YouSaid · the spoken record

Jeremy Greenstock

lines on the record: 1,478
first: 1998-07-30
most recent: 2003-07-25
sittings or episodes: 194
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 are taking these steps and considering other important measures to follow in the search for peace and a normal life for the people of Sierra Leone. The aim of this draft resolution is to ensure eventually and at long last that diamonds bring benefit and not misery to that long-suffering population, and in particular, that diamonds are not used to pay for arms to undermine the legitimate authority and attack either innocent civilians or United Nations peacekeeping forces. This is a creditable move by the Council upon which we must build further.”
2000-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4168 (2000) · source
“Action elsewhere will be meaningless if illicit Sierra Leone diamonds still flood out of the country, over its borders. This resolution makes clear where the Council's concerns lie. The widely held view that the bulk of Sierra Leone diamonds at present flow out of the country via the RUF through Liberia is well founded. This resolution will now impose international obligations on all Governments to put a stop to this illicit trade. So we now look to the Governments in the region most closely involved to share a strong commitment to peace in Sierra Leone and to act now to cut off this trade. Their long-term interests will undoubtedly be served, in terms of the region's security and its future prosperity, if they take this approach.”
2000-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4168 (2000) · source
“The draft resolution will also provide for a panel of experts to look at violations of the arms embargo and the link between diamonds and arms - a very important step and a clear signal that the international community will no longer tolerate sanctions-busting, particularly in circumstances like these. The role of the international diamond industry will also be crucial. The draft resolution is unusual in its direct appeal to the diamond trade. Many in the industry have already shown great responsibility in responding to the problem of conflict diamonds, including from Sierra Leone. We look to all parts of the industry to do likewise and to fully commit themselves to ending this cynical commerce. The role of Sierra Leone's neighbours is equally critical.”
2000-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4168 (2000) · source
“The Council has shown itself ready to take a strong lead in addressing this problem and to have learned lessons from previous experience, especially Ambassador Fowler's excellent work on Angola. Building partly on his experience, this draft resolution will send a powerful signal about the need to end the trade in conflict diamonds from Sierra Leone. It includes a number of practical and, indeed, ground- breaking measures to achieve that aim. One of those is the exploratory hearing of the sanctions Committee, which we hope will be held within the next month. This offers a real opportunity to shine a powerful light on an illicit trade which prefers to operate in the shadows. The United Kingdom is ready to offer all possible assistance to Ambassador Chowdhury, as Chairman of the sanctions Committee, in order to make this hearing a success.”
2000-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4168 (2000) · source
“My delegation warmly welcomes you to the chair, Madam President, in this your first meeting presiding over the Council. We will work very closely with you during the month of July. You follow the notably effective presidency of France, under the extremely competent leadership of Ambassador Levitte, to whom we are also very grateful, in particular for helping us to take forward the work on this draft resolution. Diamonds are at the heart of the tragedy of Sierra Leone. A precious resource, which should be a source of wealth for national development, has become a cause of human suffering on a terrible scale, and the Ambassador of Sierra Leone has very eloquently pointed that out. The draft resolution we are voting on is a robust and imaginative response by the Security Council to that tragedy.”
