YouSaid · the spoken record

Zarif

lines on the record: 520
first: 1992-01-21
most recent: 2019-09-25
sittings or episodes: 43
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

“Not only is the Court a judicial institution designed to investigate and prosecute acts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes; its establishment is also a strong political statement in the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the entire international community. It is an essential contribution to the preservation of peace and the strengthening of international security and, as such, the international community should not allow it to be undermined. The Islamic Republic of Iran has signed the Statute of the International Criminal Court, which is now under consideration by the relevant Iranian authorities with a View to being presented to Parliament for ratification.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“Allow me to join previous speakers in extending our congratulations to you, Sir, on having assumed the presidency of the Security Council. Our thanks also go to your predecessor for his excellent work. I wish also to thank you, Sir, for holding this open debate on such an important issue on the agenda of the Security Council, which is at the same time of great importance to the general membership of the United Nations. The adoption and enactment of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was a major leap forward in the progressive development of international law.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“The international community expects this Council to live up to its obligations and call for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“We concur with the Secretary-General that the guiding principles in the work of the Council and the Organization on this issue should be respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity and political independence of Iraq, as well as the inalienable right of the Iraqi people to self- determination and to sovereignty over their natural resources. While we need to tackle the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Iraq, it is not acceptable that the Security Council, which has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, should fail to consider the conflict itself, which is the cause of the humanitarian and political catastrophe that is unfolding in our neighbourhood. Thus, the Council has an obligation to address forthwith the breach of peace that is unfolding in Iraq.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“The humanitarian situation in Basra, which is indicative of what may soon happen throughout Iraq, is an especially grave cause for concern. My Government has made preparations to assist Iraqi civilians, in cooperation with multilateral institutions. However, under the Fourth Geneva Convention, it is clear that the countries that have resorted to war have to shoulder the full burden of meeting the humanitarian and protection requirements of Iraqi civilians, and must be accountable for the welfare and the safety of the people. At the same time, it is imperative that the future well-being and the immediate humanitarian requirements of the Iraqi people not be decided unilaterally outside the framework of the United Nations.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“The parading of prisoners of war before television cameras is in fact in contravention of the relevant Geneva Convention. Iraq and the United States have both violated the Convention, and should stop their violations. This instance clearly shows that all countries, be they big or small, benefit from the principles of international law. Undoubtedly, the provisions of international law should be promoted and enforced in their entirety. Selectivity is not only unacceptable, but is in fact dangerously impractical. My Government is concerned over the extensive aerial bombardment and artillery shelling that is resulting in the death and suffering of Iraqi civilians and in the deteriorating situation in Iraqi population centres. All indications suggest that a humanitarian crisis looms ahead.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“The grave consequences of this war on regional and global stability have already been underlined by various speakers and by my delegation on previous occasions. In addition, my country, which shares long borders with Iraq and is dangerously close to the theatre of hostilities, has not only received refugees but in fact rockets and missiles from both sides of the hostilities, some of which have landed in population centres. I must register here my Government's strongest protests and underline the imperative of taking remedial and preventive measures by the belligerents. United Nations Member States have frequently warned that the undermining of international law will sooner or later come back to haunt the very authors of such practices.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“Democracy is not something that can be taken to societies by tanks and helicopter gunships. The Iraqi people may resent their Government but, as they have shown in the past several days, they do not accept their liberation through foreign occupation. The world, the people in our region and the Iraqis have not forgotten that those who now want to impose democracy on Iraq at gunpoint have had a well-known record of supporting and sustaining dictatorship there and elsewhere. The blind support provided to Israel - which has not only flouted the decisions of the Security Council and the General Assembly for decades but, in fact, has a record of repression and murder that is second to none - is yet another instructive case of the seriousness of claims calling for the enforcement of Council resolutions, liberation and democracy.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“In fact, the Council and the international community, on whose behalf it operates, implicitly or explicitly objected to mandating any Power to selectively enforce Security Council resolutions. Nor can it be argued that the United States and its allies drew legitimacy from the fact that they were the victims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. If any thing, the United States was a major culprit behind Iraq's acquisition and unhindered use of these weapons in the 19805. That is why this war has received almost universal condemnation. Moreover, the stated goal of regime change in Iraq runs flagrantly counter to the norms and principles of international law; and so does the concept of arbitrary pre-emptive strike, which openly negates the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“It is also evident that the war was in no way authorized by the Security Council. Quite to the contrary, the latest round of diplomacy in the Council clearly demonstrated that the clear majority of the members, including the majority of the permanent five, were either steadfastly against or clearly unwilling to support the draft resolution that would have authorized war. By the same token, the implementation of Security Council resolutions cannot be advanced as a justification to resort to war. It is true that 12 years have elapsed since the Security Council set out the obligations of the Iraqi Government with respect to disarmament. And it is equally true that Iraqi officials had yet to clarify a number of relevant outstanding issues. But it was for the Council to make that determination and decide on the proper course of action.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“My Government deplores that diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving and implementing Security Council resolutions on the disarmament of Iraq were prematurely and arbitrarily aborted, and that a sovereign member of this Organization has become subject to an outright invasion. We believe that there was no justification for departing from the diplomatic path; neither is there anything that could possibly justify the invasion of Iraq. The unilateral war against Iraq does not meet any standard of international legitimacy. It is not waged in self-defence against any prior armed attack. Nor, even by any stretch of imagination, could Iraq, after 12 years of comprehensive sanctions, be considered an imminent threat against the national security of the belligerent Powers.”
