YouSaid · the spoken record

Imnadze

lines on the record: 240
first: 2013-08-06
most recent: 2022-03-08
sittings or episodes: 35
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

“For the past 10 years, the occupying Power has continued its military build-up, instead of abiding by the agreement it signed - the European Union-mandated ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008. Clearly there is a need for the immediate creation of international security mechanisms on the ground, as well as for unimpeded access of international human rights monitors to the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia. What we see instead is deliberate targeting on the part of Russian of these negotiation formats through undermining the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanisms (IPRMs) established under the Geneva International Discussions. We do not need to emphasize the crucial importance of the Geneva International Discussions and IPRMs.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Yet we are confronted with often asymmetrical challenges countering our peace initiatives. As we speak, the Russian occupation regime in Tskhinvali continues to fortify the occupation line adjacent to the village of Atotsi, in Kareli municipality, by installing one-kilometre-long artificial barriers. Razor wire fences and other artificial barriers erected along the occupation line have already reached 100 kilometres, dividing families, depriving them of the right to free movement and access to their property, agricultural lands, religious sites and cemeteries, as well as to health care, emergency services and education in their native tongue. I previously informed the Council about abductions, tortures and killings based on ethnic origin that have taken place against the civilian population living along the occupation line.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“This year marks the tenth anniversary since Georgia experienced full-scale military aggression by Russia, which resulted in the illegal occupation of 20 per cent of my country's territory. A few years later, Ukraine also fell Victim to the very same aggressor. These blatant violations of fundamental norms and principles of international law, in disregard for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of States, was a massive blow to European security and the entire international order. The Government of Georgia remains firmly committed to pursuing a peaceful conflict resolution policy directed towards the de-occupation of the two Georgian regions, on the one hand, and reconciliation and confidence-building between the communities divided by war and the occupation line, on the other.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“At the outset, let me also express our appreciation to the Chinese presidency for convening this debate. Undoubtedly, we are confronted with a crisis of multilateralism in today's globalized and interdependent world. The alternative to the rules-based order is chaos. Hence our common duty to strengthen the multilateral system through relevant reforms and making multilateral institutions more fit for purpose. The United Nations is at the core of this and, in that context, we welcome the United Nations reforms launched by the Secretary- General, within the three pillars of the Organization. When we talk about disruption of the rules- based order, the region I come from is no exception. Unfortunately, it was shattered by destructive role of one of the permanent members of the Security Council.”
2018-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8395 (2018) · source
“Against that background, my country's commitment to the peaceful resolution of the conflict remains unwavering. We will continue to spare no effort to facilitate the reconciliation process among the war- torn population by integrating gender perspectives in decision-making, protecting the rights of women and promoting their meaningful participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. In conclusion, while we reaffirm Georgia's commitment to advancing the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda, both nationally and globally, we call for increased attention from the members of the Security Council to the protection of women's rights in the occupied regions of Georgia and other conflict-affected areas around the world.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Otinashvili's story is not an unusual case, but an everyday part of life for those living in the vicinity of the occupation line. Overall, from 2015 to 2018, 160 women have been illegally detained by Russian occupation forces and the authorities in control. Despite numerous Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 876 (1993), 993 (1995) and 1187 (1998), as well as numerous General Assembly resolutions stressing the necessity to address the need for the dignified return of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, hundreds of thousands of IDPs and refugees - including women, children and other vulnerable strata of society - remain prevented from the right to return to their places of origin in safety and with dignity.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“In the light of that, let me brief the Council about a Georgian woman, Maia Otinashvili, who is the most recent victim of the occupation. While harvesting a plot of agricultural land in her own orchard, Maia Otinashvili was seized and kidnapped from the village of Khurvaleti by the occupation forces. Ms. Otinashvili, who is a mother to three minors, was physically abused, blindfolded and rushed to Russia's illegal military base, where she was accused of the so-caIled facilitation of illegal border crossing. It took 10 days of persistent efforts by the Georgian Government and international organizations to have Maia Otinashvili released and returned to her family, who is suffering from severe emotional and psychological trauma. Sadly, Ms.