YouSaid · the spoken record

De Ruyt

lines on the record: 150
first: 2001-07-24
most recent: 2002-11-05
sittings or episodes: 18
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

“Such a body should, inter alia, continue the group's investigative efforts and update the relevant lists of individuals and companies, once it has heard all those who wish to be heard. It seems to me that this should be done before more concrete measures are taken in this respect. The monitoring body should also take into account the new context created by the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and focus on those situations that continue to present obstacles to the return of peace and to the success of the inter-Congolese dialogue.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“The work of that Commission is under way, and its members will soon be going to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to Rwanda. The Commission's conclusions are expected by the end of the year. Along with the Security Council's conclusions on the report of Ambassador Kassem, they will enable Belgium to fine-tune its own plan of action. In conclusion, we fervently hope that the Security Council will give in-depth consideration to this report and remain seized of these problems, as there is so much at stake for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for the region as a whole. We are therefore in favour of the recommendation of the expert panel that a monitoring body be created that could report to the Security Council on a regular basis about developments on the ground and make whatever recommendations it deems appropriate.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“Belgium overall advocates greater uniformity in the expert panel system as well as the establishment of clear-cut rules for professional conduct and confidentiality. In this context, it held, on 30 October in Brussels, a seminar aimed at an in-depth consideration of the issue at the national level and at consolidating the initiatives taken by our country in the context of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Regarding the specific case of the Great Lakes region, Belgium has set up a Senate Committee on the situation in the Great Lakes and the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is investigating the problems related to the illegal exploitation of natural resources in that region.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“For a possible sanctions regime, as well as for other options, it is essential that the actions decided upon be part of a framework of a peace process and that they not affect it negatively. Indeed, the Panel was established primarily to contribute to restoring peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the national level, the Belgian Government has firmly committed itself to the resolution of the problems stemming from the illegal exploitation, and the economic situation, of countries in conflict. My Government adopted in July a plan of action in this regard. Our Minister for External Trade, Ms. Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, came to New York in October to consult with the Chairmen of the sanctions Committees established by the Security Council, as well as with the Chairmen of the Monitoring Mechanisms.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“From the outset, Belgium firmly committed itself to that process in order to find exhaustive arrangements regarding the diamond sector. In fact, we hope that the Security Council will assume its responsibilities in that regard by supporting that process in due course. Above and beyond the normative approach, there are other ways of reacting to the situations described in the report. The establishment of a sanctions regime is a possibility. There are also broader options with regard to their coverage, but they must all be applied judiciously. That is true in the case of reducing official development assistance, which runs the risk of having negative consequences, particularly for people who are often innocent victims.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“Such a normative framework would also enable us to clarify the scope of criticism levelled by the Panel against individuals, companies or Governments. Respect for those norms and possible controversial differences in that regard could therefore be evaluated on a more thorough and objective basis. In that regard, it is regrettable that the right to be heard and to defend oneself has not been respected in the cases of cited individuals and companies, and for which sanctions are proposed. Therefore, the criteria and the evidence on the basis of which individuals and companies are included on the annexed list are not clear. Moreover, in some cases they are not contained in the body of the report. The Kimberley Process of certification could serve as an example of a structural approach such as the one I have just mentioned.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“Belgium supports the recommendation of the Panel of Experts in that regard, and, in fact, it has made that objective a priority of its bilateral cooperation, advocating greater substantial official development assistance in that respect. Addressing problems of illegal exploitation of resources requires first and foremost a structural approach. The Security Council should thus, and above all, seek normative solutions that make possible the continuation of legitimate economic activity in the region by establishing well-defined criteria. Those criteria should allow, for example, for a better definition of the term illegality and should avoid a situation whereby companies would find themselves, ex post facto, faced with ill-defined concepts of morality and legitimacy.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“Louis Michel, have spared no effort to encourage internal political dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and respect for the commitments made by all the parties in the Lusaka, Pretoria and Luanda Peace Agreements. But in order for current progress to be consolidated and to lead to lasting peace and for democratic institutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be gradually established, it is absolutely necessary that the economic pillaging of the country, as described in the Kassem report, be denounced and all efforts be made to put an end to it. Belgium is convinced that the re-establishment and reform of institutions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are crucial in order to enable the transitional government to control the country's natural resources.