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

“We have met here 15 times in 10 weeks to expose Russia’s despicable deeds and to show its isolation. Also, in a matter of a few weeks, Russia has, in three crucial consecutives votes, been put against the wall in the General Assembly, which, in a remarkable and historic move, suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council. While deploring the Security Council’s inability for reasons clear to all, we should be proud of the United Nations for standing firm against the aggression and for looking Russia right in the eye and saying that it was wrong, and it will pay. Under international law, a military commander is responsible for war crimes committed by his troops.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“The civilian massacres carried out by Russian forces have rightfully stirred world outcry. Russia should have learned that a war cannot be won through massacres. During the wars in the Balkans in the late 1990s, the crimes against innocent civilians in Vukovar, Croatia, Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Račak, Kosovo, did not help any of the perpetrators to win the war. This war will be no exception. We hear public indignation about one recurring question: why can the United Nations not do more to stop Russia? That question is right, and the anger is justified, because Russia, with its veto, has taken the Security Council hostage, preventing it from delivering security in Ukraine. However, thankfully, there is more of the United Nations that Russia cannot veto.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“Some 150 children will never see the end of war in Ukraine. They have been killed. Hundreds more who have been injured will bear the marks of this war on their bodies forever. Children’s lives are always shaped by the behaviour of adults, who themselves struggle in times of war. They have the duty to provide care and protection and ensure their upbringing. But how can a frightened mother, holding her child, avoid passing on her worst nightmare and fear that, all of a sudden, the child may end up alone? How can one explain war to children who, in a matter of hours, had to leave their family environment, friends, pets and toys behind and who, traumatized, are unable to sleep or eat? In their normal life, children draw parents, houses and trees. The Russian war has made Ukrainian children draw bombs, tanks and weapons.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“Last October, the Security Council adopted resolution 2601 (2021), which urges all parties to cease attacks and threats of attacks against schools. It was us. Destroying on purpose the educational infrastructure and making it dysfunctional for years to come is simply criminal. Schools should be safe places, free from any kind of violence, and learning during conflict and crisis must be maintained, as it helps to maintain a sense of normalcy and fosters resilience. We know that mass displacement and refugee flows always create conditions that could lead to human trafficking and an acute child-protection crisis. We commend UNICEF for the good work in providing recreational activities and psychological support in Ukraine. Blue Dot centres offer crucial counsel and protection services.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“Women and girls face heightened risks of gender- based violence, human trafficking, exploitation and conflict-related sexual violence owing to displacement. Their needs must be a priority in the humanitarian response. But the situation of children is even worse. As we heard from Mr. Fontaine, since the start of the war, two thirds of the total child population of Ukraine have been forced out of their homes. Those still inside the country, remain trapped in what has become a national nightmare. And if all this were not enough, some 121,000 Ukrainian children have reportedly been forcibly deported to Russia. Save the Children reports that since the start of the war, an average of 22 schools have come under attack every single day in Ukraine.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“Everyone is suffering in Ukraine, but the situation is particularly devastating for women and children. That is why we called for today’s meeting, and what we heard from the briefers, whom I thank, is appalling. We were very pleased to listen to Ms. Cherepakha, and all accounts coincide. We just do not yet know all the horrible details. Hundreds of thousands of women have been forced to flee their homes. Others are fighting bravely to protect their country or work under bombardment and indiscriminate shelling as doctors, nurses and other professionals, providing essential services to their communities. We express our gratitude to all countries for their big heart in helping Ukrainians fleeing the war.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“We thank Lord Ahmad for presiding over this meeting, which testifies to its importance and timeliness. The Russian aggression has not stopped. It continues to cause undue pain and suffering to 44 million people who did not ask for it. The relentless brutality and destructive force of the actions of the Russian army against civilians and vital civil infrastructure in Ukraine is catastrophic. Unspeakable crimes have been committed, and each day the various pieces of the horror puzzle — grisly images of bodies charred or run over by tanks; mass graves, torture chambers, and interceptions confirming that Ukrainian prisoners of war had been shot dead after being interrogated by Russian soldiers; playgrounds riddled with bullet holes, and kids’ shoes scattered among the rubble of a school in ruins — are falling into place.”
