YouSaid · the spoken record

Akram

lines on the record: 1,374
first: 2002-06-13
most recent: 2023-12-20
sittings or episodes: 175
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

“There can be no justification for targeted assassinations and extrajudicial killings as an instrument of State policy. This is also in direct conflict with Israel's obligations as the occupying Power under the Fourth Geneva Convention. The logic of self-defence cannot be extended to justify extrajudicial executions. Even suspected terrorists should be subject to the rule of law, especially by a country that prides itself as a democracy. The Israeli action has understandably caused shock and indignation throughout the world. Pakistan joins those who have condemned this provocative action and expresses grave concern over its vital ramifications. The world community is justified in the fear that both the Palestinians and the Israelis are less secure today than they were on 21 March.”
2004-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4929 (2004) · source
“The Security Council is meeting today as the Middle East once again stands at the brink of another grave crisis. The rocket attacks of 22 March threaten to undo in one stroke the achievements of careful international diplomacy over many years. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a paraplegic in a wheelchair, was killed with eight other Palestinians. The spectre of a new cycle of violence haunts both the Palestinians and the Israelis. The peace process is in mortal danger. The Security Council is meeting not to defend any ideology, nor the actions of any one individual. The Council is meeting to defend the principles of the Charter and international law. The action by the Israeli armed forces is in complete violation of international law.”
2004-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4929 (2004) · source
“First, there is a need to press all parties to rein in their respective extremists and to ensure that such violence, especially against innocent civilians, including women and children, is no longer tolerated. Secondly, there is a need to intensify security efforts against those extremist elements as well as against organized crime, which feeds them, including, as far as possible, the securing of Kosovo's borders. Thirdly, it is necessary to seriously prepare the ground for the peaceful, legal and democratically rooted process of resolving Kosovo's final status. Without movements towards this, the solution to the problems in Kosovo may continue to remain elusive.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“We also agree that the establishment of a multi-ethnic, tolerant, democratic and peaceful society in Kosovo remains a fundamental objective in the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999). The present disturbances are the worst that Kosovo has experienced since 1999. We must reflect deeply on the reasons for this. We must evaluate whether our approach so far requires any adjustment. We must note the perception, brought to our attention today, that the international community is not being seen in Kosovo as taking credible steps towards a final and durable solution. Our fundamental aim must be to address the root causes of the tensions and conflict in Kosovo. In that regard, I wish to conclude by offering some observations on what steps should be taken to address the challenge, which I would like to submit for the Council's consideration.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“Like others, we call for legal investigations to ascertain the origins of these alarming events and to bring the perpetrators to justice. Pakistan fully supports the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Holkeri, and the call made by the Secretary-General to help restore calm and stability. The disturbing events in Kosovo underscore the urgent need to uphold the rule of law, ensure proper security for all ethnic communities and bring to justice all those involved in criminal acts. We join others in urging all the people of Kosovo to work through the recognized legitimate channels, including UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions, to address their grievances.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“Mr. President, we would like to thank you for convening this meeting today with regard to the grave events in Kosovo. We are grateful for the presence of the Secretary-General and for the eloquent statement he made to the Council this afternoon. I would like also to welcome warmly the participation of Foreign Minister Fischer of Germany and of Foreign Minister Svilanovic of Serbia and Montenegro at this meeting. Pakistan condemns the violence in Mitrovica and other parts of Kosovo in the strongest terms, especially the loss of human life, including the death of innocent children. We condemn also the attacks against the personnel of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and of KFOR and against religious sites, and demand that such acts be stopped.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“Through such a transparent and interactive process, we look forward to the adoption by consensus of the draft resolution on the CTC's revitalization.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“We are therefore heartened by the remarks made by the Chairman of the Committee that the proposed structure will be of a special nature and will not set a precedent for the future. Those assurances should be appropriately reflected in the draft resolution which is to be adopted. In that context, we also welcome the views conveyed by the Secretariat in a letter to the Chairman of the CTC yesterday. We trust that further consultations on the proposed draft resolution will involve close interaction with the Secretariat, and that its views will be taken into account, and will bring the provisions of the draft resolution in line with the requirements of the Charter. Similarly we hope that the views expressed by non-members of the Security Council in this debate today, will also be taken into account in finalizing the draft resolution.