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 Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Lebanon
I have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Lebanon:
The Secretary-General welcomes the conduct of the municipal elections in Lebanon which are expected to conclude on 29 May. They are a testament to Lebanon’s enduring democratic tradition and further proof that the people of Lebanon deserve to be represented at all levels.
The Secretary-General remains concerned about the continuing failure of Lebanese political parties to elect a President of the Republic, a post which has now remained vacant for two years. As the Secretary-General said during his recent visit to Lebanon, national unity and Lebanon’s standing will remain fragile and incomplete as long as the vacancy in the presidency persists.
The Secretary-General reiterates his call on all Lebanese leaders to act responsibly to elect a President without any further delay, in accordance with the country's Constitution.
**World Humanitarian Summit
The Secretary-General is wrapping up his visit to Istanbul for the World Humanitarian Summit. The closing ceremony of the Summit is happening as we speak and just a bit earlier today, he gave a press conference with President [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan.
The Secretary-General stressed that we have the wealth, knowledge and awareness to take better care of one another, but that we need action. He said that that call was heard and heeded in Istanbul and that we can be proud of what was achieved. He noted that aligning the interests of such a diverse constellation of actors is inherently challenging. The Secretary-General also said it was disappointing that some world leaders could not be in Istanbul, especially from the G7 countries, aside from Chancellor [Angela] Merkel. But the absence of the leaders of the five permanent Security Council members from the World Humanitarian Summit does not provide an excuse for inaction, he said. We will share the full transcript of the press conference as soon as possible.
Today, he also participated in multiple events: a high-level roundtable on climate change and managing risks and natural disasters differently, and a focus session on Cities’ response to migration. He met with the Syria Relief Network, during which he praised the courage and dedication shown by Syrian volunteers and staff members of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and civil society groups.
He also had a series of bilateral meetings, including with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, the President of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord of Libya and the President of Somalia. And we’ll have those readouts for you.
Also at the World Humanitarian Summit today, the Vulnerable 20 or V20 Group of Finance Ministers launched a new global partnership with UN agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Bank.
The partnership aims to strengthen preparedness capacity in the 20 countries so that they can attain the minimum level of readiness by 2020, for future risks, mainly caused by climate change.
Also today, the UN joined forces with the business community to launch a major global network to facilitate business engagement in crisis situations, including through the pre-positioning of supplies as well as providing resources, knowledge and expertise to disaster prevention.
Press releases on both initiatives are available on the OCHA website.
**Security Council
The Security Council is holding an open debate on the United Nations-African Union Cooperation today. Addressing the Council this morning, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, said that strengthening global and regional partnerships in Africa is critical to maintaining peace and security in the continent.
Also speaking at the Council, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the African Union, Haile Menkerios, underscored the organizations’ joint efforts to help stabilize the volatile situations across Africa, including in the Lake Chad Basin, Somalia, Burundi and the Sahel. He highlighted recent efforts to de-escalate the political tensions in Comoros, as well as to support inclusive dialogue in Burundi. Their remarks are available in my office.
Last evening, the Security Council issued a press statement welcoming the political and security progress in Somalia and underscoring the need to accelerate the country’s peacebuilding and state-building process. As you know, Council members visited Somalia last week.
**Iraq
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights today urged the Government of Iraq to ensure that the protection of civilians is paramount in its military operations to retake Fallujah. It called on all parties to the conflict to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities, and to ensure that civilians are permitted to leave areas where fighting may be taking place in dignity and safety, and that they can access humanitarian assistance.
The Human Rights Office also urged the Iraqi Government to immediately conduct an independent, transparent and effective investigation into the use of force by security forces against protestors outside the Green Zone in Baghdad last Friday. Four protestors were killed and up to 200 injured after security forces used tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and some live ammunition against the demonstrators for close to two hours. It has been reported that up to 200 people were subsequently arrested in connection with the protest.
**Turkey
UN Humanitarian Chief Stephen O’Brien will visit Hatay in southern Turkey tomorrow and Thursday. He is expected to meet with refugees, senior Turkish officials and local and international NGOs involved in cross-border aid. He will also visit a medical centre and school for orphans.