2022-04-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9013 (2022) · source
“This aggression and its startling defeat have once and for all separated the fates of Ukrainians and Russians because the case of Ukraine is also the cause of democracy against tyranny and kleptocracy. It is a fight between the will of the people against the vicious will of one, whose reckless actions have challenged everything we stand for and who is directly responsible for the economic disruption and food insecurity that is affecting the entire world. He can choose to stop, withdraw troops and quit Ukraine or continue to descend in the very abyss he has created and face the consequences.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“We welcome the efforts of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and its partners to deliver assistance, in support of the people in Ukraine and the millions of refugees in neighbouring countries. Let me end on this note. Rarely has the outcome of a war been so disastrously the complete opposite of what the aggressor wanted to achieve. Russia’s army has been defeated by the outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian resistance; Russia is isolated like never in its history; it has become the world’s most sanctioned country in history. No country has ever seen itself transform, in a matter of only 10 days, from a global player into a financial and international pariah to the point that it is obliged to find comfort in support from North Korea and Syria.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“That means that it will concentrate its brutality there, in what may end up becoming a war of attrition. Russia has blocked the renewal of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, thereby denying the international community the independent eyes it needs there. Sadly, that signals more war, further atrocities, other crimes and even more humanitarian disasters. This war continues to affect women and children, in particular. Millions have been displaced, many of them alone, in search of safety and security. It is heart-breaking to see mothers write names and addresses on the backs of their children so that they can be recognized in case they end up becoming orphans.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“The Russian army and its commanders cannot escape accountability. The name of the butcher of Mariupol, a criminal that has reduced an entire city to ashes and has made its citizens go from three meals a day to barely three meals a week, is engraved in the ruins of the city. That is why we will support the call to suspend Russia’s participation in the Human Rights Council. General Assembly resolution 60/251, which created the Council, stipulates that “members elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights”. As we see, Russia’s standards are nauseating, and its presence there is a farce and a desecration of the place that is called on to be the sanctuary of rights. Russia has announced that it will now shift its focus to eastern Ukraine.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“Such crimes, as documented by Human Rights Watch and verified by independent and respected professional reporters, those who are banned for the Russians, call for answers, thorough investigations, effective accountability and justice. Prime Minister Rama called these crimes a terrible pain and a horrible shame. Russia has an international obligation to abide by international humanitarian law, the laws of war, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and its First Additional Protocol. Russia has an obligation to abide by the order of the International Court of Justice to immediately halt its military activity in Ukraine. Unfortunately, Russia has made another choice — to not respect any of it and to remove the need to abide by international law. But the law will pursue Russia.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“It will be hard, actually impossible, to convince anyone that the destroyed tanks that clutter the roads, the mines and booby traps left behind amid the wreckage and the bodies of civilians killed by arbitrary executions and lying in the streets amid debris are staged scenes for propaganda. Who could believe that Russia aggressed Ukraine simply to protect civilians, while Ukraine is busy staging horror movies? Russia may muzzle media back home, but it cannot fool satellite images and it cannot blind independent reporters and human rights non-governmental organizations on the ground. Waiting for Russia to accept and tell the truth is like waiting for Godot. And he never arrives. These are facts — hard and sickening proof of the atrocities committed, the ugly face of this madness.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“The real news that has horrified the word is what Russia is leaving behind — the unspeakable horrors, those soul-crushing images in areas from which Russia is withdrawing; images of civilians executed with a bullet to the neck, sometimes with their hands tied behind their backs or shot dead on their bicycles; images of mass graves overflowing with corpses; images of carnage and devastation, including looted homes; rape and sexual violence — acts usually attributed only to thugs. They spring from the same cruel impulses as the bombardment of cities, homes, hospitals, schools and kindergartens by Russian forces. Bucha is an open-air graveyard, the notorious facelift of the Russian aggression. We have heard time and again: It is not Russia. Yes, but no.