YouSaid · the spoken record

Monsignor Kassas

lines on the record: 49
first: 2015-07-23
most recent: 2018-04-26
sittings or episodes: 9
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

“This bleak picture of the region leads my delegation to reiterate the appeal of Pope Francis, who, in considering the responsibility of the Security Council to seek a unified and effective response for a lasting peace in Syria and in other regions of the world, encouraged all those with political responsibility to ensure that justice and peace prevail. In this regard, the Security Council remains a key actor in making sure that all such efforts will be guided by the relevant international law. The sheer range and scope of the challenges that we face should galvanize all those who value peace and human rights to resolute action so that those most affected by conflict and insecurity will not be left behind.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“What is needed now is a renewed commitment to negotiations towards a two-State solution. In order to have the best chance of success, peace talks must take place in an environment free from violence. The ongoing violence only underlines how overdue a just and lasting resolution is. Concerning Jerusalem, the Holy See would like to recall once again the obligation of all nations to respect the historical status quo of the Holy City, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions. Only an internationally guaranteed status can preserve Jerusalem's unique character.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“The lives of millions of Yemenis have been devastated by what the Secretary-General has rightly called a stupid war. The events in Yemen have been called the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe - one that is entirely man-made. The international community must pay much greater attention to this conflict, where civilians are paying a huge price in a senseless war that has been overshadowed by other conflicts in the region. With regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Holy See joins the great majority of the delegations here today in reiterating its strong support for the two- State solution as the only viable way of fulfilling the aspirations for peaceful coexistence among Israelis and Palestinians alike. Every Israeli and Palestinian has the right to live in peace and security.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“The challenges of governance; the youth bulge and high rates of unemployment; the collapse of State institutions; the violation of human rights and international humanitarian law; sectarian strife; geopolitical rivalry; the threat of terrorism and violent extremism; the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including the use of chemical weapons; a massive influx of refugees and migrants; and humanitarian crises are just some of the challenges faced by the region. The humanitarian situation in Syria remains marked by unparalleled suffering, destruction and disregard for human life. As Pope Francis said last week, "there is no good war or bad war". He appealed to political and military leaders to choose another path - that of negotiations, which is the only path that can bring peace rather than death and destruction.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“Monsignor Kassas (Holy See) (spoke in Arabic): The Holy See thanks the Peruvian presidency for holding this open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The situation in the Middle East continues to be a source of extreme concern in terms of its impact on international peace and security. This is clear due to the great space afforded to this issue by the Council during our debates over the past year on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Syrian crisis and other crises in the region. The ongoing conflicts in the region have had negative impacts that threaten the stability of the region as a whole and entailed grave consequences for international peace and security.”
2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source
“In that context, my delegation wishes to thank all faith-based organizations and religious communities, in particular women's organizations, which have long been at the forefront of the fight against trafficking in persons and have shown their commitment by accompanying survivors with loving concern on the long journey back to living a life in freedom and dignity. On the World Day against Trafficking in Persons this July, Pope Francis warned us all against getting used to trafficking in persons or treating it as if it were a normal thing, when in reality it is, as he said, ugly, cruel, criminal, an aberrant plague, a modern form of slavery and a crime against humanity. In his name, my delegation renews the appeal for a universal commitment to ending that heinous crime.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Despite significant progress and efforts, such as the high-level meeting on the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, held on 27 and 28 September, much more still needs to be done to achieve better coordination among Governments, the judiciary, law-enforcement officials and civil society. Likewise, leaders and followers of the various religions around the world must do everything in their power to save the millions of children, women and men who are forced to live in slave-like conditions.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“The criminalization of forced migrants and undocumented and irregular migrants in general exacerbates their vulnerabilities, drives them further into the clutches of traffickers and other extreme forms of exploitation, and renders them less likely to collaborate with law-enforcement authorities in efforts to catch and punish traffickers. Achieving the specific targets of the Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending trafficking in persons is an integral part of our efforts. Like the Sustainable Development agenda as a whole, those targets present immense challenges that no individual, organization or State can deal with alone.