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Furthermore, the Government of Georgia facilitates an increased role for women in reconciliation and confidence-building projects, carried out with the support of local and international organizations. Yet despite those efforts to empower conflict- affected women, the Russian Federation's ongoing occupation of Georgia's regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali hinders the peace process and imposes severe conditions on one of the most vulnerable parts of our society. Women living in Georgia's occupied regions, as well as in areas adjacent to the occupation line, are systematically subjected to human rights violations, including the denial of the right to the freedom of movement, illegal detentions by the occupying forces and threats to physical security for so-called illegal border crossings.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“The 2018-2020 national action plan has been harmonized with the Government's action plan on the protection of human rights and aligned with the relevant objectives, targets and indicators set for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level. The plan has also been incorporated into the agency-specific internal action plans of lead Government agencies and local municipalities, with civil society and development partners playing an important support role. Within the framework of our commitments under resolution 1325 (2000), we continue to promote conflict-affected women in Georgia as a driving force ofpublic diplomacy. As a result, today more than 65 per cent of those involved in peace processes in Georgia are women.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Based on key findings, recommendations and consultations with civil society, the Government of Georgia has already adopted its third national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), covering the period of 2018-2020. Its first plan was adopted in 2011. Apart from delivering on the global women and peace and security agenda, the plan is also aimed at protecting the rights of conflict-affected women by ensuring their physical, social, economic and political security, as well as eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and supporting their participation in decision-making. Particular emphasis is given to ensuring a gender perspective in peace negotiations and to the promotion of the meaningful participation of women and girls in conflict prevention.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Let mejoin my colleagues in expressing our appreciation to the Bolivian presidency for convening today's meeting. I also want to acknowledge all of the briefers. Georgia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. In my national capacity, I would like to add the following comments. Women are indeed at the centre of the conflict- prevention platform of the United Nations. While gender parity in the Organization's peace and security sector has yet to be achieved, we welcome the significant and continuous efforts by the Secretary-General and the Security Council to increase women's participation in areas pertaining to international peace and security.”
2018-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8382 (2018) · source
“Against this backdrop, while reaffirming our commitment to the protection of the fundamental rights of the child, we call for increased attention of the international community in order to protect children's rights in the occupied regions of Georgia and other conflict-affected areas around the world.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“This kind of treatment, in violation of internationally recognized norms and principles, places children under immense psychological and emotional pressure and has an unbearable impact on their future. We fully realize the importance of ensuring the protection of children in the occupied territories of Georgia and use all the available formats to advance both the protection of the rights of children and peaceful conflict resolution. In this respect, the Government of Georgia recently presented a new peace initiative, entitled A Step to a Better Future, seeking to improve the humanitarian, social and economic conditions of the populations, including children and young people, residing in the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Since 2015, the Georgian language has been banned as a language of instruction in the first grades at the remaining Georgian schools in Gali district, gradually resulting in the total restriction of education in the native language in the Abkhazia region. In the academic period 2015-2017, about 4,000 pupils were deprived of the right to receive their education in their native Georgian language. A similar process has been initiated in the Tskhinvali region. To make matters worse, the children who cross the occupation line to attend classes in Georgian schools located in the adjacent area controlled by the Government of Georgia fall victim to Russian occupying forces, who inspect their schoolbags and, in cases of discovering Georgian books inside, hold them detained for hours.