The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Martin Nesirky, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the briefing.

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The Secretary-General is addressing the closing session of the General Assembly’s high-level thematic debate on the world economy right now.  He is telling the Member States his concern about the slow recovery of the global economy and the possibility of another worldwide recession.  He’s saying that if this happens, it may be even more devastating since we have less resources and fiscal capacity to respond.

At the same time, the Secretary-General says that these difficulties are a reason to recommit to sustainable development, not to shrink from it.  The Secretary-General believes that next month’s Rio + 20 Conference is not an end but a beginning.  It is our chance, he says, to set in motion a revolution in how we think about creating balanced, dynamic growth for future generations.  And we’ll have his remarks shortly.

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Major General Robert Mood, the Head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), said at a press conference today that the Mission is on its way to achieving full deployment.  He said that he expects it can reach the final phase of full operational capacity soon.

He noted that the Mission now comprises nearly 260 military observers on the ground, from approximately 60 Member States.  General Mood said that no amount of observers can achieve a permanent end to the violence if the commitment by all sides to give dialogue a chance is not genuine.  We have his remarks available in my office.

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Said Djinnit, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, will participate in the Mediation and Security Council meeting of the Economic Community of West African States, which will take place tomorrow in Abidjan.

We issued a statement last night expressing the Secretary-General’s belief that it is critical to ensure that the decisions emanating from the mediation processes in Mali and Guinea-Bissau ensure a full and speedy return to constitutional order and send a clear and principled message against unconstitutional seizures of power.

The United Nations calls again for strict adherence to democratic principles and for the military in both countries to return to their barracks, refrain from any political involvement and to respect civilian authority and the rule of law.

The Security Council is scheduled to have a formal meeting on Guinea-Bissau, starting around now.

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The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said today that a record number of African refugees and migrants are arriving in Yemen this year.  More than 43,000 people reached Yemen’s shores in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in the first four months of this year alone.  Should the current trend continue, 2012 would sadly become another record year.

The refugee agency noted that the striking increase in the overall number of the new arrivals in Yemen reflects the growing Ethiopian population on the move.  Three out of four people making the crossing to Yemen are Ethiopian nationals.  This year, UNHCR is seeking $60 million to address the protection and humanitarian needs of some 220,000 refugees and almost half a million internally displaced people in Yemen.  But so far, only a third of the funds have been received.  UNHCR is calling on both government and private donors to respond adequately and in a timely manner.

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According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), some 3,000 displaced people from Khyber Agency in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas are continuing to arrive at Jalozai camp every day, due to the ongoing security operations.  More than 90 per cent of the new arrivals are opting to stay outside the camp, which currently houses more than 50,000 people.

As of 15 May, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) had registered over 230,000 people displaced since January, when the security operations began.  Again, shelter and food are the top needs for the displaced families living outside the camp.  And funding, of course, is critical.  Without greater support, key organizations are in fact due to run out of funds at the end of May, putting critical humanitarian assistance seriously at risk.

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The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) thirty-first Regional Conference for the Near East today called for a 50 per cent reduction of food losses and food waste in the region in order to improve regional food security.  Concluding a week-long session in Rome, the Conference called on FAO to assist its member countries in drawing up a plan to halve the amount food they lose or waste in the next 10 years.  Annual losses in grains are estimated at more than 16 million tons across the region.

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Patricia O’Brien, the UN Legal Counsel, is giving the convocation address at the New York University School of Law today, and we have copies of that address available in my Office.

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I understand that the Security Council meeting on Guinea-Bissau that was scheduled to start around now has been postponed until 3:30 this afternoon.

I am happy to take questions.  I was going to say a sea of hands, but that’s overstating it.  But, yes, start with Tim, then Ali?

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Question:  Last night at the youth event, the Secretary-General said he saw the hand of Al-Qaida behind the recent attack in Damascus; questions were asked about this to General Mood and Mr. [Ahmad] Fawzi today, and they both referred this to you, to say on what basis he said this. Spokesperson:  Look, the Damascus attacks were clearly carried out by a group with the organization and intent; some of the attacks we have seen clearly bear some terrorist hallmarks, with which we are familiar from elsewhere.  I think there is a genuine concern shared by the Secretary-General that terrorist groups are already taking advantage of the continued violence and insecurity in Syria.  And this means there is all the more reason for the violence to stop, so the political process has a chance to begin.  Yes, Ali?

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Question:  Yeah, thank you.  The Syrian Ambassador to the UN last night sent a letter to the Secretary-General, saying that Lebanon has become a safe haven for terrorists and for arms smuggling from Lebanon to Syria.  And he mentioned a list of names from different nationals, including Saudis, Egyptians, Lebanese, Syrian — they are all terrorists, as he said.  My question is whether you received this information from Lebanon, whether you should receive this kind of dangerous information about dangerous people there in Lebanon, and whether you have any means to verify the truth regarding those allegations. Spokesperson:  Well, with regard to whether a letter has been received, I will need to check on that.  It is entirely possible, if the Syrian Permanent Representative says a letter has been sent, then it must be in the works, if not yet formally received.  As to the allegations made and whether they can be substantiated or not, that’s very difficult to say.  If I have anything further, particularly on the part of the question relating to Lebanon, I will let you know, but I don’t have anything at the moment.  Yes, Nizar, then I am coming to you Talal, yes?

