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

“We have made clear our commitment to the path of diplomacy. I hope that our Russian colleagues will also choose that path and engage peacefully with the international community, including Ukraine. I say to Russia simply this: its actions will speak for themselves, and we hope and encourage that it make the right choices before the Council today.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“I cannot say that I am surprised by my Russian colleague’s comments, but I am disappointed. I cannot let the false equivalency go unchecked. I therefore feel that I must respond. Let me be clear: there are no plans to weaken Russia, as claimed by our Russian colleague today. On the contrary, we welcome Russia as a responsible member of the international community. But its actions on the border of Ukraine are not responsible. The threats of aggression on the border of Ukraine — yes, on its border — are provocative. Our recognition of the facts on the ground is not provocative. The threats of action if Russia’s security demands are not met are provocative. Our encouraging diplomacy is not provocative. The provocation is from Russia, not from us or other members of the Security Council.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“We urge our fellow members of the Council and other Member States to assess not only Russia’s statements but its actions, too, with clear eyes so as to evaluate the risk it presents not just to Ukraine’s border and its people, but to all of us. We urge them to speak clearly and forcefully in favour of the path of diplomacy, rather than the path of conflict.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“We are working to pursue diplomacy in every possible venue, but we also know that diplomacy will not succeed in an atmosphere of threat and military escalation. That is why we have brought this situation before the Security Council today. The United States has been clear — if this is truly about Russia’s security concerns in Europe, we are offering it an opportunity to address those concerns at the negotiating table. The test of Russia’s good faith in the coming days and weeks is whether it will come to that table and stay at that table until we reach an understanding. If it refuses to do so, the world will know why and who is responsible.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“What would it mean for the world if former empires had license to start reclaiming territory by force? That would set us down a dangerous path. Russia could, of course, choose a different path — the path of diplomacy. In recent weeks, the United States, along with our European allies and partners and other nations around the globe, concerned by Russia’s threat to Ukraine, has continued to do everything we can to resolve the crisis peacefully. In all of those talks, our messages have been clear and consistent. We seek the path of peace; we seek the path of dialogue. We do not want confrontation, but we will be decisive, swift and united should Russia further invade Ukraine. We continue to believe that there is a diplomatic path out of the crisis caused by Russia’s unprovoked military build-up.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“So, let us be clear — Ukraine is a United Nations Member State that recently celebrated three decades of independence. It has a proud people and a rich culture. Ukraine is a sovereign country and a sovereign people, entitled to determine their own future, without the threat of force. This is not just the conviction that Ukrainians hold — it is a right enshrined by the Charter of the United Nations, a right that Russia and every other Member of this institution has freely committed to upholding. Our international order is not perfect. But it is grounded in respect for people and countries to govern themselves, to defend themselves and to associate with whom they choose. All countries have a stake in defending and preserving these principles, and nothing could be more fundamental.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“Recently, Russia has threatened to take military action should its demands not be met. If Russia further invades Ukraine, none of us will be able to say we did not see it coming. And the consequences will be horrific, which is why this meeting is so important today. Already, Russia’s war in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 14,000 Ukrainians. Nearly 3 million Ukrainians — half of whom are elderly people and children — need food, shelter and life-saving assistance. Devastating as this situation is, it would pale in comparison to the humanitarian impact of the full-scale land invasion Russia is currently planning in Ukraine. Over the years, Russian leaders have claimed that Ukraine is not a real country and questioned its right to self-determination.