YouSaid · the spoken record

Haroon

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396

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2008-11-19

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2012-09-20

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41

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un-security-council

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1. “In conclusion, let me express my confidence that the redoubtable people ofAfghanistan will overcome all their pressing challenges and seize new opportunities for a brighter and more prosperous future. Pakistan will remain their committed and steadfast partner.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

2. “We will nevertheless call for immediate measures to address the current shortfalls in humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan and the Afghan people. That assistance should be insulated from the impact of the financial shortfalls that are so rampant at the United Nations at the moment. Pakistan is supportive of the counter-narcotics efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Afghanistan. NATO-ISAF operations are also vital to the disruption and neutralization of the narcotics industry and its growing funding streams. Our collective goal must be the complete eradication of cultivation and the progressive elimination of the manufacture and trafficking of higher derivatives. That is not necessarily happening yet, but Pakistan will continue to support bilateral and regional efforts against narcotics.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

3. “As a matter of interest, on 13 September a flag meeting was held between the two forces to discuss this very issue. The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is somewhat unfortunate, as the country continues to suffer from natural calamities, food insecurity and the impact of never-ending conflict. We remain by far the largest contributor to the easing of the humanitarian burden by virtue of hosting more than 2 million registered Afghan refugees. We hope that those refugees' dignfied return will be achieved through the implementation of the solution strategy agreed in Geneva in May. In my home of Karachi, we are now facing serious issues resulting from the large numbers of refugees coming together in that southern city.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

4. “The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is often eclipsed by the glare of security and political challenges. We have suffered substantially, and I need not read the figures here, as I had intended to do. But we will have to say that we have shown considerable restraint in the wake of attacks on our check posts across the international border. We will not join the blame game, and we will seek to address those issues with objectivity. Against this backdrop, cross-border attacks into Pakistan are being actively discussed with ISAF, including the border coordination mechanism, as part of the ongoing coordination and cooperation between Pakistan and ISAF, based on mutual respect and mutual interest. We hope that such interaction will help end terrorism across border posts.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

5. “Our ongoing intelligence and military cooperation with Afghan and international counterparts is self-evident. Improvement in military cooperation should be acknowledged by all of the players. We welcome the deliberations of the Tripartite Commission meetings, which resumed in May. Pakistan is also maintaining a robust presence of our security forces along the international border with Afghanistan. We recently have enhanced our presence and monitoring through check posts and regular patrolling. Our deployment of security along the international border far exceeds the number of international and Afghan forces deployed on the other side, which might also be the reason why so many attacks take place on the western side of Afghanistan. And we continue to be resolute, despite the high human and economic cost of this endeavour.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

6. “While we value the effectiveness of Afghan national security forces, the importance we attach to them is evidenced from our financial contributions made at the Chicago summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Our offers for training and capacity-building in the past are on record. Despite our bilateral arrangements, often not acknowledged in this venue, Pakistan has sought closer regional engagement with Afghanistan and its international partners on all security-related issues. We continue our active participation in the Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan and a number of trilateral and quadrilateral processes manifest our commitment. We look forward to the senior officials meeting of the Istanbul Process next week in New York.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

7. “We are committed to an Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. We are not only committed, we are supportive of the objectives and work of the Afghan High Peace Council. Our commitment to the reconciliation process was reiterated in ajoint statement issued after the visit of our Prime Minister to Kabul in July. We hope that our efforts will be supplemented by meaningful international cooperation based on pragmatism and attention to ground realities. The security situation in Afghanistan is a matter of paramount importance for Pakistan. Afghanistan's march on the road to transition, particularly in the security sector, is not too encouraging, at the moment.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

8. “It remains to be seen whether security and humanitarian risks associated with a possible economic shrinking following the withdrawal, have been addressed forthrightly. The Secretary-General has rightly noted that Afghan peace and reconciliation is essential to avoid protracted conflict and instability. I share that observation in addition to a long-term solution to the challenges that lie on the path of the sustainable reconciliation process, under Afghan ownership. The process must not be complicated by inexplicable caveats or conditionalities. Sustainability of the reconciliation process can only be ensured if stakeholders share the goal of reconciliation. International partners should facilitate the convergence. The idea of reconciliation, under any coercion, contravenes a fundamental lesson of Afghan history.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

