YouSaid · the spoken record

Hasmy

lines on the record: 1,114
first: 1996-08-15
most recent: 2002-10-17
sittings or episodes: 116
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

“Ogata has many times commended Africans' traditional hospitality towards refugees. But this, too, has its limitations. Most host countries in Africa are confronted with numerous and unparalleled economic crises of their own and therefore can ill afford the luxury of hospitality, which can be politically sensitive. Clearly, for the millions of uprooted Africans, the problem must ultimately be resolved in the context of much-needed new commitments and political will on the part of the African countries concerned to achieve peace and reconciliation. Clearly, too, a permanent solution must be predicated on adherence to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Refugee Convention, one of the cornerstones of the organization itself.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“In spite of the commendable efforts of the international community, particularly the donor countries, to respond to these unending refugee crises, a permanent solution remains elusive. The numbers of new refugees swell even as efforts are being made, oftentimes unsuccessfully, to deal with the old cases. Clearly, because of the large numbers involved and other factors, resettlement in third countries has its limitations and therefore cannot be a viable option in resolving the problem. More and more, a permanent solution to the refugee problems in Africa must be found in Africa itself, with, of course, the necessary international assistance. Indeed, African Governments and societies have not been found wanting in rendering assistance to refugees arriving in their countries. Mrs.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“However, in the case of Africa, the unresolved political crises on the continent are at the root of the problem, highlighted by Mrs. Ogata, which has led to the growing mass exodus of people from their homes. Indeed, the crises have become virtually intractable and are further compounded by other socio-economic crises faced by many African countries. Because of its cross-border character, the refugee issue has serious regional dimensions precipitating or complicating conflicts among regional States, as can be seen in a number of conflict situations in Africa, such as Angola, Sierra Leone, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These conflicts have led to a massive exodus of people who find themselves in overcrowded refugee camps.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“No one knows exactly how many people have been displaced, but we do know that the numbers escalate daily and that the problem of refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa is not going to go away in the foreseeable future. Yet, it is not just Africa that is grappling with the refugee problem. Europe and Asia, too, have their share of the problem in the wake of the crises in Kosovo, Chechnya, East Timor and many other places. Undoubtedly, this has posed a tremendous challenge to the international community and, in particular, to international humanitarian agencies like the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other relief agencies in addressing the issue. Various reasons have been given as the causes of refugee movements.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“My delegation is pleased to see Mrs. Ogata address the Council once again on this important issue. We benefited a great deal the last time she addressed this issue and are particularly grateful to have this latest update. Today's meeting of the Council on the refugee situation in Africa keeps the focus on the continent during this month-long consideration by the Council of issues relating to Africa during the presidency of the United States. My delegation is grateful to Mrs. Ogata for her overview of the refugee situation in Africa. We entirely agree with her analysis of the problem and strongly support her suggestions and proposals, which we hope the Council will be able to act on. No one can deny that the refugee problem affecting Africa is one of great magnitude.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“President, on organizing this meeting of the Council on the impact of AIDS in Africa and its consequences for regional peace and security, which has dramatized the concerns of the international community on this important subject. It is a timely wake-up call for the international community and reinforces the efforts of the General Assembly and other organs of the United Nations, as well as that of the Secretary-General.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In this regard, my delegation commends the important package of initiatives that the United States intends to take, as announced by Vice- President Gore in his statement this morning. We welcome these initiatives as a manifestation of enlightened leadership on the part of the most influential member of the international community. We trust these initiatives will be vigorously pursued and emulated by other developed countries that have not yet done so. Indeed, nothing could be more appropriate and more welcome than for the developed countries, led by the United States, to launch a kind of Marshall Plan for Africa to assist the continent in combating this scourge. I wish to congratulate you, Mr.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Even as we are gradually coming to grips with it, we are still underestimating the impact of the epidemic. And, unfortunately, we are also underestimating our ability or capacity to stop it - or at least to slow it down, as evidenced by some of the success stories we have heard this morning, particularly regarding Uganda. We look forward to hearing further success stories in the coming months and years. In Africa, comparisons with the medieval bubonic plague are not misplaced. To prevent an even greater catastrophe, we need to work together - Governments, businesses, universities, non-governmental organizations, religious organizations and the media - to do more, to do it better and to do it now. Yes, new resources will be required. But the cost of action will certainly be less than the cost of inaction.