YouSaid · the spoken record

Annabi

lines on the record: 845
first: 1999-12-22
most recent: 2009-09-09
sittings or episodes: 45
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We hope, above all, that the Council will maintain the united and focused approach that it has shown so far with regard to Afghanistan and which has been such an important factor in the progress achieved so far.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“The United Nations, as well as key partners of Afghanistan, were present and expressed strong support for that initiative. The Security Council also welcomed that declaration and confirmed its readiness to lend its support if needed. It is important that all stakeholders actively participate in the implementation of the letter and spirit of that declaration. Member States, donors and international partners in the Afghan peace process may wish to consider further ways to cooperate to support the peace process as a whole. Finally, I would like, on behalf of the Secretary- General to thank the Council for its steady and consistent support of UNAMA over the past year.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“Brahimi said, in his remarks to the Afghan Development Forum on 13 March, "It is clear that if the timetable set by Bonn is to be met, it will be necessary to establish a legal and institutional framework for registration within the next 40 days to start urgently the actual work to be able to launch the registration campaign itself during the summer. The appointment of the Afghan electoral body to lead the process is, of course, equally urgent." More generally, as the Council prepares to renew the mandate of UNAMA, it is opportune to underline again the vital need for strong international political commitment and support to the Bonn process during the crucial months ahead. The neighbours of Afghanistan signed a Good-Neighbourliness Declaration last year in Kabul.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“In addition, elections are a technical activity for which certain international standards must be maintained in order for the elections to be perceived as legitimate. The resources required to meet those standards, over and above the cost of the electoral section with UNAMA itself, will be significant. If elections are to be held according to the Bonn Agreement, it is essential that the UNAMA electoral section be established and be provided with adequate resources as soon as possible. It is also important that the Afghan Government continue to lay the framework for future elections. As Mr.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“Electoral consultants have already been deployed to UNAMA to begin assisting the Government with the election preparation process. Those consultants have confirmed what we have long believed, namely that the holding of a registration and election will be a very complex exercise. We presently envisage an electoral section within UNAMA that will be able to provide expert advice and technical assistance to the Afghan electoral management body on such issues as voter registration, voter education, the development of political party laws and the development of the electoral system itself. It is clear that a certain amount of institutional development must occur and that an adequate level of security must be in place if the elections are to be meaningful and credible.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“As the Secretary-General reported, the drafting and approving of a new constitution and preparations for general elections to be held in 2004 will be key tasks in this regard for the coming year. Elections in particular constitute a linchpin of the process and an essential element of UNAMA's mandate. Holding elections within the timeline of the Bonn Agreement will constitute a major challenge for UNAMA and the Afghan Transitional Administration. In February, President Karzai formally requested, in a letter to the Secretary-General, that UNAMA play an essential role in the preparation and organization of the election. The Secretary-General is prepared to respond positively to that request, subject to Security Council approval, and, as a result, he is proposing in his report the establishment within UNAMA's Pillar I of an electoral section.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“Meetings to that effect are taking place in Kabul on a regular basis to allow the heads of the national commissions, the various lead nations and UNAMA to come together to supervise cooperation among themselves and push the various programmes and processes forward. To assist Special Representative of the Secretary-General Mr. Brahimi in helping the Afghan Government and the five lead security sector reform nations to achieve their goals, the Secretary- General has recommended the addition of a few military and police advisers to UNAMA. Administrative development and security sector reform should be coupled with a political transformation process that ensures that the Government is representative and accountable to all segments of the population.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“During the past few months, the various activities related to the security sector reform - formation of the national police, training of the national army, demobilization, disarmament and reintegration, reform of the Ministries of Interior and Defence, reform of the national intelligence services and counter-narcotics action - have taken central stage in the work plan of the Afghan Government. At the same time, it is becoming more and more evident to President Karzai and his colleagues, as well as to Afghanistan's partners in the international community, that all these projects are intimately connected and must be very closely coordinated.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“The reform of the judicial system will allow for the rule of law, based on international covenants that Afghanistan has signed, and incorporating principles grounded in gender equity and respect for human rights. The fight against illicit drugs will diminish the insidious effect of an illicit economy that both deprives the State of revenues and fosters crime and instability. Finally, the implementation of an effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme will erode from within the strength of unsanctioned armed factions that are responsible for much of the insecurity across Afghanistan and that in many cases resist the extension of government control.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“It is important, however, to see security sector reform not as an end in itself but as a mechanism to enable the central Government to extend its control over the country and, in turn, to allow the interrelated political and economic development processes to occur within the space created by a functioning security sector. A multi-ethnic and accountable army and police will allow the State to provide the orderly environment required for the rule of law and the promotion and protection of human rights. The creation of an effective border police will ensure that customs revenues are collected by the central Government, thereby increasing its capacity and sustainability.