2000-07-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4168 (2000) · source
“We stand, as always, ready to respond to urgent humanitarian and emergency needs, and take note of the concern expressed on funding by both the Under-Secretary-General and Ambassador Olhaye.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“We call on all conflicting parties to recognize the impartiality of the relief agencies and to afford their personnel all possible security and cooperation. Somalia is a poverty-stricken country, ravaged by failure of governance, conflict, drought, flooding, epidemics and food shortages, yet arms still continue to flow into the country. All Governments must comply with the arms embargo established by Security Council resolution 733 (1992). We commend the efforts of Ambassador Ben Mustapha, as Chairman of the sanctions Committee, to try and revitalize this Committee and make its work more effective. The United Kingdom will continue to follow the situation in Somalia closely.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“We agree with the Secretary-General's call for the international financial institutions to exercise flexibility in taking account of the unique situation presented by Somalia. We would support the idea of the international financial institutions engaging in negotiations with administrations in stable areas as a first step. They should, of course, look carefully at issues of transparency and accountability before making financial commitments. The grave humanitarian situation disturbs us all deeply. Somalia continues to suffer from food shortages and health problems, including serious cholera epidemics. Many Somalis are displaced. We commend the brave and tireless efforts of humanitarian personnel working in this very insecure and challenging situation. We must insist on proper protection for them.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“We urge the Somali people to continue down this difficult path and to embrace this opportunity for peace. Djibouti's efforts should not be seen as a quick fix. They constitute a process towards a lasting and viable solution to a complicated and entrenched problem. As such, we would urge Djibouti to proceed with caution. To impose a Government without the broadest possible consultation of all groups may only result in undermining the relative peace and stability in some self-administered areas, for example the northern regions. In this respect, we very much hope that it will indeed be possible to establish a transitional national authority. We also welcome the United Nations involvement in this initiative, and we particularly commend the efforts of David Stephen and of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“We acknowledge the fact that many Somalis have participated in Djibouti's peace process, but we are concerned that some elements of Somali society are still not represented. We would encourage all regions of Somalia to take part in the peace and reconciliation process. Only this will create the environment for an inclusive determination by the Somali people of a lasting political solution to the problems of the Somali Republic. This is an important initiative. Sir Kieran Prendergast called it a unique political experience for Somalis, and we must not let it lose momentum. The longer the talks continue - and the progress made in this month's Conference is encouraging in this respect - the greater the chance that more and different elements of Somali society will become involved.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Prendergast for his informative and detailed briefing on Somalia. It is good to have the Security Council discussing Somalia. It has, perhaps, been neglected for too long. We welcome the participation of Ambassador Olhaye in this important debate. His briefing on Djibouti's commendable efforts, led by President Guelleh, to restore peace and stability to Somalia was helpful and interesting. We support the main principles guiding Djibouti's initiative: the need to make the peace process inclusive; the importance of enhancing the role of civil society to build peace from the bottom up, rather than impose it from above; and, in this context, the need to marginalize the destructive influence of the warlords.”
2000-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4166 (2000) · source
“In the meantime, we would encourage UNTAET to address Falintil's immediate humanitarian needs. The United Kingdom pays tribute not just to UNTAET's persistence and fortitude, but also to the East Timorese people, who have shown remarkable patience and understanding in facing these continuing hardships and in suffering conditions that are below the standard of acceptability. The United Kingdom remains committed to helping the people of East Timor at a crucial point in the development of their nation. The international community must continue to do all in its power to bring them comprehensive and coherent support.”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the proposals for sharing power between the East Timorese leaders and UNTAET - what Sergio Vieira de Mello has called "timorization". These proposals will lay the accent on sound governance and open communication, bring the Timorese people closer to the decision-making process and prepare them for assuming democratic government after the elections foreshadowed for the second half of next year. We fully support UNTAET's engagement on East Timorese strategic defence options and on the status of Falintil. As the Special Representative has indicated, an independent study is set to begin on 7 July on this subject. The United Kingdom will take a detailed view on this once the study is complete. The final decision on security arrangements for an independent East Timor is of course for the East Timorese themselves.”