YouSaid · the spoken record

John Sawers

lines on the record: 590
first: 2007-08-28
most recent: 2009-10-14
sittings or episodes: 89
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

“It is now two years since this Council adopted resolution 1769 (2007), and UNAMID has not had the effect that we all wanted it to have. We welcome the Secretary-General's commitment to reaching 92 per cent deployment by the end of this year, but we are all conscious that previous such targets have been missed. Those relate to the numbers of personnel. The more important measure is UNAMID's capability to implement its mandate across Darfur, and I welcome Mr. Le Roy's estimate on what proportion of UNAMID's design capability is now in place and what proportion will be in place by the end of the year. The United Kingdom agrees with the Secretary- General that the protection of civilians and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance should be the priority tasks for UNAMID.”
2009-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6170 (2009) · source
“The Secretary-General's report shows that progress has been made on some of these but that we still have further to go. On the first track - peacekeeping - we welcome the progress highlighted in the Secretary- General's report on deploying the African Union- United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The improved cooperation from the Government of the Sudan is particularly welcome. The Secretary-General reports serious concerns still over the slowness with which visas are being issued for UNAMID staff despite the progress of the Tripartite Committee, and we call on the Government of the Sudan to solve that problem and to ensure access to the region for UNAMID personnel and freedom of movement within Darfur, which the Secretary-General also highlights as a serious concern. Overall, UNAMID's performance still has room to improve.”
2009-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6170 (2009) · source
“Let me begin by thanking Under-Secretary-General Le Roy for his briefing and for introducing the Secretary-General's very helpful report (S/2009/352). It is very welcome that we have Mr. Margelov with us today; it is good to have him here, and his comprehensive statement was very helpful to the Council. The Sudan remains at the top of the Security Council agenda. We are focused on Darfur today, but the Comprehensive Peace Agreement remains the highest priority and the most urgent issue. Let me just put on record that United Kingdom welcomes the responses of all parties to the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on Abyei, which I think will move the situation on the North-South process forward. On Darfur, the Council's strategy is focused on four tracks: peacekeeping, political, humanitarian and judicial.”
2009-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6170 (2009) · source
“Right now, we are working to iron out some minor changes that colleagues have asked. I hope that we might be in a position to adopt the draft presidential statement at the end of our debate this morning. After a period of progress earlier this year following the formation of a new Government under a new President, the security and humanitarian situation in Somalia is once again worsening. The Security Council and the international community have to do what they can to provide practical support to both the TFG and AMISOM. so we can help to bring about the stability and security that the people of Somalia deserve.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“On the operational front, the United Kingdom is providing the command and headquarters of the European Union's naval mission. The Council should stand behind the call made by African Union leaders last the weekend for an end to the recent fighting in Somalia and for all groups to respect and cooperate with the Transitional Federal Government. Following consultations with other delegations, including Uganda in particular, the United Kingdom yesterday circulated a draft presidential statement backing the African Union's call. The statement also calls for greater international support to AMISOM. and makes it clear that the Council will consider the imposition of sanctions on anyone engaged in undermining the stability of Somalia. Reaction to our draft has been very positive.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“The United Kingdom looks forward to receiving shortly the report of the sanctions Monitoring Group and any other evidence submitted to the Somalia sanctions Committee. The long-term solution to Somalia's security remains the training of the Somali security forces. The United Nations Development Programme has done some good work in training the police, but there is still much to do to strengthen the Joint Security Forces. Several United Nations Member States are providing training, and the United Kingdom welcomes that. We should all consider how we can help. The fourth issue is piracy. The Security Council needs to continue to work to ensure security on Somalia's seas as well as on land. We must tackle both piracy and its root causes. We welcome the work of the international Contact Group on Piracy.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“As I have said, we welcome the excellent work by the Department of Field Support, as described by Under-Secretary- General Malcorra, to ensure the rapid delivery of the United Nations logistical support package to AMISOM. The Council should also seek to halt the illegal flow of weapons and ammunition entering the country and being provided to rebel groups. We should demand that both internal and external actors responsible for carrying out and supporting attacks on TF G and AMISOM. forces immediately cease their actions. In line with the request from the African Union, the Security Council should stand ready to take action against any individuals, entities or Governments shown to be arming or supporting those who are carrying out those attacks.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“Thirdly, we need to do all we can to bring to an end the attacks against the TFG, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the civilian population by armed groups, and to provide a secure environment in which the Federal Government can work. AMISOM. has played a critical role in supporting President Sharif's Government and in securing key installations in Mogadishu. The United Kingdom pays tribute to the Governments of Uganda and Burundi for their continuing commitment to that difficult operation. AMISOM. needs further strengthening, and further contributions are needed. The United Kingdom has donated Â£10 million to the United Nations Trust Fund for AMISOM, as well as Â£5 million directly to the African Union for the Somalia operation. We encourage others to also contribute.