YouSaid · the spoken record

Barbara Woodward

lines on the record: 1,082
first: 2020-12-08
most recent: 2023-12-29
sittings or episodes: 263
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 know that thousands of Syrians are arbitrarily detained in regime detention centres, and information on their whereabouts is withheld from their families. Worse still, the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported yesterday that hundreds of detainee deaths, including many children, were never reported to their families. I also want to thank Under-Secretary-General Griffiths for his work to address gender-based violence. Colleagues will recall that, three weeks ago, the United Kingdom hosted a conference on the prevention of sexual violence in conflict in order to strengthen the global response to that problem. We therefore call for the immediate reconvening of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva to focus on the substance of the political transition. The Syrian opposition remains ready to engage in good faith.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“Therefore, my first point is that, with millions of Syrians facing another harsh winter, the moral and humanitarian imperatives are clear: renewing the cross-border mandate in January and continuing cross- border assistance is essential to the United Nations humanitarian operation and provides a lifeline to those people in desperate need. My second point is that a political solution, as others have said, is the only way to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis. That means implementing resolution 2254 (2015) through, namely, a nationwide ceasefire; the safe, voluntary and dignified return of refugees; free and fair elections in line with a new constitution; and the release of those arbitrarily detained.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“I want to start by thanking Special Envoy Pedersen and Under-Secretary-General Griffiths for their comprehensive and sobering briefings today. At the outset, on the humanitarian situation, the facts on the ground are clear. As Special Envoy Pedersen said, we have an ever-deepening humanitarian crisis. An estimated 15.3 million Syrians will be in dire need of humanitarian assistance by early 2023, with approximately 12 million facing acute food insecurity. The report of the Secretary-General published this month (S/2022/933) sets out the criticality of food, shelter and medical assistance, in particular in the response to cholera and the provision of immunization services. The United Nations has also clearly explained that cross-line operations complement but cannot replace or compensate for the cross-border mechanism.”
2022-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9230 (2022) · source
“I take the floor, first, to join the United States in condemning the announcement by the Taliban banning women’s tertiary, or university, education. That is another egregious curtailment of women’s rights and a deep and profound disappointment for every single female student affected. It is also another step by the Taliban away from a self-reliant and prosperous Afghanistan. Secondly, we have heard again today attempts to point the finger at the West for the situation in Afghanistan. Rather than politicizing the plight and suffering of ordinary Afghans, those finger-pointers may want to focus instead on bolstering their support to the United Nations chronically underfunded humanitarian appeal.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9227 (2022) · source
“The Taliban are manifestly failing to live up to their commitments and meet the needs of the Afghan people for peace, prosperity and security. We should be in no doubt that we need a robust international response that delivers humanitarian aid but also delivers on the mandate of UNAMA.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9227 (2022) · source
“The third priority is counter-terrorism. We have heard from the Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) about the deteriorating security situation, and Ms. Seraj endorsed that point. We have heard that the number of sanctioned individuals among the Taliban has increased. We have heard about Al-Qaida, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant- Khorasan and Da’esh. Members of the Council have suffered terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. We should be clear that while the Taliban are failing to meet their counter-terrorism commitments, they cannot expect to see sanctions relief or acquire legitimacy in the eyes of the international community or the Afghan people. In conclusion, it is truly a situation that, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General said, is fraught with challenges.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9227 (2022) · source
“The second priority is human rights. The Taliban continue to fail to live up to their commitments to the Afghan people. As we have heard, the repression of human rights is widespread. There are reports of honour killings and child marriage, and floggings and executions have returned. As we heard from Ms. Seraj, in recent months, violations of the rights and freedoms of women and girls, already the most drastic in the world, have sharply increased. Those policies are a systematic attempt to erase women and girls from all spheres of social, economic, political and public life. The United Nations has estimated that excluding women from the workforce already costs the Afghan economy up to $1 billion. Without fair and impartial justice systems and access to education, there can be no self-reliant, prosperous Afghanistan.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9227 (2022) · source
