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

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKSEMAN 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.  Thanks for waiting.  I'm still in vacation mode.  Actually the reason for the delay is that we have some news for you today.

**Secretary-General Nominates De Mello as Human Rights Commissioner

The Secretary-General, following consultations with the Chairmen of the five regional groups of Member States, this morning informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil as the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.  The Assembly is expected to approve the appointment tomorrow afternoon.

Mr. de Mello was, until May of this year, the United Nations Transitional Administrator in East Timor.  Prior to that, he was briefly the United Nations Special Representative in Kosovo, following a year and a half stint here at Headquarters as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.  The bulk of his career though, since 1969, has been with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where he also had considerable field experience. His education took place in Rio de Janeiro and Paris.

He succeeds Mary Robinson, who completed a four-year term last September, and announced her decision to resign one year later.  Mr. de Mello will succeed her for a four-year term starting 12 September this year.

The Secretary-General also informed the Assembly this morning of his intention to appoint Anna Tibaijuka as Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme at the level of Under-Secretary-General.

The Assembly decided last December to upgrade the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (HABITAT), now headed by Ms. Tibaijuka at the Assistant Secretary-General level, effective 1 September of this year.

**Statement on Sudan by the Spokesman for the Secretary-General

The following statement is attributable to the Spokesman on the subject of Sudan:

"The Secretary-General welcomes the progress made in the peace talks on the conflict in Sudan, which had been taking place in Machakos, Kenya, under the auspices of the Sudan Peace Committee of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

"He recalled that during his recent visit to Khartoum, he had had open and full discussions on the peace process with President Omar-Hassan el-Bashir, and that he had followed up by dispatching a Special Envoy to meet Dr. John Garang, the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

"The Secretary-General expressed the hope that the parties to the peace talks would be able to build on the momentum, so that they can reach a

definitive agreement in the next round, expected to open in August, in order to put an end to this painful and debilitating conflict, which has plagued Sudan for nearly 50 years.

"He is confident that, once a definitive peace agreement is reached, the international community will be ready to provide the necessary assistance for its full implementation."

**Secretary-General's Report Cites "Deepening Economic Crisis" of Palestinian People

In his report to the Economic and Social Council on assistance to the Palestinian people, the Secretary-General says there is a deepening economic crisis with growing humanitarian consequences.  The report -– which is out on the racks -- outlines the work, in the economic and social fields, of the United Nations and its agencies from June 2001 until May of this year. 

In the report, the Secretary-General says that continued closure regime imposed by Israel on the West Bank and Gaza, in response to terror attacks on its citizens, is the “immediate and single most important cause” for this economic crisis.

Unless and until there is real political progress, the Secretary-General warns, the United Nations system needs to be prepared for a situation in which an increasing number of Palestinians will be dependent upon welfare and the generosity of the international community.

In addition to efforts aimed at finding a political solution, the United Nations, the Secretary-General says, will continue to seek a resumption of progress towards an economically vibrant region where Palestinian living conditions, as well as those of Israelis and all others in the region, would provide a strong underpinning to peace and reconciliation between peoples.

**UNRWA, Red Crescent Society of United Arab Emirates Approve Relief Package for Jenin Camp

On Saturday in Abu Dhabi, the Red Crescent Society of the United Arab Emirates entered into an agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to provide $27 million to rebuild and repair the Jenin camp following the events of April this year.

The money will be used to rebuild or repair refugee shelters, camp infrastructure and communal facilities destroyed or damaged in the April fighting.

Families made homeless are currently being housed in tents or in rented accommodation near the camp.  The Relief and Works Agency has been providing food, medicines, cash assistance, kitchen kits and other relief to the homeless refugees in Jenin camp since April.  The Agency has undertaken to rebuild the camp over the course of the next two years. 

A press release in English and Arabic is available upstairs.

**Secretary-General Addresses International Civil Service Commission

The Secretary-General this morning opened the fifty-fifth session of the International Civil Service Commission, taking place here at Headquarters, and drew that body’s attention to the need to carry out a long overdue review of the United Nations pay and benefits system.

He told the Commission that “if the organizations of the United Nations system are to be competitive employers, they must offer improved conditions of service so that they can attract, nurture, motivate and retain the highest quality personnel.”

Consequently, he said, the United Nations needs the Commission to develop sound recommendations on conditions of service; to assist in addressing problems of recruitment and retention, especially at senior levels; and to help create a system that is simpler to administer and more easy to understand.

“It is no exaggeration,” the Secretary-General said, “to say that the entire United Nations community is expecting you to rise to this challenge -– and that the very credibility of the Commission is at stake.”

We have copies of his remarks upstairs.

**Secretary-General Stresses "Absolutely Essential" Work of UNFPA

The Secretary-General was asked by CNN about the news that the Bush administration was likely to cut $34 million that it was to contribute to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and he said he was disappointed at that news.

The Secretary-General told CNN, “I think UNFPA does very essential work, and we have made it clear that it does not go around encouraging abortions.” Rather, he said, it gives good advice to women on reproductive health and does good work around the world, including in China.

If the $34 million contribution is cut, the Secretary-General added, “We will try and see if other donors will step up and make up the difference, because the work we are doing is absolutely essential and we do not want women, particularly poor women around the world, to suffer.”

**Guéhenno Briefs Security Council Today on UNIFIL, UNMEE Reports

The Security Council is holding consultations on three items today.

Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, briefed Council members on the Secretary-General’s most recent report on the United Nations Mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL).  A draft mandate-extending resolution was introduced to extend the mandate by six months.

Mr. Guéhenno was also expected to introduce the Secretary-General’s report on the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which we briefed you on last week.  Under Somalia -- the third item on the Council agenda -- Norway is expected to introduce a resolution regarding the arms embargo on that country.

**MONUC Honours Victims of Uganda Bus Crash

A memorial service was held today at the Kinshasa headquarters of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) for the two Indian military observers who died in the bus crash in Uganda last Thursday. The bodies of Lieutenant Colonel Simhadri Raja and Major Sandeep Sharma were flown back to Kinshasa from Kampala on Saturday.  Their remains will now be repatriated to India later this week.

Over the weekend the Deputy Chief of the United Nations Mission, Lena Sundh, attended a mass burial ceremony in Uganda for the victims of the crash. She sent United Nations condolences to all the bereaved families, thanked the Ugandan officials for their assistance and paid a special tribute to the MONUC observers.

Meanwhile, on Saturday in Kinshasa, the head of the United Nations mission, Amos Ngongi, witnessed the departure from Kinshasa of the first commercial barges to travel the Congo River up to the northern Equateur province in over four years.  The 12 barges, which will be escorted by United Nations riverine units, will carry fuel and spare parts to factories in the province.  On their trip downriver, the barges will bring back to Kinshasa timber, rice, palm oil and other products.

As you’ll recall, at the end of last April, the Congolese business leaders signed an agreement with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and representatives of the two main rebel groups -- The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo and the Congolese Rally for Democracy.

**Secretary-General Reappoints Expert Panel on Liberia Sanctions

The Secretary-General, in a letter to the Security Council, has reappointed the panel of experts to conduct a follow-up assessment mission to Liberia and neighbouring states.

The panel will investigate and compile a report on the Liberian Government’s compliance with demands contained in the Security Council resolution extending sanctions on that country, the potential economic, humanitarian and social impact on the population of the measures imposed and on any violations of those measures.

**MINURSO Force Commander

There is an exchange of letters on the racks between the Secretary-General and the Security Council on the appointment of Major General Gyorgy Szaraz of Hungary to the post of Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO).  We have copies of his biography upstairs.

The appointment is effective 11 August, subject to the Security Council’s decision on the extension of that mission’s mandate after 31 July.

The Council is scheduled to take up the mandate extension this week, first tomorrow and then on Friday.

**United Nations, OSCE Launch Joint Report on Trafficking

Today in Geneva, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) put out a joint report on human trafficking in south-eastern Europe, which estimates that 90 per cent of foreign migrant sex workers in the Balkans are victims of trafficking.

After years of denial, governments are now giving priority to anti-trafficking initiatives, but, the report argues, some obstacles remain, including lack of access to reliable data, no clear human rights standards for the treatment of trafficked women and children, and inadequate prevention measures in terms of focus on the root causes of trafficking.

As the report puts it, “The attempts to come to grips with the problem of human trafficking have so far been toothless and without much success.”  It emphasizes, “Human trafficking is first and foremost a violation of human rights.”

We have a backgrounder on the report upstairs, and the full report is available online.

**Kosovo

On Saturday, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Kosovo, Michael Steiner, went to the town of Obiliq, where the major Kosovo B power plant was damaged after being struck by lightning during a storm on Friday night, in an incident in which one person died and 32 were wounded.

