SG: Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.
As you know, the Security Council has just adopted a new resolution on Iraq.
I very much welcome this. I think it is a good resolution in itself. No less important is the fact that it has been adopted unanimously, after a thorough process of consultation, in which the new Interim Government of Iraq was able to play a part.
I believe it is a genuine expression of the will of the international community, led by the Security Council, to come together again after last year's divisions and to help the Iraqi people take charge of their own political destiny, in peace and freedom, under a sovereign government of their choosing.
Obviously, we are not there yet. Free and fair elections for a constituent assembly are due to be held in January next year. We all hope that the security environment throughout the country will improve enough to allow that to happen, since the elections will be a historic milestone on Iraq's road to stability and peace. The restoration of sovereignty on 30 June is indeed an important step in that direction.
The United Nations is proud to have been able to help form the Interim Government, which will have the responsibility of guiding the country through the next, crucial phase of transition. I want to pay tribute to the courage and perseverance of Lakhdar Brahimi and Carina Perelli and their teams. I believe it is quite clear to everyone, inside and outside Iraq, that what has been achieved could not have been done without their efforts and help.
I also believe that the overwhelming majority of people both inside and outside Iraq will want the Interim Government to have a fair chance, and will judge it on its performance. A great deal is riding on its success, and we should all give it whatever help we can.
The Resolution also requires my Special Representative, whom I hope to name soon, and the UN Assistance Mission, to play a leading role in the coming phase, as circumstances permit. I very much hope that it will be possible for us to play that role. In this connection, I will be monitoring the security situation and arrangements very closely.
Thank you very much. I will now take your questions.
Q: What level of security in terms of the size of this distinct entity that's going to protect UN workers do you think is needed, and on what basis will you be making your decision as to whether the security has reached a certain level that you can really send significant numbers of people back into Iraq?
SG: Let me start with the first part of your question. We are in discussions with the multinational force in several countries who have been approached to make forces available. I hesitate to give you a number as to how many people –a brigade or several battalions or whatever - but it will be under one command. As to what kind of environment I would want to see us operate in - I think we have been operating around the world enough to know, have a sense, of the kind of environment our people are able to operate in. I've said in the past that the UN works with the people. We should be able to get to them and they should be able to get to us. And so it has to be an environment that allows us reasonable mobility and flexibility for us to carry on our work. We are not asking for hundred percent security or guarantee. We operate in the real world and we know there are risks, but there are certain limits that we have to impose on ourselves.
Q: After you suggested last September that there should be a transfer of sovereignty in three to five months, what are the consequences of the delay do you think?
SG: I had always said that I felt the sooner one could hand over to the Iraqis, the faster the security situation I hope would improve, and the faster the situation could be brought under control. And so I welcome the date of 30 June and I am also relieved that now we have an Interim Iraqi Government which is an important phase on the road to ensuring that we will have a fully elected democratic government by January.
Q: The United Nations has already said that the current Government in Iraq is not a hundred percent representative of all the Iraqis. Some Iraqis are saying that this current government will actually set the tone for the government that will be elected in a few months down the road. Is that a concern for you?
SG: Well, I think the Interim Government which has been established is going to be assisted by a National Consultative Council which we hope will be elected by a fairly large number of Iraqis next month. We expect and pray that that group will be as broadly representative and inclusive as possible, working alongside the Interim Government. And so, a broad section of Iraqi constituents will have a say in the process as we move forward and when we say that this government is not representative, it is because it has not been elected. Only a nationally democratically elected government can be deemed to be fully representative, and this is what we hope will happen in January. And I think with the work we have done with the Iraqis, we have laid the groundwork with the legal framework for the elections, with an Independent Electoral Commission, and I hope the Consultative Council and the Government will do their work in a free manner that will give everybody a chance during the elections.
Q: Mr. Annan, what is the next practical step from now on? Are you likely to have an international conference for Iraq as the Russians demanded, and also, is Mr. Brahimi's mission now done, complete, or will he play a role in the election?
SG: I think he went to Iraq on my instructions for a very specific purpose, at this stage, to help with the transition period, the political transition, and Carina Perelli was also there to help establish the basis and the legal framework for elections. So this phase of their work is done. But the process continues and obviously we will remain engaged as an Organization as we move forward.
Q: But will you have an International Conference?
SG: Oh yes, the suggestion is on the table, but it depends on the reactions of the Iraqi Interim Government. If the Iraqi authorities want such a conference, I'm sure the international community and the UN will cooperate with them.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, if circumstances don't permit the UN to play the role this resolution has assigned it, then what happens?
SG: Well, if circumstances do not permit, we may have to find some creative ways of doing as much as we can. And we have already done that by establishing UNAMI, the UN mission in Amman, doing some work from there and where possible do cross-border operations. And we also did send in Mr. Brahimi and Carina Perelli where very strict security was provided. So, I hope the situation would improve. I hope it would be possible for us to play the role that is expected of us, that we want to play, and so, let's look forward positively.
Q: Sir, on the administrative law in Iraq. Ayatollah [Ali Al-] Sistani has obviously been pressing for a reference to that law not to be mentioned in the resolution. Some Kurds, including [Massoud] Barzani and [Jalal] Talabani, have actually warned that unless it is included they may consider withdrawing from the current government. Do you think that this resolution, the way it stands, is a complete one as far as the administrative law is concerned?
SG: I think the resolution is complete. It doesn't say anything about the administrative law but it does have language that refers to a united federal democratic Iraq. The Council members were aware of the issues you've raised and the demands of both sides, but I think they've come up with a resolution which is equitable and fair and I think all sides should be able to work with it.
Thank you very much.