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

“We are convinced that respecting history, creating national education programmes, working with youth and devising a national policy aimed at the establishment of a responsible security sector and State institutions is key to building a stable country and society, recognizing their vital responsibilty for ensuring peace and stability. The end result is inevitably a national identity that takes into account the diversity of social groups and cultural and civilizational values, as well as the historic characteristics of a society. It is a lengthy, complicated process but should take place organically, without ready-made formulas being imposed from the outside.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“However, that cannot substitute for national political decisions and the process of State-building based on a country’s own interests and priorities. What is needed is a thought- out national strategy based on civic patriotism. Every person, regardless of his or her ethnicity or religion, must be first and foremost a citizen of his or her country and be proud of it. No one has the right to put ethnic and religious distinctions above a State’s law. But, at the same time, the laws of a country should take into account ethnic and religious characteristics.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“We are convinced that the establishment of post- conflict everyday life should be based on local traditions and features. Sometimes, to ensure sustainable reconciliation, the work of a truth commission is enough. In other places, traditional mechanisms, such as the Gacaca courts in Rwanda, are appropriate. We are convinced that the issues of transitional justice in the work of the Security Council are not a search for a universal formula, but rather specific work with the specificities of each country. We appreciate the contribution of peacekeeping and political missions, which help ensure peace and stability in conflict-affected States and have broad mandates and billions in resources. They contribute greatly to ending violence, protecting individuals and moving political processes forward, as well as mediation and good offices.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“More than once, we have seen situations where elections were designated as one of the criteria for assessing whether a State is moving towards domestic political stability — as if elections in themselves were a panacea. At the same time, many fundamental underlying issues of societal differences have been ignored for years. We also see the opposite, where an illegitimate power transfer in some States elicited no reaction and was even supported. The concept of transitional justice has also been shown to be ineffective. Often, special courts only exacerbate existing differences by enshrining the victory of one side over another in a conflict and help settle political scores. Sometimes they are even used by foreign States as a means of intervening in the internal affairs of countries weakened by conflicts.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Some colonial empires deliberately left behind artificial lines of division, hoping to maintain their influence in the spirit of divide-and-conquer policies. That was also accompanied by the continuing economic exploitation of certain regions. In many countries, that did not help create truly cohesive societies or strong States united by a common history and culture, which are key to preventing conflicts and resolving differences. Unfortunately, today sociopolitical models are being imposed on certain sovereign States. If they show their independence by violating certain rules, then unilateral sanctions, trade wars and even forcible regime change are used.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Indeed, many conflicts are associated with religious, ethnic and racial differences and triggered by social inequality. Unfortunately, there are still many conflicts raging on the African continent. We believe that there are objective historical reasons for that. As a result of Africa’s particularly difficult colonial past, the natural process through which States are normally formed was disrupted. Borders were then drawn arbitrarily, and many peoples were either randomly divided or grouped together into States. That policy, as well as the long- term imposition of languages and customs alien to the local population, could only foster the emergence of interreligious and inter-ethnic conflicts.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We welcome your participation in today’s meeting, Mr. President. We would like to thank the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and the former President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, as well as Ms. Fawzia Koofi, for their briefings. It was especially important for us to hear the opinion of leaders of countries that have gone through difficult conflicts. Their experience and knowledge are invaluable for those who are still in the midst of crisis and are experiencing its consequences and ramifications. We are also grateful to Secretary- General António Guterres for his assessments. We share the Kenyan presidency’s view that there is a link between diversity, State-building and the search for peace.”
2021-10-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8877 (2021) · source
“Since it is my understanding, Madam President, that today’s meeting is the last meeting over which you will preside in the Irish presidency for the month of September, I would like to express my gratitude to you for the way you have been steering the Council during a complicated month for the Council, in which we had the high-level week. I think I speak on behalf of all of our colleagues in the Council when I say, Madam President, that you managed make sure that the Irish presidency of the Council was effective and useful and that it shone very brightly. You managed to keep consensus among us, Madam President, and we hope that will continue. We are very happy today that we managed to achieve consensus on resolution 2599 (2021) on a very important issue.”
2021-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8870 (2021) · source
“We agree with our colleagues in the Security Council when they say that the conclusions on the recommendations over the independent strategic review of UNSMIL, including the idea of making adjustments to the structure of the Mission, would be best implemented at the end of the electoral process in the country, which is so important for the Libyan people. We call upon all actors in Libya to use the Security Council’s support as well as that of UNSMIL to overcome the various differences that have accumulated among them. We also call upon them to work together in conducting the elections slated for 24 December, which will start a new page in the history of the Libyan State.”
