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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“It represents a violation of the law and flouts the most fundamental principles of humanity. The international community cannot downplay the situation and allow the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to remain unpunished. It is the responsibility of the Security Council to prevent this; it is our shared responsibility. The criminals who chose to design and use these barbaric weapons must be punished. At stake is the future of our collective security system; no one can be allowed to undermine its foundations without facing consequences. The hindrances and obstructions facing the international community's initiatives within existing bodies contribute to promoting impunity, and this we cannot accept.”
2018-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8174 (2018) · source
“The threat is all the greater given the fact that the dismantling of the Syrian chemical-weapon programme remains at a deadlock. The cooperation of the Syrian regime with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has for months taken place in a piecemeal manner, and suspicions remain about the status of Syrian stockpiles. I would recall that OPCW expert teams have repeatedly found at Syrian sites indicators of undeclared substances, without any convincing explanation being provided by the country. Given that chemical weapons continue to be used, it seems that Syria has lied and maintained clandestine capacities. The situation is aggravating regional instability, undermining the non-proliferation regime and weakening the international security architecture, as well as jeopardizing the security of each of our States.”
2018-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8174 (2018) · source
“I would like to remind the Council that the Syrian regime has already been identified as the perpetrator in four such cases, one of which involved the use of sarin, in violation of international humanitarian law and the obligations that Syria assumed when it acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The challenges go beyond the Syrian issue. A century after the end of the First World War, in which mustard gas was used on a massive scale against civilians, what we are seeing is shocking. These weapons, which we had thought were a thing of the past, are once again being used methodically and systematically by the Syrian regime against its own people. Furthermore, there is a real threat of such weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.”
2018-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8174 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I would first like to congratulate Kuwait through you, Mr. President, on the start of its presidency of the Security Council. You can rely on France's support in the month to come. I would also like to thank Izumi Nakamitsu for her usual very informative briefing. This is the second time we have met in less than two weeks after reports of four new cases of the use of chlorine against Syria's civilian population, some of them in Idlib province, which is a de-escalation zone. We are examining the information that is available and waiting for the conclusions of the investigative mechanism, but the reality is that resorting to toxic substances as weapons has never ended in Syria.”
2018-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8174 (2018) · source
“It is for that reason that we will continue to fully support the process stemming from resolution 2254 (2015), and we will make every effort to unite the Council in this respect.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“We reiterate that humanitarian aid is unconditional and apolitical. We therefore make an urgent request to see proof of this on the ground. That is exactly what France will seek to defend in the weeks to come, in line with the Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex), namely, the establishment of a neutral environment that must include the lifting of sieges, the cessation of hostilities, prisoner exchanges and chemical disarmament, all of this under international supervision so as to ensure genuine constitutional reform and the holding of free elections. That is the only way to bring a lasting end to the suffering of the Syrian people and open the way to an inclusive political process in Syria, in the interests of all the Syrian people.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“It is up to those countries that support the regime, primarily Russia and Iran, to bring to bear the pressure necessary to ensure that the regime puts an end to this negative and irresponsible strategy. Make no mistake: there can be no negotiated political transition in Syria without a total ceasefire, humanitarian access throughout the whole of the territory and the creation of a neutral environment that would restore trust and ensure the safety of all Syrians. How credible is a regime that is stepping up the bombing in Idlib, preventing medical evacuations in eastern Ghouta and refusing to authorize a single humanitarian convoy? How credible can diplomatic efforts be that are devoid of any specific assurances and that do not lead to any significant and lasting improvement in the humanitarian situation in Idlib and eastern Ghouta?”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“We know that only an inclusive political solution that is elaborated under the auspices of the United Nations and that sets up a political transition in the context of resolution 2254 (2015) can bring a lasting and credible end to the suffering of the Syrian people. However, the regime is continuing its policy of methodical and deliberate obstruction, as we saw during the negotiation session held in Vienna on 25 and 26 January. In this context more than ever, we need to support the United Nations and United Nations mediation in Geneva, as well as eschew any temporary solutions agreed without the opposition, which would be unrealistic as they would not meet the aspirations of all Syrians.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“The Syrian authorities have not authorized even a single inter-agency convoy in several weeks. France condemns this unacceptable attitude and reiterates its call for the safe and unhindered access of the United Nations and its humanitarian partners to civilians throughout Syrian territory. The right of the Syrian population both to humanitarian assistance and to protection must be respected unconditionally. The Security Council cannot remain silent given these recurring violations of international humanitarian law, which require a strong response from the Council. Finally, I would like to touch on the obvious discrepancy between the continuing violence on the ground in Syria and the diplomatic offensives, which are not facing up to the situation.