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“Russian military and intelligence services are spreading disinformation through State-owned media and proxy sites, and they are attempting, without any factual basis, to paint Ukraine and Western countries as the aggressors to fabricate a pretext for attack. Russia’s military build-up on the border has been paired with extensive new demands and aggressive rhetoric. This is an escalation in a pattern of aggression that we have seen from Russia again and again. In 2014, Russia illegally invaded and seized Crimea. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia. Russian troops are currently refusing to depart Moldova, despite the wishes of the Moldovan people and their democratically elected Government. And in the Donbas region of Ukraine, Russian-backed separatists continue to foment and ignore violence towards the Ukrainian people.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“These are combat forces and special forces prepared to conduct offensive actions into Ukraine. This is the largest — hear me clearly — the largest mobilization of troops in Europe in decades. And as we speak, Russia is sending even more forces and arms to join them. Russia has already used more than 2,000 rail cars to move troops and weaponry from across Russia to the Ukrainian border. Russia has also moved nearly 5,000 troops into Belarus, with short-range ballistic missiles, special forces and anti-aircraft batteries. We have seen evidence that Russia intends to expand that presence to more than 30,000 troops near the Belarus-Ukraine border, less than two hours north of Kyiv, by early February. In addition to military activity, we have also seen a dramatic spike in cyberattacks on Ukraine in recent weeks.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“Russia’s aggression today not only threatens Ukraine; it also threatens Europe. It threatens the international order this organ is charged with upholding — an order that, if it stands for anything, stands for the principle that one country cannot simply redraw another country’s borders by force or make another country’s people live under a Government they did not choose. We continue to hope Russia chooses the path of diplomacy over the path of conflict in Ukraine, but we cannot just wait and see. It is crucial that the Security Council address the risk that Russia’s aggressive and destabilizing behaviour poses across the globe. First, let us be clear about the facts. Russia has assembled a massive military force of more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s border.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing. The situation we are facing in Europe is urgent and dangerous, and the stakes for Ukraine — and for every United Nations Member State — could not be higher. Russia’s actions strike at the very heart of the Charter of the United Nations. This is as clear and consequential a threat to peace and security as anyone can imagine. In the wake of the Second World War, the Council was formed to address precisely the kind of threat that Ukraine now faces. As Article 39 says, “[t] he Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace”. Therefore, our charge is not only to address conflicts after they occur, but also to prevent them from happening in the first place. That is why today’s meeting is so crucial.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“We have worked with the Ukrainians at their request to provide assistance to them so that they can prepare for what they see as inevitable, including having provided $200 million dollars in assistance in recent weeks and more than $5 billion in assistance since 2014, and that is so that they can be prepared. The Security Council heard from our Russian colleagues that we are calling for this meeting to make all members feel uncomfortable. Imagine how uncomfortable you would be if you had 100,000 troops sitting on your border in the way that those troops are sitting on the border with Ukraine. For us, this is about peace and security. It is about honouring the Charter of the United Nations, which calls on us as members of the Security Council to protect peace and security. This is therefore not about antics. It is not about rhetoric.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“As our colleague said, we called for this meeting. And we called for this meeting because of what we have all witnessed over the course of the past few months in terms of the actions of the Russian Federation on the border with Ukraine. They indicate that it is within their own territory, but it is also very close to their neighbour’s border. It is a neighbour that has been invaded already before. It is a neighbour that has Russian troops occupying its territory. We have had numerous meetings — more than 100 meetings over the course of the past few weeks — both with Russian officials and in consultations with our European and Ukrainian colleagues. All of those meetings have been in private. We think that it is now time to have a meeting in public and have this discussion in a public forum.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“The humanitarian situation in Syria is a threat to international peace and security. It should animate the Council to pursue political solutions to this conflict. In the meantime, we must do everything — everything — in our power to alleviate this humanitarian suffering and ground our actions in the needs of the Syrian people.