SG: Good morning Ladies and
Gentlemen.  It is a great pleasure to see you.  I see quite a
number of journalists this morning!
 

As you know, I just returned from
Rwanda this morning.
 

First, however, let me brief you on
the meeting I just had with Senator [George] Mitchell on the
Middle East.
 

Senator Mitchell provided an overview
of the first round of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

 

I underlined the need for a broad
international support for this process, including the role of
the United Nations and the Quartet.  The Quartet principals will
meet later this month in New York.  They will also meet with the
Arab partners.  I look forward to meeting Prime Minister
[Benjamin] Netanyahu and President [Mahmoud] Abbas during the
General Assembly.
 

I also underscored the need for an
end to violence, and to extend and expand the scope of the
Israeli Government’s settlement restraint.
 

On Gaza, the international community
needs to continue pushing for further measures to ease closures
and address the needs of the population.
 

I commend President [Barack] Obama,
Secretary of State [Hillary] Clinton and Senator Mitchell for
their tireless work in this effort, and for working so closely
with the United Nations.  I also commend Quartet representative
Tony Blair for his role; he has also briefed me by telephone.

 

Negotiations are the only way for
Israel and the Palestinians to resolve all final status issues
and realize their aspirations.
 

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me turn now
to my just-completed trip.
 

Before flying to Rwanda on Tuesday, I
visited Liechtenstein and Austria.
 

In Vaduz, I congratulated the people
of Liechtenstein and Prince Hans-Adam, who are celebrating 20
years of joining the United Nations.
 

Liechtenstein has been a generous
supporter of the United Nations.  Liechtenstein’s efforts were
also crucial to the success of the recent review conference of
the International Criminal Court, which was held in June in
Kampala, which was chaired by Ambassador [Christian] Wenaweser.
 

.In Austria, I had good talks with
President [Heintz] Fischer and Foreign Minister [Michael]
Spindelegger.  I also attended the inaugural conference of the
International Anti-Corruption Academy – an important joint
initiative of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and
Austria.
 

In Alpbach, I attended the European
Forum to discuss the impact of the global economic and financial
crisis on the Millennium Development Goals.  I also took part in
a Security Council retreat and my own senior management retreat
– both well timed to bring fresh energy to the Summits and
meetings in the weeks ahead.

Now let me say a few words about my visit to Rwanda.

I had very constructive meetings with President [Paul] Kagame,
Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo and other ministers,
including the Justice and Finance Ministers.  I congratulated
President Kagame on his inauguration for a second term.

 

We discussed Rwanda’s great strides
in working toward the Millennium Development Goals.  I look
forward to President Kagame’s personal participation in the MDG
Summit, during which he will co-chair a second meeting of the
high-level MDG advocacy group.

As you know, I decided to visit Kigali to speak directly with
President Kagame and his Government about their concerns
regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo Human Rights
mapping exercise commissioned by the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights.

We discussed the matter in great detail.  I listened very
carefully to their concerns.  I fully understand and appreciate
the depth of their feelings on this matter.

I encouraged President Kagame and the Rwandan Government, and
indeed all concerned countries, to submit their comments on the
report by the end of this month, as requested by High
Commissioner Navi Pillay.  Those comments will be released
together with the final version of this mapping report
simultaneously on 1 October.

We will continue our dialogue when President Kagame visits New
York this month.

I also strongly praised Rwanda’s commitment to the United
Nations and in particular its role in peacekeeping operations. 
Rwandan forces are well trained and continue to make important
contributions to peace and security in the region.  Many Rwandan
soldiers have given their lives while serving the cause of
peace, and I honour their memory.

Rwanda’s contribution is all the more important because we are
going to see two referenda in Sudan in January next year.  We
need to do more to protect the civilian population – not least
women and children.

President Kagame and I agreed that it is extremely important for
Rwanda to continue its role in peacekeeping operations.

Finally, I know you have heard a frank and open assessment from
Assistant Secretary-General Atul Khare and Ms. Margot Wallström
on the shocking rape incidents in the eastern DRC.  The
Government of the DRC must play its role in fighting this
horrific violence.  But clearly all of us at the United Nations
must and will do better.

I’ll be holding a press conference on Monday.  But I’m happy to
take a couple of questions this morning. 

Thank you very much.

 

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, on Rwanda, have you made a decision
now to endorse the report as it is written, because Rwanda will
get a chance to comment?  Are you satisfied that Rwanda will not
pull their troops out?  And how difficult of a personal decision
and matter has this been for you?