2021-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8870 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian Federation voted in favour of resolution 2599 (2021), which extends the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) to 31 January 2022. First of all, we are convinced that there is no alternative to a comprehensive, peaceful settlement of the Libyan crisis under the auspices of the United Nations, and the United Nations must play a central role in the process. We think that the consensus on resolution 2599 (2021) shows the ongoing support of the international community for the Libyan people at a very sensitive and very momentous stage in the political process, namely, in the run up to the December presidential and parliamentary elections.”
2021-09-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8870 (2021) · source
“We need tangible progress on the ground, and that needs to be reflected in the report of the Secretary-General by January 2022.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“These people are encountering not only dire economic difficulties — inflation and food scarcity, inter alia — but they are also coming up against the dangerous consequences of the water crisis, which is creating a threat to more than 5 million people. Accordingly, the full-fledged the implementation in good faith of resolution 2585 (2021), which provides for expansion of internal humanitarian aid deliveries in Idlib and the north of Syria and for more transparent cross-border deliveries, project implementation for early recovery and greater support for Syrians against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, is of particular importance. Resolution 2585 (2021) now represents a qualitatively new framework for the provision of humanitarian assistance. However, the clock is ticking.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“The humanitarian situation in the country continues to remain dire. We believe there is an urgent need to depoliticize the Syrian humanitarian dossier and to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance deliveries under the auspices of the United Nations to all Syrians, while respecting the core principles set out in General Assembly resolution 46/182. Against this backdrop, the question of lifting anti-Syrian sanctions from the West remains urgent, which, international experts all concur, makes the suffering of ordinary civilians all the more dire. According to United Nations reports, the conditions for the overwhelming majority of Syrians continue to deteriorate. Some 90 per cent of Syrian people are below the poverty line.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“In the past month alone, more than 760 shellings of Government positions were reported. As a result, several dozen Syrian military personnel were wounded. The situation is worsening in the area where Turkish operations are being carried out in the north of Syria, as well as in the area beyond the Euphrates — and this amid ongoing clashes between the Kurds, the pro-Turkish units and Arab tribes. We condemn unremitting Israeli air strikes targeting Syria, which are undermining efforts to stabilize the situation both in Syria and in the wider region. We believe that the establishment of long-term peace and security in Syria is possible only through the full restoration of both the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, with an end to the illegitimate foreign presence and the definitive routing of terrorists.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“The situation on the ground in Syria remains complicated. At the same time, in early September, the Syrian army, with support from Russian military specialists, managed to peacefully settle the situation in Dara’a governorate, specifically around the Dara’a Al-Balad neighbourhood, where there was an alarming uptick in tensions since the end of May. The cessation of hostilities is ongoing against the backdrop of the road map, which stipulates, inter alia, settling the legal status of the fighters with whom reconciliation is possible, the expulsion of hard-line elements to Al-Bab to northern Syria, the laying down of weapons and the deployment of Government forces and Russian military police in the besieged area. Terrorists in Idlib are attempting to exploit instability in the south.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We wish to thank Geir Pedersen for his briefing. We listened closely to Ms. Rouba Mhaissen. On the political track, we welcome the progress observed in the resumption of the efforts of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva. In our contacts with the parties and the leading actors, we have continuously advocated for this. We anticipate the prompt resumption of direct intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva. It is exceedingly important for that process to remain Syrian-led and -owned, without intervention from abroad and without the imposition of artificial timelines, supported by the impartial mediation of the United Nations. Recent developments reflect the fact that burdening the pursuit of negotiations with artificial demands is misguided and counterproductive.”
