YouSaid · the spoken record

Kassem

lines on the record: 66
first: 2001-12-14
most recent: 2002-11-05
sittings or episodes: 4
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

“But, with regional cooperation and international support, the citizens of the entire region could enjoy peace, security and economic development, and an atmosphere of transparency, legality and legitimacy can benefit all in the region. Finally, I should like to conclude by expressing my full confidence that the Council will take the necessary decisions, in the light of the Panel's recommendations, to convey the right message to all the parties concerned - both those from the African continent and those from outside it.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“I humbly appeal to all the parties to the conflict, and to all who are willing, to consider the question that the people of the Great Lakes region - the farmers, the herders, the teachers, the students, the merchant women and shopkeepers, the mothers and fathers - have repeatedly asked: what has been gained in all these years of war? I appeal to all who seek to build a foundation for a broad and lasting settlement of this conflict to finally turn this bloodstained page in the history of the Great Lakes region. I appeal to them all to join hands and to enter together what could be a genuinely new era, in which peace-building will be the order of the day. The parties to the conflict will face many challenges in building that new era.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The countries of origin of corporations have a special responsibility to see that they are functioning legally and in transparency, and thus recognize the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the legitimate authority. The final and fifth element is that a monitoring body is therefore necessary to produce regular reports to the Security Council on the exploitation of resources: see paragraphs 186, 187 and 188 of the report. I should like to end today's discussion on another note. It is one of reconciliation, not of defiance; of concord, not of disagreement.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Those five elements are the following. The first element is the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation or resettlement (DDRRR) of foreign and Congolese armed groups in an effective DDRRR programme. The second element is the rebuilding and reform of the State institutions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That should begin with the establishment of an all- inclusive transitional Government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The third element is the reviewing and revising of concessions and contracts signed since 1997. The fourth element is the adherence of business enterprises to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines or to similar guidelines that outline procedures for bringing violations of the guidelines to the attention of home Governments.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We sent them more than 13 letters. Letters went, for instance, to Mr. Al-Shanfari, Chief Executive of Oryx Natural Resources, whom we met five times in Nairobi and New York, most recently yesterday afternoon. We asked him, particularly in our Nairobi meeting, to give us certain documents, and I can say that the Panel of Experts has assembled enough evidence, including compromising documentation, to reaffirm what the report says. (spoke in English) I have an answer to a question that has been asked many times: How can exploitation be halted after the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo? I have been asked that many times, and I have the answer. The answer is simple. There are five elements that need to be tackled simultaneously, without which exploitation will continue unabated.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Yet the actions of these companies are often in contravention of United Nations sanctions or other efforts to promote security and peace. So, companies need rules to tell them what they cannot do. In other words, there is a need for such rules. That is why the Panel, in its recommendations, has stressed the role of Governments (para. 170). Members may refer to that paragraph for the Panel's view of that role. (spoke in Arabic) In response to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, I wish he had met with the Panel of Experts to check the false information he has gathered with regard to the Panel, perhaps from certain biased persons who were singled out. Let me stress that the Panel of Experts did indeed meet a large number of business people and representatives of companies referred to in the report.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“That is the reason for the Panel's concern about companies operating within the conflict areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. War economies in different areas of the world have spawned hundreds of companies that would not exist were it not for the business of war and corruption. Some of them are facades for elite networks operating in this and in other conflict zones. Others are simply willing to assume the higher risks of operating in conflict areas, where opportunities are plentiful due to the lack of regulation that accompanies war and armed conflict. Some of these companies operate illegally; but many others, however, are technically not in violation of the law, quite simply because laws are not enforced.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The Panel's report indicates that certain companies have dealings with the elite network that represents the economic interests of those who have been the occupying Powers, Rwanda and Uganda, the allies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, such as Zimbabwe, members of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself and members of the foreign and Congolese armed groups. Those parties to the conflict are involved in the business of making war, and they are increasingly also in the business of making vast amounts of money from war, while sustaining armed conflict as long as possible. The ability to move commodities and funds between illicit sources and legitimate markets is crucial to the vicious cycle of war and plunder. Legitimate companies are important to the parties involved in this conflict.