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.

**Middle East

We’ll start with a statement attributable to the Spokesman on the subject of the Middle East:

“The Secretary-General is gravely concerned at the escalation of violence and the rising toll of casualties on both sides in the Gaza Strip and adjacent Israeli areas during the past 24 hours.  He especially mourns the death and injuries of children.  The Secretary-General remains deeply convinced that there is no military solution to this conflict.  He urges both parties immediately to cease all forms of violence, to act in strict compliance with their obligations under the Road Map and international law and to renew their search for a peaceful solution to the conflict.”

**UNRWA

Also on Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East says that the on-going large scale Israeli military operations have once again severely disrupted the agency’s work.

Due to Israeli-imposed internal closures in Gaza, UNRWA has been forced to suspend many of its normal operations.  This includes emergency food distribution.  Furthermore, the closures are also preventing some 750 staff members from returning to their homes.

The Agency has reminded the Government of Israel of its obligations under international law, including bilateral agreements with UNRWA.  It once again calls on Israel to restore the freedom of movement of Agency staff and guarantee their safety at all times.  We have more information in a press release.

**Security Council

Today is the last day of the Spanish Presidency of the Security Council. At 10 a.m., the Council began closed consultations on security aspects of the UN Mission in Iraq.  The other item on the agenda is the extension of the mandate of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which expires tomorrow.

Following those items, the Security Council has scheduled more consultations.  Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour and the Secretary-General's Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Juan Mendez, will brief on their recent mission to the Sudan.  The Secretary-General is accompanying them to that briefing.

As you’ll recall, the Secretary-General asked them to visit Darfur to see what can be done, now and in the future, to provide better protection for the civilians who are in desperate need of it.

We will let you know when Louise Arbour is coming to the Security Council stakeout.

Then at 3 p.m., the Security Council has scheduled a private meeting at which the Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail is scheduled to brief.

**Security Council -- October

Starting tomorrow, the United Kingdom assumes the Security Council presidency for the month of October.  U.K. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, in his capacity as Council President, will brief you on the monthly programme on Monday.

**Myanmar

The Secretary-General yesterday convened a high-level informal consultation on Myanmar, which was attended by senior representatives of a dozen Member States, as well as representatives from UN Development Programme and the World Bank.

In a statement issued in the afternoon, the Secretary-General expressed his pleasure at the constructive discussions, which strengthened the sense of common purpose on how to assist Myanmar in making its process of democratic transition more inclusive and sustainable.

The Secretary-General hopes that the countries participating in the discussions would redouble their individual and collective efforts to move the process forward.  He also urges the Myanmar authorities to listen to advice given by friendly countries, in goodwill, and to allow his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, to visit the country as soon as possible.  We have the full statement upstairs.

In comments made to the press after the meeting, the Secretary-General said that the Member States who participated all have different and complementary roles, and we would use the individual influence of each country to move the process forward.  He added that the participants all wanted to see the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.  We have the transcript of his comments upstairs.

**Russian Federation Ratification of Kyoto Protocol

I have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman regarding the Kyoto Protocol:

“The Secretary-General was pleased to learn today that the Russian cabinet has asked the State Duma to ratify the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change.  He welcomes this step, since the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, made possible by Russia’s ratification, will be the essential first step in tackling the planetary challenge posed by climate change.  He takes this occasion to remind the entire international community of the need to bring a greater sense of urgency to this crucial issue of human security and well-being.”

**UNEP/Russia Kyoto

Klaus Toepfer, meanwhile -- he’s the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme -- has welcomed Russia’s intent to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as a cause for celebration -- as it’s the final step needed to bring the treaty into force.

As of last week, 125 countries have ratified or acceded to the Protocol, which is part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.  To enter into force, 55 Parties to the Convention must ratify the Protocol, including developed countries whose combined 1990 emissions of carbon dioxide exceed 55 per cent of that group’s total.

Russia, with 17 per cent of the emissions, would push the amount beyond the threshold.  While the Russian parliament still has to approve the ratification, Toepfer said Russia’s action will breathe new life into the international climate negotiations, which resume in Argentina this December.

As well, ratification will invigorate research into cleaner fuels, more efficient energy generation and renewable energies such as wind, solar and wave power, he said.  We have more on that upstairs.

**Haiti Update

Carol Bellamy, the Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, is calling for assistance to the victims of tropical Storm Jeanne. Wrapping up a visit to Haiti she said she was returning to New York to advocate more attention and support.  “After what I saw in Gonaïves today”, she said, “We have to move fast”.

According to Bellamy, the at-risk population includes 30,000 children under the age of five and 8,000 women who are pregnant or lactating.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme has reported that a giant Antonov-124 cargo plane took off today from the United Nations Humanitarian Depot in Brindisi, Italy, carrying 100 metric tons of High Energy Biscuits for the victims of the floods in northwest Haiti.  The flight is expected to arrive in Port au Prince on Friday.

According to Guy Gauvreau, the World Food Programme Country Director in Haiti, “for the most vulnerable people, these biscuits could mean the difference between life and death, especially as so many of them no longer have the means to heat and prepare food".

**Guatemala

Out on the racks today is the report of the UN Verification Mission in Guatemala.  The Mission is slated to close down in December of this year after almost ten years in operation.  This is its final report on the implementation of the 1996 peace agreements.

The report indicates impressive accomplishments in Guatemala.  Among them:  the end of conflict and state-sponsored human rights violations; the reduction of the military and integration of the insurgents into civilian life; peaceful elections and political debate; and the start of key institutional reforms.  Yet serious problems persist, such as corruption, inequality, racism, crime and a weak rule of law.  Their resolution will require the dedication of all Guatemalans, the report says.

