YouSaid · the spoken record

Allen

lines on the record: 1,072
first: 2017-08-15
most recent: 2020-12-07
sittings or episodes: 159
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

“I repeat my consistent condemnation of attacks against Damascus. What about our resolution's second demand, that is, safe, unimpeded and sustained access for humanitarian convoys, including medical and surgical supplies? Only one convoy has been able to enter besieged eastern Ghouta in the past 16 days, in two movements following shelling. They delivered supplies for 27,500 people - a fraction of the 400,000 civilians besieged in eastern Ghouta. What is stopping the aid from getting to the people that so desperately need it? Again, it is the regime. The ongoing violence that it perpetrates is an important factor, and its failure to grant access is another. On 5 March, the regime removed nearly 70 per cent of the medical supplies from a humanitarian convoy destined for 90,000 people.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“Let us recall that only last year Russia declared the whole area to be a de-escalation zone. It has claimed that its bombardments are about fighting terrorists. That is manifestly not the case. There is one terrorist group recognized by the Security Council in eastern Ghouta, which accounts for less than not even 1 per cent of the population of the enclave. The other fighters are members of the opposition armed groups, which Russia has itself invited to the Astana meetings. Those groups have written stating their readiness to expel Al-Nusra Front from the enclave. Instead, Russia bombs them, undermining the political process that it is a part of. We are pleased that the members of the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian opposition will be able to discuss the situation in Syria with Council members later today.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“The violence continues and civilian deaths continue to rise. In those 16 days, 607 people have reportedly been killed, including 99 children and 79 women. The opposition armed groups committed to implementing resolution 2401 (2018) in full, but the Al-Assad regime's air strikes continue. Despite voting for a ceasefire, between 24 and 28 February, Russian military aircraft conducted 20 bombing missions in eastern Ghouta and Damascus every day. Russia has failed to confirm that it is only conducting air strikes against groups that are listed as terrorist groups by the Council. During the so-called daily humanitarian pause, over 56 air strikes hit eastern Ghouta between 27 February and 7 March, including at least six air strikes by Russian aircraft, according to monitors on the ground.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and, through him, may I thank all of those trying to supply the desperately needed humanitarian response on the ground. They are indeed valiant. Sixteen days ago, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2401 (2018). We did so because we and the world were sickened by the slaughter of innocents in Syria, particularly in eastern Ghouta. Russia used every tactic in its playbook to weaken the resolution and buy time for its ally, the Al-Assad regime, to bomb indiscriminately. But when it raises its hand in support, we hope that Russia and its clients would keep their word and implement the resolution. Sadly, as the Secretary-General's briefing has made clear, our resolution has not been implemented. What has happened? First, has there been a ceasefire? No.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“We are keen to work with Italy to ensure that OSCE activities complement, rather than duplicate, the work of United Nations agencies and other organizations. The OSCE's autonomous institutions and network of field operations can and do make a significant contribution to the promotion of security, stability, democracy and the rule of law across the region. However, it is able to do so only when Member States stand up for the principles that guide it. It is the task of all of us on the Security Council to stand up for those who suffer acts of aggression from larger neighbours, for the Charter of the United Nations and for international law.”
2018-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8200 (2018) · source
“Next Thursday, the United Kingdom will co-host an Arria Formula meeting to discuss this blatant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. The chaos, violence and ongoing loss of life resulting from Russia's military operations clearly merit the Council's time. We must be ready to remain seized of the issue. We welcome and support Italy's intention to prioritize tackling modern slavery and addressing the challenges associated with migration, including corruption and trafficking. In addition, we support Italy's focus on the implementation of the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality and on protracted conflicts, which continue to undermine security in the OSCE region. Those are areas where the OSCE's cross-dimensional approach can add real value.”