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Question:  On the same… in the same letter, Mr. [Bashar] Ja’afari says that a ship off-loaded — full of weapons — off-loaded those weapons through small boats, which went in to Juniyeh harbour.  And now, isn’t suppo… isn’t the UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] supposed to intercept such ships and inspect, especially that in the past, we have seen another ship that went to Tripoli and off-loaded 150 tons of weapons which the Lebanese Army has seized? Spokesperson:  No, Nizar, I have to correct you there.  UNIFIL does not have the mandate to intercept.  It has the mandate to monitor and to hail vessels and then to report its concerns to the Lebanese Navy.  And it is for the Lebanese Navy then to act on that information if it wishes.  But UNIFIL itself does not have the mandate to intercept in the way that you are suggesting.

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Spokesperson:  Yes, and I have mentioned it here with some details in previous instances; two specific instances that I recall.  So I think we’d be able to provide the details of those after this if you would like.  Yes, Talal, and then Masood?

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Question:  With regard to the Secretary-General’s statements yesterday, last night, Mood said he has no evidence of Al-Qaida involved, and Fawzi said there are a third element, but he doesn’t know the identity of this element.  The Secretary-General statement has pinpointed Al-Qaida; I mean there is no doubt the attacks are terrorist attacks, but to say they are Al-Qaida — is this statement based on… on facts, on evidence or is it a conclusion, a personal conclusion by the Secretary-General? Spokesperson:  You will notice that he used the words “I believe”.  Do we have hard, conclusive evidence at this point?  No, we don’t.  But as I said earlier, the Damascus attacks were clearly carried out by a group with organization and intent, and there is indeed a genuine concern shared by the Secretary-General, General Mood and the Joint Special Envoy that terrorist groups are already taking advantage of the continued violence and insecurity in Syria — a third element, a third force.

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Question:  But not necessarily.  It could be another force besides Al-Qaida organization.  I mean, we are not here, not here saying it’s definitely Al-Qaida.  It is believed it’s… they are… they could be Al-Qaida, is that correct? Spokesperson:  You’ve heard what the Secretary-General said and you have heard what I’ve said.  Yes, Masood?

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Question:  Two questions.  One is about these Pakistan IDPs [internally displaced persons] now going to Jalozai and so forth, and you said that it is quite likely that there will be a shortage of funds to feed them.  Will there be an appeal by the Secretary-General or OCHA for emergency funding of this? Spokesperson:  Well, there already is a requirement, a request out there that OCHA — the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — says that the humanitarian agencies need $169 million.

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Spokesperson:  That would be to meet the needs of the displaced people up to the end of this year.  And obviously, as I said, unless there is greater support, the funds are likely to run out at the end of this month.  So it’s obvious that, yes, we do appeal for the funding that is required to help these people.

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Question:  On this new economic order that the Secretary-General is calling for because the old one is broken, the Secretary-General every year wrote a letter to the G-8 or G-20 summit telling them that they should make some… I mean, keep some announcement or a new economic order for the developing countries and so forth.  This year he has not written to them at all, to the G-8 summit.  Why is that? Spokesperson:  Well, the… to the G-8 summit; no, he has not, but the G-20 summit is still ahead of us, so let’s wait and see.  Yes, Matthew?

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Question:  I want to ask you about… again this is the same topic of this press conference held by Mr. Fawzi, the… one of the… one of the statements that he made, there is two things I want to ask you about in it.  He said that… that… he was asked if… if… if Kofi Annan is going to Damascus; he said, we don’t disclose that.  He said, but his deputy plans to visit Syria, and I just wanted to make sure, he has more than one deputy.  Is this a reference to Mr. [Jean-Marie] Guéhenno, and not to Mr. [ Nasser al-] Kidwa? Spokesperson:  I think you will find that Mr. Fawzi chose his words rather carefully.

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Spokesperson:  There are two…

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Spokesperson:  Exactly.

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Spokesperson:  No, that’s not what I am saying; I am saying Mr. Fawzi chose his words carefully.

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Question:  Okay.  They’d also… they inserted in the transcript in italics… he had said that… that… that the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, will be both attending NATO and the G-8, and then they inserted in, “It has later transpired that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will participate in NATO, but will not attend the G-8 meeting”.  Does that mean he was going to attend the G-8 meeting and then it later transpired that he wouldn’t, or was he never going to attend the G-8 meeting?  I just want to understand that.  Unless this is carefully worded, as well. Spokesperson:  The Secretary-General, as I announced yesterday, is going to the NATO summit, and that’s where we are.  And at that summit meeting, as you know, there will be quite a few of the people who have attended the G-8 summit that precedes it.

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Question:  On this, on the G-8, it seems like a major focus is food security in Africa and I am wondering what’s… what is the UN’s participation in this… this event on a topic, you know, directly in the UN’s competence? Spokesperson:  Well, as I have said before, there are a number of important meetings that are coming up.  The NATO meeting is one of them, in the sense that it brings together important players.  The Secretary-General will, of course, have the opportunity to talk about the matters that specifically relate to NATO and that gathering; for example, the transition in Afghanistan.  But also, because those key world leaders will be there, it’s going to be an important opportunity for him to speak to them about the forthcoming Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development and the importance of there being leadership at the highest level to ensure that the outcomes that we need to see are reached in good time.  And, of course, then you get to the G-20, you get to Rio+20 in all of those contexts; yes, of course, food security in Africa and other parts of the world are important elements and the Secretary-General and the relevant people within his team, of course, do feed into that conversation.  Okay, yes, Talal?

