YouSaid · the spoken record

León González

lines on the record

133

first

2011-10-24

most recent

2020-01-22

sittings or episodes

17

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

1. “Cuba regrets that the second round of talks on Syria ended without agreement among the parties. We share the yearning of the international community to pursue the dialogue and reach agreement on ending the conflict through a peaceful process led by the Syrian people. Cuba reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods and practices ofterrorism in all its aspects and manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever committed, including State terrorism. In that regard, Cuba condemns the acts of terrorism committed in the Middle East, including in Syria, as well as support for irregular armed groups, including mercenaries, which only contribute to destruction and death and hinder diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

2. “We encourage the international community to continue assisting Syria in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and the fulfillment of the agreements on the destruction of its stockpile of chemical weapons under existing commitments. We also welcome the progress achieved in eliminating chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic and the cooperation of the Syrian Government with the joint mission of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. We also underscore the current efforts undertaken in complex conditions, to remove the chemical weapons from Syrian territory. We reiterate that it is essential that those with influence on the opposition groups use it to promote the success of the mission, rather than hinder the process.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

3. “We cannot fail to reiterate our concern over the loss of innocent lives resulting from the Syrian conflict. We condemn all acts of violence against the civilian population in that country and reject the supposed protection of human life as a pretext for foreign intervention. We also reject the complicity of the mainstream media, which distort reality while avoiding any consequences of their actions. The Council's duty is to promote peace, not violence. It is to prevent destabilization, not to contribute to the financing, arming or training of any destabilizing actors. We emphasize the call to preserve the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria and its people's right to self-determination without foreign interference or intervention of any kind.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

4. “We hope that it will mark a historic milestone in the Palestinian people's achievement of all of its rights, including the acceptance of the Palestinian State as a full Member of the United Nations. Cuba welcomes Palestine's application to accede to 15 international instruments. We demand an end to the occupation of all of the Arab territories and reiterate our position in favour of a just and lasting peace for all people of the Middle East region. Cuba continues to attach attention to the situation in Syria and reiterates that a political solution, attained through dialogue and negotiation, is the only alternative to the conflict in that country. We oppose the calls of those who promote regime change in Syria and the use of force and violence.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

5. “Israeli forces continued their incursions into the occupied Palestinian territories, perpetuating the violent, destructive image of the occupation. In 2013, more than 4,000 Palestinians - including children - were arrested or detained, adding to the thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Only an end to the settlement policy, the release of Palestinian prisoners, ensuring the right of return and the immediate, unconditional and complete lifting of the cruel and illegal blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip will lead to the launching of a genuine political process to peace in the region. Cuba will continue to support the Palestinian people in theirjust struggle for self-determination, and welcomes the proclamation of 2014 as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

6. “The construction and expansion of the illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territory; the difficult and painful reality ofPalestinian prisoners; and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip, where the living conditions of the inhabitants have worsened as the unjust blockade has tightened, are unacceptable. Israel has announced plans to build more than 7,600 new settlements, together with the ongoing construction of thousands more throughout the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem and its surroundings, since negotiations resumed in 2013. Furthermore, Israel demolished at least 200 Palestinian homes in 2013, forcibly displaced hundreds of people, and continued the construction of the wall, isolating entire communities and hindering the establishment of the State of Palestine.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

7. “There will be no peace in the Middle East so long as such aggression persists and the legitimate, inalienable rights of the Palestinian people are ignored. Israel's conduct in deliberate violation of United Nations resolutions, international law and international humanitarian law constitutes a threat to regional and international peace and security. The General Assembly took a historic decision when its members, by majority decision, granted Palestine non-member observer State status in the United Nations. The international community must continue to support the Palestinian people's legitimate call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State based on the pre-l967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

8. “Mr. Leon Gonzalez (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): Cuba fully supports the statement made by the representative of Iran on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. The Middle East continues to hold the attention of the international community. Time and again, the Council convenes such debates without any progress, while the major problems persist. The illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian and other Arab territories remains the main obstacle to achieving peace and a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement in the Middle East. It is essential that the Council play its proper role in defending international peace and security and that it immediately adopt concrete, practical measures to ensure that Israel ends its aggression against the Palestinian people.”

