YouSaid · the spoken record

Dejammet

lines on the record: 838
first: 1995-11-09
most recent: 2000-03-09
sittings or episodes: 128
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

“UNHCR is attempting to cope with the problem of the survival of those refugees in a most outstanding manner. However, given the lack of political settlements, to what extent is the action of UNHCR not in fact an excuse in the absence, or rather the inability of the Security Council or the members of the international community to try to settle underlying issues? I am thinking here of the considerable number of refugees still in Conakry, Guinea - I believe the figure is 350,000 - and of those still in Tanzania.”
1998-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3942 (1998) · source
“Ogata believes that this was a good or, as we ourselves believe, a bad decision on the part of the members of the Security Council? At the present stage, I would also like to know - again with regard to the Great Lakes region and particularly Kivu - what the High Commissioner's feelings are regarding the humanitarian situation in the Kivu area; the extent to which UNHCR believes it can make its presence known once again in a region which is clearly experiencing the problems associated with forced displacement; and in what form and with what possible protection can UNHCR play its necessary role in this region of the world? Other questions arise with regard to other regions where the problem of protection is perhaps a bit less pressing, for instance, in areas where there is a great number of refugees.”
1998-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3942 (1998) · source
“On the other subjects, we are convinced that UNHCR will act effectively to try to facilitate the return of refugees and their re-establishment under the least awful conditions possible. With regard to the Great Lakes region, I also believe that the problem of protecting humanitarian assistance is a vital subject. I would like to know Mrs. Ogata's View - even if only considering history, recent history - of the fact that the Security Council, after having planned for the protection of humanitarian assistance in Kivu in November 1996, finally gave up trying to assure the deployment of a multinational force. I know that this is a somewhat political issue, but, in the light of past experience and the information we subsequently received, I would like to know whether Mrs.”
1998-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3942 (1998) · source
“In that spirit, and bearing in mind situations in which this problem of protecting humanitarian assistance and the staff of UNHCR arises or has arisen or will arise, I would like to recall two specific situations, namely, Kosovo and the Great Lakes region. With regard to Kosovo, I would like to ask Mrs. Ogata whether, from her point of view, the arrangements which have been contemplated or which are being implemented for the protection of international staff who will be active in Kosovo seem appropriate to her; in other words, can UNHCR comment on the measures taken to cope with situations such as that which led to Mr. Cochetel's being taken hostage or that, fresh in our memory, which took place recently in Bosnia? That is what I wish to say regarding Kosovo.”
1998-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3942 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): I thank you, Mr. President, for having taken the initiative to organize this most timely debate. I would like to thank Mrs. Ogata for having referred to Mr. Cochetel at the very outset of her intervention. Mr. Cochetel, a high-ranking official of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is also our compatriot and has now been held hostage for several months. It seems to me that this case unfortunately illustrates the dangers which the staff of UNHCR are actually subject to on a daily basis. This does them honour, but at the same time it emphasizes the seriousness of the problem of protection for humanitarian assistance, which is a subject on which many members of the Council have already spoken.”
1998-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3942 (1998) · source
“France appeals to Iraq to seize the opportunity that the Council is ready to offer it through the undertaking, initially proposed by the Secretary-General, of a comprehensive review. The only way for this to be done and for there to be progress towards lifting the sanctions that are causing suffering to the Iraqi people is for Baghdad to rescind without delay the unjustifiable measures of 5 August and 31 October.”
1998-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3939 (1998) · source
“The draft resolution that we are going to adopt today restates the Council's intention to carry out this comprehensive review. It also reaffirms the intention of the Council "to act in accordance with the relevant provisions of resolution 687 (1991) on the duration of the prohibitions referred to in that resolution". These provisions, as everyone knows, are embodied in paragraphs 21 and 22 of Council resolution 687 (1991). Finally, in its last operative paragraph, the text we will adopt reaffirms unambiguously the responsibilities and the prerogatives of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security, responsibilities that include evaluating situations as and when necessary and making the appropriate conclusions.”
1998-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3939 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): Along with the other Council members, France has lent its support to the draft resolution that is going to be put to the vote, and given the final draft, we wish to join the other sponsors. In expressing itself in a unanimous way the Council demonstrates its unity in the face of an unacceptable and irrational Iraqi decision. The Council is acting firmly because Iraq's decision represents a serious Violation of that country's obligations. By so acting, Baghdad is turning its back on the Council's clearly expressed intention to proceed without delay to a comprehensive review of the implementation of its resolutions as soon as the restrictions imposed on the United Nations Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency on 5 August were lifted.”
1998-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3939 (1998) · source
“The Council therefore welcomes the commitment of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to guarantee the security of the Verification Missions, but it affirms that, in the event of an emergency, action may be necessary to ensure the Missions' safety and freedom of movement, as envisaged in the agreements signed in Belgrade. This affirmation on the part of the Council is welcome. The provisions established by this resolution are in the service of peace. The objective of each and all is a peaceful settlement. The Council's decision supports the persistent efforts of the negotiators and confers authority upon them to persuade all of the parties and to contribute to restoring peace and security in the region. France therefore voted in favour of this resolution.”
1998-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3937 (1998) · source
“The Council affirms that the unresolved situation in Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, constitutes a threat to peace and security in the region and that it is therefore acting under Chapter VII of the Charter. It endorses the agreements signed in Belgrade and demands their full and prompt implementation by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The members of the Council are acting on the basis of experience. Aware of the dangers and the threats, which they witnessed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, they do not want any recurrence of the violations of the safety and security of those who, on the ground in a dangerous environment, are entrusted with the verification and implementation of the agreements.”
1998-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3937 (1998) · source
“As provided in the agreements, they concluded on an urgent basis a new Security Council resolution in order to endorse the agreements and therefore all of the provisions established in order to set in train the mechanism for verification and implementation. The way is open to a peaceful settlement to the question of Kosovo, but vigilance and commitment on the part of all will be required. On the basis of resolution 1199 (1998), it is therefore incumbent upon the Security Council, in the exercise of its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, to take the necessary decision. That is the objective of the resolution just adopted.”
1998-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3937 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): The Security Council has been seized of the question of Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which poses a threat to international peace and security, and it adopted successively resolutions 1160 (1998) and 1199 (1998). In implementation of those resolutions, agreements were concluded between the Government of Belgrade and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on the one hand and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on the other. The States that constitute what is known as the Contact Group recently met and unanimously expressed their determination that those agreements should be implemented.”
1998-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3937 (1998) · source
“We shall consider the proposals made this morning by the United States. I believe that above and beyond general considerations - welcome as they are - we must devise practical measures. The most important thing is to make governing circles and authorities aware of the need to provide for the protection of humanitarian staff and civilian populations. Gradually the United Nations is trying to propagate this belief, and today our hope is that the statement we are about to adopt will help us progress towards the objectives proposed to us.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“We should therefore do everything in our power to ensure conditions of safety that are satisfactory for humanitarian workers. The 1994 Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel is a legal instrument to which we attach great importance. We have signed it, and the ratification process is under way in the French Parliament. Obviously we hope that many States will do likewise. But that instrument is not enough. The Convention is not enough, because it does not cover all categories of humanitarian personnel and is therefore unlikely to resolve complex problems with multiple causes. We have tried to come up with ways of improving this state of affairs. Last February France organized a national meeting with non-governmental organizations in order to determine how better to protect humanitarian personnel.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“The creation of an International Criminal Court is a major step forward in our fight against the impunity of war criminals. Our country was among the first to sign the treaty in Rome, and we hope that those countries that have done yet done so will join us. We wish to contribute to making the Criminal Court a credible and effective instrument in the service of human rights and humankind. As we said earlier, we are concerned at the deterioration of the working conditions of humanitarian personnel. Increasingly they are used as targets by parties to conflicts. In this regard I cannot but recall with sadness that since January 1998 one of our fellow countrymen, Mr. Vincent Cochetel, who worked for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in North Ossetia, has been held hostage by his captors for nine months now.