DAILY BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

** Briefing Guest

The guest at the briefing today will be Kenzo Oshima, the new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator.

** Secretary-General in Stockholm

The Secretary-General continues to follow the Middle East from Stockholm, Sweden, where he has stayed in close touch with the Israelis, the Palestinians and others concerning the possibility of a summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.

The Secretary-General concluded his official visit to Sweden today, starting with a meeting this morning with Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson and Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.  Their talks focussed on the Middle East, United Nations reform issues, crisis spots in Africa, as well as on humanitarian issues.

At a press encounter after that meeting, he said that he and the Prime Minister support the peace process and "are working closely with the parties".  We have the full transcript of that encounter in my Office. 

He also took the occasion to appeal to the international community to give generously and promptly to the relief effort underway for the victims of the earthquake in India.

He then met again with the Foreign Minister, this time without the Prime Minister, and covered a range of issues, which included the situation in the Balkans and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  And, by the way, he was briefed on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on his arrival in Stockholm last night by the Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, and the Belgian Foreign Minister, Louis Michel.

Tomorrow, before his scheduled departure from Stockholm, he is scheduled to meet with Javier Solana, the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.

** Security Council

The Security Council held a formal meeting this morning to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for a further period of six months, until 31 July.  The Council also decided to reduce the military personnel of that Mission by 31 July, as suggested in the Secretary-General’s report.

Council members then went into closed consultations to take up a letter on the violence in southern Serbia, which they received over the weekend from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Goran Svilanovic.  They also heard a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Hedi Annabi.  At the end of this morning’s consultations the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani of Singapore, will make a statement to the press on this matter.

The Council also discussed the United Nations Missions in East Timor and Georgia, whose mandates expire tomorrow.  On Georgia, they have been briefed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in that country, Dieter Boden.

** Update on Kosovo

The Secretary-General's Special Representative in Kosovo, Hans Haekkerup, condemned the violence that took place yesterday in Mitrovica, in which one Kosovo Albanian was killed and one Kosovo Serb was gravely injured.

The violence has continued today, with a riot involving Kosovo Albanians, who set on fire two light armored cars that were parked outside the southern Mitrovica headquarters of the United Nations Mission.  French riot troops from the Kosovo Force (KFOR) are trying to restore calm to the area now.

Some 53 United Nations personnel remain in the headquarters, however, where they are surrounded by Albanian demonstrators.  We have just received word that the personnel have been told not to leave the building, and they may have to stay overnight if the situation does not improve.

In a statement issued earlier today, Haekkerup said that the United Nations would make every effort to provide security in Mitrovica, but he added, "the people of Mitrovica must, themselves, stop the cycle of violence".

The fighting started early yesterday afternoon in Mitrovica's "Little Bosnia" neighbourhood, when a clash between Serbs and Albanians escalated into a grenade attack, in which one Kosovo Albanian was killed, and five others were injured.  Following that incident, both communities gathered and set up roadblocks in parts of Mitrovica.

In one later incident, a crowd stopped a car and removed and beat one Serbian man who worked as a translator for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), breaking his jaw.

Today, Kosovo's Interim Administrative Council condemned the violence and called on the people of Mitrovica to stop all acts of provocation and revenge.

** Appointment of Deputy Special Representative in Sierra Leone

The Secretary-General has decided to appoint Alan Doss of the United Kingdom as a Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

Mr. Doss is to work under the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Oluyemi Adeniji, along with another Deputy Special Representative, Behrooz Sadry, who would continue to assist Mr. Adeniji in the overall political leadership, operations and management of the Mission.

Alan Doss is currently Director of the United Nations Development Group Office, which brings together the United Nations system's development agencies and is led by an Executive Committee comprising the heads of the all the United Nations development Agencies.  We have his CV in my Office if you are interested.

** Democratic Republic of the Congo

We understand from press reports that the new President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, will be traveling to the United States later this week.

He is expected to be in Washington to attend the Congressional Prayer Breakfast, at the invitation of Representative Frank Wolf of Virginia.

It is very probable he will come to you at United Nations Headquarters here on Friday to meet with the Secretary-General and also to speak with the Security Council in the afternoon.

** UNHCR Briefing Notes

In its briefing notes issued in Geneva, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that it was, once again, scaling down its operations in southern Guinea because of fresh outbreaks of violence.

The renewed outbreak of violence and the withdrawal of UNHCR staff from the area around Gueckedou leaves an estimated 250,000 refugees in a very precarious situation.

