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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:Remarks at Joint Press Encounter with President Heinz Fischer

Vienna, 16 February 2012

SG: Thank you your Excellency President Fischer for your kindhospitality and kind welcome. I always feel at home whenever I cometo Vienna not because I was serving as Ambassador many years agobut because this is another home of the United Nations. The UN officein Vienna is one of the four largest missions in the world. And Im verygrateful for such strong support and commitment of the AustrianGovernment and people for multilateralism in working together withthe United Nations in keeping peace and security and on development

and human rights issues.

Ladies and gentlemen. Guten morgen und Grss Gott. Its a greatpleasure to meet you today.

Vienna is the place where we carry out vitally important work on someof the leading global challenges of our time.

This morning I participated in the Third Ministerial Meeting oncombating the illegal drug trade in Afghanistan and its neighbors.

Tomorrow morning I will help commemorate the 15th anniversary ofthe Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Austria plays a lead and vital role in the global fight against drugtrafficking and organized crime. Austrias active participation in andsupport for the Paris Pact conference particularly demonstrated intodays Third Ministerial Meeting of the Paris Pact Partners is greatlyappreciated.

President Fischer and I covered many important issues, global issues

and visionary issues in our wide ranging discussions.

We also discussed the protection of civilians, particularly the need tohelp UN peacekeeping missions to discharge their mandates in thisarea more effectively.

Defense Minister Darabos, President Fischer and I discussed thecurrent situation in the Golan Heights where Austria is now sending


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the largest contingent to UNDOF. I am receiving daily reports fromthe Force Commander of UNDOF and they are now on full alert takingall necessary preparations considering what is happening in Syria.

We also discussed the rule of law, an issue that Austria and President

Fischer has been very active in promoting at the United Nations.

I know this is something to which President Fischer attaches greatimportance, and I look forward to seeing President Fischer in New Yorkin September for the General Assemblys High Level Meeting on theRule of Law the first such event of its kind on this subject.

I also thanked President Fischer for Austrias strong support of humanrights and also human security. Their contribution in the HumanRights Council is very much appreciated. And I expressed gratitudefor Austrias continued commitment to promoting peace anddevelopment in the Western Balkans, including Austrias successfulintegration of 80,000 refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Iunderstand that President Fischer is also taking a very importantinitiative of visiting those countries including Croatia soon.

We also discussed Libya, Iran and the Middle East peace process.

On Syria, I continue to be gravely concerned at the level of violenceand mounting loss of life.

I call again on the Syrian government to comply with internationalhumanitarian law and immediately end the shelling and use of forceagainst civilians.

The High Commissioner for Human Rights told the General Assemblyon Monday, February 13th, that Syrian security forces have killed wellover 5,400 people last year -- men, women, childrenmilitarypersonnel who refuse to shoot civilians.

Thousands more are reported missing; 25,000people have fled to

other countries; and more than 70,000 are estimated to have beeninternally displaced.

Every day those numbers rise. We seen neighborhoods shelledindiscriminately. Hospitals used as torture centers. Children as youngas ten years old jailed and abused. We see almost certain crimesagainst humanity.


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The lack of agreement in the Security Council does not give thegovernment license to continue this assault on its own people.

The longer we debate, the more people will die.

During recent days, I have been meeting and speaking with worldleaders in New York and here in Vienna.

Yesterday, I had a telephone talks with Foreign Minister AhmetDavutolu of Turkey. I am going to have a series of bilateral meetingswith Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of Russia and Alain Juppof France, also Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger of Austria andothers.

As you are well aware, the General Assembly is going to adopt a draftresolution to back up the Arab League efforts.

The UN Secretariat and myself is now considering all the necessaryoptions once either the General Assembly or the Security Council takesa decision on Syria.

I commend the continued efforts of the League of Arab States to stopthe violence and to seek a peaceful resolution of the crisis that meetsthe democratic and legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.

Once again, I urge the international community to speak in one voice:

Stop the violence. Stop the bloodshed.

On Sudan, I have been increasingly concerned by the lack of progressin negotiations on post-independence issues.

The situation is both complex and precarious.

That is why I welcome the signing earlier this week of a Memorandumof Understanding on Non- Aggression and Cooperation between theGovernments of Sudan and South Sudan.

I urge both Governments to maintain the positive spirit that led to thisstep.

Neither country can afford a relapse into war.

Any breakdown in trust will have profound humanitarianconsequences.


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I will continue to do my utmost to avoid any further escalation andhelp both sides to reach agreements on all outstanding issues.

Thank you very much. Danke schoen.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, you have repeatedly stressed theimportance of a Security Council resolution condemning the Assadregime in Syria. This afternoon, as you said, you have the possibility totalk to Mr. Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Russia. What are you goingto tell him concerning this matter? And what can a country like Austriado to support a solution in this crisis or in this civil war, as you mightcall it? Thank you.

SG: It was a regrettable thing that the Security Council was not ableto take the draft resolution taking coherent, and in one voice, oneaction but now this is behind us. We have to look for the future. Thenwe will discuss and assess the current situation what is happening inSyria. Foreign Minister Lavrov was himself in Syria discussing thismatter seriously with President Assad and I appreciate such personalefforts. But what is important at this time is how the internationalcommunity led by the United Nations can formulate the politicalframework where there will be a ceasefire, there will be an end of theviolence and discuss how this situation could be resolved peacefullywithout causing any further violence to the people. The secondimportant issue, and that is even more important at this time, how to

provide humanitarian assistance to many people who have beenaffected, who really need support from the international community.We have a serious access problem we will discuss together with theworld leaders how we can establish the humanitarian access. TheOffice of the Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations, OCHA, isnow discussing this matter, taking all necessary measures to havesome forward logistic support framework. We need support from thewhole international community and there will be another importantmeeting Friends of Syria on February24th in Tunisia. I hope thisconference will also provide a political framework as well as how we

can work on humanitarian support. These are all issues which I wouldlike to have a very close coordination and discussions with ForeignMinister Lavrov and also with Foreign Minister Alain Jupp of France.

Q: Mr. Secretary-General, how do you view President Assadsannouncement of a referendum on the constitution?


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SG: I read that in the report. Its their decision to have a referendumbut what is his important at this time is that first the Syrian authoritiesmust stop killing their own people, must stop violence. And thisviolence should stop from all sides whether by national security forcesor by opposition forces. We are working on this political framework,

this may be one of the elements which should be included, how theyare going to have, what kind of a political system in future theyshould have, this referendum may be one of them. But what is mosturgently needed at this time is first stop the violence and then discussin an inclusive manner their political future and at the same time inparallel with this we should be able to provide humanitarian assistanceto many people who really need the medical support, who really needall this basic necessary things.

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