YouSaid · the spoken record

Levitte

lines on the record: 1,215
first: 2000-03-21
most recent: 2002-11-12
sittings or episodes: 146
sources: un-security-council

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“Apart from the fact that we might be tempted to carry out peacekeeping operations on a very tight budget, post-conflict peace-building operations- I refer to the building of a state of law, economic reconstruction and restoring the social fabric- all depend basically on voluntary contributions. Even if it is not the Council's job to respond, this question should be raised. Can there be continuity of effort in the context of an exit strategy with such discontinuity in the method of financing? Fifthly, continuity does not, however, mean inertia. To the contrary, the United Nations must be able to adapt to changes on the ground and hand over control at the right time. I will take just one example here: the United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES).”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“In East Timor, once comprehensive security was restored by the International Force in East Timor, the United Nations deployed a large-scale mission, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor, charged with rebuilding the territory. This determination is being demonstrated today in Sierra Leone. This last point brings me to the fourth lesson that can be drawn from past experience. The implementation of a strategy means that the United Nations and its Member States must be prepared to mobilize the necessary means for as long as necessary. I have already said that despite the reservations expressed by various parties, the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic was maintained beyond the initial deadline. Persistence is often a key element of success. This means that adequate resources should be available.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“However, Somalia and Rwanda highlight the difficulty, or even the unfeasibility, of this job when there is not even a minimum consensus between the parties to the conflict. In this case, two opposite, and extreme, approaches are available to the Security Council. One is inaction or, if there is commitment on the ground, simple withdrawal. That happened in Somalia and Rwanda, and we know the political price that the United Nations paid in both. The other is enforcement action, which is what took place at a certain point in Haiti, Somalia and East Timor. This last option, however, presupposes maintaining a commitment for the duration.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“One good example is the parallel between the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), charged with preparing and accompanying East Timor to independence, and the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), charged with providing an interim administration while establishing transitional institutions for democratic self-administration in Kosovo. In each case the Security Council must to have a clear picture of what it can do and adapt its decisions accordingly. Thirdly, much depends on the local actors. If there is clearly broad compliance with the rules of the game, it is possible to define a strategy and to stick to it. This is what happened in Mozambique and in the Central African Republic, as I have just demonstrated.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“The solutions to this shortcoming are not easy to find, but some elements can be pinpointed: developing a preventive approach; strengthening the Secretariat's capacities for analysis and early warning, in the spirit of the recommendations of the Brahimi report; giving more attention to the underlying causes when the Council is seized with a conflict; and, as far as possible, making sure that the basic problems receive appropriate responses in the peacekeeping phase, and especially in the peace-building phase. My second comment is that a strategy must be based on clearly defined ultimate goals, which essentially must be the establishment of conditions - political, security and economic- for lasting peace. This is possible in many cases, but is not totally possible in others.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“But the Council is ill-equipped to understand- correctly and quickly enough- this dimension, and the Secretariat often does not have the means if it does not have a presence in the field. The second reason for lack of proper understanding is that usually the Security Council intervenes only when a conflict has begun and deals in particular with the phases of restoring peace and peacekeeping. However, without a clear understanding of the fundamental reasons for the conflict, there is a risk of only dealing with the symptoms and coming up with temporary solutions.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“Finally, when MINURCA ended last February the Secretary-General and the Security Council were careful to maintain a support office in the field to, inter alia, follow the implementation of reforms and to promote an integrated approach to the elaboration and implementation of post-conflict peace-building programmes. The Council continues to be informed of the office's activities and of developments in the situation. I now wish to make some general comments. Having a strategy means, first, having a good understanding of the problem in all its dimensions and of the required substantive solutions. This is no easy task, particularly for the Security Council, for two reasons. The first is that a proper understanding of the situation requires knowledge of the underlying causes of conflicts and the interests and motives of the protagonists.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“ThirdIy, on this basis, the Security Council extended MINURCA's mandate to ensure a safe environment for the holding of the general and presidential elections so that the country could have political institutions that enjoyed democratic legitimacy. Although this political condition was not sufficient, it was essential in order to deal with the other problems of the Central African Republic. Fourthly, the United Nations actions through MINURCA were not the only means by which the international community supported the Central African Republic's recovery. At the same time, international financial institutions and donors were seeking to deal with the economic and financial aspects of the situation.