DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
| Press Briefing |
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 Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Good afternoon.
**North Korea
Two train wagons carrying explosives detonated at a station in Ryongchon yesterday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs was informed by the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
According to initial reports from the Government, the explosion injured more than 1,000 people and killed 50 people, and completely destroyed more than 1,800 dwellings.
We have a situation report from OCHA with more details upstairs.
**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman
And on that subject, I have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman:
“The Secretary-General extends his sincere condolences to the people and Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on the heavy loss of life and injuries caused by the tragic train accident near the city of Ryongchon yesterday.
“This morning the DPRK Ambassador called on the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Jan Egeland, with an official request for international assistance.
“In response, the United Nations will make emergency relief supplies available from existing stocks in North Korea and release emergency cash grants.
“Tomorrow, a UN inter-agency mission will be on the site of the disaster to assess humanitarian needs, so as to mobilize immediate support and assistance to the people in the affected area.”
**Security Council
On the Middle East, in his periodic briefing given to the Security Council, UN Envoy Terje Roed-Larsen focused on what he sees as a crucial and potentially seminal juncture for peace efforts in the Middle East.
A critical lesson, he said, from the last three years of violence, is that only an overall political settlement can reverse the deteriorating humanitarian, security and economic situation.
Turning to the proposed Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Larsen said if it is carried out in the right way it can usher in a new era of peacemaking in the region. If, however, it is done the wrong way, it will only lead to new violence.
The right way, Larsen told the Council, is for the withdrawal to be a complete end of the occupation and not just a military redeployment with Palestinians gaining control over their affairs in Gaza. He went to say that one way to address Israeli security concerns after a withdrawal would be through temporary and internationally supervised security arrangements, with the consent of the parties. The withdrawal should also be accompanied by the implementation of Israeli and Palestinian obligations under the “Road Map”.
The international community, he said, will not prejudice the outcome of final status negotiations. Those are matters for the parties. As a member of the Quartet, Larsen added, the United Nations, emphasizes that no declared views on the possible shape of a final settlement can pre-empt the negotiation of that settlement. This would destroy the hope that drives the Road Map and erode the parties’ ability to perform the tasks it stipulates.
The Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Larsen said, sets the stage for the next step of the Council’s stewardship over the peace process. He suggested that the withdrawal could be supervised and certified by the United Nations, as was the case with the Israeli pull-back from southern Lebanon in 2000.
In closing, he told the Council that crucial choices lie ahead for all concerned: the Israelis, the Palestinians and the international community. For the latter, the choice is between vigorous involvement in helping transform the Gaza initiative into a full implementation of the Road Map or standing by and watching events as they unfold. We have the full text of his briefing in my office.
The open session of the Security Council was presided over by Minister of State of Germany Kerstin Müller.
Council members have now moved into closed consultations during which a draft resolution on the Middle East was circulated by Algeria.
We expect Mr. Larsen to come to the stakeout after the consultations.
**Cyprus
The Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, today conveyed to both Cypriot parties and to the guarantor powers, namely Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, the authenticated version of the Comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus Problem.
As you know, tomorrow Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots will vote in simultaneous referenda on whether to adopt the comprehensive settlement plan. We have a press release on that upstairs.
**DarfurMission
At the request of the Secretary-General, James Morris, the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme, will lead a high-level humanitarian mission to the Darfur region of Sudan.
The inter-agency mission, scheduled to be in Sudan from 27 April until 2 May, will get a first-hand look at the humanitarian situation there, assess the scope of the crisis, and identify any gaps in humanitarian assistance.
One of the mission’s most urgent tasks will be to identify ways to pre-position humanitarian supplies before the rainy season begins. It will also assess the possibility of conducting cross-border operations, airlifts and airdrops. We have a press release with more details.
**UNICEF – Report on Human Trafficking
From UNICEF, trafficking of human beings affects every country in Africa for which data is available, and trafficking of children is particularly widespread, according to a UNICEF report launched today in Benin.
The report looks at trafficking information from 53 African countries and provides an analysis of the patterns, root causes, and existing national and regional policy responses to it.
Among the report’s key observations: trafficking occurs most frequently when a child’s protective environment collapses due to conflict, economic hardship, and discrimination. There is a press release upstairs on that.
**Democratic Republic of Congo
The deputy head of the UN’s refugee agency, Wendy Chamberlin, who is in Angola, has appealed to aid agencies to work together to assist tens of thousands of Congolese diamond miners expelled from Angola, and urged the two governments to respect their basic rights.
Although the Congolese were not in Angola as refugees and, therefore, do not come under UNHCR’s mandate, the agency has called for assistance to the group on humanitarian grounds.
UNHCR also notes that the expelled workers are arriving in an area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the agency is assisting some 42,000 Angolan refugees, who could return home under a repatriation programme this year. UNHCR has expressed concern for the security of the Angolan refugees in the area following attacks by the angry crowds of expelled Congolese.
Further details are available in a press release, as well as in the briefing notes from Geneva.
**Chernobyl
Monday will be the eighteenth anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident, which took place at Chernobyl. We have upstairs embargoed copies of a statement in which the Secretary-General marks that anniversary; the embargo is until a minute after midnight, Moscow time, on the 26th, or 4:01 p.m. on Sunday, New York time.
**WHO/China SARS case
China’s Health Ministry yesterday informed the World Health Organization of one suspected case of SARS.
Investigation of the case, including extensive laboratory testing, is under way.
WHO notes that China has a well-developed system for the detection and investigation of possible SARS cases and its staff in the Beijing office are being kept closely informed by the Ministry.
We have more on that upstairs.
**World Bank-IMF
The global imbalance between rich and poor countries must be urgently addressed if the world is to prosper into the twenty-first century, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings will be told this weekend.
