YouSaid · the spoken record

Oshima

lines on the record: 900
first: 2001-04-23
most recent: 2007-06-22
sittings or episodes: 95
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

“In doing so, we sincerely hope that in the near future, West Africa will no longer be seen as a cradle of war and instability but as a beacon of peacebuilding and the consolidation of peace. Japan thanks the delegation of Ghana for preparing a draft presidential statement, which my delegation supports.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“During the Gleneagles summit of the Group of Eight countries last year, Prime Minister Koizumi announced the expansion of Japan's assistance for peace consolidation, and at the TICAD Conference on Consolidation of Peace, which I mentioned earlier, the Japanese Government launched a new initiative which included the immediate disbursement of $60 million in assistance by the end of March this year, focusing on West Africa, the Sudan and the Great Lakes region in particular. In conclusion, Japan intends to continue its active efforts to support peace consolidation in West Africa, and in Africa as a whole, and to play a substantive role in the activities of both the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“Japan regards the consolidation of peace as one of the main pillars of its foreign development assistance policy. The TICAD process, initiated in 1993, has made a significant contribution by fostering partnership between African States and the international community. In the TICAD process, we have designated the consolidation of peace as one of three main pillars of assistance to Africa from 2003 on, along with human-centred development and poverty reduction through economic development.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“Secondly, it is necessary for the Commission to study carefully and in detail the peacebuilding strategies of each State under consideration, by listening to, and incorporating into its recommendations, the views of the States concerned, United Nations field missions, experts, non-governmental organizations and other relevant actors, while expecting that each country under consideration will demonstrate full ownership of the process in addressing the issues that are identified. In that respect, we hope that all participants in the forthcoming country-specific meetings of the Peacebuilding Commission, on Sierra Leone and on Burundi, will contribute to a constructive discussion by offering their frank views on the issues at hand.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“To that end, the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission should address the issues in accordance with their specific areas of responsibility. From the Security Council's point of view, the newly established Peacebuilding Commission can offer constructive input to the Council, particularly with respect to the following two points. First of all, the Commission should clarify the order of priority of the matters it takes under consideration, within the comprehensive and integrated approach on which Member States have agreed.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“We must bear in mind, however, that a seemingly successful outcome of United Nations peacekeeping operations may contain pitfalls and that the situation can relapse into chaos, as we have witnessed in the past, including most recently in Timor-Leste. The problems in Timor-Leste clearly show how important it is to address comprehensively the three clusters of core issues which I mentioned earlier, and that, in dealing with peace consolidation in West Africa, one should be fully mindful of the lessons learned from past examples. In supporting the efforts of Governments in the subregion to address these issues, the international community must extend seamless and generous assistance and appropriate support.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“Development of the private sector is an indispensable ingredient to solving these core problems. The conditions surrounding peace consolidation in West Africa and the requirements for attaining it differ from country to country, making for differences in the prioritization of tasks. In Cote d'Ivoire, for example, resolving the political confrontation that has led to armed conflict is the most urgent issue, whereas in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau security- sector reform and socio-economic stabilization take first priority. Sierra Leone is regarded as the most successful example of peace consolidation in West Africa.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“To that end, the planning and successful implementation of security-sector 06-4607] reform, as well as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and judicial reform, are critically important. Secondly, in the fields of political governance and transition, all parties to a conflict should be made aware of the importance of the democratic process and should respect and participate constructively in the agreed political process. Finally, to achieve community reconstruction and socio- economic development, it is essential to meet basic human needs such as safe water and sanitation, as well as to ensure infrastructure- and capacity-building. It is also important to address issues which if unaddressed could lead to the destabilization of society, including, especially, the problems of ex-combatants and youth unemployment.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“At the Conference on Consolidation of Peace, held in Addis Ababa in February of this year within the framework of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which my Government co-sponsored, focus was placed on three issues - security; political governance and transition; and community reconstruction and socio-economic development - since those three clusters of issues are considered essential to implementing a comprehensive, integrated and consistent approach to peace consolidation anywhere, including in West Africa. In a post-conflict society, the first and most important task should be to establish a stable and secure social environment.