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.

**Cyprus

This afternoon at 4 p.m., Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders will meet again with the Secretary-General to resume the discussions, which were adjourned late yesterday afternoon.

**Iraq Fact-Finding Team

The United Nations fact finding team led by Lakhdar Brahimi continued its work in Iraq today.  This morning, Brahimi met with two members of the Governing Council, Ghazy al Yawar and Younadem Kena.  This afternoon, he held discussions with a large group of lawyers, human rights activists and jurists.  He followed that meeting with discussions with three members of the Shi’ite al Dawa party, which is also represented on the Governing Council.  And later this evening, he will meet with a cross-section of Iraqi society, including academics and intellectuals.

**Security Council

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, William Swing, briefed the Security Council this morning on the situation in that country.  Swing noted the United Nations’ efforts to promote peace and reconciliation and to assist the work of the Transitional Government.   It is expected that the President of the Council will read out a statement at the end of the meeting.

These consultations follow Monday’s meeting at Headquarters on security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, held under the auspices of the Deputy-Secretary-General.

We now have a communiqué issued by those present at that meeting -- namely, the representatives of the DRC Government, the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank, and other interested States -- on how they expect to implement and coordinate military, police, and disarmament and demobilization aspects of the peace process.

**Democratic Republic of Congo

Also regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Mission reports that a United Nations military team has finally been able to reach an area near Gobu, north-east of Bunia, where a massacre is reported to have taken place on 15 January.  As we have informed you, earlier attempts to reach that area were thwarted by bad weather and difficult terrain.  So far, the military team has discovered 12 bodies at the site.  Another team composed of human rights experts is on its way to Gobu to follow up the investigation.  And we have a press release on that.

**West Africa

The force commanders of three United Nations missions in West Africa -- Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone -– are scheduled to meet Friday in Abidjan to address cross-border security concerns of the subregion.  They will also discuss disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-fighters in the subregion, cooperation among the three missions and cross-border operations, according to a statement issued by the United Nations Mission in Côte d’Ivoire today.

**Haiti

Turning to Haiti, the World Food Programme (WFP) today expressed concern over the escalating insecurity there.  It says the situation there could affect the nutritional status of up to 268,000 of its beneficiaries, if food aid deliveries to the country’s north and north-west don’t resume within the coming week.  Since last Thursday, WFP hasn’t been able to deliver food to the northern towns of Port-de-Paix and Cap Haitien, as the main road to these towns has been blocked.

We have more on this in a press release upstairs.

**WFP/Palestine

And, while still on the topic of the World Food Programme, in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, WFP will buy 416 metric tons of olive oil from 2,600 selected Palestinian farmers.  The purchase will cost $1.3 million.  The agency will deliver the olive oil to WFP beneficiaries living in Gaza and the West Bank.  These people have limited access to olive oil due to its high cost and unavailability in markets.

WFP says that by purchasing the oil directly from the farmers, it is able to assist the most vulnerable in the Palestinian territories, while at the same time helping the West Bank’s local economy.

We have a press release on that upstairs.

**Decolonization

Colonialism is an anachronism in the twenty-first century, the Secretary-General says, although the United Nations’ work on decolonization is not yet finished.  Speaking to the Special Committee that deals with decolonization this morning, he said that a lot of work remains to be done, with 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories remaining on the Committee’s list.  He voiced the hope that all administering Powers will work to find ways to further the decolonization process in the year ahead.

We have the text of his remarks.

**Bosnia and Herzegovina Refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it will gradually shift the focus of its work in Bosnia and Herzegovina from refugee returns to helping the country set up its own asylum system.  Nearly 1 million people had returned to their homes since the Bosnian war ended more than eight years ago.

By way of background, after the Dayton Peace Agreement put an end to the war in Bosnia, UNHCR had focused on the return of refugees and displaced people –- a task entrusted to the agency under the peace accord.

**FAO/WFP Sudan Report

The Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Food Programme have released today a joint report on the Sudan.  In it, they note that a record cereal harvest of 6.3 million tonnes is forecast for this year, but they say that despite the bumper harvest and favourable prospects for peace in southern Sudan, around 3.6 million people will need targeted food assistance this year, mainly due to civil unrest.  Given the amount of local cereal available, the two agencies are recommending local purchases for food aid requirements in order to support markets and ensure that locally acceptable varieties of cereals are consumed.

We have more on that in my Office.

**Obesity Report

On the subject of obesity, reducing hunger and undernourishment in pregnant women and children could prevent them from becoming overweight and obese, as well as reduce associated health costs in later life.  That’s one of the key findings of a study released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The study uses evidence that suggests that hunger during pregnancy “programmes” foetal tissues to get the most out of the food energy available.  This can then lead to overnourishment in adult life, when coupled with greater food availability and a more sedentary lifestyle.  FAO says many developing countries are currently facing this situation, and the impact on their health could be dramatic, especially as obesity could lead to illnesses such as diabetes and coronary heart disease.

We have more in a press release upstairs.

