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.

Spokesman for the Secretary-General

Good afternoon.

**Côte d’Ivoire Statement

The following statement is attributable to the Spokesman regarding the situation in Côte d’Ivoire:

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the military actions taken today in Côte d’Ivoire, where several air attacks have been carried out by the armed forces of Côte d’Ivoire (FANCI) against Forces Nouvelles positions in Bouaké and Korhogo.  Several civilians may have been killed and wounded during these attacks.  A major violation of the ceasefire has thus taken place.

“The Secretary-General urges President Gbabgo and all the Ivorian parties to immediately cease all hostilities and to take all possible actions to prevent further bloodshed.  He strongly calls for the immediate resumption of dialogue in order to resume with the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis and Accra III agreements, which remain the only viable roadmap for resolution of the crisis in the country.  He reminds all parties of their responsibilities to ensure the protection and safety of the civilian population, and of UN and other international personnel.”

**Côte d’Ivoire

The Secretary-General is expected to brief the Security Council under “other matters” on Côte d’Ivoire during consultations.

The Security Council is expected to have a press statement on that subject.

**Côte d’Ivoire – Humanitarian

The eruption of fighting around the Ivorian city of Bouaké, some 300 kilometres north of Abidjan, threatens to cut thousands of people off from urgently needed humanitarian aid.

Due to tensions across Côte d’Ivoire, UN humanitarian workers are suspending their activities throughout the country today.

Further, the World Food Programme has not been able to deliver aid to beneficiaries around Bouaké since the weekend because of a sharp rise in the number of roadblocks near the “Zone of Confidence”, an area separating rebel and government forces around the city in the past week.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that since the crisis began two years ago, the humanitarian situation in northern Côte d’Ivoire -- once the economic engine of West Africa -- has been characterized by the prolonged absence of public administration and basic social services.  Civilians in the north have been sinking further into poverty, having been cut off from the commercial activities and the social services of the south.

**Security Council – Sudan

The Security Council held an open meeting this morning to hear a briefing on the latest Secretary-General report on Sudan.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, noted that there is progress on the political front but regression on the ground.  He says the progress is slow and the regression is alarming.

Fighting is breaking out in more and more places.  Parties are provoking one another.  Governmental authorities are not able to exert a moderating influence or they respond with untimely and even counterproductive measures.  He warned that Darfur may easily enter a state of anarchy.

He outlined a three-pronged approach to reverse the current trend.  He cited an even more speedy deployment of the African Union force to effectively deter violations, the speeding up of all negotiation processes, and steps to ensure that political leaders -- the official ones as well as the self-selected ones -- be held accountable for ongoing violations of agreements and further human misery.

Jan Pronk will come to this room, 226, to speak to you after his Council appearance.

**Security Council – ICJ

The Security Council started its work this morning by adopting a resolution on holding an election, on 15 February of next year, to fill a vacancy in the International Court of Justice.  The resignation of Judge Gilbert Guillaume of France will take effect on 11 February of next year.

**Afghanistan

The UN Mission in Afghanistan today expressed increasing worry about the three staff members who were abducted a week ago in Kabul.  The Mission said that it has serious concerns for their health, noting that the psychological pressure on them “must be tremendous” and calling for them to be released immediately and unharmed.

The Mission also expressed its gratitude for the work of the Afghan authorities to obtain their release, and said that the United Nations is doing all it can to support these efforts.  Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry has set up a telephone hotline so that Afghans can call to provide information on the case.

We have today’s briefing notes from Kabul, which has more information.

**Lebanon

Earlier today, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative for southern Lebanon, Staffan de Mistura, issued a statement noting with concern, once more, the numerous Israeli air violations of the “Blue Line” that took place today.

De Mistura said the United Nations reminds all concerned that one violation cannot justify another.  He called on Israel to cease its overflights, which represent a continuing violation of the Blue Line.

The full statement is available upstairs.

**Haiti

The UN Mission in Haiti is reporting that a joint operation by UN military, police personnel and Haitian National Police, launched early this morning in the Port-au-Prince neighbourhood of Bel Air, led to the arrest of three gang leaders and the sealing of a logistical base used by them.

According to the spokesman of the UN Mission, calm is gradually returning to this area, which has been largely controlled by gangs in the past weeks. 

He also reports that two trucks carrying supplies for non-governmental organizations operating in Gonaïves were attacked and looted yesterday.  The UN system in Haiti has reminded non-governmental organizations that the peacekeepers can only ensure security for those trucks that join the World Food Programme convoys that leave every other day from Port-au-Prince.

**IAEA - Nuclear Plant Standards

Safety experts from 37 countries have endorsed the need to develop a single set of international standards for nuclear power plants, from design to de-commissioning.

