YouSaid · the spoken record

Urbina

lines on the record: 774
first: 2007-10-23
most recent: 2010-03-19
sittings or episodes: 103
sources: un-security-council

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“We could go on listing all types of situations where owing to different factors, but in particular a lack of political will, hundreds of thousands of civilians are killed or are the direct targets of this violence daily. We see it in Sudan, in Somalia, in Chad and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it is clear the protection of civilians must be part of the political strategy to reduce short and long-term risks to the population while there is action to provide physical protection and the vital assistance they need to survive.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“That has cast a shadow over the whole Organization, which is the lesser evil. The greater evil is the fate of the children - the boys and girls, as well as adults, who are victims of those terrible acts. Zero tolerance must stop being just a slogan used to condemn sexual violence as a tool of war or intimidation. It should also stimulate our efforts to ensure that humanitarian staff, and United Nations personnel, in particular, are always seen as bringing relief, hope, peace and well-being to those whom we are committed and obliged to protect. My delegation is also concerned by the continuing use of cluster bombs, which are killing innocent people along the borders between Lebanon and Israel.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“There, civilians, particularly children and women, are direct victims of the escalation of violence through rocket attacks, military incursions or the obstruction of a continuous supply of humanitarian assistance. Sexual violence and gender-based violence, used as a weapon of war, as we see in Sudan and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are also a particular source of concern to my delegation. On this topic, as a member of the open-ended group that last year adopted a strategy of providing support to the victims of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations personnel and associated staff, I was very distressed to see the report on Save the Children in the London Daily Telegraph today, reporting on what seems to be an abiding problem - the abuse and sexual misuse linked to United Nations staff, even to humanitarian personnel.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Holmes has told us today, there are many and very diverse obstacles to protecting civilians. My delegation wishes to highlight limitations on humanitarian access, as we have seen in Myanmar in recent weeks, as well as other obstacles that prevent the deployment of peacekeeping missions, as we see in Sudan, where the Government raises obstacles to the full implementation of the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. Violations of international law in the conduct of hostilities are also a source of concern to us, such as the use of human shields by terrorist groups and the 08-3528] indiscriminate use of force by private security companies and the multinational force in Iraq, or deliberate attacks against civilians in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to thank you for having convened this important meeting and thank Mr. Holmes for his valuable report on the current situation in the field and the principal challenges linked with the protection of civilians in armed conflict. My delegation would have preferred to hear about today's panorama in very different terms from those that the Council encountered six months ago. However, once again we are witness to situations in which many Governments disregard the pressing needs of their populations. It is regrettable that those allegedly responsible for serious crimes, including some who have been called before the International Court of Justice, go unpunished, making a mockery of international law and justice. As Mr.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“The information has provided the factual data used as a basis for preparing the report of the 1540 Committee that will be submitted to the Security Council, covering the period starting on 28 April 2006. The report will be presented to Council as soon as possible, or by 31 July 2008 at the latest. On 25 April 2008, the Security Council adopted resolution 1810 (2008), by which it extended the mandate of the 1540 Committee for a three-year period and, among other provisions, decided that the Committee would continue to intensify its efforts to promote complete implementation by all States of resolution 1540 (2004).”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“In December 2007, the Committee sent letters to the heads of more than 30 international, regional and subregional organizations and to authorities of the export control regimes and other mechanisms, requesting them to draw to the attention of their member States to the important links between the implementation of the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004) and the objectives of their respective institutions. By April 2008, the Security Council had received 12 positive replies from these organizations. Since January 2008, the subcommittees of the 1540 Committee have concentrated their work on examining the information that is in the matrices of Member States, as reviewed by experts, on the basis of new information coming from the States and other data from official sources.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“One important aspect of those joint activities is the Committee's interaction with delegations of national officials from each of the concerned countries, representing two or three different competent ministries, with a view to promoting coordination and alleviating the task of responding to so many requests for information. Efforts to further strengthen cooperation with the competent regional and international organizations and machinery continue. The exchange of information and the reciprocal participation in outreach activities have facilitated progress in this area.