DSG: I am happy to have this opportunity to give you a quick summary of what I told the Security Council this morning – the messages that I delivered. First of all is that our position regarding the recent elections in Zimbabwe was clear. When it became obvious that conditions did not exist for a free and fair election, and in view of the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai withdrawing, the Secretary-General did make a call to the authorities there to postpone the run-off. He did so, together with many others who did so, but, as you are aware, the Government went ahead with the election, an election with only one candidate and therefore a predictable result and a crisis of legitimacy came in. There were three observer missions there, as you are aware – the African Union, SADC [the Southern Africa Development Community], the Pan African Parliament, and all these have reported that the elections were not credible; they did not reflect the will of the people and did not produce a legitimate outcome.

Another message that I delivered to the Security Council is that, definitely when an election is conducted in an atmosphere of fear and violence, its outcome cannot have a legitimacy that is built on the will of the people. And therefore we see that, in this case, democracy is at stake. What happened in Zimbabwe cannot lead to peace and stability. We believe that the only way out of this crisis is for the two sides to agree on a political solution that would pave the way for a democratic transition and economic recovery of the country. And we believe strongly that the people of Zimbabwe deserve no less. We are encouraged to see that African leaders are fully engaged in that effort and are giving their total support to the efforts of President [Thabo] Mbeki [of South Africa] and SADC. The United Nations Secretariat stands ready to provide assistance to the mediation mechanism that is being established on the ground under SADC leadership.

We note that, as political efforts continue, every effort should also be made to alleviate the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe. We estimate that, if the situation remains as it is, if it is continues unattended, the food shortage could leave about 5.1 million people at great risk. The Secretary-General has called, and continues to call, on the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately lift sanctions on humanitarian activities. Finally, we also once again call on the Government of Zimbabwe to put an end to all forms of violence. It is deeply troubling that reports of violence and intimidation are continuing, even at this point. So these are the messages that I delivered to the Security Council, having come from Sharm el-Sheikh, [Egypt,] where I also had an opportunity to confer with a number of African leaders on the Zimbabwe crisis. Thank you very much.

Q: Zimbabwe is very important, but I wanted to ask you a question on another subject first. Can you describe for us here the activities to find the next Human Rights High Commissioner – I know you are leading the panel?

DSG: The process is still ongoing. We are still holding conversations – we don't call it interviews, because we are dealing with highly qualified people, you know all those that we have heard the names of. And the process is continuing – we have not yet come to that position.

Q: When do you expect a decision?

DSG: As soon as the Secretary-General is through with the process, because we are at one stage and then the recommendations will be taken to the Secretary-General, who will then make a decision as he deems appropriate.

Q: Deputy Secretary-General, can I ask you a couple of clarifications? First of all, I've heard that you know [President Robert] Mugabe personally. The first question is, do you consider yourself a personal friend of Robert Mugabe? And the second question is, did you meet Mr. Mugabe when you were in Sharm el-Sheikh? And if you did, it doesn't seem to be mentioned in the Security Council briefing you gave.

DSG: Mr. Mugabe is not a personal friend. This is a leader of a country that was part of the SADC region, where I worked and served as Minister for Foreign Affairs, so I knew him in his official capacity. I didn't get to meet him at Sharm el Sheikh. I met with other leaders, so I didn't get to meet him.

Q: You're an African leader, a Tanzanian; you are also a high UN official. Which approach do you think is working here? The African Union has come out against sanctions; the Security Council is considering imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe – where do you think we should be?

DSG: The question of sanctions is a question for Member States. I do know that there has been talk of this, but this for the Member States to decide. As far as we are concerned, the United Nations is to support any process that first will bring the country back to the track of democracy – it will help the leaders come together. This is the process that the Secretary-General would like to support. We do know that the SADC have a mechanism, as I said, which is being lead by President [Thabo] Mbeki. And, at the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting, there were calls that the African Union should also follow more closely this process. And this is what is being discussed right now.

Q: At the UN there has been a suggestion, and it intimated in your speech, that the UN may become more involved, perhaps with a high-level envoy. Is that something that you think that the facilitation process needs?

DSG: This is something that is being discussed right now. The Secretary-General is open to all suggestions that will lead to a solution of the crisis, to a resolution of this crisis and we remain open. It depends on what UN is called upon to do. But this is something that is being discussed. At Sharm El-Sheikh, I did meet with some leaders who also considered this point, but they said that they needed more consultations among themselves, and the Secretary-General is following this very closely. I know that, at Sharm El-Sheikh, this point came up through some of the African leaders who were there and the Secretary-General, I think, is waiting to hear what they will come out with. But, at the moment, we know that the Secretary-General did send Mr. Haile Menkerios there as his Envoy on Zimbabwe. And we remain to see what the leadership there will say. But we know the efforts of the Secretary-General, through Mr. Menkerios, were very much welcome. And, in my discussion with some of the leaders, they supported the continued role of Mr. Menkerios, which means there's a lot of confidence in the UN. And we remain to see how further we should engage ourselves in helping the people of Zimbabwe.

Q: Do you think the facilitation needs more urgency?

DSG: The facilitation has ever been urgent, since the whole thing started. That is why SADC did mandate President Mbeki to continue. And right now, even after the first round, there was a meeting of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security to consider what more efforts should be made in view of the stalemate, so to speak, of the impasse.that came out of the first round. So mediation is continuing, and the Secretary-General will be very much interested to see that that mediation goes to a higher level where a quick solution is found, because, as I said, right now there is almost total paralysis of the State institutions in Zimbabwe.

