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.

Good afternoon.

**Guests at Noon – NPT Review Conference

Our guest today will be Mr. Abe, who is to my left, who is the Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs; and we also expect Ambassador Queiroz Duarte, the President-elect of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.  And they will be available to take your questions as soon as I am done with this briefing.

Please note that the NPT Review Conference will get under way at 10:30 on Monday morning in the General Assembly Hall.  At approximately 11 a.m., the Secretary-General will speak, followed by Mohamed ElBaradei, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.  But Ambassador Duarte and Mr. Abe will tell you more about the Conference after the briefing.

**Security Council

Earlier today, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for resolution 1559, Terje Roed-Larsen, presented his report to the Security Council.

The visible withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and Damascus’s official notification that it had removed all its troops, military assets and intelligence apparatus is a momentous event, Roed-Larsen said.

Roed-Larsen noted that the verification of the withdrawal was going to be completed by a UN team, which is already on the ground.

The Secretary-General, Roed-Larsen said, has also assigned a very high priority to the matter of Lebanese parliamentary elections, which should be held on time and without delay.  Roed-Larson informed Council members that next week a team of UN electoral advisors would be travelling to Lebanon to assist the Government with the elections.

In closing, Roed-Larsen said that the United Nations believes that a full implementation of all requirements of the resolution would help enable the people of Lebanon and of the entire region to begin setting aside the enchaining and constraining vestiges of a captive past.  And the full text of Roed-Larsen’s remarks is available upstairs.

**Secretary-General on Iraq

As you probably are all aware, the Secretary-General, spoke to reporters just a few minutes ago.  I won’t go into detail of all that he’s already said, but I will note his comments on Iraq.  The Secretary-General said that he was happy that at last there is a government in Iraq, but added that it was unfortunate that the designation of a government coincided with the atrocities that took place earlier today.

“I appeal to all Iraqis to desist from these violent acts”, he said.  “The people deserve better.  They want to get on with their lives.”  He added that the international community should do everything it can to assist the Iraqis in creating a society that is inclusive and participatory.

And we’ll be typing up the full text of the Secretary-General’s remarks.

**Liberia

This past week, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations received information concerning a number of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel serving with the UN mission in Liberia.  The allegations range from the exchange of goods, money or services for sex to the sexual exploitation of a minor. 

Preliminary investigations under way by the Mission have indicated that some of the allegations have been substantiated, while others have not.  The Peacekeeping Department here in New York, as well as the Mission on the ground, are taking appropriate follow-up action.  The Peacekeeping Department has been in touch with the relevant troop-contributing countries to inform them of the allegations and to seek their full cooperation. 

The United Nations treats this issue with the utmost seriousness.  And, as we continue to clamp down on misconduct throughout all peacekeeping missions, it is likely that the number of allegations will increase.  While the information we have received is still preliminary, as in some cases, the Peacekeeping Department can be contacted directly for further information.

**Statement Attributable to Spokesman for Secretary-General

I have an appointment to announce by the Secretary-General:

“The Secretary-General has appointed former President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique as his Special Envoy for Guinea-Bissau.  His task will be to facilitate peaceful and credible presidential elections in that country on 19 June 2005 as an important step along a transition towards full restoration of constitutional order and stability.”  The statement is available upstairs.

**Nepal

Turning to Nepal, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says that it will deploy a group of eight human rights monitors and support staff to Nepal early next month.  They would join human rights staff already in that country, bringing the total to 12.  These staffers, in turn, would lead the way for the deployment of a larger contingent in the coming weeks and months.

The deployment in Nepal is the result of the agreement signed between the Office and the Nepalese Government on 11 April.  The operation would be headed by Ian Martin, a former Secretary-General of Amnesty International, who, among other positions, has also served as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in East Timor.

**Togo

Updating the situation in Togo, the number of refugees fleeing insecurity in that country has risen to nearly 6,000 in Benin and more than 600 in Ghana, according to the UN refugee agency.  And we have more information upstairs.

**Yemen - Polio

According to the World Health Organization, in Yemen today, 18 new cases of polio were announced, ending the country’s polio-free status and causing experts to fear that the number of cases will rise in the immediate future.  Teams from the World Health Organization, together with Yemeni health authorities, are working on investigating and controlling the outbreak, as well as planning for supplementary immunization activities.  A new vaccine will be used for the first time to curb this outbreak.  And a press release is available upstairs.

**The Week Ahead at United Nations

Today being Friday, we have The Week Ahead.

**Counter-Terrorism

A couple of items I’d like to flag.  On Monday, the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate, Javier Ruperez, will lead a group of counter-terrorism experts on a five-day visit to Kenya.  The visit is the second in a series of country visits following, in the middle of March, to Morocco.

**Guests at Noon – Monday

On Monday, our guests will be François Dureau, the Chief of the Situation Centre in the Peacekeeping Department, and Margaret Carey, Principal Officer in the Africa Division.  And they will give you an update on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

**Press Conferences – This Afternoon

At 2 p.m., the Foreign Minister of Finland will brief you on the Helsinki Process.

