YouSaid · the spoken record

Nebenzia

lines on the record: 5,044
first: 2017-08-02
most recent: 2023-12-30
sittings or episodes: 461
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

“Accordingly, such work should take place first and foremost at the General Assembly, where every country has the right to a vote and the opportunity to participate in the adoption of relevant decisions. We welcome the recent successful conclusion of the seventh Biennial Meeting of Member States on the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. We applaud the efforts of the Kenyan chairmanship at that meeting. The outcome of the comprehensive discussion at the General Assembly was an extensive list of recommendations, the implementation of which will result in meaningful progress in the practical fight against illicit flows of SALW.”
2021-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8909 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are pleased to see you, Mr. Secretary, presiding over the Security Council. We thank Mr. Robin Geiss and Ms. María Pía Devoto for their briefings. The illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons (SALW) generates many threats and challenges. That is particularly acute in developing States, which often find themselves inundated with such weapons. The uncontrolled proliferation of such weapons results in their falling into the hands of organized criminal networks, illegal armed groups, extremists and terrorists. Those who suffer the most as a result of this situation are ordinary civilians. The fight against the illicit transfer of SALW must remain the focus of the attention of all States.”
2021-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8909 (2021) · source
“The Moscow format remains a unique platform for broad regional cooperation, with the participation of Afghans themselves, and its special role was reiterated during the most recent round of talks held in Moscow on 20 October. We are in regular contact with all five Central Asian countries. In that regard, we believe that it is more important than ever to ensure cooperation within the regional organizations, namely, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, (CSTO) including CSTO the Working Group on Afghanistan and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), including the revitalized mechanism of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group. In conclusion, we reiterate our unwavering commitmenttopreservingthesovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we believe that it would be useful to convene, as soon as possible, a representative international donor conference under the auspices of the United Nations, based on the understanding that the main burden of post-conflict economic and financial reconstruction and development in Afghanistan should be borne by the forces whose military contingents have been present in that country for the past 20 years. The Russian Federation continues to provide direct assistance to the Afghan settlement process. The extended troika plays a key role in that regard. The most recent meetings of the extended troika were held in Moscow on 19 October and in Islamabad on 11 November.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“We hear that from staff of the United Nations itself, who have predicted that Afghanistan is headed for an inevitable economic collapse because its assets remain frozen. In that context, we support the efforts of United Nations funds and programmes to work with relevant ministries in Afghanistan to distribute unfrozen funds to enable the uninterrupted work of various categories of civil servants charged with providing services to the population. It is encouraging that the positions of regional and extraregional players with regard to the prevention of an economic catastrophe in Afghanistan are quite similar.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“We support the coordinating role of the United Nations in consolidating international efforts in the area of humanitarian assistance. For our part, we are also prepared to make our own contribution to that common endeavour. We will soon be sending food, medicine and other essential goods to Afghanistan. We trust that the key donors will also demonstrate the generosity that is needed in this critical situation. At the same time, we must note that despite the scaling-up of aid through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, different funds and programmes, it will not be possible to resolve the social and economic problems of Afghanistan without unfreezing its financial assets from international financial institutions.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“Such problems, however, go hand-in-hand with poverty, food shortages and corruption, and they are not new to Afghanistan. To a large extent, they were inherited by the Taliban given that they had not been systematically addressed in the past 20 years. However, unlike the situation a few months ago, the new authorities in Afghanistan are deprived of any sources of income. The banking system is paralyzed and there is no cash flow in Afghanistan. Physicians, doctors, teachers and police officers are not being paid. All of that is leading inexorably towards a humanitarian catastrophe that could affect millions of ordinary Afghans. The priority at the moment is to provide urgent humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. We welcome the swift action taken by the United Nations in that area, as well as the timely cooperation with the local authorities.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“We can indeed see the first positive signs with regard to the return of women to work in the social sector as well as girls’ education. We also note the efforts of the new authorities to combat the Islamic State in the context of the increasingly frequent bloody terrorist attacks through which the Islamic State-Khorasan Province is seeking to destabilize the situation in the country and beyond. Drugs are also linked to terrorism, because they are terrorists’ main financial lifeline. Today there is a real threat of a spillover of terrorist and drug activity, including those masquerading as migration flows, into the territory of neighbouring countries. We trust that the Taliban will continue to fulfil its promises to eradicate those problems.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“We remain in favour of the formation in Afghanistan of a genuinely inclusive Government that adequately reflects the interests of all the political-ethnic forces in the country, a moderate domestic and friendly foreign policy and respect for basic human rights, including those of women and children. Eliminating the threat posed by terrorism and narcotics remains a key task. We trust that the new authorities will be more far- sighted than the previous leadership of Afghanistan, which, to satisfy its own ambitions, sacrificed national interests and left its people to fend for themselves. We note that the Taliban are ready for practical cooperation with the international community and regional partners to address the main challenge facing the country: restoring order and rebuilding the country after years of conflict.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Ms. Deborah Lyons, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), for sharing her thoughts and views on the situation in Afghanistan. We are also grateful to Ms. Freshta Karim for her clear, emotional and brave statement. We also welcome the participation of representatives of regional States to today’s meeting. The new realities in Afghanistan since 15 August have brought neither the Afghans nor the international community any closer to stabilizing the country or to establishing a peaceful, indivisible and drug- and crime-free State on its territory. Due primarily to a lack of international recognition, long-standing, decades-old problems remain, and new challenges have emerged.”
