Secretary-General's press encounter (at Security Council stakeout)
Press events | Ban Ki-moon, Former Secretary-General
In Syria, as you may already have been fully aware of my visit there, my meeting with President [Bashar al-]Assad and other Syrian leaders were mainly focused on how Syria can constructively engage and work for peace and security in the Middle East region, particularly in that region, including Lebanon. In Lebanon, I mainly discussed the implementation of [Security Council] resolution 1701, more specifically on the early establishment of the Special Tribunal, and border security to ensure that any illegal transport of arms not make it into Lebanese territory. All in all, I think I had a very good visit and I was assured a
strong commitment from Syrian Government leaders to work with the United Nations on all the matters of United Nations activities.
Q: There was a report in the press that the Syrian officials are saying that you have reached an understanding, their word, on the Tribunal by which you would give an opportunity to buy time, in effect, and not to bring it to the Security Council for a while. Did you make such a deal? Did you arrive at such an understanding? And would you kindly also tell us if you plan to bring the issue to Security Council soon, and when?
SG: This is not true, not correct that there was an agreement to delay this process. What I emphasized to the Syrian leaders that it was important for the international community, and particularly for the Lebanese people, to agree on a national consensus basis, in accordance with their constitutional procedures, to agree on an early establishment of a Special Tribunal. And I asked for a constructive role [by] Syrian leaders to promote such a national reconciliation, which will facilitate the establishment of a Special Tribunal.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, a question about Afghanistan. There have been reports in the last week or so that some of the Taliban detainees that have been captured by western forces, handed over to Afghan authorities, may have been tortured. I am curious, what obligation do you think western militaries have when they hand over detainees to the Afghan Government and authorities to ensure that they are not tortured and that their rights are respected?
SG: First of all, whoever maybe the torturer, abuses of human rights are not acceptable in any case, whatever may be the case. Therefore, I strongly again urge that the parties concerned, and countries concerned in any conflict situations, that human rights should be properly protected.
Q: Are you involved in discussions regarding Mr. Javier Solana and Ali Larijani on the nuclear issue of Iran?
SG: I have had a quick discussion with Mr. Solana yesterday about his meet with Mr. Larijani. I strongly encouraged again the Iranians and the European Union –particularly the international community, led by the European Union - should resolve this issue as soon as possible. At the same time, I would like to strongly urge again the Iranian authorities to fully comply with the Security Council resolution and engage in dialogue with the international community for a peaceful resolution of this issue as soon as possible.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General. Your reaction to information that came out in the last twenty-four hours about the possibility of the Iraqi Government cooking the books on civilian death tolls –perhaps fudging those figures –and how, if the figures tend to be higher, will it reflect on your future actions in Iraq with UN personnel?
SG: As indicated in the report released by UNAMI [UN Assistance Mission in Iraq], I am concerned about all the continuing sectarian violence and human suffering. That is exactly why the international community should help the Iraqi people and Government to restore peace and security. And that is exactly why I am going to chair the International Compact with Iraq in Sharm el Sheik on 3 May. I hope that the international community will actively participate in this International Compact with Iraq.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, welcome back. My question will be, on the eve of your trip to Damascus, President Bashar Assad warned against possible UN deployment along the border with Lebanon, cautioning this would certainly lead to measures to be taken by Syria. Did you discuss this matter, and what was reaction of President Assad on this matter?
SG: Of course, I discussed this matter. I explained to President Assad that, upon my recommendation, the Security Council has recommended me to send an independent assessment team to study and to check how the international community would help to strengthen the monitoring capacity. This mission will be sent to the Lebanese border. And, at the same time, I also hope that the Syrian Government would also do whatever they can, in close coordination with the international community, to strengthen the monitoring capacity along the border lines, because there is a long border between Lebanon and Syria. There are still allegations of illegal transport of arms into Lebanon through the Syrian border.
Q: On the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident, you have issued a message calling for, you said, science has shown that a return to normal life is a realistic prospect for the people living in the Chernobyl-affected regimes. Is this a call to countries? Can we interpret this as you saying that its time to reconsider the role of nuclear power and nuclear energy as an antidote to the increasing carbon emissions worldwide?
SG: It was very tragic accident at Chernobyl and learning lessons from that accident which was a devastatingly serious one –I hope that the international community [would] take all possible measures to prevent such an accident and to have strict verification and monitoring on these nuclear activities.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, on Darfur, is it true that you intervened with the American Administration and asked them not to press ahead with sanctions against the Sudanese Government because you want the diplomacy to have more time?
SG: It is true that I discussed this matter with senior American Government officials, but I don't know whether you will term it intervention. It is not an intervention –it was a part of my ongoing efforts, as I told you earlier during my press stakeout, that as my consultations with the Sudanese President and the Sudanese Government leaders were going on. I really wanted to have some political space, so that I could carry on my consultations on the hybrid operation, as well as the political dialogue process which was carried out by my Special Envoy, Mr. [Jan] Eliasson, and African Union Special Envoy, Mr. [Salim A.] Salim. I am still working doing on my best efforts to swiftly implement what has been agreed on, first of all. The second phase of the heavy support package and we are now discussing with the Sudanese Government to discuss the deployment of the hybrid operation. I had a telephone conversation with President [Omar Al-] Bashir of Sudan during my visit to Qatar.