Mr. O’Brien’s visit will focus on how the United Nations and humanitarian agencies, in support of the Turkish Government, can better provide assistance to those who need it most. Of the five million Syrians who have fled the country since the crisis began in 2011, over 2.7 million are now in Turkey, making it the country hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees in the world today. Across the border, in northern Syria, nearly four million people rely on cross-border aid delivery. However, less than a quarter of the funding needed this year to help Syrians and the communities hosting them has been contributed.
**Yemen
In a press statement yesterday evening, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, expressed his gratitude to the Government of Yemen for the decision to return to the negotiating table and he called on all the parties to make progress, in order to alleviate the burden placed on the Yemeni people. He said that peace talks are always complicated and require time, but he urged the Yemeni parties to exert all possible efforts to reach a sustainable peace agreement in the near future.
The Special Envoy convened separate bilateral meetings yesterday with the Government delegation, as well as with the General People’s Congress and Ansar Allah delegation. In addition, a special meeting of the prisoners and detainee committee was held.
**Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says that a series of worrying steps have been taken by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January last year to shrink the democratic space in the country ahead of the elections.
Just between January and April this year, the Office has documented 216 human rights violations related to the exercise of the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, including arbitrary arrests and detention, disruption of civil society and opposition meetings, and ill-treatment of prisoners.
Ahead of the announced demonstrations by members of the opposition this Thursday, the Human Rights Office is calling on the Government to allow for peaceful demonstrations to take place and to ensure that law enforcement officials do not resort to the unnecessary or excessive use of force during these demonstrations.
The Office is also urging the authorities to engage in a constructive dialogue with the opposition and to ensure that the rights of all Congolese to participate in the public affairs of their country are respected. It also says that the Government must ensure that the freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, expression and the right to participate in public affairs of all people, regardless of their political affiliation, are fully respected.
**Burundi
And on Burundi, just to let you know that the United Nations Independent Investigation in Burundi, which was set up by the Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations in the country since April 2015, has completed the deployment of a team of human rights monitors on the ground.
Christof Heyns, the Chair of the Independent Investigation, said that the deployment of human rights monitors, following a first visit to Burundi in early March, was an important step forward in the investigations.
The team will not only collect information in Burundi but will also visit neighbouring countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to collect testimonies of Burundian refugees.
The United Nations Independent Investigation on Burundi (UNIIB) will undertake a second visit to Burundi in June 2016 and present their final report to the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council, in September 2016. There is more information online.
**Sri Lanka
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) remains concerned about the water and sanitation situation in Sri Lanka following the floods.
More than 300,000 people, including women and children, have been affected by tropical cyclonic storm Roanu, which had caused landslides and heavy rains in nearly all districts of the country. Aid agencies estimate that more than 100,000 children have been affected in the flood emergency.
UNICEF has supplied 12 tons of chlorine powder and 500,000 purification tablets to ensure safe drinking water, as well as procured water tanks and pumps. It is also working with local authorities to ensure the protection and safety of all affected children. More information is available online.
**WHO
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Margaret Chan, presented letters of emergency preparedness certification to two teams from Russia and one from China.
The three teams are among the first to receive WHO’s certification, and there are more than 60 Emergency Medical Teams in 25 countries that are working towards meeting the rigorous standards required by WHO.
The WHO certification means that such teams are fully capable of providing mobile emergency field hospitals and staff members in response to natural disasters and disease outbreaks in their home countries or abroad.
**Wildlife
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) launched today its inaugural World Wildlife Crime Report, highlighting how poaching and illegal trade of wildlife present serious environmental dangers and undermine the rule of law by potentially fuelling conflicts.
The trafficking of wildlife is increasingly recognized as both a specialized area of organized crime and a significant threat to many plant and animal species, and the new survey represents the first global assessment of its kind. There’s more information on the UNODC website.
**South Sudan
Steph [Dujarric] was asked yesterday about problems getting a Ghanaian formed police unit into South Sudan.
What I can tell you is that on 18 May, members of a Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the Ghanaian Police were travelling to South Sudan as reinforcement for the Bentiu unit. Due to a clerical error by the transportation sub-contractor, they were unable to land in Juba.
The team returned to Accra to complete the necessary paperwork. The Formed Police Unit deployed to Juba last Friday.
**Questions and Answers
And that is it from me. Any questions? Yes, Carole?
