YouSaid · the spoken record

Griffiths

lines on the record: 722
first: 2018-04-17
most recent: 2023-10-18
sittings or episodes: 57
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 have reason to believe them, and we all hope to see their promises reflected in the next days. Before the consultations, I was asked by both sides whether the other side was serious. This is a frequent reference within the context of the conflict in Yemen, but, frankly, I was not really sure until about two weeks ago. Today, I am more confident. However, more than this, what Sweden demonstrated each day was the existence of an absolute international consensus on the need for progress and on the simple proposition that only a political solution can resolve this conflict. Among us in Sweden were the representatives of those Governments accredited to the Government of Yemen. Their ambassadors were with us. They were in daily contact with the parties - the permanent members of the Council very prominent among them.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“People ask us whether we can trust the parties to implement the agreements that they made together in Sweden. All of us no doubt have different views on this. My own is that this is not about whether we can trust one or the other on this or that commitment. This is about helping them both to make it happen, reporting on their success and noting those areas where they fall short of that. Therefore, verification is the key to building trust. I personally hope that the Council will play a part in keeping international attention on the minutiae of the implementation of these agreements. Having said that, I can also confirm the public and private statements made to the Secretary-General by all involved at those consultations that the promises will not remain only on paper. We believe these statements.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“I think it is fair to say that Ansar Allah is in agreement with the general tenor of all its elements. The Government of Yemen has some reservations, which I very much understand and respect. The next step will be serious consideration of the document and its implications. In this way, we hope to move from the essentially humanitarian theme of Sweden to a first serious consideration of the issues that need to be addressed between these parties if the conflict in Yemen is finally to be resolved. I also come before the Council today with a call for caution. Our collective achievements this week were -I hope Council members will agree - a significant step forward, but what is in front ofus is a daunting task. As ever in the context of such negotiations, one realizes at the end of negotiations that the hard work is only about to begin.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“The key principle of that framework, based on the three references - the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and its implementation mechanism, the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference and relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015), is to restore State institutions and the State monopoly of force by providing a clear political future to all parties and to all those who have a say in resolving this conflict, and indeed to return Yemen to a state of civil politics and peace. The parties have agreed to discuss this framework at the next round of consultations - ideally, as I have mentioned, before the end of January. I am very encouraged by this commitment. I am very pleased by the generally positive responses of the parties to this framework.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“We were not able to reach an agreement on the opening of Sana'a airport, and we were not able to reach agreement on the measures needed to improve the operations and reach of the Central Bank of Yemen as a condition for the full payment of the salaries of all civil servants. However, we will continue to work with the parties between sessions to seek agreement on those issues, Finally, but not least, the parties have agreed to reconvene at the end of January. This was a particular point raised by the Secretary-General with President Hadi Mansour when they spoke yesterday. In Sweden, the parties finally also discussed my framework, elements of which I presented to the Council in June.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“As I have said to the Council before, this was the first injunction to me when I took up these responsibilities by President Hadi Mansour, who urged the United Nations to focus on the release of prisoners, the important humanitarian nature of which is so clear. The committee, which was established, met frequently in Sweden, with the two sides exchanging lists of up to 15,000 prisoners. They were very lucky to have the full support and involvement and presence in Sweden of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). We hope, with the ICRC in the lead, for a mass exchange, as soon as mid-January, of up to 4,000 prisoners released and able to return to their families. We did not reach agreement on all the items that were on the table in Sweden.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“The parties in Sweden agreed to the establishment of ajoint committee between themselves and the United Nations in the lead to secure negotiations on the agreements to make those objectives happen as soon as possible. We hope that the committee will meet soon and agree on a plan to bring some respite to the people of Taiz from the situation that they have suffered for many years. Before arriving in Sweden, the parties, in the first agreement between them in the course of the entire conflict, had already agreed to the establishment of a joint committee to provide and plan for the mutual release of all prisoners.