YouSaid · the spoken record

Churkin

lines on the record: 3,923
first: 2006-05-16
most recent: 2017-02-02
sittings or episodes: 536
sources: un-security-council

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“However, in just a matter of days, there was a resumption ofthe so-called counter- terrorist, but actually punitive, operations - out and out violations of that agreement. In the south-east, there was a deployment of roughly 15,000 military personnel, tanks, armed vehicles, artillery, aircraft and subdivisions of Right Sector Banderists. As the first attempts to bring military pressure to bear on the south-east led to the defection of some Ukrainian military to the side of the protesters, today the sub-units are staffed by those from the west of the country. One might wonder what political and psychological effect that has had on the south-east and how it ties in with the task of ensuring the territorial integrity of the country.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7165 (2014) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The recent events in south-eastern Ukraine and the country as a whole are of the most serious concern. The Kyiv regime, spurred on by Western well-wishers, are stubbornly pushing the country to disaster. Today, Western colleagues have spoken many critical words regarding the activities of protesters in south-eastern Ukraine. If our Western colleagues had actually demonstrated a tenth of that commitment to maintaining order during the events at the Maidan then perhaps the current crisis could have been prevented. On 17 April in Geneva, agreement was reached that all sides should refrain from any types of violence, intimidation or provocation.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7165 (2014) · source
“We note with satisfaction that the Syrian authorities at this point have been able to remove over 92 per cent of the chemical agents from their country under the programme for the elimination of the Syrian chemical programme despite the serious challenges in the area of security, which have been deliberately ignored by many external players over the past several months. We hope for the successful holding of presidential elections in Lebanon. That would enable the effective functioning of all State structures to continue and for the Lebanese society to consolidate in the interests of stabilizing the situation and reducing inter-faith tensions. We strongly support the Lebanese people, as once again shown at the meeting held in Moscow last week between the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Lebanon.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“As is the case with the Palestinian and Israeli negotiations, we should seize any opportunity to find a political and negotiated solution in the Geneva framework. We consider terrorism to be the main threat, in the context of the Syrian conflict, and the so-called moderate opposition should decisively dissociate themselves from terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, J abhat al-Nusra and the Islamic Front and should broaden their negotiating delegation to include the patriotic forces and internal opposition. An important task, in our view, is to unite the Syrian forces to prevent the creation, in their country, of a stronghold of global terrorism and extremism.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“The mechanism for Russian/ Palestinian consultations for exchanges of views on the situation concerning the Palestinian track of the Middle East peace process is functioning. We are convinced that the main task remains a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the well-known international legal framework, with the goal of ensuring a peaceful and safe future for the peoples of Israel and Palestine. On the Syrian crisis, we see no alternative to a political and diplomatic settlement on the basis of the 2012 Geneva communique of the Action Group for Syria (S/2012/522, annex). We are in favour of rapidly launching a third round ofinter- Syrian talks, especially because the agenda has basically been agreed.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“In the current situation, we consider it to be of prime importance that all parties practice zero tolerance for such actions and any other actions that could be an obstacle to the negotiating efforts. Despite the complexity of the situation and the Middle East peace process, the Russian Federation is strongly convinced that it should not be abandoned, and will continue endeavour to resume the peace process, both bilaterally and in international forums, first and foremost within the Quartet. We note with satisfaction the recent increased activity of the Quartet, in particular its 2 April meeting in Jerusalem with special representatives. They hold regular teleconferences, and we are maintaining our contacts with both Israeli and Palestinian partners.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Overcoming the Palestinian divisions is a goal that the international community has hoped for in calling for a comprehensive settlement of the Middle East question. We are convinced that, without Palestinian unity, any agreements achieved between Palestine and Israel will not last. The national unity of the Palestinians should not be jeopardized. At this crucial moment, it is extremely important to not allow the Palestinian and Israeli issue to be derailed. To that end, the two parties must refrain from any provocative actions that would cause a deterioration in the situation, first and foremost in terms of settlement activity and the freezing of customs fees and duties to Palestine. We strongly condemn rocket launches against Israeli territory and any other terrorist acts, which cannot be justified.