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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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“I think that, for all of us, it was a particularly powerful and touching encounter. In Chad and Nigeria, we also met with a number of civil society women's organizations for those displaced in the Maiduguri camp and women Senate representatives in Abuja. We lauded the courage shown by women and girls who are often victims of both Boko Haram violence and of stigmatization within their own communities. It is therefore crucial for those women not only to be protected from prostitution and early marriage, but also to be included in security management, political decision-making and economic development matters. It is a key point that struck us all, which I would like to underscore today. The third challenge is that of providing financial support to affected areas. The response to the immense needs that I mentioned has remained inadequate.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“The Council also recalled the importance of respecting humanitarian law and, to that end, welcomes the tripartite agreement signed by Nigeria, Cameroon and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on 2 March in Yaounde. The agreement allows for the creation of a solid legal framework to encourage the voluntary and sustainable return of Nigerian refugees to safe areas, under the auspices of the UNHCR. The Governments of Cameroon and Nigeria have committed to implementing that agreement as soon as possible. The Security Council has also paid special attention to the plight of women and girls in the region. In Maroua, Cameroon, the Council heard stories of the pain inflicted on female refugees and internally displaced persons by Boko Haram.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“With, for instance, 60 per cent of health-care facilities destroyed in north- east Nigeria, people are threatened by large-scale epidemics, such as polio or measles. The third emergency is education. More than 1,200 schools have been destroyed since the beginning of the crisis, and 3.2 million children are urgently in need of education. Education for girls is paramount and should be encouraged. There is no time to be wasted in preventing this generation from being sacrificed. In addition to the humanitarian emergency, the second challenge is that of ensuring the protection of civilians and respect for human rights. The goal is to ensure that people are kept safe from Boko Haram and to assist with the voluntary and sustainable return of displaced persons or refugees, where the security situation allows.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“It is therefore crucial that the countries of the region ensure unhindered access, without bureaucratic impediments, as well as secure access for the United Nations and humanitarian actors wherever populations need emergency assistance. To be truly effective, the efforts of the United Nations must be only in support of those of the Governments concerned. During its visit, the Council welcomed the excellent cooperation between the United Nations and the countries of the region. In north-east Nigeria, given the scale of the needs, we encouraged the Nigerian Government to continue its efforts to facilitate humanitarian assistance for the most vulnerable people. Health is the second emergency.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“Food security was the first urgent need highlighted by our interlocutors on the ground. The situation is tragic and threatens hundreds of thousands of people in the region. In total, more than 7 million people are affected. The Secretary-General has spoken of famine in the north-east of Nigeria. The Security Council was able to meet with displaced persons and refugees in Cameroon and Nigeria. All of them expressed the same concerns: problems of safety and access to water and quality food. The inhabitants are sometimes deprived of their means of subsistence and depend entirely upon humanitarian aid for their survival. Insecurity and access difficulties sometimes complicate food distribution.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“Those efforts must be pursued, while the United Nations must further strengthen its presence in order to meet the immense and growing needs of the most vulnerable populations. With regard to the humanitarian situation, we have identified three main issues: the humanitarian emergency, protection for affected populations and the challenge of financing humanitarian aid. On the first challenge - the humanitarian emergency and access to populations in need - the humanitarian consequences ofthe crisis are catastrophic for the region: 26 million people affected, of whom 10.7 million are in need of emergency aid. More than two and a half million people have been forced to take to the road to flee or go into exile. Land is no longer cultivated, markets are at a standstill and the prices of basic necessities have soared.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“In line with the distribution of issues we agreed, I will focus on the humanitarian situation. On behalf of my colleagues, I should like to begin by paying tribute to the courage and commitment of the humanitarians we met, who are doing outstanding work in often very difficult situations. The daily commitment of those men and women is exemplary, and it is important that the Council visited them on the ground in order to express our deep gratitude. The United Nations has considerably increased its presence on the ground, particularly in north-east Nigeria, to face the humanitarian crisis that threatens hundreds of thousands of people. We were able to visit the hub at Maiduguri, in north-east Nigeria, which brings together all humanitarian actors and is now operational.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): At the outset, I should like to welcome the presence here today of the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, whose return to New York to take up her important duties is both a great opportunity for the United Nations and excellent news for us all. I should also like warmly to congratulate the United Kingdom on its accession to the presidency of the Security Council, as well as to assure it of our full support. It was an honour and an unrivalled experience to lead this important Security Council visit to the Lake Chad region, along with you, Sir, and our colleague and friend from Senegal. Ijoin you, Mr. President, in expressing thanks to all of the officials who welcomed us so warmly, including the entire United Nations team.”
