YouSaid · the spoken record

Menon

lines on the record: 129
first: 2004-09-13
most recent: 2011-07-20
sittings or episodes: 17
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

“However, the success of multilateral negotiations cannot be the sole responsibility of the country holding the presidency. It must be a collective effort. It is clear that developed countries have a clear historical responsibility for addressing climate change. But it is equally clear that we cannot solve this problem without the participation of all countries, both developed and developing. We must also act with a sense of urgency, not only because we must respond to the call for action from our fellow Pacific small island developing States, but because we are custodians of the sustainability, security and quality of life of generations to come. Let me conclude with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once said that "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say".”
2011-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6587Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Secondly, the Security Council can help to reinforce ongoing efforts to inject political momentum into the UNFCCC negotiating process for a successful outcome to be adopted at the seventeenth Conference of the Parties and the seventh Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, to be held in Durban, South Africa, later this year. In that regard, members of the Security Council, in particular the permanent members, must show leadership in the climate change negotiating process. The successful outcome in Cancun last year has restored faith in the multilateral climate change negotiating process. The leadership played by Mexico was instrumental in achieving success in Cancun. We commend Mexico for its efforts. This year, we are pleased that South Africa is also showing leadership and initiative.”
2011-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6587Resumption1 (2011) · source
“In that regard, a key challenge for the United Nations system is to ensure coherence and coordination in the activities of agencies and programmes in the field of sustainable development. This is an area where the General Assembly and the Commission on Sustainable Development can make a useful contribution. With this clear understanding that decision- making authority lies within the UNFCCC track, the Security Council can also make an important contribution to the climate change discussion in two ways. First, it can help to build greater awareness of the catastrophic long-term consequences of climate change, including the possible security consequences.”
2011-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6587Resumption1 (2011) · source
“We must recognize that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is, and will remain, the primary forum for climate change negotiations. In that context, I support the statements delivered by the representative of Argentina on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The aim of the debate today is not to prejudge the ongoing negotiations in the UNFCCC. Nevertheless, we do see the need for the UNFCCC to work closely with other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, especially with regard to adaptation and capacity-building. Ultimately, the challenge posed by climate change is closely linked to the larger issue of sustainable development.”
2011-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6587Resumption1 (2011) · source
“But while we should recognize the complexity .., we should not lose sight of the simple idea that people often fight over tangible things." (S/PV.5663 (Resumption J), p. 27) The link is now accepted and a consensus exists that only concerted efforts by all Member States, working with relevant non-State actors, can tackle the biggest challenge of this age. Climate change is a global problem which requires sustainable global solutions in the context of a rules-based and inclusive multilateral framework. Without the buy-in from the different stakeholders, any response to climate change would be limited and ineffective. The United Nations therefore plays an important role in formulating a multilateral response to climate change that is global, multifaceted and yet coordinated and integrated. This is clearly not an easy task.”
2011-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6587Resumption1 (2011) · source
“My delegation commends Germany for the initiative to hold today's debate. It is timely and will hopefully complement the initiative by the United Kingdom in 2007. Then, Singapore was among the voices that argued for the link between the effects of climate change, in particular the obvious competition for scarce resources and the implications for international peace and security. As I said in 2007, "Intuitively, there may be a nexus between environmental degradation from climate change and increased conflict over limited resources made even scarcer. Land, water, food and minerals have often been variables in that complex equation leading to conflict. People have been studying conflicts for centuries without arriving at a perfect formula for predicting them.”