2018-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8200 (2018) · source
“The increasingly aggressive behaviour and threats that we seeing directed at the OSCE monitors are deeply worrying, and we have not forgotten the sacrifice of paramedic Joseph Stone on 23 April last year. If, as Russia claims, it truly cares about the people of the Donbas region, it should end the fighting that it started, withdraw its military personnel and weapons and cease its support for the separatists. Russia should also show a genuine political will to end the conflict and abide by the Minsk agreements that it signed. Until those steps are taken, we will work with our European Union partners to ensure that sanctions remain fully in place. We must retain the Council's focus on Ukraine.”
2018-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8200 (2018) · source
“Only by means of a truly sustainable ceasefire and genuine political will, through the implementation of the Minsk agreements, can the conflict be brought to an end. We welcome the most recent recommitment to the ceasefire by the Trilateral Contact Group. However, past ceasefires have been broken and have not resulted in sustained improvements to the security situation. While the conflict continues, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, ably directed by Chief Monitor Apakan, must be permitted to carry out its mandate in full and granted complete, safe and unhindered access to all Ukraine, including Crimea and the parts of the border with Russia that are not under Ukraine's control.”
2018-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8200 (2018) · source
“That act, by a permanent member of the Council, showed complete disregard for the Charter of the United Nations and trampled on international law. In addition to annexing Crimea, Russia has destabilized eastern Ukraine and continues to fuel the conflict, at enormous human and material cost to the Ukrainian people. As always, it is the civilians who suffer most. Since the conflict began, more than 10,300 people have lost their lives, almost 25,000 have been injured and 3.4 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, particularly along the line of contact. We have seen reports that more than 1,000 Russian military personnel and mercenaries have lost their lives, so the Russian people are also mourning their children.”
2018-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8200 (2018) · source
“I thank Foreign Minister Alfano for his briefing. The United Kingdom fully supports the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and its efforts to achieve stability, peace and democracy for the people of Europe, including through dialogue. Like the United Nations, the OSCE is a pillar of the international rules- based system, and respect for its fundamental principles must be restored. Nowhere in Europe is that more important than in Ukraine. I would like reaffirm the United Kingdom's full support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, including in Crimea. Those are words with which we open so many Security Council resolutions. They are fundamental to all States Members of the United Nations. Yet last month, we marked the fourth anniversary of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.”
2018-03-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8200 (2018) · source
“We will continue to monitor the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018) and commit to returning to the Council regularly until we see it respected.”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“In short, in the words of one doctor from eastern Ghouta, "Nothing has changed." It is the responsibility of us all to ensure that resolution 2401 (2018) is enacted in full. In the words of my Foreign Secretary, the Al-Assad regime must allow the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid, in compliance with resolution 2401 (2018), and we look to Russia and Iran to make sure this happens, in accordance with their own promises. I implore all those with influence over the Syrian regime to act now to ensure that the ceasefire that they supported in the Chamber is implemented in full and immediately. To do anything less is an affront to the Council, the United Nations and the international system that we live by.”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“Doctors in eastern Ghouta reported to the Syrian-American Medical Society that 16 patients, including six children, were suffering from symptoms indicative of exposure to chemical compounds, following an alleged regime attack on Sunday - only one day after the resolution was adopted. Since Saturday not a single aid convoy has been able to access eastern Ghouta to provide relief to the desperate civilians. The World Health Organization estimates that 1,000 people are now in need of medical evacuation from eastern Ghouta. None have been evacuated since the resolution was adopted. The consequences of the failure to implement the resolution are clear: the casualties continue to rise and the horror continues. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports at least 14 civilians, including three children, were killed on Sunday.”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“Has there been any delivery of humanitarian aid or any medical evacuations? Has the adoption of the resolution brought any relief to the people of Syria? The fighting has not stopped. All of the main armed opposition groups have committed to the full implementation of resolution 2401 (2018). The Al-Assad regime has not, and has in fact ignored the resolution we adopted. Reports of attacks and air strikes by pro-regime forces continue. Twenty-two air strikes reportedly took place even during Russia's so- called humanitarian pause. And, as if it could not get any worse, there have been disturbing reports of the use of chlorine gas.”