Q: You have already said that you don't want to get involved in the issue of sanctions, but do you think they will help improve the situation in Zimbabwe, making it more calm? And then the African leaders themselves said they do not favour the sanctions issue, so why are you having this different division, and if the United Nations will be in a process of defining elections in different countries?

DSG: Yes, what I say is that the Secretariat is not involved with sanctions. The Secretariat is here just to serve the Member States; the Member States will decide whether they want to impose sanctions or not. What we are interested in is to ensure that no more suffering continues. As I have said, there is a humanitarian crisis there; there is a shortage of basic food and services; there is a shortage of all other amenities; and there is a looming hunger there because of the food crisis. So what we would like to see is that the suffering is lessened and is removed as soon as possible. And that is why we are saying a quick solution there would be very, very welcome at this point.

Q: Madame Secretary, isn't this a failure of UN leadership? I mean, this problem has been out there for so long. It always takes unbelievable misery and suffering and killings to get it to the attention of the world, and the Security Council. You're from Africa; why didn't you speak out earlier about what was happening in Zimbabwe when you could have, earlier, or will you be a UN diplomat who has to go through the channels and it is up to the countries?

DSG: The problem of Zimbabwe has been a long-term one. I do know, coming from the region, that efforts were there and we were engaging with the leadership there. The Secretary-General did so several times and he was assured by the regional leadership that they needed time, they needed space to deal with it. I do not believe anyone expected this turnout of events. But even when it happened, the Secretary-General quickly conferred with the leaders just before the election, and even after the first run-off. He had conversations with President [Levy] Mwanawasa [of Zambia], he conferred with the AU Chairperson who is [Tanzanian President Jakaya] Kikwete, Jean Ping also. Efforts have been ongoing really – we can not say that, as UN, we have been keeping quiet. This is not the case.

Q: It wasn't put on the agenda of the Security Council, farmers are being chased and beaten off their land, refugees are pouring into other countries – this didn't just happen.

DSG: Being put on the Security Council is again a question for the members.

Q: Well, you could be more public.

DSG: The Secretary-General has always done so; he has always spoken on the need to address the situation, both the political and humanitarian, we have people on the ground, so really we have been working, led by the Secretary-General.

Q: A Secretariat question - the UN Global Compact which is a part of the Secretariat, has as its Chairman of its foundation a guy, Mark Moody Stuart, whose company, Anglo American, does business in Zimbabwe, recently announced at $400 million mining project there. How do you think that responsible corporations should ?.can they do business in Zimbabwe? And, if so, how should they do it, what safeguards should be in place?

DSG: We do believe that corporations must also be able to relate to issues that affect the people that they intend to help through their business. So we hope that they will give attention to the suffering, they will understand what they have to do at this point in time. And this is what we expect corporations to do.

Q: But should they work with the current Government? How much of their profits should go to the Government before it becomes something where they are just propping up the Government?

DSG: I think that the Global Compact does look into these issues as well. The very idea of having it there is to have rules and standards that are acceptable, that are internationally supported and that they can make business a meaningful enterprise. So, this, I think, they should pay attention to.

Q: You said that you would like the leaders to come together, but what political solution are you advocating for them? And do you know if the Secretary-General will be meeting with the Tanzanian President next week on the crisis in Zimbabwe?

DSG: We are talking of a Government of National Unity, that they should reconcile to consider the possibility of forming a Government of National Unity. This is what the Secretary-General has said. The discussions that I had with leaders did show that this was a serious matter to be considered and we would support that, definitely. Whether the Secretary-General will be having a meeting – he has been conversing with them. I know that, in Hokkaido [Japan] also, he has had conversations, he has met some of the leadership there, and I think this is very well reported. But, that will not end up at Hokkaido, because the problem is still continuing and I believe that the Secretary-General will continue to engage the leadership, including the President that you have mentioned, who happens to be the Chair of the African Union at the moment.

Q: Will the meeting take place here or in Tanzania?

DSG: They just met in Hokkaido.

Q: But he was going to be meeting with him next week.

DSG: I do not think it will be in Tanzania, because before then he's been speaking with them on the phone. In Hokkaido, they have met, and I believe now it is a question of following up what he's getting out of the meetings and conversations that he has with the leaders.

Q: Any plans to go to Zimbabwe any time soon?

DSG: I have no idea

Q: Is Mr. Mugabe the only African leader that has been in power for 30 years and this is going to be the UN business, who's next on the list? I know some leaders, without naming names, who have been there for 30 or maybe 40 years?.

DSG: Well, I do not think that the problem is being in power for 5, 10, 15 years. What is important is the democratic process, a credible process that gives mandate to leadership. There are countries that have term limits, like my own country, Tanzania, has term limits; after five years, you are eligible for one more re-election and that's it. But, it depends, and there are countries, not only in Africa, but elsewhere, where leaders have been there for 15, 20 years, depending on what process brings them to power, and I think this is what is important. At the UN, we are interested in seeing that democratic processes are done in such a way that they contribute to peace and security. That is very, very important. And we would be supporting any country, any people that would like to have their destiny in their own hands, but through a credible process that brings leadership to power.

Q: Deputy Secretary-General, is Robert Mugabe the legitimate President of Zimbabwe or is he illegitimate?

DSG: We have said that the election did produce illegitimate results, that there has not been legitimacy, because of what preceded the run-off. There has been violence, there have been killings, there has been intimidation. Such an electoral process can not be said to produce legitimate results. And this is what the Secretary-General has said and this is what I just told the Security Council members.