YouSaid · the spoken record

Linkevicius

lines on the record: 80
first: 2015-02-23
most recent: 2018-05-17
sittings or episodes: 8
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

“A relevant and strong United Nations requires an efficient, transparent and inclusive Security Council to meet today's challenges to international peace and security and improve global governance. Among other things, restraint in the use of the veto would make the Council's responses to ongoing crises more effective and reduce veto-induced paralysis. Lithuania therefore strongly supports the French-Mexican initiative on limiting its use in cases of mass atrocities, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Lithuania also actively endorses the relevant initiatives of Liechtenstein and the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“My Government therefore commends the work done by the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism and the Commission of Inquiry in laying the foundation for the accountability process in Syria. Moreover, a new French initiative launched this year on the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons is very timely. It is the primary responsibility of national justice systems to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes of international concern. However, where national judicial systems fail to tackle impunity, the Security Council should be ready to use the full range of tools at its disposal, including targeted sanctions and referrals to the International Criminal Court.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“There are many ways to achieve long-lasting peace and stability. The Secretary-General's efforts to put emphasis on conflict resolution, preventive diplomacy, peacebuilding and sustaining peace are therefore of the utmost importance. The advancement of preventive diplomacy, early action and mediation remain vital to preventing conflicts and mass atrocities. Early action matters. Greater commitment and engagement must also be devoted to supporting political processes. A crucial element of conflict prevention consists of putting an end to impunity and ensuring justice for all. The Council's strong voice and action in support of international law, accountability and justice matter a great deal. Accountability for crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes is key to progress on the path of reconciliation and peace.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Such blatant breaches of the Charter of the United Nations constitute a threat to international peace, security and stability and should not be permitted in the twenty-first century. The United Nations and the entire international community have to be able to react effectively to such constantly repeated violations. During its non-permanent membership on the Security Council, Lithuania consistently raised the issue of the violation of international law in Ukraine. Unfortunately, the Security Council was not able to take any concrete action. We especially regret that the Council was not able to ensure that an independent and impartial international court or tribunal would investigate the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17. That undermines the credibility of the whole United Nations.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“A total collapse of law and order has also led to unspeakable atrocities. After listening to the remarks by the Russian representative, who lectured us on international law, I would like to recall that non-compliance with international law in Europe has led to clear violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States in several cases. The protracted conflict in Moldova has continued for almost 20 years. The violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia is entering its tenth year. Moreover, we recently witnessed the occupation and annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and military actions in eastern Ukraine, including the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH- l7. Those do not appear to be isolated events.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Unfortunately, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union by the time the League of Nations had ceased its activities. Following its return to the international family, Lithuania accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Like others, we are happy to note recent declarations recognizing the jurisdiction of the Court. When rules are not observed, we are confronted by a clear threat to international peace and security. Today ongoing conflicts are destroying many parts of the globe, while Governments take steps to turn their contested claims into faits accomplis. In Syria, Yemen and the Central African Republic, among others, gross violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law continue on a daily basis. Barbaric crimes are being committed on a massive scale.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“Allow me to begin by commending Poland, as the President of the Security Council for the month of May, for convening this exceptionally important open debate. I would also like to thank our briefers for their contributions to our discussion. My delegation aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. Lithuania is celebrating the centennial anniversary of the restoration of its independence this year. One of the factors that enabled us to begin developing our State was the League of Nations and a system based on international rules. We joined the League of Nations and co-founded the Permanent Court of International Justice, the predecessors of today's United Nations and International Court of Justice.”
2018-05-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8262 (2018) · source
“The use of technologies in peacekeeping should improve early- warning capabilities and enhance the ability to detect, mitigate, deter and respond to all types of threats. That is especially pertinent where peacekeepers face asymmetrical threats. In conclusion, we believe that both the Secretary- General and Member States could build on the emerging consensus to better integrate prevention and sustaining peace into the work of United Nations peace operations. Let us unite around the proposed peace and security reform initiative of the Secretary-General and fully utilize such unique momentum to reform United Nations peacekeeping. The meeting rose at 1.35 pm.”
2017-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8051 (2017) · source
“While women are disproportionately affected by conflict, the critical role of women in negotiating, keeping and building peace in their communities is often overlooked. The deployment of women's protection advisers and human rights and gender-awareness training are useful tools in peacekeeping and should be further expanded. The safety and security of United Nations personnel and peacekeepers in the field must remain a high priority. Clear steps are needed to ensure that our peacekeepers have the capabilities they need to protect themselves first of all and, of course, fulfil their mandate. Continuous attacks against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and many other peacekeeping missions indicate the urgent need for our collective reform action.”