2011-07-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6587Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Singapore appreciates the opportunity of this open debate. We are encouraged by the Security Council's willingness to continue its engagement on this issue and its efforts to better implement the contents of document S/2006/507. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions later this year, and to further open debates.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“This led to difficult negotiations, as some countries were resistant to the idea of increasing the overall budget for special political missions to accommodate these additional resource requirements, while others were concerned that absorbing this cost under the overall budget for such missions would negatively impact existing missions. While a solution was eventually found, many of the complications could have been avoided if a system had been in place to better facilitate the flow of information between the Security Council and the Fifth Committee from the inception of these special political missions. It is incumbent upon Member States to see what we can do to improve such working methods and thereby enhance the efficiencies of both the Security Council and the General Assembly.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“Even though the Council's decisions had been taken before the Fifth Committee concluded its work for the main session, information on the three special political missions that would have affected the outcome of the Committee's deliberations was not forthcoming. While the appropriate course of action is for the Fifth Committee to be notified through a report of the Secretary-General, accompanied by recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, this process takes time. As a result, the resource requirements for these three missions had to be taken up separately when the Fifth Committee resumed its work in March 2010.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“As a simple example, when the Security Council decides to establish a special political mission, it makes sense to ensure that the Fifth Committee is notified without delay and provided with as comprehensive a picture as possible, enabling it to factor such information into its consideration of the overall resource requirements necessary for such missions. Without this basic coordination, unnecessary complications can arise and precious resources wasted. In December 2009, the Council took decisions on three special political missions. At the same time, the Fifth Committee had been considering the budget for such missions for the coming biennium 2010-2011.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“Ultimately, it is in the interest of the Council to create a climate of trust, which is possible only if Member States are better able to appreciate and understand the decision-making considerations, processes of and challenges faced by the Council. The Council's scorecard on efficiency is middling. The Security Council, in document S/2006/507, undertook to maintain regular communication with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council for better coordination among the principal organs of the United Nations. However, its implementation has been cursory when it could easily be a catalyst to streamline processes within the Organization and demonstrate the Council's commitment to promoting greater efficiency within the United Nations system.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“That includes interactions with troop- and police-contributing countries, as well as regional organizations, consultations between the Security Council and Member States in the preparation of the annual report, and briefings by Security Council presidents on each month's programme of work. However, much more could be done, particularly on issues of interest and concern to Member States. For example, countries directly affected by a particular issue being considered by the Security Council should be given every opportunity to participate in the deliberations. Beyond interaction and dialogue, the Council should also not fear opening up its proceedings to non-members.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“The notion of openness extends to developments as simple as an explanation for the sudden shift in the date of this open debate or the provision of adequate notification of important meetings of the Council. It should also extend to the access that non-members, the Secretariat and even members of the press have to Security Council members and, where relevant, their deliberations. In that connection, there has been some concern over the perceived curtailing of such access, ostensibly due to the limitations imposed by the relocation of the Security Council Chamber as part of the Capital Master Plan. That is an issue of transparency and needs to be addressed. We acknowledge that there has been some improvement in the opportunities for interaction and dialogue between the Council and non-Council members.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“Thus, it was significant that the Council adopted note S/2006/507, signalling recognition of the need to improve how it functioned. That document contains many measures to address the three areas identified by the President for possible discussion during this open debate, namely, transparency, interaction and dialogue with non-members, and efficiency. In practice, however, the implementation of the document's contents has been uneven. Transparency is one area of great interest to Singapore, as it promotes a sense of accountability in the Organization. However, we should not mislead ourselves into believing that reports and briefings alone can ensure greater transparency.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“The provisional rules of procedure of the Council state that meetings shall be held in public. Unfortunately, that premise of transparency has been eroded over the years in favour of so-called effectiveness and functionality. It is supposed to be easier to broker deals to save the world in back rooms than in boardrooms. Yet, it strains the bounds of credulity for Member States to hear each year, in the face of constant threats to regional peace and human dignity, that the Council has discharged its responsibility for maintaining peace and security. It is absolutely true that the Council has to manage serious global complexities with less than adequate resources, but it is also true that the Council is sometimes prey to its own practices, which add to the complexities rather than solve them.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate on the implementation of the note contained in document S/2006/507 on the Security Council's working methods. Member States last had the opportunity to express their views on this important topic in August 2008 (see S/PV.5968). Singapore fully subscribes to the statement delivered by the representative of Liechtenstein on behalf of the group of five small countries, of which we are a member. Among the areas of Security Council reform, we believe that the issue of working methods is one that commands widespread support and resonance with Member States. It is also an area that is objectively logical to develop, but has been practically mired in the reluctance of the Council to open itself up to scrutiny by fellow Member States.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300Resumption1 (2010) · source
