YouSaid · the spoken record

Hoxha

lines on the record: 1,795
first: 2014-02-19
most recent: 2023-12-29
sittings or episodes: 264
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

“Although open conflict has been avoided, since the expiration of the truce we see growing clashes and worrisome signs of escalation — as explained by the Special Envoy, especially in Ma’rib and Taiz. We call on the Houthis to stop their escalatory steps and get back to the negotiations. After their long years of suffering, the Yemeni people need hope, not more war; they need a perspective and a future. Houthis must not undo the achievements and benefits of the truce. Hard- won progress must not be wasted. Showing restraint is therefore a must, and work towards a nationwide comprehensive ceasefire must not stop. Yemen cannot be synonymous with war, and we must do whatever we can so that Yemenis do not succumb to such a terrible predicament.”
2022-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9152 (2022) · source
“I would like to praise the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — and welcome the presence of the Ambassador here — and the Sultanate of Oman for the truce renewal. It did not happen, although it should have. We continue to hope that reason will again prevail. We commend the leadership of the Government of Yemen in accepting the truce proposal. That is the right decision, attitude and response to the call of the people of Yemen, who have been ravaged by war and want to live in peace and dignity. We regret that the same call of the Yemeni people was not heeded by the Houthis, who instead of thinking about, and working for, the future of the Yemeni people, seem embarked on a dangerous course.”
2022-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9152 (2022) · source
“Mr. Hoxha (Albania) (spoke in French): As I take the floor for the first time this month due to business travel, I cannot begin without congratulating you, Mr. President, on your presidency of the Security Council for the month of October and on the exemplary conduct of the work during these first two weeks. (spoke in English) I would like to thank Special Envoy Grundberg for the update and all his tireless efforts. It was also heartening and timely to listen to the account of Ms. Msuya from Yemen. We believe it is paramount that the Council, the regional actors and the international community as a whole remain united and not let the country slide back into conflict. We should continue to show strong resolve to bring the parties closer together and keep the United Nations-led process on track.”
2022-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9152 (2022) · source
“In this respect, we will continue to highlight our position that settlements and their expansion go against international law and constitute an obstacle to the two-State solution, the cornerstone of the peace process. They are wrong and must be stopped. We also urge all sides to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric that escalates tensions and endangers the peace process. We see no other way to move ahead than through peace talks. The negotiation table is the only place where a viable and just solution lies and can and should be found.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“As my own country was recently victim of an unprovoked massive and large-scale cyberattack that aimed to destroy critical Government infrastructure, sponsored and carried out by groups affiliated with Iran, we better understand the security concerns of other countries, Israel in particular, which is faced with an ongoing threat from a State that calls openly and continuously for its destruction and sponsors proxies in its backyard with the sole aim of harming, killing and destroying. We have said it many times and deem it important to reiterate: building peace in post-conflict situations requires not only efforts but also genuine goodwill and especially trust — a lot of trust. This is why, if truly committed, parties should refrain from actions that go against efforts to promote the peace process.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“Any positive step or measure, even small steps, helps in the process. The growing number of work permits issued to Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to work in Israel contributes to improving the well-being of thousands of families living in poverty. They also help build trust among communities, becoming promoters of better understanding on a much greater scale. We will never tire in reiterating our categorical rejection and condemnation of every terrorist attack against Israel or anywhere else. We abhor terrorism in all its forms and oppose and denounce it vigorously and unreservedly. We support Israel’s right to defend itself, acting proportionately and based on law. The value of life is the same for Palestinians and Israelis.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“Violence can never be conducive to fulfilling dreams; it is just a treacherous road of false promises that are never realized. Every effort must now therefore be made to bring the parties closer together to meet, talk and seek solutions. This is how the Oslo Accords happened. This is how future accords may and should happen. The country is losing time — time that has been and will always be regretted. We look forward to the resumption, at the next best opportunity, of dormant peace talks within the legal framework created by the United Nations in order to find a lasting and just solution to the conflict with a democratic, as I mentioned before, and secure Israel and a viable and democratic Palestinian State living at peace with each other, with Jerusalem as a shared capital.