YouSaid · the spoken record

Solana

lines on the record: 84
first: 2000-06-23
most recent: 2008-09-24
sittings or episodes: 7
sources: un-security-council

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“Mr. Solana: I should like to thank you, Sir, and all the members of the Security Council for this opportunity to speak here today. It is very appropriate that we should devote time and attention to the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina today. There are so many issues and events competing for our attention in the Balkans that sometimes we risk neglecting all but the most immediate of crises. I welcome therefore the Presidency's initiative in organizing today's debate. Now is a crucial time for all of us - Bosnians and the international community alike - to reflect on our responsibilities and to commit ourselves to meeting them. The human and political tragedy of the war that began 10 years ago is still a Vivid memory for me personally and, I believe, for most Europeans.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“We all have a great challenge in the success of Africa and its countries. It would contribute to creating a more just and safer world. It would reduce dependency on aid and contribute to global prosperity. The success of Africa and its countries will mean success for the entire world. The European Union should congratulate itself on this path that will undoubtedly be taken.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“I wish to say that those same efforts can be seen among so many leaders of the African community, who apply that political vision and courage in building and assisting their continent to overcome its problems. A clear example of such vision is undoubtedly the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which is guided by those principles 4 principles of responsibility, belonging and the feeling of ownership of the process. This is what we can see with satisfaction is occurring on the African continent. This important Initiative clearly demonstrates that Africa and Europe share the same goals and interests. A new partnership on this basis will enable Africa to reap the benefits of globalization. It will also allow the international community and Africa to get more results from what we are already doing on a daily basis.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Two years ago, the OAU adopted the principle that governments that came to power through military coups could no longer expect to be welcome in its forums. This change in policy was welcomed as a sincere change in attitude towards all those values that we are all defending. The international community also needs to be tough on those who openly violate democratic principles and the rule of law. Because of this, our common commitment and interest in defending and promoting these values through the European Union - as was done yesterday with regard to Zimbabwe 4 give a clear signal of our position. Europeans worked long and with great passion to rebuild a continent out of the ashes of the horrific World War. It took people with ambition and great political will.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“In doing so, we are working closely with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and with the Security Council to ensure that our efforts are as coherent as possible in all of these areas. The third pillar of our policy is our attachment to certain fundamental values: democracy, the rule of law, human rights and good governance. We consider it fundamental to have the essential commitment to democracy, good governance and human rights. This commitment is not optional. It cannot be undertaken at times and not at others. It must be permanently applied because we believe that these values are essential for development. These are not values imposed from outside, but values that Africa herself has embraced.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Therefore, cooperation with all mechanisms, in particular, the Organization of African Unity and subregional organizations, seems to us to be an absolutely fundamental element in combating poverty and its consequences by means of conflict prevention. However hard we work in attacking the roots of conflict, we must also be realistic. Sometimes prevention will fail. We must be prepared to manage crises. We must therefore be ready to do so in an integrated and coherent manner, capable of deploying humanitarian aid and the full range of political, economic, financial and, where necessary, military means. The European Union is making significant efforts to equip itself with all the capabilities required to effectively manage crises.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Integrating Africa into the world economy is an essential part of the fight against poverty. It requires continued, persistent and tenacious action at all levels. The European Union's "Everything but arms" initiative on duty- and quota-free access for imports from the least developed countries is, we believe, an important step. It is my fervent hope that other countries will follow with similar concrete measures in the same direction. The European Union has identified poverty as a fundamental cause of conflict in Africa. That is why we place such emphasis on poverty alleviation. But we are well aware that our strategy cannot be based on one element alone. Rather, it must be a mix of various policy options that vary from one country to another.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It must therefore be recognized that combating poverty and frustration also means fighting against the causes of conflict. The European Union is not just talking about these issues. We are working actively to address them. We are the world's leading source of development and humanitarian assistance in Africa, providing more than two thirds of total official development flows to sub- Saharan Africa. Out of a total contribution of â‚¬1.8 billion to the Global AIDS and Health Fund, more than â‚¬l billion has been contributed by the European Union and its member States. The European Union attaches great importance to this year's Monterrey Conference and to the Johannesburg Summit, and we are actively participating in their preparation and working towards their success.