YouSaid · the spoken record

Mark Rutte

lines on the record: 91
first: 2014-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
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

“The poorest countries hardest of all. Existing problems have been magnified by the pandemic. And this has forced us to face facts: in times of crisis we have to work together. Look out for each other. Support one another. Not only our families, neighbours and compatriots, but also other countries and peoples, regardless of the borders between us. Because we’re all in this together. The UN is setting the right example. Not least by setting up the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, initiated by Secretary-General Guterres. The Netherlands fully supports the Fund, and so far we’re its biggest donor. The World Bank and the IMF are also helping the countries most affected. These are fine examples of international solidarity that bode well for the future.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Mr President, Secretary-General, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, [PM] For me, the General Assembly in New York is the ultimate UN experience. All the delegations gathered in that imposing hall during the General Debate. The whole world coming together. There’s nothing like it. But this year, everything is different. For the first time in history we’re having a virtual Assembly. It feels a bit surreal, and it’s far from ideal, but it’s important — despite the restrictions — that we share our views on the international situation. Especially this year. Because this is the year of coronavirus. The impact on our health, our economies and our societies has been enormous. Almost every country in the world, including the European and Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has been hit hard.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“We will proceed in the spirit of Kofi Annan, who once said that we need to keep hope alive and strive to do better.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Members of the Assembly might expect an answer like world peace, eradicating poverty or ending war. But one of them said: “I would tackle cynicism first. We can change things, but we have to believe we can, roll up our sleeves and get started. Cynicism will get us nowhere.” We all should take inspiration from those words. It is easy to be cynical and criticize the multilateral system. It is harder to make improvements and reforms that will take us forward, step by step. But constructive multilateralism is the only way to make progress. That is what we are working for, and not only as a member of the Security Council until 31 December, but also afterwards and in other international forums. To that end, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will stand as a candidate for the Human Rights Council for the 2020- 2022 term.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Of course, we look forward to next year’s climate summit in New York because it should provide a platform to delve deeper into the links among climate resilience, financing and security. Climate and water are, by their nature, issues that can be dealt with only multilaterally, using an integrated approach. The Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 set clear objectives. However, water cuts across all the SDGs. What we need now is international transparency, fair market mechanisms and a level playing field so that all countries can do their part in adapting to climate change. During last year’s election of Netherlands United Nations youth representatives, the young candidates were asked what global issue they would address first if elected.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We need to give the value of water greater weight in the economic, social, environmental and other choices we make. For the Kingdom of the Netherlands, that is self- evident. Amsterdam airport is the only airport in the world that lies below sea level — over four metres below sea level, in fact. So those present can imagine that rising sea levels and the increase in extreme weather are of serious concern to us, as they are for the Caribbean parts of our Kingdom, which are especially vulnerable during the hurricane season. It goes without saying that we welcome the recent announcement of the new Global Commission on Adaptation. We are proud to be hosting the launch event in my home town of The Hague on 16 October.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“We have learned that systematically reducing poverty demands more than money alone, that ending an armed conflict takes more than Blue Helmets alone, that gender equality and education are essential for peace and development, and that sustainability, climate resilience and international stability go hand in hand. The Sustainable Development Goals are built on that concept of integrated thinking and action. That brings me to a topic that is very important to me personally and to the Kingdom of the Netherlands: water management and adaptation to climate change. The global water crisis affects us all, in the form of increasing droughts, floods or pollution. As a member of the former High-level Panel on Water, I hope that the agenda for water action we presented earlier this year will inspire others to scale up their action on water.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“There are no exceptions. That kind of misconduct undermines the core principles of the United Nations and — as the Secretary-General has rightly pointed out — zero tolerance is the only possible response. We must put the new policies in place without hesitation and act on them. We must make sure that victims feel heard and supported and that whistle-blowers are protected. The United Nations is meant to save and improve lives, not destroy them. Here we must draw a clear line. Of course, improving the multilateral system is not only about institutions and organizing principles. They are only a means to an end. Above all, it is about what we do and why we do it. Over the years, we have gradually learned that the only way to solve problems is to tackle their root causes.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“That is why, for example, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the first Member State to announce funding for a reformed resident coordinator system that will raise the efficiency of the United Nations development system. It is why today I transferred the intellectual property rights of the Dutch Travel Information Portal to the United Nations. That system, which maps the travel movements of terrorists and organized crime syndicates, will now be accessible to all Member States. It is practical steps like those that improve the United Nations, our United Nations. When we look at the United Nations institutions, we must not mince our words. We must tell it like it is. Sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment committed by people working for United Nations missions and organizations is unacceptable in every case and in every place.