YouSaid · the spoken record

Mekdad

lines on the record: 597
first: 2001-03-19
most recent: 2006-06-14
sittings or episodes: 87
sources: un-security-council

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“It has led to the murder of hundreds of thousands of children, women and elderly persons as is clear in the statistics provided in paragraph 4 of the report of the Secretary-General on small arms. What is required from all States, particularly those that manufacture such weapons, is to make every possible effort through effective international cooperation to put an end to this tragedy. It is also important to point out that the international community, in its endeavour to combat the illicit trade in such weapons, must deal with all States on an equal footing, without double standards or discrimination based on political considerations.”
2002-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4623 (2002) · source
“Even after the end of the cold war, we continue to witness a world of murder, destruction, widespread injustice and tyranny, where aggressors continue to act with impunity and where some stand silent in the face of the crime of occupation and the related crime of genocide. Our common endeavour to build a better world must be based on the rules of international law, on the purposes and principles of the Charter and on the resolutions of international legitimacy. In the light of that understanding - which Syria is making every effort to reinforce - we all believe that the illicit trade in small weapons and light arms threatens the lives of innocents.”
2002-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4623 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, my delegation wishes to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting. We should also like to express our thanks to Ambassador Valdivieso, Permanent Representative of Colombia, for the important preparatory efforts that were undertaken for this meeting. In addition, my delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report on small arms (S/2002/ 1053). Finally, let me express my gratitude and appreciation to Under- Secretary-General Dhanapala for presenting the report. Today's world faces many challenges that require a collective response by the international community to ensure the primacy of justice, peace and the rule of law.”
2002-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4623 (2002) · source
“A year after the attacks, the world is puzzled to see that, despite all this; despite the efforts of the CTC; and despite the fact that the events have been officially linked to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime, the blame has now been shifted to Arab States, some of which are being threatened though none played a role in the attacks. The Syrian Arab Republic reaffirms its call for further effective international cooperation, within the framework of the United Nations and international legitimacy, to eradicate terrorism and to defeat that dangerous scourge.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“A solid legislative foundation for combating terrorism is essential to ensuring progress in dealing with this threat within the framework of international law, as are full respect for human and civil and political rights and preventing their abuse under the pretext of combating terrorism. In the general debate of the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Syrian Arab Republic reiterated the condemnation of the Arab States of the terrorist attacks on the United States of America and their solidarity with the families of the victims.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“The success of the Committee's endeavours was also enhanced by the cooperation at the regional, subregional and international levels in order to address terrorist crimes in all their manifestations, especially transnational crimes. Here, we should like to point to the efforts within the League of Arab States and the Arab Convention for the Suppression of Terrorism. The Syrian Arab Republic was among the first States to submit their initial report to the CTC. We have also recently submitted our second report, including responses to the various questions posed by the Committee.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“Syria also welcomes the plan for the next 90-day period. The Syrian delegation is particularly appreciative of Ambassador Greenstock's position of not allowing anyone to use resolution 1373 (2001) or the CTC for narrow interests. He has repeatedly stated, including today, that the CTC is not a tribunal, although it does expect all States to cooperate with it in implementing resolution 1373 (2001). Our delegation welcomes the efforts made by the CTC to assist States which expressed a need for particular assistance in the areas covered by resolution 1373 (2001), whether directly or through States that have expressed their readiness to provide such assistance.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“The response of the international community to the CTC also contributed greatly to its success, the principal objective of the Committee being to promote and to enhance mechanisms in Member States for combating terrorism and for enhancing their abilities to review legislation against terrorism and to fill any gaps in such legislation in accordance with the requirements of resolution 1373 (2001). The objective also included filling gaps in national legislations in order to bring proceedings against terrorists, to deny them the ability to perpetrate their acts, to prosecute them and to deny impunity to anyone in this regard. As a member of the Security Council, Syria welcomes the continuation of the work of the Committee, the appointment of its officers and the continuation of Ambassador Greenstock as the Committee's Chairman.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“My delegation must express its utmost appreciation to the Chairman of the CTC, Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock, to his Vice-Chairmen and to the other members of the Committee, as well as to the experts who reviewed and discussed the reports submitted by States - which now number in the hundreds. I must also express our thanks to the Secretariat, which contributed effectively to the work of the CTC. The success of the CTC was due to its open dialogue with Governments, conducted in a climate of transparency.