YouSaid · the spoken record

Amorim

lines on the record: 342
first: 1994-09-29
most recent: 2010-09-27
sittings or episodes: 52
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

“We believe that only by taking such a firm stand will the Council be able to influence positively the actual course of events in Angola and contribute to the long- sought peace in that country.”
1998-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3916 (1998) · source
“But let me stress once again that if UNITA does not fulfil its part of the peace agreement soon, we will arrive at a situation in which the very presence of a Security Council-mandated force in Angola may come into question. My delegation agrees with the proposed extension of the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) for 30 days. We will thus follow the recommendation made by the Secretary-General in his report. As to the draft resolution itself - in favour of which my delegation will vote - let me highlight the fact that it adequately stresses the main responsibility of UNITA for the setbacks in the peace process. It also appropriately calls upon the international community to observe fully the provisions of resolutions 1173 (1998), 1127 (1997) and 864 (1993).”
1998-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3916 (1998) · source
“UNITA continues to refuse to transfer localities in Angola to Government control and has been busy trying to retake by force those it has already transferred. These are only two aspects of the multifaceted situation, which is characterized by deterioration and which has been referred to by the representative of Angola. A few positive signs in the Angolan situation, albeit modest ones, were noticed after the arrival in that country on 31 July of Mr. Brahimi, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General. He met with the Government and with the leadership of UNITA and is touring countries in the region. Hopefully, the Joint Commission will be able to resume its work constructively and a systematic dialogue will be re-established.”
1998-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3916 (1998) · source
“The Security Council then had no choice but to adopt resolution 1173 (1998) on 12 June, condemning the leadership of UNITA and holding it responsible for its failure to implement fully its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol. By the same resolution the Council imposed financial sanctions upon UNITA and adopted measures intended to curb official contacts and trade benefiting its leadership, in the hope that these would have an impact on UNITA's attitude. The untimely accident which took the life of Maitre Beye created a vacuum which affected the process negatively. Thus, despite the strong action taken by the Security Council, the situation in Angola has deteriorated further, as stated in the report of the Secretary-General contained in document S/ 1998/723.”
1998-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3916 (1998) · source
“In the first months of this year we witnessed some positive developments in the peace process in Angola. The Government of Unity and National Reconciliation legalized UNITA as a political party, nominated provincial governors from UNITA and began the process of appointing ambassadors from that movement. The special status of Mr. Savimbi as the leader of the largest opposition party was promulgated by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The demilitarization of the civilian population was intensifying. At the beginning of June we were at another critical juncture in the tortuous Angolan peace process. To our disappointment, the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol was once again off track due to non-compliance by the leadership of UNITA.”
1998-08-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3916 (1998) · source
“UNPREDEP is being strengthened and its duration extended for another semester beyond the date that had been initially foreseen for its termination on the basis of the need to avoid the so-called spillover of conflict from neighbouring areas and of the apprehension that the situation to the north might further deteriorate. This being the case, it is only fair to expect that the Security Council's consideration of the future of UNPREDEP and of the situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will benefit in time from as clear and precise information as can be made available on the impact that various diplomatic initiatives are having on the stabilization of the areas beyond its borders.”
1998-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3911 (1998) · source
“It is also worth pointing out that the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Greece and of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia met in Athens on 23 June - an event which deserves to be highlighted for its intrinsic importance - and that they called for a peaceful solution to the Kosovo crisis. We welcome these statements as a sign of moderation that might hopefully be followed in the region so that all peoples in the Balkans are given the chance they await to reconstruct their lives in an atmosphere of increasing mutual tolerance.”
1998-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3911 (1998) · source
“The tasks entrusted to UNPREDEP in the draft resolution on which we are about to take action include monitoring the border areas and reporting on any developments which could pose a threat to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, including reporting on illicit arms flows and other activities that are prohibited under resolution 1160 (1998). We note with satisfaction that the authorities in Skopje have informed the Committee established by resolution 1160 (1998) that they have undertaken the necessary steps for implementing that resolution. We would also like to recall that resolution 1160 (1998) places particular emphasis on cooperation by neighbouring countries concerning the establishment of a monitoring regime. It seems natural to envisage a role for UNPREDEP in this regard.”
