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 morning.  I would like to extend a warm welcome to our guests. 

**Rwanda – Secretary-General Speech

The Secretary-General today said that we must never forget our collective failure to protect at least 800,000 defenceless men, women and children who perished in Rwanda 10 years ago today.

Speaking after two minutes of silence in memory of the Rwandans killed in the genocide that began on 7 April 1994, the Secretary-General told the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva that we must acknowledge our responsibility for not having done more to prevent or stop genocide.

He added, “The risk of genocide remains frighteningly real.”

The Secretary-General called for swift and decisive action when there is abundant warning.  In that connection, he cited the situation in Darfur, Sudan, where deliberate actions had been observed with the specific objective of the forcible and long-term displacement of targeted communities.

He warned, “Such reports leave me with a deep sense of foreboding.  Whatever terms it uses to describe the situation, the international community cannot stand idle.”

The Secretary-General, in his speech, launched an Action Plan to Prevent Genocide, involving the whole UN system.

The plan consists of preventing armed conflict; protecting civilians in armed conflict; ending impunity, including through UN tribunals; early and clear warning –- including the creation of a UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide; and swift and decisive action.

By “action”, he made it clear that he means a continuum of steps, which may include military action.  But military action, he added, should always be seen as an extreme measure, to be used only in extreme cases.

And we have copies of his speech available upstairs.

The Secretary-General is expected to return to New York by the weekend.

**Rwanda – Other Messages

From Kigali to Dili to New York, UN officials joined the world in marking the tenth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda.

In Kigali, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari attended memorial events on the Secretary-General’s behalf.  He delivered a message underscoring the sense of regret and sorrow that the international community failed

Rwanda.  Today, the Secretary-General adds, the United Nations is doing what it can to help Rwandans, especially the young, to build a new society together.

In New York, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette addressed the General Assembly meeting this morning in commemoration of the genocide.  She said we cannot undo the past, or repair the failure of Rwanda.  But, she added, the world can be serious about preventing genocide.

Hassan Jallow, Prosecutor for the Rwanda Tribunal, said in Arusha that all Member States should hand over to the Tribunal all indicted suspects.  Speaking in The Hague, Philippe Kirsch, President of the International Criminal Court, said that today, as we remember those who died in Rwanda, we look forward to a future where these types of crimes might be prevented.  And we have copies of those and other statements available upstairs.

And here at Headquarters, in a few minutes staff will assemble in front of the Building to observe a minute of silence to mark this anniversary.

One more note on Rwanda, I’d like your attention to genocide survivor Jacqueline Murekatete, who said that the survivors from the genocide today are women who are dying from HIV/AIDS, and orphans that are left alone on the streets.  We should keep their suffering in mind, she said, in a statement delivered a few minutes ago to the General Assembly.

**Rwanda Panel

Among the events still to be held today on Rwanda, there will be a panel discussion, from 1:00 to 3:00 this afternoon, in the ECOSOC Chamber, titled “A Decade after Rwanda:  The United Nations and the Responsibility to Protect”.  The Deputy Secretary-General will chair that panel and make some opening remarks.  That discussion is, of course, open to all.

**Darfur

On Darfur, an update from the humanitarian agencies:  In the past week, almost 20,000 internally displaced persons have arrived in towns in south Darfur.  And we have a press release with more information upstairs.

**Democratic Republic of Congo

I also have a statement attributable to the Spokesman on the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

“The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the tragic drowning of six UN peacekeepers in Lake Kivu yesterday after their armoured personnel carrier was involved in a serious accident.  He extends his most sincere condolences to the Government and people of South Africa, and to the families of the bereaved.

“The UN mission is carrying out a full investigation into the incident.”

And we were informed by the mission today that they did manage to pull out the bodies of the six peacekeepers who had been trapped in the carcass of their armoured personnel carrier.

**Security Council

Turning to the Security Council, there are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council as a whole today.

The Council President, German Ambassador Gunter Pleuger, delivered remarks on behalf of the Security Council at the Rwanda commemorations, which I spoke about a few minutes ago.

In a press statement on Guinea-Bissau issued yesterday afternoon, the Council welcomed the holding of legislative elections, commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for their sense of public-spiritedness during the poll and encouraged them to stay the course.  Council members also expressed concern at the persistence of the serious economic difficulties in Guinea-Bissau and called on lenders and donors to consider the situation in the West African country as an emergency.

And out today is an addendum to the Secretary-General’s report on Burundi in which he says the financial implications of the UN peacekeeping operation is projected at some $418 million for a 12-month period.

**Iraq

Turning to Iraq now, the team led by Special Adviser Lakhdar Brahimi is continuing with its schedule of meetings with a broad range of Iraqis, to hear their views about the transfer of power and other key concerns.

Brahimi’s today held further talks with members of the Iraqi Governing Council, as well as with trade unionists, members of civil society and women’s groups.  The team also continued consultations, on an ad hoc basis, with representatives of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

**UNICEF/Georgia Measles

Turning to Georgia, more than 2,500 children in the Pankisi Gorge area of that country are being immunized against measles this week, following an outbreak of the killer disease.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, are rushing in vaccines and a mobile team to immunize the children –- who include both Georgians and Chechen refugee children.  And we have more in a press release available upstairs.

**WHO/World Health Day

And lastly, today is World Health Day and the theme is “Road safety is no accident!”

Road crashes are one of the leading causes of death globally, killing 1.2 million people and injuring as many as 50 million more.

In a joint report with the World Bank, the World Health Organization estimates that road traffic deaths will rise by 80 per cent in low- and middle-income countries by 2020.  And we have a press release available upstairs with more information.

Any questions?

Thank you very much.

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