YouSaid · the spoken record

Kama]

lines on the record: 125
first: 1995-04-11
most recent: 1999-02-22
sittings or episodes: 17
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 support the views expressed by some delegations that the Secretary-General's report should not only focus on the role of the Security Council in improving the physical and legal protection of civilians in armed conflict, but that it should also be comprehensive in nature, identifying the role of all the concerned bodies and agencies.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“We support the idea, contained in the Security Council presidential statement of 12 February 1999, that there should be a comprehensive and coordinated approach by the Member States and international organizations and agencies to address the problem of the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It is our hope that the Secretary-General, in his report to the Security Council in September this year, will submit practicable recommendations, particularly on measures to address the root causes of conflict. The need to improve the socio-economic conditions of conflict-prone societies must also be accorded due emphasis in order to ensure effective results.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“In his report of 22 September 1998, the Secretary- General indicated that the relevant norms, principles and provisions of international law are particularly violated in situations of internal conflicts where whole societies are mobilized for war. There should be concerted efforts to create awareness of the responsibility of State authorities in protecting the civilians in armed conflicts. In this connection, we welcome the establishment of the International Criminal Court, having jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Pakistan actively participated in the deliberations of the United Nations Diplomatic Conference at Rome. We hope the establishment of the Court will usher in a new era of dispensing justice to people, which would, in turn, help to establish a just global society.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“What is more frustrating is the fact that civilians are subjected to such cruel treatment despite the existence of a substantial body of international law and principles evolved over a long period of time to protect civilians, refugees and humanitarian personnel. The 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols of 1977 are well-established norms of international humanitarian law for the protection of civilians and other persons who are not party to any hostilities. Similarly, the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees are the principal international instruments concerning the protection of refugees. We have a collective responsibility to ensure effective adherence to these legal codes by the Members of the United Nations.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“Special Representative Olara Otunnu shook us all with a dismal piece of information that, during the past decade, over 2 million children have lost their lives in various armed conflicts, while 12 million have been made homeless and 300,000 are serving as child soldiers in 30 conflict situations. Though most of these conflict situations are in Africa, conflicts also persist in other parts of the world, including in our own region, resulting in similar problems of civilian victims and gross human rights violations. Indian-occupied Kashmir is a case in point. The international community cannot and must not remain indifferent to such long-lasting situations.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“Olara Otunnu, was informative, useful and thought-provoking. It is a matter of grave concern for all of us that the violence in situations of armed conflict has reached dangerous proportions, directed in most cases against civilians, especially women, children and other vulnerable groups, including refugees and internally displaced persons. The growing number of casualties of humanitarian workers also remains a matter of serious concern. Civilian casualties account for almost 80 per cent of the total number of victims in armed conflict. Over a million people die each year in armed conflicts around the world. The figure for children's casualties is particularly agonizing.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“Mr. Kama] (Pakistan): As this is the first time that I am addressing the Council under your presidency, Sir, allow me to congratulate you and to express our admiration for the many initiatives that you are taking to inject greater transparency into its work. We also salute your predecessor, Ambassador Amorim, for his own presidency and for the onerous duties that he continues to perform. Allow me to express our gratitude to you for arranging today's debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The open briefing on the same subject on 12 February 1999 by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Cornelio Sommaruga; the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Ms. Carol Bellamy; and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr.”