   2014-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7164 (2014) · source

9. “I will conclude with the words of Cuba's national hero, Jose Marti, when, seeking a bright future for the people, he declared, "The future is peace".”

   2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

10. “As proof of the commitment to peace by CELAC'S members, the Heads of State and Government of CELAC have just declared the Latin American and Caribbean region a zone of peace, in which differences among nations will be solved peacefully by means of dialogue and negotiation or other forms of settlement, in full accordance with international law. My delegation reaffirms in this forum the unwavering commitment of the Cuban people to peace. In that regard, the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, said that the struggle of peoples for their sovereignty and independence is the struggle for peace. Cuba has struggled for peace by fighting the exploitation of man by man. Cuba has struggled for peace by defending its sovereignty.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

11. “Cuba will continue to work actively in its national capacity and as a member of other groups of States, such as the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), to achieve the complete elimination and prohibition of nuclear weapons. I take this opportunity to recall that, on 26 September, we will celebrate for the first time the International Day for Nuclear Disarmament as a result of the decision of the General Assembly. That will be an important time for renewing our efforts towards the complete elimination of such weapons. Allow me to underscore that the second summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States is taking place in Havana today as a consolidation of the integrationist will of the peoples of the region.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

12. “The criteria of the Peacebuilding Commission and its offices in the field should have a greater say in decision-making within the United Nations system, in particular on matters concerning peace and security that are assessed by the Security Council and relate to certain States under the Commission's consideration. We agree that the topic of peacekeeping, peacebuilding and international security today is undoubtedly one of the major challenges of the international community. We strongly believe that international peace and security will continue to be at risk as long as nuclear weapons, which threaten the survival of humankind, are not completely eliminated.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

13. “We are concerned about the increasing tendency by the Security Council to reinterpret the mandate entrusted to it under the Charter and to take on functions that do not belong to it, appropriating the role granted by the Charter to other main organs ofthe Organization, in particular the General Assembly. We reiterate the key role and authority of the General Assembly in the maintenance of international peace and security as the most democratic and representative principal organ of the United Nations. The effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping operations requires those operations to be established in full compliance with the principles of consent of the parties, impartiality and the use of force only for self-defence. We support an integrated and coordinated vision among the various levels and actors in peace configuration processes.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

14. “The Security Council has the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and should fulfil that role in accordance with the powers vested in it by the Charter. We advocate an urgent and thorough reform of this organ that turns it into a democratic and effective forum for the accomplishment of its mandate. The Security Council should promote peaceful solutions and resist resorting to war. Those solutions should never stir up armed confrontations, let alone be champions of the philosophy of regime change, which, in practice, contradicts the pacifist essence of the Organization.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

15. “There cannot be development without peace and stability and peace and stability will not exist without development. There will be no peace and security for a people that are seriously threatened by hunger, malnutrition, a lack of sanitation and access to drinking water, illiteracy, high rates ofinfant mortality, a short life expectancy and death from preventable diseases. International peace and security can be maintained only if there is respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Such principles establish the sovereign equality of all States, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, the renunciation of the threat or use of force against any other State and non-interference in matters that are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of States.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

16. “Some of such dangers to peace include hegemonic and imperialistic domination and its interests, acts of aggression, the struggle to seize natural resources, persistent colonialist and neocolonialist strategies and practices, the unjust and exclusionary current international order, unequal exchanges, discrimination, xenophobia, interventionism and violations of peoples' right to self-determination. There cannot be peace and security as long as unilateral and extraterritorial measures are imposed by one State against another, as is the case with the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed against Cuba has been for over 50 years now. Solidarity, cooperation, international assistance andjoint action to eliminate poverty, unemployment, hunger, inequalities and the underlying causes thereof are necessary to prevent conflicts.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

17. “We believe that the pacifist vocation of the Organization has been endorsed by its Member States since its foundation. Unfortunately, international peace has not been achieved. In our opinion, the lessons of war are only, on balance, a litany of losses: millions of human victims, the destruction of the historical and cultural heritage of our civilization and a panorama of devastation that various peoples across the world have suffered. Longing for peace and creating organs and mechanisms seeking to implement it are not enough. We must eliminate the causes conspiring against peace.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

