YouSaid · the spoken record

Richard Mills

lines on the record

205

first

2020-10-27

most recent

2021-05-26

sittings or episodes

28

sources

un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

1. “The only realistic path to end the conflict is through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and we will continue to urge other countries to join our efforts to support meaningful engagement between the two sides.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

2. “The United States continues to strongly oppose the one-sided and biased approach of the Human Rights Council against Israel under its agenda item 7, the only standing country-specific agenda item of the Council. Defending Israel from being unfairly singled out in the Human Rights Council will be a key element of our re-engagement with that body. Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) also issued a decision claiming territorial jurisdiction in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, while expressly recognizing the serious legal and factual questions that surround its ability to do so. Such actions against Israel at the ICC increase tensions and undermine efforts to advance a negotiated two-State solution.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

3. “Our efforts to re-engage the Palestinian people and leadership do not detract in any way from our commitment to Israel. We continue to be dismayed by the sheer number of one-sided United Nations resolutions that single out Israel, while the United Nations and other international organizations ignore a full range of destabilizing actions by other countries in the region and across the globe. The United States remains committed to Israel’s standing and participation in United Nations bodies and other international organizations, free from unfair bias and attacks. The Human Rights Council is an example of an international body that places a disproportionate focus on Israel.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

4. “There has been a long history of bipartisan consensus in the United States on the value of United States assistance to the Palestinians, and we intend to provide assistance that will benefit all Palestinians, including refugees. We intend to do that not as a favour, but because it is in the interests of the United States. The funding ultimately supports Israel’s security as well. We look forward to resuming those important programmes, consistent with requirements under United States law. Related to that, we must see an end to Palestinian payments that are linked to those who have committed acts of terrorism. At the same time, repeated terrorist attacks on Israel from Gaza must cease, and violence and incitement to violence by all parties must end. I want to be clear.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

5. “Israel ranks as one of the top economies in the world, with a gross domestic product per capita on a par with France and Japan, while the West Bank and Gaza continue to experience severe economic instability and poverty, with the people of Gaza facing one of the highest unemployment rates on Earth. That is not a talent gap; it is a structural issue that should be diagnosed and addressed. We have no choice but to do that if we are to preserve and advance the two-State solution. As such, and as we noted last month, the United States intends to resume United States assistance programmes that support economic development and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people. That is to assist Palestinians in real need and to bring stability and security to both Israelis and Palestinians.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

6. “As we work to address the critical needs of both Israelis and Palestinians, we note that the humanitarian crisis in the region is complicated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and I listened closely to the Special Coordinator’s words about how vaccinations are being handled. We encourage Israel and the Palestinian Authority to work together on the facilitation of COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 is a health and security threat to us all, and we must all work together so that people are vaccinated no matter where they live. We must also recognize the unsustainable disparity in economic development between two groups of people inextricably bound together and living in close proximity.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

7. “For both Israelis and Palestinians, that means focusing our efforts on advancing their freedom, security and prosperity in tangible ways in the immediate term. That is the best way of advancing towards a negotiated two-State solution, in which Israel lives in peace and security alongside a viable Palestinian State. Our diplomatic engagement is based on active consultation with both Israelis and Palestinians. Since the Biden Administration took office last month, United States engagement with senior Palestinian Authority officials has resumed, opening up some important channels of communication. At the same time, we continue our very close consultations with the Israeli Government, including through last week’s telephone call between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

8. “I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his briefing. We heard two challenging and powerful reports from our civil society briefers on the impact of this conflict on young people and how young people can work towards its resolution. As the Special Coordinator said, there will not be a resolution without the involvement of young people like Malak and Oren, so it was important to hear from them today. I am grateful, Madam President, that you have given us the chance to do that. As I said the last time that we met on the Palestinian question in the Middle East (see S/2021/91), the United States remains committed to working towards a more peaceful, secure and prosperous future for the people of the Middle East.”

   2021-03-02 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/218 (2021) · source

9. “As Secretary Blinken underscored earlier this month, the United States remains committed to the international community’s long-standing, comprehensive and sustained efforts to bring a political solution to the conflict in Syria. We want, again, to condemn all attacks that have killed or injured aid workers and destroyed their facilities, and we call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law. The Security Council should do everything possible to ensure that all Syrians receive the humanitarian assistance they need to survive.”

