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.

**Amman

On the humanitarian side, in the north of Iraq, the UN assesses that there are some 300,000 internally displaced people who are largely staying with relatives.  Regular contacts with local UN staff indicate that a coordinated response is under way to meet their needs.  Remaining food stocks in warehouses are being distributed.

Local staff from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) are working with local authorities on the electrification of an IDP camp designed to hold 7,000 people.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says there have been no substantial movements of Iraqi refugees across neighbouring borders.  Inside Iraq, however, there are media reports of people moving from cities into rural areas.

The Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Carol Bellamy, said today in a statement that the agency is deeply troubled by the deteriorating conditions in areas of military action in Iraq.  She added that the situation in Basra was of particular concern as there is no electricity, and the water supply has been interrupted, putting people at risk of disease from unsafe drinking water.

Ms. Bellamy called on the parties of the conflict to put more focus on the humanitarian impact of the conflict and urged them to make the safety of children a priority.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that during the last 24 hours it has received reports of serious water shortages being experienced in Basra, Iraq’s second largest city.  As many as 60 per cent of the city's 1.7 million inhabitants are reported to lack access to clean, safe water.  This is of concern to WHO since lack of safe water increases disease and death rates, particularly among children.  UNICEF local staff is working to get vital water tankers into Basra to improve the situation for the city's children.

In a statement released in Geneva today, WHO Director-General Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland reminded all parties to the conflict in Iraq to fully respect the neutrality of medical facilities and staff.

The full text of the Amman briefing, as well other statements on the humanitarian situation in Iraq, are available in my Office.

**Humanitarian Meeting

As we’ve mentioned to you earlier this week, tomorrow the Secretary-General will be meeting with heads of UN funds and programmes involved in humanitarian relief.

Those present will include James Morris, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director; Carol Bellamy, UNICEF Executive Director; Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of the UNDP; Rudd Lubbers, High Commissioner for Refugees; Benon Sevan, Iraq Programme’s Executive Director; and Kenzo Oshima, the United Nations’ Emergency Relief Coordinator.

They will be discussing the United Nations’ response to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

** ‘Oil-for-food’ Programme

According to the Office of the Iraq Programme, Iraqi oil exports, not surprisingly, dropped during the week of 15-21 March to just 25 per cent of the previous week’s level.

For the reporting period, exports and revenues reached 3.1 million barrels and $63 million, respectively, compared with 12.7 million and $340 million for the previous week.

The last oil loading under the programme was on Thursday, 20 March, at an oil terminal in Ceyhan, Turkey.

**Security Council

The Security Council is meeting in closed consultations this morning to discuss the mandate of the UN Mission in Western Sahara.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hédi Annabi, briefed members.

The Council is expected to adopt today a draft technical resolution extending the mandate of the Mission by two months.

**Bosnia

A report released today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) confirms for the first time that depleted uranium from weapons used in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1994 and 1995 has contaminated local supplies for drinking water at one site, and can still be found in dust particles suspended in the air.

The report says that the contamination levels are very low and do not present immediate radioactive or toxic risks.  UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer cautioned that precautions should be taken, and that ground water and drinking water at and near sites where depleted uranium has been confirmed to be present should be monitored regularly.

The UNEP report was based on data collected by a team of experts that investigated 15 sites targeted with depleted uranium weapons, which detected the presence of contamination and pieces of depleted uranium weapons at three of those sites.

We have a press release with more details.

**Liberia

UN humanitarian agencies fear that the needs created by the continued fighting in Liberia could quickly overburden their scarce aid resources.  The sharp increase in the number of internally displaced persons raises concerns of whether there will be enough food, water and medicine to provide them, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says in a press release.

The Office warns that, in particular, the movement of people to camps in Montserrado and Bong Counties can overstretch existing water and sanitation facilities, potentially leading to epidemics as the rainy season is fast approaching.

Meanwhile, the agencies are being forced to meet emergency needs on a shoe-string budget, with only 1.5 per cent of the total UN inter-agency appeal for 2003, which totals $42.6 million, having been received to date.

**Timor-Leste

In Timor-Leste today, the representatives of the UNDP and Japan exchanged notes on a programme for the reintegration, employment and stability for ex-combatants and communities.  Japan is donating $4.5 million to fund the first year of the nation-wide programme.

There’s a press release on that.

**SARS

The World Health Organization briefed the media in Geneva today on developments in the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.  The head of WHO's Communicable Diseases department, David Heymann, said two different viruses had been identified in samples from patients and most, if not all the cases identified so far, could be traced back to a family member or direct contact with a hospital worker.  He added that, until there are indications to the contrary, WHO maintains that travel should not be interrupted because of the outbreak.

The WHO has reported 456 cases so far in 14 countries, resulting in

17 deaths.  We have the full text of the briefing is in my Office.

**ILO Director-General Juan Somavia Re-elected to Second Term

Juan Somavia from Chile, first representative of the Southern Hemisphere to head the International Labour Organization (ILO), was overwhelmingly re-elected to a second five-year term as Director-General today in Geneva.  The election took place at the 286th session of the ILO Governing Body, which began today.  His second term will formally begin in March 2004.

