International conference in Annapolis – SecGen Press encounter – Unofficial transcript (excerpts)

SECRETARY-GENERAL’S PRESS ENCOUNTER ON RETURN

FROM HIS TRIP TO ARGENTINA, CHILE, ANTARCTICA, BRAZIL, TUNISIA, LEBANON AND SPAIN

AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL STAKEOUT

19 November 2007

(unofficial transcript)

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Q:  Secretary-General.  Maybe, apart from [US] Secretary Rice, you are the only international figure to have already confirmed going to Annapolis.  What do you expect to happen in Annapolis?

SG:  In fact, I had telephone talks with Secretary Rice yesterday and I’m going to participate in [the] Annapolis international conference on the Middle East.  I think this international conference in Annapolis will be a good beginning of a credible process to resolve all these issues.  At the same time, I’d like to see that the participants in the Annapolis meeting base their expectation on a more practical and realistic assessment.  They are now watching to see the Israeli and Palestinian track as a main track to be discussed in depth.  At the same time, I hope that this process will be built upon, more comprehensively, as progress continues.  This is my sincere hope and my understanding.  I know that there are some different levels of expectation according to who participates there, particularly Arab countries.  We hope, first of all, while  this first meeting will [continue to concentrate] on the Arab/Israeli track, [that] this process should be able to address [the issue] comprehensively [according to] the relevant Security Council resolutions, 242 and 338, and other relevant resolutions, and also have the Arab Peace Initiative as core elements.

Q:   Do you have a date?

SG:  That is what we need to discuss.

Q:    Is there a date already for Annapolis?

SG:  That is what the American Government should announce, but I am aware of the dates, but I am not the person who should officially make it public.

Q:   My question is related to Annapolis.   Any Middle East peace process under the current situation, without the participation of Hamas, would it be really a peace process without the participation of an elected government, which is Hamas?

SG:  As I said, this process will be addressed more comprehensively as time goes by, as progress is made.  For this particular specific issue – like participation of Hamas, or any specific issues or agenda, that, I hope, we will be able to discuss at a later stage.

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