YouSaid · the spoken record

Rycroft

lines on the record: 1,262
first: 2015-05-12
most recent: 2018-01-10
sittings or episodes: 197
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

“I congratulate you, Mr. President - Ramlan - and your team for everything you have done in the successful month of August. I think we have done a lot under your leadership. We have reacted to a lot going on in the world, and so I am glad that you have found time for this wrap-up session. I will keep my remarks short and focused on a couple of issues, as, you Sir, suggested in the helpful concept note. First, with regard to conflict prevention and, secondly, the relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council, the link between the two issues is transparency. I therefore very much agree with what Gerard just said about that and, indeed, with his other point about the flow of information from the Secretariat. Just to take one example of conflict prevention where we have failed as a Council, I would mentin Syria.”
2016-08-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7766 (2016) · source
“We owe it to the victims to examine unflinchingly the hard evidence before us and follow up until there is full accountability for all those responsible for all uses of weapons of mass destruction. Finally, allow me to echo the grave concerns expressed by the representative of Japan and others about the unacceptable nuclear and missile technology tests conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The United Kingdom unconditionally condemns those activities and expresses firm solidarity with Japan and all those in the region that face those dangerous provocations.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“The world today continues to witness horrifying attacks in Syria involving chemical weapons, including numerous credible allegations of their use both by State actors and by non-State actors. If proved, the Al-Assad regime's use of chemical weapons will be in direct contravention of international law, and must be universally condemned. As Mr. Kim Won-soo told us, in the coming days the Council will review a historic and vital report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Mission into allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria. The United Kingdom is determined to hold those responsible for those crimes to account. We will review the report very carefully. It will be a first step towards international justice.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“The second is exploring how resolution 1540 (2004) can be more effectively implemented in the light of the new and emerging challenges that we heard about, including both evolving terrorist threats and technological developments such as 3D printing and drones. The third is strengthening the 1540 Committee's process for matching requests with offers of assistance. And the fourth is revisiting the structure and mandate of the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts to ensure that they have the technical, human and financial resources they need, including considering a longer- term mandate. We look forward to discussing all those issues with all States. Resolution 1540 (2004) offers tools for States to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Tragically, the situation in Syria shows what happens when prevention fails.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“However, the biological sector lags behind globally, with about 10 per cent fewer recorded measures than the nuclear sector. Those are all important non-proliferation facts. They should shape the next steps that we take. Working through the 1540 Committee, so ably chaired by Spain, the Council must now decide how to act. The United Kingdom looks forward to examining four areas for concrete progress by the end of this year. The first is ensuring meaningful analysis of how resolution 1540 (2004) is being implemented as a component of the global non-proliferation architecture, including by assessing each region and sector.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“That is why this year's comprehensive review matters. The review process has already given us some powerful food for thought about the progress and challenges of implementation for States. We now know that since 2010 there has been a 17 per cent increase across all non-proliferation measures of the resolution undertaken by States worldwide. But we also know that we are only halfway in our efforts. We must work towards full, universal fulfilment of those obligations. We know that all regions have increased implementation, with the fastest growth rates occurring in Africa and Eastern Europe. And yet there are also marked differences between regions, with some much further from full implementation than others. We also know that all sectors - nuclear, chemical and biological - have seen enhanced controls since 2010.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“Resolution 1540 (2004) is not exactly a household name, but it does have a far-reaching impact, and the briefers did a very good job today at explaining how far-reaching the new technologies could be, both as a positive for most people in the world and as a negative when used by terrorists or others intent on utilizing those technologies to develop or to deliver weapons of mass destruction. Therefore, let us be clear about why we are focusing so much on the resolution. Resolution 1540 (2004) boosts the peace and security of all States. Its full implementation means action, namely, adopting laws, securing of borders and safeguarding sensitive materials. We must never forget those tangible, real world impacts of our work. I have no doubt that, without resolution 1540 (2004), the world would be an even more dangerous place.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“Ijoin others in thanking the Malaysian presidency for this opportunity to exchange views on resolution 1540 (2004). I also thank the Secretary-General and all the briefers for their fascinating insights. The threat of toxic, poisonous or nuclear materials falling into the hands of non-State actors, particularly terrorists, is a top priority. It requires the closest cooperation among all Member States, as well as civil society and industry. And yet, let us be honest, this is a complex and technical subject, and we struggle at times to bring to it the attention it deserves.”
