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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“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are deeply disturbed by the present momentum of affairs in the Middle East peace process, or, rather, the lack of it. Trust between Palestinians and Israelis is close to zero. Israel's settlement activities are reaching alarming levels. Acts by Jewish extremists in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, are also intensifying. The desecration of both Christian and Islamic religious sites is unacceptable, especially under conditions where interreligious and intercultural relations in the region are already tense. There are periodic rumblings around the Gaza Strip. We condemn the shelling of Israeli territory, which threatens the lives of the civilian population, as well as the actions from the Israeli side that injure peaceful Palestinians.”
2012-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6847 (2012) · source
“Russia is prepared to do its utmost to develop regional cooperation in the interest of Afghanistan in those areas that could be of true benefit to that country. We are open to partnerships with all interested countries in implementing projects that are meaningful for Afghanistan. We also continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. We are confident that more coherent and coordinated regional efforts and the implementation of the obligations undertaken by members of the international community will contribute to ensuring the sustainable development of Afghanistan and the prosperity of its people, and will help to restore an independent, peaceful Afghanistan that is free from terrorism and drug crime.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“The possibility of involving different individuals in a dialogue must be approached very carefully, taking into account the sanctions regime established by the Security Council. We oppose behind-the- scenes contacts with Taliban groups that circumvent the Government of Afghanistan, which could send misleading signals as to the genuine intentions of the international community in the context of an Afghan settlement. The regional dimension of an Afghan settlement is growing in importance. In that regard, and in combination with existing regional mechanisms, it is important to develop the Istanbul process, clearly with the active role of the United Nations. We support the approach of the Kabul Conference to strengthen regional cooperation, including through the implemention of agreed confidence-building measures.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“We also intend to continue to work within the framework of regional organizations - the SCO, the CSTO and the quartet of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan. National reconciliation is one way to ensure the peaceful settlement of the Afghan problem. We support the position of the Afghan Government in the context of that process. It has been approved by the Security Council and provides for a dialogue with those who have rejected violence to achieve their political aims, who do not maintain ties to Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and who recognize and comply with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Fulfilling those criteria is a prerequisite for removing individuals from the sanctions regime.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“However, addressing those problems requires a comprehensive approach, with the United Nations playing a coordinating role. We are confident that ISAF, regardless of its withdrawal timetable from Afghanistan, needs to enhance the effectiveness of its counter-narcotics efforts. Particular attention and decisive action are needed for the challenge of destroying drug crops and heroin laboratories. Unfortunately, our persistent attempts to work out cooperation with NATO in that area via regional mechanisms, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), are being doggedly rebuffed. We intend to continue to work within the Moscow- Paris Pact, which has become one of the more effective international tools for countering the drug threat.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“Its mission must be to remain the coordinator of international civilian efforts to assist in stabilization, while focusing activities on strengthening Afghan sovereignty and on the leading role of Afghans in governing their country. The consequences of reducing the mission force for operational activities must be fully explored. The issues of optimizing the participation of Afghan regions must be addressed together with the Afghan Government and taking into account the security situation in different areas of the country. The situation remains unacceptable with respect to the illegal production, trade and trafficking in drugs in the country, which poses a threat to international peace and stability. We note the efforts of the Afghan Government to destroy opium poppy crops and fight illegal drug trafficking.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“If the fight against terrorism needs to continue, there will have to be an extension of the mandate by the Security Council. In either the case, a residual military presence should not be used against the interests of Afghanistan's neighbours and the countries of the region. That is specifically why we look forward to a constructive dialogue regarding that mandate, troop strength and the objectives of any possible future NATO operation in Afghanistan. That can be established solely under a decision of the Security Council and only once the ISAF reports to the Council that it has fulfilled its existing mandate. In the context of an ISAF withdrawal, it is clear that the role of the United Nations in the Afghan settlement will grow.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“The reduction in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troop strength should be offset by the qualitative enhancement of the combat readiness of the Afghan security forces, so that when the time comes for the international force to depart, the Afghan Government will have its own capabilities for maintaining law and order in order to be able to fully ensure security. Russia will continue to provide Afghan forces with assistance in that area. We have questions with respect to the contradictory statements that foreign troops will leave Afghanistan in 2014, while foreign bases will remain. We would like to have full clarity. If the counter-terrorist mission is completed, that means that foreign bases are being maintained for some other aim not related to the Afghan challenge.