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“A five-hour window has not delivered and cannot deliver any meaningful improvement on the ground. Under-Secretary-General Lowcock has made clear that the United Nations cannot get humanitarian convoys in and out within that time frame, as has the International Committee of the Red Cross. Humanitarian pauses of a few meagre hours are no substitute for a sustained ceasefire, which is vital to ensuring the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance and medical evacuations. If Russia is able to deliver a five-hour pause, let it deliver a 24-hour pause, as it agreed on Saturday. Let us now take stock of the situation in Syria, and specifically in eastern Ghouta, where the situation is at its most desperate. Let us review if any real change has occurred in the past five days. Has the resolution been implemented? Has there been a ceasefire?”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“In eastern Ghouta alone, Medecins Sans Frontieres reported that at least 630 people were killed and 3,000 injured in the week before resolution 2401 (2018) was adopted, with women and children representing nearly 60 per cent of the wounded and 50 per cent of the deceased. We also continue to condemn attacks on Damascus from eastern Ghouta. Let us recall the demands of our resolution. It called for at least a 30-day ceasefire without delay to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid and medical evacuation. "Without delay" means right now, immediately - that there should be no delay. We all voted for those demands and we committed to using our influence to ensure that. In response, Russia has declared a five-hour daily humanitarian window. That is not what the Council demanded, nor what Russia agreed to use its influence to ensure.”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank Under-Secretary-Generals Lowcock and Feltman for their clear, factual briefings and for reiterating to all of us on the Security Council the ongoing horror of the conflict in Syria - and in particular in eastern Ghouta, because that is where it is clear the situation is most dire by a huge order of magnitude. It was five days ago (see S/PV.8188) that we sat in this Chamber and all of us raised our hands in support of a 30-day ceasefire, which we hoped would provide some relief to Syria's people. That was a desperately needed step, one that came too late for many.”
2018-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8195 (2018) · source
“We must also send a clear message that we support the independence and integrity of the Panel of Experts. We in the Council rely on those independent expert international panels. We may not always like all of their reports, and we may find their conclusions politically inconvenient, but if we want the United Nations to function, we should support them in their work. Those who do not vote in favour of the draft resolution today are preventing us from sending a clear message to those who seek to undermine peace and security in Yemen and the region beyond. They are also failing in their duty to do all they can to uphold the international rules-based system and hold States that violate resolutions agreed on by the Council to account. With that in mind, I strongly urge everyone here to vote in favour of the draft resolution.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“The United Kingdom has worked hard with all Council members in order to reach consensus on a draft resolution that responds to our concern about all the ongoing political, security, economic and humanitarian challenges in Yemen, and the threats arising from the illicit transfer and misuse of weapons. Today we spent more than five hours in detailed talks with delegations, and we have proposed a number of compromises. I am personally grateful for the patience that everyone has showed today. We have tried to agree on a text that provides a balanced and impartial assessment of the situation in Yemen but that does not shy away from calling out those whose actions undermine international peace and security. Today we must ShOW that we in the Council are united against a threat to Yemen's future.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“Draft resolution S/20l8/156, which the members of the Council have before them, therefore calls for full and unfettered access for humanitarian and commercial cargo through all of Yemen's ports, including Hudaydah and Salif, and for supplies to be increased beyond pre-November levels. This is an important year. With a new United Nations Special Envoy in place, it is vital that the international community redouble its efforts to achieve a political solution to the conflict. We call on all the parties to the conflict to resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation, and to refrain from provocation. Until an enduring political settlement is reached, we must maintain the sanctions regime in order to deter those who would otherwise use violence to achieve their political aims.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“The Council must stand firm in the face of non-compliance by States and send a clear message that it will not be tolerated. That is what the Charter of the United Nations demands from us - respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law. We are also deeply concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. A record 22.2 million people are now in need ofassistance, which is 3.4 million more than last year. Last year's United Nations humanitarian appeal was only 70 per cent funded, and this year's appeal stands at $2.96 billion. We encourage all Member States to respond fully to it. Restrictions on vital humanitarian access continue to be imposed by all the parties to the conflict. The United Nations Panel of Experts has made the impact of access restrictions on the people of Yemen clear.