DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19991222The 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.
For those of you who were around last night you know that we confirmed that the United States made a payment of $51.2 million to the regular budget yesterday. And that amount puts them in excess of what was needed for them to maintain their vote in the General Assembly. And in that connection, we've asked Joseph Connor, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, to brief you on the current financial situation of the Organization at the end of this year. And we'll get to you in just a minute, Joe.
[Mr. Connor's press briefing will be issued separately.]
**Security Council: Briefings on Democratic Republic of Congo and East Timor
In the last meeting for this week, the Security Council held consultations this morning, and heard a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi on the subject of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That follows on a briefing yesterday on the deteriorating military and security situation, particularly in the eastern part of that country. Council members agreed on a press statement, which was read out by the President.
They then went across the hall to the Council chamber for a formal meeting -- or open meeting -- on the subject of East Timor. Again, Hedi Annabi started that meeting with a briefing. He expressed deep appreciation to the governments which pledged $522 million to East Timor at the Tokyo Conference on the sixteenth and seventeenth of this month.
He said the security situation in East Timor continued to be stable. The humanitarian situation, while remaining difficult, had improved. He reported continued intimidation of refugees in West Timor by militia. He said the United Nations mission had established a skeletal administration in all 13 districts of East Timor and had deployed 275 international civilian police monitors throughout the territory.
He said the multinational force, INTERFET, continued to discover mass graves. He said also that INTERFET would be replaced by a military component of the United Nations mission in the month of February, next year. The United Nations mission, meanwhile, is working very closely with the East Timorese and will be setting up a commission to deal with the appointment of a civil service, which will be reduced in size from what was maintained by the Indonesian Government so that it can be self- sustaining.
We made copies of his comments available to you before he spoke. And there were 10 speakers on the speaker's list following Mr. Annabi's briefing. **Notes from East Timor: Journalists Reject Censorship, Form Professional Association
It was reported in Dili today that 45 Timorese journalists established a professional association, rejecting all forms of censorship. Nobel laureate Jose Ramos Horta was present at the signing ceremony, and declared his intention to return to journalism once he quits politics.
The United Nations also today organized a visit to Dili by some 94 orphan children from the town of Baucau, most of whom had never been to Dili before. They were greeted by Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations Interim Administrator, and by the INTERFET commander, General Peter Cosgrove. And they received gifts from the soldiers of INTERFET.
**Notes from Kosovo
The Secretary-General's monthly report to the Security Council on the international security presence in Kosovo is out as a document today.
The Kosovo Force, known as KFOR, said it continued its deployment into the theatre. And by the end of November there were some 48,000 troops in place. KFOR observed no significant change in the security situation since the last report, but did say that attacks against ethnic minorities continued to give cause for concern, and flagged the potential for tension to escalate in areas of confrontation between the Albanian and Serb communities, such as the town of Mitrovica.
We also have today's briefing notes from Pristina, in which the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) reported an earthquake today in the town of Prizren. Two sets of tremors were felt and United Nations personnel reported that tiles fell off the walls during the quake. We have no information concerning any causalities, if there were any. UNMIK also reported that as of 20 December there were 1,938 police in Kosovo.
**Statement Attributable to Spokesman for Secretary-General
Following statement is attributable to the Spokesman:
Pursuant to Security Council resolution 1271 (1999) of 22 October which envisaged the phased withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA), the first four United Nations infantry companies repatriated from Bangui last week. The drawdown of the civilian and military personnel of the Mission will be conducted in stages, with the full closure of MINURCA envisaged for 15 February next year.
With the challenging tasks performed by this mission almost complete, the Secretary-General, in his letter to the Security Council of 3 December, proposed to establish a United Nations Peace-Building Support Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA), aimed at assisting in the efforts to consolidate peace, strengthen democratic institutions and economic recovery. The Security Council has taken note of the Secretary-General's proposal with appreciation.
MINURCA has been a source of stability both in the Central African Republic and in the subregion. The United Nations will do everything possible to ensure a seamless transition from peacekeeping to the post-conflict peace-building phase in the country.
**Norway Contributes to Ethiopia-Eritrea Trust Fund
We can confirm today that the Government of Norway is contributing 3.75 billion kroners, which is equivalent to a little less than half a million dollars, to the United Nations Trust Fund to demarcate the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. That amount is in addition to the Norwegian Government's previous contribution of the same amount, bringing their total contribution now to about $1 million.
**Statement by Chief Prosecutor for Rwanda and former Yugoslavia Tribunals
We have copies of a statement issued in The Hague today by Carla Del Ponte, the Chief Prosecutor, marking her first 100 days in office. She says, "next year will perhaps be the most important year so far for the Rwanda Tribunal", and said she vowed to spend a considerable portion of her time on Rwanda Tribunal business.
Saying "there must be no safe havens for those indicted for war crimes", the United Nations Chief Prosecutor said her top priority in the former Yugoslavia will be the arrest of leading figures who are still at liberty. Looking ahead, Del Ponte said there will be significant trials in the year, some of which will reveal evidence of matters that have not yet been dealt with at a trial. She promised to deliver the concrete results of a great deal of work that has been going on behind the scenes for many months.
In conclusion, she said she and her colleagues at both Tribunals are rapidly building a unique legal system "of which we can justifiably be proud".
**Statement by Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict
We have here from the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, that's Olara Ottunu, a statement in which he congratulates the Colombian army in discharging the final contingent of 950 soldiers who are under the age of 18. "This is a very welcome example", he said, "which I hope will be followed by other governments and armed groups who still recruit and deploy children in their ranks".
**Joint UNEP-Habitat Press Release on Assistance to Venezuela
We have a joint press release from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) outlining an offer of assistance to the Government of Venezuela from both organizations following the devastation caused by two weeks of torrential rain.
