YouSaid · the spoken record

Gerwel

lines on the record

29

first

2022-12-14

most recent

2023-10-24

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5

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un-security-council

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1. “We should make every effort to reach a cessation of hostilities and return to a diplomatic path towards resolving the dispute. We remain committed to a negotiated and viable two- State solution based upon the internationally agreed parameters. Our overarching goal is the preservation of the principles of international law.”

   2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source

2. “In the face of the current crisis, it is important to continue assistance activities, and we will do so through bilateral and multilateral channels. Poland’s participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon is clear proof of our wider political commitment to the stabilization of the Middle East. We are determined to continue our participation in that mission. Poland knows very well the consequences of war, invasion and terror, which are felt for generations. That is why we reiterate that the escalation and spreading of the conflict will have devastating and long-lasting consequences. That is why we also call on all parties not to succumb to the logic of violence. We all know that the Middle East peace process has always been a fragile one and that no act of violence will bring us closer to a positive solution.”

   2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source

3. “We also express our gratitude to the personnel of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as that of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, who are bravely assisting those in need. As we can see, they have proven themselves ready to make the ultimate sacrifice while helping others. That should remind us that the security of all those providing humanitarian assistance is critical. Taking into account the current tragic situation, especially at this moment, we should not leave Palestinians in Gaza without support. For decades, Poland has been involved in providing humanitarian and development aid in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Palestine and Lebanon.”

   2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source

4. “That is crucial to prevent regional escalation. Poland stands ready to support any process that would help to achieve a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict. It is our common duty to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians in Gaza. We call for the relevant United Nations agencies and their implementing partners to be allowed access. We welcome the initial transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza via the Rafah crossing. We commend the efforts in that regard by the United Nations, Egypt and Jordan, as well as other parties, and we hope that other deliveries will follow.”

   2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source

5. “I thank Brazil for convening this debate. Poland follows with great concern the current devastating crisis in the Middle East. At its very onset, we condemned the brutal attacks on civilians carried out by Hamas. Terrorism aimed at the civilian population cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. The suffering of the innocent is never justified. That is why we are convinced that Israel has the right to defend itself and its citizens, in compliance with international law and international humanitarian law. We also join all those calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken by Hamas. Poland supports all international efforts aimed at restoring peace. The international community needs to engage with regional actors to encourage and persuade all sides to step back.”

   2023-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9451Resumption1 (2023) · source

6. “We have engaged in food solidarity initiatives. In addition to the European Union solidarity lanes and the Black Sea Grain Initiative, we supported the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian programme and declared that we would finance shipments of grain worth €20 million. In closing, let me emphasize that, for Poland, the protection of civilians and the promotion of compliance with international humanitarian law are long-standing priorities. We remain committed to contributing to actions aimed at protecting civilians in armed conflict and tackling global food security crises.”

   2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392 (2023) · source

7. “We denounce Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which played a stabilizing role for global food security, a move that we see as a manifestation of economic aggression against the countries of the global South and of political hypocrisy and cynicism. The recent escalation of Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports and its mining of the sea corridors used for transporting grain are yet more proof of Russia’s determination to prolong its war of aggression at any cost, including to the detriment of the people who are most vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition. Poland is ready not only to undertake emergency actions, but also to facilitate the capacity-building of more resilient production systems. In 2022, we supported the World Food Programme to ease the food security crisis in African countries.”

   2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392 (2023) · source

8. “They include, first, ensuring rapid and adequate support to people vulnerable to food insecurity through humanitarian assistance from the World Food Programme and others, alongside effective domestic fiscal measures; secondly, maintaining open trade, including within regions, in order to allow food to flow from surplus areas to those in need; thirdly, increasing food production and improving distribution while increasing trade financing and reinforcing supply chains; and fourthly, investing in climate-resilient agriculture. Eighteen months after the launch of Russia’s full- scale aggression against Ukraine, there can be no doubt that food has once again become a weapon. In deliberately creating a food crisis, Russia has shown contempt for resolution 2417 (2018), which condemns starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.”

   2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392 (2023) · source

9. “Poland built on those examples in initiating General Assembly resolution 77/282, which emphasizes the critical role of resilient infrastructure in safeguarding the delivery of essential goods and services. Even if we cannot prevent all new conflicts or stop existing ones, we can start to counter the food insecurity crisis right now. It is worth considering the International Monetary Fund’s recommendations in that regard.”

   2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392 (2023) · source

10. “In that context, I would first like to address two questions posed in the excellent concept note (S/2023/560, annex) presented by the United States prior to this open debate, on the importance of anticipatory action and the role of investment in tackling the root causes of food insecurity. The international community should focus on building the resilience of local food systems. Countries that can increase their own food production and build their own distribution systems are less vulnerable to the conflict- and climate-induced food insecurity that ultimately results in famine. Public-private-partnerships should be mobilized to build reliable transport and storage infrastructure. Such actions are being undertaken through the Global Gateway Strategy of the European Union and the Three Seas Initiative of 12 Central European nations.”

