19 Sep 2012

UN / BAN PRESSER

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today (19 September) told reporters he would use the upcoming high-level General Assembly session to personally press more than 120 world leaders to act on Syria. UNTV

Posted at: September 19, 2012 5:49 pm

Duration: 03:06

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STORY: UN / BAN PRESSER
TRT: 3.06
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 SEPTEMBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – 2011, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

19 SEPTEMBER 2012, NEW YORK

2. Wide shot, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon taking seat at press conference
3. Wide shot, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
"I'm going to have bi-lateral meetings with more than 120 leaders this time. Syria will be on top of my agenda. I believe that Syria will be top of every leader's mind. So we have to address this issue most urgently. I will appeal and urge the leaders that they should share sense of collective responsibility of the world leaders."
5. Med shot, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
"When they see injustice, they have to speak out. When they see such kind of intolerance happening, then all the leaders should speak in the same way. I know that there are some senseless people who really try to use this kind of opportunity, but that we have to guard against. Those kind of behaviours can be stopped, by reason, and when the international community is united at the leaders' level."
7. Med shot, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
"Now that there is no such progress at this time, I'm deeply concerned. That together with all continuing political instability in the region, this will be one of the key issues again during this General Assembly, when I'll be engaging with key concerned leaders."
9. Wide shot, journalists
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
"There are so many questions unanswered by the Iranian authorities. If they claim, insist that their nuclear programme is genuinely for peaceful purposes, that should be proven by the international community, by gaining the international trust and confidence."
11. Wide shot, journalists
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
"The aspiration of the Palestinian people to join the United Nations has been, you know, a long aspiration. And it has been long overdue."
13. Med shot, journalists
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
"Efforts must continue to build mutual trust and confidence to avoid tension in the region. I sincerely hope that leaders when they come to General Assembly will have an opportunity meeting themselves to discuss this matter amicably and peacefully."
15. Pan right, audience

STORYLINE:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today (19 September) told reporters he would use the upcoming high-level General Assembly session to personally press more than 120 world leaders to act on Syria.

The ongoing crisis in Syria, where over 18,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011, will be "top of my agenda", Ban said at a press conference ahead of the General Assembly's annual high-level debate.

Ban noted that the opening of the Assembly's sixty-seventh session takes place against a backdrop of widespread violence linked to intolerance, and condemned both "those who deliberately provoke others with hatred and bigotry" as well as "those who, in response to such provocations, fan those flames further still".

Asked what action he expected the General Assembly to take in this regard, he said he would urge all world leaders to "speak out" in a united way to stop both intolerance and those "who really try to use this kind of opportunity".

In response to a question on the Middle East peace process, Ban noted that he believed it should be addressed in a comprehensive way, but Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation should also play an important role. With "no such progress at this time" he said he was "deeply concerned". Together with continuing instability in the region, this would be one of the key issues during this General Assembly.

On Iran, the Secretary-General said there were "so many questions unanswered by the Iranian authorities" that "if they claim, insist that their nuclear programme is genuinely for peaceful purposes, that should be proven by the international community, by gaining the international trust and confidence."

Asked whether Palestine's expected request for non-member state observer status at the General Assembly was "helpful" or not, Ban said it had been a long-held aspiration of the Palestinian people to join the United Nations, and "it has been long overdue".

He added that he believed that process should come out of a negotiated settlement of the Middle East peace process. The Palestinian authorities filed for formal membership of the United Nations last year.

Asked about East Asia, the Secretary-General said he was "increasingly troubled" by rising tensions between China and Japan over territorial disputes. He said efforts must continue "to build mutual trust and confidence to avoid tension in the region". He "sincerely" hoped leaders would have an opportunity to meet and "discuss this matter amicably and peacefully" during the General Assembly in New York.

More than 120 world leaders are expected to take part in this year's general debate, which takes place from 25 September to 1 October. In addition, Ban will host a number of meetings on the margins of the debate, including on the rule of law, polio eradication, disarmament, sustainable energy and nutrition. He will also launch a new initiative, entitled 'Education First.'