YouSaid · the spoken record

Araud

lines on the record: 1,506
first: 2009-09-09
most recent: 2014-07-22
sittings or episodes: 220
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 have heard that the situation is tragic, encompassing sexual violence, forced disappearances, recruitment of child soldiers and, increasingly, religiously motivated violence. The precarious situation ofwomen is shocking. The Council should remain apprised of the issue. Not only must we take the situation of women into account; beyond that, to the extent that the tragic situation of women in the Central African Republic is only part of the broader tragedy of the entire country, we must re-establish security, peace and the rule of law there. France voted in favour of resolution 2118 (2013) in that regard and will stay the course, including, if necessary, by proposing a peacekeeping operation in that country. In Syria, women were the leading actors of the peaceful revolution against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Informal meetings of the Council with women working in the field should be continued and encouraged. In that regard, we can refer to the example of Mary Robinson, who brought together women's organizations from the Great Lakes region in July in Bujumbura. We believe that hers is a model of inclusive and early consultation that can be useful to everyone. We saw to it that this good practice was continued during the recent visit of Security Council members to the Democratic Republic of the Congo when they met, in the eastern part of that country, with women's organizations working to defend and promote the rights of women. That and other crises demonstrate the urgent need to act. This morning, we heard an eye-witness account on the Central African Republic.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“While women now have a place in most peace negotiations, their situation remains ignored in the ensuing agreements, which too often do not include specific provisions on women, peace and security. Women should be consulted as fully invested stakeholders. The United Nations must be exemplary in that regard. The special representatives and special envoys of the Secretary-General must consult with civil society and women's organizations as soon as they arrive on the ground, and must continue to do so throughout their mandate. In New York, the issue of the participation of women should be included more frequently in briefings made to the Council by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs, whose recommendations for better including women in conflict-resolution processes always prove to be valuable.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“In that regard, I welcome the work of UN Women and its activities to strengthen the coherence of and coordinate efforts to promote women within the United Nations. We also welcome the zero- tolerance policy for United Nations personnel that is being implemented by the Secretary-General, and which has proven to be useful and should continue. Such improvements have had normative consequences. The adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty revealed the link between the spread of small arms and light weapons and sexual violence. We have given strong support to this part of the Treaty, which France will soon ratify. However, we all know that we only are half-way there. Much remains to be done.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“Mr. Araud (France) (spoke in French): I thank you, Sir, for organizing this debate. I also thank all those who have spoken. I believe that the statements made by my colleagues have proven, 13 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), what has become obvious to everyone, namely, that no conflict can be resolved and no transition sustained without the inclusion and participation of half of humankind. First, that is obvious to the Council, which in two-thirds of its resolutions makes references to the women, peace and security agenda. It also obvious to the United Nations, where the presence of women in mediation teams and field missions increases year after year, although efforts still need to be made regarding management positions.”
2013-10-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7044 (2013) · source
“As the effects of the Syrian crisis are increasingly felt in Lebanon, it is important to reiterate our collective support for Lebanese State institutions, which are the guarantors of stability in the country, and first and foremost to President Sleiman and to the Lebanese Armed Forces, which today courageously uphold the dissociation policy. We must ensure that Lebanon is not drawn into the Syrian conflict. Today we are witnessing a region on the brink of toppling because of the Syrian crisis, the burden of refugees and the radical terrorism proliferating throughout the Syrian charnel house. Doing nothing to resolve the crisis in Syria would be to abandon that strategic region for world peace and security to decades of chaos that will not remain confined to the Middle East.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“We have called for a credible interlocutor, and we have one - who is recognized by the League of Arab States and by the vast majority of the international community - working to form a Government and to effectively unite the various sectors of Syrian society. I will make a final comment on Lebanon, which is caught in the middle of the storm. France welcomes the unanimous support expressed by the Council for Lebanon on 10 July. The presidential statement (S/PRST/2013/9), adopted on France's initiative, made clear the international community's unanimous commitment to the sovereignty, integrity, independence and stability of Lebanon.