OPENING REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

 

Good morning,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It’s a great pleasure to see you
again. I think we are meeting quite often these days. I
hope you have gotten some down-time after such very hectic
weeks.

With the MDG Summit meeting and General
Debate behind us, this is a good moment to take stock. I won’t
go into great detail, since you have already written so much
about this General Assembly. DPI counted more than 28,000
stories on the MDG summit alone. But let me touch on a few
highlights, and where we go from here.

First, the very successful MDG summit
meeting: We came away with fresh resources, backed by concrete
plans for action and delivery. This is very significant at a
time when many governments are tightening their belts.

I was especially pleased by the
overwhelming support by the UN General Assembly Member States
for our Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Health. We saw
$40 billion in hard commitments - not mere pledges.

The next test comes at the G20 summit, six
weeks from now in Seoul. Development issues will be high on the
agenda, and it is critical for the United Nations to speak with
one voice.

Later this month, the President of the
General Assembly will host a special meeting at which the UN
membership will set forth its expectations for Seoul G-20 summit
meeting.

On the Middle East, we had a timely meeting
of the Quartet together with the
League of Arab States Follow-up Committee members.

In recent days I have spoken with
principal players on each side, including Prime Minister
Netanyahu of Israel and President Abbas of the Palestinian
Authority, as well as U.S. special envoy George Mitchell. All
told me that they were committed to finding solutions to the
problems immediately before us. All want to keep the peace
process going. As you know, I had a good meeting this morning
with the opposition leader of Israel, Ms. [Tzipi] Livni. 

I urge Israel to
restore settlement restraint, under its Roadmap obligations, and
I urge Arab leaders meeting in Sirte this week to keep doors
open and support President Abbas.

Negotiations
should move forward intensively, focused on resolving core
issues - not talks for the sake of talks.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon came up in
a number of meetings. I want to be perfectly clear. This
tribunal is independent, with a clear mandate from the Security
Council to uncover the truth and end impunity.

That work is important, and it must go
ahead. I urge all Lebanese and regional parties not to prejudge
the outcome, nor to interfere in the Tribunal’s work.

On Sudan: we have less than 100 days before
the referenda scheduled for January 9 next year. The stakes
could not be higher. Handled properly, the January ballot could
help build a future that improves the lives of all Sudanese.
Handled poorly, it could spark conflict, with consequences
across Africa and beyond.

We worry at the lack of progress in forming
the Abyei Commission. More positively, dates have now been set
for the registration of voters - though a bit later than we
hoped.

We can also be encouraged by last week’s
high-level meeting. Both sides, north and south, agreed that the
vote should take place as scheduled, and that they would accept
the results. They further agreed that negotiations on their
common future should take place peacefully within the agreed
framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

The international community was united
firmly in support. The Security Council mission arrives in Sudan
today. My recently appointed panel, which will monitor the vote
and offer its good offices, arrives on the ground early next
week.

Let me close with a few words on the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights has
released the final mapping report. We fully respected her
independence, and that of her team. Neighbouring countries have
presented their comments. The report was not “toned down,” as
some claimed. No deal was done to save face for any
troop-contributing nations.

It is now up to the Government of the DRC,
with the High Commissioner’s help, to act on its recommendations
- especially as they relate to transitional justice.

Meanwhile, the United Nations mission is
reviewing its policies and operations in the aftermath of recent
fighting and the rape of unprotected civilians. This was a clear
tragedy, and we must find ways to do better.

Yet I would make two points: First, let us
not forget: the fault lies with the perpetrators. They, and
their leaders, must be apprehended and charged with crimes
against humanity - in national or international courts.

In this regard, I am encouraged by
yesterday’s arrest of Lt. Col. Mayele, the alleged leader of an
armed group suspected in these crimes. This is an example of how
Congolese authorities and MONUSCO should cooperate to fight
impunity.

Second, we must be realistic. Bluntly put,
the sheer geography is too large, the number of peacekeepers too
small, our resources too limited. That said, despite these
constraints, we are taking steps. We are improving our civilian
alert system. We will make increasing use of the tools available
to us in potential areas of trouble. For example, we will do
more random “spot” patrolling.

The international community must engage
more fully with Congolese society to address cultural and
political issues that contribute to this horrific pattern of
abuse.

Helping those who are targets of sexual
violence must be a larger part of our efforts. That is why the
Deputy High Commissioner of Human Rights is currently in the DRC,
working with local leaders and NGOs to consider issues of
reparations for the victims.

