DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
20000920The following is a near-verbatim transcript of todays noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Secretary-General Welcomes China Trade Bill
Okay. We are going to start with the reaction to what happened in Washington on trade relations between the United States and China. This is a statement attributable to the Spokesman.
The Secretary-General welcomes the U.S. Senates passage of the bill establishing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China. This is an important step toward Chinas ultimate membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and thus toward a fuller integration of countries into rule based multilateral trading system.
Trade is an important engine for growth and development. To serve development, the trading system needs to be open, equitable, secure, non- discriminatory and predictable.
The Secretary-General stresses the importance of greater universality of the international trading system and welcomes all measures that will assist the full integration of those countries seeking access to that system.
**Security Council Meets on Sierra Leone
The Security Council met this morning in consultations on Sierra Leone.
They are about to vote on a roll-over resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), which expires today. Council members decided to extend the mandate until 31 December, and to review the situation no later than 31 October.
**Indonesian Envoy Briefs Security Council
Concerning what happened in the Council last night, for those of you who did not stay until 8 p.m. to get the results, the Security Council held a private meeting to hear a briefing by the Indonesian Special Envoy, Susilo Banbang Yudhoyono, who is the Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs for Indonesia. All Council members took the floor. After the meeting the Council issued a communiqué stating that they had a frank and constructive discussion about the need for early and full implementation of resolution 1319.
That resolution, as you know, followed the killing of three UNHCR staff in Atambua, West Timor, and calls on Indonesia to take several measures to restore law and order in West Timor, including disarming and disbanding the militia there immediately.
Daily Press Briefing - 2 - 20 September 2000
Talking to the press after that meeting, Mr. Yudhoyono said that Indonesias plan to disarm the militia would be a combination of persuasive and repressive measures. He said that the persuasive phase is expected to conclude on 24 September and this will be followed by a period of law enforcement to ensure that there are no more weapons concealed or possessed by the militia.
Meanwhile, Iqbal Riza, the Secretary-Generals Chief of Staff, arrived in Dili today for a three-day visit. He went to Suai, in the western region of East Timor, to see first hand the peacekeeping operation on the border with West Timor. During his stay he will meet with the Timorese leadership, senior military and civilian officers and the staff at large of the United Nations Mission. He will also meet with UNHCR personnel.
**UNHCR Continues Effort to Find Staff Member Abducted in Guinea
A staff member of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who was abducted in Macenta on Sunday on the Guinea-Liberian border area is still missing. UNHCR says high-level contacts are underway in the region and in Geneva to locate her and secure her release. The High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, cut short her visit in Iran to attend a memorial ceremony in Geneva that will be held tomorrow for slain UNHCR staff members in West Timor and Guinea.
**Staff Safety
In New York tomorrow at 12:30, United Nations staff members will conduct a silent march around the fountain in the front of the United Nations Headquarters here, to commemorate staff who have been killed in the line of duty and to draw attention to the need for strengthening staff security. United Nations staff unions in New York all intend to participate in this march and are calling for all staff to participate. Staff around the world will be participating in similar marches tomorrow as well.
In the aftermath of the death of the three staff members of the UNHCR in West Timor and the murder of another UNHCR staff member in Guinea, the staff unions and associations around the world are issuing a petition to the Security Council. The petition, which has been broadcast through electronic mail to the staff, calls for a special session of the Security Council to deal with staff safety and security issues.
**Cyprus Talks Continue
The Cyprus proximity talks are continuing today with the Secretary- Generals Special Advisor on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, having met His Excellency Glafcos Clerides at 11:30 this morning and then this afternoon, at 3:30 p.m., he is scheduled to meet His Excellency Rauf Denktash.
**Secretary-General Releases Report on Ethiopia-Eritrea
The Secretary-Generals Report on Ethiopia and Eritrea is out as a document today. The progress report follows the Council resolution last Friday authorizing the deployment of up to 4,200 troops for the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Daily Press Briefing - 3 - 20 September 2000The Secretary-General reports that both the governments have shown a commitment to ensuring the implementation of the June 18 cessation of hostilities agreement. He says he counts on the parties to continue to cooperate closely with the United Nations Mission. He also calls on Member States to provide the mission with all the military personnel, equipment and other resources necessary for the fulfilment of its mandate. He flags the humanitarian situation, which he says remains a cause for major concern.
Expressing concern by what he describes as mutual accusations of human rights abuses by both countries, the Secretary-General says he intends to establish a small component within the United Nations Mission to follow human rights issues.
**Special Representative Urges Respect for Human Rights
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kamel Morjane, urged all belligerents to respect and promote human rights throughout Congolese territory. Mary Robinson will visit the Congo from 1 to 4 October. She, of course, is the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She will hold meetings with government officials and civil society representatives before flying to Goma, a rebel-held city in the eastern part of the country. For more information, please see todays briefing notes from the United Nations Mission in the DRC.
**Kosovo
Today's briefing notes from Pristina in Kosovo include information on the arrest of three Serbs who were detained by the Kosovo Force (KFOR) during a raid on Gracanica yesterday.
**Bosnia
Yesterday afternoon, we put out a statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jacques Klein, on the arrest of several individuals suspected of carrying out the assassination, in March 1999, of the Bosnian Federation's Deputy Interior Minister, Jozo Leutar. Klein said in his statement that the investigation is continuing and added, "Political terrorism and assassination is a crime against all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will not be tolerated or ignored."