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“The terrorists are essentially being pushed northward, from where they penetrate into the Central Asian countries. That is a direct threat to the stability of the region. We are alarmed by the wave of terrorist acts that has engulfed the country, against the backdrop of the rapidly advancing transfer responsibilities and the withdrawal of foreign troops. We express our condolences to our South African colleagues with respect to the death of a South African national during the attack on Kabul on 18 September.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Kubis for his analysis of the situation in Afghanistan. We listened carefully to the statement of the Afghan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Rassoul. Russia is interested in seeing Afghanistan become a peaceful, stable, democratic nation. Naturally, we hope that the threats posed by terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from that country will be fully eradicated. Regrettably, as made clear by the spate of recent incidents, the country continues to face a complex security situation both in remote regions and in the capital itself. We are particularly concerned by the renewed extremism in the north of the country, where only three years ago the situation was relatively calm.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source
“We are pleased that our Western partners, including the five plus one group, listened to the approach that was put forward jointly by the Russian and Chinese delegations, which, as a whole, was reflected in the text of the Board of Directors' resolution. The language in the resolution is aimed at stepping up dialogue between Iran and the IAEA and establishing a consistent negotiations process between the five plus one group and Iran. Those measures will foster a political and diplomatic settlement to the situation regarding Iran's nuclear programme based on the principles of consistency and reciprocity and in line with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The resolution contains no threats or judgements by any party. We hope that such readiness for dialogue will guide all parties in future work in this area.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6839 (2012) · source
“Moreover, we are convinced that the effectiveness of the sanctions regime and the unified and collective nature of international efforts in dealing with the situation concerning Iran's nuclear programme as a whole are undermined by additional unilateral restrictions. In a number of cases, these restrictions are extraterritorial in nature, which is categorically unacceptable from an international legal point of view. We are pleased with the contents of the resolution on the situation concerning Iran's nuclear programme adopted a week ago in Vienna during the meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The resolution was supported by the overwhelming majority of the 35 members of the Board. Such a result bears witness to the document's quality and its considered and balanced nature.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6839 (2012) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), Mr. Ne'stor Osorio, for his briefing on the work of the Committee. We are pleased to note that the Committee has acted in a balanced and objective manner, not overstepping its mandate. Such work must continue in the future. We are also grateful to the Committee's Panel of Experts for their assistance. It is important for the Panel to continue to work in an impartial and independent manner, using only reliable sources and verified information. The Russian Federation fully upholds all Security Council resolutions with respect to Iran.”
2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6839 (2012) · source
“That is the basis for Russia's decision to continue its persistent efforts in dealing with the Syrian Government and with the opposition groups. We call upon other responsible members of the international community to do the same. We welcome the appointment of Mr. Brahimi as Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on Syria and will provide him with assistance towards a political settlement in Syria along with our firm, principled support.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“The international community cannot remain aloof to the attempts of extremist elements and terrorists to further destabilize the situation in Syria, in particular the repressive acts against ethnic and religious minorities. We anticipate that today's meeting will facilitate a strengthening of the common denominator in our positions, in the interest of coordinated leverage on the conflicting parties so as to encourage them to immediately end the bloodshed and make it possible to address the pressing humanitarian problems of the Syrian people, particularly since we already have a consensus basis in that context in the form of the relevant Security Council resolutions, Mr. Annan's plan and the final communique of the Action Group for Syria.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“We regret that, owing to the positions of a number of Security Council members, we were unable to extend the mandate of the United Nations Supervision Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic, which played a certain deterrent role in the crisis. The Office ofthe Joint Special Envoy in Damascus, which is being established, must quickly begin its active work on the ground, which we hope will help the Syrians to end the vicious cycle of violence. One of the near-term practical jobs of the Office, as we see it, is to assist in carrying out a careful, impartial inquiry into all of the circumstances related to the latest tragic events and acts of violence against civilians.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“Allow me to put this directly: not all of the ideas voiced here are in keeping with those criteria. In general, humanitarian assistance must be carried out strictly within the framework of international law. It is quite clear that the primary cause ofthe plight of the Syrian people is the ongoing hostilities. Therefore, the core challenge, at this point in time, is the ceasefire. All belligerents must halt their activities and cease all armed confrontation and move their conflict into the political realm. Any other approach will lead only to a worsening of the crisis, including the humanitarian cr1s1s. Today, not only has there been no decline in the level of violence in Syria but it has continued to worsen.