YouSaid · the spoken record

Mark Lyall Grant

lines on the record: 1,799
first: 2009-11-13
most recent: 2015-04-24
sittings or episodes: 275
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“This is truly a groundbreaking moment in Afghan politics, as Afghanistan moves into its transformation decade. The most recent figures show that over a third of those taking part in top-up voter registration are women. That is good news and will contribute to the inclusiveness of the elections. The United Kingdom has pledged $11 million to build the capacity of the women elected to provincial councils to ensure that their voices are heard in the democratic process. Transparency and inclusiveness are vital to ensuring the credibility of the elections. In that regard, we welcome the recent decision of the European Union to send an election assessment team to Afghanistan.”
2014-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7139 (2014) · source
“However, we know that the support of NATO and the international community will continue to be vital in ensuring long-term security in Afghanistan. As a sign of our enduring commitment, the United Kingdom will contribute moer than $100 million a year until at least 2017 towards sustaining the Afghan national security forces. The United Kingdom also looks forward to hosting the NATO Summit later this year, which will provide the international community with an opportunity to reflect on ISAF's legacy and to set out NATO's post-2014 engagement in Afghanistan. Secondly, on elections and the political transition, Afghanistan is entering the final phase of campaigning and technical preparations for elections. The presidential and provincial council elections are now less than four weeks away.”
2014-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7139 (2014) · source
“I will focus my statement today on four key areas: security, elections, the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework and the United Nations future engagement in Afghanistan. First, with regard to the security situation, we should be proud of our achievements. The determination and dedication of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Security Forces have allowed the Government of Afghanistan to build the foundations of a stable and democratic country. The Afghan National Security Forces have risen to difficult challenges since taking full responsibility for Afghan security in June 2013, and we are encouraged by polling that shows growing confidence in their work. We expect the first all-female cohort of officer cadets to commence training in June. That is another significant achievement.”
2014-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7139 (2014) · source
“I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2014/163) and Special Representative Jan Kubis for his briefing today. I also thank Ambassador Tanin for his remarks this morning. This is the first opportunity for the Council to express directly to Special Representative Kubis and his team the sadness that we all felt at the tragic loss of the lives of four United Nations colleagues on 17 January. That appalling attack was a stark reminder of the dangers that international civilian staff face, and we pay tribute to the efforts of Mr. Kubis and his team in Afghanistan. The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of today's resolution 2145 (2014), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). UNAMA plays a vital role in peacebuilding in Afghanistan and will continue to do so in 2014.”
2014-03-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7139 (2014) · source
“If the referendum is held tomorrow, it will have no validity, no credibility and no recognition. We trust that Russia will take notice of its isolation. On Thursday, we heard a clear message from the Prime Minister of Ukraine that Ukraine was willing to engage in dialogue with Russia to address its stated concerns (see S/PV.7134). The ball is now firmly in Russia's court. If Russia fails to respond to Ukraine's outstretched hand and instead continues with its military adventurism or seeks to take advantage of the illegal referendum, it will lead to further escalation of tension in the region and further consequences for Russia. We ask Russia to hear the collective voice of the international community today to rethink its actions and to take the decision to work with Ukraine and with the rest of the world to find a peaceful solution.”
2014-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7138 (2014) · source
“The draft resolution (S/2014/l89) was designed to prevent a further escalation of the crisis in Ukraine. It invited Council members to uphold the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of a United Nations State Member and to reaffirm core United Nations principles. It was about sending a clear signal that holding a referendum in Crimea would take us further away from a diplomatic solution. The resounding message from today's vote is that Russia stands isolated in the Council and in the international community. Russia alone backs the referendum. Russia alone is prepared to violate international law, disregard the Charter of the United Nations and tear up its bilateral treaties. That message will be heard well beyond the walls of the Chamber. The position of the international community is clear.”
