YouSaid · the spoken record

Pierce

lines on the record

1,742

first

2006-06-20

most recent

2020-03-12

sittings or episodes

239

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

1. “It is a subterranean current that perniciously undercuts efforts at peace, reconciliation and community rebuilding, and in many cases it causes those efforts to collapse. From my own experience in Kabul, I know what it does to the willingness of individuals to go along with Governments trying to do the right thing when they see lower-level officials trying to shake them down for the most basic human services. Losses from corruption total some $1 trillion dollars a year. Corruption holds back economic development, it undermines the provision of public services and it stokes grievances and, ultimately, conflict. Kofi Annan, in 2003, called it an "insidious plague" (A/58/PV50, p. 12). The links between conflict and corruption are well established. We heard some examples of that today.”

   2018-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8346 (2018) · source

2. “I want to thank you, Madam President, for putting this very important issue on the Council's agenda today. I want to thank the Secretary-General for his insightful words. I also want to thank Mr. Prendergast. I was very interested in what he had to say about the three primary issues that need to be addressed, about how sanctions need to be extended to networks and about system change. As the Council considers some of the issues before it, I hope we will be able to follow some of his prescriptions and debate how we can more productively tackle corruption. Corruption is pervasive. We agree with those who spoken so far that it causes and exacerbates conflict. But even more importantly, it is a major obstacle to economic growth and poverty alleviation.”

   2018-09-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8346 (2018) · source

3. “I will not touch on the issue of chemical weapons because we addressed it in the Chamber yesterday (see S/PV.8344). I would like to end by echoing the comments made by the representative of Equatorial Guinea with regard to the primary importance of the political process and bringing an end to this cruel war.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

4. “We are also backing new technology that provides civilians with early warnings, in the hope of saving lives in communities bombarded by air strikes. Thanks to that, we believe we have been able to warn more than 2 million people and have reduced casualties by up to 27 per cent in areas under heavy bombardment. However, donors should not have to do that. Donors are not a substitute for the Syrian regime, with Russian support, stopping the campaign against their own civilians. I would like to conclude by reiterating that we support Turkey's efforts to reach a peaceful solution and avert a humanitarian catastrophe. We call on Russia to do more to restrain the Syrian authorities from attacking Idlib and to bring about de-escalation. We also call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

5. “Tiger Forces are likely deployed to the south-east side, and their commander is Brigadier General Suheil "The Tiger" Al-Hassan. Then we think that there are also Second Corps and Fifth Corps units in the area, and the commander we know about for that is Major General Aous Aslan. As I say, if there is a major offensive against Idlib, then, in addition to the Syrian regime, those commanders and units will be held accountable by the international community. If I may, I would like to say a word about the aid package for Idlib. The United Kingdom has announced an additional aid package to ensure that the most vulnerable receive the medical treatment, food, water and support they desperately need. The $15 million in new aid includes support to medical centres and mobile clinics and psychological support.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

6. “1 would like to make very clear that if there is a major offensive against civilians, with mass civilian casualties in Idlib, then those are the people that the international community will be holding accountable for those abuses and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Our understanding is that the overall head of the Syrian army is the Minister of Defence, General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, but the primary unit deployed to the Idlib area is the 4th Armoured Division to the west side of Idlib. Maher Al-Assad is the overall commander of that unit, but we believe that Major General Ali Mahmoud is the Deputy Commander. We understand that the Syrian Republican Guard is probably deployed to the east side, around Abu Al-Duhur, and that its commander is Major General Talal Makhlouf.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

7. “We too in Britain know what it is like to suffer from terrorism, but those figures are very stark. I would just like to echo what the Minister said about the doctrine of proportionality, discrimination and precaution. The Secretary-General has been clear that the systematic use of indiscriminate weapons in populated areas may amount to war crimes. We should be crystal clear about that. There are more babies in Idlib than there are terrorists, and I think that should give those engaging in military action pause for thought. The last time we discussed the issue of the military side, we were in the consultations room and I read out our understanding of which Syrian military units were in the vicinity of Idlib. In echoing the Secretary-General's call, I would like to read those units out in the Chamber.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

