YouSaid · the spoken record

Sebastian Kurz

lines on the record: 43
first: 2014-09-24
most recent: 2017-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“That is why we hope to be elected to the Human Rights Council for the period 2019-2021, and I would like to ask the Assembly for its support. I can assure members that Austria will continue to work for effective international cooperation, and we will continue to actively support the United Nations and its new Secretary-General.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is a crucial, positive step to get rid of all nuclear weapons. Today we often hear that nuclear weapons are necessary for security. This narrative is not only wrong, it is also dangerous. The new Treaty provides a real alternative: a world without nuclear weapons, where everyone is safer. The overwhelming support of the international community in adopting the Treaty demonstrates that many countries share that goal. I hope that we will be successful with our initiative. At a time when universal values are under threat, we need to be strong in standing up for human rights, the rule of law and good governance. Protecting civilians and human rights has always been a priority of Austria’s foreign policy.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The consequences of a nuclear explosion are extremely grave, nuclear disarmament remains the number- one unfinished business worldwide, and the recent escalation of tensions by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a clear warning signal. Austria has been consistently engaged in efforts to reduce the risk of a nuclear disaster and to work for a world without nuclear weapons. This is a hard and long road, and we are not naive about that, but it is a goal that is worth fighting for. In that regard, we welcomed the Vienna agreement that placed Iran’s nuclear activities under international monitoring. Undermining that agreement now would weaken efforts to achieve negotiated solutions for nuclear disputes. The new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is an important achievementin this connection.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Therefore, in March this year, the OSCE strengthened the Mission by increasing the number of monitors up to 1,000 and by providing better technical equipment. I also welcome the discussions in the Security Council to increase the security situation of the OSCE monitors, possibly with a United Nations peacekeeping operation. More safety for monitors means more monitors on the ground, and more monitors on the ground means more security for the local population. We are also working hard to find political solutions that extend beyond ceasefires. The goal remains clear — a free and stable Ukraine with good relations with both its western and eastern neighbours. Allow me to turn to another security threat that we must deal with. The risk of nuclear confrontation today is bigger than it has been in a long time.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Despite the Minsk agreements, heavy weapons continue to move into the region and mines are being laid; despite negotiations with the Normandy group, the political process is stalled; and despite regular meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group, there is no progress on the ground. The worst thing is that civilians suffer the most. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission is key to stabilizing the situation, but its unarmed monitors are increasingly threatened and, for the first time, the Mission lost one of its members. Yet, despite this tragic incident, it is important to maintain the Mission. From my visit to the conflict zone, I know that without the OSCE Monitoring Mission, the situation would become even worse.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Thirdly, we need effective support for countries of origin to establish a local perspective for the young generation there. This is why, over the past four years, Austria has doubled its bilateral development assistance and quadrupled its emergency fund. I am pleased that the United Nations is developing a global compact on migration, as well as a compact on refugees. They should ensure a more coordinated international approach to deal with these challenges. Cooperation is also key when we address crises and conflicts around the globe. The crisis in and around Ukraine has lasted for far too long. More than 10,000 people have died and 3.8 million people are in need of humanitarian aid.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Therefore, we need to manage orderly migration and support people as much as possible in their countries of origin. In order to achieve this, we should address three key issues. First, countries need to effectively control their borders. Without such control, no Government can establish security and maintain public support for legal immigration. Citizens need to have confidence that their Governments — not the smugglers — decide who should cross the border. Secondly, the business model of traffickers of human beings must be destroyed. Securing the borders is the most important first step. Smugglers cannot sell their tickets to Europe when there is no way to come through. People that are saved shall be brought back to their countries of origin or to internationally monitored migration centres in their region.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have to take more action to stop radicals with police measures and prevent our youth from being misled by these terrorists. The migration crisis is another global problem and source of instability. Over 60 million people are on the move worldwide. No country can manage this crisis on its own. If we look at demographics, we know that we have to act now. In the next 30 years, the world population will grow from 7.5 to about 10 billion people. Africa’s population alone will double from 1.2 to 2.5 billion people. Recent years have shown how difficult such a massive migration movement can become. Over 1 million people have come to Europe via smugglers and thousands died in the Mediterranean Sea. We need to stop this. Uncontrolled migration leads to chaos.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Terrorist organizations, such as Da’esh, work on a global scale. More than 25,000 persons die each year in terrorist attacks all over the world and almost all of them are the result of extreme radicalization. This is why, as OSCE Chair, the fight against radicalization is a priority for us. We are working on concrete recommendations for OSCE States on how to better prevent and stop radical groups from misleading our citizens. What we need to do is to destroy these radical groups militarily where they operate, such as in Syria and Iraq, but we also have to be clear that after our military success, more foreign terrorist fighters will return to our societies. That is why, at the same time, we also have to continue the fight within our own societies.