2014-03-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7138 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom urges Russia to refrain from such unilateral actions and to distance itself from the referendum set to take place on Sunday. And the United Kingdom urges the Security Council to make clear that Ukraine's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity must be respected and that any attempt to modify Ukraine's borders through unlawful means will not be tolerated.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“A referendum is set to take place on Sunday that is illegal under Ukrainian law and the consequences ofwhich will clearly be inflammatory - a destabilization with serious implications for the United Nations Charter and international norms. There is no need for this. What we have just heard from Prime Minister Yatsenyuk confirms what many of us have been repeatedly emphasizing in the Council - that there is a clear willingness on the part of the Ukrainian Government to address Russia's stated concerns through peaceful dialogue, discussion and negotiation. When there is a readiness for dialogue, it makes no sense - indeed, it would be dangerous and irresponsible - for Russia to take unilateral actions or collude with unilateral actions of the Crimean authorities.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“Its forces must return to their bases in Crimea and to the force level stipulated in the Black Sea Fleet basing arrangements. International monitors must be allowed into Crimea. Their presence will ensure that the rights of people belonging to minorities are fully respected by all parties. Russia should distance itself from the proposed referendum, clearly indicate that it will not seek to use the result as a pretext for annexation, and publicly reaffirm its commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. And Russia must agree to proposals for a dialogue with the Ukrainian Government, either directly or through a meaningful international diplomatic process. The Council is meeting today in the gravest possible circumstances.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“Moreover, a free and fair referendum cannot possibly be held while Russian troops and Russian-backed militias dominate Crimea, where there is no electoral register, where there are restrictions on press freedom, and where voters will be casting their ballots under the barrel of a gun. Under such conditions, it is clear that any referendum vote in Crimea this weekend would be farcical. Worse, it would reopen ethnic divisions and risk a serious escalation in tension. Such a referendum will not be recognized by the international community. A window of opportunity remains to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The window is narrow, but it exists. But finding that solution requires Russia to take a number of important steps. It must de-escalate.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“We are deeply concerned by the decision of the so-called Crimean Government, installed by an armed putsch accompanied by Russian military intervention, to hold a referendum on 16 March to ascertain whether Crimea should become part of the Russian Federation. We are equally concerned by the legislative steps Russia is taking to facilitate that referendum. It is absolutely clear that the proposed referendum would violate the Ukrainian Constitution. Article 73 sets out that any alteration to the territory of Ukraine must be resolved by an all-Ukrainian referendum. This is manifestly not an all-Ukrainian referendum.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“The only part of Ukraine where minorities are under threat is in Russian-occupied Crimea, where Ukrainian forces are besieged in their bases and hundreds of members of the Tatar community are fleeing Crimea in fear, and where, as we heard just now from Mr. Feltman, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Simonovie has been denied access and the opportunity to investigate the disturbing developments taking place in Crimea. But those international observers who have Visited Crimea, including Astrid Thors, the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, have found no evidence of any violations or threats to the rights of Russian speakers. They have, however, reported that, as a consequence of Russian actions, tensions between ethnic communities have increased.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“It comes from the actions of the Russian Federation in the Crimean peninsula where, against the express wishes of the Ukrainian Government, Russian military forces have taken control of a large part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. We utterly condemn that blatant violation of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the flagrant breach of international law. Russia claims that it is acting to protect its citizens. We have heard claims of Russian speakers and nationals under threat, the Russian language outlawed, rampant anti-Semitism, and hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Ukraine. All those claims have been shown to be unfounded.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“We all acknowledge that Ukraine has a pressing need for reform, for improvements to its political culture, for political stability and inclusiveness, and for an end to corruption. We all support the call for investigations into the violence of the past three months, we all back fresh elections under international observation, and we all agree on the importance of protecting minority rights. Those points of agreement could form a basis around which we can coalesce to find a way forward. But in order to move away from confrontation, the Russian Federation needs to accept that the cause of current instability in Ukraine lies not in Kyiv or in Donetsk.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“He was disowned by his own party and his removal was approved by an overwhelming majority of Members of Parliament. The transitional Government that replaced him has already taken important steps - steps which uphold the spirit of the 21 February agreement and which lay the foundations for the future of Ukraine. They have restored the 2004 Constitution, they have begun the process of constitutional reform, and they have scheduled elections for 25 May. Those forthcoming elections will enable all Ukrainians to choose their own leaders. Internationals monitors stand ready to ensure that those elections are free and fair. We urge all parties to support that effort. We all agree that Ukraine needs our support in this time of transition.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“I welcome Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to the Security Council today. The United Kingdom stands side by side with the Ukrainian people in this time of cr1s1s. We commend Mr. Yatsenyuk, his Government and the people and armed forces of Ukraine for the remarkable restraint they have shown in the face of repeated provocation. Because of their strength of will, there is still a chance for a peaceful diplomatic solution. Over the past week, we have heard in this Chamber and elsewhere an attempt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the transitional Government in Ukraine. That is entirely unwarranted. Mr. Yanukovych deserted his office and his people in the midst of a crisis. Rather than work to implement the 21 February agreement, he abandoned his post.”
