YouSaid · the spoken record

Hardeep Singh Puri

lines on the record: 886
first: 2009-11-25
most recent: 2013-02-12
sittings or episodes: 121
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

“In conclusion, I would like to stress that the Council's responsibility to protect civilians does not end with a military or police response. Civilians require the humanitarian wherewithal for survival. In that process, multiple stakeholders should be involved, not just the military. In dealing with a conflict situation, the engagement of all warring factions in a nationally- owned and inclusive political process is of paramount importance. Such an inclusive approach to national reconciliation, anchored in State sovereignty, is the only way to move forward to ensure the protection of civilians in an effective, pragmatic and enduring manner.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“In the protection of civilians, we need to respect the fundamentals of the Charter of the United Nations and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States. We must also be clear that the United Nations has a mandate to intervene only in situations where there is a threat to international peace and security. We also firmly believe in the accountability of those who elaborate mandates; their responsibility does not end with the generation of mandates. They should be held accountable if unachievable mandates have been generated for political expediency or if adequate resources are not made available. It is equally important that the principles ofprotecting civilians be applied in a uniform manner by all parties to the conflict.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Since 1999, the Security Council has provided for the protection of civilians in the mandates of peacekeeping missions. However, merely adding words and sentences to the mandates will not enable peacekeepers to fulfil protection mandates. Protecting populations is a resource-intensive enterprise. It requires sufficient personnel, proper equipment and suitable capacities. The political will of the international community and its ability to provide adequate resources are critical to the success of missions in fulfilling their protection mandates. Civilians are protected best in an ecosystem of peace where all its elements work and contribute in tandem. The Security Council's efforts should therefore address the multiple dimensions of conflicts in a comprehensive and proportionate manner.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Our peacekeeping experience brings to the table a quantum of experience in actually protecting civilians in peacekeeping missions that is unique in its relevance, variety and depth. United Nations peacekeepers have been playing a key role in protecting civilians from the scourge of war, but we must not lose sight of the fact that the protection of civilians is first and foremost a national responsibility and requires institutions and conditions in which the institutions can function. Peacekeepers, in spite of their best efforts, cannot possibly protect everyone from everything. To do that, it is necessary to strengthen the capacities of States and their national institutions to enable them to fulfil their responsibility to protect their populations.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Protecting civilians encompasses tasks that are both preventive and remedial. The conduct of warring factions towards civilians, challenges of impunity, weak or absent State authority, the political will of the international community and a lack of the means necessary to reverse the spiral of violence together make the task that much more difficult. India, a partner of United Nations peacekeeping from its very inception, has contributed through ideas and resources to global efforts towards protecting civilians. Our soldiers have been at the forefront in translating Security Council mandates into action in challenging circumstances. Our troops and police personnel have always upheld these mandates and protected civilians.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“At the same time, the instances where civilians are at greatest risk today do not involve States, but non-State actors and belligerents who are not necessarily combatants under international humanitarian law. That makes the task of the international community, and the Council in particular, so much more difficult as it needs to act within established principles of international law. Civilians have always suffered the most in conflicts. Notwithstanding the development of international humanitarian law and Security Council mandates, civilians continue to suffer even today. Even more unfortunate is the fact that civilians, or non-belligerents, suffer a disproportionate share of the casualties, as compared to belligerents. It is they who bear the brunt of violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“At the outset, I would like to thank you, Sir, for organizing today's open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his incisive briefing earlier in the day, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navanethem Pillay, and the Director for International Law and Cooperation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Philip Spoerri, for their briefings. The right to life is one of the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitutions ofa vast number ofUnited Nations Member States, including my own. It is, in fact, the foundation of any social order. Unfortunately, situations of armed conflict continue to wreak havoc and put the lives ofinnocent civilians at risk.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source
