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

“Six years later, in 2010, a street vendor in Tunis named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in response to police harassment, triggering seismic upheavals across the Arab World, the consequences of which the Security Council is still dealing with today. Our collective failure - as it is so often in the Council - was not one of prediction, but the lack of political will to take early action. The United Kingdom's Prime Minister, David Cameron, has consistently argued that inclusive institutions, open societies and economies, and the rule of law what he calls the "golden thread of development" - are essential for countries to thrive economically and to avoid conflict. Governments should be the servants of their citizens, not their masters or the servants of a narrow, powerful clique.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“It was the beginning of the rule of law - the most important of the principles that underpin inclusive institutions and accountable Government. History teaches us that where there is an absence of inclusivity, the rule of law and political pluralism, instability and possibly conflict will inevitably ensue. Conflicts erupt for many reasons, but there is growing evidence that the social, political and economic marginalization of specific groups in society can be a major driver of conflict. In 2004, the Arab Human Development Report warned us of "an acute deficit of freedom and good governance" in the Arab World, and predicted that it could lead to instability.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“Thank you, Madam President, for convening this important debate. It is indeed good to see you back here in New York. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, Ambassador Patriota and Ms. Leymah Gbowee for their important and inspiring comments this morning. This year the United Kingdom celebrates the eight hundredth anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, in 1215. That was a ground-breaking moment in the history of my country's inclusive development. The Magna Carta introduced the concept of a fundamentally different relationship between the State and individuals. In essence, the monarch agreed for the first time that his power could not to be exercised in an arbitrary and unconstrained way, that the State was answerable to its citizens and that there should be due process.”
2015-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7361 (2015) · source
“We welcome the recent election of Syrian National Coalition President Khaled Khoja and encourage him to maximize the opportunity presented by the Egyptian- sponsored meetings later this month, to further unite the Syrian opposition to speak with one voice against the twin evils of the tyranny of the Al-Assad regime and extremism. New energy is needed on the political track. The Moscow conference can be an element of that, but if it is to be successful we will need a broader initiative with United Nations backing and Security Council engagement. We encourage Russia to use its influence with the regime to help bring that about. This must be the year in which a political process brings an end to the Syrian conflict.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes the timely adoption of resolution 2191 (2014), which will allow humanitarian assistance to continue to be delivered in hard to reach areas within Syria, avoiding the deliberate delaying tactics that prevent crossed-line humanitarian aid delivery from regime held territory. Even last Wednesday - which, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, was the first day for more than three years when no one was reported killed by military action - six people died as a result of severe weather conditions and lack of humanitarian relief. We will continue to support the development of United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura's proposals for a freeze in Aleppo to reduce the violence.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“The repeated use of chlorine as a chemical weapon in northern Syria and the consistent reports of witnesses of the presence of helicopters at the times of the attacks leave little doubt as to the Al-Assad regime's culpability. In December 2014 alone, there were at least nine separate reported uses of chemical weapons by the regime. The Security Council needs to act on those reports. The ongoing brutality of the Al-Assad regime and its refusal to engage in a meaningful political process continue to drive the conflict and strengthen extremists such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“We welcome the positive steps taken by United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry to facilitate the import and use of construction materials to rebuild Gaza. But demand is not being adequately met and more needs to be done to address the humanitarian situation and kick-start Gaza's recovery. Fourthly, we remain open to a first-ever Security Council resolution on the parameters of a two-State solution that would command full Council support. We judge that it is possible, as long as sufficient time is allowed for proper negotiation. In Syria, we are approaching four years of brutal conflict. Well over 200,000 people have now been killed. The majority of deaths have resulted from the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas by the Syrian regime.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“It risks undermining the financial stability of the Palestinian Authority and it could have serious implications for the viability of a two-State solution. We urge Israel to revoke that decision and to refrain from taking any further punitive action, including settlement announcements. We note the Secretary-General's communication that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court will enter into force for the Palestinians on 1 April. Our priority remains the achievement of a two-State solution, and we continue to believe that the best way to achieve that in reality and on the ground is through negotiations. Thirdly, we must not forget Gaza.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“No one can fault the energy and commitment of United States mediation efforts in 2014, but courage, determination and bold leadership are necessary on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to make the hard decisions and compromises necessary to reach a peaceful, negotiated settlement. The United Kingdom stands ready to support the efforts of international partners - including the United States, the European Union and those in the region - to encourage and assist the parties. Secondly, all parties need to avoid taking steps that could further damage the prospects for resuming meaningful talks. We are deeply concerned by Israel's decision to freeze the transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority. That is contrary to the 1994 Paris Protocol and to Israel's obligations as an occupying Power.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“Despite those divisions, the Council shares the same core commitments to a negotiated settlement that would lead to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State, based on 1967 borders, with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both States, and ajust, fair and agreed settlement for refugees. Sadly, in 2014 the prospects for a two-State solution moved backwards rather than forwards. We believe that in 2015 the Security Council should play a meaningful role in promoting a negotiated two-State solution. In doing so, we must draw on the lessons of last year. First, Israel and the Palestinian Authority must commit to resuming talks to allow for the political changes necessary to prevent a return to conflict.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over this open debate. I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General ad interim Toyberg-Frandzen for his briefing this morning. We meet today for the first Middle East debate of 2015. On 30 December, in its last vote of 2014 (see S/PV.7354), the Council was divided on a draft parameters resolution (see S/2014/9l6) on the Middle East peace process. As I said on that occasion in my explanation of vote, while we agreed with much of the text, which reflected long-standing United Kingdom and European Union positions, we did not agree with some elements of the text and were disappointed that there were no proper negotiations of it.”
2015-01-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7360 (2015) · source
“The challenge for the Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and the whole United Nations system is to act early, because early action can prevent enormous human suffering, fear and displacement, and it is far more cost-effective than the high human and financial costs of peacebuilding after conflict has take root.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“In particular, we need bold and meaningful reform of the Peacebuilding Commission if it is to adapt to the changing context and remain relevant in the future. We also hope that these reviews will emphasize the importance of conflict prevention as a core peacebuilding task. As the Deputy Secretary- General so eloquently said this morning, too often the Security Council focuses solely on the intensive care phase of the conflict spectrum. We need much more attention to be focused both on conflict prevention and on post-conflict peacebuilding, which we one might call the "convalescence" treatment of the problem. We live in an age where we have immediate access to information about potential risks of instability in countries around the world.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“We must ensure that a missions drawdown does not result in a huge drop in donor financing. The United Nations Peacebuilding Fund is an important mechanism to achieve this, and that is why the United Kingdom continues to be the Peacebuilding Fund's largest donor, providing $70 million since 2011, and we encourage others to contribute generously to this important peacebuilding tool. As many colleagues have pointed out, 2015 will be an important year for peacebuilding. The United Kingdom hopes thatboth the review of the peacebuilding architecture and the Secretary-General's review of peace operations will provide innovative recommendations to improve the way in which we support countries recovering from conflict.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“And although the principle of national ownership should, of course, sit at the heart of all peacebuilding strategies, we need to be realistic about the limits of national ownership in situations of State collapse where political legitimacy remains contested. Thirdly, peacebuilding requires sustained political attention and financial support. The Ebola crisis in West Africa has demonstrated the fragility of peacebuilding gains. But even without an external shock like Ebola, there are no shortcuts to building durable national institutions. The World Bank estimates that making meaningful improvements to institutions takes between 10 and 17 years at the very minimum. International efforts to build institutions will inevitably extend beyond the lifetime of a peace operation. Effective, well-planned transitions are therefore essential.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“Secondly, we must remember the primacy of politics in peacebuilding. Too often the international community takes a technical approach to supporting countries in conflict, such as building police stations or improving budgetary processes. While those may be critical tasks, peacebuilding activities will fail if they become detached from a broader political strategy. The United Nations must ensure that its good offices mandates are used to create the political space required for key peacebuilding interventions to gain traction. Missions must seek to align security development and political activities into a single, coherent, integrated strategy.