8. “We hope that Russia and Iran will use their influence to live up to their commitments to uphold the de-escalation arrangements that they have agreed, and we urge them to do so and to reach a negotiated way forward with Turkey. If there is anything that my Government can do to assist in that process, we will happily do it. On the military situation, like other speakers we are very concerned at the reports in the past few days of dozens ofRussian air strikes against areas ofIdlib. Local monitoring organizations have reported 38 civilian casualties as a result of the strikes on 4 September alone. I have already said that nearly 3 million civilians are at risk of their lives in Idlib. The United Nations estimates that there are at a maximum 15,000 fighters for the terrorist groups, which is 0.5 per cent of the total population.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

9. “We are very grateful to those humanitarian organizations and workers who are making tireless efforts in the most difficult circumstances to provide aid to people across Idlib. Once again, we are reminded of the importance of cross-border assistance as a critical lifeline for civilians who otherwise cannot be reached. We very much support the urgent diplomatic efforts being made by Turkey and the United Nations to deal with Idlib, both on the civilian side and on the humanitarian side. The fate ofnearly 3 million people is at stake, and we would very much appreciate a briefing on Astana. I suspect that is not possible today, but if it were possible we would appreciate a briefing from the Department of Political Affairs.”

   2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

10. “I thank the Special Envoy. I also thank John Ging very much, as well as the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kuwait for being here with us today. This is a terrible situation. I think that what we are hearing today is very strong support for the primacy of the political process, as well as a very strong appeal for there not to be an all-out military offensive against civilians in Idlib. I would just like to echo those two things right out front before I go into the bulk of my remarks. I think the French representative put it very well when he talked about the importance of this issue for international peace and security. I want to begin by again thanking the Special Envoy and his team for everything they do, and obviously the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.”

    2018-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8345 (2018) · source

11. “We have demonstrated that we will respond swiftly and appropriately to any further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, which has already had such devastating humanitarian consequences for the Syrian population. Once again, I join others in urging Russia to use its influence to ensure that chemical weapons are not used against civilians in Syria. Either Russia calls for restraint or Russia will be deemed complicit in their use when these weapons are used. I want to conclude, ifI may, by saying that I could not agree more with the representative of Equatorial Guinea about the primacy of the political process, and I hope that those efforts can be redoubled over the coming weeks.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8344 (2018) · source

12. “Ijust find it unconscionable, that after all these years, in the hundredth anniversary year of the end of the First World War, that any Government can even think of using chemical weapons against its own people or, indeed, against anyone else, whether they are a small city in Britain or a country like Syria. I reject everything that the Russian Ambassador said about aggression on the part of three permament members of the Security Council. What France, the United Kingdom and the United States are aiming to do is to uphold the rules-based international order. People who worry about action by our three Governments should take every possible step to ensure that chemical weapons are not used, and then there will be no problem at all.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8344 (2018) · source

13. “I hope that the Syrian representative will be able to give us an explanation for that today. Turning to the risk of the use of chemical weapons over Idlib, and taking into account what the Russian representative said, Agatha Christie was a fiction writer. What is fact is that the Syrian authorities have been found to have used chemical weapons against their own people. What we hear from the Russian Ambassador is an inversion of the facts, an inversion of the concern for the protection of civilians that the Council has mandated, an inversion of what the rules-based international order of multilateralism is all about, and fundamentally, an inversion of what Governments are supposed to do as their first duty to protect their people and to keep their people safe.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8344 (2018) · source

