YouSaid · the spoken record

Gueguen

lines on the record: 1,023
first: 2017-05-15
most recent: 2020-08-20
sittings or episodes: 151
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

“This resolution must provide strong and unequivocal support for United Nations-led mediation in Libya. This support should be substantial and operational — whether it be to monitor the ceasefire, to ensure compliance with the arms embargo or, more broadly, to see to the simultaneous implementation of the six elements addressed in Berlin. In this respect, we will, first and foremost, strengthen UNSMIL. The Council must act, and it must act quickly. The Security Council can count on France’s full commitment and mobilization in the quest for a solution to the Libyan crisis. The French authorities will continue to take action, together with their European partners, the African Union and Libya’s neighbours, with the support of the United Nations, to achieve peace and stability in Libya.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“The resumption of dialogue must be achieved with the support of the African Union and Libya’s neighbours, which have a specific and legitimate right to support a resolution of the Libyan crisis. We welcome the initiative taken by the African Union to host an inter-Libyan reconciliation meeting, which could be held in Addis Ababa in the spring. It would be an important contribution to ending the crisis in Libya. In order to maintain the positive momentum of the Berlin conference and to support the resumption of the political process, the members of the Security Council, in unison, must send a strong message to all actors with respect to Libya. To that end, we must quickly and decisively endorse the conclusions of the Berlin conference by adopting a robust resolution.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“France therefore expects the Libyan parties to meet with the Joint Military Commission — in the so-called 5+5 talks — as soon as possible. The Committee should also enable the two parties to agree on issues of common interest, such as the dismantling of militias and the unification of Libyan security institutions. More broadly, the parties must engage in good faith in constructive dialogue on various tracks to discuss security, economic and political issues. The Libyan parties must find a political solution that meets the expectations and aspirations of all Libyans. The dialogue should be conducted in an inclusive format and lead to the formation of a genuinely inclusive and representative Government that acts for the benefit of all Libyans, so that they can freely choose their representatives.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“France calls on the Libyan parties to resume constructive dialogue on economic and oil issues as soon as possible, in order to allow for the equitable and unobstructed distribution of oil resources for the benefit of all Libyans. It is important that Libya’s neighbouring countries, above and beyond those represented at the conference in Berlin, such as Algeria and Egypt, be fully involved in monitoring and implementing the conclusions of the Berlin conference. We refer in particular to Tunisia, Morocco, the Niger and Chad. After a truce lasting two weeks, the escalation of tensions on the ground is extremely worrisome and must stop immediately. The Libyan parties must act responsibly. They must first agree on a credible and lasting ceasefire.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“We deplore the fact that more than 50 violations were recorded by UNSMIL last week. Foreign interference and military support fuel the conflict and must stop. I refer in particular to Turkey, as the President of the French Republic highlighted yesterday. We must eschew military force and proxy wars. We are particularly concerned about the growing presence of Syrian and foreign fighters, who continue to flock to Libya in flagrant breach of the commitments made on 19 January in Berlin. The most recent developments give rise to fears of a regional escalation of the Libyan conflict and threaten the security of the Maghreb, the Sahel and Europe.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ghassan Salamé, for his briefing and his tireless efforts to find a political solution to the Libyan crisis. I would like to reiterate France’s full support for Mr. Salamé. We support his efforts and those of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and of the Secretary-General. The Berlin international conference on Libya, in which the President of the French Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, participated, allowed for the strengthening of the international consensus necessary for a solution to the crisis. The commitments made by international actors at that Conference must be honoured and followed by action. The arms embargo must be respected.”
