Press briefing by Office of Spokesman of SecGen – Press release (excerpts)

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 Farhan Haq, Associate Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

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**Lebanon

On Lebanon, the Secretary-General on Saturday received from Commissioner Serge Brammertz the fourth report of the International Independent Investigation Commission investigating the murder last year of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others.  The Secretary-General then transmitted the report to the members of the Security Council.

In his letter to the Council transmitting the report, the Secretary-General said that the report highlights the considerable progress made in consolidating the Commission’s investigative capacity and organizational structure; in developing its investigative activities; and in adapting its internal procedures to the standards and requirements of a future judicial process, possibly a tribunal of an international character.

The Security Council intends to hear from Commissioner Brammertz in an open meeting, followed by consultations, on Wednesday.

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**Questions and Answers

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Question:  On Friday and Saturday, Israeli bombers attacked some towns inside the occupied territories, killing 11 people and so forth.  The Secretary-General has only called for an investigation.  He has not taken note that this has been done time and again, over any international law.  How is that investigation going to take place and when?  And who is going to do it?  

Associate Spokesman:  Well, this is of course in the early days, in terms of that.  He just made the call on Friday in his statement concerning the killings that took place on a beach in Gaza.  And he did call for a full investigation at that time.  As you know, the Israeli Government has expressed its intention to investigate.  So, first, we’ll see what type of investigation they will have.  As for the violence that’s been continuing, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Secretary-General, at the start of the weekend, did remind all concerned of their obligations under international humanitarian law to avoid placing civilians in danger, while urging the utmost restraint to avoid further escalation and bloodshed.  So, he made that call in the statement on Friday, and those sentiments stand.

Question:  Subsequently, there were more raids again, I guess on Sunday…

Associate Spokesman:  But, of course, the basic message that he gave, reminding all concerned of their obligations under international humanitarian law to avoid placing civilians in danger, that still stands.

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Question:  Prime Minister [Ehud] Olmert has been quoted in the Israeli press as saying that when Annan called him, he was interested only in Israeli response to the Qassam rockets and not to the actual Qassam rockets.  And I noticed that in the statement that Annan made on Saturday that there was no mention of the Qassam rockets either.  Is there only one side to this, according to Annan?

Associate Spokesman:  No, not at all.  In the past we have also criticized the firing of Qassam rockets, and, even in the statement on Friday, the basic point was that we encouraged both sides to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid escalation and bloodshed.  And that means to avoid all further violence, whether it comes in the form of Qassam rockets or in the form of retaliatory attacks.

Question:  I mean the Qassam rockets were the initiation of this.  Is there… do you think that it’s ok… I mean, it’s a complaint that was raised by the Prime Minister, I’m just passing it along, thinking that there might be…

Associate Spokesman:  In past statements, we have referred… as well as in speeches to the Security Council… we have referred to our concerns about Qassam rocket fire and those concerns still hold.

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For information media • not an official record