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.

**Iraq Team

As you now know, the Secretary-General has sent the recommendations of the Iraq electoral fact-finding team to the Iraqi Governing Council, to the Coalition Provisional Authority and to the members of the 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,

**Guest at Noon

Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Côte d’Ivoire, will be joining us today to give you an update on the humanitarian situation in that country.

**Human Rights

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.

**Statement Attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

I am going to start with a statement regarding the tragic train derailment in Iran.

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.

**Japan Trip

The Secretary-General is scheduled to leave on Friday on an official visit to Japan.  He is due back in New York the middle of next week and details of the visit will be made before the end of the week.

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.

**Cyprus

The Secretary-General expects to meet this afternoon at 3 with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, once again.  This will be for a third day of discussions on the basis of his plan for Cyprus.

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.

**Cyprus

This afternoon at 4 p.m., Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders will meet again with the Secretary-General to resume the discussions, which were adjourned late yesterday afternoon.

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.

**Cyprus

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,

**SG Statement on Iraq

Early Saturday morning, the Secretary-General issued a statement announcing the arrival in Baghdad of the fact-finding team.

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 Stephane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good Afternoon.

**Statement Attributable to Spokesman for Secretary-General

We have a number of statements attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General.  First, on the attack in Moscow this morning: