Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Guest
My guest today will be the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Kanayo F. Nwanze. He will join us as soon as this briefing is over.
Secretary-General’s Travels
The Secretary‑General has been in the Middle East today, where he met with the Prime Ministers of Palestine and Israel.
He met in Ramallah with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, and told reporters afterwards that he was encouraged by the amount that had been committed by donors at the Cairo Conference on Gaza’s reconstruction, which he had attended on Sunday. He added that, in his years as Secretary‑General, Gaza has suffered catastrophic destruction three times. He said that we must stop this endless, needless, mindless cycle of suffering.
The Secretary‑General once again strongly condemned the continued settlement activity by Israel. He also expressed his concern about repeated provocations at the holy sites in Jerusalem. These only inflame tensions and must stop.
In a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, the Secretary‑General expressed appreciation for the Prime Minister’s support for a temporary mechanism for the reconstruction of Gaza. He said in remarks to reporters before the meeting that the status quo is not tenable. It is clear that the sides must quickly return to the negotiation table with the readiness to make the tough but necessary compromises. And he made similar points prior to a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, saying that Israeli‑Palestinian peace is necessary and urgent because it is the only route to securing long‑denied Palestinian rights and to Israel’s lasting security.
He also met Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog and also has met with Quartet envoy Tony Blair this evening. Tomorrow, he will travel to Gaza and to a kibbutz in southern Israel where many rockets fired by Hamas and others landed.
Libya
The Secretary‑General made a previously unannounced visit to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Saturday, and he urged the Libyan parties to press forward with their dialogue in order to restore stability to their country.
The Secretary‑General said that Libyans want the cycle of violence to end and they long for stability and for the restoration of the political process. He said that they wanted to build a State based on democracy, the rule of law and human rights, where differences can be resolved peacefully and not by coercion or the use of force.
The Secretary‑General also said in his remarks in Libya that the United Nations strongly demands that all military and armed groups withdraw from all Libyan cities, from airports and official buildings, in order to pave the way for legitimate bodies to work and meet the Libyan people’s needs. His remarks are online.
Ebola
We have been asked about what measures are in place in case somebody shows symptoms of Ebola here at Headquarters.
The Medical Services Division has Standard Operating Procedures for Ebola viral disease risk management, in place since March 2014. These have been regularly updated, especially in preparation for the general debate and for the current deployment of staff to UNMEER, the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response.
Staff members travelling to and from the area affected by Ebola are fully briefed, and the Medical Services conduct a risk assessment depending on the nature of their work at their duty stations.
Upon their return to New York, staff members are to self‑monitor their temperature twice a day for 21 days, which is the incubation period for the virus, and nurses follow up on their health on day 1, 7 and 21 of their return.
In case a staff member, delegate or a participant to a meeting should require evaluation for possible Ebola virus disease, an isolation room is available and the medical staff is trained and equipped to deal with the situation, before referral is coordinated to the appropriate health facility. Security personnel have also been trained to respond to a potential case.
All procedures are in line with United States guidance and the Medical Services Division is working in close coordination with the New York Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And as you will have seen, the latest figures from the World Health Organization report 8,399 cases and 4,033 deaths caused by Ebola.
The World Health Organization reiterates that travel restrictions or bans are both inefficient and detrimental to the efforts against the epidemic.
Somalia
The Secretary‑General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has condemned last night’s car bomb attack in Mogadishu. According to the Government, at least 13 people have been killed.
Calling the attack a cruel and despicable crime against civilians, Mr. Kay said that the perpetrators need to be brought to justice swiftly.
Also on Somalia, Humanitarian Coordinator Philippe Lazzarini says that aid operations need to be scaled‑up urgently to save lives in areas stricken by drought and conflict.
Mr. Lazzarini added that communities in southern, central and north‑eastern Somalia have been the most affected, and many desperately need food, water and health care. More information is available on the UN mission’s website.
Iraq
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that as many as 180,000 people have reportedly been displaced in Anbar Governorate, in Iraq, following heavy fighting in Heet and Ramadi between Iraqi Security Forces and ISIL in recent days. Initial estimates suggest that 75 per cent of people from Heet (out of an original population of 300,000) have now fled the town.