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“It would help a great deal if UNTAET and the World Bank could set out clear, measurable performance indicators of progress for the coming months and provide regular progress reports. In the same vein, the UNTAET mission would benefit from an even greater level of autonomy. This would improve efficiency and allow for greater flexibility in the decision-making process. Clarity within the donor community about UNTAET's mandate, both in the field and in New York, and clarity within UNTAET about its own political and financial responsibilities, is also essential. In this continuing search for administrative improvements, we look to the United Nations Development Programme to take the lead in developing capacity-building for the East Timorese public administration, in line with Security Council resolution 1272 (1999).”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“When we discussed East Timor in March, I drew attention to the slow rate of disbursements from the United Nations Trust Fund. Much has been achieved since the Tokyo Conference, six months ago, agreed that simple, flexible, effective and sensitive procedures were needed to maximize the impact of international support for East Timor. But we still do not seem to have achieved the straightforward disbursement we were seeking. UNTAET's efforts to simplify bureaucratic procedures is encouraging. But there are still problems and bottlenecks. All donors have to work to create a comprehensive, coherent development effort rather than a multitude of unconnected bilateral projects.”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“Action has to be taken both to provide pensions for former civil servants wishing to return and to curb the malignant and vicious influence of pro-integration extremists in the refugee camps. I put those two points first - the militias and the refugees- because they are outside United Nations control, and we have to send a very resounding and collective message on both of them. What I am going to say now is more within the United Nations capability and needs attention. Last week's East Timor donor conference in Lisbon was an important milestone in the international community's efforts in East Timor. It approved the World Bank and UNTAET Trust Fund work programmes for 2000-2001. It set up specific output measures for implementation of sectoral programmes, UNTAET staffing and the political process over the next six months.”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“Yet disturbing reports of militia incidents in East and West Timor continue to hit us. Clearly, UNTAET contingents remain at considerable risk, despite the improvements that have been noted. The United Kingdom has urged the Government of Indonesia to get a grip on the situation. That message must go out from the whole Council, and any downsizing of UNTAET must take account of that continuing risk. We are equally concerned about the refugee situation, and I fully endorse what the Ambassadors of the United States and Canada have said. For all our support for the Government of Indonesia, it has to do more to allow those refugees who still wish to return to East Timor to do so swiftly and speedily.”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“I was delighted to oblige the Canadian Ambassador, and we are very grateful to him for speaking before running. I too would like to thank the Special Representative for being with us today. We are all delighted to see him in New York, and that was an informative and very thought-provoking briefing. I would like to express my country's warm appreciation for his, and his team's, efforts, because despite the difficulties - and he has talked of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) being the "punching bag"- it is responding impressively to the challenge of building an Administration from the bottom up. They deserve the fullest international support. When we discussed East Timor in March, I referred to the continuing reports of militia activity as more serious than the problems of increasing criminality.”
2000-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4165 (2000) · source
“It would be wonderful if Bosnia could show an example to Kosovo in this respect and take up again the responsibility of political leadership that has been so sadly lacking in this particular region. I return again to the important role of the European Union (EU) in this whole question. I think that, with the greater regional cooperation that we are seeing now in the Balkans and the dynamic engagement ofthe EU, we can encourage all the people of the Balkans to resolve their differences pragmatically and peacefully. That is the way to go and I hope this Council can support it.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“That includes last year and this in Kosovo. Then there is the action of the Tribunal, which this morning has been called "politicized". Well, when political leaderships are involved in the brutality that we see in the Balkans, of course there are going to be political aspects, but when there is such substantial evidence that those political leaderships have been involved in crimes against humanity, difficult decisions have to be made and those decisions should be supported by this Council, which created the Tribunals in question. Thirdly, I just want to mention Bosnia. General elections are coming up in Bosnia in November and it is time- and I think Carl Bildt pointed to this by expressing concern about the aid dependence of Bosnia - for political leadership there to begin to take a responsibility for the future of the people of Bosnia.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“Carl Bildt's statement to us this morning amounts in some its aspects to an early warning on Montenegro, on the unsustainability of security in the Balkans while Belgrade takes its present approach to regional matters and on the persistence oftensions there anyway. Not many people have referred this morning to the important role of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in Kosovo. Like Jamaica, we welcome the recent seizure by KFOR of a large cache of weapons in the Drenica valley. KFOR is leading the ongoing task of finding and confiscating illegal weapons with increasing success. These actions are actually fundamental to undermining extremist minorities that prefer violence and intimidation to tolerance and cooperation, and we must keep them going. There are times when the judicious use of force is necessary to set the limits of brutal behaviour.