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.

** Somalia Statement

I have a couple of statements that I’ll start off with — in fact, I have one statement I’ll start off with, which is on Somalia.

The Secretary-General welcomes the signature on 23 June in Mogadishu of an agreement to establish a new interim regional administration in south-west Somalia, comprising the regions of Bay, Bakool and Lower Shabelle.

The Secretary-General commends all parties involved for their diligent negotiation of this important agreement, and looks forward to its prompt implementation.  He recalls that the formation of inclusive regional administrations is a key milestone in Somalia’s path towards a federal system of governance, in line with the Provisional Constitution and the aspirations of the Somali people.

The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to support the Federal Government of Somalia’s peacebuilding and State-building efforts.

**Secretary-General’s Travels

The Secretary-General arrived in Windhoek, Namibia, a few hours ago.  At a meeting with President [Hifikepunye] Pohamba, the Secretary-General commended the progress made by Namibia in the areas of development, human rights, gender equality and environmental sustainability.  They also exchanged views on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and climate change, especially the issues of desertification and drought.  The Secretary-General will leave Namibia tomorrow for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to attend the African Union Summit.

** Ukraine

And from Ukraine, as you know, the Security Council this morning heard updates in its open meeting on Ukraine from Assistant Secretaries-General Tayé-Brook Zerihoun and Ivan Šimonović.  Mr. Zerihoun noted encouraging signs towards de-escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, and added political and diplomatic steps are beginning to emerge towards a resolution of the crisis.

As he noted in his briefing, the Secretary-General has been pleased to see that peace talks have reportedly started with representatives of armed groups in eastern Ukraine, led by former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.  The Secretary-General has stressed that such talks are indispensable in efforts to help defuse tensions.

The Secretary-General has also noted… taken note that the armed militia groups have agreed to reciprocate the ceasefire, despite previously rejecting the President’s offer and continuing their offensive.  Overall, the ceasefire is holding.  The Secretary-General expects all sides to live up to the ceasefire and to leave the door open for effective negotiation, mediation toward a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Mr. Zerihoun added that, today, in a welcome development that will not only help reduce tensions but also improve the chances for a negotiated settlement, President [Vladimir] Putin had asked the Russian Parliament to revoke the authorization to send troops to Ukraine.  And speaking by videoconference, Mr. Šimonović presented the latest UN human rights reports from the monitors in Ukraine.  Noting recent developments, he said they created a window of opportunity for human rights and humanitarian confidence-building measures.

** Iraq

And from Iraq, the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) released new casualty numbers today saying that more than 1,000 people have been killed in Iraq in June so far.  At least 757 people were killed and nearly 600 were injured due to the conflict in Nineveh, Diyala and Salah al-Din Provinces.  The number includes verified summary executions and extrajudicial killings.

Over 300 were killed during the same period in Baghdad and areas in the south, many of them as a result of car bombs.  The report also says that abductions continue in northern provinces and Baghdad.  And this month, 48 Turkish citizens and around 40 Indian nationals were abducted in Mosul.

The Mission has urged Iraqi authorities to swiftly carry out their obligation to thoroughly investigate the incidents and to make every effort to bring all perpetrators to justice.  We have more information in my office.  And as a reminder, we will have the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq, Nikolay Mladenov, briefing you via videoconference tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.

On the humanitarian front, UNICEF continues to increase its assistance to help children, who make up about half of those displaced by the ongoing conflict.  So far, UNICEF has distributed over 70,000 litres of water, 5,000 food parcels and 3,500 hygiene kits.  UNICEF has also reached children in Sinjar and Tel Keif, just kilometres away from the frontlines in Mosul.  UNICEF’s representative in Iraq says that the agency will continue to access children in hard-to-reach areas, including disputed territories, with lifesaving aid.

Also on Iraq, the Mission reports that the European Commission will increase its humanitarian assistance to Iraq by €5 million to support efforts to help families displaced by conflict.

**Peacebuilding

Back here, the Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, opened the Fourth High-Level Stakeholders meeting of the Peacebuilding Fund, here at Headquarters.

Mr. Eliasson said that the Fund had built credibility by being persistent, creative and focused.  He noted that in Sierra Leone, the Fund had been used to finance critical tasks as the UN Office there was preparing its departure.  He added that in the Central African Republic, the Fund had supported peacebuilding efforts as soon as political frameworks, however tentative, began to emerge.  He said that the Fund took an exceptional measure to boost credibility of the new Transitional Government by working with the World Bank, UNDP [United Nations Development Programme], and the European Union and the Government to provide four months’ worth of salary payments to the police and local gendarmerie.

