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

“One statistic that really struck me was one provided by the World Bank, which estimates that 720 million people are at risk of being pushed into poverty by climate change by 2050. That is not only a shocking statistic in itself; it also means that climate change would reverse much of the progress made in the first quarter of the twenty-first century. We are therefore working against ourselves if we do not act to address the topic. That is in addition to the fact that there will be other consequences of conflict and instability that arise from climate change. My Prime Minister, Theresa May, has gone on record to say that there is a clear moral imperative for developed economies to help those who stand to lose most from the consequences of climate change.”
2018-07-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8307 (2018) · source
“We in the United Kingdom will work as hard as we can with Sweden and other partners in an attempt to assist the United Nations in finding answers to the points raised by various Ministers today. This topic must be considered holistically throughout the United Nations system. We very much welcome some of the ideas that you, Madam President, and the representative of Netherlands have outlined. The interplay between climate and security is not an abstract theoretical risk. If we do not manage climate change, it will threaten lives, livelihoods and economies across the globe. Along with migration, it will begin to have an impact on all economies, including those not directly affected by climate change.”
2018-07-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8307 (2018) · source
“It is hoped that today's meeting will provide us with a renewed sense of commitment to taking action. I would like in particular to welcome the remarks made earlier by the Minister of Water Resources of Iraq about joint cooperation with neighbouring countries in an attempt to solve some of the resource problems that flow from climate change. As many others here would agree, it was Ms. Ibrahim's briefing about her people that was the most compelling. She painted a very graphic picture of the link between development and security, what it means on the ground for ordinary families and how vulnerable they are to developments, such as terrorist acts, because of the incredibly stark and unfair choices they face. I thank her for bringing that to the Council's attention.”
2018-07-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8307 (2018) · source
“May I once again thank and congratulate Sweden for selecting such a good menu of themes for us to discuss in the Security Council. I was here in 2007 for the first Security Council climate change debate (see S/PV.5663), and I think that today's discussion is already shaping up to be a very worthy continuation in that area. It is obvious that there is a great deal of common ground. I thank the Ministers who have taken the time to be present here in the Council today to share their very interesting, compelling and sad stories. The Earth is known as the Blue Planet but many of today's speakers have described the way in which the most iconic geographic features of the planet are being irredeemably affected by climate change, which serves as an important warning to us all.”
2018-07-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8307 (2018) · source
“The Sahel region, as we heard, has one of the highest rates of child, early and forced marriage in the world. The barriers to girls enjoying a proper education are very severe, and the United Kingdom has therefore been concentrating on what we call the Girls Education Challenge, and is already working to support 15 million girls in achieving a quality education. We are also one of the largest donors to Education Cannot Wait, of which Chad is one of the four initial investment countries. Ijust wanted to give a snapshot of some of the things we have been doing, and also to say how much we share your view, Madam President, that this is an absolutely critical part of being able to embed peace, security and stability in an important region.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“If there are other colleagues in the United Nations who would like to know more about that, or even contribute with us, we would be very happy to work with them on that. You, Madam President, particularly mentioned education and girls' education, and that is also a subject that we spoke about yesterday under the heading of children in armed conflict. I wouldjust like to highlight the fact that in the Sahel, millions of children and young people are out of school, thanks to the presence of terrorist groups and militias, the conflict between farmers and herders and the difficult economic situation that many families are experiencing. Ofcourse, girls are particularly affected, sometimes because of very basic issues, such as a lack of hygiene facilities in schools to accommodate girls' particular needs.