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“We support international efforts, particularly those led by Russia and the United States, for a political solution in Syria that embodies the principles of a political transition, based on the first part of the Geneva communique (S/2012/523, annex), namely, the transfer of the executive powers to a transitional Government. For our part, we will continue to work on structuring the opposition. The broadening of the Syrian National Coalition and the election of a new president represent important decisions. The Coalition is also strengthening its status as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people and is pursuing its steps to restructure and to unite. We call upon the international community to support the only approach capable of leading to a political transition.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“It is high time for the Council to take the measures necessary to put an end to the suffering of the Syrian people, the primary and overwhelming responsibility for which lies with the Al-Assad regime. Those measures are familiar to all: first, a referral to the International Criminal Court to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by all parties in Syria; secondly, increased humanitarian action to enable unimpeded access to all populations who need it. Ms. Amos identified in the Council a list of measures necessary to meet the needs of Syria. Based on that, the Council should send a clear, unanimous message on the application of international humanitarian law and the need for the regime to authorize humanitarian access throughout the country and to the Syrian population. Thirdly, a political transition is necessary.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“Attacks carried out in Al-Qusayr, Aleppo and Homs show that the regime has continued to ramp up its military attacks against its own people and pursues massive shelling in residential areas. The regime knows no limits in its choice of weapons. It is using cluster munitions and incendiary bombs. A growing number of information sources have indicated that the regime continues to use chemical weapons, including sarin gas, which constitutes a war crime. We call on Syria to authorize unimpeded access to the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic to investigate the allegations and incidents of the use of chemical weapons. We are awaiting the results of the commission's visit to Damascus this week.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“To conclude with respect to the peace process, I would like to again emphasize my country's readiness to contribute to a final settlement, in particular with its European partners, to facilitate negotiations and to participate, when the time comes, in implementing a peace agreement. The year 2013 must also see the liberation of the Syrian people. The situation is tragic. Last week, Ms. Amos, Mr. Guterres and Mr. Simonovie again described the suffering of the Syrian people to the Council (see S/PV.7000). The statistics are horrific. The human toll since the start of the crisis is nearly 100,000 victims, a majority of whom are civilians, as well as tens of thousands of disappeared individuals. There are 1.8 million refugees, and 6.8 million people require humanitarian assistance.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“In that context, we are concerned about the construction of new settlements, carried out in violation of international law, which will only complicate the launch of negotiations. That is why the European Union decided to align its laws with international law and to recall that might does not make right. A change with respect to the Gaza Strip and lifting the blockade are also imperative to strengthen support for peace among a population that today lives under the exclusive yoke of Hamas. That must be done in respect for Israel's security. In that regard, France has firmly condemned the rocket attacks and recalls its commitment to strict observance of the truce. As for the Palestinian Authority, we hope that it will use its new status in the United Nations constructively.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“We also welcome the sense of responsibility demonstrated by the authorities of both sides. The process calls for the parties' commitment to resume direct, credible negotiations without preconditions. The alternative is easy: either 2013 will see the launch of meaningful negotiations leading to a final agreement on all of the issues, or 2013 may well see slip away this final opportunity to establish peace through a viable, sovereign, independent, contiguous Palestinian State, living in peace and security within recognized borders, side by side with the State ofIsrael, with Jerusalem as the capital of two States. The process calls also for a political environment conducive to the negotiations. In particular, that requires establishing trust in order to dispel the mindset of mistrust between the parties.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“Mr. Araud (France) (spoke in French): I thank Mr. Robert Serry, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, the Permanent Observer ofthe State of Palestine, Mr. Riyad Mansour, and the Permanent Representative of Israel, Mr. Ron Proser, for their statements. The Middle East is being rocked by two crises that urgently require a resolute response from the international community. First, on the Israeli- Palestinian peace process, my delegation has stated on numerous occasions that the two-State solution represents the only fair and lasting solution to the conflict. In 2013, the only way to ensure sustainability is to achieve it. In that context, we welcome the agreement in principle - thanks to the efforts of the American Secretary of State - to resume Israeli-Palestinian talks.”
