YouSaid · the spoken record

Nin Novoa/ Mr. Bermudez/Mrs. Nufiez

lines on the record: 37
first: 2017-05-25
most recent: 2017-05-25
sittings or episodes: 1
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

“Armenia urges an immediate implementation of the agreements reached at the Vienna meeting on Nagorno Karabakh and the trilateral summit on Nagorno Karabakh, held in St. Petersburg in May and June 2016 respectively, in order to create conditions conducive to the advancement of the peace process. In conclusion, Armenia, once again, expresses its deep appreciation to the international community, to the Council and to Secretary-General Guterres for their continued and unwavering support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-Chairs, the only internationally agreed format for negotiations for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, in the hope that a lasting settlement can be reached as soon as possible. The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to the representative of Kuwait.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“The civilian population of Nagorno Karabakh and the bordering regions of Armenia have been consistently exposed to serious humanitarian risks. The aggression against Nagorno Karabakh in April 2016 was accompanied by grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, including barbaric acts commensurate with war crimes and crimes against humanity. That aggression inflicted losses on the civilian population, including children and the elderly. Ceasefire violations continue to date. The latest statement of 18 May of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group co-Chairs was explicit in identifying the party that initiated the violations. The risks of the escalation of the conflict must urgently be averted.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We are convinced that in order to be effective and serious about our determination to protect, the primary role should be assigned to early action on warning signs of deteriorating situations that could potentially result in conflicts, atrocities and human suffering. Crises, atrocities and genocides do not occur overnight, they are detectable and predictable. Early warning, early action, prevention and conflict resolution should take precedence over crisis management. The Safe Schools Declaration, initiated by Argentina and Norway, aims at the protection of educational facilities from attacks and military use. Armenia has recently endorsed the Declaration, thus becoming the sixtieth country to assume the political commitment to advance those principles.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We recognize the value of such a comprehensive approach as outlined, for example, in One Humanity: Shared Responsibility, the Report of the Secretary-General for the World Humanitarian Summit (A/70/709). We attach considerable importance to actions at the regional level. The division of labour, coordination and non-duplication of efforts and activities are the building blocks of an effective utilization of the capacities of regional organizations in conflict prevention and conflict resolution. Armenia has been a consistent advocate of and a contributor to the current strong and credible prevention architecture.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“However, universal ratification of the Additional Protocols has not been achieved. Unimpeded humanitarian and medical access must be fully secured, while the arbitrary withholding of consent to impartial humanitarian and medical assistance must be confronted vigorously. The principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence in humanitarian action must be fully respected. The Security Council plays a key role in addressing crisis situations and the protection of civilians. We attach equal importance to a comprehensive and consolidated approach of the entire United Nations system in addressing the challenges of protection. Our global agenda for development and the promotion and protection of human rights bear direct relevance to effective measures aimed at averting conflicts in the first place.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Equally disturbing are the observations about the growing fatigue in addressing the suffering of civilians in conflicts, as well as perceptions of the inevitability of civilian losses in armed conflicts. Such disturbing realities should serve, first of all, as a call for renewed determination to take decisive action. We support the in-depth analyses and recommendations of the Secretary-General, as contained in his report, for specific measures along the three priority pillars of protection. Furthermore, full compliance with obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, is critical for the protection of civilians and of humanitarian and medical personnel.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I now give the floor to the representative of Armenia. Mr. Mnatsakanyan (Armenia) I thank the Uruguayan presidency for its choice of the theme of this open debate, as well as for the concept paper (S/2017/365, annex). We also thank the Secretary- General and the briefers for their analyses. The latest report of the Secretary General (S/2017/414) of 10 May is alarming. The overall number of people globally displaced reached 65 million in 2016. Civilians are routinely killed. The number of children directly affected by conflicts has been rising. Attacks on humanitarian and medical personnel remain widespread. Recently, more medical personnel have been killed or injured. More journalists have been attacked and killed.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“1 now give the floor to the Counsel and Head of the Humanitarian Affairs Section of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I wish to remind all speakers to restrict their statements to no more than four minutes in order to allow the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Delegations with lengthy statements are kindly requested to circulate the texts in writing and to deliver a condensed version when speaking in the Chamber. I now give the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“In conclusion, allow me to recall the following quotation from a speech entitled "The Chance for Peace", made by a former President of the United States of America, Dwight Eisenhower, in April 1953: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children". I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. I give the floor to the Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Even when everything seemed impossible, Martin Luther King was able to turn around a sad tale of unjust discrimination. But first, he enthused people. He did not say, "I have a strategic plan", but he said "I have a dream". His words may sound strange in an environment like this - where, by definition, we manage international politics in terms of a very stark realism that verges on disenchantment - but none of the great achievements of humanity throughout its long history would have been possible without a dream first, before venturing into boldness and illusion.