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 Shirley Brownell, spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly, and Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Briefing by Spokeswoman for President of General Assembly

**General Debate Concludes Tomorrow

The General Assembly is in the penultimate day of its general debate. President Emomali Rakhmanov of Tajikistan was the first speaker. Another 19 speakers will be heard today. Assembly President Theo-Ben Gurirab is presiding.

The Assembly concludes its general debate tomorrow morning, after hearing a further 11 speakers. There will be no briefing tomorrow. I will be here to answer any Assembly-related questions. Again, my number is 963-0755.

**General Assembly Meetings on International Year of Older Persons

This is a reminder that on Monday and Tuesday, the Assembly will hold four meetings in a follow-up to the International Year of Older Persons. The central theme of the International Year is “Towards a society for all ages”. The Assembly will have before it a report of the Secretary-General entitled “International Year of Older Persons, 1999: activities and legacies”. A related draft resolution, document A/54/L.6, will be available Monday morning.

Also next week, on the morning of Wednesday, 6 October, the Assembly will take up the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization (document A/54/1). You will recall that the Secretary-General introduced the report ahead of the general debate on 20 September. That afternoon, the Assembly will consider item 37, on implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development. As you know, a special session to review and appraise the implementation of the recommendations of the Social Summit will be held in Geneva next June.

**President’s Scheduled Appointments

Copies of the President’s appointments for today are available in room 378 and on the Internet. This morning, he met with the Foreign Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Said Al-Sahaf. The Iraqi Minister briefed the President on Baghdad’s position regarding Security Council action on Iraq. He reiterated that Iraq would accept nothing less that the full lifting of sanctions. He pointed out that the Council was constantly rewriting its own resolutions on Iraq in order to prolong the sanctions, and he said Iraq was against France’s proposal of financial transparency. It had been introduced, he said, under the pretext that the Council should know what was happening in Iraq, but Baghdad’s perception was that the Council’s intention was to control Iraq’s budget. Mr. Al-Sahaf also said that it was important to encourage dialogue between Iraq and Security Council members, because if the Council was dealing with the Iraq question, it should talk to Iraq.

The President then met with Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun, Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region in Africa. Mr. Sahnoun briefed the President on the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which he called the most devastating war in Africa in terms of the number of people killed. He was optimistic that progress was being made in the negotiations; Eritrea had accepted the proposals, but Ethiopia still needed clarification on certain issues, especially on the withdrawal of forces. Ambassador Sahnoun also said he was encouraged by the progress in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but stressed the need for stability before any initiative could be implemented successfully.

The President also met with Foreign Minister Augustin Kontchou Kouemegni of Cameroon. Later today, he will attend a viewing of the Islamic art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, hosted by Ambassador Mokhtar Lamani, of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

**Question and Answer Session

Question: Iraq has complained to the President of the General Assembly about the action of the Security Council. Is the President of the General Assembly going to do something or is it just a remark?

Spokeswoman: There are several items on the agenda of the General Assembly dealing with Iraq, so I’m sure the President can make comments in that connection. But, obviously, when the Security Council is seized of an item, under Article 12 of the Charter, the Assembly refrains from also considering that item.

Briefing by Spokesman for Secretary-General

Welcome to our guests -– correspondents from Russia and Armenia –- guests of the United States Information Agency.

**East Timor

This morning Ian Martin, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for East Timor, briefed the Security Council. Currently, United Nations efforts in East Timor are focused on redeploying staff of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) and on providing humanitarian aid as quickly as possible, in close coordination with the international force in East Timor (INTERFET). He also said that 58 UNAMET staff have returned to Dili and there are 26 personnel from United Nations humanitarian agencies as well.

Martin reported that aerial reconnaissance of most towns and cities had been completed and, not surprisingly, they found large-scale destruction throughout. All major structures were destroyed in Ainaro and Cassa, an estimated 70 per cent of Atsabe, Gleno, Maliana and Manatuto had been burned or leveled. Extensive damage had also been reported in Suai and Liquica. Some other towns like Baucau and Viqueque fared much better though. Most UNAMET facilities in East Timor had been heavily damaged or destroyed.

