YouSaid · the spoken record

Atieh

lines on the record

93

first

2002-05-03

most recent

2006-06-30

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16

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un-security-council

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1. “Israel has denied them their basic right to return to their homeland, which it has turned into military encampments and illegitimate settlements. It denies them even their right of self-expression and their aspirations to an independent, sovereign State with Jerusalem as its capital.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

2. “Moreover, the repeated allegations made by the representative of Israel against Syria and others concerning their purported sponsorship and support of terrorism are highly ironic. He merely seeks to distract us from the war crimes and terrorism perpetrated daily by his own Government against the unarmed Palestinian people. Israel's destructive military operations of recent days represent yet further evidence of the State terrorism it practices in the occupied Arab territories. Israel must be held accountable, in conformity with the provisions of international law. Israel has displaced millions of Palestinians, who are now refugees in many countries throughout the world, including Syria, which has provided them with that which Israel has denied them.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

3. “In his statement today, the Ambassador of the United States attacked my country in a most unacceptable manner, making baseless allegations and presenting himself as a defender of Israel's aggression against the Palestinian people. The representative of the United States is the last person who can claim the right to make such allegations, especially since the policies of the United States, which are biased towards Israel and distort the facts, support extremism and terrorism throughout the world. The United States provides cover for Israel in the Security Council as it pursues its aggressive and destructive policies against the Palestinian people. That will never serve the cause of a just and comprehensive peace in the region. It will lead only to further tension and the deterioration of the situation there.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

4. “The answer is to be found in the ongoing Israeli occupation and aggression, as well as in the Council's being prevented from taking up its mandate and a lack of earnest in the search for a just and comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is our hope that the Security Council will today be able to assume its responsibilities for the humanitarian catastrophe being imposed on the Palestinian people as a result of the destruction of their infrastructure through the bombing of their water supplies, electric power stations and bridges. The international community expects the Security Council to take a firm stance against the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, in conformity with its Charter mandate to maintain international peace and security.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

5. “Worse than its daily violation of international law, international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions concerning the occupied Palestinian territories, Israel has no qualms about levelling charges and allegations against other parties as a smokescreen for the war crimes it perpetrates every day against an unarmed population. Our past experience with the Security Council is a cause of concern, given the Council's repeated failure to assume its responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security in the Middle East, a very important and sensitive part of the world. The question here is: Why does the situation in the Middle East continue to deteriorate in a cycle of violence?”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

6. “The events of the past few hours have shown that Israel's intentions in withdrawing from the Gaza Strip were never genuine or sincere. Israel has only been waiting for an excuse to re-invade Gaza and to pursue its aggressive policies against the Palestinian people. The destruction of Palestinian infrastructure that provides for the basic needs of the people of the Gaza Strip is a violation of international humanitarian law, and more specifically of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War. Israel's exacerbation of the situation throughout the area is compounded by its attempts to provoke Syria.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

7. “The fact that Israeli warplanes penetrated Syrian airspace is a blatant violation of the sovereignty of an independent State and an unjustified provocation to that State, as well as a flagrant violation of international law. Moreover, Israel's sweeping aggression against the Palestinian Gaza Strip and West Bank is a war crime for which it should be held to account, in conformity with international law. Such acts of aggression represent an unacceptable and unjustifiable provocation and direct hostility for purposes and reasons that are well known. They reflect Israel's internal failures and its efforts to export its problems and to Shirk the prerequisites of a just and comprehensive peace, in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

8. “Mr. Atieh (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): Madam President, my delegation appreciates your prompt response in convening this meeting of the Security Council on an important and delicate issue that has been on the Council's agenda for decades, without any real enthusiasm ever having been shown to resolve it. The Security Council is meeting today as the dangerous situation in the Middle East deteriorates from bad to worse as a result of arrogant Israeli practices that know no limits because of the lack of any moral, humanitarian or international deterrence to its practices, which constitute a real threat to international peace and security. Israel, which has never abided by internationally binding resolutions, is trying to drag the whole region into a cycle of violence by expanding the scope of its aggression in the Middle East.”

