YouSaid · the spoken record

Secretary-General

lines on the record: 2,998
first: 1995-09-26
most recent: 2021-05-16
sittings or episodes: 363
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 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has received reports of civilians, including women and children, in four neighbourhoods being rounded up and executed. As front lines have shifted, civilians have fled across dangerous routes, taking almost no belongings with them. Many families have lost contact with their families inside of eastern Aleppo, after they were displaced or after they burned their SIM. cards and devices for fear of facing repercussions if detained. There have been allegations of young men being rounded up and detained, or sent to fight for Government forces. Tens of thousands have already been recorded flooding into western Aleppo, but it is likely that many more thousands who are not recorded or registered have been displaced; but we have no accurate data.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7834 (2016) · source
“I have been invited to address the Security Council on the tragic situation in Aleppo. Since late November, we have seen Syrian Government forces and their allies capture large swathes of territory in eastern Aleppo. In the past 48 hours, we have seen an almost complete collapse of the armed opposition's front lines, leaving them with only 5 per cent of their original territory in the city. That came about after levels of bombardment that many witnesses describe as unprecedented. Civilian deaths and injuries continue at a brutal pace as the United Nations receives credible reports of scores of civilians being killed either by intense bombardment or summary executions by pro-Government forces. We have seen shocking videos of a body burning in the street, ostensibly after aerial bombardment.”
2016-12-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7834 (2016) · source
“The civilian population of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children, are particularly exposed to hardships, which are further aggravated by natural disasters. International humanitarian assistance remains vital for safeguarding the lives of millions in need. I also reiterate my call on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea authorities to engage with the international community to address the grave human rights situation and improve the living conditions of the country's people. In addressing all these challenges, I would like to conclude by reaffirming the readiness of the United Nations to assist in any way possible.”
2016-11-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7821 (2016) · source
“Others may lack the capacity to enforce them within their territories. That is why we need international partnerships for capacity-building. Sanctions should be anchored in a comprehensive strategy for lasting peace and security. We must remain committed to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to this complex and dangerous situation. As demonstrated by the agreement on Iran's nuclear programme, a diplomatic solution can be achieved if there is the will. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea must reverse its course and move onto the path of denuclearization through sincere dialogue. I reiterate my call on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to take the steps necessary to reduce tensions in the region. It is important not to forget the country's acute humanitarian needs.”
2016-11-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7821 (2016) · source
“The increase in and nature of these activities pose an ever growing threat to regional security and the global non-proliferation regime. Today's resolution includes the toughest and most comprehensive sanctions regime ever imposed by the Security Council. It sends an unequivocal message that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea must cease further provocative actions and comply fully with its international obligations. Targeted sanctions matter. Security Council sanctions represent the clear and unified will of the international community. Yet sanctions are only as effective as their implementation. It is incumbent on all States Members of the United Nations to make every effort to ensure that these sanctions are fully implemented. Some States may have difficulty translating sanctions into their national regulatory regimes.”
2016-11-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7821 (2016) · source
“The time taken to reach agreement on the resolution vividly illustrates the complex nature of the challenge. This year, the Council has met on nine occasions in emergency consultations in response to nuclear tests and ballistic missile activities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This is an unprecedentedly high number. Since January, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has conducted two nuclear tests and at least 25 launches using ballistic missile technology, including launches of a satellite, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. We must assume that, with each test or launch, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues to make technological advances in its pursuit of a military nuclear capability.”
2016-11-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7821 (2016) · source
“The Security Council has today taken strong action on one of the most enduring and pressing peace and security challenges of our time - the nuclear and ballistic missile activities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I welcome the unanimous adoption of resolution 2321 (2016). Maintaining such unity is crucial to tackling security challenges on the Korean peninsula and beyond. The Council first adopted a resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea nuclear issue in 1993 (resolution 825 (1993)). Twenty-three years and six sanctions resolutions later, the challenge persists. This time, the Council has taken longer than ever before - nearly three months - in responding to a nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the fifth such act.”