1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source
“On too many occasions the Security Council has been unwilling or unable to fulfil its responsibilities, either because of blockages created by the veto or the unilateral actions of one or another of its permanent members, or because it has lacked the collective courage and verve to implement its own resolutions. For its part, Pakistan remains committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter and will continue to contribute in every possible way to achieving our goals of collective security and peace and prosperity.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“The conflicts in Africa constitute almost 60 per cent of the issues currently under consideration by the Security Council. The best way to prepare for the emergencies in that continent would be to develop an efficient early warning system and to build appropriate capabilities to effectively respond to simmering crises in Africa, as in other parts of the world. The key to a better management of peace and security lies in a shared responsibility between the General Assembly and the Security Council, balancing what we expect of the latter, with its smaller membership, with what we expect of the former, with its undoubted democratic weight.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“The conflict in Afghanistan is another example of the failure of the United Nations to fulfil its responsibilities under the Charter. The international cormnunity lost all interest in Afghanistan soon after the withdrawal of the occupying Soviet forces from that country. Afghanistan was allowed to be plunged into civil strife, resulting in the further destruction of the war- stricken country. Consequently, over 1.5 million Afghan refugees still reside in Pakistan. Because of donor fatigue, we are providing succour to them almost single-handedly. The international community must accept the blame for its inaction and should remedy the situation by playing its due role in bringing peace to the Afghan people and by contributing towards the reconstruction of that devastated country.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“This is particularly important because of the need to defuse the new and heightened tensions that arose in South Asia after the nuclear tests conducted by India, and then by Pakistan, early this year. The Security Council, in its wisdom, adopted resolution 1172 (1998) on 6 June 1998 in an attempt to enforce non-proliferation, contrary to the letter and the spirit of various international instruments and treaties, rather than ensuring the implementation of its own resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, a dispute of which the Security Council remains seized, and which is the root cause of the tension between India and Pakistan. We believe that the prime responsibility of the Security Council should continue to be peace and security and ensuring respect for its own resolutions.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“The failure of the international community to fulfil its commitment to the people of J ammu and Kashmir has brought India and Pakistan to conflict several times in recent decades. Unfortunately, no determined and sustained efforts have been made by the United Nations to resolve the root causes of the conflict. In View of the heightening tensions in the region in recent months, we have requested the Secretary-General to further strengthen the United Nations presence along the line of control for effectively monitoring cross-border violations along the disputed territory of Kashmir. A request has also been made to the Secretary-General to appoint a special representative to coordinate the efforts of the United Nations in this volatile region. No follow-up has been recorded so far.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“We agree with the Secretary-General that United Nations peacekeeping offers unique advantages not to be found elsewhere, including the universality of its mandate and the breadth of its experience. The United Nations must therefore continue to play its primary role in maintaining international peace and security. The role of the regional organizations must be strictly governed by Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. The pitfalls of the United Nations undertaking half- hearted peacekeeping operations are enormous, and stand as a sad commentary on the actual capacity of the United Nations to deliver. The J ammu and Kashmir dispute, one of the very oldest on the agenda of the Security Council, is a case in point.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“In 1994, the total number of United Nations troops and observers deployed went up to about 73,000 in 17 peacekeeping missions, but this was followed by a period of relative decline. At present, there are only about 14,000 troops and observers deployed in 17 peacekeeping missions, including the two new missions set up over the past year in the Central African Republic and in Sierra Leone. The decline in United Nations involvement cannot be taken to indicate that the number of conflicts or disputes has decreased. In fact, the decline is to be attributed only to the reluctance to engage in new operations for various reasons, including financial constraints. In some cases, this responsibility has been conveniently shifted or sub- contracted to regional organizations.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Some of these concepts were thoroughly discussed by the Member States in the Working Group on an Agenda for Peace and its four sub-groups with a view to reaching common understandings. While the two sub-groups on coordination and on United Nations sanctions have concluded their work, the sub-groups on preventive diplomacy and peacekeeping and on post-conflict peace- building could not conclude their deliberations for lack of consensus. In the case of post-conflict peace-building, only one country opposed the adoption of the recommendations of the sub-group, and this led to a deadlock. Hopefully, the recommendations of that sub- group can move forward now. In the immediate post-cold war period, there was a surge in the peacekeeping activities of the United Nations.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“As the Secretary-General has mentioned in his annual report to the General Assembly, there exist "many other threats to human security, such as natural disasters, ethnic tension and human rights violations" (A/53/1, para. 27) which may also be sources of conflict. The United Nations therefore needs to adopt an integrated approach in addressing the issues concerning the maintenance of international peace and security. In the post-cold-war period, the dimensions of United Nations activities have changed significantly. A range of new concepts has emerged in the process of dealing with the new challenges, including preventive diplomacy, peace-building and peace enforcement.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“While the General Assembly was empowered to consider the general principles of cooperation in the maintenance of international peace and security and to discuss any questions brought before it by any Member State or by the Security Council, the primary responsibility in this regard was conferred on the Security Council itself. This arrangement was devised with a view to ensuring prompt and effective action by the United Nations. Since the establishment of the United Nations, the General Assembly and the Security Council have attempted to work more or less in tandem in addressing this subject. Meanwhile, the broader parameters of peace and security have expanded in recent years.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Mr. Kama] (Pakistan): It is ironic for us to be addressing the role of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security at a time when the ability of this Council to play it has been dealt a devastating blow as a result of a unilateral action undertaken without due debate and authorization from the Council. Perhaps this underlines how deep is the need for the reform of the working methods of the Security Council and of its members in order to bring them into line with the aspirations and expectations of the general membership of the United Nations, as incamated in the General Assembly. The very first Article of the Charter outlines one of the purposes of the establishment of the United Nations as the maintenance of international peace and security.”
