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

“The British Prime Minister announced on 18 December 2008 that British combat troops will withdraw from Basra in the coming months. Our current military tasks should be completed by 31 May, allowing the majority of our forces to withdraw from Iraq by the end of July. Our military drawdown reflects the improvements in the security situation in Iraq. It marks a change in the nature of our commitment to Iraq as Iraq increasingly stands on its own feet. The United Kingdom's future relationship with Iraq will be one of partnership and friendship across the board, encompassing economic, commercial, cultural and educational cooperation, as well as assistance with security and defence.”
2009-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6087 (2009) · source
“The United Nations is doing vital work across all the policy sectors in Iraq, from supporting elections, constitution and political development, the rule of law and humanitarian assistance to economic development. We are encouraged by the Secretary-General's intention to continue to expand the engagement and presence of the United Nations throughout Iraq. We also await with interest his report pursuant to resolution 1859 (2008) on the Saddam-era resolutions. We should look carefully at all the additional obligations imposed on Iraq during the Saddam era, with a predisposition to removing them so that Iraq can achieve the international standing equal to that that it held before the Council's adoption of resolution 661 (1990). I would like to conclude by outlining the further evolution in the United Kingdom's close relationship with Iraq.”
2009-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6087 (2009) · source
“As the Secretary-General acknowledges in his report, it is now important for Iraq's political leaders to prioritize national dialogue and reconciliation, finding common ground on issues such as the hydrocarbons legislation and the review of the Constitution. The United Kingdom strongly supports UNAMI's efforts behind that process, in particular its work on disputed internal boundaries and on the status of Kirkuk, which the Special Representative reported on. We look forward to the report on Kirkuk from the article 23 committee of Iraq's Council of Representatives, which we expect at the end of next month. We also welcome the establishment of Iraq's Independent High Commission for Human Rights. We encourage it to work with the Ministry of Human Rights in helping to ensure that the rights of all Iraqis are respected.”
2009-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6087 (2009) · source
“The Secretary-General has termed them the first fully Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned elections. The electoral legislation was Iraqi. The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq, working with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), put in place the processes and mechanisms to ensure a free and fair ballot, and the Iraqi security forces provided comprehensive security and ensured that there were no significant security incidents on election day. Significantly, the elections were both competitive and inclusive. Voting was conducted in a relaxed atmosphere and freedom of expression was widely respected. The diverse representation in the new provincial councils shows that democracy is taking root in Iraq.”
2009-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6087 (2009) · source
“It is wonderful to see Iraq restored to a fully respected position in the international community, and for the Council to be able to deal with its few remaining responsibilities in such an encouraging atmosphere. Since we discussed the last report (S/2008/688) of the Secretary-General, in November, Iraq has passed two more important milestones. The first was at midnight on 31 December 2008, when the Government of Iraq took responsibility for maintaining security throughout the country. That is a testament to the progress that has been made by both the Government and the Iraqi security forces over the past almost six years. With violence at its lowest levels since 2003, Iraq's security situation continues to improve. The second milestone was the provincial elections, about which Mr. De Mistura has reported in detail.”
2009-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6087 (2009) · source
“Can I begin by joining colleagues in thanking Special Representative of the Secretary-General De Mistura for his briefing on the report (S/2009/102) of the Secretary-General. I would also like to pay tribute to the Permanent Representative of Iraq for the remarkable progress that Iraq has made in recent months, as set out in his statement. The United Nations continues to play a vital role in Iraq's development as a stable and democratic country that is increasingly in control of its own destiny. On behalf of my Government, I would like to thank the United Nations Iraq team for its work. No country has taken up more of the Security Council's time and energy over the past 20 years than Iraq.”
