YouSaid · the spoken record

Lodhi

lines on the record: 545
first: 2015-03-16
most recent: 2019-10-29
sittings or episodes: 79
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

“The statement delivered by the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, whose members represent more than half of the membership of the United Nations and with which we fully align ourselves, reflects cracks in the trust represented by the Charter. That must be remedied if we are to advance and augment the moral authority of the United Nations as a just and credible organization that safeguards the interests of all Member States as equals, in accordance with international law. I would like to make a few suggestions on how to rebuild that trust. First, the management of peace and security must be based on a genuine consensus forged on the basis of the principles of the Charter, not on power politics.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“But today we see a world that is hardly at peace, where conflicts abound, human-rights abuses remain rampant and humanitarian law is flouted in open violation of the Charter's principles. We have yet to see a world order emerge that is based on justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law and, most critically, on the purposes and principles of the Charter itself. Member States solemnly entered into our covenant in the trust that those principles were immutable. Yet we see them flouted in pursuit of narrow national interests, especially by the powerful. We see unilateralism and arbitrariness in consequential decisions of war and peace. We see unwarranted foreign adventures, and then we also see their unforeseen and unintended but devastating consequences.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“Pakistan is pleased to see the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela presiding over the Security Council, and we appreciate its convening of today's debate on a subject of fundamental importance. There is no better way to mark the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations than by renewing our collective pledge to fully and unequivocally respect its purposes and principles. We also thank the Secretary-General for his insightful briefing this morning. The Charter of the United Nations does not just collectively bind us to efforts aimed at saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war, it is also a shared commitment to creating a world order based on the rule of international law. Of course, the Charter's greatest success is that for 70 years there has been no general conflagration.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“It can help to promote fair and durable solutions to the conflicts and disputes in the region, and build consensus on collective counter-terrorism actions based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the divinely ordained unity of the world's Muslims, the ummah.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“We are encouraged that all the major regional and global Powers remain committed to supporting those processes. We believe that the delay in reconvening the Syria talks does not imply their collapse. We also hope that the United Nations-sponsored reconciliation will be realized in Yemen. Pakistan believes that a stable order should emerge from the present chaos in West Asia and the Levant. To that end, a consistent dialogue is essential between all the regional States for the support of the major Powers. Such a dialogue can be promoted under the auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“There is a need to accommodate the rights and interests of all religious and ethnic groups and halt the fighting in Yemen and rebuild that impoverished and broken country. As is evident, that will be no easy endeavour. Success requires, first and foremost, an end to the regional hostility and rivalry that is polarizing the Middle East. The new and revived tensions are toxic, not only for the countries already engulfed in the conflict. It could encompass other regional States, home to diverse denominations of Islam and other religions. My country, Pakistan, is making its own modest contribution to promoting harmony in the region, as illustrated by the recent mediatory mission undertaken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Riyadh and Teheran. Pakistan supports the United Nations processes for Syria and Yemen.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“The wider wars across the region, while rooted in divisions that span centuries, have been ignited by more recent foreign interventions in Iraq and elsewhere. The foundations of the old order in the region have been eroded, giving way to disorder, spread by State and non-State actors, such as Daesh, or Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). ISIS has emerged as a rogue threat to the entire region and the world. It must be confronted, and it must be defeated. In order to succeed in that, the States of the region must, with the international community's assistance, reach the political decisions needed to end the civil war and suffering in Syria and build a path to peace that is responsive to the aspiration of its people and achieve an inclusive structure for governance.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“That is increasingly rendering a two-State solution more and more difficult to achieve. We share the Secretary-General's profound concern at the reports of Israel's authorization of the largest land grab in over a year. The Security Council must mobilize the political will to ensure the implementation of its own binding resolutions requiring Israel's withdrawal from occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and the fulfilment of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to a sovereign and secure Palestinian State. Israeli leaders should realize that a continued conflict in the occupied territories with the Palestinians will eventually erode the very nature of their State, and the war within will not remain unconnected with the wars raging just across Israel's imposed frontiers.