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

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 Stéphane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General, and Michèle Montas, Spokeswoman for the General Assembly President.

Good afternoon.

**Security Council

As you all know by now, yesterday afternoon the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1546 on Iraq, which welcomes a new phase in Iraq’s transition to a democratically elected government.

In the text, Council members also look forward to the end of the occupation, which paves the way for Iraqis to assume “full responsibility and authority” for their country, including decisions on security matters, at the end of the month.

The resolution also spells out a leading role for the UN to help convene a national conference in July to select a Consultative Council, advise and support the new authorities on the process for holding elections, scheduled for January 2005, as well as promote national dialogue and consensus on the drafting of a new constitution.

**Iraq - SG

In comments made to you after the vote, the Secretary-General said he welcomed the resolution and saw it as a genuine expression of the international community to come together to help the Iraqi people take charge of their own political destiny.

He added that the new Iraqi Interim Government has to be given a fair chance and that it will be judged on its performance.  He went on to add that “a great deal is riding on its success, and we should all give it whatever help we can.”

Asked on what basis he would make the decision to send international staff back to Iraq, the Secretary-General said there needed to be an environment that allows reasonable mobility and flexibility for the UN to do its work.  He added that the UN operates in the real world, where there is no such thing as 100 per cent security.  Wherever the UN is, there are risks, he said, but there are certain limits that we have to impose on ourselves.

And his comments were made available to you yesterday as well.

**Security Council

As for today, the Security Council is meeting in closed consultations.

Members were to be briefed by Demetrius Pericos, the Acting Executive Chairman of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission for Iraq.  We flagged his report earlier this week for you.

There is also a briefing on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno.  And I’ll have a bit more on the DRC situation in just a minute.

This afternoon, the Council will reconvene in closed consultations on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

**DRC - Update

Turning to the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo] now, we have reports that the rebel troops of General Laurent Nkunda and Colonel Jules Mutebutsi have withdrawn from Bukavu and that government forces, predominantly Mayi Mayi troops, are now in the city.  No firing has been heard in the city, but there are reports of looting, allegedly both by the troops who have taken over, as well as by Congolese civilians.

General Nkunda’s troops are reported to be back in Goma, while Colonel Mutebutsi and most of his troops (excluding 32 defectors, who are under UN guard) crossed the border into Rwanda early this morning.

While the border with Rwanda remains closed, the UN Mission notes that those civilians who are accompanied to the border are allowed to cross over into Rwanda, where they are met by the UN refugee agency.

In a press release by the UN Mission in the DRC, the Mission stresses that it will continue to provide assistance to the civilian population in Bukavu, in cooperation with the regional authorities and the Transitional Government.

According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, humanitarian agencies expect that both government and rebel forces will facilitate access to civilians in the area so they can resume their assistance to some

3.3 million people, which has largely been suspended due to the recent violence.

**Harvard

The Secretary-General will discuss the importance of multilateralism, and the challenges of collective security, global solidarity and cultural division, tomorrow when he delivers the commencement address at HarvardUniversity, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

He will emphasize that American leaders have understood that true leadership is ultimately based on common values and a shared view of the future, which has proved to be a winning formula over the past 60 years.  He will travel to Cambridge, and return later tomorrow.  And we have copies of the address, which is embargoed until 3 p.m. tomorrow.

**Eritrea

Turning to Eritrea, UN agencies in Eritrea are reporting that growing water shortages are compounding the humanitarian situation there.  There has been a lack of rain across the area in recent weeks and, with water scarce, people have started to migrate in search of alternative water sources and grazing lands for their animals.

**Palestinians

Just one last item for later this month.  The role of civil society in promoting a just and lasting peace in the Middle East will be the subject of an international media seminar organized by the DPI, Department of Public Information, in cooperation with the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing, on 16 and 17 June 2004. 

The two-day meeting will bring together present and former policy-makers from Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, including members of the Knesset and a former Palestinian Minister of Information, as well as civil society representatives, senior United Nations officials, international experts and representatives of the world media.

And that’s it from me.  Before we turn to Michèle, any questions?

**Questions and Answers

Question:   How many countries will be involved in the multinational force?  Any Arab countries?

Associate Spokesman:    I have no information on that.  Since it’s clear the multinational force will be headed by the U.S, I’d turn those questions to the U.S.

Question:   Another question. Qatar today has been transformed into a monarchy.  Any reaction from the UN?

Associate Spokesman:    No.

Question:   No reaction.  Last question.  Why will Mr. Brahimi be speaking at the UNCA Club, instead of in Room 226?

