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SG: Distinguished members of the press, good afternoon,

 

 

 

Namaste ji. Kya hal hai? (Greetings. How are you?)

 

Mera naam Ban Ki-moon hai. (My name is Ban Ki-moon)

 

 

 

Before I begin my press conference, as I mentioned in my statement yesterday, I would like to express my deep sorrow and sympathy to the Government and people of India, for the loss of life and destruction caused by the series of bombings in Assam. I strongly condemn such acts of terrorism targeting civilians. There can be absolutely no justification whatsoever for such indiscriminate violence.

 

 

 

 

 

It fills me with pleasure, and a sense of history, to have arrived in India on the 63rd anniversary of your country's admission into the United Nations. I was only a year old when India became a UN Member State, and it is truly impressive how much this country has achieved since then, as a leading voice in the developing world, as a long-established democracy and as a growing economic power.

 

 

 

I particularly appreciate India's contribution to UN peacekeeping operations around the world. India is currently providing more than 8,000 military personnel, making it the third-largest troop contributor. This country's contribution has helped to make our peacekeeping operations more effective in some of the world's toughest places, from the former Yugoslavia a decade ago to the Democratic Republic of the Congo today.

 

 

 

Just last week, the entire world could measure India's progress simply by looking up at the night sky, knowing that India had successfully launched its first mission to the Moon. I wish India every success as that space mission proceeds; this achievement is truly one for the entire world, as we all stand to benefit from the scientific research that the Chandrayaan spacecraft will make. I have no doubt that India will continue to advance peace and stability in the region as it will contribute to advancing the peaceful uses of outer space.

 

 

 

I have also been impressed by India's progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. I am concerned, however, that the recent global food price hike has slowed this progress and the MDGs will be adversely affected. This is why I have been calling on the industrialized countries to make sure that the financial crisis does not affect their commitment to supporting developing nations as we all try to make sure that the Millennium Development Goals can be implemented on schedule. I will continue to push that issue next month, during the Financing for Development Conference in Doha.

 

 

 

I am delighted to have met with so many senior leaders of Indian government, including President [Pratibha] Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister [Pranab] Mukherjee, during my brief visit here. I also had a good discussion on climate change with a group of leading CEOs led by Dr. Pachauri. Our discussions have reaffirmed my belief that, as India reaps the benefit of its economic growth and its commitment to democracy, it stands ready to play a greater role on the world stage –one in which it can use the wisdom that its people have amassed over the millennia to promote democracy, multilateralism, tolerance and self-reliance and reinforce universal values which are so much part of India's cultural fabric.

 

 

 

Finally I want to thank the government and people of India for the warm welcome you have extended for my visit and to the United Nations as a whole. I am extremely grateful to India for its strong support to the United Nations in many areas. I want to stress that India has been, and still is, a very engaged partner in international affairs. �鶹��ý counts on India as an enduring partner in facing ever more complex global challenges.

 

 

 

Before I take your questions, let me pay tribute to the late Indira Gandhi, who died 24 years ago today and who showed how far women can go, even in a world that has a long way to go in ensuring their equal rights.

 

 

 

I will be happy to answer your questions.

 

 

 

Dhanyavad. Thank you.

 

 

 

Q: Can you give us a sense of your discussions yesterday with Indian leaders and the discussions you had today, specifically on climate change and on Myanmar. Yesterday, you talked about a greater Indian role in Myanmar. What kind of role are you expecting from India? Second, what is happening in UN reforms, in particular the expansion of the Security Council -- as you know that India has been pressing for inclusion as a permanent member. What is your stand on that?

 

 

 

SG: First of all, yesterday, as I said, I had very fruitful discussions with CEOs who are members of the World Business Council. In addressing many global issues like climate change and the developmental agenda, it is absolutely necessary - the lesson which I learned as Secretary-General during the last almost two years - is that we need to have tripartite partnerships: the government -- in my case the United Nations, then business communities and civil communities. Business leaders can play a much more important role than one might have thought in this globalized era. Their contribution will be very important. In fact, many business leaders around the world have taken an initiative called “Caring for Climate Change.” Many Indian business leaders have taken part in this. Dr. Pachauri -- I don't need to explain any further about him or his contribution -- has done a great deal towards the broad consensus-building process in climate change. The scientists have made it plainly clear: there is no doubt about how far and whether this climate change is happening. It is accelerating more than anybody may think at this time. I have listened to their experiences -- how these individual business leaders from different sectors can contribute to have clean energy, to contribute to the research and development on renewable and alternate sources of energy and how they can lead by example in cutting and in reducing green-house gas emissions. In each and every sector they can play a very important role. Even a small change in your lifestyle can make a great difference.

 

 

 

These are very important lessons.