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“This is the fourteenth meeting of the Security Council on Ukraine since 31 January, while the war of aggression has entered its second month. Let us establish a few basic, yet meaningful facts. Russia has stalled, and its imperial dreams are nowhere. Taking Ukraine finally proved impossible. Kyiv was too hard to swallow. The Russian army is in disarray, but it has not stopped shelling and bombardments. But all of that is not new, and all of that is not news.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“Let me thank Ambassador Nusseibeh for having steered our work during the month of March and to wish the United Kingdom and you, Madam President, full success in our common work during this month. Albania welcomes President Zelenskyy to today’s meeting. His remarks are painful, and his account on what Ukraine is experiencing under Russian occupation is revolting. We stand by him and his compatriots — all Ukrainians — for their heroic resistance and for the resilience the entire world is admiring. They are not alone. They have the world on their side because it is the side of right, justice and, we hope, victory. Let me thank Secretary-General Guterres for his very clear and powerful remarks. I also thank Under-Secretaries-General DiCarlo and Griffiths for their updates.”
2022-04-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9011 (2022) · source
“The United Nations human rights team in Ukraine has received information about mass graves in the besieged city of Mariupol. Other horrors will soon be unearthed. Everything must be done to ensure accountability for every war crime committed in Ukraine. The recently established Group of Friends on Accountability following the Aggression in Ukraine will support all efforts to gather evidence and document the atrocities of the war. Let me end with a reality check. Now we know that Russia wanted all of Ukraine, and it has learned the hard way that it cannot — and will not — get it. Now it wants to divide it and grab a part. That must not be tolerated. It must be condemned, and Russia must be held accountable.”
2022-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9008 (2022) · source
“Novaya Gazeta, one of the largest independent investigative newspapers in Russia, led by Nobel Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, announced that it was forced to halt publication after being issued a warning from the Government. They were told they could not tell the truth and that they could not speak of war. How many times have we heard, in the most ridiculous posture, that Ukrainians are inflicting it all on themselves? That is what Russians are being told relentlessly now, in an almost closed-circuit information system. How masochistic would such Ukrainians be? The simple fact is that they have been attacked in their home and are fighting to defend it. A total information blackout will keep Russians in darkness, buried in a parallel reality that is distorted by propaganda, until mothers start looking for their missing boys.”
2022-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9008 (2022) · source
“Unable to occupy the country, it is simply destroying it. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has major implications for food security across the world, as United Nations reports confirm. It is inflicting severe difficulties on developing countries. That comes as 2022 is expected to become a year of catastrophic hunger, more than 44 million people in 38 countries are on the verge of famine and overall global needs for humanitarian assistance are higher than ever. People in conflict areas used to fear dying of war; now they fear dying of hunger as well. That is another consequence of Russia’s war. Troubling facts confirm that Russia has replaced the right to information with the freedom of disinformation.”
2022-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9008 (2022) · source
“Bombing schools, hospitals, commercial centres, theatres and cinemas with modern weapons has killed many and terrified many more, but it has not demoralized or broken Ukrainians. Instead, it has marked Russia’s failure and sealed its humiliation. Ukrainian men and women are not fighting to survive but to win — and win they will. No propaganda can erase facts: half the children of an entire country of 44 million have been displaced; while nearly 4,500 residential buildings, more than 90 factories and enterprises, more than 650 educational establishments and 74 health-care institutions have been damaged or destroyed in Ukraine. In Kharkiv alone, more than 1,000 houses have been destroyed by Russia. That extensive damage is not only a consequence — it is in fact the real aim of the aggressor.”
