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.

**Secretary-General on Iraq

The Secretary-General, on entering the Building this morning, said he is getting increasingly concerned about civilian casualties in Iraq, following reports that a missile struck a market in Baghdad today.  He said, “I would like to remind all belligerents that they should respect international humanitarian law and take all necessary steps to protect civilians.”

Asked further about the humanitarian situation, he said he was meeting with the heads of UN humanitarian agencies today -– in a meeting which is going on right now, in fact.  He said he believes that UN personnel are “geared up to be able to go back to Iraq and resume their work as soon as the situation permits”.

He was also asked about the Security Council’s discussions on adjustments to the “oil-for-food” programme, and he said that, after meeting the five permanent members of the Security Council yesterday, he was confident that they want to do everything to help the Iraqi population, and he has no doubt that the Council will come to a satisfactory conclusion on that issue.

We have the transcript of his comments upstairs.

**Security Council

Starting at 3 this afternoon, the Security Council is going to begin an open debate on Iraq, and the Secretary-General will be the first to speak.  After the Secretary-General, the debate is expected to continue first with non-Council members expressing their views on the current situation in Iraq, and then Council members will wrap up the debate.  So far, some 50 speakers are inscribed, so we expect the meeting will go on into tomorrow.

This morning, the Council has been in closed consultations to discuss proposed adjustments to the oil-for-food programme on Iraq, and I just mentioned the Secretary-General’s comments earlier today on that topic.  Council members are discussing a draft text that has been worked on at the expert level since Saturday, which was presented to them by Ambassador Gunter Pleuger of Germany, the chair of the 661 Sanctions Committee dealing with Iraq.

**Humanitarian

On the humanitarian front, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)’s national staff in Iraq continues its efforts to tackle the immediate humanitarian needs of the population, both in the north and in Baghdad.  One hundred first-aid kits have been handed over in the capital to the General Federation of Iraqi Women, which has access to considerable numbers of people at the grass-roots level.  UNICEF’s water team has been training local technicians on how to

establish water bladders for emergency distribution in the event of a total failure of main systems.  In the north of Iraq, UNICEF has been facilitating the continuing measles immunization. 

UNICEF staff in Baghdad also report that children in the city are suffering obvious signs of trauma with continuous crying, fear of loud noises, nightmares, and so on.  The UNICEF knows from experience in other conflict zones that this has a lasting impact on children, and it is one of the many ways in which children are the most vulnerable in times of war.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) delivered a fresh shipment of emergency medical equipment, supplies and medications to the Al-Ruwaished Hospital.  The supplies are particularly intended to boost the Hospital’s ability to assist pregnant women and to save the lives of mothers and their babies.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said that the government-run food distribution system is still partially functioning in south and central Iraq. March distribution of incomplete rations for one month has started in areas not affected by the fighting.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that two rapid assessment teams have been sent to the east of the country to the Bazyan area after reports of large numbers of people moving from Chamchamal, to monitor the local population and also those who have moved into the area.  The WHO says medical supplies are adequate, but shortages of some emergency supplies are being reported.  The WHO is working to replenish these supplies and is ready to supply fuel for hospitals, should it be required.

**Statement on Secretary-General-Rice Meeting

The Secretary-General met yesterday with Dr. Condoleezza Rice, the Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Affairs.  He welcomed Dr. Rice's taking the time to come to the UN to discuss the situation in Iraq. The UN and US delegations discussed the humanitarian situation and the requirements for the provision of assistance to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people so gravely affected by the war.

The Secretary-General repeated his public call on all parties involved in the war to meet their obligations towards civilians under international humanitarian law.  He stressed that the United Nations was prepared to do all it could to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people.  However, the UN would have limited capacity to do so until security conditions allowed for the safe return of staff to affected areas.  Until then, humanitarian assistance would have to be provided by the United States and its coalition partners in those areas under their control, consistent with their overall responsibility under international law.

