DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
| Press Briefing |
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.
I have two statements. First, on the Middle East and then on Bolivia.
**Statement attributable to the Spokesman on bombings in Ashdod
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns yesterday’s double suicide bombing in the Israeli port of Ashdod, which reportedly killed at least 10 and injured 16. He urges the Palestinian Authority to bring to justice those who plan, facilitate or carry out these horrific acts of terrorism and to devote all its efforts to put an end to these crimes. He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
**Statement attributable to the Spokesman on Bolivia
Turning to Bolivia: “Following his November 2003 visit to Bolivia and further to a request from the Bolivian Government for assistance, the Secretary-General has asked José Antonio Ocampo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, to serve as the focal point for the UN system in its efforts to mobilize international assistance for Bolivia. To fulfill that task, Mr. Ocampo will travel to Bolivia to review the situation and report back to the Secretary-General. He will hold discussions with the Government and key national actors, as well as international organizations and institutions. Mr. Ocampo is expected to conduct his first mission on 16-18 March. That’s starting tomorrow.
**Haiti
On Haiti, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Haiti, Reginald Dumas, arrived in Port-au-Prince this morning. Meanwhile, the UN’s multidisciplinary assessment mission, headed by Hocine Medili is continuing its work in Haiti and will be meeting with members of the diplomatic community today.
On the humanitarian side, World Health Organization representatives have expressed their concern about the breakdown of the main water duct of Port-au-Prince in an area where there is an important hospital. In addition, the water company has announced that it has run out of disinfectants and reagents to control water quality.
The distribution of emergency medicines is now being coordinated under the auspices of WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA and the availability of vaccine stocks is being assessed country-wide.
**IAEA/Iran
IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said today that he was informed that the new date for the next round of inspections in Iran is 27 March. ElBaradei said that although the delay is regrettable, it’s still within the IAEA’s time schedule for conducting inspections.
On Friday, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution on its verification of Iran's nuclear programme. Among other points, the resolution noted “outstanding issues” and questions, and requested that ElBaradei report back to the Board on these matters before the end of May, in advance of its next meetings scheduled to start 14 June. We have more in a press release upstairs.
**Black box
Turning to the black box: The black box from Rwanda discovered on UN premises last week is still in the custody of Dileep Nair, the head of the UN’s Office of Oversight Services. Arrangements are being made to transport it to the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, D.C. for analysis, in the presence of an official of the International Civil Aviation Organization. UN officials will retain custody of the black box throughout the analysis.
**Kosovo -- Elections
Now turning to Kosovo: Harri Holkeri, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, has selected 23 October as the date for the region’s next elections.
Holkeri based this decision on the recommendations of an Election Working Group, endorsing all of its proposals, including one calling for closed lists. Holkeri said the closed lists will ensure women's participation in the Assembly of Kosovo.
Separately, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, said that among the challenges Kosovo faces, there’s a need to revive the economy and to implement the Standards –- a set of benchmarks that must be reached before action on Kosovo's final status can begin.
Guéhenno made the comments at the end of a five-day trip to Kosovo and Belgrade, where he had met representatives from all segments of society. We have more information on both these developments upstairs.
**Security Council
Here at Headquarters, the Security Council, there no meetings or consultations as a whole scheduled for today.
**Symposium on Rwanda Genocide
In a message delivered at a weekend Symposium on the Media and the Rwanda Genocide at the Carleton University School of Journalism and Communication in Ottawa, the Secretary-General said that when the people around the world commemorate the 10th anniversary of the genocide on April 7, the observance should be filed not only with remorse, but with resolve. The Secretary-General also said that he expects to appoint a UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, and to make other proposals for strengthening action in this area. “There can be no more important issue and no more binding obligation than the prevention of genocide”, the message read. The message was delivered at the symposium on Saturday.
**Afghanistan
The UN mission in Afghanistan has announced that a Heavy Weapons Survey begins this week in eight regions of that country. This is being undertaken to support a government proposal for 100 per cent of heavy weapons to be cantoned by the elections.
Meanwhile, UNICEF said that Afghanistan’s religious community will be making its contribution to the campaign for girls’ education, along with other children’s rights, as the country anticipates more than 5 million children enrolling in classes throughout 2004. Religious leaders are a powerful force for change in Afghanistan, holding a position of great respect in communities, according to UNICEF.