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“They will play a lead role in the civilian aspects of the deal. But I would like to stress one important aspect of the Al-Hudaydah agreement. It is an outlier. Very deliberately, the arrangements agreed on, particularly as regards governance, and the temporary arrangements of governance, in Al-Hudaydah, intend to set no precedent for the future. They are time-bound. They do not confer any new sense of legitimacy or sovereignty. It is a humanitarian stop-gap to save lives and, we hope, turn the tide of war towards peace. The parties have also reached a mutual understanding to ease the situation in Taiz, with the prospect of opening humanitarian corridors to allow the safe passage of goods and people across the front lines, the reduction of the fighting in the governorate and the deployment of demining operations.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“Therefore, allowing the United Nations the lead role in the ports, as a first step, is a vital response to that humanitarian requirement. We hope to see that happen within days. The United Nations will take on a leading role in supporting the Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation in the management and inspections at the Al-Hudaydah, Saleef and Ras Issa ports, which will include enhanced monitoring by the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism. The United Nations country team, under the leadership of my colleague and friend Lise Grande, has developed a plan to seek specific support from Member States to the port. Lise and her agency colleagues have been integral to shaping the agreements on Al-Hudaydah, and two of her colleagues were with us throughout the talks in Sweden. I am very grateful to her and to them for their presence.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“We hope to see him out here in the region as soon as the middle of next week. Being present in the field soon is an essential part of the confidence that needs to go with the implementation of the agreement. Al-Hudaydah has been the focus of international attention this year for a reason - not merely because it is the centre of gravity of the conflict, but also because it is the vital lifeline, as Mark Lowcock will no doubt remind us today, for the humanitarian programme upon which millions of Yemenis depend. The ghastly prospect of famine, of which Mr. Lowcock has reminded us, has made solving Al-Hudaydah and its propensity for battle both urgent and necessary. For that reason, the precise nature of the design of the agreed withdrawals revolve around humanitarian needs and requirements.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“The United Nations was asked to monitor the compliance of the parties to those commitments. I am sure the Council will want to address that requirement. A robust and competent monitoring regime is not just essential, it is also urgently needed, and both parties have told us they would very much welcome it and, indeed, depend upon it. At the instruction of the Secretary-General, speaking himself from Sweden, I understand that the relevant departments in New York and elsewhere are already active on the planning for urgent deployment, subject to the decisions of the Council. I should add, too, that I spoke only this afternoon to General Patrick Camrnaert, who all members of the Council know, I am sure, for his exceptional achievements. He has kindly dropped his other responsibilities to lead the monitoring component ofthe agreement.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“I would not want to overstate the level of confidence reached between the two sides at that first encounter, but they did business together, almost always in good spirits. But then more than mere attendance, of course, there were a range of agreements made - the details of which have all been published and are available to members of the Council. What are those agreements? First, and most dramatically, the parties finally agreed to end the battles in Al-Hudaydah. For months, the Council has called for just such an agreement, and I believe we now have it. It entered into force upon publishing those papers on 13 December. It includes phased, but rapid, mutual withdrawals of forces from both the three Al-Hudaydah ports and the city. That will be achieved in the context of a governorate-wide ceasefire.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“What did we achieve exactly? First, lest we forget, both parties turned up on time. The Government of Yemen had done that before, but they were now joined by the delegation from Sana'a, and that was no small achievement, given what had gone on before. Many people and Governments can claim credit for that, and I have already thanked them. But I am grateful also to the two delegations for arriving ready to work. Proceedings in Sweden consisted of eight days of hard work. Meetings were punctual. The parties laboured daily on texts, as well as principles. What began as meetings ofa formal nature became, over time, true engagements between people from both sides who know each other and seek agreement over difference.