Thousands of men, women and children are reportedly still on the move, many in trucks along the highway, and are in urgent need of life‑saving assistance, including food, water, and shelter. Some of the displaced have remained in Anbar, while others have fled to Kerbala and Baghdad. There were already around 100,000 internally displaced people in Heet prior to these events, so it is likely that many are now experiencing their second, third or even fourth displacement.
The United Nations, in close collaboration with the authorities, is responding by releasing World Food Programme (WFP) food rations for 30,000 people, half a ton of World Health Organization (WHO) medical supplies, which is enough for 5,000 people for two months, as well as 3,500 UN Population Fund (UNFPA) hygiene kits and 1,000 clean delivery kits for women. The first food distributions for internally displaced persons around Ramadi and Baghdad are expected later today or tomorrow.
South Sudan
The UN Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, received reports on Friday that an attack carried out by opposition forces captured Dolieb Hill, south of Malakal in Upper Nile State. The Mission received further reports that armed opposition fighters continued to advance in the direction of the Upper Nile State capital, Malakal, before they were halted by Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) forces.
On Saturday, the Mission says that heavy shelling was heard from the direction of Dolieb Hill, and SPLA sources informed the Mission that Government troops had recaptured Dolieb Hill and had pushed opposition forces across to the south bank of the Sobat River.
Some 500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) sought refuge at the Mission’s compound north of Malakal on Saturday, bringing the number of persons being protected there to more than 18,000.
Also over the weekend, in Unity State, the Mission reported sporadic gunfire in the vicinity of the Mission’s compound in Bentiu.
The total number of IDPs currently protected at UNMISS facilities nationwide is now once again in excess of 100,000. The increase in numbers is mainly attributed to a rise in the number of civilians seeking refuge at the protection site in Bentiu, which now stands at approximately 49,000 people.
And also on South Sudan, the Secretary‑General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, has just concluded her first visit to South Sudan.
She met with President Salva Kiir at the beginning and the end of her visit, and held extensive consultations with relevant Ministers, as well as the Army and Police. She also met with Riek Machar.
She also travelled to Bentiu, the capital of Unity State, to engage with the local commander of the Sudan People´s Liberation Army (SPLA), Government authorities, UN staff, humanitarian workers and survivors of sexual violence.
And there was a joint agreement signed with the Government. There is a press release available with more details.
Disaster Reduction
Today is the International Day for Disaster Reduction. In his message focusing on the role of older people in fostering resilience, the Secretary‑General says that when a natural disaster hits, older people often suffer disproportionately.
The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) says that when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, 75 per cent of those who died were over 60 years old, even though this age group comprised only 16 per cent of the local population.
The Secretary‑General calls for this tragic trend to be reversed through plans, services and support that ensure that the vulnerabilities facing older persons are addressed. He added that it is important to recognize that older people have strengths that can serve the community at large, including in addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development.
Economic and Social Council
Ambassador Martin Sajdik, the President of the Economic and Social Council, congratulated French economist Jean Tirole for winning the 2014 Nobel Prize in economics today. He said that, in the continued aftermath of the global financial crisis, Mr. Tirole’s research on market regulations and the role of the State is as important as ever. His insights on global regulatory harmony are of particular relevance to the international community in its efforts to establish an effective system of global economic governance.
Press Conferences
As I said, just when we are done with this briefing, I will be joined by the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Kanayo F. Nwanze.
Tomorrow at 2 p.m., in this room, there will be a press conference organized by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People with Professor Noam Chomsky from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
That's it for me. Yes? Nabil?
Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Farhan. So the SG will visit Gaza tomorrow. Do you know his schedule? And how long he's going to stay there? And is he going through Rafah crossing point from Egypt or through Israel?
Deputy Spokesman: I'm not going to give the details what crossing point he goes through or how he travels. He will spend some time there. As the Secretary-General made clear, he intends both to visit Gaza and to visit southern Israel. When he's in southern Israel, he'll visit a kibbutz that had taken some hits from the rocket fire from Gaza. And, of course, while he's in Gaza, he will meet with different UN officials, including, of course, Pierre Krähenbühl from the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
Question: And will he meet with Palestinians while he is there?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes, he will be. But as you know, today he met with the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. And one of the people he met with at the Cairo conference was the President, Mahmoud Abbas. So he has met with both of them over the past two days. Nizar?