**Press Conference

Finally, a press conference here this afternoon.  At 12:45, Sarbuland Khan, Executive Director of the United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force will be here to brief you on “Caring Communities for the Twenty-First Century:  Imagining the Possible”, a conference taking place at Headquarters today as a follow-up to the World Summit for the Information Society.  He will be joined by Ben Gilman, United States Public Delegate to the General Assembly’s fifty-eighth session, and Leonel Fernandez, President of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development and former President of the Dominican Republic.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  How concerned is the Secretary-General after the second bombing in Iraq?

Spokesman:  The fact-finding team is continuing its work, as planned, and we will not comment further on the security situation in that country, except to say that it has not affected their work thus far.

Question:  Given Brahimi’s presence in Iraq, how does the Secretary-General view the bombings?  Does he view them as a serious warning, or rather as acts of desperation?

Spokesman:  On this question, we are just not going to comment on the events taking place in Iraq today, speculating who is doing what, and for what reason.  That is not our job.

Question:  On the Cyprus talks, would “failed” be a fair substitute for “adjourned”?

Spokesman:  On Cyprus, I think that Alvaro de Soto [Secretary-General’s Adviser for Cyprus] answered your question last night, when he was asked pretty much the same thing:  is this a failure or a setback?  He said no, it is just a pause.  So they are coming back today at 4.  Let’s see what happens.

Question:  Did Mr. Brahimi and the team hear the bombing in Baghdad?

Spokesman:  I honestly don’t know.  We spoke to Ahmad Fawzi about 25 minutes ago, but I didn’t ask him that question, and he didn’t mention whether they had heard anything.

Question:  If the Cyprus talks are to continue, would they move to Cyprus or could they continue at the United Nations?

Spokesman:  I think anything is possible.  Let’s see how it goes this afternoon.  If it goes well, and the talks are then to move to the “nuts-and-bolts” phase under Alvaro de Soto, we’ll have to see where they announce that next phase of discussions will take place.

Question:  Is it possible to say whether the Secretary-General has any conditions for continuing Cyprus talks?

Spokesman:  I don’t think we want to say that he has conditions other than his plan that is on the table, and he has already said that should the two sides agree on changes to that plan, he is ready to make those changes.  So it’s really up to the two sides to come up with a common platform for the referenda.  That’s what he is trying to facilitate.

Question:  Maybe I misunderstood, because I had understood before that there were some conditions...

Spokesman:  Well, you asked about conditions yesterday, and I said that I wouldn’t want to throw obstacles in the way of talks that were just getting under way.  So let them talk, see if they can sort out their differences and see if Mr. de Soto can give you a readout after today’s meetings.

Question:  I know that he is going to New Zealand, but I think [Executive Director, Office of the Iraq Programme] Benon V. Sevan is still around.  Could he come here to answer our questions about the “oil-for-food” programme?

Spokesman:  He is around.  He is... As you said, I think he’s about to take a little leave, but we can ask him if he feels he has anything to say to you.  I mean, what he has to say is the statement that I issued on his behalf yesterday.

Question:  The Secretary-General said -- and you just repeated -- that should the two sides agree on changes, he would be willing to accept them.  Does this include the methodology and the principles like the timetable, or the basic concepts?

Spokesman:  Let’s not speculate about how things may proceed this afternoon and what changes either side might ask for.  The basic principle is that anything the two sides agree to, the Secretary-General would go along with.

Question:  Is it clear how long the Brahimi team is planning to stay in Iraq?

Spokesman:  No, other than what the Secretary-General said coming into the building earlier this week.  He expected them to stay about a week.

Question:  Are they meeting Sistani today?

Spokesman:  We are not announcing any of his appointments in advance, and I don’t know if you came in after I read his appointments for today.

Question:  You mention just the appointments for that day?  So it’s not today?

Spokesman:  No, a meeting with Ayatollah Ali Sistani was not among the things that I announced took place today.  And we are not talking about tomorrow until after it happens.

Question:  Do you expect the Cyprus talks to conclude today?

Spokesman:  I think that’s probably the Secretary-General’s preference, but I don’t think we can predict concretely that they will end today.  Let’s wait and see how this afternoon session goes.

Question:  On Haiti, the Secretary-General said the other day he was about to announce some action plans.  Is there any development on that?

Spokesman:  He sent in an assessment team to look at ways to increase the United Nations’ humanitarian work there.  He also would like to give active support on the political side to the efforts of the OAS and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to try to find a political solution to the current crisis there.

Question:  Just to clarify –- you mean conclude today with a commitment to go on with a “nuts-and bolts” phase in Cyprus?

Spokesman:  Yes.

Question:  Is there even any kind of Special Representative on Haiti at the moment?

Spokesman:  To my knowledge, there is not.  I will have to double-check that.  [There is not, although there is a UNDP Resident Coordinator.]

Question:  Is the Secretary-General planning to send one?

Spokesman:  I don’t think he would want a Special Representative, because that implies a political role that he is not looking to assume now.  Rather, he is looking to support the current efforts of the two regional organizations I mentioned.  I wouldn’t exclude that he might ask someone to keep a special eye on developments there as a way of staying even closer to what’s going on there than he now is.