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“As a Political Officer, she often serves as a contact point, and is supposed to receive documents and correspondence on a daily basis, which are to be transmitted to the Panel and its Chairman. The Panel has full confidence in her integrity. The Panel is confident that it has produced a detailed, rigorous and well documented report which sheds light on many actors implicated in economic exploitation, as well as in the violence and conflict that the competition for economic control continues to incite. The Panel based its findings on insider information and documentary evidence. If the Council so desires, samples of the evidence can be shown to its members. I will now turn to the role of companies.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“On three occasions between April and July, the Panel contacted the Zimbabwean Government, including through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations, requesting a response to its questions. The Panel even offered the Zimbabwean Government the option of meeting with members in Harare. It never, ever, received a response. The document referred to in the Ambassador's letter was actually initially addressed to the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General, an unlikely point for any Member State - or so-called covert agent - to launch a campaign of "grotesque and malicious interference" (S/2002/1l69) against another Member State. He mentioned a certain person. He asks who this "Mr. Taylor" is. Ms. Taylor is one of the Political Officers who assist the Panel in its work.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Unfortunately for His Excellency, information contained within this particular document has been corroborated by independent sources and several other documents obtained from additional sources; otherwise the Panel would not have made reference to it in its report. Alluding to the integrity of the United Nations, His Excellency questions why the Panel did not attempt to verify the document with the Government or the Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe. The Panel would have sincerely welcomed an opportunity to exchange views with the Zimbabwean Government. The Panel's efforts since 3 April 2002 to engage the Zimbabwean Government in a dialogue on how to control illicit trade flows of commodities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and related issues have to date yielded no results.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“As regards the letter of the Zimbabwean Permanent Representative to the United Nations, dated 17 October 2002, and addressed to the Security Council, which refers to a document mentioned in the Panel's report, I can only offer the following comments: the Panel deplores the language used by His Excellency in his letter. Above all, with regard to the Security Council, references such as "party to the conspiracy against my country", are not worthy of distinguished delegates or dignified Member States. These excesses are regrettable and only distract from a debate on the substantive issues. The subject of the Permanent Representative's letter is a specific document mentioned in the Panel's report.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Since the Government of Zimbabwe still steadfastly maintains its position regarding the legality of its contracts and concessions with the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government, then it should be the first to welcome a review of its economic and financial activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The re-examination of these agreements, with the collaboration of third parties, in a transparent manner, and in accordance with the resolution adopted in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue Conference in South Africa, would reconfirm their status. This would enable both Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to engage, without any suspicion or obstacle, in sound and sustainable commercial relations under fair market terms, something that would unarguably be beneficial to both the Congolese and the Zimbabwean people.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“According to testimony and documentation guarded by the Panel, various Zimbabwean network members and many of their corporate business partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are implicated in the following: First, actively seeking military procurement contracts and brokering sales of military equipment and arms through high-level contacts. Secondly, violating European Union sanctions by facilitating the sale of military equipment from European companies to the Zimbabwean Government. Thirdly, negotiating clandestine arms purchases with foreign arms manufacturers. Fourthly, smuggling of commodities such as diamonds from other conflict zones. Fifthly, forcibly displacing populations and or seizing lands from areas where precious mineral deposits are located.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Zimbabwe's support to the Burundian Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD), which is described in the Panel's Addendum November 2001, provides a clear example of how this country actively continued to take steps to prolong the conflict. Virtually all the members of the network that has operated in the area controlled by the Kinshasa Government, including the Zimbabwean officials, have either had direct military roles in the conflict or have strong links to military and security services. Most of the foreign private businessmen that have been brought into the joint venture, primarily by the Zimbabwean parties, are investors in or are associated with companies providing military supplies and services.