DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

AND SPOKESMAN FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESDIENT

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,

**Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

We’ll start with a statement attributable to the Spokesman:

“The Staff Council, in its Resolution adopted on 15 April of this year, brought to the attention of the Secretary-General allegations made against the Under-Secretary-General for Internal Oversight Services, Mr. Dileep Nair, regarding violations of Staff Regulations and Staff Rules with respect to appointment and promotion of staff in OIOS, as well as allegations of corrupt practices in that office, and other misconduct on the part of the Under-Secretary-General.  The Secretary-General requested the Under-Secretary-General for Management to undertake urgently an internal investigation of those allegations.”

“After a thorough review of the personnel-related allegations, the Under-Secretary-General for Management reported to the Secretary-General her findings and recommendations.  She found that no Staff Regulations or Staff Rules were violated in the appointment and promotion of staff in the OIOS, and that the relevant personnel procedures were followed.  With regard to the other allegations, the investigation found that they did not present credible information on which to follow-up and, therefore, recommended that no further action was necessary in the matter.

“The Secretary-General reviewed the report and accepted the findings and recommendations of the investigation.  He has so informed Mr. Nair and said that he had every confidence that the good work of the Office of Internal Oversight Services under his leadership will continue”.

**Security Council -- Monday

The Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Monday evening that places an arms embargo on Côte d’Ivoire for 13 months.

Council Resolution 1572 also lists other measures, including a travel ban and assets freeze placed on persons designated by a Security Council sanctions committee.  Those measures are to take effect on 15 December, unless the Council determines before then that the Ivorian parties have implemented their commitments to the Accra III peace agreement and are embarked towards the full implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.  The Council voted on the resolution after it held an open briefing, followed by consultations, on the Middle East.

UN Special Coordinator Terje Roed-Larsen, in his last briefing to the Council before he becomes President of the InternationalPeaceAcademy, said Yasser Arafat’s passing “marks the end of an era”.  Now that he has gone, Roed-Larsen said, Israelis and Palestinians “must make even greater efforts to bring about the peaceful realization of the Palestinian right of self-determination”.  We have copies of his statement upstairs.

**Security Council

This morning, the Security Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of the UN Mission in Timor-Leste for a final period of six months until 20 May 2005.

Then starting at 10:30 a.m., the Council held consultations on a resolution on the Sudan, to be adopted on Friday at the Security Council's meeting scheduled in Nairobi, Kenya.  Council members are leaving for Nairobi today.

**Sudan

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the Sudan, Jan Pronk, also left for Nairobi to attend the Security Council meeting there.

Meanwhile, we continue to receive reports of insecurity in Darfur.  For example, five days ago, four women were reportedly raped while walking home on the outskirts of El-Geneina, according to the UN mission in the Sudan.  A gunfight ensued between police and the attackers.

**Iraq -- Rights

High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, is deeply concerned about the situation of civilians caught up in the ongoing fighting in Falluja. There have been a number of reports during the current confrontation alleging violations of the rules of war designed to protect civilians and combatants.  The High Commissioner is particularly worried over poor access by civilians still in Falluja to the delivery of humanitarian aid.  She is also concerned about the lack of information regarding the number of civilian casualties.

The High Commissioner considers that all violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law must be investigated and those responsible for breaches must be brought to justice, be they members of the Multinational Force or insurgents.  Arbour calls on parties in the fighting to take every possible precaution to protect civilians.

The World Food Programme is closely monitoring the situation of internally displaced persons and others affected by the events in Falluja.  If required, it will help Iraqi institutions provide food through the public distribution system.

**Côte d’Ivoire

The UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire reports that the situation in Abidjan and other major cities is calm today.  Commercial activities have resumed and life seems to be returning to its normal pace.  However, a high degree of uncertainty prevails on all sides.

The Mission also reports that hate messages have given way to calls for return to work and the exercise of restraint.  National radio and television have been airing peace messages significantly different in tone and content to the ones we have been hearing of lately.  An increased presence of UN peacekeepers in Abidjan has contributed greatly to reassuring the local population and ensuring the security of evacuees, in particular, the mission reports.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency reports that Ivorian refugees arriving in Liberia say that more people are on the way.  Ivorians are arriving in Liberia through at least 12 entry points along a 45-kilometre stretch of relatively remote frontier, often crossing the border river in small canoes.  The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that electricity and water has not been fully restored in rebel-controlled areas.

**Lebanon

The office of Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon, expressed its serious concern at reports that two Katyusha rockets were fired on Monday evening from inside Lebanese territory, and were apparently directed across the Blue Line, into Israel.

So far this year, there have been at least six incidents of the firing of rockets from within Lebanese territory, apparently directed across the Blue Line.