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“In December 2007, it put the final touches on a model request for assistance adapted to each case and, taking into account its centralizing role, sent it to all Member States in order to better understand their needs in specific areas and to match their requests with offers of assistance from other States. Since the jointly drafted common strategy paper was presented to the Security Council in November 2007, the 1540 Committee has continued to work closely with the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1267 Committee. Moreover, the groups of experts that assist the three Committees have increased their collaboration, as was seen in the subregional African workshop mentioned previously.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“The Committee expresses its appreciation to the Governments of Andorra, Belarus, Botswana, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Norway, Slovakia and the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and UNODA for their sponsorship and organization of the different activities, and the European Union for its ongoing support of the Committee's outreach activities. (spoke in French) The Committee continued to operate as an information exchange centre on issues relating to assistance through formal and informal contacts and dialogue with States that might be interested in requesting assistance and those that might be in a position to offer it. To this end, it organized a dialogue with participants in the outreach activities.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“Upon invitation by other bodies, the Committee's Chairman or some of its members, officially representing the Committee, and several of its experts participated in relevant meetings on subjects ranging from the implementation of the universal conventions against terrorism and of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy to the legal aspects of international instruments countering terrorist acts in the nuclear, chemical or biological fields and other specific subjects such as proliferation, financing and illicit trafficking in nuclear materials.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“Secondly, we have held common-strategy workshops to encourage non-responding States to submit reports. With sponsorship by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), another workshop was held in Botswana on 29 and 30 November 2007, an event organized jointly with the 1540 Committee's experts, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Monitoring Team of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities. The Committee appreciates the cooperation extended by the UNODC in this regard. Thirdly, we have also organized other outreach events.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“The purposes of that participation ranged from raising awareness about the requirements to achieve full implementation of the resolution and encouraging States to submit reports on the status of their implementation efforts to sharing experiences and lessons learned and engaging in dialogue with participating officials from Governments and organizations particularly interested in the work of the Committee. The Committee has been engaged in three types of outreach activities. First, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs has organized workshops on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). A workshop on the reporting requirements and assistance needs was organized in Botswana on 27 and 28 November 2007 for participants from 22 African countries.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“Within this group, the number of States submitting additional information at least once has now reached 100. The Committee takes this opportunity to thank all the States that have responded promptly and to encourage the remaining States that have not yet reported to do so as soon as possible. The Committee has continued to rely on outreach activities to promote full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Since mid-November 2007, the Chairman or some members of the Committee, officially representing the Committee, and its experts participated in 11 outreach conferences, seminars and workshops.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“Six months before the deadline for submission of its biennial report to the Security Council, the Committee decided to make a special effort to encourage States to meet the reporting requirements. By mid-November 2007, the matrices of all Member States-based on previously submitted information or, in the case of non-reporting States, compiled from official websites of Governments and international organizations - were sent to all Member States to be checked for accuracy and to provide a first report or additional information on relevant measures taken or planned to be taken. As of 27 April 2008, more than half the Member States have responded to the Committee's request for more information, bringing the number of States that have submitted at least one report since 2004 to over 150.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): As Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), I am presenting to the Security Council and the membership of the Organization the report covering the six months since the presentation of the most recent joint report to the Security Council, which took place on 14 November 2007. The report summarizes the activities that culminated in the approval of resolution 1810 (2008), relative to the continued implementation of provisions in resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006). (spoke in English) Resolution 1673 (2006) called upon States not yet reporting on progress made to implement resolution 1540 (2004) to do so without delay, and also encouraged all previously reporting States to submit additional information on progress made as well.”
2008-05-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5886 (2008) · source
“We withdrew both of our proposed amendments with a View to strengthening consensus and as a demonstration of respect for those who listened when we wanted to present our points of view.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“In our first proposed amendment, we suggested adding the expression "within the framework of international law" to paragraph 2, which would then read as follows: "Endorses the report's recommendation that realism, within the framework of international law, and a spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to maintain the momentum of the process of negotiations". We also proposed an amendment to add a new operative paragraph that would have read: "Calls upon the parties to commit themselves to a continuous and constructive dialogue with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and MINURSO with a view to ensuring respect for the human rights of the people of Western Sahara;".”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“Our proposals to improve the paragraphs on human rights and respect for international law were never reflected in the text or negotiated in consultations. The implications of such a negotiating process are many and do nothing to strengthen the Council's legitimacy and transparency. Progress may be slow, as they say, but we have expressed our concern, maintained our position in the negotiations and defended the ideas and principles that underpinned our campaign to obtain the seat we now occupy on the Council.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“The solution to the issue of the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara should be sought in the framework of the ongoing negotiations between the parties, which should be based on the principles and provisions of international law, especially those that have governed the Organization's decolonization work, in particular General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV), which provide for voluntary annexation to a State or the proclamation of independence as the logical outcome of the process of self-determination. 08-32472 Costa Rica has worked constructively and demonstrated flexibility, creativity and, today, humility, despite the particular negotiating dynamic with which we were faced.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“We should not come here to defend the interests of certain parties to a conflict or the particular interests of any delegation. Instead, we should promote just, equitable and lasting solutions to problems that touch on international peace and security. If the Council is to be part of the solution in Western Sahara, it must be united. That is what we have worked to ensure and why we withdrew our proposed amendments to the text. We will continue clearly and decisively to advocate a political, just and lasting solution acceptable to all parties, as requested by resolutions 1754 (2007) and 1783 (2007).”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“Costa Rica cannot understand the reasons that have been put forward for rejecting a specific reference to the framework of international law when we are calling on the parties to assume a realistic position in the negotiations, nor do we understand the fact that the Group of Friends should sideline the members of the Security Council in the preparation of the texts of draft resolutions and in the building of consensus. In this case, just a week ago the Group of Friends provided us with the text on which we are about to vote and in which my delegation continued to insist that some of its amendments be included. Costa Rica believes that the Council should facilitate solutions to the international issues on its agenda. As we said in the debate on the Middle East, the Council should be part of the solution and not part of the problem.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“Today, to our surprise, the representative of the Russian Federation threatened to exercise a 08-32472 technical veto of any reference to human rights, despite the fact that the issue of human rights is the object of mutual accusations made by both parties, that it has been raised in consultations by various delegations, and that several references are made to it in the reports of the Secretary-General. In his most recent report, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon himself refers to the United Nations duty to uphold human rights standards in all its operations, including in Western Sahara, and to the need to coordinate action in that sphere.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“We called for a more transparent and inclusive Council, and we continue to do so, repeatedly and vehemently. No one will be surprised, therefore, that Costa Rica should feel obliged to express its concern at the manner in which the draft resolution on which we are about to vote was negotiated, or to convey our difficulty in understanding the absolute refusal to include elements that, in our View, should be an integral part of the draft resolution. It is especially difficult for Costa Rica to understand the opposition to including a reference to the human rights component in the text of the draft resolution. During the negotiation process, we proposed two options for incorporating such a reference.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“We also presented ourselves as a country that defends and promotes respect for the human rights of all human beings without exception, double standards or politicization of the cause. That is our history as a State and those are the fundamental values that we wish to see strengthened in the Organization. In our campaign, we also stressed our brief but notable record of promoting the need to reform the working methods of the Security Council. As early as 1997, a note from Ambassador Berrocal referred to the Council's working methods. Alongside other Members of the Organization, we formed the so-called small five group, in which we made proposals with a View to making the Council more efficient and to ensuring that its actions enjoyed greater legitimacy.