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“In that regard, the Holy See would like to highlight the importance of the implementation of the responsibility to protect in the context of the migration and refugee crises, which facilitate trafficking in persons. When States and the international community fail to protect people from war and atrocities to such an extent that people feel compelled to flee their homes, we all have a great and urgent responsibility to protect them from further harm, including from falling into the hands of human traffickers.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“However, the full potential of international criminal justice needs to be utilized exhaustively if we are to be effective in our fight against that heinous crime. In order to eradicate trafficking in persons, we must confront all of its economic, environmental, political and ethical causes, and it is particularly important to prevent and end the wars and conflicts that make people especially vulnerable to being trafficked. Wars and violent conflicts have become the biggest driving force behind forced human displacement. The state of war provides an enabling environment for human traffickers, who increasingly exploit a tragic humanitarian situation to target refugees, forced migrants and internally displaced persons in their criminal enterprises.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Monsignor Kassas (Holy See) (spoke in Arabic): The Holy See thanks the Italian presidency for convening today's debate and for keeping the issue of trafficking in persons in conflict situations high on the Security Council's agenda. Resolution 2331 (2016), which was adopted a year after the landmark presidential statement contained in document S/PRST/2015/25, issued at the Council's first-ever meeting on trafficking in persons (see S/PV.7585), refers to a correlation between trafficking in persons, sexual violence, armed conflict, terrorism and transnational organized crime. The Council has underscored that acts or offences associated with trafficking in persons in conflict may constitute war crimes.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Without such principles, the achievements of the much vaunted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development would be in serious jeopardy. Without them, catastrophes that could have been prevented will continue to occur. Without greater international and regional cooperation, in particular, among weapons manufacturing States, to control and limit the movement of weapons of mass destruction, it is simply an illusion to speak ofa global strategy to stop the proliferation of such weapons.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7837 (2016) · source
“The Holy See has repeatedly called on weapons- producing nations to severely limit and control the manufacture and sale of weapons and ammunition to unstable countries and regions of the world where the likelihood of their illegal use, or their falling into the hands of non-State actors, is a real and present danger. The proliferation of weapons, regardless of whether they are weapons of mass destruction or merely conventional, simply aggravates situations of conflict and results in unimaginable human suffering and material costs, profoundly undermining development and the search for lasting peace. Non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament underpin global security, respect for human rights and sustainable development.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7837 (2016) · source
“Business as usual with regard to policies concerning weapons of mass destruction and all weapons systems must be replaced with a new global ethic. Profits, geopolitical advantage at any cost and the logic of fear and mistrust must be replaced by addressing the wider security, political, economic and cultural dynamics that lead State and non-State actors alike to seek security, legitimacy and power in the production of weapons, rather than in expending their resources to promote socioeconomic development, diplomacy, political participation and respect for fundamental human rights.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7837 (2016) · source
“Some States supply arms to client States even in the knowledge that they will be used to perpetrate mass atrocities, suppress fundamental human rights and turn back the development of entire peoples and nations. Transactions are often carried out through international crime syndicates, which, as Pope Francis stated last week, is "an easy way to grow rich, but the price is very steep: blood". Fighting and defeating the illegal and criminal arms trade is fundamental to preventing non-State actors from possessing and using weapons of mass destruction and thus to prevent the atrocities they would commit with those weapons. Strengthening relevant laws and conventions at the multilateral, bilateral and national levels is a necessary step in the right direction.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7837 (2016) · source
“Any act or weapon that aims indiscriminately to destroy entire cities or extensive areas, together with their inhabitants, is contrary to all international humanitarian law and all civilizational ideals, and merits unequivocal, unqualified and unhesitating condemnation. The Holy See notes with grave concern that technological advances in the destructive power of weapons systems produce ever more frightening catastrophes for innocent civilian populations. Just a little more than a week ago, Pope Francis observed: "We say the words 'No more war!', but at the same time we manufacture weapons and sell them to those who are fighting". This gifting and selling of arms take place at different levels.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7837 (2016) · source
“Monsignor Kassas (Holy See) (spoke in Arabic): The Holy See thanks the Spanish presidency for organizing this important debate. The involvement of non-State actors in wars and conflicts has increased lately and had a horrendous effect on civilian populations, most especially women, children, the elderly and the disabled. Non-State actors use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with impunity and in total lawlessness, showing little or no regard for civilian immunity, proportionality or the distinction between combatants and non-combatants. The staggering number of refugees and forced migrants worldwide bears witness today to the devastation wrought by WMDs and frightfully potent conventional weapons. My delegation reiterates the Holy See's consistent and firm opposition to the production and use of weapons of mass destruction.”
