CFACT: Climate Change Protest - May 24, 2012

CFACT: Climate Change Protest - May 24, 2012 Protesters gathered outside the hotel of the 7th International Conference on Climate Change sponsored by Heartland Institute. CFACT went outside to say hello... A very convenient way to see videos of the 7th International Conference: http://www.viddler.com/profile/heartland --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: http://www.cfact.org http://allpainnogain.cfact.org/ All Pain No Gain Oppose restrictive energy policies Protect American jobs and prosperity from Green environmental hype Efforts to promote Green energy and jobs, and control man-made "greenhouse gases," through mandates and subsidies are nothing more than "All Pain, No Gain" — all economic pain for no environmental gain. * Energy Tax: Proposals like cap and trade, carbon taxes, and renewable energy mandates are simply expensive massive regulations on energy use - on everything we heat, cool, drive, make, grow, eat, and do - and will therefore cause the price of everything to skyrocket. * Hurts Americans: These proposals will harm all Americans by exorbitantly raising gasoline prices and utility bills, sending jobs overseas, perpetuating the myth that "green jobs" will grow our economy, and acting as a huge "regressive tax" that will especially hurt the poor and our nation's seniors on fixed incomes. * Failing Science: An outpouring of peer-reviewed studies, data, and skeptical scientists from around the world debunks the alleged "consensus" about man-made global warming. The Earth is well within natural climate variability, climate fear is being driven by unproven computer models, and it is preposterous for the EPA, White House, or Congress to call carbon dioxide a "pollutant." * Purely Symbolic: Congressional proposals like cap and trade or other energy mandates, and international treaties like the Kyoto Protocol, are purely symbolic efforts at reducing emissions and stabilizing the climate. Even President Obama's own EPA admits cap-and-trade style policies will have no detectable impact on global CO2 levels or temperatures. U.N. treaties will also be meaningless as developing nations like China and India will continue to expand their CO2 emissions and replace reduced industrial production by the developed world. * CFACT combines the passion of environmentalism with the practical solutions of markets and technologies to help solve many of the world’s most pressing concerns. CFACT CFACT points out the hypocrisy in the UN's climate policy by handing out carbon indulgences at the UN conference in Bonn, Germany. The indulgence absolved the delegates of the guilt from living in a free, productive society. Our disclaimer: This indulgence will not meaningfully alter the weather nor climate and is therefore the most honest carbon trading strategy you can find. CFACT's Collegians wanted to see just how radical the delegates to the COP16 UN climate conference are, so they passed around a petition calling for the destabilization of the US economy. http://cfact.eu/ Cancun Collegians Petitions UN COP16 climate change global warming CFACT climate US economy water environmental extremism wackos crazy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MISIA - Koi wa Owaranai zutto

Nom : Misia Nationalité : Japonaise Date de naissance : 07/07/1978 Misia commença du Gospel sous influence de films comme Sister Act. Elle rêvait de devenir chanteuse et après un entrainement et grâce à l'aide de sa soeur, elle gagne un concours dans la ville où celle-ci a vu le jour, Fukuoka. On peut facilement expliquer les ressemblances entre la voix de Misia et des autres chanteuses noires américaines car le petit prodige pris des cours avec un professeur afro-américain qui lui apprit à travailler sa voix. Elle engagea une carrière de chanteuse et signa avec le label BMG en 1997. En 1998, sort son premier single : Tsutsumi Koumu Youni qui fut acceptable pour un commencement. En 2000, un single, Everything, explose les charts et fut vendu à 2 millions d'exemplaires. La chanson qui est une ballade sera réutilisé par, notamment, Mika Nakashima. Depuis Misia est reconnu comme une vraie artiste. Elle sortit plusieurs autres singles à succès mais l'époque de Everything est passé. On peut souvent comparer Misia à ces artistes outre-mer, de plus, son style est recherché. Mais Misia ne s'impose pas comme Ayumi Hamasaki ou KODA KUMI à la télévision. Bref, Misia est une chanteuse et à la fois une parolière qui nous illumine avec ses concerts à gros budget.

Old Lahaina Luau

My family and I just got back from an incredible trip to Hawaii and one of our favourite Maui activities was the Old Lahaina Luau on the island of Maui! Our trip included stays on many islands in Hawaii, so we went to two other luaus during our trip but neither one compared. The Old Lahaina Luau was just spectacular and by far our most memorable activity in Hawaii. They started the evening by serving you complimentary drinks as you enter the grounds, the Mai Tai’s with fresh Hawaiian pineapple standout in my mind...Shirley temples for the kids : ) After they show you to your seat, we walked around the facility watching as local Hawaiians make traditional crafts...they answered so many questions about Hawaiian culture. This Hawaii Luau starts right after the incredible sunset, make sure you bring your camera because this was the most beautiful Hawaiian sunset of our trip! We went up in groups to have a look at the traditional Hawaiian Luau Feast.it's up there with the best of Maui restaurants, there was everything you could imagine from fish, to pork, to fresh Hawaiian fruits and veggies! We stacked up our plates with a little of everything and sat down at our table for the start of the luau dancing events. The local Hawaiian performers were entrancing, they sang and chanted in real Hawaiian Language and there motions acted out old Hawaiian legends....this luau was like a trip back in time, we felt immersed in the Hawaiian culture! The luau encompassed everything we could have asked for...amazing customer service, incredible food and mesmerizing performers! If you’re looking for a real taste of Hawaiian culture on your trip, I’d definitely suggest the Old Lahaina Luau!! We did a bunch of other amazing things during our trip to Hawaii, but I really wanted to share this experience as a must do! Here’s a link to there website http://www.oldlahainaluau.com...I’m making a list of the other fun activities we did, so feel free to hit me up for ideas : ) If you are looking for what to do in Maui this is highly recommended. Enjoy your trip!"

Ken Boothe : Everything I Own

Ken Boothe interprétait en live en 1974 " Everything I Own ".