2022-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9008 (2022) · source
“Mariupol, savagely battered into rubble and reduced to ashes, symbolizes the extreme brutality of the Russian invasion. In the words of the city’s mayor, Russia’s aim is to wipe the city off the face of the Earth, along with its inhabitants. There is a legal definition for that despicable practice. We know it through historical records: cruelty inflicts untold damage and pain, but it never prevails. It did not do so during the Second World War; it did not during the three long years of siege of Sarajevo or the genocide in Srebrenica; it did not during the horrible massacres and massive ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. We know where all those who tried to do so — who suffered from the strongman syndrome — ended up: behind bars, at best.”
2022-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9008 (2022) · source
“Whoever seeks the truth about Ukraine today comes to the same conclusion — Russian aggression has caused a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Ukraine. It must end and give way to not only a chance for negotiations, but actual negotiations, with an immediate nationwide ceasefire, as 140 Member States called for just last week (see A/ES- 11/PV.9). Unfortunately, as we speak, people are still being killed. At the end of the Second World War, some 40 million people had been displaced from their homes. In Ukraine, after only five weeks, a quarter of the country’s population of 44 million has been displaced by the Russian aggression. We have been told, repeatedly, that this war does not concern civilians, but in truth, it has become mainly a war between the Russian army and Ukrainian civilians, including women and children.”
2022-03-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9008 (2022) · source
“To avoid total political and economic collapse and endless conflict and divisions, authorities must meet key benchmarks and accelerate the implementation of the transitional security arrangements contained in the Juba Peace Agreement. The international community has demonstrated that it stands ready to re-engage politically, economically and financially with the authorities of the Sudan. However, for that to happen there is a need for genuine and continued political commitment by those on the ground. They hold the keys to their country’s future.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“The lack of implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement risks the persistence of further instability without a genuine political process. As we have already seen in recent months, political instability in Khartoum has spilled over to other parts of the country. Particularly noticeable is the surge of violence in Darfur, which has been further exacerbated by the return of fighters from Libya. We condemn the increased killing of civilians, the destruction of property and violence against internally displaced persons. The Sudan cannot remain mired in a roundabout in which hope and despair change places at the will of strongmen.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“As the next phase of United Nations-facilitated discussion approaches, the Sudanese leadership must prove its commitment to working together in reaching consensus to ensure a Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led process and a Sudanese-owned, Sudanese-accepted outcome. Consultations must remain inclusive and ensure the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and civil society, including youth groups. A constitutionally legitimate transition must be established and a clear path to civilian leadership and democracy in the Sudan must be charted. Sudanese authorities must release all political prisoners without further delay. Peaceful solutions through negotiations cannot be found when many intellectuals and actors are behind bars.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“In that respect, we fully support human rights reporting by the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in the Sudan, an issue of primary importance for any meaningful progress in the Sudan or elsewhere. The thirst of the Sudanese for democracy, peace, justice and freedom is simply remarkable, as demonstrated through their continued resilience and courage. I would particularly like to praise the courage of Sudanese women, who were the backbone of the revolution in 2019 and now are again leading the protests against the military coup. Only an inclusive negotiated solution will help the Sudan achieve political and economic stability.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“We strongly condemn the arbitrary arrests, the detention of protesters, political actors and human rights activists, the harassment of media and journalists, and the deliberate attacks on medical facilities and medical personnel. All such acts are a violation of human rights. All those who violate human rights and commit crimes must be held accountable. Violence perpetrated by security forces must stop. We do not wish to see the Sudan slipping back to the time of Al-Bashir, without Al-Bashir. We appreciate the efforts of United Nations human rights expert Adama Dieng and reiterate that his work must be unhindered and that Sudanese authorities must fully cooperate with him.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“The coup has put a stop to the traditional process of rolling back key benchmarks, while deepening the economic crisis and exacerbating the human rights situation. It is depressing and utterly regrettable. We are particularly concerned about the human rights violations committed in the Sudan, especially by security forces, including the use of live ammunition against civilian protesters and the increased intimidation, harassment and sexual violence practised against women and girls. The Sudanese authorities must respect the right of protesters. We call for investigations into the disproportionate use of force by security forces and all other actors.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“Let me thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Perthes for his comprehensive briefing and even more so for his important work, in particular in conducting inclusive political consultations with Sudanese stakeholders to find a way out of the current impasse. The political and security situation in the Sudan has been marked by significant setbacks, following the military coup d’état last October. Furthermore, continued violence, an influx of refugees from Ethiopia, the impact of climate change and the lack of essential services have made a difficult situation worse. As if all that were not enough, the fallout from the food insecurity caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which is being felt worldwide, has placed an additional toll on the Sudan.”