   2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

10. “Cross-line assistance shipments — as they have for years now — continue to be regularly blocked, delayed or rerouted to regime-controlled areas. The Al-Assad regime and its enablers must permit life-saving cross-line assistance to proceed without interference. And we as the Council need to ensure that other avenues are open when and where cross-line deliveries are not working. In conclusion, it is also critical that all United Nations agencies in Syria act consistently with the United Nations parameters and principles for assistance, as the humanitarian needs in Syria have not been met and corruption in that regime continues and cannot be rewarded. Syria remains, sadly, a country at war.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

11. “We must also acknowledge the critical role that increased cross-border access would play in delivering the vaccine in both north-west and north-east Syria. Sustained, meaningful access to all those affected by the COVID-19 crisis is required to build trust and vaccine acceptance for all Syrians and to deliver vaccines efficiently. As we have said, that is just one more reason why the United Nations cross-border authorization remains vital. We are gravely concerned that those left behind in north-east Syria without a cross-border entry point will continue to be unjustly denied vaccines by the Al-Assad regime. We also remain deeply concerned about the tens of thousands of Syrians trapped in squalid conditions in regime detention facilities, who must also benefit from an efficient vaccination plan.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

12. “We are hearing this not just from the United States but from our briefers, from experts in the United Nations and from the Secretary-General. The United Nations must be allowed unhindered access to all areas of Syria in order to meet the life-sustaining needs of millions of Syrians. Of course, we are deeply concerned about the continued risk of COVID-19, as it poses a grave threat to internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups across Syria. Given the limited testing capacity, the poor access to health care and the short supply of resources to take preventive steps nationwide, we encourage all actors to work together to develop an equitable and efficient vaccination plan that covers all Syrians.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

13. “Further limiting access would have additional catastrophic consequences for the 3.5 million Syrians in the north-west, many of whom have been internally displaced multiple times and whose lives depend on aid. Reauthorization for the United Nations to use Bab Al-Hawa remains the only way to ensure the consistent delivery of food, shelter and medical supplies. All of us here know full well, however, that one crossing point does not meet the vast needs of the Syrian people. We know that in the past six months, our increased dependence on this one point — owing to the loss of Bab Al-Salam last July — has led, as we have heard, to shortages of food and access to sanitation and shelter. That in turn has led to higher rates of malnutrition and sickness, with deaths on the rise.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

14. “For close to one and half years, people in the Rukban camp have been without medical aid because the Al-Assad regime and Russia will not allow the United Nations to make deliveries to that informal encampment. We urge the Al-Assad regime and Russia to allow unhindered humanitarian access to the camp in Rukban, including to United Nations humanitarian delivery convoys. This kind of politicizing and weaponizing of aid should outrage us all. And while we have talked about it a lot, we need to keep repeating it as others have: the cross-border mechanism is vital to ensuring that humanitarian aid continues to reach people in need. It is our responsibility as the Council to expand humanitarian access this July when the cross-border mandate is up for renewal, not to further restrict it.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

15. “In future, I do hope our Russian colleagues will accord greater respect to women, like Su’ad, who lead civil society organizations. It is important that we continue to have these difficult and honest conversations about the suffering endured by the Syrian people because of the actions of the Al- Assad regime and its enablers. Today I want to focus on three main points: why humanitarian access must reach all in need, why cross-border access must continue and why, especially as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) plagues Syrians and the rest of the world, the Council has to stand up to its obligations to help the most vulnerable. Every Syrian deserves assistance. That is why the United States has given more than $12.2 billion in humanitarian assistance since 2012 to help any Syrian who requires aid, solely based on their needs.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

16. “I thank Under-Secretary-General Lowcock for his briefing. I also want to offer my sincere appreciation for the powerful report from our civil society briefer, Sonia Khush. The dedication of the thousands of humanitarians working in Syria is quite laudable, and I wish to thank them, and you, Sonia, for your service. I had also hoped to be able to thank Su’ad Jarbawi, from the International Rescue Committee. Su’ad is an extraordinary civil society leader who was invited to speak to the Council today. Sadly, our Russian colleagues silenced her and blocked her from appearing today. Had she been here, I expect she would have delivered a simple message to all of us: New York must act. The Council needs to ensure that civilians in Syria have access to humanitarian aid, including through cross-border operations.”

    2021-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/206 (2021) · source

17. “Consistent and united support from Somalia’s neighbours and other international partners for reform and stabilization remains imperative. It is incumbent on all of us to remain focused on Somalia’s stabilization and to avoid the pursuit of narrow interests that work counter to this long-term strategic goal.”