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“The plight of the Palestinian people is one of the core causes of the rise and spread of popular anger and alienation across the Arab and Muslim world. Extremist ideologies and violent groups in the Middle East will be difficult to defeat until the essence oftheir narrative -the injustices against Muslim people, especially the Palestinians - is justly and effectively addressed. Recent events have reinforced the conclusion that there will be no peace or stability in the holy land unless Israel accommodates an independent, contiguous and viable Palestinian State, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds as its capital. Unfortunately, Israel has adopted a totally inflexible policy, including the continued taking of more and more Palestinian land for illegal settlements.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“The Pakistan delegation welcomes this timely debate on the Middle East. We thank the Secretary-General for his incisive briefing to the Council. The Middle East, the cradle of civilization, is today the centre of conflict, terrorism and massive human suffering. The causes are both current and historical. During a half-century of occupation, Palestine has been repeatedly promised statehood, but as we know these promises never materialized, which set the stage for its prolonged agony and tragedy. The political injustices and human suffering of the Palestinian people have progressively intensified. The fires that have been ignited across the region in recent years in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and beyond cannot eclipse the Palestine question or render a solution for its enduring tragedy less urgent or essential.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“As has been demonstrated time and again, terrorists are not bound by any consideration of humanity. The have not even spared schoolchildren, as the cowardly attack on a school in Peshawar demonstrated a year ago, underlining the new and appalling levels of inhumanity to which violent extremists have sunk. Even so, the response of States to combat terrorism must be measured, well- planned and carefully targeted to protect civilias and uphold human rights. Anything less would play into the hands of terrorists and would be counter-productive. Finally, the goal of the protection of civilians is best served, as other speakers before me have also pointed out, by preventing the outbreak of armed conflicts in the first place, addressing the root causes of conflicts and finding inclusive and peaceful political solutions to disputes and conflicts.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“Action by Pakistani troops in the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur offers an example of the active protection of civilians while adhering to the principles of peacekeeping. While we appreciate the acknowledgement in the Secretary-General's report that Pakistan's counter- terrorism operations involves "better advance planning to limit the effect on civilians" (S/2015/453, para. 20), my delegation reiterates that these are law enforcement actions and do not constitute a situation of armed conflict. We of course strongly condemn the deliberate targeting of civilians in conflict situations. We have even temporarily relocated civilians to protect them from deliberate targeting by terrorists in areas where law enforcement operations are taking place.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“We support its recommendations for better training of peacekeepers and closer trilateral dialogue and collaboration. We do, however, believe that the fundamental principles of peacekeeping are not an impediment to protection-of-civilians mandates. The Security Council establishes those mandates, and the use of force in defence of those mandates is an integral part of those principles. The report also urges extreme caution when mandating enforcement tasks. Pakistan, as one of world's top troop-contributing countries, has proudly and conscientiously undertaken the task of proactively protecting civilians, when mandated by the Council. We have demonstrated that this can be done by a robust deterrence posture and without resort to the actual use of force.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“But compliance, unfortunately, is sporadic at best, and defiance remains rampant, especially, but not only, on the part of non-State actors. As recent examples attest, starvation has been used as an instrument of a siege strategy, and indiscriminate bombing campaigns have been undertaken with no regard for the loss of civilian lives. The destruction of hospitals and attacks on medical workers has been the most egregious example of such impunity. All that has presented formidable obstacles to legitimate humanitarian access to affected populations and resulted in death and destruction, which could have been avoided. We would therefore fully support efforts to strengthen compliance and accountability measures. The attention given to the subject in the report of the High-level Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446) is also timely.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“The United Nations report released today reveals that in Iraq's ongoing conflict nearly 19,000 civilians were killed between 1 January 2014 and 31 October 2015, with more than 36,000 wounded. Those are indeed staggering numbers. Millions have been dislodged from their homes, driven out by bloody and unremitting conflict and unending turmoil or persecution. Many who managed to flee have seen their perilous journeys of escape become journeys of death. The protection of civilians is a core system-wide responsibility, but host countries bear the primary responsibility for the protection of all civilians without discrimination. A normative framework is in place, and the international community keeps urging all parties to comply with their obligations and abide by international humanitarian law and human rights law.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“At the outset, I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's thematic debate. It underscores the pivotal importance of the issue, especially as civilians have come to represent the ever-increasing proportion of victims in ongoing armed conflicts - in an era that the Secretary-General recently aptly portrayed as one of mega-crises. My delegation also appreciates the insightful briefings by the Deputy Secretary-General and by the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The suffering ofcivilians caught in the line of fire in conflict situations is unspeakable. Tens of thousands of people, including women, children and the elderly, have become tragic victims of conflicts not of their making. Civilian casualties have mounted, and so has the need for humanitarian assistance.”
