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It is a great pleasure to meet you on the occasion of my participation in this very important DPI/NGO international conference on disarmament for security.

You have already heard my opening statement and you have heard many inspiring statements by keynote speakers and therefore my statement will be very brief.

Although disarmament may not always grab headlines in the media, it is a critical issue affecting the lives and safety and future of millions and millions around the world.

ɫ��TV, security, and economic and social development are indivisible. And to achieve these, the world must disarm.

Some say “let's postpone disarmament until peace occurs first”. But I urge you to harness your tremendous collective power and send a strong signal to the world that the time for disarmament is now.

I am heartened that disarmament is once again taking centre stage internationally. Later this month, on September 24th, President Obama of the United States, in his capacity as President of the Security Council, will preside over a summit-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on disarmament and non-proliferation.

Also in September, on the margins of the General Assembly, the countries that have signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty –the CTBT –will gather together at the United Nations to consider ways to promote its early entry into force.

And on those two important occasions I myself will take part. And in May next year, the United Nations will host a major five-year review conference involving the parties to the NPT, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which will examine the state of the treaty's three pillars: disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Clearly, if Member States make progress, we have an opportunity to move towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

I want to thank you, as members of the media, for coming today. We need your help in promoting the messages of the conference. You can be the connectors from the United Nations, from NGOs, to the international world as a whole.

The more people know about the true costs of weapons of mass destruction and conventional arms, the better chance we will have of advancing the disarmament and non-proliferation agenda. Your role is vital, and I count on your continuous support and cooperation and your own role to play as members of the media. Thank you very much for your patience.

I'll be happy to take your questions. Thank you.

Q: (translated from Spanish) I would like to know your reaction to what Jody Williams just said. And will President Obama be able to go beyond rhetoric and take concrete actions towards non-proliferation?

SG: You have heard President Obama speaking on many occasions about his commitment to see the world free of nuclear weapons. That is the most powerful message by any President of the United States, and I welcome it. And I welcome also the July 6th joint understanding between the United States and the Russian Federation, that they have begun to take follow-up measures on the START treaty, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which will expire in December this year. (inaudible) this START continued to be in full force and this will be a part of their obligation, international treaty obligation, under Article 6 of the NPT. This will also have a very big political impact and contribution to next May's United Nations review conference on the NPT. Now, I am convinced, I am sure, that President Obama and the American administration will lead this initiative. But having only the United States lead this initiative will not be sufficient. All nuclear power States and non-nuclear power States, and particularly non-NPT partners, should all work together. They should join this initiative. As Secretary-General, I will do my best to mobilize the necessary political will. And I will try to provide the necessary technical and expert assistance.

Q: (translated from Spanish) I would like to pose a questing about the situation in Mexico and the fight against drugs. Mexico is urging the US to better control the trafficking of weapons across the border (inaudible)

SG: The illicit trade of small arms and light weapons wherever it may happen and particularly in this area, is a source of great concern in the international community. Not only in Mexico, but in this part of the world, in Latin America as a whole, we have seen many very tragic violent incidents where many innocent people have been killed. Therefore, effective measures to control the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons are a very important priority for the United Nations and the international community. I welcome the joint strategy between the Governments of the United States and Mexico to address these issues. We must take all possible measures to prevent and to stop this gun-related violence -- and particularly (inaudible) the matters of organized crime and drug trafficking. This has destabilized the situation and this has become a great hurdle to achieving economic and social development in this part of the world. Therefore the United Nations will closely work together with the countries concerned. And I sincerely hope that the United States and Mexico work together in implementing this joint strategy to stem all this violence related to small arms and light weapons and organized crime and drug trafficking.

Q: (translated from Spanish) Combat against organized crime in Mexico is mostly done by the military forces. I would like to ask your opinion regarding the participation of the military in fighting organized crime in Mexico.

SG: Fighting against organized crime and drug trafficking and keeping one's country's social and economic stability is the responsibility of the sovereign Government. As Secretary-General, however, my point of view is that in addressing these crimes, human rights should be properly protected and promoted. I hear that the army has been taking effective measures in addressing these violent crimes. I have urged the Mexican Government, in my meetings with the Foreign Minister, that they should take all possible measures to ensure the protection of human rights. And there should be a very transparent way of addressing, again, of trying [any] perpetrators.

Q: (translated from Spanish) How do the international community and the UN see the human rights situation in Mexico? Is Mexico really guaranteeing the protection of human rights in its fight against organized crime?