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“So let us make progress on our shared goal of facilitating vaccine access and work with United Nations agencies and other partners to get those vaccines across the border. Thirdly and finally, I would like to reiterate our deep appreciation to all States that are hosting Syrian refugees, particularly Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. Those countries are strengthening regional and global stability by providing protection to those who are currently unable to return safely to their homeland. Let us be clear: forcing or coercing Syrian refugees to return to Syria would endanger their lives and subject them to possible torture, arbitrary detention and death. It is simply inhumane to force Syrians to return home right now. Any and all returns must be safe; they must be voluntary, informed and dignified.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“Medical supplies are particularly important right now in Syria, which has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the Middle East and across the entire world. In north-west Syria, only 2.9 per cent of the population was fully vaccinated as of the end of December 2021. The Security Council sent a unified message when it adopted resolution 2565 (2021) in February 2021, which extends strong support for facilitating COVID-19 vaccine access in areas affected by armed conflict and post-conflict situations, and during complex humanitarian emergencies. This is a complex humanitarian emergency if there ever was one. I saw it first-hand during my visit to Bab al-Hawa last year.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“Cross-line deliveries simply cannot match the scale of cross-border assistance. We need to be honest about that reality and respect the conclusions of the United Nations stating as much. Dozens of reports from the Secretary- General and dozens of testimonies from humanitarian organizations have made that crystal-clear. At the very least, that means recognizing that cross-border assistance is indispensable, and we must renew and expand the authorization for cross-border humanitarian access this summer. The Council must work together to ensure not only that Bab al-Hawa stays open but that all cross-border options are available to meet humanitarian needs. If we put politics aside and focus exclusively on the needs of the Syrians, that simple act would get essential items, including medical supplies, to those who are in desperate need.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“But collectively, as a Council, we must do more to alleviate this ongoing humanitarian emergency. Everyone needs to step up their financial support to aid the estimated 4 million Syrians in need of winterization support. The Council must therefore pursue every opportunity to maximize the reach of humanitarian aid in Syria. Failing to do so would further immiserate a people who have suffered far, far too much already. That leads me to my second point: we support all modalities that bring aid to the Syrian people throughout the country, including both cross-line and cross-border deliveries. We are encouraged by the cross-line missions conducted in north-west Syria. But they were dangerous, difficult undertakings that took months to coordinate. That is why cross-line aid is a complement, not a substitute, for cross-border aid.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“First, as the Syrian people grapple with freezing temperatures and inclement weather, millions need basic supplies for winter — tents, blankets, coats and heating fuel. How is it that after the 11 frigid winters since the beginning of the Syrian uprising, the Syrian people continue to face the same dangers from the same conflict and the same inaction? This winter is somehow even worse — exacerbated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the economic crisis and the escalation in violence. Food needs are at their highest levels since the crisis began, and millions of people cannot reliably access sufficient and safe water across northern Syria. The prevalence of water-borne diseases has risen sharply. The United States remains the single largest donor of humanitarian aid to Syria.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, as well as Under-Secretary-General Griffiths for the sobering briefings on the vast humanitarian needs in Syria. I also thank Jan Egeland for his update and for the work of the Norwegian Refugee Council to improve the humanitarian situation in Syria and for Syrian refugees in the region. I also want to thank Jan for his work on the Senior Advisory Panel on humanitarian deconfliction in the Syrian Arab Republic. I know that the report was just released yesterday; we look forward to studying it and its findings. Today I would like to discuss three aspects of Syria’s humanitarian situation: the crisis that this cold winter presents; expanding all modalities for getting aid and vaccines to the Syrian people; and protecting Syrian refugees.”