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“From our perspective, we concentrate a lot on providing reproductive-health services to displaced populations and refugees, and we are prioritizing access to voluntary family planning for future support. We spend a lot of our programme funds on climate and environment resilience in eastern Chad, and the Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters programme commits to 50 per cent women beneficiaries and includes a component on gender-based violence. All those things are contributing, I hope, to what we are talking about today. We also have a partnership with France, arising out of the Anglo-French summit in January, for working on gender within the Sahel Alliance, supporting greater mainstreaming on gender across the work of the Alliance.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“It would be very good to hear from the countries concerned about what can be done to address that particular issue. Turning specifically to the Sahel, the United Kingdom is increasing its regional presence there. We opened a mission in Chad in March. As I understand it, Chad and the Niger, sadly, sit at the bottom of the gender-equality index and that is why we in the United Kingdom want to do more to help those colleagues develop women's empowerment. I think the efforts that the Security Council, the United Nations system, the African Union and the Group of Five for the Sahel themselves have undertaken so far to ensure that we can fine-tune adequate measures to empower women are a very good step forward.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“So we do everyone a favour by intensifying the link between women's participation in economic life and the foundation of peace and security. From our perspective, we would like to see even more effort dedicated to integrating a gender perspective in strategies, including those about countering violent extremism, and we would like to see more women's involvement in policy planning, right on the ground floor. I think that was one ofthe conclusions of the Informal Expert Group on Women, Peace and Security in June. We heard a lot yesterday in the open debate on children in armed conflict (see S/PV.8305) about the disproportionate stigmatizing of women returnees when they go back to their communities, and I think that is worth putting on the table again today.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“I would like to say that we in the United Kingdom fully share your goal, Madam, of having full delivery of resolution 1325 (2000) by 2020. You can count on Britain to work with you here and at the United Nations Office in Geneva to realize that. As other speakers have hinted, the question of women's economic empowerment, their enjoyment of human rights and their role within their families and communities is something that should be nurtured and curated. This is not just a moral issue but also an economic and a prosperity issue. The countries that make proper use of and develop all the talents of their people will thrive. I think the Kazakh Ambassador set it out very well when he talked about the link between security and development.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“They cannot be everywhere, but I think they have made an very good start on this occasion. I was particularly interested in the assessment of the level of women's participation in decision-making and in peace and development processes, and I was struck by the same comment about preferring not to be raped as my Dutch colleague. But I think even more important than that was the interest shown in producing more female candidates by the people whom the Deputy Secretary-General and Ms. Diop talked to. I think that if we had only one thing we could concentrate on in order to build that pipeline for the future and start changing behaviours through Governments, it would definitely be worth thinking further about.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“I thank you very much indeed, Madam President, for being with us again today. It is fantastic to have you here. I thank you for all the work Sweden has done on this important dossier, and particularly for keeping it at the forefront of our minds in the Security Council and for the way you have tried to ensure that these issues are properly integrated and that the Security Council and the United Nations more generally get out of the silos that we are all familiar with. I am obviously also hugely grateful to Ms. Diop and the Deputy Secretary-General for leading the mission, which in my view was an incredibly important event. Like other speakers, I think it would be an excellent thing if it were to be regular. As my Dutch colleague said, there are many areas of the world that would benefit from their insights and engagement.”