   2006-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5481 (2006) · source

9. “Some States have taken advantage of their membership in the Security Council to achieve certain objectives. That is contrary to the goal of peace and security in the region and will contribute to instability and tension. We hope that the Council members will demonstrate the same enthusiasm when it comes to implementing resolutions pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict, in particular resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), as it does with regard to other resolutions.”

   2006-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5417 (2006) · source

10. “We believe that the matters of exchanging ambassadors and demarcating the border are sovereign matters for Lebanon and Syria. The Security Council should not interfere in those matters, in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 7, of the Charter, which states that "Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state". The Arab region aspires to comprehensive and lasting peace, as well as to the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Peace in the Middle East will come about through Israel's complete withdrawal from occupied Arab territories in the Syrian Golan and the Sheba'a farms in Lebanon and from occupied Palestinian territories to the 4 June 1967 line.”

    2006-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5417 (2006) · source

11. “However, if there is a mutual desire to renew diplomatic relations, that matter can be considered. Syria affirms its support for the national dialogue in Lebanon between our Lebanese brothers. We hope that dialogue will be successful, for that would be to the benefit of the Lebanese people. We believe that all the questions to be discussed by the Lebanese people should be left to the political parties in Lebanon, so that they may reach agreement without external interference. Syria implemented the provisions of resolution 1559 (2004) pertaining to it when it withdrew all its troops and personnel from Lebanon on 26 April 2005. Some parties have said that the issues of the demarcation of the borders and the exchange of ambassadors are part of resolution 1559 (2004). However, we reject that idea.”

    2006-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5417 (2006) · source

12. “However, Syria has stated that it is willing to demarcate the border. Syria's Prime Minister has sent a letter in that regard to his Lebanese counterpart. Concerning the demarcation of the border in the Sheba'a farms area, that region is under Israeli occupation. Israel must withdraw from the occupied lands before our two countries can demarcate their border, because demarcating the border there can only take place once the Sheba'a area is free of foreign occupation. As to the issue of diplomatic representation between our two countries, since 1990 the agreements and existing institutions linking the two countries have gone far beyond the issue of exchanging ambassadors. Syria reaffirms its respect for the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon. The question of the exchange of ambassadors is a sovereign one.”

    2006-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5417 (2006) · source

13. “In this respect, we regret the attempt by certain parties in the Lebanese arena to undermine that relationship in one way or another by spreading rumours that there is tension between our two fraternal countries. Syria has helped to promote stability and to put an end to the devastating civil war in Lebanon. Syria has also sacrificed many of its sons to ensure Lebanon's freedom and independence and to put an end to Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon. During his statement, the Prime Minister of Lebanon spoke about Syria's constructive and important role in putting an end to attempts to divide Lebanon and to build national unity. I now refer to the question of the demarcation of the border between Syria and Lebanon. We believe that, contrary to what some have implied, there is no problem in this regard.”

    2006-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5417 (2006) · source

14. “Mr. Atieh (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): Thank you, Mr. President, for having given me this opportunity to address the Council regarding the situation in the Middle East. I would like to welcome the Secretary-General, who is present at this meeting. I would also like to welcome the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Fouad Siniora, who has just made a statement about the situation in Lebanon. My delegation asked to participate in and speak at this meeting so that it could explain the position of Syria on some of the points just raised by the Prime Minister of Lebanon. In this context, we would like to reaffirm the special relationship between our two countries and our two peoples - the Syrian and the Lebanese peoples - as dictated by history and geography. No external factor can separate them.”

    2006-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5417 (2006) · source

15. “It is also ironic that the representative of Israel tries to turn the facts upside down, presenting Israel as a victim while the other side is the gladiator. Everyone knows who the occupier is; everyone knows who uses the most modern weapons against a defenceless people and who terrorizes people; and everyone knows who is the victim of occupation and of inhumane practices. Israel does not hesitate to kill children and women. It pays no heed to the number of victims who have fallen since the eruption of the intifada: more than 4,000 civilians have died so far.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

16. “The daily military acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupying army prove the State terror perpetrated by Israel against the Arab people in the occupied territories. Israel should be held accountable under international law for its acts. Israel has displaced millions of Palestinians and Syrians since occupying the Arab territories. They live as refugees in many countries, including Syria, which has hosted these refugees and has provided them with the means of which Israel has deprived them. Israel is now denying these people the right to return to their homeland, which Israel has transformed into military bases and illegitimate settlements. It prevents them from expressing their opinions and from realizing their dream of establishing their homeland with Jerusalem as its capital.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

