J. Singh: I am delighted to have this honour and opportunity to welcome my friend, His Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations. This is not the first visit he is making to India. We have had a very good meeting. We have discussed issues concerning India's commitments to UN, developmental process of UN, peacekeeping, question of terrorism, non-proliferation, disarmament, regional situations, and also the question of dialogues. His Excellency was advising a dialogue process with Pakistan. We discussed the situation in Afghanistan, including the destruction of valuable human heritage. I also took this opportunity to discuss the Middle-East peace process and also, the continuing sanctions on Iraq which we feel are now becoming counter-productive. I am delighted we had a very good meeting. I don't want to keep him too long from lunch, so I would request him to say a few words.
SG: You have heard from the Minister, indeed we did have a very good discussion. I am very happy to be back in India again and to have such constructive dialogue. India and the UN are very good partners and India is a very important member of the organization. And these periodical encounters where we view the problems around the world and UN programmes, is extremely useful for the organization and, I hope, for the government of India as well. But since we are going to eat, we may have one or two questions. I don't want to go on for too long.
Q to S-G: Sir what are the prospects of return of democracy to Pakistan and what is the UN doing about it?
SG: Well, in my discussions with the Chief Executive, he assured me that they are going ahead with their democratization programme and they will, if they will, hand over to the civilian government by October 2002 and that the process of elections has already begun. And the UN will be working with them on these elections to assist.
Q to SG: Sir, your term is ending by the year end. Last night in New York the African nations have requested that you should re-contest the polls. Have you given it serious thought?
SG: This is a question that has been on the table for a long time and I have indicated to the members that I will make up my mind by the end of March.
Q to J. Singh: Mr. Secretary-General yesterday said that this is the proper time for India and Pakistan to resume the dialogue with reference to the (Lahore Declaration). How do you react to it?
J. Singh: I appreciate the very wise counsel. The Secretary-General has voiced these words here, as also in Islamabad. India, as the initiator of the dialogue, remains committed to dialogue. The timing and the venue etc. of course has to be decided by the dialoguers themselves. We nevertheless continue to believe and hold that it is necessary that the dialogue should be successful. The conducive atmosphere for it must be prepared first.
Q to J. Singh: And it does not exist right now?
J. Singh: It must be prepared first.
Q to SG: Sir, what are your views on progress in Kashmir since you have visited both sides now?
SG: I think what...I am encouraged by the discussions I have held in the region and as you heard the Foreign Minister, they agree that the only way out is dialogue, the only way out is negotiations between the parties. And I had the chance to indicate that there are Security Council's resolutions which are important but they are not self-enforcing and the parties have to come together through dialogue to implement whatever agreements are taken, which the Security Council resolutions could bear up. But the parties have to really come together and negotiate. And I am encouraged that both parties are open and willing to talk. And I hope in due course, we will see them undertake that.
Q to J. Singh: Did the question of UN reforms come up, and India's demand for a permanent place in the Security Council?
J. Singh: It certainly did come up. It is not like India is demanding. We have clearly announced our willingness to be a part of the expanded UN Security Council and we believe that this expansion, both in the permanent and the non-permanent members, ought to take place soon. After all, in the Millennium Summit, about 150 nations have voiced a similar desire and a large number of countries from across the world are now openly supporting India's candidature.
Q to J. Singh: What about CTBT?
J. Singh: This question was discussed. I made it known that India's views remain completely unaltered. We will not stand in the way of the entry into force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and that our commitment, which is a voluntary moratorium on any further nuclear explosive underground testing, remains. We shall not be undertaking that and that I think is explicit enough.
Q to SG: What are your views on India's chances for permanent membership of the Security Council?
SG: You have a Foreign Minister who said that India is not staking a claim but that, as the reforms move ahead, India has been mentioned by many countries as a potential member of the Council. And he is right in saying that at the Millenium Summit many nations indicated that the reform must go ahead. And I do agree with them that the Security Council must be reformed and brought in line with today's realities as its current composition and structure is a bit anachronistic.
Q: Do you believe India deserves the position of a permanent member?
SG: I have answered your question already (laughs).
Q to J. Singh: Pakistan proposed restrained regimes on equal stabilization...[inaudible]?
J. Singh: No. There already exist between India and Pakistan agreements on non-attack on each other's nuclear installations. That's an old agreement and it has been renewed in January this year. We have exchanged information about nuclear installations in each other's countries. Thank you.*****