2003-03-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4726 (2003) · source
“Allowing the Security Council to have the final word in bringing the current crisis to a successful conclusion, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, would certainly be a significant step in the right direction.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“While members of the international community, including my Government, are unanimous about the need to fully implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, the rush to war is clearly undermining the momentum built up to bring this crisis to a successful conclusion. The division and tension that rush creates is alienating world public opinion and the great majority of Governments, thus creating serious doubts about the agenda behind it. The different, and sometimes conflicting, reasons invoked to justify a premature recourse to military action cannot but significantly strengthen doubts. And that is a new layer of doubts that are added to the previous layers that resulted from selectivity in enforcing United Nations resolutions, particularly on Palestine, and treaties on non-proliferation, more specifically as regards Israel.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“War is such a dangerously imperceptive solution, particularly when innovative proposals and ideas to strengthen inspections, to set clear targets, to remove regional and international anxieties about Iraqi behaviour and to guarantee the right of the Iraqi people to self-determination, while sparing the region from another war and maintaining Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, are already on the table. In that context, it is first and foremost incumbent upon the Iraqi Government to take irreversible steps to reassure its neighbours and the international community that it genuinely wishes to live in peace and to fully implement all its obligations under various Security Council resolutions, starting with continuing and expanding active cooperation with weapons inspectors.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“My Government is equally gravely concerned over the outright attempts under way to undermine the United Nations system and the achievements that humankind has incrementally accomplished over a very long period of time to institutionalize the rule of law at the international level. Against the backdrop of any realistic scenario, all of which would amount to no less than a real nightmare, any chance, as slim as it may appear, should be seized.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“Neither the Iraqi people nor the international community can accept any encroachment on the sovereignty and independence of a Member State of the United Nations, no matter how short some may claim that encroachment to be at the outset. Moreover, the stakes have already gone far beyond Iraq. The rush to war has already placed the current functioning international system on the line. It is quite irresponsible to rejoice over the fantasy of a post-United Nations world, as a hawkish columnist did yesterday. We fully support the warning issued by the Secretary-General yesterday, and again today in his thoughtful article in the Wall Street Journal.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“When it comes to a devastating war in which thousands upon thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians will undoubtedly perish, it would be morally and politically unacceptable if considerations such as hot weather, moonless nights, troop fatigue and the like were to take precedence. I do not think that I need to recall how high the stakes are. We all have an idea of the unparalleled disaster that a possible war could bring about. The humanitarian crisis in Iraq and in neighbouring countries may take on catastrophic dimensions. The threat of Iraq's disintegration and of instability in the region is significant. The fact that extremism stands to benefit the most from a war is undeniable. There are worrying signs that the right of the Iraqi people to self- determination may be among the first casualties of a possible war.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“The fragmentary cooperation on the part of Iraq is a main cause of - or at least a main pretext for - the current crisis. As the victim of one of the two wars of aggression, the major victim of the harbouring of terrorism and the only State victim of these weapons of mass destruction, we certainly understand the frustration of the international community. By the same token, as a country that in the span of two decades has suffered directly as a result of one war and faced the enormous consequences of another, we know that yet another war in the Persian Gulf region is not something that should be easily and hurriedly resorted to. Two wrongs will not make a right.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“The unanimous decision taken by the Security Council and the deployment of international weapons inspectors in Iraq demonstrated that the international community, represented by this Council, was able to act together in the interests of attaining a common goal. The big question mark hanging over us now relates to why the course the Security Council so wisely embarked upon should be so prematurely aborted. At a time when the chief inspectors have recommended that they be given a relatively short time to complete the work mandated by the Council, the persistent question of the entire international community is why there should be a rush to war. It is true that the disarmament of Iraq should not have dragged on for 12 years. It is also true that the Iraqi Government should have fulfilled its obligations much earlier.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“I would like to join earlier speakers in congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month, expressing appreciation to your predecessor and thanking you for having convened this meeting. I should also like to associate my delegation with the statement made by the representative of Malaysia, reflecting the views of the Non-Aligned Movement. I would also like to thank the United Nations weapons inspectors, skilfully led by Mr. Hans Blix and Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, for their professionalism and the comprehensive reports that they have thus far presented to the Security Council.”
