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.

**Iraq

As you know, we’ve made it our policy here to try not to comment on staff levels in Iraq, which are going to vary from time to time.  However, in answer to quite a number of questions we’ve been getting in the last 45 minutes or so, I can now confirm that a two-person UN security liaison team, consisting of a military advisor and a security coordinator, arrived in Baghdad today.

This team’s primary purpose will be to liaise with the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Coalition Forces, which is very important in achieving enhanced safety and security for our national UN staff, as well as that of UN premises in Iraq.

The opening of a direct line of communication with the Coalition on security matters is necessary for the planning for the safety and security of UN personnel, activities and assets in Iraq and for an eventual return of UN international staff to Iraq.

A separate field security assessment will be needed should the Secretary-General decide to send in an electoral team.

**Iraq-UNHCR

On another Iraq-related note, Iraqi, Turkish and officials for the UN refugee agency UNHCR yesterday agreed on the modalities of voluntary return to Turkey from Iraq of up to 13,000 Turkish citizens.  These ethnic Kurds have lived in exile in northern Iraq since early 1990s.

Under the agreement reached at the Turkish capital, Ankara, the Iraqi authorities will ensure that the return is voluntary and that the refugees are not subjected to pressure.  The accord stipulates that UNHCR will have full and unhindered access to the refugees both on Iraq territory and once they have gone back to Turkey.  And we have more in a note from UNHCR upstairs.

**Secretary-General in Davos

The Secretary-General is continuing his stay in Davos at the World Economic Forum.  And he said in a speech today that, in just a few short years, the prevailing atmosphere has shifted from a belief in the near-inevitability of globalization to a deep uncertainty about the very survival of our global order.

He said that it is in the interest of business for governments to meet the Millennium Development Goals, “as we struggle together for peace and dignity”.

Noting that the war in Iraq had shifted attention from those goals, he warned, “It is time to rebalance the international agenda.”  In particular, he said, a deal on agriculture is needed that would help the poor and eliminate agricultural subsidies.

The Secretary-General drew attention to the accomplishments of his Global Compact initiative for pushing corporate responsibility over the past five years, but said more must be accomplished.  He said he would convene a Global Compact Summit at UN Headquarters in June to reassess the work of the Compact.

**Secretary-General Bilaterals

In the margins of the forum, the Secretary-General has had a full programme of bilateral meetings.

He met with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, and discussed with him Israel’s separation barrier, which he sees as an obstacle to the Road Map for peace.

And in separate meetings, he also met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath.  He discussed conditions for resuming the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue and raised the matter of the pending advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the separation barrier, as requested by the General Assembly.

He also met this morning with the President of Poland, with whom he discussed Iraq and the expansion of the European Community to 25 members.

The Secretary-General and new Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin discussed efforts to provide affordable medication for AIDS patients in poor countries.  He briefed the Prime Minister on Iraq, while Martin raised the issues of Zimbabwe and the Secretary-General’s high-level panel on threats, challenges and change.

His last meeting this morning was with Dr. Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

And this afternoon’s meetings he is to meet with President of Pakistan, which I think just happened, as well as the Foreign Minister of Iran, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the President of the US pharmaceutical company Merck.

**DR Congo -- UN Mission Investigates Massacre Reports

Turning now to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Mission in that country is investigating reports of massacres, which are reported to have been perpetrated on 15 January at a site along the shores of Lake Albert.

Preliminary accounts by witnesses indicate that several passenger boats carrying close to 300 displaced people were attacked by armed militias and forced to shore, after which the assailants reportedly killed the men and abducted the women and children.

The UN Mission has sent a team to the area to interview survivors and is investigating the circumstances of the attack and the number of casualties.

**Security Council

Turning to the Security Council here, this morning the Council held an open meeting on the Secretary-General’s report concerning last year’s Council mission to West Africa, and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tuliameni Kalomoh told the Council that appreciable progress continues to be made in implementing that mission’s recommendations.

Council members are continuing to discuss West Africa now.  Then, at 3 this afternoon, the Council will hold consultations on the work of the UN Peace-Building Office in the Central African Republic, with a briefing by the head of that Office, General Lamine Cisse.

Separately, the Council will also hold meetings this afternoon with the troop-contributing countries for the UN Missions in Georgia, Lebanon and Western Sahara.

**Central Africa

In addition to the West Africa report which I just mentioned, the Secretary-General also has provided a report on the recommendations of the recent Council mission to Central Africa, and that report is out on the racks.

In it, the Secretary-General said that the installation of the transitional Government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has brought positive developments to the country, although much work remains to be done there, including reform of the security sector, progress in the rule of law and human rights, and elections.

In Burundi, the Secretary-General says, the prospects for peace have improved considerably, and it is hoped that the recent declarations by the FNL rebel group will be followed by concrete steps towards peace by that group.

**Rwanda

On Rwanda, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda yesterday convicted the country’s former Education Minister of genocide and crimes against humanity and sentenced him to life in prison.