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“Effective governance at the local level, with reliable fiscal, administrative and policy links to the central Government, will enable the population across Afghanistan to gain confidence that the Government can affect their lives positively. For this to occur, however, security outside Kabul must significantly improve. In our briefings and reports to the Security Council, we have consistently stressed that the lack of security threatens the peace process at all levels and that the importance of security sector reform is therefore paramount. The Secretary-General's report in this regard is no exception. It describes developments in building the national army and police, the counter- narcotics effort, judicial reform and planning for demobilization, disarmament and reintegration programmes.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“As the Secretary-General's report notes, the Government has already taken steps to effect this transformation, in particular through a successful currency exchange exercise; through staffing changes that better reflect the ethnic composition of the population; and through the establishment of a number of commissions, including on security sector reform, civil service reform, judicial reform, constitutional development and the promotion of human rights. Much more remains to be done, however, in particular as regards the reform of the civil service and of the judicial sector. I believe that one of the most pressing challenges ahead for the Government of Afghanistan is to strengthen the links between Kabul and the provinces and to strengthen the capacity of the provincial and local governments themselves.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“While the State will invest in human capital and implement social policies focused on assistance to the most vulnerable, it will take on a direct managerial role only when social justice demands it. The development plan otherwise calls for the reorientation of the State machinery to focus on policy and regulation, leaving implementation and growth to the private sector. The Administration recognizes that a robust private sector that provides sustainable development opportunities is ultimately the most effective way to improve the conditions of the majority of the population and to stabilize the revenue base of the national Government.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“The United Nations support in this regard builds on a generally successful effort over the past year to integrate United Nations agency programmes under the UNAMA umbrella. At the same time, UNAMA has stressed the Government's responsibility to ensure the effective use of the resources that it manages - many of them still provided by donors - by building capacity and preventing corruption. A number of delegates at the Brussels conference, which I mentioned earlier, also underlined the need for administrative reform in the public service. In the Government's plan, reconstruction and economic development rest upon successful administrative reform. The national development programme lays out a clear role for the State over the long term.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“At the heart of the budget process is the issue of government ownership and leadership in setting national priorities for the overall reconstruction agenda- in other words, of transforming an ad hoc system that developed during the years of civil war, when non-governmental organizations, the United Nations and other international organizations gradually assumed some State functions related to the delivery of services, into one where the State itself has the capacity to exercise its responsibility for national development. The United Nations has supported this transformation, working with and within ministries to build their capacity and coordinating United Nations programme priorities with national programme priorities.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“The budget sets the role of the State as regulator and guarantor of social well-being and enshrines the principles of geographic equity in the allocation of resources. The budget provides for some $2.26 billion in expenditure. The Government estimates that it will collect internal revenues of $200 million and donors have to date pledged $1.87 billion, leaving a funding gap of around $191 million in this year's budget.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“The budget was presented to donors at the Afghanistan Development Forum held on 13 and 14 March in Kabul and at the Afghanistan High-Level Strategic Forum on 17 March in Brussels. The budget process saw Government ministries, with the support of the consultative groups comprised of international and donor partners, prepare and justify their expenditure plans, defend their proposals to their cabinet colleagues and accept final allocations on the principle of sustainability. The progress of all programmes will be measured against agreed benchmarks. The Government sees the budget as its main policy-making instrument and as a mechanism to ensure that decisions on resource allocation are domestically led and have domestic ownership.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“This effort will build on progress made last year in establishing the essential structures of Government and in proving that these structures can work at a basic level. Building on these foundations will require enhancing administrative capacity, carrying out security sector reform and furthering the political transformation towards representative Government. But, as Mr. Brahimi has frequently said in this Council and as the Secretary-General has made clear in his report, we cannot take these basic structures for granted. They must be further consolidated, expanded and legitimized. This will require the continued support of the international community. The determination of the Afghan Government to take the leading role in rebuilding its State and the economy was clearly demonstrated during preparations for this year's national budget.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“Mr. Annabi: I am pleased to introduce the fourth report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan, as called for under Security Council resolution 1401 (2002) of 28 March 2002. The Secretary-General's report describes the administrative, political and economic developments that have taken place over the past four months in the implementation of the Bonn Agreement on Afghanistan. I would like in this briefing to focus in a more general and thematic way on the challenges ahead in the implementation of the Agreement and on how the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) proposes to meet them. UNAMA's focus over the next year will be to continue to assist the Afghan Government to consolidate its authority throughout the country and implement national policies that reach the entire nation.”