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“The increasing number of violent extremist groups making maximalist demands, and that view United Nations personnel as legitimate targets, makes it harder to bring conflicts to an end. When wars even appear to end, often they do so without a clear resolution or with violence persisting. These contexts are likely to become the new normal for peacebuilding. We therefore need to develop a more sophisticated approach to core peacebuilding tasks in countries affected by conflict. To achieve that, the United Nations must improve its capacity to undertake rigorous and objective analysis of the conflict drivers in each context, and to use that improved understanding to present the Council with sequenced, prioritized and tailored recommendations to deal with the root causes of violence.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“Although peacebuilding was first conceptualized as a post-conflict endeavour, we are now increasingly asking the United Nations to support political processes and build institutions in the midst of ongoing violence and conflict. Almost 90 per cent of United Nations personnel in special political missions are working in peace operations in countries that are still experiencing high-intensity conflict. There are also several new drivers of conflict. Civil wars are becoming internationalized, with regional actors fuelling and sometimes actively participating in intra-State conflicts. The growth of transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking as a lucrative funding stream for armed groups acts as a disincentive to reaching durable political settlements.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“The experiences of South Sudan and Somalia allow us to draw some important lessons on the effectiveness of United Nations peacebuilding. There is no doubt that the United Nations has significantly improved its support to countries emerging from conflict over the past 20 years. Countries like Cote D'Ivoire and Timor-Leste are rightly celebrated as success stories. However, we must also acknowledge that there have been too many tragic examples of countries relapsing into violence, with the Central African Republic being the most prominent recent example. The United Kingdom believes that there are three overarching lessons that we can draw from recent United Nations peacebuilding experiences. First, the context in which the United Nations is trying to deliver peacebuilding support is changing.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate and for coming to New York to chair it personally. I also want to thank the Deputy Secretary-General and Ambassador Antonio Patriota for their important and insightful comments this morning. The United Kingdom welcomes the Secretary- General's report on peacebuilding (S/2014/694) and his update on progress made on the key themes ofinclusivity, institution-building and mutual accountability. In particular, we fully support the report's emphasis on the vital role of women in all peacebuilding efforts. In August last year, the Council had the opportunity to visit Somalia and South Sudan. We saw first- hand the contrasting peacebuilding fortunes of those two countries. In Somalia, we witnessed a country slowly getting back on its feet; in South Sudan, we saw a country tearing itself apart.”
2015-01-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7359 (2015) · source
“Our views on settlements, including in East Jerusalem, are clear. They are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and seriously damage the prospects for a two- State solution. All settlement activity, including in East Jerusalem, should cease immediately. We call on all parties not to take unilateral steps that would make the search for a peace based on negotiations harder. Given the fact that today's draft resolution was not adopted, the United Kingdom would like to work with partners to revisit the idea of a parameters resolution on the Middle East peace process in 2015. We are convinced that it is possible, with further time and effort, to secure, for the first time ever, a resolution that commands full Security Council support.”
2014-12-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7354 (2014) · source
“We therefore welcome the idea ofa Security Council resolution on the Middle East peace process that sets out those parameters. However, agreeing on such a resolution requires proper time for consultation and negotiation of the draft resolution, including on its timing. We consider President Abbas a man of peace, and understand the pressure that the Palestinian leadership has been under to act and its frustration with the lack of progress, but we are disappointed that the normal and necessary negotiation did not take place on this occasion. The United Kingdom supports much of the content of the draft resolution (S/2014/916). It was therefore with deep regret that we abstained on it. The United Kingdom stands by the parameters I set out here in 2011, which were reiterated by the European Union Foreign Affairs Council conclusions in July.”
2014-12-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7354 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom understands and shares the deep frustration with the lack of progress on the Middle East peace process and the unacceptability and unsustainability of the status quo. A just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is long overdue. We will continue to spare no effort to turn our ambition - the creation of a sovereign, contiguous and Viable Palestinian State, living in peace and security side by side with Israel - into reality. We have long believed that direct negotiations towards a two-State solution should be on the basis of clear, internationally agreed parameters. I recall that in February 2011 I set out in this Chamber our View of what those should be (see S/PV.6484), in a joint explanation of vote by the United Kingdom, France and Germany on a draft resolution on settlements (S/20ll/24).”
