YouSaid · the spoken record

Ahmad

lines on the record

388

first

2000-03-09

most recent

2023-11-29

sittings or episodes

45

sources

un-security-council

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

1. “These tasks include protecting United Nations and co-located Joint Military Commission (JMC) facilities, installations and equipment; ensuring the security and freedom of movement of its personnel; and protecting civilians who are in imminent danger of physical violence. These are not easy tasks. The Mission should be adequately equipped to fulfil these tasks. There is a need to focus our attention on effective planning and on deployment of peacekeepers. We would like to emphasize the requirement for a practical concept of operation and configuration of the force in such a manner that it is capable of supporting implementation of the Mission's mandate. The security component of the Mission should also be adequately equipped so that it proves to be an asset for the Mission.”

   2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143Resumption1 (2000) · source

2. “While it is essential for all the parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to move fast to engage in a sustained dialogue process to consolidate peace, we urge all concerned to ensure implementation of the Lusaka Agreement by facilitating an end to the arms flow from outside and the disarming of all members of the armed groups. All parties to the conflict must also protect human rights and respect international humanitarian law. Progress in these areas will be necessary to ensure the success of the peace process. By resolution 1291 (2000), the Security Council has given a robust mandate to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter, the Mission has been given tasks as challenging as in the case of Sierra Leone.”

   2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143Resumption1 (2000) · source

3. “Pakistan also supports an active involvement of the Security Council in peacekeeping efforts, in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement, so as to facilitate an early end to the protracted conflict. One of the preconditions for phase II deployment of peacekeepers, outlined in Security Council resolution 1291 (2000) of 24 February this year, is that "the parties respect and uphold the Ceasefire Agreement" and create a secure environment. We are reassured by the commitment given to the Security Council mission by President Kabila and others that they would facilitate an early deployment of peacekeepers.”

   2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143Resumption1 (2000) · source

4. “I would, first of all, like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's open meeting to review the report of the Security Council mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the able leadership of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. The report submitted by the mission on completion of a whirlwind trip to the region highlights the challenges that the United Nations faces and the measures that the parties to the conflict and the international community need to take to ensure success in our collective efforts to establish peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pakistan believes that the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement is a comprehensive document, and its faithful implementation by all concerned could ensure a lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

   2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143Resumption1 (2000) · source

5. “In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm my country's abiding commitment to the consolidation of the peace process in Tajikistan.”

   2000-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4140 (2000) · source

6. “Whatever may be the case, the absence of recognition of Pakistan's significant role in the report and in any resultant statement raises questions about the objectivity and impartiality of those who are responsible for the preparation of these documents. We hope this is only an oversight and will be rectified. In any case, Pakistan will continue to contribute to the post-conflict peace-building process in Tajikistan in keeping with our consistent policy and our commitment to the peace and prosperity of the people of Tajikistan, as well as for the entire region. We attach great importance to our relations with all the brotherly Central Asian Republics with whom we have historical bonds rooted in common faith, culture and heritage.”

   2000-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4140 (2000) · source

7. “In this capacity, we continued to follow all developments in the political dialogue and played a positive role in encouraging the parties to remain on course and to fulfil their commitment to achieve the goals outlined by them in the General Agreement of 1997. While we fully share the sense of satisfaction being expressed today on the advancement of the peace process in Tajikistan, I must point out here that the report of the Secretary-General which is under consideration of the Council at this meeting does not include any specific reference to Pakistan's contribution. On the other hand, in paragraph 9 of the report, the role of some countries has been recognized. We are not sure whether it is a deliberate omission or an inadvertent error.”

   2000-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4140 (2000) · source

8. “Pakistan hosted the third round of talks in Islamabad in October 1994, which enabled the parties to make significant strides as they signed two important documents: the Protocol on the Joint Commission for the Implementation of the Agreement on a Temporary Ceasefire and the Cessation of Other Hostile Acts on the Tajik-Afghan Border and within the Country, and the joint communique on the results of the third round of intra-Tajik peace talks on national reconciliation. When the parties eventually signed the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord on 27 June 1997, Pakistan agreed to become one of the Guarantor States.”

