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

Thank you for not taking off to the Hamptons early.  And for waiting for the briefing.  Sorry we’re late.

**Afghanistan

The first snows were reported to have been falling in Afghanistan, amid a flurry of humanitarian and diplomatic efforts.  The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, is headed for the region near Afghanistan later today.  His consultations on the ground in Pakistan are expected to begin on Monday.

Also headed to Pakistan is the High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers.  Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima, as part of his mission to the region, met with the President and the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan today and reports that the Government is very supportive of UN efforts to provide assistance to Afghanistan.  The Government is committed to working with the United Nations to simplify administrative procedures and to support the use of facilities, including access to airports in the south and deliveries across the border river. 

Mr. Oshima plans to visit drought-affected areas in Tajikistan tomorrow.  He flagged the need for international assistance to Tajikistan and said it should not be overshadowed by events next door.

The UNICEF said that it has gained access to the no-man’s land between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, where some 6,000 Afghan children were among the group stranded there since last October.  The UNICEF said it was immunizing the children and distributing supplies.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), for the past few days a light snow has been falling in the Anjuman Pass, which is in the northern part of the country and lies between Faizabad and the Panjsher Valley, a reminder that aid is needed to get to the people in the mountainous areas before winter sets in.

As the UNHCR reported that Afghan families continued to cross the Pakistani border and were going to a camp near the Chaman crossing, the World Health Organization said there were reports of a probable outbreak of malaria near Jalalabad, warning that the already poor health situation was expected to deteriorate.

The WFP and the UNHCR both report a deterioration in the security situation inside Afghanistan.  The UNHCR said it has heard reports that the UNHCR office and warehouse in Khandahar have been looted.  People arriving in Pakistan from Khandahar have spoken of seeing some of UNHCR's nine vehicles being driven around town by armed men.  The WFP said that armed individuals had reportedly occupied its offices in Mazar-i-Sharif.

The sixth report on human rights in Afghanistan by UN human rights rapporteur Kamal Hossein is out, which includes a section on the latest massacres around Yakawlang in May and June when it was reoccupied by Taliban forces.

**Brahimi Interviews

An apology (this is a parenthetical comment) for those of you who had interview requests for Mr. Brahimi that weren’t met.  The list is long, but we’re keeping that list alive for him to consider upon his return from the region.

**Security Council

Last night, the Security Council heard a briefing on recent developments in the Middle East from Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast.  He drew attention to a statement read late yesterday in Gaza by the Secretary-General’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East, Terje Roed-Larsen, on behalf of the UN, the United States, Russian Federation and European Union, whose envoys had met with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat earlier that day.

In that statement, the four envoys noted that Arafat had detailed the steps he has taken to control violence and combat terrorism, and they urged him to make a concerted effort to ensure full and strict compliance with the Palestinian Authority’s ceasefire orders and to take further steps against terrorist organizations.  They also called on Israel to withdraw immediately from “Area A” areas, which are under full Palestinian control, to ensure greater restraint by its Defence Force, to respect the ceasefire fully and to move swiftly to ease closures, among other steps.

Following the Council’s consultations, Security Council President Richard Ryan of Ireland issued a statement to the press, saying that Council members were deeply concerned by the escalation in violence and deplored the loss of life on both sides.  Council members supported statements in capitals calling for immediate withdrawal by all Israeli forces from Area A, and strongly supported all the elements in the statement read by Larsen.

The Council members also welcomed the resumption of security meetings involving the Israelis, Palestinians and the United States, which are to take place later today.  No Council meetings are scheduled for today.  Also today, Larsen met with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, and is continuing his intensive diplomatic efforts on the ground.

**Jan Egeland

We have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman concerning Jan Egeland.

