YouSaid · the spoken record

Van Walsum

lines on the record: 588
first: 1999-01-21
most recent: 2000-12-12
sittings or episodes: 88
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

“It is, however, not likely to sway the Security Council. Resolution 1284 (1999), including its part A on disarmament, was adopted with four abstentions, three of which were pronounced by permanent members that could have blocked its adoption had they chosen to do so. Iraq is deceiving itself if, on account of this result of the vote, it considers the resolution less than binding. The Security Council means business. The appointment of Mr. Blix as Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) was approved unanimously. If Iraq continues to insist that the humanitarian situation cannot be improved as long as the sanctions are in place, it only needs to accept resolution 1284 (1999) and invite UNMOVIC to start its work in Iraq under operative paragraph 7.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“This phenomenon runs like a thread through the history of the sanctions regime under resolution 661 (1990), from Iraq's refusal for almost two years to accept the oil-for-food programme to its recent rejection of an arrangement for the Hajj, which was based on a proposal of the Russian Federation and supported by all 15 members of the Security Council. Dealing as it is with a regime which has a high tolerance for the hardship it inflicts on its own subjects, the international community is almost defenceless against this approach. It is therefore not surprising that, in combination with all the negative reports on the humanitarian situation in the country, this determination on the part of the Iraqi Government does induce some people to accept the conclusion that lifting the sanctions is the only way out of the quandary.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“Within the legal framework of the relevant Security Council resolutions, the humanitarian situation is currently being improved and further improvements are on the way. However, there is a recurring theme which has plagued the humanitarian programme since its inception, and that is Iraq's determination to prove to the world that the only way to improve the humanitarian situation is to lift the sanctions altogether. It is this determination that has repeatedly led the Iraqi authorities to block improvements held out by the United Nations within the parameters of the existing sanctions regime, in utter disregard of the interests of their own population.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“Nevertheless, we consider the current amount of applications placed on hold intolerably high. It is clear that a more sustained effort to reduce this amount is urgently required. We do not expect the delegations concerned to diminish their dual-use alertness, but they should be equally aware of the humanitarian impact - for instance, in the field of water purification - of their decisions. If these decisions are inevitable on account of dual-use concerns, everything must be done to improve procedures and speed up decisions. The holds problem can also be alleviated by giving guidance to implementing agencies on how they can better assist the Committee in their monitoring, observation and reporting duties in order to provide the necessary assurance on the end-use of items in Iraq.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“Together with the imminent approval of lists of other humanitarian items mentioned in operative paragraph 17 of resolution 1284 (1999) in the fields of health and agriculture, the implementation of the provisions regarding the establishment of a cash component and extended monitoring arrangements, all these measures may be expected to help alleviate the humanitarian situation in Iraq before long. These improvements will inevitably result in a strongly increased focus on the remaining problem of the holds. Credit is due to those delegations which possess both the required resources and the political will to scrutinize all contracts for dual-use potential. Delegations that do not assume any responsibility in this regard are not in the best of positions to criticize other delegations which take these duties seriously.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“In implementation of these provisions, the oil ceiling has been lifted; lists of foodstuffs and basic or standard educational items not requiring sanctions Committee approval any longer have been approved; other contracts are being circulated under a two-day no-objection procedure; while the sanctions Committee is in the process of establishing a group of experts to approve speedily contracts for parts and equipments for the Iraqi oil industry. In this regard, it goes without saying that the Netherlands supports the Secretary-General's recommendation to increase the allocation for oil spare parts and equipment from $300 million to $600 million in phases VI and VII. We have repeatedly stated that it cannot be our aim to make the Iraqi oil industry unsafe or environmentally hazardous.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“In doing so, Iraq has placed itself into a league of its own. Another point of consensus is that, given the absence of a democratic system of government, the Iraqi people should not be made to suffer for the irresponsible behaviour of its leaders. We therefore unanimously welcomed part C of resolution 1284 (1999), which provides the Secretariat, the Council and the sanctions Committee established by resolution 661 (1990) with a legal basis for measures that should significantly improve the humanitarian situation.