“We urge all the parties to stop violence and engage in an inclusive national dialogue in order to resolve the conflict through peaceful means, based on the internationally approved political and legal basis including the resolutions 2042 (2012) and 2043 (2012) and the joint communique of the Geneva Action Group (S/2012/523, annex).”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Let me also state here that progress on the Lebanese and Syrian tracks remains critical for lasting peace in the region. We remain hopeful that an environment conducive to direct talks can be achieved in the near future. India stands ready to play its part in our collective endeavours to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Lastly, we remain seriously concerned at the deteriorating security situation and continuing violence in Syria. We strongly condemn all violence and violations of human rights, irrespective of who their perpetrators are. We also condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist acts that have been and continue to be committed in Syria.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Following the three memorandum of understanding's signed during the visit of President Abbas to India in September 2012, India is in the process of implementing projects in the fields of information and communication technology, vocational training and the construction of schools. In addition, India is implementing development projects in Palestine, with Brazil and South Africa as partners in the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum. India supports a negotiated settlement resulting in a sovereign, independent, viable and united State of Palestine living within secure and recognized borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and side by side and at peace with Israel, as endorsed in various Security Council resolutions and the Quartet road map.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“India has also extended material assistance to the Palestinian Authority since its establishment, and has been a partner in the socioeconomic development of Palestine in its quest for a life of dignity and self-reliance. Our assistance has been for humanitarian relief, development projects, the establishment of educational and training facilities, budgetary support, and so on. This year, India has pledged $10 million in budgetary support to Palestine. India also contributes $1 million annually to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“The recent rapprochement between various Palestinian factions is indeed welcome. We hope that efforts towards the promotion of reconciliation will bear fruit soon, leading to the formation of a unity Government, the holding of elections, the reunification of Palestinian State institutions, and measures for the reconstruction and development of Palestinian society. India has a long history of solidarity with the Palestinian people. In 1975, India was the first non-Arab State to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and in 1988 became one of the first countries to recognize the State ofPalestine.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“The financial crisis could erode the significant progress made in building Palestinian State institutions if immediate attention is not given to the issue. There is an urgent need to support the Palestinian Authority in meeting its budgetary shortfalls. The blockade of Gaza is in its sixth year. It is affecting essential services, economic activities and infrastructure development. While Israel has taken several measures to allow the flow of essential goods into Gaza, these cannot be a substitute for lifting the blockade. Recent hostilities in Gaza are again a stark reminder to the international community of the dangers that a continuing stalemate in the peace process can bring about. We hope that both parties will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and implement its provisions in good faith.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Developments in the occupied Palestinian territories since the historic vote in the General Assembly have been most unhelpful to the Palestinian cause. The intensification of settlement activities by Israel in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, despite widespread international condemnation, is creating new realities on the ground, thereby threatening the very premise of a two-State solution. We join others in urging Israel to end the settlement activity in order to allow the Palestinian side to come to the negotiating table. Settlements, roadblocks and the related infrastructure of occupation continue to cause severe hardship to the Palestinian population. These are also adversely affecting the normal functioning of Palestinian State institutions. The Palestinian Authority is facing a severe financial crisis.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“There have been no direct talks between Israel and Palestine for more than two years. The efforts of the international community, including those of the Quartet, towards the resumption of direct talks between Israel and Palestine have yielded no results. Against this backdrop, the overwhelming vote in the General Assembly on 29 November 2012, upgrading the status of Palestine to non-member observer State, was a positive development. It was a decisive achievement for Palestine in the history of its long and arduous struggle to reach its final goal of an independent and viable Palestinian State. India, which has always played a proactive role in garnering support for the Palestinian cause in multilateral forums, co-sponsored that resolution. India will continue to support Palestine's bid for full and equal membership of the United Nations.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“At the outset please allow me to express our appreciation to you, Mr. President, for convening this quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. I should like to thank the Special Coordinator, Robert Serry, for his comprehensive briefing on recent developments in the Middle East, particularly on the Palestinian question. I should also like to join others in welcoming the participation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the observer State of Palestine, Mr. Riad Malki, in today's debate and in thanking him for his statement. I should also like to thank the Permanent Representative of Israel for his statement. Amid the unprecedented transformation of the Arab world, the continuing stalemate in the Middle East peace process is clearly not in the interests of the region.”
