YouSaid · the spoken record

Safronkov

lines on the record: 808
first: 2008-04-30
most recent: 2020-03-12
sittings or episodes: 103
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

“We very much appreciate his professional and personal qualities, which have enabled him to earn the respect of all Iraqi political forces, and we wish him every success in his new important post.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“We would like to conclude on a positive note with regard to the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq. We believe that it should continue to prioritize assisting in the promotion of the national reconciliation processes that are essential to achieving the country's long-term stability. For our part, in all our contacts with all of Iraq's political forces, we encourage them to unite their efforts through inclusive dialogue aimed at reaching consensus agreements that take the interests of all ethnic and religious groups into consideration. We want to express our gratitude to all the Mission staff working in difficult conditions, and personally to Special Representative Kubis.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“Iraq has the right to build and develop normal relations with its Iranian neighbours, and no one has the right to undermine those relations. We want to emphasize once again the importance of launching dialogue mechanisms in the region rather than sanctions and threats, especially since the experience of that kind of cooperation exists and has been developed. Russia will continue to play an active role in the Middle East, based on its historically friendly and healthy relations with Iraq and other States of the region. We are open to collaborating with regional and international partners. Our shared efforts would be seriously helped by the promotion of a security and cooperation architecture based on the assumption that any issues that might arise would be resolved through mutually respectful dialogue, not threats of force.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“We welcome Baghdad's use of bilateral communication channels with partners in the region, its implementation of a good-neighbourliness policy and normalization of relations with regional Powers. Baghdad and Kuwait's willingness to work to resolve as soon as possible the legacy of all the problematic issues resulting from the first Gulf War deserves particular support. As United Nations High-level Coordinators at various stages of the process, Russia's Ambassadors Vorontsov and Tarasov also contributed to resolving this humanitarian issue. We are concerned about the possible negative effects on Iraq's fragile internal political situation as a result of the artificial intensification of the situation surrounding the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“We want to draw attention to the priority of providing assistance to refugees and internally displaced persons, which, incidentally, is highlighted in the Secretary-General's latest report on the situation in Iraq (S/2018/975). Needless to say, it must be done jointly and without double standards, whether in Iraq, Syria or any other similar context. Russia has been supporting the Iraqi leadership's efforts on the security front and on long-term normalization of the situation both politically and practically. We are helping to strengthen the Iraqi army and implementing effective collaboration on regional security issues within the framework of the quadrilateral coordination centre in Baghdad, and we are expanding bilateral trade and economic ties.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“We categorically condemn any acts of terror, express our sympathies with the Government and the people of Iraq and the families of victims, and wish the wounded a speedy recovery. We believe that the only effective way to combat this challenge is by coordinating our counter- terrorism efforts. The initiative of President Putin of Russia to create a broad coalition of States to fight terrorism is as relevant as ever. Restoring the economy, the social arena and national livelihoods generally is crucial for the Iraqi leadership. The international community should help Baghdad to develop comprehensive measures aimed at improving socioeconomic conditions, and in that regard we acknowledge the International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq held in February in Kuwait.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“We emphasize that Russia respects the sovereign choice of the Iraqi people and we urge everyone to do the same. We welcome our Iraqi partners' successful and decisive efforts to combat the terrorist threat. Much has been done on the counter-terrorism front, and the so-called caliphate of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been dealt a crushing blow. We believe that this was achieved partly thanks to the uncompromising war on terrorism being waged in neighbouring Syria. Russia has contributed to that effort. But despite these successes, the security situation in Iraq remains fragile. ISIL members remain active in a number of Iraqi provinces, hiding in areas that are hard to reach or posing as refugees or locals. Terrorist attacks are still their weapon of choice.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“Mr. Safronkov (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): Historically, Iraq has been an important factor for stability in the Middle East. Russia supports constructive steps aimed at strengthening Iraq's domestic political situation and ensuring the country's security and socioeconomic development in full respect for its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. We note the enormous contribution of the United Nations and Special Representative Kubis in stabilizing the situation in Iraq. We know that this is a result of his ability to establish constructive and mutually respectful dialogue between all the political stakeholders in Iraq. We were pleased to see that the parliamentary elections held in May culminated in the election of the Republic's top leadership.”