The UNHCR says it is gravely concerned about the security incidents in southern Guinea.  According to the agency, a number of Sierra Leonian refugees in the area reportedly have been attacked and beaten by members of the Guinean Army as well as by Sierra Leonian rebels.

The full text of the briefing notes is available in my Office.

** Weekly Update on Iraq Programme

We have the weekly report of the Office of the Iraq Programme.  According to the weekly update, loadings at the Ceyhan terminal resumed on Sunday,

21 January after a three-week halt. 

From the 20 to 26 January, Iraq exported 12.4 million barrels of crude oil through seven loadings, earning an estimated 293 million euro in revenue.  Of the seven loadings, two of approximately 1 million barrels each were at Ceyhan.   

In the current phase IX, which began on 6 December 2000, Iraq has exported 40.5 million barrels of oil for an estimated 837 million euros.  The average price for Iraqi crude during the reporting period was approximately $22.35 per barrel.

The total value of contracts placed on hold by the 661 Sanctions Committee on Iraq, as of 26 January, was $2.85 billion, and that consists of $2.4 billion for humanitarian supplies, and $436 million for oil industry spare parts and equipment.  The full text of the update is available in my Office.

** Financing for Development

Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Nitin Desai just delivered a briefing in this Room on the Secretary-General's report on financing for development, which recommends new norms for international cooperation in development financing.

The report discusses foreign debt and currency crises, falling levels of foreign aid and restrictions on access to developed country markets for such products as textiles and agriculture.

Desai said the report is "at the leading edge of a breakthrough process, in which the global community has decided to utilize the United Nations as a forum for discussing one of the most critical and hotly contested arenas of international relations -- economic and financial affairs".

Copies of the report and accompanying press kits are available upstairs. The report will be presented to a Preparatory Committee prior to a global meeting on financing for development that will be held in early 2002.

** Pino Arlacchi in Japan

In addressing today in Tokyo the Asia-Pacific Law Enforcement Conference against Transnational Organized Crime, Pino Arlacchi, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, said that money laundering worldwide involves roughly 1 trillion dollars every year, with $300 to $500 billion of that related to drug trafficking.

While providing other examples to illustrate the seriousness of criminal activity around the world, Arlacchi explained that the recently adopted United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime will help to overcome “bureaucratic inertia and different judicial systems, laws and regulations which stand in the way of better cooperation among law enforcement officials”. 

Copies of his speech are available in my Office.  During his stay in Tokyo, he also made a presentation on the World Drug Report 2000 and met with a series of Japanese government officials.

** Budget Update

Budget -- we received three more payments of contributions to the regular budget in full today.  Ireland paid just over $3 million, Lesotho just over $10,000, and Luxembourg over $800,000.  We now have 36 paid in full.  Last year we had 37 on this date. 

** Inter-Agency Appeal for Horn of Africa

Catherine Bertini, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the drought in the greater Horn of Africa, launched the Inter-Agency Appeal for the Horn of Africa today in Geneva.  The Inter-Agency and Government of Mongolia appeal for international assistance for Mongolia was also launched in Geneva and Ulan-Bator today.

Mr. Oshima will also say more about these appeals and the situation in India, during his presentation.  Mr. Oshima, why don't I ask you to come up and ask you to join us?  We will get to you in just a minute.

** Press Release

The Food and Agriculture Organization has published a new report on the use of treadle pumps for irrigation in Africa.  It says these pumps are cheaper and easier to handle than engine driven pumps and can be produced locally.  We have more information on that.

And, I think that is it.  I will take your questions and then we will go to Mr. Oshima.

Questions and Answers

Question:  The Rwandan President arrived in the United States yesterday for a 10-day visit.  Are there any plans for him to meet with the Secretary-General or the Security Council?

Spokesman:  I have nothing to announce at this time.  We did notice that he, too, was attending this prayer breakfast in Washington.  I do not know at this time if he will be coming to New York.

Question:  Speaking of prayer breakfasts, I noticed that you mentioned press reports -- does that mean that the DRC has not contacted the Secretary-General directly about President Kabila meeting with the SG?

Spokesman:  Just that the exchanges between the two were not completed as of mid-morning this morning.  So, there had been contact but we were waiting to hear back.  I see here that the Council has included in its programme for Friday a public meeting with the President of the DRC, so perhaps now it is confirmed officially.