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“The Astana guarantors have taken upon themselves the responsibility to supervise its implementation, and we therefore urge these States to effectively impose on the Syrian regime a complete cessation of hostilities as well as respect for the basic principles and norms of international humanitarian law and human rights law. The second observation is particularly worrying: the deterioration ofhumanitarian access in recent weeks in Syria. We have reiterated this concern on numerous occasions in this Chamber: the humanitarian situation will not improve without comprehensive, unimpeded, safe and ongoing humanitarian access to the aid distributed by the United Nations and its partners. Nonetheless, the regime is continuing to create unacceptable obstacles to the provision of humanitarian aid.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“One hour later, the only public hospital in the district - a hospital supported by the non- governmental organization Medecins Sans Frontieres - was struck, killing five people, including a child, and injuring six others, including medical staff. France very firmly condemns attacks on health- care workers and medical infrastructure, as well as the indiscriminate bombings carried out in recent weeks by the Syrian regime against civilians in eastern Ghouta and in residential areas of Idlib province. France reiterates that indiscriminate bombings and the use of incendiary weapons against civilians represent serious violations of international humanitarian law and could constitute war crimes or even crimes against humanity. It is vital and urgent to bring to an immediate end the bombings in Idlib and the siege in eastern Ghouta.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“Since 30 December, the wounded have been unable to be transported out of eastern Ghouta to receive care; 21 others have died from their wounds, unable to wait another day. We note and stress that it is the responsibility of the Syrian regime to allow those medical evacuations to proceed without delay. The situation in the south of Idlib and in the north of Hama is very worrying as well. The continued bombings led to the displacement of about 250,000 civilians last month. More than 33 people were reportedly killed in less than 24 hours. The town of Sarakab was bombed yesterday morning, and the strikes hit the town market, killing more than 11 people and injuring a number of others.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“In addition, we are concerned about the attacks on hospitals, medical facilities and the provision of health care, as well as the persistent restrictions on humanitarian access in Syria, which are unacceptable and have tightened further in recent weeks - denying the civilian population the access to the essential resources that they so vitally need. Accordingly, I should like to make three main observations. First, we are particularly concerned about the current escalation of violence in eastern Ghouta and the Idlib region, which adds to the suffering of the affected populations. In eastern Ghouta, 400,000 civilians are victims of almost daily bombings by the regime and its allies. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 750 people in eastern Ghouta are still waiting for emergency medical evacuation.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Ms. Ursula Mueller for her comprehensive briefing. I reiterate France's full support for the recommendations of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Mark Lowcock, which Ms. Mueller has just referenced. I would also like to express my country's grave concerns about the latest developments in the humanitarian situation in Syria. Several points are of particular concern. We note the extremely dire situation of the population in eastern Ghouta - still besieged and denied the humanitarian assistance and medical evacuations that they need - and the escalation of violence, particularly in the Idlib region.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8171 (2018) · source
“In the specific case ofthe Central African Republic, sanctions are obviously not an end in themselves, but a means to contributing to our shared goal, which is the stabilization of and the return of lasting peace to the Central African Republic. In that context, I will conclude by reiterating France's full support for President Faustin Archange Touadera, as well as for the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, in their efforts to reach a comprehensive political agreement and reconciliation of all those of the Central African Republic.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8169 (2018) · source
“The proliferation of such attacks, which make the Central African Republic one of the most dangerous countries in the world for that profession, is unacceptable. Once again, we have sent a strong signal to those who would attack the women and men whose work is indispensable for people in need. Finally, the resolution paves the way for the development of criteria to assess the impact of the arms embargo on the Central African Republic. While we are not considering, in the short term, a loosening of the arms embargo, taking into account the current situation in the country, this is a question of showing that the arms embargo will be able to evolve at the right time, including in the light of progress of security sector reform.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8169 (2018) · source
“In that context, the perpetrators of these incitements to violence must now know that their actions will not go unpunished. Beyond the action undertaken by the Central African justice system and international justice, the sanctions regime on the Central African Republic will now punish individuals who incite to violence, given their potential to undermine peace, stability and security in the Central African Republic. There can be no lasting peace in the Central African Republic if such incitement continues, and the Security Council intends to assume its responsibilities. In the same vein, I would also like to point out that attacks on humanitarian workers are now recognized as a designation criterion equal to, for example, attacks on MINUSCA.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8169 (2018) · source