14. “After more than four years of work by the Declaration Assessment Team, the OPCW is still unable to verify that the Syrian declaration is accurate. We have heard many times that there are "gaps, inconsistencies and discrepancies" in Syria's account of its declaration under the CWC. Those are substantive points. I do not think that the Council really understands why it is so difficult to resolve this issue. If a State Member of the United Nations were acting in good faith under the Chemical Weapons Convention, these issues would be capable of being resolved, but we still find ourselves confronting them in this Chamber, meeting after meeting. I would also like to state that the last report (see S/2018/745) noted that the list of issues had even increased rather than decreased, and I would like to know why.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8344 (2018) · source

15. “As other speakers have done, we reiterate that the use of chemical weapons is a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and that it constitutes a threat to international peace and security. I was very interested in what the High Representative had to say about the review by the OPCW of the Syrian chemical weapons disclosure. I think that she is right to say that some important steps have been made in implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, and that there are some very important outstanding issues. As of March, the OPCW Fact-finding Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic had confirmed 13 cases of likely chemical weapons use in Syria since it was established in 2014. In terms of allegations, the Fact- finding Mission has recorded at least 390.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8344 (2018) · source

16. “I thank the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs for her briefing and for all the work that she is doing on this issue with her team. Through her, allow me to thank the staff ofthe Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. Like other speakers, we remain deeply concerned about the escalating military action by the Syrian authorities and Russia in north-western Syria. This puts millions of civilians at risk, and the Security Council will discuss that tomorrow. But in that context, we are here today because we are seriously concerned by the potential for further illegal use of chemical weapons in any Syrian regime offensive in Idlib.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8344 (2018) · source

17. “But as you, Madam, our French colleagues and the United Kingdom have made clear, we will uphold our international responsibilities and we will uphold the international commitments and obligations that the international community has laid down. In conclusion, the world is poorer owing to the fact that Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, will not join us in doing precisely that to uphold the international order.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

18. “I would hope that the Russians would respect the Council, engage on the facts and accept the compelling evidence of Russian complicity in this crime. As regards the British allegations against Russia about Douma, I think again that this shows that many Russian authorities work in a parallel universe where facts and international norms are inverted. We abhor the use of chemical weapons. We take our responsibilities under the Chemical Weapons Convention extremely seriously. We call on the Syrian authorities and the Russian authorities who work with them not to use chemical weapons against their own people and not to repeat the experience of eastern Ghouta and Douma.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

19. “In fact, as I have told the Council, we did pass on the details from the Russian Consulate in London to Yulia Skripal, and it was her wishes that we followed in all subsequent contact. I am glad to say that Yulia is making a good recovery. We have had no other thought in our dealings with her than her welfare and her wishes. We are now up to some 37 accounts from Russia as to why and how Salisbury took place. I think that none of them hold water. We believe that the evidence we have presented speaks for itself, but I repeat that I am very happy to give any Member of the United Nations that would so wish a briefing on that. We should recall that a woman has died, two people have narrowly escaped death, a whole city was placed at risk, and the global chemical-weapon non-proliferation regime has also been placed at risk.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

20. “You especially do not do that when the fire is one that the arsonist caused. I was asked about GRU operatives using fake names. The names may be fake but the crimes are real. The time for lies and discrimination has passed, and it is now time for truth and accountability. We have not assumed that the Russians are guilty. We have done an investigation. The assumption of guilt over innocence may happen in the Russian judicial system. It does not happen in the United Kingdom's, but I do think there is an interesting question for the Russian authorities as to whether the GRU operatives were incompetent in what they did to leave traces or whether they were rogue. I think that is an important angle to think about. We were accused of not granting consular access to the Skripals.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

21. “I was also asked about cooperation with the Russian authorities. I would like to recall for Council colleagues that when this episode first happened in March, my Government went to the Russian authorities and asked for their cooperation. We were given a reply that the request for cooperation was null and void. We would have been happy to collaborate with the Russian authorities at the time. We have indicated our willingness to do so since that point, but in fact what we have seen is a diversion into avenues that are not relevant to this particular case. I think that is a great pity. The Russians also asked us if they could join the investigation once it was under way. I have said before in this Chamber, and I repeat it, that you do not recruit an arsonist to put out a fire.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