2016-11-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7821 (2016) · source
“This initiative promotes the global and cooperative development and management of water resources, to which Senegal's contribution has been crucial. I encourage Council members to find ways to support the implementation of the Group's recently adopted action plan. (Spoke in English) Water challenges affect us all. Let us use this Security Council meeting to highlight the value of water as a reason for cooperation, not conflict. And let us commit to investing in water security as a means to ensure long-term international peace and security.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“The United Nations Department of Political Affairs and the United Nations Environment Programme have published a useful guide containing practical strategies and best practices in this area. Across all these efforts it is also important to recognize the central role played by women in local water management. Decisions over water allocation can have a significant impact on their well-being and safety, and that of their children and families. For this reason, women often and rightly advocate for water issues to be directly addressed within peace agreements, as we saw, for example, with the Darfur peace process. (spoke in French) To mobilize concerted diplomatic action, the President of the World Bank Group and I convened the Global High-Level Panel on Water.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“The Centre uses its good offices, convening power, analytical capacity and partnerships with regional organizations to promote dialogue and build trust. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes strengthens transboundary water cooperation and sound water management. It is now open for accession to all United Nations Member States, offering the opportunity to create a global framework for dealing with transboundary water issues. More generally, the United Nations actively promotes mediation and dialogue as effective tools for preventing and resolving disputes over water and natural resources.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan has famously survived at least two wars and numerous clashes and diplomatic crises. In the Nile Basin, last year's signing of a declaration of principles by the Governments of Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan, followed more recently by various formal and informal dialogues, has been a vital confidence-building measure. And in the Senegal River basin, riparian States - including Mali, Mauritania and Senegal - have had a long history of benefit-sharing, providing a cornerstone for regional stability and peace. The United Nations has actively promoted the potential of water for cooperation. The work of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia on hydro-diplomacy is one notable example.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Controlling strategic dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has been at the centre of military operations carried out in Syria and Iraq by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. Despite these serious challenges, we must also recognize the potential for cooperation around shared water resources. Three-quarters of United Nations Member States share rivers or lake basins with their neighbours. Shared water has historically, and sometimes rather improbabiy, brought adversaries together and served as a crucial confidence-building measure in both inter-State and intra-State conflicts. In the second half of the twentieth century, more than 200 water treaties were successfully negotiated. International river agreements have enhanced security and stability in river basins.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“In Peru, the extractive industries' impact on water is the most common driver of protests and violence against companies by local communities. Armed conflicts can themselves affect access to clean water, for example through the deliberate destruction of water facilities, attacks against power plants that provide water supplies, and the collapse of water treatment and sewage systems. These impacts are often compounded by the breakdown in water governance and delivery networks that typically occurs during conflicts. Air strikes against water and electrical facilities in Syria, and the contamination of groundwater resources in Gaza, are further examples of the negative impact of armed conflict on water. We have also seen warring parties seek to control dams and dikes.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“I thank the Senegalese presidency and His Excellency Mr. Mankeur Ndiaye Minister for Foreign Affairs of Senegal for having organized this debate at a crucial moment. By 2050, at least one in four human beings will live in a country where the lack of fresh water is chronic or recurrent. Climate change will only aggravate these difficulties, especially in basins shared by several countries. It is particularly important to coordinate water management for the more than 260 international watercourses and transboundary aquifers, which are at least as numerous. (spoke in English) Access to water can exacerbate communal tensions. Competition for scarce water resources in Darfur and Afghanistan has contributed to tensions.”
