YouSaid · the spoken record

Delattre

lines on the record: 3,505
first: 2014-09-08
most recent: 2019-06-28
sittings or episodes: 443
sources: un-security-council

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“The civilian population is living in despair, trapped between bargaining and fighting, particularly in eastern Ghouta. Over the past few weeks, not only has the fighting has not subsided; it has doubled in intensity, with a land offensive launched by the regime, supported by its allies Russia and Iran. The carefully planned offensive was unremitting, using the double strategy of terror and parallel negotiations that was used in Aleppo to obtain the surrender of combatants and the displacement of civilians. For a month there has not been a single day when eastern Ghouta, which has been besieged and starved for years, has not suffered indiscriminate shelling by the regime and its supporters. They have systematically bombed schools and hospitals and killed more than 1,700 civilians, including more than 300 children.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to thank Mark Lowcock for his briefing and to commend him on his tireless efforts and those of his team in their response to the urgent and severe humanitarian situation in Syria. To address that urgency and severity, a month ago almost to the day the Security Council adopted resolution 2401 (2018). We thus collectively and unanimously demanded that all the parties to the conflict cease hostilities throughout the country to allow for sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to civilians in need and for medical evacuations. A month later, what is the situation? Not only has resolution 2401 (2018) not been implemented, but the humanitarian situation in Syria has worsened.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8217 (2018) · source
“The Council should rest assured of France's firm commitment in this direction in support of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“Beyond MONUSCO, by successfully coordinating the implementation of the 31 December 2016 political agreement, it is up to all of us - but first and foremost, of course, the Congolese themselves, and especially the regional actors involved under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework agreement, and the region as a whole - to enable all Congolese to regain confidence in the electoral process so that free, inclusive, credible and transparent elections can be held on 23 December. The measures for easing tensions that are provided for in the agreement should contribute to this end. In our view, those are the conditions for the success of the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the agreed timetable. The unity we have shown today is an essential asset in this respect.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“It is seeking to be more responsive and mobile and to make better use of all the tools at its disposal. The integrated approach to the protection of civilians is welcome, as is the concept of protection by projection. The Council has given MONUSCO a clear and achievable mandate and the means to accomplish its tasks, including maintaining its troop ceiling. That is an essential point. It encourages the Secretariat and the Mission, together with its troop-contributing countries, to pursue these reforms with ambition.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“The Mission has two very clear and closely related priorities: the protection of civilians, on the one hand, and support for the preparation of elections and the implementation of the 31 December 2016 political agreement, on the other. All other Mission activities must be carried out in support of those priorities. Without adequate preparation for the elections, the stability of the country and the security of civilians are at risk. If civilians are not protected, it is the exercise of their right as citizens to decide their future that could be called into question. Finally, in the resolution, the Council strongly encourages MONUSCO to pursue the internal reforms initiated this year following its strategic review. Progress has been made, and the Mission has undertaken the necessary adjustments.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“It is essential that the violations that have been seen during the latest demonstrations do not recur and that the perpetrators be brought to justice. In this respect, the Council welcomes the establishment of a joint Congolese commission of inquiry and calls for the implementation of its recommendations. With respect to all these aspects, the Council will continue to follow the electoral preparations very closely and will work in close coordination with the countries of the region to facilitate free, credible, transparent and peaceful elections. Secondly, the Council has demonstrated its unity with respect to the role it wishes to give to MONUSCO.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“That includes the effective establishment of the team of international electoral experts that the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the European Union, the United Nations and the International Organization of la Francophonie have proposed to deploy. The second condition is the creation of an open and peaceful climate in which all candidates can declare their candidacies and campaign freely without fear of reprisal. The Council reiterates its call for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, starting with the right to assembly, as well as the need for the proportionate use of force in the preservation of public order. It calls for the general ban on demonstrations to be lifted.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“The challenge is historic and is being confronted in a delicate context. Without credible and universally accepted elections, the stability of the country and the entire region is at stake. To meet that challenge, several conditions, which the Security Council stresses in the resolution, are necessary. The first is confidence in the technical process of organizing elections and respect for the electoral calendar. The Council calls on the Congolese officials in charge of organizing the elections, and in particular the Independent National Electoral Commission, to do everything possible to ensure the transparency and credibility of the elections.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): France welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2409 (2018), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). With this unanimous adoption, the Security Council has once again shown its unity with regard to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a unity that is an essential condition for the success of the process under way. First, the Council has shown its unity regarding the political and security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The upcoming electoral period will be crucial to the future not only of the country but of the region as a whole. These elections should enable the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for the first time in its history, to experience a peaceful transfer of power.”