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“It is clear that some delegations have an interest in playing down Iraq's appetite for prohibited weaponry, whereas others may feel a need not to be seen to be soft on Iraq at this time. Below this checkered surface, however, there is a remarkable degree of consensus, which the delegation of Iraq may well fail to see if it continues to clutch at the fact that resolution 1284 (1999) was adopted with four abstentions. That consensus is that Iraq has yet to convince the international community that it has really abandoned its dream of developing weapons of mass destruction. Iraq is the only country in modern history that has not only attempted to develop all categories of weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, biological and chemical - but has actually used such weapons, both against a foreign enemy and against its own citizens.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“That is the swiftest and most decisive action we can envisage to halt and reverse the long-standing humanitarian emergency in Iraq. None of the resolutions I have just referred to was ever intended to continue to be in force in the twenty-first century. We are dealing with a programme which was essentially devised as an emergency measure and, as the Secretary-General points out in his report, was never intended to meet all the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people. In the case of Iraq, it is, of course, futile to try to present the Security Council's position as a unified stand. True, we are all concerned about the humanitarian situation in Iraq and we all want to prevent Iraq from developing or acquiring weapons of mass destruction, but, one step beyond that consensus, political divergences immediately come into play.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“There is a striking contrast between the Secretary- General's report, which provides information on the progress made in meeting the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, and the alarming messages we receive from various quarters calling for swift and decisive action to halt and reverse the long-standing humanitarian emergency in Iraq. The two observations, however, are not incompatible. As is pointed out in the Secretary- General's report, the humanitarian programme established pursuant to resolution 986 (1995) is implemented within the context of a sanctions regime and should not, therefore, be confused with a development programme. The sanctions regime will come to an end as soon as the Government of Iraq meets its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions, notably resolution 687 (1991).”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“I join other speakers in thanking the Secretary- General, both for his comprehensive report and for the brief remarks he made at the beginning of this meeting. It is not customary to make separate mention of the Secretariat if one has already addressed the Secretary- General, but in this case I would like to make an exception by expressing my deep appreciation for all the - often thankless - tasks accomplished by the collaborators of the Office of the Iraq Programme and all other United Nations staff engaged in the execution of the humanitarian programme, both in New York and in Iraq.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“Let me begin by thanking you, Mr. President, for having so graciously postponed this meeting until after my return from Africa. I owe this special consideration to my chairmanship of the sanctions Committee established by resolution 661 (1990), but I will not speak in that capacity, for this is a time for national positions to be taken. There is only one brief observation I would like to make as Chairman of the sanctions Committee, and that is that I am still waiting for the green light from Baghdad for my visit to Iraq, in compliance with the note by the President of the Security Council of 29 January 1999. I thought it might be useful if I stated this in public, for people keep asking me why I have not been to Iraq yet. Such questions are hereby referred to the representative of Iraq.”
2000-03-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4120 (2000) · source
“My delegation strongly believes that this process should be reversed and that active steps should be taken towards the further integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the concert of nations. Therefore, the Netherlands supports the concept of a road-map, as proposed by European Union (EU) Commissioner Patten during his recent visit to Sarajevo. This road-map towards a feasibility study may be a first step towards an eventual stabilization and association agreement with the EU. Finally, the Netherlands associates itself fully with the statement to be made by Portugal, on behalf of the EU, as a member of the Peace Implementation Council.”
2000-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4117 (2000) · source
“Therefore, we urge the parties to honour their countries' international commitments, not least because this would facilitate international efforts to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Netherlands is concerned about the current strength of the Stabilization Force (SFOR). Its numbers have reportedly already sunk below the lowest acceptable level of 20,000 persons deployed. In the View of the Netherlands, the deployment of SFOR contingents should be kept at the mandated strength. In this context, I should like to note that the Netherlands is not in favour of armed contingents of the International Police Task Force (IPTF). I have already noted that, under the prevailing circumstances, it is difficult to conceive of steps towards the further integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into international structures.”