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“He felt that the developed countries, with their unprecedented wealth, could do more to reduce the burden of the poor countries in this regard. We must not only do more in addressing the AIDS epidemic; we must do it better. The United Nations system, with its global mission of protecting and promoting human rights, peace and security, is uniquely placed to provide assistance on very often difficult policy matters relating to AIDS. The role of the United Nations in combating AIDS is particularly pertinent, for, after all, two of the most fundamental of human rights are the right to life and health. It is regrettable that when the world first learned about HIV/AIDS infections, we underestimated the breadth of the deadly path it would cut through the world.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Indeed, at the International Congress on AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region held recently in Kuala Lumpur, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, drew attention to the fact that compulsory licensing was allowed under the World Trade Organization but that, regrettably, certain countries had aligned themselves with the giant pharmaceutical companies, thereby denying developing countries the right to produce cheaper drugs to save the lives of their people. While it is true that pharmaceutical companies have made heavy investments in research, they should not try to recoup their costs and reap profits at the expense of the sufferings of the poor. As Prime Minister Mahathir said, it is regrettable that profit is taking precedent over people's lives.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Many of the African countries, burdened with crippling debts, simply do not have the resources to carry out effective prevention programmes or to provide treatment to their people infected by HIV, as the drugs necessary for the treatment are exorbitantly expensive. This is where developed countries can and should play a major and constructive role. They can, through their economic aid programmes, make available the necessary drugs to African countries. More importantly, they should pressure their pharmaceutical companies to reduce the prices of these drugs or allow compulsory licensing of life-saving drugs.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In our efforts to galvanizing global action to combat the HIV/AIDS Virus worldwide, beginning with Africa as being the most seriously affected region, we should not lose sight of the fact that while the virus knows no boundaries and attacks indiscriminately, it is the poorer developing countries that are most traumatized by the disease. Therefore there is a need for the wealthier developed countries - out of enlightened self-interest, if not pure altruism - to make available more resources to ameliorate the effects of the disease in the developing countries, particularly the affected African countries.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The United Nations and other agencies involved, namely the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and its cosponsors, must be commended for this initiative in focusing on the impact of AIDS in Africa. We wished this meeting could have been organized much earlier so that the AIDS issue in Africa could have been addressed much sooner, but late is better than never. There should be concrete follow-up actions in the coming months, and in this regard my delegation looks forward to an agreed plan of action expected to be finalized in May this year.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In his address during that meeting Secretary-General Kofi Annan, inter alia, underscored a number of priority objectives, namely, to break the conspiracy of silence at every level, to meet the needs of those already infected and their families, to make effective treatment available at affordable prices to Africans, to speed up the work of developing a vaccine and to use all available means to halt the spread of the disease. The meeting on international partnerships was the first major step in the right direction in galvanizing and coordinating global action towards addressing this scourge of our generation. It was an action-oriented meeting.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“For this purpose, there is a need to launch a concerted and Vigorous global campaign against HIV/AIDS involving a multipronged approach, involving publicity to sensitize both Governments and publics, care and education at every level of society, policy coordination within and between Governments, medical research, and greater involvement of civil society and the private sector. In this regard, the first ever meeting on international partnerships against HIV/AIDS in Africa, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 6 December 1999, was welcome and timely.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“It is obvious that the AIDS issue is no longer an essentially African problem. It has become a global problem affecting many regions of the world, including my own region of Asia, where it is also becoming an issue of major concern. Indeed, very few regions have been spared its pernicious effects, although the developing countries bear the greatest burden on account of their lack of capacity to contain the HIV/AIDS virus. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that the fight against AIDS be mounted on a global scale, as that is the only way the scourge could conceivably be contained and eventually stamped out.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Clearly, the impact of AIDS on Africa has been particularly debilitating. In the words of the Secretary- General, "the AIDS pandemic - unexpected, unexplained, unspeakably cruel - presents us, especially Africa, with a tragedy we can barely comprehend, let alone manage". Its effects are of tragic proportions, destroying the very fabric of society. Over the last two decades, since it first reared its head, it has become not just a public health problem, but a problem with socio-economic and, increasingly, security dimensions. It presents an enormous challenge to African Governments in their developmental efforts as the best of national planning goes awry in the face of the devastating effects of the disease, especially when valuable human capital trained at great cost falls Victim to the disease.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“At your request, Mr. President, I shall go straight to the subject without the usual complimentary remarks to Vice-President Gore, to you, Sir, and to Ambassador Greenstock, which have been well expressed by previous speakers with which my delegation associates itself. We are all too familiar with the AIDS statistics affecting Africa. Many of these compelling facts have been cited and highlighted by virtually all of the distinguished speakers during this morning's session. I will therefore not repeat them here. Suffice to say the AIDS epidemic in Africa is indeed a pandemic affecting millions of people, many of whom have succumbed to this terrible disease and many still living but barely surviving. Many more will be infected in the years to come until and unless humanity finds a way to stop the spread of the pandemic once and for all.