2018-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8216 (2018) · source
“Conflict prevention is one of the major challenges of our time, and its importance will only increase in the years to come. In this regard, in accordance with resolution 2349 (2017) and the January presidential statement on West Africa and the Sahel (S/PRST/2018/3), we encourage the adoption by Governments and the United Nations system of appropriate risk assessment and management strategies so as to respond to the destabilizing factors linked to environmental deterioration, desertification and climate change. In the Lake Chad region, we must urgently move from words to action. Commitments must translate into specific actions; rest assured of France's resolute commitment to that end.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“We must ensure the ongoing safety of peoples from Boko Haram and support the voluntary and lasting return of displaced persons and refugees where security conditions allow it possible. The issue of refugee and displaced women must also be met with specific and immediate responses, and women should be fully consulted to that end. I would like to close by recalling the need to break down the barriers between the issues of sustainable development, governance, human rights, and peace and security. Environmental deterioration and in particular the increasingly scant water resources in the Lake Chad region illustrate with particular clarity the imperative need for a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention, which lies at the heart of the reform strategy of the Secretary-General and which we fully support.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“The severity of the humanitarian crisis that the countries of the Lake Chad Basin are experiencing today requires the mobilization of all stakeholders, in particular through support for the humanitarian response plan for the region recently launched by the United Nations. France has taken concrete steps to that end. It provided â‚¬14.5 million in humanitarian assistance in 2017 and contributed to the implementation of the Lake Chad Initiative, aimed at empowering displaced persons and refugees, for a total contribution by France of more than â‚¬36 million. Secondly, the fight against terrorism must be accompanied by a continued requirement to protect civilians.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“Against that backdrop, France will continue its efforts to strengthen local governance tools, including the Lake Chad Basin Commission, as well as its development assistance projects, through the French Development Agency in particular. Lastly, I would like to recall that our efforts to stabilize the region must also focus on humanitarian challenges and the protection of civilians. First, the major humanitarian emergency that the region continues to face must lead us to strengthen our efforts to support the countries on the front line of the fight against terrorism and that are hosting a considerable number of internally displaced persons and refugees.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“The surface of the lake has decreased by half since the 1950s, and its fertile environment attracts neighbouring peoples and subjects the area to strong demographic pressure. The situation is worsening, which is having lasting impacts on local economic activities such as agriculture and fishing. Food insecurity, competition for water, and social tensions threaten both host communities and displaced persons and could lead to heightened regional conflicts. As today is World Water Day, I wish to stress the importance of water resources to the security and stability of the Lake Chad region. Water should never be a source of division but, rather, a factor for cooperation between States. This is one of the major challenges facing our generation.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“The rule of law is essential for reconciliation and for the demobilization of people who in many cases had joined terrorist groups without any real ideological motivation. We are aware that the response to the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin region cannot focus only on security. In order to ensure a lasting solution, we must continue our efforts to address the root causes of the crisis through an integrated response. That was the key lesson learned from the Security Council mission to the area a year ago, and it is this integrated approach, which encompasses security, development and human rights, that is enshrined in resolution 2349 (2017), adopted last March, and in the January statement by the President of the Security Council (S/PRST/2018/3). Today the Lake Chad region faces major challenges.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“We also denounce in the strongest terms the grave human rights violations committed against children, particularly their recruitment as child soldiers and their use as human bombs, which could constitute crimes under the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Faced with the persistent, ever-changing terrorist scourge, the support of the international community is more needed than ever and must continue. Such support includes certain responsibilities. Under no circumstances can the fight against terrorism be accompanied by human rights violations. The activities of the Multinational Joint Task Force must respect the relevant provisions of international law. We welcome the efforts of the countries of the region to bring former terrorist fighters to trial and to take measures to promote their reintegration.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“France therefore actively supports the efforts of the countries of the Lake Chad basin region, united in the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram. Their joint efforts have made it possible to gain ground and to record major gains against that terrorist organization. Nevertheless, the terrorist threat continues to loom over the countries of the region and their peoples, as shown by the tragic toll taken by the many attacks carried out during recent months against both civilians and security forces. We were deeply shocked by the kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls in Dapchi last month, but were pleased to hear this week that a large number of them had been released. We also condemn yesterday's attack on Nigerian soldiers in the Birnin Guari region. But these, unfortunately, are but a few examples.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I would like to begin by thanking the Netherlands for taking the initiative to organize this vital debate on the relationship between water and peace and security in the Lake Chad region, which is a very high priority for France. I warmly thank Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General; Mr. Mohammed Bila, representative of the Lake Chad Basin Commission; and Ms. Chitra Nagarajan, the representative of Adelphi, for their very important and enlightening briefings. I am also pleased to welcome the representative of Nigeria. The development of the Lake Chad region requires first and foremost a focus on security, which is an essential, if not sufficient, prerequisite for development.”
