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 Stephane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Thank you all, and good afternoon.  If I could ask you please to all turn off your cell phones.  And pardon for this delay.

**Guest at Noon

Our guest at the briefing will be Ms. Anna Tibaijuka, the Executive Director of the UN Human Settlements Programme, known as UN-HABITAT.  And she will be joining us in just a few minutes to brief on water and sanitation, in relation to human settlements.

**Secretary-General Appointments

I have a couple of new important appointments to announce today, the head of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, as well as the UN Controller.

Concerning OIOS, the Secretary-General has requested the General Assembly today to approve the appointment of Ms. Inga-Britt Ahlenius of Sweden, for a five-year non-renewable term as the head of the Office of Internal Oversight Services.  The effective date of the appointment will be communicated to the General Assembly at a later stage.

Concerning the Controller, the Secretary-General has decided to appoint Mr. Warren Sach of the United Kingdom as Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts.  And he will be replacing Jean-Pierre Halbwachs, who retired in February.

We have biographies of both of these appointments available upstairs.

**Togo Statement

I have a statement on the situation in Togo:

“Following last weekend’s fatal clashes between supporters and opponents of the ruling party in Togo, the Secretary-General urgently calls on leaders from across the political spectrum to avoid any actions or statements that could incite or contribute to violence before, during, or after the presidential vote scheduled for 24 April.

“The Secretary-General believes the election provides Togo with a chance to emerge from a difficult political transition as a united and peaceful nation.  In light of the many concerns already raised about the electoral process, he urges authorities to do all within their power to ensure that citizens are able to vote freely and peacefully to ensure a credible and transparent outcome.

“He reiterates the UN’s readiness, following a peaceful electoral process, to work with all segments of the society to promote national reconciliation and socio-economic development.”

**Pope Statement

We also released yesterday a statement relating to the new Pope, Pope Benedict XVI:

“The Secretary-General congratulates His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his assumption of the papacy.  His Holiness brings a wealth of experience to this exalted office.

“The United Nations and the Holy See share a strong commitment to peace, social justice, human dignity, religious freedom and mutual respect among the world’s religions.

“The Secretary-General looks forward to the contributions His Holiness the Pope will make in strengthening those values.  He wishes Pope Benedict XVI every strength and courage as he takes on his formidable responsibilities.”

**Commission on Sustainable Development

In opening remarks today to the high-level segment of the Commission on Sustainable Development, Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette said that the Commission -- more than anywhere else in the world of international organizations -- was where the imperatives of global economic growth, poverty reduction, and ecosystem protection converged.  She also said that it was in the Commission that the complex interdependence of the Millennium Development Goals could be seen most profoundly.  And we have the full text available upstairs of her remarks.

This afternoon, the Deputy Secretary-General is scheduled to address a working lunch hosted by Sweden on the link between Johannesburg and the Millennium Review Summit.  And we have embargoed copies of her remarks that she will deliver at the luncheon, as well.

And in related news, Mikhail Gorbachev, who was just here, and Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will be here at 12:45 tomorrow afternoon to brief you on water and sanitation issues.  The briefing will be moderated by Ambassador John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda, the Chairman of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

**Security Council

Turning to Security Council affairs, the Council today received a briefing from Ambassador Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg of Brazil on the Council’s recent working mission to Haiti -- which the Ambassador led.

The Council also adopted unanimously a resolution on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, which extends the deadline for nominations of ad litem judges for 30 days.  Copies of the resolution are available upstairs.

**Sudan

In Sudan, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative there, Jan Pronk, today met the Sudanese Government’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mustafa Ismail.

The main issues they discussed were the Status-of-Forces Agreement and the results of the Oslo Donors’ Conference, which Pronk had attended.

Before returning to Sudan, Pronk had stopped in Paris, where he met government officials -- including the Foreign Minister, Michel Barnier -- and discussed ways and means by which the French Government could support the humanitarian activities of the UN in Sudan, as well as the deployment of the UN Mission in Sudan, and also support for the African Union mission in Darfur.