De Mistura’s office strongly called on the Lebanese government to redouble its efforts to ensure that such dangerous violations cease immediately.  And we have copies of his statement upstairs.

**Afghanistan

The families and friends of the three UN staff members abducted in Afghanistan today issued a statement, expressing their hopes that Annetta Flanigan, Angelito Nayan and Shqipe Hebibi will be restored to them.  They said that, in this sacred time of giving gifts, “the only gift we desire is their safe return”.

They added that, after 25 years of strife and uncertainty, some people in Afghanistan may do desperate things, but “the Afghan people are honorable”.  We have copies of their statement available upstairs.

**Ten Years Before World’s Civil Research Reactors Converted

Much progress has been made, but it’ll take the better part of a decade before all the world’s civil research reactors can be converted to run on fuel that poses lower proliferation concerns.  Among the biggest challenges is developing the types of uranium fuel that converted reactors require –- more than 60 civilian research reactors worldwide still run on weapons-grade high-enriched uranium fuels.

These are some of the key findings from a gathering of experts at a meeting organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and you can find more on it in a press release that we have upstairs.

**UNIFEM/Gender-Violence Grants

The United Nations Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence against Women is granting $900,000 to 17 groups in developing countries, who are addressing gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.  The grants are going to 20 countries, which include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan and Georgia.  Since its establishment in 1996, the Trust Fund has granted $8.3 million to 175 initiatives in 96 different countries –- and demand continues to outstrip supply.

In addition, the UN Development Fund for Women is hosting a special event in New York to commemorate the UN-designated “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women”.  And we have more on the grants and tomorrow’s special event upstairs in a press release.

**International Day of Tolerance

Today is the International Day of Tolerance.  The Secretary-General marked it by saying that the global landscape continues to be scarred by fanaticism, exploitation of ignorance, and fear of the “other”.  He also noted that in today’s interdependent world, societies are increasingly multicultural, and more and more people are the product of several cultures.

He added that tolerance doesn’t mean simply “putting up with” others.  On the contrary, it means being actively committed to human rights and fundamental freedoms.  And we have the full text of that message available upstairs.

**International Year of Microcredit

On Thursday, the United Nations will launch the international Year of Microcredit 2005.  The Year’s goal is to help poor and low-income households gain greater access to financial services.

The opening ceremony will take place from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. in Conference Room 2.  And it’ll be broadcast on UN Television as well as on the webcast.  Tomorrow, as the guests at the Noon Briefing, we’ll be joined by Mark Mallock Brown, the United Nations Development Programme Administrator, and José Antonio Ocampo, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.  And they’ll tell you more about the launch events and the Year in general.

**Press Conference Tomorrow

Finally, a press conference at 11 tomorrow in this room, the Canadian Mission will be sponsoring a press conference by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Health Canada and the World Health Organization.  Speakers will include Ted Turner and the former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, who are the co-chairmen of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and Canadian Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, among others.  They will talk about the Global Health Intelligence Network II –- an internet-based “early warning” system that will gather and disseminate preliminary reports of public health threats on a “real time”, 24/7 basis.

That’s all I have for you.  Yes?

Questions and Answers

Question:  On the Falluja statement by the High Commissioner, is that in response to, in any way, to the reports yesterday of the video footage of the American marine shooting of a wounded Iraqi?

Spokesman:  I have no more details than what I gave you.  We can give you the spokesman for the High Commissioner, if you’d like to put that question to that person.  Mohammad?

Question:  Fred, two questions:  Do you have any estimation of civilian casualties in Falluja?  This is my first question.  And, do you have any meeting of the Secretary-General in Washington?

Spokesman:  We would have no casualty figures, because we’d have no basis for gathering that information in Iraq.  Is the Secretary-General going to Washington?  Is that your question?

Question:  Yes.

Spokesman:  I am not aware of any planned visit to Washington that the Secretary-General has on his programme at this time.  Yes?

Question:  Fred, the latest info on oil-for-food, is there a supposed exchange of letters or communication between UN lawyers and Paul Volcker’s…?

Spokesman:  Yes, I am glad you asked.  I did get a call from Mr. Volcker this morning, informing us, in the event that you asked, that he will be sending a letter today to U.S. Senators Norm Coleman and Carl Levin explaining his position on the Senators’ request to the Secretary-General for documentation and witnesses and other matters in relation to the oil-for-food inquiry.  That same letter will go to the Secretary-General as well.

And he’s said that once they have confirmed receipt of those three letters, he will make copies available to the press.  Yes?

Question:  Did Mr. Volcker in any way characterize the content that you can tell us?

Spokesman:  You’ll have to read the letter today.