2018-07-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8306 (2018) · source
“We align ourselves with the statement that will be delivered by the representative of Argentina on behalf of all those who have endorsed the Declaration. We would like to take this opportunity to call on all of our international partners to follow suit. As set out in the first line of the Charter of the United Nations - much quoted today - our goal is to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. We need to begin with our children, who are absolutely vital to a better future.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“In Syria and the wider region, following on from UNICEF's No Lost Generation initiative, we allocated $110 million to provide protection, trauma care and education for children affected by the crisis in that country and the wider region. We are the largest bilateral donor to the Education Cannot Wait fund, and we are committing $40 million this year to support conflict-affected children in Uganda. Finally, as other speakers noted, we need to ensure that schools themselves are protected. While international humanitarian law is the primary basis for the protection of schools and educational facilities, the Safe Schools Declaration, which the United Kingdom recently endorsed, reflects our commitment to the provision of, and access to, high-quality education in humanitarian situations and protracted crises.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“We need to ensure that worldwide girls receive the education that allows them to fully participate in governance towards the achievement of durable peace, security and reconciliation - and hence, ultimately, towards conflict prevention A staggeringly small amount of humanitarian aid was invested in education in 2016 - a mere 1.4 per cent. It goes without saying that that is not enough. We should all do more to place education at the heart of our approach to security and development. For its part, the United Kingdom is committed to providing educational support to millions of children around the world in need of education in emergencies and protracted crises.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Londofio and a number of Permanent Representatives have drawn attention to. As we all know, women play a vital role in the prevention and resolution of armed conflict and in peacebuilding, including in peace talks and in re-establishing the fabric of a recovering society. Yet we know that conflict restricts access to education, particularly girls' education. We should see what we can do to ameliorate that situation. Reintegration programmes should include education as a core component, while disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes should be age- and gender- sensitive in order to meet the needs of all children.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“But, as the Council saw for itself on its mission to Bangladesh and Myanmar, there are too many children who bear the physical scars of armed conflict. We saw children amputees, a poignant and disturbing reminder of what conflict does to children. We need to take better care of the next generation so that they can, in turn, take care of their societies. There is no single answer to how we do that. We have heard many ideas put forward today. I will not repeat them. The United Kingdom shares many of the suggestions made today but, if I may, I would like to concentrate on one particular action that can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on improving stability and reducing conflict. I am referring to Sustainable Development Goal 4, which has to do with making sure that everybody receives a quality education. That is something that Ms.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“In that regard, the United Kingdom joins others in welcoming the publication of the Secretary-General's annual report (S/2018/465). Thanks to the courageous and committed work of monitoring and reporting teams all over the world, the report continues to produce a reliable, evidence-based set of metrics, which the Council, the United Nations and others need in order to take effective action. But it also shows an alarming trend - in 2017 the number of verified violations against children in armed conflict increased by a shocking 35 per cent. It is vital that the Council address that trend, and to that end I welcome today's debate. We have heard a lot about the next generation. We were able to hear some very good news from Cote d'Ivoire. I was interested in those experiences, as well as in what is happening in Nigeria.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“Let mejoin others in welcoming Sweden's presidency ofthe Security Council and in thanking Russia for its stewardship during the previous month. We are also very pleased, Mr. Prime Minister, that you have convened this open debate today. It is very important for the Council to focus on the protection of children as a key element of conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Like others, I also would like to pay tribute to Ms. Londofio's insight into the effect of conflict. What she said about addressing the root causes is a theme that has been repeated by many speakers today. I also thank the Executive Director of UNICEF and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for their efforts, internationally and on the ground, to protect children and prevent them from being the victims of armed conflict.”
2018-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8305 (2018) · source