2003-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4717 (2003) · source
“In that context, we View as welcome developments the reference, in paragraph 4 of resolution 1373 (2001), to "the close connection between international terrorism and transnational organized crime, illicit drugs..." and other things, and the emphasis in the same paragraph on "the need to enhance coordination of efforts on national, subregional, regional and international levels in order to strengthen a global response to this serious challenge and threat to international security". We note that the CTC has yet to take action with a view to implementing that paragraph of the resolution. It is our hope and expectation that the Committee will consider measures to address that important aspect of global terrorism as well.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“Today, in spite of the efforts of the Afghan Government, drug trafficking continues to provide the financial backbone of terrorists and forces of instability in Afghanistan, threatening the impressive achievement of the international community and the Afghan people. Given the fact that drug trafficking is inseparable from terrorism and is being carried out by well- organized and well-equipped international gangs that enjoy connections in various continents, there should be no doubt that combating it goes beyond the resources of individual countries.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“3) I should also caution against some attempts aimed at seeking to misuse the campaign against terror by denigrating and suppressing the legitimate rights of peoples, particularly the people of Palestine, to self- determination. Undoubtedly, such misuse does not help advance the fight against terrorism. Before concluding, I would like to underline the necessity of addressing more seriously and in an institutionalized framework the strong links among terrorism, drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. The Islamic Republic of Iran has suffered tremendously in combating drug trafficking emanating from Afghanistan.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“It underlines the need for continued and more extensive cooperation at the international level, which can be possible and effective only if the United Nations plays a central and coordinating role by setting effective international norms and issuing a clear message about the unacceptability of acts of violence targeting civilians. Undoubtedly, more cooperation on combating terrorism requires more understanding among nations and less tension and conflict. As the Secretary-General emphasized in the Council on 20 January 2003, "we must never lose sight of the fact that any sacrifice of freedom or the rule of law within States - or any generation of new tensions between States in the name of anti-terrorism - will hand the terrorists a victory that no act of theirs alone could possibly bring". (S/PV.4688, p.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“Special measures adopted along Iran's long and porous eastern border, right after the tragedy of 11 September 2001, with a view to interdicting Al Qaeda infiltration, continue consistently. Iranian law enforcement agencies are also engaged in extensive operations to arrest any suspected terrorists that might have entered Iranian territory from neighbouring countries. As a result of such activities, thus far several hundred foreign nationals suspected of being involved in terrorist activities have been arrested and then handed over to the Governments of their countries of origin. Terrorism is a persistent menace that requires a continued global response. The tragic loss of life in terrorist attacks such as those committed in the past several months clearly demonstrates that success in countering the threat remains elusive.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“As a result, while many existing laws make terrorist acts punishable, two pieces of comprehensive draft legislation, namely the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Anti-Money-Laundering Act, are under consideration in the Cabinet and the Parliament. The latter, in accordance with Security Council resolutions, aims at setting out a legal and practical mechanism to effectively halt financial and other support to terrorist organizations and groups, while the former addresses the issue in all its other aspects. Pending their adoption, and in conformity with existing laws, practical arrangements have also been made to increase security in sensitive areas and to enhance the anti- money-laundering mechanisms of the banking system.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“Allow me to begin by expressing my appreciation to you, Mr. President, for having convening this meeting, to the Secretary-General for his thoughtful remarks on 20 January and to Ambassador Greenstock for his able leadership and his briefing to the Council. The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a country that has suffered immensely from acts of terrorism, has a strong interest in the subject and is determined to leave no stone unturned in achieving the objectives set out in Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). In this process, we have thus far submitted our initial and supplementary reports to the Committee. With a view to implementing the resolution, my Government has established a National Coordination Committee to facilitate the implementation of the resolution.”