2021-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8908 (2021) · source
“I would therefore like to ask a question: What is this failed Minsk policy in the Middle East that has led to the appearance of Syrian refugees on the borders with Poland and Lithuania? When the same thing was happening on the borders of other countries in the European Union (EU) or when refugees were coming from other countries to the EU, their words were indeed quite different, and now they are threatening to introduce sanctions against whom and for what? It is simply because they do not wish to accept the refugees that are seeking to come to their countries within the European Union. It is time to stop shifting the blame in this regard.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“We call on all those involved to heed the corresponding appeal of the Secretary-General and stop this harmful practice. In conclusion, I cannot fail to mention our Estonian colleague’s finding nothing better to do than to use the Security Council for yet another shaming of Belarus. May I remind her that the refugees on the border with Poland and Lithuania are seeking to get to Europe. They are not seeking to stay there. Therefore, who is creating the crisis by building fences with barbed wire and concentrating military contingents at the border? The countries of the European Union often call for full respect for the principles of international humanitarian law, but when it comes time to abiding by it, they shift the responsibility to others.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“An even more pernicious practice is the use of unlawful unilateral sanctions — or the threat of the use of sanctions —or the refusal to provide development assistance. These inhuman restrictions, especially in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, limit States’ ability to overcome the pandemic’s impacts and undermine the efforts of legitimate Governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which exacerbates inequality at the intergovernmental level and ultimately affects the well-being of innocent people. The example of Syria, for whose cooperation our American and European colleagues are prepared to punish both companies and countries alike, vividly demonstrates this trend and casts a shadow on any humanistic discussions about the nexus between peace and development.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“Decisions can be based only on the involvement of, and dialogue with, recipient States. Any departure from those principles, including interference in the internal affairs of States, putting pressure on so-called undesirable Governments under the pretext of assisting them and humanitarian interventions in violation of international law, are unacceptable and often the root causes of the emergence or exacerbation of conflicts. Not all States present in this Chamber today are prepared to speak frankly in that regard. However, if we do not call things by their proper names, the tragic situations faced by a number of States, particularly in the Middle East region, will happen again. No concept, no matter how attractive, will be able to gloss over that fact.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“We do not believe that the Secretary-General’s intention was to provoke divisions among Member States and to impose the will and understanding of one group of countries, however influential, on another. We consider it extremely important that international assistance to States in resolving problems of any kind should be provided exclusively at their request and in close coordination with the State itself, taking into account national priorities and context, including in the legal, historical, religious and cultural fields. Each individual conflict situation requires its own specific approach; there can be no automatic formulas here. We oppose the introduction of certain universal indicators of conflicts or crises that could open the door to various abuses.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“That is fraught with the potential to generally undermine the effectiveness of our global Organization. The idea of a so-called multi-stakeholder approach aimed at gradually equalizing the status of Member States and non-State actors in the United Nations also raises a number of questions. In that connection, we call for the careful consideration of certain elements of the reform agenda in an intergovernmental format. Moreover, we firmly believe that the truly effective implementation of the reform agenda can be achieved only on the basis of consensus decisions. We note with regret the unjustified haste with which it has been proposed to adopt decisions in the General Assembly as soon as the day after tomorrow without proper consultations, which clearly runs counter to the goal of achieving consensus.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“It is that logic that informs our principled position on the need to adhere to the principle of the division of labour among the principal organs of the United Nations. The issues of sustainable development, climate change and human rights must be addressed first and foremost from dedicated platforms with the necessary tools and expertise and with universal or broad representation of States Members of the Organization. I refer here primarily to the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. That same logic also lies behind our doubts regarding a number of concepts proposed in the Secretary-General’s new initiative, entitled Our Common Agenda, where we see a tendency to blend mandates and create structures that duplicate bodies established under the Charter of the United Nations.