“Any change or reformation of these ideas must be brought about chiefly by women." It is up to us to ensure that all women around the world have the opportunity to exercise their profound power to do so.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“The continuing need for the increased participation of female officers in United Nations peacekeeping operations will also be highlighted in the outcome declaration of the INTERPOL-United Nations ministerial meeting. I should like to end where I began, with the Nobel Peace Prize. When Alfred Nobel created the Nobel Peace Prize, he intended for Baroness von Suttner to become the first recipient. However, it took five more years before she was honoured in 1905 and became the first woman to receive the Peace Prize. At her presentation ceremony, Jorgen Lovland, then Chairman of the Nobel Committee, said: "History constantly demonstrates the great influence of women. Women have encouraged the ideas of war, the attitude to life, and the causes for which men have fought, for which their sons were brought up, and of which they have dreamed.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“The simple presence of women military, police and civilian peacekeepers on the ground has a tremendous positive effect on local communities by reaching out to and serving as powerful role models for local women. Women currently constitute just 2 per cent of military personnel and 8 per cent of police personnel in United Nations peacekeeping missions, and more should be done to encourage greater female participation. During the INTERPOL General Assembly to be held in Singapore later this week, Singapore will be working with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) to promote DPKO's "Women in Peacekeeping: the Power to Empower" global campaign to recruit more women police for peacekeeping operations.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We look forward to the report of the Secretary-General, as requested by the resolution that the Council has just adopted, which will provide important recommendations on how to address women's participation and their inclusion in peacebuilding and planning in the aftermath of conflict. Singapore was pleased to co-sponsor this resolution, as well as resolution 1888 (2009) last week, ably led by the Vietnamese and United States delegations, respectively. What these two texts show is that the United Nations must lead by example to address gender issues in United Nations mandates, including the greater participation of women in political, peacebuilding and peacekeeping missions.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Women make up 52 per cent of the world population but comprise only 7 per cent of negotiators on official negotiating delegations. In addition, women often lack the organizational force to make their voices heard in political and economic decision-making. As a result, women are prevented from making the contributions that they would like to make to post- conflict governance and the consolidation of peace. It is vital that the international community redouble its efforts to empower women, especially ahead of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) next year.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Of the countries that have the highest lifetime risks of maternal death today, most are at war or in a post-conflict situation. In addition, as a country begins to emerge from conflict, women and girls have specific priorities and needs in such areas as physical security, socio-economic conditions, education, income generation, access to basic services, as well as gender-responsive law enforcement and access to justice. Unfortunately, these needs and priorities are often not recognized or met. Studies have shown that there is a substantial gap in financing for women's needs in post-conflict situations. This cripples the ability of women to contribute meaningfully to their societies and communities. Moreover, efforts to include women in peacebuilding and reconstruction processes are often limited.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“This is evident when women are allowed to participate fully, equally and effectively in all stages of the peace process - peacekeeping, peace negotiations and peacebuilding - and are similarly involved in the development and implementation of post-conflict strategies, reconstruction and consolidation. As my colleagues have already spoken with great eloquence on these issues, I simply wish to emphasize a few key points. There remains a serious gap in the translation of commitments made on paper into reality. It is a sad fact that the impact of conflict is borne disproportionately by women. For instance, over 70 per cent of the casualties in recent conflicts have been non-combatants, most of them women and children. Moreover, conflicts have profound implications for women's basic health and survival.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“What is less well known is the fact that Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor who created the prize, was actually inspired by a woman - the Baroness Bertha von Suttner, a peace activist who campaigned tirelessly against the wars in Europe in the late nineteenth century. Alfred Nobel had her in mind when he wrote in his will that the Peace Prize should be given to the most deserving person, a Swede or a foreigner, a man or a woman. The adoption of resolution 1325 (2000) by the Council was an acknowledgement of the truth borne out by most of human history that women play a powerful role in the promotion of peace and security.