The Deputy Secretary-General also called on supporters of the Fund to renew their commitments saying that more resources will be needed to meet the world’s many peacebuilding challenges.  The Fund currently has an annual target of $100 million.  And his speech is available online and in my office.

** Lebanon

From Lebanon, the UN Special Coordinator in that country, Derek Plumbly, strongly condemned the suicide bombing that took place yesterday at the entrance of the southern suburbs of Beirut, in which a member of the General Security Services was killed and a number of people were injured.  The Special Coordinator underlined the need for continued unity in Lebanon in the face of terrorist threats.

Also today, Hervé Ladsous, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, continued his visits to the area.  He met today with the Speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament, Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Tammam Salam.  Those meetings were held in Beirut.  And he also met the Lebanese Armed Forces Commander General, Jean Kahwaji, and other senior officers.  And we have a press release with more details.

** Sri Lanka

From Sri Lanka, the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, has concluded a four-day mission to Sri Lanka, which began on 19 June.  He met with the Minister of External Affairs, the Minister of Economic Development, as well as the Defence Secretary, members of the opposition parties and civil society groups, as well as the diplomatic community.  Among the topics discussed were Sri Lanka’s post-war achievements and remaining challenges, areas for constructive collaboration in support of a political solution and socioeconomic development.

** Afghanistan

From Afghanistan, our colleagues at the UN Mission in that country (UNAMA) tell us that the Mission has helped to facilitate a meeting between the Independent Electoral Commission and presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah.  The Mission says that the meeting allowed for an exchange of views, which continues to encourage the candidates to fully engage the electoral process, and cooperate with one another and with the electoral institutions.  And we have a press release upstairs on that.

** Pakistan

And from next-door Pakistan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the number of people displaced from Pakistan’s North Waziristan Agency has risen to more than 455,000 people, 74 per cent of whom are women and children.  More than 380,000 have been displaced in just over one week, following the launch of security operations there on 15 June.  They urgently need food, shelter, health, water, sanitation, hygiene and protection.

The Pakistani Government is providing displaced people with cash grants as they register and have provided the World Food Programme with 25,000 metric tons of wheat to support the displaced families.  And WHO [World Health Organization] reports that nearly 150,000 people have received polio drops on their way out of North Waziristan.

**Environmental Crime

And lastly, I just wanted to flag an interesting new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and INTERPOL, in which it warns that global environmental crime, which is worth up to $213 billion each year, is helping to finance criminal, militia and terrorist groups.  Such illegal trade in natural resources is also threatening the security and sustainable development of many nations.  By some estimates, the total amount generated from global environment crime significantly exceeds the global Overseas Development Assistance of around $135 billion each year.  And the full report is available online.

**Press Conferences

And as soon as we are done here, we will hear… have a press conference on Sustainable Management of Fisheries, which will include UNDP’s Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Nicholas Rosellini; Andrew Hudson, the Head of Water and Oceans Governance at UNDP; Caleb Otto, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Palau; and Robert Guba Aisi, Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea.  That’s it for me, but I feel something is about to arrive.  [receives piece of paper] Great, thank you.  Mr. Abbadi, welcome back.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Thank you, thank you, Stéphane.  A few days ago, important presidential elections took place in Mauritania, and the National Electoral Commission has declared the results of these elections.  Does the Secretary-General have any observation on the process?

Spokesman:  The UN notes the hold… obviously notes the holding of presidential elections.  Previously, the UN welcomed the efforts that the Government of Mauritania had undertaken to promote dialogue with the opposition.  We encourage all actors to engage in an inclusive political dialogue that helps overcome the current stalemate.  Mr. Lee?

Question:  Yeah, I want to ask you a couple of things about the Ukraine briefings in the Security Council.  One is that Mr. Šimonović said that, since last week, in Sloviansk there’s no running water and 90 per cent of the town has no… is now cut off from electricity.  And then one of the ambassadors said it’s the UN position that this is not a humanitarian crisis.  I wanted to know is this… is that really the UN’s position?  What does the UN say about a town left with no running water and 90 per cent of the people are without electricity?

Spokesman:  I think the UN’s position is what Mr. Šimonović explained and what he laid out.