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“We believe there is need to carefully consider the approach outlined in the report and in the draft resolution circulated by the Chairman. We should create institutional or Secretariat structures which conform to the provisions of the Charter and respect the prerogatives and responsibilities of the Secretary- General and the General Assembly. It can be argued that the CTC needs the assistance of an operational body for discharging certain specific tasks within a limited period of time, such as monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), by Member States. Therefore, we would be prepared to consider the creation of a supplementary and special group to assist the Committee with that task. Such a special body should be created for a limited period of time and should not set a precedent for other future structures.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“The CTC should also be enabled to promote a comprehensive approach to combat terrorism, addressing the current and mutating nature of the terrorist threat, the greater and vigorous emphasis on intelligence and information sharing, intelligence analysis, early warning and appropriate law enforcement, administrative and political actions against terrorist threats, including strengthened policing of borders, prevention of terrorist financing and building capacity within States for combating terrorism and extremism. The CTC also needs to address the root causes of terrorism: economic and political injustice, foreign occupation, poverty and extremism. The Chairman's report has been the subject of extensive discussions in the CTC at the level of experts.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“There is no doubt that the Committee's wide- ranging responsibilities and, especially, the need to ensure timely implementation and reporting of the means adopted by Member States to combat terrorism have imposed a heavy burden on the successive Chairmen and their delegations, as well as on the small Secretariat support staff assisting the CTC. Therefore, Pakistan supports the efforts of the CTC Chairman to revitalize the work of the Committee, as reflected in the CTC's report on its revitalization (S/2004/124, annex). In our view, the revitalization of the CTC should focus on substance, rather than on form. It is important to assess and encourage concrete actions by States against terrorism, rather than to focus on the evaluation of reports and documents.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“Since its establishment, the CTC has accomplished valuable goals: among other things, ensuring general adherence by Member States to international counter-terrorism conventions, energizing States to adopt important legislation, ensuring timely reporting of such national and international efforts to combat terrorism and enhancing coordination among States in the campaign against terrorism. The CTC's accomplishments have been due, in no small measure, to the energy and commitment of its two Chairpersons, first Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom, and currently Ambassador Inocencio Arias of Spain.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“We have captured more than 500 Al Qaeda and Taliban operatives in this campaign. Needless to say, Pakistan has paid a high human and economic cost in pursuing this anti-terrorist campaign. The Counter-Terrorism Committee was set up after 11 September 2001, when the Security Council determined that international terrorism, as a phenomenon, constituted a threat to international peace and security. The CTC was designed as a unique body and was directed to address what was an amorphous, sometimes undefined phenomenon - a threat whose specific manifestations were not always clear or anticipated.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“Confronted by terrorist attacks against innocent people in our cities - including attacks against the President of Pakistan - my Government is steadfastly committed to achieving success in the war against terrorism. We believe that, with determination and cooperation - but also with wisdom - that war can be fought and won. Even as we speak, Pakistani forces are engaged in operations to wipe out what remains of the Taliban and Al Qaeda elements on the frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is the first time in Pakistan's history that our armed forces have been deployed in such large numbers - 70,000 - in the tribal areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan to interdict and hunt down Al Qaeda and Taliban elements. Pakistan has developed an effective intelligence network and a quick-reaction force for that purpose.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“The Pakistan delegation would like to join previous speakers in expressing its gratitude to Ambassador Arias for his briefing and for his leadership of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). We have welcomed the work that has been accomplished in the Committee and the submission of its tenth 90-day work programme (S/2004/32, annex). Important progress was made during the past quarter under Ambassador Arias's leadership. We are confident that the Committee will maintain its momentum and that it will implement its work programme. Over the past 25 years, Pakistan has been a principal victim of terrorism. Since 11 September 2001, we have been at the forefront of the global campaign against terrorism.”
2004-03-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4921 (2004) · source
“We are deeply committed, therefore, to the goals of peace, harmony and prosperity in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to its emergence, as Lord Ashdown has stated, as a success story and as a modern European country.”
2004-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4920 (2004) · source
“Moreover, the peace process remains under threat from organized criminal networks, extreme nationalists and war criminals who remain at large. It is amazing that Karadjic and Mladic cannot be found in an area which is much smaller than, say, the Afghan- Pakistan border, where Osama bin Laden is presumed to be hiding. Lord Ashdown has also spoken of his concern regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina's economic recovery. We note Prime Minister Terzic's remark that today Bosnia and Herzegovina is "just another European country well on its way through the process of transition". The people of Pakistan enjoy historical links with the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina - links which were reinforced during Bosnia's recent tragic and violent history.”