2016-12-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7837 (2016) · source
“Therefore, while their reintegration into society requires that we recognize the atrocities they may have committed, we must also build pathways for counselling and reconciliation, and do that with a view to accomplishing fully the reintegration we seek. The obligation to put an end to barbaric acts against children caught up in armed conflict is incumbent upon every one of us. More specifically, it is incumbent upon the Council as it calls on all States to put in place and implement stronger measures for the protection of children in armed conflict and as it ensures that United Nations peacekeeping operations strictly adhere to all laws and measures in this regard.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“Moreover, while the international community plays an important role in supporting States in their primary responsibility to protect their citizens, it must also interact with the local communities affected by violence against children in armed conflict so that solutions and programmes can emerge organically and at the same time foster local ownership. A solution to the plight of children caught up in armed conflict, in particular of child soldiers, requires sensitivity to finding ways to reintegrate these children back into their own communities. While we witness barbaric acts beyond anyone's imagination committed also by child soldiers, we must remember that these children are exploited and manipulated into what they have become.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“Over the years, Holy See structures and numerous Catholic institutions have collaborated with United Nations peacekeeping missions and agencies to help alleviate the sufferings of children in armed conflict and to share best practices to address this ongoing scourge. While expressing deep appreciation for all those who work in this area, the Holy See hopes that the plight of children caught up in armed conflict will awaken consciences, lead to a change of heart and inspire all parties to lay down their arms and take up the path of dialogue.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“My delegation fully agrees with the report that the use of air strikes and explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas exacerbates the dangers to which children caught up in armed conflict are exposed. These crimes must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The Holy See has been a constant partner of the United Nations in opposing not only the use of children as combatants, but the many other forms of violence against children caught up in armed conflict. Through its various structures operating in most of the conflict zones, the Catholic Church is actively engaged in taking care of the victims of such violence.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“As the Secretary-General states in paragraph 4 of the report, "The impact on children of our collective failure to prevent and end conflict is severe, and the present report highlights the increased intensity of grave violations in a number of situations of armed conflict". No one can ignore this damning observation. Never in recent memory have so many children been subjected to such violent brutality: children used as soldiers, suicide bombers, sex slaves and disposable intelligence-gatherers in the most dangerous military operations. The deliberate destruction of their schools and hospitals, in total disregard of international humanitarian law has, become a strategy of war.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“Monsignor Kassas (Holy See) (spoke in Arabic): My delegation wishes to thank the Malaysian presidency for having convened this important meeting on children and armed conflict and conveys to Malaysia its appreciation for all that it has done and will continue to do as Chair of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. The year 2014 was described as one of the worst years for children affected by armed conflict. But as the Secretary-General's report on children and armed conflict (S/2016/360) for 2015 illustrates, the 2014 horror list has been surpassed by the number of children caught up in armed conflicts and the scale and severity ofviolations in 2015.”