17. “The peace to which we all aspire can come about only if Israel withdraws fully from all the occupied Arab territories in the Syrian Golan, the Lebanese Sheb'a farms and the Palestinian territories, to the 4 June 1967 borders, and if it complies with resolutions of international legitimacy, particular Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), and with the principle of land for peace and the Madrid terms of reference. Israel should also accept the Arab peace initiative adopted at the 2002 Arab summit, held in Beirut, and confirmed at subsequent Arab summits. The repeated claims by the Israeli representative, accusing Syria and others of terrorism, are remarkably cynical, because the Israeli representative is trying to cover up the war crimes committed by his Government day after day against the defenceless Palestinian people.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

18. “That in itself is proof of Israel's lack of desire to bring about peace, security and stability in the region. It confirms that it is Israel's aim to destabilize the region by continuing its policies of aggression and expansion, which make the hope of realizing peace elusive. Six decades have passed in the Middle East conflict. The Arab people look forward to the day when they can live in peace and security like any other people in the world.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

19. “Despite the Security Council's adoption of resolution 497 (1981), which declared null and void the Israeli decision to annex the Syrian Golan, Israel continues to plan further settlements, to intensify its occupation and to flout the will of the international community by its non-compliance with that and many other resolutions adopted by the General Assembly. Syria has repeatedly expressed its hope for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East and for the unconditional pursuit of the peace process, despite the fact that the decisions of international legitimacy do not constitute preconditions. Israel has met those calls with further intransigence and opposition in an attempt to shirk its responsibility in establishing a just and comprehensive peace in the region.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

20. “My delegation calls on the international community to respect the will of the Palestinian people in their choice of leaders, not to interfere in their internal affairs, and to continue to provide them with the financial support that will allow them to overcome the difficulties caused by the ongoing Israeli occupation. The situation in the occupied Syrian Golan is no better than that in the occupied Palestinian territories. That is due to Israel's oppression of our people in the occupied Syrian Golan in the context of the imposition of Israeli identity upon them, their detention in great numbers, and the ongoing establishment of settlements on their land.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

21. “Israel has also continued to build the separation wall, in clear contravention of the opinion of the International Court of Justice and the resolutions of the General Assembly and in flagrant defiance of international humanitarian law and international law. In addition to the deteriorating security situation in the occupied Arab territories, exacerbated by the killing and destruction wrought by the Israeli military machine, the humanitarian and economic situation has been pushed to the brink of tragedy by the siege and closure policies followed by the Israeli occupying authorities in a manner intended to humiliate and to mete out collective punishment to the people of Palestine, who embraced democracy in the recent legislative elections, which were held in transparency and integrity.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

22. “Israel's ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people and its use of the most heinous means of oppression and terror with the utmost disregard for ethical, political and legal norms and considerations confirm that it is not yet convinced of the need to establish a just and comprehensive peace in the region. One case in point is its ongoing attempts to storm Arab villages and towns and Palestinian refugee camps in the occupied territories, its commission of further assassinations and killings, its imposition of collective punishment on the Palestinian people, and its continued establishment of settlements.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

23. “That is due mainly to the selectivity and double standards applied by some to the question of the Arab-Israeli conflict. While the Arab side complies with the Security Council's resolutions, despite their unjust nature, some States members of the Security Council continue to oppose the Council's adoption of any resolution condemning Israel's policies in the Arab territories and its lack of compliance with the Council's resolutions. The question we must ask is: Why does the situation in the Middle East continue to deteriorate and why are we still caught up in a cycle of violence? The answer lies in the double standards and failure of the protectors of Israel earnestly to seek a just and comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

24. “Mr. Atieh (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): My delegation would like to begin by congratulating you, Sir, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We are confident that your diplomatic expertise and political knowledge will galvanize the work of the Council and prompt it to assume its role in the maintenance of international peace and security. My delegation also wishes to convey its thanks and appreciation to the Ambassador of Argentina and his staff for their efforts in the presidency of the Council last month. My delegation is gravely concerned over the Security Council's failure once again to shoulder its responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security in an important and sensitive region of the world - the Middle East.”