2004-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4920 (2004) · source
“We appreciate Lord Ashdown's efforts in promoting the rule of law, facilitating the return of refugees, supporting efforts for reconstruction and economic reforms, overhauling administrative structures and building the country's capacity for production and employment. Those efforts have helped to move Bosnia and Herzegovina further towards the goals of durable peace and national integration. However, Lord Ashdown has conveyed here today that, as yet, all is not completely well in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that the restoration of Bosnia's pre- war tapestry of coexistence remains an aspiration, not a reality. He has mentioned the slow pace of reforms, which undermines national integration. We note that the success achieved in Brcko has yet to be replicated in Mostar.”
2004-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4920 (2004) · source
“I wish also to welcome Lord Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the Security Council and to thank him for his very informative briefing, as well as to thank Under- Secretary-General Guehenno for his remarks. Today, 12 years after a tragic war, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a more peaceful and stable country, a far cry from the killing fields and ethnic cleansing of the past decade. That is in considerable measure a testament to the sustained commitment of the international community to Bosnia and Herzegovina. But, even more so, the credit for progress must go in the largest measure to the resilient and resourceful people of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to their leadership. They have demonstrated a determination to rebuild a nation torn apart by hate, aggression and international intrigue.”
2004-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4920 (2004) · source
“Earlier this week, on 1 March, Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrated the twelfth anniversary of its independence. President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali both sent warm messages of congratulations to the brotherly Government and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I wish to take this opportunity to once again express our fraternal sentiments to Prime Minister Terzic today. I also assure him of Pakistan's continued and unwavering commitment to his country and his people on their path to peace and prosperity. As a member of the Council, we will continue to support the requests that have been made by Mr. Terzic here today with regard to assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to achieve the goals that have been outlined.”
2004-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4920 (2004) · source
“I would like at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, and the delegation of France, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month, which promises to be one of intensive and successful work. I would like also to convey the Pakistan delegation's high appreciation for the skilful guidance of the Council by Ambassador Wang of China last month. Ambassador Wang kept our business and burdens light until the last day, when he called us for a late Sunday meeting. I wish also to take this opportunity to convey our condolences to the people and the Government of Macedonia on the untimely demise of President Trajkovski in a plane crash in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today we warmly welcome the presence in the Council of Mr. Adnan Terzic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2004-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4920 (2004) · source
“The involvement of the maximum number of partners cannot but help to ensure that the process of peace, reconciliation and reconstruction will be a success.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“We should at least begin to do so before the May 2005 target date set by the standards document. I should like to make one final observation. We have noted recent remarks - including those by Mr. Holkeri - to the effect that the future of Kosovo lies in the European family. We have no doubt that it does. But Kosovo does not belong to Europe alone; it has a culture and a history that extend beyond Europe. Therefore, the process of building peace and of fostering reconciliation and prosperity in Kosovo cannot become an exclusively European process. In particular, we urge both Mr. Holkeri and the Contact Group on Kosovo to work with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to ensure that the solution for Kosovo is a genuinely international solution, especially since Kosovo remains under United Nations transitional administration.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“The dismantling of parallel institutions, which continue to undermine peace and reconciliation in Kosovo, is also essential in the confidence-building process. We look forward to the Kosovo elections in October, and we hope that all communities - in particular the Kosovo Serbs - will participate fully in that exercise. Pakistan's reservations on the "standards before status" issue are well known. We do not wish that approach to become a precedent in similar situations in other parts of the world. While we agree that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo has a mandate to implement the "standards before status" policy, that should not preclude the Security Council's discussing the status issue and constructively approaching it with a View to finding a just and lasting solution.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“Peace cannot be sustained without sustained socio-economic development in Kosovo, as in similar situations. Finally, the rule of law is of particular importance for Kosovo, not only because of the Violence associated with past ethnic aggression, but also because of the endemic transnational crime that continues to infect much of the Balkan region. The issue of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina remains central. We would strongly encourage such a dialogue. We welcome the willingness of the Provisional Institutions to move ahead in their area, and we look forward to the establishment of a new Government in Belgrade that will take up the offer. That will be a first step in building confidence between the two sides; it is, of course, an indispensable step to enable them to effectively address the difficult but important issue of status.