YouSaid · the spoken record

Heusgen

lines on the record: 867
first: 2017-10-31
most recent: 2020-11-12
sittings or episodes: 144
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

“For us, it is clear - and I repeat what the French Ambassador said earlier - that the sanctions are not a goal in and of themselves. As I listened to my Russian colleague earlier, I had the impression that the sanctions were at the origin of the miserable situation that the country is in and the tensions we are seeing. Once again, we should not confuse cause with effect. The sanctions can and should be lifted only when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea implements the relevant Security Council resolutions. As Chair of the 1718 Committee, I would like to remind all United Nations Members that they are under obligation to repatriate to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea any of that country's nationals earning income within their States' jurisdiction.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8682 (2019) · source
“I would once again applaud the United States for the diplomatic efforts that it has undertaken to achieve what the Security Council demanded of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and we support all efforts to resume meaningful negotiations. Despite all the recent efforts, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea resumed its ballistic missile launches on 19 May. I need not repeat all the different activities that were cited earlier by many. I found that perhaps the most worrying aspect of the situation was the recent public announcement by the regime of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea that more provocations can be expected. We as the Council need to be prepared for that, and, as many said earlier, we have to preserve the unity of the Council. Germany chairs the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006).”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8682 (2019) · source
“In his very sober opening statement, Mr. Khiari quoted the Secretary-General, who described the situation on the Korean peninsula as "the most tense and dangerous peace and security issue in the world" (S/PV.8137, p. 2). I therefore welcome the fact that the President put this matter on the agenda. Many of us reminded one another of the fact that, in 2006, the Security Council decided that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea must abandon its weapons of mass destruction and its ballistic missile programme. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has consistently disregarded its obligations.”
2019-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8682 (2019) · source
“I wish very briefly to say, first, that I believe that international humanitarian law and humanitarian assistance are very political and belong in a discussion about the political situation, because these cannot be separated. Secondly, I leave it up to others around the table and to the public as to who is prolonging the suffering of the people - is it Germany, or is it Russia?”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“We heard the news about the sixty-fifth attack on a medical installation, in Qah, where 10 people - civilians and medical personnel - were killed. There is no excuse for indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure. As has been said earlier, we also support that the board of inquiry should look into such attacks and that its subsequent report should be published.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“I therefore again appeal, including to our Russian colleagues, to fully support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011, which actually creates the conditions for reconciliation and a better future for Syria. This morning, when we discussed the situation in Yemen, our Russian colleague said that there needs to be unconditional compliance with international humanitarian law (see S/PV.8672). This afternoon, I listened to his statement and he did not mention that. When I hear and read about what is happening and what the Russian and Syrian forces are undertaking in Syria, I understand why he did not mention it.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“It must inform the families of tens of thousands ofmissing persons about the fate oftheir loved ones, provide the United Nations or the International Committee of the Red Cross unconditional access to all detention facilities under its control, allow persons in custody access to medical treatment and release all political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons. With regard to reconciliation, there is one more key point that I have repeatedly stated, that is, accountability. Without accountability, there cannot be reconciliation.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“Pedersen said about gender-based Violence, discrimination, forced disappearances and the fact that still today women are being taken hostage is horrifying. We need a political process. We need a ceasefire, as colleagues have said, and, as we discussed earlier this week in this body (see S/PV.8668), we need reconciliation in the country. As a first step, what is absolutely necessary for that is that the Syrian regime put an end to arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, forced disappearances and the extrajudicial killings of detainees.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“I would also like to remind colleagues that, from Germany's perspective, there must be a genuine political process that is comprehensive and inclusive and a transition under way before we can start to think about assistance to reconstruction. In talking about an inclusive process, I would like to pay tribute to what Ms. Al Hallak said with regard to women. We greatly welcome the fact that Mr. Pedersen mentioned in his briefing that he had met with the Syrian Women's Advisory Board. But there needs to be the full participation of women in the political process and in all political bodies. I fully subscribe to what he said about the future Constitution, namely, that the goal of the political process is that women's rights must be enshrined in the Constitution. What Mr.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“I also want to start by thanking Mr. Geir Pedersen for his relentless work, and I congratulate him on what he has achieved. In his statement, the United States representative said that the process could open the door for a peaceful process, but it is just the first step. There are worrying statements by President Al-Assad, who is trying to disassociate himself from the Constitutional Committee. Of course, that must not happen, and we must have a guarantee that the independence of the Constitutional Committee will be respected and that its members will be safe and secure and will not be blackmailed. We have opened the door for a political process.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8674 (2019) · source