**Carla Del Ponte to Visit Washington
Today's notes from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia's weekly press briefing include information on the trip next week by Tribunal Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte to Washington, D.C. The visit, the Prosecutor's first to Washington, is expected to include meetings with United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Secretary of Defense William Cohen and National Security Advisor Samuel Berger. She is expected to emphasize the need for the arrest of indicted senior officials, including former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.
Daily Press Briefing - 4 - 20 September 2000
**UNFPA Launches Population Report
Just within the past hour in this room, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched the latest State of the World Population report, titled "Lives Together, Worlds Apart," on gender discrimination and violence.
The report says that at least one-third of all women have been beaten, coerced into sex or abused, most often by people they know. One woman in four is abused during pregnancy. Also, there are at least 60 million fewer girls than would be expected under normal population estimates -- with many "missing" girls in Asia, likely because of infanticide, selective abortion or neglect.
You can find more details in the report and the accompanying press kit. There are copies available in English, French and Spanish at the documents counter.
**Bio-Diversity
Also out on the racks today is the report of the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Bio-Diversity.
**Press Conferences
Press conferences. At 12:45 today in this room, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the World Energy Council will launch a report titled The World Energy Assessment: Energy and the Challenge of Sustainability. And then at 5 p.m., also in this room, the Permanent Mission of Denmark is sponsoring a press conference by the Quakers United Nations Office and the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma.
The correspondents association asked me to make one, two, three announcements.
First, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, will brief you today at 2:30 p.m. in the UNCA Club on the third floor. There will also be refreshments.
Then tomorrow, also on the 3rd floor but at 11:00 in the morning, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Ukraine, Borys Tarasyuk.
And, finally, a reminder that the annual UNCA Scholarship Fund luncheon, which will include the Secretary-General as a guest, will be held this year on Wednesday, 27 September. That is at 12:30 in the delegates dining room. You should make your reservations with either Judy Aita or Sanaa Yousef. The deadline is Monday, 25 September.
**Questions and Answers
That is it. Any questions? Yes.
Daily Press Briefing - 5 - 20 September 2000
Question: What was the point of Mr. de Soto seeing the ambassadors of the three guarantor powers yesterday?
Spokesman: It is pretty much a ritual part of the talks on Cyprus for the Special Envoy to brief the representative of the guarantor powers and to stay in touch with them. So, I dont think there is anything unusual about that. And as to what was said in those meetings, of course, I cant say because of the news blackout.
Question: Did he see Sir David Hannay yesterday, or is he seeing him today?
Spokesman: I dont think we want to give out any details of which ones he has seen. He has seen a number of representatives of the guarantor powers. Yes, Ronnie.
Question: Fred, is there any official reaction from the Secretary-General to this announcement by the Indonesian official yesterday about the plan for security. I know yesterday morning the Secretary-General expressed certain concerns. What is his reaction in light of the announcement last night?
Spokesman: I think we are still waiting for the Security Council to digest the information that was given to them yesterday evening by the Special Envoy and the Foreign Minister. The two of them briefed you, I think quite fully, last night on what had gone on in the closed meeting, and I think the Secretary-General is just watching how that plays out -- so there is no specific reaction today. Yes.
Question: Yesterday the Secretary-General met the Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso. Do you know what transpired as to the diamond deal that Burkina Faso is accused of?
Spokesman: I am sorry. I dont know anything about what went on in that meeting. We can try to get a readout for you after the briefing, if you check back with us. Yes.
Question: Has there been any written communication between Mr. Denktash and the Security Council?
Spokesman: I am not aware of any. If it is public and to become a document, you will see it eventually in paper. But if you check again with my office after the briefing, they might have some additional information. Yes, Serge.
Question: Do you have any official assessment of the Millennium Summit? What is the assessment that we have?
Spokesman: I think everyone is now looking forward to the implementation phase. The Secretary-General has asked his deputy, Louise Fréchette, to monitor implementation. She has set up a small group within the Secretariat to help her to do that and the Secretary-General has really put much of the responsibility with the Member States for the follow-up. But the Secretariat, of course, in
Daily Press Briefing - 6 - 20 September 2000
their interactions with the Member States, will be monitoring which governments comply and how much progress is being made. But, in general, I think the immediate assessment right after the Assembly was that it was successful. It accomplished what the Secretary-General set out to do - to get everyone here to reaffirm their commitment to the United Nations and to focus on some specific targets in terms of what they want the United Nations to do in the next decade or so. Richard.
Question: Pardon my ignorance but could you bring me up-to-date on oil- for-food in terms of where they stand in the Council, what the latest report is. What is happening in that area?
Spokesman: We had a report yesterday. We have weekly reports. I tend not to get into the details of this. It is arcane. They have their own press information officer.
Question: What are the Council actions coming up? Are they going to be I am like you on this matter. I will move on. Another question. Reform Party candidate Pat Buchanan - we have gone through this item before - is steadily increasing his criticism of the United Nations. On Monday he gave a big speech saying that we would be happy to see Kofi Annan pack his bag and leave the country and things like that. Do you have any response or does the United Nations have any response? I know you dont want to deal with the internal affairs of a member country.
Spokesman: The United Nations deals with the government. And so candidates can say anything they want, but we take our signals from the government and I think by the presence of the President here and the Secretary of State over the last couple of weeks, it is clear that the United States intends to play a full and vigorous role as not just a member, but a very powerful actor on the world stage. I think that is the more important signal to us than what any minor candidate might have to say.
Thank you very much.
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