2014-12-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7354 (2014) · source
“The United Kingdom, like so many in the international community, stands ready to adjust our position in response to any concrete steps that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea takes to improve human rights in the country. But if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues to flout the obligations they owe to their people, then the international community should be ready to take further steps to address the situation. We urge the Council to remain seized of this matter.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“We are disappointed that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea responded to the recent Third Committee resolution by withdrawing its previous offers of dialogue and its invitation to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to visit the country for the first time. The United Kingdom urges it to reconsider. If done fully and without preconditions, these would be positive first moves towards taking the bold step of admitting that there are problems and making a genuine effort to improve the human rights situation on the ground. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has an opportunity.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“It is a signal to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea authorities of the international community's focus on the issues highlighted in the Commission of Inquiry's report. Our message to the authorities in Pyongyang is this - listen and engage with these concerns. The majority of the recommendations in the commission's report are directed towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Government. It is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Government that holds the power to transform the lives of its people for the better. Rather than continuing to deny the existence of human rights violations and refusing to engage with international concerns, we urge them to accept and address them seriously.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“But the failure of States to abide by the universal principles of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as set out in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is a legitimate concern of the Security Council. Human rights, democracy and strong institutions, founded on the rule of law, are essential. Without these key foundations in place, peace and security are at risk, both in individual States and in the broader international community. That is why the United Kingdom is pleased that the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been added to the agenda of the Council today and that we have been able to have this long-overdue discussion.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“Both the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly have condemned in the strongest terms the findings documented in the commission ofinquiry report and have demonstrated the widespread concern across the globe at the enduring misery of the North Korean people. Both bodies by overwhelming majorities have encouraged the Security Council to consider the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The United Kingdom supports the call for the Security Council to consider appropriate action to ensure accountability, including through consideration of a referral of the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the International Criminal Court. Despite these calls from the United Nations membership, there were those who opposed discussion in the Security Council today.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“The setting up of a presence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Seoul is a practical demonstration of the international community's determination not to forget the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This field office will continue the Commission's work of evidence collection as an important step towards accountability. It is a reminder to those at any level of the regime apparatus who are responsible for these awful human rights violations that the world is watching and that they should consider themselves put on notice. If the Democratic People's Republic of Korea fails to hold violators to account, the international community must be ready to do so.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“The commission concluded that the systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations being committed in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea were components of a totalitarian State without parallel in the contemporary world. They called on the international community to protect the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, given the regime's manifest failure to do so. The international community cannot ignore such detailed and grave findings. Since the report was issued, we, alongside international partners, have worked to ensure that the Commission's report is a beginning, and not an end.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“What they heard painted a picture of authorities who are so frightened of losing control that indoctrination begins in kindergarten; so scared of what will happen if ordinary people get a glimpse of the outside world, that just owning a tunable radio is a criminal offence; and so insecure that religion is seen as a sign of divided loyalties and an act of treachery. The commission's report describes a regime so paranoid that punishments are extended to whole families; so cruel that those fleeing for a better life are imprisoned, tortured and sexually violated; so callous that it stood by and let hundreds of thousands die from starvation rather than ask for international assistance.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“I would like to thank Assistant Secretaries-General Zerihoun and Simonovie for their appropriately bleak briefings. In February, the international community received a wake-up call to the truly shocking violations of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In a 400-page report (S/2014/276, annex), the United Nations commission of inquiry provided an unprecedentedly detailed insight into the appalling situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Owing to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's consistent refusal to cooperate or allow access to the country, the commission instead gathered extensive first-hand testimony from witnesses and victims now living outside the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7353 (2014) · source