1998-12-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3954Resumption1 (1998) · source
“These require earnest efforts for political solutions and liberal support for economic development. We hope that this debate will constructively contribute to developing comprehensive responses to the multidimensional problems being faced by the African region. Let us join hands to attain this long elusive objective.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“With the help of the United Nations funds and programmes all this data could be consolidated into an integrated information system and then progressively linked to an exclusive Africa help database. As for the United Nations efforts towards conflict resolution and peacekeeping in Africa, the response to incipient crises and even full-blown tragedies has been slow in the past. The massacre of over half a million people in Rwanda is a painful reminder of this sluggish response. The United Nations needs to prepare itself fully for any future emergencies. The best course to prepare for such eventualities would be to develop an efficient early warning system and to build appropriate capacities to respond effectively to simmering crises in Africa and in other parts of the world. The problems faced by the African region are colossal.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Africa deserves the international community's full support to break out of the vicious circle of poverty and underdevelopment. It needs a supportive international economic environment, including priority access to markets for its exports and preferential access to technology. The potential benefits of the information revolution for Africa cannot be overemphasized. A wealth of ideas and practical proposals for the eradication of poverty, disease and hunger has been developed and is readily available. There is an abundance of models and projects which demonstrate the success of various developmental approaches. The African countries can benefit from this wealth of knowledge according to their own specific needs.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“We therefore fully support the Secretary-General's appeal to the donor community and the international financial institutions to take immediate steps to reduce Africa's debt burden. We believe that explicit debt reductions would have a more positive impact on the economies of the countries of the region than the routine ritual of debt rescheduling. We hope that creditors will respond positively to the appeal and agree to convert all the remaining bilateral debt of the poorest African countries into grants. We also support the call to the donor countries to ensure that at least 50 per cent of their aid to Africa is spent in the region. This would effectively curtail the reverse flow of resources from poor African countries to rich donor countries.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Africa remains among the poorest regions in the world. It lacks both in human resource development and material resources. Its poverty is further exacerbated by pressures of debt servicing, deteriorating terms of trade, declining official development assistance, falling commodity prices, increasing protectionism in developed countries and negative effects of structural adjustment arrangements. At present the total debt of Africa is around $350 billion. The African countries are unlikely to be able to pay back this huge amount through indigenous resources. This high level of indebtedness, coupled with the lack of infrastructural back-up, is a major impediment to the flow of private investments in Africa, which are of paramount importance to achieve sustained economic growth and sustainable development of the region.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“What is required is liberal technical and financial support to augment its human resource development and to build and enlarge its essential infrastructure for result-oriented socio-economic development. Despite our own financial difficulties, Pakistan has implemented a 250 million rupee Technical Assistance Programme for Africa since the early 1980s. Under this Programme, we are extending training facilities to young professionals from African countries in diverse fields. Without attaining the objective of sustainable development, the possibilities of achieving durable solutions to conflicts in Africa would remain as elusive as ever. Large-scale migration of populations, recurrence of epidemics and increasing environmental degradation underscore the importance of a more focused attention on developmental issues in the region.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“In his report the Secretary General has made a sincere effort to identify the causes of the conflicts in the African region. The report lists an array of political, historical, socio-economic and cultural reasons for these seemingly unending conflicts. An earnest effort has been made to suggest plausible solutions to these conflicts, and they are duly appreciated. The overriding factor for the sad state of affairs in Africa has been, and is, the all-pervasive and abject poverty in the continent. Poverty is deprivation. Deprivation leads to frustration. And frustration engenders instability and conflict. The international community should therefore concentrate its efforts on poverty eradication in Africa.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Mr. Kama] (Pakistan): Mr. President, since this is the first time I am addressing the Security Council under your presidency, allow me to congratulate you on your assumption of this important post and to express the deep admiration of Pakistan for the consistent and committed manner and the committed interest and support which your country, Japan, has always extended to Africa and to African causes. The participation by a large number of delegations in today's debate on Africa amply indicates the concern of the international community over the prevailing situation in the African region. The gravity of the situation is also reflected by the fact that over 60 per cent of the issues currently under active consideration by the Security Council relate to Africa.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Pakistan earnestly hopes that the approval of the Memorandum of Understanding by the Security Council will pave the way for the full and scrupulous implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, as well as for the early lifting of sanctions against Iraq. We urge all parties to faithfully fulfil their respective obligations under the Memorandum of Understanding so that that day can dawn soon.”
