YouSaid · the spoken record

Chowdhury

lines on the record: 1,172
first: 1997-03-06
most recent: 2009-08-07
sittings or episodes: 146
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 said earlier that realistic benchmarks, and not an arbitrary time-frame, should be the guiding factor. Bangladesh believes that the process of transition will be slow and long. To our mind, haste should be avoided. Consultation with the national leadership, as well as regular feedback to the Security Council, would be our proposal in the setting of those benchmarks. We consider it very important that the people of East Timor, through their own leadership, perceive these benchmarks as milestones in their quest for national development that can rejuvenate, and not dampen, their spirits.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“It is also not in the interest of the Government of Indonesia to allow its commitment to falter due to the criminal activities of the militia and their accomplices. The other issue that has not been attended to is that of payment of pensions to the civil servants. We invite the Indonesian authorities to take necessary steps soon to reach a solution. This would give a long awaited fillip to the repatriation of refugees. We encourage the ongoing process of investigation of human rights violations that occurred in the wake of the referendum last year. We deeply appreciate the efforts being made by the office of the Indonesian Attorney-General. We hope that all concerned will endeavour not to allow any delay in this process. Before concluding, let me touch upon the issue of transition to independence.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“We are confident that the Indonesian Government will put a high priority on this aspect and take all necessary steps. We are also very concerned at the recent spate of attacks on the property and personnel of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Their safety and security is uppermost in our mind, as we feel that they are playing a pivotal role in the whole process of ensuring a rapid return of the refugees to East Timor. It is incumbent on the Indonesian authorities to ensure the safety of all aid workers in West Timor and to secure the refugee camps against the incessant attacks of the armed elements. The recurrence of these incidents does not augur well for the stalled repatriation process.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“In the last few weeks UNTAET positions have been attacked, and very recently a peacekeeper was shot dead. We take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences to his bereaved family and salute his courage and commitment to a noble cause. We convey our condolences to the Government of New Zealand, the country from which this peacekeeper came. We are very much concerned at this dangerous trend, which has the potential of undoing the good work done so far by UNTAET and the goodwill and cooperation that the Indonesian Government has shown. We recognize the determined efforts being made by the Indonesian Government in this regard. Clearly, there is need to do much more in order to terminate, once and for all, the continuing militia activity in the areas bordering East Timor.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“We would fully endorse UNTAET initiatives in the areas of civic and political education and establishment of the rule of law. We also note with satisfaction that UNTAET's policy of information and communication is being strengthened, which we believe is crucial not only to enhance confidence in UNTAET activities, but also to inculcate in the East Timorese population respect for others' rights. The role of close consultation with interlocutors, with regard to tolerance of the views of other political groups, is indisputable. It would be a cruel irony if yesterday's minority failed to adopt a culture of tolerance towards today's minority and resorted to an attitude of intimidation. As in our last meeting, we have heard about the continuing problem of militia activity.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“We support this initiative, as we have always advocated Timorese ownership of the development efforts. We welcome, therefore, the creation of the National Council that replaces the National Consultative Council. This is a significant development on the path to democratic and representative governance. While the vibrant nature of political expression is nothing unexpected for the people of East Timor, who are passing through turbulent times, we would like to sound a word of caution for the leaders and opinion- makers: they should take the utmost care not to allow intolerance of political expression and religious and ethnic sensitivities to take root. We say this because we notice certain tendencies in these directions.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“My delegation would like to thank you, Madam President, for scheduling this public meeting on the situation in East Timor. Let me begin by thanking Mr. Annabi for introducing the latest report of the Secretary-General and for his additional remarks. The Secretary-General's report covers a number of significant developments in East Timor over the last six months. We take great pleasure in acknowledging once again the crucial role that the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) is playing in confronting the numerous challenges facing the territory of East Timor under the creditable leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Sergio Vieira de Mello. We heard from him last month about the idea of broadening the participation in governance of the East Timorese leadership.”
