YouSaid · the spoken record

Dahlgren

lines on the record: 246
first: 1997-08-14
most recent: 2003-02-25
sittings or episodes: 45
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

“Back in 1993, the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) embarked on a historic negotiating process that should lead to a permanent settlement by 4 May 1999, based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). Israel and the PLO then agreed that true and lasting security for the two peoples can be achieved only through a political process, at the negotiating table. Only such a negotiating process can pave the way for a comprehensive and just settlement that can lead to lasting peace in the Middle East.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“We believe that the Israeli settlement policy endangers the Middle East peace process in its entirety and that it violates the letter and spirit of the Declaration of Principles. In our View, settlement activities establish facts on the ground which prejudge the final status negotiations. Actions which change the status of Jerusalem ahead of such negotiations cannot be tolerated. Our firm opinion is that the Israeli Government must rescind all such decisions, including the latest action, which is the reason for today's debate. The Government of Sweden urges Israel to accept - as the Palestinians have already done - the American proposals on a further withdrawal from areas on the West Bank. We believe that this is at present the only way to regain the dynamics of the peace process and to resume final status negotiations.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“Let me first state that Sweden fully associates itself with the statement made earlier today by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. The Government of Sweden deplores the recent decision by the Israeli Government to extend the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem municipal authority. That decision constitutes yet another in a succession of measures by Israel to change the demographics of Jerusalem and to strengthen the position of the occupying Power, such as the demolition of houses in the Old City of Jerusalem and the decision to construct new housing in the Jabal Abu Ghneim area. It is the long-standing position of my Government that all Israeli settlements in the occupied territory are illegal under article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. This includes settlements in East Jerusalem.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“It brought together more Heads of State and Government than had ever assembled before, and those leaders agreed among themselves to work carefully to protect children from the scourge of war and to take measures to prevent further armed conflicts, in order to give children everywhere a peaceful and secure future. That pledge will need to be continuously renewed as long as children continue to suffer in armed conflicts. The Special Representative has a very important mission in that field, but all of us, including the Council, have a responsibility to meet that commitment.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“His or her only skill, perhaps, is handling a weapon. Only with strong support from parents or foster-parents, teachers and other adults can this damage be repaired. But there is a risk that these children will continue to live the only lives they know: to obey orders and to kill, this time as criminals in their own countries. That is why the recruitment and use of children for armed conflicts is not only a violation of international law and the rights of the child, but could also have serious consequences for peace and security in the future. In 1990 the World Summit for Children was held here in New York.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“To build a foundation for a peaceful world where violence and war will no longer be used as a means for settling disputes and conflicts, children's education is important and should emphasize the values of peace, tolerance, understanding and dialogue. In this regard, we all are teachers. We have witnessed throughout the years the arduous process of bringing about sustainable peace and reconciliation in the many civil wars and conflicts of our time. Even if it is not easy, a grown-up soldier can return to the life he had before the war - to farm his own piece of land, to take up his previous profession, to reconcile, hopefully, with his neighbours. But a child, who might have lost both parents and who has been prevented from going to school, growing up instead amid violence and fear, has nothing to return to.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Impunity for crimes against humanity, and in particular crimes against vulnerable children, cannot be accepted. Lastly, particular attention must also be paid to how children are affected by the humanitarian consequences of sanctions. It is our View that sanctions should be designed in such a way that negative humanitarian consequences on vulnerable groups, in particular children, are minimized and that the appropriate humanitarian exemptions are made. The issue before us today is of relevance to the work of the Security Council in yet another way. The impact of armed conflict on children - the generation on which all our future relations depend - will also influence the way they will settle their disputes and conflicts.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“This is also an important task for the Special Representative in collaboration with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Peacekeepers and civilian police should be well versed in international humanitarian law and human rights, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Sweden welcomes the initiative of the Special Representative to form a joint working group with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Sixthly, the Special Representative should also continue to keep track of crimes against children in the context of armed conflict. He should be able to alert the international criminal court, once it is established, as well as the international community at large. Political actors should know from the outset what kind of consequences they will face if they take part in these types of crimes.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“We would also like to emphasize the importance of the catalytic role of the Special Representative in the prevention and rehabilitation of child victims. But for a lasting solution to this menace, it is evident that the Ottawa agreement on landmines must be fully implemented. Fourthly, small arms are increasingly available, including to children, with disastrous consequences. Restricting the supply of small arms in areas of conflict is a necessary step in halting armed conflicts and their harmful impact on children. Fifthly, the Security Council should pay attention to the importance of special training for peacekeepers and civilian police who while on mission will come into contact with child combatants or children who have been abused.