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 Marie Okabe, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good Afternoon.

**SG Morning remarks

The Secretary-General told reporters this morning that the UN team that is to go shortly to Iraq to determine whether elections are possible between now and the end of May would explore what options the Iraqis can agree on.  The task facing them, he noted, is described as technical, but is also highly political, in which “you need to talk to some of the leaders”.

Speaking to reporters at the United Nations one day after he met with President George W. Bush and other senior US officials in Washington, D.C., the Secretary-General said the UN team would go to Iraq as soon as practical and security arrangements are assured.  The United Nations, he added, was not going to go back permanently just yet, but it has always assumed it would have a role in working with a provisional Iraqi government on a Constitution and on national elections, perhaps later next year.

He noted that, in his meeting with Iraqi Governing Council and Coalition Provisional Authority officials on January 19, those two parties indicated they would accept his recommendations regarding elections or other possible options.

Asked about his talks on Cyprus, the Secretary-General noted his recent contacts with the Turkish Prime Minister, the Greek Cypriot leader and the Greek Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, who all indicated their willingness to resume talks.  He said he intends to invite the parties to talks fairly shortly, and expects to send invitations in the next day or so.

Asked about the Middle East, he said he was “quite intrigued” by recent comments by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon concerning the removal of settlements from Gaza, calling it “a positive development” and “a first, essential step” that could help move the process forward.  He added that withdrawal from the West Bank would also be required to allow for two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace.

We hope to have the transcript of his comments to the press shortly and we will squawk it as soon as it is available.

**Secretary-General in Washington

Just to recap, following his meetings at the White House yesterday, the Secretary-General travelled to the US Capitol where he held a series of meetings with the Congressional leadership.

Before departing the Hill, the Secretary-General met with House Minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, and other members of the House of Representatives.  Afterwards, he told journalists, that he had very good discussions on issues of Iraq, Afghanistan and a whole range of issues in Africa -- from conflict resolution to the fight against HIV/AIDS, economic and social issues.

Prior to leaving the White House, the Secretary-General had a chance encounter with a group of Iraqi Fullbright Scholars who were visiting the White House.

**Security Council

Here at UN Headquarters a short while ago, the Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire until February 27th 2004.

By unanimously adopting resolution 1527, Council members also requested that the Secretary-General prepare for the deployment of a possible peacekeeping operation to the country, pending a final decision by the Council.

The vote took place following closed consultations, the first under the Presidency of Ambassador Guangya Wang of China, who assumed the Presidency of the Council for the month of February.

During consultations members discussed the programme of work for the month, as well as the Côte d’Ivoire resolution.

Ambassador Wang will be in this room shortly to brief you on the Council’s work for the month.   He should be here at 12:30 and we do have copies of this month’s programme available for you upstairs, as well as here.

**MONUC

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo sent a team to the town of Gobu, in the north-east of the country to look into recent allegations of killings, which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 10 people.  UN personnel are traveling to the area by boat since air and road access is not possible.  And also from the DRC, on Sunday the UN mission used two speed boats and a helicopter to evacuate approximately 280 passengers who had survived a fire aboard a ferry.  We have a press release available upstairs on both these developments.

**Heads of Mission meeting

All of the Secretary-General’s heads of peacekeeping missions are here at UN Headquarters today for their annual meeting.  The two-day gathering allows the missions and headquarters to discuss common issues in depth, with the aim of improving the work of peacekeepers on the ground.

As well, this is the only occasion where the Secretary-General is able to meet with his Special Representatives at the same time in the same place.

The Secretary-General addressed the meeting this morning.  We did put out the list of representatives who are here in the building and if you are interested in setting up interviews you can do so by contacting a member of our office.  They have contacts for all of the visiting heads of missions.

**ICJ

Turning to the International Court of Justice, the ICJ decided yesterday, in a 13 to one vote, that Egyptian Judge Nabil Elaraby could participate in the case concerning the construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Court ruled following its receipt of a letter from the Israeli Government which contended that Judge Elaraby had “actively engaged in opposition to Israel”, including on matters that go directly to aspects of the current case.

The Court, in its opinion, said that the Judge’s activities were performed in his capacity as a diplomatic representative of his country, most of them many years before the question of the wall’s construction arose.  We have a press release upstairs from the Court with more details.

**Somalia

The independent UN expert dealing with human rights in Somalia today voiced his grave concern at the abduction of a UN staff member in that country last week, and called on the group responsible to free that staff member immediately.  We have a press release upstairs with the full statement.

**Disarmament

The Secretary-General is scheduled to meet this afternoon with his Advisory Board on Disarmament, and will note the attention paid over the past year to disarmament issues, and the need to show that the United Nations can deal effectively with terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.  He will also underscore the much more direct threat many people around the world face:  the day-to-day violence fought with small arms.

He will address the Advisory Board at 3 p.m. and we will make his remarks to the Board available shortly afterward.

**UNICEF/Guinea worm

Turning to West Africa, former US President Jimmy Carter today called for urgency in the fight to wipe out guinea-worm disease in West Africa.  Along with officials from the UN Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization, Mr. Carter visited a region in Ghana where guinea-worm is endemic.  We have a press release upstairs with more details.