Question: Today, the Israelis have attacked the Al‑Aqsa Mosque, including some senior officials and security apparatus. This is the most serious attack on the Aqsa mosques ever. Does the United Nations have any statement on that?
Deputy Spokesman: I would just refer you to the fact that the Secretary-General, when he was in Ramallah, spoke to the press, and he did express his concerns about repeated provocations at the holy sites in Jerusalem. He said these only inflame tensions and must stop. Yes, Go?
Question: Thank you, again. About SG's visit to Gaza again: Tomorrow is he visiting first Gaza or then to kibbutz? Do you have at least the order?
Deputy Spokesman: We'll give you more ideas of the details on them once they've happened. Right now I'd rather not get into the logistics until the events happen.
Question: This evening, he's staying in Jerusalem, right?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe so, yes. The trip to Gaza starts tomorrow. Yes, Matthew? Yes, you.
Question: I wanted to ask, I saw the speeches of the Secretary-General. I just wanted to know what the status of a Board of Inquiry. It's said that one will be set up for the destruction of UNRWA facilities. What's the status of that?
And also, I'm sure you've seen that Israel Channel 2 has run footage which they say supports the allegation that the UN had Qatar pay a ransom for the release of the Fijian peacekeepers. It's an extended video clip. This is what the reporting, Haaretz has also reported it. What is the UN's position on whether, one, money was paid for the release; or, two, whether the UN played any role in it?
Deputy Spokesman: What I will say affirmatively — and we have asserted this in the past and I’ll do it again — is that the UN does not pay ransoms. It did not pay a ransom in this case. It never encourages countries to pay ransoms.
Question: Do you have any country paying ransom in this case? And what about the Board of Inquiry?
Deputy Spokesman: I'm not aware of any ransom. As you know, the Secretary‑General had made clear that a Board of Inquiry will be set up. We don't have any further details to give at this stage, but that's his intention. Iftikhar?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Over the weekend, the Government of Pakistan sent a letter to the Secretary-General asking for him to intervene as Indian firing across the Line of Control in disputed region of Kashmir continues. Has the letter been received? And, if so, any reaction to that?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I'll check whether we have received the letter. I don't have any confirmation of that. But we're checking on that. Regarding the viewpoint of the Secretary-General, as you're aware, my colleague Vannina [Maestracci] read out a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on this very topic on Thursday. And I would just refer you to what she said then. Yes, Stefano?
Question: Yes. I have a question about Ebola. We heard that the Secretary-General, the General Assembly, even before President [Barack] Obama here, that it is not an issue, is not an emergency, that can be could confronted alone, by the country alone or by the UN alone. Now, after several months, do you have — do you monitor how the countries are helping? And do you, can we know what countries are doing, what you expect they are doing and what countries are not yet? Do you have a way to for us to find out who is doing its duty?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, you can see from the remarks we've been making, whenever we receive contributions from different countries that have helped us with our Ebola response, we have mentioned those countries. And so you've seen what the Secretary-General and what we, the Spokespeople, have been saying about that. Of course, by process of elimination, you can then calculate and deduce for yourselves which countries need to do more. But at this stage, we're encouraging all countries to do more, simply so that we can bring this under control because, of course, the larger worry is from people thinking that, after this many months, we still have so many cases: more than 8,000 cases, more than 4,000 deaths. We need to put all of our efforts together on this.
This is why UNMEER, for example, was created. We're trying to get facilities on the ground. We need medical personnel. We need proper medical training on the ground, and particularly training in the sort of processes that would prevent the infection from spreading further. With that sort of contribution, with that sort of effort, we can bring this under control. And we're fairly certain that we can turn the corner on this with the right amount of effort.
Question: Thank you for your answer. Can I ask you another question, not related to this, or do I have to wait?
Deputy Spokesman: Let's spin it around so that everyone gets a question in. Yes, Edie?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I note that UNRWA asked for — has asked for $1.6 billion to repair its facilities in Gaza. Will that amount of money come from the more than $5 billion that was pledged? Or is that a separate appeal?
