YouSaid · the spoken record

Pahad

lines on the record

78

first

1992-07-16

most recent

2018-04-26

sittings or episodes

4

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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

1. “The resolution of the situation in Palestine will be the ultimate test of the ability of the United Nations to fulfil its central purpose of saving succeeding Palestinian and Israeli generations from the scourge of war. Israel will never have peace and security if the legitimate right to self- determination is not given to the Palestinian people.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

2. “We would like to emphasize that the funding for UNRWA should be sustainable, predictable and sufficient. For its part, South Africa will continue to support UNRWA through its financial contributions. Finally, we believe that the commitment and good faith of all Council members are utterly essential if we are to mend the open wound that continues to harm generations of innocent people. We hope that these quarterly debates, which unfortunately have so far yielded no outcome or action, will very soon be converted into concrete and practical steps towards a political dialogue for a durable and sustainable resolution, with a negotiated solution based on the relevant United Nations resolutions.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

3. “The first issue is the plight of children in military detention in Israel. While the immediate injustice of those abuses cannot be overstated, it is the psychological and developmental harm to those young individuals that is most troubling. Furthermore, such abuses merely seek to reinforce hatred between the two sides to the conflict, prolonging the crisis and doing nothing to reconcile the parties. The second issue is the dire financial situation faced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The continued generous support of the international community is necessary to ensure the Agency's continuity of services, and is especially needed in light of the recurrent and severe financial shortfalls that continue to affect its programmes.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

4. “South Africa reaffirms that the central responsibility for attaining peace is primarily in the hands of the Palestinians and Israelis themselves. We, as part of the international community, should support and encourage the parties towards that endeavour. The international legal framework for those negotiations has already been set. Those include the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, the Madrid principles, the Arab Peace Plan and the Quartet road map, to name a few. Unilateral action, particularly on final-status issues, undermines the revival of a peace process. Those include the building of illegal settlements and the recognition by some Member States of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Before I conclude, there are two additional issues of concern that we wish to raise.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

5. “While the occupation of Palestine continues, there will continue to be resistance and the entrenchment of hatred between peoples who have a shared history and have the potential to be peaceful neighbours, benefiting from mutual support and cooperation. Today, during the centenary year ofthe birth of late President Nelson Mandela, we must draw on his legacy and those of countless other leaders in our own country, which have resulted in South Africa benefiting from the reconciliation of its people and overcoming entrenched divisions among people. With that in mind, South Africa supports all initiatives towards a negotiated solution to the crisis, including the recent proposal by the President of the State of Palestine, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, to convene an international summit to pursue a means of salvaging the two-State solution.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

6. “As the conflict continues and their political and humanitarian situation worsens, the Palestinian people feel a constant existential threat as a metaphorical and literal wall closes in around them. It can only be expected that they would want to resist such a constant threat and have their voices heard. While those voices continue to be ignored, the parameters of what we have come to accept as a two-State solution are beginning to dwindle. Indeed, a peace process that is stagnant without any progress gradually loses the trust of the people who depend so desperately upon it. That loss of trust will be the death knell for the prospects of peace in the region. It is frightening to imagine the alternative to a political solution to the conflict.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

7. “We therefore urge the Security Council to redouble its efforts towards minimizing the internal differences that have long made it impossible for the Council to shoulder its charter responsibility with regard to this matter. Every year that goes by appears to make peace even more elusive. New generations of Israelis and Palestinians grow up knowing nothing but the conflict between themselves. In all this time, new challenges, as we have seen recently with the developments pertaining to the status of Jerusalem, Israeli illegal settlement activity and the recent events in Gaza, have compounded the crisis. South Africa is deeply concerned by the excessive use of force by the Israeli military on the frustrated people of Gaza who were protesting the blockade imposed on their territory.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

8. “We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this crucial open debate focusing on the situation between Palestine and Israel. The unresolved matter of Palestine is nothing less than a gaping wound in the international political landscape - one that the Council has failed to adequately address for over 70 years. The Israeli- Palestinian conflict is as old as the Organization, and it therefore deserves to be a top priority of this organ. The resolution of that long-standing conflict will contribute to the stability of the region. However, the recent events in Gaza can be seen as symptomatic of the lack of will and commitment to a political process for the resolution of the conflict.”

   2018-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8244 (2018) · source

9. “We leave New York emboldened by the fact that the Council has indicated its support for the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire and that it will remain seized by Africa's efforts to find a solution. We look forward to a peaceful and stable Cote d'Ivoire because, as I have said, it is in the interest of all of Africa and it will have a massive positive impact on our efforts, as Africans, to find African solutions to the conflicts in Africa.”

   2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

10. “That is very important because, as we all know, cote d'Ivoire is very strategically situated, and positive developments there will have a positive impact on the whole region. I also believe that, if we succeed in achieving peace and stability in Cote d'Ivoire, it will also have a positive impact on other countries that are emerging from conflict and attempting to work towards creating conditions for their elections. I refer here, inter alia, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and the Sudan. I am confident that the Council, being conscious of its responsibilities, will take the necessary decisions to ensure that elections do take place in Cote d'Ivoire by 31 October 2005.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

11. “Mr. Pahad: We want once again to take this opportunity to thank the Council for its consistent support for Africa's efforts to resolve the Cote d'Ivoire crisis. I wish also to express our profound thanks to the African Union Chairman, President Obasanjo, for his consistent support for the mediation. Again, I want to express our appreciation for the positive and constructive statements that have been made today. It is clear that, through our collective efforts, progress has been made in Cote d'Ivoire, but that, as has been said, many challenges remain. Africa therefore looks forward to working with the Security Council, the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire and the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Schori, to ensure that we achieve a long- lasting solution.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

12. “As mediation, we are determined to ensure that elections take place as agreed, and we implore the Security Council to take the necessary decisions and steps to realize that objective. We are confident that, working together, we can assist the Ivorian people as they search for an end to the crisis prevailing in their country. The African Union stands ready to act together with the Council to ensure that we realize this outcome for the benefit of the Ivorian people.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

13. “Successful outcomes to those requests can be achieved only if the United Nations and the international community are ready to act decisively and urgently in support of the developments by, first, adjusting the mandate of UNOCI to cater for the election supervision mechanism and to support the disarmament of the militia; secondly, increasing the capacity of UNOCI to carry out the additional tasks emanating from the Pretoria Agreement; thirdly, actively participating in the policing functions in the north during the interim period; and fourthly, providing adequate and immediate funding for the DDR process. In conclusion, let me say that once again we thank the Council for having afforded us the opportunity to brief it on the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

14. “Once normal policing has been restored in the north, those recruits would go back to the police and Gendarmerie academy for further training. Thirdly, the assistance of the United Nations is sought with regard to the disarmament of the militias. The United Nations has the needed expertise to assist the Prime Minister in carrying out that objective.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

15. “First, it is necessary to protect the Forces nouvelles cantonment sites. The Security Council would need to consider the deployment of a special force under UNOCI to carry out that function. The presence of such a force would contribute to building confidence in the DDR process, which is critical to a peaceful transition in Cote d'Ivoire. Secondly, the Ivorians request - and the mediator concurs - that assistance be made available for the recruitment, training and deployment of a police contingent of 600 personnel in the north, in order to avoid a security vacuum once the Forces nouvelles forces move into cantonment areas. It is envisaged in the Pretoria Agreement that the 600 recruits would undergo abridged training conducted by UNOCI. The new recruits would be mentored by UNOCI and serve under the guidance of the United Nations forces.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

16. “It is envisaged that such a structure would assist the Ivorian Independent Electoral Commission, as well as the Constitutional Council, in the discharge of their functions, without being part of the two structures. In the context of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, the United Nations impartial structure would also assist in the process of streamlining the issuing of nationality documents and identity cards. The structure, it is hoped, would be empowered to assist both in the formulation and in the execution of policies and plans for the elections. It would be set up immediately and be required to intervene with the relevant Ivorian authorities where necessary. On the issue of security, the Ivorian leaders ask for assistance in three areas that the mediator also supports.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

17. “As we stated in our March presentation, any situation of protracted conflict, such as that in Cote d'Ivoire, invariably results in deep-seated mistrust among the political players. The request for United Nations assistance is informed by the need to ensure confidence as the Ivorians take the final steps towards the holding of elections in a peaceful and secure environment. All the Ivorian parties are intent on holding elections by 31 October 2005. The AU and the mediator support that view and hope that the United Nations will be ready to play its part in contributing to such an outcome. On the issue of elections, the Ivorian leadership has, through the Pretoria Agreement, asked the mediator to request the United Nations to establish an impartial structure that would assist the Ivorians during the entire electoral period.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

