YouSaid · the spoken record

Iliichev

lines on the record: 831
first: 2012-12-12
most recent: 2018-01-24
sittings or episodes: 141
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

“Russia recognized the election results ofl December 2016, and from the very outset of the crisis has advocated a search through exclusively peaceful means to resolve it and to safeguard the security of its citizens and respect for their fundamental rights and freedoms in accordance with universally recognized democratic norms. We note the flexibility shown by the sponsors of the resolution, aimed at finding the necessary consensus in the Council.”
2017-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7866 (2017) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian delegation voted in favour of resolution 2337 (2017) on the situation in The Gambia on the basis of the need to ensure the peaceful transfer of power in the country and avoid bloodshed and further destabilization. We also voted in support of the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union to unblock the post-electoral crisis through peaceful means. We highly appreciate the mediation efforts of these organizations, as well as the countries of the region and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa. We hope that the joint efforts will help to maintain peace and order in The Gambia.”
2017-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7866 (2017) · source
“We will continue to actively cooperate with the States of the region in the framework of regional structures, including the African Union, and on a bilateral basis.”
2017-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7861 (2017) · source
“In that connection, we also think that the decision adopted at the twenty-seventh African Union Summit, held in Kigali in July 2016, on establishing a counter- terrorist fund for the continent will be crucial to the elimination ofterrorism in Africa. We also greatly value the measures taken by the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel and the specialized agencies of the United Nations in providing multifaceted assistance to the countries of the Lake Chad basin region. We are convinced that, in addition to combating the terrorist threat, it is essential to tackle the deep- rooted causes of the region's problems, which requires eliminating poverty and fostering social and economic development.”
2017-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7861 (2017) · source
“We are very worried about the group's new tactic, whereby it refrains from direct clashes with Government armed forces, preferring to attack civilians or civilian facilities and use suicide bombers and explosive devices. That is precisely why ridding territories of fighters has not led to improvements in the humanitarian sphere. The problems of refugees, humanitarian access and other issues related to terrorist activities cannot be resolved without eliminating the threat posed by the terrorist group. In that connection, we welcome the efforts of the Lake Chad Basin Commission States and the Multinational Joint Task Force, which was created by them and Benin. We are convinced that only through joint efforts will it be possible to achieve victory.”
2017-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7861 (2017) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Under-Secretary-General O'Brien and Assistant Secretary-General Zerihoun for their detailed briefings about the development of the military, political and humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad basin region. We would also like to thank Ms. Fatima Yerima Askira for her very moving statement. We are particularly concerned about the continuing activities of Boko Haram, which, in spite of the losses that it has suffered, remains a major source of instability in Cameroon, the Niger, Nigeria and Chad. The fact that Boko Haram pledged allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in March 2015 makes it even more urgent to mount an immediate, unified and robust response to the terrorist threat in Africa.”