22. “I was asked about inconsistencies in the evidence identifying the two Russian individuals as Russian Military Intelligence Service (GRU) operatives. We have closed-circuit television footage. We are happy to share those images with colleagues. To take one instance, the Russian Ambassador mentioned that there was a time stamp in the same corridor for both individuals. I do not know if the Ambassador has been to Gatwick Airport. We have been to Gatwick Airport. There are multiple identical corridors through which people can go. That is what happened to the two Russians. We are confident in our evidence, and I am very happy to talk to any colleague. Indeed, any member of the General Assembly who has doubts about the evidence is very welcome to come and have a briefing at the British Mission.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

23. “I thank colleagues for the views and expressions of solidarity and support. I also thank those colleagues who repeated their revulsion at the use of chemical weapons wherever and whenever it occurs. I just want to make it very clear that the United Kingdom shares that position about bolstering the international prohibition on the use of chemical weapons. I was asked a number of questions, Madam President, so with your permission I will respond briefly. I was asked about the investigation. I would just like to recall for my colleagues that in the United Kingdom, the police are independent of Government. The investigation has been independent. The one into the murder of Dawn Sturgess, which is ongoing, is also independent. We believe that it is methodical and comprehensive.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

24. “We continue to hold out hope that we will once again enjoy a strong partnership with the Government of that great nation. We fought alongside Russian troops in the Second World War. But we will respond robustly when our security is threatened, the lives of our citizens are endangered and the norms and rules of international law and the international system are flouted in such a brazen and reckless manner. We stand with our partners and allies. We are determined to continue to disrupt together the hostile activities of foreign intelligence networks on our territories. We will uphold the prohibition of chemical weapons. We will protect our citizens. And we will defend ourselves from all forms of maligned State activity directed against us and our societies.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

25. “Allow me to summarize the steps that we believe should now be taken by the international community. We need to work together to strengthen the Chemical Weapons Convention against the use of chemical weapons around the world, which we saw most recently violated on the streets of the United Kingdom. We need to build further the capability of the OPCW to attribute the use of chemical weapons. There can be no place for such incidents as Salisbury again. We need to shine a light on the use of State agencies to undermine the rule of law and interfere in the domestic lives of other countries' citizens. And we need to make the best use of our established methods, including sanctions, in curbing threats to our societies and our ways of life. As Theresa May emphasized yesterday, the United Kingdom has no quarrel with the Russian people.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

26. “One P-5 member has but undertaken a pattern of behaviour that showed that it tried to murder the Skripals, played dice with the lives of the people of Salisbury and work in a parallel universe where the normal rules of international affairs are inverted. That is a direct challenge to the rules-based international system, which has kept all of us safe, including Russia, since 1945. In the face of such behaviour, the international community needs to continue to defend the laws, norms and institutions that safeguard our citizens against chemical weapons and safeguard them against the threat of hostile foreign interference. That is why the British Prime Minister yesterday set out the importance of using transparent multilateral mechanisms to identify and hold malign actors to account.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

27. “The GRU has time and again been responsible for Russian interference in other countries' affairs, and most recently we saw a United States indictments of GRU individuals in relation to the 2016 Democratic National Committee hack. Now, in the light of the evidence from Salisbury, we see that GRU activity also encompasses the use of an illegal military-grade nerve agent on European soil. The five permanent members of the Security Council (P-S) bear a particular responsibility to uphold global norms and international law, and all the more so where weapons of mass destruction are concerned. One P-5 member has not upheld those important norms.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

28. “That was a proportionate and direct response to deter and degrade Russia's ability to conduct further operations in future and to reduce its ability to use the GRU network to cause our citizens harm. We have clear evidence of Russian State involvement in what happened in Salisbury and the use of chemical warfare - reckless involvement endangering the lives of many citizens, and reckless involvement engangering the universal prohibition on the use of chemical weapons. As the Council has discussed before, there is an established pattern of maligned Russian behaviour perpetrated by military and intelligence agencies overseas, examples of which are the October 2016 coup attempt in Montenegro, the June 2017 NotPetya cyberattack, which caused an estimated $1.2 billion in damage worldwide, and other cyberattacks.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

