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

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Fact Finding

This morning, Martti Ahtisaari, the head of the fact-finding team which will head to the Middle East, met with the Secretary-General for the second time in as many days.  Also present at the meeting was retired United States General Bill Nash, who will serve as the team’s military adviser.

They reviewed a number of operational aspects of the mission.  Mr. Ahtisaari will leave for Geneva tonight and meet there tomorrow with the rest of his team. We expect the team to arrive in the region later this week.

When asked to clarify General Nash’s role on the team, Mr. Ahtisaari said he considered himself a very inclusive manager and did not want to consider any dividing lines within the team.  In fact, Mr. Ahtisaari said, it would be more accurate to say his was a “twenty-person team” if all the assistants and experts were also counted.

**UNRWA

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East –- or UNRWA -– has protested to the Israeli military authorities after they prevented a UN convoy carrying humanitarian aid, including flour, sugar, rice and lentils, from leaving Nablus today for the West Bank city of Qalqilya.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen visited Nablus today following the lifting of the Israeli military curfew on the town, and witnessed the extensive destruction done to the old city there.  Mr. Hansen said that the situation in Nablus must not be forgotten, saying, “More than 80 bodies have been recovered from the recent fighting and the Israeli incursion has caused serious damage to both people and their property.”  We have a press release from UNRWA.

**Middle East/Roed-Larsen

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, Terje Roed-Larsen, held meetings this morning in Beirut with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud, and discussed with them the deteriorating situation in the region.  He welcomed the lull during the last week and strongly urged the Lebanese authorities to make all efforts to maintain it.

This afternoon, Mr. Roed-Larsen travelled to Damascus, Syria, and met there with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was accompanied by his Foreign Minister, Farouk al-Sharaa.  Mr. Roed-Larsen discussed with the President ways in which to halt the cycle of violence in the Middle East.  He also briefed the

President on the alarming humanitarian situation in the West Bank and answered questions about his recent experiences in the Jenin refugee camp.

**Iraq Talks

We can finally confirm that the Secretary-General's next round of talks with representatives of Iraq will take place here at Headquarters from Wednesday,

1 May, through Friday, 3 May.  The reason for the three-day span is that the Secretary-General may be called out of town on Thursday the 2^nd.

On the Secretary-General's side, there will be Hans Blix, the head of the  UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), and Mohammed

El-Baradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  The Iraqi delegation will be headed by Foreign Minister Naji Sabri.

**Security Council-Angola

Ibrahim Gambari, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, briefed an open meeting of the Security Council this morning following his just-concluded mission to Angola.  Mr. Gambari says that the chances of returning to war in Angola are now very negligible, but the irreversibility of the peace process would depend on a number of factors.

First, he said, the quartering of soldiers of UNITA, or the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, has to be done right and promptly and on schedule.  Second, the humanitarian needs of their families must be met adequately.  Third, conditions must be created for the promotion of national reconciliation, and national reconstruction.  Fourth, UNITA should emerge as a united political party and credible interlocutor in the Angola peace process and democratization in Angola. 

Mr. Gambari, in noting the critical humanitarian situation, says the number of displaced persons has increased from 4.1 to 4.5 million.

He lists seven critical areas where the United Nations may play a supporting role.  These include military observation of the quartering process, provision of technical and managerial support in quartering areas, demobilization and reintegration and humanitarian support, and electoral assistance.  The United Nations is also expected to chair the Joint Commission of the second phase of the peace process.

The Council members are now in closed consultations to discuss Angola. Copies of Mr. Gambari’s statement as delivered are available.

**Security Council-Other Matters

Under other matters, the United Kingdom is expected to introduce a resolution on Liberia in the wake of the briefing yesterday on the panel of experts report on sanctions against Liberia.  In addition, Norway is expected to introduce a resolution on Somalia, which calls for the establishment a panel of experts to investigate violations of the arms embargo against that country.

**Annan Speech to Global Fund

Just now, the Secretary-General is speaking in the Economic and Social Council Chamber to address the second meeting of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which yesterday began its meeting at Columbia University.

He is telling them that the Global Fund is “more than a new channel of funding.  It is a signal that the world is willing to make a decisive move to reduce the burden of these major communicable diseases”.  In that work, he says, “our vision must be ambitious.  We will not make a difference by limiting ourselves to small-scale, one-off public health projects”.

He is also emphasizing the need for rapid response, the challenge of ensuring that resources have the maximum impact and the importance of mobilizing additional resources.

We have copies of his remarks upstairs.

**East Timor Report

In his report on the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), which came out today, the Secretary-General outlines the establishment of a UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) to replace UNTAET as the Territory becomes independent on 20 May 2002.

