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

“The death of United States citizen Otto Warmbier following his detention, the abduction of 17 Japanese nationals by the regime and the assassination of Kim Jong-nam in Malaysia are all examples of the North Korean regime's contempt for the international rules-based system Such contempt is further exemplified by the regime's denial of access to independent observers of the human rights situation, its refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue and its lack of action on the 2014 commission of inquiry's report, which highlighted wide-ranging and ongoing crimes against humanity. The regime has rejected draft resolution A/C.3/72/L.40 of the Third Committee, which calls upon it to respect the basic rights of its people.”
2017-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8130 (2017) · source
“We also urge all members not to profit from the North Korean people's misery by employing North Korean nationals who are sent abroad to generate foreign currency, which is used by the regime to fund its illegal missile programmes, as stated in resolution 2321 (2016). The systematic violations of human rights by the regime go beyond its own citizens or borders.”
2017-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8130 (2017) · source
“Yet, we know from defector testimonies that despite the fear instilled in every North Korean, there are many brave individuals who would rather take their chances fleeing than remain gagged and bound by the regime, such as the soldier who recently defected across the Demilitarized Zone. His daring escape was an act of desperation, as well as of hope. His starved physical condition speaks volumes about the standards of health and welfare in a country that professes to put the military first, thereby speaking to how the regime treats those who are most vulnerable. We urge all members not to return defectors back to such a miserable situation, which would send a message that we condone the behaviour of the regime.”
2017-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8130 (2017) · source
“We must maintain international focus on the human rights situation in North Korea, through both the United Nations in New York and the Human Rights Council in Geneva. We welcome the visit of the United Nations last week and we encourage the regime to engage in a meaningful way. Evidence of the leadership's appalling behaviour towards its own people is impossible to ignore. People lack freedom of religion and expression. They have minimal control over their livelihoods and resources. The State controls what they see, what they consume and how they behave, using the threat of extreme punishment to keep people under its thumb. Naysayers are disappeared, jailed or publicly executed to demonstrate the price of freedom. The Global Slavery Index estimates that more than 1 million people are victims of modern slavery in North Korea.”
2017-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8130 (2017) · source
“I thank the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, and Mr. Miroslav Jenca for their harrowing words on the dire situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Sadly, it is unsurprising that the regime maintains a stranglehold on every aspect of its citizens' lives. Like other Security Council members, the United Kingdom Views the human rights situation in North Korea with deep concern and dismay. The regime's treatment of its own people is yet another example of its unashamed contempt for the international rules-based system. That is why we fully support the Security Council's wish to draw attention to the shameful living conditions of the North Korean people, as well as to North Korea's illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, which we have condemned in resolutions 2371 (2017) and 2375 (2017).”
2017-12-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8130 (2017) · source
“If all parties can truly take bold steps in the spirit of compromise, I have no doubt that an agreement can finally be reached. That is the only way to ensure the long-term security that Israelis deserve, and the statehood and end to the occupation that Palestinians are calling out for. This is what both peoples ought to have. It has been denied to them for too long.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“To have the best chances of success, the peace process must be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We call on all parties to maintain calm and work together in a spirit of commitment to that common enterprise. On Jerusalem specifically, peace efforts need to take account of the people, not just the land and the holy sites. There are more than 320,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem. The vast majority are permanent residents whose permits can be revoked at any point. If they move away from the city, Israel often does not allow them back. If they marry, they face obstacle in bringing their spouses. Ifthey apply for Israeli citizenship, and most do not, a high proportion of applications are rejected. Their status must not be forgotten in any peace effort.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“Recent developments demonstrate the urgent need for progress towards peace. Today, I reaffirm our strong support for renewed peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians as soon as possible. These should be supported by the international community and should result in a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. We welcome the Secretary-General's intent to do everything in his power to support the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in returning to meaningful negotiations and in realizing this vision of a lasting peace for both peoples. We strongly encourage the United States Administration to bring forward detailed proposals for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement. The United Kingdom will also do everything we can to support progress and achieve the vision of a lasting peace.