YouSaid · the spoken record

Aguilar Zinser

lines on the record: 808
first: 2002-01-30
most recent: 2003-11-20
sittings or episodes: 89
sources: un-security-council

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“We therefore make a very special appeal to the Coalition Provisional Authority to redouble its ongoing efforts to ensure that humanitarian agencies of the United Nations, those of the international community and of Iraq, as well as non- governmental organizations, may have the requisite security to carry out their work in support of the Iraqi civilian population. In the current circumstances, the protection of humanitarian workers must be a priority. That is a collective responsibility of all States, and a particular responsibility of those currently wielding authority in Iraq. In that regard, we lament the tragic news we heard this morning from Mr. Vieira de Mello of the death of a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“What role should the United Nations therefore play? That has already been outlined clearly by Mr. Vieira de Mello and the Secretary-General. However, allow me to add a few points in this regard. There is a need to accelerate and expand the deployment of humanitarian assistance to tackle the difficult conditions being suffered by various parts of Iraqi society. That must be done by converting the oil- for-food programme into domestic mechanisms and programmes that have the support of the international community. However, as the Secretary-General's report indicates, and as Mr. Vieira de Mello has underscored in his briefing, security conditions greatly impede the achievement of those tasks.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“Peace and security, which we wish to see in Iraq, essentially depend not only on police and military arrangements; peace and security will ultimately hinge upon the political arrangement that Iraqis achieve - by addressing humanitarian needs, creating robust institutions upon which to base the rule of law and establishing adequate conditions for economic and social development - to provide the foundations for peace and security in the country, as well as by seeking agreement with regard to the establishment of new representative institutions that leave behind the past of brutal repression experienced by the Iraqi people. My Government therefore expresses the hope that the process of internal political consolidation will quickly lead to the onset of peace and security, which will have a positive effect upon the entire region.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“In that regard, my delegation is grateful for the reports shared with the Security Council earlier by representatives of the coalition. We look forward to the report that Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock has said will be forthcoming in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1483 (2003) regarding the information that the coalition and the Authority must share with the Security Council, so that we may evaluate the action the Council can take to strengthen the role of the United Nations and more actively assist in fully restoring peace and security.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“The Security Council can also thereby gain a clearer idea of what Iraqis want. As Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello has said, regardless of the sector, faith or race of members of Iraqi society, there are very clear needs, demands, purposes and objectives being pursued by the Iraqi people as a whole. These have been described to us today by Mr. Vieira de Mello. The first of these, of course, is the full restoration of peace, order and security. Here, we need to stress the fact that the primary responsibility lies, in accordance with international humanitarian law, with the Authority set up by the occupying forces. That responsibility cannot be replaced by anyone, but the international community can assist in carrying out the task of fully restoring security and order in Iraq.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“The raison d'etre of the United Nations presence in Iraq and the mandate that this Council has given it is to assist and support the people of Iraq, strengthen its capacity to recover its sovereignty, address the humanitarian problems it faces, establish conditions for the full exercise of human rights and foster the creation of institutions that will lead to economic, political and social development for the Iraqi people. The people of Iraq is the focus of the United Nations and the only objective that the Organization is pursuing in Iraq. In keeping with this, we welcome the fact that, through dialogue and communication with all sectors of Iraqi society, the United Nations has been able to re- establish its presence in Iraq and to draw up a programme of work, set its priorities and define its positions.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“In this regard, my delegation fully endorses the principles outlined here by the Permanent Representative of Pakistan, which are principles that we have championed with respect to the situation in Iraq and which are undoubtedly those that inspire the activities of the United Nations. We hope that the timetable referred to in the Secretary-General's report will lead expeditiously and successfully to the full restoration of Iraq's sovereignty.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“We listened attentively to Mr. Pachachi's statement concerning the objectives and purposes of that Council in the immediate future. We sincerely wish them every success in their task of such far-reaching importance to the political reconstruction of Iraq. The aim expressed by the Secretary-General concerning the Organization's presence in Iraq is fully shared by the Mexican Government. We agree that the immediate goal is to put an end to the military occupation as soon as possible, within the framework of the establishment of an Iraqi administration that is genuinely representative and capable of restoring and exercising Iraq's full sovereignty, in keeping with a constitutional order designed by Iraqis for Iraqis.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“Mr. Aguilar Zinser (Mexico) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation is especially pleased that you, Madam, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain, are presiding over the Security Council for this important meeting. My delegation thanks the Secretary-General for his report to the Security Council and for his opening statement at this meeting. We wish in particular to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, for the important briefing, information and views he has shared with us in order to enable the Security Council to appraise the role of the United Nations and the current situation in Iraq. My delegation also welcomes Mr. Adnan Pachachi, Mr. Ahmad Chalabi and Ms. Aqeela al- Hashemi. My Government has taken due note of the formation of the interim Governing Council of Iraq.”
