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

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“I will not focus in detail on Russian approaches to preventing the spread of terrorist ideology, since that topic will be the subject of a separate open briefing, organized jointly with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, on 16 March. Secondly, in assessing the external assistance needs of States in the region, priority should be given to implementing universal counter-terrorism conventions and protocols and Security Council resolutions, as well as regional instruments. We note the African Union’s own efforts in that context. In addition, we call on States of the region to look more closely at the innovative Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is open to accession by all interested parties.”
2020-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8743 (2020) · source
“Our Western colleagues regularly promote numerous technical assistance projects for African countries based on the politicized concept of preventing violent extremism. In that regard, we would like to note a few points. First, any technical assistance in that area should be provided only at the request of the States concerned. It should also be borne in mind that not all States have prevention mechanisms in which non-State actors play a leading role. Civil society should clearly be involved in preventing extremism and terrorism. For example, the clergy, opinion leaders, the media, educational institutions and sports organizations make a significant contribution to that task. However, all that will be meaningless if Government agencies do not coordinate such efforts, acknowledging their primary responsibility for maintaining public safety.”
2020-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8743 (2020) · source
“The situation is complicated by a number of radical forces joining the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), its transformation into an extensive underground terrorist network and the establishment of new regional affiliates. In that regard, the presidential statement adopted today highlights the need for comprehensive implementation of Security Council sanctions against ISIL cells in West Africa, the Greater Sahara and Libya. Following the military defeat of ISIL in Syria and Iraq, the flow of foreign terrorist fighters into Africa has increased. Disguising themselves as migrants and refugees, they carry out sabotage and recruitment activities, spreading extremist and terrorist ideology among young people and vulnerable groups.”
2020-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8743 (2020) · source
“At the same time, we would like to emphasize that the challenges and security threats that we are discussing today are unfortunately becoming just as relevant to the entire African continent. I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the civilians and military and law enforcement personnel of African countries whose lives were taken in the wave of violence and terrorism that has swept across the continent in recent months. The devastating impact of extremism and terrorism is today particularly evident in West Africa, where there has been a significant increase in the number of terrorist crimes in just a few years.”
2020-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8743 (2020) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): First of all, allow me to express my gratitude to the Chinese delegation for the initiative to convene a Security Council debate on the urgent issue of countering terrorism and extremism in Africa. We would like to thank today’s briefers, Ms. DiCarlo, Ms. Fatima Mohammed and Mr. Abdoulaye Dieye, for their interventions. We align ourselves with presidential statement S/PRST/2020/5, which was promptly prepared by our Chinese colleagues. Along with the other Council members, we reaffirm our solidarity with the Governments of the countries of the Sahel, the Lake Chad basin and the Horn of Africa in their legitimate efforts to combat the threat of terrorism.”
2020-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8743 (2020) · source
“One of the prerequisites for the long-term stabilization of the country is the review of the sanctions decisions taken by the Security Council vis-à-vis the Taliban movement and their synchronization with the relevant national measures. There is no doubt that Afghanistan will require support from the States of the region, including, above all, its neighbours. We deem of great significance the full-fledged leveraging to that end of the potential of regional structures, especially the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and its updated SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, as well as the Collective Security Treaty Organization.”
2020-03-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8742 (2020) · source
“All efforts must be geared towards the prompt launch of inclusive inter-Afghan talks with the participation of all the country’s sociopolitical groups. We trust that the parties will be represented by delegations authorized to negotiate and to take decisions on a broad array of issues. We urge all Afghan political forces to set aside their differences, parochial interests and political ambitions and to jointly move towards a unifying platform so as to achieve the overriding goal of the peace so long awaited by ordinary Afghans. The first key step towards that end must be the abandonment of violence by all stakeholders. Efforts must be pooled to ensure that a concerted fight can be waged against terrorism.”
2020-03-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8742 (2020) · source
“A major contribution to the creation of favourable international conditions and to the resumption of talks between the United States and the Taliban movement was introduced through consultations of the troika of the special representatives of the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China and the United States, with the timely inclusion of Pakistan. This format would have been all the more beneficial had Iran, which has repeatedly demonstrated its constructive potential in this regard, been granted an opportunity to participate. The people of Afghanistan are at a crossroads in their history. We believe that the overriding and paramount imperative at the present moment is progress towards peace.”