Associate Spokesman:    He is speaking there at the invitation of UNCA.

Question:   It was planned before last week that it was going to be in Room 226.

Associate Spokesman:    I don’t think anything was firm.  And also, I think the advantage of the UNCA Club is that it provides a more informal setting for you to exchange views with him.

Question:   Okay. And the last one.  What is the new role of Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi?

Associate Spokesman:    His new role is the same as his old role.  He remains Special Adviser to the Secretary-General.  His office is just down the corridor from the Secretary-General’s and he will be available to the Secretary-General, as needed, to advise him on whatever issues the Secretary-General feels he needs Mr. Brahimi’s advice on.

Question:   What are the Secretary-General’s concerns about the Kurdistan suggestions about withdrawing from the Interim Government?

Associate Spokesman:    I think the Secretary-General was asked that question yesterday, and I don’t think I want to go beyond what he already said to you on camera.

Thank you.  Michèle?

Spokeswoman for General Assembly President

Merci, Stéphane. Good afternoon, all.

The General Assembly will elect tomorrow Thursday, June 10, the President of the General Assembly for the fifty-ninth session.  By consensus African states have chosen H.E. Mr. Jean PING, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and la Francophonie of the GaboneseRepublic to succeed President Julian R. HUNTE.

For the first time this year, the different committees will also choose their chairman and full bureaus.  All candidates have already been endorsed by their regional groups.  The First Committee that deals with disarmament matters will be chaired by Ambassador Luis Alfonso DE ALBA from Mexico.  The Second Committee, Economic, will be chaired by another Latin American, Mr. Marco BALAREZO, Deputy Permanent Representative ofPeru, as it is the turn of the Latin American and CaribbeanStates to have two Chairmen.  The Special Political Committee will be chaired byAmbassador Kyaw Tint SWE ofMyanmar.  It is expected also that the Third Committee, Social and Humanitarian, will be headed by Ambassador Valery KUCHINSKY ofUkraine, the Fifth, dealing with budget matters, by  Ambassador Don MACKAY ofNew Zealand and the sixth, Legal Affairs, by  the Permanent Representative of Morocco,Mr. Mohamed BENNOUNA.

The 21 Vice-Presidents will also be elected by the full assembly tomorrow:  All have been already endorsed by their regional groups.  A complete list is available on the third floor.  As you know, the five Permanent Members of the Security Council count among the 21 Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly.

As I mentioned earlier, this is the first time that full bureaus are elected in June.  The concern is to create the conditions for a smooth transition between the two sessions of the General Assembly.  In a framework resolution on revitalization, last December, the fifty-eight session had voted on providing the next presidency with five new posts and a temporary office here, which would allow for continuity between the two presidencies.

The fifty-ninth session is scheduled to open on 14 September, but the general debate is expected to start the following week, on 21 September.  So far, 52 heads of State, 21 heads of government and a number of foreign ministers are listed to speak.

In the meantime, efforts towards revitalization of the General Assembly are being actively pursued.  Since the framework resolution in December, the Secretary-General has submitted to the Assembly a series of reports.  Facilitators have been steadily meeting with the presidency on a number of practical steps to make the Assembly a more efficient body.  We are reaching the end of a decisive period and a new resolution will be adopted before the July 1st deadline on the way the business of the Assembly is conducted.  President Julian Hunte will brief you personally in the next few days on what has been achieved in terms of revitalization of the General Assembly and proposed reforms of the Security Council.

President Julian Hunte, who has been travelling extensively in the last few weeks, to Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany and Austria will attend this Friday the official funeral ceremonies for President Ronald Reagan in Washington.  He will travel the next day to Brazil, where he will be the first President of the General Assembly to address the eleventh session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

This is what I have for you today.  Thank you.  Questions?  Yes?

**Questions and Answers

Question:   What do you feel has been the most important, the most significant outcome of President Hunte’s tenure?

Spokeswoman for General Assembly President:     I think, essentially, it has been the efforts towards revitalization of both the General Assembly and reforms of the Security Council.  There have been a number of proposals put forth concerning the way the General Assembly functions.  And it was, as you remember, last September when there was an outcry, everyone saying how inefficient the General Assembly was.  And I think probably his presidency will be marked essentially by those efforts to make the General Assembly a more efficient body. 

And also, I think the accent he has been putting on development matters, which have been illustrated in different meetings that have been held here, high-level meetings.  And he is still working on the 2005 events right now.  And among those events, as you know, we have the Millennium Summit Plus Five, which is being prepared right now by the General Assembly presidency.

Thank you very much.

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