My special envoy, Ms. Margot Wallström, put
it right during her visit: Sexual violence is one of the
greatest obstacles to peace in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. Unchecked, it could destroy the social fabric of the
country.

Thank you again, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am
now ready for your questions.

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, welcome back
again, and we like to see you here frequently.  The question is
this:  you didn’t mention, in your opening remarks, climate
change.  As we speak, negotiations in China are collapsing. 
That means that Cancún has already collapsed?

 

SG: Let us not prejudge any outcome of our
ongoing negotiations and consultations on climate change. 
Climate change is still the highest priority of the United
Nations and myself and the international community.  The Tianjin
meeting is part of our ongoing negotiations as scheduled, and we
are working very hard.  Now, what we expect from Cancún at the
end of this year is that, first of all, we may not be able to
have comprehensive and binding global agreement at this time. 
But we have been making, and we expect that we will have,
tangible progress in several areas. First of all, providing
financial support to developing countries; we’re making
progress.  As you know, I have established a high-level advisory
group on climate change financing, co-chaired by Prime Minister
Meles [Zenawi] of Ethiopia and [Jens] Stoltenberg of Norway. 
They will meet in Addis Ababa in the middle of this month and
will submit their final report to me, which will be submitted to
UNFCCC - United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change –
for intergovernmental consultation on this matter.  Now, we have
made good progress in what is known as REDD – Reduction of
Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, whose
chairman is, again, Prime Minister Stoltenberg of Norway.  We
have made quite a good agreement on that. And this will be again
discussed by the Member States.  Then other issues like
adaptation, technology transfer and capacity building – all
these five areas which we hope and expect that we will be able
to have some good agreements in Cancún.  Then these agreements
will be discussed and built upon while we continue our
negotiations next year in South Africa.

 

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, in looking back
at the General Assembly and the ministerial meetings, there was
also a very big focus on both the Middle East and Africa, though
you also did several other side events, particularly Somalia and
on Myanmar.  I wondered if you could comment on how concerned
you are, or what’s being done to actually try and prevent
Somalia from collapsing totally, and whether there is any
possibility of doing anything on Myanmar to open up the upcoming
elections to include the opposition?

           

SG: Those two issues were high on our
priority, and I myself chaired one mini-summit meeting on
Somalia where many African and Arab leaders participated.  And I
also chaired the Group of Friends of Myanmar on the margins of
the general debate. Now, on Somalia, I was encouraged by the
strong commitment of the world leaders that we need to first of
all support the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia
in their efforts to strengthen their national capacity -- army
and police, as well as the capacity of their domestic
institutions.  For that we need to provide, continuously,
financial and political support.  I think we will continue to do
that.  As far as the United Nations is concerned, we have some
specific concrete ideas.  First of all, we will increase the
frequency of the senior UN political mission in Somalia, UNPOS,
to visit Somalia as often as possible at the senior level to
have consultations with the Somali Government and to show our
strong political support.  Secondly, we will try to have our
staff permanently based in Mogadishu, Somaliland and Puntland. 
And they will continue to have more frequent and higher level
ministerial consultations with the Government of TFG so that we
can have better coordination with the TFG, on the ground.  These
are some things which we have in our mind.  We will of course
continue to fight against piracy.  We have great support from
Member States.  As you know, during the month of July, I
presented some options and recommendations to the Security
Council on how we can more effectively prosecute those arrested
pirates and how we can better address in our common efforts to
fight against piracy.  So, this is still a high priority.  We
don’t work for the collapse of this; we work for the success and
stability and security of Somalia.

 

On Myanmar, I have had very close meetings,
consultations with the countries concerned.  And during the
General Assembly, I had a meeting with the ten ASEAN
[Association of South-East Asian Nations] Foreign Ministers, and
today I am going to have a meeting with the Prime Minister of
Thailand.  And I am going to participate in the UN-ASEAN Summit
meeting. During all my interactions with those ASEAN and other
key Member States, an inclusive and transparent election is a
high priority.  This election is going to be the first ever in
20 years.  And I have been urging and stating publicly that this
election must be conducted in a transparent and inclusive and
credible manner, with all political prisoners freed before the
election.  That’s what I have conveyed -- a strong message to
Myanmar; that’s what I am going to continue to press.