2020-03-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8742 (2020) · source
“We understand that the path to that goal will be difficult and there will be need for consolidated efforts, not just on the part of the Afghan people themselves but also in terms of assistance from regional and international partners. For its part, the Russian Federation has done a great deal to promote national reconciliation and a direct intra-Afghan dialogue. This has been the thrust of our efforts, including through the Moscow format, with the participation of regional players, and the focus on the launch of the intra-Afghan dialogue mechanism in Moscow.”
2020-03-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8742 (2020) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian Federation voted in favour of resolution 2513 (2020), on Afghanistan. The resolution opens up a window of opportunity for the achievement of national reconciliation in that country. We stand in solidarity with the people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in their aspiration to end this protracted war, restore peace and promote sustainable development. The Afghan people, more than ever before, need collective support from the entire international community. The prompt launch of intra-Afghan talks is a priority. We trust that the agreement between the United States and the Taliban movement signed on 29 February in Doha will be a step towards a comprehensive peace process with the participation of all sociopolitical strata, with the aim of achieving a settlement.”
2020-03-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8742 (2020) · source
“We stand ready to cooperate on that basis with all interested regional and international partners in the framework of our proposed concept for collective security in the Persian Gulf region and other constructive initiatives.”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“We all witnessed the dangerous escalation at the beginning of the year, when the region found itself on the brink of conflict as a result of the illegal killing by the United States in Baghdad of the Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi officials. That act, committed without Iraq’s knowledge, undermined the stability and security of a sovereign State Member of the United Nations. We once again stress the need to launch dialogue mechanisms in the region instead of sanctions and threats. In this connection, we recall once again that the Secretary-General has a mandate to craft security and confidence-building measures in the region, in accordance with resolution 598 (1987).”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“We are convinced that this challenge can be effectively countered only through the broadest possible coordination of counter-terrorism efforts. At the same time, we believe it necessary for all those involved in the fight against terrorism in Iraq to support the sovereignty of the Iraqi State and coordinate their actions with Baghdad. We are concerned about the possible negative impact of the artificially exacerbated situation in Iran on the domestic political situation in Iraq. Iraq cannot be dragged into a regional confrontation. We reiterate our consistent refrain that Iraq must not become an arena for the settling of geopolitical scores. The country has the right to build and develop normal relations with its neighbours and no one has the right to undermine those relations.”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“Iraq has to rebuild after the events of 2003 and the subsequent gruelling war against terrorists. It is important for the international community to support Baghdad in devising comprehensive measures to rebuild the economy and improve the social sphere. We welcome the ongoing dialogue aimed at rebuilding mutual understanding between Baghdad and Erbil. We are confident that further improvement in relations between them will help Iraq strengthen its security and effectively realize its economic potential, for the good of the entire Iraqi people. We note with concern that the terrorist threat in the country remains high. The situation is compounded by an intensification in the number of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant terrorists slipping over from Syria into Iraq.”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“The country continues to see mass protests demanding political and socioeconomic reforms. As we have heard from Iraqi officials, the authorities see these protests as a form of democratic self-expression and are committed to their obligation to ensure freedom of peaceful assembly. We note the reduction in the level of violence and we commend the forces of law and order. We call for all parties to continue to show restraint. At the same time, we believe it unacceptable for outside forces to use the protests as a lever to exercise pressure on the domestic situation. The authorities are drafting plans to implement reform, but without a stable, functioning Government, that will not be possible. The same goes for solving the broad range of problems that has built up over the years due to objective reasons.”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“The President of the Republic, Barham Salih, must now, in consultation with leading political forces, determine a new candidate for Head of Government. We trust that this process will take place in a timely manner and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. We understand that Iraq’s leadership faces the difficult task of including and taking into account the entire spectrum of the political, social and ethno-religious landscape of the country. We are convinced that inclusive dialogue would help to overcome the internal disagreements in Iraq, which is fundamentally important to the country and the entire Middle East region. For our part, in our contacts with all the political forces in Iraq, we encourage them to join forces to address all issues on the domestic agenda and reach mutually acceptable agreements.”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We congratulate you, Mr. President, and our Chinese colleagues on assuming the duties of the presidency of the Security Council. You can always rely on the support of our delegation. We thank Belgium for its presidency of the Council in February. It was a short month, but a very busy and intensive one. We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert, for her briefing. We support the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), the work of which has provided useful assistance to reconciliation processes with respect for the country’s sovereignty. We are closely monitoring developments in Iraq. On 1 March, as Council members knows, the prime minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew his candidacy to form a Government.”
