YouSaid · the spoken record

Millar

lines on the record
19
first
1996-08-15
most recent
2006-03-20
sittings or episodes
3
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

  1. “Australia welcomes the constructive discussions held at the recent meeting of the preparatory committee for the 2006 United Nations conference to review progress made in the implementation of the small arms and light weapons Programme of Action, and we look forward to a successful review conference.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

  2. “Australia remains concerned about the unauthorized possession and use of MANPADS by non-State actors and the dangers those weapons pose to civilian aviation. Australia's international MANPADS initiative, announced by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Downer, in December 2005, is designed to build on the Australian-sponsored resolutions at the last two United Nations General Assembly sessions and to encourage States - notably those in our own region, the Asia-Pacific region - to introduce or strengthen controls over the manufacture, storage and transfer of MANPADS and related equipment, training and technology. Australia urges all Member States to implement the General Assembly resolutions, including by enacting and improving legislation to ban the transfer of MANPADS to non-State actors.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

  3. “The success of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) demonstrates how integrated efforts to improve governance, including in the areas of justice and law and order, can, in addition to efforts to reduce the availability of small arms and light weapons, reduce demand for weapons and facilitate sustainable peacebuilding. We are working with a number of Member States, both in our region and more widely, on practically focussed outcomes to prevent the destabilizing accumulation of small arms and light weapons, including in the areas of capacity-building and needs assessment. Australia welcomes the confirmation by the Secretary-General in his report of the growing participation of Member States in the Register of Conventional Arms, including in relation to man- portable air defence systems (MANPADS).”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

  4. “Member States should affirm and facilitate legitimate trade in small arms and light weapons through national implementation of effective transfer controls which take into account relevant arms embargoes; the prevention of destabilizing accumulations of small arms and light weapons; the internal and regional situation of the recipient State; and the risk of diversion to unauthorized users, including terrorists and other criminals. Australia notes the particular need for effective stockpile management, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and security sector reform in post- conflict and other developing countries. Australia encourages international cooperation and assistance, in particular at the bilateral and regional levels.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

  5. “Australia welcomes the Security Council's continuing consideration of small arms and light weapons and the Secretary-General's useful and comprehensive report to the Council on small arms. The Council's ongoing attention to small arms issues, particularly in the regional context, will serve to strengthen the international community's resolve to work towards the prevention of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. In that context, we welcome and support the discussions by the Security Council on the draft resolution on small arms sponsored by Argentina. All States Members of the United Nations have a responsibility to address the small arms threat.”

    2006-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5390 (2006) · source

  6. “In the context of today's debate, we are also proud to note that we provide direct support to UNAMA through the provision of an Australian Defence Force officer as a military adviser to UNAMA. Australia will continue to support Afghanistan's transition from conflict to peace and democracy. We congratulate the United Nations on its efforts to date and agree that the proposed adjustments will allow UNAMA, in providing support to the Government and people of Afghanistan, to meet better the challenges ahead.”

    2006-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5385 (2006) · source

  7. “Australia agrees with the Secretary-General that the human rights situation remains challenging and encourages the Afghan Government to continue its efforts in this area so as to meet domestic and international commitments fully. Australia remains fully committed to playing its part in the efforts of the international community to support the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Alongside our further financial commitment of 150 million Australian dollars, Australia has also recently announced an additional military deployment of up to 200 personnel as a contribution to a provincial reconstruction team. This is in addition to our current Special Forces Task Group and aviation support element, which includes two CH-47 helicopters.”

    2006-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5385 (2006) · source

  8. “In his earlier reports to the Council, the Secretary-General expressed concern at the increasing trends in violence and challenges to State authority. But alongside those worrying trends are outcomes of great promise. Significant among those are the Afghan National Assembly Lower House elections, held on 18 September 2005, in which some 6.4 million Afghans took part; the inauguration of the National Assembly on 19 December and the associated commencement of parliamentary debate and business; the agreement on 26 January between the Afghan Government and international partners on a national Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups strategy; the ongoing reform and rebuilding of the police and army; and the Afghan Government's counter-narcotics programme, the success of which will be crucial to longer-term stability and good governance.”

    2006-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5385 (2006) · source

  9. “Australia applauds the completion of the process set out in the Bonn Agreement and welcomes the Compact's focus on Afghan leadership of the next phase, clear bench- marking of activities, and the ongoing political and financial support pledged by the international community at the Conference. That support includes Australia's latest commitment of up to $150 million over the next five years, which follows the $110 million Australia had committed since 2001 and which is now fully disbursed. Australia remains concerned about the damage done in Afghanistan by years of conflict. We share the concern of the Secretary-General at the many issues that present challenges to the short- and longer-term stability and security of Afghanistan that have not yet been resolved.”

    2006-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5385 (2006) · source

  10. “Australia welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on Afghanistan of 7March and supports the renewal of and proposed adjustments to the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). That includes the continued political and good offices role for UNAMA in Afghanistan, such as its efforts to assist in the implementation of the Afghanistan Compact agreed at the London Conference on Afghanistan, which the Australian Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Downer, attended. Australia also supports UNAMA's continued humanitarian and development coordination efforts. The Afghanistan Compact, signed at the London Conference on Afghanistan held on 31 January and lFebruary, provides a clear and agreed strategic framework for the next phase of reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.”

