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

“Accordingly, we deem it extremely timely that efforts have been made by Sahel States to counter growing threats. We support the regional initiative to establish the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel. These threats of course undermine political stabilization and progress in solving socioeconomic problems. Therefore, efforts to foster security and stability must be made in the framework of a comprehensive approach combining military and counter-terrorism measures, strengthening State institutions and systemic economic and social development, enhancing efforts to spread of a culture of respect for human rights and the rule of law, and promoting job creation for young people.”
2018-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8435 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Sahel, Mr. Ibrahim Thiaw; the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission, our colleague the Permanent Representative of Romania, Mr. Ion Jinga; and all the other briefers for their interesting presentations. We cannot fail to agree with the briefers that in recent years the Sahel countries have continued to face increased challenges to their stability and security, which have obviously had an impact on their ability to overcome the numerous socioeconomic and other difficulties they face. We note that despite the efforts made, extremism and terrorism are unfortunately now affecting new countries there. Combating these dangerous phenomena is a top priority for the region.”
2018-12-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8435 (2018) · source
“We consider it important that there has been a considerable drop in the level of violence and the numbers of human rights Violations since the Agreement was signed. We have noted the intention of opposition leader Riek Machar to return to Juba at the beginning of 2019 at the latest. We join the Secretary-General in his call to the South Sudanese parties to finalize their agreements on cantonment, the reintegration of former combatants and other security-related issues. In our View, it is only the full and comprehensive implementation of the commitments that have been made that can help to increase the trust between the parties and prevent them from repeating the mistakes that occurred during the settlement process in South Sudan in the past.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8431 (2018) · source
“We see that as an example of the realization in practice of the principle of African solutions to African problems, as well as an opportunity for effective cooperation between the United Nations, its Security Council and regional organizations. We are aware of the recent contacts that have taken place between the Chiefs of Staff of the IGAD countries on issues related to the implementation of the Agreement, and we are ready to consider substantive proposals from IGAD regarding the Regional Protection Force. We welcome the considerable progress that we are beginning to see in implementing the Agreement, including in that regard the formation and launch of the operations of the structures and mechanisms provided for in the Agreement.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8431 (2018) · source
“We would again like to pay tribute to the coordinated mediation efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which initiated and ensured the resulting productive negotiations in Khartoum between June and August, as well as the signing of documents that were crucial to the peace process. We greatly appreciate the ongoing personal contribution by President Omer Al-Bashir of the Sudan to the peace Agreement. We note that the regional actors involved have continued to maintain their united approach to the settlement in South Sudan, which is essential to the future progress of the peace process. We welcome the desire of the Agreement's guarantors to assist in its implementation by providing national contingents from the Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti and Somalia to the Regional Protection Force.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8431 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Under-Secretary-General Jean- Pierre Lacroix and Special Representative Pramila Patten for their information on the progress of the settlement in South Sudan. We took note of the briefing by Ambassador Wronecka, Permanent Representative of Poland and Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan, about that subsidiary body's activity for the second half of 2018. The Russian Federation considers the signing on 12 September of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan to be very significant. What is most important is that the South Sudanese parties showed a willingness to compromise and a desire to settle their differences.”