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“President, you asked us to be interactive this morning, and I want to pick up one or two things from statements and events from earlier in the day. First of all, the fuss about the status of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: it was a train wreck waiting to happen. The current position of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in this Organization is wrong and unsustainable. It is no good their continuing to ask to speak at events like this, when the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia should be seeking to establish its status in this Organization. I hope that many of us will try to make that happen. The United Kingdom is for universality in this Organization. It is not just a matter of the unacceptable policies of Belgrade at this stage. There is a status problem here that needs to be sorted out. Second is a point about security.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“It is a real pleasure to have Carl Bildt with us this morning and to hear his important analysis of the overall scene in the Balkans and what we need to do in the stage ahead. It is also a marvellous occasion to have with us today the High Representative for the European Union Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr. Javier Solana. He has made a powerful statement of the European Union's input into Balkans policy. It was, after all, time that the European Union's role in the Balkans should be comprehensively stated in the Security Council, and it is good to see the representative ofthe United States acknowledging that. I have nothing whatsoever to add to what Mr. Javier Solana has said. The United Kingdom obviously supports his statement 100 per cent. But, Mr.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“I want to make one simple point: that the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina has extremely important work to do. It needs the support of the Security Council, and I regard the adoption of this resolution as indicating that support. The lack of unanimity on parts of the resolution should not be seen as detracting from that unanimous support for what the United Nations Mission is doing. Special Representative Klein and his full team have our confidence in their task to build stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is so vital to the stability of the region as a whole. We want to look to the future work of the Mission as something which the Security Council values, will follow with great interest and will support with unanimity.”
2000-06-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4162 (2000) · source
“We note that the judges agreed with the recommendation of the Expert Group for two new judges to join the Appeals Chamber from the Rwanda Tribunal, and we would be grateful for Judge Jorda's views on whether further measures at the appeals level also need to be considered. We are very grateful to have this discussion this morning under your leadership, Mr. President. We welcome Judge Jorda's presence here and look forward, as I said, to further detailed discussion.”
2000-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4161 (2000) · source
“The second is, if an increased number ofjudges is required, whether permanent or ad [item judges would be of most benefit to the Tribunal. We understand that the judges have considered both options, but we would want to look carefully at the advantages and disadvantages of opting for an ad litem system. The United Kingdom is of the view that the option of an additional trial chamber deserves consideration, though the cost implications have to be studied. The effect of these proposals on the other organs of the Tribunal, including the staffing implications, will need to be looked at in detail. One issue for the judges which is not covered in the report is the impact of increased efficiency at the pre-trial and trial stages of the Appeals Chamber.”
2000-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4161 (2000) · source
“We are not yet in a position to offer substantive reaction to the recommendations, and will not be until the implications - especially the financial ones - are clearer. Further detailed discussion will then be necessary, in which the United Kingdom will participate actively. But we think that, in particular, as others have noted before me, two key elements of the proposals need to be looked at in detail. The first is how, in practice, the increased use of senior legal officers in the pre-trial process would increase the efficiency and pace of the pre-trial phase. We would like to discuss in more detail the thinking behind that idea, as compared with a single judge's pre- trial responsibilities under the present system.”
2000-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4161 (2000) · source
“We welcome Judge Jorda's initiative in analysing the work of the Tribunal and the possible future demands on it. The proposals on how to manage that workload represent an important contribution. As Judge Jorda knows, the speed of trials has been an issue of concern to the United Kingdom for some time, and we appreciate the degree of flexibility that he has now built into the proposals. The Judge has assessed, we think rightly, that certain options in the paper are not appropriate. The immediate Balkan region, for instance, is not yet a suitable site for trials because of reasons of political stability and safety. We are not in favour of setting up a second tribunal. The issue remains how best to make the Yugoslav Tribunal work effectively.”