2022-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9006 (2022) · source
“That means issuing common, simple and factual press elements. Our goal is and must remain a complete, comprehensive, irreversible and verifiable denuclearization of the entire Korean peninsula.”
2022-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9004 (2022) · source
“The regime is giving them weapons — weapons that go higher, faster and further, starving the population and threatening the region. But make no mistake — missiles will not make North Korea any stronger or better. They will rather make it more isolated and poorer, as is unfortunately and regrettably the case. The catastrophic humanitarian situation will not be resolved by itself. The Pyongyang regime must allow unimpeded entry of humanitarian assistance in the country, which requires unfettered access for international staff, including the Resident Coordinator. It is high time for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to return to the negotiation table for an unconditional and meaningful dialogue through diplomacy, not provocations. We encourage all members of the Council to show unity.”
2022-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9004 (2022) · source
“The repeated missile launches by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea require comprehensive and timely analysis from the Panel of Experts and incident reports of any breach of Security Council resolutions by the regime. We look forward to working with the Panel in this regard. While the regime is investing millions in research into its ballistic programmes, its population continues to starve, isolated from the world, as it keeps its people undereducated and inflicts untold poverty, pain and suffering upon women, men and children throughout the country. The regime needs to also be held accountable for its mistreatment of the population, human rights violations, slavery and economic starvation. The population needs food.”
2022-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9004 (2022) · source
“The failure of the Council to denounce such unlawful acts will only serve to encourage the regime in Pyongyang to continue to blackmail its neighbours, threaten the region and endanger the wider world. Inaction is tantamount to tacit approval. As we have said before, it is a license to do more of the same. The latest launch is a new level of provocation. It represents another and repeated breach of its self-announced moratorium of 2018. Albania strongly condemns such provocative acts and aggressive actions. We call on the regime to stop and return to the negotiation table, urgently and without preconditions. We have just adopted resolution 2627 (2022), renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts.”
2022-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9004 (2022) · source
“The defiant attitude and renegade acts of the Pyongyang regime must be met by a united and resolved Council with an open and determined response. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must be told in clear terms that it cannot defy the international community and that it cannot disrespect Security Council resolutions. Resolutions are not to be contemplated; they are to be implemented. That is why Albania joined others in requesting this public meeting today. The Council cannot continue to meet behind closed doors. It has shown patience, but it has been met with indifference by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Therefore, the regime must know that we will not accept such behaviour and that it will be held accountable for such flagrant breaches of international law.”
2022-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9004 (2022) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary- General DiCarlo for her update. We are sad that it confirms our assessment that the Pyongyang regime is continuously, stubbornly, unilaterally and dangerously escalating tension in the region, threatening its neighbours, snubbing the Security Council and violating the Council’s resolutions. This is intolerable. This is the thirteenth missile launch this year in the very same pattern of defiance. In a previous meeting, we asked: Is there a threshold of defiance and contempt of this organ before we come together and speak with one voice? The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea might think that the attention of the Council is elsewhere. It is mistaken. We will condemn its reckless actions, and we will not let this or any of its other provocations go unnoticed.”
