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.

** Iraq

The Secretary-General left Stockholm, Sweden, earlier today to return to New York, where, at about 5:30 this afternoon, he is expected to brief the Security Council in closed consultations on Iraq.  Speaking to reporters just before he left Stockholm, he said that despite yesterday’s bombing of the UN headquarters in Iraq, which killed at least 16 people, including Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, “We will persevere”, he said, and “we will not be intimidated”.

He said the United Nations was reassessing its security arrangements in Iraq, noting that the UN had been in Iraq for 12 years without being attacked.  He added that the United Nations had hoped that the coalition forces would have secured the environment so that UN staff could carry out economic reconstruction and institution building.  “That has not happened”, he said.

The Secretary-General said of the attackers that they are not doing the people of Iraq any service and added, “Some mistakes may have been made, some wrong assumptions may have been made, but that does not excuse nor justify the kind of senseless violence that we are seeing in Iraq today”.

UN staff around the world have been sending their condolences and paying their respects to their fallen colleagues, and we have many statements from officials throughout the UN system concerning yesterday’s attack upstairs.

The UN flag has been at half-mast here at Headquarters since yesterday afternoon, while the UN Office in Nairobi held an event to show solidarity with their colleagues in Baghdad, which some 600 staff attended.  More events are being planned in the days ahead, including a ceremony on Friday by the UN Mission in Timor-Leste, which Vieira de Mello helped guide to independence last year.

**Iraq -- UNSECOORD

According to the UN Security Coordinator’s Office, the latest update from Baghdad shows that 16 bodies had been recovered from the rubble.  So far, only seven bodies have been identified.  As of now, 20 wounded UN staff members have arrived in Amman, Jordan.

**Middle East

Yesterday afternoon, we put out a statement with the Secretary-General’s condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the suicide bombing that day by a Palestinian militant group in Jerusalem, which killed 20 Israelis and injured dozens more.  The statement noted that yesterday was a tragic day for the UN family as well, and we share the grief felt for all victims.

The Secretary-General has made clear repeatedly that terrorist attacks are totally reprehensible, and he urged Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas to take decisive action to arrest the instigators of this attack and prevent such attacks from happening again.

The Secretary-General also called on the Government of Israel to act with restraint in the face of this provocation, and not contribute to a renewed cycle of violence and revenge.  He reaffirmed his belief that security for both Israelis and Palestinians can best be achieved by the political process of conflict resolution called for in the “Road Map”.

**Middle East yesterday

Following the consultations on Iraq yesterday, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Danilo Turk briefed the Security Council in an open meeting on the Middle East, and told them that the Palestinian Authority must intensify its efforts to achieve full security control in its areas, while Israel should take additional steps to improve the lives of ordinary Palestinians, including by reconsidering the construction and route of the separation barrier.  We have copies of his remarks to the Council upstairs.

**Security Council

Libya is the third item on the agenda of Security Council consultations today, during which members are expected to discuss a draft resolution recommending the lifting of sanctions against that country.  Council members began consultations with a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi on Côte d’Ivoire.

Then, Ambassador Stefan Tafrov of Bulgaria, in his capacity as chairman of the Security Council Sanctions Committee on Somalia, briefed on the oral mid-term report of the Panel of Experts on Somalia to investigate violations of the arms embargo in Somalia.  Under “other matters”, members are expected to discuss the format of this afternoon’s scheduled Council meeting with the Secretary-General on yesterday’s attack in Baghdad.

**Liberia

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Liberia, Jacques Klein, is in Monrovia where he met with President Moses Blah, a day after visiting the water and electricity generating plants on the outskirts of the capital with an aim to quickly restarting the vital services to the city.  Meanwhile, humanitarian workers are working hard to bring much needed assistance to those in need.

**DRC

Yesterday, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), William Swing, consulted with main donor countries and UN agencies on international assistance to the DRC electoral process.  The meeting was organized to ascertain the areas of interest of key potential international donors in electoral assistance; to take stock on the work done in this area by the UN Mission and the international community and to agree on how best to organize international efforts to support the Transitional Government and the Independent Electoral Commission.  We put out a press release yesterday afternoon with more details.

**Tennis

Finally, as we speak, a ceremony is taking place in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium for the drawing of “seeds” for this year’s US Open Tennis Championship, following a proposal by tennis star and UN Messenger of Peace Vijay Amritraj that the drawing take place at the United Nations.

Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor is delivering a message on the Secretary-General’s behalf at the event, saying that it comes at a time of great sadness at the United Nations.  The statement says that, like the United Nations, tennis is universal.  We have copies available upstairs.

That’s all I have.

Questions and Answers

Question:  About the Secretary-General’s statement about assumptions that may have been made.  Could he be referring to the fact that the Security Council endorsed the Governing Council of Iraq?  Is that what he meant?

Spokesman:  I’m not going to get into an exigesis of his remarks, without having had a chance to speak to him, so I think if you want any clarification of what he might have meant, you have a chance to speak to him today.  At the very least, he will talk to you following his briefing of the Council.

Question:  Outside the compound in Baghdad, who provides security, US troops or UN security?

Spokesman:  Outside the perimeter of the UN compound, it’s a matter for the coalition forces to address.  Within the compound there are, possibly, other things we could do to increase our own security.  But, I think, mainly we’ll be looking for increased protection -- but to the extent that any protection can be guaranteed against a terror attack. 

Question:  Yesterday, you had no information as to who or how the attack was carried out.  Have you heard anything today that changes that, and also I think in the Times (newspaper) there’s a suggestion from the US side that the UN had been urged to come to the coalition compound and that the UN had made a decision not to be separate.  Can you talk about that?  What kind of discussion was going on about security?

Spokesman:  First, we have no indications today as we had none yesterday as to who might have been responsible for the attack.  I don’t know about an offer by the US to locate the UN offices within the US compound.  I think you can understand why if that offer were made we would have preferred to have our own headquarters location.  The security around our location was not as secure as you might find at the US compound.  And that was a decision we made, so that our offices could be more accessible to people.  We did not think at the time that we were taking an unnecessary risk and in fact, we were in the process of erecting a rather substantial concrete barrier some 12 feet tall around the perimeter when this attack took place.  So we were taking steps to fortify our own headquarters location, while still trying to maintain a certain openness to the Iraqi people, whom we expected to come in regularly as our guests.  

Question:  I have a sense that the Secretary-General was saying today –- which you have also indicated -– that there was a failure on the part of the coalition for the UN compound.  Was there an effort to try to get them to provide greater on-site security or, as you are just saying, a decision was made that that would not be appropriate, and it was the UN that resisted offers for greater security for the compound?

Spokesman:  I can’t tell you from here.  It’s a question that, probably, should be put to Baghdad (UN headquarters there) what conversations might have taken place between UN officials and coalition officials regarding security.  As for the Secretary-General’s comments, again, because I have not been able to speak to him since he made his comments in Stockholm this morning, I’ll invite you to ask him to clarify.  I don’t believe I, on any occasion yesterday, implied criticism of the security provided to the United Nations in Baghdad or Iraq generally.  I did say that there was an almost universally recognized security problem in Iraq and we realized that it was a high-risk environment.  We did not harden our headquarters location from a security point of view, because we didn’t think it was necessary.  As a result of the attack of yesterday, obviously we are going to have to rethink.

Question:  Were any specific instructions given this morning for workers, such as those in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as to whether they could go to work or stay in their homes?  Has there been a freeze on new people going to Iraq?

Spokesman:  I think there has been a de facto suspension of UN operations in Baghdad.  I can’t speak for UNDP or any of the other agencies.  I don’t know what instructions they might have given to their staff.  We, of course, are looking at alternative ways to house our headquarters unit so that we can get our operations up and running again.  We did, as I mentioned, take out of Iraq 20 people who were wounded yesterday.  I understand we asked our staff if there was any one who wanted voluntarily to be repatriated and, I think, there were a total of two people out of the 300 or so in Baghdad who asked to go.  I think UNICEF’s effort for voluntary repatriation ended up with no volunteers.  So, I think, the staff is pretty committed to staying on the job.  The leadership is reassessing security.  We are awaiting a signal from the Secretary-General as to what he wants us to do, and we expect to get that when he briefs the Council this afternoon.  But, I think, you’re seeing from his statements to the press -– his message is ‘let’s keep on with our work’.

Question:  Just to clarify. You are using the word ‘suspension’, so presumably the other UN offices throughout Iraq are probably not staffed, even as you speak.

Spokesman:  I can’t say that.  The staff are there.  It is difficult from 6,000 miles away to tell you what is going on in Baghdad, particularly, when you’re asking about agency-sponsored programmes.  So, I honestly don’t know what happened this morning at the various UN offices in Baghdad.