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“The access and religious rights of both peoples must be respected. We value Jordan's important role as custodian of the holy sites, and remain fully supportive of their efforts to maintain calm. We are deeply concerned by continued developments on the ground that undermine the prospects for a two-State solution. As the Quartet has made clear, settlement construction and expansion, particularly in East Jerusalem, are a significant barrier to achieving that solution. Terrorism and incitement to violence constitute another crucial barrier. We will continue to press the parties to refrain from actions that make a viable peace more difficult to achieve. A just and lasting resolution to end the occupation and deliver peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike is long overdue.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“We remain committed to an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement that is based on 1967 borders with agreed and equal land swaps, reflecting both parties' national and religious interests, and with Jerusalem as the shared capital of an Israeli and Palestinian State. This outcome must be determined through a final status agreement and ajust, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees that is demographically compatible with the principle of two States for two peoples. We recognize that Jerusalem holds huge significance and holiness for Jews, Muslims and Christians. We reiterate the fundamental necessity of maintaining the status quo at the holy sites, in particular the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, and we welcome President Trump's call on the parties to maintain that status quo.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“We therefore disagree with the United States decision to move its Embassy to Jerusalem and to unilaterally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel before a final status agreement. Those decisions are unhelpful to the prospects of peace in the region - an aim that I know all of us in the Security Council remain committed to. The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv, and we have no plans to move it. We share President Trump's desire to bring an end to this conflict. We welcome his commitment to a two-State solution negotiated between the parties. We note his clear acknowledgement of the importance of the final status of Jerusalem, including the sovereign boundaries within the city, which must be subject to negotiations between the parties.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for scheduling this important meeting. I also thank Mr. Mladenov for his briefing, in particular for his unequivocal support for the two-State solution and for his warnings against unilateral measures that jeopardize the prospects of sustainable peace for Israelis and Palestinians. At the outset, I would like to note that the United Kingdom's position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing: it should be determined through a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital ofthe Israeli and Palestinian States. In line with relevant Security Council resolutions - including resolutions 242 (1967), 478 (1980) and 2334 (2016) -we regard East Jerusalem as part ofthe occupied Palestinian territories.”
2017-12-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8128 (2017) · source
“In conclusion, however, I must emphasize that it is that regime alone that the bears responsibility for those programmes, and therefore for its international isolation. It has chosen that path. It can change course. A better future is possible for the country and its benighted people. It must now make the responsible decision to step back towards the negotiating table and to comply with the obligations set by our community of nations.”
2017-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8118 (2017) · source
“We will continue to work with partners around the world to further improve the enforcement of existing measures. We welcome the valuable work of the Panel of Experts as part of our shared efforts to stop the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's illegal programmes. It provides us with information that we need to implement all the relevant measures, and we urge all States to cooperate fully with the Panel and take swift and robust action in response to the Panel's recommendations. If they do not, then they would be helping the Democratic People's Republic of Korea regime to threaten the world. I have focused so far on our shared efforts to persuade the regime of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to change course.”
2017-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8118 (2017) · source
“The existing measures will be effective only ifthey are robustly implemented in full by all Members of the United Nations, beginning with all ofus in the Security Council. Many States carry out those responsibilities diligently, but it is clear that more must, and can, be done. The reporting deadline under resolution 2371 (2107) was on the 3 November, but by 21 November only 29 Member States had submitted reports on their implementation ofthe measures set out in the resolution. Given the scale of the threat, that is simply not good enough. The reporting deadline under resolution 2375 (2017) is on 12 December. We call on all United Nations States Members to meet that deadline and provide an update on the implementation of those measures.”
