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

The 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 President of the General Assembly.

Secretary-General’s Spokesman

Good afternoon.  Our guest at today’s briefing will be Jan Egeland.  He is the new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.  And he’ll be here to talk about maintaining international presence in times of crisis.

**Sudan

We have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman concerning the situation in the Sudan:

“The Secretary-General welcomes the talks being held in Kenya between the First Vice-President of Sudan, Ali Osman Mohamed Taha, and the Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), John Garang, under the auspices of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).  He strongly hopes that these high level talks will provide the necessary impetus for the two sides to conclude their negotiations with a comprehensive peace agreement.  The Secretary-General reiterates his appreciation for the efforts of the Government of Kenya in leading the EGAD peace initiative, and those of the other countries that are closely supporting and assisting the peace process.  The United Nations stands ready to contribute to the efforts of the international community to help implement a peace agreement concluded by the Sudanese parties.” 

**Security Council

The Security Council this morning voted to give Carla Del Ponte another four-year term as Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and to grant Hassan Jallow a four-year term as Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for Rwanda. 

Council members then held consultations on the latest report of the UN weapons inspectors for Iraq.  The Acting Executive Chairman, Demetrius Perricos of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), briefed on the 14th quarterly UNMOVIC report, which was released yesterday.  The Security Council presidency has also scheduled consultations on Iraq at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon.  Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast will provide an update on Iraq since the last briefing by the Secretary-General, following the 19 August bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad.  And I’m told that the Security Council consultations have just adjourned.

**Iraq Draft

In response to questions, the Secretary-General wanted me to confirm to you that he received yesterday from US Ambassador John Negroponte the draft ideas on Iraq that are also being circulated to Security Council members.  And in response to further questions, this was the first time the Secretary-General had seen elements of a possible resolution.  Security Council President Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry of the United Kingdom told a press briefing yesterday that discussions had been continuing on the content of a further resolution and that a working text was emerging.  He went on to say that he envisaged the discussion would broaden in a matter of days.

**Palestinian Conference

In a message to a meeting organized by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the Secretary-General said that the “Road Map”, if fully and fairly implemented, remains the best way to reach an independent and viable Palestinian State.  In the message, which was delivered by Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, the Secretary-General went on to say that the renewed cycle of deadly violence must not be allowed to divert us from the Road Map.  The whole international community must strengthen its efforts to help both parties stay the course, he added.

This gathering, entitled the International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People, is mandated by General Assembly resolutions of last year.  In the message, the Secretary-General highlighted the importance of the role of Palestinian and Israeli NGOs in building bridges of trust and understanding between ordinary Israelis and Palestinians, laying the groundwork for mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and cooperation.  A full list of participants is available in a press release on the racks, as well as the full text of the message.

**Lebanon

Yesterday afternoon, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that Israeli jets crossed the Blue Line into south Lebanon, generating sonic booms.  Hezbollah responded to the air incursions with anti-aircraft rounds fired across the line, igniting an agricultural field.  Some hours later there was additional anti-aircraft fire that did not cross the Blue Line, shortly after which two Israeli jets flew deep into UNIFIL's area of operation and dropped several bombs on a Hezbollah position adjacent to the village of Al Bayyadah, near a UN position.  These bombs set fire to the position and damaged a number of buildings in the vicinity.  There were no casualties reported on either side.  The UNIFIL Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Lalit Mohan Tewari, expressed his deep concern about the air raid.  Today, the area is reported quiet.

**Landmines in Afghanistan

Afghanistan, the most mine-affected country in the world, may be free from the threat of landmines in 10 years, according to a new report published today by the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, which is overseen by the UN Mine Action Service.  Since the programme started in 1989, it has cleared landmines and unexploded ordnance from 754 square kilometres of land, including former battle areas.  An estimated 850 square kilometres remain affected.  Advance copies of the report and a press release from the UN Mine Action Service are available upstairs.

**Liberia

On Liberia, the UN refugee agency has dispatched trucks with plastic sheeting, food and water for more than 50,000 people on the road near Totota, who were uprooted by fears of fresh violence in central Liberia.  As part of an inter-agency effort, the High Commissioner for Refugees reports that it dispatched trucks with plastic sheeting, as well as water and high-protein biscuits provided by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other non-governmental agencies.

“It is not completely clear why the people decided to leave en masse, but it is clear that they are afraid”, said Julien Vrancken, UNHCR's field security adviser.  He went on, “the news of a nearby attack by LURD (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy) and the arrival of government militia in the camps, harassing and looting, were enough for more than 50,000 people to pack their bags and leave”.  Before the mass exodus, Totota had hosted more than 80,000 people, many of whom lived in five camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).  For hours on Wednesday, the road between Totota and neighbouring Salala town was packed with a sea of anxious and tired people, dragging their feet under the enormous weight of their belongings.  Please see the UNHCR Web site for more details.

**Liberia Petition

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Liberia, Jacques Paul Klein, received today in his office a delegation from the Women in Peace-building Network Liberia (WIPNET).  The women expressed their concern over the suffering of the population in areas where incidents of fighting have been reported over the last few days.  The leader of the delegation presented him with a petition calling on the United Nations to use every means to ensure that the parties engaged in hostilities adhered to the ceasefire.  In their presence, Klein telephoned the ECOMIL Force Commander, Brigadier-General Okonkwo, to relay the group’s message and to ask ECOMIL to do what it could to ensure a secure environment in as wide an area as possible.  We have copies of the petition and the press release with more details.

