YouSaid · the spoken record

Kumalo

lines on the record: 1,090
first: 1999-08-25
most recent: 2008-12-31
sittings or episodes: 160
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“It is for this reason that we fully support the draft resolution that has been presented by the delegation of Libya and hope that the Council will consider it in the coming days. The draft resolution calls for three basic things: the ending of the bombardment of Gaza; a ceasefire; and the protection of innocent Palestinian civilians. That is the least that this Council can do.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“The South African President has said in a public statement on this matter that violence and counter- violence will advance neither the cause of Israelis nor that of the Palestinians and that thus neither strength nor effort must be spared by the Palestinians and the Israelis in an effort to find an amicable solution, which can only result in two States living side by side and in peace. The Security Council should again demand an end to both the Israeli attacks and the rocket attacks. To do less would again call into question the credibility of the Council in addressing the loss of innocent lives in the Middle East. Avoiding action is no longer an option for the Council.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“We are further disappointed that the Israeli Government has rejected international calls for a 48- hour ceasefire in Gaza that would have allowed humanitarian aid to go into an area which has been besieged by an illegal blockade for many, many months. Israel cannot expect security for its people and political normalcy as long as it occupies Palestinian lands and continues its attempt to impose permanent rule over Palestinians through the use of military force.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“The Israeli air strikes represent a disproportionate use of force by Israel. There have been almost 400 deaths, and hundreds more have already been injured. We join the Secretary-General in reiterating Israel's obligation to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, and we condemn the excessive use of force, which is leading to the killing and injuring of civilians. We recognize the legitimate security concerns of Israel resulting from rocket attacks. However, we do not believe that Israel's right to self-defence entitles it to violate the rights of innocent civilians, particularly those civilians who have been living under 40 years of foreign occupation.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“The Council also called for all parties to address the serious humanitarian and economic needs in Gaza and to take necessary measures, including the opening of border crossings, to ensure the continuous provision of humanitarian supplies, including supplies of food and fuel, and the provision of medical treatment. We are disappointed that this call by the Council has yet to be heeded. The South African Government has expressed its View that the Israeli air strikes using the most sophisticated war machinery, such as F-16 planes, are a Violation of international humanitarian law. My Government has formally called on the Israeli Government to stop the military onslaught in Gaza and to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its forces that are currently massing on the border of Gaza.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“We thank you, Mr. President, for holding this emergency meeting this evening. The presence of the Secretary-General at this meeting is a clear indication of how dire the situation is in the Gaza Strip. The violence over the past few days in Gaza and in southern Israel has worsened to such an extent that many innocent civilians have been killed or injured. That makes it imperative that the Security Council, which is entrusted with the maintenance of international peace and security, publicly voice its condemnation of the attacks and demand that they cease immediately. Four days ago, the Council, in a rare moment of unity on issues related to the Middle East, issued a press statement expressing serious concern at the escalation of the situation in Gaza and calling for an immediate halt to all military activities and violence.”
2008-12-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6060 (2008) · source
“Finally, we also wish to recall, among the issues that we are leaving, the Western Sahara, where the Council continues to be unable to actively support the self-determination of the Sahraoui people. So my only hope is that the incoming members of the Council will find it necessary to continue to fight on these issues, whether they be Congo, Somalia, Palestine or Western Sahara, for the sake of the suffering people in those parts of the world and of the credibility of this Council.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“We regret that the Council has again failed to come to the assistance of the Somali people, who will remain at the mercy of all the armed groups that have been terrorizing and murdering them over the past 16 years. Besides agreeing on piracy, we in the Council still debated whether assisting the Somali people in their country was in line with our own national interests in that area. In the end, of course, it was the Somali people who were losers. Also, the people of Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip, face an uncertain future. In 60 years this Council has not been able to act in a very firm manner. We hope that that issue that will continue to engage the Council in the coming year.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“We urge the countries of the region to continue to support the peace and national reconciliation process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to speed up the implementation of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region, signed in Nairobi on 15 December 2006 with a view to creating conditions for lasting peace and stability in the region. Finally, since this is our last meeting in the Council, we wish to express our thanks for the support and assistance we have received over the past two years from all Council members and the Secretariat. However, we cannot forget that we leave not having succeeded in addressing the long-standing conflicts on the Council's agenda.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“Allow me to welcome the Foreign Ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Belgium to this meeting. We also welcome the Ambassador of Rwanda, who has joined us. We welcome the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), which will assist MONUC in being proactive in its duties, in particular the protection of civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic. It is important that MONUC succeed, because without it we risk losing all the gains we have made, not only in the eastern Congo but throughout the country. 7 It is also important to emphasize that the solution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is political, and therefore the Goma and Nairobi process remain the only architecture for addressing the challenges before us.”
2008-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6055 (2008) · source
“The first will be whether the parties will implement its provisions; the second test will be for the Council to ensure that its resolutions are implemented. If its resolutions should be ignored, that would further erode the credibility of this Council.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“It is thus imperative that both sides ensure that their actions and pronouncements be calculated to advance the quest for peace. Unjustified and illegal acts by Israel - such as its siege of Gaza; continued incursions into the West Bank and, recently, in Gaza; and the expansion of illegal settlements, military checkpoints and the separation wall - contribute to the continuing cycle of violence. We recognize the legitimate security concerns of Israel, but we do not condone the disproportionate use of force to achieve that security. Israel's right to self- defence does not entitle it to violate the rights of innocent civilians, particularly those who have been living in inhumane conditions under its military occupation for more than 40 years. As we said two days ago, the resolution we adopted will face two crucial tests.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“Palestinian and Israeli leaders alike have already committed to what they see as the final outcome of their negotiations - a settlement that will result in the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbours. That settlement will resolve the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and end the occupation that began in 1967. That commitment has been made in the past and continues to be the basis of the current negotiations. New declarations and undertakings are no longer required. What remains is the need to implement the steps taken to reach such a settlement - a settlement that will be based on the undertakings of the parties, their neighbours and the international community, such as the Arab Peace Initiative.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“Two days ago, this Council, after almost five years, finally adopted a resolution on the situation between Palestine and Israel. At that meeting, my delegation acknowledged that the resolution that we adopted was not perfect because it ignored many significant issues that this Council must address. These include the continuing illegal settlement activity in the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem. The siege of Gaza continues. In Hebron, Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinian homes and farms. Violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians has not ended. However, what the resolution did was to remind the parties of their previous undertakings and to recommit them to the obligations that they had previously undertaken.”
2008-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6049 (2008) · source
“Otherwise, the Council can adopt the toughest resolutions possible on piracy; it can even strengthen the arms embargo and aim the most stringent measures at individuals and entities that may be seen as obstructing the process in Somalia; but such fragmented efforts are unlikely to succeed without a comprehensive solution for the country. And without Council action - without the Council even looking into the possibility of deploying a peacekeeping force in Somalia - Somalia will continue to sink further and further into despair. Surely, the people of Somalia deserve better than that.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6046 (2008) · source
“That must include predictable and reliable resources, beyond voluntary contributions, that can increase or decrease depending on the economic climate of the time. That is why I support the statement by United States Secretary of State Rice calling for consideration of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Somalia. I think that this is an important issue that this Council would need to debate. I heard one speaker say today that we need a trust fund. How can a war be fought with a trust fund, which can grow or decrease, depending on the contributions that are made?”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6046 (2008) · source
“Regarding security stabilization on the ground, the Security Council must fulfil its Charter responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in Somalia. As one who has always accused this Council of avoiding its responsibility, listening today I am beginning to change my mind. Maybe because I am about to leave I am becoming nice. The African Union has contributed to the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) to help support the Transitional Federal Government. We call on the international community to support AMISOM. if it is to make a difference in the lives of the Somali people. Without strengthening AMISOM, we will not achieve the results that we need.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6046 (2008) · source
“Clearly, what Somalia needs urgently is for its tragic situation to be addressed in a comprehensive and holistic manner. In other words, Somalia needs a political solution that will lead to the establishment of a reliable Government authority in that country. Of course, we should at the same time address piracy as we have done today. We should also address the proliferation of arms, impunity and other serious violations taking place in Somalia. The Djibouti Agreement that brought together the Transitional Federal Government with the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia is an important building block in the political process. It is now up to the international community to support the Djibouti Agreement in order to allow the political process to take root in Somalia.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6046 (2008) · source
“The Monitoring Group on sanctions with regard to Somalia concluded that piracy had already become a multi-million-dollar industry involving over 2,000 people and using over 60 small boats and several mother ships. The Monitoring Group told the Council that the pirates had earned enormous amounts of money, estimated to be more than $100 million in the past years. Yet, as my delegation has always argued, piracy is only one of the symptoms of the root causes of the Somali conflict. There are other Somali grievances, including illegal fishing in Somali waters by foreign ships and illegal dumping of toxic waste off the Somali coast, which have been invoked by the pirates to build general support for their activities among Somali society.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6046 (2008) · source
“My delegation is indeed honoured to participate in this important debate and wishes to acknowledge the presence of the ministers who are with us in the Council Chamber today. We also welcome the presence of the Secretary- General and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Somalia with his delegation. It is a good day for Somalia today, and Somalia does not have too many good days. But I am brave enough to say that today is a good day for Somalia, having listened to the concrete proposals that have been made in the statements made before mine. But let me begin by acknowledging that there is no doubt that piracy in Somali waters has caught the world's attention. The resolution that the Council adopted today comes shortly after resolution 1846 (2008), which deals with the same issue.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6046 (2008) · source
“Tony Blair, Quartet Representative and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to brief the Security Council about his efforts in the occupied areas. Although we will soon leave the Council, we hope that Mr. Blair will still accept its invitation and come early in the new year. It is important that the Council hear first-hand about the suffering of the Palestinian people. Perhaps that will inspire the Council to adopt a comprehensive draft resolution next time. For now, the draft resolution before us will have to suffice.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“Consequently, the Arab countries affirm that they will consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, enter into a peace agreement with Israel and provide security for all States in the region, and establish normal relations with Israel in the context of a comprehensive peace. The Palestinian people have now been homeless for 60 years. Generation upon generation of Palestinian children have never had a home other than the ghettos and camps that they have occupied throughout the world. Those Palestinians who stayed behind have had to endure 40 years of illegal occupation with its untold miseries. In the Gaza Strip, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live under a complete blockade, with bare essentials that keep them alive for yet another day. For the past few months, my delegation has recommended that the Council invite Mr.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“The Arab Initiative calls upon Israel to affirm the following: a full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the lines of 4 June 1967, as well as from the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the South of Lebanon; the achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem, to be agreed upon in accordance with General Assembly resolution 194 (III); and acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian State on the Palestinian territories occupied since 4 June 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“If adopted, this draft resolution will face two crucial tests. The first will be whether the parties will implement its provisions, and the second will be whether the Council will ensure that its resolutions are implemented. If this draft resolution were to be ignored, that would further erode the credibility of the Council. We also hope that the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, whose importance is noted in the draft resolution, will be taken as a serious contribution to bringing about peace in the Middle East. The Arab Initiative spells out even clearer and more specific affirmations expected of both Israel and the Arab countries.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“Twelve months after the Annapolis meeting, political negotiations have not produced any tangible results. The draft resolution before us is not perfect, because it ignores many significant issues that the Council must address. These include the continuing illegal settlement activity in the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem. In Hebron, Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinian homes and farms. Violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians has not ended. Yet, my delegation will support this draft resolution, because it recommits the parties to the obligations to which they have previously agreed. We continue to encourage both Israelis and Palestinians to persist with negotiations to achieve the goal of a viable Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“In furtherance of the goal of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, we agree to immediately launch good- faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty, resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements." Our concern is that, since the Quartet declaration five years ago, the situation in the Middle East, particularly in Palestine, has not improved. Instead, the illegal occupation of Palestine that began in 1967 has intensified. Palestinians continue to face hardships compounded by the financial embargo, the expansion of Israeli settlements and the building of the illegal separation wall, as well as by restrictions on movement and access, which are interrupted by more than 600 roadblocks.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“The Road Map continued: "This initiative is a vital element of international efforts to promote a comprehensive peace on all tracks, including the Syrian-Israeli and Lebanese- Israeli tracks." (Ibid.) The second decision before us today was taken at a meeting held on 27 November 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland. United States President George W. Bush summed up the outcome in a joint understanding between the parties that stated: "We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and non-violence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“The first dates back to 7 May 2003, when former Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent a letter to the Security Council transmitting a text of the Quartet entitled "A performance-based road map to a permanent two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict". The Road Map stated: "A settlement, negotiated between the parties, will result in the emergence of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbours. The settlement will resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and end the occupation that began in 1967, based on the foundations of the Madrid Conference [and] the principle of land for peace" (5/2003/529, annex, p. 2).”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“We too thank you, Sir, for organizing this ministerial meeting on the situation in the Middle East. We warmly welcome the Secretary of State of the United States, the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China who have joined us today. We also wish to express our thanks to the United States of America and the Russian Federation for presenting the draft resolution before us today. It is worth noting that, if the draft resolution is adopted, it will be the first time in nearly five years that the Council has substantively pronounced itself on the Middle East. The draft resolution recalls two important decisions.”
2008-12-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6045 (2008) · source
“Therefore, it was critical that the meeting be understood within the context of the mandate of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, which set forth "To propose recommendations to the Security Council to enhance cooperation in conflict prevention and resolution, between the United Nations and regional (OAU) and subregional organizations" (S/2002/207, section 11] (iv)). Finally, I would like to express my deep appreciation for the cooperation of the members of the Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa in our endeavour to contribute to the successful implementation of the Working Group's mandate. I also wish to thank the Secretariat for its support throughout the activities of the Working Group.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“There were two main purposes for holding the meeting. The first was that the Secretary-General is expected to present his report on the responsibility to protect to the General Assembly early next year, which will then hold a debate on that report. Our deliberations in the Working Group on the concept of responsibility to protect could contribute to that debate, whose objective is, among others, to arrive at a common understanding on issues that are set forth in paragraphs 138 and 139 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document (A/60/L.1). Second, it was our understanding that the concept of responsibility to protect falls within the mandate of the Working Group.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“Right now, we look forward to a report of the African Union-United Nations panel headed by former Prime Minister Romano Prodi of Italy, which will make concrete proposals on how the United Nations can support the work of the African Union with predictable and sustainable resources. Regarding the programme of the Working Group, we held four meetings, including a session at which the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Lynn Pascoe, briefed the Working Group on the reform of the Department of Political Affairs. The briefing provided the Working Group with an opportunity to understand how the Department of Political Affairs sees its role in conflict prevention and resolution efforts. Another important meeting took place on 1 December 2008 and addressed the concept of responsibility to protect.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“We could not have done our work without the tireless Secretariat, which has provided support and advice to me and my delegation, as well as to the Committee, over the past two years. South Africa assumed the Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa because we felt that this would strengthen the African agenda on peace, security and development. Our overall contribution to this Council was in line with the aims of the Working Group. During our presidency of the Council, we highlighted the need to strengthen the working relationship between the African Union and the United Nations, in particular the Security Council. We hosted thematic debates that brought several heads of State and Government from Africa to the Security Council.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“So, the Council can pass the toughest resolutions on piracy; the Council can strengthen the arms embargo and can even aim the most stringent measures at individuals and entities that may be seen as obstructing the process in Somalia; but such fragmented efforts are unlikely to succeed without a comprehensive solution. Meanwhile, Somalia will continue to sink further and further into despair. Surely the people of Somalia deserve a better life than the one they have right now. I would like to offer my warmest wishes to my successor as Chair of this Committee - I am not sure whether to say condolences. I would also like to express appreciation to the Monitoring Group for its commendable work.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“Besides the fact that the Djibouti Agreement is desperately in need of international political support, there is a lack of the security stabilization inside Somalia that would allow for the political process to grow some roots. The African Union has contributed the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to help stabilize the situation and support the Transitional Federal Government. And AMISOM, which is in dire need of strengthening, can never be enough on its own. The Security Council and the international community must address Somalia in a holistic manner, because we cannot watch Somalia become an even worst disaster than it is right now. Thousands of people are dying of hunger and disease in Somalia - that is if the murderous militias that run freely throughout Somalia do not kill them first.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“What Somalia urgently needs is for its tragic situation to be addressed in a comprehensive and holistic manner. In other words, the solution for Somalia lies in addressing piracy and the arms embargo together with a political solution that will lead to the establishment of reliable Government authority in Somalia. Otherwise, systematic violations will continue to occur in an environment that has been one of impunity, where there are few or no consequences for any violations. A promising start has already been made with the Djibouti Agreement, which brought the Transitional Federal Government together with some of the Islamic groups interested in rebuilding Somalia.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“The Monitoring Group has noted that pirates invoke legitimate Somali grievances regarding illegal fishing in Somali waters by foreign ships, together with the illegal dumping of toxic waste off the Somali coast. These grievances have earned the pirates general support for their activities among Somali society. In its latest report, the Monitoring Group has recommended the creation of a maritime administration caretaker authority for Somalia that could mitigate the scourge of piracy, as well as begin to address the problems of toxic waste dumping and illegal fishing on the Somali coast. But, even if this recommendation could be accepted, that would still be addressing only one part of the Somali problem, albeit a Visible one. This also explains why the arms embargo imposed by the Council in 1992 has had such a minimal effect.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“Recently, the link between piracy, kidnapping and ransom payments in financing embargo violations committed by armed groups has received increased attention. In recent months, the number of piracy incidents has increased dramatically, capturing global attention. The Monitoring Group has described piracy as a multi-million dollar industry involving up to 2,000 people, using over 60 small boats and several mother ships. The pirates are said to have earned enormous amounts of money, estimated to be more than $100 million in recent years. This has made Somali piracy very compelling indeed. Yet Somali piracy is only one of the symptoms of the root causes of the Somali conflict.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“For the past two years, I have had the honour to serve as the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia and the Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa. Regarding the 751 Committee on Somalia, the information we have considered has indeed been consistently sobering as well as troubling. The reports of the Monitoring Group have documented the worsening security situation in Somalia. They have been unsparing in describing the widespread violations of the arms embargo by land, air and sea, which has continued unabated for the past 16 years. The Monitoring Group has consistently reported on the general state of lawlessness and the lack of accountability that prevails in Somalia.”
2008-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6043 (2008) · source
“In our opinion, Bosnia can only make progress towards its goal of integration into the European Union if all parties engage in direct and open dialogue, with the purpose of reaching compromises in order to build consensus. My delegation therefore welcomes the joint statement of 8 November 2008 adopted by the leaders of the three major political parties as a welcome step towards reinstating interethnic dialogue. However, we would like to repeat that peace processes encompass more than dialogue. We therefore agree with the assessment of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council that the signatories should immediately tackle the reform agenda, encourage other stakeholders to join the consensus and work to put all those proposals into concrete form.”
2008-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6033 (2008) · source
“The increasing nationalistic rhetoric in Bosnia is of concern. Such rhetoric not only undermines the functioning of the State and the progress made in reforms, it also challenges the very foundations of that State as established by the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are also concerned about the reports by the High Representative about the rhetoric and actions against his Office aimed at preventing him from executing his duties. South Africa calls on all cultures in Bosnia and Herzegovina to desist from such negative actions, to break the political deadlock and to return to the reform process.”
2008-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6033 (2008) · source
“My delegation joins others in welcoming His Excellency Mr. Nikola Spirie, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and High Representative Ambassador Lajeak to the Security Council. We thank them both for their reports before the Council. As stated on previous occasions, South Africa fully supports the High Representative and his Office, as well as the policy of progressively handing over all executive responsibilities to the Bosnian leadership. In that regard, South Africa was pleased to note the finalization of the long-outstanding police reform laws that enabled Bosnia to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union. However, developments since then have not been so positive. We are disappointed about the little progress made in the implementation of the reform agenda.”
2008-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6033 (2008) · source
“Finally, we would hope, as we have said many times before, that the Council will find it possible to pronounce itself on the humanitarian situation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza. We cannot continue to avoid confronting such an egregious situation.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6030 (2008) · source
“The time for the parties, the international community and the Security Council to act is now. The parties and the international community cannot sit back and allow the situation on the ground to continue to deteriorate, ending all hopes for a negotiated two-State solution. The security of Israel can be secured only once a lasting and permanent solution to the Palestinian question is found. The security concerns of the State of Israel should not be used as a justification for denying the victims of this conflict access to humanitarian assistance. We call on the State of Israel to allow unhindered access to the international community to deliver the much-needed humanitarian support to Palestinians through all the crossings into Palestine, including the port of Gaza.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6030 (2008) · source
“Twelve months ago, at a meeting hosted by the United States at Annapolis and attended by the representatives of many countries from all over the world, including South Africa, Palestine and Israel agreed on a joint declaration expressing their determination to end their conflict and to work towards a peaceful settlement based on the existence of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. They further agreed to make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008. We have reached a critical stage of the process, with the deadline set in Annapolis drawing ever nearer. Despite assurances that negotiations are continuing, the situation on the ground has not improved significantly since the start of the process.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6030 (2008) · source
“The root cause of all these difficulties is the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestine. Illegal settlement activity in the occupied territories seeks to change the facts on the ground and is a key obstacle to the peace process. We urge the Council to demand that Israel immediately and completely end the blockade of Gaza, freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, and dismantle outposts erected since 21 March 2001 in order to not change the facts on the ground and prejudice final status negotiations. Until such time as peace is firmly established between Palestine and Israel, the international community, and neighbouring States in particular, have a moral responsibility to assist the innocent victims.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6030 (2008) · source
“We thank you, Sir, for convening this meeting upon the request of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to discuss the incident in which the Libyan vessel Al-Marwa, which was headed for the port of Gaza, was prevented from delivering aid by naval vessels of the State of Israel. My delegation regrets that humanitarian aid destined for the suffering people of Gaza was prevented from being delivered, since we believe that the port of Gaza is an integral part of Palestine. The situation in the whole of the occupied Palestinian territories can be described as a humanitarian disaster in which innocent civilians continue to suffer the consequences of the lack of peace. At the centre of this problem is the fact that the people of Gaza have been suffering under an illegal blockade that has denied them humanitarian assistance of any kind.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6030 (2008) · source
“Allow me also to thank Mr. Holmes for his briefing and to welcome our colleague, the Permanent Representative of Chad, to this meeting. I think that other speakers have made it clear that we support the humanitarian workers, who are really the face of the United Nations on the ground, and we worry about their safety in that very difficult environment. We wish to reiterate that the final solution will come about when we have both a political process in place on the ground and the security that is necessary. We are delighted by the normalization of relations between Chad and the Sudan and hope that this normalization will lead these two friendly countries to find a way to resolve the problems between them.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6029 (2008) · source
“We have not, and we are delighted that we have the Court, which can go in and search for all this information. I hope Mr. Moreno-Ocampo never gives up in his work and that he continues as his mandate allows him to. But we also have the other mandate here, and at some point we will have to look at and balance the two. I think some of my colleagues pointed out that, at some point, we need to step back and not wear prosecutor's caps, saying that we want to jail so-and- so. But rather but we need to look back at all the evidence and say: how do we then carry out our mandate? I think Mr. Moreno-Ocampo's clarification has really helped.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6028 (2008) · source
“My question was intended to make it clear that people who are not in the Council should not see us debating this issue and then interpret it as if we are condoning all these horrible things that we have spoken of. We in no way condone them, and we regret that they take place, but we also have the responsibility to look at the entire matter. Now, whether the Security Council eventually agrees with that or not, that is precisely what makes it fun, because all 15 of us will have to decide if we agree or not. I was just concerned that when we ask these tough questions about how to balance all these awful things we are hearing about and the maintenance of peace in Sudan, those who are sitting here watching this must not get the impression that, just because we are asking the question, we therefore have taken one side or the other.”
2008-12-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6028 (2008) · source