2000-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4117 (2000) · source
“The efforts of the Constitutional Court and of the Presidency notwithstanding, the problem remains and a solution has not been found. The Netherlands urges the parties concerned to engage in meaningful cooperation and to show a willingness to compromise in order to create common institutions and to make them work. We are pleased to note from Mr. Annabi's briefing that there has been some long-overdue progress in the implementation of the law of the State Border Service. Still, relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) leave room for improvement. They are impairing the willingness of donor countries to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under the current circumstances, it is even uncertain that the donor conference scheduled for the end of June by the World Bank can take place as planned.”
2000-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4117 (2000) · source
“I should like to thank Mr. Annabi for introducing the report and for the additional information he has provided. While we are pleased to note that there have been positive developments such as police restructuring and judicial reform, we are disappointed at the lack of progress in the political field. A draft electoral law was presented to the Parliament twice, and twice lawmakers could not agree on its passing. My delegation finds it difficult to conceive of any step towards further integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina in international structures as long as the Parliament fails to adopt an electoral law. Such a law is a precondition for democratic processes to evolve. Over the past four months, the international community has witnessed the uncommon spectacle of a Council of Ministers' coming close to being declared unconstitutional.”
2000-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4117 (2000) · source
“We understand that this matter was taken up during the summit of the States parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement held on 23 February. We look forward to further elaboration of this matter. The Netherlands contribution for the JMC, in the amount of $250,000, was received by the Organization of African Unity by the end of last year. Other donors have since followed suit. Clearly, the international community is putting its money where its mouth is. Now that money should no longer be the problem, it is up to the parties to make the JMC work. Finally, the Netherlands subscribes to the statement that will later be made by the representative of Portugal on behalf of the European Union.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“On the issue of natural resources, we look forward to the report of the Secretary- General referred to in operative paragraph 17. My delegation will be actively considering ways in which these interrelated issues can be tackled in the future so that the rich natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will fuel peace and reconstruction, not war. We would favour the establishment of a panel of experts to investigate these matters, again, in a balanced manner. As we stated before, one of the key elements in this process is the effective functioning of the Joint Military Commission (JMC) and its structures in close coordination with MONUC. The JMC must be turned into a permanent structure for it to be able effectively to address issues that arise.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“Now and in the future, the Netherlands favours a balanced approach to all issues surrounding the Congo conflict. Such a balanced approach requires, among other things, that throughout the peace process the legitimate security concerns of all neighbouring States be taken seriously. It also means that the human rights situation in the entire territory will be the focus of our attention, as set out in the eighteenth preambular paragraph and in operative paragraph 14. A balanced approach also means not shying away from the difficult root causes. We welcome the fact that the draft resolution before us addresses the issue of arms flows in the region, as well as the exploitation of natural resources as an incentive to keep the conflict going. The Council expresses its intention to return to both these interrelated issues at a later stage.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“The Netherlands will vote in favour of the draft resolution before us. It is an important next step in the phased deployment of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). This draft resolution turns MONUC into a genuine observer mission. The undertaking that the United Nations is now embarking upon is a gigantic one, but, as is borne out by the draft resolution, it also has its clear limitations. We must remind the parties that the responsibility for the success of the Lusaka Agreement lies first and foremost with them. They are responsible for further progress. When, at a later stage, the Council starts its deliberations about phase III, progress made by the parties will undoubtedly determine the direction of our discussions.”