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“Holkeri and UNMIK to find ways to expedite the drawing up of the work plan. It is too important to become a hostage to the intransigence of one side or the other. As Mr. Holkeri has himself warned, inaction could leave Kosovo a crippled society, perhaps for years to come. While it is important to address all the eight standards, in our opinion the three key areas deserving urgent priority are the economy, the rule of law and sustainable returns and its connected issues: freedom of movement, the reintegration and return of refugees and displaced persons, and property rights. Freedom of movement for individuals and the right to return in safety and dignity are basic rights of all refugees, and not just in Kosovo; they are rights that need to be addressed everywhere. Similarly, peace and development are indivisible.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“As a member of the Council and as a contributor of troops to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Pakistan will continue to support Mr. Holkeri in promoting the implementation of the provisions of resolution 1244 (1999). We look forward to studying the work plan that UNMIK is drawing up for the implementation of the eight standards identified in the standards document. We take note, however, of the difficulties Mr. Holkeri is encountering in drawing up the work plan. It is as much in the interests of the Kosovo Serbs to participate in the working groups as it is in the interests of the Provisional Institutions to offer Mr. Holkeri its fullest cooperation on all issues. It is, in fact, in the interests of all sides to work towards the implementation of the standards document. Nevertheless, we urge Mr.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“I also wish to express the high appreciation of the Pakistan delegation to Ambassador Munoz for Chile's successful and busy presidency last month. This morning, we should again like to welcome Mr. Holkeri, Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Kosovo, to the Security Council and to thank him for briefing us once again. We share the vision, which Mr. Holkeri expressed last December, of a better Kosovo, "a place where people are free to travel, use their own languages and work anywhere in Kosovo, a place where your ethnic identity - whether Albanian, Serb, Turk, Bosniak, Roma, Gorani, Ashkali, Egyptian or Croatian - has no effect on the way you are treated at work, in the street or in a court of law".”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“I should like to commence my statement by expressing Pakistan's complete condemnation of the horrible terrorist attack that occurred earlier today in Moscow, killing 39 people. We express our deep condolences to the bereaved families and to the Government and the people of the Russian Federation. Since this is the first opportunity I have had to speak in a Council meeting during the current month, let me take this opportunity to express the happiness of Pakistan and my own happiness at seeing you, Sir, preside over the Council during the month of January. We are confident that, with your renowned diplomatic skill, you will guide us to success on the many important issues we will consider during your presidency.”
2004-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4910 (2004) · source
“To that end, the principal organs of the United Nations - the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council - must promote and pursue a coherent approach in helping to build peace and reconciliation in complex crisis situations.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“Finally, we cannot ignore the fact that many conflict situations arise from the politics of poverty and scarcity. Post-conflict reconciliation will inevitably have to be built upon the provision to destitute and desperate people of hope for a better tomorrow. Thus, economic and social development must constitute an integral part of the international community's endeavours to promote peace and reconciliation on a sustainable basis in various conflict situations. The United Nations and its family of organizations, including the Bretton Woods institutions, as well as civil society, have a vital role to play in generating equitable socio-economic development in those countries and regions.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“Refusal by any State or other party to allow the United Nations to play a helpful role in conflict resolution and peace-building cannot be a sign of good intentions. Obviously, where a conflict situation cannot be successfully addressed by the parties, the need for the Security Council and the Secretary-General to assume a role should be evident, in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter. Yet even where the parties are engaged in peace- building, the United Nations can and should play a useful role in encouraging them, in monitoring progress and in playing a good-offices and mediatory role, as outlined in Chapter VI of the Charter, especially where the United Nations has obvious and direct responsibilities under resolutions and decisions of the Security Council.