    2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392 (2023) · source

11. “I would like to thank the United States for convening this important and timely debate. Poland aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. We believe that a strong focus on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity is now of crucial importance. Hunger should not be a weapon of war. Global food supply chains must not be taken hostage by aggressors in order to achieve their military goals. As stated in the recent United Nations inter-agency report entitled The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023, global hunger is still far above pre-pandemic levels.”

    2023-08-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9392 (2023) · source

12. “The concentration of troops in our region is a negative development of which we have taken note. We should therefore make clear to Belarus that it can still reverse its course and make the right choice. Minsk has to be conscious that its further active involvement in the invasion will be met with a firm response by the international community. Let us make every effort to prevent a further escalation of the conflict and use all the available tools to establish the just peace for which Ukraine strives.”

    2023-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9243 (2023) · source

13. “Last but not least, my final point is an appeal to the members of the Security Council and the entire international community. It is my duty to express in this Chamber Poland’s concern about the role of Belarus in the Kremlin’s strategy regarding Ukraine. By now, we already know that Minsk is politically and practically supporting Russia’s aggression. Moreover, Russia’s accelerating military build-up in Belarus, including the recently announced Russia-Belarus military drills to be conducted between 16 January and 1 February, should ring additional alarm bells. I do not have to remind anybody here that the deployment of Russian troops and military equipment in Belarus just 12 months ago was a prelude to the full-scale invasion we have witnessed since 24 February 2022.”

    2023-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9243 (2023) · source

14. “Secondly, I would like to inform the Council about the conclusions of the Lublin triangle summit of the Presidents of Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, which took place in Lviv, Ukraine, just two days ago. In their joint declaration, the three leaders underlined, among other things, their full support for the creation, in accordance with the principles of international law, of an ad hoc international tribunal for the crime of aggression committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The Presidents also voiced their support for the convening of the global peace formula summit on the initiative of Ukraine in order to consolidate international support, as presented by President Zelenskyy. Poland and Lithuania also reconfirmed their strong advocacy for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic perspective.”

    2023-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9243 (2023) · source

15. “First, I wish to assure the Security Council that Poland will continue to act as the assistance hub for Ukraine as long as it is necessary. We have been proud to offer our goodwill services to Ukraine and Ukrainians since day one of Russia’s invasion. In addition to offering shelter to millions of Ukrainian refugees, Poland continues to provide and facilitate transfers of multidimensional aid, in addition to hosting several hundred humanitarian workers from more than a dozen of United Nations agencies and international organizations. We are the main support gateway for Ukraine, and it is our intention to continue in that particular role as long as it is required.”

    2023-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9243 (2023) · source

16. “Poland commends Japan for convening today’s important meeting. Let me express my appreciation to you, Mr. President, for your statement, and to Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing and valuable insights. I also thank Her Excellency Ms. Emine Dzhaparova for her statement and testimony about the dignity of the Ukrainian people, which she so eloquently evoked. With each and every day of its aggression against Ukraine, Russia is breaking the most basic rules and principles of international law enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and other historic documents. We are obliged to repeat that plain fact over and over again, even though it falls on the deaf ears of the aggressor. Today I would like to make three points regarding the current situation in Ukraine.”

    2023-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9243 (2023) · source

17. “In that regard, Poland not only supports the involvement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) but has also launched its own criminal investigation, and is working with its European Union partners and the ICC Prosecutor as part of a joint investigation team. Poland is also engaging in other efforts aimed at ensuring accountability, including with respect to the crime of aggression. International peace and security depend on respect for international law on the part of all States Members of the United Nations. Poland, as one of the founding members of the United Nations, is fully committed to strengthening the rule of law and accountability in order to improve global security.”

    2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source

18. “It is especially disturbing that the atrocities are committed by a permanent member of the Security Council, whose responsibility for maintaining peace and security is even greater. For the rule of law to be effective, we also need accountability. Without accountability, human rights will be denied, crime will flourish and impunity for conflict-related crimes will persist, undermining legitimacy and the prospects for peace. That is why Poland believes that the perpetrators of all the international crimes committed on Ukrainian territory should be prosecuted and tried by a competent court. That is of fundamental importance. Every day of the conflict brings us new information about possible war crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine.”

    2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source

19. “That is precisely what Russia did when initiating its aggression against Ukraine. From a Polish perspective, the topic of today’s debate is of particular importance. One of our neighbours — the Russian Federation, through its aggression against Ukraine, also our neighbour — has been violating the principles of the Charter of the United Nations openly, flagrantly and persistently. Russia’s conduct is a clear example of the rule of force, which stands in radical opposition to the rule of law, as expressed in the letter and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States. The Russian aggression, its scale and the means and methods used could not be more distant from the notion of friendly relations and cooperation.”