18. “That is precisely the primary objective of the Charter of the United Nations, that is, to maintain international peace and security and, to that end, to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles ofjustice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations that might lead to a breach of the peace. Likewise, another objective of the Charter is to foster friendly relations between nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

19. “Mr. Leon Gonzalez (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): Cuba welcomes the holding of this open debate of the Security Council to tackle such an important topic as the maintenance of international peace and security. We believe it timely to start by recalling that this Organization that brings us all together was born when its founders set the goal of preserving succeeding generations from the scourge of war. The founding Charter of the Organization calls on us to practice tolerance and to live together in peace as good neighbours and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.”

    2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source

20. “Cuba is opposed to the calls of those who promote regime change in Syria and opt for the use of force and violence, instead of contributing to dialogue and to negotiation between all the parties. We also reject the complicity of the mass media, which are accustomed to distorting reality and are not accountable for the consequences of their actions. We reiterate our call to preserve the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria and the right to the self-determination of its people, without foreign intervention or interference of any kind, and we urge the promotion of a political solution to the conflict through diplomatic means without any more bloodshed.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

21. “We share the concern over the loss of innocent lives in Syria and in any part of the world. We also condemn all acts of violence in that country against civilians and innocents. We reject the resort to the supposed protection of human lives as a pretext for foreign intervention, be it direct or through the support of illegal armed groups, including the use of mercenaries that only sow destruction and escalate the number of deaths. The Security Council's obligation is to foster peace, not violence. It is to avoid destabilization and not to contribute to the financing, arming and training of those who aim to destabilize. It is to protect innocent people and not to use or manipulate them for geopolitical purposes. That is also the responsibility of the Organization as a whole.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

22. “Cuba supports the establishment of a a zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, in the Middle East. In that context, we welcome the decision of the Syrian Arab Republic to join the Chemical Weapons Convention and its willingness to implement it immediately on a provisional basis, including before the entry into force of the Convention for that country. Likewise, we welcome the agreements achieved on the destruction of Syria's arsenal of chemical weapons. We also support efforts to achieve a political solution to the conflict that respects the sovereignty, independence and integrity of Syria and the self-determination of its people. We flatly reject military intervention as a solution to the very serious conflict, and we are opposed to the use of force against Syria.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

23. “The living conditions of its inhabitants have further declined under the ongoing unjust blockade of that area. Only the end of the settlement policy, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip will make it possible to implement a significant political process that would bring peace to the region. Cuba will continue to support the Palestinian people in their just struggle for self-determination. Cuba pays particular attention to the situation in Syria and its international repercussions. Cuba condemns any use of chemical weapons and other weapons ofmass destruction, and is firmly committed to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, and to strict compliance with its provisions.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

24. “We are encouraged by the news of the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestine, but we must continue to support the Palestinian people in their legitimate and just struggle for self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Cuba demands that Israel comply with international law and end its occupation of all Arab territories, and reiterates its position in favour of a just and lasting peace for all of the peoples in the Middle East. The Palestinian people's suffering has worsened under the growing number of Israeli settlements, the difficult and agonizing reality of Palestinian prisoners, and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

25. “The General Assembly took an historic decision when its member States, in a majority decision (resolution 67/ 19), granted Palestine observer status in the United Nations. Cuba supported that decision in line with its historic position of support for the cause of the Palestinian people in defence of their rights. The Cuban delegation reiterates its support for the admission of Palestine as a full-fledged State Member of the United Nations. The Security Council must consider and approve without further delay the request for its recognition as a State Member of the United Nations, presented by Palestine in 2011.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

26. “The illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories remains the main obstacle to peace and the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive solution in the region of the Middle East. The Security Council must play its due role in maintaing international peace and security and adopt practical, specific measures to compel Israel to end to its abuse against the Palestinian people. Israel's conduct deliberately violates United Nations resolutions, threatens regional and international peace and security, and violates the human rights of an entire people. There will be no peace in the Middle East as long as that aggression continues and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people are no taken into account.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

27. “Mr. Leon Gonzalez (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): Cuba associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In our national capacity, we would like to make a few comments about the important topic that we are considering today. The Middle East has occupied the attention of the international community, in particular due to the events that have taken place in that region recently. Nonetheless, we cannot forget that the region has been marked by instability and insecurity, driven primarily by what we consider to be the main political problem in the Middle East - the systematic aggression of Israel, the occupying Power, against Palestine.”