**Narcotic Drugs Commission
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs began its forty-seventh session in Vienna this week, with a call for entire societies to get involved in fighting substance abuse.
In his opening remarks, Antonio Maria Costa, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said that the greater and the wider the commitment of society to drug control, the greater the likelihood of success. He added that Afghanistan, as the world’s largest producer of opiates, remains a special challenge –- and it needs continuing support in implementing its new national drug control strategy.
The Commission is considering the world situation in drug production, trafficking and abuse. The session ends on 22 March.
**Human Rights Commission
The Commission on Human Rights this morning opened its 60th annual session, with expressions of praise and grief, over the work of the late High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and over his death in a bombing of the Baghdad UN office on 19 August 2003.
Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan said Vieira de Mello should have been present at today's session, which also happened to be his birthday, and in his inimitable style should have been able to spur everyone on in his or her work.
Mike Smith of Australia, the current Commission Chairman, said among other things that terrorism posed a major challenge –- the Commission perhaps needed to discuss the human rights dimensions of this modern scourge. The session lasts until 23 April.
**WFP/Ethiopia
The World Food Programme is appealing for up to $100 million to help 7 million drought-affected Ethiopians still in need of food aid this year despite better harvests. WFP plans to use the money to buy local surpluses to make up for the shortfall in other regions. You can read more about this in a press release upstairs.
**SG Lecture
And tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. the Secretary-General is scheduled to deliver the Annual David Morse Lecture at the Council on Foreign Relations. The theme of the programme is “The United Nations and global security in the 21st century”. The Secretary-General’s remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Approximately 300 guests will attend the event.
For further information on the lecture, interested correspondents may wish to contact Francesco Barbacci at the Council; I have his number. It’s (212) 434 9604. I can give you that later upstairs.
**Guest at noon tomorrow
And the guest at tomorrow’s briefing will be Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary-General’s special adviser on Africa and special envoy to Nigeria for polio eradication. He has just returned from Nigeria and will talk about the polio eradication campaign in that country which he went to support.
And that’s all I have today. Sorry that Fred couldn’t be here. He is at a meeting. Any questions for me? Edie and then David.
Questions and Answers
Question: Marie, on the black box, when do you expect it to be transported to Washington and how long do you think it’s going to take before there is some kind of an assessment of what’s in it?
Spokesperson: Well, the statement I had today is the only one I am authorized to give. And what I can say is that we will let you know as soon as the arrangements have been finalized. In other words, we’ll let you know when it arrives. I can’t tell you how long it will take. We’re not experts in these matters, but we can refer you to the ICAO or the NTSB. In fact, there’s quite a useful Web site for the NTSB that explains the functions of a black box as well. David, Yes?
Question: The meetings with Mr. Brahimi and Mr. Mountain today, and I guess coupled with that, has there been any request? It seems like we’re further away now from a request to the UN to return to Iraq than we have been. So, first on the meetings and then on the request, whichever way you prefer.
Spokesperson: On your second I have nothing new to add from Friday. On the meetings, the meeting with the Secretary-General and Mr. Brahimi I believe was a tête-à-tête. We’re trying to see if he can come and talk to you. But as soon as we get some information on that I’ll let you know. I think somebody had a question before you. Okay? [It was later announced that Lakhdar Brahimi would be the guest at the noon briefing Tuesday.]
Question: What’s the Secretary-General’s reaction on the election results in Spain yesterday?
Spokesperson: As you know, we don’t generally issue statements on election results. The Secretary-General is expected, as he does with all election results, to write to the elected leader and offer his cooperation and support. Serge, yes?
Question: On Haiti, since the letter of the 14 heads of State of the Caribbean has been (inaudible), is the Secretary-General going to conduct an investigation now?
Spokesperson: I have nothing more on that either, since the last time we answered that question. Bill?
Question: In the Fifth Committee today, Iran speaking on behalf of the OIC, opposed the Secretary-General’s order in January on the extension of benefits to UN employees involved in same-sex marriages. A number of countries asked that he withdraw this order or explain why it doesn’t impinge on the prerogatives of the General Assembly? Is the Secretary-General going to withdraw the order or will he issue a statement or a letter to the Committee explaining his ruling?