“They also support the Central African authorities in their security sector reform process and in their strategy of extending State authority. To conclude on this point, it is important to support the efforts of MINUSCA in the fight against arms trafficking. To that end, the tasks of the working group established within the Mission are specified so that it can contribute to a better implementation of the embargo. For example, it will be able to transmit recommendations concerning weapons seizures when trafficking routes have been identified. Secondly, the resolution also sheds light on incitement to violence, whether ethnic, religious or against MINUSCA. Such incitement is a scourge for the Central African Republic and at the root of violence that claims too many casualties, among both the civilian population and the Blue Helmets.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8169 (2018) · source
“Armed groups are, unfortunately, still present in a large part of the territory and continue to obtain supplies through illicit flows of arms and ammunition from neighbouring countries. They also exploit the illicit trafficking of natural resources to enrich themselves. In this context, it is absolutely essential that all Member States come together to fully respect the sanctions regime so that it can be effectively implemented in the service of peace in the Central African Republic. In addition, the exemption and notification procedures remain effective tools allowing for the Central African defence and security forces to be trained, equipped and armed, while limiting the risk of arms proliferation.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8169 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): France welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2399 (2018), renewing the sanctions regime on the Central African Republic. Following the adoption of resolution 2387 (2017), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) last November, this resolution is a new Sign of the Council's full attention to the situation in the Central African Republic. In that context, that I would like to underline three points. First, the resolution similarly renews the measures concerning the arms embargo, the travel bans and the assets freeze. This system is still very relevant in the light of the current situation in the Central African Republic.”
2018-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8169 (2018) · source
“That is why we must speak frankly to them, as real friends would expect, and call on them to take courageous measures to allow for the resumption of negotiations. There is no shortcut in the demanding path to peace, a route requiring negotiation based on the parameters I have recalled here. Whatever the difficulties, France does not intend to give up on that goal and will play its full part in the efforts to achieve it.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“Nevertheless, there will be no lasting political solution without unity between Gaza and the West Bank under the authority of the legitimate Palestinian institutions and within the framework of the principles endorsed by the Palestine Liberation Organization. In that regard, we reiterate our commitment to the implementation of the agreement signed in Cairo on 12 October by Fatah and Hamas, which should enable the Palestinian Authority to fully exercise its prerogatives in the Gaza Strip, including in the area of safety. That process must result in a rapid improvement of the living conditions of the population in Gaza. It must also be accompanied by a lifting of the blockade, as well as credible security guarantees for Israel. France is a friend to both Palestinians and Israelis.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“An urgent need today is to provide Israelis and Palestinians with a political horizon by actively working to restore the hope of both States and the possibility of negotiation between the parties. The extraordinary meeting to be held in Brussels on 31 January of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which brings together the main economic supporters of the Palestinians, should be an opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the parties and of the international community, politically and financially, to the two-State solution. We need everyone's commitment to that end, beginning with the United States as a major partner.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“Apart from the United States role in the peace process, we call on them to maintain an assistance that is as necessary for the Palestinians as it is for security in the region. In the difficult context I have just described, I want to solemnly reiterate that there is no viable alternative to the two-State solution. The single State that some put forward as a possible answer to the current deadlock would lead to two parallel citizenship regimes in the same territory, thereby creating an unequal situation that would be unacceptable in principle and catastrophic in its consequences. Such a situation would represent a double impasse: for the Palestinians, the abandonment of their aspirations for a State; for the Israelis, the ruin of their national democratic project.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“An interruption in UNRWA's services could lead to an escalation in Gaza as well as to security implications in refugee-hosting countries of the region, in particular in Lebanon, where the financial situation of UNRWA is now critical. The weaker UNRWA is, the more terrorist groups can use Palestinian refugee camps as recruitment grounds. Recent announcements of a partial freeze and a reduced scope of the United States contribution to UNRWA are therefore of great concern to us. The United States is a key contributor to UNRWA, and the role it has played in financing the Agency for decades is decisive. We urge them not to give up that role and not to weaken the regional stabilization tool represented by UNRWA.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“Until we have been able to achieve a just and realistic solution to the refugee issue under an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, the provision of basic assistance and services by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to more than 5 millions of Palestinian refugees will be indispensable. This is of course a humanitarian requirement, especially through the provision of health services and food aid. Just as importantly, it is also a question of human development. Through the network of UNRWA schools and the role of the agency in job creation, it represents the very possibility of a preserving a future for a population that, as we know, is particularly young. Lastly, that assistance is essential for the security and stability of the region.