YouSaid · the spoken record

Haley

lines on the record: 982
first: 2017-02-02
most recent: 2018-12-18
sittings or episodes: 124
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

“My hope is that once I become an outside observer - one who has invested much time on this issue - we will no longer be having this same conversation and hearing the same old speeches in years to come.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“By taking the easy route, they are really saying that the Palestinian people are not a priority for them, because if they were, they would all be in a room helping to bring both sides to the table. As for the American people, we have demonstrated time and again our commitment to peace in the Middle East. We will continue to offer our hand in friendship to the Palestinian people, whom we have supported financially far more than any other country has done. The Palestinians have everything to gain by engaging in peace negotiations, but whatever others may decide, the world must know that America will remain steadfast in its support to Israel and its people and security. That is an unshakeable bond between our two peoples, and it is that bond, more than anything else, that makes peace possible.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“But my friends at the United Nations, particularly my Arab and European brothers and sisters, will also play a very important part. And they will face the same choice. The choice between a hopeful future that sheds the tired, old, and unrealistic demands of the past, or a darker future that sticks with the proven failed talking points of the past. The world will be watching. More importantly, the Palestinians and Israelis will be watching. Their response will be affected by our response. I have heard privately from many of my Arab friends. They have said that they know that a solution is urgently needed, but their Governments have not been willing to talk to their constituencies about what is realistic or to the Palestinian leaders about the harm they are doing to their own people.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“For irresponsible parties, that would be the easiest thing to do - simply reject the plan because it does not satisfy all of their demands. Then we would return to the failed status quo of the past 50 years, with no prospects for change. Israel would continue to grow and prosper. The Palestinian people would continue to suffer, and innocent people on both sides would continue to be killed. Their other choice is to focus on the parts of the plan that they do like and encourage negotiations to move forward. And I can assure the Council that there is a lot for both sides to like. Ultimately, as always, the final decisions can be made only by the parties themselves. Israelis and Palestinians will decide their own futures. They will decide what sacrifices they are willing to make, and they will need leaders with real vision to do that.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“It recognizes that the realities on the ground in the Middle East have changed in very powerful and important ways. It embraces the reality that today, things that were previously unthinkable can be done. This plan will be different from all previous ones. The critical question is whether the response will be any different. There are things in the plan that every party will like, and there are things in the plan that not all of them will like. That is certainly true for the Israelis and the Palestinians, but it is also true for every country in the world that has taken an interest in this subject. Every country or party will therefore have an important choice to make. Council members can focus on the parts of the plan that they dislike.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“It is time that we faced a difficult truth: both sides would benefit greatly from a peace agreement, but the Palestinians would benefit more and the Israelis would risk more. With that backdrop in mind, the Trump Administration has crafted its plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. I do not expect anyone to comment on a peace proposal that they have not read. But I have read it, and I will share some thoughts on it now. Unlike previous attempts to address this conflict, this plan is not just a few pages, containing unspecific and unimaginative guidelines. It is much longer and contains much more thoughtful detail. It brings new elements to the discussion, taking advantage ofthe new world of technology in which we live.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“Israel wants a peace agreement but it does not need such an agreement. Then there are the Palestinian people. Like the Israelis, they are a deservedly proud people. They, too, do not need to accept a peace agreement at any price. But the condition of the Palestinian people is very different. Economic opportunity, health care and even electricity are all scarce in the Palestinian territories. Terrorists rule much of the territory, undermining the safety of all civilians. The Palestinian people suffer terribly, while their leadership clings to 50-year-old demands that have become only less and less realistic. What awaits the Palestinian people with a peace agreement are the prospects of a huge improvement in the quality oftheir lives and far greater control over their political future.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“Given my record, some may mistakenly conclude that I am unsympathetic towards the Palestinian people. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is how I see it. Israel is a thriving, strong, prosperous country. It has always wanted peace with its neighbours. It has clearly demonstrated its willingness to make great sacrifices for peace, including by giving up large areas of land. But Israel will not make a peace agreement at any price, and it should not do so. No United Nations resolutions, anti-Semitic boycotts or terrorist threats will ever change that. Throughout its existence, and even today, Israel has been surrounded by threats to its security. It would be foolish for it to make a deal that weakened its security. Yet, even in the face of constant threats, Israel has become one of the leading nations in the world.