YouSaid · the spoken record

Wensley

lines on the record: 215
first: 1998-06-06
most recent: 2001-07-30
sittings or episodes: 19
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

“The Council has delivered on its commitments and responsibilities so far. It must not fail the East Timorese in the coming critical phase.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It is our belief that, with continuing commitment and careful and prudent management, the United Nations can fulfil its substantial responsibility to establish, beyond independence, a fully functioning, democratic and viable State. If we maintain a steady course and if we continue to make the right decisions now and over the coming months, that will be the result. And I would point out that if we succeed, that outcome will have been achieved in a short space of time, from the minimum imaginable starting point - what Sergio Vieira de Mello described this morning as such a bleak beginning - less than two years ago, and in the face of very obvious and very considerable challenges. It is within our grasp and the grasp of members of the Council to deliver that outcome to the people of East Timor.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“A substantial proportion of our bilateral assistance now and in the future will be devoted to capacity-building in areas which we see as critical to the future independent East Timor administration. The sort of things I am talking about are technical assistance to develop the central fiscal authority, including the preparation of sound budgetary and taxation frameworks; building capacity to plan and manage future elections; and assistance in developing legislative processes and support services and in training senior civil service managers. So far, the process of managing the East Timor transition has been a conspicuous success for the United Nations.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The Arrangement should provide the future independent East Timor with a very substantial and long-term revenue flow to support its development. But, as emphasized by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General this morning, that does not obviate the need for prudent financial and economic planning. An early priority for the incoming East Timorese administration should be to engage donors and the international financial institutions, which contribute to its overall budget, in the development of a medium-term economic framework. In addition to its significant contribution to East Timor's future through the Timor Sea Arrangement, my Government is committed to a substantial bilateral assistance programme to reduce poverty and to build East Timorese capacity to govern a peaceful, democratic, independent nation.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The international community will need to work to support much-needed capacity- building in the justice sector. We also encourage a coordinated approach by UNTAET and the East Timorese to the interrelated issues of justice and reconciliation in order to maximize the prospects of satisfactory results in both of these vital areas. Australia continues to expend considerable energy and resources, both through the United Nations and bilateral channels, to support the transition and the establishment of a viable independent State in East Timor. The recent conclusion of the new Timor Sea Arrangement between Australia, East Timor and the United Nations, to govern petroleum development in the Timor Sea, about which the Council heard this morning, is a strong example of that.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We look forward to further intensified efforts by the new Government of Indonesia to bring about a comprehensive solution to the problems, including an end to militia intimidation. Justice, reconciliation and effective accountability are essential elements of long-term stability in East Timor. We continue to attach high priority to progress in all of these areas, both in East Timor and through the Indonesian justice system. We urge the Indonesian authorities to use the recently established ad hoc human rights court to prosecute violations of human rights that occurred in East Timor, both in the lead-up to and after the August 1999 ballot. UNTAET's own investigation of human rights violations is an important component in the achievement of justice for the East Timorese affected by the events of 1999.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Timely decisions by the Council will maximize the prospects of achieving a smooth transition from the pre- to the post-independence United Nations presence, including allowing troop- contributing countries to make their plans on future contributions and to facilitate the recruitment of suitable civilian personnel. We would want the Secretary-General's report in October to provide the Council with the basis to begin to formulate, in a substantial way, the mandate for the future United Nations presence. We continue to monitor closely the problems in the West Timor refugee camps. These obviously affect the security situation along the border and have critical implications for the overall situation in East Timor as a whole. We acknowledge the steps that have been taken by the Government of Indonesia so far to resolve these problems.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The election and the implementation of its results will also mark a very important new phase in this Council's consideration of East Timor. While all subsequent steps, and their timing, must be determined by the political situation on the ground, it is Australia's view that the establishment of the Constituent Assembly, and further decisions on the future shape of the East Timor Administration, should lead us to a point at which concrete decisions on the mandate for a future United Nations presence can start to be framed by the Council.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I want to reiterate what I have said before in this Council and to many colleagues - that development of this strategy and decisions on the peacekeeping force must take full account of the security conditions on the ground. We therefore endorse the Secretary-General's decision to keep the security situation under constant review to enable further recommendations on the future size of the peacekeeping force to be presented in a later report. The 30 August election is a major step towards East Timor's independence. Like others, we encourage all parties to contribute to the peaceful conduct of the elections and to a smooth and fair implementation of the result, and to uphold the commitments they have made in the pact of national unity.