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.

Good afternoon.

**East Timor Final Election Result

Independence leader Xanana Gusmão emerged today as the President-elect of East Timor, after capturing 82.7 per cent of the vote in the last United Nations-run ballot.  The territory celebrates its independence next month.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced the final result after the last of East Timor’s 13 districts completed its ballot count overnight.  The vote totals were forwarded today to the IEC Board of Commissioners, which still must certify the result and submit it to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Sunday, 21 April.

Mr. Gusmão said at a press conference, “it is with enormous gratitude and humility that I received the trust that the people have put in me”. 

Earlier today, the Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, said, “I want to wholeheartedly congratulate my friend Xanana Gusmão for his victory.  I trust Xanana Gusmão will devote his infinite energy and will to fulfilling the noble pledges he made during the campaign.”  He also congratulated runner-up Francisco Xavier do Amaral for his honourable campaign and for serving the people of East Timor.

**Middle East

Our access to the Jenin refugee camp improved today.  The curfew was partially lifted in a number of areas throughout the camp.  Although full access to all parts of the camp is not yet possible, officials from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNWRA, were able to distribute milk and bread to some 500 families.

The UNRWA is also working with a number of donor countries to try to bring in bomb disposal experts to clear some of the unexploded ordnance.  As I said yesterday, a preliminary check of UNRWA facilities in the camp did reveal the presence of that ordnance.

While UNRWA will focus on feeding the people in the camp, on clearing ordnance and, eventually, rebuilding of facilities and shelters, the International Committee for the Red Cross will focus on the search and rescue efforts for people who might still be trapped beneath the rubble.

To clarify some of the food figures that we used yesterday, we’ve been told that the approximately 20 tonnes of food distributed reached about 900 to 1,000 families, which is roughly 5,000 people.  This supply should last three to four days.  I apologize that yesterday we said that supply would last for one day.  And

we called two UNWRA sources in the field, both of whom said one day is correct.  And, it turns out they were wrong after all.

The food consisted of dried and tinned goods, including sugar, flour and rice.  The rations were meant to last three to four days.

**Security Council

This morning the Security Council is meeting in closed consultations.  The first item on their agenda was the extension of the monitoring mechanism for the Angola sanctions.

Ambassador Richard Ryan of Ireland, who chairs the Committee, said the resolution extending the mandate needed to be passed by Friday. 

Noel Sinclair, the head of the UN Political Office in Bougainville, then briefed Council members on the latest developments there, particularly on the weapons disposal efforts conducted by the UN along with the Government and the Bougainville leaders.

Lastly, Council members were to hear from Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov, the high-level Coordinator regarding the return or repatriation from Iraq of Kuwaiti and third-country nationals.

Ambassador Vorontsov presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on this issue.  In it the Secretary-General states that the question of missing Kuwaitis and third-country nationals was discussed with Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri during the meetings that were held in New York on 7 March.  At that time, the Foreign Minister said that Iraq had returned all Kuwaiti prisoners.

In his conclusion, the Secretary-General says that although no tangible progress has been made on this issue, the recent positive signs, which emerged from the recent Arab League summit regarding the relations between Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, provide reasons for “guarded optimism and hope.”  Nevertheless, a dialogue between Ambassador Vorontsov and Iraqi authorities remains vitally important to solving this issue.  The report is available upstairs.

**Madagascar

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahima Fall is participating in the talks on how to resolve the crisis in Madagascar being held in the margins of a meeting in Dakar, Senegal.  That meeting, of course, is on how to finance the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, or NEPAD.

Madagascar President Didier Ratsiraka and opposition leader Marc Ravalomanana are holding talks separately with several African leaders, including Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and the Organization of African Unity’s Secretary-General Amara Essy.  As you know, Fall has been involved with the OAU in an effort to mediate the conflict. 

The meetings comes amid media reports that Madagascar’s Supreme Court has annulled the results of the disputed presidential election, and that there has been a flare-up of violence on the island.

**Angola

UN agencies, the Angolan Government and non-governmental organizations will begin assessing this week the humanitarian conditions in 36 previously inaccessible areas in 13 provinces of Angola.

According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Angola, which is coordinating the assessment, these are areas that have been without humanitarian assistance for a prolonged period of time because of insecurity or logistical constraints.  There is no humanitarian presence in these areas, with the possible exception of churches and local NGOs.

Participating from the United Nations are the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Development Programme and the World Health Organization.

A final report is expected at the end of the assessments, and that will be towards the end of May.  It will also be used to prioritize emergency interventions in these areas and determine the roles and responsibilities of the Government, UN Agencies and NGOs.

The OCHA estimates that between 500,000 and 550,000 persons are in these areas.  UN humanitarian agencies in Angola are already assisting about 1 million people.

**Afghanistan

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, today appealed for funds for UNHCR's $271 million programme in Afghanistan, saying it would be "a shame" if the UN agency slows down its assistance programme for returning Afghan refugees.