“It is a critical agreement that makes the world a safer place. It is vital for our security, and we remain committed to it. To that end, the United Kingdom, and, we believe, our European partners, will continue to work with the remaining parties to the deal to maintain it.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“Furthermore, diverting Iran's public finances into such adventures retards its own ability to modernize its economy and deliver services to its people. After 9/11, which struck this city, I worked very closely with the Iranian Government. We were on the same side in combating terrorism. It is a matter of lasting regret that Iran has chosen a different course of action in the intervening years. What I would like to do is to join others in taking the opportunity today to urge Iran to refrain from the destabilizing behaviour that the report outlines and that we have talked about today, and in particular to make a material contribution to the political process in Yemen that the United Nations is so bravely undertaking. To conclude, the United Kingdom's position on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is clear.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“It has legitimate security interests in the region and deserves a proper place in the global multilateral system. However, the way it pursues and prosecutes these interests is too often destabilizing and too often threatening to its neighbours and threatening to others, including those of us in Europe. Supplying missiles for attacks on regional neighbours has no legitimacy. Transferring threatening technology has no legitimacy, nor does importing dual-use equipment without the Security Council's prior approval. And while we recognize Iran's national security interests, there is no legitimacy or justification for Iran testing missiles that are designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“This chimes with our own assessment. The United Kingdom considers these transfers to be in contravention of resolutions 2231 (2015) and 2216 (2015). The proliferation of missile technology is destabilizing for the region and needs to cease, in the interest of Iran, in the interest of regional stability, and in the interest of international peace and security. In addition, we remain concerned by Iran's testing of missiles that are designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. It was not my intention today to talk about the wider Iranian role in the region, but I would just like to echo what my United States colleagues said about some of the activities undertaken by Iran in places such as Lebanon and Syria. I should like to be very clear about the United Kingdom's position. Iran is an ancient, respected and mature civilization.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“We believe that these issues can most effectively be addressed while the nuclear deal remains in place. I will now turn to the second half of today's debate: the regional picture. I listened very carefully to the briefing given by the Under-Secretary-General in particular, but also by the two other speakers. It is true that the Secretary-General's latest report contains concerning reports of attempted shipments to Iran of certain dual-use items without the necessary prior approval from the Security Council. We call on the United Nations to investigate these alleged transfers further and to report its findings to the Council. We also note the Secretary-General's assessment that ballistic-missile technology used by the Houthi in Yemen was transferred from Iran, as previously set out in the Yemen Panel of Experts report (see S/2018/68).”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“We expect Iran to continue to abide by its obligations under the deal. In return, the United Kingdom, together with the remaining participants in the deal, will take the steps necessary to ensure that Iran continues to receive economic benefits from sanctions relief. We welcome the update on the activities of the procurement channel. The United Kingdom fully supports and remains committed to the procurement channel process. While the JCPOA remains vital for our national security, and indeed for the stability of the Middle East, it is only one part of the efforts towards long-term stability and peace in the region. The United Kingdom shares the Secretary-General's view that issues not directly related to the nuclear deal should be addressed without prejudice to preserving the agreement.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“With respect to the JCPOA, we join the Secretary- General and my French colleague in regretting the United States decision to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and to reimpose United States sanctions on Iran. For the United Kingdom's part, we remain committed to the nuclear deal. It is an essential part of the global non-proliferation architecture, and, furthermore, the deal is working. As we have just heard, the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms that Iran continues to comply with its nuclear obligations under the deal, as indeed it has since implementation day. This is consistent with the previous 10 IAEA reports, and we believe that it demonstrates the Iranian commitment to the nuclear deal. We expect this commitment to continue.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“I wish to thank our three briefers today. This is an important issue, so I thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this debate. For the United Kingdom's part, we welcome the thorough and well-evidenced report on the ongoing implementation of resolution 2231 (2015) (S/2018/602). We are aware of the criticism that has been made of the report in some quarters, but we consider the scope and the methodology of the report to be both appropriate and robust. We offer our thanks to the Secretariat for its continued work to ensure the proper implementation of this resolution of such importance for regional and international peace and security. My intervention, like the issue itself, comes in two halves: what happens with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and what happens in respect of the region and regional stability.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8297 (2018) · source