2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Finally, my delegation is happy that a resolution (resolution 2086 (2013)) has been adopted today that will strengthen the peacekeeping framework.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“Functional necessities should guide us in developing programmatic content and budgetary outlines. The propensity to create new structures, mechanisms and positions that only add additional bureaucratic layers need to be discouraged in the current context. Partnership is peacekeeping's central pillar. All stakeholders in the process have a duty to enhance dialogue and mutual understanding. The triangular cooperation framework in that regard offers a viable way to engender and consolidate that partnership. The representative character of peacekeeping and its reform process is the key to its across-the-board acceptability. It is imperative that the work on that reform process is not the prerogative of a few, but is representative across the board.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“Critical peacebuilding tasks such as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector reform, the rule of law, basic governance, institution building and support to the democratic process are all premised on peacekeepers' proactive involvement. Our strategies and approaches therefore should be geared towards capitalizing on those strengths. United Nations peacekeeping in fact makes all of that affordable at a fraction of the cost involved in similar endeavours elsewhere. Two thirds of the United Nations field presence is comprised of uniformed personnel. They respond to a complex set of challenges in a holistic manner. In that context, we should synergize the keeping of peace and the building of peace. Their mutual complementarities should be harmonized, rather than being zoned as civilian versus military aspects.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“The resources provided need to be commensurate with mandates, and efficiency measures should not compromise operational necessities. A reference was made to the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP). Suffice it to say that the role of UNMOGIP was overtaken by the Simla Agreement of 1972, between India and Pakistan, which was signed by the Heads of the two Governments and ratified by their respective Parliaments. In times of austerity, we need to address the question of whether the resources being spent on UNMOGIP would not be better utilized elsewhere. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding are two sides of the same coin.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“My delegation has often spoken strongly in favour of a tiered and inclusive mandate-making process in order to ensure that mandates are updated, flexible and in tune with the realities on the ground. In-depth consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries should be an integral part of the mandate-generation process. A fair assessment of mandates, with corresponding resources, will inject a sense of realism into expectations with respect to mission objectives and achievements. Unfortunately, resource allocation has failed to keep pace with mandate expansion, and peacekeeping missions are called upon to do more and more with less and less. That has added to the operational challenges faced by peacekeepers. Missions are overstretched due to shortages ofpersonnel and equipment.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“Peacekeeping is often deliberated as a stand-alone exercise, rather than as a contributory endeavour that imparts strength to the larger peace enterprise. That reflects the substance of its currency. In order for peace to be sustainable, enduring and lasting, it is imperative that all components of the comprehensive peace enterprise contribute to achieving peace. In that regard, I would like to draw the Security Council's attention to the presidential statement (S/PRST/2011/l7) issued in August 2011, which called for meaningful engagement with the troop-contributing countries and the inclusion of field expertise and experience in peacebuilding strategies and in the drafting of mission mandates. The nature of mandates will continue to shape the practice of peacekeeping.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“I also wish to convey our deep appreciation to the Secretary-General for his presence here today and for his useful briefing on the subject. Peacekeeping has been a critical activity of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security. Its collaborative character infuses it with a unique legitimacy that defines its strength. The core values of United Nations peacekeeping explain its enduring relevance. The principles of consent, impartiality and the non-use of force except in self- defence and in defence of the mandate have all outlived the many transitions that peacekeeping has witnessed, from the truce-supervision missions of yesteryear to the multidimensional mandates of today. Today's debate on the multidimensional nature of peacekeeping underscores in ample measure how the nature of peacekeeping has evolved.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“At the outset, let me thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this debate on the important subject ofpeacekeeping and its crucial role in building peace in post-conflict situations. India is proud to have been associated with United Nations peacekeeping from its very inception. As a country that has contributed to virtually every United Nations peacekeeping operation in the past six decades - more than 100,000 peacekeepers in all - we have an abiding interest in United Nations peacekeeping. During our presidency of the Security Council in August 2011, we organized a debate on United Nations peacekeeping (see S/PV.6603). Even today, India is one of the largest contributors to major peacekeeping missions, and we remain committed to that global enterprise.”
