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 Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon and apologies for being late as usual.

**Noon Briefing Guests

Right after this briefing, I will be joined here by the Spokeswoman for the President of the General Assembly, Afaf Konja.  She will brief you on the forthcoming high-level event of the General Assembly on the “Contributions of North-South, South-South, Triangular Cooperation, and ICT for Development to the implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda”, and that meeting will take place later this month.

Immediately after that, we will hear from Dr. Kim Eva Dickson of UNICEF, Senior Adviser of Maternal and Newborn Health, and Professor Joy Lawn of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who are the co-authors of the new Lancet’s “Every Newborn Series”.

**Secretary-General in China

As you know, the Secretary-General is back in Shanghai, where he met today with His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, on the margins of the Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.  They exchanged views on how to address current challenges to international peace and security, in particular the situations in Ukraine and Syria.

On Ukraine, the Secretary-General and President Putin agreed that the crisis can only be resolved politically and through an inclusive political dialogue.  The Secretary-General noted that the forthcoming presidential elections are an opportunity to move forward towards long-term peace and stability in the country.

On Syria, the Secretary-General and President Putin discussed opportunities for a long-overdue political solution and the urgent need to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Noting the imperative for a legal agreement on climate change by the end of next year, the Secretary-General reiterated his invitation to world leaders to attend the September 2014 Climate Summit in New York.  The Secretary-General also offered condolences for today’s train accident in Russia and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

Before being in Shanghai, as of now, the Secretary-General began his day in Beijing, where he visited the headquarters of Xinhua News Agency.  The Secretary-General later held talks with Ding Xuedong, chairman of the China Investment Corporation, the country’s sovereign wealth fund.  The Secretary-General then travelled to Shanghai, where he met with Hi Huai Bang, President of the China Development Bank.  Both of those meetings focused on the potential of investment to spur action on climate change and sustainable development.

The Secretary-General then met with President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan before attending the opening ceremony for the Summit that I just mentioned.  And the readouts are all online.

**South Sudan

Turning to South Sudan, more than $600 million in pledges were raised today to scale up humanitarian response to the South Sudan crisis at a conference hosted by Norway in collaboration with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Valerie Amos, the head of that Office and the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that these pledges will, once paid, translate into lifesaving relief to the most vulnerable people in South Sudan and to those who have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.  She also said that the fighting must stop so that people can plant and tend to their livestock; and that humanitarian access must be guaranteed so aid organizations can reach more people in need.

Despite the complexity of the situation on the ground, including high levels of insecurity, humanitarian workers have so far reached 1.3 million people with lifesaving assistance since the conflict erupted.  The UN and its humanitarian partners need a total of $1.8 billion to implement their response plan for 2014.  The regional refugee plan requires $371 million.  Pledges made today go a substantial way to funding these appeals.

**Secretary-General’s Statements

Just to recap, yesterday after the briefing we issued three statements on elections.

In one, the Secretary-General took note of Malawi’s first tripartite elections, which are being held today, and urged all candidates, political parties, and State institutions to ensure that the polls are peaceful and inclusive.

The Secretary-General also welcomed the generally peaceful and orderly conduct of the Sunday run-off presidential election in Guinea-Bissau.  The successful conclusion of the elections will also go a long way to restoring constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau.

And lastly, on Iraq, the Secretary-General welcomed the announcement of the preliminary results of the Council of Representatives election in Iraq of 30 April 2014.  And he urged all political parties to engage constructively and in a timely manner in the process of government formation.  The full statements are online.

**South Sudan

Sorry, just in a wrong order here and going back to South Sudan, as the fighting enters its fifth month and civilians remain displaced from their homes, the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) continues to report tensions in and around its protection of civilian sites, particularly in Juba and in Bentiu.

The Mission reiterates the need, more than ever, for both sides to earnestly implement the “Agreement to Resolve the Crisis in South Sudan” and to accelerate the momentum for peace and end the violence, so that people can return in safety to their homes and rebuild their lives.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that the cholera outbreak in South Sudan is intensifying and more cases are expected.  So far, there are 188 cases, but 130 of these people had already been discharged while 9 had passed away.

