YouSaid · the spoken record

Philippe Kridelka

lines on the record: 224
first: 2020-08-25
most recent: 2021-10-21
sittings or episodes: 33
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

“They play an essential role in building lasting peace and deserve our support and protection. That is why Belgium is proud to support the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund and calls on all States to contribute to it. The women and peace and security agenda is a priority for our country. Like some 98 other States, Belgium is implementing a national action plan, one of the six pillars of which is aimed at promoting the equal participation of women in processes related to conflict, peace and security. Belgium is also actively participating in the development and implementation of the European Union action plan. We therefore call on States that have not yet done so to adopt a national action plan on women, peace and security in order to ensure the concrete implementation of resolution 1325 (2000) and to monitor its progress.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/886 (2021) · source
“Developing women’s capacities is useful without being a panacea; we must strive for it while working to remove institutional barriers. Belgium is in favour of the inclusive representation of women in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes. We must be attentive to the diversity of representatives and include, for example, young women, women from different regions, migrant and refugee women, and women with disabilities. Finally, Belgium welcomes the inclusion in this event of the Photoville traveling exhibition entitled “In Their Hands: Women Taking Ownership of Peace”, which highlights the importance of partnerships with stakeholders in all their diversity. Our country is striving in particular to recognize the work and achievements of civil society organizations, women human rights defenders, women journalists and women’s networks.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/886 (2021) · source
“Belgium thanks the Republic of Kenya for organizing this essential debate and its commitment to women’s rights. It is essential to invest more in the participation of local women in the consolidation and maintenance of peace, and we hope that today’s discussion will help identify concrete ways to achieve that goal. Above all, Belgium fully supports the declaration of the European Union as well as the joint declaration of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security. The meaningful participation of women in political processes is essential. More than 20 years after the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), it is clear that progress is insufficient. We must step up our actions. And in doing so, let us be careful not to subject the participation of women to more rigorous demands than those required of men.”
2021-10-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/886 (2021) · source
“Increased international cooperation also means more capacity-building and more support for confidence-building measures, including through efforts of regional organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Belgium takes an active part in the work of OSCE to render those confidence-building measures concrete and operational. In terms of capacity- building, the needs are important and urgent globally. Existing cooperation or capacity-building programs such as those offered by the European Union or by the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise need to be reinforced and extended. It is in the interest of us all to enhance global resilience to cyberthreats.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“If we want to effecti vely prevent and deter malicious cyberactivities in an environment where cyberattacks are growing in number and in complexity, formal attribution of malicious cyberactivity targeting a vital organization in Belgium is an important instrument. The national attribution procedure can also be activated with a view to supporting an allied country victim of similar attacks. Moreover, the national strategy prescribes a clear international commitment. And this is because, Belgium is walking the talk, convinced that increased international cooperation is needed to promote security and stability in cyberspace.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“Belgium is proud to support this initiative together with more than 50 other countries, and we hope that many other States will join. At the national level, Belgium has recently adopted, in May 2021, a new National Cybersecurity Strategy 2.0 for 2021 –2025 that sets out our country’s cross- cutting approach in terms of increasing our cyberresilience and combatting cyberthreats. The primary objective of this national strategy is to “propel Belgium into the rank of the least vulnerable countries in Europe”. Belgium’s cybersecurity policy also provides for a new attribution mechanism which is conceived as a deterrent tool.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“Third, we believe that we should better align international criminal justice with the challenges of the twenty-first century. This is why Belgium has joined Liechtenstein in its initiative to create a Council of Advisers on the Application of the Rome Statute to Cyberwarfare in order to explore the role the International Criminal Court could play in this new regulatory framework. We are looking forward to receiving the Council of Advisers’ final report which is scheduled to be presented this year. Guiding principles are to be followed by actions in order to make a difference. In that regard, Belgium is convinced that the proposal by Egypt and France to establish a programme of action constitutes the right structure to implement our vision.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“With regard to the United Nations framework for responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, it must be underlined that Member States of the United Nations have endorsed – through the adoption of United Nations resolution 70/237 – the conclusions of the Group of Governmental Experts reports of 2010, 2013 and 2015, which constitute a solid, consensual basis for further work. The United Nations and its Member States have undertaken substantial efforts to both build a shared international understanding on the governance of cyberspace and develop real actions to implement this common vision on the ground. In an efficient and effective multilateral system, it is imperative that we take forward any further discussio n starting from this consensual basis, in order to avoid revisiting laborious compromises of the past while stalling future efforts.