YouSaid · the spoken record

Holliday

lines on the record: 197
first: 2004-01-12
most recent: 2005-05-27
sittings or episodes: 33
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 mission of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is to ultimately work itself out of a job, and as progress is made in transferring responsibilities to Kosovo's Provisional Institutions, the size of the UNMIK presence should be adjusted accordingly. Again, we would like to salute and thank the Special Representative for all of his hard work over the last several months. Thank you, Mr. Minister. I did not get a chance to welcome you, but we are very pleased that you are here.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“The comprehensive review represents an opportunity not only to address Kosovo's future status soon; it is also an opportunity for Serbia and Montenegro to reclaim its rightful place in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. We hope Serbia and Montenegro will seize this opening by engaging constructively in Kosovo, maintaining a constructive regional role and fulfilling its commitments to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Finally, as we set out to review Kosovo's progress, it is appropriate that the United Nations similarly review its mission in Kosovo to determine whether it is properly organized and sized to meet the current challenges.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“We welcome the preliminary signs that it is doing so. Belgrade's decision to encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in the decentralization working groups is a welcome step, as is the resumption of direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on other vital issues, such as energy, missing persons and transport. In other areas, however, Belgrade continues to discourage Kosovo Serbs from returning to their seats in the Assembly and to their positions in Kosovo's institutions and political life. This course is counter- productive to the interests of Serbs in Kosovo. We urge the Government in Belgrade to actively encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate fully in all of Kosovo's political institutions and working groups. Participation is the most effective means for Kosovo's Serbs to advance their interests in Kosovo.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“Progress is needed on all the standards, but particular emphasis should be placed on standards affecting the multi-ethnic character of Kosovo. The primary test of whether Kosovo has overcome the tragic problems of the past and matured sufficiently to allow the start of a final status process will be its treatment of its minority communities. Effective reform of local government, or decentralization, will be a key test in this regard. The early launch of the already announced pilot projects would help show the Provisional Institutions' commitment to making progress in an area of real concern to Kosovo's minorities and would further the prospects for a positive review. With the comprehensive review imminent and the prospect of final status talks approaching, we also look to Serbia and Montenegro to engage constructively.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“It will provide the basis to judge whether there has been sufficient progress to justify the start of a political process to determine Kosovo's final status, which has remained undetermined during the last six years. The United States believes that while Kosovo is on the right track, it still must make a major effort prior to the comprehensive review to implement the standards. Nevertheless, we should not take a positive outcome of the review as a foregone conclusion, nor should we assume that the subsequent launch of a final status process will be automatic. Both will depend on the outcome of the review, and that outcome is in the hands of Kosovo's leaders, who should continue their progress in implementing the standards.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“I would like to welcome back Special Representative lessen-Petersen to the Council and thank him for his excellent briefing. I would also like to thank Mr. Covic for joining us here today and for his statement. We have reached an important milestone in Kosovo. After six years of working with the people of Kosovo to establish a stable, multi-ethnic society, the time has come to step back and assess their progress. We welcome the Secretary-General's decision to initiate a comprehensive review this summer of Kosovo's progress in implementing the United Nations-endorsed standards, and his intention to appoint a special envoy to carry out that review. The review will cover the benchmarks that lay out the path to a multi-ethnic, democratic and prosperous society.”
2005-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5188 (2005) · source
“We hope that Timor-Leste's bilateral and multilateral partners will continue to work with the people and Government of that country to further institutional capacity-building and security-sector training. It is important that the Government of Timor- Leste take increasingly more responsibility for the nation's future. During this final year of specialized United Nations political assistance through UNOTIL, we hope that the Mission will be able to transfer the necessary skills to build Timor-Leste's capacity to provide for its own security, with a special focus on policing.”
2005-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5180 (2005) · source
“Since the report of the Commission of Experts will not be completed until after the closure of UNMISET on 20 May, we would support a delay in the liquidation of the Serious Crimes Unit until the Council can consider the recommendations of the Commission of Experts. We hope that the Government of Timor-Leste and UNOTIL, as well as Timor-Leste's bilateral partners, will provide all necessary facilities for the staff to continue to make a complete record of all the Serious Crimes Unit's papers. As one of Timor-Leste's largest bilateral donors, our assistance has been focused on rehabilitating the local economy, promoting free and open markets, strengthening democracy, improving the judicial sector and training the police and military forces.”
