Original Source: https://mail.hudsonny.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp \t _blank http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp
Date: February 23, 2006
 
New York, 23 February 2006 - Secretary-General's press encounter on Human Rights Council and other issues
SG: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. 
You have all seen the President's statement and the document [on the Human Rights Council], and my own statement on the Human Rights issue. If you have any questions I would be happy to take them. 
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, in his statement just recently, the American Ambassador Mr. [John] Bolton expressed several reservations about the proposal which has just been made by the President of the General Assembly. And you have in your statement, of course, stressed that this should be passed [inaudible] and we should not waste it. You are going to be talking to Mr. Bolton. What do you have to say to him? 
SG: I think the President has to be congratulated. I think Mr. [Jan] Eliasson has done a great job with pressing ahead with the mandate given to him by the Member States to discuss with delegations and come up with a detailed proposal for establishing the Human Rights Council. I think, obviously, the proposal isn't everything that I had asked for in my Report, but I think it is a credible basis to move ahead. There are enough new elements in it for us to be able to build on. I don't think anyone can claim that this is old wine in a new bottle. You have the capacity to have a peer review of all the member states. You also have a basis for intervening in real time in the problems around the world. We will also have a Commission that will be able to assist governments help strengthen their institutional capacity and work with them in improving their human rights record. I think on the whole, we have a very good basis to move forward. Yes, it's not everything we asked for, but I think it is a credible basis to push ahead and we must congratulate Mr. Eliasson for the work that he has done and now it is up to the other Member States to work with him to ensure that we do get a Human Rights Council established. 
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, in your statement you said it's not exactly what you wanted. What are the elements that you wanted to be in, and they are not reflected in this draft? 
SG: Oh, I think one example was my suggestion that members should be elected by two thirds vote. But one has to take the broader picture. There are lots of elements which have been brought in by the President which I think collectively adds to the quality of the Council that we would like to see established, and I think we should look at it in broad terms and not at individual elements. 
Q: If I may change the topic for a while. How concerned are you about the situation in Iraq now, and do you think the Security Council ought to hold a special session after the killing of Arab journalists in Iraq, as it had done in the case of Lebanese journalists who were killed in Lebanon? 
SG: The situation in Iraq is extremely worrying. I was shocked and chagrined by the attack on the Mosque. I have appealed for restraint, as other leaders have, and I am happy to see that the Iraqi leaders themselves are coming together to see what can be done to calm the situation. I hope they will work together in the common interest of Iraq, and in the interest of their own citizens who have suffered for far too long, through the violence of the past few years. 
I think, on the question of the killing of the journalists, let me offer my offer my own deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the journalists and all concerned. But let me say that, whether the Council should issue a statement or not, is something that the Council will have to decide. I know we will be discussing Iraq and this will be one of the issues that will be brought to their attention; they have all read about it. Whether they issue a statement or not will be up to them. 
Q: Sur le Darfur, il y a une resolution américaine qui est entrain d'être négociée pour que l'ONU prenne le relais des forces de l'Union africaine au Darfur, et si le gouvernement soudanais n'est pas d'accord pour que l'ONU intervienne quelle autre possibilité avez- vous Monsieur Secrétaire général? 
SG: Je sais que pour le moment le gouvernement soudanais n'est pas d'accord mais j'espère qu'on va pouvoir le convaincre. Pas seulement l'ONU mais je compte les leaders africains de travailler avec nous pour convaincre le gouvernement soudanais pour accepter l'aide de la communauté internationale. Franchement, s'ils [avaient] pu maîtriser la situation, protéger la population, ça ne [serait] pas nécessaire de déployer une force internationale. 
Q: Sir, we lost three journalists today in Al Arabiya. I heard your condolences and thank you so much. We have lost more than 65 journalists in Iraq; 45 of these are Iraqis. There are three Iraqis kidnapped. There is one American kidnapped. We don't hear much about the Iraqi journalists who are kidnapped, unfortunately. Something must be done – by the Security Council, the United Nations. The Iraqi security forces are unable to protect Iraqi journalists. They are dying to tell the story. But something has to be done, don't you think? 
SG: Let me say that I am worried about all the deaths that have taken place in Iraq. We have seen innocent civilians, journalists who are there to do their work, who get killed. Humanitarian workers and a range of Iraqis, and I think the violence and the destruction has to stop. Of course it is a peculiarly violent action when journalists who are there to tell the story are killed for just trying to do their work. Whether the Council should come up with a statement on them and the attacks against journalists, as I have indicated, is something that the Council will have to decide when we discuss this issue. But let's think about it. You have made a suggestion; let's see what can be done. 
Q: Getting back to the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Bolton indicated that he wanted to reopen the negotiations - intergovernmental ones without the facilitators. Do you think that system would work? 
SG: General Assembly President Eliasson has had extensive consultations with the Member States. I myself have had the chance to talk to lots of Member States - individually and in groups. Mr. Eliasson is a very patient person, and I think he only puts his proposal on the table as demanded of him by the heads of state, when he came to the conclusion that negotiations and discussions have been exhausted. Really, I think he really did whatever he could. I would suggest that the Member States have had enough time to discuss it; the issues are known, and now is the time for a decision. 
Q: Mr. Secretary-General, as a follow up on the journalists, before I ask my question on [Serge] Brammertz and Syria. Is it not time that we can think of a formula, of a way, whether it is your initiative or somebody else's, to start really to protect journalists worldwide, whether from assassination or being targeted. Isn't it time? Would you consider launching an idea or launching some think tank about how do we protect journalists, since we see our lives seem to be much cheaper than others in this situation? I would appeal to you to think about that. 
My question is actually about Brammertz in Syria today. What did he accomplish? Why was it a constructive and good meeting, as your spokesman said? Whom did he see and what is the next round of meetings that he referred to? Did he meet President [Bashar al-] Assad by the way? 
SG: Let me say that I take note of your suggestion, and this is something that I will look at. 
On the issue of Brammertz, I haven't got a full report from him yet, and I cannot provide answers to the questions that you ask. I do not know what the next set of interviews are going to be, but it will not be very long that he will have to come here. We may have to brief the Council, give a report to the Council, and all these things will become apparent. 
Q: Can we presume that we can get a report, [inaudible] mainly the specifics that you will take the questions…? 
SG: I think, if I get the report, I will have to make a judgment – if I can share everything in the report, or what I can share. We shouldn't forget that it is an ongoing investigation and we should try not to say things or do things that will interfere with its work. If there is anything in it that we can share, we will share it with you.<