1998-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3911 (1998) · source
“The most recent reports on the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia contain both reassuring and disturbing assessments of the situation. On the one hand, it is stressed that UNPREDEP has had a stabilizing role that has successfully contributed to preventing the spillover of the conflict. On the other hand, tensions in neighbouring countries continue to give rise to serious concern. The instability across the northern border of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia argues in favour of the continued deployment of UNPREDEP, in line with the wishes expressed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Blagoj Handziski in his letters to the Secretary-General and as proposed by the Secretary-General in his latest report.”
1998-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3911 (1998) · source
“Luiz Felipe Lampreia in a recent statement, "The Brazilian Government considers that only through the continuation of the peace process in the Middle East and the renewal of mutual trust among the parties, in accordance with agreements that have already been signed, will it be possible to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region, fulfilling the aspirations of all peoples and States concerned."”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“At the same time, the international community cannot fail to express its disquiet as agreements freely entered into seem to be taken lightly and disenchantment is allowed to spread among those in many quarters who had not only invested their political and diplomatic resources in the peace process, but had also placed their honest faith in its viability. To those around the world who remain attached to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East it is simply unacceptable to contemplate a scenario in which mutual confidence is being eroded by episodes that are being perceived, at the very least, as an expression of lack of commitment to the peace process. As was stressed by the Foreign Minister of Brazil, Mr.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“The Brazilian Government followed this evolution attentively, moved by the sincerest hopes that a new pattern of cooperation in the Middle East would herald a new era of understanding among all its residents, irrespective of their ethnic or religious affiliation, whose positive impact would be felt far beyond the region. We remain convinced that in spite of the setbacks suffered by the peace process, the great majority of the Middle Eastern population is committed to honouring the religious traditions that have sprung from their region to enlighten the four corners of the world by living together in a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“24, "Jerusalem's Boundaries" ] It is clear that the concerns of those who have called for this special meeting are very widely disseminated. Until not long ago, we witnessed a series of impressive strides towards the establishment of a lasting basis for regional harmony in the Middle East. In the absence of the courage and determination displayed then by the leaders of the region, those bold steps would not have been possible. There were many historical milestones along this path, from the Madrid Conference of 1991 to the redeployment of Israeli troops from Hebron.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“Developments in Israel affecting the occupied Arab territories are once again being debated in the Security Council in an atmosphere of persistent uneasiness over the future of the Middle East peace process. The archaeological excavations in the area of Burj al-Laqlaq, the establishment of civil guards in settlements in the West Bank and the expansion of the municipal authority of Jerusalem have contributed, above all else, to raising the level of international apprehension. As noted recently in an editorial published by The New York Times, "any abrupt changes in the city's delicate status quo, particularly in the absence of negotiating progress with the Palestinians, can be explosive." [24 June I 998, p.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“We should also pay attention to the flow of arms - especially light or small arms - which are to be put in the hands of children. If we are to secure a better world for future generations, where peace and understanding will prevail, we cannot fail to protect the rights of children affected by armed conflict. By doing so we will be helping to ensure that today's victim does not become tomorrow's aggressor, through the promotion of the values on which the United Nations has built its foundation. There can be no better cause for investing the political and material resources of this Organization than that of assisting the sons and daughters of belligerence to survive the pain and devastation of conflict in order to become instruments of peace.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“It is our belief, on the other hand, that the Council, when discharging its functions in matters related to international security, should address questions such as the disarmament and demobilization of child soldiers and the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts, as well as the role of peacekeeping personnel in this regard. The Security Council must also be mindful of the impact of sanctions on the civilian population and, above all, on children, in line with General Assembly resolution 51/242. But as we address the tragedy of children affected by armed conflict, we must not forget that the use of indiscriminate weapons, such as landmines, is one of the biggest causes of death and maiming among children. We should pursue our efforts to ban such weapons, as well as all weapons of mass destruction.