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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“That is the only way. Costa Rica repeats its belief that we must leave behind, once and for all, the models of successive phases whereby one phase must be completed before moving on to the next. We call on the Israelis and Palestinians to address, as soon as possible, the final issues - negotiation of the borders and settlements, and the issue of refugees and their right to return and compensation, as well as the status of the city of Jerusalem. We do not seek to impose anything, as was agreed on in Annapolis by Mr. Olmert and Mr. Abbas in expressing their resolve to launch bilateral negotiations to reach a peace agreement that resolves all pending issues, including essential questions without any exception. A few days ago we sent important signals concerning Lebanon.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“We have been unable to resolve the only crisis that has occupied this Organization for more than 60 years, and we are now divided between those who take one side to the conflict and those who take the other. Many nations that do not have a direct interest in the conflict are following the drama with anguish and are caught up in the destructive dynamic. Now, together, we must find the conditions that will make coexistence possible. We said in earlier debates, and we feel obliged to repeat today, that it takes greater courage to agree than to disagree, that it is easier to raise walls that separate than to build bridges that unite. We consider constructive Yemen's efforts in opening a space for Palestinian dialogue, and we support the resolve of the Palestinians and Israelis to continue to negotiate in a highly difficult environment.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“That must end. The Middle East must cease being the stage for the waging of a war that is supported from outside, a stop in the middle of an election campaign, or an obligatory visit for the leaders of the main Western countries. The international community must make decided efforts to forge peace in the Middle East. It must make a serious commitment, one that is met. One cannot live off promises such as those made at the Paris conference, many of which have not and never will become a reality. Costa Rica is convinced that the international community has lost its way in the search for solutions to the situation affecting the Middle East.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“What should be equally clear is the great responsibility that the Palestinian leadership holds in shaping an environment conducive to development. There will be no development without peace. Building peace in the Middle East obliges the Palestinian leadership to put an end to terrorist attacks, to convince the most radical elements and to integrate them into their political life, to ensure that those radical elements learn to live in keeping with the maxim of the Mexican national hero who recalled that among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace. Moreover, countries that have supported either one of the parties to the conflict also bear great responsibility. We believe it is neither just nor acceptable for Palestinians and Israelis to spill their blood using the resources and arms provided by others.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“While the Palestinian territory has been reduced to 22 per cent of the territory set out in General Assembly resolution 181 (II), the number of families assisted by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has multiplied by ten over the last ten years. The Palestinian population have not been well served, and now we must adopt a Vision that replaces the palliative care provided the international community. Only an approach that envisages the normalization of their lives can prevent catastrophe, an approach that offers them productive labour and that promotes their economic, social and cultural development - an approach, finally, that would prevent the great catastrophe that appears to be taking shape there.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“We insist that this Council withstand the logic of causation that the parties have invoked. We cannot continue to approve the actions of either, believing, like them, that those actions are only justified responses to an earlier grievance. If we continue along that track the Security Council will remain part of the problems of the Middle East. However, if we find the necessary determination to condemn every act of Violence, whatever its origin, the Council will have started to become a means to resolve the problems of the region. In turn, we must also change the ways the United Nations system considers and approaches the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people. Their humanitarian crisis, the gravest since 1967, is not just the obvious result of war and displacement.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“That was seen clearly during the last few weeks when this organ - one of the fundamental bodies of the multilateral system - was unable to condemn the blocking of the Gaza crossings, which resulted in a desperate humanitarian situation. Nor was it able to condemn the killings that took place at a Jewish seminary in West Jerusalem. The Security Council cannot remain part of the problems of the Middle East. It should become part of the solution to the crisis in that region. It is normal for the parties to the conflict to accuse each other, and it is equally normal for each to justify its actions as a response to the actions of the other. What does not seem normal, nor acceptable, is for this Council to serve as an echo chamber for either of the parties. That road will not lead us to the peace that everyone claims to want.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): I wish to begin by thanking your delegation, Mr. President, for organizing a series of public meetings, which, we believe, is very welcome to the Council and to the Organization as a whole. I also wish to welcome the presence of the Secretary-General and to thank Mr. Pascoe for his report and the Permanent Observer of Palestine and the Permanent Representative of Israel for their statements. I believe both have provided important insights, and I welcome the opportunity they were given to address the Council. I believe they have further enriched today's discussion. The Security Council has become part of the problems of the Middle East.”