2016-08-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7753 (2016) · source
“Peacebuilding will not be effective unless human rights are promoted and encouraged, unless the human dignity of every human being is recognized and protected and unless we all stand together in mutual solidarity, leaving no one behind. During his visit to Brazil three years ago, Pope Francis said: "No amount of peacebuilding will be able to last, nor will harmony and happiness be attained in a society that ignores, pushes to the margins or excludes a part of itself. A society of that kind simply impoverishes itself, it loses something essential. We must never allow the throwaway culture to enter our hearts. We must never allow that because we are brothers and sisters. No one is disposable."”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“Furthermore, the Holy See urges the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to recognize young people as active individuals, participants, leaders and partners in the peace process. Conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts demand that we press to make more progress in disarmament and in controlling both the legal and the illegal arms trade. The proliferation of weapons exacerbates conflict and leads to an enormous cost, both human and material, which deeply affects the search for peace. It is the responsibility of the entire international community to take advantage of the concrete efforts in that area and to support the engagement of civil society and religious institutions to that end with a view to preventing conflicts.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“The Holy See supervises this vast network of rapid-impact programs over the medium and the long term in order to optimize education and health-care services, ensure that conflict-prevention efforts continue and build peace through dialogue and comprehensive human development. The Holy See believes that in order to achieve sustainable peace, people must be brought together in a spirit of dialogue, so that divergent positions can be heard and solutions found, agreed and implemented. Furthermore, the contributions of women and young people are particularly important to peacebuilding. In that respect, the Holy See commends the efforts of the Council and of national Governments to accord greater recognition to the vital role of women in preventive diplomacy, mediation and the peacebuilding process.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“They enable individuals and societies at the local level to identify and encourage the development of new leaders and to mobilize communities to work together for the common good. They achieve results that individuals and local communities can easily recognize and with which they can identify. In that regard, the Catholic Church in Africa contributes directly to conflict prevention and peacebuilding, thanks to its ubiquitous presence as reflected by its tens of thousands of institutions, such as hospitals and dispensaries, as well as schools and other training centres. Catholic humanitarian and charity organizations work in all African countries in various areas, promoting dialogue in villages, providing emergency assistance and building the capacities of small businesses.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“At the outset, my delegation would like to thank the Japanese presidency of the Security Council for having convened this open debate on peacebuilding in Africa. The varied results of the peacebuilding efforts of African countries in post-conflict situations show that there is no one single model for peacebuilding. Certain countries have achieved peace and stability and sustainable development, while others continue to sink into extreme poverty, with unstable or even non-existent institutions. My delegation would like to begin by mentioning the role that popular movements, faith-based organizations and local communities play in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. They have concrete knowledge of local realities and interact closely with the local population.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“Hidden beneath the rhetoric against impunity for war crimes against civilians and the difficulties of providing humanitarian aid to those suffering is the harsh reality that the industrial complexes of the world are providing weapons and munitions, either for money or, perhaps, as gifts to their clientele. The arms trade must be suppressed. The proliferation of weapons has resulted in an increase in deaths and injuries, leading to waves of fleeing refugees, rather than to peace and stability. The indiscriminate killing of civilians is a heinous crime. As technological advances are applied to weaponry, we may, in the view of my delegation, know more about killing than we do about providing for the living. Have the words of the Charter to save future generations from the scourge of war been fulfilled?”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“Pacta sunt servanda was what he said in that connection, and Article 2 of the Charter has definitively banned concepts such as preventive war under the pretext of a principle of security or interventions on the part of third-party States in favour of one side in a situation of civil conflict. Nevertheless, he added that Article 2 cannot be used as a pretext to excuse grave violations of human rights. Where such violations persist, and if further intervention is considered necessary, there is no other recourse than to implement the measures set forth in Chapters VI and VII of the Charter.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“5) In his address to the General Assembly on 2 October 2015 (see A/70/PV.27), His Excellency Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary of Relations with States of the Holy See, suggested four areas of reflection, two of which are especially relevant to the work of the Council, namely, the responsibility to protect and respect for international law. What is needed, as Archbishop Gallagher highlighted, is a genuine and transparent application of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations, which established the principle of non-intervention, excluding all unilateral force against another Member of the United Nations and demanding full respect for lawfully constituted and recognized Governments.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“He stated, "When the Charter ofthe United Nations is respected and implemented with transparency and sincerity and without ulterior motives, as an obligatory point of reference for justice and not as a tool for concealing false intentions, peace can result. On the other hand, when a standard is seen simply as an instrument to be used when it produces the right results and to be avoided when it does not, we open a real Pandora's box of uncontrollable forces that do serious harm to defenceless populations and to our cultural and biological environments." (A/70/ PV.3, p.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“My delegation would like to thank the Venezuelan presidency for bringing this issue to the attention of the Security Council in an open debate. As extremist ideologies grow within political regimes, giving rise to terrorist groups and various non-State actors, it is important that we look closely at the thoughts and ideas of the founding members of the United Nations as they were reeling from the devastation of two world wars in less than half a century. Their desire to save future generations from the scourge of war speaks to a moral and ethical value to be highly esteemed as one integral to human development. When Pope Francis addressed the General Assembly, on 25 September 2015, he spoke of the means by which the hopes enshrined by the founding Members in the Charter would be realized or frustrated.”
