YouSaid · the spoken record

Viinanen

lines on the record: 140
first: 2009-04-21
most recent: 2012-10-16
sittings or episodes: 20
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

“1 have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. First, allow me to thank Japan for its long-term commitment to improving the working methods of the Security Council. This debate on the implementation of the presidential note contained in document S/2006/507 is welcome and timely. We also appreciate the tireless and constructive efforts of the group of five small countries on this issue. The Security Council has the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. In fulfilling that task, maximum transparency and interaction with the wider membership of the United Nations is of paramount importance. Improving working methods enhances the Council's legitimacy as it acts on behalf of all States Members of the United Nations. Transparency plays a key role.”
2010-04-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6300 (2010) · source
“As contributors to the broader peacebuilding architecture, we must recommit to that agenda, including by promoting and applying a whole-Government approach, however difficult and challenging that may be.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“That includes a more coordinated approach from the United Nations intergovernmental bodies, better integration of all relevant United Nations actors and improved coordination between the United Nations and other organizations, such as the international financial institutions. That requires leadership that is able to cut through turf battles. The Nordic countries encourage the Secretary-General and the Security Council to continue to demonstrate proactive leadership in their efforts to achieve that. Finally, as Member States, we must also look at our own responsibilities. Coordination begins at home. We need to speak with one voice at all levels and pursue a consistent peacebuilding policy in the various multilateral and bilateral settings.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“It goes without saying - even though I am saying it - that women, who make up more than half of the population, should be fully included in all peacebuilding and political processes from the beginning. When the going gets difficult, and it will, it is the role of the international community to stay focused on the goal of inclusive national ownership while accepting necessary risks, including financial ones. That is mutual accountability and partnership with a society recovering from a conflict. Coordination is another key pillar of mutual accountability. Countries recovering from conflict have to be able to expect a coordinated and supportive approach from the international community.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“That is why the review of the Peacebuilding Commission must focus on delivering added value at the national level and assess whether the United Nations peacebuilding architecture is sufficiently able to foster and promote nationally owned and coordinated peacebuilding efforts. The role of the international community, in our view, should be to ensure not only the principle of national ownership but also national accountability to the local population. While supporting transitional governmental structures, the international community should act as a guarantor of the emergence of truly inclusive political processes. Civil society needs to be supported and genuinely consulted.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“No peacebuilding policy will be valid in all post- conflict situations. What builds peace in one country does not necessarily build peace in another. International assistance to post-conflict countries must build on an understanding of the country context and allow for more flexibility and adaptability. The international community must move away from imposing unrealistic expectations and timelines for sweeping reforms, keeping in mind that sustainable peace requires a holistic long-term vision and resilience to stay on course. National ownership built on an inclusive and transparent political process is the basis for effective peacebuilding interventions.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“Building sustainable peace requires much more than a short-term strategy for security, political stability and the initial dividends of economic recovery. Sustainable peace requires that the foundations of a peaceful society are restored and that a State be accountable to its people. It requires respect for the fundamental rights of each individual, professional and trustworthy rule of law and security institutions and a social compact based on an inclusive and transparent reconciliation process. The current approach to peacebuilding falls well short of that vision. Mandates and strategies tend to concentrate on short-term deliverables, because ensuring measurable progress on security and political stability is so difficult. But we must try and, in so doing, we must acknowledge the diversity of post- conflict situations.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“The Nordic countries will continue to stay actively engaged in the review process. However, peacebuilding is not confined to the PBC alone, but also embraces the much broader scope of policies, interventions and processes, as this debate demonstrates. Indeed, it is very much a collaborative effort of the whole United Nations and beyond. Most important, it is a national task of the country recovering from conflict. We look forward to the discussion later this year on the results of the implementation of recommendations in the Secretary- General's report on Peacebuilding (S/2009/304). Allow me to highlight a few points that the Nordic countries believe are important for the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, and for peacebuilding more generally. Peace is much more than the mere absence of violence.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries, namely, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Let me join others in thanking Japan for organizing this timely debate, and the Ministers for their valuable remarks. Five years ago, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan observed that there was a gaping hole in the United Nations institutional machinery. No part of the United Nations system effectively addressed the challenge of helping countries with the transition from war to lasting peace. Member states agreed with Mr. Annan's observation. The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Peacebuilding Fund were established. This year, we are assessing how well they have filled that gap and how to improve common peacebuilding efforts.”
