YouSaid · the spoken record

Syed Hamid Albar

lines on the record

29

first

1999-07-08

most recent

1999-09-24

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2

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un-security-council

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1. “As much as we support current global efforts to address the issue of small arms, we hope that it does not in any way distract the global community from also addressing the core issue of nuclear disarmament, which is far from being resolved and remains the greatest threat to life on the planet. Whether it does or not, I would nevertheless underscore the importance of keeping an equal focus on the nuclear disarmament issue even as we grapple with the problem of small arms.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

2. “Malaysia fully supports the convening of an international conference on illicit trafficking in small arms. We believe that such a conference will afford the opportunity for an in-depth analysis of all aspects of the highly lucrative, illicit arms trade. To ensure a successful outcome, there is of course the need to make adequate preparations, including on the important issue of the scope of the conference. The conference should be focused and action-oriented, and should draw upon the experiences of regional approaches to tackling the problem. Malaysia is of the view that given that the problem of illicit arms trade affects a large number of developing countries, it would be appropriate for the conference to be chaired only by one of those countries.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

3. “Such efforts by non-governmental actors are indeed important. Malaysia supports any initiative by the United Nations, individual countries and non-governmental organizations in dealing with this issue. The challenge before us is to define the problem, which has many complexities - political, legal, technical, economic and social - and formulate appropriate and effective approaches and strategies on how best to deal with it. A pertinent point which ought to be made in any discussion of the subject is that well over one 100 States Members of the United Nations do not manufacture weapons domestically and have to rely on imports to meet their legitimate needs. It has become abundantly clear that the flow of small arms, particularly to developing countries, is driven not only by the forces of demand but also by those of supply.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

4. “In the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region we have also begun to look seriously at the issue of small arms, particularly in the context of the ASEAN Regional Forum. Beyond Governments and intergovernmental arrangements, there is also an important role to be played by non-governmental organizations and other actors in international society. It is encouraging that there is increasing involvement on their part, thereby mobilizing additional resources in dealing with this issue. A number of areas have been identified by non-governmental organizations such as combating the illicit traffic in small arms, tighter control of legal arms transfers and the urgent need for reductions in small arms in war-torn societies - for appropriate action to be taken by their Governments.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

5. “These measures also include the strengthening of border controls, marking of firearms and sharing information on weapons producers, dealers, importers and exporters. The support of the international community is equally important to ensure the success of another regional initiative taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the moratorium on the sale of light weapons. Another welcome development is the establishment of a European Union code of conduct on arms exports. These commendable regional approaches have paved the way towards greater coordination and cooperation between Member States, and should be emulated by other regions of the world, particularly in areas of existing conflict.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

6. “We find that a number of the recommendations can quite easily be implemented, though others may require further examination. We are grateful to the panel of experts who have contributed ideas which have been incorporated in the report of the Secretary-General. There are a number of other initiatives being undertaken by various parties to develop viable, practical policy options. We are gratified to note that a number of regional organizations have taken the initiative to control the excessive accumulation and uncontrolled use of small arms. The Organization of American States (OAS), for example, has made a significant contribution to this process with the adoption of the Inter-American Convention against Illicit Manufacturing of and Illegal Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunitions, Explosives and Other Related Materials.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

7. “It should continue to serve as a clearing house for information, to facilitate an exchange of national experiences and to learn from them, as well as to arrive at arrangements and agreements most suited to the specific situations faced by Member States. In this regard, Malaysia welcomes the decision of the Secretary-General to establish the United Nations Coordinating Action on Small Arms (CASA). I trust that this will have the strong support of the international community and the Council. Malaysia commends the Secretary-General's report on small arms, which constitutes an important contribution to our understanding of the problem. The many recommendations contained therein are innovative and far-reaching, and deserve serious consideration.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

8. “Malaysia believes that addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons must be viewed from a holistic perspective of arms control and disarmament, post-conflict peace-building, conflict prevention and socio-economic development. In the context of conflict situations, the problem should be seen comprehensively in the context of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, a subject which the Council addressed in July this year. We believe the United Nations, particularly the Council, can and should play a critical role in checking the proliferation of small arms. The United Nations should continue to be a central forum for creating better public awareness and understanding of the direct and indirect consequences of the use of small arms.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

9. “The rampant use of small arms has exacted a heavy toll on the lives of innocent civilians caught in the conflict, particularly children, women and the aged. The accumulation of small arms - whether estimated to be 100 million or 500 million - is indeed of grave concern, and illustrates the gravity of the situation. The proliferation of small arms in the hands of combatants more often than not slows down efforts at peacemaking and peace-building. Clearly, the illicit trade in small arms poses a serious threat to international peace and security. It is therefore incumbent upon the international community to work towards greater control and management of this highly complex problem. What is urgently needed is a practical approach to deal with it at the country, regional and global levels.”