“As the second largest donor to this year’s humanitarian response plan, we have disbursed more than $600 million in humanitarian and development assistance for Afghanistan since April 2021. We continue to work with the World Bank and others on measures to put the Afghan economy on a more sustainable footing. I would like to highlight three priorities. The first is humanitarian aid. While 97 per cent of Afghans are in poverty and two thirds are in dire humanitarian need, the priority is for aid to reach those in need. Therefore, the Taliban should end interference in United Nations operations immediately and, in particular, give assurances on the safety and access of humanitarian workers, in particular female humanitarian workers, who, as we have heard, are particularly constrained by the mahram requirement.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9227 (2022) · source
“Like others, I would like to start by thanking Under- Secretary-General Griffiths and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Otunbayeva for their briefings. I thank the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for all its ongoing work to support the Afghan people in such challenging circumstances. I also thank Ms. Mahbouba Seraj for returning to brief us again. As we have heard, in the midst of one of the harshest winters on record, two thirds of Afghanistan’s population face severe hunger. The 2023 Afghanistan humanitarian response plan is expected to be the largest in United Nations history and reflects the scale of the challenge. The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its support for the Afghan people.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9227 (2022) · source
“We further encourage the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to capitalize on the support that MONUSCO, the wider United Nations family and partners can provide in that area.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9226 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom does not consider that notification processes inhibit Governments from building the capabilities needed to provide security. However, we recognize the request from our friends in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the light of current security challenges. We hope that the decision of the Council today contributes to enabling the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to restore State authority in the eastern part of the country and to end the cycles of violence. In that regard, we encourage the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to make progress in establishing professional, accountable and sustainable security forces through comprehensive security sector reform.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9226 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2666 (2022), extending the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). We hope that the resolution provides a solid basis for constructive dialogue between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO, including on the review of the joint transition plan. While the United Kingdom continued to see merit in the notification requirement as an important tool for monitoring the flow of weapons to armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we voted in favour of resolution 2667 (2022) in acknowledgment of the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2022-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9226 (2022) · source
“In a year that has seen increased nuclear rhetoric, including from one of the permanent five members of the Council, the Council’s focus on Iran’s nuclear programme has never been more critical. In the months ahead, it will be incumbent on us to ensure that Iran is not able to develop a nuclear weapon.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9225 (2022) · source
“As the Secretary-General’s report (S/2022/912) confirms, Iran has continued to provide increasingly complex weapon systems to non-State actors, including the Houthis. It is providing support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine with unmanned aerial vehicles that Russia is using to target civilians and civilian infrastructure, as it did once again today against Kyiv. And Iran is responding to domestic protests in the most brutal fashion. That behaviour makes progress on a nuclear deal much more difficult. Iran and Russia would try to have us believe that the concerns I have expressed today are part of a Western campaign to undermine the Iranian Government. That is simply false. Iran’s actions should be a matter of profound concern for us all.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9225 (2022) · source
“Iran’s continued nuclear escalation is a threat to international peace and security. Today its total enriched-uranium stockpile is at least 18 times larger than the JCPOA limits, and Iran is continuing to produce highly enriched uranium, which is unprecedented for a State without a nuclear- weapon programme. Its nuclear actions have no credible civilian justification. Iran’s nuclear-breakout time has been reduced to a matter of weeks, and the time required for Iran to produce the fissile material for multiple nuclear weapons is decreasing. Iran is testing technology with direct application to intermediate- and intercontinental-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload. Iran’s behaviour in the region and at home betrays its claims to be a responsible international actor.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9225 (2022) · source