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“They undermine the prospects for peace, prolong the conflict and put civilian lives at risk. The Council must speak out with a united voice against such attacks. We can do this by voting in favour of the draft resolution before us today, which strongly condemns these attacks. The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the fact that Iran failed to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of short-range ballistic missiles, missile propellant and unmanned aerial vehicles to what was then the Houthi- Saleh alliance, as reported by the Panel of Experts. We agree with the Panel's assessment that in the light of that, Iran is in non-compliance with paragraph 14 of resolution 2216 (2015). Iran, and other States that violate Security Council resolutions, must be held accountable for it.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“The United Nations sanctions regime is a critical tool that we must use to pressurize the individuals and organizations bent on undermining peace and security in Yemen. We welcome the work of the Panel of Experts, which has played a key role in supporting the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) in carrying out its mandate, including through the provision of recommendations regarding the implementation of measures decided upon in resolutions 2140 (2014) and 2216 (2015). It is vital that the Panel's work continue. Furthermore, we in the Council must not ignore the growing ballistic-missile threat emanating from Yemen, which gravely threatens international peace and security. Attacks such as those launched on 22 July, 4 November and 19 December against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia are unacceptable.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“The Security Council has long recognized that the situation in Yemen threatens international peace and security. It has caused the world's largest humanitarian crisis, which gets worse by the day. The conflict creates ungoverned spaces in which terrorists can operate, poses security threats to countries in the region and international shipping, and fuels regional tensions. While international attention is rightly focused on the horror that continues to unfold in Syria, the Council must not ignore the appalling situation in Yemen. We have a duty to respond, using all the tools at our disposal. We must show unity of effort and purpose to put an end to this terrible and destabilizing conflict. That is why we have submitted draft resolution S/2018/156, which is before us today.”
2018-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8190 (2018) · source
“We must also continue to tackle relentlessly the scourge of sexual violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, and recognize the disproportionate adverse effects of conflict on women and the important role of women in peacebuilding. We must encourage increased cooperation with regional organizations and arrangements, as set out in the Charter, whether with the African Union Mission in Somalia in its fight against Al-Shabaab, the Economic Community of West African States in its resolution of conflict, or the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel to combat terrorism in West Africa. Our predecessors drafted the Charter of the United Nations in the name of the peoples of the world to help save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. In some places, we are succeeding; elsewhere, we are falling woefully short.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“We must strive to do this more and to think creatively about how we find common solutions. The United Kingdom is a proud signatory to the code of conduct put forward by the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, and we are committed to never voting against a credible draft resolution on preventing or ending a mass atrocity. We fully support the Secretary-General's efforts and proposals to improve the United Nations ability to prevent and respond to conflict and promote development. That includes reforms to peacekeeping, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the millions of military, police and civilian personnel who have helped to protect civilians around the world.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“The Geneva talks represent the only sustainable path to peace. The opposition continues to engage constructively and in good faith and without preconditions. The Al-Assad regime must do the same. We must also hold the Syrian regime and others to account for the repeated use of chemical weapons. Our failure here is acceptable. We must demonstrate that such abhorrent actions have consequences. An independent expert international investigation set up by the Security Council concluded that the regime and Da'esh have used chemical weapons. We must not allow Russian actions to force the closure of this investigation to deter us from pursuing accountability. Despite our differences in the Security Council, we have demonstrated our capacity to show unity in the face of adversity.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“When we adopted resolution 2393 (2017), the United Nations was empowered to continue to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid across conflict lines and borders. Knowing that we can deliver results makes our failures even more frustrating. These failures are having devastating consequences. The Al-Assad regime's brutal assault of eastern Ghouta, including reports of chemical-weapon use, is causing unprecedented levels of suffering. The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure is a violation of international humanitarian law. Eastern Ghouta is not a de-escalation zone; it is a zone of death and destruction. We must work together to end the conflict and prevent further suffering of the Syrian people, and I hope the Council will soon be able to pass a resolution to that effect.