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 Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon,

**Guest

The guest at today’s briefing will be the head of the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relations, former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.  President Cardoso is meeting with the Secretary-General right now, and should be here in a few minutes; and he will be joined by at least one other Panel member that we know of, Kumi Naidoo of South Africa.

President Cardoso presented the Panel’s report this morning, and copies of it are out on the racks today.  In transmitting the report to the General Assembly, the Secretary-General wrote that it is very thoughtful, and said he was particularly pleased that the Panel has proposed a number of concrete measures to increase the participation of civil society representatives from developing countries.  He added that he was delighted that many of the proposals build on the solid progress made at the UN in interacting with civil society in recent years.

**Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism is a good place to start in the fight against intolerance, because, throughout history, it has been a unique manifestation of hatred, intolerance and persecution, the Secretary-General told a seminar on anti-Semitism that opened here this morning.  “In fighting anti-Semitism”, he said, “we fight for the future of all humanity”.

He acknowledged that the UN record on anti-Semitism has at times fallen short of its ideals, calling the 1975 General Assembly resolution that equated Zionism with racism “an especially unfortunate decision”.  He said that he was glad that the resolution has since been rescinded.

The Secretary-General added, “When we seek justice for the Palestinians, as we must, let us firmly disavow anyone who tries to use that cause to incite hatred against Jews, in Israel or elsewhere”.

He also urged the UN human-rights system to explore ways to combat anti-Semitism more effectively in the future. 

And we have copies of his speech in my office.

**SG on Africa

The Secretary-General, in an interview with UN Radio that aired today, said that the situation in Darfur, in western Sudan, is “extremely worrying”.  He warned that, unless we deal with the situation in Darfur, any peace in Sudan “is going to be a fragile peace”.

The Secretary-General said in the interview that he has talked to the Sudanese Government and other governments to deal with the Darfur crisis, and added that he intends to go to Sudan himself shortly.  But he warned that “we should avoid the situations where we allow States to hide behind the Secretary-General, use him as an alibi for their own inaction”.

In the interview, he also discussed the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, AIDS in Africa and the continent’s economic development.

**Sudan

The rainy season, meanwhile has started in Darfur. 

Agencies project that in a matter of weeks, the rains will leave some roads impassable and will transform crowded and unsanitary displacement sites into breeding grounds for communicable diseases such as diarrhoea, measles, meningitis, and malaria.  

In addition to the onset of the rainy season, Government-imposed restrictions continue to hamper deliveries of life-saving services.  Although some steps have been taken to facilitate access in recent weeks, some restrictions still remain, including clearance of vehicles and humanitarian goods from customs and the registration of new non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The security situation continues to hinder aid deliveries.  An increased number of clashes between the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Janjaweed militia have also been reported near El Fasher.

**DRC - Update

The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be highly unstable.  Following the continuing presence of insurgent troops in the east of the country under mutineers General Jules Nkunda and Colonel Jules Mutebutsi, there are reports of a build-up of some 20,000 government troops in the area.  According to the Secretary-General’s Special Representative William Swing, this is the most serious crisis experienced by the DRC’s Transitional Government so far, and it is intensified by the rhetoric emerging from both the DRC and Rwanda.

A number of high-level diplomatic efforts by African, European and U.S. leaders are underway to defuse the tension and set up a joint verification mechanism along the DRC-Rwanda border.  President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique was in Kinshasa over the weekend, as was Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, and South African President Thabo Mbeki warned that the build-up of troops could lead to war.  A delegation of the Southern African Development Community is expected later this week. 

In an interview with UN Radio, which is being aired today, the Secretary-General expressed his concern about developments in the DRC.  He said, “If we are not able to stabilize the situation and the Congo were to revert back into violence or anarchy the whole region will pay a price”. 

He added that this is why the UN is focusing so much attention on the DRC and noted that he hoped it would be discussed with all the leaders concerned at the African Union Summit in early July.

**Security Council Mission

Representatives of 14 Security Council Member States are on their way to Accra, Ghana, the first stop on a seven-nation mission to West Africa.

The mission, led by British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry, is scheduled to visit Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria from 20 to 29 June.

While in Accra, the delegation is expected to meet with the Executive Director of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mohammed Ibn Chambas, and President John Kufuor of Ghana.

After overnighting in Accra, the mission is expected to travel to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire, where Ambassador Jones Parry has said the Council would convey a fairly tough message on the need for all parties to live up to their responsibilities and to keep the national reconciliation process on track.

**Security Council

There are no meetings or consultations of the Security Council as a whole scheduled for today.

**Afghanistan

On Afghanistan, Jean Arnault, the head of the UN Mission in Afghanistan, today told reporters in Kabul that events over the past three weeks have demonstrated that security in Afghanistan isn’t improving and that volatility there has increased.

