Secretary-General's press encounter upon arrival at UNHQ [unofficial transcript]

I have just come back from Evian where we had a very good discussion and there was strong support for the Millennium Development Goals, and a commitment from the leaders to do whatever they can to support the Goals. There was also strong support for Africa, and as you know the G8 met with a group of African leaders and reaffirmed its engagement with Africa through the NEPAD (New Partnership for Development in Africa). On the Global Fund against AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, I was also pleased with the decisions taken at the G8, and the EU's decision, to seek approval to pay one billion dollars a year for the next five years into the Fund. Of course, others will have to step up to the plate and do it and I am sure some of the leaders at the table are also going to look at their own contributions.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, [Democratic Republic of the] Congo has been a big subject in the news. Your own report, the French-led force hopefully going in this week. There is a report today that the militia in Bunia is pulling out to await the French forces. What would you like to see happen –I know you have called for almost a tripling of the force there.

Sg: We need to tackle the situation on two fronts –to take urgent steps to calm the situation in Bunia, and I am grateful to the governments that have offered troops, and also to President [Jacques] Chirac for offering to lead the multinational force –but at the same time we should press ahead on the political front with implementation of the Pretoria Agreement and the formation of the transitional government. I will be sending Mr. [Mustapha] Niasse as my Special Representative, with General Maurice Baril, who was Chief of Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, and former Military Adviser here, to work with the Government on the formation, they are stuck on the formation of the new Congolese army. And this is really holding up everything. We hope we will be able to give them assistance, by resolving that problem so they can move forward with the formation of the government. I believe if we can make progress on the political front it will also have impact on the military situation. Of course we have also asked the Council to approve a new plan that will allow increase of the UN forces in the Congo.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, a question on Iraq if I may. Mr. [Sergio Vieira] de Mello is in Baghdad now. He has been holding talks with the various parties. I was wondering if you could update us on the progress of his contacts, that's number one. He has also been quoted as saying that he would like to see a representative government as soon as possible. Can you tell us if you are pushing for a particular timeframe?

SG: Of course, Mr. [Vieira] de Mello just got there yesterday so it is a bit early for me to give you an assessment of the progress he has made. On the question of the formation of an Iraqi government, this is an issue that he will take as one of the first topics with the coalition authority and of course he is also going to talk to as many Iraqi groups as possible. I think you have raised a very important issue, and a very sensitive one on when the Iraqi government is formed and at what point does sovereignty pass over to them, and this is an issue he will be discussing on the ground. I cannot give you any specific answer to that now.

Q: Is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi being persecuted and what is your message for the government there in Myanmar?

SG: Yes, I am very disappointed with what has happened. You know my Special Envoy, Mr. Razali [Ismail], is going into the country, and I think I would wait for him to report back to me before I decide what further steps we can take, but it is important that he gets in as quickly as possible and talks to both parties.

Q: You know over in Europe, have things calmed down among the big powers on the globe, or was it a little chilly in France between [President Jacques] Chirac and President Bush, as an independent observer?

SG: I think the leaders were able to work together and I have a feeling that relationships are going to improve. It is essential that they improve relationships and work together because we have major issues ahead of us, which they will have to tackle together, so I was encouraged by what I saw in Evian, and I think relationships are going to improve.

Q: [inaudible]

SG: We have not given up on Cyprus. Our position on Cyprus is that we will be prepared to work with the parties the moment they show genuine political will, both parties show genuine will, political will to make progress and to resolve the conflict. I think both the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots as well as the motherlands are looking into prospects for pressing ahead with the process. But I will wait to see that signal that both sides are ready and there is political will.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, any comments on the meeting in Sharm El Sheikh and what came out of there?

SG: I think it was an important step in our efforts to resolve the Middle Eastern conflict. I am glad that President Bush was able to meet with the leaders of the region and to meet them so early in the process because I think that they are an essential part of the process and they should be engaged. So I am very happy that he was able to meet with them and to get their support. Of course there is going to be a meeting tomorrow in Amman, which I hope will push the process further. So …

Q: particularly one comment that one resolution that came out of there is no support for terrorism, yet here at the UN they have so far failed to come to any definition of terrorism because some say that there are things that should come out of this…

SG: I think in the absence of that definition, absence of agreement on definition, the Member States of the UN have all condemned terrorism and so I don't see any conflict between that lack of definition and the decision which was taken in Sharm El Sheikh.

Q: No weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq? What are your thoughts? A bemused reaction? Do you trust what Colin Powell says, that he believes the intelligence he was given in his presentation?

SG: Well, I think the search is going on and we will wait to see. So far nothing has been found and Mr. Blix has also put out his report, and the Council is still seized of the problem. It will be interesting to see what decisions or steps they take. But I undertstand a new team is going to go in to continue the search. If they don't find something obviously there will be lots of questions, and we are all aware of that.

Q: As a passenger, are you sad that the era of the Concorde is ending, and how does this impact your diplomacy that the planes will take longer to get you around the world?

SG: Well, it will probably give me more time to think in the air. Thank you very much. [laughter]