   1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

10. “Mr. President, may I begin by congratulating you on convening this formal meeting of the Council on the subject of small arms, which is of major concern to the international community. This meeting is indeed most timely, given the enormity of the problem and the conflict situations we are in today. In many of the regional conflicts and civil wars since the end of the cold war, small arms and light weapons have played a significant role in their prolongation and intensification. Far more people have fallen victim to the use of small arms than any other weapons. What is clear is that long after a conflict has formally ended the stockpiles of small arms continue to pose a threat to public order. This often hampers post-conflict nation-building efforts.”

    1999-09-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4048 (1999) · source

11. “In view of the lateness of the hour, and with the concurrence of the members of the Council, I intend to suspend the meeting now. The meeting was suspended at 1.15 pm.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

12. “We propose a further discussion of this issue by the Council on the basis of a report which we hope the Secretary-General could submit within six months. We feel that the Council and States Members of the United Nations should be able further to discuss some of the very useful work done by the Secretariat on principles and guidelines, as well as practices, experiences and lessons learned in respect of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex- combatants. The Council should be able to consider practical measures to guide future United Nations peacekeeping and peace-building efforts to ensure sustainable peace and security in various parts of the world. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are still a number of speakers remaining on the list.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

13. “We also note that United Nations bodies including the General Assembly and the Disarmament Commission have done very useful work in this regard. Malaysia strongly believes that the United Nations should be given a greater role in peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace-building, including in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants in a peacekeeping environment. Given the nature of present-day conflicts, the demands on the United Nations would be enormous. But with the necessary political will, allocation of resources and support from Member States and the international community, we believe the United Nations can succeed. Malaysia would very much welcome a willingness on the part of the Security Council to address the issue under discussion today on a regular basis.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

14. “For example, Malaysia was able to assist in the training of Namibian ex-combatants to prepare them for reintegration into society following Namibia's independence. Malaysia believes that efforts to share experiences in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes should be encouraged. We look forward to the participation of Member States which have had some direct experience in such programmes in the Council's present discussion on this subject. We welcome the various seminars and conferences on this and other related subjects. We also appreciate the efforts of the Secretary- General, Member States and international and regional organizations aimed at developing general principles and guidelines for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants in a peacekeeping environment.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

15. “During those years, the Government had to spend vast sums on defence, mainly for counter-insurgency operations, while at the same time having to focus on development. Over time, soldiers and policemen had to be demobilized and reintegrated into civilian society as the security situation improved. This continuous demobilization and reintegration programme has been incorporated into the country's development plans. Ex- servicemen are given the opportunity to learn skills and to participate in useful economic activity upon retirement from active duty. We recognize that Malaysia's experience may be unique to the situation which we faced. However, we have learned some very important lessons from it. We have been able to share some of this experience with other countries.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

16. “Malaysia believes that the various United Nations organs and bodies can work out arrangements which would satisfy the requirements of specific disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes in different post-conflict situations as well as providing for their engagement in accordance with their responsibilities under the Charter. Clearly, we cannot ignore the development aspects of post- conflict peace-building. Reintegration programmes in particular will require some amount of economic assistance. Malaysia has gained some experience in demobilization and reintegration programmes as a result of an internal insurgency problem that lasted almost 50 years, ending only a decade ago.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

17. “As noted by previous speakers, financing continues to be a problem in the implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes. Protracted conflict naturally puts a severe strain on the resources of a country, especially one which, in the first place, is already in a dire economic situation. Obviously, the question of adequate financing needs to be addressed by all concerned. The international community needs to adopt a coordinated approach, taking into account the specific requirements of the three components of this continuous process.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

18. “Malaysia commends those Governments and warring parties which have embarked on these programmes as part of the overall effort to bring about sustainable peace in post-conflict situations. We recognize, as others do, that more needs to be done. In this regard, there has to be substantial support from the international community. We hope that the Security Council can take the lead in further generating such support which, we believe, has to be based on strong political will to assist in resolving conflicts and to help societies emerging out of those conflicts rebuild political, economic and social structures ravaged by war. In this regard, the special needs of child soldiers should be highlighted and given serious attention as a priority matter.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

19. “These three elements should be part of a continuous process that stretches from the peacekeeping phase to that of post- conflict peace-building. Malaysia is fully cognizant of the complexities and sensitivities related to the task of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, especially in the types of conflicts with which the Council is increasingly confronted. This task can succeed only if there exists a will on the part of the parties involved in the conflict to accept and abide by the terms of such an exercise. We have noted that in recent years some measure of success has been achieved in a number of countries where disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes have been implemented.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