18. “Regarding the role of the media, RTI has toned down its negative reporting and has begun to broadcast positive reports on the Pretoria Agreement and on its implementation. It is hoped that the situation will improve further once the amendments, as envisaged in the Pretoria Agreement, have been completed. Efforts are being made to procure technical equipment to upgrade systems and to ensure coverage of the entire country by RTI. Let me now address the progress made with regard to some of the requests that we would like to present to the Security Council. There are two main areas in which the Ivorian leaders have asked the United Nations, through the Security Council, to urgently assist them. Those areas cover elections and security.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

19. “Soro aimed at ensuring his return to Abidjan so that he can take up his ministerial responsibilities. I now turn to the issue of training units to provide close protection for ministers. In an attempt to contribute to the resumption of the functioning of the Government of National Reconciliation, the mediation has, at its own cost, undertaken to train members of the close protection units of all Forces nouvelles ministers. That training will take place in South Africa over a period of six weeks, starting on 2 May 2005. The training programme will also be open to protectors from the south, totalling approximately 135 personnel. We believe it is important that UNOCI work out modalities to complement that effort.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

20. “In relation to the amendments to legislation, the Council of Ministers has started deliberations on the amendments necessary to ensure that the laws adopted comply with the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement and with the determination of the mediator in that regard. Concerning the issue of the participation of Forces nouvelles ministers in the Government of National Reconciliation, we are happy to note that an increasing number of ministers from the Forces nouvelles have returned to Abidjan to assume their ministerial responsibilities, including attending meetings of the Government of National Reconciliation. The specialized unit of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI), in conjunction with the mediation, is working out additional measures for Mr.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

21. “The DDR programme started with the removal of heavy weapons from the front line, with effect from 21 April 2005. We believe that that development - which in itself symbolizes the beginning of the integration of the country - has enjoyed widespread support from the population and has generated new confidence in the peace process. As part of our contribution to the peace process, the South African National Defence Force has invited the chiefs of staff to Pretoria to share with them our experience in the integration of armed forces. It is hoped that that step will consolidate the developing cooperation between the officers. The chiefs of staff, accompanied by five senior members from each side, arrived in Pretoria this morning and will begin their discussions sometime today.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

22. “Regarding the issue of the DDR process, the chiefs of staff of the National Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (FANCI) and of the Armed Forces of Forces Nouvelles (FAFN) met on Thursday, 14 April 2005, as agreed in the Pretoria Agreement. The Prime Minister was accompanied by several ministers, who witnessed the event. A communique was issued at the end of the meeting of 16 April 2005 endorsing Pretoria's decision to renew contact between the two sides as well as the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line, and setting 15 May as the date for the commencement of the DDR process. The chiefs of staff have since held several meetings - some in the north and others in the south - to work out modalities for the implementation of the commitments made at Bouake.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

23. “President Gbagbo undertook a series of consultations with, among others, youth groups, trade unions, women's groups, traditional chiefs, members of Parliament and the military with a view to discussing the Pretoria Agreement and President Mbeki's determination. That process was instructive in that it provided a platform for the airing of different views - something that can benefit the democratic process in Cote d'Ivoire. The central message coming from all those groups is that President Gbagbo should, in the interests of peace, use article 48 to effect the amendment of the Constitution as determined by the mediator. It is expected that President Gbagbo will make a statement on article 35 soon.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

24. “The essence of the determination is that President Gbagbo would, after consulting with the President of the National Assembly and the Ivorian Constitutional Council, use article 48 of the Constitution, which would allow the Constitutional Council to accept the eligibility of the candidates who would be presented by the political parties that were signatories to the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. Once the mediator communicated the determination to the Ivorian leaders, President Gbagbo engaged the broader Ivorian population in order to enlist their support for the determination. President Mbeki agreed with that approach.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

25. “Eighth, the meeting discussed the finalization of the adoption of article 35 of the Ivorian Constitution. In that regard, the mediator was asked to make a determination on the matter after consulting with the Chairperson of the African Union and with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Let me now briefly indicate some of the progress that has been made since the signing of the Pretoria Agreement. With regard to the very important issue of article 35, the letter setting out the mediator's determination on the article has also been presented to the Security Council with a request from the mediator that its contents also be endorsed and circulated as a document of the Council.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

26. “Fifth is the acceptance of a plan for the security of the Forces nouvelles ministers of the Government of National Reconciliation. Sixth, the parties that are signatories further committed themselves to making amendments to the composition, organization and functioning of the Independent Electoral Commission to ensure free, fair and transparent elections by 31 October 2005. Here, we must note that the parties requested the mediator to seek the assistance of the United Nations in the electoral process. Seventh, the agreement recognizes the important role of the media - particularly the Ivorian Radio and Television (RTI) - and agrees that the programming of the radio and television stations should cover the entire territory of Cote d'Ivoire.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

