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

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, and Richard Sydenham, Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly.

Briefing by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

Good afternoon.

**Secretary-General at MIT

The Secretary-General this morning was in Boston.  He addressed the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he had once studied, and he used the occasion to make a strong pitch for global corporate responsibility.

He said, “In an age of interdependence, global citizenship is a crucial pillar of progress.”  One of the most welcome developments at the United Nations in recent years, he added, has been the steadily growing engagement of the business community.  He noted the advances of the Global Compact he launched in 1999, a voluntary initiative which, he said, has been a platform for showing how markets can be made to serve society’s needs.

The Secretary-General is back at UN Headquarters right about now.

**Secretary-General to visit China

The Secretary-General will leave tomorrow morning for China, arriving Sunday.  We have a short-hand version of his entire 12-day programme available for you in my office.  It's also on the Web-site.

He has asked to see the President of the Security Council and a number of Ambassadors to take the pulse on where things stand with Security Council action on Iraq before he leaves for China.

On Monday morning, that's Sunday evening New York time, he will receive an honorary doctorate at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou.  We have embargoed copies of his address in English and Chinese, also in my office.

**Secretary-General on Jimmy Carter

While in Boston, the Secretary-General was asked by a reporter what he thought about the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize this year to former US President Jimmy Carter.

“I’m delighted”, the Secretary-General responded.  “He deserves it”.

He also called former President Carter this morning, to congratulate him.

**Côte d’Ivoire

A UN humanitarian team making its way to Bouaké in Côte d’Ivoire reports that hundreds of people displaced by the fighting between Government troops and rebels continued to arrive in Yamassoukro in extremely vulnerable condition.  During the past 48 hours, some 1,000 displaced persons are estimated to have arrived.

UNICEF announced that the polio immunization round scheduled for October and November in Côte d'Ivoire has been postponed for a month.

The World Food Programme said it had temporarily suspended all its development activities in the country as well as distribution of food aid in schools.

And the High Commissioner for Refugees said UNHCR welcomed the decision announced by the Government of Côte d'Ivoire to temporarily and partially suspend the demolition of shanty towns in Abidjan.  This lull should give UNHCR time to organize assistance to overcrowded sites, housing some 1,000 newly homeless refugees.

On the political front, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, is on the ground and will work closely with a senior delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) expected to arrive in Abidjan tomorrow to continue mediation efforts.

**Security Council

Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Jayantha Dhanapala, addressed this morning's Security Council open meeting on small arms, saying that it is undeniable that the unrestrained supply of small arms makes conflicts more protracted and deadly.  The latest estimates of casualties from small arms, he said, are staggering:  at least 300,000 deaths caused every year by armed conflicts in the developing world, and 200,000 deaths linked to homicide and suicide in the industrialized world.  Millions more people, meanwhile, suffer non-fatal injuries and crippling disabilities.

Forty speakers were on the list at the start of the open debate.  A draft presidential statement has been circulated.

Earlier today, the Security Council voted to extend the UN Mission of Observers in Prevlaka until December 15 and to extend the deadline for nominations for ad litem judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

At 3:30 p.m., there is a scheduled meeting of the so-called 661 Security Council Sanctions Committee concerning the situation between Iraq and Kuwait, chaired by Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby of Norway.

In other Sanctions Committee news, the committee monitoring sanctions against Al Qaeda and Taliban operatives has added two names to its list of those subject to the measures –- the Tunisian Combatant Group and the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group.  The complete list is posted on the Sanctions Committee Web-site.

Finally, on the racks is a letter addressed to the Security Council President from Ambassador Dumisani S. Kumalo of South Africa who, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, requests an emergency open debate on Iraq.  No date has yet been set.

**Secretary-General on Bakassi

Yesterday afternoon, we issued a statement saying that the Secretary-General had taken note of the International Court of Justice's judgement earlier that day on the Bakassi border dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon, and he reiterated his call on both parties to respect and implement the decision.

He commended Nigeria and Cameroon for resorting to the Court for a peaceful settlement of their territorial dispute, and for the steps they have recently taken to restore the fraternal and neighbourly relations that have traditionally existed between them.

The Secretary-General also reaffirmed United Nations readiness to assist the two countries in closing this difficult chapter in their history.

The Court’s President, Judge Gilbert Guillaume, yesterday summarized the Court’s 150-page judgement by saying the Court had decided that the land boundary between the two countries had been fixed by treaties entered into during the colonial period, and it upheld those treaties’ validity.

Accordingly, it drew a precise boundary between the two countries, and decided that, pursuant to the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913, sovereignty over Bakassi lies with Cameroon.

We have copies of a press release summarizing the Court’s judgement, as well as the statement we issued yesterday, upstairs.

**Kosovo

Yesterday afternoon, in the town of Pec in western Kosovo, a mob consisting of Kosovo Albanians attacked a group of Serb pensioners, and also hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at UN police who intervened and dispersed the mob.

Today, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, Michael Steiner, condemned the attack in Pec, calling it “deplorable, disgraceful and disgusting”, and saying it went against the general trend of declining violence.

