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.

Good Afternoon.  I understand we have some visitors from Europe?  Welcome.

**Secretary-General Statement on Iraq

The Secretary-General, in a televised statement this morning, said that today, despite the best efforts of the international community and the United Nations, “war has come to Iraq for the third time in a quarter of a century”.

He said that it was possible that, “if we had persevered a little longer, Iraq could yet have been disarmed peacefully, or –- if not -– the world could have taken action to solve this problem by a collective decision, endowing it with greater legitimacy, and therefore commanding wider support, than is now the case”.

But he emphasized that, instead of dwelling on the divisions of the past, we must confront the realities of the present, however harsh, and look for ways to forge stronger unity in the future.

Saying that his thoughts today are with the Iraqi people, who face yet another ordeal, the Secretary-General committed the United Nations to doing whatever it can to bring them support.

He said that the past weeks have shown what great importance the world attaches to the legitimacy conveyed by the authority of the United Nations, and their desire to see power harnessed to legitimacy.  He noted how people “want their leaders to come together, in the United Nations, to resolve the problems shared by all humanity”.

The Secretary-General promised, “I will do my utmost to ensure that the United Nations rises to this challenge”.

**Security Council -- Iraq

The Secretary-General sent a letter to the Security Council yesterday on possible adjustments to the “oil-for-food” program for Iraq. 

As you’ll recall, the Secretary-General, in his statement to the Security Council yesterday, said the proposals are aimed at enabling the United Nations to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq during and after hostilities.  Such adjustments would require decisions by the Council. 

A background briefing by two senior UN officials is scheduled at

12:30 p.m. here in 226 so that they can answer your questions on this document.  And of course, that briefing will also be piped into viewing room 4 just off the Viennese café for any delegates who would like to watch it.

**Amman briefing

The UN Humanitarian agencies held their first press briefings today in Amman, Jordan.

A number of briefers noted that while UN international staff had been evacuated, their local staff continued to work.

The World Food Programme said 800 national staff members would continue to work as far as security conditions permitted and as long as food supplies lasted.  More than 328 staff from the World Health Organization are continuing to work and continuing to prepare for the potential impact of conflict, using supplies propositioned in Iraq.

UNHCR said that they had so far no reports of refugees moving out of Iraq.  The Spokesman outlined UNHCR’s efforts in working with Iraq’s neighbours -– Syria, Jordan, Iran and Turkey -– to deal with the expected flow of refugees.  The full text of the briefing is available upstairs in my office.

**Human Rights -- Iraq

High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello today issued a statement appealing to all parties involved in the hostilities in Iraq to respect human rights and humanitarian law.  “Even wars have rules”, he said, stressing that no one should be arbitrarily deprived of the right to life, arbitrarily detained or subjected to torture.  He said his paramount concerns are for the safety and protection of civilians, the provision of adequate resources to the civilian population and guaranteed access and security for humanitarian workers.  We have copies of the full statement upstairs.

**Afghanistan/Iraq

A number of other senior UN officials today also expressed themselves on the military action in Iraq.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, said that this was a sad day for the United Nations and added, “I think that the overwhelming majority of people all over the world think that this war is not justified and that the so-called disarmament could have been achieved by peaceful means”.

He voiced the worry that war in Iraq may take attention and resources away from Afghanistan, but added that US officials have repeatedly told him that “no matter what happens in Iraq, they will not lose interest and they will continue to support Afghanistan”.

In his appeal, the High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, urged Iraq’s neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to those in need of temporary protection and assistance.  He said, “Despite all of the UN’s efforts to find a peaceful solution, we are now faced with the sad reality of war in Iraq and more suffering for the Iraqi people”.

The Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Carol Bellamy, expressed her agency’s deep concern about the impact of this war on Iraqi children and women.  She said that children, who are always vulnerable in war, are especially so in “Iraq, where poor governance, two prior wars, and years of international sanctions have combined to weaken the Iraqi population”.

Finally, Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, said that on this day he can only express his heartfelt emotion, his infinite sadness and his most profound wish that the loss of human life and the scale of suffering and destruction will be reduced to the minimum.

We have the full texts of all those statements available upstairs.

**Security Council

The Security Council held closed consultations on the Central African Republic, with a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh on the weekend coup in that country.  From Bangui, the Secretary-General’s Representative in the Central African Republic, General Lamine Cissé, has reported on contacts he has had with a number of key actors in the capital.

During a meeting with the coup leader, General Francois Bozize, Cissé said he stressed the need for national reconciliation of all Central Africans, including the former collaborators with President Ange-Félix Patassé.  Cissé also recommended that Bozizé meet representatives of all political parties, including the former ruling party, as well members of civil society.  Bozizé was also asked to ensure the protection of diplomatic missions and international organizations in an effort to restore confidence.  In the aftermath of the coup, looters attacked the homes of a number of UN personnel as well a World Food Programme warehouse.

**Security Council -- DRC

After the briefing on the Central African Republic, Council members then turned their attention to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  Under-Secretary-General Jean Marie Guehenno reported on the latest situation in the Ituri region in the north-east part of the country and on a meeting of Chiefs of Staff of the Inter-Congolese dialogue regarding the outstanding military issues in the DRC.  Following consultations, the Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution that focuses on the human rights situation in that country.

Then at 3:30 p.m., the Council is holding a meeting with troop-contributing countries to the UN Mission in Sierra Leone.