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Question:  Two questions again on last night’s briefing.  From your answer you just said that you don’t have concrete evidence, if I may quote you, on… on the fact that Al-Qaida is responsible, so do I understand from that that you don’t exclude the possibility that there is another group of terrorists, other terrorists responsible for this attack… for these attacks? Spokesperson:  I am not going to be drawn beyond what I have already said, Talal.

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Question:  No, I just want to understand actually the… I mean, I am not asking you to, you know, to reinvent the wheel, I am just ask… trying to understand that you don’t have concrete evidence, so that even you can say that you don’t exclude the possibility of other people or terrorist groups being responsible. Spokesperson:  Well, what I would do, Talal, is simply repeat what I have already said.  So I don’t think that’s going to help you or me.  So that’s what I have to say.

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Question:  Okay.  This other question I have is, until today, until last night, the United Nations position was we don’t know if these attacks were targeting the observers, we don’t know who is behind them and we don’t know if the observers were the targets.  Last night, the Secretary-General stated that they were the targets.  Is that now the official position of the United Nations…? Spokesperson:  I think you need to keep those two parts of what the Secretary-General said separate.  He referred to the Damascus attacks, and he referred to the incidents involving the military observers.  Two separate things.

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Spokesperson:  Military observers.  Yeah.

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Spokesperson:  Look, what was said was, on the military observers…

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Spokesperson:  …there are attacks against monitors twice.

Correspondent:  Yes.

Spokesperson:  So they… do we… do we know they were targeted?  We have said before, it was a narrow escape, but we don’t know precisely if they were targeted with what the Secretary-General was talking about is…

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Spokesperson:  …is… is, in the first part of this what he was saying, he was talking about the Damascus attacks in which 55 something civilians were killed.

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Question:  When he speaks about the observers — I don’t have the notes, I should have brought them with me — when he speaks about the attacks on the observers, two attacks, and I think he… he is referring to the Dara’a attack and to Khan Cheikhoun, the attacks on the observers, he does mention the observers. Spokesperson:  He said there were attacks against monitors twice.

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Spokesperson:  The two incidents that we know about, narrow escapes with improvised explosive devices.

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Spokesperson:  I have said to you we do not have evidence at this point that there was direct targeting.  There were attacks and narrow escapes in both cases.  Yes, Masood?  And then I am coming to you, Nizar.

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Question:  On this… on the NATO meeting, when the Secretary-General is going to attend, do you have… are you privy to any information that the Secretary-General will be discussing this in the context of NATO, these contentious drone attacks which have affected the relationship between Pakistan and the United States and Afghanistan? Spokesperson:  No, I don’t, Masood.  He has a range of meetings on the margins of the NATO summit itself, and will be attending the summit, as well.  Yes?

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Question:  A few months ago, when Ayman Zawahiri, the head of Al-Qaida organization, called on his fighters to go and fight in Syria, this call was ignored widely.  Not even… there was no statement by the United Nations or anybody else.  Does the Secretary-General believe that that call was genuine and now things are materializing… his call is now materializing in Syria? Spokesperson:  Again, I don’t really have anything beyond what I have already said; that generally speaking, there is a genuine concern shared by the Secretary-General that terrorist groups are already taking advantage of the continued violence and insecurity in Syria.  That’s what I have for you.

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Spokesperson:  Well, I’d like you to wait so that I can move around the room, and I will come back to you, Nizar.  And I can also see that there are other hands.  Yes, Matthew?

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Question:  Sure, I want to ask you, the… this afternoon, the Secretary-General is going to meet with Mr. [Andry] Rajoelina of Madagascar and because… I under… I mean, hopefully you will put out a readout, but I wanted to ask a more… a more fundamental question in advance.  There is a road map that… I mean, there have been a lot of, obviously, issues with the transition and democracy there.  There is a road map set out and it’s… there have been recent reports that the road map has not been followed, including an article 16 that’s about stop… and prosec… politically motivated prosecutions, and this is, according even to SADC [Southern African Development Community], not been implemented.  So I wanted to know, what is the UN’s position on… on the outstanding questions in Madagascar?  Should they go to election without these, quote, “confidence measures” in place, or should the road map be implemented before elections?  And I think I can… I am trying to ask this before the meeting just to know what the UN’s position is. Spokesperson:  Well, I hear what you are saying Matthew.  There will be a readout, I hope; we have certainly requested one.  And I would refrain from further comment until that point, okay.  Yes, Nizar just wanted something on Bahrain and then I am coming down the line.

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Question:  A question on the intended annexation of Bahrain with Saudi Arabia, or into Saudi Arabia.  Do you have any statement regarding that?  I mean, should the rulers of Bahrain listen more to their people with regard to their future and choosing their future? Spokesperson:  Well, Nizar, I think we had this conversation the other day.  Briefly…

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Spokesperson:  Well, Nizar, I think what the Secretary-General has consistently said is that all leaders in the region, and indeed beyond, need to listen to the voices of the people.  And I think that that is where I will leave it.  Yes, Ali? Ali, and then Tim.

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Spokesperson:  Nizar, with respect, I just do want to move around, okay?

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Spokesperson:  Well, they are two sovereign States with their own security forces, and it is incumbent on them to ensure border security.  Yes, Tim?

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Spokesperson:  I’ll have to check with you on the travel plans of Mr. Ross; don’t have them to hand.  Yes, Nizar?

