YouSaid · the spoken record

Michel

lines on the record: 74
first: 2000-01-24
most recent: 2023-09-20
sittings or episodes: 8
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

“A tragic crime is unfolding before our very eyes, and we are the witnesses — all of us. We must stand strong by the side of the attacked, especially right here in the Security Council. That is why this Council was born. That is why we are here today — to say no to aggression and to protect peace, security and cooperation between people and between all our nations.”
2023-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9421Resumption1 (2023) · source
“As responsible nations, we all have a role to play in building global peace and stability. I would like to speak in particular to the Chinese representative who has warned Russia against the use of nuclear weapons. We welcome this. We now ask the Chinese representative to go further. Let us join forces to persuade Russia to end this criminal war that is hurting so many. Let us join forces to convince Russia to respect the principles of the United Nations Charter. The consequences of this crime extend across the globe, and the Kremlin’s latest cynical actions are only making things worse. That includes, for instance, pulling out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. When you shoot missiles at grain silos in Odesa, they also strike Africa and kill the most vulnerable, destroying the lives of millions.”
2023-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9421Resumption1 (2023) · source
“What have we done about this aggression? What have we done as one of the permanent members attacks its neighbour? What have we done as it wields its veto power against each of us, against the Charter of the United Nations and its core principles? Do we not sit together in this Chamber for one reason and for one reason only — to protect peace and security for all people no matter their country or continent? Powerful and responsible nations simply cannot turn a blind eye to these crimes, because we all share a responsibility to end war, a responsibility to work for a just peace that respects the United Nations Charters and its core principles and the territorial integrity of each sovereign nation. Such a peace will never last if crimes go unpunished, and that is why I would like to speak directly to each member around this table.”
2023-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9421Resumption1 (2023) · source
“I ask all here, including the Russian representatives, could they bear having their child stolen and deported? Could they bear having their child forced to forget their family, their language and their land? The so-called re-education is in fact an attempt at cultural genocide. By defending their children, Ukrainians are defending what is most precious — their family, their future and their freedom. And that is why we, the European Union, stand firmly with Ukraine in its defence of itself. As long as the innocent are attacked, we will help them to defend themselves, and we will stand by their side for as long as it takes. At this crime scene, we also have the witnesses — all of us around the world. I ask all of us sitting right here, the witnesses in the Security Council: what have we done about this crime?”
2023-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9421Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Mr. Michel: Ukraine is a crime scene, and the perpetrator is sitting in this very Chamber. They know who they are. The Kremlin dreams of restoring the old Russian empire. After Ukraine, who would be next? Who would be next to satisfy Putin’s fantasy of the past? And, if Russia succeeds in Ukraine, what other countries would be tempted to copy its actions? At this crime scene, we also have the victim, the attacked — Ukraine and all Ukrainians fighting a battle they did not start, defending their country against a war they did not want and protecting their children from suffering nobody deserves. Ukrainians are fighting to save their children from another horror of this war — forced abduction to Russia, so-called adoption. In reality, these are deportations of children.”
2023-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9421Resumption1 (2023) · source
“Russia is attacking one country and one people — Ukraine. However, Russia is also attacking the values and principles of the Organization — human dignity, tolerance, multilateral cooperation and international law. Those are our shared values and the bedrock of the Organization. This is therefore more than a war against one nation. It is a war against all that we have built over generations since the Second World War. The EU’s commitment to the Charter of the United Nations is unwavering. The EU is a reliable, loyal and respectful partner and will continue to cooperate on the global stage to build a safer, freer and more prosperous world.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“We fully support the efforts of Secretary-General Guterres to find solutions to reopen maritime routes for Ukraine’s exports. We will actively contribute to the work of the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance and cooperate with the Group of Seven and the African Union. The Kremlin may prohibit and prosecute the use of the word “war” but that does not change the heartbreaking reality. Thousands of dead Ukrainian women, children and men, atrocities, rape, countless Ukrainian cities bombed to rubble — that is a war. It is a barbaric war waged by a permanent member of the Security Council. We say to the Ambassador of Ukraine that we will continue to back Ukraine. We will continue to support his country and his people. We will continue to put pressure on Russia and confront it with the truth.