YouSaid · the spoken record

Holbrooke

lines on the record: 676
first: 1999-09-11
most recent: 2001-01-19
sittings or episodes: 43
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

“The statement we have agreed upon today represents the Security Council's acknowledgment of a direct relationship between security and humanitarian crises. But now we must act on what we have started. This means concerted follow-up to improve planning and coordination, both within the United Nations system and throughout the wider humanitarian community. It means assuring that peacekeepers and humanitarian workers are trained and educated, and it means pressing our Governments and the private sector for the necessary resources. Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General and Ambassador Chowdhury, I thank you for your efforts and for your tremendous initiative in bringing us together today. I congratulate you, and our Government looks forward to working closely with you on this important issue in the future.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“For example, we should explore the use, in certain circumstances, by UNHCR of multinational civilian police to establish basic security within refugee camps or sites, and we should examine training programmes, not only for host country police, but for refugees themselves, to promote community policing. Along with enhancing refugee security, we must also do more to guarantee the safety of humanitarian workers. The protection of these people who work so hard to assist those in need is the primary responsibility of States. Therefore, we call on all States where these attacks occur to investigate and bring to justice those responsible. We ask that the Security Council continue to explore proposals to reduce the vulnerability of both relief workers and refugees to attacks and intimidation.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“Resolution 1208 (1998) stressed the need for refugee-hosting countries to develop institutions and procedures to implement the provisions of international law. This is the bedrock of partnership on which UNHCR and the international community rely to protect and assist refugees. It includes such fundamental elements as locating camps away from borders. The High Commissioner's "ladder of options" on the security of refugee camps outlined last January is a forward-looking and courageous initiative. Nonetheless, in some cases, the problems of camp security are so serious that the international community needs to consider measures higher on that ladder.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“As we consider ways in which the United Nations might effectively coordinate peacekeeping, we cannot overlook the issue of the security and neutrality of these refugee camps. My Government has stressed these points in the past in the Security Council and in the Executive Committee of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). I offer them again today as we consider how we can comprehensively approach this body's responsibility under the Charter. The Secretary-General's recent report on civilians in armed conflict and the resulting Security Council resolution are further testimony to the continuing interest in refugee security. Resolution 1208 (1998), on the security and neutrality of refugee camps, is an important tool for dealing with the problem of refugee security.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“It is unacceptable that legalistic distinctions prevent people from receiving the same assistance simply because they are classified as something called internally displaced persons instead of refugees. To them, as I have said many times, they are homeless refugees whether they cross an international border or not. United Nations humanitarian agencies have already undertaken to integrate the Guiding Principles into their doctrine; peacekeepers should do the same. I do not personally believe that shifting responsibility by assigning different agencies to head operations in different areas will work. I believe that co-heads means no heads, and I am glad that we have the opportunity to keep attention on this enormous issue that affects tens of millions of people.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“They also need to know the fundamental facts in assessing human displacement. To this end peacekeepers must also be educated on, and familiar with, not only the Convention on the Status of Refugees, but the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement produced by Francis Deng, the Secretary-General's Special Representative on Internally Displaced Persons. I am delighted that the Secretary-General and Mrs. Ogata, who is in New York today, and others are placing more attention on this issue. We had a meeting on it with Mrs. Ogata in the Security Council on 13 January, and I will be making another major statement on this very issue at the end of March. We are deeply concerned about the inadequate and uneven protection afforded to internally displaced persons. We must re-assess and energize our institutional structures to deal with this.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“These goals are not divisible; indeed they are mutually reinforcing. The draft presidential statement recognizes the inexorable relationship between conflict and humanitarian crises. Although our first priority must always be to prevent conflict, we must also be prepared to deal effectively with humanitarian crises if we fail. It is therefore imperative that we do as much as possible to see to it that humanitarian needs are integrated with our planning efforts. We must define the needs and tasks of peacekeepers and humanitarian workers respectively. Today we take an important step forward. Peacekeepers need to be familiar with humanitarian and human rights law. They must to be sensitized to the need for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“On a national note, let me take this moment to reiterate on behalf of President Clinton how much he is looking forward to visiting Bangladesh ll days from today. He looks forward to a fruitful and productive dialogue on the ways our two countries can work together to advance our mutual interests. I think that, if he is lucky, he will get a chance to sample some of those fine Bangladeshi desserts that we all did on 1 March, courtesy of Ambassador Chowdhury, when Bangladesh took over the Council. Today's draft statement is important because it illustrates the Security Council's engagement in one of the most tragic, intractable situations in the world today. From Bosnia and Kosovo to East Timor, Sierra Leone and the Congo, the United Nations faces the twin challenges of keeping the peace and helping to provide humanitarian assistance.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“It is a great honour to sit here today before you, Mr. President. We are delighted that you have made the long trip from Bangladesh to chair the Security Council and to continue the tradition that the Foreign Minister of Argentina conducted last month, and that Vice-President Gore and Secretary Albright conducted in January. This is a excellent opportunity to tell you, Mr. President, what a fine job Ambassador Chowdhury and your entire delegation from Bangladesh have done this month, especially in producing today's important draft statement. The fact that you are here today, Sir, illustrates your country's deep commitment to humanitarian issues, and your personal commitment to improving the ways in which the international community deals with them.”
