Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

 

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Martin Nesirky, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Secretary-General at Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

As you will have seen, the Secretary-General opened the Review Conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) this morning, saying that the world’s people expect action to protect them from the destructive power of nuclear weapons and to build a safer, more secure world.

Clearly, the timing of the briefing puts us up against possibly a bigger crowd puller, but later today you can expect a readout from the Secretary-General’s meeting with Iranian President [Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad.  And my team and I are available, as always, to answer any questions you may have.  Simply come and find us at our office or give us a call.

**Secretary-General’s Appointments

I do have three appointments that I wish to announce -- three appointments made by the Secretary-General, and they have been announced today. 

The first is that Heraldo Muñoz of Chile has been appointed Assistant Secretary-General and Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Mr. Muñoz will replace Rebeca Grynspan, who has been appointed as United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of UNDP.

Secondly, Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands has been named as Assistant Secretary-General, and Assistant Administrator and Director of the Partnerships Bureau of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Ms. Kaag will replace Bruce Jenks, who has retired from service after a long and distinguished career with UNDP.

And finally, Ivan Šimonovic of Croatia has been appointed as Assistant Secretary-General to head the New York Office of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).  Mr. Šimonovic is the first person to hold this new post, which was approved by the General Assembly in December 2009.

We have more information on all three of these appointments in my office.

**Press Encounters

And just to make sure that everybody knows about some of the press encounters that are coming up today.

At 1 p.m. the Foreign Minister of Spain, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, will speak to correspondents at the General Assembly stakeout position. 

At 2:45 p.m. today the Foreign Minister of Australia, Stephen Smith, will speak to correspondents at the same place, the General Assembly stakeout position.

And then at 4:30 p.m., at the same place, the Foreign Minister of Canada, Lawrence Cannon, will speak to correspondents.

And then at 5:20 p.m., US Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton will speak to correspondents at the Security Council stakeout position.

So, that’s what I have.  If there are no questions?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Is there any update as to when the Secretary-General’s report on Georgia will be available?

Spokesperson:  Well, you know that the United Nations no longer has its Mission, and therefore it would not present a regular report on a mission that no longer exists.  However, as you know, the Secretary-General remains briefed on the situation in the region, and I am sure that he will also ensure that Security Council members are briefed if they so wish.

So, anything else?  Okay, thank you very much.  And as I said, I am very happy to take any questions, as are my colleagues, should there be any during the day.  Thank you very much.

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For information media • not an official record