YouSaid · the spoken record

Elio di Rupo

lines on the record: 42
first: 2012-09-24
most recent: 2014-09-24
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“It is that fraternity that will enable us tomorrow to better share the planet’s resources, to offer a future to each and every child and to make sure that peace reigns everywhere and for everyone. Members of the Assembly may rest assured that my country will continue to do everything it can to bring peoples together. We believe in sharing and solidarity, and we thus find it entirely natural to continue to support Member States in their many struggles for peace and justice.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Belgium, like the European Union, is moving on a path of solidarity with peoples who are encountering difficulties. We want to help them to achieve their legitimate aspirations for a more just world. We must also remain vigilant so that we do not fall into the trap of social regression and increasing inequalities. All the ethical progress that we have achieved is precious and must be preserved. I will conclude by saying that human fraternity is not a utopia. It is what has often allowed us to make great progress. We must go beyond borders to form new types of cooperation, reduce inequalities and bring about new hope. The most powerful obstacle to war and violence is human fraternity.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is also our responsibility to denounce and combat all together and systematically those injustices and attacks on human rights. As a crossroads of many cultures, Belgium has always been one of the most open countries in the world. It has a high standard of living. And although I think they are still too great, the inequalities there are the smallest in Europe. That is largely due to the civil support, which is organized by the Belgian State. In particular, our health system is exceptional and is accessible to everyone. Moreover, Belgium is a multicultural country both through its demography and its abundant and diverse migration. In our country, the respect for the other and the culture of compromise are part of our cultural heritage.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Who can believe that people will resign themselves to such a situation and that there will not be yet another scandal if they do? The international community — the Group of Seven and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development — are beginning to deal with tax evasion. That is extremely important, as is the fight against corruption. There will not be great human progress without a moralization of finance at the global level. Our responsibility in that regard is huge. Too many women and men do not have access to a job or to housing, only because they are of foreign origin. Too many women are subject to moral or physical violence only because they are women. Too many people — lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people — are persecuted and rejected only because they are different or they love differently.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“It is the only place where the representatives of the entire world can talk to each other. To be sure, the functioning of the Organization should evolve and recognize that the right to veto has sometimes been used to prevent action from being taken. I am open to the consideration that has begun in that regard. However, the common house that is the United Nations should be preserved at any price and encouraged to act. That is why I would like to thank our Secretary-General for his unwavering efforts to further improve its functioning. Our world continues to present us with insufferable contrasts. Too many human beings are today living in extreme poverty. They do not have safe access to water or basic health services and they suffer from malnutrition.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Internationally recognized borders are being violated, and Ukraine is facing a major challenge to be inclusive and representative for both the minorities and the majority of the population in Ukraine. With regard to Flight MH-17, in which six Belgian citizens died, the currently known facts are incriminating and we eagerly await the final report of the independent experts, who must have free access to the site and responses to all of their requests. We will have peace only if tolerance triumphs over barbarism. And we must act together. Therefore, I welcome the American initiative to launch a process of reflection on the role of the United Nations in peacekeeping. The role of the United Nations in the prevention and settlement of conflicts is irreplaceable.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“With regard to Africa, with which Belgium shares a long common history, it is in constant forward motion and far removed from common clichés. We must strongly support its economic, educational and political development. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular in the east of the country, putting armed groups where they can no longer do harm is an urgent necessity. In Sahel, Mali and the Central African Republic, the fight against religious extremism is where our priorities should lie. We must also mobilize to support populations in Africa that are dealing with the horrific Ebola epidemic. On the fringes of Europe, we are seeing a broad destabilization.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“That settlement will also constitute an important factor in the stabilization and peace of the entire region and the world. Therefore, we welcome the efforts of President Obama in that regard, and we hope that he will continue up to the last day of his mandate to work in that direction. The Arab Spring is another example of what I am talking about. It was a legitimate revolution and it speaks to true aspirations for democracy and prosperity. We must note that in some countries, chaos and terror have long reigned over democracy, while in others we are witnessing a return to State totalitarianism. In that regard, the international community must do everything possible to encourage democracy peace and prosperity.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“In many crises today, we see the States concerned in a position of great weakness or even virtual failure. The appointment of a new Prime Minister in Iraq sends the right signal of inclusion and tolerance. Let me mention other illustrations of this principle. With regard to the Middle East, this summer we watched in despair the launching of rockets in Israel and the massive bombing of Gaza. More than 2,100 Palestinian and 67 Israeli lives were lost in combat. War is not a solution. There is no other way to achieve peace — one based on two States coexisting in security — except by returning to negotiations. The status quo is obviously not an option. We must put the settlement of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict back at the top of the international agenda.