2010-04-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6299Resumption1 (2010) · source
“We find it encouraging that at its most recent session, the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations addressed for the first time the issue of the protection of civilians in its report (A/63/ 19). We find the increased interaction between this Council and the troop- and police-contributing countries, as well as the work of the Special Committee, crucial in getting wide support from Member States for an enhanced protection role for the United Nations peacekeeping operations. We hope that with the New Horizon and other ongoing reform initiatives as a basis, Member States will be able to make progress on this important issue this year in order to give the women and men serving in the United Nations missions the guidance and tools they need to carry out their courageous task of protecting civilians in the midst of a conflict.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We hope that the ongoing efforts to reform United Nations peacekeeping will help to tackle the gap between the mandates and resources, expectations and available capacity. Also, a shared view of what protection of civilians really means is needed. In our view, effective protection requires a comprehensive approach that includes troops and police units that can be called upon in critical situations and have clear guidance on how to tackle the situation. It includes long term monitoring and protection of human rights, as well as activities aimed at building the rule of law and in support of security sector reform. It also means ensuring that humanitarian actors can carry out their work based on principles of neutrality and impartiality.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“At the same time, active participation of women at all levels of decision making - in times of conflict and in times of peace - remains the best tool for preventing violence from happening in the first place. Peacekeeping operations are one of the most important tools available to the United Nations to protect civilians in armed conflict. The Security Council's thematic resolutions, the aide-memoire (S/PRST/2009/ 1, annex) and the inclusion of protection activities in the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping missions have been important steps forward. However, at the same time, the gap between the words on the protection mandates and their actual implementation seems to have grown. The New Horizon initiative outlines the protection of civilians as one of the cross-cutting peacekeeping tasks.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Such violence is to be universally condemned and countered as a fundamental violation of the right of every child to life and development. With regard to violence against women in armed conflict, Finland wishes to express its support for the recent advances made by the Security Council with resolutions 1888 (2009) and 1889 (2009). We consider extremely important the timely appointment of a special representative of the Secretary-General to lead the United Nations efforts in addressing sexual violence in armed conflict. There is an urgent need for coherent and strategic leadership, for enhanced data gathering and reporting methods and for an operational rapid response team.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Already in the Secretary-General's very first report on the protection of civilians (S/l999/957), children and women were identified as requiring special protection measures. Finland continues to fully agree with that assessment, and we would like to express our support for the work done by this Council and by all parts of the United Nations system in the thematic areas of women, peace and security and children and armed conflict. This year we commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Its principles should also guide us when it comes to the protection of children in armed conflict. Finland is highly concerned about the increasing number of attacks against schools and violence directed at children - especially girls - attending schools in many parts of the world.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Finland is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court and is satisfied to see its first trial fully underway and a second one about to begin. We call once again on all Member States to ratify the Rome Statute in order to achieve its true universality. We urge the Security Council to use all means at its disposal, including sanctions, to compel compliance by all parties with their obligations. We also wish to emphasize the role of the United Nations human rights machinery. The Security Council should continue to make even better use of the available information, in order to receive comprehensive, accurate and detailed reporting on those issues. We believe that that would further enhance the Council's ability to take timely and informed action in specific situations.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We must strive to achieve universal compliance with the rules contained in the Conventions and their additional protocols. That includes establishing strong mechanisms of accountability in cases of violations. The price paid by the perpetrators or those who allow atrocities to occur should be as high as the price paid every day, for the rest of their lives, by the innocent victims of those violations. Effective and united action against impunity for such crimes sends a clear message: violations against civilians will not be tolerated. Such actions are needed when a conflict is still going on but also when the parties come to the table to discuss peace and the question of amnesty and reconciliation. We need to be clear that there can be no sustainable peace without the rule of law and justice.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“First, the fight against impunity is crucial in preventing violations of humanitarian and human rights law from happening in the first place. Secondly, children and women deserve special protection in times of conflict and the mechanisms established to that end need to be made operational as soon as possible. Thirdly, the New Horizon initiative is crucial in getting wide support from Member States for an enhanced protection role of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, so badly needed in many parts of the world. Today, 60 years after their adoption, the Geneva Conventions have achieved universal recognition, but we are painfully aware that that has not ensured effective compliance with, or enforcement and implementation of, humanitarian law. Instead, those norms are all too frequently violated with impunity.