Question: Farhan, do you have anything on this diplomatic incident from the Humanitarian Summit, where the Turkish Cypriot leader was invited to a dinner; it angered the Greek Cypriot leader, who cancelled peace talks. What can you tell us about this?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, this was not an arrangement done by the United Nations. As far as we're aware, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustfa Akinci, was not a participant at the World Humanitarian Summit. He, however, attended a dinner upon invitation from the President of Turkey, who hosted that event. The Secretary‑General was also there at that event as a guest. But, like I said, the arrangements were made by the Government of Turkey. That was not an event arranged by the United Nations.
Question: Right. But it looks like these peace talks, this next meeting has been cancelled. Is there anything happening to address this?
Deputy Spokesman: On that, we haven't received any official communication about that. However, at this important time in the process, the Secretary‑General would like to underline that the two leaders have demonstrated great courage and perseverance in the process, and they've achieved a lot. So the Secretary‑General encourages them to redouble their efforts in the months to come for the benefit of all Cypriots. Yes?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Twenty days ago, there was airstrike on the refugee camps in Syria. Any update on that? Can they find out who was responsible for their airstrike?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, it's… as you know, it's difficult for us to conduct any investigations on the ground. We have made clear our view that these airstrikes need to be investigated. We do not have any further information, in terms of further facts about what happened at that, but we continue with our call for all those who have a role to play to make sure that there's accountability for what happened. Yes?
Question: What is stopping UN to have a third party to investigate?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, as you know, this is a country that remains at war. It's extremely difficult for us to mount an investigation. And, indeed, we are aware that it will be difficult for other parties, but there is an important aspect in terms of making sure there is accountability down the line. So we have called on all the various parties, including those who have the ability to investigate this, to do so. Yes?
Question: Sorry. One more. Is it fair to say that somebody's looking into it?
Deputy Spokesman: At this stage, I'm not aware that this has been investigated, but we have made the call, and we'll continue to press the case.
Question: So, basically, it's collateral damage.
Deputy Spokesman: We will continue to persist with our efforts to encourage all parties to do this. Yes?
Question: Sure. Thanks. I wanted to ask, on Yemen, it's reported that the side of President [Abd Rabbuh Mansur] Hadi has told the envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, that not only [Ali Abdullah] Saleh but also Houthi leader Abdul‑Malik al‑Houthi should be excluded from any settlement so the… I wanted to know, what is the UN's head mediator, its position, particularly on the Houthi role? And also it's said that some of the envoys or the UN's teams in the country is supposed to be observing the ceasefire or finding their work have informed the envoy that their work has become impossible due to attacks in Marib and elsewhere.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first of all, regarding the situation on the ground, as the Special Envoy, Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed has made clear the cessation of hostilities has… is not fully holding, but it has largely been holding in most areas. And we are working with the parties and with the committees that have been set up to make sure that the cessation of hostilities will continue to hold and, indeed, will be more pervasively observed even than it is right now. Regarding negotiations, I can't give details of the negotiations as they continue. What I can say is, regardless of what each side wants, what the Special Envoy and the UN are trying to do is find a workable plan that will bring the parties together. We are trying to be as inclusive as possible, and as I just mentioned, he did meet over the past day with both the Government delegation and the delegation representing Ansar Allah and the General People's Congress, and he will continue with his talks with all the various participants. Yes, Majeed?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. A U.S. official confirmed that Kurdish… a coalition of Kurdish and Arab forces started an operation to retake the ISIS's stronghold, Raqqa. Do you have any comments about that? And my second question is about Libya. Since the… the five permanent members, Security Council agreed on lifting sanction on arms embargo in the country limited to… in order to send them arms to fight ISIS, there's… it's not clear whether the Haftar forces, which are claiming they are fighting ISIS, will be included in this. What is the UN's position about this? Do you think only GNA (Government of National Accord) should receive those weapons or other forces who are fighting ISIS, as well?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding actions taken by the Security Council, we'll await what the full Security Council's action is on this. As you know, they're considering this issue, and we'll have to see what determination they make. Regarding support for the Government of National Accord, I'd refer you to the readout that we just issued over the past hour of the Secretary‑General's meeting with the head of the Government of National Accord.
Question: What about Raqqa?
Deputy Spokesman: Huh? Oh, and on Raqqa, yes, of course, we have been encouraging united international action in the face of the sort of atrocities that have been carried out by Da’esh. At the same time, in terms of any sort of military activity, we urge that all participants in such operations observe international human rights and humanitarian law.