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“Therefore, we strongly support the Panel of Experts' first recommendation, that: 4c a set of agreements or initiatives on reconstruction and sustainable development are needed to address the economic dimension of the Lusaka peace process and provide incentives for continuing progress." (S/2002/JI46, para.]61) We also support the Panel's suggestion whereby economic integration and regional trade should be the subject of regional consultations aimed particularly at organizing the conference on peace, security and sustainable development in the Great Lakes region. As members know, the Belgian Government, particularly the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“My statement supplements the one made by the presidency of the European Union, which we fully endorse. I wish to commend the efforts made by Ambassador Kassem and other members of the Panel in drawing the attention of the international community to the illegal exploitation of natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to their disastrous effects on the peace process, as well as on the opportunities to rebuild the country. This report is also an important contribution to the consideration of the causes and stakes involved in the illegal exploitation of resources in general. Belgium welcomes the special attention paid by the report to the economic dimension of the search for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“Mr. De Ruyt (Belgium) (spoke in French): Allow me at the outset to congratulate the representative of Cameroon for the effective way in which he presided over the work of the Council during the month of October, and to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council. I am convinced that, under your competent leadership, the Council will be in a position to successfully assume its important responsibilities for the month of November. I also wish to thank you for taking the initiative of holding an open discussion on this important report (S/2002/1146), to which Belgium attaches special importance. I hope this debate will enable us to better understand this complex material and to give a more detailed response to the questions it raises.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642 (2002) · source
“We unreservedly support the Security Council's regional approach to West Africa and encourage the Council to develop that approach in parallel with dealing with the specific situations that are referred to it.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“UNICEF plays a significant role in peace-building, particularly through its work in disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating children and in caring for children traumatized by war. Sir, the European Union notes with interest your proposal for a joint mechanism, inasmuch as this would allow for greater consistency in the activities of the Security Council and of the United Nations operational agencies. There is indeed a clear need for closer cooperation between the Security Council - which often takes the initial peacemaking measures, specifically involving peacekeeping missions - and United Nations aid, reconstruction and development agencies, including the Economic and Social Council.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“These efforts are reinforced by those of the European Union presidency's Special Representative for West Africa, Mr. Hans Dahlgren, whose efforts and whose periodic Visits to the region enable us to follow up, reinforce and, where needed, recalibrate our activities. In carrying out his mandate, the Special Representative places special emphasis on close dialogue with the United Nations and with other regional organizations. Mr. President, your decision to hold a briefing meeting with the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) last week, dealing in particular with the subject of children and armed conflict in the framework of regional peace and security in West Africa, was an excellent initiative.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“The following areas have been identified as priorities: institutional support for regional organizations; the strengthening of integration mechanisms; management of common resources; development of regional transport and communications networks; research; consolidation of the rule of law; and conflict management. These last two priorities, in particular, reinforce the efforts of the United Nations itself. A specific dialogue with the region has been undertaken through the regional organizations, in particular ECOWAS, the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Permanent Inter- State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS). The Union maintains special relationships with those three bodies. Altogether, since the conclusion of the Lome I Convention, a total of 905 million euros has been allocated to the region.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“The European Union fully supports those sanctions regimes and has taken the necessary steps to ensure that they are strictly applied. On a quite different front from the application of sanctions, the European Union - as I mentioned at the beginning of my statement - provides substantial assistance to West Africa. If the Council will bear with me briefly, I should like to expand on this aspect. The European Union's assistance strategy with respect to the region has focused mainly on the general objective of supporting the process of regional economic integration and the competitive integration of the region into the world economy.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“In Liberia, the European Union continues to be concerned by the security situation and considers the resumption of fighting in the north of the country to be a very worrisome development. In Guinea, the European Union is watching the domestic situation closely, particularly the highly controversial referendum held in November 2001 and the forthcoming elections. The Secretary-General's Special Representative should, as a matter of priority, undertake efforts involving all heads of State of the Mano River Union countries in order to ensure that the dialogue launched in August can continue. The United Nations is playing a leading role in the region. The most important United Nations peacekeeping operation is being conducted in Sierra Leone. Sanctions have been put in place against the RUF in Sierra Leone and against Liberia.