2000-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4161 (2000) · source
“It is very important to consolidate the Tribunal's achievements in the development of international humanitarian law, and their contribution towards the restoration of international peace and security more generally, by ensuring that indictees are brought to trial quickly. That applies both to prompt arrest and to surrender to the Tribunal, and, once in custody, to minimum delay in bringing cases to court. We are very pleased that the Tribunals are taking these issues so seriously, and in particular that efforts are already being made by the judges to act on the recommendations of the Expert Group - for instance, by streamlining pre-trial procedures and expediting hearings. We look forward to seeing what difference in practice these improvements might make.”
2000-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4161 (2000) · source
“We very warmly welcome the presence of Judge Jorda here today. We have begun to study his report with great interest and regard his speech to us this morning as containing a good deal of extra material which we want to study and take careful account of. The United Kingdom, as he and the whole court know, is very strongly committed to the work of both the Yugoslav and Rwandan courts. We regard them as effective and impartial, and we remain consistently eager to ensure that they are able to undertake their important task as efficiently as possible. The success of the court so far is a tribute to the work of everybody involved in it, but of course that success has itself led to an increased workload of trials -what Judge Jorda has called this morning the management of quantity while preserving the quality of the court.”
2000-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4161 (2000) · source
“To save the Council's beauty sleep at this late hour, on behalf of the United Kingdom I will merely refer to all our previous statements in the Council explaining our actions in the no-fly zones, which set out clearly the rationale and justification for those actions. The United Kingdom has no request to make of the Secretariat to examine any matters that are more a matter of national positions than of the Council's resolutions.”
2000-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4152 (2000) · source
“That is the sole explanation for the figures which were quoted by the representative of the Russian Federation. I think we can be satisfied with today's work and grateful for your leadership of that and I hope we can now look forward and move forward.”
2000-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4152 (2000) · source
“At no time in the past, now or in the future has or will the United Kingdom bomb the civilian infrastructure of Iraq. The action that we take in the no-fly zones is, following Security Council resolution 688 (1991), to protect the civilian population of Iraq from repression by the Iraqi Government. The military action that we take is purely in response to attacks on our aircraft in the no-fly zones which are patrolling without intent to bomb anybody or anything. There is an easy explanation for the increase in the use of ordinance over the past 18 months, and that is that the Iraqi ground forces and air force have attacked our coalition aircraft more than 650 times in that period and we have been responding to defend ourselves. That uses up ordinance.”
2000-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4152 (2000) · source
“The United Kingdom is very grateful to Council colleagues for nevertheless sending the signal that we are unanimous behind this resolution, and it is a very important signal as we all seek to implement resolution 1284. It goes without saying that the Secretary-General will be guided by the resolution, and cannot be guided by national statements after the adoption of the resolution, in setting the task for the experts that we have asked them to perform. We can all list special things we want included in any analysis. But here, I am sure, we will be guided by the resolution and that is what we have together adopted formally today. In one of the previous statements mention was made of activity in the no-fly zones, and let me just respond to that.”
2000-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4152 (2000) · source
“It is a great pleasure to work with the delegation of France in cosponsoring this resolution which has achieved 15 votes in the Council. I think it is a very important signal behind the hard work the Office of the Iraq Programme does in implementing the humanitarian programme and the oil for food programme in Iraq that we have voted unanimously to adopt this resolution. I listened carefully to the previous three statements and fully understand that for them, as indeed I think for every delegation around this table, this text is not the ideal. This is the whole point about what we have achieved during the course of today's negotiations. Nobody is completely satisfied, but compromises are necessary in work on a subject as complex as Iraq.”