2017-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7861 (2017) · source
“In that regard, we sincerely regret that the penholders refused to reflect in the draft version an alternative to the mass presence of peacekeepers, whereby the rapid reaction force of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali could have been proactively deployed in the election period. In that connection, we have to reiterate our concerns that working methods of resolution sponsors, which ignored this and other sensible proposals of a number of delegations. We cannot agree with the explanation that the positions of delegations diverged significantly and that there was no possibility to bring them closer together. Such a situation calls for further efforts to develop a compromise, especially as the time left the end of the UNMIL mandate allowed us to do so.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“However, we are also forced to note that this would appear to conceal the usual dependency mentaility and attempts to assign the United Nations tasks that Monrovia should long since have been able to assume itself. We do not share the conclusions of the Secretary-General's report that the justification for maintaining the presence of the peacekeeping operation in Liberia is a test ofthe ability of national institutions to maintain stability. In other words, United Nations personnel will be in Liberia just to be on the safe side if the situation should deteriorate in the run-up to the 2017 elections. In so doing, we will divert troops and resources that the United Nations sorely needs in other hot spots.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“We have always been sympathetic to the positions of Governments hosting United Nations peacekeeping missions, but that does not mean that in formulating its decisions, the Council Security should not take into account all factors determining the situation in that country. At the same time, we should not forget that the Secretary-General, in his latest report on Liberia (S/2016/968) clearly states that the security situation remains stable and that the country has not experienced any military threat for several years. We note the position of the Liberian Government, calling for an extension of the Mission's mandate in its current form for one year.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian delegation abstained in the voting on resolution 2333 (2016), extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). We believe that it is unacceptable to extend the mandate under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations in circumstances where Blue Helmets are anticipating exclusively peacebuilding tasks. We were surprised by the text in the document concerning the scope of the military and police components of the Mission, which, as we know, will be engaged in promoting elections, reform the security and justice sectors, and broadcast United Nations radio. We do not understand why those purely peaceful tasks require the presence of 700 armed peacekeepers and 5 military helicopters in the country.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7851 (2016) · source
“In sum therefore, we would like to express our satisfaction about the responsible position taken by a large number of Security Council members not to allow today's destructive draft resolution on South Sudan to be adopted. In so doing, we managed to prevent the emergence of new problems in the settlement process and in relations between the host country, the peacekeeping Mission and the international community as a whole.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7850 (2016) · source
“It is doubtful that sanctioning the leaders of South Sudan and of the opposition would facilitate the building of a more inclusive society or the forging a political process. On the contrary, such steps would only exacerbate the animosity between the various ethnic groups and the escalation of tension. We would also like to point out that in resolution 2327 (2016), which extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the sponsors defined the Mission's task to facilitate the political process as being the last priority. They did not heed the proposal of a number of delegations to make it at least a second priority.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7850 (2016) · source
“We would also like to point out the inconsistency in the American delegation's interpretation of the priorities of United Nations peacekeeping. At the Security Council meeting on 20 November 2015 on the future of United Nations peace operations, which included a discussion of the report of the Secretary-General on the outcomes of the United Nations peacekeeping review (S/2015/682), the representative of the United States stated that, "We agree with the Secretary-General that political settlements that promote peaceful and inclusive societies and help advance human rights are key to preventing conflict and interrupting cycles of violence. We have a vested interest in ensuring that, in those places where we have deployed peacekeeping missions, we are equally engaged in advancing the political process" (S/PV. 7564, p.12).”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7850 (2016) · source
“They were also not bothered by the legitimate concerns of South Sudan's troop- and police-contributing countries, which quite rightly have misgivings about the negative impact of new sanctions on relations between the host country and the Blue Helmets. The sponsors do not want to acknowledge the progress and cooperation achieved between Juba and the United Nations. President Kiir has categorically agreed to receive the Regional Protection Force. There has been serious progress in the peace settlement process, including the successful work of the Transitional Government of National Unity and its practical steps to launch inclusive, national dialogue and an amnesty for Machar's supporters. Once again, the sponsors of the draft resolution closed their eyes to all of that.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7850 (2016) · source
“Having been unsuccessful in South Sudan, the United States is now attempting to use the Security Council for its own purposes, including through the pointless expansion of sanctions. We do not want to share the responsibility for the disastrous consequences of such a short-sighted policy. We are also against the high-handed, unceremonious conduct of the sponsors of the resolution. By putting it to a vote, they have not just ignored the opinion of a number of Council delegations, they have also disregarded the decisions of regional players, which have stated that new Security Council restrictions were counterproductive for the peace settlement process.”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7850 (2016) · source
“Mr. IliicheV (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): Russia, likw many other delegations, abstained in the voting on the Security Council draft resolution on expanding the sanctions regime against South Sudan. That is because there are profound concerns about the content of the document and the work conducted on it. We think that it is abnormal when serious work on settling the situation in the South Sudan is undermined by the senseless use of such sanctions. But that is typical of the sort of geopolitical engineering that the Western countries have been using against South Sudan and other countries. In the past, it was used against the united Sudan in order to dismember it into two States. We have a question for the delegation of the United States. How does that delegation assess United States activities on this issue?”