2000-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4180 (2000) · source
“Finally, Bangladesh believes that the humanitarian efforts in Angola represent a part of the whole. We need to set our sights on the ultimate objective of achieving durable peace in Angola. As we said on an earlier occasion, the process is political. To our mind, there is a need to create a political space for an open dialogue with all, including UNITA. The civil society in Angola has started voicing its opinion in favour of cessation of hostilities and for a broad-based dialogue for peace and genuine national reconciliation.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“However, we believe the measures contemplated will be useful. We commend the Government of Angola and the United Nations agencies, as well as the non- governmental organizations, for their efforts in drawing up resettlement plans in accordance with certain minimum operational standards. It is also gratifying to note that some return movements of displaced persons have been noticed. We need to put in place conditions that will sustain and eventually increase these movements. It need not be repeated that access to the civilian population in dire need of assistance is pivotal to any measurable success in containing the situation. We encourage the Government of Angola to do all it can to help facilitate this access. It is heartening to note that with new locations coming under its administration, humanitarian access has increased.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We are happy to note that the Government of Angola took the assessment seriously and, as mentioned in the present report of the Secretary- General, actively participated in drawing up an emergency plan of action. We fully support this approach of identifying the critical needs of the at-risk population and devising a strategy with major objectives. We support the focus of the plan on nutrition, sustenance for internally displaced persons before the planting season, water and sanitation programmes, and mother and child health-care programmes. We also support the ongoing response to the outbreak of disease and the vaccination campaign. The magnitude of the situation is reflected in the statistic that the total number of internally displaced persons represents approximately 20 per cent of the population of Angola.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“People have been forced to leave their homes with almost no means of subsistence. Furthermore, help and assistance from the international community have not been able to reach the people in need. We believe that these issues should be addressed in order to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population. We also need to encourage the Government of Angola to continue to cooperate with the United Nations agencies already working in the field in addressing the humanitarian situation and in improving the situation of those people who are at risk. As was indicated in the report of the rapid assessment mission of the Emergency Relief Coordinator in March, urgent steps need to be taken so that the situation does not deteriorate to the point of crisis. We believe that we share the same view in the Council.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“At this point, I would like to pay tribute to the role played by Ambassador Fowler in this regard in his capacity as the Chairman of the Angola sanctions Committee. His determination and thoroughness have yielded results and need to be emulated in other areas as well. The Government of Angola's military initiative continues to meet with success in its quest to extend its authority over areas under UNITA control. The conventional war capability of UNITA has been further reduced. As mentioned in the report of the Secretary- General of 12 July, the hostilities have had a negative impact on the law and order situation throughout the country. We learned in his last report that the military developments have exacerbated the humanitarian situation and affected the free movement of people in the country.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“As we have said earlier, it is the intransigence of UNITA and its insistence on pursuing a military campaign that has derailed the peace process and hindered the full implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. UNITA needs to be reminded that there is no military option for it. We note with satisfaction that the sanctions imposed on UNITA in the area of arms, oil and diamonds have taken significant effect. We reiterate our full support for the strengthened United Nations sanctions regime, especially as concerns illegal diamonds. The recent World Diamond Congress expressed the support of the diamond industry for the efforts of the Security Council through the adoption of a resolution. Bangladesh strongly believes that UNITA will soon find out the futility of the military campaign that it is pursuing. We must not, however, relent.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Madam President, let me begin by thanking you for scheduling this public meeting on the situation in Angola. We also thank Ambassador Gambari, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, for introducing the latest report of the Secretary-General and for his very useful and comprehensive additional remarks. We welcome also the presence of Mr. Malungo, Minister for Social Assistance of Angola, as well as his very informative and, I must say, encouraging statement. The Security Council has addressed the situation in Angola at regular intervals since hostilities resumed in December 1998. While addressing all aspects of the situation, we nevertheless have devoted particular attention to ways and means of promoting the peace process. We continue to support the validity of the Lusaka Protocol, as does the Government of Angola.”