2016-08-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7758 (2016) · source
“Omran has become the human face ofthe Syrian conflict for millions around the world, but we must not forget that there are 13.5 million faces in Syria just like his - the faces of men, women and children in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. We can help deliver that. The United Kingdom stands ready to play our part, and I implore each and every one of us gathered here to do the same.”
2016-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7757 (2016) · source
“And, with Russia's indication of support for that initiative, I hope we can all now agree to it. I also hope that we can all agree to the point just put forward by the representatives of New Zealand, Spain and Egypt. I certainly do. I started this intervention with some statistics, but sometimes statistics cannot show the true human impact of conflict. Anyone who has been on social media or has watched the news this week will know the name and face of Omran Daqneesh, the stunned, bloodied, terrified little boy who sat in an ambulance, having narrowly escaped death. As Stephen reminded us, his brother and hundreds of thousands of his fellow Syrians were not so fortunate.”
2016-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7757 (2016) · source
“The Council must stand ready to demonstrate a robust response to that report, whatever the findings. All the horrors that I have just described are the reality of life today in Syria and in Aleppo. Those committing those horrors have a responsibility to change the reality, and yet they show no willingness to do so. Let me spell out for them what they have to do. First stop the bombing - stop the indiscriminate attacks on medical facilities and civilians. Secondly, guarantee safe and sustained access to humanitarian agencies. Thirdly, resume political talks. It is really that simple. The United Nations call for weekly, 48-hour pauses to get aid into Aleppo is a step forward. We fully support it, as it could ensure that those in dire need of medical evacuation can access medical treatment.”
2016-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7757 (2016) · source
“I call on Russia to end the use of those weapons in the air campaign and to use its influence on the regime to end all attacks on civilians. The list of heinous weapons being deployed in Syria, sadly, does not end there. Over half a year after the destruction of Syria's declared chemical weapon stockpile, reports now suggest that there is a resurgence of chlorine gas attacks in Idlib and in Aleppo. Is there a more sickening way to mark the third anniversary of the gas attack in Ghouta? Let us therefore all be clear: the use of those weapons is abhorrent and we unequivocally condemn those who unleash them. Later this week, we will have an opportunity to hear a fuller picture, when the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism reports.”
2016-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7757 (2016) · source
“As the Secretary-General's report (S/2016/714) makes clear, four of those hospitals, as well as the central blood blank, were hit by air strikes in east Aleppo city on 23 and 24 July. There is zero justification for those attacks. Either these facilities are being directly targeted or air strikes are being conducted with deliberate disregard for civilians on the ground. Both scenarios are wholly inexcusable. And yet it gets worse. Human Rights Watch reported last week that the joint Syrian-Russian air campaign had violated international law by dropping incendiary munitions on civilian areas. A single occurrence of that would be unacceptable, and yet the report says that it has happened twice a week, on average, for over two months. Those weapons have no place in war, and urban spaces in Syria are clearly not an exception.”
2016-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7757 (2016) · source
“I would like to Stephen O'Brien and all the humanitarian workers who trying to do their jobs as best they can in Aleppo and the rest of Syria. We gather in the Chamber every month, and we routinely reduce the situation in Syria to simple statistics - statistics such as 400,000 killed, over 2 million injured and millions more forced to flee. A number one does not hear often in Syria is zero, but that is the number I would like to focus on today. That is the exact number of aid convoys that have reached besieged and hard-to-reach areas this month. We sat time and time again in the comfort of the Chamber and agreed on the need for humanitarian assistance to reach those in need, and yet zero crates of food have arrived in Aleppo and zero medical supplies have arrived to replenish the makeshift hospitals that care for civilians.”