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“We strongly encourage Mr. Otunnu to develop a substantive dialogue with those bodies. We are convinced that both the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council have an important and, indeed, an irreplaceable role to play in relation to some tasks the Special Representative mentioned today, such as education, rehabilitation and post-conflict peace- building, as well as in addressing the value structure that has been tragically reversed. The humanitarian segment of the Economic and Social Council can offer an opportunity for such a dialogue.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Otunnu has already proved to be an impressive advocate for our cause, judging not only from the enlightened passion that he has devoted to the subject, but also from the several commitments he has been able to extract with a view to safeguarding the rights of children in areas of conflict he has personally visited. Brazil will continue to lend its firmest support to such initiatives and welcomes the possibility offered by this debate to associate the authority of the Security Council with Mr. Otunnus endeavours. It should be pointed out, nevertheless, that the role of the Security Council in this context must be placed in a wider perspective that will allow for fruitful and mutually reinforcing coordination with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, whose competence and responsibilities must be preserved.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Other timely initiatives ensued. The establishment of a working group of the Commission on Human Rights to negotiate a protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the involvement of children in armed conflict represents an important effort to deal with this pressing issue. More recently, the appointment of Mr. Olara Otunnu as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict has contributed to focusing increased attention on this critical problem, while raising expectations that effective measures will be devised for dealing with it. Mr.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“The situation of children affected by armed conflict is one which presents the international community and the United Nations with a serious and urgent challenge. We have reached a consensus in identifying this topic as one of grave concern. But the dire predicament of the young whose future is being ravaged by war requires not only enhanced international awareness but, most of all, a strategy capable of acting as a shield to protect children and adolescents from the physical and psychological traumas provoked by cycles of violence. I think Mr. Olara Otunnu has offered today some of the elements for such a strategy. We are grateful to Ms. Graca Machel for having disseminated a groundbreaking and comprehensive report on the multiple ways in which children are abused and brutalized in situations of armed conflict.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“The enhanced distribution plan comes into effect at a moment of more stable and cooperative relations between the United Nations and the Government of Iraq following the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Secretary-General last February. The spirit of cooperation that guided the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding remains an essential element for the achievement of the goals we are proposing here. Brazil will vote in favour of the draft resolution.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“Brazil will be guided by this principle in working with other delegations in the Committee established by resolution 661 (1990). In this respect, we want to thank the sponsors for their flexibility in accepting amendments presented by several delegations, including ours, which made it possible for the Council to come to a consensus on a balanced text that does not create an unnecessarily cumbersome set of procedures. As the Council considers this matter, it is important to bear in mind that we are dealing with a temporary and exceptional measure adopted with a view to addressing the very serious humanitarian situation in Iraq.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“The draft resolution before us is a response to the recommendations made by the Secretary-General in his letter of 15 April 1998. In that document, the Secretary-General emphasizes the need for Iraq to be authorized to import equipment and spare parts that will enable it to sell the quantity of oil necessary to cover the imports of humanitarian supplies in accordance with Security Council resolution 1153 (1998). We note that the present text appropriately focuses on the arrangements required for approval of the export of spare parts and equipment to Iraq. We hope that the mechanism hereby devised will be applied in such a way so as to allow the smooth implementation of the enhanced programme, whose humanitarian goals we want to see achieved.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“As democratic pluralism based on tolerance takes root in Bosnia and elsewhere in the Balkans, the emphasis currently placed on military and public-security issues should progressively shift to economic and social development, institutional consolidation and cultural revival. We are convinced that this is the wish of the majority of Bosnians, young and old, irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds. The Secretary-General's recommendation that the mandate of UNMIBH/IPTF be extended for an additional one-year period, along with that of SFOR, has been justified as necessary in the light of the relative fragility of the complex reconciliation process in Bosnia. Our understanding is that this recommendation is in line with the consensus in the Council. We will join in that consensus.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“We envisage the renewal of the Security Council's authorization for the presence of SFOR in Bosnia and the extension of IPTF's mandate as the expression of a joint long-term commitment by the international community to establish an irreversible peace in Bosnia, as called for by the Secretary-General in his report. It would be counterproductive and undesirable, however, to interpret "long-term" as meaning indefinite or open-ended. Let us hope that in the 12-month period ahead of us Bosnia will make sufficient progress in overcoming its internal divisions so as to be able to gradually free itself from an international armed presence. Our own historical experience has persuaded us that tolerance among different ethnic and religious strands is a stronger and longer-lasting cement for nation-building than weapons or police activity.