YouSaid · the spoken record

Fischer

lines on the record: 81
first: 2003-01-20
most recent: 2010-09-23
sittings or episodes: 10
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We therefore highly welcome the efforts by the Secretary-General to strengthen the United Nations capacity in early warning and conflict prevention and to continue his good offices and mediation activities. As a member of the European Union, we strongly believe in the partnership between the United Nations and regional organizations in this regard. In conclusion, allow me to congratulate you, Mr. President, on organizing this summit and preparing a presidential statement that enjoys our full support. Let me close by reiterating that the Council will exercise its role in a most effective and credible manner when the guiding principle of its actions is the rule of law - clear and foreseeable rules equally applicable to everybody.”
2010-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6389 (2010) · source
“These efforts must be accompanied by an increased protection of women and girls, especially from sexual violence. The Security Council has several times reaffirmed its role in fighting impunity for such violations. Let me also thank Uganda for its commitment to further advance the implementation of this landmark resolution during its presidency of the Council in the month of October. The systematic consideration of topics like the protection of civilians in armed conflict, children and armed conflict or woman, peace and security demonstrates the ability of the Council to respond effectively to today's challenges. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding need to go hand in hand. Finally, I would like to emphasize that prevention is the most effective and efficient way to manage conflicts.”
2010-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6389 (2010) · source
“It must be complemented by activities in the fields of the rule of law, human rights, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and the empowerment of local society. The swift implementation of resolution 1894 (2009) will therefore make an important contribution to the Council's effectiveness in this core area. An equally important topic is the role of women in peace and security. We must seize the unique opportunity of the tenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000) this October to renew our commitment and work towards the increased participation, representation and full involvement of women in preventive diplomacy, mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In this context, I would like to commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his strong leadership and encourage him to continue to promote the cause of women.”
2010-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6389 (2010) · source
“Altogether, 90,000 Austrians in the service of peace since 1960 are proof of our unwavering commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security. Our willingness to assume global responsibility furthermore manifests itself in our third term as a member of the Security Council. Confronted with today's threats, we identified the protection of civilians in armed conflict as one of the key priorities. The effective protection of the civilian population is the precondition for sustainable peace, and as long as United Nations peacekeeping missions are involved, it is also a question of the credibility of the Council. Resolution 1894 (2009) provides a solid basis for further enhancing the protection of the most vulnerable. Creating a favourable protection environment goes beyond protection from physical violence.”
2010-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6389 (2010) · source
“Intrastate conflicts involving non-State actors, as well as transnational threats such as terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, et cetera, have created new challenges for the United Nations and the Security Council. Peacekeeping, which as far as I know was not foreseen in the Charter of the United Nations, has developed into a particularly successful crisis- management tool. Over the past decades the character of peacekeeping has changed. After monitoring ceasefires and interpositioning, peacekeepers today find themselves in the midst of conflicts and facing complex tasks and challenges. Recognizing the importance of United Nations peacekeeping, Austria began contributing troops, police and experts to United Nations operations immediately after joining the Organization.”
2010-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6389 (2010) · source
“Mr. Fischer: Emerging from the biggest catastrophe of the twentieth century - a war in which altogether 50 million people lost their lives - the United Nations was founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. The Security Council was entrusted with the responsibility to maintain international peace and security. Over the past 65 years the Council has made an enormous contribution to that noble goal. For those affected by armed conflict, this often is a question of life and death, of security and development and of respect for the rule of law and human rights. No continent has been spared. While in its early years the Council had to deal primarily with inter-State conflicts, the nature of conflicts has changed significantly in recent times.”
2010-09-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6389 (2010) · source
“The Council can also count on the European Union, with its well-known position on these issues and its deep commitment to strengthening the multilateral system. And we can rely on civil society, which throughout the years has remained the motor behind disarmament efforts. Today we have identified our goals for the future. We now need the energy, the commitment and the persistence to move forward. The support by heads of State and Government at this table today makes me confident that all together we can reach our goals.”