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“While we have achieved a lot over the past years, there are still too many conflicts around the world — conflicts that result in terrible human suffering, such as in Syria, South Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen or Libya. There are also new sources of instability, such as in Venezuela or in Myanmar. On a global level, poverty, hunger and climate change, as well as organized crime and the proliferation of weapons remain key concerns. What really worries me is that we seem to have lost trust in the ability of States and institutions to solve these challenges. As current Chair-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), I can see this on a regular basis. This is a dangerous development because there is no alternative to international cooperation. We need only took at terrorism.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The world has never felt more insecure, at least not in my lifetime. Three years ago, when I first spoke from this rostrum, I was concerned about three serious challenges. First, violent conflict had returned to Europe with the crisis in and around Ukraine. Secondly, with the success of Da’esh in Iraq and Syria, radicalization and extremism sharply increased within our societies. Thirdly, the potential humanitarian consequences of a nuclear explosion became a growing concern. Today we still face a violent conflict in and around Ukraine. Acts of extremism and terrorism continue, and the crisis in North Korea demonstrates that the risk of a nuclear confrontation is higher than the world has seen in a long time.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In that context, I would like to express my gratitude to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his leadership during his two terms at the United Nations. His moral leadership has made it possible to achieve success, inter alia, through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Let me assure all of those present that Austria will remain committed to supporting the United Nations and its goals, both as a Member State and as the host country to one of its headquarters.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“When such weapons are used in cities and other urban areas — as we have seen in Syria — more than 90 per cent of the victims are civilians. The destruction of homes, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure forces people to leave. The world would be a safer place without such weapons, especially for children, women and elderly people. We will therefore convene a meeting in early October to promote that goal, and we hope for Members’ support. The United Nations is central when it comes to tackling the global challenges of our time. We need an effective guardian for our shared values and principles. We need a strong United Nations to provide security, achieve stability and restore people’s confidence.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In an ever less secure world facing ever greater tensions among the major Powers, nuclear disarmament remains the number one unfinished business. The recent nuclear tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea serve as a warning sign. We all agree that the humanitarian consequences of a nuclear-weapon explosion would be unacceptable. We must therefore finally rid ourselves of all nuclear weapons. Experience shows that the first step in eliminating weapons of mass destruction is to prohibit them through legally binding norms. Together with other Member States, Austria will submit a draft resolution to convene negotiations on a legally binding comprehensive instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons in 2017. But that is not enough. We also need to put an end to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We cannot accept that our citizens commit such crimes in other parts of the world, and we have to be clear that when they return, they pose a major threat to our societies. We therefore have to increase efforts within our communities to prevent young people from being misled by those who abuse religion. We also have to remain committed in our fight against Da’esh and other terrorist groups in countries like Syria, Iraq and Libya, because destroying Da’esh would be the most powerful measure to counter radicalization. The more we deny radical terrorists their success stories, the fewer new fighters will be recruited from other parts of the world. If we are unsuccessful in that fight, we will see increased radicalization and terrorism worldwide, with no safe havens, neither in Europe nor elsewhere.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Let me be clear: all of those who committed crimes against civilians must be brought to justice. Around the globe, radicalization and violent extremism pose serious threats to our societies, undermining security, development, human rights and fundamental freedoms. We must all realize that acts of religious extremism do not happen only in areas of conflict; there are religious extremists who radicalize our youth even in the heart of our own societies. Tens of thousands of foreign fighters have joined the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in order to rape, kill and try to exterminate religious minorities in other parts of the world. They include more than 5,000 people from the EU, among them 300 from Austria.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In that respect, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which reaches from Vancouver to Vladivostok, is uniquely placed to promote stability and security. During Austria’s chairmanship of the OSCE in 2017, we intend to contribute to rebuilding trust and defusing conflicts in the OSCE area, such as in eastern Ukraine, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh and Transnistria. But we are also faced with a ring of instability in Europe’s wider neighbourhood — in Syria, Iraq and Libya. On Syria, we need to reinforce diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire, enable safe access for humanitarian aid and start a political process. That is the only way to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis in that long-suffering country. We are outraged by the attacks on medical facilities and aid convoys.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“And we need effective multilateralism to achieve what we most desire, namely, security and stability. Today threats to security and stability arise from many challenges at the same time. The destruction caused by military conflicts is increasing, violent extremism is growing and weapons of mass destruction still exist. The conflict that is closest to us in Austria is the one in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. We remain very concerned, because the Minsk Agreement has still not been implemented, and progress has been frustratingly slow. In our opinion, we need to find solutions beyond the ceasefires. We need a free and stable Ukraine that has good relations with both the Russian Federation and the European Union. To achieve greater security, we must rebuild trust.