BRIEFING BY OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

Press Briefing

BRIEFING BY OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, and Shirley Brownell, Spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly:

Briefing by Spokesman for Secretary-General

Good afternoon. I would like to welcome Eric De Mul, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, who will be discussing with you the challenges facing the humanitarian community in that country.

**Security Council, General Assembly Hold Simultaneous Meetings to Elect New Judges for ICJ

First on our regular briefing, the Security Council is meeting this morning in simultaneous session with the General Assembly to elect five judges to the International Court of Justice.

And I understand that Shirley is going to give you details about the procedure and the candidates, but let me just say that under the Court's Statute, they have to obtain a majority in both the Security Council and the General Assembly in order to be elected.

We'll squawk the results as soon as they are in.

**Human Rights Rapporteurs to East Timor; Forensic Expert to Join Team At Darwin Stopover

On East Timor, the human rights Special Rapporteurs on torture, violence against women and extrajudicial executions have left for East Timor today and are scheduled to arrive in Dili Friday. They are accompanied by staff from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and will be joined in Darwin, Australia, by a forensic expert. The team is scheduled to stay in East Timor until the 10 November.

**UNMIK Patrol Attacked in Mitrovica; Police Cadet, UNMIK Officer Injured

There was an incident in Kosovo at 9:45 a.m. yesterday morning. A patrol sent out by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), accompanied by a female Kosovo Police Service cadet, responded to a distress call in the north side of Mitrovica. The patrol came under attack shortly after crossing the bridge that divides that city. A crowd of 60 ethnic Serbs assaulted the cadet and the UNMIK police officer. The cadet, an ethnic Albanian, suffered a broken nose during the incident and the UNMIK officer sustained minor injuries. French KFOR soldiers intervened and rescued the patrol.

UNMIK police routinely patrol both sides of Mitrovica -- there are currently 193 officers deployed in the city.

**UNHCR/OSCE Report Says Situation Remains 'Extremely Precarious' for Ethnic Minorities in Kosovo

Meanwhile today, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) issued a joint report upon completion of their third overview of the situation of ethnic minorities in Kosovo.

The report notes that the overall situation of ethnic minorities in Kosovo remains extremely precarious. While crime statistics indicate a decline in the overall number of violent incidents as far as minorities are concerned, there has been a significant decrease in the overall non-Albanian population since June. While there have been some limited returns, groups of non-Albanians continue to leave. The report notes that there is a climate of violence and impunity as well as widespread discrimination, harassment and intimidation against non-Albanians. It also notes that widespread disrespect for human rights increasingly affects moderate Albanians and those persons who are openly critical of the current, violent environment.

Please see today's briefing notes from Pristina.

**Rebel Fighters at Segbwema Detain UNAMSIL Patrol for Four Hours

Yesterday, a patrol of the United Nations Military Observers in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was detained for about four hours by RUF rebel fighters in the town of Segbwema, in Eastern Sierra Leone. The patrol was checking the road conditions in that sector as part of the preparations for the induction of United Nations troops. The rebels, apparently all intoxicated, claimed that the patrol had no clearance to enter that area. The patrol members were allowed to leave in the afternoon at about 4 p.m. and returned to Kenema unharmed.

**UN Mission Begins Humanitarian Needs Assessment in Areas Bordering Chechnya

A United Nations multi-agency humanitarian mission began its work today to assess the conditions and establish the needs of thousands driven from their homes as a result of the conflict in Chechnya.

The mission, led by UNHCR, and consisting of representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), arrived in Ingushetia today.

They will visit a number of camps housing displaced persons in Ingushetia before moving on to Dagestan on Friday.

**Weekly Oil-for-Food Programme Update; Sanctions Committee Report Available

Yesterday afternoon, we put out the weekly update from the oil-for-food programme. It states that last week, Iraq exported a total of 15.6 million barrels of crude oil with a value of $308 million. Since phase VI began on the first of June, Iraq has exported over $6 billion worth of oil.

The update says over the past week, Iraq has received 43,000 tons of wheat, 14,000 tons of rice, 920 tons of lentils and 2,500 tons of detergents and soaps, among other supplies.

And you can read more in the update, which is available in my office.

Also on Iraq, you'll find on the racks today the report of the Chairman of the 661 Committee, that's the sanction's committee on Iraq (S/1999/1113).

**New MINURSO Force Commander

The tour of duty of Major General Bernd Lubenik of Austria as Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has just ended.