Question:  This is what he said, and then an ambassador said that OCHA says it’s not humanitarian crisis.

Spokesman:  I don’t have anything else to add on that.

Question:  Also, the UK’s Deputy Ambassador, Peter Wilson, said that the photograph of the UN-marked helicopter allegedly in Ukraine was in fact from Côte d’Ivoire in 2011.  And I wanted to know what did DPKO [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] or the Secretariat ever find out?  Is that a Secretariat position?  What’s the basis of the statement?

Spokesman:  I think, you know, we’ve told you where we are, that we’ve… when this thing happened, we reminded Ukrainians, we flagged this issue with the Ukrainian Permanent Mission, we reminded them of their obligations, and that’s where it stands.

Question:  But can we say that the statement there is not based on any communication to the UK Mission from DPKO?  That’s what I’m trying to get to the bottom of the statement.

Spokesman:  I don’t know of any communication between the UK Mission and DPKO.  Evelyn?

Question:  Yes, I believe Valerie Amos has released at one point the fact that she didn’t think it was a humanitarian crisis and used various criteria — how many people affected and so forth, and their access to water.  And so, do you have any more details on that?  I mean they weren’t… Šimonović wasn’t doing it on his own.

Spokesman:  No, no, I understand.  I will talk to OCHA and see if there’s an update.  Mr. Abbadi?

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  Under-Secretary-General Feltman, Jeffrey Feltman of the Political Affairs, declared to the Council that the events in the wider Middle East should not obscure the Middle East process, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.  In what specific way does he think that it obscures the process?

Spokesman:  Well, I think we’re seeing everything that is going on in the broader Middle East — in Syria and Iraq — and obviously, some attention is probably taken away from the Middle East peace process, and we’d like that attention refocused.  Yes, Nizar?

Question:  With the ISIS [Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham] controlling some crossing… border crossings into Jordan and Syria, most of them in fact, already, is there any recommendations by the Secretary-General that the regional countries should do in order to keep these terrorists at bay?

Spokesman:  Well, I think the… you know, the Secretary-General has always called for countries in the region and those who have an influence to do what they can to bring the situation under control.  What we’re seeing, you know, in Syria and Iraq is a very worrying and unfortunately very fluid situation.

Question: Did you receive anything from the Jordanians regarding yesterday’s attempted crossing into Jordan by ISIS?

Spokesman:  Not that I’m aware of.  Matthew and then Lou?

Question:  Sure, I want to ask about the DRC [ Democratic Republic of the Congo] and also about UNDP.  There’s a report that the FNL [Forces nationales de libération] rebels from Burundi say that they have killed a number of DRC soldiers… I mean, excuse me, of Burundian soldiers on the territory of the DRC, and they named this place, Kiliba Ondes, which is where Mr. [Pierre-Claver] Mbonimpa said that the youth gang is being trained.  And so I wanted to know, particularly since there’s 20,000 soldiers in MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo], can MONUSCO confirm or deny that this armed clash of Burundi army and rebels took place in the DRC?  And have they been in Kiliba Ondes?

Spokesman:  If we have something, I’ll share it with you.  Lou?

Question:  The SG has made clear that he supports the idea of an inclusive Government in Iraq.  This is following up on Nizar’s question.  Since then, Prime Minister [Nuri Kamel] al-Maliki has made public indications that the largest… the party that gets the most votes in the election should be the one to have the Prime Minister post, which there are indications that the new Government may not be as inclusive as they want.  Has the SG been in touch with the Prime Minister of Iraq to make his point more emphatically?

Spokesman:  The Secretary-General in the last 48 hours, as far as I know, has not been in touch with Prime Minister Maliki.  Obviously, Mr. Mladenov will be here to talk to… will be here by videoconference to talk to you tomorrow, and he will be able to brief you more on the political discussions.  You know, I think in broader terms, inclusive Governments — there are always… they’re obviously people who get more votes in an election, those who get less votes, but those who get less votes also need to ensure that… feel that their voices are being heard and their concerns are being taken into account.  And I think that applies to a lot of different situations.  Matthew, Mr. Abbadi, Nizar.