    2013-10-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7047 (2013) · source

28. “We reaffirm the right of the people of Syria to exercise full self-determination and sovereignty, free from foreign interference or intervention.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

29. “It also rejects the media's habitual complicity in distorting reality and failing to answer for the consequences of its actions. A civil war in Syria or the intervention of foreign forces would have dire consequences for international peace and security and in particular for the volatile Middle East. Cuba is concerned about the loss of innocent lives in Syria and everywhere else in the world. It condemns all acts ofviolence against innocent civilians perpetrated by those engaged in this and all others conflicts. It rejects the need to protect human lives being used as a pretext for foreign intervention, be it direct or through irregular armed groups, including mercenaries, who only sow destruction and death.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

30. “Once again, Cuba reiterates its support for a just and lasting peace among all the people of the Middle East. Cuba continues to follow closely the situation in Syria and its international repercussions. It remains alarmed that those who seek regime change are calling for the use of force and violence instead of encouraging dialogue and negotiation. It is the duty of this organ to strengthen peace, not violence; to prevent instability, not to contribute to financing, arming or training those who want to destabilize the country; and to protect innocent people, not to use or manipulate them for geopolitical purposes. That is also the responsibility of the Organization as a whole. Cuba is opposed to NATO's manoeuvring to obtain the approval of the Security Council to attack Syria.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

31. “The Palestinian people are suffering more as a result of the growing number of illegal Israeli settlements, the difficulties and pain experienced by Palestinian prisoners, and the closing of access to goods, humanitarian aid and fuel to the Gaza Strip. Only the end of the settlement policy, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip would make it possible to embark on a significant political process that could lead to peace throughout the region. Cuba will continue to support the Palestinian people in their legitimate and just struggle for self- determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It insists that Israel comply with international law and withdraw from all Arab territories it occupies.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

32. “The General Assembly took an unprecedented step when it granted Palestine non-member observer status at the United Nations. In keeping with its historic stance of supporting the cause of the Palestinian people to uphold their rights, Cuba supported that decision. The Cuban delegation reiterates its support for admitting Palestine as a fully-fledged State Member of the United Nations. The Security Council must consider and promptly approve the request submitted by Palestine in 2011 for the United Nations to recognize it as a Member State. The current situation in the region is tense and explosive. Reports indicate the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, further complicating the living conditions of its inhabitants following the tightened blockade in that area.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

33. “It is urgent that the Security Council assume its designated role as a defender of international peace and security and take concrete, practical steps to make Israel end its abuses against the Palestinian people. Israel's behaviour deliberately contravenes United Nations resolutions, poses a threat to regional and international peace and security, and violates the human rights of an entire people. Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories remains the main obstacle to attaining a just, durable and comprehensive peaceful solution in the Middle East. As long as these acts of aggression continue and unless the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people are taken into consideration, there can be no peace in the Middle East.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

34. “Mr. Leon Gonzalez (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): Cuba aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In our national capacity, we wish to highlight some important aspects of the subject we are discussing today. Time and again, the Security Council convenes these debates on the Middle East without making any progress. It is deplorable that the situation in the region in general and the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, in particular remains unresolved. The region continues to be marked by instability and insecurity. The principal political problem of the Middle East is the systematic aggression of Israel, the occupying Power, against Palestine.”