Deputy Spokesman: Some of the money that was pledged, it was about $5.4 billion that was received in pledges yesterday, for which we're extremely grateful. The Secretary-General's made it very clear that he's very encouraged by that. At the same time, some of that is earmarked specifically for certain things having to do with the reconstruction of Gaza, which is, of course, very necessary. And then other amounts of money will go through the UN system. And we're hopeful that we will get, like UNRWA has been asking for, $1.6 billion for the Relief and Works Agency because, of course, their work, as you've seen over the months that the crisis had lasted and since then, has been doing immense work, housing and taking care of hundreds of thousands of people. And so or… well, tens of thousands of people at this stage. And so they certainly need the assistance, as well.
But, yes, some chunk of money will be going over, then, but a lot of the $5.4 billion that you saw yesterday is earmarked for specific things having to do with the reconstruction of Gaza, which is also, of course, extremely necessary. Carla?
Question: A technical question and you've probably — we've already spoken about this. I have been trying to get a translation of President [Cristina Fernández] Kirchner's speech to the General Assembly. I had first seen it on I guess it was YouTube or on one of the videos, and there were subtitles translating it. And is there anything that can be done to get a provisional verbatim translation? I called Afaf [Konja], as a matter of fact; she said go to General Assembly and Conference Management? Is there anywhere — because I know Security Council speeches are translated very quickly. I realize there are 193 speeches at the GA. But President Kirchner raised issues that are very, very relevant.
Deputy Spokesman: No, I take your point. I believe our colleagues both in the documents counter and the ones who deal with the webcast try to get all of the various different languages out as quickly as they possibly can. You can try with them. For example, if you look at the webcast channel, webtv.un.org, if you look at the archives of that, there may be different language versions of what she said. So you can pick up an English version there.
Question: On the webcast, it's —
Deputy Spokesman: Let's move it around on that. Yes, sorry, Abdul Hamid and then Abdul Aziz. Thanks. You first.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. Well, the Secretary-General, when he was in Ramallah, he condemned the settlement activities and the infringement of the holy places. Isn't more appropriate for him to do that while he was meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister? Instead, when he met the Prime Minister, he thanked him twice. He thanked him for easing the restrictions and he thanked him for agreeing on a mechanism to allow construction material to pass through Gaza. While, I mean, the one who was responsible for the destruction of Gaza is being thanked for just allowing material to pass through with the approval of Israel, taking into account their security. So isn't more important to mention these, that the settlement activities and the infringement on the holy places and the Israeli practices according to UN resolution, like resolution 1860, which calls on Israel to open the crossing point, not to ease the restriction, but to open?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, the Secretary-General actually made the points on the settlements and on the religious sites that you've said. The question of where he did it or what time of day he did it is not as relevant as the fact that he in fact has said these, and he said these today during his visit. Yes?
Question: Good morning. Two journalists were declared missing in Libya. They were kidnapped in Libya, Sofiene Chourabi and Nédhir Ktari, for more than 40 days. And there is another journalist which is Libyan, [inaudible] was kidnapped, too, five days ago. So what is the position of the Secretary-General, who visited Libya, and the position of the United Nations of this kidnapping of these journalists?
Deputy Spokesman: Certainly we stand against the kidnapping of all journalists. We want them, of course, to be able to go about their duties without hindrance. And we hope that all of those who have been held in this particular conflict in Libya, as well as in the other conflicts around the world, will be promptly released. Yes, you first?
Question: My question is regarding Ukraine. There are currently several ongoing investigations into unsolved tragedies in that country, specifically the February shooting in Maidan Square that killed at least 18 people, the 2 May fire in Odessa that claimed the lives of more than 40 people, and the recent discovery of mass graves near the city of Donetsk, which reportedly contain the bodies of civilians who were shot dead. My question is: Is the UN satisfied with the way those investigations are being carried out? And has the UN made inquiries with the Ukrainian authorities regarding when the results of said probes will be complete?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, you will have seen the many different reports that have come out from the Ukraine Human Rights Monitoring Mission that we have. The last of those, as you know, was issued in Geneva last week. So we are keeping track of all the various investigations. And any concerns that we have are raised over the course of those reports. So I would just refer you to the many reports that we've had on that.
Question: But the Ukrainian authorities, local authorities, in respect to the probe in Odessa, mentioned that they don't have the proper equipment to get all the results that are needed, particularly how the victims died. Did they die from smoke inhalation? What was the cause of death? According to reports, they said they would need more help from international monitors and better equipment to get the results that are being asked. Do you know if any more help is going to be given by the UN?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, our monitors are on hand. If they have any recommendations for the ways those investigations can be supported, they will do so in the course of their own work. Yes, Nizar?