2000-02-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4104 (2000) · source
“In speaking of lessons learned, we particularly call on those concerned to focus on this problem. It is our impression that the threshold problem was a factor in Saskia van Meijenfeldt's death. I would again like to refer to the statement to be made by the representative of Portugal.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100 (2000) · source
“We agree with all speakers who have pointed out that atrocities of this nature will continue to occur as long as they can be committed with impunity. Accordingly, we reiterate our call that all such incidents must be properly investigated not only so that those responsible may be brought to justice, but also so that, within the United Nations system, maximum benefit may be drawn from lessons learned. We were struck by Ms. Bertini's description of the dilemma which arises when risks approach a threshold at which they become unacceptable, while, on the other hand, calling off the operation would mean that innocent civilians would die. We are acutely aware of this dilemma and of the phenomenon that, as a result of protracted exposure to danger, this threshold tends to creep upwards.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100 (2000) · source
“My delegation, like those of France and the United Kingdom, endorses the statement that will be made by the representative of Portugal on behalf of the European Union. The protection of United Nations, associated and humanitarian personnel is a subject of high priority for the delegation of the Netherlands, and we are grateful to the Argentine presidency for having convened this open meeting on the subject. We owe it to your delegation's initiative, Sir, that this morning we had the benefit of hearing the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Ms. Bertini, describe the enormous risks to which humanitarian workers are exposed. My delegation was touched by the warm words she devoted to Ms. Saskia van Meijenfeldt, who was shot, execution-style, in Burundi.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100 (2000) · source
“Given the request for international involvement contained in the Lome Peace Agreement, we feel that the Council has the responsibility to see to it that, on this matter too, the letter and the spirit of the accord are respected so that Sierra Leone's rich resources can at last fuel peace and prosperity instead of civil war.”
2000-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4098 (2000) · source
“With regard to this last point, my delegation would like to make the following observation: the impressive activities of Ambassador Fowler as Chairman of the Angola sanctions Committee have opened our eyes to the alarming extent to which natural resources can fuel a conflict. One is almost inclined to conclude that some African countries are blessed with the absence of mineral resources. That, of course, is not a very practical and operational conclusion, but it points at the existence of a real problem. My delegation would welcome an exchange of views on this subject in general. It is clearly also relevant in the West African context.”
2000-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4098 (2000) · source
“The mechanism called for in that Agreement must be set up and made fully operational. This applies in particular to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but also to the Commission of the Management of Strategic Resources, National Reconstruction and Development (CMRRD). The reorganization of the diamond mining sector recently announced by the Chairman of CMRRD must be in full compliance with article VII, paragraph 6, of the Lome Agreement. The Commission must ensure that the proceeds are used for the development of Sierra Leone, particularly public education, public health, infrastructure development and compensation for incapacitated war victims, as well as post-war reconstruction and development.”
2000-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4098 (2000) · source
“The parties, especially the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP), must make every effort to speed up the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process and to encourage more ex-combatants to lay down their arms. The recent meeting of the Joint Monitoring Committee characterized the success of the DDR as minimal. Parties, especially the RUFP, must refrain from hostile acts against the United Nations and humanitarian workers. They must also put an end to defamatory public statements directed against the United Nations and UNAMSIL that endanger the peace process. Those who continue to terrorize the civilian population of Sierra Leone must realize that the amnesty of the Peace Agreement does not extend to atrocities committed after the signing of the Lorne Agreement.”
2000-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4098 (2000) · source
“By filling this gap, the Council will enable the United Nations to continue to assist the parties in implementing what they agreed upon in Lome on 7 July 1999, but the draft resolution rightly underlines that the responsibility for the success of the peace process ultimately lies with the parties themselves. In the draft resolution, the Council reiterates its call upon the parties to fulfil all their commitments under the Lome Peace Agreement, but some important elements of the peace process have encountered dangerous delays. The momentum and promise of Lome must be upheld. In particular, the following is now required.”
2000-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4098 (2000) · source
“We are grateful to Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his realistic and hardly reassuring briefing. The draft resolution we are about to adopt is a very sobering one. It plainly lists the major shortcomings in the implementation of the Lome Peace Agreement before focusing on the immediate problem of the withdrawal of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). This is the correct order. The Security Council is called upon to enable the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to take over essential tasks under Chapter VII of the Charter that were previously carried out courageously and in the spirit of sacrifice by ECOMOG troops from Nigeria, Guinea and Ghana.”