2021-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8866 (2021) · source
“We strongly urge the parties to the conflict to strictly respect the provisions of international humanitarian law and to immediately and fully refrain from combat operations, which result in civilian casualties and destroy non-military infrastructure. We are convinced of the importance of the Security Council supporting the Special Envoy in holding a balanced line in the interests of a rapid settlement in Yemen. We trust that as he gets down to the nuts and bolts of his dossier, he will without delay be able to identify the main barriers preventing the parties from returning to the negotiating table and chart a course towards peace in the country. One useful aid for the Special Envoy could also be resolution 598 (1987), as well as other initiatives, including the updated Russian concept for collective security in the region.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8854 (2021) · source
“The main goal is a comprehensive and long-term settlement of the conflict, which is having a negative impact on the entire region. We remain particularly worried by the dire socioeconomic situation in the country. We support calls for the full lifting of the maritime, land and air blockade of Yemen and of restrictions on the delivery of food, medicine and other vital goods to all parts of the country. The Yemeni people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance that is provided on a depoliticized and non-discriminatory basis. We are also seriously concerned by the ongoing attacks on civilian objects.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8854 (2021) · source
“We can see that the faltering progress on the path to peace has already led to a further escalation on the front lines, including in Ma’rib, as well as an intensification of air attacks on the territory of Saudi Arabia. We call upon all parties to show restraint and to cease hostilities primarily to avoid casualties from among the civilian population. As we have always said and will reiterate once again, there is no alternative to negotiations that take into account the interests of all Yemeni stakeholders. For our part, we intend to continue to encourage the Yemeni authorities and the Ansar Allah movement to adopt a constructive approach and to show a willingness to compromise when considering their disagreements. The international community is united on the Yemen file.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8854 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Hans Grundberg and Ms. Ghada Eltahir Mudawi for their briefings. We also listened closely to Ms. Entesar Al-Qadhi. Mr. Grundberg began work on an extremely complex brief; we hope that he will without delay begin working to establish a substantive dialogue among the parties to the conflict in the interests of a rapid de-escalation. We will actively support the efforts of the Special Envoy, taking into account our position on the central role of the United Nations in the political settlement process in Yemen. We are convinced that United Nations mediation will be able to reconcile the numerous competing players on the Yemeni landscape. A significant role could also be played by the States of the region, whose constructive contribution we are always ready to support.”
2021-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8854 (2021) · source
“Many States, including those far from the region, are trying to hastily find a solution to the Afghan problem by using standard responses and applying their own spin. Many mistakes have already been made, for which the Afghan people have had to pay. We call for patience and for a balanced and thoughtful approach that takes into account the lessons learned. Repeating past errors will be much more costly. For its part, the Russian Federation remains interested in the expeditious stabilization of Afghanistan and its post-conflict recovery. We would like to ensure that this country never poses a threat to the region and the world.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“Afghanistan continues to be the largest supplier of opiates. More than two thirds of the country’s provinces produce drugs. We have mentioned this issue many times, but nobody wants to hear about it. The usually rather narrow coverage of this topic in the Secretary- General’s reports is dispiriting. It is also clear that the efforts of the previous Government to fight this scourge were insufficient. Moreover, the scale of cultivation has increased significantly. We hope that the new authorities will be able to solve this problem, as they have stated, in order to spare the region from the drug threats coming from Afghanistan. We see that the situation in Afghanistan is now being discussed in practically all international platforms, and proposals to create new platforms are mushrooming.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“ISIL is not interested in establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan and still pursues the ultimate goal of building a global caliphate. It is in our vital interests that Afghanistan never again be a hotbed of terrorism. The risk of militants infiltrating the region, including disguised as refugees, is of great concern to our Central Asian partners. We are in regular contact with all five countries of Central Asia. Cooperation among regional organizations — the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), including the CSTO Working Group on Afghanistan and the updated mechanism of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group — is more important than ever. The problem of the production and smuggling of Afghan drugs is inextricably linked to terrorism.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“The country is on the brink of economic collapse. The deteriorating socioeconomic and humanitarian situation does not bode well for the future. On the contrary, it will inevitably lead to destabilization and an even greater humanitarian crisis, which, in turn, will exacerbate the migration crisis in the region and around the world. We trust that access will be granted to Afghanistan’s frozen assets in the interests of the Afghan people. Over the years, the threat posed by terrorism and narcotics has continued unabated. As in the past, we are concerned about the ongoing presence in the country of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)- Khorasan, whose terrorist activities could spread across the borders of Afghanistan and jeopardize the security of neighbouring States in Central Asia and beyond.