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.

**Secretary-General and Middle East

In Madrid today, the Secretary-General conferred with his Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Terje Roed Larsen, in advance of his meeting tomorrow with the US Secretary of State Colin Powell and other members of the Quartet.  The other Quartet participants will be the Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Piqué, representing the rotating presidency of the European Union; European security chief Javier Solana; and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.  This will be the second meeting of the Quartet at this level, the first having been during the General Assembly last fall.  The principals have remained in touch mainly by phone since then, and, of course, they’ve been coordinating regularly on the ground at Larsen's level.  They’re expected to issue a joint declaration tomorrow after their meeting, and then to give a joint press conference.  We understand that’s scheduled for 10:45 Madrid time.

**Secretary-General in Madrid

As part of his official programme in Madrid today, the Secretary-General received the keys to the city and then travelled north to be awarded an honorary degree from the 500-year-old Alcalá University.  Alcalá is also the birthplace of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes.  The Secretary-General’s acceptance speech, focusing on the effort to reduce poverty worldwide, is available upstairs in my Office, as are his comments on accepting the keys.  This afternoon, he’s visiting the World Tourism Organization, which is based in Madrid, and then addressing a Global Compact ceremony.  And the text of that address will also be available upstairs later today.

**Security Council

From the Security Council, this morning the Council resumed its public meeting on the Middle East, which began yesterday afternoon.  This afternoon, the Council will move to closed consultations to resume its discussion of a draft resolution introduced by Syria last night on behalf of the Arab Group and the Non-Aligned Movement, I believe.  The draft condemns the failure to implement resolutions 1402 and 1403 and, among other points, calls on Israel effectively to respect the Fourth Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.

**UNRWA

A convoy from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), accompanied by the Agency's Deputy Commissioner-General and the West Bank Field Office Director, was prevented this morning by Israeli forces from entering the Jenin refugee camp.  The UNRWA, however, was able to enter the city of Jenin.  Two thousand food parcels, along with blankets and blood supplies, were delivered to the Jenin Hospital.  UNRWA officials tell us they will try again

tomorrow to enter the refugee camp.  UNRWA ambulances remain ready to enter the camp as soon as permitted to do so by Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, the Agency is also assisting some 300 women, children and elderly, who were forced out of the Jenin camp last night and into Jenin City, which was still under curfew at the time.  They have taken refuge with families in Jenin (not necessarily their relatives) and in a Red Cross compound.  Israeli soldiers entered the Men’s Training College in Ramallah, which is run by UNRWA, where several hundred boarding students have been trapped by the fighting.  UNRWA officials have gone to the school to assess the situation.  Lastly, as of today, UNRWA’s Web site has introduced a page to enable direct donations via credit card to the Agency’s current emergency appeal.

**Human Rights Mission for Middle East

We just got this in from the Commission on Human Rights.  The three members of the UN mission mandated by the Commission on Human Rights to visit the Middle East met today in Geneva.  And they received a communication from the Permanent Representative of Israel there, that their request for Israel’s cooperation had been forwarded to the Israeli Government and would be considered carefully.  The members of the mission are High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez and former African National Congress Secretary-General Cyril Ramaphosa.  They wrote to Israel this afternoon, saying, “We are confident that the Israeli authorities would share our hope that whatever can be done to protect human life and safety should be done as a matter of utmost urgency.”  We have a press release upstairs on that.

**Kosovo Incident

Yesterday in Mitrovica, Kosovo, UN police set up a regular checkpoint to inspect vehicles, and were set to make an arrest over a traffic violation, when, for reasons we still have not determined, some shots were fired at the UN police, who were members of the Polish unit.  A group of Kosovo Serbs also threw stones at the police officers.  At least 12 UN police were injured, one seriously but not with a life-threatening injury.  Additional police officers were called in to try to contain the crowd.  Some Serbs were arrested during this incident.  Later in the evening, the UN Mission’s Police Commissioner, Stefan Feller, went to Mitrovica to investigate what happened there.  This afternoon, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, Michael Steiner, also went to Mitrovica.  And he’s expected to be back in Pristina this evening.

We just talked to our colleagues in Mitrovica, who say that the situation on the ground there is now calm, and a meeting of Kosovo Serbs, protesting the arrests of Serbs, broke up recently without incident.  [It was later announced that copies of a press conference by Mr. Steiner were available upstairs, announcing that 22 police had been injured.]

**Iraq ‘Oil-for-Food’ Programme

In its weekly update, the Office of the Iraq Programme says that the implementation of the “oil-for-food” programme has been facing increasing financial difficulties due to the substantial drop in revenues received from Iraqi oil exports under the programme.  The distribution plan for the current phase, which is phase eleven, submitted by the Government of Iraq and approved by the Secretary-General, was budgeted at $4.6 billion.  As at 8 April, the total

volume of oil loaded was 202.8 million barrels, with an estimated revenue of   $3.9 billion, at current prices.

