YouSaid · the spoken record

Polyanskiy

lines on the record: 2,335
first: 2018-01-31
most recent: 2023-12-22
sittings or episodes: 300
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

“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We wish to thank Mr. Tor Wennesland for his comprehensive briefing on the situation in the Middle East. We listened attentively to the statement delivered by Ms. Ero. It is symbolic that today’s meeting takes place in the wake of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It is with alarm that we observe the stagnation in reaching a settlement in the Middle East, with the unresolved central problem of Palestine, which has created a permanent source of tension for the entire Middle East. Unfortunately, we must note the unabated tensions around the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The looming risk of large-scale hostilities, such as the military escalation witnessed in May, remain.”
2021-11-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8913 (2021) · source
“For our part, we encourage all Libyan forces to work together constructively. We intend to continue to participate actively in international efforts to promote a political settlement in Libya, both through targeted work with the Libyan parties themselves and in multilateral formats. We are grateful to our French colleagues for organizing the Paris International Conference for Libya on 12 November. The outcome document is in line with previous conferences on the Libyan issue. The main thing in those decisions is the call to follow the timetable for the political process, including the elections, which they themselves agreed a year ago.”
2021-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8912 (2021) · source
“From 6 to 8 October this year, at a meeting in Geneva, the 5+5 Joint Military Commission agreed an action plan for the phased, balanced and synchronized withdrawal of all mercenaries, foreign fighters and foreign forces from Libya. The integrated approach on which it is based is in line with our position. We have also consistently advocated such a withdrawal of non-Libyan armed groups and military units. Otherwise, there is a risk of undermining the balance that has maintained the ceasefire in Libya for more than a year. We await the details of the agreed mechanism for implementing that withdrawal. We believe that the Libyan National Army, whose leaders have very valuable knowledge and experience for the development of the country, has an important role to play in strengthening the Libyan armed forces.”
2021-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8912 (2021) · source
“We believe that such a scenario merits our common support and increases the chances of successfully holding the upcoming elections. We are convinced that a successful political process can be ensured only if it is truly inclusive. We trust that, on that basis, Libyans will be able to overcome the persistent tensions and grievances, which will contribute to national reconciliation. At the same time, we note that some voices are still being heard, including in Libya itself, in favour of postponing the electoral process. We believe such a development could threaten serious repercussions for the fragile peace and might deepen the internal divisions in the country. We also note some progress on the military track.”
2021-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8912 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we note that ongoing United Nations support during such an important pre-election period for Libya remains crucial. In general, we assess the situation in Libya as stable. We believe that the main challenge at this stage of the political process is to organize the presidential and parliamentary elections. The House of Representatives adopted the relevant laws, thereby establishing the necessary legal framework for holding the national election. We note the robust process for nominating candidates for the presidential election. In that regard, we emphasize the fact that there are candidates from all political groups and regions, including representatives of the former Government, among those who have declared their intentions to run for the post of President.”
2021-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8912 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Special Envoy Ján Kubiš for his briefing on the situation in Libya, as well as the Permanent Representative of India, Mr. Tirumurti, for his statement as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011), concerning Libya. We will also listen very carefully to the representative from Libya. Given his announced intention to resign as Special Envoy, we would like to thank Mr. Kubiš for his efforts to stabilize the situation in and around Libya. He assumed the post at a time when the direction had to be sustained and strengthened. Many issues in the political process have been resolved thanks to his contribution. Clearly, there are still many challenges on this path.”