Question:  We learned yesterday that the UN had rejected emergency contingency security arrangements?  Was that true?  And is it time to re-think something like that?

Spokesman:  Again, I don’t know what exchanges took place between coalition and UN officials in Baghdad regarding security.  I know that from day one at the Canal Hotel, there was a platoon of coalition forces posted outside our headquarters, and whether there had been offers of more that had been rejected, I just don’t have those kinds of details.

Question:  One other thing.  Is it possible to get Mr. Myat or some other official to talk to us?  It is difficult to get the officials.  I know how busy they are.

Spokesman:  It’s also because they are quite restricted on what they could discuss with you.  I’ll be happy to relay your request.

Question:  Can you comment on a report that the Governing Council (in Iraq) had intelligence information that a truck bomb could be exploded at a soft target any day?

Spokesman:  We saw the report that the Governing Council had received some intelligence that there could be an attack on political parties and also the UN –- this is how I think it was reported.  This is probably something that would have to be asked in Baghdad.  To my knowledge, that information was not relayed to the United Nations.  But I can say that with 100 per cent certainty that that would have to be answered in Baghdad. 

Question:  At this point, have all UN personnel been accounted for?  Is anyone still missing?  Do you have any answers to that?

Spokesman:  There are people missing.  We don’t know how many.  We’re in the process of reconstructing a specific list of every UN person who was in Baghdad that day.  The wounded were evacuated by the coalition forces to more than a dozen different medical facilities -- some eight military clinics and some six local hospitals.  And so, through the night, we were going to each of those facilities taking the names of the UN staff who were there.  It was a quite a tedious process.  We do know although we don’t have a final list of names.  We do know that there are people missing.  We are assuming there are still people buried in the rubble.

Question:  Has anybody estimated the number of people accounted for?  Is it in the dozens?

Spokesman:  I don’t have an estimate.  I’m sorry.

Question:  In terms of the de facto suspension (of operations), are there any immediate humanitarian concerns that have arisen as a result?

Spokesman:  I think you can assume that.  Yesterday was chaos as a result of the bombing.  Today, you’d expect people to start getting together, saying, “Okay, how do we continue our work.  What do we need to do?”  And that question, probably, should be put to each of the individual programmes.  What is the World Food Programme doing today?  I frankly, don’t know.  That, probably again, is a question that should be put to Baghdad.  So, I can’t answer your question in any great detail.

Question:  Based on your discussions with the Secretary-General, how much concern is there within the UN that its name and the USA’s have become interchangeable in the minds of many Iraqis, and perhaps, other anti-US forces in Iraq right now?

Spokesman:  I don’t think it was Sergio Vieira de Mello’s impression that the US and the UN were interchangeable.  He was clearly there to establish separate, independent relations with various political forces, social forces in Iraq.  He was hoping, of course, that his work would help bridge the gap between the international community and the coalition forces and pave the way for a gradual internationalization of the transition of Iraq back to independence and sovereignty.  I don’t think that overnight that perception could have taken hold across Iraq.  I don’t think it ever existed.

Question:  Are UN facilities in many other countries across the world reassessing security, changing their procedures?

Spokesman:  We don’t give any details on that but a shock like this in Iraq would prompt security reassessment by UN offices around the world.  Our feeling though is this was an Iraq-specific attack.

Question:  You said yesterday that this is not the proper time to ask this kind of question, but since Mr. Vieira de Mello was going to complete his job in 10 days’ time, who did the Secretary-General have in mind to replace him?

Spokesman:  You have been here long enough to know that we never discuss lists of candidates for key appointment positions, and that we keep that very confidential as a process until a final decision is made.

Question:  With reference to the driveway outside, is that a long-budgeted beautification project or a new security measure?

Spokesman:  I’ll have to ask Security.  They’ll probably tell me it’s none of my business.  But I’ll see whether I can find out for you.

Question: I’d like to know when Mr. Vieira de Mello’s body would be moved from Iraq, and where it would be taken to?

Spokesman:  We don’t have anything to announce on that now.  When I can give you that information, I will.

Question:  Did the UN believe that the occupying powers might have provided a better security to UN personnel and premises?

       Spokesman:  I did not say that or imply that yesterday and I wouldn’t do so today.  I think you are talking about a terror attack, and I think I said yesterday that even in a country with the most effective police force, you can still fall victim to a terror attack.  So, that’s what happened to us yesterday.  I certainly would not criticize security provided by the United States, except to say that the coalition was having a problem with security in Baghdad and in other parts of Iraq.  That’s well known.