2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source
“It is our collective responsibility, and especially that of the Security Council, to work to ensure that this freedom be fully enjoyed.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“The Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, developed by UNESCO last year, is an excellent initiative to fight impunity for the authors of violence againstjournalists. We call for its full and immediate implementation. As we are all ware, freedom of information is at the heart of any democracy, whether when it comes to journalists, bloggers or war correspondents and associated personnel. They are the people who help us to understand our world and how it is evolving. It is clear for all to see that the knee-jerk reaction of the enemies of freedom is to gag the press, and that independent media are the first allies of democracy. Freedom of expression should be respected by everyone.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“We must recall and recognize the vulnerability of journalists in conflict situations and do what is necessary in a more systematic manner so that peacekeeping operations provide protection for journalists as civilians who are under threat. Violence against journalists is not limited just to armed conflict situations, however. The majority of persecutions take place in countries at peace, very often where journalists are reporting on cases of corruption or organized crime. In a resolution adopted in September 2012 (A/HRC/RES/21/l2), the Human Rights Council denounced that reality and proposed several courses of action. Moreover, the work done by UNESCO should also be commended.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“Given the worrisome situation, I would recall that it is primarily the responsibility of Governments to protect journalists and to allow them to accomplish their work without impediment and in an independent manner. That requires, among other things, fighting impunity against the offenders of such violence. That issue has been mentioned both by the journalists here and by some of my colleagues. States must systematically investigate, apprehend and try those responsible. Currently, 90 per cent of the killings ofjournalists go unpunished. It is also up to the international community, especially the Security Council, to consider the matter and take action to protect journalists. Some courses of action have already been pointed out.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“Some 100 journalists, including four French nationals, have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the conflict. They paid with their lives for their resolve to show the world the reality of the indiscriminate repression of the Syrian people. I have special thoughts for Didier Francois and Edouard Elias, French journalists who were kidnapped in Syria a month ago and who are still being held. In all conflict areas, it is local journalists who pay the heaviest price for practicing their profession. That is the case in Somalia, where journalists are regularly targeted by armed groups. Five have been killed since the beginning of this year. These figures clearly show international that the challenge of protecting journalists is one that we still have to meet.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“It was a decisive step. Today, we note that, unfortunately, that step was insufficient. Quite to the contrary, it was far from being sufficient because 2012 was perhaps the most murderous year. More than 120 journalists were killed in the exercise of their profession, which was double the figure for 2011. Several hundred others were imprisoned and sometimes tortured. Many were subject to intimidation, kidnappings, forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions. Women journalists are often the deliberately targeted victims of harassment and sexual violence. Bloggers, be they professional journalists or simply citizens, are also being targeted in an increasingly systematic manner. Yesterday in Libya and today in Syria, journalists are subject to persecution by regimes seeking to muzzle them.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“Mr. Araud (France) (spoke in French): I thank you, Madam President, for organizing this debate, the first on this topic since the adoption of resolution 1738 (2006). I thank the Deputy Secretary-General for his statement and the journalists for their testimony, which allows us to better understand the challenges they face on the ground. All are aware of the importance France attaches to the issue of protecting journalists. Given the resurgence of attacks on information professionals, especially in conflict zones, over six years ago France and Greece together submitted a draft resolution to the Security Council. Through resolution 1738 (2006) the international community committed itself to paying increased attention to the issue of protecting journalists in armed conflict. The Security Council spoke with one voice at that time.”
2013-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7003 (2013) · source
“Next year will see the end of the international community's military commitment, which took the form of a combat mission created in response to the attack on the United States of 11 September 2001. We hope that the year will also be one ofpolitical transition for Afghanistan and strengthened democracy.”
2013-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6983 (2013) · source
“The presidential elections of 5 April 2014 and the legislative elections of 2015 will demonstrate, in that context, a decisive step forward in Afghan democracy and long-term support for Afghanistan, in line with the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework. We call on the Afghan authorities to convene credible, inclusive and transparent elections and to accelerate the adoption of an appropriate legislative framework to define dynamic anti-corruption measures, and to guarantee the independence of the Independent Election Commission. Like the Secretary-General, we call on the authorities to swiftly adopt structural and electoral legislation and to appoint a consensus-based individual to head the Commission.”
2013-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6983 (2013) · source
“Since our armed forces withdrew from Afghanistan late last year, a new step forward has been taken in our bilateral relations, based on strengthened civilian and military cooperation under the framework of our friendship and cooperation treaty dealing with the allied forces and the civilians. Our aid will reach nearly â‚¬300 million in 2012-2016, representing a 50 per cent increase in our assistance envelope, in order to assist the country in moving from a war economy to one of peace. The international community, having been offered a series of guarantees, has committed to continuing its support to Afghanistan during the transformation decade.”
2013-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6983 (2013) · source
“Nevertheless, the report of the Secretary-General (S/20l3/350) notes the worrisome increase in civilian victims, particularly children, which is obviously unacceptable. Attacks on humanitarian workers, including from the International Committee of the Red Cross, have also increased. The report also recalls that the Taliban has been responsible for the majority of civilian casualties, which demonstrates that group's lack of concern for human life. The friendship between France and Afghanistan is deeply rooted in a shared past, as we celebrated last year 90 years of diplomatic ties.”