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“In Central Africa in November 1996, in spite of a decision taken by the Security Council to set up a multinational force to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian relief to hundreds of thousands of people - women and children - in dire circumstances, that operation was not deployed and a very serious humanitarian disaster ensued. Today the same consideration should make us doubly careful regarding the situation in Kosovo. We all understand the need for caution, but once again the Security Council must shoulder its responsibilities in order to avoid another humanitarian catastrophe - and fortunately it began to show evidence of this last week. Monitoring respect for the norms and principles of international law is crucial.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“In the field, this should be reflected in a close coordination among the political and military components on the one hand and the humanitarian components on the other, while bearing in mind the particular nature of their respective tasks. This is an ongoing problem that is not always resolved in an entirely satisfactory manner. We are aware that humanitarian personnel often have to carry out tasks that are viewed by the local civilian population to a certain extent as alibis for our inability to settle the conflict militarily or politically. Hence the risk to humanitarian personnel, and the caution we must therefore exercise often leads to paralysis in the Council and an inability to live up to our responsibilities.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“In this connection, I should like to commend the efforts of Under-Secretary-General Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, who endeavours regularly to inform the Security Council of developments in the humanitarian situation of the conflicts of which the Security Council is seized. The experience of the United Nations Protection Force, with which Mr. Vieira de Mello is deeply familiar, has taught us that when the Security Council decides to deploy United Nations contingents to support humanitarian activities, it should define in a clear, precise and realistic mandate the respective responsibilities of their military and humanitarian components.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“The Security Council cannot remain indifferent in the face of this situation. It must, in carrying out its mandate, take greater account of the humanitarian dimensions of conflicts, anticipate them and provide for them in its statements and resolutions. The Council has instruments at its disposal that might help to protect humanitarian assistance. It must therefore muster the resolve to put these into effect. We have had failures in recent years, which should compel us better to shoulder our responsibilities. There was Somalia, which had a regrettable impact on the opinions of some, though we know that in humanitarian terms some good work was done in that country. That experience made us aware of the importance of not disassociating humanitarian activities from the general social, political and economic context of a conflict.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“This report contains recommendations which stem from experience and deserve the full attention of the Council. We hope that the report of the Secretary-General will mark the beginning of comprehensive thinking on the means available to us to cope with the deterioration of the situation of civilian populations in conflicts and of the conditions in which humanitarian personnel are working in the field. Civilian populations, and women and children in particular, have become not only the principal victims but also the targets of current conflicts. Massive displacements of people are occurring on a daily basis. Civilians are being massacred. Children, caught up in the spiral of war, are being slaughtered. Humanitarian personnel are taken hostage and threatened, and they must work in constant fear for their lives.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for expressing on behalf of all the members of the Council the feelings of respect, friendship and esteem that we all have for Ambassador Owada. I readily join in the wishes you have just expressed for the success of his future endeavours. I think it is quite appropriate that we should be invited by you to adopt a presidential statement on a subject to which the Permanent Representative of Japan himself has devoted a great deal of time and thought. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for the very good report he has submitted on protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees and others in conflict situations, following the debate we had last year.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“But it must be followed immediately by other negotiations on the major points in the dispute. The parties must also fulfil their commitments regarding the security of international personnel. Acts committed against members of the peacekeeping force of the Commonwealth of Independent States and of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia are to be condemned. The two parties must take measures to put an end to them. That is the substance of the draft resolution before the Council, and is the reason why France will vote in its favour.”
1998-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3912 (1998) · source
“It is therefore essential for the parties rigorously to respect the Agreement on a Ceasefire and Separation of Forces of 14 May 1994, as well as the Protocol on a Ceasefire and Withdrawal of Armed Formations signed on 25 May 1998. But only a lasting political settlement can ensure the stability of the region. The United Nations, with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator, the group of Friends of the Secretary-General and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is sparing no effort to achieve a solution to the conflict. These efforts, however, can succeed only if the two parties now demonstrate the necessary political will in the negotiations. The meeting held at Geneva from 23 to 25 July 1998 under United Nations auspices was an important step, particularly in the present context.”
1998-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3912 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): The situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, is of great concern. The resumption of hostilities last May caused some 40,000 persons who had returned to live in the Gali region to leave their homes. The patient efforts of international organizations in recent years to make possible the return of refugees and displaced persons in the zone have thus been obliterated. Homes have been deliberately set afire by Abkhaz forces. France condemns these actions, which are apparently motivated by a desire to drive these people out of their home region. Tension in the region persists, and unfortunately new clashes cannot be excluded.”