2000-02-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4098 (2000) · source
“We welcome the commitment of that Government to bring those responsible for human rights abuses to justice through Indonesia's national judicial system. We agree with Mr. Vieira de Mello that the United Nations owes East Timor a debt and that, therefore, we must try to turn the whole operation of UNTAET into a paradigm of nation-building. Another argument for aiming that high is that the East Timor crisis was handled from beginning to end on a consensus basis. No Security Council action is ever perfect, and I would not call our handling of the East Timor crisis a paradigm of Security Council intervention, but the issue never left the Council and, therefore, never needed to be brought back to the Council. Against that positive background, there is all the more reason to make East Timor a success all the way. Mr.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“We are also disappointed that border incidents continue despite the memorandum signed by the Indonesian armed forces (TNI), the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) and UNTAET providing for cooperation in the border area and formalizing the deployment of United Nations border liaison teams. In this connection, we were interested to hear Mr. Vieira de Mello refer to his contacts with General Kiki Syahnakri, the Governor of West Timor, and we are interested to learn more about his assessment of this situation as well. It is clear that all delegations agree that those responsible for human rights abuses must be brought to justice. That is also the View of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“We are satisfied about the good cooperation between the United Nations, international organizations, non- governmental organizations and donor countries. With the Secretary-General, we welcome the positive developments in the relationship between Indonesia and East Timor. It is clear that some negative aspects remain, and they all seem to be related somehow to the poor state of the economy. The increase of the crime rate and the re- emergence of long-standing conflicts within East Timorese society both seem to have to do with that. The situation in the camps in West Timor continues to be intolerable. It is not acceptable that the militias still operate there and that the access of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is restricted.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“We also welcome the work of the National Consultative Council in the five sessions that have taken place, the close cooperation between the United Nations Transitional Administration in East T imor (UNTAET) and the East Timorese, the recruitment of local staff and the beginning of the transition from the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) to the military component of UNTAET. Two weeks ago, Senator Jesse Helms gave us fair warning about his southern accent, but I am beginning to believe that it takes a southern accent to properly pronounce the acronym of UNTAET. I also welcome the fact that UNTAET is giving priority to increasing employment, provision of basic needs such as water, food and accommodation and to reintegration of refugees.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“I associate myself with the words of welcome addressed to you and the words of gratitude addressed to your predecessor. My delegation is grateful to Mr. Vieira de Mello for his impressive briefing, which supplements the already very informative report of the Secretary-General. We welcome the positive developments described in the report and the briefing, such as the improved security situation. It is no small matter that "for most people", to quote the report, "there is now no threat of violence" (S/2000/53, para.2).”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“My delegation has the greatest confidence in Mr. Mandela. As the first democratically elected President of South Africa, he personifies everything that is new in Africa. As such, he seems more qualified than anyone else to convince the Burundian delegations when he invites them, as he did in Arusha, to join the modern world. In conclusion, I join the representatives of Argentina and Jamaica in calling on the Government of Burundi to take effective action in identifying, apprehending and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the murders of United Nations personnel in Rutana last October.”
2000-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4091 (2000) · source
“We have very little to add to what has been said by delegations that spoke before us. We are concerned at the ongoing violence in Burundi. We warmly welcome the designation of Nelson Mandela as the new Facilitator of the Arusha peace process. We do not consider the involuntary resettlement or regroupment of rural populations an acceptable way to address the security situation in Burundi, but we do believe that Burundi has the right to be safeguarded from cross- border attacks by armed insurgents. The Netherlands has supported the Arusha peace process in the past. As an expression of our continuing support, we have decided to contribute another $250,000. Following a rather gloomy year - as far as progress in the peace process is concerned - this decision was greatly facilitated by the appointment of Mr. Mandela as the new Facilitator.”