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“According to our information, humanitarian workers themselves have not faced serious problems in providing assistance. Efforts are under way to build rapport with new authorities across the whole country to broaden humanitarian access. First and foremost, financial support should be provided to bolster the efforts of humanitarian workers. We trust that key donors will provide the necessary assistance for the socioeconomic recovery of Afghanistan, not just in word but also in deed. As the situation shows, despite the endless streams of funding and the foreign military presence over the past 20 years, poverty, the lack of food in Afghanistan and other pressing issues have not yet been solved. Addressing those problems in the current circumstances is more challenging, given the basic lack of funding.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“At the same time, decisions should be taken on an inclusive basis, while bearing in mind the interests of all segments of society — all ethnic groups — while, of course, ensuring the rights of women and respect for basic human rights. We have followed the steps of the new Government, which has announced that it will end the fighting and bring order to the country. It has announced an amnesty for Government workers and plans to address the narcotics trade. We have heard about guarantees of security for diplomats. We trust that, in the current situation, the safety of United Nations staff, as well as the inviolability of its facilities in Afghanistan, will also be guaranteed. At this stage, it is most important to focus on the most pressing issues, in particular those linked to the timely provision of humanitarian assistance to all in need.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“New structures of authority are now being created. We continue to trust that those structures will be inclusive and reflect the interests of all Afghans and ethnopolitical forces, as that is the only way to achieve peace. We have continued to underscore our interest in maintaining stability in Afghanistan. That is our main aim, and one we all share. We cannot allow ourselves to ignore the situation on the ground or the new reality. Nonetheless, the root causes of the new situation did not appear overnight. Recent events clearly show that Afghans will not accept external management of their development. Only Afghans themselves can decide the fate of their country.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“The tragic events of 11 September have a direct impact on the topic of today’s meeting, as they marked the start of the 20-year campaign in Afghanistan. We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Ms. Deborah Lyons, for her insights and assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. We also listened carefully to civil society representatives Ms. Wazhma Frogh and Ms. Malala Yousafzai. We welcome the fact that representatives of countries in the region have the opportunity today to speak about an issue of particular relevance to them. We have all been closely following the rapidly changing situation in Afghanistan. Today’s meeting is being held against the backdrop of the Taliban’s announcement on 7 September of its caretaker Government.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We welcome your personal participation, Mr. President, in today’s meeting. On 11 September, exactly 20 years will have elapsed since the tragic events in New York, when nearly 3,000 innocent lives were lost. We thank Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield and other colleagues from the Permanent Mission of the United States of America for the opportunity to attend the memorial on 11 September today to pay tribute to the innocent victims of that monstrous act. We extend our condolences to the Government and the people of the United States of America and to the families of those who lost loved ones. Terrorism is a basic evil and can be vanquished only through joint efforts, which should not hinge on political situations.”
2021-09-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8853 (2021) · source
“At the same time, we see here an attempt to shift the blame for the collapse of the 20-year presence of the United States and their allies in the region onto the Taliban and the countries in the region that will have to deal with the consequences of this long-term campaign. That irresponsible action on the part of the Western coalition and its attitude vis-à-vis the events in Afghanistan is not surprising given, among other things, the purely formal way in which NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, which subsequently was replaced by the Resolute Support training mission, reported to the Council. For our part, the Russian Federation has consistently called for a peaceful, safe and prosperous Afghanistan on whose territory there would be no terrorist or drug threat.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8848 (2021) · source
“Thirdly, the authors ignored our proposals to include in the document references to the harmful influence of the freezing of Afghan financial assets on the economic and humanitarian situation in the country, as well as the vital need to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan strictly in accordance with the guiding principles of the United Nations as enshrined in General Assembly resolution 46/182. We understand the reasons that motivated the authors to try to use the authority of the Security Council to adopt the resolution in this form and within such a tight time frame, but perhaps, if we had had more time, the result of the voting would have been different.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8848 (2021) · source
“We see this as a reluctance to acknowledge the obvious and a desire to divide terrorists into “ours and theirs”, that is, to downplay the terrorist threat coming from those groups. Secondly, during the negotiations we underscored the unacceptability of the negative impacts on the Afghan economy of the evacuation of qualified Afghan specialists. Given that brain drain, the country will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Those elements, which are important to the Afghan people, were not reflected in the text.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8848 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian Federation firmly condemns the terrorist attacks that took place on 26 August near Kabul airport, killing hundreds of people. We express our condolences to the friends and families of the victims, and we wish those injured a swift recovery. Meanwhile, we had to abstain in the voting on the resolution on Afghanistan (resolution 2593 (2021)). We did so because the authors of the text ignored our principled concerns. First, despite the fact that the resolution was proposed against the backdrop of a terrible terrorist attack, the authors categorically refused to mention internationally recognized terrorist organizations — the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement — in the paragraph on counter-terrorism.”