Jan Egeland, the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Colombia, has been appointed the next Secretary-General of the Norwegian Red Cross, effective January 2002.  The Secretary-General would like to congratulate Mr. Egeland warmly on this appointment.  Mr. Egeland has made a decisive contribution to the UN's support for Colombia's efforts to end violence and bring peace to the country.  He has worked tirelessly to promote peace, human rights, humanitarian assistance and development in the country.  Mr. Egeland will continue in his functions as Special Adviser until January.  Arrangements for his succession will be announced separately.

**Secretary-General in Geneva

The Secretary-General will travel to Geneva next Tuesday to participate in the Global Employment Forum which opens on Thursday.  That forum is sponsored by the United Nations International Labour Organization and is designed to provide policy options to deal with the 500 million additional members of the global work force over the next decade.  While he's in Geneva, he will take the opportunity to meet with staff, as he's been doing here at Headquarters.  He will return to

New York at the end of the week.

**Kosovo

In Belgrade yesterday, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, Hans Haekkerup, had a series of meetings with Yugoslav and other officials on the possibility of a joint declaration that would encourage Serb participation in the upcoming Kosovo elections.  The UN Mission in Kosovo and the Yugoslav Government presented proposals on such a declaration, but did not yet reach agreement on a text.  Haekkerup held a productive one-on-one meeting with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, in which they agreed on the need to conclude a joint declaration that would enable the highest Serb participation in the elections.  Haekkerup said afterward, at a press conference, that Serbs had five reasons to come out to vote:  to end their isolation; to strengthen their security; to bolster democracy; to enable further returns; and because there was no alternative to moving ahead.

**East Timor

The first battalion of the East Timor Defence Force (ETDF) was formally inaugurated today at a ceremony at which their Australian-built facility was officially handed over to the people of East Timor.

The recruitment and selection process for the first 600-member battalion was completed in January, and 250 of these recruits completed their basic training at their former base in June.  The remaining 350 battalion recruits are currently undergoing basic training.  The process of recruiting men and women to join a second defence force battalion is under way.

As indicated in the latest report of the Secretary-General on East Timor, it is envisaged that the first battalion will be fully operational by June next year.   A second battalion is expected to be ready by late 2003.  We have a Briefing Note from Dili with more details.

**Sierra Leone

In the town of Makeni in northern Sierra Leone yesterday, 95 children who were formerly associated with the fighting forces were reunited with their families.  The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Oluyemi Adeniji, gave the keynote address at the ceremony where the families were reunited, and urged the families to provide all the support the children need to grow up normally.  He said, “We have to make sure we give them all opportunities in life.”  We have a press release on that.

**Rwanda

In Arusha, Tanzania, the former prefect of Kigali-Rural, François Karera, today pleaded “not guilty” to charges of genocide and crimes against humanity at his initial appearance before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.  Karera is accused of carrying out patrols in his prefecture to hunt down and kill Tutsi civilians during the 1994 genocide.  He was arrested in Nairobi last Saturday and transferred to the Tribunal’s detention facility later that day.  We have a press release from the Tribunal with more information.

Also on the Tribunal, there is a report out on the racks today reviewing its work over the past year, saying that over that time, the Tribunal has improved its performance remarkably, with its work accelerating and all three trial chambers actively engaged in trying suspects.

      **Liberia

The report of the independent panel on Liberia sanctions will be out on Monday, and the chair of the panel, Martin Ayafor, and Singaporean Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani, chair of the Council Sanctions Committee on Liberia, will speak to the press at 12:30 here in room 226.  The Security Council is expected to take up the report as part of its consultations on Liberia early next week.

**Somalia

The different parts of Somalia may have had their conflicts over the past decade, but that didn’t stop sports teams from the cities of Baidoa and Mogadishu from a more peaceful -– and fun -– competition this week that the United Nations helped to organize.

Today in Baidoa, a two-day sports tournament, in which football and basketball teams from Mogadishu and Baidoa faced off against each other, wrapped up after drawing thousands of onlookers.  The UN Sports for Peace Programme and the Somali Olympic Committee organized the event, which kicked off on UN Day, which, you’ll recall, was Wednesday.  We have a press release on that.