2016-08-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7757 (2016) · source
“Doing so prevents enormous human suffering, fear and displacement, and it makes economic sense. But to be effective, early warning requires early action. This takes political will from individual countries, the Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and key regional actors. I hope that we will all show some such will in the coming weeks and months.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“Getting the right support down to grass-roots organizations and civil society will also help create positive changes in the lives of women and girls, and it means women being able to participate without fear of reprisal or backlash in politics at all levels, formal and informal. We can also do more to engage young people. Africa has more people aged under 20 than anywhere else in the world. Capturing all of this potential and channelling this energy into positive change is Vital to peace, stability and prosperity. So we all need to respond this opportunity by supporting the needs of children and young people through education, training and deployment. Finally, as I stated before, tackling potential risks to stability early is the most effective approach to creating a sustainable peace.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 16, will be crucial. Well-governed and inclusive societies with effective and accountable institutions form the foundations for stability and for economic growth. So by promoting transparency and accountability, tackling corruption and ensuring that finances are used effectively, we can help tackle some of the key underlying causes of fragility and drivers of conflict. To build a sustainable peace, everyone must be allowed to play their part. Women have a crucial role in conflict resolution and peacebuilding as well as in building institutional capacity and resilience. Women's participation needs more support. Working with non-State actors and informal institutions can be important entry points. It should not just be for the elite.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“At the heart of all of this analysis needs to be the recognition that countries are different and have different drivers of conflict. Our planning needs to be based on real understanding. Mandates should be country-specific, and then from better planning the flows the better use ofphased mandates. These can help ensure that mandated activities and resources are the most appropriate to the political and security conditions. In some cases, we need to recognize that United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations may not be best placed to deliver institution-building, which requires long-term and specialist engagement. Where appropriate, we need to draw on support from a United Nations country team and from others. Thirdly, sustainable peace needs inclusive participation and good governance.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“This in turn will allow them to develop African-led prevention and mediation processes supporting African ownership. Secondly, it is vital that we get better at planning United Nations interventions that reflect the full conflict cycle, including considering from the outset how United Nations missions will complement the work of existing United Nations staff in the country. Crucially, it means planning how missions will transition when their objectives have been achieved. So I strongly support the work of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General's strategic planning and analysis cell. Rigorous analysis and planning is vital to the effectiveness of the United Nations, and the cell must be empowered to lead cross-United Nations analysis of emerging conflict.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“What can we learn from them, and how can the Council support peacebuilding so that there are more successes to come? First, all of our support needs to be in partnership with the people and the Governments of African countries. It is not our place to prescribe solutions. We should instead work together to strengthen the ability of each country to identify its own threats and help it respond to them before conflict happens. This means building on existing practices such as the African Union's Continental Early Warning System and the Panel of the Wise. Our efforts need to focus on building the capacity of a country's institutions, just as the Secretary-General said this morning, so that they can secure predictable and sustainable finances.”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for convening this debate. I join others in thanking the Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Chawahir Mohamed and Mr. Smail Chergui for their briefings, and all the ministers for their presence. As we have just heard, Africa is often associated with the scourge of war. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo millions have lost their lives in the deadliest conflict since the Second World War, while in regions such as the Lake Chad Basin, as he heard just yesterday (see S/PV.7748), millions face famine because of the instability caused by Boko Haram. But this portrayal is incomplete. Many countries in Africa are living and thriving in peace, and others are escaping the conflict cycle, countries such as Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. So how can we build on those peacebuilding successes?”