2021-08-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8848 (2021) · source
“We continue to provide assistance in the fight against the coronavirus disease, among other efforts. Last month, we delivered a quarter of a million vaccines and 1 million PCR tests to Syria. We also cannot fail to mention the fact that in July the last Russian children were evacuated from Roj camp. We brought all Russian children home. Soon the 106 remaining children in Al-Hol camp will also return to their homes. Given the deteriorating security situation in the camp, we urge colleagues to follow our example. Incidentally, UNICEF, whose leadership recently returned from the region, is also urging that.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“The international community must help to improve living conditions for Syrians in Syria, rather than perpetuating the dire situation of refugees in tent camps, where Syrians, children in particular, cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel. In that context, we call on the Secretary- General and Mr. Martin Griffiths to continue to promote the post-war recovery of Syria. Thirdly, we must not lose sight of the enormous harm done to recovery efforts by the unilateral sanctions against Syria that were introduced in circumvention of the Security Council. Therefore it is necessary to monitor these problems and ineffective humanitarian exemptions to those sanctions. We expect that the Council will receive a detailed report on this issue in the near future.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“From now on, this fundamental matter is the responsibility of each of us and an important guideline for the humanitarian penholders. Secondly, an early transition is needed from the provision of emergency assistance, which cannot go on indefinitely, to large-scale recovery and the creation of conditions for the country’s independent development. Rebuilding infrastructure is a prerequisite for the return of refugees to their homes and subsequently for restarting the economy. This is simple logic that will ultimately help to ease the burden on donors. The question of the return of Syrian refugees to their homes is being exacerbated by growing socioeconomic tensions in neighbouring countries.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“Griffiths, but a great deal depends on the transformation of aid to Syria and the impartiality of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, including how the Council will fare on this test of its unity and effectiveness. First, we will expect information about the long- awaited breakthrough in establishing a sustainable cross-line delivery of supplies in Idlib. We hope that everyone in the Chamber understands the harm that is done to the image of the entire humanitarian response system by delays in that area. Given the adoption of the aforementioned resolution 2585 (2021), any talk about the lack of a mandate to unblock the internal Syrian routes to the north-west is, at the very least, unfounded.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“For our part, we are making every effort to improve the situation in Dara’a, but local armed groups are not complying with the ceasefire agreement reached on 14 August with the assistance of Russian forces. Under that agreement, everyone who wished to leave the province was given the opportunity to do so freely. Service personnel from the Russian Reconciliation Center are providing assistance to the civilian population by delivering food, and our doctors are also working there. Turning to the humanitarian situation, I would like to note that the adoption of resolution 2585 (2021) gives the United Nations a mandate to relaunch the entire humanitarian response system in Syria. This is not an easy test for Mr.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“At the same time, we call on the Special Envoy to facilitate the intra-Syrian dialogue rather than weighing it down with artificial preconditions and deadlines. We expect that the Special Envoy will focus on convening the sixth session of the Committee and will not be distracted by situations that sometimes are deliberately inflated. We need an objective assessment of the state of affairs in various regions of Syria. In Dara’a, for example, we must not slide into a one-sided criticism of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, which has every right to enforce the rule of law on its sovereign territory. Dara’a Al-Balad is now practically blocked by bandits, there are problems with humanitarian access, and radical elements are using people as human shields.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“Against that backdrop, we have noted the clumsy attempts of the American military to publicly justify its occupation of north-east and south-east Syria by referencing resolution 2254 (2015). I would like to urge my colleagues not to look for justifications where there are none but to concentrate instead on the implementation of that Council document. We note that the text confirms the imperative of respecting the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the country. We look forward to the resumption in the coming period of the work of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva. That process must remain Syrian-led and -owned, without outside interference. We support the efforts of Mr. Geir Pedersen to that end.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“It was not easy to agree on the document, but achieving Council unity on it was an important political signal and gives us grounds to hope for more objective and productive discussions in future. We are pleased to see that the ceasefire is holding in most of Syria. However, the situation remains alarming — regular shelling continues along the perimeter of the Idlib de-escalation zone, as do clashes between Kurds and local Arab tribes in northern Syria, military action in the Syrian-Iraqi border area and arbitrary attacks by Israel. The socioeconomic situation is extremely serious. It is being exacerbated by sanctions and the ongoing looting of Syrian oil, which — bypassing Damascus — is being openly exported from American-controlled oil fields in north-east Syria.”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Geir Pedersen and Mr. Martin Griffiths for their briefings. I think that it was extremely useful for everyone today to hear the sobering briefing by Mr. Khaled Erksoussi, a person who represents an organization that does not engage in theorizing about humanitarian assistance or politicizing this file, which, unfortunately, we very often see, including in the Security Council, but rather provides real help to real people on the ground. I can assure Council members that he knows and understands better than anyone else in the Chamber what is happening in Syria on the ground. I would therefore like to especially thank him for his briefing today. This is our first meeting since the adoption of resolution 2585 (2021), on 9 July (see S/PV.8817).”