9. “Another initiative, now a priority, is a program named 'Guardian Angel' that calls for one or two soldiers to monitor the Afghans during every mission or meeting, officials say. The 'angels,' whose identities are not disclosed to the Afghans, must be prepared to fire on anyone who tries to kill a coalition service member." Now, I do not know how everyone will take that. But I have been reading from official documents and two of the most renown publications in America. The Secretary-General has made an important point on the need to transform security gains into public perception of greater security. He has also expressed the need to factor the financial impact of the withdrawal of international forces.”

   2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

10. “19, 2012) I will now quote briefly from The New York Times, in August. On 9 and 10 August, eight American and British soldiers were killed. On 13 August, there were two more green-on-blue attacks. On 17 August, there were two American Special Forces members shot to death by a new Afghan local police patrol. And in early September, which is of even greater concern to me, American officials said that the training of Afghan local police and special operations forces had been put on hold. 1 will move to another aspect which I consider equally serious, as quoted in The New York Times on 18 August. "In one of a series of recent steps, the military decreed that American and NATO service members should always carry a loaded magazine in their weapons, to save precious moments if attacked by Afghan forces.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

11. “I now move to an article from Foreign Policy magazine published, I believe, in Washington, DC. It says that it is incorrect, if not disingenuous, when we say that the Taliban's momentum has been blunted. It continues, "The Taliban's spear is sharp as ever. Last week, on 14 September, it cut through Camp Bastion, one of the most secure foreign bases in Afghanistan. There . . . it destroyed six jets valued at up to $180 million." It continues, "The US surge is over. All troops brought into Afghanistan after December 2009 will have returned home by the end of this week. But the Taliban surge has just begun." Sadly, it also says, "Meanwhile, in Helmand and Kandahar provinces - the heart of [the] surge - nearly 30 per cent of children suffer from acute malnutrition." ("So Much for the Good War" by Arif Rafiq, www. foreignpolicy.com, Sept.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

12. “In the Regional Command South-west, insurgent-initiated attacks have increased by 13 per cent. In the Regional Command South, the insurgent-initiated attacks for the reporting period have increased by 6 per cent. In the Regional Command North, the insurgent-initiated attacks have increased by 29 per cent. In the Regional Command West, the insurgent-initiated attacks have increased by 46 per cent. The last two cover the furthest side of Afghanistan, miles away from anything close to us. In the capital, it is good to know what has reduced the entire aggregate. The insurgent-initiated attacks have decreased by 22 per cent for the Kabul area. It now seems that by October, there will be 352,000 troops and police in Afghanistan. Yet, we have this report of the ISAF that I find disconcerting.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

13. “Appointments of a new Chief Justice and one member of the Supreme Court, whose terms expired two years ago, are pending."(ibid., para. 43) There is mention of the increasing narcotics problem, but after hearing so much about the Tokyo Conference, I want to refer to an important element. Given the depth of humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, following the mid-year review, the consolidated appeals process increased to $448 million to address the life- saving needs of approximately 8.8 million people. It is worrying that as of 1 August, funding stands at only 33.5 per cent, less than half of what was available during the same period in 2011. I now turn to the ISAF report, where it talks of the security situation. During the reporting period, insurgent-initiated attacks increased by 6 per cent, compared to the same period in 2011.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

14. “But air raids continued to cause more civilian casualties than any other tactic used by pro-Government forces. Furthermore, with regard to the Ministry of Information and Culture's risk of curtailing freedom of speech and increasing Government control of the media, the presidential decree of 27 July, as stated in the Secretary-General's report, "contains language that can potentially restrict the right to receive and impart information, with the media ordered to "refrain from anti-State propaganda and anything that may lead to negative motivations' " (ibid., para. 35). With regard to the most the important aspect, which no civilized society can do without - I am referring to the judiciary - the report says, "The period also saw the creation of several working groups to revise the Penal Code.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