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“First is to tackle the humanitarian crisis. More than 3 million people are now in need of assistance. That is a staggering figure. I understand that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that over 150,000 people have been displaced from Mogadishu just since 7 May. The international community must continue to support the TFG in delivering basic security, food and health care. Second is the political track. Ultimately, we need Somali solutions to Somali problems. The Djibouti Agreement provides the basis for that. The international community has to continue to support the TFG and President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, including by living up to the pledges we all made in Brussels in April. The TFG must continue its efforts at reconciliation and in providing security to the population of Somalia.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“As the briefings have underlined, progress has been made by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to establish itself in Mogadishu, and the United Nations has moved quickly to deliver the support package for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) that the Council requested and approved. However, fighting in Somalia has increased over recent weeks, and the humanitarian situation has further deteriorated. We have seen a spate of attacks against the Transitional Federal Government and the civilian population by armed groups, apparently set on undermining the Djibouti Agreement, the reconciliation process and Somalia's stability. There are four main areas where the United Kingdom believes action is needed on Somalia, which should be the focus of the Council's attention over the coming period.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“Away from any media cameras, the suffering of the people of Somalia too often fails to get the attention from the international community that it should. At the African Union summit last weekend, African leaders asked the Security Council to take action. So this debate is timely in considering our next steps. My delegation is grateful to you, Mr. President, for organizing it today. I thank Under-Secretaries-General Pascoe and Malcorra for their briefings today. I also thank our colleague the Permanent Representative of Somalia for his contribution.”
2009-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6158 (2009) · source
“May I close by saying how much the United Kingdom appreciates the work of Kai Eide and all of UNAMA's dedicated staff. The United Kingdom will continue to support them and the Afghan people and authorities as we collectively tackle the major challenges ahead.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“We look forward to seeing the work that UNAMA is doing to introduce benchmarks into its reporting. I was glad to hear from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General that that task is being taken seriously. It should not be seen as a bureaucratic chore. Benchmarks are a vital tool to target their work, measure the progress made and explain to the Afghan people and the international community what UNAMA is achieving. We are content to allow more time for that, on the understanding that we will see the results in the next report, in September. The clear focus that benchmarks will provide will also help us to consider the merits of further requests for more resources, which the Special Representative of the Secretary-General has told us are in the pipeline.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“Reducing civilian casualties remains a high priority for the NATO force. We welcome General McChrystal's early attention to these issues. Protecting the Afghan population is at the core of our international mission, which is in stark contrast to the Taliban-led insurgency, which, as the Special Representative has made clear, continues deliberately to target and kill Afghan civilians. UNAMA's work is at the heart of the international effort in Afghanistan. We fully support the Mission as it uses the increased resources agreed last year to deliver its objectives more effectively and more widely. As UNAMA takes on an increasingly important role, the Council needs to pay attention to how we match the demands we make of the Mission with the resources it needs to deliver them. That will require clear decisions on the right priorities.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“UNAMA has shown commendable political leadership in the run up to the August elections, and we must all support Special Representative Eide and his team's work to deliver these preparations, not just this year but also in 2010. We welcome the arrival of new troops in Afghanistan, especially in the south, as it will improve security, and, with a significant number of troops dedicated to training, it will help strengthen the Afghan national security forces. The key to lasting success in Afghanistan is to build up Afghan security forces so that they can take lead responsibility for delivering security to the Afghan people. We must all continue to protect non-combatants from the effects of military action. We all deeply regret any civilian casualties; each and every innocent life lost is a tragedy.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“UNAMA's work is vital to improving governance and helping build an effective Afghan State. The presidential elections in Afghanistan are less than two months away. The security situation indicates that organizing the elections will be difficult, but, for the first time in over 30 years, the will of the Afghan people will be expressed through an elections process organized and delivered by the Afghan people themselves. We are working to help the Afghan Government ensure that those elections are credible, inclusive and secure. We encourage all the presidential candidates to set out their proposals clearly so that Afghans can make an informed choice. I would also remind partners of the need for timely preparations for next year's parliamentary, council and district elections as well.