The Tribunal found that the accused, Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda, intended to destroy the Tutsi ethnic group and ordered the killing of Tutsis by soldiers, police and militia members.  And we have more upstairs in a press release from the Tribunal.

**Liberia

The Secretary-General, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, along with C. Gyude Bryant, Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, are scheduled to address the International Reconstruction Conference on Liberia which will be held here in the United Nations on the fifth and sixth of February.

The meeting will highlight Liberia's needs for financial assistance following 15 years of civil conflict and will offer the international community an opportunity to pledge support to help rebuild the country.

**Sudanese Refugees

In eastern Chad the UN refugee agency is monitoring the border region with the Sudan amid reports that another 18,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad in the past week following heavy fighting in the Darfur region of the Sudan.

According to refugees interviewed by UNHCR, Sudanese forces attacked 10 villages in the canton of Djerbira in the early morning of last Friday, 16 January.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says that officials from the rebel SPLA movement of southern Sudan have begun a large demobilization of children in the volatile Western Upper Nile region.  And we have more upstairs on all those items.

**ILO/Unemployment

The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that global unemployment rose last year to a record of more than 185 million people, or just over 6 per cent of the labour force, according to their latest annual jobs report, which was released overnight.  However, there was some optimism in the report, entitled “Global Employment Trends 2004”.  It found that the worldwide economic recovery in the second half of 2003 may have helped to improve the global employment situation.  We have a press release upstairs.

**UNDP/Microsoft

Also from Davos, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Microsoft Corporation say they will work together to build capacity in developing countries around the world by providing technology-enabled training for youth and adults in community education centres.  UNDP’s Administrator Mark Malloch Brown and Microsoft Chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates announced the agreement in Davos earlier today.  And it is aimed at helping developing countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

**The Week Ahead at United Nations

That’s about it from me.  I have the Week Ahead for you which will outline the events next week.

And, do you have any questions for me?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Steph, in your opening statement, I am not clear on that.  When you stated the security team that’s going to make the assessment on whether the electoral team can go in, you said “a separate assessment”.  Does that mean by a different group of people or by this team?

Associate Spokesman:  The two people that went in -- that are now in this morning, they are there to open up channels of communications for us with the Coalition forces and the Coalition Provisional Authority and prepare for an eventual return of UN international staff.  They will not be conducting the field security assessment for the electoral mission should the Secretary-General decide to send that team in.

Question:  And when is that team going to move?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, as the Secretary-General said earlier today, he expects to make the decision on whether or not to send the political team in the next few days.

Question:  No.  When will the security team go in? 

Associate Spokesman:  Once ...

Question:  Where is it?  In Kuwait, in Cyprus?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, people are, you know, in different locations.  Once again, once they’re in Baghdad, we will confirm that to you.

Question:  And that’s another two people or what?

Associate Spokesman:  I don’t have the details of how many people that will be.

Question:  So, is the Secretary-General now saying that he will decide for the election team to go in and, once he decides that, he will send in a security team that will lay the groundwork for them?  I mean, before, I’d gotten the impression that the decision on sending the electoral team was dependent on a separate analysis by a security team.  And now it seems it’s been reversed.

Associate Spokesman:  The important decision here is for the Secretary-General to decide whether or not he will send an electoral team.  Before he makes the decision for that team to go or not to go, he obviously will have input from the field security assessment.  We are just not comfortable going into the details of the travel and the calendar of our security people who may be going into Baghdad.

Question:  So that there would have to be a separate security team that studies conditions for the ...?

Associate Spokesman:  There would have to be a field security assessment to look into the situation on the ground for the electoral team.

Question:  And are these two (Inaudible)

Associate Spokesman:  The sending in of this liaison team is something that had been planned quite a while ago.  I know there had reports in the press of letters between the UN and the US mission pertaining to them.  Again, they’d be looking after our national staff and they’d be looking at UN premises where we would work; where we would live in the eventual return of an international staff.

Question:  I am on the same subject here.  And I think I am still confused.  So, these two fellows who arrived today are not the four-person security team that we had talked about last week?  It was like officially announced.  This is separate from that?  And it also is not preparing the ground for the electoral assessors?

Associate Spokesman:  I think the four your were referring to was probably a team of up to four people.

Question:  (Inaudible interjection)

Associate Spokesman:  What I am telling you, what I am confirming to you today is that this team of two people arrived as a liaison with the CPA and the Coalition forces.

Question:  Is this an open-ended mission?  Is there a time frame that they are going to be there for a short time or is it ...?

Associate Spokesman:  No.  There is no time frame that I am aware of.

Question:  So, technically the Secretary-General can send in an electoral assessment team before the findings from the security team come in, or is he still going to wait for this two-person team to reach their findings?

Associate Spokesman:  These two people, which we have just confirmed, are there to liaise with the CPA and the Coalition forces.  Another field security assessment will have to be done for the electoral team.  What I have just read out in terms of what they will be doing does not include a field security assessment.

Question:  Will they only be in Baghdad or will they travel around ...?