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Finland attaches particular importance to this debate. It marks not only the tenth anniversary of the first consideration by the Security Council of the issue of the protection of civilians, but also a step forward with the adoption earlier today of resolution 1894 (2009). We congratulate the Austrian presidency of the Security Council for its leadership in steering the work of the Council to ensure better protection for civilians in armed conflict. I would like to make a few additional remarks apart from the statement already delivered by the representative of Sweden on behalf of the European Union, with which Finland fully associates itself. I would like to concentrate on expressing our strong commitment to the following three elements.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Ensuring full participation and rights of women and girls is the best way to prevent sexual violence, and the mandate of the new special representative should be put in place with that in mind. Moreover, we need indicators for tracking what has or has not been done. In that regard, we are delighted that the new resolution sets a timeline for the development of global indicators. However, indicators need to be complemented with a mechanism for monitoring compliance and with the political will to make the cost of non-compliance much higher than it is today. Ultimately, the cost of excluding women from peacemaking and peacebuilding is peace itself.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“There has been progress in its implementation, but a lot of work remains to be done before our commitments are fulfilled. The unanimous decision by the General Assembly, in its resolution 63/311, to create a new gender entity was long awaited worldwide. Now we must set up the ambitious goal of having the new entity up and running by mid-2010. This will be a key step forward in enhancing the effective contribution by the United Nations to the promotion of women's rights and participation worldwide, including in conflict and post- conflict situations. The recent adoption of resolution 1888 (2009) and its request for the appointment of a special representative of the Secretary-General to provide leadership and improve coherence and coordination of United Nations action against sexual violence in conflict was a major step forward.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We commend the Secretary-General for his efforts to increase the number of women in senior leadership positions, and we encourage him to break even more ground in the years to come. We welcome the call, in the resolution just adopted, to the Secretary-General to develop a strategy to that end. The Secretary General should ensure that all his envoys and representatives include women in all formal peace processes they lead. They should actively seek the views of women also outside of the formal negotiations. Furthermore, we encourage the United Nations, together with the World Bank and relevant regional organisations, to include a requirement for women's participation in the standards of post-conflict needs assessments and to track gender- specific budget allocations. Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000).”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“To that end, Finland, together with Liberia, convened the International Colloquium for Women's Empowerment, Leadership, Development and International Peace and Security in Monrovia last March. The United Nations plays a unique role in conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. However, during the 60 years of United Nations peacekeeping, no more than seven women have served as Special Representatives of the Secretary-General in the field. No woman has ever been nominated as a lead mediator in a peace process led by the United Nations. This has to change. We, the United Nations Member States, need to ensure that the change takes place. We urge the United Nations to lead by example.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Yet, women are still too often left out of the peace negotiations and the following processes where priorities and budgets for early recovery and peacebuilding are planned and decided upon. Finland emphasises the right of women to fully participate in post-conflict peacebuilding. We do not only need to make sure that we have women present at the table at all levels of decision- making. We should consider working towards agreeing on international standards regarding participation of women and men in peace and post-conflict processes. We also need to make sure that women can fully use their potential, skills and leadership to foster quick and sustainable recovery and peacebuilding.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Mr. President, you have chosen a very pertinent focus for this open debate on women and peace and security. Building sustainable peace requires much more than the mere absence of violence. Restoration of the rule of law, the local economy and basic services should be the priority in any post-conflict situation. This should happen alongside meeting the obvious need to ensure everyone's physical safety and security, which includes freedom from fear of sexual violence or harassment. After a violent conflict, women are often the best experts in identifying the most crucial needs of their communities. Their experience, knowledge and determination are needed for the markets to start buzzing with life again, for the children to go to school and for the community to heal.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“The representative of Sweden has already spoken on behalf of the European Union presidency, and I associate myself fully with his statement. I have the honour of making a few additional remarks. Nine years ago, the Security Council adopted resolution 1325 (2000) for the protection of women, for their participation and for the promotion of their rights in conflict and post-conflict situations. Last year, the Council adopted resolution 1820 (2008), condemning sexual violence as a tactic of war, and last week it adopted resolution 1888 (2009) to further strengthen the United Nations response to sexual violence in conflict. We welcome recent developments and the resolution adopted today, resolution 1889 (2009), which draws our attention to the crucial question of women's empowerment and participation in conflict and post-conflict situations.”