2009-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6087 (2009) · source
“We have heard a consistent message from the representatives of Timor-Leste in this Chamber over the past year, and again today from President Ramos- Horta. They want UNMIT to stay and to support their progress towards self-sustaining independence and economic development. We are sympathetic to that message. The United Kingdom supports the extension of the UNMIT mandate by a further 12 months, in recognition of the challenges that East Timor continues to face. We are confident that this will continue to be a partnership, in which UNMIT plays a supporting role to the efforts of the Government. We thank Special Representative Khare and his team for the excellent work they continue to carry out. We must also look forward to the day when their work will be done.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“Secondly, a determined effort must be made by Timorese State institutions, with international support, to build capacity and deliver reform, in particular in the security and justice sectors. We support the Secretary-General's call for the Government of Timor-Leste to commission a comprehensive needs assessment for the judicial sector. We would welcome a firm commitment from the Government of Timor-Leste to taking this forward with the aim of helping to ensure accountability and justice for all. Thirdly, we look forward with great interest to the local elections in Timor-Leste, which will mark another important democratic milestone for the country. The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its support for the Government and people of Timor-Leste.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“They are consistent with one of the key principles underpinning the international effort in Timor-Leste: that the international community should help the people of the country stand on their own feet. We look forward to reviewing progress against the benchmarks, which will allow UNMIT to begin to scale down its presence in stages as its tasks are completed. We look to the people and Government of Timor- Leste, supported by the international community, to do everything in their power to continue the positive trends in terms of politics, security and sustainable economic and social development. In particular, the Timorese Government and opposition must develop and implement a shared vision of what kind of country Timor-Leste should be and the way its democratic institutions should function.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“It is clear that the long-term security and stability of Timor-Leste will depend in particular on building national police and security forces that can take over responsibility from the international force. The challenge over the next few months will be to define a timescale and benchmarks for the resumption of policing responsibilities by the national police and then to move forward with the transfer of those responsibilities. We welcome the medium-term strategy set out in the Secretary-General's report, which focuses on the four priority areas of the UNMIT mandate. We also welcome the acceptance of these benchmarks by the Government of Timor-Leste.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“We very much welcome the latest report of the Secretary- General on the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), contained in document S/2009/72, and the presence of the Secretary-General himself this morning. It is a particular honour to have President Ramos- Horta here with us today. It is a great credit to the Government of Timor-Leste, to UNMIT and to the international security forces that Timor-Leste has enjoyed a stable security situation since the terrible attacks of February 2008. Significant progress has been made over the past year, as noted in the report of the Secretary-General and the statement of President Ramos-Horta, but, as the Secretary-General also notes, many challenges remain.”
2009-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6085 (2009) · source
“I look forward to hearing from Council colleagues and other speakers today on how we can move this agenda forward in practical ways. We have discussed it many times, but we now need to turn our attention to a practical programme of action. We will all have noted the emphasis that our new American colleague, Ambassador Rice, put on these issues during her confirmation hearing. Following her confirmation last night by the United States Senate, we look forward to welcoming her to the Security Council next week and to working closely with her on what will be one of the great challenges facing the Council during 2009.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“The Council must also ensure that peacekeepers have a peace to keep, and not put poorly equipped peacekeepers into a war zone in the hope that they will have an effect. While the Security Council should rightly play its leading role, this must be an inclusive process, drawing on the expertise and resources of all Member States and all parts of the United Nations system. We welcome the work under way in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Services, and we very much welcome the initiatives under way, not least from our Canadian colleagues, which we see as complementary to work within the Council. Following yesterday's seminar, we will work with our French colleagues to revise the joint paper to reflect both the discussion yesterday and today's debate.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“We made a good start at the informal seminar held yesterday at the French Mission. I was struck by the following themes of our discussion: the need for a clear sense of the challenges we are addressing here in New York and in the field, and the importance of building capacity, not just in the missions themselves but also in the Secretariat, which is constrained by rules that were not designed for the new realities of peacekeeping. The Council itself needs better information and, most importantly, better military advice. The Council must improve its own practices, including more realistic mandates, clear completion strategies and measurable benchmarks to enable us to assess progress.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“First is effective strategic oversight, especially the need for better preparation, planning, oversight and evaluation of operations. Second is addressing the resource constraints, including the importance of finding new ways to deal with the pressure on funding and the availability of troops and other resources as the demand for United Nations peacekeeping continues to rise. The third area is lessons from implementation, including how the increasingly complex mandates that we give to United Nations peacekeepers can be delivered. That is a daunting agenda, but its scale cannot be an excuse for inaction. We have suggested that we focus first on the issues around effective strategic oversight, many of which fall to the Security Council to address. Let us put our own house in order first.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“United Nations peacekeeping is to some extent a victim of its own success, but it is too precious a commodity to be put at risk. The issues are not new. Lakhdar Brahimi addressed many of them in what remains a landmark report (S/2000/809), whose conclusions are as relevant today as they were in 2000. We have been reminded of their importance during our recent discussions of Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia. The point now is to revisit the Brahimi report - build on it, adapt it where necessary and, most importantly, make sure that we implement a more rigorous and strategic approach to peacekeeping across the board in the Security Council. The United Kingdom and France set out our initial thinking in the non-paper we issued earlier this week. The first part outlined the challenges, which we grouped into three areas.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“If one asks people on the streets of one of our capitals what the United Nations means to them, they will probably reply with an image of a blue-helmeted soldier watching over an uneasy peace. It is a powerful image, but it needs updating. Today, as Under-Secretary-General Le Roy implied, it could be notjust a of soldier but of a police officer or a humanitarian worker or a human rights expert. Often they will have little in the way of a peace to watch over. The challenges have become more demanding as many of the conflicts we address involve non-State actors, and United Nations peacekeeping has to change to meet the new demands. United Nations peacekeeping is not in crisis, but, as Under-Secretary-General Malcorra said, it is struggling to cope with the scale and complexity of these new challenges.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“May I begin by paying tribute to Ambassador Butagira for his much-valued work to the United Nations over the past five years and to wish him good luck in whatever lies ahead. I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's debate. It is an important first step in this Franco-British initiative that you and I have launched on the instructions of our Foreign Ministers to improve the way in which the United Nations system, and in particular the Security Council, handles peacekeeping issues. The speakers we have heard in the last hour have set out the importance of the issues we are addressing. I thank them all for their contributions, especially Mr. Annabi for coming from Haiti to give us the benefit of his experience on the ground. Peacekeeping is at the very heart of what the United Nations stands for.”
