DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-
19991213 GENERALThe 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 the Secretary-General
Good afternoon.
**Year-end Press Conference by the Secretary-General
At noon tomorrow, in this room, the Secretary-General will hold his end- of-the-year press conference. His opening statement will be a bit longer than usual, looking back on the events of 1999, and then ahead to the year 2000.
**Update: Cyprus Proximity Talks
The Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, had another set of meetings this morning on Cyprus. At 9:30 a.m., he met with His Excellency Glafcos Clerides, and he met at 11:30 a.m. -- a meeting that is still going on now -- with His Excellency Rauf Denktash. It is envisaged that these talks will adjourn tomorrow.
**Notes from the Security Council
The Security Council began another busy day at 10:00 this morning, with informal consultations on the Western Sahara. Members of the Council discussed a resolution to extend the United Nations Mission there (MINURSO), the mandate of which is set to expire tomorrow. The Council is expected to vote tomorrow on whether to extend that mandate until 29 February of next year.
After those consultations, the Council heard a briefing from Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi and that was on the subject of Angola.
When that ends, the Council is scheduled to hold further consultations on the comprehensive resolution on Iraq, and may go into a formal meeting on Iraq after those consultations adjourn -- not necessarily today.
In other Council-related news, Kamel Morjane arrived in Kinshasa on Saturday to take up his duties as the Special Representative of the Secretary- General to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On Sunday, the Secretary- General's Special Representative to Sierra Leone, Oluyemi Adeniji, took up his duties in Freetown.
**UNICEF Launches Year-end Report, finds World's Children Face "Terrifying Plight"
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today launched its annual year-end report, "The State of the World's Children 2000".
UNICEF's Executive Director Carol Bellamy said that, throughout the developing world, HIV/AIDS, armed conflict and deep poverty are reversing gains made over the past century and endangering the survival, development and protection of millions of children.
"At the same time", she said "a vacuum of leadership has allowed the merciless targeting of children and women in armed conflict, the frightening transformation of AIDS into the number one killer in Africa and a devastating free-fall in development assistance to the poorest nations."
"If we don't seize the start of the new millennium to solve the terrifying plight faced by our children, then we are guilty of contributing to their suffering and to the wholesale abuse of their rights. The choice is ours."
Ms. Bellamy outlined a three-pronged new agenda to tackle the major challenges facing children as they enter the 21st century.
The Secretary-General, in the foreword to the report, concludes that "'The State of the World's Children 2000' begins and ends with the premise that the wellspring of human progress is found in the realization of children's rights. It spells out a vision in which the rights of all children, without exception, are realized. The challenge, as so often, lies in the implementation of good intentions. Let us summon all our courage and commitment to make it so. Because a child in danger is a child who cannot wait."
**Secretary-General Proposes Continued UN Presence in the Central African Republic
In a letter to the Security Council available today on the racks, the Secretary-General outlines the role of a future United Nations post- peacekeeping presence in the Central African Republic. The primary mission of this presence would be to support the government's efforts to consolidate peace and national reconciliation, to strengthen democratic institutions and facilitate the mobilization of international political support and resources for national reconstruction and economic recovery.
To carry out these functions, the Secretary-General proposes to establish a United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA) for an initial period of one year, to be headed by a Representative of the Secretary-General.
**Vieira de Mello Meets With Indonesian High Officials in Jakarta
Sergio Vieira de Mello, the head of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNTAET), was in Jakarta today for a series of meetings with Indonesian officials, including the President, the Foreign Minister, the Defence Minister, the Minister overseeing East Timor -- General Wiranto -- and the Governor of the Central Bank.
On behalf of the Secretary-General, he invited President Abdurrahman Wahid to visit East Timor, which the President said he would do in the near future. The meetings were forward-looking, discussing East Timor's future relations with Indonesia, such as commerce and air links, the return of refugees and protection of East Timorese savings accounts in Indonesian banks.
**Notes from Kosovo
We just received an unofficial transcript of a press conference marking the first six months of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, who is currently visiting the province, and Bernard Kouchner, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, represented the United Nations at the event.
Dr. Kouchner gave an overview, noting that criminality was on the rise and he announced several new initiatives in the areas of policing and the judiciary.
Please take a look at the press release for more details if you're interested.