    2006-04-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5411 (2006) · source

25. “Stability and security in the region are hostage to Israel's willingness to commit unconditionally to the principle of non-acquisition of the land of others by force, and to implement decisions of international legitimacy and to accept the establishment of an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

26. “On the other hand, Israel's ongoing construction of illegal settlements and the wall on Palestinian lands will lead only to further suffering by the Palestinian people. It means new borders imposed on the future Palestinian State. We call on the international community to act to compel Israel to remove illegal settlements and the separation wall immediately. My delegation stresses again that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East will be achieved only by a complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab lands - including the Syrian Golan, the Shab'a Farms in Lebanon and Palestinian lands - to the borders of 4 June 1967.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

27. “The international community must put an end those arbitrary Israeli practices, which deny the Palestinian people their most basic rights - the right to life and to self-determination. The Palestinian people exercised their democratic right in the legislative elections, which were transparent and fair. The international community must respect the will of the people in choosing their leaders; it must not interfere in their internal affairs and certainly must not punish them politically and economically because they have exercised their rights. Unilateral actions that the Israeli Government intends will destroy the peace process in the region and will create a new situation on the ground, again against United Nations resolutions.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

28. “We wish to stress that peace in the region of the Middle East, as desired by the international community, will not be achieved unless and until Israel heeds the resolutions of international legitimacy, particularly Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), the principle of land for peace and the terms of reference of the Madrid Peace Conference; unless and until it accepts the Arab Peace Initiative adopted at the 2002 Beirut summit and reaffirmed by all subsequent summits, including the latest, just concluded yesterday in Khartoum. The tragic conditions in the occupied Palestinian lands are worsening daily because of Israeli military practices in those areas.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

29. “Statements repeated over and over by Israeli officials that they do not intend to withdraw from the Syrian Golan clearly show Israel's premeditated decision to continue to occupy Syrian lands and that it does not wish to obtain a just, comprehensive peace in the region. Syria has made every effort possible towards a just, comprehensive peace in the region. Syria has repeatedly declared its willingness to resume the peace process unconditionally, while taking into consideration that calls for implementation of resolutions of international legitimacy do not create preconditions. Nevertheless, Israel has responded to all these calls with more rejection, continued occupation and defiance of international legitimacy.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

30. “The General Assembly has adopted dozens of resolutions condemning all measures and practices by Israel, the occupying Power, aimed at changing the nature of the occupied Syrian Golan and considered them null and void and a flagrant violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions. Challenging the resolutions of international legitimacy, Israel expelled about a half million Syrians from their lands. Dozens have been detained, and some have now been in jail for more than thirty years. Israel continues to plan for building further settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan. The question is: if Israel claims that withdrawing its settlers is painful, if it is truly genuine in wanting peace in the region, why does it continue to build settlements and attract more settlers to occupied Arab, Syrian and Palestinian lands?”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

31. “Since this Organization was formed, Arab States have pinned great hopes on it to find a just and comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Nevertheless, and regrettably, Israel did not heed the will of the international community, despite dozens of resolutions adopted by this Council, let alone the hundreds of General Assembly resolutions, all calling upon Israel to end its occupation of Arab lands and withdraw to the line of 4 June 1967. In 1981 the Security Council adopted resolution 497 (1981), which considered Israel's decision to annex the Golan as null and void.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

32. “Israel's attempts to spread accusations randomly against others are desperate attempts to hoodwink and to keep the world occupied elsewhere, ignoring its crimes against the rights of the Palestinian people, crimes even against women and children. The claim by the representative of Israel that Damascus hosts a number of terrorist organizations is blatantly untrue. Palestinians in Syria are refugees, victims of Israeli occupation to whom Israel denies the right of return to their land in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. Syria looks towards a just, comprehensive peace and rejects such attempts. However, we have fallen victim to treacherous alliances attempting to push the region towards further collapse and tension.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

33. “The Middle East region has witnessed continued instability and tension for more than six decades now because of the continuing Israeli occupation of Arab land and the consequent killing, dispersion of people, destruction of infrastructure, extrajudicial killing, the policy of closure and siege - all within a premeditated policy to oppress Arab peoples in their occupied territory and to humiliate them, in blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations. Arbitrary Israeli practices in the occupied Arab lands fall under the rubric of war crimes and terrorism, for which Israel must be held accountable under international law. The daily activities by the Israeli occupation forces, attacks with tanks, helicopters and rockets against the defenseless Palestinian people are glaring proof of this.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

34. “Mr. Atieh (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine. We had hoped that the Security Council would give the opportunity to all delegations that wished to express their opinion to it on the tragic situation in this most important and sensitive region of the world.”

