DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
20000802The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Manoel Almeida e Silva, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary- General.
**East Timor
Good afternoon. Today in East Timor, United Nations peacekeepers from the Australian battalion shot and killed two armed militia members in the Maliana district, about 10 kilometres away from the border with West Timor. The troops had been tracking militia activity in Maliana, and shortly after noon today, they came across a group of four to five militia who were armed with rifles and grenades about 5.5 kilometres northeast of Maliana.
The United Nations soldiers shot and killed two militia members, while the others are still at large. No United Nations peacekeepers were injured.
Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello said the incident was important because it indicated that the militia remained active. He noted that today's incident was the first time that the United Nations peacekeeping force successfully engaged a militia group at a short distance, and the first time it had killed militia members. He added that the rules of engagement in East Timor had not changed, but were being applied at the border without the slightest hesitation following the killing last week of Private Leonard Manning, a member of New Zealand's United Nations contingent, which had also occurred near the border.
Force Commander Lieutenant General Boonsrang Niumpradit said that the actions by the United Nations troops today should send a signal across the border to make militia members think twice before placing human lives in jeopardy.
**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman on Kashmir
"The Secretary-General has learned with great dismay about the series of overnight massacres in Kashmir in which reportedly 93 people, mostly Hindu pilgrims and other civilians, have been killed. He strongly deplores this violence and calls for maximum restraint to prevent any further escalation.
"He reiterates his call for an end to terrorist attacks wherever they may occur.
"The Secretary-General once again urges India and Pakistan to find an early political solution to the Kashmir problem."
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**Security Council Consultations
This morning, the Security Council met in closed consultations in the first session under the new Council President for August, Ambassador Hasmy Agam of Malaysia, to discuss the programme of work for this month.
The Council is about to hear a briefing by Taye Zerihoun, Director of the Africa I Division of the Department of Political Affairs, on the latest developments in Burundi. The Facilitator of the Burundi peace process, former South African President Nelson Mandela, last month circulated a draft peace agreement, and has expressed the hope that it will be signed on 28 August.
However, some parties have voiced their concerns about the draft peace agreement, and the United Nations is monitoring the situation following some worrying indications that extremist elements may threaten violence.
Following the consultations on Burundi, the Security Council is expected to hear a briefing on the latest developments in Guinea-Bissau by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Danilo Turk.
**Secretary-General in Ghana
Today is the last day of the Secretary-General's official visit to his native country Ghana.
Yesterday evening, the President of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, made the Secretary-General Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the highest Ghanaian decoration, in recognition of his "valiant commitment to social justice for all peoples and efforts to achieve peace, security and tranquility world wide".
In his toast at the State banquet in his honour, and following President Rawlings' remarks on globalization, the Secretary-General said that while the developing countries have a lot to do, the developed -- the countries with capacity to give -- also have a lot to do. They can accelerate debt relief. I believe, he said, they can consider allowing countries to qualify for debt simply on the basis of poverty, extreme poverty alone.
This morning, the Secretary-General broke the ground for the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College.
Speaking to the press after the event, he said, a good peacekeeper is a well-trained and well-equipped peacekeeper". He added that the Centre will be opened to troops from other nations in the African continent preparing them for action on our own continent and eventually for participation in peacekeeping operations around the world.
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This afternoon, Mr. Annan is to receive an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Ghana.
Once the official visit is over later today, the Secretary-General will remain in Ghana for a few days on a private visit.
**Sierra Leone
On Sierra Leone, I can confirm today that the Secretary-General has sent a letter to the Security Council announcing the composition of a five-member panel to collect information on possible violations of the arms embargo, the link between the trade in diamonds and arms and to consider the adequacy of air traffic control systems in the region.
As you recall, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury of Bangladesh, in his capacity as chair of the Sierra Leone sanctions committee, made an announcement at the end of a public hearing on Sierra Leone diamonds.
The panel, chaired by Martin Chungong Ayafor of Cameroon, consists of a diamond expert from Canada, Ian Smillie, an expert on arms and transportation from Belgium, Johan Pelemen, an Interpol expert from India, Harjit Singh Sandhu and an aviation expert from Senegal, Atabou Bodian.
The five men are expected to meet at United Nations Headquarters during the week of 21 August to discuss the organizational aspects of their work.
The list is available in the Spokesman's Office.
**Secretary-General Appoints new Special Representative in Guatemala
I would also like to confirm that the Secretary-General sent a letter to the President of the General Assembly informing him of his decision to appoint Gerd Merrem as his Special Representative in Guatemala and head of the United Nations verification mission in that country.
The decision was made after consultations with the Government of Guatemala and the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca in compliance with the commitments contained in the 1996 peace agreements. The appointment took effect yesterday, 1 August, and copies of Mr. Merrem's curriculum vitae are available in the Spokesman's Office.
**World Health Organization Report on Tobacco Industry
In Geneva today, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a report in which it said that evidence from tobacco industry documents reveals that tobacco companies have deliberately tried to subvert the WHO's efforts to control tobacco use. The reports authors claim that
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the effort has been "elaborate, well-financed, sophisticated and usually invisible".
The report, titled "Tobacco Company Strategies to Undermine Tobacco Control Activities at the World Health Organization", accuses tobacco firms of maintaining relationships with current or former WHO staff to influence the agency's activities; of putting pressure on relevant WHO budgets; and of discrediting WHO and distorting its tobacco research. The authors of the report say such efforts are unacceptable and must be condemned.
We have copies of the foreword and executive summary of the report available in the Spokesman's Office, while the entire report can be downloaded from the WHO Web site (.
**Kosovo
In addition to the notes from East Timor, we have briefing notes from the United Nations mission in Kosovo.
Among the items is one about some 400 university students from Japan in Pristina who are helping out with garbage removal and beautification -- that is, they are planting trees, bushes and flowers - - in a three-week program with Kosovo youth counterparts.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Reports from East Timor on the incident you mentioned indicate that the United Nations force were searching for an injured militia member and following a trail of blood. Do you have any comment?
Deputy Spokesman: I have no details. However, they have continued to go after the others who ran away. I also know that they were wearing TNI uniforms.
Question: Has the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) issued a report on the recent incident?
Deputy Spokesman: Until now, I have seen no report.
Question: Has the Secretary-General issued any statement on the anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and is there any new information on Mr. Sevan's Baghdad visit?
Deputy Spokesman: No, I have no statement. Regarding Mr. Sevan, we did see some press reports that he would be there in relation to sanctions. However, his office has asked us to clarify that his current visit to Iraq is similar to previous visits and includes meetings with Government Ministers, Heads of United Nations agencies and programmes, as well as with his own staff in Baghdad, including the new humanitarian coordinator.
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Mr. Sevan will also travel to the northern governorates where the United Nations implements the oil-for-food programme on behalf of the Government in Baghdad.
I would also add that as you may recall, the Security Council adopted resolution 1302 (2000) in June requesting the Secretary-General to appoint a panel of independent experts to publish a comprehensive report on the humanitarian situation in Iraq. The members of that panel should be announced very soon. Names have been identified and the Secretariat is now in the process of checking their availability to take up those responsibilities.
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