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

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

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

Sue Markham, Spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly.

Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General

Good afternoon.  It’s good to be back here with you.  You were expecting Fred here.  He is upstairs in the talks, so I’ll be briefing you.

**Iraq Talks

The talks between the Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, began this morning at 10 o’clock.  First the Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister met alone for some 20 minutes.  Following that, they were joined by their delegations.  The meeting is going on as we speak.  Unfortunately, I have no details to share with you at this time.  When entering the building this morning, the Secretary-General said that he was encouraged that the Iraq delegation was here and was looking forward to a frank and constructive dialogue.  "And I hope", he said, "we'll be able to find some ways, as we move forward, of breaking the current impasse, which no one considers satisfactory.  I do not expect miracles in two days of talks but at least it is a beginning”.

**Security Council

No formal meetings or consultations of the Security Council are scheduled for today.  However, its working group on peacekeeping operations met this morning.

**High Commissioner for Human Rights

Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is in Beijing today where she delivered a speech at a workshop on punishment of minor crimes.

In her address, the High Commissioner touched upon a number of issues, including the practice by the Chinese authorities of administrative detention and re-education through labour.

She told the audience: “I believe that a serious review leading to the abolition of the practice of re-education through labour is justified.”  And she added: “the concept of using forced labour as punishment is against accepted human rights principles embodied in many international instruments”.

This workshop, organized jointly by her office and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marks the first step in the implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed in November of last year on technical cooperation between China and the High Commissioner’s office.  Copies of Mary Robinson’s speech are available in our office upstairs.

**Kosovo

More than 300 people have fled to Kosovo amid reports of rising tension on the border between Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which reported this information in Pristina today, said that the latest arrivals were in the Kosovo villages of Debelde and Vitina.  Of the 309 new arrivals since last week, more than 100 arrived yesterday, UNHCR said.

UNHCR reports an increasing presence of forces from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and, apparently, there have been shootings towards the village of Tanusevce.

We have no independent confirmation of what is happening on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia side.

The UN mission in Kosovo is very concerned about the latest developments and UNHCR field teams are interviewing the new arrivals in Kosovo.

**ICTY Trial

Today, in The Hague, the third trial chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia found two Bosnian Croat leaders -- Dario Kordic and Mario Cerkez -- guilty of war crime and crimes against humanity committed against Bosnian Muslims in the Lasva Valley in 1992 and 1993.

The two Bosnian Croat leaders were charged with orchestrating a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Muslims in the Lasva Valley, using tactics ranging from murder, to the burning of homes, the desecration of religious sites and the plunder of property.  The trial chamber noted in its judgement that the total number of dead may never be known, but it runs into the hundreds, with thousands expelled.

For their roles in the ethnic cleansing campaign, Dario Kordic was sentenced today to 25 years' imprisonment and Mario Cerkez to 15 years.

Copies of the summary of the judgement in the case, which has been known as the Kordic case, are available upstairs.

**Secretary-General’s Report on Yugoslavia Tribunal

Available on the racks today is a report by the Secretary-General that responds to the Security Council's request, made last November in

resolution 1329 (2000), to deliver an assessment on when the temporal jurisdiction of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia could be terminated.

In his report, the Secretary-General notes that the Security Council, in resolution 827 of 1993, had left the date by which the Tribunal's temporal jurisdiction would end open until "the restoration of peace".  But the Council still considers that the situation in the region of the former Yugoslavia constitutes a threat to international peace and security, he added.

Accordingly, the Secretary-General considers that he is not in a position to make an assessment that peace has been restored in the former Yugoslavia, or to recommend a terminal date to the Council for the Tribunal's temporal jurisdiction.

**Deputy Secretary-General Speech on AIDS

The Deputy Secretary-General today opened the informal consultations, chaired by the President of the General Assembly, that are preparatory to the General Assembly's special session on HIV/AIDS, which will take place here from

25 June through 27 June.

The Deputy Secretary-General said that more people died of AIDS last year than in any previous year, and she warned:  "Unless we act more decisively and effectively than we have yet been able to, these grim figures will continue to multiply".  She called for resolute action to deal with the price and availability of drugs to deal with AIDS, to address the "desperate inadequacy" of public health systems in poor countries and to end "the culture of shame and silence" surrounding AIDS.