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“The region has suffered, and is still suffering, some of the worst atrocities and human rights violations that the contemporary world has witnessed. There have nevertheless been a number of promising recent developments, one of which is the positive role played by ECOWAS. The United Nations has succeeded in gradually deploying in Sierra Leone. The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme is making steady progress, and elections are scheduled for May 2002. In comparison with the situation only a few months ago, these are encouraging and hopeful developments. However, substantial challenges remain. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) still controls parts of the territory, and there are, unfortunately, some difficulties with disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in the eastern part of the country.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“The Union welcomes the fact that work is continuing in that direction and that the United Nations has decided to set up a regional office in Dakar. We hope that this plan will now rapidly take shape and that the office will become operational as soon as possible. We are convinced that, with a skilled and dynamic Special Representative of the Secretary- General at the helm, this project will very soon bear fruit. We consider it particularly important that the office should have close and sustained working relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Mano River Union. Indeed, a regional approach by the United Nations requires close cooperation with regional organizations. West Africa has been ravaged by years of conflict, population displacement and economic depression.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“Such a regional approach is vital if we are to respond to the challenges facing the region, which include the disarmament of irregular forces, small arms proliferation, and the return and resettlement of refugees and displaced persons. The European Union, moreover, attaches great importance to this region. For more than 20 years the Union has been implementing a regional approach to West Africa under the Lome' Conventions, an approach which has been considerably strengthened since the signing of the Cotonou Agreement. The need for a comprehensive, integrated approach to West Africa was one of the findings of the United Nations inter-agency mission led by Assistant Secretary-General Ibrahima Fall.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“Mr. De Ruyt (Belgium) (spoke in French): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey align themselves with this statement. First of all, let me thank you, Sir, for having convened today's debate on West Africa. We believe that a regional approach is not only useful but necessary when dealing with the situation in West Africa, in addition to the meetings that the Council holds on specific national situations.”
2001-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4439 (2001) · source
“The European Union is convinced that the establishment of an impartial monitoring mechanism would be of service to both parties, and we are quite prepared to take an active part in the establishment of such machinery. The European Union also attaches great importance to an economic recovery programme for Palestine. That would be a way of encouraging peace. The European Union will continue its efforts so that two States - Palestine and Israel - will be able to live side by side in peace and security.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4438 (2001) · source
“To eradicate terrorism and to build peace, Israel needs a partner, and that partner can only be the Palestine Authority and its elected President, Yasser Arafat. Any attempts to weaken or discredit them are contrary to peace and undermine any attempt to fight terrorism. The Israeli Government has to put an end to its military operations against the Palestinian people and the Palestine Authority, and this also encompasses the actions against the installations of the Palestine Authority. The European Union reiterates its call upon the Palestine Authority to spare no efforts to prevent acts of terrorism. The forthwith implementation of the Tenet plan for a ceasefire and the recommendations of the Mitchell Committee remain the way to achieve a resumption of political dialogue.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4438 (2001) · source
“The implementation of these demands calls for committed action on the part of the Palestine Authority and on the part of Israel. The heads of States and Governments of the European Union are at present meeting in Laeken, and yesterday and today they have been discussing the issue with which we are concerned. They will issue a major statement in this regard in a few hours. The extreme gravity of the situation compels each of us to face our responsibility squarely. Putting an end to violence is a must. Peace can be based only on the reaffirmation and full recognition of the irrevocable right of Israel to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders, and, on the other hand, on the establishment of a viable, independent and democratic Palestinian State and an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4438 (2001) · source
“Mr. De Ruyt (Belgium) (spoke in French): I have asked to address the Council as the current holder of the presidency of the European Union, which is very concerned by the gravity of the situation in the Middle East. We spare no effort in trying to contribute to reducing the violence. Last Monday, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union reiterated their demands very clearly, as addressed to the parties: for the Palestine Authority, the dismantling of the Islamic Jihad and Hamas networks, including the arrest and prosecution of all of the suspects and a public appeal for an end to the armed intifada; and for the Israeli Government, the withdrawal of its military forces, the end of extrajudicial killings, the lifting of the blockade and all restrictions imposed upon the Palestinian people and a freeze of the settlements.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4438 (2001) · source