The experts came to agreement at an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference on nuclear safety, held in China last month.

The IAEA says the experts’ recommendations will provide it with steps it can take to develop international cooperation and safety programmes in the future.

We have more on this upstairs.

**UNESCO

The Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Koichiro Matsuura, has expressed outrage at the killing of an unprecedented number of journalists in Iraq over the past week. 

His condemnation comes in the wake of Monday’s assassination in Ramadi of a freelance cameraman who worked for Reuters and The Associated Press; a car bomb attack on Saturday on the Baghdad bureau of Al-Arabiya, which killed five support staff; and the assassination of a journalist from Iraq’s Al Charkia television channel on 27 October.  Matsura says “the murderous campaign waged against journalists in Iraq must be recognized for what it is:  a campaign to terrorize and cower the people of Iraq.”

In a separate statement, the head of UNESCO condemned the murder in Amsterdam on 2 November of documentary film-maker Theo van Gogh.  According to Matsuura, Van Gogh, “in his way exemplified freedom of expression. Democracy and rule of law require that people like him express themselves freely”, he said, “even when their words and the ideas they hold are disturbing”.

**Population

There will be an estimated 9 billion people in the world in the year 2300, according to a new report by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

That figure is according to the medium scenario of the report “World Population to 2300”, operating on the assumption that world fertility would eventually stabilize at around two children per woman.  But, if world fertility levels today continue to be the norm in the future, the world population would rise to 44 billion by the end of this century -- and an unimaginable 1.34 trillion by 2300.

We have a press release with all those details for you upstairs.

**Fistula

The UN Population Fund has teamed up with the London office of the advertising agency Young & Rubicam to launch a new campaign to break the silence around obstetric fistula in the United Kingdom.

Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury that affects at least 2 million women worldwide.

“Fistula is a double sorrow”, says Thoraya Obaid, the Executive Director of UNFPA, “because these women lose their babies and they lose their lives”.  She says, “Fistula is more than just a medical condition.  It is also a social problem because it is linked with shame and rejection.”

We have a press release on that.

**Liberia

The UN Development Programme is appealing for additional funding for the disarmament programme in Liberia, saying that the reintegration of former combatants is at risk.

An additional caseload of some 47,000 ex-combatants will require approximately 58 million dollars, it says.

And you can read more about this in a press release upstairs.

**ILO – Governing Council

Government, employer and worker representatives are gathering at a new session of the Governing Council of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to debate basic labour rights and new partnerships to promote a fair globalization.  The session is taking place in Geneva from 4 – 19 November.

We have a press release on that.

**S-G - Sports Year Launch

And a reminder about tomorrow’s launch -- here at UN Headquarters -- of the International Year of Sport and Physical Education 2005.

Swiss tennis champion, Roger Federer, and the New York City Marathon record-holder, Margaret Okayo, will be here for the launch, as will be Adolf Ogi, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace.  The Secretary-General will provide opening comments at the event.

The aim of the year is to encourage the use of sports to promote education, health, development and peace.  The launch will take place in this room, at 12:30.

And we have more details on that upstairs.

**Briefing on Iraqi Electoral Process

Finally, tomorrow at 11 in this room, Kieran Prendergast, the head of the Department of Political Affairs, will be joined by Carina Perelli, the head of the UN Electoral Assistance division, to brief you on the UN’s role in the Iraqi electoral process.  That’s at 11 a.m. in this room.

That’s all I have for you.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Fred, there are reports that Yasser Arafat has just passed away.  President Bush has just said, “God bless his soul”.  Is the Secretary-General going to say anything about that?

Spokesman:  We are following the same news reports you are, and the comments by hospital officials in Paris after that press conference indicated that he is not dead, that he is still alive.  So, I think there hasn’t been confirmation of that.  Yes, Mark?

Question:  Yesterday, the U.S. Representative to the Fifth Committee asked the UN to clarify, well, he said, he pointed to the OIOS report on Mr. Lubbers [inaudible] and that the United States would appreciate an explanation from the Secretariat on this apparent contradiction.  Has the Secretariat prepared a statement or an explanation for the U.S. on the apparent contradiction of the OIOS supporting the allegations and then the Secretary-General deciding the complaint could not be substantiated by the evidence?

Spokesman:  The Secretariat routinely responds to questions put to it by Member States, and we are in the process of preparing a response for the U.S. on this subject.  I can’t tell you exactly when it will be given to them, but I’m confident the U.S. inquiry will be answered.

Question:  And will you share that response with us as well?

Spokesman:  I’m not sure I can do that, but I’ll ask for you, to see if it’s something we would be willing to go public with.

