YouSaid · the spoken record

Christoph Heusgen

lines on the record

300

first

2020-04-16

most recent

2021-02-11

sittings or episodes

63

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

1. “Unfortunately, the way that Russia behaves in Ukraine is part of a pattern that we regularly see here in the Security Council, disrespect for international law and international humanitarian law. We see this in Syria with the backing of the murderous Al-Assad regime, the undermining of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the bombing of hospitals. We see it in the militias that are stationed in Libya. And we have seen the poisoning of Mr. Skripal and Mr. Navalny. Let me end with a recent quote by Chancellor Merkel on the latest Russian move. She said, “[w]e are witnessing another facet of Russia’s detachment from the rule of law.” I hope that one day we will see a reversal of this trend.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

2. “We were reminded again today by the former Ukrainian President that the composition of the Trilateral Contact Group — which is there to resolve the issue and to implement the Minsk agreements — is Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE. Instead of trying to give legitimacy to those puppet regimes in Luhansk and Donetsk, they should concentrate on doing their job. They should finally open Zolote and Shchastia, instead of telling fantasy stories. They should stop the restrictions on the movement of the SMM on a daily basis and stop wilfully damaging SMM property. And Russia should stop issuing Russian passports to large numbers of Ukrainian nationals. This clearly contradicts the spirit of the Minsk agreements, but is also a violation of international law.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

3. “I talked to members of the Rada. There is not a lot of trust in Russian commitment, and one understands why. There are doubts when you look back to the non-implementation of the Budapest Memorandum. Therefore, it is not easy for the Rada to approve all the laws and regulations that are brought forward by the Government. The Rada is not the Duma, where Government decisions are basically rubber-stamped. This is democracy. On another occasion we heard the Russian Ambassador lamenting about the fact that only Belarus and China participated in their December Arria Formula meeting on eastern Ukraine, but nobody else wanted to listen to the separatists.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

4. “We heard today about the difficulties that humanitarian organizations encounter when attempting to deliver support to the occupied territories. We heard a lot about the difficult circumstances of the people living in those areas. Paragraph 10 is on the withdrawal of foreign armed formations. Until today, there are still Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. They may not have the official stamp of the Russian army, but the Russians continue to be there, and without Russia, Luhansk and Donetsk could not survive. When listening today — and I listened very carefully to the Russian Ambassador — I always have the impression it was Ukraine that invaded Russia, and not the other way around: that Russia in fact invaded Ukraine. Yes, there are problems in the Ukrainian Government, which have been there from the very beginning. I went to Kyiv.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

5. “The SMM does not have free access, cannot effectively monitor what is happening on the ground and, in particular, cannot observe the Russian-Ukrainian border in the area, which is not controlled by the Ukrainian Government. Therefore, day after day, Russia can ship soldiers and armaments into Luhansk and Donetsk. In the latest SMM report, we read that 94 per cent of all incidents affecting the operationality of the SMM are the responsibility of the separatists. I would like to take this opportunity, also in the presence of Mr. Çevik, to thank the SMM for its important work on a very difficult job. Let us go back to the Minsk agreements. Paragraph 7 is on the safe distribution of humanitarian assistance.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

6. “After long negotiations, the ceasefire was set for midnight on 15 February, six years ago. At that time, however, the attack of Russian soldiers in Ukraine did not stop, because the Russian militias were not able to conquer a very important logistical hub, the city of Debaltseve. Hence they continued to fight for more than two days until the Russian armed forces were able to do just that. The second paragraph is about the withdrawing of heavy weapons. Until today, the Russian heavy weapons have not been withdrawn from the line of command and control, in violation of the Minsk agreements. The third paragraph is about effective monitoring. That task was given to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). And we heard again that until today the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) cannot do its job.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