   2000-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4140 (2000) · source

9. “All sides in the conflict deserve commendation for their wisdom and sagacity in choosing the path of peace by abandoning Violence and destruction. Since 1993, the United Nations has played a vital role in encouraging the parties in the conflict to achieve sustainable peace in Tajikistan. The United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT) was in the vanguard in providing the stability that was required to pursue the peace process. Pakistan actively participated in the Mission by providing observers. Another important area in which we contributed meaningfully was encouraging intra-Tajik dialogue as an observer to the process.”

   2000-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4140 (2000) · source

10. “I would, first of all, like to thank you, Sir, for convening today's meeting on the situation in Tajikistan with a View to reviewing the progress achieved by the parties in the peace process and the contribution of the United Nations. It is heartening to note that the people of Tajikistan have come a long way since 1991 in achieving peace and national reconciliation. For me personally, it is a matter of special satisfaction, having been associated as Secretary-General of a regional cooperation organization, called the Economic Cooperation Organization, with the process of securing the fruits of political independence for the Central Asian republics by leading them on the path of economic resilience and self-reliance.”

    2000-05-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4140 (2000) · source

11. “There cannot be different types of Chapter VII missions in different regions. If Chapter VII missions in other regions have successfully helped to establish peace, that has to be the case in Sierra Leone as well. In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm my country's commitment to the peace, security and prosperity of the continent of Africa.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

12. “We would like to see a practical concept of operation and configuration of force there in a manner that is capable of supporting the implementation of the mandate of the Mission and such that its success does not depend only on the declared intentions of the parties involved in the conflict. Pakistan has always emphasized the point that the international community's commitment to the promotion of peace in Africa will be judged by its seriousness in translating rhetoric into reality. We should not be found wanting in generating the necessary political will to turn words into deeds. The time has come to reiterate our collective commitment to peace efforts in Africa. We cannot allow the peace process in Sierra Leone to fail, despite invoking Chapter VII elements in the mandate of the Security Council.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

13. “The Secretariat needs to assess what went wrong in the planning and deployment of peacekeepers in Sierra Leone, including the configuration of the force. It is all the more important to ensure that, in future, the security component of a peacekeeping mission serve as an asset rather than become a liability. While urging proper review and corrective measures by the Security Council and the Secretariat with a view to making the peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone operational again, we would like to emphasize the need to avoid repeating similar mistakes in other missions, including the one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Pakistan has committed one battalion group for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

14. “The question now arises as to whether UNAMSIL took the necessary measures to ensure the security and freedom of movement of its personnel or to afford protection to civilians under imminent threat. The answer is in the negative. It seems that, while an adequate mandate has been given to the Mission to address such situations as hostage-taking, the peacekeepers deployed on the ground are not adequately equipped to act as per the mandate. There has to be a balance and linkage between the mandate, composition of forces and operational posture adopted in the field. We could not possibly expect the lightly armed infantry battalions deployed in Sierra Leone to implement such robust mandates while maintaining the right posture.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

15. “Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, in paragraph 10 of the resolution the Security Council authorized the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to undertake some additional tasks in the light of conditions on the ground, including, first, to provide security at key locations; secondly, to facilitate the free flow of people, goods and humanitarian assistance; and thirdly, to guard weapons and military equipment collected from ex-combatants. In the discharge of these tasks, the peacekeepers were mandated to take the necessary action to ensure the security and freedom of movement of UNAMSIL personnel and, within its capabilities and areas of deployment, to afford protection to civilians under imminent threat of physical violence.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