Until the decision taken by Iraq to suspend oil exports for a period of

30 days, effective 8 April, it was estimated that the total oil revenues received from the export of oil under the programme would be $5.5 billion during this phase.  As you know, 72 per cent of the revenues goes to the humanitarian programme, with the rest going to the compensation commission, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), and others. 

It is estimated that the decision to halt exports will reduce the total revenues received by some $1.3 billion during phase eleven, which ends 29 May.  It’s now estimated that the total revenue for phase eleven will be $4.2 billion, which would provide an estimated $3 billion to the humanitarian programme.  That shortfall, which is some $1.6 billion, is compounded by leftover contracts from previous phases, valued at an additional $2 billion.  Hope you’re following this, but about $1.8 billion was still available in the United Nations Iraq Account, which, however, has been put aside for the purchase of oil spare parts and humanitarian supplies, under special allocation aimed at addressing the needs of especially vulnerable groups.  I think we’ll have to call in Hasmik Egian of the Iraq Programme Office to explain this to you.  The full report is available upstairs.

**Afghan Refugees

Today marks the start of the facilitated repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran, as 146 persons returned via the Ialam Qala crossing.  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is planning for up to 400,000 Afghans to return from Iran this year.  Iran hosts more than 1.5 million Afghan refugees.

Meanwhile, security problems in Afghanistan have disrupted repatriation movements in other areas.  Some 800 vehicles with more than 18,000 returnees have been stranded between Torkham and Jalalabad because of road blocks put up by angry farmers protesting against government plans to stop their growing poppies.  A UNHCR spokesperson said that the UN was not able to get to the location due to security reasons, but he hopes that the situation could be resolved tomorrow.

**Other Refugees

In other refugee news, this from Burundi.  The UNHCR and the Governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and Burundi have agreed to limit the number of Burundian refugees returning from Tanzania.  The return of refugees to the southern provinces of Ruyigi and Makamba will remain on hold due to the insecurity of these areas.  Those returning to the more stable north will continue to be repatriated, but at the rate of about 500 per week.  The returnees receive food and a reintegration package at a transit centre in Burundi before departing for their region of origin.  More than 50,000 Burundian refugees in camps in western Tanzania have signed up for voluntary repatriation, and so far nearly 900 have returned in three groups.  We have briefing notes with more details upstairs.

**Criminal Court Event

I’d like to provide a few more details about the event to mark the sixtieth ratification for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which we expect to take place on Thursday morning this week.  As you know, the Statute already has 56 ratifications.  And we expect that at least six, possibly more, nations will turn in their instruments of ratification on Thursday.  The treaty event will take place at 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room 3, at which time several countries will hand in their instruments of ratification to the UN Legal Counsel, Hans Corell.  If all goes well and we receive the necessary 60 ratifications, the treaty will enter into force on 1 July.  Mr. Corell will also speak briefly at that event.  A limited number of seats in Conference Room 3 for print media will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Then, at 10:45 a.m. there’ll be a press conference in this room, which will include an appearance by videoconference of the Secretary-General and of Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who will be in Rome at that time.  The Secretary-General will make a brief statement and then will take a few questions from you.  After that, still in this room, a group of five speakers, including Hans Corell, will talk to you more about the Court.  Both events will be covered by UN Television and will also be webcast live, at www.un.org/icc.  We have a media advisory with more details.

**Financing Terrorism Convention

The International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism will enter into force tomorrow, after having received the

22 ratifications that had been required for the treaty to take effect.

States that are party to the Convention are obliged to take steps to identify, detect, and freeze or seize any funds used or allocated for terrorist acts.  Among other things, States must also ensure that criminal acts covered by the Convention will, under no circumstances, be considered justifiable; parties to the treaty also may not refuse a request for mutual legal assistance on the grounds of banking secrecy.  We have a press release with more information.

**World Assembly on Ageing

In Madrid today, the plenary of the Second World Assembly on Ageing continued.  They heard 37 speakers.  The Main Committee met late yesterday and decided to split into two working groups, one on the Plan of Action and the other on the Political Declaration, both of which are expected to be completed by Thursday and adopted on Friday.

In a press conference at the Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a new document to assist in planning policies to enhance the health of ageing populations.  The Director-General of the WHO, Gro Harlem Brundtland, unveiled a road map to healthy ageing, a policy framework for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, many of which start in early childhood.  We have press releases on that.

**Human Rights Rapporteurs

In Geneva today, this came in just a short while ago.  Several special rapporteurs dealing with human rights, 10 in fact, held a joint press conference to express their dissatisfaction at the small amount of speaking time that they had been given this session to present their reports to the Commission on Human Rights.  The Commission’s Bureau today decided to grant them half the time normally allowed for the presentation of reports, and many rapporteurs are not happy with that arrangement.  We have some details in today’s briefing notes from Geneva.