Today on the racks you'll find an exchange of letters between the Secretary- General and the President of the Security Council on the appointment of a new Force Commander, Brigadier General Claude Buze of Belgium.

We have copies of his bio in my office.

**New Government Appointed in Central African Republic

We have available in my office a press release from our United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic providing the list, in French, of the new Government of the Central African Republic, appointed Monday.

There were 200 United Nations observers monitoring the elections that took place last September.

**Mooy Marks '100 Days 'til UNCTAD' with Speech in Bangkok

The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Adrianus Mooy, today delivered a message in Bangkok on the Secretary-General's behalf, at a ceremony marking 100 days until the Tenth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD X), which will be held in Thailand.

In his message, the Secretary-General said that globalization, for all its benefits, has not answered the problems of mass unemployment or inequality. He noted that the violence and social tensions which afflict so many developing countries are caused, at least in part, by deprivation and inequality.

UNCTAD Ten ("UNCTAD X"), he said, can provide a framework for both developed and developing countries to take key decisions. He stressed that the developed countries must provide higher levels of assistance and debt relief, while the developing countries need to continue to reform their economies.

We have copies of that message in my office.

We also have a press release from UNCTAD, which today issued a new handbook on programmes that facilitate and promote foreign direct investment to developing countries and economies in transition.

**Writers to Meet UN Senior Officials

Nineteen editorial writers from around the United States are coming to United Nations Headquarters tomorrow for two days of briefings with senior United Nations officials. That has been organized by the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The journalists are members of the U.S. National Conference of Editorial Writers.

We have their programme in my office if you're interested.

**UNEP Announces Winner of Environment Prize

A press release is available on the racks from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which announces that Professor Mario J. Molina of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is this year's winner of the $200,000 UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize.

Professor Molina, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, is being recognized for his outstanding global contributions in the field of atmospheric chemistry, especially on the effects of human activities on the ozone layer. The award ceremony will take place at United Nations Headquarters on 17 November, with the special guest speaker being the President of Colombia, Andres Pastrana Arango.

**WHO Announces Joint Venture to Develop Anti-Malaria Drug

We also have a press release from the WHO on a new venture it is launching to develop anti-malaria drugs. This is a first for international public health, because it brings together public agencies with the private sector to create a unique mechanism for developing anti-malarial drugs which otherwise would never have seen the light of the day, according to WHO.

**Guest at Tomorrow's Noon Briefing

There's just one press briefing, and it's a guest at tomorrow's noon briefing; it'll be Steven Allen, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

**Payments

An announcement on payments; we received over $340,000 from Qatar today, and they become the thirteenth Member to be paid in full for this year.

Any questions before we go to Shirley?

**Question and Answer

Question: Is there any comment regarding this Bulgarian individual who was killed in Kosovo or the letter to The Times criticizing the United Nations? What is the status of the investigation into what happened and what kind of training and preparation does the United Nations give staff going on missions?

Spokesman: Over the years, I think we have refined considerably our training and preparation of individuals for peacekeeping missions. I can't tell you specifically what was done in this mission. I'll look into it for you and I'll get back to you, but basically we provide written briefings for international staff going into missions. We also have a booklet on security, which gives practical tips.

In the case of this Bulgarian who was savagely killed in downtown Pristina for speaking Serbo-Croat, we are aware that a number of people had advised him on his arrival not to use his Serbo-Croat because it was dangerous. But he seemed to feel that it was something positive because it was the only way he could communicate with the local people. So I think he must have badly underestimated the degree of hostility that existed there. I'll try to find out specifically what kind of warnings and preparations were given to our people on that mission.

Ok. Shirley?

Briefing by Spokeswoman for General Assembly President

Good Afternoon.

As Fred Just told you, the General Assembly, simultaneously with the Security Council, is holding elections for five members of the International Court of Justice for a nine-year term to the 15-member body commencing on 6 February 2000.

Just before coming to the briefing, I was informed that the Security Council had completed its voting, and that the General Assembly was proceeding to a second round.

Candidates must obtain an absolute majority of votes in both bodies to be elected. In the Assembly, the electors are the 188 Member States and Switzerland, which is a party to the Statute of the Court. As such, 95 votes constitute an absolute majority there. In the Council, eight votes constitute an absolute majority and no distinction is made between permanent and non-permanent members.