2017-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7894 (2017) · source
“We do not have the right to resign ourselves to the unthinkable - accepting the use of weapons of mass destruction without reacting with the necessary firmness. That is why France, as underscored by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Marc Ayrault, will not give up. The work of the JIM. will continue. Other cases will be transferred to it and we will once again be required to take a position. Sooner or later, the perpetrators will be held to account. My country will remain fully mobilized with its partners. France is therefore more determined than ever to break the stalemate by drawing upon all appropriate international institutions to ensure these crimes are punished. I hope that when the time comes we will be able to come together. Our most fundamental values, as is our security and that of our children, are at stake.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): France deeply regrets the inability of the Security Council to adopt draft resolution S/2017/ 172 in spite of the support of the majority of members. The draft resolution was subject to far-reaching discussions in good faith with our partners. Thanks to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), we had enough information to take the necessary measures. We had everything necessary to shoulder our responsibility, to which we were unanimously committed. We are therefore disappointed by the voting, of course, but certainly not discouraged. We do not have the right to be discouraged. We do not have the right to turn our backs and give up.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“Let us rise to ensure the power of the law in the service of the values of the United Nations and the interests of present and future generations. If for dubious reasons we do not succeed today, know that France will never give up.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“The law: the Council has been unanimous in saying that we must prosecute those responsible for those murdered with chemical weapons. What are we waiting for in implementing laws that we ourselves have contributed to putting in place? Lastly, our security: if we close our eyes to the use of chemical weapons against civilians, what legitimacy will we have tomorrow to condemn nuclear terrorism or apocalyptic attacks using bacteriological agents? Who would be responsible before history? At stake today are not tactical interests; at stake are the very fundamental values of our security. The world is watching and waiting on us. Let us rise to our responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“An inability to act, as I said, would constitute a blameworthy move backward for the Council. Beyond our political divisions, we have in the past been able to mobilize in unison on non-proliferation issues. If today we are not able to discuss and agree on issues of such gravity, if we are not able to echo the collective consciousness of humankind, we will have failed in our responsibilities. Our credibility is at stake. In the noisy clamour of our world, there are moments of truth when we can no longer dodge our responsibilities. This vote is that moment of truth, when our fundamental basic values, the law and our security are at stake. Values: who would not prosecute those who have killed innocent women and children in cold blood, in the most atrocious and reprehensible of conditions? That would be a negation of our entire civilization.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“Secondly, it reaffirms the Council's conviction that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons must be prosecuted. Thirdly, it reiterates the need for the Syrian regime to comply with all its international obligations. Fourthly, it reaffirms all measures taken against Da'esh and the terrorist groups listed by the Council. Fifthly, it reiterates the measures specific to the sanctions regime. It establishes a sanctions committee, supported by a panel of experts. It establishes the appropriate criteria for listing entities and individuals responsible for the use of chemical weapons, in connection with which it includes a list of entities and individuals. And it establishes an embargo on sensitive chemicals and on weapons and materials that could be used to import dangerous chemical substances, as well as on helicopters.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“It is up to us to protect the chemical non-proliferation regime, and with it all non-proliferation regimes. That is a treasure we possess, for which we are responsible and of which we are the guardians. We come late to this today. That is why France, together with its British and American partners, wanted to engage in good faith in a negotiation to bring together all the members of the Council around to the appropriate response. The result of our efforts has produced a balanced proposal aimed at punishing all the actors involved that is based on targeted measures. First, the draft resolution (S/2017/l72), which provides for the adoption of measures under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, identifies a violation of resolution 2118 (2013) and condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“But that cannot delay or supplant a Vital action on our part to sanction those who have flouted the prohibition: an action drawing the necessary conclusions from established determinations by a Mechanism that we unanimously renewed, and an action, finally, to send a warning and a message of firmness against those who would consider breaking the taboo in the future. By putting off acting on the demand for justice to which we have collectively committed, abdicating our responsibility, would send an irresponsible signal of impunity, which we must avoid. My country, which has long been engaged in the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cannot accept that. The international situation in which we find ourselves calls for our immediate and firm reaction.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“The responsibility of the Syrian regime was established in three of such cases without any ambiguity at all. The Joint Investigative Mechanism has also demonstrated the responsibility of the Da'esh terrorist organization in a case of chemical attack. It is now up to the Security Council, as guardian of our system of collective security, to act and not just talk. It has the duty and the responsibility to do so, as it has committed itselfto do. This is a necessity consistentwith the establishment of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, on which the Council has reiterated its confidence. The continuation of the work of the Mechanism, decided unanimously with the adoption of resolution 2319 (2016) last November, has been indispensable.