2005-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5180 (2005) · source
“We remain committed to achieving credible accountability for the crimes committed against humanity in 1999, and we look forward to the upcoming report of the Secretary-General's Commission of Experts tasked with reviewing current judicial processes and recommending additional measures, if necessary. We would like to commend the Serious Crimes Unit for its thorough and careful work and to again express our concern about proper handling of crucial evidence gathered by that body. In that context, it is imperative that the United Nations preserve a full copy of the Serious Crimes Unit files, as specified in resolution 1599 (2005). We welcome the decision of the Secretary-General to maintain a core international staff to ensure that the Serious Crimes Unit files are copied.”
2005-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5180 (2005) · source
“It is now time to move on to supporting Timor- Leste in building its own capacity for self-reliance and self-governance. We fully appreciate the challenges that Timor-Leste will continue to face as a new State. It will continue to need concrete support from its friends, including the United States, for some time to come. We hope that the support of the new special political mission - the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) - will provide the additional assistance and skills transfer necessary for the Timorese to achieve further self-sufficiency. As we stated last February, this transition from peacekeeping to a sustainable development framework represents an extremely significant and positive milestone in the history of Timor-Leste.”
2005-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5180 (2005) · source
“The United States welcomes the Secretary-General's end of mandate report on the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) (S/2005/310) and also thanks Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his presentation to the Council. I also wish to extend a particular welcome to Ambassador Guterres. UNMISET has done an outstanding job, and we would like to commend all who have contributed. In particular, we wish to thank Special Representative Hasegawa for his leadership and commitment. The people and the Government of Timor-Leste have come a remarkable distance in the short time since independence. Their spirit and determination is admirable. We would also like to recognize the substantial achievement on the part of the international community, which clearly demonstrates a model for successful peacekeeping.”
2005-05-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5180 (2005) · source
“We hope that other members agree that the Haitian judiciary is a problem that must be solved, in conjunction with police reform, and that an assessment would be a good first step.”
2005-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5178 (2005) · source
“Haitian interlocutors informed mission representatives that the backlog of cases is such that most of those imprisoned and awaiting trial in Haiti have already been incarcerated for longer periods of time than if they had been tried and found guilty. We find this situation unacceptable. While there have been and are some efforts under way to help build the Haitian judicial system, we believe that they are insufficient. We have asked the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations to discuss with judicial reform experts, and in particular with several experienced international judges who will soon depart East Timor, the possibility of undertaking an assessment of Haiti's judicial system.”
2005-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5178 (2005) · source
“I thank Ambassador Sardenberg for his leadership of the Security Council mission and his informative presentation. We, too, would like to salute the efforts of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the personnel that the United Nations has on the ground in Haiti for their hard work and dedication. My colleague, Ambassador Patterson, represented the United States on the mission, and when she came back she mentioned that one of the things that particularly struck her was the lack of a functioning judiciary. She noted that, without a proper judiciary and penal system, the reform of the Haitian National Police will never achieve real success.”
2005-05-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5178 (2005) · source
“In conclusion, let me emphasize what we all know. None of our collective counter-terrorism efforts will succeed unless States make implementation of the resolutions the high priority it must be. We need a standard of accountability and compliance against which the efforts of individual States can be measured. Many States and organizations are ready and willing provide assistance to States needing help, and none should hesitate to ask for such help.”
2005-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5168 (2005) · source
“The 1540 Committee plays an important role in efforts to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Reporting to the Committee in a timely and complete fashion is important to its success. We and other States are ready to help those Governments needing assistance in that area. Regarding the 1267 Committee, we thank Chairman Mayoral for his leadership and would highlight that the United States is devoting substantial resources to combating terrorist financing. We again emphasize the importance of the FATF best practices as guides for all States in that endeavour. We encourage States to submit names for inclusion on the consolidated list and remind States that they need to provide identifying and background information demonstrating the association of individuals or entities with Al-Qaida or the Taliban.”
2005-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5168 (2005) · source
“We hope that the Security Council will soon be able to endorse the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) special recommendations on terrorist financing and money-laundering as best practices, which States should consider following in taking action against the financing of terrorism. That point relates also to the work of the 1267 Committee. Fundamentally, the best way the Counter- Terrorism Committee can contribute to the struggle against terrorism and help those on the front lines of that fight is by helping States to implement resolution 1373 (2001) and by holding those that fail to do so, or that will not do so, accountable. Regarding the 1540 Committee, we commend Chairman Motoc for his leadership and the work of his delegation as well.”