Speaking at a news conference midway through his eight-day trip to Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Lubbers also said that, in general, the security situation in Afghanistan has improved.

More than 267,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan since UNHCR, Afghanistan and Pakistan launched a programme to assist refugees in Pakistan on   1 March.  Another 5,000 Afghans in Iran have returned under a similar programme launched last week.

Lubbers said that UNHCR has so far received only $160 million of the

$271 million needed through the end of the year, and that at the end of April, the agency will have almost no reserve.

**Global Compact

Starting today here at UN Headquarters, more than 60 representatives from the business world, labour and civil society will be meeting, within the framework of the Global Compact, to take stock following discussions about the role of business in zones of conflict.  The meeting is to last through tomorrow morning, and the results will later be published on the Global Compact Web site at (www.unglobalcompact.org).

**Press Releases

A few press releases to highlight.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced that great progress is being made in the reduction of deaths of newborns and new mothers from tetanus.  The UNICEF said that the deaths of 15,000 newborns were averted last year due to the implementation of programmes in several countries.  Deaths in newborns from tetanus are still a problem in 57 countries but Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe are soon expected to join the list of countries that have eliminated the disease. 

We have another press release from the UN Environment Programme on the third meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which will take place in The Hague next week.  Among the items for discussion will be information sharing, capacity building and compliance.  The meeting is also expected to produce further recommendations for the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

And finally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, better known as UNESCO, today announced a partnership with the Discovery Channel aimed at generating awareness of endangered languages and cultural heritage.  According to estimates there are 6,000 known languages, some with fewer than 1,000 who can speak them.  We have a press release on that.

**World Chronicle TV

And finally, the World Chronicle TV programme featuring Poul Neilson, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, will be aired today at 3:30 p.m. on in-house television channels 3 and 31.

That's all I have.  Yes, Mohammed?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Any idea about the number of children killed and injured recently in the Middle East, and any estimates about the damage in the towns and villages?

Spokesman:  No.  You heard me say that we still don't have complete access to Jenin, which is an area where, based on initial reports, we would expect the most casualties to have occurred.  I don't think there's yet been time to do a comprehensive assessment of deaths and destruction.  I'm sure there will be one done as soon as possible.  Steve?

Question:  Is the Secretary-General still going to meet with the Security Council tomorrow about the international force proposal, and if he is, can you tell us, as much as possible, how much further he will go on what was reported last week by Mr. Prendergast?

Spokesman:  So, you want me to tell you what he's going to tell the Council tomorrow?

Question:  Well, I'm trying to phrase it in a way that won't be . . . .

Spokesman:  He is going to brief the Council tomorrow.  And I haven't seen the text of his remarks, but even if I had, I wouldn't be able to characterize or go into any detail.  (interruption) I haven't seen the text.

Question:  You mentioned the curfew has been lifted in parts of Jenin, but are the Israelis still there or have they pulled back?

Spokesman:  I assume they are, I don't know if they're in the camp or around the camp, but they're controlling access to the camp because they allowed us to go in to some areas of it.  Edie?

Question:  Fred, has the Secretary-General been in touch with either Colin Powell or Yasser Arafat and is he disappointed that Powell is leaving the region, either without a complete Israeli withdrawal or a ceasefire?

Spokesman:  He has not spoken to the Secretary of State since yesterday morning and, to my knowledge, he has not spoken to Yasser Arafat recently.  I don't think he wants to pass judgment on the Secretary's mission, other than to express his support and that of the entire Quartet, which includes in addition to the US and the UN, the European Union and the Russian Federation.  He did say that he expects the Quartet to meet again soon. 

And so I think the Secretary of State can count on their continued support and the coordinated support of the international community for his efforts.  And everyone is hoping that if he didn't get a ceasefire on this initial round, that eventually, there will be a ceasefire.  But a ceasefire to hold must have, of course, a political context.  I think the Secretary of State has said that that is his objective, as well.  Bill?

Question:  Do you know when the Secretary-General plans to respond to the Iraqi suggestion for dates?

Spokesman:  Soon.  They're still talking this back and forth.  Maybe by tomorrow.  I'm just guessing.  We might be ready to announce a date by tomorrow. 

Question:  I hope it's not tomorrow.  Yasser Arafat said in an appeal in the candlelight in his crushed compound there -– he's appealing to the US, he specifically mentioned the UN -– look, I cannot even go 10 steps outside.  I know you can't speak for 189 members, but do you feel that the United Nations has properly responded to his pleas, to his situation?

Spokesman:  Well, the Secretary-General has said that he feels Yasser Arafat needs room to manoeuvre, to function as the leader of the Palestinians, which, in fact, he is.  I don't want to pass judgment on the reaction of Member States.  Yes?