2000-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4178Resumption1 (2000) · source
“To be true to all the important statements we make today in the Council, let us embark on an era of application, as called for by the Secretary-General.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“In conclusion, let me mention a great contribution made by Ambassador Olara Otunnu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, as advocate, activist and leader in addressing the plight of children in conflict situations. I would be remiss if I did not mention the substantive work of UNICEF in advancing the cause of children all over the world, as well as that of other United Nations agencies in the field and civil society actors. Our special thanks go to you, Madam President, for putting much-needed stress on the issue of children and armed conflict during the presidency of Jamaica. We consider that today's meeting will put forth ideas that will be crystalized in concrete actions in a focused and action-oriented Security Council resolution.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“International actors have a great responsibility for providing resources and developing the capacity of these institutions. The Security Council has already called for a culture of prevention. This culture of prevention stems from traditional values, norms and institutions and is nurtured by a culture of peace. I cannot overemphasize the importance of a culture of peace for the children. If children were inculcated with a culture of peace through education, advocacy and practice, they would not perpetuate the cycle of violence that turns today's children into tomorrow's perpetrators. Activities by the United Nations and other organizations in post-conflict situations have to address the need to promote a culture of peace through coordinated efforts, and the Security Council should stress the importance of such a culture.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“Children themselves should be allowed to play a greater role in peacemaking and conflict-prevention and should be provided with education to better develop their potential. The Arria formula meeting that the Council held yesterday under the chairmanship of Ambassador Andjaba was remarkable in terms of contents and sharing of ideas. We hope such consultations with our non-governmental organization partners will be held more often. This brings me to the greater question of regeneration of traditional values and norms that are eroded in a conflict situation. Local institutions and organizations would have a leading role in this regard. Governments would have to nurture the sustainability of their efforts through legal and administrative frameworks conducive to facilitating their work.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“The Council has a duty to design sanctions regimes that do not affect the innocent. Important work is being done by regional and subregional organizations in Africa, Central America and the Asia-Pacific region for promoting the cause of children affected by armed conflicts. Quite often, affected regions are in an advantageous position to develop practical approaches and norms that can contribute to global efforts. The Security Council should encourage such initiatives. In this context we welcome the idea of declaring child-soldier-free zones in all parts of the world. Non-governmental organizations and other civil society actors, including traditional institutions such as the family and indigenous conflict-prevention institutions, can play a leading role in stopping and preventing suffering of children.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“We see the Council's leading role in this regard as seeing to it that, on the one hand, legitimate business interests are not affected and, on the other, that blanket commercial bans are not applied to countries, while keeping the focus squarely on the plight of children all the time. In all that we do we must ensure that mechanisms are in place to monitor and assess the impact of initiatives we take for children. This is very important for learning lessons from shortcomings, mistakes and failures. The Council should encourage the United Nations agencies on the ground and civil society actors to put in place such mechanisms. One area where we have learned of children's suffering is under sanctions regimes. These unintended effects of sanctions must be mitigated.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“True, there is a move to hold the leaders of such armed groups accountable, but we must be careful that in holding leaders accountable we do not grant impunity to the rank and file. Our responsibility cannot stop with the leaders alone. There must be justice for the victim and punishment for all perpetrators. The Security Council must make it absolutely clear that individuals committing atrocities will be brought to book. The second point that I would like to make in this regard concerns the recommendations in the report with regard to corporate sector activities and initiatives. Useful approaches have been suggested that merit further consideration, including legislative measures and voluntary codes of conduct for businesses.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“However, as the Secretary-General mentioned in his report, if the impressive array of humanitarian and human rights standards intended to protect children from armed conflict were universally and seriously respected, the protection of children would be largely assured. How then to ensure that the international standards are respected? One obstacle that persists is the matter of how to ensure compliance by non-State armed groups. As these days the nature of conflicts tends to be intra-State, this question is becoming more and more important. These groups violate human rights standards, disregard international norms and perpetrate violence, including mutilations, rape and abductions, and international instruments seldom cover them adequately.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“To our satisfaction, we find that the report focuses on action-oriented recommendations that we believe go to what can be called the "heart of darkness" of this issue. We have gone through the recommendations very carefully and have noted the areas on which the Council should pronounce itself and adopt specific actions. Let me highlight some of those areas. Last May, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the involvement of children in armed conflict, was adopted by the General Assembly. That was most certainly a welcome development and added to existing international instruments that address this issue.