The mandate of UNMISET, subject to the concurrence of the Security Council, will comprise three elements:  to provide assistance that is crucial for the stability of East Timor; to assist in the development of a law enforcement agency, and to contribute to the maintenance of external and internal security.

“As UNTAET draws to an end, East Timor is at peace”, says the Secretary-General in the report, “fundamental government structures are in place, and the independence that it has struggled for over so many years is very close.”  However, he says, all of these are at risk if they are not reinforced through a continued international presence and commitment.  We have his report upstairs.

**Western Sahara Report

The Secretary-General’s report on the situation concerning Western Sahara is out as a document.

As you’ll recall, the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, until

30 April following a previous report, which outlined four options in the light of what the Secretary-General described as a rather bleak situation with regard to the future of the peace process.

In the latest report, the Secretary-General says the humanitarian situation is of great concern, and that the detention of 1,362 prisoners of war continues to be one of the most pressing humanitarian issues.  He appeals for urgent financial support to enable the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to feed the refugees in the camps in Tindouf.

Regarding the quest for a solution to the dispute, the Secretary-General says that his Personal Envoy, James Baker III, stands ready to undertake the activities that will be required under the option the Security Council chooses, provided that the Council does not support any changes to options one, two or three that would require the concurrence of the parties.  Such changes, he says, would simply encourage a continuation of the conflict and the present stalemate.  The Council has scheduled informal consultations on this matter on Thursday afternoon.

**‘Oil-for-Food’ Update

The Office of the Iraq Programme, in its Weekly Update, notes that Iraq has maintained its suspension of oil exports under the United Nations “oil-for-food” programme.  The last loading took place on 8 April.

Owing to a funding shortfall, 1,062 approved contracts for the purchase of various humanitarian supplies and equipment, worth over $2.5 billion, could not be funded, including 205 contracts, valued at $485 million, in current phase eleven of the programme.  Revenue loss, as a result of the suspension of oil exports, is estimated at $1.3 billion.  You can pick up the full text of the report upstairs.

**Equatorial Guinea

Also available upstairs is a press release from the Special Representative dealing with human rights in Equatorial Guinea, Gustavo Gallón, following the decision last Friday by the Commission on Human Rights to end the mandate to monitor the human rights situation in that country.

Mr. Gallón says that, in his view, the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea is still serious and deserves close monitoring, and he recommends that proper follow-up be ensured, particularly following the massive detentions of political opponents that he says have been carried out since mid-March.

**Gift from World Conference on Religion and Peace

The Secretary-General yesterday received a check for $500,000 for assistance to Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons from the World Conference on Religion and Peace.  The check, presented to the Secretary-General by Dr. William Vendley, the Secretary-General of the Conference, was the second instalment of a total donation of $1 million, the first having been presented to the Deputy Secretary-General last October.  The money was raised by interfaith organizations all over the world in an effort that began last September.

The Secretary-General noted that, while constant reminders of pledges had to be made to governments, the faith communities came forward to make donations “without us knocking on your door”.  In a letter to Dr. Vendley today, the Secretary-General said this act of generosity is an example to people everywhere that people of different faiths can join hands in the cause of peace.

**Press Releases

A new collection of data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that there is still a wide gap between what is needed and what is available to tackle mental disorders.  The new publication, “Atlas:  Country Profiles on Mental Health Resources”, finds that rich countries are not always rich in the quantity and quality of mental health resources they provide.  We have a press release with more details.

**Press Conference

And finally, one press conference to announce for today.  At 3 p.m., in this room, Tommy Thompson, Secretary for Health and Human Services of the United States, will be joined by Bernard Kouchner, the Minister of Health for France, to discuss United States-French cooperation on HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

And that’s all I have for you.  Any questions?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Two questions related to the Iraq talks.  First, if the Secretary-General might be going out of town on the second, is that the trip to Washington, D.C., for the tentative meeting of the Quartet?

Spokesman:  I can’t answer that question.  The United States will have to talk about the scheduling of that meeting.

Question:  That is the potential conflict, is it not?

Spokesman:  I am not answering any questions on an event that could be organized by the United States, and I am not authorized to talk about it.  All I am saying is he may be out of town on that day; I’m not saying what the reason is.

Question:  If he is not out of town, would the talks then be just the first and second and conclude?

Spokesman:  That’s a possibility.  But we’ll have to see how they go.

Question:  Refresh my memory.  Was the head of the IAEA present at the

7 March talks?

Spokesman:  He was not. 

Question:  Has Israel given any excuse or any comment on the latest refusal for humanitarian aid?

Spokesman:  To my knowledge, no.  No comment.

Question:  No comment?

Spokesman:  No comment.

Question:  What is the latest official response from Israel to the Secretary-General regarding the full composition of the team going to Jenin?