2003-07-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4791 (2003) · source
“Without the support of Ambassador Greenstock and without the planning and the preparatory work for the mission's meetings, we would not have been able to fulfil our mandate with success. I also express my thanks for the cooperation, the spirit of participation and the statements, proposals and advice given by the members of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau of the Economic and Social Council who took part in this mission, led by Ambassador Kumalo of South Africa.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“Hence the mission recommended that, from now until the elections, and on the basis of an upcoming report of the Secretary-General, the Council and the Secretariat remain in ongoing communication in order to be present and to support the society and the authorities of Guinea-Bissau in the upcoming political process. I would like to conclude by stressing once again the urgent call being made by the Security Council mission in its report for donor countries to support these processes. Allow me to conclude by thanking all members of the mission, the Secretariat and, in particular, the United Kingdom Mission and Vanessa Howe-Jones and Ambassador Greenstock for the support that they gave us so that we could carry out the mission entrusted to us in Guinea-Bissau.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“But if this does not happen in the next few months, the risk is political confrontation, a breakdown of order, institutional destabilization and, regrettably, violence, with repercussions for the entire region. The international community therefore must make its presence felt and comply with its commitment to cooperate in the months preceding the electoral process. This will be vital in order to avert a catastrophe. As our report states, the Security Council and the action of the United Nations and of the Economic and Social Council will play a decisive role in averting the conflict that could erupt if we do not take the proper measures. The Council must be vigilant. It cannot lose sight of the situation or remain passive in the coming weeks and months.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We were also assured by the authorities that they would respect the commitment that, once the Assembly is constituted, they would work with it to promulgate the Constitution in the terms decided on by popular representation, and to resolve the question of the composition of the Supreme Court of Justice and the question of its authorities, the President and the Vice- President. As I said earlier, Guinea-Bissau is at a crossroads. If there is to be reconciliation and a political understanding to respect the rights and freedoms to which all citizens aspire, that country will have to embark on the path towards stability and peace, and, from there, towards economic and social development - the only way to achieve harmony and understanding.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“First, in our dialogue with the authorities, we were able to ensure that they would make a commitment to the citizenry and to the political forces that the elections would be held - as President Kumba Yala had anticipated - in October, but now we had a specific date. It was announced shortly after our departure that the authorities were prepared to hold the elections on 12 October. There were also clear signs on the part of the authorities that they would fully respect the outcome of the election process, whatever it may be, and that they would work under the conditions and the political settlements stemming from that electoral outcome.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We believe that, within the framework of the concerns expressed by the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, there is a concomitant factor: clear commitments must be made by the international community and by donor countries in order effectively to accompany the process, especially the political process, providing technical capabilities - through the United Nations - and resources - through the donor countries - in order for the electoral process to proceed. These are the messages, the commitments and the perspectives of which we spoke. The outcome of the mission was encouraging, but we did leave with a few concerns and some doubts.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We emphasized also the need to ensure the participatory nature of the political process in conditions of freedom, providing full opportunities to all of the political forces of the country in the exercise of their rights and freedoms. We are awaiting a credible political process that would be the starting point for a new political settlement in that country. Secondly, we stressed the need to give full validity to the legal order, primarily with respect to the fundamental rights of persons and human rights, civil rights and freedom of expression, but also with respect to the rule of law in the context of the functioning of institutions. We stress the fact that specific commitments must be made with respect to restoring the legitimacy of the judiciary and to the proper promulgation of the Constitution.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“Indeed, we saw a society eager to overcome its setbacks and to organize itself politically - a society that is ready and willing to use its freedoms and to build, through them, understanding and harmony, so that power struggles can be resolved through political means, using democratic channels and within a constitutional framework. Thus the mission aimed first of all to ensure that dialogue with the authorities would be very clear with respect to the fact that the political process must move forward and that elections must take place in the near future. When we arrived in Guinea-Bissau, no date had been set for the holding of the elections - something that we pointed out and stressed to the authorities, hoping that before our departure we would be able to obtain a commitment as to the holding of elections.