“I would like to start by thanking Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo for her briefing and the Secretariat for its important role in supporting the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015). I would also like to thank Ambassador Mythen for his briefing and him and his team for their work as Facilitator during the past two years. And finally, I would like to thank Mr. Gonzato for his briefing on behalf of the Coordinator of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Our colleagues are aware that in April 2021 negotiations began to return Iran to full JCPOA compliance and the United States to the deal. As we have heard, the JCPOA Coordinator submitted viable deals in March and August that would have achieved that. Iran refused both packages with unacceptable demands that were beyond the scope of the JCPOA.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9225 (2022) · source
“I call on Israel to avoid unilateral actions and to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law by providing a clear, transparent route to construction in Area C. I urge donors to provide urgent support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in closing the Agency’s critical funding gap this month. UNRWA plays a key role in regional stability. The United Kingdom remains a firm supporter of a two-State solution based on 1967 lines and with Jerusalem as a shared capital as the only way to ensure a lasting peace between the parties. I encourage all parties and the international community to take actions that are helpful in bringing the parties back to a productive dialogue.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9224 (2022) · source
“The death of 16-year-old Jana Zakarneh on 12 December in Jenin, during an Israeli search-and- arrest operation, is another tragic reminder of the human cost of this ongoing conflict. We urge Israel to exercise maximum restraint in its use of live fire. Israel and the Palestinian Authority must work together to de-escalate, continue crucial security cooperation and bring to an end the appalling violence we have seen in 2022. The past month also saw the demolition of a donor- funded school in the South Hebron Hills. A second school, funded in part by the United Kingdom, is also being threatened with demolition. The United Kingdom condemns all demolitions by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories, including in Area C. The Oslo Accords are clear — Area C should be gradually transferred to Palestinian jurisdiction.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9224 (2022) · source
“I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his briefing. Six years ago, in December 2016, the Security Council adopted resolution 2334 (2016). The United Kingdom reaffirms its commitment to the core tenets of that text: first, the status quo is not sustainable, and urgent action is required to maintain the viability of the two-State solution; secondly, all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, provocation and destruction, must be prevented, and thirdly, Israel must immediately and completely cease all settlement activities, including in East Jerusalem. Meaningful dialogue must end the cycle of violence that continues to have a devastating effect on the civilian population across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.”
2022-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9224 (2022) · source
“I therefore urge all Libyan actors, with support from the region and the wider international community, to fulfil their responsibilities to deliver political progress in 2023. We in the Security Council should give our full support to Mr. Bathily in ensuring they achieve that.”
2022-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9223 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, a vibrant and open civil society should be an integral part of the political process. I remain deeply concerned about the reports of increased restrictions and decreasing operating space for civil- society organizations. I therefore call on all the Libyan parties to ensure that civil-society actors, including women activists and peacebuilders, can continue their roles safely and unhindered. I also ask Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily to ensure that civil society and the voices of Libyan citizens are represented in the political process that seeks to determine their future. This past year Libya has faced many obstacles and a disappointing lack of sustainable progress on the way forward.”
2022-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9223 (2022) · source
“Bathily as he works for an inclusive, Libyan-led process that can deliver long-term political stability, economic prosperity, security-sector reform and the removal of foreign forces and mercenaries, including the Wagner Group, from Libya. Secondly, we note with disappointment the lack of progress towards agreement on a legal and constitutional basis for elections. The continued inability of the House of Representatives and High State Council to deliver that undermines their credibility and stalls progress. As a Council, we should collectively bring pressure to bear on Libya’s political leaders to work constructively with Mr. Bathily and a broader range of Libyan actors to agree on an achievable basis for free, fair and inclusive parliamentary and presidential elections without further delay.”
2022-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9223 (2022) · source
“I would like to start by thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bathily and you, Madam President, as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya, for your briefing and updates. I would like to make three points. First, we welcome Mr. Bathily’s clear message to Libya’s political elite that they are blocking progress and must urgently come together to agree on a way forward on the political process. As we approach a year since elections were due, the lack of progress is striking, despite the demonstrable desire of the Libyan people to vote. We stand ready to support Mr.”