2009-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6191 (2009) · source
“Ensuring that arms control mechanisms operate in a fair and transparent manner is crucial. Austria's proposal to multilateralize the nuclear fuel cycle under the control of the IAEA could help to avoid a crisis of trust, such as those with regard to the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programmes. For clarification, I would like to underline that paragraph 11 of the resolution just adopted refers to those countries that have decided to use nuclear energy for peaceful energy reasons, but this is not the case in Austria. Austria is very satisfied that this resolution is a strong text, a positive contribution to the ongoing disarmament process. But resolutions are not enough. Every State must accept responsibility and active participation. I promise that Austria's support will be there.”
2009-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6191 (2009) · source
“Fifthly, our capabilities to prevent nuclear materials from proliferating to States and to non-State actors must improve. Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) needs better implementation. Austria welcomes its comprehensive review next week. Most importantly, we must enhance the monitoring and verification capabilities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and ensure strict export control for sensitive materials and technologies. In view of the presence of Director General ElBaradei here today, I wish to thank him warmly and very outspokenly for his excellent work as head of the Agency over the last 12 years in Vienna. Sixthly, finally we must strengthen trust and confidence. Nuclear-weapon-free zones contribute significantly to sustainable stability. Regions like the Middle East would benefit from such a regime.”
2009-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6191 (2009) · source
“President, noted in Prague, "Words must mean something." The words enshrined in article VI of the NPT must be taken seriously. There have been positive developments, yes; but nuclear weapon States must do more. Thirdly, we must devise a process for entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. Austria and Costa Rica, as Co-Chairs of the Article XIV Conference, worked hard over the past two years to promote entry into force. That will be possible, however, only with the political commitment of the States that still need to ratify the Treaty. Fourthly, we must enable the Conference on Disarmament, in Geneva, to negotiate the fissile material cut-off treaty. As current President of the Conference, Austria will make every effort to promote this goal. But to achieve progress, the support of all the members is necessary.”
2009-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6191 (2009) · source
“In May 2010 the international community will convene in New York at the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). There we will have to agree on measures that enable progress towards a nuclear- weapon-free world. For Austria, the following points are particularly paramount. First, the prospect of a world without nuclear weapons must become a goal shared by all States. Austria supports the idea of a nuclear weapons convention equipped with a sophisticated verification mechanism. In the meantime, the NPT remains the core of the global nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation regime. But to fulfil its functions effectively it must be strengthened, it must be institutionalized, and it must become universal. Secondly, the nuclear weapon States must reduce their arsenals. As you, Mr.”
2009-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6191 (2009) · source
“President Fischer: Today, the Security Council pronounces its commitment to a world without nuclear weapons. For more than half a century, this goal has been pursued by concerned citizens and political leaders around the world. The international community has undertaken efforts to contain the threat, but many have adjusted to it, almost accepting the nuclear shadow as part of life. But any such complacency is ill-founded; we have arrived at a fork in the road. We can maintain our course and hope that nothing happens, or we can seek real change. Future historians will assess whether today is a turning point. That will not depend on words spoken but on the deeds that follow.”
2009-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6191 (2009) · source
“How can the Security Council and other actors - such as the EU - best supplement AU efforts to resuscitate negotiations in Abuja and Naivasha? How do they envisage disarmament of the Janjaweed taking place in Darfur? What conditions would have to be put in place in order to increase the willingness of the Government of the Sudan to tackle disarmament? What measures could be taken to ensure that the concerns and special threats can be addressed with regard to women and girls among internally displaced persons and the population in Darfur? In which areas could the United Nations, the EU and their member States be of special assistance to the AU mission in Darfur? And one last question: do they also see a role for the League of Arab States?”