27. “That in itself was a significant achievement, since these are parties that have not had the opportunity to exchange views in a long time. Some of the key areas addressed by the Pretoria Agreement include the following. First is the joint declaration of the end of war, in which the Ivorian parties that are signatories to the Agreement declare their immediate and final cessation of all hostilities in their country. Second is the disarmament and dismantling of the militia throughout the country. Third is the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of the armed formations, leading to the creation of one army for the whole of Cote d'Ivoire. Fourth is ensuring security in the area under the Forces nouvelles.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

28. “All of the principals were supported by their senior leaders, advisers and officials. The outcome of the three-day meeting was the Pretoria Agreement, which the mediator has presented to the Council, requesting that it be endorsed and circulated as an official document of the Security Council. Without a doubt, the Pretoria Agreement represents new hope for the Ivorian people - who have long been yearning for a return to peace and stability in their country - and has brought a new urgency to the implementation of previous undertakings. The Pretoria meeting was held in a very cordial and relaxed atmosphere. President Mbeki chaired the meeting and participated actively in the discussions. At times, the Ivorian leaders used the opportunity to have discussions among themselves on some of the long- standing and contentious issues.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

29. “Allow us to thank you, Mr. President, for inviting the African Union mediation mission to brief the Security Council once again on the situation in Cote d'Ivoire. On 28 March 2005, we informed the Security Council about the efforts that the African Union (AU) had undertaken to contribute to the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire (see S/PV.5152). On that occasion, we also informed the Council that the AU mediator, President Mbeki, was to convene an important meeting of the Ivorian leaders in Pretoria on 3 April 2005. We are happy to report that the meeting took place as scheduled, lasting for three days. Present at the meeting were President Gbagbo, former President Bedie, former Prime Minister Ouattara, Secretary- General Soro of the Forces nouvelles and Prime Minister Diarra.”

    2005-04-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5169 (2005) · source

30. “It is in the interests of the Ivorians generally that the leadership take up the challenge that the Ivorians expect them to take up and move decisively so that we can achieve a breakthrough in the coming period. As we have indicated in our report, we want to interact much more closely with the AU. We send regular reports to the Chairman of the AU on progress made. We would like to report back to the Security Council after reporting to the AU Chairman on the outcomes of the meeting. Let us try together to determine what we want to get moving after 3 April so that the next time we meet, we will be able to say that, despite the problems, we have made a decisive impact in trying to find solutions to what has been bedevilling the West African region for so long.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

31. “Despite the difficulties, we are confident that there is a commitment to move forward if we can just find the right framework within which movement can take place. We look forward to the 3 April meeting, at which, we hope that for the first time the Ivorian leadership - sitting together, not having separate meetings - can assess what they have all agreed to and then agree together to make a decisive leap forward in order to ensure that we create the conditions for a cote d'Ivoire that is at peace with itself, that is prosperous and that becomes the engine of growth for the whole region. We are totally convinced that the Ivorian people expect that.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

32. “There has been movement forward, despite some of the outstanding problems that have been referred to, and on that basis we believe it is the responsibility of the Ivorian leaders to take their leadership seriously, to use the opportunity that still exists to really engage in dialogue with one another, to talk among themselves, within the framework of the mediation and - in the interests of the Ivorian people, West Africa and Africa as a whole - to take this opportunity to move forward decisively and break any logjams that have prevented sufficient progress on the three major issues that have been identified: article 35, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process and the elections.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

33. “I believe it has also been agreed in principle - despite the existing difficulties - that the approved 2005 presidential elections must take place as scheduled, with all the people of a united Cote d'Ivoire participating and all those wishing to run for office being allowed to run. And, finally, there has been an agreement to implement in December 2005 the road map presented by the mediation and supported by the rest of the international community. We have agreed on all those fundamental issues. The question is, notwithstanding the problems, will we now be able to ensure that those previous agreements in principle are implemented much faster?”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

34. “There might interpretations of its elements, but there is no general debate about working within that framework. There is also general agreement, we believe, that we must resolve the nationality question, which lies at the heart of the Ivorian crisis. All elements of that question must be addressed, including the citizenship rights of many ordinary people and the issue of eligibility for the post of President of the Republic. The question is not whether that is accepted; the question is, what is the process to be followed to ensure that article 35 comes into force?”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

