PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

The most “delicate question” currently before the Security Council -– that of Iraq –- would be taken up in an open morning meeting on 7 March, this month’s President of the Council, Mamady Traore, Permanent Representative of Guinea, said this afternoon at Headquarters as he briefed correspondents on the programme of work.

He said even though there was previous agreement that the meeting would be closed, during “open and frank” consultations this morning it was decided to hold an open debate as Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France, Germany, Spain and Syria had confirmed their intention to attend and other Ministers might follow suit.  During the 7 March meeting, Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), Hans Blix, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed ElBaradei, would brief the Council and Council Members would express their views.  In the afternoon, the Council would address the matter in closed consultations.

Questions concerning Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone would also be an important part of this month’s programme, he said, as the continent had been plagued by one crisis after the other during the last 10 years.

On 18 March, the Council would organize a workshop –- attended by the Secretary-General and presided over by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea, Francois Lonseny Fall -- on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the use of mercenaries as a threat to peace and stability in Western Africa, he said.  That subregion had been beset with never-ending conflicts and civilians often fell victim to the use of small arms and light weapons, as a result of which the socio-economic development of the subregion was threatened.

Among other matters addressed by the Council this month would be the question of Timor-Leste, where the situation was deteriorating, Mr. Traore said.

Asked whether during the open meeting on Iraq the draft resolution submitted by the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain would be discussed, he replied that delegations might raise the issue then or during the following informal consultations.  No other meetings on Iraq were planned as of yet.

Asked about his country’s position on the question of Iraq he said, speaking in his national capacity, that his country had decided to think the question over and to wait for reports before taking a position.

In response to a question about the article in the Observer concerning alleged wire-tapping of Council member phones, he said he had no way of ascertaining whether his phone was tapped and that he had nothing to hide anyway.  “Frankly, I am not interested in the question”, he said.

When asked how he felt to be the Council’s President during a month that might turn out to be a historic one, he said he had a “serene outlook”.  He had prepared himself as well possible and would act with serenity and a sense of responsibility.  He could not rule out that the Iraqi issue might take on a different dimension over the course of the month.

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