“We also appeal to other donors to continue to be engaged and to disburse their contributions in a timely manner so that the problem we encountered this year does not repeat itself. Finally, I want to come back to Mr. Griffiths' briefing. At the end, he highlighted his contact with women leaders, and I fully support that. Others members have also highlighted the inclusion of youth. It is important not only to hold separate meetings with them, but to ensure that women have a seat at the negotiating table and are able to bring their Vision and point of views to the negotiations process.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8672 (2019) · source
“Several colleagues, including the representatives of France, the Dominican Republic and Poland, all mentioned the unresolved issue of the FSO SAFER oil tanker, which represents an increasing threat to the environment. All those who are in contact with the Houthis should pressure them into at least allowing for a United Nations assessment team to have access to the ship. Germany continues to be committed to supporting the Special Envoy. We are ready to support the political process by facilitating meetings at different levels. With regard to the provision of financial humanitarian aid, Germany remains committed and will contribute substantially to the Yemen humanitarian response plan.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8672 (2019) · source
“It is always a pleasure to see her, but it was not a pleasure to hear what she had to say. She reminded us of the humanitarian situation, which continues to be the worst we face in the world today. Although we have heard about positive developments in Al-Hudaydah, that governorate remains the place with the highest number of civilian casualties. With regard to humanitarian access, I had to listen very carefully, but I heard our Russian colleague say that we must ensure unconditional compliance with international humanitarian law, and I can only subscribe to that - not only in Yemen. It is absolutely vital that humanitarian access be granted, and we still face a lot of problems in that regard.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8672 (2019) · source
“It is always a pleasure to see Mr. Martin Griffiths, and today it has also been a pleasure to listen to him and his upbeat briefing. I do not need to repeat all of the various positive developments, I can only echo what he and my colleague from C6te d'Ivoire said: the momentum that has been built needs to be sustained in both the south and the north of the country. It is essentially the obligation of the leadership, as Mr. Griffiths said, that leaders on all sides continue to be constructively engaged by talking to each other and that they pursue the path of de-escalation. I was a little concerned that by the end of his very interesting statement, Mr. Griffiths would propose that the leaders be candidates for the next Nobel Peace Prize, but then had the cold shower from Ms. Ursula Mueller.”
2019-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8672 (2019) · source
“The statement by the representative of Russia was a frontal attack on the international justice system, which Germany believes is key to reconciliation. In that context, I would like to ask the representative of Russia three questions. First, with regard to the Nuremberg trials, which serve today as a point of reference for international courts, does he consider that those trials were wrong and should not have happened? Secondly, with regard to the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which he criticized, does he believe that it was wrong that Mr. Mladic' and Mr. Karadzie were tried by that court? Thirdly, with regard to his reproach of double standards, does he acknowledge that a special court has been established in The Hague to try Kosovo Liberation Army fighters for possible crimes against humanity?”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“Therefore, the Commission should be used more frequently in the Council. My last point is that Germany is proud to be the largest donor to the Peacebuilding Fund and invites others to join forces and to do even more.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“We also support the Joint United Nations Development Programme-Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention through peace and development advisers, who have proven very adept at supporting reconciliation processes. As for our support for the United Nations tool box, we want to sharpen the Security Council's focus on conflict prevention. We think that we should look more often at emerging conflicts and believe that reconciliation and mediation capacities must be included more often in mission mandates. We also believe that, as mentioned by Ms. Elman, the Peacebuilding Commission plays a crucial role in conflict situations and prevention efforts. It also provides a platform for cooperation, exchange and sharing lessons learned.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“Policies for social reconciliation need to include long-term nationwide solutions. Ms. Elman gave the example of her own country and how important it is that everyone have certainty, that there be trust in Government institutions and that there be good governance and no corruption. We provide concrete support for efforts we believe are successful. I listened carefully to what Mr. Van Shalkwyk said about South Africa. The Security Council travelled to Colombia, where very good solutions were found in the form of special courts for peace, a truth commission and units for the search for missing persons, which we support.