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): As you yourself have said, Sir, what we had in the consultation room was a preview. My delegation is eager that our discussion here today be set down in the official record. I would therefore beg the indulgence of delegations present to repeat and summarize what was said earlier. I said at the outset that when Costa Rica presented its candidacy for Security Council membership to the Members of the Organization, we did so on the basis of a platform of clear and specific principles that we have always upheld. We presented ourselves as a country that was devoted to and concerned about respect for international law without restriction; it could not be otherwise for a country that has staked its security on multilateralism and international law for the past 60 years.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5884 (2008) · source
“We are also grateful for and support the recommendations in the report, three of which we consider are the primary responsibility of the Security Council. First, the question of small arms and light weapons must be incorporated in the mandates and reports of the political, the peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions. Secondly, in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes, the component relating to disarmament and destruction of weapons stocks must be strengthened. Thirdly, monitoring mechanisms must be revitalized and Security Council sanctions imposed, in particular with regard to arms embargoes. These are clear responsibilities of the Council, to which my delegation would like to contribute.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“That idea was taken up by the United Kingdom and a significant number of other countries and non-governmental organizations, who converted it into a resolution of the General Assembly at its sixtieth session. We hope that with the passage of time and intensification of the endeavours of all of us who believe in the need to effectively regulate the arms trade, we will succeed in making the international instruments in this area binding. Just for a moment, I would like to focus on the report of the Secretary-General. Costa Rica agrees with the priority granted to the reactivation of the coordination of this Organization's action on small arms and to the strengthening of exchanges between the General Assembly and the Security Council on containing the illicit flows of arms to zones of crisis and conflict.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“In this area, rules are not binding for States and never become anything more than mere declarations of principle. I would like to digress from the topic at hand to look at a parallel process, in which some members of the Council are working, which seeks to open a window of opportunity to work on binding instruments related to armaments. I am referring here to the Group of Experts appointed by the Secretary-General to examine the feasibility of a binding instrument to regulate the arms trade. This initiative came about in 1995 when a group of Nobel Peace Laureates, led by the President of Costa Rica, launched the idea of an international code of conduct.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“Perhaps the most important among them is the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, adopted in 2001. However, as the Secretary-General points out in his report, that framework has not generated all the necessary action, either nationally or regionally, to transform it into a more useful instrument. After the difficult process of adopting an international instrument of such nature and scope, we still need to overcome tremendous obstacles, as the biennial meetings of the Programme of Action and its review conference demonstrated. The Secretary-General indeed points out that one of the reasons why there has not been progress in the implementation of the Programme of Action is the fact that it is not binding. That could be the fundamental barrier.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“Every year, the small arms and ammunitions manufactured and sold are sufficient to kill all of humanity twice over. That is why we welcome the work of this Council. Around the table today are at least seven States that are among the biggest manufacturers of small arms in the world. Looking at the candidacies submitted, next year we could have nine of the major stakeholders in the small arms industry. No other intergovernmental forum brings together so much power nor has so many instruments for action as this Council. It is just a question of will. In the nine years since the Security Council decided to address this issue, the international community has produced important instruments.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“They have been and still are instruments of war in neighbouring countries and are objects of illicit trade for those who traffic in death. For this reason, we actively support the work that this Council has been doing on small arms since 1999. However, few aspects of the true process of civilization have encountered as many obstacles as has the regulation of the arms trade. Progress is slow, and it cannot be otherwise. As has occurred in other scourges of humanity, such as climate change, profit is an irrational stimulus and much more powerful than rationality in human beings. Every day, there are more industrial plants in more countries devoted to arms production. Every day that goes by, illicit trafficking represents a larger percentage of the arms trade.