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This must be based on a clear strategy and a rationale for the development of the East Timor Police Force as a stand-alone force which will be sustainable financially in the long term. The peacekeeping component of the current and future United Nations presence remains critical to East Timor's successful transition to independence. We welcome very much the Secretary-General's clear and candid assessment of current security conditions in East Timor. It is also our firm view that the maintenance of security on the border between East and West Timor, by a United Nations peacekeeping force, is vital and is linked to all other aspects of the transition process going ahead smoothly. We support the Secretary-General's approach to management of the future size of the peacekeeping force as part of the development of a clear exit strategy.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The transfer of assets from UNTAET to the new Administration will also require sensible decisions and careful planning well in advance of independence. We look forward to receiving more details on the planned reduction in the civilian presence in the Secretary-General's October report. We note and welcome the steady progress in UNTAET's phased plan for the development and training of the East Timor Police Service, and we support the gradual reduction of international assistance, in line with the law and order situation on the ground. We note the Secretary-General's advice on plans for the phased transfer of the international police force to a mentoring and monitoring role as local capacity improves. I noted in particular Sergio Vieira de Mello's emphasis on the mentoring side of things in his presentation this morning.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“All these considerations reinforce our view that a flexible and creative approach to assessed contributions is required. Careful management of the reduction of the current level of United Nations involvement in the successor mission is as important as is careful management of the longer-term transition to a fully functioning Government. This is an issue that requires attention now and in the period after the 30 August election. We encourage UNTAET to continue to focus on its plans for the gradual transfer of responsibility and functions to the East Timorese Administration and the parallel reduction in its own role. It will be important for UNTAET to decide, within the scope of its agreed budget, which functions can be transferred to the East Timorese and sustained in the long term without incurring further costs.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We endorse the Secretary-General's assessment that despite considerable progress in the recruitment of East Timorese civil servants, the administrative systems are new and fragile. In Australia's view, it will be essential to provide further assistance at a senior management level to complete effectively the work of that word that Sergio Vieira de Mello does not like - Timorization - and skills transfer in specific areas. This will be critical to the long-term success of the United Nations mission and will ensure the completion of the original United Nations mandate in East Timor to establish an effective administration. We note also the view of the Secretary-General that this necessary assistance will be limited in time.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The development of an acceptable exit strategy must underpin, and indeed will condition, the continuing post- independence United Nations presence. Australia strongly supports the Secretary-General's message that a flexible approach to planning is needed for all components of the post-independence presence. Decisions on how and when to adjust the United Nations presence must be guided by developments on the ground in East Timor. Again, in our view, this applies to all three components of the successor mission: civilian, civilian police and peacekeeping. On the civilian side, we note the Secretary- General's advice that the United Nations presence after independence should be significantly smaller than it is now.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“While we await the details promised in a further report in October, the Secretary-General's report has indicated that the United Nations successor mission will not be overly ambitious or costly. The international community has a responsibility to deal carefully with a situation that remains fragile and an emerging nation that is clearly yet vulnerable. The credibility of the United Nations, as my colleague Kishore Mahbubani emphasized so eloquently this morning, as the caretaker of East Timor's transition is at stake. Australia welcomes the outline in the Secretary- General's report of the likely shape and size of the overall international post-independence presence in East Timor. This outline takes us a step forward in the development of a clear exit strategy.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The overall costs of the international presence will be considerably less than those which have been necessary to establish the transition process to date. Nevertheless, continuing consistent sources of funding for the three components of civilian administration, civilian police and peacekeeping will be needed if we are to achieve a durable and fully functioning democratic State in East Timor. This will require a flexible and creative approach to the use of assessed contributions. The costs of the continued use of assessed contributions in the immediate post-independence period will be far less than the potential long-term costs if funding is withdrawn prematurely or if funding gaps appear.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“It is Australia's firm view that a continuing United Nations presence after independence should be provided through an integrated mission comprising civilian, civilian police and peacekeeping components under a single Security Council mandate and funded from United Nations assessed contributions. This is the most coherent and practical approach which can be taken to handle the tasks and challenges which still lie ahead. As so many speakers have emphasized today, the size of this successor mission will, naturally, be substantially smaller than UNTAET. As East Timor's capacity in government and administration increases, and as security and stability on the ground improve, the requirement for international support will diminish.