    2006-03-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5385 (2006) · source

  11. “On 15 April this year, Australia announced its support for a global ban on the use, transfer, production and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, and the suspension of the operational use of anti-personnel mines by the Australian Defence Force. We will determinedly pursue the objective of a global anti-personnel land-mine ban in a number of forums: in the General Assembly, in the Disarmament Commission, in the Conference on Disarmament and at future meetings of the parties to the inhumane-weapons Convention. We are looking forward to a meeting of pro-ban States to be hosted by Canada in October, which is expected to identify strategies for achieving such a ban.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  12. “For example, could more of its core activities, including those related to mine-clearance programmes, be funded out of the regular budget? We believe it is false economy to invest our efforts in mine clearance in the absence of a clear international commitment to prevention. Australia is concerned that the international community has still not developed a serious humanitarian approach in international negotiations on this subject to date. In its recent resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM. III), the Council, addressing its message both to the Government of Angola and to UNITA, stressed the need for destruction of land-mines as part of a continued commitment to peace. The United Nations should continue to give attention to the disarmament aspect of the land- mines problem in general.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  13. “The Council therefore needs to coordinate its efforts with other organs of the United Nations so that DHA can begin concurrent planning for humanitarian demining. Financing for humanitarian purposes is obtained largely through voluntary trust funds. Inevitably, the shortage of such funds during the early phases of a mission works to prevent the concurrent operation of peace-keeping mine clearance and humanitarian mine clearance. Adequate financing for humanitarian mine clearance is a concern of all United Nations Members. One thing the United Nations could do, through the Economic and Social Council and the Fifth Committee, is develop a position on the long-term budgetary situation of the Department of Humanitarian Affairs.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  14. “As a general proposition, the transition from a peace-keeping mine-clearance programme to a humanitarian programme needs to be carefully managed and well coordinated, including in consultation with non-United Nations actors. As Member States are aware, demining strictly for immediate peace-keeping needs can in many respects be of a different nature from long-term humanitarian mine clearance. For affected people on the ground, the emphasis on demining to provide a safe working environment for peace-keepers can be seen as a failure by the United Nations to address urgent humanitarian problems. Accordingly, it is Australia's view that humanitarian demining programmes, including the creation of indigenous demining capability, should be run concurrently with demining for peace-keeping.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  15. “It follows that the Council should take the opportunity, in resolutions or statements related to a peace-keeping operation, to explicitly address the subject of humanitarian mine clearance. But whether it is to be regarded as an aspect of peace-keeping is a matter that needs further consideration, including in the light of financial implications. At present, our judgement is that the Department of Peace-Keeping Operations and Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) are coordinating well in their respective involvement in mine clearance, both at Headquarters and on the ground, but we note some Member States are of the view that there is a need for greater clarity of their roles.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  16. “But it is clear that peace-keeping mission planning should include consideration of the need for mine- clearance activities. Planners need to address the question of whether mine clearance is operationally necessary to carry out the mandated functions of the mission, including the protection of peace-keeping forces and ensuring freedom of movement. It may be that there is a need for greater specificity regarding mine clearance in peace- keeping mandates. We wish to reflect on the views of other Member States on that question. Experience suggests that a truly comprehensive political settlement should address in detail the elements of peace-building, of which demining is an essential part.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  17. “But we have also assisted substantially the programmes coordinated by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) in other badly mine-affected countries: Mozambique, Angola and Afghanistan. Not to neglect a problem which is equally serious from a humanitarian point of view, we are contributing $700,000 over three years to the United Nations trust fund for clearance of unexploded ordnance in Laos, a long- standing cause of great suffering and an obstacle to development in that country. In view of the dimensions of the land-mine problem, we welcome the ideas being put forward in this discussion today on the subject of mine clearance and United Nations peace-keeping. At this stage, our own thinking on this subject is of a general nature.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  18. “Australia takes a close interest in land-mine issues, and we have worked closely with the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and non- governmental organizations on demining and rehabilitation. Our activities include mine clearance, training and mine- awareness programmes, assistance to mine victims and the provision of prosthetics. An integral element of these programmes is the transfer of knowledge and capacity to local people so they are able to minimize the risk to civilians, especially children. Our assistance to these programs increased from $1.8 million in the financial year 1993-1994 to nearly $5.8 million in 1995-1996. Much of this contribution has been directed towards Cambodia, as the most mine-affected country in our region.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source

  19. “Australia welcomes the opportunity this debate provides to Member States to present their views on this very important issue. The Security Council pronounced itself on the general problem of land-mines in a statement responding to the supplement of February 1995 to the Secretary- General's Agenda for Peace. In its statement the Council supported efforts to curb the spread of anti-personnel mines and to deal with land-mines already laid, and expressly welcomed General Assembly resolutions on both aspects of the problem. The Council also reaffirmed its deep concern over the tremendous humanitarian problem caused by the presence of mines and other unexploded devices, and emphasized the need for increased mine- clearance efforts by the countries concerned and with the assistance of the international community.”

    1996-08-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3689 (1996) · source