    2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/173 (2021) · source

18. “The United States remains focused on limiting the ability of Al-Shabaab to conduct attacks against civilians and is committed to partnering with Member States to utilize the sanctions regime under resolution 751 (1992) to its fullest extent. To that end, we are proud to note that today we joined with the Federal Government of Somalia in co-nominating three senior Al-Shabaab leaders, Abukar Ali Adan, Maalim Ayman and Mahad Karate, to the 751 Somalia sanctions list. These designations demonstrate that the international community will hold accountable those who undermine Somalia’s peace, security and stability. We welcome co- sponsorships, which would serve as an expression of the Security Council’s unity in condemning Al-Shabaab and its violence.”

    2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/173 (2021) · source

19. “But lasting stability requires Somali forces capable of providing for their own security. We welcome the updated Somalia transition plan and see it as a step towards the transfer of security responsibilities from AMISOM. It will be imperative that the Federal Government devote the political and financial resources necessary for its successful implementation. In addition to developing security forces that can take the fight to terrorists, more must be done to cut off the resources that those groups use to fund their deadly attacks. We look forward to continuing to support the Somali authorities’ efforts to expand their own counter-terrorist financing authorities and capabilities.”

    2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/173 (2021) · source

20. “We urge all political leaders to endorse the recommendations and begin implementing them as a matter of urgency. Let me be clear: partial, parallel or alternative election processes, including prolonged interim governing arrangements, would only further increase prospects for instability and be a major setback for Somalia. A timely and peaceful political transition and renewed commitment between the Federal Government and the federal member states to working together are needed for Somalia to adequately address the many tasks it faces. Fighting Al-Shabaab remains an urgent priority, as we have heard. Later this week, the Security Council will consider again extending the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which has been vital to the progress Somalia has achieved over the past decade.”

    2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/173 (2021) · source

21. “This is now clearly most urgent and most apparent with respect to the lack of an agreed way forward on national elections. Uncertainty over the elections has stymied the national dialogue on critical political, economic and security reforms. The eruption of political violence on the streets of Mogadishu last week is the latest indication that, if not resolved soon, Somalia risks regressing deeper into instability. The United States firmly opposes the use of violence by any party. We call on President Farmajo and Somalia’s federal member state leaders to act swiftly to resolve the political impasse that threatens the country’s future and to find agreement to allow parliamentary and presidential elections to be conducted immediately. The technical committee’s 16 February recommendations provide a clear framework for resolving the impasse.”

    2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/173 (2021) · source

22. “I thank Special Representative Swan for his summary of the latest developments in Somalia. The United States also greatly appreciates the comments and analysis from the other briefers this morning. As many of the speakers before me have said, we meet here today at a critical time for Somalia, as the country both approaches an imminent political transition that will determine the country’s leadership for the next four years and it prepares for a security transition that will begin to take shape starting next year. Our remarks on Somalia over the past several months in the Security Council have focused on the need for Somalia’s leadership to seize the opportunity before them and make concerted efforts to advance peace and security for Somalia’s people.”

    2021-02-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/173 (2021) · source

23. “Let me end by saying, as President Biden has made clear, that the United States is committed to finding an inclusive political solution to this horrible conflict. That means Yemenis of all backgrounds should be at the table in forging a common future for their country. We look forward to working with our partners around the world, including the United Nations and in the Council, to make that a reality.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

24. “Finally, I want to thank Ambassador King for the update she provided as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014). The implementation of Security Council sanctions is an important tool to put pressure on those who are undermining peace and security in Yemen and to change their destabilizing behaviour. To that end, all of us in the Council, as has been mentioned, have an obligation to implement these sanctions, and the United States looks forward to working with other members of the Security Council this month to extend the assets freeze, the travel ban and the mandate of the Panel of Experts on Yemen. We also look forward to the Panel’s reporting on its findings from its recent visit to Aden regarding the 30 December attack.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

25. “We also note that more countries have reached the same conclusion we have: that the Houthis were singularly responsible for the horrendous attempt to assassinate the new Yemeni Government in their attack on Aden airport on 30 December. We urge the Houthis to stop these destabilizing and inflammatory actions and to demonstrate a true commitment to constructively engaging in the Special Envoy’s efforts to achieve peace. Likewise, we are very disappointed that the Houthis continue to delay the mission to assess the FSO SAFER oil tanker. For nearly two years, they have continued to move the goalposts. The time has come for the Houthis to cease the excuses and the stalling. We urge other nations to press the Houthis to allow the assessment to move forward immediately.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