1998-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3912 (1998) · source
“UNOMSIL' s success will therefore depend on tangible cooperation between the two missions: the primary mission of ECOMOG and the complementary one of UNOMSIL. Once again, however, this cooperation must be along the desired lines between the United Nations and the regional organizations in which we place our trust. UNOMSIL falls within the political framework of genuine national reconciliation. Once again, we are gratified by the intentions expressed by the Government of Sierra Leone in this respect. We therefore hope that UNOMSIL will be able to support all initiatives, in particular those of the Government, to restore the democratic process and to speed up Sierra Leone's reconstruction and recovery.”
1998-07-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3902 (1998) · source
“The diversity of the tasks assigned to the Mission reflects these aspirations. These include monitoring the programme for demobilizing and reintegrating former combatants; assisting in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law, as was just emphasized by the Ambassador of Sweden; monitoring the programme to restructure the police force; and providing technical assistance to help the Government of Sierra Leone to cope with the needs of the country in the field of human rights. UNOMSIL is also an interesting, promising and potentially fruitful experiment in coordination between a regional operation - that of ECOMOG on behalf of ECOWAS - and a United Nations operation. We welcome the important contribution this experiment will make to stabilization in that country.”
1998-07-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3902 (1998) · source
“The presence of the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) should help to stabilize the situation and allow the legal authorities of Sierra Leone to consolidate their authority. We were therefore particularly pleased by the initiatives undertaken by several members of the Council to establish, organize and gain approval for the Observer Mission. This will be the second new operation to be created in three months by the Security Council in Africa. In this decision, we see proof of the interest of the Security Council and the international community in assisting Africa to prevent and settle crises. The establishment of the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone allows both the military and civilian dimensions of the conflict to be addressed.”
1998-07-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3902 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): The difficulties experienced by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in stemming the activities of the rebellion and members of the former military junta in Sierra Leone show that the situation there remains fragile and that the progress that has been achieved remains threatened. These uncertainties should not prevent us, however, from welcoming the re-establishment of the constitutional Government of Sierra Leone or from being gratified by its manifest intentions to undertake reform, especially regarding the state of law and the restructuring of the State.”
1998-07-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3902 (1998) · source
“We are ready to consider any decision whereby the Security Council, in accordance with its responsibilities, would place on record its concern in the light of the Israeli decisions relating to the boundaries of the municipality of Jerusalem and would also make a strong appeal to the parties to allow the peace process in the Middle East to break out of its deadlock. We fervently hope that it will be possible to secure consensus on such a decision, and we are ready to work to that end.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“In this regard, the latter have taken brave measures which should be continued. But the only genuine security, as France itself knows, lies in the resolve of peoples and their leaders to choose coexistence and cooperation. Fortunately, Israel's right to live within secure and recognized borders is now well established. But the choice must be made once and for all in favour of discussions in good faith, rather than tensions. We therefore call once again for the Israeli leaders to choose negotiation, and we encourage those who are playing a special role in the peace process to pursue their efforts without respite.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“The city of Jerusalem is a special and sacred place for three major religions. That is why, in 1947, the decision was taken to give Jerusalem an international status. Today, as then, only agreement between the parties can yield a solution that is acceptable to the international community. The chance for a lasting peace hinges on that agreement. The deadlock in the peace process is profoundly disappointing and saddening to all those who admired the courage and vision of the Israeli and Palestinian leaders who committed themselves to it. But above and beyond our disappointment, it is the danger that this deadlock poses for regional stability that concerns us. Israel's security is a legitimate concern, recognized by the international community and by the Palestinians.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“This policy seems to arise out of a movement aimed at creating an irreversible situation in Jerusalem that in the long term would strip the question of the status of the city of any real meaning. We are meeting today because of a new decision that, if it were implemented, would amount to accepting a plan altering the boundaries of the city and creating an expanded municipal structure. Inasmuch as that new structure would include West Bank settlements close to Jerusalem, it would clearly alter the existing status quo. Such an action would run counter to the spirit and letter of the agreements signed between the parties. It would be a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. It would disregard the decisions of the Security Council. We therefore appeal to the Israeli authorities to renounce this approach.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“We would be the first to remind all the parties concerned that changes cannot be achieved in one day, or even in a year, that we must allow time for attitudes to evolve and that we must move in stages, each stage being well established so as to ensure the success of the next. That is what is generally called a process. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a reverse trend: there has been no response to the proposals made by the United States several months ago, while at the same time an increasing number of decisions have been taken that have created faits accomplis. The expulsions and demolitions taking place in Jerusalem are causing humiliation, despondency and anger.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“We have supported the peace process since its inception and have on several occasions - including recently, with our European partners - reaffirmed our support for the efforts of the United States to secure the agreement of the parties on proposals that we regard as reasonable. These positions are well known, and we will therefore merely recall them. Too frequently we hear that the peace process is going through a crucial stage and that we should continue to be patient. Patience is warranted and, indeed, essential, when a situation is developing in the right direction.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): France's position on the occupied territories, including Jerusalem, and on the peace process, is well known. We share that position with the members of the European Union and with many other States that associate themselves with our statements. We believe, in accordance with the almost identical terms of six Council resolutions, that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel that have altered or purported to alter the character and status of Jerusalem are null and void and must be rescinded forthwith.”