29. “It is clear that the Russian State does not permit the extradition of Russian nationals, and I understand that is a prohibition in the Russian Constitution. Therefore, with respect to those two individuals, we have obtained a European arrest warrant and we will shortly issue an INTERPOL Red Notice. Should either of those individuals ever gain travel outside Russia, we will take every step open to us to detain them, extradite them and bring them to face justice in the United Kingdom. We responded at the time to Russian behaviour robustly. The Council will recall that we were joined by 28 partners and NATO in expelling more than 150 Russian intelligence officers.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

30. “Russian statements have said that former Russian agents are, if you like, fair game for assassination. Those arguments have now been firmly reinforced by the clear evidence of the involvement of identified Russian nationals travelling to the United Kingdom from Moscow and returning there on Russian passports. That evidence has been sufficient for our independent prosecuting authorities to bring criminal charges in relation to the Salisbury attack and to issue European arrest warrants. Those two individuals are no longer in the United Kingdom. Were they with us, those two suspects, within United Kingdom jurisdiction, would be liable to arrest on a clear basis in law for their attempted murder crimes.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

31. “That was moments before the attack took place, which involved placing the substance on the Skripal's front door handle. Should any Council member wish, we can share copies of those images. Furthermore, testing of the hotel where the pair stayed in London revealed the presence of traces of the Novichok substance in their hotel room. Based on a thorough analysis of our intelligence, the United Kingdom Government has concluded that the two individuals named by the police investigation are in fact officers from the Russian Military Intelligence Service, also known as the GRU. That is a body of the Russian State. When we briefed the Council before, we attributed responsibility to Russia on the basis of technical means, operational experience - and I recall the case of Litvinenko here - and motive.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

32. “We have thus independently concluded that there is enough evidence to bring charges against two Russian nationals for the following crimes: conspiracy to murder Sergei Skripal; attempted murder of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey; use and possession of Novichok; and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey. The investigation into the murder of Dawn Sturgess remains ongoing. The evidence reveals the following. It shows the arrival of two individuals travelling under the names of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov to the United Kingdom from Russia. CCTV and other evidence records their travel to and from Salisbury and, crucially, there are images that clearly places them in the vicinity ofthe Skripal's house at 11:58 am. on Sunday, 4 March.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

33. “That investigation has involved approximately 250 detectives, who have trawled through more than 11,000 hours of closed- circuit television (CCTV) footage and have taken more than 1,400 statements. Working around the clock, they have carried out painstaking and methodical work to ascertain exactly which individuals were responsible and the methods they used to carry out the attack. That evidence has been independently reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service, and it has concluded there is a sufficient basis to bring charges.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

34. “Independent experts of the OPCW have confirmed the identifications as Novichok nerve agents, and it is the exact same chemical that was used in both attacks. It stretches credulity that the identification of such a nerve agent twice in close proximity could be a coincidence. We have previously shared with the Council the information about the Russian foliant programme from the 20005, but to recap briefly, there was development of Novichok outside the Chemical Weapons Convention, and Russian agents were trained in assassination techniques, including the use of such agents on door handles. In the United Kingdom, the police are independent of Government, and they have been conducting a painstaking forensic investigation.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

35. “Her partner, Charlie Rowley was also exposed to the nerve agent and became seriously ill. Police have identified that Sturgess and Rowley came into contact with a counterfeit perfume bottle that had been discarded in Salisbury. Tests of that bottle after its recovery by police confirmed it contained a significant amount of highly lethal Novichok nerve agent. On 4 September, the OPCW's independent expert laboratories again confirmed the United Kingdom's identification of the Novichok nerve agent with a very high level of purity. I remind Council members that the very high level of purity means that it will have been made by a State. The inquiry into the Amesbury incident has now been formally linked by the police with the attempted murder of the Skripals.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