35. “We think that all of them - whether at Linas-Marcoussis, at Accra, or subsequently through the mediation - in all the consultations have agreed on the most essential elements of the comprehensive settlement that we are all seeking. They have all repudiated war and violent conflict as options for solving the Ivorian crisis. All have agreed that the task of ending this crisis is extremely urgent given its negative impact on the Ivorian population. All of them accept the fact that the solution to the Ivorian crisis is in the immediate interest of the West African region as a whole. There is no debate about the unity and territorial integrity of Cote d'Ivoire. There is no debate about respecting the existing agreed framework for the solution to the Ivorian crisis, as provided for in the Linas-Marcoussis and the Accra II and III Agreements.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

36. “I, too, want to express our gratitude for the contributions made by many of the members of the Security Council. Clearly there is some concern about aspects of the security situation and the non-movement in the political process. Cognizant of that, we believe that, in the context of what has happened in the last few months, there has been good progress in certain area of which we must not lose sight. We believe that the leaders generally have at least committed themselves to sharing a common interest - to ensuring that each of them has the possibility of contributing to the achievement of the common and shared goal of returning C6te d'Ivoire to normality.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

37. “We would also like to assure the members of the Security Council, both singly and collectively, that the African Union is unreservedly determined to help resolve the Ivorian crisis within the context of the parameters we have indicated in this Statement. We look forward to effective cooperation between the United Nations and the AU in that regard. We thank you, Mr. President, the other members of the Security Council and the Secretary-General for the opportunity you have given to the AU mediation on Cote d'lvoire to address this body. We fully understand that there are many problems that we must overcome. But, if we deal with the broader, major, overall challenges, then the other problems can be dealt with more effectively. We therefore look forward to working together with the Council much more closely in the coming period.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

38. “The African Union understands, respects and supports the global responsibilities of the United Nations and of the Security Council on various matters, including the central matter of international peace and security. The Union is also firmly committed to its own responsibilities with regard to the future of Africa and therefore to the elimination of all threats to international peace and security that emanate from our continent. We believe that those considerations provide a firm basis for a properly structured relationship between the United Nations Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council, which would further reinforce global progress towards world peace and lasting universal stability. The African Union is ready to do everything it can to ensure that Africa contributes to such outcomes.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

39. “In that context, we are privileged to make the solemn commitment that the AU and its mediation will cooperate fully with the Security Council, the Secretary-General and other United Nations institutions and personnel to bring lasting peace to Cote d'Ivoire as a matter of urgency. We also trust that, in their conduct, the United Nations and all its institutions and agencies will respect and support the peoples of Africa, represented by the African Union, as they strive to find an African solution to the eminently African problem of the Ivorian crisis. We therefore appeal to the Security Council sincerely to coordinate its future actions on Cote d'Ivoire with the African Union in the interest of genuine peace, stability and development in a united Cote d'Ivoire.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

40. “The AU mediation would like to take advantage of this meeting of the Security Council to sincerely thank the Council and the United Nations as a whole for their sustained interest in the speedy resolution of the Ivorian crisis. We request that the Council remain seized of this question. We also request that the Security Council be prepared expeditiously to take such decisions as may be necessary to empower UNOCI and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to help secure a peaceful resolution of the Ivorian crisis. We welcome the Secretary- General's recommendation regarding the emergency deployment of an additional 1,226 troops.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

41. “The National Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire have also indicated that they are ready to start DDR once the preparations can be completed. With regard to the functioning of the Government of National Reconciliation, we stress once again that the Government is not functioning properly. The main problem in that regard, as I have indicated, is that ministers from the Forces nouvelles have raised concerns about their security in Abidjan. Some South African security experts Visited Cote d'Ivoire recently to assist in resolving that matter. The experts have now prepared a comprehensive security plan, which will be presented to the Ivorian parties at the meeting scheduled for 3 April.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

42. “Such a force would be under the control of UNOCI but would be deployed to ensure security around Forces nouvelles sites. The Forces nouvelles have assured the mediation that they are ready to start the DDR process. They have indicated that they have initiated a month-long sensitization process to prepare their forces for DDR. The Secretary-General of the Forces nouvelles has stated that he has issued an instruction to that effect. The main challenge related to DDR is that the regroupment areas in the north are not ready. The mediation has been part of a team of experts from UNOCI and the National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration that has been conducting inspection of such areas with a view to determining how best to expedite the rehabilitation of sites in the north.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

