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

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICES OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

AND THE SPOKESWOMAN 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 Michéle Montas, Spokeswoman for the General Assembly President.

Good afternoon.

**Security Council -- Afghanistan

The Security Council began its work this morning with a briefing by German Ambassador Gunter Pleuger on the 15-member mission to Afghanistan which he led, and which we had reported to you with daily updates last week.

The Ambassador said Afghanistan “has now entered the most critical phase in the peace process –- the Constitutional Loya Jirga and the election process”.  He noted that the mission underscored the need to hold parliamentary elections as soon as possible after the presidential elections.

He said that throughout the visit, which took the Council delegation to Kabul, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif, “security was the centre of the mission’s discussion with the interlocutors”.

The mission, he said, clearly saw how the lack of security or “the rule of the gun” affected the entire Afghan peace process.  He identified the three main sources of insecurity as terrorism, factional fighting and drug production and trafficking.

Five recommendations were made as a concrete outcome of the mission, including a demand that all factional forces be withdrawn from Kabul in accordance with the Bonn Agreement.

Ambassador Pleuger said the Council supports the wish of President Hamid Karzai to convene a follow-up conference to the Bonn process early next year and invites the Secretary-General to study the possibilities for such a conference in order to ensure the necessary financial support and political momentum for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Copies of the briefing are available upstairs.  The written report of the mission should be available in a day or two.

**Afghanistan

Also on Afghanistan, there was an explosion today just outside a UN compound in Kandahar, in southern Afghanistan, at about 3:50 in the afternoon, local time, caused by a vehicle packed with explosives that was parked near the UN Mission’s Kandahar offices.

A local security guard working for the UN Mission was injured, while an Afghan civilian nearby also suffered minor burns.  The windows and doors of the main UN Mission building were smashed by the blast, while the nearby building belonging to the UN Office for Projects Services also sustained some damage.

Coalition troops, local police and the UN Mine Action Centre are all participating in the investigation.  Meanwhile, all UN international staff in Kandahar have been told to stay indoors, and all local staff have been sent home, until further instructions.

The UN Mission condemns this attack, as it does all violence against civilians, and it regrets that, by compelling UN staff to stay at home temporarily, the Afghan people will suffer the consequences of today’s bombing.

**Statement on release and repatriation of 300 prisoners of war to Morocco

We have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman concerning the repatriation of prisoners of war to Morocco:

“The Secretary-General welcomes the release by the Frente POLISARIO, with the assistance of a Member State, of an additional 300 prisoners of war, who were repatriated on 8 November to the Kingdom of Morocco by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“The Secretary-General expresses the hope that the Frente POLISARIO will expeditiously release all remaining prisoners, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions and in compliance with international humanitarian law.  He also urges the parties to continue to cooperate with the ICRC to resolve the fate of all those unaccounted for since the beginning of the conflict.

“At the same time, the Secretary-General urges the parties to cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who is planning to send a follow-up mission to the region in early December to discuss the implementation of confidence-building measures.”

**Security Council -- Somalia

Following the briefing, the Security Council held a meeting to adopt a presidential statement on Somalia in which the members reiterated their firm support for the Somali National Reconciliation Process launched under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, or IGAD.

The Council also welcomed the mission of the Sanctions Committee concerning Somalia to that country and states in the region from 11 to 21 November as a step towards giving full effect to the arms embargo.

That mission, led by the Committee's Chairman, Ambassador Stefan Tafrov of Bulgaria, and composed of experts from 14 Member States of the Security Council, will be leaving later today.

The mission's first stop will be Cairo, where it will meet with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.  It will then proceed to Ethiopia, Djibouti, Yemen, Eritrea, Kenya and Italy where it will hold meetings with high-ranking government officials and other interlocutors.

During its mission, the Committee will also meet with the Chairperson of the African Union in Addis Ababa and representatives of the Somali leaders in Nairobi.

Ambassador Tafrov intends to brief the Security Council on the mission in early December during the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council.

**Security Council –- Côte d’Ivoire

After that, the Security Council went into consultations on Côte d'Ivoire and other matters.  Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hedi Annabi introduced the latest report, which was issued yesterday.

**Iraq

The UN international staff that had been in Baghdad are now in Cyprus where, starting today, they are in consultations with a team from Headquarters to thoroughly review our future operations in Iraq and the security arrangements that will be required.

The team from Headquarters includes officials from the political affairs, humanitarian and peacekeeping departments, as well as from the UN Security Coordinator’s staff.  This is a working-level meeting.  Discussions are scheduled to go through the weekend.

**Secretary-General in Peru

The Secretary-General arrived in Lima, Peru late last night, where he was greeted by the Foreign Minister, Alan Wagner.

His first activity today was a meeting with the heads of the UN agencies and the 600 international and national UN staff in Peru.  Answering questions from the staff, the Secretary-General noted that this was his first extensive trip since the tragedy in Baghdad in August and he said:  “I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm to you how seriously I take my responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all UN staff throughout the world”.