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“This has to be based on the full application of existing international law – including the Charter of the United Nations in its entirety – international humanitarian law, and international human rights law. Last year, Belgium, as a non-permanent Member of the Security Council, took part in an Arria-formula meeting of the Security Council, on cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructures are putting human lives at risk and have to be condemned by the international community. Cyberattacks against medical facilities such as hospitals are unacceptable.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“The international debate on the governance of cyberspace is in a crucial phase. Belgium strongly supports the ongoing debates within the United Nations framework, among which the First Committee, the various OEWGs and GEEs. The following elements are key: First, Belgium advocates a shared vision of a global, free, open, stable, peaceful and secure cyberspace, where human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law apply. This shared understanding is built upon an inclusive approach in which all stakeholders – including civil society, the private sector and the academic world – are heard. Second, the international community must continue to strive for a truly universal cybersecurity framework for responsible State behaviour.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“Let me first express my gratitude to the Estonian presidency for hosting this first open debate of the Security Council on peace and security in cyberspace. This timely debate demonstrates the urgency of addressing this topic and the relevance of the Security Council for doing so. Risks stemming from malicious activities in cyberspace are indeed growing and their impact on international peace and security is more detrimental than ever. It is therefore paramount to reaffirm Member States’ commitment to international law and to the framework of responsible State behaviour as key elements of conflict prevention and maintenance of peace and security in cyberspace. Achieving this objective requires both a shared international understanding on the governance of cyberspace and real actions to implement this vision on the ground.”
2021-06-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/621 (2021) · source
“This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the children and armed conflict mandate, and while the challenges remain formidable, I believe we have jointly played an important role in improving child protection in conflict areas.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“We also support the UNICEF children and armed conflict monitoring and reporting activities, on top of our core funding to UNICEF which amounts to EUR 15 million per year. This will assist the documentation and verification of grave violations. And finally we are mobilizing our diplomatic network in conflict affected areas to raise awareness and improve the follow up of children and armed conflict priorities by local partners. I conclude by expressing my deepest gratitude to Special Representative of the Secretary-General Gamba, and to all child protection actors, be it within the United Nations system, national authorities or civil society, for their dedication to protecting children.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“To further strengthen the synergies between the International Criminal Court and the children and armed conflict mandate Belgium organized a meeting for the members of the Security Council in which Special Representative of the Secretary-General Gamba and the International Criminal Court Prosecutor briefed last November. Another powerful instrument for accountability is the listing of parties to conflict by the Secretary-General which should be credible, objective and evidence-based. The work of the monitoring and reporting mechanism, which continued during the COVID-19-pandemic, has been exemplary. On our side, child protection will continue to be a horizontal priority for Belgium. We are proud to support the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict to fulfil its essential mandate.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“We call for sufficient resources in this regard, both in United Nations field operations and at the United Nations secretariat, and we encourage strengthened regional partnerships on children and armed conflict, for example with the European Union and the African Union. My third point concerns accountability. Belgium supports the Secretary- General’s call to strengthen national accountability measures for violations against children and for strengthened cooperation with international accountability mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court. States have an obligation to end impunity for grave violations against children.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“We call for the wide dissemination and use of the Practical Guidance for Mediators to Protect Children in Situations of Armed Conflict. We further call upon all parties to armed conflict to fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law. We also encourage Member States to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and endorse and implement the Paris Principles, the Safe Schools Declaration and the Vancouver Principles with a view to strengthening the protection of children. Secondly, Belgium emphasizes the importance of dedicated child protection capacity in United Nations missions. There is no substitute for the specialized expertise of child protection advisers. They are the eyes and ears of th e children and armed conflict mandate on the ground.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“They concern (1) the mainstreaming of the children and armed conflict agenda across the work of the United Nations system, (2) the importance of dedicated child protection capacity in United Nations missions and (3) the central role of accountability in preventing violations against children affected by armed conflict. First, the importance of mainstreaming the children and armed conflict agenda. We expect the Security Council to pay due attention to child protection in its mandating and sanctioning decisions and we expect the Fifth Committee to follow through by providing the necessary resources. The conclusions of the children and armed conflict Working Group need systematic follow up both in New York and in the field.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“I thank the briefers for their insightful remarks. Belgium aligns itself with the statements of the European Union and the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict. We congratulate Norway for the excellent work it has done during the first six months of its mandate. The Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict is in able hands. Belgium welcomes the annual report and expresses its deepest concern at the high amount of grave violations verified by the United Nations. In particular we are concerned at the dramatic increases in abduction and sexual violence. I wish to make three points on behalf of Belgium.”
