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 in Germany

The Secretary-General is in Berlin, Germany, today, where this afternoon he met with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.  They discussed Afghanistan, Iraq, Cyprus, the Middle East, next year’s conference in Bonn on renewable energy and UN reform.

After the meeting, the Secretary-General told reporters at a press encounter that, as he has indicated to the parties in Cyprus, “my good offices are available the moment they show the will, the political will, to move forward and seek a settlement”.

On Iraq, he noted that, in his report yesterday, he has asked the Coalition and the Iraqi Governing Council for clarity as to what role they expect the UN to play in the transition period, and has indicated the political, constitutional and humanitarian areas where the UN can help.

The Secretary-General was asked for his views about the decision taken yesterday to exclude Germany, France and Russia from reconstruction contracts in Iraq, and he stressed the need for the actions being taken on Iraq to be unifying rather than divisive.  “And in that respect”, he said, “I would not characterize the decision taken yesterday as unifying.”

Before his meeting with the Chancellor, the Secretary-General met with Foreign Minister and Deputy Chancellor Joschka Fischer.  Later in the afternoon, he held talks with the German Defense Minister Peter Struck.  Those talks focused on Afghanistan and Iraq.

He and Nane Annan then are expected to meet with President Johannes Rao, before attending a dinner hosted by the Chancellor, with Chief Executive Officers of the Global Compact companies.  We expect to make his remarks at that dinner available to you this afternoon.

In the evening, a meeting with Angela Merkel, leader of the Christian Democratic Opposition, is also scheduled.

And Mrs. Annan, meanwhile, is expected to address, this evening, a group of women from political and women’s organizations in a fireside chat hosted by the German UN Association.

Before leaving Geneva for Germany, the Secretary-General met there with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

**Afghanistan          

The head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan today said he was shocked and saddened to learn that yet another group of Afghan children had been killed as a result of military action by coalition forces, this time in Paktia province.

Lakhdar Brahimi said that, in addition to the terrible loss suffered by the families of these children, this type of incident has a destabilizing effect, adding to the sense of insecurity and fear in the country.  Unfortunately and worryingly, this type of incident also makes it easier for those who are trying to spoil the peace process to rally support for their cause, he said.

As the Mission has noted before, it trusts that the results of coalition investigations into these incidents will be made public and that the lessons will be learned so that these tragic situations are not repeated.

The Secretary-General shares his Special Representative’s views on this latest incident.

Brahimi’s statement is included in today’s briefing notes from Kabul, which you can get upstairs.

We also have a statement upstairs from the UN Children’s Fund on this incident, which says, “The death of a single child is one death too many.”

Also today, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that it has sent a security mission to Kandahar this week, following a similar mission to Jalalabad earlier this month.  UNHCR is taking measures to keep its programmes going, but full resumption of all operations and redeployment of staff are not foreseen in the near future unless measures are taken to improve security along the border.

**Iraq

During yesterday’s briefing by Kieren Prendergast you asked him when the joint UN/World Bank fund for Iraq would be operational.  The answer is today.  The fund, which will go by the official name of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq, is being inaugurated by the UN Development Group and the World Bank.

Now that it is up and running, interested governments can contribute to the rebuilding of Iraq's economy and infrastructure through projects managed by UN agencies and the World Bank.  This fund is made up of two individual trust funds.  One is managed by the World Bank, which will focus on technical assistance, infrastructure support and feasibility studies.  The other will be handled by the UN Development Group, and that will focus on quick impact projects and transition activities.

More information will be available in a press release, which we expect to have shortly.

**Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs says UN humanitarian staff are committed to returning to Iraq as soon as possible, and that according to the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, in remarks he made today at a press conference in Geneva.

Mr. Egeland added that he regretted the misconception that the UN has left Iraq.  Rather, he said, UN programmes are still underway and are being monitored there by 2,000 national staff.  The humanitarian office is directing operations and providing leadership from neighbouring countries.

**Security Council

The Security Council is holding consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean Marie Guéhenno, briefed them on regional developments concerning that country, and updated them on the disarmament process and transitional government process there, as well as the situation in Ituri Province.

Once consultations adjourn, the Council President, Ambassador Stefan Tafrov of Bulgaria, is expected to read a statement to the press on the DRC.  The consultations will be followed by a formal meeting, in which Guéhenno will brief Council members on Kosovo.  The Council is then expected to adopt a Presidential Statement responding to the document on “Standards for Kosovo”, which was presented yesterday in Pristina.

**Kosovo

Also on Kosovo, the head of the UN Mission there, Harri Holkeri, today said that the Kosovo Assembly’s decision to abrogate all laws enacted in Yugoslavia and Serbia after 22 March, 1989, is not valid.  That decision, he ruled, was beyond the Assembly’s competence.

We have a statement in a press release upstairs.

**North Korea

In North Korea, hunger and undernourishment could rise again in 2004, if food aid and agricultural projects are not funded.  According to warnings issued by the World Food Programme and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), $171 million are urgently required to feed 6.5 million of the most vulnerable people in rural areas of North Korea. 

Despite the fact that North Korea’s 2003-2004 harvest is forecast to be the best in nine years, domestic food production still falls well below minimum food needs, and malnutrition rates remain disturbingly high. 

We have more details in press releases issued by the World Food Programme and FAO.

**United Nations Children’s Fund

Girls' education is one of the most crucial issues facing the international development community, the UN Children’s Fund today said in its annual report, “The State of the World's Children”.

The report argues that development theories and policies have been marked by gender discrimination and that the standard approach to development has focused on economic growth, rather than human on welfare.

UNICEF calls on all nations to make the education of all children -- with an emphasis on girls -- a major focus of investment.

We have copies of press kits, containing the report, with accompanying press releases upstairs.

**Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers

The first meeting of States Parties to the International Convention dealing with the protection of migrant workers’ rights began this morning here at Headquarters.  The meeting will elect the ten members of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The Committee to be established, as a result of today's election, will examine reports submitted by States parties on the legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures they have taken to give effect to the provisions of the Convention.

**Guest at Noon Briefing Tomorrow

Finally, we had told you we would have Carolyn McAskie at the briefing today.  She was held up in transit, so she will rather come here tomorrow, as our guest at the noon briefing, to talk about her recent visit to Côte d’Ivoire and the humanitarian crisis there.  She, of course, is the Secretary-General’s Humanitarian Envoy for the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  When do you expect the Secretary-General back at Headquarters?

Spokesman for Secretary-General:  Tuesday.  He returns over the weekend.  He’ll work from home on Monday, is my understanding, and we’ll see him in the office on Tuesday.

Thank you very much.

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