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“Here, I thank the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, Mr. Chambas, for his briefing and his useful observations. We note in particular the role of ECOWAS in the areas of conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping, humanitarian relief and reconstruction, as well as with regard to measures to tackle the problem of small arms. The Japanese Government will continue its support for such regional efforts through measures including direct assistance to the ECOWAS secretariat. Since the conflicts in West Africa interact with each other, it is important to define common challenges and to coordinate the efforts to achieve peace consolidation in the subregion as a whole.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“In view of those latest welcome developments in West Africa, the timing of this meeting is certainly appropriate. The conflicts in West Africa have occurred in a geographically compact area and have shared in common many of the same root causes. This has meant inevitably that conflict in one country could easily spill over into another and make solution of the problems more complicated. At the same time, in these circumstances, national and international efforts for finding peace and keeping the peace in a subregional framework of cooperation have become especially important. We therefore highly commend the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for the many invaluable initiatives it has taken and for the key role it undoubtedly will continue to play in the consolidation of peace in the subregion.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“My delegation would like to thank the Ghana delegation for organizing this debate on an important issue - peace consolidation in West Africa - and appreciates the fact that you, Sir, the Foreign Minister of Ghana, are presiding over the deliberations. We also welcome the participation of ministers from the region in this debate, and I thank Mr. Ould-Abdallah, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa, for a useful briefing. A decade ago, several countries in West Africa were racked by wars and civil disturbances, and much of the subregion remained, unfortunately, a centre of 06-4607] extreme instability, violence and much suffering. Today, however, remarkably, we are witnessing in the subregion a transition from conflict to constitutional rule and steady progress towards peace consolidation.”
2006-08-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5509 (2006) · source
“Japan sincerely and earnestly hopes and expects that Iran will take seriously the message from the Security Council as formulated in the resolution and respond positively to it within the defined timeline. Japan - as a country that has traditionally had a close, friendly, important and wide-ranging relationship with Iran, and as a country deeply committed to nuclear non-proliferation and to the non- proliferation of other weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery - has undertaken its own diplomatic initiative with the Iranian authorities towards the peaceful resolution of this issue. Japan is committed to continuing to make its own efforts to contribute to the resolution of the issue through continuous dialogue and engagement with Iran.”
2006-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5500 (2006) · source
“The Japanese delegation views the resolution just adopted as a balanced text. Its adoption represents endorsement by the broad international community of the efforts by France, Germany and the United Kingdom (the EU-3) and other partners to achieve non-proliferation in a vital region of the world. Japan appreciates the efforts of the EU-3 to work out the package that was presented to Iran in early June and to undertake the subsequent dialogue with the Iranian authorities. Japan believes that the important issue of non- proliferation should be resolved through diplomatic and peaceful means. The adoption of today's resolution constitutes, in our view, a path of such diplomatic efforts.”
2006-07-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5500 (2006) · source
“In conclusion, we would like to stress once again that the issue of children and armed conflict should be a priority for the international community, and it is especially important to mainstream it into all the policies and programmes of the United Nations system. For its part, Japan will continue to work closely with other Member States, the United Nations system - including the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, UNICEF, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - national organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society, to improve the situation of children caught in the midst of armed conflict.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“In line with that concept, my Government has extended assistance for the consolidation of peace, supporting the projects of such international organizations as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF, principally in Africa and Asia. There are approximately 120,000 ex-child soldiers in Africa and most are said to be in the Great Lakes region. We regard it as of the highest importance to help children associated with armed forces and groups return and be reintegrated into their families and communities. My Government has supported such projects as a rehabilitation programme for ex-child soldiers in the Great Lakes region through UNDP and a community support programme in Liberia in 2006. We also supported the interim disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme for the Sudan in 2005.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Japan is deeply concerned about the situation of children who are drafted or abducted by parties involved in armed conflict and who are forced to engage in fighting or mobilized to work for combatants. Child soldiers are deprived of the opportunity to receive an education and cannot experience sound growth. In addition, as many child soldiers have lost their parents or are unable to obtain appropriate assistance for reintegration into their communities, they are often pressed into service once again by armed forces and groups. Thus, special attention should be given to reintegration assistance programmes as part of the process of disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating child soldiers. Japan advocates the concept of human security to protect and empower ordinary people, especially those who are most vulnerable.