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“I have also done it to encourage the United Nations to move away from its obsession with Israel. That obsession of the United Nations with the issue has been entirely unproductive. In fact, worse than that, it has been counterproductive. It has sent a loud and false message to the Palestinians that they may perhaps be able to achieve their goals by relying on the United Nations rather than through direct negotiations. It has sent a loud and accurate message to the Israelis that they can never trust the United Nations. That biased obsession is not the path to peace. It is the path to an endless stalemate. Today is the last time that I address this monthly meeting as the United States Ambassador. For that reason, I will deviate from my practice of the past two years. Today, I will directly address the Israeli- Palestinian issue.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“Over the past two years, I have attempted to provide more value to this monthly meeting by using my time to speak about other pressing problems in the Middle East. I have spoken about Iran's illegal weapons transfers and destabilizing support for terrorism throughout the region. I have spoken about the barbarism of the Al-Assad regime in Syria. I have spoken about Hamas's illegal and diabolical use of human shields. I have spoken about Hezbollah jeopardizing the safety of the Lebanese people and its violations of Israeli sovereignty, which have come to light even more clearly in the past month. I have spoken about Iraq, Yemen, refugees and humanitarian crises. I have done that for two reasons. I have done it to illustrate that most of the region's problems have absolutely nothing to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“When I first came to the United Nations two years ago, I was a little taken aback by this monthly meeting. The fact that the United Nations would consider the Israeli- Palestinian conflict was not striking. After all, it is a matter of international peace and security. What was striking was the frequency and the one-sidedness of the discussion. Members of the Security Council have heard me say this many times - the problems of the Middle East are numerous, and yet we spend a vastly disproportionate amount of time on just one of them. The United Nations has shown itself to be hopelessly biased, as we witnessed again only two weeks ago when the General Assembly failed to condemn Hamas's terrorist activity against Israel.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8429 (2018) · source
“In this season of hope, the international community does not have to be satisfied just with hope for the people of Yemen. We have the ability to change their reality. Human beings created this crisis; human beings can end it. Life and death are on the line, and we are not powerless. We call on all of our colleagues in the Security Council to take the next step to build on what has begun and define the basic political will to save lives - the lives of millions - and bring about peace in Yemen.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“Those reports must show continued political progress and the commitment of all parties. The members of the Security Council will be monitoring that situation very closely. We must be ready to act if one or more of the parties fails to follow through. The next step is to expand the ceasefire to include the entire city of Al-Hudaydah. We call on all the parties to take that step and to show the world they are serious about achieving peace in Yemen. Ultimately, the success of the ceasefire must lead to an agreement on the Special Envoy's framework for a final political settlement. That is the outcome towards which all the confidence-building measures and negotiations are directed - a realistic political framework for peace in Yemen. And the Security Council should not stop focusing on this conflict until that is delivered.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“The progress made in Sweden should build on the political will that is necessary for more progress in the future. We welcome the willingness of all parties, including Saudi Arabia, to participate in those confidence-building measures. Most hopeful of all is the news of the ceasefire around the port city of Al-Hudaydah. The success of that ceasefire is critical to addressing the acute, immediate need for humanitarian assistance in Yemen. All parties, including the coalition, must exercise restraint in line with the ceasefire. It is critical that the ceasefire hold in order to allow the space for continued conversations. We expect that in the coming days, the parties will begin withdrawing forces, in accordance with the agreement. The ceasefire agreement calls for weekly reports to the Security Council.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“This may be the season of hope, but hope alone does not make us feel better when we see the pictures of suffering in Yemen. The world's worst humanitarian crisis demands more than hope from the Security Council that peace will come to Yemen. It demands that we take action to hold all the warring parties accountable. It demands that we address the Iranian aggression at the root of the crisis. It demands that life-saving assistance reach the Yemeni women and children who are suffering the most from the conflict. Special Envoy Griffiths has brought us encouraging news. We congratulate him on convening the parties in the Yemen conflict and bringing them together, face to face, for negotiations for the first time since 2016. Those talks have produced concrete outcomes, including an agreement for a prisoner exchange.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“I thank Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Mr. Martin Griffiths, Special Envoy of the Secretary- General for Yemen, for their briefings. For millions of people around the world, this is a season of hope. This is the time of year that brings out the idealist in many of us. We are reminded that we are all - every one of us - flawed and fallen human beings. But we see a light in the darkness, and we hope that our best instincts can triumph over our worst. It is difficult to imagine more convincing proof of humankind's worst instincts than the pictures coming out of Yemen today. They show innocent children and babies slowly starving to death and succumbing to disease. I will be honest.”