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): Allow me to express our appreciation to you, Sir, for convening this meeting. Allow me also to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. I should like to express our thanks to Ambassador Tafrov for his efforts during his presidency of the Security Council last month. I should also like to thank Secretary-General Kofi Annan for the important statement that he delivered at the start of this meeting. We meet one year after the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001) and the establishment of the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC), which were the international response to the terrorist acts perpetrated against the United States of America on 11 September 2001.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“Syria looks forward to a serious debate on this draft report in the General Assembly, and we affirm that we will take account of all constructive views that may be made to improve the work of the Council, to make it more responsive to the provisions of the Charter and to the expectations and demands of all United Nations Members.”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“Ambassador Mahbubani remarked that, in terms of the Council's work, many aspects have been discussed here to make it more efficient and transparent. However, he also cited several negative points that control our work. We do agree with his analysis ofthe status of these aspects in the past and of what they would be in the future. Syria looks forward to more serious work in order to improve the Council's operational methods, in particular the working group on the methods and procedures of the Council. This exercise should be ongoing, because the anticipation of better performance is always in order. The exercise becomes even more relevant when we realize that it has become a pressing demand of all Member States every time the report is discussed in the General Assembly.”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“A party directly involved has rejected this resolution and defied it despite the request of all Council members to implement it. Indeed, the Council has made considerable progress with regard to the implementation of many of its resolutions, in terms of making its work more transparent. It held a record number of meetings compared to past years. More importantly, many of those meetings were open to all United Nations Members so they could express their views and give their own input on the functioning of the Council and issues presented before it. Syria believes that this practice should be maintained, so that the Council will be closer to all issues discussed on the international agenda and to the views of all of the Organization's Members.”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“However, we have to state that, during the same period, the Council has failed to follow up and implement some of its resolutions. Many delegations with whom we had discussions in the Council, regarding Africa and other parts of the world, expressed their regret that those resolutions were not implemented. Of course, the subject matter becomes even more sensitive when we reaffirm that the Council's resolutions relate to international peace and security. We think that the lack of follow-up in implementation of these resolutions will have an impact on nations' perception of the Council and on its credibility. We have raised this point time and again in our statements here. I will not go too far here. I would like to cite one resolution that was adopted a couple of days ago - namely, resolution 1435 (2002).”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“In this regard, my delegation is pleased to pay tribute to the efforts by Ambassador Levitte, who introduced an admirable formula under which we would work and which won everyone's praise. My delegation stresses that, in the light of the remarks made by a number of Council members, it is very necessary and appropriate to maintain these wrap-up sessions. Also, during the period under consideration the Council examined numerous draft resolutions and operational aspects of matters concerning peacekeeping, women and children in violent conflicts, and the question of terrorism. Indeed, the Council has met with great success in dealing with many of these issues and has scored considerable points, especially in the area of fighting terrorism. We join many others in paying tribute to Ambassador Greenstock for his leading role in this regard.”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“But no one can talk about the report's new format or the relevant resolutions that the Council has adopted in this regard without paying tribute to the immense efforts made by Ambassador Mahbubani and members of his delegation, especially Ms. Christine Lee. They assisted with and insisted on a constructive approach and ideas that were met with favourably by Council members and reflected accordingly in this new report. A number of speakers have spoken on the Council's work in specific areas, such as conflict resolution in Africa, the Middle East, Asia or other regions. There were also some remarks about the Council's missions to a number of conflict areas, and statements in some detail about the importance and perspectives of these missions. Speakers have also referred to the Council's wrap-up sessions over the past few months.”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): Mr. President, we wish to thank you for convening this meeting, which shows that the Council is giving additional importance to its annual report to the General Assembly. We are pleased that the efforts by Council members to improve the format of the report and to make it more valuable will be met by a favourable response from all United Nations Members in the General Assembly. Syria supports the format and substance of this report. We thank Mr. Kalomoh and all members of his Secretariat team for their efforts in preparing this report. The positive spirit in which Council members have examined the importance of introducing changes in the format and its analytical introduction reflect the interest in achieving optimum benefit from the report.”