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“I would just like to remind the representative of the Netherlands that, in addition to China, France and the Russian Federation, Malaysia too abstained in the vote on the resolution just adopted by the Council. My delegation would like to stress that while Malaysia is not a permanent member, it is nevertheless a full, functioning and voting member of the Council, and has just exercised its right to vote on a draft resolution, on which it abstained for reasons my delegation made clear in its earlier statement. On the process that led to this vote, my delegation is of the View that if the issue had been properly discussed and negotiated among all 15 permanent and non-permanent members at every stage of the consultations and negotiations, the outcome might well have been quite different.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“My delegation had strongly supported the panels' recommendations, which, in our view, provide the most viable basis for resolving the outstanding issues with Iraq and should have been the basis of this omnibus draft resolution. We also believe that for the successful outcome of this exercise, it is important for the international community, particularly members of the Council, to create a conducive atmosphere. Regrettably, this is not the case, given the continuing violation of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity. For the reasons I have given, my delegation is unable to support the draft resolution.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“The draft resolution before us is intended to set out a new Council approach towards Iraq. Unfortunately, it does not have the right balance. It is driven largely by political, rather than humanitarian, considerations. It is aimed at keeping Iraq under continued isolation, rather than bringing it out into the mainstream of international life, which should have been the real aim of this exercise. The language of the draft resolution is ambiguous in some important parts, so that it may lend itself to unilateral interpretation and/or action in its implementation, which must be avoided. The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation alluded to this fact. The text incorporates only some of the recommendations of the Amorim panels.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“This is, after all, part of due process before a decision is made affecting the party concerned, as is provided for in the Charter of the United Nations and the Council's provisional rules of procedure. My delegation regrets that its proposal has not been accommodated, in spite of support from a number of Council members. We will, nevertheless, continue to call for a dialogue and engagement with Iraq, in the belief that engaging Iraq, rather than isolating and demonizing it, will serve the best interests of both the international community and the people of Iraq. In this regard, we reiterate our conviction that the Secretary-General, who concluded an important memorandum of understanding with Iraq in Baghdad on 23 February 1998, has an appropriate and pertinent role to play and should be encouraged to do so.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“This is an important matter to be urgently addressed out of respect for the Islamic faith, especially in the context of the upcoming hajj, which is only three months away. We wished that the issue of the hajj flights, which should also include the umrah, could have been treated with greater sympathy and understanding, particularly in the context of the inter-civilizational dialogue on which the international community is embarking. The Council is about to adopt an enormously important resolution which will affect the lives of the Iraqi people in many ways. My delegation had proposed that the Council give a hearing to Iraq's views before it took action on this draft resolution.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“While it is true that hajj flights are not under sanctions per se, aspects of the performance of the hajj by Iraqi pilgrims are subject to approval by the sanctions Committee in respect of Iraq or the 661 Committee. I regret that a number of proposals made in this regard, including by my delegation, have not been accepted. On the basis of our experience in the 661 Committee, we do not believe the current formulation in the draft resolution will resolve the problems that occur every hajj season. It is imperative that the hajj issue be depoliticized once and for all by removing it from the sanctions regime altogether or by providing maximum latitude or flexibility in its implementation.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“The humanitarian nature of the issue is indisputable and must be addressed by Iraq, which must make every effort to resolve this and the equally important and emotive issue of the return of the missing Kuwaiti property and archives. The importance of these issues to Kuwait has been eloquently underscored yet again by the Permanent Representative of Kuwait in the Council this morning. My delegation firmly hopes that what he said will be taken to heart by Iraq. Malaysia attaches particular importance to the issue of the hajj flights. We are opposed, as a matter of principle, to the imposition of sanctions on the performance of the hajj, which is one of the five sacred pillars of Islam, and have consistently urged the lifting of any such restrictions, whether in respect of the previous sanctions on Libya or on Iraq.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“The second consensus in the Council relates to the equally urgent need to resolve the Kuwaiti issues, namely, Iraq's commitment to facilitate the repatriation of all Kuwaiti and third country nationals and the return of all Kuwaiti property, including Kuwait's priceless archives. Clearly, there will be no final resolution of the Iraq issue until and unless all of these issues have been resolved. Aside from the need to demonstrate its clear cooperation in respect of the remaining disarmament issues, Iraq will have to show its cooperation in respect of these other equally important issues, beginning with resuming its cooperation with the Tripartite Commission and the Technical Subcommittee to resolve the questions of Kuwaiti and third country missing persons.