1998-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3858 (1998) · source
“In a letter addressed to the Secretary-General on 21 February 1998, the Prime Minister of Pakistan reiterated that, "Pakistan supports the full implementation, in letter and spirit, of all United Nations resolutions without exception, whether they pertain to Iraq, Kashmir, Palestine or any other issue". Pakistan upholds the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. We have constantly advised against the use of force. Military action against Iraq would only increase the hardships of the innocent Iraqi people, who have already suffered gravely over the last seven years due to the sanctions and deprivations imposed on them.”
1998-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3858 (1998) · source
“Mr. Kama] (Pakistan): Allow me at the outset to express my pleasure at addressing the Council under your distinguished presidency, Sir, and our appreciation to your predecessor for the excellent manner in which he conducted the affairs of the Council during the previous month. My delegation would like to congratulate the Secretary-General for his sincere and sustained efforts in finding a peaceful resolution of the crisis in the Gulf. We welcome the Security Council's endorsement of the agreement which he so painstakingly negotiated in Baghdad. In the end, good sense and wisdom appear to have prevailed, and we can all rejoice. Pakistan's principled position on this issue is well known.”
1998-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3858 (1998) · source
“My delegation supports the recommendation of the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the IPTF to pursue the work entrusted to them in accordance with Annex 11 of the Peace Agreement. In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm Pakistan's unqualified moral, political and economic support for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our support has always been based on our conviction that no nation should be victimized because of its smaller size and that no peoples should be brutalized because of their ethnic origin. We also believe that no nation and no people should be denied their inherent right to self-determination and their right to wage a legitimate struggle for their liberation.”
1997-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3842 (1997) · source
“We support the efforts of the IPTF in the restructuring and training of the police to operate according to the principles of democratic policing, carry out weapons inspections, promote freedom of movement and prevent financial crime, smuggling and corruption. These efforts will bear fruit if accompanied by a reform of the judicial system, for which we must provide adequate resources and qualified personnel. In supplementing the efforts of the United Nations in these areas, Pakistan has provided 100 police personnel for the IPTF and has expressed readiness to provide additional police personnel whenever required. We are also implementing a programme for the training of 200 Bosnian military personnel.”
1997-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3842 (1997) · source
“In this regard, we welcome the role of British and Dutch troops in apprehending some indicted war criminals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The perpetrators of mass killings must not go unpunished, be it in Bosnia, in Afghanistan or in Kashmir. During the last two years, the United Nations troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina have contributed enormously in ensuring relative security in the entire region. We support the continued presence of the United Nations forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing a secure environment for the implementation of the civilian aspects of the peace plan beyond June 1998. The International Police Task Force (IPTF) faces enormous opposition from the Bosnian Serbs in reforming the police institution, which is a matter of concern to all of us.”
1997-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3842 (1997) · source
“In the military field, the Serbs also continue to evade their obligations under the Agreement on Regional Stabilization and the Agreement on Arms Control, which are Vital for ensuring regional stability. We must ensure that all parties fulfil their declared reduction liabilities and implementation of other related obligations. On the issue of criminal proceedings against the perpetrators of genocide, the international community must ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of the Dayton Accords by all parties, particularly the Serbian entity, in apprehending the indicted criminals. The United Nations troops on the ground must also cooperate with the International Tribunal in achieving the ideal of peace with justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
1997-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3842 (1997) · source
“Since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords two years ago, important progress has been achieved towards resurrecting the unity and territorial integrity of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but there still remains a lot to be done. The areas where progress has not been satisfactory include the return of all refugees and displaced persons; freedom of movement across the inter-entity boundary lines, and the effective functioning of the common State structure, namely, the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly. While the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina has extended full cooperation in achieving these goals the Serbian entity demonstrated a lack of commitment, seriously hampering international efforts.”
