SG: Good Morning ladies and gentlemen. I have just had very useful and frank discussions with Foreign Minister Fischer. It is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to exchange ideas with him. We covered many problems, beginning with Iraq; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; we talked about the UN reform; Afghanistan and other issues of mutual concern. I know that Germany plays a very important role in the UN, and of course is also very much interested in the panel I have set up, the Eminent Panel, to make proposals for the reform of the United Nations. And of course I do expect that panel not only to submit proposals on changes in the structures and processes of the UN, but also come with proposals that will help us develop international law and a new compact that will guide the behaviour of states. Thank you.
Mr. Fischer (in English): Thank you very much. It is a great pleasure and honour to welcome the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, here in Germany and I congratulated him to the award. Unfortunately, I cannot attend the ceremony tonight. I have to go to Turkey. But as the Secretary-General said, we had very good discussions and long discussions about a whole variety of international conflicts, beginning with Iraq. The position of the German Government is that we are fully backing a strong and crucial political role of the UN in the transition of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. We discussed Afghanistan, the Middle East conflict, Iran, and all the other issues which are on the international agenda. Last but not least, we discussed also UN reform. We think that in the 21st century and in the international political system, the UN is the key player because it is the only organization which is really the most important source of legitimacy and I think it is in the interest of the bigger and the smaller states around the world, even the biggest, that we will have an effective multilateralism, and this means an effective United Nations in the 21st century. So, once again, thank you very much for coming to Germany.
SG: We will take your questions.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, President Khatami of Iran might resign. What's your judgment about the situation there. Are you concerned?
SG: Well, obviously, like everyone else, I follow very closely developments around the world and in Iran and we all watched with anguish the tragedy they went through in Bam. We know that there are serious political discussions and developments taking place and I hope they will be able to find a way to resolve their differences so that one can have free and fair elections with participation of all the parties and I think the discussions that are going on in Iran should be focused in that direction.
Q: (Inaudible –on Cyprus)
SG: We did discuss Cyprus. We discussed the question of the reunification of the island. I made it clear to my good friend the Foreign Minister that my good offices are still available, provided the parties show their willingness and the will to move forward and settle their differences. As you are aware, we have made proposals to the parties last year. That proposal is still on the table, and I'm getting indications from all concerned that they may want to resume negotiations, but we haven't reached the stage where I would get involved yet. I have heard from one of the parties and I am waiting to see what I hear from the others, and I will have the opportunity also of discussing this issue with Prime Minister Erdogan (of Turkey) in the next few days.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, when are you going to send a new mission to Baghdad?
SG: There was a request at the meeting we had on Monday, both from the Coalition and the Iraqi Governing Council, that I send a team to Baghdad, or to Iraq, to assess the transition process including elections and the proposed caucus system. We are studying all the documents and we are in touch with others in Iraq, and once I have completed my reflection, and we have studied the documents, I will decide how best the UN can help and I will make a decision and an announcement as to what I am going to do. But I am still considering it.
Q: Do you think it is possible to make free and democratic elections this year in Iraq?
SG: That is the issue really under debate and in fact it is in that context that I have been asked to send a team to Iraq to assess what is going on on the ground and to advise whether elections are possible between now and end of June, because both parties seem to indicate that that end of June date is fair, and if that is not possible, what sort of alternatives could one suggest to move the process forward. And that is precisely what I have indicated. We are reflecting on and looking at the documents and I'll make a judgment if and when we send a team to Baghdad to look at those issues.
Q: Mr. Fischer what is your judgment on the situation in Iran?
Mr. Fischer: Well, we hope that we will have free and fair elections and that the open questions will be solved in a satisfying way, which is linked to the principles of free and fair elections. And of course we are, as Europeans, engaged in dealing with the nuclear issue and we hope that we can also move forward after the signing of the additional protocol and the pre-accession now for the Agency to nuclear science in Iran. I think we can move forward. And, given that, we are watching very closely what is going on in the election.
Q: Are you concerned?
Minister Fischer: It is not a question whether I am concerned or not. It is a question that I think Iran has a great opportunity after this terrible tragedy in Bam, the solidarity of the international community made quite clear that the international community is engaged in Iran in the humanitarian field, and we would highly appreciate it if Iran would be a vital partner within the framework of the international community.
SG: Thank you very much.