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“After all, neither the Security Council nor the Peacebuilding Commission possess the necessary tools to promote sustainable independent economic models, the transfer of technology, infrastructure reinforcement, industrial and agricultural development, investment in the education and health systems or job creation. When we discuss the theoretical links between human rights, development and peace and security, it is necessary to be aware that development in and of itself cannot ensure peace, and peace does not necessarily guarantee development. It is therefore important to not only consider the interlinkages but also to understand the differences between those processes, as well as the specific United Nations organ or agency that is responsible for each of those areas.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“Of course, the mandates of those missions can include specific goals pertaining to early peacebuilding, capacity- building assistance for State institutions, including law enforcement, and even quick-impact projects. In addition, the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance is invaluable in alleviating the suffering of populations in need and thereby reducing the severity of conflicts. The role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund is also particularly relevant in periods of transition from conflict to stability. However, given the major socioeconomic development challenges that often exist in conflict and post-conflict States, the support they provide will, in any case, amount to no more than a Band-Aid approach.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“The situation is even more dire in those States that have never ceased to lag behind, are struggling with colonial pasts or are unable to free themselves from the burden of debt. When people lose hope in their ability to give their children a better future, the result is often an exacerbation of ethnic, religious and other tensions and struggles for power and resources. When dealing with country-specific issues, the Security Council cannot ignore the root causes of conflict, which can be very diverse. However, in the Council’s deliberations on how to address those root causes, we must focus on using the tools that we have at our disposal, namely, good offices, mediation, peacekeeping and special political missions.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We welcome your personal participation, Mr. President, in today’s event. We thank the Secretary- General for his informative briefing, and Ms. Lourdes Tibán Guala for her insights. We are grateful to Mexico for drawing attention to the topic of today’s debate. It is indeed highly relevant as the socioeconomic problems facing humankind have worsened considerably and, due to the coronavirus disease pandemic, have become urgent, exposing our vulnerabilities. Everywhere in the world, even in the wealthiest countries and regions, the unequal distribution of wealth leads to widening inequalities, both within societies and at the international level.”
2021-11-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8900 (2021) · source
“As a Dayton guarantor State, Russia is convinced that there is no alternative to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that its proposed balance among the interests of the three peoples is rather efficient. Attempts to ruin it may entail serious consequences for the Balkans and Europe at large. We fully support the fundamental principles of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the equality of the three constituent peoples and two entities with broad authorities and will continue to do so.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“These two countries have been able to lead the Council towards finding the only possible common ground and ensure unanimous renewal of the mandate of the European Union Military Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We believe that, whether it be in Sarajevo, New York or in capitals, we need a concrete and equal conversation based on the interests of the entire community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, which should address practical ways of dismantling the harmful mechanism of external patronage over Bosnia and Herzegovina as soon as possible and rendering constructive assistance on national reconciliation.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“The Security Council has been addressing the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 26 years already. The Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council has been active in Sarajevo for exactly the same time. However, discords in those bodies have never been as grave as they are now, and we have never seen such an outspoken stance towards playing a zero-sum game. That inflicts irreparable damage on the authority of the Steering Board and of the Security Council. At this point, a rapprochement of international approaches to the issue of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a responsible approach by the main actors would be very useful. In that regard, we appreciate the efforts made by France this month in its capacity as penholder on the Bosnia and Herzegovina file. Our appreciation also goes to the Mexican presidency.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“Full responsibility for the developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and its future must rest upon the legally elected bodies of authority, in accordance with their respective powers. As we all see, striving to provide “good offices” without the consent of the sides has the opposite effect. That is also true with regard to such a pressing issue for Bosnia and Herzegovina as electoral reform. The peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina must find a solution themselves, only then it will be reliable and realistic. We see that the task of ensuring adequate and legitimate representation in power structures at all levels remains very urgent. Attempts to impose external solutions and appoint Special Representatives on those matters are counterproductive and fraught with making things more complicated.