Transcript of the Secretary-General's Press Encounter with L. Paul Bremer, U.S. Administrater in Iraq

Bremer: Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General. We had a good discussion. Among other things, we discussed the many ways in which the United Nations and its specialized agencies can help us with the urgent task of reconstruction in Iraq and the efforts to create a political council which will be representative of the Iraqi people and in the efforts to move forward towards an elected democratic government in Iraq on the basis of a new constitution.

I'm delighted with the meeting we've had here today and with the outlook for further cooperation.

Q: You know the increasing anxiety for Iraqi people being out of jobs. So what about the [UN Development Programme] UNDP programme? Can you give an idea that Iraqis will be employed in companies for the reconstruction of Iraq?

SG: I think, really, that should go to Mr. Bremer.

Bremer: Well, the UNDP, I think, actually Sergio is probably the best-equipped to answer it in detail. Of course, we welcome the programmes of the UNDP and other agencies of the UN. They're very active--UNICEF, WHO, FAO are all active—but I'd like Sergio to say whatever highlights he'd like to [unintelligible].

De Mello: As we all know, after insecurity, unemployment is the main concern of the Iraqi population. This is a problem that is related to many other factors, including privatization, the collapse of the Iraqi armed forces. And the programmes that the United Nations has been carrying out and can expand will help, will go some way towards providing employment. But it is only once the economy picks up, and the private sector picks up, that the question of unemployment will be effectively addressed, not through small UNDP or United Nations agencies projects.

SG: Next week there will be a conference in New York, a preparatory conference on reconstruction, where we'll bring many countries together, including a delegation from Iraq, to discuss the future reconstruction of the country, and of course that I hope would also lead the donor community to be generous. And with the reconstruction, there will come many jobs, and many works that the Iraqis could do. And of course, as Sergio de Mello and Mr. Bremer have indicated, the economy and the economic activity, once it's picked up, is also going to generate quite a bit of jobs.

Q: Is the US going to push for a bigger role for the UN in Iraq?

Bremer: Well, as the Secretary-General and I just said, we believe there is a substantial role already being played by the United Nations and its specialized agencies. We are going to welcome any assistance we can get from those areas. There's a very big job to be done for reconstruction; it's not one that anyone country can do by itself. As the Secretary-General pointed out, we're going to have a meeting later in New York with an Iraqi delegation to start identifying the needs, the urgent needs from the international community, and we will welcome any assistance we can find.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, your Special Representative has been engaged in regular consultations with Ambassador Bremer here over the past couple of weeks. Based on that, and your meeting today, what sort of role do you see the United Nations playing on the political front and the formation of this political council, the eventual formation of an Iraqi government? And do you now envision any formalized role for the United Nations to play in this process?

SG: I think the resolution 1483 did indicate the role the United Nations should play. Since Mr. de Mello got to Iraq, he and Mr. Bremer, I am pleased to say, have worked extremely well together. Mr. de Mello has been talking to quite a lot of Iraqis and has also been traveling around the country. And there is a clear direction as to the formation of the interim Iraqi authority, which Mr. Bremer, Mr. de Mello and myself have discussed this morning, which Mr. Bremer expects to move forward in the next couple of weeks or not in the too-distant-future, and other political institutions will be set up. Of course, there's the question of a constitution and eventually elections. And here the UN experience is important. Mr. de Mello, who has done similar work in other parts of the world, is working very closely with the Iraqis and Mr. Bremer to ensure that we do have this smooth transition from the Coalition to the establishment and creation of an Iraqi government down the line. And we are working very well together.

Thank you very much.