2016-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7818 (2016) · source
“Sometimes regional organizations may have particular challenges that can limit their role as honest brokers. That is why it is so important to deepen our strategic dialogue, forge common approaches to emerging crises and strive to improve our collective responses to peace and security threats. In that way, we can make the most of our respective strengths. Let us use this valuable Security Council meeting to advance our partnerships for the sake of the peoples of these regions and our world.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“On peacekeeping, I am especially grateful that senior officials from the Collective Security Treaty Organization participated in the first-ever United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit in June to discuss how we can more effectively tackle challenges together. Our organizations also work to strengthen confidence-building measures and promote stability in Afghanistan through the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process. The United Nations is committed to strengthening this productive partnership. We all agree on the value of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, and we should not be afraid to confront the difficulties. We have much in common, but our strategies may at times pull us in different directions. Resources, capabilities and mandates vary.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“Petko Draganov, regularly meets with the organizations' leaders to discuss our joint agenda and the latest developments. All three organizations actively participate in supporting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia. The United Nations Security Council Counter- Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate are in direct contact with counterparts in all three organizations. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) cooperates with all three organizations on drug trafficking, irregular migration and counter-terrorism. They have conducted joint operational initiatives in Afghanistan and Central Asia. Experts from the three organizations participate regularly in UNODC meetings, including the Paris Pact Initiative, a partnership to combat illicit trafficking in opiates from Afghanistan.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“In this context, and in line with Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, we are seeking to intensify our interactions with the heads of regional and subregional organizations. I have personally engaged in collaborating with our regional partners for results. The impact has been meaningful, but we can do even more. Central Asia is the region where we have our closest contact with the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Commonwealth of Independent States. These organizations regularly exchange information with the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia on terrorism, violent extremism, drug trafficking and other issues of shared interest and concern. My Special Representative for Central Asia and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre, Mr.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“Meanwhile, growing xenophobic, nativist and protectionist policies and sentiments in other parts of the world are cause for serious concern. These challenges transcend national borders and demand a collective response by the international community. To rise to the moment, the United Nations has completed a number of major reviews of our work. All emphasized the urgent need to prioritize conflict prevention in a collective manner that draws on regional and global partnerships. This has always been one of my top priorities. After nearly 10 years as Secretary- General, I am even more convinced that the international community must come together to promote stability and defuse tensions wherever they occur.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“I welcome the Secretaries-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The global peace and security landscape has become much more complex in the last decade. Brutal wars raging across the Middle East and beyond continue to take lives, displace millions and wreck economies. Hospitals, schools and aid convoys are targeted with absolute disregard for international law and basic humanity. The resurgence of ethnic and sectarian tensions in the midst of these conflicts risks trapping nations in chaos for many years to come. I am especially alarmed at the fact that a wide variety of armed actors are taking advantage of modern technology and globalization to wreak havoc on a horrific scale.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“Some are concerned that the Court has convicted only Africans, despite evidence of crimes in other parts of the world. Indeed, in recent days, three African countries have expressed their intent to withdraw from the Court. I regret these steps, which could send the wrong message on these countries' commitment to justice. These challenges are best addressed not by diminishing support for the Court, but by strengthening it from within Deterring future atrocities, delivering justice for Victims and defending the rules of war across the globe are far too important priorities to risk a retreat from the age of accountability that we have worked so hard to build and solidify.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“I am pleased to be here today, and I thank the Russian presidency for having convened this debate. Before turning to the subject at hand, I Wish to say a few words about the latest developments regarding the International Criminal Court (ICC). The world has made enormous strides in building a global system of international criminal justice, with the International Criminal Court as its centrepiece. The ICC and other international tribunals have secured ground-breaking convictions. Yet we know that these and other gains have also been accompanied by setbacks and shortcomings. Prosecutions can take many years. Not all countries accept the ICC's jurisdiction, and even some of those that do, do not always support the Court fully.”
2016-10-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7796 (2016) · source