**UNDP China

From China, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Shell China Exploration and Production Co. Ltd. have agreed to assess the social impact of China's West-East Pipeline project.  The assessment will help maximize economic and social benefits in communities affected by the project and promote equitable development in areas adjoining the pipeline's route in western China.  There are prospects that the gas can help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by replacing coal with power generation.  The planned pipeline, about 4,000 kilometres long, will bring gas from western China to Shanghai and the east, passing through eight provinces and autonomous regions.

**Press Conferences

Finally, press conferences.  We mentioned it yesterday and I’ll mention it again today.  At 12:45 p.m., in just a short time, the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh is sponsoring a press conference on the occasion of the closing event of the 2002 Ghandi-King Season for Non-violence.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Is any reason given for why the two resolutions adopted recently by the Security Council haven’t been implemented?

Spokesman:  I think you’ll have to ask the parties to the conflict.  The Council is demanding a withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian areas and a return to negotiations.  As the Secretary-General said, the whole world is asking for that, even the friends of Israel.  We’ve seen some initial signs that the Israeli pullout might have begun in two areas of the West Bank today.  We hope that that will continue.  Otherwise, you’ll have to ask the parties why there is no immediate implementation, or implementation without delay, of the Council’s demands.  I can’t answer that.

Question:  Does the Secretary-General have any response to Iraq’s announcement about an oil embargo and what impact it might possibly have on his upcoming meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Haji Sabri?

Spokesman:  No, he hasn’t said anything about that, to my knowledge, and I hope there would not be an impact on the political discussions that we’re expecting to resume here on 18 April.

Question:  Is Mary Robinson’s group going to the Middle East today?  They were set to go today, but now you said they sent this letter.

Spokesman:  I think they’re still saying that they’re prepared to start this visit as soon as possible, pending cooperation of the Israeli authorities.  They may be waiting to hear back from the Israelis.

Question:  Also, they sent these letters and we know who’s in charge there.  Are they asking to talk to the Palestinians, either Chairman Arafat or the Palestinian side, to investigate or do anything?

Spokesman:  I would have to assume that they would want to speak to all sides to establish what the impact on human rights has been of the latest developments.  But I think we should check with Geneva to see what specifics they’ve put out.  I’m not sure they’ve given such specifics.

Question:  You wouldn’t say it’ll end up as a study of Israeli practices at the moment?

Spokesman:  I don’t know that they’ve framed it in that way.  They have said that they are seeking the cooperation of the Israeli and the Palestinian sides.

Question:  Has there been any check to see if Foreign Minister Sabri is still coming?

Spokesman:  We have not had any indications to the contrary.

Question:  Has there been any contact between the Secretary-General and Prime Minister Sharon recently?

Spokesman:  No.

Question:  When was the last time the Secretary-General spoke to Chairman Arafat?

Spokesman:  The last time I told you, whenever it was.  It was the phone call after the phone call in Beirut.  Someone in this briefing asked me, and I said that there had been one more phone call.  I don’t think there’s been any other telephone contact with Chairman Arafat.  I have no record of one.

Question:  What could the Security Council do if it really wanted to put an end to Israeli practices at the moment?  How would they proceed to achieve implementation?

Spokesman:  Exactly as they’ve been doing.  They’ve been meeting, they’ve been making their position a matter of record, calling on the parties to cease and desist, like the Secretary-General and the Pope, they don’t have armies, or not an army, though individually they have armies.  But as of now, it’s merely calling on the parties and exhorting them, using their moral authority.

Question:  Does the request from the Human Rights mission to the Israeli authorities include any requests for a visa from the Israelis?  What if the Israelis refuse them the necessary visa to visit?

Spokesman:  What they’ve asked for is cooperation.  They’re waiting to hear from the Israeli authorities whether there will be cooperation.  So I’m sure that if Israel is going to facilitate the visit, that would include visas.

Question:  Is there an itinerary for what specific towns and villages they want to go to?

Spokesman:  I’ve already said that I don’t have any of the details and I don’t know if they’ve given any details.  We’ll have to check with Geneva to see what has been said, if anything.

Question:  Under cooperation, there would be two things, I guess.  One would be protection and the second would be literally cooperation and investigation.

Spokesman:  All these detailed questions are for the Commission in Geneva.  I’m just relaying to you the general information they put out in Geneva.  Any specific follow-up questions you should put to them directly.

Question:  Would it be possible to have the head of the Security Council here in this room?

Spokesman:  We’ll relay the request, but I think he walks past the microphone after every session.  He walked right past the microphone last night and no one asked any questions.  I mean, it’s not like he’s not accessible.  He is.  So could I suggest that you first try to catch him at the stakeout?  

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