We have more upstairs on Sudan.

**Côte d’Ivoire – Weapons Pullback

On Côte d’Ivoire, the UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire reports that the Government’s troops, the Forces de défence et securité de Côte d’Ivoire, and the armed forces of the main rebel group, Force nouvelle, will start withdrawing their heavy weaponry from the frontline on 21 April.

The UN operation has welcomed the move as a strong signal that the sides are following closely the Security Council’s resolution and the Pretoria Agreement.  The withdrawal operation will continue until 24 April, we’re told.

**Nepal

A couple of more items, on Nepal, the UN Children’s Fund has condemned the recent bombings of private schools in Nepal.  The bombings follow a call by the Maoists for all private schools to close indefinitely from 15 April.

And we have more upstairs in a statement from the UNICEF Representative in Nepal.

**Third Meeting of Working Group on Internet Governance

The third meeting of the Working Group on Internet Governance, which concluded today in Geneva, made headway on assessing the adequacy of current governance arrangements and started looking at recommendations for action.

Discussions focused on key public policy issues related to the use of the Internet, such as spam, network security and cybercrime, as well as on issues related to the administration of Internet names and addresses, as well as the root-server system.

The Working Group decided to produce a text for online discussion, with the goal of finalizing the draft at its next meeting in June. 

The final report of the Working Group should be submitted to the Secretary-General in July, and then be taken up by Member States at the Tunis phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, which takes place in November.

**Maurice Strong

Regarding some questions you had yesterday on Maurice Strong, he has informed the Secretary-General that he will defer any further action on his Korean assignment until the question of his association with TongsunPark is clarified and resolved, which he hopes will be done expeditiously.

The Secretary-General agrees that this is the appropriate thing to do.

**Diplomatic Immunity

We also yesterday issued a note to correspondents in response to unanswered questions at the noon briefing, including one on diplomatic immunity.  And I just have some clarifications on that, and if you will bear with me because it is a legal issue and rather complicated, as legal issues tend to be.

This relates to Mr. Strong’s diplomatic immunity.  An Under-Secretary-General has full diplomatic immunity, we said, but an Under-Secretary-General paid on a “when actually employed” would have only functional immunity.

The Office of Legal Affairs would now like to clarify that further, as it applies to Maurice Strong.

There are two ways you could be appointed on a “when actually employed” basis.  You could be given a Special Service Agreement, in which case you would be considered an expert on mission and would have only functional immunity for those days that you were actually working for the UN.

Functional immunity is what all UN officials have, meaning they are immune from legal process for anything that they do in connection with their official functions.

The second way you could get a “when actually employed” contract is with a letter of appointment.  In that case, if you are at the Assistant-Secretary-General level or higher, you would enjoy full diplomatic immunity, but only for those days that you were working for the United Nations.

Full diplomatic immunity is the same as any diplomat enjoys, which means that you would be immune from any legal process.

Maurice Strong was given a letter of appointment, so he would have full diplomatic immunity when he is actually working for us.

That is it for me.  And I am sure you have some questions.

Yes, sir?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Steph, could you comment on the Secretary-General’s decision to delay a final report on Syria’s military withdrawal from Lebanon?

Associate Spokesman:  The report was not so much delayed as it was decided that it would be released at a later date to enable us to include more complete information of what’s going on on the ground, including the formation of a new Lebanese cabinet and the ongoing Syrian troop movements.

While that’s going on, we’re going ahead with preparations for sending a technical team to verify the Syrian troop withdrawal.  However, the verification team’s report will probably not be included in the next report the Secretary-General will send to the Security Council which, as we said yesterday, would be no later than the 26^th.

Yes, Erwin?

Question:  Following up on the topic, there’s a report in the Washington Post that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and French President Jacques Chirac called the Secretary-General to ask him not to delay the report and that the SyrianPresident, Bashar al-Assad, had asked him to delay it.  And I am wondering, looking at your statement and the statements of the Secretary-General, there seems to be, at least, I would call it a sin of omission perhaps, in terms of the details that we’re given and the details that we’re not.  Is the Washington Post article, perhaps, the correct version rather than the UN version that has skirted around all the issues without ever saying what was happening?

