YouSaid · the spoken record

Thomas-Greenfield

lines on the record: 1,605
first: 2021-05-27
most recent: 2023-12-22
sittings or episodes: 219
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

“But last year, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea launched an unprecedented 69 ballistic missiles, all of which violated multiple Security Council resolutions, and earlier this year, it reaffirmed its intent to mass-produce tactical nuclear weapons to exponentially increase its nuclear arsenal this year. Many people have raised the very real concern that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is prepared to conduct a seventh nuclear test. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is clearly and grossly disregarding international obligations, but so are those who protect and abet it.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“Together, many nations of the world established rules and norms of behaviour regarding non-proliferation and arms control in order to foster stability and help to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war. That work has been enormously successful. We must continue to strengthen and advance the international non-proliferation and arms control regimes. To that end, the United States promotes the highest possible standards of nuclear safety, security and safeguards worldwide, and it helps partners to build capacity to reduce proliferation risks.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“It is why we are calling for the recommendations contained in the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding human rights abuses in China to be implemented, and it is why we are raising the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s human rights abuses in the Security Council as an unequivocal issue of international peace and security. As members of the Security Council, we must address such issues, and the permanent members in particular must live up to their special responsibility to serve, not dominate, the people of the world. That means meeting, at the very least, the basic and most fundamental standards of international law. Let us take, for example, non-proliferation and arms control.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“It makes Afghanistan a pariah and the only country in the world where half the population is barred from access to education beyond the sixth grade. The United States will continue to defend, protect and advance respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We continue to fight against discrimination, inequity and inequality in all its forms. That is why we worked collectively, through the General Assembly, to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council and why we worked with partners to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“It is no wonder that many people see a crisis of confidence when it comes to upholding the Charter and the founding promise and principles of the United Nations. We must hold Russia accountable, just as we must hold accountable all those who do not respect sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights and fundamental freedoms. In Russia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Nicaragua and Syria, horrifying reports detail how Governments are unjustly detaining, torturing or killing political opponents, activists, human rights defenders and journalists. In Burma, Belarus, Cuba, Iran and the Sudan, we have seen peace protesters — people demanding their basic human rights — attacked and abused. Right now the Taliban are undermining the right to education enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“Yet, despite the unparalleled advancements that we have made towards peace and prosperity since the founding of the United Nations, today certain States are flagging or are failing in their commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, or enabling rule-breakers to carry on without accountability. The most glaring example is sitting right here in this Chamber. There is no international legal basis for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia is in violation of the United Nations Charter, and members of its forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine. The General Assembly resoundingly adopted a resolution that clearly and unequivocally condemns Russia’s illegal so-called referendums (resolution ES-11/4).”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“In those famous words of former Secretary-General Hammarskjöld, it is what saves us from hell. No person, prime minister, president, State or country is above the law. That is an ironclad commitment for the United States and a fundamental principle of the United Nations. We are committed to upholding and acting strictly in accordance with the United Nations Charter, which offers legal protections that benefit all States. Instead of elevating some provisions over others, the United States embraces its obligations under the United Nations Charter as a whole. Not least among them is the Charter’s prohibition on the threat or use of force and the promotion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s urgent open debate on how we can collectively strengthen the rule of law. We are pleased that the Government of Japan has chosen to highlight this important topic during its presidency and at a critical moment. I thank Secretary-General Guterres for his very cogent and strong statement on the importance of the rule of law. I also thank Judge Donoghue, the President of the International Court of Justice, and Mr. Akande, for their thoughtful presentations. We heard from Mr. Akande that the Charter of the United Nations was forged, as it says, to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained. In short, the rule of law is what brought us together.”
2023-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9241 (2023) · source
“Resolution 2673 (2023) will help us to better monitor the implementation of comprehensive rural reform and the ethnic chapter of the peace accord. We must all continue to stand with Colombia in its efforts to consolidate lasting peace after decades of conflict.”
2023-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9240 (2023) · source
“Illicit drug production continues to fuel violence in conflict- affected areas, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported record levels of coca cultivation in 2021. Let us be clear, all acts of violence — whether they are attacks against Colombian security forces, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, former combatants or human rights and environmental defenders — impede progress and peace. Authorities must act to combat illicit drug production, reduce violence and ensure illegal armed groups are held accountable. The Security Council can play a meaningful role in addressing that work, and the United States welcomes today’s action by the Council to approve the Secretary-General’s important recommendation for the Verification Mission.”
