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

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“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Ms. Leila Zerrougui, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and Mr. Said Djinnit, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, for their comprehensive briefings on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on the process of implementing the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region. We also very grateful to all of the staff of the Secretariat and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), as well as the other United Nations agencies that helped us to carry out a very successful and important visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2018-10-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8370 (2018) · source
“We believe that if collective, consensus-based approaches prevail, as happened today, we can resolve United Nations peacekeeping problems, however difficult they are, thereby achieving the goals we all share and preserving and strengthening the authority and role of the United Nations in conflict resolution.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8360 (2018) · source
“The General Assembly's Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations 4 which brings together the members of the Council, troop-contributing countries and host States, as well as ensuring close cooperation with the Secretariat - was established and operationalized in order to engage the largest possible number of States in this process for that purpose. We would like to point out that the logic of collective effort is central the Secretary-General's Action for Peacekeeping initiative. The principal parties implementing Council mandates, the troop-contributing countries, should therefore, like host States, not be left on the sidelines when key decisions are made about the parameters for peacekeeping operations.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8360 (2018) · source
“For example, we think that simplistic solutions, such as continually strengthening missions' mandates, cannot guarantee sustained solutions. However, these differences are not insuperable, and the work done on the resolution we adopted today shows that we definitely can and should seek common approaches that enable us to achieve the broadest possible consensus. For that reason, we believe that so-called general peacekeeping issues should be considered by the widest possible range of stakeholders, or our efforts will not be very effective.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8360 (2018) · source
“The consultations on the text confirmed that where there is a will the Council is capable of finding a way to take decisions on issues, however complex, and we would be happy and ready to help to ensure that this constructive practice can be translated to other items on our agenda. Issues related to optimizing peacekeeping missions' activities are extremely important and require the closest possible attention of all participants in peacekeeping operations. We fully support the desire of all to strengthen Blue Helmets' safety and make their work of implementing Council mandates more effective, but while the diagnosis is generally the same, the proposals as to which methods should be applied frequently differ.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8360 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russia): The work on the draft text for resolution 2436 (2018) proposed by our American partners was not easy. At one point, frankly, we were on the verge of radical decisions and a situation that would have deprived the Council of unity on an issue of major importance requiring a collective decision. We are pleased that patient efforts ultimately enabled us to include language that had Council members' unanimous support. This was made possible thanks to the authors' willingness not merely to hear but also to listen to the expectations and concerns of a broad range of States, particularly troop-contributing countries, that play a key role in United Nations peacekeeping. The Russian Federation therefore found it possible to support the resolution's adoption.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8360 (2018) · source
“We note that a whole range of factors has prevented Khartoum and Juba from demonstrating the flexibility required to resolve the final status of Abyei. In that regard, UNISFA plays a very important role in maintaining stability in the region. Once again, we would like to recall that UNISFA is operating within the confines of traditional peacekeeping, in which the parties to the conflict are States. When making decisions on reconfiguring the Mission, it is important to be guided by the basic principles of peacekeeping. We believe that the changes proposed by the Secretariat with regard to strengthening the civilian component and changing the mandate and personnel ceiling of the mission must first be supported by both Khartoum and Juba. We must also take into account the views of the troop-contributing countries.”
2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8357 (2018) · source
“is an important element in preventing incidents between the two parties. We continue to believe that scaling back UNISFA support for the Mechanism could completely paralyse the structure and have a negative impact on the prospects for a full resolution to the situation in Abyei. Guided by that, we supported the adoption ofresolution 2412 (2018), which extended the UNISFA mandate by six months. We will be ready to support a similar extension in October. We took note of the letter of the Secretary- General (S/2018/778), which includes proposals on reconfiguring UNISFA. We believe that the issue must be carefully addressed and examined. We understand that there is little progress being made in resolving the Abyei dispute.”
2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8357 (2018) · source
“It is important that the Amiet common market is slowly becoming the economic hub not only for Abyei but for the region as a whole. We are convinced that it has contributed to strengthening trust and reconciliation between the two communities. We regret that not all of the provisions of the inter-Sudanese Agreement of 20 June 2011 are being implemented. A power vacuum remains in the Area. The demilitarized status of Abyei and the buffer zone along the inter-Sudanese border is being violated. We would like to see increased regular contact between the leaders of the Sudan and South Sudan. With regard to the enhanced Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM), we welcome the progress made by the parties in fulfilling their obligations to make it fully operational. We believe that the J BVMM.”