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“This made it possible to ensure that not only was there a good common understanding of the Mission's objectives and conduct, but also that there was, as much as possible, coherence in the action of the international community beyond MINURCA itself. Secondly, the Group of Friends established a series of criteria, benchmarks to assess the Mission's performance and, in particular, the effort made by the Central African Republic authorities to match the commitment of the international community. Even if these criteria were imperfectly met, they provided both a road map describing the objectives for durable stabilization of the situation, and a kind of tracking board making it possible to assess the results and adjust the operation's duration and mandate.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“It describes the conditions, more or less successful, conditions for closure of the missions and examines the reasons for these results. In this spirit, I should like to make a few comments about the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA). From the standpoint that is of concern to us today, we believe that some interesting lessons can be drawn from this operation. I should like to make five points. First, the management of this case was the most inclusive possible. Apart from the regular consideration by the Security Council, a Group of Friends was established consisting of members of the Security Council that were particularly interested, troop contributors, countries of the region and external donors.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“Mr. Levitte (France) (spoke in French): Mr. President, you have asked us today to give thought to the topic "No exit without strategy". Your initiative is very welcome, and I thank you for it. It comes at a timely moment, timely because the United Nations is involved in an unprecedented exercise of introspection and of remaking peace operations in the wake of the very useful Brahimi report, and also because the Security Council has established some important, even decisive, operations - I am thinking of Kosovo and Timor in particular - and it must be able to terminate them without risking the future of the peoples concerned. The document prepared by the Netherlands delegation for our discussion studies three examples of peacekeeping operations.”
2000-11-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4223 (2000) · source
“In a general manner, the Bosnian political officials bear responsibility for working to strengthen joint institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to promote good governance there in all of its aspects, and to fully implement the Dayton Agreements. This will be the key to reconciliation and economic development. Continued efforts to change mindsets are also needed in order for voters to stop making decisions on the basis of ethnic criteria. Bosnian political officials have an essential role to play in this respect, as does the international community, in order to promote the long-awaited changes.”
2000-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4222 (2000) · source
“Fortunately, the majority ofthe voters wisely rejected it. As the Peace Implementation Council emphasized in Brussels last May 23 and 24, the promotion ofjoint operational and responsible democratic institutions is among the highest priorities of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Members of the Security Council had an opportunity to show their support for this objective on 26 October, in the presence of Mr. Wolfgang Petritsch. In these conditions, it is essential that the elected authorities from both entities contribute, in a spirit of cooperation, to the formation of an effective central executive body.”
2000-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4222 (2000) · source
“Regarding the results, it is clear that at this stage we can speak only on the basis of partial and preliminary data. That data shows the dominance by the nationalist parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which we deem regrettable. On the territory of the Federation, it would seem that the multi-ethnic parties did not achieve the hoped for gains. In Republika Srpska, the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) will probably be the major victor in those elections. Moreover, it should be recalled that the so-called referendum organized by Croat nationalists in certain sectors of Bosnia and Herzegovina was declared illegal by the OSCE. That referendum, which put forward the creation of new institutional structures based on ethnicity that would benefit only the members of one community, has no legal validity.”
2000-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4222 (2000) · source
“These developments reflect a better acceptance by the voters ofthe rules ofthe democratic game. In this respect, the High Representative, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), by carrying out substantive action for several years now to promote democratization and respect for human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, have significantly contributed to this process. We should be gratified by this and congratulate them. We would like also to thank the OSCE in particular for effectively organizing the voting. The OSCE's Election Appeals Subcommission is continuing its efforts to determine what took place in the polling stations in which localized problems have been identified.”
2000-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4222 (2000) · source
“Mr. Levitte (France) (spoke in French): I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia - and the associated countries Cyprus and Malta, as well as the European Free Trade Association country member of the European Economic Area - Norway - align themselves with this statement. The briefing we have just heard from Mr. Jean- Marie Guehenno reaffirms that the general elections that were held on 11 November in Bosnia and Herzegovina proceeded smoothly, without significant incident. This represents noticeable progress as compared to the 1996 and 1998 elections.”
2000-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4222 (2000) · source
“Today the Security Council has, in our View, responded to the appeal made by the heads of State and Government at the recent Millennium Summit regarding the reforms called for in the Brahimi Report.”