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“That is a thousand arguments for improving multilateralism, and that is just one example of the broader effort that is required to help the Secretary-General’s reform drive succeed. Another important initiative is the Secretary- General’s Action for Peacekeeping agenda. Peacekeeping is at the heart of the United Nations, and we need to keep that instrument up to date. Reforms within the Secretariat and in missions in the field, like the introduction of rotation schemes, will help make peacekeeping missions more effective. For their part, Member States will have to match their words with deeds and money. Supporting change is not a free lunch.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Now we have to put words into action, and by “we” I mean the United Nations itself and all the Member States. The United Nations system must be made fit for purpose to deliver on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which is the ultimate prevention agenda. Take, for example, the staggering number of 3,000 separate United Nations offices around the world, which is 3,000 arguments that support those who say that multilateralism just creates fragmentation and bureaucracy. The critics are not entirely wrong: United Nations reform should bring down this number by at least a thousand, through co-location, use of shared premises and services, and stronger collaboration.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In his most recent annual report, Secretary-General Guterres wrote that “working together multilaterally is not optional; it is the only answer” (A/73/1, para. 148). I fully agree. I believe in constructive multilateralism. I believe in the power of principle, not the principle of power, to guide us towards a better future for more people. Our best — perhaps even our only — way forward is not to give in to defeatism and cynicism but to keep working to improve the system, step by step. In that regard, let me emphasize once again that the Kingdom of the Netherlands firmly supports the Secretary-General’s reform agenda and that we applaud its initial results. The recent agreement on United Nations reform sends a strong message of broad support for change. But, as always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The multilateral system is therefore not perfect, and it is under pressure. The playing field is changing as we speak. Some countries, for a range of reasons, have begun to embrace a different approach. Sadly, more and more often, compromise is being rejected in favour of polarization and perceived self-interest. We are witnessing a worrisome trend: some countries are shifting from a constructive to a combative approach in the multilateral environment. What is more, rising repression, human rights violations and shrinking freedom worldwide are a grave concern. Accountability is often lacking. And when the multilateral system becomes paralysed, it is innocent people who suffer. Syria is a case in point.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In May, the Joint Investigation Team presented conclusive evidence about the origin of the missile launcher that was used to down the aircraft. This has only bolstered our resolve that, in the interest of the victims and their loved ones, the full truth must be revealed, justice served and responsibility accepted. In accordance with Security Council resolution 2166 (2014), we call on all States to fully cooperate with ongoing efforts to this end. There can be no doubt that the rules-based multilateral order that arose after the Second World War has brought great things to many people. That goes especially for the United Nations and the General Assembly. And yet, for many other countries and peoples, the global order has not brought the same benefits. In many parts of the world, peace, stability and prosperity cannot be taken for granted.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“After all, what country does not benefit from a stable and secure international environment, free and fair world trade, peace instead of armed conflict, prosperity instead of poverty, and equality instead of inequality? And what country can achieve those goals alone? Those are rhetorical questions, of course, but once we acknowledge that, and we should act in consequence, which means we must embrace multilateralism. To the people of the Kingdom of the Netherlands this has only become more evident in the aftermath of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17. It remains an open wound for my country, and for all grieving nations that had nationals on board. We are grateful for the support of the international community, as expressed in Security Council resolution 2166 (2014). We hope that together we will see justice done.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“The Kingdom of the Netherlands remains firmly committed to international cooperation. In fact, we have enshrined the principle in Article 90 of our Constitution, which states that “the Government shall promote the development of the international legal order”. That provision reflects our moral compass, but it also reflects our history as an open, seafaring and trading nation, and the fact that our Kingdom consists of four countries, in Europe and the Caribbean: Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands and Sint Maarten. We have therefore understood for many centuries the necessity and benefits of a transnational outlook. That is my core message today. We need a transnational outlook to master the challenges we face. There is no conflict between multilateralism and national interest, but rather the contrary.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“In 1999, in his message for the New Millennium, the late Kofi Annan spoke words that still ring true almost two decades later: “More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.” Mr. Annan’s legacy is one of international cooperation, and of fighting illiteracy, poverty, inequality and climate change as root causes of conflict and human rights violations. Above all, his is a legacy of hope, and a firm belief that progress is the unifying theme in human history. The Millennium Development Goals proved him right, and it is up to us, the leaders of the united nations of the world, to carry this legacy forward and make the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement a reality.”