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The Panel is simply perplexed by the South African Government's disappointment in the Panel's conclusions and recommendations, which the Panel believes are balanced, oriented towards promoting lasting peace and consistent with the new goals of the New Partnership for African Development. Coming to Zimbabwe, there are several points that need to be re-emphasized in terms of the Panel's investigations and findings on the involvement of Zimbabwean parties in the exploitation activities, in collusion with others. As has been the case for other foreign armies, one only needs to look at the areas where the Zimbabwean troops have been deployed to realize how their deployment has strategically corresponded with the location of the concessions that they benefit from. Areas of military influence have closely overlapped areas of economic control.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It has also called for the implementation of the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) programme that can respond to the complexities of the situation of the armed groups and take into account the many overlapping conflicts of which they are a part. As for South Africa, the expert Panel is surprised, really surprised, by the reaction of the South African Government, which could be construed as that of a Government that has directly implicated by the Panel in the economic exploitation. The Panel did not imply that the South African Government or any South African official has been directly involved in this conflict, linked to commercial activities.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The Panel's most recent investigations indicate that the Rwandan Hutu armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo no longer represent the security threat that they did four to five years ago. This investigation also revealed, unsurprisingly, that shared economic interests and survival needs can encourage one-time enemies to collaborate. This would not be the first war, nor is it likely to be the last, in which this occurs. The Panel has repeatedly underscored in its reports the need for an effective solution to the proliferation of armed groups, Congolese as well as foreign, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“In the Addendum, the Panel also made reference to traditional trading patterns that have linked the economy of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to those of Rwanda and other neighbouring States in the Great Lakes region. These patterns, however, have never included cross-border trade in large volumes of coltan as has been the case since early in this conflict. The Panel's findings are indicative of the changing nature of this conflict, including the role played by the remnants of the original ex-Rwandan Armed Forces (ex-FAR) and Interahamwe. The economic, social and political forces that shaped and are shaped by this conflict are dynamic, not static. The day-to-day situation on the ground is volatile and has been manipulated or misunderstood by many parties, clouding the peace process.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“They should be understood as an integrated body of investigative work, which reflects the evolution of the situation on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly the eastern part, where most armed confrontations have taken place over the past two years. The Rwandan Government alleged that the Panel has ignored the historical background of the conflict and the economic relations in the region. In its Addendum (S/2001/1072), dated 13 November 2001, the Panel of Experts validated Rwanda's claims. The security threats involving forces implicated in the 1994 genocide had contributed to the outbreak of the current conflict.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“As for Uganda, the Panel is awaiting the report of the Uganda Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which is expected to be published after 15 November this year. A detailed response to the Commission's report will be prepared and presented to the Security Council by the Panel. Let me first begin with Rwanda. In its reaction to the Panel of Expert's most recent report, the fifth since 2000, the Rwandan Government appears, in its statement of 24 October and its letter dated 28 October (S/2002/1207), to have either overlooked some elements of the Panel's work or misconstrued some of its findings. The Panel would like to emphasize the continuity of its work over the course of the two years of its mandate. Its reports should not be read or interpreted in a piecemeal fashion.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“On behalf of the Panel, I would also like to express our sincere thanks to all Council members for the valuable support and assistance they have provided us with during our current mandate and the attention they have continued to devote to the issue of the illegal exploitation and its links to armed conflict. I have closely listened to both the negative and positive remarks made during this afternoon's meeting. After careful consideration, I am convinced that the answers to most of these remarks can be found in sufficient detail in the Panel's report. I shall therefore confine myself to commenting on only some of the remarks, namely those by Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Syria, in particular with respect to the role of companies.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Mr. Kassem: Let me first say that it is with great pleasure and honour that I have been invited to address members of this Council and the Ministers and Ambassadors of Member States, whose presence today signals the commitment of the Council to ending the violent conflict that has ravaged the Democratic Republic of the Congo for four years. If you permit me, I would like to begin by thanking last month's president of the Council, Ambassador Belinga-Eboutou, for his assistance in organizing the previous presentation in October of the Panel of Expert's fifth report. I would also like to express my gratitude to the current President of the Council, Ambassador Wang Yingfan, for his assistance in arranging today's meeting on the report and the consultations that will follow.”