He said that the time is now for the international community to assist the Afghan people on security matters, and issued a strong invitation to NATO Member States to take into account the importance of security in promoting a democratic agenda in the country.

We have transcripts of his press conference from today, as well as yesterday’s briefing notes from Kabul upstairs.

**Torch

As you know, this past Saturday the Olympic Torch made its way to the United Nations carried by two young runners chosen by UNICEF.

In remarks to some 300 spectators who had gathered for the ceremony, the Secretary-General said the Olympic Movement and the United Nations share a number of ideals, such as equality, understanding, tolerance and hope.

Attending the ceremony were New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Greek Minister of Culture and the head of the Athens Game Olympic Committee.

The full text of the Secretary-General’s remarks is available upstairs.

**Refugee Day

Also yesterday was World Refugee Day, and the Secretary-General marked the occasion by saying that the overwhelming majority of the 17 million people living under the UN Refugee Agency’s protection desperately want to return to their homes.  He noted that last year alone, 1.1 million refugees returned home.

We have copies of his message upstairs.

**Population

A new global survey by the UN Population Fund shows that reproductive health and rights are becoming an integral part of the national agendas in an increasing number of countries, and more policy makers are committed to safe motherhood.

According to the survey, more than 90 per cent of countries have integrated family planning and safe motherhood into their primary health care systems.  A similar percentage has taken measures to address adolescent reproductive health, including integrating reproductive health education into school curricula.  We have a press release with more information on that upstairs.

**UNEP-Bayer Partnership

The United Nations Environment Programme has entered a one million euro yearly partnership with German-based chemicals and health-care company Bayer AG to support the agency’s global strategy to involve young people in environmental issues.

The initiative is called “Tunza” -- a Kiswahili word meaning to treat with care or affection -- and aims to engage young people in UNEP’s work, increasing their participation in sustainable development issues.  And there is a press release on that.

**Press Conference Tomorrow

Press Conference tomorrow:  Mr. John Ruggie, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Global Compact, will brief you here at 11 a.m. on the Global Compact Summit, which will be held at UN Headquarters on Thursday of this week.

**Press Conference Today

And a press conference this afternoon, Mrs. Delia Domingo Albert, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, will be here at 1 p.m. to brief you on the Security Council open debate on the role of civil society in post-conflict peace building.  The Council debate on this issue will take place tomorrow.

That’s all I have for you.  Yes, Edie?

**Questions and Answers

Question:   Fred, does the Secretary-General, has he done anything about appealing or been in contact with anyone about appealing for the life of this South African [she meant Korean] businessman who is being held hostage in Saudi Arabia, and does he have any comment on it?

Spokesman:  I’d have to see... I didn’t get his phone record this morning.  So, I’d have to check whether he has taken any initiatives on that.  I honestly don’t know.  I’ll try to find out and get back to you after the briefing.

Question:   Okay.  And has he done anything about the hostage taking?

Spokesman:  Well, he is obviously concerned at this recent trend of hostage taking, including in Iraq.  It doesn’t bode well for the peaceful transition that we’re trying to support in Iraq.  And of course, any such instances in surrounding countries are equally destabilizing for the region.  So, I’ll see if I can give you anything more specific after the briefing.  Tony?

Question:   A kind of follow-up actually, on behalf of a South Korean colleague who couldn’t make it.  He wanted to know if the SG has done anything on the South Korean hostage who has been kidnapped in Iraq and is there any contact with the South Korean Government or any of their missions?

Spokesman:  Again, I don’t know about what contacts he’s had.  He’s aware of these incidents.  He condemns, of course, all acts of hostage taking.  They can have no justification.  They only undermine the restoration of peace and security in Iraq and he strongly appeals for the immediate and safe release of Mr. Kim Sun-Il.  Yes, Mr. Abbadi?

Question:   Fred, there were reports that the mission in the DRC was using force against the rebels and siding with the government.  Could you clarify that?

Spokesman:  I’d have to check the precise reports that we received from the mission on that.  I can’t give you anything off the top of my head. [The Spokesman later noted that there had been an incident on Sunday, in which a military patrol from the UN Mission in the DRC had come under fire from rebel forces in Kamanyola, near the eastern town of Bukavu.  A UN helicopter had been called in and warning shots had been fired at the rebel forces, which had then dispersed.  No casualties were reported.  This action was fully authorized within MONUC s mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to take the necessary action to protect UN personnel, facilities, installations and equipment, and to ensure the security and freedom of movement of its personnel.]

Question:   Does the Secretary-General agree with all the recommendations that the Panel of Eminent Persons recommended?

