Noon Briefings

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Anniversary, UN Baghdad Bombing

Tomorrow will mark the first anniversary of the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad.  As you know, 22 of our colleagues died in that terrorist attack and many more were injured.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric De La Riviere, Associate Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman on Venezuela

Good afternoon.  I’ll start off with a statement on the results of the referendum in Venezuela.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Burundi

I want to start by reading into the record the statement that we issued yesterday regarding this terrible massacre in Burundi.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Information Officer in the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

**Iraq

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, arrived this morning in Baghdad, along with a small team, at about 10:15, local time.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Denise Cook, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Security Council

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Sudan

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Venezuela

We have the following statement attributable to the Spokesman regarding the Venezuela referendum.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Iraq –- Secretary-General Statement

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Secretary-General

As you may or may not know, the Secretary-General is going to start a vacation this weekend.  He will be gone for a few weeks, and all of us will breathe easier.

** Iraq

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Denise Cook, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

**Sudan