7. “I also would like to recall the saddest moment in the Russian assault of Ukraine: 17 July 2014, the day of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17, when 300 people died. At the time, the Russian military commander on the field, Mr. Igor Girkin, went public and rejoiced about the downing of the plane, which he thought was a Ukrainian plane. Mr. Girkin still lives in freedom in Russia instead of standing trial in The Hague, where the families of the victims are asking for accountability for that horrible attack on Flight MH-17. I also missed that in the statement by the Russian Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia. The Russian Ambassador mentioned the Minsk agreements and quoted a number of paragraphs, but he did not quote any of the first and most important paragraphs. The first paragraph is on the ceasefire. I was in Minsk.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

8. “The first paragraph reads: “[t]he Russian Federation reaffirms its commitment to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine.” Ukraine at the time trusted the Russian commitment and gave up its nuclear arsenal, which was stationed on its soil. Twenty years later, Ukraine had to pay a very high price for the good faith it had in the Budapest Memorandum and in Russia: Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine. It was staged by Russia as an internal uprising. But we know from President Putin himself, who decorated the Russian soldiers who participated in the assault, that those indeed were Russians who invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine. That is something we missed in the presentation today by Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

9. “Today Germany is speaking to the Council as part of the so-called Normandy format. Before I start, I would like to align myself with what my colleague and friend, French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, said earlier. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia already alluded to Germany and to our role in the Security Council. I would like to start my intervention by actually going back to one of his predecessors on the Security Council. On 19 December 1994, the then Russian Permanent Representative, Sergey Lavrov, asked the President of the Security Council to register the so-called Budapest Memorandum as a document of the Security Council.”

   2021-02-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/159 (2021) · source

10. “Germany has therefore contributed $200 million in 2020 to the Agency. We call on other countries, in particular those from the Gulf, to provide more financial support in order to enable UNRWA to continue its critical work.”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

11. “We will continue our joint efforts with our European and Arab partners, France, Egypt and Jordan in facilitating a path towards credible dialogue and serious, meaningful and effective negotiations about all final-status issues and on the basis of the internationally agreed parameters. We support the efforts of the Middle East Quartet and explicitly wish to thank Special Coordinator Mladenov for his active engagement in exploring and consulting with all relevant actors on the best path forward, including an international conference or any other multilateral format to enable the parties to resume meaningful dialogue and negotiations. I thank him for a job really well done. Finally, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) remains a major provider of stability in the region.”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

12. “I find that to be a spectacular Israeli-Arab accomplishment. There are other spectacular examples of cooperation. As Council members may recall, in April 2019, when Germany held the Council presidency, we invited the Israeli-Palestinian non-governmental organization EcoPeace Middle East to brief the Council on peacebuilding efforts through cooperation in the specific area of water conservation (see S/PV.8517). Having a non-governmental organization represented by an Israeli, a Palestinian and a Jordanian was one of the highlights of my time in the Security Council.”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

13. “Is his thinking closer to John Kerry’s when he was Secretary of State and was very frustrated at those kinds of developments? We have followed very closely the Israeli-Arab rapprochement. Kelly Craft, the United States representative, just outlined how many countries are now recognizing Israel, which is a most welcome development. While preparing for this meeting, I picked up a small but significant story in The Economist dated 12 December about an Israeli football club, Beitar Jerusalem. According to the article, Beitar Jerusalem is the most racist club in Israel. When Beitar Jerusalem signed two Muslim players in 2013, fans burned down the club offices. Just a few weeks ago, the cousin of the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates purchased, with the blessing of an Israeli rabbi, a 50 per cent interest in Beitar Jerusalem.”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

14. “We condemn all attacks against Israel by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups. Over the past four years since the adoption of resolution 2334 (2016), plans for more than 28,000 settlement units have been advanced or approved in Area C and East Jerusalem. Tenders have been announced for some 12,000 units and the construction of more than 6,000 new units began in Area C. That leads me to a question for the Special Coordinator. Resolution 2334 (2016) already warned about “entrenching a one-State reality”. Considering that Israeli settlement activities, including in sensitive areas around East Jerusalem, such as Givat Hamatos, Har Homa and Area E-1, effectively prevent a contiguous Palestinian State, does Mr. Mladenov still believe in a two-State solution?”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

