Secretary-General's Question-and-Answer session following his address to the Munich Security Council

SG: Thank you very much. That is one of the most important challenges and priorities for the international community - it is not only the United Nations. I would like to commend all actors. The European Union was there, the African Union most importantly, and the United States, and there are many humanitarian communities, civil servants. All these concerted efforts have [helped result in a] very peaceful referendum. Now as I briefly mentioned there are still challenges ahead - challenges on two tracks. I think the first track is continuing negotiations to resolve pending issues between South and North, and also to establish peace and stability in Darfur. This is a very challenging task. I have urged both South and North Sudanese leaders to use this moment, very positively-created moment, to help [further] progress this crucial issue, and that they will agree on how they will share [resources] and how they will demark the border lines. Most importantly now, the situation in Darfur is deteriorating. United Nations peacekeepers and humanitarian workers are very much limited because of instability. The Joint Chief Mediator, Mr. [Djibril] Bassole, together with the help of the Qatari Government, they have been working very closely to bring a ceasefire agreement between the Government and the rebel movements. They have been successful in some areas, [including with the] Liberation and Justice Movement, but they are now at this time talking to the largest rebel movement, JEM, the Justice and Equality Movement. To help this sustainable peace, we have to continue our efforts. Our expectation is that, according to our Mediator, they can bring some good news by the end of this February. Let's hope for that.

Another track is how to support these two countries, working together, living together in peace and harmony, and most importantly how to help Southern Sudan, which is going to be born in just a few days. The international community has a very important duty, responsibility, to help provide social-economic assistance and build infrastructures so that they can stand finally as an independent state.