Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

AND THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, and Djibril Diallo, Spokesman for the General Assembly President.

Good afternoon,

**Sudan

The mission by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, and the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the prevention of genocide, Juan Méndez, which was announced to you yesterday afternoon by the Secretary-General, is heading from Geneva to Khartoum tomorrow.

The High Commissioner’s Office said today that the mission would last for about a week and was expected to be back in Geneva by Sunday, 26 September.

The aim of the mission would be to look at what more could be done to prevent further violations, so that the people of Darfur no longer had to fear massacres, rape, forced displacement, and other abuses.

After spending a day in Khartoum, they would go to Darfur, probably to Al Fasher first, on Monday, the 20^th.  The following day, they would travel to Nyala in south Darfur.  On the 23^rd, they would be going to Al Geneina, before returning on the 24^th to Khartoum where they would have further debriefings before coming back to Geneva.

Louise Arbour’s return from mission would coincide with the informal one-day meeting of the Commission of Human Rights, which would be held on 28 September.  This meeting is meant to prepare delegations for the debate on human rights in the Third Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with human rights and humanitarian issues, later in the year.

The mission would report to the Secretary-General, and the findings would be transmitted through the Secretary-General to the Security Council and would be made public, the High Commissioner’s spokesman said.

**Sudan - Statement

In his statement to the press yesterday, the Secretary-General urged the Security Council to act on the draft resolution without delay, and to be as united as possible in the face of this crisis.

He added, “This is the first time in the Council’s history that it has ever been seized under article 8 of the Genocide Convention, and it seems to me inconceivable that it should fail to respond.”

The Secretary-General also said that the draft resolution may require him to appoint an international commission to decide whether acts of genocide have been committed.  He said he would do so with all speed if the resolution is adopted and that preliminary preparations were already being made.

**Security Council - Sudan

The Security Council met in closed consultations yesterday afternoon during which they discussed the latest draft resolution on Sudan.

And a vote has yet to be scheduled.

**Security Council - Resolutions

The Security Council held three back-to-back meetings this morning during which they unanimously adopted three resolutions, which extended the mandates of the UN missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

**Middle East

In his periodic briefing to the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Kieran Prendergast said it had been a bad month in the area, as reflected in the rise in casualties on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides, the resumption of suicide bombings, the announcement of renewed settlement activity, as well as stalled Palestinian reform process.

In his review of the past month, Prendergast highlighted the dire humanitarian situation and the continued suffering of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza.  The current closures imposed by the Israelis bring Palestinian life to a virtual standstill and undermine efforts to revive the local economy, he said.

He also noted the double suicide bombing, claimed by Hamas, in Beer Sheva which killed dozens and injured more than a hundred.  The Secretary-General has unreservedly condemned such acts of terror, Prendergast said.

Though it has been repeated a number of times, and remains true, he told Council members, a negotiated settlement remains the only way Palestinians and Israelis can ultimately put an end to the conflict.  Despite the fact that both parties continue to fail to meet their minimum obligations, the Secretary-General remains convinced that the implementation of the Road Map, which was endorsed by the Security Council, remains the only way forward.

In the continued void of an active peace process, Prendergast told the Council, the Israeli withdrawal initiative, if applied in the right way -- which includes a full and total withdrawal of Israeli forces and is fully coordinated with the Palestinian Authority and the Quartet -- could lead Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

Council members are continuing their discussion in closed consultations.

**Iraq Elections

On Iraq, in response to a number of questions we’ve received concerning the Secretary-General’s comments on the Iraqi elections in an interview, I can say that we remain committed to assist the Iraqi people to hold fair and credible elections by the end of January 2005.

The Secretary-General was flagging a concern that has been raised before.  We do remain hopeful that as the current political process becomes more inclusive it will have a positive effect on the security situation.

This is a challenging situation that requires effort from the Iraqi authorities and the international community to ensure that free, fair and credible elections can be held in Iraq by the end of January 2005.

**Iraq – UNHCR

On the humanitarian side in Iraq, the UN refugee agency says it has resumed its voluntary repatriation programme for Iraqi refugees in Iran.  The first convoy in over a month arrived in Basra earlier this week.

The agency does not encourage Iraqis abroad to repatriate now, because Iraq is not yet ready to absorb large numbers of returnees.  But it does provide assistance to refugees in neighbouring countries, who insist on returning despite the difficult conditions in Iraq.  We have more available in the briefing notes from UNHCR in Geneva.

**Compensation Commission

The Governing Council of the UN Compensation Commission for Iraq will hold its fifty-third session from 21 to 23 September in Geneva, under the Presidency of Ambassador Michael Steiner of Germany.

During the session, the Council will consider a number of reports and recommendations of the panels of Commissioners mainly concerning claims filed by individuals, and discuss issues relating to the processing and payment of claims.

We have a press release and a background note upstairs.

**Peace

To mark the International Day of Peace, which is being celebrated today, the Department of Public Information organized a discussion around the theme of “Peace through Sports”.