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“And where efforts at post-conflict reconciliation are being conducted in parallel with containing a conflict, there will be a need to buttress the process with full-fledged peacekeeping operations, such as those in Afghanistan, in Liberia and soon, we hope, in Cote d'Ivoire. Such peacekeeping operations should encompass wider mandates to monitor human rights violations and progress in peace-building and reconciliation; to identify responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity; to implement disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes; and to provide technical, legal and institutional support to the parties concerned. One issue that often needs to be addressed is the question of the consent of the parties concerned to the mediatory and peace-building role of the United Nations.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“United Nations efforts must therefore receive adequate financial and political support from all Governments in order to attain the objectives which have been espoused by the world community. The precise response of the Security Council and of the United Nations at large will naturally depend on the specific nature and content of a given situation. Such responses can include the dispatch of a special envoy to mediate, a fact-finding mission, utilizing the specific mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights and of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the appointment of a special representative of the Secretary-General and dispatching a peace observer mission.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“However, in any case, there must be no impunity for the most serious violations, such as genocide and violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which must not go unpunished. The Security Council, the Secretary-General, the United Nations Secretariat and our agencies such as UNDP are well placed to play an active role in post- conflict reconciliation. This is indeed the desire of world public opinion and of the people who are involved in such conflicts. Over the past decade, the United Nations has gained considerable experience and developed institutional mechanisms and methodologies to respond to the serial conflicts and post-conflict situations in various parts of the world, such as East Timor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“In the process of national reconciliation, transparency and openness, especially to impartial international actions such as those of civil society organizations and the United Nations, can be helpful in arresting ongoing violence and violations and in encouraging the parties to address the underlying causes of the conflict. The focus on providing transitional justice and redress for past violations and injustices for affected individuals and groups no doubt constitutes an important element in promoting national reconciliation. This can obviously happen only once ongoing violations and violence have been halted. The pursuit of justice, while essential, should not become an obstacle to peace, as the Secretary-General noted at our previous meeting. Brazil's reference to "restorative justice" is an interesting concept.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“These causes can be both internal - religious or group differences, political and social injustices, a struggle for power among rival groups and local leaders - and, often, external - conflicts which are fuelled by external influences such as foreign occupation, arms supplies and the illegal cross-border exploitation of natural resources. In such cases, internal and external steps to halt conflicts and violence would have to go hand in hand in a parallel and reciprocal process. Economic deprivation and discrimination exercised over extensive periods prior to the conflicts are often ignored, although in most cases they are the root causes of the conflict. Post-conflict reconciliation can be facilitated considerably by equitable socio- economic development.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“However, some general guidelines, or parameters, as my German colleague said, can be identified in promoting post-conflict peace and reconciliation. The first step in all situations must be to end the conflict and the accompanying violence and violations of humanitarian law and human rights. Without this, expressions of the desire for post-conflict peace and reconciliation will continue to ring hollow. The onus for halting existing violence must fall equitably on all parties, but especially on the Governments concerned, because they have an institutional capacity and the clear international obligation to halt the recourse to imposed and violent solutions. The second step, which can be initiated in parallel with the first, is to address the root causes of the conflict.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“The agenda of the Security Council and the list of our peacekeeping operations over the last decade reflect this. The Pakistan delegation has consistently emphasized the point - which was raised this morning by the UNDP Administrator and Ms. McAskie - that prevention is better than cure. The Security Council, the Secretary-General and our other agencies have considerable scope for action to prevent conflicts through the modalities and mechanisms available under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter. Reconciliation entails a multifaceted process. The first fact which must be acknowledged is that there is no "one size fits all" approach to promoting post- conflict national reconciliation. Each situation is different and unique.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“I would like to welcome you once again, Madam, to the presidency of the Security Council. We wish also to thank you, Ambassador Mufioz and the Chilean delegation for having convened this important debate and for the Arria-formula session which was arranged with non- governmental organizations (NGOs). I should like also to thank Under-Secretary-General Kalomoh for his important statement as well as the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, and Ms. McAskie, Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator. The conclusion of the cold war, instead of promoting universal peace, coincided with the eruption of a number of conflicts among, and especially within, States in various regions of the world.”