2008-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5859 (2008) · source
“However, we are certain that the coming two years and a few months should allow us all to expedite the intensification of the efforts to which I have referred. The United Nations must, once and for all, be able to have at its disposal an executive body that comprises the mandates, resources and technical capacities necessary to combat terrorism.”
2008-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5855 (2008) · source
“The challenge we now face is how to translate our previous agreements into specific actions, in particular as regards the speedy institutionalization and launching of the task force to implement the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism. Costa Rica believes that it is of fundamental importance that we strengthen communication and coordination between the main committees, departments, commissions and programmes active in this area. We also believe that, under the guidance of the General Assembly, it would be desirable to strengthen the efforts and initiatives recently being developed by various entities of the United Nations system. Costa Rica, of course, supports renewing the mandate of the Executive Directorate.”
2008-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5855 (2008) · source
“Those circumstances gradually led to an institutional model that would be able to tackle the most urgent tasks, but one that we believe lacked the necessary coherence. The passage of time since our first response has allowed us to identify and overcome some of those limitations. We now have a better understanding of the scope of the challenges that we previously could only guess at. We have also discovered strengths there were not previously apparent. In that regard, the adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was a milestone. In 2006, we decided by consensus to make an effort to promote a response to terrorism that would be system- wide, coherent and effective.”
2008-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5855 (2008) · source
“Subsequently, given the international emergency resulting from the terrorist acts committed at the beginning of the century, the Organization increased the number of committees, commissions, offices and programmes to combat terrorism and prevent the threat that it poses to the peace and security of all. Two important processes were thereby launched. First, a normative process was begun under a body that was essentially executive in nature. We should devote time in the future to evaluating that process. The second process, which is the subject of our discussion today, was the development of a very ambitious institutional mechanism - one that requires greater coordination. That may perhaps be due to a sense of urgency as well as the Council's own limitations as an intergovernmental political body of a basically executive nature.”
2008-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5855 (2008) · source
“We fully support the changes he has made with regard to CTED's working methods and the Assessment and Technical Assistance Office. My delegation associates itself with the statement to be made later by the Ambassador of Mexico on behalf of the Rio Group. The United Nations initiated a coherent response as soon as the international community realized the grave threat to international peace and security posed by international terrorism. The adoption of resolution 1267 (1999), in October 1999, launched the development of a robust institutional mechanism to respond to this new threat.”
2008-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5855 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation would like to begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for convening this open debate on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. I would also like to acknowledge your willingness to organize numerous public meetings of the Security Council that are open to all Member States without sacrificing the effectiveness of the Council. I should also like to congratulate Ambassador Smith on being named Executive Director of the Counter- Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), as well as to thank him very much for his briefing today. That briefing shows a clear awareness of the need to help States to equip themselves with the skills and knowledge required to implement the necessary measures in the fight against terrorism.”
2008-03-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5855 (2008) · source
“We understand that UNAMA's mandate is sufficiently comprehensive and suited to help the Government of Afghanistan to meet its obligations in that area, and we expect the Government to make an effective commitment to promoting action in that respect.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We stress the need to invest further in activities linked to development, in particular at the local level. Only thus can we strengthen the system to meet the noble objectives enshrined in the Afghanistan Compact. I wish to conclude by referring to the third component of the Compact - governance, and in particular human rights. The reports submitted to the international community of persons being condemned to death for exercising their right to free expression, as well as of torture and arbitrary detention, are a source of deep concern to us. For Costa Rica, the fundamental role that a human-rights based approach plays in the promotion of stability and development is clear. No sustainable security, responsible governance or full development can be built on the bases of abuse and intolerance.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We therefore agree with the Secretary-General when he writes in his report that "To meet the security challenge and stabilize Afghanistan, a common approach is needed that integrates security, governance, rule of law, human rights and social and economic development." (S/2008/159, para. 66) That is why Costa Rica attaches particular importance to the role to be played by UNAMA in assisting the Afghan Government with respect to security sector reform. The construction of the State depends largely on the strength of the institutions involved in that sector. We further understand that the strengthening of the Government will depend largely on the trust it is able to inspire in its citizens. We therefore welcome the measures being taken to address corruption.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“To that, we must add a climate of growing insecurity, as seen in the more than 180 terrorist attacks that took place in 2007 and in the nearly 30 that have occurred so far this year. This situation clearly undermines efforts to succeed in the physical and social reconstruction of the country. I cannot fail to mention the cultivation, production and trafficking of opium, which compromise the security, development and governance of Afghanistan. Only a sustained international effort can prevent difficult days ahead for Afghanistan, and that will not be easy. Compliance with the objectives of the Afghanistan Compact is the primary responsibility of the Afghan Government, but also requires the unconditional support of the international community.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“The deterioration in the security situation and in the fight against the drug industry, as well as the perhaps insufficient progress in the implementation of the Afghanistan Compact, call for this new consideration of what action is needed and of the international community's commitment to support that action. For more than six years the United Nations has been striving to ensure that Afghanistan would discard the perverse logic of war, build representative and inclusive political institutions and firmly embark on the path of economic growth and social development. But we see clear disturbing signs that the road ahead is strewn with obstacles. First of all, the most recent of the rather frequent unrest and disturbances reveal problems regarding the building of legitimate democratic institutions.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): Costa Rica would have preferred to speak after hearing the statement of the representative of Afghanistan; in our View, hearing from the country that is the subject of this morning's debate would have been most valuable. For that reason, our statement will not include comments on or reactions to his statement, as we would have wished. I thank Mr. Guehenno for his briefing this morning and welcome the recent appointment of Mr. Kai Eide as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Our thanks go to Mr. Tom Koenigs for his endeavours during his two years in that post. I thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this debate on the situation in Afghanistan.”