Martin expressed grave concern over the situation in East Timor concerning the refugees in West Timor as well, and militia activity persisting. The right of the refugees to return to East Timor must be strictly protected, he said, especially given the strong indications that refugees may be transported further.

He also outlined some positive developments. First, the sense among all parties attending the trilateral talks held in New York earlier this week that we must all work pragmatically and swiftly in the effort to return East Timor to some degree of normalcy. Second, that food assistance is getting to the displaced populations and a spontaneous return of internally displaced to Dili is well under way. And, finally, the indications at a meeting organized this week by the World Bank that East Timor will have access to funds and donor assistance to rebuild.

Meanwhile in Dili, confirming that security is still a problem, five public buildings were torched today, among them a family planning clinic, two police stations and the Justice Department building.

The first rain of the season fell today in Dili. While the population normally awaits the season with anticipation, the rains worry humanitarian workers as they heightens the risk of communicable diseases. Sanitation, shelter and access to areas beyond the island’s paved-road network are also concerns.

The World Food Programme (WFP) today conducted three airlifts carrying mostly much-needed vehicles such as land cruisers, trucks and motor bikes to distribute humanitarian assistance to East Timorese in urgent need.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), meanwhile, said it is preparing to airlift emergency relief aid for thousands of displaced people from East Timor living in appalling conditions in West Timor. At the same time, UNHCR is drawing up plans for the repatriation of Timorese who have expressed a desire to return home to Dili.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that eight out of the 10 health facilities in Dili are fully functional, averaging between 20 to 180 patients per day. Using the registration data that is to be collected during next week’s general distribution, UNICEF, together with Médecins sans frontières, will lead a measles vaccination campaign for children under 5 years of age.

While Dili is much calmer, the security situation elsewhere in East Timor continues to be precarious. On Thursday in the town of Com, Gurkha peacekeeping troops escorting an inter-agency relief convoy arrested several suspected militia members and freed 3,000 East Timorese rounded up at the port for deportation.

**Preparations for Establishment of East Timor Commission of Inquiry

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has begun preparations for the establishment of the International Commission of Inquiry on East Timor, and to elaborate its terms of reference. The Office hopes to deploy technical support staff in the region by next week. It is exploring with New York Headquarters the means to fund the investigation. About half a million dollars, mostly from voluntary contributions, will initially be needed to launch the work of the investigators.

The International Commission of Inquiry will probably be composed of five high-level experts supported by staff from the Office of the High Commissioner. Mary Robinson is currently considering names of candidates and hopes to announce them in about a week to 10 days time.

**Secretary-General’s Report on UNAMET Finances

The Secretary-General's report on financing UNAMET is out on the racks today (document A/54/380). The report covers financing requirements for phases I and II. It does not address phase III, which begins after the Indonesian Parliament votes on the future status of East Timor, or any financing matters related to INTERFET. The revised budget for phase I would amount to $54.4 million. The original budget for that phase was $52.5 million. The preliminary estimate for phase II is $38 million. These estimates are based on the assumption that 50 per cent of UNAMET's equipment was destroyed. The Secretary-General says that once an assessment of the Mission's assets has been completed, it may be necessary to amend the requirements for replacing equipment.

So far, of the $54.4 million needed for phase I, some $47.3 million has been contributed to the trust fund for the settlement of the question of East Timor. The Secretary-General is asking the General Assembly to assess the difference -- amounting to about $7 million -- among the Organization's Member States.

**International Atomic Energy Agency Ready to Assist Japan

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today reported that the Tokaimura nuclear accident in Japan now appears to have been more serious than originally believed. Some 39 workers at the plant were exposed to radiation, three of them very seriously.

The IAEA Director-General yesterday offered to send an expert team to the country, but the Japanese authorities have indicated that the team is not needed at this stage. If requested, the IAEA stands ready to provide assistance to the Japanese Government, and to perform an evaluation with the cooperation of the country's authorities once the situation permits.

The IAEA is currently holding its General Conference in Vienna. At the beginning of this morning's session, the Japanese delegate informed the Conference that the accident was under control and that there was no longer any radiation risk to the population.

The World Health Organization (WHO), meanwhile, reported that the accident is not likely to have any public health impact beyond the local population. The health agency added the accident is certainly not a concern beyond Japanese territory.