2022-01-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8957 (2022) · source
“If the Taliban wants support from Afghans and the international community, that freedom needs to be respected. We heartily welcome the work of Special Representative Lyons and UNAMA to reinforce such expectations in their engagements with the Taliban, as well as to keep the international community apprised of the Taliban’s progress, or lack thereof, against those expectations. Together, let us support the Afghan people in their time of need and carefully watch the Taliban to ensure that its actions truly live up to its words.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“We could not agree more with Secretary- General Guterres’s assertion that no country can thrive while denying such rights to half of its population. We welcome the announcement by the Taliban that secondary schools throughout the country will be opened to girls in March. We will monitor the roll-out of that process, but we must continue to press for post- secondary schools and all sectors of employment to be opened as well. We are deeply concerned about the reported abductions and detention of women protesters and other civil society activists and reports of reprisals, including harassment and intimidation, against former members of the Afghan security forces and former Government officials and their families. Freedom of expression is a universal human right.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“We continue to expect the Taliban to allow unhindered humanitarian access to people in need and free movement for aid workers of all genders; ensure that humanitarian personnel can operate under safe conditions; and permit assistance to be provided independently to all vulnerable people, regardless of their identity. Those are basic humanitarian principles, and we — as I know Council members do too — expect the Taliban to abide by them. We also expect the Taliban to take concrete steps to demonstrate fidelity to its counter-terrorism commitments, allow for safe passage and show respect for human rights and inclusivity. Let me be clear: We are unequivocal that women and girls must be able to fully participate in political, economic and social life in Afghanistan.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“Much more support from the international community will be required to meet the extraordinary level of need the Afghan people are experiencing. Secondly, the United States is particularly sensitive to Afghanistan’s liquidity crisis and how it is worsening the humanitarian emergency. To that end, we continue to examine various options to ease the liquidity crunch. Ultimately, a functioning Afghan economy will require an independent and technically competent central bank that meets international banking standards. While Afghan central bank reserves held in the United States are subject to ongoing litigation, we recognize calls to examine making available reserves to help the people of Afghanistan. Thirdly, and finally, the international community’s expectations for the Taliban have not wavered.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“In December, our Treasury Department issued three new general licenses that expand upon existing authorizations to facilitate the continued flow of vital humanitarian assistance and basic needs for the Afghan people. The United States also introduced a draft resolution at the Security Council last month to establish a humanitarian exemption in the Taliban sanctions regime of resolution 1988 (2011). The Council’s unanimous adoption of resolution 2615 (2021), which establishes the carveout, sends a clear message of support to the Afghan people. The United States remains the single-largest provider of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan but, like all of the major challenges facing the international community today, the scale of the crisis demands a global response.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“On 11 January, the United States announced an initial contribution for the year of more than $308 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan. That funding will support aid that provides food and nutrition, assistance support for health care, winterization programmes and logistical support to ensure aid workers and critical relief supplies can make it to the parts of Afghanistan that are hardest to reach. It will save countless lives. In tandem, the United States has moved rapidly to ensure any sanctions imposed by it and the international community to support security and stability in Afghanistan do not impede humanitarian activity.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“And I thank her so much for her recommendations to us, and I hope we heard her clearly that our delegations to meet with the Taliban must include women, and we must insist on the inclusion of Afghan women. Today I would like to address three aspects of the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the situation in Afghanistan: the humanitarian crisis, the economic crisis and our expectations for the Taliban. First, as Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis worsens, UNAMA’s work in support of the people of Afghanistan could not be more important. In coordination with UNAMA, we all have a role to play in helping the people of Afghanistan in desperate need. For our part, the United States remains committed to providing life-saving support to the Afghan people.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Prime Minister Støre, and I thank the Secretary-General for his sobering remarks and assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. I thank Special Representative Lyons. We appreciate her briefing and her team’s unflagging commitment to its mission. I thank Ambassador Tirumurti for his briefing in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011). We are so grateful to hear Ms. Seraj’s insights and her voice concerning the challenges facing the people of Afghanistan. I commend her courage. I know she will not stop until Afghan women enjoy the universal rights to which they are entitled.”
