U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan 72 Hour Delay

[DRTYFN]

I can't believe Dan rather hasn't been on the air complaining about this.


Q: Will you go to the region? Are you considering a trip? Can you update your statement at your end-of-the-year news conference regarding what a horrible year it was? And, describe looking at the images, I assume, on vacation, and whether you thought about coming back earlier and just what you were looking at. And the role of the United Nations after being bashed all year: is this, unfortunately on the back of horrible disaster, an opportunity for the United Nations?

SG: Let me say that at my last press conference, when I said this has been a horrible year, I didn't expect anything like this to happen before the year ended. It was bad enough up to that point. But this has been a real tragedy and disaster for those in that region.

Ever since the disaster struck, as I have indicated, I have been on the line with the leaders of the region, discussing what should be done and also been constantly in touch here with my team and Jan. And, of course, that also explains the reason why I am back now.

I think the United Nations has an important role to play, and we are going to play a lead role in this, working with the entire international community. And we have to rely on the generosity of the major donors. And as I have indicated, so far the response has been very good, and I would want to see it sustained.

I haven't planned an immediate trip, but it is not excluded.

Q: Mr. Secretary, picking up on Richard's question, I think a lot of people are asking exactly why you waited three days on vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before you decided to fly back to New York in the face of this extraordinary crisis. Could you give us a full explanation of your thinking on that? Secondly, what kind of signal does that 72-hour delay send to the nations to which you are now appealing for greater help?

SG: First of all, there was action. It wasn't inaction. We live in a world where you can operate from wherever you are. You know the world we live in now. You don't have to be physically here to be dealing with the leaders and the Governments I have been dealing with. You don't have to be physically here to be discussing with some of the agencies that we have done.

I came back here because we have reached a level that I wanted to have meetings with all the people that I have met with today. So, we have taken action. And I don't have to be sitting in my office to take action. I think the same goes for you in your profession.

Q: Given the magnitude of this disaster, shouldn't the United Nations, rather the United States, have taken the lead in establishing a coalition of donor and affected countries to deal with this disaster? And following up on the last two questions, shouldn't you, as Secretary-General, possibly be visiting the affected region to show moral support to the affected communities?

SG: First of all, on the question of how we pool the international community together, I think it is important that an initiative has been taken. We ourselves were discussing our possible initiative, but I applaud what has been done by the United States Government, by the United States Administration and President Bush. As I have said, we have spoken to other countries which are also going to join the group, and that group will be in support of the efforts that the United Nations is leading. So, we are very satisfied with that.

On the question of visits to the region, as I indicated, that is not excluded. But let me also say that we all need to be careful. When you have these sorts of massive emergencies, the urgent need is assistance to the people - shelter, food, water, health and other things. When we sometimes overwhelm them with high-profile visitors, we move people away from their work, and in fact we become more of a problem, an impediment, than actual assistance.

So, one should go to the region, but at the right time. Those who go to the region should make sure that they do not detract from the essential work that is being done, because it takes lots of efforts, and they have limited facilities. In some of these places, you often would not have even accommodation - and all the essential accommodation should go to those who actually doing it. So, yes, visit the region, but at the right time.

Link to full story

[DRTYFN]

I can't believe Dan rather hasn't been on the air complaining about this.


Q: Will you go to the region? Are you considering a trip? Can you update your statement at your end-of-the-year news conference regarding what a horrible year it was? And, describe looking at the images, I assume, on vacation, and whether you thought about coming back earlier and just what you were looking at. And the role of the United Nations after being bashed all year: is this, unfortunately on the back of horrible disaster, an opportunity for the United Nations?

SG: Let me say that at my last press conference, when I said this has been a horrible year, I didn't expect anything like this to happen before the year ended. It was bad enough up to that point. But this has been a real tragedy and disaster for those in that region.

Ever since the disaster struck, as I have indicated, I have been on the line with the leaders of the region, discussing what should be done and also been constantly in touch here with my team and Jan. And, of course, that also explains the reason why I am back now.

I think the United Nations has an important role to play, and we are going to play a lead role in this, working with the entire international community. And we have to rely on the generosity of the major donors. And as I have indicated, so far the response has been very good, and I would want to see it sustained.

I haven't planned an immediate trip, but it is not excluded.

Q: Mr. Secretary, picking up on Richard's question, I think a lot of people are asking exactly why you waited three days on vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before you decided to fly back to New York in the face of this extraordinary crisis. Could you give us a full explanation of your thinking on that? Secondly, what kind of signal does that 72-hour delay send to the nations to which you are now appealing for greater help?

SG: First of all, there was action. It wasn't inaction. We live in a world where you can operate from wherever you are. You know the world we live in now. You don't have to be physically here to be dealing with the leaders and the Governments I have been dealing with. You don't have to be physically here to be discussing with some of the agencies that we have done.