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In this respect, we were delighted to see Jose Ramos-Horta here today and I would like to pay the tribute of my Government to him and to the commitment and the effort which the East Timorese people are investing in the establishment of their future nation. In his report, the Secretary-General has reiterated the need for a continuing substantial international presence if there is to be a successful long-term outcome in East Timor. My Government fully endorses this judgement. The solid start which has been made to the transition process must be seen through to its conclusion. The considerable investment in the process must be protected and made to work for a peaceful and sustainable outcome.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I do want to thank the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, for his comprehensive presentation this morning. I also want to extend Australia's continuing thanks to him and to all of the members of UNTAET for their dedication to establishing a solid foundation for East Timor. It is a mark of the progress made so far that an increasing number of East Timorese are involved in this process, including through the East Timor Transitional Administration. The commitment and determination of the East Timorese to develop the skills and capacity they need to govern and administer their own nation are vital ingredients in the continuing transition process.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to contribute to the Council's ongoing consideration of East Timor. We very much welcome your efforts to ensure that this meeting has taken place in a timely fashion and under your own presidency. The overriding interest of the international community is to see the emergence of a stable, secure, prosperous and democratic East Timor governed by an effective administration. The United Nations, as mandated by this Security Council, will continue to have a clear and necessary role in the transition process which will bring that about. Good progress continues to be made, but as we once again assess this progress, informed by the Secretary-General's latest report on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), it is clear that the task is still far from complete.”
2001-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4351Resumption1 (2001) · source
“These improvements include the lifting of the ceiling which previously applied to Iraqi oil exports; expedited approval procedures for many food, agriculture, educational, housing and health items; and increases in the money available to Iraq for expenditure on its oil sector. We welcome evidence that the oil-for-food programme has arrested the decline in Iraqi living standards, but equally we recognize the imperative of further alleviating the predicament of the Iraqi civilian population. We therefore urge the international community to support the additional improvements to the programme currently under consideration. We see this latest effort as an important step forward which will make a difference to the lives of ordinary Iraqi citizens.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“These obligations are clear. Iraq must comply fully with all relevant Security Council resolutions. The Australian Government is concerned at the humanitarian situation in Iraq and is deeply sympathetic to the plight of the Iraqi people. However, United Nations sanctions are not aimed at the ordinary Iraqi person. Every effort has been made by the United Nations and the international community, including Australia, to limit their impact on the Iraqi people. The United Kingdom draft resolution would take us still further in this direction. Australia welcomes the improvements which have been made in the implementation of the oil-for- food programme since its inception, through the passage of resolutions 1284 (1999), 1302 (2000) and 1330 (2000).”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“This has had a destabilizing effect on the region as a whole. The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) has not been able to commence its inspection activities in Iraq, in line with its United Nations mandate. This is most discouraging. Likewise, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is still unable to resume its verification and monitoring activities in Iraq, as mandated by the Security Council. We call upon Iraq to cooperate fully with UNMOVIC and the IAEA to demonstrate its good faith and its willingness to work with the international community. Full implementation of these activities is essential to provide the assurances required by the Security Council. It is our sincere hope that the Iraqi leadership will now take the necessary steps to fulfil its international obligations.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“If the draft resolution were adopted, we would go from a situation in which all imports to Iraq are prohibited unless specifically allowed, to one where all imports are automatically allowed, unless they are on the goods review list. And even items on this list could be approved, depending on their end use. Australia is of the firm view that for any region, including our own, to achieve a positive security environment, it is imperative for the States of that region to meet their international obligations. This is particularly true in respect of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction obligations under Security Council resolutions. Like others, we have been concerned that, for over two years now, it has not been possible to carry out the weapons verification and monitoring work in Iraq as mandated by the United Nations.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open meeting of the Council. Australia remains committed to the full implementation of all Security Council resolutions on Iraq. We support the two principles now guiding the Security Council's approach to Iraq, as set out in resolution 1352 (2001), namely to improve the flow of goods and commodities to Iraq while ensuring that military-related items are not exported to it. Australia welcomes the constructive proposals put forward in the United Kingdom draft resolution, which is based on these two principles. We believe that these proposals, if implemented, would make a significant difference to the flow of civilian goods to Iraq.”