Question:  With the killing of US troops in Iraq or attacks on US soldiers almost daily, does the UN really believe that American troops can guarantee protection for the Organization or other humanitarian workers in Iraq?

Spokesman:  I’m not going to pass judgement.  I think you can tell from the things I have already said what my views are on the security situation.  We felt that though this was a dangerous environment, it was one we could work in with precaution.  We are now going to have to reassess that in the light of this terror attack.

Question:  There is no provision in the Security Council resolution about protection.  To what extent does the UN normally carries out its own protection?

Spokesman:  Security is always provided by the host country.  Within our own compound, we usually have some nominal security presence.  Whether something more serious in the way of protection is required is a judgement made on a case-by-case basis and would be negotiated with the host government.  Tun Myat says he would be happy to come to the briefing tomorrow.  His hands are full today.

Question:  Do you think the UN could have a larger political role in Iraq despite opposition from the United States?

Spokesman:  Speaking from the point of view of the Security Council deliberations on this matter, there had been discussions for some time of the broadening of the UN role officially sanctioned by the Council through a second resolution.  I have already said that we don’t see any sign of such a resolution coming forward quickly, and the Secretary-General even added the words “if at all” the last time he referred to it.  But, that doesn’t exclude my referring to that as an objective that might be in the minds of some members of the Council.

Question:  [Inaudible.]

Spokesman: We are waiting to see what the Secretary-General would say this afternoon regarding the current mandate of the UN.  Are we going full-speed ahead, or are we going to scale back a little bit more and reassess security.  We wait to see what his assessment is.

Question:  Will the Security Council give the order, or can the Secretary-General on his own decide to suspend the mission?

Spokesman:  You will recall that the weapons inspectors were withdrawn on the authority of the Chief Weapons Inspector.  That was an operation that reported directly to the Security Council and not to the Secretary-General.  The Secretary-General would have to get Security Council approval for suspending any Council-authorized mission, and, of course, he would consult.  As far as pulling out any staff, I think you could safely assume that he would always consult with the Council before taking action of that sort as well.

Question:  Has the Secretary-General had any provisional consultations with world leaders regarding his final opinion on the future of the mission?

Spokesman:  He had made an enormous number of phone calls over the last 24 hours, mostly received from Heads of State, and Foreign Secretaries.  I can’t say what was discussed, but I think what prompted the phone calls was to express condolences.  But whether there was also discussion of where we should go from here in Iraq, I can’t exclude that.  He spoke with an awful lot of leaders in the last 24 hours.

Question:  Do you have a full text of the Secretary-General’s statement saying all the nations of the world should come together to help the UN continue its mission in Iraq, suggesting a multinational force?

Spokesman:  I don’t think that’s something he has in mind, but that’s a question that should be put to him directly.  I hope you’d have the chance later today.

Question:  Are there temporary relocations planned for Jordan?

Spokesman:  On the UN side, no.  You will have to check with the individual agencies whether they were making any decisions about temporary location of their staff outside Iraq.  I have no idea.  I was just relaying to you something that was reported this morning that they are concerned about the survivors’ psychological state and ability to continue their work.  As part of that, they said this that anyone who wanted, could go home.  Of all the people they asked, only two said ‘yes’.  The others are going to be encouraged to take their leave and their holidays and to keep their other previous plans they might have had to go out of the country for rest and recuperation.  Just so that they can calm themselves down and better prepare themselves to resume their tasks when they get back.

Question:  In the past, security advisers had complained that there hadn’t been enough counsellors available, or stress counsellors to send out.  Are there any plans to do so?

Spokesman:  We are in the process of contracting that out.  [He later said three counsellors were already there, with two more on the way.]

Question:  Are the additional 300 staff recruited under the new mission on their way to Iraq?

Spokesman:  I think you can assume that would be suspended, pending the security review.

Question:  How would you compare the Iraq mission with others?  How difficult was it?

Spokesman:  Very difficult politically because of the vagueness of the Security Council mandate.  It was, I think, Sergio Vieira de Mello’s talent to work within that vague mandate to accomplish some vary concrete things.  Risk, there probably has been more high-risk missions, where there was a daily threat from an ongoing war -– Bosnia, Somalia for examples.

Thank you very much.

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