26. “We strongly encourage all States Members of the United Nations to provide additional funds for the humanitarian response at the upcoming high-level pledging event in March. As noted, the United States remains deeply troubled by continued and unacceptable Houthi attacks in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, including the recent attacks in Ma’rib and Al-Jawf governorates. We call on the Houthis to immediately cease all attacks, including those that damage civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, and to immediately halt the advance towards Ma’rib, which, as we have heard, is only bringing more suffering to the Yemeni people. While all other parties seem intent on finding a way to get to a peaceful solution to this horrible conflict, the Houthis’ military campaign, as we have heard, continues unabated.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

27. “We will continue to enforce existing United Nations and United States sanctions on certain members of Ansar Allah, and we will closely monitor the group’s activities to assess whether additional actions are warranted. As Mr. Lowcock just informed us in his briefing, we too are concerned by the lack of funding for the humanitarian response, particularly at a time when more than 16 million Yemenis will face severe acute food insecurity by June. The United States was the largest humanitarian donor to the Yemen response last year, and we urge others to step forward and contribute funding so as to broaden the burden-sharing and ensure that the life-saving programmes undertaken by the United Nations can reach the millions of Yemenis in need.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

28. “Griffiths — and from other humanitarian groups and from members of our own Congress — the Biden Administration has decided that the United States terrorist designations of Ansar Allah could have a devastating impact on Yemenis’ access to basic commodities such as food and fuel. The Biden Administration has therefore revoked those designations, effective 16 February, as has been mentioned. I want to be clear that that decision was taken because it reflects the priority we place on facilitating humanitarian assistance and the commercial import of such critical commodities as food and fuel in the face of this dire situation. It also reflects our emphasis on revitalizing diplomacy once more, alongside the United Nations and others, in order to end the war itself.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

29. “Let me be clear, however, that, at the same time, we remain committed to helping our partners defend themselves from attacks, such as the Houthi strike on a civilian airliner at Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport on 10 February. I also want to take this moment to recall the Houthis’ attempted assassination of the entire Yemeni Cabinet on 30 December, which tragically killed innocent civilians. In our view, these attacks continue to demonstrate the Houthis’ unwillingness to join Special Envoy Griffiths’ process, which places the Houthis squarely at odds with the interests of the Yemeni people. The United States is also gravely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Yemen, which was so eloquently described this morning. In recognition of the dire humanitarian situation and having heard warnings from Mr. Lowcock and Mr.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

30. “I want to express my gratitude for the welcome that many Council members have given to the news of this appointment. I think that welcome reflects that Special Envoy Lenderking’s depth of expertise on Yemen is well known, and that expertise, I think, is already being put to good use, as he recently travelled to Riyadh to work with Special Envoy Griffiths and our partners there to chart a path towards peace. In addition, in support of these diplomatic efforts, as has been mentioned, President Biden also announced just last week that the United States is ending our support for Saudi-led coalition offensive operations in Yemen, including the halting of relevant arms sales.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

31. “I thank the President and our briefers today. As the briefers noted this morning, the United States is preparing to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts, alongside the United Nations and others, to achieve a ceasefire and end the war in Yemen. As we do so, I want to be clear that we will fully support the Special Envoy’s efforts to bring all parties to consensus on the basis of the elements that he outlined this morning, and our goal will remain a unified, stable Yemen, free from foreign influence. To underline the priority that the United States places on ending the conflict and responding to the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, President Biden named Timothy Lenderking as the United States Special Envoy for Yemen, as was noted by the briefers and many of my Security Council colleagues this morning.”

    2021-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/167 (2021) · source

32. “We commend the Iraqi Government for its efforts and encourage committed action, in accord with Iraq’s constitutional protections for human rights and due process, to ensure the independence, impartiality and adequate resourcing of the committee. Let me end by saying that the United States will remain a steady, reliable partner for Iraq and for the Iraqi people, today and in future.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

33. “This assistance helps provide critical shelter, essential health care, emergency food assistance and water, sanitation and hygiene services across Iraq, and has supported the safe, voluntary and dignified return of displaced persons, including members of ethnic and religious minority groups. Real recovery, however, means real reforms to end corruption. Economic reform efforts will only be strengthened by concrete steps, including the establishment last year of a permanent committee to investigate corruption. Endemic corruption undermines economic progress — as well as trust in political bodies — and the permanent committee demonstrates, we believe, the Government’s political will to fight endemic corruption in Iraq.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