Question:  Amnesty International has asked the Security Council to send its own investigative team to Jenin and places like that.  Is that a possibility?

Spokesman:  The Council will have to answer that question.  I think the Secretary-General feels that we do want to know the full truth of what has happened.  Mohammed?

Question:  What is the Secretary-General's agenda with respect to the multinational force?

Spokesman:  As I already mentioned, the Secretary-General will expand on his concept for a multinational force, which was initially presented to the Council on his behalf by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast, while the Secretary-General was travelling.  And he will do that tomorrow.  So I think you must wait for tomorrow to get his latest thinking.  Edie?

Question:  Can we put in an early request for copies of his speech and some access to him, afterwards?

Spokesman:  We will talk to him about access and also about getting the text of his remarks.  I can't promise it because it's given in closed consultations for a reason, but I'll ask.  Bill?

Question:  Is the Secretary-General going to get involved in the desire of the Human Rights Commission to send a mission to Israel and their wait for a response to that request?

Spokesman:  He has been in touch with Mary Robinson.  I think his hope is that the Israeli authorities will cooperate with her visit and that they will allow that visit to take place quickly.  And we hope it'll happen very soon.

Question:  So, I presume from your answer that he has not personally tried to intervene and tried to make that happen?

Spokesman:  I don't know the content of every telephone call that he makes.  I can't categorically answer that question one way or the other.  Richard?

Question:  Can we broadcast that phone call live?  No.  The second question is can Mr. Vorontsov stop at the mike, today?

Spokesman:  We'll ask him if he'll do that, sure. 

[Immediately following the briefing, the Spokesman announced that Ambbassador Vorontsov declined to speak at the stakeout, saying the President of the Council would speak for him.] 

Question:  The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia visiting President Bush.  Any plans for a visit to the UN or to the private residence of the Secretary-General?

Spokesman:  I haven't heard that he's coming to New York, but I'll have to ask.

Question:  Tomorrow's meeting -– would members outside the Security Council, like the Palestinians or Israelis –- be invited to that briefing tomorrow by the Secretary-General or would it just be the 15?

Spokesman:  I don't think the Secretary-General invites guests, but for closed consultations, I think it's closed, it's the 15 members unless they decide to ask additional members in.  I haven't heard that they plan to do so.

Question:  Regarding the story that was out last week, I don't know if you commented on the conclusion that a United Nations convoy in Afghanistan, which was hit by United States planes, was not properly marked as a United Nations convoy.  Has there been an official United Nations reaction to that report?

Spokesman:  No, I haven't gotten a reaction.  We did ask the World Food Programme.  They did respond, saying that they were using private carriers, anyone who would drive a truck, to bring food in.  It was an enormous emergency operation that succeeded in preventing wholesale famine in Afghanistan.  And so it is true that these trucks weren't painted white with UN markings -– there simply wasn't time to do that. 

The second element of that article was that WFP had not coordinated with the US authorities on the sending of this particular convoy.  There was at the time a policy in place to inform the United States authorities of all movements.  What I don't know is if WFP, in checking their records, had confirmed that the United States authorities had been notified of the movement of this particular convoy. I'll have to call Rome for you to see if they have anything more on that.

Question:  Any comment to the Belgrade Government's decision to hand over a list of the 21 names of war criminals that they intend to turn over?

Spokesman:  I'll have to ask The Hague for you on that.

Question:  The Lebanese Prime Minister is in Washington to meet with President Bush.  Are there any plans to meet with the Secretary-General in New York?

Spokesman:  I'll have to see.  Of course, he saw the Prime Minister and the President and others on a recent trip that he made to Beruit.  But I'll get back to you about whether there are any plans for a meeting here.

Question:  For the Discovery Channel –- the air conditioning and the heat in the building –- did you get any response from building management as to why it's so bad, even during the daytime, and whether there's been an outpouring of anger from the staff regarding the 5 p.m. shutdown?

Spokesman:  We're all sweating through it.  The volume's been turned down to save money.  The money shortage is a result of a decision taken by the General Assembly last December that specifically reduced our operating expenses in specific areas.  You said yesterday, is there a health effect on people working in a poorly ventilated, undercooled environment?  I don't know.  Maybe we'll find out in 20 years.

Question:  Is the 38^th floor as warm as the other floors?

Spokesman:  Yes.  I was up there this morning asking people, “are you uncomfortably warm?” and they said “yes”.  But don't forget that when you get an unexpectedly hot spell early in the spring, as we're having now, and when we've gotten those in past years, we were warm then, too.  But in addition, this year, there's the financial constraint; there's a conscious effort to cut costs in ways that are uncomfortable. 

[Immediately after the briefing, the Spokesman announced that the building is currently set at 78 degrees as of yesterday, and it will take a few days to reach that temperature, which is 10 degrees higher than normal.  And the reason for that is financial cost cutting.]

Thank you very much.

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