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 Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

**Disability

As you know, the Deputy Secretary-General is in London, where she is taking part in the Global Disability Summit.  At a ministerial event this morning, Amina Mohammed said that the commitments of Governments to advance the rights of persons with disabilities is well established.  However, she said, too often, this political commitment has not translated into significant improvements in the lives of the 1.5 billion persons with disabilities across the world.  She noted that too many persons with disabilities, no matter where they live or their abilities, face discrimination.  At the United Nations, she added that the Secretary-General has launched a review of the Organization’s approach to disabilities both institutionally and operationally and that we hope to move forward with specific improvements in 2019.  Later this year, the Secretary‑General will be issuing a first-ever flagship report on Disability and Development, which will provide a much-needed baseline regarding the situation of persons with disabilities in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Also participating in the Summit are Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, as well as the heads of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Achim Steiner, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta Fore.  Mr. Lowcock called for the inclusion of people with disabilities and their organizations in planning for and implementing responses to humanitarian crises.  At least 15 per cent of the more than 130 million people worldwide who are in need of humanitarian aid have disabilities, he said.

**Middle East

In a briefing to the Security Council today, Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, warned that tensions between Syria and Israel continue to rise, while, last Saturday, we were minutes away from another devastating confrontation between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.  He said that it has taken an intense effort at preventive diplomacy by the United Nations and Egypt to make sure that both sides step back from the brink of potentially the fourth military confrontation in Gaza in the past decade.  Mr. Mladenov said he returned to Jerusalem from Gaza today and is hopeful that, with collective efforts by all sides, we can avoid another war, allow Palestinians in Gaza and Israelis in communities across the border to sleep in peace and begin addressing all humanitarian issues.  Today, he reported, the first 100,000 litres of much-needed fuel were allowed through the Kerem Shalom crossing to be distributed by the United Nations, which is prioritizing hospitals and emergency services.  He reiterated his call to all in Gaza to step back from the brink.  Those who seek to provoke Israelis and Palestinians to war must not succeed, he said.  Of course, his statement as been made available to you.

**Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Our humanitarian colleagues say that, yesterday, a part of a dam under construction in the south of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic broke, with at least 20 people being killed and many more missing.  The Government has declared the flooded area a National Emergency Disaster Zone.  The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance has been mobilized to assist, and is liaising with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the loss of life and he extends his condolences to the Government and people of the country.  The United Nations is of course on standby to assist as needed and as requested.

**Yemen

UNICEF said today it deplores in the strongest terms yet another attack on vital and life‑saving water systems in Yemen.  The agency says that a large water facility in Sa’ada, north-west of the country, came under attack this week.  This is the third such attack on the same facility.  More than half of the project is now damaged, cutting off 10,500 people from safe drinking water.  UNICEF says that continuous attacks on water systems in Yemen are cutting off children and civilians from water, increasing the likelihood of water-borne diseases spreading in the war-torn country.

**Ebola

Today marks the end of the ninth outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates the country and all those involved in ending this outbreak, recalling that unlike previous Ebola outbreaks in the country, this one involved four separate locations, including an urban centre with river connections to the capital and to neighbouring countries.  The total funds received by all partners to stop the spread of Ebola, as tracked by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, amount to $63 million.  In the country today, WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Tedros [Ghebreyesus], urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government and the international community to build on the positive momentum generated by the quick containment of this Ebola outbreak and to extend this success to combatting other diseases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, such as cholera and polio.

**Zimbabwe

Ahead of the presidential elections in Zimbabwe on 30 July, our human rights colleagues welcomed the widening of the democratic space and said it was encouraging to see open political rallies and peaceful demonstrations being held in the capital Harare, as well as the many expressions of cautious optimism from civil society.  However, they remain concerned at the increasing number of reports, particularly in some rural areas, of voter intimidation, threats of violence, harassment and coercion, including people being forced to attend political rallies.  There has also been the worrying use of disparaging language against female political candidates.  Our human rights colleagues call on the authorities — and all political parties and their supporters — to ensure that the elections are not marred by such acts so that all Zimbabweans can participate free from fear in a credible election process.

