Q: You have had talks with the leaders of Nepal. What did you discuss with them?
SG: Well, we discussed a wide range of issues. We did discuss the issue of economic and social development, the issue of UN peacekeeping and the Nepalese contribution to that effort. We talked about political and economic developments in the region. And, of course, as the Prime Minister was in New York last year for the Millennium Summit, we also discussed the Millennium Declaration which gave us a plan of action, if you wish, asking the UN to focus on poverty alleviation, on girls' education, on being sensitive to issues of the environment, respect for human rights and helping governments establish democracy and rule-based governments.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, Taliban militants have turned down even the call of an earnest man like you and has discarded the call of other leaders. Are you thinking of taking any punitive action?
SG: The regime is already under sanctions. I am not thinking of any punitive action. But what is clear is that the action they have undertaken is not going to win them any friends, and this I made clear to them, and that it was not in their interest to do what they did. Besides, most Islamic countries and religious leaders have condemned it.
And I had the opportunity to remind the "Foreign Minister" [of The Taliban] that true faith elicits respect, and that one should respect what is sacred to others.
Q: Secretary-General, [inaudible] so that such incidents don't occur in the future. Have you given any thought to that?
SG: I think this is an issue that should be the responsibility of all of us. It has to be education. The UN obviously would want to do something about it, but in the situation of Afghanistan, where all attempts to influence failed, I think in the longer run what will help us avoid this sort of situation is education. Education about tolerance, education about respect for diversity, education that allows people to understand that you do not have to hate what belongs to others to love your own, to respect your own religion.
Love and respect for your own religion does not require you to be disrespectful of other religions and other cultures. It is that kind of education, and I think the UN is doing quite a lot. This year we have declared a year for dialogue among civilizations. For many years, UNESCO has had a programme on a Culture of Peace, and we are really trying to work on these things. And as UNESCO's own Charter says, since it's in the minds of men that war begins, it is in the minds of men that you have to begin to construct these elements of peace that I have been talking about.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, during your talks with the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the Foreign Minister, did the issue of the Nepalese proposal of establishing a Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre come up, and how do you see this proposal?
SG: It did come up and I encouraged it. Nepal has played a very important role in peacekeeping. You have lots of useful experience to share, and if you do establish that Centre, I would hope that you would make it available to your neighbours, and countries in the region that so desire should be allowed to come to the Centre. And we at the UN will do whatever we can, particularly through our Department of Peacekeeping Operations, to cooperate and assist with this exercise, if requested.
Q: Secretary-General, did the question of the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament come up, and will you move it out of New York?
SG: We did discuss that as well, and the government assured me they have identified premises and so we will be moving [to Kathmandu] with that development and in time the staff would arrive [here] and the Centre would take off. Thank you very much.*****