Lima

11 November 2003

Secretary-General's press encounter with President Alejandro Toledo (unofficial transcript)

Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General

SG: Thank you very much Mr. President.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Let me start by thanking the president, the government of Peru and the people of Peru for the wonderful reception they have given us since we got here. I am having a very, very wonderful day. We started by visiting two settlements. For me to see for myself the nature of poverty in the country and efforts that have being made by the government. The second one was a visit to a handicap center and I was very interested to see the spirit, the energy and the determination of the handicap to play their role in society. Of course, we have millions of handicaps around the world and they are all making contributions in one way or the other. They should really pick up the facilities, facilities of movement, facilities of employment for them to play their full role in society.

The president is right that the key issue here is for us to fight poverty and that is one of the objectives on the top of the UN Millennium Development Goals. We cannot have a society where immense wealth and street poverty live side by side and we expect that to continue indefinitely and still live in peace. It is important that there is some sort of solidarity and we find the way of working together. The President is also right that countries like Peru cannot do it alone, we need to work with our international partners and by working with international partners one is not necessarily asking for a handout but arrangements that will allow this country to move forward, will allow it to expand the social expenditure and do as much as possible for their people. The president has told you some of his ideas and of course many around the world ask the question about debt for example, why is it that when corporations owe money and are not able to pay, we have a mechanism, we have an arrangement we have a chapter (inaudible) arrangement that gives some breathing space and time to pay the debt while they carry on their manufacture and essential activities. Why can't we find a similar mechanism for state debts so that the states can also restructure and arrange to pay over a longer period while it is able to devote the essential resources it needs for economic and social development. Of course where people do not see improvements in their conditions and poverty becomes endemic, it can be a basis for conflict - there is economic basis to conflict that one cannot ignore.

So Mr. President let me once again thank your leadership and determination to fight poverty. You have in me a partner. Thank you.

Q (In Spanish): My first question is what is the United Nations doing to re-establish the international order considering the present scenario caused following Iraq invasion and the second one is: You have asked to lift economic sanctions against Cuba. What is United Nations doing for promote this issue?

SG: On the question of international stability, I think it is an area where we all need to cooperate. It is one area where one country cannot contain terrorism. We have to cooperate across borders to be able to fight terrorism. I think the U.N Security Council has been very active in this area. It has been active in coming up with resolutions that will deprive terrorists of any support in any of our countries that will track down their resources and ensure that they are frozen and they cannot be used. It is also determined to insist governments do not give these terrorists any logistical support. It is a global fight that we all need to come in and work across national borders through cooperation to contain it.

Of course the situation in Iraq is very difficult, it is very dangerous and there I believe the international community has to pull together and find the way of stabilizing Iraq. I think the international community will have to work together with the Iraqis and the neighbors of Iraq. Without true support and cooperation we cannot succeed to stabilize Iraq and I think that is the direction that we should go. Thank you.

On the Cuban issue, the General Assembly has spoken very clearly on the question of the need to lift the trade embargo on Cuba. I think since this is not a U.N sanction, we cannot lift it, it is a bilateral sanction. It is Washington that should lift the sanction but at least we have spoken as an Organization very clearly and the US administration knows where we stand and I hope it will have some impact.

Q (In Spanish): Good afternoon. You have been able to visit this morning Villa El Salvador and have observed the extreme poverty conditions of our compatriots. Will the United Nations help fight poverty in our country? How could the United Nations help in the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission?

SG: Let me say that as far as fighting poverty is concerned the UN is a partner and we are very actively engaged in this. Let me first turn to the Millenium Development Goals which all the world leaders signed on to in New York. That declaration, the Millennium Declaration, has become our common framework for development, our common framework to fight poverty, and when I say our common framework I am not talking about just UN agencies, a common framework for governments, for the financial institutions, World Bank, IMF and all the other institutions. So for the first time we all have an agreed approach and if we agree to bring our collective effort I think we can make a difference, and the issues that I have discussed with the President is to see how the international community, not just the international organizations, can bring greater help to this exercise by handling differently issues of finance that he has raised and issues of debt.

Of course one of the major impetus that will really help all of us is a fair and equitable trading system. I hope that Mexico´s round of negotiations on trade will be eventually successful. And the subsidies that are granted to farmers in the rich countries will be eliminated. It´s not just that they´re given subsidies, but these same farmers from the rich countries also compete with farmers from the poor countries. And with these huge subsidies the poor farmers do not stand a chance. It is absolutely unfair and we need to find a way of doing something about it. And that will put billions of dollars in the hands of developing countries and poor farmers in our part of the world.

On your second question, the U.N has been very helpful with the Truth Commission. We supported the Truth Commission. We worked with donors to provide financial assistance for the Commission and we believe in the Commission and the work that they did, because without justice, without reconciliation, without an attempt to get to the truth, it becomes very difficult for countries to reconcile and that´s why we were happy to have been able to support the work of the Truth Commission.

(Following an answer by President Toledo, the Secretary-General added the following comment) I want to thank the president for the wonderful words he said about the UN agencies and the work they are doing here. I think it is much, much better that it came from him (inaudible) It is always much better than if I have said it (inaudible) but we are determined to do more and to work with you. Thank you.

Q (In Spanish): Have you had a preliminary response from the international financial organisms on the Innovative Financial Mechanisms issue raised by the Rio Group to reprogramming their debts in order to meet their social needs of their nations. The other question is whether the United Nations is willing to support the Peruvian government in its intention to get Fujimori´s extradition.

SG: Let me turn to the question of financial issue that you raised. It wasn't very long ago that the whole international community gathered in Monterrey, Mexico to discuss finance for development, and there we came to certain understandings on the role of the developing countries and the role of the developed countries in making financial resources available for development. I think that is a framework we need to work in also push it further. Secondly, the issue the president has raised about getting together the financial institutions and having a meeting with them to discuss the particular problems that are faced in this region is something that I intend to take up very seriously with my friends and partners in the other institutions. Of course I cannot speak in their name now, but I'm confident that together we will be able to work with each other and see what can be done to help this urgent situation because if we do not do we might see a setback in the democratic process that we all believe, in people's confidence in the system and I think it is important that we anticipate and deal with problems and contain them before they become a crisis.

Oh, yes about the extradition. Really that is a legal issue that I know the government is actively engaged in and the two nations with their own legal systems going through the process to seek extradition. I think that I will have to let law take its course. The U.N does not get involved in this sort of legal issues. But there is one issue which I didn't mention which I would want to mention is that there is a new convention. A U.N convention against corruption which is going to be endorsed at a Conference in Mexico and it is said an important convention because we all agree corruption undermines development and it takes away the hopes of the poor. We need to do something about it in all our countries. So it is a very important development which I hope you journalists here can follow and write about it; it allows for repatriation of our funds taken away illegally, it allows for the proscription of those who commit these crimes and I think, handled properly and applied, it will make a lot of difference for many, many countries around the world.

Thank you very much.