Mr. Steiner said of the storm, “there is no doubt that this is a tragedy,” and he warned that the damage to the electrical plant means that Kosovo will now have electricity shortages, and that less electricity must be used in the coming months.

Mr. Steiner said he has formed an Energy Committee, including international and local members, and said, “Despite the seriousness of the situation, we can overcome the hardships if we follow the example of those on the ground who did a great job of responding to the crisis.”

We have more information in a press release.

**International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

On Saturday, one of the suspects facing trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Momcilo Gruban, was provisionally released from the Tribunal’s detention unit at The Hague.  The order by the Tribunal trial chamber granting his release sets several terms for Gruban, including that he would have to return to the Tribunal when the trial chamber orders.  We have a press release upstairs with more information.

**UN Mine Action Service Announces $8 Million Grant for De-mining

in Afghanistan

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) today announced a large contribution from the European Commission for the United Nations Mine Action Programme in Afghanistan.  The contribution -- in excess of $8 million -- is the first tranche of a grant amounting to over $10 million, which will be used to support Afghan and international NGOs carrying out demining operations, as well as to strengthen the overall coordination of mine action in Afghanistan.

The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, welcomed the news. “This contribution from the European Commission," he said, "confirms the strong commitment of the European Union to support the efforts of the United Nations in the field of humanitarian mine action."

      **Otunnu Begins Week-long Visit to Afghanistan

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, yesterday began a week-long visit to Afghanistan.  He told the press in Kabul that his visit was to ensure that the appropriate focus is placed on the concerns and needs of children.  He said it was crucial to strengthen the capacity of Afghans within the family and the community as well as within the government and civil society to take care of the young people of the country.

We have a transcript of his press conference available upstairs.

**Press Releases

We have a couple of press releases to highlight for you today.

The first is from the World Health Organization (WHO) announcing the publication of new guidelines for using the Global Solar Ultra Violet Index to help in the reduction of skin cancer and cataracts.  The new guide says that simple measures such as wearing protective clothing and sunglasses and avoiding the sun at midday can reduce the risk of skin cancer and cataracts by up to 70 per cent.  There has been an increase in skin cancer since the 1970s, caused by changes in lifestyles and the depletion of the ozone layer.  Overexposure to the sun also contributes to the more than 2 million cases of blindness due to cataracts worldwide.

The second press release, from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said today that $600 million is needed to replenish the Multilateral Fund for the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  The role of the Fund is to help countries reach the targets for reduction of ozone depleting substances set by the Protocol.  The Fund has received $1.6 billion in contributions from industrialized countries, $1.3 billion of which has been used for projects in 134 developing countries.  The additional funds are needed to meet the targets for the 2003-2005 period. 

The press release has more details.

**Budget News

Today, Saudi Arabia became the 87th Member State to pay its 2002 regular budget contribution in full with a payment of more than $6 million.  At this time last year, 10 more Member States -- or 97 -- had paid their contributions in full.

**Treaty Signings

This morning, the Seychelles signed five treaties and protocols and ratified the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Control.  The Kyoto Protocol now has 75 parties.

**Noon Guest

The guest at the noon briefing tomorrow will be James Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP).  As you know, he was recently appointed by the Secretary-General as the United Nations Special Humanitarian Representative for Southern Africa, and he'll be talking about his new functions.

**Press Conference Today

I've been told that at 4 p.m. today, Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Sterling Scruggs, UNFPA's Director of Information, will talk to you in this room.

That's all I have.  I can tell you're all too exhausted to ask questions.

**Questions and Answers

Question:  I see that [Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia] Carla del Ponte is meeting with the Secretary-General today.  Is there anything special on the agenda?

Spokesman:  I don't know but I'll try to get a read-out for you after the meeting.

Question:  Can you tell us what the Secretary-General's travel and vacation plans are for August?

Spokesman:  Rest.  He's scheduled vacation time in August.  Of course, he'll be going to the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development.  He will be making a southern African swing starting early in the month and we will be announcing the details of other stops that he will be making.  Then he expects to take some time off.  And as usual we won't be telling you where he's going and we won't be giving you his phone number [laughter].

Question:  Although you are not part of the management of the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, can you give us updates from time to time on donations and disbursements?  The Fund's Web site is not up-to-date.

Spokesman:  I'll look into the management of the Web site to see if indeed it is not up-to-date and what can be done about that.  And we'll try to keep you posted in a timely way on the outgoing grants and any additional new contributions.  [He later said the site was up-to-date and no new contributions nor grants had been announced.]

Thank you.

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