2016-02-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7621 (2016) · source
“In spite of the many strong differences still to be found among the parties to the talks, the Holy See believes that the negotiations represent the best chance the international community has to bring stable and lasting peace in to Syria and the region. The Holy See also looks forward to the fourth humanitarian conference on Syria scheduled for 4 February and hopes that it will ease the suffering of the peoples of the region and contribute to a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“We would rather reiterate our appeal to all those concerned to stop the flow of arms into the region and intensify humanitarian action in order to give the desperate refugees and all the displaced the wherewithal to remain in their country, or as near as possible to their homeland, with adequate food, medical supplies, water, electricity, access to education for the young, and the elements necessary to a stable and secure life in their own homeland. We support resolution 2254 (2015), in which the Security Council calls for the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and for a political settlement to the conflict in Syria. The Holy See looks forward to the talks scheduled to begin in Geneva later this week.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“It is more than just a conflict between Syrians; foreign fighters from all over the globe continue to commit unspeakable acts of horror against the civilian population in Syria and in parts of Iraq. The influence of those foreign elements on Syrian territory has led to sectarian violence and persecutions of religious and ethnic minorities, in particular the ancient Christian communities of the region. Pope Francis, calling on the international community, expressed his conviction that only joint and agreed political action can impede the spread of extremism and fundamentalism that spawn terrorist acts, which reap countless victims not only in Syria and Libya, but in other countries of the region. My delegation will not repeat the litany of horrendous acts of violence against the people of Syria already outlined by various delegations.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“Acts of violence and inflammatory rhetoric must be set aside in favour of the voices of dialogue to give both peoples the peace to which their hearts aspire. The Comprehensive Agreement signed between the Holy See and the State of Palestine on 26 June 2015 entered into force on 2 January 2016. It basically concerns the life and activity of the Church in Palestine. In the complex reality of the Middle East, where Christians have suffered persecution in some countries, the Holy See hopes that the Agreement will serve as an example of dialogue and cooperation, in particular for other Arab and Muslim majority countries. The nearly five-year conflict in Syria rages on.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“But there is no alternative, if both Israel and Palestine are to enjoy security, prosperity and peaceful coexistence side by side with internationally recognized borders. Both peoples have suffered too long from the misguided view that force alone can resolve their differences. Only sustained negotiations, entered into in good faith, will resolve their differences and bring peace to the peoples of Israel and Palestine. Pope Francis, in his 11 January address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, spoke of the failure to advance the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians. He expressed the hope that the new year "can heal the deep wounds dividing Israelis and Palestinians, and enable the peaceful coexistence of two peoples who - of this I am sure - in the depth of their hearts ask only for peace".”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“Monsignor Kassas (Holy See) (spoke in Arabic): The Holy See commends the presidency of Uruguay for bringing the topic of the Middle East to the attention of the international community through this Security Council open debate. My delegation wishes to address first the stalled peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians. With the lack of substantive negotiations taking place, acts of violence continue to spiral, leading many to doubt seriously the continued validity of the Oslo accords. The Holy See believes that the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians can move forward only through direct negotiations between the parties, with the strong support of the international community. That will require courageous decisions by both parties and demands fair mutual concessions.”