2018-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8212 (2018) · source
“Lastly, human rights are inseparable from a political settlement of the conflict. If the Council wishes to commit in good faith to ensuring that the same atrocities are not repeated, it must contribute to a political solution based on a Syrian society that offers inclusion for all its sectors, as well as institutions that respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Syrians. For all those reasons and others, France has called for this meeting and urges all members of the Council to express their willingness for it to be held.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8209 (2018) · source
“Human rights are a fundamental aspect of the crisis that the Council has not dealt with since then, even though violations of human rights are at the heart of the conflict and its intensification, to the detriment of international peace and security. The briefing we decided to call for will therefore complement those that have been devoted to the humanitarian, chemical and political situations in Syria. If we do not have an understanding of the human rights dimension of the conflict in Syria and the potential solution to it, we are simply being unrealistic and in denial. Who could understand it? The regime, along with other parties, especially Da'esh, has violated people's rights not just as a consequence of the fighting but by using such violations as a chosen, deliberate weapon and instrument of control over territories and populations.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8209 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): France and six other Council members asked for this briefing to be held for both functional and substantive reasons. With regard to the functional reasons, in order to act, the Council should have at its disposal all the information it needs to understand the crises it considers, including information on human rights. That is particularly the case with Syria, where, as we all know, the human rights dimension has been inextricably linked to the dynamics of the conflict from the outset. There have been other briefings by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on situations on the Council's agenda. Syria should not and cannot be an exception. That brings me to the basic reason for our collective request. Our last such briefing on Syria, by then-High Commissioner Navi Pillay, was in 2014.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8209 (2018) · source
“MONUSCO cannot do everything alone. Much will depend on how the elections are organized. A peaceful electoral climate, where everyone has confidence in the process and each candidate enjoys free expression, will contribute even more to pacification than anything MONUSCO could do. I also call on the countries of the region to implement, without delay, the commitments made under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. Results must quickly demonstrate those commitments, which were renewed collectively last October.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“The Mission's integrated approach to protecting civilians is designed to address that issue. If properly implemented, the approach can even become a peacekeeping model. A whole-of-mission effort is necessary to prevent conflicts and to be proactive so as to prevent tensions from escalating. The Mission's good offices, supported by a tight community-alert network that enables early identification ofpotential conflicts, will be particularly crucial this year. France hopes that that aspect of MONUSCO's mandate will be strengthened in the mandate that we adopt by the end of the month. The two priority missions of MONUSCO - the protection of civilians and election preparation - are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. That is why MONUSCO must have access to all necessary means to accomplish its mission. But we must be realistic.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“It will also be the responsibility of each candidate to ensure that their supporters behave respectfully in the political debate and exercise restraint. These measures are essential to preventing new clashes and population displacements. They are in line with the objectives of national reconciliation, tolerance and democratization, which are part of the commitments undertaken by the Congolese authorities under the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. More generally, it is early action through dialogue and mediation missions that will prevent the spiral that has led to the current humanitarian crisis. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has an essential role to play here.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“In other parts of the country - in Tanganyika, Ituri and the Kivus - local conflicts aggravate or relaunch tragic humanitarian crises. In all such situations of intercommunal conflicts and activities of armed groups, the political factor plays a crucial role and contributes to fuelling tensions that are often linked to the availability of resources. The prospect of presidential, as well as legislative and provincial, elections will make local competition stronger and cause new tensions. The Congolese Government, which has the primary responsibility for organizing elections, must take the necessary measures to ensure that the conditions for free, open and peaceful elections are in place, starting with the full implementation of the de-escalation measures provided for by the New Year's agreement.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“I will not cover the terrible and detailed findings presented by the briefers, which represent a call to action. The question we must answer is: How can we respond and contribute to resolving that crisis? First, we need to provide immediate financial support. The humanitarian crisis facing the Democratic Republic of the Congo calls for renewed commitment on the part of the partners in order to address it. The donor conference to be held in April in Geneva will, I hope, be an opportunity to provide a resolute response commensurate with the needs of those affected by the crisis. Secondly, we must also tackle the root causes of the current crisis. In the Kasais, a conflict between a traditional chief and the authorities, which was at first limited, has degenerated and triggered a wide-ranging crisis.”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): At the outset, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, as well as Ms. Bandu Bahati and Abbe' Nshole, for their briefings, which were as poignant as they were enlightening. I would like to begin by commending the action of the countries of the region, which have demonstrated solidarity commensurate to the challenge posed and bear the primary burden of welcoming Congolese refugees. I also wish to pay tribute to the role of the Congolese themselves, who provide relief and support on a daily basis to the internally displaced persons and refugees arriving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 11 million people, mostly women and children, are now in forced displacement in the Great Lakes region .”