16. “We are extremely disturbed at the unfortunate turn of events in Sierra Leone, raising questions as to the effectiveness of the peace efforts of the United Nations and the determination of the international community. There is a need to demonstrate wisdom and commitment in dealing with the evolving situation. The only recourse to a viable peace is to implement the Peace Agreement signed in Lome on 7 July 1999. The international community supported the peace process in Sierra Leone, as reflected in Security Council resolution 1289 (2000) of 7 February this year. It is our understanding that resolution 1289 (2000) clearly describes the ways and means of dealing with the challenges of the type and magnitude that have now emerged in Freetown and in other parts of the country.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

17. “May I, too, begin by thanking you, Sir, for presiding over this open debate on the developments in Sierra Leone. I would like to join other speakers in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of four Kenyan soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Our sympathies are also with those peacekeepers who are being held hostage by the forces of the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUF). One of them belongs to Pakistan. We note with appreciation the courage and commitment demonstrated by the peacekeepers in Sierra Leone, particularly those still held hostage. The RUF must release the hostages immediately and unconditionally.”

    2000-05-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4139 (2000) · source

18. “In conclusion, we welcome the decision of the Security Council to consider various aspects of the issues relating to sanctions. The views expressed in today's debate by the non-members of the Council should provide valuable input to the formulation of comprehensive recommendations on the subject by the Security Council.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

19. “The group's findings concerning negative implications for expatriate labour also deserve due consideration. A sub-group was also established to consider the question of sanctions in the light of the Secretary- General's report entitled "An Agenda for Peace" and the "Supplement to an Agenda for Peace". Its report was adopted by the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. It made useful recommendations on sanctions-related issues, including the need for timely assessment of the adverse effects of sanctions, clear warning before the imposition of sanctions, provision for regular review, precise conditions for lifting sanctions, ways and means of improving the sanctions regime and establishment of an effective monitoring system. The Security Council must take these recommendations into consideration.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

20. “Sanctions have been particularly harmful for developing countries, including Pakistan, as their economies are more vulnerable. The Charter Committee of the United Nations has extensively deliberated upon this issue for a number of years. We feel that it is now time to move beyond this debate. We need to consider practical steps to assess the damage caused by sanctions and evolve ways and means of compensating the losses incurred by third States. In 1998, an ad hoc expert group was set up by the Secretary-General, and it prepared various recommendations for implementation by the Secretariat, including the appointment of a special representative to undertake full assessment of the actual consequences for the affected countries and the sending of special fact- finding or evaluation missions to the affected countries.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

21. “Before taking such a decision, it must be ensured that the negative consequences for the people of the target country are minimized. As experience has shown, this may be difficult to realize. The concept of "smart" sanctions has not yet proved to be smart enough to spare the common people from the adversity of sanctions. We have serious doubts that there could be targeted sanctions without substantial collateral damage to the public at large. Another important aspect that requires thorough review is the impact of sanctions on third countries. Article 50 of the United Nations Charter recognizes the right of third States to consult the Security Council with regard to the economic problems they face because of its enforcement measures against any Member State.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

22. “In practice, we have seen that there are no uniform criteria for imposing sanctions. Different yardsticks have been used in responding to similar situations. While some countries have been subjected to stem measures for violating Security Council resolutions, many perennial violators of Council resolutions and the United Nations Charter have not been held accountable at all. On occasion, sanctions have been imposed in support of national agendas. These factors require that a careful review be undertaken of the utility of sanctions as an instrument to further international peace and security. First and foremost, decisions to impose sanctions against any country must be taken on the basis of an objective assessment of any situation.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

23. “Imposition of sanctions should be considered only as the last option, and after all diplomatic efforts have failed to rectify a given situation. Sanctions must be viewed with reference to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Sanctions often tend to violate the fundamental human rights of the common people in the targeted countries, such as the right to live, the right to freedom from hunger, the right to medical care, the right to education and the right to development. More often than not, one of the unintended consequences of sanctions has been their adverse impact on the vulnerable segments of society, in particular the elderly, women and children. In brief, sanctions hurt the very individual whose rights and fundamental freedoms we espouse at every international forum today.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