2023-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9240 (2023) · source
“Secondly, the United States supports rural reform efforts to distribute property to farmers without land, and we were encouraged by the significant increase of resources for the agrarian sector in the 2023 Government budget. Thirdly, we continue to support the ongoing transitional justice process. We support that effort and condemn any actions that threaten the peace process. All victims of Colombia’s conflict deserve justice. Fourthly, we are encouraged by Colombia’s effort to broaden democratic political participation. We should not lose sight of how significant it is to see former combatants participating in the political process. But while those four developments are cause for optimism, there is still work to be done.”
2023-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9240 (2023) · source
“The election of Vice-President Márquez Mina is historic and represents the Petro Urrego Administration’s commitment to addressing this important issue. In October, during a visit to Bogotá, Secretary Blinken announced that the United States would be the first international accompanier to the ethnic chapter of the 2016 peace accord. As Secretary Blinken made clear: “there can be no lasting peace without justice and equality for the Afro-Colombian and indigenous people”. The ethnic chapter sets a vision for an inclusive peace that addresses a history of inequity and ensures the rights of Afro-Colombians and indigenous people going forward. That is a vision that the United States shares and that we have long worked to help make a reality.”
2023-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9240 (2023) · source
“The United States is encouraged by the steps his Government has taken to advance the implementation of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace, and we are fully committed to supporting Colombia in this vital work. Today I would like to highlight four areas of progress and discuss obstacles to peace that must be addressed with urgency. First, the United States welcomes the Petro Urrego Administration’s express commitment to fully realize the objectives of the ethnic chapter. We appreciate the leadership of Vice-President Márquez Mina in coordinating those efforts, in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace and entities across the Colombian Government, including the newly created Ministry of Equality.”
2023-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9240 (2023) · source
“I thank Special Representative Ruiz Massieu for his informative briefing. We appreciate the critical role that the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia continues to play in supporting peace in the country. I thank Mr. Wouriyu Valbuena for the important perspective he brings from the High-level Forum of Ethnic Peoples. I would like to welcome the Colombian delegation, led by Vice-President Francia Márquez Mina and Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva Durán, to the Council, and I thank in particular our United Kingdom colleagues for their efforts in drafting the mandate resolution (resolution 2673 (2023)), which received unanimous support from the Council. I welcome Minister Rutley.”
2023-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9240 (2023) · source
“Even as humanitarian needs around the world have spiked, our commitment to the Syrian people is unwavering. Still, we know that the Syrian people will not be able to enjoy the full peace, security and dignity that they deserve until the conflict is over. And to that end, we call for an immediate nationwide ceasefire and meaningful engagement in an inclusive political process, in line with resolution 2254 (2015). The United States will not support Al-Assad regime-led reconstruction until there is lasting progress on a political solution to the conflict. We once again urge the Al-Assad regime to do what is necessary, after so many years and after so much violence, to end this brutal war and work towards a just and sustainable peace.”
2023-01-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9237 (2023) · source
“The United Nations has stated that 15.3 million people will need assistance in 2023. That is a 5 per cent increase from last year. The vast majority of those in need are women and children. If we are going to meet this moment, we must back up our words with action and, more specifically, with adequate funding. And that is why we have long called on the international community to provide generous support to the Syrian humanitarian appeal for the Syrian people. Yet the United Nations response plans for vulnerable people inside Syria and Syrian refugees in their host communities are badly underfunded. We encourage those countries that criticize this lack of funding to step up and help ease the suffering of the Syrian people. For our part, the United States is proud to be the leading donor to both response plans.”
2023-01-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9237 (2023) · source
“A 12-month extension is needed for the United Nations, and it is needed for our humanitarian partners and for recipients. While it is important that the Council came together today, let us be honest with ourselves: this resolution represents the bare minimum. In fact, renewing the resolution never should have been a subject of debate. The debate we need to have is how to strengthen the mechanism to reach more people with more assistance. In the coming months, we must show the Syrian people that we will continue to put their humanity first, that we will do everything in our power to increase predictable access to those in need, because right now needs across all of Syria, from the north-west to the north-east and all 14 governorates of Syria, are greater than they have ever been.”