15. “One cannot pick and choose and forget about the last parameter set forth in resolution 2334 (2016), or resolution 478 (1980) with regard to Jerusalem or resolution 497 (1981) with regard to the Golan Heights. We believe that the implementation of the landmark resolution 2334 (2016) remains the only viable way forward. With regard to the implementation of that resolution, we continue to be deeply concerned by the negative trends on the ground, which are increasingly threatening the two-State solution: annexation plans, settlement expansion, demolitions, seizures, evictions, plans to retroactively legalize illegal settlement outposts or to take over private Palestinian land by declaring it “State land”. We are also deeply concerned about rockets that are fired into Israel, violence, incitement and the absence of a solution for Gaza.”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

16. “Let me start by thanking Nickolay Mladenov, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, for his briefing. As always, he was very clear. I thank him for his tireless efforts. I carefully listened to his final remarks. It is very good that he continues to have the vision of 1994 as his point of reference. I do not have much to add to what I have said over the last two years. Things have not become any better. Germany has a principled position. As members of the Security Council know, we defend the rules-based international order. Conflicts should be resolved politically and based on international law, including resolutions adopted by the Security Council. From our perspective, resolutions are not a menu à la carte.”

    2020-12-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1275 (2020) · source

17. “It must do better when it comes to dealing with new challenges. We commend the recent decision by the General Assembly to establish a trust fund for the Judicial Fellowship Programme of the Court. That will increase opportunities for law students from a wide range of geographic and linguistic backgrounds to familiarize themselves with the work of the Court, develop their skills in the field of the peaceful settlement of international disputes through law and become supporters of the rules-based international order themselves. Again, I thank you, Sir, very much for having put this important item on the agenda.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

18. “The coronavirus disease pandemic is only one striking reminder of those challenges. The international community is jointly confronted with a multitude of global and existential questions for the future of humankind, such as climate change, the protection of our environment, pandemics and respect for human rights. The evolution of international law is reflected in both the practice of the Security Council and the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Therefore, cooperation between the Security Council and the Court of Justice is needed more than ever. The Security Council determines any threat to, or breach of, peace or act of aggression and decides on measures to maintain or restore international peace and security. But in doing so the Council has demonstrated the adaptability, pragmatism and creativity.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

19. “Germany has subscribed to the acceptance of the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court. There are 74 countries that have subscribed to it. We fully back that and are working on a draft presidential statement. We should respond to the request of Judge Yusuf and, in our presidential statement, should include the request that more countries accept the compulsory jurisdiction, as we did in 2012. We believe that the application of the Charter of the United Nations needs to evolve over time to ensure continued authority and legitimacy. The purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter, such as the call to maintain international peace and security and the prohibition of the use of force in international relations, are the timeless and enduring core of international law, but their application is subject to contemporary challenges.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

20. “In addition to the briefings by Judge Yusuf, we are very much in favour of the possibility of the Security Council visiting the Court. Unfortunately, if the Security Council decides to do that, my delegation will not be part of it. However, if Council members travel to The Hague, they will meet a German judge there. I would like to use this occasion to express our gratitude for the strong support that the Security Council gave to Professor Georg Nolte a few weeks ago. We consider the election of that outstanding German international law expert as Judge of the International Court of Justice as of February 2021 to be a validation of Germany’s commitment to the rules-based international order. At the same time, it is an obligation to continue our efforts to promote international law.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