2021-11-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8912 (2021) · source
“Therefore, if anything should be condemned or rejected today, it is the hypocritical and inhumane policy of the European Union, which, contrary to its proclaimed values, tries to ignore harsh treatment of immigrants by Polish and Lithuanian border officers who, in doing so, are in violation of every international convention one can think of and, for that matter, of any norm of civilized behaviour. We hope that our Estonian friends, who are trying to project the image of human rights advocates, will have enough courage to condemn this inhumane practice, which affects women and children, inside the European Union.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“Today we are discussing problems in Iraq that have gone unresolved for years — a vivid example of a practice that persuaded hundreds of thousand people to seek a better life in Europe. By the way, our Estonian friends, as part of the international coalition at the time, also bear direct responsibility for that situation. My Estonian colleague forgot to mention that any refugee who goes to Belarus is free to leave the country at any moment. More than 400 people did so recently, having returned to Iraq with the help of Belarusian authorities.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I did not intend to take the floor again, yet I cannot help expressing my surprise over the obsessive persistence that our Estonian colleagues demonstrate at almost every Security Council meeting, seizing on any pretext to present a deceptive interpretation of developments at the Belarusian-Polish and Belarusian- Lithuanian borders. In that, we see them striving to distort the causes of a migration crisis that was recently exacerbated along some sections of the European Union’s external border and absolving the Western States of their responsibility for dismantling the statehood of some Middle Eastern countries.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“It is our view that the presence of foreign military units in the country must be based only on the consent of the local authorities or an appropriate decision by the Security Council. We call on all external players interested in stabilizing the internal situation in Iraq to refrain from taking destructive unilateral action that will negatively affect the situation in the country and beyond its borders. In that regard, we trust that the countries of the region will tap into the existing diplomatic potential for the collective advancement of peace and stability throughout the Middle East, including within the framework of Russia’s updated collective security concept in the Persian Gulf”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“In that regard, we highly commend the activities of the Quadripartite Information Centre in Baghdad with the participation of the Russian, Iraqi, Iranian and Syrian militaries. We believe that mechanism plays an important role in terms of coordinating efforts in the fight against terrorism in Iraq and Syria. We welcome the efforts of the authorities of Iraq and the Kurdish Autonomous Region to settle their differences. We are convinced that the further improvement of relations between Baghdad and Erbil will contribute to strengthening security and solving the accumulated issues to the benefit of both the Kurds and the entire Iraqi people. We consider any illegal military presence in Iraq unacceptable.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“At the same time, we must acknowledge that terrorists are continuing to carry out regular subversive actions in various regions of the country. We strongly condemn the attack on the residence of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, using unmanned aerial vehicles rigged with explosives, which we regard as an attempt to undermine the security and stability of the country. We reaffirm our readiness to strengthen practical interaction with our Iraqi partners in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We note the importance of stepping up collective international efforts with the aim of relentlessly countering that global threat. We would like to highlight that such a challenge can be effectively overcome only through the broadest possible coordination of counter-terrorism efforts.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“It is clear that a vast range of issues that have accumulated over the years due to objective causes cannot be eliminated overnight. We fully appreciate how difficult it will be for the future Iraqi leadership to take into account the views of the country’s entire political, social and ethno-confessional spectrum in order to improve the state of affairs in Iraq, as well as to ensure security and law and order. The situation is complicated by the challenging socioeconomic situation and the spread of the coronavirus disease. In that context, we underscore the need to provide international assistance to Baghdad in rebuilding the economic and humanitarian sectors of the country destroyed by the long-term war with Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, for her informative briefing on the situation in Iraq. We also listened carefully to Ms. Kabashi’s remarks. We welcome the early elections to the Council of Representatives of Iraq on 10 October. We trust that the members of Parliament will soon be able to reach an agreement on the formation of a new and capable Government that will have the support of all major political parties and ethno-confessional groups in the country. We understand that the Iraqi people are going through a difficult period and urge the leading political forces to demonstrate restraint and seek out mutually acceptable solutions to the internal political differences that have worsened since the elections.”
2021-11-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8910 (2021) · source
“We will continue to be an impartial player and will support contacts with all parties of the region, including in our capacity as a member of the Group of Friends of Western Sahara. We call on all parties to refrain from unilateral actions and statements, of which we heard several today, that could make it more difficult to resume substantive political dialogue. I would like to underscore that our position in the voting is based exclusively on our rejection of the resolution’s wording and on assessment of the work conducted by the penholders. In that connection, we have consistently supported MINURSO, which plays a key stabilizing role and creates favourable conditions on the ground for the resumption of dialogue between Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO and the advancement of the peace process.”
2021-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8890 (2021) · source
“Such signals lead to ambiguity, undermine trust in the Council’s work and make it more difficult to resume a direct dialogue. We regret the fact that our colleagues consistently refuse to notice that. We would like to reiterate once again that the Russian Federation has been consistent in its balanced stance on the settlement of the Western Sahara dossier. We support direct negotiations between Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguía el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO). Ultimately, the agreement needs to satisfy both parties and provide for the self-determination of the West Saharan people on the basis of procedures that are in keeping with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2021-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8890 (2021) · source
“It is for that reason that today’s resolution does not reflect the objective picture of what has happened on the issue of Western Sahara following the military escalation in November and will probably not be helpful in the efforts of Personal Envoy Staffan de Mistura to resume direct negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable decision that provides for the self-determination of Western Sahara, in line with the Charter of the United Nations. Furthermore, the main problem remains unsolved. In recent years, Council resolutions to extend MINURSO’s mandate has seen wording that replaced the internationally agreed parameters for the settlement of the Western Sahara issue with general wording on the need to abide by the so-called “realistic” approaches or to make some compromises.”