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“I should like to express my warmest congratulations to you, Mr. President, and to Viet Nam on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October and for having organized this important debate on women and peace and security. As a fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, we wish you every success and are confident that you will do an excellent job as President of the Council for this month. Our warmest congratulations also go to the delegation of the United States for the exemplary manner in which it handled the presidency of the Security Council last month. One of the most famous symbols of the global search for peace is the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded every year to the person who has done the most to promote peace in the world.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Modern-day terrorists have deep ideological roots and the adherents of these ideologies are prepared to go to extreme lengths to achieve their aims. Therefore, it is imperative that countries stay the course and continue to work closely to combat this scourge and exchange information on strategies to address the root causes of the issue. It is only through our combined efforts that we can hope to defeat the terrorist networks we are currently facing.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We look forward to continued and closer cooperation with other Member States and to interacting with the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force to further enhance counter- terrorism efforts at the United Nations. Singapore also looks forward to further progress in discussions on the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism at the upcoming ad hoc committee meetings during the current session of the General Assembly. Terrorism cuts across national, geographic, religious and ethnic boundaries. The transnational nature of modern-day terrorism means that all Governments will be faced with the challenge of confronting this menace. Terrorists seldom work in isolation and more often than not operate in well- organized networks of individuals, cells and groups around the world. The battle will be long-drawn-out.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The United Nations continues to play an important role in sending a clear political signal that the international community's condemnation of terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations is consistent, unequivocal and strong. In this regard, Singapore welcomes the General Assembly's review of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in September this year. Having assessed how far we have come and what else needs to be done, we should leave rhetoric aside and redouble our efforts to implement concrete counter-terrorism measures. Singapore is doing its part at the national and regional levels to implement the Strategy.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Singapore also relies heavily on members of all of its religious communities to help counter any misrepresentations of religion. For example, after several members of the Jemaah Islamiyah group were apprehended for planning terrorist acts on Singaporean soil, our Muslim community stepped forward to help rehabilitate them. Muslim clerics from the Religious Rehabilitation Group work closely with the Singapore authorities to counsel the detainees and their families to correct their misinterpretation of Islam. The Religious Rehabilitation Group has also reached out to the wider community, both Muslim and non-Muslim, through forums and publications. Another key element in our strategy is cooperation with the international community. Terrorism is a global problem and it obviously requires a global response.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Such an approach integrates the work of otherwise separate bodies, enables inter-agency coordination and allows the Government to leverage the strengths of diverse organizations. The second element in our strategy is community engagement. Singapore is a multicultural and multireligious society; every community must play its part to hold society together during a crisis. Singapore's Prime Minister launched the Community Engagement Programme in February 2006. This Programme aims to strengthen understanding and develop trust among various ethnic communities and across society. The goal is to be able to maintain social harmony after any terrorist attack. A number of interfaith events, dialogues and forums have been held under the auspices of this Programme.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“By decentralizing their networks, spawning independent home-grown groups and harnessing modern technology, they are making it that much more difficult for security authorities to detect and predict future attacks. We are also seeing more and more instances of plots or attacks involving self-radicalized individuals. These individuals are not recruited by any terrorist groups; they become exposed to deviant ideology, frequently through the Internet, and embrace the radical ideas they come across. They then facilitate, or worse, participate in, terrorism. Singapore recognizes the diversity and constantly evolving nature of terrorism. The Singapore Government has adopted a multipronged strategy to deal with terrorism. The first element of this strategy is the use of a multi-ministry networked approach.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“It is equally if not even more important for countries in the South Asian region to work closely with one another to tackle a scourge that has cost countless lives and brought pain and suffering to all within the region. Not to do so would be to waste a golden opportunity and play into the very hands of those who seek to sow the seeds of discord among the peoples of the region. Seven years after the 11 September attacks and six years since the first bomb attacks in Bali, terrorism persists. The latest attacks in Mumbai, as well as the continued incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan, underscore the common terrorist threat that we continue to face. Terrorists continue to adapt and evolve.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest condolences to our Indian colleagues as well as to all who lost loved ones in the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The attacks have shown that terrorism is a threat that spares no one. The fatalities from the attacks included more than 20 foreigners from at least nine countries. Singapore was also not left untouched by this tragedy. A Singaporean woman, killed in the Mumbai attacks, was the first Singaporean to fall victim to modern-day terrorists. The tragic events in Mumbai are a grim reminder that the scourge of terrorism continues unabated. Singapore stands firmly behind the Indian Government in its fight against terrorism.”