**Rwanda Inquiry to Present Findings to Press
At 9:30 a.m. -- that's not 'p.m.', so you'll have to get up early -- on Thursday, the three members who have completed an independent inquiry into the actions that the United Nations took at the time of the genocide in Rwanda, Chairman Ingvar Carlsson of Sweden, Han Sung-Joo of the Republic of Korea, and General Rufus Kupolati of Nigeria, are expected to hold a press conference here in room 226 to discuss their findings.
The report is also expected to be presented to the Secretary-General the day before.
**ICJ Hands Down Ruling in Botswana-Namibia Dispute
Today in The Hague, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that an island that had been part of a dispute between Botswana and Namibia was in fact part of Botswana's territory.
By a vote of 11 to 4, the ICJ determined the boundary between Namibia and Botswana of the disputed Kasikili/Sedudu Island, and decided that the island "forms part of the territory of the Republic of Botswana."
The Court also ruled unanimously that nationals and vessels belonging to Namibia and Botswana shall enjoy equal national treatment in the two channels around the island.
**Secretary-General Expresses Condolences to People of Croatia on Tudjman's Death
The Secretary-General has sent a letter to the Acting President of Croatia, Vlatko Pavletic, expressing his condolences to the people and Government of Croatia on the passing of President Franjo Tudjman Friday night.
There are no flags flying in front of Headquarters today, except the United Nations flag, which is at half-mast.
**Healing Wounds Between UN and Israel "a Priority", Secretary-General Says in Speech to American Jewish Committee
Last night the Secretary-General attended a dinner at the American Jewish Committee, where he delivered an address in honour of Ambassador Morris Abram.
In his speech, he said that, to many members of his audience and the Jewish community at large, "it has sometimes seemed as if the United Nations serves all the world's people but one: the Jews."
He noted the "regrettable impression of bias and one-sidedness" in the relationship between the United Nations and Israel, and promised that one of his priorities as Secretary-General has been "to try to heal these wounds and find our way to mutual understanding and partnership."
We made his speech available for you on an embargoed basis on Friday, and we still have copies in my office if you're interested.
**Payments
Today, two Member States paid off the full balance of their regular budget dues for the current year: Côte d'Ivoire, which paid $35, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which paid $45. Every once in a while you get these technical glitches with little disparities between what was paid and what was owed. So they now become the 117th and 118th Member States to have paid their regular budget assessments in full for 1999.
That's all I have for you.
**Questions and Answers
Correspondent: I have three questions for you on Cyprus.
Spokesman: Ok. Scratch off any that are substantive [laughter].
Question: The first one is: have you heard anything among the five permanent members of the Security Council that they are going to discuss the Cyprus issue today or tomorrow?
Spokesman: We are not usually informed of the meetings called by the permanent five members of the Security Council. So you'll have to ask one of them if they plan to meet. I have not heard that they are meeting.
Question: The second question is: As you mentioned before, on Wednesday, the Security Council will vote on the extension of the peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), will there be any change on the final United Nations resolution compared to the previous resolution?
Spokesman: I don't want to speculate about the text of a Security Council resolution. Again, it would have to be a Member State who would speak to you on that subject.
Question: Has the United Nations suggested to the two sides [involved in the current round of Cyprus talks] about a time when the second round of talks might start?
Spokesman: No. But you know that when these talks began, it was seen as an open-ended process, and so I think Alvaro de Soto will be discussing next steps with the two parties over the next few days. That's all I can say on that.
Question: Will there be advance copies or embargoed copies of the Rwanda Inquiry report that we can see before the press conference on Thursday?
Spokesman: That's not clear to us yet, so if you'll just stay in touch with our office we'll let you know once a decision has been made.
Question: Looking at the Secretary-General's appointments for today, it's very heavy on mediation, and humanitarian organizations. Is this just a coincidence?
Spokesman: Coincidence.
Question: It's been noted that the Secretary-General has generally ignored Latin American and Caribbean countries. Since Panama, a founding member of the United Nations, is set to recover the Canal tomorrow, is the Secretary-General going to take that opportunity to address this question?
Spokesman: the United Nations will be represented at that hand-over ceremony by the Director of the Office of the Economic Commission for Latin America in Mexico City.