We have press releases from the IAEA and WHO upstairs.

**Secretary-General’s Report on Guinea-Bissau

The report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Guinea-Bissau and the activities of the United Nations Peace-Building Support Office (UNOGBIS) there is out on the racks today. In it, the Secretary-General reports that “the internal political climate has stabilized and the country continues to move in a peaceful and orderly fashion towards the legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 28 November 1999”. He notes, however, that the situation remains fragile, and that “governments and institutions, where they exist, remain feeble”. He adds that “concerns about the impact of subregional instability persist”.

He ends by saying that in order to assist Guinea-Bissau in the fragile post- electoral peace-building period as peacefully as possible, the Government of Guinea- Bissau has requested him to extend the mandate of UNOGBIS for one year after it expires on 31 December.

**Report on UNITA Sanctions

The report of the expert panel on the sanctions against UNITA was circulated among Security Council members yesterday and will be issued as an official document shortly under the symbol S/1999/1016.

According to the report, the Panel is finalizing arrangements for establishing a base for itself in southern Africa, which should become operational by the end of the month. The Panel is also establishing an information database and a website. Its next meeting is scheduled to take place in mid-October in Luanda.

**Reports from United Nations Mission in Kosovo

We have a number of press releases available for you on various aspects of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). One of them concerns the three UNMIK staff members who had gone missing earlier this week. UNMIK says that it believes the trio who went missing on Monday in the area of Mitrovica had inadvertently crossed into Serbia while doing communications work and were detained because they lacked Yugoslav visas. The three had returned to Mitrovica Wednesday night.

Another press release concerns an apparent setback to UNMIK’s efforts to make multi-ethnic the hospital in Mitrovica, whose residents are predominantly Serb. UNMIK today said that the Albanian medical staff left the hospital two days ago, taking with them the Albanian patients, after a series of incidents culminated in a blockade of the institution and several clashes.

UNMIK’s regional coordinator, Martin Garrod, who had been working to keep the Serb and Albanian medical staff working together by supplying armed escorts when needed, said “The policies of a very few people have today succeeded in making the Mitrovica hospital no longer multi-ethnic”. He pledged to work to defeat extremism and to make the hospital multi-ethnic again.

**Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Expresses Concern about Republic of the Congo

We have a statement from Sergio Vieira de Mello, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, on the situation in the Republic of the Congo, expressing concern about the disastrous humanitarian conditions in a place called Kingkala, where thousands of internally displaced persons are close to death due to severe food shortages.

You can pick that statement up in my office.

**First UNHCR Aid Convoy for Chechen Refugees

As we flagged to you yesterday, the first UNHCR aid convoy arrived today in Ingushetia from Stavropol in southern Russia carrying 80 tons of emergency aid and food for thousands of Chechens displaced by the recent bombing of Chechnya by Russian aircraft. Two UNHCR national staff accompanied the convoy on the 10-hour overnight journey to Nazran, Ingushetia. Three more convoys are planned over the next 10 days. Each will bring enough aid for 10,000 people.

**Child Information Network Launched in Turkey

Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), joined Turkey’s President, Suleiyman Demirel, in the launch of a Child Information Network yesterday. The new network will use the internet to promote child rights in Turkey in response to the Convention on the rights of the Child. You can get more details in the press release.

**United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

The latest edition of UNHCR's publication, Refugees, is out and is also available on their website. It features an editorial that poses three questions and I’m going to give you a chance to answer them.

First: What was the world's largest war this year?

Answer: Ethiopia and Eritrea, involving over a quarter of a million soldiers, tens of thousands of casualties and 600,000 civilians displaced.

Second question: What was the world's most brutal war of recent times?

Answer: Sierra Leone's civil war. It uprooted virtually the entire population of the country and took at least 50,000 lives.

Third and final question: What is the world's largest current refugee problem?

Answer: Afghanistan. There are some 2.6 million Afghan refugees. The UNHCR editorial notes that their programmes to help these refugees are now bankrupt from lack of donor interest.

**The Week Ahead

It’s very long. As usual, let me highlight a few things.