The World Bank and the IMF will also use the meetings in Washington this weekend to urge nations to do more to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Then, on Monday, the Deputy Secretary-General, Louise Fréchette, will address the Economic and Social Council’s High-Level Meeting with the Bretton Woods Institutions and the World Trade Organization.
Also, Oscar de Rojas, Director of the Financing for Development Office of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will be the guest at the noon briefing here on Monday, to discuss that high-level meeting. We have a number of press releases scheduled for Monday and you can get a list of them upstairs in my office.
**European Union Concert
On the occasion of the enlargement of the European Union, a concert, which will be performed by Solistes Européens, Luxembourg, will be held in the General Assembly Hall on Monday, 3 May 2004, at 6:30 p.m.
And the UN Correspondents Association has asked me to tell you that tickets will be distributed to journalists today on a first-come-first-served basis, from the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, right here on the second floor.
**The Week Ahead at the United Nations
And we have the Week Ahead for you to help you cover the UN next week.
That’s all I have. Yes?
Questions and Answers
Question: I have a question related to “oil-for-food”. Cotecna, the company that Kofi Annan’s son worked for, was awarded a contract, I believe, in December ’98. It seems at the time it awarded the contract the chief executive was already under indictment on alleged irregularities in relation to Pakistan. Why would the UN award a contract to a company whose chief executive was under indictment?
Spokesman: I’d have to see whether at the time our procurement officials were aware that there was such an indictment. I don’t have that information here with me and I’ll look into it right after the briefing for you. Anything else on a sleepy Friday? Serge?
Question: Fred, I was reading the last report of the Secretary-General on Haiti. Regarding the political situation, in paragraph 9 he indicated that the (inaudible) President was sworn in as an interim President and in accordance with the constitutional rules of succession. This is not true. Why did he have to say something which is not true in the report?
Spokesman: I doubt that he would have said something that’s untrue. But I am not familiar enough with the constitutional situation in Haiti to answer off the top of my head. So if you give me a little bit of time I’ll find out what I can after the briefing and find out why the Secretary-General’s report reads in that way. Mark?
[The Spokesman later replied that the procedure described in paragraph 9 of the Secretary-General’s report on Haiti (S/2004/300) was based on article 149 of the Haitian Constitution which provides that the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic shall be invested temporarily with the duties of the President of the Republic, should the office of the President become vacant for any reason. As the President of the Supreme Court, Mr. Boniface Alexandre was the first in line of succession.
Furthermore, the report reflected resolution 1529 (2004) in which the Security Council stated that it was “taking note of the resignation of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as President of Haiti and the swearing-in of President Boniface Alexandre as the acting President of Haiti in accordance with the Constitution of Haiti”.]
Question: Fred, I know you have commented on this to other media. But just for the record here, where does the UN Secretary-General stand on Mr. Brahimi’s position that Israel’s policies are spreading poison throughout the region?
Spokesman: Mr. Brahimi apparently made comments along those lines in an interview that he gave to French Radio, I believe, two days ago. I think, as a preliminary reaction, I could say that, as you know, he is a former Foreign Minister of Algeria and, therefore, he brings to the table strongly-held and strongly-expressed views about the Middle East peace process. However, the official position of the United Nations on such matters is that set out by the Secretary-General in the many statements he has issued over the last seven years.
Question: But does the Secretary-General believe Israel is spreading poison throughout the region or not?
Spokesman: The answer to your question is the one I have just given.
Question: You mean, you can’t say, Fred, that the Secretary-General doesn’t believe that Israel is spreading poison? Is it possible the Secretary-General believes it or not?
Spokesman: I have given you a very carefully worded response to this question. It’s a politically complex issue. I don’t want to over-simplify it by shortening it. And what I said is what I...(interrupted).
Question: (Inaudible)...you or us?
Spokesman: Mr. Brahimi was expressing his personal views. The United Nations’ views, as I said, have been expressed by the Secretary-General in his many public statements.
Question: The Secretary-General’s view is not that Israel is not spreading poison?
Spokesman: The Secretary-General’s views as expressed over the last seven years do not contain the word “poison”, yes. Yes, sir in the back?
Question: (Name inaudible), ABC. What is the Secretary-General’s position about the reports about limiting the sovereignty of the Iraqi Government and is there any sense of the transfer of power and when the Security Council may authorize some sort of resolution on the transfer of power?
Spokesman: That issue of a Security Council resolution is under consideration now by the Security Council and I can’t predict the timing of it. The sovereignty issue is something that Iraqis are going to have to sort out for themselves in consultation with the Coalition Provisional Authority. Mr. Brahimi is hoping to help in that process. But I would not have a specific view to give you as a UN view on the sovereignty question today. Mark?
Question: You mentioned Mr. Roed-Larsen’s briefing to the Council, I just wanted to clarify. So does the UN Secretary-General advocate –- and I am trying to understand in exactly what form –- this international supervision of a security arrangement? Are we talking about an international force for the withdrawal from Gaza? Is the UN advocating an international force or is advocating maybe some monitors? Or is this just at the level of Mr. Roed-Larsen suggesting things and the Secretary-General hasn’t taken a position yet? I am just interested in trying to find out what exactly is being advocated here.
Spokesman: No, I think the United Nations position has been for some time that an international presence could be helpful. I don’t think we’re ready to publicly suggest a specific form. That would be for the Security Council to consider. So, I think what’s being put forward by Mr. Larsen is a position we have advocated before. It’s in the form of a general idea and should the Council have an interest in exploring this further, then I think we could get down to more specific recommendations.
Thank you very much. Enjoy your weekend.
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