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We spoke with United Nations personnel, and we met there a very solid team with a clear vision of what is happening in Guinea-Bissau, under the leadership of the very capable, competent, cautious and clear-sighted leadership of the Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. David Stephen, who enjoys great prestige and credibility vis-a-vis all sectors of society and the authorities. We spoke also with all of the political parties, and we took note of the deep divisions that exist within those political organizations, which were urged to work jointly so that the political electoral process could be carried out in the best possible conditions. Of course, we worked also with civil society.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We are convinced that it is necessary to strengthen the partnership between Guinea-Bissau and the international community on the basis of the criteria established by the Economic and Social Council Working Group, which implies an active commitment on the part of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and donor countries. However, we are aware that this active commitment cannot lead to an improvement in conditions in, or to a greater flow of resources for, Guinea-Bissau if there are no clear signs or unambiguous signals on the part of the authorities and of society as a whole that they are moving towards strengthening political processes, freedoms and the rule of law. We reached that conclusion and conducted our assessment after the mission had spoken with the country's authorities, including its armed forces.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We believe that conditions for peace and security are closely linked to the political process and to economic and social development, and that they represent a reality that is part of a larger regional context. What happens in Guinea-Bissau have will have a major impact on the already uncertain and fragile conditions for peace in the region of West Africa. Events in West Africa will have to be very seriously borne in mind in order to assess the future of stability in Guinea-Bissau. The complementary visions of the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council have made clear the decisive role that is played by international cooperation in development.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“We also found that, owing to the combination of socio-economic problems and political factors, there are risks of instability and violence that could be imminent if they are not addressed adequately. Those risks could lead to the breakdown of institutions. We found armed forces that have demonstrated and reaffirmed their commitment to the democratic process and their respect for institutions and constitutional order, but also armed forces in conditions of extreme indigence, which makes the situation volatile. It is an army that is poorly supplied and badly equipped and even lacks regular payment of salaries, all of which contributes to a situation of uncertainty.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“The security of the country and of the region will depend on the ability to resolve the population's socio-economic problems and on the international cooperation that materializes for that task. But that is closely linked to the fact that there is also a critical political situation. There is a process of post-conflict political reconstruction in Guinea-Bissau that is moving forward in a fragile and even uncertain way. That requires that there be a clear commitment from the country's authorities and clear support from the international community with regard to the political process. That must, in an initial stage, lead to the election of parliamentary legislative representatives who will make possible the reconfiguration of political arrangements and the full re-establishment of the rule of law.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“This was also a first opportunity to work together on the ground for both bodies, each with its own perspective and mandate. In doing so, we found a very broad horizon for complementary work between the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council, particularly in dealing with problems in the areas of economic development, security and peace in Africa. We found a country in the midst of a grave social crisis with distressing indices, which tell of a setback that affects the majority of Guinea-Bissau's population with regard to the provision of basic services and access to minimal conditions of life with dignity. We encountered that distressing socio-economic reality as a human factor, but also as a security factor.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“The mission to Guinea-Bissau had a distinctive characteristic: it was a joint or concomitant mission between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, particularly the Economic and Social Council's Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau. That provided us, as members of the Security Council and representatives of the Economic and Social Council, the opportunity to observe from a common perspective the very distressing problems and circumstances that Guinea-Bissau is experiencing, to exchange points of View and to strengthen our mechanisms of cooperation, coordination and complementarity. In the case of Guinea-Bissau, that built up a true strategic partnership between the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“As this is the first time I have taken the floor since Spain assumed the presidency of the Security Council, I want to congratulate you, Sir, on the way in which you have organized the work of the Council this month. I should also like to thank the delegation of the Russian Federation and Ambassador Sergio Lavrov on the way in which he led the work of the Council, even in the absence of many of its members, who were travelling for much of the time during the Russian Federation's presidency. I also want to thank Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock and the other members of the mission to West Africa for the confidence and the support given to the delegation of Mexico so that we could lead the work of the Security Council on the mission to Guinea- Bissau.”