    2006-03-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5404 (2006) · source

35. “In conclusion, I should like to stress once again my country's support for the CTC and for all sincere international efforts to realize the lofty objective of the international community: to combat terrorism and thereby help to realize humanity's aspiration to peace and security.”

    2004-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5006 (2004) · source

36. “The threat posed by terrorism increases if weapons of mass destruction are involved, and that is why my country has called on the international community to fight both in parallel. As an expression of good faith, my country submitted, during its term as a non-permanent member of the Council, a draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group calling for making the Middle East a region free from all weapons of mass destruction, with no exceptions for any country in the region. That draft resolution is still before the Council, and we truly hope that it will be unanimously adopted as soon as possible in view of its importance, particularly in the light of the challenges and dangers threatening our world today.”

    2004-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5006 (2004) · source

37. “In that respect, we are confident that members of the Council will discuss the plan in detail to ensure that it is in keeping with the Charter of the United Nations, other principles of the Organization and the mandate of the Committee. We also hope that they will discuss its financial aspects in the light of the financial rules and regulations of the United Nations. International terrorism has reached a very dangerous stage, and combating it requires coordinated international efforts. To uproot it, we must seriously address its causes and roots. Such an approach should be implemented objectively, without any double standard, so as to promote international peace and security on the basis of the purposes and principles of the Charter.”

    2004-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5006 (2004) · source

38. “We welcome specifically the Committee's acceptance of the League of Arab States' proposal to host the fourth special meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee with regional and subregional organizations, to be held in Cairo later this year, provided that such a meeting is held in accordance with applicable procedures for such meetings. My delegation welcomes the establishment of the CTC Executive Directorate, which will work in cooperation with the newly appointed Executive Director and the Secretariat to enable this new organ to begin work as soon as possible. We note in the Committee's work schedule the fact that it will consider the organizational plan to be submitted by the Executive Director.”

    2004-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5006 (2004) · source

39. “My delegation commends the work and efforts of the CTC during the period under consideration. The Committee strove tirelessly to enhance the capacities of member States to align their national legislations with the requirements and provisions of resolution 1373 (2001). My delegation also welcomes the Committee's work in creating an open and ongoing dialogue on cooperation and transparency in order to increase the counter-terrorism capacities of member States. In that respect, we commend the interactive and genuine relationship between the Committee and international, regional and subregional organizations, as well as the enhanced contacts with such organizations.”

    2004-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5006 (2004) · source

40. “Mr. Atieh (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, my delegation would like to congratulate you, Sir, on presiding over the Security Council this month. We also wish to thank the Permanent Representative of the Philippines and his mission staff for their successful leadership of the Council last month. My delegation also takes this opportunity to congratulate the representative of the Russian Federation, Mr. Alexander Konuzin, on his chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001). We thank him for his detailed and comprehensive briefing this morning, in which he provided the Committee's programme of work for the next 90-day period. We also congratulate Ambassador Javier Ruperez of Spain on his appointment as Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate.”

    2004-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5006 (2004) · source

41. “We believe that the mechanism referred to in resolution 1353 (2001) has a very important role to play in making peacekeeping operations successful and in achieving their purposes and objectives.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

42. “In this respect, we would like to reaffirm our belief that peacekeeping operations must abide by their mandates and respect the basic principles set out in the Charter, including respect for the principle of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of States. The mandates of such operations should also be well defined and should include a clear-cut time frame. Security measures at the headquarters of United Nations missions should also be strengthened in order to ensure the safety and security of the personnel who dedicate their lives to the goal of peace in the world. We would like to reaffirm the need to enforce the tripartite partnership between the Security Council, the Secretariat and the troop-contributing countries in planning, organizing and deploying peacekeeping operations.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