2021-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/617 (2021) · source
“In respect of today’s discussion, it must continue to play its important role, in cooperation with the African Union and its subregional organizations, in advancing peace and security in Africa to create the conditions for the post-pandemic recovery and sustainable development. Belgium, nationally and as a part of the European Union, stands ready to help countries in fragile and conflict-affected situations to strengthen their resilience. A deep commitment to promoting human rights and the triple nexus of humanitarian support, development and peace are unequivocal parts of that engagement, as are sustained efforts to fully realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Belgium has also made a direct contribution of its own of €4 million in 2021, thereby contributing to access to vaccines in the 92 low- and middle-income countries participating in the COVAX Facility. Belgium is committed to a coordinated multilateral approach based on the World Health Organization guidelines and priorities and by supporting existing global mechanisms. We recognize that fragile countries and countries impacted by conflict are bearing a heavier burden while fighting the pandemic. Now more than ever, the answer lies in solidarity and multilateralism. The Security Council demonstrated leadership by echoing the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“A further €4.4 million were allocated in support of a flagship programme with the International Labour Organization on social protection. Building back better also means investing in resilient health systems, universal health coverage and strong social protection schemes. Belgium provides systemic support to health systems, its bilateral partners, international non-governmental organizations and multilateral and United Nations entities. However, the fight against the pandemic is not over. Belgium is in favour of equitable access to vaccines for all and supports the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. So far, the European Union (EU) and its member States have donated €2.2 billion, making it the EU COVAX’s second largest donor.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has taught us the value of solidarity and of working together in the spirit of a global partnership that sits at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In that spirit, Belgium contributes to the post-COVID-19 recovery. In 2020, €27.5 million were allocated to emergency food aid through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), to integrating human rights in the COVID-19 response through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to education in emergencies through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and to strengthening data collection and digitalization through the Belgian development agency Enabel.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“Belgium thanks His Excellency Mr. Wang Yi for the opportunity to discuss this topic. Over recent months we have witnessed unprecedented needs and challenges. In addition to the dramatic socioeconomic consequences of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis, we are seeing disinformation, discrimination and violence against civilians and health-care workers. Armed groups are profiting from vacuums left by the health crisis to extend their hold over populations. The pandemic has highlighted challenges around the world and exacerbated inequalities, fragility and the human cost of conflict. Those challenges are particularly acute on the African continent. The pandemic also made us realize that no one will be safe unless we are all safe and that no country can regain economic strength without a global recovery.”