 

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, in the conclusion
of your opening remarks you mentioned in regard to the DRC, that
“the number of peacekeepers was too small and our resources too
limited”. There was reporting out of the Security Council trip
to the region today by both AP and Reuters, for example, about
cutbacks in MONUSCO [United Nations Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo] and their resources.  I am going to read
just a little bit from the AP story: A $73 million budget cut
has forced a major air base for the United Nations peacekeeping
missions to eliminate three planes and more cutbacks may be
needed, hampering operations in Congo and in Sudan.  They go on
to mention the lack of helicopters, planes and so forth that
could affect the ability to patrol eastern Congo to prevent the
kind of sexual abuse you talked about.  So, my question is: to
what extent have you been aware of this, dealing with this?  How
will the UN compensate and what danger is there that this is
really going to have an impact on the very things that you are
trying to combat?

           

SG: That is exactly why we are concerned  –
the increasingly limited resources for the United Nations
MONUSCO operation there.  As you may remember, President
[Joseph] Kabila and his Government have requested to withdraw
MONUSCO by the end of next year. And during my visit, I had
again a meeting with President Kabila, and again in September
this year during the General Assembly with him, I have proposed
to him that any further withdrawal, drawdown of MONUSCO should
be based on a joint assessment of the situation. As you know, we
have already withdrawn 1,700 soldiers.  So, it is now in the
process of drawing down.  And some troop contributing countries
have withdrawn their helicopters, and we have an acute shortage
of critical assets.  We are now trying to make up for all these
losses of critical assets, but it is going to be quite a
difficult operation again.  Despite that, the priority of
MONUSCO is to protect the civilian population.  We will do
whatever we can do within this limited capacity.  As I said, we
will try to use the latest technology by distributing some
mobile phones to the villagers or leaders, so that they can
easily communicate with MONUSCO, who may be based nearby.  The
size of the DRC is almost the same as West Europe.  We have only
18,000 soldiers there.  So, you can just imagine the proportions
of difficulties and limitations which UN peacekeepers [face]. 
But I am not going to be defensive about this.  We are committed
to protect the civilian population as much as we can.  I am
going to convene a strategy meeting this week, when all senior
advisors are going to gather and try to first of all think about
what kind of immediate measures we can take; and secondly, how
we can change the mentality and culture of impunity, very
prevalent in DRC.  It is not only in DRC.  We’re going to expand
in all UN peacekeeping operations’ areas. And wherever
peacekeepers are stationed, we will try to do exactly the same
thing, but more focussed on DRC, where we have seen such tragic
incidents.

 

Q: If I could follow up for a second.  For
the moment, though, it seems that you’re saying that there is
really no way around the shortages and resources – helicopters
and planes - that you’re faced with?  You’ll have to deal with
it with different ways, different technology or whatever.  True?

 

SG: It has always been very difficult to
consult with Member States to get the provision of critical
assets at the right time, at a reasonable amount of support. 
But we will have to continue to discuss with the Security
Council and key troop contributing countries.

 

Q:  Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General.  You
said that you met with many Arab leaders and you spoke about the
Tribunal, the issue of the Tribunal was raised; and I am asking
you, last week you met with Foreign Minister [Walid] Mouallem,
the Syrian Foreign Minister, and he asked during his meeting,
according to diplomatic sources, for the annulment of the
special tribunal for Lebanon.  In the light of the upcoming
visit of [Iranian] President [Mahmoud]
Ahmadinejad to Lebanon on 13 October and also in the
light of the upcoming indictment [by] the Special Tribunal of
Lebanon, tension now is very high, Lebanon is on the brink of
war, and what happens then? What is your concern about the 33
warrants the Syrian judiciary has issued, an arrest warrant in
absentia against 33 officials, including Detlev Mehlis and his
associates?  Do you have any concern? Do you feel that the UN
has lost control of the Special Tribunal? 

 

SG:  As I said and emphasized in my earlier
remarks, I’d like to reaffirm our belief in the importance of
the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s work.  The Tribunal has a
mandate from the Security Council. This is an independent,
international justice organization.  It has its own mandate, its
own role, and we will strive to ensure that it can go about its
work.  I’d like to note the role of the Tribunal’s management
committee in that process. I met the Foreign Minister of Syria,
Mr. Mouallem, and I met also President [Michel] Suleiman of
Lebanon, and I have had many opportunities of discussing the
situation, the political and security situation in Lebanon, even
today, during my meeting with Mrs. Livni.  The United Nations’
position is very firm: we will support the work of the Tribunal.
Of course, as you know, I am not supposed to disclose the
discussions, for confidentiality reasons, what I have discussed
with President Suleiman and Minister Mouallem. As for the visit
of President of Ahmadinejad of Iran, I have expressed my earnest
hope that his visit could be used in a constructive way, for
peace and security in Lebanon and the Middle East as a whole.