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Sweden welcomes the new mandate of the Chairperson of the working group of the Commission on Human Rights on the draft of such a protocol to hold broad informal consultations on how to break the present stalemate in the work of the group. Secondly, the Security Council should give particular consideration to the need for demobilization and rehabilitation, as well as the physical and social reintegration of child soldiers and child combatants in post-conflict peace-building operations. Thirdly, as others have said, landmines kill, hurt and disable children at work or at play. Children constitute a major part of the civilian victims of landmines. Sweden welcomes the new mandate of the United Nations Children's Fund to work on mine-awareness programmes.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“In discharging our duties with regard to international peace and security, there are also a number of things that we in the Security Council can do with regard to the protection of children in armed conflict. Let me raise some points of particular importance to us, areas where my Government feels that the Security Council, the United Nations as a whole and the international community should act. First, children must be kept out of acts of armed conflict. The age of 18 should be the minimum age of recruitment and participation in military activities. An optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child could achieve this.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Child refugees are all too often deprived of their rights to education. Children in refugee camps, in particular girls, are vulnerable to violence and sexual abuse. These outright breaches of established global norms of humanitarianism and human rights, in particular concerning children, that we witness in many conflicts today constitute a threat to peace, stability and development, within societies as well as between them. The statement made this morning in the Security Council by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict was an excellent start for what we hope will be a recurring contact on this important issue. His programme of work and his stated priorities for action demonstrate an agenda of significant humanitarian and political importance.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Let me first say that I associate myself fully with the statement made by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. It is, indeed, appalling to learn how children of all ages are affected by armed conflict. They are recruited into armed combat - often by force, and sometimes by desperation when societies are falling apart. They are forced to kill, to torture and to humiliate other human beings, sometimes even other children. Children are killed or severely injured and end up disabled, deprived of their future. In armed conflicts the principal victims are always the weakest ones: civilians rather than soldiers, children rather than grown-ups. Children witness atrocities committed against their families, neighbours and friends. The social fabric of families, schools and society is torn apart.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“This will be done nationally, through the European Union and through the United Nations, and not least by the continued participation of some 500 Swedish soldiers in SFOR and 50 civilian police in IPTF. Finally, let me say that Sweden welcomes the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina has started on a path leading towards closer integration into European structures. The process is still very fragile and developments in Bosnia will merit close attention. The democratic elections in September, under the supervision of Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, will be an occasion to lay the groundwork for taking this process further. We urge the leaders and the people of Bosnia to seize this opportunity.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“That cooperation will be particularly important during the forthcoming period, which will be marked by the return of refugees and displaced persons to the so-called minority areas. Another important aspect of peace-building in Bosnia is the programme for judicial reform coordinated by the High Representative. In this context, Sweden supports the recommendations of the Secretary-General and the High Representative concerning an UNMIBH-led court- monitoring programme. We look forward to the Council expeditiously returning to this issue, as stated in its resolution 1168 (1998). Sweden will continue to support fully the peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“As indicated in paragraph 10 of the draft resolution, the Council stands ready to extend the authorization of SFOR further in the light of developments. SFOR and UNMIBH, with IPTF, both have key roles in the peace-implementation process. The SFOR military presence is absolutely crucial in providing the secure environment necessary for all civilian efforts. IPTF's work to restructure local police and to build a democratic Bosnian public-security capability will in time reduce the need for an international security presence. The two missions are complementary in a truly multidimensional peacekeeping effort. Their fruitful cooperation, in close coordination with the High Representative, is commendable.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“So far, progress has been made possible by the strong support, and often active intervention, of the international community. It is now time for the current political leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as for those who aspire to be elected in September, to rid themselves of their old way of ethnic-oriented thinking and to make the necessary compromises in a spirit of democracy and pluralism. The international community has made a long-term commitment to peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The draft resolution we are about to adopt today, extending the authorization of the international Stabilization Force (SFOR) and the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), including the International Police Task Force (IPTF), is a clear demonstration of this commitment.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“Let me first state that my delegation associates itself fully with the statement made earlier today by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. Less than three years ago, Bosnia and Herzegovina was a country in flames. In the summer of 1995, intense fighting was going on in large parts of Bosnia, the policy of "ethnic cleansing" showed its ugly face in Srebenica and the shelling of innocent civilians reached a horrible climax at the Sarajevo market. Since then, Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people have come a long way. The Dayton Peace Agreement laid the foundation for a better future. In implementing that Agreement, day by day and step by step, the hope for a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Bosnia is steadily growing.”