2021-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8890 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian Federation abstained in the voting on resolution 2602 (2021), submitted by the United States, on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). During the negotiations, our justified comments and compromise proposals were not taken on board. Also overlooked were a number of constructive proposals from other members of the Security Council.”
2021-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8890 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to urge everyone to remember that very soon we will have to decide on the future of cross-border deliveries. We will have to decide whether to renew the cross-border mechanism in an impartial manner, based on facts and achievements, in line with the provisions of resolution 2585 (2021). There are still serious questions about its implementation, and time is running out. So-called “successes” that are just a sham will not be taken into account in that decision. I hope that our colleagues and the Secretariat understand that.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“We hope that colleagues at the Security Council who have been fighting for children’s rights and education will make their position known on this matter. Despite all that, we must note the stabilization of Dara’a. Over 70 per cent of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their homes, schools have reopened, and humanitarian aid workers have resumed regular operations. Against that backdrop, it is of course disconcerting to see what is happening in Al-Hol and Rukban camps. We call on our colleagues to exert influence on their clients. We are also concerned about the situation in northern Syria with regard to the numerous violations of international humanitarian law and the rights of IDPs in the areas of Ras Al-Ayn and Tel Abyad.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“The sooner our colleagues shift to a normal constructive approach, the better it will be for ordinary Syrians and their neighbours in the region. At the same time, we read reports from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs about the increase in extreme poverty in terrorist- controlled Idlib, even among the working population. Not surprisingly, street protests have started in the enclave among the rapidly growing number of starving civilians, who are still effectively held hostage by the remnants of die-hard insurgents. One recent example of the absolutely slaveowner-like behaviour of the Idlib bandits is the refusal to release a group of 50 teenagers who had expressed a desire to attend universities in Aleppo and Damascus.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“Every month, there are hundreds such Syrians — mostly women and children. The Syrian Government has set up reception and hosting centres in 413 locations for 1.5 million people to provide them with the necessary assistance. Government programmes are under way in the governorates of Aleppo, Damascus and Hama to reclaim areas liberated from the militants. Those efforts by the Syrian Government, squeezed by the vice grip of Western sanctions, deserve support. Nevertheless, with a determination that would be better used elsewhere, Western colleagues are doing their best to distort reality, politicize this purely humanitarian issue, intimidate potential returnees and spread fake news in the process. A good example of that was the statement delivered today by my American colleague.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“It is not clear to us why efforts to create jobs fall into the same category. How can the undoubtedly important task of improving people’s socioeconomic situation concretely affect living conditions in a country with a shattered infrastructure? To be frank, we see only a very indirect connection. Following his recent visit to Syria, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi clearly articulated the need to create adequate conditions for returning Syrian refugees. Against the backdrop of the global economic crisis, Syria’s neighbours in the region openly acknowledge the limit of their capacity to continue hosting Syrian refugees, a growing number of whom no longer want to tolerate life in tents, without access to medicine and education, and seek to return home in search of stability.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“We have to note that as we feared, there was euphoria from the one-time August convoy of the United Nations World Food Programme. Over the next two months, there were no further achievements. Food continues to be stored in Sarmada. The modalities for the UNICEF humanitarian operation mentioned in the report of the Secretary General require further explanation. Under what criteria is it considered a cross-line delivery? As we understand it, no lines were crossed and no cross-line deliveries were made. We would also like to ask Martin Griffiths for clarification as to what steps are being taken to increase efforts on early reconstruction projects. The figures cited in the latest report of the Secretary- General (S/2021/890) are encouraging, but real progress has been minimal.