DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
20000114The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General:
My fans are all at the stakeout. So I'll go through this for the record.
**Security Council Notes
The Security Council met for closed consultations this morning. Iraq had been on the agenda in the expectation that the Secretary-General would announce the appointment -- or at least the nomination -- of a Chairman for the United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC), that's for Iraq.
However, as he came into the building this morning the Secretary-General told reporters that his consultations with the Security Council were continuing. He said, "it's been a bit more complicated than one would have had expected". The Secretary-General said he still hopes to meet the 30-day deadline, which runs out on Sunday.
As you know the Secretary-General met at 5 p.m. yesterday with the five permanent members of the Security Council and he is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. this afternoon to meet with the 10 non-permanent members.
**Notes from East Timor: Fiscal Authority Established
The National Consultative Council (NCC) in East Timor today adopted two new regulations.
The first establishes a Central Fiscal Authority, which United Nations Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello described as "an embryo of the future Ministry of Finance of East Timor".
The second governs the use of currency during the transition period, abolishing foreign exchange controls and establishing that parties to a commercial contract can choose any foreign currency to meet their obligations.
The NCC also approved a six-month reconstruction and development plan as requested by the international donors at a pledging conference in Tokyo in December. It includes timetables for projects on a range of areas, from agriculture to telecommunications.
Finally, the Council decided to pay civil servants out of a United Nations Trust Fund. They would be given a stipend of between $77 and $318 a month for three months, while the United Nations carries out a cost-of-living survey to establish a salary scale for the civil service.
After the NCC meeting, Mr. Vieira de Mello gave a press conference, and we have a transcript of that in my office.
Still on East Timor, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi briefed the Security Council on the main developments there over the three weeks since the last briefing was given. The Secretary-General will give a report to the Council at the end of this month. We expect that Sergio Vieira de Mello will come to New York in the first week of February to introduce that report.
**Secretary-General Addresses Women's International Forum
The Secretary-General today addressed the Women's International Forum at 11 a.m. this morning and sketched out the United Nations agenda for the year 2000. He said the reduction of poverty and equal access to technology is one of the biggest challenges ahead. "Half the world's people have never made or received a telephone call", he said. "Hundreds of millions of people are completely excluded from globalization's benefits. Attacking these inequities and bringing these people in from the margins is certainly one of the biggest projects for the twenty-first century."
We expect to have copies of his speech as delivered available shortly.
**Notes from Kosovo: Serious Power Shortage Leaves Many Cold
Imagine on a bitter cold day like today having power for only two hours out of every six hours.
That's what the people of Kosovo are coping with as they suffer from a serious power shortage in the province. The situation is expected to improve when the second of two power stations which was damaged by a fire earlier this week begins operating later today.
Against this backdrop, UNHCR, that's the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, reports that a winter emergency team is seeing what can be done for elderly persons in the Pristina area. UNHCR also said that it is bringing in 100,000 more blankets and 380,000 thermal coats to cope with the situation. In the Glogovac region, UNHCR said it had opened a shelter for those who need heat. It has one heated room.
Looking ahead, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) announced today that Kosovo Protection Corps will be formally established in a ceremony next Wednesday. On that occasion, 43 senior Corps leaders will be sworn in. They will make a pledge of honour to commit themselves to the betterment of their community. The Secretary-General's Special Representative, Bernard Kouchner, and Kosovo Protection Force (KFOR) Commander Gen. Klaus Reinhardt will speak at the ceremony.
The remainder of the Corps -- 3,000 active members and up to 2,000 reservists -- will be appointed by the end of January, and the Corps is expected to be operational by September this year.
UNMIK will hold a swearing-in ceremony around Kosovo next week.
You should see the UNMIK briefing note for more details on these and other developments, including the latest police update for Kosovo.
**North Caucasus: Rate of Refugee Returns Drops Sharply
The High Commissioner for Refugees also reports that daily numbers of Chechens returning from Ingushetia have dropped sharply over the past few days, as fighting and artillery bombardment resumed around Gudermes and Shali, which had been previously regarded as relatively quiet. The daily number of those crossing back to Chechnya dropped to a mere 300 yesterday, down from 1,500 or more just a few days ago. The drop is also linked to recent statements by Russian military commanders that men between the ages of 10 and 60 will not be allowed in and out of Chechnya and will not be considered "refugees". The Russian military are now reported to be preventing men between those ages from leaving or entering Chechnya.