Spokesman:  I haven't heard him attach any reservations to them.  He very warmly welcomed the report, as I already mentioned to you.  So, I think that’s a wholehearted endorsement.  Richard?

Question:   Can you elaborate on the SG’s comments.  You mentioned that he told UN Radio that the Member States should not hide behind the
Secretary-General on this Sudan issue?

Spokesman:  I don’t think that needs much elaboration.  We do have the transcript that UN Radio provided us, and you can pick it up in my office if you’d like to see what else he said in that interview.  Yes?

Question:   Regarding the Korean hostage, would it be too dangerous or has the UN considered trying to play a role as negotiator in this ongoing tragedy?

Spokesman:  We have not, to my knowledge, attempted to negotiate in this case, nor have we been asked to.  Yes, Richard?

Question:   Is the SG going to try to negotiate something between Chad and Sudan regarding the refugees?  What’s the purpose of the trip in that area, besides seeing first-hand, the camps?

Spokesman:  Well, the situation in Darfur in western Sudan potentially could undermine the entire peace process in the Sudan.  The Secretary-General has declined to attach a label to what might be going on there.  But the reports are serious enough that he would like to see first-hand as much as he can, and to speak to the two Governments involved.  The access issue for our humanitarian workers who are trying to deal with the refugees and the displaced, still prevents us from doing our work the way we’d like to do it.  I think these are basic issues he’d like to raise with both Governments.  Yes?

Question:   Just to follow up.  Al-Jazeera has been the exclusive news agency that, when these hostages are taken, seems to get first credit.  Could not, through Al-Jazeera here in New York, could there not become a way to let the UN try to be diffuser of these fatal end results?  There seems to be no way to put some sort of negotiations (inaudible), it’s either like off with the head or pull out of the country.  And that’s obviously not a possibility in any country’s viewpoint to be held hostage.  Can the UN not serve that role with Al-Jazeera here in New York?

Spokesman:  I am sure he is aware of his options, and I...(interrupted)

Question:   Who is “he”?

Spokesman:  The Secretary-General is aware his options and he will take that under advisement.  Yes, Richard.

Question:   After the Secretary-General left this morning’s anti-Semitism panel there was a rather blistering criticism of the Secretary-General and the UN by Anne Bayefsky, human rights activist and professor.  I wondered if you had any response.  Shashi, who moderated, did not really respond, but she said the SG had really not spoken out enough against anti-Semitism and allowed the house, the UN to be full of discrimination, whether it’s on Jordan and other issues.  I wonder if there was a response to her attacks.

Spokesman:  I think today’s event is such a response.  The information department is launching a series of discussions, like the one that’s taking place today, on intolerance.  And I think the fight against intolerance has been at the top of this Secretary-General’s agenda for seven and half years, and his record shows that.

Question:   I know there have been other anti-Semitism panels or groups; this one seems to be more, very specific on Israel or Judaism.  I wondered how this one was assembled or is there another one coming up?  Do you know?  Different panel, different group?

Spokesman:  There are at least two other events planned as part of this series.  I think the second one is going to be on Islam-phobia.  And I am not sure what the third one is, but the idea is to sensitize people to the sources of intolerance and to attack that problem at the source.  Yes?

Question:   Can you confirm the latest report from Beijing?  It’s about UN envoy, Mr. Strong.  He met Kim Jong-il and [inaudible] to UN agree to provide some energy and economic assistance?

Spokesman:  I’d have to check with our people here.  We don’t always get detailed reports in advance of Mr. Strong’s activities.  So, let me call the relevant office and see what they can tell us about what he might be up to.  Yes, David?

Question:   Fred, just to follow up on that, Mr. Strong was in the region last month.  Do you have any details of his mission when he went there and what sort of table-setting that might have included on the upcoming talks six-party talks?

Spokesman:  Well, you know one of his objectives is to facilitate those talks and a peaceful diplomatic solution to the issue of North Korea’s nuclear programme.  But again, I’d have to check to see what more specific details I can get for you.  Yes, Ma’am?

Question:   I wanted to know about the deadline for the South Korean citizen being held captive in Iraq.  Didn’t somebody what try to contact the (inaudible)Secretary’s office to see if something could be done at this late hour, even thought it’s very close to the deadline?  And of course, Korea is expected to send in more troops into Iraq.  Can’t anything be done to save this man’s life?

Spokesman:  I am sure if the Secretary-General could make a difference he would try.  And as I have already told you, I have not been given any specific information about our involvement to date.  I’ll ask after the briefing to see if there is anything more I can give you. [The Spokesman later added that the UN had not been contacted about negotiating for the hostages’ release.]

Very well, shall we go to President Cardoso?

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