    2013-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7007 (2013) · source

35. “Finally, Cuba reiterates its rejection of the double standard prevailing in the Security Council. On the one hand, it can be very flexible and tries to ensure, through all kinds of pressure, that certain situations are considered in the Council. On the other hand, when the situation does not suit the interests of certain countries, it is slow to act, or simply fails to act, as in the case of Palestine. After dozens of resolutions by this organ, there has been no progress in achieving the establishment of a Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It has shown its inability to grant Palestine its well-deserved status of full United Nations Member and does nothing to stop the ongoing violations committed by Israel, the occupying Power, against the Palestinian people.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

36. “A civil war in Syria or a foreign-force intervention would have serious consequences for international peace and security, especially for the Middle East region. We reject attempts to turn the alleged protection of human lives into an excuse for foreign intervention, either directly or through support for irregular armed groups, including the use of mercenaries, who only sow destruction and multiply the number of deaths. Cuba reaffirms the right of the Syrian people to the full exercise of their self-determination and sovereignty, without foreign interference or intervention of any kind. The role of the international community, in this time of difficulty for a State Member of the United Nations, is to offer its assistance in order to safeguard peace and stability in that country.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

37. “The obligation of the Security Council is to promote peace, not violence; to prevent destabilization, not to finance, arm and train those involved in destabilization; and to protect the innocent, not to use and manipulate them for geopolitical purposes. That is also the responsibility of the Organization as a whole. Cuba objects to NATO's maneuvering to have the Security Council approve the aggression in Syria. It also rejects the complicity of the mass media, which are accustomed to distorting reality and to not being answerable for their actions. Cuba shares the concern about the loss of innocent lives in Syria and elsewhere in the world. It also condemns the acts of violence being committed against defenceless civilians by all those involved in that or any other conflict.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

38. “The calls made by those who promote regime change in Syria and rely on the use of force and violence are alarming. They should instead contribute to dialogue and negotiation between the parties. The Security Council was not conceived as an instrument to be used by certain Powers to provoke regime change in selected countries. There is reason to be concerned about intentions to promote Security Council actions and declarations aimed at increasing violence, undermining a sovereign Government, generating insecurity and leading a nation to a social and humanitarian crisis with unforeseeable consequences.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

39. “Only an end to the settlement policy, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the lifting of the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip will make it possible to launch a significant political process that will bring peace to the region. Cuba will continue to support the Palestinian people in their legitimate and just struggle for self- determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Cuba calls upon Israel to comply with international law and to put an end to its occupation of all Arab territories, and reiterates once again its support for a just and lasting peace for all the peoples of the Middle East region. Cuba is closely following the situation in Syria and its international impact, aware of the fact that the information available is frequently manipulated.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

40. “Today, the situation in the region is tense and explosive, due to the increasing number of illegal Israeli settlements, the harsh and distressing reality of Palestinian prisoners and the blockade to entry of goods, humanitarian aid and fuel in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian prisoners lack rights to essential goods and services, namely, water, food, medical care, education, visits and legal defence. In addition, they are subjected to continous physical and psychological abuse. The recent death of a 64-year-old prisoner due to medical negligence by the occupying Power has led to violent clashes in East Jerusalem, Hebron and other localities of the occupied territory, where Israel's use of excessive force has injured dozens of people and killed two Palestinian adolescents.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

41. “There will be no peace in the Middle East as long as those aggressions persist and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people are not taken into account. The General Assembly adopted the historic resolution 67/ 19 when a majority of its members granted Palestine non-member observer status in the United Nations. Cuba supported that resolution, in accordance with its long-standing position in support ofthe cause of the Palestinian people and the defence of its rights. However, such action constitutes an interim step towards the eventual accession of Palestine to the United Nations as a fully fledged Member State. The Security Council must consider and approve, without further delay, the request made by Palestine in 2011 to be recognized as a United Nations Member State.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

42. “The Security Council must play its role in defence of international peace and security and immediately adopt concrete practical measures to compel Israel to end its abuses and illegal policies and practices against the Palestinian people. Israel's behaviour deliberately contravenes UnitedNations resolutions and international law, poses a threat to regional and international peace and security, and violates the human rights of an entire people by means of flagrant, systematic and inhumane abuses that should be condemned by this organ. Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories remains the major obstacle to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive solution in the Middle East region.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

43. “Mr. Leon Gonzalez (Cuba) (Spoke in Spanish): Cuba endorses the statement made by the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In my national capacity, I wish to highlight some aspects relevant to the matter at hand. This is the second open debate this year on the Middle East region held at the Security Council without achieving any progress. It is unfortunate that the situation in the region, especially in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, has seen no progress. The region is still marked by instability and insecurity. The main political problem in the Middle East is the systematic aggression by Israel against Palestine.”