After her remarks, copies of which are available in our office, Dr. Peter Piot, head of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS or UNAIDS, presented in detail the Secretary-General's report on AIDS, which was issued last week and will be discussed in this week's consultations.  That report urged governments to step up their commitment in the fight against AIDS, which it called "the most formidable development challenge of our time".

And I'm sure that Sue also has some more details of this week's session on AIDS, when she briefs you.

**First Convoy Reaches Refugees in Guinea

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has just reported that the first humanitarian convoy since last autumn to deliver aid to tens of thousands of stranded refugees in the beleaguered Parrot’s Beak region of south-western Guinea arrived today.

The 11-truck convoy, organized by UNHCR and carrying 58 tons of food provided by the World Food Programme, arrived in the town of Temessadou and immediately began off-loading its cargo under the supervision of aid workers.  From now on, UNHCR said, daily convoys are planned for the area.  Copies of the press release with more information are available upstairs.

**Ageing Preparatory Committee

The first Preparatory Committee meeting for the Second World Assembly on Ageing opens today here at UN Headquarters.  The session will end on 2 March. 

Discussions will focus on the revision of the International Plan of Action adopted in Vienna in 1982, amid growing concern over the speed and scale of current and projected global ageing, particularly in the developing world.

During the week of deliberations there will be a series of parallel events on the challenges facing older persons, their care givers, communities and the societies they live in.

More details are available in a note on the Preparatory Committee, which you can get in the Spokesman’s Office.

**East Timor

The UN Peacekeeping Force in East Timor was involved in a clash with two suspected militia members on Friday night near the border with West Timor, Indonesia.  One of the militiamen was armed with a rifle and the peacekeeping patrol opened fire when the man raised his weapon to shoot.  There were no casualties.

The Acting Force Commander, Major General Mike Smith, said that “as long as the militia threat remains we must continue to be strong and will react swiftly and robustly to any threat”.

More details on this and other developments in East Timor you can find in the briefing note from Dili which we have in our office.

**UNFIP Report

On the racks today is the Secretary-General's report on the UN Fund for International Partnerships -- the UN body which interacts with the UN Foundation set up by Ted Turner to disburse $1 billion in support of UN projects.

The report notes that a total of some $75 million was programmed for the year 2000, including $42 million for projects involving population and women,

$9 million for children's health and $17 million for the environment.

**Japan and UNRWA

The Government of Japan and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), today concluded an agreement in Amman, Jordan, for Japan to contribute 800 million yen or about $6.8 million - to the UN food assistance program for Palestinian refugees.

Japan's contribution is in addition to some $10 million that Japan sent the Relief and Works Agency last year for its education, health, relief and social services programs.

**Budget

Two more countries have paid their regular budget dues in full for this year.  They are Ethiopia and Fiji, both of which paid more than $41,000.  There are now 54 Member States that are fully paid up for this year.

**Press Releases

We have a press release available upstairs from UN Habitat on the successful completion of the second and final preparatory conference for the Istanbul +5 meeting.

**Togo Report Update

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has made available on its Web site the comments they received from the Government of Togo and from Amnesty International on the recently released report of the International Commission of Inquiry for Togo.

** Press Conference

And finally, today at 3:15, there will be a press conference here in

room 226 by Bjorn von Sydow, Minister of Defence for Sweden.  He will brief you on the role of the European Union in crisis management and conflict prevention and on issues discussed during his visit to UN Headquarters.  Ambassador Pierre Schori, Permanent Representative of Sweden, will also participate.  Are there any questions before we go to Sue?

Question: Do you have any information on the meeting between the Secretary-General and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil?

Deputy Spokesman: No.  The meeting was requested by the Foreign Minister, so I would refer you to the Mission.

Question: Do you know if any member of the Iraqi delegation will be attending a meeting with the Sanctions Committee, or whether the Sanctions Committee will hear any report on the progress of the Secretary-General’s talks with the Iraqi delegation?

Deputy Spokesman: I’m sure the Secretary-General will contact the Security Council.  So far as the Iraqi delegation is concerned, I would have to refer you to their Mission and to the Sanctions Committee.