2018-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8207 (2018) · source
“That is also the reason why France launched an international partnership in January, aimed at supporting existing instruments in the fight against impunity in the use of these weapons. We must remain more mobilized than ever in the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the impunity of those who intend to use them. It is a priority and a major responsibility for all of us, as well as a responsibility of the Security Council, and we will be judged on it. In that respect, France affirms its resolute commitment to that end, alongside its partners and allies, within the Council and in all circumstances that require it.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source
“We have repeatedly warned the Council of the risk of the re-emergence of these weapons, their proliferation to all types of actors, and the threat this situation poses to the collective security system that we have gradually built together. Let us be very aware that we have reached a new phase - that of the use of a substance that was never declared to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the use of which is prohibited by the Convention, in a public place on the territory of a European country. France will never accept impunity for those who use or develop toxic agents. In that regard, we recall our full support for existing institutions, in particular the OPCW.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source
“The ban on the use of chemical weapons lies at the heart of the non-proliferation regime that underpins our system of collective security, as created and enshrined by the Council and all its members. The haphazard re-emergence of these barbaric weapons with deadly consequences, which can be seen not only in their recurrent use in Syria and the Middle East, but also in Asia and now in Europe, cannot be tolerated. It flouts the principles that form the basis of peace and security; it undermines the non-proliferation architecture, built stone by stone over the course of decades; and it calls into question strategic stability.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source
“There can be no ambiguity with regard to our position on this. Let us be clear. This assassination attempt in a public place using a military-grade toxic nerve agent, as reported to us, and which has affected other civilians in British territory, is totally unacceptable. Theresa May spoke today in the House of Commons and stated that Russia is responsible in this attack. We have full confidence in the British investigation to shed light on the precise circumstances of this use of a chemical weapon. It is essential that those who are at the origin of the use of this chemical weapon be clearly identified and prosecuted, and that all appropriate responses be made as soon as possible to the issues raised by the United Kingdom in this investigation. Let us make no mistake. The facts and the issues at stake are extremely serious.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I would like to thank the United Kingdom for having taken the initiative to convene this important meeting and for the information it has provided on the situation following the attempted assassination of two Russian citizens on its soil on 4 March in Salisbury. At the outset, allow me to reiterate to our British friend and ally all the support that was expressed yesterday and today by our highest authorities following an unacceptable attack, which President Macron condemned without reservation. In the name of the cardinal values we share - first and foremost the rule of law and the commitment to the principles of peace and security of which the Council is the guardian and guarantor - I would like to offer the United Kingdom the full support and solidarity of France.”