2020-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8710 (2020) · source
“In conclusion, France and its European partners will not fund reconstruction until a political settlement is firmly in place. The same applies to the lifting of sanctions. In that regard, we call on Russia, which has the means to exert effective influence, to work with the Council and all international partners to achieve a credible political solution in Syria. Damascus’s ongoing quest for confrontation is a dead end whose costs will not be assumed by us. France, for its part, will pursue its efforts to find a way out of the violence and onto the path to peace. If such peace is to be genuine, it must be just and inclusive.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“A safe environment, in which Syrians must no longer live in fear of bombs and arbitrary arrests, is essential to the holding of credible elections. To be fully legitimate, elections must be held under United Nations supervision and allow for the participation of all Syrians, including refugees and internally displaced persons. Thirdly and lastly, I would like to conclude by reiterating the consistent position held by France and its close partners with regard to the issues of refugees and reconstruction. The return of refugees must be conducted in strict compliance with international law — in a safe, dignified and, above all, voluntary manner. Only a credible political solution, in line with resolution 2254 (2015), will allow, when the time comes, for a mass voluntary return of displaced persons and refugees.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“It is obvious, but must be recalled, that the political process goes above and beyond the Constitutional Committee. France calls on the Special Envoy to move the process forward in parallel with the implementation of all elements of resolution 2254 (2015). The Special Envoy has our full support with regard to developing confidence-building measures that would create the safe and neutral environment called for in the Geneva communiqué (S/2012/522, annex). That includes two elements in particular: first, achieving results on the issues of detainees who must be released and missing persons; and secondly, making progress on the reform of property rights, which is one obstacle to the return of displaced persons and refugees to their homes.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“In that regard, the efforts of the Global Coalition against Da’esh must continue in order to end the threat once and for all. My second point pertains to the political process, which remains indispensable to efforts to stabilize Syria over the long term. It is essential that the Constitutional Committee finally begins its work, as the Secretary- General recalled last week. However, after nine years of conflict, Bashar Al-Assad is maintaining his systematic obstruction. That is unacceptable and serves only to exacerbate the situation. We expect those who support the regime to encourage the Syrian leaders to see reason. We expect the United Nations to give an accurate account of the obstacles in the process and clearly identify those responsible for them.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“As I said earlier today, France strongly condemns the intense and indiscriminate bombing by the regime and its allies, which target, inter alia, populated areas, medical facilities and camps for displaced persons, in deliberate violation of international humanitarian law. France reiterates its call for a cessation of hostilities. As the majority of Council members reiterated earlier today, ending the deadly offensive must now be the main priority. As we have said time and again since the start of the conflict, the fight against terrorism cannot be used as a pretext for an outbreak of violence. Ongoing hostilities on the ground serve only to strengthen terrorist organizations and threaten the gains made by the international community against such organizations, at the cost of heavy sacrifice over the past five years.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): I, too, would like to thank Ms. Khawla Matar for her briefing. I would like to address three points. First of all, I would like to return to the issue of the tragedy taking place in Idlib, which we addressed earlier today (see S/PV.8707). It is a humanitarian disaster affecting 3 million civilians in north-western Syria, who are exposed to daily attacks by the regime and its allies. They endure hunger and cold. Nearly 400,000 of them have fled since early December in an attempt to find refuge near the Turkish border. The relentless and brutal war is at odds with the goal of the ceasefire and the quest for a political solution.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8708 (2020) · source
“In addition, I wish to reiterate that we are disappointed about the fact that the mechanism was renewed for only six months, when humanitarian operations need predictability and stability for effective planning and operations. We must reconsider the relevance of returning to a one-year mandate when we renew the mechanism in July. I will conclude by underscoring that the ongoing offensive in Idlib jeopardizes the quest for a negotiated political settlement to the crisis, although we all know that an inclusive and lasting political solution, in line with resolution 2254 (2015), is crucial for stabilizing Syria and ending civilian suffering. We will return to that key issue later today.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8707 (2020) · source
“There is no reason that those medicines and trauma and surgical kits should not reach victims in urgent need across the border, from Iraq or from Damascus. It is a matter of life and death for them, and is a gross violation of the principle of the impartiality of humanitarian aid, which is unacceptable. The Security Council’s mandate to the Secretary- General to present alternatives by the end of February to allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including medicines, to north-east Syria is therefore essential. We call on everyone to shoulder their responsibility in taking a decision based on an objective analysis of the alternatives presented by the Secretary-General. The parties, in particular the Syrian regime, must now ensure full, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian actors to people in need, wherever they may be.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8707 (2020) · source
“In that regard, an additional €5.27 million in emergency aid was made available at the end of last year for civilians in north-west Syria, via the United Nations Cross Border Humanitarian Fund, based in Gaziantep. I would also like to return to the issue of the consequences of resolution 2504 (2020), on cross- border humanitarian aid. Make no mistake, as Mark Lowcock underscored earlier, the resolution, adopted by the Council on 10 January, which is essential for providing humanitarian assistance for 3 million people, has also seriously reduced the ability of the United Nations to provide medical aid and vital medicines to those in need in north-east Syria. The loading of eight to 10 World Health Organization trucks, whose convoy should have passed the Al-Yarubiyah crossing- point in mid-January, is on hold in Erbil.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8707 (2020) · source
“We call on the signatories to the Idlib ceasefire agreement — first and foremost Russia — to resume strict compliance with their commitments and ensure an effective ceasefire in the north-west, with a view to ending hostilities. The second is the protection of civilians, including humanitarian and medical personnel, as well as civilian infrastructure. Respect for international humanitarian law is non-negotiable. The board of inquiry established by the Secretary-General to investigate the attacks in the north-west, which we fully support, must shed light on the incidents. The third is ensuring safe and unhindered humanitarian access by ongoing cross-border assistance. France will continue to help the Syrian population.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8707 (2020) · source