Q: On the Hariri Tribunal. Have you heard anything, first from Nicolas Michel, to suggest that he was able to break the impasse in Beirut? What we hear here is that he was not. And, secondly, when you spoke to President Assad, I know what you told him, but what did he tell you? Did he say Syria would drop its objections to this Tribunal? Did he say he would tell Speaker [Nabib] Berri, for instance, in the Lebanese Parliament, that this should go forward and the Lebanese should be allowed to work out an arrangement to have the Tribunal happen?
SG: First of all, I got an initial report from Mr. Michel while traveling in that region, by telephone and other ways, and I'm going to have an in-depth report from him on Monday morning when he returns from his trip. And with President Assad, I strongly urged him to do whatever he can to constructively engage and exercise influence to help to promote national reconciliation. His position is that this is purely [for the] Lebanese people to decide on national reconciliation. But he will [make] his own efforts to influence the Lebanese people, to facilitate this process. This is what he told me.
Q: Did he drop the objections that Syria has to the Tribunal? Did the Syrian President accept the Tribunal that's been signed by the United Nations and the Lebanese Government?
SG: I think you should know the official position of the Syrian Government on the Special Tribunal. Therefore, I will not go into more detail on this issue.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General. A follow-up on Syria once more. Reuters quoted the President as saying that that all parties had to agree, which since they don't, that means it doesn't happen. And secondly, on Iraq, the UN was the only one who gave out reliable figures on Iraqi civilian deaths. The Government seems to object to this, and so do other people, and how can you go ahead?
SG: This is exactly what President Assad told me, that they need to have a national consensus, according to their own procedures. What I told him, that while I fully agreed that this should be decided on the basis of their national consensus among the Lebanese - that would be the most desirable path - since they are not able to have this agreement at this time, I hoped the Syrian President would have some influence on the Lebanese people to promote such a dialogue. This is what he said he would do. And on Iraqi issues, I think I have already answered that.
Q: Welcome back. You seem to be satisfied with your trip to the region, to the Middle East. Do you think the peace process will be launched again soon? And what would be the indicators for that?
SG: Through my two visits to the Middle East, and I am going to make another one, third one, next week, I think I have learned and have been able to listen and learn from the leaders of the countries in the region, their challenges and their problems and their visions. It has been very useful for me and, at this time, the international community, Arabs, and Israelis, and other members of the international community, they should take this opportunity now being actively discussed, some political facilitation process. There was a national unity government established in Palestine; and the American Government has been actively engaged; the Quartet has been re-energized; Arab leaders are looking very seriously at the Arab peace initiative. All these issues, together with the United Nations role to facilitate this process, should be fully used and seized. This is what I hope. In that regard, I will continuously involve myself in whatever contribution I can make to facilitate such a peace process.
Q: On Somalia. I would like to ask a question. Yesterday, your Under-Secretary-General of Humanitarian Affairs stopped short of saying that a genocide-like situation exists in Somalia. He said there is no access being provided to the humanitarian agencies and basically there is no law and order at all over there. Would you be asking the Security Council to evolve some sort of a situation, or a position, in order to intervene somehow in Somalia, to stop this impending genocide?
SG: I am gravely concerned about the on-going violence in Somalia and I have discussed with all parties concerned, while traveling with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and other leaders. I am also very much troubled by the fact that the Transitional Federal Government is [not] able to sustain the momentum thus created politically. The international community should fully cooperate and give some concerted efforts to restore peace and security in that country. There was a mini-summit meeting held in Riyadh –it was very useful and there was a Contact Group meeting on the Somalia situation. I am going to discuss this matter continuously to restore the security as soon as possible, and, at the same time, I hope they will be able to convene this National Reconciliation Congress which has been postponed until the middle of May. And since they would have a lot of logistical and financial and economic difficulty, I hope the international community should also provide some necessary assistance to them.
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, the new US Ambassador to the United Nations arrived this week. He said that one of his major priorities was for the UN to get more involved in Iraq. So, two questions if I may. First, have you met Mr. [Zalmay] Khalilzad before? Have you had any opportunity to work with him? How do you get on with each other? And how important is this relationship? But the second part is, do you think that the UN moving on forwards with this Compact, Sharm-el sheik meeting after that can begin to provide an exit strategy for the United States from Iraq? Thank you.
SG: First of all, I'm going to meet him Monday afternoon to receive credentials from him. I have not met him before, in the past. I am looking forward to very closely working with him in his new capacity as Permanent Representative of the US to the United Nations. I am sure that, with his long experience and expertise in that part of the world he will make a great contribution, not only to the peace and security in the Middle East, but all around the world. On that second part of the question, I think that is not directly related. What the United Nations is going to do by launching the International Compact with Iraq –this is something that the international community should cooperate and help the Iraqi people, so that they will be able to genuinely enjoy security and freedom. As security and freedom and peace will be settled in Iraq, I hope the United States Government and multinational forces in Iraq will be able to discuss and consider their exit strategy.