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“The inclusion of women is a theme that ran through almost all the interventions. Germany believes that it is crucial for a gender perspective to be reflected throughout the whole reconciliation process. Women's leadership and participation are necessary for the success of transitional justice. We say that all the time, but we have to implement it. It cannot be as in the talks on Afghanistan, where one side is represented by men only. We have to have women, and I think we should all commit to not entering into any negotiations where one side is represented by men only. We have a rule at the German mission whereby no panel can go ahead without a woman present. I think that should apply to negotiations as well. With regard to national solutions, reconciliation on the local level must be embedded in a broader national discourse.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“It is fantastic to see, but the local communities still have not really reconciled. Therefore, civil society and local organizations must be included. The local population must be in the driver's seat in terms of designing and implementing reconciliation approaches. Germany has tried to do that in concrete cases. For instance, we support an inclusive transitionaljustice process in Mali. National sovereignty is discussed over and over in the Council. Yes, national sovereignty should be respected but, as mentioned by our colleague from China, within the limits imposed by the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. National ownership can be guaranteed only by including everyone, especially marginalized groups and civil society, and by promoting and protecting the human rights of all.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“I take advantage of this occasion to again appeal to everyone to support the budget for the Mechanism in the Fifth Committee. We also welcome the work of UNITAD in Iraq and the extension of its important mandate. We support UNITAD financially and through a secondment and look forward to extending the productive exchange between UNITAD and our prosecutors. From our perspective, certain elements are important for reconciliation to be successful. Based on all the statements, I think we all agree that we first need local solutions tailored to specific contexts. Such solutions were referred to as tailor-made processes by Mr. Ozerdem and as idiosyncratic approaches by our colleague Mr. Alotaibi. Mr. Ozerdem also referred to a concrete example that I like very much, namely, the Mostar Bridge, which was reconstructed.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“It is also why we support the international mechanisms to assist in the investigation and prosecution of crimes, such as the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh (UNITAD). We have had this discussion before with regard to Syria. Germany firmly believes that the crimes and atrocities committed on all sides during the Syrian conflict must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice. That is the only way to achieve reconciliation. For that reason, German prosecutors will continue to investigate possible war crimes committed in Syria and we will continue to support the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism for Syria.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“Again, to quote the Secretary-General, but also you, Lord Ahmad, there is no reconciliation without justice, no justice without truth. It is absolutely crucial that we fight impunity in our efforts towards reconciliation. Holding those who are individually responsible for atrocities and human rights Violations accountable under criminal law is a key prerequisite for sustaining peace. As the Secretary-General has said, we have to break the cycle of impunity. That is why, during the high-level week of the General Assembly, Germany called on partners to work together in an alliance against impunity with a view to giving renewed impetus to the international criminal justice system.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“The theme of reconciliation is of great relevance to Germany. That is also because of our past. Mr. Ozerdem mentioned a small part of our past by talking about the relationship there is today between Coventry and Dresden. But it is not only due to our past but also because we deeply believe that reconciliation is a very important element in the conflict cycle. In Germany, we have just published a strategy to support dealing with the past and reconciliation, in particular transitional justice. I wish to echo what the Secretary-General said at the very beginning of his briefing with regard to the fact that reconciliation is an important mechanism for prevention. Reconciliation is a crucial step for countries entering the post-conflict phase. Only successful and inclusive reconciliation can ensure peace in the long term.”
2019-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8668 (2019) · source
“I would first like to support and underline what you about the White Helmets, Madam President. However, I would like to ask a question of the Russian representative relating to what you said about the board of inquiry and with regard to the press conference that Russia gave some weeks ago about the attacks conducted in Syria and who was behind them. In that context, I note that today there are news reports about the board of inquiry and the possibility that Russia might be putting pressure on the Secretary-General to keep its findings secret. Ijust wanted to ask the Russian representative to assure us that this is not the case and that he fully supports the board of inquiry and the publication of its results.”
2019-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8664 (2019) · source
“With the influence that he has, would he be ready to publicly ask for the Karadzie dormitory in Pale to be renamed, for instance?”
