Press encounter following briefing to the Security Council on Iraq, (unofficial transcript)

SG: Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen. I just briefed the Security Council on negotiations with the Iraqi Foreign Minister yesterday and I informed the Council that we did discuss core issues. The Iraqis, of course, had their own set of questions which yesterday we shared with you. But those questions were posed in terms of seeking clarification and wanting to know answers, but not as preconditions.

The Council generally encourages me to go ahead with the discussions with the Iraqis, on the understanding that we are talking of the implementation of all Security Council resolutions, and that we will focus on the core issues.

As I mentioned yesterday, I expect to continue the talks with the Iraqis in mid-April. We are both looking at our calendars and we will firm up the dates and then I will let you know.

Q: [inaudible]

SG: Basically, what I am saying is, we agreed to meet without preconditions and that they were coming to discuss implementation of [Security Council] resolutions.

You are right, the questions that they raised were related to issues of no-fly zone; the way UNMOVIC was going to work; its terms of reference and methods of work and that sort of thing.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, did the Iraqis indicate that they are willing to return the Kuwaiti archives and why find other concrete ways as Ambassador Vorontsov is already in [resolution] 1284.

SG: We discussed the need to deal with the question of POWs and missing persons. Of course, Iraq has indicated that they have their own list of missing persons which was well over a thousand. On the question of [Kuwaiti] property they did indicate to me that they had certain items that they would want to return and we have agreed that we will work out some practical means for returning the material. I think what is important is that they move on with compliance and return whatever they have and we will pursue that avenue.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, [inaudible] some discussion of terms of reference for UNMOVIC. Is that a general indication that the Iraqis will in fact let UNMOVIC inspectors back into Iraq?

SG: I think it is significant that we discussed the specific issue of the inspectors with the presence of Hans Blix and the head of their own monitoring team, General Amin, who was in the meeting as well. I think it is an indication, at least for now, that they are taking this issue seriously. I don't want us to run ahead of ourselves and declare success. We are at a very early stage yet, so we should not claim success or failure yet. We are at a very, very early beginning. But it was a good start.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, are you confident that the U.S. will give you enough time to solve this diplomatically. You mentioned this yesterday, this need to do this, and today you say you have the backing of the Security Council to go ahead with these talks. What is your feeling on this issue?

SG: I am guided by the Security Council resolutions and by the work of the Council. The Council would want to see its resolutions implemented. They would hope that these talks will move on expeditiously and yield results that will send in the inspectors. So I am focussed on that, and I hope all Council members who, as I said right now, have given me their endorsement, will work with me in that direction.

Q: [Do you think it's time to lift the sanctions on Iraq?]

SG: I think, if the issue is compliance, and the return of the inspectors to ensure that they have complied, it would depend on how quickly we get the inspectors in and how quickly we disarm, and that will lead to the lifting of sanctions. Thank you very much. *****