2018-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8203 (2018) · source
“On behalf of France, I therefore call once again for all members of the Council to finally rally their words and action in the service of this shared objective, which matches to our interests and responsibilities. It is never too late to save lives, and it is our responsibility - if we accept it - to end the tragedy of Syria, on which our generation, and the credibility of the Security Council, will be judged.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“A lasting cessation of hostilities in Syria requires a political process consistent with the terms of resolution 2254 (2015), our shared road map for ending the conflict. Staffan de Mistura has our full support in bringing this mission to a successful conclusion and swiftly convening negotiations in Geneva, which is the only legitimate forum for a credible solution. In order to achieve results, United Nations mediation requires that necessary pressure be exerted on the parties. We therefore call once again on Russia, as well as Iran, to fulfil their responsibilities, as we are fulfilling our own. Collectively we have the capacity, if we so wish, to stop the endless descent into the abyss that characterizes the Syrian tragedy, and finally create a real political dynamic.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“In their letter to the Security Council, the three armed groups in eastern Ghouta, upon the adoption of resolution 2401 (2018), indicated their commitment to upholding the resolution, made concrete proposals for a comprehensive cessation of hostilities and committed themselves to taking combatant members of their groups out of Ghouta. The United Nations offered its assistance in those exchanges and carried out important work along those lines, to which the Secretary General just referred. I call on Russia today to conclude and implement the relevant agreements without delay. This is one of the keys to implementing the resolution. The third element is political negotiation.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“It is essential and urgent that humanitarian convoys reach eastern Ghouta in adequate security conditions and carry out their delivery of aid, and that medical evacuations be allowed. For that to happen, the truce must be sustainable and flexible in order to take into account delays in the delivery, discharge and distribution of aid. Medical authorizations must not only be delivered in an expedited manner; they must also come with all the security guarantees needed by patients, their families and the humanitarian actors who assist them. Indeed, the protection due them under international humanitarian law must be unconditionally guaranteed. The second element I would like to highlight is the departure of terrorist fighters from Ghouta as proposed by armed groups.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“The main reason resolution 2401 (2018) has not been not implemented is that the Syrian regime has been engaged in its murderous folly and the regime's supporters have been unable or unwilling to stop it and prevent a worsening of the humanitarian situation. But the failure to implement resolution 2401 (2018) is also the result of our not being able to put in place a sufficiently targeted follow-up mechanism to the resolution in the Council. This must be our priority, and I am convinced that it is our only chance to compel the Syrian regime to comply with its international obligations. France therefore calls for appropriate decisions to be taken in the coming days.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“After the regime has conquered the rural zones of eastern Ghouta, the worst would be a conquest - street by street, house by house - in a torrent of fire, for the urban zones of the region, which are by definition the most densely populated areas. It is of the highest urgency, therefore, for us to come together to ensure that the resolution is fully implemented before the street battles promised by the regime's military planners begin. I would like to highlight three essential elements in that regard. The first is implementing a monitoring system to ensure maximum pressure on the parties.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“Right after the resolution's adoption, France stepped up its contacts and efforts at the highest level so as to contribute to the resolution's swift implementation, so that the Astana guarantors would assume their responsibilities and so that the commitments made collectively would be respected. President Macron has met with Presidents Putin, Erdogan and Rouhani, as well as with the Secretary-General on several occasions. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Moscow and then Tehran. To Russia, we proposed concrete measures for implementing resolution 2401 (2018). Although our efforts aimed at reaching out have been ignored, we stand by our proposals. Let us not deceive ourselves: without an immediate implementation of resolution 2401 (2018), the worst is yet to come.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“As the highest French authorities have pointed out, France will brook no compromise when it comes to the use of those abject weapons. The humanitarian needs are immense, yet the regime deliberately continues to block the entry of aid, despite the presence of Russian soldiers at the crossing points, as what happened to the convoy on 5 March shows. Indeed, the population continues to be deprived of relief and of any possibility of medical evacuation, even if more than 1,000 people need it. Still, we cannot give up. On behalf of France, I would like to make a new and urgent appeal to those who can make a difference on the ground, starting with Russia. France is not posing; it is taking action. My country has been and remains one of the countries most committed to the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018).”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“Since 18 February, more than 29 hospital have been hit, and few health facilities are still in operation. On 8 March, a health care facility in Mesraba was completely destroyed by bombardments. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as of 11 March, 607 people, including 99 children and 79 women, had been killed since the adoption of resolution 2401 (2018). I would repeat: 607 people have been killed. In addition to the dead, there are many injured persons, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, rapes and many other intolerable violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Finally, further credible allegations of the use of chemical weapons have been made since the adoption of resolution 2401 (2018).”