2005-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5168 (2005) · source
“Under Ambassador Denisov's chairmanship and the able stewardship of Ambassador Ruperez, the Counter- Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate have made important progress towards enhancing monitoring of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The first site visit occurred and was a notable success. Building on that success will require follow up. We are confident that Chairperson Loj will continue to lead us successfully in those efforts. We look forward to the Counter-Terrorism Committee's producing best-practices guidelines to assist States in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001).”
2005-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5168 (2005) · source
“Following your guidance, Sir, I will submit a fuller statement to be circulated as a document of the Council. I would like to highlight a few key points. First, I would like to thank all three Chairpersons for their presentations. Each Committee is engaged in important work to fight terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The fact that we are holding this meeting in this format demonstrates genuine progress towards enhanced coordination and cooperation among the Committees and their staffs a factor crucially important to achieving the Council's counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation goals. Regarding the Counter-Terrorism Committee, let me begin by thanking Ambassador Denisov and his staff for their able conduct of Committee business.”
2005-04-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5168 (2005) · source
“I had not intended to take the floor, but I want to reflect on what we have done here. Twelve members of the Council, including two African States, voted for this resolution, which we hope will address the situation in Darfur. However, I have to defend the honour of the United States Congress. Many of the members of Congress care deeply about the issue, and many of them have gone to Darfur and actually had firsthand experience working with some of the non- governmental organizations there. We know that they and all of us in the United States hope that this resolution will contribute to an end to the violence in Darfur and to a successful resolution of the Abuja peace process.”
2005-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5153 (2005) · source
“I would also like to commend the mission in Cote d'Ivoire for its work to address the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse. We look forward to working with our Council colleagues on this critical issue.”
2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source
“We remain concerned about the humanitarian situation and, obviously, about the vulnerable population that is affected by this conflict. In our review of the Secretary-General's latest report, we of course will be looking at all aspects. We continue to have questions about the utility of expanding the strength of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) beyond its current mandate, given the lack of political will shown so far by the parties to move the peace process forward. We do, however, believe that it is absolutely critical to see progress, and that UNOCI should consider using all the tools at its disposal. Finally, we call upon all the parties to reduce the level of violence and the level of unconstructive rhetoric, as well as to renew their commitment to the rule of law.”
2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source
“We would like to thank Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad for his work and for his briefing to us today. We also thank Alan Doss for presenting the report of the Secretary-General (S/2005/186) and for his work in Cote d'Ivoire. We welcome the Secretary-General's latest progress report. We are reviewing it carefully. We would like to commend the work of President Thabo Mbeki in his efforts to mediate between the parties in Cote d'Ivoire, as well as the work of the African Union in addressing the crisis. We call on all Ivorian parties to respect their commitments under the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, which has been called into question several times during the past year. We particularly urge the parties to demonstrate a true commitment to peace and reconciliation in the upcoming emergency talks to be held in Pretoria in early April.”
2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source
“I would also like to commend NATO and the European Union for the successful handover from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) to the European Union-led peacekeeping force (EUFOR) in December of last year. That successful transfer and the efficient current operations of EUFOR and the new NATO headquarters in Sarajevo are commendable. Finally, in June 2004 the Security Council issued a presidential statement (S/PRST/2004/22) calling on all authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to ensure that the police certification decisions made by the United Nations International Police Task Force during its mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina are fully and effectively implemented. So far that action has not been taken. We call on the relevant authorities to complete that task and expect them to do so.”
2005-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5147 (2005) · source
“The political leaders of Republika Srpska are obliged to take action to arrest persons indicted for war crimes, as are all leaders in the region. It should not fall to the High Representative to compel action, but in the absence of sufficient action by Republika Srpska's leaders, and in the light of the damage their inaction causes ordinary citizens, he is left with little choice. Hard work and difficult decisions have brought Bosnia and Herzegovina close to realizing its twin goals of membership in the NATO Partnership for Peace and membership in the European Union. Only by meeting the ICTY obligations, however, including the apprehension of Radovan Karadzic and other fugitives, can those goals be realized. We welcome the steps taken by the leaders of Republika Srpska towards meeting ICTY obligations and encourage them to finish the job.”