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“As French authorities at the highest level have indicated, we disagree with the United States announcements of late last year, which deviate from this international consensus and relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 478 (1980). Similarly, we regret the adoption early this year of an Israeli law on Jerusalem that will make it much more difficult to share Jerusalem as part of a future peace agreement. Finally, the situation of the Palestinian refugee camps is a time bomb in the Palestinian territories and in particular in Gaza, as well as in the region.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“It is counterproductive and even dangerous, since it destroys on the ground the possibility of two States and undermines trust between the parties. On Jerusalem, our position is well known, as we recently had the opportunity to recall in detail. The status of Jerusalem will have to be determined by the parties within the framework of a peace agreement. Under such a future agreement, the city is destined to become the capital of two States, Israel and Palestine. In the absence of agreement, in accordance with the consensus that has prevailed for 70 years within the international community, France does recognizes no sovereignty over Jerusalem.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“With regard to the 1967 lines, the settlement of Palestinian territories and all accompanying legislative and administrative measures are imposing another reality on the ground. There are 600,000 settlers today, 200,000 of them in East Jerusalem. The 2017 year was a record year for settlement activity, and since the beginning of this year announcements of nearly 1,800 housing units have already been made. Many involve settlements deep in West Bank territory, including the approval of the construction of seven structures on private Palestinian land in a so-called outpost, which is illegal even under Israeli law and which the Israeli Supreme Court has ordered to be dismantled. The position of France is clear. We condemn settlement activity in all its forms. It is illegal under international law, as recalled in resolution 2334 (2016).”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“On that occasion, the Palestinian President reaffirmed his commitment to a peace based on the principle of two States. There is no credible alternative to the internationally agreed parameters, which themselves are based on international law. Let me recall these parameters once again: two States living in peace and security within secure and recognized borders; borders drawn on the basis of the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed exchanges of territories; Jerusalem as the future capital of those two States; and a concerted, realistic and fair solution for Palestinian refugees. In that context, a regional approach and economic incentives could be important complements to a peace agreement, but cannot replace it. Today we are at a crossroads, at a critical moment when each of the parameters I have just listed has been weakened.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“That is why the clash of narratives that are hermetically irreconcilable to which I referred earlier is so dangerous. We note the commitment of the United States to seeking a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations for a final-status agreement. It is now up to the United States to make proposals to that effect, which we hope will be part of the framework agreed by the international community, on which all our peace efforts are built. This was recalled by President Emmanuel Macron during his recent talks with Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas. It was also recalled by French Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian at the meeting of the European Union Foreign Ministers with Mahmoud Abbas in Brussels on 22 January.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“The permanence of the occupation and the tensions it generates offer an unhoped-for argument for recruitment to terrorist groups active in the region. And any escalation on the ground carries the risk of uncontrollable regional consequences. The paradox lies in the fact that, while the Israeli- Palestinian conflict is now the oldest of those tearing the Middle East apart, it is also the only one whose solution is so well known and shared by the international community. The solution is based on the vision of two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. The destinies of Israelis and Palestinians are intimately linked; neither of the two peoples will achieve its national aspirations on a lasting basis at the expense of the other.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“Decade after decade, peace is receding not only on the ground, but also in speeches and in minds, as successive generations Palestinians and Israelis lose hope of a resolution of the conflict. There are two narratives, the bridges between which are increasingly rare and unstable. By promoting ignorance of the other party, this threatens to mechanically fuel antagonism between them. The deadly crises erupting across the region have not resulted in trivializing or marginalizing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through its symbolic dimension, its regional echo and its place in the collective imagination, the conflict retains its central and mobilizing character. Its reach goes far beyond the borders of Israel and the Palestinian territories.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I would first like to thank Special CoordinatorNikolay Mladenov for his briefing, which as always was comprehensive and precise, and for his personal commitment and that of his team. The scenario we have just heard described recalls a reality that the Council must not be distracted from. While crises have been increasing in the Middle East for several years, the oldest conflict in the region remains unresolved. However, time has not made the Israeli-Palestinian conflict less dangerous. On the contrary, the situation prevailing on the ground is a false status quo, marked by a daily deterioration, linked in particular to settlement activity and more generally the occupation. The situation could degenerate into an open crisis at any time, in Gaza as well as in Jerusalem.”