2017-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8118 (2017) · source
“It is not the people of North Korea who are threatening global security, it is the regime. Our actions are in stark contrast to the brutality of that regime towards its long- suffering people, who are being held hostage to the whims of its reckless leadership. When those measures are fully implemented, we know that they have an effect. We also know that we must exhaust every avenue to resolve the issue peacefully and diplomatically. We all hope to avoid the need to use military force. That would not only be devastating for the citizens of North Korea, but also for global stability and all of us. Therefore, we must all pursue existing measures and all other diplomatic avenues available to us - fully and without delay.”
2017-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8118 (2017) · source
“The latest missile launch is not a one-off: it follows 19 previous launches this year, and North Korea's sixth nuclear test in September. The latest violation demonstrate once more North Korea's disregard for collective security and the international obligations that all of us, as law-abiding States, take upon themselves. We have condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea many times before. The Security Council, along with the broader international community, must now redouble its efforts to persuade the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to change course. This year through the Council we have worked together to implement measures to curtail the regime's illegal ballistic missile and nuclear programmes. In developing those measures, we have ensured that the humanitarian needs of the population are protected.”
2017-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8118 (2017) · source
“We have met too many times this year to discuss the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's flagrant violations of unanimous Security Council decisions, and I am deeply disappointed that we have to meet again today following yet another such violation. For the third time, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea regime has tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. Based on an initial assessment, that missile flew higher and longer than any of those previously launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We therefore condemn in the strongest terms North Korea's actions, and its continued pursuit of its illegal ballistic missile and nuclear programme. Today we summoned the Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in London to convey our deep concern about that reckless behaviour.”
2017-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8118 (2017) · source
“That is why we encourage the United Nations, in particular the new Office of Counter-Terrorism, headed by Under-Secretary-General Voronkov, to put prevention at the heart of our counter-terrorism support to States. I agree with him that our efforts will be more effective if we tackle the causes, not just the symptoms, of the scourge of terrorism and extremism.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“There was a very useful event on this in the General Assembly in September, co-hosted by Prime Minister Theresa May, President Macron of France and Prime Minister Gentiloni of Italy. The planning and organization of many attacks can be traced back to the Internet. Governments and private companies must work in partnership and with civil society to tackle the threat and protect those vulnerable to radicalization. Secondly, we cannot hope to eradicate the threat for the long term without tackling the root causes. Terrorist organizations flourish where there is instability. They use instability to drive radicalization and to drive recruitment. The best defence against this is a globally unified rejection of extremism and support for the international order based on unassailable human rights and tolerance.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“We are working with partners to ensure that countries have effective deradicalization programmes for processing returning foreign fighters so that they no longer pose a threat to their home communities. We are enhancing intelligence collaboration and military capacity-building to help States improve their ability to disrupt terrorist attack planning. And we are continuing to combat relentlessly the evil ideology of terrorist groups. We will continue to do that and more, working closely with our Security Council partners to raise international standards and set out new measures in those areas. There are two other points I would like to address. First, the United Kingdom will maintain its focus on preventing the terrorist use of the Internet.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“Three years on, the United Kingdom fully supports the United States initiative to work on a new resolution that tackles the new challenge posed by foreign terrorist fighters no longer traveling to Iraq and Syria but relocating to new theatres or returning home. The United Kingdom is already taking its own action and is supporting others. We are helping our partners identify and prevent the movement of foreign terrorist fighters by strengthening their borders through information-sharing and the creation of watch lists and controls. We are helping partners prosecute terrorist criminals by improving the use and handling of evidence, particularly that retrieved from the battlefield.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“On top of that growing challenge, we need to carry on tackling some ongoing challenges such as homegrown violent extremism and the spread of terrorists' poisonous messages online. All of that means that our combined counter- terrorism efforts and our commitment to cooperating and working together cannot end as Da'esh crumbles in Iraq and Syria. We must remain proactive, committed to working together and ahead of the threat. That is why our work here at the United Nations is so important. Three years ago, the Security Council adopted resolution 2178 (2014). An important pillar in the international counter- terrorism framework, it established measures binding on States aimed at preventing travel by and support for foreign terrorist fighters associated with Al-Qaida and other groups.