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“On Tuesday in this very Chamber (See S/PV.7947), we paid tribute to the personnel of peacekeeping operations who had fallen in the performance of their duty. We know that the problem will not be solved in a day, but only by bringing about a greater awareness in our societies, accountability, respect and strengthening international humanitarian law will we start taking the necessary measures. Uruguay, as a small country both in population and in territory, but with a great tradition of peace and democracy, wishes to make its voice heard in defence of a more fraternal and peaceful world. It is a dream, but a dream is the beginning of all things. Then come the plans, the timelines, the actions. But the first thing is the dream. A dream that motivates, enthuses and gains the support of the multitudes and arouses hope.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“The universal conscience trembles at the mere fact that hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions of innocent people, who quietly live their everyday lives, could, one day or another, fall victim to the lethal power of nuclear or conventional weapons. That is unacceptable. Women and men of good faith cannot resign themselves to accepting such a situation with their arms crossed, waiting for new fatalities. We must act with realism, with pragmatism. The measures we adopt must have timelines for execution, design and for perfecting monitoring and control mechanisms. We cannot allow the repetition of such tragedies to dull our sensibilities and leave us indifferent. Let us take as an inspiration the example of the thousands of humanitarian and health workers who tirelessly and courageously risk their own lives to defend civilians.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We call on all Governments to strengthen the regime of general and complete disarmament and to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, so that we can have an international arms trade that is responsible with regard to conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons, their parts, components and ammunition. The current level of violence and the unbridled hatred that is being expressed in several regions of the world mean that the respect for values and fundamental humanitarian principles is increasingly being violated. We see the helplessness of the international community when it comes to reacting to barbaric acts that we believed had been relegated to the depths of history.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Furthermore, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute indicates that the five permanent members of the Security Council provided 75 per cent of the volume of the total arms exports for the 2011-2015 period. Controlling the international arms trade is an obvious necessity, the first preventive step that should be taken. The international community took that first step with the signing ofthe Arms Trade Treaty in August 2015, thereby attempting to regulate such trafficking in a more responsible fashion. Nevertheless, a significant number of the main producers, exporters and recipients of armaments have not even signed the Treaty, so its practical effectiveness is gravely compromised.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Therefore, the primary responsibility lies with those States, including those that supply and sell aircraft to forces on the ground, or authorize their own thriving and prosperous businesses to engage in the supply and sale of aircraft and their corresponding weaponry. In 2016, the world arms trade reached its highest level since the end of the Cold War, and international transfers of heavy weapons have increased steadily since 2004. The Congressional Research Center of the United States estimates that the value of world arms sales reached $80 billion in 2015. It also indicates that 73 per cent of those sales were made to developing countries, in other words, poor countries, countries that should spend their money on other things instead of on weapons.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We are all aware that most attacks on hospitals and sanitary facilities do not constitute collateral damage. Rather, the attacks are deliberate and coldly calculated actions. The most devastating attacks are those carried out by air forces, particularly those that employ the tactic of carrying out consecutive attacks. They launch a first attack that is followed by a second bombing that hits the relief personnel, in addition to the hospitals where the wounded are being treated. In none of those scenarios do the so-called rebel forces have their own air force. Those with air forces are the States involved in conflicts.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“States should ensure that complaints of serious breaches of international law relating to the protection of medical care in armed conflicts are systematically and effectively investigated. In the face of the current international situation, all parties - States and non-State actors - should give access to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry established by the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, as well as to fact-finding missions established within the framework of the United Nations in order to carry out the corresponding investigations. Given the gravity of the crimes that we are discussing, the Security Council must assume its responsibility and decide on the application of sanctions or the referral of cases to the International Criminal Court.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“In addition, national legal frameworks on the protection of hospitals and medical personnel need to be strengthened. I want to emphasize the importance of investigating attacks on medical facilities when they occur and ensuring that those responsible for those attacks are held accountable. According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are grouped constitutes a war crime. However, in order to be able to judge those crimes, it is necessary to collect and analyze reliable and extensive information, as well as conduct independent and impartial investigations into specific incidents. It is an obligation on the part of the international community to identify and punish the perpetrators.