In the course of the press conference which he gave in Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 September, the Secretary-General was asked a number of questions about regional issues, including one on the Indonesian province of Papua and the UN Decolonization Committee.

In response, he stated that it was up to the Member States to decide on the re-listing or de-listing of any territory as a non-self-governing territory.

His off-the-cuff response may have led to the misunderstanding that he was suggesting the matter of Papua should be placed on the agenda of the Decolonization Committee. The Secretary-General wishes to clarify that this was not his intention.