2023-01-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9237 (2023) · source
“We have ensured that shipments of medical equipment and treatments will not be cut off from a country facing a horrific cholera outbreak. And we have ensured that the humanitarian workers I met with during my two trips to the Bab Al-Hawa border crossing will continue to do their heroic work. Today’s vote allows the Syrian people to breathe a sigh of relief. But while this lifeline will continue to operate, so much more could have been done — and so much more still needs to be done. In July of last year, the Council was unable to extend this mandate for a straightforward 12 months. As a result, it has been harder and costlier for aid workers to procure, hire and plan, and it has hindered the selection and implementation of early-recovery projects, which some critics of the mechanism claim to want.”
2023-01-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9237 (2023) · source
“As this is my first meeting of the Security Council this year, I would like to welcome Japan as President, as well as all of the other new members of the Council. The United States welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2672 (2023), on the cross- border humanitarian assistance delivery mechanism. We applaud Brazil and Switzerland, as well as Ireland and Norway, for their persistent efforts to make this possible. I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to United Nations officials and aid workers for all they do, day in and day out, to fully implement the mechanism and address the dire needs on the ground. Today, in extending the cross-border mechanism, we have ensured that food, water, shelter and other critical humanitarian assistance will continue to reach the Syrian people.”
2023-01-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9237 (2023) · source
“Next year, let us commit to doing that work. Let us build a new consensus — one that will propel us towards the Secretary-General’s Summit for the Future, with both a renewed commitment to the Charter and a shared vision for a stronger United Nations system. Let us build the United Nations for our children and their children — one of which they can be proud and that fosters a more peaceful, open and prosperous world for us all.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“Just as the Council needs to be updated for our modern era, so too must we reform and reinvigorate the United Nations system more broadly. We need to develop a more robust and responsive global health security architecture to prevent and respond to future pandemics. We need to make the United Nations development system more coherent and accountable. We need to make the United Nations humanitarian system more responsive, effective and efficient to meet the extraordinary humanitarian needs brought on by conflict, displacement, migration and a rapidly changing climate. The Secretary-General’s initiative, Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), is a welcome vehicle for that conversation. I thank the Secretary- General for that initiative. We believe that it can serve as the foundation for that important discussion and the work ahead.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“As participants know, I have begun a series of wide-ranging consultations with Member States, regional blocs and reform groups to discuss expansion proposals and other ways to make the Council more effective, transparent and inclusive. We are open to creative ideas and credible, sensible and politically viable paths forward. This is a listening tour — to hear ideas from all members, as it is critical that they all see themselves in the process. I look forward to continuing that engagement, including through the intergovernmental negotiations process. I am thankful to the incoming co-Chairs of that process, Kuwait and Slovakia, for answering the collective United Nations membership’s call for change, and I look forward to us working together in the months ahead. Of course, the United Nations is not only the Security Council, far from it.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“It is also why, at the current session of General Assembly, President Biden announced that the United States supports Security Council expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, including permanent membership for Africa and for Latin America and the Caribbean (see A/77/PV.6). The Security Council should reflect our global realities today, not the global realities of 77 years ago. But given how difficult Security Council reform will be to reach, we must be flexible in our approach to change. As President Kőrösi said during last month’s General Assembly debate on the topic (see A/77/PV.36), Security Council reform can be achieved only if major groups and Member States are willing to make compromises from their long-held positions.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“That is why, during a visit to the United Nations birthplace in San Francisco, I laid out our six clear principles of responsible behaviour for Security Council members, including our commitment to refraining from the use of the veto, except in rare and extraordinary circumstances. Those are the standards we are setting for ourselves and what we welcome all members to hold us to. That is why we were proud to co-sponsor an initiative by a group of forward-leaning countries, spearheaded by Liechtenstein, which requires the General Assembly to convene a meeting after any veto has been cast.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“To do that, the United States believes that we can and must advance an affirmative agenda for the future of the United Nations. Our hope is to build consensus around a future that we collectively seek. It is a future where we all uphold the United Nations Charter. It is a future where we solve the consequential global challenges of our time, such as food security, global health threats, extreme poverty, sustainable development and conflict mediation. It is a future where we safeguard our shared interconnected resources. It is a future where we champion universal respect for human rights. To see that future, we need to strengthen the United Nations. The United States is therefore pursuing a United Nations modernization agenda that is consistent with that vision — one that includes Security Council reform.