2016-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7850 (2016) · source
“Instead of helping to resolve the conflict, a number of Security Council members are attempting to increase pressure on Juba, including through targeted sanctions and the hybrid court. Such short-sighted tactics will not help the situation.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“That, by the way, might have been what motivated the decision by the authorities to shut down the displaced-persons camp in Juba. Generally speaking, in order to establish lasting peace in South Sudan, we do not need a Security Council arms embargo but rather targeted measures aimed at disarming the population as well as at demobilizing and reintegrating combatants. Targeted sanctions against the Minister of Information and the Chief of General Staff of the Government Army may have unpredictable consequences. We suspect that someone really wants to get rid of President Salva Kiir by ensuring that he gets into a fight with various influential figures in his immediate surroundings.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“The sponsors of the draft resolution on sanctions are ignoring the fact that differences among African States will probably undermine the effectiveness of any such restrictions. We see that in the example of a number ofAfrican States, including the Central African Republic, where targeted sanctions and the arms embargo are simply not working. South Sudan is awash with arms. That is evident from the fact that the group of a few hundred supporters of Riek Machar who fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo had very few weapons with them, so quite obviously they dumped or hid them somewhere in South Sudanese territory. The former Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Ellen Laj, also confirmed the presence of weapons in camps for the protection of civilians as well as in arms caches in the immediate vicinity.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“In the IGAD summit communique dated 9 December it was clearly stated that new targeted sanctions or an arms embargo would not serve to establish lasting peace and stability in South Sudan. Furthermore, the African Union's Peace and Security Council's summit communique dated 19 September includes no calls for new sanctions. Put succinctly, the sponsors of the draft resolution on sanctions are essentially ignoring Africa's position regarding the counterproductive nature of new restrictions on the process aimed at trying to reach a settlement. Those colleagues are clearly demonstrating in their statements that they only accept those African documents that are in line with their interests and approaches.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“Practical issues regarding the deployment ofthe Force are being discussed by representatives ofthe Government and the United Nations in a constructive manner, which was demonstrated, inter alia, by Juba's consent to the request of the United Nations for the provision of plots of land for the use of the Force. However, even the deployment of a full- fledged 4,000-strong Regional Force is unlikely to significantly improve the difficult political, military and humanitarian situation in the country. We agree with the view of the Secretary-General and IGAD that that would require the full implementation of the peace agreement by the parties, with international partners' support. Our position regarding new sanctions against South Sudan is well known and is shared by many members of the Council.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“Naturally, we are concerned by the proliferation of venomous rhetoric in South Sudan, as well as actions against various ethnic groups; however, those actions are not targeted against any particular community, rather there has been an increase in ethnic tensions in general. We also note that those manifestations and actions have emanated, as a rule, from various types of armed and criminal groups and undisciplined elements of the security apparatus. This is why we would refrain from concluding that there is any form of targeted or systemic policy. Among the positive events of late, we have Juba's unconditional agreement to and acceptance of the Regional Protection Force. That step was welcomed by the Secretary-General, as well as by the IGAD summit in Addis Ababa.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“Against that backdrop, we have doubts with regard to the widely circulating rumours that the Government is amassing its forces and mobilizing local armed elements in the Equatoria region for a large-scale offensive that is about to start after the end of the rainy season. I would like to take the opportunity of the presence of representatives of the Secretariat to ask whether they can comment on the fact that the Juba Government has said that what is involved are normal rotations of the armed forces? We would also call upon our colleagues from the Council and the Secretariat to refrain from speculation about the threat of genocide in South Sudan.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“Amnesty has been declared for the partisans of Rick Machar who participated in the July events in Juba. We are concerned by reports of armed clashes in various parts of the country. However, one has to understand clearly what their exact nature is. We share the view of the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) that, to a large extent, those incidents have been the result of problems in the command structures and a lack of discipline in units of the Government's armed forces and those of the opposition. Another factor is the split in the opposition forces of the partisans of Taban Deng Gai and Rick Machar. There are also groups that are under no one's control. On top of all that there have been spontaneous clashes that are the result of interethnic tensions or even simply criminal actions.