Five of the seven candidates are those whose terms of office will expire on 5 February 2000. They are: Gilbert Guillaume (France); Rosalyn Higgins (United Kingdom); Gonzalo Parra-Aranguren (Venezuela); Raymond Ranjeva (Madagascar); and Christopher G. Weeramantry (Sri Lanka). The two other candidates were: Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh (Jordan), nominated by seven national groups; and Mikuin-Leliel Balanda (Democratic Republic of the Congo), nominated by his country’s national group.

Before the voting commenced, the Assembly President, Theo-Ben Gurirab, announced that the Secretariat had received a note verbale dated 1 November from the Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, stating that the national group of that country had withdrawn the candidature of Mr. Balanda.

Balloting will continue in the same meeting until five candidates obtain the required majority. When five candidates have obtained the required majority in one of the organs, only then will the President of that organ notify the President of the other organ of the names of the five candidates. The President of the latter organ cannot communicate such names to the members until that organ has itself selected five candidates. The related double-symbol documents are: A/54/305, 306/Rev.1 and 307; and S/1999/939, 940/Rev.1 and 941.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) is not meeting today. Yesterday, it approved seven draft resolutions and one draft decision. There were recorded votes on three texts: the role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament (A/C.1/54/L.32); the observance of environmental norms in the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms control (A/C.1/54/L.46); and implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace (A/C.1/54/L.45).

This afternoon, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) will take up two items under sector policy questions. On industrial development cooperation, it has before it the report of the Secretary-General on implementation of the programme for the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1993-2002). The report cites the growing concern over Africa’s marginalization in the globalization process, particularly in the globalization of industrial production. To complement the technical assistance provided by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and other United Nations agencies in the field of industrial development, the report proposes four private sector-oriented initiatives for the consideration of the General Assembly and donors. A report on business and development (A/54/451) states that the private sector can play a very important role in fostering economic growth and development, and it describes the twofold approach being taken by the United Nations system in facilitating an active constructive involvement of that sector in the development process.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), at two meetings today, is continuing its consideration of the item on the implementation of human rights instruments. It is also taking action on two draft resolutions. In one, the Assembly would designate 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (A/C.3/54/L.14/Rev.1). In the other, the Assembly would welcome the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and request all governments to cooperate fully with that individual in the performance of mandated tasks and duties (A/C.3/54/L.18/Rev.1).

Beginning tomorrow, 4 November, the Committee will hear introductory statements by the Special Rapporteurs and Special Representatives presenting reports under the item on human rights questions.

That will be preceded by a series of dialogues with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson and Dr. Kamal Hossain (Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan); Rajsoomer Lallah (Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar); Max van der Stoel (Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iraq); Roberto Garreton (Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo); Leonardo Franco (Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Sudan); Adama Dieng (Independent Expert on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti); and Thomas Hammarberg (Special Representative on the Situation of Human Rights in Cambodia). The Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture, Sir Nigel Rodley, who was to have participated, is on his way to East Timor.

At two meetings today, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) is conducting a section-by-section examination of the proposed programme budget for 2000-2001. It is scheduled to consider sections 1-15.

Among the other Committees, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) is continuing its discussion of the item on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Sixth Committee (Legal) is discussing the report of the International Law Commission.

At a meeting this morning of the Committee on Information, the Under-Secretary- General for Communications and Public Information, Kensaku Hogen, answered delegations’ questions concerning the report of the Secretary-General on the multilingual development, maintenance and enrichment of United Nations Web sites (A/AC.198/1999/9 and Corr.1 and 2). Consultations are taking place on a “Group of 77” developing countries informal draft on the subject, which the Committee will consider on Friday as it concludes its resumed twenty-first session.

Copies of the appointments of the Assembly President are available in room 378 and can also be found on the Internet. He met with three Inspectors from the Joint Inspection Unit this morning. This afternoon, he will meet with the Permanent Representative of Finland, Marjatta Rasi (in her capacity as President of the European Union) and with her Deputy, Anna-Maija Korpi, to discuss the Millennium Assembly and other issues. The President will meet afterwards with the Permanent Representative of South Africa, Dumisana Kumalo.

**Questions and Answers:

Question: Regarding tomorrow’s human rights dialogue in the Third Committee, please ask if UN Television can broadcast the entire session.

Spokeswoman: I will convey your request to DPI.

Question: How many terms can judges serve on the International Court of Justice?

Spokeswoman: From the list of candidates, they obviously can serve a second nine-year term, but I will check on whether there is a term limit.

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