2020-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8739 (2020) · source
“We once again reiterate our call for the parties to be guided by the interests of the region rather than by narrow geopolitical interests, which are often incompatible with the interests of the people who live in the region, whom they supposedly care so much about.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“We urge all our colleagues to bear in mind the fact that it is impossible to make deals with terrorists, especially in the context of reaching a settlement in Syria. We have repeatedly underscored the need to pool our efforts to combat terrorism and to cooperate in order to de-escalate tensions. We are prepared to cooperate with all who genuinely desire to do so. It is important for this understanding of the need for cooperation to be demonstrated at all stages, not just when we urgently need to resolve crises. I should like to remind the Council that in 2003, when Iraq was bombed on trumped-up charges, our United Kingdom and United States colleagues did not speak of cooperation. Libya, following the NATO operation carried out in violation of Security Council resolutions, has de facto fallen apart. They are trying to do the same to Syria.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“The Russian Defence Ministry regularly provides such information, which is available on various websites. There are video clips and photos, and it is clear that the fighters are armed with the latest versions of Western military products: drones, armoured vehicles, small arms and light weapons, missiles, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft equipment. Those weapons are used against Syrian and Russian forces and against civilians. I would warn our Western colleagues against repeating their past mistakes, when in order to achieve their geopolitical goals of regime change in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Libya, they relied on the use of terrorists, hoping that the latter could be controlled later, once their geopolitical aims had been achieved. This is historically unprecedented.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“We deem such statements to be unacceptable and very dangerous. It is unfortunate, but today such statements seem to be taken as a call to action. Recently, a well-known non-governmental organization decided to hold an interview with the leader of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, Al-Julani, who said that the activities of the group are changing and that it is starting to focus on combating the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic rather than terrorist attacks. My Syrian colleague asked yesterday, when talking about the calls for a ceasefire, why no one had spoken to Bin Laden or Al-Baghdadi? He noted that he did not recall such people being interviewed by Western journalists. To be frank, we have some questions about the weapons that the terrorists are using.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“I would underscore here that this is taking place on its own territory, the territory of sovereign Syria — no one else’s territory. Today Rosemary DiCarlo reminded us that Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham is designated recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, as well as Russia, Syria, Europe, the United States and Turkey. In this regard, we would once again draw the attention of colleagues and everyone who is closely following the situation in Idlib that attempts are being made to justify the terrorists’ actions. Unfortunately, that is happening at the level of officials, including representatives of the United States of America. An argument is being made that Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham members are not actually terrorists but patriots and revolutionaries, simply because they are fighting the legitimate Syrian authorities.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“I should like to underscore that the Sochi decisions are temporary because, as the Sochi memorandum of understanding states, they refer to the national territory of Syria and its sovereignty and territorial integrity, which the parties must respect and which is guaranteed by the Charter of the United Nations. In recent months, terrorists, mainly from Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, seized Idlib and ramped up their incursions against civilians, the population in neighbouring populated areas and Syrian forces. In response to the ongoing violations of the ceasefire from within the Idlib zone, the Syrian army has the right to retaliate and clamp down on the terrorists. We cannot ban the Syrian army from upholding the commitments made in Security Council resolutions on an uncompromising fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“I should like to recall for the Council the essence of those agreements: the separation of the opposition from terrorists; the creation of a demilitarization zone free of jihadists, so that no one can shell civilian facilities, Syrian army positions or Russian military bases from there; and the provision of unhindered access to the M4 and M5 highways, which are vital to the Syrian economy, humanitarian assistance and all the people of Syria. We share that goal with our Turkish colleagues. We are well aware of the challenges that we will face in achieving those goals, but together we can make them a reality.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“We regret the fact that the Turkish soldiers died, just as we regret the deaths of Syrian soldiers. We are convinced that respecting the agreements reached, including on de-conflicting, will help avert such tragedies in future. Our military forces on the ground stand ready to continue to work towards that goal. Both in discussions with our Turkish colleagues and in the Security Council, we have reiterated that we are committed to the Sochi memorandum of 17 September 2018.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“The Turkish forces, in real time, informed the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in the Syrian Arab Republic about the location of Turkish soldiers in the Idlib de-escalation zone. Those coordinates were conveyed by Russia to the Syrian Armed Forces to ensure the security of Turkish soldiers when responding to terrorist attacks. As noted by the Defence Ministry, the coordinates transmitted yesterday made no mention of the areas where the Turkish soldiers later died. As soon as it became clear what had happened, the Russian side took exhaustive measures to cease hostilities and to ensure the safe evacuation of the dead and injured. In order to prevent speculation, the Defence Ministry confirmed that the Russian air forces had not used combat aircraft in that particular area.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“We are convinced that if the military, diplomats and representatives of security services participating in the Astana format focus on basic agreements with regard to the Idlib de-escalation zone, it will pave the way for changes on the ground in the very near future. Yesterday, there was an incident with the Turkish military, not at the observation post, as our United States colleague told us today. Turkish soldiers feel completely safe at the observation posts. The incident took place near the village of Balyun, which is outside the observation post. The Russian Defence Ministry made detailed comments in which it confirmed that the Turkish and Russian forces on the ground are in constant daily contact.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Secretary-General for his remarks and Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. The situation in the Idlib de-escalation zone has deteriorated and remains very tense. We continue our contacts with our Turkish colleagues, at both the inter-ministerial and the highest levels. President Putin and President Erdoğan had another telephone conversation this morning. It was agreed to arrange a face-to-face meeting in the very near future, in early March, when the schedules of the two leaders will allow it. The Russian delegation is currently in Ankara and is intensively negotiating ways to stabilize the situation. We are therefore continuing our contacts within the Astana format.”