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to start by conveying our gratitude to the Secretary-General and Mr. Stephen O'Brien, as well as to all our colleagues, who during the previous meeting took the floor and extended kind words of condolence to us following the killing of Ambassador Karlov in Ankara. Their words of condolence and support are extremely important for us. I now to turn to South Sudan. We note the progress in implementing the South Sudanese peace agreement of last year. The Transitional Government of National Unity and the Parliament are working effectively with representatives of the armed opposition. Practical steps are being taken to strengthen mechanisms aimed at providing security and to draft a new constitution. President Salva Kiir launched an inclusive national dialogue.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7846 (2016) · source
“I would like to stress that the Council's appeals to the Tribunal to shorten the ongoing judicial proceedings are as urgent as ever, and we hope that the Tribunal's leadership will make every effort to that end in order to ensure that the two remaining cases are finalized even before the official deadline. The meeting rose at10.05 ant.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7842 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian delegation has often expressed its concern over the unacceptable delays in the judicial proceedings of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the prolongation of its work beyond the limits set by resolution 1966 (2010). Our opinion of that has not changed. At the same time, we note that the Tribunal's new leadership has managed to avoid additional delays, for the first time in several years. The adoption today of resolution 2329 (2016) reflects the commitment of the ICTY to the task of finalizing its work by the end of 2017 and contains important provisions ensuring that the current extension of the mandates of the judges and prosecutors will be the last. Those conditions form the basis of our decision to vote in favour of the resolution.”
2016-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7842 (2016) · source
“We have warned many times of how unacceptable it is to attempt to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles against the will of the Government of South Sudan. The wording in favour oftheir use by the United Nations Mission effectively flouts the State sovereignty of that country.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“The delegation of the United States of America does not seem bothered that its draft resolution submitted in November on expanding the Security Council sanctions regime against South Sudan was supported by fewer than half of Council members. The sponsors also ignored the latest Intergovernmental Authority on Development summit decision that new sanctions were counterproductive to the settlement process. Our colleagues directly stated that they were only interested in those African documents that were consistent with their own interests and approaches. As before, we cannot agree to wording on the future hybrid court in South Sudan. It runs counter to the provisions of the 2015 Peace Agreement, according to which the institution and activities of that judicial body are the exclusive prerogative of the African Union Commission.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“Such ultimatums and wording look all the stranger given the progress in implementing the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan. For example, we have a successfully working Transitional Government of National Unity and Parliament, with the participation of representatives of the armed opposition. President Salva Kiir has initiated a nation-wide dialogue and an amnesty for supporters of Rick Machar. Juba has stated its categorical consent for the deployment of the Regional Protection Force. Despite all that positive momentum, the sponsors of the draft resolution sought at any cost to push through wording on sanctions.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“In particular, the pen-holders rejected the proposal to modify the Mission's mandate, singling out as a priority the task of supporting the peace process. They also refused to give Blue Helmets powers to provide assistance to the South Sudanese police. That is precisely what the Secretary-General recommended pursuant to the autumn review of the activities of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan. Juba, too, has long been asking for this. It turns out that for South Sudan, some of our colleagues only seek to wish to use the stick, including new sanctions; there is never any talk of carrots. As before, we think that inappropriate to include Security Council sanctions against South Sudan in the resolution, the main intention of which seems to be to extend the mandate of the peacekeeping mission.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian delegation supported resolution 2327 (2016), based on the need to pursue active international efforts for a peace settlement of the armed conflict in South Sudan, and the important role played in that process by the United Nations Mission in that country. However, we are compelled to note that the sponsors, as they have done with certain other Council resolutions on South Sudan, again failed to take on board a whole string of serious concerns of the Russian delegation and several others. In the text of resolutions they pushed through their own national priorities, neglecting the red lines of other delegations. That even further undermines the unity and effectiveness of the Council's work, including on the subject of South Sudan.”