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“The EU has imposed no sanctions on Russia’s agricultural sector — none. And even our sanctions on the Russian transport sector do not go beyond our EU borders. The Russian representative may leave the room if he so chooses. It is perhaps easier for him not to listen to the truth. Our sanctions do not prevent Russian-flagged vessels from carrying grain, food and fertilizers to developing countries. On the contrary, the EU is doing all that it can to help Ukraine’s agricultural exports and support Ukraine’s agricultural sector for the coming season. Global food security is a top priority for the EU. We will do everything we can to help solve that challenge and assist developing countries. To do that, we need to unlock the Black Sea.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“The dramatic consequences of Russia’s war are spilling over across the globe, and that is driving up food prices, pushing people into poverty and destabilizing entire regions. Russia alone is responsible for the looming food crisis, despite the Kremlin’s campaign of lies and disinformation. I saw it with my own eyes a few weeks ago in Odesa. Millions of tons of grain and wheat were stuck in containers and ships because of Russian warships in the Black Sea and Russia’s attacks on transport infrastructure. And it is Russia’s tanks, bombs and mines that are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The Kremlin is also targeting grain storage facilities and stealing grain in Ukraine, while shifting the blame onto others. That is cowardly propaganda, pure and simple. Let us get to the facts.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Sadly, sexual and gender-based violence is a global threat, used as a weapon of war and faced by women across the world, including in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Myanmar, South Sudan, Yemen and other countries. That is why, in just a few days in Brussels, together with UN-Women, the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation and Nadia’s Initiative, we will be hosting a second conference on women in conflict. I sincerely hope that we can build momentum and step up our collective efforts to seriously address this critical issue. I want to say to the representative of the Russian Federation that we should be honest. The Kremlin is using food supplies as a stealth missile targeting developing countries.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Sexual violence is a war crime, a crime against humanity and a tactic of torture, terror and repression — shameful acts in a shameful war. That must be exposed to the light of day and prosecuted without impunity. The war has also caused millions to flee their homes and seek refuge outside Ukraine. They are mostly women and children. I met many of them when I went to Ukraine, Poland and Moldova, and they are particularly vulnerable to human traffickers. We, the European Union (EU), are committed to protecting them and keeping them safe without discrimination. I listened carefully to what some speakers said today. We intend to provide education, health care and access to the labour market. We are also working to eradicate trafficking in order to protect people fleeing the war.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“That is why we are now helping to collect the evidence of those crimes. Impunity is not an option. And we welcome the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures ordering Russia to suspend military operations immediately. We fully support the investigation by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the work of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. The European Union is assisting the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General and civil society in collecting the evidence of war crimes. The subject of women and peace and security is a critical and timely one. Two years ago, Secretary-General Guterres called for an end to violence both on the battlefield and in people’s homes. As we speak, however, we are hearing reports of Russian forces wielding sexual violence as a weapon of war.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“Mr. Michel: I would first like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this meeting and giving me the opportunity to address the Council. I was born in Belgium in the 1970s. At school, we studied the great European artists, including names like Victor Hugo, Leonardo, Shakespeare, Picasso and Goethe. But we also studied masterpieces by people with names like Dostoevsky, Kandinsky, Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy and other great Russian artists from Russia’s great culture who influenced and inspired my own education. But today Russia’s savagery stands in stark contrast to the heritage of those brilliant artists. A few months ago, I was in Borodyanka, where atrocities were committed by Russian soldiers. War crimes and crimes against humanity must and will be punished. In order to hold those responsible accountable, we need evidence.”