“The report submitted on 16 January by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, documenting violations of children’s rights in Syria (A/HRC/43/CRP.6), is telling. Government forces deliberately attack schools and use them for military purposes, thereby not only committing war crimes but also ruining the future of a generation deprived of education. Those responsible for such violations will be held accountable. The worsening humanitarian crisis is extremely worrisome. Three million people, nearly 80 per cent of whom are women and children and nearly 400,000 people who have been displaced since early December, are exposed to daily attacks by the regime and its allies. In that context, we must focus our efforts on three priority areas. The first is immediate de-escalation.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8707 (2020) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Mark Lowcock for his briefing. As Mr. Lowcock said, our immediate priority is to do everything in our power to end the offensive under way in Idlib. France strongly condemns the intense bombing by the regime’s air force and its allies in Idlib governorate. The fight against terrorist groups cannot be used as a pretext for indiscriminate bombing, which primarily affects civilians. The hospital in Sarjeh and ambulances and infrastructure belonging to the White Helmets have all been the target of strikes. It is shocking and unacceptable that health facilities and schools remain the target of attacks, in breach of international humanitarian law.”
2020-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8707 (2020) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again that the Government and the people of Colombia can rest assured of France’s support and readiness to continue supporting them, alongside our partners within the European Union, on the demanding path towards peace.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“I fully agree with what the Ambassador of Belgium said concerning the protection of children. Difficulties in implementation are inherent in any agreement, but various mechanisms have been devised in order to provide solutions to those problems. They constitute the appropriate forum for dialogue and should be used to a greater extent. We are also fully aware that the implementation of the agreement is taking place in a complex context, in particular due to the challenge that the Venezuelan migration crisis poses for Colombia. Here, I commend the generosity of the Colombian Government and people in welcoming Venezuelan refugees and migrants with the support of the international community.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“The full and complete implementation of the peace agreement is the only viable way to respond to the remaining major security problems in the country, including with regard to civil society figures, human rights defenders, former FARC-EP combatants and indigenous peoples, who are the principal victims. The year 2019 was particularly worrisome from that perspective. The Government has made efforts to ensure the presence of law and order forces and the individual protection of those at risk, but France calls on the Colombian authorities to do more to ensure the presence of all services — military and civilian — across its territory, including in the most remote departments, in consultation with civil society. Progress in the field of collective protection is also necessary.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“France therefore calls on all stakeholders to redouble their efforts with a view to fully implementing all components of the peace agreement. We stress, in particular, the importance of the National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops, which must be endowed with the resources it needs to properly function, especially to finance the alternative productive projects that will ensure its long- term success. Rural reform is one of the fundamental pillars of the agreement and must be implemented, as must political reform. Particular attention should also be paid to the chapters of the agreement addressing issues relating to ethnicity and gender.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“We also welcome the continued progress in the work carried out by the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition. The transitional justice system is set to hand down its first sentences this year, which is a crucial element in the construction of a lasting and inclusive peace. However, that will only be successful if the entire process is carried out and concluded effectively. We must also clearly recognize that, compared with the ambition of 2016, certain provisions of the agreement have not yet been sufficiently implemented. As several speakers before me have highlighted, the peace agreement was conceived of as a whole, the various elements of which must be interconnected and inseparable in order to be fully effective.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“That high level of participation in the elections demonstrated the positive contribution of the peace agreement to the democratic process in Colombia. The newly-elected local authorities will now be able to contribute to the implementation of the agreement, in particular through their involvement in development programmes with a territorial focus, which constitute an important component of the agreement. The reintegration system is also producing results, as evidenced in the report of the Secretary-General (see S/2019/988). We are particularly pleased that the vast majority of Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) ex- combatants remain engaged in the economic and social reintegration process, despite the choice of a very small minority to resume armed struggle, which France condemns.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“The Council has endeavoured to take a united front in supporting the collective efforts of the Colombian Government and people, in particular through the establishment of the United Nations Verification Mission, and we welcome President Duque’s call to extend the Mission until 2022. It has now been over three years since the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace was concluded. Much has already been accomplished thanks to the efforts of the Colombian Government and people, which I once again wish to commend. For the first time since the peace agreement was signed, local and departmental elections were held on 27 October under broadly satisfactory conditions. The Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común party presented numerous candidates and Colombian voters turned out in large numbers.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): Before addressing the situation in Colombia, I would also like to thank you, Mr. President, for the two minutes of silence that were observed earlier, first of all in memory of the countless victims of the Haitian earthquake on 12 January 2010. I would also like to offer my condolences to Ambassador Abarry and to the Government and the people of the Niger for the deaths of 89 Nigerien soldiers in the terrorist attack on the Chinagodrar camp on 9 January. Turning now to Colombia, I wish to welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Claudia Blum de Barberi, to the Chamber and congratulate her on her appointment. I would also like to thank Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu for his briefing and, above all, to commend his work and that of the entire team at the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.”