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“I cannot help but think that the human disaster we are witnessing is also the result of a crushing defeat — that of politicians who favoured military solutions and the notorious so-called preventive war. A few years ago, Belgium refused to participate in such an operation in Iraq. How can we not see that frustration and humiliation have further strengthened radicalism? Things being what they are, we must now deal with the emergency, and act, including militarily. But we must also consider the future and invest sustainably in civil action. Everywhere, the establishment of a State that protects its citizens must be the priority. Strengthening the rule of law and improving living conditions is the best crisis prevention. Such responses are also much less expensive than the day-to-day management of uprisings and violence.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We must prevent the recruitment, training and transportation of our citizens who may be tempted to join terrorist groups. For minors in particular, each country must demonstrate a total vigilance regarding border control. The battle we are waging against terrorism reflects a conflict between two understandings of life: respect for human beings, which we have and the terrorists do not; defence of freedom everywhere and always, which the terrorists do not want; tolerance, while the terrorists preach and impose intolerance. For us, life is priceless; for them, it has no value. We know that military actions alone are not enough. Here, as there, what is needed is to focus on education, educational support, openness to others and the world. Our goal should be to deradicalize violent radicals.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“These foreign fighters are a threat to every country in the world. Security Council resolution 2178 (2014), adopted the day before yesterday, is an important step towards a coordinated global response. We must and we shall put these terrorists in a position where they can no longer inflict harm. Beyond the humanitarian support it has already brought to the Iraqi people, Belgium recently decided to send six F-16 fighters in support of the fight against terrorism in Iraq. My country also wants to strengthen cooperation among States. Belgium wants to intensify the exchange of information at the European level and within NATO. As required by the Security Council resolution, a major preventive effort must also be made to prevent jihadist aspirants from reaching the combat zones.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“There, defenceless people, women and children are victims of massacres, persecution, destruction and the theft of all their possessions — all because they belong to cultures, including the Muslim culture, that the terrorists do not agree with. Yet, no religion, and certainly not Islam, asserts that we must kill those who think differently. We have to say this over and over again in order to remove any excuse for these criminals who sow terror. The personal history of the alleged perpetrator of the attack against the Jewish Museum in Brussels resonates with all of us. It is that of a French jihadist who visited Syria in the ranks of the so-called Islamic State. This jihadist then moved across Europe before committing the irreparable. It is common trajectory for many of these foreign fighters.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Myriam Riva, Emmanuel Riva, Dominique Sabrier, Alexandre Strens — these are the names of the four people brutally murdered on 24 May in Brussels. Four people were killed just because they were in a Jewish museum, an institution dedicated to culture, knowledge and intelligence. I named these four victims, but I do not forget the thousands of anonymous victims of barbarism around the world. For the abject act that took place at the Jewish Museum in Brussels is connected to the events sweeping the world right now. In Syria and Iraq, as well as in countries like Algeria, terrorists kill innocent people every day. Syria and Iraq are of special concern to us.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“They were not even 20 years old. We will also commemorate the war’s centenary in order to teach young people of today, so that they too can become militants for peace.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Is it permissible to ignore privacy laws in the name of security and the fight against terrorism, two areas that are basic for all peoples? I support the call by the President of Brazil for protecting the private lives of citizens everywhere, in particular on the Internet. She proposed the establishment of a multilateral framework designed to effectively ensure the protection of data online. The Internet must not become an invisible battleground. It should remain an instrument of freedom and development for all, a place where all can communicate in peace and security. In 2014, along with other nations, Belgium will solemnly commemorate the centenary of the First World War. We will do it out of duty to the memory of the young men from more than 50 countries who came to die on the battlefields of my country in order to liberate us.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Despite the progress that has been made, much remains to be done to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Hunger, poverty and unequal access to education and health care are intolerable injustices. We must continue to mobilize to fight them. That is why Belgium asks that the efforts made under the rubric of post-2015 development be merged with the goals of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in a single negotiation framework within the United Nations. That single framework should bring together the economic, social and environmental aspects that are becoming facts of life for all of us. I would like to touch on one final subject, that is, espionage and cybercrime. Our colleague President Dilma Rousseff asked a true question for today (see A/68/PV.5).”