Question: Re‑visiting the issue of the Golan and the Fijian peacekeepers, the video mentioned shows very clearly that the United Nations fraternizing with Nusra, with Da’esh, and with other terrorist groups in the region, also the Israelis were helping in that respect, and they were just roaming the area very freely, coming with their cars, discussing things openly. Is this a new policy to be open to ISIS and al-Nusra by the United Nations?
Deputy Spokesman: That is not the case. As you know, the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has a mandate to make sure that the Area of Separation is clear of armed forces. And it tries to do that. It has to sometimes use a number of different tactics to make sure that the area of separation is clear of armed forces. And it tries to do that. It has to sometimes use a number of different tactics. As you know, these are positions that were overrun by a new fighting force in the area. And so that created different concerns, including, of course, different security concerns and different concerns in terms of how the mission can fulfil its mandate. But it continues to try to do that. I would object to the use of the word "fraternizing". That's not the case.
Question: But in this case they showed, the video showed, very clearly, that they were not negotiating there at the border with the presence of the UNDOF and with the presence of the Israelis. And they did not release anything. And they waited for two hours until the money was placed or deposited in one bank account. And that was explained very clearly. I mean, this is a very serious thing. Not only they have managed to occupy the area, but also even, according to Mr. Igbal Singh, when he spoke to the Security Council last week, he said that they were warned that if they see them again there, that they will be kidnapped again and they will confiscate their equipment. This is a very serious threat which he mentioned by Mr. Singh.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, you've seen what we've said about our own concerns about that area being overrun and how we've had to adjust our security posture on the ground accordingly. We've had to relocate troops, which is an unfortunate series of events, simply because we have mandated tasks. And it's impeding our ability to fulfill that mandate, as the Security Council has been informed. Again, though, this is not a case where the United Nations paid ransom. We are very firm on that. We are against, as a policy, we're against the payment of ransom in these situations.
Question: But they acquiesce to that and they just sort of appeased, they said, the whole process of negotiations.
Deputy Spokesman: Again, I would dispute your characterization. Yes?
Question: Sure. Thanks a lot. I have to ask again about the Haiti cholera. You'll see why. In looking at Edmond Mulet's interview on France 24, he says clearly the Nepali were screened for cholera. And before, the MINUSTAH [United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti] spokesman, Vincenzo Pugliese, said this was not the case. So two absolutely contradictory UN statements. Is there a way to get to the bottom of it? And also, France 24 reports that after their interview with Mr. Mulet, DPKO's [Department of Peacekeeping Operations] Communications Chief asked them not to air the recording. And I wanted to know, I'm asking you about that. Is that appropriate? On what basis did an on‑the‑record interview… was it requested not to be shown? And was what he said true or false?
Deputy Spokesman: Regarding the facts of the case, because of the legal considerations, I really don't want to be drawn into talking too great at length about this. The basic point that we've tried to make is that the facts made available to the panel that was dealing with this are the facts that we have on the ground and we will stick with that account. And, of course, as you're well aware, with cases like cholera, the question of when screening occurs is as relevant as anything. And I'm sure — I can just refer you over to the World Health Organization guidelines about this.
Question: Is what Mr. Pugliese said true or not? It seems like when you have two UN statements that are absolutely opposite ‑‑
Deputy Spokesman: Again, while there are legal issues surrounding this, I would refrain in any detailed comment on this. I don't want to say anything prejudicial one way or another. We've said our piece. Our version of events is out there on the record, and it's available for you to see.
Regarding what you said about the interview, I was informed that the interview was meant for different topics entirely, for Mali and the Central African Republic. And this was a different sort of interview. And I was told that the reporter was informed that when he was prepared to handle questions on Haiti, they would set up a time for her to do that. So it's not a question of them trying to censor. They simply… he was prepared for different topics, and they were going to offer a different availability for him once he was up to speed on that.
Question: But wasn't he the head of MINUSTAH? What I mean is he's probably prepared on Haiti. He was there at the time. Unless it's some kind of legal preparation. It's not like he's being sandbagged.