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“But the truth is that, while one can turn off the television and block off the news from one’s home, what cannot be changed in a globalized world is the fact that something taking place elsewhere can have a direct impact on our lives. The more interconnected our world becomes, the greater the responsibility of each one of us is to not ignore events taking place in other parts of the world. The more globalized our world becomes, the more interest each one of us must take in strengthening stability and prosperity in other parts of the world, not only out of solidarity but also out of self-interest. One thing is very clear today: we all need to join forces. We need the United Nations, the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“When I started out as Foreign Minister, in December 2013, Ukraine had full sovereignty over its eastern borders and Crimea. The Iraqi Government was still in control of Mosul and other parts of the country, and religious minorities, such as the Yazidis, still lived in peace and security in their homeland. Yet today, thinking in terms of confrontational blocs has returned to Europe. Today Da’esh threatens whole States, and radicalization and violent extremism are on the rise worldwide. Given those developments, I can understand that people are shocked and overburdened by the many images they see of violence, suffering and destruction, and that they would wish to block those images from their living rooms.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“I belong to a generation that was born into a globalized world. For us, globalization is not a threat — it is a fact of life. As Kofi Annan once said, arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity. Let us be clear: the fact that the world has grown closer together has brought about enormous benefits. It has reduced international poverty, contributed to the spread of technology and reduced the distances between countries. But we must also recognize that globalization has not only led to positive consequences; it also created new challenges. Events taking place on the other side of the globe can have a direct impact on our lives. That includes not only in the economic world, but in all spheres of life. Especially in recent years, we have seen a dramatic increase in threats to stability throughout the world.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Seventy years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still pose one of the most serious threats to humankind. I can assure the Assembly that Austria will fight for a world free of nuclear weapons to make our world a safer place. The global challenges we are facing require a strong United Nations. We therefore thank Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon for all his work. I can assure the Assembly that Austria will remain committed to the United Nations and to our Secretary-General. They can continue to count on our continuous support.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In this sense, one key area for us is nuclear disarmament. The Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of 15-29658 49/55 A/70/PV.22 01/10/2015 Nuclear Weapons last May failed to reach an agreement, but there is growing international momentum on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. At that Conference, I delivered a joint statement on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons on behalf of 159 States. And the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons last December resulted in a humanitarian pledge, which has been endorsed by 116 States. Austria, together with other sponsors, will submit several draft resolutions on the humanitarian initiative, and we hope that they will receive broad support.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Secondly, we have to look at the functioning of the main bodies. We need a Security Council that is united and can act swiftly. We therefore welcome the efforts to improve the Council’s work, and we support the initiatives to suspend the use of the veto in cases of mass atrocities. In order to be able to address global challenges, we all need a United Nations that is capable of taking action and a Security Council that is more representative, accountable and transparent. We highly value the fact that one of the headquarters of the United Nations is in Vienna, and we will continue to support it actively. We remain committed to act as a place for international dialogue, such as the Iran nuclear talks that took place in Vienna this year. We will also continue to contribute to all diplomatic initiatives for a better world.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In that context, let me underline the crucial work the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is doing. The Special Monitoring Mission and the Trilateral Contact Group play a unique role for a peaceful settlement. The OSCE deserves our full support, and Austria will do its utmost to contribute to its work, especially during our OSCE chairmanship in 2017. All these conflicts show that 70 years after its establishment, we need the United Nations more than ever. However, in some areas the United Nations is pushed to its breaking point. It urgently needs to be reformed in order to be prepared for the future. Which is the way forward? First, we have to remind ourselves of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Charter is and remains our backbone. Failure is guaranteed if we do not respect it.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Last year, like most of those present, I referred to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict as probably the most serious challenge to peace and security in Europe (see A/69/PV.15). One year later, we still do not see enough positive development. The conflict is ongoing, the number of deaths has even increased, and the socioeconomic consequences are huge. There is only one way ahead: a peaceful settlement based on dialogue and negotiation. We must find a solution that provides for a free and stable Ukraine enjoying strong ties with both the European Union and the Russian Federation. In this respect the Minsk agreement is and remains the only option on the table. There is no alternative to implementing that agreement. All parties have to live up to their commitments.