2004-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5043 (2004) · source
“Resolution 1564 (2004) is a clear signal that the Security Council is determined to keep up the pressure on the Government of the Sudan, on the Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army and on the Justice and Equality Movement to return to the negotiation table and to meet the demands contained in Security Council resolutions 1556 (2004) and 1564 (2004). Our goal is to stop the killing and the suffering of the people in Darfur. The EU will examine appropriate measures - including sanctions - against the Government of the Sudan and all other relevant parties, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1564 (2004), if tangible progress is not achieved in that direction. I would like to ask President Obasanjo and Chairman Konare for their opinions on several points.”
2004-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5043 (2004) · source
“It will also help in implementing the mandate contained in Council resolutions 1556 (2004) and 1564 (2004). The African Union (AU) is shouldering a burden that is heavy for it and for its newly developed conflict management mechanisms. I am sure that international support for this effort will be willingly given if and when the AU asks for it. Germany has been supportive of the AU role in helping to resolve the Darfur conflict. The European Union (EU) also stands ready to support the AU mission, in close coordination with the United Nations.”
2004-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5043 (2004) · source
“I would like to thank President Obasanjo for briefing us on the Abuja peace talks and for his efforts in bringing the parties in the Darfur crisis back to the negotiating table in Abuja. The Security Council's most recent resolution on Sudan, resolution 1564 (2004) of 18 September, stressed the importance of the African Union, and it will contribute towards increasing the African Union authority vis-a-vis the parties to the conflict. I congratulate the African Union and its member States for their willingness to take over the leading role in the efforts to solve the Darfur crisis. The working draft of the African Union plan for enhancing the effectiveness of the AU mission in Darfur, which was submitted yesterday in Addis Ababa, seems to be a very good basis for playing such a role.”
2004-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5043 (2004) · source
“But, for that to work, financing must also be resolved. We need to break new ground here. A call also goes out to the Bretton Woods institutions. We should certainly treat the costs of civilian crisis management as a normal component of a peace mission.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“A challenge that we all need to tackle at home is the training and mobilization of civilian experts in crises and reconstruction. After all, we now need more and more civilian personnel for international peace missions. That is the only way to ensure that the United Nations can quickly fall back on urgently needed police trainers, judges or lawyers. And, unlike military personnel, those experts are not usually ready and waiting, but rather are employed by authorities and companies. That is particularly true of the police. Thus, here, we should, above all, push ahead with establishing a standby system as well as rapid- deployment units. Finally, we must better coordinate the United Nations system's contribution to the civilian components of peace missions so that we can fully tap its potential.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“It is important that civilian and military experts be able to provide the people with rapid and visible assistance, even if it is too early for reconstruction efforts to bear real fruit. That is what we have seen in Afghanistan. We can win the people over by repairing a damaged bridge or school, digging a well, providing health advice or setting up a local radio station. We have been working for some time to minimize the Organization's reaction time to crises and to coordinate and more efficiently implement our national contributions to military missions. The same is true of civilian components. We should thus develop and rapidly implement a coherent tool kit for civilian peacekeeping. The United Nations should assume the central task of coordination.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“Those expectations may not always be realistic, but disappointments can greatly hamper the acceptance of peacekeeping missions. In Afghanistan, the Taliban, Al Qaeda and others opposed to the peace process systematically exploit the frustration of the population to discredit the peacekeepers as unwelcome occupiers. We have to find a happy medium between short-term expectations and long-term commitment to make clear the benefits of the mission as quickly as possible. Here, we should make increased use of quick- impact projects. The United Nations has had positive experience with that instrument and has greatly increased the relevant financing. Take, for example, the United Nations Mission in Liberia.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“They have more homogenous membership structures, are anchored in the same cultural areas and communities of values, and are thus essential partners when it comes to crisis management in their particular zones of interest - above all, to make a Security Council mandate more acceptable in a country and in the wider region. The EU is doing just that in the Balkans. We need great persistence and much staying power if our peace-building is to have a sustainable impact. We have to give the young people in crisis regions hope for the future. We have to re-establish structures in the State and in society that can withstand the unavoidable strains following the withdrawal of a peace mission. But we must also live up to the people's expectations for a rapid and clear improvement in their situation.