2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source
“The international community cannot afford selective approaches in dealing with terrorist groups or in dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism. Terrorism is a Frankenstein monster. Resort to the use of terrorism as an instrument of State policy is short-sighted. Indeed, those who have taken recourse to it have invariably themselves suffered immensely from it, proving the age-old dictum that those who live by the sword will also perish by it.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“The mechanisms that have been developed to pool the resources and the knowledge of the international community need to be augmented and made more effective. India has long held the beliefthat the United Nations also needs to strengthen the normative framework for its counter-terrorism strategy through the adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. I could not agree more with my friend Gert Rosenthal, Permanent Representative of Guatemala, on his emphasis earlier today on the need for such a convention and the added value through its early adoption. I can only echo the Secretary-General's words earlier today that the time has come for a comprehensive convention on international terrorism to be adopted. The fight against terrorism has to be unrelenting and fought across all fronts.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“We have witnessed important progress at the international and regional levels, including the recently established Global Counter-Terrorism Forum. We will need a scaling-up of some of the concrete ideas emerging from those processes. Despite the progress achieved so far, the efforts of the international community continue to face many challenges. Foremost is the need to remove the moral and legal ambiguities that allow terrorists to gain succour and legitimacy. Progress under mutual legal assistance and extradition cases is still sketchy and is yet to be fully mainstreamed as part of regional and international counter-terrorism efforts. We need to strengthen enforcement efforts to destroy terrorists' safe havens, financial flows and support networks.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“We believe that apart from law enforcement measures, the preventive aspect is equally important. Development, education, social integration, tolerance, the rule of law and respect for human rights are the integral components of such an approach. The United Nations has played a seminal role in combating terrorism, facilitating technical assistance and capacity-building for Member States. Success in the fight against terrorism goes hand in hand with progress in strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation and the exchange of information at the international, regional and subregional levels. A large number of terrorist plots can be neutralized by the sharing of information and effective international cooperation.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“The Committee organized another special meeting in New York last November that focused on prevention and suppression of terrorist financing, with the participation of expert bodies 4 the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), FATF-style regional bodies, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The meeting was immensely helpful in putting a spotlight on the issue of terrorist financing, which lies at the heart of resolution 1373 (2001). We fully support all efforts that strengthen international and regional cooperation and, most importantly, help ensure the effective implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, including 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). We also support the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy in an integrated manner in all its four pillars.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“We endeavoured to provide renewed momentum to global counter- terrorism efforts and to promote a culture of zero tolerance towards terrorism. During that period, three special meetings of the Committee were held, with the participation of the wider United Nations membership and international, regional and subregional organizations. The Committee held a special meeting in New York in September 2011 to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001) and the establishment of the Committee, and at that meeting it unanimously endorsed a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism in its outcome document.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Terrorist financing, illicit money laundering, drug trafficking, piracy and the illicit arms trade remain intertwined in a complex web of toxic relationships. There is also the growing risk of weapons of mass destruction of different kinds falling into the hands of terrorists. The misuse of cyberspace and related technologies by terrorists and their supporters is also a matter of increasing concern. India condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. No cause or grievance canjustify taking recourse to terrorism. India has been at the forefront of global counter-terrorism efforts and is part of all major initiatives against international terrorism, including the Financial Action Task Force. I had the privilege to chair the Counter-Terrorism Committee during the past two years.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“Indeed, our entire region, South Asia, has been wracked by the activities of the biggest terrorist actors in the world, be they Al-Qaida, Lashkar e Toiba, Jamaat-ud- Dawa, elements of the Taliban and others. Terrorism, extremism and radicalization continue to pose a serious challenge to peace, progress and prosperity in the region. Over the years, the visible landscape of international terrorism has vastly changed. In our globalized world, terrorists are also globalized in their outreach and activities. They recruit in one country, raise funds in another and operate in others and are waging an asymmetric warfare against the international community. The veritable nexus of terrorists with transnational organized crime and drug and arms trafficking is now well established.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We would also like to express our appreciation to you for organizing today's meeting on this important subject. Terrorism today constitutes the most pressing challenge to international peace and security. It is a scourge that undermines peace, democracy and freedom and that endangers the foundations of democratic societies. It is a global threat that recognizes no border, nationality, ethnicity or religion. There is hardly any region of the world that has not been scarred by terrorism. My own country, India, has faced the scourge of terrorism for over two-and-a-half decades.”