More information upstairs.

**Missing and Detained Staff

Finally, in a message issued to mark the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, the Secretary-General today noted that Alec Collett has been missing for 18 years, after his abduction in Beirut while on assignment for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The Secretary-General said that the anniversary of his disappearance should be used to raise awareness about the dangers that UN staff face.

The UN Staff Union and its Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service is trying to underscore that message by designing and producing a lapel pin symbolizing the loss of UN staff.  Today, the Deputy Secretary-General is receiving one of those pins from Alec Collett’s wife, Elaine.

The Secretary-General said, “I hope staff will wear the pin and thereby help raise global awareness of a crucial issue for the success of our work.”

Any questions?  Yes?

Questions and Answers

Question:  Did the Secretary-General meet with Condoleezza Rice and, if so, what did they talk about?

Spokesman:  The meeting, to my knowledge, is still going on now.  It started a few minutes after 11 a.m., and it was scheduled to last until 12:30 p.m.  Although they went up there with delegations, the meeting started with just two on two.  The Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General meeting with the National Security Adviser and the US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Negroponte.  And that continued until I came down here at about 12 noon.  So, it’s a two-on-two meeting for about an hour and, as far as I know, it’s still going on.

(The Spokesman later on in the briefing informed correspondents that he had been told the that the meeting had moved into the Secretary-General’s conference room with full delegations.)

Question:  And what is the agenda?

Spokesman:  Iraq is all I can say.  The United States asked for the meeting, and I assume that their spokesman will be giving you a read out.  I’ll see whether on our side there is anything we want to say, and if so, I’ll be glad to give you a few words after the meetings is over.  Yes, Bill?

Question:  Has the Secretary-General been asked to play any role in trying to mediate a ceasefire?

Spokesman:  To my knowledge, no.  Unless you know something I don’t?

Question:  Has the Secretary-General been asked to provide a legal opinion on whether the military conflict violates the UN Charter?

Spokesman:  Again, to my knowledge, no.  He has been in touch with many members of the Security Council, their permanent representatives, he’s been in touch with capitals, he’s talked with Amre Moussa, the Secretary-General of the Arab League.  He’s eager to see the Council reunite on a plan for humanitarian assistance to the Iraqis.  But on these two specific points, the ceasefire and the legal opinion, I am not aware that anyone has approached him.  Yes, Michael?

Question:  Going back to the peace plan again.  Saudi Arabia is coming forward with a peace plan.  They have offered it to the United States and to the Iraqis.  Has the Secretary-General reacted to that; does he intend to weigh in?

Spokesman:  I am not aware that he has been shown a copy of it.  I’ll have to check with the office to see if it’s come in; but I am not aware that it’s been brought to his attention.

Question:  Then you mentioned the fact that he’s obviously very concerned about the looming humanitarian crisis in Iraq.  And I am assuming that he’s trying to keep as apprised as possible about how the Council is doing on the “oil-for-food” programme?

Spokesman:  Yes.

Question:  What’s holding it up?

Spokesman:  First of all, the Council decided, as you know last week, to deal with this at the level of experts within the committee on sanctions against Iraq, the 661 committee.  They held a meeting on Saturday, they met again yesterday.  I understand that after yesterday morning’s meeting they decided to resume at the level of ambassador.  I was not in that meeting.  I don’t think the Secretariat was present at those meetings, so, I can’t tell you what’s gone on.  I think everyone’s intention is to reach agreement as quickly as possible.  There was some talk about formal consultations beginning in the middle of this week.  But to my knowledge as of today they are still not scheduled for a specific time, and we’ll let you know as soon as they are.  Yes?  [It was later announced that the Council would meet in closed consultations on this subject at 10 a.m. tomorrow.]

Question:  (Inaudible)

Spokesman:  About Ceyhan, I said the last loading of oil under the oil-for-food programme went out through the Ceyhan terminal in Turkey on Thursday,

20 March.

Question:  Richard Pearl is quoted as saying to the Guardian that Saddam Hussein will go down, and with him the United Nations.  And yesterday the Arab League ministers said that they expressed their opposition to what they called the drift of the United Nations from its Charter.  Is the UN losing the battle on information, and what concrete steps is the Secretary-General going to take to restore the good image of the Organization?

Spokesman:  I think the Secretary-General feels that he’s been up-front and consistent and clear in his position.  He doesn’t feel that he has anything to apologize for.  The strains that the United Nations might be under now are as a result of a disagreement between Member States.  His hope is that they can reach agreement on the humanitarian assistance and I don’t think he feels there’s anything that he can say or has to say on the public relations front.  Emotions run high when you have a war raging, people getting killed.  And I think that’s understandable.  I don’t think he feels the United Nations itself is threatened by this, and I think he’s perfectly comfortable with the position he has taken.  Yes, Bill?

Question:  Will there be any press availability for the Secretary-General and any of the heads of the humanitarian agencies after their meeting tomorrow?

Spokesman:  I didn’t discuss that with his office yet, but I will do so to see if they might be interested in talking to you after the meeting.

Thank you very much.

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