2018-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8167 (2018) · source
“It is the only way to permanently end the suffering of Syrians. We continue to believe that we can, and must, bring the Security Council together to proceed in that direction.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“In conclusion, I recall that there will be no justice or sustainable peace in Syria without putting an end to impunity. How can we continue to defend the regime and reiterate its willingness to speak in good faith and seek a political solution when that very same regime employs barbaric weapons against its own people? There has never been a larger gap between words and deeds. At the United Nations in both Vienna and Geneva, I said that we must work together to reach a political solution in Syria. Implementing an inclusive political solution as outlined in resolution 2254 (2015), which serves as our guidepost now more than ever, will depend upon a neutral environment in Syria guaranteed by the regime's clear commitment to credible constitutional change and democratic elections.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“It is neither an anti-Syrian instrument nor an exclusive club of countries. All countries can join this pragmatic and open partnership by adhering to its statement of principles. Through the partnership, they will show their commitment to law, international stability, justice and security in order to end impunity for the perpetrators of chemical attacks and their accomplices. We must therefore work through the partnership to consolidate the regime prohibiting chemical weapons. The cornerstone of the partnership was laid in Paris and embodies our faith in effective and demanding multilateralism. In an effort to take immediate action, I can confirm that France has imposed asset-freezes on networks involved in the proliferation of chemical weapons in Syria.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“Owing to obstruction on the part of certain countries, we were unable to renew the JIM's mandate at the end of last year. Yesterday's consultations on Syria confirmed that an overwhelming majority of the members of the Security Council do not agree with the current impasse. In that regard, we take note of the proposal made today by Russia. We will consider it in the light of the principles I have just outlined. The new partnership launched in Paris does not aim to replace international instruments and the investigative mechanism established by the United Nations and the OPCW. Instead, it seeks to complement and bolster that structure by making a new operational instrument available to the multilateral system and the international community. It will assist investigations and help the international justice system in its work.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“I should like to mention just a few of the partnership's ambitious commitments. They include the transfer and sharing of information, when possible, about the perpetrators of attacks; a commitment to impose national or international sanctions against entities and individuals concerned; assistance for building State capacity with regard to designations and sanctions; and the publication of a single, consolidated list of the names of individuals involved in attacks. Criminals who claim responsibility for developing and using such barbaric weapons must know that they will not go unpunished. Once again, this is about the future of the entire collective security system. One should not be able to violate the most basic norms without eventually facing the consequences.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“Allowing it to be weakened without taking action would be tantamount to accepting the erosion of the entire non-proliferation regime on weapons of mass destruction, which we built together, step by step, over decades and which now serves as the backbone of the international security architecture and one of multilateralism's main accomplishments. France has therefore proposed the establishment of a new international partnership to combat impunity for the use of chemical weapons by anyone - State and non-State actors alike. That partnership was launched yesterday in Paris at a conference convened by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, at which representatives of 24 States were in attendance to reiterate their willingness to work together to counter the threat.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“Those of us who claim to be committed to the non-proliferation regime and helped to build it should bear that in mind. Let us be clear: those who hamper our efforts to combat impunity endorse de facto impunity for the perpetrators of such chemical attacks. They prevent us from deterring and bringing to justice those who participated in chemical-weapon programmes and those Governments and entities that give the orders to carry out attacks. We therefore cannot turn a blind eye and allow them to continue - and all the more so, and I repeat this, given that the chemical-weapon non-proliferation regime is the most developed and successful of all international non-proliferation regimes.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“Chlorine gas, sarin, mustard gas and VX - all deadly nerve agents - have returned to the forefront of the international arena a century after the horrors of the First World War. Gruesome images of the victims of such weapons of terror, which we thought we had long ago left behind, have also resurfaced. We cannot allow the use of such loathsome weapons to become commonplace. They destabilize entire regions and threaten everyone's security. They increase the risk of chemical terrorism, which we all fear. They also weaken the regime against chemical weapons as well as the entire non-proliferation regime. They undermine international law and call into question the outcome of international forums that have been held for decades. That is why we must take action. We owe it to history; it is a responsibility we must shoulder together.