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“In that context, of extreme importance was the statement made by Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, at the meeting of the Palestinian Liberation Organization on 26 April in Ramallah, to the effect that the future technocratic Palestinian Government will adhere to the principle of the rejection of violence, the recognition of the State of Israel, and respect for previous agreements on the Middle East peace process. We in Moscow have always believed that, without the consolidation of the Palestinian ranks in line with the Palestine Liberation Organization platform and the Arab Peace Initiative, it will be impossible to realize the legal aspirations of the Palestinian people for a fair and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Serious differences on final status issues concerning the Palestinian territories were reaffirmed and the key problems remain the status of Jerusalem, the borders of the future Palestinian State, Israeli settlement activity and the Palestinian refugees. In that context, we are concerned about the decision of the Israeli Government, taken several days before the agreed deadline, to cease dialogue with the Palestinians. My country can only regret that such a decision was linked to the right of Palestine, as a non-member observer State of the United Nations, to participate in several international treaties and conventions. In addition, another reason cited by the Israelis for its decision was an agreement among Fatah, Hamas and other Palestinian organizations to form a national unity Government.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): Today, 29 April, is the deadline of the nine-month time frame set for reaching an agreement between the Palestinians and Israelis. From the beginning, we have supported that new round of peace talks on which, despite all the foreseen challenges, many hopes were laid. It is unfortunate that our worst fears have been realized. Once again, the monopolization of the negotiation process between the Israelis and the Palestinians by the United States of America was unjustified; the achievement of positive results in such circumstances was not possible.”
2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source
“We have invited our partners to participate in a dialogue on that subject, including through the letter that, as we know, President Putin sent to a number of Heads of European States.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“But how will Ukraine prepare for the negotiations? How will our Western partners prepare for it? That is an important question for us. It may not be a big secret, but as some of our colleagues know, we have tried through various formats to find a way to involve representatives of the region. Since the authorities themselves are incapable of launching a dialogue, we thought it might be done through this format. But the response to our proposal was negative. Let us see what will come of the Geneva meeting. Of course, we would hope that it would genuinely put Ukraine on a path to normal development whereby every region, every ethnic and religious group would know what to expect tomorrow. And then at that point we will be able to address Ukraine's economic problems.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“They are being told to go and elect a president on 25 May, but the kind of power that president will wield is completely unclear. What sort of Government will he preside over? Will he have the greater authority or will the Prime Minister? That was clearly the logical path for the intended agreement of 21 February - start out with constitutional reforms, then follow those with presidential elections. But no, that has all been turned on its head and some elections for deputies are being pushed forward. Is this really democracy? Is this really the way to a break with the past and the building of a new democratic Ukraine? Last of all, regarding the negotiations in Geneva - which we hope will take place - we are preparing diligently for them, if they are not torpedoed by these reckless activities of forces in south-eastern Ukraine.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Just as there were before, there are military camps on the Maidan; none of the far right-wingers have been disarmed. And these democrats, having failed to establish any kind of democracy in their stronghold in Kyiv, are now seeking to establish democracy - or law and order, as some of our colleagues have said - by sending armed forces into south-eastern Ukraine. There is your virtual reality. A number of my colleagues have approvingly mentioned the elections of 25 May. They are being prepared for, and we do not know how it will all get done, but who is worrying about that here? I have to agree with my Ukrainian colleague - I do not recall exactly what he said - that there must be a radical break with the accursed past, a radical change. But now the Ukrainian people are being asked to buy a pig in a poke.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“And some of them are making promises to the outside world, and they believe them. Are they so naive? It is interesting that this is not the first time we have seen this in the past few years. For some reason, some of our Western colleagues believe that if an armed coup - preferably an armed one - takes place, democrats will always come to power - that Thomas Jefferson will always take charge of the whole thing. But where do we see anybody in Kyiv in power who might have a serious reputation in democratic politics? There are no such people there. Have these pseudo- democrats done anything to ensure that something resembling democracy will emerge even in Kyiv? In the Verkhovna Rada there are nothing but fistfights. Anyone who protests is forcibly ejected.