DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
20000323The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon.
**Security Council Considers UN Role in Disarmament; Secretary-General Calls for Focus on Needs of Child Soldiers
The Secretary-General began today's open debate in the Security Council on the role that United Nations peacekeeping plays in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, by saying that it is essential that those three activities be integrated into any peace agreement that is reached.
He noted the findings in his report last month to the Security Council on those three activities, and said that the United Nations needs to build on its current role by strengthening its focus on the needs of child soldiers. Recently, he noted, United Nations operations in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) included child protection advisers to identify children's special concerns.
The Secretary-General also called for more flexibility by the Security Council in using assessed funding for disarmament and demobilization tasks, so that some key activities -- including the destruction of weapons and the establishment of "quick- impact" projects -- can take place before voluntary funding is received.
The open debate is continuing, and is likely to last into the afternoon. By the time of the briefing, 27 Member States were inscribed on the speakers' list. At the end of the debate, the Council will issue a presidential statement.
Tomorrow, the Council is expected to hear an open briefing on the Secretary- General's latest report on the humanitarian situation in Iraq, including the findings of the recent visit of a Group of Experts that studied the state of Iraq's oil industry.
**Connor Reports United Nations Financial Picture to Fifth Committee
This morning in the Fifth Committee, Under-Secretary-General for Management Joseph Connor delivered an assessment of the United Nation's financial situation at the end of 1999.
Mr. Connor expects to present those findings to you at a press briefing on Monday, and we don't want to get too far ahead of what he says in that briefing. However, his basic message to the Committee is that, after years of being on the financial brink, the United Nations last year took a step back from the precipice, with cash balances up, unpaid assessments down and debts to Member States also down. That debt, of course, would be due to troop contributors.
At the end of last year, the United Nations had nearly $1.1 billion in cash balances -- up from a total of some $736 million by the end of the previous year.
Daily Press Briefing - 2 - 23 March 2000
Unpaid assessments by year's end stood at some $1.7 billion, which, although still substantial, is less than the more than $2 billion that was owed by the end of 1998.
So the picture is a little better than before, although still quite a way from being rosy. We'll leave it to Joseph Connor to give you further details on Monday.
The Fifth Committee will continue its work in the afternoon in closed consultations.
**Secretary-General Urges Panel to Think Imaginatively about Practical Ways to Improve UN Peace Operations
The Secretary-General's panel on United Nations Peace Operations concluded their inaugural session yesterday, and agreed to meet next at the end of May in London.
The Secretary-General, at their opening session, urged them to think broadly and imaginatively about practical ways that the United Nations system as a whole might better respond to threats to international peace and security.
The panelists discussed the structure of the study and the report itself, and agreed on the ways they would maintain a dialogue among themselves throughout the process.
The panelists hope to meet again in the second half of July, here at Headquarters, to discuss and review the actual text of the report, which the Secretary-General asked be submitted that month.
**Spokesman Responds to Questions on Iraq
In a belated response to your requests for a readout of the meeting between the Secretary-General and his Special Representative for Iraq, Prakash Shah, I can say the following:
You'll recall that the Secretary-General had decided in August that it was not necessary for his Special Representative to remain in Baghdad. Consequently, Mr. Shah was based India and travelled to Iraq from time to time in the capacity of Special Representative.
In light of the Security Council's new plan for inspection and monitoring in Iraq, the Secretary-General considers that a Special Representative is not required at this time. He has informed Mr. Shah and thanked him for his contribution over the past two years as his Special Representative.
**Special Rapporteur Opens Debate on Racism at Commission on Human Rights in Geneva
The Commission on Human Rights began a debate on racism this afternoon in Geneva by listening to a presentation from the Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The Special Rapporteur, Maurice Glele Ahanhanzo of Benin, said it seemed the closer one got to the World Conference on Racism to be held next year in South Africa, the more xenophobic and racist forces manifested themselves.
He cited three events that had retained his attention over the past year: the rise to power in Austria of the Freedom Party, the attacks against mostly Moroccan migrant workers in southern Spain and the killing by New York City police of Amadou Diallo in a hail of bullets. The report of the Special Representative is contained in a document available on the Web site of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.unhcr.ch)
We have the text in my office, but only in French.