“I will never stop, and we must never stop, in the urgent drive to bring women into their rightful place at the heart of building peace and security.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“It is fundamental to building sustainable peace and ending the conflicts that are causing so much pain and damage around the world. There is more research emerging every year to demonstrate that. Let me remind the Council of one finding among many, namely, that peace accords are 35 per cent more likely to last at least 15 years if women are at the table. I will never forget the strength of the thousands of women and girls whom I have met in some of the harshest places on the planet ravaged by war. I have been inspired many times by women who are working to prevent conflict and build peace, and by the sacrifice of countless women human rights defenders. I urge the Security Council to do everything possible to create the conditions for peace in our world.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“The failure to fund this agenda is possibly the greatest obstacle we face to implementation. I call on members to earmark a minimum of 15 per cent of funding on peace and security to programmes that address the needs ofwomen and girls, and to make full use of the new pooled fund that was created to channel more resources to women's organizations working for peace. And, fifthly, I encourage the Council to consider ways to make peace negotiations more diverse. After more than 15 years of advocacy, that has not happened. Clearly, new ideas and stronger action are needed. In failing to include women and girls in peacemaking and peacebuilding processes, we are not only failing women and girls, we are failing the world. This agenda is not an optional extra, or a favour to women and girls.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“As we carry this agenda forward and build on past efforts, I urge members to take several specific steps. First, I urge the Council to seek information on women and girls in all its reports and briefings on countries affected by conflict. Without relevant information, peacekeeping mandates will never meet the needs of women and girls. Too often, what is not counted does not count. Secondly, I urge the Council to hold all United Nations peace operations accountable for putting women and girls at the centre of their work. Thirdly, I encourage the members of the Council to listen to civil society, and in particular to women's groups, in all their deliberations on conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Fourthly, I urge the Council to make sure that there are funds available for those activities.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“I am painfully aware that, despite all those steps, the situation remains far from equitable. I am ashamed of the many atrocities that continue to be committed against women and girls, including by some of our own peacekeepers. I am angered by the continued political exclusion of women. Peace processes, humanitarian programmes and peacebuilding plans ignore them and fail to meet their needs and protect their rights. Look at the pictures of peace negotiations on Syria or Yemen. There may be one woman at the table or in one delegation. That is fully representative of the general picture. And all that is against a backdrop of women and girls suffering inequalities that are aggravated by conflict, who are targeted for particularly brutal crimes by violent extremist groups, including Da'esh and Boko Haram.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“I also appointed the first female Force commander of a peacekeeping mission and the first female Police Adviser. Hundreds of thousands of women and girls are being helped and supported by United Nations programmes in conflict-affected countries. National and international tribunals have issued verdicts that are historic milestones for gender justice. Many countries have committed to action to prevent and address conflict-related sexual violence. Perhaps most important of all, we see more inclusive peace processes and peace agreements. The Colombian peace talks included a group dedicated to gender perspectives and women's rights. More women than ever before are making decisions for peace and security in the halls of Governments and international organizations.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“The establishment of UN-Women amplified women's voices and created momentum for women's leadership on peace and security. The Office of my Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict is focusing international attention on one of the greatest moral challenges of our time. The Council adopted new resolutions on women and peace and security. Last year's high-level reviews of our peace operations and peacebuilding architecture, and the global study on women and peace and security, spurred new commitments and determination. When I became Secretary-General, there were four countries with national action plans on women and peace and Security; today there are 63. Ipersonally have appointed many women as Special Envoys and Special Representatives.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“I thank the Russian presidency of the Security Council for organizing this very important meeting to discuss women's role in peace and security. Women have a vital role to play in preventing conflict and building and maintaining peace. But, although that is now widely recognized, far too often women are prevented from fully participating in peacemaking and peacebuilding. We are all suffering from the effects of that deficit. In our interconnected world, insecurity and conflict in one country or region affects us all. Nine years ago, I addressed the Council during its first open debate on women and peace and security (see S/PV.5766). Since then, the United Nations has made some progress in the promotion of the women and peace and security agenda.”
2016-10-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7793 (2016) · source
“I call on members to take decisive steps so that protecting health care facilities and personnel during conflict moves from aspiration to reality. More than this, I urge them to overcome their divisions and meet their responsibilities in Syria and around the world.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“Third is accountability. Member States and parties to conflict should ensure that those responsible for violations are prosecuted and punished. They should also provide reparations and support to people and communities affected by such attacks. That will mean conducting systematic and impartial investigations into specific incidents and collecting and analysing better and more extensive data. Attacks and access restrictions on medical care are signs of a broader erosion of respect for international humanitarian law. Failure to act is an affront to our shared humanity. It undermines States' legal obligations and the multilateral system as a whole. Building on pledges made at the World Humanitarian Summit, we need a global effort to enhance respect for the laws that safeguard humanity. The Council has a key role to play.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“Member States should do all they can to promote respect for medical care in armed conflict; align national legislation with international humanitarian law; establish dialogue among medical personnel, civil society organizations and the authorities; train all those involved in the laws and standards that apply; and ensure that decisions on foreign policy, including those involving weapons sales and transfers, respect the provision of medical care in conflict. Second is protection. Member States and parties to conflict must take precautions to safeguard medical facilities and personnel when they plan and conduct military operations. My recommendations cover military orders, the location of targets, visible military presence in and around medical facilities, the issuing of advance warnings and evacuations, among other aspects.