2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8357 (2018) · source
“We note the efforts of the African Union and its High-level Implementation Panel under the leadership of Mr. Thabo Mbeki. We hope that the Panel will continue to be an important mechanism for promoting the normalization of relations between the two countries. We note with satisfaction the generally stable situation in Abyei, as well as the constructive relations of the personnel of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNIFSA) with the local inhabitants and the measures taken by UNIFSA to prevent intercommunal clashes. Among the positive aspects, we would also like to highlight the periodic holding of meetings of peace committees with representatives of the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities. We welcome the fact that law enforcement and economic matters are addressed at such events.”
2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8357 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to thank Under-Secretary- General Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Special Envoy Nicholas Haysom for their substantive briefings. We believe that the continuation of the joint efforts of the parties, including the political dialogue at the highest level, are key to the successful progress of the intra-Sudanese peace process. The basis for cooperation between Khartoum and Juba exists, namely, the bilateral agreements concluded in September 2012 in Addis Ababa, as well as the relevant Security Council resolutions. We welcome the improvement recently noted in the relations between the two Sudans. We pay tribute to the effective participation of Khartoum in the mediation efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to revitalize the South Sudanese Peace Agreement.”
2018-09-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8357 (2018) · source
“The result might be the reverse of what is desired, with the parties turning to a military solution rather than a negotiation process. That would certainly make it more difficult to achieve a peace settlement. Finally, in principle, we do not accept a situation where attempts are made to use the sanctions regime of the Security Council as a substitute for serious political and diplomatic work.”
2018-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8356 (2018) · source
“We see this process as a practical manifestation of the principle of African solutions to African problems, as well as an opportunity for effective cooperation between the United Nations and the Security Council and regional organizations. We are ready to consider substantive proposals by IGAD regarding the Regional Protection Force. We encourage South Sudanese politicians to show goodwill when implementing the revised Agreement. Despite clear positive trends, we also note calls for broadening sanctions on South Sudan, including in this Chamber. I would therefore once again like to recall our position on that issue. As before, we think that excessive pressure applied through sanctions might entrench the positions of the South Sudanese parties and may give them the wrong signals.”
2018-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8356 (2018) · source
“It was indeed the countries of the region that were able to start the negotiation process from scratch at a time when South Sudan's leaders could not even be seated at the same negotiating table. It was IGAD that forged ahead in its efforts when many of those in this very chamber had lost hope and written off the process of revitalization. We note the unity demonstrated by the region's leaders in their approach to the South Sudan settlement, and we call on them to maintain that approach in their continued support for the peace process. We also welcome the efforts of the guarantors to facilitate the implementation of the Peace Agreement by providing national contingents from the Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti and Somalia as part of the Regional Protection Force.”
2018-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8356 (2018) · source
“We therefore welcome the signing of the revitalized Peace Agreement by the parties to the conflict in South Sudan on 12 September. We hope that the breakthrough nature of the agreements reached in Addis Ababa will not be questioned. We agree that they still require substantial detail, but that does not detract from their significance. It is important that the South Sudanese parties demonstrated their readiness to reach a compromise, as well as their desire to resolve their existing differences by peaceful means. We pay tribute to the effective coordinated efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which enabled the successful completion of the South Sudanese Peace Agreement revitalization process. We note that regional actors painstakingly spent over a year bringing the positions of the parties together.”
2018-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8356 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Under-Secretary-General Jean- Pierre Lacroix and Special Envoy Nicholas Haysom for the detailed information on the situation in South Sudan and the progress in the South Sudanese political settlement. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Haysom for the work that he has done and congratulate him on his recent appointment. I wish him every success in his work at his new post. We also listened with interest to the briefings by Special Envoy Ismail Wais and Ms. Grace John. The Russian Federation's consistent position arises from the premise that a sustainable ceasefire and the launch of an inclusive process of national reconciliation are the key to stabilization in South Sudan.”