2003-02-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4710 (2003) · source
“It is imperative that the Security Council, as the legally competent forum entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, remain the centre of decision-making on how to deal with the Iraqi issue, and all members of the international community should genuinely abide by its decision.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“What we witnessed last Friday here in this Chamber and, more importantly, what followed the day after across the globe were clear expressions of concern and alarm over a trend which, willingly or otherwise, is undermining not only the international consensus to eradicate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, but in fact the very institution and norms that have been instrumental in forging that consensus and in maintaining international peace and security in general. In closing, let me stress that the current and historically non-permanent power imbalance and patterns of friendship should not induce anybody to indulge themselves in undermining the credibility and authority of the Security Council.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“Condoning Israel's nuclear arsenal and precluding the realization of the repeated demands of the General Assembly and even of this Council to establish a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East is another illustrative case. Against this backdrop, it is difficult to accept such arguments about the effectiveness of the United Nations or the repeated claims to moral clarity. We believe that what is at stake today goes far beyond the mere disarmament of Iraq. The rush-to-war rhetoric is not coming out of a vacuum; neither is the anxiety expressed by the international community hyperbole. We are approaching the peak of a trend, which includes pre-emptive strikes and the use of tactical nuclear weapons against non-nuclear States.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“We need not recall that dozens of Security Council resolutions explicitly demanding an end to Israeli occupation of Arab lands have been dead letter not for weeks or years, but for decades; nor do we need to name the only major Power that has enabled Israel to contemptuously flout the will of the international community. The same dubious track record applies to weapons of mass destruction. The international regime governing the prohibition of weapons of mass destruction has enormously suffered from the application of self-serving and arbitrary criteria, condoning and even encouraging friends of the day on the path of acquiring such weapons. The provision of chemical precursors and biological agents to Iraq in the 1980s, which is widely documented and lies at the origin of the current crisis, is a brazen example in this respect.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“We further believe that the strengthening of the inspection regime by providing it with additional inspectors and equipment cannot be readily discarded by a rush to war. We therefore express our full support for the efforts of members of this Council and the proposal of France to strengthen the inspection system. We are increasingly hearing that the United Nations should show backbone and courage or become an irrelevant talking society. While we fully agree with the need for the effectiveness of the United Nations as the sole universal Organization, we cannot accept that the priorities of one Power should provide the criteria for the effectiveness or relevance of the United Nations.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“Under the current circumstances, and with a devastating war in the offing, it is all the more incumbent upon the Iraqi leadership to cooperate fully and proactively with the weapons inspectors, especially on substance, as the inspectors have repeatedly called for. Iraq's other obligations - including that it release prisoners of war and cease harbouring terrorists on its soil - have yet to be fully carried out. Likewise, we do not see any reason for the rush- to-war rhetoric. We agree that resolution 1441 (2002) is about disarmament and not about inspections. But we believe that, while the chief inspectors are signalling their intention to continue to work, there is no ground for aborting the process and embarking on military action, with all its known and unknown devastating consequences.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“Given the state of Iraqi society and of the whole region, there are many wild cards that no one can fit into his calculations with any degree of certainty. But one outcome is almost certain: extremism stands to benefit enormously from an ill-calculated adventure in Iraq. The prospect of appointing a foreign military commander to run an Islamic and Arab country is all the more destabilizing and only indicates prevailing delusions. Bearing all that in mind, every effort should be made to fulfil the international community's unanimous demand for the disarmament of Iraq without recourse to armed force.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“Therefore, we have an unparalleled interest in ensuring that there will never again be an aggression in our neighbourhood and that weapons of mass destruction will never again be used there. On the other hand, the prospect of another destabilizing war in our immediate vicinity is a nightmarish scenario of death and destruction. The Iranian people and Government are concerned first and foremost about the humanitarian catastrophe that would undoubtedly befall the Iraqi people in the event of a war - let alone the influx of displaced persons and refugees. The extent of destabilization in the region and of uncertainty in Iraq in the event of a war might go far beyond anything we can imagine today.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“I should like to join previous speakers in briefly expressing our felicitations to you, Mr. President, and to your French predecessor, as well as our appreciation to Mr. Blix and Mr. ElB aradei. My country, as one of Iraq's neighbours, is following attentively the situation concerning Iraq and its disarmament obligations under Security Council resolutions. On the one hand, we directly experienced the horror of becoming the victim of all-out aggression and of the massive use of chemical weapons in the 1980s. Today, 15 years after the end of the war, the wounds are yet to be healed. Tens of thousands of the chemically wounded civilians and soldiers who survived the horror continue to live agonizing and excruciating lives, and hardly a week goes by without one or several of them dying as a result.”