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“It turns out that access to 97 per cent of those in need in Syria is generally not a problem. The only serious obstacles to the movement of humanitarian workers are mines and unexploded ordnance, but even that did not prevent the United Nations from increasing its presence on the ground in the north-east of the country, where humanitarian convoys of the World Health Organization are regularly sent, and in Deir ez- Zor governorate. Of course, there is no need to comment here. It is clear that Damascus is fully complying with its obligations and is open to continuing to cooperate with the United Nations. We hope that all colleagues in the Council will take note of that fact. Against that backdrop, the situation with respect to cross-line humanitarian deliveries to Idlib looks a lot less rosy.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“I should now like to move on to the contents of the report of the Secretary-General on the humanitarian situation in Syrian for the period from August through September (S/2021/890). We note a significant difference compared with previous reports with respect to the statistics on authorizations issued to the United Nations for humanitarian operations. The number of regular programmatic movements with programme or blanket approvals increased by 7 per cent. As of the time of publication of the report, Damascus had already approved 83 per cent of the 218 requested approvals for missions requiring approval from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs; 17 per cent remain under consideration, so that is not a refusal. It appears, then, that almost all requests made by the United Nations have been granted.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“In spite of the overall stabilization of the military and political situation in Syria, the threat of an escalation of tensions remains, especially on territories not under Government control, in Idlib, the Euphrates area and Al-Tanf. We note with concern the reports on continuing illegal Israeli air strikes against Syria. In the north-east of the country, members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant are free to roam, exploiting the absence of legitimate authorities, and we are seeing internecine armed clashes there. In that connection, we would like to once again stress the importance of assisting the inter-Syrian dialogue in order to restore the unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Syria.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“However, we must be patient and pragmatic, without excessive expectations of immediate results, especially in dealing with such a fundamental issue for any State as a constitution. We are convinced that the intra-Syrian dialogue should not be held hostage to technical modalities. For our part, we intend to continue to work actively with all interested parties in order to make progress on the constitutional track. However, much will depend on Mr. Pedersen’s diplomatic skills. A United Nations Special Envoy must be in constant contact with the Syrian people to try to resolve mutual mistrust and find mutually acceptable solutions and compromises. We hope to be able to count on more active efforts on his part in working with all Syrian sides.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“I want to note the contribution of the States guarantors of the Astana process in ensuring that work. Unfortunately, at the height of the Committee’s session, a terrorist attack took place in Damascus that claimed the lives of 14 people. We believe that the perpetrators, who do not wish to see the Committee successfully complete its work, are trying to thwart it. In the upcoming phase, it is very important to ensure that the work of the Constitutional Committee remains led and implemented by the Syrian people themselves, without any external interference or the imposition of artificial time frames. There is no alternative to impartial work with the Syrian sides in order to help them find mutually acceptable solutions.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Geir Pedersen and Martin Griffiths for their briefings, and we listened attentively to Ms. Albarouki. We highly value and support the mediation efforts of the Special Envoy on the political track. We welcome the completion of the sixth session of the small body of the Constitutional Committee, held in Geneva. Its work has not been easy. What is most important is that an effective political process has been resumed in accordance with the provisions of resolution 2254 (2015) and the decisions of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, held in Sochi. It is very important that the sides have finally been able to meet after a nine-month hiatus and to continue with direct, constructive dialogue.”