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“While we spend most of the time in this Chamber expressing worry about the trends of violence and tensions, which we always regret and condemn, this is the kind of message we expect from leaders, as it will to inspire, I hope, both Israelis and Palestinians to engage in efforts to resolve the never- ending tragic conflict. This land has always known violence in all forms and intensity. Violence has caused only victims, mostly civilians, from both sides. It has brought pain and suffering while reminding everyone that an endless cycle of violence always ends up being a zero-sum game. This is why we highlight the crucial importance of upholding the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants as critical to safeguarding the gains made through tireless efforts, because such important gains are fragile and easily reversible.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“Last week, at the General Assembly, the Prime Minister of Israel highlighted in very clear terms the strong and unambiguous commitment of his Government in favour of the two- State solution (see A/77/PV.8). For the first time in more than a decade, an Israeli Prime Minister recommitted to a formula that the international community finds to be the most promising one to end the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, a statement welcomed by President Abbas as well. A two-State outcome that protects Israel’s security and provides sovereignty and dignity for Palestinians with a Palestinian State that is democratic and viable is the only way forward in securing peace with Israel as a democratic State while fulfilling Palestinians’ legitimate aspirations.”
2022-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9139 (2022) · source
“Above all, the issue here is not Kosovo or any other part of the world, but Russia’s aggression, Russia’s crimes and Russia’s grabbing of territory to the detriment of its neighbour. We will not be misled.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“Nothing could be more difficult and forced than comparing an international effort to end a conflict, protect civilians and establish a peace process to find a lasting solution — which was the case in Kosovo — with a pure and unprovoked act of aggression and the sham referendums engineered in Moscow that are currently being carried out in Ukraine. No one is, can be or will be fooled by that comparison. No attempts to compare the incomparable or easy shortcuts out of a historic political context will help Russia divert attention from its war of choice in Ukraine or hide its blatant breach of international law, which has made it an international pariah. Kosovo and Serbia are today bound by a dialogue to solve their problems. They meet; they do not fight.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“I hate to ask for the floor a second time, since it gives the impression that I was not clear enough at first, but in this case I need to. This is not, of course, to prolong today’s discussion, in which everything was made clear, but to set the record straight. The Russian delegation once again made a parallel with the Republic of Kosovo — an independent country that has been recognized by half of the United Nations, including half of the members of the Security Council. Such a parallel is wrong, inaccurate and regrettable. I already reacted to similar remarks on the matter in June (see S/PV.9069), therefore I will be very brief.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“Last week, in this Chamber, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (see S/PV.9135) said that the bodies lying on the streets he saw in Bucha were real, not staged. The crimes committed in Ukraine are being meticulously documented. They will not be erased and will follow perpetrators until their last days on Earth. Furthermore, we in the Security Council cannot stay idle. As we heard from the delegation of the United States, together we have prepared a draft resolution to condemn the sham referendums, which has been shared with Council members. Borders cannot change to satisfy Russia’s appetite, and Ukraine is not — and cannot be — Russia. We must remain united and continue helping Ukraine defend itself and regain its territory.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“In addition, attempts to compare the referendums with other cases out of every historical and political context are simply worthless cynicism. We call on all United Nations Members — everyone for whom the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty and the inviolability of borders have meaning — to oppose Russia’s actions, condemn the referendums and their anticipated results and never recognize any attempt to steal Ukrainian land through violence and terror. While the war goes on and Russia is hastily trying to change Ukraine’s map, the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine established by the Human Rights Council has concluded, based on evidence, that war crimes have been committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“The sham referendums run contrary to the Charter of the United Nations, United Nations resolutions and international law and are making a mockery of the principles that Russia has pledged to uphold as a permanent member of the Security Council, including when it threatens the use of weapons of mass destruction. As stated last week by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the General Assembly (see A/77/PV.12), we strongly condemn Russia’s ongoing war and the premeditated mock elections in Ukraine. They have zero-legality, zero-legitimacy and zero-credibility, and Albania will not recognize them. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the election monitoring authority par excellence, condemned what it qualified as “illegal referenda”.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“According to Ukrainian law, heads of local state administrations are proposed by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and appointed by the President of Ukraine, not by Russian proxies. The sham referendums are in contravention of the Constitution of Ukraine. A referendum can be called by the President or Parliament, or by a public initiative involving the valid signatures of at least 3 million registered voters, with at least 100,000 such signatures from each oblast. Furthermore, the martial law currently in force in Ukraine prohibits the holding of any kind of elections or referendums. Finally, we have our own documents. According to Article 3, paragraph a, of the annex to General Assembly resolution 3314 (XXIX), “annexation by the use of force of the territory of another State” is itself an act of aggression.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“Russia knows that it is losing big. Therefore, what I have qualified before here as the Russian referendum “assembly line” (S/PV.9104, p.5) has been quickly put into action. “We don’t want more of Ukraine”, said President Putin in 2014. Suddenly, the appetite of the Kremlin has grown. Four fresh territories are on the menu, comprising no less than 18 per cent of Ukraine’s territory. International law prohibits the occupier from changing borders. Russia may claim that it has nothing to do with such plans, since they have been organized by the residents of the regions. But reality now and in the recent past has clearly shown that that is not true. By mid-March, the Russian occupation authorities in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya appointed administrative leaders.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“No one in the world will take seriously the results of people voting in a referendum at gunpoint in the ruins. Let us make it clear: the sham referendums in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson have nothing to do with democracy, nothing to do with the free will of Ukrainians and nothing to do with any international election standard. They are just a replay of the same old script applied to Georgia and Crimea. Now they are translating into reality a desperate effort to hide failure and a worthless attempt to legitimize conquest in the eyes of an incredulous and deeply troubled world. Russia is projecting panic instead of power and instilling fear instead of force. Why is there such haste? It is because the army of Ukraine is astonishingly pushing Russia out. Russians were told that everything is going to plan. It never has.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“The so-called voting has been recorded on park benches, shops and even the makeshift booths in police stations, better known locally as torture chambers, which were put to such good use. Elsewhere, doors have been broken down to facilitate the voting process — so much for the solemn moment of voting; so much for the rules and norms of the States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Yet the result is not in doubt. The vote count, engineered in Moscow with an already-scripted result, will reveal that residents would love to be ruled by the invading Power, Russia. The haste with which the sham referendums are being held makes it unlikely that the spectacle will convince anyone, including Russians themselves, of their legitimacy.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“Let us now have a closer look of what will be known as the sham referendums being conducted these days by an extensive use of the Kremlin’s tricks. With the latest escalatory decisions and the partial mobilization, the war has finally entered Russian homes, and we have seen the reactions. Russians are resisting, are protesting openly and are leaving their country en masse to escape being drafted because they do not know why they should die in a war that they do not want and do not understand. In the city of Kherson, election officials went door to door with riot police. It is a well-known fact that, when you vote at gunpoint, the process is more expeditious.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“Mr. Hoxha (Albania) (spoke in French): I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing, which was, as always, insightful and useful. (spoke in English) I would like to begin with the following quotation: “Don’t believe those who try to frighten you with Russia and who scream that other regions will follow after Crimea. We do not want a partition of Ukraine; we do not need this.” That is what the President of Russia said in 2014. Everyone can judge for themselves. I doubt, however, that that comes as a surprise to anyone since, for more than nine months, what we have heard from the Russian delegation here has little or nothing to do with what happens there on the ground — two parallel realities.”