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“On the scale of threats to international peace and security, we have hit 10. That is why France believes that weakness and inaction are not and cannot be an option. It is why, I recall, that the members of the Security Council, together and unanimously, in September 2013 resolutely decided that "in the event of non-compliance with this resolution, including unauthorized transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone in the Syrian Arab Republic, to impose measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter" (resolution 2118 (2013), para. 21). Today we have reached this moment of truth, when it is no longer a matter of evading or looking away. Many instances of the use of chemical weapons have been confirmed and continue to be reported - very accurately, professionally and methodically.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“What we once thought impossible is now an imminent danger; what we had once thought to be in the past is happening right now before our very eyes. Prohibited weapons have been used several times in the Syrian conflict, despite that fact that 192 States are committed, through their ratification of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, to never using such weapons again and to destroying their existing stockpiles. I call on all present to fully grasp the extent of our responsibility today. We face not only the threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; we face the repeated, methodical and barbarous use of weapons of mass destruction - in this case, chemical weapons - against civilians.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): For months now, France, the United Kingdom and the United States have sought to unite the Security Council in response to the heinous crimes committed in Syria involving the repeated, corroborated use of chemical weapons against civilians over several years. These criminal acts continue today, as we speak. We must put an end to them. The stakes involved are extremely serious, above and beyond the situation in Syria. More than a century ago, the world learned with dismay of the horrors of chemical warfare when chlorine gas was first used against civilians on 15 April 1915 in Ypres, Belgium. The international community decided at that time that it was duty-bound to ensure that such atrocities never recur. The current retrogression is therefore especially terrible.”
2017-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7893 (2017) · source
“I shall conclude my remarks by recalling the strong convergences between the action of the OSCE and that of the United Nations, whether on the ground - where their respective missions continue their integrated action, from the Balkans to the Caucasus and Central Asia- or on principles, with a common approach linking security, development and human rights concerns.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“While a multidimensional approach has always been at the heart of the functioning of the OSCE, we are concerned about the tendency of some member States to increasingly politicize or even refuse to address human dimension issues. Specifically, the introduction of a selective approach to combating discrimination is unacceptable. Last is the development of the operational role of the OSCE in response to certain emerging challenges. I am thinking of the fight against human trafficking, the prevention of radicalization, and climate change. The OSCE must work on each of those issues, which are priority security challenges for Europe, and respond with concrete measures that go beyond mere public posturing and statement of positions.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“We are convinced that the role of the OSCE is central to each, together with the established mediation formats, in order to promote dialogue and restore confidence. Achieving tangible progress on each of those fronts is in the interest of the concerned countries, but also of the region as a whole. We are particularly attached to the outcome. Next is the revival of conventional arms control in Europe. There can be no strategic stability without a set of common rules to frame military competition. We are therefore in favour of continuing discussions on arms control, confidence-building, transparency and risk-reduction measures, initiated last year under the German chairmanship in the context of the OSCE'S structured dialogue. Maintaining the centrality of the democracy and human rights pillar in the work of the OSCE is equally important.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“Beyond Ukraine, the OSCE remains more than ever an essential instrument for the promotion of peace and security in Europe, amid diverse threats. The situation should encourage its 57 members to abandon political posturing and rediscover the spirit of Helsinki, which, more than 40 years ago, gave rise to a common vision of security in Europe. In that context, we believe that the work of the OSCE should now focus on the following issues. First is the resolution of regional conflicts. Beyond the Ukrainian case, we cannot accept the persistence of frozen conflicts in various parts of the European continent, whether in Nagorno Karabakh, Transnistria or the separatist territories of Georgia.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“In that regard, it is crucial that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine be in a position to fully and freely carry out its mandate. We reiterate our call for the respect for the full freedom of movement of its observers, whose security must be guaranteed, and condemn in the strongest terms any violation of these principles - whether it takes the form of intimidation, threats, destruction of equipment or denied access to certain areas. The involvement of the OSCE in securing local elections in the Donbas will also be necessary, in ways that remain to be determined. Finally, I reiterate my country's commitment to defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. I note that France strongly condemns and does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“The ministerial meeting held in Munich on Saturday made it possible to agree on specific commitments aimed at fostering a rapid improvement in the situation on the ground. Those commitments include the implementation of an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the protection of critical infrastructure, the effective disengagement of the most sensitive areas, the exchange of prisoners and access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to detention facilities. It is essential that they be implemented as soon as possible, and we count on the unanimous support of the Council in that respect. We remain convinced more than ever that the OSCE and its field missions have an essential role to play in ensuring the practical implementation of decisions taken at the political level.