PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Briefing correspondents today on the Security Council’s schedule for February, its President for the month, Wang Guangya (China), said that, according to the Chinese calendar, today marked the beginning of the spring season, on whose good start a whole year’s work depended.  He hoped that augured well for the work of the Council this year.

Concerning the work programme for the month, which the Council had adopted this morning following consultations, he said a total of five public meetings and open briefings had been arranged.  Those were on:  the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK); the report of the Security Council mission to Central Africa; the Middle East; Timor-Leste; and Iraq. 

Consultations had been scheduled on topics such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia, and members would hear a private briefing by C. Gyude Bryant, Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia.  A few items had been put in the footnote, including Burundi, West Africa, the Counter-Terrorism Committee, and the working group on conflict prevention in Africa.  He would arrange meetings on those, as well as other, subjects, as required.

He said that conflict in Africa remained the focus of the Council’s attention.  Meanwhile, it would continue to follow closely the developments in the Middle East, Iraq, and other areas.  He hoped that, through its deliberations and actions on the aforementioned items, the Council would make a real contribution to furthering the cause of international peace and security.

Asked about his meeting earlier today with the Secretary-General, he said that, generally speaking, Mr. Annan had been very positive about the Council’s work programme and would offer new ideas as those arose.  Also discussed had been specific dates for a visit by the Secretary-General to China.

Responding to a series of questions on Iraq, he said that the issue of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) in Iraq was a sensitive one.  It still had a role to play, but at this stage, Council members might not have a common position on that.  Of course, the Commission’s expertise was always available.  As far as China was concerned, that chapter of the Iraq issue was best retrieved by a judgement from UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He said there were some differences among the members, but there were many things in common.  Every one wanted to see stability and peace returned to Iraq as early as possible, as well as the earliest transfer of sovereignty back to the Iraqi people.  Despite the differences of the past year, hopefully, the Council would be able to “push forward”, he added.

One year ago tomorrow, Colin Powell held up an anthrax jar to the Council, another correspondent recalled.  Had China seen that as an embarrassment for the United States? he asked.  He also asked whether there was any particular strategy about breakfast being served to Council members.

The Ambassador replied that providing a working breakfast by the presidency had become a Council tradition.  What was unique today had been the serving of a Chinese-style breakfast.  Food was part of the culture, and a taste of different cultures would promote better understanding among Council members.

Concerning the press reports about weapons of mass destruction and Iraq, he said that the past served as a lesson for Council members -– “the best way was to have a forward-looking approach, bridge our differences and work for the common good of the Iraqi people on the ground”.

To a question about whether China would move closer to the position of the United States and the United Kingdom on Iraq or to France and Russia, he stressed that a division in the Council would not help its work.  The best way to advance particular issues, such as Iraq, was for the Council, the “P-5” (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States), to become united.  China wanted to be as constructive as possible to bridge those differences.

Asked about the feeling of the “P-5” to involve UNMOVIC in Libya, as well as the Council’s view of nuclear weapons on the black market and reported links to Pakistan, he said that the Libya issue relating to weapons of mass destruction was not on the Council’s agenda, but on that of the IAEA.  The relevant draft being considered by the Council mainly dealt with the problems arising from non-State actors.  So far, no Member States had been mentioned.

He explained that, following the addresses to the General Assembly last September by Presidents Bush and Chirac and others, the Council took up the issue of mass destruction weapons.  Now, members, mostly from the “P-5”, were consulting.  That was an important issue, but that was the first time that the Council was considering a resolution on the subject.  In 1992, a statement of the Council had contained a mention of weapons of mass destruction proliferation.  The general view was that, after serious, patient, and careful consideration, the Council wanted to come up with a resolution that could be supported by all Council members.  China felt that the issue was a serious one, which deserved action by the international community and strengthened cooperation among all countries, big and small.

On the Middle East, he noted that a regular monthly briefing by the Secretariat had been scheduled for 18 February.  He agreed with the correspondent that the situation was “in bad shape” and added that the common position of all Council members was that that violence should be stopped.  In response to a question about a recent letter from Lebanon to the Council President, he said it would be circulated, as was customary, to all Council members.

Another correspondent asked if the desire of the French Ambassador to see a resolution creating a United Nations peacekeeping force in Côte d’Ivoire by

27 February was realistic, he said that the Council this morning had adopted a technical extension of the mandate.  The intention of some members and of the Secretariat was to have some peacekeeping operations deployed in that country.  But at this stage, Council members still did not have a common position on that.  Hopefully, that would be resolved in the coming few weeks.

Replying to a further question, he said the Secretariat and many African countries felt that the situation on the ground in Côte d’Ivoire needed the help of the international community.  China had supported the deployment of United Nations peacekeeping operations there, but, of course, the United States had a “slightly different position”.  He hoped those could be ironed out soon.

He added that China was already doing “quite a lot” in terms of providing troops on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia and, when its troops were ready and sufficiently trained, it would be ready to help the United Nations further in that regard.

Concerning the six-party talks on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to be held in Beijing on the 25th, he said he was glad the parties had finally agreed to a specific date to continue talks.  That was the second round.  The last one had been six months ago.  There was a common awareness among all of the parties directly concerned that, because of sensitivity of that particular issue, the best way to find a solution was through the six-party talks. 

He added that the issue was very complicated involving the North Korean nuclear programmes, on the one hand, and its concern about its own security, on the other hand.  It was not easy, therefore, to find a solution through one or two meetings.  That would be a long process, but the mere fact that all six parties had agreed to meet was a good indication.  He hoped that face-to-face discussions, particularly between the United States and North Korea, about their concerns would promote an atmosphere conducive to finding a solution in a step-by-step approach.

He said the meeting would serve at least two purposes:  the coming together of the parties face to face after six months; and addressing the fact that no action had been taken in the six months.  So, people were thinking about whether some informal mechanism could be created at an expert level, after conclusion of the second round, leading to the third.

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