SHINee - Sherlock ( Japanese Ver.) MV

SHINee SHINee (샤이니) est un groupe de chanteurs coréen formé par SM Entertainment en 2008. Le groupe a officiellement débuté le 25 Mai 2008 à SBS Popular Songs avec le single "Replay". Le groupe est composé de Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, Taemin. Le mot "SHINee" a été trouvé par les membres et il s'agit d'une combinaison du mot anglais "shine" qui veut dire briller et de "ee" qui représente le mot "recevoir". SHINee veut donc dire "ceux qui reçoivent la lumière" ou "ceux qui sont sous les projecteurs". Le fanclub se nomme SHAWOL. MEMBRES Onew Nom réel : Lee Jin Ki (이진기). Date de naissance : 14 décembre 1989 Position : Leader / Chanteur Fan Club : MVP Jonghyun Nom réel : Kim Jong Hyun (김종현) Date de naissance : 8 avril 1990 Position : Leader Vocal Fan Club : Blinger Key Nom réel : Kim Ki Bum (김기범) Date de naissance : le 23 septembre 1991 Position : Chanteur / Rappeur Fan Club : Locket Minho Nom réel : Choi Min Ho (최민호) Date de naissance : le 9 décembre 1991 Position : Chanteur /Rappeur Fan Club : Flame Taemin Nom réel : Lee Tae Min (이태민) Date de naissance : 18 juillet 1993 Position : Chorégraphe / Chanteur / Maknae Fan Club : Taemint BIOGRAPHIE • Avant 2008 : Pré-début SHINee a été gardé secret jusqu'au 18 Mai 2008 date à laquelle de nombreux article dévoilèrent l'identité de ce nouveau groupe. Mais les membres du groupe avaient déjà fait quelques discrètes apparitions avant de débuter sans pour autant alerter les médias quant à une quelconque formation d'un nouveau groupe de la part de SM Entertainement. Jonghyun, par exemple, a prêté sa voix sur un duo avec Zhang Li Yin, Wrongly Given Love (交錯的愛), qui a été enregistré à l'occasion du premier album chinois de la chanteuse. Key a fait une apparition dans le premier film des Super Junior, Attack on the Pin-Up Boys. Minho a défilé au Ha SangBaek Fashion Show en Mars 2008 à l'occasion de la Fashion Week. Le 19 Mai 2008, une courte vidéo sur le premier single du groupe et sur leur premier clip a été publiée sur leur site officiel. Leur premier clip a été diffusé pour la première fois le 22 Mai 2008 et leur premier Mini Album est sortie le jour d'après, le 23 Mai 2008. • 2008 : Les débuts (The SHINee World) SHINee ont fait leurs débuts à la télévision dans l'émission SBS's Popular Songs le 25 Mai 2008 en présentant leur premier single : Noona you're so Pretty (Replay) . Le premier enregistrement de SHINee a eu lieu le 22 Mai 2008 à M.NET's M ! Countdown. Le 7 Juin 2008 les SHINee ont participé au Dream Concert au stade olympique de Séoul aux côtés de grandes stars Coréennes comme Epik High, Girls' Generation (SNSD) , Dong Bang Shin Ki (TVXQ) et Wonders Girls. Le groupe a remporté son premier award, Rookie of the Month (Débutant du mois), au Cyworld Digital Music Award le 22 Juin 2008. Les SHINee prennent part au SMTown Live 08 le 18 Août 2008 aux côtés d'artistes de la compagnie tels que BoA, Cheon Sang Ji Hee/the Grace, Girl's Generation (SNSD) , Super Junior et Dong Bang Shin Ki (TVXQ) . Le 23 Août 2008, les SHINee ont assistés au MNet's 20's Choice Awards 2008 où ils reportent le Hot New Star award. SHINee sort son premier album, The SHINee World le 28 Août 2008. L'album débute à la troisième place dans les charts et se vend à 30. 000 d'exemplaires. Le premier single extrait de l'album est Sanso Gateun Neo (Love Like Oxygen) (산소 같은 너) , de l'artiste danois Martin Hoberg Hedegaard. Le 18 septembre 2008, Love Like Oxygen était la chanson numéro une au M ! Countdown. Quelques jours après les SHINee reçoivent le Mutizen award pour le single à SBS's Popular Songs. Le groupe participe au Cinquième festival de la chanson Asiatique, où ils remportent l'award du Best New Artist avec le girls band Japonais Berryz Kobo. SHINee assiste au Style Icon Awards 2008, le 30 Octobre 2008, où ils reçoivent le Best Style Icon Award. Le même jour, the SHINee World voit sortir son repackage renommé Amigo, mot raccourci pour la phrase en coréen : "Areumdaun Minyeorueljoahamyeon Gosaenghanda" (아름다운 미녀를 좋아하면 고생한다) . Incluant trois nouvelles chansons, Forever or Never, reprise d'une des chansons du groupe allemand Cinema Bizarre, un remix de Sa. Gye. Han (Love Should Go On) et le single promotionnel Amigo. Le 15 novembre 2008 SHINee gagne le Best Male Rookie award (Meilleurs débutants catégorie homme) au dixième festival annuel de Mnet KM, battant ainsi les autres nouveaux boysband à la mode, U-Kiss, 2PM, 2AM et Mighty Mouth. Au vingt-troisième Golden Disk Awards, ils interpretent un medley de leurs chansons, Replay, Love Like Oxygen et Amigo et remportant l'award du YEPP Newcomer Album (Meilleur nouvel album). Ils enchaînent les lives et se rendent à Taiwan. C'est fin Janvier que SM annonce les activités concernant Amigo terminées, autorisant ainsi les membres du groupe a une pause de quelques mois, dans l'optique de préparer un nouvel album. Cependant, ils restent, bien que moins souvent, présents à certains Show comme Star Golden Bell. Le groupe a aussi eut son propre reality show, "Shinee's YunHaNam" diffusé sur MNet. Le show a commencé le 8 Août et prit fin le 16 Octobre 2008 avec un total de douze épisodes. • 2009 : Comeback (Romeo et 2009 Year of Us) Le groupe a enregistré, Stand By Me pour l'adaptation Coréenne du manga Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango) de Yoko Kamio. De plus, ils enregistrent les chansons "Blue Pink Song" pour la promotion de la Blue and Pink Line de Smart (uniformes scolaires) et "Bodyguard" pour Samsung's Anycall. Ils font aussi partie de la trame sonore du drama Dream avec la chanson "Countdown". SHINee réalise son comeback avec leur second mini album "Romeo", qui est disponible à partir du 21 Mai 2009. L'album se classe numéro 1 des ventes dans la semaine suivant sa sortie. La chanson "Juliette", une reprise de Corbin Bleu, est le premier extrait de cet opus et rencontre un franc succès. Le premier live de "Juliette", qui à été déplacé de date à cause d'un accident impliquant Onew, a lieu au KBS's Music Bank le 5 Juin. C'est suite à cette performance que SHINee reçoit un Award. Le 19 octobre 2009 ils reviennent avec leur troisième mini album "2009, Year Of Us". La chanson Ring Ding Dong en sera le premier extrait. Le premier live de ce single eu lieu le 16 Octobre sur la scène du KBS's Music Bank. Pendant cette période, trois des membres furent touché par la grippe H1N1 : Taemin, Onew et Jonghyun, ce qui affecta la promotion de l'album. Peu après, les SHINee enregistrent la deuxième saison de "Hello Baby" (la première étant assurée par les SNSD), ou ils doivent prendre soin d'un jeune garçon nommé Jung Yoogeun, et apprendre à devenir de bons pères. Au début du mois de décembre, les SHINee reçoivent le "Popularity Award" aux 24th Golden Disk Award, suivit du prix "BonSang" qu'ils reçoivent au 19th Seoul Music Awards. • 2010 : Comeback (Lucifer) Au mois de Mars, ils enregistrent une nouvelle chanson pour le drama "Prosecutor Princess". Du 8 au 12 juillet, SM Entertainment poste sur le site officiel une photo de chacun des membres pour faire patienter les fans. Ils reviennent le 19 juillet avec leur second album intitulé "Lucifer", comprenant 13 nouveaux titres. Le premier live de ce single était prévu pour le 16, mais fût remis le 23 Juillet au KBS's Music Bank à cause d'une blessure. En effet, Minho s'étant blessée au genou pendant l'enregistrement de Dream Team, devais rester assis durant les prestations. La promotion de Lucifer aussitôt terminée, ils enchaînent avec le repackage de leur second album "Hello" avec trois nouvelles chansons, qui sort le 01 octobre. En septembre, Ils chantent la chanson principale du drama "Haru : An unforgettable day in Korea ", un drama pour