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“It is also those parties who block humanitarian access and even illegally seize medical materials and instruments intended to serve the civilian population. That indicates that there is still a long way to go for an effective implementation of resolution 2286 (2016). Uruguay shares and supports the Secretary- General's vision, expressed in his report, for strengthening the protection of civilians in armed conflict through collective action. Making that protection more effective will require the joint efforts of the Organization, Member States and civil society, whose work in conflict zones is fundamental and which my country recognizes as an invaluable contribution. States must also adhere to and respect international treaties relevant to the topic at hand, such as the Geneva conventions and their Additional Protocols.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Uruguay aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the representative of Spain, as well as that to be delivered by the representative of Switzerland on behalf of the Group of Friends on the Protection of Civilians. It is an honour for me to preside over this open debate of the Security Council and to address a topic to which my country attaches particular important. In our first presidency in January 2016, we discussed this issue, which is the main component of Uruguay's extensive and active participation in peacekeeping operations. A year since the adoption of resolution 2286 (2016), parties to conflict continue to increase attacks and bombings on hospitals and medical personnel in various settings, such as Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Iraq.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I thank Mr. Ugarte for his briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay. I should like at the outset to thank Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his participation in this open debate and his introduction of his report (S/2017/414) on the protection of civilians and the implementation of resolution 2286 (2016) on the protection of civilians and medical assistance in armed conflicts. I also thank the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Ms. Christine Beerli, and the Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy of Human Rights Watch, Mr. Bruno Stagno Ugarte, for their participation and informative perspectives, which have allowed us to appreciate, with admiration, the difficulties and risks that medical personnel face in areas of armed conflict.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Preventing and ending conflict is my first priority as Secretary-General. I call on all to make it theirs, for the sake of the millions of civilians who are suffering around the world. The President (spoke in Spanish): I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Beerli.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“We need a strong and comprehensive agreement to re-establish the integrity of the international refugee protection regime, in line with international refugee law, and we must commit to action on the plight ofthe internally displaced. We must also tackle the causes of displacement. That means addressing the root causes of conflicts by investing in inclusive and sustainable development; promoting all human rights a civil, political, economic, social and cultural - and the rule of law; strengthening governance and institutions; and enhancing mediation capacity, from communities to national Governments. No one is winning today's wars; everyone is losing. I appeal to all leaders, parties to conflict and those with influence to bring these raging conflicts to an end and to do all in their power to prevent new ones from erupting.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Secondly, we must step up the protection of humanitarian and medical missions by implementing my predecessor's recommendations on resolution 2286 (2016). Many of these measures can and should be extended to protect other humanitarian actors and all civilians. We must also prioritize the protection of civilians in United Nations peace operations and ensure that missions have the capacity to deliver their mandates. The Security Council has a central role to play here. I call on all Member States to endorse the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians as an urgent priority. Thirdly, we must do more to prevent forced displacement and find durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced people.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“More broadly, there are three clear ways to improve the protection of civilians in armed conflict: First, we must ensure greater respect for international humanitarian and human rights law. I urge parties to conflict to take concrete steps to limit harm to civilians in their military operations, as they are obliged to do under international law, and I call on all Member States to use their influence to promote respect for international law and ensure accountability for violations. I urge those engaged in arms transfers to show greater responsibility and consider the potential consequences of those sales for human lives and for our common security. And I call on all to support international accountability mechanisms that complement national efforts, including the International Criminal Court.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“There has been some progress. Switzerland and Canada have gathered an informal group of States to support the implementation of resolution 2286 (2016). Several Member States are in the process of reviewing their domestic laws and policies to strengthen implementation. In some conflict zones, parties to conflict and national authorities are discussing deconfliction arrangements and making credible efforts to investigate incidents. The United Nations, for its part, is improving data collection so we can understand patterns and work to change them. The World Health Organization is consolidating and sharing information on attacks that obstruct access to medical care. I welcome these efforts and thank the civil society organizations that have played such an important role in driving them. I urge all to use these as a basis for progress.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“These attacks not only cause immediate suffering to patients, medical workers and their families; they also deprive entire communities of essential health care, making them uninhabitable and contributing to the global displacement crisis. In Syria, more than half of all medical facilities are closed or are only partially functioning, and two-thirds of specialized medical personnel have fled the country. In South Sudan, after years of attacks on medical facilities, fewer than 50 per cent are functional in areas affected by conflict. This severely restricts the services they can provide. Resolution 2286 (2016) and the Secretary-General's recommendations provide an important platform for enhancing respect for the norms of international humanitarian law. What is needed now is action that will turn these words into reality.