Dr. Rice described the United States' present thinking as regards the post-war period.  The Secretary-General said that any United Nations role beyond the provision of humanitarian assistance would have to be decided by the Member States through a Security Council resolution.  He emphasized the need to maintain the territorial integrity of Iraq and the right of its people to determine their political future and exercise control over their natural resources.

That statement was issued to you late yesterday, and I just wanted to read it into the record.

**Côte d’Ivoire

On Côte d’Ivoire, UNICEF is concerned about the worsening situation of children in rural areas of Côte d’Ivoire, in areas cut off and isolated by insecurity.  An assessment team reports near catastrophic conditions in the north-eastern districts of Bondoukou and Bouna where the health- care system has broken down.  The UNICEF will be sending a convoy of medical supplies to the area to restart its support in there.

We have a press release on that.

**International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has selected Luis Moreno Ocampo, a prominent Argentine lawyer, to be the Court’s first prosecutor, the ICC confirmed in a statement issued yesterday.

Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein, Jordan’s Ambassador to the UN and the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, said that the States Parties had agreed informally last Friday to elect Mr. Moreno Ocampo when they resume their session, here in New York, starting on 21 April.

The Ambassador said that Mr. Moreno Ocampo was selected after months of lengthy consultations between the governments on a number of strong contenders.  He added that the States Parties are confident the newly-established Court will “benefit in the coming years from a gifted prosecutor with proven abilities; a man of recognized integrity”.

**International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia yesterday ordered the authorities in Croatia to serve an indictment against Gen. Janko Bobetko, but Tribunal Judge Carmel Agius also ordered that arrest warrants which had been issued against Bobetko be suspended immediately, with the Tribunal Registrar to receive monthly medical reports on the suspect’s health.

Judge Agius had previously considered a report filed by medical experts which showed Bobetko to be “unfit to travel and stand trial” before the Tribunal. Because of that, the judge decided that it was justified to suspend the arrest warrants, pending any change in the general’s state of health.  We have a press release on that.

**Global Compact

A few dozen businesses in Panama are setting up a network to promote corporate responsibility through the agenda set out in the Secretary-General’s Global Compact.  Forty-six Panamanian businesses have signed on to the Global Compact Network-Panama, which is designed to uphold the nine principles of human rights, labour rights and environmental standards enshrined in the Compact.  The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has a press release with more details.

**Press Releases

We have one more press release to highlight for you today.  The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) opened a high-level Conference on Global Food Security and the Role of Sustainable Fertilization, in Rome today.  The Conference is jointly organized by the FAO and the International Fertilizer Industry Association.  Among the topics to be discussed are the challenges for successfully managing fertilizers in commercial farming systems and emerging technologies in the field of fertilizer use and human nutrition.

**Budget

And my last item today is budget news.  Malaysia became the 65th Member State to pay its 2003 regular budget contribution in full.  That was with a payment of just over $3 million.

Yes, Mohammad?

Questions and Answers

Question:  Fred, do you have any figure about the casualties of today’s attack in Baghdad?

Spokesman:  The market incident?  No.  Because we have no international staff there, we can’t react to anything but what were news reports today and we have no specific details on the casualties.  Yes?

Question:  Fred, on the statement you put out yesterday you said that

Dr. Rice described the United States’ present thinking with regard to the post-war period.  Can you shed any light on what her thinking or the UN’s thinking is on it?

Spokesman:  No, I think we intentionally left out the details.  I think what the Secretary-General said when he came in, and he was also asked a similar question about what comes next, he said that the Security Council will have its views on that.  He was asked, well, what recommendations might he make, and he said that he would like to listen to the Council first.  So, I think first we would like to see agreement reached within the Council, an idea put forward for the Secretary-General to implement, and then we’d react to that.

Question:  Was there any suggestion by Dr. Rice about a further role by the United Nations beyond humanitarian assistance?

Spokesman:  That subject was discussed; at least they did put forward some ideas.  But we’re not prepared at this time to go public with what was said and it is a matter for the Council as a whole to make recommendations.