 

 

 

I hope distinguished members of the media, when you go back to your home, to your office, try to change your lifestyle. Last summer, in the United Nations, I introduced for the first time an initiative to raise by 2 degrees centigrade the room temperature in the conference halls as well as in the offices. This resulted in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the amount equivalent to 710 trans-Atlantic round trips by air. This is significant. This is a small step but has made a big difference. I hope you can also do this in your offices and in your homes. I am very much committed to first of all raising awareness of this issue. I have been quite successful at this. And now, this climate change issue has become everybody's and every country's agenda. People understand, but the only difference is what and how they can contribute.

 

 

 

In that regard the very practical leadership, very strong political leadership of India will be extremely and crucially important in helping the international community's efforts to agree on a globally acceptable agreement replacing the Kyoto Protocol that we must all agree to by the end of December next year in Copenhagen. This agreement should be a very balanced and inclusive and ratifiable one in setting targets and addressing how the international community can help developing countries so that they can get on board this global effort. That is my firm commitment and I count on India's strong and active participation. I had a very good meeting with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on this issue.

 

 

 

Second, on the reform of the Security Council - this is by far one of the most important reform agendas of the United Nations. Considering the tremendous and dramatic changes in the international political scene during the last six decades since the inception of the United Nations, it is necessary, and everybody agrees, to see the enlarged UN Security Council to be more representative and more democratic. There have been very intensive discussions among the Member States during the last few years and in September this year at the concluding session of the 62nd session of the General Assembly, Member States adopted by consensus a resolution that they should engage in an informal negotiation process at the plenary level. This is a very important change of positions and attitudes among the Member States.

 

 

 

As Secretary-General, I would support any measures and initiatives that can truly represent in a democratic and representative way the enlargement of the Security Council. I sincerely hope that the Member States exercise and demonstrate their political leadership and flexibility so that they are able to agree on a formula that is agreed to and accepted by all members.

 

 

 

Q: Secretary-General, I'd like to ask you here about the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The situation there has been described as a humanitarian catastrophe. My question has two parts. What should be done now to prevent that catastrophe from getting worse and the second question is about UN peacekeepers there. Their mandate empowers them to engage the rebel forces to protect civilians. Should they do that, and are more peacekeepers required?

 

 

 

SG: That's a very important question. Very serious situations are now taking place in DRC. I have been very heavily engaged in my discussions with the leaders in Africa, the European Union and America. Even during my brief stay in India, I have been speaking with many leaders. During the last two days, I have been speaking with President [Paul] Kagame [of Rwanda], already twice, and I have been speaking with President [Joseph] Kabila [of DRC] and with President [Jakaya] Kikwete who the President is of Tanzania and also the President of the African Union and with Chairman Jean Ping of African Commission and Secretary of State (Condoleezza Rice) and Foreign Secretary [David Miliband] of Britain and all other relevant major key players. While in India, I have been very heavily engaged in this process and I am deeply concerned. Fortunately, General Laurent Nkunda of the CNDP has declared a ceasefire. This ceasefire should be kept and the international community, African leaders, particularly those in the region, should take very concrete measures so that this ceasefire can be maintained as it is now and there should be a disengagement of the forces from there.

 

 

 

It's a very threatening situation now. Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons are now suffering. Because of active fighting, we had been limited in providing assistance. Now with the ceasefire in place, we have already mobilized all necessary humanitarian agencies to provide assistance. Now there should be an ongoing political process, as I have been doing with key world leaders to keep this ceasefire as well as the disengagement in place.

 

 

 

I have dispatched on an urgent basis my envoy, Assistant Secretary-General Haile Menkerios to Rwanda and another Assistant Secretary-General of DPKO - Peacekeeping Operations - Mr. Edmund Mulet who is in DRC, meeting with President Kabila and President Kagame, respectively. I sincerely hope that we will be able to first of all contain this situation and look more closely at how we can ensure that the Nairobi Communiqué and the Goma Process should be implemented. We must ensure and I urge the leaders in the region to take the necessary measures, and I also urge General Nkunda of CNDP to disengage and keep the ceasefire declaration which he has made and engage in dialogue. We will do our utmost to address these issues.

 

 

 

Now about this role of the United Nations mission in the Congo - MONUC. MONUC has been playing a very important role, a crucial role - in trying to manage the situation through our disengagement proposals and through our direct engagement with General Nkunda and other leaders in the region, DRC and Rwanda.

 

 

 

But clearly there are some limitations to the UN mission there. Although the mission is mandated by the Security Council to exercise necessary measures to protect civilians in extremely difficult cases, but there is a certain limit. United Nations is not partial to any side; we cannot be seen as such. We have been very much concerned by demonstrations and physical attacks on the United Nations mission by Congolese civilians. This comes purely because of some misunderstanding on their part. �鶹��ý is there to maintain peace and stability. We are trying to help first of all, to diffuse and disengage this situation.

 

 

 

I will continue to engage myself until such time that we see the situation stabilized.

 

 

 

Now, there was an idea of sending more forces there, but we need first of all to have an agreement and mandate and authorization by the Security Council. I understand that the European Union is now considering dispatching multinational forces on an urgent basis. I sincerely hope that they will be able to agree, but according to a report I received, there has been some disagreement among some member States of the European Union. I understand that they are now looking at this issue again.