**Syria

I know there were some questions yesterday about the resettlement of the 422 Syrian citizens from southern Syria into Jordan:  I just want to make sure that everybody takes a look at the press release from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued over the weekend, which has all the necessary details.  Mr. Klein?

**Questions and Answers

Question:  Yes, in his remarks to the Security Council this morning, Mr. Mladenov said, among other things, that “our work is focused on restoring unity between Gaza and the West Bank under one democratic Government and one legal system where all weapons are under the control of legitimate national authorities”.  So, on the assumption that Mr. Mladenov is speaking in part on behalf of the Secretary‑General, can this be interpreted as a position now of the United Nations that all weapons, in Gaza particularly, should be under the control of the Palestinian Authority, which is recognized as a legitimate national authority?

Spokesman:  That's always been the position of the UN.  That's nothing new.

Question:  I've seen in the past in terms of administrative control, but this is the first time I've seen it, a very explicit statement, that all weapons should be under the control; in other words, removed from Hamas, I just want to clarify?

Spokesman:  Just what it means is that Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under the authority of the Palestinian Authority.

Correspondent:  But, the issue is the weapons, because…

Spokesman:  Our policy, as I said, it should be under the control of State… legal State authorities, which is the Palestinian Authority.

Correspondent:  Thank you, Stéphane.  Again, on Palestine and Gaza, the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Prince Zeid, said that arbitrary military detentions and deprivation to attacks against civilians, most of the displacement of hundreds and thousands of Palestinians occurred…

Spokesman:  Sir, I heard what he said yesterday; what is your question?

Question:  Does the Secretary‑General agree with this?

Spokesman:  The Secretary‑General has made his concerns known.  The High Commissioner is the voice of human rights of the UN.  As we've said before, it's not for the Secretary‑General to agree or disagree.  The High Commissioner is doing his job and the Secretary‑General has expressed his concerns over human rights issues in his regular briefings to the Council, either directly or through his representatives.  George?

Question:  In the case of, I mean, a follow-up, does the Secretary‑General believe that under the inalienable rights of the Palestinians, do they have the right to defend themselves by any means whatsoever?

Spokesman:  I think the Secretary‑General's position is being explained over and over again in his periodic briefings to the Security Council.  You cannot hear me now?  Tom, maybe can raise the audio.  I can hear myself, which is already a start.  Hold on.  Okay.  Can you hear me now?  I've heard that somewhere before.  George, your microphone please, so we can hear you.  Your microphone, please, so we can hear you.  It's Tuesday comedy hour here.  Yes?

Question:  With reference to your statements about the outbreaks of occasional violence in Zimbabwe, is there any correlation or any reports as to whether they are mostly pro‑Government, anti‑Government… are there residual pro‑Mugabe forces, or, you know, forces of the new President or is there…?

Spokesman:  No, we've not gone into that deep of analysis and we've just heard from our human rights colleagues.  I think they have seen reports of various outbreaks of violence.  Nizar and then James.

Correspondent:  Yes, I for one have been complaining about the EZTV for six years, since its inception, and we failed today to follow the Security Council meeting on many channels, as a result of the snags which are prevailing in the system which is collapsing literally.  Even the briefing which we are here in is not on EZTV, the United Nations have spent billions of dollars…

Spokesman:  Nizar, you're not the only one.  I fully understand the issue.  I have called as many people as I can physically call to try to deal with this issue.  I want this to be settled.  It's embarrassing.  I know you all pay a hefty fee monthly.  Short of me trying to solder some wires together, I don't know what more I can do, but I will try to keep pushing.

Correspondent:  Even this briefing is not broadcast.

Spokesman:  That I'm happy… I'm sorry for that, but at least I'm happy to see you in the room.  James?

Question:  We mentioned the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  His job ends at the end of August.  We saw the very transparent process for the selection of a Secretary‑General.  The High Commissioner is one of the most important voices in the UN system.  There seems to be not a very transparent process.  Can you tell us the state of the selection process and does the Secretary‑General hope to have a new High Commissioner in place by the end of the existing High Commissioner's term?

Spokesman:  Yes.  That we do hope.  The selection process is the same as for all senior UN officials — I would say that with the added twist here of a specific outreach to civil society groups.  We have written to the major human rights organizations and other civil society groups, encouraging them to bring, to put names forward.  That process is ongoing.  Sorry, Mr. Abbadi, then we will go there, sorry.