2019-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8658 (2019) · source
“I do not want to prolong the meeting - but briefly. During my intervention, I took up what the High Representative had said earlier with regard to the atmosphere in the region concerning the denial of genocide and the glorification of war criminals. I also asked how much the neighbours could really contribute to the fight against genocide denial and the glorification of war criminals. I did not hear any anything about that in their responses. My question to the representatives of Serbia and Croatia concerns what they think can be done from their perspective. Can they make a contribution to the points that I mentioned? I would also like to say, concerning the representative of Serbia, that the Serbian President, Mr. Vucie, made the gesture of going to Srebrenica.”
2019-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8658 (2019) · source
“The country is stuck. To some extent it is actually going backwards. Something has to be done, and only then can we stop the brain drain. Those are the questions that I have. I wanted to thank Ms. Korjenie for at least concluding on a positive note and saying that we should not despair. But it is very difficult not to despair when listening to all of this. Maybe I can ask the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia when they speak later if they could also address the question of impunity and how they can contribute to combating the glorification of criminals and the denials of genocide.”
2019-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8658 (2019) · source
“How does he think he can make a difference? What instruments does he have at his disposal? When he returns in six months, how does he think he can achieve that? We do not want to lose the Ambassador here, but for him not to have the possibility of becoming President is remarkable. I also very much appreciated the High Representative's underlining of gender equality, and we heard about the victims of sexual violence. My third question is similar to the previous ones. What does he think that he can do in terms of tackling that issue? It has now been a year since the elections were held and a Government has still not been formed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a nightmare we have had before. Bosnia and Herzegovina is functioning somehow, but of course we in the Council cannot implement any legislation or deal with budget questions.”
2019-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8658 (2019) · source
“Selma Korjenie said in their briefings about the denial of past crimes, including genocide, the glorification of criminals and the lack of accountability and reconciliation. In that regard, I again welcome the fact that reconciliation will be on the agenda of the British presidency of the Council this month. I have a question for the High Representative. He mentioned that he wants to make the rule of law and respect for it a priority. In concrete terms, what does he think he can do with regard to the question that came up? How can he do more, so that we are no longer seeing genocide denied? How can he encourage other actors? With respect to the Sejdie and Finci case, we all know that it has been going on for a decade or more, and many efforts have been undertaken in that regard. Mr. Inzko also put that on his list ofpriorities.”
2019-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8658 (2019) · source
“Let me begin by welcoming the Council's unanimous vote on resolution 2496 (2019), extending the mandate of the European Union-led Operation Althea. We thank all Council members for their constructive engagement in that regard. I am grateful to the two briefers for their presentations. They were very open, honest, sobering and comprehensive, and I thank them both. As Germany aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union a bit later, I will not make a general statement but will rather speak to some specific points. First, I have to say that even having an idea of what is happening, I was shocked, but I was also shocked at what High Representative Valentin Inzko and Ms.”
2019-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8658 (2019) · source
“In Somalia, too, we believe it is important for women to play a major role in the country's reconciliation, including the management and prevention of conflict. It will be important to ensure the strong participation of women in the 2020-2021 electoral process, as both candidates and voters. That will be a yardstick for what is happening in the country and the extent to which the women and peace and security agenda is actually being implemented. We will support that, and we truly hope that as the Deputy Secretary-General said, the winds of change are indeed blowing through the country. We once again thank her for leading this trip, which was extremely valuable both as a message and a measure.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“I can only echo Ambassador Singer-Weisinger's question, which was about what can be done to ensure that more women participate. Measures should also be taken to end female genital mutilation in the Sudan, another serious problem. Turning to Eritrea, we have indeed witnessed some changes there. However, if we look closer, we see that its land borders are still not really open. Many Citizens are still subject to the dreaded conscription into national service, including women in the paramilitary training conducted at the Sawa camp. In Djibouti, we commend the efforts being made to promote the role of women in the country's political and economic life, but once again we believe that more must be done to tackle discrimination and violence against women, especially with regard to implementing laws and fighting impunity.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“With regard to the various places that the Deputy Secretary-General visited, we would of course like to pay tribute to Ethiopia, where the Security Council's meeting with the Prime Minister was so refreshing, but where we all realize how many problems he is facing domestically in terms of getting his reform agenda and message of national reconciliation adopted. This is therefore no time to be complacent. With regard to the Sudan, Ambassador Singer Weisinger already mentioned the meeting last week at which we were briefed by Ms. Alaa Salah, a wonderful and very courageous woman (see S/PV.8649). The young women of Khartoum stood up and played a huge role in the peaceful protests. They were the backbone of the peaceful revolution in Sudan, but they are not adequately represented in the transitional Government or in the currentpeace talks.