2022-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9004 (2022) · source
“Instead, the longer it stalls there, the more aggressive it becomes and the deadlier the outcome. Russia is the sole and unique cause of the terrible humanitarian situation it has created out of its own obsession. It cannot share that responsibility with the victim, Ukraine, or with anyone else. Therefore, because the text, despite its misleading title, is a mountain of hypocrisy and because we consider it spineless and useless, Albanian did not vote in favour of it.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9002 (2022) · source
“Therefore, we did not believe that Russia needed to propose a draft resolution to the Security Council to call for a ceasefire in an aggression that it itself initiated for no reason and to oblige itself not to bomb civilians, homes, schools and hospitals, as it is doing every hour, not to kill mothers and their babies and not to force children, girls and women to dramatically leave their homes. We did not fall for such a trap. We did not accept such a mockery. The result of the voting just showed that. If Russia is worried about protecting civilians in Ukraine — as international humanitarian law firmly obliges it to — it has to abide by the Geneva Conventions. If Russia is the slightest bit concerned by the responsibility to protect, it has to come to its senses, stop its aggression, withdraw its troops, pack up and go home.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9002 (2022) · source
“Tomorrow will mark one month since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Since the very first day, that war has been senseless, unjustified, unprovoked and illegal. It must stop. Every second it lasts is one too many, but instead it is becoming deadlier every day. Mariupol, mercilessly pummelled block by block, has become the true face that Russia is presenting to the world — a world that is rejecting it, isolating it and holding it responsible. We know the cause of the devastating military situation in Ukraine. We know who is responsible.”
2022-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9002 (2022) · source
“We call on all sides to show self-restraint and mutual respect, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, as well as during Passover and Easter celebrations, and avoid actions that fuel tension and confrontation. Let me conclude by saying that what we desire is not a secret: we want a negotiated and just solution where Israelis and Palestinians enjoy full and equal rights with complete respect for one another’s concerns and aspirations. This would not only benefit the Israelis and the Palestinians, but it would bring about enormous positive ramifications for the region and for the world at large.”
2022-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9000 (2022) · source
“We are convinced that it is also key in the search for a peaceful solution to the conflict, as civil society actors have a vital role to play in fostering a culture of dialogue and mutual recognition. The uncertainty about the designation of six Palestinian non-governmental organizations casts doubt upon the work of other non-governmental organizations and makes donors reluctant to fund their activities. This is part of a disturbing trend of shrinking civil space for civil society, especially in Gaza, but also in the West Bank. We support the preservation of a status quo with regard to the holy sites in Jerusalem. These sites must serve their function to unite people of all faiths and allow us to find strength in our differences rather than reason for division and conflict.”
2022-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9000 (2022) · source
“We continue to believe that settlements and their further expansions are wrong and illegal under international law, and they threaten the possibility of a future viable Palestinian State at peace with a democratic and secure Israel. What we need instead are concrete, continued and sustained steps that defuse tensions and pave the way for the search for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, which will make a two-State solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, not just a distant and dimming hope, but a reality. We continue to believe that civil society is a vital part and hallmark of a democratic society and a pillar for fostering a culture of mutual understanding.”
2022-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9000 (2022) · source
“In the meantime, we oppose all unilateral decisions and actions that prevent its full implementation, including unlawful evictions and demolitions. The decision of the Israeli Supreme Court with regard to four families under the eviction process inspires hope for the law to prevail. Provocations and acts of violence by either side are unacceptable and must be properly investigated. They add to the grievances that need to be overcome for Israelis and Palestinians to work for lasting peace with one another. They only exacerbate an already tense situation that can easily provoke another outburst of uncontrolled violence. In this respect, we firmly condemn rocket launches and balloons from Gaza. Israel’s response in its right to self-defence must also be proportionate.”
2022-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9000 (2022) · source
“Madam President, I am happy to see you back in the chair as President of the Security Council. I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his briefing. Resolution 2334 (2016) represents a milestone in the attempts by the Council to find a way out of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What we heard is worrying and goes against what the Security Council is seeking to achieve. Continued violations of core provisions of resolution 2334 (2016) make a bad situation worse and threaten the prospects for peace and stability in the region. While we believe that the full implementation of resolution 2334 (2016) is important, it may not, in and of itself, be sufficient for the peaceful resolution of the conflict. But it is a necessary step in the right direction. We therefore welcome any step that promotes compliance with the resolution.”
