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 Hua Jiang, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Security Council

The Security Council is meeting in closed consultations to hear briefings by the Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), Hans Blix, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohammed ElBaradei.

The two provided Council members with an update on the on-going inspection process in Iraq.

We expect both Dr. Blix and Dr. ElBaradei to speak at the stakeout afterwards.

Earlier this morning, on his way into the building, Dr. Blix said he would tell Council members that a more profound reading of Iraq’s weapons declaration, confirms his first impression -– namely that the declaration fails to answer a great many questions.

**Iraq

We’re expecting today’s inspections update shortly.  As soon as it’s available we’ll let you know.

**Cambodia

The talks between Cambodia and the United Nations on the establishment of Extraordinary Chambers to deal with the prosecution of crimes committed during the period of Democratic Kampuchea resumed this morning.

We will continue to update you as soon as we have information on the conclusion of the meeting.

**Economic report

The United Nations economic forecast for 2003, “The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2003”, was launched at a press conference a short while ago.  United Nations economists expect a slow economic rebound this year and say that not enough is being done to assist poor countries in poverty alleviation.  Even this slow rate of growth, they say, is subject to both political and macroeconomic risks and uncertainties.

We have copies of the report at the Documents Counter on the Third floor and you can contact Tim Wall of DPI at extension 5851 for more information.

**Cannibalism

Concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a United Nations team is on the ground in the north-east of the country near Mambassa to investigate reports of rapes, mass graves, and cannibalism.

The area has been the scene of clashes between the Congolese Rally for Democracy/liberation Movement and the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo.

The United Nations team has been speaking to local residents.  The investigation will be finished in a few days.  The report will be handed over to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello when he visits the DRC next Monday and Tuesday.

Vieira de Mello’s other stops will include Angola and Burundi.  We expect to have more details on his trip during Friday’s briefing.

**Golan

According to preliminary information provided by the United Nations Observer Force in the Golan Heights, there was firing yesterday in the southernmost portion of the mission’s area of operation, just north of the intersection of the Jordanian, Israeli and Syrian borders.

Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) fire killed one Syrian, and a second was reportedly captured by the IDF.

It appears that the two Syrians were on foot, west of the line separating Israeli controlled Golan and Syria, but east of the technical fence which does not follow the separation line in this particular spot.

The mission is investigating the incident and will provide further details as they become available.

The mission is also negotiating with the IDF to recover the body of the known casualty and to obtain the release of the apprehended Syrian.

**Afghanistan

The United Nations mission in Afghanistan at its press briefing in Kabul today noted with shock a robbery of more than $160,000, which had been intended for use to assist thousands of people in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

The robbery of an office of an Italian non-governmental organization took place a week ago, and the money was to have been used for the purchase of relief aid for some 6,000 Afghans in urgent need, as temperatures plummet amid an already dire situation.

**Timor-Leste to join UNESCO

In a letter to the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), President Xanana Gusmao of Timor-Leste announced his country’s intention to join the Organization.

The United States also recently announced its intention to rejoin the Organization and with the addition of these two, the number of members will rise to 190.

We have a press release with a bit more details upstairs.

**Guest at noon tomorrow

Carolyn McAskie, the United Nations’ Deputy Relief Coordinator and the Secretary-General’s Humanitarian Envoy for the Côte d’Ivoire Crisis, will be joining us at noon tomorrow to talk to you about her upcoming mission to that country.

And that’s all I have got for you today.  Any questions?  Yes, please.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Will the United States be considered a member until it’s paid its dues?  As far as I know it still hasn’t paid.  It promised the money, but at a recent luncheon with UNESCO, the guy said they haven’t received the money yet.  I meant UNESCO dues.

Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General:  I think on that subject Nancy St. John in the office has all the details.  So, if you could talk to her after the briefing.

Question:  But is it true that a country is not considered a member until actually it pays?  I actually asked Nancy that question.

Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General:  Yes, please ask Nancy.  All right, good afternoon then.

(The Spokesman’s office later announced that prospective members had to both sign the UNESCO constitution and deposit their declaration of acceptance of the constitution before they can be considered as members.)

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