2003-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4709 (2003) · source
“In closing, allow me to quote Secretary-General Kofi Annan who, in opening the general debate of the fifty-seventh session of the General Assembly, wisely set the tone by strongly reaffirming the indispensable necessity and enduring relevance of multilateralism and multilateral institutions in efforts to maintain international peace, security and freedom for all. He further reiterated that every Government that is committed to the rule of law at home must also be committed to the rule of law abroad.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“We believe that the hassle-free entry of the weapons inspectors into Iraqi territory and the commencement of their work as soon as possible would be the next essential step in helping to silence the beating of war drums. Ultimately, a final peaceful resolution of this crisis would enhance the rule of law at the international level and demonstrate the ability of the United Nations and of multilateral diplomacy to defuse disputes and crisis situations. Undoubtedly, such an outcome, coupled with a real commitment by the Iraqi Government to live in peace with its neighbours, will greatly serve the cause of peace and stability in our region.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“This dangerous situation is further exacerbated by the immunity and impunity that Israel has been guaranteed, despite its actual commission of the very same, if not more serious, acts of which Iraq has been accused. Some of those acts include non-compliance with, and even outright rejection of, numerous Security Council resolutions; seeking to acquire, and even possessing, weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons; and practising, and even declaring a policy of, State terrorism. Ideologues whose intimate relations with Israel are a matter of public record and who seek to further their own aims and want to remake the world in their own peculiar image, should understand beforehand that they, and they alone, would be responsible for any eventual adverse consequences.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“My delegation also believes that unity in the Council in the face of this crisis is of great importance to reaching a viable and lasting solution. Undoubtedly, the unified will of the international community, which sooner or later will find its expression through the Council, would be the best guarantee for the proper completion of this process. Therefore, any consideration given to unilateral action might only arouse further suspicion on the possible existence of a hidden agenda beyond the disarmament of Iraq, thus further charging and complicating the situation in the Middle East. Attacking Iraq, and the enormous and predictable suffering that the Iraqi people would be subject to, will inevitably fuel further resentment everywhere, and not just in Iraq. It will sow seeds of new hatred that will feed instability for years to come.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The United Nations, as the universal Organization charged with the task of maintaining international peace and security, is legally competent and inherently capable of resolving the current crisis, which originated from actions taken by the Iraqi leadership in the 19805 and 19905. We believe that the appropriate international mechanisms and relevant Security Council resolutions provide the necessary legal basis for international action aimed at making sure that Iraq ceases to pose a threat to regional stability and the security ofits neighbours. Moreover, the Council is in a position to adopt any new and realistic procedures it may deem necessary to ensure the smooth and complete implementation of the disarmament process.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“It should further open the way for full implementation of all Security Council resolutions on Iraq - including those on the release of prisoners of war and against the harbouring of terrorists. That implementation should lead to the lifting of sanctions, which the international community, including my Government, has steadily sought. Such a diplomatic approach, as presented, should be fully explored. Should the diplomatic path prove fruitless, any other measures would have to be contemplated by the Council alone. The United Nations should be given the opportunity, and should be empowered, to address this crisis effectively and in a timely manner. Any alternative to this approach would risk increasing uncertainty and bring about long-term instability in the region, a region already plagued with endemic problems.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“My country, as a State that suffered enormously in the 19805 as a result of the use of chemical weapons against its servicemen and civilians, attaches particular importance to the eradication of weapons of mass destruction in the entire region. This is the basis of my Government's steady call for the full implementation of Security Council resolutions on the disarmament of Iraq. The decision by the Iraqi Government to allow the return of the United Nations weapons inspectors, which was welcomed by the international community, including my Government, was a necessary step in the right direction. That decision should now avert the cursory resort to military means and provide an opportunity for diplomacy to work.