1998-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3900 (1998) · source
“We are fully aware of the vigilance and dynamism the Committee on the Rights of the Child has shown in that area. I believe, therefore, that we must mobilize our efforts to take specific steps to conclude that additional protocol relating to children in armed conflict. In my view, this would be the first positive and felicitous result of the presidential statement that we will be adopting, and I wish once again to thank you, Sir, for having taken this initiative on behalf of the delegations that are members of the Council.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“I listened very attentively to the various points made so forcefully by previous speakers, all of which, it appears, deserve our support. But I should like to draw the Council's attention to one element that seems particularly urgent and important: the need for universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and, of course, the need for its effective implementation. We hope that the efforts undertaken to conclude an additional optional protocol to the Convention, which will specifically address the question of children in armed conflict, will bear fruit at the earliest possible date. We have witnessed in the various United Nations bodies all the positive consequences of the determination of delegations to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Almost all of these are concerned by the question of children in armed conflict, but I should like to mention in particular the United Nations Children's Fund, the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the High Commissioner for Refugees. Mr. Otunnu should likewise also be able to rely on the cooperation of Governments and non-governmental entities. France fully endorses the provisions contained in the presidential statement that we will be adopting, in particular with respect to protection for humanitarian assistance, the need to take into consideration the humanitarian impact of sanctions, the importance of developing and implementing programmes tailored to the needs of children, in particular in the area of their social reintegration and rehabilitation.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“The question we are dealing with is therefore very serious and multifaceted. It warrants that every effort be effectively deployed to reverse the tremendously disquieting trend of involving children in armed conflict. From the very outset, France supported the idea put forward by the Secretary-General to give a mandate to a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and we welcome the appointment to this post of Mr. Olara Otunnu. All of us at the United Nations are familiar with his dedication, energy and effectiveness. I wish therefore simply to reaffirm our support for his work and to voice the strong hope that, in View of the magnitude and the implications of his mandate, the Special Representative will receive the whole-hearted and active cooperation of all entities of the United Nations system.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): This debate shows clearly how well-founded was your initiative, Mr. President. In this context, we associate ourselves with those who have thanked you for preparing, with the support of the members of the Council, a statement on children in armed conflict, which we will soon be adopting. This is a very welcome move. Many figures and statistics have already been mentioned that clearly illustrate the seriousness of the problem that we face. I will confine myself, therefore, to underscoring the truly overwhelming nature of the facts that attest to the very high numbers of children who are forcibly recruited as combatants, both in regular armies and in armed groups. This is a particularly deplorable phenomenon, and we must do our utmost to eradicate it.”
