DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
20000627The following is a near-verbatim transcript of todays noon briefing by Manoel de Almeida e Silva, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Secretary-Generals Travels
Good afternoon. Let me start with the Secretary-Generals trip. As you know, hes in Poland today. He arrived in Warsaw yesterday evening. Today, he began an official visit to that country. He first had a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea. He then went to the Parliament building to address a conference entitled, Towards a Community of Democracies. At the Parliament, he met one on one with the Foreign Minister of Poland, Bronislaw Geremek.
In addressing the Conference, he welcomed the decision by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), taken in Algiers last year, to no longer receive as equals African leaders who come to power through unconstitutional means. I look forward to the day when the General Assembly of the United Nations will follow Africas lead, he said, applying similar stringent standards to all its members. The Secretary-Generals address at that Conference is available in our Office upstairs.
Also, in the margins of the Conference, the Secretary-General met with the Foreign Minister of India, Jaswant Singh, and with United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, initially with their delegations and then the three of them privately. The main subject of their discussions was the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). The Secretary-General then had a one-on-one meeting with Secretary of State Albright. At a press encounter afterwards, he said he welcomed the results of the Zimbabwe elections. The people have spoken. We must respect their will and I rejoice for them, he said. Asked whether the Conference in Warsaw was a move towards global government, he replied, I wouldnt go as far as global government, but I think we are learning to govern together, to govern better.
He then visited the World Forum on Democracies, a meeting of non- governmental organizations (NGOs) taking place in parallel with the Democracy Conference. He praised the work of civil society as essential to the success of meeting United Nations goals, then took some questions from the audience. Both the transcript of his press encounter and of his audience encounter at the NGO meeting are on their way to New York. Once theyre available, well share them with you.
The Secretary-General went to the United Nations offices in Warsaw and inaugurated United Nations House, where several United Nations agencies now work together following one of his reform proposals. He then attended a luncheon hosted by the Polish Prime Minister, Jerzy Buzek, and met privately with the Prime Minister in the margins of that luncheon. Later in the afternoon, he met with the President of Poland, Aleksander Kwasniewski. After that meeting, the President awarded the Secretary-General with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. The Secretary-General then laid a wreath at the Tomb of the
Daily Press Briefing - 2 - 27 June 2000
Unknown Soldier. In the evening, he was to attend a state dinner in his honour hosted by the President.
**Security Council
Today, the Security Council here in New York is holding an open debate on East Timor. The meeting began with a briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Transitional Administrator for East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Mr. Vieira de Mello said that following discussions with Xanana Gusmao and other East Timorese political leaders, he felt safe to predict that elections, and possibly independence, will take place next year at some point between 30 August and the beginning of December 2001. He also noted that "increasingly, we and the East Timorese have come to the realization that the transition requires much more than the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) simply assisting in designing institutions and in recruiting and training administrators. Capacity building should not be restricted to the technical, but rather should also embrace the level of political leadership. The East Timorese should not only staff the administration and government, but also take political responsibility for it". In addition to Council members, the list of speakers included eight Member States who do not belong to the Council, but will speak in the debate.
Also on East Timor, the United Nations mission has launched a Web site on governance and political administration. It aims to inform the public about the process of nation-building and the reconstruction of East Timor, and provide potential international investors and contractors with the latest information on business opportunities. The site also contains maps, news and photos. If any of you are interested, its www.gov.east-timor.org.
**Sierra Leone
Moving on to Africa, yesterday in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, a gang of four combatants from the Civil Defense Force (CDF) was prevented from robbing a civilian when four Nigerian troops from UNAMSIL arrived and forced the combatants to flee. The four CDF members were later arrested and handed over to the civil police. The UNAMSIL is also investigating reports that hundreds of CDF members have started to leave Freetown following orders by the Sierra Leone Government that they be redeployed to the south in the wake of several incidents, including a brief gunfight in the capital last week. So far, UNAMSIL reports that there are still many CDF militias present at their main base in Freetown.
Elsewhere in the country, the security situation remains unpredictable, with some reports of fighting between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and government forces. There is no change reported in the condition of the 21 Indian peacekeeper detainees at Pendembu or the 222 other Indian peacekeepers and 11 military observers surrounded by the RUF at Kailahun. And today, the World Food Programme (WFP) started, in Sierra Leone, to distribute food aid to some 10,000 registered internally displaced persons at Mile 91 today.