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“The tri-monthly reports on UNMIBH, which we expect to continue receiving in the future, as well as the monthly reports on the multinational Stabilization Force, should allow us to monitor Bosnia closely, with a View to evaluating the advances made in the months ahead. It is essential that the Security Council continue to press for full compliance by the parties with the Dayton agreements. Cooperation from countries in the region, in particular from the Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, will remain of paramount importance.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“On the other hand, recent episodes of violence associated with minority returns are to be strongly deplored, while local instances of intransigence in certain cantons and municipalities and obstruction in the adoption of the common licence plate are simply inadmissible. Attentive international vigilance is still required. While reaffirming our support for United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) and IPTF activity in Bosnia, on the understanding that the situation does not yet allow for a withdrawal of SFOR or a modification of its Chapter VII mandate, we continue to believe that a regular detailed appraisal of the situation on the ground remains indispensable.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“The activities carried out under the umbrella of the Dayton Agreements in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the multinational Stabilization Force (SFOR) and the International Police Task Force (IPTF) constitute an ambitious mobilization of military and police support for the stabilization of a member State which is only slowly recovering from the deep wounds of the most serious conflict in Europe since the Second World War. There have been encouraging signs regarding the internal evolution in Bosnia, particularly since a new Republika Srpska leadership has shown a more cooperative attitude.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“We can only hope that common sense will prevail and that the UNITA leadership will behave in such a way that will make further action unnecessary.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“We applaud the Angolan authorities for their efforts in absorbing UNITA representatives into the executive and legislative branches of the Government, as well as into the armed forces, beyond their required obligations. We wish to acknowledge the presence among us of Vice-Minister Higino Carneiro once more and have taken note of the assurances he has given the Council regarding the Government's commitment to a political solution to the present deadlock. General Carneiro's presence in the United Nations has been much appreciated by my delegation and, I am sure, by the entire Security Council membership. By adopting this draft resolution, we believe the Security Council will be contributing to bringing to a conclusion the drawn-out and painful process of reconciliation in Angola.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“The draft resolution prevents all official contacts with the UNITA leadership, in addition to establishing targeted sanctions on UNITA's financial transactions as well as on its lucrative diamond trade, if UNITA does not fully cooperate in the transfer of administration of the territories it occupies. In our clear understanding, violation of the demands set out in paragraphs 3 to 5, especially paragraph 5, as cited above, would clearly indicate that UNITA is not fully cooperating with the aims set out in paragraph 2. The Angolan Government has displayed commendable self-restraint and has done its part in regard to the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“It demands that UNITA fully cooperate without conditions in the immediate extension of State administration throughout the national territory, in particular in Andulo, Bailundo, Mungo and Nharea, and stop any attempts to reverse this process. Complete demobilization on the part of UNITA is treated as an imperative, and so is its full cooperation in the verification of the demilitarization. Paragraph 5 of the draft resolution demands further that UNITA stop any attacks by its members on the personnel of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola, international personnel, the authorities of the Government, including the police, and the civilian population.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“If the Security Council today is given no choice but to impose additional sanctions on UNITA, the responsibility for these measures lies exclusively with UNITA's own short-sighted leadership. The Security Council owes it to the war-weary Angolan people, whose plight is being unnecessarily prolonged by systematic disrespect for commonly agreed deadlines, to make its position clear. The draft resolution we are about to adopt represents as fair an attempt as possible to deal with this challenge. It condemns UNITA, and particularly its leadership, for the failure to implement fully its obligation under the Lusaka Protocol.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“I would first of all like to recognize the presence among us of Vice-Minister of Territorial Administration of Angola, General Higino Carneiro. The Security Council is called upon today to deal with yet another critical juncture in the tortuous Angolan peace process. To the profound disappointment of the international community, the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol is once again being thwarted by the irresponsible equivocation of the UNITA leadership. The facts were described here by Vice-Minister Carneiro, and there is no need to dwell on them at any length. Successive attempts in recent weeks to put the process back on track through dialogue and diplomacy have unfortunately not been successful in dealing with UNITA's persistent refusal to comply with its commitments. Such a pattern of defiance is simply inadmissible.