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“However, with the defeat of Da'esh in Iraq and Syria, the terrorist threat has evolved in such a way that we now face new challenges. Foreign terrorist fighters pose a particular risk, as we know that many members of that dreadful organization remain committed to Da'esh's ideology and to exporting their fight to new locations beyond Iraq and Syria. Others are trying to return home following Da'esh's military defeat. Some among those returnees will still be committed to Da'esh. Others will be disillusioned. Our job is to help those who are disillusioned to reintegrate into society and, at the same time, to guard against the threat posed by those who are still committed.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“I should like to thank all our briefers today for their insightful remarks on the threats posed by foreign terrorist fighters. I extend a particularly warm welcome to Ms. Michele Coninsx on her debut. In recent weeks and months, we have seen the near total military collapse of Da'esh in Iraq and Syria. The permanent defeat of terrorism in Syria still requires a long-term political settlement and a political transition away from the Al-Assad regime, but it is clear that we are now, thankfully and finally, witnessing the crumbling of Da'esh's so-called caliphate. That is prominently thanks to the courage and resolve of the Iraqi security forces, our partners in Syria and the 73 members of the Global Coalition against Da'esh. Together, we have shown that by working collectively with unflinching commitment we can defeat that global plague.”
2017-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8116 (2017) · source
“No matter how we choose to describe it - human trafficking, modern slavery, forced labour - let us stand together in our commitment to end the exploitation of human beings and safeguard the dignity of those who are most vulnerable. It is only by doing so that we can hope to succeed in the maintenance of international peace and security.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Thirdly, just as we understand how trafficking drives conflict, we should acknowledge how efforts to address trafficking contribute to peace. Measures to address trafficking by field missions - whether through human rights monitoring or capacity-building for police - should not be seen as add-ens, but as core to efforts to build stability. More broadly, we should consider how anti-trafficking features in the sustaining peace agenda, which is all about using a cross section of United Nations tools to prevent conflicts and build peace. Finally, let us not lose sight of who it is that we are working for: the victims and the survivors. Those images on CNN shocked because they showed that this most degrading form of exploitation is tragically not a thing of the past; it just happening today and it just happening on our watch.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“I would like to draw attention to three issues that merit greater attention. First, violent extremists profit financially from this trade in human misery, and it is vital that we integrate this understanding into efforts to combat terrorism. Without the robust use of the full range of existing mechanisms to counter terrorist financing and oppose sanctions, it will be impossible to eradicate the use of slavery as a means to resource and further the aims of terrorist groups. Secondly, we must act to ensure that global supply chains, which often reach into conflict zones, do not fuel the crime of trafficking. We welcome the fact that resolution 2388 (2017) calls on the United Nations to enhance transparency in is procurement and supply chains. The whole international community can go further in this area.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“Evidence gathering allows us to prosecute perpetrators more effectively, and information sharing means victims are identified and supported faster. The second issue was the report's call for a more coordinated United Nations response. Human trafficking cuts across all of the United Nations pillars. It is a security threat, a human rights violation and a development problem. Therefore, rather than competing with one another over resources or territory, we need United Nations agencies coordinating and each working to their comparative advantage. We strongly support the Secretary-General's efforts to resolve this persistent challenge. After several debates, the Security Council is now well informed of the problem of trafficking in conflict situations and, with resolutions 2331 (2016) and 2388 (2017), we are now well equipped to act.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“They all thrive in the absence of the rule of law, and they profit on an unprecedented scale from the chaos of ungoverned spaces. Such groups prey on the most vulnerable, many of whom have already lost their families, their homes, their livelihoods, to steal the one thing they have left: their freedom. Such exploitation takes on many forms in conflict zones, including child labour, slavery and slavery-like practices, forced labour and sexual exploitation. Two issues raised in the recent report of the Secretary-General on trafficking in conflict (S/2017/939) stood out to me. The first, as others have noted, was the call for improved data gathering, evidence collection and information sharing. Improved data is central to deepening our understanding of the problem.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“The United Kingdom welcomes this debate and resolution 2388 (2017). They are further steps towards more robust Security Council action against trafficking. I also thank you, Under Secretary of Sate Amendola, for your presence at the debate, and I also thank all of our briefers. It was just last week that we discussed the security challenges in the Mediterranean and their consequences (see S/PV.8106). The trafficking of humans is one of those most devastating of consequences: not only to those involved, but also to all of us who value the most basic of human rights. It was also last week that so many of us were outraged by that shocking video footage on CNN of modern slavery in Libya. As we know too well, the nature of today's conflicts has encouraged the growth of armed groups, terrorists and powerful criminal networks.”