“It is not right that aid workers should suffer in that way or that the people of Syria should be denied the opportunity to access medical facilities. In sum, there are three things that the United Kingdom wishes to call for today. We would like to hear directly from the Syrians and the Russians about their sincerity in engaging in the political process. We would like to hear about the southern de-escalation zone and what can be done to restore the ceasefire and to grant humanitarian access. We would like to hear about the Syrian Government's policies and practices that are creating obstacles for vulnerable displaced people to receive services, food and aid, return home and rebuild their lives.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“I therefore really hope that the Security Council can have some more information about that so that we can make some proper decisions about how best we can contribute to the situation on the ground. In that respect, I would just like to recall that there are still 2 million Syrians living in hard-to-reach locations across the country. "Hard to reach" makes it sound as if one has to forge rivers or climb mountains. It is not that sort of "hard to reach". As far as I understand it, it is an access point. We are therefore back to the point of needing to understand why access is quite so difficult. I would also like to echo what Mr. Ging said about the attacks on health-care facilities. Those are also unjustifiable. They are outlawed under international law. We call for them to stop.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“As areas have transitioned to the control of the Government of Syria, if I have understood correctly, humanitarian access has decreased. Actually, the reverse ought to be true. The fact that the areas have come under the control of the Syrian authorities ought to make humanitarian access easier and more comprehensive. Again, I would therefore be very grateful if the Syrian Ambassador, and perhaps the Russian Ambassador, can address some of that in their remarks, because I would really like to understand why it is so difficult to allow humanitarian access. We talked about that in our last round of consultations. It is still not clear to me why there is an erratic pattern of some United Nations personnel being allowed in but not others and some convoys being allowed through but not others.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“The attacks are in flagrant violation of the de-escalation agreement that was reached between Presidents Trump and Putin in November 2017. It is disappointing for very many reasons, but not least because it casts doubt on the willingness of Russia to abide by its international commitments. Ijoin France and the United States in urging Russia to uphold the commitments under that agreement and to ensure that the Syrian Government abides by the ceasefire so that we can avert a further humanitarian crisis and can make a contribution to regional stability. Turning to humanitarian access, we also welcome the thorough report of the Secretary-General (S/2018/617). It is clear that the geographical space for cross-border operations has shrunk, particularly to the south-east of Idlib.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“When he speaks, I would be very grateful to hear an assurance from the Syrian Ambassador about the commitment to the political process. I said that the political process had made some positive steps forward recently. As the two previous speakers pointed out, that cannot in any way be said of the situation on the ground or of what Mr. De Mistura calls battlefield developments and humanitarian access. We also remain deeply concerned about the escalating attacks by the Syrian forces, backed by Russian air strikes, against the de-escalation zone in south-western Syria. I completely endorse what the United States and French representatives said about not only the risks to life inherent in such action but also the significant risk that it poses to regional stability and security.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“However, as well as addressing fundamental constitutional questions, we also believe that the process needs to make real progress towards creating a calm, safe and neutral environment. That will ultimately be essential if there are ever to be free and fair elections. We believe that we should build on emerging areas of common ground between key international actors. For our part, we, the United Kingdom, remain committed to supporting the political process and a pragmatic political settlement that brings an end to the conflict and that also ensures regional stability. However, we are concerned about the fact that developments such as the recent Law Number 10 casts some doubt on the willingness of the Syrian authorities to engage meaningfully.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“I fully agree with the French Ambassador about the United Nations being the best placed to decide how to take the constitutional committee forward and to ensure that Syrians from the full range of political perspectives and civil society are represented on that committee. It was very welcome to hear what Mr. De Mistura had to say about women's participation in particular. I thank him for referring to the 30-per-cent minimum that we had put in our letter with our Peruvian and Swedish colleagues. When I was posted to the United Nations in Geneva, I in fact met some ofthose Syrian women. They are very impressive, energetic and, for the most part, secular, and they have a contribution to make. That is therefore extremely good to hear. I think that the committee represents an important step forward in the political process.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank Mr. Staffan de Mistura and Mr. John Ging for their briefings. Through them, allow me once again to thank their teams on the ground, which are doing good work in very difficult circumstances. As there was positive news on the political front and as we do not often have such news, I would like to start by talking about that. We are very grateful to Mr. De Mistura for his leadership and everything that he has done to drive the political process forward. I think that the recent meetings of the Astana guarantors and the Small Group of the Global Coalition in Geneva underline the centrality and primacy of the United Nations Geneva process.”