2009-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6075 (2009) · source
“We need a comprehensive approach, aimed at a two-State solution, which allows a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian State to live side by side in peace and security. The current crisis is yet another reminder that there can be no military solution to the problems of the Middle East. The only way forward is through a political solution based on that common vision. The Security Council has an important role to play in setting out the steps that need to be taken by the parties and in giving authority to a durable ceasefire. We will study the draft resolution circulated by our Libyan colleagues on behalf of the Arab Group. For a resolution of the Security Council to secure broad support, it will need to reflect the responsibilities of all the parties and contribute to a durable ceasefire.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“The European Union stands ready to help in that effort, as it did after the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access. Alongside the reopening of the legitimate crossings, there must also be action to clamp down on the illegal smuggling trade across the Egypt-Gaza border, which militants have exploited to bring more weapons into Gaza. There must also be a new effort towards Palestinian reconciliation under the leadership of President Abbas. We believe that steps along those line will contribute to a durable ceasefire. And fourthly, the parties and the entire international community must reinvigorate the collective efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East. Resolution 1850 (2008), which the Council adopted only a few weeks ago, mapped the way forward. It highlighted the importance of both the Annapolis process and the Arab Peace Initiative.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“Hamas must ensure a complete and unconditional end to the rocket attacks into Israel that triggered this crisis. And Israel must cease its military strikes, which have continued for too long and which have caused many civilian casualties. Secondly, we need urgent action to restore supplies of food, fuel and medicine to the population of the Gaza Strip. That means opening up the crossings into Gaza to allow the entry of those supplies, and it means ensuring that the supplies can be distributed properly within the Gaza Strip. Israel must meet its humanitarian obligations, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East will, as always, have a vital role to play and will almost certainly need more support. Thirdly, we need to see the crossings into Gaza reopen on a sustainable basis.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“I too welcome the presence of the Secretary-General at today's meeting. The situation in Gaza is of grave concern to my Government, as it is to the entire international community. My Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have been in regular contact with the Government of Israel, with the Palestinian Authority and with partners in the Arab world. And, as my French colleague noted, European Union foreign ministers met yesterday and set out the steps that we in the European Union believe need to be taken to address this crisis. One thing is clear: it has to be brought quickly to an end. The cost in terms of civilian lives is simply unacceptable. To achieve that we need to see four steps. We need to see an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“I would like take the opportunity to thank our colleagues from Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Panama and South Africa for their outstanding contributions to the Security Council's work. I hope that they enjoy their liberation from the responsibility of Security Council membership and find a useful new life in the other agencies of the United Nations. We look forward to their continued participation in our deliberations as non-members.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6059 (2008) · source
“Secondly, we welcome the continuation of the arrangements for the Development Fund for Iraq as the vehicle for allocating Iraq's oil revenues and the extension of the special arrangements for that Fund, given the need for particular protections, as set out by Mr. Zebari. Thirdly, an important decision in the resolution is the one to review the Saddam-era resolutions pertaining to Iraq. This will be the priority for the Council in 2009. These resolutions were introduced in entirely different circumstances, as a consequence of Saddam Hussein's actions and the need to protect Iraq's neighbours. It is right that we now overhaul their provisions with a View to their termination as soon as is feasible. Lastly, as this is the last scheduled meeting of the Council in 2008, it is not only Iraq's liberation that we are marking today.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6059 (2008) · source
“I join others in welcoming Foreign Minister Zebari and his team here today for the adoption of this important resolution. I would just like to highlight three points in that respect. First, I would like to welcome the fact that a Chapter VII United Nations mandate is no longer needed for international forces in Iraq. As my Prime Minister announced last week, subject to the completion of procedures in the Iraqi Parliament, the United Kingdom forces will complete their tasks in the first five months of 2009 and will proceed thereafter to Withdraw. This ability of my Government to complete its tasks in Iraq is an important sign of the progress that has been made in Iraq over the past five years.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6059 (2008) · source