Question:  Sure, speaking of concerns being taken into account, I wanted to ask you — there was a… I know that the Secretary-General’s Chief of Staff [Susana] Malcorra met with some of the unions about these UNDP layoffs.  And there’s now a survey that’s come out that involves over 600 UNDP staff that say that the layoffs, the restructuring hasn’t been sufficiently explained and said that only 9 per cent have confidence in the Administrator.  And I wanted to know what… it seems like it’s a pretty low number, and what did Ms. Malcorra take from that?  What is the Secretary-General going to do to the request from three system-wide unions that he look into this?  And what could be said about this?

Spokesman:  I don’t have anything to add to what has already been said here.  Obviously, it’s a very… the UNDP is following up on a plan, on a strategic plan in conjunction with its Executive Board.  It’s a time of change, and I’m sure time of anxiety for staff members that are impacted.  But if I have anything else to add, I will let you know.  Mr. Abbadi and then Nizar and then Evelyn?

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  What is the latest development regarding the situation of the UN staff in Iraq?

Spokesman:  You know, as always, we are assessing security on a daily basis.  There have been no changes since, I think, Farhan [Haq] briefed you on that a few days ago.  But again, Mr. Mladenov, I’m sure, will be able to address it in more detail.  You know, our humanitarian staff and their partners are obviously doing challenging work and trying to get to the displaced populations, and as I think we just heard from UNICEF — sometimes very close to the front lines.  Nizar and then Evelyn?

Question:  Yes, regarding the West Bank, of course the situation continues to be… deteriorate there, security situation.  More than 450 so far have been arrested as was… has been reported.  Yesterday, the Security Council failed to issue even minimum remarks to the press.  So what does Secretary-General recommend in order to alleviate the suffering of the people of West Bank?

Spokesman:  Well, I think Mr. Feltman was fairly clear and direct in his presentation to the Security Council on his monthly update yesterday, right?  Today is Tuesday — yesterday on the need for… to ensure that the security operations to find the youths are done in accordance with international law and to minimize the suffering of the civilian population.

Question:  Sorry, does that mean these are legitimate arrests, which they are taking place?

Spokesman:  I think, you know, the… I think, again, Mr. Feltman addressed the issues of administrative detainees and of the need for the security operations to be done in conformity with international law.  Evelyn?

Question:  Yes, do you have any news of the woman on Sudan who was rearrested, the Christian woman?  Are you checking on it?

Spokesman:  No, we’re obviously following that.  We were happy to hear that she had been released, and we’re concerned at the situation as it is now.  I think the High Commissioner for Human Rights had spoken out clearly on her case, and we’re obviously watching the situation.  Matthew?

Question:  Sure, I wanted to ask if the Secretary-General has any response to this letter from a number of former UK ambassadors and figures in the Middle East, saying that Tony Blair should be removed as Quartet Representative to the Middle East, citing not only his record in the past on Iraq and current developments in the West Bank and Gaza?

Spokesman:  I’m not aware of the letter.  I’ll let you know if we receive it.

Correspondent:  Read The Guardian.

Spokesman:  I… you know, I do read the media, but we have not received the letters, as far as I know.  Yes?

Question:  Is there any update on Robert Serry’s struggle with Israeli Foreign Ministry yet?

Spokesman:  We addressed that yesterday.  I think I reiterated the Secretary-General’s full confidence in Mr. Serry and the way he does his work.

Question:  Has he spoken to anyone in Israel about it?

Spokesman:  You know, we have… there’s been no new developments in the last 48 hours or 24.  Yes, Matthew?

Question:  I wanted to ask on and thanks for the short readout on Mr. Taranco’s trip to Sri Lanka.  I wanted to know:  is he going to be able to do any kind of a briefing, stakeout or anything on it?  And did the topic of press freedom come up, as I was asking you yesterday?  You talked about post-war achievements, but I’m wondering, given the situation that’s taking place there, can you be a little more specific?

Spokesman:  No, I can’t offer you any more specificity.  Obviously, it was on post-war achievements and the challenges that remain.  Pam and then Evelyn and then we have to have our guests.

Question:  I assume there’s no specific answer but on the UN-Arab League Envoy on Syria, is there any progress towards… are there negotiations with the Arab League to even include them on the next?

Spokesman:  I would not characterize those as negotiations, they’re consultations.  The Secretary-General is in regular touch with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.  And then when we have something to announce, we will.

Question:  Any estimate of a time frame?

Spokesman:  I don’t want to be boxed in.

Correspondent: All right, thank you.

Spokesman:  Great, thank you very much.  We’ll get our guests in a second.

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For information media • not an official record