Secretary General: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen:

As I am going to have another press stakeout on Thursday, and as I have another important engagement at 3:10, I will be very brief and I will focus today on the situation in Zimbabwe. As you know, the Security Council will discuss this matter from 3:00 this afternoon, so my statement will be brief.

I would like to take this moment to say how distressed I am by the events leading to the understandable decision of the Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai to withdraw from the runoff election scheduled for this Friday.

You have all seen the statement I issued yesterday. We strongly agree with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that conditions do not exist for free and fair elections right now in Zimbabwe. There has been too much violence, too much intimidation. A vote held in these conditions would lack all legitimacy. Just today we have seen a new report of a raid on the Opposition headquarters in Harare and of dozens of arrests.

The campaign of threat and intimidation we have seen in Zimbabwe goes against the very spirit of democracy. Instead of openness, free competition and transparency, we have witnessed fear, hostility and blatant attacks against Zimbabwean citizens.

This violence and intimidation must stop. The people of Zimbabwe have a right to live in peace and security, to enjoy the protections of the rule of law, and to vote freely and fairly for those who would lead them.

Over the weekend, I have been in close contact with a number of African leaders. We all agree that the elections should be postponed until the right conditions are in place. I would strongly discourage the authorities from going ahead with the run-off on Friday. It will only deepen divisions within the country and produce a result that cannot be credible.

I am committed to working with the SADC, and the African Union to get the parties talking in order to avoid an even greater tragedy in Zimbabwe. Many leaders have suggested stronger involvement of the United Nations in this process. My envoy on the ground, Haile Menkerios, remains ready to assist these efforts.

Let me say in conclusion that what happens in Zimbabwe has importance well beyond that country's borders. The situation in Zimbabwe represents the single greatest challenge to regional stability in Southern Africa today. The region's political and economic security is at stake, as is the very institution of elections in Africa.

Thank you very much.

Question: Mr. Secretary-General, the US and Britain have circulated a draft statement for the Security Council to consider that suggests that, in the absence of a clearly free and fair election, if one can't be held, they really think the logical thing to do for legitimacy is to revert back to the results of the 29 May election. Do you consider that really is the road forward, that that is the position the Government should take, which would essentially make Mr. Tsvangirai the President?

Secretary General: As I said, as many world leaders have stated clearly and publicly, that under these circumstances where violence and intimidation are prevalent, any election to be held on Friday cannot be credible, and fair and objective. Therefore legitimacy will always be in question. Let's wait [to see] how the Security Council will debate on this issue.

Question: What is your view, Sir, on some countries which argue that Zimbabwe is an internal issue and should not be discussed in the Security Council? Are we going to see more countries which have unfair elections being discussed here, Sir?

Secretary General: Democracy is a fundamental principle, a universally accepted principle, and all institutions should be based on democratic rules and procedures. This is exactly why all the world is very much concerned about what is going on in Zimbabwe. We have repeatedly appealed and urged that this election, the run-off of the presidential election, must be held in the most transparent and credible and democratic way. Now that, under these circumstances, the Opposition candidate has withdrawn from this presidential race, and we have seen intimidation and violence, nobody can say that this election can be credible.

Question: You met with President Mugabe; he ignored your appeals. A few days later there were more attacks. You have also met with the leaders of Myanmar and the leaders of Sudan, and many would say there has been very little progress. Have you, one and a half years into your term, learned the limits of what many say is secular power and authority in your office, or is there something that you think you should adjust tactics?

Secretary General: When I had the meeting with President Mugabe, of course he assured me that this election would be a democratic one, and he also assured my envoy, Mr. Haile Menkerios, when he met him in Harare. This is what he must do. I have met, as you said, during the last one and a half years, many leaders who made commitments for peace and stability in the region. These commitments must be implemented. That is the ground rule, that whatever commitment has been made, those should be implemented. That is democratic rule. I have been frustrated by the lack of progress in many parts of the conflict areas, but I am committed to continuing my role as Secretary-General. It needs time and it needs perseverance and it needs some patience, and I will continue to convince leaders to implement their commitments.

Question: Do you still think that the Security Council should play a role in the political situation in Zimbabwe, although it doesn't threaten international peace and security?

Secretary General: As I said, I'm convinced that this situation has more than what you could argue is an internal situation. This has implications beyond Zimbabwean borders. It has great implications to peace and stability, particularly when it comes to humanitarian situations in all the regions and in Africa. As I said, the credibility of Zimbabwe and the African Union is at stake, and therefore I count on the leaders of the African Union to exercise their leadership so that we can see peace and harmonious stability in Zimbabwe. Thank you very much.

Transcript of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's press encounter after Security Council luncheon, New York, June 23 2008