In progress at UNHQ

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

16 June 2000



Press Briefing


DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL

20000616

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Manoel de Almeida e Silva, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) today completed its inspection on the ground of the Lebanese border. However, the verification work is not yet complete. There are a few pending matters, which are in the course of being resolved. As soon as we have further information, we will let you know.

**Ethiopia/Eritrea

A three-man planning team from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is leaving later today for the Algerian capital of Algiers where a peace plan for an end to the Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict is being worked out. The United Nations stands ready to send experts to Ethiopia and Eritrea when the conditions are right.

Meanwhile, we have the latest humanitarian update from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the plight of Eritrean refugees and displaced persons, and a statement by the acting United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Carolyn McAskie, urging the international donor community to respond generously to appeals for assistance. In addition, we have a statement issued by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Carol Bellamy, welcoming news of a ceasefire in the conflict, saying that it clears the way for a renewed emphasis on humanitarian relief to the drought- affected region.

**Security Council Consultations

Consultations are under way in the Security Council on the draft resolution on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Council hopes to adopt the resolution later today. Scheduled prior to consultations was a so-called Arria formula meeting with the representative of the facilitator of the Inter-Congolese dialogue. At noon, the Security Council had scheduled a closed meeting with members of the Political Committee of the Lusaka Agreement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

**Democratic Republic of Congo

Meanwhile, from the field, we have received news that Rwanda and Uganda have agreed to withdraw their forces from Kisangani in a week's time. The two forces should be more than 100 kilometres from the city by the completion of the process. As you recall, the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kamel Morjane, told you yesterday that the removal of the Rwandan and Ugandan forces will result in the creation of a power vacuum, and he called for the immediate deployment of at least two companies in Kisangani.

Daily Press Briefing - 2 - 16 June 2000

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, has welcomed, in a statement issued today, the new law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo banning recruitment and deployment of children under 18 years into the armed forces.

**Statement Attributable to Spokesman on Somalia

The Secretary-General was encouraged by the news that the Somalia national peace conference has moved into its second phase. He welcomes this development and hopes that it paves the way for substantive talks among representatives of all sectors of Somali society about the political future of their country. He also hopes that it will lead to an agreement of a formation of a transitional arrangement that would safeguard Somalia's sovereignty and prepare the ground for a lasting settlement. The Secretary-General urges all Somalis to join and support the Djibouti peace initiative.

The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to commend the tireless efforts of President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti to help bring about a political resolution to the Somalia conflict. He reiterates his support for the process and looks forward to a successful conclusion of the deliberations in Djibouti.

**Statement Attributable to Spokesman on Ethiopia/Eritrea

The Secretary-General is very gratified on the confirmation that Eritrea and Ethiopia have accepted the proposal of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) on the cessation of hostilities between them. He trusts that this now opens the way for the speedy implementation of the framework agreement and modalities.

The Secretary-General notes that the agreement on the cessation of hostilities calls for an important role for the United Nations that would involve the deployment of a peacekeeping mission to assist in its implementation. The Secretary-General has noted, in this connection, that the parties will address separate requests to him and to the Secretary-General of the OAU for assistance in the implementation of the agreement. The United Nations will support all efforts towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The Secretary-General takes this opportunity to pay tribute to the efforts of the OAU, and particularly those of its current Chairman, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, and to reiterate the readiness of the United Nations to continue to support the efforts of the parties and the OAU to restore peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

**Sierra Leone

A delegation of representatives of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is in Freetown today, where they are urging as a priority the prompt release of the 21 Indian peacekeepers being held by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) at Pendembu. The delegation arrived yesterday and met with the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Oluyemi Adeniji.

**East Timor

We have the briefing notes from Dili today, which mention the seizure by United Nations police of a shipment of illegal ammunition in a cargo container in Dili, the capital of East Timor. The police recovered 200 rounds of soft-nose bullets in a container which had been shipped from Australia, and they are continuing their investigation.