**DSG in Canada

The Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette, is in Ontario, Canada, today.  She is being conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws at Queen’s College.  In her acceptance speech, she said that "if we reject what the terrorists stand for -- violence, intolerance, fanaticism -- , if we want to protect the values that we hold dear -- freedom, tolerance, justice, equality -- , then we must do better, much better, to bridge the gap between rich and poor".  The full text of her speech is available in the Spokesman’s Office.

**No Anthrax

Last week, on Thursday, 18 October, some staff working on the 30th floor of the Secretariat Building reported seeing a white substance falling from the ceiling.  In response, initial culture tests were taken of the area, which were negative for anthrax bacteria.

However, because of some other test results that were inconclusive, fresh samples were taken last Sunday night, and turned over for testing to the US authorities.  In addition, as a precautionary measure, the area was sealed and some members who had been in close proximity of the incident were started on antibiotics, on the recommendation of the New York City Department of Health.  However, we have since received the results of the detailed testing that took place on Sunday, and they too were negative for anthrax.

**Press Releases

The World Health Organization has issued updated guidance on smallpox vaccination.  The WHO is not recommending the mass vaccination of any population, as there is some risk of adverse side effects associated with vaccination.  Only those who suspect they have been exposed to smallpox should be vaccinated, as vaccination is still effective after exposure.  We have more information in a press release.

The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme have issued a joint press release, saying that despite having the best harvest in six years, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will still need substantial food aid for next year.  There is a projected shortfall of 1.47 million tonnes of cereal for 2001/2002 compared with 2.2 million tonnes the previous year.

And then in the UNHCR briefing notes, we are told that the agency is concerned that the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by the Namibian Government along its border with Angola will prevent genuine Angolan refugees from seeking asylum.  No one will be allowed to travel at night along the 450 km border within a

200m-wide band inside Namibia.

**Blood Drive

A blood drive, organized by the Medical Services Division, will begin here at the UN on Monday.  The New York Blood Center will administer the drive, which will take place in the south Secretariat Lobby from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.  The Medical Services Division has asked that you take your UN grounds pass with you if you want to donate blood.

And we’ve got the week ahead for you, which you can pick up in my Office.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Do you know what was floating down from the ceiling?

Spokesman:  This building is more than 50 years old, so there’s been stuff accumulating up there for a long time.  Most of it is black, which is good

New York City soot.  White might be chipped paint, or something else, I don’t know.  Whatever it was, it wasn’t anthrax.

Question:  Is there any follow-up on the letter yesterday alleging the Iraqi oil violations?

Spokesman:  That matter is in the hands of the committee and I’d prefer to let the 661 committee address any questions.

Question:  Has anything been decided about what’s being done with the Nobel Prize money?

Spokesman:  No.  That’s still under consideration.  First of all, we don’t have the cheque yet.  We are giving thought to it, though.

Question:  Has there been any response from the Israeli Government to the Secretary-General about the date of withdrawal?

Spokesman:  Well, I think that based on the reports we’ve seen there were no dates given by the Israeli Security Cabinet.  I’m not aware that the Secretary-General has had any contact with anyone from the Israeli Government today.

Jan?

Briefing by the Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly

Good afternoon.

**General Committee

This morning, the General Committee decided to include an additional item on its agenda.  The item is entitled:  “United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage, 2002”.

**General Assembly

The General Assembly then met in plenary to elect 18 members of the Economic and Social Council.  I had to leave before I could get the results of the voting, but I think it’s safe to say that in the three groups where we had a so-called ”clean slate”, the following States were or are about to be elected.  In the group of African States it will be Burundi, Ghana, Libya and Zimbabwe  In the Eastern European States it will be Hungary, Russian Federation and Ukraine.  And in Western European and other States, it will be Australia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  In addition Portugal is giving up its seat in favour of Spain.

At four o’clock, General Assembly President Han Seung-soo will meet with

Amre Moussa, the Secretary-General of the Arab League.