**Ghana Becomes Sixth Country to Ratify Rome Statute
We are told that Ghana has completed its ratification of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court (ICC) by depositing its ratification. So Ghana now becomes the sixth country to ratify that statute. Sixty are needed for it to come into force.
**World Chronicle Television Programme
The World Chronicle television programme today to be aired at 2:30 p.m. on in- house channels 3 and 21 will feature Ambassador Francesco Paolo Fulci, the President of the Economic and Social Council.
**UN Security Chief to Brief Journalists on Security Situation during Holiday Season
Mike McCann, the United Nations Chief of Security, would like to discuss with you -- journalists -- the security situation over the holidays here at Headquarters. He's asked you to meet him in my office at 2:30 this afternoon. So, if you wouldn't mind huddling together in my office to hear what he has to say. It won't take long.
**Press Conference by Carol Bellamy
And finally, at 12:30 in this room we will have a press conference by Carol Bellamy, the Head of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), saying that humanitarian favouritism is threatening the lives and future of the most needy children and women in the developing world. So there's a press release out on that as well. It's embargoed until 12:30.
I'd like to go as quickly as possible to Shirley, so that we have a full 15 minutes for Mr. Connor. But if you have any questions for me, fire away.
**Questions and Answers
Question: There is a statement attributable to Ambassador Holbrooke saying that the month of January will be the month of Africa. How does the Secretary- General intend to profit from the situation, from such a super-Power as the United States making such a statement?
Spokesman: Well, I think what he's alluding to in his statement is that he will be in the chair as President of the Council in the month of January. He's planned a series of open meetings on various African issues. He wants to put the emphasis on Africa. The Secretary-General certainly welcomes that.
Shirley?
Briefing by Spokeswoman for General Assembly President
The President of the General Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab, will inform the Members that the date of recess is postponed to tomorrow, 23 December, to enable the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) to conclude its work. That Committee will hold an evening meeting, starting at 6 p.m., at which it is expected to, among other actions, vote on the programme budget for the biennium 2000-2001 and conclude this stage of its work. Under-Secretary-General Joseph Connor will tell you more.
At this mornings meeting, the Assembly is taking action on 10 reports of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial), as well as on three plenary items.
The 10 Second Committee reports (A/54/585-594 and Addenda) contain 39 draft resolutions and 11 draft decisions on: macroeconomic policy questions; sectoral policy questions; sustainable development and international economic cooperation; environment and sustainable development; operational activities for development; training and research; the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources; globalization and interdependence; implementation of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006); and the report of the Economic and Social Council.
Recorded votes were held on three draft texts: Towards a stable and equitable international financial system, responsive to the challenges of development, especially in the developing countries (A/54/585/Add.2) was adopted by a vote of 155 in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions; Unilateral economic measures as a means of political and economic coercion against developing countries (A/54/585/Add.3) was adopted by a vote of 107 in favour to 3 against (Germany, Marshall Islands and United States), with 46 abstentions; and Permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources (A/54/591) was adopted by a vote of 145 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with 6 abstentions. Action on the report on implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the 1990s is postponed pending a Fifth Committee report on the programme budget implications.
After considering Second Committee reports, the Assembly will take action on the three draft resolutions I elaborated upon yesterday. Guyana will introduce the draft on international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters from relief to development (A/54/L.74); Venezuela will introduce the text on assistance to Venezuela following the devastating floods and landslides (A/54/L.76); and Cameroon will introduce the draft on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (A/54/L.75).
In the text on international cooperation on humanitarian assistance in the field of natural disasters from relief to development, the Assembly expresses deep concern at the increasing number and scale of natural disasters resulting in massive losses of life and property worldwide, particularly in vulnerable societies lacking adequate capacity to mitigate effectively long-term negative social, economic and environmental consequences of natural disasters. The Assembly calls upon States to adopt, where required, and to continue to effectively implement necessary legislative and other appropriate measures to mitigate the effects of natural disasters; and stresses the need to strengthen efforts at all levels to improve natural disaster awareness, prevention, preparedness and early warning systems.
On assistance to Venezuela, the Assembly expresses its solidarity, at this difficult time, with the Government and people of Venezuela in their efforts to cope with the serious humanitarian and material consequences of the disaster; appeals to all Member States, the United Nations system, international financing institutions and non-governmental organizations to respond urgently and provide generous assistance to Venezuela in its relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts and programmes following the unprecedented calamity it has suffered, while expressing its gratitude to all who, with such great generosity, are providing assistance to Venezuela in the initial immediate relief work. The Assembly expresses deep gratitude to the Secretary-General for the urgent steps he has taken to mobilize emergency humanitarian assistance, and requests him to make all necessary arrangements to continue mobilizing and coordinating humanitarian assistance throughout the United Nations system to support the efforts of the Venezuelan Government.
And on the item on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa, the Assembly requests its President to put into effect the establishment of the open-ended ad hoc working group to monitor the implementation of the recommendations made by the Secretary-General in his report to the Assembly and Security Council on this subject, as well as those made by the Economic and Social Council at its substantive session of 1999. The President is also requested, at the current session, to establish the ad hoc working group, to serve as its ex officio chairman, to designate two vice-chairpersons and to convene an organizational meeting of the working group not later than March 2000 to decide on modalities and develop arrangements for its effective functioning.
Concerning draft resolution A/54/L.23, which contained a draft Code of Conduct for Member States, and the amendments thereto, in A/54/L.46, the President will announce that the co-sponsors of both texts have withdrawn their proposals. That draft resolution, you may recall, was submitted under agenda item 39, entitled Support by the United Nations system of the efforts of governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies.
The Assembly is expected to take action on Fifth Committee reports tomorrow, and recess the main part of its fifty-fourth regular session.
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