He asked what a mob could hope to accomplish by attacking elderly people who had come to Pec to apply for their pensions.  “I’ll tell you what it achieved”, Steiner said in answer to his own question.  “Serious damage to Kosovo’s image in the eyes of the world.”

We have a press release containing that statement upstairs.

**Russian donation to WFP

The Russian Federation has committed to giving 30,000 metric tons of wheat to the World Food Programme.  This is the first time Russia has made a donation to the World Food Programme, and comes as Executive Director, James Morris, completes a visit to Moscow.  The details, including where the wheat will be sent, have yet to be worked out.

**Refugee News

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is appealing for

$10 million to assist Sri Lankans displaced by two decades of civil war to return to their homes.  UNHCR has been assisting some 800,000 internally displaced Sri Lankans for the last 15 years.  So far this year, 180,000 of the internally displaced have returned to their homes, and some 1,000 refugees also returned from India following February’s ceasefire agreement.  There are more than 64,000 Sri Lankan refugees in camps in the south of India.

We have a press release with more information.

**Illegal trade in gorillas

The Government of Malaysia has announced that it will confiscate four young gorillas illegally imported into the country earlier this year.  An investigation, prompted by the Secretariat for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, proved that the gorillas were not born in a zoo in Nigeria as claimed, but had been captured in the wild in Nigeria or a neighbouring country.  Commercial trade in wild gorillas is strictly forbidden by CITES.

We have a press release with more details.

**Other press releases

The United Nations Environment Programme announced today that the final global event marking the International Year of Mountains will be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, starting on 29 October.  The Bishkek Global Mountain Summit will bring together ideas and recommendations generated throughout the Year from all levels and sectors of society.

The United Nations Children's Fund has issued a press release, embargoed until tomorrow, on a new book series spearheaded by Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison and the renowned Nigerian Author, Chinua Achebe.

**Opium Poppy Report

I’d mentioned to you yesterday that the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention was going to launch its annual Opium Poppy Survey in Rome today.

We got word later that the launch of that survey has been delayed by about a week.  We’ll let you know what the new launch date is as soon as we get it.

As for those of you who have embargoed copies of the press release and opening statements that were to be used for today’s launch, please hold on to them and do not use them until we can tell you what the new embargo date is.  And thanks for being patient.

**The Week Ahead at the United Nations

Sunday, October 13

The Secretary-General will begin a visit to seven Asian countries by arriving in China.

Monday, October 14

The guest at the noon briefing will be Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima, who will discuss his recent visit to Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan.

In Geneva, the fifth session of the Inter-Governmental Body of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will begin, offering discussions on a new text for the proposed convention.

Tuesday, October 15

The Security Council intends to hold consultations on Burundi.

The Security Council expects to receive a report on Angola sanctions towards the middle of the week.

Wednesday, October 16

The Secretary-General will leave China and begin an official visit to Mongolia.

The Security Council will hold consultations on the Middle East.

Today is World Food Day.  At the Food and Agriculture Organization’s headquarters in Rome, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela will deliver a keynote address in honour of the occasion.

Thursday, October 17

The Secretary-General will arrive in Kazakhstan.

The Security Council expects to hold consultations on the monitoring mechanism for Angola sanctions.

This is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.  To mark the event, there will be a press conference at 11:15, featuring French Ambassador Jean-David Levitte and other speakers, and a ceremony in the UN Garden at

12:15, with Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Nitin Desai.

Friday, October 18

The Secretary-General will leave Kazakhstan and begin an official visit to Uzbekistan.

The Security Council will hold a formal meeting on the monitoring mechanism for Angola.

**Questions and Answers

Question:

The Secretary-General’s comments after the talk today in Cambridge, can we take those to mean that he endorses the French position for two resolutions and does not favour the United States’?

Spokesman:

No, you cannot.  He was merely explaining to students what he saw as the current state of play in the Security Council.  I don’t think he was endorsing one position or another.  We recorded what he said and we’re working on a transcript now.

Question:

Can I just follow on that?  He says I think the Member States favour a two-stage approach.  You don’t think that at least hints at some position on his part?

Spokesman:

Not at all.  I mean, it’s his call on where the positions of Member States now stand.  I would take that as merely a factual statement as he sees it of the positions of Member States.  But it’s as he sees it.  He preceded that statement with “I think …”

Question:

Do you have any indication that Nigeria will comply with the decision that the port will be in Cameroon?  You mentioned something that I did not quite understand.

Spokesman:

I just said that the Secretary-General urged both countries to comply and implement the [World Court] ruling and congratulated them on bringing the matter to the Court in the first place as a peaceful means of settling the dispute.  I believe both Nigeria and Cameroon issued statements yesterday.  I don’t have them and it’s not my job to release them, but I think that both Governments indicated they would respect the ruling.

Question:

On the revised schedule for Mr Annan today, he has appointments with the ambassadors from France, Russia and the UK.  Did he not invite the United States; or what’s the situation on it?

Spokesman:

He’s been in touch with the US.  He spoke to Ambassador Negroponte by phone, so he did not feel he needed to schedule a meeting with him and he’s on his way to China tomorrow.  So that kind of rounds out the five Permanent Members [of the Security Council].