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The current system is in fact indirectly sponsoring smugglers. Since 2000 more than 24,000 migrants and refugees have died on their way to Europe. The pictures of refugees drowned in the Mediterranean Sea or suffocated in trucks will continue to haunt us. We therefore need a change of system. We need to create the possibility for refugees to apply for asylum in their countries of origin or neighbouring countries. The United Nations could help in the establishment of such reception and information centres, which would allow resettlement programmes to be introduced. In my opinion, trafficking in human beings is one of the worst crimes. We should consider systematic and large-scale smuggling a crime against humanity, so that the perpetrators can finally be brought to justice. There is another crisis area we should not forget about.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We will be able to make a difference only if we make it possible for the United States and Russia to pull in one direction. The Security Council has to demonstrate unity. We need a mandate not only for action against Daesh, but also for the protection of civilians. It should include the establishment of safe zones and buffer zones, which would increase people’s security and make access to humanitarian aid much easier. Action by the Security Council would also make it possible for many countries to have the opportunity to join in and offer their support. Our position is clear: Austria would stand ready to contribute to such a United Nations peace operation. Thirdly, we need a change of system. A system that allows only the fittest or those rich enough to pay the smugglers to reach a safe haven like Europe is wrong.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We will be able to achieve meaningful progress only if major regional 48/55 15-29658 01/10/2015 A/70/PV.22 players, such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, act in concert. And finally, it means that we have to bring all relevant parties to the Syrian civil war to the table, as United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura is trying to do. Let me be clear: that does not mean that the current political leadership of Syria can be part of a long-term solution. It has brought endless harm to the people of Syria. But if one wants to make peace, one does not talk only to one’s friends. The second point is that we need more unity at the international level. Huge efforts have already been made, but the United Nations and its Member States can and should do more.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We need a comprehensive approach covering all the refugee routes, including the countries of origin, transit and destination. Which organization, if not the United Nations, can provide the basis for this collective action? Which organization, if not the United Nations, can contribute to this comprehensive approach? If we want to reduce the number of refugees, we have to focus our efforts on three key areas. First, we have to confront the root causes in the countries of origin: civil wars and massive human rights violations and terrorism. In this context, we have to intensify our fight against Daesh and terrorist groups. They must be neutralized and defeated. In the case of Syria, it also means that we have to push harder for a closing of ranks in the region.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Four million of them are Syrians who have left their country, fleeing from civil war and terror. Every day over 40,000 people flee their homes in search of peace, security or a new life. This challenge is not limited to one region or to one continent. It is a global challenge. It concerns the Mediterranean region, but also South Asia and large parts of Africa. Europe is currently also witnessing a huge flow of refugees, in particular from the wider Middle East. These global refugee flows pose serious problems for the countries of origin and transit, as well as for the countries of destination. But all affected countries and regions have one thing in common: no country and no region can solve this crisis alone, and no single measure can provide a solution.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Seventy years ago, the United Nations was founded as the collective answer to war and genocide, which had cost the lives of millions of people. The principal idea of the United Nations was to prevent war, to uphold respect for international law and human rights, and to promote social and economic progress. I myself have not lived through even half of this period. Nevertheless, I believe that today, 70 years later, we all have to ask ourselves if we have really succeeded. We are facing a record high of over 50 violent conflicts, stretching from Syria and Iraq to Yemen, the Sudan and Somalia. We are facing a rise in radicalization and extremism. And we are facing the highest number of refugees since the Second World War. Nearly 60 million people worldwide are on the move as refugees or internally displaced persons.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“I can assure him that Austria remains committed to working actively within the United Nations and its bodies to support his work and to address our global challenges, whether as peacekeepers, through our presidency of the Economic and Social Council or as a member of the Human Rights Council. We are particularly proud to host the United Nations Office at Vienna, which has become an Austrian landmark. Austria has a long tradition of building bridges and serving as a place for international dialogue. We will continue to do so in the future and to offer our contribution to making the world a little bit safer and better for the generations to come.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Only a society that respects the rights of its citizens can enable each individual to develop his or her potential. We are therefore very pleased to be organizing the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, to be held in Vienna in November. And we are honoured that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has agreed to attend the Conference. I am aware that the list of challenges that the international community and the United Nations are facing is long: the situations in Iraq, Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, the Central African Republic and Mali and the outbreak of the Ebola disease, to name just a few. In view of those challenges, the United Nations needs and deserves our full support. I want to especially thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his tireless efforts at the helm of the United Nations.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“There are, of course, other stories to be told of young people growing up in Afghanistan or the Central African Republic, for example. Today half of the world’s population is under 25 years of age, and many of them lack adequate nutrition, health care, education and jobs. All in all, those are not great prospects for life. The work of the United Nations on development is therefore crucial to lifting millions of people out of poverty, helping the hungry and the sick and educating new generations around the world. The United Nations needs and deserves our support, and I can assure the Assembly that Austria fully stands behind the post-2015 development agenda. But we must also ensure that respect for human rights and the rule of law receive proper attention.