2018-11-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8396 (2018) · source
“For its part, Russia, basing its efforts on the priceless historical potential of its friendship with the Libyan people, will continue to work with all parties, encouraging them to unite the country, overcome their differences and move forward to a phase of sustainable development. We will undertake those efforts both independently and in collaboration with our friends in the League of Arab States and the African Union, and among our international partners.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“We hope that the Chair of the Committee, whose work we very much appreciate, will rectify this as soon as possible, meet the conditions for the mission's terms of reference, which we all approved, and make a report on that basis to the members of the Committee. Let us work together to help the Ambassador of Sweden, particularly since all the members of the Council have just spoken in favour of these efforts and of maintaining contacts with all the Libyan parties. We know that Mr. Salame' fully shares that approach and is ready to provide the necessary assistance. The Security Council does not have the right to let its work with Libyan parties become distorted. It would be wrong from a political point of view and could have a negative effect on the vigorous unification efforts currently ongoing under United Nations auspices.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“Also, with regard to the vital oil sector, we should emphasize that exploitation of Libya's natural resources should contribute to the development of the country itself and to improving its citizens' well-being rather than serving the interests of outside Powers. Libya's mineral wealth belongs to Libya and its people alone. We took part in the important visit to Tripoli of a delegation from the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya and led by the Permanent Representative of Sweden as part of our planned visit to Libya. We are in complete agreement with Ambassador Skoog that there is no substitute for field trips in the Security Council's work. Unfortunately, for whatever reasons, we were not able to visit the country's eastern regions and meet with the local authorities there.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“We urge Council members to carefully study the proposals that our colleague the Permanent Representative of Equatorial Guinea just made for finding a formula for resolving the issue of migration. We need to be combating not the migrants themselves but those who created the migration issue and who are now profiting off their criminal business, an area where sanctions really will be essential. We need a thorough investigation of the situation concerning Libyan assets that have been frozen under Security Council decisions. The questions that the Libyan authorities have been asking about protecting them are quite justified. Those funds will still be needed when the country restores unity and begins to recover after this massive crisis.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“The calls for expanding the sanctions toolkit in the Libyan context have become more frequent lately. We realize the importance of combating those who undermine the peace process, do harm to the economy's oil sector or commit crimes against civilians or migrants. However, in many cases the answer is to be found in the arena of national justice and international cooperation in this area. The threat of Security Council sanctions should not be used as an instrument for manipulating events inside Libya in order to settle scores with political opponents, or the sanctions' results will be the exact opposite of their officially stated purpose. The chief danger is that in practice well-intended efforts could make the task of unifying the country harder.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“Libya's neighbours are providing excellent help on individual tracks, and we should especially note the efforts being made by the Arab Republic of Egypt. International initiatives are being proposed. Right now we are awaiting the holding of a conference in Palermo, at Italy's proposal, in which we intend to take a very active part, and we welcome the Italian Government's ideas and initiatives. We want to emphasize that all efforts should be coordinated under United Nations auspices, as laid down in the relevant Security Council documents. We take a cautious approach to restrictive measures and evaluate them from the point of view of their effectiveness, as well as their influence on political efforts and the situation of the civilian population.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“The existence of conditions suitable for the holding of elections is also an essential factor. The elections must represent a step towards unifying the country, not fragmenting it. We hope that the national conference that Mr. Salame has just informed us about will help to resolve the issue. The economic reforms proposed by the United Nations, with the participation of specialized international institutions, should be designed to protect Libyans' interests and promote unification. We are well aware that it would be extremely difficult for the United Nations to bring Libya out of this deep period of instability alone, and Mr. Salame' will need international aid. It is clear that with his direct assistance, inter-Libyan contacts are taking place at various levels.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“The power vacuum in the country's unstable southern regions is intensifying, and the threat of terrorism continues and is getting worse. That is the result of the irresponsible outside influence on Libya that was brought to bear in 2011. We appreciate the United Nations efforts to restore unity in the country, draw its State institutions, including security structures, closer together and find a way to emerge onto a path of socioeconomic development. We hope to see progress in the implementation of the United Nations Action Plan, one of whose key elements is general elections. The key to their success must be a general understanding among Libyans of the parameters for the elections, which require compliance with the necessary internal Government procedures.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“Mr. Safronkov (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to thank you, Mr. President, and the Chinese delegation for convening today's important meeting, and Mr. Salame' for his objective briefing. Mr. Salame knows that Russia very much appreciates his efforts and his honest and professional attitude to his work. We know how much he has done to re-establish a United Nations presence in Libya. But the reality there is such that we in the Security Council seldom hear news that gives grounds for optimism. Libya's profound fragmentation, the predominance of localized interests, sometimes fuelled by external forces, and the absolute power of the armed groups are truly depressing. The outbreaks of violence, to which even the capital of Tripoli is not immune, are very worrying.”