2005-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5147 (2005) · source
“As called for in numerous Security Council resolutions, all persons indicted by the ICTY must be arrested and surrendered to the court in The Hague, particularly Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and Ante Gotovina. Close to 10 years after the end of the war, it is time to resolve that issue and put the past to rest. Former United States Secretary of State John Foster Dulles once said, "The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year". Bosnia and Herzegovina has faced this problem year after year. It is not a problem that will go away, but one that will exact a higher and higher cost the longer it remains unaddressed. We commend the High Representative for his actions to identify and penalize individuals and organizations supporting war criminals.”
2005-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5147 (2005) · source
“Importantly, in all of those areas, the State and entity governments are taking on greater responsibility and ownership, allowing the international community to scale back its involvement. In the 10 years since the end of the war, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have accomplished a great deal - more than most would have dared to predict in 1995. Few would have imagined 10 years ago, however, that so many years after the war, the obligations to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) would still be unmet. The first steps towards cooperation by the authorities in Republika Srpska are welcome. The voluntary surrender of indictees from Republika Srpska marks the first time authorities there have cooperated in bringing to justice an ICTY indictee. Much more, however, is required.”
2005-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5147 (2005) · source
“I would like to thank Lord Ashdown and Minister Colak for their briefings to the Council. We welcome the many positive developments that have occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The creation of the War Crimes Chamber is a significant step forward in strengthening the rule of law. The return of the one-millionth refugee and the near completion of the implementation of property law mark important milestones in the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords. Progress towards implementing a single indirect tax administration and value added tax throughout the country will have significant economic benefits. Additional progress in defence reform has brought membership in NATO's Partnership for Peace closer.”
2005-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5147 (2005) · source
“We commend the work of ECOWAS in that field, and we support efforts to strengthen the Moratorium on Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Small Arms and Light Weapons in West Africa. The United States also believes in accountability and holding accountable those individuals who commit crimes, and we note the report's mention of the occurrence of trafficking in arms, natural resources and human beings. We continue to have a different view, perhaps, with regard to the most appropriate forums in which to hear those particular cases. Finally, I wish to say that we salute the efforts of all the peacekeepers and United Nations personnel involved in West Africa, and we also note the tragic reports coming in today of the loss of life among peacekeepers in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our hearts go out to them.”
2005-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5131 (2005) · source
“We endorse the need for greater security sector reform and underline the need for the creation of democratic, professional security forces, drawn from all groups in various societies. We also support the Secretary-General's commitment to stop continuing violations against children, including recruitment or use of child soldiers in violation of applicable law, unwarranted attacks on schools and hospitals and the maiming and killing of children. That includes rape and sexual violence and unwarranted denial of humanitarian access to children. As last week's Council meeting on small arms and light weapons demonstrated, there is a need to address the fact that destabilizing, illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons has proven a major obstacle to peace, to economic development and to efforts to rebuild war-torn societies.”
2005-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5131 (2005) · source
“As noted in our recent statement on children affected by armed conflict, the United States understands the tragic consequences suffered by children affected by those conflicts and welcomes the development of effective and harmonized disarmament, demobilization and reintegration strategies in West Africa, particularly where children are involved. However, we note that funding for such programmes remains a challenge. The United States, like many other nations, is studying the recommendations of the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and believes that each recommendation, including those regarding funding, needs to be weighed carefully with the goal of achieving broad consensus on measures that will produce increased efficiency while addressing the central problem at hand.”
2005-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5131 (2005) · source
“Similarly, we welcome the emphasis on developing cooperation between civil society groups across borders, as well as United Nations coordination with regional organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Mano River Union. We encourage private sector collaborations in order to continue to build peace and stability in West Africa. Reactivation of the Mano River Union may also provide opportunities to develop practical ways to promote greater peace and stability in the region. Many good points have been made this morning, so I will just touch on a few specific aspects of the report.”
2005-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5131 (2005) · source
“I wish to thank Benin for putting this important subject on the agenda. The United States appreciates the thorough work done in the report of the Secretary-General. We recognize that this is a complicated issue, and we commend the efforts under way to address these difficult problems. We welcome the increasing cooperation on cross- border issues among the United Nations missions in the region, particularly among the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), and the other missions, as well as the enhanced level of coordination in patrolling in the vulnerable border areas. That approach makes sense and is the best possible and most efficient use of material and resources.”