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Japan appreciates and supports the activities of the Working Group established under resolution 1612 (2005), which is actively implementing its mandate under the strong chairmanship of the French delegation. As its important first step, the Group reviewed the first report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in June (S/2006/389). The report is based on the information given by the Working Group. Japan considers it important that the Working Group consult closely with the countries concerned in order to ensure steady progress toward solving the problems of those countries. We will participate actively in the Working Group to make recommendations from the Group to the Security Council.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Those are saddening figures and show that the international community still has much to do for the protection of children from forcible recruitment, murder, abduction or sexual exploitation. My Government welcomes the establishment of a monitoring and reporting mechanism, pursuant to resolution 1612 (2005), in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Somalia and the Sudan. We also welcome the fact that similar mechanisms are being established in Sri Lanka and Nepal. We strongly hope that the information given by these mechanisms will provide us with an objective and reliable picture of the situation of children under armed conflict and thereby contribute as the basis for appropriate actions to be taken.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Since the landmark report of Graca Machel in 1996, the focus of the international community on the promotion and the protection of the rights of children affected by armed conflict has greatly increased. In the last 10 years, the Security Council has played an important role concerning the issue, and its adoption of resolution 1612 (2005) to establish a monitoring and reporting mechanism marked another important step forward in addressing the issue more effectively. It is reported that, since 2003, over 14 million children have been forcibly displaced within and outside their home countries, and between 8,000 and 10,000 children are killed or maimed every year as a result of landmines.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“First, I wish to thank Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF, and the representatives of the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank, for their briefings and contributions to the debate. I pay special tribute to UNICEF for its invaluable work for children in the world under the strong leadership of Ann Veneman. (spoke in French) I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this open debate on children and armed conflict. France, as the chairman of the Security Council Working Group on the subject, has shown its commitment and genuine leadership on the issue, which we greatly appreciate.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“In light of the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East and its serious implications for international peace and security, the Council should act swiftly and in unity, in order not only to express its concerns, but also to create conditions for a cessation of violence that would be sustainable and to address the immediate humanitarian requirements in Lebanon and Palestine. To that end, Japan will continue to participate actively in the discussions in the Council, while continuing to pursue its own diplomatic efforts in cooperation with all the concerned countries in the region, in order to defuse the crisis and restore calm and stability to the region.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“With regard to the possibility of an international security and monitoring presence, Japan would like to emphasize that any kind of presence should be designed to contribute to implementing resolution 1559 (2004) and to bringing about stability in the region and should have the consent of all the relevant parties. The details on issues such as the possible size of the presence, its mandate and demarcation of responsibility with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon need to be studied carefully.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“Concerning the situation in Lebanon, we will need to ensure the cooperation and efforts of all countries concerned, including neighbouring countries such as Iran and Syria, for full implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006). It is essential that the disarming and disbanding of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and the extension of control by the Government of Lebanon over all of its territory be implemented in a manner that will not destabilize the region. We commend and support the efforts of the Lebanese Government for full sovereignty and expansion of political independence.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“That will require the return of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon unharmed, an end to the shelling of Israeli territory by Hizbollah, an end to Israeli military operations and the early withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of the arrested Palestinian Ministers and parliamentarians. Prime Minister Koizumi, for his part, conveyed his firm belief to the leaders he met last week in the region that there is no alternative but to work towards coexistence and mutual prosperity. He called for Israel to exercise maximum restraint and for President Abbas to provide the necessary leadership.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“Petersburg last weekend issued a statement on the Middle East with recommendations on how the current crisis should be addressed. Japan fully associates itself with that statement. It calls on Israel to exercise the utmost restraint and seek to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure, and to refrain from acts that would further destabilize the Lebanese Government. It affirms that extremist elements and those who support them cannot be allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos and to provoke a wider conflict, and also warns that they must immediately halt their attacks. In light of that, it is urgently necessary to create conditions for a cessation of hostilities that will be sustainable.