34. “We appreciate UNAMI’s ongoing documentation of humanitarian abuses and human rights violations, as well as its accountability efforts, including supporting a strengthened judiciary and addressing enforced disappearances. The United States remains committed to Iraq’s economic development. Low oil prices, COVID-19 and the security situation have each contributed to Iraq’s current, unsustainable economic position. The United States has provided Iraq more than $706 million since the beginning of fiscal year 2019, and more than $2.4 billion in both humanitarian and development assistance since 2014.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

35. “No one is immune. They also have attacked United Nations convoys and targeted both diplomatic personnel and non- governmental organizations seeking to assist Iraq and Iraqis. Just yesterday, as we heard, an attack claimed one civilian contractor and injured several members of the coalition, including one United States service member. As Secretary Blinken said yesterday, the United States is outraged by the rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. We express our condolences to the loved ones of the civilian contractor killed in this attack, to the others who were injured and to the innocent Iraqi people and their families who are suffering from these acts of violence. The United States pledges our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for these heinous actions.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

36. “It is essential to create a conducive environment for elections so that they are credible, peaceful and inclusive. One of the highest barriers to a conducive environment, however, is the presence of armed militias, violent extremists and spoilers. Iraq’s electoral administration and key security personnel should work closely to plan for and coordinate around securing the elections, and this work must begin immediately alongside other preparations for the electoral process. A conducive environment means that we must address Iran-backed militias and Iran’s destabilizing activities in Iraq, as well as the remaining ISIS elements. These groups undermine the public’s trust in the Government and in the October 2021 elections. They are killing Iraqi citizens and depriving Iraq of much-needed economic relief and foreign investment.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

37. “UNAMI has already been providing, we believe, excellent technical assistance to the Iraqi Government to ensure that the elections scheduled for October are free and fair, and working with the Government to increase public trust in the electoral process. The United States recognizes and supports the critical role that UNAMI plays in assisting the Government’s election preparations, which is why we are providing a $9.7 million grant to support UNAMI in its efforts. We thank the other countries that have supported UNAMI as well, but we also want to encourage all international donors to contribute to UNAMI to help it and Iraq prepare for these important elections. The report we have just heard on elections preparations, however, again highlighted the complicated situation in Iraq.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

38. “In late 2019, when Iraqis took to the streets demanding political and economic reforms, the Iraqi Government responded, in part by planning early elections, now scheduled for October 2021. These scheduled elections will be critical in establishing a responsive and representative Government. The United States welcomes the recent letter submitted to the Council by the Government of Iraq requesting the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to provide election observers for its October elections. We support international observation of Iraqi elections to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible, and look forward to working with Iraq, the Council, fellow members and the United Nations to determine the most feasible form such an effort can take.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

39. “The Administration will be a steady, reliable partner that supports Iraq’s anti-corruption and economic reform efforts, strengthens regional relationships, holds accountable human rights violators and those who abuse human rights, provides humanitarian assistance, backs efforts to control militias and to control Iran’s destabilizing activities and advises and assists Iraq’s counter-terrorism forces. Among its top priorities, the United States will seek to help Iraq assert its sovereignty in the face of enemies, at home and abroad, by preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Shams (ISIS) and working towards Iraq’s stability. For the United States, this means supporting Iraq’s efforts to hold credible, inclusive and peaceful elections. The Iraqi Government is taking firm steps towards this goal, we believe.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

40. “I thank you, Madam President, and thanks to the Special Representative for her informative report. I also want to thank her and her staff for their ongoing diligent efforts, even as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the uncertainty of the security situation complicate their mission. Since this is the first time the Biden Administration addresses the issue of Iraq in the Security Council, let me begin with laying out our goals for Iraq. The Biden Administration supports a strategic partnership with a stable, democratic Iraq.”

    2021-02-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/152 (2021) · source

41. “It is time for the Al-Assad regime to uphold its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and resolution 2118 (2013). The Security Council must call out such atrocities and hold those who use chemical weapons accountable.”

    2021-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/109 (2021) · source

42. “The United States supports these and other efforts aimed at holding the Al- Assad regime responsible for the use of chemical weapons and other ongoing atrocities against Syrian civilians, including mass detention, torture and indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure. Accountability for all of this will be essential to bring long-overdue justice to the victims and their families who need and deserve the international community’s support. Accountability would also help to build confidence in the broader political process, as called for in resolution 2254 (2015), intended to bring stability and peace to Syria. Let me end by saying, the Syrian people must be allowed to live in a world free of the threat of chemical weapons.”