2021-05-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/490 (2021) · source
“My country calls upon all States that are not yet parties to the Ottawa Convention, in particular major possessors of anti-personnel mines, to move forward towards signing and ratifying the Ottawa Convention and, in the meantime, to following a self-declared policy of non-use.S/2021/346”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“In this respect, Belgium commends the role played by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), specifically in its support for peace operations deployed to high-risk environments. The support UNMAS gives to mitigating the threat of explosive ordnance in peace operations should be financed through the support account in order to be consistent and sustainable. Over the past two years, Belgium has donated €3 million for UNMAS activities in Iraq, and €1 million for its work in Syria. Faced with the multiple threats of explosive ordnance, we are once again reminded of the crucial importance of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Convention. It provides a long-term solution by outlawing anti-personnel mines and by committing States parties to destroying stockpiles and clearing existing minefields.”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“Further efforts are needed to prevent access to precursor material. In the field, this means swiftly disposing of explosive remnants of war, including legacy minefields, and ensuring the safe management of ammunition stockpiles. More broadly, trafficking routes for explosive-precursor material should be charted. Peacekeeping operations and panels of experts can help gather knowledge on these IED-supply chains. United Nations agencies, in accordance with their respective mandates and in full respect of the primary responsibility of States, have a role to play in assisting and protecting those affected by explosive ordnance, empowering affected individuals and communities and strengthening national capacities to manage the risks of explosive ordnance.”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“Appropriate wording in the mandates of peacekeeping operations and dedicated reporting in reports of the Secretary-General will reinforce the contribution that mine action makes to the full achievement of the objectives of the missions in question. Too often, such preparatory work to tackle explosive threats as the predeployment training of troops from contributing countries, depends on voluntary funding. Explosive-ordnance-threat mitigation should be funded through the peacekeeping support account. Mine action should adapt to changing environments, and, in this regard, a more integrated approach is needed to enhance our capacity to tackle the evolving threat of IEDs. Peacekeeping operations and other actors in the field should systematically exchange information on all incidents involving IEDs and adopt appropriate defensive measures.”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“The continued threat posed to human lives, security and humanitarian efforts by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is a serious focus of attention for the Security Council. In particular, over the years, IEDs have increasingly affected the work of peacekeeping operations and caused many casualties among peacekeepers. Mine action is a critical enabler of both political and humanitarian efforts. It allows refugees and internally displaced persons to safely return home, and it contributes to stabilization and peacebuilding. We therefore appreciate the holding of today’s debate as well as other initiatives undertaken to help to further integrate the issue of mine action in the work of the Security Council.”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“Identifying possible avenues for action at the level of the United Nations to better safeguard the space for principled humanitarian action in counter-terrorist contexts must remain a key common effort. Taking those three priorities into account, Belgium will remain strongly committed to the future revision of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and will continue to fully support multilateral efforts to fight all facets of the terrorist threat.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“Belgium therefore reiterates its support for the work of the Ombudsperson of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) as well as that of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, both of which contribute to strengthening the legitimacy and effectiveness of our policies. Thirdly, Belgium is of the view that it is crucial to find ways of ensuring that counter-terrorism measures do not adversely affect humanitarian action. The potentially harmful effects of the policies that we adopt on any humanitarian situation must be efficiently assessed. Our focus must be on safeguarding humanitarian space and ensuring that principled humanitarian organizations can serve people in need.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“During our two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2019 and 2020, that holistic perspective strongly guided our counter-terrorism action. Secondly, in our global action, Belgium firmly underlines the importance of respect for international law in general, and more particularly for international humanitarian law, human rights law, children’s rights law and refugee law. We continue to support the inclusion of those dimensions in all relevant areas, in particular when facing the important challenge that is the fight against radicalization in prison. At the level of the Security Council, my country was particularly active in fostering respect for due process within the sanctions committees during its mandate on the Council.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“In that regard, this debate is undoubtingly a step in the right direction. In that context, Belgium would like to touch upon three priorities that it considers essential in order to shape any effective multilateral action in future. First, Belgium is convinced that only a holistic, cross-border and inclusive approach can enable the United Nations and its States Members to effectively fight this global and deadly threat. Such an approach must inspire the threefold constitutive elements that are prevention, repression and the reintegration of men and women suspected of terrorism. That is why Belgium continues to work to strengthen coordination and cooperation within its borders, both with our European partners and at the international level.