1998-06-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3892 (1998) · source
“The one road to take for India and Pakistan is the one taken by South Africa: to reconsider, to renounce their nuclear option, and to join the treaty regimes. We recognize the complex political and historical background to the tension in South Asia. We wish to encourage India and Pakistan to resume and strengthen a political dialogue on all outstanding issues, including Kashmir. The international community should stand ready to facilitate such dialogue, at the request of the parties, in order to reduce tension and build confidence and security between them. The Security Council itself can never - and nowhere - abdicate its responsibility for international peace and security. That is also the reason why Japan and Sweden, together with Costa Rica and Slovenia, initiated today's draft resolution.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“It is not enough to stem the flow; we must also turn the tide. The ultimate goal is to eliminate all weapons of mass destruction. The five nuclear-weapon States bear a particular responsibility to make that possible. But this in no way reduces the duty of other States to contribute to disarmament and to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. My Government utterly rejects the notion that nuclear weapons increase security and international standing, and we believe that today's message to India and Pakistan is very clear: nuclear testing will not give them more security - only the opposite. Nor will it enhance their status and standing among other nations. Instead, through their own actions these two countries, in one essential field, have removed themselves from the mainstream of the international community. We want them to return.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“We have condemned the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan. Those tests constitute a serious setback for the hope for a world free from nuclear weapons. They are in complete disregard of the will of the international community to ban all nuclear testing. And they also create grave risks for regional security in South Asia and beyond. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is indeed a threat to international peace and security. It is of great significance that the Security Council, by today's draft resolution, will put its weight and its authority behind the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. This will strengthen international efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and to achieve nuclear disarmament.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“Since the first nuclear bomb fell on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 the whole issue of peace and survival has gained a new dimension. The development of nuclear weapons, and their proliferation, came to pose a new threat to mankind. And it was a unique threat, because we reached a stage where it was possible not only to destroy the enemy and oneself with these terrible weapons, but also everyone else, and all and everything that would come after us. The entire future of civilization was at stake. We have all become aware of this in the years that have lapsed since 1945, and many efforts have been made to help reverse the trend - to stop proliferation, to halt nuclear testing and to start real nuclear disarmament. This is one reason why my Government has taken the events of the last few weeks so seriously.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source
“In closing, I would like to stress that today's decision, along with the similar decision the Council took last month concerning the Rwanda Tribunal, also highlights the need for a permanent international criminal court, to bring to justice any future crimes of this nature. At the Diplomatic Conference in Rome this summer, we must not hesitate to take the historic step of establishing such a court.”
1998-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3878 (1998) · source
“It has become clear that the caseload has reached a point where we need to increase the judicial resources of the Tribunal. Today's decision will confirm the strong support in the Council for the work and role of the International Tribunal. Having chaired the working group dealing with the ad hoc tribunals, Sweden is particularly gratified that the Council will be able to give a positive response today to the request from the Tribunal. By adding a third trial chamber, we will make it possible for the backlog of cases to be dealt with more expeditiously and the resources of the Tribunal, including the new courtrooms, to be used more effectively.”
1998-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3878 (1998) · source
“The work of the International Tribunal is also a crucial element in the broader peace-implementation and reconciliation process in the former Yugoslavia, in both the short-term and the long-term perspectives. Impunity breeds continued hate and mistrust. Rendering transparent justice brings clarity and hope for future generations, and that is why all indicted war criminals must be brought to The Hague. These are the main reasons for Sweden's strong support over the years for the work of the Tribunal, both politically and in substance. Today, we are very pleased to see that the work of the Tribunal has intensified. The recent increase in the number of indictees taken into custody has been most welcome. But we must also be prepared to adapt the resources of the Tribunal accordingly, so that the indictees can be tried without undue delay.”