 

 

 

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, will you go to Burma, Myanmar? What do you expect from it? Do you expect that you will meet the Burmese military junta head, Senior General Than Shwe, and Aung San Suu Kyi?

 

 

 

SG: I visited Myanmar last May, at the time of Cyclone Nargis, on humanitarian assistance. At that time, I made a breakthrough in allowing the humanitarian assistance to flow in. Until now, the United Nations, in close coordination with ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) partners and the Myanmar authorities, has been providing immediately needed humanitarian assistance. I have not received any major complaints on this, and this humanitarian assistance will continue with the strong support from the international community.

 

 

 

More importantly, now the interest of the international community is political, and the democratization process of Myanmar. I hope that Myanmar authorities, particularly the leaders, should look at the future of their people and of the country. This is absolutely necessary at this time. They should accelerate their democratization process, including the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. I intend to continuously be engaged at my level and through my Special Adviser, as mandated by the General Assembly of the United Nations and I am considering visiting Myanmar again, but I am looking at when would be the appropriate timing. I am planning to go there when the political atmosphere is right, including the accelerated democratization process in Myanmar. In the meantime, I hope that the Indian Government, as a neighbouring country, will also help in facilitating this democratization process. I was assured by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and also the President and the Foreign Minister that the Indian Government will be continuously engaged in helping Myanmar's democratization process in close coordination with the United Nations.

 

 

 

Q: What is your reaction on the aggression by US forces on Syrian territory, killing eight civilians and four of them from one family? They are unarmed and they are innocent.

 

 

 

SG: The situation in the Middle East and particularly in that region is a very, very important one. Some people even say that the situation in Lebanon and Syria is a kind of microcosm of the situation in the Middle East. In that regard, any unintended or unwanted situation taking place is not desirable.

 

 

 

There has been an encouraging development of the situation in that region. Now we should really nurture this very fragile political process. We should really keep this encouraging development of the situation and keep the momentum sustained. Therefore, I would urge all the parties in the region to be very much conscious of the fragility of this process. The recent announcement by the Syrian and Lebanese Governments to normalize their diplomatic relations, including the delineation of the border and demarcation issues and also the indirect talks with the Israel and ongoing dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians -- those are all very important developments of the situation, which are encouraging and positive. We must help this process continue without any obstacles. In that regard, I would really appeal to all the countries in the region to nurture this process.

 

 

 

Q: Aren't you disappointed that democratic India is not doing enough for Myanmar? How disappointed are you?

 

 

 

SG: India has been actively and very constructively participating and helping Myanmar's democratization process. Last month, I convened a high-level meeting in the United Nations of the Friends of the Secretary-General on the Myanmar situation. India was represented, at a very high level; Foreign Secretary Menon represented India, and he made a very good contribution. And my discussion today and yesterday with Indian Government leaders on the situation in Myanmar is encouraging. I was assured of the Indian Government's commitment.

 

 

 

Q: It is a question about India-Pakistan. The two countries have a composite dialogue process and they also have the Simla Agreement. But what do you think is the relevance of the UN Military Observer Group in both the countries? Don't you think it is no longer relevant there? And about Benazir Bhutto's investigation, now what's your idea on that?

 

 

 

SG: India and Pakistan, as two very important countries in the sub-continent and as neighbouring countries, should continue to improve their relationship through dialogue and through exchanges and cooperation. I was encouraged by the recent meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President [Asif Ali] Zardari of Pakistan on the margins of the General Assembly of the United Nations. I also discussed this matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He is very much committed in continuing the dialogue and improving this relationship. This is very important.

 

 

 

At the same time, I am concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan, because of all this extremism and bombings and terrorist activities there. Neighbouring countries and the international communities should help so that Pakistan - one of the very important countries in this region –is able to enjoy genuine security and socio-economic development. I am encouraged by the commitment of the leaders of both the countries towards that direction. The recent opening of trade between India and Pakistan, as a result of summit meetings between the two countries, is very encouraging. I hope these exchanges and dialogue, as a part of the composite dialogue initiated by India, will continue to bear good results.

 

 

 

On the assassination of Madame Bhutto, I have had discussions with Pakistani authorities and President Zardari and I discussed this matter last month at the United Nations. �鶹��ý is ready to provide the necessary assistance in finding out about the case of the assassination of Madame Bhutto. Now we are discussing the modalities and scope and the financing of this Commission, but we still need to have some more time to finalize all the detailed matters. But basically, we stand ready to provide the necessary assistance to this Commission.

 

 

 

On UNMOGIP, during the last six decades, UNMOGIP has been playing a very important role in monitoring the border situation and peace and stability in this region. There is a new Force Commander, appointed by me, and I sincerely hope that with the active cooperation of the Indian Government as well as the Pakistani Government, this United Nations Observer Mission in India and Pakistan will be able to continue its mandated activities successfully.

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your attention. Thank you.