2003-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4785 (2003) · source
“Our country is convinced of the need to devote special attention to the peoples of Africa and expresses its willingness to contribute to promoting peace, security and development for the benefit of its peoples.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“The number of victims claimed annually by conflicts where they proliferate and where there is indiscriminate access to them by combatants shows that these arms are, for all intents and purposes, weapons of mass destruction. The Security Council must encourage actions to prevent conflicts. To that end, it will be necessary to strengthen the cooperation of the United Nations with regional bodies in the terms already discussed here in previous meetings, in particular in the meeting that took place in April between the Security Council and representatives of various regional organizations, in which Africa was properly represented. Mexico is determined to continue to foster ties of friendship and cooperation with Africa.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“This is the case of Somalia, where the internal conflict is becoming increasingly acute and the humanitarian situation of the civilian population is constantly worsening. We believe that in this respect the Council must consider additional measures in order to encourage the holding of an inclusive dialogue, with the participation of all of the parties in Somalia, reasserting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of Somalia. Lastly, we would like to stress the fundamental threat posed by the illicit trafficking of arms, and its connection with terrorist acts and with the continuation of armed conflicts. We must make an effort to stop the trafficking of small arms and light weapons in Africa, which have the effect of actual weapons of mass destruction.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“This visit to Guinea-Bissau, to Cote d'Ivoire, to Liberia and to Sierra Leone, as well as dialogue with neighbouring countries in the region, will also be an opportunity for the Security Council to adopt, in future, decisions that will help these peace processes. In particular, the Security Council will have the opportunity directly to assess the difficult conditions being experienced in Liberia, whose situation contributes significantly to the instability prevailing in the region. We must also, in carrying out this exercise, review the role of the sanctions, both in Sierra Leone and in Liberia. There are other conflict situations in Africa to which the Security Council must also provide its ongoing attention.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“We also must make neighbouring countries understand their obligations and their responsibility not only to stay outside of the conflict and fully to respect the sovereignty and self- determination of the Congo, but also to prevent the trafficking of any arms and any action from their territory that would foster violence and confrontation within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Security Council will also soon undertake a visit to West Africa. This will be a new opportunity to strengthen the efforts of the Council in the region and to provide an accurate regional perspective. The situation in West Africa has deteriorated following the resurgence of internal conflicts in various countries - conflicts that are interlinked in a very complex fashion.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“We believe that the decision adopted by the Council to send an Interim Emergency Multilateral Force to Africa is a correct and necessary decision that expresses the Council's determination to fulfil its commitments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We believe that the mission, to be led by the Permanent Representative of France, will also have the opportunity to assess what new measures the Security Council can adopt in order to help substantively to consolidate the peace process under way in that country and in that region. We feel that it is particularly important to follow up on the measures proposed by the Panel of Experts with respect to the illegal exploitation of natural resources, which is at the root of many of the conflicts that we must tackle today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“In that connection, the exchange of opinions with governmental representatives and with members of various political factions have given the Security Council the opportunity to assess the importance of its own decisions in a much more real and direct way. Recently, the Council has considered the question of sending a multilateral force to support the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), particularly in Ituri province. In that respect, my country would like to stress its support for and gratitude to the Uruguayan contingent, which is now trying to carry out its humanitarian mission in Ituri and Bunia under extremely difficult conditions.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“In that way, the Security Council has, over the past year and a half, carried out a series of missions that, from Mexico's perspective, have had very positive results. In February last year, the Council sent a mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea, which, inter alia, had the task of pointing out to the parties the priority that the Council placed and continues to place on settling conflicts peacefully and by expressing the will of the parties. The Security Council then had the opportunity to support the work of the United Nations and to make the message of peace very clear. The Council has also carried out missions in Central Africa and in West Africa that have been part of its work in recent years. We see the establishment of dialogue between the Council and the main players in the region as the fundamental purpose of those missions.