15. “That includes 17 members of the Afghan local police in the north-western province of Badghis, who are understood to have joined the Taliban on 24 June, and a further 93 who switched sides on 3 July. This is a worrying development affecting trust during a security transition based on close coordination between Afghans and their foreign mentors. Included in that development is an incident that took place on 17 August in which a local police recruit was understood to be a former insurgent. That raises a point that needs to be looked at closely here, as we have discussed those matters in other aspects. On the pro-Government side, civilian deaths and injuries caused by air strikes, night raids and other military operations have decreased significantly.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

16. “On 15 July, at a similar event in Kandahar city, "participants adopted a lS-point resolution, emphasizing the need for the rule of law" - and I say that pointedly - "reform of security agencies and improved outreach by provincial peace committees"(ibid., para. 13) It then points out that 69 per cent of all incidents took place in Kandahar, Kunar, Nangarhar, Ghazni, Khost and Helmand provinces. Then the concern increases. UNAMA has expressed concern over the appointment of alleged human rights abusers to positions of responsibility, as well as over several reports of abuse involving Afghan local police personnel. Furthermore, it says that there have been continuing reports of defections from various Afghan security bodies.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

17. “The Secretary-General's quarterly report under consideration today has provided some mutual insights on the prevailing situation in Afghanistan. I would like to share some of those with the Council; they say a lot and yet need to be pointed out. The fact that it was seen necessary to write in the report that Chairman Rabbani and senior members of the High Peace Council "visited Saudi Arabia and agreed with their Saudi Arabian counterparts on the need to work with Pakistan in advancing the peace process and to utilize the important role of" (S/2012/703, para.]2) the ulema and religious leaders, is not necessarily being reflected on in today's debate, but was considered important enough to be stated at an important venue.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

18. “Ithank you, Mr. President, for convening today's important debate. I warmly welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and thank him for his statement. I would also to thank Mr. Jan Kubis for introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security (S/2012/703). Under the leadership of Mr. Kubis, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is to implement a challenging mandate. But the United Nations role in Afghanistan should adjust to emerging realities, characterized by the projected drawdown of international forces and the onset of the phase of transformation. Similarly, a reduction in the budget of UNAMA must not compromise core objectives of the United Nations in the medium and long-term perspectives.”

    2012-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6840 (2012) · source

19. “We hope that the working of the PBC will improve in leaps and bounds as the global narrative on peacebuilding further evolves and as our collective response becomes more focused and, hopefully, more results-oriented.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

20. “In that context, the Secretary-General's initiative on civilian capacity must be called extremely important for identifying expertise that could be tailored to particular needs. We hope that the ongoing follow-up on the civilian capacity process will lead to more efficiency in the field, as well as at Headquarters, where it is missing. Intergovernmental input in the process will grant it the legitimacy it seeks. The Peacebuilding Commission, with its unique composition and specific mandate, is an important tool for post-conflict stability. We must consider ways and means of better realizing the contribution that its unique composition can make to the collective objective.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

21. “The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) has thus far had a catalytic role in harnessing other sources of funding - without adequate success, however. But it is an essential component of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture. However, given the magnitude of the challenges, the PBF alone cannot, and was not supposed to, meet the rising overall demands for peacebuilding. Avenues of resource mobilization should therefore be more vigorously explored. I would like to recall that the establishment of the peacebuilding architecture in 2005 was a direct recognition of the interlinkage between peace and development. Unless that aspect is given due attention, success will continue to elude us in achieving and building durable peace internationally. Besides financing, peacebuilding initiatives require necessary human resources.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

22. “Given that integrated mandates are increasingly becoming the norm, peacekeeping and peacebuilding tasks should be articulated clearly and adequately resourced from onset ofa mission. Clear articulation of peacebuilding tasks in a mission's mandate necessitates closer interaction between the PBC and the Security Council. Regrettably, that has not happened as it should have. It has been inadequate in whatever has happened so far. The Council must utilize the PBC's advice in framing peacebuilding mandates. The PBC's interaction with principal organs of the United Nations and the international financial institutions will be important as well to moving matters forward. The success ofUnited Nations peacebuilding hinges on adequate financial resources.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

