DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, and Richard Sydenham, Spokesman for the General Assembly President.

Good Afternoon.

**Security Council

Shortly after 10 o’clock this morning, the Security Council adopted a resolution on Iraq with 14 votes in favour, and none against, with Syria not participating in the voting, which lifts all sanctions on Iraq, except those dealing with arms.

The resolution also calls on the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative with responsibilities in humanitarian and reconstruction affairs.  The Council decides to revisit, at a later date, the mandates of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Iraq.

In addition, the resolution calls for the activities of the “oil-for-food” programme to be terminated within six months.  It creates a Development Fund for Iraq, to be financed by the sale of oil products, which will be used to meet the needs of the Iraqi people.

Following the vote, the 14 members present in the Security Council Chamber and the Secretary-General spoke.

The Secretary-General said that “we should all be gratified that the Council has come together to chart the way forward in Iraq”.  He said that the mandate the Council has given the United Nations involves complex and difficult tasks, but promised that the United Nations would carry it out to the best of its ability.

He told the Council, “Whatever differences there have been in the recent past, we now have a new basis on which to work”.  The most important task, he added, would be to ensure that the people of Iraq are able to form a free and representative Government of their own choice, through a transparent and impartially managed political process, as soon as possible.

The Secretary-General noted that the resolution asks him to name a Special Representative to lead the UN side, and promised, “I will do so without delay”.

We have a text of his statement upstairs.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Secretary-General said that he was not in a position to name a Special Representative now, but added that the Representative would go to Iraq as soon as practicable.

Asked about today’s resolution, the Secretary-General said it gives a role to the United Nations, in which it would work with the occupying Power and the Iraqi people, and he added, “The resolution gives the international community a legal basis for its activities in Iraq”.

**Iraq - Humanitarian

The Security Council is currently holding an open briefing on the humanitarian situation in Iraq.

In opening the meeting, the Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette, said that while a major humanitarian crisis has been averted so far, the civilian population –- and children in particular -- remain at risk, particularly if the security situation does not improve.

She added that the UN’s ability to respond to urgent needs depends greatly on whether the necessary resources are available.  To date, she said, donors had made $700 million dollars available.

Following her presentation, representatives of the UN Development Programme, the UN Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization and the World Food Programme, as well as the International Committee for the Red Cross were to address the Council.

James Morris, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, is to announce that full food distribution to the entire population of Iraq will begin on 1 June, through 44,000 food agents in place across the country.

All Council members are expected to speak and ask questions of the agencies represented at the meeting.

We have upstairs the Deputy Secretary-General’s statement.  And we also have the notes from the humanitarian briefing in Baghdad.

**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

The following statement on the earthquake in Algeria is attributable to the Spokesman:

“The Secretary-General was deeply saddened by the heavy loss of life, injuries and destruction caused by a powerful earthquake yesterday in Algeria.  He extends his sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, and to the Government of Algeria.

“The United Nations is prepared to assist in any way it can.  The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has already provided an emergency cash grant of US$50,000.  A United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has been deployed to support the Algerian Government in the coordination of the international response, and to assist in assessing priority needs.  To mobilise and coordinate international relief efforts, the United Nations has been in touch with several governments, who have put Search and Rescue (SAR) teams and relief supplies on stand-by”.

**DRC

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fighting has been reported in northern Ituri, in the area of Aru.

In Bunia, Hema militias remain in control of the town, while Lendu militias are located in the southern outskirts.  The UN Mission continues to meet the Chiefs of Staff of the two militias on a regular basis, and are presently working out a plan for the cantonment of their combatants, which will be discussed with the interim administration tomorrow.

The UN continues to patrol Bunia.  It is also investigating reports that anti-personnel mines have been freshly laid in the town.  Over 300 bodies have thus far been discovered, including some 32 bodies in a water-tank near the old governor’s residence.  The UN is investigating this incident. 

There has been no significant change in the status of internally displaced persons.  The UN continues to encourage the displaced persons to move from the Headquarters to the airport; and 400 moved there yesterday.  The UN is also assisting humanitarian agencies to meet the needs of the displaced:  over

5 tonnes of food were distributed to 1,800 families yesterday.

**DRC -- SRSG

The Secretary-General has informed the Security Council that he intends to appoint William Lacy Swing to succeed Amos Namanga Ngongi as his Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Ngongi will conclude his assignment on 30 June, and Swing’s appointment will take effect on 1 July.