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“Improvements to this programme, which are proposed in this draft resolution, are essentially selective humanitarian measures which will only lead to incremental improvements and address a small fraction of the needs of the Iraqi people. Lifting the oil export ceiling is welcomed, but is limited in its impact by the severely debilitated oil infrastructure in the country. Clearly, no real improvements are possible if urgent oil spare parts and equipment continue to be placed on hold in the 661 Committee. We continue to believe that nothing short of the massive rehabilitation of the entire economy and the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure will enable the situation to improve in a fundamental way.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“There is broad agreement within the Council on continued monitoring and the urgent need to resolve the key remaining disarmament tasks in Iraq. However, any reinforced ongoing monitoring and verification system should take into account Iraq's dignity as an independent, sovereign State, as well as the religious and cultural sensitivities of its people. My delegation regrets that this draft resolution persists in effecting stringent controls that could not but impact negatively on innocent civilians. The much touted oil-for-food programme, while important, has limited capabilities to meet the pressing needs of the Iraqi people. By one estimate, Iraq would need at least $30 billion annually to meet its current requirements for food, medicine and infrastructure.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“The recent report of the United Nations Children's Fund on infant mortality, attesting to the preventable deaths of half a million children below the age of five years in Iraq since the imposition of the sanctions, is a telling indictment against the continuation of the sanctions and a sober reminder of the responsibility of the Council to end them as soon as possible. The only way to alleviate the dire plight of the Iraqi people is for the Council to work out a clear sanctions-lifting plan that would allow Iraq to resume normal economic relations with the international community. There is consensus on two aspects of the draft resolution. The first is the crucial need for the return of a new monitoring, verification and inspection system to Iraq to complete the disarmament tasks that were once entrusted to the former Special Commission.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“It cannot be denied that the sanctions have had debilitating effects on the Iraqi population as a whole, especially the most vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, the infirm and children, who are deprived of many of the most basic amenities which are taken for granted elsewhere. The indefinite continuation of the sanctions violates the very spirit and purposes of the United Nations enshrined in its Charter, which, inter alia, seeks "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person" and to "promote higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development". These are the very words of the Charter. These lofty ideals ring hollow indeed in the context of the reality of the situation in Iraq.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“In our view, it is reasonable, in the absence of such a benchmark or time-frame, for there to be an element of certainty and predictability in the renewals of the suspensions based on the positive reports of the new commission. This is important not least for purposes of economic and development planning for Iraq, which must urgently embark on rebuilding its shattered economy. Nine years of punitive sanctions are far too long for any country to bear. This Council has the responsibility to assess the enormity of the effects of the sanctions on the Iraqi people and must begin the process of dismantling them as soon as possible, predicated, of course, on Iraq's compliance with all relevant resolutions of the Council.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“The draft resolution provides, inter alia, for the resumption of arms inspections in Iraq and the suspension of the nine-year-old sanctions, but while it is precise in respect of the establishment of a new monitoring, inspection and verification commission and the return of disarmament inspectors on the ground, it is less clear, indeed vague and full of conditionalities, in respect of the triggering of the suspensions; nor does it establish a definite benchmark or a time-frame for the final lifting of the sanctions, which ought to be as much the objective of the entire exercise as are the accounting for and disposing of Iraq's alleged remaining weapons of mass destruction.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“Despite your best efforts, Sir, which we appreciate very much, the draft resolution does not go far enough to incorporate the concerns that had been expressed by my delegation and others, which would have enabled us to join in supporting a consensus text. It also is not comprehensive enough, as, out of expediency, it has left out the important issue of financial modalities. This is a difficult and complex issue which should have been resolved and incorporated into the resolution, along with the other issues, as a total and integrated package, since leaving it out is likely to create a lot of uncertainties and would complicate the implementation of the draft resolution. We reiterate the view that a consensus approach would contribute enormously to the success of this exercise.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“My delegation believes that, had it not been for that fateful report of the former Chief Inspector of the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq, which triggered the December 1998 bombing of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities, the United Nations Special Commission would still be operating in Iraq, engaged in the important tasks that were mandated to it by this Council. The exercise before the Council today is one not just of asserting its authority and reclaiming its credibility with respect to the issue of Iraq, but equally importantly, one of restoring confidence and trust between the Council and Iraq. Indeed, the Council cannot reasonably expect to effectively re-establish its authority on this enormously difficult issue without also re-establishing a modicum of that confidence and trust that have been broken since December 1998.”