“Let me also welcome our five new colleagues, joining us on 1 January. We look forward to working with all of them. I wish the Chilean presidency the best of luck in the month of January.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“That has been true in Darfur and South Sudan, and so far, at least, in Libya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reasons are different in each case, but we will need to address each of them in the early part of 2015. As this is almost the last meeting in the Chamber of your presidency and of 2014, Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to note and thank the five outgoing members - Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda - for their extraordinary and valuable contributions over the past two years. There is not time to enumerate all the achievements. Suffice it to say that while it is sometimes alleged that the permanent members dominate all Security Council business, these members have all shown that that is far from the case.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“The signature of an agreement between Russia and the Georgian region of Abkhazia on 24 November reminds us that what we have seen over the past year is part of a pattern by Russia of systematic interference in its neighbours' domestic affairs and undermining of their sovereignty and territorial integrity. The world has to respond when countries so blatantly disregard respect for international borders and norms, and the Council should be the guardian of those norms when it comes to maintaining international peace and security, as set out in the Charter of the United Nations. To conclude, I would like to add a third category, in which the Council shares the same analysis of an issue but the action it takes does not have the desired effect.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“We all agree that the only sustainable solution is a political one, built on the Geneva communique (resolution 2118 (2013), annex II), but so far we have failed to take the sort of action that creates conditions conducive to that end. Meanwhile, President Al-Assad continues to wage an indiscriminate and brutal war on his own people. Despite the international outcry at Russia's illegal intervention in Ukraine, the situation remains unresolved. Everybody has lost as a result, and States with big neighbours will be the warier for it. Nor have Russian actions been limited to Ukraine.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“The use of new technology, the size, configuration and capabilities of missions, the ever more complex operational environments, the speed of deployment, exit strategies and effective planning - all these are challenges that United Nations peacekeeping will have to address in order to develop a model of peacekeeping for the twenty-first century. The Secretary-General's peace operations review is looking at all those issues and more. I look forward to the Council's consideration of the review next year, and hope that we can maintain a shared analysis as we do it. On the debit side of the ledger, the Council has still not been able to make progress on the political aspects of the Syrian conflict.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“Both have required sustained pressure and attention on the part of the Council in order to ensure follow-up action, and we will need to maintain that focus following the adoption of resolution 2191 (2014). There has also been progress on peacekeeping. In the Central African Republic, the transition from an African Union mission to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic was considerably smoother than the equivalent transition last year in Mali. More generally, we have held a number of debates and retreats on peacekeeping this year that have revealed the shared analysis that peacekeeping needs a close re-examination.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“Resolutions adopted this year have sought to address terrorist financing through kidnaps for ransom and oil sales. We have also tackled the issue of foreign terrorist fighters and, just last Friday, the link between terrorism and transnational organized crime. The Council's many press statements in response to terrorist outrages, most recently following the sickening attack in Peshawar, Pakistan, are quickly agreed on. Council members share the same determination to combat all forms of terrorism, considering it one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Another area where we have made progress is on the issue of Syrian chemical weapons and responding to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, and the Chadian mission, on steering the Council through a busy and compressed month. The two open debates (see S/PV.7343 and S/PV.7351) and the Sahel briefing (see S/PV. 7335) brought the African perspective into sharper focus. Holding this wrap-up in public provides an opportunity for reviewing the year and looking ahead to 2015. Looking back, there have been a number ofissues on which the Council has shown clarity of purpose and taken decisive action, but there have also been topics on which it has been divided and therefore unable to respond effectively. Our work on counter-terrorism, and in particular in response to the abhorrent threat of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, is an example of an issue on which the Council has had a shared analysis.”