2016-07-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7750 (2016) · source
“As Jeff kindly highlighted, the United Kingdom has provided $6.5 million to the Multinational Joint Task Force, and we are also providing military intelligence and humanitarian and development support to Nigeria. I hope that all members of the Council will play their part to tackle both the humanitarian crisis and the scourge that has created it. I look forward to hearing from all gathered here about how, between us, we can step up.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“Defeating Boko Haram across the region will require a comprehensive approach that builds stability, tackles extremist narratives and addresses the root causes of instability, including economic and political development. It is a comprehensive approach that needs to put the protection and empowerment of women at its centre, combatting the misogyny and oppression that are so ingrained in violent extremism. It is an approach that needs to offer something that the extremists can never provide - the rule of law. For that reason, it is vital that any action against Boko Haram be fully compliant with human rights standards. Ultimately, it is a comprehensive approach that we all need to support.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“So many people in the Lake Chad Basin have suffered at the hands of Boko Haram and fled their towns and villages in response, so it is vital that the displaced be returned to their homes only when it is safe to do so. We encourage all actors to work together to report, mitigate and address protection violations against displaced people, refugees and other vulnerable groups. We support the work being done by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Governments of the region on this issue. My third and final point is that while it is vital that we treat the symptoms ofthis crisis and quickly, we also need to address the root causes. That means stopping the conflict.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“In Nigeria, we have provided nearly $11 million to support conflict- affected people in the north-east and will provide an additional $42 million over the next three years. We are currently considering where we could do more, and I hope that others around this table will do the same. We look to the United Nations for further details on the priority needs in the region and how we can best support their plans for their response. But we know that this is not just about money, so we strongly support the deployment of additional United Nations staff to the region, particularly those with relevant experience in dealing with such complex ongoing humanitarian crises. My second point is about protection, which must be at the centre of our response to this crisis.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“We strongly support the work already done by the United Nations, including to raise the international profile of the plight of these communities, but it is also imperative that the international community and the Governments of the region redouble their efforts to support the United Nations, so that together we can significantly scale up the delivery of urgently needed support. That means putting our hands in our pockets. The United Kingdom was one of the first donors to respond to this crisis, and I thank Stephen for acknowledging that fact. In 2015, we provided $32 million in humanitarian assistance in the Niger, Chad and northern Cameroon, and this year we have already provided an additional $34 million.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“So many of those in need are children. As Stephen said, UNICEF estimates that as many as a quarter of a million children are now suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Borno state. Around one in five will die if they do not receive urgent treatment. So, we must act fast, and I thank you again, Mr. President, for convening this meeting so speedily. I see three priorities ahead. First, strong clear leadership from the United Nations is needed to coordinate the international effort, particularly given the challenging conditions on the ground and the continued instability.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“The head becomes much bigger in proportion to the body, and the angular changes of the skeleton. Bones start protruding from under the skin, almost piercing it." This humanitarian nightmare is the direct consequence of Boko Haram. They are a group that we are all familiar with. We all called out in unison for the return of those young women from Chibok. We all demanded: "Bring back our girls!". But now, over two years on, can we say that we have really maintained our focus? Today is our chance to bring overdue attention back to this crisis. The plight of the people of the Lake Chad Basin is almost beyond comprehension. Because of Boko Haram's anarchy, millions across the region now require urgent humanitarian assistance. Around 800,000 people are living on the verge of famine, and for many, I fear that we are simply too late.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for agreeing to hold this meeting at our request. I also thank Mr. Feltman and Mr. O'Brien for their highly effective briefings today. I would like to begin with the harrowing words of Stefan Heunis, a photographer working for Agence France-Presse who visited a camp for internally displaced people near Maiduguri in Nigeria. Stefan wrote this in his blog earlier today: "The camp is now home to nearly 16,000 people and is growing by the day. You can practically taste the despair - there is no food, few opportunities and no shade. Flies looking for moisture in the dry heat pester the eyes and mouths of women and children too weak to swat them away. What strikes me most about severe acute malnutrition is the deformation it causes.”