** Mali

The United Nations Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reports that the situation in Kidal, in Northern Mali, remains tense.  The ceasefire brokered by MINUSMA on Saturday evening appears to be holding.  Yesterday, the Mission negotiated the release of the 32 civil servants who had been held at the Governorate in Kidal.  We are receiving reports, however, of an important military mobilization by all sides in Kidal.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSMA, Albert Koenders, has publicly requested that the MNLA [National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad] hand over the Governorate and other buildings.  He also insisted on the need to de-escalate tensions.  You remember that yesterday the Deputy Secretary-General also stressed this in his phone call with President [Ibrahim Boubacar] Keita of Mali.  The Mission encourages all parties to renew their commitment to the political process and resume political negotiations at once to achieve a lasting peace.

**Balkans

Just an update on the Balkans and the floods hitting that region:  In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UN continues to coordinate with the Government.  An airlift with emergency relief items reached Tuzla (north-east Bosnia) yesterday and assessment teams are being deployed.  Water levels are reported to have receded to normal levels in central Bosnia.  The possibility of further flooding is concentrating now in north-eastern parts of the country — where the River Sava embankment has broken in several places.  People need drinking water, food, emergency tents, medical supplies and the water supply system has been severely disrupted and landslides, debris, mines and other potential health threats are of grave concern.

The UN is supporting the Government in coordinating international humanitarian assistance.  A six-member United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) has been deployed and is working closely with the European Union’s Civil Protection Team.  Two plane-loads of non-food items, such as generators, boats, water tanks and water purification units arrived in Serbia yesterday from the UN’s Humanitarian Response Depot in Brindisi.  And funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund is also being reviewed.

**Security Council

Back here in New York, the Security Council heard from Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez Taranco this morning in an open briefing on the Middle East.  Mr. Fernandez Taranco said that efforts on a two-State solution have reached an impasse.

He said that the current pause in the talks allows for both parties to consider their next steps, developing on the intensive engagement by the US over the past nine months.  Mr. Fernandez Taranco added that it is the responsibility of the two sides not to take unilateral steps, which will further complicate efforts to return to negotiations.  We have his remarks in my office.

And in the afternoon, the Council will hold consultations on Sudan sanctions and the work of the 1718 committee before holding an open meeting and consultations on Mali.

** Syria

From Syria, the OPCW-UN Joint Mission confirms the destruction of the entire declared Syrian stockpile of Isopropanol.  It now says that 7.2 per cent of Syria’s chemical weapons material remain in the country and awaits swift removal for onward destruction.  The Joint Mission urges the Syrian authorities to undertake this task as soon as possible.

Also from Syria, in its annual report, the Department of Health of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) says that more than half of its health centres in Syria have been destroyed or are non-functional.  However, the Agency has established 10 “health points” in Damascus and Aleppo and intensified services at those clinics which are working.  The Agency has also reassigned health professionals to facilities that are housing refugees, such as schools, so in some places UNRWA is able to provide medical services around the clock.  Forty health teams have received special training in emergency medical care.  We have more info on the UNRWA website.

** Afghanistan

From Afghanistan, the UN Mission in that country (UNAMA) welcomed today’s release of the preliminary results of the country’s Provincial Council elections, which were held on 5 April.  And a statement from the Head of the Mission is in on the website.

** Nigeria

The Executive Director of UN-Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has expressed concern about the threat to girls’ education in the north-eastern region of Nigeria, following the recent abduction in Chibok of the schoolgirls.

The head of UN-Women said the UN System will continue to work with the Government of Nigeria and other partners to provide support to the families of abducted girls and to those students who managed to escape from the custody of the abductors.  The traumatized girls and their families will need trauma counselling, psycho-social support, educational support and health assistance, among other things.  We have a press release with more details.

** Ukraine

From Ukraine, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said today that the tension in Ukraine has displaced an estimated 10,000 civilians.  It added that the number of people affected is continuing to rise.  A needs assessment mission has recently been completed and UNHCR is working closely with local authorities and other UN agencies and NGO partners to help those who are most affected.  So far, this includes providing legal assistance, integration grants for 150 families, cash assistance for 2,000 people, and improved shelters for 50 families.

**Forced Labour

And lastly, a report issued today by the International Labour Organization (ILO) says that forced labour in the private economy generates $150 billion in illegal profits per year, about three times more than previously estimated.  Two thirds of these $150 billion came from commercial sexual exploitation.  We have more information on the ILO website.

**Press Conference

Tomorrow at 11 a.m., there will be a press conference by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on the mid-year update of the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects, otherwise known as WESP.  That’s it.  Edie?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  You said that, in the Secretary-General’s meeting with President Putin, the Secretary-General talked about a political solution in Ukraine through elections and that he also, on Syria, raised the importance of humanitarian access, as well as a political solution.  What was President Putin’s reaction to both of those issues raised by the Secretary-General?

