DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
20000321The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good Afternoon.
**Secretary-General on Incident in Kashmir
I have the following statement concerning the killings in Kashmir: The Secretary-General expresses his outrage over the reported massacre of 36 Sikhs in a village on the Indian side of the Line of Control in Kashmir. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
The Secretary-General reiterates his condemnation of all acts of terrorism from whatever quarter. He believes that this most recent terrorist incident in Kashmir is a reminder of the need for a political solution to this long-standing dispute.
Annabi Briefs Security Council on Tajikistan, East Timor
The Security Council this morning began its work with closed consultations on Tajikistan, to work out language for a presidential statement that could be read once the open briefing on Tajikistan concludes.
The Council then went into the first of two open briefings by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi, to hear about the latest developments in East Timor. He said that economic and social conditions remain the primary concern in East Timor, with high unemployment and high prices continuing. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) has undertaken 18 "quick-impact" projects to repair local infrastructure and paid more than 2,500 civil servants at the end of last month.
Mr. Annabi said that the number of major law and order incidents has declined, adding that close to 300 murder cases -- mostly involving crimes that occurred between April and September of last year -- are under investigation.
After some incursions across the border from West Timor earlier this month, he noted, the Indonesian authorities provided assurances that "stern action would be taken against militia activity", including military training near refugee camps. Meanwhile, the United Nations peacekeeping force now stands at 7,310 troops, with total troop strength by the end of March expected to reach 8,600.
Following the current briefing, Mr. Annabi will deliver an open briefing on Tajikistan, which focuses on the Secretary-General's recent report on the successful holding of multi-party elections there and the winding down of the work of the United Nations Mission, which will end its mandate on 15 May. After that session ends, the Council is ready to adopt a presidential statement on Tajikistan.
We have Mr. Annabi's briefing notes on East Timor upstairs, and the Tajikistan notes are expected shortly.
Daily Press Briefing - 2 - 21 March 2000
Tomorrow, the Council will hear another open briefing, on the work of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH).
**Brahimi Chairs Inaugural Meeting of Panel to Study UN Peace Operations
The inaugural meeting of the panel named by the Secretary-General to study all aspects of peace operations by the United Nations takes place this afternoon. The session will last through tomorrow. The panel, which is chaired by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Ambassador Lakhdar Brahimi, has 10 members. Eight names were announced by the Secretary-General on 7 March, and the two others we announced last week.
In announcing the panel, the Secretary-General said there is a need for recommendations to improve United Nations activities in the area of peace and security. The panel will meet in the Deputy Secretary-Generals conference room on the 38th floor. We have arranged for a photo-op and we will also try to get the Secretary-General's opening statement to the group on film for you, if possible.
**Day Two in Sierra Leone: Miyet Meets with NGOs, Heads of UN Agencies
Bernard Miyet, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, is now in Bamako, Mali, where he is scheduled to meet with President Alpha Oumar Konaré. Before leaving Sierra Leone, earlier today, Mr. Miyet met with non-governmental organizations and heads of United Nations agencies represented in that country, and also gave a press conference.
Yesterday, he met with Johnny Paul Koroma and Foday Sankoh, former rebel leaders. He also participated in a follow-up meeting to the meeting held in Bamako earlier this month. Participants at yesterday's meeting, which was chaired by Lansana Kouyate, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), reaffirmed the need for unhindered access by United Nations peacekeepers and gave a deadline of two weeks for the road blocks to be removed.
**Cambodia Talks Continue; Government Seeks UN Advice on Parameters for a Khmer Rouge Trial
United Nations talks with Cambodia over the terms of a Khmer Rouge trial continued today, but neither side commented to the press. There was a full morning session and then a working dinner.
Tomorrow morning, the United Nations team, headed by Legal Counsel Hans Corell, will meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen before departing for New York. Mr. Corell is expected to talk to the press after that meeting.
The Cambodian Government asked the United Nations to advise it on how to make a Cambodian trial of the Khmer Rouge acceptable by international standards. These talks are thought to be the final ones before the Cambodian Parliament takes up legislation to define the parameters of the trial.
**Experts Report on Oil Industry in Iraq available at OIP Web Site
Yesterday afternoon, the Office of the Iraq Programme published on their Web site the report of the group of experts that went to Iraq in January to look into the current state of Iraq's oil industry. The report reflects the combination of expertise the six experts brought to their tasks and the cooperation they received from the Ministry of Oil. Of particular interest is their detailed analysis of holds on Iraq's production capacity. That analysis also indicated the efforts of the Office of the Iraq Programme to have the holds lifted.