23. “In turn, international partners must demonstrate political will and flexibility to respond effectively to nationally owned peacebuilding priorities. In the general discourse on United Nations conflict management, "peacekeepers are early peacebuilders" is an oft-encountered adage. However, the linkage between peacekeeping and peacebuilding needs to be put in the proper perspective. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding are specialized activities, albeit with a common objective. They should not be subjected to competition for resources. Despite the very generous contribution of some members here and from the General Assembly, the record thus far shows that the funds are by no means commensurate with the peacebuilding process. Without that, they will not really move forward with the three objectives outlined earlier.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

24. “That is a difference that we in this body must understand. Therefore, regular interaction among the Chairs of the country-specific configurations, the Security Council and the Organizational Committee of PBC are critical to ensuring transparency and accountability. The countries that decide or agree to be placed on the PBC's agenda themselves have a special responsibility to put the concept of their own ownership into practice. Often, they tend to be in great awe of the United Nations and do not do so. I think that it is time for them to lead and guide the discussion from the front, and to frankly present and explain their priorities and expectations to the Commission for it to consider. It is only through their active engagement that we can drive this process forward.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

25. “I would not be out of place in mentioning here that, when I was looking at the various zones of conflict that are now endowed with some sort of United Nations-inspired peace, I found the number to be far in excess of the countries that are to be reflected here today in speech and/or in the report. Achievements of the older configurations, such as those for Burundi and Sierra Leone, as well as the challenges faced by them, will offer a useful body of knowledge for application to the emerging new configurations, such as those for Liberia and Guinea. It is important that the work of country configurations is congruent with overall peacebuilding objectives and is carried out under full national ownership. In our recent travels to these areas, we heard the oft-repeated remark of not being included in this process, instead being reported upon.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

26. “I believe that, at this institution, we must seek a more integrated role for the Commission in order to make it effective. We note that the 2011 report of the PBC points to progress on implementing the 2010 review. Some aspects of the report have a reference value, such as a record of work and meetings and country-specific configurations. The value of such reports can be enhanced through an analytical explanation - if available - of the decision-making process. Such an analysis must dovetail into enhancing our collective understanding of the various facets of peacebuilding. Work in the country-specific configurations of the PBC is an important element of the peacebuilding narrative. Our shared understanding of the challenges and complexities of peacebuilding endeavours will improve as respective configurations take forward their work.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

27. “The 2011 session was the first one after the completion of review process in 2010. The process helped realign focus along three key concepts of peacebuilding. First, it created a strict prioritization of targeted areas from among the areas of security sector reform, local capacity-building and economic revitalization. Secondly, it sharpened the emphasis on development aspect ofpeacebuilding. Thirdly, it refined the peacekeeping-peacebuilding nexus. From this, the conclusion was also drawn that it was imperative to craft and implement peacebuilding strategies according to national priorities and policies, with complete local ownership. Before I discuss the 2011 report, I should like to say that I find in this three-point focus some disturbing omissions. I find that perhaps we have not focused on these issues as we ought to have.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

28. “It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Security Council, Madam, and we should like to thank you for coming because, with your being here, we find that we have the opportunity to discuss the matter of peacebuilding and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), which otherwise has been pending for a longer time than many of us would care to remember. I think that it is a good omen to see you here. We are grateful to the Secretary-General for his statement. I would like to commend the Permanent Representative of Rwanda for ably guiding the work of the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission, and specifically for presenting the report on the fifth session ofthe PBC (S/2012/70). I also thank my friend the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, whose is currently Chair of the PBC.”

    2012-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6805 (2012) · source

29. “We have vital stakes in that, as stated by Pakistan's Foreign Minister during the recently held Heart of Asia ministerial conference on the theme "For Pakistan, Kabul is the most important capital of the world." Meanwhile, it would be inappropriate for me not to welcome the recent policy statement of the International Security Assistance Force on reducing civilian casualties caused by air strikes. I pray that that also applies to other parties. Our Afghan brethren in Pakistan have suffered for far too long. We hope and pray for an early end to such a plight so that our two peoples can embark on a joint quest for progress and development, integrated with the rest of a rising Asia and the world.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