2020-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8738 (2020) · source
“That approval is also contained in the aforementioned note. No matter how certain members of the Security Council seek to dramatize the situation, substantial progress has been made, as the Secretary-General has acknowledged. He has also called on the sides to provide support until all medical supplies have been successfully delivered to the hospitals. For our part, we are ready to continue to assist this process and call on everyone to do the same. We reiterate that the more we approach this issue with calm and professionalism, the better will be the chances for its successful resolution.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“I believe that if my colleagues were to allow the Syrian Permanent Representative Bashar Ja’afari to speak without a time limit and not ignore his words, he would lay out in detail the humanitarian efforts being made by the legitimate Syrian Government, at a time when the Western countries are basically choking his country with sanctions. The report also refutes the complaints of some Security Council members about the acute lack of medical supplies in the provinces of north-eastern Syria. Paragraph 5 of the report notes the opposite — the fact that hospitals have stocks that will last until May. The only sphere in which a shortage may be felt is reproductive health, but even there we still have a month, as noted in the report. I recall that the Syrian side has already agreed to a one-time air delivery of supplies from Erbil, in Iraq.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“At the last meeting on this issue (see S/PV.8727), I cited a Syrian note addressed to the United Nations Resident Coordinator, approving the delivery of a shipment that had been delayed in Iraq. Damascus issued that approval in one day, although it proved impossible to execute the delivery for security reasons, which we understand. Yesterday, the Government approved the delivery of medical supplies from warehouses in Damascus to the north-east of the country. The February UNFPA convoy, which I mentioned earlier, covered that route in four and a half days. It is therefore acceptable from a security standpoint, since the United Nations Department for Safety and Security agreed to it. Syrian troops are clearing the key Damascus-Aleppo route to make that possible.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“The first fact is that, except for some medical supplies, all deliveries — I repeat, everything, that is, food, equipment and sanitary supplies — were delivered to the region beyond the Euphrates from within Syria, not from Iraq, as set out in paragraphs 12, 13 and 41 of the report. They are still being delivered. On 18 February, a convoy of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) travelled from Damascus to Qamishli. That is in paragraph 40. Earlier, a World Food Programme convoy passed through the same route. Next, with regard to there being no alternatives to Al-Yarubiyah, the whole final part of the report outlines those very alternatives, the main and most feasible of which is to obtain approval from Damascus for the only kind of humanitarian aid that is not covered by regular deliveries from within Syria, namely, medical supplies.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“Since it has always been presented as a legal precedent in the context of international humanitarian law, year after year colleagues have insisted that it remain unchanged. We understood such considerations but did not share them. I would recall that the arguments regarding Al-Yarubiyah were based on two points: there are no alternatives to Al-Yarubiyah and the only way to reach north-east Syria from Damascus is through Iraq. All other points of view were considered nonsense, including the Russian and Syrian proposals. Let us now turn to the report contained in document S/2020/139.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“We have often identified such fake reports based on supposedly reliable information. Today, our American colleagues spoke of bombardments of internally displaced persons camps. As Ms. Mueller said in her briefing, in this period there has been only one example of shelling of an internally displaced persons camp, the Dana camp. It was not a bombardment but artillery shelling. I would ask that our colleagues be more exact when speaking about such issues. Thirdly, since the Secretary General’s report on alternative modalities for the border crossing of Al-Yarubiyah has been issued, let us be clear here and give an alternative point of view, with references, of course, to the text. I would recall that the entire information campaign in support of that border crossing served one purpose — to prevent any changes in the cross-border mechanism.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“We are simply asking members not to describe the world in black and white, not to disregard the other side of the issue, not to increase political pressure and not to rush to bury the Astana format. Like many other countries, we are working with the Syrian side to resolve existing difficulties. The country is at war with terrorists. A number of natural resources have been cut off. Production chains have been disrupted and illegal unilateral sanctions seek precisely to undermine the effectiveness of State governance. There are active terrorist cells in the country that do not hesitate to use the humanitarian element in their grim media and armed struggle. That applies to the reports of bombings of schools and hospitals. There is no United Nations presence in Idlib. To affirm such bombardments, it is enough just to make two telephone calls.