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“Last, but absolutely not least, allow me to place on record here my personal thanks for the leadership ofthe Secretary-General. As I have said to the Council before, Mr. Guterres is very familiar with the issues on Yemen and keeps us all very focused. We were in frequent contact the past two weeks in particular. His meeting in Buenos Aires at the Group of 20 with the Saudi Crown Prince ensured the last-minute clearances essential to move the 50 injured from Sana'a to Muscatjust two days before the consultations. He took time out from his as- ever arduous schedule in Europe to make a subsequent visit to the consultations themselves in Sweden from Wednesday night to Thursday night, for those vital last 24 hours, which was obviously instrumental in making the agreements happen. Naturally, I am most grateful for his leadership.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“I understand that he was in constant communication with his own delegation. The heads of both delegations, Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Yemany and speaker Mohammed Abdul-Salam, had a very difficult task, as is normally the case. But they led their delegations with professionalism, discipline and perseverance. It was not an easy exercise, but I thank them both for their outstanding performance. I also thank Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who, as members of the Council know, made a flying visit only yesterday to the talks at a crucial moment. This outcome would not have happened without the considerable support and logistical arrangements to make the talks happen, and in particular from the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Kuwait and the Saudi-led coalition.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“I certainly feel very privileged to have been able to rely on them. I am thankful to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who showed his personal support for the process at vital times and for the agreements we negotiated in Sweden. I am grateful to President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour, who followed our negotiations very closely, returned to Riyadh during the process and whose involvement was key on all files. It was President Hadi himself who personally confirmed to the Secretary- General, yesterday morning, his approval of the various proposals before us, on behalf of his delegation. I am also grateful to the leadership of Ansar Allah, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, who demonstrated his commitment to progress at the talks throughout the consultations.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“Last week's consultations saw the "highest level of interaction between the parties ever seen in consultations on Yemen", as said by representatives of the different parties we heard during the week we were there. I am sure that all members ofthe Council will share my sincere gratitude to the Government of Sweden for hosting us. Ambassador Olof Skoog and his colleagues understood better than any of us what was needed to make the consultations a success. I know that feeling was shared by all those present, including the leaders of both delegations, and we thank them. For members of the Council and members of the international community, Sweden is also their success. The agreements reached would not have been possible without the extraordinary level of support from world leaders.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“Mr. Griffiths: I come before the Security Council today with some good news and a message of hope. After two and half years of missed opportunities, I think it is fair to say that the political process to find a comprehensive solution to the conflict in Yemen has finally resumed. During our consultations in Sweden this week, parties to the conflict reached several agreements, included in the Stockholm declaration, which came into force on 13 December upon the publishing of the documents. That is no small achievement, which was made possible first and foremost by the commitment of the parties. The credit goes to them. I was extremely impressed by their dedication: all made concessions and all engaged, in-depth and at length, intensively and in good faith.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“It is an opportunity that has been long awaited by the people of Yemen and that the Council has long asked of the parties. I think that we are almost there. I do not know if we will succeed and what the odds are. We need to focus on ensuring that nothing disrupts the path to that meeting.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“Finally, we must seize such positive international momentum on Yemen. The attention to Yemen is a great asset, as is the unity of the Council. I strongly believe that this is an opportunity at a crucial moment to pursue a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement to the conflict. Yemen can indeed no longer be referred to as a forgotten war. I would ask the Council to consider the fact that all our efforts should be directed towards at least two issues. First is the humanitarian priority, to which, I am sure, Mr. Lowcock and Mr. Beasley will refer shortly. That is the most important priority for the people of Yemen. And, secondly, let us hope that there will be no acts or omissions that prevent the convening of the parties for consultations in Sweden in the coming weeks.