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“Together, we sent United Nations peacekeepers to stop mass atrocities and forged truces and permanent peace agreements through negotiations and mediation. Together, we have lifted more than 1 billion people out of poverty and provided humanitarian aid on a scale that no single country could contribute alone. Those are remarkable accomplishments, but they cannot leave us satisfied with the state of the world today. We have to contain climate change, eliminate the coronavirus disease pandemic and end the global hunger crisis. We have to defend human rights, improve humanitarian efforts, address a persistent pandemic, prevent the next pandemic and — most important of all — defend the United Nations Charter and hold accountable those who seek to undermine it.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“He said that the conference would devote its energies and labours exclusively to the single problem of setting up the essential organization to keep the peace — I repeat, to keep the peace. That was our original purpose. Of course, we have not always succeeded. Wars have still started, including one by a permanent member of the Security Council this past year. Deadlock has often prevented progress, and human suffering has persisted. But at the same time, we have also seen enormous success in realizing the original vision of the Charter of the United Nations. It is a vision that has expanded beyond maintaining peace and security to include human rights, the rule of law and development. Together, we have curtailed nuclear proliferation. Together, we adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Minister Jaishankar, for choosing to focus on the future of multilateralism and the importance of United Nations reform during India’s presidency of the Security Council. I would like to welcome you to the Chamber, during India’s last month on the Council, and congratulate India for a successful two-year tenure. I thank the Secretary-General for his statement. I also thank the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Kőrösi, for his statement and his efforts to advance a United Nations that is flexible and fit for purpose. What does it mean for a 77-year-old institution to be fit for purpose? What is the ultimate purpose of the United Nations? In 1945, when delegates from around the world met in San Francisco, President Truman outlined that purpose in his opening remarks.”
2022-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9220 (2022) · source
“The United States will work to ensure that the mandate clearly supports a conditions-based withdrawal, not an arbitrary end date. We will do everything in our power to make clear that we stand behind Special Representative of the Secretary-General Keita and MONUSCO.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9215 (2022) · source
“We therefore urge Member States conducting military operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to formally notify the Council of their actions, in line with existing sanctions resolutions. We encourage such military forces to closely coordinate with MONUSCO and humanitarian actors. Finally, as negotiations on the MONUSCO mandate get under way, the United States would like to urge the Security Council to deliver a strong and unified signal to support MONUSCO. The Government, civil society and the international community all have important roles to play in addressing the challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but MONUSCO in particular is doing essential work protecting civilians and supporting Government institutions, even as it implements a gradual transition.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9215 (2022) · source
“With regard to sanctions relating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States acknowledges requests from the region and from the Democratic Republic to relax certain measures, in particular the requirement that arms transfers to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo be notified in advance to the Security Council. Let me stress that the current sanctions measures do not prevent the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from obtaining military equipment for defensive needs or from undertaking critical security sector reforms. To the contrary, the measures are carefully tailored to ensure that the Government can provide security for its citizens.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9215 (2022) · source
“Make no mistake: M-23 presents a serious threat to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to the broader region. Moreover, its forces are dangerously close to Goma, the base of operations for the international community’s humanitarian assistance in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic. We must protect this population centre and the indispensable services it provides, and we call on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO to work together to proactively protect Goma from attack, invasion or from being surrounded by the M-23. We also call for the cessation of all State support for armed groups, including but not limited to Rwanda’s assistance to M-23. We urge Council members to consider how this kind of support runs afoul of existing sanctions regimes.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9215 (2022) · source
“We urge the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to hold all those who violate human rights accountable. The United States would also like to thank Presidents Lourenço and Ruto, as well as former President Kenyatta, the facilitators of the East African Community-led Nairobi process, for their leadership in trying to broker a solution to the ongoing crisis in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We reiterate our call for armed groups to lay down their weapons, stop terrorizing the people of the country and join the Nairobi process as a means of seeking political solutions to their grievances. We also urge all parties to adhere to the agreement reached in Luanda on 23 November. The armed group Mouvement du 23 mars (M-23) must withdraw its forces in preparation for disarmament.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9215 (2022) · source