43. “There can be no doubt that providing our countries with the opportunity to express their opinions would constitute a real contribution to a collective assessment of strategic approaches towards peacekeeping operations and their future orientation. It is also worth mentioning here the important role played by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations within the framework of the General Assembly, whether in formulating general policies for the United Nations in the area of peacekeeping or in finding solutions to outstanding problems. The Syrian Arab Republic attaches particular importance to adherence to the principles and main guidelines for peacekeeping operations, as well as to rapid deployment, recruitment and the reimbursement of initial arrears to troop-contributing countries.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

44. “While they play an important role, peacekeeping operations should not be seen as substitutes for permanent solutions to conflicts. Peacekeeping operations are temporary arrangements to prevent the escalation of conflicts pending the attainment of drastic solutions in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy. In the case of the Middle East, however, they have endured for decades. UNTSO has existed for 56 years. Peace has been difficult to attain because Israel has insisted on pursuing aggressive policies and because the Security Council has been particularly unable to exercise its role or to ensure implementation of the relevant resolutions. The papers submitted for discussion under the Pakistani presidency include objective questions and opinions of great importance.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

45. “Over the years and decades, such operations have proven to be effective in implementing their entrusted tasks, from the traditional monitoring of ceasefire agreements to addressing the huge and complex challenges of territorial administration. They have shown themselves to be effective bulwarks against threats to international peace and security. It is worth noting that the first United Nations peacekeeping operation was launched over 50 years ago in the Middle East. The United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) is still exercising its role in full responsibility and undertaking its functions capably and effectively. The Syrian Arab Republic pays tribute to the sacrifices made by the leaders, members and units of peacekeeping operations throughout the world and, in particular, in the Middle East.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

46. “The Security Council is today debating one of the most important mechanisms of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. United Nations peacekeeping operations have enabled the Organization in recent decades to contain and end many conflicts through their deployment wherever conflicts and tensions may erupt throughout the world. On that basis, peacekeeping operations are a very important tool allowing the United Nations to maintain international peace and security, play a vital and effective role in reducing tensions and contribute to the settlement of disputes and to post-conflict peace- building and peacekeeping.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

47. “Mr. Atieh (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, my delegation congratulates you, Sir, on Pakistan's presidency of the Security Council. We thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan for presiding over the morning segment of today's meeting. We also thank the Permanent Representative of Germany and the members of his mission for their tireless efforts to make the work of the Council a success last month. We thank the Secretary-General for his statement this morning. We also thank Mr. Guehenno for participating in this meeting and express our satisfaction with and appreciation of the cooperation between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Syrian authorities.”

    2004-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4970Resumption1 (2004) · source

48. “All of that will help to create the appropriate climate to encourage internally displaced persons and refugees to return to their homes and contribute to the political and economic reconstruction of Kosovo. In conclusion, and since this is the last time my delegation will participate in discussions on the issue of Kosovo in the Security Council, I would like to express the Syrian Arab Republic's appreciation for the efforts made by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Kosovo and his staff in working to bring stability and security to that region.”

    2003-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4886 (2003) · source

49. “We support the transfer of unentrusted responsibilities outlined in chapter five of the Constitutional Framework to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Kosovo in a gradual and organized manner, and in cooperation with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government. We look forward to establishing a harmonious, tolerant, multi- ethnic society in Kosovo and we believe that that requires consolidating the rule of law, improving the security situation, promoting the rights of minorities and returnees and supporting economic development, in addition to combating organized crime and prohibiting trafficking in weapons and narcotics.”

    2003-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4886 (2003) · source

50. “That initiative, as I mentioned earlier, requires international support, which the Security Council expressed in the Presidential Statement dated 12 December 2003 (S/PRST/2003/26). It also requires direct dialogue between the parties concerned, particularly between Pristina and Belgrade, because of the importance of that dialogue in ensuring that the political process can move forward towards an agreement on practical issues of concern to the two parties. We hope that, between the present time and the middle of 2005, we can set a time for the overall review of the progress made by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Kosovo, which will assess developments in all areas, particularly with regard to the eight standard benchmarks, so that the Council can determine the final status of Kosovo in the future.”

    2003-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4886 (2003) · source