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“It is useful to note and important to give credit to the Government of Yemen for the fact that the depreciation of the rial, which was so alarming in past weeks, seems to have flattened out. I think that it is important to note that extremely significant measure of the stress in Yemen. That should not be a matter subject to political consideration when the victims are the Yemeni people. Indeed, that is not a confidence-building measure. It is a moral responsibility and the obligation of the parties to the Yemeni people. I hope, and have been planning for some time, soon to convene a meeting of the Central Bank of Yemen, to be facilitated by the International Monetary Fund, in order to agree on an action plan that would allow the Central Bank of Yemen to discharge its responsibilities across the country and for all people of Yemen.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“I also had the support of Abdulmalik al-Houthi when I first met him. I welcome the commitment of all parties that have engaged in good faith - the coalition, the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah. It is an important humanitarian gesture and a timely message of hope to the Yemeni people. As I said, I had hoped that we would have been able to announce the formalization of that agreement today. However, I am sure that it will happen in the coming days. I strongly believe that the parties need to get together without conditions, also under our auspices, to jointly address the dire economic situation in Yemen, including the rapid deterioration of the Yemeni rial - a key contributing aspect to famine.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“That almost goes without saying, but I think that it is important to record that objective here. Southern actors will clearly have a crucial role in safeguarding the outcomes of the peace process on which we are now working, and it is vital to secure their buy-in. However, it is my responsibility to alert the Security Council that there is unfinished business in the south of Yemen. I would like to take the opportunity to announce to the members of the Council that we are about to conclude - and I had hoped to announce such a conclusion - an agreement between the parties on the exchange of prisoners and detainees. I think that it would and may still be the first signed agreement between the parties to the conflict. We have made great progress. President Hadi Mansour was the first to urge us to focus on that.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“We are also looking at using technology to strengthen inclusivity and provide an interactive platform for the voices that cannot travel but remain in Yemen to be heard as we gather the parties around the table. In the twenty-first century, in our view, physical presence is not the only way to strengthen inclusion. The southern question is always on our minds. We are currently enjoying a period of calm but the threat of violence, destabilization and instability is ever present. I have spent a great deal of time listening to southern groups and exploring ways to address their concerns. Ultimately, the just resolution of the southern issue should be achieved, in my view, during the transitional period. It should meet the legitimate aspirations of the people of Yemen and ensure that they enjoy the benefits of good governance.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“I will meet the leader of Ansar Allah, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, with whom I have had detailed discussions in previous months about the need for engagement, consultations and, ultimately, negotiations. It will be useful to me to again hear his leadership on such matters. I will also be happy to travel with the delegation to the consultations, if needed. For a political settlement to be sustainable, it must be inclusive. It is a requirement of the resolutions concerning this conflict. It must enjoy the support of the Yemeni people. I am fortunate to have the support of the Yemeni women's technical advisory group, which not only came with us to Geneva but also is providing specific ideas on tactics and strategies as we move forward towards consultations.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“My task is to shape a way towards a principled compromise that allows the people of Yemen to live again in peace. It sets out a political solution that is available and, as I have said, is there to be adopted if we are to have the fortune to move forward with it. A mediator's principal task is to bring the parties together to resolve their differences through dialogue and compromise rather than combat and conflict. That is what I hope we will see soon as we move forward. We are doing all that we can to achieve those goals but, as I said in the Chamber in April, the events of war can always take peace off the table (see S/PV.8235). We must not let that happen now. We are working very hard to finalize the logistical arrangements. I will go to Sana'a next week for that purpose.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“The framework establishes the principles and parameters for United Nations-led, inclusive Yemeni negotiations to end the war, resolve the conflict and start a political transition process. It includes a set of interim security and political arrangements, including mechanisms, sequencing and guarantees for implementation. It is a very broad-brush document, as it is intended only as a basis for detailed negotiation. However, I believe that the arrangements outlined and referred to will allow for an end to the fighting inside Yemen, the return of Yemen's friendly relations with neighbouring States and the restoring of State institutions. I believe that the framework reflects the resolutions of the Council in fact and in words and in no way derogates from them.