2018-06-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8296 (2018) · source
“As an international community, we must support institutions that uphold the values that the United Nations was set up to protect and that work for the benefit of all citizens. Lastly, I would like to say a word about post- conflict reconstruction. Failure to stabilize and reconcile communities after a prolonged conflict will fail to restore peace and security in the long term. It is not a trade-off between peace and justice. The task of the Council is to help the United Nations and countries themselves find the right way to have both peace and justice. I think we all know that the role of women can be vital in that endeavour. International actors, including the Security Council, play a vital role in ensuring that limited resources are distributed effectively in support of institutions that address the root causes of previous conflicts.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“We agree with the Secretary-General that political participation in the region remains weak and that we must strengthen democratic institutions. I would like to echo his tribute to Tunisia and endorse his words about the problems caused by retarding economic opportunity. A genuine holistic approach to conflict in the region cannot ignore the issue of good governance. Good governance from strong, stable State institutions is the best way to maintain peace and security. Bad governance can be devastating, and we have seen that in a number of countries in the region. As I was saying earlier, when Governments violate their citizens' human rights we know that the risk of conflict and suffering increases. It is the Council's responsibility to consider and be informed on all these issues, owing to their impact on international peace and security.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“As Article 41 of the Charter of the United Nations makes clear, they give very real effect to our decisions and turn our words in the Chamber into tangible consequences for those who threaten international peace and security. Sanctions are not our first resort - they are not a measure we ever take lightly - but we know that they work. They have helped bring peace and security to Liberia and Sierra Leone. They helped bring Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the negotiating table. And they continue to play a vital role in the fight against Da'esh and Al-Qaida in Iraq, Syria and beyond. We believe that there are additional issues that would merit discussion by the Council that are not covered in today's concept note, but which could underpin future discussions by the Council on this important subject.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“Those responsible must be held to account, and we would assert that much greater danger lies in letting it be thought that chemical weapons can ever be used as a weapon of war and that the international prohibition on their use can be disregarded. Furthermore, there have been reports over the weekend of air and artillery attacks against the de-escalation zone in south-western Syria. Such reports are deeply concerning and appear to point to the Syrian Government. A military offensive by the Syrian Government would be a flagrant violation of the ceasefire and the de-escalation agreement in which Russia has been involved. We urge everyone with influence on the situation to help uphold the commitment and to encourage restraint. Sanctions are a vital part of the Security Council's arsenal.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“International action cannot solelybe a matter of the lowest common denominator. Several speakers have already mentioned Syria. We are all aware of the circumstances in that country. The Security Council has been blocked from holding to account those responsible for violating international law. A draft resolution (S/2014/348) to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court was vetoed in 2014 (see S/PV.7180). This year a draft resolution (S/2018/321) that would have allowed the Joint Investigative Mechanism to continue its vital work was vetoed (see S/PV.8228). The use of chemical weapons, whether by terrorists or State actors, must be investigated.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“If I may, I would like to quote from the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which celebrates its seventieth anniversary this year: "... it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law". That is the reason why we in the United Kingdom believe that human rights is properly relevant to Security Council discussions on any given international peace and security situation. You say, Mr. President, that unilateral action is doomed to failure. Like all of the speakers so far, we in the United Kingdom would like to see the Security Council take collective action, but it is blocked. And where it is not blocked, it is subsequently disregarded.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“If the Security Council and the international community do not take an interest at that early stage, there is a much greater likelihood that the situation will spiral out of control and that there will eventually be conflict, including cross-border conflict, whether armed incursions or sending refugees across borders. Ultimately there is therefore also a much greater likelihood notjust that the Security Council will ask to take action, but that it will need to take action in order to address the root causes. I therefore invite all countries that do not believe that the Security Council should review situations of human rights persecutions in individual countries to see the logical train of where ignoring such events is likely to lead.