2000-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4220 (2000) · source
“My country has been, and will continue, to make contributions to other operations authorized by the Security Council, as applies to Bosnia and Kosovo today. I would also mention that at the General Assembly last September, Mr. Vedrine, on behalf of the European Union, referred to European projects aimed at strengthening security and defence capabilities and crisis management capabilities, to be completed by 2003. Indeed, to date, the European Union has prepared security forces consisting of some 60,000 soldiers and 5000 police officers. These capabilities will in due course be made available under a United Nations peacekeeping mandate or any operation authorized by the Security Council.”
2000-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4220 (2000) · source
“In particular I wish to underline, in our work all that relates to the significant strengthening in Council consultations with troop-contributing countries - a process which must be employed and maintained throughout all phases of preparation and until the successful carrying out of the mandate assigned to any peacekeeping operation. France will continue actively to contribute to peacekeeping operations, notably by despatching police officers, civilian and military experts and supporting the formation and equipping of battalions, mainly African, and in providing logistic and financial support. This contribution has in the past at times been dramatic. I have in mind the 65 French soldiers killed in the service of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Bosnia.”
2000-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4220 (2000) · source
“Mr. Doutriaux (France) (spoke in French): The French delegation welcomes today's adoption by the Security Council of a resolution that reflects our commitment to strengthening the peacekeeping ability of the United Nations. We have taken a number of decisions today that will enable the Council to play its full role in implementing the significant recommendations in the Brahimi Report. The Security Council has indeed a paramount role to play in maintaining international peace and security. Hence, its responsibility in implementing proposed reforms is essential. The work we have been successfully doing in this connection, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Ward, provides specific and new responses to the expectations outlined in the Brahimi Report.”
2000-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4220 (2000) · source
“Given the nature of the conflicts and the fact that refugees are turned into the instruments of conflict, all too often humanitarian personnel become targets, because humanitarian action is simply viewed by the belligerent parties as thwarting their political and military objectives. The murder of three staff members of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in West Timor in September, and that of one UNHCR worker in Guinea, are a new and brutal illustration of this. The international community's determination to oppose these crimes must be total. The guilty must by tracked down and punished by the local authorities, when they are willing and able, or by other, international means, which will include, in the future, the International Criminal Court.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“The return of the Serb refugees to Kosovo, in particular, would certainly be a tangible sign of the durable abating of tensions and attainment of the entire international community's objective of building a peaceful, democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo. Let us hope that the political changes in Belgrade will make it possible to speed up the return to normalcy in this region of Europe, which has been so badly battered. My last comment relates to the safety of humanitarian personnel. Like Ambassador Cunningham, I should like to emphasize the importance that France attaches to this issue.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“I will now address the return of refugees, which is an important criterion of the genuine success of a peace process and the return to normality. An example is the situation in the western Balkans. Progress has been made. Unfortunately, it is still highly inadequate. The number and pace of return of refugees, particularly to minority areas, remain below what we had hoped for. This shows that peaceful coexistence and the taking root of multi-ethnic democracy have not yet reached the point at which all refugees can return safely to their homes. Need we recall that there are still almost 500,000 Serb refugees in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia?”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“Refugees are a very heavy burden on the host countries. Their presence can create or trigger destabilizing effects on ethnic balances or be a considerable drain on natural resources. We have seen this in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We see it now in Guinea and in the Congo (Brazzaville). I note in particular that the burden carried by Guinea is, in terms of the proportion of refugees to the total population, the heaviest in the entire African continent. The international community has not sufficiently demonstrated, or quickly enough, its solidarity with the host countries. It is not really interested in their plight when the situation seriously deteriorates. Preventive action is essential. Unfortunately, all too often it is inadequate.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“It is up to the host country, with the international community's assistance if necessary, to prevent armed factions from using the refugees as their instruments, at the refugees' expense and at the expense of peace. The Security Council mission that has just left for Timor has no other objective than to assist the Indonesian authorities so that they can bring a rapid and final solution to this problem in West Timor. In the light of these two observations, the issue of the location of refugee camps arises. It is a fundamental issue. The closer the camps are to borders, the more vulnerable they are to attacks and reprisals, and the more they can be manipulated by political- military factions. The refugee situation in Tanzania and Guinea today shows how drastic and serious these problems are.