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“Denied the protection of traditional institutions such as the family, and faced with societal breakdown and the erosion of values and the rule of law, children suffer lasting adverse developmental consequences; this affects peace and stability for generations to come. It is encouraging to see that awareness about the damaging impact of armed conflict on children has significantly increased in the past four years, since the publication of the Graca Machel report on that subject (A/51/306). The Council's resolution 1261 (1999) has added strength to the actions needed in this area. Sadly, action to address the problem has yet to match the increased awareness. It is in that context that we very much welcome the report of the Secretary- General on children and armed conflict, presented both to the General Assembly and to the Security Council.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“We would like at the outset to convey our appreciation to Ms. Louise Frechette, Deputy Secretary-General, for her statement earlier this morning. We found Ambassador Olara Otunnu's rich and substantive introduction of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2000/712) to be very valuable. The statement by Ms. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), outlined what is being done on this matter at the field level, and also what needs to be done. Children are the most helpless victims of conflicts. Not only are they disproportionately affected by war and violence, they are often compelled to perpetrate atrocities against others.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176 (2000) · source
“The effective discharge of the responsibilities would require enhancing the capacity of the Organization in preventive action, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peace enforcement and peace-building. The role of women in conflict prevention and peacemaking needs to be increasingly recognised, and we are pleased that Bangladesh's proposal on this aspect has been included in the presidential statement to be adopted later. The success in reaching common grounds on conflict prevention in the text of a presidential statement marks an important step forward. It has been our pleasure to be able to make a constructive contribution to the exercise undertaken at your initiative, Mr. President. Bangladesh is fully behind the substance and spirit of the statement.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“As I said earlier, this morning the Secretary-General has provided some very clear and concrete recommendations, particularly with regard to the meeting at the foreign-minister level, the coordination between the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council and the role of non-State actors. We hope that the Council will be acting on those. We also welcome the setting up by the Secretary-General of this panel led by Ambassador Brahimi, and we hope that its recommendations will focus on the conflict prevention aspect as well. To conclude, let me underline that a reformed, strengthened and effective United Nations remains central to the maintenance of peace and security, of which prevention is a key component.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“In the specific context of some of the ongoing conflicts in Africa, it is critically important to break the nexus between diamonds and arms that sustain the wars. The fifth and final point we would like to raise is where we go from here. In November last year, the Council decided to follow up the matter and consider convening a Security Council meeting at the level of foreign ministers during the Millennium Assembly. Given the enormous importance of conflict prevention, we would strongly support the holding of the ministerial meeting in September 2001. We are requesting the Secretary-General to submit a report containing his recommendations on conflict prevention for consideration by the proposed ministerial meeting.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“We stress the need for efforts by Member States, relevant bodies of the United Nations system and other international, regional and national organizations and civil society in the effective implementation of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace adopted by the General Assembly last September. The fourth area on which we would like to focus, is arms control and disarmament. Apart from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, an area of major concern is the excessive accumulation and uncontrolled circulation of small arms and light weapons. Given the destabilising impact of proliferation and illicit trade in these arms, it is incumbent on the international community to act seriously on curbing the arms bazaar.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“It is also important to recognize the need to ensure a smooth transition from emergency humanitarian assistance to development in post-conflict peace-building. In the context of long-term strategies, in building the foundations of durable peace, we should not lose focus on the peoples of the United Nations, who are the ultimate actors in matters of peace and security. As part of a long-term strategy, we would like to underline the importance of building and sustaining peace by inculcating a culture of peace. As defined by the General Assembly resolution, a culture of peace includes tolerance, understanding, solidarity, respect for diversity and promotion of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“The success of conflict prevention will depend largely upon effective coordination among all actors. Bangladesh believes that democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for humanitarian law and human rights and sustainable development constitute the basic foundation of international peace and security. These, in our perception, are essential components of conflict prevention. The Group of Eight, in preparation for its summit this weekend, have adopted a historic document directly relevant to the work the Council. The document, the Miyazaki Initiative for Conflict Prevention, quoted by Ambassador Greenstock earlier, deserves our support. We took forward to the effective and full implementation of the commitments made by them. We support consideration of conflict prevention in development assistance strategies.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“Thirdly, we believe that there is an emerging consensus that durable peace can be achieved only by effectively addressing the root causes or sources of conflict. In his 1998 report on the causes of conflict in Africa, the Secretary-General identified endemic poverty, underdevelopment, undemocratic government, weak or non-existent institutions and political and economic discrimination between ethnic and religious communities as major sources of conflicts. These are within the competence of other organs and agencies of the United Nations system, including the Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Development Programme in particular, and the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization, regional organizations and arrangements and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“We hope that all of us will recognize our mistakes and assume our respective responsibilities. The reports on Srebrenica and Rwanda also point out a number of organizational or institutional deficiencies. An effective conflict-prevention strategy will require significant improvement of the United Nations conflict-prevention capacity. Clearly, there is a need for improving the United Nations early-warning and analysis capabilities and the coordination among various departments, funds and agencies and for closer cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations. We are very happy to hear from the Secretary-General this morning that the Department of Political Affairs has been designated the focal point for conflict prevention throughout the United Nations system.