2016-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7606 (2016) · source
“The inclusion of peripheral issues that fall under the purview of other United Nations organs will only serve to weaken the wide consensus around the role of the Council in the women and peace and security domain.”
2015-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533 (2015) · source
“Pakistan's adherence to the ideals of empowering women and protecting their rights stems from our faith, our Constitution and the vision of our founding fathers, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who famously said: "No nation can rise to the height of glory unless women are side by side with men". It was my country that earned the distinction of electing the first female Prime Minister in the entire Muslim world. We therefore support Security Council efforts to pursue its women and peace and security agenda in accordance with its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. However, the Council's focus should be on the prevention of sexual violence in armed conflict and strengthening women's participation in peace processes.”
2015-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533 (2015) · source
“Multidimensional peacekeeping missions, such as those provided for in resolution 2086 (2013), play a key role in combating violence against women in conflict and post-conflict situations. As a leading troop contributor, Pakistan will continue to ensure that our troops respond to the special needs of women and girls. We plan to further streamline training on gender sensitization. Pakistani women have served on the front lines as police officers, doctors and nurses in various missions in Asia, Africa and the Balkans. We are proud of the fact that a Pakistani police officer, Shahzadi Gulfam, was the recipient of the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award.”
2015-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533 (2015) · source
“Pakistan believes that it is the collective responsibility of the United Nations and the entire international community to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to those refugee women and to ensure their safety and security in camp settings and in transit to safer destinations. Here, I must underline the crucial importance of conflict prevention and conflict resolution to the women and peace and security agenda. The hardships faced by displaced women and girls and the grave crimes committed against them are mostly a direct consequence of conflict situations. The Council, we feel, should adopt a hands-on, strategic approach to conflict prevention and conflict resolution.”
2015-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533 (2015) · source
“Despite those commendable achievements, the situation on the ground remains troubling, if not alarming. Raging conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and violent acts by extremist groups continue to place women and girls in great peril and underline their intense vulnerability in those conflict situations. At a time when the refugee crisis has acquired disturbing dimensions, a large proportion of those fleeing conflict zones happen to be women. Torn from their communities and homes, those refugee women are not only deeply traumatized, but also face serious threats to their physical health and indeed to their personal safety and security.”
2015-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533 (2015) · source
“We thank the Spanish presidency of the Council for convening today's important debate on women and peace and security. The briefings of the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of UN-Women and representatives of civil society have all been instructive and very valuable. Resolution 1325 (2000) changed the approach to dealing with women in situations of armed conflict. The Security Council's engagement with women and peace and security over the past 15 years has led to the creation of a robust normative framework for the protection and empowerment of women in conflict situations. Subsequent Council resolutions have provided additional safeguards to protect women from sexual violence, guarantee their participation in peace processes and protect their rights.”
2015-10-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7533 (2015) · source
“Pakistan is very clear in its conviction that continued conflict in Afghanistan is not in our national interest. Peace in Afghanistan and cooperation with Kabul will enable us to fully defeat our common threat from violent groups. It will pave the way for the voluntary return of the millions of Afghan refugees we still host, which represents the most protracted presence of refugees in any single country in recent history. It will open the way for the ambitious plans for regional development and integration we have jointly worked for and on. In conclusion, let me say that we seek peace, friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mutual respect for each other's national interests and sensitivities must be the bedrock of our future relationship.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“There are vast uncontrolled areas in Afghanistan from where such violence emanates against both Afghan targets and against Pakistan. Pakistan has refrained from responding to the allegations made by certain Afghan quarters. On the contrary, my Prime Minister dispatched our national security adviser to Kabul on 4 September to reaffirm Pakistan's desire to assist Afghanistan's reconciliation process as well as to take part in the sixth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference for Afghanistan. We have declared that Afghanistan's enemies are also enemies of Pakistan. We should both be clear on who these enemies are. Those who are working overtime to sabotage and poison Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are really no friends of Afghanistan.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“But a few days before that date, there occurred certain developments, which are well known to all Council members and whose consequences were predictable. Those developments led to the rupture of what could have been a promising peace process. The Afghan Taliban was unable to return to the table. Equally inevitably, the level of violence in Afghanistan escalated, including a series of attacks that which claimed hundreds of innocent lives. Pakistan unequivocally condemned all those attacks. But we were shocked and saddened when some in Afghanistan chose to lay the blame for the escalating violence on my country. Our efforts to encourage the Taliban leaders to revive the dialogue should not be misconstrued as any form of endorsement for their revived violence following the scuttling of the intra-Afghan talks.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“Their infrastructure in North Waziristan and adjacent areas has been destroyed. Their few remaining hideouts in the Shawal Valley and other isolated redoubts are under consistent and strong attack. It was at the request of His Excellency President Ashraf Ghani that my country undertook to facilitate a dialogue between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban. Our sole aim was to establish direct contact between them and the National Unity Government. The first round of intra-Afghan talks was hosted in Murree on 7 July. Representatives of China and the United States observed those talks. The objective was to ensure transparency and impartiality. The outcome of that round was encouraging. Both the Afghan Government and the representatives of the Taliban agreed to continue the dialogue. A specific date, 31 July, was set for the second round of talks.