2013-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6900Resumption1 (2013) · source
“As this is the last public meeting ofthe Council this year, let me avail myself of this opportunity to thank all the members of the Council, the wider United Nations membership and the Secretariat for their cooperation during the past two years as we have made our modest contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security. I would also like to extend a very warm welcome the five newly elected members, namely, Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda. I wish them great success during the next two years.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“Apart from our participation in peacekeeping missions, we have also partnered extensively with national authorities in post-conflict countries, in particular in Africa, with a view to supporting their national efforts at peacebuilding, including in sectors such as human- resource development, institutional capacity-building, information technology and so forth. We will continue to partner with post-conflict countries bilaterally and through the United Nations in meeting the challenges of peacekeeping and peacebuilding.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“It is therefore important for the PBC to align its objectives with national priorities and to ensure that all plans and programmes are implemented under national leadership and ownership and through national institutions, so that the gains are sustainable even is slow. It is also important that peacebuilding start from a firm foundation of successful peacekeeping. As a responsible global citizen with broad experience with nation-building, which is most relevant for countries on the PBC's agenda, India has been a regular contributor to the Peacebuilding Fund.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“Their intra-State character, natural-resource dimension, transnational crime aspect, illicit trafficking in drugs and weapons component and regional dimension demand an integrated approach. Establishing institutions of governance, socioeconomic development, youth employment, transitional justice national reconciliation, electoral support and constitution-building are tasks that require coherent and sustained assistance from the international community. That, in turn, requires political will, matching resources and readiness for long-term engagement, while taking into consideration local conditions.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“Inclusivity is a sign of healthy societies. Women and youth should be fully included in peacebuilding activities. However, efforts in that regard are demanding and resource-intensive. Also, the widening gap between our aspirations and field programmes need to be narrowed by means of suitable programmes and enhanced resource commitments. My delegation encourages the PBC to work in that regard with international and regional financial institutions, so that tangible peace dividends are made available to the population in post-conflict societies. It is also necessary to avoid an over-reliance on the supply side of the equation by relegating peacebuilding programmes to a secondary place. Conflicts today are vastly different that those of the past.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“Success in their implementation will impact upon subsequent efforts at economic and social revitalization. In turn, that success will depend upon the ability of the international community to provide the resources required and to generate greater coherence among entities, programmes and field operatives, with a View to promoting an integrated approach to sustainable peacebuilding. We believe that peacebuilding activities should draw from achievements in the field: the PBC being an advisory body, the expectations are that its country- specific configurations will deliver core peacebuilding tasks with agility and nimbleness. With much effort invested in its mechanisms at Headquarters, the time has now come to test our ability to make a difference to the people and societies in post-conflict situations.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“The PBC, its Organizational Committee and its country- specific configurations have done commendable work in mainstreaming peacebuilding in post-conflict countries. The Council's continuous engagement on peacebuilding in recent times has also helped to emphasize the critical role of peacebuilding. In that context, we welcome the progress made in implementing the Secretary-General's Agenda for Action. Inclusivity, institution-building and sustained and meaningful international engagement, which are the priorities identified by the Secretary-General, are useful guides to peacebuilding ventures in the future. Inclusive polity and governance, including the provision of basic services and peace, security and a stable social order, continue to be the key peacebuilding tasks.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“Let me begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for organizing today's open debate on a subject that is of vital importance for the work of the Security Council. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his statement and for his report on peacebuilding in the aftermath of conflict (S/20l2/746). Our thanks are due in particular to Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen of Bangladesh for his statement today and for his able stewardship of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) this year. I would also like to thank the Secretariat team so ably led by Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins. Once described as the missing middle between peacekeeping and durable peace, the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission was in response to the widely felt need of the international community to assist post-conflict societies to attain sustainable peace.”