[The Spokesperson later said that no travel to the region was scheduled at present.]

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Question:  Yes, on the hunger strikers in Bahrain, especially, I mean, Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja, do you have any update, because yesterday I heard in the news that his lawyer managed for the first time in almost 45 days to see his… Mr. Khawaja?  And he said he is being forcibly made to eat artificially through… by… by force.  And so is there any update on the latest contacts with the Bahraini authorities for the release of these people or for the arrangement to extradite them to…? Spokesperson:  Nizar, no, I don’t have anything specific, new or new to say.  What I would simply reiterate is what we have said before, that it is incumbent on the Bahraini authorities to deal with this in the framework of international humanitarian law.  And in all such cases involving hunger strikers, their medical welfare is the prime concern.  And as you know, there have been efforts to solve this, and we would hope that those efforts would be successful, in line with the wishes of the person concerned.  Masood?  And then I am coming to Matthew for the final question.

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Question:  Yes, sir.  I just want to know, so you are… are you… I am going to belabour the point, you’re definitively ruling out any involvement, direct involvement of Al-Qaida in this thing which the Secretary-General had somehow indicated that…? Spokesperson:  That’s not what I said.  That’s not what I said, Masood.  That’s not what I said.  Yes?

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Question:  Yeah, sure, I just want to ask about the… the… the… the GA [General Assembly] Hall.  One is, the… the… Sacha Baron Cohen, the comedian, has said on… on British BBC 4 Radio that he asked to shoot inside the UN and was refused.  And he said it is because, according to him, the quote is… is… is… he… we said this is a pro-democracy movie, they said that’s the problem, we represent a lot of dictators and they are going to be very angry by this portrayal of them, so you can’t shoot in there.  I am pretty sure in assuming that that’s a paraphrase, but did he ask in fact and was he denied, and if so, why? Spokesperson:  Sacha Baron Cohen has a wonderful sense of humour.  Thanks very much have a good afternoon.

[The Spokesperson later added that the United Nations reviews every request on its merits and determines case by case whether access to the complex can be granted.  With respect to The Dictator, the Organization did collaborate with Paramount Pictures and facilitated the filming of exterior scenes at United Nations Headquarters last summer.]

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The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Martin Nesirky, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon, everyone.  Welcome to the briefing.

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The Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly’s high-level thematic debate on the world economy this morning.  He said that the old economic model is broken, and we need to create a new model for dynamic growth.  This, he said, would be the focus of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development next month in Rio de Janeiro.

He said that we need nothing less than a revolution in our thinking, which would be based on stable economies and decent jobs and opportunities for all.  The Secretary-General added that he is deeply concerned with the pace and ambition of the negotiations leading up to the Rio conference.  He said: “We have just over a month until Rio.  We must use every moment.”  We have his remarks in my Office.

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The Secretary-General will travel to Chicago on Sunday to attend the twenty-fifth Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).  While at the Summit on Sunday and Monday, the Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with a number of world leaders.

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The 15 members of the Security Council are leaving on Friday evening on a trip to West Africa.  The Ambassadors will visit Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.

In Liberia, they will review progress in the implementation of the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and will meet President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

From Liberia, they will continue to Côte d’Ivoire, where they will meet President Alassane Ouattara and representatives of the National Assembly.  They will travel to Guiglo in the west of the country, where they will be briefed on security and humanitarian issues.

And from there, the Ambassadors will fly back into Liberia, to Zwedru, where they will meet Ivorian refugees.  The delegation will return to Abidjan, in Côte d’Ivoire, by plane.  The 15 members of the Security Council are also due to hold a meeting with ECOWAS [the Economic Community of West African States] to discuss regional issues.

The delegation will travel from Côte d’Ivoire to Sierra Leone, the last country on the three-country trip.  And there the Ambassadors will meet President Ernest Bai Koroma and will hold a round table meeting with all political parties.  The delegation will return to New York on Thursday, 24 May.

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The Security Council voted unanimously this morning to extend the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA) by six months. 

Council members are receiving a briefing at the moment by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos.  And Ms. Amos will inform the Council about her recent visit to Afghanistan, and the head of the UN Mission there, Ján Kubiš, is also on hand to talk to the Council.

And this afternoon, the Council will hold consultations to discuss its forthcoming trip to Africa, which I just mentioned.

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Officials from Guyana and Venezuela have met at a UN technical workshop in New York on the two countries’ long-standing border controversy.  Speaking after the meeting, Norman Girvan, the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General on the Border Controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, said the participants displayed what he called “a tremendously positive and constructive spirit”.  The workshop participants are exploring possible next steps.  And there are more details on this in my Office.

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At 1:15 p.m. today, in this room, there will be a press conference on the fifth anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  Speakers will include Grand Chief Edward John of Canada.

Questions, please?  Mr. Abbadi, and then Masood?

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Question:  Thank you, Martin.  As you just indicated, the Secretary-General is very concerned about the pace of negotiations towards the Rio+20.  What does he like to see to have these negotiations pick up speed? Spokesperson:  Well, as you know, Member States have already decided to add some negotiating days in the run-up to the Conference.  And he has said, on more than one occasion now, that this is excellent and that time should of course be extremely well-used.  It shouldn’t come as a surprise that this is a difficult process.  It is a major and a very important conference, the aims of which are obviously also profoundly important for the whole of mankind, and therefore, humankind.  Therefore, negotiations in the run-up could be expected to be quite complex.  But I think what he is saying clearly is that countries and leaders need to show leadership and flexibility in the process in the coming days that we have left in the run-up to the summit meeting itself.  Yes, Masood?