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“Several avenues for reconciliation have been explored over the years, in Doha and elsewhere. Obviously, reconciliation and dialogue has to be between the Afghans themselves: it has to be owned and conducted by Afghans. External parties can facilitate reconciliation, but they cannot impose a solution. My country's priority remains to defeat the terrorists whom we are confronting. They are responsible for hundreds of attacks against civilian and security targets in Pakistan. They have killed over 64,000 of our citizens and security personnel, including innocent children at a school in Peshawar. Our military campaign, Zarb-e-Azb, and Pakistan's multidimensional national action plan have degraded those terrorist groups and have flushed out and eliminated those trying to use our territory for their violent agendas.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“In recent weeks, the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly, with violent attacks in Kabul and across the country. Pakistan condemns all terrorist violence in Afghanistan. There can be no justification for such attacks, which kill innocent children, women and men. In Afghanistan, as elsewhere, there are two possible paths to ending war and violence: a military victory over the insurgents or a negotiated peace. There is general consensus within the international community that peace can be best restored through a negotiated solution with the Afghan insurgency, led by Tehrik-e-Taliban. UNAMA's call earlier this morning for renewing direct engagement between the parties to the conflict is further confirmation of that approach.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“It is a pleasure to speak in the Security Council under your able presidency, Sir. We thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2015/684), and we greatly appreciate the briefings provided to the Council by Mr. Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and by Mr. Yuri Fedotov, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime at Vienna. Likewise, it is always instructive to hear the remarks of our brother Ambassador Zahir Tanin of Afghanistan. This debate is taking place at another crucial moment for Afghanistan and the region, as the country faces imposing economic, security and political challenges.”
2015-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7526 (2015) · source
“Cooperation between regional organizations can also be very useful. For instance, in the context of the current challenges in West Asia, cooperation and consultation could be most valuable between the SCO and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Equally, regular consultations between the Gulf Cooperation Council and key countries of West Asia can be timely, among other things, to deal with the shared threat from violent extremism and to devise common strategies on related issues. Finally, the Pakistan delegation looks forward to the concrete follow-up that we hope will emerge from this important deliberation of the Security Council.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505Resumption1 (2015) · source
“It includes 57 United Nations States Members - almost a third of the membership. It spans four continents. Its members are directly or indirectly involved in the numerous security challenges that bedevil the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Collectively and in cooperation with the United Nations, the OIC has the capabilities to address and overcome those challenges, including Palestine and other Middle East conflicts, as well as the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. The OIC can also contribute to the promotion of global peace and prosperity. The United Nations should actively promote cooperation with the OIC in areas such as mediation and conciliation in disputes, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance, especially to refugees and displaced people, and in addressing the root causes of conflicts and extremism.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Some have proved their worth and made valuable contributions, among them the European Union, the African Union, the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Others, such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), have much potential but have yet to fulfil their promise. SAARC has been constrained because of the deep differences among its members and efforts to utilize it for regional domination. Some regional organizations have great and untapped potential. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is one of them. That relatively newer grouping can advance the goals of economic development, stability and security across the broad swath of Euro-Asia. Among those organizations, the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) is in a unique position.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505Resumption1 (2015) · source
“They can also promote the greater and closer political consultations that are essential to addressing the security dimensions of those challenges. In the realm of security, the role of regional organizations and mechanisms has been recognized as well as circumscribed in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Regional organizations and groupings can serve effectively to promote mediation, arbitration and other peaceful means of conflict resolution. But in this sphere the United Nations, and especially the Security Council, has absolute primacy. Any enforcement action and any use of coercive means to implement international decisions can be authorized only by the Security Council. Each regional organization is unique and different in its historical origins, mandate, membership, evolution and capabilities.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505Resumption1 (2015) · source
“Global threats to peace and world order from diverse sources are also multiplying - climate change, poverty, unemployment, especially among youth, water scarcity, a record number of refugees and forced migrants, and gross violations of human rights. Yet this is also a time of opportunity. Today, an interconnected and interdependent world possesses the financial, scientific and organizational capabilities to address those imposing and myriad challenges. What is needed is political will, especially among key global and regional Powers, to utilize those capabilities effectively and cooperatively, and to rise above their narrow interests and competing agendas. Regional organizations can contribute to addressing many of those challenges, especially their economic and social dimensions.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505Resumption1 (2015) · source
“On behalf of my delegation, I would like to thank Nigeria for convening this important meeting of the Security Council. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive and insightful briefing this morning. We meet at a time of unprecedented and complex global and regional challenges. Large parts ofthe Middle East are in flames, afflicted by multiple inter- and intra-State conflicts, the spread of terrorism, external intervention and power struggles and massive human dislocation and suffering. Confrontation between the major Powers has returned to Europe and threatens to encompass Asia. Poverty stalks Africa and persists in South Asia.”