2018-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 73 (2018)
“Let us do all we can to make good on that promise, because together we can make the United Nations a success. In the year ahead, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will commit itself fully to that endeavour.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Adlai Stevenson, an American politician who experienced two world wars and died when the Cold War was at its height, once said, “The United Nations is like a spade; it is not self- operating. It is what we make of it, for purposes that we can find in common with our neighbours in the world.” I could not agree more. We face great problems in the present age. Conflict and natural disasters affect the lives of many and cause widespread concern. In this unstable world, the United Nations represents stability and a chance to shape the world for the good. We need to make progress with the reforms proposed by Secretary-General Guterres. Let us consider what we have achieved in recent decades. As they say, past results are no guarantee of future performance, but they do represent a promise for the future.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The United Nations now predicts that 200 million people will have become displaced by 2050 because of climate change. Water therefore plays a key role in achieving almost all of the SDGs. We learn most by working with others and by sharing knowledge. We deploy our expertise all over the world — for example, in projects in Viet Nam, Peru, Myanmar and Bangladesh. That is one of the reasons that I am a member of the High-level Panel on Water. This Hall, this building and all members of the Assembly represent one of the greatest achievements of humankind: all the nations working together in partnership to foster peace, justice and development in the world. This is a unique Organization, which entails a heavy responsibility. In such turbulent times, the United Nations needs to prove its worth more than ever.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Much of the Netherlands lies below sea level, so we have centuries of experience in water technology, urban delta management and maritime technology, expertise that we are keen to share with the rest of the world. Working together on water issues is more crucial than ever before. Nearly five years have elapsed since thousands of people here in New York had to flee their homes when the streets flooded in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The destruction caused by Harvey in Texas and the floods in Asia show that water issues have only become more urgent in the last five years. The impact of climate change on the water cycle is brought home to us every day, all over the world, sometimes violently. The people of Sint Maarten, in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, are struggling to cope with the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Investing in human dignity, eradicating poverty, fostering climate resilience and promoting economic and social progress will reduce the incidence of conflict, instability and despair — development and lasting peace, all in one package. The Netherlands and its Kingdom partners Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten are working together to implement the SDGs. We believe that the key to success in attaining the Goals is our willingness to form partnerships at the national and international levels with businesses, civil society organizations, knowledge institutions, local authorities and youth organizations. Working together across sectors is part of our country’s tradition. Our most important area of expertise is water management.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is producing concrete results. For instance, at least 60 countries and the United Nations now contribute foreign terrorist profiles to INTERPOL. INTERPOL already has over 16,000 profiles. When the GCTF was set up, it had fewer than 1,000. That work is not high profile — most of it goes on behind the scenes — but it saves many lives. The prevention of violence and conflict ties in with our third priority — sustainability — and with it, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs precede everything I have just discussed. They are the ultimate prevention agenda. They address the drivers and root causes of instability and conflict.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“This year the Kingdom of the Netherlands is co-organizing the United Nations Peacekeeping Conference in Vancouver. There, we will press for rotation schedules to ensure timely deployment and rotation of both personnel and materiel. That will make countries more willing to participate and extend the potential lifespan of a mission. Counter-terrorism is another issue on which the United Nations is rightly focusing more and more. After all, the United Nations is the prime forum for global norm-setting and international cooperation in the field. When it comes to preventing terrorism, cooperation is key. A good example of such cooperation is the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF), which the Netherlands co-chairs together with Morocco. There, 29 countries work together to achieve a single goal: to keep our citizens safe.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The key word here is “prevention”. We are not devoting enough attention to the early stages of conflict development. That has to change. We need an organization equipped and ready for action at all stages of conflict. That is already happening in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), in which the Netherlands is participating and will continue to participate in 2018. What is new is that we are using intelligence to carry out long-range reconnaissance missions. In that way, we can anticipate conflict, instead of waiting for it to come our way. We see MINUSMA as a model for future missions. However, we need not only better intelligence, but also task-oriented training for United Nations personnel, high-grade equipment and a clear mandate.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The Kingdom of the Netherlands wants to see a more effective and efficient United Nations, with better cooperation among the various agencies. After all, the fields in which the United Nations is active — human rights, peace and security, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — are all inextricably linked. The Netherlands already works in this way. We call it the 3-D approach: an integrated effort to tackle development, defence and diplomacy. We would also like to see the role of the Resident Coordinator reinforced. Moreover, the United Nations will have to work in a results-oriented way, adopt a more modern personnel policy and bolster its internal transparency and accountability. Those are all issues that we will press for in the coming period. Our second priority next year is of course security.