Press encounter with CNN upon arrival at UNHQ (unofficial transcript)

SG: I hope it won't have a lasting negative impact. I can understand the frustration, the shock, and the surprise. And I think despite all the hard work Ambassador [James] Cunningham did, this is a decision by the Member States. It is one of the vagaries of democracy, when people vote, you never know which say it is going to come out. And I think what is also important is that the fight was really between the Western European Group, within the Western European Group, because they had four candidates and three seats. And you saw the way the elections went. The US has played a very important role in human rights. They were there at the beginning when the Universal Declaration was being written, and we all know the role of Mrs. [Eleanor] Roosevelt and other Americans. And I hope they will stay engaged whether they are on the Commission this year or not. And next year, they have a chance to come back, and I hope that will happen.

Q: Is this something you discussed with Secretary of State [Colin] Powell last week?

SG: Yes, we did talk about that. Of course, like all leaders and officials in Washington, he was surprised. But I think the US engagement and commitment to human rights will continue.

Q: Just one question of a human rights nature. There is concern also in a lot of countries that the US is moving very much to the right on issues such as the death penalty, the upcoming execution of Timothy McVeigh, the support here. There are concerns by a number of countries outside that the US is moving too far on this issue. Is that your concern?

SG: I can't speak for the Member States on how they perceive these things. But naturally Member States, particularly those who have been very strongly supportive of the International Criminal Court, have been disappointed by the US not coming onboard. On the issue of death penalty, the UN itself does not encourage that as an organization. In the two tribunals we've set up, we do not encourage death penalty. This may have played a role or may not. Really it's up to the individual countries to indicate what went into their thinking and how they voted the way they did. *****