“This reflects well on the significant successes United Nations missions have had in building peace and stability in, for example, Sierra Leone, Liberia, southern Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire and much of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the Security Council and the wider international community need to be more strategic with the limited peacekeeping resources we have at our disposal. That is a set of issues that we will need to consider in 2009 in some depth. We welcome the discussions proposed under the French presidency to focus all of our minds on that.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“The political process of the crisis in North Kivu has to be backed with effective military support, and we commend the efforts of MONUC to reorganize its troops within the Democratic Republic of the Congo in response to renewed fighting in and around Goma. However, it does require more resources, and it is now over a month since the Council authorized an additional 3,000 personnel. There remains a shortage of firm commitments, and the timeline for deployment has slipped from two months to as much as six months. We must redouble our efforts to ensure that we see these extra boots on the ground as soon as possible. May I close by observing that the search for peacekeeping resources, in particular enablers such as engineers, helicopters and airlifts, is becoming harder. We seem to be approaching the limits of global peacekeeping capacity.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“We commend the recent improvements on cooperation on tackling the FDLR and the renewed commitment of all parties to a common approach to dismantling the FDLR, as set out in the Nairobi agreement. A crucial part of this is that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has to ensure that there is no further collusion or arms transfer from the Forces armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo (FARDC) to the FDLR, as indicated by the recent report of the Group of Experts on the arms embargo against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the same vein, the Group of Experts has provided evidence that the forces of General Nkunda of the Congres national pour la defense du peuple received support from Rwanda, with the knowledge of the Government in Kigali. The Government of Rwanda has to bring such support to an end.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“President Obasanjo, together with President Mkapa, have important roles in bringing the parties back to the twin tracks of the Nairobi and Goma processes, and they have my Government's full backing. We are encouraged today by the attendance of Their Excellencies Foreign Minister Thambwe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ambassador Nsengimana of Rwanda. Cooperation between their two countries is one of the keys to forging peace, stability and prosperity in the Kivus and beyond. The Governments of both countries have signalled their commitment to peace through the closer working relationship they have developed over recent weeks. One big stumbling block remains: the shared blight of the presence of the FDLR on Congolese soil.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“Systematic rape seems to be used by groups, like the Forces Democratiques de la Liberation du Rwanda (FDLR), as a weapon to subjugate and divide local communities. We look to MONUC to do more to bring an end to that horrific practice and to do more to protect women as they go about their daily business. As the text of the resolution states, there is no military solution to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The only solution to lasting peace in the Great Lakes region is political reconciliation and cooperation. We commend the Secretary-General's appointment of President Obasanjo as his Special Envoy on the Great Lakes region. This was a decisive move that has already had considerable impact.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“I welcome the fact that we now have a more focused mandate for MONUC which, for the first time, sets a clear order of priorities for the Mission and for United Nations troops on the ground. It also includes an important clarification of the relationship between MONUC and the Government security forces, which should help address some of the issues MONUC faced in the recent fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. MONUC's first task is the protection of civilians. My delegation remains appalled at the persistent high levels of sexual violence, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular, perpetrated by the armed groups, including, sadly, some of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“May I also join those welcoming Minister De Gucht to the Council today in light of Belgium's contribution to the work on the Democratic Republic of the Congo over recent months and years. The resolutions we are adopting today reflect the extensive work in the Security Council in recent months to address what is an ongoing humanitarian tragedy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and our efforts to avert the risk of descent into much worse conflict, with all the attendant potential regional implications. One resolution reviews the arms embargo and specific individual sanctions, and the other extends, for a further 12 months, the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“The United Kingdom will continue to work closely with those in the region and beyond to reinforce the peace process and we will work within the Security Council to build on the authority and direction that the Council engagement has given and will continue to give to the peace process.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“We welcome the emphasis that resolution 1850 (2008) gives to the development of Palestinian capacity and the development of the institutions of a Palestinian State. The United Kingdom, along with the European Union, continues to support the Palestinian Authority in improving its security forces and in building up its economy, both of which we believe will lead in time to better security for Israel and a lessening of tensions. Insecurity in the wider Middle East region, not least the activities of Iran, makes the need for progress in peace negotiations between Israel and its neighbours ever more urgent. The United Kingdom supports the statement made by the Quartet this week and their continued work in engaging with the parties and galvanizing the international community.