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“And in Syria, the carnage continues and no one is spared. The World Humanitarian Summit and the Agenda for Humanity reaffirmed that safeguarding humanity in armed conflict must be a priority. The Council has a unique responsibility and influence in that area. Resolution 2286 (2016) urges parties to armed conflict and Member States to take concrete action. The recommendations I have submitted to the Council provide detailed steps to improve the protection of medical staff and facilities, as well as the wounded and sick. First is prevention.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“International law is clear - medical workers, facilities and transports must be protected. The wounded and sick, civilians and fighters alike, must be spared. Deliberate attacks on hospitals are war crimes. Denying people access to essential health care violates international humanitarian law. On 3 May, the Council adopted resolution 2286 (2016) on the protection of medical care in armed conflict around the world. Since May, there has been no let-up. In Hajjah, Yemen, 19 people were killed last month in an attack on a hospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres. This forced the organization to evacuate its staff from six hospitals in the area, with untold consequences for sick and injured women, children and men. In Pakistan, more than 70 people were killed in a suicide attack on Sandeman Provincial hospital on 8 August.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“Let us imagine a slaughterhouse. This is worse. Even a slaughterhouse is more humane. Hospitals, clinics, ambulances and medical staff in Aleppo are under attack around the clock. According to Physicians for Human Rights, 95 per cent of medical personnel who were in Aleppo before the war have fled, been detained or killed. This is a war against Syria's health workers. One medical professional spoke of how he endured the difficulty and the dangers. "This is Aleppo", he said. "We do not have time to be scared. We are being crushed like bugs daily, and the world has abandoned us." The global public does not distinguish between Member States, the Security Council and the Secretary- General. They know only one thing - the world has let them down. We have let them down. There must be action. There must be accountability.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“I thank New Zealand for convening today's debate, and I welcome Mr. Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Ms. Joanne Liu, International President of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). ICRC and MSF play a critical role in providing health care in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances. I pay tribute to their staff and all medical personnel under fire for their dedication and professionalism. This morning, we awoke to reports of strikes on two more hospitals in Aleppo. Let us be clear - those using ever-more destructive weapons know exactly what they are doing. They know they are committing war crimes. We can only imagine the destruction - people with limbs blown off; children in terrible pain with no relief, infected, suffering and dying, with nowhere to go and no end in sight.”
2016-09-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7779 (2016) · source
“I challenge everyone to use their influence now to restore our cessation of hostilies, enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance everywhere it is needed, and support the United Nations in charting a political path for the Syrians to negotiate a way out of the hell in which they are trapped. In their service as members of the Security Council, those present have no higher responsibility now.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“It would deny Syrian justice and healing. It would shred the credibility of an international community that claims to be concerned about upholding our common humanity. I note that the Security Council itself has said that those who use chemical weapons in Syria must be held accountable. I repeat my call on the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. Members of the Government who gave orders or were part of the chain of command must be brought to account. Others on the battlefield must also be brought into the halls ofjustice. And there can be no doubt that any durable settlement will have to ensure a proper framework for transitional justice and reconciliation if Syria is to overcome the horrors of this war. We are at a make-or-break moment.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“Transition is not an end in itself; it is a process by which the Syrian people can achieve a new, peaceful and democratic reality while protecting their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence and uniting against terrorism. The transition must ensure the continuity and reform of State institutions and public services in the country. That requires an inclusive set of governance arrangements that ensure that power is exercised differently and responsibly from the way it has been until now. There is also a profound need for accountability. The Government has mercilessly trampled on human rights. Opposition groups have done some of the same. Terrorist groups parade images of their cruelty before the global public with perverse glee. For the world not to pursue the perpetrators of such brutality would be a grave abdication of duty.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“I call on the Security Council to fully support the Special Envoy as he proceeds in that manner, with no ifs, ands or buts. We have to unequivocally move ahead towards a credible political process. I expect all to use their influence with the Syrian parties to make sure they come to talks ready to genuinely negotiate the core issues of political transition. No country's destiny should rest on what happens with a single individual. If one side continues to insist that the powers of the Office of the President are not subject to negotiation, by definition there cannot be a negotiated settlement. If another side insists that the President simply depart at the very outset of a transition, it is difficult to see a genuine negotiation take place.