2022-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9223 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom is driving forward many of the objectives of the Bridgetown Agenda for the Reform of the Global Financial Architecture, including on greater finance provision, climate change financing and the Capital Adequacy Framework review of the Group of 20. In conclusion, I quote from the Foreign Secretary’s speech this week: “We all benefit from the wisdom and compassion of those leaders who created the laws and institutions that prevent a relapse to the old order where the strong prey on the weak”. We will continue working with our partners in order to ensure that the United Nations and the multilateral system as a whole is best positioned to respond to the complex challenges of today’s world. I thank you, Madam President, for convening today’s debate.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“As we know, they have been set back by the pandemic and the global energy and food crises. The New Agenda for Peace in particular will set new ambitions for the Organization’s response to international peace and security. And we welcome the further detail the Secretary-General set out today. Through better data use, analysis, innovation and strategic foresight, we can unlock the full potential of the United Nations. That must also be accompanied by a focus on results. Beyond that, we support reform efforts with international financial institutions and admire the momentum built by the Prime Minister of Barbados, Her Excellency Ms. Mia Mottley.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“As the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary publicly reiterated this week, we support new permanent seats for Brazil, Germany, India and Japan, as well as permanent African representation. We also look forward to the resumption of the General Assembly’s intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform and hope to see those progress to a text in the new year. Beyond the Security Council, the United Kingdom welcomes the Secretary-General’s efforts to advance wider United Nations reform. We strongly support his reform agenda and vision for a United Nations 2.0 that is better adapted to the challenges of the twenty-first century. We also welcome the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), which seeking to turbocharge the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“With Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we have also witnessed a permanent member of the Security Council violating the Charter of the United Nations and flouting the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the face of those challenges, the United Nations as a whole and the Security Council must continue to take decisive action. But the world today is very different to the one that gave birth to the United Nations in 1945, so it is right that we consider how the United Nations and the multilateral system should evolve. The Security Council must, as others have said, become more representative of the world today, and the United Kingdom has long called for its expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“I join others in thanking the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly for opening our debate and for their leadership on this issue. The United Kingdom has long supported multilateralism, and we remain deeply committed to it today. We take seriously our role in strengthening the multilateral system and supporting the rules- based international order. That is more important than ever, as we heard today during the debate. We face extraordinary, complex and interconnected challenges. That includes the global threat posed by climate change and violations of human rights, which have a disproportionate effect on women and girls.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“We welcome and support Ukraine’s initiative for a just and sustainable peace. We again join the international community in calling on Russia to similarly commit to meaningful dialogue and negotiations based on upholding Ukraine’s rights under international law and the United Nations Charter.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9216 (2022) · source
“In the face of Russia’s relentless efforts to seize Ukraine’s territory, in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, and to dehumanize, kill and subjugate its people, Ukraine has no choice but to exercise its right to defend itself. If it did not, it would cease to exist. In a similar situation, all of us would do the same, and, due to the deep determination to live, Ukraine is prevailing. The United Kingdom is proud of the support that it is providing to the Ukrainian people in the face of that aggression: defensive and humanitarian support and assistance to rebuild the critical infrastructure destroyed by Russian attacks. Russia can end the suffering immediately by ceasing attacks against Ukraine, including critical national infrastructure and innocent civilians, and withdrawing all its forces illegally present in Ukraine.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9216 (2022) · source
“Given the topic of this meeting, the irony is that Russia is perpetrating this war including with weapons sourced from Iran, in violation of resolution 2231 (2015), and is almost certainly seeking to source weaponry from other United Nations-sanctioned States, such as North Korea, as its own stocks dwindle. We note that, despite the resounding calls in the Council again on Tuesday for a ceasefire and for peace, dialogue and diplomacy, the Russian President on Wednesday doubled down, confirming that the invasion would continue and that it would be protracted. He also reaffirmed the neoimperialist nature of the campaign, claiming that, unlike Peter the Great, he had made the Sea of Azov a Russian internal sea.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9216 (2022) · source
“I thank the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs for her briefing. I will be brief because we discussed Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine just three days ago (see S/PV.9208). During that meeting, we heard Under- Secretary-General Griffiths’s harrowing account of the horrific consequences of Russia’s war and his deep concerns about the impacts of Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and civilian centres, particularly ahead of winter. We just saw further reporting by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the potential atrocities against civilians committed by Russia.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9216 (2022) · source
“The resolution will provide that certain activities necessary for humanitarian assistance or in support of basic human needs, when carried out by specified organizations, do not violate United Nations asset freezes. The resolution will help save lives by providing clarity, to help ensure that humanitarian providers and their service providers can continue to help the most vulnerable. It will support getting aid to those in need more effectively. The United Kingdom is pleased to have voted in favour and to have been a sponsor of resolution 2664 (2022).”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom congratulates the United States and Ireland on the Council’s adoption of resolution 2664 (2022) today. We have been unequivocal in our support throughout the development of the resolution. As humanitarian week at the United Nations draws to a close and humanitarian needs around the world are soaring, I am proud that the Security Council is working together to support vital humanitarian aid delivery around the world. Sanctions are a core part of the Council’s toolkit. In line with the Charter of the United Nations, they are rightly used to address threats to international peace and security. Whether the problem is violent gangs in Haiti or extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab and Al- Qaida, we have used sanctions to stop weapons flows and tackle terrorism.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“The response from the Security Council and the wider membership of the United Nations has been consistent. It is a call for an end to conflict and for peace. Two weeks ago (see S/PV.9202), President Zelenskyy asked us once again to help end the suffering of the Ukrainian people and expressed his willingness to negotiate a peace based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. But Russia is not listening. Its response has been wave after wave of long-range strikes and continued, albeit frustrated, efforts to take Ukrainian territory. It is time for Russia to end this war, withdraw from Ukrainian territory and commit to dialogue and negotiations based on international law and the Charter.”