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Starting with the Africa-Europe Summit, held in Cairo in April 2000, we have established a strategic partnership between the European Union and the entire community of African States. This has come to be called the "Cairo process", and it has become a useful forum for discussing matters of mutual interest and for giving the broadest possible support for future close relations. The second pillar of our policy is to effectively combat poverty, disease and conflict, to do everything possible to alleviate these problems. Throughout today's meeting, enormous figures have been cited. I do not want to repeat them all. I would only say that 340 million Africans live on less than â‚¬2 a day. That figure gives us all not only food for thought, but also grounds for action. We are also aware that poverty is also undoubtedly a cause of conflict.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Among other things, this means that the Security Council must cooperate fruitfully 4 as it already does 4 with the parties and the economic and social parts of the United Nations system itself. The European Union is fully committed to working as closely and intensively as possible and at all levels with the United Nations system. This collaboration has been especially intensive with regard to the critical situations in the Great Lakes region, the Horn of Africa and the West Africa region. Furthermore, as many have said throughout this meeting, we need strong international action on the illicit trade in arms, the ruthless exploitation of Africa's resources, the use and abuse of child soldiers and the continued use of anti-personnel mines.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We also attach great importance to our dialogue and cooperation with subregional organizations on the continent. We would highlight, in particular, the Southern African Development Community, the Economic Community of West African States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. They are clear evidence that Africans today are assuming their share of the responsibility for securing peace and stability on their continent. The sense of African ownership can function effectively only when other countries and the United Nations also help to enhance African institutional capacities and closely cooperate with Africa. In crisis management and post-conflict peace- building, it is very important that all parts of the United Nations system work together.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Amara Essy, Secretary-General of the OAU, and to commend him for the important role that his organization plays, most notably at present in the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea and also in connection with the Democratic Republic of Congo. We wish to build on the OAU's achievements by securing a firm commitment of the parties in conflict to implement their international obligations. Such implementation, unfortunately, is now well overdue. In more general terms, we could all benefit from closer cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU. But this must work both ways: in other words, there is a need for more United Nations support for the OAU, and, for its part, the OAU must also reach out more to the Security Council.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We welcome the establishment of the African Union, and I would like to note with satisfaction that the European Union, and the mechanism through which it was built, may have served as an inspiration and a model. We stand ready to provide concrete support and to share all our experience in regional integration. We will continue to help and support the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution. We are now considering a European Union contribution to the OAU Peace Fund, which would complement the already substantial contributions being made by some European Union member States. I should like to take this opportunity to highlight the presence here today of my good friend Mr.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“I would like very briefly to talk about these three pillars, which are the essence of our policy towards Africa. The first of the pillars is our commitment to dialogue with Africa. The European Union maintains a deep and rich commitment towards the countries of Africa, both directly and through the United Nations. The clearest example of this may be our contractual commitment to the countries of sub-Saharan African through the Cotonou Agreement. The European Union has already earmarked â‚¬12 billion for the coming five years, together with 61.7 billion in loans that the European Investment Bank has committed to make. The Agreement will allow us to focus on poverty alleviation, strengthening the political dimension of our partnership and increasing the role of civil society.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It is a great honour for me to be able to participate, on behalf of the European Union, at this important meeting that has been rightly convened 4 in an open manner 4 by the President of the Security Council. I should like to thank you, Mr. President, as well as each and every member of the Security Council. Before embarking on the subject on which I would like to share my views, I should like to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims and the families of the victims of the disasters that recently occurred in Goma and Lagos. Europe cares about Africa. Europe has a commitment to Africa. For reasons of geography, history and shared values, Europe has a genuine concern for Africa's future. Consequently, Europe has an active policy towards Africa that is built around three essential pillars.”