Spokesman:  I think I’m not able and not willing to speak for President Putin, so I think you would have to ask the Permanent Mission of Russia here for that side of the story.  Matthew?

Question:  Sure, thanks.  I asked you yesterday about the detention of these two journalists in Ukraine.  I mean, there’s obviously many on both sides, but the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] has now, you know, condemned it and called on the authorities in Kyiv to ensure their release.  Another journalist, Graham Phillips, has been arrested and this is what I wanted to really ask you about, the Deputy Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Defence Council has said that they are charged, the two journalists from Life News, with, quote, “aiding terrorists groups”.  Since this is the same theme of the Egyptian charges against the Al Jazeera staff, the same thing that was said in this room to one of our colleagues here, “you’re not a journalist, you’re an agent”.  I wanted to know does the UN have any… why would it be that the OSCE would condemn this and the UN hasn’t?  Who in the UN is responsible for looking at this…?

Spokesman:  I think if I’m not mistaken, Mr. [Ivan] Šimonović, in his report, talked about issues related to the media.  But in general, I think our position remains the same:  that the role of media, especially in conflict situations, is very important to get the news out and the issue of freedom of the press and freedom of movement for the press, is one that needs to be respected.

Question:  Has anyone in the UN system reached out to the authorities on any of these cases?

Spokesman:  I’m not aware on this particular case.  Masood?

Question:  Couple of questions.  First, there is… tonight, the Pakistan’s electronic media regulatory authority, what they call it, asked that four of the top privately owned television stations, Geo TV, be shut down because of blasphemy charges on that station, which the charges which have not been verified as yet, so that’s one thing that I wanted to ask you.  Can you please comment on that?

Spokesman:  I’ll check; I don’t have anything.  I was not aware of this development, so I will check if we have anything.

Question:  And the other I wanted to ask you about this martial law in Thailand.  Does Secretary-General have anything to say about this?

Spokesman:  Yes, I expect a statement coming down shortly, hopefully before we finish this briefing.

[The Spokesman later issued the following statement:  The Secretary-General is closely following the latest developments in Thailand, where the Army declared martial law on 20 May 2014.  He has consistently called on all sides to work together to seek a solution to the prolonged political stalemate through constructive dialogue.  The way to secure Thailand’s peace and prosperity is through full respect for democratic principles and engagement in democratic processes.  The Secretary-General urges all sides to exercise utmost restraint, refrain from any violence and fully respect human rights.]

Question:  And about this Egyptian election, which I have been bugging you and asking you in which to your great… I mean, agitation…

Spokesman:  Have you ever seen me agitated, Masood?  Irritated perhaps; agitated, never.

Question:  Yeah, okay.  Can you tell me now that the elections are coming, and there are several journalists who are still in jail and the Egyptian… I mean, ruler who’s probably going to be elected again, General [Abdel Fattah al] Sisi, has… what do you call, keeps on not… has not given any commitment that these journalists will be freed.

Spokesman:  I think, you know, this is, the issues on Egypt, the Secretary-General has made his concerns known directly to the Foreign Minister of Egypt when he met him a month and a half ago in Brussels and when he met him more recently here, especially on the issues on detentions of journalists and the issues of mass trials.  So I think the Egyptian authorities know very well what the Secretary-General’s position is and I would refer you to readouts that we issued for those statements.  Mr. Abbadi?

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  The situation in Libya is very alarming following the assassination of dozens of people and of the assault on the National Assembly.  Some States are beginning to withdraw their personnel, their diplomats and closing their missions.  Is the UN contemplating doing the same?

Spokesman:  You know the UN Mission is there.  We obviously assess security on a daily basis, especially in a place like Libya, and make the decisions we need to make.  But if there were to be a large-scale withdrawal of the UN Mission, we would share that with you, but obviously, security is of concern to us and we are taking a look at it on a regular basis.  Yes, sir, and then we’ll go to the back.

Question:  Stéphane, there… there is a video released by the Defence for Children International in Palestine, showed that the two young men who were shot, they were not in a life-threatening situation for Israeli soldiers.  Does the UN have anything to say about…?

Spokesman:  Again, if I’m not mistaken, having read Mr. Taranco’s speech, he called on the Israeli authorities to investigate this incident.  Yes, ma’am?