2018-12-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8431 (2018) · source
“At this stage, we urge all the parties in Cameroon to refrain from violence and focus on substantive national dialogue. In conclusion, I would like to point out that the threats and challenges that the Central African region is dealing with today are closely entwined and interrelated, while the States themselves are highly dependent on one another. The destabilization of the situation in one country is liable to ignite the entire subregion, shattering the security of its neighbours. It is therefore exceedingly important to keep a finger on the pulse of evolving events, for which the activity of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa is useful.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“We understand the concerns of our British and American colleagues about the information on violations of the rights of the English-speaking population. I have to say that I can only hope that London and Washington will display an equally principled attitude to the infringements on the rights of the Russian-speaking population that are happening right under our colleagues' noses in the Baltic States and Ukraine. With respect to Cameroon, it is important not to cross the line between prevention and intervention in States' internal affairs. There is every evidence that a number of our colleagues have come very close to that. For the time being we have every reason to believe that Cameroon is capable of dealing with this tricky issue by itself. We are willing to help, but only if our partners in Cameroon deem it necessary.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“We hope that with the support of the international community the pan-regional efforts will help to solve the problem of piracy in an area as economically important as the Gulf of Guinea. We note that the destructive capacity of the Lord's Resistance Army has shrunk considerably in the past few years. Its numbers have fallen and its activity is limited to sparsely populated areas in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We believe that it should no longer be seen as a significant threat to peace and security in the region. Like my colleagues, I would like to briefly touch on Cameroon. We are monitoring developments there closely. The information we have is troubling but so far extremely contradictory and not something that we should base any hasty or far-reaching decisions on.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“We support President Touadera's efforts to hold an inclusive political dialogue, work quickly to reform the security sector and improve the armed forces' capacity. For our part, we will continue to fully support the country's nascent national reconciliation, acting in coordination with the authorities in Bangui and with the African Union and the leadership of the Sudan, as well as with other stakeholders seeking ways to normalize the situation there. One ofthe other factors behind the instability in the Central Africa is piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. In the light of the unceasing attacks on vessels along the coast of Somalia, a dangerous trend is emerging. We must not forget the importance of a comprehensive approach to combating piracy.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“In that context, we must not lose sight of the fact that the destabilization in the region assumed catastrophic proportions in the wake of the collapse of statehood in neighbouring Libya. The situation in Libya is still far from normalized and continues to have negative repercussions for the situation in the region in general. We welcome the efforts undertaken by Africans themselves to eradicate the terrorist threat, and we hope that the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel can make a meaningful contribution to stabilizing the security situation in the subregion. The situation in the Central African Republic is very worrying. Armed groups have engaged in brutal clashes over resources and territory.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“In that context, we note the activities of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa in strengthening peace and security in the region, as well as Special Representative Fall's personal good offices. It is important to continue to expand our engagement with regional stakeholders, including the Economic Community of Central African States. We concur with the assessment in the Secretary-General's report (S/2018/1065) that Central Africa is dealing with a huge number of challenges on the security, political and economic fronts. Boko Haram's terrorist activity remains one of the chief threats to regional peace and stability and also brings with it serious humanitarian consequences, particularly in the Lake Chad basin region.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Francois Lounceny Fall, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and Ms. Reena Ghelani for their information on the situation in the Central African subregion. We firmly believe that the approach that is fundamental to effective crisis prevention and conflict resolution in Africa is one that combines a leading role for the African people themselves with support for their efforts on the part of the international community. In that connection, we welcome the efforts by the countries of Central Africa to counter the threats and challenges that they face, including through the joint programmes and initiatives to combat Boko Haram and ensure maritime security. Those efforts unquestionably need additional international support.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8421 (2018) · source
“In that connection, I would like to thank the Netherlands and Cote d'Ivoire for the professionalism and flexibility they showed during the work on the text, which enabled the Council to present a united front. We need more such diplomatic successes in our work. We also hope that there will be a similarly constructive approach to the negotiation process on the other draft resolution, on peacekeeping, proposed by the same delegations. For the moment, unfortunately, there are still significant differences of opinion about it, which should compel us to come up with alternative options. We hope that other delegations besides the co-facilitators will respect one another's red lines with a view to arriving at compromise solutions and unity in the Council. The meeting rose at 10.20 am.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8420 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): The Russian Federation voted in favour of resolution 2447 (2018), drafted by the delegations of the Netherlands and Cote d'Ivoire, on strengthening United Nations support in the areas of police, justice and corrections in peacekeeping operations. The negotiations were not easy, especially in their initial stages. Nevertheless, the authors of the draft proved willing to listen to the conceptual concerns of other States, which helped to break the deadlock in the process. The desire to strike a balance among the interests of all 15 members of the Security Council enabled a result that initially seemed impossible, the achievement of consensus on the resolution.”
2018-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8420 (2018) · source
“Needless to say, neither can the international community remain indifferent. It must help the Government and the people of Haiti to establish their national ownership of post-conflict peacebuilding. The United Nations staff still have a great deal to do in their task of providing the Haitian authorities with as much assistance as possible. Russia supports Port-au-Prince and will continue to work to ensure that the Security Council's efforts will result in genuinely normalizing the situation in Haiti and strengthening its sovereignty and self-sufficiency.”
2018-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8419 (2018) · source
“The plight of a significant part of the population is being compounded by continuing outbreaks of cholera, while only 11 per cent of this year's humanitarian response plan has been funded. On top of that, the earthquake that occurred on 6 October resulted in 18 deaths and has either destroyed or damaged around 11,000 homes. In these exceedingly difficult circumstances, the Government, led by President Jovenel Moise, has made serious efforts to make progress in accordance with the Secretary-General's benchmarks, including in the areas of political reform, security, the strengthening of the judicial system and, of course, the police. However, we believe that it is crucial to ensure that the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the authorities work together.”