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“In April, the United Kingdom released an updated policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Prime Minister Gordon Brown set out the United Kingdom's three objectives. The first objective is to prevent the return of Al-Qaida in Afghanistan and reduce violent extremism. The second objective is to help Afghanistan to become an effective and accountable State that is increasingly able to handle its own security and deliver basic services to its people. The third objective is to provide long-term, sustainable support for the Afghan national development strategy, particularly on governance, rule of law, human rights and poverty alleviation. In all of these areas, UNAMA has a central role to play. We will not defeat extremism and defeat the insurgency if we cannot improve the daily lives of ordinary Afghans.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“We welcome the progress on donor coordination, but we recognize that there is further progress to be made. We have long argued for consolidated support for the Government of Afghanistan closely aligned to the national development strategy. Ambassador Tanin has repeated this call again today, and we should heed 1t. On counter-narcotics efforts, by continuing to support the Afghan Government's national drug control strategy, we are also making a difference. Over half of Afghanistan's provinces are now poppy-free, nation- wide poppy cultivation decreased 19 per cent last year, and significant investment is being made to deliver alternative livelihoods. All these are areas of progress, and we have seen coordination among regional countries also intensifying, which is welcome.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“We applaud its plans to move into more provinces, which will be key for delivering increased Afghan capacity at the subnational level and for delivery of international contributions well beyond Kabul and country-wide. I said in March that this year will be decisive for Afghanistan. Both the report and today's briefing only serve to underline that view. The challenges facing Afghanistan remain serious, but we are moving forward and we applaud the progress made by the Afghan Government in areas such as agriculture and police reform. The preparations for elections are on track, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan in concert with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNAMA.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“I would like to begin by echoing the Ambassador of Japan in paying tribute to the President on his last day as President of the Council, which he has led with great precision and authority, the last day of his time as Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations, and the last day of a very distinguished and long international career. We shall all miss him, and international diplomacy will be the poorer for his departure. We wish him a long and very rich retirement. On the issue of the day, Afghanistan, let me begin by thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2009/323) and Special Representative Kai Eide for his briefing today. These reports are a very important part of our engagement with the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). In the last six months, we have seen UNAMA's role grow.”
2009-06-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6154 (2009) · source
“Malcorra's proposals to combine support packages for missions in the same region, to seek more local staff and local and regional suppliers, to tailor the United Nations approach to the different needs of the various stages of peacekeeping operations and to shorten the procurement timelines to allow for more rapid deployment. We look forward to working with both DF S and DPKO to assist in delivering on these demanding but important objectives as part of our wider goals on strengthening United Nations peacekeeping.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“In the executive summary of the forthcoming New Horizon report, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) proposes that the Security Council consider ways to mobilize coalitions of States and other parties to ensure political and practical support to United Nations missions. We welcome this proposal. One possibility would be for a lead nation to be identified within a core of contributors that could be involved in the planning and development of a specific mission from the outset. The United Kingdom firmly supports the goals of the New Horizon project set forth by the DPKO and the Department of Field Support (DFS). We now need to agree on a new agenda for partnership across Member States to ensure efficient and, above all, successful peacekeeping operations. I was particularly struck by Ms.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“We hope that this subject can also be an issue for discussion during next year's session of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. The Council has seen first-hand the importance of building local capacity in countries with peacekeeping operations, particularly the local police and security services. It has become evident from the recent Council visits to Haiti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia that too little emphasis is being placed on this issue, and that there remains a high dependence on United Nations peacekeepers to provide local security. If we are to achieve the national ownership we all strive for, we must concentrate on ensuring that peacebuilding objectives, particularly for local capacity in the security sector, can be established at the outset.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“Engagement between contributors, the Secretariat and members of the Council early on as to the challenges and opportunities a mission faces, well in advance of Council decisions, will mean that those decisions on the extension, adaptation or termination of a peacekeeping mandate will be better informed and more fully considered. The consultation should also embrace the thematic challenges facing peacekeeping. For example, we need greater clarity and consensus on what can reasonably be expected of peacekeeping operations with respect to the protection of civilians. We had an opportunity to consider some of these issues in our debate last week and we will have further opportunities to address the issue during the Austrian presidency.