Deputy Spokesman: You've been a reporter; you understand when you're prepared for an interview and when you're not prepared for an interview. It has nothing to do with what you've done in the past. It depends on what topics you're fresh on. It's simply that. And the reporter seemed to understand that from her subsequent communications with the office in question. Yeah?
Question: Regarding Libya and the proposed conference on Libya, I understand that, from the statements which was issued by Secretary-General, that all parties will be involved in the dialogue, would be engaged, including even the both parties, those who represent the Government and the opposition. But obviously, this has left a very vague area where some people who are associated with ISIS in areas, will they be representative in the conference on the peace of Libya?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't want to speculate on what parties will be there right now. This is the work that Mr. Bernardino Leon is doing, and he's trying to bring the parties together. Of course, he has — he's aware of all the various considerations in play. But you'll have seen what the Secretary-General had to say about the need for dialogue among parties while he was in Tripoli. And Abdul Hamid?
Question: Yes, Farhan. On the day of the donor conference, it was Sunday. It was the first day of universities in Egypt. So students came back to colleges after one month delay, almost. But that day, also, it was marked by numerous arrests. Security forces entered many universities, like Al-Azhar University; 62 of the student leaders were arrested. Force had been used in many universities. Security measures to enter the university is excessive. It takes a student two hours to enter the university. And presidents of the universities were given authority to fire any student or any staff who opposes the Government. Doesn't that worth a statement from the Secretary-General?
Deputy Spokesman: At this stage, we'd need to evaluate what the events are. Of course, the Secretary General has made clear his own views regarding his concerns about the situation on the ground in Egypt. If we have anything further to say about the recent events, I'll let you know. Stefano? And then after this, I think we'll have to get with our guest, who has been quite patient with us. Okay, actually, you haven't asked yet, and then you'll get the last question.
Question: Yes. Today here in America is Columbus Day. It is a federal holiday. And there's been a lot of polemics about if — you know, what really this day means. For Italians, it means something; but for indigenous people, it means something else. And I would like to know: Does the UN have a position of how this day should be celebrated in order not to, you know, to be able to everybody to celebrate and not be offended by it?
Deputy Spokesman: I think I know well enough not to get involved in a debate about something that happened more than 500 years ago. What I will leave it at is that the United Nations has always been in favor of countries and groups of people looking fully and thoroughly at their histories, both the good, the bad and all of it in order to evaluate what they have done and where they need to go to move forward in terms of dealing with other groups and other peoples in the future. And so that is where we stand as a general rule. Last question before we go to our guest.
Question: Thank you. Kobane city in Iraq, if it fails, it can bring the Srebrenica genocide. What is being done from UN in that regard? There's anything that can be done?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, as you know, we ourselves have no forces on the ground in that area. It's not that we can inherently be there. But we have asked for all those who can be there to do what they can to prevent, as we had warned, another Srebrenica from taking place. The Secretary-General believes that this implies that the idea that we need to take action applies particularly to those countries who have the means to prevent this type of massacre, both those that are more immediately in the vicinity and those who can contribute by other means to prevent that. With that, I will get to our guest.
Question: Another follow-up?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes, I'm sorry.
Question: Last Secretary-General's Report on Rape and Sexual Violence did not include Kosovo and events that did happen in Kosovo in 1999, where more than 20,000 women were raped systematically. I had the opportunity to meet with some of those women recently, and they were very disappointed. Society and international community turned their back toward them. And they asked me: Why Kosovo was not in the Secretary-General's report? The rape in Kosovo. Do you know anything? Can you get an official answer on this, please?
Deputy Spokesman: I don't know why this particular individual report didn't have a mention. But we have mentioned the rapes in Kosovo many, many times since 1999. And we've made clear our outrage about those rapes. We've taken it very seriously. And it's been recorded in the past by the United Nations. So we do have a record of this. It may not have — this is of course 15 years later, so I'm not sure why —
Question: But it was not included. It was not part of the Secretary-General's report on sexual violence and rape. Can you, because I've been asked from…
Deputy Spokesman: We'll check. I don't know why this particular report didn't include it. It may be that it's long enough in the past now, 15 years, that it wasn't there. But I don't want to speculate.
Question: But they were included, events in Bosnia, that were before that.
Deputy Spokesman: But certainly it is the case that we have spoken out against those rapes and we continue to hope for justice in all of the atrocities that were perpetrated during that time. Okay, now, let’s get to our guest.