2022-06-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9056 (2022) · source
“That must be translated into efforts to tirelessly and determinedly hunt down the perpetrators of these crimes so that those monsters will never again be able to sleep in peace.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“The second element - and this perhaps complements the Secretary-General's initiative to designate a messenger for peace, of which he spoke earlier - relates to documenting the magnitude of this phenomenon, its roots, its evolution and the preparations for the work that must be done by the courts, whether national or international. Here, I would like to suggest that the Secretary-General might appoint a woman special investigator on sexual violence in armed conflict to carry out the systematic collection of information and to gather all the material that is already available in the field, whether from peacekeeping operations, the United Nations agencies or others operating in the field. All of this should lead us towards zero impunity, and we must clearly affirm the United Nations commitment to peace and security.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Belgium is gratified at having been able, together with others, to set up the International Criminal Court, whose statute is unequivocal about the nature of these crimes. In conclusion, I would like to argue on two particular elements. First of all, we have to mobilize our efforts to make the International Criminal Court more accessible to victims. I would like to draw attention to the strengthened role that could and should be played by the Trust Fund for Victims. It must be effective and must meet the needs of victims where other initiatives are lacking. In that context, I would like to encourage the Executive Director and the Board of Directors of the Fund not to hesitate to appeal for specific contributions where the situation so justifies.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Every combatant, every fighter, every potential perpetrator needs to know that one day he will be called to account and will pay the price for his infamous crimes. To be sure, the task is immense and complex. There are several aspects to our response. We must strengthen national judicial capacity. We must therefore have the commitment of national Governments to assume their responsibilities. Punishments must be decided upon, and they must be carried out. Recently, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, prisoners were able to escape shortly after their sentencing. That is not acceptable. We must have strengthened cooperation in that area. We also need to support an international response in the judicial sphere.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“We must commit ourselves to reintegrating them into society, into economic life. Reports from the field lead me to believe that the extreme urgency of radically improving the coordination of international aid is a determining factor. We have to get closer to the victims in the field. We cannot simply content ourselves with a humanitarian presence in a few major centres. I believe that this is a very specific and important issue. The last point, and probably the most important, is the fight against impunity. To punish the perpetrators is the task of the justice system. This fight requires the rejection of inevitability, the condemnation of letting these crimes become commonplace and the rehabilitation of the victims. That is the best way to engage in prevention.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Also, it can be seen in the field that there is a danger of such violence becoming viewed as commonplace, and then being exported beyond the areas that are directly affected by conflicts, into post-conflict situations. We have to be alert to that. The second element is assistance to victims. Behind the statistics printed on glossy paper, there are tens of thousands of women, tens of thousands of young girls, whose lives have been affected in their very flesh and in their minds for the rest of their lives. There are families who have been dismantled, torn apart, torn to pieces by those horrific events. We have the responsibility to act to meet the medical needs, the social and psychological needs and the need for legal assistance, and to provide assistance to families and others to those near them.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“It is our conviction that this issue also involves our concept both of the human being and of humanity; our joint responsibility through a debate of this kind is to conduct our fight at the highest political level to deal with the unacceptable phenomenon of sexual violence in armed conflict. I should like to divide my comments into three points: prevention; assistance to victims; and the fight against impunity. 08-39069 Others have already referred to prevention. Obviously, war and a lack of security create horror and dread. Above all, we are fighting war against war. That is key in preventing this kind of violence and in mobilizing our will. We need to engage in enormous prevention work and awareness-raising work in areas at risk, the conflict areas. That is indispensable.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“Mr. Michel (Belgium) (spoke in French): I would like to begin by joining with those who have welcomed the initiative to hold this debate in the Security Council. I think it is both fundamental and urgent to speak out to express our indignation, to speak out to express our disgust at these tragedies within tragedies. The stories that we are hearing show that we are going beyond the borders of humanity. It is behaviour that is more bestial in nature than anything else. Like others here, I have had the opportunity to meet with victims - women, small girls - who have been affected by those atrocities. It is a question of peace and security, Madam President, as you yourself rightly said at the outset.”
2008-06-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5916 (2008) · source