2018-09-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8356 (2018) · source
“The positive momentum that began with the normalization of relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea has spread to the entire subcontinent. We believe that the steps taken by the States of the region, including Somalia, to restore good-neighbourly relations between their peoples will ultimately bring the stability and prosperity they desire. We wish the countries of the Horn of Africa every success along that path, and we are ready to support them in every possible way. I would also like to express my gratitude to Michael Keating for his helpful work on the Somalia dossier for the past three years. We wish him success in all his new endeavours.”
2018-09-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8352 (2018) · source
“In the current circumstances, it is important not only to adapt the Mission to the changing situation on the ground but also to ensure that its reconfiguration goes hand in hand with the establishment of Somali law-enforcement structures. We are ready to discuss the modalities of financing AMISOM. from the United Nations budget. Progress in building the State and creating viable institutions of authority, especially on the social front, is no less important. The acute humanitarian challenges that the country is facing must be addressed as soon as possible. We support the calls to ensure women's active participation in that process. The most recent developments in the region have made it possible to speak with hope for the future of the Horn of Africa.”
2018-09-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8352 (2018) · source
“The terrorist organizations Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant continue to conduct their subversive activities on Somali territory, and the Somali authorities still have much to do to put an end to such threats. Effective joint efforts are particularly needed for the work of building a national security architecture. The priority here is ensuring the transfer of responsibility for the country's security to the Somalis themselves. In that regard, we would particularly like to thank the African Union Mission in Somalia, which continues to make a huge contribution to normalizing life in Somalia.”
2018-09-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8352 (2018) · source
“In that context, we want to particularly highlight the progress made on constitutional reform, on developing a legislative framework for holding general elections in 2020 and 2021, and the signing of an agreement on the sharing of revenues from minerals. At the same time, we urge all political players in Somalia to settle their differences exclusively by peaceful means. We note the mediation efforts that President Farmajo has made in that regard, as well as those of the Intergovernmental Organization for Development and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. Such efforts are particularly important considering that the challenges to security in Somalia remain very serious.”
2018-09-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8352 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to thank today's briefers, Mr. Michael Keating, Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral for Somalia, Mr. Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN-Women. We are also very pleased to see our new Ethiopian colleague in the Chamber today. We wish him every success and are ready to work closely with him in the Council. We welcome the progress that has been made between Mogadishu and the federal states in restoring Somali statehood.”
2018-09-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8352 (2018) · source
“I would like to remind the Council that we drew attention to the issue in our statements on 3 and 9 April (see S/PV.8220 and S/PV.8225). In the context of the stated United Nations policy of zero tolerance for such terrible crimes, we have no right to ignore flagrant examples.”
2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8342 (2018) · source
“For our part, we support Port-au-Prince and affirm that Russia will continue to ensure that the ultimate outcome of the Security Council's work will be a genuine normalization of the situation in Haiti, along with stronger sovereignty and self-sufficiency. We would once again like to draw the Council's attention to a very important point that for reasons that are unclear has been left out of our discussion. Once again, in spite of the fact that a significant portion of the Secretary-General's report is dedicated to the subject of combating sex crimes and assisting their victims, it contains no information about similar crimes committed by representatives of non-governmental organizations accredited by the United Nations.”
2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8342 (2018) · source
“We have also seen that the gradual transfer to the Haitian National Police of responsibility for maintaining law and order is in difficulties and is going on at a time when criminal groups are increasingly active. These are all problems that the Government and people of Haiti will have to solve on their own in the near future as they assume their national responsibility. We welcome the efforts of the country's leadership to ensure stability and develop a system of State governance that relies on their own strengths. It will be crucial to ensure that the work of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of Government are well coordinated. And much remains to be done on the part of United Nations personnel, whose task is to provide maximum assistance in the process.”
2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8342 (2018) · source
“Regrettably, the political life of the country has been marked by disagreement between the legislative and executive branches, the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Government and setbacks in the work of Parliament, all of which have considerably undermined the prospects for post-conflict peacebuilding in Haiti. We have to note that the humanitarian situation remains dire. More than 1 million people are in urgent need of food assistance but fewer than half of them are actually receiving it. And to that can be added the fact that the humanitarian response plan is only 10 per cent financed. These events in no way help the Mission in preparing to withdraw from the country.”