2002-11-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4642Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The toll of the conflict and the exploitation in human lives and suffering continues to mount, adding urgency to the need for action.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The Panel has tried, to the best of its ability, to produce a detailed, rigorous and well-documented report that sheds light on the many actors implicated in economic exploitation, as well in the violence and conflict that the competition for economic control continues to fuel. Its fact-finding activities have been helped by many courageous individuals, including those who remain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the region. The Panel takes very seriously the possibility that its sources, whose confidentiality the Panel intends to protect at all costs, could be targeted for reprisals. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the Panel's recommendations are intended, above all, to protect the Congolese nation's most precious resource, its people.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The actions that the Panel has recommended to curb exploitation, which is leading to increased criminalization of the economies of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of the region at large, are an essential part of what the Panel envisions to be a holistic and viable peace process. They will require the systematic and sustained involvement of the international community. Decisive action by the Council is now needed to build on the momentum of certain military and political gains, to consolidate what could become durable peace in the Great Lakes region and to begin rebuilding the region's economies.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“Certain measures should likewise be taken to deter or curb criminal exploitation and to help begin to reduce armed confrontation and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe. The Panel has proposed a set of disincentives, some of which are linked to compliance with the recent peace agreements. Those include restrictive measures, such as travel bans and the freezing of assets, phased cuts in official development assistance, verification of violations by businesses of the guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development for multinational enterprises, and ongoing scrutiny of exploitation activities by a monitoring body that would report regularly to the Security Council. Economic exploitation remains the most potent motive and means for continued armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The Panel has also called for intensive aid to be provided to rebuild and reform the State institutions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from the army and police to the customs service and the various ministries and agencies associated with natural resources. Through assistance commitments for post- conflict reconstruction, the international community could help to establish legitimate and accountable civilian administration in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. International agencies and institutions could also collaborate in future efforts to review the validity of concessions and contracts signed during both wars in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with the resolution passed at the inter-Congolese dialogue conference, held last April in Sun City, South Africa.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The second tier could be a set of agreements on regional economic integration and trade, which could emerge from regional discussions, including the planned international conference on peace, security, democracy and sustainable development. More incentives and means will be needed to promote regional integration, which would marginalize criminal and military-driven trade in favour of legitimate commercial development. Recently signed agreements may signal that the time for organizing this conference is approaching. The international community, and the United Nations in particular, can take a leading role in convening that conference.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“Like its investigations, the Panel's recommendations are intended to be well-balanced and aim foremost at promoting peace and stability. The Panel believes that reconstructing and reorienting the region's economies are essential to peacemaking and peace-building. It has recommended that the international community emphasize a peace dividend in the form of economic incentives, which could serve to encourage Governments' adherence to peace agreements and to spur confidence-building and reconciliation. The first tier of the peace dividend could be a set of agreements or initiatives on quick-disbursing aid for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the other Great Lakes countries involved in the conflict. That aid would be destined for reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes that benefit local populations.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The States where these individuals and enterprises are based are likewise responsible when they take no action - for example, to investigate, prosecute and sanction or to enforce compliance with guidelines for corporate behaviour. However, in its recommendations, the Panel has focused on a very limited number of individuals and companies about which it has gathered the most detailed testimony and documentary evidence. Some of the names will be familiar; they have appeared in the Panel's previous reports. The Panel hopes that its report can be used as a constructive tool by the Council and by international mediators to motivate the parties to fully honour their obligations under the recently signed agreements.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“They are also reminders that the role of armed groups should be taken into account in efforts to halt the exploitation, including through the implementation of effective and responsive demobilization programmes. In the course of seven months of field work, the Panel has gathered extensive information, first-hand testimony and documentation on the exploitation activities of the networks' members. Knowledgeable sources and a long paper trail have permitted the Panel also to identify numerous intermediaries that help in marketing minerals and other commodities; the institutions that provide financial services; the companies that buy, process and resell the extracted resources; and the criminal organizations that provide transport, arms and other services. All share complicity in this conflict-driven trade.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The use of national armies is only one of many means at the disposal of the networks for exercising economic control. The networks' strategies and operations continue to grow more covert and more opaque as international attention to them increases. Paramilitary groups, military-backed companies with civilian facades and foreign soldiers, who have quietly integrated into rebel armies and local defence forces, are a few of the tactics now being used by the networks, which have anticipated the consequences of growing international pressure for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Security voids and violent conflict among a myriad of armed groups of unclear or shifting affiliation could offer pretexts for incursions or for new deployments.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“It has provoked cycles of aggression and the proliferation of armed groups, which in turn have led to patterns of displacement, malnutrition and mortality on a scale never before witnessed. Competition among a single network's members, who can be political and commercial rivals, fuels more instability and violence. The networks' core members have the authority and the means to intimidate and to wield force, which are vital to monopolizing sources of revenue and to ensuring that they can act with impunity. Their power and influence enable them to shape national policies - diplomatic, military and/or commercial. They have the capacity to subvert the peace process in order to protect their economic interests and to ensure continued control over revenue-generating activities.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“The war economy directed by those networks functions under the cover of armed conflict, the manipulation of ethnic tensions and generalized violence, generating enormous profits from areas the size of many European countries for the benefit of small coteries of powerful individuals or the commercial wing of military institutions. It drains the Democratic Republic of the Congo's public treasury of revenues at the national and local levels, leaving the population without services and undermining the country's prospects for economic recovery and reconstruction. It opposes transparency, accountability, competition and regulation. It undermines stability and the restoration of State authority.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“Many of those activities are orchestrated in a manner that closely resembles criminal operations. The networks collaborate with organized criminal groups, some of them transnational organizations, in order to maximize profits. They draw on those groups for discreet support in military and commercial operations. They also use them to carry out money- laundering, illegal currency transactions, counterfeiting operations, arms trafficking and smuggling, all of which are highly profitable and some of which also aim at political destabilization.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“Three distinct groups, which the Panel has chosen to describe as elite networks, have carved out separate spheres of economic control in various areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the past four years. Those areas have been controlled, respectively, by the Rwandan army, by the Ugandan army and by the Kinshasa Government, which has depended on the Zimbabwean military to defend it. The elite networks' grip on the economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo extends far beyond precious natural resources to encompass territory, fiscal revenues and trade in general. Their exploitation activities involve highly organized and documented systems of embezzlement, tax fraud, extortion, kickbacks and false invoicing. They also include the asset-stripping of State companies and secret profit- sharing agreements.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“Since the signing of the Pretoria and Luanda Agreements, much progress has been made towards achieving peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The parties to the conflict and those who have mediated the recent agreements have made bold commitments and must be further encouraged and supported. Yet, the Lusaka peace process does not address the crucial economic dimension of the conflict. Successes on the political and military front will ultimately prove unsustainable if the economic issues that contribute to prolonging armed conflict are not resolved. That risk can be seen in the recent armed confrontations along the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the northeast. The latest flare-up in fighting is motivated as much by economic advantage as it is by political gain.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“I should like to express our deep appreciation to the Governments of Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda for meeting with the Panel during its stay in the region. I should also like to express our special thanks to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) as well as to the Offices of the Representatives of the Secretary-General and of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) throughout the region for their help. In addition, the Panel wishes to thank the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at the Secretariat for its continued support.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“Mr. Kassem: It is once again a great pleasure for me to address Council members, as well as the Ministers and Ambassadors of Member States whose presence today testifies to their interest in seeing the violent conflict and suffering of the past four years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo brought to an end. I should like to begin by thanking the President of the Council, Ambassador Belinga-Eboutou, for his assistance in preparing for today's meeting on the Expert Panel's fifth report (S/2002/ 1146). I should also like to express the gratitude of the Panel to all Council members for the invaluable support and assistance that they have provided us during our current mandate.”
2002-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4634 (2002) · source
“In some instances, junior officials clearly indicated that they were not authorized to disclose any information to the Panel. It should also be noted that, although a meeting with President Chiluba had been scheduled, the Panel learned upon arrival in Lusaka that the meeting had been unilaterally cancelled. It was only after the Panel's complaint to Minister of State Eric Silwamba about Zambia's lack of cooperation - and he was surprised - that a meeting with President Chiluba was hastily arranged at the last minute before we left. Furthermore, additional information requested in writing from the Zambian Government was received after the completion of the addendum.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“As regards the United Republic of Tanzania, at this point I will stop. I did not really intend to respond to the representative of Zambia. But I was really surprised when he put to me these questions with regard to cooperation or lack thereof. In the end he posed a very surprising question: where was the lack of cooperation when my Government provided transport to the Panel? As far as I know, it is the United Nations that supplies all the needs of the Panel - and nobody else, including Zambia. As for the lack of cooperation, I would just like to say a few words. At its meeting in Lusaka, the Panel was surprised that even what could be considered public information, in the papers, was not given freely to the Panel. Officials who attended the meetings were either evasive or simply uncooperative.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“As for his allegation that the Panel has twice accused the Bank of Tanzania of being involved in illicit smuggling of diamonds originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Panel had taken note of the Tanzanian Government's position, especially the point of view conveyed by the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, with whom it met. Accordingly, further investigations were carried out which have once again revealed that the initial information presented remains valid. In the case of the Bank of Tanzania, evidence acquired by the Panel has shown that certain individuals working at the Bank have actively been marketing diamonds originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a from the premises of the Bank. It has knowledge of at least three deals concluded there which were destined for Antwerp, Amsterdam and Johannesburg.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Turning to an intervention made by the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania, who alleged that his Government has been cooperative with the Panel, I would state that the Panel in fact did not understand why the Tanzanian Government showed so much hostility - I repeat, so much hostility - to the Panel, irrespective of the fact that the Tanzanian Government appointed low- to medium-level officials to meet with the Panel. These officials were actively - I repeat, actively - discouraged from disclosing information to the Panel.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Finally, if the Government of Zimbabwe still holds the same position regarding the legality of these contracts and concessions, then it should be the first to welcome a review of its commercial activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A revision of these contracts, under the auspices of a third party and in an atmosphere of transparency, would reconfirm their nature. This would enable both Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to then engage in sound, unquestionable and sustainable commercial relations under fair market terms. This is a development that would unarguably be to the benefit of both the Congolese and Zimbabwean people.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This, then, leads us to the two most important and relevant questions: first, would Zimbabwe's commercial activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo be negatively affected if it had no military presence in the country? Secondly, are Zimbabwe's policies and actions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo aimed at prolonging the conflict so as to ensure that this military presence continues in order to safeguard its commercial activities? The answer to both questions is yes. One needs only to look at the areas where Zimbabwean troops are deployed to realize how strategically located they are with regard to their concessions. Zimbabwe's aid to the Forces pour la defense de la democratic (FDD), which is documented in the addendum, also gives a clear example of how this country is actively taking steps to prolong the conflict.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The legality of the Congolese Government directly negotiating and granting concessions on behalf of the Societe miniere de Bakwanga (MIBA) should be seriously considered- assuming that the Congolese Government has that right, as a partner in MIBA. However, the Congolese Government did not consult Sibeka, the other partner in MIBA, when it decided to grant Sengamines the best concession lands. Irrespective of its legality, how can this be considered as commonly accepted commercial behaviour? Regarding the value of the investments, the addendum clearly outlines that the Zimbabwean role offered neither capital nor land nor entrepreneurship.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Regarding the conditions of the agreements made, the Panel would just like to recall the signing of the contracts transferring the Kababencola Mining Company (KMC) to the Zimbabwean businessman John Bredenkamp. This took place at the Grand Hotel in Kinshasa, where all the senior management officials of Gecamines were present, as well as senior Zimbabwean military officers. The Zimbabwean side, which had prepared the contract, allowed no one to leave before the contract was signed, unchanged. As to whether Congolese law was respected with regard to the Zimbabwean concession, the Panel only wishes to refer to the Sengamines deal.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Zimbabwe's commercial activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are based on arrangements made with the Congolese Government in Kinshasa. That is an undeniable fact. Is it legal? That is another matter. In order to better understand this, we have to ask ourselves the following questions. Were the conditions under which this commercial activity was established normal? Are these activities considered legal by the often sidelined Congolese law? Does the nature of these commercial activities reflect commonly accepted bilateral commercial ties? In fair market terms, does the value of Zimbabwean gains from commercial activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reflect the size of its modest investments? The answer to these questions is no.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Is the Zimbabwean military presence today an enactment of this mutual defence arrangement, or has it evolved into something else as the conflict level subsides? If Zimbabwe's presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a burden on its limited resources, why does it continue? Why have there have been no troop reductions to reflect the level of the conflict? The Minister went on to state that Zimbabwe's activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are legitimate, bilateral, commercial relations between two sovereign countries. Zimbabwe makes no secret of the fact that it finances its presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through its joint ventures with the Congolese Government.”
2001-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4437Resumption1 (2001) · source