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“Therefore, a high degree of experience and cultural awareness is needed. That is especially true of civilian components such as building State and judicial structures, clearing up human rights violations, drawing up a new constitution or organizing and holding elections. We never start from scratch; we must respect and use local traditions and structures. At the same time, we must never lose sight of central United Nations standards such as the rule of law, democracy and human rights. Here, I see a vast opportunity for cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations such as the African Union, the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“Together with the Brahimi report (S/2000/809), it provided the decisive impetus - meaning that today, even in the earliest phase of conflict management, considerations and planning stretch beyond the political and military aspects. Our commitment in Afghanistan, in the Balkans and in many multidimensional peacekeeping missions around the world bears witness to that new comprehensive approach. Peacekeeping that brings together military and civilian aspects means a much greater burden for the international community in terms of finance and personnel. But we must be ready to shoulder that burden. After all, only credible and long-term engagement can be successful; anything else only entails far greater risks. But we must also be aware that each peace- building mission is a massive intrusion for the society concerned.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“Sir, we welcome your initiative to hold this debate in the Security Council. In the past two years, we have seen a renaissance of multilateral conflict management. The worldwide growth of United Nations missions makes that plain. Regional organizations, such as the European Union and the African Union, are also making ever more significant independent contributions in the field. That is a development we very much welcome. It shows the growing readiness of the international community to effectively engage even in conflicts that have long been neglected. A central precondition here was the recognition - achieved, not least, thanks to the United Nations - that military stabilization has to go hand-in- hand with the reconstruction of shattered societies and State structures.”
2004-09-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5041 (2004) · source
“But once calm has been restored, the only responsible course is to proceed as quickly as possible with the efforts to implement the "Standards for Kosovo" and to finalize the implementation plan. Only by focusing on achieving those standards can Kosovo put this ugly series of incidents behind it and begin again to make progress with regard to its European aspirations.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“Political leadership in Belgrade should also exercise its responsibilities. It is especially important at this time to prevent acts of retribution in Serbia. That would only lead to an escalation of violence and feed into the hands of extremists. We urge Belgrade to do all it can to prevent further attacks on religious sites such as took place yesterday in Belgrade and Nis. We also urge Belgrade to continue the direct dialogue with Pristina that was begun this month with the working groups on energy and missing persons. Yesterday's events highlight the stark choice facing the people of Kosovo. Either they create a society based on tolerance, multi-ethnicity and democratic values, or they live in chaos and misery. It is too early to say how the violence has set back the process of implementing democratic standards.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“We expect those leaders not only to speak out against violence but also to actively promote inter-ethnic understanding. They must also explain to their constituents that no political grievance justifies taking the law into their own hands. Political leaders should visibly support all efforts by law enforcement authorities to apprehend and punish anybody who committed crimes or abetted violence and should explain clearly why those people are enemies not only of public order but also of the legitimate democratic aspirations of the people of Kosovo. There will be no impunity for the perpetrators. Now is the time for responsible Kosovo Albanian and Kosovo Serb leaders to appear together before the people of Kosovo and to defend democratic values against anarchy and mayhem.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“Germany supports the decision made to bring in additional KFOR troops. All leaders of Kosovo, especially those who have been elected, must show the utmost political courage in order to prevent the violence from undoing all the painstaking efforts made over the past several years toward building a tolerant and democratic Kosovo. The joint statement made yesterday by politicians together with the Special Representative of the Secretary- General was a useful first step. It rightly emphasized the need to support the police and KFOR and noted the importance of responsible media behaviour. Political violence is fed by misinformation, and the press should not abet the plans of extremists by crediting unfounded rumours. But political leaders in Kosovo must go further. Inter-ethnic violence is absolutely unacceptable and must be condemned.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“The violence has claimed many lives and caused injury to large numbers of people among the Kosovar communities as well as UNMIK, the international police and KFOR, and it must be condemned in the strongest words. Our hearts and our deeply felt sympathies are with the victims and their families. I would like to extend my condolences to them. The international community as well as political leaders in Kosovo, both ethnic Albanian and ethnic Serb, have great responsibilities over the next few days. The most important immediate task is to restore and maintain order. KFOR troops and the police will have our full support as they take whatever steps are necessary to stop the violence. We were deeply disturbed by reports that KFOR troops were themselves the object of attack yesterday.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“I would like to thank my colleague, Foreign Minister Svilanovic of Serbia and Montenegro, for his statement, and the Secretary- General for his comprehensive and informative briefing. I would like to associate myself with the statement to be made later by Ireland on behalf of the European Union. We were shocked and dismayed as we learned of the events unfolding in Kosovo yesterday. We profoundly appreciate the great efforts made by the Special Representative to the Secretary-General for Kosovo, Mr. Holkeri, the staff of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), KFOR and the police to bring the situation under control in the face of the dangers confronting them.”