    2013-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6950Resumption1 (2013) · source

44. “It also condemns violent acts taking place in that country against the innocent civilian population, carried out by all those involved in that or any other conflict. We reject any attempt to make alleged efforts to protect human lives a pretext for foreign intervention, whether directly or with the support of irregular armed groups, including mercenaries who only sow destruction and death. Cuba reaffirms the right of the Syrian people to exercise full self-determination and sovereignty, without foreign interference or intervention of any kind. The role of the international community at this difficult moment of a United Nations Member State is to help safeguard peace and stability in the country. We reiterate our confidence in the capacity of the Syrian people and Government to solve their internal problems without foreign interference.”

    2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source

45. “The intentions of some to foment Security Council actions and pronouncements aimed at increasing violence, undermining a sovereign Government, generating insecurity and leading a nation into a social and humanitarian crisis of unforeseeable consequences are cause for concern. The obligation of this organ is to promote peace, not violence; to prevent destabilization, not to finance, arm and train those intent on destabilization; and to protect innocent people, not to use or manipulate them for geopolitical purposes. That is also the responsibility of the Organization as a whole. A civil war in Syria or an intervention by foreign forces will have serious consequences for international peace and security, particularly the Middle East region. Cuba shares the concern over the loss of innocent lives in Syria and anywhere else in the world.”

    2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source

46. “Likewise, Israel's decision to withhold tax revenues due to the Palestinian National Authority, in violation of agreements between the two parties and of international law, and the new settlement plans in the occupied Palestinian territories are highly reprehensible actions. Cuba will continue supporting the Palestinian people in their legitimate and just struggle for self- determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Cuba calls on Israel to end to its occupation of all Arab territories, and reiterates again its position in favour of ajust and lasting peace for all the peoples of the Middle East region. Cuba is closely following the situation in Syria. The Security Council was not conceived as an instrument to promote regime change.”

    2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source

47. “Cuba co-sponsored General Assembly resolution 67/ 19, consistent with its long-standing position of support for the cause of the Palestinian people to defend their rights. However, that action must be an interim step towards Palestine's eventual admission as a full State Member of the United Nations, which Cuba fully supports. The Security Council must consider and approve without further delay Palestine's 2011 request for recognition as a United Nations Member State. The reprisals of the Israeli Government related to the adoption of resolution 67/19 on 29 November 2012 are unacceptable. Its brutality against the Palestinian people has resulted in the deaths of more innocent civilians and in huge material damage that has aggravated the already precarious living conditions of the Palestinian people in that small, besieged territory.”

    2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source

48. “Israel's behaviour deliberately contravenes United Nations resolutions and international laws, is a threat to regional and international peace and security, and violates the human rights of an entire people through flagrant, systematic and inhuman abuses that this body should condemn. The Israeli illegal occupation of Palestinian and other Arab territories remains the primary obstacle to achieving ajust, lasting and comprehensive solution in the Middle East region. There will not be peace in the Middle East as long as such aggressions continue and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people are not taken into account. The General Assembly adopted a historic decision on 29 November 2012, when its members, by a majority decision, accorded Palestine non-member observer States status in the United Nations.”

    2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source

49. “Mr. Leon Gonzalez (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): Cuba associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In my national capacity, I wish to underscore some important aspects of the matter before us. Time and again, such debates on the Middle East region are held by Security Council without achieving any progress on the issue. The main political problem in the Middle East is Israel's systematic aggression against Palestine. The Security Council must play its role in maintaining international peace and security and immediately adopt concrete practical measures so that Israel stops its abuses and illegal policies and practices against the Palestinian people.”

    2013-01-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6906Resumption1 (2013) · source

50. “It is important to continue to strengthen interaction among host countries of peacekeeping operations, troop-contributing countries, the Secretariat and the Security Council. The efficiency of peacekeeping operations and the credibility of the Organization depend on developing such interaction. Concerning the Secretariat's proposal to introduce modern technologies and to use unmanned aerial systems as an experiment in some operations, Cuba considers that, given its implications, this issue should be thoroughly discussed in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. The potential use of such technology should in no way affect the basic principles of peacekeeping operations.”

    2013-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6903 (2013) · source