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“Every conversation and every negotiation that has taken place before has been the basis for that document. I have, as those present would imagine, shared it with the parties for their views and ultimately, I hope, for their acceptance, just as a basis for negotiation and not to negotiate the text itself, which will be the matter for which we will bring the parties together in the coming weeks and months. When the parties have had the opportunity to brief me on their views on the framework, I would like to put it in front of the Council and seek its endorsement, so that we can use it as a basis for upcoming consultations on substance and agree on a road map towards a transitional agreement, ideally in the next round of consultations.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“I have spent the last two months seeking support from the parties for an updated version of the framework for negotiations, the elements of which I orally briefed members of the Council on 18 June. The framework is based upon the three references, including resolution 2216 (2015), as wll as the progress made particularly in Kuwait. I reiterate again, as I have done in previous meetings of the Council, our gratitude to the Government of Kuwait for hosting those talks in 2016. After carefully listening to the parties over the last few months, I am confident that the framework is in line with both the requirements of the Council and the new realities of the conflict in Yemen. The framework, however, is my vision. But its ideas are not mine alone.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“I am grateful to the coalition for agreeing to our proposed logistical arrangements, and to the coalition and Oman for their agreement to facilitate the medical evacuation of some injured Yemenis out of Sana'a. This is a crucial moment for Yemen. I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties - the Government of Yemen first, and then Ansar Allah - that they are committed to attending those consultations. I believe that they are genuine, and I expect them to continue in that way and appear for those consultations, and indeed, so do the Yemeni people, who are desperate for a political solution to a war in which they are the main victims.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“Let us build on that, rather than retreat. With increased international attention has come a renewed commitment from the Yemeni parties to working on a political solution. I welcome President Hadi Mansour's announcement of his desire to move swiftly to a political solution, and I know from my contacts in Sana'a that Ansar Allah is also committed to that. With that in mind, I intend to reconvene the parties shortly and to do so in Sweden. In that regard, I thank the Swedish Government through the representative of Sweden here, Ambassador Skoog, for its offer to host those consultations. I believe that we are close to resolving the preparatory issues that will allow us to make that happen.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“The Council has consistently called on all the parties to avoid any humanitarian catastrophe, and Secretary-General Guterres reminded us of our fears in that regard the other day. But the situation in Al-Hudaydah is fragile and unstable. We need to take urgent action. As members of the Council will recall, we made some progress over the summer to reach a negotiated handover of the port of Al-Hudaydah to the United Nations. I plan to visit Al-Hudaydah next week, along with my colleague Lise Grande, not least to revisit a United Nations supervisory role for the port and to draw attention to the continued need for a pause. I am encouraged by the recent calls from all parties, the Government of Yemen in particular, as well as Ansar Allah, in addition to the coalition, for the United Nations to step forward at this time on this issue.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“For that reason, I personally encourage the Council to support the five requests presented by Mark Lowcock in this Chamber late October (see S/PV.8379). It provides a clear road map that we must all support. The conflict continues and rages on. We see Al-Hudaydah as the centre of gravity of the war, which is why we deeply welcome recent reports of the reduction of violence on the Al-Hudaydah fronts, and we need it to last. I am extremely grateful to all leaders and others who have called for a cessation ofhostilities. There must be no temptation to restart that battle. As a mediator in that conflict, I strongly believe that nothing should be allowed to impede the chance of dialogue and negotiation.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“Mr. Griffiths: I thank you, Mr. President, for inviting me to this Security Council briefing. Yemen has long been referred to as the forgotten war. I am very grateful that this is no longer the case. Never has so much international attention and energy been given to this crisis, and rightly so. Yemen remains the largest humanitarian disaster in the world, as we will hear from Mr. Lowcock and Mr. Beasley. The fight against famine is ongoing. Women, children and men are dying from preventable diseases, and the economy remains on the verge of collapse. Those are the reasons that urgent action is required from all of us. Public opinion and leaders have called urgently to remove the prospect of famine. That is a clear example of the international conscience.”