2000-06-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4152 (2000) · source
“We welcome the recent United Nations Expert Group's report, and efforts made by both Tribunals to implement their recommendations. We look forward to seeing further improvements in the Tribunals' efficiency. We also welcome the initiative by the ICTY judges in seeking to identify additional measures which can be taken to speed up the pre-trial and trial procedures. We look forward to seeing President Jorda's report on these aspects and to hearing the Secretary-General's views on the judges' ideas.”
2000-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4150 (2000) · source
“We want to see all States fulfilling their obligation under Security Council resolutions to arrest indictees when they are in their jurisdiction and we condemn Belgrade's continuing blatant refusal to implement mandatory Council resolutions which call for cooperation with the Yugoslav Tribunal. In Rwanda, it is all too clear from Ms. Del Ponte's briefing this morning that the country continues to face a very distressing situation. As more arrests take place - and we welcome the signs from Ms. Del Ponte that more indictees are going to be pursued - it is important that both Tribunals be in a position to try the indictees expeditiously. We are concerned by the Prosecutor's report of continuing problems in reducing delays, and we understand why she is calling for more resources.”
2000-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4150 (2000) · source
“There have been several important judgments in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). The new Croatian Government has made significant moves towards meeting its obligations to ICTY, and we are glad to see much improved relations between the ICTR and Rwanda, helped by Ms. Del Ponte's own appearance on a couple of occasions at the Tribunal in Arusha and her eventually managing to get into Rwanda with that Visa. We thank her for that continued effort. It is right that the Rwanda Tribunal continues to receive high-level attention. Nevertheless, there are too many indictees who remain at large, including senior ones.”
2000-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4150 (2000) · source
“I warmly congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency and share your tribute to your able predecessor. It is very good to see Ms. Del Ponte back in the Council. We would like to pay tribute to the vigorous and professional way in which she is going about her very complex and important business. The United Kingdom is strongly committed to these two Tribunals. We have always supported and will continue to support fully the work of the Prosecutor in bringing to justice those responsible for the horrors in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. We are pleased by the progress that has been made in recent months. We see many positive developments, such as the arrests in Europe of important military and political leaders who allegedly played key roles in the atrocities in Bosnia and Rwanda.”
2000-06-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4150 (2000) · source
“In asking the Secretariat for further work on this, could it please also let us know frankly if its preoccupation with Sierra Leone is having an effect on its ability to deal with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. If that is the case, it must have immediate reinforcement, because the needs of the Congo cannot wait for other problems elsewhere to be solved before we take up the issues that we uncovered and took forward on our mission. The follow-up is as necessary on the Democratic Republic of the Congo as it is on Sierra Leone.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“If we can give that clear message, then I think all parties will be prepared to proceed with this in a way which removes their apprehensions. I echo Ambassador Holbrooke's remarks on the need to move also on an expert panel on illegal exploitation of resources. When we next meet on this, we need to take action on that. That panel needs a mandate and it needs a decision by the Council. The United Kingdom would like to see early movement on it. Finally, let us come back to the point that the Democratic Republic of the Congo needs to be judged on its merits. We are focusing on Sierra Leone this week, perhaps next week, but we have to come back to the next steps on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“We recognized on the mission that all the Governments, especially Kinshasa, want to see the proper arrangements made for this and want everybody to get a move on, but we think that facilitator Masire's timetable for a beginning of the national dialogue in early July is, in the circumstances, the only realistic one and the international community should support it. He needs funds - not just pledges, but disbursements - and all of us need to work to ensure that that happens. We also need to drive home the message in this debate and beyond that the national dialogue is for the Congolese people to decide on. The substance of it is for the Congolese people; the outside facilitation is to provide the mechanism for that. The outside mechanism will not affect or decide the substance.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“We need to prepare a way forward on disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement, which gives a role not just to the United Nations presence on the ground, but also to the Joint Military Commission, where I think there could be a specific function for the JMC as regards the precise definition of the groups we are talking about and a monitoring of early action on disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement. That is something we would like to see taken forward under Ambassador Levitte's presidency next month. On the national dialogue, we have to recognize that the parties will not leave aside the military option unless the political option is alive and running.