Press Briefing
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL
19981208
Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon briefing by reporting that the Secretary-General had given a press conference in Abu Dhabi and had then left the United Arab Emirates for Paris at 1:30 a.m. In that press conference, the Secretary-General had provided a response to a question posed at yesterday's noon briefing. The Secretary-General had said that upon arriving in Abu Dhabi, he had held a one-on-one meeting with his Special Envoy to Iraq, Prakash Shah. And, while giving no specifics about the meeting, the Secretary-General had implied that documentation requested of Iraq by the Executive Director of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), Richard Butler, had been discussed, and further, that correspondence between UNSCOM and Iraq on that subject had been exchanged.
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In Iraq, Mr. Eckhard said, the so-called "surprise visits" to undeclared or suspected sites had begun today in accordance with the announcement made yesterday by UNSCOM's Executive Director, Mr. Richard Butler. The surprise visits would be conducted in parallel with monitoring visits and interviews. An assessment report on Iraq's cooperation with UNSCOM was expected to be prepared around 15 December, Mr. Butler had also said yesterday.
Calling attention to the weekly update on the "oil-for-food" programme released yesterday afternoon, Mr. Eckhard said the Government of Iraq had begun exporting oil under the terms of Council resolution 1210(1998) adopted on 24 November. Two ships had taken on Kirkuk crude oil at the Turkish port of Sehan on 5 and 6 December, and four ships had loaded oil at the platform of Nina El-Baqar on 5, 6 and 7 December. In the week ending 4 December, the oil overseers had approved 25 contracts under Phase 5. The distribution plan submitted by the Government of Iraq for Phase 5 was being reviewed and would be submitted shortly for the consideration and approval of the Secretary-General.
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And finally, Mr. Eckhard took a moment to introduce the newest permanent member of the Spokesman's Office, Jessica Jiji, a youthful veteran of the Department of Public Information (DPI) who had also worked at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). "She has a mind like a steel trap and a boundless interest in everything", Mr. Eckhard continued, adding that as the junior member of his team, Ms. Jiji would take on every issue not covered by someone else, including development, disarmament, trade, United Nations administration, finance and reform, legal issues, population, oceans and outer space, "and on and on and on". Characterizing Ms. Jiji as a wonderful person, highly enjoyable in the work situation, Mr. Eckhard said four of the six professional posts allocated to his office had now been filled.
Betraying curiosity about the junior Associate Spokesman's "steel trap" mind, a correspondent then said he had two questions on Iraq. The first was related to a comment attributed on the news wires to Iraqi Deputy Prime
Daily Press Briefing - 6 - 8 December 1998
Minister Tariq Azziz, stating that Iraq would decide in January whether to continue cooperating with UNSCOM. Was such a comment a violation of the agreement made in November or was it just talk not warranting concern? the correspondent asked. Mr. Eckhard said he had not seen the comment and would not comment on it.
Assuring that the second question would be easier, the correspondent asked whether the Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Iraq, Prakash Shah, would be coming to New York. Mr. Eckhard said he was unaware of such plans but would double check.
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