2022-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9208 (2022) · source
“The statistics we have heard from the United Nations today are shocking. More than 17,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine by Russia’s senseless war. That is a devastating number of innocent lives lost, and we have heard today in particular about the impact that Russia’s war is having on children in Ukraine. We heard about the millions forced to flee their homes and in need of humanitarian assistance and the hundreds killed, injured or missing; the damage or destruction of more than 500 schools and the classes that remain being interrupted by air-raid sirens and power cuts; the reports that thousands of children have been forcibly taken to Russia; and the credible allegations of sexual violence against children by Russian forces. The trauma inflicted by Russia will last for generations.”
2022-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9208 (2022) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary-General Griffiths for his briefing. As he said, this war is about death, destruction and displacement. This is the third time in as many weeks that we have discussed Russia’s brutal attacks on civilians across Ukraine. On all three occasions, the United Nations has underlined the devastating humanitarian impact of the systematic strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and civilian centres. That presents a potentially catastrophic situation for Ukraine’s brave and courageous people and for the 690 organizations that are supporting the humanitarian needs as winter begins and people are left without water, power or shelter. We know what Russia is trying to do. It is trying to bring terror and suffering to the civilian population in a war of subjugation. It is barbaric, illegal and horribly cruel.”
2022-12-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9208 (2022) · source
“We also welcome progress on cross-line efforts, but that is slowed by the Syrian regime’s insistence on new approvals for each convoy, as well as the ongoing fighting. It is simply impossible to replicate with cross-line assistance what is being delivered through the cross-border operation. As winter approaches, the Council should do everything it can to respond to the needs of the Syrian people.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“The United Nations has repeatedly told us that the cross-border mechanism is a lifeline for 4.1 million people. On average, 20 trucks of food and life-saving medicines passing through Bab Al-Hawa reach people in need every day. Nothing can replace the scope or scale of that cross-border humanitarian operation, which must continue. The fate of that mandate is the fate of 4.1 million people who rely on its assistance. Those who are concerned with the humanitarian situation will not delay or compromise that lifeline. The current cholera outbreak highlights the importance of an effective and predictable United Nations response, including in early recovery; 30 per cent of the United Kingdom’s funding to Syria in 2022 will go to such projects, most of which are focused on water and health care.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“United Nations States Members have been clear in condemning those systematic violations of human rights, and this month the Third Committee adopted a draft resolution on human rights in Syria (A/C.3/77/L.36/Rev.1). We condemn those violations and again call for the release of detainees. In that context, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. This is clearly not about sanctions, which are strictly enforced against the entities involved in repressing the civilian population and include specific humanitarian provisions and exemptions. Let us therefore be clear about the facts: 14.6 million Syrians are in desperate need of humanitarian aid, which is a huge increase since three other border crossings were unnecessarily closed in 2020.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Under-Secretary- General Griffiths for their clear briefings and their commitment to Syria. The key to ending the conflict is through the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). We welcome Special Envoy Pedersen’s untiring efforts to facilitate a sustainable resolution to the conflict and the clear steps he set out this morning. Reconvening the Constitutional Committee in Geneva is the step we particularly need to see, and Russia must stop standing in the way of that. Political progress is desperately needed. While the conflict drags on, we continue to receive reports of torture and killings in detention centres across Syria, in particular at Sednaya prison.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“Settler violence must end, and we call upon Israel to hold those responsible to account. We condemn the demolition by Israel of a primary school in Masafer Yatta. All children have a basic right to access education safely. We call on the Government of Israel to uphold those rights. Finally, I urge Israel and the Palestinian Authority to accelerate efforts to improve the economic and humanitarian conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. I welcome ongoing dialogue to address PA clearance revenues and call on the parties to honour their recent commitments in the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Coordination of the International Assistance to Palestinians. The United Kingdom remains a firm supporter of the two-State solution, based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, as the only way to ensure lasting peace between the parties.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source