Question:  Why does the Secretary-General feel the need to emphasize the need to maintain the territorial integrity of Iraq in this context?

Spokesman:  Why do you say he’s failed to mention that when it was in his letter to the Council on the oil-for-food programme?

Question:  Okay.

Spokesman:  Yes, Mr. Abade?

Question:  Fred, on that question, whenever the Secretary-General is asked a question about the administration of Iraq post-conflict, he shows very great caution.  Is that because he is aware that there may be disagreement among the members of the Council on this issue?

Spokesman:  I don’t think he sees it as his role to define what the UN should be doing in post-war Iraq.  That’s a matter for the Security Council.  Should Council members ask him for his views, he’d be happy to provide them.  But, as for now, he does not want to get out in front discussing something that the Council itself has not discussed in detail.  Yes, Michael?

Question:  Fred, forgive me if you’ve gone over this already.  Could you tell us what of substance might have happened between the Secretary-General and the various heads of humanitarian agencies early today?

Spokesman:  That is just taking place now.  We don’t expect any dramatic announcements after that meeting.  It’s mainly a consultation for the purpose of coordinating their work.  Should you wish to speak to any of the heads of the agencies or programmes who are here, we suggest you contact their New York offices to see if they’d be willing to speak to you.  But, I think they went in at

11:45 a.m., and they must be going at least until 1 p.m., I believe.

Question:  And also Fred, according to Central Command today, several of  the 10 missiles that the Iraqis lobbed against Kuwait travelled beyond the

150 kilometres limit set by the UN.  Is that something that the Secretary-General has expressed any interest in?  Is he talking to Dr. Hans Blix about this?  What, if any, interest has been expressed? 

Spokesman:  I think the first person that you should address that question to is Dr. Blix.  Whether he has any means of verifying that fact and then what, if anything, he would like to do about it once he gets his inspectors back on the ground.   Felicity?

Question:  The oil-for-food programme that people are talking about.  The figure of $2.4 billion has been used for food and medical, immediate humanitarian goods in the pipeline.  It’s my understanding that among that is some wheat that the Australians were sending.  And the Australian Government has bought that wheat and now is donating it.  In other words, it’s just taking it out of that pipeline and donating to the United States to use as humanitarian aid.  Is that happening with any other goods or food in the pipeline?

Spokesman:  First I can’t confirm that that has happened.  Second, I don’t know whether that would be consistent with the oil-for food procedures or whether it could happen.  So, I’d have to talk to the oil-for-food people and get back to you; as well as your main question -- has anyone else tried to do it.  Yes?

[He later said that any party may cancel a contract under oil-for-food up until delivery.  Australia has not cancelled any contracts nor have other suppliers.]

Question:  Sir, on the oil-for-food programme, is there an expectation that a consensus is imminent and how critical is it to achieve a compromise or resolution within days, you know, weeks?  Can you give me a sense of timing?

Spokesman:  I would refer you to what the Secretary-General said today after he had lunch yesterday with the representatives of the five permanent members of the Council.  He was impressed by their commitment to react quickly to meet the humanitarian needs in Iraq, and he predicted that there would be agreement within days, not weeks.  Yes?

Question:  Who initiated the meeting between the Secretary-General and

Dr. Rice?

Spokesman:   The United States asked for that meeting.

Question:  And do you know when they asked for that meeting?

Spokesman:  The beginning of the prior week; because we were looking for a mutually convenient time through last week and then that couldn’t be arranged and so it slipped over to this week.  Yes, Mr. Abade?

Question:  Has the Secretary-General received the copy of the proposal of Saudi Arabia on the ceasefire in Iraq, and if he has, what does he think of that?

Spokesman:  I got a question on that yesterday, and we haven’t been able to identify any such proposal.  So, frankly, we don’t know what it is you’re referring to.  But we haven’t received anything on paper from Saudi Arabia.  But we’ll keep looking for it.

Question:  It’s in The New York Times.

Spokesman:  We’ll be looking for it.  Okay, thank you very much.

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