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 Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon.
** Report of the Security in Iraq Accountability Panel
With me here at the table is Gerald Walzer, the Chair of the Security in Iraq Accountability Panel. The Panel, as you know submitted its report to the Secretary-General on 3 March 2004 regarding the circumstances preceding the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad on 19 August. And I will have an extensive summary of Mr. Walzer’s report to read out to you as well as the Secretary-General’s decisions in reaction to that report. And as I told you, I’ll first do the regular briefing, to give you time, if you need it, to read the embargoed copies of the executive summary, which is over 30 pages long.
We’ll start then with Cyprus.
**Cyprus
Earlier today in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, the Secretary-General handed over to the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders a draft of the proposed Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus problem. Also receiving the plan today were the representatives of the so-called ‘motherlands,’ Turkey and Greece.
Just prior to handing over more than 9,000 pages of text, the Secretary-General said that he expected them to make a commitment here and now. “There is a sense of destiny,” he said.
The text is the result of “the Herculean efforts of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders”, he went on, “working intensely and in unison for the reunification of their country.” He added that they pooled their great talent in search of common ends, while respecting each other’s identities.
The Secretary-General called on the leaders to act on a vision of a Cyprus, working for all of the people, with the leadership the people deserve.
The draft is now being studied by the parties. The Secretary-General expects them to react tomorrow morning.
The UN team, led by his Special Advisor Alvaro de Soto, will evaluate these reactions to finalize a text on Wednesday. That text would then be submitted to two separate referenda on 20 April.
**DRC Statement to Come
We have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the attacks and incidents of violence in Kinshasa yesterday. He strongly condemns any attempt to disrupt the transitional process and calls on all parties to stay the course of national reconciliation leading to fair and free national elections and the earliest implementation of the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement. The Secretary-General reaffirms the determination of UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) to carry out its mandate authorized by the Security Council in support of the transitional process.”
**Afghanistan
The head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan welcomed President Hamid Karzai’s announcement yesterday that elections in Afghanistan, previously expected for June, would take place this September. “That decision,” said Special Representative Jean Arnault, “is going to make everyone’s life a lot easier.”
Arnault added that, in order to have a proper election in September, many things must now happen in a very short period of time, including disarmament work and progress in terms of political freedoms as well as press freedom.
Arnault will also travel to Berlin this week to attend the international conference on Afghanistan that will begin there on Wednesday. We have more details in the press briefing notes from Kabul upstairs.
**Security Council
The Security Council has scheduled consultations at 3:00 p.m. on Liberia.
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno is expected to brief Council members on the latest progress report on the UN mission in Liberia.
In that report, the Secretary-General noted significant progress made in the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation programme in the past three months as well as in other areas. He says, however, that much remains to be done to ensure that the path towards peace, stabilization and reconciliation becomes irreversible.
He draws attention to the humanitarian crisis in Liberia, which requires immediate attention.
**Iraq Letter
The Secretary-General sent the Security Council a letter on Friday evening which details the organization and terms of reference of an independent, high-level inquiry concerning reports that have called into question the administration and management of the Oil-for-Food Programme for Iraq.
He said that the terms of reference are designed to promote the maximum degree of transparency and effectiveness. He added that he shall inform the members of the Security Council of the composition of the panel in due course.
**Special Committee on Peacekeeping
The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, also known as the C-34, held its opening session this morning.
The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, spoke of the surge in demand for peacekeeping and he noted the political, material, financial and human challenges to be met in the months ahead in order to meet those demands.
He spoke of the work being done to strengthen the overall design and planning of missions, to find specialized police and civilian personnel, and to improve safety and security of personnel in the field.
He also described steps taken in the past year to work more effectively with regional organizations, as well as with humanitarian and development partners.
In closing, Mr. Guéhenno said that UN peacekeeping remains a uniquely powerful expression of the vision of international solidarity for peace enshrined in the Charter more than 50 years ago.
**Sudan
Eight UN human rights rapporteurs have issued a joint statement expressing their grave concern about reported widespread abuses in Darfur, Sudan.
They urge all parties in the conflict to respect civilian populations in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law. They flag the “absolute necessity” of identifying the perpetrators and ensuring that they are held accountable in conformity with international standards.
**European Union Asylum
Ruud Lubbers, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, has raised concerns about two draft directives on asylum in the European Union.
The points of contention deal with who qualifies as a refugee and how that decision is reached.
Lubbers said if adopted, the directives could lead to a contravention of international law, an erosion of the global asylum system, and jeopardize the lives of future refugees.
The EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers are scheduled to discuss the relevant directives –- aimed at harmonizing EU asylum law –- in Brussels tomorrow. We have more on this in a press release upstairs.
**Rwandan Refugees
Since the start of voluntary repatriation in January, some 1,100 Rwandan refugees have gone home from Uganda as the government in Kigali steps up efforts to welcome its refugees back.