2000-03-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4109 (2000) · source
“I hope that history will record it as a major step away from the brink of the abyss. But as the resolution states, implementation depends first and foremost on the parties. After today's vote, we now need the full engagement of the international community to encourage that implementation, the actions of the parties in the region, and efforts through every available channel to bring peace to the Congo.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Any effort towards peace will not be easy. Perhaps no African nation has had a harder time coming out of the shadow of its past, from the darkness and horror with which it was brought into the modern world, through a series of leaders, going back over the last century and a half, whose performance will not look very satisfactory before the verdicts of history. This opportunity must be seized by all of us, and especially by the signatories to the Lusaka Agreement. We cannot promise the people of the Congo immediate peace. We can, however, say that without strong United Nations and OAU leadership, there is a high probability - in fact, a virtual certainty - of a catastrophic disaster in Central Africa. Today we in the Security Council have taken a critical step to establish the architecture for peace.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“I would like to state that Ambassador Swing, whom most members know - he is our most seasoned veteran diplomat serving in the world today - has told us that he thought that President Masire's initial actions in Kinshasa - his meeting with President Kabila and his meeting with other groups - was, and I quote Ambassador Swing, "wise and effective and actually puts President Masire somewhat ahead of the timetable". I am sharing that with the Council because we always focus on the problems, and this sounded to me like a little bit of good news to offer people. Over the past few months, many have spoken eloquently about the Congo and what the United Nations should do to help. Today we must begin to match the words with deeds. The opportunity beckons for restoring international cooperation in Central Africa.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Phase III implementation operations should not begin until the parties have accomplished specific military and political objectives. These include full observance of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, initiation of disengagement and redeployment, and substantial progress in the national dialogue. Here I would like to report that our Ambassador in Kinshasa, Ambassador Swing, has reported to Washington his deep respect and admiration for the way in which former President Masire conducted his colloquy and his dialogue last week in Kinshasa. He has given us a detailed report, and I am sure that many here have received similar reports. We would be happy to share our information with any members outside this Chamber.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“The United States support for establishing the phase II United Nations observer mission at this time does not constitute prior approval for any future deployment. If the United Nations, after developing plans for proceeding to the next phase of peacekeeping, as called for in this resolution, recommends establishment of a larger United Nations peacekeeping mission, the United States will certainly consider such recommendations on their merits, based on the achievements and the situation in phase II. I want to stress that, because so many people wanted an open- ended commitment to phase III. I think that the Security Council has acted wisely in saying that each phase should be taken based on the prevailing situation at the end of each phase.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“In the days ahead, all States must increase their efforts to uphold and enforce international law against genocide. All those recruiting or providing support or sanctuary to those forces should immediately cease that support, and all States should uphold the Security Council resolutions - this one and previous ones - imposing arms embargoes against the ex-Rwandan Armed Forces, the Interahamwe and UNITA, and to provide information to the Council about re-supply of other armed groups. We believe the Security Council should now consider additional ways to enforce the existing sanctions. These steps will help the parties control and terminate the widest conflict in the history of modern Africa. But we recognize that however important, this resolution is only an interim step towards a full and lasting peace in the Congo.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“A comprehensive disarmament, demobilization and reintegration or resettlement process that maximizes voluntary and peaceful options and commands the full commitment of the Lusaka signatories and the full support of the international community is central to the ultimate success of the Lusaka peace process. The region has an important and central role to play in this respect. At the same time, the international community should make all means available to support and make secure the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration or resettlement effort, as well as provide any assistance necessary to the JMC and MONUC as they produce an action plan for effective and complete disarmament, demobilization and reintegration or resettlement.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Sir, if the Security Council could under your presidency be able to state that all 15 members had made a contribution, even if it is small, to this Mission, that would be a first in the history of the United Nations and would set exactly the right tone for future efforts. I am very pleased, Mr. President, that we have made so much progress in that direction under your strong leadership. Another key element for lasting peace in the Congo remains the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration or resettlement of the irregular armed forces and armed groups identified in the Lusaka Agreement, including the ex-Rwandan Armed Forces, the Rwandan Interahamwe militia and the Angolan UNITA rebels.