2020-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8702 (2020) · source
“The mandate that the Security Council has just conferred on the Secretary-General to put forward by the end of February options making it possible to deliver humanitarian aid, including medicines, to the north-east is vital in this context. We call on everyone, above all Russia, to act responsibly and to take at that time a decision that draws on the consequences of the analysis of the options to put forward by the Secretary- General. We also deplore the fact that the mechanism has been renewed for only six months and not 12, although humanitarian operations require predictability and stability in order to be prepared and conducted effectively and sustainably. It is urgent that the political process get back on track, but we must also put an end to the instrumentalization of humanitarian assistance.”
2020-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8700 (2020) · source
“We regret that the World Health Organization is now unable to transport the convoy of 8 to 10 trucks that was planned for the coming weeks. While the overwhelming majority of the Council supported the renewal in its entirety of this vital mechanism for north-western and north-eastern Syria through the maintenance of the authorization of passage through Al-Yarubiyah, Russia has again yielded to the demands of a criminal regime. That indicates disregard for the human lives that are at stake. It is also to disregard the principles of neutrality, humanity, independence and impartiality of humanitarian aid, which must be able to reach everyone, whatever side they are on, by the most direct and effective means. Russia’s intransigence on this point is morally and humanly incomprehensible and unacceptable.”
2020-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8700 (2020) · source
“There can be no ambiguity about the fact that the mechanism that we have just renewed is in no way dependent on the consent of the Syrian regime. That has been the very raison d’être of the binding decisions that our Council has been adopting since 2014, and it remains so to this day. France has engaged in good faith and actively in the negotiations conducted by the co-penholders, whose efforts and willingness to find intelligent compromises I commend. We have communicated tirelessly, pragmatically, with all stakeholders to preserve the mechanism in all its components. We deeply regret that the Al-Yarubiyah crossing point could not be maintained. This point is of crucial importance because it allows 40 per cent of medicines to be transported to the north-east — medicines that cannot reach that region via convoys from Damascus.”
2020-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8700 (2020) · source
“Because the Syrian regime continues to instrumentalize aid to populations in need for political purposes, in defiance of international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles, by granting authorizations one at a time, by selecting beneficiaries and by diverting assistance. That has not changed in recent months. It should also be remembered that every day, cross- border humanitarian aid makes it possible to bring vital assistance to 2.7 million people in the north-west and 1.3 million people in the north-east of Syria. Without that aid, those millions of people would depend entirely on the Damascus regime, rather than the United Nations and humanitarian actors, and would find themselves at its mercy.”
2020-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8700 (2020) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): It was essential that the cross-border humanitarian assistance mechanism for Syria be renewed today, when it was set to expire. France deeply regrets that resolution 2504 (2020), which we have just adopted, reduces its scope from four crossing points to two and from a duration of 12 months to a duration of only 6. The Secretary-General, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, humanitarian agencies and the countries of the region have repeatedly emphasized that today there is no alternative to this mechanism, on which the lives of 4 million Syrians depend. Why?”
