Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General –US Proposal for the Middle East Peace Plan (Excerpts)

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

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Question:  We are imminently waiting the White House’s release of its deal of the century Middle East peace plan.  Just an update on yesterday, in the time between yesterday’s briefing and now, given the importance of this and the Secretary‑General’s pivotal role, was an advance copy shared with the Secretary‑General?

Spokesman:  No, I’m not aware of an advance copy being… having been shared.  What I do know is that, over the past months, there have been various discussions with Mr. [Nickolay] Mladenov and the Secretary‑General himself and people following the Middle East at different levels with the US Government, but I’m not aware of any advanced copy having been shared.

Question:  And with regard to settlements in the West Bank, Israeli media reporting that all settlements under this plan will be annexed by Israel.  I know you can’t comment on a plan that you haven’t seen yet, but you perhaps can reiterate for us the UN’s position on settlements.

Spokesman:  It’s reiterated regularly in the Security Council briefings… [cross talk]

Question:  If you could restate it at the podium.

Spokesman:  No, it’s all reiterated.  And we will have a… I’m sorry.  We will have a reaction to the peace plan in about… in a couple of hours.  We’re waiting, obviously, for the announcement… [cross talk]

Question:  So, will you do another briefing?

Spokesman:  We’ll see.  We’ll probably issue a statement.  Yes, Madame?

Question:  Thanks, Steph.  Just following up, President [Donald] Trump proposes to have a Palestinian State capital in the East Jerusalem.  Is the United States in the loop of any plans to try to broker any negotiations?  We know that the Palestinian Authority said that they were not included in this…

Spokesman:  Listen, we have to wait for… in order to react to the plan, we have to wait, but what is clear is that the UN’s position will continue to be bound and is bound by relevant Security Council/General Assembly resolutions, whether it’s on settlements, whether it’s on the final status of Jerusalem, which we have said in the past is an issue that needs to be… is a final status and needs to be negotiated between the parties.

Madame.

Question:  On the refugees, on the Palestinian refugees in the region, do you have any update on that?

Spokesman:  As I said, we have to wait to see what is announced, but I… our… the position of the Secretary‑General, as outlined in many Security Council briefings and other fora, remains unchanged and will not change in the… and continues to be bound by resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly.

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For information media. Not an official record.