2008-03-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5851 (2008) · source
“We hope that we will soon see the day in which we can verify that Iran has met all of its obligations, and in which the international community can cooperate with Iran to promote the well-being of its people. I would like to conclude by regretting the fact that they were invoking the delicate situation in Gaza and in southern Israel as a spearhead in a completely unrelated subject. Costa Rica spoke out in this Council to express its concern over the terrible humanitarian situation in the region and has also condemned attacks on territories in the south of Israel. Costa Rica has criticized the Council's silence on that matter, and we reject anew today's invocation of that situation with the intention of attacking the Council.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“But we consider this right to be contingent on the fulfilment of all international obligations in this matter. In this respect, the right to enrich uranium is a legitimate activity if its scope and objectives are subject to complete international supervision through absolutely transparent processes. We believe that that is still not the case of the Iranian nuclear programme and for this reason we are obligated to support the resolution that we have voted on today. Despite this context which is we hardly find pleasant, we are very pleased with Iran's stated intentions to continue working with the International Atomic Energy Agency and to meet its requirements.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“We agree with him on the need to create a virtuous cycle where progress in disarmament and in non-proliferation can mutually reinforce each other. Perhaps in this way it will be possible to stop the logic of recent decades, in which despite so many efforts, there has been vertical and horizontal proliferation but little progress in nuclear disarmament. In this situation, the international community has an obligation to demand advances in disarmament, to improve norms and verification systems, and to take drastic action in the face of any threat of proliferation in the future. In the area of nuclear weapons, it is better to err on the side of caution; otherwise, we could be witnesses to an unprecedented holocaust. Today, as in the past, Costa Rica respects the right of every State to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“It is necessary to prevent both horizontal and vertical proliferation, to encourage the fulfilment of all obligations pursuant to those treaties, and to condemn any attempt to breach this mutual trust. We believe it is necessary also to make progress on disarmament in order to create an environment conducive to non-proliferation, because there is very little incentive for non-proliferation in an international environment in which there is little progress in disarmament and weak guarantees that existing nuclear weapons will not be used. In this sense, we share the belief that there is a need for a transparent, sustainable and credible plan for multilateral nuclear disarmament, as was suggested by British Secretary of State for Defence Desmond Browne when he addressed the Conference on Disarmament last month.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“If we want real progress in the area of disarmament tomorrow, it is imperative to begin today to create effective conditions for the prevention of proliferation. We are not referring only to stopping horizontal proliferation, meaning the rise of new nuclear-weapon States. It is also necessary to prevent and stop vertical proliferation, meaning the continuous development of new technologies that only encourage competition, mistrust and fear among States. For that reason, we also cannot endorse the behaviour of some States that demand that others comply with their obligations stemming from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, while disregarding some of their own responsibilities. Both treaties form part of an intricate architecture of mutual trust that does not admit differential obligations.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“Some countries that are not parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty are developing nuclear weapons programmes with total impunity, and true criminal networks have become involved in the black market for nuclear designs, technology and material with the same impunity, and even with the indulgence of some States. In the area of disarmament, what we have is a history of missed opportunities for the reduction of nuclear threats. The window of opportunity that opened up with the end of the cold war was only partially exploited. Some studies estimate that more than one third of the nuclear destructive power that existed at the end of the cold war will remain in 2012. Furthermore, very little has been done to limit future arms races and the concept of deterrent force still holds all of its strategic value for the nuclear-weapon States.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“For Costa Rica, a Council meeting on non-proliferation is an opportunity to offer some comments on issues of disarmament. The strategic approach to preventing proliferation is based on two fundamental commitments: the willingness of non-nuclear-weapon States not to acquire such weapons; and the decision of the nuclear-weapon States to gradually reduce their arsenals. A greater number of States would probably possess nuclear weapons if a system intended to prevent proliferation did not exist. But that system has been unable to completely halt such proliferation.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation understands the position of Iran with respect to the resolution that the Security Council has just adopted, but we deeply regret the adjectives that were used by its Permanent Representative. We cannot accept that, on this case, he accuses the Security Council of being a mere tool of some countries and says that the action that it is taking is illegal or illegitimate. While we acknowledge and value the progress that has been made with respect to confidence- building, in our opinion, there are still areas of non- compliance on the part of Iran with respect to the Council's resolutions. Costa Rica is convinced that the present resolution is a necessary consequence of non-compliance with previous resolutions of this Council.”