1998-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3896 (1998) · source
“Of course, the humanitarian programme, even when it is enlarged, is only a provisional and temporary palliative measure. Today it is to be hoped that the new relationship established between Iraq and the United Nations, particularly after the mission by the Secretary-General to Baghdad, will be reflected in the swift lifting of the oil embargo once the Special Commission has certified that Iraq has carried out, as it must, its disarmament obligations.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“As the Secretary-General said in his last report, the nutritional situation of children under the age of five has not improved at all, despite the implementation of the humanitarian programme. One third of Iraqi children are suffering from serious or acute malnutrition, according to the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Food Programme. But we must also broaden this programme so as to meet essential needs relating to water quality and to the provision of energy to enable hospitals, bakeries and other facilities to function and to meet the immediate and essential humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people. That is why we must hope that the sanctions Committee will ensure that this increase that has finally been authorized will actually take place.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“However, they will henceforth be submitted to the sanctions Committee. We hope that it will show the necessary sense of responsibility and diligence. In this respect we have every confidence in you, Mr. President, as Chairman of that body. Given some unfortunate past experiences, however, we have every reason to be vigilant. Further delays of several months after the very sharp drop in crude oil prices would effectively and permanently jeopardize any expansion of the oil-for-food provisions, which were considered reasonable by all members of the Council. Such an expansion of the programme is necessary. It is necessary if we want to avoid any further deterioration in the humanitarian situation of the Iraqi people. I should like to recall one statistic.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“As early as February, France, together with others, expressed the wish that the Council would authorize Iraq to import the spare parts that it needed. At the time, this desire was met with reluctance on the part of some. We therefore lost four precious months. This draft resolution will now provide the legal framework deemed indispensable by some Member States. No delay can any longer be justified. The draft resolution unfortunately approves only a mechanism, and not the list of spare parts - still less the contracts. We can only regret that the very specific and precise recommendations of the Secretary-General in this matter have not been followed. The Secretary-General had proposed that the oil overseers - the independent experts - rather than the sanctions Committee, approve the contracts, so as to gain time.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“The Council recalls its desire for the humanitarian programme to continue, with the agreement of Iraq, until the oil embargo is lifted. That is how we understand the fourth preambular paragraph, which uses the same wording as the preambular parts of resolutions 986 (1995) and 1153 (1998). As for the distribution plan, the compromise arrived at in paragraph 5 preserves the essential elements. On the one hand, it avoids any danger of a gap in the supply of humanitarian goods to Iraq. On the other, if Baghdad so wishes the Iraqis may, next November, before the expiration of resolution 1153 (1998), propose a new distribution plan. If Iraq prefers, it may also simply amend the current distribution plan. The main objective of the draft resolution, however, was supposed to be to allow Iraq to increase its oil production.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): The text before us is the welcome outcome of long and difficult negotiations. It is welcome because the text rules out for good wording that could have proved dangerous. The principles underlying the oil-for-food programme have been respected. The Memorandum of Understanding of May 1996, which serves as a basis for the agreements between the Government of Iraq and the United Nations in this area, has not been unilaterally amended. The new spirit of cooperation between Iraq and the United Nations since the Secretary-General's trip to Baghdad has been strengthened. That is why we will vote in favour of the draft resolution. The provisions are, of course, temporary, as is the distribution plan and the Memorandum of Understanding itself, which is renewed every six months.”
1998-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3893 (1998) · source
“We hope that this time UNITA will understand the signal being sent and will act accordingly. This is why France is will vote in favour of the draft resolution.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“We deplore, by contrast, that the UNITA leadership has not lived up to its obligations. This attitude seriously jeopardizes stability in Angola. The draft resolution before the Council is designed to preserve the peace process and to make possible the attainment of its objectives. It calls upon UNITA to cooperate immediately with the extension of State administration. If the UNITA leadership refuses to cooperate, additional sanctions envisaged under this draft resolution will enter into force. These additional sanctions, notably in the economic and financial areas, were implicitly envisaged by resolution 1127 (1997), adopted by the Council in August 1997. At that time, we thought it would not be necessary to have recourse to these sanctions. Unfortunately, UNITA did not understand the resolve expressed at that time by our Council.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“Mr. Dejammet (France) (interpretation from French): I also welcome the presence in our midst of General Carneiro. France is deeply concerned at the deterioration of the situation in Angola in recent weeks. This situation has been marked by an absence of progress in the peace process and by an increased number of armed incidents, including against the United Nations Mission, incidents which the Council has recently condemned. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Maitre Blondin Beye, whose efforts are fully backed by France, has proposed a plan to restore confidence and resolve this crisis. We welcome the efforts made by the Angolan Government to implement the plan, and we also express our satisfaction at the commitment shown by the Angolan Government to pursue the path of political dialogue.”
1998-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3891 (1998) · source
“If we are to attain all these objectives, we feel that it would be desirable to continue to promote dialogue and cooperation with India and Pakistan and to avoid coercive measures. But these two countries must also display restraint and demonstrate, by acting in according with the Security Council's requests, their willingness to commit themselves to this path. It is in this spirit that the French delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolution.”
1998-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3890 (1998) · source