30. “The programme's judicious implementation should be finely honed to help address the narcotics problem, as highlighted in the Afghan Opium Survey of December 2011 and UNODC's Opium Risk Assessment of April 2012. We are rightly warned by the UNAMA report that the financial impact of the departure of the international forces might enhance the attraction towards narcotics. The warning calls for the world to acknowledge that and to do something about it now by initiating effective prevention measures. Even though my friend Ambassador Tanin did not mention Pakistan in his statement - many others have not done so either, and I do not know whether to thank him - Pakistan remains steadfast. I will conclude by reiterating our commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. It is to our own benefit.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

31. “Meanwhile, Pakistan is hurting. I would suggest stepping up to the plate and bearing what must be borne. To return to Mr. Fedotov: the policy of treating any production of narcotics with kid gloves must be abandoned. A policy has been in place that aims to avoid antagonizing farmers and that has meant that military and police forces would no longer participate in the eradication of poppy fields. This was stated in a recent article in the Washington Post, and, of course, dilated upon pretty seriously by the adviser Mr. Vali Nasr in his book The Rise ofIslamic Capitalism: Why the New Muslim Middle Class is the Key to Defeating Extremism. However, we welcome the Afghanistan country programme for 2012-14 launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime last month.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

32. “Despite the best efforts of the world community and the United Nations, Pakistan is still host - and, unfortunately, hostage - to the largest single population of Afghan refugees. In doing so - despite the lack of acknowledgment or funding and an abundance of unjustified, unfair hyperbole - we remain a major contributor, easing the humanitarian burden on Afghanistan at significant economic, social and security costs to the already overburdened people of Pakistan. We therefore attach great importance to the outcome of the international conference held in Geneva last month. The solution strategy agreed on at the conference should be underpinned by a strong commitment of sustained support from the international community. We must look beyond scapegoating and look forward to those commitments coming to fruition.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

33. “The policy must be transparent, not a covert one that panders to the vagaries of domestic politics. The sustainability of that process can be ensured only if all stakeholders not only believe in it themselves but also share the goal of reconciliation. The process must not be complicated by inexplicable caveats and conditions. The idea of coerced reconciliation flies in the face of the obvious lessons of Afghan history: that Afghan leadership, ownership of and willing participation in all such matters is absolutely essential. For our part, we are and will remain committed to an Afghan-led and -owned reconciliation process. So far, unfortunately, we see no panacea for delivering peace in Afghanistan, and the current handling of the war there may perhaps be placing any such expectations outside the realm of possibility for the moment.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

34. “The latest attack took place where there is apparently a sizeable Afghan National Security Forces and international presence. It is a grave incident that unfortunately is not unprecedented. But our response to such attacks is always to go through official channels. Unlike others, we neither play the blame game nor conduct diplomacy through media. Such restraint, however, should not be taken for granted. Preventing a recurrence of such incidents is absolutely imperative, and safe havens for such people in Afghanistan must be eliminated. The Secretary-General's report enumerates many challenges to the Afghan peace and reconciliation process. He has characterized progress on reconciliation as slow and uneven. The long-term solution to the challenges in Afghanistan lies in a sustainable reconciliation process.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

35. “Our deployment of troops and paramilitaries in the border region far exceeds the number of international troops in the whole of Afghanistan, and has come at a considerable economic, political and human cost. Our ongoing intelligence and military cooperation with Afghanistan and our international counterparts is progressing smoothly, and recently the improvements in military cooperation have for once been acknowledged by all players. Pakistan's narrative on Afghan security issues is untainted by polemics. Provocations perpetrated through actions on the ground and through rhetoric have not undermined our restraint. A recent example was the 24 June attack on a Pakistani border post in which 17 security personnel lost their lives. The matter is being taken up with Afghanistan at the highest level for a bilateral matter.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

36. “Pakistan greatly values that progress, which it sees as a guarantee of sustained stability in Afghanistan, as evidenced - which the Council will be pleased to know - by my President's announcement at the NATO Summit in Chicago of Pakistan's financial contribution to the Afghan National Security Forces. Besides helping to build the capacity of the Afghan National Security Forces, Pakistan has sought closer engagement with Afghanistan and its international partners on all security-related issues. Our leading participation in the seven confidence-building measures on 14 June in Istanbul manifests our commitment. We have done so by maintaining a robust presence of our forces along the international border.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