2002-09-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4616 (2002) · source
“Furthermore, if they really want peace and security to prevail in the Middle East region and truly want a better life for all women in the Middle East, all United Nations Member States, including Security Council members and in particular permanent members of the Council - and here, I would stress Ambassador Negroponte's statement - have the duty not to provide weapons of destruction to Israel, especially the sophisticated weapons used by Israel to kill innocent people, and they ought not to provide to Israel hundreds of millions of dollars that are then used to carry out occupation. I do not believe, Mr. President, that I departed from the agenda item.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We believe that it is a fundamental responsibility of those members - in particular the permanent five - to ensure the implementation of Council resolutions. No one denies that 28 resolutions adopted by the Council concern one of the parties that I mentioned in my statement: the aggressor party that has refused to heed any of those 28 resolutions. In no way can that aggressor be compared to the victim.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We in Syria have stressed, and we now reiterate, that the groups in Syria are not armed. There are information officers in Syria, not training camps. There are camps of refugees who have been uprooted from their land by Israel and whose return Israel refuses to allow, as it refuses to comply with General Assembly resolution 194 (III). With regard to the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and the responsibility of States - in particular Security Council members - you know full well, Mr. President, as Chairman of the Counter- Terrorism Committee, that Syria was one of the first countries to respond to that resolution. It is the duty of Council members to defend international peace and security.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We have always hoped that armed women would not participate with the Israeli Defence Forces in acts of repression against Arab women under occupation. Nevertheless, I should like to stress that there can be no comparison between an occupying Power and a people languishing under occupation, enduring occupation and fighting to rid itself of occupation. The entire world knows that Syria - for well- known historical and geographic reasons and because of the expulsion of large numbers of Palestinians - has had to host many Palestinian refugees since 1948. Those Palestinian refugees, like all other human beings in the world, have the right to express their views, to have their own aspirations and to return to the land where they once lived but from which they were expelled. I believe that is clearly stated in United Nations resolutions.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): Allow me to express our great satisfaction at the manner in which you have presided over this meeting, as well as for the final remarks you just made and the accurate summation you gave of this meeting's deliberations, a meeting we described as very important at the very beginning of our first statement. I should like to comment briefly on the statement made by Ambassador Negroponte with regard to my statement this morning, in which I took up the suffering of Syrian and Palestinian women under Israeli occupation. The entire world - and in particular people who have suffered occupation - is familiar with the suffering of women, especially under occupation.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Syria's national strategy for women, which is based on the Programme of Action adopted by the Beijing Conference, is one of my country's true achievements towards enhancing the role of women in all aspects of building and maintaining peace.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Under such circumstances, the status of Arab women, who suffer from the oppression of occupation and the inhumane practices carried out by the occupying forces, will not improve unless those practices come to an end. Those practices run counter to everything we heard in the statements made so far this morning. Furthermore, the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace would help Arab women to continue their struggle against poverty and all forms of violence. Here we would like to draw attention to the fact that many of the victims of the Israeli massacre in the Gaza Strip two days ago were women and children. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is determined to ensure full gender quality through its national legislation as well as equal opportunities for women and men in all walks of life.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Here I should like to remind the international community of the status of women in the Syrian Arab Republic, in Palestine and in Lebanon and of their suffering as a result of foreign occupation. Israel's practices - oppression, killing, destruction, torture and displacement - against Arab women represent a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, of basic human rights and of all objectives set out by the United Nations in this field. Arab women in the occupied Syrian Golan and in the occupied Palestinian territories live under tragic and inhumane circumstances. They do not enjoy even a minimum level of protection, health care, employment or education, in addition to being denied their basic human rights.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Indeed, women should be key partners in the decision-making process in order to move forward towards the establishment of peace and development. In this connection, we are in agreement with the main ideas and opinions set out in the two statements made earlier by Ms. King and Ms. Heyzer, respectively. One of the objectives of the Beijing Conference on Women - set out in the 2000 Platform for Action- in which Syria actively participated, was addressing the growing role of women in the settlement of conflicts at the decision-making level and in the establishment of peace, peacekeeping and peace- building. Of course, we support greater gender mainstreaming in peacekeeping and disarmament, and we stress the role of women in the decision-making process aimed at putting an end to violence.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Angela King, Assistant Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Gender Issues and on the Advancement of Women. We also warmly welcome here Ms. Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women. It is a well-known fact that women and girls constitute the main civilian victims in times of conflict because of their vulnerability. It is estimated that 80 per cent of refugees and internally displaced persons in many countries in conflict are women and girls. We must therefore seek to determine the root causes of these conflicts, in order to alleviate the suffering of women. In many cases, these causes include occupation, aggression and repression, not to mention poverty. We believe that it is essential for women to assume an important role.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): The delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic would like to commend you, Mr. President, on your initiative in convening this important meeting on women, peace and security. This attests yet again to the fact that the Security Council devotes particular attention to the role of women and to their contribution to the settlement of armed conflicts, peacekeeping and peace-building. Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) represented a qualitative step in the work of the Security Council to enhance the role of women in establishing peace and sustainable development. That resolution also contributed significantly to defining the critical components that countries must address scrupulously and with sincerity. Allow me at the outset warmly to welcome the statement made by Ms.”