2020-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8700 (2020) · source
“In this regard, and in conclusion, we believe that the United Nations should be better equipped to enable it to be more effective in the region.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“We are of the view that the priority given to fragile countries and countries in transition is relevant, as are capacity-building activities, partnerships with regional and subregional actors and the promotion of good governance, the rule of law and human rights. We also stress the importance of the commitment of UNOWAS to the Lake Chad basin region, in cooperation with the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa. We support the mobilization of the two Special Representatives of the Secretary-General on the issue, which deserves a high level of attention, at a time when the security and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. The work of UNOWAS is diverse and extensive, commensurate with the challenges in West Africa and the Sahel.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“That is why France believes that it would be appropriate to give UNOWAS a greater role in coordinating the work of the United Nations in the region, in line with an integrated approach that incorporates security and development. Based on that approach, we call on UNOWAS to promote the implementation of the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel, which must produce concrete results in the area of development. Lastly, it is essential that UNOWAS present in its reports security-risk analyses of the impact of climate change, as well as recommendations for action to prevent the realization of these risks.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“Tensions between the Government and the people remain high in that country. Several people lost their lives during demonstrations last year. An in-depth dialogue among political leaders is essential to ease tensions. Next month’s legislative elections will be crucial for an ongoing political process in Guinea, and it is important that they be conducted in a transparent, credible and consensus-based manner. The Council must renew the UNOWAS mandate this month. France supports the strengthening of the Office in order to enable the Special Representative to deploy his good offices to the maximum extent possible. Moreover, the United Nations has many tools at its disposal on the ground, including its agencies, funds and programmes, which must work with synergy towards the same goal.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, will in fact meet with the Presidents of the countries of the G-5 Sahel and multilateral partners on 13 January — next Monday — in Pau, to reaffirm our collective commitment and define a common road map. Presidential elections will be held in no fewer than eight West African countries in 2020 and 2021. These processes could be a source of tension. We encourage the Special Representative to make active use of his good offices and convey strong political messages. It is particularly useful for the United Nations to provide electoral assistance when countries request it. In view of the legislative and presidential elections, we believe that it is important that efforts be continued in Guinea, which the Special Representative visited at the end of November.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“With regard to human rights, the launching of the work of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in the Gambia is also a major step forward. However, the region faces significant challenges. In the Sahel, the security situation continues to deteriorate, with serious humanitarian consequences, particularly for the most vulnerable civilian populations, and repercussions for the entire subregion, especially with regard to the increase in the number of forced displacements. France reiterates its call for the urgent mobilization of all of us to help the countries of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) combat terrorism, curb organized crime and address the root causes of instability.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): France commends the Special Representative and the team of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) for their work. West Africa is an area of strategic importance for France and the European Union. The region faces myriad challenges and is one where our common future is largely at stake, whether in terms of security, economic development, freedom and democracy, the development of young people, the preservation of nature or the ability to work together. Progress has been made in recent years, in terms of both human development and democracy. Several elections in the past year have led to democratic changeovers, notably in Mauritania in August and in Guinea-Bissau in March and December, which is to be welcomed.”
2020-01-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8698 (2020) · source
“With respect to the border crossings, I recall the crucial importance of Al-Yarubiyah, providing a route for 40 per cent of the medicine required for humanitarian operations in the north-east. The Iraqi authorities are also in favour of keeping it open. We are aware there are political and military issues at the present stage of the conflict in Syria, but politicizing and exploiting humanitarian aid must end. We must not hold the Syrian people hostage and let us get back to work.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8697 (2019) · source
“Must we recall that today there is no alternative to cross-border humanitarian assistance to deliver vital assistance every day to the hundreds of thousands of people in need in the regions concerned, particularly Idlib, because the Syrian regime continues to weaponize humanitarian assistance for political purposes and to prevent all those who suffer and are in need from having equal assistance. France calls on all members ofthe Security Council to demonstrate unity and responsibility to pursue dialogue to renew this vital mechanism, as requested by the Secretary-General, humanitarian agencies and the countries of the region. A renewal for only six months would make no sense in terms of planning humanitarian operations, which need predictability and stability in order to be prepared and conducted in an effective and long-lasting manner.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8697 (2019) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): France deeply regrets the fact that the draft resolution set out by the humanitarian co-penholders and supported by 13 of the 15 members of the Security Council was not adopted because Russia, followed by China, decided to exercise its veto and to jeopardize the delivery of international humanitarian aid to Syria and the survival of millions of people. It is irresponsible and sinister. Cross-border humanitarian assistance is of vital importance for the four million Syrian people who depend on it.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8697 (2019) · source