On Monday, the Security Council is going to be discussing its work for the month of October. The United Nations marks World Habitat Day on 4 October. As part of that commemoration, a panel discussion will be held in the Dag Hammarskjöld auditorium from 3 to 6 p.m. on the theme, “cities for all”.

On Tuesday, Under-Secretary-General for Management, Joseph Connor, will make a statement to the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee reviewing the financial situation of the United Nations, and we have asked him to brief you in room 226 at about 1 p.m.

The Secretary-General will also address that Committee, after Mr. Connor, on how to improve the Organization’s financial situation.

On Wednesday, the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Depositary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), will convene a conference that will go from Wednesday through 8 October in Vienna on facilitating the Treaty’s entry into force. The Deputy Secretary-General will open that conference on behalf of the Secretary-General in Vienna.

**Question and Answer Session

Question: There have been reports of two to three thousand refugees being gathered by the militia in East Timor outport, seemingly to go on ships, but the Gurkhas got there before they could sail. The militiamen who went back for them were captured and tomorrow they would be let go. What are the arrangements for this? I understand Mr. Cosgrove is upset. How could there be security for UNAMET if these militiamen are not neutralized?

Spokesman: I think INTERFET will have to explain their policies to you. We did speak to our spokesman in Dili, David Wimhurst, this morning and his understanding of what INTERFET had decided to do concerning these detentions was to standardize the amount of detention at 72 hours initially, but if they had reason to detain people longer, that could be renewed indefinitely. But you would have to get confirmation on that from INTERFET. We have names and numbers of persons in Canberra and Darwin who you can contact. The military advisor or press officer at the Australian Mission here in New York also takes questions and we have his name and number.

Question: Under the new theory, “the right to intervene”, does the Secretary- General plan to make an appeal with regard to the Chechen situation?

Spokesman: I don’t think there is a newly established right to intervene. The Secretary-General describes a growing body of international opinion that feels that a government should not be able to commit gross violations of human rights using their sovereignty as their protection. He also noted that the world is going to need some consistent standards or guidelines for when it is going to intervene. So he has invited a debate. He has invited governments to give thought to this issue. That’s as far as he’s gone. Regarding your specific question, I have nothing on Chechnya from him today.

Question: You said that Dili was secure. But, you also said that five buildings had been burnt down. What is INTERFET doing?

Spokesman: I think the five fires today were disturbing to everyone. I think it just points out that even though Dili is probably the most secure of any of the towns where the multinational force has deployed, it’s still not 100 per cent safe. That said, I believe, that the commander of INTERFET has expressed his satisfaction with how his mission has gone thus far. He indicated that they had anticipated that it could be much worse than it is. So, as you saw from today’s reports, they’re gradually enlarging the circle outside of Dili in their effort to eventually try to secure the whole of the Territory. They’re still not up to their full strength either. I understand the numbers now are something like 4,000 troops with an additional number of support elements. You would have to ask them what the numbers are.

Question: When is the Secretary-General’s report on East Timor coming out? And, secondly, the Secretary-General had asked for a debate on the question of humanitarian intervention. Did he have any comment on the kind of debate that ensued?

Spokesman: His report will come out probably on Monday or Tuesday –- early next week, not over the weekend, as had been speculated yesterday.

On the second question, he wanted to stimulate debate. I think he might have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of reaction that his speech has generated. It seems to be, at least for the opening weeks of the Assembly, the dominant theme, and so I think he’s very happy that it’s being discussed. He doesn’t want to comment on what people are saying about it, but just about the fact that they’re discussing, debating and taking a position on it, he feels it’s healthy and good.

Question: Is there going to be a formal resolution of the Security Council on the Secretary-General’s report or are they just going to analyse it?

Spokesman: I don’t know the answer to that question. I would have to find out. [The Council is expected to adopt a resolution, he later announced.]

Question: Regarding reports of thousands of casualties in the war in Angola, does the United Nations have anyone monitoring in Angola?

Spokesman: The Secretary-General, as you know from his programme, had a meeting with the Angolans this morning. They discussed the humanitarian situation, which is awful, we don’t have access to large areas of the country. And they discussed the establishment of this United Nations office that we’ve been trying to get for a long time and that we’re hoping would finally come into place at the end of this month. But we don’t have eyes and ears there.

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