2000-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4091 (2000) · source
“The most convincing argument for giving that division a broad mandate and for not limiting its tasks to the area of humanitarian assistance and capacity-building is that human rights monitoring is an essential ingredient of, in the words of the Secretary- General, "the normalization of life in the country and the pursuit of an effective national reconciliation process". (S/2000/23, para. 30)”
2000-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4090 (2000) · source
“All parties should now work for an all-inclusive solution through dialogue. We were pleased to learn from the Vice-Minister of External Relations of Angola, Mr. Chicoti, that the Status-of-Mission Agreement for the United Nations Office in Angola is being ratified today. We agree with the representative of Ukraine that the Council must never leave the impression that it favours military solutions over political solutions, and my delegation does not often in this Council welcome military successes. But our ability to do so now in the case of Angola is greatly facilitated by the Government's willingness to accept the continuing presence of a human rights division in what is now to be called the United Nations Office in Angola.”
2000-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4090 (2000) · source
“The Government has displayed wisdom in making it plain that, in its view, the Lusaka Protocol remains a valid basis for the Angolan peace process, and in granting to all Savimbi supporters who surrender to Government forces the right to conduct political activities. It may, however, be necessary to ask an even higher degree of wisdom of the Angolan Government, for it is not just a matter of allowing individual defectors to play a role in politics. What is needed is a recognition that, despite Mr. Savimbi's lamentable role, UNITA as such continues to be a factor in Angolan society, and that this fact has to be taken into account, entirely in accordance with the original intention of the Lusaka Protocol. If the Government affirms that the Lusaka Protocol remains a valid basis for the peace process, that is what it must mean.”
2000-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4090 (2000) · source
“My delegation can subscribe to the full text of the troika statement as read out by Ambassador Lavrov. Obviously, we also endorse the European Union statement. Both those statements reaffirm that UNITA, under the leadership of Mr. Jonas Savimbi, bears the primary responsibility for the protracted conflict in Angola, owing to its refusal to comply with its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol. Against that background, we cannot but welcome the recent extension of State administration as a result of a military operation which was forced upon the Government by UNITA. At the same time, we commend the Government for not getting carried away by its good fortune on the battlefield and for continuing to realize that only a political solution can restore peace to Angola.”
2000-01-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4090 (2000) · source
“Ogata is whether she feels the Security Council can contribute to the search for comprehensive solutions for assisting and protecting all people who leave their homes fleeing war and persecution. The natural and obvious focus of the Security Council will, of course, continue to be on preventing, containing and resolving conflicts. Mrs. Ogata correctly observed that human action cannot substitute for Governments and the Security Council, which have a clear responsibility in these fields. In that respect, we have taken due note of what Mrs. Ogata said about the need for us to move from issuing statements to taking action.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“If I am not mistaken, this is an issue that has also become more complex due to the shift to which I have just referred. In the classical refugee situation, the problem was relatively simple. Voluntary repatriation was always the best solution, but if there was the slightest flaw in the voluntary nature of the return, it became the worst solution and was then called refoulement. We would like to hear from Mrs. Ogata if we are right in assuming that this issue has become less straightforward in a situation involving internally displaced persons. It is probably not a field where the Security Council can be of help, apart from calling attention to the problem, but my question to Mrs.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“We are aware of the shift that is taking place in the ratio of refugees in the classical sense to internally displaced persons. We are also aware of the complexity, which was already referred to by Ambassador Greenstock, of assisting civilians in their own countries where their own Government may well be the cause of their predicament. It is clear that this category is bound to grow in a world where the majority of armed conflicts are of an internal nature. Several aspects, such as humanitarian access, which has been mentioned by several speakers, for which practical arrangements exist in classical refugee situations, often require entirely new solutions in a situation involving internally displaced persons. Another instance of this phenomenon may be the question of voluntary repatriation.