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We will work in a transparent way to achieve that goal, each element of which is equally important. The first priority, a strong United Nations, is essential. For that, reform and modernization are crucial. As the new Secretary-General, António Guterres, has said, “The onus falls on the United Nations to prove its worth”. He has been active from day one, working to adapt the United Nations to new realities. His ambitious agenda inspires confidence for the future. The Kingdom of the Netherlands supports his vision and approach, and I would like to take this opportunity to call for a joint effort to implement his reform plans. It is time to follow through. And I do not only mean the Secretary-General, but all of us here in 17-29395 15/29 this great Hall. Saying that the onus falls on the United Nations means that the onus falls on us.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Instead of becoming more inward-looking, as united nations we need to take a step outwards. In this turbulent world, the importance of the United Nations is growing every day. Next year, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will be even more focused on the United Nations. In January 2018, we begin our one-year term on the Security Council, taking over from Italy. This shared arrangement is a good example of European partnership within international organizations. We would like to see more such cooperation. Our two countries even share some of the same priorities, such as tackling people-smuggling in Libya, an issue that is of great concern to the whole of Europe. For next year, as a temporary member of the Security Council, we have set three priorities: a strong United Nations and a secure and sustainable world.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“And after the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 disaster and attacks in neighbouring countries, the people of the Netherlands are increasingly aware that our domestic security depends on cooperation with other countries. It is very important to the Netherlands and to the victims’ next of kin that justice is seen to be done for those who perished on Flight MH-17. It has been agreed that the next step — the prosecution and trial of those responsible — will take place in the Netherlands. We are working with all the countries involved to make that possible. The problems confronting today’s world — climate change, migration, food security, terrorism and cybercrime — are by definition international. No single country can tackle them in isolation. We need each other.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We cannot change the world overnight, but we can improve the lives of individuals step by step. And we are doing so. The United Nations plays a crucial role in those achievements. The United Nations is the only organization where everyone sits at the table, and remains there. While other institutions struggle with an increasing lack of credibility, faith in the added value of the United Nations remains strong among the world’s citizens. We must not let them down. The Netherlands and its Kingdom partners Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten have always attached great importance to cooperation within the United Nations. Our small, outward-looking kingdom could not exist without strong multilateral institutions and an effective international legal order. As a trading nation, our prosperity depends on a stable world.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“But the destruction caused by two world wars united the nations of the world in a shared belief that it should never happen again.Franklin D. Roosevelt put it this way in February 1945: “The point in history at which we stand is full of promise and of danger. The world will either move towards unity and widely shared prosperity or it will move apart”. The world of today is indeed a much better world, and not just geopolitically. In 2015 we took stock of the progress we had made on the Millennium Development Goals. Extreme poverty and maternal mortality had been halved, and child mortality had been almost halved. Ninety per cent of children in developing countries are now receiving primary education. Despite all the very real problems that confront us today, I still see grounds for optimism.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“But if we take a long- term perspective — and, as a historian, I like to do that — there are grounds for optimism. This building here in New York — United Nations Headquarters — is concrete proof that progress is possible. Here in this inviolable international zone, thousands of people from every continent work together to foster peace, justice and development in a world governed by international law. That is no easy task, far from it. But advances are being made. Sometimes we take three steps forward and two steps back, but if one takes a long-term view, one can see clear progress. Think back to when the United Nations was established in 1945. Europe lay in ruins, as did Asia. Two nuclear bombs had been dropped on Japan. The Cold War was around the corner and would hold the world in its grip for decades.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Every era and every decade has its problems, great and small. The problems we face now seem overwhelming. These days many people worry about the future, which is understandable. The past few years have been marked by terrorist attacks all over the world. In countries like Myanmar, Syria, the Central African Republic and Yemen, the population is suffering as a result of wars and conflicts. More and more people are fleeing their homes because of violence, scarcity or poverty, leaving behind everything they have. Only recently, floods claimed lives in the United States and Asia, and Hurricane Irma has left a trail of destruction in its wake, including in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Nuclear issues are once again a major concern, and geopolitical tensions are increasing. That is the picture today.