At 6:10 this evening, Japan’s Foreign Affairs Minister, together with Ambassador Oshima, as well as the Spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will hold a press conference to discuss Security Council reform.

We had advised you that at 3 o’clock there would be a background briefing on the Secretary-General speech to the NPT.  That is still not yet confirmed.  But we will let you know, obviously, before three if that happens.

And that’s it from me.  Sylviane?

[The Associate Spokesman later announced that the background briefing had been cancelled]

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Could you please elaborate on the electoral team going to Lebanon?  Do you have the four names of the advance party?

Associate Spokesman:  No, we do not yet have the names of the people.  They will be staffers from the UN’s Electoral Assistance Division.  And they will be going there to assist the Government of Lebanon in whatever way they can with the holding of parliamentary elections.

Question:  No names?

Associate Spokesman:  No, not yet.  No names.

Question:  And do you know when they will be going?

Associate Spokesman:  They will go next week.  Yes?

Question:  Regarding Liberia, can you give more details about what the allegations are that have been substantiated?  Just confirm when Mr. Klein is going to leave, whether he is leaving partly because of this and whether the UN has a replacement for Mr. Klein?

Associate Spokesman:  No.  We’re working on a replacement for Mr. Klein.  The reason for his departure, as I understand it, it’s the end of his contract.  I do not have further details.  The Peacekeeping Department gave me what they had.  They’re obviously actively looking into these allegations, some which came up because of a hotline on these issues the mission had set up.  And others came to light through press reports.  So, they are actively looking into the allegations.  Yes?

Question:  Just a little further on that, does the UN consider that Mr. Klein has done an admirable job in Liberia? 

Associate Spokesman:  Mr. Klein is leaving with the thanks of the Organization for the work he has done.

Question:  Has he done a good job in Liberia according to the Organization, and are you happy with the work he’s done?

Associate Spokesman:  Yes, we’re happy with the work he’s done.

Question:  Steph, I know you were asked about it yesterday, this is to answer this question about Mr. Strong.  Can you please check whether, that he had hired his daughter or stepdaughter as his special assistant at one point in time and that she was in employment until recently?  And that (inaudible) the UN rules as to gave him the (Inaudible) of the rules to hire his daughter?  That’s No. 1.  No.2, of course, the question is that the situation, as it is in the Korean peninsula, is getting from bad to worse.  Does the Secretary-General intend to appoint somebody else in Mr. Strong’s place, since he is involved in so many situations at this point in time?

Associate Spokesman:  It has come to our knowledge that Mr. Strong did hire his stepdaughter, which is in violation of UN staff regulations.  We’re actively looking into the matter at this point.  I don’t have anything for you on that.

Question:  (Inaudible question)?

Associate Spokesman:  Sorry?

Question:  (Inaudible)...what action is being taken at this point in time?

Associate Spokesman:  Yes.  And on your second point, as I said, currently the Department of Political Affairs is following the Korea file and if travel is needed, they will be able to send people to the region.  Yes, sir?

Question:  Stéphane, will you give some comments on the recent talks between ChinesePresidentHu Jintao and the Taiwanoppositionleader Lien Chan, yesterday?

Associate Spokesman:  No.  I don’t have any guidance on that, but I’d be happy to find something for you.  Yes, James?

Question:  A couple of questions on Mr. Strong.  First of all, can you give us the name, dates and position of the stepdaughter who was hired?  And secondly, my old question which I can’t seem to get answered, whether Mr. Strong played any role in advising the Secretary-General to appoint Mr. Volcker to head the Volcker commission?

Associate Spokesman:  On your second question, I have nothing to add to the way I have already answered the question to you.  As to the details of her hiring, that is all being looked at at this point.

Question:  Can you give us the factual basis.  What was she hired as, which years was she hired and what her name is?

Associate Spokesman:  Her name is Christina Mayo and she was hired to work on his staff.  And that’s all the information I have.  Yes?

Question:  Steph, I am more confused about Paul Volcker’s decision to try to establish diplomatic immunity for his employers or people, in fact, who have recently left the investigation.  Is that something that the United Nations was involved in organizing?  I mean, ultimately it is up to the United Nations to organize diplomatic immunity.  Why is that happening?  Can you explain the position?

Associate Spokesman:  We’re looking into the details of the diplomatic immunity as it may extend to Mr. Volcker’s staff.  So, I hope to have something for you this afternoon.

Question:  Is that something, though, that you’re orchestrating with the Volcker investigation to try to...  I mean, it looks to me from the outside, it looks as an attempt to cover up things.

Associate Spokesman:  The issue of diplo..., you know, the functional diplomatic immunity, functional immunity belongs to the Organization.  It’s not something that is being orchestrated.  But our Legal Affairs Department is looking into the issue.

Question:  But what would be the reason to do something like that?

Associate Spokesman:  They either have it or they don’t.  So, I will establish for you a bit later on this afternoon what the facts are in terms of the immunity.  Yes, Mark?  [He later said that immunity is the best guarantee of independence, and all Volcker staff have it.]