2015-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7505Resumption1 (2015) · source
“That would also open the way for closer consultations and even agreement on how to address pressing regional challenges, which, at the end of the day, require regional responses.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“We look forward to the comprehensive peace plan that he will present and hope that it will garner the support of parties to the conflict as well as of the international community. Dialogue, we believe, is the only way out of that quagmire. In Yemen, Pakistan is concerned that the humanitarian pause has not held. We urge parties to the conflict to return to the negotiating table. The legitimate Government of Yemen must be restored. That effort should be led by diplomacy and engagement. Finally, my country welcomes the landmark agreement recently reached with Iran, which, if fully and sincerely implemented, can contribute not only to nuclear non-proliferation but also to regional stability, cooperation and economic growth.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“A purely military approach is neither sufficient nor permanent in its impact. A comprehensive military, political, economic and social strategy is needed to defeat a movement that is motivated by an ideology of hate and gruesome violence. In Iraq, ISIS must be confronted and rolled back. That should be achieved by the State, not by sectarian militias. Success will come about only if the minority population is fully assured of its safety and its human rights. Durable peace can be achieved through political solutions, notjust military engagements. Syria continues to bleed profusely. Apart from defeating ISIS, a serious search for a political solution in Syria is needed. We welcome the consultations on Syria undertaken by Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura in Geneva.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“Only 28 per cent ofthe amount pledged at the Cairo Conference in October 2014 has so far been disbursed. We believe that the path to sustainable peace in the Middle East can only lie in a two-State solution and an end to Israeli occupation of all Arab lands. This body, as the prime custodian of international peace and security, must take its responsibility seriously. We call on the Security Council to adopt a resolution setting timelines and parameters for establishing an independent, viable and contiguous State ofPalestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital. An international mechanism to steer the process is also imperative. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) poses a spreading threat to security across the Middle East, North Africa and even beyond.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The full implementation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation-sponsored and Pakistan-steered Human Rights Council resolution of 1 July 2015 would, we hope, be a step towards ending this cycle of impunity. The devastation of Gaza, mind you, is but one aspect of the daily hardships that the Palestinians face as a result of Israeli oppression. The eight-year blockade of Gaza, the detention regime, excessive use of force against Palestinian civilians and illegal settlements all continue unabated and unchecked. It is heartbreaking that of the more than 12,500 houses that were completely destroyed in Gaza not a single one has so far been rebuilt. The international community must act to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza, especially because it shares part of the blame. We collectively have not lived up to our promises.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry established by the Human Rights Council on the Gaza conflict is an eye-opener. It establishes that security concerns cannot relieve Israel of its obligations under international law. It also expresses concern at the impunity that prevails across the board for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by Israeli forces. These forces refused to change course despite knowledge of the massive death and destruction being caused by their actions in Gaza. This, the Commission concludes, may even amount to war crimes. The persistent lack of implementation of recommendations regarding violations made by similar previous Commissions all but guarantee their systematic recurrence. This impunity must end.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“Let me start by thanking the Foreign Minister of New Zealand for earlier presiding over this meeting. We also thank the Special Coordinator of the Secretary-General for the Middle East Peace Process for his comprehensive though sobering briefing. Peace in the Middle East appears more distant than ever. The inflexible and indefensible posture taken by the hard-line Israeli Government has frozen any prospect for the resumption of the peace process and a political resolution based on a two-State solution. Israeli extremism is evoking a matching turn towards further radicalization in Gaza and the West Bank. Earlier this month we marked the first anniversary of the 51-day Israeli military assault on Gaza. The devastation that it caused has left Gaza in ruins.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The Secretary-General's report also states that opiates still account for the equivalent of 13 per cent of Afghanistan's gross domestic product. While we welcome efforts by the Afghan law-enforcement authorities to counter that menace, more focused action is required, with international support. Finally, the ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan transcend the boundaries of time and space. Our destinies are intertwined. As our Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in Kabul, "We have stood shoulder to shoulder through every trial and tribulation" that the people of Afghanistan have faced. I would therefore like to assure Afghanistan of our continued resolve to remain by its side and help the Afghan people in whatever way we can to accomplish the goals of the Transformation Decade and achieve lasting peace.