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“The Security Council resolution follows the recent and highly significant letter from the Arab League to President-elect Obama calling for a comprehensive solution to the Middle East peace process and signalling the willingness of the Arab world to work with the new United States Administration on this issue. And the resolution also follows the European Council declaration made on 12 December setting out strong European Union support for and participation in the efforts to achieve a negotiated solution. Taken together, those developments give us momentum to make real progress in 2009 and we look forward to an early commitment from the next United States Administration to sustaining the peace process from the start of its term in office. The political process is inseparable from the situation on the ground.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“Thirdly, it sets out the need for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, with all States in the region and the wider international community working to build an atmosphere conducive to the negotiations. We welcome the specific reference in the resolution to the Arab Peace Initiative and the Arab engagement on the peace process that lies behind that initiative. As Foreign Secretary Miliband said in his intervention on Tuesday, resolving the Middle East conflict will require more than a two-State solution; it will require Israel and all Arab States to live side by side in security.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“Taken together, these resolutions set out the goals of the peace and the framework for the peace process. Resolution 1850 (2008) serves to underline the key points that we believe are essential for progress towards a lasting settlement. First, let me stress the importance of building on the current negotiations, including both the Israel- Palestine and the Israel-Syria tracks. Secondly, both parties need to fill their commitments under the Road Map. For Israel, this means taking action to freeze settlement building and improving conditions for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. For Palestinians, it means finding a way to reunite around negotiations and non-violence, with Hamas ceasing their rocket attacks and moving towards the Quartet principles.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“My delegation thanks the Special Coordinator for his briefing today. We listened very carefully to the very full contributions from Ambassadors Mansour and Shalev, and I thank them for their statements. This debate comes very soon after the Security Council discussions on Tuesday. Today is an opportunity to hear the views of the parties and other Member States, as we ourselves made clear in the earlier Council debate. But, let me begin, as others have, by welcoming the adoption of resolution 1850 (2008). Since the last ministerial meeting to discuss the Middle East last summer, we have seen momentum steadily build towards a greater Security Council role in the Middle East peace process. Resolution 1850 (2008) is an important milestone in a series of resolutions, including 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002) and 1515 (2003).”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“They also address issues that can help prevent vulnerable individuals in vulnerable communities from being lured into violent extremism. The international community has to address the other conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. Restoring stability to countries and regions mired in conflict, strengthening human rights, empowering individuals and promoting the role of women in society - again, these are all worth doing in their own right, but they also remove the pretexts that terrorists use to justify their actions. Thank you, Mr. President, for giving us the opportunity once again to review our work in this vital area. Permit me to add that I would like to associate the United Kingdom with the statement to be made shortly by the representative of France on behalf of the European Union.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“We are also working to counter radicalization within our communities at home, and we are developing a joint counter-radicalization programme with the Government of Pakistan so that we can share with each other the lessons we are learning. Sanctions, law enforcement action and capacity- building are vital, but they are still not enough. We need to show that, where there are justified grievances, they will be addressed by political means. We cannot allow disputes to persist so that they are used as pretexts for terrorism. Over the long term, we have to continue to improve access to justice, tackle political disenfranchisement and develop better educational and vocational opportunities. Those are important goals in their own right.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“The CTED team saw how we are revising and developing our own counter-terrorism strategy to build on successes and to prepare us for new challenges. Central to the development of our strategy has been to establish an Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism to develop and implement the strategy and to coordinate efforts across Government - at the community level, at the national level and internationally - to deliver the impact we need. We have increased our resources devoted to combating terrorism in the police and intelligence agencies. These new resources have been used to disrupt terrorist conspiracies in my country and overseas. Since the beginning of last year, 81 people have been found guilty of terrorism-related offences in 33 major cases.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“President, is very ably chaired by your Ambassador here - has, where requested, assessed the counter- terrorism capabilities of individual Member States and helped Member States to improve them. Recently, we have seen much closer cooperation among the various committees dealing with terrorism to promote capacity- building in United Nations Member States and for the effective implementation of all Security Council resolutions aimed at countering terrorism. My country is playing a full role. The Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) recently visited London as part of its programme of visits for a full exchange on how we in the United Kingdom tackle terrorism. That was the first such visit to a permanent member of the Security Council.