2018-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8424 (2018) · source
“It will further undermine Russia's standing in the world. It will further sour Russia's relations with the United States and many other countries. It will further increase tensions with Ukraine. In the name of international peace and security, Russia must immediately cease its unlawful conduct and respect the navigational rights and freedoms of all States.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“In August, the United States condemned Russia's harassment of international shipping in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. The United States will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine against the Russian aggression. It is our expectation that our European partners will lead that effort through the Normandy Four format, which we support. We call on Russia to respect its international obligations and not obstruct or harass Ukraine's transit in the Kerch Strait and to de-escalate the tensions that it has created. As President Trump has said many times, the United States would welcome a normal relationship with Russia, but outlaw actions like this one continue to make that impossible. The United States will maintain its Crimea-related sanctions against Russia. Further Russian escalation of this kind will only make matters worse.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“What we witnessed this past weekend is yet another reckless Russian escalation. Let us be clear about what is known. Ukrainian ships set sail from one Ukrainian port to another Ukrainian port. They attempted to do so by the only possible way to go - through the Kerch Strait. Both Russia and Ukraine use the Strait routinely, but this time Russia decided to prevent the passage ofthe Ukrainian ships, rammed them and then opened fire on them. That is no way for a law-abiding, civilized nation to act. Impeding Ukraine's lawful transit through the Kerch Strait is a violation under international law. It is an arrogant act that the international community must condemn and will never accept. In May, the United States condemned Russia's construction and opening of the Kerch Strait Bridge between Russia and occupied Crimea.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“This morning I spoke with President Trump and Secretary Pompeo, and my statement reflects the concerns at the highest level of the American Government. For the past four years, the international community has spoken with a strong, clear and largely united voice denouncing Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The United States, the European Union, its member States and many other countries have imposed sanctions against Russia for its unacceptable conduct in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Sunday's outrageous Violation of sovereign Ukrainian territory is part of a pattern of Russian behaviour that includes the purported annexation of Crimea and abuses against countless Ukrainians in Crimea, as well as stoking a conflict that has taken the lives of more than 10,000 people in eastern Ukraine and shows no sign of decreasing.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“I am making this statement on behalf of the United States, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. We stand united in opposing Russia's attempt to discuss yesterday's serious escalation in the Kerch Strait under an agenda item entitled "Violation of the borders of the Russian Federation". We strongly support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters. We want to express our deep concern about the incident, which represents a dangerous escalation and violation of international law. We look forward to discussing Russia's provocation under the appropriate agenda item. We therefore urge all Council members to vote against the adoption of the agenda as proposed by Russia.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8409 (2018) · source
“The fact is that there is only one side that attacks indiscriminately; one side that targets civilians; one side that terrorizes to achieve its objectives. But I will close by agreeing with Mr. Mladenov on one point. Both sides must work to resolve the conflict in the Middle East. Neither side can get everything that it wants. Both sides must compromise, and compromise can begin only with a clear, honest and complete appraisal of the facts on the ground. Without that, this monthly discussion is doomed to fail in its objective of helping to achieve peace.