2022-01-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8954 (2022) · source
“That means conducting assessments and investigations, acknowledging civilian harm when it happens and making serious efforts to assist harmed civilians. We should also work together to develop frameworks for addressing the most pressing challenges. As just one example, the United States has been working with a number of other States, led by Ireland, to develop a political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas. Our claim to maintain international peace and security is only as strong as our results. We have an obligation to uphold international humanitarian law and to turn those lofty and important words into real and practical protections for civilians. The world’s civilians are counting on us. Let us live up to their expectations, enable their hopes and dreams and do everything in our power to protect them.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“We also strongly condemned the starvation of civilians as a weapon of war. To build on that consensus, we should make progress on some of the practical steps that the Secretary-General laid out in his 2018 report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2018/462). As a first step, parties to armed conflict must respect applicable international humanitarian law. To make that commitment clear, Member States should adopt and enforce national policies to support the effective implementation of international humanitarian law. Of course, the perpetrators are often non-State armed groups. They too must abide by such laws. We all need to clearly communicate that to them, and we must hold them accountable. To start, States should implement improved accountability measures to hold themselves to a high standard.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“On the subject of humanitarian access, we also all know that one technique of armed groups is to create unnecessary and dangerous impediments that prevent civilians and displaced persons from accessing and receiving life-saving aid. Humanitarian workers and medical workers in urban settings are also being attacked more and more frequently. I do not want to dwell on that long list of challenges because we all know them too well. Instead, I want to focus on what we can do about them. I am optimistic that we can work together on that because we have had recent consensus on this issue in the Security Council. Last April, during Vietnam’s presidency of the Council, we unanimously adopted resolution 2573 (2021), demanding that all parties to armed conflict fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“Explosive weapons have made it devastatingly easy to threaten and kill large groups of civilians. In some instances, armed actors go so far as to use civilians as human shields. In others, they deliberately place military objectives near civilians, sometimes purposely, seeking out the highest concentration of innocent people. Putting schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure in deliberate danger is wrong, as is the terrible and prevalent sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls, as well as boys, which is not often discussed. I am particularly concerned by children pulled into conflict in urban settings. Boys and girls are often recruited as child soldiers, while attacks on schools and hospitals have disrupted their ability to receive an education, medical care and humanitarian aid.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for convening this very important meeting. I also thank the Secretary-General and Mr. Maurer for their remarks today. I would also like to express my appreciation to Ms. Al-Mutawakel for her presence with us today. I would also like to take a moment to welcome the presence of Ghana’s Vice-President and Gabon’s Foreign Minister here with us and reiterate our welcome to the Security Council. As we all know, around the world cities are growing. The latest United Nations estimates predict that two thirds of the world will live in urban areas by 2050. Those trends are exacerbated by conflict and the climate crisis. The clear truth is that protecting civilians in urban settings will become only more important going forward, and the threat to civilians is horrifying, as we heard from our briefers today.”
2022-01-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8953 (2022) · source
“Let us avail ourselves of this opportunity to move beyond our standard talking points and identify ways to support the parties in pursuit of sustainable and lasting peace for all of their people.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“It reminds us that we all must work together to stand against anti-Semitism and extremism. The United States will continue to champion justice for the victims of anti-Semitism and for Holocaust survivors and their descendants. We are committed to building a world in which the lessons of the Holocaust are taught universally, survivors live out their days in dignity and comfort and all human lives are shown decency and compassion. For the first time in many years, all members of the Council have diplomatic relations with the State of Israel. That is testament to the important shifts under way in the Middle East and indicative of Israel’s contribution on the world stage.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“We need to underscore the importance of dialogue and technical exchanges to address our shared challenges. Finally, on 27 January, the United States will join people from nations around the world to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day. When I was in Israel, I had the great honour of rekindling the eternal flame in the Hall of Remembrance at Yad Vashem. That solemn ceremony, next to the crypt that held the ashes of Holocaust victims from across Europe, served as a poignant reminder for me of our obligation to never forget. Remembering and honouring the victims of the Holocaust means more than reflection; it means taking action. That is especially true as anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial are on the rise. The harrowing events in Colleyville, Texas, this past weekend brought this home for us Americans.