“During the 2002 special session of the General Assembly devoted to children, Secretary-General Kofi Annan addressed the children of the world in these words: "Yet we, the grown-ups, have failed you deplorably in upholding many of [your rights]" and "We, the grown-ups, must reverse this list of failures" (A/S-27/PV.], p. 4). That was in 2002. Today, in 2008, however, armed conflicts in the Kivus, Colombia and other affected regions are still making victims of children. Those children too have the right to live in safety. Let us give them hope. It is our duty to guarantee their basic rights.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Member States and international agencies and organizations must translate their commitments into concrete action. For my part, on behalf of the Belgian Government - as Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt did last September (see S/PV.5749) - I can assure the Council that Belgium will act tirelessly to that end. In the same vein, Belgium will continue to advocate for a binding instrument to ban cluster bombs, which, as we all well know, affect children in particular. I want to believe that today's debate will lead to an increased commitment on the part of the Council.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Sexual violence in conflict situations has tragic and long-term consequences for those affected by it. This is one of the most heinous and appalling practices of wartime. The Belgian Government advocates strengthening the mechanism established by virtue of resolution 1612 (2005) by including in the annexes to the reports of the Secretary- General a list of parties to conflict responsible for systematic sexual violence. Combating the phenomenon of child soldiers is an imperative that must compel all of us, without exception, to act. The Security Council must become more involved in this issue. It must also encourage other United Nations bodies to vastly intensify the political pressure that is necessary to put an end to these abuses - "hyper-pressure" is needed.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“It is the responsibility of the Security Council to adopt the necessary sanctions against individuals and groups that continue to recruit children. Combating impunity through national and international justice mechanisms is a crucial prelude to reconciliation and peace. The recent transfer of 08-2361] Mathieu Ngudjolo from Kinshasa to The Hague is a further step in that direction. Belgium fully supports that approach. Sexual violence is another scourge receiving increasing attention from the Security Council, and from the United Nations system overall. As the Council is aware, with regard to monitoring the implementation of resolution 1612 (2005), sexual violence is taken into account only when it is associated with the presence of child soldiers. We cannot limit ourselves to such situations alone.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, must be implemented quickly. Too much time has already passed. The fates of too many children have already been sealed. Beyond the international awareness that has resulted from the publication of the list of armed State and non-State groups guilty of recruiting or using children, that public list is above all an important deterrent that can brook no compromise. With the adoption of resolution 1612 (2005) and the establishment of the monitoring and reporting mechanism, the Security Council now has essential information at its disposal to enable it to act and apply pressure on those armed groups. The protection of children in every phase of an armed conflict is never negotiable.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Beyond all the available reports and statistics, looking into the eyes of a girl who had been abused, raped and even mutilated made it possible for me to realize the horror that sexual violence means, especially for children. I am convinced that children who have known only war and who owe their survival to their Kalashnikovs are not a lost cause when it comes to peace and development. To the contrary, they are an essential part of it. The problem of children and armed conflict is well known. It has been clearly described and analysed in the report (S/2007/757) of the Secretary-General. It is not just a question of human rights and development assistance. It is also a matter of peace and security. I would even go as far as saying that it is also a question of humanity. The recommendations made by Ms.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Mr. Michel (Belgium) (spoke in French): How many of us around this horseshoe-shaped table have children? Who in this Chamber does not want the best for his son or daughter? Three hundred thousand 08-2361] children have been forcibly separated from their families. That represents half of Belgium's children between the ages of 11 and 15. Let us think of the stark dilemma facing those children: kill or be killed. They are kidnapped, drugged and abused, and forced to commit the worst of atrocities, sometimes against their own families. As fathers and mothers, we cannot resign ourselves to that situation. During my recent visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo I had an opportunity to see for myself the distress of children caught up in armed conflict.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Noting that the purpose of today's thematic debate is to consider the Security Council's special role in promoting international law, the document states that the Council "operates within the framework of international law in all its functions" (5/2006/367, annex, p. 2). That is both an objective and a rule enshrined by the Charter. Your initiative, Sir, therefore deserves to be approved and supported, and I thank you for it on behalf of the Secretary-General.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“Fourtth, the Security Council should, possibly through its Committees, periodically review on its own initiative targeted individual sanctions, especially the freezing of assets, in order to mitigate the risk of violating the right to property and related human rights. The frequency of such review should be proportionate to the rights and interests involved. The non-paper indicates also that those elements would apply mutatis mutandis in respect of entities. 06-40028 (spoke in French) In conclusion, I should like to note one of the key points referred to early and most relevantly in the discussion paper submitted by the presidency.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“An adequate statement of the case requires the prior determination of clear criteria for listing. Secondly, such a person has the right to be heard, via submissions in writing, within a reasonable time by the relevant decision-making body. That right should include the ability to directly access the decision- making body, possibly through a focal point in the Secretariat, as well as the right to be assisted or represented by counsel. Time limits should be set for the consideration of the case. Thirdly, such a person has the right to review by an effective review mechanism. The effectiveness of that mechanism will depend on its impartiality, degree of independence and ability to provide an effective remedy, including the lifting of the measure and/or, under specific conditions to be determined, compensation.