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 and Michèle Montas, Spokeswoman for the General Assembly President.

Good afternoon.

**Brahimi

Lakhdar Brahimi, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, arrived in Baghdad a few hours ago.

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.

Sorry for the delay.

**SG in Virginia

The Secretary-General and his wife Nane last night received a humanitarian award from Refugees International, in an event marking that group’s twenty-fifth anniversary, in McLean, Virginia.

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.

**Guest at Noon

Joining us today is Carina Perelli, the Director of the Electoral Assistance Division in the Department of Political Affairs.  And she will be briefing you on the electoral process in Iraq in a few minutes.

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.

**Guest at Noon

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.

**Guest at Noon

Miloon Kothari, the Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, is joining us today to brief you on his recent missions to Afghanistan, Kenya, the occupied Palestinian territory and Peru.

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.

**Guest at Noon

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,

**ECOSOC/Bretton Woods

The record on achieving the goals to which world leaders agreed at the Millennium Assembly is mixed, the Secretary-General said today, although it is not too late to regain the path on which we set out with such hope.

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.

**North Korea

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.

**Statement Attributable to Spokesman

We’re going to start with a statement attributable to the Spokesman concerning the situation in the Middle East.

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.

**Oil-for-Food

I would like to welcome Paul Volcker, who is the chair of the independent inquiry on the “oil-for-food” programme.  This inquiry will look into allegations of impropriety in the operation and management of that programme.