Press Encounter by Secretary-General Kofi Annan following his briefing to the Security Council (unofficial transcript)
Press events | Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General
I'll take your questions. And of course I'm sure you are all interested in Myanmar. I met the Representative this afternoon and I have given him a message for General Than Shwe, basically telling him I would expect them to release Aung San Suu Kyi as soon as possible and that they are responsible for the protection and safety of Aung San Suu Kyi, and members of her party that they are holding in or outside prison, and also indicated the best way to move forward is to resume dialogue. She has indicated that she is prepared to resume dialogue, and she said this to my Envoy, so I hope the Government would accept the challenge and proceed with dialogue.
Q: Do you expect this issue to go to the [Security] Council at all, and if not, why not, and is your Special Representative in favour of this going to the Council?
SG: This is not an item on the Council's agenda. I'm not aware that the Council is going to take it up, but I've sent a message to General Than Shwe, and I will wait to see what reaction we get.
Q: Are you going to bring it to the Council and tell them to take it up?
SG: I don't have immediate plans on doing that, but we will see how things evolve. I'm not saying it is excluded. I think all things are going to be on the table very soon, but I have sent a message to General Than Shwe.
Q: Why at this moment did you send that message?
SG: Because he sent an Envoy to come and see me and I received the Envoy and decided that I would also send a message in return. I received his envoy this afternoon on a previous letter that I had sent to him, and he brought me a very long explanation with documentary evidence, photographs, that is if one calls that evidence, photographs of what happened when Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested.
Q: Sécrétaire Général, en français s'il vous plait, …pourriez-vous décrire les grands lignes de votre message au Conseil de sécurité sur votre ….en Afrique.
SG: Effectivement, je leur ai demandé que il faut tout faire pour régler tous ces conflits en Afrique, et pour Liberia il faut déployer les troupes aussi vite que possible. Il y a un cessez-le-feu qui tient mais la situation est précaire. Donc il faut agir aussi vite que possible. Evidement j'avais souligné plusiers conflits en Afrique et nous sommes en train de faire le maximum pour étouffer toutes ces crises.
Q : Secretary-General, this morning you said that discussions were going on about the possible expansion of the United Nation's role in Iraq. Are those discussions going on in the Security Council, or are you referring to discussions in Washington, and what do you expect Mr. [Sergio] Vieira de Mello to say when he arrives next week.
SG : I think this issue came up in Washington, both on [Capitol] Hill and in the State Department, and we also mentioned it briefly at the White House, and other governments have raised it with me including the Russian Foreign Minister on the phone today, and so there are quite a lot of discussions going on. When Sergio comes, I will be submitting a report to the Council, a report that would indicate what the United Nations is doing now, and what we think we can do in the future, really giving clear indication of our activities and possible activities. And of course the Council will have to decide what it wants to do. As you are aware, there is also a delegation from the Governing Council that will be here the day that Mr. Vieira de Mello presents his report to the Council, and they expect, and I expect that they will address the Council.
Q : Mr. Secretary-General, Mr. Powell today said that he had raised this matter specifically with you.
SG : Which matter?
Q : The question of another UN Resolution simply giving a UN flag to future stabilization activities. Could you go into more detail as to what degree of willingness you see in Washington to raise this matter, to actually pursue another resolution, giving the UN flag, and could you please also give an indication as to what Russia said to you today specifically?
SG : Yes, indeed, Secretary [of State Colin] Powell and I discussed it, and it also came up in my discussion with Senator [Bill] Frist and other Senators on the Hill, who also felt the operation needs to be internationalized, and other Governments brought in. So there was a discussion but of course, knowing the way the Council works, other Council members will have to be consulted. This is why I am saying discussions will be going on and I am sure, if there is will, they will find the language to broaden and internationalize the process. I think what is important is that all of us accept the responsibility of stabilizing Iraq because a peaceful and stable Iraq is in the interest, not only of the Iraqis, but of the region and the entire world. We had divisions before the war and Governments held their views with conviction, but I think now that the war is over, we should focus on stabilizing and building a peaceful and prosperous Iraq.
My conversation with the Russian Foreign Minister was also along the same lines, the need as he saw it to broaden the UN's mandate and internationalize the operations.
Q: Did he initiate that conversation?
SG: That's correct; he initiated it.
Q : I'd like to follow up on your report. UN staff is having a withdrawal; how do you see the situation in Burundi?
SG : The situation in Burundi is rather difficult. The rebels have been shelling the city. There has been fighting going on, and I also spoke to the President of Burundi, who felt some measures should be taken to perhaps impose sanctions on the rebels, who are not respecting the agreement which has been signed, and the people of the country wanted peace. Of course, they also have a difficult humanitarian and economic situation, and they need additional forces. They have been promised help by a certain number of countries, which have indicated they would support individual African countries to deploy troops, and that has not been forthcoming. I intend to get in touch with these countries and urge them to act and act promptly.
Q : Mr. Secretary-General, you mentioned that next week you will be giving a report to the Council on [Resolution] 1483, and you were asked here about momentum toward a new UN resolution. How likely is it that you will recommend in that report that the Council take up the matter of a new resolution, providing some sort of legitimacy for other countries to be involved in Iraq.
SG : That recommendation is not in my report. Thank you very much.