It indicates that the departure of the mission is neither the end of the peace process not the end of the UN’s involvement in the country.  The UN System will continue to work with Guatemala in the building of a more just, equitable and peaceful society, the report says.

**Liberia Panel of Experts Report

For the record, the mid-term report of the Panel of Experts on Liberia containing an interim assessment of compliance on diamond and timber sanctions, which was due out today, was actually issued yesterday.

On timber, the Panel says that although there is widespread compliance with timber sanctions, few of the necessary reforms have been implemented.

On diamonds, the Panel says that the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy continues to demonstrate commitment towards satisfying the requirements of the Security Council for the lifting of the current embargo on the export of Liberian rough diamonds.

However, its biggest obstacle remains funding for the implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which imposes extensive requirements to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are not conflict diamonds.

The Panel is expected to present by 10 December a final report covering the entire sanctions regime, including the arms embargo, the travel ban, the assets freeze, and the humanitarian and socio-economic impact of the sanctions.

**G-77

The Secretary-General today praised the Group of 77 coalition of developing countries, which is now celebrating its fortieth anniversary.  He said that the group, which now comprises 132 members, continues to play an important role in defending and promoting the interests of developing countries.

Addressing the Group’s Foreign Ministers this morning, the Secretary-General said that next year will be a significant test of resolve as the General Assembly holds its first comprehensive review of the Millennium Declaration.  He told the Foreign Ministers, “Your engagement in the review process is essential”.  We have copies of his full remarks upstairs.

The Group of 77 also today elected Jamaica as its chair for the next year, replacing this year’s chair, Qatar.

**UNICEF/Southern Sudan

UNICEF says that around 20,000 children have been demobilized from the ranks of southern Sudanese rebel forces since 2001.  These developments are contained in an article published in the journal “Forced Migration Review”, which summarizes a major evaluation of child demobilization in the Sudan.

The article’s author is available for interviews on this subject, and we have more information on that upstairs.

**Afghanistan

The UN Mission for Afghanistan today provided details on the final preparations for the October 9 elections.

Right now, some 115,000 polling officials are being trained in their election-day duties, at the roughly 25,000 voting stations that will be in place throughout the country.  Also, some 300 donkeys have been drawn into the effort, and they’ll be used to deliver voting materials in several Afghan provinces. We have more details in today’s briefing notes from Kabul.

**Guest at Noon Tomorrow

Finally, tomorrow at the noon briefing, Jan Egeland, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the Emergency Relief Coordinator for the UN, will be joining us tomorrow to talk about the UN Flash Appeals in response to the recent natural disasters in Haiti and Grenada.

That’s all I have for you.

Questions and Answers

Question:  Is there any reaction from the Quartet concerning the recent [inaudible]?

Spokesman:  No, the reaction I have is the one I have given you from the Secretary-General. I don’t know what, or if, the Quartet plans to say anything about this.

If no further questions, I’ll ask Djibril to come forward.

Spokesman for General Assembly President

Thank you, Fred.

Good afternoon. The General Assembly continues its plenary meeting.  As I mentioned before, towards lunchtime today, we will have the last meeting of the General Debate and, this morning, the General Assembly heard five Ministers of Foreign Affairs: Seychelles, Maldives, Bahamas, Tajikistan and Suriname.  It also heard four Secretaries of State for Foreign Relations: Dominican Republic, let me correct that, they heard one Secretary of State for Foreign Relations and three Chairmen of Delegations from Grenada, Belize and Australia.

The President of the General Assembly is probably right now summing up the key issues around the General Debate.  You will recall that it this is customary for the General Assembly to devote a period of two weeks to a general debate, during which heads of Delegations may state the views of their governments on any item before the Assembly.  However, since December 2003, in accordance with Resolution 58/126, in June of each year, the president that’s elected for the General Assembly consults with the incumbent president, takes the views of Member States, consults with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and then suggests, an issue or issues upon which Member States are invited to comment during the General Debate.  And, during my briefings, I’ve shared with you some of those issues regarding the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly.

In that connection, I am very glad that we will have a very good session this afternoon at 3 o’clock in the United Nations Correspondent’s Association (UNCA) club with the President of the General Assembly, where he can share with you his perspectives and also, much more importantly, the summary of the key issues as raised by Member States, by delegations.  The appointments of the President of the General Assembly include meetings with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, Mongolia, Seychelles, and the Palestinian Authority.

Another item which I would like to flag to you is a meeting at 1:15 p.m. today, a working lunch, between the presidents of three organs:  the President of the General Assembly, the President of the Security Council, and the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).  This will be held at 1:15 p.m. –- it will be a working lunch in Dining Room number one.  I’m mentioning this because if there are any of you who are interested in having comments from the President of the General Assembly, I will be there for him to give you comments on that meeting, which is really convened to review ways in which the presidents of the three organs can look into strengthening their cooperation.

That’s all. I have the updated list of speakers as of 28 of September available to you.  Any questions?

Questions and Answers

Question:  At that lunch, will it be the present or the future president of the Security Council? Spain or Britain?

Spokesman for General Assembly President:  Right.  Spain will be there, and also the permanent representative of Finland, who is the president of ECOSOC.  And, President Jean Ping.

Question:  How many positions are being the table to be discussed, and what is the highlight of these issues?

Spokesman for General Assembly President:  I did not get into the issues because I felt that it’s better for me to leave the President to share some of these issues with you at 3 o’clock.  That way, you can not only have his perspectives, but also have the opportunity to interact with him.  That’s why I have avoided getting into the specific issues for this briefing.

Thank you.

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