2018-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8419 (2018) · source
“In every instance, for example in paragraph 56, there are references to allegations of the excessive use of force by police officers. We want to stress that this wording is too vague for a report on an issue as critical as human rights. We would like to point out that in April (see S/PV.8226), our American colleagues insisted that resolution 2410 (2018) should apply the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to the Mission's entire mandate, which undermined the Council's long-standing consensus on Haiti. Was that really done so that we now have to discuss certain proposals? We are extremely alarmed by the report's assessments of the rapidly deteriorating economic and humanitarian situation.”
2018-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8419 (2018) · source
“We are pleased with the report's positive assessment of the process of transferring responsibility to the Haitian National Police. We were interested in the description of the fact that the work of dealing with the mass protests enabled the police to display the professional skills they have gained. While those complimentary assessments give rise to optimism, we were surprised that the report made reference in that regard to some so-called international stakeholders who remain nameless. We would like to see the Secretary- General's own assessments in his reports, based on information provided by the Mission. We cannot ignore a statement in the section of the report on human rights to the effect that during the reporting period the Mission cited 15 violations allegedly committed by the police.”
2018-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8419 (2018) · source
“The mass protests, which reached a peak on 17 October and again on 18 November, emphasized that resolving any of the issues between the people and the Government must be done through direct, constructive and, most importantly, peaceful dialogue, and strictly within the framework of Haiti's legal arena. We believe that its citizens' inalienable right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression must be exercised solely in compliance with their national legislation. We support our colleagues who have urged the demonstrators to respect the law and refrain from violence or action that undermines Haiti's stability and social order. We hope that our Security Council partners will take a similar position on all such situations, wherever they may happen to take place.”
2018-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8419 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Ms. Helen La Lime, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for her briefing on the situation in Haiti and the work of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti. In our view, the second of the series of quarterly reports (S/2018/1059) mandated by resolution 2410 (2018) is a remarkably objective reflection ofa complex situation in a critical period for the country. The closer we get to the time when the Council must consider the issue of the Mission's closure, the more frequently Haiti and its people are encountering challenges that they will soon have to deal with by themselves and take national ownership of. The already very fragile security situation has been subjected to new stresses.”
2018-12-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8419 (2018) · source
“Needless to say, where financing United Nations peacebuilding assistance is concerned, an increase in predictability would not go amiss. We believe that the best way to encourage Member States to make voluntary contributions is by ensuring proper transparency and accountability in the use of the funds provided. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that we firmly believe that only an impartial and transparent approach to peacebuilding and sustaining peace can ensure the effectiveness of efforts in this area. It is important to provide that assistance in support of the efforts of host States themselves without imposing ready-made solutions or unnecessary mentoring. The main purpose of peacebuilding is to help States get back on their feet as soon as possible and manage their sustainable development issues independently.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“The key role in coordinating peacebuilding assistance belongs to the Peacebuilding Commission. That intergovernmental advisory body's potential has still not been fully realized. It would be particularly helpful to the Security Council to have information about the national peacebuilding priorities of States whose situations are on both bodies' agendas. The transmission of that information and the Commission's unanimous advice could be an excellent complement to the Secretary-General's reports without duplicating them. That would be especially helpful during the transition from the peacekeeping to the peacebuilding stage, or when the Council reviews missions with a view to increasing their cost effectiveness.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Needless to say, international peacebuilding assistance should aim to enhance host States' national capacity and independence, not act as a substitute for their functions. With regard to the work of the United Nations in the area of peacebuilding, it is important to strengthen its internal coordination and maintain its division of labour in accordance with the existing mandates of the various Secretariat departments. In developing peacebuilding assistance programmes, it is important to bear in mind that each country's situation is unique and each has its own reasons for where it has ended up. A one-size-fits-all approach simply will not work. Every option for international peacebuilding assistance must have the unconditional support of the host State or risk exacerbating existing problems.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“International peacebuilding assistance therefore gets results only when it is accompanied by a sustainable truce and a political process. While the primary responsibility for developing and implementing peacebuilding strategies unquestionably belongs to Governments, all national stakeholders should recognize their shared responsibility for peace. It is difficult to conceive of effective post-conflict recovery, let alone development, without constructive contributions from all segments of society. As for international support, it should be based on the Security Council's fundamental resolutions 1645 (2005) and 2282 (2016), which outline the basic principles of peacebuilding - the consent of host States, respect for its sovereignty and political independence, and the recognition of national ownership and leadership.