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Indeed, I found myself thinking about just that phrase when I was listening to the statements of some of our colleagues. People have come to power in Kyiv by military means. Many of them have the sort of reputation that would make you think twice about shaking their hands. In 2012, the European Parliament resolved that there was no way any coalition could be struck with them. They seem to make promises of some sort, but they do not keep any of them. For instance, they undertook to disarm people in Kyiv. They did not do so. Were any objective investigations conducted into the violence that took place in Kyiv in February, and perhaps in the crisis that was ongoing before that? A Prosecutor General appeared who was also a representative of a political party and said that the former authorities were to blame for everything.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Why did the representative of the United States not say the same things here in the United Nations, in Washington, DC, or in its numerous talks with the Kyiv authorities? Perhaps then this crisis would not have occurred. Of course it is not good when citizens take up arms, but in Kyiv, when the issue of illegal units came up, one statistic emerged to the effect that there were 3 million illegal firearms in Ukraine. But when people are worried about their well-being and are trying to defend themselves somehow, how can they not arm themselves? That is undoubtedly understandable, although from the point of View of lawfulness, in the normal sense of the word, it naturally raises questions. My French colleague brought up an excellent phrase, "virtual reality".”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“It is true that he did say some of the right things, which later were essentially contradicted by his colleague Mr. Turchynov, who on the following day said that military force should be used against the south-eastern region. I now turn to the statement made by my respected colleague from the United States. She said something quite true, which is that it is not good when an opposition takes up arms and seizes administrative buildings. It is annoying, however, that this understanding on the part of the United States representative has come too late. For instance, why was it not expressed in January, when Kyiv was in turmoil that was several degrees more intense than what we are seeing in the cities of eastern Ukraine.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“But some people are still sitting there, waiting for us to explain our concerns. Maybe they are simply not listening; or perhaps they do not want to listen. That is quite another issue. Turning to the second aspect of this issue, it is of course good that our concerns are listened to and understood, but the important thing is to understand the concerns of the people of Ukraine, and in this case to understand the concerns of the people of south-eastern and southern Ukraine. What has the Kyiv leadership of Ukraine done to listen to their concerns? Mr. Yatsenyuk visited the Donbas region. He did not even meet with any of the protesters. He met with his friends, with oligarchs - people whom the Kyiv leadership has appointed to various positions.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“I would now like to say a few words about the statements made by some of my other colleagues in the Security Council. Needless to say, many aspects of our discussion are reminiscent of a broken record, and indeed we have already gone over this subject a dozen times, but some things said by my colleagues today were genuinely startling. For example, our British colleague said that Russia should explain its concerns. We have made numerous statements at the highest levels. We have explained our concerns at the level of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Our United Nations delegation has repeatedly gone into great detail in spelling out our vision of how we - together with the Ukrainians and those members of the international community who are ready to do so - propose to work to help Ukraine extricate itself from this crisis.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Sergeyev's new leadership took was to shut down the Russian-language versions of all its ministerial department websites. He cited a great many figures; I have one. According to my information, of the 195 Russian schools that existed in Kyiv in the 19905, five remain. In order to enter any Ukrainian university, a candidate has to do an interview in Ukrainian. While Ukrainian is close to Russian, it is still a language that has to be studied separately, so Russians have to struggle with Ukrainian in order to get through the university entrance interview. However, this is a major subject that deserves separate discussion and consideration, which would include the rights of Ukrainians in Russia. Of course, Ukrainians in Russia do not all live in a compact area, unlike the Russians living in Ukraine.