2014-03-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7134 (2014) · source
“Although he was acquitted of using child soldiers, the Trial Chamber found that children were used as combatants. No matter who is responsible, that is an appalling violation of those children's rights. The fight against impunity must continue. We also welcome the fact that Bosco Ntaganda will be held to account by the ICC for the alleged recruitment of child soldiers in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have an obligation to the next generation in countries affected by conflict. It is no exaggeration to say that violations of children's rights compromise a country's future prosperity and ability to build lasting peace. We must commit to doing everything we can to prevent abhorrent violations and rise to the challenges to protecting the world's children.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“Zerrougui's commitment to concluding action plans, compliance with international law can now be measured. We call on all parties to sign action plans, and we call on those that have already signed to honour their commitments in full. We urge the Secretary-General to strengthen monitoring, reporting and response, and the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict to increase pressure on persistent perpetrators. Iwant to highlight today the invaluable contribution of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the fight against impunity for crimes against children. Two years ago, the ICC found Thomas Lubanga guilty of the war crime of using children to participate in hostilities. Today, the ICC found Germain Katanga guilty of war crimes.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“He has urged those Governments to implement their action plans with the United Nations to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers. He has also highlighted the need to prevent and protect children from other grave violations, including sexual Violence. The United Kingdom believes that regional organizations can also make important contributions, as we have just heard from my Nigerian colleague. That is why we are funding a child protection adviser in the African Union (AU), who will help implement the AU-Special Representative joint declaration. All parties to armed conflict, State and non-State parties alike, must abide by international law. Those who violate international law must be prosecuted. With verified information on Violations against children from United Nations country task forces and Ms.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“We ask the Secretary-General to ensure that the campaign is mainstreamed throughout the United Nations work, from peace processes to peacebuilding, including in the work of country teams. We look to Mr. Ladsous and Mr. Feltman to empower child protection advisers in United Nations field missions. When it comes to children's lives, no effort can be spared. It is also in our hands as Member States to support the implementation of the United Nations framework on children and armed conflict. The United Kingdom is doing its part. Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds has personally committed himself to work to release child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad and Burma.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“Schools are protected civilian objects under international humanitarian law, and yet the Council has heard in briefings by Valerie Amos of the continued militarization of schools in conflict, especially in Syria. Schools should be a place of safety, learning and peace, not violence and conflict. It is high time that Member States upheld their responsibility to protect children. We warmly welcome the campaign "Children, not soldiers", aimed at ending the recruitment and use of children by Government armed forces in conflict by 2016. The United Kingdom recognizes that this is an ambitious undertaking. Special Representative Zerrougui and UNICEF Executive Director Tony Lake have led the campaign, but that is not enough.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“While we have since seen the release, reintegration and protection of thousands of children, nonetheless Violations continue: in Syria, where well over 10,000 children have been killed, 3,000 schools damaged or destroyed and 3 million children are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and in Africa, where the Lord's Resistance Army has blighted the lives of thousands of children, terrorizing and displacing them from their homes as well as recruiting them to torture and kill. As long as children's lives continue to be torn apart by conflict, our work and commitment must also continue. We therefore welcome the adoption of today's resolution 2143 (2014), which adopts practical steps for combating violations against children. The resolution draws attention to devastating attacks on schools in armed conflict.”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for convening today's important open debate to discuss progress towards the full implementation of the children and armed conflict agenda. I also thank Foreign Minister Asselborn for his personal presence in the Council and for Luxembourg's strong and consistent leadership on this issue, including through its chairmanship of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. Let me also warmly thank the Secretary-General, his Special Representative Leila Zerrougui and the other briefers for their statements. I was particularly struck by the testimony of Mr. Sawanah, which brought to life for all of us why this issue is so important. Fifteen years ago, the Security Council recognized children and armed conflict as an issue of international peace and security with the adoption of resolution 1261 (1999).”