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Those efforts do not consist in a short list of objectives but in a long process that begins before the drawdown of a United Nations mission and continues afterwards right up until all the goals have been successfully implemented. In that way it differs from international peacebuilding assistance, which is necessary only until the host State achieves self- sufficiency - that is, the ability to exist without critical support from the international community. As we have seen in practice, the help that is provided during a conflict is not always effective, since it is often impossible to consolidate its positive results and the processes have to be started again from scratch in the event of a relapse into conflict.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“At that sensitive stage, the main tasks for a country are establishing national reconciliation and restoring safe living conditions for its population as a whole, as crucial conditions for preventing relapses into armed conflict and transitioning to sustainable development. Many issues related to the early stages of peacebuilding are included in the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations. In fulfilling their main task of helping to advance peace processes, peacekeepers make an important contribution to establishing the initial conditions for the start ofa full- fledged recovery. However, it should be understood that peacebuilding's key efforts take place at the national level.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“We thank you, Sir, for organizing today's Security Council meeting on post-conflict peacebuilding, and we are grateful to the Secretary-General for his views and for his serious attention to peacebuilding issues. For many years United Nations peacebuilding assistance has been an important tool for helping States to deal with the consequences of conflicts. As a rule, countries that have survived the hot phase of a crisis do not have the human and institutional resources to resolve the whole complex of problems facing them on the security, law-and-order and socioeconomic development fronts, as well as other pressing issues, which is why they may need international assistance.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are pleased to welcome you, Mr. President, to the Security Council. First and foremost, I would like to echo the words of condolence that my colleagues have expressed to the American people and to the family and friends of the forty-first President of the United States of America, the late Mr. George Herbert Walker Bush. He served his country faithfully, first on the field of battle during the war years and then in high governmental positions. Mr. Bush did much to strengthen Russian-American cooperation on matters of international security and earned sincere respect in my country.”
2018-12-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8413 (2018) · source
“The Secretary-General's survey of the situation has made none of it any clearer. The reality is that the situation on the ground in Syria has significantly changed, and that should be reflected in a comparable way in the adjustment of the cross- border mechanism.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“There is evidence that part of the humanitarian aid coming from outside is being confiscated and stored by Jabhat Al-Nusra and its satellites in Idlib. Armed groups are extorting at checkpoints along the line of demarcation, and local authorities, escorted by terrorists, are extracting tribute from farmers and businesses. The Secretary-General's report briefly touches on the problem in a reference to abuses at the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing. However, the description does not convey the scale of the manipulations, with Al-Nusra's participation. The data shows that in 2015 and 2016, the forces controlling that border crossing from the Syrian side were making $2 million a month. It is difficult to believe that no one in the United Nations was aware of the scale of these operations.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“One extremely worrying fact is this year's record low wheat harvest in Syria, the worst in 30 years, which is partly due to drought. In that regard, the United Nations specialized agencies should help to support the country's food security, including by re-establishing its stores of vital cereal grains. There is continuing major uncertainty with regard to cross-border deliveries of humanitarian assistance to Syria under the interim mechanism introduced by Council resolution 2165 (2014). Despite the persistent assertions about its transparency, there is absolutely no sign of it. Inside Syria, everything is farmed out to various so-called third parties and partners, who for some reason are reluctant to be identified to the Council.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“We urge that the possibility of organizing a permanent humanitarian corridor to Rukban be considered. The bigger picture should focus on gradually dismantling the camp and resettling its residents. We are ready to continue consultations with the United Nations, the Government of Syria and our United States and Jordanian colleagues. However, the only real way to solve the problem is by ending the occupation around the Al-Tanf base, not through one-off humanitarian initiatives. Incidentally, one of the ISIL terrorists taken hostage during a special operation to liberate Druze prisoners on the Al-Safa plateau in eastern Suwayda testified that he and his accomplices had received weapons, munitions and food from the area around the Al-Tanf base. It would be a good idea to properly investigate what exactly is going on in that grey area.