2022-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9138 (2022) · source
“Free, fair and inclusive elections, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, are a crucial step towards enabling Haitians to express their will and fulfil their ambitions. Albania stands with Haiti and its people and supports their aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous country based on the rule of law, with full and equal rights for everyone. We support the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and strengthening the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. But that will not be enough. Haitians must know that the United Nations is there to help them. Ms. La Lime called for urgent action, and we know what the instruments and the power of the Security Council are.”
2022-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9136 (2022) · source
“Such behaviour undermines people’s trust in State institutions and leads to tension and violence. Furthermore, rising living costs and insecurity are forcing people to take to the streets. We believe in peaceful protests, which are part of the dialogue in every democracy. But the use of violence is never the answer to the ills that provoke such demonstrations. We call on the State authorities to heed the demands of protesters and seek to address the root causes of the problems that they are calling attention to. They involve deep social, economic and security concerns, as well as the issue of legitimacy, which should be restored as soon as possible through elections.”
2022-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9136 (2022) · source
“Albania joins others in highlighting the crucial need to restore order and security in order to stop a mad cycle in which the entire country is spiralling out of control into total lawlessness. The endemic corruption, widespread smuggling and uninterrupted trafficking need to be addressed urgently, not only with words but with muscle — the kind of muscle that Haiti does not seem to possess, despite the measures taken or under way to strengthen the Haitian National Police. Haiti is on the brink of ruin, and that prospect is further exacerbated by what looks like a detached political class. In the face of a continued catastrophic situation in the country, which calls for an urgent and unified national response from all stakeholders, one has the impression that the people of Haiti and their political establishment are two separate entities.”
2022-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9136 (2022) · source
“Civilians are hurt, their rights are denied and the country is at a standstill. Haiti is in desperate need of help, which is an appeal that many clearly expressed here before the representatives of many countries did so once again during the high-level week of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. The challenges are many, and they include catastrophic economic and humanitarian situations, arms trafficking, violence and a poor health-care system that is severely underfunded. Yet the main priority is reining in the gangs that are hampering the delivery of scarce basic goods by controlling the transport routes. Gangs are suffocating the country. The fact that they have the upper hand is undermining everything and holding the people hostage.”
2022-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9136 (2022) · source
“Let me thank the briefers for their valuable insights into the dire situation in Haiti and for proposing urgently needed ways to deal with and possibly reverse the current catastrophic course. I welcome the participation of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the representative of Canada in this meeting. The situation in Haiti could not be grimmer, and is seemingly at the limits of hopelessness. As we heard from Special Representative La Lime, the country faces enormous challenges — a deep, triple crisis. It will only get worse with time. Most fundamental of all is the lack of order and the rule of law. Armed violence, killings, injuries, kidnapping and sexual violence continue to ravage the country and prevent it from addressing fundamental challenges.”
2022-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9136 (2022) · source
“We welcome the strong involvement of the European Union in the normalization process between Armenian and Azerbaijan, including at the highest levels through the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel. We reiterate that there is no alternative to reaching a peacefully negotiated solution to the conflict via the path of diplomacy.”
2022-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9132 (2022) · source
“At a time when the world markets have been deeply affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, with severe impacts on energy markets, any further disruption elsewhere would only increase volatility and make the global situation worse. Needless to say, the humanitarian situation would also worsen even further, which we certainly do not need. We support international efforts within existing formats, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the active role played by the European Union, to stop the hostilities. We welcome the ceasefire that entered into force yesterday evening and which, according to reports, is being respected so far. We call on all sides to continue its implementation.”
2022-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9132 (2022) · source
“Those serious and worrisome developments are a stark reminder of the volatility and fragility of the situation on the ground in the absence of a peace treaty. The latest acts of violence erupted beyond the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It is important and urgent to do the utmost so that the conflict lines do not spread further. As everybody knows, European security is already under serious threat from the ongoing war in Ukraine. A further escalation of the situation in the region leading to the outbreak of a conflict would have far-reaching consequences that would transcend the region’s borders. As in every conflict, civilians are the first to suffer, but let us not forget also that the wider South Caucasus is a crucial artery for energy commodities to Europe and the world markets.”