2017-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8051 (2017) · source
“In that context, I am proud to announce that, on 13 September, Lithuania endorsed and recognized the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians. We are deeply concerned that, despite the long- declared zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse by the United Nations and related personnel, sexual abuse continues to take place. Lithuania strongly supports Secretary-General's efforts to act with determination and bring sexual exploitation to an end. A few days ago, Lithuania signed a compact on the elimination of sexual exploitation and abuse, and the President of Lithuania joined the Circle of Leadership. Much too often, mediation and peace processes remain male-dominated.”
2017-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8051 (2017) · source
“Recent peace and security reform initiatives of the Secretary-General provide us with a unique chance to build the momentum and keep the spirit of the High-level Panel alive over the next year and beyond. The reform proposals and determination of the Secretary-General give us a genuine hope that the full implementation of his reform agenda might reshape peacekeeping and bring the prevention potential of the United Nations to its full realization. "We the peoples" are the first words of the 1945 Charter of the United Nations. However, today United Nations peace operations are rightly criticized for neglecting the very people that the United Nations is entrusted to protect. The protection of civilians under imminent threat must remain a key priority in all peacekeeping missions.”
2017-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8051 (2017) · source
“The multidimensional character of today's peacekeeping and the new, demanding realities on the ground point to the urgency of peacekeeping reform. As a troop-contributing country, Lithuania has a great interest in making United Nations peacekeeping more efficient and correspondent to the needs of the twenty-first century. In October, an additional 34 troops from Lithuania will join the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, making a total of 39 service members - a contribution to be maintained through the next year. More than two years ago, the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations published its recommendations on peacekeeping reform (see S/2015/446). It is true that the implementation and follow-up of those recommendations has been far too slow.”
2017-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8051 (2017) · source
“I thank the President for organizing this highly pertinent open debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the representative of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations for their briefings. Since the inception of the United Nations, peacekeeping - a concept that was not even mentioned in the Charter of the United Nations - has developed into an indispensable tool for the maintenance of national peace and security. Over time it has become a flagship activity of the United Nations. Today peacekeepers operate in much more challenging environments than at any time in history. They serve in areas where there is no peace to keep.”
2017-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8051 (2017) · source
“Lastly, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures on Russia, including a sanctions regime, that will be in place as long as the Minsk agreements are not fully implemented. We therefore strongly advocate for a comprehensive partnership between the European Union and the United Nations that would increase their ability to act and deliver. In conclusion, two years ago, in this Chamber, we commemorated the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, reflecting on its history and reaffirming our strong commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Today, a Europe whole, free and at peace is not yet a reality. But it remains our lodestar. If we are to succeed, we must share those same aspirations and recommit to the principles on which European security is built.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“We must rethink the role and engagement of the OSCE in Ukraine, including through the possible creation of an OSCE security mission for the local elections. Thirdly, through its enlargement policy, the EU is playing a significant role in promoting normalized relations between Serbia and Kosovo and the reconciliation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as among individual countries in the Western Balkans. The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia has ensured a long-term international monitoring presence in the country and is a key factor for its stability. The EU Advisory Mission Ukraine, which deals with civilian security-sector reform and has a regional presence in Lviv and Kharkiv, is an important tool that should be further strengthened and expanded.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Regardless of the Council's frequent inaction, owing to the practice of the veto, it should pay closer attention to the protracted conflicts in Europe, because they are liable to escalate and therefore threaten the region's overall stability and security. Secondly, regional and subregional organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Union (EU) are playing a leading role in the conflict and post-conflict environments in Europe. We greatly value the OSCE's engagement in frozen conflicts, from Transnistria to the Caucasus, and in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, particularly through its Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. We call for unrestricted access for the Special Monitoring Mission throughout the territory of Ukraine.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“Once again, we need to give serious impetus to the stalled implementation of the agreements, which can be achieved only when Russia withdraws its troops from Ukrainian territory and Ukraine re-establishes full control over its State border. In order to make progress in dealing with the enormous challenges in Europe, we need collective action at various levels. First, we see the United Nations as a key actor in effective multilateralism and a basis for our international system. We need a robust United Nations, capable of addressing complex global challenges. A close and proactive working relationship between the Secretary-General and the Security Council would contribute to that.