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“Otherwise, the refugees bear the cost of reprisals against the fighters, as was the case in a massive way in eastern Zaire. There are several possibilities, including the intermediate solutions suggested several times by Mrs. Ogata, such as the establishment of observers or the use of international police. We would be very grateful to Mrs. Ogata for any additional comments she might make on the subject, which seems to us particularly important. The second example is of fighters keeping refugees under their control to prevent stabilization of the situation and national reconciliation. They do this for political ends. Here, I think particularly of the situation in West Timor, where the pro-integration militia rule the refugee camps.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“Even more concerning, these events have shown the effects of failure to act, or of inappropriate action, on the part of the international community. Several problems arise. Refugees not only fall victim to conflicts, but are sometimes used by the warring parties to pursue their political and military objectives. Two examples illustrate this phenomenon. The first example is that fighters blend in with genuine civilian refugees to hide themselves and to use the refugees as shields, while the combatants pursue their armed activities. This is what happened in eastern Zaire between 1994 and 1997 with the ex-FAR and the interahamwe. These are particularly well-known cases. It is the duty of the international community to separate, as we say in French, the grain from the chaff.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“Ogata, you have provided the best possible image of the United Nations, and we thank you for having done so. I shall not repeat matters in my statement to the General Assembly a few days ago on behalf of the European Union. I would like to restrict myself to a few comments on the subject Mrs. Ogata has just dealt with: the link between conflicts and refugees. That is the heart of the problem, which we must deal with in this Chamber. More than ever, unfortunately, conflicts cannot be dealt with without dealing directly with the plight of refugees. The events in Rwanda, followed by those in the eastern part of the former Zaire, which we discussed a few days ago, show the close and often deadly linkage between conflicts and refugees.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“Mr. Levitte (France) (spoke in French): I wish at the outset to pay a well-deserved tribute to Mrs. Ogata and to express our gratitude for her activities while heading the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We pay tribute to her personal commitment to the service of refugees and her unflagging will to engage in constructive dialogue with all States, a dialogue illustrated by her presence at the Council table 12 times. We also hail her energy in leading her organization and in adapting it well to reality and current needs. Unfortunately, the 1990s were a decade marked by considerable refugee flows, sometimes massive flows in very short periods. The UNHCR was sorely tested, but every time Mrs. Ogata demonstrated her determination and her tireless energy. Mrs.”
2000-11-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4219 (2000) · source
“It will have an opportunity to reaffirm its political involvement during the Zagreb summit, to be held on 24 November on the initiative of France. I would also like to draw attention to a recent initiative of the European Union in Mostar. It was under the auspices of the Union, and thanks to the spirit of cooperation displayed by the two leaders of that divided city, that on 12 July the Mostar document was adopted and signed by the conference of the city's mayors. This document marks an important phase towards the implementation of a final statute that provides for a single, self-reliant and multi-ethnic administration for the city.”
2000-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4209 (2000) · source
“In this spirit, I would like to note that the single national passport of Bosnia and Herzegovina was officially presented yesterday, 25 October, by the Presidency and the High Representative. We must hope that changes in the region will create a new state of mind. We must hope that goodwill will be contagious and that the prospect of normalization, glimpsed yesterday at the Skopje summit, will also have a beneficial impact in terms of trade and, more generally, of opening up the economy, a field in which there is an urgent need for reform. I would like to underscore the European Union's commitment to this process of integration and reform. The Union is both the main donor and the main troop contributor for Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2000-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4209 (2000) · source
“On 23 and 24 May, the Peace Implementation Council met in Brussels and set the course. Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be consolidated, the economy must be reformed and the return of refugees must remain a priority. The High Representative has continued to work in this direction, with a blend of dialogue and firmness: dialogue, because this is the best way of bringing the Bosnian leaders to shoulder their responsibilities; and firmness, particularly through imposing laws or regulations when this is the only way to put an end to intransigence, overcome the resistance of elected or appointed officials who do not act in good faith and, finally, to ensure that the general interest prevails.”
2000-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4209 (2000) · source
“The report of the High Representative very candidly stresses that the wounds of the past will take a long time to heal. The decision that Mr. Petritsch took yesterday regarding the dignified burial ofthe victims of the Srebrenica tragedy will contribute to this, but we must also hope that the November elections will produce gains for the moderate parties and less support for the errant radical nationalists. Were such a development to occur, the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the same way as the Yugoslav and Croatian peoples, would be giving us new reasons to hope, with prospects of peace, reconciliation and economic development in the region. A new step forward would be taken in the Bosnians' chance to take control of their own fate, a process that the international community seeks to encourage.”