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Georgia has prioritized the protection of the rights of children in all aspects of life by ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols. My Government spares no effort to assist children affected by conflicts and forced displacement, both in Abkhazia and in the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, and to guarantee adequate living conditions for them by extending welfare programmes and the implementation of relevant strategy. At the same time, we are extremely concerned that the fundamental human rights of children continue to be violated on a daily basis in both occupied regions of Georgia.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“According to the report, there were at least 6,000 verified violations against children by Government forces and more than 15,000 verified violations by the range of non-State armed groups in 2017. Asymmetric attacks by non-State armed groups had a particularly severe impact on children in areas controlled by non-State armed actors and terrorist groups. The report also states that in situations where Governments and armed groups have enhanced the prevention of grave violations, important advances have been achieved. Over 10,000 children were released and over 12,000 children were reintegrated by UNICEF in 2017. And yet we have to see even more tangible results on the ground. It is therefore vital that the Member States enhance their engagement in strengthening the child protection mechanisms.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Let mejoin my colleagues in congratulating the Swedish presidency and expressing our gratitude for its convening today's open debate on children and armed conflict. Let me also thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, and the other briefers for their reports and studies. Georgia aligns itself with the statement made by the observer of the European Union earlier today. In my national capacity, I should like to make the following remarks. We welcome the recent report of the Secretary- General on children and armed conflict (S/2018/465), which unveils gross violations ofchild rights and the dire situation facing children in many conflict situations.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“They are targets of ethnically based violence and other forms of discrimination on ethnic grounds. Against that backdrop, while we reaffirm our commitment to promoting the engagement of youth in decision-making processes, we call for the international community's increased attention in order to protect young people's rights in the occupied regions ofGeorgia and in other conflict-affected areas around the world as a matter of principle.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“As long as Georgia's regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia remain under illegal foreign military occupation, my Government is being prevented from exercising its duties and responsibilities in the territories. The so-called law on the legal status of foreign citizens, introduced in 2016 by the occupation regimes, deprive local Georgians, including youth, from the possibility of fully participating in almost every aspect oflife and from having a say in decision-making processes that directly affect them and their existence. Young people of ethnic Georgian origin in both regions are continuously deprived of basic human rights, including the right to freedom of movement and, most important, the right to receive education in their native language.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“One of the latest peace initiatives of my Government - A Step to a Better Future - seeks to ease access for residents of the occupied regions of Georgia - Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/ South Ossetia - to all levels of education, including vocational, available in the rest of the country. But for this endeavour to succeed, it is vital that the issue of flagrant violations of human rights of the population of the occupied regions be addressed, namely, restrictions of freedom ofmovement, kidnappings and killings. Just three weeks ago, in this very Chamber, I spoke about the most recent brutal example of this: the torture and killing of a young ethnic Georgian, Archil Tatunashvili (see S/PV.8218).”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Examples of young people's contribution to the prevention of violent conflicts in different parts of the world speak to the potential of youth in promoting the concept of sustaining peace. To fully use their potential, we share the view cited in the progress study on the follow-up to resolution 2250 (2015), aimed at expanding youth participation and engagement. Georgia considers youth to be one of the major driving forces in building and maintaining peace, as well as in conflict prevention and transformation processes. With that in mind, the Government of Georgia facilitates the engagement of youth in public diplomacy and confidence-building projects, including supporting access to quality education for conflict- affected youth.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Let me first express my thanks to the Peruvian presidency for convening today's important debate on youth, peace and security. I would also like to express gratitude to the briefers for the reports and the study (see S/2018/86) presented to the Security Council. The Georgian delegation aligns itself with the statement made earlier by the observer of the European Union. However, I would like to add the following remarks in my national capacity. Young people represent the majority of the population in regions affected by wars and armed conflicts today. Yet the same young people can actively contribute to the peace and security of their communities and societies, and they do, but their work and voices need greater recognition and empowerment from our side.”