Question:  Do you know why the Secretary-General appointed Mr. Doss as number two?  Is it because Mr. Sadry does not do the job well?

Spokesman:  No, I think the idea is to have two separate Deputies.  I think Sadry's experience -- although more recently he has had political experience in missions as well -- but his overwhelming experience in the United Nations system is on the administrative side, so I think it is probably a division of labour.  [He remains the principal deputy.  Mr. Doss will focus on national rehabilitation and elections.]

Question:  We are expecting tomorrow to hear the verdict in the Lockerbie trial in the Netherlands.  What is the United Nations doing, if anything, to facilitate any arrangements, should the suspects be found not guilty?

Spokesman:  Anything before the verdict is given would be hypothetical so we will not address that question today.

Question:  Okay.  In a more general way…

Spokesman:  Try from another angle (laughter).

Question:   In a more general way, Libya has been trying to get the sanctions lifted.  Considering that the Secretary-General was involved in the negotiations of this particular deal, and not just the Security Council, would it not be fair to say that if they are proven not guilty that Libya would have satisfied the conditions for the sanctions to be lifted?

Spokesman:  That is for the Council to determine.

Question:  But, legally, there is no United Nations deal on that?

Spokesman:  Legally, it is for the Council to determine.

Question:  Alright, I'll try another way.  The United Nations was directly involved in bringing the two Libyan suspects to the Netherlands.  If they are to be returned to Libya following a verdict, is it fair to assume that the United Nations will be involved in returning them?

Spokesman:  That is a hypothetical question.  Under the Council resolution, there was a specific plan for the United Nations to bring these suspects to The Hague.  There is no such requirement for returning them to Libya.  But, I will not go beyond that.

Question:  I do not have a hypothetical.  I do have a crystal ball question.  When you said that Mr. Hans Haekkerup will do everything necessary to protect United Nations personnel, what does it mean, and does that assume that he is somehow planning to involve contingency planning with that?

Spokesman:  No, I mean he has got his people inside this Headquarters building with a crowd around, and he has got military personnel experienced in crowd, riot control, and he will use those forces to the extent necessary to get the situation under control and to prevent his people from getting hurt.

Question:  How serious is the situation right now?

Spokesman:  We are still getting reports in, but you could tell from what I read out earlier that it is a situation that is not yet under control, and until it is, I do not think we will be able to say that we have a secure situation there.     

Question:  Can we expect Joseph Kabila to speak to the press?

      Spokesman:  That is entirely up to him.  If you like, we can relay a request to the Congo Mission here and point out to them that there is a stakeout microphone outside the Council, should he wish to use it. 

Question:  Any news from Mr. Vendrell regarding the meeting with the Taliban?

Spokesman:  No.  We have been a little bit short of cable reports from Mr. Vendrell.  We assume he is very busy.  We know he went into Kabul yesterday or the day before.  We have no reports from him as yet about his activities there.  Not just no reports to give to the press; we have no cable traffic from him.  We are in the dark at the moment.

Question:  On the issue of Libya -- Libya has expressed concern, as have other Member States, on the issue of sanctions being imposed, basically without any ending in sight.  How would Mr. Annan, who has spoken out on the issue of sanctions, address the concerns of Member States like Libya that even when they satisfied these conditions, the sanctions are not always lifted because of political reasons?

Spokesman:  I do not think I want to get into this argument.  You have seen that among members of the Council there has been debate about putting a new time limit on the new sanctions.  There is not full agreement on this kind of thing, but time limits would be one way to guarantee that there would be a lifting of the sanctions, unless the Council unanimously agreed to re-impose them after a certain period of time.  But, I do not want to go beyond that.

** Ethiopia and Eritrea

If I could just read a late report from Ethiopia/Eritrea as an addition to my briefing?  The Special Representative for Ethiopia/Eritrea, Joseph Legwaila, today presented to both Governments the redeployment plan for the establishment of the Temporary Security Zone. 

He travelled between Asmara and Addis Ababa today to personally present the Mission's plan to President Isias Afewerki of Eritrea and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.

On the basis of the Mission's assessment, the Force Commander, Major General Patrick Cammaert will convene a meeting of the military coordination commission on 6 February in Nairobi.  The meeting will then begin working on the modalities for the implementation of this plan.

Mr. Oshima, you have been very patient.  Welcome to the briefing.  Welcome to the United Nations.  I would like to just turn it over to you.

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