l'office de tourisme du pays. On retrouve notamment des artistes comme Super junior et SNSD dans cette OST. Le groupe participe au SMTown Live`10 World Tour le 21 Août au Seoul Jamsil Olympic Stadium. Ils ont aussi performé à Shanghai et à Los Angeles par la suite. Après une tournée promotionnelle à Taiwan, le groupe ira promouvoir "Hello" en Thaïlande. Jonghyun se retrouve blessé à la jambe, et doit donc s'asseoir pendant les prestations. Ils ont remporté 5 awards tout au long de l'année, dont 2 aux Golden Disk Awards et le Best Singer Dresser au 26th Annual Korea Best Dresser. Le 23 Octobre, SME annonce le premier concert solo de SHINee, "SHINee – The 1st Concert in Seoul" qui aura lieu le 1er et 2 janvier 2011. Par contre, ils offrirent deux concerts au Japon le 26 décembre au Yoyogi National Stadiun de Tokyo intitulé "The 1st Concert in Japan". C'est durant ce concert qu'ils annoncent la signature d'un contrat avec EMI Music Japan pour leur début au Japon en 2011. • 2011 : Débuts au Japon Les 25 & 26 janvier 2011, les garçons se produisent avec le reste de la compagnie au Yoyogi National Stadium pour le "SMTOWN Live 10 in Japan". C’est le 16 Mai 2011 que l’on peut voir les premières images du vidéoclip de "Replay" en version japonaise, posté sur le compte Youtube de EMI Music Japan. Celui-ci est ensuite sorti en version complète le 27 mai suivant. Le single fût disponible le 22 Juin, et vendu à plus de 91, 000 copies la première semaine. Il fût ensuite certifié "OR" (100 000 copies) par RIAJ. Le groupe part ensuite pour la France afin de performer le 10 et 11 juin au Zenith de Paris pour le "SMTOWN LIVE 10 in Paris". Ils sont déjà de retour en Europe le 19 Juin, pour leur showcase "JAPAN PREMIUM DEBUT" au célèbre Abbey Road Studios à Londres. Cet évènement était réservé pour 130 personnes seulement. Le 16 juillet, une nouvelle édition du "SHINee WORLD CONCERT" est présentée à Taipei. S’en suit alors une série de concert au Japon qui débutera le 22 Juillet et qui se terminera le 11 août. Le single japonais de "Juliette" fût disponible le 28 août et le 2-3-4 Septembre, le groupe se produit de nouveau pour "SMTOWN Live 10 in Tokyo", sur la scène du Tokyo Dome. Le 6 Septembre, Les garçons se rendent en Russie pour le K-POP Cover Festival comme juges. Le 10 septembre, ils se produiront au Singapore Indoor Stadium pour leur concert "SHINee WORLD in Singapore". Leur troisième single, "Lucifer" est ensuite sorti le 12 octobre 2011, et Oricon annonce ensuite que SHINee est le premier artiste étranger en 44 ans d’histoire qui réussis à se propulser dans le Top 3 avec 3 singles différents, étant leur 3 premiers singles. Le 23 octobre, le groupe ainsi que la compagnie entière performent au Madison Square Garden pour une représentation du "SMTOWN Live 10 in New York", qui sera ensuite sujet du film autobiographique "I. AM" monter par la SME. Le 27 octobre, le groupe performe à Nagoya pour le "SHINee WORLD CONCERT". Le groupe est ensuite inviter au Korean Film Festival de Londres, et y performe le 3 novembre. Les billets s’étaient vendus en moins de 1 minute. Ce fût aussi la première fois qu’un artiste coréen tenait un show indépendant à Londres. C’est le 7 décembre que l’on peut enfin mettre la main sur leur album japonais "The First", dont sa sorti était prévu pour le 23 novembre. L’album comporte 6 nouvelles chansons japonaises dont la chanson thème du drama japonais "Stranger 6" en bonus (dans la version régulière). Un évènement était organisé pour la sortie de l’album à Shibuya, Tokyo mais fût annulé par les autorités puisque plus de 1 000 personnes s’y étaient présentés. Onew, Key et Taemin sortent aussi un livre, "Sons of the Sun" le 8 décembre, racontant leur voyage précédent à Barcelone en Espagne. Ils seront ainsi les premières idoles coréennes à écrire un guide de voyage. La SMTOWN rend disponible le 13 décembre, l’album "The Warmest Gift" où les SHINee auront participés. Le 24 décembre, le groupe annonce une tournée au Japon en avril 2012 et chanter pour leurs fans japonais au "Tokyo International Forum Hall A". • 2012 : Comeback (Sherlock) et SHINee World 2012 Arena Tour Le 17 Janvier, SHINee participe à la promotion des produits « Etude House » avec Sandara Park (2NE1). Ils ont chanter la chanson pour la gamme « Skin Malgami » et ont aussi jouer dans le mini-drama « Kiss Note ». Après plus d'un an d'attente, les SHINee sont finalement de retour avec leur nouvel album Sherlock. Du 8 mars au 12 mars, SM Entertainment dévoile les photos teasers de chacun des membres pour faire patienter les fans. Leur nouvel album sort le 19 mars 2012 sur le web (Itunes et autres sites coréens). Directement après sa sorti, l’album prend d’assault les charts du monde et se taille une place dans le Top 10 Albums sur Itunes au Etats-Unis, au Canada, en France, en Angleterre, en Suède, au Mexique et au Japon. C’est le 21 Mars que l’on peut tenir l’album physique entre ses mains. Le vidéoclip quant à lui fait son apparition sur Youtube le lendemain. Ce même jour marque leur retour sur la scène avec leur Comeback Stage sur M ! Countdown. Le 16 Avril, le groupe réussi à prendre le Triple Crown sur Inkigayo. Le 25 Avril, EMI Japan met en ligne la vidéo japonaise de Sherlock, pour marquer le retour de SHINee au Japon. C’est en ce même jour que SHINee entâmes la tournée japonaise « SHINee World 2012 ». Ils s’arrêteront à Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo et bien d’autres, pour un total de 20 concerts qui devrait se terminer le 1er Juillet. Le 20 Mai, le groupe sera de la partie pour le SMTOWN Live 12 in Los Angeles. DISCOGRAPHIE Discographie Coréenne Albums ● [2008.09.01] : The SHINee World ● [2008.10.26] : Amigo (아. 미. 고) (Repackaged album) ● [2010.07.19] : LUCIFER ● [2010.09.30] : Hello (Repackaged album) Mini-albums ● [2008.05.23] : Noona Neomu Yeppeo (Replay) (누난 너무 예뻐) ● [2009.05.25] : Romeo ● [2009.10.19] : 2009, Year Of Us ● [2012.03.21] : Sherlock Digital singles ● [2008.08.25] : Love Like Oxygen (산소 같은 너) ● [2009.04.03] : Anycall Bodyguard ● [2010.04.01] : Prosecutor Princess OST (Part 1) ● [2010.12.13] : Haru (X-Mas) (하루) Compilations ● [2009.01.08] : Boys Over Flowers OST (#4 Stand By Me) ● [2009.08.13] : Dream OST (#1 Countdown) ● [2009.08.17] : 09 SUMMER SMTOWN (#1 Seaside (Boom Boom) (Dong Bang Shi Ki, Super Junior, SHINee), #4 Scar) ● [2010.10.21] : Group Of 20 - Let's Go ● [2010.11.05] : Haru OST (#1 Haru, #5 Haru (Rock Ver. ) ● [2011.04.20] : f (x) - Pinocchio (#10 Lollipop feat. SHINee) ● [2011.12.13] : 11 SMTOWN Winter "The Warmest Gift" - Last Christmas Discographie japonaise Album ● [2011.12.07] : THE FIRST Singles ● [2011.06.22] : Replay -Kimi wa Boku no everything- (Replay -君は僕のeverything) ● [2011.08.29] : JULIETTE ● [2011.10.12] : LUCIFER DVDs ● [2010.12.26] : SHINee THE 1ST CONCERT IN TOKYO "SHINee WORLD" ● [2012.01.11] : SHINee THE 1ST CONCERT IN JAPAN "SHINee WORLD" Autres DVDs ● [2009.05.13] : 2008 Mnet KM Music Festival-10th Anniversary ● [2010.07.15] : Hana yori Dango - Boys Over Flowers Last Event - Sotsugyo DVD ● [2011.06.29] : K-Pop Dream Concert 2008 ● [2011.06.29] : K-Pop Dream Concert 2009 AUTRES ACTIVITÉS Photobooks ● [2009.07.16] : SHINee The First Photobook Part. 1[SHINee day] ● [2009.09.25] : SHINee The First Photobook Part. 2 [SHINee night] ● [2011.12.08] : SHINee In Barcelona (Children of the Sun) [Onew, Key, Taemin] Télévision ● [2008.07.30 - 2008.10.15] : SHINee YunHaNam (샤이니의 연하남) ● [2008.11.01 - 2008.11.02] : My Precious Child (내사랑 금지옥엽) - Cameo ● [2010.01.19 - 2010.04.13] : SHINee's Hello Baby (샤이니의 헬로 베이비) CM / CF~ ● [2008] : skSMART ● [2008] : nanas'B ● [2008 - 2009] : Clride. n ● [2009] : Reebok ● [2009] : Ottogi ● [2010] : Mexicana Chicken ● [2011] : Auction