2013-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6983 (2013) · source
“France stands ready to support that process, as it has in the past, including through using levers such as the sanctions regime of the Security Council. The dialogue must be led by Afghans, in line with principles they themselves have defined and endorsed by the international community in Bonn on 5 December 2011, and by the Security Council. These principles include renouncing violence, breaking ties with international terrorism, and upholding the Afghan Constitution, particularly in terms of women's rights. In that context, my delegation has taken note of the public announcement recently made concerning the official opening of an office representing the Taliban, in Doha. We hope that the office will contribute to establishing inter-Afghan political dialogue, which would promote progress in establishing peace in the country.”
2013-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6983 (2013) · source
“Mr. Araud (France) (spoke in French): I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan for their statements. I also align myself with the statement to be made by the observer of the European Union. I congratulate the Afghan authorities on assuming the responsibility for security in the country on 18 June. That was an important step forward and demonstrated that Afghanistan is on the path to reassuming full sovereignty. The Afghan National Security Forces are now able independently to defend the entire Afghan population against attacks by armed terrorist groups. The international coalition will now play only a support role in those efforts. Only a genuine, inclusive inter-Afghan political process will guarantee the emergence of a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.”
2013-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6983 (2013) · source
“We are going modify the format of the annual meetings, which will take on a regional and technical slant as we approach the tenth anniversary of the Paris Principles in 2017. With our partners from the Secretariat and from UNICEF, I renew our call to join, without any further delay, the one hundred States that have already ratified the Principles. Let us not forget that we are talking about the lives of children and teenagers who are at risk.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“That is why we are in favour of strengthening dialogue with the International Criminal Court, which could, in the first phase, include an invitation to Ms. Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the Court, to brief the Council on the issue. France is also involved on the ground in improving the protection and sustainable reinsertion of children caught in armed conflict. Since 2008, we have led a programme in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa that has made it possible to reach 13,000 children, 2,000 of them child soldiers. We continue to call on all States to endorse the Paris Principles and Paris Commitments, which complement the action of the Security Council and provide a solid framework for the action of the international community to protect children in armed conflict.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“The States concerned have the responsibility to do everything in their power to ensure and facilitate access for those groups, because we are convinced that, in order to ensure the protection of children trapped in conflict, political considerations should give way to humanitarian imperatives. France is also in favour of authorizing the Working Group to set itself up as an ad hoc sanctions panel to deal with armed extremists who refuse all dialogue with the international community and who continue their violations with full impunity. Indeed, the fight against impunity should be central to our action. Recently, the transfer to the International Criminal Court of Bosco Ntaganda sent out a strong signal on the criminal consequences of the recruitment of child soldiers, which is considered to be a war crime.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“We count on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its strengthened mandate to protect children and make it possible for them to return to their families. While new crises provide new challenges for the protection of children in armed conflict, the long list of persistent perpetrators continues to affect the credibility of our action. It calls upon us to pursue our efforts. In addition to the States that have already signed an action plan, which should be our priority, we should also improve our response to the armed groups that want to engage in dialogue with the United Nations but for whom access is impossible.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“In the Central African Republic, Sele'ka armed groups have been engaged in looting, rape and summary executions, and they have not hesitated to attack UNICEF disarmament, demobilization and reintegration centres in order to re-recruit children who had recently been demobilized, reversing the progress achieved last year. The chaos caused by armed groups has led to the closing of half of the schools in the country, thus increasing the vulnerability of children left to their own devices. In the Kivus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Mouvement du 23 mars rebels know where to find children to fuel their war against Congolese sovereignty.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“We would therefore encourage the Special Representative to launch, as soon as possible, discussions for the signing of an action plan with them. In Mali, armed groups in the north have mutilated and tortured children. They have used children as human shields and recruited them by force. The situation has improved since the beginning of the year but remains fragile. The deployment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali will help to stabilize the country and provide better protection for children.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“That is the case in Syria, where the regime and the militias have been responsible for the worst atrocities against children. Children are tortured and subjected to sexual violence in detention. They are killed without pity by elite snipers, who target them by design in order to terrorize the people. Schools are being bombed incessantly, to such an extent that only 6 per cent of children have access to education in the region of Aleppo. Since the beginning of the crisis, more than 6,500 children have been killed in Syria, and that figure is probably lower than the actual figures. Violations against children in Syria must be condemned, whatever their source. The Syrian opposition says that it is prepared to open a dialogue with the United Nations on the issue.