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“From the work that my country is doing in the Sierra Leone Sanctions Committee, we understand that fundamental aspects for making decisive judgements as to the role and nature of the sanctions are the ability to engage in dialogue with the communities affected by such Security Council decisions; the ability to establish direct communication with United Nations representatives who daily assess the impact of sanctions and the difficulties posed by their implementation; and the ability to reaffirm our commitment to full compliance with such measures, face to face with the leaders of the countries in the region and with the political actors whose conduct we wish to influence through such mechanisms.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“They are an opportunity to have direct contact with United Nations operations and to establish more fluid communication - beyond that on paper - with the Special Representatives of the Secretary- General and with all the bodies that are working together under the United Nations banner in the Organization's missions in African countries.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“All of that can be appreciated when we leave the Council Chamber and go out and encounter reality in Security Council missions to Africa. There is an abyss, sometimes very difficult to cross, between our conceptions of Africa's problems as we sit in this Chamber and those that we gain upon encountering - albeit briefly and sometimes superficially - those problems on our journeys to Africa. But Security Council missions to Africa are proving to be a basic tool for achieving, first of all, a direct dialogue between Security Council members - as was pointed out here by Ambassador Greenstock - and the leaders of the countries with respect to which the Council must take decisions. They are also an opportunity for dialogue with civil society and with the actors involved in the conflicts.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“Therefore, those elements should also be understood comprehensively in our work. Of course, the financial conditions and the economic prospects that African countries face must also be incorporated as elements of judgement; hence the importance of engaging in dialogue and interaction with the Bretton Woods institutions and other international financial institutions. To resolve Africa's problems, we must address their causes with long-term endeavours that have a genuinely preventive nature. In that connection, we believe that it is the international community's efforts with regard to education that, over the long term, must yield the best results in order to establish conditions of peace, stability, understanding and harmony in Africa.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“We must do so in dialogue and communication with regional organizations, with the political leaders, with members of civil society - with all those who participate actively in these processes and who must be part of the solution. The Security Council must also tackle Africa's problems in a creative process of cooperation with United Nations bodies in all spheres of activity. Africa is the point of convergence of all United Nations agencies and of their work. Therefore, Council action must reflect the spirit and the goal of cooperation that we in the Council have called "partnership" with the bodies of the United Nations. Conflicts in Africa are also associated with unforeseen situations related to grave natural disasters and with endemic situations such as famine and epidemics.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“It is necessary for all these elements - ethnic and inter-State disputes, fighting among various political factions, the illegal exploitation of natural resources, the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons, the employment of mercenaries and the use of children as combatants - to be taken into account. They must be integrated into the vision that the Security Council will embrace when it takes crucial decisions for the peace and the future of Africa. Mexico believes that analysis of the conflicts must be approached from this comprehensive perspective, also taking into account the regional dimensions that explain their deep-rooted causes.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“My delegation therefore believes that today's discussion is integral to the commitment to the transparency with which the Security Council should undertake its tasks. The decision-making process in relation to conflicts in Africa must be as comprehensive as possible. Conflicts are caused by a conjunction of circumstances that are often deeply rooted in history, with organizational forms, power structures, formulas for the exploitation of natural resources and ancient modes of domination that are perpetuated by many of these conflicts.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“Mr. Aguilar Zinser (Mexico) (spoke in Spanish): Since this is perhaps the last meeting over which you, Sir, will preside this month, I wish to take this opportunity to express to you my delegation's gratitude for the effective way in which you have led the Council's work during this very difficult month. I also express my delegation's appreciation for your having included on the agenda of this wrap-up meeting the theme "Conflicts in Africa: Security Council missions and United Nations mechanisms to promote peace and security". My delegation believes this exercise to be timely and necessary. The Security Council's missions to Africa have become a crucial instrument for its decision-making process. These missions are carried out with United Nations support and thus with the direct or indirect participation of Member States.”