The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sierra Leone, Oluyemi Adeniji, is scheduled to arrive this afternoon in New York for several days of meetings with senior officials. Hes expected to brief the Security Council on Friday, and we hope to bring him here to room S-226 after that briefing to talk to you. **Ethiopia/Eritrea
Still on Africa, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), over the past few days Eritreans have been trickling back home from refugee camps in the Sudan, despite a very difficult humanitarian situation in western Eritrea. UNHCR staff, who monitor crossing points, report that those going back say they heard that the Ethiopians are gone and that it is now safe to return. It is difficult to determine how many of the 94,000 Eritrean refugees registered in the Sudan to date have gone back since the truce was announced more than a week ago, as many returnees use unofficial crossing points. Estimates vary from several hundred to several thousand. At the same time, a few hundred new Eritrean refugees arrived in the Sudan over the past few days in search of food and water. An almost complete lack of food and other relief supplies in western Eritrea makes many reluctant to return. UNHCR briefing notes are available in our Office with more details on this and other news.
**Afghanistan
Here in New York, in the latest report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council and General Assembly on Afghanistan, which is out on the racks since yesterday afternoon, he calls the situation of that country "deplorable". He notes, "four years after the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban, visitors compare the city to a bombed-out city a few years after the end of the Second World War, except that no reconstruction is in sight and its people have little hope for improvement". The Secretary-General warns that deep mutual mistrust remains between the warring parties in Afghanistan, and says there are "strong indications" that a major offensive is being prepared for the near future.
The report adds that poverty is on the rise in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the country's most severe drought in 30 years. The report estimates that 90 per cent of all crops have been lost to the drought in the majority of rain-fed areas, and reiterates the United Nations appeal for $1.8 million for immediate drought assistance.
**Guatemala
I now have a statement attributable to the Spokesman. It is on Guatemala:
The Secretary-General would like to express his deep satisfaction at the signing of the fiscal pact for a future with peace and development in Guatemala. This pact, together with a tax pact, constitutes one of the most critical commitments in the implementation of the peace accords. The Secretary-General would particularly like to acknowledge the unprecedented and extensive consultation process between and among a wide range of groups and sectors that has led to the conclusion of both pacts. In view of the importance of the tax pact measures, the Secretary-General is optimistic that the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala will endorse this important further step in the consolidation of peace, and of social and economic development, as enshrined in the 1996 peace agreements.
**Iraq Programme
The Office of the Iraq Programme says today that during the period 17-23 June, Iraq exported 16 million barrels of oil for revenue estimated around $430 million. The revenue generated from the beginning of phase VIII at current
prices is estimated to be about $801 million. We have more details in the note prepared by the Office of the Iraq Programme.
**Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict in Northern Ireland
The Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, is in Northern Ireland today, where he will attend a two-day conference on building a lasting dialogue among the children of that region. During his visit, he intends to visit several communities in Northern Ireland and meet with British and Northern Irish officials. Further details on his trip are available in our Office upstairs.
**Budget Matters
Today, we have another announcement on payment to the regular budget. It is from the Philippines. It becomes the ninety-fifth Member State to pay its dues in full to the year 2000 regular budget by giving a check for just over $850,000.
**Upcoming Briefings
Id like to inform you in the last two announcements that tomorrow the guest at the noon briefing will be Ambassador Makarim Wibisono of Indonesia in his capacity as President of the Economic and Social Council. Hell be speaking on the Information Technology for the World campaign. On Thursday, 29 June, here in room S-226, at 11 oclock, the Coalition for an International Criminal Court will hold a press briefing on the Preparatory Commission for the Establishment of the International Criminal Court. Thats all I have for you today. Any questions?
**Questions and Answers
Question: Any reaction to the AIDS report out of Geneva on the part of the United Nations here?
Deputy Spokesman: That report is a United Nations report. It reflects the view of the United Nations system, the specialized group dedicated to work with HIV/AIDS. Thats the report announced yesterday.
Question: Any progress on the violations by Israeli troops in Lebanon? The Security-Council had expressed the hope they would be resolved within hours or days. Had anything happened?
Deputy Spokesman: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to work with both Lebanese and Israelis. Its a new regime and as such, it requires a little time for everyone to get used to the new references.
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