1999-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4084 (1999) · source
“It is imperative that the parties carry out their responsibilities under the Agreement to help the international community play its role in supporting the peace process effectively. Malaysia warmly welcomes the decision of the Organization of African Unity to nominate former President Masire of Botswana as the mediator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo crisis. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the recent appointment of Mr. Kamel Morjane as the Secretary-General's Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo; he will be serving as the head of the United Nations presence in the subregion and will be assisting in the implementation of the Agreement. We wish him every success.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“President, my delegation would like to reiterate once again its strong and continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We consider the Lusaka Peace Agreement process critical and crucial for the restoration of peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and for the Great Lakes region as a whole. If peace is to take root, all the signatories to the Lusaka Agreement must comply with its provisions. Nothing short of this commitment will suffice. It is in this connection that my delegation notes with concern the recent ceasefire violations in some parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which only serve to further jeopardize the still fragile situation there. We are equally concerned by the serious humanitarian situation precipitated by the ceasefire violations.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“It is in this connection that my delegation strongly supports early action on the part of the Council to deploy an observer mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as an important step in that direction. Council resolution 1279 (1999) sent a clear political message to the signatories of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement that the Council continues to be fully committed in assisting them in the implementation of the Agreement. More importantly, the resolution should enable the Secretariat to immediately begin preparations in anticipation of a possible deployment of a substantial United Nations observer force in early 2000. In this regard, we look forward to the assessment of the technical survey team, whose recommendations will have an important bearing on any decision regarding the eventual deployment of observers. In conclusion, Mr.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo presents the Organization with one of its most daunting challenges, given the nature and complexity of the conflict there, as well as the country's sheer size. We must therefore be prepared to mount a major peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which could well be the biggest operation undertaken in the history of the Organization thus far. However, for it to be successful, the mission must be provided with all the necessary financial and logistical assistance from the international community. We cannot afford to have a failed mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“Comparisons were made between the Council's hesitancy in responding to conflict situations in Africa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular, and the promptness of its response to other situations, such as in Kosovo and East Timor. It is time the Council addressed this issue by demonstrating its commitment and resolve to carry out its responsibility vis- a-vis the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have been reminded time and time again about the fragility of the Lusaka process, which, if not adequately supported by the international community and this Council in particular, might run the real risk of being unravelled. I am afraid that time may not be on our side, and we have been forewarned.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“Yesterday, the Council had a frank and fruitful exchange of views on the situation in Africa as a whole and on how best we could enhance the partnership between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity in efforts to manage or prevent conflicts in Africa. We have noted that in virtually every intervention, particular reference was made to the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the importance of the Council's responding promptly and effectively to manage the conflict there. Indeed, the point was made that the Democratic Republic of the Congo would be the litmus test of the commitment of the Council to be engaged in African conflicts as a whole.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“My delegation would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open briefing today on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We would also like to express our appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Miyet for his briefing and updating on the subject. We are pleased that this open briefing, which follows closely the discussion that we had last Friday on the situation in Sierra Leone, is now becoming a regular feature of the work of the Council, demonstrating the increasing transparency of the Council, which is very much welcomed by the larger membership of the Organization.”