2002-01-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4460Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The experience of the Balkans has been a sobering one, but it has also provided us with an opportunity. We have dedicated ourselves to the region, to a wider Europe and to a more outward and mature common foreign security policy. We all stand to gain from that.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“These structures need to be prepared under the authority of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary- General in an open and inclusive process, with the active involvement of all the major groups of Kosovo's population. UNMIK will be able to properly fulfil its mandate during this critical period only if we give it the necessary resources. The shortages of high-quality police officers, notwithstanding recent improvements, and of judges and prosecutors, as well as the overall shortfall in staffing, continue to hamper UNMIK's work in key areas. Today the European Union is already bearing carrying the lion's share of the international community's efforts in Kosovo. We will continue to do our utmost to make this Mission a SUCCGSS. Let me close by recalling the commitment of the European Union to the region.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“Together with United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and with the Member States I have been working very hard in the last few days to address the legitimate concerns of the Serbs and to encourage them to return to interim institutions. The municipal elections to be held in autumn this year are intended to lay the foundations of democratic development and political consolidation in Kosovo. The registration process is advancing, and a multi-party structure is gradually taking shape. We shall, however, need to work very hard to ensure a positive environment for the elections. Successful municipal elections will, in turn, pave the way for the establishment of an interim administration structure, in conformity with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“I am also sure that the summit meeting to be held this autumn between the European Union and the countries of the western Balkans proposed by President Chirac will give a strong impetus to reform and cooperation in the region. I would like to close by looking specifically at our priorities in Kosovo. The full implementation of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) remains our key objective. The overall positive development of the situation over the past month has been overshadowed recently by the flare-up of inter-ethnic violence and the subsequent decision of the Serb National Council to suspend its participation in the interim institutions.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“We are also working closely with Albania and Bosnia to ensure that the conditions for beginning such negotiations are met as soon as possible. For the moment, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia remains outside this important process. I look forward to the day when it will join its neighbours on the same path to European integration. Finally, we shall remain committed to promoting regional cooperation. This is still much less developed in the region than in many other parts of Europe. It is the key to the economic success of the region and will accelerate its integration into the European Union. Progress in this area is one of the key objectives of the Stability Pact. I have just received a mandate from the European Council to press for better cooperation in combating organized crime and illegal immigration in the region.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“A vibrant and strong civil society is the key both to economic and political development and to bringing these countries closer to the European Union. We are placing particular emphasis on working with local authorities, the media and non-governmental organizations to help them in their contacts with counterparts in the region and the European Union. Thirdly, we shall pursue our policy of bringing the countries of the region closer to the European Union. We shall concentrate on developing the stabilization and association process, which is the foundation of our policy towards the region. Negotiations are currently underway with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and are expected to begin soon with Croatia.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“Carl Bildt- in Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and, hopefully, also in Serbia. They present a major opportunity to strengthen democracy and the rule of law in the region. We will support as full a participation as possible in these elections, and we shall unambiguously stand by those who genuinely stand for democratic reform. Indeed, we shall lend our support only to those parties and individuals that are uncompromising in their commitment to ethnic tolerance, democracy and the rule of law. Secondly, we shall continue to support civil society. This is of particular relevance with regard to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, but it is also important throughout the region.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“The European Union has successfully maintained peace and stability in Western Europe for half a century. It is now inconceivable that member States of the European Union would settle their differences by anything other than peaceful means. The European Union offers a model for regional integration as a guarantee for peace. It is a powerful and effective symbol of reconciliation. It also provides protection for minorities within an overarching regional framework. No other solution offers such hope for the Balkans. In order to achieve this long-term objective, we have set ourselves a number of priorities for the months ahead. First, we shall concentrate our energies on the various elections taking place in the region in the autumn - as has already been mentioned by Mr.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“In parallel to this, we are committed to continuing our support for the democratically elected Government of Montenegro. We shall also continue to support Bosnia, both politically and economically, in its own transition process, in which the forthcoming elections will play a key role. Much still remains to be done, and this process will continue to require sustained commitment by the international community and Bosnia itself. My firm conviction is that the best chance for realizing long-term stability in the Balkans is through the steady integration of the region into the European mainstream. This will not happen overnight; it is a long-term process. But it is very important. The Irish politician John Hume once described the European Union as the best example of conflict resolution in the history of the world.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“These values are being systematically violated by the actions and policies of President Milosevic. The European Union is not prepared to stand idly by in the face of continuing repression. This is why we are actively supporting democracy and freedom of expression in Serbia and developing links with representatives of Serbian civil society. We are ready to extend our economic assistance programme to Serbia once it has embraced those same values that underpin the European Union. We want to help the Serbian people, but for the moment the current regime in Serbia remains an obstacle to that objective. Elsewhere in the region, Croatia in particular has, through its recent successful democratic transition, given cause for optimism and has helped increase the potential for widening regional cooperation.