The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today\u2019s noon briefing by St\u00e9phane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.<\/p>\n
\/…<\/p>\n
**Questions and Answers<\/u><\/p>\n
Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thanks, Steph.\u00a0 Following your Note to Correspondents yesterday on the Middle East, this news headline: \u00a0“UN Rejects Deal of the Century”, is that an accurate reflection of your position?<\/p>\n
Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 神马午夜福利网, I’m not in the business of analysing headlines.\u00a0 I think the words that we used in the Note to Correspondents was very clear, that we’d seen the announcement<\/a>, and the position of the UN on the two\u2011State solution has been defined throughout the years by relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, by which the Secretariat is bound.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, there are calls from the likes of organizations like Human Rights Watch for a rethink of the peace process.\u00a0 Does the United States enjoy the full confidence of the Secretary\u2011General as the chief lead mediator in this conflict?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Look, the United States remains a critical actor in the Middle East peace process.\u00a0 Our work is defined and led by the Security Council.\u00a0 We have been given mandates, and there are resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, and we are bound by them.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Can I just make a final point? \u00a0For years, UN officials, Steph, have talked about this window of opportunity closing for a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 How does this plan produced by the White House yesterday affect the trajectory and the speed of that closing window?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I would leave that to your\u2026 that analysis to you.\u00a0 Maria?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Thank you.\u00a0 Follow\u2011up on the resolutions you just mentioned.\u00a0 They are mentioned, as well, in this presented-yesterday peace plan and in very detailed analysis of United Nations’ efforts in two paragraphs.\u00a0 It says that General Assembly and Security Council resolutions only stop at\u2026 are\u2026 have not and will not resolve the conflict.\u00a0 Have you\u2026 do you have any comments particular on this part?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I am going to, I think, disappoint all\u2026 most of you and just say that this\u2026 Ant\u00f3nio Guterres is the Secretary\u2011General of the United Nations.\u00a0 Right? \u00a0The work of the Secretariat, his work is bound by those resolutions passed by Member States.<\/p>\n \/…<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, back to your Note to Correspondents with regard to the US plan.\u00a0 There seems to be something missing from the statement.\u00a0 The Secretary\u2011General has seen the plan, and then the Secretary\u2011General lays out the UN’s previous position, which he says is defined by relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.\u00a0 Does the Secretary\u2011General believe that the plan unveiled by President [Donald] Trump is consistent with relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Look, we’ve seen the announcement of the plan.\u00a0 I’m not going to get into that which will be left to others to decide, notably Member States themselves.\u00a0 For us, there are parameters that bind us, and we need to keep within those parameters.<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 But, surely, if he doesn’t answer that absolutely central issue, then his words become weak, in fact, pretty pointless.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 No, I don’t think they are pointless.\u00a0 They are a reminder of his position.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 One final question on this.\u00a0 Does the Secretary\u2011General\u2026 now he’s read it and absorbed it.\u00a0 Does he think this is a peace plan or an annexation plan?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I’m not going to characterize it.\u00a0 The Secretary\u2011General did, in fact, receive a call from Mr.\u00a0[Jared] Kushner yesterday afternoon, who briefed him on the plan, but I’m not going to go further than what I’ve said.\u00a0 Joe.\u00a0 I’ll get to you.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 I don’t want to get into the characterization of the plan either, but one of the principles, I believe, the Secretary\u2011General has repeatedly enunciated \u2014 and it’s in the Security Council resolutions, as well \u2014 is the importance of direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.\u00a0 So, however you want to characterize this plan, it lays out one marker, one perspective, on resolving the conflict, contiguous boundaries, freeze on settlements for four years, recognizing a Palestinian capital in a portion of eastern Jerusalem, et cetera.\u00a0 Would the Secretary\u2011General at least be open to direct negotiations based on the Palestinians’ definition of what the appropriate border should be and this plan, even if you don’t\u2026?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I think we’re diving into weeds in which I have no interest in going into\u2026<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 Well, it’s a question\u2026<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Let me finish my answer\u2026 let me finish my answer.\u00a0 I think if you look at and reread the voluminous number of briefings we have provided to the Security Council on this issue, you will find one thing that comes up again and again is the call for direct talks with the parties.\u00a0 We\u2026 as I said yesterday, we continue to be committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of the resolutions.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 I’m sorry.\u00a0 But, would\u2026 let me follow up.\u00a0 Would the Secretary\u2011General see this enunciated position, however you want to characterize it, plan, put out and endorsed by Israel, with some compromises by Israel, as one pole in direct negotiations and encouraging the Palestinians at least to enter into negotiations, not accept it, but enter into negotiations with their own position and try to find a middle ground?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 We have\u2026 I don’t want to have to repeat what I’ve just said, so I won’t.\u00a0 Evelyn?<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 Further, on the same issue, the Secretary\u2011General’s for the two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 The new plan does have two States.\u00a0 I won’t characterise what kind of States they are, but would that\u2026 is that something\u2026?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 We have laid out, in our words yesterday, our position.\u00a0 You can all do a compare\u2011and\u2011contrast exercise.<\/p>\n \/…<\/p>\n Correspondent<\/u>:\u00a0 During the\u2026 while he is the Secretary\u2011General.<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 Sorry.\u00a0 Let me refocus here.\u00a0 神马午夜福利网, again, I sound like a broken record\u2026 I don\u2019t know that records exist anymore.\u00a0 We have expressed our position over and over again in the Security Council.\u00a0 We have a Special Coordinator on the ground who is doing whatever he can, and we’ve expressed our concern at the appearance of moving away from a two\u2011State solution.\u00a0 I mean, Mr.\u00a0Mladenov and others have said it in the Security Council.\u00a0 So, I would just refer you back to what we’ve already said.\u00a0 I’ve outlined what our basic and, I think, firm principles are.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 So, given the fact that you keep on saying that it’s going to be\u2026 it’s a broken record, but the fact, I mean, this situation is such that it will keep on happening again and again.\u00a0 And now, I mean, I suspect or I fear that there will be massive protests, protests especially in Gaza and West Bank.\u00a0 What is it\u2026 and the Secretary\u2011General\u2026 what is it that the Secretary\u2011General can do to avoid them or to bring about some sort of\u2026?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 The Secretary\u2011General and Secretariat have voiced their position and are\u2026 will never rest in working with the Israelis and Palestinians in supporting them in trying to find a solution based on the relevant resolutions.<\/p>\n Question<\/u>:\u00a0 But in the\u2026?<\/p>\n Spokesman<\/u>:\u00a0 I\u2026 you know, I’m\u2026 Masood, with all due respect, I’m happy to moderate a discussion between you and Joe in looking at the situation on the ground, but I think I’ve run out of words here.\u00a0 Yes, sir, and then we’ll go\u2026<\/p>\n \/…<\/p>\n For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today\u2019s noon briefing by St\u00e9phane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General. \/… **Questions and Answers Question:\u00a0 Thanks, Steph.\u00a0 Following your Note to Correspondents yesterday on the Middle East, this news headline: \u00a0“UN Rejects Deal of the Century”, is that an accurate reflection of your position? 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