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“We failed to understand and appreciate the difficulty involved in considering the issue and in making a timely intervention. Was that the result of a failure to assess the immediacy of the impending resumption of hostilities, or a lack of political will? Secondly, let me turn to intra-State conflicts. In most cases of internal armed conflict, there is a colonial or cold-war legacy. It goes without saying that the Powers concerned have a special role and responsibility. United Nations actions in these situations may be strengthened by the initiatives and interventions of such Powers in times of crisis as well as by their addressing the long-term causes of conflict. We may take Srebrenica and Rwanda as specific cases. The two reports reveal the extent of the lack of political will and commitment.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“Given the magnitude of the death, destruction and suffering that they entail, such wars defeat our collective pledge to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. This imposes grave moral and economic burdens on the countries and peoples concerned and on the international community as a whole. The Council did send a mission to Asmara and Addis Ababa in a desperate attempt to prevent the war. We regret that the authorities did not agree to the Council's call for a halt to military preparations and the resumption of hostilities. There were questions on the Council's role and there were reflections on the role of the regional organization concerned. From early March, Bangladesh pleaded for immediate intervention by the Council in the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“When the subject was debated last November, frustration was expressed about the lack of the crucial element of political will. Bangladesh, at that time not a member of the Council, spoke about the political, humanitarian and economic imperatives of conflict prevention. We underlined the importance of political will and commitment, argued in favour of prompt and effective action and pleaded for consistency in our response to all situations. Since last November, we have seen at least one clear case of large-scale inter-State war. No one is denying the right of any nation to legitimate self- defence. But we are not convinced that a peaceful settlement was impossible and we do not believe that the means under Chapter VI were exhausted.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“The prevention of armed conflicts within sovereign States requires a comprehensive set of actions addressing the root causes or sources of those conflicts. A third scenario, in which foreign countries get entangled in an intra-State conflict, represents a complex imbroglio. Such a situation is certainly avoidable if respect for the principles and provisions of the Charter can be secured. With these preliminary remarks, we propose to focus on five issues relating to conflict prevention. First, with regard to the role of the Council in preventing inter-State conflicts, we all agree that under the Charter the Security Council has the primary responsibility in the area of peace and security. We should also agree that the Council must assume that responsibility, on time and in all situations.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“It gives us great pleasure and encouragement to see you, Mr. Minister, presiding over this meeting on the role of the Security Council in conflict prevention. My delegation expresses great appreciation for the initiative taken by the Jamaican presidency of the Council to follow up the debate on the subject, which has been high on our agenda. We thank the Secretary-General for his very focused statement this morning on conflict prevention, in which he made some very clear and concrete recommendations. Conflict prevention is not an abstract concept. We regard conflict prevention as actions seeking the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, as per the principles and provisions contained in the United Nations Charter and international law.”
2000-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4174 (2000) · source
“Our particular appreciation goes to Ambassador Holbrooke for his pioneering initiative on the draft resolution that the Council will vote on later, and his efforts in mobilizing the Council, as well as other United Nations bodies, inspiring their efforts in their fight against HIV/AIDS.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“Finally, at the thirteenth International AIDS Conference, which concluded in Durban last week, there were signs of increased commitment and heightened efforts by all to combat AIDS. We hope that such cooperation will result in the achievement of the target that we set for ourselves. We believe that in View of the broader dimension of HIV/AIDS and its wider impact on societies, the draft resolution that the Council is working on should focus more on that aspect in its operative part. Before concluding, allow me to commend the initiative of the United States presidency in January for its efforts to put HIV/AIDS in the limelight by having the problem discussed in the Security Council.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“As this affliction is concentrated mostly in the poorer countries, there is no way that, without major political and resource commitments, AIDS prevalence can be reduced to any significant extent. Fourth, with regard to knowledge and education, there is a stigma associated with open discussion of HIV/AIDS in many of our societies. This deprives the potential victims of useful knowledge needed for avoiding infection, and for preventing those already infected with HIV from transmitting it to others. There should be a systematic approach for the dissemination of knowledge, particularly among the young. It is worth noting that, globally, six people under the age of 25 contract HIV every minute. They account for 40 per cent of all new infections.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“This must be forcefully sought so that better programmes can be implemented. Following the Council meeting in January, Dr. Peter Piot, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), informed us of a specific plan for the major intensification and mobilization of efforts to address AIDS. We appreciate his statement today, which was in keeping with his commitment to brief the Council regularly on the status of the plan. Thirdly, there should be a strong partnership between Governments, international organizations and civil society, particularly the private sector so that the pharmaceutical companies, in partnership with the donor nations, can come up with affordable vaccines to prevent infection.