“First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to Special Representative of the Secretary- General Keita for her briefing today. I would also like to thank Ms. Kabuo and Mr. Mutuku Mathuki, for their briefings. I welcome the participation of the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who is in the Chamber with us today. We also appreciate the recent report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (S/2022/892), which outlines the persistent security challenges facing the Mission and the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The report documents 845 human rights violations and abuses, but let us be clear: documentation is only the first step.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9215 (2022) · source
“It is what the humanitarian community has asked us for. And I urge members to vote in favour and to support this life-saving, landmark commitment to humanitarian work.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“We reached out directly to banks to explain how humanitarian activities would be carved out from individual sanctions regimes when applicable. And we have offered letters to further clarify our position. The humanitarian community told us that those efforts have been incredibly helpful. And we know we have more work to do on this front. But the humanitarian community also shared that United Nations sanctions still need to be addressed to ensure that unintentional, second-order impacts do not impede their work. They asked for a clear, standard carveout of humanitarian assistance and activities to meet basic human needs for all United Nations sanctions regimes. And that is exactly what we are voting on today. This draft resolution is impartial. It makes sense. And it will save innocent lives all around the world.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“To be clear, this is not related to the merits of the sanctions themselves. The Council has reached consensus repeatedly in upholding United Nations sanctions as an effective foreign policy tool to constrain bad actors, terrorists and human rights abusers. Our goal is always to stop terrorists and human rights abusers by using a legitimate tool to maintain peace and security, but still allow life-saving humanitarian efforts to continue for those in need. Bilaterally, in response to the concerns of the humanitarian community, the United States has already stepped up. The United States Department of the Treasury has issued licenses to facilitate humanitarian aid and the provision of food and medicine.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“We hope the members of the Security Council will vote in favour of this draft resolution, because we must all do everything in our power to help humanitarian partners reach the world’s most vulnerable, regardless of where they live, who they live with and who controls their territory. The United States decided to pursue this initiative after extensive thought and deliberation. We made a point to proactively reach out and listen to the United Nations and the non-governmental organization community. We heard about the challenges they face and how we, as the international community, can best support their life-saving efforts. They told us that the second-order impacts of some United Nations sanctions were creating an impediment to humanitarian assistance in the field.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“As this if my first time in the Chamber since you took over as President, Madam, I would like to welcome your presidency. We look forward to working with you. I also want to take the opportunity to thank our colleagues from Ghana for their presidency over the previous month. The United States is proud to introduce, together with Ireland, this landmark draft resolution (S/2022/925), which will save lives. As the world’s leading global humanitarian donor, the United States has always understood the centrality of humanitarian access for aid delivery. Our partners operate in dangerous environments, and they face serious risks.”
2022-12-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9214 (2022) · source
“We have heard time and again from the experts inside and outside Syria that the cross-border operation is the difference between life and death. Its continuation is a moral imperative, as the Secretary- General rightly told the Council this summer (see S/PV.9068). We cannot allow attempts to make noise on issues unrelated to the delivery of humanitarian aid to cloud the clarity of this choice. The Council will need to act in the next six weeks to continue the mechanism in accordance with resolution 2642 (2022). The four challenges that I have laid out today will not be resolved overnight, but as members of the Council we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to make forward progress and build a more just, peaceful and secure future for the Syrian people.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“Unfounded claims attributing the humanitarian crisis to sanctions, allegedly lacklustre Western funding and supposed shortcomings in early- recovery programmes are deliberate misinformation, malicious in intent and nothing but a dangerous distraction designed to steer the conversation away from the real issue at hand, which is renewing the cross-border mechanism in Syria. Finally, as the cholera outbreak spreads and the cold winter sets in, the cross-border mechanism has never been more vital. If we come together and do the right thing, we will save lives — plain and simple. We must ensure the continued, transparent, efficient and apolitical delivery of humanitarian assistance to millions of Syrians in dire need. That is not a political decision. It is a decision based on the needs on the ground.