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 Stephane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**SG Travels

The Secretary-General, as you know, is on the road in Europe.  He travelled this afternoon, from Baden Baden, Germany, to Davos in Switzerland, where tomorrow morning he will address the World Economic Forum, which is taking place there.  We have embargoed copies of that address, which deals with globalization, the Global Compact and the Millennium Development Goals, available upstairs.

This evening in Davos, the Secretary-General expects to hold meetings with the President-elect of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

And as I told you yesterday, the Secretary-General last night received the German Media Prize, and was introduced by the 1999 winner of that prize, former US President Bill Clinton, who said the Secretary-General had transformed the UN by widening its circle of friends, becoming beloved by ordinary citizens for his self-evident decency.  Clinton added, “I follow him with pride.”  We put out copies of the SG’s speech upstairs to you yesterday.

**Côte d’Ivoire

Turning to Côte d’Ivoire, 35 people have been killed and hundreds displaced since inter-communal violence in Côte d’Ivoire’s western regions worsened late last month, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Carolyn McAskie, the Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator for the United Nations, appealed to the Government to do more to stop the violence.  She also called on all parties to actively bring an end to violence directed against civilians.

**DRC - Swing Delivers Strong Message to UPC Militia

On the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has issued a strong warning to the Union of Congolese Patriots militia know as the UPC militia, after three recent incidents in Ituri in which peacekeepers came under fire.

In a press release issued today, the UN notes that these attacks appear to have been carried out under the orders of UPC Commander Bosco Ntaganda who has been accused of committing grave human rights violations against the civilian population.  UN representative in the country William Swing has demanded of the UPC leadership that violence against civilians must cease and warned that UN troops will continue to retaliate strongly to any further attacks by militia groups.  We have a press release available upstairs on that.

**Burundi

On Burundi, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in that country Berhanu Dinka, has congratulated the Burundian President, as well as the FNL rebel group regarding the positive results from their first meeting which took place in the Netherlands from 18 to 21 January 2004.  Mr. Dinka encourages both parties to immediately pursue discussions in order to conclude a global ceasefire in Burundi and to put an end to the suffering of the Burundian people.

**Western Sahara Report

Out on the racks is the Secretary-General’s latest report on Western Sahara, in which he recommends that the Security Council extend the mandate of that mission, known as MINURSO, until the end of April 2004, to allow time for his Special Envoy James Baker to consult further with Morocco on its final response to the peace plan submitted to the parties in January of last year.  The Secretary-General expresses the hope that Mr. Baker will receive Morocco’s final reply before the end of April.

**Afghanistan

Turning to Afghanistan:  More than half a million Afghans have now registered to vote -– including just under 395,000 men and more than 112,000 women.  The highest number of registrations thus far has taken place in central Afghanistan, according to the UN Mission in that country.

The Mission says once elections take place, there will be procedures to prevent people from voting more than once, including marking fingers with indelible ink.  The Mission says it will be preparing educational material to address the issue.

Today’s briefing notes from Kabul also note the start tomorrow of a visit to Iran by a team from the UN refugee agency, to explain to Afghan refugees in that country what conditions are really like in central Afghanistan.

**UN/Compensation

In Geneva, the United Nations Compensation Commission has made available today more than $184 million to a number of claimants concerned with claims relating to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1991.  The Commission has so far up to now disbursed more than $17.5 billion in claims.

**UNRWA

The Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Peter Hansen, today in a statement condemned the latest Israeli demolitions that took place in Gaza this week, calling it “a hugely disproportionate response by an occupation army”.  Hansen said such demolitions are “a policy that creates only hardship and bitterness, and in the end can only undermine hope for future reconciliation and peace”.  And we have his full statement available upstairs.

**Security Council

And as you’ve noticed, there were no scheduled meetings or consultations of the Security Council today.

UNICEF/Tamil Tigers/Kids

From UNICEF.  The agency expressed concern about the continued use of children as soldiers by the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.

According to a new report, 709 children were recruited by the Tamil Tigers last year, while only 202 were released.  From reports submitted by families, UNICEF says its knows of at least 1,301 children still working for the Tamil Tigers.

**Human Rights - Haiti

In Geneva, two experts of the Commission on Human Rights have expressed strong concern about the situation of human rights in Haiti, especially since the start of violent confrontations involving militias supporting and opposing the Government, as well as with the police.

The Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir, deplore the violence in which two people were killed and dozens more injured.

The Special Rapporteurs have launched an appeal to the Haitian authorities, in cooperation with the opposition political parties, to demand that the violence stop.

**UNHCR/European Union

A few more items here for you.  The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, today warned European interior ministers that the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union may overwhelm asylum systems in some member States.  Addressing the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Dublin, Lubbers presented a detailed set of ideas to enhance the EU’s ability to act collectively to solve this and other practical difficulties.

**UNICEF/Chad

In response to the rapidly deteriorating situation of Sudanese refugees in Chad, UNICEF is now moving ahead on a series of activities, including a measles campaign for nearly 86,000 children.  UNICEF will be issuing an emergency funding appeal on Chad at the beginning of next week.

**Georgia

And earlier today, the UN Development Programme administrator Mark Malloch Brown and George Soros, the founder of the Open Society Institute, announced the creation of a new fund to support governance reforms in Georgia.  And that announcement was made in Davos.  And we have a press release from UNDP available upstairs.

**ECOSOC President

And also for your information.  The Economic and Social Council yesterday elected Ambassador Rasi of Finland as its President for 2004.  She’s the first woman to hold the post of President of ECOSOC.  And we have more available upstairs on her.

**UNDP/Africa Soccer

And to finish this briefing on a sporting note, the UN Development Programme, in partnership with soccer stars and officials, will be using the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament to promote a campaign against poverty and the spread of HIV/AIDS.  The campaign entitled “Africa 2015”, aims to mobilize popular participation in the global drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

That’s it from me.  Anything from you?  Safora?

Questions and Answers

Question:  There are reports in the media today that Japan would like to reduce its payments beginning 2006.  Do you have any reaction and what that would mean for the Organization?

Associate Spokesman:  No.  I haven’t seen exact numbers and I don’t think we have been officially directly contacted.

Question:  Well, what do Members have to do if they want to lower their contributions?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, I don’t know if that specifically addresses contributions outside of the regular assessment.  The assessments are negotiated in the General Assembly.  I have only seen press reports that they may just deal with contributions outside of the assessments.  So, that would be up to them.  Richard?  [The Spokesman later added that Japan was a major contributor to the United Nations and it was hoped its sustained engagement would continue.]

Question:  I know you were going to expect this.  I wondered if there was any update on the planned technical trip to Baghdad by the security team?  Any timing of when they are leaving and then the political trip?

Associate Spokesman:  No to both.  The Secretary-General and his staff are continuing their discussions and contacts well aware of the time frame.  And as he said recently, he will not be dragging this out.  But we will keep you informed.  Bill?

Question:  What is the status of the Secretary-General’s submission to the International Court of Justice relating to the Israeli building of walls and fences and related, of course, the opinion they will eventually render?

Associate Spokesman:   I’d have to get some guidance for you, but I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.  Pat?  [The Spokesman later added that, at the request of the International Court Justice, the Secretary-General had submitted a written dossier.]

Question:  I am sorry I came in right in the middle of your talking about the Tamil Tigers using child soldiers.  Did you say there’s a press release on that?

Associate Spokesman:  Yes, from UNICEF.

Question:  In reference to the ongoing violence that you referred to, why does the Secretary-General refuse to name a special representative?

Associate Spokesman:  I’d have to get back to you on that.  I am not sure that he refused to name one.  But I will get some guidance for you.

Question:  (Inaudible)... it took almost a year now?

Associate Spokesman:  Okay, I’ll get you some answers on that.  Nick?

Question:  On the Japan issue.  Is there the impression from other countries that their assessments should be reduced because of a difficult global economy?  Is this something that the UN sees every now and again where a clutch of countries will sort of start saying that they don’t have the money to pay and they want to lower their assessments?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, I think this thing comes and goes.  We have always been concerned about contributions, the lowering of contributions to overseas development assistance, whether through the UN or not.  But, as I said, the assessments themselves are things that are negotiated, often with great difficulty, within Member States in the General Assembly.  But it does come periodically.

Question:  Just a follow-up.  Can you comment on the possibility that Japan may be doing this as a pressure tactic to get a permanent seat on the Security Council?

Associate Spokesman:  I would encourage you to address that to the Japanese mission.

Thank you.

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