2002-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4589 (2002) · source
“We know that the conditions of the visit were very difficult, and we all appreciate the efforts that his Office is making to provide support to all people in dire straits in that country.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Repairing roads, exempting certain goods from customs duties, even when this is limited to those supplied by humanitarian agencies, and speeding up the customs control process - all of these measures require resources, and hence support must be given to the country so that it can complete all of its tasks. A fourth aspect concerns the simplification of the entry visa requirements for international agencies. We believe that the Government of Angola recognizes that it is in its best interests to facilitate these procedures. But have these aspects have been discussed directly with the Angolan Government, and what was its reaction to these aspects? Once again, we would like to thank Mr. Oshima for having paid a visit to the country.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Likewise, the Government's mine-clearance programme, which is very costly, as we all know, should also be a priority and receive the full support of the international community. We believe that investing in the restoration of peace and stability in Angola will have a positive impact on the peace process and on the region in general. This point was touched on in Mr. Oshima's briefing, in particular with respect to certain measures that the Angolan Government is expected to take. We believe that three of these trends reflect certain economic aspects, and that they require, as we mentioned earlier, greater support from the international community.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): First, I would like to thank Mr. Kenzo Oshima and say how very much we appreciate his comprehensive and very informative briefing. We thank him for the recommendations and the very specific information given in the report. There are some goods signs regarding the development of the political process in Angola. We believe that this is basically due to the sincere efforts of the Government of Angola itself to restore peace and stability in the country, which has suffered all too long. The return of a large number of refugees - about 10,000 people in recent months - and the plans that have been made to ensure the return of even greater numbers of them deserve the full support of, and follow-up by, the international community.”
2002-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4575 (2002) · source
“We would also like to stress once again that it is necessary to continue cooperation between the United Nations Mission, Belgrade and Skopje to reach agreement with both countries on the demarcation of the border in accordance with the Agreement signed by both sides. My delegation supports the various observations contained in the Secretary-General's report. We also support Mr. Steiner's efforts to make progress in the important areas of the rule of law, democratic institutions, the economy, freedom of movement and the return of internally displaced persons and refugees, as well as his participation in achieving regional stability in the Balkan region. Finally, my delegation would like to welcome the Council's adoption later today of the draft presidential statement on Kosovo that has been submitted to us.”
2002-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4518 (2002) · source
“It is necessary to combat such illegal acts of violence by organized crime, which serve to cause unrest and instability in Kosovo. The granting of amnesty for the collecting of arms is a very important step that will enable KFOR and UNMIK police to collect weapons and prevent the illegal acquisition of arms by organized crime groups that are trying to undermine the entire climate of security and stability achieved to date in Kosovo. We would like to emphasize here that it is necessary to provide all the necessary conditions to guarantee the return of refugees and displaced persons, as well as to integrate the various ethnic groups into all walks of life in Kosovo.”
2002-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4518 (2002) · source
“A source of optimism for us is the initiative by the new Government of Kosovo to lay the foundations for economic progress, and UNMIK's efforts to establish a propitious climate, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), to attract investment and strengthen foreign trade, which will result in improving the standard of living in Kosovo, the lowest in all of Europe. However, in that context, we must also combat the economic crime confronting the development process in Kosovo, represented by the black market run by organized criminal groups. Despite the fact that the security situation in Kosovo has recently improved, there continue to be occasional acts of violence and crime against KFOR and the UNMIK police force.”