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“We also expect the Lebanese Government to take the lead in the reconstruction process, by exercising its ownership of the process, with the support of the international donor community. During his trip to the region last week, which included visits to Israel, Palestine and Jordan, our Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his support for President Abbas and announced additional humanitarian and other assistance to the Palestinians, bringing Japan's aid to the Palestinians since May 2005 to a total of $103.1 million. Furthermore, he proposed a concept called the "corridor for peace and prosperity", which aims at promoting regional cooperation in the mid- to long-term to achieve coexistence and mutual prosperity. All of the leaders expressed their support. In the more immediate term, the Summit of the Group of Eight meeting in St.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“We are also very concerned at the very heavy toll on innocent civilian lives in Palestine, Israel and Lebanon and at the extreme deterioration in the humanitarian situation of Palestinians in Gaza and people in Lebanon, as well as the damage caused by the missile rocket attacks by Hizbollah against Israel. We therefore fully support the acceleration of humanitarian assistance to the people affected and of reconstruction and development assistance, including restoration of the civilian infrastructure destroyed in the crisis. In that regard, the idea of establishing safe corridors for humanitarian access, as explained in detail by Mr. Egeland, deserves support. We expect and welcome the fullest cooperation by the Lebanese and Israeli Governments in that regard.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“These developments have dramatically changed the political and security situation in the region, with many already killed or wounded on both sides, causing extreme concern to the international community and the Security Council. We agree that obstacles need to be overcome as soon as possible to reach a ceasefire and reduce the level of violence quickly. The international community, through the Security Council, must make its position clear on the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities by Israel and other parties in order to protect civilians and the civilian infrastructure.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“Jan Egeland, for his briefing and take this opportunity to commend the humanitarian agencies - the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the other agencies, funds and programmes - for all the efforts they are deploying to address emergency humanitarian needs in the region. In the past months, we have witnessed widespread and deeply troubling changes in the Middle East situation and the continued deterioration of conditions almost day by day: the attacks by Hizbollah across the Blue Line, the abduction of two Israeli soldiers, the ensuing Israeli military operations against Hizbollah, bases and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, and a further escalation of hostilities.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“Japan appreciated the Secretary-General's briefing yesterday in the Security Council, as well as his proposals and ideas to address the developing crisis in the Middle East region. Japan supports the Secretary-General's ongoing good-offices initiatives aimed at defusing the crisis. The proposals laid out yesterday are being carefully considered by my Government. I thank Mr. Nambiar for the additional briefing today and express our appreciation for the efforts he and his team members have made to defuse the escalating crisis. I also thank the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr.”
2006-07-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5493 (2006) · source
“Practical arrangements and measures may, in some sense, sound too technical, but we should pay due attention to them, as they make a difference on the ground. We hope that, by the time the Secretary-General's next report is out, in October 2007, specific progress in practical terms will have been made to strengthen our protection efforts.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“While the Security Council must make sure that it gives clear mandates to peacekeeping operations, we must bear in mind that even such mandates are likely to be still subject to interpretation when translated into action on the ground. We believe that, to help address the problem, practical guidance on the day-to-day activities of peacekeeping troops would be worth developing in the Secretariat, based on best practices. Such guidelines would in turn also be helpful for the Security Council in discussing the mandates of peacekeeping missions. Security Council resolution 1674 (2006) marked a major achievement in our normative discussions. It is now time to develop practical arrangements and devise pragmatic measures to translate the terms of the resolution into action.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“To that end, dialogue with non-governmental organizations needs to be intensified. Thirdly and finally, round table participants noted that when a peacekeeping mission has a protection mandate, the mandate is often interpreted differently by battalions drawn from different countries. That gives rise on occasion to implementation problems. For example, Council resolutions sometimes authorize a protection mandate for civilians under imminent threat, but there is a lack of clarity as to what sort of situation constitutes an imminent threat. Can a situation of political tension, in which protesting crowds are likely to lead to violence and in which civilians are likely to be subjected to attack in an atmosphere of turmoil, be regarded as constituting an imminent threat?”