2004-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4903 (2004) · source
“It is imperative to achieve greater coordination and synergy among the endeavours of the three principal United Nations organs - the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council - in addressing the complex issues confronting the region. At the same time, active engagement by non-governmental organizations, other United Nations agencies and, in particular, international financial institutions is needed to bolster the entire effort. The idea of establishing composite committees to address such issues, suggested by Pakistan, may be one answer for building a comprehensive and coherent approach to complex crises on the part of the United Nations and the rest of the international community.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“We wish to place on record our appreciation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has played a key role in addressing regional conflicts, both through its engagement at the highest political level and through the timely deployment of peacekeepers under difficult circumstances. Such cooperation needs to be further concretized. We hope that the United Nations will respond to the need for capacity-building in ECOWAS. Finally, the United Nations itself needs to act coherently in West Africa, addressing diverse needs in containing West African crises and building peace and stability.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“Peacekeeping is an important tool in the hands of the Council. Pakistan is proud to have played a major role in the success of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). We are also participating in the United Nations Mission in Liberia. We have gained experience and insight into the problems confronting the region. Liberia, Sierra Leone and C6te d'Ivoire require equal focus and harmonious effort to ensure stability in the entire region. A peacekeeping operation is required in Cote d'Ivoire. A cautious and balanced approach must be followed for the drawdown of UNAMSIL in Sierra Leone. Fifthly, a regional approach will have to rely essentially on regional partnership. That is emerging in West Africa.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“West African countries and peoples must be given the opportunity to develop and to make progress. Enforcement and peacekeeping measures should be accompanied by adequate international assistance. Guinea-Bissau is one illustration. In Sierra Leone, a huge international effort has stabilized security, but, without economic development, the process could well be reversed. Likewise, in Liberia, reconstruction and development will form a major element of the restoration of sustainable security and peace. Fourthly, a comprehensive approach to West Africa and to each crisis situation is obviously essential. Recent developments - especially in Liberia - have offered the world community a good opportunity to adopt a holistic approach to the problems confronting the West African subregion.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“There is a need to unearth those who finance these wars by buying and trading the products of the illegal exploitation of the region's natural resources. The financial transactions involved in both the illicit trade in arms and the illegal trade in natural resources should be covered in any sanctions or monitoring regime. The UNITA sanctions offer a good model. Thirdly, peace and security are inextricably linked to sustainable development. West African crises - like those in other regions - arise from the politics of scarcity and poverty. The terms "comprehensive, global and regional" are frequently mentioned with regard to our approach; but without a focus on development, no policy can be comprehensive. There is a need for a genuinely developmental approach to ease and resolve conflicts and to permit political accommodation among rivals.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“I should like to make a few points of a general and cross-cutting nature. First, sustainable peace and stability in West Africa can be achieved only if the underlying causes of conflict and instability are effectively addressed. Those causes involve, among other things, the exclusion of regional, ethnic or religious groups from participation in political and economic power-sharing. Secondly, sanctions - and even DDR programmes - will not yield enduring results for peace so long as the incentives of many of the fighting militias - as well as regime elements - to persist in promoting instability are not removed. Proverbially, money is the mother of all evil. There is an obvious and well-established linkage between the illegal exploitation of natural resources and the fuelling of conflicts in the subregion.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“Progress in Liberia is expected to reinforce peace and stability in Sierra Leone. Guinea-Bissau has also regained relative stability, despite intervening setbacks. However, its economic problems, which remain largely unaddressed, still pose a potential threat to a delicate peace. Other Council members have already addressed the specific country situations as well as some cross-cutting issues - such as the proliferation of arms; mercenaries; child soldiers; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR); poverty; and unemployment - and the need for a regional approach. The Security Council mission's recommendations on those issues remain relevant and should be pursued. We look forward in particular to further work on those issues in the light of the relevant reports to be provided by the Secretary-General.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“Many of the country-specific recommendations of the mission were therefore in relation to the respective situations existing at that time. All were based on problems that could be reasonably anticipated. These recommendations were therefore relevant in the subsequent months, which witnessed a considerable evolution of the situation in all the countries concerned. During this period, the overall trend has been positive. The peace process in Cote d'Ivoire is getting back on track after an almost total breakdown. New proposals which could disrupt the process will, hopefully, not be pursued. Liberia has undergone a remarkable turnaround following the timely intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the subsequent deployment of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“I would like to join other speakers in thanking Assistant Secretary-General Kalomoh for presenting the Secretary-General's progress report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Security Council mission to West Africa. The Council's mission to West Africa took place during a particularly disturbing period. The peace process in Cote d'Ivoire was experiencing serious difficulties; Guinea-Bissau - still struggling to cope with the challenges of post-conflict peace-building - was mired in political uncertainties and socio- economic problems; the security situation in Liberia was deteriorating rapidly, with portents of a major humanitarian crisis, thus the Council mission could not visit that country; and Sierra Leone provided the only reference for hope and relative stability.”
2004-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4899 (2004) · source
“The international community must address the root causes of conflict, which in most cases are socio- economic inequities, systematic ethnic discrimination, denial of human rights and the illegal exploitation of natural resources. The Security Council has a special responsibility in this regard. It has the authority and the capability to create the mechanisms and modalities that can help it to discharge its fundamental and central role of preventing conflict and promoting the pacific settlement of disputes.”
2004-01-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4898 (2004) · source