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“The sanctions imposed in circumvention of the Security Council have nothing in common with genuine efforts to assist in settling the Syrian crisis. They simply complicate the life of common citizens and deny them the opportunity to meet their basic needs and fully enjoy basic human rights. That is not only our conclusion, but also the conclusion of the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. We call upon the nations that have imposed sanctions against Syria to immediately lift them. We cannot accept the efforts of individual States to use pseudo-humanitarian arguments to justify their financial, material, technical or logistical support to illegal armed groups. When implementing humanitarian activities, it is critical to continue to fully comply with the principles of neutrality and impartiality.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“We welcome the activities of the international entities, above all OCHA, in providing international humanitarian assistance to suffering Syrians. Humanitarian organizations and agencies must have access to the sites in neighbouring countries where there are Syrian refugees, in order to properly assess the situation and provide appropriate assistance. We underscore the importance of implementing the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees regional plan to assist refugees. The humanitarian situation in Syria has been negatively impacted by unilateral economic sanctions and restrictions imposed by individual countries and regional associations. We fundamentally oppose such practices.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“The bulk of humanitarian assistance today is going to the refugee camps in Syria's neighbouring countries, and they truly need that assistance. However, the population living within Syrian territory clearly lacks access to the humanitarian assistance that is being provided through various channels. There is an urgent need to earmark additional resources to assist all affected Syrians, including IDPs. Russia is actively providing Syria with humanitarian assistance, both bilaterally and through international organizations. We have provided targeted donor contributions in the millions of dollars to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Food Programme and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and direct humanitarian assistance has also been delivered.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“The majority of the Syrian population has experienced the consequences of the chaos. Both belligerent parties bear responsibility for the plight of common citizens. We call upon the Syrian leadership and leaders of the opposition, including the armed opposition, to prevent a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. We note the efforts of the Government of Syria aimed at providing assistance to those suffering. It is important that a plan has been agreed upon for a humanitarian response. In accordance with it, international humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organizations working with local authorities and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are carrying out humanitarian activities in Syria.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We welcome France's initiative in convening today's meeting. We thank Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson for the assessments he provided. Mr. Guterres also shared critical information with us. We have paid particular attention to the statements made by the Ministers representing Syria's neighbouring countries. The trends in the developing humanitarian situation in Syria cannot but arouse deep concern. There is an increase in the number of civilian victims and an increase in refugees, who now number more than 200,000. The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has surpassed 1 million, while 2.5 million Syrians require assistance. The situation is even more dramatic given that there are more than 1.5 million refugees from other countries in Syria.”
2012-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6826 (2012) · source
“We are ready to afford both the opposition and the Government a negotiation platform in Moscow to forge contacts to unify the opposition and for possible negotiations between representatives of the Government and the opposition. In conclusion, a lot of attention has been paid to the recent statement by the representative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Syria with regard to the possible use of chemical weapons in case of foreign aggression. We assume that the authorities of the country will continue to abide unswervingly by the international commitments they subscribed to in 1968 when they acceded to the 1925 Geneva Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“The situation is dangerous because the opposition, a significant part of which does not wish to even hear of dialogue, is being told to continue with the armed struggle, which only exacerbates the confrontations and destabilization. The United States of America has recently spoken of its intention to circumvent the Security Council. In essence, that is nothing new as such a policy has been followed by Washington and a number of other capitals since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, which has significantly exacerbated it. It is therefore those Member States that should bear the burden of responsibility for the likely catastrophic consequences of those actions. The Russian Federation intends to continue to work towards a consensus in order to reach an internal Syrian dialogue.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“We advocate the rapid peaceful settlement of the crisis by the Syrians themselves, without foreign interference, through national dialogue between the Government and the opposition, during which they could freely, democratically and without any preconditions determine the future order of the country. That position is fully in keeping with the Geneva communique (S/2012/523, annex), which laid the foundation for the activity of Kofi Annan's Action Group for Syria. Against the backdrop of an unfolding spiral of violence, intense pressure on both Damascus and all of the opposition groups and strict compliance with Kofi Annan's plan and the Geneva agreements are needed.