2018-11-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8394 (2018) · source
“In answer to the numerous questions that have been directed to us, I would like to inform the members of the Council that the joint statement by the leaders who participated in the quadrilateral summit in Istanbul will be circulated as an official Security Council document in the next few minutes, and I can assure the Council that is contains exhaustive answers. I thank the Council members who supported the joint statement and thereby affirmed their willingness to work constructively in the quest for a political settlement of the conflict in Syria. Iwould like to bring to the attention ofmy colleagues who continue to use terms such as "the Syrian regime" the fact that such usage is contrary to all the relevant Security Council resolutions, which speak only of the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“After so many years of war, the country will have to undergo a process of national reconciliation, one way or another. And Syria has always been distinguished by a high level of national reconciliation. The United Nations, the international community and Syria's friends can help, but imposing ready-made solutions, ultimatums or deadlines on the Syrians is wrong and futile. And in any case, the empirical evidence shows that trying to impose solutions in any regional crisis does not work.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“Incidentally, the question of collaboration between the Astana process and the so-called small group was also discussed at the Istanbul summit. The importance of getting the work of a constitutional committee started based the decision of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi was acknowledged, and we hope that it will be able to start before the end of this year, assuming that the conditions are conducive. The professionals, however, realize that it must be recognized as legitimate by all parties if it is to be efficient and effective. It is important that everyone understands that it is the people of Syria who are responsible for its fate, and it is they who must determine every aspect related to their State's structure during the course of the dialogue.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“The economic activity in those illegally occupied areas, without coordinating with the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, also raises numerous questions generally. Leaders from Russia, Turkey, Germany and France met in Istanbul on 27 October and adopted a joint statement, and we are grateful to the President of Turkey for that important unifying initiative. The summit participants expressed a general disposition to cooperate with a view to further normalizing the situation in Syria, for which the conditions have been established in the framework of the Astana format through the efforts of Russia, Turkey and Iran. A commitment was expressed to a political settlement under the auspices of the United Nations in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015) and with full respect for Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“We should point out that the de-escalation agreements were temporary from the start, and no one has taken thejob ofeliminating the terrorist presence in Syria off the agenda. If the provocations by radical elements continue, Russia reserves the right to support effective action by the Syrian Government to eliminate terrorist strongholds. We share the Secretary-General's concern about the disastrous humanitarian situation in Rukban. And in general, the humanitarian situation in Syria would improve if the coalition stopped violating the Syrian Arab Republic's sovereignty through its illegal presence, by which I particularly have in mind the well-known Al-Tanf military base in the south of the country and the coalition presence east of the Euphrates.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“Such steps deserve every encouragement for the contribution they make to achieving a principle as fundamental to the stabilization of the situation in the Middle East as the establishment of good-neighbourliness. The implementation of the memorandum of understanding on stabilizing the situation in the de-escalation zone in Idlib based on the high-level Russian-Turkish agreement is proceeding successfully. Our Turkish partners are doing everything they can to get the armed groups and their heavy weapons out of the demilitarized zone. However, the militias based there continue to violate the terms of the agreement by firing on nearby villages, and there are new reports of suspicious movements of Al-Nusra Front members and White Helmets with toxic substances.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“We must unite to collectively and actively assist in those processes and not to obstruct them on politicized pretexts or with dozens of frankly incomprehensible conditions. The Russian initiative to convene an international conference on Syrian refugees was designed to help unite those efforts. The authorities in Damascus have given security guarantees to those who want to return home and are working on a legal framework that would facilitate their rapid reintegration. The flow of Syrians returning from Lebanon is increasing. We can see the effect that the opening ofthe Nasib crossing has had on the Syrian-Jordanian border. People on both sides of the border have been waiting impatiently for several years for this transportation artery, which supports regional, trade and human links, to start functioning again.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“Mr. Safronkov (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): First of all, of course, we want to express our sincere condolences to the Governments and the peoples of the United States and Indonesia in the wake of their recent tragedies. We thank Mr. Lowcock for his comprehensive briefing. We very much appreciate the work of United Nations humanitarian agencies, particularly when it is conducted impartially in strict observance of the United Nations principles for the provision of humanitarian assistance. Against a backdrop of the successful liberation of large parts of Syria from terrorists, efforts are continuing to restore normal life and return refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes.”