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“The Security Council has examined in the past how to strengthen consultations with countries outside its membership which contribute the personnel and resources to peacekeeping operations. The topic was a feature of the Brahimi report, and resolution 1327 (2001) established an improved system of consultations with the troop-contributing countries, with the goal of building a common understanding of a mission's mandate and its implementation. The evolving nature of peacekeeping requires that we look again at the way we do this and, in particular, at the involvement of the troop-contributing countries. Member States reiterated this point in meetings of the Japan-chaired Security Council Working Group. The United Kingdom would like to see more profitable use made of the structures and meetings established by early resolutions.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“Our objective is to improve the Council's own approach to the process of mandating and reviewing peacekeeping missions. We have made progress and we plan to reflect on that during the United Kingdom presidency of the Council in August. Our goal is to ensure that the Security Council plays its part in improving the strategic management of peacekeeping. We are not seeking to infringe upon those parts of the wider debate that remain the prerogative of the General Assembly. Peacekeeping is an important resource that belongs to all of us, and we have a shared responsibility to ensure that the huge resources and effort that go into peacekeeping produce the best possible results.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“The enhanced consultation will help ensure that, together, we have a shared understanding of the purpose of each mission; we set realistic, achievable and manageable mandates, we ensure more coherent and integrated mission planning; and we make best use of the resources available. This year has seen a number of initiatives on United Nations peacekeeping launched across the United Nations community. I believe that the various initiatives reflect the concern we all share that peacekeeping in ever more complex environments demands greater efforts to ensure that we achieve the effect we want and that the current initiatives are complementary and mutually supportive. Ambassador Ripert of France spoke of the United Kingdom/French initiative in the Security Council.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“Mr. President, I join others in thanking you for scheduling today's debate. We welcome the opportunity to hear later in the meeting the views of the Member States that play a leading role in making United Nations peacekeeping a reality. I would like to thank Under-Secretaries- General Le Roy and Malcorra for the important work under way in their Departments and for the executive summary of their Departments' recent work. Their briefings today cover some important plans for reform. The United Kingdom fully supports a new effort to ensure a meaningful dialogue between the Secretariat, which plans and manages peacekeeping operations; the Security Council, which agrees to political objectives; and the troop- and police-contributors, which provide the personnel.”
2009-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6153 (2009) · source
“We now need to ensure that the transformative potential of genuine cooperation can be realized and that it can provide a peace dividend for civilians across the region.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“In President Kagame's view, the joint operations that they had carried out had had an impact on the root causes of the problems in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He supported that being maintained by regional actors and the international community, although he was not entirely confident that the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) would be able to play the sort of partnership role with the armed forces of that country that the Rwandan forces had played. Nonetheless, we came away optimistic that the progress made in the normalization of relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda could be sustained.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“Their stories of the misinformation circulating in the Congolese bush and their pleasant surprise at how positive their treatment was underlined the need for renewed focus on our efforts aimed at the demobilization and disarmament of rebel groups. The highlight of our time in Rwanda was the frank and wide-ranging discussion with President Kagame. The Council set out its strong support for the rapprochement between his Government and that of President Kabila. We also encouraged President Kagame to further deepen the relationship, as we also did later with President Kabila. President Kagame was encouraged by the progress made in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in the past six months, and he hoped that the political, military and economic cooperation with the Democratic Republic of the Congo would continue.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“Our visit afforded us an opportunity to encourage both Governments to continue to reinforce their cooperation, as well as to see the effects of that improved regional dynamic on the ground. We were all moved by our visit to the Kigali Genocide Museum, which gave us some sense of the continued resonance of the horrific events of 1994 on events today. We also made a brief but encouraging visit to the Mutobo rehabilitation camp, where we met 3 several hundred former FDLR combatants, many of whom had returned to Rwanda as a result of the joint operations between the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The ex- combatants gave the impression of being relieved to be back home in Rwanda.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“It was, as ever, invaluable to see at first hand the situations we are dealing with. There have of course been substantial changes since the Council was in the region in June 2008. There was relative calm at that time, a year ago. But that gave way, in the early autumn, to a crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which continued until the end of the year. It was the decision in early 2009 by the Governments of both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to work together to address the shared problem of the Forces democratiques de liberation du Rwanda (FDLR) and the presence of other armed groups in the region that helped to reshape the political landscape.