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“I will briefly mention a few points which we believe would help our efforts against this global scourge. First, with regard to targets, we should focus our strategy on a time-bound target for reducing HIV/AIDS. We welcome the Secretary-General's call, in his millennium report, for a reduction of HIV infection rates in people from 15 to 24 years of age by 25 per cent globally before 2010. This target is based on agreement at the 1999 special session of the General Assembly on the follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development, and we should all make every effort to achieve this goal. Secondly, one of the issues that emerged from the 10 January meeting of the Council was the need for better coordination and exchange of information between and among the bodies working on AIDS.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“The United Nations has already declared it the worst infectious disease catastrophe since the bubonic plague, which killed a third of the European population in the fourteenth century. All are aware of the frightening statistics of HIV/AIDS and I will not repeat them. HIV/AIDS is most prevalent in Africa, but no single country is immune. In Asia, new HIV infections increased by 70 per cent between 1996 and 1998. This rapid spread shows that unless drastic measures are immediately taken, it could be as great a scourge in many other countries and regions around the world as it is in sub-Saharan Africa. For a secure future, we have no choice but to make every effort to halt the spread and impact of the pandemic. The effort should be directed to, and from, all levels.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“It is an honour and pleasure for my delegation to see you, Sir, presiding over this important meeting of the Security Council. We very much appreciate your taking the time out to come here and encourage us with your presence. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is now increasingly recognized as being more than a public health problem. Its nature and extent has made it a development problem for the vast majority of countries. It has the potential to cause violence and social destabilization through the enormous toll it can take on the active members of a society. In the broader context of security, it also has a security dimension. The world is facing an alarming situation with AIDS.”
2000-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4172 (2000) · source
“A massive plan of post-war economic recovery and reconstruction is needed to give the region a thriving economy. We must actively seek change in the region, and we are very encouraged by the recent initiation of the democratic process in a number of countries in the region. We believe it is important to seize that democratic energy and build on it to create a region of peace and development. Any attempts without an all- out commitment on the part of the international community or international political consensus will be detrimental to the region, where peace can be achieved and should be achieved. We should concentrate on rising above political differences in order to achieve peace in a region which has long been in the grip of conflicting forces, at a tremendous cost to the broader interests of the people ofthe region.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“In Kosovo, a large number of refugees have returned; displaced persons are also settling into their own places. But this is also accompanied by an outflow of Serbs from many areas. Although large-scale return has taken place, the refugee problem is still one of the main concerns of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The lack of adequate security assurance, compounded by painful memories ofthe recent past, are problems to overcome. We need to invest further in confidence-building measures. Finally, speeding up economic development and reconstruction in the region is a key factor which can rekindle hope among people. It will be a natural deterrent to violence. The international community has made a good deal of investment, but it still remains inadequate.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“Human rights have been grossly violated, and justice has been denied. There has been too much violence from attacks and counter-attacks on minorities. The situation is particularly disturbing where there is a minority presence. The international community has been putting up its best efforts, and considerable progress has also been achieved, but much more remains to be done. Secondly, the issue of missing persons and detainees is important, particularly in Kosovo. There should be an early settlement of the fate of people who remain lost or held captive. Protracting this problem will work against attempts to build trust and confidence between and among the different communities. Thirdly, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons is one of the chief concerns in the region.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“While we need to take individual approaches to deal with specific problems, there is also a need to view them from a regional macro-perspective. There have been some such initiatives, the most important being the Stability Pact initiative of last year, sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. We note that its efforts range from economic reconstruction to political reform and closer regional integration. However, further regional efforts, with firm support from the Security Council, could contribute much to settling the long-term issues of achieving peace in the Balkans. The United Nations should continue to focus on a number of areas in this region. First, the general security situation needs improvement. The region has been involved in war and inter-ethnic conflict for too long.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“We welcome once again Mr. Carl Bildt, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Balkans. We thank him for his thorough and engaging statement. We commend his efforts and his initiatives for self-sustaining peace and stability in the Balkans. We are aware of the vastness of the task ahead of him and of the complexity of the issues in the region. The statement by Mr. Javier Solana, High Representative for the European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, was very enriching to our consideration ofthe item on the agenda. The Balkans is a region where disintegrative forces are still dominant and where the international political equation is not always fully supportive of cohesion or of the implementation of peace objectives. The issues there are different in different areas, but some common threads run through all of them.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source