2021-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8888 (2021) · source
“We are facilitating the efforts our Egyptian friends to that end. We welcome, in particular, the recent holding of the Palestinian- Jordanian-Egyptian summit in Cairo and express the hope that it will be a first step towards a fundamental change in the status quo, which is at an impasse.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“We emphasize the importance of convening ministerial-level meetings of the Quartet, including in the lead-up to the thirtieth anniversary of the Madrid Conference on the Middle East. We are also ready to engage in dialogue with key regional players and to involve them in the efforts of the Quartet. We note that a number of States in the Middle East region have chosen to normalize relations with Israel. We believe that such efforts will have a positive impact on the situation in region only if their focus is on finding a solution to the Palestinian issue on an internationally recognized legal basis. As the recent outbreak of tensions around the Gaza Strip has shown, there is no other way forward. The Russian Federation is actively cooperating with various Palestinian stakeholders in the interest of overcoming the internal division.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“Those negotiations should be launched without delay. As a permanent member of the Security Council and a participant in the Quartet of international mediators, the Russian Federation assiduously strives to achieve a settlement on an internationally recognized basis — United Nations resolutions, Madrid principles, the Arab Peace Initiative — that provides for the creation of an independent, sovereign and territorially contiguous Palestinian State within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We call on our partners in the Quartet — the United Nations, the European Union and the United States — to step up cooperation to that end. On 14 October, we held another virtual meeting with special representatives.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“At the same time, we note the importance of taking Israel’s security interests into account. In that regard, we reiterate the call to abandon provocative actions and unilateral steps. International cooperation and concerted measures must accompany the progress in achieving a Middle East settlement. In our view, the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to all those affected and in need in the Gaza Strip is the main objective in the upcoming period. The work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as well as the international community’s support for the Agency, are as important as ever. At the same time, we note again that the entire range of final status issues must be addressed in direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“It is clear that one of the foundations for the establishment of long-term stability in the region is progress in the Middle East settlement process, including the core element of a fair solution to the Palestinian problem. Unfortunately, tensions on the West Bank of the Jordan river and in the Gaza Strip continue unabated, exacerbating the problems of maintaining a ceasefire, providing humanitarian assistance to the affected Palestinians and reviving the peace process. Against that backdrop, unilateral actions, which are fraught with dangerous consequences, continue. Such actions include the confiscation and destruction of Palestinian property, the construction of settlements, including construction plans in the occupied Syrian Golan, arbitrary arrests, violations of the status of the holy sites and violence.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland for his briefing. We listened attentively to the civil society representatives, Mr. Daniel Levy and Ms. Hanan Ashrawi. We welcome the personal participation in this meeting of Mr. Kamau. The achievement of lasting peace and security in the Middle East and North Africa remains among the top priorities on the agenda of the Security Council. We note with regret that no progress has yet been seen in resolving the myriad regional crises. We are also troubled by the fact that most conflicts are not only compounded by external intervention, but are also exacerbated by the attempts of actors to promote unilateral solutions, while ignoring the opinions of local residents, tribal, ethnic, religious and denominational groups.”
2021-10-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8883 (2021) · source
“We also recall resolution 598 (1987) and other initiatives aimed at stabilizing the subregion, including the updated Russian concept for collective security in the region.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“We are seriously concerned by the ongoing attacks on civilian objects, including on the territory of Saudi Arabia. We urge the parties to the conflict to comply in a straight-forward manner with the provisions of international humanitarian law and to immediately and in full refrain from hostilities that lead to the destruction of non-military infrastructure and victimize the civilian population. We hope that the problem of the FSO SAFER oil tanker will soon be settled by resolving the remaining technical disagreements. We call on the parties involved in this matter to follow a constructive approach. In conclusion, I would also like to note the efforts of States in the region that are ready to provide mediation in the Yemeni peace process.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“We are in favour of launching into Yemeni negotiations under United Nations auspices on the subject of the future political makeup of the country, the result of which would be a comprehensive and long- term settlement to the conflict, which would take into account the interests of all leading Yemeni political forces. We see our shared end goal as a comprehensive and long-term solution to the many problems that Yemen is facing and which are, in large part, being felt by neighbouring States as well. We remain particularly alarmed by the dire socioeconomic situation in the country. The dispiriting data from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs speak for themselves. We confirm the need to lift restrictions on the delivery of food, medicines and other vital goods to all parts of the country.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“We also welcomed the Special Envoy’s perspective on Yemeni cooperation with the representatives of the permanent five members of the Security Council. We trust that after these range-finding contacts, he will actively get down to work on establishing a dialogue between the parties to the conflict. For our part, we will continue to support the efforts by the United Nations. We intend to continue to actively encourage the official Yemeni authorities and the leadership of the Ansar Allah Houthi movement to take a constructive approach and show a readiness to compromise.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Hans Grundberg and Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham for their overview of the political and humanitarian situation in Yemen. We also listened closely to Ms. Maysaa Abdulrahman Shujaa Al-Deen. We are continuing to monitor the acute military and political crisis in Yemen. Of particular concern is the situation on the borders of Ma’rib and Shabwa governorates, where recently there has been an uptick in violent clashes between the Houthis and groups that are loyal to the country’s President. We listened closely to Hans Grundberg’s assessment following his initial plunge into his work as Special Envoy. It was particularly important to hear his opinion of the contacts that he had with the Yemeni parties.”