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  It was announced that the Secretary‑General is taking a vacation between 23 July and 3 August.  Where is he taking the vacation?

Spokesman:  He is somewhere with his family, trying to have some privacy.  Yes?

Question:  Thank you, Stéphane.  I wonder, what is the view of the Secretary‑General on the report showing some images about North Korea dismantling this set of launch places there, does he believe this report is a positive sign on the overall process of the denuclearization?

Spokesman:  We are only seeing like you; the images have been reported on various news sites.  Obviously, if this were to be confirmed, it would be a positive step; but I have no… we have no specific knowledge beyond what we've seen in the media.

Question:  And maybe additional steps to actually be able to confirm this?

Spokesman:  You know, obviously, the UN, as the Secretary‑General said, stands ready to assist in assisting and more importantly in verifying the denuclearization process.  Nizar?

Question:  Yeah, when the Syrian air fighter was shot down today, it was attacking Da'esh… Da'esh positions in the Yarmouk Basin.  How does the Secretary‑General view the protection of ISIS by the Israeli authorities?

Spokesman:  I have no… obviously, the Secretary‑General has no way of knowing the details or the purposes of whatever military operations were ongoing.  For our part, the UN observer group in the Golan, this afternoon in local time, observed burning debris falling from an aircraft approximately 10 kilometres south-east of the observation post, Observation Post Number 54.  The Syrian authorities confirmed to the UN, to UNDOF [United Nations Disengagement Observer Force] that the Syrian aircraft was shot down by Israel.  They, the Syrians, said the aircraft was flying in Syrian airspace and had not violated the Disengagement of Forces Agreement of 1974.  At the same time, the Israeli Defence Forces confirmed to UNDOF that the IDF had monitored and intercepted, with a Patriot missile, the Syrian fighter jet that had infiltrated two kilometres into [Israeli] airspace.  At this point, we are continuing to monitor the situation, and if we have any more details, we will share them with you.

Question:  So you mean that UNDOF did not observe the air fighter has flown over the occupied Syrian Golan?

Spokesman:  What the observers observed is debris from an aeroplane coming down in the location as I have just stated.  The Israelis communicated to UNDOF their position.  The Syrian Government communicated to UNDOF its position as to where the plane had been flying.  If we have any more details, we will share those with you.

Question:  Follow‑up on that.  How does the Secretary‑General view the presence of ISIS in that area, in the separation zone?

Spokesman:  We have… I think it is important that the… whatever, you know, we have… I have no particular information on that information.  I will refrain from commenting at this point.  Mr. Klein?

Question:  Yes.  I want to ask a question about Haiti just to get the current status of payments of compensation under the plan that had been outlined by former Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon for the compensation of the communities and individuals… yeah, for the cholera outbreak in Haiti?

Spokesman:  Yes.  All the funds raised by the UN, I don't have them on top of my head, but they are all publicly available on the relevant website, and I'll share that website address with you.

Correspondent:  Again, my question is more focused on the actual receipt of funds by the UN.

Spokesman:  No.  I mean, I think all the information is on the website and if it's not, I will share that with you.  Yes, Masood?

Question:  Yes.  On the refugees, is there any movement on their repatriation at all?

Spokesman:  The conditions on the ground are not conducive to a safe and voluntary and dignified return of the Rohingyas back into northern Rakhine State.

Question:  Is the United Nations, I mean, representative going to meet with the Myanmar authorities?

Spokesman:  We… I think as you may have seen yesterday, the Secretary‑General's Special Envoy from Myanmar briefed the Security Council and then she spoke at the stakeout and I would encourage you to take a look at what she said.  Mr. [Brenden] Varma after Linda.

Question:  Thank you, Steph.  I have a question regarding Hamas.  The Israeli ambassador said today, of course, that Hamas is a terrorist group.  And this is often said.  And also, the United States, as well as, I believe, the European Union considers Hamas a terrorist group.  I was just wondering what the UN position is on Hamas and how it's characterized?

Spokesman:  That designation of a terrorist group is made by the Security Council.  We have condemned Hamas repeatedly when they have committed terrorist acts.  Thank you.