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 Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, and Jan Fischer, Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly.

Briefing by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

I understand we have some Palestinian journalists as our guests today. Welcome to the briefing.

**Noon Guest

Good afternoon. Our guest today is the Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Jayantha Dhanapala.  This afternoon, at 3 in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium, the Department for Disarmament Affairs is sponsoring a symposium on terrorism and disarmament, and it will include experts on nuclear, biological and chemical weapons among the speakers.  And Mr. Dhanapala will deliver opening remarks at that symposium, and we asked him to come here today to talk to you about that subject.

We also have advance copies of his opening remarks, available in my Office, if you want to pick them up later.  We'll get to you in just a minute, Jayantha.

**Afghanistan

Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima, who is also the United Nations’ top humanitarian official, announced in Tashkent earlier today that the Government of Uzbekistan has agreed to allow the United Nations, for the first time since 1998, to use the Termez River port and barges to move humanitarian goods to the northern provinces of Afghanistan.

Mr. Oshima said some of the barges can carry up to 1,000 metric tonnes of food, and offer tremendous potential for getting food into the northern part of Afghanistan.

He said the Government has also opened the Termez airport to the humanitarian agencies, to allow them to stockpile humanitarian items for trans-shipment to the south.  We have copies of his remarks upstairs.

On efforts inside Afghanistan, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it began distribution of 500 metric tonnes of food for the internally displaced people in Kabul.  However, a series of explosions very close to the distribution site forced a temporary halt in distribution.  Today, the distribution re-started and continued throughout the day, and 500 metric tonnes are enough to feed 60,000 people for one month.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, is scheduled to leave Geneva on Friday for a one-week mission to Pakistan and Iran. 

Mr. Lubbers will get a first-hand look at UNHCR's current state of readiness and preparations for a possible large-scale influx of Afghans.

The UNHCR also said that interviews with some of the newly arrived refugees into Pakistan indicate that Afghans fear getting caught up in the bombing campaign or ending up in the middle of a land battle between the Taliban and its opponents.  They continue to tell of a breakdown of law and order.  Those from cities are particularly concerned about the danger of inter-factional fighting in residential areas.

Some refugees told the field officers about horrific experiences on their way out of Afghanistan into Pakistan.  In one group, a young girl was maimed by a mine explosion while walking with her family over the mountains.  In another group, a woman gave birth on the way, but the baby did not survive.

Today’s briefing notes from Islamabad include a briefing by Kamal Hossain, the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

**Security Council

The Security Council held a public session this morning on general issues relating to sanctions.  It is the resumption of the meeting held last Monday, which had to be suspended due to time constraints.

Council members took the floor this morning.  As you will recall, last Monday the representatives of Switzerland and Germany reported on the “Interlaken process” and the “Bonn-Berlin process”, which brought together civil society and government experts to review and make proposals on targeted sanctions.  Both representatives distributed handbooks with suggestions on the design and implementation of targeted sanctions.

The representative of Sweden also announced the “Stockholm process” that will focus on how to achieve more coherent and effective incorporation of Council resolutions into national legislation, and how to assist States to implement targeted sanctions.

This afternoon, at 3:30, the Security Council will hold a closed meeting with troop-contributing countries to the UN Mission in East Timor.  Due to space limitations at the Security Council Chamber, the meeting will be held in Conference Room 1.

**Middle East

In Gaza today, the Secretary-General’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East, Terje Roed-Larsen, is continuing his intensive diplomatic efforts to deal with the current crisis, and is currently meeting with envoys from the United States, European Union and Russia.  Mr. Roed-Larsen and the other envoys are expected shortly to meet with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, as part of their continuing effort to foster dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Earlier today, Mr. Roed-Larsen met with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and European Union Secretary-General Javier Solana to discuss the current situation.

**Lebanon

Today in Beirut, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon, Staffan de Mistura, joined in the launch of “Operation Emirates Solidarity”, a project by which the United Arab Emirates is donating $50 million to help demining efforts in southern Lebanon.

In a statement, de Mistura welcomed the United Arab Emirates contribution, and expressed sadness that two people had been killed in just the past few days by landmines.  The true liberation of southern Lebanon, he said, would not take place until something was done to deal with landmines.

We have his comments in a press release upstairs.

**Northern Ireland

After yesterday’s noon briefing, we issued a statement in which the Secretary-General welcomed the Irish Republican Army’s announcement that it has commenced disarmament.  The Secretary-General called the announcement “a watershed in the history of Northern Ireland”, and he called on all parties to seize this unique opportunity to consolidate the Good Friday Agreement.  We have copies of the statement upstairs.

**Sierra Leone

The UN Mission in Sierra Leone reported today that an advance party of Pakistani troops has begun to travel by road to Kailahun, an eastern town near the Guinean border, in preparation for the deployment of a United Nations Pakistani battalion there next week.

This is the first time that the UN Mission is deploying to Kailahun, a diamond-rich area that has been controlled by the Revolutionary United Front.  The battalion is expected to complete its deployment by 31 October.

The UN Mission currently has more than 16,800 troops on the ground.

**United Nations 21 Awards

A short while ago, the Secretary-General addressed the recipients of the

UN 21 Award for the year 2000.  He said that in the five years since the Award was established, much had been achieved in the field of human resources management as a part of the overall reform of the Organization and that “we will continue our efforts to ensure that staff and managers have the skills and knowledge they need to do their job”.  He went on to say, “Efficiency must be our watchword.  We must respond with the highest professionalism to old and new challenges, and search for cost-effective ways to carry out our critical work.”