2014-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7129 (2014) · source
“There is no justification for that military action in international law or in the Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Status and Conditions of Presence of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in the Territory of Ukraine, as article 6 of that Agreement sets forth very clearly: "Military formations shall respect the sovereignty of Ukraine, shall abide by Ukrainian laws and shall not interfere in the internal affairs of Ukraine." What part of that Agreement justifies the military action that we have seen Russian taking in Crimea? My Russian colleague has said just now that the Russian Federation is not against the idea of an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe monitoring mission to eastern Ukraine and Crimea.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“I do not want to prolong today's debate but I must take issue with some of the things that the Russian ambassador has said. Let us be clear about the facts of what has happened in Crimea. The Russian forces have forcibly taken over military and civilian airports and infrastructure. They have set up roadblocks and pressured Ukrainian military leaders to defect. They have given other Ukrainian units ultimatums to surrender. They have blocked Ukrainian ports and vastly increased their military forces all along the Russian-Ukrainian border.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom urges Russia to uphold its obligations under international law, including under the Charter of the United Nations; to act in a way that promotes stability, rather than to destabilize the region through the promotion of new frozen conflicts; and to support democratic processes and the rule of law, not to subvert or suppress them.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“Such a mission could establish the real facts on the ground, monitor the situation and, indeed, provide any necessary reassurances and guarantees through peaceful means. We welcome the Secretary-General's decision to send the Deputy-Secretary-General to Kyiv today. I hope that he will also go to the Crimea and eastern Ukraine. We call on the Secretary-General to use his good offices to their fullest extent to help to de-escalate the current situation. This is not 1968 or 1956. The era in which one country can suppress democratization in a neighbouring State through military intervention on the basis of transparently trumped-up pretexts is over. We stand ready to work with Ukraine, Russia and all our international partners to support a stable, united, inclusive and economically prosperous Ukraine.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“If Russia is genuinely concerned about protecting minority groups and upholding the human rights of Ukrainian citizens, then armed intervention is not the way to address those concerns. Instead, Russia should open up a direct dialogue with the Ukrainian Government in Kyiv and not simply pick and choose individuals with whom it wishes to engage. It should respond to requests by Ukraine and other signatories of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum to hold consultations, as specified by paragraph 6 of that Memorandum. It should engage constructively in the debate taking place in the OSCE and other institutions concerning the deployment of a fact-finding mission and an international observer mission to Ukraine.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“The ruble has fallen and the Russian stock market is now down more than 10 per cent. Just as we condemn the Russian Federation for its confrontational acts, we commend the Government of Ukraine for refusing to rise to provocation. That is a wise decision. We urge the Ukrainian Government to continue to act calmly and to avoid actions or rhetoric that would inflame tensions or provide a further pretext for further military action. We call on the Russian Federation to immediately cease all military action in Crimea and to refrain from any interference elsewhere in Ukraine. Russia should withdraw its forces to their bases and return to force levels previously agreed with the Government of Ukraine, as part of the Black Sea Fleet basing arrangements.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“We are talking about a former leader who abandoned his office, his capital and his country; whose corrupt governance brought his country to the brink of economic ruin; who suppressed protests against his Government leading to over 80 deaths; and whose own party has abandoned him. The idea that his pronouncements now convey any legitimacy whatsoever is far-fetched and in keeping with the rest of Russia's bogus justification for its actions. The Government in Kyiv is legitimate and has been overwhelmingly endorsed by the Ukrainian Parliament. In the twenty-first century, no country should be acting with such blatant disregard for international law. Those actions will be met with a strong and united response from the international community. Russia should not be surprised that its political and economic reputation have already suffered.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“In assuming control ofa sovereign part of Ukraine on a trumped-up pretext, the Russian Federation has contravened its obligations as a member of the international community. It has violated Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations, which prohibits the threat or use offorce against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. It has failed to honour its international commitments as a founding member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and as a signatory to the 1975 Helsinki Final Act. It has reneged on its obligations under the 1997 bilateral Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Russia and Ukraine and the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. The Russian representative claims that Mr. Yanukovych has called for Russian military intervention.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“The pretense is now over. The world can see that Russian military forces have taken control of the Crimean peninsula, part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. That action is against the express wishes of the legitimate Ukrainian Government. It is a clear and unambiguous violation of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and is a flagrant breach of international law. We can see absolutely no justification for those actions. We have heard from Russia that their forces are in Ukraine to protect minorities from armed radicals and anti-Semites. We hear claims of interference in the affairs of the Orthodox Church. We hear claims of hundreds of thousands of refugees. But Russia has provided no evidence of any of that. It is clear that the claims have simply been fabricated to justify Russian military action.”
2014-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7125 (2014) · source
“We see no reason why these consultations should not take place immediately. Yesterday, the Council expressed support for Ukraine's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and agreed that all political actors should show restraint. It is critical that the Russian Federation respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and take immediate steps to calm this dangerous situation.”