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“The number of people receiving such assistance is 4.4 million in just two months. I would also like to recall that, according to paragraph 31 of the report, there are 1,700 United Nations staff members in the country, and these are only the United Nations staff members, not including local personnel and staff of humanitarian partners, who are even more numerous. They are all somehow in Syria, which means they have been granted visas; they are all working there. That was almost entirely ignored today. We have the impression that some of our colleagues simply do not read the reports of the Secretary-General. We are not trying to say that there are no problems. There are, and the report highlights that.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“Even today we have heard similar statements. In the meantime, the Syrian Government has increased the number of approvals for humanitarian operations to 600 a month. All United Nations agencies and 28 international NGOs are registered and working in the country. That is in paragraph 38 of the report. Furthermore, the vast majority of the aforementioned approvals — 95 per cent, to be exact — are so-called “blanket” approvals, which gives humanitarian actors flexibility compared to other kinds of approvals. In principle, they do not limit the number of humanitarian operations in authorized areas and are therefore particularly valued by the humanitarian community. I repeat, in the past two months the Syrian side has issued 1,193 such approvals, as stated in paragraph 32.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“They are guilty of killings, abductions, arbitrary detention, torture and public executions of civilians, journalists, public figures and health service providers, bans on peaceful assembly and preventing civilians from entering safe zones. That is in paragraph 15. As for the issue of the ratio of civilians to fighters, even if, as members claim, there are not many fighters, they are nevertheless capable of carrying out their atrocities across the entire province. The number of them therefore does not really matter, so we do not accept that argument. Secondly, at every meeting we are told that Damascus does not cooperate. The purpose is clear — to create the illusion that there is no progress on humanitarian access, from which can be drawn the well-worn conclusion, namely, that it is not possible to reach an agreement with the Government.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“During previous meetings, colleagues from other delegations have repeatedly criticized us for the fact that the Russian position, as they put it, is never supported by facts and that we stand alone in the Council. Today is an opportunity to provide some facts. First, as we have noted, the only long-term solution to the issue of Idlib, and frankly of Syria as a whole, is the definitive and irreversible expulsion of terrorists from the country. We urge members not to say that we are exaggerating the problem and not to try to whitewash Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The report of the Secretary General (S/2020/141) clearly describes those with whom some Council members are trying to flirt.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“We believe that such a situation could have been predicted and prepared for in advance, particularly given the risks associated with the winter period. The Turkish side is not impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Idlib and humanitarian workers have plenty of resources so why has this problem still not been resolved? Moreover, from the reports of humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), we know that among the displaced persons there are people who died as a result of heaters in tents catching fire. Those reasons, not the cold, as many colleagues try to portray, account for the majority of the victims. We believe that humanitarian workers and companies supplying such devices must address such incidents and prevent their recurrence. Let us now return to the reports of the Secretary- General.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“Our colleagues can also probably imagine our remarks although they prefer to ignore them. That is more convenient. But I propose that today we do something a little different and focus on two recent reports of the Secretary-General — on alternatives to the border crossing of Al-Yarubiyah (S/2020/139), closed earlier by a decision of the Security Council, and on the humanitarian situation in Syria (S/2020/141). They contain quite a few disturbing points, over which, together with United Nations colleagues, we express our concern. Among those issues is the humanitarian situation in Idlib. We are convinced that it is not a normal situation when, in an area of a large-scale humanitarian operation with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars, for several days, or even weeks, people have to spend the night in the open air.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“Mr. Nebenzia (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are happy to see you preside over the Security Council, Mr. President, and we are grateful to Ms. Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, and Ms. Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, for their briefings. Ms. Mueller has done a great deal in her position, especially with regard to managing so-called forgotten crises. In general, she has demonstrated talent and a principled approach as a humanitarian and I thank her for her work. Since Council meetings take place regularly — perhaps too regularly — I imagine that many members of the Council can write each other’s statements. We, for example, knew in advance what our colleagues from the troika, the humanitarian penholders, would say. We have heard those ideas more than once.”