2003-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4727 (2003) · source
“It continues to demonstrate the robustness of the Bonn process. At the same time, what has been achieved - and more important, what remains to be achieved- depends on continued improvements in the security situation. The extension of the authority of the central Government, the ability to deliver humanitarian and reconstruction assistance and the protection of human rights are contingent upon a secure environment throughout the country. One year after the Bonn Agreement, the Afghan people and the international community have much to be proud of. But as the Secretary-General and Mr. Brahimi have consistently stated, we have not reached a point where the international community can afford to lapse into a state of complacency.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“It will be officially launched at the Afghanistan Support Group meeting scheduled to be held in Oslo on 17 and 18 December 2002. The Government of Afghanistan has continued to implement its crucial currency exchange operation. Although the pace of exchange has been quite high, an estimated 50 per cent of old bank notes remain in circulation. In some provinces, the supply of new afghanis could not be replenished due to logistical difficulties. In other areas, money traders reportedly hoarded the new currency or refused to accept denominations of the old currency. The Government has extended the deadline for exchange until 2 January 2003 to allow the public sufficient time to convert their old afghanis. In conclusion, I would like to say that the progress that I have reported today is encouraging.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“The progress reflects an agreed view of the Afghan Government and the United Nations assistance agencies on the latter's role in responding to national priorities over the next 15 months. The programme goes beyond humanitarian priorities to address underlying causes of the crisis - poverty, debt, environmental degradation and insecurity - as well as urgent recovery and reconstruction priorities. A key objective of the programme is to strengthen the Transitional Administration's capacity to direct the recovery effort at the national and provincial levels. The 2003 programme seeks $815 million, covering the period January 2003 to March 2004, of which $67.5 million is for refugee programmes in Pakistan, Iran and Central Asia.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Building on this, the Government and the United Nations family have agreed on joint programme reviews to determine performance indicators and goals to be achieved in order to meet national priorities. An inter-ministerial commission, including the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Reconstruction, as well as relevant line ministries and UNAMA, has reviewed progress achieved in 2002 by United Nations agencies and the strategic priorities for 2003. These meetings were a good example of how the United Nations and the Government can develop innovative ways to ensure that their efforts are mutually supportive. A similar review process has led to the completion of the 2003 United Nations Transitional Assistance Programme for Afghanistan for the period January 2003 to March 2004.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“The recent death of 10 children at an internally displaced persons camp at Spin Boldak due to a sudden severe drop in temperature tragically illustrates the need for constant vigilance. In that particular case, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Afghan Government are sending additional blankets, clothing, stoves and fuel to the camps at Spin Boldak. More broadly, the United Nations is reviewing its winter preparations in response to reports from a number of provinces that the onset of winter is generating greater than expected demand for winter support. As was reported in October, the Government's National Development Budget constitutes an important framework for the prioritization of international assistance to Afghanistan.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Some 44,000 metric tons of food, accounting for about 95 per cent of winter needs, have been pre-positioned throughout the country. The remaining 5 per cent will be distributed to the regions before the end of December. Emergency repairs are also ongoing to keep the Salang tunnel open during the winter season. This is critical in ensuring that the northern and southern parts of Afghanistan remain linked by road and that assistance can be delivered. Donors have made generous contributions to agencies to ensure funding for most of the needs. While these preparations are ongoing, we recognize the need for continuous monitoring of the scope of winter requirements.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Preliminary elements of UNAMA's inquiry point to the possibility that local officials may have been involved in those events. As indicated by Mr. Brahimi in his last briefing to the Council, UNAMA's relief, recovery and reconstruction pillar has been focusing on the issue of winter preparedness. The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development has established a winter task force, bringing together the Government, United Nations agencies, bilateral agencies and non- governmental organizations. The goal of the task force is to ensure that the provision of assistance to some 2.2 million highly vulnerable Afghans is effectively coordinated. This vulnerable population, mainly living in the north and the west, and in the central highlands, has been receiving emergency food aid and assistance for shelter during the difficult winter months.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“UNAMA also recently looked into the situation of discrimination against the Gujurs, an ethnic minority of about 100,000 people who live in the three north-eastern provinces of Takhar, Baghlan and Badakshan and who have been persecuted by local commanders. To help to deal with the problem, UNAMA assisted in the establishment of a local commission, with Government, military and local participation, to address those violations and to take corrective action on complaints. In Wardak province, UNAMA teams have investigated the recent rocket attacks on four schools for girls that took place near Kabul in late October. Prior to the attacks, teachers had reported that some of their female students had been threatened on their way to school by unknown armed men. Leaflets had been circulated condemning education for girls.