1998-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3878 (1998) · source
“Let me first say that I concur with the statement made earlier by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. The wars in the former Yugoslavia were marked by horrendous crimes against international humanitarian law, often committed in the name of that repulsive policy, "ethnic cleansing". Crimes such as mass killings, the systematic rape of women and detention under horrible circumstances constitute a threat to international peace and security. To prevent them from recurring, in the Balkans or elsewhere, the persons responsible must be brought to justice. The establishment in 1993 of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia was an important indication of the international community's determination to put an end to such crimes.”
1998-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3878 (1998) · source
“We feel that today's decision is an important one for the Tribunal and for Rwanda. Its adoption by consensus will be a clear sign of the continued unanimous support of the Council for the International Tribunal for Rwanda.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“Members of the Council look forward to being kept informed of progress in this regard, and we trust that the various organs will comply with the recommendations of the latest report from the Office of Internal Oversight Services. The International Tribunal for Rwanda needs our full cooperation and support to be able to carry out its mandate. We welcome the cooperation which has already been extended to the Tribunal, and we hope all States will continue to cooperate fully with it. In conclusion, I would like to place on record the warm appreciation of my delegation to members of the Council, to the Secretariat and to the Tribunal itself for the constructive atmosphere and spirit of cooperation which have guided the negotiations on the draft resolution before us.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“These are the main reasons why Sweden strongly felt the need for an initiative in the Council to strengthen the Tribunal for Rwanda by adding a third Trial Chamber. It gives us great satisfaction that the Council is able to respond positively to the request from the International Tribunal for three additional judges. It is our hope that this decision will be a concrete contribution to peace, justice and stability in Rwanda. We hope that the establishment of a third Trial Chamber will also be matched by continued efforts by all organs of the Tribunal to improve the efficiency of their work. In particular, it is necessary for the third Chamber to be given the resources it needs to function effectively.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“The establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda was in itself an important step, as evidence of the willingness of the international community to deal with the aftermath of genocide. Rendering justice is crucial to ending impunity and to achieving reconciliation and peace within Rwanda and in the region. In this context, it is also important that the national judicial system of Rwanda be strengthened in parallel with the continued work of the Tribunal. Today, three and a half years after its establishment, the Tribunal faces a heavy workload, with 25 suspects currently in the custody of the Tribunal. The cause of justice requires that those indicted be tried without undue delay.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“Sweden fully agrees with the statement just made by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. It is now four years since the genocide in Rwanda, four years since that cruel wave of killings of up to 1 million people. In his recent report on Africa, the Secretary- General highlighted the failure of the international community to prevent the genocide. We agree with him when he states, "The horrifying suffering of the Rwandan people sends the clear and unmistakable message that the international community must never again tolerate such inaction." [S/1998/318, para. 32] The genocide in Rwanda showed us the imperative of action to see to it that those responsible are brought to justice and to do everything possible to prevent the atrocities of 1994 from recurring.”
1998-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3877 (1998) · source
“Much has been done, but there are clearly still challenges ahead. We hope for continued progress in the political process. We also see the need for further action to deal with the difficult social situation in Angola, an area in which the Angolan authorities themselves have a particular responsibility. For its part, Sweden is committed to continuing its long-standing support for peace and national reconciliation in Angola.”
1998-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3876 (1998) · source
“Today's draft resolution sends a clear message that such attacks are unacceptable. Sweden believes that the United Nations can continue to make an important contribution in assisting Angola's efforts to consolidate peace, democracy and development. We believe that MONUA is making such a contribution, together with the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, other elements of the United Nations system and the efforts of the troika of observer countries. As we continue our discussions on the United Nations presence in Angola, we must ensure that a destabilizing vacuum is avoided and that sufficient resources are assigned for the remaining tasks. Peace and development in Angola will ultimately depend on the will and determination of the Angolans themselves to make the definitive move from conflict to lasting peace.”