UNHCR is very concerned and we have asked the Russian Government for clarification of these military statements. All those fleeing the war in Chechnya are in need of international protection regardless of their gender or age.
**UNICEF Reports on Use of Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) about 5,000 children, some of them as young as 5-years old, are estimated to be have been involved in the conflict in Sierra Leone. Fifty-five per cent of the reported 4,000 missing children are documented cases of abduction. In 1999, only 801 children were released by the rebel forces to UNICEF.
Today in Geneva, Mary Robinson, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed the Working Group which is currently drafting an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the child aimed at raising the minimum age for children in armed forces from 15 to 18. She said, "I believe the question at issue is not the difference between 16, 17 and 18 years of age. The fundamental point is the distinction between children and adults". She recalled the recommendations by the Secretary-General that measures to eliminate the use of children as soldiers should be aimed at rebel movements as well as states, and that arms embargoes should be imposed on parties to armed conflict which recruit children.
You can get the full text of her remarks in my office.
**Notes from Burundi
As you know, we have scheduled a background briefing on the subject of Burundi by a senior United Nations official, and that will be here in this room at 1 p.m. today.
We have learned that the rate of arrival of Burundians into Tanzania has continued steadily, with nearly 1,000 people arriving in Tanzania every day. Since the beginning of the year, over 10,000 Burundian refugees have been settled into a newly opened site -- Karago Refugee Camp. But within three weeks of its opening, Karago Camp has nearly reached half its capacity of 45,000 to 50,000. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says this situation in Tanzania is very worrying, particularly if the refugees continue to arrive at the rate we've seen over the past few weeks. UNHCR has utilized all sites allocated for refugees by the Tanzanian Government. Options for the future settlement of newly arriving Burundian refugees in Tanzania are very few and very costly.
**Criminal Tribunal Sentences Five Bosnian Croats
This morning in The Hague, The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia sentenced five Bosnian Croats to terms ranging from six to 25 years. One of the accused was acquitted. The six accused were charged in connection with their alleged role in the attack on the village of Ahmici in Central Bosnia on 16 April 1993 and the massacre there of 116 Bosnian Muslims villagers.
In his summary of the Judgement, Judge Cassese said, "This was not a combat operation. Rather, it was a well-planned and well organized killing of civilian members of an ethnic group, the Muslims, by the military of another ethnic group, the Croats."
A press release form the Tribunal is available in my office.
**Secretary-General Appoints New UNFPA Deputy Executive Director
The Secretary-General announced today the appointment of Kunio Waki of Japan as Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
He succeeds Hirofumi Ando, who is retiring. The Secretary-General expressed his sincere appreciation to Mr. Ando for his contribution to the Fund.
The appointment becomes effective 1 February, and we have a press release in my office.
**UNEP Press Release Available
We also have upstairs a press release from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the economic impact caused by recent disasters on the insurance industry worldwide.
The economic losses from the past 24 climate or weather-related catastrophes alone have exceeded $150 billion, of which $65 billion was insured, and that's according to insurance industry data.
Klaus Toepfer, the Executive Director of UNEP said, "These events are further evidence that -- as the insurance industry has constantly highlighted -- society urgently needs to better manage environmental risks".
**New Issue of UN Development Update Available
The January-February issue of UN Development Update is out today. We have copies at the documents counter.
The new issue covers the consequences of the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Seattle, Washington, preparations for the tenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Bangkok in February, and General Assembly plans for an unprecedented global meeting on finances for development planned for next year.
**DPI Announcement
The Department of Public Information has asked me to tell you that on Monday, 17 January, about 350 teachers will be participating in a day-long conference for educators on "Educating about the Culture of Peace in the New Millenium". Kim Phuc, the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization's (UNESCO) Goodwill Ambassador for the Culture of Peace, will be among the speakers, and for more information you can contact Hasan Ferdous at extension 3-6555
**UNCA Announcement
The Correspondent's Association has asked me to announce that their annual general membership meeting will be held also on Monday, 17 January at 2 p.m. in the UNCA Club. You're all invited to attend.
**The Week Ahead
We have the week ahead for you. I'll highlight just a few things:
Monday, 17 January
In Western Sahara, the United Nations is expected to issue the second provisional voter list, following the Identification Commission's completion of voter identification last month. On the same day, the United Nations Mission will begin to receive appeals at 14 centres.