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“Belgium thanks His Excellency Mr. Othman Jerandi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, for the opportunity to discuss this timely topic. The twentieth anniversary of resolution 1373 (2001), unanimously adopted in 2001 in the wake of the 11 September attacks, is indeed a suitable moment to take stock, both retrospectively and forward, of the counter-terrorism architecture of the United Nations. Twenty years have passed, but the terrorist threat has not gone away. On the contrary, it has adapted and continues to constantly evolve, even more so in the current pandemic context. No region of the world is spared. Belgium therefore encourages all United Nations actors to continue to closely monitor these developments and to identify good practices that allow for global, relevant and adequate responses.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“A deep commitment to promoting human rights and the triple nexus of humanitarian support, development and peace are part and parcel of that engagement, as are sustained efforts to fully realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Beyond the United Nations, regional organizations are important partners, especially in Africa, where, unfortunately, many countries are in contexts affected by fragility and conflict. Belgium welcomes the continuous dialogue between the Security Council and the African Union Peace Security Council. We also recognize the role and engagement of subregional organizations in discussing fragility and acting to defuse conflict situations. Nationally and as a part of the European Union, Belgium stands ready to help countries in fragile and conflict-affected situations in strengthening their resilience.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“We also believe that the new generation of Resident Coordinators, with a broad horizontal vision of the situation in one given county, could contribute to the Security Council’s discussions on how to address situations of fragility and better prevent violent conflict and contribute to building resilience within countries and communities towards sustained peace. Early-warning signs can be better detected and addressed when working in partnership. The Security Council can deepen its synergy with other United Nations partners. To the already mentioned Resident Coordinators, we should add the Peacebuilding Commission and its well-known advisory role to the Council, but also other United Nations bodies. The Secretary-General himself engages regularly with the Council.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Again, a better-informed Council will enable it to improve support to prevention or mitigation measures, be it mediation, transitional justice processes, inclusive sustainable development with special attention to Sustainable Development Goal 16, creating space for civil society and other non-governmental actors or addressing human rights issues. It does not necessarily mean that the Council or the United Nations themselves must take action: other actors, such as regional or subregional organizations, may be more relevant. In the same spirit, Belgium is also in favour of inviting more civil society briefers, including from private companies and universities, to Council meetings to add a different perspective to the discussion.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“The United Nations needs to report on this issue, while the Council needs to be better informed and act on it. The Council’s informal expert group on climate and security, which has just been created, will play an instrumental role. More broadly, Belgium believes that the Council should remain alert to all early-warning signs. Belgium is in favour of the Council regularly receiving ad hoc briefings by the Secretariat outlining certain countries’ and regions’ risks for triggering or exacerbating root causes of fragility, conflict or humanitarian crisis, while taking into account elements of conflict sensitivity.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“Belgium thanks His Excellency Mr. Kaïs Saïed, President of the Republic of Tunisia, for the opportunity to discuss this topic. Indeed, Belgium believes that the Security Council cannot turn a blind eye to factors exacerbating the multiple dimensions of fragility, which can lead to situations of instability, turmoil and even violent conflict. Undeniably, one such factor is climate change. This phenomenon can reinforce existing social, political, economic and environmental drivers of conflict and worsen existing vulnerabilities and inequalities. Belgium supports an increased role for the Security Council to address climate-related security risks. Belgium’s primary focus has been on mainstreaming these risks into relevant Council action, for instance, by making Security Council mandates climate-sensitive.”
2021-01-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/24 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, Belgium encourages all the parties concerned to bravely return to the path of diplomacy, trust and multilateralism, with a view to reaching collective solutions, which are in the interests of all.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“In that regard, we welcome the determined efforts of the remaining participating States — France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, China and Iran, as well as the European Union — in the context of the dispute resolution mechanism and the Joint Commission. Only yesterday, on (21 December, in a joint statement, the Foreign Ministers of these countries expressed their resolve to address the current challenges related to the implementation of the JCPO in terms of nuclear non-proliferation and the lifting of sanctions. Belgium echoes the 7 December joint statement by France, Germany and the United Kingdom in welcoming the encouraging announcements by President-elect Biden in favour of American re-engagement in the Plan.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“Thirdly, the JCPOA must bring economic benefits to the Iranian people. That is and must remain one of its central objectives. Especially amid the current pandemic, the importance of that aim could not be clearer. In that regard, Belgium welcomes the establishment of the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges by its European partners — France, Germany and the United Kingdom. That instrument aims to facilitate trade with Iran, and my country joined it in November 2019, alongside Denmark, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden. Other countries could follow. We must not give in to pessimism on account of those challenges. On the contrary, the diplomatic road remains open and the lights are green for re-engagement.