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“Those issues are some of the most pressing on the Council's agenda. As Ambassador Rugunda has said, it is important that we reflect on the nature of our consultative exchanges with the African Union Peace and Security Council, in order that we get the most out of them, that the African Union partners get the most out of them and that we can make the best and most effective use of our joint operations and policies and our work together. We travelled to Rwanda following our meetings in Ethiopia. Along with our visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about which Ambassador Ripert will report, I think that was the tenth visit of the Security Council to the Great Lakes. That reflects the level of attention that the Council gives to resolving the ongoing problems in that region.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“Ambassador Rugunda has given a good account of our discussions with the African Union (AU). As the co-leader of that leg, I should like to add two thoughts. First of all, the substance of our discussions with the African Union, in particular on the situations in the Sudan and Somalia, demonstrated the depth of the 09-35198 relationship between the United Nations and the African Union and the ways in which it is becoming more substantive. We are seeing the United Nations and the AU working together to tackle the crises in Darfur, where we have the first joint United Nations- AU hybrid peacekeeping operation - which has its problems, of which we are aware, but which shows the United Nations and the AU working together - and in Somalia, where the United Nations is funding logistical support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6131 (2009) · source
“It is worth noting that the EU Special Representative will be the central point for the international community's engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but I would also note that the continued participation of non-EU partners would help to strengthen its role.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6130 (2009) · source
“But if Bosnia and Herzegovina is to make decisive progress down the path to integration with the European Union (EU) and NATO - goals that Mr. Spirie set out again today - the political culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to change. The country's leaders must take opportunities to seek common ground and recognize that ethnic maximalism only leads to deadlock and the failure to achieve collective aspirations. Lastly, I wish to say just a word on the European Union. We are continuing to plan carefully for the EU presence after the Office of the High Representative is brought to an end. We shall need a robust mandate for that so that we are in the best possible position when the moment for transition arrives. I am encouraged by the progress that we have seen so far on the draft mandate.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6130 (2009) · source
“We appreciate the High Representative's efforts on facilitating progress against the remaining two objectives, and we are encouraged that the issues of State and defence property have seen some movement. We would ask the High Representative to continue his efforts. Mr. Inzko is representing the entire international community, and he has our backing even when he is making difficult decisions. Recent dynamics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, marked by unhelpful nationalist rhetoric, are making it an even more difficult context for his work. The United Kingdom strongly supports Bosnia and Herzegovina's European perspective. We are determined to work with Bosnia and Herzegovina as partners, wherever possible, so that it can take its rightful place in Europe, along with other countries of the region.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6130 (2009) · source
“I am thinking of such areas as visa liberalization, banking supervision, public procurement and State and defence property. At this pace and in this atmosphere, it seems unlikely that the five objectives and two conditions can be met in time for a positive decision at next month's meeting of the Steering Board of the PIC. I hope that the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina understand that we are not going to negotiate on the five plus two conditionality. As the PIC Steering Board agreed in March, it is vital that all the five objectives be met and that the two conditions be fulfilled before we move to close the Office of the High Representative, and we would like to achieve that as soon as possible.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6130 (2009) · source
“The resolution of the Brcko Final Award, the adoption of the National War Crimes Strategy and the implementation of the National Justice Sector Reform Strategy are all welcome developments. But overall, despite this, progress is slow. I am afraid it is too slow. Despite the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement last year, we remain concerned about the serious nature of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There have been a few signs of flexibility and compromise from some of the Bosnian leaders, notably developments in the Prud process. However, overall progress on reform has been disappointing. There are several areas where progress is badly needed and could easily be achieved if there were the necessary political will.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6130 (2009) · source
“I join others in welcoming Mr. Nikola Spiric, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to our Council today, and thank him for his remarks. I should like also to join others in welcoming the new High Representative, Mr. Inzko, to the Security Council for the first time, and thank him for his report and briefing on the latest developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, if I may say so, were admirably clear. We note from the High Representative's report that there has been some progress against the five objectives and two conditions set by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) that, of course, have to be met ahead of the closure of the Office of the High Representative.”