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“It is clear that we should use all the available tools and mechanisms to revive negotiation processes that have been seriously stalled and unite our efforts in order to avoid new protracted conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, where Russia's unprovoked Russian aggression, sheltering behind the rebels it supports, will soon enter its fourth year, with almost 10,000 people killed and more than 23,000 injured. The recent indiscriminate shelling of Avdiivka showed that the military confrontation is spreading, endangering many thousands more. I visited Avdiivka recently myself, met with people who live in houses that have been destroyed and witnessed clear violations of the Minsk agreements in person.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“In Transnistria, Russia defends and sometimes defines the aspirations of the separatist regime and threatens neighbouring countries through the presence ofits own troops. Russia is also fuelling an arms race between Azerbaijan and Armenia that could once again lead to their considering military options. With its ongoing creeping annexation of Georgian Abkhazia and South Ossetia and through its so-called referendums, elections and even name changes of those occupied regions, Russia is once again violating the bedrock principles of the international order.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“The frozen conflicts in Moldova's Transnistria and in the Nagorno Karabakh region, a military intervention in Georgia, increasing influence in the Western Balkans and an aggression against Ukraine, along with the illegal annexation of Crimea - those are not isolated cases but rather a broader pattern of behaviour over the years that one of the founding members of the United Nations has been pursuing in its neighbourhood, with the aim of redrawing European borders. With its well-established, large-scale, soft-power system, using energy, economic and military levers, Russia continues to hamper the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into Euro-Atlantic structures, attempting to preserve the status quo through the distrust and animosity that still continues between those nations.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“I would first like to convey my condolences to the family of Mr. Vitaly Churkin, whom I knew personally for many years. I would also like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your country's successful presidency of the Security Council for the month of February, and on your organization of today's important debate. The theme for today's discussion will enable us to evaluate the current threats posed to international peace and security by the conflicts in Europe and to discuss the best ways to tackle them. The end of the Cold War, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the termination of the ideological stand-off that divided Europe for almost five decades created expectations for a new era in European security. However, today's Europe is neither free from confrontation nor at peace.”
2017-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7886 (2017) · source
“The international community needs to continue to support Ukraine on its path towards reforms, where significant progress has already been made. Ukraine and the Ukrainians have the right to create the future they want, free from coercion and gun-point pressure by their big neighbour. Lithuania reaffirms its support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, with Crimea as an integral part of that country. In supporting Ukraine, we support our own freedom, independence and the right to live free from fear and in peace.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“It has unanimously backed the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements adopted in February, and must deliver on its promise to demand their full implementation. Importantly, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine cannot be allowed to fester or be forgotten just because we are facing other pressing needs - the need to address other urgent conflicts. We cannot close our eyes to the ongoing breach of the ideals, principles and rules of behaviour that have governed the Organization and governed the whole process and the entire international system for decades. Our failure to stand firmly for those values and principles will only embolden those willing to challenge the international order, thereby bringing about even more conflict, more instability, more human suffering.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“Therefore, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine should continue their much appreciated work and reporting. In addition, monitors from the United Nations, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and other organizations should be allowed into Crimea to investigate the increasingly restrictive environment and the curtailment of the rights of its residents, especially those of the indigenous Tatar community. Sanctions against the Russian Federation in response to its illegal annexation of Crimea and its deliberate destabilization of Ukraine should remain in force pending the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. The Council, too, has its responsibilities.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“It is up to the OSCE observers to ascertain whether conditions are ripe for holding elections and to assess their legitimacy. We have seen the results of Crimea's gunpoint referendum. We do not want to see more of the same. All foreign weapons and foreign fighters must be withdrawn, preferably before the elections, to ensure that the voting is free and fair. The lack of effective protection for human rights in the areas under the control of Russia's proxies has left people vulnerable to serious human rights abuses and violations, including, as was said in the briefings, killings, torture, degrading treatment, illegal detentions and forced labour. We need to continue to shine a light on the lawlessness and impunity in those areas, and we must work to ensure that the perpetrators will one day be brought to account.