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“Families were forced into bomb shelters to escape the barrage. Even if those present accept the Hamas excuse that it launched its missiles in response to an Israeli covert operation, the fact cannot be escaped that the Gaza militants targeted civilians in response. Their actions were the actions not of a nation exercising self- defence, but of a terrorist group seizing a pretext to kill civilians. Neither can the fact be escaped that the group responsible for the rocket attacks, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is an Iranian-supported group. Palestinian Islamic Jihad is yet another terrorist proxy that Iran calls on to stoke violence and instability in the region, and those missing facts are crucial.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“The Tehran regime has proven itself to be the same violent and predatory group of murderers that it was in the 1980s. Our European allies are increasingly finding proof of that in their own front yards. We must unite in our efforts to stop that behaviour before it reaches more innocent people across the world. In fairness to Mr. Mladenov, his briefing on this month's events in the Middle East did touch on the current violence in Gaza, but his reporting misses the mark when he calls for restraint from both sides. Yes, Israel launched air strikes on military posts, weapon depots and intelligence assets in Gaza, but it did so in response to the over 400 rockets and mortars that were fired indiscriminately from Gaza into Israel. Neighbourhoods were targeted. A bus was bombed by an anti-tank missile.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“Of course, all of that follows an Iranian-backed attack on the United States consulate in Basra, following months of the Iranian regime's violations of Iraqi national sovereignty. Those attempts to murder their political opponents on foreign soil reflect the true nature of the Iranian regime. Those attacks are precisely the sort of behaviour that led the United States to reimpose sanctions against Iran on 5 November. That was the largest sanctions action against Iran ever undertaken by the United States. Our Administration long ago came to the conclusion that much more needed to be done if there was to be any chance to prod the Iranian Government into the community of peaceful, law-abiding nations. We have seen the tragic legacy of appeasement before. The Council was, in many ways, created as a counter to that failed diplomatic strategy.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“The Iranian plot was such a blatant violation of Denmark's sovereignty that one Danish politician compared the plot to Russia's attempted poisoning of the Skripals on British soil earlier this year. But Denmark is not the only country that has been targeted by the regime. The Danish allegations came just days after the French Government accused Iranian intelligence of plotting a bomb attack on an Iranian opposition rally in Paris in June. In that plot, a Belgian husband and wife of Iranian origin were arrested, along with a high-ranking Iranian diplomat in Austria. The diplomat provided the directions and explosives for the husband-and-wife team to bomb the Iranian resistance gathering, which included United States citizens. All three were arrested.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“While United States diplomats were still being held hostage by Islamic revolutionaries in the United States embassy in Tehran, Iranian agents and proxies began a campaign of political murder in Europe, North Africa and across the Middle East. Iranian malign behaviour does not target one country alone; it targets us all. We have seen that no more profoundly than over the past months, in which multiple European countries have publicly decried Iranian attempts to murder dissidents on their own soil. Since Mr. Mladenov's previous briefing, on 30 October Danish officials revealed a plot by Iranian intelligence agents to murder three exiled Iranian dissidents on Danish soil. The Danish Government arrested an Iranian regime assassin in Norway on 21 October. Danish officials are outraged, and rightly so.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“I thank Mr. Mladenov for his briefing. His presentations on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are always detailed and well-considered. But, as we have pointed out, as a survey of the threats to peace and security in the Middle East, Mr. Mladenov's briefings are, by their mandate, very incomplete. While the Council remains focused on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, it ignores other, very serious conflicts in the Middle East. One such conflict has in recent months come to the doorstep of Europe and the United States - that is the continued evidence of increased international terrorist activity by the Iranian regime. Iranian assassinations ofpolitical opponents are as old as the Islamic Republic itself.”