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“It has lived up to the responsibility that falls upon it by rapidly deploying monitoring missions and subsequently assuming a central role in ensuring the implementation of the Minsk agreements, which remain the only way forward for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. As I had the opportunity to say during yesterday's open debate on conflicts in Europe (see S/PV.7886), France has been deeply concerned by the recent escalation of tensions on the ground, in particular around the town of Avdiivka, as well as its direct consequences in terms of the human toll and the worsening of the humanitarian situation. France is also determined, in conjunction with its German partners, to pursue mediation efforts within the Normandy format, as every bit of progress counts and we see no alternative solution for supporting the Minsk agreements.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“In my statement, I will take up two points: the central role of the OSCE in our efforts to end the Ukrainian crisis, and priority challenges on which, more generally, we must get the OSCE to focus. The current crisis in eastern Ukraine is one of the most serious and dangerous violations of the founding principles of the OSCE, penned in Helsinki more than 40 years ago. It is therefore appropriate that this topic has been a top priority on the organization's agenda for the past three years. The OSCE has been up to the task in responding to the matter, which is a source of satisfaction for us.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): Today, I welcome the presence of Mr. Sebastian Kurz, the Austrian Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, at the Security Council table and congratulate his country on its assumption of the chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for this year. In the challenging strategic environment that Europe is facing today, Austria knows that it can count on our full support to implement its programme of work, which is centred appropriately on the themes of security, conflict resolution and combating radicalization and terrorism. In our View, today more than ever, the OSCE serves as an indispensable toolbox for the security services in Europe, especially on the ground.”
2017-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7887 (2017) · source
“Much remains to be done, however, in order to arrive at a lasting solution, the outlines of which must be in line with Security Council resolutions, the principles of the Charter and the community acquis. The urgent need now is to relaunch the negotiations by maintaining the momentum generated in recent months and by continuing to make progress on sensitive and important issues, including security questions. In conclusion, Europe now has all the tools necessary to ensure peace and security on its continent, but it is only through the common mobilization of the various actors that we will be able to perpetuate the European dream born in 1945, in the aftermath of the war, of a continent at peace at the heart of the contemporary multilateral system, capable of promoting peace throughout the world.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“The effective implementation of the agreements concluded and the effective mobilization of the Serb and Kosovar leaders to that end are essential to ensuring that the important results of recent years are not jeopardized by the recent episodes of tensions. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is also the prospect of rapprochement with the European Union, through the implementation of the Reform Agenda, that is today the main factor for cohesion among communities. It is for all these reasons that France favours the European perspective for the Balkans, as we recalled at the Paris summit on 4 July. That perspective is, in our view, the main stabilizing force in the region. In Cyprus, despite recent bottlenecks, significant progress has been made in recent months in the conduct of negotiations. The two sides have never gotten this far.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“As co-Chair of the Group, our country is resolved to work with its Russian and American partners to ensure respect for the ceasefire, the establishment of confidence-building measures on the ground and the resumption ofpolitical negotiations as soon as possible, which is the only way to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict. In the Balkans, the European Union plays a lead role in promoting the normalization of relations among neighbouring countries and reducing internal tensions among communities. In Kosovo and Serbia, the prospect of rapprochement with the European Union and the Union-facilitated dialogue today constitutes the main vector for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and the benefits that accompany this process for the daily life of the people.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Finally, I reiterate our commitment to defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. I recall that France strongly condemns and does not recognize the illegal annexation of the Crimea and Sevastopol. In Georgia and Moldova, we support the search for solutions to frozen conflicts, while respecting the territorial integrity of those States. We are convinced of the central role of the OSCE in preventing any escalation on the ground and allowing for a lasting settlement through negotiations in the framework of the Geneva international discussions for Georgia and the so-called 5+2 process for Moldova. With regard to Nagorno Karabakh, France is fully committed to the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“It is essential that these measures be implemented in a comprehensive and timely manner and we count on the support unanimous support of the Council to that end. Discussions are continuing within the Normandy format to quickly adopt a road map, as foreseen by the Heads of State and Government. Our shared conviction with Germany remains that the only way forward is to advance concomitantly on the security and political aspects of the Minsk accords. We remain more determined than ever to pursue our common efforts within the Normandy format, because each result obtained on the ground counts and because today we have no alternative solution to support the implementation of the agreements Minsk. The European sanctions put in place at the beginning of the crisis are linked to the full implementation of the latter.