SPAIN: PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR MEETS WITH UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN AHEAD OF IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION MEETING
Record ID:
190485
SPAIN: PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR MEETS WITH UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN AHEAD OF IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION MEETING
- Title: SPAIN: PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR MEETS WITH UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN AHEAD OF IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION MEETING
- Date: 24th October 2003
- Summary: (U7) MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 22, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV EXTERIOR OF MONCLOA PRESIDENTIAL PALACE (2 SHOTS) 0.08 2. MV UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN ARRIVING AND BEING GREETED BY SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR; MV AZNAR AND ANNAN POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS; MV MEETING; SCU ANNAN; SCU AZNAR; SCUSPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER ANA PALACIOS (8 SHOTS) 1.29 3. WIDE OF MEETING 1.33 4. SLV ANNAN AND AZNAR ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (3 SHOTS) 1.53 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN SAYING "In terms of actual contribution I think the next two days will be a start. I would expect that we will get substantial contributions from governments, I don't expect governments to announce everything they are going to do for Iraq in the future tomorrow. But tomorrow and the day after will be an important beginning and I think we will be able to raise the amount necessary to start reconstruction of Iraq in a determine manner. What is important is that the effort will be sustained, the effort will continue beyond tomorrow and Friday and I hope that over that time government and institutions will do much more that they are going to announce tomorrow and Friday." 2.45 6. SCU MEDIA 2.49 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANNAN SAYING "I think we have in place enough mechanism arrangements that should assure people that the money will not only be properly used but there will be a good of a side mechanism." 3.06 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) AZNAR SAYING "A process begins tomorrow, it does not end. And it is very important to know that this (conference) is only a temporary process. The contributions from different countries will be rightly distributed. What is very important is that there is a real commitment that is allowing myself and UN Secretary General to be very optimistic about the conference that is opening tomorrow." 3.44 9. MV JOURNALISTS ATTENDING PRESSER; MV ANNAN AND AZNAR LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (3 SHOTS) 4.14 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 8th November 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Reuters ID: LVA4I4IMQDWV4SHM5JYMH267APBH
- Story Text: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has met the Spanish
Prime Minister Josie Maria Aznar ahead of an Iraq
reconstruction meeting in Madrid.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday
(October 22) that this week's Iraq donors conference was
just a start and voiced hope governments would do much more
to help rebuild the war-torn country in future.
Spanish and Iraqi officials, apparently attempting to
lower expectations for the conference opening in Madrid on
Thursday, echoed his remark that it was just the beginning.
The two-day meeting is expected to raise far less than
the $56 billion the United Nations and World Bank say are
needed to put Iraq back on its feet after years of war and
sanctions.
In terms of actual contributions, I think the next two
days will be a start. We expect that we will get
substantial contributions from governments, Annan told a
news conference after talks with Spanish Prime Minister
Jose Maria Aznar.
I think we will be able to raise the amount necessary
to start reconstruction of Iraq in a robust and determined
manner.
And I hope that over time governments and institutions
would do much more than they are going to announce tomorrow
and Friday, he added.
A process begins tomorrow, it doesn't end, Aznar said,
restricting reporters to two questions because both men had
to rush off to a Champions League soccer match between Real
Madrid and Partizan Belgrade.
Some 70 countries are attending the donors conference,
but nations such as France and Germany, which opposed the
war, have said they will pledge no new money beyond what
they have already committed, mainly through the European
Union.
So far $2-3 billion has been pledged in addition to the
$20 billion the U.S. administration plans to contribute
over 18 months. But a number of potential donors, such as
wealthy Gulf states, have yet to announce their
contributions.
Critics of the conference made their voices heard on
the eve of the meeting.
A coalition of international organisations opposed to
the illegal war and occupation of Iraq called on wealthy
nations to donate only to Iraq's urgent humanitarian needs
and through a fund not controlled by the U.S.-British
occupying forces.
A leading charity said the billions of dollars stumped
up in Madrid would be wasted unless development efforts are
coordinated by the United Nations and the people of Iraq
get a greater say in their own destiny.
Spain has invited business leaders from 57 countries to
a parallel meeting on the private sectors role in
construction.
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