2018-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8405 (2018) · source
“To the Congolese people, as they prepare to take this momentous leap into their future, my message is this: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the birth right of each citizen and every human being. They must claim it; demand it; seize it for themselves and their grandchildren yet to come. I want them to know that there are people throughout the world hoping for their success. And I want them to know that the prayers and best wishes of the American people are with them.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“We have spent the past two years reiterating in the Security Council the necessity for free, fair and credible elections on 23 December. All of the parties know what they need to do. President Kabila understands his role. The Democratic Republic of the Congo Government understands what must be done. The National Independent Electoral Commission knows the preparations that it must undertake in the coming six weeks. There is no excuse for failure, no reason for delay. All that is remaining is for the leadership of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to show the will to follow the democratic path that has been laid out before it. The whole world is watching to see what the legacy of President Kabila will be.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“It is the moment when all of the theory of representative Government fades into the background and the decisions of real people in real situations come to the forefront. Peacefully surrendering power tests the ability and willingness of individual men and women to put aside their personal interests and agendas and put the people first. The hopes and aspirations ofmore than 80 million Congolese people now depend on the leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo passing that test. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been very clear that it is holding elections on 23 December and that it is doing so without the help of the international community. We respect their sovereign right to make that decision. It is a decision with tremendous consequences for the Congolese people.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“That is why so many people have fought so hard and sacrificed so much over the years for the right to hold their Governments accountable. The democratic process is under way in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It began with the Saint-Sylvestre agreement of 31 December 2016, built on the foundation of the Congolese Constitution. It gathered strength with the electoral calendar that set out a clear process for elections on 23 December 2018. It gained momentum with President Kabila Kabange's agreement that he would not run in the upcoming elections. Democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now poised for its greatest test. It is a historic opportunity. For any country struggling to govern itself, the peaceful transfer of power is a decisive moment.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“Democracy is the hard work of allowing the people to fairly and safely express their will, and giving them the confidence that their decisions will be honoured. My country, the United States, has over 200 years of experience with democracy. It took us much of that time to fully include all Americans in the vote. And our democracy is still far from perfect. Democracy takes time and effort, but history shows us that it is worth it. Democracies are more prosperous, more peaceful, less corrupt and more innovative. Most importantly, democracy honours the desire in every one of us to build lives of dignity and self-determination, not just for ourselves - not even mostly for ourselves - but for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren yet to come.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“The people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo want what every human being wants - to be safe and free to raise their children and live their best lives. There are voices today telling the Congolese that democracy is not the way to achieve their hopes for themselves and for their families. They want them to believe that representative Government is too risky and too inefficient. They are asking them to continue to put their trust in Government that is not accountable to them. Those voices are wrong. Democracy can be messy, and it can be unpredictable. But democracy is a process, and it is not dependent on a single event or decision. It is the result of years, decades - sometimes centuries - of actions and decisions.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“Let me thank Special Representative Zerrougui and Ms. Mbela for their briefings and their insights. I want to direct my comments today to my colleagues, but above all to the people ofthe Democratic Republic of the Congo as they approach elections with great consequences for their future. At an Arria Formula meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo last February, the Congolese Foreign Minister made a comment that "you have to visit the Congo to really understand the situation there". I have visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, met with its leaders and listened to its people. I spoke with mothers, fathers and children, in and out of camps. Their message was heartfelt and unmistakable: they want a better life. And they want a voice in their own futures.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8397 (2018) · source