Question: A follow‑up on that. On Raqqa, the coalition dropped flyers on the city asking… urging the civilians for the first time to leave the city because… and there will be a… airstrikes on that city. I wanted to know, would there be any coordination to UN humanitarian organization on the ground to prepare for such a human… for fleeing thousands of people outside of a city?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, whenever there are thousands of people in flight, we try to mobilize our personnel to make sure that the needs of those who are fleeing are taken care of. But, as we just mentioned with Iraq, so, too, is the case in Syria that we want to make sure that all parties on the ground allow those who want to flee the ability to do so. Obviously, there have been problems about that concerning Iraq, and we certainly hope that those who want to get to a position of safety will be allowed to do so.
Question: Farhan, I just want to…
Deputy Spokesman: Please, let's get to other questions. Yes. Yes. And then Abdelhamid.
Question: Thank you, Farhan; just to… as a follow‑up on what's going on in Fallujah and you expressed concerns about the civilian being there. So are you worried because those civilians might be used as human shields or because of the Government assault on ISIS? And do you support the assault to start with against the Islamic State? Thank you.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we are… we have made it clear many times in the past that we're aware, given the sort of atrocities perpetrated by the group Da’esh, or Islamic State, as you've called them, that there's a need for concerted international action against this group. At the same time, we're concerned about the situation of civilians in Fallujah, and, of course, that argument also applies to Raqqa and other areas that are seized. Regarding Fallujah, we've estimated that the number of people remaining in Fallujah could be up to about 50,000, although hundreds of people have tried to flee. But the question is whether they have the ability to do so. What we're doing is we're calling on all parties to the conflict to take all measures to protect civilians caught in the middle of the conflict, and that includes allowing civilians to freely move out of conflict zones and being provided with protection as they disperse. Yes, Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I have a number of questions. Follow‑up to that Israeli exhibit last Thursday, the Arab League, the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference), and the Palestine Observer Mission requested a meeting with the Secretary‑General. Where does that meeting stand, as we speak?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, at this stage, as you know, the Secretary‑General is travelling. He is in Istanbul today, and he will be travelling onwards later to the Republic of Korea. I don't know when a meeting can be scheduled, but we'll look at what the availability is.
Question: Yeah. Following that, there is another meeting to be held in the General Assembly next Tuesday, 31 May, which is the Israeli Mission inviting about 1,500 in an attempt to scandalize BDS. You know it's BDS, okay? Is that legal? Who authorized the meeting next Tuesday?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, this a meeting called for by a Member State, so I would refer you to the organizers, which include the Permanent Mission of Israel. Ultimately, it is their arrangement, and it's up to them to describe.
Question: But why the UN has to approve that, since this is… goes in direct violation of security… Security Council resolution and General Assembly resolution. Give me one example that any Member State took the General Assembly for such kind of activities, one.
Deputy Spokesman: There have been past times when Member States used the General Assembly hall for events. There's a lengthy record of that.
Question: But there is a resolution called 3414, adopted by GA on 5 December 1975. I want the Secretariat to be aware of that, which caused on Member States to boycott Israel in the field of economy and military because of refusing to withdraw from occupied territories. Is that… does that resolution stand?
Deputy Spokesman: The resolutions of the General Assembly stand until the General Assembly takes any other reaction or response to their resolutions. But, like I said, the use of the room was requested by a Member State, and it's up to them to describe. Yes?
Question: On Burundi, how many human rights monitors will there be? And secondly, is there anything new on the Arusha talks, where the opposition says they have been excluded, especially the exiled opposition? Can the talks get anywhere without them?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding that, the Special Adviser, Jamal Benomar, did participate this weekend at the Arusha talks on Burundi. He made clear that any dialogue has to be genuine and inclusive, which means that it needs to involve all actors who are seeking peace, both inside and outside the country, and that it must respect the constitution and the Arusha Agreement and that Burundians have prime responsibility in finding a way forward for a peaceful and stable future in which human rights are respected. So he underscored those key points. Yes?
Question: And how many human rights monitors?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't know. I'd have to check on the number. Yes, Sia Pak?