2001-06-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4336Resumption1 (2001) · source
“We cannot afford to do that - not for this Council, not for the United Nations, not for the peacekeepers and humanitarian workers who have died in East and West Timor, and certainly not for the East Timorese, who are counting on the international community and the United Nations to help them build a sound future.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“I must emphasize that UNTAET is a complex and unusual operation, conceived in crisis and founded on a strong political commitment from the international community. If it is to succeed, it needs ongoing commitment and continued, thoughtful planning and management - not just from dedicated people on the ground, like the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and his team, or individuals in the United Nations Secretariat and United Nations agencies, but from the Member States, led by members of this Council. We have the opportunity to get things right if we continue to make careful, measured decisions, based on the facts, based on the situation on the ground and based on objective assessments of what is actually needed. We also have the possibility of getting things wrong.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Australia agrees fully with the Secretary-General's judgement that premature decisions to reduce the United Nations security or civilian presence in East Timor could undermine the considerable efforts and investment which have been made so far and could result in considerable long-term costs for the United Nations - costs which would ultimately be much higher than those the United Nations and the international community will face if we maintain the current steady and prudent approach to the transition. I think it is fair to say that over the past two years the United Nations has played an exceptional role in East Timor. But it is much too early to declare the job done or the commitment to the people of East Timor fulfilled.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Clearly, as we heard so eloquently from Jose Ramos-Horta, this is not viewed by the East Timorese as justice. That certainly could not serve as a deterrent to others; nor could it encourage humanitarian personnel to return to West Timor. The Secretary-General's report makes it very clear that, despite progress so far, there are still many uncertainties as East Timor continues its transition towards independence. I began by welcoming the continuing international commitment to the East Timor transition. I feel compelled to conclude by repeating that this commitment is not only welcome, it is absolutely necessary.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Justice, reconciliation and effective accountability are also essential elements of long-term stability in East Timor. We welcome President Wahid's recent decree establishing an ad hoc human rights court to prosecute human rights Violations in East Timor in 1999, and we urge the Indonesian authorities to include all serious abuses of human rights that occurred both in the lead-up to and after the August 1999 ballot. Here I must add Australia's voice to those we have heard today expressing deep concern that the recent sentences delivered by the North Jakarta district court against those responsible for the deaths of three staff members of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Atambua were in no way commensurate with the gravity of the crimes.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Successful Timorization and capacity-building are both essential to the successful transfer of authority from the United Nations to an effective East Timorese administration. Frankly, not enough progress has been made in this area. For that reason, I was very pleased to hear this morning from Jose' Ramos-Horta about the intention of the East Timorese leadership to intensify this process. Capacity-building in the area of maintenance of law and order, including the gradual establishment of a functioning East Timor police service, is one critical element of the East Timor transition. Australia is committed to the maintenance of a United Nations civilian police presence in East Timor after independence until the achievement of a fully fledged local police service.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Fiscal responsibility is a fundamental element of effective government anywhere, and it will certainly be essential for an effective future East Timorese Government. In this regard, any further expansion of East Timor's budget significantly beyond the level agreed with donors at the Lisbon and Brussels international donors' conferences would be a matter of concern, given the implications for prudent financial management and possible longer-term debt-financing burdens. I have consistently stressed to this Council, in previous discussions on East Timor open to non- members of the Council, the importance of the progressive transfer of responsibility to the East Timorese, which in United Nations terminology has come to be referred to as "Timorization", as the future East Timor Government establishes itself.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“We strongly support the efforts of the working group on post-UNTAET planning and the integrated mission task force to produce an accurate picture of post-independence needs and available resources. The results of these planning efforts will be critical to decisions about the size, scope and administration of, and the financial support for, a post-independence presence. These are all relevant topics for the international donor conference that Australia will be hosting in Canberra in mid-June. That June conference will also provide an important opportunity for international donors to renew their support for East Timor. One of the key measures for determining confidence among donors in this newly emerging nation is its approach to economic management.