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“Secondly, the Plan has suffered due to the United States withdrawal in May 2018 and the various actions it has taken to date, which not only undermine the central objectives of the Plan but effectively prevent other Members of the United Nations from implementing its provisions. At the same time, we regret the increasing non-compliance by Iran with its nuclear obligations, in particular the law recently adopted by the Iranian Parliament — the Majlis — that could pave the way to the significant development of Iran’s enrichment programme and reduced access for the IAEA. Those measures are incompatible with the JCPOA and with our Iranian partners’ nuclear commitments.Belgium therefore calls for the return of the United States to the JCPOA. It urges Iran to end its “less for less” policy and restore the integrity of its nuclear commitments.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“First, I must join my European partners and echo their concerns about the arms transfers by Iran and its ballistics programme. Those behaviours remain incompatible with the provisions of resolution 2231 (2015) until 18 October 2020 with regard to arms transfers. However, it would be foolish to believe those challenges could be solved in isolation, without taking into account the regional security context. Belgium therefore encourages any regional approach to dialogue, cooperation and ultimately the construction of a regional security architecture. That idea is not new. The time has come to implement it in practical terms, and the debate organized by the Russian presidency of the Council on 20 October was an opportunity to reflect upon that together (see S/2020/1037).”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“Secondly, the Plan is a landmark of multilateralism. Negotiated by the five permanent members of the Council, accompanied by Germany, Iran and the European Union, the JCPOA is more than a nuclear agreement; it is a tool for building trust and the result of 12 years of intense diplomatic activity based on dialogue and respect among the parties. Thirdly, the Plan is one of the great successes of nuclear non-proliferation. It occupies a prime place in the non-proliferation architecture, as patiently built and guaranteed by the international community since the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 1970. Those achievements should not, however, obscure the challenges facing the Plan today. I will cite three.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“At the outset, allow me to thank Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo and Mr. Olof Skoog for their briefings. A leitmotif emerges from their statements: a resolute commitment in favour of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), adopted by the international community in 2015. That commitment is also shared by the vast majority of the members of the Security Council, including my country, Belgium. I see three main reasons for that, which were also mentioned by our briefers. First, since its entry into force the JCPOA has ensured the transparency and the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. Specifically, on the ground, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors ensure that constant monitoring, thanks to the most comprehensive inspection system in the world and thanks to Iran’s cooperation.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“I cannot but commend all interested parties that have shown restraint and a great willingness to cooperate in order to reach consensus on my report. In that collaborative approach, I see some hope for the future. In that regard, I would like to echo the support expressed by the Secretary- General and the Coordinator of the Joint Commission for maintaining the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In conclusion, I recall paragraph 2 of resolution 2231 (2015), which “calls upon all Member States, regional organizations and international organizations to take such actions as may be appropriate to support the implementation of the JCPOA, including by taking actions commensurate with the implementation plan set out in the JCPOA and this resolution and by refraining from actions that undermine implementation of commitments under the JCPOA”.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“Subsequently, 13 members of the Security Council expressed differing views on that letter. All communications submitted in that regard by interested parties, including the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Secretary-General, are duly reflected in my report, as well as the subsequent statement by the President of the Security Council in August. Secondly, according to annex B, the sanctions against arms transfers to and from the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the travel ban, expired on 18 October 2020. Differing stances on that matter, too, were expressed by Member States in letters circulated during the reporting period. The divergent views on those two points touch on issues that lie at the heart of the JCPOA and of resolution 2231 (2015).”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“The various letters distributed under the 2231 format reflect the state of the deliberations among the parties concerned. Those communications are listed S/2020/1324 and summarized in detail in my report, together with the responses issued by the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations. Two aspects in particular caught the attention of Member States during the reporting period. First, on 20 August 2020 the Secretary of State of the United States of America addressed a letter to the President of the Security Council (S/2020/815), indicating that the United States was initiating the process described in paragraphs 11 and 12 of resolution 2231 (2015), which would lead to the reintroduction of the measures that had been lifted pursuant to paragraph 7 (a).”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source
“Those communications included the two regular quarterly reports issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during the reporting period in September (S/2020/1003, enclosure) and November 2020 (S/2020/1138, enclosure), as well as four updates in July (S/2020/1002, enclosure), October (S/2020/1137, enclosure), November (S/2020/1139, enclosure) and December 2020. I cannot overstate the value of the central, impartial, factual and professional role played by the Agency, which continues to verify and monitor the activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran pursuant to resolution 2231 (2015). Throughout my mandate, it was my ambition to support the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015) on behalf of the Security Council by focusing on three specific areas: dialogue, transparency and maintaining the supply chain.”
2020-12-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1324 (2020) · source