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“And how is it possible that they are able to recruit new fighters within our societies? We all, Governments and the private sector as well, have a duty to develop preventive measures within our societies to stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, to cut off financial support to their organizations and to put an end to the abuse of social media networks by developing forms of voluntary self-restriction for those networks. The adoption of Security Council resolution 2178 (2014) this week was an important first step, but now we must implement it. And we should always remind ourselves that the battle lines in this confrontation are not limited to Iraq or Syria. They run through our own Western societies. My generation in Austria was privileged to grow up in freedom from fear and from want.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In Europe, we estimate that there are thousands of foreign fighters with European passports. In our case, there are more than 140 people from Austria fighting in the name of a so-called holy war. We all know that the terrorist organizations operate worldwide. They get their terrorist fighters by recruiting globally. They finance themselves through global networks. They buy arms and other resources on a global scale. And they use, or rather abuse, the global communication networks to their benefit. How is it possible that terrorist organizations have access to financial and economic resources that allow them to operate so effectively? How is it possible that we allow terrorist organizations to abuse the right to freedom of expression by showing their barbaric acts on social media?”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The desire to prevent the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons should unite us all. We therefore hope that the Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna in December will mark a real change of direction in international discussions on nuclear weapons. Looking beyond our region, we are currently witnessing a further rise of extremism in the name of religion, and a new development — foreign terrorist fighters who come from Western countries and travel to the Middle East in order to join the fight. There is no time to lose; we must actively address what is happening in northern Iraq, where the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is attempting to wipe out entire religious communities, where children are being beheaded, mothers raped and fathers hanged because of their beliefs.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Let us not return to Cold War thinking, where two blocs face each other. Our political guideline must be to move from a policy of “either Europe or Russia” to a logic of “both Europe and Russia”. Some people have claimed that Ukraine would not be in this situation had it not given up its nuclear weapons. This kind of thinking is dangerous. And we have to ask ourselves, where would this lead us? As long as nuclear weapons exist, the risk of their use, on purpose or by accident, remains real. Let us be clear: the use of nuclear weapons, more than any other human action, has the potential to end life on this planet. And, 69 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, let us not forget that the humanitarian consequences of a single nuclear explosion are terrifying and long-lasting.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Who would have predicted that, after three years of negotiations, President Yanukovych would refuse to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union? Who would have predicted that the Maidan movement would be strong enough to force him to leave the country? And who would have predicted that Russia would react by annexing Crimea and would even actively support separatist movements? We cannot accept that international law should be violated and that recognized borders challenged in Europe once again. At the same time, we need to find a political solution that goes beyond a mere ceasefire. We need a solution that offers the prospect of a free, stable and united Ukraine, a Ukraine which enjoys strong economic ties with both the European Union and the Russian Federation.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“After the fall of the Iron Curtain, we believed that the world would move forward and that more and more people would benefit from the same opportunities that my generation in Western Europe enjoyed. But the world today seems to be shifting into reverse. We are facing situations and horrors we thought we had overcome many years ago. For young people like myself, who learned about the Cold War only through history books, it seems unbelievable that the thinking in terms of confrontational blocs could return to Europe. The crisis in Ukraine is probably the most serious challenge to peace and security Europe has had to face in decades. In retrospect, it is easy to claim that this development should have been predictable, and that we should have foreseen it. But let us be honest.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We could travel freely, study in foreign countries and meet people from all over the world. We grew up in a society where human rights were respected, where the rule of law was a given, and where religious freedom was practised. We communicate without borders on Facebook and Twitter, we have our entire lives stored on our smartphone, and we consume the news online. While the world after the Cold War offered fascinating new opportunities, it also proved to be not orderly at all, but quite messy and more uncertain than many had predicted. Just two years after the Berlin Wall came down, war returned to Europe in the Western Balkan countries. Thankfully, the horrors came to an end, and these countries now have a clear European perspective.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is with great respect that I stand at this rostrum for the first time as Austrian Foreign Minister. Many eminent world leaders have stood here before me and laid out their visions on international challenges and crises. As many may be able to tell, probably even from the last row, I look a bit younger than most of the speakers before me. Indeed, I believe I am the only person under the age of 30 who has the privilege of speaking here this week. So while I cannot speak from many years of experience, what I can offer is the perspective of a young generation. My generation is the post-Cold War generation. The Iron Curtain collapsed 25 years ago, when I was 3 years old. For us in Europe, the years after the collapse of the Iron Curtain were years filled with hope and new opportunities.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)