The five teams, comprising a total of 66 staff members, were presented to the Secretary-General and will receive commemorative pins and certificates.

**Signings

Today, Uruguay will become the sixty-seventh country to sign the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.

**Press Releases

I have a few press releases to flag.  The International Labour Organization (ILO) has formalized its commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS by becoming the eighth co-sponsor of UNAIDS.  The ILO has already made a major contribution to the fight against AIDS through the “Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work” that was launched during the special session on AIDS, here in New York last June.

In another press release, the ILO says that up to 9 million workers in the tourism industry could lose their jobs in the wake of the 11 September attacks on the United States.  A new report says that a 10 per cent reduction in tourism would translate into a loss of 8.8 million jobs worldwide.

And in the last press release, the World Food Programme announced today that Professor Sir Hans Singer will be awarded this year’s Food for Life Award for his lifelong fight against world hunger.  Singer, a development economist, chaired the committee that proposed the creation of the WFP 40 years ago.

**UN Day Concert

And I don't know how many of you went to the UN Day concert last night, but I understand the place was really rocking.  It was the Indian rock band Euphoria, followed by the Pakistani rock group Junoon.  I think there were students from the UN International School dancing in the aisles.  I hear the President of the General Assembly was concerned that the roof might fall in.

At the climax of the evening, the Euphoria band came back on stage and joined Junoon in a rendition of John Lennon's "Give peace a chance".  A fitting end to a United Nations concert.

That’s all I have for you.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Can you tell us anything about Mr. Brahimi's trip to the region?  Where he'll be, whom he'll talk to?

Spokesman:  I don't know that we'll be able to give you that detail.  He's leaving Friday for Islamabad, expected to arrive on Sunday.  From Islamabad, he's expected to go to Tehran, but I don't have the dates.  And all that he's said thus far is that he's going to try to meet with as many of the Afghan parties as he can.  He is anticipating that he might have to come back in about two weeks, when the general debate begins, in the event that the presence here of a number of heads of State of interested parties might afford him the opportunity to do some high-level diplomacy.  His long-term goal is to visit the neighbouring States.  So presumably, after the general debate, he would go back to the region.  I think that’s in broad brushstrokes.  We'll ask him after the briefing if he can provide any more details.

Question: Is it possible to get details of the recent talks that Mr. Brahimi has participated in?

Spokesman:  I'll try.  I don't think he wants to give readouts of all of his meetings, but we'll ask for you, of course.

Question:  Is there a UN comment on The Financial Times story that there was a US/UN agreement concerning airstrikes on the Taliban front lines until an interim transitional government was in place?

Spokesman:  No one in New York knew anything about such an agreement.

Question:  Can you give us any details about a deal that Mr. Oshima struck with the Uzbeks, as far as being able to carry food and supplies on barges.  I hear that there is a bridge there, but that they don't want the United Nations to use that bridge.  Why not?

Spokesman:  You'll have to ask the Uzbek Government.  We are continuing to discuss access to that bridge with them.  At the moment, what we have and what we're very grateful for is permission to use the barges and the port.

Question:  Has there been any communication from Israel to the Secretary-Generalsince the Secretary-General's statement yesterday about withdrawing from Beit Rima?

Spokesman:  As of mid-morning this morning, he had not had any telephone contact with any Israeli officials.

Question:  Has Uzbekistan opened the border temporarily, or once, or what?

Spokesman:  There's no time limit that I'm aware of in this commitment to allow us to bring in food on barges.

Question:  How do you view Mr. Roed-Larsen's efforts in the Middle East at the moment?

Spokesman:  He is the essential eyes and ears of the Secretary-General in the Middle East.  He talks to the Secretary-General almost on a daily basis, particularly in these most recent and tense times.  I think the Secretary-General is very pleased with the work he is doing and finds it practically very useful.

Briefing by the Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly

Good afternoon.

**General Assembly

The General Assembly will meet in plenary at 10 o'clock tomorrow to elect  18 members of the Economic and Social Council.  In three regional groups, we have a “clean slate”, meaning that the number of vacancies corresponds to the number of candidates.  In the Latin American and Caribbean Group, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti are candidates for three vacancies; while Bhutan, China, India, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Qatar and Uzbekistan will compete for four slots in the Asian Group.  If you are interested in the candidates from the other groups, please contact me after the briefing.  The European Group will have a by-election in which Portugal will give up its seat in favour of Spain.  The two countries have a gentleman’s agreement that they will share a seat.

Before the plenary tomorrow, the General Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to discuss a request for the inclusion of an additional item in the agenda.  The item is entitled:  “United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage, 2002”.

This morning, the General Assembly President met with the Director-General of the United Nations Office in Geneva, Vladimir Petrovsky, and in the afternoon he will meet with the Permanent Representative of Kenya, Bob Jalango.

Do you have any questions for me?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  The end of this week is the end of the session of the Working Group on the Global Convention on Terrorism.  Any idea where they will be on this?

Spokesman for the GA President:  I know that they have been working hard on various issues and that they were working late yesterday.  I suspect that they might be working late today, as well.  I think it’s too early to say anything about the outcome.  We should know more by tomorrow afternoon.

Even if it doesn't happen, we'll try and get a briefing for you, in the course of tomorrow.

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