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“In Yemen, just a few months after the adoption ofresolution 2286 (2016), 15 people, including 3 medical staff, were reported killed when a hospital was hit in an airstrike - even though the roof of the building was clearly marked and the GPS coordinates had been shared with all parties. In Afghanistan, the number of reported attacks against health facilities and personnel almost doubled in 2016 compared with 2015. These attacks are evidence of a broader trend. Parties to conflict are treating hospitals and health clinics as targets rather than respecting them as sanctuaries. This goes against the spirit of the Geneva Conventions, the fundamental tenets of international humanitarian law and our basic humanity.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“These developments created hope for an improvement in the lives of millions of people affected by war and violence. But on the ground, little has changed. Attacks against medical workers and facilities continue and no one is spared. According to the World Health Organization, attacks on medical facilities - including hospitals, doctors and ambulances - and on the wounded and the sick took place in at least 20 countries affected by conflict in 2016. In most of these places, fragile medical systems were already at the breaking point as staff struggled to treat huge numbers ofpeople. In most cases, no one was held accountable. In Syria, Physicians for Human Rights has documented more than 400 attacks on medical facilities since the conflict began. More than 800 medical staff have been killed.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“This brutality has forced unprecedented numbers of civilians to flee in search of safety. More than 65 million people are displaced by conflict, violence and persecution worldwide - two-thirds of them within their own countries. These unrelenting attacks on civilians, coupled with a lack of access to aid, are also playing a major role in creating conflict-driven famines that threaten 20 million people in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. One year ago, the Security Council took specific action to improve the protection of medical care during conflict by adopting resolution 2286 (2016). In August, my predecessor submitted recommendations, which I fully endorse, for the swift implementation of the resolution by Member States and other parties to conflict.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Suffering is pushed to unbearable limits when civilians are deprived of food and health care in sieges that can last months or in some cases years. Cities like Aleppo, Juba and Mosul have become death traps, while the destruction of housing, schools, markets, hospitals and vital infrastructure will affect generations to come. Attacks on hospitals and medical staff and the removal of medical supplies from humanitarian convoys are symptoms of a continued grave disregard for international law and the protection of civilians. Endemic sexual violence, including rape, abduction, human trafficking, sexual slavery and forced marriages, contributes to the disproportionate suffering of women and girls in conflict. Women are particularly at risk in urban warfare, during house searches and operations in residential areas, and at checkpoints.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I heard countless horrific stories and met many of the women and girls, men and boys who fled for their lives. Their suffering is incalculable and represents wasted human potential. But despite our efforts, civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflict around the world. In Syria, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry has documented relentless attacks and sieges that show no signs of abating. In South Sudan, horrendous abuses continue as parties to the conflict target civilians, including aid workers. In Yemen, civilians are trapped and targeted by all sides. Attacks against humanitarian personnel and supplies continue putting national staff at particular risk. The deliberate denial of access to aid and the abuse of bureaucratic restrictions are becoming more prevalent in conflict zones.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/20l7/365, which contains a letter dated 26 April from the Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept note on the item under consideration. I wish to also draw the attention of Council members to document 8/2017/414, the report of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General. The Secretary- General: I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to address the critical issue of protection of civilians in armed conflict. During my 10 years as High Commissioner for Refugees, I saw the tragic results of our failure to protect civilians caught up in conflict in the refugee camps and the settlements that I visited all over the world.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“Christine Beerli, Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Mr. Bruno Stagno Ugarte, Deputy Executive Director for Advocacy of Human Rights Watch. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Eduardo Fernandez Zincke, Counsellor and Head of the Humanitarian Affairs Section of the delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, to participate in this meeting. I propose that the Council invite the observer of the Observer State of the Holy See to the United Nations to participate in the meeting, in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure and the previous practice in this regard. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“In accordance with rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, C6te D'Ivoire, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following to participate in this meeting: Ms.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source
“I wish to warmly welcome the Secretary-General, the ministers and other distinguished representatives present at today's meeting. Their participation here today is an affirmation of the importance of the subject matter under discussion. I wish to congratulate the Republic of Argentina because today, 25 May, marks its day ofindependence.”
2017-05-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7951 (2017) · source