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“The planning of protection activities requires timely and accurate information about situations in which civilians are caught and need protection. Often, non- governmental organizations deployed on the ground, through their far-reaching assistance activities, obtain first-hand information on the threat posed to civilians. However, in the development of an effective system for the gathering and sharing of information, caution must be excercised to ensure that a clear distinction is maintained between the activities of humanitarian non- governmental organizations and the efforts of peacekeepers to facilitate humanitarian activities, so as not to undermine the neutrality and independence of humanitarian activities. While bearing that in mind, we believe that there is room to develop some kind of cooperation on an information system.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“It could be conceived and prepared as a model under the joint initiative of OCHA and DPKO, in consultation with other relevant departments, agencies and actors. Such a model, once developed, would need to be constantly modified and adapted in accordance with specific cases, particularly with the engagement of national Governments and of the civil society of the State in which peacekeeping missions are deployed. This exercise could involve complex and difficult tasks, but the process itself could contribute to a clearer understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the respective actors. Secondly, in the round tables, the need to establish an effective information-gathering and information-sharing system involving humanitarian actors and non-governmental organizations was emphasized as an important and urgent requirement.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“The national Government, civil society, the peacekeeping mission and humanitarian actors all have important roles to play in ensuring the safety of the population. The aide-memoire endorsed by the Security Council in 2002 (S/2002/PRST/6, annex) established key areas of protection activity. That was an important step forward, but it demands further precision and clarity as to who should perform each protection-related activity. To address that issue, it would be worthwhile to develop a matrix outlining who should make efforts in which area of protection activity, in order to help identify the roles of the respective actors involved. Preferably, such a matrix, if it is to be realistic, would include a time frame for the respective actors to begin their activities and phase them out as the situation allows.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“The findings and recommendations from that meeting, drawn from daily protection activities, provide valuable insights into problems and challenges encountered in the implementation of protection mandates, particularly in UNOCI in Cote d'Ivoire, but also and more generally in peacekeeping missions elsewhere. They are available in the report on the round tables prepared by OCHA. Let me touch upon three of these findings which we find to be particularly relevant, together with our own suggestions. First, it was pointed out that the wide range of actors involved in the protection of civilians need to have a clear understanding of their respective responsibilities and of the division of labour.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“In that regard, the Government of Canada has taken an excellent initiative to help OCHA organize a series of round tables focusing on how the protection of civilians is implemented on the ground with respect to specific peacekeeping missions. Thus, a round-table event was held in November last year that reviewed the implementation of the protection mandate of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). As the second in the series, another round table was held last month to examine the implementation of the protection elements of the peacekeeping mandate of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI). Japan was pleased to host the round table, along with Canada.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“That includes three Security Council resolutions - including resolution 1674 (2006), adopted this April - several presidential statements and an aide-memoire. Resolution 1674 (2006) is a cornerstone in the establishment of guidelines for action by the Security Council. While there is still room for further work on the general framework of protection, it is clear that further and closer attention should now be paid - as suggested in the President's discussion paper - to the question of how we can ensure its steady implementation. Resolution 1674 (2006) and other framework documents have real value only when protection objectives, principles and guidelines are actually translated into action. That is the challenge we face at present, as Under-Secretary-General Egeland also emphasized.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“First, our appreciation goes to Under-Secretary-General Jan Egeland for his timely briefing on the progress made and the challenges remaining in the protection of civilians in armed conflicts around the world. In addition, our deep respect goes to all peacekeepers, to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, to humanitarian agencies and their workers and to all other actors striving to assist people in need and to protect those at risk, sometimes even risking their own lives. During the six years since the introduction of the protection agenda in the Security Council, in 1999, considerable progress has been made in establishing a framework of protection.”
2006-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5476 (2006) · source
“Ahtisaari. We look forward to substantive discussions on this issue in the Council when he visits the United Nations next month. Last but not least, we commend the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the other international players deployed in Kosovo for their contributions. In particular, as Mr. Soren Jessen-Petersen has indicated his intention to resign soon, the Japanese delegation expresses its deep appreciation to him for the outstanding contributions be has made over the years in leading UNMIK and as a humanitarian. We would like to express our hope that the spirit of unity with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government that he has engendered in working towards the standards implementation will be fully embraced by his successor. We wish Mr. Jessen-Petersen every success in future.”