2000-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4209 (2000) · source
“Mr. Levitte (France) (spoke in French): Allow me first to welcome Mr. Wolfgang Petritsch's presence among us. We have listened with the greatest interest to his detailed presentation. I must assure the High Representative of France's full support in the accomplishment of the important mission that he is carrying out with talent, patience and determination. With slightly more than two weeks to go before the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, how can we fail to rejoice at the fact that the Bosnian people will now have a chance to express through the ballot their devotion to democracy, their aspiration to the rule of law, their rejection of ethnic division and their legitimate ambition to be fully a part of their family, the European family.”
2000-10-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4209 (2000) · source
“"The European Union remains convinced that only a negotiated solution can meet the aspirations of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples to peace and security."”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“"The European Union invites the parties to concentrate again on the quest for a negotiated peace, which is more necessary than ever." Yesterday, 2 October, the European Union declared: "On the fourth day of bloody clashes between Israelis and Palestinians, the European Union once again calls for reason to put an end to violence. It feels that the disproportionate resort to force can only aggravate the situation further, raise an already particularly deadly toll, and postpone the prospect of peace at a time when it appeared to be about to become a reality. "The European Union supports the creation of an international commission charged with objectively establishing the facts of the events of the last several days, and is ready to make its contribution to the work of such a commission.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“Having made a statement in my national capacity, I would like, on behalf of the European Union, whose presidency, I remind the Council, France currently holds, to read the following statements made public on 1 and 2 October, beginning with the statement of 1 October: "The European Union is very concerned at the continued bloody clashes in Jerusalem and in the territories, and is filled with consternation at the number of victims. These events show to what extent an act of provocation in tense circumstances can have tragic consequences. "The European Union calls upon the leaders of both parties to take all necessary steps to halt the violence and prevent new provocations. "It warns against the unjustified use of force.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“France and the European Union will continue resolutely to support the peace negotiations and, at the request of the parties, to make every possible contribution. There is no other option than peace. The parties must refrain from any action that might compromise the success of the negotiations. France invites the two parties to return to the talks, respecting the resolutions and conventions that make up international law. It invites them to adopt a calm approach to all the outstanding issues, in the spirit of the decisive strides made at the Camp David summit.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“With impetus provided by the United States, thanks to the efforts led by President Clinton and Madeleine Albright, efforts which France supports, each party made courageous gestures towards the other at the Camp David summit. Those discussions gave reason to hope for an event awaited for over 50 years: peaceful coexistence, peace, between Israel and the State of Palestine. This historic occasion must not be lost. We very much hope that the meeting tomorrow in Paris between President Arafat and Prime Minister Barak will make it possible to put a definitive end to the tragedy and to resume the path of dialogue, a dialogue to which, as the events of the last few days have reminded us, there is no alternative.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“We hope that full light will be shed on this tragedy, in the framework of international machinery suited to establishing responsibility. It is a message of responsibility that the Council must today address to the parties. We solemnly call on the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to do all they can, within their respective spheres, to contribute to easing tension. The spiral of violence must be halted. Absolute priority must be given to stopping the fighting. The ceasefire entered into during the night of Monday/Tuesday must be strictly observed. The clashes play into the hands of the provocateurs and the enemies of the peace process. Calm must return on the ground. Security must be assured. These clashes are all the more cause for grave concern because the two parties had never been closer to peace.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“I would like, however, before this Security Council, before the United Nations, to recall France's reaction. These events are the result of a deliberate provocation by Mr. Ariel Sharon on Thursday, 28 September. France unreservedly condemns his irresponsible visit to the sacred site of the Mosque Plaza, undertaken for reasons of domestic politics, at the most sensitive time in the peace negotiations. France deplores the violence that grew out of that visit. Above and beyond that provocation, it is the responsibility of those who are in charge of maintaining order that is at issue. As President Chirac put it yesterday morning, "You do not fight against the emotion of a people with armour". The disproportionate use of armed force witnessed in the last several days manifestly violates the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“Mr. Levitte (France) (spoke in French): Mr. President, it is a pleasure to convey France's congratulations and best wishes on your presidency of the Security Council. However, the circumstances that have led to the holding of this open meeting are very grave indeed. France expresses its keenly felt emotions in the face of the heavy toll that the clashes of the last few days have taken: some 60 dead, including three children aged 10 and 12, and a thousand injured. We wish here to express our profound sympathies and offer our condolences to the families of the victims. The President of the French Republic, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister have already clearly stated our position. The European Union, whose presidency France holds for the current six-month period, has also made public statements on this tragedy.”