Question:  One other question, Fred.  Pardon me, I may have missed something you spoke earlier.  In the past couple of days we’ve heard information about the “hate radio” and “hate messages” in the Ivory Coast.  And I know that Mr. Mendez yesterday had made some comments about that.  Is the UN doing anything that you’re aware of to address this issue?

Spokesman:  You did miss my report on Cote d’Ivoire, where the good news today is that those messages of hate have been replaced by peace messages, we’re happy to report.  And you can get the details from me later, if you like.  

Question:  I’m sorry, Fred, for being late.

Spokesman:  Nick?

Question:  On your first item on Dileep Nair, is there any chance that the response will be made public? Can we have that report?

Spokesman:  No.  That was an internal report by Catherine Bertini, the Under-Secretary-General for Management, to the Secretary-General.  The results of the inquiry are being reported to the members of the Staff Council leadership.  In fact, that was taking place just before I came down here.  So, they’re briefed in a little bit more details than what I have given you in this statement.  But the report itself will not be made public.

Djibril, do you want to come up and talk about the General Assembly?

Spokesman for General Assembly President

Good afternoon,

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  This convention, often referred to as the “constitution of the Sea”, is based on the all important idea that the problems of the oceans are closely interrelated and must be addressed as a whole.

The General Assembly is taking up today the subject of “Oceans and the Law of the Sea” under agenda item 49.  During today’s meeting the General Assembly will discuss the report of the Secretary-General and the Report of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, as well as sustainable fisheries.  There is a list of 38 speakers, among which is the Prime Minister of Norway, His Excellency the Honourable Kjell Magne Bondevik, President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, Mr. Dolliver Nelson, and Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, Mr. Satya Nandan.

The morning formal session will be adjourned at 12:45 to start immediately an informal session where the General Assembly will hear statements by Ms. Karen Sack, representative of Greenpeace, and Ms. Lisa Speer, representative of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

You may recall that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea entered into force on 16 November, one year after the deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification or accession.  One hundred forty-four States and one entity -- the European Community -- had ratified the Convention, as of 1 April 2004.

Last year’s session of the General Assembly, the fifty-eighth session, requested the Secretary-General to prepare a report on the duties and obligations of flag states, including the potential consequences for non-compliance.  The Assembly also requested the Secretary-General to prepare an addendum to his annual report on the specific item of the threats and risks to vulnerable marine ecosystems and biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, as well as details on any conservation and management measures to address these issues.

On the work of the committees, I’ll start with the Second Committee, dealing with economic and financial issues.  That Committee approved this afternoon a draft resolution that would call for strong national strategies for disaster prevention and management, as well as resource sharing to gain insight into the causes of such catastrophes worldwide.

By other terms of the draft on the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, approved without a vote, the General Assembly would encourage the international community to contribute to the Strategy’s Trust Fund and provide adequate financial, scientific, technical, human and other assistance to support the Inter-Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction and its secretariat.

Further by the text, the Assembly would stress the importance of identifying, assessing and managing the risk of disasters before they occurred, and strengthening national abilities to cope with them by sharing experiences and transferring technical knowledge, as well as through improved access to relevant data and information, and stronger institutional arrangements.  The resolution would call on governments to set up national platforms for disaster reduction or strengthen already existing ones, and urge the United Nations to support those mechanisms.

Next Committee is the Third Committee, dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural.  That Committee has entered its first week of meetings devoted wholly to taking action on the wide range of draft resolutions before it.

It is looking at resolutions today relating to social development and regarding human rights in such areas as the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the question of enforced or involuntary disappearance, and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

Yesterday the Third Committee heard the introductions of draft resolutions on racial discrimination, the right to self-determination and missing persons. Introducing a text on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination –- and again let me remind you of the document number for that item; it is document A/C.3/59/L.69 -- the representative of Belgium said that the Convention played an essential role in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance.  The draft emphasized the need for the universal ratification of this instrument and the importance of the universal implementation of provisions laid down in the Convention.  The text also recalled the obligations of States parties under the Convention, particularly regarding reporting obligations.

We will not have briefings on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week.  And if you would like to contact us on any questions and follow up issues, you know where we are upstairs.  Let me remind you of our phone numbers again:  917-367-0292 and the cell phone number is 646-287-5394.

That’s all I have for you.  Any questions?

Questions and Answers

Question:  Yes.  Anything on the issue of cloning coming up in the GA any time soon?

Spokesman for General Assembly President:  Yes.  It is our understanding that the issue of cloning will be coming up on Friday, the 19^th.

Question:  And what’s the topic of it?  What’s the focus of that meeting?

Spokesman for General Assembly President:  Well, as you know there have been two parties that have been negotiating.  And, therefore, our understanding is that they will come to some sort of closure on the issue by Friday, 19 November.

Any other questions?  If not, thank you.

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