2016-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7840 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian delegation was surprised by this resolution, submitted by the United States, which extends the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan for just one day. That is all the more surprising given that the sponsors had sufficient time to come to agreement on the resolution. Not a single round of consultations was held, and the concerns of other delegations had been set out fairly clearly and repeatedly. Once again, this leads us to the conclusion concerning the detrimental effect of the current penholder system, when three Security Council delegations took over the process of preparing Council decisions. We hope that Council members will take on board our initiative on reviewing the penholder arrangement. The meeting rose at 6.10p.m.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7838 (2016) · source
“We call for the provisions of the Framework to be invoked in addressing the problem concerning the arrival of supporters of the former First Vice-President of South Sudan, Mr. Machar, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August. The problems of the region cannot be resolved through force. We need to implement plans for the disarmament, demobilization and repatriation of former fighters of the Mouvement du 23 mars. So far, steps have been made in that area only by the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself. It is important that MONUSCO remain impartial and limit itself strictly to its Security Council mandate on the eve of the elections. We are convinced that a close partnership with Kinshasa will allow the Mission to fulfil its role of stabilization.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“We hope that the re-establishment of full-scale joint operations of the MONUSCO Force Intervention Brigade and the Congolese army to neutralize illegal armed groups, will ultimately help to eliminate the security vacuum in the eastern part of the country. We also commend Kinshasa's efforts to improve its cooperation on security issues with the Governments of neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda. We believe it important for States members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to step up their efforts to ensure the implementation by all signature countries of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. In that regard, we note the efforts being made by ICGLR under the presidency of Angola.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“However, we suggest that it would be logical to talk about human rights violations only after the investigations have been completed and the role played by opposition leaders in provoking the unrest and violence against Government representatives has been assessed. The main reason for the Democratic Republic of the Congo's place on the Security Council's agenda is the fact that the conflict has not been resolved and illegal armed groups remain active in the eastern regions of the country. We are pleased to note the full cooperation that has been established between the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the Government of the country, and we pay tribute to the personal efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Maman Sidikou.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“We are convinced that the interpretation of the agreement with respect to defining the update of the voter register and the concrete time frame for holding the presidential election should be determined by the Congolese people themselves. The intervention of external players on the pretext of imposing their psuedo- recommendations for organizing the electoral process and broadening the political space is unacceptable. Such actions are liable to violate the equilibrium that has been achieved with such difficulty. We should refrain from interpreting Congolese fundamental law, because the country has its own Constitutional Court, which on 11 May ruled concerning the procedure for the termination of the powers of the President and parliamentarians. We regret the victims of 20 and 21 September demonstrations.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We note the effective efforts of Special Envoy of African Union, Mr. Edem Kodjo, in assisting the successful conclusion of the intra-Congolese political dialogue and the signing of the political agreement of 18 October. We are convinced that that agreement will play a role in ensuring political stability in the very difficult time leading up to the election. We commend the 17 November appointment of Mr. Samy Badibanga to the post of Prime Minister as the first step in implementing the agreement. We call on the political forces in the country that have not signed the agreement to continue to participate in the political process.”