    2021-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/109 (2021) · source

43. “We again call upon the Conference of States Parties to take appropriate action when it reconvenes this spring so that we send a strong message to the Al-Assad regime and its supporters that the use of chemical weapons in direct contravention of the Chemical Weapons Convention has consequences. We also believe that the Security Council must ensure that there are serious consequences for the Al-Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons. In 2013, the Security Council decided in resolution 2118 (2013) that the Al-Assad regime shall not use, develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile or retain chemical weapons. The Council further decided that the Al-Assad regime must cooperate fully with the OPCW and the United Nations.”

    2021-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/109 (2021) · source

44. “In response to the IIT’s first report, released last April (S/2020/310, annex), in which it concluded that the Al-Assad regime had used chemical weapons on three occasions, the OPCW Executive Council adopted a decision in July 2020 requesting that Syria take measures to redress the situation. Unsurprisingly, Syria failed to complete any of the measures set forth in the decision, as reported by the OPCW Director-General in October. The United States, along with 45 sponsors, has submitted a draft decision to the OPCW Conference of the States Parties in response to Syria’s failure to complete the measures requested by the OPCW Executive Council.”

    2021-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/109 (2021) · source

45. “The Al-Assad regime’s allies, including Russia, have actively sought to block all efforts to promote accountability. Russia, unfortunately, continues to shield the Al-Assad regime from accountability for its chemical weapons attacks, including by spreading disinformation, attacking the professional work of the OPCW, and otherwise seeking to undermine efforts by responsible nations to hold the Al-Assad regime accountable for its use of chemical weapons. Let me be clear — the United States firmly supports the impartial and independent work of the OPCW. We applaud the OPCW’s leadership, the Technical Secretariat and the professional manner in which it carries out its mission. The OPCW’s Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) continues to carry out its mandate, and we look forward to its future reports.”

    2021-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/109 (2021) · source

46. “I thank you, High Representative Nakamitsu, for your briefing. As we all agree every month, the use of chemical weapons anywhere constitutes a clear threat to international peace and security. The United States remains committed to holding those who use these horrific weapons to account. The High Representative reiterated an important message from the Secretary- General in her remarks just now, so I would like to reiterate a key message from the United States on this issue. The Al-Assad regime has repeatedly used chemical weapons against the Syrian people, and then subsequently sought to avoid accountability by obstructing independent investigations and undermining both the responsibility and work of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).”

    2021-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/109 (2021) · source

47. “As we have said many times before, an inclusive, negotiated political solution is the only means to end the conflict, and validation of the United Nations political process is the only viable platform to achieve peace and national reconciliation in Libya.”

    2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

48. “After beginning 2020 on a war footing, the Libyan parties ultimately sought opportunities to chart progress in the political, security and economic negotiations, despite what has been a year of unfulfilled commitments by some Berlin process members. We enter 2021 with considerably more hopeful prospects than we did in 2020, but full support for the United Nations process and the conclusions of the Berlin Conference are essential for there to be successful national elections by the end of the year. Let me end by saying that the United States believes that it is incumbent upon all of us to use fully the tools that we have at our disposal to affect the change we want — and need — to see in Libya. That includes giving our full support to the United Nations sanctions regime, particularly to the arms embargo, and the Panel of Experts.”

    2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

49. “In order to conduct independent investigations, the international Fact-Finding Mission to Libya needs safe and unhindered access to all Libyan territory so that its members can visit sites and speak freely and privately with anyone in Libya. One year has passed since the Berlin Conference. The United States joined the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy last week in a statement acknowledging the anniversary as well as the progress we have made and the work still left to do. We continue to call on members of the Security Council to adhere to their Berlin process commitments and genuinely and actively support the United Nations political process, the ceasefire’s implementation, accountability for human rights violations, and the United Nations arms embargo. The circumstances from one year ago have changed dramatically.”

    2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source

50. “All parties to the conflict should fully back the JMC’s efforts to monitor and verify compliance, as well as to implement further confidence-building measures, starting with the reopening of the coastal road. We call on the Prime Minister and the Libyan National Army (LNA) to take the steps necessary to reopen the road as soon as possible. The United States also calls attention to the culture of impunity that has prolonged the conflict in Libya, which Acting Special Representative Williams just eloquently described. The continued discoveries of mass grave sites in areas vacated by the LNA has raised concerns of the extent of human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law across Libya during the civil war.”

    2021-01-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/97 (2021) · source