SG: Good afternoon--I was going to say Ladies and Gentlemen, but I'm looking for the ladies.

Anyway, let me say that the President of Italy, a man for whom I have great respect and admiration, and I also consider him a friend, have had very good discussions this afternoon. We've talked about the complicated situation in Iraq, and the need for the international community to pool their efforts, working with the Iraqis and their neighbors in the regions to stabilize Iraq. We are convinced that a chaotic Iraq, in the middle of the Middle East, is not in anyone's interest.

We also talked about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and we believe that every effort should be made to ensure progress on that track. Obviously, I have always maintained that the best solution is land for peace, and the implementation of the UN resolutions. And also we should not forget the Syrian and Lebanese tracks. But we need to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as we work on the Iraqi crisis if we want to see peace in the Middle East.

Thank you.

President Ciampi[speaking through his interpreter]: I can only add a few words to what already Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said about the essence of our meeting today.

On the basis of my meetings in Washington, the afternoon meeting today with the Secretary-General, I think that we have reached the conviction that we should accelerate our support for an immediate implementation of the 1511 Resolution. And this was already the impression and the result of the conversation I had with President Bush and with Vice President Cheney. Only in this way, we can obtain the gradual transfer of sovereignty to a fully recognized and fully representative Iraqi government.

It's in the interest of everybody to act as promptly as possible, because time is crucial. And it's important that there is cooperation between the three main actors--the Governing Council, the Coalition and the United Nations.

And this, as the Secretary-General also agrees, this involves an increased, an enhanced political, a substantial role of the United Nations. And this has already been provided for in the Resolution 1511. We should want to, we should know how to want it and to want to implement it.

We also spoke briefly about the Middle East situation, and we agreed that a lack of resolution of this conflict in Israel and the Arab countries will engender more extremism and will fuel terrorism. So we have to exert pressures with determination on both sides so that they start on the peace process.

I would like to thank again Secretary-General Kofi Annan for this meeting--short, but very intense. And I want to reinforce and renew the full confidence that Italy has for the United Nations.