Secretary-General's press encounter upon arrival at UNHQ (unofficial transcript)

Q: Mr. Secretary-General. What are your impressions initially here of the Declaration, from what you are hearing from Vienna, and from New York, as far as Iraqi cooperation, and their willingness to reveal now to the world their WMD programme?

SG: I think the documents have just arrived, and as you all know, the inspectors will have to review them, analyse them, and report to the [Security] Council. And I think that's going to take a while. And until they've done that, I don't think I will have much to tell you.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, would you say the United States is putting too much pressure, too little pressure or just enough pressure on Mr. Blix?

SG: Well, I have always maintained that the inspectors have work to do, and we should allow them to do a professional job. And I have indicated they should be given the time and the space to do it, and I hope all Member States will do that. And don't forget, the Resolution was passed unanimously, and I do expect the Council to support the inspectors as they do a professional job.

Q: The Administration in Washington keeps insisting that the Iraqis cannot be trusted and that this Report, like previous reports, will not be truthful. Are you concerned that this will lead to hostilities, to clashes?

SG: I will wait for the inspectors to finish their analysis and report to the Council before we get to that hurdle.

Q: Mr. Secretary, the Americans are saying they have evidence, solid evidence - the Resolution 1441 demands that Member States cooperate with the inspectors - give them the information they need. Are you being told by the Administration why aren't they playing ball, why aren't they giving the evidence to the inspectors?

SG: Well, Mr. Blix has indicated that he would appreciate sharing of intelligence, and he would like governments who have information to give him and the inspectors that information, particularly with regard to sites where they may find hidden material.

Q: Sir, Mr. Secretary-General, the United States agreed on Friday in the Security Council to allow Dr. Blix to redact the document, and now they seem to have changed their mind and would like a full copy. Is it your concern that this process is somewhat being hijacked by the US policy, US foreign policy?

SG: Well, the President of the Council seems to have a new sense of the Council, a new sense that the document should be given to certain members of the Council, and has worked that out with Blix. If that is the wish of the Council I have no problem with that.

Q: Mr. Secretary, the decision to give a copy to the permanent five [members of the Security Council] and not to the non- permanent ten, does that strike you as a democratic decision?

SG: I think the Council is a master of its own deliberations. If the Council decided to do that, it is their right and I will not quibble with that.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, do you think that Saddam Hussein is now seriously trying to avoid war, judging from the fact that they presented the documents in time, as they promised?

SG: I have maintained that war is not inevitable, and it is up to President Saddam Hussein to disarm, to cooperate fully with the inspectors, and honour all his obligations to the United Nations. If that were to be done I would see no reason for war.

Q: Sir, on Cyprus, are you ready to submit your revised Plan, and also are you having any plans to travel to Copenhagen for the Summit?

SG: We have got the comments from both parties, and we are looking at a revised text, which I hope will be ready shortly, and we will share them with the parties.

Q: Do you have any plans to travel to Copenhagen for the Summit?

SG: I have no plans as of today to go to Copenhagen.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, do you have a reaction on the Iraqi statement to the Kuwaiti people over the weekend?

SG: I haven't studied the full text; apparently it was a long text. I know that there was an apology to the people and the government of [Kuwait], which is a positive development. But I will have to analyse the text to see what the rest of the statement says. There are indications that some of the things that were said may not be that helpful, but I will have to study the full text.

Thank you very much.