24. “For others, they are a blunt and counter-productive instrument. In his latest report, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has pointed out the dilemma in the implementation of sanctions regimes, stating that, "Sanctions have had an uneven track record in inducing compliance with Security Council resolutions." (A/54/2000, para. 230) He has also noted that economic sanctions that are directed against regimes have caused enormous suffering to the common people, instead of achieving the desired objectives. As a matter of principle, Pakistan is opposed to sanctions and has consistently supported all efforts by the international community towards peaceful resolution of conflicts. We believe that preventive diplomacy, through constructive engagement, is a better proposition than punitive measures against any country.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

25. “Allow me first of all to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's debate on general issues relating to sanctions, which is both pertinent and timely. Article 41 of the United Nations Charter empowers the Security Council to consider measures not involving the use of armed force to ensure implementation of its decisions aimed at promoting international peace and security. Over the years, the Security Council has designed and imposed a wide range of measures in different situations, including arms embargoes, economic and trade restrictions, severance of air and sea travel links, freezing of bank accounts and diplomatic isolation. Sanctions, as non-military measures, are considered by some an effective tool in the gradual response to threats to international peace and security.”

    2000-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4128 (2000) · source

26. “While cooperation between the United Nations and the regional organizations should be improved, we firmly believe that the regional organizations can play a limited role in the prevention of armed conflict in consonance with Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. In our view, the United Nations must play a more proactive role in the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts that cause humanitarian suffering and massive destruction. I would like to conclude by expressing the hope that today's debate will contribute to the adoption by the Security Council of effective approaches to fulfilling its primary responsibility concerning international peace and security, as envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

27. “In recent years, the Security Council has been bypassed because of its failure to fulfil its primary responsibility due to differing perceptions among its members as to the proper course of action in response to a serious breach of or threat to international peace and security. Last year, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was forced to take unilateral action against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in order to prevent massive and systematic violations of human rights in Kosovo. This development has also led to calls for streamlining the working practices of the Security Council. The credibility of the Security Council is undermined each time it ignores a conflict and leaves it to the parties to resolve, or when regional organizations are asked to field for the United Nations.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

28. “The United Nations has often been subjected to strong criticism for not being able to effectively respond to crisis situations. This lack of response has been owing to various reasons, including lack of determination on the part of the members of the Security Council, ineffective early-warning mechanisms, unreliable sources of information, restricted access to the conflict areas and inadequate preparations in terms of the availability of resources and personnel. We must therefore evolve a uniform strategy and strengthen the United Nations capacity, not only for crisis prevention and conflict resolution, but also for early and effective response to crisis situations irrespective of their geographic locations, in strict conformity with the Charter.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

29. “There are few parallels in the annals of recent history for the Indian repression and State-sponsored terrorism against innocent Kashmiri men, women and children. Selectivity in the implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council also raises serious questions about the Council's credibility. All resolutions of the Security Council must be treated with equal importance, and they must be implemented without any discrimination. The Council's resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir have remained unimplemented for more than half a century. The progress achieved in East Timor must serve as a model for resolving the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir in conformity with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. There cannot be different criteria for United Nations involvement in similar or identical situations.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

30. “In the case of Jammu and Kashmir, which is not a dispute over territory but concerns the destiny of 12 million people, India continues to use brutal force to suppress the indigenous and legitimate struggle of the Kashmiris for their right to self-determination, as promised to them under the relevant Security Council resolutions. Kashmir is kept under subjugation by over 650,000 Indian troops. According to the All Parties Hurriyet Conference, the sole representative of the Kashmiri people, over the past decade more than 70,000 Kashmiris have been killed, 15,000 women and girls have been raped as a strategy of war, hundreds have been subjected to torture and thousands more are languishing in prisons. Custodial deaths, summary executions and disappearances are routine occurrences.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

31. “Selectivity will erode the confidence of the international community in the United Nations. The Security Council, which has the primary responsibility in the maintenance of international peace and security, has not always acted on the basis of the objective requirements of a situation. It has failed, for example, to address long-standing conflicts with massive human suffering and systematic violations of international humanitarian law in a timely and effective manner. This has held true in the conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Rwanda, J ammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

