YouSaid · the spoken record

Kuzmin

lines on the record: 337
first: 2008-06-05
most recent: 2023-03-07
sittings or episodes: 60
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

“Issues involving women’s advancement, overcoming poverty and access to education in countries in armed conflict must receive increased attention. The family is of particular value, and protecting it is a top priority. We are focused on cooperating constructively with all interested States to harmoniously advance women’s issues on the Council’s agenda. In October 2025, we will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000). We should approach that anniversary in solidarity, while demonstrating the Council’s weighty achievements and unity.”
2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276 (2023) · source
“As set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council is imbued with the authority to specifically define its contribution to the international women’s agenda. In order to make progress, we believe that it is important to avoid duplication in the work of the various organs of the Organization. The work of the Security Council should seamlessly dovetail with that of the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, the Commission on the Status of Women and the Peacebuilding Commission. The Security Council must remain focused on preventing and eliminating violence against civilians in armed conflict. Unfortunately, despite the many efforts made, women continue to fall victim to armed hostilities. Protracted and low-intensity conflicts create an additional layer of problems.”
2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276 (2023) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mozambique for convening today’s meeting. We thank our briefers: Ms. Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN-Women; Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross; Ms. Bineta Diop, Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission; and Ms. Leymah Gbowee. The discussion today confirms the continued importance of resolution 1325 (2000). The Council’s regular debates on women’s issues provide an opportunity for evaluating the progress made, providing guidance on further strengthening women’s role in and contributions to conflict prevention and resolution and post-conflict recovery, and strengthening measures to protect women in armed conflict.”
2023-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9276 (2023) · source
“For our part, we are consistently working to return Russian children to their homeland and are actively engaged in their rehabilitation. We stand ready to share our experiences in that area, too.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“Finally, if we are speaking about the protection of children in conflict, we should not fail to mention the Syrian Arab Republic. We are extremely concerned about the situation of children in areas that are not under the control of Damascus, including the Idlib de-escalation zone and in the country’s north-east. Years have gone by and the disastrous situation in the Al-Hol and Roj camps for internally displaced persons in the north-east has still not been resolved. The occupying Power controlling those camps, the United States, refuses to address the problem. We once again call on all countries to fulfil their obligations under international law and take steps to repatriate their citizens’ children from conflict zones.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“Russia has taken in hundreds of thousands of children and their families who have fled to our country to escape the Ukrainian forces’ barbaric bombing. During that time, about 400,000 children have found shelter in the Russian Federation. Ms. Maria Lvova- Belova, the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights of the Russian Federation, is currently taking steps in close cooperation with the authorities of the Donetsk and Luhansk peoples’ republics and other recently liberated regions to build a child protection system and restore social institutions. Programmes have been launched to prioritize keeping children in families and placing them in foster care in the event of the absence or death of parents and relatives. We are ready to share our experiences with Member States and experts from the Office of the Special Representative.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“On the same day, a children’s hospital in Nova Kakhovka was shelled. Early in the morning of 3 February, Ukrainian forces shelled the village of Bulavynivka in the Luhansk people’s republic using HIMARS rocket systems, damaging the school, the cultural centre and 10 residential buildings. Such inhumane methods of warfare endanger children’s lives, deprive them of their right to education and destroy Ukraine’s educational infrastructure. Last year alone 4,574 civilians were killed in Donbas, including 153 children, and 279 children were injured. We regularly provide the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict with information on the crimes committed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine against children, especially killings, injuries and attacks on schools and hospitals.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“Needless to say, I should not neglect the details of what is happening in Ukraine. Relying on their backers, the Kyiv authorities are continuing to wage war on their own people. Kyiv has been brutally suppressing anyone who disagrees with its inhumane policies in Donbas since 2014. Over the years, hundreds of children have died in the region, with ten times more injured. The Ukrainian armed forces have deliberately targeted civilian objects, including kindergartens, colleges, schools and children’s hospitals. Let me cite just a few of the most recent examples. On 21 January, Kindergarten No. 279 in Donetsk was damaged in Ukrainian troops’ shelling of the city’s Kirovskyi district. On 28 January, there was a targeted HIMARS attack on a hospital in the city of Novoaidar, killing 14 people and injuring 24.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“We are constantly seeing and recording attacks and shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on schools and hospitals, which are also being used for military purposes to accommodate military contingents and store heavy weaponry. The United States, Britain and France are also violators of the Safe Schools Declaration, as Kyiv’s militants are using the artillery systems and other weapons supplied by them are to inflict direct strikes on schools and hospitals. In the case of the American High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) multiple rocket launchers, those targets are first agreed on with Ukraine’s United States sponsors. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its Western accomplices in those crimes do not so much as bat an eye when it comes to talking about their commitment to protecting schools and children.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“It is crucial to emphasize unconditional respect for the universal norms of international humanitarian law and the use of universally recognized international legal instruments, which do not include the Safe Schools Declaration and the Paris and Vancouver Principles. As political initiatives introduced by individual groups of countries, they do not enjoy universal support. The Safe Schools Declaration, which our former Western partners love to talk about, is completely ignored even by countries that have officially accepted obligations arising from it. Take the example of Ukraine, which subscribes to the Safe Schools Declaration.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“It has become politicized, and instead of in-depth dialogue on the physical protection of children, there have been attempts to refocus its attention on addressing human rights issues, which comes under the purview of other United Nations bodies. As its Chair, Malta is facing the difficult but important task of establishing a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue within the Working Group, avoiding politicization and enhancing the effectiveness of its work. At the same time, it is important to remember that within the scope of their mandates, issues related to children are also being addressed by the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. It is essential to adhere carefully to the existing division of labour between the Organization’s various organs, in line with the Charter of the United Nations and other instruments.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“She and her Office and staff are doing a great deal of positive work in helping States to take practical measures. The Office of the Special Representative has prepared a number of very useful documents, in particular the publication Practical guidance for mediators to protect children in situations of armed conflict and other important tools. The Working Group on Children in Armed Conflict also plays an important role. That unique mechanism contributes to better protecting children in conflict and preventing future violence. The Working Group is designed to deal primarily with the most acute and large-scale situations of armed conflict on the Council’s agenda. Unfortunately, over the past two years the effectiveness of the Group’s work has declined noticeably.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“We believe that today’s discussion will draw attention to the need for the increased use of the potential of resolution 2427 (2018), especially since it explicitly calls on United Nations Member States to prioritize the protection of children in efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts and in post-conflict reconstruction. In resolution 2427 (2018), the Security Council reaffirms the intention to use the full range of United Nations instruments to establish early warning of potential conflicts in order to protect children and ensure sustainable peace. It is important that such work be coordinated at the international, regional and national levels. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Gamba de Potgieter is doing very useful work that deserves our full support.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“We would like to recall that the Security Council agenda item “Children and armed conflict” is limited to six categories of grave violations against children — the recruitment and use of children; the killing and maiming of children; rape and other forms of sexual violence against children; the abduction of children; attacks on schools and hospitals; and the denial of humanitarian access. Resolution 2427 (2018) is also of importance, as it significantly expands the toolbox of measures for protecting children, including preventive measures.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Malta for convening today’s briefing. We would like to thank Ms. Virginia Gamba de Potgieter, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; Ms. Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children; and the young civil society representative, Ms. Divina, for their comprehensive and useful briefings. The Russian Federation condemns crimes against children in the strongest terms. The perpetrators of such crimes must be brought to justice and held accountable. Resolution 1612 (2005) laid the foundation for monitoring the protection of children in armed conflict.”
2023-02-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9258 (2023) · source
“In that regard, the so- called exclusive international partnerships that bypass established intergovernmental platforms — above all the United Nations — are unacceptable. In that connection, we welcome the efforts made by India last year in its capacity as Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, which helped to formulate the Delhi Declaration, on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. The Russian Federation will continue to build close cooperation on counter-terrorism issues with genuinely interested international partners, while taking into consideration their national experiences and requirements. We urge States not to allow effective intergovernmental mechanisms for cooperation on counter-terrorism and anti-extremism to be undermined and to focus on the real collective priorities in that area.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“They have even fallen into the hands of ISIL in Afghanistan. The huge quantities of weapons that Western countries are sending to the Kyiv regime are already being found in the hands of criminal groups in Europe itself and even among terrorists in Africa. And there is ample evidence of that. The terrorist activity of ISIL and Al-Qaida and its affiliated groups remains a major challenge for international security. Terrorists are changing their tactics. They are making extensive use of information and communications technologies to finance their criminal activities, disseminate their ideologies and carry out attacks. That is a universal problem, and it requires the development of coordinated intergovernmental mechanisms to put a stop to it.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“Yet the effects of that inglorious campaign, including the war crimes committed by the United States and NATO forces, as well as their private military companies, have been carefully glossed over. We once again feel compelled to point to the problem of weapons falling into the hands of terrorists, to which the report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/76) makes only passing reference. The main issue is that there is no indication of any sources. But there is no mystery about that. Weapons fall into the hands of terrorists either through criminal groups or directly from those who supply them in large quantities to maintain and foment conflicts. For example, the enormous stockpiles of weapons and equipment abandoned by the United States and NATO during their withdrawal from Afghanistan have long been used by terrorists in South Asia.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“If that approach is to be successful and productive it will require political will, a responsible attitude and close cooperation between the Committee and the African States themselves. In the regional and global context, we are also seriously alarmed by the situation in Afghanistan, where international terrorist organizations, first and foremost ISIL-Khorasan, are expanding their capacities, and where there is a risk of a spillover of terrorist activity into neighbouring countries. The main reason for the current situation is the military intervention by the United States and its allies, which has had an extremely destabilizing effect on the entire region, not just Afghanistan. In the 20 years that the United States and its NATO allies spent in Afghanistan, the threat of terrorism has only increased.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“I am sorry to say this, but France’s failures in the Sahel are the very reason that we are now witnessing the growing radicalism in the region that terrorist and extremist groups readily exploit. The States of the Sahel are aware of the futility — and even the harm — of the French presence there and are turning for assistance to people who can truly restore order while also building equitable relationships. We will continue to provide such assistance on a bilateral basis. We suggest that the Security Council’s Counter- Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate focus on the States of the African continent and try to prioritize assessment visits, which would not only help to define problem issues but ensure that subsequent specific recommendations from country reports could serve as a basis for technical assistance programmes.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“We are well aware of the difficulties that African States face in fulfilling their obligations, and the most vulnerable of them are those that have not been lucky enough to rid themselves of a Western military presence. The Permanent Representative of France mentioned the work of the Wagner Group. We can see that the French delegation is disappointed by the consistent refusal of States in the Sahel to cooperate with France and its military where the provision of security is concerned. But can anyone blame the countries of Africa for taking matters into their own hands and independently looking for and choosing those who they want to cooperate with and under what conditions?”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“Centuries later, little has changed and, unfortunately, colonialism has yet to be eradicated. We are well aware of the real reasons behind Western countries’ hysterical accusations of various actors who are working effectively to bring order and stability to countries on the African continent, at their request and in close cooperation with the local authorities. And incidentally, the looting of resources is not just happening in Africa. In the parts of Syria occupied by the United States and NATO, which have been seriously affected by terrorism, the West continues to plunder natural resources, particularly oil, as well as priceless objects of cultural heritage, all according to a centuries-old practiced pattern.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“Each successive report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL notes the deteriorating situation and the increasing scale and reach of terrorist activities. African States continue to confront the problem of a lack of the resources needed to ensure security, in addition to difficulties in implementing binding provisions of counter-terrorism resolutions. Typically in Africa we have seen pseudo-Islamic ideologies and terrorist-exploited narratives conflated with religious, ethnic, social and political divisions. The terrorists are also benefiting from the effects of the colonial and neocolonial policies of the Western States, which have never shied away from fuelling and keeping afloat various long-standing conflicts for the sole purpose of continuing to plunder the continent’s resource-rich territory for their own enrichment.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“Our key priorities include acknowledging the leading role of States and their relevant authorities in combating terrorism and extremism, permitting no justifications for any manifestations of terrorism and ensuring that terrorists and their accomplices cannot escape being called to legal account. It is important to maintain the central and coordinating role of the United Nations in international cooperation and to ensure compliance with the universal norms and principles of international law. The Middle East and North Africa continue to be the epicentre of the spread of terrorism to other regions of the world, particularly the rest of the African continent. We have all been discussing that danger for a long time.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to thank Mr. Voronkov and Mr. Weixiong Chen for their analysis of the activities of the United Nations entities in charge of the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). I also thank Ms. Praxl. Issues related to combating terrorism must always be de-politicized. By its very nature it is a unifying topic. An evil such as international terrorism can only be defeated by working together. We must not allow the international legal counter-terrorism framework to crumble and the basic tasks of counter-terrorism and anti-extremism to be eroded. Nor should we impose views based on false theories and rules. Russia’s policies are well known, and we are consistent in our implementation of them.”
2023-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9257 (2023) · source
“Let us consider the reality as set out in paragraph 7 of resolution 1593 (2005), acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations: “none of the expenses incurred in connection with the referral including expenses related to investigations or prosecutions in connection with that referral, shall be borne by the United Nations and that such costs shall be borne by the parties to the Rome Statute and those States that wish to contribute voluntarily”. We are confident that the Sudanese people are more than capable of delivering justice on their own, but the activities of the ICC raise many questions.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9249 (2023) · source
“There has been no need — at least thus far — to resort to excessive measures, such as imposing individual sanctions against the Prosecutor and other Court officials, following the example of the United States. It is important to consistently make it clear to the Court that its action to bring those responsible to justice is not an end in itself, but part of a larger effort by the international community to consolidate the peace processes in the Sudan. Finally, during our briefings, we continue to hear voices advocating for the work of the ICC on the two situations referred to it to receive either partial or full United Nations funding.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9249 (2023) · source
“The Court’s conclusions clearly demonstrated how far removed the ICC is from sober assessments of its jurisdiction. Despite the ICC’s misinterpretation of the question of immunities, not one country complied with the illegitimate arrest warrant for the Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir during his official visits, thereby recognizing his immunity under customary international law and the very Statute of the ICC itself. Thirdly, since the Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC, it would be useful for the Council to more proactively follow the work of the Court in that area. Of course, this is not a matter of total oversight.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9249 (2023) · source
“Such behaviour, by the way, is typical not only of the ICC, but also of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which inherited the worst practices of its predecessor, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. The Sudan is now being reproached for the cooling of relations with the Office of the ICC Prosecutor. Perhaps the issue lies in the fact that the credibility of the ICC as an unbiased, non-politicized body has been significantly undermined in the international community. Secondly, the persistent attempts of the ICC to singlehandedly rewrite the existing norms of international law are cause for concern. What is noteworthy in that connection is the judgment of 6 May 2019 on the Jordanian appeal, with the participation of the African Union and the League of Arab States.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9249 (2023) · source
“First, an ordinary, routine event — namely, the trial of the accused Ali Kushayb, who, incidentally, voluntarily surrendered himself to the International Criminal Court in the summer of 2020 — is, for some reason, being portrayed as a historic milestone in the work of international criminal jurisdiction. Some momentum as regards the Darfur dossier is being presented exclusively to the individual credit of the Court. At the same time, setbacks and failures are being attributed to the sins of third parties, such as a lack of proper cooperation on the part of States, unfulfilled promises and dashed expectations, inter alia.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9249 (2023) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I thank Mr. Karim Khan. As always, he has given an excellent and emotional briefing. Darfur is the first pilot project of the Security Council to engage the International Criminal Court (ICC) in international efforts to normalize the situation in a specific country, namely, the Sudan, in order to address the intercommunal divisions there and promote national reconciliation. That project was launched pursuant resolution 1593 (2005) almost 18 years ago. Since then, two Prosecutors have been replaced and the composition of the Court has been almost completely overhauled. After 18 years, we have finally arrived at the first trial. In that context, I would like to share some general observations.”
2023-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9249 (2023) · source
“He is unable to communicate with his family and has no access to the materials in his own case. That is a blatant violation of fundamental international human rights legal instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Mandela Rules. We call on the Mechanism to assume responsibility for, rather than simply pay lip service to, its oversight functions for the serving of sentences.”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“In that regard, bearing in mind Ratko Mladić’s health and advanced age, we believe it would be fair for the Mechanism to consider his release on humanitarian grounds. That step would also help heal the wounds inflicted by the civil war in the Balkans and NATO’s indiscriminate bombing of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. We would like to make a separate point about the Mechanism’s oversight functions with regard to the sentence of Radovan Karadžić. Representatives of Serbian civil society sent an open letter in defence of his rights. The letter gives a detailed account of the flagrant neglect of his legitimate rights by the United Kingdom, where Mr. Karadžić is serving his life sentence. In particular, the document shows that his rights to a safe environment and access to information are being ignored.”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“We also noted that the instrument for early release is used only when the Mechanism needs to absolve itself of its responsibility for another seriously ill prisoner. That is indicated by the fact mentioned in the report that Radoslav Brđanin was released literally days before his death. We consider that practice outrageous, inhumane and in need of review. The Prosecutor v. Ratko Mladić case is a good opportunity for the Mechanism to demonstrate a humane approach. It is no secret that the fundamental human rights of the Serbian Colonel General were violated in the sentencing process. The disqualification of three of the Mechanism’s judges because of bias speaks volumes about the lack of objectivity in this case.”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“That example clearly shows that sound management and planning make the conclusion of residual functions a manageble task. We once again have to express our extreme concern with regard to the poor health of Ratko Mladić. He is in the custody of, and therefore under the direct responsibility of, the Mechanism. We recall that the evaluation of, the care for and the improvement of the physical and mental health of convicted persons falls within the remit of the relevant penitentiary institution and is one of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners. In addition, access to timely and qualified health care for persons under the authority of the Mechanism is established in basic international legal documents, as well as in the relevant resolution 2529 (2020).”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“At the next briefing, it would be useful to hear considerations of options for transferring the residual functions of the Mechanism following its closure — for example, their transfer to competent national bodies, the United Nations Secretariat and so forth. In that regard, the Mechanism should follow the best practices of other similar structures, in particular the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Indeed, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is responsible, inter alia, for managing archives, including physical evidence, assisting national bodies and protecting victims and witnesses. At the same time, unlike the Mechanism, it has been able to set a precise date for the conclusion of its work, 31 December 2023, and make a clear plan for the completion of its final responsibilities before that deadline.”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“The Residual Mechanism was deliberately dragging out cases and assuming functions not within its mandate in an attempt to artificially prolong its existence. I hope that, under the new leadership, the situation will change significantly. In that context, we took note of the plans to close the pretrial detention facility in Arusha and the Sarajevo office as of 1 April 2023. We consider that decision a step in the right direction, and we urge not stopping there. In general, given the residual nature of the Mechanism, we are convinced that its leadership should regularly review its functions, departments and offices to check for redundancies and diminishing relevance. The relevant practical recommendations of the Office of Internal Oversight Services are much needed.”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We welcome the President and the Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. The Residual Mechanism was established by the Security Council 12 years ago. Finally, a miracle has happened: the President announced her intention to transform the Mechanism from a judicial body into a genuine residual structure. By the way, I thank Ms. Gatti Santana. She has once again proven us right. For all these years, we keep saying that a de facto judicial body has continued to exist under the label of “Residual Mechanism”. The Security Council’s decisions pertaining to a drawdown of the Tribunals, have not been implemented.”
2022-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9217 (2022) · source
“The task of the Investigative Team, in accordance with its mandate, is first and foremost to support the efforts of Iraqi national law enforcement and judiciary bodies to hold members of ISIL to account in accordance with resolution 2379 (2017), which identifies the Iraqi authorities as the primary recipients of the evidence gathered by the Team. We sincerely hope that key part of the mandate will not be ignored and that the evidence will be handed over to Iraq as soon as possible.”
2022-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9206 (2022) · source
“The attack on Tazah Khurmata on 8 March 2016 is far from being the only case in which terrorists employed chemical weapons. We have no doubt that ISIL has made use of its development of chemical weapons in other countries, including neighbouring Syria. The wide geographical scope of ISIL’s criminal activity is clearly evidenced by the links established by the Investigative Team between the terrorists and criminal networks, both locally in Mosul and Baghdad and on a regional scale, the influence of which has expanded throughout the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region. We welcome UNITAD’s efforts to provide evidentiary material on ISIL’s crimes in Iraq. At the same time, we note that the collection and accumulation of evidence cannot be an end in itself and will not by itself lead to the punishment of the perpetrators.”
2022-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9206 (2022) · source
“We believe that the Team’s directive to closely investigate cases involving the destruction of cultural and religious heritage by terrorists is perfectly correct and noted the information stating that such sites were not only intentionally destroyed by ISIL but also seized for criminal purposes. We hope to receive detailed data and conclusions on all such cases by the end of the next reporting period. We acknowledge the progress made by the Team in investigating the development and use of chemical and biological weapons by terrorists in Iraq. The report makes it clear that there are no isolated cases — ISIL had a full-fledged chemical programme that included the production of a variety of chemical projectiles and their regular use.”
2022-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9206 (2022) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I congratulate Ghana on its presidency of the Security Council during November and wish you and your delegation, Madam, every success in December. The Russian Federation closely follows the activities of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (UNITAD). We are grateful to Special Adviser Ritscher for submitting its ninth report (see S/2022/836). We welcome the finalization of preparations for a case assessment report on the investigation of crimes against the Christian community. We hope that the Team will maintain its momentum and that, by the time of our next meeting in the Council, it will also have completed its preparation of reports on the crimes of ISIL against other communities.”
2022-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9206 (2022) · source
“In the light of the regional specificities of piracy and robbery at sea, we continue to advocate the establishment of a specialized entity under the auspices of the United Nations that would be responsible for addressing the entire spectrum of issues related to combating maritime crime. With that I would like to end my brief statement.”
2022-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9198 (2022) · source
“We believe that building the capacities of coastal States and their ability to suppress and counter acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea is the key to success, and we are actively participating in that important work. During the reporting period, Russia’s contributions to the Fund were used to provide targeted technical assistance to Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana and Nigeria. The focus of our efforts has been to improve the combat capabilities of the maritime security forces of those States to ensure the sustainable stabilization of the situation in the waters of the Gulf of Guinea.”
2022-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9198 (2022) · source
“Mr. Kuzmin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): At the outset, my thanks go to all of our briefers today for their very valuable information and useful contributions. During the reporting period, the number of pirate attacks and robberies on ships in the Gulf of Guinea has slightly decreased. At the same time, however, the root causes of those issues have not yet been eliminated, and therefore the risks associated with the security of international shipping, including of kidnappings for ransom, unfortunately remain. We appreciate the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to provide technical assistance to the States of the Gulf of Guinea, including through the Global Maritime Crime Programme Fund.”
2022-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9198 (2022) · source
“We believe that the approval of the draft future Constitution and the holding of national elections on an inclusive basis should take place without any external interference.”
2022-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9187 (2022) · source
“That is understandable, as surely too much attention is being given to a State that never actually bothered to become a party to the Rome Statute. Instead, Ukraine has limited itself to scandalous statements recognizing the jurisdiction of the ICC, in which a group of guilty parties has been identified in advance, in an attempt to shield itself. We regret that the ICC has gotten so carried away with the Ukrainian issue that even reports on areas that the Prosecutor has designated priorities are submitted to the members of the Council mere days before a meeting. It has taken 11 years since the tragic events originally occurred in Libya for some progress to emerge on the political track. We urge all parties to show restraint and refrain from imposing their own rules on the Libyans.”
2022-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9187 (2022) · source
“In the current context — I mean complaints about the lack of funding — they seem particularly strange given the enormous influx of financing that the ICC has received in the guise of voluntary donations from Western States, thereby successfully protecting their war criminals from the Court’s investigations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as in Libya. Now those hypocritical champions of justice are shamelessly paying for a made-to-order process in Ukraine. As we understand it, the case is not limited to tens of millions of dollars of supposedly voluntary donations — literally all of the ICC’s resources, human and financial, are being dedicated to Ukraine. The situation has led some developing countries that are parties to the Rome Statute to protest ever more loudly about the Court’s unhealthy obsession with Ukraine.”
2022-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9187 (2022) · source
“It is time for the Security Council to seriously consider correcting the mistakes of the past and possibly withdrawing the Libyan file from the ICC. It is already clear that the Court has nothing to offer the country. It has little in common with high standards of justice. It long ago became an instrument for the West to put political pressure on objectionable States. Such a decision would be more honest than the Council’s consideration of endless empty reports about investigations in which the main criminals and perpetrators of the disaster in Libya have been carefully erased from the picture since the beginning. And we would not have to listen to the Court’s complaints about its lack of funds.”
2022-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9187 (2022) · source
“Apparently the ICC has no issues with the elimination of objectionable leaders of developing countries. For entirely understandable reasons, the Court was not interested in the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the NATO coalition. After Libya fell in 2011, the ICC abruptly lost interest in the country, even though the long chaotic years of civil war that followed the illegal NATO aggression not only led to many thousands of civilian casualties, including women and children, but also provided a wealth of evidence for the Court’s investigations under its Rome Statute. However, the Court’s former zeal has not been in evidence. To date, the ICC in fact half- heartedly pretends to work on the Libya file, creating the mere appearance of progress in its reports, which are as empty as they are numerous.”
2022-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9187 (2022) · source