PRESS ENCOUNTER WITH KOFI ANNAN
UN SECRETARY GENERAL

UNITED NATIONS

November 13, 2002

Excerpts

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Q: Mr. Secretary-General, is it your opinion, Sir, that with this letter, Iraq is in compliance with paragraph 9 of [Resolution] 1441, that they have stated their intention to comply with the Resolution?

SG: Yes, Iraq has accepted. I think that the word, the acceptance and inviting the inspectors to come in is there, so we take it that they have accepted it, and Mr. [Hans] Blix and his team will go in on the 18th and begin their work actively.

Q: So, they have met the first deadline of Resolution 1441?

SG: Yes.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, is it your impression, some in the Administration say, "Look, we've heard this before." What is your level of confidence that things are different now? Or are they?

SG: I think we - we all have to be a bit patient. The inspectors will be there in a few days, within a week, they will be there by the 18th and we are going to test it.

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Q: I am confused about what constitutes a “material breach” for the UN resolution. Did you get from the President Bush the feeling that he will be patient, or “zero tolerance” policy?

SG: I think the resolution is clear as to what the inspectors have to do and the reporting procedures to the Council. Of course the President is determined that the disarmament will take place and that we should press ahead with our plans.

Q: To what extent do you feel that the Iraqi acceptance of the UN resolution has delayed military action?

SG: I think the issue is not the acceptance, but performance on the ground. It's the performance on the ground and so, let the inspectors go in, and I urge the Iraqis to cooperate with them and to perform and I think that is the real test we are all waiting for.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, the language in the letter, as you know, is quite bombastic. It includes a paragraph at the end in which Naji Sabri says that he will outline to you in a further letter what he believes are illegalities in resolution1441. Does that give you some sort of indication that they are going to start playing games?

SG: I will wait to see whether it is an indication that they are going to play games, or is a message they are sending to their own people. I really don't know. What is important is that the resolution is mandatory. The resolution went into force the moment it was adopted and the inspectors are going to go there and do their work and they have to comply and we will see what happens when they are on the ground.

Q: The Iraqi Ambassador said today that Iraq has nothing to fear because it has no weapons of mass destruction. Based on everything you have seen, intelligence that has been shared with you, do you believe that to be a truthful statement, that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction?

SG: I really can't answer that question, until the inspectors come back. This is precisely why the inspectors are going back in, and with a new strengthened mandate, I hope they will be able to search and go wherever they want to do their work and come back and report to the Council, and that is why they are going. That is their mandate, to come back and certify whether Iraq has, or has no weapons of mass destruction.

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