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Question:  Yeah, on this Secretary-General’s speech that old economic order is broken and a new one should be created; the Secretary-General has been saying that every year and is he going to convey the same message to the G-8 summit or to the big Powers to create a new world order?  And will anybody listen to him at all? Spokesperson:  Well, a couple of things.  The message that you are looking for is there, right in the speech that he has given this morning to world leaders, whether it is in the G-8 forum, the G-20 forum or beyond.  The message is clear.  The message has changed, of course, and he has spoken out again about, for example, the need for sustainable growth, and that includes jobs, and particularly for young people.  Yes, world leaders are listening, and yes, world leaders will continue to engage with him and with others in this debate here in New York and beyond.

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Question:  And on this second question, I don’t know whether you will have an answer or not, because obviously this Security Council mission that is going to Liberia and so forth, do you think it will be represented at the ambassador’s level or only it’s like, basically like a retreat? Spokesperson:  It’s far from a retreat.  This is an important mission by senior members of the Security Council.  I think the bulk of the delegation members will be Permanent Representatives.  And as you well know, in all three locations, there are peacekeeping operations.  In all three locations, the United Nations has played an important role, not just in peacekeeping, but peacebuilding.  And I think it is in that context that the Security Council members are visiting.  But I am sure that they can also speak for themselves.  Yes, Ali, and then I am coming to Tim.  I haven’t forgotten you, Erol.

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Question:  Thank you.  Is there any ongoing investigation regarding those attacks in Syria, whether the monitors, the UN monitors were targeted or not?  This is one question.  My other question is, I asked yesterday about the Israeli intelli… military intelligence chief who was here two weeks ago, and there were some reports that he met with some senior UN officials secret… in… in… without public announcement.  I want to confirm this kind of information, whether it is true or not. Spokesperson:  On the second one, I heard you the first time; I don’t have an answer, or at least I don’t have an answer yet.  On the first question on investigations into the incidents you refer to involving two UN convoys, they continue their work in patrolling, as I have mentioned here before, across the country several times a day in different locations.  It is tricky work in difficult circumstances, and if there is any word on the specific investigation, then I would let you know.  I think, as I have said before, we have no evidence at this point to suggest there was deliberate targeting.  We do not have evidence at this point, but it is obvious that these were two narrow misses.  It underscores the difficult circumstance that the observers are working in.  And also it underscores and highlights once again the ordeal that the Syrian people themselves have been through for months now.  Tim?

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Question:  This morning, the Moroccan Government said they have no confidence in Mr. [Christopher] Ross, the Western Sahara envoy, and I am wondering whether the UN has any response to that, whether it still has confidence in Mr. Ross and whether he is still going to go there.  He is due to go there quite soon, to the region, I understand. Spokesperson:  Tim, we have seen the reports.  The Secretary-General has complete confidence in Christopher Ross.  If I have anything further on the other part of your question, I will let you know.  Erol, and then Matthew?

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Spokesperson:  That’s right, and already…

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Spokesperson:  You didn’t get the memo, Erol?

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Spokesperson:  He is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for UNAMA [United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan], so Afghanistan.

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Question:  All right.  So only that.  So number two, Secretary-General met with the High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Valentin Inzko, and during my interview with Mr. Inzko, he told me that he told Secretary-General that this current situation is the best regional situation for the last… past 20 years in the terms of security, et cetera.  Does the Secretary-General share this view? Spokesperson:  Let me check on that meeting that took place to see if I have anything for you on that. I shall come back to you, Erol, okay?  Matthew?

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Question:  Sure, I want to ask about Myanmar and then Syria.  On… on Myanmar, I’m sure, I don’t know if you have received, but you’ve probably seen word of this letter from the Kachin Independence Organization to the Secretary-General asking him… saying that there has been a build-up of… of Myanmar military forces in Kachin area and asking the UN to either send observers or to react in some way.  Have you gotten the letter and what is your response to it? Spokesperson:  Seen the letter.  What I would simply say is the UN is following closely the situation on the ground.  And what I can also note is that you will remember the Secretary-General, on his recent visit to Myanmar, made a number of statements relating to the Government’s handling of conflicts with ethnic minorities, and during his meetings with the leaders of Myanmar, he was informed that the Government had ceased offensive operations in Kachin.  And while we have no confirmed information of the situation in the conflict areas, the Secretary-General calls on all parties to cease offensives and to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict there.  Any escalation of the violence at this stage could result in aggravation of the situation of internal displacement and in a rise of human rights violations, all of which must be avoided.  And finally, the UN has been making continuous efforts to resume humanitarian supplies to the affected people in Kachin, and he is hopeful of some progress in this regard.

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Question:  Okay, that is why I was going to ask you about this, because I thought it had been said that the… that these convoys were now… were… were being able to enter… has that now been reversed in some way? Spokesperson:  Matthew, I think I have given you quite a lot there and that’s what I have.

Correspondent:  Sure.  Okay.

Spokesperson:  Okay.  Yes, Erol?

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Question:  Thank for question, Martin, whether the Secretary-General is going to meet or already met with Mr. [Vuk] Jeremić, Foreign Minister of Serbia, and number two, Mr. Nebojsa Radmanovic, member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina? Spokesperson:  It doesn’t mean that it is not going to happen, but I am not aware of a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Serbia at this point.  On the other, I will also need to check and confirm to you.