Associate Spokesman:  The Secretary-General, it is my understanding, did receive phones calls from Condoleezza Rice, President Chirac, as well as President al-Assad of Syria.  He felt that with the ongoing movements on the ground in Lebanon, including the formation of the new government, the continuation of troop movements; he felt he would have a more complete report if the report went to the Council on the 26^th.

Yes, Louis?

Question:  Stephane, could you go through what you just explained regarding Mr. Strong’s immunity? 

[Interjection from a fellow correspondent]:  I’m sorry, let me just go back a little bit.  The question in briefing yesterday might have been confused.  But it was backwards.  “Can you just confirm or lay to rest allegations that his decision to put off issuing the report was because members of the Council –- the French, the Americans and possibly others –- have leaned on him to delay the report in a timely fashion?”  And your answer was:  “No, the report, I was told, was being delayed for technical reasons and also because of the change in the Lebanese Government.  And it will be out by the 26^th.”  Is that a full answer?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, I think that the answer I am giving you today is probably fuller than what I gave you yesterday.  But it’s only normal that the Secretary-General be in contact with those Member States who are interested in what’s included in the report.

Question:  But why wouldn’t he want to address the request put to him?  Or why wouldn’t the Spokesman want to address the questions put to him by these leaders...(Interrupted)?

Associate Spokesman:  As always from here, we’re able to confirm that phone calls have taken place; these are private conversations between the Secretary-General and those leaders.  I think the reason I am giving you why the report is being released on the 26^th is that the Secretary-General will have a fuller report by then, which includes the developments I have given you.

Question:  Is this going to have any impact on the date of the election?

Associate Spokesman:  I do not believe so.  I mean, I wouldn’t be able to answer that directly.

Louis?

Question:  On the immunity issue, could you explain that in plain English as to what that means regarding his immunity?  And No. 2, when you say that Mr. Strong would defer any assignment on North Korea, would he, however, because I mean, clearly, he advises the Secretary-General on more than just North Korea, doesn’t he?  And if he does, is he going to continue that as...(Interrupted)?

Associate Spokesman:  His current appointment is as Special Envoy on Korea, period.  And he works for us when actually employed when he does missions to Korea.  So, by his decision to defer any further action on his Korean employment, he is, therefore, not working for us.

Question:  Then on the immunity?

Associate Spokesman:  On the immunity, we can go over that after the briefing because it’s legalese and it’s hard to put in plain English.

Yes, James?

Question:  On Mr. Strong, I asked yesterday whether he had made a declaration of his financial interest as Under–Secretaries-General are required to, and whether he had declared investment from Tongsun Park in that declaration.  Were you able to find an answer to that?

Associate Spokesman:  The answer is that, taking what was given to you in writing yesterday, envoys who are employed on a dollar-a-year basis or when actually employed had been routinely exempted from supplying the financial disclosure forms.  In light of what is going on now, the Secretary-General’s office is now re-examining the policy of waiving that financial disclosure for envoys that work on when actually employed and those on a dollar-a-year contract.

Question:  But Mr. Strong was also in 1997 not an envoy.  He was actually an Under-Secretary-General in the Building for a year.  So, at that point, was there something about his status at that point, that exempts him from financial disclosure or not?

Associate Spokesman:  I’d have to check on that.

Question:  I have a follow-up question on that.

Associate Spokesman:  Yes?

Question:  Is the UN, I mean, now it’s blown up in the UN’s face that Mr. Strong had a business relationship with a Korean man, is the UN aware of any other business relationships that Maurice Strong has with people from either North or South Korea, which is a situation he’s been appointed by the UN to deal with on behalf of the UN?

Associate Spokesman:  No.  And I have nothing else to add on Mr. Strong’s status.

Yes, Mark?