“In order to move forward, we need the efforts of all and to recreate unity within the Council. France calls on all members of the Council to demonstrate unity and responsibility in order to move forward on the path to a political settlement and also to respond to the immense humanitarian needs of the Syrian population by supporting the draft resolution renewing the mechanism for cross-border assistance presented by humanitarian penholders (S/20l9/96l).”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“We must listen to the pressing demands of the people who dare to overcome their fear, taking to the streets of Dara once again to call for the release of their loved ones, and we must not forget how the Syrian conflict began in early 2011. Without credible progress, France and the European Union's position on reconstruction and sanctions will remain unchanged. It will also remain illusory to expect a dignified, safe and voluntary return of refugees without a global agreement, including real political and security guarantees, without which refugees will fear for their lives. Finally, it is essential to ensure the safe and unhindered access of the United Nations to observe and accompany returns on the ground, which has not been the case to date. It is in all our interests to put Syria back on the path to peace and stability.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“We encourage him to make similar progress on the establishment of a secure and neutral environment, which is essential for holding credible elections under the supervision of the United Nations in which all Syrians, including refugees and displaced persons, must participate. Only by guaranteeing these conditions of security and neutrality will the Syrians be able to reclaim their future in the forthcoming elections. Progress must also be made on the release of detainees. The lack of progress on detainees at the last meeting of the Astana guarantors underlines, once again, the need to change the scale and method and give the United Nations a free hand in the matter.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“It confirms once again that the regime continues to refuse to engage genuinely and in good faith in a political process after more than eight years of destructive war. We support the Special Envoy and urge him to continue his active efforts to unlock the situation. The Astana guarantors must also put pressure on the regime. Finally, should the next session of the Committee find itself in a similar situation to the last session, we call on the Special Envoy to make it clear to the Security Council in his next briefing. As Mr. Geir Pedersen pointed out in his briefing, the Constitutional Committee is only one element of a broader process aimed at implementing all elements of resolution 2254 (2015). France reaffirms its full support for the Special Envoy's efforts in this regard.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“Nor has the humanitarian situation improved at all. Public services remain nearly non-existent, and the Syrian regime continues to impose unjustifiable restrictions to humanitarian access. France calls on the Council to be particularly vigilant with regard to the evolution of the situation. Secondly, with respect to the political process, it is more urgent than ever to get it back on track for the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015). The Syrian regime's obstructions to the continuation of the work of the Constitutional Committee are unacceptable. This obstruction is contrary to the rules of engagement previously agreed upon by the parties through the efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy Geir Pedersen.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“To be effective and produce lasting results, the fight against terrorism must be done while respecting the law, which imposes a moral, legal and operational imperative on all parties. We remain vigilant with regard to the situation in the north-east, where hostilities must not resume. The resumption of fighting would jeopardize at great sacrifice the results achieved by the international coalition with local partners. Furthermore, this could not only strengthen Da'esh and create conditions for a new humanitarian crisis. France is also concerned about the deterioration of the situation in the south-west a year and a half after its reconquest by the regime. The security situation continues to deteriorate month after month, with chronic instability illustrated by the increase in attacks and assassinations.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“We continue to closely follow the situation and strongly warn against such an attack, which would only strengthen the terrorist group, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, against whom we must unite our efforts. I therefore hope to clearly reiterate the call to end hostilities that France has already made on a number of occasions in the Chamber. As winter begins, the attacks will revive the humanitarian catastrophe against which the United Nations has repeatedly warned. In this regard, I reiterate, as I did yesterday, that France strongly condemns the indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, in particular medical facilities (see S/PV.8694). War has rules that must be respected. The fight against terrorism is a priority but does not justify violating international humanitarian law.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“Mrs. Gueguen (France) (spoke in French): I would like to thank Mr. Geir Pedersen and Ms. Rajaa Altalli for their briefings. I particularly wish to commend Ms. Altalli for her unwavering commitment to making the voice of Syrian civil society, the voice of the suffering silent majority and the voice of women, who must be heard and able to participate in discussions and decisions concerning their country on an equal footing with men, heard. I wish to review two points. First, on the ground, there must be a freeze at the fronts. This is crucial to provide a reliefto an exhausted and bleeding population. France is extremely concerned about the resumed attacks by the regime and its allies in the North-West, which now shows signs of a major attack and claimed 16 civilian victims yesterday.”
2019-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8696 (2019) · source
“As the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy underlined on 11 November, we remain ready to consider all mechanisms of the JCPOA, including the dispute resolution mechanism, to resolve issues related to Iran's compliance with its commitments under the JCPOA. All stakeholders must do their part to preserve our leeway to act and make progress. It is our collective responsibility, and in the interest of all parties, to work together to preserve the nuclear agreement and reach a diplomatic settlement within the existing framework. France calls on everyone around this table to rally around that objective in the interest of preserving international peace and security, of which the Council is the guarantor.”
2019-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8695 (2019) · source