2004-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4928 (2004) · source
“Nevertheless, Germany has accepted the necessity of war on two occasions during the last few years because all peaceful alternatives had proved unsuccessful. Germany fought side by side with its allies in Kosovo to prevent the mass deportation of the Albanian population and to avert an impending genocide. It did likewise in Afghanistan to combat the brutal and dangerous terrorism of the Taliban and Al Qaeda after the terrible and criminal attacks on the Government and the people of the United States. And we will stick to our commitment in this war against terror. Today, however, we in Germany do not believe that there is no alternative to military force as a last resort. To the contrary, we feel that Iraq can be disarmed using peaceful means.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“The Secretary-General is to present proposals on this. Yesterday, the Security Council declared its readiness to take up these proposals. Through the oil for food programme, the United Nations has provided 60 per cent of the Iraqi population with essential supplies. This experience must be used in the future. A very large majority of people in Germany and Europe are greatly troubled by the impending war in Iraq. Our continent has experienced the horrors of war too often. Those who know our European history understand that we do not live on Venus but, rather, that we are the survivors of Mars. War is terrible. It is a great tragedy for those affected and for us all. It can only be the very last resort when all peaceful alternatives really have been exhausted.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“The negotiations on the Iraq crisis, which were followed by millions of people worldwide during the last few weeks and months, have shown how relevant and how indispensable the peacemaking role of the Security Council is. There is no alternative to this. We continue to need an effective international non-proliferation and disarmament regime. This can eliminate the risk of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, using the instruments developed in this process to make the world a safer place. The United Nations is the only appropriate framework for this. No one can seriously believe that disarmament wars are the way forward. We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian consequences of a war in Iraq. Our task now is to do everything we possibly can to avert a humanitarian disaster.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“Thirdly, we have to preserve the inspection regime and to endorse the working programme because we need both after the end of military action. Resolutions 1284 (1999) and 1441 (2002) are still in force, even if some adjustments are needed. Germany is convinced that the United Nations and the Security Council must continue to play the central role in the Iraq conflict. This is crucial to world order and must continue to be the case in future. The United Nations is the key institution for the preservation of peace and stability and for the peaceful reconciliation of interests in the world of today and of tomorrow. There is no substitute for its functions as a guardian of peace. The Security Council bears the primary responsibility for world peace and international security.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“The majority of Security Council members believe that there are no grounds now for breaking off the disarmament process carried out under the supervision of the United Nations. In this connection, I would like to make the following three points. First, the Security Council has not failed. We must counter that myth. The Security Council has made available the instruments to disarm Iraq peacefully. The Security Council is not responsible for what is happening outside the United Nations. Secondly, we have to state clearly, under the current circumstances the policy of military intervention has no credibility. It does not have the support of our people. It would not have taken much to safeguard the unity of the Security Council. There is no basis in the United Nations Charter for regime change by military means.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“And the regime in Baghdad is beginning, under pressure, to clear up the unanswered questions on VX and anthrax. Iraq's readiness to cooperate was unsatisfactory. It was hesitant and slow. The Council agrees on that. But can this seriously be regarded as grounds for war with all its terrible consequences? There is no doubt that, particularly in recent weeks, Baghdad has begun to cooperate more. The information Iraq has provided to UNMOVIC and the IAEA are steps in the right direction. Baghdad is meeting more and more of the demands contained in the Security Council resolutions. But why should we now - especially now - abandon our plan to disarm Iraq by peaceful means?”