**Working Group on International Terrorism

As you know, the Working Group on International Terrorism has been meeting since 15 October mainly to draft a comprehensive convention on terrorism.  In this respect I have good news and I have not so good news.  The Working Group, resorting to some late meetings, made important progress and reached agreement on all but three articles of the comprehensive convention.  The bad news is of course that they did not reach agreement on all of the articles, leaving the draft incomplete.

The outstanding articles deal with the definition of terrorism, the relationship between the comprehensive convention, the one they’re drafting now, and the sectoral ones, and the exclusion provisions.  Remember there is a lot more information on all the draft articles in various documents.  For example, the report of the Ad Hoc Committee following its February 2001 meeting, document A/56/37, and in the previous report of the Working Group, that’s document A/C.6/55/L.2.  I don’t know when the report of the current session of the Working Group will be made public but I will try to get copies for you as soon as possible.

I suppose you might ask what happens now, and I suppose your guess is as good as mine.  The Working Group will report to the Sixth Committee, which may try to find some kind of compromise language but it could also take note of the progress so far and then suggest that the outstanding items be taken up in a future meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on International Terrorism.  There are probably other options as well.

Although we were all hoping for a draft convention, we have to remember that the Working Group is dealing with some very difficult issues and that it usually takes quite some time to agree upon such conventions.  A lot of progress was made, and as the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee said when he met with you last week, there was “a sense of compromise and a spirit of flexibility” in the Working Group. Due to this, the future work can concentrate on the three outstanding matters.  That’s what I have for you.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Concerning ECOSOC elections.  Did you tell us yesterday that there were no contested seats, or that they were?

Spokesman:  No, in two groups there are more candidates than there are slots.  In the Asian group, there are six candidates vying for four slots. Uzbekistan was a candidate earlier, but withdrew.  And in the Latin American and Caribbean group, there were four candidates for three seats.  There will actually be elections for all of them but, as of this moment, I don’t know who was elected in the two groups where there were contested seats.

Question:  Are you going to be putting out a sheet?

Spokesman:  Once I have the voting results and so on, I will put it out on the third floor.

Question:  Will this have the people who lost and the ones who won?

Spokesman: Well, if you read my briefing from yesterday you will find out which ones were the losers.  I mentioned all the candidates in the briefing yesterday.

Question:  There’s a meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee scheduled for after the Sixth Committee today.  They’re not going to continue on with this language?

Spokesman:  No, I think they have basically finished their job.  The Sixth Committee will be meeting to deal with other issues this afternoon.  I don’t know what that meeting of the Working Group will be about, but my guess is they will probably be talking about what they would recommend to the Sixth Committee.

Question:  And the report?

Spokesman:  Well, I don’t know when that will be available.  But they will probably have to come up with some kind of recommendation to the Sixth Committee.  Whether this should now be turned over to the Ad Hoc Committee, or if they feel that there is a possibility that their problem could be solved in the Sixth Committee, then they might advise the Sixth Committee to possibly see if they can find some time to discuss it.  That’s what I’m guessing that they’ll be doing at this stage.  But the actual work to the best of my knowledge is finished.

Question:  What is the meeting between the General Assembly President and the Secretary-General of the Arab League?

Spokesman:  I think it is a courtesy call at the request of Mr. Moussa.

Question:  As to the three unfinished articles, could you go into a bit more detail about the second one.  The relationship between the comprehensive convention and the sectoral ones.

Spokesman:  You know, we have a series of conventions, and what they are debating is whether this new draft comprehensive convention should be a kind of a super convention that overrides all the previous conventions.  Or if it should be seen more as a convention that will fill any kind of a gap that’s left if you take the sectoral conventions in their totality.

Question:  And what is the exclusion principle?

Spokesman  There’s a discussion whether this draft convention should contain exclusions, for instance for actions taken by military forces, or actions taken by national liberation movements.

Ok, with that we’ll call it to an end and wish you a very nice weekend.

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