PRESS BRIEFING BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

The Security Council would take advantage of the presence of many world leaders in New York to make progress on a number of important issues, the current President of the Council, Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria) told correspondents today at a Headquarters press conference on the Council's work programme for September.

Among the many items on the Council's schedule for September was a high-level meeting to mark the anniversary of the 11 September 2001 acts of international terrorism, he said.  The purpose of the meeting, which would start at 12:30 p.m. on 11 September and which would be chaired by the President of Bulgaria, was to underline the Council's commitment to the fight against international terrorism.  The United Nations Secretary-General was expected to participate in the meeting.  In a Presidential Statement being prepared for the occasion, the Council would address the first anniversary of the acts of international terrorism in the United States.  The Statement would highlight the importance of implementing the provisions of Council resolution 1373.  [Adopted by the Council on 28 September 2001, resolution 1373 mandated the formation of the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee.] 

In an open meeting on Kosovo tomorrow, which would be chaired by Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, the Council would be briefed by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Affairs Jean-Marie Guéhenno, he said.  On Friday, the Council would hold consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  A private meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo was expected to take place next week with high-level participation by Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.  In holding the meeting, the Council wished to encourage the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to implement the provisions of the Pretoria Agreement.  The Council would also discuss the Secretary-General's report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo later in the month.

He said the Council would -- for the first time in an open meeting -- discuss its annual report to the General Assembly.  Discussing the report in an open forum was a sign of transparency and the Council's desire to better inform the membership and the general public about its work in the last year.  The month would end with an open meeting on small arms, a subject that was high on the agenda of many countries.

Had the United States indicated its intention to ask for action this month on Iraq and weapons inspections? a correspondent asked.  The United States had not indicated such a desire, Mr. Tafrov said.  According to the preliminary schedule, the Council would discuss the report of the Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, Hans Blix on

10 September.  On 25 September, the Council would hold consultations to discuss the Oil-for-Food Programme.

Asked whether the Council planned to do anything special on 16 September, the day dedicated by the General Assembly to Africa, Mr. Tafrov said that while

nothing special was planned for that day, Africa was very high on the Council's agenda.  "Africa is very much present" in the Council's programme, he said.  The Council would focus not only on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but also on Ethiopia and Eritrea, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Liberia.

Was it important for the United States to ask the Security Council's authorization for any action it might take? a correspondent asked.  Speaking in his national capacity, Mr. Tafrov said it was important for inspectors to return to Iraq.  The Council should continue to support the Secretary-General in his efforts to get inspectors back to Iraq.  "It's absolutely premature to talk about any other kind of action", he said.

Queried about a possible European Union resolution that would set a deadline for the resumption of inspections, Mr. Tafrov, still speaking in his national capacity, said he was waiting to see what the Union had decided.  If it would help in the return of inspectors, he would support such a resolution.

How important for the diplomatic community was an address by President Bush to the General Assembly on Iraq? a correspondent asked.  The Iraqi issue was widely discussed, Mr. Tafrov said, speaking still in his national capacity.  There was a huge interest in discussing Iraq, in the General Assembly and elsewhere.  The United States was an important country and what its President had to say was important.

Asked whether the Council intended to hold high-level meetings during the Assembly's general debate, Mr. Tafrov said the Council's meetings on 11 and

13 September would have high-level representation.  High-level representation was encouraged in the Council's meetings.

Asked where information on the Council's schedule could be found, Mr. Tafrov referred correspondents to the United Nations Security Council Web site: www.un.org/Docs/scinfo.

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