2016-07-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7748 (2016) · source
“In the coming weeks and days, therefore, it is not enough to grant unhindered access to all besieged areas. It is not enough to unblock Castello road. We need to see all of that and more, including a genuine recommitment to the cessation of hostilities, an end to the bombing of medical facilities and an end to attacks on civilians. That is the only way to save the people of Aleppo and the people of Syria. As Doctor Yahya of the Aleppo Children's Hospital told me by e-mail earlier today, if nothing is done, we are surely facing death.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“In front of each of them, now lies the siege and above them the threat of bombs". What good is it to feed, to clothe, to heal someone only for them to die under the rubble of a bomb blast? In Daraya, over 700 barrel bombs fell in less than three weeks. That is on average 1 bomb every 40 minutes for 20 days. In Aleppo city, only this weekend, 6 medical facilities were attacked within the space of 24 hours. The only paediatric facility in east Aleppo was hit twice within 12 hours. These are just a handful of examples; there are many more. Such attacks are unconscionable. They are unjustifiable. And yet they are commonplace. Al-Assad's consistent disregard for the cessation of hostilities is an affront to the Security Council and to the International Syria Support Group.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“That comes as no surprise, given the regime's military offensives. It is also because of administrative delays. I am sorry, but no person or child should ever face starvation because of an administrative delay. The Council should therefore be united in its condemnation of any effort to delay or restrict access. As the Secretary-General's report makes clear, granting access should never be conditional, dependent on political negotiations or used as a bargaining chip in talks. As crucial as humanitarian access is for the people ofAleppo, Madaya and so many other places in Syria, it will count for very little ifthe bombs keep falling. I was e-mailed recently by Dr. Hatem, a Syrian paediatrician, who I have quoted in the Chamber before. He wrote to me: "There are close to 90,000 children in Aleppo.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“We again call on Russia to use its influence on the regime, not just to reopen the Castillo road and other routes, but also to respect fully the cessation of hostilities, so that convoys can proceed securely and Syrians can live safely. Those are not unreasonable requests. They are not even new requests, and yet they have fallen on deaf ears time after time and week after week. Without sustained and unhindered land access, we must continue to push for air access, and we look to the World Food Programme and the United Nations for an update on their plans to request approval for such delivery. So far this month, only two besieged places have been reached by the United Nations. The report of the Secretary-General (S/2OI6/63l) explains that that is because of security concerns.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“We welcome the foresight of the United Nations to preposition food supplies in the city, but those supplies will feed less than half the city's population and only for a month. Food prices are soaring, the price of flour has doubled, the price of vegetables has tripled and it is only going to get worse. We all know what is needed: sustained and unhindered humanitarian deliveries. All of us here today - the Council, the United Nations, the world outside the Chamber - must keep pressing for such access, both for Aleppo and all other destinations agreed in the July plan. We support Under-Secretary O'Brien's call for a weekly 48-hour pause to allow aid into Aleppo, and I call upon all other Council members to express their support today.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“Three hundred thousand people are now effectively besieged. Yet another humanitarian catastrophe awaits. We have seen this before, and we know what happens next. Only six months ago, we held an emergency briefing on the siege of Madaya (see PV.7605). We all remember the pictures of emaciated children from that town - children like Olah, only 12-years-old, who died after the regime ignored requests to evacuate her. She starved to death. The Syrian American Medical Society reports that 64 others suffered the same horrific fate. We owe it to Olah, her family and the people of Madaya to stop history repeating itself in Aleppo. There are 300,000 reasons why we cannot afford to fail, but we are running out of time.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for agreeing to hold this meeting in open session today. Enough is enough. We need to break with tradition and have this debate in public because it is vital that the world hear the reality of life in Syria. I therefore thank Under-Secretary O'Brien for his sobering briefing. It is also vital that the world hear each and every member of the Council respond to the horrors described today. We cannot hide away behind closed doors. We cannot stay silent in the face ofsuchbarbarism. Hundreds of civilians are being killed and injured in attacks from the air and ground. Hundreds of thousands more are now suffering in an ever-expanding humanitarian crisis. As we have just heard, eastern Aleppo city is now encircled by the regime. The Castillo road, a vital route for food, medicine and supplies, is cut off.”