Nane Annan opened the proceedings by saying this theme is important because sports affirms life.  Sports, she said, allows children to use their energy to their fullest and teaches them to solve conflicts peacefully through agreed rules.  This is true of all children, she underscored, but especially for those living in the shadow of war and poverty.

Student athletes from UN peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Sierra Leone engaged in a televised discussion with American student athletes gathered in the auditorium here at UN Headquarters.

Also addressing the gathering were Anna Cataldi, a UN Messenger of Peace, and speed skater Johan Olav Koss, who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.  We have more information on that upstairs.

**Natural Hazards

Growing urban concentrations, the effects of climate change and environmental degradation are greatly increasing the vulnerability of the world’s population to natural disasters.

According to Sálvano Briceño, Director of the UN’s Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural hazards.  This is because growing numbers of urban migrants, who come looking for better economic opportunities, settle in exposed stretches of land either on seismic faults, flooding plains or on landslide prone slopes. 

Over 254 million people were affected by natural hazards in 2003, and that’s an increase of 180 per cent compared to 1990.  We have more on that in a press release.

**FAO - Locust Swarms Worsen

The latest on locusts in West Africa:  The FAO, that’s the Food and Agriculture Organization, warns that the desert locust crisis in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Niger is expected to worsen over the next few weeks, and there’s a serious risk that swarms will re-invade northwest Africa from October onwards.

The financial situation of the crisis is also far from promising at this stage:  FAO estimates that $100 million is needed to control the outbreaks.

So far, donor countries have approved a total of $24 million, of which FAO has actually received only $4 million, it has provided $5 million from its own resources.  We have more on that upstairs.

**NEPAD

The Secretary-General, in his second report to the General Assembly on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development or NEPAD, says that African countries have made much progress towards implementing that plan, which emphasizes sustainable development, peace, good governance and regional integration.  The report is now available on the racks, and there is a press release by DPI highlighting its main points.

**Upcoming Events

You have a busy few weeks coming up, and we have the “Week Ahead” feature for each of the next two weeks, to help you in your planning.

There are a number of events I’d like to draw your attention to, including next Monday’s meeting on “Innovative Sources of Finance to Alleviate Hunger and Poverty”, organized by President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, which the Secretary-General will attend.  That meeting will be followed by a press conference at 6:30 p.m. in Conference Room 4, where President Lula will speak, along with President Ricardo Lagos of Chile, President Jacques Chirac of France and Prime Minister José Luis Rodrigues Zapatero of Spain.

Also on Monday, at 11 a.m. in the ECOSOC Chamber, world leaders from the North and South, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization, will launch a global discussion on how to create a fair globalization.  The Secretary-General will speak at that event.

He will also inaugurate the renovated GA-200 room, that’s just behind the General Assembly Hall, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon that day, along with the President of Switzerland.

Then on Tuesday morning at 8:30, the Secretary-General, accompanied by Messengers of Peace Muhammad Ali, Anna Cataldi and Jane Goodall, will ring the Peace Bell to mark the International Day of Peace, which coincides with the start of the general debate.

After that, we’ll have the beginning of the general debate, and the Secretary-General will focus, in his speech, on the importance of the rule of law.  And we are arranging a background briefing by a senior UN official on Monday.  We had hoped to do it today, but it will be now on Monday at 10 in the morning.  And the comments of the speaker will be embargoed until midnight Monday, so that they can appear in Tuesday’s newspapers.  And we’ll also be making available embargoed copies of the speech today with the provision that you listen to its delivery very carefully because changes might be made between now and delivery.  And that text of course is embargoed until delivery.

And I also want to point out that Tuesday is the start of “Focus 2004”, a four-day treaty event during which Member States are encouraged to sign, ratify or accede to treaties involving the protection of civilians, including the Genocide Convention and the Convention against Torture.

**Press Conference on Monday

There will be a press conference on Monday, at 3 in the afternoon.  Foreign Minister Tozoun Kokou Biossey of Togo will be in this room to talk to you.

And that’s all I have for you.  Any questions?  Mark?

**Questions and Answers

Question:   Just a quick one to clarify on the clarification about the Iraq elections.  Just to get it clear, if, to understand, what is the Secretary-General’s position if security continues as it is now?  In his view will it be possible to hold elections by the end of January?

Spokesman:  Well, his comment, that this statement that I’ve read is in part in reaction to, was that if there is no improvement in security, it would be very difficult if not impossible to hold credible elections.

Question:   And he still stands by that?

Spokesman:  He stands by that.  We collectively though, hope that the security situation will gradually improve; that the political process in Iraq will become gradually more inclusive and that this will support a return to normalcy.

Question:   I want to follow up on this.  Does the UN have any indications that the security situation would improve?

Spokesman:  We only have hope.

Question:   Do you have any (inaudible)... find out the security situation at all?

Spokesman:  Any what?