43. “On disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), there has been little progress. One complaint from the Forces nouvelles is that the Government of National Reconciliation has no comprehensive plan for the restructuring of the new defence force in cote d'Ivoire. The mediation has urged the Prime Minister to ensure that such a comprehensive plan is adopted by the Government. The Prime Minister has initiated a programme leading to such adoption. The Forces nouvelles have also raised the concern that they fear being attacked once they move their forces into the DDR sites. To assist in that regard, the mediation has proposed that an African country be approached to supply additional forces to UNOCI with a view to securing Forces nouvelles DDR sites.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

44. “Although there were differences among the parties on the appropriate legislative texts, such differences related mainly to the interpretation of Linas-Marcoussis rather than to a reluctance to implement the Agreements. There are areas in which the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement is not totally in line with prevailing international practice, such as with respect to the composition of a human rights commission. The legal team's mandate, however, was not to improve Linas-Marcoussis or to bring it in line with current international practice, but to interpret it strictly. The findings of the legal team have been presented to the Ivorian parties and have largely been well received. Some of the parties have indicated that they still wish to raise some political issues arising out of the legal report.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

45. “Let me now briefly address some of the matters on which I said I would brief the Council at this stage. With regard to the legislative report, the parties agreed that the mediation should constitute a legal team that would make a determination about the compliance of adopted legislation with the Linas- Marcoussis Agreement. The mediation constituted a team of lawyers from Burundi, Rwanda and South Africa. That team travelled to Cote d'Ivoire and had extensive interaction with the Ivorian parties. The team then submitted its determination to the mediator, who accepted its findings. A copy of the legal report is attached to the text of my presentation for the information of Security Council members. Generally, the findings of the legal team confirm that significant progress has been made in relation to that part of the Agreements.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

46. “However, the mediation is fully aware of the reality that, in order to get to the situation when, after the elections, practical steps can be taken in that regard, it is vitally important that the road map be implemented in a manner - and within time frames - that will ensure that credible elections are held later this year, as planned. To resolve the outstanding challenges with regard to the implementation of the road map and to ensure further movement towards a lasting peace in Cote d'Ivoire, a critical meeting between President Mbeki and the principal political leaders of Cote d'Ivoire will take place in South Africa in six days' time, on 3 April 2005. The AU mediation will be honoured to report to the AU, to the Security Council and to the Ivorian people about the outcome of that immensely important meeting.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

47. “The Ivorian parties need assistance with ideas and proposals regarding what is possible; they are not themselves able to make specific proposals. The mediator has communicated that request to the United Nations Secretariat and awaits its urgent response. The AU mediation is also concerned that the necessary steps should be taken to ensure the unity, peace and stability of Cote d'Ivoire after the completion of the stage of the transitional period that will conclude with the presidential and parliamentary elections this year.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

48. “As we have already indicated, the AU mediation and the Ivorian parties are committed to the holding of the presidential elections in October, as scheduled, notwithstanding some technical matters that have to be dealt with. The mediation is therefore ready to engage the electoral calendar that the Prime Minister has drawn up, which is targeted at ensuring that the elections this year are held as scheduled. The Forces nouvelles and the G-7 opposition parties have called for the United Nations to play a bigger role in the conduct of the elections. The mediator raised that matter with President Gbagbo during the December 2004 visit, and the President indicated that he would welcome such assistance. What remains is for the United Nations to indicate how such a role may be defined.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

49. “They have cited security reasons, which we will deal with later. Various problems persist with regard to the general political situation, which undermine the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire. For example, this was manifested in the recent unacceptable events in the western part of the country, when an armed group from the south crossed the zone of confidence, in violation of the ceasefire, which resulted in a number of people being killed. The western part of cote d'Ivoire has a long history of conflict that could be exploited. Close attention will have to be paid to some of the underlying causes of conflict. The Forces nouvelles informed the mediation about possible new attacks on its positions, and the mediation immediately communicated that information to UNOCI.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source

50. “Some concern has been expressed about the commitment to start the DDR process, especially on the part of the Forces nouvelles. The mediation position on this matter is that we should accept the expressed willingness of the Forces nouvelles to go into regroupment sites. Our task is to ensure that the DDR sites in the north are ready, and later we will indicate the progress that has been made in that regard. We believe that the Government of National Reconciliation - the principal State institution responsible for the implementation of the various transitional measures leading up to the presidential and parliamentary elections later this year - is still not functioning effectively. This is due in part to the continuing non-participation in that Government of the ministers of the Forces nouvelles.”

    2005-03-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5152 (2005) · source