2006-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5470 (2006) · source
“These signs of progress notwithstanding, we are concerned that there is a lack of progress in promoting the participation of Kosovo Serbs in the political process in Kosovo. We wish to reiterate that non- participation, and encouragement of non-participation by whomsoever, is to be avoided, since it would not be conducive to a positive outcome. Likewise, we are concerned that not much has been achieved in the area of freedom of movement and that there has not been any significant number of internally displaced persons and refugees returned to Kosovo. It is our expectation that KFOR and the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) will continue to work to improve the security situation. With respect to the issue of future status, the Government of Japan extends its full support to the initiatives taken by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Mr.”
2006-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5470 (2006) · source
“The standards implementation plan itself has already been elaborated, with detailed assessments of the needs of minority communities. They need to be acted upon, and we ask the leadership of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to continue those outreach activities to minority communities so that they can grasp their real needs. We also appreciate the initiative of the Contact Group aimed at identifying 13 key areas for standards implementation. This will not only be useful to the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in policy planning and implementation but could also lead to further desirable developments through closer interaction among the Provisional Institutions, the Contact Group and the international community, as stated in the letter from Prime Minister Ceku to the Secretary-General dated June 16.”
2006-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5470 (2006) · source
“Japan sent an expert-level mission to Kosovo in March, followed by the dispatch in May of Vice- Minister for Foreign Affairs Yamanaka to the region in order to be apprised of the political, social and humanitarian situation on the ground - including the progress being made in the standards implementation plan - and to reaffirm to the authorities of the Provisional Institutions the importance we attach to standards implementation. We are encouraged by the good progress being made in this regard, as the Secretary-General has noted in his latest report. We appreciate in particular the important initiatives taken by President Sejdiu and Prime Minister Ceku to visit and talk with municipalities and minority communities, as concrete attempts at confidence-building among communities.”
2006-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5470 (2006) · source
“While the talks on the future status of Kosovo are drawing much of the international community's attention, the issue of standards implementation also needs to be closely monitored by the Security Council. We thank Mr. Jessen-Petersen, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for his comprehensive briefing. Japan appreciates the initiatives undertaken by Mr. J essen-Petersen and by Prime Minister Ceku of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government to promote standards implementation. We welcome the presence of the delegation of the Provisional Institutions, led by Prime Minister Ceku, in this Chamber today. I also thank Ms. Raskovic-Ivic, representative of the Republic of Serbia, for her detailed statement.”
2006-06-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5470 (2006) · source
“We will continue to work closely with the Government of Timor-Leste and in close consultation with the core group, multilateral institutions, non-governmental organizations and other key actors in the region and beyond.”
2006-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5457 (2006) · source
“We also expect that the Secretary-General will, reasonably soon, present recommendations to the Council for its consideration on the follow-on mission, based on the assessments of the field mission led by Mr. Hasegawa and his team and the Special Envoy, Mr. Ian Martin. We look forward to the timely issuance of his report on that subject. Finally, Japan has provided significant support to Timor-Leste for the past seven years, since the start of United Nations involvement in that country in all its phases. That has included the dispatch of an engineering battalion of our Self-Defence Forces, as well as police advisers and civilian experts for capacity-building. We also support a number of assistance projects and programmes at the Government and community levels.”
2006-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5457 (2006) · source
“The international community now needs to draw a lesson from this recent series of incidents, conduct a review of the past United Nations activities and consider ways to enhance the Organization's role in Timor-Leste with urgency but with a certain degree of caution. In order to allow such a review and planning for post-UNOTIL engagement, we support the proposal of the Secretary-General to S/l'V.5457 once again roll over the mandate of UNOTIL for an appropriate period of time. Japan will consult with other members of the Council, members of the core group on Timor-Leste and other major stakeholders on a draft resolution for the rollover.”
2006-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5457 (2006) · source
“The country's leadership should focus on the root of the problems and ensure appropriate distribution of resources. The significant potential revenue from natural resources development in the Timor Sea should be managed prudently and in a transparent manner for the most efficient use of those resources and for the greatest benefit to the Timorese people. We consider that Timor-Leste could be considered as a case for study in the Peacebuilding Commission at an early appropriate time. The shape of post-UNOTIL United Nations engagement should be considered in the light of those aforementioned points.”
2006-06-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5457 (2006) · source