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“As a means of strengthening the JMC, we are ready to provide full United Nations support for the joint logistics and administrative structures of the co-located JMC-MONUC headquarters. In this regard, I am very deeply impressed by the fact, and I hope the world's media will report this, that already every member of the Security Council has either made a commitment to the effort - small and symbolic in some cases, but symbolism is important - or has said that it is open to the possibility. Several major contributions have been announced today and recently, and I am delighted that other members of the Security Council have told us today that they will make commitments of amounts to be determined or that they are now seriously looking at doing so.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Formalizing this co-located structure and making it effective is essential as well to the personal physical safety of the United Nations, OAU and JMC personnel, to reducing duplication of effort, to improving communications and to economizing on resources which will be scarce. Getting the JMC-MONUC connection right - and we all had agreed in our discussions here in December under the British presidency that it was not right at that time - is critical to successful peacekeeping. It is very important that yesterday's summit in Lusaka endorsed the principle of the joint structure for the MONUC-JMC. The United States is fully committed to the JMC's continued role in bringing the parties to the Lusaka Agreement together with the United Nations in a joint effort to implement the ceasefire.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“One necessary element is to ensure that a joint structure for the Joint Military Commission (JMC) and the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) is established in accordance with today's resolution. This represents extensive work on behalf of all the parties and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to devise an effective organizational structure to ensure the coordination of the two, and more than coordination - the co-location and integration of certain parts of their processes. This is essential to the success of both the JMC and MONUC.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“It is more, much more than a ceasefire; it is a blueprint for peace, democratization and lasting reconciliation. The full and unambiguous commitment of the parties to Lusaka is essential in order for the international community to continue to support the peace process. The crisis in the region has been described as Africa's first world war. As President Clinton reminded us last week in a speech before the historic national summit on Africa held in Washington, we must remember that the central lesson of the First World War is the need for strong, stable peace backed up by institutions that enforce it. That is why the parties must do all they can to see that Lusaka works and why we, the Security Council and the nations Members of the United Nations, must support the process.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“At the same time, however, the United States remains deeply concerned by reports of resumed military offensives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Security Council and the Secretary-General have made clear, in one of the most important sections of this resolution, that deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping observer mission in phase II - the 5,537 - is contingent on the cooperation of the parties, their commitment in firm and credible assurances to the Secretary-General that they will assist full access, and their adherence to the Lusaka process. We call on all parties to realize the opportunity for peace provided by the Lusaka Agreement. We strongly endorse Lusaka as the best and only viable process leading to a durable resolution of the Congo conflict.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“My Government's introducing of this Security Council resolution, its unanimous support and approval today have been made possible by the commitments made in Lusaka and reaffirmed in New York by the heads of the States parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. It is not conceivable to me that we would have been able to adopt such an important and strong resolution if we had not been joined in New York by the presidents of the Lusaka process, by President Chissano of Mozambique, by the representative of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), by the Secretary General of the OAU and by the facilitator, former President Masire, The results reached in Maputo, Harare, here in New York and elsewhere have helped move this process along.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Thirty days ago in this Chamber, we convened a historic summit to galvanize international action for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Seven African presidents sat with us at this historic horseshoe and other leaders joined us to discuss the urgent need for action. The time has now arrived to act. The second phase of the Lusaka peace process begins - perhaps today, with this important vote; perhaps yesterday, in Lusaka but, in any case, let the record show that it has begun. Today, with this resolution, the Security Council has taken a critical step towards helping the Congo and the region come to the peace that their people so desperately need.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“I also thank Ambassador Chowdhury for his very generous comments about our efforts and join him in praising my deputy, Nancy Soderberg, for her round-the- clock efforts here while I have spent much of the month, including this morning - and I apologize for being late - on the phone to members of Congress who I feel still needed to be persuaded more fully of the necessity of what we are undertaking. I want to be clear that the American vote here in the United Nations is the exclusive province of the executive branch and we do not need Congress's approval for it. But we do need its approval on the funding and that is why I have been, unfortunately, less of a physical presence with you, Sir, than I wished to. With Nancy as my deputy, however, I do not feel any concern.