2008-03-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5848 (2008) · source
“Costa Rica wonders whether we can truly justify the need for a military focus for the security of Timor- Leste. Are the security challenges faced by the people of Timor-Leste of an internal or external nature? What is the most effective and efficient way of dealing with them? How best can we contribute to peace and stability in the region? Like Timor-Leste, Costa Rica is a small country, and we have decided that our security will not depend on military strength, which would be small in any case, given our economic limitations. Rather, we chose to focus on building democracy and improving the quality of life of our people and promoting respect for the rule of law and human rights. We feel that that is a wise option that Timor-Leste might consider following, and we respectfully encourage the Council to consider that alternative.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“President, with some thoughts that I am sure that your country, Panama, will share with me, since our two countries are the two members of this Council that do not have a standing military institution. All too often, the hopes and dreams of many generations of men and women all over the world have been sacrificed on the basis of a misguided concept of national security. Costa Rica wonders whether the huge challenges to be overcome by Timor- Leste on the path to building a dynamic and prosperous democracy will be overcome or reinforced with the proposed security sector reform, which includes a national army as a standing institution. Since the end of the 19905, Indonesia has been committed to the concept of a sovereign Timor-Leste, with the support of the entire international community.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“The stability that has prevailed in Timor-Leste following the attacks against its democratic institutions and against the life of President J 056 Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao are clear signs of the progress that has already been achieved in this area and of the effectiveness of the United Nations police, in conjunction with the International Stabilization Force. We are grateful to them, and to Australia in particular. However, with a continuous view to building capacity rather than generating dependence, we would like to emphasize the need to expedite the training process and to hand over full responsibility to the Timor-Leste police. Allow me to conclude, Mr.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“We would like the Council to conduct an analysis of the situation that goes beyond the 12-month period for which the mandate's extension is currently being considered. To that end, the Secretary-General should provide an exhaustive report, including options for a successful exit strategy. Security sector reform, economic development and democracy-building in Timor-Leste will take place only insofar as sufficient guarantees are provided for stability and security. Therefore, flexible and effective security sector reform should continue to be a priority for the Council. Strengthening the police and institutions that contribute to administrating justice are essential requirements.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“Taking advantage of the window of opportunity that has been opened by the attacks is the main challenge facing the Timorese authorities and UNMIT. Peace, justice and development, promoted in a parallel - and not successive - manner, are the keys to success. In that regard, we recall that, a few weeks ago, the Government of Timor-Leste expressed its belief that an UNMIT presence would be needed for a further five years, years that should be devoted in particular to promoting stability and strengthening security, leading up to the deployment of a mission with a peacebuilding mandate for approximately three more years. Costa Rica considers it proper that the Council consider that request, once agreements have been reached regarding the current renewal of the UNMIT mandate.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“The indivisibility and interdependence of human rights, including the virtues of the rule of law, may become mere empty words when some 40 per cent of the population live in poverty and unemployment and a further 10 per cent have been displaced by the internal violence. That is why the support provided by the international community in general and UNMIT in particular is of such importance. It is not a matter of creating a dependence on the international system; it is a matter of generating national capacity. The Council should reconsider whether the mandate and resources of UNMIT are sufficient to facilitate and promote such capacity-building. Regarding peacebuilding and development, the absence of Alfredo Reinado could either provide an opportunity or constitute a threat in terms of the peacebuilding process.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“We should channel all available energy and resources to take advantage of the moment of political lucidity that has been sparked by the gunshots. The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) should promote, with renewed determination, reconciliation and democratic participation. On the subject of justice, human rights and the rule of law, the sustainability of any political understanding depends to a large extent on the effective participation of all sectors, including, in the case of Timor-Leste, the so-called petitioners. However, that cannot occur in a situation of impunity, hence the special importance of implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Independent Special Commission of Inquiry.