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“We would like to know something about the logistical and resource requirements of taking this route and whether they think it is going to be generally acceptable to the parties. I hope, Sir, that under your presidency we can come back to this point quite quickly; otherwise, there will be no sense of follow-up to what we achieved in Kisangani, which will be only short-term and will evaporate unless there is this follow-up. This is true also, but perhaps in a longer time- frame, for disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement. We raised this with the Political Committee, and we will need to raise it again when the Political Committee comes to New York in June.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“We have had reports about that meeting to the effect that they wish to reaffirm their commitment not just to the Lusaka Agreement, but to the withdrawal of all their troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in due course and to this agreement in particular, the Rwakitura agreement signed at President Museveni's farm, to reduce their forces at Kisangani to no more than two companies each. That is a very important piece of follow-up. On the issue of co-location, we have said in our report that Kisangani is at least a prime candidate for co-location, both of MONUC and the Joint Military Commission (JMC) together, and for the national dialogue. It would be helpful if the Council could have an assessment from the Secretariat, and from MONUC through the Secretariat, on the practicality of using Kisangani in this way.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“That means we must now follow up quickly on the report's recommendations, because the Lusaka parties are looking for results, the ceasefire is holding but it is fragile and, in particular, Kisangani is still tense. I think we achieved something there, but MONUC has got to follow up quickly, and the capacity of the observers there to act on what we achieved on Kisangani is absolutely vital. The wider assurances that we received while we were there, on security and access for the United Nations to Kisangani, must be followed up. Part of this is the agreement between the leaders of Uganda and Rwanda to deconflict in Kisangani. They met again in Tanzania on 14 May.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“I think we have got to make sure that that does not happen to Kananga or to the other cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. If, as Ambassador Holbrooke has said and as our report says, Sierra Leone is not to cast a shadow over what we are trying to do in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it also reminds the leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the leaders involved in the Lusaka process of what can happen again to the Democratic Republic of the Congo if the ceasefire breaks down and we come back again to trying to solve these long-standing differences by military means rather than by addressing the political root.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“Kananga is a city of 700,000 people with no electricity supply at present, with no regular water supply, but with a spirit for peace and an organization in difficult circumstances under a remarkable provincial governor that I think was an inspiration to those of who travelled to that city. The look on the faces of the people in the streets of Kananga calling out for peace as we went past is an abiding memory of that mission. It reminds me of a similar visit I paid a few weeks earlier to a town in Sierra Leone, only 30 kilometres outside Freetown, where the people had just come back to a city without electricity or water and were calling upon the British team that was there for peace in exactly the same way. That city has now been overrun again by the Revolutionary United Front. It is empty. The people have fled out into the bush.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“I believe that overall the mission accomplished a timely and much-needed boost to the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and beyond that it demonstrated a commitment that we had only evinced from this Chamber previously of the Security Council to problem-solving in Africa on the ground, which was and is extremely important in raising the morale of Africans and people dealing with Africa that the Security Council is not going to let go of the need to address the problems we are facing at the moment. The fact that we did this when we were there, I think, was a very important symbol of that. Yes, as Ambassador Holbrooke has indicated, it was also important for three of us to get out to a provincial town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source
“It is also important that we recognize how much we owed on that mission to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Ambassador Morjane, General Diallo, the people on the ground who looked after us and to the Secretariat staff who came with us and looked after and supported us in extremely difficult circumstances. Nor could we have done without a remarkable service from the Egyptian company MC, which gave us an aircraft and a crew with remarkable support for the journey that we had to accomplish. The third tribute has to go to the Governments that we met. From President Kabila onwards, there was a responsiveness, an interest and a willingness to do business on the detail that was extremely important to the mission.”
2000-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4143 (2000) · source