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): Mr. President, this debate is the last public meeting of the Security Council under South Africa's presidency as an elected member of the Security Council. I would like to start by paying tribute to your leadership and lucid conduct of the Council. You are a worthy representative of a country with high ethical values, the only one that has dismantled its entire nuclear arsenal, a State respected in Africa and the entire world. For Costa Rica, to participate in a debate on any question related to arms reduction, whatever they may be, is a moral obligation. For sixty years now, my country has made disarmament a national cause and a priority of our foreign policy. However, small arms still compromise the security of our communities.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881 (2008) · source
“My country also condemns sexual and gender-based violence, exemplified by the crimes of honour - an unquestionably abominable practice. It is thus essential to continue to work on the definition and correct implementation of mechanisms for accountability and to strengthen justice as necessary and unmistakable 08-3196] steps in strengthening the process of national reconciliation, the rule of law and the fight against impunity.”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“My delegation is very concerned to see the results of the UNAMI report on the situation of human rights of Iraq. We consider that the violent daily death of human beings for political, ethnic, religious and gender reasons is not the course by which to promote justice and the reconciliation of Iraqi society. Therefore we welcome the fact that Iraq has ratified the Convention against Torture, and we urge ratification also of its Optional Protocol and strict implementation of those two important international instruments. We are also particularly concerned to hear the statement by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Coomaraswamy, on 25 April, in which she referred to the situation of Iraqi children as intolerable.”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“Costa Rica therefore calls on the Council to give priority to further pursuing the political processes of national reconciliation, dialogue and strengthening the legitimacy of the Iraqi authorities. In that connection, the review of the constitution and the promulgation of other necessary laws to achieve those objectives are of priority importance. Costa Rica also urges the Council to support more broadly the participation of Iraq and its people and authorities in the reconstruction of the country. In short, Costa Rica urges UNAMI, the United Nations agencies, the neighbouring countries and the international community present in Iraq to step up their endeavours to favour growing prominence of the people and Government of Iraq in the construction of their own future.”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“Like other Council members, Costa Rica welcomes and supports the efforts by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), the United Nations specialized agencies and the non-governmental organizations, which are pursuing their difficult tasks in a highly unstable security 08-3196] situation. As long as the political, security and humanitarian problems persist in Iraq, the foundations of a federal, democratic, pluralist and unified State - which we all hope to see one day - will remain fragile. In this regard I wish to recall to the words of the Secretary-General that Under-Secretary-General Pascoe quoted: "Whatever one's previous views on Iraq, the whole world has a responsibility and an interest today in helping bring peace and prosperity to the people of that country".”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“That would simply give us a clearer view of the situation we are discussing and would allow the Council to comply with its mandate in a more efficient and effective manner. My delegation's position on this matter is not new. In fact, three months ago, concerning the same agenda item, we raised the same point, speaking after the delegation of Iraq. We felt our concern was clear. Perhaps it is necessary to return to this matter in our consultations. We hope we can give full effect to the criterion set out in paragraph 29 of the note by the President to which I just referred.”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“In the view of my delegation, it is entirely logical that the Iraqi representative should have the opportunity to give us his views, together with the reports from the Under-Secretary-General and the representative of the multinational force. In keeping with paragraph 29 of the note by the Council President, in document S/2006/507: (spoke in English) "The Security Council agrees that, when non-members are invited to speak to the Council, those who have a direct interest in the outcome of the matter under consideration may speak prior to Council members, if appropriate." (spoke in Spanish) Therefore the Council should have heard from the party having direct interest, in this case the delegation of Iraq, before members took the floor.”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): I wish to begin by welcoming the Permanent Representative of Iraq. We are also grateful for the report of the Secretary-General and the briefing by Under-Secretary-General Pascoe, and for the briefing by Ambassador Khalilzad on behalf of the multinational force. My thanks also go to you, Mr. President, for convening this quarterly meeting to know about the situation in Iraq. The rationale for the meeting is clear. We gathered to hear reports from the Secretariat and the multinational force about the situation the ground. We will also be hearing the assessment of the Permanent Representative of Iraq on behalf of his Government.”