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“The United States has delivered on its commitment to funding early-recovery activities, including through contributions to the United Nations pooled fund. Between January and September of this year, the United Nations worked to programme more than $500 million towards 374 early-recovery projects. Those projects were in all 14 governorates of Syria — all 14. There is no denying that that represents real progress in early recovery. More than 2.4 million Syrians have directly benefited from that work.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, the Council has a solemn responsibility to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria, which, 11 years into the conflict, has never been more dire, and which has been exacerbated by the intensification of violence across the country, the growing cholera outbreak and the onset of winter. We know that cross- border and cross-line aid and early-recovery efforts are critical to meeting the needs on the ground. We welcome reports from United Nations humanitarian officials that the cross-border delivery of humanitarian assistance is reaching the most vulnerable and that cross-line deliveries have increased in both frequency and scale. We also welcome reports of the nationwide implementation of early-recovery projects designed to more efficiently increase vulnerable Syrians’ access to basic services.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“As we work towards a sustained peace, we must address the situation at the Al-Hol and Al-Roj camps, homes to thousands of third-country nationals, and in detention centres in north-east Syria. As we just heard reported by the Special Envoy, those camps are plagued by violence, and thousands of vulnerable children are growing up without access to education and other basic services. We also know that the camps and detention facilities are targets for ISIS, underscoring the urgency to facilitate voluntary, safe and dignified returns and repatriation, which we call on all States to support.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“The people of Syria, who have endured far too much pain and violence, deserve better. They deserve peace. We call on the Al-Assad regime to commit to engaging in the Constitutional Committee meetings in good faith. Secondly, we reiterate our call for the cessation of violence in north-west Syria. The incidents, so far sporadic, between rival factions risk spiralling into widespread fighting. It is incumbent upon all sides to agree to, and implement, a comprehensive, nationwide ceasefire that protects civilians from violence. The United States urges an immediate de-escalation in northern Syria. We are deeply concerned by the recent military actions, which destabilize the region, threaten our shared goal to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) and endanger civilians and United States personnel.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Under- Secretary-General Griffiths for their briefings. Today I would like to focus my remarks on four pressing challenges in Syria: the stalled effort to reach a political solution, the need for a nationwide ceasefire, the acute humanitarian crisis and the urgency of renewing the cross-border mandate. First, we note Special Envoy Pedersen’s efforts to reconvene the Constitutional Committee. It is long past due to achieve a political solution to the conflict, in line with resolution 2254 (2015). One would hope that our Russian colleagues would share that goal, but their actions suggest otherwise. Russia continues to obstruct progress by protesting arbitrary details, and those complaints give cover to the Al-Assad regime, which seems all too happy to maintain the status quo.”
2022-11-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9204 (2022) · source
“Instead of grandstanding and pursuing unproductive measures, we hope that the United Nations will start focusing on the kinds of concrete steps that can improve the lives of Palestinians and Israelis and preserve the viability of two States, living side by side in peace and security.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source
“Unfortunately, most United Nations actions related to Israelis and Palestinians are not designed to advance direct negotiations, let alone achieve peace. They are intended only to denigrate Israel. Indeed, the United Nations system is replete with anti-Israel actions and bodies, including biased and disproportionate resolutions against Israel, across the United Nations system. The lopsided focus on Israel at the United Nations, including the open-ended Commission of Inquiry and the recent requests for an advisory opinion at the International Court of Justice, has brought Israelis and Palestinians no closer to peace.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source
“Israelis and Palestinians equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, justice, dignity and prosperity. We have said many times that there is no shortcut to the vision of two States. That can be achieved only through direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. It is incumbent on both parties to work in good faith towards that goal. While the international community cannot impose peace on the parties, it has an important role to play in improving the well-being of Palestinians, the security of Israelis and the stability of the wider region. Those efforts can help create the conditions for meaningful negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source
“The United States is deeply concerned about the sharp escalation in violence and tension between Israelis and Palestinians. This has been the deadliest year in the West Bank since 2004. Nearly 150 Palestinians and 28 Israelis have been killed. Amid those heightened tensions, it is all the more critical that Israelis and Palestinians refrain from unilateral actions, including settlement activity, evictions and the demolition of Palestinian homes and incitement to violence, such as payments to the families of terrorists, and the disruption of the historic status quo of holy sites. Those actions serve only to take us further away from a negotiated two-State solution, which remains the best way to ensure Israel’s future security and prosperity and fulfil Palestinians’ desire for a State of their own.”
2022-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9203 (2022) · source