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Peace and security also depend on harmonious prosperity, whose benefits must be shared equitably around the globe and among its citizens. According to scientists, the world’s ecological footprint now exceeds the world’s capacity for regeneration by about 50 per cent. That situation is untenable and affects everything on the planet. I welcome the United Nations initiative to convene Heads of State and Government here in New York for a forum on sustainable development. It is here that less developed and developed countries can solve the huge challenge of sustainable development together. Every country has problems that are either shared or complementary and interconnected. By that I mean extreme poverty, desertification, the exodus for ecological reasons of millions of people, the exhaustion of natural resources and climatic warming.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“While I am speaking of continuing our efforts and making them lasting, I would like to mention the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. It is absolutely vital that we seize the opportunity afforded by our American friends. A solution must be arrived at now, based on the coexistence of two States, with the State of Israel and an independent State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security. We have also made it very clear that we are against colonization. In that context, Belgium is ready to host a conference in Brussels aimed at ensuring that private economic partners provide support for the peace process. We believe that there can be no economic plan, however, unless there is a political plan with a concrete timetable.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We should also recall that winning an election or exercising authority following elections does not give someone the right to oppress minorities. True democracy means respecting and protecting minorities. The law must guarantee individual freedoms. Freedom means, for example, the right of young women to study and to choose their partners for themselves or to remain single. Freedom also means the rights of women to move in public as they please. Freedom also means to right to practice one’s religion or to practice none at all. Freedom also means the right of heterosexual and homosexual couples to walk hand in hand in the street or in other public spaces. I am proud that Belgium guarantees those fundamental freedoms. I am also proud that my country promotes efforts to spread such freedoms everywhere in the world.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Together with 56 other States, Belgium has called for the situation in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court. The work of the Court is contributing to bringing about an era of responsibility. All States should cooperate with the Court. The law must also make it possible to bring dictatorships and oppression to an end. In 2010, all those who defend democracy welcomed the advent of the Arab Spring. I am not one of those who today have turned their backs on that hope. Let us not forgot all of the women and men in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and elsewhere who wish to live in peace. We must support them and promote the holding of free elections. We should encourage them to draft constitutions that guarantee fundamental rights, justice and equality.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I am referring in particular to humanitarian law, so that victims can receive assistance and care. Belgium has echoed and tirelessly backed the calls from humanitarian agencies for the obstacles to their activities to be lifted. We demand that access to health care be improved on the ground everywhere, including in Syria. All parties must respect international humanitarian law. My country participates actively in efforts to provide assistance to populations that have been victims of fighting. The onset of winter and the sharp rise in the number of victims, refugees and displaced persons mean that the international community must step up its efforts further still. The law must also stop impunity. Peace cannot ever be built on amnesty for the worst crimes, or turning a blind eye thereto.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In our contemporary globalized world, conflicts can be resolved only by political solutions. That is why Belgium supports the efforts of Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States, as he seeks to bring the parties to the negotiating table. In that regard, I welcome the American-Russian initiative to hold the “Geneva II” conference. It is not death that metes out justice; it is respect for the law. It is the law that organizes human societies, protects the weak and prevents violence. Law is essential because a world without rules — whether in terms of civil interactions, trade or finance — leaves humankind face to face with its worst enemy: itself. Respect for the law is a foundation of the life we share. Laws must be respected, including in situations of conflict.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Pragmatic solutions must also be found — without, however, accepting general amnesty or allowing for impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Belgium stands ready to contribute to such solutions. The territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must also be respected. All external interference must cease. Belgium urges the Congolese authorities to implement the structural reforms needed in the army and the police, so as to re-establish the rule of law throughout the national territory and to guarantee the prosperity of the Congolese people. Going to war, building walls and curtailing rights is always easier than building bridges and keeping the peace. It is easier to build walls than to organize a democratic system or build hospitals and schools.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The population of the north-east of the country has for years suffered massacres, mass rapes, the forced recruitment of soldiers, including of child soldiers, pillage and forced displacement. Just yesterday, witnesses told me of martyred children. That is shameful. The efforts of the Secretary-General and the Security Council to strengthen the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are bearing fruit. The Intervention Brigade is playing an active role in protecting the population. The Addis Ababa Framework offers a genuine possibility for the stabilization of the entire region. However, let us make no mistake: agreement at Kampala is essential for the process to be successful.