“The ongoing conflict needs to be resolved, for the sake of all Israelis and Palestinians alike. The United Kingdom stands ready to support the new Israeli Administration and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in de-escalation efforts and in addressing the drivers of the conflict. The United Kingdom remains fully supportive of Israel’s right to self-defence, but Israeli security forces should show maximum restraint in the use of force and investigate all Palestinian deaths. We urge both parties to engage in meaningful dialogue, refrain from escalatory actions and work to restore trust and a pathway towards peace and a resolution of the conflict. The United Kingdom shares the concern of others about the scenes of settler violence perpetrated against Palestinians in Hebron in recent days.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source
“I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his thoughtful briefing. The United Kingdom is gravely concerned about the increasing instability in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Since 14 November, four Israelis have lost their lives in terrorist attacks in the city of Ariel and in Jerusalem, including a 16-year-old. There is no justification for such violence. During that time, two Palestinian minors were also killed in the West Bank, including a 15-year-old. One hundred and forty-two Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli security forces since 1 January — the most in a single year since United Nations records began in 2005. In the same period, 30 Israelis also lost their lives. Each life lost is a tragedy for all communities, particularly the families affected.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source
“The United Kingdom will continue to call on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cease its illegal activity and to engage meaningfully with offers of dialogue from the United States and the Republic of Korea. Diplomacy remains the only option. We strongly encourage the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to invest in food and medicine for its people rather than in its illegal weapons programme, to provide access for United Nations staff and to allow aid to flow freely into the country. We welcome the continued efforts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) to quickly exempt humanitarian assistance from sanctions.”
2022-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9197 (2022) · source
“When the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea tested intercontinental ballistic missiles in 2017, the Council’s response on each occasion was robust and unified, with the unanimous adoption of resolutions 2371 (2017), 2375 (2017) and 2397 (2017). Negotiations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United States began within months. A return to dialogue remains the only means for resolving the insecurity on the Korean peninsula. However, continued silence by the Council in the face of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s provocations will not achieve that. We therefore support the draft presidential statement proposed by the United States.”
2022-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9197 (2022) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. We too condemn in the strongest terms the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s further serious breach of Security Council resolutions, which threatens international peace and security. The Council last discussed the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s ballistic missiles launches just over two weeks ago (see S/PV.9183). At that meeting, all but two Council members emphasized the seriousness of the situation and supported a clear response. Yet despite the egregious violation of Council resolutions, the same two members prevented the Council from fulfilling its role.”
2022-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9197 (2022) · source
“The path forward is therefore simple: Russia needs to cease hostilities, withdraw from within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders and commit to a path of dialogue.”
2022-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9195 (2022) · source
“We are in no doubt that Ukraine will prevail in the face of Russia’s aggression. The liberation of Kherson shows the strength, courage and determination of the Ukrainian people to defend their right to sovereign equality and territorial integrity guaranteed under the United Nations Charter. The United Kingdom will continue to stand by the Ukrainian people. But while the war is ongoing, we must continue also to manage its wider effects as best we can. That is why we strongly support the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has been vital in helping to alleviate the serious risks of food insecurity in the world. We strongly support the United Nations in the efforts to renew it. Fundamentally, this war is the result of unilateral action on the part of the Russian Federation.”
2022-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9195 (2022) · source
“Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure have left millions without electricity, heating, water, medicine and food, as temperatures start to drop below zero. And more than that, today we have heard again detailed reports from the United Nations of civilian deaths, sexual violence and the forced deportation of children. Russia is knowingly trying to gain military advantage by creating desperation. Attacks of this kind may violate international humanitarian law and are, in any event, deeply inhumane. On Monday, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on an international mechanism for reparations for damage, loss and injury arising from Russia’s internationally wrongful acts against Ukraine (General Assembly resolution ES-11/5). This was an important first step towards justice for Ukraine.”
2022-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9195 (2022) · source