2002-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4518 (2002) · source
“My delegation welcomes the efforts made by the authorities in Kosovo to create a multi-ethnic civil service with an acceptable percentage of ethnic minorities, ranging from 10 to 25 per cent and made up primarily of persons from the ranks of the poor. This also applies at the local level, where we find that the level of ethnic minorities is less than 10 per cent. My delegation encourages the structure that has been established to facilitate the participation of ethnic minorities in civilian posts. That could be achieved by providing minorities with means of communication, security and protection. This has encouraged ethnic minorities to submit applications for civilian posts in the new ministries. Syria also welcomes the efforts made to facilitate the return of all the various ethnic groups and displaced persons.”
2002-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4518 (2002) · source
“The most important of those developments was the formation of a coalition Government in Kosovo, on 28 February 2002, under the leadership of Mr. Bajran Rexhepi, and Mr. Ibrahim Rugova as President of the country. With the formation of the Government, many interim functions have been transferred to specialized ministries. Since their establishment, those ministries have met many times under the authority of the Prime Minister to discuss long-term priorities, and a special budget has been earmarked for their work. The new Government has stressed the need to provide work opportunities and has confirmed the fact that there is a need to integrate all ethnic communities into the country's development structures.”
2002-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4518 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): At the outset, the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic would like to extend its thanks to you, Mr. President, for holding this public meeting to discuss the recent developments in Kosovo. We would also like to welcome the presence among us of Mr. Nebojsa Covic', Deputy Prime Minister of the Yugoslav constituent Republic of Serbia. We also welcome the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). We welcome as well Mr. Steiner, whose briefing on developments since he became the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Kosovo, in February 2002, we find very useful. As I said, the delegation of Syria welcomes the Secretary-General's report, which contains references to many recent positive developments in Kosovo.”
2002-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4518 (2002) · source
“We are also deeply concerned over the refugee situation in Africa and believe that the African refugees, who continue to suffer the bitterness of displacement and poverty, must remain a top priority. In addition, we support the High Commissioner's remarks concerning the need to invest in areas to which refugees return. While we express our thanks to the donor countries and our appreciation for their great efforts to ensure the return of refugees to their homelands, we note that the developing countries continue to bear the brunt of refugees on a global scale. We also call for the international protection of refugees so that their voluntary repatriation will be secured, while recognizing that voluntary repatriation under conditions of safety and dignity remains the best solution for refugees.”
2002-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4470 (2002) · source
“Some 1 million Palestinian refugees live in Jordan; approximately half a million are in Syria, and about the same number reside in Lebanon. Israel insists that these refugees have no right to return to their homeland, while it allows many others to return to States that are not their countries of origin and to places that are not their legitimate homes. What is important here is that these Palestinian refugees refuse to become residents or naturalized citizens of the countries where they live; their only hope and fervent desire is to return to the villages and towns of their homeland. Syria agrees completely with all the points made by the High Commissioner and the remarks made by many other speakers here today.”
2002-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4470 (2002) · source
“This has been a chronic humanitarian problem for the last 54 years. More recently, displaced persons have been made refugees by Israel since 1967. These persons include half a million Syrian citizens. Contrary to logic and all legislation and relevant United Nations resolutions, including General Assembly resolution 194 (III) of 1948, these refugees continue to live without hope. In fact, they continue to face allegations and perverted logic that are not in accordance with international standards for dealing with the issue of refugees. For instance, Israel totally rejects the return of these refugees to the towns and villages of their homeland, under the pretext that they are not covered by the measures adopted by the Council and the United Nations in general to facilitate the return of all refugees to their homelands.”
2002-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4470 (2002) · source
“The return and repatriation of refugees are key factors for restoring durable peace and stability during the post- conflict stage. We must not forget the root causes of conflict in many parts of the world. Many conflicts have their roots in the prevailing economic and social conditions, as well as in the consequences of colonialism or foreign occupation, as is the case in the Middle East region and in many countries, especially developing countries. Although the problem of refugees in the Middle East does not fall within the jurisdiction of the UNHCR, it does fall within the mandate of the United Nations and the United Nations system as a whole. Therefore, we must bear in mind the fact that millions of Palestinian refugees remain displaced, outside their homeland, after being expelled from their homeland by armed force in 1948.”