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“We welcome, in this context, the statement of the Foreign Ministers of the five nuclear Powers on 4 June 1998, in which they reiterate their determination to fulfil their commitments relating to nuclear disarmament under article VI of the NPT. By endorsing in operative paragraph 2 the Joint Communique issued by the Foreign Ministers of those countries, the draft resolution before us enhances the legal value of that statement. Brazil will vote in favour of the draft resolution.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“Brazil took an active part over the last three decades in the campaign for a comprehensive nuclear-test ban, and most recently in the initiative that led to the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 50/70 A, of 12 December 1995, on "Nuclear testing". That resolution, besides deploring the nuclear testing then being conducted by two nuclear Powers, reaffirmed in its second preambular paragraph that "the cessation of all nuclear testing will contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in all its aspects, to the process of nuclear disarmament leading to the ultimate objective of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and therefore to the further enhancement of international peace and security". This remains our view.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“Brazil associates itself with the statements of the Permanent Mechanism for Consultation and Policy Coordination - the Rio Group - issued in Panama City, and with resolution C/E/Res.39 of the Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL). The Rio Group deplored the conduct of nuclear tests anywhere in the world and the negative effects of any such tests on international peace, the environment and human health. The Rio Group also appealed to the international community to start immediately negotiations on nuclear disarmament, with a view to setting up concrete measures for the elimination of nuclear weapons, thereby strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“When President Fernando Henrique Cardoso asked for Congressional consent to the text of the Treaty on the N on-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) on 20 June 1997, he stressed that in today's world, nuclear weapons represent only "a drain in resources and a source of risk and uncertainty". We therefore noted with extreme concern a chain of events that brought South Asia to the brink of a nuclear- arms race, endangered the nuclear non-proliferation regime and made global efforts towards nuclear disarmament even more difficult. These regrettable events reinforce the urgency of the adoption by all nuclear Powers of concrete measures for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“Let me state first of all that on repeated occasions the Brazilian Government has deeply deplored the nuclear tests conducted on 11 and 13 May by India, and on 28 and 30 May by Pakistan. That expression of concern and consternation was forthright and unequivocal. Once more, the Brazilian Government calls upon both India and Pakistan to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty and to contribute towards the entry into force of that instrument. Brazil also appeals to both Governments to exercise restraint, reduce tensions, promote dialogue on the peaceful settlement of all bilateral issues and engage in a process of meaningful cooperation. Such steps would not only bring concrete benefits to the peoples of the two nations, but also enhance their status and prestige before the international community.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“The clear commitment of the Tribunal to enhance its efficiency and improve its administrative practices was yet another key element that made consensus on this issue possible. In view of the well-known positions of Brazil on human rights in general and on the death penalty in particular, let me state that it is our hope that an expanded and more efficient International Tribunal for Rwanda may render executions such as the ones we have witnessed recently less likely in the future.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“The genocide in Rwanda is one of the most tragic events of the last decades. There is a prevailing feeling that the international community could have done better and that steps could have been taken to avoid the massacres. Given the difficulties faced by the Rwandan judiciary system, the International Tribunal has become an increasingly relevant tool for ensuring the fair trial of those involved in the genocide, thus contributing to peace and reconciliation in Rwanda. The increase in the number of indicted persons justifies the addition of a third Trial Chamber. The decision the Council is about to take, which we support, takes into account the political factors involved and is a signal to the Rwandan people that the international community is ready to assume its share in the process of healing the wounds of the terrible events of 1994.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“Brazil is confident that an intensified international dialogue on Africa, both within and outside the Security Council, which takes the African point of View fully into account and builds upon recent experience in a balanced way, will have a lasting impact for peace in this vast and generous continent.