SG:  First of all, the leaked version was a draft.  We are still
in the process of reviewing the draft, and the final version
will be released on 1 October, so the final version has not been
released yet.  There should be no misunderstanding. Whatever has
been reported was based on a leaked version, a leaked draft.

My meeting with President Kagame was very helpful and
constructive, and that is what I have just briefed on now.

Q:  Was it a difficult decision to make? A difficult issue for
you personally, given the consequences of what the report could
have?

SG:  It has been quite a difficult process.  Through all this
dialogue, on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual
respect and considering the security situations in and around
Rwanda, particularly in the Great Lakes region, I was able to
have very useful discussions, and this discussion will continue
when he visits later this month during the General Assembly.

Q:  Mr. Ban Ki-moon, thank you very much.  I am sure you have
heard President Obama this morning commenting about the proposed
burning of the Koran by the priest in Florida, and I was
wondering, as Secretary-General of the UN, where a lot of
Muslims work and where the UN is active in many Muslim
countries, what is your personal reaction, Sir?

SG:  I believe you must have read my statement. I am deeply
disturbed by reports of a small religious group which plans to
burn copies of the Koran. Such actions cannot be condoned by any
religion.  They contradict the efforts of the United Nations and
many people around the world, to promote tolerance,
intercultural understanding, and mutual respect between cultures
and religions. As you know, the United Nations has been
promoting this effort through the initiative of the Alliance of
Civilizations, and it is absolutely necessary for any group of
religion or culture that people should understand and appreciate
better and more the traditions and religions and faith and
beliefs of other people. This is my position. I sincerely hope
that they will not take such unacceptable actions.

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, after you came back from Pakistan,
and you asked for a special meeting, there was a groundswell of
support for the millions and millions of Pakistan flood
victims.  And suddenly that international support has
dissipated, there is no money coming in.  Even your new head of
OCHA [Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs] is
also sounding very disappointed with it, and Mr. [Jean-]Maurice
Ripert says the appeal should be doubled.  In your opinion, how
much appeal is needed to help the Pakistanis, because at this
point in time nothing is coming in, as we see?

SG:  One cannot say that nothing is coming in. The international
community has been responding generously, and I appreciate and I
am grateful for that.

Of course, assistance might not have come as needed at this
time, considering the gravity and the seriousness of the
[situation of the] people affected – at least 21 million people.
The United Nations has been mobilizing all the international
community’s efforts.  By this time, we have provided daily
rations for at least three million people.  And we have provided
medical assistance for at least 4 million people, we have
provided more than 350,000 shelters – like tents or tarpaulins. 
We have provided safe drinking water.  Our target is to provide,
to at least 6 to 8 million people, such assistance.

As you know, I have dispatched the new Under-Secretary-General
of OCHA, Ms. Valerie Amos.  She is now in Pakistan, discussing
with the United Nations country team, as well as with the
Pakistani senior leadership. 

I sincerely hope that we will be able to mobilize more, and I
urge the international community again to provide, urgently,
humanitarian assistance.

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, you spoke about the rape in the
Congo.  The Congolese army is responsible for some of it, and
the UN and the world stands behind the Congolese Government. 
How does one fix that?  And in the Sudan, where Mr. Kagame is
very active, it seems that when the Rwandans in UNAMID [Joint
African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur] tried to protect
Sudanese civilians who were being killed, the Sudanese
Government stopped them from moving.  Is anyone protesting?

SG:  Mr. Atul Khare, and my Special Representative on Sexual
Violence in Conflict have extensively briefed the Security
Council and the media, and this morning I also explained
myself.  This has been a top priority issue - how to protect
women and girls and the most vulnerable people in armed
conflict. The basic, primary responsibility lies with the
countries concerned, in this case, the DRC [Democratic Republic
of the Congo], and I have spoken with President [Joseph] Kabila
on this issue, very seriously, when I was in the DRC last June.
I have spoken very strongly about this, and this will continue.

Having seen such unacceptable, intolerable, mass rape recently,
now it has come to us how the United Nations could have done
more, and should do more. Now, we are trying our best to
establish effective alert systems.  As you know, these villages
are very remote, and there is no way to have effective
communications, even though some tragic things might have
happened. So MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilization Mission in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo) is now taking care to
provide some necessary communication equipment, so that
effective communication between MONUSCO and villagers - village
leaders, church leaders – can be made.  This may be just one
specific area, but as a matter of policy, as we are observing
the 10^th anniversary of Security Council Resolution
1325, it is absolutely necessary and crucial that the
international community do more on protecting women and girls
from these inhuman crimes.