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“All this corresponds with my delegation's view on the desirability of an integrated approach. As a result of this direct style, Mrs. Ogata's statements never fail to contain elements that may be less than pleasant for certain delegations to hear, but the redeeming factor here is that the spread of her critical comments is always so global that every delegation gets its turn when Mrs. Ogata takes the floor. We can only commend her for this. This is the way it should be, and I believe, Mr. President, that it corresponds with the format you have in mind for the open meetings during the American presidency. We have listened with great attention to Mrs. Ogata's comments on the absence of an established mechanism for the assistance and particularly the protection of the internally displaced.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“We too would like to thank Mrs. Ogata for her briefing, which was true to her style in its directness and precision. My delegation greatly appreciates Mrs. Ogata's virtual inability to express herself in the vague terms we so often hear in this Chamber and her unwillingness to cover unacceptable situations with the cloak of charity. We also endorse Mrs. Ogata's right to speak about purely political issues such as the need to revitalize and strengthen the Arusha peace process in Burundi, the frightful repercussions she foresees for the Democratic Republic of the Congo if the Lusaka Agreement should not be implemented and the need for the Security Council to strengthen its support for the Organization of African Unity (OAU) initiative towards the solution of the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict.”
2000-01-13 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4089 (2000) · source
“According to reports from UNAIDS and the Harvard AIDS Institute, the Netherlands is the second largest donor worldwide in both absolute terms and on a per capita basis. Our contributions are made available both in a multilateral and in a bilateral context. Bilateral AIDS programmes exist with Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and Zambia. In addition, an AIDS component is integrated into basic health care activities supported by the Netherlands. It is understood that the Netherlands subscribes to the statement the representative of Portugal will deliver on behalf of the European Union.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Soldiers and displaced civilians on the move are important sources of HIV dissemination, and in areas of conflict the fight against HIV/AIDS is particularly difficult. According to a UNAIDS report, the degree of HIV infection among military personnel may well be two to five times higher than that of the civilian population. Therefore, if the Security Council is expected to contribute to increased awareness, it might usefully concentrate on this particular aspect of the problem and call on all African States to demonstrate their commitment to combating AIDS by focusing on the armed forces under their command. Let the awareness and the responsibility and the discipline start with the military. The Netherlands will continue to contribute to the battle against AIDS - especially in Africa - at at least the current level.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Yet when we ask ourselves what the Security Council can do - and we understand this is the first question you want us to address - we are inclined to conclude that strengthening awareness has to be our primary objective. My delegation does not need to be convinced that the impact of AIDS is a legitimate subject for an open meeting of the Security Council. The interface between AIDS and conflict in Africa seems to be obvious. AIDS is a health problem, but it is one that devastates whole economies, overwhelms entire public health systems and ultimately tends to destroy the very fabric of complete societies. As such it is responsible for an unprecedented degree of gloom and despair, which in itself is one of the most virulent seeds of conflict. Conversely, conflicts clearly have an accelerating effect on the spread of AIDS.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“But we agree with you, Sir, that after the statements we have just heard from the Secretary-General, from Vice- President Gore, from World Bank President Wolfensohn, from United Nations Development Programme Administrator Malloch Brown, from Executive Director Piot of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and from the Ministers of Health of Namibia, Uganda and Zimbabwe, there is really no need for a further description of the unspeakable tragedy that afflicts Africa. In that respect virtually everything has been said, not only today but also quite recently during the meeting on the International Partnership against AIDS in Africa.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“You have invited us, Mr. President, to be brief and to the point in our statements and to concentrate on what Member States or the international community as a Whole can do to address the devastating impact of AIDS in Africa. We will of course comply with your wish, but we do so with some hesitation, for anyone who speaks about AIDS in Africa feels an urge to show that he is aware of the almost unimaginable scale of this humanitarian emergency. To that end, he is tempted to highlight at least some of the mind-boggling statistics about the impact of AIDS in making his own contribution to the debate.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source