Question:   Indications about (inaudible)... assessment of how you view the security situation in this evolution at all?  Have you made an assessment...(interrupted).

Spokesman:  We’re not in a very good position ourselves to assess the security in Iraq countrywide.  Our presence there is too limited.  So, we rely on the assessments of the people on the ground.  And as you can see from news reports everyday, the situation isn’t good.  And I think that’s what the Secretary-General was responding to in his comments made in that interview earlier this week.  But as I said, the UN system as a whole is working with Iraqis.  We helped set up the legal framework for elections, we’re going to do our best to work with them, if necessary from outside the country with a modest presence in Baghdad, to conduct the elections and we hope the security situation will improve.

Question:   And my last follow-up, if I may.  Given that we’re getting closer and closer to that time and the security situation isn’t improving, and given that even the US’s own assessment is that it won’t improve and that it will get worse, despite your hope, is there any plan B the UN has in terms of dealing with the electoral process?

Spokesman:  Not that I am aware.  I think the plan that’s in place is one that was drawn up with our advice and our input which, if the security situation permits, could result in fair and credible elections.  That’s what we went there to set up.  If the security situation doesn’t permit, I am not aware of any other plan that might be on the table.  Mohamed?

Question:   If the people on the ground, that you refer to...(interrupted)

Spokesman:  What?

Question:   People on the ground...

Spokesman:  In Baghdad?

Question:   Yes.

Spokesman:  Yes?

Question:   Who are they?

Spokesman:  Who are they?

Question:   Yes.

Spokesman:  The political office of the Special Representative, a number of electoral officials, a number of humanitarian workers, the elements of the office of Ross Mountain, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, and security.  We have our own security planners there.  Yes?

Question:   I heard you saying that the situation in Baghdad, in Iraq, will not be secured, that’s why they’re saying it might be not...(interrupted).

Spokesman:  No, that’s not what I said.  I said that...  I repeated the Secretary-General’s statement that if the security situation doesn’t improve, it will be difficult to hold credible elections.  It’s our hope that the security situation will improve.

Question:   But Fred, for your information, according to what I have, the people who are actually fighting; they have demands.  Unless their demands are met by the UN, I don’t think the situation will be better.

Spokesman:  I am not aware of demands made on the UN.  Yes, sir?

Question:   Fred, does the Secretary-General have any comment on the attack Afghanistan President Karzai yesterday?  So, do you think it will affect the next election in Afghanistan?

Spokesman:  As far as I know, the plans for the elections in Afghanistan remain unchanged.  I have nothing to give you from the Secretary-General on the attack on President Karzai.  You should look at the briefing notes from Kabul to see if the UN spokesman there said anything.  I have nothing from him today.  Yes?

Question:   The Secretary-General’s speech, that’s available now in your office?

Spokesman:  I think we’ll have it right after the briefing.

Question:   And the briefing on Monday, the backgrounder at 10, is that here, or where will that be?

Spokesman:  Backgrounder here in this room at 10 a.m.Djibril, come on up.

Spokesman for General Assembly President

Spokesman for General Assembly President:Thanks.  Good afternoon.

The fifty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly is under way.  This week has been used very much to put the system in place.  And the plenary started this morning at 10 to review the different agenda items.

As I was mentioning yesterday, the General Assembly being an association of Member States, considers items on the agenda in a number of ways through the General Committee:  items that are approved as a recommendation to the General Assembly; items that are not approved, or sometimes items that are deferred to future sessions.  So, this is what happened.

And I mentioned again yesterday that this report is included in a document, document A/59/250, which deals with aspects of the organization of the Assembly.

As Fred mentioned, to help you with your planning of the week, we will try very much, working very closely with the Office of the Spokesman, to provide you with as much advance notice of the leaders speaking and trying to take on ourselves to facilitate some of your contacts in that connection.

And within that framework, as of 10 this morning, this is the update that I have:  there are 64 heads of State, 25 heads of Government, two Vice-Presidents, one Crown Prince, two Deputy Prime Ministers, 86 Foreign Ministers and one Deputy Foreign Minister and so on.

At my previous briefing, I had mentioned that of all the Member States, only one had not registered to speak.  It has registered now.  That is Somalia.  So, now we have 193 speakers registered.  The 191 MemberStates and the two observers, namely, the Holy See and Palestine.  This has made the President of the General Assembly express satisfaction with the interest that Member States have taken to the General Assembly, because he said that global challenges can only be resolved with everyone’s participation, from the smallest to the biggest countries.  And he added that global problems require global solutions.  And that only the General Assembly can address these issues in a democratic, effective and efficient manner.  Within that framework, he emphasised the importance of the revitalization of the General Assembly, so that the General Assembly could be equipped to fulfilling its mandate to the fullest extent.

That’s all I have for you.

Spokesman for the Secretary-General:  Okay, no questions?  Thank you very much.  Enjoy the weekend.  Probably be here Saturday.

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