2022-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9132 (2022) · source
“As we know, dealing with difficult and complex issues in post-conflict situations requires trust, resolve and continued efforts. We carefully read the communications from both countries and listened to Assistant Secretary-General Jenča’s briefing here today. In such a volatile situation and with the information we have, it is not easy to have full clarity based on independently verified facts. While the parties blame each other, we highlight the importance of avoiding any actions that feed into mistrust, including military build- up or other provocations along the border. A blame game and retaliatory measures will only bring about more clashes and could lead to renewed fighting and an open conflict with serious consequences.”
2022-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9132 (2022) · source
“I thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča for his update. Like others here, we are deeply concerned by the reports of heavy fighting that has taken place along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border during the past few days. Exchanges of fire with many casualties, including civilians, have been reported by both sides. We express regret for the loss of life. It was the worst escalation of hostilities between the two countries since 2020. We welcomed with optimism the positive developments during the past few weeks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, especially the fourth high-level meeting organized on 31 August in Brussels under the auspices of the President of the European Council. The recent armed clashes run counter to and undermine such efforts. We hope that those incidents will not undo the progress achieved.”
2022-09-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9132 (2022) · source
“In addition, the situation of women and children in the “widow camps” in north-west Syria remains largely under the radar. Women and children are living under the threat of violence, with no means to earn a living and with no access to basic services. Children are particularly at risk, and many are involved in child labour in the camps. We wonder what kind of adults children raised in such horrible conditions will become. Lastly, I wish to highlight the issue of impunity for serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. Accountability for serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law is crucial to achieving sustainable peace in accordance with resolution 2254 (2105). No just and sustainable future can be built sitting on top of the mountain of crimes committed in Syria.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“Among countries, Syria today has one of the highest number of detainees and missing persons. We have repeatedly called in this Chamber for the creation of an independent mechanism with a strong international mandate to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing people. We commend the Secretary-General’s study on how to bolster efforts, including through existing measures and mechanisms, to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing people in Syria and provide support for their families. Delivering concrete results in order to bring relief to families and build trust and confidence among the Syrians should be a key priority, as we heard Mr. Darwish rightfully say. Fifthly, the overall security situation in the Al-Hol camp remains dire, with reports of an increased number of sexual violence.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, with regard to the political track, we wish that we were hearing more news about the Syrian-led Constitutional Committee under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva rather than the records of its successive meetings when they happen or are allowed to happen by the regime sponsors. We strongly support the efforts of the Special Envoy and his step-for-step approach, but he cannot walk alone. The lack of trust undermines his and others’ genuine efforts. Without the will and true efforts, the current deadlock will continue, prolonging the agony of a country in dire need of hope. We welcome the involvement of civil society in that process. Fourthly, the past 11 long years of war, marred by the worst atrocities and grave and widely spread human rights violations, have inflicted untold pain on Syria’s civilian population.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“It goes without saying that hostilities and, in general, the continued multidimensional crisis, are exacerbating an already-terrible humanitarian situation. Secondly, as we heard once again from Under- Secretary-General Griffiths, humanitarian aid needs to reach everyone, everywhere, and, as we just heard from the United States delegation, it should bring relief to those in need in Syria. We support the implementation of all aspects of cross-border resolution 2642 (2022) over the coming months, as well as early-recovery initiatives and humanitarian access through all modalities, including cross-line deliveries, and remain convinced of the crucial need for the mechanism as the only lifeline for millions in the north-east. We also call for its renewal for at least 12 months in January 2023.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“Mr. Hoxha (Albania) (spoke in French): I thank Ms. Rochdi, Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Darwish for their updates on the situation in Syria. (spoke in English) The situation in Syria has not improved since our previous meeting (see S/PV.9117). It remains a dark festival of the horrible and the unacceptable. I will try not to repeat things that we have said at our many past meetings, and I will limit my remarks to a few key points. First, with regard to the situation on the ground, ongoing hostilities, including air strikes and shelling across the country, continue with their usual lot of casualties, displacement of civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Conflict remains intense in front-line areas and other pockets across the country, with an enduring acute risk of major escalation.”