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“The Committee serves as an important forum for the international community to support economic development for Palestinians. The Council, too, can facilitate forward momentum, as can civil society organizations such as the one we heard from today, EcoPeace Middle East. I again thank our briefers for their presentations. Israeli and Palestinian civil society members are instrumental in building bridges among people in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and Jordan. Educational programmes and round tables to discuss projects such as the Green Blue Deal for the Middle East are important for addressing shared issues that know no boundaries or borders, such as climate change. We encourage broadening those types of exchanges to also include the Abraham Accords signatories.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“Most of the work of rebuilding that trust needs to be done directly between the Israelis and Palestinians themselves. The recent meeting between Palestinian Authority President Abbas and Israeli Defence Minister Gantz yielded tangible steps, including Israel’s transfer of $33 million in tax payments to the Palestinians, the issuance of business permits and humanitarian status approval. My hope is that we can keep building on that progress and that we can all play a role in facilitating further positive steps. For example, I would like to applaud Jordan and Egypt for the constructive role that they have played in preventing renewed violence, particularly the 26 December meeting they held in Cairo with the Palestinian Authority. We also appreciate Norway’s contribution as Chair of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“That includes annexations of territory, settlement activity, demolitions and evictions, similar to what we saw in Sheikh Jarrah, incitement to violence and compensation for individuals in prison for acts of terrorism. I would like to reiterate a point I made to the Council previously for our new members. It was clear to me from my November trip to Israel and the West Bank that Israelis and Palestinians are locked in a spiral of mutual distrust that prevents the type of cooperation that could bring about prosperity, freedom and security for all. Israelis do not believe they have a partner for peace, while Palestinians are trapped in despair, borne out of the complete absence of a political horizon. That gap in trust is the single-biggest obstacle to political progress and peace.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“Let me therefore start by reaffirming our strong support for a two-State solution, one in which Jewish and democratic Israel lives in peace alongside a sovereign, democratic and viable Palestinian State. As I have noted before, I look forward to the day when we do not find the need to single out Israel for this type of unfair focus in the Security Council. All forms of hatred and violence stand in stark opposition to the goal of a two-State solution. We are particularly concerned about tensions in the West Bank, Gaza and in and around Jerusalem, especially violence perpetrated against civilians attempting to go about their daily lives. To make progress, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority must refrain from unilateral steps that exacerbate tensions and undercut efforts to advance a negotiated two-State solution.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“Before I deliver my remarks, I would like to extend my condolences to the United Arab Emirates. The United States condemns in unqualified terms Monday’s terrorist attack in Abu Dhabi, which killed three innocent citizens. I thank Special Coordinator Wennesland for his briefing. I extend a special welcome to and thank our briefers from EcoPeace Middle East. I also welcome the Permanent Representative of Israel, Mr. Erdan, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Observer State of Palestine, Mr. Al-Malki, to today’s meeting. I would also like to acknowledge the presence of and welcome the Ghanaian Foreign Minister. This year offers an opportunity to recommit to reaching a political solution to the conflict.”
2022-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8950 (2022) · source
“We must reverse the current trajectory, end the violence and help facilitate the kind of intra-Yemeni dialogue that will resolve this conflict once and for all.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“There are now six fuel ships awaiting Yemeni Government clearance. Simultaneously, the Houthis continue to stockpile and manipulate the price of fuel, keeping it out of the reach of Yemenis in need of it. All parties must focus on reaching a durable solution for regularizing fuel imports that ensures Yemenis can access essential goods and services. Disappointingly, the issue of the FSO SAFER oil tanker remains an economic, environmental and humanitarian time bomb, threatening not only the Yemeni people but also fragile ecosystems and global supply chains. The Houthis are responsible for this unacceptable impasse. We call on them to help ensure a safe, viable and prompt solution. This year has the potential to bring progress for peace in Yemen.