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“That means full implementation by Russia, which is a party to the conflict and bears direct responsibility for its de-escalation. Russia must, inter alia, withdraw its arms, weapons, soldiers and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine, cease its support for the illegal armed groups and allow Ukraine to restore full control over its international border. All hostages and illegally detained persons, including Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, Oleg Sentsov and others, must be released. With regard to local elections, we remain concerned that, even ifthey are postponed to 2016, elections in the territories occupied by Russia's militant proxies, with foreign soldiers present on the ground, will be neither free nor fair.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“Russia continues to instigate separatism in Moldova. Violations of Georgia's territorial integrity also continue unabated. The pattern could not be more obvious. The Minsk agreements may not be perfect, but they are all we have. Today there is simply no alternative. We support the diplomatic efforts undertaken in the Normandy format and in the Trilateral Contact Group under the auspices of the OSCE. At the same time, we remain critical of the recent trend towards the resequencing of commitments under the Minsk agreements and towards increasing the pressure on the political commitments of Ukraine, rather than on the security commitments of Russia and its militant proxies. Tangible peace can be achieved only through the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“Crimea - an integral part of Ukraine - remains occupied, in breach of the fundamental principles of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, the Budapest Memorandum and bilateral treaties. All this despite the fact that General Assembly resolution 68/262, on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, is very clear on the illegality of Crimea's annexation and the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. As the end of the year approaches, there is a dangerously high probability that this crisis will become yet another of Europe's so-called frozen conflicts. There are already too many of those. Five of the European Union's six Eastern Partnership countries bordering on Russia are suffering from protracted conflicts.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine has already left over 9,000 dead, more than 20,000 injured, over 1.5 million uprooted from their homes within Ukraine and another 1 million forced to flee abroad. Five million people need humanitarian assistance. The approaching winter makes the lives of those in need even more difficult, yet by now this conflict barely makes it into the headlines. After a short lull earlier this autumn, the situation worsened again in November. It is evident that peace agreements will not be fully implemented in 2015. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission continues to register daily breaches of the ceasefire. Impunity, lawlessness and abuse continue to reign in the areas held by the illegal militants. Again last week, OSCE monitors were threatened with automatic rifles.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“I thank Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, Assistant Secretary- General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovie, John Ging of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Ambassador Apakan, Chief Monitor of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, for their briefings. It has been 22 months since the Russian Federation began to take aggressive action against Ukraine. For nearly two years now, Ukraine has been suffering from a conflict initiated under false pretexts and supported by an aggressive campaign of propaganda and hate. The redrawing of Ukraine's borders by force early in 2014 and the continued violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity remain a major challenge to the rules-based international system.”
2015-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7576 (2015) · source
“Enhancing national and international capacities needed to go after terrorists and their sponsors, and better use ofexistingjustice mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, must be part and parcel of anti-terrorism strategies and our common commitment. Accountability is a key to deterrence. It is also the key to doing justice to the victims of terrorism. Those victims should never be forgotten. They must inspire us to redouble our efforts in stemming this most dangerous phenomenon, which threatens humanity and all the very best that we as humans beings stand for.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“Just as they make people flee and seek salvation elsewhere, protracted conflicts, the breakdown of governance and the rule of law, oppressive regimes and rampant corruption, exclusion and abuse of minorities, extreme inequalities and systematic gross violations of human rights all play into the hands of extremism and terrorism. To tackle the threat of terrorism, we must cut off its life support by addressing those very underlying causes, as well as the injustices and lingering grievances that make people vulnerable to incitement and recruitment. We must also focus on accountability for terrorist crimes. We can no longer tolerate continued impunity for terrorist acts, terrorism financing, recruitment and incitement.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“We must now ensure that no gaps remain between the normative base and its implementation. Modern-day terrorists like ISIL can be brutal and barbaric, but they are also sophisticated in their use of modern communications technologies for propaganda and recruitment. To fight them effectively, we must constantly adjust and adapt our responses and engage the whole range of actors: Governments, the private sector, academia, community and religious leaders, youth, and women, as well as survivors of terrorist attacks. I want to stress in particular the role women. They can serve in the first line of defence against radicalization and violent extremism, starting from their families and local communities all the way to national and international leadership.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“The recent criminal decision by Russian-backed illegal militants in eastern Ukraine to expel United Nations and other humanitarian agencies will increase the suffering of the local population even further as the cold season approaches. The Council has created an impressive normative base for combatting terrorism, including resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005), whose tenth anniversary we marked earlier this September. The Council has also responded to the emergence of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters by reinforcing existing counterterrorism framework with resolutions 2170 (2014), 2178 (2014) and 2199 (2015) and a comprehensive presidential statement (S/PRST/2015/ 11) adopted under the Lithuanian presidency in May.