The experts argue that too little essential equipment is arriving in Iraq to provide a solution to the daily crises experienced by their oil industry. At present, there is investment of 60 cents per barrel of oil as against the Middle East average of around $1.50 per barrel for operating expenditure. The report is both long and technical -- we have a few copies available in the Office of the Iraq Programme office. We have a single copy in my Office, but you can browse it on the OIP web site [at ].
**Tuta Deemed Fit for Travel to Hague Tribunal to face War Crime Indictments
This morning, Mladen Naletelic, also known as "Tuta", was transported from Zagreb into the custody of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. His transfer had been delayed due to health problems. However, following an examination by an independent medical team last month, he was deemed fit to travel under appropriate medical supervision.
Between April 1993 and at least January 1994, Bosnian Muslim prisoners were interned in a detention centre under the command of Naletelic and his co-accused, Vinko Martinovic. The indictment against them alleges that the detainees were repeatedly tortured by the two, as well as their subordinates. It is also alleged that detainees were taken to the confrontation lines to be used as human shields and to perform dangerous military support tasks benefiting the army of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Defence Council.
The two co-accused are charged with crimes against humanity, violations of the laws or customs of war and grave breaches of the 1949 Geneva Conventions. We have a press release with more details.
**Report Notes Future Need for Migration to Developed Countries
This morning, the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs released a report on "Replacement Migration", on which you just received a briefing by the Population Division's Director, Joseph Chamie.
The report notes that, according to the medium variant of United Nations population projections, population size in Japan and nearly all the countries in Europe is expected to decrease over the next 50 years. Some countries -- including Bulgaria, Estonia and Italy -- could decline by between a quarter and a third of current population levels, according to projections.
The report says that in the future, high levels of migration to those countries would be needed to offset population ageing, entailing vastly more immigration than in the past. Italy, Japan and the Republic of Korea would particularly need higher levels of immigration to offset population decline. Copies of the report are available at the Documents Counter and can also be seen on the Web site (at ).
**Millions at Risk of Famine as Drought Continues in Horn of Africa
Food needs may very well exceed the original estimates of 836,000 metric tons originally requested for the population at risk due to the famine in the Horn of Africa. It is estimated that more than 8 million people are at risk from famine in Ethiopia, of which 2.3 million are at immediate risk. Ethiopia has been in drought condition for about three years, and rain continues to be erratic.
Last January, the United Nations country team in Ethiopia issued a $190 million appeal to address the needs of some 7.7 million drought-affected and 350,000 war-affected persons. The World Food Programme (WFP) last month allotted emergency aid of $137 million to help the estimated 2.3. million people at immediate risk.
**Flow of Displaced Chechens into Ingushetia Increases, UNHCR reports
Today, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported an increase in the number of people fleeing Chechnya into Ingushetia. A new count shows that Ingushetia now hosts 214,0000 people displaced from Chechnya, up from 185,0000 registered just two weeks ago. On Monday, 500 newly displaced persons arrived, fleeing continued fighting. Today, another UNHCR convoy arrived in Nazran, the capital of Ingushetia, bringing 15 trucks of food and medicine.
**Notes from East Timor: UN Mission Challenges Reports of Reverse Migration
From East Timor: A story published yesterday in the Jakarta Post saying that 10,000 East Timorese have returned to West Timor over the last month was challenged this morning by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).
The High Commissioner for Refugees, the Government of West Timor and the United Nations office in Kupang, West Timor, have all reported that there is no evidence of any such movement of people from East to West Timor. More than 153,000 refugees have returned to East Timor since the repatriation began in October.
Meanwhile, the security threat in four districts in East Timor was downgraded yesterday by the mission Force Commander, Jaime de los Santos. In the whole of Sector West, which includes the two border districts, Maliana and Suai, the threat has been lowered from high to medium. In Sector Central, Ermera dropped from high to medium, while in Ainaro the threat was reduced from medium to low. The enclave of Oecussi remains medium, while the rest of the country is graded low.
Also, East Timor joined the rest of the world in one respect, at least, when tax collections began yesterday. The new tax regime covers imports, exports and domestically produced goods. Importers now have to pay a duty of 5 per cent of the customs value of their goods. Humanitarian relief supplies are exempt from tax.