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“An agreement between the Russian and Tatarstan authorities to work together on this issue is already in place. The Council therefore has no need to worry about the fate of the Crimean Tatars. Over the past two and a half decades since Ukraine became independent, the Crimean Tatars have struggled with what we in Russian call a wretched existence. That condition will now come to an end, although it will probably take some time. Turning now to another topic that is not appropriate for the Security Council, but my Ukrainian colleague wrongly characterized what I said about the Russian language in Ukraine. What I said was that the Russian language is gradually being pushed out of circulation. And that is exactly the case. The first step that Mr.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“That is simply nonsense, and a crude provocation. The new Constitution that has already been adopted in Crimea, for instance, actually strengthens Tatar as a third official language in Crimea, which it never was before, alongside Russian and Ukrainian. High-level positions in Crimea's ministerial departments have been reserved for representatives of the Tatars, which was also not the case previously. Moreover, the Crimean Tatars will be able to take advantage of the fact that not only will their social, economic and other issues be dealt with by the Russian authorities, who are giving them the attention they need, but that this will be done with the help of Tatarstan, one of the strongest, most powerful and successful subjects of the Russian Federation.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): First of all, I feel compelled to pause on various assertions that my Ukrainian colleague just made in his statement. I cannot analyse his entire statement, particularly since it is impossible to figure out which parts of his speech are his own and which parts are borrowed from some mystery source, the when and where of whose proclamations are unknown. In any case, of course, he is responsible for everything that was said. We will not discuss the situation in Crimea in the Security Council, or at least not under the rubric of the situation in Ukraine. But he made one assertion that is simply crude provocation that I cannot ignore, which is that the Tatar population of Crimea believes there will be a third act in the history of genocide against them, and so forth.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Let us see how its future reports reflect the violence being unleashed on the south-east of the country thanks to the Kyiv authorities. We advise all who champion human rights in this country through deeds rather than words to pay special attention to the actions of Kyiv's self-proclaimed authorities, who threaten the east and south-east with enforced pacification, inflicting brutal, massive violations of human rights, especially on the Russian and Russian-speaking populations of those regions.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Simonovie about the situation in Crimea, that region has declared itself a subject of the Russian Federation and therefore cannot in principle be an object of the discussion in today's meeting on the situation in Ukraine, and would not serve the purposes of that discussion. We get the impression that the report was fabricated based on conclusions formulated in advance whose political orientation Mr. Simonovic' expressed in a statement about the results of his first visit to Ukraine in March. In general, we are obliged to conclude that the report undermines the credibility of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as an impartial defender of human rights. We will continue to closely monitor the work of the mission.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“As if the Ukrainian authorities' continued attempts to hinder objective coverage of the situation, their threats against and intimidation of journalists, their refusal to allow representatives of foreign media into the country did not exist. Concern about this situation has been expressed not only by credible non-governmental organizations such as Reporters without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, but also by the European Commission. How can we possibly talk about respect for human rights and the rule of law if even presidential candidates in Ukraine - Oleg Tsarev and Mikhail Dobkin - are being attacked, and Ukraine's Parliament has finally been turned into a type of might- makes-right democracy? With regard to the OHCHR report and today's baseless fabrications by Mr.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“There have been numerous cases of harassment and of Ukrainian nationalists and radicals' use of physical violence against representatives of the former authorities as well as those who simply disagree with the current regime. In recent examples, on 7 April participants in a congress ofjustices were mocked and insulted. On the night of 15 April the headquarters of the Communist Party of Ukraine in Sumy was destroyed. Unfortunately, the authors of the report preferred to ignore this scandalous evidence of the lawless acts of supporters of the current regime in Kyiv. Instead, it is packed with references to the testimony of various anonymous witnesses who saw or heard something, somewhere. The report's assessment of the situation as it relates to freedom of speech and the press does not stand up to scrutiny.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Those who foment incitement to murder and violence based on ethnicity are criminals. They should be promptly arrested and brought to justice in compliance with Ukraine's international obligations, including in the area of human rights, not acting as the backbone of the National Guard and the current ruling elite. Despite the fact that the report rightly calls Ukrainian society bilingual, the true position of the Russian-speaking population is not reflected in it at all. We should remember that at different times they are referred to as non-natives, a minority, aliens, invaders. The Russian language is gradually being pushed out of circulation.