32. “Fourthly, the central role of the General Assembly as the only body with universal representation in the United Nations system must be maintained and in fact strengthened. There should also be no encroachment by the Security Council on the role of other United Nations bodies. The Security Council must operate strictly within its mandate. Principles should take precedence over expedients. Fifthly, the Secretary-General may continue to play an active role in conformity with the responsibilities entrusted to him by the Charter. International humanitarian action as a preventive measure can be credible only if applied without discrimination to all situations. There should be uniform criteria for involvement of the United Nations. It must be based on the principle of equal justice for all.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

33. “Secondly, for humanitarian action to find general acceptance, it must have legitimacy under international law. Such action must fully conform to the provisions of the United Nations Charter and be undertaken only with the explicit authority of the Security Council, after a clear breach or threat to international peace and security has been established. Thirdly, a clear distinction must be maintained between, on the one hand, humanitarian crises as a result of wars, conflicts or disputes which by their very nature constitute threats to international peace and security and, on the other hand, other human rights issues. The latter fall within the purview of the United Nations human rights system and not of the Security Council.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

34. “There is also a need to undertake long-term strategies by creating an enabling international economic environment in pursuit of the goal of poverty eradication. The Secretary-General has advocated international preventive action in all humanitarian emergencies as a consequence of wars and conflicts. We must be clear and certain about the purpose, scope and legitimacy of such an enterprise. The prospects of preventive action must be studied within certain fundamental parameters. First, the principle of State sovereignty and non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of States must be respected. However, this principle cannot be extended to situations where people under colonial rule, foreign occupation or alien domination are struggling for their inalienable right to self-determination.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

35. “During the last decade, 2 million children have died as a result of armed conflicts and 12 million more have been rendered homeless in 30 conflict situations. Another unfortunate consequence of conflicts is that there are over 30 million refugees in the world. Pakistan itself was host to more than 4 million Afghan refugees for over a decade during the Afghan war against foreign occupation. Currently, we continue to carry the burden of 1.5 million Afghan refugees. Any study of wars and conflicts clearly shows that poverty and underdevelopment have accentuated conflicts. This has been true in the post-cold-war era conflicts. It is a commonly held view that the best way to promote adherence to universally agreed humanitarian law in today's conflicts is through the implementation of the right to development and through poverty eradication.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

36. “This was best described by the Secretary-General in his lecture at the World Bank last October, when he said that the costs of prevention have to be paid in the present in order to draw benefits for the future by avoiding wars and disasters. In our view, it is imperative that the international community, in particular the Security Council, address the root causes of conflicts and disputes and not merely attempt to treat the symptoms. Only then can preventive action yield the desired results. In the post-cold-war era, the nature of conflicts has changed significantly, both within and between States. It is a painful reality that over a million people die each year in various conflict areas around the world.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

37. “His reports and the numerous debates in the Security Council on the subject have highlighted the magnitude of the problem and the threat it poses to international peace and security. It is our collective responsibility to ensure respect for international humanitarian law with a view to alleviating the suffering of people in conflict situations and to enhancing the global peace and security environment. We believe that the most prudent and tested method of conflict resolution is through recourse to preventive diplomacy, as outlined in Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations. Pakistan believes that prevention is better than cure.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source

38. “I would like first of all to express our thanks to you, Sir, for arranging today's debate on humanitarian aspects of the Security Council's role in maintaining international peace and security. We are particularly happy to see you in the chair as the Foreign Minister of an important country of our region, presiding over this important meeting on a subject of global concern with direct relevance to our own region. Violence is an unfortunate and unacceptable by- product of wars and armed conflicts. The Secretary- General, through his reports, has repeatedly invited the attention of the States Members of the United Nations to the humanitarian consequences of conflicts in various parts of the world.”

    2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109Resumption1 (2000) · source