**Côte d’Ivoire

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) warns that the effective delivery of assistance in western Côte d’Ivoire is being hampered by a rise in inter-ethnic tensions and continuing insecurity.  Vulnerable populations are further endangered by shortages of food and basic services, such as health care.  OCHA adds that security remains very poor outside the main towns and away from the main roads in the west.  The nutritional situation, it says, is particularly alarming, with high rates of malnutrition reported in the area.  We have a press release with more.

**Somalia

On Somalia, Ghanim Alnajjar, the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, yesterday wrapped up an 11-day mission to the country by calling for action to address the serious conditions in the camps for internally displaced persons in that country.  “The camps are in the worst conditions you can imagine”, he said.  “They have absolutely no basic services, such as water, health facilities or schools.”  There are some 370,000 internally displaced persons in Somalia, most of whom live in abject poverty in areas controlled by armed faction leaders.  We have more details in a press release from the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.

**Hague Tribunal

Today in The Hague, Dragan Nikolic, a Bosnian Serb charged by the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia with crimes against humanity, pleaded guilty to all four counts against him, those of persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds, murder, rape and torture.  His admissions of guilt were part of a plea agreement negotiated with prosecutors.  The Prosecutor’s Office, in response, recommended that the Tribunal impose a sentence of 15 years against him.  There’s a press release with more.

**World Investment Report

Global foreign direct investment flows fell last year by 21 per cent to some $651 billion, and are expected to remain at that depressed level this year, the UN Conference on Trade and Development says in the 2003 edition of its World Investment Report, which was launched today in Geneva.  Foreign direct investment to the developing world declined for the second year in a row, falling from $590 billion in 2001 to $460 billion last year, with the United States and United Kingdom accounting for about 54 per cent of the drop in all countries that had reduced inflows.

**Digital Network for Latin America

“The Digital Diaspora Network for Latin America and the Caribbean” will be launched at a conference tomorrow at UN Headquarters, in Conference Room 2.  The Network will provide expertise and funding to the region’s entrepreneurs using information and communication technology to help improve local economies.  There’ll be a press conference on this subject tomorrow at 11:15 am in this room.

**Budget

In budget news today, Germany completed payment of its nearly $132 million in regular budget dues, becoming the 100th Member State to pay its dues in full for this year.

**Memorial

And for those of you who know Arthur Adams, who has worked in the documents office here for nearly 30 years, we regret to inform you that his wife Sybil Adams has passed away.  And those of you interested in attending a memorial service that will take place in Queens today, you should speak to Robin De La Rocca at the documents counter.

That’s all I have for you.  Any questions?

Questions and Answers

Question:  I understand there’s a working draft on Iraq submitted by the Americans.  How much has the Secretary-General contributed to that working draft?  And are there any specific areas in it that the Secretary-General would either identify with, or distance himself from?

Spokesman:  First of all, he’s not going to get in the middle of discussions between Member States that are just getting underway.  Second, to my knowledge he had no direct input to this draft at all.  There were some reports of discussions he had with Ambassador Negroponte a couple of weeks ago concerning the theoretical structure of a multinational force, in which he was merely clarifying past UN practice for the Ambassador.  But, as I indicated in comments I made earlier in the briefing, the first time he saw any of these elements was when Ambassador Negroponte brought them in yesterday morning.

Question:  What is behind the fact that the resolution can be seen?  Is it a sign that the United States wants the UN more involved or what does it mean?

Spokesman:  I don’t think you should, and certainly I won’t invite you to, read into how this has been handled.  The Secretary-General has indicated that he wants to see a resolution emerge that would be clear in terms of the mandate given to the United Nations.  He said that the previous resolution 1483 was ambiguous at best and that the only reason Sergio Vieira de Mello was able to make the progress he made in Iraq under that resolution was by the force of his personality.  So I think he expects to be engaged and to interact with Member States as they consider a second draft resolution, but I wouldn’t go beyond that.

Question:  Fred, the Secretary-General says the Road Map is the only viable way for peace in the Middle East.  Chairman Arafat says the Road Map is dead.  Two diametrically opposed points of views.  Has there been any contact between the two?

Spokesman:  No.  Okay, before we go to Jan, we have to hear from Richard on the General Assembly and we’ll be just a minute more. 

General Assembly President’s Spokesman

Good afternoon.  This morning, President Kavan co-chaired an interactive panel discussion on the role of civil society in conflict prevention.  In his opening address, President Kavan said that his intention in organizing today’s open meeting was to give Member States an opportunity to concentrate on this important issue and “to use the momentum from the success of the General Assembly’s resolution on the prevention of armed conflict and to explore interactively the future role of civil society in conflict prevention, trying to define how best to link the work of civil society in preventing armed conflict with the work of governments and the UN”.

He went on to say, “I am well aware of the fact that there can be different views on the role of civil society in armed conflict prevention, but I believe also that we are here not to blame each other but to try to find solutions in order to help ourselves become more effective in our important task as delegates of the Member States of the UN, obliged by the Charter to prevent conflicts.”

He then welcomed, among others, the distinguished guests of the Panel, including Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Danilo Turk, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Paul van Tongeren, Executive Director of the European Centre for Conflict Prevention.  Any questions?  Thank you.

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