Remarks after Security Council consultations on Iraq, (unofficial transcript)

SGl: I briefed the Security Council on my discussions with the Iraqi delegation and shared with them the issues we discussed, which was rather broad-ranging. They did state their position on almost everything on the Iraqi dossier from disarmament to the humanitarian [issue] to the Kuwaiti prisoners of war and property to the question of compensation. So we did go through the whole gamut and they had their chance to state what they see as their grievances or the facts as they perceive them. I did indicate to them the need to comply with the resolutions and the expectations of the Security Council. We have agreed to meet again, either in April or May, and at that point, we will have a chance to go into more details and tackle some of the specific outstanding questions. This afternoon, after I briefed the Council, there was a sense that they generally felt that it was a good sign that the talks had begun and they encouraged that it will be continued. Obviously the Council itself is reviewing the Iraqi dossier. Capitals are reviewing it, and I think as we move forward, all this will have to come together somehow.

Q: In your discussions with the Iraqi Foreign Minister, did you put any ideas or any proposals on the table or any suggestions that might help the Iraqis get through this?

SG: Not at this stage. Not at this first and initial round, but it will not be excluded for the second round. As I said, in the second round we should be expecting to be able to go into details.

Q: With the Security Council still divided, and the United States and Britain and other members reviewing the Iraqi policy, how can it remain....until this is resolved?

SG: In fact this was one of the issues we discussed in the Council. The Council for the question of the need for the Council to agree on certain critical questions and to try and restore the unity of the Council. The next meeting will not be before April, and I think we have four to five weeks, or six, for the situation to evolve, and I hope by implication of your question the issues that you have been in mind would also be clarified or at least some of them would have been clarified by then, given the intense nature of the discussions going on on this topic.

Q: In your contacts with Secretary [of State] Colin Powell, did you discuss any kind of package or his ideas about sanctions?

SG: We did not discuss a package. We did discuss the need for a review, the need for consultations, and I think that's one of the reasons why Secretary of State Colin Powell was in the Middle East, to consult the leaders in the region. He had held talks in Brussels with the French Foreign Minister and others and of course when he was here not long ago he also had the opportunity of talking to the permanent members of the Security Council. So that sort of consultations [happened],but we did not discuss a package.

Q: Secretary-General, did you see any linkage as was brought by the Iraqis between inspections on Iraq and the rest of the region?

SG: I think the disarmament issue is obviously one of the key questions. Iraq maintains that it has fulfilled, or has indicated that it has fulfilled all the disarmament obligations and requirements placed on it by the Council. And of course the Council Members are saying, if that's the case, let the inspectors come in and check it out and certify, and we will move forward. So the disarmament issue is a crucial one.

Q: A follow-up on inspections. Mr. Secretary-General, the Iraqis have made it clear that they will not accept the return of inspectors. Have they made it clear what type of inspections they were talking about? Is it the OMV that they had in mind or every type of inspection?

SG: I think the OMV had been discussed but let me say this. We are at the beginning of a process, and I agree that they have the position that they will not allow the inspectors in. But they are also keen to see the sanctions lifted and one of the key requirements is to have, so I think they are a bit easier than on the OMV, on the monitoring, but even on the monitoring, they would also want to see paragraph 14 also implemented and so this issue also came up but I think one of the key issues we have to resolve is this question of inspection or verification of what has been done and what has not been done.

Q: In your mind, in what you said to the Security Council, how do you see the priorities of the Iraqis, as indicated to the Council through you?

SG: Well, I think it became clear at the end of the talks that the Iraqis, from the discussions that I had with them saw three key priority areas: the no-fly zones, the disarmament issue and the question of economic sanctions. As it emerged, I think these are the three key areas for them.

Q: Just to clarify, when you said disarmament issues, is it in the way that the Iraqis put it, in the implementation of paragraph 14, or disarmament in the way that the Council sees it?

SG: I think they are linked. You cannot separate disarmament in terms of paragraph 14, which talks about security arrangements for the region, and a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, but also the Iraq-specific disarmament requirements with the Council demands. In effect the Council at this stage, I think, is more interested in the Iraq-specific issue; Iraq, of course, would want also to ensure that others in the region are also constrained.

Q: What evidence has Iraq given you that they have no more weapons of mass destruction? They said they were going to present you with evidence of that. What was the nature of that evidence?

SG: They made a presentation and gave me a piece of paper.

Q: Which said?

SG: Basically, that they have complied. But obviously, this is why we are going back and forth, whether it will now be necessary for the inspectors to get back to verify and confirm. As I said, we are at a very early stage, and I hope, next time they come, we will be able to go into more details, be specific and press on the issues that need to be resolved to make it possible for us to move forward. Thank you very much and have a good evening. *****