Source: http://www.un.int/usa/press_releases/20070920_206.html http://www.un.int/usa/press_releases/20070920_206.html
Date: September 20, 2007

USUN PRESS RELEASE #   206(07)
September 20, 2007 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 Remarks by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on Burma, the Middle East, Lebanon, and Darfur at the Security Council Stakeout, September 20, 2007

Ambassador Khalilzad: Good Afternoon. We had a meeting on Burma today, and heard from Mr. Gambari. As you know the situation in Burma has been of great interest to the United States. Our First Lady, Laura Bush, has taken personal interest in this issue. She has engaged the Secretary-General. We were happy that her effort and the effort of other colleagues here who share our concerns did produce this meeting. Mr. Gambari had the chance to explain to the members the situation in Burma. We are concerned about the situation particularly now because we see a worsening of the political situation that is affecting the well-being of the people of Burma and also having an impact on the region because of the IDP issues. We have urged Mr. Gambari and he plans to visit Burma as soon as possible. It is our expectation that when he returns he will re-engage in a meeting with the Security Council. The situation in Burma poses a threat to regional peace and stability. Therefore, it’s appropriate for the Council to be engaged on this very important issue. I would be happy to take your questions.
Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, when he goes there, what would you have him say? One, when is going to go, and two, what message should you deliver on Aung San Suu Kyi and on the treatment of the opposition, and these monks? What substantively?
Ambassador Khalilzad: First, of course, we want him to go as soon as possible. His visit there requires the cooperation of the regime and we urge the regime to cooperate with him. Second is that of course, one of the key elements of the mission to Burma is the political track, and particularly within that track therelease of political prisoners, the treatment of ethnic minorities, a process that can allow for political participation and determination by the people of Burma, their political future. Their recent convention has been a sham. You saw how not only the convention was not representative, but it has coincided with increased oppression of the people. So, I assured Mr. Gambari he can count on our support. We urge him to go as soon as possible, we urge the Government of Burma to cooperate with him, and we have said that we want him to come back to the Council after his visit and report so that we can take appropriate decisions.
Reporter: Do you plan to reintroduce the resolution again in the Security Council?
Ambassador Khalilzad: I beg your pardon?
Reporter: Do you plan to reintroduce the resolution that was in general last year, this year early?
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, we are where we are as I told you, as the sequencing is. We have urged him to go to Burma as soon as possible, the government to cooperate, and for him then to come back and then we’ll take it from there.
Reporter: Sir, you’ve discussed today the Middle East and you listened to Mr. Pascoe. There’s been some concerns expressed about Israel’s decision to declare Gaza a “hostile entity,” but it seems that the United States supports this decision. How do you respond to these concerns, sir? Humanitarian ones?
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, today we had a good report from the Undersecretary General on the Middle East. We commented on two issues: one, Israel/Palestinian issues and second on the issue of Lebanon. On the first one, we’ve taken note of some of the positive developments.  The discussions between Prime Minister Omert and President Abbas. The establishment of teams by the two sides to follow up, to memorialize agreements and discussions between them. We’ve also took note of the fact that there will be Quartet meetings here and with the Arab League participation in the Iftar that the Secretary of State of the United States is there in the region yesterday and today talking to the Palestinian and Israeli leaders. In order to prepare not only for the meetings here, but also for the meeting, the conference that President Bush has proposed. We believe that a two-state resolution is the right solution for the situation. With regard to Gaza, in particular, of course we believe that what happened, a mass takeover of Gaza was illegal. Our views with regards to Hamas, those views are well known with regard that as a hostile entity, but we have concerns with regard to the humanitarian situation of the people of Gaza. We will not abandon them, we will work with Israel to deal with the humanitarian situation there and prevent a humanitarian crisis. 
 Reporter: Mr. Ambassador…..Mr. Ambassador…
Ambassador Khalilzad: Oh, Lebanon, Lebanon, thank you. Of course we are shocked and saddened and appalled by the assassination yesterday and this is part of a pattern and we are concerned about the cross border arms coming across. We are concerned about the interference in Lebanese affairs, we want the election of the president to take place on time according to the Lebanese constitution. And we condemn any and all efforts to destabilize Lebanon and right now as I am out here talking with you my colleagues are working. I’ve got my deputy sitting there also to produce a statement that should be available relatively soon. 
Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, you mentioned the situation in Gaza and I know that there is concern about the cutting off of Gaza, can you describe the concern that was also expressed which Ambassador Sawersmentioned about the repeated firing of missiles into the Northern Negev, particularly around Sderot.
Ambassador Khalilzad: We did take not of that and several other colleagues I think generally commented on it and that is that rocket attacks, these missile attacks from Gaza into Israel must stop. That was a broad agreement and I don’t want to speak for others but several colleagues I remember during the period that I was in the room mentioning that.
Reporter: Ambassador, what do you hope will be achieved by the meeting on Darfur tomorrow?
Ambassador Khalilzad: Well, we are obviously focused very much on Darfur and the course of the meetings tomorrow will be to take account of progress in terms of the implementation of the hybrid resolution with regard to the establishment of the hybrid force. We are of course concerned that the timeline and benchmarks not slip and the TCCs have been completed, it is with the African Union. We would like expedited acceptance by the African Union. We understand that the character of the force has to be African but there are – it’s a UN/AU force, it’s going to be supported by the general budget. It has been understood from the beginning that there will be complementary non-African forces and capabilities available to complement the predominantly African character. We will also discuss and take note of and assess the other two tracks, the political and the humanitarian tracks and we urge, I think everyone will urge all parties to participate and to cease any kind of military activity in preparation for those meetings as well as to take measure of where we are on the humanitarian track. Thank you very much
Reporter: (inaudible) How do you expect the Iran Resolution to be discussed?
Ambassador Khalilzad: There will be discussions on Iran in Washington in the coming days and then obviously here. We are of the view that the time has come given the non-compliance of Iran with two Security Council Resolutions to bring more pressure to bear through additional sanctions. The action has not yet been transferred to New York, to the Security Council on this. I expect that that will happen in the coming few weeks. Thank you very much.