“It must be the object of very close and urgent attention by the international community, on the basis of a comprehensive strategy.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We welcome the progress already made in that regard, and we encourage the parties to make every possible effort to make the planned meeting in South Africa a success. In that connection, the European Union fully shares the concern of the Panel of Experts about the role that international aid could be playing in financing the continuation of the conflict. That issue requires a responsible approach by both bilateral and multilateral donors. Finally, the European Union considers that the recommendation that all concession agreements and all commercial agreements and contracts be reviewed and revised to address and correct all irregularities is a measure that ought to be pursued. The exploitation of natural and human resources is a key factor in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We believe that we must ensure that the few resources still genuinely in the hands of the Congolese people are not taken away from them, and that any restrictive measures should be carefully targeted against those responsible for the plundering. Here I would point out that the aim of the measures should be precisely to enable the Congolese people to benefit from the natural resources of their country. The report also makes reference to a plan for rebuilding the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That is the objective of the European Union, which remains fully prepared to mobilize considerable resources, depending on the concrete progress made on various aspects of the peace process. The inter-Congolese dialogue is an important element of the peace process.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Today's meeting is one step in the process of consideration and analysis that must be pursued; the recommendations of the Panel of Experts can enhance that process. The mandate of the Panel should be renewed in order to maintain the very useful monitoring that its activities have thus far made possible. In that context, we feel that, in determining what follow-up it intends to give to the report, the Security Council should be guided by certain fundamental objectives. First, the follow-up must contribute to the dynamic of the Lusaka process, and must thus form part of the overall framework for seeking a political solution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Secondly, the fate of the Congolese people must be at the centre of all concerns. We note that the Panel proposes a moratorium on certain resources.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The international community, for its part, must take action, setting up control mechanisms and appropriate measures to halt smuggling. There have been praiseworthy initiatives, such as the Kimberley process on the role of diamonds in conflict, and we consider that this course should continue to be followed. We welcome the encouraging outcome of the meeting held in Gaborone, and eagerly await its follow-up by the General Assembly. But individual countries also have a contribution to make. Those cited in the report in particular must seriously study the information it contains and take the necessary measures. It is in that spirit that the States members of the European Union have taken due note of that information. It is clear that finding appropriate ways to combat this exploitation is no simple matter.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The fate of the Congolese people is in part determined by this rush for lucre. They are the victims of their country's natural resources, whereas they should instead be the beneficiaries. What is more, this situation is seriously complicating the efforts to restore peace. Specifically, the parties, with the help of the international community, are using political tools in a conflict which has to some extent become an economic struggle in which shifting alliances and the fragmentation of rebel movements seem to be dictated in part by the profit motive. Therein lies one of the key elements of a resolution of the conflict. The European Union condemns this plundering of natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It must stop, and here the primary responsibility lies with the parties themselves.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It must nevertheless be read and, more to the point, studied, and we feel that it is essential to consider it with minute attention. We would like to warmly thank Ambassador Kassem and his team for the remarkable efforts they have made and the meticulousness with which, in a difficult context, they carried out this investigation. The report shows that a conflict that was initially political and security-related in nature is becoming a struggle for riches. The parties involved have an interest in perpetuating the conflict, whose economic dimension, at the cost of war, is becoming a guiding force. Based as it is on a particularly cynical approach, this situation is above all tragic for the Congolese people, who, in the rationale being followed, see no peace and security on the horizon.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. De Ruyt (Belgium) (Spoke in French): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - the associated countries of Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, as well as Liechtenstein, the European Free Trade Association country belonging to the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement. The document before us, the addendum to the report of the Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, provides us with a detailed account of a grave and rather cheerless situation.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“UNMIBH's work is directly in line with the progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing the Dayton Accords. The progress made is positive and the situation is developing satisfactorily. The European Union strongly urges the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue implementing the road map to Europe. We should like to stress once again that responsible political management, combined with an absolute and immediate determination to implement institutional, legal and economic reforms in full, are essential prerequisites for speedy integration into European Union structures. Regional cooperation is no less important to the consolidation of this process and, as we emphasised in September, in this respect Bosnia and Herzegovina has made significant progress, which must be taken forward.”