2016-07-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7744 (2016) · source
“The globalized world is getting more complex, and we must ask ourselves if we are keeping up. So far, we have reviewed the periodicity of mandate and reporting cycles to try to address this, but I think we need to go further. Instead of receiving a programme of work filled on the basis of reporting cycles, incoming presidencies could set out what reports we expect to receive in a month and ask if there is a need for a meeting. That should cut out some meetings. We will always have the option of adding a meeting to the programme should the need arise, or of raising an issue under "other matters". Finally, one of the risks to the Security Council - perhaps the greatest risk - is irrelevance. If we keep sticking to the status quo in our working methods, that risk will grow. We will need a more radical approach if we are to remain relevant.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“First, with regard to speaking limits, I hope that everyone can distil their points on any particular issue into five minutes, or today four minutes, in order to be efficient in our deliberations. Taking excessive time over interventions is counterproductive. People switch off. The shorter an intervention, the more likely it is to have an impact. We cannot, in any case, hope to cover everything that there is to say about a topic, so let us all - Council members, non-Council members and briefers - focus only on the things that really matter to us and stick to time, both here and in consultations. Secondly, building on one ofAmbassador Delattre's points, our programme of work is overloaded. It is driven more by reporting cycles than by what is happening in the real world.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“The working methods of the Security Council are absolutely key. Done well, they facilitate our work, provide a framework for our deliberations and allow us to take decisions that can help maintain international peace and security. Done less well, they prevent all that. Japan wrote the working methods bible, presidential note S/2010/507, and it is right that Japan is updating it. How we work has a direct bearing on the impact that we have in the real world. The United Kingdom, like most of the rest of the General Assembly membership, I am sure, wants the Council to be more transparent, more inclusive, more interactive, more action-oriented and more efficient. Let me highlight two areas where I think we can improve our efficiency.”
2016-07-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7740 (2016) · source
“We have always been clear that, for it to work, all sides need to implement fully the provisions of the agreement and of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015). For Iran to benefit from the deal, it must build the confidence of the international community, including the commercial sector, that it intends to enter into a new relationship with the international community. As a regional Power, we expect Iran to play a positive and responsible role on the significant issues facing the region. We call on all participants to redouble efforts to implement all aspects of the deal, which will build that confidence.”
2016-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7739 (2016) · source
“We urge Member States to continue to enforce the sanctions regime on ballistic missile technology, and encourage Members States to act on and report all suspected violations of those sanctions. We are concerned that Iran continues to provide substantial military and financial support to Hizbullah and to the Syrian regime, in contravention of the United Nations embargo on the export of weapons by Iran. We are also worried about reports that an arms shipment seized in March had originated in Iran and was likely bound for Yemen. We therefore urge Member States to continue to enforce the binding restrictions in place under resolution 2231 (2015), and encourage Member States to act on and report all suspected violations of those sanctions. The United Kingdom is committed to ensuring that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is a success.”
2016-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7739 (2016) · source
“The United Kingdom determines that the ballistic missiles tested by the Islamic Republic of Iran are designed to deliver a payload of at least 500 kilogrammes, which is the weight of a first-generation nuclear warhead. Those missiles are designed to reach a range of at least 300 kilometres, which would qualify as a strategic strike. Therefore, in our view, they are designed to be inherently capable of delivering nuclear weapons. Together with international partners, we wrote to the Security Council in March to express our concern, as ballistic missile launches have the potential to heighten regional and global tensions. It is completely unacceptable that references to Israel were reportedly written in Hebrew on a missile, and we call on Iran to refrain from such provocative actions.”
2016-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7739 (2016) · source
“We are committed to ensuring that this delivers tangible economic benefits for the Iranian people. We encourage businesses to take advantage of those new economic opportunities. The second phase of sanctions lifting, which will commence a maximum of eight years after implementation day, provides a further incentive for Iran. However, in the meantime those restrictions remain in place, and we are unswerving in our efforts to ensure that the sanctions that remain in place continue to be robustly enforced by all Member States. I must be clear that we remain concerned about Iran's regional behaviour. Its continued testing of ballistic missiles that are designed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons is destabilizing to regional security and inconsistent with resolution 2231 (2015).”
