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I will use opportunity of this gathering to engage with world leaders on this tragedy,
including humanitarian assistance for the more than 2 million refugees and 4.2 million
Syrians who have been displaced internally. It is imperative to end this war.
Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen. Now I would be happy to take one or two questions.
On behalf of the UN Correspondents Association, thank you, Secretary-General, for the briefing,
and we wish you well on the G20 meeting. My question is, since you are talking about an
end to impunity and you are also talking about the primacy of the Charter, which would prohibit
any military strike without UN Security Council authorization and with a stalemate in the
Security Council, what is it that you are proposing? What's in the toolbox of the UN
to avoid that kind of confrontation to end impunity and do you think the inspectors report
will be out before the U.S. Congress convenes? Thank you.
As I have repeatedly said, the Security Council has primary responsibility for international
peace and security. For any course of actions in the future, depending upon the outcome
of the analysis, the scientific analysis, will have to be considered by the Security
Council for any action. That's my appeal -- that everything should be handled within the framework
of the United Nations Charter. The use of force is lawful only when in exercise of self-defense
in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and/or when the Security Council
approves such action. That is the firm principle of the United Nations. And as I said again
for your second question, our mandate to investigate the other allegations of chemical use remains
unchanged and when we are ready, we will send, dispatch, our mission again to Syria for the
final report. The timing will have to be considered later on, depending upon the situation.
Do you mean, Secretary-General, that the position taken by President Obama that in his opinion
there should be a strike is illegal, and why did you agree, or your team, agree to limit
the mandate of the investigation team to only, as you put it, the nature and extent of, rather
than if the team has information as to who is responsible. Was this what the Syrian Government
insisted or stipulated before agreeing to the protocol?
I have taken note of President Obama's statement. And I appreciate his efforts to have his future
course of action based on the broad opinions of American people, particularly the Congress,
and I hope this process will have a good result. And as for other issues, I have clearly stated
my positions on the other issues, pertaining to this chemical weapons use.
But who put the limits on the mandate? Is it the Syrian Government? What is the mandate
of the team, of Sellström's team, is not identified, so who put such limitations, on
the mandate? Was it the Secretariat when it negotiated, was it the Syrian Government or
was it the Security Council?
This is the United Nations' decision and my decision. The mandate of this team is to determine
the use of chemical weapons -- whether there was or not the use of chemical weapons. It's
not to determine who has used against whom. We do not have that kind of mandate at this
time. So it's not... one may think it is a limit, but this is based on the recognized
standards of the international community. We've been working very closely with the OPCW
and the WHO. Thank you very much. I have to rush to the
airport at this time. I hope you will understand. Thank you.
He'll have a press conference in September with the start of the G8,.
We must reach more people and stop this war agenda, here's a link to the Representative
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