HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MIROSLAV LAJČÁK

United Nations Headquarters, New York

13 April 2018

This afternoon, the President will address the Annual Commemoration of the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. That will take place in the General Assembly Hall.
The President is expected to say that the international community failed during the genocide – and cannot fail again.
He will say that it is important to mourn – but we must also take a moment to be inspired.
He plans to add that horror is part of Rwanda’s past. But its present is one of resilience and strength.

The President spoke this morning at a memorial service for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
He highlighted her contribution to changing the role of women in South Africa and across the international stage.
He added, “Her voice was loud. Her resilience was inspiring. And, her sacrifices changed the course of history.”

Asked about the President’s reaction to events over the past 3 weeks in Gaza, the Spokesperson said the President had been following the situation, regretted the loss of life and called for calm.
The Spokesperson added that the President would support the establishment of a credible investigation, which he hoped would be in the interest of future relations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Asked whether the President was worried about possible further military action in Syria, the Spokesperson said the President had been following recent developments in Syria with grave concern. He had seen reports from the media and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
In light of the continuing human tragedy in Syria, the President called for redoubled efforts to reach a political solution, as well as restraint and dialogue from all sides.
On a related note, the Spokesperson added that the President continued to stand firmly against the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances.

Asked why the President was meeting with the Permanent Representatives of Ecuador and Honduras today, the Spokesperson confirmed that this was in connection with the election of the President of the 73^rd session of the General Assembly.
He noted that Ecuador and Honduras were the two countries that had candidates running for the position. He added that today’s meetings would focus on the way forward with regards to the election process.

This morning the President held the eighth in his series of Morning Dialogues with UN ambassadors. The topic was “UN-Poppable Bubble: Engaging with External Stakeholders”
Fourteen Permanent Representatives participated.

The Spokesperson was asked whether Member States should be allowed to see the original document upon which the Secretary-General’s Global Service Delivery Model (GSDM) report was based. He responded that Member States could request whatever information they desired.
In response to further questions, he said the GSDM report was being considered by the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) and would go to the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee during its second resumed session in May. He added that he could not predict what the Fifth Committee may or may not request to see in terms of additional documentation.