2005-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5131 (2005) · source
“Several non-governmental organizations expressed related concerns at last week's Arria-style meeting, which was held under the able leadership of Ambassador de La Sabliere. We look forward to addressing those concerns with other delegations as we continue negotiations on the draft resolution following up today's meeting. We are particularly interested in hearing the views of other members of the United Nations today. We have already heard some very valuable perspectives that will contribute to the debate. We look forward to addressing this critically important issue. Again we welcome you to the United States, Mr. President, and thank you for your contribution to this debate.”
2005-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5129 (2005) · source
“They include possible unanticipated policy and resource implications of the proposed new thematic sanctions committee in the Council and the call for an expansion of the duties of voluntarily funded programmes - such as UNICEF, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and related non-governmental organizations - without the assurance that sufficient additional resources will be available. Although we agree that a broad partnership among national Governments, civil society and the United Nations is needed to address the issue of children affected by armed conflict, we believe greater clarity and selectivity is needed so that we can move forward in an effective and efficient manner.”
2005-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5129 (2005) · source
“The United States supports the Secretary- General's commitment to stop continued violations against children, such as recruitment or use child soldiers in violation of international law, unprovoked attacks targeting schools or hospitals, the maiming and killing of children, child abduction, rape and other forms of sexual violence and unwarranted denial of humanitarian access. We welcome effective monitoring and reporting of all such violations as an important element of an effort to eliminate them. My delegation does, however, have some concerns about certain aspects of the proposed plan of action.”
2005-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5129 (2005) · source
“The United States notes that the Secretary- General's report included the terrorist attack that occurred in Beslan, in the Russian Federation, a tragedy that resulted in hundreds of children being injured or killed. We of course hope to do whatever we can to prevent the recurrence of such outrages. In the course of this discussion, the United States would also like to emphasize that there is a serious problem in our own peacekeeping operations that has too often affected children. That is an issue that requires immediate and sustained attention. An abuse of power not only affects victims from the most vulnerable sectors of society, but it also undermines the trust and legitimacy that peacekeepers around the world deserve, and which they require to carry out their mandates.”
2005-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5129 (2005) · source
“The Secretary-General's report details some welcome evidence of compliance with regard to ending the use of child soldiers in violation of applicable international law. His report also notes progress in addressing other violations suffered by children in armed conflict. While the Secretary-General's report indicates that some positive steps have been taken, clearly there is much more to be done. My country fully supports the call for all parties listed in the annexes of the report to halt the recruitment and use of child soldiers in violation of international law. As noted in the report, the use of child soldiers is especially dire in Burma, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, the Sudan and Uganda.”
2005-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5129 (2005) · source
“I would like to welcome the Foreign Minister of Benin, as well as to express our appreciation to his country for the leadership it has demonstrated in addressing the issue of children in armed conflict. I would also like to thank Special Representative Olara Otunnu for his statement this morning, as well as to express my gratitude for the report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict, which was issued earlier this month. Like other delegations, the United States recognizes with deep regret the tragic consequences suffered by children affected by armed conflict. We urge the United Nations, the Security Council and the Governments of all Member States to continue to focus on the issue of children in armed conflict.”
