UN Daily Press Briefing

          
          FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY
          . . . . 17 March 1983
          UNITED NATIONS DAILY PRESS BRIEFING .
          At the United Nations daily noon briefing, Fran ois Giuliani stated that
          the Secretary—General had met at 10:30 a,m. today with Ambassador Umberto La
          Rocca of Italy, who wished to discuss'wi h the Secretary—General a number of
          questions on the agenda of the non—aligned nations' summit meeting in New .
          Delhi. At 11 a.m., the Secretary—General met with Foreign Minister Luis
          Valencia Rodriguez of Ecuador, and had a wide—ranging review of the situations
          : Latin ‘America, Central' America, the question of the Falkiand—Malvinas, as
          well as economic questions. ‘‘ .
          At the time of the noon briefing, the Secretary—General was with Fernando
          Salazar Paredes, the new Permanent Representative of Bolivia, who was
          presenting his credentials. Immediately following that appointment, the
          Sacretary—General would meet with Foreign Minister Mario Velarde Dorado of ‘
          Bolivia. Mr. Giuliani recalled in this connection that the Bolivian President
          had asked the Secretary—Generalfor assistance to his country during the last
          session of the General Assembly, and the Secretary—General had subsequently
          dispatched to Bolivia, Margaret Anstee, Assistant Secretary—General for
          Technical Co—operation for Development, to Bolivia. i-Is. Anstee would be ,
          present at today's meeting, 1r. Ciuliani added. .
          Continuing with the appointments, 14r. Giuliani said that at 12:30 p.m.,
          the Secretary—General would address the special session of the Commission on ‘
          Transnational Corporations. At 3:30 p.m., the Secretary—General would meet
          with Foreign Minister Miguel Schweitzer of Chile, at the Minister's request.
          Later this afternoon, the Secretary—General would attend ‘the informal
          consultations of the Security Council on the situation in Chad (document .
          Sf15643). There was no information at this time on whether the Council would
          hold a formal meeting. . The Foreign Minister of Chad, Idris Miskine, was
          arriving in New York later today, and it was possible that the Foreign .
          : Minister might meet with United Kingdom Ambassador Sir John Thomson, who was
          this month's Council President. . ‘ ‘
          : Asked why there were a number of appointments today with the Foreign. .
          inisters from Latin America, iIr. Ciuliani 3 aid it was pure coincidence.
          r. Giuliani then announced the resumption, at the Palais des Nations in
          Geneva, of the talks, on Afghanistan from 11 to possibly 22 April. He recalled
          that a Press Release (SG/1824 of 9 February) had been issued after
          Under—Secretary—General Diego Cordovez had returned from his consultations in ‘
          the area. The release stated that in the light of progress made during those
          consultations, it had been agreed to hold another round of discussions through ‘
          the intermediary of the Personal Representative of the Secretary—General, on
          the same procedural basis as that held in June 1982. Therefore, the talks ‘
          .iou1d be attended'by the Personal ‘Representative of the Secretary—General, the
          Foreign Minister of Pakistan and by the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, and
          Iran would be kept informed through its representative in Geneva.
          Mr. cauliani said he had already conveyed a number of times the request
          of the press that Mr. Cordovea meet with reporters. However, Fir. Cordovez had ‘
          declined to do so at this time.
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          UN Briefing — 2 — , 17 March 1983
          In response to a question asked yesterday on the reported summary
          execution of Baha'is in Iran, Mr. Ciuliani said the United Nations had
          received reports on the matter but not a confirmation of the reported
          execution, and that the United Nations was seeking further information.
          Mr. Ciuliani recalled that the United Nations had previously received
          reports, of executions of the Baha'is. This was a matter of long—standing
          concern to the Organization,'and had been discussed with the Iranian
          authorities on several occasions.
          ‘ Mr. Giuliani said, in reply to a question, that the' organization in
          question was •a non—governmental organization in consultative status with the
          Economic and Social Council, and that it was a religious group.
          Asked what was discussed at the meeting yesterday between the
          Secretary—General and the Ambassador of Czechoslovakia, Hr. Ciuliani said the
          Ambassador had raised the que'stioo of the fate of some Czech citizens wbo had,
          been captured in southern Angola by guerrillas, and asked the .
          Secretary—General for his help. Acting on humanitarian grounds, the
          Secretary—General .'s office was in touch with the Permanent i'iission of South
          Africa and with the International Committee of the Red Cross. , .
          In response to further' questionS, Mr. Giuli'ani said the United Nations
          did not have information on how many Czech citizens had been captured, and he .
          did not know whether the Czech Ambassador had given the figure either. He
          suggested ,that,the question be directed to the International Committee of the
          Red Cross, which had been approached on the matter.. . . .
          On other matters, Mr. Giuliani announced that the posting of the ‘
          Secretary—General's appointments on the third ‘floor notice'board had resuaed.
          Asked if the Secretary—General was aware of the harassment of reporters
          in South Africa, Mr. Giuliani said that he would have to check. ‘ ‘ ‘
          Mr. Giuliani then announced that there would be a joint press conference
          at 3 p.m. on 21 March, in,Room 226, by the Chairman of the Special Con ittee
          against Apartheid , Yusuf'f,Maitama—Sule (Nigeria), and Bernard Ralston, , ‘
          President of the City College of Uew York. The press coaference. would deal
          with the campaign for the release of political prisoners in' South Africa, and
          Mr. Ralston would discuss the award that the City College had given to Nelson
          Mandela, leader of'the African i ational Congress, who remained imprisoned in
          South Africa. ‘. . . , ‘ . .
          A reporter asked if the Secretariat was aware of charges recently made by
          Australian and British scientists that the “leaves and pebbles which had been
          presented as having been contaminated by yellow rain were a fake,' as the
          Soviet Unionhad contended from the very beginning”. ir.'Giuliani said he
          would check. ‘ ‘ . ;‘ , . ‘ . .
          In reply. to another question, Mr. Giuliafli said there was no official
          information at,this time on when the General Assembly would meet in resumed
          session. . ‘ ‘
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