**Balkans Task Force Reports on Use of Uranium Depleted Ordnance in Kosovo Conflict
There is a press release on the racks this morning from the Balkans Task Force (BTF) on the use by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of depleted uranium ordnance in the Kosovo conflict. Some 31,000 rounds of depleted uranium ammunition were used by NATO throughout Kosovo in over 100 flying missions.
More information is needed on the exact location of the depleted uranium ordnance to carry out a comprehensive, objective and scientifically based environmental and human health impact assessment in Kosovo, the BTF concludes in its press release. However, where the location of depleted uranium ammunition is known and contamination has been confirmed, measures should be taken to prevent access, the BTF emphasizes.
**In Djibouti, Preparation Begins for Somalia National Peace Conference
From Somalia: the Symposium of the representatives of Somali civil society started today in Djibouti to help prepare for the Somalia National Peace Conference. They are meeting in their personal capacities and are expected to contribute to the implementation of the Djibouti peace initiative, as outlined by President Ismail Omar Guelleh. About 60 civil society leaders are attending this meeting.
**UNICEF Director Bellamy Calls for End to Violence Affecting Children of Yugoslavia
In a press release issued today, Carol Bellamy, the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), says that one year after the start of NATO air strikes, the children of Yugoslavia remain the most endangered in Europe. She calls for an end to ethnic hatred and violence that casts a shadow over the young generation.
**Jean-David Levitte, New Ambassador of France to UN
With the arrival of a new ambassador of France to the United Nations, Jean- David Levitte, who presented his credentials to the Secretary-General yesterday, my Office has prepared an updated list of Security Council members, which you can pick up in my Office. Ambassador Levitte, of course, replaces Ambassador Alain Dejammet.
**Payment
Spain became the seventy-third Member State to be paid in full for the year 2000 regular budget. Thats with a payment of just over $27 million. We like those big checks. [laughter]
**UNCA Announcement
And finally, a reminder from the Correspondents Association: They will host the new Ambassador of Pakistan, Shamshad Ahmad, for a briefing in the UNCA Lounge today at 3:30 p.m.
OK. Are there any questions?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Will Miyet be back in time to brief the Security Council on disarmament and demobilization?
Spokesman: He will be back because he's going to leave Mali for New York tonight. Whether he will be the one to do the briefing or not, I'll have to check.
Question: Would it be possible to get a readout of the panel meeting from Mr. Brahimi at some point?
Spokesman: We'll ask him. I think he's hoping to get more deeply into the work before he speaks to you. They're really just getting their feet wet with this first meeting, but we'll ask him if he'd like to talk to you.
Question: Does the Secretary-General have any reaction to the report that the uranium depleted ammunition was used in Kosovo which could have put a vast number of civilians in danger?
Spokesman: No. As of today, he has not given me any guidance. You see from the announcement we made that there's still a fair amount of work to be done before the Task Force can say anything that's scientifically sound. I think he might want to wait to see a more scientific analysis of the evidence.
Question: Considering the fact that it was NATO that was responsible and not some other world Powers, do you think he's reluctant to respond?
Spokesman: No, I think he just wants to see the facts established first.
Question: Of course, that (NATO) operation was not approved by the Security Council, but even it had been, would the United Nations or the Secretary-General have anything to say about the type of ordnance that was used? That's not usually something that they get involved with, is it?
Spokesman: No. Even if this military undertaking had been approved by the Security Council, it would have then been under the direction of some Member States or group of Member States that would have organized it and made all the decisions on the type of ordnance to be used and so on.
Question: Is there any type of convention against the use of these weapons?
Spokesman: I'd have to consult with the Disarmament Department before I tried to answer that question. [After the briefing, the Spokesman said that there was no convention that applied to the use of depleted uranium.]
Question: Do you have a readout on the meeting yesterday between the Secretary- General and (Special Envoy) Prakash Shah?
Spokesman: It was, as I understand it, a review of Mr. Shah's mandate and his work. It did include a private meeting between the Secretary-General and Prakash Shah, but I have no readout of what went on in the private meeting.
Question: What is his mandate now?
Spokesman: There's no change. He is a Special Envoy, no longer based in Baghdad, but based in his native India. They were reviewing his activities in light of the creation of the new Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).
Thank you very much.
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