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“Terrorism threatens international peace and security, and that means that the Security Council has a role to play. We must be robust in our practical responses. Through national and coordinated international action, we must disrupt terrorist networks and deny terrorists the safe havens and funds that they need in order to operate. The United Nations sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban are important tools. In resolution 1822 (2008), we improved the procedures for listing and de-listing individuals in order to address concerns that have been raised and to ensure that the sanctions list is as up to date and effective as possible. The United Nations also has an important role to play in helping build Member States' capacity to tackle terrorism. The Counter-Terrorism Committee - which, Mr.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“Democracy in India is vibrant, and Mumbai is one of the world's most diverse cities. The terrorists responsible seemed to be intent on destroying democracy and diversity. We must all focus on helping the Government of India in whatever ways we can to investigate these attacks and bring those responsible to justice. This is now a sensitive time for the region. We look to the leaders of Pakistan and India to work with each other. The words of their leaders, as responsible statesmen, are important to show their determination that the terrorists will not further divide their two countries. We welcome the initial steps taken by Pakistan in the past few days. We urge the Government of Pakistan to cooperate with the Indian investigation, and we urge the two of them to work together in bringing those responsible to justice.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“I would like to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting today. I remember that, in the aftermath of the horrific events of 11 September 2001, you, Sir, were among the first of the world's leaders to call for coordinated global action against terrorism. Your commitment to countering terrorism is well known, and your choice of subject for this thematic debate, made before the recent appalling attacks in Mumbai, shows that your vision remains and that your commitment to this vital cause is unwavering. Across the world, many thousands of innocent people of all races and faiths have been victims of terrorism. These are criminal acts for which there is no justification, and the Council rightly denounces the use of terror in pursuit of political aims. The attack in Mumbai at the end of last month was an attack on us all.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034 (2008) · source
“The report of the Secretary- General may not satisfy all of us in all respects, but it is a sober and responsible effort to identify the very limited options that are available to the Council. We believe that we should proceed with our deliberations on the basis of this report.”
2008-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6020 (2008) · source
“In doing so, he will need high-level political support from Council members. We have heard some fine words around this table today; let us hope that delegations can take the steps necessary to turn those fine words into hard offers of military contributions. We would also welcome further work by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to prepare for the time when a peacekeeping operation is feasible, including being ready to conduct a technical assessment mission as soon as conditions on the ground allow. Somalia is arguably the most intractable challenge facing the Security Council in the period ahead. I know that all of us around this table feel the need to act and to shoulder our responsibilities here, but we have to learn the lessons of experience - not only in Somalia, but also elsewhere, including, for example, in Darfur.”
2008-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6020 (2008) · source
“Its firm recommendation - which we think is based on sound military analysis - is that a multinational force has to go in first to secure the situation on the ground and create the conditions that would allow a United Nations peacekeeping operation to go in. Frankly, it is hard to envisage a traditional United Nations peacekeeping force having the capabilities or the mandate required to deal with the challenges that Somalia currently poses. This Council should not mandate a force which we do not think is up to the task. We must learn the lessons from elsewhere of what happens when we send an underequipped force into a theatre where conflict persists. We therefore encourage the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to identify States willing to contribute to a multinational force as soon as possible.”
2008-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6020 (2008) · source
“From our perspective, we believe that the Council should send a clear message that the best way forward for Somalia is through the full implementation of the Djibouti agreement, which would give the space for the international community to assist. But we still do have to deal with the Somalia that we find, the Somalia that exists, and not the Somalia that we would like to see, and that has to shape our approach to the idea of an international force on the ground. The Secretary-General has invited the Security Council to send a force to take responsibility for security in Mogadishu and to enable the Ethiopian forces to withdraw. The Secretary-General's report is very clear about the options for such a force.”
2008-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6020 (2008) · source
“Over 3 million Somalis are now dependent on food aid. Securing humanitarian access remains a pressing and difficult challenge. We would welcome advice from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the near future on how to address this problem. So what do we do in the face of these difficulties? I agree with my colleague, Ambassador Kumalo: the problem of Somalia is not going to be resolved solely by addressing the issue of piracy or tackling the humanitarian problem on the ground. But equally, as we have so often said in this Chamber and as we have heard again today from several delegates, we cannot just address this problem with a military solution. There has to be a political framework.”
2008-11-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6020 (2008) · source