Spokesman:  The Israelis, in a telephone call from the Foreign Minister and the Defence Minister, indicated that they would cooperate fully with the team.  The Secretary-General announced the composition of the team, and he is confident that Israel will cooperate with these people that he is now sending to the Middle East.

Question:  There was criticism that they weren’t experienced enough to know what happens in a wartime situation by understanding the analysis there, but there was some unidentified criticism about the diplomats going; that they were not equipped to judge combat situations and what was happening.

Spokesman:  I think that just points to the role that General Nash will play as military adviser.

Question:  What does the presence of the IAEA indicate or mean at this session? 

Spokesman:  The original resolution, of course, gave a role to the inspectors and a separate role to the IAEA.  So, I think this just allows the Secretary-General to focus more fully on the disarmament provisions in the resolution.

Question:  What was his response to the Secretary-General’s request to receive input from the Security Council relating to the answers to the

19 questions?

Spokesman:  What was?

Question:  The Secretary-General sent a letter to the Security Council asking for input in response to the 19 questions by 10 April, as I recall.

Spokesman:  I’d have to check.  I don’t think there were any specific responses.  I think it’s expected that Hans Blix who reports to the Security Council would attempt to answer as many of those questions as he can in the meeting that’s coming up on 1 May.

Question:  I wanted to allude to another issue.  The New York Post, which is obsessed with which building has a flag outside, for two days has been complaining about the International School not having a United Nations or a United States flag.  I don’t, does this fall under the purview of the United Nations and is there any policy that when the flags here are up, that there are no flags there. Is there any coordination?  Do you know anything about that?

Spokesman:  As I understand it, the United Nations School flies 189 flags, one for each Member State, inside the building and has always done so and there is not a United States flag out front.  There’s a United States flag with the other 188 inside.

Question:  So, what do you think they ought to be reporting?

Spokesman:  I think they ought to go inside the building and see the display of flags.  It’s very pretty.

Question:  Will the other members of the fact-finding mission, the other

15 that make it a 20-man team, be identified?  Do we have a list of those people?

Spokesman:  As we get them.  We are still in the process of identifying them.  There will most likely be a legal adviser, a medical adviser.  So, as there are additions to the team, we’ll announce them for you.

Question:  Does the Secretary-General, or do you have a preliminary report or comments on the return of Special Envoy Ismail to Myanmar and how long he might stay, and under what conditions he might break off those talks?

Spokesman:  No, let’s not talk about breaking off the talks.  I don’t know if we have the duration of his stay.  We announced just yesterday, was it a five- day trip?  But that’s all I can say.  Let’s see how it goes. 

Question:  The presence of President Gusmao here Friday, according to the schedule, he’s due here.  Is this purely a routine session because of the Council, or is there any other reason that he is here now?

Spokesman:  I think it’s a critical point in East Timor’s history.  I think it was time for him to brief the Council, in the Secretary-General’s view.  And we’ll also going to try to get him to come and talk to you.

Question:  Is there a date when the United Nations might consider the status of East Timor?

Spokesman:  We have the independence date of the 20^th of May.  You’re talking about recognition?  Because we don’t recognize States.  Other States recognize States.

Question:  I meant having its flag come up the pole and become a full-fledged General Assembly Member?

Spokesman:  That happens when a critical mass of Member States recognize a new State, and it’s a little bit indefinite when I say a critical mass.  I don’t think that there is a specific number.

Question:  According to reports from the World Food Programme ... (inaudible).  What is the expenditure of ...(inaudible)?

Spokesman:  I don’t have those percentages with me.  Do you want to know what the shortfalls would be in areas beside the oil-for food programme?  All right, I’ll have to look into that and give it to you after the briefing.  Or you could call Hasmik in the oil-for-food programme.

Question:  I don’t want you to have to repeat other quotes from other places.  I know you have announced this, but for those who may be just tuning in as you announce Iraq is coming.  What does the United Nations hope to achieve at these talks?  Will there be pressure for Iraq to say “we’ll let them in”, the inspectors?

Spokesman:  The objective is for Iraq to come into full compliance with Security Council resolutions and specifically -- and probably first and foremost, as far as these talks are concerned -- allowing United Nations inspectors back to Iraq to finish the verification of the disarmament in terms of weapons of mass destruction.

Question:  Will the Secretary-General have to be present every moment of the talks or this time will he peel off for other duties in the Building or do you expect him to be there for every moment?

Spokesman:  I don’t know.  At the first round, he was there for all of the talks.  We’ll have to see, if he does have to leave town on the second day, whether both sides would want to continue with some kind of discussions in the second day pending his return on the third day.  Otherwise, I can’t be more specific. 

Okay, thank you very much.

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