Jason Mraz : Everything Is Sound

Le clip musical animé de Jason Mraz "Everything is Sound",extrait de l'album 2012 "Love Is a Four Letter Word".

The Blizzard & Yuri Kane Feat Relyk - Everything About You (Original Mix)

[Full Track] Label: Above Recordings. Buy from Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/release/everything-about-you/890875

Nothing Comes Only In Pieces by Cannibal (pronounced Cannable) Squid

Tribute to Wilson Duff through his words and the words of his worlds... The whole story is about its own beginning That piece flying around is the tip of Raven’s beak Pretty hard to think of a raven biting off the tip of its own beak. That’s like an eye looking at itself... a question answering itself an answer questioning itself a mirror into which I look and see you I am you looking at yourself in the mirror I only came to class to tell you that I am not able to come to class today a category of one a super-generalization of one case I am the same as every man, but different from every man. Meaning is the recognition of meaninglessness Nothing comes only in pieces The chest design is Raven looking into the empty box. The contents of the smallest box is your own eye looking in. Wisdom is knowing that you cannot know (what will happen in the next instant of time) Rottenness is time after death, so is therefore new life. The sharpness of a mosquito’s beak is so that it can suck in the world The sharpness of Raven’s beak is to eat man’s “eyes.” The sharpness of Hohoq’s beak is to eat man’s brains. The greatest generalization of knowledge is a secret The content of the smallest box is one eye peering in (peering through the eye-hole of the marten skin blanket) The presence of the moon is the absence of the sun Moon is “hawk” biting off the tip of its own beak - the which is the sun. The 2 things in the box were the tip of Raven’s beak. from the outside (black) from the inside (speckled: the world / sky country) a Raven can’t see both at once Everything is its opposite Nothing is everything The world is as sharp as a knife Mother didn’t eat me in birthing me, but it amounts to the same thing Birth is the beginning of death Every orgasm is a bit of death The ultimate pleasure is the taste of death Death is the ultimate orgasm Raven’s Cry There is only one dialectic That which is also its opposite What we know as right - is in the agreeing One eye calls for another (its partner)... Raven myths are funny because they can be the “both” Asdiwal-type myths are not funny Raven laughs when he eats eyes. It is atrocious humor Raven only weeps crocodile tears ...does not and cannot die steals food, steals sex, cheats and bungles at cheating (you can also laugh at him) can do whatever he wishes / take whatever form he wants, wish whatever he wants feels no real sorrow, remorse Like Frog, he has a ridiculous aspect as well as a sublime one. Anything absolute is absolutely ridiculous as well as being absolutely sublime. MR. PARADOX Raven, pecking out of his egg, is his mother giving him birth. Raven, killing his father, is giving birth to his mother. Raven, biting off his father’s penis, is spitting out his mother’s eye. Raven, lifting Man to life out of the mouth of the cockle shell, is sinking to death on the sharp point of the impaling stake. At the same time, Man is broken over the beak that comes out of Raven’s navel. Wilson Duff

Boards of Canada - Everything you do is a balloon

"Boards of Canada - Everything you do is a balloon" - Fait partie de la bande originale de Skins (saison 6 - épisode 10 : Everyone)

A Fantastic Fear of Everything - Bande-annonce avec Simon Pegg

A Fantastic Fear of Everything - Bande-annonce avec Simon Pegg

Arpaio: Feds Want To 'Control Everything I Do' - April 4, 2012

Arpaio: Feds Want To 'Control Everything I Do' - April 4, 2012 ----------------------------------------------- Source: Name: Talking Points Memo TV (tpmtv) Websites: http://www.youtube.com/user/tpmtv http://www.Talkingpointsmemo.com -----------------------------------------------

Ridge Racer Unbounded (Limited Edition) Free Download Full Version - Ridge Racer Unbounded Full Game

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Syria: 5 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012