21. “Germany totally subscribes to that. Judge Yusuf referred to one very important advisory opinion, which I would like to recall because we are commemorating the tenth anniversary of the advisory opinion on Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo. The Security Council may remember that, at the time, Serbia launched an initiative by the General Assembly to ask the Court to determine if the declaration of independence of Kosovo was legal or not. The judgment came 10 years ago and clearly stated that the declaration of independence of Kosovo was in compliance with international law. I think it would help if everybody read that again and followed the outcome — a recognition of Kosovo — because that would resolve a lot of problems that we still have in that region.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

22. “I found it remarkable that he also clearly said that the violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law constitutes a threat to international peace and security. I think that is a very important position that we have always held. I thank him for that confirmation. I think it would be good if disputes were referred to the Court more often — we only have that one case. We believe also that it could be valuable for the Security Council to invite the President of the International Court of Justice to provide briefings when instances of non-compliance with decisions of the Court might threaten international peace and security. What Judge Yusuf also highlighted was the use of advisory functions with regard to conflict prevention. He pleaded for the Council to use that possibility more often.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

23. “Germany, as a member of the Security Council, has always shown determination to uphold respect for, and adherence to, international law, including human rights and humanitarian law. It is imperative that all of us accept and implement legally binding decisions delivered by international courts and tribunals, including, and in particular, when those institutions rule within their own competency to decide on a specific case, even if, and when, those decisions go against immediate national interests. We are convinced that in the long term a rules-based order itself lies in the national interest of all. With regard to the statement by Judge Yusuf, he said it very simply, but it is very true — the policy of force has no place in the United Nations order that we all live in.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

24. “I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for putting the promotion of the rule of law on the agenda of the Security Council during your presidency. I would like to commend Judge Yusuf for his speech; I will come back to the concrete proposals he made. First, I would like to repeat what many if not most of the participants have said — the Security Council and the International Court of Justice are essential for guiding Member States on how to act in accordance with international law. With the Charter of the United Nations at its core, respect for international law is the basis for our multilateral cooperation. Effective multilateralism works only if the international order is based on rules applicable to all.”

    2020-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1286 (2020) · source

25. “Despite the 130 votes in favour, we regret that four countries did not vote in line with us. We would have loved to have them on board. It is unfortunate that two of those countries are actually permanent members of the Council.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

26. “I would like to thank Indonesia for its efforts over the past two years in its capacity as co-penholder. It was very hard work, but it was wonderful to work with Indonesia. I wish our successors good luck. I am sure Estonia and Norway will do an excellent job. Germany will continue to support the Afghanistan dossier at the United Nations. We are very proud to be the facilitator of the General Assembly resolution 75/90, adopted last week, which expressed the solidarity of the wider United Nations membership with Afghanistan. The United Nations stands behind the peace process. We are very happy that we received 130 votes in favour of the resolution — many from the countries of the region, such as Iran. We even garnered the support of some co-sponsors from the region, like Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Mongolia.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

27. “If peace is to be achieved, the Taliban have to understand the issues that she raised — the need to protect the youth and to preserve what has been achieved over the past few years in Afghanistan with regard to the role of women’s participation in economic and political life that for peace in the country. Those gains must be not only preserved but enhanced. We need firm commitment to the human rights constitutionally guaranteed to all in Afghanistan. We will continue to support civil society organizations and non- governmental organizations. They are the backbone of a democratic Afghanistan. Accountability is also key. Whoever commits a war crime must be prosecuted. There can be no reconciliation or peaceful future for the country if impunity prevails.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

28. “Afghanistan needs more continued reliable international assistance to address all its humanitarian needs. Only 50 per cent of the pledges towards the humanitarian response plan have been fulfilled. I know that there are competing needs, but we can do better than that. On the sanctions regime, we do not yet see sufficient reasons for lifting sanctions on the Taliban or downplaying their direct link to terrorism. I thank the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the non-governmental organization Afghans for Progressive Thinking and my colleagues in the Kabul Embassy for identifying Ms. Shkula Zadran as our youth representative. Her wonderful briefing made the deficiencies very clear. We, the Security Council, have listened to her, but everybody should listen to her, including the Afghan Government and the Afghan public.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