2014-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7124 (2014) · source
“Earlier today, my Prime Minister called on all parties to think carefully about their actions and to work to lower, not escalate, tensions. Yesterday, my Foreign Secretary spoke to Ukrainian acting President Turchynov, and made clear the United Kingdom's support for Ukraine's new Government. He urged him to ensure that the Government take measures that unify the country and that it protect the rights of Ukraine's citizens, including those from minority groups, in a spirit of inclusiveness. And he assured him of the United Kingdom's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty. The United Kingdom Government support the Ukrainian Government's request for urgent consultations, in accordance with the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, signed by the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia and Ukraine.”
2014-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7124 (2014) · source
“As the Permanent Representative of Russia has suggested that some European Union (EU) member States were somehow involved in making the crisis in Ukraine worse, I should like to set out clearly my Government's position. The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the escalation of tensions in the Crimea peninsula and by the fact that the Russian Parliament has authorized Russian military action on Ukrainian soil against the wishes of the Ukrainian Government. That action is a grave threat to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We condemn any act of aggression against Ukraine. We have therefore sought an immediate and full explanation from the Russian Federation for the decision to authorize military action on sovereign Ukrainian soil, and of the basis for it under international law.”
2014-03-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7124 (2014) · source
“Thirdly, those wishing to derail the political transition will face swift and firm consequences through the new Sanctions Committee. The resolution is clear: "the transition process requires turning the page from the presidency of Ali Abdullah Saleh" (resolution 2140 (2014), fourteenth preambular paragraph). Fourthly, when the Council works together and delivers tough messages, it can create the catalyst for change. I would like to end by taking this opportunity to commend the continued efforts of Special Adviser of the Secretary-General Jamal Benomar and of the Gulf Cooperation Council to assist Yemen through that transition process.”
2014-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7119 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of resolution 2140 (2014), on Yemen. By its unanimous adoption of the resolution, the Security Council has delivered four clear messages. First, the international community continues to focus on Yemen and wants to support the Yemeni people towards a more stable and prosperous future. More support is needed to help the Yemeni Government to improve security and provide humanitarian assistance. Secondly, the next steps in the transition are clear. Those are constitutional electoral reform, followed by elections. All constituencies must work together to implement the recommendations of the National Dialogue Conference. That includes the recommendation of the report of the good governance working group on who can hold future high office.”
2014-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7119 (2014) · source
“The message from the Council to the Syrian regime is clear: end the killing of your own people; stop the aerial bombardment, in particular barrel bombs; lift the sieges; and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in desperate need.”
2014-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7116 (2014) · source
“The Security Council will review the humanitarian situation every 30 days and, as the resolution makes clear, we fully intend to take further steps if the demands set out in the resolution are ignored. Although this resolution is an important step forward, we know that only an outcome on the political track will provide a lasting solution to the humanitarian crisis in Syria. The United Kingdom will intensify its support with our allies for the "Geneva II" process to bring about a political settlement of the conflict in Syria. The international community must apply the same sense of unity in support of the Geneva 11 negotiations as it has shown today.”
2014-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7116 (2014) · source
“She called on the Council to take urgent action to improve the reach of humanitarian organizations. Today, the Council has answered that call. We hope that the adoption of resolution 2139 (2014) will lead to action on the ground, bringing some relief to the millions of Syrians in dire need of humanitarian assistance. The resolution demands that the Syrian regime lift the siege of besieged areas, end the abhorrent and indiscriminate use of barrel bombs in populated areas and allow the United Nations and its partners to deliver aid across borders. The Syrian regime must immediately comply with those demands. To cite just one example, more than 1 million people in the most extreme need would immediately benefit from United Nations aid delivered across borders.”
2014-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7116 (2014) · source
“The Council urged all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, to take a number of specific steps to improve access and to protect civilians. But not only has that statement been roundly ignored by the Syrian regime; the situation has got drastically worse. My Russian colleague suggests that there has been humanitarian progress, but the reality on the ground tells a very different story. There are now 9.3 million people in need - an increase of more than one third since 2 October. Over the same period, the number of internally displaced persons has risen by 50 per cent, to 6.5 million people. And an estimated 140,000 people have been killed since the crisis began - an increase of 40 per cent since six months ago. Last week, Valerie Amos came to the Council and laid bare the scale of this humanitarian crisis (see S/PV.7109).”