William Swing has been the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Western Sahara since November 2001.  And prior to that, he was a career US diplomat who served as a US Ambassador, mainly in Africa.

In his letter to the Council, the Secretary-General expressed deep appreciation for the outstanding work of Mr. Ngongi, in particular his considerable contribution to the recent progress in the peace process in the country.

We have available in my office the Secretary-General’s letter to the Council and Mr. Swing’s biography.

**Security Council Consultations

Also on the Council, consultations on Western Sahara have been postponed from tomorrow until next Tuesday afternoon.

**UNRWA

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General, Peter Hansen, told a meeting in Amman, Jordan, of 27 donor nations, that “UNRWA remains committed to serving the refugees in Gaza, whatever the difficulties it faces”.  We have a press release with more details, including information on new pledges made by donors today in Amman.

**Press Releases

We have a series of press releases that you can pick up in my office and you can find a shortened version of each on the highlights a little later today.

On biological diversity, we have a statement by the Secretary-General saying that unless we stop the loss of biological resources, the Millennium Development Goals will be much more difficult, if not impossible, to reach.

We have a press release on a major new agreement on the environment that has been adopted by Ministers from Central and Eastern European countries today in Kyiv.

We have three from the World Health Organization (WHO).  One on a new public-private initiative to fight SARS; one on a statement by the new head of WHO, Dr. Jong-Wook Lee, on HIV/AIDS; and the third on measles, concerning the availability of a safe, highly effective as well as inexpensive vaccine.  Measles affects over 30 million children and claims the lives of almost

750,000 each year.

We have information on the Mine Action Centre in Afghanistan, and on Kosovo, we have a report on repatriation of mortal remains of Kosovars who had been in Serbia proper.

**Press Conference Tomorrow

And a press conference tomorrow, my last item for today.  At 1:15 p.m., Oleg Henrik Magga, the Chairman of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, will be joined by Willie Littlechild, the Forum Rapporteur, and other experts to brief you on the outcome of the Forum’s second session.

That’s all I have for you.  If no questions, we’ll go now to Richard on the General Assembly.

Spokesman for General Assembly President

Thank you, good afternoon.

At the start of this morning’s General Assembly plenary meeting, the permanent representative of Austria, as acting President, expressed deepest sympathy to the governments and people of Sri Lanka and Algeria for the tragic loss of life and damage from flooding in Sri Lanka and the earthquake in Algeria.  He expressed the hope that the international community would show solidarity with the plight of the people of those countries and respond generously to any appeal for aid.

The plenary then took the following decisions.  It decided to endorse the recommendations of the Secretary-General and the Security Council to extend the term of office of four non-elected permanent judges of the International Tribunal for Rwanda, in order to allow them to dispose of a number of ongoing cases.

On the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, the plenary adopted draft resolution A/57/L.78 by consensus.  In this decision, the General Assembly decides to convene a day of high-level plenary meetings of the General Assembly on this topic on 22 September 2003, during the next plenary session.

Then Oman introduced the draft resolution on global road safety crisis, which was adopted by consensus.

As Fred just mentioned, today is the International Day for Biological Diversity, with particular focus on biodiversity and poverty alleviation –- challenges for sustainable development.

In his message, General Assembly President Kavan notes that “species have been disappearing at 50 to 100 times the natural rate and it is expected that if current trends continue, we would lose several thousand plant and animal species in the coming decades. Although the Convention on Biological Diversity has led to adoption of new concepts and policies to protect nature, there is further urgent need for the entire international community to focus creative attention on combating the negative impact of human activities.  Each State has to identify and monitor important ecosystems, raise public awareness and social conscience and stay with their commitment to the Millennium Goals regarding sustainable development.”

This message is available at the 3^rd floor documents counter and will be available on the General Assembly President’s Web site.

And a heads-up for next Tuesday, 27 May.  President Kavan is sponsoring the Sixth Non-stop Reading Marathon at the United Nations.  This is part of a four-day worldwide event to be carried on the Internet.  The theme this year is “Life in Truth -- Homage to Václav Havel”.  The event is organized to pay homage to all the authors, whose writings had helped raise awareness in support of the cause of human rights, freedom and free speech.  The event will be held in the West Terrace, starting at 10.30 a.m. and continue throughout the day with readings delivered by members of the diplomatic community here in New York.  UN staff and correspondents are invited to attend, and the event will be web cast and carried on in-house channel 67 or 16.

Any questions?

Thank you very much.

Spokesman:  Thank you, Richard.

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