20. “One of the primary objectives of peacekeeping is to create a safe and secure environment that will allow for the resumption of peaceful activities and normal life in society. Peacekeeping should also create conditions that will allow for serious post-conflict peace-building efforts to be carried out. Disarmament is a crucial prerequisite for the consolidation of peace and stability in countries emerging out of conflict. However, experience has shown that disarmament alone cannot guarantee the achievement of the long-term objectives of sustainable peace, stability and development. It has to be followed up with the effective demobilization of ex-combatants and their timely and peaceful reintegration into society.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

21. “International workers, including United Nations personnel, have also become unfortunate victims in the ongoing conflicts. The availability of arms to conflicting parties - in particular, as mentioned by previous speakers, small arms and light weapons - has further complicated the situation. The alarming involvement of child soldiers has added another dimension which requires urgent and special attention. In the context of such an environment, the search for peace invariably becomes a long and arduous process. While peace can be quite elusive in these circumstances, sustainable peace becomes harder to achieve following any peace agreement if serious efforts are not made to address in a very comprehensive manner the questions of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex- combatants.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

22. “The Council is already fully aware of the issues involved. Increasingly, the United Nations has had to deal with conflicts which are primarily internal in nature but with some degree of international implications. They involve warring parties and factions which engage in bitter, and often protracted, fighting that threatens political institutions, damages the economy and causes severe social problems. Some of the parties resort to practices and activities which clearly violate human rights and international humanitarian law. In many cases, these activities are carried out with a misguided sense of impunity. This inevitably results in a pervasive culture of violence and intimidation. Thousands of innocent civilians have been internally displaced or forced to become refugees.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

23. “Malaysia strongly believes that in exercising its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security under the Charter, the Council should not be preoccupied mainly with the specific conflict situations on its agenda. The Council must be able, from time to time, to discuss thematic issues or receive orientation briefings on cross-cutting issues which could help the Council in making decisions that will ultimately bring about positive results. We consider the discussion on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex- combatants in a peacekeeping environment to be an important contribution to this process. It will allow the Council to contribute substantively to the enhancement and effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping and peace- building activities.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

24. “We are also very appreciative of the cooperation given to us by the Secretariat and by Member States on this initiative. Over the last few years the Security Council has discussed questions specifically related to preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peace-building and has issued presidential statements on them. Malaysia welcomes the Council's willingness to continue with this discussion. We believe that it is important for the Council to visit and revisit these questions on a regular basis, while addressing itself to the immediate and pressing problems arising from various conflict situations occurring around the world.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

25. “I thank the representative of the Netherlands for his kind words to me. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. I should like to express my sincere appreciation to the Deputy Secretary-General for her most illuminating statement on the subject of our discussion this morning. May I request the Deputy Secretary-General to convey Malaysia's thanks to the Secretary-General for his own support and personal commitment to our effort in the Council to provide greater focus on this subject. I should also like to thank members of the Council for their support for this initiative taken by Malaysia. We are especially grateful for their encouragement and cooperation in crystallizing ideas relevant to the Council's discussion.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

26. “Today, the Security Council will hold an open debate on the question pertaining to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants in a peacekeeping environment, in the context of the maintenance of peace and security and post-conflict peace-building. I give the floor to the Deputy Secretary-General.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

27. “There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Smith (Australia), Mr. Chowdhury (Bangladesh), Mr. Simonovic' (Croatia), Mr. Mele'ndez-Barahona (El Salvador), Ms. Korpi (Finland), Mr. Rosenthal (Guatemala), Mr. Wibisono (Indonesia), Mr. Yamazaki (Japan), Mr. Santos (Mozambique), Mr. Hughes (New Zealand), Mr. Lee (Republic of Korea) and Mr. Vermeulen (South Africa) took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber. The President: The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

28. “Maintenance of peace and security and post-conflict peace-building Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants in a peacekeeping environment The President: I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Australia, Bangladesh, Croatia, El Salvador, Finland, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Mozambique, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and South Africa, in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source

29. “As this is the first meeting of the Security Council for the month of July, I should like to take this opportunity to pay tribute, on behalf of the Council, to His Excellency Mr. Baboucarr-Blaise Ismaila Jagne, Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the United Nations, for his service as President of the Security Council for the month of June 1999. I am sure I speak for all members of the Security Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador J agne for the great diplomatic skill with which he conducted the Council's business last month. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted.”

    1999-07-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4020 (1999) · source