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“As co-Chair of the process, Pakistan hosted a meeting of its senior officials in Islamabad in May, providing an opportunity for in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including trans-regional projects such as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan- India gas pipeline and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Secretary-General's report notes an increase in the voluntary return of Afghan refugees from both Pakistan and Iran. However, Pakistan continues to be one of the top two countries hosting the world's largest refugee population. We welcome the Afghan Government's commitment to the refugees' return and reintegration and hope that UNAMA will continue to assist in that regard. My Prime Minister has assured President Ghani that Afghan refugees will not be forcibly repatriated.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“That can best be achieved through a process of national reconciliation undertaken and led by the Afghans themselves. We welcome the first tentative steps taken in recent months to advance the reconciliation process, and we hope they will lead to direct talks as well as to a de-escalation ofviolence. Pakistan will do everything possible to encourage that process. Success will require reciprocal accommodation and, above all, strategic patience. Sustainable peace in Afghanistan will lead to regional stability, which is the cornerstone of the Heart of Asia process.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“Nothingjustifies the killing of innocent people, the atrocious attack this morning on the Afghan Parliament or, as we saw last week, the destruction of hospitals. We are committed to fighting that menace together and are increasing our military and intelligence cooperation with Kabul. For our part, we have just completed a successful first year for our military operation against terrorists and armed militants in North Waziristan. We are committed to eliminating all terrorists, without distinction. And let me be clear that we will be relentless in rooting out terrorism, whoever its sponsors are, external or internal. Any attempt to destabilize parts of our country or attack its territorial integrity will be responded to forcefully. Pakistan can and will play a constructive role in promoting peace and security in Afghanistan.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“The two leaders agreed that our bilateral relationship would continue to be guided by three core principles, the first being adherence to the policy of non-interference; the second, ensuring that our respective territories are not used against each other; and the third, seeing to it that the enemies of Afghanistan are treated as enemies of Pakistan, and vice versa. The two leaders also agreed to expand trade and deepen regional cooperation, which we hope will usher in a new era of peace and development in our region - a win-win situation for everyone. Pakistan has the highest possible stake in a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. Terrorism remains a challenge for both our countries and the entire region. We have roundly condemned the recent rise in violence in Afghanistan and the civilian casualties that have been its grim consequence.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“Its work, in line with the priorities set by the Afghan Government, is much valued. All of us have a crucial stake in the stability ofAfghanistan, and all of us will have to contribute to that end. As is noted in the latest report of the Secretary- General (S/2015/422), during the last quarter, we travelled further along a positive trajectory of enhanced engagement between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Last month, my Prime Minister visited Kabul for the second time, his first since the advent of the Government of National Unity.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“I would like to start by thanking Special Representative Nicholas Haysom for his perceptive briefing. Today Afghanistan stands on the cusp of challenge and opportunity. Its path into the Transformation Decade is challenging on every front, dealing as it must with insecurity, economic fragility and the illicit economy, to name only a few issues. We are encouraged to see that the process of forming a Government has been completed, and we also welcome the nomination of the first woman to the country's Supreme Court. All of that marks an auspicious beginning. But much more needs to be done, and as Afghanistan negotiates its many challenges, the international community must continue to stand by it. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has a critical role in that regard.”
2015-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7467 (2015) · source
“The role of peacekeeping missions in the protection of journalists should be strengthened by providing additional resources, and media professionals may be identified as a special category of persons to be protected. Finally, we hope our deliberations today will guide future strategies to ensure the protection ofjournalists in a world that is transforming faster than our ability to manage the full ramifications of that change.”
2015-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7450Resumption1 (2015) · source