Source: http://www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press_releases/20080618_152.html http://www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/press_releases/20080618_152.html
Date: June 18, 2008

Remarks by Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Permanent Representative, on Zimbabwe, Sudan, Lebanon at the Security Council stakeout, June 18, 2008

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Good morning. We’ve had a busy morning in the Council. At present time there is a discussion going on with regards to a meeting on Zimbabwe. We have a request for a meeting, a briefing on the situation there. All indications are that things are not going well, whether you look at the humanitarian situation, whether you look at the political situation, it’s a country in crisis. So it’s very important for the Council to have a discussion, to take a look at where the country is, and consider what needs to be done. I believe that an overwhelming majority of the members of the Council would want to have a meeting, but there is still some opposition to a meeting before elections. So, my judgment is that a meeting is likely to be held. But I’d be glad to take your questions. 

Reporter:  Ambassador Williamson said yesterday that UNMIS has not lived up to its responsibilities in the case of Abyei. Is that position of the U.S. government or was he speaking his own opinion or - because there seems to be a little controversy.

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Well, there’s no question that we were disappointed by the lack of appropriate action in Abyei. And I believe this is, I don’t want to speak for them, this is a disappointment that is shared by the Secretariat as well. I think it’s very important that when so close to the military base of the mission, violence, including violence against civilians, takes place, that given the mandate, any reasonable interpretation of the mandate would have necessitated action. So, yes we are concerned about what happened.

Reporter:  You indicated, I believe, that the Security Council is likely to meet on Zimbabwe before the elections. What action do you expect the Council to take at that time?

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Well, I don’t want to pre-judge that. We want to hear a briefing, have a discussion, and see what is appropriate in the light of the briefing that we see. Speaking for the United States, certainly I listened to the Secretary-General’s report this morning, and he certainly is concerned about the violence against the opposition that puts at risk a fair election, so we want that violence to stop. Two, there is the humanitarian situation where even NGOs that provide critical assistance that the people of Zimbabwe need, and their suffering is increasing because of the mismanagement of the economy generally, and then the limitations that the government is putting in front of the NGOs who are looking after the people. They have to be removed immediately. At the minimum the Council will have to deal with those two issues. This is an important issue. Zimbabwe is an important country that is in crisis. What happens there affects not only the people there, but also affects the region. Therefore, the Security Council, given its responsibilities, cannot be indifferent to what happens there.

Reporter:  Do you expect Menkerios to even be back before the election?

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Of course the Secretary-General, as you know, spoke today that Menkerios had met with Mr. Mugabe, and he was going to meet with some others, we can have a briefing - he’s in touch with his superiors, his colleagues here. We can have a briefing from either his superiors or people who work with him to brief the Council. When he gets back we can have another session with him, so it isn’t necessary, in my view, to wait until he gets back. 

Reporter:  On Sudan, the SRSG, Qazi, has issued a statement saying that he doesn’t believe that what Ambassador Williamson said yesterday in the informal meeting with NGOs and the Security Council on Abyei, that it was regrettable, that the UNMIS contingent stayed in its garrison during the violence there.  And he said I’m sure that the statements attributed to Mr. Williamson’s views do not reflect the position of the U.S. government, can you confirm that this view…

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Well, I commented on this already because your colleague asked this, perhaps you weren’t here.  I said that there is broad disappointment that more was not done, or appropriate action was not taken in a timely manner.  And I think – I believe that that disappointment is reflected even inside the Secretariat.  So what Mr. Williamson said based on his own visit, to the area, he was there, reflected the reality as he saw it.  So we are disappointed.

Reporter: (inaudible) urge UNMIS to be more, I don’t know if aggressive is the word, but interpret its mandate a little more actively?

Ambassador Khalilzad:  I don’t know whether we need the Council to do it because the mandate has been reviewed and if you were to ask, I don’t want to speak for him, but if you were to ask Under-Secretary-General Guéhenno for example, he would, I hope tell you, because we’ve asked them and he has not said something that the mandate, the language of the mandate needs to be modified because they don’t have sufficient – there isn’t enough  in there in terms of authority to deal with situations such as Abyei that happen.  So therefore, given that, I don’t think we need to do something formal but certainly I think it is clear to folks in the Secretariat that what happened or what didn’t happen was a source of concern.  Thank you.  Yes?  Last one.

Reporter:  At the end of the month we expect 1701 report to come out from the Secretary-General.  Do you expect anything on Shebaa farms this time, since this issue has been raised?

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Well, you’ve heard our Secretary of State speak about that.  You’ve heard Israel’s statement about negotiating with Lebanon and I don’t know frankly what the report will say so I don’t want to guess.

Reporter: (inaudible) this issue?

Ambassador Khalilzad:  Well, it is an important issue, it is a relevant issue, it’s an important issue so we are – as to whether the report will deal with it, we all know – it is a well known fact that Shebaa is an issue that involves Israel, Lebanon and maybe others so - but I don’t know whether the report will specifically deal with it.  Thank you very much.