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“Largely on the basis of the outcome document of the 2005 world summit, the Secretary- General, in a non-paper annexed to his letter, sets out his views concerning the listing and delisting of individuals and entities on sanctions lists. According to the non-paper, the minimum standards required to ensure that the procedures are fair and transparent would include the following four basic elements. Since the paper has been distributed in English, I will now state them in that language. (spoke in English) First, a person against whom measures have been taken by the Council has the right to be informed of those measures and to know the case against him or her as soon as and to the extent possible. The notification should include a statement of the case and information as to how requests for review and exemptions may be made.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“Lastly, the system of international penal jurisdictions, which has steadily progressed towards greater universality, is a primary responsibility of States and, within the constraints of the Rome Statute, a complementary responsibility of the International Criminal Court. If the system is to function efficiently, it will be essential to heed the appeals of States that require assistance in their efforts to build the necessary domestic capacities, provided that they are prepared to take international standards into account. As regards the third topic suggested for our consideration - enhancing the efficiency and credibility of United Nations sanctions regimes - I wish to refer to the letter recently addressed by the Secretary-General to the presidency of the Security Council, which I would request to be distributed to all Council members.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“By taking such action, the Council is keeping pace with one of the major evolutions of the culture of the international community and international law over the past 15 years. Allow me if I may to note three aspects of that evolution. First, justice and peace must be regarded as complementary requirements. There can be no lasting peace without justice. The problem is one not of choosing between peace and justice, but of the best way to interlink the one with the other, in the light of specific circumstances, without ever sacrificing the duty ofjustice. Secondly, amnesty for international crimes has been regarded as unacceptable in international practice. Today, its rejection must be enshrined as a standard to be enforced.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“The measures to be taken should take into account the needs of the Commission and of those that may arise in all the other many situations that will require assistance without figuring on the Commission's agenda. The promotion of the rule of law, including the promotion of human rights, cannot be limited to situations associated with an ongoing or recent conflict. The second topic proposed for discussion is that of impunity. In recent years, the Security Council has taken a number of decisions that reflect its resolve to put an end to the impunity of perpetrators of international crimes. The recently adopted resolution concerning the transfer of former Liberian President Charles Taylor is the most recent example of that resolve.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“In addressing first the issue of promoting the rule of law in conflict or post-conflict situations, I should like to begin by recalling the report that the Secretary- General sent to the General Assembly on that subject in August 2004. I would also join in welcoming the meeting to take place tomorrow to establish the Organizational Committee of the new Peacebuilding Commission. In that context, the Secretariat is tasked with identifying more precisely the means it already possesses to support actions to promote the rule of law, those that it will require in the future, and the best way of organizing those resources in order effectively and competently to meet its needs. In that respect, the proposals that have been made by some Member States are extremely useful.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“In addition, the Court has clarified key points of international law through its advisory opinions. It is true that, with some exceptions, those opinions are not in and of themselves legally binding. But the rules of law that they interpret, and whose scope they clarify, fully exercise their legal effects vis-a-vis the legal subjects on which they are binding. The excellent discussion paper provided by the presidency of the Council to stimulate and guide today's debate sets out numerous interesting and important questions. The necessary limitation on speaking time compels me to make a difficult choice among them that is not necessarily a faithful reflection of the legitimate concerns of all participants in the debate.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“Justice and law were the fundamental conditions for international peace and security. At the same time, the founders also reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights and in the dignity and worth of the human person. The presence of the President of the International Court of Justice prompts us to recall the fundamental principle requiring States to settle their international differences through peaceful means, as well as the specific role entrusted by the Charter to the main judicial organ of the United Nations. The judgements of the Court have made a valuable contribution to the cause of peace. To cite a recent example, I am pleased to note the conclusion of the agreement between Cameroon and Nigeria to effectively implement a decision of the Court.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“It is quite easy for me to speak on behalf of the Secretary-General today, for his convictions and positions with regard to international law and the rule of law are well known. I will just refer to the memorable statement he made on 21 September 2004 during the opening of the general debate of the fifty- ninth session of the General Assembly (see A/59/PV.3). In fact, his attitude represents a contemporary expression of the values and resolve that inspired the founders of the United Nations. The Preamble to the Charter in fact expresses the resolve "to establish conditions under which justice 3 and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained". The founders wanted to see an international community grounded in law. For them the law was not an instrument, but a culture.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for kindly giving me the floor in order to speak on behalf of the Secretary- General at this public debate devoted to the theme "Strengthening international law: rule of law and maintenance of international peace and security". Had the Secretary-General not been on a mission abroad today, he would have very much liked to welcome you personally, Mr. Minister, to thank you warmly for your presence and to commend you both for the way in which your country is presiding over the Council and for having organized today's debate on the topic you have chosen. It is also an honour and a pleasure for me to welcome and warmly greet the President of the International Court of Justice.”