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“It cannot be ignored: the Syrian regime, with the support ofRussia and Iran, is engaged in a war oftotal submission against its people. Violations of the ceasefire by the Damascus regime, with the support of Russia and Iran, have been massive and ongoing, and I would like to thank the Secretary-General for clearly exposing those violations. Let me briefly review some of these violations. Between 24 and 27 February, 72 attacks by the Syrian regime and its Russian and Iranian allies, from more than 14 locations, were reported. Between 24 and 28 February, Russian military aircraft carried out no fewer than 20 bombing missions in Damascus and eastern Ghouta. Between 27 February and 2 March, field observers documented at least 25 air strikes by the regime and Russia during the five-hour humanitarian breaks declared by Moscow.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“However, every day since 24 February the fighting has continued. In the days that followed, despite Russia's unilateral announcement of a daily five-hour truce - well below what resolution 2401 (2018) requires - the intensity of the fighting has increased. Since resolution 2401 (2018) was adopted, there has not been a single day when eastern Ghouta, an enclave that has been starved and besieged for months, has not been bombed by the regime and its supporters. The fight against terrorism - and this cannot be repeated enough i cannot be used as a pretext for such a bloodbath of civilians or for such contempt for international humanitarian law. Eastern Ghouta is now a textbook case of war crimes, and even of crimes against humanity.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“It is therefore legitimate that today, more than ever before, everyone looks expectantly towards Russia, which has so far been unwilling, or unable, to exert sufficient pressure on the regime. Two weeks after the adoption of resolution 2401 (2018), we are here in the Chamber to face the facts. First, what has happened since the adoption of resolution 2401 (2018)? In the light of the inexorable worsening of the humanitarian situation in eastern Ghouta, the Security Council has rallied around a cessation of hostilities and made every effort to seek consensus, and finally did reach consensus on 24 February. We knew then, and we said so, that this result was only a precondition, and that the longest and most difficult part of the path towards a humanitarian truce was still before us.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“However, let us not be deceived that civilians are not the "collateral victims" of those military operations. Rather, they are themselves being targeted by the regime, deliberately and methodically to starve and rape, destroy their health centres, kill and sow terror and death. The hell on Earth experienced by eastern Ghouta is not just the effect of the regime's policy; it is the very purpose of the regime's murderous madness, with its daily tally of war crimes and crimes against humanity, for which the regime will have to answer. Let us call a spade a spade: Who can stop the Syrian regime? Everyone knows that, apart from a military operation, it is Russia that is in the best position to do so today.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“We negotiated the text together for several weeks and, I repeat, unanimously adopted it. Each member of the Council around this table has therefore endorsed the content by deciding to assume responsibility. That responsibility fell particularly on Russia, as a permanent member that voted for resolution 2401 (2018), sponsor of the Astana talks and a Power engaged in the Syrian situation, as it claims to be. We had agreed to a clause to meet 15 days later to review its implementation. The Secretary-General has just provided us with a very clear picture of that. Since 24 February, civilian casualties have continued to climb into the hundreds every week. The regime is pursuing, in defiance of its people and the Council, an air and land offensive that it has never intended to halt, with the support of Russia and Iran.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I would first like to thank the Secretary-General for his strong and particularly enlightening briefing, as well as for his personal commitment, in addition to that of the staff of the Secretariat and Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to spare no effort in implementing resolution 2401 (2018). Allow me, on behalf of France, to especially commend the United Nations teams and all the humanitarian actors working under extremely difficult conditions in Syria. Two weeks ago, we unanimously adopted a text calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities of at least 30 days, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access and medical evacuations in Syria. I would remind those present that those demands apply to the whole of Syria and all parties.”
2018-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8201 (2018) · source
“The Council must also provide MONUSCO with the means needed to accomplish those tasks, including by maintaining its troop ceiling and supporting it through solid cooperation with the region so as to ensure the full implementation of the 31 December Agreement and enable all Congolese citizens to trust once more in the process. In our opinion, those are the conditions needed for the success of the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with the established timetable. Council members may rest assured of France's absolute commitment to achieving that goal.”
2018-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8198 (2018) · source
“For its part, the Mission, through its strategic review, has made the necessary adjustments to better respond to current issues, be more flexible and responsive and better protect civilians. This year, we believe that MONUSCO's priorities must be reaffirmed and maintained. Through its good offices and its technical and logistical support, MONUSCO must help ensure that the right conditions be set in motion for the sound holding of elections. By acting with resolve, completing ongoing reforms and adopting a comprehensive approach that integrates all its components, the Mission must be able to protect civilians in the country more effectively. The Security Council must lend its full support to MONUSCO in realizing those two strategic priorities.”
2018-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8198 (2018) · source