1999-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4083 (1999) · source
“I think these are the questions that could be discussed here and in future meetings. I have a couple of other questions, but my time is running out. All I should like to do here is to welcome the Secretary-General's appointment of our former colleague and former Permanent Representative of Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Gambari, as his Adviser for Special Assignments in Africa. We believe that, given his long experience here, including his stint in the Council, he will contribute tremendously to this greater interaction and cooperation between the Organization and the OAU. I think it was a commendable selection by the Secretary-General and we welcome it.”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“We have, for instance, proposed many a time that the Secretary-General of the OAU come to address our Council. I am sure Mr. Annan has addressed the OAU, but I think it would be useful for us to get Mr. Salim to come and participate in these meetings of the Council to in fact clarify some of the points that I and others have raised in the process of our debates here and also in other informal discussions that we have had. I think it is important to have an understanding of the complementarity of functions between the two organizations. I should like, for instance, to ask the question: When we farm out certain aspects of either peacekeeping, peacemaking or the prevention of conflicts to the OAU, is it a division of labour or is it perceived as a dereliction of our duties and an abdication of responsibility?”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“I raise this question nevertheless because sometimes, when we talk informally, these issues have been raised by some of my colleagues. I should particularly like to belabour the point about selectivity and double standards. There is a clear such perception by African countries - and I am sure they would vouch for that - and certainly from the perspective of Asia there is such an impression, or perhaps misimpression. I therefore think it is important for the Council to disabuse them of this notion that selectivity and double standards are in fact involved. I think you, Sir, and others have mentioned the question of greater interaction between the two organizations. There have been high-level contacts, of course, between the Secretaries-General. They meet on a regular basis; they talk to each other.”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“Then, of course, there is the question of Somalia and the perception that, having had its fingers burnt some years ago, there is a shyness, a reticence, on the part of the Council to rush back into helping resolve the problem. From the perspective of Asia, we think that the time has come for the Council to re-engage in Somalia and other places in Africa, and that one can only learn from the lessons of the past. Mistakes have been made, perhaps - we learn from the mistakes. I think the United Nations Secretariat has ample documentation on lessons learned from past mistakes. As far as Malaysia is concerned, I do not think that Africa would believe the involvement of the Security Council to be intrusive or an encroachment into what is essentially African turf.”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“I would appreciate it if some of the questions that I and other friends have raised here could be responded to by my African colleagues in particular, because what they say here has an important bearing. As far as my delegation is concerned, we have no misunderstanding of this. We think that Africa has sent out a clear message, although some other members have felt that the message has not been too clear as to whether the United Nations is invited in or not invited to the full extent. We feel that the message has been very clear, but that what is lacking on the part of the Organization is follow-up and deep involvement.”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“This has been asked, and the problem that arises is one of selectivity sometimes perceived by some members of the Council, particularly the African members, some Asian members and others. We may feel that, perhaps because of this miscommunication, there is this perceived lack of interest - genuine interest - in African affairs and that the Council is being selective. It intervenes in some areas, but not in others. Is it because Africa is too big, because there are too many problems in Africa - of course, funding is a problem, too - or is it because the issues have been there for so long and are unresolved? These are some of the issues that have been raised and I think they contribute to this misperception between the Council and the OAU.”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“Many of the points have been made before, but there are some new angles, which we appreciate very much. What is needed is more follow-up by us, by the Secretariat and by the Organization of African Unity (OAU). What I will do is to raise some questions, even though some may already have been raised by my colleagues who preceded me. My first question is whether there is a sufficient or adequate flow or exchange of information between the two organizations. We have discussed this before, but I raise it again because from time to time some Council members have the notion that we, the Council, do not know exactly what Africa wants of us. There is this miscommunication. Is the Council doing too much or too little? Are we hanging back from intervening in African affairs or are we being too intrusive?”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“My delegation is pleased to see you, Sir, in the chair, presiding over this meeting of the Council. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the United Kingdom delegation for organizing this meeting in a very novel format. I may have taken the advice of the United Kingdom delegation too well to heart, in that as I have not prepared any notes. I am supposed to be direct, but I may be running the risk of not being very articulate on some matters. I merely jotted down some points after listening to you, Mr. President, the Secretary-General and those of my colleagues who have spoken before me. Then I realized that this is an open meeting after all, and what one says is in a sense official. I will try, nevertheless, on the basis of my notes to contribute to the discussion. I agree entirely with what I have heard so far in this meeting.”
1999-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4081 (1999) · source
“We also join others in paying special tribute to Mr. Okelo for his leadership, commitment and tireless efforts to secure peace in Sierra Leone, which culminated in the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement last July.”
1999-12-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4078 (1999) · source