Q: The concern has been raised that dealing directly or directly addressing the North Korean issue in this conference might jeopardize the six-party talks, and that some delegates like China and Russia would rather …steer this conference away from really directly addressing the issue, as you called. (unintelligible) share those concerns?

SG: Well, I'm not sure if this conference is directly going to address the issue, the North Korean issue. I hope that the six-party talks can get off the ground and resume because I think everyone agrees that that is the best approach to date.

Q: In your speech, you said you'd like to directly address that issue.

SG: I didn't mention North Korea.

Q: That's true. That's true. You said the first country to withdraw, though, so…[laughter]

SG: I think I mentioned—it has happened, and I had to—I mentioned it because it has happened, but I wasn't saying that the Council should, this Assembly, or this NPT Conference should specifically focus on that. But it has happened, and I think everyone agrees that the way to go is the six-party talks, but of course, since this Conference is taking place, it's an event or an example that they cannot ignore.

Q: This conference is to—you're recommending amending or updating this treaty, but we understand that it's really one of those that's not amendable.

SG: No. In fact everybody is saying the Additional Protocol should become the norm. That, for example, would expand the Treaty. If you accept the Additional Protocol, for example, as a norm, you are building on it, and I think it can be done.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, what are some of the risks if there isn't really any solid result out of this month of talks?

SG: I think we all know the risks we run. We've discovered recently that there has been a black market of nuclear material. We also know that, even though in the past 35 years, more countries have given up their right to build a nuclear weapon than have actually gone ahead and done it. We need to keep that incentive going. We need to encourage Governments to go that route. But we need to ensure that those who want it for peaceful uses can have access to it without believing that the only way they have to get those technologies is to go all the way.