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“A forensic specialist arrived recently to assess technical, financial and security requirements for a full-scale forensic investigation. The main patterns of reported human rights abuses continue to be intimidation and violence by regional and local commanders against civilians, intimidation and violence against women and persecution of minority groups. UNAMA has verified a number of serious human rights violations. In the north, as I just mentioned, UNAMA has been investigating the alleged intimidation of witnesses and is interceding with the authorities to ensure respect for human rights.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Following the incident, President Karzai immediately established a commission of inquiry. The Council is also aware of another human rights issue that UNAMA is following: that of the mass graves at Dasht-i-Layli. UNAMA has been investigating reports of alleged serious abuses - including harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and extrajudicial execution - against Afghans who are believed to be in possession of information relating to the circumstances surrounding the Dasht-i-Leily grave site. Recently, in cooperation with the Independent Human Rights Commission, a UNAMA team met with General Dostum, visited the intelligence detention centre in Shiberghan and obtained the release of two inmates who were being held without charge, apparently because they were witnesses to the events that had taken place at Dasht-i-Leily.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“The Commission is currently receiving capacity-building assistance from UNAMA and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the field of the processing of petitions and complaints. UNAMA and the Independent Human Rights Commission have jointly looked into the recent demonstrations by students at Kabul University. Those demonstrations, as members will recall, led to clashes with the police in which two students were killed and at least 15 were wounded. Poor living conditions at the university were the apparent source of discontent, though it was also alleged that that discontent had been manipulated and exacerbated by political groups. Investigations are still under way, but a preliminary analysis points towards excessive use of force by the Afghan police.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“If the elections are to be held by June 2004, the Afghan electoral body will need to be established by early next yean The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission has been steadily developing its methods and practices in a joint project - involving UNAMA, the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - that is being implemented in order to support the Commission in its work. The Commission held two workshops in November, with the first on human rights and the media and the second on human rights in constitutions. Modes of cooperation between the Independent Human Rights Commission and UNAMA on human rights investigations are also being further elaborated.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“UNAMA, in close coordination with the Electoral Assistance Division of the United Nations, has met with various interlocutors to ascertain their views on various possible approaches to conducting the elections and to stress the need to start the necessary preparations soon. If it is established, the Afghan electoral body is expected to undertake consultations with political organizations regarding the decisions to be taken on electoral registration, the electoral calendar and the organization of electoral teams throughout the country.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“The United Nations is supporting the work of the Commission by assisting in the establishment of its secretariat. As members of the Council are aware, the Bonn Agreement calls for elections to be held by June 2004. There are a number of structural issues to solve in order for that complex process to be successfully completed in time. In particular, there are no formal electoral institutions, and there is no law regulating the activities of political parties. UNAMA is therefore exploring, with the Government, the prospect of establishing an electoral commission to define the basic rules and procedures of the electoral process.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“The nine-member Constitutional Drafting Commission was formally inaugurated by the former King, Mohammad Zaher Shah, on 3 November. The members of the Commission, chaired by Vice-President Shahrani, are mostly legal scholars and jurists from a variety of ethnic and regional backgrounds and include two women. The Commission has established three subcommittees, for writing, researching and drafting the constitution. In preparing the new constitution, the Commission will be guided by the 1964 Constitution, by Islamic principles and by international standards, as well as by Afghan legal traditions. The Commission considers the involvement of Afghan society to be crucial for the quality and the acceptance of the draft constitution as well as for furthering national reconciliation.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“With respect to the implementation of the Bonn Agreement, members of the Council may recall that the first Judicial Commission was dissolved by President Karzai amid concerns that its membership was not sufficiently independent. A new Judicial Commission was formed on 2 November 2002, comprising nine members, one of whom is a woman. To broaden its representation, the President recently added two members: a second woman and a man from an ethnic minority. Since its inauguration, on 28 November, the new Commission has embarked on its substantive work, and it is now preparing to participate in a pledging conference on the justice sector, which is being organized by the Italian Government in Rome, on 19 and 20 December.