2017-11-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8111 (2017) · source
“It has also found that Da'esh is responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The failure to renew the JIM. is a failure to uncover the truth behind the conduct of all actors who used chemical weapons in Syria. As I said yesterday (see S/PV.8105), those ofus who are committed to upholding the international system will not cease in our efforts to stop the use of chemical weapons and to identify and hold to account those who use these vile weapons. We will keep going not only to bring justice to those who have suffered from the use of these despicable weapons, but also to deter those who might think of doing so in the future.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8107 (2017) · source
“This third veto in a month clearly exposes - if it was not already obvious - Russia's determination to protect its Syrian ally, regardless of the harm it causes to the ban on the use of chemical weapons, to the wider international system of rules, and to Russia's own reputation. The Council set up the JIM. unanimously as the most appropriate mechanism to investigate allegations of chemical-weapons use in Syria, and since its inception it has had many successes. Its experienced and expert staff have demonstrated complete impartiality. Its investigations have been professional, thorough and rigorous. It has concluded that the Syrian regime is responsible for blatant, repeated use of chemical weapons against its own people in an increasingly reckless and deadly manner.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8107 (2017) · source
“Last month, I was disappointed that a simple technical rollover of the mandate of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) was blocked by Russia. Yesterday, I was deeply disappointed that, even after extensive efforts to reach an agreement, a further reasonable attempt to renew the mandate was again vetoed by Russia. That veto seriously damaged my hope that those using chemical weapons in Syria would be identified and held to account. But now, I am frankly astounded that Russia has rebuffed Japan's perfectly sensible proposal to ask the Secretary-General and the Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to consider the structure and methodology of the JIM.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8107 (2017) · source
“Let us all invest in livelihoods and development in source countries, and let us all work with border authorities and intelligence agencies to tackle human trafficking and smuggling networks. In conclusion, our ultimate goal is a well-governed, stable region where human rights are respected. That will ensure we have a stronger platform to fight international terrorism, to end modern slavery and to achieve safe and well-managed migration, bringing value to the destination country and country of origin while also ensuring the safety of those travelling. Given the scale of the challenges ahead, we owe it to all involved to work together and address all of those issues simultaneously.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8106 (2017) · source
“In addition, we have helped to secure new World Bank funding for countries that host refugees. At the London conference on Syria in 2016, the United Kingdom pioneered, and secured agreement for, historic compacts between Governments of the region and the international community to deliver education, create jobs and provide opportunities for refugees and local people. Thirdly, the United Kingdom is stepping up its efforts to combat the criminal networks that profit from modern slavery: for instance, we are developing an ambitious programme in Nigeria, from where so many migrants across the Mediterranean flow. We all have a role to play to rid the world of this terrible scourge.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8106 (2017) · source
“It is those groups that too often also cause, or exploit, instability and conflict. We therefore encourage all Member States to work with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Security Council- mandated Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate to develop their capabilities to counter terrorism and to prevent violent extremism. Secondly, the United Kingdom recognizes that, when crises become protracted, refugees who have no choice but to flee their homes cannot return. It is therefore vital that education and employment opportunities and support be available to displaced people and to the communities that host them. We are proud to give 0.7 per cent of our gross national income to development. Over half of all the spending of the Department for International Development is to fragile States and regions.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8106 (2017) · source
“And we will continue to help the United Nations to strengthen its conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding capacity. The United Kingdom is proud to be the largest donor to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and, in the Security Council, as penholder on Libya, we are at the forefront of international efforts to help Libya overcome the political and security challenges that it faces. As we discussed yesterday (see S/PV.8104), an inclusive political deal negotiated within the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement is the best way of stabilizing Libya and tackling the criminal networks that make it a transit route for illegal migration. It is also the best way of developing Libya's huge economic potential. We recognize that we need to reduce the space in which terrorists and people traffickers thrive across the region.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8106 (2017) · source