2022-09-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9130 (2022) · source
“Our solidarity stands against the Kremlin’s reckless actions and therefore against aggression, invasion, war crimes, crimes against humanity, widespread destruction, the killing of civilians, including children, forced deportation, food insecurity leading to starvation, world economic and trade disruption and disrespect for international law. All of those are in total opposition to everything we commonly aspire to in our efforts to make the world a better place for all, not just for the Kremlin and its expansionist dreams. Russia did not go to Ukraine with flowers, but with guns. There is no surprise that it was not welcomed with flowers but with guns. And as we have seen, it has been outgunned. Let us not forget that if Russia wins the war, there may be no Ukraine.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“We understand the clear intention is to slice the Ukraine tragedy into discussion pieces, isolating specific aspects and interests and pushing a certain narrative. It will not succeed, and we do not buy it. We will always agree to thoroughly discuss every aspect on an issue, but let us not lose sight of the big picture. In this case it is — why we have this war and who is responsible for it and all its consequences. Russia started the war, Russia is responsible for the war and Russia can end the war at any time. Ukraine’s war and solidarity with Ukrainians are therefore all about protecting freedom, peace and security, development, prosperity, friendly relations, fair trade with mutual benefits, principles and values, laws and commitments and the Charter of the United Nations.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“Around this table, no one here knows better than us what sovereignty, independence and the right to self- defence are and mean. Article 51 of the Charter is clear. It provides an unquestionable legal basis for individual States to offer any assistance to a country exercising its inherent rights to self-defence and the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, taking a collective stand against an illegal war of conquest is the right course and a contribution to future security in Europe and beyond. In the face of the deliberate and barbaric targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, with widespread evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity, standing for Ukraine is standing for life.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“And no, there are no warring parties in Ukraine. There is an aggressor and a country rightfully defending itself. We also could not entirely hear Ms. Trifković, but please do not bother to distribute the statement, since we can easily complete the missing part of the propaganda. Since the very beginning of this madness, it has been clear that Russia’s aggression is not only against Ukraine and its people. It is also an attack on international law and the Charter of the United Nations and a danger for European security architecture. Standing for and helping Ukraine today is therefore both a moral duty not to let down 44 million souls that Kremlin wants to subjugate, as well as a key security imperative. Albania is proud to be part of those who are doing what they can to help Ukraine and Ukrainians defend themselves.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“They continue every day with vivid expressions of sympathy on the streets of almost every capital in the world, which have proudly displayed Ukraine’s colours. They come with all forms of assistance for the millions brutally uprooted from their homes, who are welcomed and cared for in neighbouring countries. They come through humanitarian help for those many millions more who need food on the table, milk for their babies, medicine for the sick and shelter for those whose homes have been turned to rubble by Russian bombs. They come also — and rightfully so — in the form of direct defensive military aid to a Government and a people who are under premeditated, unprovoked, unjustified, indefensible and unacceptable attack by a neighbour who wishes them well by dropping bombs and destroying their homes.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“There are mechanisms and instruments for that. They work very well, and we agree on the need to strengthen them further. Therefore, for this delegation, the meeting is about solidarity, help and support to a country in need. During these six long months, beyond the brutality of a war of choice, the world has witnessed two remarkable experiences — first, the heroic and unwavering resistance of the Ukrainian people, army and Government and, secondly, the international community’s incredible solidarity with, and support for, Ukraine. As we know, solidarity, help and support come in different ways and forms. They came on 2 March, when 141 Member States stood on the right side, with Ukraine, and only four sided with Russia.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“Let me join others in expressing our most sincere condolences to our British colleagues and, through them, to the British royal family and all British and Commonwealth citizens for the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II. We pay tribute to her unique contribution to building peace and reconciliation, and our thoughts are with all those grieving today. (spoke in French) I thank Mrs. Nakamitsu for her briefing. (spoke in English) The right title of the meeting today should have been “Worldwide solidarity and support for a country that has been brutally attacked by its neighbour whose intentions are to wipe it from the map”. That is because, in our view, that is all we can discuss here today — not weapons and calibres, including those that reportedly Iran and North Korea, two countries under sanctions, are unlawfully providing to Russia.”