Associate Spokesman:  We’re not going to get into details of where they’re going to be.

Question:  Can you identify these two?  Do you have more details?

Associate Spokesman:  No, we’re not going to identify them by name.  The important thing is that it’s a military advisor and a security coordinator.

Question:  Secondly, is it possible I can get anything on the SG’s meeting with Mr. Musharraf?  Maybe a readout or is there any press conference or anything like that?

Associate Spokesman:  Sure.  We’ll get something to you afterwards.  David?

Question:  Steph, precious little has been said about Lakhdar Brahimi’s new role.  It has been reported that he went to Washington yesterday.  I wonder, in what capacity he went to Washington?  And beyond that, what’s the Secretary-General’s thoughts relative a plan perhaps to simply expand the Governing Council as a way of perhaps appeasing all sides in this debate about how to go forward with the elections or caucuses?

Associate Spokesman:  On your second question, I am not going to get into details here as to what the thinking or which way the thinking is going on those issues.  On your first question; Mr. Brahimi was invited for consultations in Washington yesterday by Ambassador Blackwell -– National Security Council.  The meeting took place at the White House and included the National Security Advisor, Condoleeza Rice, as well as Secretary of State Colin Powell.  During those meetings they focused on Iraq and Afghanistan.  He went there at their invitation and as you know, he was recently appointed by the Secretary-General as a special advisor principally in the field of conflict prevention, as well as peace and security.  So, it’s only to be expected that he would be consulted on Iraq, which is one of the most pressing concerns.

Question:  The White House and all the statements out of Washington don’t even mention Afghanistan.  It was all Iraq.  He’s not a representative.  So, what’s his role on Iraq, if anything?  Or was the meeting for the purpose of persuading him to take a role on Iraq?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, I think the second part of your question you’d have to ask them what the aim of their meeting.  What I am telling you is that they discussed Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is a man with a unique mix of talent and experience and I don’t think it should be surprising that he would be asked to be consulted by a number of people.

Question:  Does the UN have any response to persistent calls from the US and Iraqis that he play a prominent role in Iraq, presumably in the political process? I mean, the US, the Iraqis are saying one thing -- that we want him to play a significant role in this process -- while the UN is saying another thing -- that he’s being consulted…

Interjection by another correspondent:  Not on Afghanistan.

Question:  ... on his thoughts about the way forward.  I mean, what’s your response to those calls for a significant role for him?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, the Secretary-General will appoint a Special Representative of the Secretary-General in due time.  I think from this podium Fred (Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General) has said a number of times that Lakhdar Brahimi has not been offered the SRSG’s job by the Secretary-General.  He is a trusted advisor of the Secretary-General based right here in New York a few doors down from his office.  It would be a waste, I think, if he wasn’t consulted on all these issues.  Mohamed?

Question:  I have two questions, Stephane.  Is a two-person team enough for an assessment for security conditions in Iraq?  And my second question is, how long will this team stay in Iraq?

Associate Spokesman:  We don’t have a time frame on their stay, and second, they will not be conducting the field security assessment.  Their primary focus will be to open lines of communications with the Coalition for us with the CPA and also to look after the interests of our national staff in Iraq which continues to work and to help them to be a liaison between the national staff and the Coalition forces should the need arise.  Akram?

Question:  When the Iraqi group was here; besides the election thing, what other issues did they discuss with the Security Council member States and the Secretary-General, and if their demand was granted or not?

Associate Spokesman:  I don’t think I understand your question Akram?

Question:  Concerning the issues that the Iraqi people are concerned with besides the election, what other items did they discuss when they met the Secretary-General or the Member States?

Associate Spokesman:  On Monday?

Question:  Yes.

Associate Spokesman:  I think the Secretary-General gave a pretty full readout of his meetings with the Iraqi Governing Council, and the CPA delegation on Monday.  And we have the issue at hand with this electoral team, should the Secretary-General decide to send it, is exactly that, -- the issue of elections.

Question:  It was granted?

Associate Spokesman:  Excuse me?

Question:  Their demand was granted?

Associate Spokesman:  No.  It’s not a question of being granted.  It would be a team going to look at the issue of elections.  If that team goes, that’s what they will look at.

Question:  Yesterday, there was some positive development regarding the question of Kashmir.  Was there any reaction from the Secretary-General?

Associate Spokesman:  I think the Secretary-General is encouraged by the positive dialogue on going between India and Pakistan at the highest level on this issue.

Question:  The UNDP signed an agreement with Microsoft for the developing countries?

Associate Spokesman:  Yes.

Question:  Why didn’t UNDP sign with Linus, which was represented in Bombay’s meeting?

Associate Spokesman:  I would ask you to address that to the UN Development Programme.

Question:  This is the first time that the security team is meeting.  Is this the first time international UN staff have gone back into Iraq since their withdrawal in October?

Associate Spokesman:  Yes, I believe so.  [The Spokesman later clarified with the statement:  “We do not comment on the movement of international staff going in and out of Iraq”.]

Thank you very much.

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