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“Inaction is not an option. The migrant-smuggling industry expands and develops, pouring money into the hands of criminal gangs and, eventually, the hands of terrorists. Lithuania has pledged its share in receiving the refugees. Necessary preparations are being made as the first families from Syria and Iraq are being resettled. At the same time we are providing assistance to and welcoming refugees from Ukraine's regions occupied by Russia's proxies. Let us not forget that Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea caused massive displacement and left five million people dependent on humanitarian assistance.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura has our full support as he seeks to put the political process back on track. While some criticism for Europe's response to the refugee crisis is in order, the European Union is doing a lot to respond to the crisis in a comprehensive manner, working with countries of origin, transit countries and countries of destination. As a follow-up to the European Agenda on Migration adopted earlier this year, the European Commission produced a comprehensive package of proposals to help address the refugee crisis, including by tackling the root causes that make people seek refuge. We hope the Security Council will support European actions aimed at tackling the smugglers in the Mediterranean, who profit unscrupulously and cynically from human suffering while putting more and more human lives at risk.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“My delegation is firmly convinced that the use of the veto has no place in cases of massive abuses of human rights, crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. We therefore welcome France's initiative on veto restraint. Lithuania also joined Liechtenstein's initiative on the code of conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. One cannot pretend to defend the law by practicing lawlessness. One cannot fight terrorism by attacking and abusing the civilian population. Extending Al-Assad's stay in power, including by foreign military buildup in Syria, is not a viable solution and can only deepen the conflict. The Syrian Government and those supporting it must stop bombing its Syrian people and engage fully on the implementation of the Geneva Communique of June 2012.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“The fighting in Yemen and the fragility of the situations in Iraq, Libya and elsewhere in the region risk expanding the zone of terror even further, contributing to even greater displacement. Syrians make up some 70 per cent ofthose trying to cross the Mediterranean. While it is first and foremost a glaring failure of the Syrian Government to protect its population, it is also the Security Council's failure. The Council should have acted early and forcefully on the crisis in Syria. Instead, it remained paralysed by a succession of vetoes aimed at protecting the perpetrators, not the civilian victims. Those who cast those vetoes share with the Syrian regime the heavy responsibility for the deaths, destruction and displacement of the Syrian people.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“The political and security situation in the Middle East has rarely been more dramatic. No other modern conflict has produced such massive destruction. Over 12 million displaced and refugees, hundreds of thousands of killed and wounded, two million children deprived of education, and a country in ruin - such is the cost ofthis conflict, now well into its fifth year. Syria's neighbours Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon are bearing the brunt of refugee flows. The capacity of Jordan and Lebanon in particular to cope with the flows of refugees is stretched to the limit, threatening a breakdown of Vital services and infrastructure. The Syrian Government's war against its own population has enabled the spread of violent extremism and terrorism in the country, which is further fuelled by the influx of foreign terrorist fighters.”
2015-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7527 (2015) · source
“There are no more names on the list of speakers. I would like to express the sincere appreciation of the delegation of Lithuania to the members of the Council and their respective staff and to the Secretariat of the Council for all the support they have given us during our presidency. Indeed, it has been a busy month, one in which the Council rallied to consensus on important issues within its purview. I thank all delegations for their hard work, support and positive contributions. I know l speak on behalf of the Council when I wish the delegation of Malaysia good luck in the month of June. The meeting rose at 1.40pm.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“Respect for fundamental rights is crucial in the fight against terrorism. Our common work must be based on a proper balance between security and fundamental rights. As we seek to curb and contain that dangerous phenomenon, we must do so in full respect of human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism, rule of law and democratic governance. Finally, let me express my thanks to the United States delegation for the initiative of today's presidential statement S/PRST/2015/ll, and to Council members for their active engagement in negotiating the text which lays down clear guidelines about what needs to be done by all of us to combat the foreign-terrorist-fighter phenomenon. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to the other members of the Security Council.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“We also stress the importance of providing a determined response at EU level and within the Schengen space. Let me also stress that in the fight against terrorism, it is crucial to address not only the consequences but also the underlying factors of radicalization. Our efforts to prevent foreign terrorist fighters will only have a limited effect ifthe phenomenon itself continues to grow. In that regard, we need a comprehensive cross-sectoral approach guaranteeing the involvement of all policies relevant to counter radicalization and violent extremism, including through upholding human rights for all, promoting inclusiveness and tolerance and adequate education, social, development and regional policies. Creating effective counter-narratives, including on social media, is also very important.