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“I am pleased about the opening of an Ethiopian chapter of the African Women Leaders Network, and in that connection, I would like to pay tribute to the President of Ethiopia, who spearheaded its launch. With regard to the President of Ethiopia, I want to echo my Belgian colleague, who pointed out that not only is she the only woman President of an African country, there are no female executive presidents or prime ministers in Africa, either. We earnestly believe that this must change. Some countries have constitutions that do not allow women to be president or prime minister, which I think is a serious deficiency.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“That was symbolized by the fact that when we in the Security Council went to Ethiopia to meet with the African Union Peace and Security Council, the Deputy Secretary-General was there at the same time, in a demonstration of the intensity of the contact between the African Union and the United Nations. With regard to Ms. Fatima Mohammed's briefing, I fully concur with her key point, which is that peace and security do not stand a chance if women are excluded. I have to say that when we consider South Sudan, the one country that the Deputy Secretary-General did not visit, I believe that if there were greater participation by women in the top levels of leadership, the situation there would be different.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“The messages that the Deputy Secretary-General has brought us are all ones that we share with regard to women's empowerment and participation. She also mentioned sexual violence, which unfortunately continues to occur, and here I would like to pay tribute to Ms. Pramila Patten, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sexual Violence in Conflict. The reason that she is here is due to the fact that this is still a concern. I was also very encouraged by what the Deputy Secretary-General said about regional cooperation, particularly on how it is developing and how important it is. But I think the most important message here is that these joint missions and the cooperation that they represent between the African Union and the United Nations have now become a real and intense tradition.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“I want to pay tribute to Ambassador Matjila. October was a very intensive month, with a week in Africa. I think I spent more time with Mr. Matjila than I spent with my wife last month. I wish good luck to the United Kingdom, which is starting its presidency on a gorgeous day. I would have loved to see the curtains open and have some of those rays of sunshine come into the Chamber. Also, the United Kingdom separated us from our French brothers and sisters here for a month, the only consolation is that I now have the privilege of sitting next to the Permanent Observer of the African Union here. Let me first thank the Deputy Secretary-General for her briefing. I think it was a fantastic idea to go to the Horn of Africa.”
2019-11-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8657 (2019) · source
“I heard our colleague from Serbia mention that he was requesting indictments against the perpetrators of sexual crimes. Perhaps next time in his briefing he could inform us of how many indictments have been launched in Serbia for sexual crimes committed. Let me conclude with a practical example of the necessity and benefit of closer regional cooperation. Together with our French partners, we have initiated a regional road map for the Western Balkans with a view to strengthening the control of small arms, which are all too readily available in the region. We are encouraged by the progress achieved so far, and we are working towards a ministerial review conference in Berlin on 31 January 2020.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“I listened very carefully to that, and I hope our Russian colleague also insists on respect for international humanitarian law. I would like to make two further points. First, we continue to support the efforts of Kosovo in its survivor- centred approach to addressing conflict-related sexual violence. We welcome the ongoing work on the Kosovo Government commission responsible for the verification and recognition of the status of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. We note that 406 applicants have already been granted survivor status, and we ask the Government to pursue that work in order to empower women, enable them to overcome isolation, contribute to the well-being of their families and elevate their status and role within their communities.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“We therefore believe that it is time for a formal transition of many of UNMIK's tasks either to Kosovar institutions or other international institutions that have taken over UNMIK's role. Having listened to Mr. Tanin's briefing, I note that he expressed support for the launching of a Serbian-Albanian dictionary. While that is fantastic, I believe that country embassies or other organizations could do that - with all due respect, we do not need UNMIK for that. With regard to the Kosovar authorities, we need to keep working with UNMIK on the ground in a spirit of trust and collaboration regarding the incident on 28 May. We can only repeat what our colleagues have said on the need to ensure respect for international law. I heard the plea of my Russian colleague and his call for respect for international law.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“At the same time, we urge the Serbian Government to end its efforts to persuade other countries to withdraw their recognition of Kosovo. I know the Serbian Foreign Minister likes to travel to Pacific islands and the Caribbean, among other destinations, but I think that Serbian taxpayers' money can be put to better use than for travelling to persuade other countries to withdraw their recognition of Kosovo. With regard to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), I would like to thank Special Representative Tanin for his briefing and work. Twenty years after UNMIK was first mandated, we still believe that the Mission needs to adapt to the new reality. The situation in Kosovo has drastically changed, including the operating environment.