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“The vulgar forms of pressure that the Palestinian people are subjected to in their desire to fulfil those legitimate aspirations should be condemned. The unanimous adoption by the Security Council on 20 July of resolution 2059 (2012) on extending the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria served as an important indication of the need for both sides, including the opposition, to cease violence. The Council's unanimity demonstrates its ability to achieve consensus. We are referring, in that regard, to tried, tested and balanced political decisions. In backing the work of the Mission, Russia has recently informed the Secretariat of its readiness to contribute 30 military observers to it. The position of the Russian Federation is consistent in nature and is based on principle.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“Without that, a full-fledged negotiating process and the practical implementation of agreements cannot be considered. The logical conclusion of that process should be the reunification of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under legitimate Palestinian authorities. In that regard, we welcome the efforts of Egypt's new leadership, headed by President Morsy. For many months now, the members of the Security Council have had on the table before them an application by the Palestinians for admission to the United Nations as a full-fledged Member State. We back the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people for self-determination and see no incompatibility between the implementation of those rights and the pressing need to resume negotiations.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“That policy of creating a fait accompli blatantly violates the requirements of the road map and aims to prejudice the outcome of final status negotiations. Such activity is illegal and must end immediately. It is regrettable that the veto by the United States of America on a draft resolution on settlements (see S/PV.6484) prevented the Council from expressing itself on such an important political and humanitarian issue. We are seriously concerned about the deterioration in the grave humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which is fuelling radical activity. Restoring Palestinian national unity on the basis of the Palestine Liberation Organization platform and the Arab Peace Initiative is an important element in the success of a future settlement.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“For Israel that could include, for example, releasing Palestinian detainees held in Israelijails since before the Oslo Agreement and allowing the transfer to the Palestinian Authority of goods, including those of Russian manufacture stored in Jordan. In that connection, we welcome the decision by Israeli authorities to transfer tax and customs revenues to the Palestinians. That step, just as the financial assistance provided by Saudi Arabia, should have a positive impact on the socio-economic situation in the Palestinian territories. The ongoing Israeli settlement activity, including in East Jerusalem, is impeding the establishment of a conducive climate and destroying the prospects for a two-State solution.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“We must also point out the stalemate with regard to implementing the programme of action for a final settlement before the end of 2012, pursuant to the now almost year-old statement of the Quartet issued in New York (see SG/2178). In spite of the efforts of the Quartet and other interested parties, including Jordan, we have thus far not succeeded in relaunching the negotiating process. However, that is not a reason to give up. We will continue to work within the framework of the Quartet and bilateral channels to restore positive momentum to the process. Steps to promote an atmosphere of trust between Ramallah and Tel Aviv could help to break the deadlock.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“Putin during his recent visits and talks with the leaders of Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. At the same time, as we have underscored repeatedly, the events of the Arab Spring cannot be used as a pretext to postpone resolving issues related to an Arab-Israeli settlement. Quite to the contrary, progress towards a comprehensive, fair and robust peace between Israelis and Palestinians on the basis of the well-known international legal platform would promote the overall normalization of the situation in the region. Unfortunately, the situation with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian track continues to stagnate. The status quo is, quite obviously, fragile, and it is periodically interrupted by flare-ups of confrontation, which further jeopardizes the prospects for achieving a just settlement on the basis of the two-State solution.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): No one here doubts that the transformative processes that have engulfed the Middle East are serious and long-term in nature. Their impact is often difficult to predict and will continue for a long time to come. Russia, which has unswervingly supported the yearning of the peoples of the region for a better life, consistently champions non-violent and evolutionary forms of change - which should not be achieved at the cost of loss of life and destruction. Any internal political differences must be resolved peaceably by the peoples concerned themselves, through national dialogue and without outside interference, especially interference involving force. That principled approach was reaffirmed by Russian President Vladimir V.”
2012-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6816 (2012) · source
“It is important to continue to have the international community back the Special Envoys so they can continue their work on settling the crisis in Syria. As far as the political basis for the Special Envoy's work is concerned, that is covered by the outcome document of the Geneva conference (S/2012/523, annex), which all responsible members of the international community, as well as the Syrian parties, should be guided by.”
2012-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6810 (2012) · source
“The Western members of the Council have refused to work on the text of the draft resolution (S/2012/547, Rev.2) submitted by the Russian delegation. Its thrust is to bring the members of the Security Council together to further back the Kofi Annan peace plan and to extend the mandate of the Supervision Mission in Syria. We believe that continued confrontation in the Security Council is useless and counter-productive, and for that reason, we will not submit our draft resolution to a vote. In the present conditions, we would consider it right for the Security Council to adopt a brief de-politicized resolution on a technical extension of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria mandate for a specific period of time. It would be useful to preserve the useful potential of the Mission, even if it is limited in its time.”