 

Q:  What about the Syrian warrants against
33 personalities, including Detlev Mehlis?

 

SG:  At this time I have no comment on
that. That’s what the Syrians did, but as far as this Court’s
proceeding is concerned, then we have a firm support and this
Court should go their own way, their own work.

 

Q:  Don’t you think that the sovereignty
and independence of Lebanon is at stake at this stage?

 

SG:  First of all, as a matter of
principle, whatever political statement or whatever things which
have been done by the people in Lebanon or in the neighbouring
countries, I have stressed the importance and firm principle,
that this is an independent international judicial organization,
which has its own mandate, unique mandate, supported by the
Security Council, so it will go on. It will go on.

 

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, let me just
fine-tune what you are saying, please, if I may.  Your statement
is a very strong statement, and you have been held responsible
by some ministers, who had said to you that, if you don’t take
action in stopping the Tribunal or the indictments, that the
international community will be responsible for instability in
Lebanon. So, please address that, if you feel that you would be
responsible now by issuing such a statement.  Secondly, are
these warrant arrests issued by Syria, that include your own
investigator, Detlev Mehlis, are they legal or are they
interference in the work of the Tribunal?  And lastly, did you
coordinate your statement with permanent members of the Security
Council, because you are taking a very strong position?  Did you
consult with any permanent members of the Security Council over
the positions they might have, vis-á-vis the Tribunal?

 

SG:  First of all, whenever I make my
statement, I consult with my senior advisers, not with the
Member States. That is my statement.  And, as I said in my
statement, the work of the independent judiciary system should
not be interfered [with] by any decisions or any measures taken
by any country, or any people in Lebanon and outside.  That is
firm and clear.  Nobody can interfere [with] or prejudge the
decisions or proceedings of the Tribunal; otherwise, you will
never be able to see and achieve the end of impunity.  And peace
and security and political stability in Lebanon should be
different from this justice process.  The justice process should
go on.

 

Q:  On the warrant arrests by the Syrian
authorities that include your former investigator, the head of
the body that brought about the Tribunal – are they, from your
point of view, legal or illegal, or are they interference, and
do you consider them interference in the work of the Tribunal,
not only in the internal affairs of Lebanon?

 

SG:  As Secretary-General, I am not here to
make any legal judgments.  I am Secretary-General, not a judge
sitting on any judiciary organization.  It is not my job. 

 

Q:  The opposition in Lebanon is blocking
the funding of the Tribunal.  Would this undermine the
credibility of the Tribunal, and what are you going to do to
find some sufficient funding for the Tribunal? And what will be
the legal implications on Lebanon, since it is under Resolution
under Article 7, of the United Nations Charter?

 

SG:  Now, the Tribunal was decided and
established by the Security Council resolution, and the Lebanese
Government has an obligation of contributing 49 per cent of its
fund, and the international community 51 per cent.  That is what
I tried to raise, funding, together with the Lebanese
Government.  So the Lebanese Government has an obligation to
fulfil that duty.  And I would not make any comments on
hypothetical questions, which may happen, as according to your
questions.  But there is the Tribunal’s Management Committee
which will deal with this matter, and the Security Council will
also deal with this matter.

 

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, I want to ask
you two questions about the United Nations Office for Outer
Space in Vienna.  The Director of the Office [Mazlan Othman] has
made some comments that the British press is having a bit of a
field day with, which they are interpreting as saying that, if
there is ever any contact made with aliens, that the United
Nations should be the body that deals with them as the
interlocutor.  I wonder if you agree that if the Earth ever
makes contact with aliens, that the United Nations should be the
contact point, A. And B, sometimes the United Nations is accused
of being a bloated organization; why do you need an office for
Outer Space?

 

SG:  First of all, I think the first and
second questions are related. This Vienna-based Office for Outer
Space Affairs was decided by the General Assembly of the United
Nations, with the purpose of studying and researching for any
such activities which the international community may have to
deal with in outer space issues. You know there have been many
discussions on how we can use outer space.  On the first part, I
don’t know whether I should answer, whether it is something
which deserves any answer.  But I understand that that
particular question was denied by [Ms. Othman] herself.  So that
is my answer now.

 

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, about the Middle
East, in the last few months, you met Mr. [Ehud] Barak, Mr.
[Benjamin] Netanyahu, and Mr. [Avigdor]
Liberman, and today, Mrs. [Tzipi] Livni, and you have probably
heard a lot of different ideas about the peace process.  Do you
believe that these different approaches affect the peace process
in a negative way or a positive way?  And when do you expect the
Israeli side to submit its report on the flotilla incident?
Thank you.