2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8342 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Assistant Secretary-General Ms. Bintou Keita for her briefing on the situation in Haiti and on the work of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti. We are also grateful for the very useful and enlightening presentation on the achievements of the Mission. We must acknowledge the objectivity of the alarming assessments in the report of the Secretary- General (S/2018/795) that the already fragile security situation has recently been undergoing new trials, notably the mass protests being staged around the country.”
2018-09-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8342 (2018) · source
“In particular, we very much hope that the aspects linked to the withdrawal of the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will be discussed.”
2018-09-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8339 (2018) · source
“Furthermore, we fear that putting this item on the agenda of the Security Council will only undermine the efforts being made in Nicaragua to resolve the situation, and which of course we fully support. Our hope is that you, Madam President, will heed our views and that we can continue to work together as a team and achieve success in areas where we can make genuine progress. I also want to note that we understand and are familiar with the previously mentioned plans to hold a high-level meeting on 26 September. We assume that the discussion will take place in the context of the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015). In our view, the subject of Iran can be discussed only within that framework.”
2018-09-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8339 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I too would like to join in congratulating our British colleagues on their presidency in August. They had a difficult job and nonetheless handled it well. I also wish you and your team every success, Madam President. This too will be a complicated month. You effectively lose a week to the general debate, but I think with our collective efforts we can make headway and discuss genuinely important issues pertaining to international peace and security. In that context, I wish to endorse my Bolivian colleague's statement, which I felt made a very compelling and persuasive argument. There is no question that the Security Council should focus on issues that pose a threat to international peace and security, and in that regard, we see no such threat from the situation in Nicaragua.”
2018-09-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8339 (2018) · source
“In a broader sense, it will be important to start talking about Syria's reintegration into the regional trade and economic system. Unblocking a number of internal roadways and border crossings has to be an important prerequisite for strengthening the traditional links between Syria and its partners in the region. That is by far the best way to meet the goal of normalizing relations among the States of the Middle East, and Russia is ready to support it in every way. And, of course, stabilization will also help advance the political settlement process under the auspices of the United Nations, which all members of the Security Council unanimously support.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“In Raqqa alone there is a ton ofwork to be done, and regrettably, months after the terrorist centre there was wiped out, the so- called coalition has not done enough to make the city it destroyed habitable. We would also like to think that our international partners could help UNMAS through dedicated financing for demining projects in Syria and by providing technical support. In conclusion, I would like to digress from purely humanitarian issues and point out that thanks to Russian specialists, both sappers and archaeologists, the monuments in Palmyra that the terrorists destroyed, which are part of the heritage of all humankind, are being restored. We expect the specialized international bodies, in particular UNESCO, to show genuine interest in this issue.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“It is also long past time to lift the unilateral sanctions, whose primary victims are ordinary Syrians, as the United Nations has shown. I would also like to touch on the issue of humanitarian mine clearance. Our Russian specialists have done tremendous work in sharing their expertise with their Syrian colleagues, and more than 1,200 local sappers have been trained. We spoke about this in detail recently in a special Security Council meeting (see S/PV.8304). We hope that the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Syrian Government and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) will be followed up with concrete, practical and non-politicized measures.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“The Centre for Refugee Reception, Distribution and Settlement has begun its work in coordination with Damascus with an extensive network of branches at checkpoints in various parts of the country. In that context, the revival of the Syrian economy, including job creation, is a critical challenge. The war has dealt a severe blow to many sectors of Syrian industry and agriculture and has destroyed homes and infrastructure. There is an acute shortage of construction materials and heavy equipment, which also needs fuel. The education system must be restored, along with the medical field, a source of great pride for the Syrian people before the conflict. The right thing for all international partners to do would be to help the Syrian recovery efforts and refrain from clinging to artificial political dynamics.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“It is important to note that the Syrians are not rushing to implement the law and are prepared to continue discussing the details with United Nations experts. Successfully implementing the plans for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons will require the coordinated efforts of all stakeholders in cooperation with the Syrian authorities. The specialized bodies in the United Nations system should play a major role in this, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The issue will be on the agenda of the tenth international high-level Astana- format meeting, to be held on 30 and 31 July in Sochi. Russia is taking concrete steps to help.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“In an official statement on 3 July, the Government of Syria urged its citizens to return home and affirmed its responsibility for their safety and integrity. We note that the appeal was welcomed in various States that have been hosting refugees from Syria during the conflict. I would like to emphasize that there is no basis for the insinuations that have been made with regard to Law No. 10 have no basis, as the Syrian authorities have continually explained. A whole information campaign has been cooked up accusing Damascus of wanting to expropriate the property of critics of the current Government living abroad. But the law's only and very pertinent objective is regulating the situation related to real estate property rights, which are in a state of chaos thanks to the conflict.