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“It may actually cost more in the long run, dealing as we are with a situation which is yet fragile and an emerging nation which is clearly yet vulnerable. Although I am referring here to costs in the broad sense, it follows that the precipitate withdrawal of the support currently provided through assessed contributions would severely disrupt the transition process and is something that Australia opposes firmly at this time. Just as it is clear that East Timor needs strong United Nations support and engagement to bring it successfully to independence, so it has become clearer and clearer that the newly independent East Timor will require substantial international support, including military and civilian police components and support for civilian administration, if it is to become a self-reliant, democratic nation.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“If the United Nations and the international community make the right decisions now and in the coming months on political as well as security issues, the East Timor transition process has the potential to be a significant success story for the United Nations. So far, UNTAET has been successful in establishing a sound political transition process. But this process is far from complete. If wrong decisions are made over the coming months, there is a risk, not just to East Timor and its people, but to the Organization's own standing and credibility. Cutting corners or costs may be tempting, especially when things seem to be going reasonably smoothly and when the Organization and its Member States have so many other pressures and crises to address, but such action carries real risks.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“In addition, it is Australia's view that any decision to commence a drawdown of peacekeeping troops must be based also on a clear assessment and understanding of the likely security needs in East Timor after independence. We would also emphasize that any drawdown needs to be part of an overall exit strategy. This Council and the wider United Nations membership have consistently emphasised the importance of developing clear exit strategies for United Nations operations, whether in East Timor or elsewhere. In this respect, we believe the Secretary-General's report would have benefited from greater attention to this important issue.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“We welcome recent discussions between the Indonesian Government and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on plans for registration and repatriation, but we emphasise the need for prompt and decisive action. We urge all parties now to take whatever steps are necessary to move the process forward. Australia strongly endorses the Secretary- General's view that the military component of UNTAET should be maintained at its current level for the time being and that UNTAET should review this question again after the election of a Constituent Assembly. As so many speakers before me have said, any review must take careful account of the security situation on the ground, in our View particularly along the border, but also in West Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“My Government remains deeply concerned about the West Timor camps, where tens of thousands of East Timorese refugees are literally stranded, unable to make a free choice about their future. This is both a humanitarian and a security concern. The prompt repatriation or resettlement of the remaining refugees is an important and pressing priority for East Timor's future stability and security. The fast-approaching election and the real possibility of political disenfranchisement for a significant proportion of potential East Timorese voters make an urgent resolution of the situation all the more important. An end to militia intimidation, unimpeded access to camps by humanitarian workers, effective measures to counter disinformation and a credible registration process all remain key prerequisites for this to succeed.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“I also want to thank Assistant Secretary-General Annabi for his comprehensive briefing on the Secretary-General's interim report on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). Australia welcomes the Secretary- General's account of progress in the transition process over the past three months, and we endorse his judgements about the current political and security situations in East Timor, particularly the view that we must maintain a prudent approach which will safeguard the international community's considerable investment in East Timor's future. Continuing uncertainty about the security situation in West Timor certainly dictates this cautious approach.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“In that connection, we are especially pleased that Mr. Xanana Gusmao, President of the National Council for Timorese Resistance, and Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta, Cabinet member for foreign affairs in the East Timor Transitional Administration, are able to be here today. Their presence and their insights, their dignity and their passion, bring the reality of East Timor vividly into this Chamber, and they demonstrate more clearly than any briefing or report could do the nature of the transition process as it affects and involves the East Timorese themselves, the priorities and challenges which they are confronting now and those which they will need to address in the future.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this open meeting and giving us the opportunity to participate in the Council's latest consideration of East Timor. Frankly, the level of interest in today's open meeting, both among Council members and non- members, is welcome and reassuring. It is very natural for Australia, as a country in the Asia-Pacific region and one of East Timor's closest neighbours, to be interested and engaged. But East Timor is at this time the direct responsibility of the United Nations, with a unique transition underway, mandated by this Council. The people of East Timor have placed great faith in the United Nations. They know, as do we, that continuing international interest and commitment is essential to the achievement of a successful long-term outcome in East Timor.”