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“The raging chauvinism in western and central Ukraine whipped up by right-wing and other far-right groups is presented only in the characterization the right of minorities to participate in political life is not fully taken into account. Nothing is said of the public calls to incite national hatred and even destroy the Russian population. The pronouncements of the leader of the parliamentary Freedom party refer to liberating Ukraine from the so-called Moskal'sko-Zhidovskaia mafia - for those who have not heard this gangster slang before, it means Russians and Jews. I would like to recall that this individual, according to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, appears in fifth place on the list of the most rabid anti-Semites in Europe. For all practical purposes, this party is now in charge of the military and other forces in Kyiv.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Attacks by illegal armed security groups and the pillaging of administrative buildings by radicals miraculously qualify in the report as peaceful protests, while demonstrations by Ukrainian citizens in the country's eastern regions are declared to be illegal acts. The report states credulously that the Ukrainian Government is apparently firmly committed to breaking with past injustices and elaborating a new vision for Ukraine's future. It omits inconvenient facts that testify to the fact that from day one this Government's activities have been carried out in an atmosphere of violence and lawlessness that it has itself created. The report gives no attention whatever to the highly dangerous trend towards the uncontrolled growth of aggressive nationalism and neo-Nazism. In fact, the term "neo-Nazism" is delicately not used at all.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“It must be made to begin genuine constitutional reform, not a cosmetic version. Right now it is vital that we receive accurate information about what is happening in Ukraine. If the internationalists want to justify their presence in the country, they should assess the evolving situation objectively and impartially. Unfortunately, the report published yesterday by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights suggests the opposite. The document is one-sided and biased. Its drafters preferred not to notice that the current authorities in Ukraine acquired that status through an armed coup, not civilized democratic elections.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“The Ukrainians must launch a dialogue, provided that it is inclusive and comprehensive. Every region and political force in the country, without exception, should participate in it on equal terms and with the same right to decisions on the pressing issues. All of that should be reflected in a thoroughly reformed Constitution that Ukraine's multiethnic society would perceive as trustworthy, based on a foundation of a legitimate Government with a long-term perspective. Without that, it will be difficult for Ukraine to remain unified or resolve its current tangle ofurgent problems. The plan is to make this subject the main topic at the Geneva meeting, which for now is still on the agenda, and it should be the basic task of the international community when it expresses its concern about what is happening in Ukraine.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Is that not why the self-proclaimed leaders of Kyiv are deploying the right-wing militants and other illegal militias behind whose bayonets they actually came to power? For example, people in black uniforms - not belonging to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence or internal troops - were sent into Kramatorsk. Who do those elements answer to? Of course, it is hardly likely that anyone can have any illusions about the independence of Kyiv's actions. And that raises the question that perhaps the coup scenario for Kyiv was suggested by the countries whose senior emissaries are constantly whispering things in the ears of the Ukrainian leaders they sponsor. The recipe for a way out of the massive internal political crisis afflicting Ukraine is both simple and complicated.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Those who usurped power in Kyiv through a violent Government coup have now taken the route of ignoring the legitimate demands of the inhabitants of south- eastern Ukraine and exercising the unconstitutional use of military force in order to pacify their own people, whom they blasphemously call bandits and terrorists. Such reckless steps are fraught with the potential to unleash a real civil war in Ukraine. The first blood has already been shed. The citizens of the south-east have repeatedly warned the authorities that they are ready to act as human shields. In a number of areas regular units of the Ukrainian army and internal forces have openly refused to shoot at their fellow countrymen. There have been cases where soldiers have gone over to the side of the people.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The recent events in south-east Ukraine are of great concern. On 13 April, having convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council (see S/PV.7154), the Russian delegation has insistently called upon a number of members of the Council to use all tools available to them to prevent the use of force in the crisis in the eastern regions of Ukraine. In response, we have heard a number of ambiguous statements, with some delegations expressing their understanding for the plans of the Ukrainian authorities to use force against their fellow countrymen. The result is obvious.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7157 (2014) · source