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“We also regret the decision of the Russian authorities to recognize official documents issued by the de facto authorities of certain zones in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, which runs counter to the spirit of the Minsk accords. The ministerial meeting in Normandy format held on Saturday in Munich made it possible to agree on specific commitments whose aim is to promote a rapid improvement of the situation on the ground. These commitments include the effective implementation of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the disengagement of forces andthe guarantee ofunre stricted access to OSCE observers. The French, German, Ukrainian and Russian Ministers also supported the rapid exchange of prisoners and the guarantee of access to places of detention by the International Committee of the Red Cross.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Strengthened by these powerful and adapted tools, we must maintain our mobilization to make the whole of Europe a stable, peaceful and conflict-free continent. In Ukraine, we are tirelessly pursuing, alongside our German partners, our mediation efforts in the Normandy format in support of the full implementation of the Minsk accords, which we all agree to be the sole avenue to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The renewed tensions over the past few weeks, particularly around the town of Avdiivka, are a cause of great concern to us, particularly as a result of the resurgence of civilian and military casualties and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“The Secretary-General is, we believe, fully justified in reminding the Security Council of its obligations and responsibilities when he deems it necessary. The OSCE is an active and effective organization that has, inter alia, demonstrated its ability to rise to the challenge by playing a central role in managing the crisis in Ukraine. It is important to respect the mandates that has been assigned to it. Finally, the European Union is today an essential player in the multipolar world and a pillar of multilateralism, whose community of values and interests shared with the United Nations is comprehensive. Its leading role in stabilizing its direct neighbourhood must be fully recognized and supported.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“The persistence of so-called frozen conflicts in Nagorno Karabakh, Transnistria and Georgia poses an ongoing threat to the security of the countries concerned and their regions. Recent tensions in the Balkans are a cause for genuine concern. Finally, the lack of a settlement of the issue of Cyrpus - a country within the European Union - remains a source of great dissatisfaction. Yet today we have the tools necessary to ensure peace and security on the European continent. Above all, in Europe as in the rest of the world, the Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and international security. It is important for everyone to assume their responsibilities so that it can fully exercise its prerogatives on European issues, which unfortunately has not always been the case in recent months.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“I am thinking in particular of the Charter of the United Nations and its principles concerning the peaceful resolution of conflicts and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States; the Helsinki agreements and the recognition by all the OECD countries of the inviolability of the borders of Europe and the multidimensional dimension of security; and the European Union and the building of a common destiny among all its members. Recent history, however, shows us that we cannot, either today or yesterday, consider the maintenance of peace and security in Europe as a given. The annexation of the Crimea and the conflict in the Donbas unfortunately illustrate the fact that the violation of the territorial integrity ofa European State is still possible.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): I should like to begin by warmly thanking the Secretaries- General of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OECD) and the European External Action Service of the European Union for their very enlightening briefings. The theme of conflicts in Europe has a special resonance for my country, which has twice been at the heart of world conflicts, the outbreak of which occurred on the European continent. With this painful legacy, France is all the more attached to the preservation of peace and security in Europe, as well as to the instruments we have collectively put in place to defend them and to prevent the resurgence of the horrors of war.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): On behalf of France and on my own behalf, I should like to pay special tribute to our colleague and friend Vitaly Churkin. I should like to convey to his wife, Irina, and to his family our most sincere condolences and our deepest sadness, which I would also convey to all of the Russian Mission. Vitaly Churkin was an exceptional representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations. Beyond our differences, we always worked in a spirit of mutual respect and personal friendship. Vitaly Churkin was more than an exceptional diplomat, more than a fearsome negotiator; he was a master of diplomacy. He was one of the most talented diplomats I ever met. We will miss him greatly, and his spirit will remain here in the Security Council with us. I will never forget him.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Alongside Germany, we will continue tirelessly in our efforts to mediate within the framework of the Normandy format, for there is currently no viable alternative and because every result on the ground counts. Our goal remains the restoration of Ukrainian control over all of its internationally recognized borders, which, we recall, can take place only via the re-establishment of its authority over Crimea. In this challenging environment, everyone must now shoulder their responsibilities and fulfil their commitments. In our View, that is the main message the Council should send, and it is the spirit with which we are prepared to consider any draft presidential statement that may be adopted by the Council.”