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“As the situation in much of Syria is normalized, the task of returning refugees and internally displaced persons to their permanent homes is becoming ever more urgent. It will reduce the migration burden on host States, primarily Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt and various European countries. The main thing is that all Syrians who want to should be able to return to their homes and take part in the restoration and development of their homeland. This process has already started. The numbers of citizens returning to Syria are already in the thousands. Of course, they need appropriate conditions for their safe and dignified return and placement, and the Syrian authorities are ready to work on providing them.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“The standouts in this story are the White Helmets, whom my colleagues have already discussed today, who disguise themselves as an organization for Syria's civil defence and yet have taken part in disgusting acts of provocation, including the use of poisonous substances. Their trademark in the information war against Damascus has become the production of videos in which they have cynically exploited little children. We have already reported on such cases a number of times. We believe that once the White Helmets are kicked out, Syria will become safer, and that once these people have moved to their foreign sponsors in Europe and North America they will eventually stop engaging in provocations and refrain from helping terrorists.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“As we have said many times, and I would like to say it again, the real humanitarian workers, whether doctors, teachers or journalists, have nothing to fear from the central authorities' restoration of control in the liberated territories. Those who should fear for their safety are the people hiding an entirely different activity, designed to destroy the Syrian State and spread extremism and false propaganda, behind a humanitarian facade. We receive requests for help in evacuating all kinds of activists from south-western Syria and review such appeals based on humanitarian considerations and our capabilities.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“Where punishing the guilty is concerned, it is crucial to ensure that we have the uncompromising determination of all international stakeholders to fight together and with uniform standards against terrorism in all its forms, as Council resolutions demand. The implementation of local pacification arrangements is continuing in the areas of Dar'a and Quneitra provinces that have been liberated from terrorists. These were agreed on with the direct participation of specialists from the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Opposing Sides. The militants are given the opportunity to take advantage of the State amnesty, regulate their status and join the efforts to restore peaceful life, and many are making that choice. Those who are unwilling to accept reconciliation leave for the northern regions of the country with their family members.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“In the past few weeks decisive measures have been taken to eliminate terrorist centres in the southern regions of the country, fully responding to the goals set by the Security Council and in the interests of Syria's immediate neighbours as well as Syria itself. We in Russia have given unfailing attention to the priorities of the regional stakeholders and we maintain intensive contacts with them at various levels. However, it is still too soon for rosy scenarios. Sadly, it does not lack for moments of tragedy, as my American colleague also mentioned today. We were shocked by the series of terrorist attacks just the other day in Suwayda province whose victims were in the hundreds. The perpetrators ofthat crime mustbe severely punished.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“In the past few years, in cooperation with specialized United Nations bodies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, Russian specialists have provided about 300 humanitarian convoys, sometimes in extremely difficult conditions. We are also carrying out joint humanitarian actions with international partners, a good example of which was the recent delivery of humanitarian supplies to residents of eastern Ghouta mentioned by my French colleague, conducted according to a top-level arrangement between Russia and France, an operation for which Russia provided the transport component.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“In addition, the Secretary-General's review does not give us a convincing impression of the effectiveness of United Nations control over cross-border supplies and the distribution of goods in Syria. By its nature the mechanism is discriminatory, since it serves only areas temporarily controlled by armed groups. Russia continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian side on a daily basis. We regularly present the members of the Security Council with the numbers. More than 2,800 tons of humanitarian cargo have been delivered and more than 86,000 people have been treated by our medics.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“Thus no significant progress has been seen in the provision of vital supplies for the inhabitants of the Rukban camp, located in a closed zone around the United States Al-Tanf military base. Nor do we see anything in the functioning of this camp that contributes to establishing peace and eradicating terrorism. We are once again obliged to draw attention to the need to prepare for winding down the cross-border mechanism, which the Security Council introduced as a special measure at a time and in circumstances when it was not possible to conduct humanitarian operations in a number of areas from Syrian territory itself. The situation today is fundamentally different, and it makes no sense to continue to maintain this relic of the past, which infringes on Syrian sovereignty.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We are grateful to Mr. Lowcock and Ms. Gamba for their briefings. The facts on the ground attest to improvements in the situation in Syria, including on the humanitarian front. With the evacuation of residents of Fo'ah and Kafraya, there are no more besieged areas left in the country. As the risks to safety are being reduced in areas recently liberated from terrorists, the stage is gradually being set for the geographical expansion of humanitarian deliveries. However, there are still major problems with humanitarian access in a number of areas that are not controlled by Damascus, including those occupied by the so-called coalition, in violation of Syria's sovereignty.”