2000-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4204 (2000) · source
“The Union would like to know what measures are planned by Indonesia, UNTAET and the UNHCR to bring about the return of refugees to East Timor or their resettlement in Indonesia. In this context, the European Union invites the Indonesian Government to confirm that it agrees to the forthcoming visit of a Security Council mission to accompany efforts at the national level to implement resolution 1319 (2000). The transitional period in East Timor is at a crucial juncture. The United Nations mission must, with the East Timorese, pursue the construction of a new democratic, independent State, fully integrated within the region and living in peace with all its neighbours.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“In short, the European Union calls upon Indonesia to fully implement resolution 1319 (2000), adopted on 8 September. The Union takes note of the initial steps taken by the Indonesian Government with a view to disarming and disbanding the militias. The European Union hopes that this action will continue and that steps will be taken to make sure that the disarmed militia members do not find any way of rearming. The European Union recalls the urgent need to settle at the earliest possible opportunity the question of refugees in West Timor. Resuming humanitarian assistance in West Timor and resettling the refugees are essential prerequisites for lasting peace and stability. The Union is prepared, along with the international humanitarian organizations concerned to help the Indonesian Government resolve the problem of refugees in West Timor.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“I refer to the activity of the militias and to the situation of the refugees in West Timor, which we are convinced could have very serious repercussions on the evolution of the political situation in East Timor and might place in jeopardy everything that the international community has achieved through UNTAET. The European Union energetically condemns the activity of the militias in West Timor. It deplores in particular the cowardly murder on 6 September in Atambua of three UNHCR staff. The European Union urges the Indonesian authorities to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of that aggression and to put an end to the destabilizing activity of the militias. The Union also calls upon them to guarantee the security of the refugees and of the humanitarian personnel in West Timor so that they may soon resume their work.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“A peacekeeping operation cannot take the place of a long-term development programme. UNTAET has benefited from significant assistance from the international community. The results achieved are considerable and deserve to be enthusiastically commended. However, as with any peacekeeping operation, it is useful to continuously assess the costs and the adequacy of the means available for success. The European Union will naturally continue to pay attention to this aspect. I would now like to mention on behalf of the European Union two points of particular concern to us and the entire Council.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“As I already stressed last month, the European Union believes that the conditions are now in place in East Timor to allow the Timorese to undertake the process for a solid and lasting national reconciliation. In this context it is essential that the international community show its commitment to support the rehabilitation and development of East Timor. The European Union will continue to assist the people of East Timor at this critical moment in the establishment of their nation. The European Union is pleased by the excellent cooperation in East Timor between UNTAET and UNDP and the other specialized agencies and funds of the United Nations. It believes that the quality of this cooperation should, at the appropriate moment, facilitate the exchange of authority between the Transitional Administration and the Timorese Government.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“The European Union believes that, in order for UNTAET's efforts to be successful, it is essential to maintain a climate of peace and stability in East Timor. In this context, the European Union recalls the request made by the Security Council on 3 August and considers it important that a special briefing on the military situation be held. The European Union would like in particular to have access to current information regarding the military needs of UNTAET, the consequences of the insecurity along the West Timor border, the effective distribution of resources in the territory in accordance with local security constraints, the tasks that have been effectively passed on to the military component of UNTAET, and the prospects for the further evolution of the Mission.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“The European Union encourages UNTAET to accelerate the training programme for the civil police so as to ensure a smooth transition when the United Nations force departs. The fourth and final field is the political transition. The European Union fully supports the process initiated by UNTAET to develop mechanisms for good governance, get the East Timorese more involved in decision-making and prepare them for democracy, after the organization of the elections planned for next year. As for the transferring of competence that is now under way, the European Union would like to know Mr. Vieira de Mello's preliminary evaluation of the functioning of his coalition Government. What improvements might be possible? Do the donor countries and agencies have a role to play in this field?”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source
“The establishment of a consolidated overall budget for the budget year 2000-2001 - which budget was approved at the Lisbon conference last June - constitutes a significant step forward in this regard. The identification and enhancement of the reconstruction capacities of the East Timorese remain essential objectives. The third field is the establishment of the East Timorese administration. The European Union takes note with satisfaction of the training programme for civil servants that has been implemented by UNTAET and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). As a result, the number of East Timorese in the administration has noticeably increased during the last few months.”
2000-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4203 (2000) · source