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“Today's debate cannot possibly exhaust the complex issues before us. We will therefore reserve further comments for subsequent opportunities in this and other forums. Let me conclude at this stage by supporting the Secretary-General' s proposal for reconvening a ministerial meeting on Africa on a biennial basis and for convening a summit within five years. Sustained international attention at the highest political levels over a period of years can certainly help improve our understanding of the problems and contribute to the identification of realistic solutions.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“In areas such as the protection of human rights and the promotion of democratic governance, it would probably be beneficial to foster interaction among different African countries as well as between Africa and other regions of the developing world where progress has been made recently - in Central America, for example, as the Ambassador of Costa Rica eloquently explained. This would be an innovative and in our View promising form of extending South-South cooperation to the political and juridical fields. Since I am speaking about South-South cooperation, let me illustrate my comments: Brazil is taking the necessary legislative measures to participate in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative. The amount of debt to be pardoned is about $1 billion - not an insignificant figure for a developing country.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“My delegation would be particularly interested in looking at ways to activate Article 65, which deals with assistance from the Economic and Social Council to the Security Council. The United Nations has been instrumental in bringing peace and relief to many areas of Africa either through peacekeeping or through the manifold programmes directed at improving the lives of the neediest. Unfortunately, however, these efforts remain insufficient. The problem is one of resources, but it is not only one of resources. There is a qualitative dimension to be kept in mind. Technical assistance, for instance, cannot be supply-oriented, but must be targeted at the specific needs of the recipient countries and should make full use of their resources and potentialities.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“We welcome the remarks in the report which relate emergency assistance to reconstruction and development. We believe that there is an urgent need for devising appropriate ways for dealing, at the intergovemmental level, with the channelling of relief and development assistance to areas coming out of conflict situations. The Secretary- General seems to have fully grasped an essential aspect of this concern when he states, in paragraph 67 of the report, that we must "avoid situations in which conditionalities are imposed that are antithetical to a peace process". In the search for adequate intergovemmental bodies for dealing with the transition from peacekeeping to reconstruction, the United Nations Charter can provide some guidance.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“First, taking into account that other United Nations organs are also responsible for addressing humanitarian problems, it will be necessary to develop the appropriate mechanisms for efficient coordination. The humanitarian segment of the Economic and Social Council, to which the Secretary-General referred in his reform proposals, could play such a role. Secondly, and with the lessons learned in the past in mind, the Security Council should be careful not to allow humanitarian action to become a disguised pretext for the advancement of the individual political agendas of any given State. Regarding the plight of refugees and displaced persons, the proposal for the establishment of a mechanism to assist host Governments in maintaining the security and neutrality of refugee camps is one that deserves positive in-depth consideration.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“Moreover, given the historic framework of the past few centuries, during which traditional African societies were subjected to systematic exploitation and destabilization, to address African issues with the slightest hint of moral superiority is simply inconceivable. The international community should respond creatively to the positive developments in Africa and react to the less positive ones through a constructive and attentive dialogue with Africans themselves. The objective of such a dialogue should not be to impose conclusions unilaterally arrived at but to assist Africans themselves, when such assistance is required, to come up with appropriate solutions and make them work. We agree with the need for a principled and coordinated approach to humanitarian assistance. Two important concerns should be borne in mind in this connection.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“The arsenals accumulated by some of the most repressive regimes in Africa in previous decades, with either ostensible or covert support from external Powers, had particularly deleterious consequences that stretched well into the nineties. While recent years have often been marked by violence, disintegration and even genocide, the winds of change that have swept Africa have also brought hope. But in order for the positive forces of change and reform in Africa to advance, a new and more enlightened spirit of cooperation is required on the part of those international actors capable of making a difference.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“We also agree with the report's general outlook on sanctions, in particular when it suggests that, whereas effective arms embargoes diminish the capacity of belligerents to sustain prolonged fights, indiscriminate economic sanctions tend to affect the civilian population more directly than those responsible for threats to peace. We see merit in distinguishing between the internal and the external causes of conflict in Africa, as proposed in the report. But it is worth bearing in mind that even internal causes often have an external component. It is impossible to dissociate the proliferation of dictatorships during the initial decades of the post-colonial period from the bipolar rivalry of the cold war.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source