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“For this reason, this debate is particularly important because it provides us with an opportunity not only to assess the situation in Timor- Leste, but also and especially to consider the role that is being played and should be played by the United Nations in assisting the people and the Government of Timor-Leste. On the subject of national reconciliation and democracy, the extent of the political differences between the leaders of Timor-Leste regarding the measures necessary to settle critical issues that the country is facing continues to be considerable. Nonetheless, the attitude that has been assumed by the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN) following the recent attacks must be recognized as a sign of political and democratic maturity.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to begin by thanking Under-Secretary- General Guehenno for his briefing. Costa Rica welcomes the improvement in the state of health of President Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, as was the President of Costa Rica, a situation that was made possible by the very close friendship between them. We hope that he will be able very soon to return to his work in furthering the peace, stability and development of the Timorese people. We believe that no signs of fanaticism or violence will stand in the way of Timor-Leste as it takes its first steps on the path of independence. The international community should provide the necessary support so that that can be reality.”
2008-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5843 (2008) · source
“We all must strive to ensure that what brought us together here today is the end of a painful chapter in the history of the Balkans, not the prologue to a new drama. We also believe that international peace and security will be better served through this bi-national and multi-ethnic plan. We are acting out of the conviction that our reasoning is correct. We do not want our position today to have negative consequences for anyone. Nor do we want this conduct to be invoked in the future as a precedent that undermines the integrity of international law. To the best of our ability, we will seek to ensure that that does not happen.”
2008-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5839 (2008) · source
“That is a reality that Costa Rica cannot ignore and that the membership of the Organization must take carefully into account. We continue to hope that, living in two different countries, Serbs and Kosovars will be able to more swiftly build together a mutually beneficial relationship of respectful coexistence and cooperation. We hope that, together, both of their countries will respect international law and protect the human rights of all their inhabitants, particularly minorities. We also believe that we are contributing to the progress and well-being of the people of Kosovo, who, like the people of Serbia, should find a better future within the European Union. The international community must shoulder its responsibility and act with solidarity within the framework of international law, including the provisions of resolution 1244 (1999).”
2008-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5839 (2008) · source
“However, the circumstances oblige us to take a position and shoulder our responsibility, and we have done so. My Government has taken the decision to recognize Kosovo's independence. We are convinced that resolution 1244 (1999), the 1999 general principles on a political solution to the Kosovo crisis set out in annexes 1 and 2 of that resolution, and the Interim Agreement for Peace and Self-Government in Kosovo contain sufficient legal foundations to enable us to recognize the independence proclaimed yesterday. We believe that with this recognition, we are responding primarily to the will of the people of Kosovo - a people who find it impossible to live together with the Serb majority in the same country after the 1998 campaign of ethnic cleansing, as their Prime Minister indicated to us in this very Chamber.”
2008-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5839 (2008) · source
“In the Council today, Costa Rica must take a position consistent with its record within the United Nations - a position that can make a contribution to the cause of peace and security in the Balkans, to the welfare of the region's inhabitants and to the integrity of international law. We are conscious of our responsibilities, and we have carefully analysed the legal arguments made by those who support Kosovo's declaration of independence and by those who call for its nullification. We understand the logic behind both lines of reasoning, and we recognize the good intentions of those supporting both positions. We know that this is not a sordid struggle for power, for strategic position or for access to precious resources. We recognize an ethical motivation in both parties.”
2008-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5839 (2008) · source
“Costa Rica would have preferred that not to be the case and would have preferred the matter to have been resolved through dialogue between the Serbian and Kosovo authorities. We regret that conditions did not permit a definition of the final status of Kosovo that would have been acceptable both to the parties and to the Security Council. The fact is that today, almost nine years after the adoption of resolution 1244 (1999), we find ourselves with a fait accompli. That should surprise no one: for months, the international community has known that this day would come.”