2018-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8241 (2018) · source
“Streamlining the system, with structural reforms and delegating responsibilities through a holistic, cross-pillar approach affords the Organization an opportunity to improve its delivery of peacekeeping and peacebuilding. Lastly, we call for strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations to ensure sustainable peace, justice, respect for human rights and development. We believe that regular consultations and coordination between the United Nations and regional organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, are indispensable to converging strategies to secure sustainable peace on the ground.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Progress, or even a meaningful discussion on that issue, remains elusive, while in the Council we face the reality that the primacy of politics does not allow for the creation of much-needed peacekeeping mandates in conflict- affected territories in which the host country is deprived of its ability to exercise jurisdiction. The 2016 landmark twin resolutions on sustaining peace - resolution 2282 (2016) and General Assembly resolution 70/262 - provide us with a foundation for our work, and the Secretary-General's reform agenda provides us with an opportunity to institute changes at the United Nations. We commend the Secretary-General on efforts already under way and the recommendations presented in his report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (S/2018/43).”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“The Russian occupation has turned Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions into territories in which there is no accountability for murder and torture, as demonstrated by the brutal death of an internally displaced Georgian civilian, Archil Tatunashvili, which took place on 22 February. His body, however, was released by occupying forces only a few days ago so that he could be given a proper burial. An investigation by forensic experts showed clear evidence of torture. That situation speaks to the urgent need for creating international security arrangements on the ground as provided and mandated by the 12 August 2008 European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement between the Russian Federation and Georgia.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“However, in 2009, UNOMIG was discontinued due to the veto of a permanent member of the Council, thereby creating a very dangerous precedent in the history of the United Nations. The forceful termination of the UNOMIG mandate, preceded by the cessation of the mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, created a total vacuum of international presence in the occupied regions of Georgia and turned them into black holes for human rights and "one of the most inaccessible places on Earth", as observed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Peacekeeping missions should have the core objective of contributing to the creation of conditions for an inclusive political process aimed at national dialogue and reconciliation. The mandates and capacities to implement those mandates should be clearly defined. Mandates should be realistic, context-tailored and flexible and, within them, tasks need to be prioritized, sequenced and adjusted over periods of time. In that context, let me recall Georgia's experience with regard to peace operations. While Georgia never enjoyed a peacekeeping operation with a full-fledged mandate, from 1993 the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) played a crucial role in achieving security.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“As the Cruz report highlights, the shift has to be system-wide, encompassing leadership, accountability, operational behaviour, the use of force, training, intelligence and more. The safety of United Nations personnel and the mission is a necessary prerequisite for the political success of any peacekeeping mission, particularly in high-risk settings. Mobilizing our efforts to that end should be our utmost priority. Along with the increased focus on the military component of missions, it is vital to focus on the political contexts and the mandates of peacekeeping operations. It is clear that peacekeeping missions alone cannot bring about lasting peace without political solutions and support on the ground.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting on peacekeeping operations. My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the observer of the European Union earlier today. I would like to make the following comments in my national capacity. Peacekeeping is at the heart of United Nations efforts to increase security and to sustain peace in many parts of the world. It plays a critical role in the face of multiplying threats and conflicts, both traditional and asymmetrical in nature. Yet the increased number of casualties among peacekeepers, with the 56 fatalities in 2017 being the highest number since 1994, is a sobering reminder that the United Nations and troop- and police-contributing countries need to transform the system in order to face the current realities.”
2018-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8218 (2018) · source
“Systematic human rights violations there have included, among other things, the violation of the right to life and security, torture and ill-treatment, kidnapping and arbitrary detention. In closing, I want reiterate our pledge to expand international cooperation on effective cross-border control measures and prevent and combat conflict- related human trafficking. We also call for the international community to pay more attention to the issue of granting international human rights monitoring mechanisms unhindered access to the occupied regions of Georgia.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Georgia, as a signatory State to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, reiterates its commitment to sparing no effort to prevent trafficking, punish perpetrators and protect their victims. However, the illegal occupation of the Georgian regions of Tskhinvali/ South Ossetia and Abkhazia is still the main obstacle to my Government's full implementation of its counter-trafficking measures. There are no mechanisms to effectively identify, investigate or prosecute alleged cases of trafficking in persons in occupied regions while the occupying Power continues to place undue restrictions on the local population, particularly ethnic Georgians.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“To review the key factors and lessons on what has worked in my country, we have shown a sustainable political commitment and established a constantly evolving legislative framework that explicitly criminalizes trafficking. We have taken a multisectoral and multi-stakeholder approach that in our case involves an inter-agency coordination council, our various law- enforcement agencies, a State fund for protecting and assisting victims, and civil society organizations. We have focused on proactive investigations by mobile inspection groups and special anti-trafficking units and, lastly, we have worked to raise awareness of trafficking, which is an essential preventive measure.