2012-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6810 (2012) · source
“This has led to an escalation of the conflict - one that has reached such tragic proportions. Instead of contributing to enhancing the efforts of the international community to settle the crisis in Syria, as provided for in the Geneva document of 30 June 2012 (S/2021/523, annex), the sponsors of the draft resolution that just failed have attempted to fan the flames of confrontation in the Security Council. The draft just voted on was biased. The threats of sanctions were levelled exclusively at the Government of Syria. That runs counter to the spirit of the Geneva document and does not reflect the realities in the country today. Their approach is especially ambiguous given what took place yesterday in Damascus. I am referring to the grave terrorist attack.”
2012-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6810 (2012) · source
“Instead of levelling crude insinuations against the policy of the Russian Federation, which for the whole period of the conflict in Syria has never slackened in its efforts to find a political solution to the situation and provide key support for the mission of the United Nations-Arab League Joint Special Envoy, Mr. Kofi Annan, the Western members of the Council, which today made unacceptable statements, could have done something, anything, to promote dialogue between the Syrian parties and prevent the further militarization of the Syrian crisis, rather than fan the flames of extremists, including terrorist groups. These Pharisees have been pushing their own geopolitical intentions, which have nothing in common with the legitimate interests of the Syrian people.”
2012-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6810 (2012) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The vote that just took place should not have taken place at all. The sponsors of the draft resolution just rejected (S/2012/538) were well aware that it simply stood no chance of being adopted. The Russian delegation had very clearly and consistently explained that we simply cannot accept a document, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, that would open the way for the pressure of sanctions and later for external military involvement in Syrian domestic affairs. The Western members of the Security Council denied such intentions, but for some reason refused to exclude military intervention. Their calculations to use the Security Council of the United Nations to further their plans of imposing their own designs on sovereign States will not prevail.”
2012-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6810 (2012) · source
“The socio-economic recovery of Afghanistan is a top priority for us in that respect in the context of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the CSTO. We welcome the adoption, at the summit of SCO heads of State and Government held in Beijing on 6 and 7 June, of the decision to give Afghanistan observer status in the organization, which also provides it an opportunity to join in the work of the regional counter-terrorism structures and the practical implementation of the SCO counter-drugs strategy for 2011-2016.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“Instability in Afghanistan is significantly fuelled by the increasingly frequent cases of desecration and blatant war crimes committed by foreign troops, as well as cases of erroneous air strikes that lead to numerous civilian victims. We need to step up our efforts to prevent such incidents. The drawdown of foreign troops should be offset by increasing the combat readiness of the Afghan army and police until they are in a position to fully guarantee their country's security. It would be unwise to establish an artificial timeline for a pull-out. In such conditions, what is particularly relevant is the regional dimension of interaction when it comes to Afghanistan. We support the announcement on 14 June during the Kabul conference, of a channel for regional cooperation, including through the implementation of confidence-building measures.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“It was launched as part of a UNODC regional programme for Afghanistan and neighbouring countries based on concerns that despite the efforts of the Afghan authorities, supported by a sizeable foreign military contingent, extremists continued to actively operate throughout the country, gaining ground in regions where security responsibilities had been handed over to the Afghans. In particular, we are concerned by the situation in northernAfghanistan, where, following counter-terrorist operations, terrorists are being flushed out, creating a direct threat to the security of our Central Asian partners from the Commonwealth of Independent States.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“A good example of collective work was the 16 February ministerial conference in Vienna of the partners of the Paris Pact initiative on combating illicit trafficking in Afghan opiates. It guaranteed progressive development of the Paris-Moscow process, which is helping to shape a broad international coalition against the Afghan drug threat. For our part, we are ready to continue assisting our Afghan friends in combating illicit drug trafficking, training personnel and equipping the counter-drug units, on a bilateral basis as well as through the United Nations and regional formats. We see great potential in the implementation of the training programme for Afghan drug police at the all-Russian advanced training centre in Domodedovo.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“Excessive lenience in combating the drug threat will not help to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Afghans, but will only win the hearts and minds of the drug barons who exploit them. We must make full use of the experience of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in intercepting drug trafficking and the related financing sources. Our proposal to forge counter-drug interaction between the CSTO and ISAF remains on the table. I recently met here in New York with a senior NATO official and was pleased to hear that NATO was open to pragmatic cooperation with the CSTO on that specific matter. We look forward to an official, positive response from NATO.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“One of the most pressing problems is the illegal production, trade and trafficking of drugs in Afghanistan, which is a threat to international peace and stability. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), opiate production in the country in 2011 soared by 61 per cent and the surface area of poppy fields expanded by 7 per cent. In that respect, a top priority - above all for the Afghan Government but also for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) - is to destroy the poppy fields and infrastructure for the production of drugs. We are not convinced by the arguments against the practice of chemical destruction of drug crops, which has been tried and tested in other parts of the world.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“Any residual military presence should not counter the interests of Afghanistan's neighbours and other countries in the region. Full clarity is necessary in the possible planning of a new NATO operation in Afghanistan, including its mandate, strength and mission. Such an operation should be sanctioned by the Security Council, however, only after the ISAF mission reports to the Security Council on the implementation of its mandate. In that context, we view the participation of NATO representatives at our meeting today as NATO's recognition of that necessity. Yet, we are forced to note that the reports we have received from Brussels tend to embellish the general picture. In order to understand what is necessary and what remains to be done in order to rectify the situation, we need an objective analysis - 2014 is almost upon us.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“We are also willing to help with the building of the TAPI pipeline. Regardless of the form national reconciliation takes, a leading role must be played by the Afghans themselves. Dialogue with the armed opposition should be built upon the three well-known principles. The insurgents must renounce violence, recognize the Constitution and sever ties with Al-Qaida. We must not be tempted to weaken those principles in order to achieve dialogue. That would become counter-productive. We must effectively support the Security Council sanctions regime as a key counter-terrorism instrument. We are concerned by the idea of replacing ISAF with another military presence in Afghanistan and in neighbouring States, as that could lead to additional instability.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“We look forward to substantive discussions on national and regional development programmes for Afghanistan during the Tokyo conference. Russia is willing to participate in the rebuilding of the Salang tunnel and the nitrogen fertilizer factory and power plant in Mazar-e-Sharif, as well to build several hydro-power stations. Together with our Afghan partners, we have begun to modernize the Kabul house-building factory. One of the priority areas for our cooperation is to revive and develop Afghanistan's minerals and raw materials base. We believe that good examples of regional cooperation could include the project to create a system of CASA-lOOO substations. Russia, without waiting for other potential partners to come forward, has announced its willingness to invest $500 million in that regard.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Mr. Ladsous and Mr. Fedotov for their comprehensive briefings. We look forward to renewing the tradition of personal presentations by the heads of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and meetings of the Security Council. We reaffirm our support for the work of Mr. Jan Kubis. We are also grateful to Ambassador Tanin for his interesting briefing. Everything we have heard today serves to confirm that it is impossible to tackle the problems in Afghanistan solely with military means. We need to formulate a strategy of sustainable development for the country for the post-2014 period, as well as establish measures and international community for long-term stabilization, including in the socio-economic sphere.”
2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source
“We acknowledge the importance of incorporating amendments to the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina in line with the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the Sejdic-Finci vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina case. A compromise is possible in this matter. We consider that decisions on key settlement issues should be taken in international forums such as the Security Council and the Steering Board of the Peace and Implementation Council.”
2012-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6771 (2012) · source
“Izetbegovie, in violating the Dayton Peace Agreement, has put forward his personal opinion, which does not conform to the positions taken by the other Governments of the constituent entities and conflicts with both the international and the intra- Bosnian dialogues. We consider the possibility of strengthening the European Union (EU) military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a step in the direction of closing down the Office of the High Representative. We welcome in this context the partition of the post between the High representative and the EU Special Representative. We are convinced that a precondition for the successful work of these two international presences in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be the strict respect of their mandates. We believe that they should not overstep their respective responsibilities.”
2012-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6771 (2012) · source
“We consider it realistic to contemplate the end in the near future of the supervisory regime in the Brcko district and the closure of a separate office of the High Representative. We believe that the pertinent decision should be taken at the forthcoming meeting of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council on 22 and 23 May. In this regard, we are concerned by the recent step taken by Mr. Izetbegovie, current Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to ask the representatives of the member countries of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council for a decision not to be taken in May on the closure of the mission in Brcko under the specious excuse that the district is apparently not able to function independently. This is acceptable neither in form or nor in substance. Mr.”
2012-05-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6771 (2012) · source