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“We also need to ensure the continuation of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. In that regard, I subscribe to what my Russian colleague said - dialogue has to continue. I would not go as far as to say the dialogue is in a coma, but I would say that it is urgent that the dialogue continue. I am hopeful that with a new European Commission in place, the European Union-facilitated dialogue will continue and we may see constructive negotiations; too much time has already been lost in that regard. Both Serbia and Kosovo share responsibilities, and I can only reiterate what we said last time (see S/PV.8541). We call on the Government of Kosovo to revoke the tariffs imposed on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“No parties were prevented from participating, there were free and fair elections in most areas, and a change of Government was possible. Therefore, in the words of my Russian colleague, it is a young, beautiful democracy. The only problems we witnessed were in the areas with a Kosovo Serb majority, which were marred by the intimidation and targeting of non-Serbian List candidates and their supporters. Although the statement delivered by the Serbian Foreign Minister was very long, I did not hear him mention that part of the elections. Perhaps next time he could explain what happened in the Kosovo Serb-majority areas. I should like to reiterate that we need to ensure a swift formation of Government. The new Government will need to pursue reforms and abide by the rule of law.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“I would first like to subscribe to what my French colleague said earlier. Considering that our time is limited in the Council, I find these long initial interventions lasting 20 minutes or half an hour unacceptable. My advice to future Presidents is that they either obtain a commitment from the speakers limiting themselves to five minutes or that they be asked to speak at the end, after all Council members have spoken. In terms of substance, I agree with what my colleagues from the United Kingdom and France have said previously, and I would like to highlight a few points, starting with the elections. Of course I listened carefully to what my Russian colleague had to say about the state of affairs and democracy in the country. I just want to say, and to point out, that in Kosovo the opposition was actually able to conduct a campaign.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8655 (2019) · source
“Of course, once again, the transition hinges on a close dialogue among the Government of the Sudan, the United Nations and the African Union, which plays a very important role. Such dialogue will define how a special political mission that would follow on UNAMID should be designed so it best responds to the Sudan's needs and wishes. Such a transition has to be informed by the conditions on the ground, which we should consider carefully before making our next decision on the drawdown of UNAMID. We are therefore looking forward to close cooperation here in the Security Council and between the Council and the new Sudan.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8654 (2019) · source
“With that mandate and the resolution we just adopted, we sent a very strong message of support for Prime Minister Hamdok and the Sudanese efforts to foster peace. Secondly, we reaffirmed that UNAMID plays an important role in Darfur, especially in this very crucial phase during which talks between the Government of the Sudan and the armed movements are ongoing with a hope for lasting peace. Collectively, we sent a strong message with this resolution that all armed groups should join the talks without preconditions. Lastly, with this resolution today, as Jonathan Allen said earlier, we are also laying out a clear road map for a transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. For Germany, that is a very positive and welcome development. We will offer our support to make the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding a reality.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8654 (2019) · source
“I will be short in echoing what my British colleague just said and thanking the United Kingdom for the good close cooperation on our path. I also thank all delegations that worked very constructively in support of resolution 2495 (2019), for which we were co-penholder. We are also very thankful for the close cooperation with the Sudan as the host country of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). This was a very positive experience. I have three brief thoughts. First, the Security Council has once again demonstrated that it is responsive to the dramatic changes that we all witnessed in the Sudan. It is responsive to the request by the Government of the Sudan to see UNAMID's mandate extended for a year.”
2019-10-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8654 (2019) · source
“As Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, I once again make a plea for the arms shipping into Libya to stop.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8650 (2019) · source
“It is absolutely necessary that the people suffering there, whom we saw with our own eyes, finally benefit from a better solution. On the situation in Libya, I would once again like to underline how important the participation of women in this peace process is. Ms. Mohammed highlighted the need for the African Union to be more involved. Again, I can only highlight that the African Union is fully involved with the European Union and the League of Arab States, which also plays an important role, in the Berlin process. We can confirm that, from our perspective, the African Union plays a key role and that we can reach a solution only if all players involved act together and prevent the situation from further deteriorating.”
2019-10-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8650 (2019) · source