2003-05-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4766 (2003) · source
“In conclusion, we would like to ask whether the role of the Special Representative will also include coordinating all the United Nations agencies as they fulfil their commitments and their work plans. Do we anticipate a single joint work programme being crafted to cover the efforts of all the agencies and all the tasks of the Special Representative? Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for the information and views provided by those who have briefed the Security Council today. We wish them luck in their work in Iraq; they will need it.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“Are they associated with acts of revenge, the massive settling of scores with the Saddam Hussain regime, or are they linked to the emergence of other phenomena related to the breakdown in authority and the ensuing social dynamic? We are also interested in the issue of the protection of humanitarian workers. What work plans are being developed to increase the capacity to address humanitarian issues, once there are more staff to deal with those issues and once they have greater mobility throughout the territory of Iraq? That would, of course, require specific security measures to be taken and specific security criteria to be established. What can our guests tell us about progress in that field as well as about relations between the United Nations humanitarian agencies and the Authority of the occupying Powers?”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“We are also facing a phenomenon of violence and social disruption of whose magnitude we are just beginning to have accurate readings. The looting and the lack of security in Iraq seem linked to widespread disorder and the complete loss of authority by the institutions entrusted with ensuring public law and order. We are confronted with the emergence of phenomena that could have a deeply rooted dimension: criminal organizations that may emerge and certain patterns of violence that may have to be clearly identified in order to counteract them. In that respect, we have heard non-governmental organizations speak about kidnappings and the abuse of women. We would like to know whether the humanitarian organizations and the United Nations agencies can inform us about the nature and scope of those phenomena.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“I would therefore like to ask what the prospects are for the emergence of Iraqi civilian institutions - even nascent ones - that could eventually to some extent take over those efforts and that would represent Iraqi society's efforts to organize in order to provide for its own needs. In other, comparable situations in which disasters involving such thoroughgoing collapses of institutions occur, civil society has shown a certain ability to respond by getting organized. In Iraq, it seems that such abilities are attributable to religious elements and to those belonging to certain groups. But I wonder whether there is any sign of an emergence of civilian entities whose underlying purpose is simply to attend to specific humanitarian situations and the concrete needs of communities.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“My delegation is therefore attentive to, and concerned about, the type of institutional capacities that the United Nations will have to deploy and the relationship that will be created between the United Nations agencies responsible for attending to the humanitarian situation and the Authority representing the occupying Powers, because they are going to be operating in the same space and will have to work side by side as they lay their bricks. For the institutions will need to be rebuilt in order to enable Iraq to attend to its humanitarian needs. There is another topic that has already been touched upon: the intimate relationship between security on the ground and the capacity of the United Nations to provide humanitarian services.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“But in the case of the Iraq, we are faced with a situation in which, due to the nature of the Iraqi regime, with its authoritarian character and its strict control over the entire structure of the Government, the collapse of the regime represents not merely a change of individuals but the total destruction of a structure, accompanied by great economic and social impact and the physical destruction of institutions, including buildings and records, which will be extremely hard to reconstruct. Therefore, I believe that in the humanitarian and support tasks that the United Nations will carry out based on the resolution that the Council has adopted today, the extent of the reconstruction effort is almost physically indicative of the circumstances existing in that country.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“Believe me, I certainly do not envy them the daunting task that confronts them in Iraq. Looking at the situation from the distance of the Security Council Chamber, it is very difficult for the Council even to imagine the magnitude of the work involved in reconstructing Iraq and attending to the humanitarian situation. I do not think that there is any precedent for this kind of situation, in which a State structure has totally collapsed. There have been many cases in which changes of Government as cataclysmic as the present case still left behind some sort of institutional structure - or possessed structures that were so precarious that it little mattered whether they existed or not.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“Mr. Aguilar Zinser (Mexico) (spoke in Spanish): First, allow me to congratulate you, Sir, and your delegation for your initiative of convening this meeting and this dialogue at such a timely moment. This will enable the Council to direct its decision-making and activities on humanitarian issues in Iraq based on the opinions, judgements, points of view and very valuable information that have been provided to the Council by the individuals invited to this meeting. We would like to thank Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator; Mr. James Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Programme; the representatives of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund; and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4762Resumption1 (2003) · source
“At this stage, all proceeds should be strictly channelled towards Iraq's development and the improvement of its people's living conditions. Mexico has advocated this throughout the negotiations, and it is in those terms that we understand the resolution. It contemplates an Advisory and Monitoring Board that must guarantee that Iraq's oil is handled in a totally transparent manner during this stage. The Security Council will be kept informed by the Secretary-General of the functioning of this Board, and it will have to make sure that the commitment of transparency is met. Iraq's future poses a great challenge to the United Nations. If we are to confront it squarely, we must strengthen our own Organization.”
2003-05-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4761 (2003) · source