YouSaid · the spoken record

Kpotsra

lines on the record
66
first
1999-02-22
most recent
2003-03-18
sittings or episodes
5
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “Yet such a generously financed body should really take a more rigorous approach that particularly takes into account the gradual evolution of the sanctions imposed and the way they progressively became more diversified. Then in paragraph 64 of the report, we are virtually accused of being "solicited", along with Burkina Faso and Zambia, by UNITA with a view to providing it with petroleum products. "Solicited" obviously does not mean that we agreed to do this, and the Panel of Experts is careful not to accuse us on this particular score. But, nevertheless, the damage is done, the seeds of doubt were sown. I, too, could take information from here and there and proclaim it loudly in all directions from the rooftops.”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  2. “The absolute lack of rigour in the approach taken can be seen again from paragraphs 101 and 102 of the report, in which the Panel of Experts claims that payments were made in the form of diamonds. No date is given, which is hardly astonishing since the facts are invented. Assuming, however, that the sanctions Committee would like to ask us for additional explanations, we would like to know the specific dates of the meetings that are mentioned. Did the meetings all occur after 28 August 1997, the date on which the Security Council adopted resolution 1127 (1997) prohibiting travel by members of UNITA? And the supposed exchange of the diamonds, did that happen after 12 June 1998, when the Security Council adopted resolution 1173 (1998) prohibiting the transfer of diamonds held by UNITA?”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  3. “In one of those very few cases where the information given by a defector, in this case General Bandua, was indeed verified by the Panel of Experts, the information proved to be unfounded. To be specific, let me refer to paragraph 40 of the report: "General Bandua stated that he thought that BM-27 (Hurricane) Multiple Launch Rocket system had come from Ukraine, via Togo. However, the Government of Ukraine reported that there were no authorized arms sales from Ukraine to Togo during the relevant period." On this point, the report concludes again in paragraph 40: "The Panel's investigation turned up no evidence that the Government of Ukraine sold arms or otherwise provided military assistance directly or indirectly to UNITA." So why does the Panel not exonerate Togo in this case in the same way as it exonerated Ukraine?”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  4. “Manuel da Silva Casimiro, the Second Secretary in the Angolan embassy in Lagos. Arrested and indicted, he then said that he was acting on his own, in order to get a promotion, following the example of those who had carried out the first kidnapping. I would also like to stress in particular the working methods followed. Unfortunately, the working methods consisted of compiling rumours, hearsay and gossip that were then regarded as being verified because they were confirmed by UNITA defectors. How can one give any credence to allegations made by such people when they all subsequently joined the Government army? Is it not in their interest, just for the sake of survival, to repeat what others, trained in the best schools of the cold war, have whispered to them?”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  5. “Secondly, almost all of the serious accusations against Togo are based on declarations made by deserters and defectors from UNITA, namely, General Bandua, Colonel Alcides Lucas Kangunga, alias Kallias, Colonel Aristides Kangunga, brother of the aforementioned, and Mr. Araujo Sakaita. I would point out, that contrary to what is said in the report in footnote 5 to paragraph 9, where the latter is said to be "a son of Jonas Savimbi", who "broke with UNITA and returned to Angola from Lome in October 1999", the student Araujo Sakaita was kidnapped in October 1999, when he was 19 years old. This kidnapping was followed by an attempt, on 19 November 1999, to kidnap his younger brother, Eloy Sakaita, who was 17 years old at the time. Thwarted by the Togolese security services, this attack was carried out by Mr.”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  6. “During the most recent meeting on this issue, on 18 January, the Chairman of the sanctions Committee was so kind as to provide us with a video presentation worthy of the sorry episodes of the Moscow trials, showing UNITA defectors bearing witness. Today, the Council has before it the report of the Panel of Experts responsible for studying violations of sanctions against UNITA. While condemning the flimsy and selective nature of the accusations in the report, I should like to make two comments. First, it should be emphasized that, normally, anyone bringing an action in a court or making an accusation against a third party has an obligation to prove the facts. It is the person bringing the charge who must provide the evidence, not the other way around.”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  7. “I should first like to say a few words about the people of Angola and all of those who are suffering from the civil war in that country. The most recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2000/23) stated that there are 3.7 million victims of the conflict, 2 million of whom have been displaced. That report also indicates, in paragraph 15, that in Angola, "various military elements, including UNITA, have been responsible for the looting of crops and destruction of property". Togo profoundly wishes for peace to return to that country and for a political solution to be quickly found to the conflict, which has lasted too long. We sincerely hope that both parties to the conflict, the Government and UNITA, will recognize the possible role that the United Nations could play.”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  8. “Mr. Kpotsra (Togo) (spoke in French): Allow me first of all to congratulate you warmly, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I am sure that your country, Bangladesh, will make a positive contribution to the work of this body during your term of office. I should also like to thank the members of the Security Council for giving me an opportunity to speak during this debate on the situation in Angola and to let them know, on a preliminary basis, my observations on the report of the Panel of Experts set up in accordance with Security Council resolution 1237 (1999). Naturally, my country reserves the right to provide the Security Council with any necessary additional information at a later stage.”

    2000-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4113Resumption1 (2000) · source

  9. “Such measures are not at all out of reach if they are based on a genuine political will. Likewise, when we are aware of the zeal with which alleged terrorists are tracked down, in every corner of the globe, it is difficult to understand why, despite the tireless appeals launched by the overwhelming majority of States, nothing significant has ever been carried out at the national level to prevent the recruitment and use of mercenaries, which, as has been proved, contributes to the flouting of the rules of international humanitarian law. These are the elements that, according to the Group of African States, deserve to be taken into account in any effort aimed at providing greater protection to civilians during armed conflicts.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  10. “The African Group, for its part, hopes that the report expected from the Secretary-General will fully take into account the essential points of the guidelines laid down on 12 February 1999 by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the protection of children in armed conflict. Finally, the promotion of the security of civilians, including the personnel of humanitarian organizations, also depends on concrete, decisive and courageous measures designed to halt arms flows towards zones of instability and conflict, be they light and small-calibre weapons, more sophisticated and heavier weapons or anti-personnel mines. Here, too, there is a need to draw up a code of conduct that the arms-producing countries should impose on themselves and see that it is respected by their industries and corporations working in this domain.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  11. “Often in the minds of the actors in a conflict, the image to be cultivated and proper conduct in operations are of little importance, once these actors are certain that control of the timber sector, of oil wells or of diamond mines guarantees them resources and the acquisition of weapons. Moreover, in particular regarding the situation of children in armed conflicts, it is urgent that everything he done to assure them greater protection. Children are the future of any society, and therefore there can be no hesitation in strengthening norms promoting protection of children, in agreeing to put an end to the use of children in conflict situations and in accepting that they cannot be used in military operations before the age of 18.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  12. “But the actors in conflicts, be they inter- or intra-State, will not really feel bound to abide by limits in waging hostilities unless they are aware that the end does not always justify the means and that, at the end of the day, their military victory, their revolution or the cause they champion will not obtain the approval or the recognition of the international community as a whole, if on the way to achieving their goal, they have flouted humanitarian principles and rules. It is in this context that the idea of finalizing a code of conduct for the business community seems worthy of interest to us. It is clear that the swarming that takes place in business circles, often seen during conflicts, contributes in one way or another to fuelling the machine that makes women and children victims of abuses.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  13. “Greater respect for the norms can be guaranteed only if the parties to a conflict, whoever they are and regardless of the nature of the conflict, can no longer enjoy impunity. To that end, everything possible must be done to bring those guilty of massive and systematic abuses to justice for their crimes. In this context, the establishment of the International Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and the statute of the International Criminal Court are definite steps in the right direction.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  14. “In taking the floor at this stage of the debate, I will limit myself to those aspects that in my view need to be analysed and to which we need to attach priority if, as Members of the United Nations, we want to improve the plight of civilian populations in armed conflicts. At the normative level, it is important to emphasize that, despite the specific nature of today's armed conflicts, the international community seems to have at its disposal a sufficient arsenal of legal instruments to protect civilian populations. Aside from the lack of a framework, as has been noted, to deal with displaced persons - a gap that should be filled as quickly as possible - now seems to be the time to stress the promotion of broad adhesion to and the effective implementation of the rules that have been laid down by existing instruments.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  15. “Just a few months before the advent of the third millennium and on the fiftieth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions - which also coincides with the centenary of the first International Peace Conference of The Hague - it is very distressing to note that civilians today constitute the vast majority of victims of armed conflicts, and that among those civilians, women, children and other members of vulnerable groups are deliberately used as priority targets by the combatants. Given that state of affairs, it seems natural to us that the Security Council should seek additional measures likely to lead to an improvement of the physical and legal protection of civilians in situations of armed conflict.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source

  16. “Mr. Kpotsra (Togo) (interpretation from French): First of all, allow me to express to you, Mr. President, the appreciation of the Group of African States for your initiative in organizing a public debate on such an important subject, which, as current events are showing, represents one of the major challenges facing the international community today. This initiative alone illustrates the steadfast dedication of your country, Canada, to strengthening the protection and the promotion of human rights and of international humanitarian law.”

    1999-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3980 (1999) · source