2016-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7826 (2016) · source
“The report appeals to all sides, including the armed force of Ukraine, in all circumstances to ensure respect for the provisions of international humanitarian law and to avoid damaging objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including water filtration facilities.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Mr. Iliichev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): As regards the situation in Crimea, I note that it was not the peaceful citizens of Crimea who refused the water from the Dniepr; it was a purposeful act on the part of the Kyiv authorities, which turned the humanitarian situation basically into a catastrophe. The water blockade did not stop there; it was followed by blockades of energy and food. As regards the situation in the Donbas, in the most recent report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, it is stated very clearly that, as a result of military activities, the infrastructure is suffering, including through interrupted access to water.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Such activities undertaken by the Ukrainian authorities undermine human rights and a whole slew of international humanitarian norms, in particular the right to fresh water and sanitation and the right to food, as well as the relevant resolutions of the Security Council on human rights, let alone article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“We regret the fact that the delegation of Ukraine once again tried to use this forum not for the purpose of constructively contributing to discussing the issue of international peace and security, but rather for purposes of propaganda to provide political cover for the criminal activities of Kyiv. The people of the Russian Crimea are not likely to forget that in April 2014 Kyiv ordered the blocking of the locks of the Northern Crimea canal, which at the time provided for 85 per cent of the freshwater needs of approximately 2 million people.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“We are in favour of strengthening inter-agency cooperation under UN- Water, which brings together all the structural entities within the United Nations having to do with water supply. We deem it important to develop and improve the regional and international legal basis in the area of regulating water resources. We note in this regard the positive experience in implementing the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes within the region regulated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. As regards the issue of the management of transboundary watercourses, we believe in principle that we must arrive at mutually beneficial solutions, on the basis of partnership and respect for national sovereignty.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“We believe that in order to continue a substantive discussion on water issues, it would be useful to consider the lessons learned by the international community from the recently concluded International Decade for Action, "Water for Life" 2005-2015, of which the Russian Federation was one of the initiators. We deem it important to make use of and improve on such experience and practice, as they would enhance our efforts to promote sustainable water use. That is why Russia supported the Tajikistan initiative to declare a new decade on water issues. In this respect, the United Nations development system can play an important role in helping international efforts in this respect.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Of course, such assistance should take into account the specific requirements of, and strategies for, their own national development as well as regional particularities. The lack of concrete action in this area should not give rise to attempts to identify questionable causes of problems, given that an appropriate resolution to such problems is vital to reducing tensions between countries experiencing water scarcity. Implementing the 2030 Sustainable Agenda for Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development provides us with additional possibilities for further cooperation among States on the basis of creating a balance among the three dimensions of sustainable development.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“In addition, attempting to view the management of water resources from a general perspective, especially through the prism of international security, makes it more difficult to consider the national and regional particularities of water cooperation. This, in the end, can undermine existing agreements at various levels. The key to resolving issues in the area of water is to increase the general level of socioeconomic, scientific and technical development of countries and bringing their own potential to bear in this respect. The international community must concentrate its efforts on the economic, social and environmental aspects of the issue and, if possible, provide countries in need with the necessary financial and technical cooperation and help them to build capacity in terms of their own national specialists.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Its work is aimed at resolving specific conflict situations, first and foremost through reconciliation among conflicting parties. It is not clear what kind of practical measures the initiators of today's meeting, focusing on the theme of water resources, are expecting from the Security Council. Bringing issues relating to sustainable development into the busy Security Council agenda can also lead to imbalance in the activities of other major United Nations bodies. We are convinced that adherence to the clear division of labour within the United Nations system is the key to the effective and transparent functioning ofthe Organization as a whole.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“In that way, emphasizing the geopolitical aspects of water cooperation, including international security, can only complicate the quest for the resolution ofa difficult socioeconomic situation and, as a result, hinder sustainable development as a whole. Our delegation has earlier repeatedly expressed doubts about the advisability of involving the Security Council in various issues relating to sustainable development, as well as involving other non-core United Nations agencies that do not have the appropriate expertise and tools and cannot, therefore, bring added value to discussions on the topic. Under the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“However, the root cause of the conflict lies elsewhere, namely, in the ineffective management of water resources, not in the resources themselves. In that context, we are concerned by the ongoing attempts to directly incorporate a security component into issues relating to water resources. Securitizing the issue of water could lead to the shifting of the focus of international efforts towards a subjective search for "guilty parties' and the subsequent probable imposition of military intervention in the parts of the world concerned, where what is really needed is specific expert activity in order to work out solutions for emerging issues.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“It is designed to be a catalyst for the implementation of practical measures in the area of water within the framework of the new United Nations International Decade for Action, called "Water for Sustainable Development". With regard to the topic of today's Security Council meeting, which links water resources issues and ensuring peace and security, we think that natural resources, in and of themselves, are neutral in nature. Therefore, their presence or their scarcity cannot, a priori, be regarded as an underlying reason for conflicts and for creating a threat to peace and security. The deterioration of the situation with regard to access to water, which can be due to various factors, can exacerbate existing disputes between States, and not necessarily in the water sector, or it can be used to exacerbate tensions between them.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source