2006-06-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5474 (2006) · source
“I believe that we must resolutely and consistently look to the largest possible common denominator - the major concepts that regulate the organization of modern societies. Such notions as justice, solidarity and freedom must be subject to debate. The international community cannot unilaterally impose its terms of reference. We must also be guided and persuaded by our partners. Their experience, history, perceptions and culture can enrich ours. I believe that, if we wish, we can finally begin to exorcise the demons of our respective pasts and achieve a common reading of history. Only thus can we build together a world of peace, justice and freedom.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“The European Commission will become even further involved in the development strategy as an essential factor in conflict prevention and in the re- establishment of the rule of law through independent and trustworthy judicial systems, effective public administrations that can control their territory, and reformed security forces subject to strict democratic oversight. In conclusion, I deeply believe that relations between us and Africa have been reborn and are evolving in mutual respect between partners that are equal in rights and responsibilities and capable of engaging in dialogue and debate and of living with their differences in the firm resolve to reach a common understanding of the concepts of democracy and law.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“In considering the prospects, how can we fail unequivocally to denounce the barbarous acts and inhuman attacks perpetrated this week by several criminal groups, which, in their own sordid interests, are terrorizing innocent citizens and even killing those who, at their own peril and on our behalf, went there to protect them? The European Commission has always taken a voluntarist approach, along with its special partners in the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions, the African Union and other donors. The Peacebuilding Commission will have a major role to play in that respect.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“How can we fail to see that these countries have a shared destiny? I am deeply convinced that the successful completion of the process may be difficult, not only regionally, but throughout Africa. The regional dimension strikes me as being fundamental. We need to join forces and to focus attention on themes of common interest, basing our action on the principle - one that is at the very heart of the construction of Europe - that it is by sharing our interests, problems and resources that we are able to achieve and maintain peace and increase prosperity. I am therefore pleased to see the determination of those three countries to give new impetus to the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries. We ourselves are determined to provide substantial funding for that project.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“How can we not believe in miracles when we see the miracle being enacted at the registration centres in the hearts and souls of men and women who were hitherto mere phantom citizens? On 18 December, more than 60 per cent of them voted, for the first time in 40 years. Eighty-four per cent of the voters ratified a balanced and democratic constitution, because they instinctively understood that, through that founding gesture, they held the key to turning the tide of their own history. To the very end, the international community must help and encourage them and exhort their leaders to adhere to the electoral timetable. An electoral law must be enacted that will, I hope, provide for the broadest possible representation of all sectors of Congolese society in order to avert any resurgence of the sense of exclusion.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“They wisely gave the President the broadest possible legitimacy with which to establish the conditions for reunification. The President has created a Government with more than one-third female representation and developed a modern agenda that is generous and ambitious, beginning with free primary education. Those are all undeniably positive signs. Today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a drawn-out and fragile transitional process is gradually being completed. In a few months, more than 25 million Congolese men and women have received their voting cards, providing them for the first time with identity, citizenship and a sense of belonging to a single nation and people.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“Our commitment to ourselves and to our African friends will have to remain unshakeable if we are to ward off these dangers once and for all. But I am optimistic. In Rwanda, the painful wounds of the genocide are starting to subside, little by little. There is already a new economic recovery that can give hope and motivation to members of the young generations, who now know that, if they wish, they can fashion a future of prosperity, solidarity and justice. A little more than 10 years after the abominable tragedy there, we can finally believe that reconciliation is going to take place among the people. As to Burundi, a few months ago Burundians successfully took up a challenge that we all believed to be out of reach. They democratically elected a Parliament representing their entire population.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“The Commission has invested in key areas, such as governance and the electoral process - where we are the top donors, with â‚¬149 million for the Democratic Republic of the Congo - as well as the rebuilding of services and basic infrastructure. To consolidate these gains, we need to release further funds. But those funds would not and will not be sufficient without unified analysis, action and commitment on the part of all international actors. We will need to maintain this holy alliance until the end of the peace processes, and even beyond. Until the end, the process will remain fragile, and the enormous promise of a Central Africa that is finally at peace, open and headed for the future will always run the risk of being shattered by, irresponsible behaviour - individual or collective - by sterile quarrels and even by foolish blunders.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“We believe that we can attain it only by rebuilding States that can protect and mediate among their populations and that are legitimate because of democratic systems - States that possess institutions capable of fulfilling the major governing functions that, alone, can ensure for all citizens equal rights, such as access to education, health services, justice, administration and culture. Beyond our duty to provide emergency humanitarian assistance, our policy has always been based on the conviction that poverty will be vanquished only through the establishment and consolidation of an impartial Government that encourages vigilant civil societies that are able to take on full responsibility for their destiny. Since 2002, the Union has mobilized more than â‚¬1 billion - more than $1.3 billion - for this region and these countries.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source
“I would recall the steady commitment of the European Commission, which is often at the forefront of the international community, and which is mandated by the European Union to seek a conclusive solution to the crises and conflicts that, for too long now, have affected this region, which is so rich in potential in many areas. We have always counted on the virtues of a political dialogue that is active and frank, but also respectful and without a hidden agenda. We have no objective other than that of peace, security and the well-being of people.”
2006-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5359 (2006) · source