Question:  I asked you a couple of days ago whether the UN was aware of any other SRSG’s with business interests in the areas to which they are appointed?  So far I haven’t had any reply on that.  Maybe I have to be more specific then.  Has the UN looked into Mr. Rizali’s business interests in the areas to which he is doing his job?

Associate Spokesman:  I think that issue came up a few years ago, and I can pull up, I can give you the answer right after the briefing.  Yes, James?  [He later said that matter was investigated and no conflict of interest was found.]

Question:  Is it true that the Secretary-General went to the wedding of the investigator who resigned, shortly before she resigned from the Paul Volcker commission?

Associate Spokesman:  I don’t know, and I am not briefed on Secretary-General’s social appointments.  Any other questions?  Yes?

Question: Yes.  I am going back to this issue of immunity.  For the sake of transparency, something which Mark Malloch Brown has spoken about and Louise Fréchette also at one point was talking about.  They even, at one point, at a briefing -- at separate times, obviously -- mentioned something to the effect that UN personnel would probably be willing to come forward and talk to the media to Congressional people, to others to try to flush this whole thing out.  But, now we’re getting signs from Volcker’s committee that they want to brush the whole thing under the carpet, and get diplomatic immunity.  Isn’t that...(Interrupted)?

Associate Spokesman:  I think that is a question about what Mr. Volcker is doing or not doing.  It’s a question for him.  Any request to lift the functional immunity of anyone who has it would be studied.  But we’d have to get a request before I can give you an answer.

Question:  Was that part of the initial arrangement with Volcker’s investigation that his employees would have diplomatic immunity?

Associate Spokesman:  As I said, I will get guidance for you on the issue of diplomatic immunity of his investigators.

Question:  Stéphane, after Benon Sevan’s statement yesterday, can you clarify for us who promised him his legal fees reimbursed?  Was it Iqbal Riza, as we were told?  Or was it Mark Malloch Brown, as Mr. Sevan seems to suggest?

Associate Spokesman: There had been verbal discussions between Mr. Sevan and the previous Chef de Cabinet.  And there were also, as you are well aware, written correspondence between the current Chief of Staff and Mr. Volcker’s, excuse me, Mr. Sevan’s lawyer.  There had been commitments made to him to pay for his legal fees in line with common practice in some corporations and some Governments.  After the Volcker panel released its negative findings against him, there had been a commitment to pay for his legal fees up until the release of those negative findings against him, in which he violated staff rules and the Charter.  A decision was then made, taking into account a number of factors, that the UN would no longer pay for any of his legal fees, and that...(Interrupted).

Question:  Stéphane, my question is who made the first written promise to Mr. Sevan to pay his legal fees?

Associate Spokesman:  If you listened to what I just told you; I said that there had been verbal communication between Mr. Riza and Mr. Sevan.  And there has been written communication between Mr. Malloch Brown...(Interrupted).

Question:  Was that written communication at the time that Mark Malloch Brown was the Chief of Staff?  Or was that at the time before he was Chief of Staff?

Associate Spokesman:  Any written communication between Mark Malloch Brown and Mr. Sevan’s lawyer would have had to be while he was Chief of Staff, because he would have had no authority otherwise.  Yes?

Question:  Steph, the Secretary-General, at this point is not even looking to replace Mr. Strong.  Am I to understand that...(Interrupted)?

Associate Spokesman:  You have asked me this question before, you know.  As of ten minutes ago, the position hasn’t changed.  Yes?

Question:  It would be terrific to hear from Mark Malloch Brown about what was said vis-à-vis Mr. Sevan, maybe directly.  Maybe he could come down here and talk to us.  But, I have a question.  We heard reports that he had, when he was  wearing the hat as UNDP chief, had recommended to Benon Sevan to take the line of action that the UN would cover his legal costs.  Can you comment on that?

Associate Spokesman:  I am not aware the content of personal conversations he may have had.  I mean, the point is the decision not to pay his legal fees currently stands and that position is not changing.

Question:  What would it take to change the Secretary-General’s position on keeping Mr. Sevan on a one-dollar-a-year contract?  Apparently, Mr. Sevan is scared that if he does an interview with Time magazine, the Secretary-General will retaliate by lifting his one-dollar-a-year contract.  Is that true or will the Secretary-General not lift his one-dollar-a-year contract?

Associate Spokesman:  I am not aware of any threats or retaliation ... (Interrupted).

Question:  The question is what’s the Secretary-General’s position on the one-dollar-a-year contract?  Is it indefinite?  Or until the end of the Volcker investigation or what?

Associate Spokesman:  The dollar-a-year contract remains and ensures Mr. Sevan’s cooperation with the Volcker panel.  There were charges, as you know, a charge letter sent to Mr. Sevan.  I am waiting to get an update from the Office of Human Resources to find out where that process, internal UN charge process, stands.  And I will get you an update as soon as I can.

Question:  Can you find out what the position is and how long that
one-dollar-a-year contract is envisioned as lasting?

Associate Spokesman:  Well, at least as long as the Volcker enquiry is in place.  Thank you very much.

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