2009-10-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6196Resumption1 (2009) · source
“This year we commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We call for universal adherence and implementation of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols. The Nordic countries would like to reiterate their encouragement to the Security Council and to the entire United Nations system to give children in armed conflict the attention they deserve and to constantly seek the most effective means to improve their situation. Institutional prerogatives or procedural traditions should never stand in the way of concrete action.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“The growing incidence of attacks on schools recounted in the Secretary-General's report is of deep concern to the Nordic countries. We call upon United Nations country teams, peacekeepers and Governments to actively negotiate among community stakeholders and parties to armed conflict to designate schools as safe sanctuaries. In concluding, the Nordic countries wish to express their deep concern with the unacceptable suffering of children in the military end game in northern Sri Lanka. The ongoing recruitment of children into the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as well as the fact that civilians continue to be prevented from leaving the war zone, fill us with dread. We urge the Government of Sri Lanka to protect all the civilians in the area, especially children, in accordance with its obligations under humanitarian law.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Moreover, we urge the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict to use the full range of measures at its disposal, especially when it comes to persistent perpetrators. We call upon the Council to ensure that interaction and cooperation among the Working Group and the sanctions committees is made more speedy and effective, and to use the most effective measures at its disposal, including targeted sanctions. The Council should refer violations against children in armed conflict to the ICC for investigation and prosecution when national Governments fail to carry out their responsibility to protect those children. At the same time, we wish to recall that the rule of law, including a functioning judicial system at the national level, is a necessary condition for peace and stability.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“The prohibition on recruiting or using child soldiers must be matched by effective implementation at the domestic level. The Nordic countries again wish to emphasize the need for all parties to armed conflicts to present concrete, time-bound action plans ending and preventing the recruitment of child soldiers. Among the greatest challenges we face is that of impunity. The first case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to have proceeded to trial phase, the one against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, is a milestone in the efforts to end impunity for the use of child soldiers. The Nordic countries call on all States to become parties to the Rome Statute and to effectively implement its provisions in their national legislations.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“In spite of their often limited resources and the most dangerous working conditions, local non-governmental organizations provide invaluable information and concrete action that no other actor could provide with such intensity, reach and effectiveness. We note with deep appreciation the support provided by civil society organizations in developing more effective policies and other tools to protect children in armed conflict. We welcome the emphasis of the Secretary-General on cooperation with non-State actors. Recruitment and use of children by armed groups is a persistent problem and a reason for deep concern. The recruitment of boys and girls to take part in hostilities is a violation of international law and a war crime in both international and non-international armed conflicts.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“For example, synergies should be established between the monitoring mechanisms established to support the implementation of resolution 1612 (2005) and resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008) on women, peace and security and the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. We would like to express our satisfaction with the work undertaken by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in designing a global policy on child protection advisers and in mainstreaming child protection issues in the work of the peacekeeping and political missions of the United Nations. We look forward to the implementation of that policy by rolling it out to the field. The Nordic countries strongly commend the efforts of civil society.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“As the Secretary-General's report shows, they are particularly vulnerable to gender-based and sexual violence perpetrated by all sides in conflicts, sometimes even by the peacekeepers who are supposed to safeguard them. The united condemnation of such crimes by the international community has been heartening. However, urgent and forceful action is still required. The Nordic countries fully endorse the recommendation that the Security Council expand, at a minimum, the criteria that trigger listing in the annexes to this report to include rape and other grave sexual violence. The efforts to monitor and address gender-based and sexual violence and other grave violations set out in resolution 1612 (2005) could benefit from increasing interaction and collaboration among the United Nations and regional actors.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We fully endorse the report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (S/2009/ l 5 8) and the recommendations made therein. All forms of violence against children must be condemned. Each of the six categories of grave violations set out in resolution 1612 (2005) must be addressed with equal vigour. Rape and other forms of sexual violence are heinous crimes. In addition to the immediate physical, mental and emotional damage, they often cause lasting harm to sexual and reproductive health. They spread HIV and other serious diseases. They cause disabilities that diminish the capacity for learning, safe parenthood and social interaction. All too often, it is the victim who is stigmatized while the perpetrator escapes punishment. Girls and women constitute the largest group of victims in armed conflict.