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Thank you, Sir, for the extraordinarily effective way you have presided over the Security Council. You said at the end of January that you would work with the United States, which had the honour of being in the presidency last month, in a seamless transition. We pledged to our friends who are concerned with the Congo that the resolution, which many of them had hoped would be adopted in January, would be adopted under the Argentine presidency. You have fulfilled your commitment and we are proud to be associated with you and with our immediate predecessor, the United Kingdom, in what has amounted to not a month of Africa, but three consecutive months of Africa, with much more to come.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“In conclusion, I want to simply stress again how strongly we wish to support the efforts of the United Nations in East Timor, and this will include additional actions that we are working on now with Mr. Vieira de Mello and with the Secretariat. Mr. Vieira de Mello, I am just delighted to see you back in New York, and I wish you all the best as you return this weekend to continue your mission of such great importance. We look forward to the day that you will come here and report to us a date on which East Timor will become, I believe, the first new nation of the new millennium.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“The Indonesian Commission did impressive work, but if they cannot deal with their problem internally they must recognize that international pressure on them will mount, and the pressure for the recommendations as called for by the International Commission of Inquiry on East Timor for an international tribunal will also increase. I hope that people in Indonesia understand that the world is listening. The best way to avoid what they do not wish - which is an international tribunal - is to have a credible internal effort. That is strongly our View. Therefore, we applaud the international report, and we await the Indonesians' full response to it.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“I am told repeatedly that UNHCR is doing everything it can, but I find that hard to believe given the objective situation on the ground. But the real problem is not with UNHCR; it is with the Indonesian military, some elements of which continue to support the militia, even as they try to fight against the internal Commission of Inquiry report and the International Commission of Inquiry. I want to take this opportunity to express our strong support for the Secretary-General's call to encourage the Indonesians to conduct a more thorough investigation and to take action on their own. We support Attorney-General Marzuki and the other brave members of the Indonesian Government and the Commission of Inquiry with whom I met in Jakarta in November in their efforts for full accountability on an internal basis.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“We are delighted that the Secretary-General will be going to Indonesia and East Timor and that President Wahid is also going to plan a visit to East Timor. I know, however, that reconciliation between Indonesia and East Timor is going to be undermined as long as the refugees in the camps remain in their current mode. We are deeply concerned that the number still appears to be over 100,000, despite the fact that there has been some movement out of the camps. We are deeply disturbed that the movement out of the camps has slowed to a trickle, and I remain extremely puzzled by the inability of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other agencies to do more in this regard.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“In his remarks, he stressed the importance of the World Bank, and we share that View. We urge the World Bank to begin to have its trust funds flow immediately, and we also urge everyone to step up to the plate and make as much effort as possible to help the United Nations on the civilian police and in creating a local East Timorese police force. I think that the consultative arrangements that the Special Representative has created with the East Timorese are excellent, and a model for people in other parts of the world. I also think that his recent trip to Jakarta and his frank and productive discussions with the Indonesian Foreign Minister and other officials have also been very productive.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“I Visited him myself in November and could see the difficult conditions he was operating under. I had only one question in my mind, which was how he managed to look as if his suit had just been dry cleaned and pressed, while everyone else in East Timor looked as though they had not cleaned their clothes in a month. This was a mystery which I cannot explain. He is taking very, very dramatic actions, and I believe that the first few months of the United Nations effort in East Timor give us hope that history will record this as another United Nations success. Of course, the final results are far from being in our hands. There are issues that we are concerned about, such as the growing unrest and crime in Dili. But I know that Sergio is working on these very aggressively.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“I congratulate you, Sir, on taking over the gavel as President of the Security Council. I apologize for being late, but I had the chance to have a good exchange of views with Sergio Vieira de Mello earlier this morning. In fact, I was delayed because I was trying to gain some additional American support for his mission and engaging in conversations in the Secretariat with the Secretary- General and his colleagues. So I apologize. I want to begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, for beginning this month by focusing on this issue. It demands our attention. This is a historically important transitional month in East Timor, and I want to commend our friend and colleague, Sergio Vieira de Mello, for his unceasing efforts, made under very difficult conditions in East Timor.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“So, at the close of our month as Security Council President, I am happy to say that, at the United Nations, America is back. The United States begins the twenty- first century with renewed hopes for the United Nations and renewed commitment to making this vital Organization work better. It will be my great pleasure to turn the gavel over to our friend from Argentina in a few hours. Meanwhile, once again, I thank the members of the Security Council deeply 7 on behalf of all the United States delegation, including Secretary Albright. Vice-President Gore and, by extension, President Clinton, who is well aware of what we have been doing here this month - for their very gracious support. The meeting rose at 1.40 pm.