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“The commander of the coalition forces in Afghanistan recently briefed UNAMA on plans to deploy teams - referred to as joint regional teams - outside Kabul. The teams would comprise 50 to 70 officers and would work with central and local Government and international actors to assist in various aspects of the reconstruction and recovery process. Mr. Brahimi has indicated that UNAMA would certainly cooperate and coordinate with the teams. It is UNAMA's understanding that the function of the teams will be adjusted in the light of experience on the ground. UNAMA will, of course, report further on its cooperation with the teams as their role in the reconstruction and recovery process is refined.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“While this important signal of the central Government's intent to reinforce its authority and inculcate good practices throughout the civil service was warmly received by the public, its full implementation has proved difficult. Corruption remains a significant problem, which will require not only time and dedicated leadership before it can be solved, but also economic progress and an improvement in living standards. A key part of the Government's strategy to assert its authority depends on its ability to raise domestic revenue. The President's decree on corruption also addressed the need for public income to be transferred from the provinces to the national treasury and for customs houses to be reformed. Until now, the central Government has had limited success in gaining control over these important resources.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“United Nations premises were damaged for the fourth time this year when two grenades were thrown into the compound of the office of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Gardez. Fortunately, no one was injured. However, international staff and some national staff who do not live in the area had to be temporarily withdrawn to Kabul. This office, located in a critical Pashtun area, has now reopened following the end of Ramadan. During the reporting period, President Karzai issued a decree to dismiss 20 civil servants, including in the provincial Governments, for corruption or abuse of office.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“In Kandahar, tribal rivalries, which have been simmering since the fall of the Taliban last year, came to a head when forces belonging to Governor Gul Agha, from the Barakzay tribe, sought to disarm police under the command of General Akram, from the Alokozai tribe. Three people were killed and several others injured. The dispute over responsibility for security and law and order in the city remains unresolved. In the Southern province of Uruzgan, several prominent Taliban leaders were recently arrested by the local intelligence agency and accused of seeking to revitalize the Taliban movement. The matter is being investigated by the local authorities.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“In the North, a formal commitment signed by General Dostum and General Atta to refrain from violence has so far resulted in a reduction in the number of incidents of factional fighting. The West, however, has again seen heavy fighting between forces belonging to the Governor of Herat, Ismael Khan and a local Pashtun leader, Amanullah Khan. Many casualties were reported on both sides. A delegation from the Government managed to negotiate a ceasefire on 3 December, but the situation is still very fragile. Fighting has broken out between the two sides several times this year and the bitter rivalry between Ismael Khan and Amanullah Khan does not bode well for long-term peace in that area.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“It is essential that the international community provide both political and financial support to the reform of the security sector, which is vital to the peace process. For this purpose, a letter will shortly be forwarded by the Special Representative to prospective donor countries seeking contributions to the United Nations-administered Trust Fund. In the absence of an effective national force, the lack of security across the country remains a major concern. In Kabul, during the reporting period there was an increase in the number of armed robberies, car thefts and murders. At the end of November, six rockets were fired into the city; fortunately, there were no casualties, but these events have unsettled the city's population.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“In accordance with the agreements reached by the various factions participating in the national Defence Commission last month, President Karzai signed a decree on 1 December establishing an Afghan national army of 70,000 of all ranks that is foreseen to be unified, under civilian control and staffed on the principles of merit and ethnic balance. The main elements of that decree are included in a fact sheet which, I believe, was distributed to members of the Council yesterday and we, of course, have the full text of the decree available to those members of the Council who may not have seen it. Having said that, the realization of an effective national army requires unity among all international actors.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Finally, I am pleased to inform the Council that, as discussed at the Bonn meeting, Afghanistan and its neighbouring States have agreed to sign, on 22 December in Kabul, an agreement on good-neighbourly relations, mutual cooperation and non-interference in their respective internal affairs. This is, of course, a very welcome signal of commitment on the part of the States concerned to ensuring that relations between Afghanistan and its neighbours will contribute to regional stability and development. As this summary indicates, many challenges remain, but with the continued commitment of the international community progress towards these goals is achievable. One clear example of this has been the recent significant decisions taken on the creation of a new national Afghan army.