36. “On Sunday, 4 March, Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in the city centre after being poisoned by a Novichok nerve agent. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, a Wiltshire police officer, was also seriously ill after having been exposed to a nerve agent. Following that attack, the United Kingdom notified the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and invited it to confirm the identity of the substance involved, while we briefed members of the Security Council. The OPCW's independent expert laboratories confirmed the United Kingdom's identification of the Novichok nerve agent. Thankfully, the Skripals are recovering. But, on 30 June, 44 year-old mother of three, Dawn Sturgess, fell ill in the nearby town of Amesbury after being exposed to Novichok. Sadly, she died on 8 July.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

37. “I want to thank you, Madam President, for scheduling this meeting today at short notice following the announcements in the United Kingdom yesterday. When the Security Council last met on this issue, on 18 April (see S/PV.8237), I undertook to update the Council in the light of significant developments. My Prime Minister's full statement to Parliament was circulated to the Security Council as document S/2018/814. As the British Prime Minister announced yesterday in Parliament, the United Kingdom has reached a significant conclusion in the Salisbury chemical weapons investigation. I will come to that later, but first I will provide a brief summary of what happened in Salisbury earlier this year.”

    2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8343 (2018) · source

38. “The priority now is to repair infrastructure, honour contractual obligations and, having lifted the state of emergency in eastern Libya, to restore oil exports and production. It is very important that the Council remain in very close touch with the Special Representative, given the situation on the ground. We are very happy to do that if Council members would find it helpful. We are also ready to circulate a draft press statement.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source

39. “Failure to sort that out will cause further stagnation and the only people who will lose are the Libyan people. We call on Libya's leaders to work together to address the suffering of the Libyan people while the election preparations are under way. They urgently need to agree economic reforms and unify Libya's economic institutions to ensure a more equitable distribution of wealth across the country. We also encourage progress on the Prime Minister's request to enhance transparency in the Central Bank of Libya. Finally, I should like to say a word about oil. We welcome the resolution of recent events in the oil crescent, and we welcome the fact that Libya's National Oil Corporation is continuing its vital work on behalf of all Libyans.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source

40. “The counter-terrorism threat is, of course, a very important issue, but Ijust wanted to register our concern at the humanitarian situation in Derna, to emphasize the need to allow humanitarian access for the civilian population, and to say that those responsible for human rights abuses will need to be held to account. Based on that, we have a number of action points that we would like to call for today. The first call is on all Libyan parties to refrain from actions that undermine the ceasefire announcement, jeopardize the security of civilians or set back Libyan efforts to advance the political process. The second is to call on the House of Representatives to deliver progress on a constitutional basis for the elections. What we heard from the Special Representative about the problem was frankly dismaying.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source

41. “A more inclusive political statement would help bring greater stability to Libya. That is a truism, but the whole point of truisms is that they are correct. The Secretary-General's report (S/2018/780) of 24 August on UNSMIL rightly highlights the need for progress on the implementation of the United Nations action plan. I also want to express the United Kingdom's support for elections this year. Elections are an important part of Libya's transition, but it will be necessary to ensure that sufficient political security and that technical preparations be made, so that they have the effect of uniting Libya. It will be important to ensure that a robust legal framework is in place and that there is sufficient political consensus to avoid exacerbating existing divisions in Libya.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source

42. “However, I think from what the Special Representative of the Secretary-General said, it is very clear that there is a lot more to be done and that there are a lot of underlying factors that really need to be tackled. I want to set out our very strong support for the Special Representative. We need a durable cessation of hostilities in Tripoli. That is a critical step to advancing the political process, in accordance with the United Nations action plan. We call on all parties to cease hostilities and immediately abide by the ceasefire agreement brokered by the United Nations. We reiterate our support for the Presidency Council and the Government of National Accord as they work with the United Nations to promote reconciliation and a Libyan-led political process. That is underscored even more by the events in Tripoli.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source