Spokesperson: I have not heard of that reaction yet. I will look into it as soon as I go upstairs and get back to you on that. Yes, Mr. Abbadi? [She later announced that written answers will be submitted to the questions posed by the Committee members.]
Question: Marie, It appears some members of the Iraqi Governing Council are casting doubt about Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi. We know from what the Spokesman has been saying here that the Secretary-General holds him in the highest esteem. Does the Secretary-General intend to issue a reaction to this kind of observation?
Spokesperson: I have not heard of any reaction in the pipeline. As I said, just a few minutes ago Mr. Brahimi and the Secretary-General spoke. As I said it was a tête-à-tête. We’re trying to get Mr. Brahimi to speak to you in person. I think there has been no change in the Secretary-General’s assessment of Mr. Brahimi as a result of what you are saying. But let’s see what Mr. Brahimi has to say to you, if we can get him to do so. David again.
Question: Last week when we asked, Fred said on the issue of any potential investigation into the Iraq “oil-for-food” programme, Fred said that nothing had been announced as of that moment, which seemed to indicate, at least to me, that something may be announced in a future moment. Is there anything new on any sort of internal investigation into the affairs of the oil-for-food programme?
Spokesperson: Not as of today; not as at now, no. Yes?
Question: On the last week’s terrorist attack in Madrid, is the Secretary-General aware of an initiative on correcting resolution 1530 that blames, apparently wrongly, the group ETA for this terrorist act? Is he aware of any initiative going on in the Security Council or in the UN?
Spokesperson: As you know, this was a Security Council resolution. It was the members who decided to adopt this resolution. I mean, I have seen the same news wire service reports as you are, saying that a letter may be on its way to the Security Council. I have checked with the Security Council presidency this morning and as of this morning there was no such correspondence. So, as of now, the Security Council resolution passed hours after that attack stands and the Secretary-General has not commented on that resolution. Richard?
Question: On the issue of transparency, I would like to make the request that on the black box, when it’s handed over to the NTSB, that there be cameras permitted because of the plane crash plus 10 years; usually after a plane crash the NTSB takes black boxes usually to some type of photo op in Washington or here. I’d like to make that formal request on this type of story.
Spokesperson: I’ll pass on the request, but as of now what we have been able to get from those who are in charge of this handover exercise is that we will be able to announce it once it has taken place. But I’ll certainly pass that request along. Yes?
Question: Regarding the proposal of the president-elect of Spain to withdraw the Spanish forces from Iraq, is there any comment on that and what consequences could that have? And he also pointed out that unless the UN takes over control of the force…
Spokesperson: I have no immediate comments from the Secretary-General on the remarks that were reported in the press. Yes, Mr. Abbadi?
Question: The Secretary-General will soon appoint a special adviser on the prevention of genocide. Will he or she also cover past genocides, such as Rwanda?
Spokesperson: I have not seen the terms of reference for such a position yet. My understanding is that the focus obviously, is on the prevention of future genocides and this is something that the Secretary-General feels very strongly about. He has already announced this in Stockholm and he hopes to be able to name that person as soon as possible and around the anniversary of the commemoration of the genocide he, as I mentioned to you earlier, he hopes to come up also with a plan of action and some proposals on his part to ensure that no such genocide can never happen again. Yes?
Question: Mr. Brahimi just came back to the New York Headquarters today. Do you know of any schedule for him, like participating in a Security Council meeting?
Spokesperson: He just returned. His first meeting today, as we had publicized, was his meeting with the Secretary-General. We’ll have to look into his public programme to let you know. But we’re firstly trying to get him to come and talk to you in person, so that you can ask that to him.
Question: Do you think that meeting will be sometime this week or today?
Spokesperson: The meeting?
Question: Yes. The press. You said we want to…
Spokesperson: Well, we hope as soon as possible. I don’t want to get your hopes up so high, so I won’t say how soon, but as soon as possible.
Question: Is it possible to get at least a read out of Secretary-General’s meeting with Mr. Brahimi and RossMountain?
Spokesperson: The meeting with Mr. Brahimi is a tête-à-tête; we generally do not get read outs on a tête-à-tête meeting, because there is nobody in there that can report to us unless Mr. Brahimi or the Secretary-General decides to comment on it. The meeting with RossMountain, we can certainly try to see if we can get a read out on that. That’s this afternoon. Okay.
Any more questions? Have a pleasant afternoon. Thank you.
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