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Human trafficking respects no borders. We must strengthen cooperation on law enforcement, investigations and intelligence-sharing. Combating human trafficking has been a key priority for Georgia for more than a decade. We have seen increasingly positive assessments of our counter- trafficking efforts in global reports. According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index, Georgia is one of the countries taking the most effective action to end human trafficking. For instance, the second evaluation report of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings ranked Georgia top among countries in Eastern Europe taking most action in terms of gross domestic product, and second worldwide. It also ranked Georgia as the seventeenth of 167 States taking the most effective action to end human trafficking generally.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“and other armed groups engaging in human trafficking continue to raise grave concerns" and that "more needs to be done to address human trafficking in areas affected by conflict" (S/2017/939, paras. 4 and 3). In addressing human trafficking, therefore, we should also address the root causes of migration, including the issue of internal displacement. We must confront this challenge at all levels, especially in conflict or post- conflict settings. Just yesterday, we were all appalled to see the disturbing footage of slave markets in Libya. Crime thrives where the rule of law is weak. The international community needs to do much more, and urgently, to help the Government of Libya in asserting its governing rights and laying the groundwork for the country's sustainable development, which can stop modern-day slavery from recurring.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“I would like to join other colleagues in thanking the Italian presidency for convening this important debate. I also thank the Secretary-General and the briefers for their contributions earlier today. My country, Georgia, aligns itself with the statement delivered previously by the observer of the European Union, and I would like to add the following remarks in my national capacity. Trafficking, one of the most terrible violations of human rights, is being used by criminals and terrorist groups not only as a source of revenue but also as a weapon of terror. The ever-growing numbers of refugees and migrants, if left unaided, will only play into the hands of criminals and enhance their recruitment base. The Secretary-General's report also states that "the activities ofterrorist groups...”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“The Group of Friends is a consultation and dialogue forum with the goal of integrating a CBRN component into the international security architecture, raising States' awareness of the importance of mitigating CBRN risks and fostering regional cooperation on CBRN challenges. It also promotes activities aimed at building capacity and developing capabilities between and among partner States, as well as implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). It is our belief that by promoting such joint efforts we can advance a robust preventive system against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“The relevant department in the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources Protection has been transformed into a public legal entity so as to increase its effective independence of the regulatory body, and a new department of radioactive-waste management has been created, putting radioactive-waste storage and disposal facilities under full State control nationwide, and supported through the development of a relevant legal framework. To promote CBRN-related topics at the United Nations, the Governments of Georgia, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of the Philippines have established the United Nations Group of Friends of CBRN Risk Mitigation and Security Governance.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“Georgia is actively cooperating with the European Union and UNICRI within the framework of the CBRN Centres of Excellence to promote an integrated CBRN approach across South-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine. A CBRN regional secretariat has been opened and is now functioning in Georgia with the aim of contributing to the success of this project. With support from our partners and in close cooperation with international experts, Georgia has developed a new legislative base, in force since 2014, for regulating its strategic export controls in full compliance with European standards.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“Georgia believes that resolution 1540 (2004) remains the main pillar and overarching legal instrument in the multilateral non-proliferation architecture. We co-sponsored the new resolution 2325 (2016), unanimously adopted on 15 December, which clearly reaffirms that the proliferation of these weapons constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security and sets the basis for the pathway to achieve the full implementation of the obligations of resolution 1540 (2004). Georgia has been taking various measures to that end. The Government established the National CBRN Council, which, in consultation with the European Union, the United States and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), elaborated a national CBRN threat-reduction strategy and a CBRN national action plan for 2015- 2019.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“They were duly prevented by law enforcement agencies. However, in the absence of international presence inside those regions, it has become virtually impossible to conduct any type of verification activities on the ground, which increases the risk of proliferation of WMD-related materials. Political commitment is crucial in developing the policies, strategies and systems to strengthen security at all levels. In that regard, full compliance with the obligations under the international arrangements, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological Weapons Convention, and resolutions 1540 (2004) and 2325 (2016) and others, must stand as a priority for the international community.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“Increasing threats emanating from terrorist groups make the exploitation of security vulnerabilities with criminal intent highly possible. Some actors have already demonstrated readiness to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction, as demonstrated in the reports by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons- United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism. The threats posed by the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons and materials, as well as weapons of mass destruction and related technologies, remains a subject of serious concern for my country, not least due to the fact that we neighbour the regions with a risk of proliferation. In recent years, several attempts to smuggle nuclear and radioactive materials through Georgia's occupied regions were recorded.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“Let me thank the Bolivian presidency of the Security Council for convening this debate and for its successful chairmanship of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). My country aligns itself with the statements made by the observer of the European Union and by the representative of Spain on behalf of the Group of Friends of resolution 1540 (2004). In my national capacity, I would like to add the following remarks. The risks of nuclear terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the related materials and technologies have become a serious threat and one of the major challenges to our common security. The chances of these weapons falling into the hands of unauthorized actors is particularly worrisome and alarming in view of the rapid advancements in science and technology.”