“Terrorists and armed criminal groups have exploited the breakdown of State authority in parts of the Sahel and in Libya to exploit people. They use their profits from smuggling, human trafficking and modern slavery to fuel even more instability, which in turn damages the economic opportunities that Governments should be offering their citizens. That then further fuels displacement, terrorism and modern slavery. Today I want to set out what the United Kingdom is doing to address those root causes. First of all, we are totally committed to the Secretary-General's agenda of preventing conflict. We are substantially increasing our investments in fragile States to strengthen their resilience; we have implemented new early-warning and early action systems that help prevent, mitigate and resolve conflict.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8106 (2017) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over this meeting of the Security Council and for everything that Italy does so effectively in tackling the security challenges in the Mediterranean region. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his briefing on this complex set of issues before us. It is all too often that we discuss the consequences of instability in the Council, and thpse consequences form some of the biggest threats that we all face: terrorism, modern slavery, disorderly mass migration and so on. I welcome this opportunity today to dig beneath the surface and to consider the root causes, as previous speakers have done. In many cases, it is a Government's lack of respect for human rights - whether through inability or unwillingness - that leads to conflict, mass displacement and abuses.”
2017-11-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8106 (2017) · source
“Russia's transparent use ofits Security Council status to block this investigation again shows that, as a party to the conflict, it cannot credibly play a leading role in the political process, such as convening the Syrian parties in Sochi. Most of us here are totally committed to upholding the norm against the use of chemical weapons. We will not be stopped by what has happened today. We will keep working to identify and bring to account those who have used these vile weapons and to deter those who might think of doing so in the future. Russia once played a responsible role in securing the destruction of much of Syria's chemical arsenal and in creating the JIM. Regrettably, today the world can see that Russian policy now is to protect the Syrian State - whatever the cost to Russia's reputation.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8105 (2017) · source
“It maligned the impartiality, experience and expertise of the JIM's staff, ignoring the thorough professional report they had produced and Russia's own original support for the group. Russia demands that the JIM. listen only to Syrian-approved witnesses and Syrian accounts of events. Why should evidence from a party to the conflict accused of war crimes carry more weight than the corroborated testimony of victims and observers and the cold laboratory analysis of physical evidence? Thanks to Russia's veto today, Da'esh fighters will be joining A1-Assad in celebration. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is currently investigating other cases. This vote means that the JIM. will not investigate who is responsible for these atrocious crimes.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8105 (2017) · source
“(S/2017/904, annex), as we heard last week from the Head of the Leadership Panel (see S/PV.8090), details the thorough methodology of the investigation. Its consideration of alternative hypotheses, the careful corroboration of sources and the use of independent, internationally recognized forensic experts for analysis of data. Faced with this clear, careful consideration and conclusion, Russia made a string of entirely destructive demands in its text and attempted to weaken significantly the remit of the JIM. It demanded that the JIM. take samples from a Syrian airbase, when the JIM. has made crystal clear why doing so would not advance the investigation. It demanded that the JIM. visit Khan Shaykhun, where it would face unacceptable risks of attack.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8105 (2017) · source
“Russia, on the other hand, has refused to engage constructively. Last month, it quoted fantasy and fiction in the Chamber to justify its veto. But in negotiations, its experts made abundantly clear why they would not support the JIM's renewal. Put simply, they cannot, or rather they will not accept any investigation that attributes blame to their Syrian allies, no matter how robust the investigation, no matter how clear and solid the evidence. Russia will say that it engaged, that it put forward an alternative text, yet its text sought only to undermine and discredit what has already been painstakingly demonstrated - that the Syrian regime is responsible for the blatant repeated use of chemical weapons against its own people. The seventh report of the JIM.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8105 (2017) · source