Question: Why has the United Nations downgraded such an important ceremony?
Spokesman: I think that the [United Nations representative at this event] is at the appropriate level for this event.
Question: To what extent would you say the content of the resolution concerning UNFICYP's mandate could affect the prospect of a second round of talks on Cyprus?
Spokesman: That's a substantive question. In fact, Alvaro told me this morning that all questions on Cyprus are substantive.
Question: Actually, when Mr. Denktash was asked this morning if he would attend a second round of talks, he said it depends on the resolution. So there is a close relation between the two?
Spokesman: Is that your view [laughter]?
Correspondent: No. I'm just repeating Mr. Denktash's statement.
Spokesman: No comment.
Thank you. Shirley.
Briefing by Spokeswoman for General Assembly President
The United Nations flag is at half-mast today because of the death, over the weekend, of President Franjo Tudjman of Croatia. On Saturday, the President of the General Assembly, Dr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, issued a statement, in which he observed that Dr. Tudjmans life mirrored the history of modern- day Croatia: as an anti-fascist partisan movement hero during the Second World War; as the youngest general in the Yugoslav Army; as a dissident, political prisoner, politician and first President of the independent Republic of Croatia. Dr. Tudjman, he said, would be remembered as the father of his nation and as the architect of Croatian nationalism and independence. Copies of that statement are available in room 378.
The President also sent a message to the Interregional Seminar and Symposium on International Norms and Standards relating to Disability, meeting in Hong Kong from 13 to 17 December. He congratulated the organizers for taking on the significant challenge which the international community would continue to face in the new millennium, that of making our societies truly accessible, caring and inclusive for all, regardless of disabilities. He said the Seminar/Symposium was a welcome, innovative and unique undertaking to translate the commitment of the international community into concrete policies, strategies and programmes aimed at furthering equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities. Copies of the Presidents message are available in room 378. (See Press Release GA/SM/139.)
There is no plenary meeting this morning, the General Assembly having postponed consideration of the item on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina to a future date, at the request of the parties concerned.
Tomorrow, the Assembly will hold open-ended informal consultations of the plenary on agenda item 49 (b), the Millennium Assembly of the United Nations. The closed-door meeting, on preparations for the Millennium Summit and Assembly, will take place in Conference Room 1.
This morning, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) will select Dulce Maria Buergo Rodriguez (Cuba) as a Vice-Chairman, replacing Judith Maria Cardoze (Panama) who is no longer with the Mission. The Committee is expected to conclude discussion on the financing of the International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda; to introduce items under the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001, including reports on the Development Account. The report of the Secretary-General (A/C.5/54/37) contains 16 projects proposed for financing from the resources of the Account. The Committee will also begin discussing items under the 1998-1999 budget; and will continue its consideration of the item on administrative and budgetary aspects of the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations. It will hear the introduction of a draft decision (A/C.5/54/L.16), which would have the Assembly decide that, from the date of adoption, all financial contributions of Ukraine to the Organization would be counted against the minimum payments required to avoid the loss of voting rights in the General Assembly under Article 19 of the Charter.
Concerning the appointments of the President, at 12:30 p.m., he will unveil a commemorative stamp in connection with the launch of the International Year of Thanksgiving 2000. The ceremony will be held in front of the Norman Rockwell mosaic, Do Unto Others, located on the 3rd floor. The press is invited to witness the ceremony. In his remarks, the President commends the major religions of the world for joining together and proposing that the United Nations celebrate 2000 as the International Year of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, he states, is basic in human nature and is observed worldwide; it ties human communities together and encourages brotherhood and sharing. It is his special wish that the power and compassion of thanksgiving will guide us in a special way in 2000, so that we can concentrate on what unites us and make the coming century the thankful century. Copies of the Presidents remarks are available in room 378. (See Press Release GA/SM/140.)
At 1:15 p.m., the President will attend a luncheon in his honour, hosted by the Secretary-General. He is meeting, at the moment, with the Chairman of the Joint Inspection Unit, Louis D. Ouedraogo. At 3 p.m., he will meet with the Permanent Representatives of Australia, Canada, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and the United States to discuss the Millennium Assembly. Later this evening, he is invited to a reception hosted by the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan, Ambassador Aksoltan Ataeva, on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of that countrys independence.
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