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“We cannot ignore Russian attempts to redraw the boundaries ofEurope. This month marks the fourth anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea, in breach of Article 2 of the Charter. We remain deeply concerned by the degradation of human rights in eastern Ukraine, and we call upon on Russia to abide by the Minsk agreement commitments that it has undertaken. It is crucial that we uphold the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Nor can we ignore the conflict that continues to rage in Syria or its causes. The Syrian conflict in all of its abhorrent acts and human misery is an example of what we all set up the United Nations to prevent. We have proved that we can work together to ease the suffering of the Syrian people.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“We have remained united in our condemnation of Da'esh and the need for accountability for that group's atrocious actions, and we have remained united in our condemnation of the flagrant violations by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of international law, where we have used sanctions to constrain the that country's pursuit of illegal nuclear and ballistic-missiles programmes. In this context, sanctions play a crucial role in maintaining international peace and security. The implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which balances sanctions reliefwith strict nuclear restrictions, is another significant achievement of the Council and marks a major step forward in preventing Iran from developing a nuclear-weapon capability. However, there are instances where Council disunity halts our progress.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“When the horrific violence in Rakhine state forced the Rohingya to flee, the Security Council played a vital role, focusing the world's attention on the situation and encouraging action by the authorities on the ground. We must now take further action to ensure safe and voluntary returns take place, and we should visit the region. The Council must work together to achieve the Charter's purposes. When we do, we are successful. We have remained united in our commitment to providing the tools to achieve peace in Colombia and in our support for the peace process in Cyprus. We were successful in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for focusing the Security Council's attention on the purposes and principles of our Charter of the United Nations. I also thank the Secretary-General and His Excellency the former Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for their briefings today. Today's meeting, as the President has said, takes place around the twenty-seventh anniversary of the liberation of Kuwait, which was a clear example of the United Nations fulfilling one of its main purposes, namely, to maintain international peace and security. As States Members of the United Nations, we have a responsibility to adhere to the Charter's ideals and to work within the United Nations framework to solve the most challenging global problem.”
2018-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8185 (2018) · source
“In conclusion, like everyone in the Council, the United Kingdom strongly supports peace. We want to see renewed peace negotiations, supported by the international community, that lead to a safe and secure Israel - the homeland for the Jewish people - living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State - the homeland for the Palestinian people. Let us all work together to lay the groundwork for peace.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“We are therefore concerned by incursions across Israel's border with Syria earlier this month. Our commitment to Israel's security is unwavering, and we support Israel's right to defend itself. The United Kingdom's position on an Israeli- Palestinian peace agreement has not changed. It should be based on the lines as they stood on 4 June 1967, with equal land swaps to reflect the national security and religious interests ofthe Jewish and Palestinian peoples. Jerusalem should be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian States, and its status must be determined through a final-status agreement. A just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees is needed that is demographically compatible with the principle of two States for two peoples.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“As Special Coordinator Mladinov informed us last week, current conditions in the Gaza Strip are dire. Further deterioration of the humanitarian situation will not only continue to put lives at risk, but would represent a threat to stability in the region. It is essential that all parties work urgently to improve the situation, and we call for an easing of access controls for people and goods into an out of Gaza. The United Kingdom remains a committed supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. It must be able to continue its vital work to improve the lives of Palestinian refugees and help maintain stability across the region. It needs appropriate funding to do so. All United Nations States Members have a role to play in nurturing peace and rejecting violence.