Also on Monday, here at United Nations Headquarters, the Under-Secretary- General for Peacekeeping Operations Bernard Miyet is expected to appear at the noon press briefing to talk to you about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This briefing is in anticipation of the Secretary-General's report on the DRC. If that report is not issued to the Council on Monday morning, as we now expect, we might have to reschedule that briefing.
Wednesday, 19 January
On Wednesday, the Council will hear an open briefing on Burundi by former South African President Nelson Mandela, who is the new facilitator of the Arusha peace process.
Thursday, 20 January
United States Senator Jesse Helms, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will meet with Security Council in closed session.
**Quiz of the Week
We haven't had a quiz for a few weeks. Let me try you out on the subject of Angola sanctions.
As you know, Ambassador Robert Fowler of Canada, who chairs the Angola Sanctions Committee, will brief the Security Council next Tuesday on Angolan sanctions. So this week tests you knowledge of those sanctions. The information is taken from the Committee Chairman's last reports on the subject.
First question: How much money is UNITA estimated to have earned through diamond revenues since 1992?
1. About $2 billion 2. $3 to $4 billion 3. More than $5 billion
[One correspondent answered correctly from the floor.]
Answer: UNITA has earned an estimated $3 to $4 billion from diamonds since 1992, according to the Sanctions Committee.
Next question: Legitimate diamond sales account for how much of the gross domestic products of Angola's neighbours Botswana and Namibia?
1. Less than half 2. About half 3. More than two-thirds
Answer: More than two-thirds of the GDPs of both Namibia and Botswana come from diamond revenues.
Final question: True or false: The number of Angolans killed since the civil war began exceeds one million.
Answer: True.
Ok, now you can question me.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Senator Helms. Is there going to be any open session or is it all going to be behind closed doors.
Spokesman: My understanding, although I'm not sure the plans have been finalized, is that it will be some kind of closed session of the Council.
Question: Why closed?
Spokesman: I don't know. You'll have to ask the Council members, and particularly the Council President why this was arranged this way. He will be meeting with the Secretary-General earlier in the day. And then the next day he will conduct a hearing of his committee, here in New York, but not at the United Nations, which will be first a hearing at which testimony will be given and second, an informational hearing at which two United Nations officials will take questions from Committee members. And those officials are Joseph Connor, the Under-Secretary- General for Management, and John Ruggie, an Assistant Secretary-General in the Secretary-General's office.
Question: Does the Secretary-General consider it unlikely that the Security Council will agree on a chairman for UNMOVIC today, and, the second part of that question, does he fell it's essential that the selection be made by Sunday because that's what the resolution states.
Spokesman: He continues to pressure Council members to resolve their differences and signal him the name of one of the candidates who he has proposed, or even a new one they might come up with that he hasn't proposed on which they can agree. He feels that it is important that this be done by Sunday, which is the stated deadline in the resolution. As I already mentioned, he'll be meeting with the non-permanent members again this afternoon. He said coming into the building this morning he's still hopeful that it can be done by Sunday.
Question: Same subject. Just on planning purposes, if he does announce it on Sunday -- if he does decide on Sunday -- will it be announced on Sunday or wait until Monday?
Spokesman: Let's wait and see. My guess is if the decision is made Sunday that's when it would be announced.
Question: And secondly, is it true that China is insisting that the Executive Chairman must come from a southern country?
Spokesman: I can't go into any of the positions of individual members of the Council. I'm sorry.
Question: If I can ask you one more related question. If for some reason a Chairman would not be selected by Sunday, does that affect the integrity of the resolution itself, that that deadline wasn't met? Spokesman: The Council will have to decide what to do -- whether to formally extend the deadline -- I'm not sure that there is a precedent for this. The lawyers will have to come out and consider how that matter should be dealt with. But that's still hypothetical for the moment and as I said, the Secretary-General is hoping it can be done by Sunday, so let's see what happens.
Question: The Secretary-General shared the concern of the High Commissioner about the whole issue of the situation in Chechnya?
Spokesman: The Secretary-General does, I would say. I haven't discussed this with him this morning, but I know from his past position that he has considerable concern -- great concern -- and I think it's expected that this will be one of the items on his agenda when he travels to Moscow later this month.
Question: Has the Security Council privately -- one of the ten or one of the five permanent members -- said something about this situation to him?
Spokesman: You'll have to ask them, whether they've taken this matter up either with each other in closed Council sessions or with the Secretary-General.
Thank you very much.
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