2022-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9000 (2022) · source
“In the words of Beaumarchais, “Calumniate, calumniate; there will always be something that sticks.” The world looks to the Security Council and for good reason. It looks to it for hope and solutions as the body responsible for peace and security. It should not be abused for propaganda and irrationality.”
2022-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8999 (2022) · source
“With the sole exception of Russia, everyone around this table — everyone without exception — as well as 140 members of the General Assembly, have been clear on the absolute need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, stop the war, protect civilians and deal with issues and concerns, not by bombarding indiscriminately; not by killing innocent people; not by destroying a country; not by wreaking economic havoc on the entire world, but through negotiation and diplomatic channels and mechanisms. That is what needs to be done. That is what Russia should be doing, not abusing the Council with pop-up subjects of convenience, trying to create the illusion of truth out of repeated lies.”
2022-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8999 (2022) · source
“Whenever its representatives speak about Ukraine, they just distort reality. Claims need to be properly and fully investigated. We know how that is and can be done. Russia should first agree to an immediate ceasefire throughout the territory of Ukraine. It should withdraw all military forces from within a radius of 40 kilometres of suspected locations and ask United Nations security forces to secure a 40-kilometre radius to allow diagnostic research teams to conduct proper investigations. Instead, we are of the impression that Russia is talking to itself.”
2022-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8999 (2022) · source
“I am afraid that we find ourselves, in the best-case scenario, with an attempt by Russia to shift attention from its crimes and prolong the invasion by sowing fear of the dreadful prospect of chemical warfare; or, at the worst, given Russia’s track record of accusing others of the very crimes that it has perpetrated, including attempted assassinations and poisoning of its own citizens, Russia intends to use disinformation tactics as a pretext for further escalation and possible use of chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. We have seen that the longer the invasion is stalled, the deadlier the missile attacks and bombardments become. That is the real issue, and it is a serious one. Let us recall that Russia has been saying one thing and doing the opposite, and that Russia is blatantly breaking international law.”
2022-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8999 (2022) · source
“So what are we doing this morning? What are we talking about here? Are we talking about non-existent chemical weapons programmes in Ukraine, developed in non-existent laboratories and financed by non-existent programmes? Russian claims — and we listened to the statement by its delegation — remain unverified, unsubstantiated, uncorroborated and not independently verified. In a word, they are not credible. It is hard not to believe that today’s meeting comes as a last-minute replacement plucked from a drawer and is therefore a waste of time and an abuse of the Council.”
2022-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8999 (2022) · source
“Let me express our shock over the sudden death of our colleague, Ambassador Jim Kelly, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ireland and a seasoned diplomat. We convey to our Irish colleagues and to Mr. Kelly’s family our most heartfelt condolences on this terrible loss. We thank High Representative Nakamitsu for providing us with the same information as last Friday (see S/PV.8991) on the matter. We have heard nothing new from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs because there is nothing new. We take issues of weapons of mass destruction extremely seriously, but there needs to be an issue. We heard last Friday, and it was repeated here today, that the United Nations is not aware of any alleged programme in Ukraine that is inconsistent with international treaty obligations, including on chemical or biological weapons.”
2022-03-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8999 (2022) · source
“Russia has proposed a text for the humanitarian draft resolution S/2022/231. We think that it is wrong. It is worse — it is a mockery of proportions, a move worthy of the Guinness record for hypocrisy. Russia cannot shoot first and then come disguised as a doctor. The only way to minimize humanitarian consequences for the Ukrainian population is simple: Russia has to stop the war, withdraw its troops and go home. No one should become confused by a text just because it is called a humanitarian text when the only aim is to provide cover for the war. We therefore urge colleagues not to fall for the emperor’s new clothes. The Russian aggression is naked out there.”
2022-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8998 (2022) · source