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“We are concerned by the Israeli Government's recent decision to establish a settlement deep in the West Bank - the second in 12 months. Those plans have also raised the possibility of the retroactive legalization of the illegal outpost of Havat Gilad, and there have been renewed threats from Israel to demolish structures in Al-Susiya, in the occupied West Bank. We call on Israel to immediately reverse its policies of settlement expansion and demolitions. They undermine the physical viability of the two-State solution and call into question Israel's own commitment to peace. The lack of Palestinian unity continues to be an impediment to achieving peace. We therefore support reconciliation efforts that lead to the full return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“There is also a right to dignity, and we condemn kidnappings, as well as acts that prevent families from being able to properly grieve for their loved ones. We will continue to press all sides to refrain from engaging in or encouraging incitement to hateful action or language. That only serves to stir up prejudice and takes us further from the goal of achieving peace. In that regard, it is unacceptable for anyone to deny the legitimacy of the connection of either the Jewish or Palestinian peoples to the land. Inflammatory and unhelpful rhetoric on both sides weakens trust, corrodes mutual respect and undermines prospects for peace. We call on both parties to act with restraint and to show bold leadership. Only when both parties reject violence and work together to ensure calm and stability can peace have a chance to flourish.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“We welcome the Palestinian Authority's continued recognition of the State of Israel and the parties continuing security cooperation. If a peace process is to succeed, it needs to be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We regret that too many people continue to undermine efforts to achieve peace. We condemn the detonation of an improvised explosive device along the Gaza border with Israel on Saturday, which wounded four Israeli soldiers, including two seriously. We also condemn the recent terrorist attack in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. There is never an excuse for terror, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim, as they are with all those who have been affected by violence. Every Israeli and Palestinian has the right to live in peace and security.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“United States leadership on this issue is indispensable to achieving a solution that meets the aspirations of both parties, and we look forward to the announcement of peace proposals when the United States Administration judges them to be ready. United States efforts offer a significant opportunity to deliver peace, and they should be supported and encouraged by all. We stand ready to provide political and practical support to help achieve a viable agreement. We encourage the parties to make a public commitment to renewed peace negotiations based on a two-State solution. In order to move forward, it is important that they reaffirm their commitment to all previous diplomatic agreements, which have taken us closer to peace. Those agreements remain an important basis for renewed talks.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank the President, the Secretary-General and Mr. Mladenov. I would like to welcome President Abbas and thank him for his address to the Security Council. I welcome his stated commitment to non-violence and to engaging constructively towards the two-State solution. The United Kingdom remains committed to a two- State solution that ends the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we will support all and any efforts to that end. Our long-standing goal is a negotiated peace settlement that leads to a safe and secure Israel, living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State, with secure and recognized borders and with Jerusalem as a shared capital of both States.”
2018-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8183 (2018) · source
“The United Kingdom stands with Bangladesh. We have contributed Â£59 million in assistance. We urge the international community to do more to support Bangladesh as it helps these refugees and the communities that host them. The world watched in horror as the violence in Rakhine forced the Rohingya to flee. The Council has played a vital role in shining a spotlight on the situation and encouraging action by the authorities on the ground. We must not turn away or become distracted. We ourselves should stand ready to visit, and we must be ready to take further action.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“Crucially, they address civil and political rights, including pathways for the Rohingya to receive full Burmese citizenship as well as addressing socioeconomic development. Genuine progress in implementation would demonstrate that the Burmese Government is sincere about offering Rohingya refugees a viable future to return to. Before I conclude, I want to once more pay tribute to Bangladesh for hosting the Rohingya community as they fled in panic for their lives. But while they remain, Bangladesh, supported by all of us in the international community, must protect refugees and provide for their needs. This includes getting children to school, helping men and women earn livelihoods, and providing support to victims of sexual violence. The humanitarian agencies need to deliver services and prepare camps for the monsoon season.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“It also means giving refugees confidence that those who have committed crimes will be brought to justice through an open and transparent accountability process. Instead, we have seen the arrest of two Reuters journalists who reported on the Inn Din massacre and the denial of access to United Nations-mandated human rights bodies. The United Kingdom calls for the release of the Reuters journalist and calls for the Burmese Government's full cooperation with the United Nations fact-finding mission, the Special Rapporteur and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Fourthly, Myanmar must demonstrate progress in implementing the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State recommendations. These recommendations continue to provide a blueprint for a more peaceful and prosperous future for all communities in Rakhine.