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

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by

Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Thanks for waiting.

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

The following is a near verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-general:

Good afternoon.  We’ll start, again today with reaction to the earthquake in El Salvador.

** Earthquake in El Salvador

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

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

It’s nice to see my predecessor, Joe Sills, sitting in the back of the room.  A visiting guest today.

** Earthquake in El Salvador

We’ll start with the earthquake in El Salvador.

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

Good Afternoon.  You should get comfortable.  Today we have a lot of stuff.  [Inaudible comment]  I didn't say a lot of interest.  I just said a lot stuff. 

**Kosovo

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcription of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

Good afternoon.

**Depleted Uranium

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcription of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

Welcome to our guests, the visiting journalists, who are sponsored by Freedom Forum.

**Security Council

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcription of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

**Secretary-General’s Trip

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcription of today's noon briefing by Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

**Guest at Noon Briefing

Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), is the guest today.  She will be releasing a new WFP World Hunger Map and a press release on hunger hot spots in the year 2001.

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

Greetings to you all, and a very happy Friday.

**Security Council

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

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General:

      **Security Council