2008-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6034Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We are pleased that ASEAN acquired formal observer status in the United Nations in 2006, and concluded a memorandum of understanding on ASEAN-United Nations cooperation the following year. Those moves reaffirm the mutual commitment between our regional grouping and the United Nations. ASEAN looks forward to enhanced cooperation with both the AU and the United Nations in working towards preserving international peace and security and promoting sustainable development.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“For example, within ASEAN, we have recently instituted the ASEAN defence ministers meeting to further enhance mutual trust and confidence among our defence establishments and to explore practical and concrete cooperation. That allows us to actively address non-traditional and transborder security concerns among our members and with external partners. In conclusion, allow me to express ASEAN's appreciation to the AU and the United Nations for the growing collaboration over the years. As observed by President Mbeki in 2002, the potential for ASEAN and the AU to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation is significant. As for ASEAN-United Nations cooperation, that has existed since our establishment in 1967.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The Charter reflects our common vision and commitment to the development of an ASEAN community as a region of lasting peace and stability, sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and social progress. It will remake ASEAN into a more effective and rules-based organization in today's rapidly changing global landscape. ASEAN has always regarded economic cooperation as a key factor to achieving peace and prosperity in the region. In that regard, our leaders adopted an ASEAN economic community blueprint last year to integrate the 10 ASEAN economies into one single market and production base. We will also be developing similar blueprints for our other two pillars - political security and sociocultural cooperation.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“As a regional organization, the AU serves as a key forum for African States to interact and cooperate with each other to promote such common objectives as good governance, sustainable development, and peace and stability. For example, AU peacekeepers have been deployed to areas such as Burundi, Somalia, the Comoros and Darfur. We note that a mutually beneficial AU-United Nations partnership has grown over the years and continues to serve as a good example of how regional organizations can positively contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. ASEAN supports all efforts to strengthen the AU-United Nations partnership. On our part, ASEAN has evolved into a multifaceted organization with cooperation in many fields. A shared sense of destiny and community motivated us to conclude the ASEAN Charter last year.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“At the Summit, the leaders of the Asian and African countries adopted a declaration on the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership to serve as a framework for building stronger links between Asia and Africa covering three broad areas of partnership - political solidarity, economic cooperation and sociocultural relations. The Strategic Partnership would address issues of common concern, such as armed conflicts, weapons of mass destruction, transnational organized crime and terrorism, which are fundamental to ensuring peace, stability and security. In that respect, ASEAN looks forward to the further strengthening of cooperation with the AU.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In response, ASEAN leaders found much common ground with African aspirations and acknowledged the need for greater interaction between ASEAN and the AU. They acknowledged the need for greater interaction between the two regional organizations, including a possible meeting between the two secretariats. They also agreed to take steps to promote stronger ties between Asia and Africa, including convening an ASEAN-New Partnership for Africa's Development conference. That idea was soon followed by the Asian- African Subregional Organizations Conference (AASROC) process, which was initiated in Bandung, Indonesia, in 2003. A second AASROC was held in Durban, South Africa, in 2004. In 2005, an Asia-Africa Summit was held in Bandung, commemorating the golden jubilee of the Bandung spirit.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“ASEAN and the African Union (AU) are examples of regional organizations that have helped to build and protect regional peace and security. We note that many ASEAN members have long-standing historical ties with Africa. Since 1955, the Bandung Asian-African Conference has promoted the Bandung spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation between Asia and Africa. That spirit was reaffirmed by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa on behalf of the African Union at the eighth ASEAN summit in Cambodia in November 2002. President Mbeki not only recalled the historical roots of cooperation between Asia and Africa, but he also commended ASEAN's programmes in South-South cooperation and its determined efforts to promote a region free of nuclear weapons and terrorism.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“I am making this statement on behalf of the 10 States members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Today, we live in a more complex and interconnected world, with many new actors on the international stage and more variables and alignments to consider. While the threat of global war has receded, there has been an increase in the number of smaller conflicts. Those are often asymmetric, low-intensity and diffused. It has become a messier world. The situation presents new challenges to global peace and security. Obviously, the United Nations has a crucial role to play, but in a globalized world regional cooperation can also play a key role. Even the United Nations Charter recognizes the role that regional arrangements can play in helping the United Nations to achieve its objectives.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868Resumption1 (2008) · source
