Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the press,

I am very glad to have the chance to share with you my views and answer your questions. As members of the press, your work is vital to democracy in this region.

As you know, my presence at this Summit is the culmination of a visit to four countries of the Andean region –Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

This visit is an expression of my appreciation of the support that those countries give the United Nations.

But even more, it is a sign of my determination to pay greater attention to this region.

I had detailed discussions with all four Presidents. I will be seeing several other Presidents today. I have also had contacts with parliamentarians and civil society groups in each country I have visited.

I have been moved by the resilience of the people of the region, who face old and new problems.

It is clear to me that the challenges facing this region require deep and sustained attention.

At the heart of most of these challenges is democratic governance. The democratic achievements of this region are impressive –but they are still vulnerable. Democracy must be strengthened.

That requires the rule of law and institutional stability to be strengthened –including by fighting corruption.

It requires efforts to make political participation more effective –including participation of indigenous people and those of African descent, as well as of the women of this region.

It also requires poverty and inequality to be drastically reduced –including by directing more public spending for the benefit of the poor, and by focusing even greater efforts on achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Macroeconomic stability must also be solidified, but in a context of renewed economic growth and development. Otherwise social stability cannot be assured.

It would be a grave mistake to leave the people of this region to face these challenges alone. We need to see serious efforts by the international community too.

For example, it needs to offer greater social investment –including through debt alleviation. These countries need some breathing space.

The United Nations system, and I myself, are ready to help in every way we can.

My good offices are always available to Member States of the United Nations if they request them. The good offices are usually used to help governments to facilitate solution of conflict. In the diplomatic use, the term “good offices” is not the same as mediation.

I also discussed with each President the issues that affected his country specifically.

Here in Bolivia, I discussed with President Mesa the problems facing his country. I complimented him, and the members of Congress, on their determination to address these problems by constitutional means. And I commended President Mesa on his determination to reach out to all Bolivians.

As you know, I met this morning with Evo Morales. He requested a meeting to exchange views about the current situation in Bolivia, the state of democracy, and the institutional changes that are occurring here and in other countries of the region. I believe we had a fruitful exchange.

I stressed the need for all political, economic and social actors to fully embrace the democratic process, and to take responsibility for ensuring its success - without recourse to violence. I urged him to show constructive leadership to contribute to the success of this process.

And I say to all Bolivians that the United Nations is truly your partner for peace, democracy, and development. We have been particularly involved in every aspect of development in the country. And we will intensify our efforts, along with the rest of the international community.

I think I´ll stop there and take your questions.

Q: (In Spanish) What will be the mechanisms with which the UN will mediate in the Bolivian maritime claim (towards Chile), and do you consider this claim fair?

SG: I know that in the past there have been negotiations and recently there has been discussions on this issue. And as Secretary-General of the United Nations, I said my good offices are always available to governments if they choose to avail themselves of it. But we have to be careful here not to interpret good offices as mediation, because good offices -- sometimes governments ask the Secretary-General to help, and to facilitate in certain aspects but if the governments ask my good offices are always available and I use them in many places around the world and if is required here, if the governments were to ask my, good offices will be available.

Q: (In Spanish) How do you see the role of Latin America towards multilateralism and UN in contrast with those who propose preventive attacks and unilateralism?

Latin America plays a very important role at the United Nations. Today we have two very effective members of the Security Council from Latin America: Chile and Mexico. They have played a very very important role throughout the crisis that we've all lived through. In addition to that, Latin Americans participate in many peace keeping operations around the world and we are very grateful for their support and participation in these areas. And in the area of ideas - economic and political ideas - and (inaudible) and development, and human rights Latin America has been in the forefront. I don't think we would have known human rights movements, civil society actions, and human rights as we know it today, if it had not been for the experience of Latin America, their resilience, their determination to see that human rights are protected and to stop impunity. So Latin America has made major contributions to the international community and to the multilateral effort. On the question of the conflict - I take it that you are referring to Iraq. This is obviously a very difficult situation that we are all going through I think we need an international community that comes together working with the Iraqi people, the neighbours of Iraq and the region to stabilize Iraq. It is essential that we do that because the chaotic Iraq would not be in anyone's interest.

Q: (In Spanish) What concrete actions is taking the UN in Colombia, facing the three factions part of a war: the ELN, the FARC, plus the possibility of 800 paramilitary giving themselves up in a de-mobilization process?

SG: I think we are actively engaged in Colombia. We are engaged in humanitarian activities we are engaged in the area of human rights, and I have a special representative who is working with me on the issue of Colombia who is very much in contact with Colombians as also maintain contact with the FARC and the ENL. We are hopping that we will be able to arrange meetings with then in a not to distant future but of course since we are using our good offices to try to get them together it is not always in our hands but we are in contact with them and trying to arrange a meeting. On the question of the paramilitaries, here, the government is dealing with it we have indicated that we will focus on the dealings with the FARC and ELN. As the government has come up with a separate programme for the paramilitaries we have indicated that we will help with parliament with the laws that they want to do to ensure the confidence of the law that it meets legal and international standards, but for the rest the government is tackling it.

Q: (In Spanish) Does the acceleration of military and political events in Iraq open the possibility of a new discussion towards an eventual transferring of the government to Iraqis and of a new role of the UN in that process?

SG: I know that the US authorities are looking at the possibility of accelerating the transfer of power to the Iraqis. This is something that I hope to be able to discuss further when I am in New York.

Any transfer of power to the Iraqis has always been my position and I think of several members of the [Security] Council. This is a positive development depending on how the details are worked and as I said I hope to be able to discuss this further upon my return to New York.

Thank you very much.