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“I would like to begin this part of my statement by saying that I have just come from the General Assembly debate on the issue ofthe responsibility to protect. It strikes me that issue goes to the heart ofmany of our disagreements about how to handle conflicts. Today's concept note calls for a commitment to the supremacy of international law and the need for a collective approach to the problems of the region - and we can endorse that fully. However, when populations are injured or persecuted because of the actions of their own Governments, it not only f louts international human rights law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which every country in the Chamber has pledged to uphold, it could also be a precursor to a wider conflict.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“We should do all we can as the Security Council to support efforts made by the Secretary-General and his Special Representatives to bring peace to the region, make serious progress in Syria, Yemen and Libya, use our collective and bilateral efforts to put pressure on those who oppose or undermine such efforts and ensure that peacekeeping missions are fit for purpose. With regard to the Middle East peace process, which has been mentioned by a number of speakers, we reiterate our support for the two-State solution and look forward to the American proposals, which we hope will be issued soon. There are some areas where we do not share your views, Mr. President, as set out in the concept note.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“We recently wrote as the United Kingdom to the Secretary General to set our own humanitarian contribution to the crises in the Middle East. We continue to see examples of States restricting access to humanitarian agencies and attacks by armed groups on humanitarian workers. What justification can there be for such attacks? We agree with you, Mr. President, that humanitarian assistance should not be politicized but, as long as such attacks continue, it will be. Conflict has affected religious and ethnic minorities in particular, for example, the Yazidi in Syria and Iraq and the Baha'i in Iran and Yemen. Terrorist actors and State institutions in the region have been responsible for some of the worst persecutions in history. Like you, Sir, we hope that the Security Council can unite behind efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“For now I would just like to pledge the support of the United Kingdom to what he said. There were many points in the Russian concept note with which we agreed. We agree that the humanitarian consequences ofthe various conflicts in the Middle East region are devastating and that the statistics released by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are truly staggering. A total of 22 million people are in need of assistance in Yemen, 13 million in Syria, 1.9 million in the occupied Palestinian territories and 1 million in Libya. The humanitarian relief efforts of all Member States, international actors and ordinary citizens have indeed helped to avert some suffering but it is not enough, and, according to OCHA's own statistics, 66 per cent of humanitarian appeals are yet to be fulfilled.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“However, I think something that brings the region together would be very worthwhile in that regard. We would be happy to join any consideration of that issue. Overall our understanding of any conflict should be shaped by an analysis that looks at the full breadth of root causes, the role of regional and international actors and the individual history and circumstances of the country concerned. In turn, the response of the Security Council and of the United Nations as a whole to such conflicts must be holistic. Before I turn to the Russian concept note (S/2018/524, annex) and our own views, I would like to start by fully endorsing the French Ambassador's remarks about Iran. We will have another opportunity to talk about Iran later this week, at which time I will expand upon my remarks.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“I would like to thank the Russian Federation for the opportunity to discuss holistically the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. I think that we all agree that many ofthe conflicts in the region share root causes and complex linkages. We agree that an approach to resolving such conflicts that needs to consider each conflict in isolation will not succeed. They need to be looked at in the round. I think that we are also aware that there are some existentialist struggles between some Member States in the region, but not all are aggressive towards their neighbours or commit unfriendly acts towards them. People have been saying that the people ofthe Middle East and North Africa region should perhaps have their own Helsinki Final Act moment. I do not want to be prescriptive.”
2018-06-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8293 (2018) · source
“For example, the Kuwaiti text fails to name terrorist actors, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and its suggestion of an international protection mechanism risks raising unrealistic expectations. We condemn Hamas, but at the same time we regret that the American text does not adequately reference Israel's responsibilities and obligations with regard to Gaza. Therefore, the United Kingdom will abstain in the voting on both draft resolutions today. I have set out our principled rationale and nothing more should be construed.”
2018-06-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8274 (2018) · source
“Hamas' military wing has been proscribed as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom since 2001, and the United Kingdom has sanctions in place against senior Hamas officials. The recent violence has led to the tragic loss oflife of over 100 Palestinians, and we reiterate that there is an urgent need to establish the facts surrounding past weeks' events. The deteriorating situation in Gaza should concentrate our minds on how we can work urgently towards a resolution of the long-standing issues between Israel and the Palestinian people. The United Kingdom has long supported United Nations action on Israeli-Palestinian issues. It is therefore regrettable that today's draft resolutions S/2018/516 and S/2018/520 contain elements that are either imbalanced or too vague to be viable.”
2018-06-01 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8274 (2018) · source