[The Spokesperson later added that no meetings were scheduled at present.]

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Spokesperson:  You missed that memo, as well?  Yeah, I mentioned that at the start.  Yes, he is indeed.

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Question:  Okay, and now I have a real question.  What is it that makes the Secretary-General of the United Nations to go to the NATO Summit, and for example, does not go to the previous meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh of the NAM, of the Non-Aligned Movement, just this month? Spokesperson:  On NATO, the Secretary-General has been to previous summit meetings, for example in Lisbon.  It is obvious that, given the United Nations important role, with the help of Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, on the civilian side, it is obvious, therefore, that the United Nations needs to be a part of that overall discussion on the transition that is taking place in Afghanistan.  It is also clear that at such a gathering, the Secretary-General has the opportunity to meet with a wide range of world leaders on that topic and others.

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Spokesperson:  I think the answer I gave you is the answer I am giving you.  Yes?

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Question:  Sure, I want to ask on… on Syria, yesterday, a Security Council Permanent Representative said that DPKO [Department for Peacekeeping Operations] and an individual who he named would be travelling to Damascus.  And he said this was on the political track of the… the Kofi Annan plan.  Other diplomats have said that this visit is… is… is limited to the issue of the observers.  So I wanted to know, you know, given the Secretary-General’s, you know, obviously, role in… in… in his Joint Envoy’s work, which is this… this… the visit that was described by a Permanent Representative on the Security Council?  Is it about the political track or is it about the observers? Spokesperson:  Well, Matthew, you and I both know the background to your question here, and quite clearly the Department of Peacekeeping Operations does not release travel plans of its officials in such instances and this is a matter of security, and I think you understand that.

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you tell… do you tell diplomats, for example, even the Syrian Government is informed about this trip, including the individuals who are going.  So I just wanted to understand what the protocol is, since I was requested, to me, to remove the individual’s name from the story I wrote; what is the protocol on reporting what is said on the record at the UN?  I mean, I understand the security thing, but if you are giving the names to Syria…

Spokesperson:  Well, Matthew, Matthew, not for the first time, you are mixing up lots of points here and twisting your… the words, and it is, frankly, unacceptable.  In this particular instance, this is plainly a matter of security.  I just mentioned earlier in the briefing about two incidents that have taken place this week alone — narrow misses for the military observers who are in the country to help the Syrian civilian population.  It is obvious that the Department of Peacekeeping Operations does not release information about travel plans of its officials in such instances.  And I am not saying any more on the matter, okay?

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Spokesperson:  Matthew, I have said what I have to say on the matter.

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Spokesperson:  Matthew, you know very well that this is the way that you are trying to distort this to make into a matter of freedom of information…

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Spokesperson:  Well, you know very well precisely why it is important that the security, the lives of…

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Spokesperson:  Do you wish me to continue my answer or not?

Correspondent:  Yes, I do, please. 

Spokesperson:  This is a matter of security.  It involves the lives of individuals, and I think that it is something that everyone needs to reflect on.

Thanks very much.  Have a good afternoon, thank you very much.

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Spokesperson:  If I have anything, further on that matter I will let you know.

[The Spokesperson later added that the status-of-forces agreement for the Abyei mission is still being negotiated and, in the meantime, the status-of-forces agreement from the earlier United Nations Mission in Sudan still applies.]

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The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Martin Nesirky, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon; welcome to the briefing.

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The Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly’s thematic debate on security in Central America this morning, and he welcomed the recent progress in the region.  He noted that the armed conflicts that once burned through the region are no more, that political violence has been greatly reduced, and that democratic processes are being consolidated.

But profound challenges remain, he added.  Countries in the region, especially in the northern triangle of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, face rising levels of violence fuelled by transnational organized crime and drug trafficking.  The region is now home to the highest homicide rates in the world.  The homicide rate in Honduras, for example, is 10 times the global average.  We have his remarks in our office and online.

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The Security Council is holding a formal meeting on Libya, to hear from the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo.  Mr. Moreno-Ocampo provided an update on the cases his Office has developed concerning Seif al-Islam al-Qadhafi and Abdullah al-Senussi.  And he will brief you here at 1 p.m. today.

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The UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) reported today that it has picked up the six UN military observers who had to stay overnight in Khan Cheikhoun after vehicles in their convoy were damaged following an explosion.  They are now back at their team site in Hama.  You’ll recall that three UN vehicles were damaged in yesterday’s incident.  No UN personnel were injured.

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, expressed his alarm today at new inflows of refugees into Rwanda and Uganda from fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

UN refugee agency (UNHCR) staff in Rwanda report that more than 8,000 refugees have crossed from the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 27 April.  These are in addition to the 55,000 Congolese refugees that Rwanda is already hosting.  In Uganda, Government officials say 30,000 refugees have arrived this month.  Prior to this new influx, Uganda was already host to some 175,000 refugees, including about 100,000 from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. Guterres says the displacement level in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is disastrous.  Conflict there, coupled with very limited access for humanitarian workers, means that many thousands of people are without protection and help.  The situation in the South and North Kivu areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has worsened in recent months amid fighting between Government forces and soldiers loyal to former rebel commander Bosco Ntaganda.  According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the number of internally displaced people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has now reached more than two million as of the end of March.