    2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source

20. “Article 2, paragraph 2, of the Charter states that “All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, shall fulfil in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.” The principle of good faith obliges States to meet their duties under international law in a reasonable manner that allows the purposes of those laws to be achieved. It serves as a necessary corrective for preventing States from abusing contractual rights. Respecting international legal commitments in good faith requires States to abstain from acts calculated to frustrate the object and purpose of those specific obligations. Invoking legal rules or terms to justify certain conduct, without any real connection to the facts on the ground, is therefore an obvious contravention of good faith.”

    2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source

21. “Poland commends Japan for facilitating the discussion on the promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security. We also express our appreciation to the briefers for their valuable and thought-provoking remarks. For the rule of law to be effective in maintaining international peace and security, it is crucial to comply with the old but still legally valid Latin principle of bona fide.”

    2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source

22. “Our obligation is to make the United Nations better prepared to meet the expectations of this and future generations, and Poland remains resolute in its support for every initiative that will make that commitment a reality.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

23. “Only when that equality is ensured can we fully use the potential of States for the common good and according to the rules of fair play.” (A/73/PV.9, p.22) The principles of the United Nations are simple. We all must respect the sovereign equality of all its Members. We all must act in good faith. We all must settle our disputes by peaceful means and refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. As long as we observe those principles, the United Nations system will work. It will be able to deliver on its commitments and consequently peace, development, respect of human rights and opportunities for all will be possible.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

24. “As the world is facing deepening twin crises in the areas of security and the environment, the need for collective solutions is particularly urgent. But our carefully crafted multilateral system is under pressure these days. The continuing geopolitical polarization may bring us back to a system of competitive bilateral alliances and political gridlock. Speaking to the General Assembly at its seventy- third session, in September 2018, President Andrzej Duda clearly defined the positive multilateralism that Poland subscribes to. He said then that the world needs “the multilateralism of equal States and free nations, not the multilateralism of usurpation and hierarchy.… States that have an advantage in terms of potential and power should not deprive others of their equal right to independence and sovereignty.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

25. “Russia’s war on Ukraine constitutes the most serious challenge to international security since the end of the Second World War, owing to its global consequences and the challenges it presents to multilateralism. We can see clearly how its impact is spreading far beyond Ukraine and Europe, especially in the areas of food and energy security. Earlier this year, Poland welcomed the General Assembly’s veto initiative resolution 76/262, which mandates the Assembly to meet automatically whenever a veto is cast in the Security Council. As the Kremlin is continually assaulting the Charter of the United Nations and abusing its veto power, we need transparency and accountability whenever such a veto is used. We are at a crossroads of history.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

26. “However, before we proceed on the path of that ambitious reform, the members of the Council and the whole international community need to fully recognize that the current Security Council has been paralysed with regard to one of its core obligations — securing global peace — owing to the abuse of the right of the veto by one of its permanent members with regard to its own actions. Just as the world was beginning a very complicated recovery after the coronavirus disease pandemic, Russia launched its unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal attack on Ukraine. With that act and many others that have followed, Russia has breached universally agreed and legally binding fundamental principles. It turned to force in an attempt to change today’s multilateral architecture and its rules.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

27. “We need to base our cooperation on the values of freedom, democracy and justice, in line with the Charter and driven by partnership and solidarity among nations. That is the only way to address global fragilities, foster dialogue, manage security threats and achieve our common ambition of stability and prosperity for all. We definitely need an efficient United Nations system, especially these days. Poland fully supports efforts to reform the United Nations with a more representative, efficient and inclusive Security Council. We are open to discussions aimed at ensuring that the shape of the Council better reflects current geographic realities.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

28. “And how can we ensure that the Council reflects contemporary global realities so that it can effectively safeguard international peace and security? To provide an adequate answer, we must reach back to the core values of the Charter of the United Nations that have galvanized our actions for more than 77 years — peace and security, development, human rights and the rule of law. They are equally important and interdependent, and we cannot achieve one without achieving all of them. Our international order has been built on those values, and all members of the United Nations have pledged to defend and respect them. We must not forsake them as we strive for progress and global solutions.”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source

29. “Poland commends India for convening this vital and timely meeting. I would like to express my appreciation to you, Mr. President, for your statement. I would also like to thank Secretary-General António Guterres, as well as President of the General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi, for their insightful remarks. Poland aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. In his report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), published last year, the Secretary-General stated that “humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: a breakdown or a breakthrough.” I hope that today’s debate will move us closer to a positive development as we try to answer two crucial questions. How can we inject new life into reformed multilateralism?”

    2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source