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“But the very fact that Senator Helms, Senator Biden and his colleagues spent two days here, as well as the fact that Vice-President Gore and Secretary Albright presided over meetings of the Security Council, should speak volumes to all of us about the Administration's commitment, about our nation's commitment to the United Nations and a recognition - or perhaps, in some cases, a re-recognition - of what it can accomplish. What the United Nations is doing and what it needs to do in Africa illustrates that it is truly, as President Clinton has said, an indispensable Organization, despite its flaws. We do not wish to turn a blind eye to the flaws; in fact, one of the most valuable things we can do is address those flaws, but always within the context of its indispensability to peace, in Africa and around the world.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“I know from my private talks with him that it made a significant impression on him and his colleagues. The view he expressed, however, is just one View. As Senator Biden, Senator Warner, Senator Grams, Senator Feingold and other visitors from the Congress made clear - as Secretary Albright and I both pointed out in the last week - most Americans see our role in the world and our relationship to this Organization in a different light. I would mention that President Clinton mentioned the United Nations, Africa and AIDS in Africa several times in his State of the Union message last Thursday.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“During the last presidential campaign, members will recall that the Republican candidate used the United Nations and the Secretary- General at that time as targets for much of his campaign rhetoric. What a difference four years make. To be sure, many concerns about the United Nations remain, but Senator Helms, in his unprecedented visit to New York and in his speech in this Chamber on 20 January, made his View absolutely clear. As promised, he gave a frank and open assessment and I congratulate all Council members for the skillful and brilliant way they addressed his points, welcoming him to the Chamber with the graciousness which is the hallmark of the United Nations diplomatic world, but also one by one taking issue with him on substance.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“The coming days will answer the question asked by everybody this morning about follow-up: Can the United Nations be more than what its critics often call a "talk shop"? I should like to conclude by mentioning another critical aspect of this month's activities: the revitalization of the American role in the United Nations. While not directly related to Africa, it is absolutely essential to everything we have discussed today. As all here know, for the past few years that role has been deeply questioned. After the setbacks earlier in the past decade, especially in Somalia, Bosnia and Rwanda, many Americans lost confidence in the United Nations. Some even speculated as to whether the United States should remain a part of it.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“With the parties' recommitment to Lusaka, which we heard again this morning, and their return next week to the region to follow up, we can move forward. With its presidential statement, the Security Council affirmed the international community's commitment to supporting them. As President of the Security Council, we have begun consultations with the Congress and with all Council members on the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers. As long as the parties to the conflict prove they are prepared to live up to the commitments they made for peace, the international community embodied in this great Organization has a responsibility to support them. Peace in the Congo, like everything else we have discussed this month, requires a sustained and steadfast commitment.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“We heard and viewed, thanks to Ambassador Fowler's video, evidence that the United Nations sanctions on Angola are being flouted. The Security Council has established its agenda for Angola: strengthening sanctions, putting a spotlight on UNITA's culpability in evading them; supporting operations for a proposed United Nations office there; and, of course, continuing to address the horrific state of refugees there. In the Burundi meeting, we heard from President Mandela as he shared with us his vision for strengthening the Arusha peace process. With resolution 1286 (2000), adopted 10 days ago, the Security Council took an important step in supporting President Mandela. On the Democratic Republic of the Congo, our meetings last week with seven Presidents culminated in a clear recognition that the time has come for our next steps.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“For the United Nations and the United States to meet our objectives in Africa, African societies need peace. We must accept a basic fact: Africa's political, economic and social transformation flows from its peoples' ability to maintain peace, stability and a just order. All that we hope for for Africa will not be possible if the conflicts in Angola, Burundi, the Congo, Ethiopia/Eritrea, the Sudan, Sierra Leone and elsewhere are allowed to continue. I want to point out again that those conflicts we did not discuss this month were left off the agenda not because we wanted to leave them off, but because those people dealing directly with them asked that they be delayed to later in the calendar year. I am thinking specifically of Ethiopia/Eritrea. In Angola and Burundi, we face humanitarian crises of epic proportions.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“I cannot imagine why, in a country like Angola, we would have two organizations dealing with refugees, one - the big one, UNHCR - dealing with the smaller problem, and the other, WFP - an excellent organization, but not historically equipped for this - trying to put Band-Aids on 90 per cent of the problem. I have invited Mrs. Bertini to join us here in New York to talk to all of us about her strong views on this issue, because it is an excellent organization and I commend it. But I want to bring to the Council's attention that I have already received a bit of feedback from my own comments about UNHCR. The third objective of our month was unquestionably the most urgent: to help Africa's leaders solve the festering conflicts that are ripping the continent apart.