of children were vaccinated, despite the outbreak of fighting on the third day of the campaign. Since then, a ceasefire was reached, and the agencies plan a "catch-up" effort to reach the remainder of Kisangani's children.
The DRC has the most intense rate of polio transmission in the world, and it is the single highest priority in the global effort to eradicate the disease. We have a press release from WHO in our office with more information.
**UNHCR on Congo Refugees
Still on Africa, there have been new movements of fighters along the border between the Republic of Congo and the DRC, according to local officials and staff of the UNHCR in the area. We have more details on that in the press release available in our office.
**Hunger Looms in Somalia
The World Food Programme (WFP) today warned that over one million people in southern Somalia face another dismal harvest due to prolonged dry periods. So far, only a fraction of the needed funding has been firmly pledged in response to an appeal launched in July by the Somalia Aid Coordination Body and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for $17.5 million. A press release with more details is available upstairs.
**Afghanistan
We also have two press releases on Afghanistan from the United Nations Information Centre in Islamabad. In the first, the UNICEF Representative in Pakistan calls on the warring Afghan parties to refrain from recruiting children. The United Nations has evidence that more and more youth are being
sent to Afghanistan from Pakistan to fight as soldiers. Most of them range from 15 to 35, but some are as young as fourteen.
You'll recall that earlier this week, the Secretary-General made a statement on this very issue and brought the world's attention to the plight of these young soldiers.
The second press release quotes the Acting United Nations Coordinator for Afghanistan emphasizing that the country's problem of internally displaced persons is a "man-made emergency [that] needs to be resolved by those who created it". You can pick both press releases up in our office.
**Cambodia
A United Nations mission led by Ralph Zacklin, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, will arrive in Cambodia on 25 August and remain there until 31 August. The objective of this mission is to discuss with the Government of Cambodia, the legal and practical aspects of establishing under Cambodian law, a mixed tribunal with the participation of international judges and prosecutors to prosecute the Khmer Rouge leaders responsible for the most serious crimes during the period 1975-1979.
**Earthquake in Turkey
Unfortunately, there is more bad news to report in the aftermath of Turkey's recent earthquake. While search and rescue operations are continuing, the confirmed death toll is now over 8,700, with more than 34,000 people injured.
The United Nations system continues providing aid in the wake of the tragic earthquake. UNICEF has sent 100 emergency medical kits to Turkey. Each kit is designed to meet the basic medical needs of 10,000 people for three months. UNICEF is also sending 2 million water purification tablets, among other supplies, which are detailed in a press release we have for you upstairs.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has sent reproductive health kits to Turkey valued at $60,000; and the World Health Organization (WHO) has dispatched the Director of its Copenhagen office to assist the Government with emergency medical requirements.
As we had announced, all of the main United Nations agencies met yesterday in Geneva to exchange information and discuss the next phase of the emergency response. They recognized that much work lies ahead in the reconstruction effort, which is expected to go on for months, if not longer.
The Geneva-based agencies will be coordinating with the United Nations field team in Ankara to determine the best ways to meet Turkey's needs in the period ahead.
**Announcements
Before we move on to our special guest today, let me just announce that we'll have available upstairs, as we have every Friday, our week-ahead feature with events coming ahead next week, but I would like to tell you now that the guests at the noon briefing on Monday will be Sergio Vieira de Mello, Under- Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs; Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); and Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF. They will be discussing the situation in Angola. As you know, the Security Council will be holding consultations on Angola on Monday, and, of course, their presence here will depend on how soon they can be finished with the Council.
Our guest today is world famous cartoonist Ranan Lurie, who will be joined by Erol Avdovic, President of the United Nations Correspondents Association and Shashi Tharoor, who is Director of Communications and Special Events in the Secretary-General's Office.
I also have a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General. As you know, there are a number of countries that have been sending teams and equipment, as well as humanitarian relief aid to Turkey.
**Statement Attributable to Spokesman for Secretary-General
The Secretary-General notes with gratitude the generous assistance provided by governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private individuals in response to the devastation caused by the earthquake in Turkey.
We are all aware of the magnitude of the devastation and suffering caused by this tragedy. The needs remain enormous, both for initial relief and rehabilitation. The Secretary- General calls on governments and voluntary agencies to redouble their efforts to help meet these needs in the weeks and months ahead. The United Nations itself is providing all possible assistance and is prepared to offer its services to coordinate the broader international effort.
This is all I have for you today. If there are any questions, I will be glad to answer them. If not, thank you so much and have a nice weekend.
* *** *