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“Many could not get inoculated because the vaccinations were being administered at a distance from the camp. Considering such gross errors, it would be difficult to expect that the Syrian Government, which has no authority in the area of the camp, to give instant permission for a new humanitarian convoy to come in. It is the United States, which is fully responsible for the plight of the civilians in the area, that should ensure the security of humanitarian operations in Rukban, not shift the fulfilment of the job onto illegal armed groups. It is important to ensure that United Nations humanitarian personnel are involved in the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid, with the assistance of reputable organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“In general, it should be acknowledged that the self-proclaimed local councils, which have the support of external allies, have from time to time been implementing discriminatory policies in the country's north-eastern areas that are changing the historical composition of the population. The situation in the Rukban camp remains very unfortunate. The humanitarian operation launched at the beginning of November was inadequate from an organizational standpoint. United Nations and Syrian Arab Red Crescent personnel were not allowed inside the 55-kilometre zone occupied by the United States around the Al-Tanf base. Militants from the Maghawir Al-Thawra armed group organized the distribution of aid. Without the necessary oversight, a significant portion of the humanitarian assistance failed to reach those who needed it.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“Against that backdrop, we are genuinely shocked by the details that have time and time again come to light of some Western capitals' support for Syrian opposition armed groups, including the transfer of arms and other material means to terrorists, while the public has been kept in the dark or deliberately misled. In our view, those with influence over the armed groups controlling certain areas in north-eastern Syria should convince their clients to address the situation in which schoolchildren are not being given access to educational institutions in Government-held areas, which we also heard about in Ms. Ghelani's briefing and which can only be described as barbaric. In Damascus, by the way, they are doing everything possible to ensure uninterrupted schooling throughout Syria.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“The Syrians have been sending desperate letters to the Security Council but for some reason they seem to resonate very little with the international community, just as we have seen no reaction to the discovery of mass graves of victims of the coalition's air strikes in Raqqa. Incidentally, the discrepancies in the statistics jump out at one. The Secretary-General's report (S/2018/1041) speaks of 1,000 bodies exhumed, while according to the letter from Syria to the members of the Security Council the figure is four times larger. According to some reports, the United States refuses to consider the possibility of paying compensation for those killed in Raqqa.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“We are deeply concerned about the continued build-up of the United States militarypresence onthe leftbank ofthe Euphrates. According to the media, the total number of United States military bases in Syria has already reached 19. The speed of its occupation and consolidation of quasi- State structures on the ground is growing, complicating the prospects for a political settlement. The military operation in the area of Hajin in Deir ez-Zor governorate, which was announced as being against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has done no significant damage to the terrorists. Instead, as we have heard, including from Ms. Ghelani, time and time again its victims are civilians, and that is ever more difficult to deny.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“There is an acute shortage of medicines for treating common diseases, owing to disruptions in the supply chain. A third of the population is using water from unreliable sources. Over the past year all of these factors have led to outbreaks of measles, leishmaniasis and diarrhoea. It is important for WHO to focus on restoring the local authorities' capacity to provide medical care. We continue to highlight the inadmissibility of maintaining unilateral sanctions against Syria, which significantly limit the ability of the authorities to obtain medicines and medical equipment. Unfortunately, many questions remain about the activities of the so-called coalition led by the United States, which is present on Syrian soil in violation of the basic principles of international law.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“Following the eradication of the terrorist presence in the southern suburbs of Damascus, the Syrian authorities have been developing a plan to restore the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk, and the streets there are currently being cleared. We assume that the foreign donors who are traditionally sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians might participate in implementing those plans. The situation in the health-care sector remains very serious. According to the response plan for Syria in 2019 prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) country office, humanitarian medical assistance is still needed, especially in newly liberated areas. More than half of the country's medical facilities are closed or functioning only partially.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“The guarantor countries of the Astana process have urged the international community, especially the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies, to increase assistance to Syria, including by expanding humanitarian deliveries and rebuilding civilian infrastructure. Meanwhile, however, we are obliged to assume that some Western capitals have not grasped this and have made assistance in the restoration conditional on political circumstances, which is an inhumane approach. Sometimes they are also intimidating others who might dare to circumvent illegal unilateral sanctions, for example, and that is also unacceptable.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“The flow of refugees and internally displaced persons returning to their homes is gaining strength, with an average of up to 1,000 people returning from Lebanon and Jordan every day. To the extent that they can, the Syrian authorities are making significant efforts to create favourable conditions for their citizens. Helpful adjustments are being made at the legislative level. As we have repeatedly stressed, at this critical juncture it falls to the international community to collectively get behind the Syrian people in order to repair the devastation as soon as possible and establish normal life for those who have voluntarily decided to return to their homeland.