37. “Nonetheless, while demonstrating confidence in Afghan transition efforts, the Secretary-General has rightly urged the donor community to refrain from unrealistic demands that ignore constraints on capacity. We believe that long-term engagement on the part of the international community is essential to Afghanistan's stability and economic development. In that context, deliberations at the forthcoming Tokyo conference will be important. We commend the Government of Japan for hosting the conference and look forward to its successful outcome. The Secretary-General also reports progress in transitioning security responsibilities to the Afghan National Security Forces.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

38. “The accountants wielding knives must be controlled, and the Mission must have resources adequate to the achievement of its goals. We must therefore ensure that any substantial reduction in the UNAMA budget will not affect the core objectives of the United Nations in Afghanistan. I cannot overemphasize this issue, which is the core of the matter at the moment. As Afghan institutions come of age, UNAMA too should continue to adapt to emerging trends and realities. The Secretary-General's latest report (S/2012/462) and those preceding it provide useful updates on the situation in Afghanistan. As was said earlier, the Secretary-General has struck a note of cautious optimism, specifically concerning the areas of security transition, human development and the growth of Afghan institutions. We agree with him wholeheartedly.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

39. “As always, today's debate carries with it a very interesting sense of timing and history and, of course, of the important, essential aspects of the United Nations and its contribution - as well as that of the rest of the world - in Afghanistan. We are as ever grateful to Ambassador Zahir Tanin for his lucid statement, and many thanks are also due to Under-Secretary-General Herve Ladsous for the broad coverage of his excellent and wide-ranging briefing on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The eye-opener from Mr. Yuri Fedotov of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) should be recognized before the malaise he describes wins regional support. We must take cognizance of Mr. Ladsous's statement concerning the challenges of the mandate UNAMA must implement.”

    2012-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6793 (2012) · source

40. “Money is grudgingly spent. Helicopters and other effective equipment are often essential. The current world situation, with inflation rampant everywhere, has not left a safety margin for the countries, especially those in Asia, providing those troops, so very often these helicopters are withdrawn, as was the case with MONUSCO recently, with devastating consequences. The Economist says, rather arrestingly, that sticking to such a low fixed price is self-defeating in the United Nations. The advice they give us in the end, which I think all present could definitely benefit from, is that without peacekeepers "conflicts will begin again - and the ensuing costs would be enormously higher, not just in terms of military action but in relief efforts, forgone trade and ruined futures. Without peace, nothing happens in Africa.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

41. “The strapped Western Powers, which foot most of the annual $6 billion bill to keep the peace in Africa alone, are today in difficult situations when it comes to paying more, and we should understand that. But at times like this, I return to the sage advice of The Economist, the most effective media organ in the United Kingdom - I think my friend Mark Lyall Grant will agree - which I believe is one of the most no-nonsense, common-sense publications in the world. The Economist states, in this month's edition - rather appropriately and aptly - that peacekeepers are doing a useful job in Africa and deserve to be properly paid. The United Nations Africa missions have helped to create the continent's own peacekeepers, and as useful as such missions are, Africa will need external help from the United Nations peacekeepers for decades.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

42. “Questions of resources - and this is an important point - cannot be hedged on the pretext of financial constraints; I will say a little more on this issue later on. Under-resourced Missions are neither effective nor safe. The Security Council and the Secretariat must therefore ensure the provision of resources to peacekeeping missions, in consultation with all stakeholders. Finally, let me say that underlining and strengthening coordination between peacekeeping and peacemaking also remains essential for success. Successful military operations can neither replace nor obviate political dialogue and reconciliation. If we cannot win peace, we will not be able to enforce it. Lastly, I wish to raise the issue of the ever-pressing need for money.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