2008-04-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5878 (2008) · source
“Let me conclude by reiterating my country's firm commitment to strengthening the Organization's mechanisms for conflict prevention, which will undoubtedly benefit Africa and the entire developing world. I also reiterate my country's support for the political and military efforts that we undertake to resolve current conflicts and to resolve them in a way that is lasting and sustainable.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“Africa occupies a good part of United Nations peace efforts, even though there are some situations in Africa to which the international community is not properly attending. Here I am referring in particular to Somalia. In order to build more efficient cooperation towards the attainment of our purposes, it is fundamental to define responsibilities and mandates more clearly. We also need to give regional organizations the means necessary to properly fulfil their responsibilities. We must also strengthen communication between our respective Councils. All of this seems particularly necessary in the light of the experience, new to all of us, of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), the first of its kind. From UNAMID we will certainly learn many lessons towards improving our future cooperation.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“We will not be able to prevent or permanently resolve conflict while impunity exists; nor will we be able to build a sustainable peace on a foundation of impunity. We said before that today we are better prepared to prevent and put an end to conflict. In this context, the contribution of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the civilized world deserves special mention. We welcome the trust that many African States have placed in the Court, and we take this opportunity to call for respect for its authority, particularly in the Sudan, in connection with executing the arrest warrants that have been issued by the ICC. This meeting should help both organizations to improve the basis of our cooperation.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“We also know that where there is no legitimate justice, there can be no sustainable peace either. We know, finally, that attempts to conceal or manipulate the will of the people do not provide a solid basis on which to build a sustainable peace. For that reason, we are concerned by the current situation in Zimbabwe. Another concept that Costa Rica would like to emphasize on this important occasion is the shared responsibility of the African Union and the United Nations to build peace on strong foundations of justice. Indeed, we underline the need to prevent conflict by implementing a justice that provides security for the population but that also puts an end to conflict by punishing those guilty of human rights violations and crimes against humanity.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“62). I would like to underline a fundamental concept in the Secretary-General's comment, when he speaks of the need to offer sustainable solutions. There may be no better moment than this to state that there can be no sustainable peace without sustainable development. Those two concepts are inseparable, and now that our Organization has matured to the point of not limiting its tasks to peacekeeping and of assuming its peacebuilding responsibility, we cannot set aside the sustainability of the solutions we help to build. However, there will be no sustainable solutions without the legitimacy of Governments and institutions. We understand the concept of cultural diversity and we accept its consequences, but we know very well that where populations do not recognize their Governments as legitimate, there will be no sustainable peace.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“And facing that shared responsibility, we should ask ourselves how we can work together to prevent conflicts and how we can work together to resolve them once they have begun. From the perspective of the United Nations, Security Council resolution 1625 (2005) is a real road map by which to approach our responsibilities in conflict prevention, particularly in Africa. Furthermore, conflict prevention is the approach that should guide us and towards which we should direct our greatest efforts. We will be less effective if we face conflicts and their manifestations and forget, as we often do, their root causes. In the words of the Secretary-General, "If we do not deal with the root causes of conflict - and offer sustainable solutions - we will be left with humanitarian emergencies and peacekeeping operations without end" (S/2008/I8, para.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“The international community has continued to advance in the development of new concepts and instruments to deal with conflicts and mitigate their destructive effects. The concept of the responsibility to protect is a recent development that has turned what was once an absolute right of sovereignty into something much more complex: a right that encompasses the obligation of the State to protect populations on its territory and the subsidiary obligation of the international community to protect those populations when a State is unable to do so. This contemporary system, which inextricably links the actions of States, international organizations and the international community, unavoidably imposes the concept of shared responsibility in the face of conflict.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“There is no doubt that such phenomena as climate change, food crises, water shortages and the large-scale migrations they would entail augur poorly for the future with respect to conflicts. There is also no doubt that Governments' lack of legitimacy, historical resentments and conflicts over natural resources, together with illicit trafficking and terrorism, will fuel new and recurrent conflicts in the future. We in the developing world cannot stop warning that inequality on a global scale and the lack of attention to the extreme poverty that affects one fifth of humanity will also provide fertile ground for the roots of conflict to take hold. However, we are better prepared than ever before.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): I should like to begin by thanking you, Sir, as well as Ambassador Kumalo and the delegation of South Africa, for organizing this debate. We welcome the presence among us of the Secretary-General and of high representatives of friendly countries. Today's debate is an ideal opportunity to exchange views on our shared responsibility. International organizations are historical realities; as such, they are changeable instruments. Fortunately, they are better prepared today to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts than they were several decades ago. Unfortunately, however, we are also much more vulnerable to conflict than we were even just a few years ago. Natural and man-made disasters threaten the future of coming generations.”
2008-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5868 (2008) · source
“Now we must make clear our belief that once we find the road towards peace for Israel and the Palestinian State, it will be much easier to resolve the problems of Lebanon. I would be remiss if I were to conclude without reiterating Costa Rica's belief that the membership of this Organization should be regularly informed in detail of the Quartet's activities. Since the Quartet involves some of the most important international protagonists and, for reasons that we do not understand, the Secretary-General participates in it on an equal footing with the other actors, we believe that our actions and decisions require the comprehensive and timely information I am calling for.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source