2012-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6897 (2012) · source
“The international community must continue to work, with renewed vigour and unity of purpose, towards strengthening the efforts of the Afghan Government in seeking solutions that are inclusive and are led by the Afghan people themselves.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“The pace and nature of the utilization of the present and future Indian assistance will be determined by the preference, comfort level and absorptive capacity of the Afghan Government. India remains unwavering in its commitment to assisting the people of Afghanistan in their endeavour to build a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous nation. We support the good work being done by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. As we enter the new year, we must create an enabling environment wherein the Afghan people can live in peace and security and decide their future themselves without outside interference, coercion or intimidation. We need to impart added momentum to our effort to strengthen the Afghan Government's capacity for security, governance and economic development.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“The implementation of the strategic partnership agreement of October 2011 between the two countries has already been set in motion with the convening of the first meeting of the Partnership Council on 1 May. During the past decade, India pledged up to $2 billion in development and humanitarian assistance. We have managed to carry out some of the most economical and cost-effective projects in Afghanistan. The $500 million in assistance announced by the Prime Minister of India in May 2011 is being spent from 2012 to 2015. The projects under consideration will be aligned with the projects suggested under the national priority programme of the Government of Afghanistan.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“Conscious of that imperative need, India has taken the lead in two commercial confidence-building measures under the Istanbul Process. Afghanistan and India have had a long shared history going back over millenniums. The two countries are natural strategic partners by virtue of geography and a common vision of peace and cooperation in the region. President Karzai's visit to India last month offered us an opportunity to review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship and to discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest. During the visit, the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Manmohan Singh, reiterated India's support of Afghanistan during the crucial period of transition to the end of 2014 and thereafter.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“The recently adopted Security Council resolutions (resolutions 2082 (2012) and 2083 (2012)) clearly recognize that aspect and have tasked the Monitoring Team to report periodically on the matter. As Afghanistan takes forward the task of national reconciliation in accordance with the criteria set forth in the Kabul communique, we fully support the efforts for regional confidence-building as a critical component of international efforts to support the country. Regional cooperation and connectivity are critical for Afghanistan's political and economic progress. We are fully cognizant that the economic viability of Afghanistan depends upon its fuller integration into the neighbourhood so that it can regain its historical role as a land bridge between South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Eurasia.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“That has accentuated the uncertainties, with a risk of creating a security vacuum coupled with an economic downturn in Afghanistan, which could undermine the hard-fought gains we have achieved together during the past decade. The security transition must ensure lasting peace and security for all sections of Afghan society. We renewed the mandate of the sanctions regimes created under resolution 1988 (2011) and resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) just two days ago (see S/PV.6890). In the functioning ofthe sanctions regimes, it is important to ensure that the fight against terrorism is not be diluted. The linkages between Al-Qaida and the Taliban are real and cannot be wished away.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“Afghanistan looks forward to holding simultaneous presidential and provincial elections in April 2014, which will be another important step in the consolidation of democracy in Afghanistan. Amid those salient developments, Afghanistan continues to face an existential threat from terrorism. The infrastructure of terror is still intact in the region and draws upon ideological, financial and logistical support from beyond its borders. The syndicate of terrorism, which includes elements of the Al-Qaida, the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Toiba and other terrorist and extremist groups, is active in the region and is far from being isolated. While the security situation continues to remain fragile, the International Security Assistance Force drawdown has proceeded apace.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“At major international conferences in Bonn, Chicago and Tokyo and at regional-level conferences in Istanbul and Kabul, the international community renewed its commitment to peace, security and development in Afghanistan. The realization of commitments flowing from the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan is essential for Afghanistan's fiscal sustainability and its quest for self-reliance. Regional cooperation has also received new momentum under the Istanbul Heart of Asia process and other regional processes. The Delhi Investment Summit on Afghanistan, held on 28 June and hosted by India, was an important endeavour in focusing regional and international attention on investmenting in Afghanistan and its potential to provide economic development and stability to Afghanistan during the transition period.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source
“Ijoin others in thanking you, Mr. President, for scheduling today's debate on the situation in Afghanistan. I thank Ambassador Zahir Tanin, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan, for his statement. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his most recent report (S/2012/907), and we are particularly appreciative of the briefing by Mr. Jan Kubis, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan. As the year 2012 draws down, today's debate provides us an opportunity for a stock-taking of the collective efforts of the international community in Afghanistan. An overview would indicate that the international community in Afghanistan has achieved important milestones this year on the long road towards peace, progress and security in the country.”
2012-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6896 (2012) · source