Remarks upon arrival at UNHQ, - on Iraq (unofficial transcript)
Press events | Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General
Q: Do you think it is time, sir, to adjust the sanctions at this point?
SG:Well, let me say that there is quite a bit of reflection going on here in the building and around the capitals of the world. For a long time the attitude had been: this is our policy, this is the way we do things. But I think recently we have put on the table that critical question of what should we be doing and I hope out of this review and search will emerge a constructive way forward. And I hope the Iraqis on their side have been doing a similar reflection and a similar review because obviously the members of the council are not satisfied with its performance with regard to Security Council resolutions and, of course, we all know the public discussions on the impact of the sanctions on the Iraqi population, and I hope that out of all these discussions and reflections something meaningful will come out.
Q: Do you hope that from these two days of talks they'll schedule further talks to make this the start of an ongoing process?
SG: I will not exclude that. As I said I don't think that we'll be able to resolve all the issues in the two days ahead, and so I will not exclude the fact that we may have to come back together.
Q: Since Doha -- this is where you agreed with the Iraqi delegation that you will have this meeting here - since then, what elements have been introduced to your talks with the Iraqis that will affect the way you are thinking and what will you ask them to do first at this point if there is to be building of confidence?
SG: I think I have already answered the first part of your question by indicating that in my judgment there's quite a lot of reflection and reviews going on as to what should be done, and that in itself is an important and healthy shift. As to what I will tell them I will expect out of the talks, I would suggest we come back to that at the end of the talks because I would want to talk to them directly, and do what I have described as a make-a-point diplomacy.
Q: No, I meant developments on the ground since Doha?
SG: I think that is what I indicated: there have been developments, there have been movements in capitals as to their own thinking, their own approach. The Council has been busy since there is a new U.S. administration that is also reviewing the situation, so there are lots of movements that can affect where we go.
Q: Sir, on the disarmament front, you've spoken about sanctions, it's been ten years since their weapons' inspections began - today Kuwait is celebrating their liberation, are you prepared to say that Iraq has cooperated to a certain degree? That they really have come a long way in cooperating, in getting rid of their weapons of mass destruction - that just a little extra remains? What's your assessment of where things stand on the disarmament?
SG: That is a judgment that has to be made by the inspectors. I think even UNSCOM indicated progress in certain areas, in the missile area - they indicated in the atomic area there had been considerable progress, they indicated there was some considerable work to be done on biological and chemical weapons. So they even admitted there had been some progress. Whether Iraq has fully complied with Security Council requirements is not a judgment that is left to me, it's a judgment that the inspectors will affirm or determine once they've been able to get back into Iraq but there's no doubt that some progress was made over the years when the inspections were going on. *****