Syria: 5 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict: draft resolution (A/66/L.36) [34] The General Assembly strongly condemned the continued “widespread and systematic” human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and demanded that the Government immediately cease all violence and protect its people. The 193-member body adopted a resolution backing Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, where UN officials estimate that security forces have killed well over 5,400 people since the popular uprising began last March. http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2012/02/97th-plenary-meeting-general-assembly.html 16 February 2012 General Assembly GA/11207 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-sixth General Assembly Plenary 97th Meeting (PM) General Assembly Adopts Resolution Strongly Condemning ‘Widespread and Systematic’ Human Rights Violations by Syrian Authorities Text Passes by 137 Votes in Favour to 12 against, with 17 Abstentions Strongly condemning continued widespread and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities, the General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly to call on both the Government and allied forces and armed groups “to stop all violence or reprisals immediately”. Adopting an Arab-backed resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions, the Assembly expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and condemned a raft of violations carried out by the authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, the killing and persecution of protestors and journalists, and sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The Assembly called on Syria to abide by its obligations under international law, and demanded that the Government, in line with the 2 November 2011 Action Plan of the League of Arab States, and its decisions of 22 January and 12 February 2012, without delay, stop all violence and protect its people, release all those detained during the unrest, withdraw all armed forces from cities and towns, guarantee peaceful demonstrations and allow unhindered access for Arab League monitors and international media. The language of the resolution closely mirrored that of a text vetoed by China and the Russian Federation in the Security Council two weeks earlier. (See Press Release SC/10536) The Assembly’s action also followed a special briefing on Monday by Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed outrage at the bloody 11-month crackdown on opposition protesters. She warned that the Council’s failure to take action had emboldened the Syrian Government to launch an all-out assault to crush dissent, most evident in its “appalling” siege of the city of Homs. (See Press Release GA/11206) By other terms of the text adopted today, the Assembly expressed its full support for the Arab League’s decision to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, including through a “serious political dialogue between the [Syrian Government] and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition”. Reaffirming its strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, it further reaffirmed that all Member States “should refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”. The measure requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all relevant United Nations bodies to support the Arab League’s ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, including through good offices and the appointment of a Special Envoy. The Secretary-General was also requested to report to the Assembly within 15 days on the status of the resolution. Ahead of the action, the Secretariat announced that approval of those elements of the text would incur $900,000 in additional budgetary resources for an initial six months of the 2012-2013 biennium. Egypt’s representative, presenting the draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group, described the situation in Syria as “critical” and demanded that the Government immediately end the bloodshed. He said the text was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict. Stressing that the Arab League’s efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he expressed hope that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with “one voice” on events in Syria. Syria’s representative took the floor immediately thereafter in response to the points raised by his Egyptian counterpart, and said that the Government was responding in an accelerated manner to demands for reform. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments, in line with popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and to end the violence. However, Member States must stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria, he emphasized, declaring that no State would tolerate the presence of armed terrorists on its territory. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting such armed groups, even as they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. “Stop adding fuel to the fire,” he said, pointing out that the resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate itself from armed groups “says everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did its failure to condemn terrorist acts. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” Speaking after the vote, in a statement directed largely at the Arab League, he said that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today, as the Western co-sponsors of the resolution had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the League — “broken politically and morally” — had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Most other delegations hailed the resolution’s strong calls for an end to the violence and for the Syrian Government to protect civilians. Many reiterated their firm belief that the Arab League’s Action Plan, which proposed a negotiated solution among all Syrian factions, was the best path out of the crisis. Other speakers expressed grave concern about reports of massive human rights violations in Syria, and said that ending them must be the international community’s main priority. Costa Rica’s representative, who voted in favour of the resolution, emphasized that impunity must not be tolerated and, if necessary, the situation should be referred to the International Criminal Court. At the same time, several speakers echoed the concerns raised by the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who voted against the text and roundly denounced “attempts by imperial Powers and their allies” to trigger regime change in Syria, “even at the cost of further bloodshed”. The text represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he added. He was also among those who commended the Russian Federation’s efforts to produce a more balanced text, by placing demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups, expressing support for that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus. China’s representative expressed support for the Arab League’s position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Yet, the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he stressed, adding that actions taken by the United Nations should not complicate matters, but be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. In other action, the Assembly decided that the Marshall Islands, Sudan and the Federated States of Micronesia had all made the payments necessary to reduce their arrears under Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Under that Article, a Member State in arrears cannot vote in the General Assembly “if the amount of the arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two years”. Also speaking in explanation of position were representatives of Venezuela, Grenada, Russian Federation, Serbia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Bolivia, Argentina, India, Singapore, Viet Nam, Chile, Bangladesh and Egypt. The General Assembly will reconvene at a time and date to be announced. Background Meeting this afternoon to consider matters relating to the prevention of armed conflict, the General Assembly was expected to take action on a draft resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36). Procedural Matters The representative of Syria, recalling the Assembly’s previous meeting on the report of the Human Rights Council, said his delegation had informed Member States at the time that the earlier meeting contravened the rules of procedure, and had called on the Assembly President to obtain a legal opinion on the matter. It had been announced during that meeting that a draft resolution on Syria would be presented to the Assembly, but today it was meeting under the item “Prevention of armed conflict”. It was “pathetic” that the Syrian issue was being addressed under at least three different agenda items, he said, adding that there was clearly confusion over the matter. The Assembly’s legitimacy was at stake, he said, asking the President to provide the rules of procedure governing the current meeting. GARY FRANCIS QUINLAN (Australia), Assembly Vice-President, responded by saying it was his understanding that the Assembly President could convene a meeting at any time, under any agenda item, to consider a draft resolution presented to Member States. The representative of Yemen said his delegation had been surprised by reference to Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Action on Draft Resolution OSAMA ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt), introducing the draft resolution the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36) on behalf of the Arab Group, said the Assembly was meeting as that country faced “critical circumstances”. The major escalation of violence there had been condemned by the League of Arab States, the Arab Group, the United Nations and the wider international community. Demanding that the Syrian Government end the bloodshed, he said the matter was at the very top of the Arab League’s agenda. That regional body had called for an immediate and faithful implementation of the Arab Action Plan as the only way to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, he said, stressing the primacy of the Arab solution, under the “Arab roof”, and its rejection of military intervention. The draft before the Assembly was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict, he continued. It reaffirmed Syria’s territorial integrity and supported the aims set out in the decisions and resolutions of the Arab League. Stressing that those efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he said more than 70 Member States were co-sponsoring the draft, and it was to be hoped that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with one voice on events taking place in Syria. Hopefully, the vote would also show broad and commanding support for the Arab Action Plan, he added, calling on all Member States to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and the Syrian people by voting in favour of the text. Following that statement, the Secretariat announced that approval of the text, which requested the Secretary-General and all relevant bodies to support the Arab League’s efforts, including through good offices and by appointing a Special Envoy, would incur additional budgetary resources in the amount of $900,000 for an initial six months in the 2012-2013 biennium. Those requirements would be met through the use of commitment authority granted to the Secretary-General as related to the maintenance of international peace and security. Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Syria said his country continued to respond in an accelerated manner to demands for reform, in response to all the points raised by Egypt’s representative in presenting the draft resolution. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments that responded to popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and prestige and to end the violence. He called on all Member States to encourage the opposition to take part in that dialogue and not to impede participation by others. In addition, he called on Member States to stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria. No country could tolerate the presence of armed terrorist groups on its territory, he emphasized. Neither would it tolerate attacks against its officials, people and institutions. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting the armed groups, even though they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. They had also cut relations with Syria without justification, which showed that they did not wish to promote peaceful reform. He called on them to stop adding fuel to the fire, pointing out that the draft resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups “said everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did their failure to condemn terrorist acts. They had paid no heed to Syria’s plans for reforms, he added. The Arab League, in its resolution supported by today’s draft, had decided to provide all forms of support to the opposition, opening the door to the funding and arming of violent groups for terrorist acts, he said. The League was providing support to countries that had long wanted to undermine Syria, and Member States should instead help Syria’s Government and people to face the challenges of extremism and terrorism, which had been documented, but not well publicized. Adopting the draft resolution would only lead to a worsening of the crisis by encouraging extremism, he warned, appealing to all Member States to vote against the text lest they increase the chaos in Syria. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” It would also play into the hands of Israel and help its efforts to defeat the aspirations of Palestinians and other people under occupation in the region. The representative of Venezuela, affirming the fundamental importance of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, denounced the attempt by imperial powers and their allies to trigger regime change in Syria, even at the cost of further bloodshed, reproducing the dire consequences of the Libyan situation. Those Powers sought to occupy Syria, to foment a coup against its legitimate authorities and to turn the country into a protectorate. The draft resolution, with its mentoring and monitoring mechanisms, represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he said. The text also attacked the Government for human rights abuses while hiding the heinous crimes committed by terrorist groups against civilians, as well as attacks with varied weaponry against public officials and facilities. He went on to note that the draft ignored the Government’s initiatives to promote inclusive political dialogue and its call for a referendum on a new Constitution, which were the best options for moving forward. The draft denied the Syrian State’s right to protect its population and ensure internal peace and security, he said, adding that it did not call for opposition groups to dissociate themselves from groups engaged in violence. Commending the Russian Federation’s efforts for a more balanced text, he supported that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus as well its efforts, with China, to prevent the Security Council from being used to violate Syria’s sovereignty. “It is not desirable that the logic of war, which imperialists intend to impose on Syria and the world, prevails,” he said. Instead, the Assembly should be concerned about recognition of a Palestinian State, the end of Israeli rights violations and ending the blockade on Cuba. The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that any issue relating to a Member State must be discussed in line with the principles of territorial integrity and State sovereignty. As a full-fledged member of the United Nations, Syria was no exception to that rule, he said, emphasizing that all violence in Syria must stop. The issues in that country should be settled in the best interest of its people. The country’s fate and future should be in their hands and they alone should lead the process towards a peaceful negotiated solution, which should be reached without outside influence. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would vote against the text, he said. The representative of Grenada offered condolences to the families of all those who had lost loved ones in Syria and stressed that the United Nations must act — and be seen to act — in line with the tenets of its founding Charter. Grenada was proceeding with the understanding that the draft resolution would “do only what the text says” — provide diplomatic support to Syria, the Arab League and the Secretary-General in order to help the Government and people of Syria to end all bloodshed, while finding an agreed solution. It also understood that the Assembly was not voting on or for a text that could in any way be interpreted as a basis for the removal of the Government, military intervention or any act against the spirit and letter of the Charter, she said. With that understanding, Grenada would vote in favour of the draft resolution, she added. The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions. The representatives of Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and Comoros informed the Secretariat that they had been unable to cast their votes properly. The representative of the Russian Federation said he had opposed the resolution because it clearly did not meet the criteria for ending the violence in Syria. The Russian delegation had proposed to place reasonable demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups and to demand that those groups themselves stop their attacks, he said, noting that those amendments had not been accepted. The Russian Federation would continue to work with all those striving for regional stability, he stressed. The representative of China said his Government had closely followed developments in Syria and was deeply worried about the escalating crisis that had caused civilian casualties and affected peace and security in the wider Middle East. China condemned all acts of violence against innocent civilians and urged the Syrian Government as well as all political factions to “immediately and fully” end all acts of violence and quickly restore order. It also called on the political factions in Syria to express their political aspirations through non-violent means under the rule of law. He went on to urge all parties concerned immediately to launch an inclusive political dialogue, without preconditions, hold a referendum on the new draft Constitution, as well as early parliamentary elections, and establish a national unity Government that included all factions. “We understand the concern of Arab countries and the League of Arab States on seeking a quick resolution to this issue,” he said, expressing support for their position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Emphasizing that the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he said: “We do not approve of armed intervention or forcing a so-called regime change in Syria.” Neither did China believe that sanctions or the threat of such measures would be helpful in achieving an appropriate solution, he continued. The actions of the United Nations and the wider international community should be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. Instead of complicating matters, such actions should promote the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East, he said, adding that he had voted in accordance with those principles. As a friend of the Arab people, China had always followed the purposes and principles of the Charter and would continue to work with the international community to resolve the situation in Syria. The representative of Serbia said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that all international efforts should aim solely for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. At the same time, Serbia would have wished that the proposals and amendments put forward by some delegations had been considered and evaluated. In particular, the resolution would have been enriched by some of the changes submitted by the Russian Federation, which were “truly constructive”, he said, adding that they could have led to the consensus adoption of the text. He expressed hope that the international community would nevertheless take notice of those proposed amendments as the diplomatic process progressed. “Their content cannot be avoided, and sooner or later will need to be addressed,” he said. The representative of Pakistan said he supported the Arab League position and had voted in favour of the resolution, but condemned the use of violence on all sides. An immediate end to violence and killing, as well as a peaceful resolution were aims upon which all Member States agreed. In that light, Pakistan had been stressing the need for consensus on the Syrian situation, he said, noting that there could have been better efforts in the Assembly and the Security Council to reach consensus and to fully assure delegations that there was no intention to carry out a hostile intervention. Reiterating his call for the Syrian people to be respected, he said they must be allowed to resolve their crisis, and he reaffirmed the absolute importance of respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all States. The representative of Costa Rica expressed his delegation’s deepest concern about the gruesome human rights violations being carried out in Syria. The international community could not remain silent, he stressed, calling on the Syrian authorities to definitively end attacks against civilians and other human rights violations. Condemning reports of sexual violence, including that perpetrated against girls and boys, he said all international stakeholders should work towards a swift and peaceful solution to the crisis, in line with the Arab League’s Plan of Action. The Human Rights Council had been playing its role of promoting a peaceful solution and, with the appropriate tools already at its disposal, it should move to create the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation in Syria, he said, calling attention to that Council’s report on the very serious acts — pointing to possible crimes against humanity — being carried out in Syria. Expressing concern that the Security Council had been unable to act on the matter, he said it had been prevented from acting by the use of a veto. The Council required deep reform, chiefly so that such measures could not be used to stymie action in the face of the worst international crimes, he emphasized. Stakeholders might disagree on certain matters, but the international community must speak resoundingly when human rights violations and acts of violence against civilians were committed. The international community should explore all avenues to reach a solution and ensure that those who had committed grave crimes were held responsible, including through referring the Syrian issue to the International Criminal Court. Finally, he said the “voices of change cannot be silenced with violence”, and called for a solution that met the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. The representative of Ukraine said that the Arab League’s peaceful efforts for a negotiated settlement deserved the Assembly’s support. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement last week in which it had expressed grave concern at the escalating violence in Syria, “which threatens to grow into a full-scale civil war, with unpredictable consequences in the entire Middle East”. Ukraine urged all parties in Syria to cease the violence and begin a dialogue, with the aim of finding a mutually acceptable and effective way to resolve their differences. The representative of Iran said he had voted against the resolution, in line with his delegation’s position that the Syrian people’s legitimate demands must be addressed through a peaceful and domestically led political process and without foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs, which would only worsen the crisis and have ramifications on the region as a whole. He regretted, in addition, that the Assembly’s consideration of the Syrian crisis had not followed proper procedure, including the vote under the agenda item “prevention of armed conflict”, which did not apply. It was even more regrettable, he continued, that the resolution’s co-sponsors had chosen not to accommodate any amendments that might have made it more balanced, comprehensive and suited to the real situation on the ground. In that light, it was necessary to be clear and steadfast in condemning any act of violence and terrorism, in any form and manifestation, he emphasized. As long as armed groups continued to resort to violence, the crisis would continue, serving the interests of the Zionist regime. All States must work together in a practical manner to assist a peaceful resolution of the crisis. The representative of Bolivia, stating that he had voted against the resolution, asked the Assembly to consider exactly what was happening in Syria. With the many possibilities and few answers, it was clear that no one really knew exactly what the real situation was. All that was known was that there was a recognized opposition and a Government that was prepared to undertake meaningful reforms. Indeed, Syria’s representative had twice informed the Assembly that such reforms, including constitutional changes, had been agreed and were under way. Saying he understood that such reforms were a work in progress, he added that Bolivia knew the dangers of a political vacuum, which could lead to destabilization of the entire region. He said there were two possible ways in which the Syrian situation could end, the first being “the way of Libya”, in which the United Nations had facilitated a “recipe for intervention” to justify regime change through a Security Council resolution. That text had actually promoted further destabilization and civil unrest, he pointed out, warning: “I fear we have not learned our lessons from that situation.” He added: “Last year, it was the Security Council and this year it appears to be the General Assembly.” Bolivia seriously hoped that that was not the case, but had voted against the resolution just the same. The other possible ending was through a peaceful resolution, as had occurred in Egypt and Tunisia, he said. In those cases, efforts had been channelled towards democracy and changes of Government borne by the will of the people, not foreign intervention. Hopefully, the winds of the “Arab Spring” would blow in Syria’s direction and stir peaceful change, he said, adding that, had the amendments put forward by the Russian Federation been integrated into the resolution, it would have been adopted by consensus. The representative of Argentina said he had voted in favour of the resolution and emphasized the utmost importance of ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights in Syria. It was necessary to preserve the fundamental rights of free association and expression, he said, adding that the crisis in Syria should be resolved through dialogue and democratic negotiations involving all sectors of society. The representative of India noted that his country had condemned all violence in Syria, no matter by whom it was committed, and had been supporting a peaceful, inclusive and nationally led political resolution of the crisis. India had voted in favour of the resolution, in accordance with its support for the Arab League’s efforts for such a political resolution. Regrettably, however, there had been exceptions to established General Assembly procedures during the week, he said, expressing a wish that there had been greater readiness from all quarters to negotiate a text with a view to reaching consensus. He went on to note that the resolution expressly reaffirmed that all countries should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. It condemned all violence, irrespective of its origin, and called for serious political dialogue under the Arab League. The country’s leadership was a matter for the Syrian people to decide, he stressed, calling on all opposition forces to engage peacefully in constructive dialogue with the authorities. In that connection, he noted the Syrian leadership’s decision to hold a referendum and multi-party elections, expressing hope that that decision would create an environment of peace and facilitate a political process. The representative of Singapore said he had voted in favour of the resolution because it was not a politically motivated text, but instead dealt with a unique emergency in an appropriate manner. He joined with all in calling on all stakeholders to end violence and resolve the situation peacefully. The representative of Viet Nam, affirming his country’s concern about developments in Syria, joined the call for all parties in Syria to exercise self-restraint, end the violence and find a political solution through a domestically led constructive dialogue and national reconciliation, in conformity with the people’s aspirations. He also underlined the importance of respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States. Viet Nam supported efforts by the international community, including the Arab League, to contribute constructively to the restoration of stability and the promotion of national reconciliation in Syria, he said. The representative of Chile said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that the Assembly had raised its voice to “energetically” condemn the “grave and massive” violations of human rights under way in Syria. Serious acts, such as torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention, including those highlighted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her briefing earlier in the week, must be denounced and those responsible brought to justice, he emphasized. All parties in Syria must open a true dialogue, and the authorities must allow access to those in need, he added. The representative of Bangladesh said he had voted in favour of the resolution. Despite its principled position of abstaining when texts targeted human rights situations in specific countries, Bangladesh had voted in favour of today’s resolution to end the shedding of the Syrian people’s blood, he said. The Assembly’s decision earlier in the week to consider the report of the Human Rights Council had contravened its rules of procedure, he said, expressing hope that no precedent would result from that action. The resolution had been drafted in line with the aims of the Arab League Action Plan, but Bangladesh would have hoped for the inclusion of the amendments submitted by the Russian Federation, he said, emphasizing that any actions taken in Syria must be in line with the aspirations of its people and lead towards a peaceful resolution. The representative of Egypt then made a general statement, saying that the international community had made its views known through its overwhelming support for the resolution. It had reaffirmed the need for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and sent a clear message to the Government to listen to the voice of the Syrian people and implement the decisions of the Arab League. The situation was deteriorating and all should now focus on ending the violence and meeting the people’s aspirations in order to avoid a worse situation, which would have effects in the region and lead to a humanitarian crisis. Egypt would continue to work with the League in that effort, he pledged. The representative of Syria also made a general statement, saying that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today as the resolution’s Western co-sponsors had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the Arab League had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Syria had left the Arab League temporarily; it was broken, politically and morally, he said, congratulating it on its new alliance with Israel. Syria no longer wanted the League to stand by it following its shameful actions, but it did want them to save whatever face it had left and cease the plotting against other Arab States. He went on to warn that the wealth of all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries would be squandered on losing causes and the price would be borne by all Arabs, who would be used as fuel to obtain the objectives of Israel and the West. Had the co-sponsors retained any credibility, they would have accepted the Russian amendments and worked to counter support for armed groups in Syria. In addition, the United Nations was betraying its own principles, and if that continued, the Organization would collapse, destroying the normative efforts of the past 66 years, he said. That would be the end result of intervention in the internal affairs of others. * *** * For information media • not an official record http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11207.doc.htm ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------