2021-08-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8841 (2021) · source
“We expect our Western colleagues to fulfil their international legal obligations under, inter alia, the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other essential international treaties. Those obligations are particularly relevant in the context of the growing mass exodus of people from conflict zones. The fight against terrorism is a common effort and we call for full cooperation in it.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“Recently, there has been an active spread of ISIL terrorist ideology among children in cyberspace. We call on Member States to conduct the relevant work on prevention and deradicalization in that extremely vulnerable segment of the population. We cannot ignore the human rights aspects of the fight against terrorism. Speaking out in support of human rights and gender aspects is insufficient; the international community must see results. We must again raise the question of the operation of the Guantanamo Bay prison. On many occasions, we have heard high-ranking American officials state that they intend to close that facility, notorious for detaining people without trial or investigation, as well as for the torture and inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“I once again underscore the Russian position on the return of foreign terrorist fighters. We support ensuring their unavoidable punishment for terrorist crimes and pooling the efforts of the entire international community to that end. In accordance with international obligations, foreign terrorist fighters involved in terrorist activities must be repatriated to their countries of origin, where they should be prosecuted in accordance with the gravity of their crimes. Otherwise, they should be tried in the place where the crime was committed, in accordance with the national law of the State concerned. Such cooperation with the legitimate authorities of the countries where the fighters are located will be key to resolving many of the problems associated with foreign terrorist fighters and their family members.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“According to various estimates, its members number from 10,000 to 15,000. The fight against that terrorist organization is complicated by attempts to present it as some kind of political opposition. Another terrorist organization that continues to pose a threat in the region is Huras Al-Din, a branch of Al-Qaida in Syria. According to various estimates, its members number from 3,500 to 5,000, half of whom are foreign terrorist fighters. For our part, we continue to provide needed assistance to the Syrian authorities to counter terrorism. The situation evolving in other regions of the world also raises our concern. ISIL is spreading its influence in Africa. The autonomy of their regional affiliates, especially in West, Central and East Africa and the Sahel, is growing stronger.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“Following the exit of Western contingents, Afghan citizens are facing an even greater number of problems. We would like to underscore that the Russian Federation will cooperate only with those political forces in Afghanistan that have no ties to terrorists, above all the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, Al-Qaida and their affiliated groups. We trust that all Afghan parties will refrain from violence and contribute to resolving the situation peacefully. In recent years, thanks to the consistent efforts of the Russian and Syrian militaries, we have been able to significantly weaken the potential of terrorist organizations operating in Syria, in particular ISIL. However, certain terrorist cells remain active and continue to pose a serious threat. The largest group remains the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which emerged from Jabhat Al-Nusra.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“It would appear that, in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September 2001, for 20 years Afghanistan was full of American and NATO troops, trainers and advisers, whose officially proclaimed purpose was the fight against terrorism and the training of the Afghan national security forces to prepare them for this fight. To that end, enormous human and financial resources were mobilized. What are the results of that assistance and presence? As soon as foreign support was withdrawn, 20 years of efforts were erased in an instant. Everything went to waste. No one was either willing or able to fight for the values and interests inculcated by the foreign Powers. Has Afghanistan ceased to be a source of terrorist and narcotic threats? Of course not, but the new Afghan authorities and Afghanistan’s neighbours will have to deal with that.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“(spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Voronkov and Ms. Coninsx for their detailed analyses of the situation in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). We express our support for the activities of the agencies they head. We thank Mr. Moradian, our long- time friend, for his comprehensive and emotional, yet sobering and extremely pertinent briefing. Today, the attention of the international community is riveted on the situation in Afghanistan. Undeniably, in the context of a discussion of counter-terrorism, we cannot ignore the situation in that country.”
2021-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8839 (2021) · source
“Facilitating a political settlement must be the top priority in peacekeeping. Otherwise, although there may be a temporary remission, crises run the risk of returning.”
2021-08-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8838 (2021) · source