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“It urged the parties, "to reach agreement on a framework for a genuine political transition, which would include a broad, inclusive transitional body with full executive power". And the ISSG co-Chairs formally requested that the United Nations develop proposals as a starting point for future tasks. With my strong backing, Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura will be ready to present to the parties a draft framework of proposals as a starting point for negotiations for a Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political transition. We are fully guided by resolution 2254 (2015), the Geneva communique (S/2012/522, annex) and the ISSG statement, as well as the clear agenda for intra-Syrian talks laid out in resolution 2254 (2015). I have asked the Special Envoy to work intensively towards convening formal negotiations as soon as possible.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“This is a chance to reinstate the cessation of hostilities, faciliate humanitarian aid to Aleppo and throughout the country, ground the Syrian air force and see joint military action against terrorist groups, such as Da'esh and the Al-Nusra Front. If we can do that, it would open the road to political talks. As soon as a new round of intra-Syrian negotiations begins, they must focus on the fundamental issues for a viable transition, in particular - and I use the exact words of the mediators' summary of the last round of talks - "how power is to be exercised in practice by the transitional governance, including in relation to the presidency, executive powers and the control of Government and security institutions". The ISSG has already signalled its support for that approach.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“The long-sought agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States concluded on 9 September represents a new opportunity. The attack on a United Nations-Syrian Arab Red Crescent humanitarian convoy two days ago was an outrage that resulted in several casualties and forced the United Nations to suspend aid operations. I am looking at options for vigorously investigating that and similar atrocities against civilians. I am also concerned about the earlier attack in Deir ez-Zor, in which dozens of lives were lost. I take note of the rapid acknowledgement by the United States of that strike and look forward to more information. We must remain determined that the ceasefire will be revived. I urge everyone to use their influence now - today - to ensure that it does.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“Council unity and resolve led to the elimination of Syria's previously denied chemical weapons and attribution of responsibility for their use. Food and medicine have been delivered to millions of Syrians, including across front lines and via air drops to besieged and hard-to-reach areas. And the formation of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) provided fresh momentum to the search for a settlement and paved the way for resolution 2254 (2015). A cessation of hostilities, albeit fragile, began in late February, with positive results for a few months. In that window, the United Nations intensified humanitarian operations and brought the parties to Geneva for talks. But that process was once again overwhelmed by violence.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“We have seen indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian facilities, the medieval tactic of sieges and the weaponization of hunger, the use of chemical weapons, including attacks recently attributed to Da'esh and the Syrian Government. Tens of thousands of men, women and children remain in arbitrary detention, in appalling conditions and systematically subjected to unspeakale torture. Meanwhile, foreign fighters and arms flow to all sides. All of that defies the resolutions of the Council. Tragically, the divisons inside Syria are too often amplified by regional divisions, and then mirrored in the Council. Those divisions condemn Syria to its terrible fate. Yet we know that international unity can make a difference.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“I thank Prime Minister Key for organizing this very important meeting. The Syrian tragedy shames us all. The collective failure of the international community should haunt every member of the Security Council. Well over 300,000 Syrians have been killed, half of the country's population has been uprooted and much of its infrastructure lies in ruins. Many Syrians fear the fragmentation of their State could follow, with Da'esh and Al-Qaida affiliates poised to exploit further chaos. Neighbouring countries are hosting millions of Syrian refugees, while many lose their lives trying to reach Europe. Forces unleashed by the conflict are destabilizing the region. Terrorist attacks linked to the crisis have struck around the world. Global norms of humanitarian law have been flagrantly violated.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7774 (2016) · source
“They are gearing up to provide all possible support for the implementation of the agreements, including by continuing their importantwork on promoting human rights, implementing development programmes and providing humanitarian assistance. I commend President Santos Calderon once again for his vision and determination. It will be an honour to attend the signing ceremony in Cartagena on Monday. These comprehensive agreements offer Colombians not only the end of a conflict, but the prospect of lasting peace rooted in more equitable development, a fully inclusive democracy and redress for millions of victims. At a time of armed conflict in many other places, peace in Colombia sends a powerful message of hope to the world.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7773 (2016) · source
“Their numbers will grow quickly as the next stages of the peace process are completed. Their presence aims to help ensure that crucial commitments will be kept and to build confidence in the peace process. I thank the Council for its latest resolution 2307 (2016), authorizing the recommendations contained in my report (S/20l6/729) regarding the mandate, size and logistical requirements for the Mission. I assure members that the Mission will work in a coordinated fashion alongside the existing United Nations system in Colombia. United Nations agencies, funds and programmes have been supporting peacebuilding in Colombia for many years.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7773 (2016) · source
“The United Nations has been entrusted with important responsibilities, in particular in the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire and the laying down of arms. I commend the Security Council for its unanimous, timely and effective action in responding to Colombia's request for assistance. When the parties asked for this support in January, there was still no ceasefire, much less a final agreement. Yet the Council did not hesitate. They believed in the Colombian peace process and you acted. We are now well advanced in the deployment of the United Nations Mission in Colombia. Some 200 unarmed observers and civilian staff are on the ground, deploying to the zones where they will carry out their verification, working with the parties and engaging with communities and local authorities.”
2016-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7773 (2016) · source