 

SG:  Again, I urge the Israelis to expedite
their domestic investigation process and submit the report as
soon as possible, so that the Panel members could review and
liaise between the Turkish investigation and the Israeli
investigation, so that they will be able to have their own
judgement. Again, I expressed my strong hope to Mrs. Livni, even
though she is the opposition leader, and that is what I have
been speaking to Prime Minister Netanyahu – I think last week
when we were talking about these settlement issues.  The second
issue was that particular issue.

 

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, since June of
this year, in occupied Kashmir, there is a movement going on
which is independent, completely independent of any outside
influences and so forth, and 110 people have died in that
movement.  And there are United Nations resolutions on Kashmir
which exist at this time.  What is it that you can do to bring
about some sort of understanding and agreement between the
Indian Government and the Pakistani Government, because the
resolution is about a plebiscite between India and Pakistan to
ease the pain of the Kashmiris who are dying, every day –
children, women?

 

SG: First of all, I regret the latest loss
of life.  I have been calling for an immediate end to violence
and urge calm and restraint by all concerned. That is the
position of the United Nations at this time.

 

Q:  The second part of the question has not
been answered. There is a framework for a settlement of the
Kashmir dispute, based on the UN resolutions, as my colleague
has said; and in view of the current crisis between
nuclear-armed Pakistan and India, and there are tensions, don’t
you think it’s time for you to step in and offer good offices to
settle this question?

 

SG:  First of all, India and Pakistan, they
are neighbouring countries, important nations in that region -
peace and security would have important implications.  As far as
this role of good offices is concerned, the United Nations
normally takes that initiative when requested by both parties
concerned.

 

Q:  Back to the Congo.  The report was
changed, regardless of why or who.  Do you think that will
placate Rwanda?  Or do you expect more trouble from them?  And
secondly, the roots of the conflict – not the entire reason for
it in the East - are minerals, blood minerals. Some mines have
been taken over by the Congolese army; others by armed groups.
Is there anything the UN can do in the future to regulate this,
as was done worldwide in Sierra Leone?

 

SG:  Strengthening the FARDC – the
Congolese National Army – has always been a key concern and
priority for MONUSCO [United
Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo].  When I met President
[Joseph] Kabila, we discussed this issue.  The United Nations is
now in the process of training their national police.  This is
one thing which we are now doing. While MONUSCO, with its
limited manpower and resources, we are committed and ready to
provide all assistance, but there is clearly a limit.  First of
all, rule of law operations should be primarily taken by their
national government.  Because of their very big institutional
capacity, the United Nations is now trying to train them.
Secondly, there is a question of culture.  In many parts of the
society, there is not much respect for human rights or gender
equality.  Therefore we will try to find out some measures and
good programmes for how we can change this culture. That is what
we have in mind at this time.

 

Q:  Mr. Secretary-General, President [Mahmoud]
Ahmadinejad, two weeks ago tomorrow, cancelled his third
consecutive press conference - last September, last May at the
NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] review conference, and two weeks
ago - booked in UN facilities and rescheduled it across the
street in such a way as to systemically exclude certain Jewish
media representatives - including myself - the BBC, and at least
one other major media organization.  Do you not agree, do you
have any particular comment on all this, and do you not agree,
Mr. Secretary-General, that so long as even one journalist is
excluded, then freedom of the press is not free?

 

SG:  I believe in freedom of the press.  It
should be open to all people without discrimination. Whatever
decision President Ahmadinejad has taken, it must be his own
decision.  But I am not aware of that, and I am not in a
position to make a comment.  But in principle, all opportunities
should be given equally to all people.

 

Thank you very much.

 

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION VISITS UGANDA, SOUTH SUDAN

• Today, a
  delegation from the
  
  Security Council visited the UN logistics support base
  in Entebbe, Uganda, where they were briefed on the base’s
  activities. This was followed by meeting with the President
  of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni.
   

• The Security
  Council mission then left for Juba, in South Sudan, to meet
  with the leaders there and to receive a briefing from the UN
  Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).

 

HEAD OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS BEGINS VISIT TO NEPAL

• UN Under-Secretary-General for
  Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe arrived in Nepal this
  morning at the start of a two-day visit to review the
  progress in the peace process and preparations for the
  orderly withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).
   

• During the visit, Pascoe will engage in
  discussions with the government, the parties, UNMIN
  officials and the UN Country Team, as well as other
  stakeholders, on what needs to be done to ensure a smooth
  transition to the post-UNMIN period.