2022-09-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9127 (2022) · source
“That is why, if Russia has nothing to hide, as it claims, it should enable immediate and unrestricted access for United Nations bodies — first and foremost the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, but other international humanitarian actors as well — to the so-called filtration centres and to the forced deportation and relocation areas in Russia where Ukrainian civilians are being filtered, interrogated, humiliated, denied their rights and unlawfully detained. Will Russia do that?”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“The violations of international law will not remain unpunished, and the crimes committed in Ukraine will haunt those responsible until the day they die. There is a lot that has come into the open about the unlawful policies of Russia in Ukraine, but what we know may be only the tip of the iceberg. There is certainly significantly more that we do not know, and that is the bigger story and the bigger worry.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“It is reported that Russian adults in Russia who take in Ukrainian orphans receive a stipend that is four times higher than the minimum wage. International law is clear. The forcible transfer of civilians is prohibited under international humanitarian law, the laws of the war and the Fourth Geneva Convention, and it can be prosecuted as a war crime and a crime against humanity. The Russian Federation is a State party to all those instruments, and it violates them, just as it does everything else, at will. We call on international organizations and independent agencies and encourage Ukrainian authorities to collect all the documentation available that could be used in the accountability process.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“But the main question concerns those who remain unaccounted for. A terrifying dark spot in that bleak picture is the situation of children. Human rights advocates believe that Russians have separated Ukrainian children from their parents at the filtration camps and placed Ukrainian orphans with Russian families. When they do not kill children — and hundreds have already been killed — they simply uproot them and deport them to Russia. Imagine for a second the indescribable distress of Tatiana Tolstokorova, who recognized Nastya, her missing three-year-old granddaughter, being welcomed by adoptive adults in Russia, in a video posted on 14 July on VKontakte, the equivalent of Facebook in Russia. That seems to have become the nightmare of tens of thousands of Ukrainian mothers.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“The world-renowned Russian investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya gathered testimony from thousands of Chechen civilians detained in similar centres, revealing brutal interrogation methods, torture and human rights violations. Despite being decades apart, the policies and aims remain the same: to identify civilians they believe can assimilate into Russian culture and rule and to punish or remove those who will not. The situation is black and white. If people pay allegiance to the occupier, they are free; if not, they will be detained and may disappear. That is what is happening to countless Ukrainian civilians. Credible estimates indicate that some 1.5 million people have been processed through those filtration camps. As of June, the OSCE put that figure even higher — as many as 1.7 million Ukrainians — and it has not stopped since.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“Moreover, in July an expert mission established by the Moscow Mechanism of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed by Russian forces in Ukraine since 24 February identified the establishment and use of so-called filtration centres. Furthermore, based on analysis of satellite images, Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab has identified 21 sites in Donetsk oblast alone affiliated with filtration operations. Those are not mere checkpoints but makeshift prisons, another phase of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. Anyone who has studied a bit of history cannot fail to notice that filtration camps are rooted in Soviet and Russian history, from the Second World War to the Chechen wars of the 1990s.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source
“Brands Kehris has just confirmed that forced transfers of adults and children have taken place. During the so-called filtration process, biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images, as well as personal belongings, have been collected. People have been interrogated both about their relations to military armed forces and their political views. Any sign that links anyone to the Ukraine Government is an indictment with dire consequences. The report notes that individuals who failed the filtration process have been detained and the fate of some is unknown. There are serious grounds for concern that their lives are at risk — if they are still alive.”
2022-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9126 (2022) · source