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“My country is also of the view that among our responsibilities we have the responsibility to protect — that is to say, the responsibility to prevent and fight the particularly atrocious crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Belgium fully supports the actions of the United Nations in that regard. In 2014, we will organize an international conference in Brussels on the prevention of genocide. When we work together, we achieve results. Mali is proof of that. But let us not forget that nothing is ever settled forever. For it to last, peace must be continuously nourished. I would like to commend in particular the recent efforts of the international community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“All of us here must show as much courage as the men and women who are fighting in the streets for their freedom and dignity. Within the United Nations, we have everything we need to act, while those who are fighting often have nothing but their courage to live on. If a veto must be cast, it should be a veto on tyrants and their crimes. No one can end a famine or stop a tyrant alone. Peace is a shared responsibility. That is why there is no alternative to multilateralism and politics, if we seek to improve the lot of humankind. That is what motivates Belgium’s commitment, which is political, financial and at times even military, as the fifteenth most significant contributor to the United Nations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“It was in my country, in Ypres, during the First World War, that chemical weapons were used in a conflict for the first time. We can all recall the dreadful suffering of thousands of those soldiers. Almost 100 years later, that same suffering is being inflicted on thousands of Syrians. Despite the international Geneva Protocol of 1925, the history of the world — a shared history — is repeated, from Ypres to Damascus. This is the second year that I have addressed the General Assembly from this rostrum. In one year, so many hopes have been raised and fulfilled but, at the same time, so many additional war crimes have been committed. A year ago, I spoke of 30,000 Syrian deaths. Today there are 120,000. And that conflict is not the only one. While we are talking here, atrocities continue in various parts of the world.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I have another comment concerning the region; I wish to mention the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Belgium favours the rapid resumption of negotiations aimed at finding a solution based on the coexistence of two States — the State of Israel and a State of Palestine that is independent, democratic, united and viable — living together in peace, security and prosperity. We also wish to state very clearly our opposition to the continuation of colonization. My country believes that multilateralism is the only way to improve conditions of our planet. Belgium is the fifteenth largest contributor to the United Nations. Let us have the courage and strength to agree to free humankind from wars and social injustices, and support its development. I invite all of us to spur our awareness. Let us demonstrate together our capacity to act.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Bashar Al-Assad must leave. The regime has lost all legitimacy. Given the urgency of the situation and the approaching winter, Belgium urges the international community to take concrete steps on the humanitarian front and to come to the aid of the millions of people affected. Humanitarian concerns are our highest priority. The Belgian Government provides financial support for humanitarian aid to the refugees. In that connection, I will allow myself to insist that my country demands earnestly that a solution be found to enable humanitarian organizations to carry out their work, particularly in hospitals, in line with international humanitarian law. I believe that both the Chinese and Russian authorities will be able to join us in those objectives.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“As to Syria, we are all deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation of an impasse on the ground, and a political impasse as well. We are appalled by the posture of a regime that kills its own citizens. Beyond the 30,000 dead there are at least 250,000 refugees in neighbouring countries, and even more internally displaced. How is it that the collective human conscience is not in agreement to stop the massacre? I say respectfully to the members of the Security Council that we cannot knowingly allow such human suffering to go on. Unless we take action we are complicit in crimes against humanity. Belgium has faith in and supports Joint Special Representative Lakhdar Brahimi. Belgium also supports the efforts by Arab countries and hopes that they will be successful. We must all hope for a political solution. One thing is certain.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The facts on the ground give the lie to all denials. Belgium calls on all countries in the Great Lakes region to pledge to respect the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Belgium also urges the Congolese authorities to institute the necessary reforms in the army and the police to re-establish the rule of law in the whole of its territory, including, obviously, the eastern part. I dearly hope that reason will prevail. Belgium is ready to work to help restore trust among the countries of the region. We furthermore hope that direct relations between the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the President of Rwanda can be established and that it will speed progress towards a solution.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We see images of massacres, rape, forced recruitment, including of children, pillaging, 400,000 internally displaced persons — all of it completely unacceptable. Belgium calls upon the countries of the region to redouble their efforts to put an end to the current rebellion. We also call for a response to the root causes of instability in the Great Lakes region. We commend the Secretary-General’s attention to the region and his initiative in calling a high-level meeting tomorrow on the crisis. Our Foreign Minister will attend, and Belgium stands ready to do what it can to help. The territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must categorically be respected. All external support for the rebels must stop. Let us not delude ourselves. Denying the facts does not make them disappear.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We can never underline enough that we must break with an economic development model that devours natural resources and energy. Belgium supports the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. It also stresses the importance of merging within one process the Millennium Development Goals and the sustainable development goals. I would like to turn to some regional issues that my country finds especially disturbing and tragic. In the Great Lakes region, the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the resurgent violence and the Mouvement du 23 Mars rebellion greatly concern the Belgian Government, especially because of their serious impact on local populations.