“That will be an important opportunity for Mr. Gambari to personally update and engage Summit leaders from ASEAN, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand. This can only strengthen the Secretary-General's good offices mission. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Gambari to Singapore next week and to his participation in the EAS discussions on Myanmar.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“Gambari and encourage all the parties involved to engage in a meaningful dialogue. We would only be doing the Myanmar people and ourselves a major disservice if we were to prematurely give up on the United Nations good offices mission. Mr. Gambari continues to represent our best hope for progress. He should be invested with the requisite support, authority and prestige. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its regional partners fully support Mr. Gambari's efforts. Singapore's Foreign Minister, George Yeo, recently met his counterparts in China, Japan and India for informal consultations on how the region could support the national reconciliation process in Myanmar. Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, has invited Mr. Gambari to brief the leaders of the East Asia Summit in Singapore next week, on 21 November.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“We are heartened by NLD spokesman Nyan Win's press statement of 9 November that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi believed the ruling authorities have the will for national reconciliation and that she intends to work with Minister Aung Kyi. The international community should respect the views of Daw Aung San Sun Kyi and do what we can to support Mr. Gambari in his mission. We should not make an already complex mission more difficult by precipitate moves. The progress that Mr. Gambari has made so far is not insignificant. We have to recognize that a genuine political dialogue leading to national reconciliation is a long-term process. There are no quick fixes and we should not complicate the process by injecting unreasonable time lines or unrealistic expectations. What we can do is to support Mr.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“Nevertheless, it is extremely significant that in her statement, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi expressed clear support for the current process and the good offices role of the United Nations. We are therefore encouraged that the Myanmar Government has invited Mr. Gambari back for another visit. We urge the Myanmar Government to continue to engage Mr. Gambari at the highest level and to grant him full access to all parties in Myanmar. National reconciliation will require commitment and dialogue at the highest level. The Myanmar Government also needs to establish a meaningful, results-oriented and time bound political dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Such a process should be inclusive and involve all stakeholders, including the various ethnic groups.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“She welcomed the appointment of the liaison person Minister Aung Kyi, described their first meeting as a constructive one and looked forward to further discussions. She stated her expectation for a meaningful and time bound dialogue with the SPDC leadership. She said that she stood ready to cooperate with the Government in order to make the process of dialogue a success. Most important, she welcomed the necessary good offices role of the United Nations. Of course, it would have been much better had Daw Aung San Suu Kyi been released and allowed to deliver the remarks herself. In that regard, we hope that the Myanmar Government will release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi immediately and unconditionally so that she can participate fully in the process of political dialogue and national reconciliation.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“Gambari also met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as other stakeholders, including members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the National Unity Party and civic groups. We welcome the partial lifting of political restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, which allowed her to meet fellow NLD officials on 9 November. The most significant development was the statement of Daw Aung Suu Kyi, which Mr. Gambari delivered to the international community on her behalf on 8 November. That was the first time in a very long time that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's views had been heard by the outside world. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's statement underscored her commitment to discussions with the regime in order to achieve national reconciliation.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“It is a positive sign that the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, has been allowed to visit Myanmar after a four-year hiatus. Minister for Labour Aung Kyi has been appointed as the liaison person between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar Government. That is another positive step that hopefully sets the stage for serious discussions and a genuine dialogue. While we are disappointed that Mr. Gambari did not meet Myanmar's head of State, Senior General Than Shwe, during his last visit to Myanmar, we are encouraged that Mr. Gambari had access to the rest of the Myanmar leadership, including Prime Minister Thein Sein and Myanmar's State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Authoritative Team. Mr.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“On the one hand, there continue to be reports of arbitrary arrests in Myanmar and we remain very concerned. We call for the release of those detained during the recent protests, as well as previously detained political prisoners. We are disappointed by the Myanmar Government's decision to end the assignment of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie. Mr. Petrie and UNDP, along with other United Nations agencies, have consistently tried to help improve socio-economic conditions in Myanmar. That move by the Myanmar Government sends the wrong signal about its commitment and willingness to work on those crucial issues with the United Nations. But there have also been positive indications coming from Myanmar, which we should not dismiss.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source
“I would like to thank Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari for his briefing. Singapore is currently the Chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). We are, however, making this statement in our national capacity. At the last meeting of the Security Council to discuss the situation in Myanmar, my delegation had referred to the efforts of the United Nations, as embodied by Mr. Gambari, as unique and irreplaceable. This description remains valid. Mr. Gambari continues to have the most critical quality for the role he is playing, and that is the trust of both the Myanmar Government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Both parties see value in his continued engagement. To date, no one has done better than Mr. Gambari. The situation in Myanmar is extraordinarily complex and Mr. Gambari's report only confirms that. There are mixed signals.”
2007-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5777 (2007) · source