2018-10-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8384 (2018) · source
“The Security Council must respond robustly to any violations of resolution 1540 (2004) and actions to help non-State actors to gain access to weapons of mass destruction, particularly chemical weapons. The challenges in that area demand that we unite international efforts and reject double standards. In that regard, we would like to remind the Council of the initiative by the Russian Federation to develop and adopt a convention for the suppression of acts of chemical and biological terrorism. Today's discussion confirms that eradicating terrorism is possible only with broad international cooperation. We urge that practical steps be taken to establish an international counter-terrorism coalition. The meeting rose at11.35 a.m.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“However, much remains to be done to achieve the main goal, the full implementation of the resolution by all countries. Russia is working actively not only to implement the resolution but also to provide appropriate assistance to other States. With the support of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), we have held courses on resolution 1540 (2004) issues for OSCE member States in Rostov-on-Don. In a few days' time, Russia's Federal Service for Technical and Export Control is organizing a seminar in Moscow on export control issues for member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“Resolution 1540 (2004) is a key, universal, legally binding instrument in the area of the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), requiring all countries to adopt effective measures to prevent weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related materials from falling into the hands of non-State actors. On the whole, we are satisfied with the implementation of the resolution. We commend the efforts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) under the chairmanship of Bolivia, and of its Group of Experts, for organizing courses for national focal points, conducting country visits to develop voluntary national action plans, providing assistance to countries that need it and maintaining contacts with relevant specialized international, regional and subregional organizations.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“We support the effective work of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team pursuant to resolutions 1526 (2004) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, whose reports are an important tool for our joint work, and we urge Member States to work closely with their experts. We expect the Monitoring Team's reports to be as objective as possible and rely only on verified sources of information. The Monitoring Team's country visits are a significant factor in its work, and we hope that it will focus on trips to countries that are in armed confrontations with international terrorism and States that are dealing directly with terrorist efforts. That is critical to obtaining first-hand information.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“Given the growing presence of ISIL in Afghanistan and the threat of the further expansion of jihadists into the countries of Central Asia, we believe that one of our priorities should be expanding the Security Council's counter-terrorism sanctions regime to individuals and organizations that are part of or directly connected to the Afghan wing of the Islamic State's extremist organization. It makes sense to continue to concentrate on the problem of foreign terrorist fighters on the counter-terrorism sanctions lists who are actively moving to States of origin or to third countries from Syria and Iraq, in order to prevent and suppress their criminal activities.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“We note the work of the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da'esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities and consider it one of the Council's most effective mechanisms on the counter- terrorism front. We are pleased to note that this is Kazakhstan is in large part responsible for this, as is Ambassador Umarov personally as the Committee's current Chair. We believe it is crucial to ensure the effective implementation of Council resolutions on the counter- terrorism sanctions regime with regard to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al-Qaida.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“There is still much to be done in those areas. Speaking of the unique nature of the CTC and CTED mandate, we would like to draw attention to the depoliticization and professionalism that have distinguished both bodies since their establishment. We believe that the attempts of some Committee members to pressure the Executive Directorate into limiting its collaboration with international organizations working on counter-terror issues are unacceptable. We hope that CTED itself will strictly follow its own procedures and practices developed over the years and will continue to be a unifying platform.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“We believe that it is counterproductive to attempt to transform the CTC and its Executive Directorate, with their unique tools, into a quasi-human rights protection mechanism. Introducing individual ways of working with some violent extremists and violent extremist groups into the Committee's agenda is even less acceptable, and in our view is a targeted approach to undermining the international legal base of counter- terrorism with the aim of exempting tame terrorists from responsibility. Instead, we propose that the Committee and Executive Directorate confine their focus to genuinely topical issues of countering incitement to terrorism and terrorist propaganda, in accordance with resolutions 1624 (2005) and 2354 (2017), as well as suppressing the supply of arms to terrorists, in line with resolution 2370 (2017).”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“We agree that providing information on current threats and best practices in the fight against terrorism is an extremely important aspect of the CTC's activities. However, it is very clear that the Executive Directorate's attention has frequently been concerned with topics such as rehabilitating and reintegrating terrorists, strengthening the role of women, protecting human rights and collaborating with civil society at the expense of its counter-terrorism tasks. Those are all important issues, of course, but they are not directly related to the Committee's basic mandate, and it is important to ensure that it continues to focus on the area of counter- terrorism or run the risk of losing key reference points.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“We recognize that the number of monitoring missions, including those carried out jointly with other Security Council bodies and the Office of Counter-Terrorism, has increased significantly, and we have taken positive note of the efforts of Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and Executive Director Michele Coninsx. We would like to remind the Council that paragraph 12 of resolution 2395 (2017) directs the leadership of the Committee to report to the Council on problems in obtaining the consent of States to country visits and concluding reports, as well as on how the CTC's recommendations are being implemented. We hope to see a detailed analysis of the situation in this area.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“Mr. Safronkov (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We would like to congratulate the delegation of Bolivia on the start of its presidency of the Security Council and to note the timeliness of today's joint briefing on three of its important subsidiary bodies. We thank the briefers, all of whom clearly identified the tasks facing the Council and the entire international community in combating the threat of terrorism. We are grateful to the Permanent Representative of Peru for his detailed report on the activities of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its Executive Directorate (CTED). The core of the CTC's mandate should continue to be the professional and impartial assessment of States' anti-terrorism efforts.”