Q: On Sudan, it follows on what Evelyn was saying, but it is a
little bit wider.  It turns out that, despite the protection of
civilians mandate of UNAMID, that in several recent instances,
peacekeepers have been telling relatives of victims that they
need to get approval before they can leave their bases to go
out.  Most recently it was at the Tabarat market in Jebel Marra. 
They told them that they had to get approval before they could
go.  By the time they went, some people who had been injured
were in fact dead.  So what I am wondering is, what is the
policy of the UN in terms of seeking approval from the
Government? There is also a case in Khartoum in which a dead
Darfuri student that was allegedly tortured, UNMIS (UN Mission
in Sudan) was unable to get access to his body until it was too
late. So, what is the policy of the UN in terms of its freedom
of movement to protect civilians in Sudan?

SG:  In some cases it is true that there was some difficulty in
getting smooth administrative support from the Government of
Sudan. That has been the subject of continuous consultation with
the Sudanese Government. During my visit to Austria last week I
called in Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari to Vienna, and I got a briefing
on the situation and how we can ensure a smoother and more
effective coordination and support from the Sudanese
Government.  We are aware of such problems and we will continue
to improve the situation.

Q:  Does it violate the Status of Forces Agreement, that the UN
hasn’t been to parts of Jebel Marra since February? That is what
John Holmes said before he left, that there are whole regions of
Darfur they haven’t been able to reach.

SG:  There is a Status of [Forces] Agreement, of course. They
should be faithful to provide the necessary support and
cooperation.  In reality, when we are not able to get such
support, it really constrains the movement of our people and
peacekeepers.  We will do our best to improve this situation.

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, on the issue of Kosovo, the UN
General Assembly is going to take up the issue today.  While a
lot of countries actually are calling on Serbia to take a more
realistic approach to Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of
independence, Serbia and its allies still insist that the only
legal and binding document is Resolution 1244 of the Security
Council, and this is the only legal document that should be
applied in this case, which actually confirms the territorial
integrity of Serbia. So what is your sense about this kind of
contradiction, and how do you feel about Kosovo becoming a
Member of the United Nations in any foreseeable future?

SG: For your last question, I am not in a position to say
anything. This is Member States who make decisions about the
membership of the United Nations.

[Resolution] 1244 remains valid and effective. The United
Nations Mission in Kosovo will continue to work, consistent with
Security Council Resolution 1244, as a status neutral mission.
About this Serbian Government proposal, General Assembly
proposal, I understand that consultations have been continuing
between the European Union and the Serbian Government and other
concerned parties. I hope that, through this consultation, they
will be able to have a harmonious resolution on this issue. As
Secretary-General, I am committed to continue to work for the
peace and stability of the region, consistent with Security
Council Resolution 1244.

Thank you very much.  We will meet you again on Monday.

 

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR
PLEADS FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AS SHE VISITS FLOOD-HIT AREAS IN
PAKISTAN

• On the
  
  final day of her mission to Pakistan,
  Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and
  Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos today visited a
  camp for people displaced by the floods in Nowshera, in the
  north-western Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
   

• She warned, “The world’s
  attention is waning at a time when some of the biggest
  challenges for the relief effort here are still to come.”
  She added that, in some parts of Pakistan, a new disaster is
  happening every few days and millions of people are still
  waiting for the support they need to survive.
   

• During her visit to Nowshera, Ms.
  Amos visited the Khandar Camp close to the centre of
  Nowshera, where 399 families are living in tents and
  regularly receiving water, food and other basic necessities.
  She spoke with female heads of households who described to
  her the days in late July and August when walls of water
  swept through the province, collapsing more than 200,000
  houses and affecting over 4.3 million people.
   

• “We must not forget that
  elsewhere in the vast area affected by these floods, there
  are millions of recently displaced people also suffering and
  waiting for life-saving assistance,” Amos said.

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL EMPHASIZES NEED
FOR WOMEN’S ROLE AT THE PEACE TABLE

• In a message to a Conference in
  Ensuring Women’s Participation in Peace and Security in
  Brussels, Thursday, the Secretary-General warned that
  “participation alone is not sufficient.” He said that women
  must not just sit at the peace table; they must be heard.
   

• He stressed that from reconciliation to
  economic recovery, from social cohesion to political
  progress, women are indispensable partners. When women are
  excluded from such partnerships due to inaction or
  fragmented efforts, we should be alarmed.
   

• He said his forthcoming report on
  Women’s Participation in Peacebuilding sets out a
  seven-point agenda for reinvigorating the implementation of
  this crucial aspect of resolution 1325, the landmark
  Security Council resolution that recognizes the vital role
  of women in making and consolidating peace.