2001-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4433 (2001) · source
“As we stated during the debate in the Council in September this year, the European Union appreciates and supports the High Representative's comprehensive approach to restructuring the current civilian presence on the ground. Indeed, the transition must be planned intelligently and the avenues open to us for streamlining the presence of the international community on the ground must be explored, while bearing two goals in mind: efficiency and coordination. The document which High Representative Petritsch is to submit at the meeting of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, being held today and tomorrow in Brussels, will most certainly enable us to make progress towards a rapid implementation of such streamlining, which will further enhance the efficiency of the international community's action in the country.”
2001-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4433 (2001) · source
“It is a shame that the efforts of the police are not yet being effectively taken up by the judicial system, which, as noted by the Independent Judicial Commission, is making only slow progress. Public confidence, not only in the judicial system, but also in the police services, is essential if it is to work properly. We therefore call on UNMIBH to pursue the efforts it has begun in the difficult task of overhauling the judiciary. If it continues in this way, UNMIBH should have completed its core tasks by the end of its mandate in December next year. As mentioned by the Secretary- General in his report, however, monitoring and assistance activities will follow from there.”
2001-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4433 (2001) · source
“Hedi Annabi for his briefing this morning. The Secretary-General's report on progress made by the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) over the past six months makes encouraging reading. We are pleased to see that UNMIBH's mission, in accordance with the mandate implementation plan, continues to make progress and that 43 of its 66 projects have been completed so far. We are particularly satisfied with the results achieved in relation to the State Border Service, the fight against trafficking in human beings and drugs, and counter- terrorism. The fact that the regional police forces and the two entities are improving their cooperation is very positive and can only serve to make their work even more efficient.”
2001-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4433 (2001) · source
“Mr. De Ruyt (Belgium) (spoke in French): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the European Free Trade Association countries Iceland and Liechtenstein align themselves with this statement. May I first congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council and pay tribute to the outstanding work done by Jamaica in November. We express our warm thanks to you, Sir, for opening this briefing to delegations and for thus allowing us to express our opinions on a subject close to the European Union's heart. I also wish to thank Mr.”
2001-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4433 (2001) · source
“Wherever necessary, the approach to all these problems must include a "child" dimension. In conclusion, I wish to say that no peace can be lasting unless children are involved in its consolidation. The special session of the General Assembly on children is crucial in this respect. It represents a unique opportunity for all of us to pool our efforts to define a global strategy to promote and protect the rights of the child. Peace is without doubt the most precious possession that we can offer them, and this requires our unconditional voluntary commitment.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In that regard, there is an urgent need to put a stop to the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts, in Violation of international law, including the obligations imposed by the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Allow me to remind the Council that that Protocol prohibits the participation of children under the age of 18 in armed conflicts. We look forward to its entry into force next February. I would also mention the Rome Statute, which makes it a war crime to recruit children under the age of 15. As the Secretary-General's report stresses, the Security Council regularly deals with issues that directly or indirectly involve children: child soldiers, the question of small arms, HIV/AIDS and peacekeeping operations, the illicit exploitation of natural resources and conflict prevention.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This additional expertise will make for a deeper appreciation of the problems and, not least, enable us to adapt our action to the particular needs of each operation. In this context, we wish to recall that the special needs of girls must receive special attention. Generally speaking, it is Vital that all civilians and all military and police forces involved in peacekeeping operations receive training in children's rights, child protection and international humanitarian law. But to be truly effective, we must also become involved in conflict prevention measures aimed particularly at children.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It is indeed vital that these considerations be taken into account, first in dialogues for peace and the ensuing peace agreements and then in the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations and peace-building programmes where appropriate. We are thinking particularly of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes for child combatants and of the right of child refugees and internally displaced children to assistance and protection. It is also worth repeating that humanitarian personnel must have full, safe and unhindered access to children affected by armed conflict. We warmly welcome the fact that child protection advisers and child-focused human rights officers are, where appropriate, to be part of the personnel of peacekeeping operations.