SG: Mexico has been a leading champion in promoting and protecting human rights. When the United Nations established the Human Rights Council, Mexico served, through Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, as the first President of the Human Rights Council. He has made, together with Mexico's Government, a great contribution in the firm institutionalization of the Human Rights Council at an early stage of the Human Rights Council. And also, they have made great contributions to other matters. They have signed and ratified almost all human rights-related international treaties. They have successfully gone through the Universal Periodic Review early this year. But in the course of addressing many social security issues, related to drug trafficking and organized crime, it would be extremely important and crucially important that the Mexican Government ensures all the measures to protect human rights. And this is what I have discussed with senior Government officials.

Q: We heard you have a new and exciting campaign on nuclear disarmament aimed at young people, using Twitter and Facebook to spread the message. (inaudible) How exactly can we use this technology to inform our own campuses about nuclear disarmament? And, how can we inform poor students in poor countries around the world who might not have access to computers?

SG: Trying to make this world free from nuclear weapons –it's not only the Governments' [responsibility]. NGOs, young generations, educators and the politicians all have to work together. It will also be very important to raise awareness at the grassroots, particularly when it comes to young generations who will be the leaders in the coming generations. That is why I really wanted to reach out to young generations by using modern communications technology. But that does not mean that we should not use conventional communications technology. We can still use television, we can use radio, we can use printed media. So all possible avenues, all possible means should be used. I am looking very much forward to my meeting with the young generations after this press conference, and I am going to send my message through Twitter. That is what I have done last year and that is what I am going to continue.

You can use MySpace or Facebook, all this, or you can come to the CyberSchoolBus that we have established in the United Nations. All these possible means should be utilized and I really hope and I really count on your continued support and cooperation. Without the media's support and cooperation, there is no way for us to let our messages be heard in the international community. Therefore, you should bear in mind that you yourself are playing a very important role in making this world free from nuclear weapons.

Q: (translated from Spanish) What are your recommendations to civil society to reach out to young people who do not have access to new technologies?

SG: I have already explained and answered that question. In addition to using all this media technology, either conventional or (inaudible) cutting-edge technology, you can also ask your teachers, your professors, your business leaders, your neighbors and your family members to raise awareness about the necessity and importance of nuclear disarmament. You can even challenge the parliamentarians of your district. You can challenge all the friends who you meet daily. What is important is that civil society and NGOs can ask for accountability from your political leaders and from the policy makers of your Governments and national assemblies. Even business leaders -- you can make them accountable through your voices. Let your voices be heard loud and clear.

Q: (translated from Spanish) What has been more harmful -- nuclear weapons or organized crime? Has Mexico been able to bring its efforts towards human rights protection into its own interior? Have you asked President Calderon to take the military out of the fight against crime?

SG: It would be very difficult to compare which would be more dangerous. It is not easy. But, when it comes to damages and civilian casualties, of innocent people, on the violence of conventional weapons or nuclear weapons, the end result is the same.

The extent of damage would be much much greater when there is a nuclear weapon used. I do not even want to think of any such scenarios when nuclear weapons would be used again in the history of human beings. But we must not repeat that tragedy in our lifetime, nor in the lifetimes of succeeding generations.

[About the military], as I said already, I have discussed this matter. The Government and President of a sovereign country have the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of their citizens, of their societies. Whether they use the military or police or other security mechanisms, I do not have any influence or any position on that. What I am asking all Governments, including Mexico, is that in the course of these operations or in addressing these crimes, organized crimes, that first and foremost, human rights must be protected fully. That's my answer.

Q: (translated from Spanish) There has been an increase in military expenditures in Latin America of close to 90% over the last five years. When everybody is talking about disarmament, why is this happening in Latin America?

SG: As a matter of reality, I am concerned that the whole world is now spending more than one trillion dollars a year in acquiring armaments. This money should be spent for better, more constructive and more needed purposes –helping to lift poor people from poverty and helping sick people. There are billions of people who go hungry to bed every night. And there are so many sick people. There are so many areas where we need to see socioeconomic development. It is a very unfortunate situation.

Now, this competition in acquiring armaments in many countries around the world, including the countries in Latin America, is again something that we have to look at very seriously, whether it is a right choice for policy. Latin American States have had a very long and strong tradition of having very close cooperation, and it would be very important that regional confidence building measures take place among the Member States, among the Latin American and Caribbean countries.

As for the United Nations, the Register for Conventional Weapons has also served as an important and useful mechanism to ensure that these weapons purchases, small arms purchases, may not necessarily create any suspicions or distrust among the countries in the region.

Therefore, I urge the countries in this region to discuss all these regional issues among themselves, among regional powers.

Thank you very much. Muchas gracias.