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“We would like to warn against substituting notions whereby only Serbs are blamed for what is going on in the country. We note with regret that demonizing everything that is Bosnian Serb has become almost the central element of the policies of some internal Bosnian and external forces. The goal of those policies leaves no doubt: a revision of the Dayton architecture. To achieve that goal, they openly threaten to use unilateral — and therefore illegitimate — sanctions. We are convinced — and we have been saying this year after year — that equitable internal Bosnian dialogue, free from external interference, is a prerequisite for successful inter-ethnic reconciliation.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“We have some questions for our colleagues who promote illegitimate schemes aimed at preserving the Office and its dictator- like functions. What is their goal? What are they doing? How does it relate to the principles of democracy and independence that they ardently promote in other situations? Where do those double standards for Bosnia and Herzegovina come from? A number of Bosnian actors and external forces insistently promote the concept of the unitarization of the country, which contradicts the Dayton-envisaged principles of the equality of the three constituent peoples and two entities with broad constitutional authorities. Pressure on representatives of the Serb entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina is intensifying rapidly.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“This product builds upon the most destructive and irresponsible statements and initiatives of Valentin Inzko. As an alternative, we suggest studying a report by the Republika Srpska about the situation in the country that was circulated as a Security Council document S/2021/910. We regret that the statement today by the Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Alkalaj, did not receive the support of all entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. If anyone still doubts that the Office of the High Representative long ago ceased to serve the cause of national reconciliation, the circulated document will dispel those doubts for good. It is obvious that the Office of the High Representative has become a source of colossal problems that jeopardizes the entire Dayton structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“By the way, the rightness of our principled stance was confirmed by a document submitted to the Council on 30 October, which was entitled — apparently by inertia — “Report of the High Representative”. We would like to draw members’ attention to the fact that the Security Council has no grounds to accept and consider correspondence from private individuals. Otherwise, the authority of the Security Council and of the United Nations at large may be seriously damaged. We do not intend to discuss that “report”. I can only say that we have not seen a more prejudiced and Serb- phobic document for quite some time. It pursues but one goal, namely, eradicating any seeds of mutual understanding, peace and cooperation among the peoples living in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“Of course, such blatant arbitrariness poured fuel on the fire, provoking another round of disagreement and harmful rhetoric among the peoples of the country, who have not yet fully recovered from the conflict. Colleagues tried to appoint Mr. Christian Schmidt as the new High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, in circumvention of the Security Council. They did that unapologetically, in violation of international law and the existing practice of making such appointments by consensus. To avoid any misconceptions, we stress that the Office of the High Representative remains vacant. As of today, there is no High Representative, or any eligible candidate.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“We will not tolerate the disdain shown by some of our colleagues for the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is explained by their unwillingness to relinquish the role of guardian of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the right to dictate to Bosnians how they should build their statehood and govern their country. The quintessentially protectionist attitude of our Western colleagues has been the unseemly fuss around the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The actions of those who hold or aspire to that post speak for themselves. First, at the end of his mandate, former High Representative Inzko imagined that, like a self- appointed Bosnian autocrat, he had the right to make certain amendments to the criminal code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, contrary to the views of the Bosnian parties.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): At the outset, let me congratulate Mexico on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for November and wish them a successful month. We also thank Kenya, its Permanent Representative and his team for their able leadership in October. We are concerned over yet further worsening of the internal political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, unprecedented in the post-war period. The situation has been exacerbated by the irresponsible actions of a number of external forces. As a result, all the achievements of the complex and long process of inter-ethnic reconciliation are now seriously threatened. As a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement, Russia cannot remain complacent.”