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This draft resolution, whose scope of action is greater than that of its predecessors, in which the means envisaged are also more ambitious, confirms the strong commitment of the international community to this matter. Since this complex issue is to be discussed in depth at the special session of the General Assembly on children to be held in May next year, I should like here to expand on the aspects directly relating to the responsibilities of the Council. First, we welcome the special child-related provisions that the Security Council has included in a number of its recent resolutions, particularly resolution 1355 (2001), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), which contains a specific paragraph on child protection.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Finally, we wish to stress that in addition to these efforts, it is the Member States that individually bear the responsibility for implementing the agreed standards in this matter. We are pleased that the Security Council is seized of this matter, for that signals unequivocal recognition that the protection to which children are entitled, particularly under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, is an essential factor in building peace and lasting security. The European Union calls on the Member States to implement Security Council resolutions 1314 (2000) and 1261 (1999), on children and armed conflict, and welcomes the adoption of a new draft resolution by the Council.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Reading the report, we are struck by the number and the variety of ways in which children are involved in armed conflict: millions of children are the first innocent victims of conflicts that destroy their future and, at the same time, the future of their countries. The Secretary-General's recommendations are rightly addressed to a number of actors. It is indeed the international community as a whole that bears responsibility for their implementation. In this connection, we welcome the commitment shown by the Secretary-General and his Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Mr. Olara Otunnu. We reiterate our support for their work and for that of the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We wish also to thank Alhaji Babah Sawaneh for having, on behalf of the tens of thousands of children who continue to experience the same tragic tale, given the Council an account of a state of affairs that we are firmly determined to combat. We should like to thank the Secretary-General for his very detailed and thorough report, the recommendations of which should enable us to tackle the problem of children and armed conflict head-on. The Secretary-General's report is also a reminder to us of the tragic situation of children in armed conflict and of the long way still to go to protect them from conflict and its devastating consequences, direct and indirect.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. De Ruyt (Belgium) (spoke in French): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the European Free Trade Association country belonging to the European Economic Area Liechtenstein align themselves with this statement. I want to begin by thanking Ms. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Mr. Olara Otunnu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, for their important statements this morning.”
2001-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4422Resumption1 (2001) · source
“At the end of this month, the President in office of the European Union, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Mr. Louis Michel, will go to the region with the High Representative of the European Union, Mr. Javier Solana, and the External Relations Commissioner, Mr. Chris Patten. That visit will reaffirm the strong commitment of the European Union to the peace process and its solidarity with the region's long-suffering people.”
2001-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4412 (2001) · source
“We support the Secretary-General's recommendation to the Council that the third phase of MONUC deployment be started in order to sustain the momentum of the peace process, despite the risks and costs involved, in the hope that the parties to the conflict, both in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere the region, will fully assume their moral and political responsibilities. In other words, the Union urges the signatory States and the other parties to the Lusaka Agreement to show the political will required for the continuation of the peace process. The European Union will support the process, and it undertakes to use all its energy and influence to that end in close cooperation with the United Nations, the Organization of African Unity and all the parties concerned.”
2001-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4412 (2001) · source
“We do not wish to hold forth here about the poor result of the Addis Ababa meeting, which we regret, but wish rather to urge the parties to the dialogue and the facilitator, Sir Ketumile Masire, to agree as quickly as possible to hold further meetings to revive the process in order to engage in substantive dialogue on the parameters of an inclusive and democratic transition, with a realistic timetable. We remain convinced that, with good will and a spirit of compromise, the process can be put back on track. I reaffirm the support of the European Union and its member States in that connection. The suffering of the Congolese population, the grave violations of human rights committed against it and its appalling humanitarian situation all require us to shoulder our responsibilities.”
2001-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4412 (2001) · source