Question:  What adjustments has the UN expected it will have to make post-Arafat, regardless whether he’s dead today or not?  Post-Arafat, what adjustments is the UN making vis-à-vis the Middle East situation?

Spokesman:  I don’t know what you mean by adjustments.

Question:  In terms of policy.

Spokesman:  In terms of policy?

Question:  Yeah.

Spokesman:  I assume that the Secretary-General will continue to work with the other members of the Quartet to try to revive the Road Map as the basic plan for a peaceful settlement leading to a two-State solution.  But, I don’t think I can say anything more than that, nor do I want to speculate now about a post-Arafat era.

Question:  Are there any contacts going on at the moment between the UN and the various Palestinian factions?

Spokesman:  Well, we routinely have contact with the Palestinian authority and others through Terje Roed-Larsen, the special envoy, and so those contacts continue.  I’m not sure that there’s anything unusual taking place in terms of the intensity of those contacts, though.

Question:  Thank you.  And a question on Iraq. Does the UN expect any changes in its policy on Iraq over the next four years?  I know that everyone asked you about what the UN thinks about the re-election of George Bush and you’re not going to tell me anything that you haven’t already said, but what changes do you expect you will have to make vis-à-vis your position on Iraq [inaudible]?

Spokesman:  I’m not expecting any changes as a result of the U.S. elections.  We are working with the Iraqis right now on the preparations for the elections in January, and Kieran Prendergast and Carina Perelli will brief you tomorrow morning at 11 on the details of where we stand with that.

Question:  Can you say anything about the 35-people ceiling before -- can you say anything about it before Kieran Prendergast?

Spokesman:  No, why don’t you wait until he comes in tomorrow to ask him that question?

Question:  Is there going to be a change?

Spokesman:  You can ask him that question tomorrow.

Question:  What’s the S-G’s exact position on the Sudan sanctions now?

Spokesman:  I don’t have anything for you on that.  Thank you very much. Djibril Diallo on the General Assembly, please.  Djibril?

Spokesman for General Assembly President

Good afternoon.

The General Assembly observed a minute of silence this morning in tribute to the late President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who passed away on Tuesday, November 2.

Also this morning, the General Assembly discussed the report of the International Court of Justice, and heard from the president of the ICJ, who gave the General Assembly a summary of the activities of his organization.

The president of the ICJ told the General Assembly that it had held five sets of oral hearings relating to no fewer than 12 cases.  In addition, the Court has rendered a final judgment in three cases and has delivered one advisory opinion.  Today, there are 21 cases in the general list.  This level of activity is unprecedented in the history of the Court.  From 1990 to 1997, it had between 9 and 13 cases.

The cases dealt with by the Court illustrate the variety of international disputes that are customarily referred to the Court, such as territorial dispute between neighbouring States, the treatment of nationals of a State by another State, or the use of force.

The Court has 191 States parties to its Statute.  In addition, approximately 300 treaties make reference to the Court in respect of settlement of disputes arising from their application or interpretation.  We have a copy of the statement of the president of the ICJ upstairs, if you would like to have it.

On the committees, I have a lot of activities in the work of the committees.  The First Committee would welcome the entry into force of the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions, otherwise known as the Moscow Treaty, and recognize specific steps taken by the Russian Federation and the United States to reduce their deployed strategic warheads -- this is according to one of five drafts approved without a vote yesterday by the Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security.

Second Committee:  the international community must take urgent steps to stabilize the prices of developing-country agricultural and food products, which were vital in generating income, foreign exchange and employment, the Second Committee was told yesterday, as it concluded its discussion on international trade and development.

Third Committee:  Mr. Doudou Diène, Rapporteur of the Committee on Human Rights on contemporary forms of racism, told the Committee, dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs, that the rise of new forms of racism had dealt setbacks to the global fight against racism, making it difficult, making it more difficult to combat racial discrimination and xenophobia.

Mr. Diène said the legitimate struggle against terrorism had undermined the protection of human rights and had led to new forms of racial discrimination, as well as to a growing acceptability of traditional forms of racism.  This new ideological environment, he continued, had led to a designation of categories as certain cultural or religious groups had come to be seen as a terrorist risk.

Fifth Committee, which is the budget committee, debated yesterday the Secretary-General’s plan for strengthened, unified UN security.  While strongly supporting the urgent need to strengthen the United Nations security management system, delegates speaking before the Fifth Committee yesterday and today debated various aspects of the proposal made by the Secretary-General on Monday.  The envisioned unified security management system would pull together multiple security structures through a new Directorate of Security.  And those of you who were here on Tuesday heard Under-Secretary-General Catherine Bertini on this subject.

That’s all I have for you.  Questions? If not, thank you.

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