Question:  Is there a United Nations presence there at all?

Spokesman:  I don’t have those details with me.  If you check with my Office afterwards, we can tell you.  [There are eight UN agencies and programmes active in Haiti.]

Question:  On the Sudan, the Secretary-General said the other day he has spoken to the President of Chad who offered his mediation in dispute between Khartoum and the rebels in western Sudan.  Has the Secretary-General heard from the rebels, because they have been saying that they don’t take Chad’s mediation seriously?

Spokesman:  I don’t know the answer to that question.  I’ll have to ask for you after the briefing.  [We are not aware of any contact the Secretary-General has had with the rebel side.  However, his envoy, Tom Vraalsen, is travelling to the region to help put into place a humanitarian ceasefire for Darfur.]

Question:  Have the Cyprus guarantors been brought into the process at all?

Spokesman:  Representatives of the three guarantors -– United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey -– are in the wings of these talks and are prepared to help as required, should the Secretary-General ask for their help.

Question:  Has it happened yet?

Spokesman:  He is asking for their help, yes.

Question:  He is?

Spokesman:  Yes.

Question:  OK, and will they participate in the talks, for example?

Spokesman:  No, I don’t think that’s the kind of help he is looking for.

Question:  What kind of help is he looking for?

Spokesman:  Pressure on the parties to negotiate seriously their differences and come to an agreement that can be put to a referendum -– to simultaneous referenda on the two sides of the island by 1 May.

Question:  I apologize if it has been asked -- is the Secretary-General going to appoint Louise Arbour?  What qualities does she bring to the human rights deal?

Spokesman:  You are the first one to ask in this briefing.  As you know, we never discuss the search process prior to the announcement.  I think you might have seen me quoted somewhere saying that Louise Arbour is on a very short list of candidates for the post of High Commissioner for Human Rights, but a final decision has not yet been made.  That is all I can say.

Question:  The WFP has expressed concern about the situation in North Korea.  Does the United Nations intend to do anything about that?

Spokesman:  The best thing that the United Nations system can do is to deliver food aid to North Korea, but as I think I said yesterday, despite repeated warnings from WFP that there was a shortfall in contributions, the supplies are now drying up and we are faced with a gap.  Aid is going to have to be suspended until more food can be put in the pipeline.

Question:  Regarding Cyprus guarantor countries –- are you also in touch with some other countries that are actively supporting a solution, like the United States?

Spokesman:  I don’t have the answer to that question.  I know the Secretary-General has been talking to the guarantors.  He has asked them to be here for this session of talks, so he could interact with them.  And I know he has interacted with them.  I can’t say anything about anyone else he might have had contact with.

Question:  Does the request for assistance from guarantors pre-date yesterday’s session?

Spokesman:  Because the guarantors are in the wings, I think it is safe to assume that his interaction with them took place prior to and very possibly after last night’s session.

Question:  Has the Government of Haiti asked for any help, or is the United Nations volunteering?

Spokesman:  To my knowledge, they have not asked for any help.  We are not volunteering help; we are looking to support the current efforts of the OAS and CARICOM on the political side.  On the humanitarian side, I’d have to see if there was a formal request or it’s intensifying existing activities that have already been requested by the Government.  I don’t have those details.

Question:  About a year ago -- and I have asked that question before –- the Government asked for the designation of a representative in Haiti.  It seems to me that letter was never answered.

Spokesman:  I’ll have to look into that.  I don’t know.  I can’t recall what happened a year ago.  [Such a letter was received in 2001.  At that time, the Secretary-General reported that the lead would go to regional organizations.]

Question:  Today, [Yugoslav Tribunal’s Prosecutor] Carla Del Ponte said that Karadic and Mladic are in Belgrade.  Does the Secretary-General feel that it may be time to speak out and step up the pressure regarding the arrest of those two indicted war criminals?

Spokesman:  I don’t know if he has had any contact with Carla Del Ponte on this issue.  I will have to check for you.

[Following the briefing, the Spokesman’s Office announced that the Secretary-General had reaffirmed that all countries were under the obligation to cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and turn over all indicted suspects in their territory.]

Question:  Are there any private meetings of the parties with the Secretary-General scheduled, besides the three-way talks on Cyprus?

Spokesman:  There are none on the schedule thus far, so I think they expect, at this time, anyway, to go directly into three-way talks at 4 o’clock.

Question:  A couple of weeks ago, the Utah House of Representatives passed a resolution saying they did not want any business in the state to have anything to do with the United Nations.  Is there any comment on that?

Spokesman:  How do the businesses feel about that?

Question:  What is on the agenda of the Secretary-General’s meeting with Bill Luers, Chairman and President, UNA/USA, and Mr. Timothy Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation?

Spokesman:  I don’t know.  I’d have to see for you, and I would have to see who asked for the meeting.  I’ll let you know after the briefing.  [It was a routine review of these two organizations’ UN-related activities.]

Thank you very much.

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