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“Such definitions have real human consequences, particularly in a place such as Angola, where over 90 per cent of the homeless are so-called internally displaced persons. We cannot let this entire category of innocent Victims fall through our bureaucratic cracks. I have already been contacted by the head of the WFP to tell me that I had underestimated the importance of her organization in this field, and that she should have the primary point of pride. I report that fact to the Council for further discussion. My own view is that this should not be a bureaucratic argument between UNHCR and the WFP. UNHCR has the infrastructure and experience. It should get support from others.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“Ogata's important participation here this month, I think that we have to continue to challenge the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP) and ourselves to re-examine our structures so as to deal honestly with the fact that over two thirds of the people in the world who are homeless are classified as something called internally displaced persons - a terrible term for people who are just as much refugees as those who have crossed an international border. We must expand the definition of a refugee and erode, if not erase, the distinction between a refugee and an person who is internally displaced. This is not just some meaningless bureaucratic distinction.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“For my country's part, the Vice-President's announcement that we will contribute an additional $150 million towards fighting AIDS, while it is far from enough to deal with the problem, will, we hope, be the beginning of a greater involvement. We welcome the activities of other countries and hope that there will be further action in this regard. With regard to refugees and Mrs.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“The meeting on the threat of HIV/AIDS was historic, as we all agree. All of us understand that, if left unchecked, AIDS will kill more Africans than all of the conflicts in the region combined - as it did last year. I think that we reached a consensus that AIDS is, indeed, a threat to security. I am delighted with the fact that we are moving towards additional meetings on this subject, the details of which can be worked out. The President of the General Assembly has just given his view of this, and I know that my successors as President of the Security Council will wish to address this in consultation with the Ambassador of Indonesia, who is the current President of the Economic and Social Council, and with other officials. We must match our words with deeds.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“We aimed to put to rest the canard that Africa does not matter, to refute the belief that the international community has one set of rules for Europe or Asia and another for Africa. In fulfilling this objective, I think that so far we can say we have succeeded, although, as everyone has said, we will not have been successful if our efforts end tomorrow or at any time in the future. Our second goal was to broaden the paradigm of security and to discuss, here in the Security Council - the international community's premier forum for peace and security - issues that have not typically been our central focus: AIDS and refugees. Because of their direct effect on Africa's stability and security and the common threat to humanity that they pose, we believe strongly that they should be defined henceforth as security threats, and treated as such.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“What we saw in Africa - the good and the bad, the stories of inspiration and the horrors that keep one up at night, the things the international community is doing and what it must do better - convinced us that these issues could not be properly addressed by a single event. Building on the excellent efforts of Ambassador Greenstock last month, we decided to try to make a sustained, consistent and energetic effort, and set out to use the 30 days of the presidency - in fact, we had only 21 days because, as a result of the holiday schedule, we were able to begin only three weeks ago today - to set forth a United States policy of sustained engagement towards that great continent of Africa. We focused on three objectives. First, and most fundamentally, we aimed to focus international attention on African issues.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“The best way to do that is to display the flexibility, creativity and transparency that Ambassador Hamer showed. I particularly liked the fact that he referred to the transparency of our efforts. This is the last statement that I will make before this body as President, and it is my hope that when we look back on January 2000, we will consider it a turning point for Africa, the United Nations and the relationship of the United States with both. Nearly two months ago, during our delegation's ll-day trip to 10 African States, we decided to make January the "month of Africa", and announced this in a speech in Pretoria.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source
“I was profoundly moved by the generosity of their comments today and by the unstinting support which the American delegation has felt from all of the other 14 members of the Security Council over the past month. As Ambassador Hamer said, many attempts were made to introduce innovations this month, and the good news is that the 14 other members of the Security Council, without exception, responded positively. I hope that over the next few months the Presidents of the Security Council will continue to test the limits of what is possible here. Our fundamental goal - I am talking at the organizational level - is to maintain, restore or reaffirm the central role of the Security Council in dealing with many of the world's problems today.”
2000-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4096 (2000) · source