Question: Following on my colleague's question, since the UN is very concerned about Da’esh and their movements, how come when it comes to name names and who's providing them guns, who's buying their goods, who's buying their oils, the UN comes short?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, when we can, for specific nations, determine who is providing weapons, we do that. We don't have that capability or that responsibility for much of the world and for many conflicts. We have that in terms of places where the Security Council has imposed an embargo, for example, and then we have an ability to do monitoring. But when we don't, what we simply do is admonish nations to make sure that they monitor how their own weapons are being used and, in particular, if they're being used in conflict. Yes, Olga?
Question: Thanks, Farhan. Do you follow the situation in Greece Idomeni refugee camp or the location of the camp? Are you in touch with the Greek authorities?
Deputy Spokesman: This is something in which the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has been in contact with the Greek authorities, and they're continuing to follow up. Yes, Carole?
Question: Can I follow up on that, actually? Also my question, does the UN have a view as to whether moving these migrants to what I understand is to be another camp represents an improvement? What's your view of this entire operation?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, ultimately, we want to make sure that the rights and the basic dignity of refugees are respected. If there are sincere efforts to improve their conditions, that would be welcome. But we'll need to monitor as this proceeds to make sure that the rights are being respected and that they have a choice, ultimately, in… into how their movements will be conducted. Yes, Majeed?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. About Fallujah, have the UN got any assurances from the Iraqi Government… have you received any assurances from the Iraqi Government for safe exits for the 50,000 civilians?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, this is what we have been calling for. As I just mentioned right now, we want to make sure that all of those who are trying to get to safety can be allowed to do so. Of course, that presupposes the ability of the Government and its allies to help, but also, of course, we will need to see what the actions of Da’esh are. And, of course, some of our concerns arise from the fact that they have been unwilling to allow people to move freely in their areas of control. Yes, Abdelhamid?
Question: Thank you. Farhan, on 3 April, we asked you a question about why the UN rejected those three panels on the Israeli exhibit. You gave an eloquent answer why the UN did not approve those three panels. They were pressured, and one panel was reinstalled. We roll forward, and on 17 May, we ask the same question to Mr. Stéphane Dujarric. Why the UN re-approved the three panel? He gave a completely different and contradictory answer. Who was right, Mr. Farhan Haq or Mr. Dujarric?
Deputy Spokesman: Stéphane and I are actually not in disagreement, you realize. What happened is that the process continued following April and there continued to be dialogue between the relevant Member State and the Department of Management. The results are as Stéphane has described them, and that's following a process of dialogue that we engaged in with the Member State. And I… beyond that, I have another nothing further to add to what Stéphane has said.
Question: I'm sorry. That's not… your words were not exactly… you said that if these posters are in contradictory with UN policy, UN resolution, they would be denied. So that is what…
Deputy Spokesman: You've heard what Stéphane had to say about this as he described the policy last week, and that is where we stand.
Question: Just one more hypothetical question. If apartheid regime in South Africa would have the General Assembly to have an activity to call for the delegitimisation of boycotting the apartheid regime, would the UN allow it?
Deputy Spokesman: That's a hypothetical question that will never need to be answered, because apartheid has ceased to exist. Yes?
Question: Sure. I want to ask about North Korea and South Korea. There are reports of a letter from… from the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) mission here to the Secretary‑General asking him to explain or justify this round of sanctions. Has the letter been received, and does he intend to respond to it?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first, we'll need to check whether the letter's been received, so I'll check.
Question: Right, okay. Well, I wanted to ask you about the trip. There's a report today in the Korea Herald, again, speculating… you know, and that's speculation, whether he may run for President. But I wanted to ask you this. They said that… that… that, upon his arrival on Wednesday, Mr. Ban will meet with members of an association of senior journalists and was likely to field questions on his political ambitions. I wanted to know, does your office intend to put out a transcript of that type of meeting? And I'm asking because the same article says that, quote, “Ban had told Korean correspondents in New York that he would appreciate if they, quote, ‘help him bring to a successful conclusion his service as UN Secretary‑General’”. And I never saw that quote. Was that… did he actually say that, or was that Mr. Kim? Was there some… how does it work…?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first of all, sometimes the Secretary‑General conducts interviews. As you know, sometimes, they might even be with small group interviews. Those aren't the same as press conferences. We will provide transcripts of all press conferences and press encounters, but interviews, of course, are exclusives for the journalists involved, and so we don't have a transcript put out for those.
Correspondent: So this thing coming up Wednesday upon his arrival in Jeju, is that a press conference, or what is it?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe that's a group interview, but like I said, if there's press encounters, we'll put those transcripts out. Yes?