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“Those who commit acts forbidden by international agreements, including terrorist acts, can be held responsible under Lithuanian law irrespective of their citizenship, their place of residence, the place of the commission of the crime, or whether the act is punishable under the laws of the locality where it was committed. Lithuania relies on some well-established measures to prevent the travel of terrorists across its borders as well as to disrupt facilitation of their travel. They include effective border control, which is also part of the Schengen system, and the routine use of various INTERPOL databases. Lithuania also employs a variety of measures to prevent money-laundering and terrorist financing, in compliance with Financial Action Task Force and European Union (EU) standards.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“On the other hand, a more coherent and comprehensive response by the United Nations system in support of national and regional efforts is needed, including closer and more coherent coordination among the various United Nations bodies tasked with counter-terrorism mandates, inter alia, to reinforce one another's efforts and build on one another's strengths. No country can consider itself immune to the threat of foreign terrorist fighters. Waiting until it strikes would be the worst possible choice. We all must take very seriously our obligations under resolution 2178 (2014) as well as other relevant counter-terrorism resolutions and international instruments. The Lithuanian criminal code, for instance, establishes as criminal offences various foreign terrorist fighter-related activities.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“The World Customs Organization and the World Tourism Organization, too, have important roles to play, the latter in particular, as terrorist recruits are devising new ways of avoiding being detected and tracked down by using tourism to disguise their travel to conflict zones, including ever more complex broken itineraries. At the national level, too, more effective inter-agency cooperation and coordination among all relevant authorities - ministries of foreign affairs, home affairs and justice and law-and-order institutions, transport and communications bodies, financial crime investigation service, intelligence, counterterrorism, and prosecutor general's offices - are truly essential.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“The phenomenon must be tackled in a systematic and coherent way, involving the countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as neighbouring States, all of which have a specific role to play. Let me refer briefly to some of the priority actions that need to be taken with all due urgency. These include the review and update of national criminal laws in the light of resolution 2178 (2014); strengthening border protection and border security; improving national judicial and prosecutorial capacities; increasing traveller information collection, analysis and sharing; greater regional and international cooperation; and the more robust use of tools and services provided by Interpol, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Financial Action Task Force and other relevant bodies.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“The age, gender and social background of foreign terrorist fighters; where they come from and why; how they travel to conflict zones; how they get recruited; and how they organize, train, arm and finance themselves varies from case to case. No typical profiles or patterns can be drawn, and standard solutions to the problem are hard to apply. It is a threat that puts existing counter-terrorism measures to an unprecedented test. While certain frameworks exist to tackle the phenomenon, significant implementation gaps persist, including lack of capacity, resources and even awareness of the problem at hand. Our responses to this threat need to be constantly adjusted and modified if not to outpace, then at least to match the level of adaptability and dynamics of foreign terrorist fighters themselves.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“Countering foreign terrorist fighters is only a part of broader counter-terrorism efforts, but it is a significant one, for a number of reasons. It is an increasingly global threat. As noted earlier, there are now more than 25,000 foreign terrorist fighters originating from over 100 countries. Most of them end up in Syria or in Iraq, where they carry out crimes of exceptional barbarity and brutality. Their eventual return to their countries of origin would pose enormous new problems and challenges to local law and order as well as to counter-terrorist bodies. It is a complex, mutating, and shifting threat.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“I thank the Secretary-General and the briefers for their contributions. I am pleased that this briefing on foreign terrorist fighters has drawn so many high-level officials in charge of counter-terrorism actions. This clearly demonstrates the importance and urgency of the matter we are discussing today. Today's briefing is taking place eight months after the adoption of resolution 2178 (2014) at the Security Council summit meeting chaired by President Obama (see S/PV.7272) and six months after the high-level Australian debate (see S/PV.7316). This allows us to take stock of the progress made in implementing resolution 2178 (2014) and address existing gaps in tackling the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source
“The Council has before it the text of a statement by the President on behalf ofthe Council on the subject oftoday's meeting. I thank Council members for their valuable contributions to this statement. In accordance with the understanding reached among the members of the Council, I shall take it that the members of the Security Council agree to the statement, which will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2015/1l. It is so decided. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. Let me start by paying tribute to all of our peacekeepers. Today is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, and last year alone 126 peacekeepers were killed; that is a very large number. Let us remember them all and pay tribute to them.”
2015-05-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7453 (2015) · source