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“In that way, our credibility can be ensured. In order to do that, the international community and the United Nations must deploy all the material and human resources they have at their disposal. Action plans are based on cooperation between States, and progress has been made in that area. In that connection, we are encouraged by the cooperation and political will shown by Chad to finalize its action plan. The United Nations approach on the ground has been strengthened over the years. Let us consider, for example, the child protection sections in peacekeeping operations, which play a crucial role and whose deployment must continue. Nevertheless, countless violations continue to occur, and each conflict shows us that reality. Children are the first victims of conflict.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“Mr. Araud (France) (spoke in French): I would like to thank the President for having organized today's debate. I would also like to thank the briefers and other speakers. I congratulate the delegation of Luxembourg on the way it has conducted the chairmanship of the Working Group, and I reiterate France's support. The United Nations approach to protecting children in armed conflict has made it possible to demobilize tens of thousands of children. Action plans are the cornerstone of that approach. Thanks to them, in 2012 two States were taken off the list of shame. Taken together, the approximately 20 action plans that have been signed are a sign of progress made in protecting children in armed conflict. The implementation of those actions plans must be carried out as soon as possible for them to be fully effective.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“Before concluding, allow me to express my condolences to the Government and people of Turkey who have been struck by terrorism.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“It is not only Africa that the scourge destabilizes; the consequences of terrorism are also felt throughout the world. Therefore, through its efforts in Africa, Europe is participating in ensuring its own security. Of course, the United Nations must also play a role. The Organization has acquired the relevant tools to carry out the fight. First of all, it has adopted a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, but it has also set up Sanctions Committees supported by the United Nations structure, which remind terrorists on a daily basis that we are not lowering our guard. All of those efforts should be coordinated in order to have a maximum impact. It is only collectively that we manage to effectively fight terrorism in Africa. It is a major challenge, and we do not have the right to fail.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“In that regard, we urge all African States to join the relevant sectoral agreements to combat terrorism and strengthen mutual cooperation, in particular in the Sahel. African regional organizations are particularly concerned by the scourge that has lodged itself on the continent. But it is also up to them to provide solutions. The African Union was therefore able to take up the initiative against Al-Shabaab and has shown great determination against the terrorist groups in Mali. Today, several subregional organizations have acquired the tools to fight the financing of terrorism, such as the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa, whose representative's presence in the Chamber today I welcome. The European Union also contributes to efforts to combat terrorism in Africa.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“The adoption of resolution 2100 (2013) confirmed the unanimous support of the international community for the stabilization of Mali and the action of France and African States to counter terrorist groups in the region. Today, Mali is able to continue its political process, namely, through the holding of elections. That is crucial because 4 let us make no mistake about it 4 in the fight against terrorism, politics is also a weapon. The fight against terrorism in Africa and the world remains, above all, a collective responsibility that requires more than ever the mobilization and coordination of all stakeholders concerned. I am thinking first of all of the States of the region, which have the primary responsibility to prevent and combat all of the forms and expressions of the phenomenon.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“In that respect, I would like to pay tribute to the commitment of the Economic Community ofWest African States and the African Union. I welcome in particular the mobilization of African contingents, namely, Togolese contingents, which were so swiftly deployed in Mali. In January, Mali could have become a State run by terrorists. The situation was obviously unacceptable, not only for Malians themselves but for all the States in the region and beyond the region, that is, for all of those who could one day be affected by terrorism, in Africa, in Europe or elsewhere. That is why France, at the request of the Malian authorities, intervened alongside Malian forces and African forces. The northern towns were retaken, terrorists were thwarted and the territorial integrity of the country was restored.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“Al-Shabaab controls a large part of the territory, and terrorist attacks regularly target Government authorities. In Nigeria, Boko Haram continues to pursue its attempts to destabilize the Government. The phenomenon is constantly evolving. The porous borders, linked to technological advances and progress in communications, finance and transportation, have fuelled relationships between terrorist networks and criminal groups operating internationally, thus making the fight against terrorism even more complex. France has made the fight against terrorism in Africa one of its priorities. Our commitment in Mali since 11 January, in conjunction with Malian armed forces and African forces of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali, is the clearest sign of that fact.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“Mr. Araud (France) (spoke in French): I would like to thank the President of Togolese Republic and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Togo, the Secretary- General and all of the Ministers for their participation in this high-level debate. I associate myself with the statement to be made by the Observer of the European Union. Terrorism is a major threat for the African continent, in the Sahel, Nigeria and Somalia. It is a serious threat for regional stability and, beyond that, for international peace and security. It is therefore at very core of the Security Council's action. In the Sahel, the scourge grew out of problems of governance, drug trafficking and the status of communities. The intervention of French and African forces has reduced the threat but residual elements remain. In Somalia, the situation is still fragile.”