2016-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7739 (2016) · source
“We welcome the latest IAEA report, issued on 27 May, which confirms that Iran continues to comply with its nuclear commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The United Kingdom is committed to working with Iran and our E3+3 partners through the Joint Commission and the Working Groups established under the deal. That includes our role on the procurement channel established, for the export of nuclear-related goods and services to Iran. We will continue to operate transparently in that regard, while respecting the confidentiality of applications made by States Members of the United Nations. The implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action triggered the first phase of sanctions relief, including United Nations, European Union and United States sanctions.”
2016-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7739 (2016) · source
“I thank the Secretary-General for his first report (S/2016/589) on the implementation ofresolution 2231 (2015). It has been produced in challenging circumstances, but it is a strong report that covers the full range of implementation. I also thank both briefers, and Ambassador Oyarzun Marchesi for his excellent work as facilitator. On 14 July 2015, after nearly two years of negotiation, the P-5+l and Iran agreed to the historic Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. All the parties worked hard to uphold their obligations, which culminated in the implementation of the deal on 16 January after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran had completed all the steps necessary to reduce its nuclear programme.”
2016-07-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7739 (2016) · source
“The encirclement of the city threatens the lives of 300,000 people, potentially increasing the number of besieged people in Syria to over 800,000. We have already seen the intensity in the Aleppo countryside, causing many thousands to flee to the Jordanian border and increasing the pressure on stretched resources there. We therefore repeat our call once again for those States that have influence with the Syrian regime to ensure an immediate halt to those offensives and to respect the cessation of hostilities in place. Those attacks are unconscionable and without justification.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“Turning briefly to Syria, we are deeply alarmed by the credible reports that regime forces have begun an advance into Daraya, a town that Jan Egeland and the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria have confirmed has no significant presence of Da'esh or Al-Nusra front elements. That is not only a breach of the cessation of hostilities, it clearly undermines the regime's own declarations ofa period of calm. As we all know, Daraya has been besieged by the regime for years, receiving much-needed aid convoys earlier this year, only then to be subjected to further bombardment by the regime. Such punishment attacks following aid deliveries are utterly sickening. At the same time, the regime has effectively cut the last supply route into east Aleppo City.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“Finally, let us be clear that Palestinian leaders must work together to overcome their differences and reunify Gaza and the West Bank. Those messages have been given too many times before in the Chamber, and I appreciate that some are disappointed that the Quartet report is not clear about the exact steps that need to be taken - steps that go well beyond words from the Security Council. Sadly, we are not in a position where there is an obvious path back to meaningful negotiations. But we can, and we must, use the report to underline the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for change. It is now up to the parties to take action. We stand ready to support them, but they need to show bold leadership if they are to make progress towards peace. It is long overdue.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“The village of Khirbat Tana, a community near Nablus, has faced three waves of demolitions this year. Houses, barns and a school - the only school - were demolished. What hope is there for the two-State solution when communities are simply removed from the map? My third message concerns the situation in Gaza. Two years after the latest conflict, ordinary Gazans continue to live in the direst conditions. This must be addressed if we are to prevent a resumption of full- scale conflict. We therefore call on Hamas and other militant groups to commit to ending rocket fire and other attacks against Israel. Israel's citizens deserve to live in peace. In turn, we need to be clear that Israel must lift restrictions in order to ease the suffering of ordinary Palestinians and allow the Gazan economy to grow.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source
“Systematic settlement expansion deep into the West Bank, the legalization of outposts, the re-designation of land as Israeli State land and the obstruction or outright denial of Palestinian development in the West Bank - those policies are steadily eroding the viability of the two-State solution, something that the report clearly spells out. When a family in the Old City of Jerusalem is threatened with eviction from their home of over 60 years, you are not only eroding their past, you are eroding their future. You are eroding their faith that they will ever live on a land of their own and that they will ever coexist peaceably with Israel. In turn, you are fuelling an anger that will only threaten the right of ordinary Israelis to live in safety and security.”
2016-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7736 (2016) · source