I came back here because we have reached a level that I wanted to have meetings with all the people that I have met with today. So, we have taken action. And I don't have to be sitting in my office to take action. I think the same goes for you in your profession.

Q: Given the magnitude of this disaster, shouldn't the United Nations, rather the United States, have taken the lead in establishing a coalition of donor and affected countries to deal with this disaster? And following up on the last two questions, shouldn't you, as Secretary-General, possibly be visiting the affected region to show moral support to the affected communities?

SG: First of all, on the question of how we pool the international community together, I think it is important that an initiative has been taken. We ourselves were discussing our possible initiative, but I applaud what has been done by the United States Government, by the United States Administration and President Bush. As I have said, we have spoken to other countries which are also going to join the group, and that group will be in support of the efforts that the United Nations is leading. So, we are very satisfied with that.

On the question of visits to the region, as I indicated, that is not excluded. But let me also say that we all need to be careful. When you have these sorts of massive emergencies, the urgent need is assistance to the people - shelter, food, water, health and other things. When we sometimes overwhelm them with high-profile visitors, we move people away from their work, and in fact we become more of a problem, an impediment, than actual assistance.

So, one should go to the region, but at the right time. Those who go to the region should make sure that they do not detract from the essential work that is being done, because it takes lots of efforts, and they have limited facilities. In some of these places, you often would not have even accommodation - and all the essential accommodation should go to those who actually doing it. So, yes, visit the region, but at the right time.

Link to full story

[DRTYFN]

I can't believe Dan rather hasn't been on the air complaining about this.


Q: Will you go to the region? Are you considering a trip? Can you update your statement at your end-of-the-year news conference regarding what a horrible year it was? And, describe looking at the images, I assume, on vacation, and whether you thought about coming back earlier and just what you were looking at. And the role of the United Nations after being bashed all year: is this, unfortunately on the back of horrible disaster, an opportunity for the United Nations?

SG: Let me say that at my last press conference, when I said this has been a horrible year, I didn't expect anything like this to happen before the year ended. It was bad enough up to that point. But this has been a real tragedy and disaster for those in that region.

Ever since the disaster struck, as I have indicated, I have been on the line with the leaders of the region, discussing what should be done and also been constantly in touch here with my team and Jan. And, of course, that also explains the reason why I am back now.

I think the United Nations has an important role to play, and we are going to play a lead role in this, working with the entire international community. And we have to rely on the generosity of the major donors. And as I have indicated, so far the response has been very good, and I would want to see it sustained.

I haven't planned an immediate trip, but it is not excluded.

Q: Mr. Secretary, picking up on Richard's question, I think a lot of people are asking exactly why you waited three days on vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before you decided to fly back to New York in the face of this extraordinary crisis. Could you give us a full explanation of your thinking on that? Secondly, what kind of signal does that 72-hour delay send to the nations to which you are now appealing for greater help?

SG: First of all, there was action. It wasn't inaction. We live in a world where you can operate from wherever you are. You know the world we live in now. You don't have to be physically here to be dealing with the leaders and the Governments I have been dealing with. You don't have to be physically here to be discussing with some of the agencies that we have done.

I came back here because we have reached a level that I wanted to have meetings with all the people that I have met with today. So, we have taken action. And I don't have to be sitting in my office to take action. I think the same goes for you in your profession.

Q: Given the magnitude of this disaster, shouldn't the United Nations, rather the United States, have taken the lead in establishing a coalition of donor and affected countries to deal with this disaster? And following up on the last two questions, shouldn't you, as Secretary-General, possibly be visiting the affected region to show moral support to the affected communities?

SG: First of all, on the question of how we pool the international community together, I think it is important that an initiative has been taken. We ourselves were discussing our possible initiative, but I applaud what has been done by the United States Government, by the United States Administration and President Bush. As I have said, we have spoken to other countries which are also going to join the group, and that group will be in support of the efforts that the United Nations is leading. So, we are very satisfied with that.

On the question of visits to the region, as I indicated, that is not excluded. But let me also say that we all need to be careful. When you have these sorts of massive emergencies, the urgent need is assistance to the people - shelter, food, water, health and other things. When we sometimes overwhelm them with high-profile visitors, we move people away from their work, and in fact we become more of a problem, an impediment, than actual assistance.

So, one should go to the region, but at the right time. Those who go to the region should make sure that they do not detract from the essential work that is being done, because it takes lots of efforts, and they have limited facilities. In some of these places, you often would not have even accommodation - and all the essential accommodation should go to those who actually doing it. So, yes, visit the region, but at the right time.

Link to full story

[KenP]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Form the SG:
As I have said, we have spoken to other countries which are also going to join the group, and that group will be in support of the efforts that the United Nations is leading. So, we are very satisfied with that <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Didn't the litle shmuck mean "the United States"? What an idiot.

[Joseph Muha]

So the UN sucks, is that a suprise. All of these countries trying to tell us how to run things in our own country. Nothing new here. I am clearly not a fan of the UN and their existance.