2008-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5839 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): I wish to begin by welcoming among us President Tadic' and Foreign Minister Jeremic', and by reaffirming Costa Rica's recognition of their positive leadership and their commitment to peace. Leadership like theirs - committed to peace and human rights, especially the rights of minorities - could perhaps have prevented the tragedies whose echoes have given rise to today's meeting. We are confident that, under the leadership of President Tadie, the difficult situation in Serbia and the wider Balkans will be overcome, to the benefit of all the peoples of the region. We also welcome the presence among us of the Secretary-General and we thank him for his presentation. Kosovo's declaration of independence has been a source of tension within the Security Council.”
2008-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5839 (2008) · source
“It is the responsibility of all States to protect their peoples, and the responsibility to protect is especially important with respect to children. When a State is unable to protect its children, it is the obligation of the international community to fill that gap. I cannot conclude without reiterating our condemnation of the killing and mutilation of children by mines and cluster munitions. For Costa Rica, it is an unshirkable obligation of all those participating in armed conflict to provide precise information on the quantity and location of such artefacts, as well as any other information relevant to the clean-up and rehabilitation of contaminated areas. It is urgent that we make progress in the Oslo process of drafting a legally binding instrument to prohibit the use, production, sale and storage of cluster munitions.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“That would send a powerful message of intolerance of those who do not hesitate to sacrifice children to their narrow selfish concerns. Effective Security Council action in that area requires us immediately to review the criteria of the monitoring and reporting mechanism so that we can more appropriately and effectively address each of the six serious violations established in resolution 1612 (2005). I cannot fail to refer to the alarming increase of sexual violence that is used as a weapon of war against thousands of girls and that provides a clear argument for why we should attach equal importance to all grave violations. It is also incumbent upon the Council to ensure that protection measures are commensurate with the needs of each case.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“The Working Group should also recommend to the Council measures and sanctions against those who consistently violate its resolutions where no relevant sanctions committee exists. It is time for the Council to address with greater resolve the existence of solid national and international mechanisms to ensure that those responsible for such crimes are brought to justice. They cannot go unpunished. If we are to guarantee the rights of children, we believe it essential to set aside national interests and convenience, which are always short- sighted and far removed from our grand collective objectives. The Council should not shy from referring the cases of the most notorious perpetrators of crimes against children to the International Criminal Court.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“They need us to name those who compelled them and to include those names on the list of transgressors. They need decisive action from this Council. It is imperative that we fight impunity with determination. Costa Rica maintains that children who are used by armed groups and fall victim to abuse and grave systematic violations of their rights need the Council to engage in a serious assessment of applicable effective measures and sanctions against those who persist in such deplorable conduct. The Council has a responsibility to the children of the world to ensure that all its resolutions are complied with. In that respect, the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict should regularly provide comprehensive information on the crimes to the sanctions committees, where such exist.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“The calamities of war do not distinguish between children and adults and afflict them equally; however, many of those calamities are more serious with respect to children. Being abandoned, orphaned, uprooted or disabled and lacking opportunity particularly affect the hope for a better life that children should always be able to cherish. It is true that encouraging progress has been made in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers in some countries, but it is also true that there has been none in many other areas affected by violent conflict, where the use of 08-2361] children to settle the scores of their elders is a flagrant violation of their most fundamental rights. Children who are manipulated or forced to carry a rifle instead of books beneath their arm need us to do more than hold an annual debate.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Mr. Urbina (Costa Rica) (spoke in Spanish): I should like to begin by thanking you, Sir, and your country for convening this important debate. As you well know, Costa Rica shares with Panama a particular concern for children and a special love of peace, which is expressed in the shared desire of our peoples to live without a military force. I thank the Secretary-General for his seventh annual report on children and armed conflict, and Ms. Coomaraswamy for her statement. I also thank Ms. Veneman and Ms. Becker of Watchlist for their statements, which have certainly enriched the debate. The situation of children in zones of armed conflict has been and will continue to be a source of ongoing concern to the United Nations.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Finally, we are concerned about the situation in Lebanon, where a situation of daily violence is continuing and intolerance has also taken root. Costa Rica rejects terrorist Violence and welcomes the fact that, at least in this case, the Security Council has reached the consensus necessary to condemn that violence. We are confident in the integrity and unity of the Lebanese people so that normalcy will return to their political and institutional life and peace will return to the country's inhabitants.”
2008-01-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5827 (2008) · source