**Notes from Sierra Leone: UNHCR Staff in Kenema to Assess Health, Social Services for Rape Victims
In Sierra Leone, a United Nations Human Rights Officer went yesterday to Kenema, in Southern Sierra Leone, to assess the availability of health and social services for victims of rape and sexual abuse. According to medical sources in Kenema, a number of female abductees returning from the region controlled by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in recent weeks have died from malnutrition and infection.
Treating physicians stated that in the past week alone 12 children and women have died from complications arising from the physical abuse, poor medical treatment and malnourishment. The doctors strongly suspect that HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and infections from injuries caused by rape and the sexual abuse contributed to the weakened state of these female victims.
In other news from Sierra Leone, a United Nations peacekeeping patrol travelling from the eastern town of Kailahun to Buedu, 30 kilometres east of Kailahun, was obstructed by a local RUF Commander who said prior permission from Foday Sankoh, the RUF leader, was required for the patrol to go forward. The patrol will make another attempt to go to Buedu tomorrow.
**Students and Teachers Return to Schools in East Timor; 686 Schools Repaired, Registered with UNICEF
From East Timor, we have reports of more progress, this time on the education front. Ninety-two percent of the East Timorese children who attended primary school in 1998-99 are back in the classroom. In numbers, this means that more than 147,000 children are being taught by 6,400 teachers.
There are now 686 schools registered with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in East Timor. They have been repaired with assistance from the United Nations Mission in that country (UNTAET), as well as the International Force (INTERFET), and also a contribution from the United States Navy.
There is no standard curriculum yet in East Timor; however, the United Nations is planning to establish one by next October.
**WFP Announces Plan to Help Feed Starving, Displaced Ugandans in North.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today announced that it would spend $50 million over the next two years to ensure that hundreds of Northern Ugandans living precarious existences continue to receive food aid. A press release, issued this morning, says: The announcement comes at a crucial moment, as violent attacks by rebel groups operating in the northern part of the country continue unabated, and tens of thousands of Ugandans have been forced out of their homes.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 23 March 2000
We have that press release if you are interested.
**UN Foundation Announces New Projects; Focus on Women's Health, AIDS Prevention
Today, the United Nations Foundation, the charity founded by Ted Turner, announced that it would invest $17 million to support 11 United Nations projects, with a particular focus on women's health and HIV/AIDS prevention.
The new round of UN Foundation funding, which is its sixth round, includes: $6 million on AIDS prevention projects in southern Africa; $3 million to the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to meet the needs of adolescent girls in Bangladesh and $1million in relief assistance for Mozambique.
We have a press release from the United Nations Foundation available in the Spokesman's Office with more details.
**Danube River Protection Commission to Hold Press Conference in Vienna
It was announced today in Vienna that the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River will give a press conference on the 30th of this month in Vienna on the mining incidents in Baia Mare and Baia Borsa and their impact on the Tisza/Danube river system. They have put out a background paper on the situation, which is available in my office.
**UNCA Announcement
The United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) invites all of you, as well as any non-governmental organizations that might be interested, to a briefing by Richard Barrett, a former Values Coordinator at the World Bank who is now an international business consultant. He will be speaking on the subject of "the Global Transformation of Business and Society." That will be at 1:15 p.m. today in the UNCA Club.
Are there any questions on this slow news day?
Questions and Answers
Question: Do you have any news about the situation in certain regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo? There have been reports of a clash between the two armed forces there.
Spokesman: No. We did say yesterday, though, that we had reports of renewed fighting in the eastern Congo, and there was a reaction from the Security Council to that. I also quoted [Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations] Bernard Miyet, who reacted from Paris. There's nothing fresh that I have on that for today.
Question: Does the Secretary-General have any reaction to the recent visit to Libya by United States consular officials?
Spokesman: I don't have any specific guidance, but I'm sure he would welcome an opening up of dialogue.
Question: Can you elaborate on the contribution by the United States Navy to United Nations efforts in East Timor?
Spokesman: I don't have details on that. I'll check after the briefing to see if I can get you some more information on that.
Thank you very much. * *** *