1998-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3876 (1998) · source
“We fully support the increase in the civilian police component outlined in the report of the Secretary-General, as well as his intention to strengthen the human rights component of MONUA. These two elements of MONUA play a vital role in helping strengthen the rule of law in Angola and in promoting and protecting human rights. We see the continued importance of these efforts. We warmly welcome the recent progress in the political process. We regret, however, that the positive developments in the political sphere have not yet been reflected in improvements in the security situation. We condemn attacks by UNITA against the United Nations, humanitarian actors and the Angolan authorities. We join with our colleagues on the Council in urging MONUA to investigate the attack last week in N' gove.”
1998-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3876 (1998) · source
“Let me first state that Sweden associates itself fully with the statement made by the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. Sweden supports the draft resolution before the Security Council today, which would extend the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) for a further two months. We are grateful for the comprehensive recommendations the Secretary-General has already submitted to the Security Council on the future United Nations presence in Angola, which we welcome. We also look forward to any further recommendations he might wish to make in his next report, in June. We remain convinced that the United Nations presence should continue to be adapted to developments on the ground.”
1998-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3876 (1998) · source
“All of us, Africans and non-Africans alike, the Security Council as well as the United Nations system as a whole, must now seize the momentum and accept that challenge.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“That requires justice and the establishment of facts, but also a vision of tolerance and future cooperation among former enemies. Deploring the executions that took place in Rwanda this morning, we believe that the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda should play an essential role in national reconciliation there. In order for that Tribunal to render expeditious justice, it needs to be strengthened by the addition of a third Trial Chamber. It is our hope that the Security Council will soon take a decision to that effect. The Secretary-General wants his report to mark a new beginning in the relationship between the United Nations and Africa. He has challenged us to make that new beginning, and he has shown us the way.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“In several African conflict situations an essential task ahead is to focus on the transition from peacekeeping to peace-building. Far too often the international community has pulled out of engagements before enduring solutions or lasting support for long-term stability have been set up. We support the recommendation of the Secretary- General that post-conflict peace-building structures should be established and that recommendations for the phase following the immediate conflict should be included in the mandate for peacekeeping missions. Particular attention should be given to issues regarding democratic institutions and respect for human rights, as well as reconciliation measures. In the aftermath of conflict, efforts for reconciliation are paramount.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“A consolidated effort must be brought about to re-establish respect for universal humanitarian norms in armed conflicts. This requires dissemination of international humanitarian law and related principles, monitoring of their application, investigation of abuses and actions against impunity. The idea raised in the report of the Secretary-General to hold combatants financially liable to their victims in these cases is certainly worth exploring. Protection of children in armed conflict is of particular concern. It is absolutely intolerable to see 10-year-old boys and girls, with guns almost too heavy for them to carry, thrown into combat or terrorizing their neighbours - and to know that they and many of their generation are being deprived of a normal childhood. The use of children as soldiers simply has to end.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“But this has often been inhibited by budgetary restrictions. And we find it deplorable that there is a lack of political will to provide the necessary resources for the United Nations to be able to fully perform such tasks when they are most needed. Conflicts continue to erupt, and others are still unresolved. We welcome the growing African involvement in conflict resolution. The political reaction of Africa to the overthrow of the legitimate Government in Sierra Leone was, hopefully, a sign that military takeovers and abuses of human rights will not be condoned. This trend should be encouraged. Sweden stands ready to support further African peacekeeping capacity. An appalling practice of targeting civilians in armed conflicts has been spreading across the world. This is a moral and ethical tragedy.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“The conflict-prevention mechanism of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) deserves full support. At the same time, the Security Council cannot renounce its primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security. The capacity to establish rapidly an international presence is crucial in order to prevent and contain conflicts. Promising developments are under way, and we should all look into ways and means of making the United Nations standby arrangement system an efficient instrument for deployment at short notice. The Security Council, and the United Nations as a whole, has the potential to respond quickly to the demands of mediation, good offices, observer missions and other preventive measures, including peacekeeping missions. Actually, we may never have had a better opportunity to build truly common security.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“We believe that the elaboration of confidence-building measures should be stimulated and supported. Some important experience that could be drawn upon has been gained within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The fact that people are fleeing strife or armed conflicts represents an immense tragedy for the individuals concerned. Very often it also constitutes a serious threat to stability. We support the proposal of the Secretary-General to establish an international mechanism to assist host Governments in maintaining the security and neutrality of refugee camps and settlements. When early warning signals of conflict are received, they must also be transformed into early action. Diplomatic efforts are at the core of these actions, but eventually the swift build-up of other means may be necessary.