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“The facts prove that the scourge continues to exist. Last year in Syria, on 4 April, more than 80 people, including women and children, were killed by a powerful nerve agent. Four years prior, 2,000 Syrian civilians were gassed in Ghouta with sarin gas. The use of chemical weapons was confirmed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) clearly determined that the Syrian regime and Da'esh were responsible for those attacks. France itself independently confirmed that the Syrian regime was responsible for the attack perpetrated on 4 April. Since 2013, investigations have revealed more than 100 allegations of the use of chemical weapons, primarily in Syria but also in Iraq and Malaysia.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): We meet today after receiving news about another chemical attack in Syria - this time in Douma - which resulted in more than 20 victims, including women and children. Furthermore, the attack was penetrated in a de-escalation zone. We are closely following all available information. We expect that the international investigative mechanism in place - in particular the Fact-finding Mission - will shed light on the attack. As we commemorate the one hundredth anniversary this year of the end of the First World War, during which chemical weapons produced on an industrial scale were used for the first time in history, repeated chemical-weapon attacks in Syria are an affront to the human conscience and a violation of the most fundamental norms of international law.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8164 (2018) · source
“As I have already had the opportunity to underscore this morning, it is now urgent to make progress towards the full implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. It is the Council's responsibility to send a strong message of encouragement to the Malian parties in that regard. France will today submit a proposal to the other members of the Council on a draft presidential statement to that end.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8163 (2018) · source
“Lasting solutions must be found quickly so as to adequately equip contingents with armored vehicles, medium-term aerial capacities and armored convoys. Finally, the strategic review of MINUSMA to take place in the coming weeks will provide us with an opportunity for more long-term consideration of the future of the Mission and its coordination with other security forces in place, first and foremost among which is the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel. Mali and the Sahel are optimal theatres for building the future of peacekeeping. They offer us the opportunity to work to establish a virtuous coordination between a United Nations and an African operation. That will be possible, however, only if both enjoy the necessary tools and support from the international community.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8163 (2018) · source
“We therefore encourage the G-5 Sahel countries to establish, as soon as possible, the compliance framework outlined in resolution 2391 (2017) so as to build on progress made in that area in the coming weeks. It is the best way to ensure that MINUSMA can support the joint force, in accordance the United Nations human rights criteria. In spite of all its challenges, MINUSMA, along with other security forces on the ground, remains a crucial element for ensuring Mali's stability, In the short term, our responsibility is to mobilize to provide MINUSMA with all the means it needs to fulfil the robust mandate it has received from the Council. The priority in that regard lies in the immediate deployment on the ground of adapted capacities in order to endow the force with its full operational strength in the coming months.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8163 (2018) · source
“In New York, our priority must be to do our utmost to ensure that the technical agreement outlined in resolution 2391 (2017) can be signed at the international donors' conference to be held on 23 February in Brussels, in order to gather the necessary resources to finance the support of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to the Joint Force. It will be achieved by a mechanism hosted by the European Union and should be fed by international contributions, in accordance with the provisions of resolution 2391 (2017). Finally, a solid framework that promotes respect for human rights remains an important prerequisite for the success of the joint force.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8163 (2018) · source
“The countries of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) continue to work together to combat the existential threat that terrorism poses to their peoples and States. Last week, another step was made to make the G-5 Sahel Joint Force operational by launching a specific road map for troop deployment, command transfers and future operations. Now more than ever, the goal is to send swift and positive signals about the path to stability in the G-5 Sahel countries by confirming, in particular, the return of Government and public services throughout the country.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8163 (2018) · source
“In accordance with the terms ofthe peace agreement, the Council must take the necessary measures that will encourage the parties to uphold their commitments. The adoption in September 2017 of resolution 2374 (2017), establishing a sanctions regime for Mali, was the first step in that direction. Additional measures should be envisaged if the recent commitments made by the parties are not honoured, including imposing sanctions on individuals who hamper the implementation of the agreement. France is ready to shoulder its responsibility in that area. The future reports of the Panel of Experts and the independent observer, whose appointments we welcome, will lay the foundation to move in that direction if need be. All Malian parties must shoulder their responsibilities.”
2018-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8163 (2018) · source