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“Refugees should not be sent to internment camps, and Myanmar must set out how its restitution of property and livelihoods will occur. Women and girls have suffered sexual and gender-based violence and face specific risks. They must be represented in any decision-making process and their views given special consideration. Dismantling the camps for internally displaced persons that have existed in central Rakhine since 2012 and supporting their inhabitants in returning home would be a positive confidence-building measure. Again, we believe that UNHCR is the only agency with the necessary expertise and moral authority. Thirdly, Myanmar must ensure the safety of all communities in Rakhine. This means an immediate halt to violence and human rights violations and steps to reduce intercommunal tensions.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“I want to highlight four in particular. First, both Myanmar and Bangladesh must cooperate fully with the United Nations. We welcome Bangladesh's initial engagement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which now needs to be fully involved in the returns process, ideally through a tripartite agreement. Only UNHCR has the expertise to handle returns on the scale and give confidence to refugees. It is also essential that Myanmar allow the United Nations agencies to provide humanitarian support for all its peoples. Secondly, the parties should take concrete steps to ensure that refugees will be able to return home on a voluntary basis and with access to accurate information.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“More details emerged last week of specific atrocities allegedly committed by Burmese security forces at Gu Dar Pyin and Inn Din villages. Even now Rohingyas still flee forced starvation and continued human rights violations. As many of us have said, this is ethnic cleansing. We welcome the Burmese Government's willingness to enter into agreements in Bangladesh and the initial preparations that it has made for returns. Much of this is in response to the Council's focus on the crisis. But the United Kingdom believes that the conditions in Rakhine do not yet allow for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees. We must be Clear on the way forward. Last November's presidential statement (S/PRST/2017/22) remains the guiding frame set by the Security Council for the actions that need to be taken.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“The United Kingdom believes that the Council has a duty to ensure that those words are matched by action. We should be clear on three things. We should be clear on why refugees fled Rakhine in the first place, indeed why they continue to do so; we should be clear that the conditions in Rakhine today are not yet suitable for informed, safe, voluntary and dignified returns; and we should be clear about what needs to be done now. The Rohingya refugees fleeing Rakhine have suffered the most appalling violence: rape, murder, the burning of their villages. In December, Special Representative Pramila Patten briefed us on the horrific sexual atrocities allegedly committed by the Burmese security forces (see S/PV.8133).”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“I thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenea and High Commissioner Grandi for their briefings. This weekend the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, visit Cox's Bazar, where he met some of the almost 1 million Rohingya refugees enduring the difficult living conditions that we have heard about today. Visiting northern Rakhine, he saw with his own eyes the horror of what has happened there. When he met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday, the Foreign Secretary said that there needed to be the right conditions created in Rakhine that made it safe for Rohingya refugees to return home free from fear and in the knowledge that their basic rights would be protected and upheld. The Council stated last November that the Rohingya refugees must be allowed to return to their homes safely, voluntarily and in conditions of human dignity.”
2018-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8179 (2018) · source
“Finally, the Council needs to work harder to meet the Secretary-General's ambition and our own to do more on preventative diplomacy. This means focusing our time on the conflicts of today and tomorrow, not only those of previous decades. It means being flexible in how we handle our agenda and making the best use of the Secretariat's insights, including through situational awareness briefings. As the world's threats evolve, so, too, must the Council. We must implement note 507. We must also challenge ourselves to continue to adapt as a Council so that we better meet our mandate of maintaining international peace and security. May Ijust finish by thanking those who work so hard to support us as a Council, including in particular the Security Council Affairs Division and our excellent interpreters.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source
“I would just note that today marks 100 years since women first gained the right to vote in the United Kingdom. All too often we hear only one perspective and do not hear from those most affected by our decisions in this Chamber. Last yearjust 30 representatives of civil society briefed the Council, and under a quarter of our briefers were women. We need to do better. We also need to continue our efforts to make our meetings more effective and action-oriented. This means making sure that the briefings we receive from the Secretariat are comprehensive by promoting more interactivity in consultations and seeking outcomes from our meetings. This will not be accomplished by more change to the guidance but requires the commitment of all of us around this table, especially during Council members" presidencies.”
2018-02-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8175 (2018) · source