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“That, and a focus on each country's responsibility for its own development, are cornerstones of Swedish Government policy towards Africa. Trying to do its share, Sweden is increasing substantially its budget for development cooperation with Africa, with a view to assisting in addressing the root causes of conflict. Another considerable contribution to the prevention of conflicts would be to stop the proliferation of arms. We welcome the efforts to introduce a moratorium on the production and transfer of small arms in West Africa, as initiated by the President of Mali. The international community ought to give its full support to this and similar regional initiatives. Furthermore, all African States should be encouraged to participate in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“While recognizing the full scope of measures needed to address the root causes of conflicts and not merely the symptoms, the report never loses sight of what the Secretary-General refers to as human security. We wish to congratulate him for his systematic and most challenging analysis. His recommendations should be followed up by the entire international system. My Government is committed to work actively in all relevant forums to help implement them. Creating stable societies is probably the most compelling and also most difficult task in the prevention of conflicts. Poverty, oppression, poor economic policies and human rights abuses must be fought as a matter of priority. They should be specifically targeted in a renewed policy of partnership with Africa.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“Almost every aspect of prevention, peacekeeping and conflict resolution has been explored in theory. But unless we can give an adequate response through action when confronted with a concrete crisis, unless we manifest the political will and release the required financial resources, that knowledge means virtually nothing. Today in Africa there is a trend towards democracy, regional cooperation, the peaceful settlement of disputes and sustainable development. And that trend is gaining momentum as patterns of the past are broken. Our commitment should be to support this African quest for peace and prosperity. What happens in Africa will affect us all in one way or another. True security begins with the individual. This is the approach taken by the Secretary-General in his report.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“And the more one learns about what happened during that brief period when up to 1 million people were killed, the more one wonders what the rest of us, outside Rwanda, were doing to prevent it or to stop it. That must never be allowed to happen again. As the Secretary-General has underlined, the responsibility for the future of Africa rests primarily, of course, with the African people and their leaders. But the international community must also maintain and strengthen its commitment to Africa. As the example of Rwanda shows, that commitment has not always been evident. Unfortunately, there are even more recent examples - like eastern Zaire and Congo (Brazzaville). I think that deep inside us we all know what is needed. There is no lack of knowledge or information.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“One of the strongest and most frightening memories I have from any journey I have made is from a small church about an hour's drive from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. I arrived there early one evening last year and was brought into a small room that had only one table in it. On that table, put together in a large pile, were the naked craniums from thousands of men, women and children. You could see on the skulls how these people had been killed - not by an explosion, not by bullets, but by knives and machetes in the hands of their own neighbours. I will never forget the sight of those remains from the genocide four years ago in Rwanda.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875 (1998) · source
“Let me conclude by expressing the hope that, when adopted, the draft resolution will be met by the necessary political will: the will to implement the existing arms embargo against the former Rwandan government forces; the will to cooperate fully with the Commission of Inquiry; and, in due course, the will to take the necessary steps in response to the recommendations the Commission will be asked to make.”
1998-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3870 (1998) · source
“Reactivating the Commission of Inquiry is one concrete step which the Security Council can take to deal with one of the causes of the continued instability in this region. Sweden is deeply concerned at the continued violence in Rwanda, of which the massacre at Mudende last December was a particularly horrible example. Four years after the genocide in Rwanda, we, the international community, have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the Rwandan people recover from the genocide of 1994 and to prevent the resurgence of genocidal acts. We condemn all armed activities with such motives. We hope that Rwanda will soon be able to move forward towards peace and national reconciliation, towards a democratic process, towards respect for human rights and towards economic prosperity. Today's decision will be an important one.”
1998-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3870 (1998) · source
“Let me first say that Sweden concurs with the statement made by the representative of the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. Sweden will vote in favour of the draft resolution before the Council today, which reactivates the International Commission of Inquiry which was established to investigate illegal arms flows to former Rwandan government forces in the Great Lakes region. We feel that the Commission did a commendable job during its first period of activity, often under very difficult circumstances, and it will have our full support as it resumes its investigations. The destabilizing effect of the arms flows in the Great Lakes region as a whole remains an issue of great concern.”
1998-04-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3870 (1998) · source