2018-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8320 (2018) · source
“The continued attention of the international community - which sees Colombia as a good example of post-conflict recovery - is also important, not to mention a particular focus on developments with regard to the National Liberation Army. We will continue to emphasize that the Colombians' demonstration of responsibility as a nation and their desire to seek politically sustainable solutions made possible the signing of the 2016 Peace Agreement, which enabled the Security Council and the Secretary- General to support the peace process and must therefore be upheld exactly as it is by all parties. For our part, we once again affirm our willingness to continue to support the people and the Government of Colombia in their work of building a lasting peace and post- conflict development.”
2018-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8319 (2018) · source
“Long-standing disagreements are still hampering the consolidation of sustainable peace, which is why we wholeheartedly support the assistance provided to the Colombians by the United Nations presence under Mr. Arnault's leadership. We are grateful to the Verification Mission for monitoring the situation in the country. We are seriously concerned about the disturbing reports of the ongoing murders of former combatants and community leaders, seizures of liberated lands and problems with the political and socioeconomic reintegration of former combatants and the transitional justice system. All of these require urgent solutions for which a responsible approach on the part of the country's leadership is clearly essential, along with support from all sectors of society and an overall commitment to the peace that was so hard-won.”
2018-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8319 (2018) · source
“We have seen a number of positive changes in the country this year. The former guerrilla movement has been transformed into a political party, parliamentary and presidential elections have been held with record turnouts and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace mechanism has been launched. Despite the problems of which we are all aware, these are all unquestionable signs of an improvement in the situation. It will be important to ensure that this progress continues, with the support of society. We sincerely wish Colombia's newly elected President Ivan Duque and his Government every success on this path. Mr. Arnault's briefing confirmed Colombians' resolve to work to advance the peace process, although there is still a great deal to be done.”
2018-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8319 (2018) · source
“Mr. Polyanskiy (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): I would first like to welcome Vice-President Oscar Naranjo of Colombia to the Chamber today and to thank Special Representative Jean Arnault for his informative briefing. The Security Council has met today to discuss the situation in Colombia a year after the adoption of resolution 2366 (2017) (see S/PV.7997), which heralded the completion ofthe process ofthe laying down of arms by former combatants and the country's embarking on a new, peaceful phase. The United Nations Verification Mission established by the resolution was mandated to monitor the Colombian Government's fulfilment of its part of the commitments under the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, which brought to an end hostilities that had lasted for decades.”
2018-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8319 (2018) · source
“We believe that the citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must decide their own destiny, whie the international community's job is to assist them in areas where their help is genuinely solicited. It is also important to remember that the elections themselves are no panacea. It is vital not to lose sight of the importance of resolving the underlying causes of the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2018-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8318 (2018) · source
“However, we urge all the country's opposition forces to cooperate with Kinshasa and the Electoral Commission and to avoid any demonstrations of violence. We also consider it crucial to ensure respect for the sovereignty and legislature of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We believe that the role of the United Nations Mission in the organization and conduct of elections should not go beyond the framework of the mandate outlined in resolution 2409 (2018). The protection of civilians in the context of the elections should be carried out with full respect for the basic principles of peacekeeping and without any interference in Kinshasa's internal affairs. In particular, under no circumstances should MONUSCO take any action that could be interpreted as support for a specific Congolese party.”
2018-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8318 (2018) · source