2021-11-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8896 (2021) · source
“We support the maintenance of agreed-upon budgetary and staffing capacity for UNMIK and the agreed frequency and format of open briefings in the Security Council on the issue of Kosovo. We also hope that all of the challenges facing the Mission will be reflected in the next report of the Secretary-General.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“The situation of the Serb minority in Kosovo remains is alarming. As a consequence, there is a low rate of return of refugees and internally displaced persons to the province. There is an urgent need to address the problem of Pristina’s certification of Serbian companies that will supply and distribute electricity in northern Kosovo. As the cold weather sets in, that is an issue of vital importance to the Serbs in the province. We note the relentless attacks on centuries-old Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo. In that connection, we welcome the decision taken by UNESCO specialized agencies to preserve the Serbian Orthodox Church sites on the list of endangered sites. Under these unfortunate circumstances, the work of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo remains urgently needed.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Twenty-two years since the outbreak of armed conflict, it is past time for justice to be done for the countless innocent victims of Kosovo Albanian extremists. Unfortunately, justice has still not prevailed in the case of the attack, on 28 May 2019, by Kosovo Albanian police officers against Russian UNMIK officer Mr. Krasnoshchekov. Against the backdrop of the constant prioritizing of the absolute safety of United Nations staff members by the Security Council and the Secretariat, the delays in that case are all the more egregious. Unfortunately, the judicial system in Kosovo itself continues to malfunction. That is evident in the unlawful rulings of the Court of Appeals vis-à-vis one of the leaders of the Kosovo Serbs, Ivan Todosijević, head of the Zvečan municipality, which upheld his conviction in violation of the Brussels Agreement.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We hope that they will help Pristina understand that there is only one way to resolve the Kosovo problem: through negotiations. The Russian Federation firmly supports the achievement of a viable and mutually acceptable solution between Belgrade and Priština on the basis of resolution 1244 (1999). Such a solution, first and foremost, must be in line with international law and have the approval of the Security Council, as it is a matter of international peace and security. For the same reason, we object to the admittance of Kosovo in international organizations. The right to represent the province belongs exclusively to the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). We support the continuation of the steady progress of the Specialist Court in The Hague in investigating the crimes of the Kosovo Liberation Army.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“There is no doubt that this new tactic — armed provocations — is also aimed at undermining the negotiation process, especially since the next round is to be dedicated to the establishment of the community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo — a commitment that Pristina has failed to honour since 2013. We wish to recall the unique responsibility of the European Union, which the General Assembly vested with mediator functions in 2010. Brussels must therefore conduct the dialogue impartially and ensure that the parties unconditionally comply with the obligations that it helped to formulate. Brussels’ credibility as a mediator is at stake. Our American colleagues also have an important role to play, insofar as they have unique influence to bear on Pristina.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Such ideas should be definitively quashed, and the unacceptable rhetoric in that regard should be clearly qualified as such. The incoherent response of Western colleagues mentoring and practically indulging Pristina gives the latter a feeling of impunity and will inevitably spiral towards open confrontation. In that connection, we wish to recall that responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security in the province lies with NATO’s Kosovo Force and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. We believe that recent developments in Kosovo, as well as Pristina’s overt policy of refusing to prioritize a negotiated solution, is a very dangerous trend. In recent months Pristina twice — on 15 June and 19 July — derailed the European Union-facilitated high- level dialogue with Belgrade.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We welcome Belgrade’s responsible stance in responding to Kosovo Albanian outrage. Belgrade has continued to comply with all its obligations under resolution 1244 (1999) and the Kumanovo Military Technical Agreement, and it has embraced good-faith dialogue in order to resolve the dispute under the auspices of the EU. Regrettably, our Western colleagues are shying away from giving fair public assessments to the current developments. They continue to call for restraint on both sides, even though it is specifically the Kosovar leaders who are issuing ultimatums for Belgrade to recognize Kosovo’s independence and pay reparations of sorts. Western countries have also failed to condemn the “Great Albanian” campaign in Tirana and Pristina. The support of some countries for measures to create a Kosovo army is a serious problem.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“However, no sooner had the ink dried on the agreements reached, than new egregious incidents took place on 13 October, when Kosovo special police forces carried out violent raids on shops and drug stores in Kosovska Mitrovica and Zvečan, firing guns, tear gas and stun grenades at civilians. Dozens of people were wounded as a result. We view such actions by Pristina as a manifestation of a deliberate policy of escalation aimed at intimidating and pressuring native Serbs in order to drive them out of Kosovo. It is also clear that such sabre-rattling also has a domestic political dimension. National radicalism sells well ahead of the municipal elections of 17 October. The number of attacks on native Serbs and other non-Albanians, as well as attacks on their property, are also on the rise — nearly double the amount reported in 2020.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“We are not persuaded by her account; she is misleading the Security Council and the entire international community. Her fiery rhetoric will not change the evident facts. The situation in the northern regions of the Serb Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija is of great concern, as it has worsened considerably over the past month. In late September, the Kosovo authorities artificially inflamed tensions in the north of the province, leading to the blocking of traffic across the administrative border. Kosovo Albanian special forces, armoured vehicles and heavy weaponry were deployed in the Serb-populated area. There were civilian casualties as a result. Thanks to the mediation of the European Union (EU), the matter appeared settled.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Mr. Zahir Tanin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for his briefing on the situation in the province and for his views in that regard. On the whole, we agree with the assessments of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2021/861). We welcome the participation in this meeting by Mr. Nikola Selaković, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia. Today we once again listened to a propaganda pamphlet from Ms. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu about a peaceful, multi-ethnic Kosovo that has achieved extraordinary success on the road to democracy and prosperity. This fairy tale is at odds with reality. Ms. Osmani-Sadriu relayed her version of what has transpired in Kosovo over the past month.”