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We salute the French initiative in that regard. We also believe that the Security Council’s authority and resolve would be enhanced if the United Nations Member States were more broadly represented. That is especially true of the African States which, in our opinion, are underrepresented. In closing, Dag Hammarskjöld once said that “[t]he principles of the Charter are, by far, greater than the Organization in which they are embodied, and the aims which they are to safeguard are holier than the policies of any single nation or people” (S/PV.751, para. 4). The Netherlands shares that conviction and remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting the international legal order, as our Constitution demands.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We owe this not only to the passengers of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17, but also to the victims of violence in Syria and in Iraq. The horrifying images of mass executions and beheadings in the region are burned into our memories. They impress upon us how important it is for the Security Council and international legal institutions to be able to act boldly and decisively. The Kingdom of the Netherlands, a partner for peace, justice and development, is a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council in 2017 and 2018. We want to help modernize and strengthen that important United Nations body. Renewal is needed to ensure its effectiveness and legitimacy. The Security Council must be able to act in a crisis. When mass atrocities are being committed somewhere in the world, veto power should be exercised with greater restraint.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“Our commitment to fulfilling Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) remains firm too, because women’s leadership is essential to achieving peace and security. The important role that women play as change agents in politics, economic development and society cannot be emphasized enough. As host country to many international legal institutions, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, the Netherlands feels a special responsibility with respect to international law. When innocent people fall victim to impunity, human rights violations and the violence of war, the international community cannot and should not just stand by and just watch. Perpetrators must be brought to justice, however complex and time-consuming the process may be.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We also welcome the Secretary-General’s announced intention to establish the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response. The Netherlands will substantially increase its humanitarian aid. Part of that effort is a new contribution of €18 million to the fight against Ebola. In the same vein, the Netherlands will continue to support and participate in United Nations peacekeeping missions. We currently have military personnel and relief workers serving in Mali, South Sudan and elsewhere. The upcoming review of peacekeeping missions is an opportunity to improve the instrument and make it more effective. The Netherlands believes that major progress can be made on that front by further integrating the three Ds: defence, development and diplomacy.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“We will be reviewing the Millennium Development Goals and raising the bar once again. In July this year, the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals laid a solid foundation for the future that reflects the Netherlands’ priorities. The most important goal is to eradicate extreme poverty within a generation in a way that does not harm economic growth, social equality or the environment. We must link short-term goals with long- term goals. Despite the progress made, we know that fragile States, where the rule of law barely exists, had no chance of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In 2013 there were more displaced people in conflict regions than ever before. For those reasons, the Netherlands applauds the Open Working Group’s intention to include peace and the rule of law in the new framework.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“The Constitution of the Netherlands contains a unique article that says, “The Government shall promote the development of the international legal order”. That self-imposed responsibility comes from a long tradition of freedom, respect for the rule of law and our country’s international orientation. In March, we put that principle into practice once again when we hosted the Nuclear Security Summit, a conference on an important topic that must remain high on the international agenda. The events of this summer have made us even more resolute about promoting the international legal order and about working to that end with everyone here in the General Assembly, in the knowledge that peace, justice and development are closely interconnected. The year 2015 is an important one for the global development agenda.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“This summer we were reminded again of how closely interwoven events at home and abroad can be and how important a stable world order is to our national interests. We saw again that when it comes to addressing the major problems facing the global community, there is simply no alternative to working together. That is the firm conviction of the Dutch Government. We are grateful for the wide support for Security Council resolution 2166 (2014). All remains and personal belongings must be repatriated. The cause of the Flight MH-17 disaster must be brought to light, and those responsible must be brought to justice. Unhindered access to the crash site is therefore essential. The Dutch Government is fully committed to achieving those goals, working with all the countries and organizations involved.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)
“On 17 July, in a summer already marked by alarming reports from Syria, Iraq and Gaza, our country was confronted with a stark international reality. The 298 passengers of Flight MH-17 would be alive today if not for the Crimea conflict and the destabilization of eastern Ukraine. Of those victims, 196 were Dutch nationals. That tragedy has had an enormous impact on our country — so many innocent men, women and children, entire families ripped from neighbourhoods, empty desks in offices and schools, teammates gone forever. Everyone in the Netherlands knew someone in that plane, directly or indirectly, and we will feel the pain for years to come. Some of the victims still have not been identified, and that must be done as soon as possible. Nothing is more important to their loved ones, wherever in the world they may be.”
2014-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 69 (2014)