The Secretary-General said that it was clear that the UN needs to rethink many of its security arrangements and working methods.  He added:  “While the UN cannot be a fortress, neither can we be reckless”.

After meeting the UN staff, the Secretary-General travelled to meet the President of Peru, Alejandro Toledo in Villa El Salvador, a poor district south of Lima, which grew out of the massive rural exodus of the 1970s.  They were greeted by thousands of people.  While there, they reviewed a series of job-creation projects established with the assistance of the international community to alleviate poverty.  In a series of impromptu remarks, the Secretary-General said:  “The fight against poverty doesn’t only mean putting food on the table -- it means education and health, and inclusion and participation by the poor in deciding that which affects their future”.

As we speak, the Secretary-General and President Toledo are having a one-on-one meeting at the Presidential Palace, following which the UN delegation will meet the Council of Ministers.  At this point, a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed regarding Peru’s wish to contribute to peacekeeping stand-by arrangements.  The Secretary-General will then receive the highest order of Peru, “The Order of the Sun”, and will attend a press conference with President Toledo.

This afternoon, the Secretary-General will meet with representatives of Peruvian human rights organizations.  In the evening, he will address parliamentarians at the National Congress.

In a separate programme, Nane Annan visited a school in a poor neighbourhood of Lima where child dropout rates have been almost eliminated through a mentoring programme by adolescent students at the same school.  This is a UNICEF-supported project that benefits some 17,000 children every year.  In the evening, Mrs. Annan will meet with an organization of women living with AIDS, called “Solas pero Unidas” -- “Alone but United”.

**Myanmar

Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur dealing with human rights in Myanmar, completed his six-day visit to Myanmar over the weekend, during which time he had access to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to three members of the National League for Democracy’s Central Executive Committee who were under house arrest.

He also visited Insein Prison in Yangon, where he interviewed 19 political prisoners.

Pinheiro registered his deep concern for those political prisoners detained since this past 30 May, and pressed for the immediate and unconditional release of those being detained since that date, as well as an amnesty for all political prisoners.  He also reiterated that any credible process towards political transition would require the lifting of all restrictions on the freedoms of expression, movement, information, assembly and association.  We have a press release upstairs.

**Environmental news

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) informs us that more than 500 representatives of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be meeting in Montreal, Canada, for the next five days to review the Convention’s extensive work programmes.  The three objectives of the Convention, which was adopted at the 1992 Rio Summit, are:  the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of components of biodiversity, and equitable sharing of their benefits.  We have a press release on that.

In another piece of environmental news, according to UNEP, international trade controls for big-leaf mahogany will enter into force on 15 November.  This tropical timber generates over $100 million a year in export sales making it one of the world’s most valuable forest products.  From now on, shipments of this timber will have to be accompanied by a special permit to prevent illegal logging and unsustainable export levels.  You can read press releases on both those items.

**Humanitarian appeal

Exactly a week from today, the Secretary-General will launch the 2004 Consolidated Appeal on behalf of humanitarian agencies worldwide.  This year’s appeal covers 21 crises, 17 of which are in Africa, and will touch some 45 million people.

The theme of the Appeal, “Hear Our Voices”, emphasizes the importance of listening to people from communities ravaged by war, conflict, and natural disasters, and those struggling to rebuild.  The appeal is put together by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  We have a press release available upstairs with more information.

**UNHCR

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, arrived in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, early this morning at the start of the third leg of his four-nation African visit, which has already taken him to Burundi and Tanzania.

The High Commissioner is likely to discuss the Sudan peace talks and the much-awaited peace agreement between the Khartoum Government and Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).  The agreement when signed could pave the way for the possible return of more than 570,000 Sudanese refugees.

**Liberia -- Humanitarian

We have a humanitarian update on Liberia.  It says that agencies found that the displacement of 10,000 people by recent fighting in Nimba County bordering Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire was placing additional strains on coping mechanisms of families hosting internally displaced persons.

The mission feared that rice stocks could soon be depleted and warned that food assistance is urgently needed to protect seed rice for the next planting season.

**UNHCR concerned by Australia’s handling of boat people

Also from UNHCR, the UN refugee agency said it was deeply troubled by an Australian Government decision to prevent a group of 14 persons thought to be asylum seekers, from having their protection needs examined.  You can read more about that in a press release.

**WHO

From the World Health Organization (WHO):  they are stepping up action against substandard and counterfeit medicines with six countries from the Greater Mekong subregion this week.

Counterfeit and substandard medicines are frequently detected in Cambodia, China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam and the problem seems to be growing.  Products most commonly counterfeited in this region include antibiotics and those used in the treatment of tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS.  The use of poor quality or counterfeit medicines has little or no therapeutic effect and in poor settings often leads to death.

At a meeting from 11-13 November, 2003, in Hanoi, Viet Nam, WHO and the six countries will kick-start joint activities to combat counterfeiting of medicines in the region, to promote advocacy activities directed at key decision-makers, health professionals and the general public and to strengthen inspection and post-marketing surveillance.