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this open debate on children and armed conflict. This debate is about our children and grandchildren. There cannot be a more important matter than this. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the five Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Children bear the heaviest burden of armed conflict, although they are the least responsible for it. The Nordic countries would like to reiterate their deep gratitude for the tireless efforts made by the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict to record violations against children, to bring them to the attention of the international community, to call the perpetrators to account and to make proposals for concrete action to monitor the violence and to bring relief to the children who are suffering.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We hope that the forthcoming report of the Secretary-General on early recovery and peacebuilding will provide concrete recommendations in making the United Nations system more coherent in the area of early peacebuilding. Finland has a long tradition in international peace mediation. The Nobel Peace Prize of President Martti Ahtisaari is a testimony of our commitment to that challenging task. At the same time, that highly appreciated Nobel Prize is recognition for the valuable efforts of the United Nations in peace mediation. We believe that the United Nations should strive to groom its internal capacity for mediation. The Secretary- General could create a concrete plan on how to prepare the next generation to follow the steps of previous eminent United Nations peace negotiators.”
2009-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6108Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We emphasize once again the need to fully implement Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and draw the attention of the Council to the recommendations of the recent International Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development and International Peace and Security, which was jointly chaired by the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and the Finnish President, Tarja Halonen. The successful act of mediation is not concluded by the signature of a peace agreement. As stated by the Secretary-General, mediation must be followed by immediate post-conflict peacebuilding efforts, notably in the areas of police, rule of law, democracy, human rights, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform.”
2009-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6108Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Local ownership is essential for effective and sustainable mediation results, as local actors are most aware of the actual situations, conditions and sensitivities. In order to build sustainable peace and security, there is also a need for increased attention to women's equal and active participation in the mediation and peace negotiations. In conflict situations women are capable and powerful actors, and they should be encouraged to actively participate in the settlement of disputes. Up to now, no more than eight women have served as high-level United Nations representatives in the field. We agree with the Secretary-General that that is not enough.”
2009-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6108Resumption1 (2009) · source
“The European Union, while learning from the valuable experience provided by the United Nations, is developing its own capacities for peace mediation. Also, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has developed versatile tools for conflict resolution. In the light of the current Security Council agenda, particular attention has to be paid to Africa. Finland strongly supports the strengthening of the African Union's mediation capacity. For that purpose, we are providing â‚¬2.9 million to finance a joint project on enhancing the African Union's mediation capacity. Against that background, we cannot but encourage the United Nations to further engage in dialogue and cooperation with regional and subregional organizations.”
2009-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6108Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Mediation and settlement of disputes lie at the very core of the United Nations, and especially of the Security Council, with its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Finland supports United Nations mediation efforts and stresses the importance of enhancing the capacities for mediation available within the United Nations framework. Hence, we warmly welcome the role and active input of the Mediation Support Unit of the Department of Political Affairs, which provides 3 important expertise for the mediation efforts of the United Nations and its partners. While the United Nations has traditionally occupied the leading role in international conflict mediation, regional and subregional partners are assuming growing responsibility in that field, as my colleague from South Africa just mentioned.”
2009-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6108Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We wish to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this debate on this important issue. Similarly, we thank the Secretary- General for his valuable report (S/2009/189) on mediation and its support activities. We trust that this report will start a process that leads to more structured and professional mediation activities not only of the United Nations Secretariat, but also in support of Member States, regional organizations and civil society. Finland aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the representative of the Czech Republic on behalf of the European Union. In addition, I have the honour of presenting some additional national views.”
2009-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6108Resumption1 (2009) · source