2002-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4470 (2002) · source
“Syria recognizes the fact that, over the past few years, an enormous burden has been placed on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a result of the mounting needs of refugees and internally displaced persons who have found themselves caught in the crossfire of conflict. We appreciate the efforts made by the High Commissioner to meet the needs of such refugees and internally displaced persons. The question of refugees is prominent in areas of conflict all over the world. The resolution of the refugee problem is an important component of dispute- settlement processes. Furthermore, the influx of refugees and the arming of refugees are factors that contribute to instability in conflict regions.”
2002-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4470 (2002) · source
“Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): My delegation would like to welcome the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Ruud Lubbers, and to express its pleasure at seeing him here today. We are profoundly grateful for his comprehensive briefing and for his contribution to the cause of refugees - seeking solutions to the problems that they face and sensitizing the international community to their tragic situation and prompting it to make further efforts to address the increasing problems faced by refugees throughout the world.”
2002-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4470 (2002) · source
“We believe that continuing debate and dialogue on this issue will allow us to achieve the desired result. Mr. President, I wish to extend to you our gratitude and appreciation. In addition, before closing, allow me to highlight the Security Council's activities vis-a-vis Afghanistan and East Timor, as we believe that those efforts, which we deeply appreciated, were most valuable. The future of Afghanistan and East Timor is very important not only to Asia but also to the world, and we hope that the effective steps taken by the Security Council will promote peace, progress and development and enable the people of East Timor in particular to achieve independence and begin to build their future. We thank you once again for all your efforts.”
2002-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4466 (2002) · source
“We had also hoped to conclude the discussions that we began on the report of the Security Council to the General Assembly, taking into consideration Singapore's proposals in this regard, which, we believe, take into account all of our aspirations in its current form. Of course, we support close cooperation between the Council and the Economic and Social Council. The participation by the President of the Economic and Social Council in the debate on the situation in Africa was most welcome. We should like to draw the Council's attention to the fact that last year Syria participated very actively in efforts to enhance substantive relations between the two bodies in a manner that would respect their spheres of activity and their competences within the United Nations.”
2002-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4466 (2002) · source
“President, your achievements this month have indeed been considerable, but we had hoped that another area would have been added to these achievements, namely greater transparency in the working methods of the Security Council and in its interaction with non-members, in keeping with the new formula that we have discussed on a number of occasions in Council meetings. We are confident that the first steps taken in the context of this formula by your successor, the Permanent Representative of Mexico, will provide further opportunities for States to express their views and opinions on the proceedings in the Security Council. The members of the Council thus can become more aware of shortcomings in the Council's work and of areas that might require further attention.”
2002-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4466 (2002) · source
“My delegation believes that the open debate of the Security Council on the activities of the Counter- Terrorism Committee was successful. It offered an opportunity to all Members to express their opinions and positions on terrorism and the appropriate means for eradicating it through the promotion of joint international action. The open debate was also a valuable opportunity for many delegations to express their views on such sensitive matters as the need to define the terrorism we are combating and to distinguish between it and the legitimate struggle against foreign occupation. Mr.”
2002-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4466 (2002) · source
“Roed-Larsen, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General, was very informative and encouraging and gave the Security Council additional information that accurately reflects the situation on the ground. Mr. Roed-Larsen, after all, works in the region and is most knowledgeable about developments there. We feel that such briefings, as well as the important subsequent discussions, are a first step on the road towards correcting the Security Council's work in this regard. In many countries, the Council is often accused of employing double standards in debating and considering issues pertaining to the Middle East and in assuming its responsibilities towards that region.”
2002-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4466 (2002) · source
“The Security Council has also monitored the situation in areas of tension in Africa through close follow-up and correct decisions taken vis-a-vis the situations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries, in addition to completing the preparations for the Security Council mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea. We express our satisfaction that, for the first time, the Security Council, under your presidency, Sir, has convened regular formal briefings on the Middle East. For years, we looked forward to such an opportunity to discuss the situation in that explosive region, which represents a true threat to international peace and security. The Security Council has a special responsibility vis-a-vis developments in the region. We believe that the briefing by Mr.”
2002-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4466 (2002) · source