2021-10-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8880 (2021) · source
“The date 24 November will mark five years since the signing of Colombia’s historic agreement. That is a third of the 15 years that were set out for the agreement’s implementation. It is time to take stock of the interim results. Much has certainly been accomplished, but even more remains to be done. We are convinced that the Government’s strict implementation of its commitments remains essential. Replacing the agreement by any unilateral programmes that have not been agreed to by all parties to the peace process is fraught with a backlash, with the most negative long-term consequences. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia will continue to support the Colombian peace process in order to make it sustainable and irreversible.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“We understand that establishing a dialogue between the Government and that group is not an easy task, taking into account the previous history of mutual distrust and hostility. Nevertheless, we consider it extremely important to overcome the blockages on the path to resuming the dialogue suspended in 2019. We are convinced that sustainable peace and stability in Colombia could be helped by establishing relations with neighbouring Venezuela. We welcome the efforts to reopen the border crossings. We hope that that will be followed by restoring dialogue between the law enforcement agencies of both countries. That is urgently needed in order to combat the rampant crime in the border areas and could serve as a safeguard against possible misunderstandings or provocations with dangerous ramifications.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“We believe that the entry into force of the decree establishing 16 special transitional electoral districts and the same number of seats in the lower house of Parliament was an important development, which should redress the situation regarding the historically underrepresented regions in the legislature. Another important development was the achievement of the 50 per cent benchmark in the number of registered participants in the peace process who enrolled in the Government’s income-generating programmes. At the same time, while progressing towards a settlement, it is important to bear in mind that sustainable reconciliation in Colombia cannot be achieved unless all actors, including the National Liberation Army, are engaged in the process.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“However, the local authorities are well aware of the situation. They are well aware of the areas in which they need to increase their presence and take steps to curb crime and drug trafficking. It is time to finally recognize that the full implementation of the Final Agreement will not be possible without addressing the problem of drug trafficking, which is the main cause and source of violence in the country. In addition, States that receive Colombian cocaine must acknowledge their share of responsibility and take a more proactive approach to combating drug trafficking within Colombia and to reducing their own domestic consumption. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace and the Truth Commission have a key role to play in consolidating public accord around the Final Agreement. They must retain their full independence.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“The number of former combatants who laid down theirarms and were killed since the signing of the Final Agreement is approaching 300, and the number of human rights defenders and activists killed since the beginning of this year exceeds 150. Amid those sad statistics, the National Commission on Security Guarantees, which, according to the Final Agreement, is supposed to meet monthly, has not met once in the past six months, and neither has the National Council for Peace, Reconciliation and Coexistence. The report rightly points out that the most problematic areas are those where the central Government is weak. That power and law and order vacuum is being filled by various illegal armed groups, which is resulting in increasing criminality and ongoing high levels of violence in the country.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“We are concerned by the fact that even Colombians themselves believe that the implementation of the agreement is being dragged out, and now it is expected to take 26 years instead of the 15 years stipulated in the agreement. We also agree with the report’s conclusion that the primary task is to ensure the security of the parties to the peace process and other representatives of civil society. The activity of criminal groups remains a scourge. Their operations have resulted in more than 15,000 additional internally displaced persons, whose total number has exceeded 57,000. More than 46,000 more have been cut off from the outside world in their settlements.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Head of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, for presenting the report of the Secretary- General (S/2021/824) on the situation in the country. We also thank Ms. Peñaranda and Ms. Soto for their briefings. We welcome the participation in person of the Vice-President and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Ms. Marta Lucía Ramírez, in this briefing. We agree with the conclusion of the report that there has been some progress in the Government’s implementation of its commitments under the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace. However, a great deal more needs to be done in order to achieve true and lasting peace.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8879 (2021) · source
“We do not mean to mentor anyone, because Russia itself is a multinational and multi-religious State that has seen difficult periods in its history, and we respect the right of every nation to choose its own development path. We stand ready to share our unique and vast experience of peaceful coexistence among various civilizations, religions and cultures. We support aspirations of States to ensure the well-being and safety of their people through their own efforts, with assistance from their neighbours and regional integration bodies. We note in particular the efforts made by the African Union and countries on the continent to build an inclusive and diverse African society unified being a part of humankind’s common history and culture.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source