1997-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3842 (1997) · source
“Mr. Kama] (Pakistan): It is my pleasure to address the Council under your presidency, Sir, as you are the Foreign Minister of Costa Rica, a country which shines as a beacon in its commitment to peace and security. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have witnessed the most savage and barbaric conflict since the Second World War. They were subjected to diabolic and deleterious genocide and "ethnic cleansing". Though the war has finally come to an end, the effects of the four- year-long conflict have not yet disappeared. The scar of the bitter past in the minds of the aggrieved community is deep. The healing process is arduous, considering the deep fissures and cleavages caused to the very fabric of society.”
1997-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3842 (1997) · source
“In conclusion, protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees and others in conflict situations must be accompanied by a thoroughly planned, concerted and well- coordinated effort, by all the United Nations agencies, to resolve the root causes of conflicts. This effort must, however, strictly abide by the fundamental principle of neutrality through the mobilization and involvement of all actors in civil society.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“For its part, Pakistan fully subscribes to the View that, despite the situation in Afghanistan, voluntary return continues to remain the preferred durable solution for the 1.5 million Afghans who have currently sought refuge in Pakistan. Pakistan has continued to pursue the most generous and open-door policy towards Afghan refugees. We have not only continued to provide them with shelter and humanitarian assistance from our own meagre resources, but have also allowed them a great degree of free movement inside Pakistan. When international assistance was drastically reduced, we did not implement the easy solution of forcible repatriation, but continued, at an enormous administrative, economic and social cost, to assist the Afghans ourselves. Needless to say, this burden has been substantial for a developing country such as Pakistan.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“The existing refugee situation in the Great Lakes region of Africa deserves the urgent attention of the international community if a real tragedy is to be prevented. In instances where humanitarian agencies and programmes can no longer guarantee protection for humanitarian assistance to civilians in internal armed conflicts, the international community must find ways of ensuring the protection of life and the relief of human suffering. Such interventions would reap multiple benefits, such as the possible prevention of massive refugee flows and, consequently, a lessening of the heavy financial demands placed upon the international community as a result of the refugee problem.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“A system of early warning, meticulous planning and close coordination between the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs, UNHCR and human rights machinery, within their respective mandates, can, in addition to avoiding duplication of efforts, effectively address situations which result in massive refugee outflows. Pakistan fully subscribes to the recently adopted conclusion of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, which emphasized the need to differentiate between peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance. We also strongly support the conclusion that peacekeeping operations can play a role, subject to the mandates established by the Security Council, in contributing to the creation of a secure environment for the effective delivery of humanitarian relief assistance.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“Conversely, in the case of Afghanistan, the premature scaling down of humanitarian assistance without simultaneously resolving the root causes has currently resulted in a potentially serious and explosive situation. The pursuit of durable solutions should therefore be reinforced through prevention, conflict resolution and post- conflict peace-building. The quest for durable solutions can succeed only if we go upstream, with a well-defined political will, towards resolving the root causes of conflicts and violence. Pakistan firmly believes that early intervention is of Vital importance in resolving explosive situations before they erupt and escalate into humanitarian disasters.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“The challenge before the international community is therefore to come up with innovative ways and means to resolve existing, long-standing refugee situations and to prevent the proliferation of new crises of human displacement. The complexity of refugee problems calls for a more concerted response by the international community to ensure lasting solutions. The pros and cons of adopting such an approach have been clearly demonstrated in Cambodia and Afghanistan. In the success story of Cambodia, the provision of humanitarian assistance was complemented by a simultaneous effort by the international community to resolve the root causes of the conflict.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“We remain seriously concerned over current trends to link humanitarian assistance to such extraneous issues as the social norms, customs or religious views of the people concerned in or affected by a conflict. Such a linkage violates humanitarian principles and could seriously erode the credibility of humanitarian agencies in the field. Pakistan fully shares UN HCR's concern that adherence to refugee protection in theory is not sufficiently matched by observance in practice. The safe and adequate protection of refugees, as well as the delivery of humanitarian assistance to them, should continue to remain the core concern of the international community.