2021-10-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8878 (2021) · source
“In that context, we appreciated Kenya’s efforts to hold the seventh Biennial Meeting of States on the Programme of Action and its implementation earlier this year. In practical terms, we consider it important to promote the implementation of its outcome document, first and foremost at the national level. We must not forget that combating illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, ensuring their secure stockpiling and destroying surpluses are the prerogative of States themselves and an integral part of their sovereignty. The Russian Federation has highly developed national legislation to combat illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons. We are willing to actively share our experience, including our most successful tried and tested practices, with interested countries.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“We see no backdrop for the discussion of small arms and light weapons within the Security Council other than peacekeeping. It can hardly be considered in the context of various abstract topics such as sustainable development, gender or climate change, which we occasionally hear about from our colleagues. We doubt that discussions within that framework would bring any added value, especially not in the Security Council, since the priority forum for the discussion of issues relating to small arms and light weapons is the General Assembly. On an open and universal basis, regular work is carried out in the General Assembly on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which is the only specialized global document in that area.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“Success in those processes contributes not only to national reconciliation but also to ensuring the creation of State security institutions that are capable of effectively protecting civilians, controlling the entire territory of the country and countering terrorist groups. To that end, it is important that the Government in question have the ability to form professionally trained and equipped armed forces. In that vein, we would like to remind our colleagues in the Council of our position on the need to review the sanctions regimes imposed on certain countries so that the Government forces of States such as the Central African Republic, the Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia can be adequately armed and trained, thereby allowing them to properly maintain law and order.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“The presence of large numbers of uncontrolled small arms and light weapons not only impedes the safety of civilians and peacekeeping missions, but in general undermines the possibility of ending the armed conflict and creating the conditions conducive to the sustained reconciliation of the parties. We are convinced that the responsibility for controlling the circulation of small arms and light weapons should lie with the Governments of the countries on whose territory those weapons are found. In that connection, we consider security sector reform to be particularly important.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“By engaging in the disarmament of warring parties, the dismantling of their units and the reintegration of ex-combatants to prevent the recurrence of conflict, peacekeepers are working towards the important goals of sustaining the peace process, creating conditions for a political settlement and ensuring the safety of both the local population and the Blue Helmets themselves. In doing so, the successful implementation of DDR programmes is impossible without lasting reconciliation between the parties, including mutual trust underpinned by sufficient security conditions and genuine opportunities for the integration of disarmed combatants into the newly created armed forces or civilian life.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“Furthermore, we have every reason to expect that existing mechanisms in that area, such as the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, will be better reflected in those reports. Mandated United Nations peacekeeping missions play an important role in assisting States with the implementation of security sector reform, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes, strengthening law enforcement agencies and restoring the rule of law.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We wish to thank Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing on the report of the Secretary- General (S/2021/839). We also listened carefully to Mr. Badreldin Elamin Abdelgadir and Mr. David Lochhead. We support the fact that the Kenyan presidency is conducting today’s meeting on small arms and light weapons in the Security Council not as a disarmament issue but in the context of peacekeeping operations. We are well aware of the concerns of a number of States, primarily those in Africa, where the problems posed by the illicit f low of small arms and light weapons are particularly acute. We believe that the Secretary-General’s biennial reports on small arms and light weapons should devote much more attention to peacekeeping.”
2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source
“It is regrettable that because it buries its head in the sand, the OPCW is becoming a politicized tool to punish regimes that have found disfavour with the collective West. In conclusion, I would like to underscore that because of the trends to which I have referred, the focus of the Syrian chemical file has long ceased being the non-proliferation of chemical weapons. Current developments should not be considered in the context of the dialogue between Syria and the Technical Secretariat which is under way, no matter how hard one might try to prove the opposite. They should rather be considered merely as an attempt to punish a State that has found disfavour with the tools of the CWC. It is extremely dangerous and can affect any State that stands in the way of the geopolitical aspirations of the West.”
2021-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8872 (2021) · source
“Once again, concern is expressed about the relocation by the Syrians of the cylinders related to the Douma incident. However, does that justify the use of armed force against a sovereign State? It is obvious that, for the Director-General of the OPCW, active aggression of that kind is irrelevant. How can we not recall the hasty air strikes by the Western coalition on the Shayrat airbase in 2017 and the fact that it blocked all attempts to launch a swift investigation by the OPCW into events in Ltamenah and Khan Shaykhun. Overall, the approach adopted by the leadership of the Technical Secretariat looks rather unflattering and has already affected several other situations involving the Director-General and his staff, which have nothing but politics behind them.”
2021-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8872 (2021) · source