“I knowI have spoken some hard truths this morning, but I have done so out of my obligation to reflect the American people's sincere belief in this institution's founding purpose. When we work in the true spirit of multilateralism - the spirit of principled objectives, shared burdens and respect - this institution is capable of great things. The United States looks forward to many more successful years of collaboration with the United Nations in support ofpeace, security and human rights for all people in the world.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“The United States is currently assessed a disproportionate share of those costs - even for us. Our contribution of 25 per cent of the peacekeeping budget is more than fair. Insisting on more, especially when other nations' assessments are so low, only erodes support for the United Nations. I urge everyone to support more equitable burden-sharing when it comes to the financing of peacekeeping. That is not just a question of fairness; it is a question of the ongoing success of multilateralism itself. Support for collective action falters when its burdens fail to match its benefits, and no multilateral work, no matter how worthy its goals are, can continue in the long term when it takes its most generous donors for granted.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“That has meant working to prove improve the efficiency of our peacekeeping missions, mitigate the North Korean nuclear threat and put human rights at the centre of the work of the Council, among many other things. It has also meant more practical things, such as taking a hard look at where our foreign aid is serving United States interests and values and where it is not. Our aid dollars should not be on autopilot. They should go to where they can do the most good and where we can expect cooperation and friendship in return. Showing value to the American people for their support of multilateralism also means rebalancing how we finance the United Nations and our peacekeeping operations. Next month, we will have an important decision to take on how we distribute the costs of peacekeeping.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Action like that does not seek to protect human rights; it seeks to shelter authoritarian regimes from criticism on human rights. It is not worthy of the time or the attention of the United Nations, and it is certainly not worthy of the support of the American people. When the Human Rights Council hosts some of the world's most flagrant human rights offenders and gives them cover for their abuses, that is a failure of multilateralism. When countries invoke sovereignty when it suits them but ignore it when it does not, that is a failure of multilateralism. That is a failure to work together toward the common good. One of my goals as United States Ambassador has been to show the American people value for their investment in the United Nations.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“That is a credit to the Council and its members. No other multilateral forum could have achieved that kind of unity. Peacekeeping is another good example. We are more effective when we work to ensure peace as a global community. Together, we can build the trust and impartiality necessary to mediate conflict and protect innocent civilians. But multilateralism is not good in and of itself. It is a means to an end. It is neither good nor bad; only its goals are good or bad. And multilateralism fails when it fails to support the goals of peace, security and human rights. When the General Assembly gives the barbaric Cuban regime a pass for violating the rights of the Cuban people just to poke the United States in the eye, that is a failure of multilateralism.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“That is certainly true, and the American people have given much. But multilateralism requires that we all contribute and that we all work together for the common good. Everyone has skin in the game and everyone should ultimately benefit. The American people have no expectation of always getting our own way, but we do have a legitimate expectation to get a return on our investment in multilateralism. We do not regard that work as charity. It is our contribution to the advancement of peace, security and human rights in every region of the world. When we all contribute and work towards those goals, this body can accomplish great things. North Korea is a good example. The Security Council achieved remarkable unity while taking real action. We sanctioned the Pyongyang regime more completely than any country in a generation.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“The vast size of financial support that the United States gives the United Nations illustrates the seriousness with which we take that work and our commitment. But I will be honest. There are times when the American people question their generous support to the United Nations. There are times when we are tempted to believe that multilateralism has been a bad deal for the United States and that we could be more effective by advancing our principles and interests on our own. And there are times when that conclusion is correct. It is not that the American people are cheap. It is not that we are selfish - quite the contrary, we are a blessed nation. A representative from an African country recently lectured me and quoted a passage from the Bible. He said that to whom much is given, much is expected.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Year in and year out, the United States contributes 20 per cent ofthe funding of the United Nations system. United States taxpayers in places like Oklahoma, Idaho and Minnesota provide 25 per cent of the $7-billion budget for the United Nations peacekeeping operations thousands of miles away in Kinshasa, Juba, Pristina and elsewhere. Those same taxpayers contribute more than 35 per cent of the funding for the World Food Programme, the world's largest multilateral humanitarian organization. We contribute 13 per cent of the funding that allows UNICEF to help children worldwide. United States taxpayers shoulder 42 per cent of the burden of paying for the work of the Office ofthe United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, and the Secretary- General and all the briefers. In a short time I will be leaving the Security Council and my post as United States Ambassador to the United Nations. My service here has been a great honour and I will miss it. I am grateful to have the opportunity to discuss the purposes of multilateralism and what we can do to make the United Nations a more effective instrument for the common good. The American people believe deeply in the principles of peace, security and human rights enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. For that reason, the United States is by far the largest contributor to the United Nations budget. Our support for multilateralism at the United Nations has not been limited to rhetoric. It has been concrete, in both our words and our deeds.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“It was a very poor reflection on the President of the Security Council. We are grateful that this afternoon, at least, you have chosen the path of civility and respect.”