Question: Last week Mary Robinson went to Washington and met with the Secretary of State.  Was that considered a snub by the Secretary-General that she met with Powell ahead of the Secretary-General?

Deputy Spokesman:  The Secretary-General met with the United States Secretary of State as well.  I don’t know what time difference you are talking about but it certainly would not be considered a snub.  High Commissioners and heads of agencies do meet with senior officials of Members States.

Question: But there are reports that she met Powell ahead of the Secretary-General.

Deputy Spokesman: I don’t know when she met with Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Question: On the Iraqi talks, will there be a briefing later today or tomorrow?  What is planned?

Deputy Spokesman: We hope that there will be an opportunity for you to be briefed.  I cannot tell you exactly when this will happen but I would certainly hope that you would be able to catch members of the delegation and others and talk to them.

Question: Would that be today?

Deputy Spokesman: I can’t confirm that at this point.

Question: Will the Iraqi delegation have any kind of availability?

Deputy Spokesman: We requested it.  We pointed out to the Mission that there was interest.  I’m not aware of any confirmation from them.  But this morning the Foreign Minister did speak with you guys as he entered the building.

Question: Does the Secretary-General know anything about the release of any prisoners that were held by the Serbian Government?

Deputy Spokesman:  I’m not aware of that.  I would have to look into that for you.

Question: Some time ago the Secretary-General issued a report on staff security and financing for this.  I know it has gone through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee.  Can you update us at all?

Deputy Spokesman: I don’t have anything on that Betsy.  We will look into it for you.  All right, if there’s nothing else, Sue.

Spokeswoman for General Assembly President

Thank you.  This morning the President of the General Assembly presided over the discussion devoted to the report of the Secretary-General on HIV/AIDS.

In his opening remarks he noted that in many respects the preparatory process for the General Assembly special session on HIV/AIDS was unique.  He remarked that sharing the preparatory process with Member States and observers, representatives of the UN family and of civil society would help in the end share also the commitment and determination to break the spread of the deadly disease.

As Manoel mentioned, Dr. Peter Piot, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, introduced the Secretary-General’s report and outlined the seven challenges facing the General Assembly special session, including the need for effective leadership and coordination; the need to reduce the vulnerability of whole populations; to expand prevention efforts, which he said was inseparable from the fourth challenge, which was the need for access to care and treatment.  He remarked that this was one of the most politically charged issues of the moment.  On this, he noted that it was a complex issue with no simple solution and that the epidemic will not be reversed on the basis of drug prices alone.  He also remarked that in his experience, poor people with HIV often die from starvation before they die of AIDS.

The fifth challenge is the need for new and more effective prevention methods such as a vaccine and a product to protect women from AIDS that they could themselves use; the need to address the development impact of the epidemic in the most affected countries; and the need to mobilize resources.  On this, he noted the figure of $7 to $10 billion per year was needed.

Other speakers this morning included Iran on behalf of the G-77 and Sweden on behalf of the EU.  We have an informal speakers list available upstairs in the Spokesman’s office.

This afternoon, the discussion will continue after a meeting of the plenary starting at 3 p.m. to discuss the first list of civil society organizations for participation in the special session.  The General Assembly had requested such a list be provided to them for consideration on a non-objection basis.  It’s anticipated that a second list of civil society organizations will be prepared before 1 April.  The current list contains more than 100 names and is available as a conference room paper.  If you can’t get it, we can provide you with copies.

Also this morning, a tentative programme of work for the remainder of the week was distributed.  And we can make copies available in the Spokesman’s office. 

The discussion of the Secretary-General’s report on HIV/AIDS will continue tomorrow.  Then on Wednesday there will be an interactive dialogue.  On Thursday and Friday there will be discussion of a background paper on critical issues.  This background paper we expect to be available later today or tomorrow.  The discussion will be conducted on each of the seven themes that Dr. Piot mentioned this morning and they are the same themes as in the Secretary-General’s report.  I believe the discussion on Thursday and Friday will be held as informals of the General Assembly and will therefore will be closed meetings.  But the meetings today, tomorrow and Wednesday are open meetings and will be held in the Trusteeship Council.  That’s all I have. Thank you.

Deputy Spokesman: Any questions for Sue? If not thank you very much and have a pleasant afternoon.

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