“It has failed in its duties as a permanent member of the Security Council. It has failed as a State party to the Chemical Weapons Convention. It has failed as a supposed supporter of peace in Syria. We have been here before. This is not the first time this year that we have attempted to renew the JIM's mandate. Less than a month ago, we all sat in this very Chamber and watched as Russia vetoed a simple technical rollover of the mandate (see S/PV.8073) - a rollover that did not judge any party or add any conditions. We have worked tirelessly through extensive consultations between Council members to try to understand Russia's concerns and find a renewal on which we could all agree. The United States draft, in favour of which we are proud to have voted, was balanced and reasonable.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8105 (2017) · source
“Today we have reached the end of the road for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM). It was a road that all members of the Security Council set out on together two years ago. We did so in the hope that those using chemical weapons in Syria would be identified and held to account. Thanks to today's veto, that hope has suffered a serious blow. Under the current and previous leadership panels, the staff of the Mechanism worked patiently and diligently to uncover the truth. I pay tribute to them today. Thanks to their efforts, the world now knows what happened in Talmenes, Sarmin, Marea, Qamenas, Khan Shaykhun and Umm Hawsh. Let us make no mistake - the JIM. has succeeded. It is Russia that has failed.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8105 (2017) · source
“We believe that the United Nations must remain firmly at the helm and that the international community must be united and steadfast in its support because, simply put, conflict and instability in Libya are hurting the region and the world, but most of all, they are hurting Libya's citizens. I therefore call on Libya's leaders from all sides to show that they are committed to delivering peace and security for all Libyan people. They must look beyond immediate personal considerations and towards the long-term future of their country. They have a responsibility to make progress and I urge them to continue to work with Special Representative Salame and take the bold steps required to move Libya forward.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8104 (2017) · source
“It is also Vital that Libya's oil resources be used to benefit the country as a whole. I call on all Member States to make sure that they continue to do all they can to prevent illegal oil smuggling and enforce the sanctions regime, which was designed to protect Libya's oil wealth for the benefit of the Libyan people. Let me conclude by reiterating that the Libyan Political Agreement remains the only valid framework for Libya's transitional period into 2018. The United Kingdom will continue to support the immediate next steps to amend the Agreement and agree on a reformed Presidency Council. We will also support subsequent efforts to promote national reconciliation, agree on a longer-term Constitution and prepare for elections.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8104 (2017) · source
“I reiterate our support for Libyan and international efforts to bring to account those responsible for such crimes. It is clear from the recent escalation in Violence that the existing arms embargo has not cut off the flow of illicit weapons in and out of Libya. This is not only undermining the peace and security of Libya and the region, but it is also playing into the hands of terrorist groups who continue to threaten global security. I urge all Member States to make every effort to ensure that the arms embargo is strictly observed. Engagement between both sides is needed not only for the political process, but also for the economy. A prosperous economy will be realized only if key economic institutions take the steps necessary to introduce important reforms.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8104 (2017) · source
“Further delay, however, will only prolong the suffering of ordinary Libyans who I think we can all agree have suffered for far too long. We need only look at the recent escalation in violence to see the consequences ofdelay. The strikes on Derna, which killed 16 civilians and the recent apparent summary executions in Al-Abyar and Warshafanah are examples. There are many others. These escalating acts of violence make it unambiguously clear that a political solution is no longer a choice, but a critical necessity for the Libyan people. We should all be concerned by these continuing human rights violations and abuses across the country, so many of them at the expense of civilians, including migrants. Let us all condemn extrajudicial killings by all parties from all sides of the conflict. The climate of impunity must stop.”
2017-11-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8104 (2017) · source