**Western Sahara Letter

The Secretary-General, in a letter to the Security Council out as a document today, said he would defer his report on Western Sahara until 19 May, to give the parties and neighbouring countries more time to reply to the peace proposal by his Personal Envoy James Baker.  The Secretary-General also asked for a two-month technical extension of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO.  Consultations on Western Sahara are on the Security Council’s program for next Tuesday.

**Côte d'Ivoire

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Kenzo Oshima, voiced his sorrow at the killing of four Red Cross workers in Côte d’Ivoire.  In a press release, Oshima urged all parties to the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire to enforce measures that will guarantee the protection of civilians, including relief workers, regardless of origin.  The humanitarian situation in Côte d’Ivoire is worsening, he warns.

**Press Releases

Two more press releases to highlight for you today.  The first is from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which late yesterday said that, anticipating military activity in the area of the Gulf, air transport operators had already started to use alternate routes previously identified by the ICAO.  The routes had been set in order to provide safe flight routes for civilian aircraft with a minimum of disruption.  The ICAO will continue to monitor the situation in cooperation with its Member States and the International Air Travel Association.

The second release is from the World Health Organization on the issuance today of a new edition of the International Pharmacopoeia.  The new edition will serve to improve the quality and efficiency of medicines, facilitate control of counterfeit and substandard drugs and address problems of drug resistance.  It provides specifications for the content, purity and quality of active ingredients and pharmaceutical products according to international standards.

**Budget

Budget news, today, Qatar, with a payment of more than $459,000, became the 63rd Member State to pay its 2003 regular budget contribution in full.

**Press Conference This Afternoon

We have a press conference this afternoon right after this background briefing.  The Department of Economic and Social Affairs is sponsoring a press conference by Gemma Adaba of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and other non-governmental organizations.  The subject is financing for development.  We had originally announced this for 12:45 p.m. today.  We pushed it back because of the background briefing.

**Press Conference Tomorrow

And then tomorrow at 11 a.m., the Department of Economic and Social Affairs is sponsoring a press conference by business leaders who will brief you on financing for development.

**BBC World TV

And finally, we have a few unique in-house television services here.  Thanks to a special dish that we have on the roof, we get CNN International that most people in the United States otherwise don’t get.  And as of yesterday, we now get BBC World Television, and you can see that on your in-house television Channel 68, if you have a cable box, and Channel 57 if you don’t.

So, that’s all I have for you.  Yes?

Questions and Answers

Question:  Fred, do you have any staff left in Iraq?

Spokesman:  No.  No international staff.

Question:  Okay.  Then how… Pardon?

Spokesman:  No international staff.  I just gave you some numbers on the local staff that are still at work.

Question:  Then, how is the UN going to offer some help to the Iraqis who have no possibility to leave?  In other words, some food stuff and others that the United Nations wants to (inaudible)

Spokesman:  The Secretary-General’s initiative of last night, in the letter that went to the Council, is a first step in that direction, proposing that the Council loosen the rules for the oil-for-food programme to allow the United Nations to use that food during conflict and after conflict, whenever practicable, for general humanitarian relief throughout Iraq.  So, we’ll see what the Council does with that initiative now.  And then, of course, as soon as we’re able, we’ll send our international staff back in, re-establish the networks that we had working before for the distribution of different kinds of aid and assistance.  Yes?

Question:  Is this (inaudible)… Secretary-General’s letter to the Security Council?

Spokesman:  It’s not a public document at this time.  Liz?

Question:  I know Annan did his taped statement.  Has he had any phone calls or discussions with heads of government, with the US Government, regarding military action; the UK or any other governments?

Spokesman:  Not at the heads-of-state level.  He’s had a few phone conversations with permanent representatives.  Last night and this morning, I believe, he had phone conversations with Ambassador Greenstock and Ambassador Negroponte, among others.

Question:  And anything to tell us about the rest of those conversations?

Spokesman:  No. Yes, Patricia?

Question:  Yeah, Tariq Aziz, does anybody know where he is?

Spokesman:  I don’t think that’s my department.  Yes, Liz?

Question:  Has Annan received or has your office received any letter from the Iraqi Mission?  Any correspondence or traffic from the Iraqi Mission regarding, perhaps protection issues, issues relating to the status of the Mission, anything like that?

Spokesman:  Not that I am aware.  There had been some… you’re not the first person to ask.  I don’t know if that suggests there is something there that I haven’t heard about.  But I am not aware.  Let me double check after the briefing, and if there is something I will let you know.

Question:  And a follow up, I guess to that.  What is the status of the Mission?  Maybe this is really a legal question.  If a country or a Government is overthrown, what is the status of the Mission itself?

Spokesman:  I don’t know what you mean by a mission?

Question:  Well, is it protected in some way by the United Nations?  Is it a property that cannot be taken over, for example, by the US Government, that sort of thing?

Spokesman:  No.  When you say “mission” that’s the property of the Government whose mission it is and that would be governed by the, I guess by bilateral understandings, as well as host country relations agreement.  The status of diplomats is for the General Assembly to decide through the Credentials Committee and the host country reserves the right, when it has national security reasons to do so, to send out of the country anyone that they think is a threat to their security.  But, otherwise, has the obligation to facilitate the work of all diplomats on US soil.

Question:  And the properties belonging to the Mission, though that’s an agreement, you’re saying, with the host country? Is there any sort of agreement between…?

Spokesman:  Well, I think good old-fashioned property rights apply there.  I mean, they’ve purchased property or they’ve rented it under a contract with a landlord.  I think standard rules apply there. 

All right.  We’ll be back in about 10 minutes with two senior officials on oil-for-food. 

Thank you very much.

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