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“We hope that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will undertake the necessary measures in connection with the reports from Damascus as soon as possible. Prior to that, there was an attack in the area of Jurin by militants from Haras Al-Din, an illegal armed group affiliated with Al-Qaida, in the repelling of which 18 soldiers were killed. The Astana guarantor countries will ramp up their efforts to ensure that the cessation of hostilities is maintained and affirm their Willingness to fully implement the 17 September memorandum on the stabilization of the situation in Idlib. But it is important to understand that however significant a sustainable ceasefire is, it does not eliminate the need to continue working effectively to combat terrorism.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“While problems remain, there is clear evidence that things on the humanitarian front are improving, which is particularly noticeable in the areas controlled by Damascus. It is perhaps premature to take stock of outcomes for the year, but we believe that it is a major achievement that the so-called besieged areas have completely dropped off our agenda, for instance. However, the growing number of violations of the cessation of hostilities regime in the Idlib de-escalation zone is worrying. There was a particularly alarming incident last week when militants based inside the zone fired shells containing toxic substances on resident neighbourhoods in Aleppo, as has already been mentioned today. There are casualties.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“As a result of the meeting, ajoint statement was agreed on in which, having emphasized their determination to strengthen their trilateral cooperation, the guarantor countries among other things repudiated all attempts to create new realities on the ground on the pretext of combating terrorism, and expressed their determination to counter any separatist plans designed to undermine Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity or the national security of its neighbours. Iran, Russia and Turkey welcomed the success on 24 November of the pilot project to exchange people who had been forcibly detained, which was a step forward in the work of building trust among the Syrian stakeholders. On the whole, the situation in much of Syria is stable.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Ms. Ghelani for her briefing. As the Council is aware, the capital of Kazakhstan just hosted the eleventh international meeting in the framework of the Astana process, in which the issues of progress on a political settlement based on the groundwork laid in Geneva and Sochi, further improvements in the situation on the ground and the development of confidence-building measures among the Syrian parties were discussed. We thank our partners in Kazakhstan for their unwavering hospitality.”
2018-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8411 (2018) · source
“Unfortunately, judging by our Ukrainian colleague's statement, I have to conclude that they have been considerably cheered and intend to continue in their chosen provocative spirit, and hence the fantasies we have been hearing about our plans to seize Mariupol. In conclusion, I want to issue a warning that Kyiv's policy of provoking a conflict with Russia conducted in coordination with the United States and the European Union is fraughtwith exceedingly serious consequences. We will put a firm stop to any infringement on the sovereignty and security of the Russian Federation, including in the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. I hope that is clear to everyone.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“We demand that Ukraine provide full and unconditional immunity to Russia's embassies and general consulates in Ukraine, in accordance with the norms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, and that it hold those responsible for the attacks accountable. Since you represent China, Mr. President, I would like to remind you of a well-known saying of Confucius about the fact that it is very difficult to find a black cat in a dark room, especially when it is not there. That is exactly what the members here are doing, discussing an imaginary act of aggression by Russia without talking about the real reason for having this meeting today. But the problem is right under their noses and can be solved extremely easily, as I have already said. An order from Washington could resolve it in the space of 10 minutes.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“While I did not mention it in my previous statement on the correct topic for this meeting, I should also point out that Kyiv's decisions have given free rein to Ukraine's radical nationalists. They have been particularly active in the past few days. And in particular, nobody has mentioned the fact that there was another attack on the Russian Embassy in Kyiv while the police did nothing. A diplomatic car was set on fire last night. The radicals continue to threaten to storm our diplomatic headquarters. As I understand it, we should expect no response on this from anyone. Does anyone think that is normal?”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source
“Many people ask if we knew then what awaited us in the frenzied rush of the West to launch its anti-Russian geopolitical "project Ukraine" that I mentioned earlier this morning. Of course we knew. We had no illusions. Does Russia regret what has happened? Absolutely not. Furthermore, I want to say that an overwhelming majority of Russians are proud of it, since if we had not taken a stand to protect the Crimeans, today they would be dying from the Ukrainian army's bullets and shells, just as the Russian-speaking residents of Donbas are dying. They are dying merely because they want to speak Russian, teach their children in Russian and honour those who liberated Ukraine from the fascists rather than those who collaborated with them.”
2018-11-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8410 (2018) · source