2018-10-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8364 (2018) · source
“We want to remind the Council of our proposal for launching a process for drafting a package of security- and confidence-building measures in the Persian Gulf, and ultimately throughout the Middle East. Establishing this kind of architecture, which all the key countries in the region, including the Gulf States and Iran, should participate in, would not only help to strengthen comprehensive and indivisible security in that part of the world but also to resolve both long-standing and new crises, including the Yemeni conflict. Threats and confrontation must give way to dialogue and cooperation, and cooperation on that basis can enable us to settle the conflict quickly.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8361 (2018) · source
“For our part, we will continue to support the Special Envoy's efforts through our contacts with all the parties to the conflict in Yemen, and we urge our colleagues to give him active assistance. We support a halt to the violence throughout Yemen, which will enable the country to focus on the political process and on the urgent task of rebuilding its ruined infrastructure immediately. Its economy lies in ruins, and any delay threatens to make the country's already dire situation unredeemable. Russia will continue its humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen in both the north and south. In conclusion, we would like to stress that finding solutions to the conflict in Yemen would contribute significantly to stabilizing the situation throughout the subregion.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8361 (2018) · source
“Productive contact was also made recently with representatives of Ansar Allah in Sana'a and Muscat. We are certain that a way can still be found to reach agreements, particularly on establishing confidence-building measures. There is a real chance of making progress on issues regarding the exchange of prisoners, opening the Sana'a airport, establishing international control at the port of Al-Hudaydah and paying Government workers' salaries throughout Yemen. We call on all the parties to the conflict in Yemen to actively join Mr. Griffith's mediation efforts. Unilateral acts such as the missile strikes on Saudi Arabian territory, which we condemn, cannot produce effective, long-term results and can ultimately only widen the gulf of misunderstanding and mistrust between the opposing sides and undermine the prospects for restoring peace.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8361 (2018) · source
“De-escalating the situation around Al-Hudaydah and halting offensive operations should help Special Envoy Griffiths succeed in his efforts. We call for restraint and for refraining from relying on force. We do not believe that one of the parties can extract greater flexibility from the other through violent pressure. The history of the conflict in Yemen shows that that approach does not work. Mr. Lowcock quite rightly said just now that the only losers in this conflict will be the people of Yemen, who have endured unprecedented suffering and terrible experiences, including a cholera epidemic - in the twenty-first century. We must now all band together to support the efforts of Special Envoy Griffiths, whom we see as an objective and impartial mediator who has held fruitful talks with the Yemeni Government's delegation in Geneva.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8361 (2018) · source
“Mr. Safronkov (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank the delegation of the United Kingdom for having taken this initiative and the United States delegation for convening today's important meeting so promptly. We are grateful to Mr. Lowcock for his briefing on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, which we found extremely alarming. We have a long history of friendship with the people of Yemen, and we deeply and sincerely sympathize with them. While we note the courageous efforts of the humanitarian workers there, we realize that the only possible solutions to the problem are political ones. Like our other colleagues on the Council, we are worried about the escalation of violence in Yemen and have expressed our position on the issue many times.”
