Q: Can you explain, Mr. Secretary-General, about the purpose of your visit to Bangladesh and how do you evaluate Bangladesh's performance in the UN Security Council and UN peacekeeping Missions?
SG: The Ambassador (Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York) is here, and you're asking me about the Security Council! He is the one you should be talking to!
Let me say that Bangladesh has played a very active role in the United Nations, and your presence on the Council now underscores the role you are playing in the Organisation.
The Council has been very busy during the last five years or so and your Permanent Representative, as a member of the Council, has played a very effective role.
In addition to that, you've been one of the strong participants in UN peacekeeping operations, and you've given us some well-trained and very good officers to work in peacekeeping operations. And we are grateful for the troops who are currently operating in Sierra Leone, and a new battalion is currently joining them.
So, if I am here, it is because I consider the role of Bangladesh in the UN important. And also I am here to renew our relationship and to discuss issues of mutual concern.
Q: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now playing a very critical role to ensure peace and cooperation in South Asia. How do you define her contribution?
SG: Oh, I think it is important that the leaders in this region work together to bring stability and economic development. So I value the role she is playing and I applaud it and I hope she will continue.
Q: Our Bangladesh Government yesterday condemned the demolition of statues in Afghanistan. Will you comment on this gesture of Bangladesh?
SG: I think I share the condemnation of what happened in Afghanistan. I think it was outrageous that those statues should be destroyed. And I had the chance to tell the "Foreign Minister" [of the Taliban] myself, to make it clear to him, although they say they are doing this in the name of religion, that true faith elicits respect and it demands that you respect what is sacred to others. There is no way that anyone can accept or condone what happened.
Q: Is it true that you are on a mission for your re-election campaign as the UN Secretary-General?
SG: That is out of the question. I don't travel around to campaign.
Q: What is your comment about the democratic process in Bangladesh?
SG: I know you'll be having elections some time this year and I hope that the elections would be smooth and there will be no violence and that people will exercise their right of choice, because today we all accept democracy as the only form of Government that ensures that the will of the people, and the people have a say in how they are governed and in the decisions affecting them. So I would urge all the voters to vote and I am happy that you will be going through another democratic exercise. Thank you very much.*****