2001-05-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4321 (2001) · source
“We find the Secretary-General's recommendations in the latest report as a whole to be sound and practical and we are committed to their implementation.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“For the remaining recommendations, I wish to highlight our particular concerns for the protection of journalists and women and children, because the report makes it very clear that these particular groups have suffered dreadfully. Our efforts must give their protection priority. In this respect, we strongly endorse recommendations 9 and 10 on the dissemination of information on international humanitarian law and human rights law to all armed groups, with a clear expectation that they are required to respect such standards. The Secretary-General's report has reminded us of the obvious - that much remains to be done to create a culture of protection in the world. I think my Canadian colleague said earlier today that we are really only at the beginning of this process.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“On recommendation 6, we, too, are a very strong supporter of regional countries' taking responsibility for seeking to find solutions to conflict in their own regions and for consultation with the United Nations on relevant security issues. We have taken a lead in pursuing such approaches in our own region. Like my colleague from New Zealand, who spoke a moment ago, we consider the recommendation that the Council establish more regular cooperation with regional organizations and arrangements to be particularly valuable and deserving of strong support. Recommendation 7 is more complicated. We believe that there needs to be further study, perhaps in the first instance by the Secretariat in consultation with Member Governments, for establishing clear criteria and procedures for the identification and separation of armed elements.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In this regard, a peacekeeping force may have a critical role in developing close rapport, respect and trust between the various stakeholders, including through frequent meetings. Such measures will help develop a secure environment in which humanitarian assistance can reach its target. In an insecure environment, it has been our experience - including most recently in East Timor - that such engagement is most effectively facilitated and coordinated by the peacekeeping force. We also support the Secretary-General's encouragement of the Security Council to make more frequent use of fact- finding missions to conflict areas to identify the specific requirements for humanitarian assistance and protective arrangements.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Another institution that is available to assist in addressing alleged violations of international humanitarian law, but one which has so far not been utilized and to which we would like to draw attention, is the International Fact-Finding Commission which was established under Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. On recommendation 4, we think that measures taken in order to sustain safe access for humanitarian operations are equally important, but our own experience in peacekeeping operations is that there is no single approach. The measures that are necessary will differ depending on, for example, whether humanitarian operations commence in an insecure atmosphere or are already well established. Within a high-threat environment, we found that the most successful approaches involve the ability to build trust with different groups.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“For my Government, therefore, this only underlines the importance of moving forward as expeditiously as possible with the debate on and, more importantly, the implementation of the Brahimi report's recommendations. It is late. I want to offer some very brief comments on some of the specific recommendations in the Secretary-General's report. First, as to recommendations 1 to 3, we note the importance that Australia places on supporting the existing United Nations International Criminal Tribunals and on working for the establishment of an International Criminal Court. Adequate funding for these institutions must be a priority for the United Nations.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Australia welcomes the latest valuable report of the Secretary-General on this issue of the protection of civilians in armed conflict, and I should like to thank you personally, Sir, for arranging this open debate and for the opportunity to speak on this topic. Looking back on the first recommendation of the Secretary-General's earlier report on this subject in September 1999, many of the issues raised in that first recommendation have been addressed in the report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations, the Brahimi report, of August 2000. By implementing the Brahimi report, the United Nations membership will also help address this issue as well.”
2001-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4312Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I think that it is appropriate in the present circumstances, as the Council members collectively and the Member States consider how they can give practical effect to all of the decisions and the priorities that were identified at the Millennium Summit, that they not forget the vital element of gender awareness and work actively to ensure that there is a gender perspective contained in all follow-up actions.”
2001-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4288 (2001) · source
“I chose to highlight a few areas that my Government judges to be particularly important, where we are focusing our attention and where one will not find Australia wanting in either commitment or action in contributing to the way forward. Finally, like my Egyptian colleague, I would like to raise one final point that was not in the Security Council document, but that we would like to see inform and infuse the work of the Council as it implements its decisions: the question of gender awareness. As we are sitting here in this Council, the annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women is taking place. Tomorrow is International Women's Day.”
2001-03-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4288 (2001) · source