43. “I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General not only for his very sobering briefing, but also for all his work on Libya. Through him, we would pass on our thanks to his team. The first point I would like to make is to strongly condemn the escalation of violence in and around Tripoli that has caused many casualties and endangered the lives of innocent civilians. That does not help the Libyan people, and it also does not help the cause of Libya's stability. While the results of the mediation efforts reached yesterday in Tripoli by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) are very welcome, we hope that they will help us to de-escalate the violence and ensure the protection of civilians.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source

44. “We are here today for all the arguments Ambassador Alotaibi and I set out at the beginning - we want to see stability, we want the violence to end and we hope and urge the Nicaraguan Government to engage meaningfully in an inclusive and constructive dialogue and to ensure that all human rights transgressions are fully investigated.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source

45. “I would like to urge the Nicaraguan Government to reconsider that decision, to permit the OAS working group to enter the Nicaragua to carry out its important work and not to impede the work of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts established by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. In conclusion, a return to peace and security in Nicaragua benefits not only the people of Nicaragu but also the whole region. We heard from the Russian representative a long catalogue of history. History is important. It provides context, but it is not the reason we are here today.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source

46. “I once again urge the Nicaragua Government to fulfil its commitment to engaging sincerely in a dialogue, including by ensuring peaceful conditions for the dialogue to resume. Turning to the OAS, the United Kingdom supports its work. We also support the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and of course the United Nations, in attempting to resolve the current crisis. Those organizations have important roles to play in supporting dialogue and ensuring that human rights transgressions are fully investigated. I referred earlier to the expulsion of OHCHR. That followed the publication of its report on human rights violations and abuses in the context of protests in Nicaragua.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source

47. “Again, we urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the right to a fair trial and prisoners' right to due process, a proper defence and to respect the rights of their families. Looking ahead, I think we are all aware that the challenges in Nicaragua can be overcome only through a meaningful and inclusive dialogue that addresses the legitimate concerns of the protesters. The United Kingdom was encouraged by the establishment of a national dialogue in May. We welcome the role that the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua was able to play in convening that dialogue and mediating, but we regret that the dialogue has had many breaks because of the violence, and the recent decision by the Government to abandon the process is very regrettable.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source

48. “We call on the Nicaraguan Government to demobilize paramilitary groups and to end the repression against its citizens. We have been alarmed by the many reports we have seen that give rise to human rights concern. Those include the use of live ammunition against protesters. We call for those reports to be thoroughly investigated. Maintaining press freedoms is always important. It is particularly so during times of unrest. We urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect those freedoms and to allow the independent press to report freely, without suffering persecution and harassment. And we are very concerned at reports of violence against independent media outlets, journalists and their families. I would also like to register our deep concern about reports of arbitrary detentions of dissenters.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source

49. “I am not making a judgement that it is destabilizing but, as we heard from the Kuwaiti representative, the Council has the responsibility to investigate situations that may give rise to those implications - and I stress the word "may". I think that is exactly what we are doing today. My Government has been watching the events in Nicaragua very closely. We regret the loss of life that has occurred since the protests began in April, and we call for an end to the violence and for the Government of Nicaragua to comply with its international human rights obligations. Those obligations include the people's right to freedom of expression and to demonstrate peacefully and lawfully. We have been deeply concerned by the excessive use of force by the authorities and pro-Government paramilitaries against the people of Nicaragua.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source

50. “I think that is a very important fact, independent of the points regarding regional organizations and Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations. The Council needs to defend the United Nations entities. Therefore, even if there were no other reason, we would support discussing this issue today. Lastly, I note that there has been a situation of refugees created. By definition, refugees cross international borders. It is therefore right that the Council should be able to debate the implications of that act, which may or may not constitute an unfriendly act, but also risks being destabilizing to international peace and security.”

    2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8340 (2018) · source