Q: Mr. Secretary-General, would you care to say anything about the Congo resolution, the significance of it, please?
SG: You guys make me work. [laughter]
I'm very pleased with the Council action this morning. You know, it has been for some time now that we have been trying to strengthen the military presence in the Congo. We've been lucky to get the multinational force to go in to try and contain the situation and stop the killing and allow humanitarian assistance to go through. But now, with this resolution, we will be able to send in an expanded force into Ituri just before the multinational force withdraws. Obviously, as I have said, the resolve of the Congolese leaders to reach out for peace, and bring peace and stability to their people is going to be crucial. But they will need the support of the international community. The last couple of months we have seen some very positive developments with the formation of the Government, but the next two to three years is going to be crucial as we aim for democratic elections. But we should all stay the course and sustain our efforts.
Q: Does the UN have troops lined up from contributing nations? How many and which nations?
SG: We have the troops lined up, some from Asia. We have the South Africans already deployed in the Kivus and we are hoping to have Bangladesh, and Pakistan and India also going to send forces.
Q: On another subject in Africa, what is the status in terms of getting an actual resolution put forward and drafted and so forth on Liberia, to get that situation authorized by the UN?
SG: Serious discussions are going on about that draft resolution, and I would hope that we would get a draft resolution soon, a draft resolution that will establish a UN peacekeeping force to manage the long-term situation in Liberia. But for the moment we would want to see the ECOWAS troops deployed, and I am happy that the US ships are sailing towards Liberia, and I expect the US troops will have an important role to play.
In the meantime, I would appeal to the factions in Liberia to honour the cease-fire agreement they signed, and particularly the rebel group LURD to heed the appeal also from the US Ambassador [John Blaney] to stop the siege of the city and stop the shelling. I think by this reckless behaviour that is killing many innocent Liberians and making it impossible for us to deliver humanitarian assistance, they are disqualifying themselves from any future role in Liberian life. How can the people accept people who have no concern for their lives? How can they expect to move into leadership positions after this behaviour?
Q: On another note, did you ever meet Bob Hope?
SG: I never met him, but he was a great man, and he made lots of people happy.
Q: Are you saying the LURD are now disqualified from any political role in Liberia?
SG: I said, by their behaviour they may be disqualifying themselves for a leadership role in Liberia, and I said I cannot see how they would expect the people to accept them, after the suffering they've put them through. So they should think about that.
Q: What are you concerns about the War Crimes Prosecutor post? Are you thinking about splitting up the tasks for Carla del Ponte?
SG: Well there are discussions going on in the Council. There has been some discussion as to whether the Tribunals would not be [more] effective if each had a separate prosecutor. You know, since the inception, one prosecutor has been managing both Tribunals, and there is a sense that as we approach the end, and both tribunals are being asked to come up with a completion strategy to be able to finish their work, and close down the courts, it may be necessary to have two Prosecutors to tackle that essential part of their work.
Q: Are you making that decision this week?
SG: That is a decision for the Council. I am in touch with the Council. I will be seeing Mrs. Del Ponte this afternoon, and we will discuss it, but the decision is that of the Council. I'll make my views known but the Council will take the decision.
Thank you very much.