2018-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8381 (2018) · source
“The United States will continue to issue the call forjustice, here and elsewhere, until all of the people of Burma are able to live in safety and dignity in their own country. That is the case for justice in Burma. Before I end my remarks, I would like to say a final thing about how we do our jobs here at United Nations. There are many ways we can choose to make our arguments to each other and the world. We can be civil or we can be uncivil. We can choose to make a scene or we can choose to treat the issues we care about with dignity and respect. We are all aware - and none more so than you, Mr. President - of the way discussions of justice and human rights have been conducted in recent days, and especially your behaviour, that of your mission and of the Cuban mission.”
2018-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8381 (2018) · source
“There must be accountability for the crimes of the Burmese military and security forces - crimes that have been thoroughly and credibly documented. And the same energy that has been put into fearing and isolating the Rohingya should be put towards educating and training them so that they can lead productive lives, for their families and for the future of Burma. Thanks to the work of the fact-finding mission, we all know what was done to the Rohingya and we know who is responsible. We must now take the next steps to ensure that this never happens again. Justice is due for the people who fled Burma in fear. Justice is due for those whose lives have been forever transformed by violence. Justice - not vengeance, not payback - is necessary for Burma to heal.”
2018-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8381 (2018) · source
“They also detailed cases of the military's desecration of sacred texts, and some saw soldiers burning and urinating on copies ofthe Qur'an. It is the Burmese Government that has both the power and the moral obligation to end that. The burden falls on it. Restrictions imposed upon the Rohingya, including on freedom of movement and religion, must end. The Burmese Government must create a direct and credible path to obtaining citizenship for ethnic Rohingya. The Burmese military must accept civilian rule. Its refusal to do so puts Burma at further risk of conflict and stunts its growth as a modern nation. As the world rightly condemns the murder of a journalist in Turkey, we must not forget the outrageous imprisonment of the Reuters journalists in Burma. The United States continues to call for their immediate release.”
2018-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8381 (2018) · source
“Now is the time to move on from focusing on the abuses to focusing on the abused. Despite the security forces' claims to be acting against "terrorists", the root cause of the crisis is the second-class status of the Rohingya in Burma. In addition to the atrocities they have suffered, the fact-finding mission's report details the systematic repression of the Rohingya by the Government of Burma. As noted during the briefing, security forces have detained Rohingya men and abducted Rohingya women. The Rohingya were subject to especially tight restrictions on freedom of movement, as well as freedom of religion. Some refugees have reported that the military threatened those who prayed - even at home - with beatings, arrests and death.”
2018-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8381 (2018) · source
“Our work, they say, is peace and security, not human rights, but the forcible movement of more than 700,000 people across borders is undeniably a matter of international peace and security. - just ask the Bangladeshi Government or the Rohingya themselves. We are grateful to the Government of Bangladesh for its generosity hosting a total of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees, but this is not just Bangladesh's problem. This is the region's problem. This is our problem. All of us - the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Cote d'Ivoire, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland and Sweden - have worked closely to keep the Security Council's continued spotlight on the horrible atrocities in Burma. We will work to hold the Burmese security forces accountable.”
2018-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8381 (2018) · source