A WHO survey of counterfeit medicine reports from 20 countries between January 1999 and October 2000 found that 60 per cent of counterfeit medicine cases occurred in poor countries.

**Press Conference -- Today

Press conferences:  12:45 today, we mentioned this to you yesterday, the Mission of Morocco will be sponsoring a press conference in this room on the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) and the speakers will include Dr. Jacob Kumaresan, the President of the Initiative, and Dr. Hank McKinnell, the CEO of Pfizer.

**Press Conferences -- Tomorrow

Then our guest at the noon briefing tomorrow will be Heidi Tagliavini, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Georgia.

And in the afternoon tomorrow, two press conferences:  12:45 p.m., Jean Ziegler, the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on the Right to Food, will talk to you about his recent trip to the occupied Palestinian territories and his report to the General Assembly’s Third Committee; and then at 3 p.m., the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, will brief you on his recently concluded eight-day visit to Myanmar.

That’s all I have for you.  Yes, Mohammed?

Questions and Answers

Question:  Fred, is this the first time that such an explosion has happened in front of a UN office in Kabul and is there any link between the explosion in Kandahar and other explosions at UN offices in Baghdad?

Spokesman for the Secretary-General:  I don’t believe this is the first such attack.  I think there was one in July last year when a grenade was thrown into an FAO compound.  I think that was also in Kandahar.  As we said, we have no indication of who might have done this.  The investigation is just beginning and no one has claimed responsibility.  So, I can’t say whether it’s linked to any other attacks anywhere else in the world.  Yes?

Question:  What’s the latest on the panel set up by the Secretary-General to investigate the bombing of the UN compound in Baghdad?  Have they began their work?  Have they chosen the chairman?

Spokesman:  I don’t have anything on that.  Let me check and get back to you, but I have anything to report today.  Michéle?

[He later said that the panel’s chair, Gerald Walzer, was in New York.  The other three members should arrive today.  And their first organizational meeting will be held tomorrow.]

Spokeswoman for General Assembly President

Thank you Fred.  Good afternoon.

President Julian Hunte presented this morning a summary of the recent high-level dialogue on financing for development to the Second Committee, which is a priority of his Presidency.  Regarding implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, it was recognized, he said, that some progress had been made.  It was pointed out, however, that there had been slippage in some areas.  Notably, there had been disappointing developments in international trade and financial transfers.  It was emphasized that more was required to implement the agreements and commitments made at Monterrey.  A comprehensive summary of the deliberations of the high-level dialogue was circulated in the Second Committee.  As I said yesterday, this summary is available on the Web.

President Hunte is scheduled to meet this afternoon with the President of Malta, H.E. Mr. Guido De Marco.  President de Marco participated in the meeting of the Council of Presidents of the General Assembly yesterday.  Twelve former Presidents attended that meeting, as well as President Hunte.  Most of the members of the Council of Presidents also attended a ceremony hosted yesterday by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to unveil an exhibit dedicated to the 70^th anniversary of the man-made great famine in Ukraine, which took 7 to 10 million lives in 1932-33.  The event was hosted by a former President of the Assembly, Hennady Oudovenko.

The former Presidents presently in New York for the meeting of the Council of Presidents of the General Assembly are H.E. Imre Hollai of Hungary, Mr. Lazar Mojsov of Yugoslavia, Mr. Jaime de Pinies of Spain, Mrs. Samir Shihabi of Saudi Arabia, President Guido de Marco of Malta, as I said earlier, Mr. Hennady Oudovenko of Ukraine, Mr. Harri Holkeri of Finland, Mr. Stoyan Ganev of Bulgaria, Mr. Amara Essy of Côte d’Ivoire, Dr. Theo Ben Gurirab of Namibia, Dr. Han Seung Soo of the Republic of Korea and Mr. Jan Kavan of the Czech Republic, last year’s President of the Assembly.

This afternoon, President Hunte is meeting with the Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service, at a request from the Staff Council.

The Third Committee hears today introductory statements by the special rapporteurs and special representatives presenting reports to the Committee on Human Rights.  This morning:  Mr. Abdelfattah Amor, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Mr. Theo van Boven, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and Mr. Francis Deng, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons.  At 3:00 this afternoon, Mr. Jean Ziegler, Special Rapporteur on the right to food will speak to the Third Committee, as well as Mr. Paul Hunt, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

This is all I have for you.  Thank you.

Questions and Answers

Spokesman for the Secretary-General:  Any questions?

Question:  Has the Council of Past Presidents discussed the issue of reforms at the United Nations?

Spokeswoman for General Assembly President:  Yes, they have, and they have received from President Hunte today, if I understand correctly, a summary of the proposals that were made during the informal meetings, as you remember, around the revitalization of the General Assembly.

Question:  Did they come to any conclusions?

Spokeswoman for General Assembly President:  No, not yet.

Spokesman for the Secretary-General:  Thank you very much.

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