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“The 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, along with the two additional Protocols of 1977, provides international guidelines for the provision of assistance to victims of armed conflicts. These guidelines emphasize that help must be neutral, impartial and humanitarian. Neutrality implies a refusal to take sides. Impartiality implies that aid is given only on the basis of need. Similarly, the humanitarian principle upholds the protection of life and the relief of human suffering as the sole purpose of interventions by the international community. There should be no discrimination or differentiation in humanitarian assistance on the basis of religious affiliation, gender or political persuasion.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“The present-day scenario with regard to protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees and others in conflict situations is not very encouraging. The drift and selective avoidance that have characterized the international community's post-cold-war approach to victims of abuse and conflict have been devoid of a steady commitment to the humanitarian principle. Although the cold war is gone, its legacy of arms and firepower still plagues the world. Victims of conflict situations include refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as people trapped inside conflict zones. The protection of civilians in armed conflicts is clearly provided for by humanitarian law.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“Mr. Kama] (Pakistan): It is a pleasure to address the Council under your distinguished presidency, Sir. The problem of refugees is one of the greatest human tragedies that confronts the international community in the contemporary development of international politics. Despite the marginal decline in the number of refugees during recent years, the overall population of concern to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) still stands at over 26 million people. Since refugee crises transcend national boundaries, the United Nations needs to play a more assertive role in preventing and resolving conflicts that cause refugee movements. It should use its existing mechanisms of preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping, peacemaking and peace-building to avert humanitarian disasters in a timely and efficient manner.”
1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778Resumption1 (1997) · source
“The time has now come for the Security Council to act decisively for the cause of peace in Afghanistan. We hope that this debate will prove to be a new milestone in the international efforts towards building an international alliance for peace in Afghanistan. Let us act in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Let us use our resources, both material and moral, to overcome the apparent political impasse; and let us act now, before it is too late.”
1997-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3765Resumption1 (1997) · source
“The outcome of such an intra-Afghan meeting could then be endorsed by an international conference. In this way the international community would not only be able to put its weight behind the decisions taken by the Afghans themselves, but could also promise assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, if the Afghans honour their own decisions. The other elements of a comprehensive approach require equal attention. We need a generous and sustained international commitment to the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan, and the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. We also need such assistance for the refugees in Pakistan and Iran, and we need to make effective plans for their rapid repatriation to a peaceful Afghanistan.”
1997-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3765Resumption1 (1997) · source
“An intra-Afghan conference, under the aegis of the United Nations, assisted if necessary by the Organization of the Islamic Conference, with countries having contiguous borders with Afghanistan participating as observers, should be convened in order to find a lasting solution to and settlement of the Afghan problem. The agenda for such a meeting should comprise, first, an immediate ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners and dead bodies; secondly, the formation of a political commission, consisting of representatives from all the provinces, to decide on the future dispensation and the method of its appointment; and, thirdly, the creation of a national force, on the basis of proportionate representation from all the provinces, to collect heavy weapons and to provide security.”
1997-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3765Resumption1 (1997) · source
“There is therefore an urgent need to facilitate an equitable settlement which takes cognizance of realities on the ground and the ethnic and demographic spread of the population. Any other solution that does not guarantee the equitable representation of all ethnic groups in a future dispensation will not bring durable peace to Afghanistan. Pakistan is committed to supporting the efforts of the United Nations Special Mission and of the Security Council in restoring peace in Afghanistan. We have some further suggestions as to how this could be done.”
1997-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3765Resumption1 (1997) · source
“This could be done under the Arria formula. We understand that the Taliban have representatives in New York now. The sooner the Council engages them in dialogue, the better it will be for Afghanistan. If the Security Council again takes a position that may be perceived to be one-sided, and if it does so without contacts with the Taliban or other Afghan factions, its judgement would once again fail to reflect the true sentiments of the Afghan people. The time has now come for the international community to take a more balanced and mature view of realities on the ground in Afghanistan. There are many indications that this is the time, not least of which is the constructive attitude that we have perceived on the part of some interested parties in recent contacts.”
1997-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3765Resumption1 (1997) · source