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“We remain strongly committed to promoting accountability for human rights violations and abuses in Yemen. Finally, we remain concerned about the humanitarian situation, the fuel situation and the FSO SAFER oil tanker. The United States is relieved that United Nations humanitarian flights have resumed at Sana’a airport after a week-long closure in December, prompted by Houthi claims of communications equipment failure. But we are concerned about Houthi threats to obstruct future flights, despite United Nations inspections deeming the airport equipment operational. We call on all parties to facilitate the free flow of humanitarian assistance and remove unnecessary administrative requirements that impede humanitarian operations, and we call for the release of detained United Nations personnel in both Sana’a and Ma’rib.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“Just last month, the United States Navy seized upwards of 1,408 rifles and 226,000 rounds of ammunition from a vessel originating from Iran. That ship was on a route historically used to illegally smuggle weapons to the Houthis. The smuggling of arms from Iran to the Houthis represents a flagrant violation of the Organization’s targeted arms embargo and is yet another example of how Iran’s destabilizing activities are prolonging the war in Yemen. The Houthis’ pattern is punctuated by their continued engagement in violence, rape and other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary detentions and obstructions, as well as targeted killings, including of female politicians and professionals. That is unconscionable. We unequivocally condemn all human rights abuses and violations by all parties.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“Despite Council condemnation, the Houthis continue to detain and harass the United States Yemeni local staff as well as United Nations staff. They also control our former Embassy compound. The Houthis must immediately release all of our Yemeni employees unharmed, vacate the former United States Embassy compound, return seized United States property and cease their threats against our employees and their families. We similarly condemn the Houthi seizure of an Emirati-flagged merchant vessel last week, and we call on the Houthis to immediately release the ship and crew unharmed. Another part of this pattern is the ongoing Houthi military offensive in Ma’rib, which has led to thousands of additional internally displaced people, now living in precarious conditions. This offensive is fuelled by the illegal flow of weapons to the Houthis.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“To that end, we are encouraged by Special Envoy Grundberg’s efforts to develop a framework for an inclusive peace process to help end this conflict. We look forward to hearing more about his proposal as soon as it is finalized. All parties must engage with the Special Envoy and with each another in good faith and without preconditions in order to advance an inclusive political solution. The members of the Security Council should encourage such a constructive working relationship between the Special Envoy and the parties to the conflict. While we encourage peace, we must not be afraid to call out actions that obstruct it. Secondly, we condemn the Houthi escalation in violence, which undermines the cause of peace.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“At the outset, let me thank our briefers. Today I would like to discuss three broad topics: the worrisome increase rise in hostilities, the clear pattern of Houthi escalation and obstruction and the concerning humanitarian fuel and FSO SAFER oil tanker situation. First, the United States remains alarmed by the continued military escalation in Yemen, particularly in Sana’a, Ma’rib and the Red Sea, as described by our briefers. This increase in hostilities threatens the prospect for a peaceful and inclusive political solution and exacerbates the already dire humanitarian situation. This escalation demonstrates the serious need for an inclusive peace process — one that integrates the voices of women, marginalized groups and diverse civil society leaders such as Ms. Al-Aghbary, who we heard speak so powerfully today.”
2022-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8946 (2022) · source
“That comprehensive strategy is the key to progress. It will advance all our shared security, development, human rights and humanitarian goals, and, if it is done right, it will lead to peace and security throughout Mali. It is what the people of Mali deserve. I say to Ambassador Issa Konfourou that our goal is to work with him. It is to work with Mali to find a lasting solution for Mali and for its people. I know that a Mali isolated from its community of nations and ECOWAS is not where Mali wants to be. A Mali — the subject of Security Council discussions and attention, as we have seen today — is not a comfortable place to be. And I know that this is not where Mr. Konfourou wants to be today. Let us work together to bring stability to Mali and its people and to return Mali to the community of nations, where Mali belongs.”
2022-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8945 (2022) · source
“Based on their pattern of human rights abuses and threats against United Nations peacekeepers in other contexts, they pose a danger to MINUSMA peacekeepers and the people of Mali. MINUSMA deserves to have clarity on whether those so-called contractors are part of official bilateral assistance, and, if so, they need to be held accountable by their country of origin. The transition Government must also do its part to protect civilians, create conditions for stability and address social grievances and root causes of instability, as stressed by Ms. Dicko. As the Security Council has made clear before, the transition Government needs a comprehensive strategy designed to protect civilians, reduce intercommunal violence, re-establish State authority, presence and basic social services in central Mali and hold timely elections.”
2022-01-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8945 (2022) · source