“In that context, determining genuine priorities and appropriate goals is highly important. Theoretical research, when truly necessary, should be fully integrated into the framework of existing international legal foundations. Today as we mourn with the people of Rwanda, we should remember that our fragile world requires our joint efforts in order to meet its current challenges.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“It is important to understand once and for all that a policy of accommodating such forces can lead to the most tragic and destructive results. It was no surprise that the need to protect and promote the fundamental rights of minorities, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, race or religion, was raised yet again at the recent International Conference on Genocide Prevention in Brussels. Similarly, the importance of measures to prevent incitement to violence based on ethnic or religious hatred was also underscored. We call on all countries to effectively strengthen international and regional cooperation to achieve those goals in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. That should be the focus of the Secretariat, particularly of the Special Adviser to the Secretary- General on the Prevention of Genocide.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“Indeed, the United Nations betrayed Rwanda and the cost of that betrayal was approximately 1 million human lives. What conclusion can we draw today as we commemorate such a tragic anniversary? We must continue the work being carried out by the United Nations to correct our mistakes. Yet such mistakes continue to be made, as evidenced by what is being proposed by several Security Council members with regard to the establishment of a United Nations mission in Syria, which would somehow supposedly to stop the violence and give the Security Council more objective information on what is going on there. It is important to stop using political forces that preach nationalistic and sometimes extremist ideas for short-term goals.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“The commission came to the conclusion that the main reason for the United Nations total failure to prevent the genocide was that States, and even the itself Organization itself, lacked sufficient political will for decisive action, even though all the necessary instruments and the legal basis required for making decisions already existed. However, somebody raised the issue of protecting staff in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda or helping to save their compatriots who were in the country. Someone thought first and foremost about their internal political needs and someone thought about maintaining their political influence in the country. And someone simply did not pay sufficient attention to the horrifying news coming from Kigali, attributing it instead to the particularities of the African continent.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“Nevertheless, in the late twentieth century, the international community was able neither to recognize in time the signs of distress coming from a small African country, nor to rescue its people. One of the most horrifying instances of genocide occurred before our eyes with almost complete inaction on the part of the United Nations. How was that possible? In 1994, there was already a United Nations peacekeeping Mission in Rwanda. Why was it powerless in the face of the horrific bloodshed that led to the genocide? We believe that the answer to those questions lies in the conclusions of the report of the commission to carry out an independent inquiry into the actions of the United Nations during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda (see S/l999/l257, annex), which was created in the wake of the Rwandan tragedy.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“The Russian people, some of whom were sentenced by the Nazis, like many other peoples were, to physical annihilation, paid a ghastly price - the lives of tens of millions of fallen soldiers and civilians, women, the elderly and children. It seems that humankind has not learned the bloody lessons of history. Nazi criminals were tried and, as a result of the Victory over fascism, we established a new international system. The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the 1968 Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity were adopted. They have allowed certain actions to be qualified as genocide and ensured that there is legal accountability for them.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I would like to thank Mr. Jan Eliasson and Mr. Keating for their briefings. We listened with great emotion and attention to the statement made by the representative of Rwanda. Today we remember the tragic events of 1994 in Rwanda, which for the past 20 years have evoked in the international community not only a feeling of horror, but also a deep sense of guilt for the slaughter that took place at end of the twentieth century - events that could and should have been prevented. The history of the last century, and especially the terrible lessons of the Second World War, should have taught us that signs of genocide must be fought with resolve and without pandering to those who espouse a xenophobic ideology for short-term political goals.”
