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:

** Security Council

PRESS CONFERENCE ON SMALL ARMS

"Africa is bleeding from the humanitarian toll inflicted by small arms", a representative of Nigeria to the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects told correspondents this afternoon at a press conference organized by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and sponsored by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA).

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

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

Okay, settle down and be comfortable, because we’ve got a lot of stuff. Let’s start by catching up with our Secretary-General.

** Secretary-General in China

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.   

**Secretary-General in Japan

The Secretary-General began his programme in Japan today with a meeting with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

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.  I’ll be joined shortlyby Carolyn McAskie, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator ad interim.  She will be here to talk to you about her recent visit to Mongolia.

PRESS BRIEFING BY EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR, A.I.

Over the past two years, a combination of drought, snow, cold and ice had created the most severe weather conditions in Mongolia in 60 years, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, a.i., Carolyn McAskie, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon. 

PRESS CONFERENCE BY UN CHILDREN’S FUND

"When UNICEF comes into a village, hope comes into a village", Mia Farrow, award-winning actress and Special Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said this afternoon at a Headquarters press conference reporting on the launch last Saturday of a countrywide polio vaccination campaign in Nigeria.

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         

** Security Council

PRESS CONFERENCE BY LIBERIA

Liberia's relationship with the Sierra Leonean rebel movement, the Revolutionary United Force (RUF), was one that went back to his own country's civil war, and one that was both documented and known, Monie Captan, Foreign Minister of Liberia, told correspondents at a headquarters press conference today.

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.

** Earthquake in India

The following statement is attributable to the Spokesman concerning the earthquake in India: