YouSaid · the spoken record

Legwaila

lines on the record: 469
first: 1992-07-16
most recent: 1999-09-17
sittings or episodes: 63
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

“This is quite consistent with our own policy and practice as a country. Furthermore, we are supportive of the call for accelerating the process of negotiating an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on children in armed conflict. In conclusion, we fully agree that peacekeeping and peace-making missions should be structured in such a way that the special protection of assistance requirements for children and women and the elderly will always be paramount.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“My delegation finds merit in the recommendation by the Secretary-General that where war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed, the Security Council should act without fear or favour. The Council should not only put in place a mechanism for ensuring that the suspects are apprehended and punished, but must also do all in its power to enforce the warrants of arrest. My delegation also supports the recommendation that as Member States of the United Nations, we should strive for the early ratification of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. If this can be achieved sooner rather than later, it will go a long way in enabling us to enforce respect for humanitarian and human rights law. We are also of the View that the minimum age for recruitment and participation in hostilities should be raised to 18.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Parties to a conflict should therefore allow unimpeded access and provide security guarantees to humanitarian agencies and their personnel in the discharge of their duties. Anyone who fails to do so, in our view, should be held to account under international humanitarian law. It is becoming quite clear that denial of access to humanitarian assistance by a party or parties to an armed conflict has become a valuable weapon of war. It is indeed disturbing that even though the majority of Member States of the United Nations are party to the international instruments on humanitarian and human rights law, such instruments continue to be violated with impunity.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Where the situation has gone beyond preventive action, the Security Council should at least develop the habit of instantly informing the parties to a conflict about their obligations towards civilians and the consequences of violating international humanitarian and human rights law. It should be made clear that children in particular should not be used as soldiers or otherwise targeted. The Security Council should not just threaten, but should make good on its threat. There should be no hesitation over imposing an arms embargo or other targeted sanctions where evidence exists that a party or parties to an armed conflict are deliberately targeting civilians. Humanitarian assistance to civilians is essential during an armed conflict.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“The United Nations should utilize this capacity early, when signs of a potentially explosive situation are there. The experiences of Rwanda, and recently of East Timor, should teach us a lesson. Timely use of the Secretary-General's good offices and cooperation with regional organizations in preventive diplomacy should be exploited to the full. There can be no doubt that, whenever the situation so demands, no effort should be spared to attempt some preventive deployment of peacekeepers, negotiators or mediators. We fully subscribe to the Secretary-General's observation that this form of deployment had an immeasurable impact in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“We therefore need to ask ourselves how we can endeavour to become more effective at utilizing these institutions and instruments. It was with this in mind that we found the report of the Secretary- General of paramount importance and relevance. While all its contents and recommendations may not curry favour with everybody in this Organization, we dare say that we find most of them to be quite appealing. They reinforce what we have always thought should be done in situations of armed conflict and in endeavours to prevent the eruption of conflict. Our central vocation as the United Nations is to discourage recourse to the use of force, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. We fully share the Secretary-General's View on nipping potential conflict situations in the bud, so to speak.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“However, as we are all aware, civilians, particularly children and women, have become habitual targets of war at a time when we should be considering ourselves more civilized than our ancestors. Children are habitually abducted and turned into killers, couriers and the sexual slaves of armed thugs. Women are raped in order to shame the enemy or destroy its morale. Whole groups of civilians, by virtue of their ethnicity or religion, are with wanton regularity decimated, "cleansed" and threatened with extinction. In short, today's wars, particularly those that go by the misnomer of civil wars, are nothing more than glorified acts of terrorism in which the laws of war are totally ignored. All of these atrocities are being perpetrated while we have in place institutions and instruments created to avert them and punish the perpetrators.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Let me thank you, Sir, for organizing this important debate; in the same breath, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his insightful report (S/ 1999/957) on this very important issue. The question of the protection of civilians in armed conflict is not new. From traditional society to our modern world with its elaborate written laws, it has always been understood that persons who are not involved in combat during an armed conflict should not be subject to attack. The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and other international instruments of humanitarian and human rights law prohibit the targeting or endangering of civilians during times of hostilities.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“The provision in the present draft resolution for a follow-on United Nations presence after the withdrawal of UNAVEM. III is a clear indication that the international community will continue to be ready to help the Angolans to live with one another as one nation bound by a common destiny. This will take some time, as I have already indicated, but the onus rests upon the people of Angola themselves to abandon mistrust and mutual suspicion lest the international community's resolve to help them weakens and withers away before total peace is achieved in that country. Angola is one of the most beautiful countries of southern Africa, and we cannot afford to have it destroyed with reckless abandon.”
1997-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3769 (1997) · source
“Equally, we call on the Government to speedily incorporate and integrate UNITA soldiers into the Angolan Armed Forces, as well as to complete the demobilization of excess combatants. And we fully support the call contained in the present draft resolution for a meeting between the President of Angola and the leader of UNITA to iron out these problems. God has endowed Angola with abundant natural resources for its people to share and by which they can prosper together. The remaining political and military problems should not be allowed to stand in the way of the Angolan people's enjoyment of their natural heritage in peace and harmony. The international community has stood by the people of Angola in their hour of darkest need. We are happy that they are not about to be abandoned.”
1997-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3769 (1997) · source
“Yet there were Heads of State - 11 of them - whose security was assured by the Angolan authorities, and everything went without incident. It can only be deduced that the UNITA leader is suspicious of a Government of which he is supposedly now an integral part. It is our hope that Mr. Savimbi will find it an act of statesmanship and patriotism to relocate to Luanda to take an active part in the arduous task of national reconciliation and reconstruction. The leader of the opposition always has the seat of government as his base, and his real intentions should not be the subject of guesswork. It is an anomaly that the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation is not operational throughout the national territory of Angola. This must be redressed without delay.”
1997-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3769 (1997) · source
“Like a human body, the region of southern Africa cannot function or act as one when a part of it is at war with itself. While the inauguration of the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation was a ceremonial event worth celebrating with due pomp, we should lose sight neither of the fact that the Lusaka Protocol has not yet been completely implemented nor of the fact that it will take a long time to heal the wounds of war and mutual suspicion among Angolans. The absence of the UN ITA leader, leader of the largest opposition party, Mr. Jonas Savimbi, from the inauguration ceremony left too much to be desired vis-a-vis the future of the new Government of Angola. Mr. Savimbi cited personal safety as a reason for his absence from the ceremony.”
1997-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3769 (1997) · source
“Botswana warmly welcomes the recent inauguration of the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation in Angola. It is our fervent hope that this momentous political development will set Angola on the road to irreversible peace and stability. The people of Angola have suffered; they have bled and died needlessly for far too long. It is time this unhappy past was banished to the museum of history. The inauguration marked a new era of hope for a peaceful Angola and a peaceful southern Africa. Peace in Angola is our peace; it is peace for all the nations of southern Africa. The presence of the regional leaders, including my own Head of State, at the inauguration ceremony bears testimony to the regional dimension of the Angolan peace process.”
1997-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3769 (1997) · source
“The mission would offer members of the Council a rare opportunity to observe at first hand and on the ground the peace process in action and to make specific recommendations on the support necessary for post-conflict peace-building.”
1996-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3722 (1996) · source
“In this respect, the commencement of the withdrawal of UNAVEM. III should not be misinterpreted as an opportunity to slow down the implementation of the outstanding issues and ultimately to renege on commitments and obligations already agreed. The Security Council is united in its determination to ensure that the peace process is not put in jeopardy. A follow-on United Nations presence, as set out in operative paragraph 20 of the draft resolution, would therefore play a crucial role to this end. Clearly, the international community has no intention to abandon the people of Angola. In conclusion, I reaffirm Botswana's strong support for the proposal to send a Security Council mission to Angola before the expiry of the mandate of UNAVEM. III.”
1996-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3722 (1996) · source
“The socio-economic aspects of the situation in Angola, as outlined in the report of the Secretary-General, clearly indicate that the parties have no choice but to seek common ground in addressing the problems which confront their country. This is the basis of our optimism that the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation would serve as a catalyst in resolving outstanding political issues. My delegation is satisfied with the understanding that the withdrawal of UNAVEM. III formed military units should not be carried out in a manner that might endanger the peace process. The draft resolution also makes it sufficiently clear to the parties that the international community expects them to honour and to complete the implementation of their commitments under the Lusaka Protocol.”
1996-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3722 (1996) · source
“Some of the urgent tasks which have to be tackled expeditiously are the resettlement of the more than one million internally displaced persons, demining and road rehabilitation, demobilization and social reintegration of the ex-combatants and the disarming of the civilian population, to mention but a few. These are monumental tasks which must be addressed adequately as they have a direct bearing on the sustainability of the peace process. Botswana fully supports the Secretary-General's appeal to the Government of Angola and UNITA to establish the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation before 1 January 1997. We are convinced that the formation of the Government would enable the Government of Angola and UNITA to focus their attention on the issues that unite rather than divide them.”
1996-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3722 (1996) · source
“Today, the international community can bear witness to the long and difficult road which the two parties have travelled together so far. There can be no doubt that while the peace process remains fragile and reversible, the fact remains that never before in the history of the Angolan conflict has so much been achieved to establish a lasting political solution. Botswana therefore strongly hopes that the Government of Angola and UNITA will not waste this historic opportunity to make peace for their country and people a living reality. The implementation of the Lusaka Protocol was never intended to be an unending process. There are greater challenges which await the people of Angola, such as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the national economy.”
1996-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3722 (1996) · source
“For almost two years now, the international community has been assisting the people of Angola, through the instrumentality of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III), to carry out the process of rebuilding and transforming a country ravaged by war into one committed to beating swords into ploughshares. UNAVEM. III has played and continues to play an important role in making it possible for the people of Angola to realize that peace is not an option, not a matter of life or death, but rather a question of live and let live. We firmly believe that the acceptance by the Government of Angola and UNITA of the fact that there can be no military solution to the conflict in their country was an important first step on the road to peace and democracy in Angola.”
1996-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3722 (1996) · source
“Botswana has always maintained that the international community must always aim at ensuring that the financial, material and human resources invested in the cause of peace do not go to waste due to premature withdrawal of a peacekeeping mission. What is of paramount importance is that, when a peacekeeping mission is withdrawn from theatre, there should be no need for redeployment within a relatively short period of time. In other words, UNSMIH should, at the end of the day, leave behind a stable and prosperous country and a people that can look to the future with pride and dignity. My delegation in therefore pleased that operative paragraph 7 of the draft resolution requests the Secretary-General to submit a report by 31 March 1997 that includes recommendations on the nature of a future international presence in Haiti.”
1996-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3721 (1996) · source
“The economic rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Haitian national economy is an indispensable part of the consolidation of peace and democracy in that country. It will be difficult to rebuild stable national institutions when the mass of the people do not have a stake in the economy of the country. In this respect, we commend the countries that have contributed generously to the Trust Fund or made concessional resources available to the Government of Haiti. These contributions, as well as the dedication and commitment to duty of the men and women of UNSMIH, are monumental in the stabilization of Haiti. We encourage them to continue the good work.”
1996-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3721 (1996) · source
“Botswana supports the Secretary-General's observation in paragraph 6 of the Addendum to his report that for now the military and civilian police components of UNSMIH should be maintained at current strengths subject, of course, to constant reviews, depending on the improvements in the political situation on the ground. UN SMIH is still very necessary to help the HNP consolidate its hold on the security situation in Haiti. My delegation therefore welcomes with appreciation the flexibility that was demonstrated by members of the Council in reaching agreement on operative paragraph 2 of the draft resolution that we are about to adopt. I extend the gratitude of my delegation to the "Friends of the Secretary-General for Haiti" for the tireless efforts they have made to accommodate the concerns of all members of the Council.”
1996-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3721 (1996) · source
“The international community, and the neighbouring countries in particular, must do all they can to ensure that political instability, economic stagnation and undemocratic rule do not return to Haiti, with all the attendant regional implications. It is encouraging to note that the Haitian National Police has shown marked improvement in the execution of its duties and increased accountability, which in turn inspire public confidence in police protection. However, the easy availability of weapons, the high incidence of armed criminal activity and the fact that the first police officers graduated only 18 months ago are clear indications that the HNP faces formidable challenges in its efforts to maintain a secure and stable environment.”
1996-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3721 (1996) · source
“While it is important to acknowledge the achievements made thus far, it is essential to recognize that the process of rebuilding a democratic and politically stable Haiti remains fragile and reversible. There is clear evidence that some former members of the Armed Forces of Haiti, which have been responsible for politically motivated violence in the past, still have access to funding and weapons. They are ready to destabilize the Government at any time, and they therefore pose a serious threat to Haiti's transition to democracy. Suggestions that some of these groups may be using neighbouring countries as a base need to be taken seriously.”
1996-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3721 (1996) · source
“Botswana is delighted that the Security Council has reached consensus on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH) until 31 May 1997. The contribution that UN SMIH is making to the betterment of the lives of the ordinary people of Haiti is beyond doubt: Violence has abated somewhat in recent weeks, and the security situation has improved, along with the capacity of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to deal with the challenges facing it. These are no mean achievements in a country in which the culture of violence has been a dominant factor for generations. The people of Haiti undoubtedly welcome and appreciate the role of the international community in assisting them to rebuild a more stable and peaceful society.”
1996-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3721 (1996) · source
“The international community should be ready to guarantee a balanced outcome and the effective implementation of the agreed commitments within a specific time-frame. We encourage the countries of the region to offer concrete proposals on the issues the conference should address. Botswana is optimistic and has confidence in the capacity of the region to rise to the challenge of the moment. The leaders of the region have demonstrated the political will to coordinate and harmonize their positions in confronting the difficulties facing their countries and peoples. And they have the unswerving support of my delegation in this endeavour.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“We look forward to his recommendations on the modalities for convening an international conference on peace, security and development. We underscore the need for sound preparations to pave the way for serious negotiations on concrete issues. The Great Lakes region has experienced so much bloodshed that the United Nations cannot afford to organize a conference that would generate heat rather than light and offer no solutions to the urgent problems facing the region. This is not the time for endless debates on the merits or demerits of convening such a conference. The time has come for all people of goodwill to work towards negotiations aimed at finding a permanent political settlement to the problems of the Great Lakes region.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“It is our hope that the Government of Rwanda will be ready to welcome and cooperate with an increased international presence. It has been established beyond a reasonable doubt that the former Rwandese Government forces and the interahamwe are preventing the refugees from exercising their right to return voluntarily. The international community should not and cannot ignore this reality, which goes against the fundamental legal principle of voluntary repatriation. It would be wrong to insist on the right of refugees to return on a voluntary basis while ignoring or doing nothing about the actions of those who obstruct the freedom of the refugees to exercise that legitimate right. Botswana strongly supports the mission of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Great Lakes region.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“The international community should now work in close collaboration with Rwanda to create conditions inside that country which would be conducive to the voluntary return of the refugees. The international community should be prepared to provide financial and material resources to help Rwanda resettle the returnees. Most of the difficulties experienced by the returnees centre around property disputes. There is an urgent need to help them build new homes. It must be clear to the Government of Rwanda that the refugees will judge the Government's public statements on the basis of what happens on the ground. In this respect, the international community has a role to play in assuring the returnees of their safety and security.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“This can only lead to increased tension along the Rwanda-Zaire border and transform what began as an internal conflict into an inter-State conflict with far-reaching regional ramifications. We are convinced therefore that a long-term solution to the prevailing situation lies in the return of the refugees to their communes in Rwanda. We welcome the fact that some refugees have spontaneously begun a journey to their homeland. It is still essential to ensure that they have immediate access to food, water and medicine and can return in safety and dignity. As far as we are concerned, the primary objective of the international community should be the repatriation of all the refugees to their country of origin. The Government of Rwanda has declared its commitment to welcome the refugees.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“It is therefore our hope that the international community will respond in a generous and timely manner to enable African States to participate in the humanitarian operation. The situation in eastern Zaire is not simply a refugee problem. It is in reality a political problem which requires a political solution. The prolonged stay of the refugees in camps in Zaire is a source of insecurity and instability to the country of asylum; even worse, it is a serious threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Zaire. The refugee camps have become recruitment grounds for those determined to train and equip an army to fight against the Government of Rwanda.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“Botswana welcomes the establishment of a trust fund to help African States that are willing to contribute to the humanitarian operation. It is important that African States, especially the States neighbouring Zaire, should be involved in the operation. The response of the countries of the region as reflected in the communique of the summit meeting held at Nairobi, Kenya, on 5 November 1996 drew the attention of the international community to the unfortunate situation that has been unfolding in eastern Zaire. It is significant that the States affected by the situation in eastern Zaire have called for the establishment of safe corridors and the deployment of an international force to ensure access to displaced persons and refugees by the international humanitarian personnel.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“It is in view of this reality that Botswana commends the Government and the people of Canada for their decision to take the lead in establishing and commanding a multinational force to respond to the humanitarian situation in eastern Zaire. We have become accustomed to Canada's exemplary leadership and outstanding courage in peacekeeping operations, but we certainly do not take them for granted. Botswana is pleased that the Security Council is in a position to take a decision on the deployment of a multinational force within a week after it adopted resolution 1078 (1996). This action will hopefully save hundreds of thousands of lives and give hope to many more who have been crying out for help in the wilderness. We are happy to join the consensus in support of the draft resolution.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“The authorization of the deployment of a multinational force for the Great Lakes region is probably the most important decision to be taken by the Security Council on the situation in that area. The draft resolution the Council is about to adopt strikes a delicate balance between what is desirable and what is achievable in the complex situation currently prevailing in eastern Zaire. The most important and immediate action is the need to gain access to the refugees and displaced persons so that the international humanitarian community can render them assistance. The deployment of the force will certainly avert what was likely to become a human tragedy of immense proportions. The international community had to do something or its conscience would for ever be troubled by the results of its inaction.”
1996-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3713 (1996) · source
“There is no doubt that the situation in Afghanistan constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security. We therefore share the concerns of Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, which called for this debate. The debate could not have been more timely. The war in Afghanistan could easily spread to the neighbouring countries and engulf the whole region of Central Asia. Undoubtedly, we are dealing with a very complex situation. There is, however, no other choice but to continue to assist the parties in Afghanistan to overcome their differences. The active involvement of the international community is indispensable to the search for a peaceful solution to the human tragedy that is Afghanistan.”
1996-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3705 (1996) · source
“This can be achieved through an all-encompassing negotiation process in which none of the parties are left out. The human tragedy in Afghanistan will not be brought to an end unless and until the neighbours of Afghanistan can agree on the modalities for helping that war-tom country to achieve peace. It is a well-known fact that foreign interference has hampered the search for a political settlement in Afghanistan. It is particularly regrettable that the flow of arms and ammunition across its borders continues with impunity. The countries of Central Asia should be united in the search for peace, and not fuel the fires of war in Afghanistan. They should be supporting, not undermining, the valuable efforts of the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan to find a lasting settlement.”
1996-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3705 (1996) · source
“The United Nations has shown its readiness to help the people of Afghanistan, but the parties should realize that the United Nations can only help them if they are ready to help themselves. In its presidential statement of 28 September 1996 (S/PRST/l996/40), the Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan. However, the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan can be assured only by the Afghan parties themselves. They should renounce violence and engage in genuine and meaningful negotiations. They have so far failed to attain their objectives, whatever they may be, through war, and it is unlikely they will do so in future. It is time they committed themselves to national reconciliation.”
1996-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3705 (1996) · source
“In some cases, food convoys have been prevented from reaching the victims of the conflict, and in other cases humanitarian assistance is being pillaged. If this situation continues unchecked, it could have a disastrous impact on the humanitarian situation of the people of Afghanistan, especially in the coming winter months. Resolution of the crisis in Afghanistan will, in the final analysis, depend on the willingness of the parties to the conflict to reach a peacefully negotiated political settlement. The international community can only encourage them in that direction, but it cannot impose its will on them. They have in fact not heeded the advice of the Security Council in previous years. This they have done to the great peril of their country and their people.”
1996-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3705 (1996) · source
“They have witnessed daily their country turned into ruins and their schools, hospitals, government offices and other national property reduced to rubble. The dream of a future in a peaceful country has been turned into an endless nightmare by several years of war. For Afghans, war and its ever-shifting battle lines bring mixed fortunes as one circle of misery succeeds another. The recent takeover of Kabul by one of the factions may have been a boon for some, but it was certainly a severe blow to several others, who found their civil liberties curtailed. There has also been a wave of arbitrary executions and detentions. We are also deeply concerned about the humanitarian aspects of the conflict in Afghanistan. The fighting has affected personnel of humanitarian organizations, many of whom have been forced to leave the country.”
1996-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3705 (1996) · source
“The human tragedy which befell the people of Afghanistan in the late 1970s continues unabated to this day. The conflict in that war-ravaged country is no closer to resolution today than it was 17 years ago. Yes, the nature of the war has changed over the years, but the killings, the untold suffering and the general mayhem remain the same. The parties to the Afghan conflict are as bent on seeking a military solution to the civil war as they were during foreign occupation. Unfortunately, the biggest losers in this fratricidal conflict are the ordinary people of Afghanistan, millions of whom have been forced to live like refugees in their own country. Tens of thousands more have had to flee the country to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. As displaced persons or refugees, they lead lives which are no more than mere existence.”
1996-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3705 (1996) · source
“They must try another route - jointly and not separately - to reach the lofty goals of their national dreams. Peace is their imperative. The one cannot have peace without the peace of the other. Equally, the sense of safety and security for the self-preservation of one side would be meaningless if it were not anchored on similar conditions for the safety and security of the other side for its own self-preservation.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“It is our hope that the efforts undertaken by these countries will complement those of the Security Council. The international community is unanimous on the need for an urgent and permanent solution to the problems of the Middle East. It is crucial that the parties receive the same message from today's debate. It must be made abundantly clear that the backward policies of war are not acceptable. Common sense and civilized conduct must prevail. The Israelis and the Palestinians need to be constantly reminded that their destinies are permanently and inextricably interlinked by reason of geography and history. They cannot wish one another away. They have battled and killed each other's children generation after generation, but this has not resolved their differences.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“The security forces of Israel and the Palestinian Authority have a crucial role to play in the peace process, and conflict between them should be avoided as much as possible. The Security Council has a responsibility to ensure the reduction of tension in the area. It should help the parties to give the necessary momentum to the peace process. In this context, we appeal to the Government of Israel to honour its obligations under the agreements signed with the Palestinian Authority. The resumption of the implementation of the Interim Agreement, in particular the Israeli withdrawal from Hebron, is crucial to rebuilding confidence and energizing the peace process. Botswana acknowledges the diplomatic efforts undertaken by a number of countries to de-escalate the volatile situation in the area.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“In this regard, the highly controversial decision by the Government of Israel to open a tunnel under the third- holiest Muslim site was an act of insensitivity to the religious concerns of the Palestinians. It is not in the interests of Israel to ignore these concerns. The armed confrontation between the Israeli Defence Force and the Palestinian Authority police is an unfortunate and ominous development which can seriously poison the atmosphere of cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on important security matters. Israel and the Palestinian Authority need each other to manage these delicate issues. The atmosphere of trust and mutual confidence engendered by the joint patrols of the security forces was an important element in the implementation of the peace process.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“The international community has warmly and wholeheartedly welcomed the emergence of such common ground between the two peoples. The Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority should focus attention on the arduous task of building the foundations of durable peace and not on the digging of graves to bury their dead. The present situation should not be allowed to derail the peace process and return the Middle East to the dark ages of endless bloodletting. The agreements between the parties provide a framework for mutual accommodation and cooperation. The parties should not lose this window of opportunity. This calls for mutual respect and for understanding of the interests and concerns of both parties.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“The agreements signed between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization had given the people of Palestine a profound hope that at long last they could look forward to a peaceful future. The policies of the Government of Israel which have had the effect of reversing some important aspects of the peace agreements have dashed their hopes. The Palestinians were bound to lose their sense of purpose in the circumstances. And, as we all know, and as history has taught us, people in such situations resort to all manner of desperate acts. Israel and the Palestinian Authority have accepted that they cannot build peace on one another's graves. They have committed themselves to agreements aimed at establishing a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“Botswana is alarmed by developments in the occupied Arab territories. We are dismayed by the soaring number of the casualties of the wanton violence that is being wreaked mainly on the innocent. These developments are the culmination of a series of events whose common genesis is the nearly comatose state in which the peace process has been languishing in the past few months. The difficult economic conditions under which the Palestinians live as a result of the border closures have exacted a heavy toll on their everyday lives. Work and travel restrictions, and the slowdown in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process have exacerbated the growing frustration among the Palestinian people.”
1996-09-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3698Resumption1 (1996) · source
“The draft resolution before us is generally acceptable to my delegation to the extent that it reaffirms the principles enshrined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation and its annexes. We would have been happier, however, if the language of paragraphs 2 and 6 had been drafted differently. The incident of 24 February 1996 was most unfortunate indeed, and we hope there will be no similar tragic event in the future.”
1996-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3683 (1996) · source
“Civil aircraft that take to the air from a country of registration, ignore air corridors they have logged with the control towers and deliberately penetrate the airspace of another country for the purpose of fomenting civil disorder or disturbance there should be seriously warned against engaging in such acts of provocation. While States should indeed refrain from the use of weapons against civil aircraft, they should not be unnecessarily provoked into taking actions they would otherwise ordinarily avoid taking. In short, civil aircraft should not be used for the provocation of States under any circumstances, and States should not shoot down such aircraft on sight, as this puts the lives of those on board, and the aircraft, in danger.”
1996-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3683 (1996) · source
“My delegation made its position very clear earlier this year regarding the absolute necessity for States to refrain from the use of weapons against civil aircraft. There is no doubt in our minds that civil aircraft should be rendered whatever assistance they may need at all times whenever they enter the national airspace of any State unannounced or through an ungazetted entry point. In the normal course of their operations such aircraft would definitely lose their way. They should ordinarily be intercepted and guided to a landing strip, where the true facts regarding their presence in the area may be established. Equally, civil aircraft should never be used for purposes inconsistent with the spirit and intent of the Chicago Convention.”
1996-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3683 (1996) · source