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The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Colombia has condemned the attack which took place yesterday morning in Bogota, in which at least two people died and 39 more were injured.  Todd Howland, the Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights there, said the attack violated the human rights of those who suffered the consequences.  He added that he was deeply saddened by the death of the Colombians.  Mr. Howland called on the authorities to quickly identify the people responsible for the attack and for them to be brought to justice.

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The World Health Statistics 2012 report, released today in Geneva by the World Health Organization (WHO), puts the spotlight on the growing problem of non‑communicable diseases, which currently cause almost two thirds of all deaths worldwide.  Containing data from 194 countries, the annual report notes that one in three adults worldwide has raised blood pressure — a condition that causes around half of all deaths from stroke and heart disease.  One in ten adults has diabetes.

Another major issue is obesity.  According to the report, half a billion people today, or 12 per cent of the world’s population, are considered obese.  In all parts of the world, women are more likely to be obese than men, and thus at greater risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

The World Health Assembly, to be held in Geneva from next Monday, will review progress made since the 2011 United Nations high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases in New York and agree on next steps.  Work is under way to develop a global monitoring framework and a set of voluntary targets for prevention and control of these diseases.  The report is available in English, French and Spanish.  And there’s more information on the website of the World Health Organization.

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Judge Motoo Noguchi from Japan, an international judge of the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), tendered a letter of resignation to the Secretary-General today.  His resignation will take effect in 60 days, on 15 July.  After leaving the Extraordinary Chambers, he is going to return to serving the Ministry of Justice of Japan.  And we have more information on that in a press release.

Questions, please?  Yes, Nizar?

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Question:  Martin, this situation in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia’s intention to merge Bahrain with Saudi Arabia and the surrounding tension in the region as a result of that; does the Secretary-General believe that the Bahraini people should have a say in their future, whether to join Saudi Arabia or to remain an independent country? Spokesperson:  I think that would be for the people of the countries concerned to decide, Nizar, and it is not for us to comment on that at this point.

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Question:  But, I mean, it looks like the two monarchs — Saudi and Bahrain monarchs — are agreeing among themselves.  Of course, there is no parliament in Bahrain or the parliament has been… I don’t know… Spokesperson:  No, I fully understand that, Nizar, but the fact remains that it is the sovereign decision of countries to decide on their own status and with whom they associate in political terms, and it is not for us to comment on that.  Yes, Iftikhar, and then I am coming to you, Ali.  Yes?

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Question:  Martin, on Monday, the Security Council demanded of Congolese authorities to take steps so that no attacks take place on UN peacekeepers in that country.  Have the Congolese authorities given any response to the Secretary-General, and have they also informed you about the condition of the people who were injured in that attack? Spokesperson:  Well, I will check further with the Mission.  I will certainly seek to check with the Mission and with the Department for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) whether they have heard anything from the Congolese authorities.  Do bear in mind that, while of course we would also wish the same, the request came from the Security Council, so it is probably worth checking with the Council whether they have heard anything directly from the Congolese authorities.  Yes?

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Question:  In fact, I have a few questions.  Would you please confirm reports that Israeli military intelligence chief Major-General Aviv Kochavi was here at the UN two weeks ago?  Would you deny if it is untrue?  If it is true, who are the senior people that Mr. Kochavi met at the UN?  And I have another question; in fact I asked you last week about a ruling by the UN Dispute Tribunal that the Secretary-General should take some measures against Mr. Shaaban, and you said you were going to come back to me.  I have also… let me… well, maybe you can answer me and I will ask the other questions. Spokesperson:  By all means, by all means.  Just on the first one, I think we’d have to ask DPKO.  I don’t have anything on that, on the reports which obviously I have seen too, but I don’t have anything for you on that.  On the Tribunal, the Dispute Tribunal, I have asked.  Our understanding is that this information, ruling, was relayed to the Office of the Secretary-General, and it has… that information has been acted upon, but I don’t have any further details on that to elaborate further.

[The Spokesperson later added that the Dispute Tribunal referred the matter of Muhammed Shaaban’s conduct to the Secretary-General for possible accountability, pursuant to article 10.8 of its Statute.  Action was taken on this referral and the matter is now closed.  The outcome of the action taken is confidential, as it pertains to a staff member.]

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Spokesperson:  I think we have mentioned in the past that, as you well know, there is a process under way of rotating senior staff for who have been in place for five years, and that of course does include operational flexibility, which in plain English means that if they have an important job still to complete, that they will do.  Yes, Matthew?

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Question:  Sure.  It’s actually not… I guess I’ll… I don’t know, I’ll tie it into this.  Just this morning in the General Assembly, the Small… the so-called Small-5 withdrew a resolution that they’d had on… on changing the working methods of the Security Council.  But it… it… lodged in that debate was a letter by Patricia O’Brien dated 14 May directed the PGA [President of the General Assembly], but it widely circulated to Member States, in which she said that the two-thirds vote should be required for that proposal.  So I wanted to know, it’s obviously… it’s the big thing in the UN system, is it possible… I’ll… I’ll ask again, to hear from… from… from Patricia O’Brien, have her come and do a press conference?  In the past, it has been said that she is the personal adviser to Ban Ki-moon, but this was advised to… to 193 Member States.  So I wonder, will she speak, and does this five-year mobility or rotation rule apply to her? Spokesperson:  So where would you like me to start with this multi-layered question?  I think the first thing is, we can certainly relay your request for a briefing - I think it unlikely.  The question about the resolution; well, as you yourself said, the co-sponsors did withdraw that draft, and therefore I don’t see any need to comment on any procedural considerations that were discussed over the course of the last couple of days.