2018-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8404 (2018) · source
“But it does not mean for one minute - and this is why I am glad to be here - that the process towards peace is made more difficult. It is made more urgent. I think we learned some lessons in Geneva and, ifI may, I would like to ask for the Council's continued support for the efforts of the international community and my Office, under the Secretary-General, to move back to the table with all speed.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“Finally, the reason that I am so grateful to you, Madam President, for convening this meeting today, so soon after Geneva and, indeed, before I am able to outline a positive path back to peace, I would like to say this - the road to peace is never straight; it will always be difficult, particularly at a time when the process is restarting after two years of enmity, opposition, doubt, confusion and a lack of confidence. It is not surprising that there will be those who, in this case, find it difficult to attend and that there are those who did not find some element of interest. This is not the last time that we will have difficulties, but I am sure that it will be the last time that we have that particular difficulty.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“Given that fact that there was more time available than anticipated, I believe we will have a very positive trajectory going forward as to how they will advise me and have a meaningful input into the process. The inclusivity of the process is crucial for its success, and while there are two principal parties, it would behoove me continue to seek broader consultations with people whom I think can advise me to better perform my duties.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“I hope to meet with the Government of Yemen in Riyadh and look forward to seeing President Hadi Mansour. I must say that I am very grateful to him and his Government for their support of all the efforts that the United Nations is making to provide a political solution to the conflict. I am grateful to him and his Government as well for their delegation's presence in Geneva and for their constructive participation in rather unusual circumstances there. I am also planning to consult soon, as I have said, with a number of southern stakeholders to agree on their meaningful participation in the process. I would like to add, not least, that we were able to enjoy the presence of a group of women from Yemen with strong specific strengths on various issues.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“I will continue my discussions by holding a set of visits in the coming days, including tomorrow to Muscat and then to Sana'a, to engage with the political leadership in those two cities. I have two objectives for the visit. First, I intend to make tangible progress while building on discussions in Geneva on key confidence-building measures, including on an exchange of prisoners and the opening of Sana'a airport. I am greatly encouraged by the very positive, open and constructive approach to the issues that I have encountered by the Government of Yemen and from the coalition in their support. I am keen to outline public commitments to progressing on those issues in the coming days. My second objective, unsurprisingly, is to secure a firm commitment from the parties to convening for continued positive consultations.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“The frustration is rising, and with it is the threat of the conflict, particularly in the south - during the past 10 days there have been widespread demonstrations in the southern governorates. The protesters give voice to their concerns over the economic situation and basic-service delivery, and they remind us of the importance of listening to southern voices and ensuring their meaningful participation in arrangements that will put an end to the conflict. I have met with several southern groups in recent months and I will be meeting with them again. They have been strongly in favour of resolving their concerns through dialogue and are keen to participate - I am glad to say - in the political process.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“As the parties resume the formal efforts to make compromises and build trust, it is important that we do not allow ourselves to become embroiled once again in large-scale military confrontations. As I said, the fighting is escalating on all sides, but we have still not seen an attack on the city or the port of Al-Hudaydah, although there are operations on the outskirts of the city. I hope that will continue to be the case. We are concerned about the launching of attacks by Ansar Allah forces towards Saudi Arabia, as the Council has frequently made mention, and the attacks on the Red Sea shows the ongoing threat the conflict poses for regional security. In addition, the continued decline in the Yemeni rial and broader economic decay are pushing people further into vulnerable situations and poverty.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“Such a process is not simply about holding and moving from one big and, indeed, short event to the next. Instead, it needs political will, determination and commitment from all the actors, including the members of the Council, as well as putting the interests of the Yemeni people above all else. I see my role, therefore, as working with the parties to understand their concerns, hopes and expectations, so that I can provide them with the needed help and support to move the process forward. My role, therefore, and perhaps somewhat controversially, is to encourage but not expose them, and to work with but not undermine them, all the while reminding them of the need to respect their obligations and responsibilities towards the Yemeni people and the international community.