2009-05-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6130 (2009) · source
“We have today renewed the mandate of MINURSO for another year. In line with our ongoing discussions on peacekeeping, I would stress the need for the Council to take a strategic view of all its peacekeeping operations. In this respect, I would echo the comments of the Permanent Representative of France and ask the Secretariat to develop suitable benchmarks against which MINURSO'S progress in achieving its mandate can be measured and to include an assessment of such progress in the next report.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6117 (2009) · source
“The United Kingdom remains committed to seeing a process of negotiation, under the auspices of Ambassador Ross, which leads to a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution which provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. I would also like to emphasize the importance of what the Secretary-General has described as the human dimension of the conflict, to which we refer to in the seventh preambular paragraph of the resolution. My Government firmly believes that addressing the Secretary-General's recommendations in this respect, including the expansion of humanitarian confidence- building measures and transparency on human rights by all parties, will do much to establish trust and confidence between the parties and thereby enable progress in the negotiations.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6117 (2009) · source
“The unanimous adoption of resolution 1871 (2009) sends an important message of the Security Council's support for the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross, as he embarks on his new role. The appointment of Ambassador Ross and the fresh approach he brings represent a real opportunity for the parties and the neighbouring States to re-engage, to renew the talks process and to make meaningful progress towards the settlement of a conflict that has run for far too long. We strongly urge all those involved to seize this opportunity, and we underline the Council's call for the parties to approach the talks in good faith and without preconditions. In all cases of this sort, the principle of self- determination of the people of the territory is fundamental.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6117 (2009) · source
“Finally, the United Kingdom also welcomes the request, contained in the resolution, that the Secretary- General develop benchmarks for measuring and tracking progress in the implementation of UNMIS'S mandate and assess progress against these in his regular reports. That request, relating to the United Nations Mission in the Sudan, follows similar requests from the Council on other peacekeeping missions, such as the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad and the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is an important step in the Council's efforts to further improve the effectiveness and direction of United Nations peacekeeping across the continent of Africa.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6116 (2009) · source
“The expulsions affect not only the people of Darfur, but also the delivery of humanitarian aid across the whole of the country, including the Three Areas on the borders between North and South. Resolution 1870 (2009) urges the Sudan to support the three-track approach delineated by the Secretary-General to ensure continuity of humanitarian assistance. The first of those tracks is for the Sudan to reverse its decision to expel the NGOs. The United Kingdom repeats today its condemnation of that decision and, in line with resolution 1870 (2009), urges the Sudan to immediately reverse it. We hope that the Sudan will respond to the Council's call.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6116 (2009) · source
“As resolution 1870 (2009) makes clear, the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement has reached a critical stage, and significant tests lie ahead: on elections; on the process of disarming and rehabilitating former combatants; on developing effective security in the border areas; on the national census, with regard to which the resolution expresses concern about the delay in announcing the 3 results; and on the referendum on unity, due in January 201 1. In the light of the Sudan's recent expulsion of 13 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the United Kingdom particularly welcomes the language in the resolution stressing the importance of providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian populations throughout the Sudan.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6116 (2009) · source
“The Government of the United Kingdom welcomes the unanimous adoption today of resolution 1870 (2009), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS). The Security Council's unity in support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the North-South peace process is an important signal to the Government of the Sudan and to the wider international community. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended one of Africa's longest and bloodiest civil wars, and it remains the bedrock for peace and security in the Sudan.”
2009-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6116 (2009) · source
“In Nepal, we hope to see the Government implement its commitment to Ms. Coomaraswamy to release minors remaining in the cantonments. I note that Al-Qaida is a new addition to the annexes of the Secretary-General's report for their use, and their wilful killing and maiming, of children in Iraq. The measures contained in Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) should be brought to bear in preventing such crimes. Today's debate is another step forward in the Security Council's work on these important issues. The international community must be prepared to take action against those individuals and groups that commit egregious abuses against children and that refuse to undertake the remedial action demanded of them. We look to the Working Group to lead such action.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“Tens of thousands of civilians, including many children, are at extreme risk as a result of the conflict and the dire humanitarian situation there. The Security Council has made clear its support for the efforts of the United Nations, led by the Secretary-General. We continue to urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to take the necessary steps to ensure the safe evacuation and protection of and assistance to the civilian population, and especially the children, caught up in that conflict. I would like also to highlight our concern about forced labour in the military in Burma. Personnel responsible for underage recruitment have been identified. Bringing them to account would demonstrate the commitment of the Burmese Government to cooperate with the United Nations.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source