2017-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7985Reprise1 (2017) · source
“That is the only way that we can prevent mass violations of human rights and further escalation of conflict. In the same vein, Georgia has also endorsed the joint French-Mexican proposal regarding the use of the veto in the Security Council, as well as the initiative introduced by Liechtenstein on a code of conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Those concepts have been presented to the Council, and now it would be expedient, in our view, to develop the relevant procedural rules to accomplish those goals.”
2017-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7857 (2017) · source
“Since then, both Georgia and the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are under illegal military occupation by the Russian Federation, continue to be completely closed off from international monitoring mechanisms. Following several waves of ethnic cleansing, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and, in the absence of international monitoring mechanisms, the humanitarian situation in the occupied regions remains critical. People are deprived of their basic human rights and freedoms, including, but not limited to, the freedom of movement. Given that experience, Georgia believes that the veto right should be restricted so as to prevent its misuse. When a permanent member is involved in a conflict under consideration by the Security Council, it cannot exercise its veto right impartially.”
2017-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7857 (2017) · source
“As a strong supporter of greater involvemen by women in preventing conflicts, we also place particular emphasis on the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Noting that the Security Council has a unique responsibility in the area of peace and security and conflict prevention, Georgia has had its own sad experience, from which we should all learn valuable lessons about what happens when a permanent member of the Security Council, a party to the conflict, singlehandedly vetoes the presence of an United Nations observer mission as an international monitoring mechanism. That can take place right after a full-scale war, at a time when the international security presence should be increased, as was the case with the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia in 2009.”
2017-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7857 (2017) · source
“Georgia shares the view of many on the importance of early action and proactive work on the part of United Nations entities, both at Headquarters and in the field, across the main pillars of the United Nations system, to identify early warning signs and address the risks confronting peace. Let me recall the pledges and commitments undertaken by Member States at the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016 with a view of preventing conflicts and stress, where we agreed that sustaining peace can only be achieved through joint determination and adherence to the principles of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. We view peace prospects as directly linked to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to the international community's continuous focus on strengthening human rights.”
2017-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7857 (2017) · source
“A holistic vision and strategic decisions on the part of the new leadership are critical in order to counter the static stance that the United Nations has taken on early action, along with its frequent failures to prevent or resolve conflicts, as we saw in Syria, Ukraine, Georgia and other places. Georgia welcomes the effort to build a new political consensus in support of maintaining peace and security worldwide by preventing conflicts before they occur, which is in line with the concept of sustaining peace and which underlines the imperative of addressing all stages of the conflict cycle.”
2017-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7857 (2017) · source
“Iwould like tojoin previous speakers in welcoming the Swedish presidency and in thanking Foreign Minister Wallstrom for setting a very ambitious agenda from the start and for this particular debate, which promotes reflection on the vision of the Secretary-General. My country would like to align itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union, and in my national capacity, I would like to make the following statement. We welcome the Secretary-General's first priority, namely, to promote a surge in diplomacy for peace in order to resolve ongoing conflicts and prevent others from erupting.”
2017-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7857 (2017) · source
“With the support of international partners, we have carried out several projects aimed at improving the resilience of regions highly exposed to hydrometeorological threats. Along with those activities, we have taken the first steps in establishing a comprehensive early warning system in the country. In conclusion, let me reiterate our readiness to further cooperate on questions related to the water- security nexus.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“It also demonstrates the importance of cooperation with regional organizations on the issue, something that was rightly emphasized in the concept note (S/2016/969, annex), presented by the Senegalese presidency. In view of climate change, we have to develop a comprehensive approach to climate, economic development and water-security issues. Georgia has already experienced the devastating effects ofthe deadly flooding in Tbilisi in 2015, which killed 19 people and caused mass destruction. Since then, the Government has broadened its efforts to tackle environmental threats. We are committed to increasing local resilience, improving relief capabilities and facilitating relocation from the most vulnerable areas.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source