2020-02-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8734 (2020) · source
“It is important that the holding of the 2020 Review Conference should contribute to strengthening, not weakening, the nuclear non-proliferation regime, That means it should be held in the most non-confrontational manner possible. At a minimum, States parties must emphasize their common commitment to the Treaty and reaffirm the obligations they undertook in the course of earlier review cycles. Russia is interested in preserving and improving the nuclear non-proliferation regime and is ready to cooperate closely with all participants to ensure the success of the 2020 Review Conference.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“It is important that the other members of the Permanent Five and, most importantly, all countries in the Middle East join those efforts. We view the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards as a key element of the non-proliferation regime. Their purpose is to prevent the diversion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to the creation of nuclear weapons. We are committed to continuing to assist the IAEA in strengthening the safeguards system. At the same time, it is crucial to preserve the impartial, depoliticized and technically sound nature of the NPT verification mechanism. An issue on which the States parties to the NPT appear to agree is the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It is now necessary to bring together all States parties to the Treaty, both nuclear and non-nuclear, in order to reduce tensions.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“The establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in the Middle East, as provided for in the resolution adopted at the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference resolution, has always been a crucial issue within the NPT. We trust that the conferences on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, the first of which was held in November 2019, will ultimately lead to the desired result, namely, the development and signing by all Middle East countries of a legally binding agreement on the establishment of such a zone. For our part, we have fully cooperated and will continue to cooperate in that regard.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“Those factors include, in particular, the unlimited deployment of the United States global missile defence system, the development of high-precision strategic non-nuclear weapons, the possibility of deploying strike weapons in outer space, undermining the body of international treaties and agreements on security, stability and arms control, and attempts to weaken the defence capabilities of other States through the illegal means of unilateral sanctions, circumventing the Security Council. It is unlikely that an international security environment conducive to progress towards nuclear disarmament can be achieved without addressing those issues.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“However, all aspects of international security and strategic stability must clearly be taken into account. The military actions undertaken by the United States and NATO in recent years, as well as Washington’s threats against a number of States, including Russia, only take us further from the goal of creating a world free of nuclear weapons. Ongoing identification of the prerequisites that would further advance nuclear disarmament is needed. Above all, that involves improving the strategic situation in certain regions and in the world as a whole. That is possible only by taking into account the full range of factors that have an impact on strategic stability and international security.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“The culmination of that series of targeted actions was when the United States and its European allies conducted exercises this month to simulate the use of nuclear weapons on the territory of the Russian Federation. In the interests of reducing the unnecessarily heightened tension and preserving the possibility for further strategic dialogue, a year and a half ago we proposed that Washington at least affirm, or preferably strengthen, the Gorbachev-Reagan equation that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and that such a war should never be started. We still have not received an answer. We understand the concerns of a number of non-nuclear States that are increasing their demands to expedite the nuclear disarmament process. We have always considered the issue as one of the priorities of our foreign policy.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“Against the background of the United States officially refusing to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty and deploying its nuclear weapons on the territory of some of its NATO allies, in its new doctrinal approaches Washington is significantly lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. At the same time, NATO member States continue the practice of so-called joint nuclear missions, which include elements of nuclear planning and training in using nuclear weapons involving representatives of non-nuclear States. That is a direct violation of article I of the NPT by NATO nuclear-weapon States and article II by non-nuclear-weapon States.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source
“Five years ago, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on resolving the Iranian nuclear issue was signed and unanimously endorsed in resolution 2231 (2015). That was an example of effectively overcoming a crisis that almost turned into a hot conflict. A breakthrough was achieved once the parties involved showed a genuine readiness to listen to each other and to take mutual interests into account. However, today we see the collapse of that singular achievement in multilateral diplomacy owing to the complete rejection by the United States of its international legal obligations under the Charter of the United Nations.”
2020-02-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8733 (2020) · source