29. “On international assistance, Geneva was a success. It sent a strong signal of continued international support. In total, countries pledged more than $3.3 billion. I am very happy to confirm that Germany alone pledged more than $500 million in international assistance and stabilization funds. Germany continues to be the second-largest donor to Afghanistan. Assistance is attached to conditions that the Afghan Government itself greatly values. The current and future Afghan Governments must apply the same standards with regard to ensuring human rights, protecting women and minority groups, maintaining the constitutional achievements of the past 19 years and fighting against corruption. The coronavirus disease pandemic has been a huge challenge, and we know that we also need to support Afghanistan in that respect.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

30. “Lyons has chosen to play an active role by maintaining a small team in Doha to support the negotiations. It is very important that the negotiating parties hear from her what the international community expects and what the Afghan people expect. I hope we can launch a forum of key regional and international partners to further strengthen efforts to support the negotiations. The United Nations and UNAMA need to continue to play an important role in Afghanistan in protecting human rights, safeguarding women and children, promoting sustainable development and protecting the rights of minority groups using a victim-centred approach. What is really concerning is drug trafficking, which we need to continue to combat. These continue to be important tasks for the United Nations and for the international community at large.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

31. “We hope for renewed commitment to the path towards a political settlement and a peaceful future for Afghanistan. We need a full and lasting ceasefire. The strategy of the Taliban to negotiate, on the one hand, and to continue violence, on the other, is extremely cynical. If the Taliban really want peace for the country, why do they continue to destroy infrastructure and schools? Why do they destroy their motherland if they want to be part of the Government? This has to stop. Germany will continue to support the peace process in close cooperation with our partners, including our co-penholder, Indonesia, as well as Norway, Uzbekistan, Qatar and the United States. On the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), I welcome that Ms.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

32. “On the peace process, I can only echo what Ms. Lyons said. Doha really is a wonderful achievement. I would like to congratulate our Afghan, American and Qatari friends and the many partners who made this possible. The agreement reached on the rules of procedure is important. These are early positive signs, but they give us hope for future talks. We are not there yet. Both sides should now use the next 20 days wisely and consult with their leadership and constituencies on the proposals on the table and the way forward. The negotiation team of the Afghan Government decided that it would talk to the youth. To hear that young people have thus far been excluded from the peace process is very worrisome. We have always said that, from our perspective, it is absolutely necessary that women be represented on both sides.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

33. “First of all, let me start by thanking Ms. Deborah Lyons, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for her briefing. I can only echo that 2020 showed a profound shift in developments in Afghanistan. In the past few weeks, we again saw a year of hope, but also of despair. We see the peace process gaining traction in Doha, but also witness violence reaching its highest levels. According to the Global Peace Index, Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world. It is very worrisome that attacks are targeting infrastructure, particularly schools. It is a nightmare that human rights defenders and journalists are killed. A couple of days ago, the Deputy Governor of Kabul was killed. This is just too much. The violence has to stop. We should be united in the Security Council and call for an end to the violence.”

    2020-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1274 (2020) · source

34. “I would like to close by thanking my team: Lila Del Colle of the Netherlands, whom we were lucky to get after she had served in a similar position under my predecessor and who has been an excellent addition to our team, and Christoph Braner of the German Mission, who has supported me in my work every step of the way. This way was a difficult one.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

35. “The Council needs to strengthen the institution of the Ombudsperson and take it as a model for comparable safeguards and ways of redress in all United Nations sanctions regimes. During the outreach we made to the wider United Nations membership, it became clear that many countries were either unaware or felt put upon by the obligations imposed on them under Security Council sanctions. I would encourage the United Nations to provide information and training so that all Member States are aware of and able to fulfil their obligations.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