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“Time and again during the last few weeks, we have collaborated with France and Russia to put forward proposals for a more efficient inspections regime consisting of clear disarmament steps with deadlines, most recently on 15 March. Other members also submitted constructive proposals until the final hours of the negotiations. We are grateful to them for their efforts. During the last few days, we have moved significantly closer to our common objective: that of effectively countering the risk posed by Iraqi weapons of mass destruction with complete and comprehensive arms control. Especially in recent weeks, substantial progress was made in disarmament. The scrapping of the Al Samoud missiles made headway: 70 of them have now been destroyed.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“The work programme with its realistic description of unresolved disarmament issues now lies before us. It provides clear and convincing guidelines on how to disarm Iraq peacefully within a short space of time. I want to stress this fact, particularly today. It is possible to disarm Iraq peacefully by upholding those demands with tight deadlines. Peaceful means have therefore not been exhausted. Also for that reason, Germany emphatically rejects the impending war. We deeply regret that our considerable efforts to disarm Iraq using peaceful means in accordance with Security Council resolution 1441 (2002) seem to have no chance of success.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“I would like to thank the Security Council presidency for its excellent work at this difficult time. The Security Council is meeting here today in a dramatic situation. At this moment, the world is facing an imminent war in Iraq. The Security Council cannot remain silent in this situation. Today more than ever, our task must be to safeguard its function and to preserve its relevance. We have come together once more in New York today to emphasize that. The developments of the last few hours have radically changed the international situation and brought the work of the United Nations on the ground to a standstill. Those developments are cause for the deepest concern. Nevertheless, I would like to thank Mr. Blix for his briefing on the work programme. Germany fully supports his approach, even under the current circumstances.”
2003-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4721 (2003) · source
“The progress of the last few days has shown that we have efficient alternatives to war in Iraq. By taking this path, we will strengthen the relevance of the United Nations and the Security Council.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“There is good reason to believe that the region would not become more stable, but rather more unstable, through a war, and, what is more, that in the long term international terrorism would be strengthened, not weakened, and that our joint efforts to resolve the Middle East conflict would be hindered. Then there is the alternative. If we succeed in implementing the effective and complete disarmament of Iraq with peaceful means, we will improve the framework conditions for a regional process of stability, security and cooperation, based on the renunciation of the use of force, on arms control and on a cooperative system of confidence-building measures. Resolutions 1441 (2002) and 1284 (1999) point a clear way forward for the Security Council. They have to remain the basis of our action.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“It troubles the people in our countries. It troubles the entire region of the Near and Middle East. Precisely because the situation is so dramatic, we have to keep firmly reminding ourselves what a war would mean, what the endless suffering it would bring to countless innocent people and what catastrophic humanitarian consequences it would entail. Are we really in a situation that absolutely necessitates the nltima ratio, the very last resort? I think not, because peaceful means are far from having been exhausted. The Security Council faces- in fact, we all face- an important decision, probably a historic turning point. The alternatives are clear: the disarmament of Iraq by war or its disarmament by exhausting all peaceful means. The risks of a military option are evident to us all.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“We would like to hear today a statement by the inspectors on the remaining key disarmament issues in the cluster report that has been drawn up. The inspections cannot go on forever. The aim of disarming Iraq has to be pursued energetically and systematically. The Iraqi Government has to fully cooperate with the inspectors. But given the current situation and the ongoing progress, we see no need for a second resolution. Why should we leave the path that we have embarked on now that the inspections, on the basis of resolution 1441 (2002), are showing viable results? The Security Council is now meeting for the third time within a month at ministerial level to discuss the Iraq crisis. This shows the urgency we attach to the disarmament of Iraq and to the threat of war. The crisis in Iraq troubles our Governments.