Question:  Thank you.  I have a question again on India.  Narendra Modi was appointed the Prime Minister officially today.  Does the SG have any comment?  Will he speak to him or invite him to the UN in the near future?

Spokesman:  Well, I think I don’t have anything further than what we… the congratulatory messages we put out a couple of days ago.  We would very much hope that Mr. Modi would come to the General Assembly and especially attend the Secretary-General’s Climate Change Summit.  India has a big role to play on the issue of climate change, has very important contributions to make and we would hope to see him here in New York in September for this Climate Change Summit, like we would other world leaders.  Yes, sir?

Question:  While the Secretary-General is in Shanghai, Eric Holder of the US Department of Justice has just announced he’s filing charges against Shanghai-based officials in China.  I was wondering, firstly, if the Secretary-General has made any comment or statement about that, and secondly, if these prosecutions are valid under international law?

Spokesman:  No, he has not made any comment and I don’t have any comment as to the validity of the Department of Justice’s decision under international law.  Matthew?

Question:  I wanted to ask you about Abyei.  There’s a report that people who had taken shelter with the UN in Bentiu have in fact had to flee because they felt insecure there and went up to Abyei.  And also, the report that was briefed on yesterday, says that Ethiopia, if… unless Sudan and South Sudan re-engage, may pull its troops or change its military posture with the UNISFA [United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei] mission.  So I’m wondering, what’s the UN doing… you know, I know Mr. [Haile] Menkerios is on the scene, but there was no kind of readout of this meeting.  What’s the UN doing, both on trying to ensure that Ethiopia stays, and two, is it true that things are so insecure in Bentiu that people are going to Abyei?

Spokesman:  Things are insecure in Bentiu.  Things are insecure in a lot of places in South Sudan.  The UN Mission is working very hard to try to keep safe the civilians that we are harbouring in our various bases and the situation doesn’t allow us the freedom of movement for both peacekeeping and humanitarian staff that we would like to see and it behoves both parties to ensure that we have that access.  I don’t have any reports of civilians particularly leaving our points of protection of civilians site.  And on Abyei, obviously Ethiopia’s critical part of the security there, but beyond that, I don’t have anything.  Yes, sir?

Question:  Stéphane, I had the privilege this morning to read some of your Spokesman briefing notes and I saw that only Serbia has been mentioned regarding this terrible floods in Balkans and I would like ask a few questions for qualification, if I can.

Spokesman:  You know, I don’t… I’m always happy for people to come in mid-briefing, but I did read a note that mentioned Bosnia.

Question:  I have a specific… I have a very specific question.

Spokesman:  Ask your specific question.

Question:  Okay, my specific question.  Other news media reports had that $400,000 has been delivered to Bosnia from the UN funds.  Yesterday, from the direct communication from UN’s Spokesman’s office, I did get figure of $50,000 so what is the true number?  Number one…

Spokesman:  I can try to get you… I would only want to use true numbers, obviously, and I would try to get you the exact amount.  [He clarified that OCHA had allocated an emergency cash grant for $50,000, while other sources were providing additional money.]

Question:   And also, a follow-up to that then.  What would be the real number rather for Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding this, what will be the real number as well for Serbia?

Spokesman:  We can get you all those numbers.

Question:  Yes, Stéphane.  Can you confirm that there will be a vote on Thursday morning on this draft resolution about transferring the Syrian file to the ICC [International Criminal Court]?

Spokesman:  You’ve been here longer than I have and you know that I will not confirm what the Security Council decides to do, so come on Thursday and you can watch.  Afaf, why don’t you join us?  Did you have a…? No, we have a lot… Just hold on.  Go ahead, Evelyn, and then Edie.  And Afaf, why don’t you make your way up here, because we do have a lot on the plate for today.

Question:  Just a brief question.  Did he have anything… Did the SG have anything specific on the Syrian humanitarian resolution, since you won’t say what Putin said?

Spokesman:  You know, obviously, on the humanitarian end for us, it’s access and it’s funding.  Those are the big issues.  Quick follow-up and then I want to have Afaf take over.

Question:  And I do apologize if you mentioned that.  Did you address and I would like if you can address the floating minefields in Bosnia that is becoming a huge problem.

Spokesman:  I did address it, so…

Correspondent:  I do apologize.

Spokesman:  No problem; Afaf, come on.

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For information media • not an official record