The briefing notes, which are available upstairs, also mention a planned visit by a team from the Indonesian Attorney General's office to Dili in early July. The team intends to question witnesses and collect material evidence relating to last year's massacres. The team is expected to comprise no more than 15 persons and to stay in Dili for about 10 days.

**Payments

Andorra became the ninety-second Member State to complete payment for this year, with a check for over $42,000.

**The Week Ahead

We have upstairs our usual Friday feature, The Week Ahead, which is available in the Spokesman's Office. Also, we have a new edition of the background note on United Nations peacekeeping operations. It says that the total number of military and police personnel serving in these missions is approximately 35,500, contributed by 87 countries. The estimated cost of operations from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001 is $2.2 billion compared to the estimated cost from July 1999 to 30 June 2000 which is $1.5 billion. The outstanding contributions from 1 June 2000 was approximately $2.1 billion.

**Questions and Answers

Question: Is the Secretary-General still trying to get troops into Kisangani next month?

Deputy Spokesman: We definitely need the troops in the country. The discussions for these past two days in the Security Council are very important. The countries have also been briefed and are expressing their concerns on how the deployment should take place and on the conditions on the ground.

Question: At what level was the decision for Rwanda and Uganda to leave Kisangani taken, has it been approved by the Presidents of the two countries?

Deputy Spokesman: I have seen at least one press report on President Museveni. I would have to check on the other for you.

Question: What is the latest on the situation in Lebanon and when would the Secretary-General be ready to confirm to the Security Council that Israel has withdrawn? Also, is his trip to the Middle East contingent on that announcement?

Deputy Spokesman: The verification process has not yet concluded. It has several elements and one of them is the groundwork. That has been done, but after that they have to review their findings on that ground inspection. There are a few matters that need to be solved -- which are about to be solved. We hope that with that being done that the Secretary-General would be able to confirm the withdrawal of the Israeli forces.

Unfortunately, I am not yet in a position to confirm the Secretary-General's trip.

Question: The President of Lebanon has called the line of demarcation fictitious and it seems as if the Lebanese people are harassing the UNIFIL team. Therefore, is it time to assign some of the blame to Lebanon?

Deputy Spokesman: I have not had any reports of harassment and until we have the final confirmation, I would prefer not to get into the substance of the situation.

Question: Concerning the deployment of troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it seems as if efforts are being made to do the contrary to the Secretary-General's recommendations in his report that was issued earlier in the week. Is that the case?

Deputy Spokesman: The deployment also has to be considered in the light of the conditions on the ground. A sudden vacuum is also dangerous, that is why I referred to the conditions on the ground, as well as the ongoing discussions here, including with the Political Committee.

Question: So, you are willing to sacrifice preparedness for the need to go in to fill the vacuum?

Deputy Spokesman: They go together.

Question: Where will the companies come from?

Deputy Spokesman: I do not have that information.

Question: Concerning Lebanon, when will the verification problem be solved? And, do you believe that the Lebanese Government and its army are prepared to perform security functions?

Deputy Spokesman: I cannot tell you when the process will be completed. We have been hoping for it to be done very quickly. I am not in a position to assess the Lebanese institutions at the moment. But UNIFIL has an important role to play in facilitating the process.

Question: Is it essential that the Secretary-General be in New York to confirm the withdrawal from Lebanon or can he be anywhere?

Deputy Spokesman: The Secretary-General's role is not confined to this Building. The world is his area of operation.

Question: Has the Government of Lebanon formally complained that Israel has not yet withdrawn?

Deputy Spokesman: I have not seen any complaint. The process has not yet concluded -- it is about to be concluded -- so there is nothing final as yet.

Question: Is Mr. Larsen going back to Beirut tomorrow?

Deputy Spokesman: I know he is expected to be in New York tomorrow. I do not have his agenda.

Question: Has the Lebanese President's complaint been passed to the United Nations?

Deputy Spokesman: I have not heard of any formal communication.

I just got word that the Secretary-General is likely to come to this room at about 12:40 p.m.

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For information media. Not an official record.