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Question:  But I want… I guess I want to… they withdrew it specifically because Ban Ki-moon’s top lawyer ruled in a way that the Swiss Ambassador called biased, that this resolution would require two-thirds of Member States to vote in favour of.  So it’s not… it’s not that there is no relation between the Secretariat and what happened today.  And so I am just wondering, does Ban Ki-moon agree with that advice?  And if he doesn’t… or just, you know, why… why… why is it unlikely that she will come and explain her reason for that? Spokesperson:  Well, I think you are jumping to conclusions here.  The point is that you asked whether she could brief.  I say that’s unlikely on any topic, not specifically on this topic, for reasons that we have explained in the past. Just to repeat, there is no point in dwelling on theoreticals or hypotheticals.  The draft has been withdrawn this morning; therefore, there is no need to discuss any of these procedural considerations because they did not come into play.

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Spokesperson:  I would imagine that it does.  Yes, Ozlem?

[The Spokesperson later noted that her term as Legal Counsel began in 2008.]

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Question:  Thank you.  My question is on Cyprus again.  As you know, the Greek Cypriot leader, Mr. [Dimitris] Christofias, announced that he is not running for presidential elections again.  Given the fact that he was the one who was continuing talks with the other side, the Turkish Cypriots, since 2008, what does Secretary-General foresee for the future of the Cyprus talks? Spokesperson:  I don’t think we want to get into the political process in an individual case like this.  It is not appropriate for us to talk about an electoral process.  The most important thing is that there is a process of discussions, negotiations on the question of Cyprus, and that is something that has been going on for some time, and doubtless will continue.  Yes, Mr. Abbadi, and then I will come back to you, Ali.

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Question:  Thank you, Marvin, eh, Martin.  Just a comment on what Matthew said and then a question.  Under General Assembly rules, only substantive questions would be ruled on the basis of two thirds.  This is a procedural question; unless the Assembly decides otherwise, it is a procedural question and cannot be subjected to two-thirds majority.  Anyway, my question is this: unemployment, the issue of unemployment is a major issue and a problem for many, many Governments, if not all the Governments.  We haven’t heard much about unemployment from the ILO [International Labour Organization] or from the Secretary-General.  We know that the Secretary-General addresses major development goal number one — poverty — which is related, but shouldn’t the Secretary-General be in the forefront of raising the stakes, as far as the issue of unemployment is concerned? Spokesperson:  I would beg to differ, Mr. Abbadi.  The Secretary-General has been quite vocal on unemployment and will continue to be so.  And I know that the ILO has also made that — particularly youth unemployment — one of its top priorities.  I think that this will play into the Rio+20 discussions in Brazil next month, and in the run-up to that and beyond that.  Quite clearly, it is a crucial part of the equation.  And as we have seen in parts of the world, including in the Middle East and North Africa, unemployment, particularly amongst young people, is a matter that needs to be taken extremely seriously and acted upon.  Everybody deserves to be able to have work, and work with dignity.  So just on that point, just to come back, thank you for your legal advice.  As I say, there isn’t really anything to be added.  Procedural considerations were discussed, but ultimately the draft is being withdrawn.  So we don’t need to get into that, I think.  Yes, Ali?

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Question:  Thank you, Martin, again.  Whose responsibility [is it] to protect the UNSMIS personnel in Syria?  And I have a question whether the Secretary-General has special concerns now after these series of attacks against… obviously against UNSMIS in Syria.  Is the future of UNSMIS really at stake now? Spokesperson:  On the first point, on who is responsible for their security, in practical terms it depends where they are.  If they are patrolling in Government-controlled areas, then they have an escort from the Syrian authorities, a security escort.  However, as you well know, it is their responsibility to — and their role to — patrol in other areas too, to roam freely and to report on what they see.  So if they intend to go into areas that are not under Government control, then that is without Syrian escort, Syrian official escort.  So that is to answer that part of your question.  Are we concerned about the safety of the personnel on the ground — and today, as of today, there are 236 military observers on the ground and 71 civilian staff, and I understand 25 more observers are en route to Syria today — are we concerned about their safety?  Yes, of course we are.  We do not know for a fact that they have been deliberately targeted, but plainly they have been in harm’s way.  That’s unfortunately the nature of the job they have, and they are doing an admirable job under extremely difficult circumstances in their quest to help the people of Syria, who themselves have been living in extremely trying and dangerous circumstances themselves for many months now. 

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Spokesperson:  Yes, Nizar?

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Spokesperson:  Well, as you will have seen, this is a mixed picture, and where our colleagues were yesterday was plainly not under the control of the Syrian authorities at that point.  I would simply say that our colleagues patrol widely several times a day in multiple locations.  It is extremely risky, the work they are doing to help the Syrian people to ensure that the pain and suffering that they have been enduring for 15 months now can come to an end and that we can move towards a political process.

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Question:  From the videos posted on some of these sites like Pro Caritas and others, it seems that there were… the vehicles were surrounded by protesters at the time and someone was filming it.  Did that go into consideration in the investigation? Spokesperson:  The most important point here is that there was an incident; our six military observers are now, as I mentioned earlier, in Hama.  They will be able to report to their headquarters now, to provide full details to their headquarters, and if there are further details that emerge, which have not been out there so far, then we will let you know.  Yes, Matthew?

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