Secretary-General's press encounter with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy (unofficial transcript)

We also discussed the upcoming Security Council resolution and the need for the whole international community to pool its efforts to try and help stabilize the situation in Iraq.

We also talked about UN reform, and multilateralism. The President gave his full support for the efforts of the UN and the multilaterals. I also took the opportunity of this meeting to thank the Prime Minister for the Italian contribution to the efforts in Iraq, and the sacrifice they have made, sending 3,000 troops to the ground to help secure the environment, and I also expressed my hope that three hostages that are being held, Italian hostages, will be released soon to join their families and their loved ones.

PM Berlusconi: [interpreted from Italian] As far as I am concerned I could see there is a strong commitment on the part of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to contribute in the formation of a new government following suggestions/indications given by the Brahimi mission and that this government can then also be approved by the Security Council. The stages for this formation and the establishment of this government has already been clearly indicated in terms of a timetable and I think that the programme is suitable for the needs on the ground.

And there is also the intention to establish a consultative committee for the support to be given for the election to be held in January, and that this consultative committee should start acting and operating early June.

And that many other efforts and initiatives are going on which all aim at enabling the construction and the building of democracy in a country which for too many decades has been subject to dictatorship.

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for the appreciation and the thanks for the presence and the work of our troops there. And I would like to thank him also for sharing something that is clear to everybody, that it is not possible to build any democracy whatsoever unless we have a guarantee of security and public order.

Q: Mr. Prime Minister, in a recent interview you said that you wanted to see a clear turnaround in terms of what's happening in Iraq. In terms of the policy, the strategy, that the Coalition is pursuing, what did you mean by a turnaround?

PM Berlusconi: [interpreted from Italian] By turnaround, I meant the handing over of the powers from the present Governing Council to a new government, with members which are chosen by the United Nations, a concrete beginning of constructing democracy also through preparing the elections, and the speeding up of the establishment of the Iraqi law enforcement forces and military facilities in Iraq.

And all of this must be provided for in a new resolution to be passed by the Security Council, which will also have to set the tasks to be performed by the United Nations.

Q: [interpreted from Italian] Is there a conditionality between the passing of a new UN resolution and the continuation of the presence of Italy in Iraq?

PM Berlusconi: [interpreted from Italian] I think that there is now no doubt as to the sure or certain passing of the new resolution because the effort now by the United Nations would be meaningless since we do seek the commitment by the United Nations in handing over sovereignty to the new government, and this would not be possible without having a resolution which also states clearly which are the rules and the roles and there is this very strong will on the side, on the part of the United Nations, to play a very important role to confer legitimacy to the new government.