2018-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8361 (2018) · source
“Who wins when weapons or military technology fall into the hands of armed groups, foreign mercenaries or even terrorists, who are still present in Libya to this day? Russia and Libya are linked in a historically friendly and mutually respectful relationship in many areas. We want to advance and deepen our cooperation with Libya, but if we are to stabilize it we must unite international and regional efforts as quickly as possible.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“Libyans have been complaining for a long time about the significant losses they have sustained where their assets in foreign credit institutions have been frozen in accordance with Security Council decisions. The situation should be impartially evaluated in order to make the best possible decision without going beyond the existing sanction frameworks. Another ongoing pressing problem involves the illegal flow of weapons into Libya, which affects both its own security and that of the surrounding region. In the absence of a centralized State authority and a united army, talk about easing the arms embargo would be premature. Furthermore, the strictest possible control is required when delivering products for military use in Libya within the framework of existing exemptions, in order to ensure that they are not lost or misappropriated.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“We are concerned about the situation of migrants and refugees in Libya and the abuses of their rights, but a long-term solution to that problem is certainly not to be found through sanctions. For that, effective criminal prosecution has to be launched at the national level. International cooperation is very important, including within the framework of the relevant entities. No attention has been given to criminality in countries of destination for migrants. Lastly, we have not seen any serious attempts to deal with the root causes of these mass migrations, which originate first and foremost in dire socioeconomic situations and conflicts, including some provoked from outside. We must work on improving the situation in these regions, after which people will return to their homes of their own volition.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“The Secretary-General underscores in his report (S/2018/780) that support for the dignified and safe return of internally displaced persons is a key priority for the international community's humanitarian assistance to Libya, and we are in complete agreement with his position. There should be a similar approach in Syria, free of politicized attitudes. We thank the Ambassador of Sweden, in his capacity as Chair, and his team for their professionalism in coordinating the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya. International restrictions are not an end in themselves but should rather contribute to the political process, which is why from now on we will take an extremely careful approach to sanctions measures that do not have obvious added value.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“We have been closely following developments in the vitally important oil sector, on which the well- being of Libya's citizens depends. Natural resources should be used for the benefit of every single citizen of the country, not as pocket change in the geopolitical arrangements of other States. Issues pertaining to the control of oil infrastructure, export operations and the functioning of banking and financial institutions should be resolved by Libyans themselves through dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations. The participation ofinternational financial organizations in these processes should be carefully considered and the position of the Libyan authorities taken into account.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“Russia maintains contacts with all parties, encouraging them to seek compromises for the sake of peace and stability in Libya and the Mediterranean region. We support establishing a consolidated mechanism for external assistance in the settlement process, under the auspices and with the help of the United Nations. We support the efforts to steer the political process towards the holding of general elections by the end of the year. Needless to say, we should bear in mind that favourable conditions are essential for that. Libyan society must be ready to enter the electoral phase, because if not, elections will only reopen old wounds and lead to a new cycle of confrontation rather than the desired reunification, inevitably complicating the political efforts of the United Nations.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“We call on Libyans to stop the escalating violence and unite to restore and rebuild their country and combat terrorism. We call on external sponsors to work to unify Libya, encourage efforts aimed at centralization and to remember that Libya, with its rich history, culture and natural resources, belongs to its people alone. Outside actors should contribute to national reconciliation in Libya and the key coordinating role of the United Nations could be improved. We believe that every useful initiative deserves attention and support, but isolated political acts without a clear strategy are very unlikely to raise intra-Libyan reconciliation to a qualitatively higher level. Every step should be aimed at unifying the country on every possible level.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“The escalating situation was halted only thanks to the courageous efforts of Mr. Salame' and his team. The ongoing clashes have shown the pointlessness of the attempts to portray the situation in the capital as being stabilized. Owing to the force of these objective circumstances, the authorities in Tripoli continue to have extremely limited capabilities and have to rely on the dominant armed groups. Most unfortunately, unification of the security forces has still not begun, although it should be a priority. Even the widely proclaimed project to establish a so-called presidential guard has still not been realized. We welcome Mr. Salame's efforts to help the parties to the conflict reach a lasting agreement on a cessation of hostilities.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source
“Mr. Safronkov (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We thank Mr. Salame' for his objective briefing and support his efforts to implement the United Nations action plan approved by the Security Council and aimed at helping Libyans to unify their country and ensure its socioeconomic recovery. We realize that the differences among Libyans run too deep to expect rapid progress. We believe that the main prerequisite for the success of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya will be the ability to unite international efforts to achieve a settlement, which means refraining from competing political initiatives. And if agreements are reached, it will be essential to make every possible effort to implement them. We are extremely concerned about the unfortunate developments in Tripoli over the past few weeks.”
2018-09-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8341 (2018) · source