2013-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6965 (2013) · source
“We must display similar enthusiasm in tackling the Syrian situation in our search for a political transition, an enthusiasm that we have so far failed to display, thus allowing the region to plunge ever more deeply into the abyss.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source
“In conclusion, this is a region that is on the brink of disaster as a result of the Syrian crisis, as a result of the burden represented by the refugees, which is creating sociopolitical problems, and the problem of radical terrorism, which is spreading, as we feared, over the slaughterhouse that Syria has become. We cannot afford to ignore this region, which is strategically so crucial to global peace and security and which will, without our prompt action, spiral into a chaos that will spill over beyond the Middle East. We face a choice: either we support the resolute action of the international community by backing the United States in ensuring that the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians can move forward and produce a lasting settlement, or we do not.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source
“We welcome the efforts adopted by the Lebanese Government, under President Sleiman, to implement the so-called disassociation policy, the only policy that can protect Lebanon from relapsing into civil war. While events on the border continue to increase in number and violations by Syria of Lebanon's borders are growing, we appeal to the Lebanese people to continue to uphold the principles agreed on in the Baabda Declaration, in the interests of their country's stability. We welcome the fact that agreement was rapidly reached on nominating Mr. Tamam Salam as Prime Minister, as well as the efforts to ensure a speedy agreement on the composition of the new Government, and the organization of parliamentary elections on a consensus-based approach and within the constitutional time frame.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source
“As the result of a bold initiative by Mr. Moaz Al-Khateeb, which we commended, the coalition has recognized the principle of political transition and is committed to it, as was stated in Istanbul. We call on the international community to back that initiative, in order to give support to the only force that is ready to prepare the way for political transition. We sought a viable interlocutor, and now we have one, recognized by the Arab League and a majority of the international community; one engaged in establishing a Government that seeks to unite the various components of Syrian society. Such an actor is indispensable to the creation of the conditions for a political transition, and we in the United Nations must also take that into account. Before concluding, I would like to touch on Lebanon, which is caught in the middle of this storm.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source
“In order to accomplish that, we have the Geneva communique (S/2012/523, annex) and the necessary clarifications that have been made by the Joint Special Representative, Mr. Brahimi, in addressing the Council. Above all, we must ensure that presidential powers are transferred in full to a transitional Government. That is the sequence of events that can lead to the establishment of a transitional Government, with full executive powers and able to organize elections, a Government that we are prepared to work with in order to do what has to be done. Unfortunately, we have not yet reached that stage; only last week President Al-Assad reiterated his rejection of it in a statement that ignores the reality of the Syrian crisis. The only glimmer of hope is to be found with the opposition, which we continue to support.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source
“Such assistance is essential to containing the flow of refugees, who are putting intolerable pressure on neighbouring countries, particularly Jordan and Lebanon, and thereby undermining the already compromised stability of those countries. We can only continue to commend their efforts to ensure that the borders remain open. We must listen to Mr. Guterres's plea for the international community to mobilize and lend its support to the host countries; similarly, donors must also mobilize to rapidly make good on the pledges of aid made at the Kuwait Conference. However, what is necessary, first and foremost, is a political transition that clearly marks a break with the past and responds to the Syrian people's legitimate aspirations to choose their own destiny in a democratic manner.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source
“The first of them would be to refer the issue to the International Criminal Court in order to put on trial the war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been perpetrated in Syria, for which the responsibility falls first and foremost on the Bashar Al-Assad regime. Secondly, we should exert increased humanitarian pressure with a view to ending the indiscriminate violence being inflicted on civilians, such as the bombing of civilian districts by the regime so as to enable access for all those in need by ensuring cross-border access for humanitarian assistance and authorize competent non-governmental organizations to provide such assistance. The Security Council's message regarding those issues has, however, remained inadequate.”
2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950 (2013) · source