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“Despite continued fighting, the number of civilian casualties remains six times lower since the signing of the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, according to estimates by United Nations agencies. Our efforts are currently focused on developing a common road map that would enable concomitant progress with respect to the security and political aspects of the Minsk agreements. We can make progress only by moving forward on those two tracks. It is the shared belief of France and Germany that this is now the only way forward and that the European sanctions implemented at the beginning of the crisis are linked to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. For France, a resolution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine is more than ever a major priority.”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“Although we are aware of the scale of the work that remains to be done and the challenges to be overcome, we are convinced that working in that format, the only one to bring Ukraine and Russia together around the same table at the political level, is necessary and must be continued. In particular, work in the Normandy format has made it possible in recent months to lessen the intensity of the fighting and reduce the number of human casualties on the ground, as well as to implement confidence-building measures in the security and humanitarian spheres, with respect to the re-establishment of the ceasefire, the implementation of areas of disengagement or even the carrying out of exchanges of prisoners.”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“The current crisis also calls to mind the crucial importance of the ongoing presence of humanitarian agencies throughout Ukrainian territory, including in areas beyond the control of the Government. Faced with the new resurgence in violence, France recalls that the solution to the crisis in Ukraine cannot be a military one; rather, it must be political. That is why the implementation of the Minsk agreements remains more than ever the only way forward for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. France and Germany remain fully engaged in their diplomatic efforts within the framework of the Normandy format.”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“We call on all the parties on the ground to ensure the access and security of OSCE observers in Avdiivka, as well as in all areas of the conflict, as established in the mandate of the Mission. The humanitarian situation is of particular concern to us, as the civilian population is facing extreme weather conditions and a disruption to the supply of water and electricity in several areas, including Avdiivka. We urge the parties to act as quickly as possible to improve the living conditions of the civilian population on the ground. Immediate compliance with windows of calm is essential to enable the repair of critical infrastructure in areas affected by fighting and for the relief of populations. We believe that to be crucial.”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“In that regard, France calls on all the parties to exercise restraint, and supports the appeal of the Trilateral Contact Group for the immediate restoration of the ceasefire in accordance with terms of the Minsk agreements, in particular with respect to the prohibition against the use and withdrawal ofheavy weapons. The disengagement of forces on both sides of the line of contact must also be implemented without delay. We expect each of the parties to refrain from any provocation that maight further aggravate the situation. We also call on Russia to use its influence with the separatists. The work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission in support of the ceasefire and de-escalation is essential.”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“Mr. Delattre (France) (spoke in French): France firmly condemns the resumption of fighting in eastern Ukraine in the past few days, specifically in Avdiivka. We are dealing with the worst upsurge in violence and the highest rate of violations of the ceasefire that we have seen in months. They have been accompanied by a spike in the number of victims, including among civilians, as well as a serious deterioration in the humanitarian situation, which we are following closely. We are forced to conclude that neither the security or the humanitarian situation has improved since the consultations we had on the subject two days ago, despite the fact that the Council called unanimously for the immediate restoration of the ceasefire (SC/12700).”
2017-02-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7876 (2017) · source
“We are also sending the message to the Central African Republic authorities that the arms embargo could be modified in due course, in particular in accordance with progress made in the area of security sector reform. This message is important to our follow-up action in the Central African Republic. I would once again like to welcome the unanimous adoption of the resolution, which bears witness to the firm and unanimous commitment of the Security Council to support the political and reconciliation processes in that country, and in support as well as of the progress made daily thanks to the efforts of the people and the Government of the Central African Republic. This is a very clear signal to those who would undermine the ongoing political process, which the entire international community is watching.”
2017-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7872 (2017) · source
“It also requests Central African Republic authorities to strengthen oversight over Central African Republic passports to ensure that expired or outdated passports are not used for prohibited travel. And, finally, the resolution paves the way for the development of criteria aimed at adjusting the arms embargo at the appropriate time, based on the developments on the ground. However, given the current situation and the flow of weapons in the country, such changes must be considered carefully. The position of France is that the restrictive measures should support a political process and change in accordance with the situation on the ground.”
2017-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7872 (2017) · source