Secretary-General's Press Encounter

SG: It's very encouraging and I'm very pleased with the award. And I also like the title, using dialogue to make peace.

Q: Even though it's in competition to a former title you already have besides being Secretary-General?

SG: [laughs] It is a welcome gift and I think by honouring me they're also honouring the UN and the Office of the Secretary-General and the work we do. We have no armies; we have no weapons; so our only means is persuasion and reasoning and so we have to use dialogue to try and convince people…

Q: Can I ask you one question [about] Iran? Do you think the Iran [question] should go to the Security Council?

SG: I think the European Union countries –Germany, France and the United Kingdom –are seriously engaged with the Iranians and I think that effort should continue. And, in fact, they've been at it for a while and they have established a good negotiating spirit and I think they should persist and try and resolve this as quickly as they can.

Q: Mr Secretary-General, there was a lot of talk about the future of NATO. In your point of view, what part can NATO play in the new UN, in the new United Nations that is [emerging]?

SG: Well, we already cooperate with NATO in several theatres. We are working together in Kosovo. We are working together in Afghanistan. We have certain comparative advantages that we've been able to exploit and work with. And I hope with the reformed United Nations, we will be able to work with NATO and other regional organisations and arrangements.