2014-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7116 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2139 (2014), on Syria. Today, the Council has finally shown that, whatever its political differences over Syria, it was not entirely indifferent to the devastating humanitarian crisis. We applaud the efforts of Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg in leading the negotiating process. It has been nearly three years now since the Syrian people bravely stood up to demand their legitimate and universal rights. Since then, Al-Assad has waged a brutal war against his own people. He is responsible for the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world and some of the worst human rights abuses in the world. Four-and-a-half months ago, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement (S/ PRST/2013/ 15) that was designed to alleviate the humanitarian impact of this conflict.”
2014-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7116 (2014) · source
“We are the only permanent member to accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. We are one of only two permanent members of the Security Council to have ratified the Rome Statute. And we are steadfast supporters of the International Criminal Court. We must all use the Council's authority to fight impunity and help countries recovering from conflict to rebuild their rule-of-law systems so that people everywhere are safe and have access to the justice that they so rightly deserve.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom reiterates its call for States to fully meet their obligations to the International Criminal Court (ICC) - both those obligations that fall to States parties to the Rome Statute and those that follow from the decisions of the Council. We will continue to use our voice in the Council to encourage the effective follow-up of Council decisions with respect to the ICC. We thank the United Nations for its important contributions in the fight against impunity. In particular, we welcome the Secretary-General's issuance of the latest guidance on contacts with International Criminal Court indictees. The United Kingdom is proud of its role in strengthening the international rule of law. We are engaged in all six existing international criminal tribunals.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“There have been significant advances in international law, such as defining gender crimes and establishing that genocide can be committed through rape and sexual violence. Efforts by some Member States to oppose such gains are reprehensible and must be resisted. There must be no impunity for the most important crimes. The perpetrators of crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held accountable. The message of the past two decades is clear: those who commit heinous crimes will not rest easily. International justice is patient and its reach is long. There is no expiry date for such crimes. They will be prosecuted.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“This year, we will be the only Group of 20 country to spend 0.7 per cent of our gross national income on overseas aid, at least 30 per cent of which will be spent in conflict-affected countries. We have committed $84 million per year to helping improve security and justice in 16 different countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone. That will support a range of activities, including facilitating access to security and justice for 10 million women around the world. Twenty years ago, impunity for war crimes was the norm. We have worked hard to break that norm. While there is still more work to do, in recent decades we have entered a new age of accountability. We have built the architecture of international justice so that individuals responsible for appalling crimes have been and are being prosecuted.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“We hope that those steps will make a positive contribution to the quality of support delivered to conflict-affected countries. We urge the Secretary- General to continue to improve the Organization's ability to measure and to evaluate the effectiveness of its support. We know that that is challenging, but the United Nations must show evidence of the difference that it makes on the ground in countries recovering from conflict because, without such evidence, it risks losing credibility in the eyes of those that it is trying to help. The United Kingdom is also playing its own part in strengthening national rule-of-law systems in conflict- affected regions.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“History has taught us that one cannot have lasting peace without justice, accountability and reconciliation. Popular uprisings around the world demonstrate that nations cannot maintain lasting peace and prosperity while denying their citizens basic rights and justice. Effective, accountable and accessible security and justice institutions protect individual rights and prevent violent conflict. Council-mandated missions working in coordination with other parts of the United Nations system are critical to strengthening national rule-of-law systems. For that reason, the United Kingdom supports the Secretary- General's efforts to strengthen the United Nations institutional arrangements, in particular provisions to empower field leaders and United Nations joint work through a global focal point for police, justice and corrections.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“Thank you, Sir, for having organized and for presiding over this important debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and the Deputy- Secretary-General for his presence today and his personal leadership on this issue. We strongly support the draft presidential statement proposed by Lithuania and call on all Member States to do likewise. As we seek to prevent conflict, halt violence and build lasting peace around the world, we must not overlook the importance of justice, accountability and the protection of human rights. Strengthening the rule of law should be a core priority for the Council. Equally, the United Nations should be at the forefront of international efforts to support countries emerging from conflict to improve their rule-of-law systems.”
2014-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7113 (2014) · source
“We must discharge that responsibility in its fullest sense, bridging our differences to arrive at a common purpose, drawing on the deepest possible historical understanding, heeding early warnings, actively anticipating conflict and using all the tools at the Council's disposal to deliver effective conflict prevention.”
2014-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7105 (2014) · source