**Bunche lecture

The third and final Ralph Bunche lecture, honoring the centenary of the US diplomat’s birth, will take place here tomorrow, from one to three at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium, when several panelists will talk about “Ralph Bunche and the Integrity of the International Civil Service”.

Former Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs James Jonah will be the keynote speaker, and other discussants will include Under-Secretary-General for Management Catherine Bertini and George Saddler, Chair of the New York Ralph Bunche Centenary Commemoration Committee.

You are all invited to attend.

**Press Conference tomorrow

Finally, just a couple more announcements.  Tomorrow at 11:15, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, will be here to brief you on the complex, multi-dimensional peacekeeping missions in Africa.  He will be joined by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sierra Leone, Daudi Mwakawago, for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, William Swing, and for Liberia, Jacques-Paul Klein.

And at 2:30, the Fund for International Partnerships will be sponsoring a press conference in this room to launch “Artists for Peace” and the “Audrey Hepburn Peace Award”.  Actress Drew Barrymore, Heathcliff Rothman and Xorin Balbes, co-chairs of “Artists for the UN”, and Gillian Sorensen, the UN Foundation’s Senior Adviser, will be here to talk to you about those initiatives.

**Press Conference this afternoon

And as I mentioned, at 12:30, Ambassador Wang of China, the President of the Security Council for the month of February, will be here to brief you on this month’s programme.

**Liberia Conference

And just one other note to flag.  We made available yesterday afternoon and we announced to you a note to correspondents regarding the Liberia reconstruction conference which will take place here tomorrow and Friday.  And there is that note upstairs for you with the agenda of the programmes.

And that’s all I have for you today.  Yes?

Questions and Answers

Question:  Marie, the Secretary-General said that he discussed with the Americans yesterday Iraq as well as other problems, like Liberia.  To what extent, if at all, would it be safe or accurate to say that the UN could be willing to help with Iraq in return for getting help in dealing with those other problems like Liberia and other conflicts around the world from the Americans?

Associate Spokesperson:  Well, first of all I’d like to point out that the Secretary-General this morning had a fairly extensive, near press conference upon his return to UN Headquarters and I think he answered most of those questions that you raised point by point.  And I think he said he had a very constructive day and that he had a constructive day of talks in Washington on Iraq.  And he did outline for you the other issues. 

Any other questions?  Yes?

Question:  Could you tell us anything about a meeting that took place yesterday between Mr. de Soto, British officials as well as American officials?

Associate Spokesperson:  I have no information on that.  But I can look into it for you. 

Question:  Second, when the Secretary-General said this morning he was going to get in touch with Mr. Denktash; he means he is going to call him?  Is he going to write him?  What type of contact is it going to be?

Associate Spokesperson:  He did not specify at the stakeout microphone how he intends to be in touch.  But I think he also mentioned at the stakeout that he will be sending out invitations shortly.  He did mention that at the stakeout and as soon as the remarks are out you can see those for yourselves.  Yes, David?

Question:  Marie, I understand the Secretary-General today was asked about the comments of Ambassador Gillerman from last week.  Ambassador Al-Kidwa yesterday said that he would like the Secretariat to launch some sort of investigation into how certain confidential ICJ documents may or may not have been leaked to the Israeli delegation.  Has the Secretariat been contacted about this and will such an investigation be launched by the Secretary-General?

Associate Spokesperson:  First of all, the Secretary-General commented.  He did take some questions at the stakeout this morning but not on the matter that you mentioned.  All I can tell you about the document is that the dossier submitted to the ICJ by the UN Secretariat is something that is available on the ICJ’s Web site and I think any other questions you probably want to take up with Mr. Al-Kidwa.  Yes?

Question:  Who is going to provide security for the UN staff?  Is it the CPA or the government or who in Iraq, in Baghdad?   

Associate Spokesperson:  Are you referring to?  What UN staff are you referring to?

Question:  The UN staff, when they are going to be there.  The process of the security.  Who is going to be responsible for that?  The United Nations?

Associate Spokesperson:  As you know, the UN’s international staff have not re-established presence in Iraq and I think the Secretary-General has made that clear this morning.  There is a security mission on the ground making arrangements for an electoral assessment team to go in.  And for that they are in touch with the coalition forces and the CPA on their security arrangements.  But they are looking specifically into security arrangements for an electoral assessment team that would be going in shortly.  We are also looking into the possible return of UN international staff should security conditions become more favourable for that.  Yes?

Question:  The Secretary-General explained today that he would dispatch an electoral team as soon as practical security arrangements were made.  I was wondering if you might be able to elaborate just a bit further on the time frame that there might be some time later on this week, or at least from where they might discuss this?

Associate Spokesperson:  For security reasons we can’t go further than what we have said.  And the Secretary-General himself did not go further than just saying that it would be dispatched shortly.  All I can say, and I’ve repeatedly said that, we could probably confirm only once it arrives.  Yes?

Question:  On the electoral team, when you said ‘shortly’ you mean within a week, or two weeks, or?

Associate Spokesperson:  I have nothing further to say on the timing other than what the Secretary-General said this morning.

Okay.  If there are no other questions, Ambassador Wang does have an appointment now.  And he should be back down about 12:30 and we can squawk when he is available.

Thank you.

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