2014-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7155 (2014) · source
“Do their own life experience and understanding of the situation in their own country count for nothing? How will those things influence them? Secondly, with regard to the statement made by my American colleague Ms. Power, she did not mention her view on the decree to use armed force in eastern Ukraine. I hope that, as the Ukrainian representative has called for, following today's discussion some Western colleagues and partners will pick up the telephone and call their leaders and those in Kyiv with whom they enjoy influence, who may not act unless they get the green light from Western capitals. I would ask my colleagues to give them the red light and tell them that problems can be resolved through dialogue and not military confrontation.”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I shall not take up much ofthe Council's time. I should just like to say two things. First, the representative of Ukraine is far too easy in characterizing his own people as bandits. The Right Sector and those who say the demonstrators should be killed are not bandits; they are simply the political elite of Kyiv. Are not those who are protesting in eastern Ukraine able to do so without Russia's say-so? Do they need Russia to say that events in Kyiv are unacceptable before they are able to grasp that? When radicals come to tell the miners of that region that they will establish their own order - surely the miners can understand that without a hint from Russia? Are the protesters able to understand how bad things have become only when Russian agents come to explain the situation to them?”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source
“If armed force is used and hostilities take place tomorrow, are we really going to sign off on that meeting? Of course, that initiative is going to be fundamentally undermined if military operations are commenced in south-eastern Ukraine. Please, let us refrain from any accusations or speculation as to why Russia is trying to do what it is doing. Let us focus our attention on what we can actually do in this case. Here I am speaking to my Western colleagues. Let us ensure that we do not permit the Ukrainian authorities to commit the reckless actions that are currently enshrined in the criminal decree by Mr. Turchynov, and let us stop that decree from being implemented. That would have extremely significant consequences, first and foremost for the people of Ukraine, of course. That needs to be avoided.”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source
“I would therefore request Ms. Power to ask Vice-President Biden to call Mr. Turchynov right now, because in a few hours' time things might take an irreversible turn. Many colleagues mentioned the meeting that was announced for 17 April. Indeed, for some months now, in particular during the period after 21 February, we have constantly encouraged such formats for dialogue as a possible way to achieve a solution to the crisis. We agreed in principle that the meeting would take place among the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Secretary of State Kerry, Ms. Ashton and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. We very much hope that such a high-level meeting will encourage a broad political dialogue in Ukraine and show the way towards a political solution to the crisis. But what does the Council think?”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source
“But maybe he should not wait for 21 April. Maybe he should go right now. Pick up the phone, call Mr. Turchynov - as he called President Yanukovych more than once before 21 February - and say to him what he said to Mr. Yanukovych. As we were informed by the Vice-President's Chief of Staff, he said, "For God's sake, just do not use force. Call off your forces from the centre of Kyiv". That was what Mr. Biden said. And now, is the United States going to encourage the fulfilment of this criminal decree authorizing the use of military force? Why, in one case, when it was a question of preparations to storm the residence of the President of Ukraine, the call was that under no circumstances should force be used, while in the current situation, it is to encourage the insane military actions that Turchynov's decree talks about?”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source
“Kerry continually claims to understand our concern that in contacts with the Ukrainian authorities genuine efforts should be made to ensure that they demonstrate a better grasp of the concerns of the south-eastern regions of Ukraine regarding a definition of their autonomy, independence and language rights. And then suddenly one ofthe United States Deputy Secretaries of State gets up in Congress and says, we know that these talks will not lead anywhere, but we have to occupy the time somehow. "Occupy the time." So, really, maybe somebody in Washington, DC, is thinking about Turchynov's military offensive scenario. In which case, there is no need to accuse Russia of attempting destabilization. The representative of the United States noted that Vice-President Biden will be going to Ukraine, it seems, on 21 April.”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source
“From the very beginning, all we said was that it was essential to conclude that agreement; that perhaps a constitutional assembly should be convoked; and that some decisive gesture should be made towards the south-eastern regions of Ukraine. Was any such gesture made? Finally, Mr. Yatsenyuk came, said something and left. Then Mr. Turchynov came the next day and did not seem to agree with him. It seemed they preferred to use force. Incidentally, some very worrying tones have crept into our numerous contacts with our Western colleagues. As the Council knows, our Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sergei Lavrov, has been talking to Secretary of State Kerry on the phone almost every day.”
2014-04-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7154 (2014) · source