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“These include the importance of building a national army and national police that are effective and ethnically balanced; the need to intensify efforts to combat the production and trafficking of drugs; the need to develop a culture of respect for human rights and the national mechanisms to monitor and investigate violations; the need to continue efforts to create a legal and institutional framework conducive to national development; the need for the international community to strengthen Afghan ownership of the reconstruction and development process and to endorse the use of the budget as a central tool of policy-making; the need for the Afghan Government and the international community to consult to establish clear benchmarks and time lines to ensure the full implementation of the Bonn Agreement; and the importance of the preparation of a new constitution and the preparation for free and fair elections, scheduled to be held by June 2004.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Mr. Annabi: As members of the Council will recall, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, last briefed the Council on 30 October. I am pleased to have this opportunity to provide an update on the main developments since that date. On 2 December, the main participants in the Bonn Conference reconvened there to review the progress made so far and to reaffirm their commitment to the peace process in Afghanistan. Mr. Brahimi, who attended the meeting, has asked me to express his gratitude to the Government of Germany for organizing that anniversary conference. The participants rightly took note of the many achievements of the past year. Looking ahead, however, they identified a number of specific challenges.”
2002-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4664 (2002) · source
“Mr. Annabi: There were no specific questions addressed to me, but since I have the floor, let me take the opportunity to thank members of the Council for the support they have expressed to UNMIK in its efforts to ensure the implementation of its mandate in general and to uphold the rule of law in particular. I am sure that this support will be very much appreciated by our colleagues in UNMIK at a time when they are working on the preparation of the municipal elections scheduled for next month. Let me thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this meeting.”
2002-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4605 (2002) · source
“UNMIK will continue to rely on the Council's support in its efforts to consolidate the rule of law in Kosovo. As the provisional institutions return from the summer recess, they will face a formidable list of tasks that need to be accomplished: coping with the energy situation, finishing the recruitment of candidates to fulfil important civil service functions, and passing legislation on a whole range of other issues. We look forward to their productive engagement in tackling those issues together with UNMIK. At the same time, as the election campaign nears, UNMIK will be looking to the elected representatives to ensure that the lead-up to the second round of municipal elections is free of violence and is conducted in an atmosphere of inclusion and tolerance.”
2002-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4605 (2002) · source
“In conclusion, as I have tried to show in this briefing, there was some tension over the past month as a result of the arrests that have taken place. UNMIK believes that the Kosovo Albanian leadership now has a better understanding that those arrests were the result of lengthy investigations carried out in accordance with well-established judicial procedures, and took place without regard for ethnic or political affiliation. In addition, Prime Minister Rexhepi has assured UNMIK of the leadership's continued support for the firm line taken by UNMIK and KF OR in their efforts to uphold the rule of law. I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the statements of support issued by Council members and by the European Union, which UNMIK found very helpful.”
2002-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4605 (2002) · source
“Steiner appointed an international expert to manage the situation. The appointment of a temporary Managing Director is intended to depoliticize the issue and to place the emphasis on the practical issues that need to be addressed. The damage means that Kosovo - yet again, unfortunately - faces critical energy shortages as we approach the winter. A speedy response from donors, supplemented by the Kosovo consolidated budget, has enabled repairs to begin on one part of the facility, which will, it is hoped, be completed by the beginning of December. Another part of the station, however, cannot be operational until the summer of next year at the earliest. The Government is pursuing a strategy to reduce public consumption and to encourage conservation through an energy savings campaign.”
2002-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4605 (2002) · source
“UNMIK has continued discussions with the authorities of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to find practical ways of addressing the concerns of Kosovo farmers in the border area. A decision was reached in principle to open two new border crossing points through which the farmers would have access to the affected lands on the basis of an UNMIK travel document. The location of these new border crossing points is still under discussion. Turning now to the energy situation in Kosovo, Council members will recall the unfortunate lightning strike that resulted in extensive fire damage at the power plant in Obilic, near Pristina, in July. Since then, the investigation has revealed that the extent of the damage was attributable to negligence in the management of the site. As extensive repairs to the damaged section of the station began, Mr.”
2002-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4605 (2002) · source