2005-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5129 (2005) · source
“In conclusion, the United States will continue to offer its assistance for small-arms and light-weapons destruction and stockpile management and security, export controls and law-enforcement training. We encourage other States that are in a position to do so to render financial and technical assistance to further our mutual goal to reduce the illicit spread of small arms and light weapons and to reduce the danger that these pose to our citizens, peacekeeping forces and soldiers around the world.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“Ultimately, a simple one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely to be effective in dealing with this complex problem. Given the close links between terrorism and organized crime, the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons has the potential to affect any country in the world at any time; the threat is not limited solely to regions of conflict, instability or poverty. Focused efforts to identify and curb the sources and methods of the illicit trade through robust export controls, law enforcement measures and efforts to expeditiously destroy excess stocks and safeguard Government stocks from theft are among the best ways to attack the problem.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“Unfortunately, in many countries few, if any, laws exist to regulate the import and export of these weapons. In places where such laws exist, enforcement is often weak. Any export-control system should contain reliable and meaningful mechanisms for the licensing of the production and transfer of small arms and light weapons. Countries should exercise due diligence in authenticating end-user certificates to ensure that exported arms are destined for legitimate end-users. In addition, purchasing countries should make sure that their import system is transparent and should provide maximum cooperation with the officials of exporting countries in certifying legitimate shipments. Unregulated arms brokers and inadequate enforcement of arms embargoes imposed by Council resolutions are additional causes of weapons getting to the black market.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“Since the inception of our small-arms and light-weapons destruction programme, we have provided assistance for the destruction of over 700,000 small arms and light weapons and disabled over 10,000 MANPADs, in addition to over 75 million rounds of ammunition, in 15 countries. In addition to these bilateral efforts, we continue to actively participate in regional and international efforts, such as those of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Wassenaar Arrangement and other forums. Effective export and import controls and their enforcement are, as the Secretary-General highlighted in his report, the keystone to any successful effort to mitigate the problems of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“We welcome the Secretary-General's attention to the destruction of these weapons and to selected improvements to storage facilities, particularly within disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes and peacekeeping operations. We also urge States to focus on these activities in connection with their own surplus and obsolete weapons. Such preventive activities are relatively inexpensive and can generally be accomplished using locally available infrastructure and personnel. With a more focused approach to mitigate the threat posed by the proliferation of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADs) to undesirable end-users, the United States has expanded its assistance programme to safeguard and eliminate those dangerous weapons.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“With July's Biennial Meeting of States and the 2006 review conference of the United Nations Programme of Action before us, we have the opportunity to pursue and implement innovative and effective ways to assist those States in need of technical or financial assistance to implement the provisions to which we all agreed in the 2001 Programme of Action. The United States welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of his recommendations to the Council (8/2005/69). In his report, the Secretary-General outlined several areas for Member States to consider in attempting to reduce the illicit proliferation of these weapons. We believe that large dividends in threat reduction can be achieved with a relatively modest investment.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“Only two weeks ago, Member States, including the United States, gathered at the United Nations for the second session of the Open-ended Working Group to discuss a draft international instrument for the timely and reliable identification and tracing of illicit small arms and light weapons. This was done under the able stewardship of Ambassador Anton Thalmann of Switzerland. The United States believes that such an instrument should be practical and effective, enabling the timely and reliable identification and tracing of illicit small arms and light weapons, and should not interfere with already existing commitments in other forums. We look forward to the final two-week session and to the conclusion of negotiations in June.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“The destabilizing accumulation of and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons has proved a major obstacle to peace, to economic development and to efforts to rebuild war-torn societies. Terrorists groups, insurgents and drug traffickers continue to acquire arms primarily through illegal diversion, theft and smuggling, rather than through legitimate transfers. The United States believes that small steps by individual countries and collective steps by regional and subregional organizations will go a long way towards establishing the norms and practices that will diminish the illicit proliferation of these weapons.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“Mr. President, I would like to thank you for organizing today's meeting on this important issue of small arms and light weapons. I would also like to thank Ambassador Oshima of Japan for his effort in drafting the presidential statement we will adopt later today and to welcome Ms. Kawaguchi. Of course, thanks to Under-Secretary-General Abe for his comments on the report of the Secretary-General. With the words from recent debates on how to address the effects of conflicts around the world still echoing in this Chamber, we are faced with the reality that the instruments used to carry out such conflicts - particularly small arms and light weapons - continue to require our immediate and undivided attention.”
2005-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5127 (2005) · source
“We have every confidence that he will help the participating organizations to take the necessary practical follow-up steps to advance the multilateral counter-terrorism campaign.”
2005-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5113 (2005) · source
“Yet that gathering should be about more than talking and exchanging information; it should lead to action and results. In short, while the discussions in Almaty are important, the follow-up is equally, or even more, important. Too often we have seen meetings of that sort not lead to the follow-up action necessary to advance the international counter-terrorism agenda. For example, there are still too many regional and subregional organizations that have yet to adopt or implement counter-terrorism action plans. We still have not seen enough organizations develop and disseminate counter-terrorism best practices. Almaty will be the first special meeting of the CTC since the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the appointment of Ambassador Ruperez as its leader.”
2005-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5113 (2005) · source