36. “That needs to change.Although not a part of the North Korea sanctions committee, I would be remiss if I did not call out the situation regarding the Ombudsperson for the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. The Ombudsperson works under the same conditions as the experts mentioned earlier. But his reliance on others to carry out his work — including deciding when to travel and where to hear witnesses — could be seen to compromise his independence. What is more, as things stand now, there is a real risk that courts will refuse to enforce sanctions in their jurisdictions.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

37. “At this point, I would like to thank our Senior Committee Secretary, Davey McNab, and his outstanding team at the Security Council Affairs Division, who supported my mission every day. They have been great partners for the entire team at the German mission. We are grateful for their professionalism and profound expertise. My third point is what needs to change within United Nations sanctions system. Two years on the Council is not very long, but it is long enough to observe the deficiencies. One obvious shortcoming is the working conditions of the members of the Panels of Experts. They play an indispensable role in the functioning of the Security Council sanctions system, but when it comes to remuneration, benefits, travel arrangements and other aspects of the job, they are treated as second-class to permanent United Nations staff.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

38. “I commend all Chairs and their teams, who are instrumental to the success of the work of the Security Council. Two years ago my predecessor, Ambassador Karel van Oosterom of the Netherlands, as Chair of the 1718 Committee, raised the issue of burden-sharing in his parting remarks. I echo his sentiments. It is time that the non-elected members of this Council assume their fair share. It may not be suitable for a permanent member to chair the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sanctions Committee, but this is not the case for other sanctions committees. My team and I are liaising with representatives of the incoming five members to make sure that whoever my successor may be is prepared when they take over as Chair on 1 January.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

39. “We as the 10 elected members have been voted into the Security Council to defend international law and the United Nations. We have to take a stand to implement what the Security Council has decided. Secondly, allow me a few words on the way in which the Council conducts business with regard to sanctions. Committees are vital to ensuring that the Council can address threats to international peace and security. Sanctions may not always be popular, but they remain an indispensable tool for guiding Governments and other political actors towards peacefully resolving disputes that may impact the security of entire regions and beyond. Chairing a sanctions committee requires stamina and determination. The elected 10 members shoulder a heavy burden in that regard.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

40. “But two of the Ambassadors declined to join me in finding a solution. We even offered to use simple corporate conversion tables, like that of Gazprom or British Petroleum, but those proposals were also declined. It seems inconceivable that a country that sent the first satellite into orbit more than 60 years ago and another that celebrated a moon landing just two weeks ago would not be able to perform that simple calculation. This matter can be resolved if there is political will. I would urge my successor, whoever that will be, to continue pressing this important matter. It is our duty to make this work, as is the case with the implementation of all other sanctions, and the Council’s credibility is on the line. I can only tell my successor not to give up even if personally attacked.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

41. “Member States report their planned deliveries in the measurement used by the resolution — barrels. The Secretariat counts them and gives notice to the international community before the oil cap is about to be reached.But in practice, some Member States insist on reporting in tons, not barrels. That would not be a problem if they would agree to allow the Secretariat to make the conversion — nothing more than simple math. Yet those Council members argue that finding a conversion rate is very complex. In effect, those States have consistently circumvented the resolution to which they agreed. The Committee held several meetings dedicated to resolving this issue. We even brought it into the Council twice, where again we found no solution. In a last-ditch effort, I invited the key Ambassadors to a meeting to resolve the issue.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

42. “7, the Committee grants humanitarian actors longer standard exemption periods — nine months compared with six months, among other things. This is a small success but adequately addresses concerns within the humanitarian community. One issue that I alluded to earlier has haunted the Committee for more than two years. The restrictions on the delivery of gasoline, diesel, heating oil and other refined petroleum products to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have been largely ineffective since they were unanimously adopted by the Council. in December 2017. Resolution 2397 (2017) limits the delivery of such products to 500,000 barrels per year. It is the duty of all Member States, together with the Secretariat, to ensure that that number is not exceeded. One would think that this was simple.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