Question:

Does he have a message or is he going to engage with China on the Iraq question that is before the Security Council?

Spokesman:

Not particularly, unless China takes the initiative to discuss it with him.  I said yesterday that the scheduling on this trip shouldn’t be seen as tied to any contemporary events, including Iraq.  So he’s not on a mission that is Iraq-related.  He’s paying what is pretty much an annual visit to a Permanent Member of the Security Council.  They’ll be talking about everything that’s on their mutual agenda.  Iraq is likely to come up because it so much on everyone’s mind.  But he’s not trying to influence any Council members’ positions on Iraq.  He is rather scrupulously trying to stay out of that debate, which he sees as among governments at the highest levels, and he stays in touch with members merely to stay informed on the progress of the debate that’s taking place.

Question:

Does he have any message that he wishes to convey to the ambassadors as he goes out of the country, or is this just a listening?

Spokesman:

He’s rather consistently emphasized the importance of the unity of the Council, so I imagine that he would once again state that rather strongly held view of his:  that it is in the United Nations long-term interest that the Council develop a unified position on Iraq.

Question:

Sometimes we wonder if the Secretary-General considers it as a part of the world, what we call Latin America.  All the visits are in Europe, but Latin America becomes a victim of benign neglect.  Why do you think this is so?

Spokesman:

He has visited Latin America, as you know.  I don’t know whether if you added up the number of days he’s spent visiting each of the five regional groupings of countries, whether Latin America would be seen as in a disadvantaged position.  I know he had to cut short a visit last year, or the year before, when suddenly the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court was coming to a final vote in Rome and he had to cut that trip short.

He was in Central America earlier this year, I believe, and attended the Monterrey Conference in Mexico.  But, again, I don’t think Latin America is disadvantaged in terms of his attention if, perhaps, they have received a little bit less of his visiting time.

Question:

Can you tell us approximately when the Secretary-General will talk to the press, because there are a lot of questions that relate to him concerning what we are hearing about war?  There are some questions that I don’t think you can respond to because the information is really important.  So, if we can know in advance when the Secretary-General will usually meet the press all at one time to be able to ask him a few questions.

Spokesman:

As I’ve already said, he is consciously trying to keep a low profile while governments debate how they are going to deal with the Iraq issue.  He does not want to become part of that debate.  You saw this morning he made a few innocent comments to students and, right away, it’s a matter of intense speculation and interest.  He does not want to become part of this debate.  So he’s leaving tomorrow for 12 days and when he comes back if a Council agreement has been reached on Iraq and a resolution adopted, I’m sure he’ll be happy to talk to you.  But for now, he’s trying not to talk.

Question:

We’re talking about war and one of the many duties of the Secretary-General is to try to prevent war and this is the time for him to talk.  It’s not the time for him to duck.  One of the specific mandates of the Secretary-General by the Charter is to prevent war.  Talking, if you look at article 90 of the Charter, that is the only mandate that he has, otherwise he is chief employee.

Spokesman:

Talking isn’t necessarily action.  And not talking is not necessarily ducking.  He, I think, had a very conspicuous role in bringing about Iraq’s agreement to re-admit inspectors.  Once Iraq formally said in writing that they would allow the inspectors to return, he said the ball was now in the hands of the Security Council and Hans Blix, and he’s been trying not to get involved in the necessary work that the Council is now doing in trying to draft a resolution on Iraq.  It doesn’t mean he’s disengaged.  His head is down but his hand is in.

Question:

I have a follow-up to my colleague’s question.  That’s why I asked, really, if there is a possibility, because the Secretary-General has the

authority and the ability to do something. That’s why I tried to ask you, if possible, if you could arrange at least anything with him or, because, if you want to ask something written or something else that we want to ask …

Spokesman:

I told you as a matter of policy he is not talking; he’s not giving interviews.  He arrives at work every morning 9:30ish; if it’s not raining, as it is today, he usually walks in the front door.  Any journalists who are waiting for him there, he always very courteously stops and takes your questions.  So, you always have the option of waiting at the front door.

Question:

But, you know, in the morning he’s just coming to work and all these cameras and so on, there isn’t time. But here at least, you could …

Spokesman:

I’ve already answered your question. I’m sorry.

Briefing by Spokesman for the President of the General Assembly

Good Afternoon.

Today’s Special Political and Decolonization Committee continues discussion of the agenda item “Effects of Atomic Radiation”, and the Third Committee concludes discussion on the “Advancement of Women and Implementation of the Outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women”, and this afternoon it starts debate on children’s issues –- specifically, “Follow-up to the Outcome of the Special Session on Children and Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Children”.

On Monday, the General Assembly plenary will take up the report of the Security Council and the item “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters”.  That’s the report of the open-ended working group.  And this will be a joint debate on the two agenda items.  The President of the Security Council will introduce the report of the Secretary-General.  That’s on Monday morning.

Just one other thing:  on Monday, there will be a round table on the Outer Space Treaty at 35.  That will be at 1:15 in Conference Room 4 and the media are invited.  Participants include representatives from China, Chile and the International Institute of Air and Space Law of McGill University.

Any questions?

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