2014-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7352 (2014) · source
“Today's resolution is a further and welcome step in ensuring that our response tackles every element of the terrorist scourge.”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“The Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate is a centre of analytical expertise, and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force is a centre of capacity- building expertise. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime also has a pivotal role to play, and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre offers a new source of support to affected Member States. A unified response is required. We must use all the tools at our disposal. I have outlined the United Nations binding international framework for counter-terrorism, the urgency of the threat and the need for counter-terrorism capacity-building. In 2014, the Council has taken steps to strengthen our response in each of these areas, but more still needs to be done.”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“Thirdly, today's resolution focuses on the need to continue to provide capacity-building assistance for all afflicted countries and regions. Only a comprehensive and multidisciplinary response to terrorism by Member States will bring lasting solutions, and that includes adequate criminal justice, respect for human rights and international law when prosecuting counter- terrorism, and effective border management. The report we commissioned today can help. It provides an opportunity to take stock of the relevant counter- terrorism tools of the United Nations with a view to developing a more coordinated, comprehensive and impactful international response to the problem. There are excellent United Nations resources to draw on.”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“The trafficking of arms, persons, drugs, oil, artefacts or wildlife offer terrorist groups a major source of finance. All such sources need to be addressed. That is why in 2014 we have rightly expanded sanctions designation criteria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to cover wildlife and wildlife products, and off the coast of Somalia, we have authorized the interdiction of charcoal trafficking in order to cut off another illicit finance source. Yet it is ISIL that offers the most challenging example of this trend. The profit from oil sales within ISIL-controlled territory is widely estimated to run to tens of millions of United States dollars every month. This illegal trade puts money directly into the hands of terrorists.”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“I welcome in particular the emphasis that you placed in your remarks, Sir, on the need to tackle the way in which terrorism continues to be financed through kidnapping. We must also fully implement the sanctions regimes adopted under resolution 1267 (1999). It is worth restating that sanctions regimes established by the Council under Chapter VII of the Charter place obligations on all Member States. Secondly, the evolving nature of the linkages between terrorism and transnational crime are of grave concern. It is increasingly evident that groups in many regions of the world, including ISIL, Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram, among others, exploit transnational criminal trafficking groups. In some instances, there is evidence of a growing list of illicit commodities being treated.”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“In regions where United Nations peacekeepers are on the frontline, most notably in Africa, transnational organized crime also increases the risk and complexity of their job and undermines efforts towards sustainable peace. The United Kingdom welcomes today's initiative for three main reasons. First, it is a timely reminder of the existing obligation on United Nations Member States to prohibit all forms of terrorist finance. We have a responsibility to sever the lifelines that support terrorism. The United Nations has a robust set of binding counter-terrorism resolutions. On top of long- standing obligations to suppress terrorist finance, we must work to fully implement recent counter-terrorism resolutions on kidnap-for-ransom, the foreign terrorist fighter threat and the need to defund the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for having convened this debate and for presiding over it personally. I also thank Mr. Feltman and Mr. Antonio for their statements today. Resolution 2195 (2014), adopted today, addresses a key aspect of the global fight against terrorism. The financing of terrorism, including that benefiting from transnational organized crime, allows terrorists to perpetrate more deadly campaigns of terror. Criminals may trade in illicit goods, but when terrorists benefit from such activities, they trade in a more despicable currency of human lives. Tragically, we see evidence of this every day, including this week, when so many young Pakistani students were gunned down by terrorists in Peshawar.”
2014-12-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7351 (2014) · source
“There is no doubt that 2015 will be a challenging year, but it is heartening to see the commitment of the Afghan people and Government and the international community to building a stable, democratic and prosperous future for Afghanistan.”
2014-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7347 (2014) · source
“We welcome the support ofcountries engaged in the Heart of Asia Process and other initiatives to promote security, trade and economic prosperity. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) will play an ever more important role in Afghanistan next year, working to support the reform priorities of the new Afghan Government. Its provision of good offices to assist with Government formation, preparation for parliamentary elections and protecting the gains made on human rights must be central to its mandate. To do so effectively, UNAMA must also have the resources it needs to maintain its presence in the provinces. In conclusion, we are entering a new chapter in our ongoing partnership with a sovereign and independent Afghanistan.”
2014-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7347 (2014) · source
“Those men and women can take great pride in the fact that Afghanistan has seen its first ever peaceful transfer of power between elected leaders. As the Afghan National Security Forces continue to bravely combat the insurgency, it is vital that we continue to provide support. We therefore welcome the establishment of the NATO Resolute Support Mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces from the start of 2015. The Council showed its support for that Mission with the adoption of resolution 2189 (2014) last week. A political settlement remains the best way to secure a sustainable peace in Afghanistan. We therefore welcome the recent dialogue between the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan and look forward to further progress. Afghanistan's neighbours will be central to that effort.”
2014-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7347 (2014) · source