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“Kosovo is the obvious example. But we have to maintain an overall comprehensive approach to the region if we are to hold out any hope of achieving our objective of bringing the Balkans into the European family of nations. The alternative would merely reinforce the divisions and the tensions that lie at the heart ofthe problems that have already caused so much suffering. There is one major obstacle to pursuing a genuinely comprehensive approach to the whole Balkan region. That obstacle is the resistance to political change in Belgrade. Our hope for the region is that it achieve lasting stability. But stability is not an isolated ideal. It depends also on democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, and the prosperity that comes from openness and engagement with one's neighbours.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“We have of course been the main provider of the financial support that is necessary to underpin this policy. The figures speak for themselves. Since 1991, the European Union and its member States have contributed to the Balkans as a whole over â‚¬l7 billion, which makes it by far the biggest donor. In Kosovo alone, we have spent more than â‚¬3 billion on non-military programmes. This is in addition to our substantial military commitment, which includes the provision of 28,000 troops for the Kosovo Force (KFOR). The European Union has also deployed 1,430 policemen, with a further 270 set to arrive before the summer. These figures testify to our engagement in the Balkans. They are the instruments of an inclusive policy encompassing the whole region. Of course, there are specific situations that call for quite specific responses.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“The enlargement process is a key element of the comprehensive regional approach that lies at the heart ofthe European Union's policy towards the region. But it is not the only one. We have established a stabilization and association process that aims at integrating the countries of the region into European structures. This process encourages internal reform, as well as the development of relations between countries in the region. The Stability Pact is another key tool for supporting economic development throughout the region. It also encourages internal reform and provides support for the integration process. But one of its most important elements is the promotion of regional cooperation. For the European Union, this is one of the most important challenges for the Stability Pact.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“Our objective is the fullest possible integration of the countries of the region into the political and economic mainstream of Europe. This is already happening as a result of the historic decision taken by the European Union at the end of last year to extend its existing process of enlargement. Enlargement is our most important tool for guaranteeing the continued stability of the whole of the continent of Europe. The process itself is already binding countries such as Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania into the mainstream of Europe, with positive spillover for the whole region. Enlargement is proving to be a catalyst for greater regional cooperation. It is, for example, encouraging the countries of the region to address in a positive manner the sensitive issue of minorities.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“The European Union, which was founded with the very objective of avoiding future conflict, cannot, and has not been prepared to, sit back in the face of conflicts on its doorstep and do nothing. This is not simply a matter of sentiment. Long-term stability in the Balkans will bring greater security and greater prosperity for Europe as a whole. This is why the European Union has made a long-term commitment to the region. It is a commitment in which the member States, and of course the European Commission, have a vital role to play. And, it led to me being asked specifically by the European Union's heads of Government to address the issue of the coordination of the policies of the European Union in the Balkans and to give greater visibility to its efforts.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“There is no guarantee that we will not face further crises in the future. But I have no doubt that, as in the past, such crises will be overcome. My intervention this morning is by way of explanation as to why I remain optimistic over the future of the Balkans despite the many, many problems and difficulties which we continue to face. It is not by chance that I have been called upon to spend much of my time, in the nine months since I took up my current post, focusing on the Balkans and, of course, on the situation in Kosovo in particular. It is, rather, a reflection of the importance that the European Union attaches to a region with which it shares common borders and with which it has so much in common.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“The European Union is developing faster than ever before into an organization with access to the full range of external policy instruments, from economic relations to crisis management. This makes our relationship with the United Nations, and in particular the Security Council, even more important. The principles that underlie the European Union's common foreign and security policy reflect the objectives of the United Nations as set out in the Charter. It is therefore not only an immense honour for me to address the Security Council, it is also a historic step in the development of the European Union's foreign policy. This morning's debate is not a response to a specific crisis in the Balkans. Such crises in the past have been an inevitable part of the evolution of the Balkans.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“(spoke in English) I would like first of all to thank all the members of the Security Council for giving me the opportunity to address the Council. I would like especially to thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Balkans, Mr. Carl Bildt, for his opening remarks, which have set the scene for this morning's discussion. I would also like to thank my good friend Ambassador Monteiro for his statement as representative of the Presidency ofthe Council of the European Union. The European Union has for many, many years been an important voice in many areas of United Nations work, in particular in fields such as human rights, social and economic issues and development. Increasingly, this is also the case on security issues.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source
“As you can imagine, it is an honour for me and a great pleasure to be here in the Council today to discuss a topic to which the European Union attaches particular importance. I would like to thank the French presidency of the Security Council and you, in particular, Mr. President, for the efforts you have made to organize this important meeting. (spoke in Spanish) Allow me also to recall a very moving moment that occurred in this very same Chamber in September 1994, when, the Security Council met to discuss Haiti. I, in my capacity as Foreign Minister of my country, had the tremendous honour and pleasure to preside over that important meeting, which, I believe, had some significant impact on the destiny of our beloved Haiti.”
2000-06-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4164 (2000) · source