Question:  Could you just tell us for clarity’s sake, exactly when Mr. Strong was appointed as North Korea envoy?  I’d be very grateful to discover the process by which he was chosen.  Why he was chosen.  Why he was chosen North Korea envoy.  Was this under any suggestion, for example, from the U.S. State Department?  Was he hired despite, or in the lack of knowledge of, this relationship with TongsunPark, or was he hired because of his relationship with TongsunPark and other Koreans, which then maybe gave him access to the corridors of power to which, in Korea, that the UN would maybe need an envoy to have access to?

Associate Spokesman:  He was appointed because the Secretary-General felt he could do the job.  Like...(Interrupted).

Question:  Why?

Associate Spokesman:  If you could just let me finish my sentence, and then you can question my answer.

He was appointed because the Secretary-General felt he could do the job.  These appointments are the Secretary-General’s decisions, whether or not done under his own name.  And whether or not he was under pressure from one MemberState or another, I don’t know.  The appointment is clear.  He felt he was the best person to do the job.  And I am not aware that we knew of Mr. Strong’s relationship with Mr. Park at the time of his appointment.  And I will get you the exact dates.

Question:  Could we please have why was he appointed to do that job?  What did the UN perceive to be his qualifications to do the job?

Associate Spokesman:  Yes, Mark?

Question:  Steph, earlier, you just said that Mr. Strong would not be...  If you can just explain what he is not going to be doing in terms of not working with Korea, not making trips to Korea.  But when Strong briefed us in February, he said he was making trips between all the parties involved in the six-party talks.  Are his trips going to be continuing, as well?

Associate Spokesman:  What I have said is that he would defer any action on his Korean assignment.

Question:  Okay.  Secondly, was the Secretary-General aware of any business interests, particularly in the field of energy, that Mr. Strong (Inaudible)?

Associate Spokesman:  I have nothing else on Strong.

Yes, Richard?

Question:  I apologize if you were asked this and you answered it yesterday.  But, did Mr. Strong notify the Secretary-General or the UN of his connections with TongsunPark after the indictment was announced by the U.S. attorney on Thursday?  Who knew first?  Or did the UN contact Strong?

Associate Spokesman:  I’ll see if I can get you a timeline on that.

Question: Would the SG, would the UN be disappointed if Mr. Strong did not tell the UN and relay this relationship?

Associate Spokesman:  I think the important thing for us is that Mr. Strong has agreed to step aside on his UN assignment until this matter is clarified.  And we obviously think this is the right thing to do.

Yes, James?

Question:  Who is going to be doing Mr. Strong’s job on his important assignment to Korea while he stepped aside?

Associate Spokesman:  This decision was taken very recently, so, I will... (Interrupted).

Question:  Do you have a replacement’s name?

Associate Spokesman:  I will get you an answer on that.

Yes, Steve?

Question:  Did the Secretary-General ask Mr. Strong to step aside, did he?

Associate Spokesman:  It was Mr. Strong’s decision.

Question:  TongsunPark, did he have any role at all in the fundraising for the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of the UN?

Associate Spokesman:  I am not aware.

Question:  Can you check, please?

Associate Spokesman:  Mark?

Question:  Yes, just to follow up.  Does this mean that the UN’s role in trying to put (inaudible)?

Associate Spokesman:  I have no doubt that we will find somebody to replace Mr. Strong to work on this issue, which is extremely important.

Question:  Has the Secretary-General been in touch with Pyongyang or Seoul about this development?

Associate Spokesman:  Not that I am aware of.

Louis?

Question:  Is the SG planning to meet with Mr. Strong at one point or another?  I understand Mr. Strong is in the Dominican Republic now.  When he comes back, does the Secretary-General have any plans to meet or speak with
Mr. Strong any time soon?

Associate Spokesman:  I believe the Secretary-General did recently speak  -– either last night or, I think Fred may have briefed you on that, yesterday afternoon.  But I know of no plans in future.

Thank you very much.

* *** *