43. “Reinforcing triangular cooperation among the Security Council, the Secretariat and TCCs is therefore essential. The Security Council must drive such cooperation. A one-off briefing close to mandate renewal does not suffice. Sustained dialogue is also essential in the wake of drawdown and reconfiguration. These must be thought out in much more complex situations, such as in Africa. Technical assessments carried out to implement drawdown and deployment must be based on realities on the ground and shared on a timely basis with TCCs. Consultations with the TCCs concerned therefore become vital, not just on the ground but also here in New York. The operational success of peacekeeping is predicated on the timely and assured deployment of human and material resources.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

44. “That is indeed a wide range of issues that need to be addressed. I think that the United Nations peacekeeping Missions in Liberia and East Timor are stellar examples in that regard, and - this is very important - those tasks need the active cooperation not only of the United Nations as a whole but also of the Security Council in particular, as well as the ownership of host States. Today's meeting has highlighted the challenges and complexity of peacekeeping operations. We in the Security Council must ensure that complexities are simplified and operational strains eased out. We can do so by laying down clear and achievable mandates that are not fraught with individual national priorities or complicated by unwieldy political propositions.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

45. “Secondly, the presence of multinational contingents entails numerous diversities, for example in terms of training, weapons, equipment, the articulation of command and control imperatives, and communication. Finally, a wide range of strains, including alien terrain, weather and the prevailing political and security situation, also contribute significantly. The challenges of common operational goals are exacerbated by complex mandates, where support for host nations has to be provided in difficult political environments. Such assistance includes support for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, security structure reforms in the host State, improvements in the judicial and correctional systems, the protection of civilians, humanitarian support and infrastructure development.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

46. “Given the broad geographical base of TCCs, achieving standardization in equipment, mechanical transport and training may not be easy. However, it is important and essential to determine baseline standards to avoid underperformance. Quality and performance should not be compromised out of the desire to widen the base of TCCs or in the name of regional representation or other geopolitical considerations. We must continue to place the highest premium on professional excellence. In all United Nations peacekeeping missions, leading a composite force towards common operational goals is a pressing challenge that is exacerbated by numerous factors. First, peacekeeping operations are not conventional warfare, with a well-defined adversary. Often there is no defined adversary.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

47. “Those aspects are important not only for us to consider but for the contributors to the security of all our missions to accomplish the mandates effectively. It can be suggested that, to an extent, underperformance and standardization should be addressed by developing training modules and assessment parameters within the context ofa mission's challenges. We can undertake that important task by evaluating the troop-contributing countries (TCCs) with more structured predeployment visits that encompass a host of tests and scenario-based exercises, with a View to checking the operational efficacy of all outfits. In fact, we recommend that approach. The module can be developed to assess the operational readiness and worthiness of our troops. We welcome the Department of Peacekeeping Operations' reinforced focus in that specific area.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

48. “Over the past 50 years, 130 Pakistanis have laid down their lives during peacekeeping activities, which is one of the highest numbers of fatalities suffered by any single State Member of the United Nations and which speaks of our continual commitment to defend - at whatever the cost to us - the sanctity of the blue uniform. Against the backdrop of such sobering statistics, the imperativeness of enhancing the safety and security of peacekeepers cannot be overemphasized. The imperiled safety of troops can undermine the sanctity of peacekeeping operations. Insufficient resources and a lack of operational readiness can also jeopardize troop safety. Lieutenant General Prakash spoke of standardization, performance and adequate resource provision.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

49. “While their briefings have evoked many memories of actions taken in the service of humankind, it would not be right not to mention here the injuries and fatalities suffered by our valiant standard-bearers, the most recent examples being the losses suffered in the United Nations Operation in C6te d'Ivoire and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The incident in MONUSCO last month resulted in injuries to some of our peacekeepers, but that has clearly not dented our commitment to United Nations peacekeeping in any form whatsoever.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source

50. “Today is a very appropriate time to address the situation of peacekeepers, as well as to meet with them and hear some of their opinions. We thank Mr. Ladsous and we thank and welcome all the Force Commanders for their insightful briefings, their clarity and incisiveness in presenting perspectives on the subjects under consideration, which brings the value of constant interaction between the Security Council and the field into appropriate focus. Lest we forget, the briefers are officers and gentlemen, so while a lot has been said, so much has not been said.”

    2012-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6789 (2012) · source