2016-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7610 (2016) · source
“And, thirdly, we can do so by increasing access to renewable energy as an enabler of sustainable development. Billions of people need access to energy to lift them out of poverty. Richer countries must help poorer countries develop less-polluting forms of energy production by giving them greater access to technology and financial resources. While climate change and underdevelopment are primarily socioeconomic issues, they can severely impact the peace and security of local communities, of regions and of entire nations - and, indeed, of the international community. My delegation will continue to engage in these discussions in the context of the General Assembly and other relevant forums.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“As Pope Francis told the mayors of the world's major cities gathered at the Vatican on 21 July, care for the environment is a social attitude. My delegation wishes to mention briefly three areas where we can make a difference in the next few months. First, we can do so by achieving a deal in Paris to combat climate change. Pope Francis challenges global political leaders to be courageous and move beyond the mind-set of short-term gain that dominates present-day economics and politics. In Paris, we need a deal that will leave behind a testimony of selfless responsibility. Secondly, we can do so by allocating sufficient financial resources to tackle climate change and to respond to current needs. Climate finance is a key part of paying the ecological debt, and is vital for building trust towards a successful climate deal in Paris.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“He has affirmed that we are not faced with two separate crises, but rather one complex crisis that is both social and environmental. Therefore, strategies for a solution demand an integral approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the underprivileged and, at the same time, protecting nature. If we lose sight of our oneness with the environment, our attitude to it will be that of masters, consumers and ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously. Our care for the Earth should therefore be much more than a "green" attitude; it must also be a social one, because we human beings are a part of nature, included in it and in constant interaction with it.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“Monsignor Kassas: My delegation commends you, Sir, for convening this first-ever Security Council open debate on the peace and security challenges facing small island developing States (SIDS). For SIDS, climate-related threats are more than just an environmental issue, or even a development issue, they are an existential threat. My delegation sees concern for climate change as inseparable from concern for human development. Caring for the environment and alleviating poverty are not separate challenges, but parts of one and the same challenge: providing integral and authentic human development. Pope Francis proposes this "integral ecology" as a paradigm able to articulate harmoniously our fundamental multidimensional relationships.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“As Pope Francis said during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land last year: "The time has come for everyone to find the courage to be generous and creative in the service of the common good, the courage to forge a peace which rests on the acknowledgment by all of the right of two States to exist and to live in peace and security within internationally recognized borders." In that context, my delegation wishes to reiterate that the peace process can move forward only if it is directly negotiated between the two parties with the support of the international community.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The Holy See hopes that this agreement may in some way promote the achievement of the two-State solution, bringing a definitive end to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict that continues to cause suffering to both parties, and that the agreement may offer, within the complex reality of the Middle East, a good example of dialogue and cooperation.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“My delegation wishes to express appreciation for the agreement that has been reached between Iran and the 5+1 group. On 26 June, the Holy See and the State of Palestine signed the comprehensive agreement that follows the basic agreement between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organization of 15 February 2000. That agreement is indicative of the progress made by the Palestinian Authority in recent years, above all in the level of international support it has obtained, as exemplified by General Assembly resolution 67/19, which, among other things, recognizes Palestine as a non-member Observer State.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The Holy See hopes that the land of the cedars will be able to resolve, as soon as possible, this period of institutional instability arising largely from the vacancy for more than a year now of the presidency of the country. While being aware of the sufferings of entire populations, I wish to point out the sufferings that Christians and other minority ethnic and religious groups are suffering, forcing many of them to leave their homes. The diminution of the Christian presence is a grave loss for the entire region, where Christians have been present since the very beginnings of Christianity and where they wish to continue cooperating with their fellow citizens in building harmonious societies and working for the common good as promoters of peace, reconciliation and development.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“The situation in Syria requires putting aside many particular interests in order to prioritize those of Syria and of the Syrians themselves. In Syria as well as in Iraq, we continue to be gravely concerned about the terrorist acts perpetrated by the so-called Islamic State. This is a challenge not only for the region but for the entire international community, which is called upon to cooperate with unity ofpurpose in order to thwart this terrorist plague, which is expanding its activities into different countries. By having to take care of millions of refugees, Lebanon and Jordan also bear the brunt ofthe conflict in neighbouring Syria. They urgently need the solidarity of the whole international community.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source
“My delegation congratulates the President on New Zealand's presidency of the Security Council this month and commends him for convening this timely open debate. The Holy See continues to monitor closely the situation in the Middle East, which is deeply afflicted by various conflicts that continue to intensify. Unfortunately, the international community, which seems to have become accustomed to these conflicts, has not yet succeeded in working out a sufficient response. A particular worry is the situation in Syria, where the dramatic humanitarian situation affecting more than half of the population calls for renewed commitment by all in order to arrive at a political solution to the conflict. We should not continue to look helplessly from the sidelines while a great country is being destroyed.”
2015-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7490 (2015) · source