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“France, Russia and Germany presented a memorandum to the Security Council on 24 February proposing a tough regime of intensive inspections (S/2003/214, annex). On the basis of those proposals, the inspections should be stepped up and accelerated. For that to happen, each remaining problem has to be specified and priorities have to be set. A time frame should thereby be prescribed for every single problem. Therefore, Mr. Blix and Mr. ElBaradei should present us with a detailed, comprehensive working programme that clarifies how they and their teams intend to tackle the complete disarmament of Iraq, as called for by the United Nations. It is very important that that working programme be presented to the Security Council without delay.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“This method also ought to be used for other unresolved problems. As far as Iraq's nuclear potential is concerned, we can note great progress. Mr. ElBaradei has just confirmed that. The accounts presented by Iraq are plausible and verifiable. Cooperation on inspections is good. The IAEA is confident about reaching final conclusions soon. Turning to biological weapons, there has also been progress in individual spheres; for example, in the excavation of many R-400 aerial bombs which are now being assessed by UNMOVIC. Baghdad has announced the presentation of a comprehensive report on open questions in the field of biological and chemical weapons. The interviews with Iraqi scientists are now taking place without monitoring or recording. Preparations are being made to conduct interviews abroad.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“That is a positive development, which makes it all the less comprehensible why that development should now be abandoned. There is real progress to be noted on the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions in all fields. In the sphere of missile technology, there has been clear progress. Thus, Iraq informed the inspectors of its Al Samoud missiles. After examination by UNMOVIC, it was established that their range was too long. After Mr. Blix had set for the regime in Baghdad a deadline for their destruction, Iraq began to destroy the missiles within the prescribed time frame. That is important progress. It shows that peaceful disarmament is possible and that there is a real alternative to war. That positive development also shows that Hans Blix's approach of giving the regime in Baghdad concrete time frames is successful.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“We fight together against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We stand united in our condemnation of the Iraqi regime. Where we have different views is on our strategy of how to achieve the effective and total disarmament of Iraq. The Security Council must not spare any effort to find a joint approach to attain our common goal. The briefings by Mr. Blix and Mr. ElB aradei have made clear once more that Iraq's cooperation with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not yet fully meet United Nations demands. Baghdad could have taken many of its recent steps earlier and more willingly. In recent days, cooperation has, nevertheless, notably improved.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“I would like to congratulate His Excellency the Foreign Minister of Guinea on his assumption of the presidency of the Security Council, and I thank him for the kind words addressed to me and to the German presidency of last month. I would also like to thank Mr. Blix and Mr. ElBaradei for their briefings on the quarterly report. Both can count on Germany's full support. The aim of the international community remains the complete disarmament- and only the disarmament- of Iraq to finally eliminate the international threat posed by Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. That is what all the relevant Security Council resolutions state. What is at stake now is the unity of the international community. We have taken a forceful stance in our common fight against international terrorism.”
2003-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4714 (2003) · source
“There are no further speakers on my list. Before adjourning the meeting I remind Council members of the private meeting that will follow shortly after this meeting. As agreed earlier, the private meeting will accord an opportunity to Council members to further exchange their views on the issue before the Council. I therefore invite all non-Council members, observers and media personnel to leave the Chamber. We will recess for 15 minutes before our private meeting. The meeting rose at 1.50 p.m.”
2003-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4707 (2003) · source
“Military action against Iraq would, in addition to the terrible humanitarian consequences, above all endanger the stability of a tense and troubled region. The consequences for the Near and Middle East could be catastrophic. There should be no automatism leading us to the use of military force. All possible alternatives need to be exhaustively explored. That was once again reaffirmed by the Governments of Russia, France and Germany in a joint declaration issued on Monday. Diplomacy has not yet reached the end of the road. I resume my function as president of the Security Council, and I now call on His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Aldouri, Permanent Representative of Iraq.”
2003-02-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4707 (2003) · source