 

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL LEAVES ALBANIA,
BEGINS VISIT TO GREECE

• Deputy Secretary
  General Asha-Rose Migiro has arrived in Athens, Greece,
  after a two-day visit to Albania, during which she met with
  President Bamir Topi and Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
   

• While in Tirana, the Deputy
  Secretary-General also met with the UN Country team. She
  visited the One UN Joint Programme on Youth Employment and
  Migration in Tirana. At the Don Bosko Centre, the Deputy
  Secretary-General spoke with disadvantaged young people
  attending a UN-run job training programme.
   

• Today in Athens, the
  Deputy Secretary-General has held bilateral meetings with
  the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament and the minister for
  gender and equality. Later this afternoon, she will be
  addressing
  
  UNESCO’s Future Forum, which focuses on “Gender
  Equality: the Missing Link? Rethinking the Internationally
  Agreed Development Goals beyond 2015.”
   

• Deputy
  Secretary-General Migiro is expected top say that the link
  between gender and development is
  an obvious one. But far too often, this knowledge is treated
  as mere theory, and these commitments remain rhetorical.
  

 

U.N.D.P. ADMINISTRATOR VISITS MOLDOVA

• Speaking in Chisinau,
  Moldova, at a press
  conference on the
  
  Millennium Development Goals with
  the country’s
  Prime Minister Vladimir Filat,
  
  UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said that
  Moldova
  has positive news to tell on the eve of the review summit in
  New York.
   

•  “At the UN we are taking a very
  positive attitude to supporting countries to reach the goals
  and targets in areas where there is still not quite fast
  enough progress,” said Helen Clark. “I’m pleased that on the
  MDGs, Moldova already has a good story to tell on 21 of 27
  of the targets.”
   

• Speaking about ongoing needs
  following the recent floods, the Administrator said that
  UNDP looks forward to working with the Government of Moldova
  to help mobilize the $75 million needed to address the
  issue, as identified in the official post disaster report.
  

 

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS[1]
11-17 September 2010

 

 

Monday, 13 September

 

The Secretary-General
will hold a press conference on the occasion of the opening of
the 65th Session of the General Assembly, at 11:00 a.m., in the
Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium.           

 

At 12:30 p.m., in the
Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, Mr. Ali Treki will hold his
last press conference as President of the 64th Session of the
General Assembly.

 

Today, the Security
Council will hold a debate on Haiti.

 

In Geneva, the Human
Rights Council will hold its fifteenth regular session starting
today and until 1 October.

 

In Geneva, the Committee
on the Rights of the Child will meet until 1 October.

 

Tuesday, 14 September

 

At 11:00 a.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold
Library Auditorium, the United Nations Office for Partnerships
will hold a press conference regarding the annual Blouin
Creative Leadership Summit, which will take place from 22-23
September. Participants include Amir Dossal, Executive Director,
United Nations Office for Partnerships, and Mr. Louise Blouin,
Founder and Chairman, Louise Blouin Foundation.

 

At 4:00 p.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold Library
Auditorium, Mr. Joseph Deiss will hold his first press
conference as President of the 65th Session of the General
Assembly.

 

Wednesday, 15 September

 

At 12:00 p.m., in the Dag
Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, Ms. Valerie Amos,
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency
Relief Coordinator, will be the guest at the noon briefing.

 

This morning, the
Security Council is expected to adopt resolutions on the UN
Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).
It will also hear a briefing on its 1737 Committee and hold
consultations on Sudan.

 

The Administrator of the
UN Development Programme, Helen Clark, will host a live Facebook
conversation on the global fight against poverty in the run-up
to the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit. The webcast will
broadcast at 9.30 a.m. EST / 2.30 p.m. GMT on

www.facebook.com/undp and viewers can pose questions during
the conversation via a live chat stream.

 

Today is the
International Day of Democracy.

 

Thursday, 16 September

 

Today, the Security Council will hold a
debate on Somalia.

 

At 11:00 a.m., in the Dag Hammarskjold
Library Auditorium, Assistant Secretary-General Olav Kjorven (UNDP)
and Assistant Secretary-General Jomo Kwame Sundaram (UN DESA)
will launch the Millennium Development Goals Gap Task Force
Report.

 

Today is the International Day for the
Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

 

Friday, 17 September

 

This morning, the
Security Council will hear a briefing and hold consultations on
the Middle East. It will also hold consultations on its Sudan
Sanctions Committee.

 

At 12:00 p.m., in the
Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, Patricia O'Brien,
Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and Legal Counsel,
will be the guest at the noon briefing.

 

At 4:15 p.m., in the Dag
Hammarskjold Library Auditorium, H.E. Mr. Hervé Morin, Minister
of Defence of France, will hold a press conference.