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“I stress that everybody - in Geneva, in Amman, in the Coalition, in the Government of Yemen - tried to overcome the issues that were presented to us, but it simply did not work out on this occasion. I promise to make absolutely sure that does not happen again. The Yemeni political process, like so many others of its kind, will see ups and downs. The challenges we faced last week - and I suppose this is my main messagge - remain temporary hurdles to be overcome. That is not a sign, in my View, that the political and military situation, as dire as it is - and perhaps because it is dire - is not conducive to formal consultations. We need to stay focused on nurturing the political process, particularly in these fragile early stages, and build the needed momentum so that it can deliver tangible benefits to Yemenis throughout Yemen.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“I am glad to report to the Council that, despite the absence of one of the sides to the consultations in Geneva last week, and although it certainly did not go as planned, we still managed to relaunch the political process with solid support from the Yemeni people and the international community. Of course, I was as disappointed as anyone that we were unable to bring the delegation from Sana'a to Geneva. That is not what I had planned for last week, and I certainly would not want to see that happen again, and neither would any of us. But I will continue not to be drawn into going into the details of the many issues that we had to overcome together, even if we ultimately failed to bring the delegation to Geneva.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“I have also learned that this is no longer a race between political and military institutions and solutions. It is, instead, a race to salvage what is left of State institutions as quickly as possible. It is with that sense of urgency that I was encouraged - as you know, Madam President - to move forward with the parties so as to inject a prospect of hope into this conflict and to develop an alternative narrative to the narrative of war. Following six or seven months of intensive discussions with the parties, and based on my strong conviction, supported by the Security Council, in the need for a political solution to the conflict, I decided to call for formal consultations that would lead to a resumption of the political process. Indeed, I had the honour of being with the Council on 2 August to announce that call (see S/PV.8323).”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“Mr. Griffiths: Let me first express my sympathies to you, Madam President, your Government and your people on this tragic day that we have all mourned for so long. When I called for the intra-Yemeni consultations in Geneva, I never expected it to be an easy mission. The parties have not met for more than two years, the war has been escalating Virtually on all fronts, the level of confidence is at its lowest, I believe, and the human and humanitarian cost is ever-rising. The parties have been locked into a cycle of violence. In contrast, the main victims of this war, the Yemeni people, naturally enough, have been yearning for a peaceful political solution that can end their misery, put an end to the war and deliver a Government that is in a position to address their basic needs.”
2018-09-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8348 (2018) · source
“I am grateful for the remarks made by the Permanent Representative of the United States, who rightly said that it is about time we started. I feel exactly that impetus, and I am very grateful for the discussion today.”
2018-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8323 (2018) · source
“But the objective for me, and I think for all the members of the Council, for which I am most grateful, is the resumption of political negotiations. They will be inclusive, and that also, I think, has found support, and they will look to a sustainable solution, based on the references and Security Council resolutions. I do not need to repeat to Council members how we are guided by those references and those resolutions. But they will also be guided by the gist of what has been said today, which is the need for urgent attention to an early political solution. We are all reminded constantly - as John did so eloquently today i that delays in reaching a political solution cost lives. The math is as simple as that. That is the reason why we move quickly.”
2018-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8323 (2018) · source
“Mr. Griffiths: I am very grateful to all the members of the Council and to the representative of the Government of Yemen for their remarks. What I take from this discussion is, as you indeed summed up yourself, Madam President, when you were speaking for the United Kingdom, that there is unanimous support for the notion of the resumption of political consultations to resolve this conflict. I take from that also a confirmation that that should be the primary focus. Efforts to resolve the crisis in Al-Hudaydah are of crucial importance, particularly to our colleagues in the humanitarian agencies. They are important to my Office in the sense that they can contribute to a sense of political confidence or, if going in the other direction, can undermine the creation of political confidence.”
2018-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8323 (2018) · source
“Without their involvement, interests, advocacy and support, we will not make it. They need encouragement to believe that this can happen. Fourthly, I would ask Council members, as I know they will, to join me in recognizing the extraordinary courage of the international humanitarian organizations working in the country. I have had the privilege in my frequent Visits to Yemen of witnessing first hand their courage, diligence, reliability, independence and impartiality. It is an exceptional privilege for all ofus to be colleagues. Finally, through you, Madam President, I would like to thank the Security Council for the extraordinary level of support that it has provided to my efforts. It makes an enormous difference to have a united and eloquent Council asserting the principles of the United Nations.”
2018-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8323 (2018) · source