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“And the latter distorts, inter alia, the conventional understanding of the right of self-defence as clearly enshrined in customary international law and codified in the United Nations Charter. We caution each and every member of the Council against any decision that may, in one way or another, be interpreted as underwriting, promoting or endorsing such unprecedented and erroneous concepts as the ones I referred to earlier. On the other hand and in view of recent developments and the unpleasant experience of the 19905, the onus now rests on the Iraqi Government to efface every doubt about its intention to allow unfettered weapons inspections everywhere in the country. We call upon Iraq to take every necessary step to avert catastrophe, for the sake of its own people, all peoples in the region and international peace and the rule of law.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“Thus, any arbitrary unilateral approach outside international law that may endanger the fragile international security system and set a destructive precedent with far-reaching consequences should be resisted. Taking on Iraq unilaterally and outside international law would amount to short-sighted actions that may resolve a part of the problem, but will undoubtedly shake the foundations of the international security system predicated on the rule of law. Here, I specifically refer to concepts, such as "regime change" and "pre-emptive strike", which are completely alien to and in conflict with international law. The former runs counter to peoples' right to self- determination, denying in this context the right of the Iraqi people to decide who should rule them.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, for responding positively to the request of the Non-Aligned Movement in convening this meeting in the face of the enormous tragedy that seems to be in the making. The fundamental question upon which we should premise our debate is whether we need to persevere in upholding the rule of law at the international level and pursue the question of Iraq's compliance within the parameters of international law, or whether we can afford to give a free hand to those whose possible actions would result in undermining international law in exchange for short-sighted gains, or whatever other reasons, plausible or not. We believe that all States have a clear interest, as well as a clear responsibility, to defend the integrity of international law and order.”
2002-10-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4625Resumption1 (2002) · source
“The international community, and indeed the Council, need to analyse the problem and to articulate and develop effective mechanisms to arrest this ever-growing threat to international security. Engaging in more sober reflection, soul-searching and constructive dialogue and less rhetoric, agitation and incitement is probably the only credible way to ensure cooperation at the international level - a global coalition for peace - thus rendering the global environment less conducive to terrorism. Undoubtedly, such an environment is a sine qua non for the success of the CTC.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“There should be no doubt that efforts aimed at hijacking the fight against terrorism and using it as a means to suppress people and to repress their national aspirations would lead to a decline in international support for that fight. As a result, the international coalition, which is indispensable for fighting terrorism, would fall apart. Employing the fight against terrorism as a means to bring pressure to bear on States that may pursue a different political outlook is yet another danger that threatens its integrity and support base. The decisive stage in the war against terrorism is capturing the minds and hearts of peoples. Thus, the abuse of the fight against terrorism by demagogues to spread hatred and bigotry among various cultures and religions may in fact prove to be no less serious in its consequences than terrorism itself.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“However, it cannot be denied that almost all terrorist activities either directly originate from a conflict situation or draw strength and recruits from it. Terrorism is a response - however perverted and barbaric - to injustice, exclusion and frustration arising from powerlessness. We regret that there is a remarkable inclination to overlook these more complex historical and political dimensions and motivations, which provide a fertile ground for terrorist activities. We believe that, while efforts to combat terrorism and to deprive it from funding and other support should continue, it is also necessary to focus on the situations that bring it about and sustain it. To do otherwise would amount to cutting off its limbs and leaving its roots intact.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source
“We expected that the 11 September events would lead to more understanding of the imperative of a fresh and more nuanced approach to security - a value that is indivisible and cannot be achieved at the expense of others or through military might alone. Regrettably, that expectation has yet to be realized. Moreover, a year after the start of a new round of the war on terrorism, the war faces the risk of being hijacked and diverted towards other ends. There is no doubt that terrorism is a crime. However, oversimplifying terrorism without objectively addressing the issue in its entirety does a disservice to the cause of combating terrorism. Contemporary history clearly demonstrates that terrorist acts have roots in political issues, which neither justifies the acts of its perpetrators nor necessarily demonizes the cause they may embrace.”
2002-10-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4618 (2002) · source