An estimated 2 million people fled Rwanda in the wake of the 1994 genocide. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees believes that, as of mid-2003, there were still some 60,000 Rwandan refugees in the region.
UNHCR expects to help two-thirds of the remaining 60,000 Rwandan refugees in the region to return home this year.
**Tanzania
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Mark Malloch Brown is in Dar es Salaam today, wrapping up his three-day mission to Tanzania.
Today, he joined Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Frederick Sumaye, for the launch of the country’s Parliamentary Online Information System.
**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman on Death of Sir Peter Ustinov
We have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman regarding the death of Sir Peter Ustinov:
“The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Sir Peter Ustinov, the actor, writer and humanitarian.
“Sir Peter’s exceptional wit, intelligence and creativity were fully matched by his compassion, conscience and character. Not only did his talents bring joy to millions of people; he served UNICEF with dedication and distinction for more than three decades to bring attention to the needs of children everywhere. The Secretary-General extends his condolences to the Sir Peter’s wife and family, and joins his admirers around the world in giving thanks for the life of this incurable optimist, remarkable world citizen, and steadfast friend of the United Nations.”
**World Chronicle television programme
The Department of Public Information has asked me to tell you that World Chronicle programme No. 933, featuring Hans Blix, the former UN Chief Weapons Inspector in Iraq, can be seen today at 3:30 p.m. on in-house television channel 3 or 31.
**Press conference tomorrow
And then two press events for you tomorrow. 11:15 a.m. here in 226, Daudu Mwakawago, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sierra Leone will brief you on the situation in that country.
**Guest at noon tomorrow
And then at the noon briefing, John Reginald Dumas, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Haiti will be our guest to brief you on that subject.
Any questions on those matters before we go to accountability? David?
Questions and Answers
Question: Kind of a technical question on the terms of reference, if you are able to. It is a sentence on page three of that, I don’t know if you have it with you. It talks about the SG saying that he will employ his authority to ensure that the Organization’s privileges and immunities do not impede the work of the enquiry. What is your best understanding of what that means?
Spokesman: People working for the United Nations who are accused of wrongdoing in the course of carrying out their official functions, have immunity. The Secretary-General has the right to waive that immunity to allow for UN staff members to be prosecuted under local law or international law. So, I think that’s what he’s referring to.
Question: Just to make sure I understand; can it be understood then, for instance, that the SG has decided to, or may decide to, for instance to take diplomatic immunity from somebody…(interrupted)
Spokesman: Let me get specific guidance from the Legal Department on that. I don’t know the tense of the verb. Bill?
Question: What is the latest on the appointment of the independent panel on who is going to conduct the oil-for-food investigations?
Spokesman: Nothing to announce today, sorry.
Question: Sorry?
Spokesman: Nothing to announce today.
Question: Fred, with regard to the communication with the Security Council. Is there any indication on how it’s been received, the letter that was sent Friday? Any feedback?
Spokesman: No, no. I think we’re expecting the Council to signal its approval. And as we’ve been saying for at least all of last week, we don’t yet know what form that might take. Whether it would be a presidential statement or a letter in response to his letter; that’s the prerogative of the Council.
Question: Might they be taking that up today?
Spokesman: No, I don’t see it on their agenda. They may be talking about it informally. Serge?
Question: In St. Kitts Saturday, the 14 heads of the state of the Caribbean decided to call on the General Assembly to carry out an investigation of the Haiti constitution (Inaudible). Do you have any comment on that?
Spokesman: No. Again, as we said when there was a statement issued by CARICOM calling on, was it the Secretary-General, to carry out an investigation, we said well, we’d wait to hear from them officially. I think you should probably ask the president of the Assembly whether he feels that on the strength of that statement alone, he would bring to the members of the Assembly the proposal to conduct an investigation or whether he even feels the Assembly has the competence. His spokesman isn’t here; so I don’t think I can go beyond that.
Question: Just on the sequence on the independent commission, will the SG wait to get a nod from the Security Council before going ahead and making public the names of the people that will be in charge of that commission?
Spokesman: No. He already met with Council members informally; and informally they expressed their support for this investigation and he said the next step will be that he will present them with the names of the panellists. So, I don’t think that’s linked in any way to the formal nod from the Council.
Question: Fred, can he bypass the oversight committee here that we have which is the official (inaudible) of the United Nations, and do something outside of that? Can he do that? Where did he get the authority to do that?
Spokesman: That is why he consulted with Council members for two weeks on his intention to launch a broader investigation. The Office for Internal Oversight Services can investigate UN personnel. But if he wants to look more widely at the oil-for-food programme, including the conduct of corporations, contractors, he needed the approval, the nod, the agreement of the Security Council. And he feels he now has that although we’re waiting for that to be officially conveyed.
Okay, let me, before reading this official statement; just remind you that last August 19, a suicide bomber drove a truck full of explosives to the perimeter of the UN compound in Baghdad.
* *** *