Question: Where is Mr. [Staffan] de Mistura nowadays, and is he planning to convene the intra‑Syrian dialogue again?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes, Mr. de Mistura's made clear his intentions to convene the next round of intra‑Syrian talks as soon as possible. But, as he also made very clear last week, that needs to first wait upon the arrival of some sort of concrete results that can help give a real meaning and a real impetus to the next round of talks. He has made clear that what we want is progress in terms of making sure that the cessation of hostilities is more broadly held, as well as progress in the delivery of humanitarian aid and in the expansion of humanitarian access. So I'd refer you back to what he said last week. Those conditions remain the same. And there's no date at this stage to announce. Yes, Carole?
Question: Farhan, do you have anything to say about this report that the Secretary‑General's staff intervened on behalf of an employee of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) who apparently faced retaliation for criticizing human rights policy at UNDP?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't have anything to say further to what Stéphane said when he was quoted in that article. There are some people in the Executive Office here who were following up on this with their counterparts at the UN Development Programme, essentially, just to make sure that the sort of human rights prerogatives that we have been talking about are respected and upheld. Linda, you had a question.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. About North Korea, I know you've been asked this innumerable times, but I was wondering if there's anything new that can be… that we can hear in terms of the Secretary‑General's role in dealing with North Korea, any… any probability of a direct meeting, calls, that kind of thing?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, there's nothing to announce at this stage. You've seen how this particular narrative has gone over the last few months, and he remains willing to play a helpful role once that is possible and once we can achieve some tangible results. At this stage, there's nothing further to announce. Yeah?
Question: Sure. I wanted to ask you… Western Sahara and something else. At the stakeout yesterday, the representative of the African Union after the meeting with the Security Council had said, you know, there was some back‑and‑forth whether the Western Sahara would be on the agenda of that meeting is. But she described Western Sahara as a taboo subject, i.e., was not allowed to be discussed in that. So I guess it gives rise to me asking you, what is… can you give some sense of what… the Secretary‑General's discussions with Morocco or others in terms of getting MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) back? Have there been meetings? Are there meetings? Has there been progress? Where does it stand?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, there continues to be contacts, but the people that we want back in MINURSO, many of them remain outside the area of operation, and we do want to bring them back in. Once we have progress on that, we'll certainly let you know. But the contacts do continue.
Question: Sure. And I wanted to ask you, there… there… there… went to something yesterday down in Conference Room 6 that had to do with the upcoming NGO DPI (Department of Public Information) conference in South Korea, and it was a… sponsored. It said, you know, on the door, on signs, on the flyer, sponsored by something called the… either the World Development Foundation or the globalwfd.org. And… and I went to the website. The website doesn't really exist yet. The company seems to have been incorporated in August of 2015 when it was listed as a cosponsor of a… of a… of a sort of a DPI NGO conference held in the building. So I wanted to know, in light of what came out from the Ng Lap Seng audit and the call to do due diligence, can you describe, whether now or later, what the sponsorship arrangement is between this organisation and DPI and what due diligence has been done?
Deputy Spokesman: I'm not aware that there is any sponsorship arrangement. It sounds like you're just mentioning this flyer from a group. Ultimately…
Question: Mr. Jeff Brez was there. I mean, it was a big event. How… whatever. There's no question that they're listed as a sponsor in some way, and so I wanted to just figure out, have… whether there are any procedures that have been implemented since the audit and if you can describe what the financial arrangement is between this organization and DPI.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, regarding what DPI does, they do look into all of the different groups that try to sponsor any events with DPI, and so they do follow up. That's really an issue for the DPI Executive Office.
Question: Right, but I'm asking you as the…
Deputy Spokesman: I'm telling you what the process is. Yes?
Question: Farhan, so are you saying that the UN Secretary‑General's Office, DPI, legal affairs, political affairs do not interfere in the content of any art exhibit or any activity as long as it’s sponsored by the Member State? Are you saying that clearly? I want to hear that.
Deputy Spokesman: That is not what I'm saying. Again, Stéphane talked about this at great length last week. I will refer you back to what he said, and he gave out the policy guidelines, which are part of a new effort by the Department of Management to oversee how these exhibitions are shown and displayed. I don't have anything further to add to what he said at the time on that. Have a good afternoon.