43. “But, as we learned from those familiar with the situation on the ground, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, goods that are earmarked for humanitarian purposes pile up on the border between China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea because Pyongyang does not allow them through, citing the coronavirus disease as the reason. So while the Committee has done its part to ensure that aid reaches the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the responsibility now lies with the Government. At the end of my tenure, we simplified and improved the mechanism for humanitarian actors to obtain exemptions to the sanctions on humanitarian grounds. With the updated Implementation Assistance Notice No.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

44. “We know the names of these vessels, the names of the individuals and the companies that own these ships, but there are still members of the Committee who are preventing us from taking action. This calls into serious question a key rule governing the work of committees — that is, the principle that decisions are made by consensus. Members may have heard criticism to the effect that the Committee does not care enough about human suffering in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The opposite is true. The Committee has gone to great lengths to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the women, men and children who are deprived of basic necessities. Since mid-2018, we the Committee have managed to grant more than 75 different humanitarian exemptions in support of a wide range of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

45. “An overview of Security Council resolutions that require national reporting by Member States can be found on the website of the Committee. The import of refined petroleum products remains limited to 500,000 barrels per year. This issue has been a major sticking point in the work of the Committee, but I will get back to that a bit later. The Panel of Experts that assists the 1718 sanctions Committee publishes reports twice a year. The reports contain recommendations on who and what should be added to the sanctions list. For example, there is widespread evidence of ship- to-ship transfers of gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products on the high seas. The vessel on the receiving end then travels to a North Korean port, often Nampo, and unloads its illegal cargo.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

46. “We have been able to uphold the current sanctions system, but the Committee has not been able to reach consensus on adding new persons or entities to the sanctions list despite ample evidence that individuals and private companies continue to circumvent sanctions.Since 2017, a large number of raw materials, industrial machinery and other items that could be used for illicit nuclear and ballistic-missile programmes remain barred from being shipped to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Given the small number of countries that have reported on the repatriation of nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea who are exploited as cheap labourers abroad, I would like to remind all Member States of that obligation.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

47. “The absence of major provocations does not mean that we are closer to a political solution. The Government of Kim Jong Un refuses to engage meaningfully. And unless that changes, there is no justification for the Security Council to change current sanctions measures. Today I would like to make three main points. First, I will report on the work of the Committee over the past two years. I will then offer observations on the way in which the Security Council and its sanctions committees conduct business in general. And, thirdly, I will share my thoughts on what changes are needed to improve the sanctions system down the line. Taking stock of the Committee’s work, the balance sheet shows mixed results.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

48. “My presentation today is a rare opportunity for the wider United Nations membership and the public at large to get a glimpse of the work of the 1718 Committee and the Security Council, as meetings on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are traditionally held behind closed doors. There are good arguments for doing it that way, as closed meetings allow Security Council members to engage in a more open and informal manner which would not be possible if the meetings were public. I only mention that because I would not want the closed setting to be inferred as a lack of awareness of the magnitude of the threat posed by North Korea and its blatant and egregious human rights violations. In the past two years, the way Pyongyang has navigated the geopolitical landscape has changed, but its intentions have not.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

49. “Only two months ago, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea showcased a new intercontinental ballistic missile during a military parade in Pyongyang. When it comes to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, North Korea remains the most dangerous global threat. Germany’s position concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been steadfast throughout our time on the Council. We have pushed for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to fulfil its obligation for the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programmes. That pressure on Pyongyang must continue.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source

50. “In two weeks, I will complete my mandate as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Let me start with a warning. The media coverage of the threat posed by the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to international peace and security has not garnered the same public attention in recent years, but the absence of bad news is not good news. We have not seen a nuclear test conducted by North Korea since 2017. The last ballistic missile launch was in the spring. Yet Pyongyang continues to build a nuclear arsenal that poses a threat to its neighbours and could have devastating global consequences. The ballistic missile programme continues in full force.”

    2020-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1258 (2020) · source