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We must work together here at the international level to establish oversight mechanisms for the financial world, with a view to ensuring that it again assists more in job creation and that it steers clear of risky management practices that compromise the economic and budgetary health of nations. In Belgium we are working on the issue nationally and within the eurozone. But an agreed international approach is becoming indispensable. Beyond such in-depth reforms in the banking and financial sectors, let us also dare to tax financial transactions. It is high time that income derived from that source be used to promote prosperity for our people. The Assembly is committed to the follow-up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“When the balance sheets of banks represent 300 per cent, 400 per cent or 600 per cent of gross domestic product — indeed, even more in some countries — we should not be surprised that there is a direct link between bank management and the economic and budgetary health of sovereign States. In many countries in-depth studies have been carried out and decisions taken, but clearly that is not enough. That is because the financial world operates in line with the rhythm of its own peculiar logic. Here at the United States the phenomenon is better understood than elsewhere. Programme trading dominates financial exchanges. The software reacts a million times faster than human traders, buying and selling thousands of shares every millionth of a second.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The rule of law and the enforcement of respect for human rights require us to step up the fight against impunity. Belgium will continue its policy of active cooperation with international criminal tribunals. The action of the International Criminal Court will help to usher in an era of responsibility. It is incumbent upon all States to cooperate with the Court. Belgium, together with Slovenia and the Netherlands, calls on all States represented here to improve international cooperation in mutual legal assistance and extradition. As the President of Brazil pointed out (see A/67/PV.6), the effects of the economic crisis and financial speculation are felt by every household.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is not by oppressing human beings or promoting violence that the fundamental challenges of prosperity, the well-being of citizens and peace will be resolved. Belgium attaches particular importance to strengthening the rule of law throughout the world. The reason for that is simple: in my country we are convinced that the rule of law is necessary for development and prosperity. It contributes to a better world, because the purpose of the rule of law is to enable every human being to live, flourish and love in complete freedom. For that reason, and in the spirit of mutual human respect, we support the principle of the responsibility to protect victims of violence wherever they are. In the same spirit, Belgium responded to the Secretary- General’s call by instituting 17 specific projects.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“With the support of several countries of the European Union, Belgium invites members to take vigorous, concerted action in various realms of social life. I am thinking first and foremost of the decriminalization of sexual orientation and the promotion of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In that regard, I welcome the initiative of UNESCO to counter homophobia in schools. For my country, freedom of religion, which is to say the freedom to practise or not practise a religion, is fundamental. Belgium unequivocally condemns Islamophobia. We just as firmly condemn violence, which is unacceptable in all cases. We believe that human beings should be free to think what they wish and be able to express their indignation without ever resorting to violence. Diplomatic missions should be inviolable throughout the world.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I hope members will support it. All heads of State and ministers share an immense collective responsibility to ensure that women become equal to men worldwide at the political, social and economic levels; to ensure that little girls are no longer subjected to circumcision; and that acts of violence against women are systematically fought and eliminated. In my country, women head three ministries: the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Police. Significant efforts have also been made to more effectively combat domestic violence. Our national laws prohibit and punish all forms of discrimination, whether on the basis of gender or that of claimed race, disability or sexual orientation. In my country, both marriage and adoption are open to same-sex couples. Those are grounds for pride in Belgium.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We will do so in memory of the young people from more than 50 countries who, on our territory, defended the ideals of peace and freedom. In 2013, Antwerp will host the World Outgames, a gathering of tolerance and diversity, while the city of Liège is a candidate to host the World’s Fair in 2017. All those international events have a single goal: to bring us closer together and to mobilize around universal values. For my country, respect for life and human rights is fundamental. Whether we speak of the rights of the child, of women or of refugees, or of the struggle against all forms of discrimination, a single principle guides my country: the effective equality of all human beings, regardless of status or beliefs. In that light, Belgium will join Slovenia in sponsoring a draft resolution against racial discrimination.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“First of all, on behalf of my country, I would like to welcome the broad vision and the pertinence of the ideas put forward by the Secretary-General. I come from Belgium, one of the six founding countries of the European Union (EU), a multicultural union of 500 million people who, as President Obama has reminded us, live in peace — something that I wish for the entire world — after experiencing horrifying wars. Belgium provides a unique setting for political decisions and international meetings. Brussels is the capital of Europe and also the seat of NATO headquarters. We are naturally open to the world. I myself come from the city of Mons, which will be the European cultural capital in 2015. In 2014, Belgium will solemnly commemorate the centennial of the start of the sad and painful First World War.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)