Syria: 4 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012

Syria: 4 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict: draft resolution (A/66/L.36) [34] The General Assembly strongly condemned the continued “widespread and systematic” human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and demanded that the Government immediately cease all violence and protect its people. The 193-member body adopted a resolution backing Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, where UN officials estimate that security forces have killed well over 5,400 people since the popular uprising began last March. http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2012/02/97th-plenary-meeting-general-assembly.html 16 February 2012 General Assembly GA/11207 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-sixth General Assembly Plenary 97th Meeting (PM) General Assembly Adopts Resolution Strongly Condemning ‘Widespread and Systematic’ Human Rights Violations by Syrian Authorities Text Passes by 137 Votes in Favour to 12 against, with 17 Abstentions Strongly condemning continued widespread and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities, the General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly to call on both the Government and allied forces and armed groups “to stop all violence or reprisals immediately”. Adopting an Arab-backed resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions, the Assembly expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and condemned a raft of violations carried out by the authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, the killing and persecution of protestors and journalists, and sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The Assembly called on Syria to abide by its obligations under international law, and demanded that the Government, in line with the 2 November 2011 Action Plan of the League of Arab States, and its decisions of 22 January and 12 February 2012, without delay, stop all violence and protect its people, release all those detained during the unrest, withdraw all armed forces from cities and towns, guarantee peaceful demonstrations and allow unhindered access for Arab League monitors and international media. The language of the resolution closely mirrored that of a text vetoed by China and the Russian Federation in the Security Council two weeks earlier. (See Press Release SC/10536) The Assembly’s action also followed a special briefing on Monday by Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed outrage at the bloody 11-month crackdown on opposition protesters. She warned that the Council’s failure to take action had emboldened the Syrian Government to launch an all-out assault to crush dissent, most evident in its “appalling” siege of the city of Homs. (See Press Release GA/11206) By other terms of the text adopted today, the Assembly expressed its full support for the Arab League’s decision to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, including through a “serious political dialogue between the [Syrian Government] and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition”. Reaffirming its strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, it further reaffirmed that all Member States “should refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”. The measure requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all relevant United Nations bodies to support the Arab League’s ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, including through good offices and the appointment of a Special Envoy. The Secretary-General was also requested to report to the Assembly within 15 days on the status of the resolution. Ahead of the action, the Secretariat announced that approval of those elements of the text would incur $900,000 in additional budgetary resources for an initial six months of the 2012-2013 biennium. Egypt’s representative, presenting the draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group, described the situation in Syria as “critical” and demanded that the Government immediately end the bloodshed. He said the text was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict. Stressing that the Arab League’s efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he expressed hope that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with “one voice” on events in Syria. Syria’s representative took the floor immediately thereafter in response to the points raised by his Egyptian counterpart, and said that the Government was responding in an accelerated manner to demands for reform. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments, in line with popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and to end the violence. However, Member States must stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria, he emphasized, declaring that no State would tolerate the presence of armed terrorists on its territory. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting such armed groups, even as they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. “Stop adding fuel to the fire,” he said, pointing out that the resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate itself from armed groups “says everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did its failure to condemn terrorist acts. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” Speaking after the vote, in a statement directed largely at the Arab League, he said that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today, as the Western co-sponsors of the resolution had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the League — “broken politically and morally” — had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Most other delegations hailed the resolution’s strong calls for an end to the violence and for the Syrian Government to protect civilians. Many reiterated their firm belief that the Arab League’s Action Plan, which proposed a negotiated solution among all Syrian factions, was the best path out of the crisis. Other speakers expressed grave concern about reports of massive human rights violations in Syria, and said that ending them must be the international community’s main priority. Costa Rica’s representative, who voted in favour of the resolution, emphasized that impunity must not be tolerated and, if necessary, the situation should be referred to the International Criminal Court. At the same time, several speakers echoed the concerns raised by the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who voted against the text and roundly denounced “attempts by imperial Powers and their allies” to trigger regime change in Syria, “even at the cost of further bloodshed”. The text represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he added. He was also among those who commended the Russian Federation’s efforts to produce a more balanced text, by placing demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups, expressing support for that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus. China’s representative expressed support for the Arab League’s position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Yet, the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he stressed, adding that actions taken by the United Nations should not complicate matters, but be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. In other action, the Assembly decided that the Marshall Islands, Sudan and the Federated States of Micronesia had all made the payments necessary to reduce their arrears under Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Under that Article, a Member State in arrears cannot vote in the General Assembly “if the amount of the arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two years”. Also speaking in explanation of position were representatives of Venezuela, Grenada, Russian Federation, Serbia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Bolivia, Argentina, India, Singapore, Viet Nam, Chile, Bangladesh and Egypt. The General Assembly will reconvene at a time and date to be announced. Background Meeting this afternoon to consider matters relating to the prevention of armed conflict, the General Assembly was expected to take action on a draft resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36). Procedural Matters The representative of Syria, recalling the Assembly’s previous meeting on the report of the Human Rights Council, said his delegation had informed Member States at the time that the earlier meeting contravened the rules of procedure, and had called on the Assembly President to obtain a legal opinion on the matter. It had been announced during that meeting that a draft resolution on Syria would be presented to the Assembly, but today it was meeting under the item “Prevention of armed conflict”. It was “pathetic” that the Syrian issue was being addressed under at least three different agenda items, he said, adding that there was clearly confusion over the matter. The Assembly’s legitimacy was at stake, he said, asking the President to provide the rules of procedure governing the current meeting. GARY FRANCIS QUINLAN (Australia), Assembly Vice-President, responded by saying it was his understanding that the Assembly President could convene a meeting at any time, under any agenda item, to consider a draft resolution presented to Member States. The representative of Yemen said his delegation had been surprised by reference to Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Action on Draft Resolution OSAMA ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt), introducing the draft resolution the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36) on behalf of the Arab Group, said the Assembly was meeting as that country faced “critical circumstances”. The major escalation of violence there had been condemned by the League of Arab States, the Arab Group, the United Nations and the wider international community. Demanding that the Syrian Government end the bloodshed, he said the matter was at the very top of the Arab League’s agenda. That regional body had called for an immediate and faithful implementation of the Arab Action Plan as the only way to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, he said, stressing the primacy of the Arab solution, under the “Arab roof”, and its rejection of military intervention. The draft before the Assembly was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict, he continued. It reaffirmed Syria’s territorial integrity and supported the aims set out in the decisions and resolutions of the Arab League. Stressing that those efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he said more than 70 Member States were co-sponsoring the draft, and it was to be hoped that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with one voice on events taking place in Syria. Hopefully, the vote would also show broad and commanding support for the Arab Action Plan, he added, calling on all Member States to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and the Syrian people by voting in favour of the text. Following that statement, the Secretariat announced that approval of the text, which requested the Secretary-General and all relevant bodies to support the Arab League’s efforts, including through good offices and by appointing a Special Envoy, would incur additional budgetary resources in the amount of $900,000 for an initial six months in the 2012-2013 biennium. Those requirements would be met through the use of commitment authority granted to the Secretary-General as related to the maintenance of international peace and security. Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Syria said his country continued to respond in an accelerated manner to demands for reform, in response to all the points raised by Egypt’s representative in presenting the draft resolution. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments that responded to popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and prestige and to end the violence. He called on all Member States to encourage the opposition to take part in that dialogue and not to impede participation by others. In addition, he called on Member States to stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria. No country could tolerate the presence of armed terrorist groups on its territory, he emphasized. Neither would it tolerate attacks against its officials, people and institutions. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting the armed groups, even though they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. They had also cut relations with Syria without justification, which showed that they did not wish to promote peaceful reform. He called on them to stop adding fuel to the fire, pointing out that the draft resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups “said everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did their failure to condemn terrorist acts. They had paid no heed to Syria’s plans for reforms, he added. The Arab League, in its resolution supported by today’s draft, had decided to provide all forms of support to the opposition, opening the door to the funding and arming of violent groups for terrorist acts, he said. The League was providing support to countries that had long wanted to undermine Syria, and Member States should instead help Syria’s Government and people to face the challenges of extremism and terrorism, which had been documented, but not well publicized. Adopting the draft resolution would only lead to a worsening of the crisis by encouraging extremism, he warned, appealing to all Member States to vote against the text lest they increase the chaos in Syria. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” It would also play into the hands of Israel and help its efforts to defeat the aspirations of Palestinians and other people under occupation in the region. The representative of Venezuela, affirming the fundamental importance of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, denounced the attempt by imperial powers and their allies to trigger regime change in Syria, even at the cost of further bloodshed, reproducing the dire consequences of the Libyan situation. Those Powers sought to occupy Syria, to foment a coup against its legitimate authorities and to turn the country into a protectorate. The draft resolution, with its mentoring and monitoring mechanisms, represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he said. The text also attacked the Government for human rights abuses while hiding the heinous crimes committed by terrorist groups against civilians, as well as attacks with varied weaponry against public officials and facilities. He went on to note that the draft ignored the Government’s initiatives to promote inclusive political dialogue and its call for a referendum on a new Constitution, which were the best options for moving forward. The draft denied the Syrian State’s right to protect its population and ensure internal peace and security, he said, adding that it did not call for opposition groups to dissociate themselves from groups engaged in violence. Commending the Russian Federation’s efforts for a more balanced text, he supported that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus as well its efforts, with China, to prevent the Security Council from being used to violate Syria’s sovereignty. “It is not desirable that the logic of war, which imperialists intend to impose on Syria and the world, prevails,” he said. Instead, the Assembly should be concerned about recognition of a Palestinian State, the end of Israeli rights violations and ending the blockade on Cuba. The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that any issue relating to a Member State must be discussed in line with the principles of territorial integrity and State sovereignty. As a full-fledged member of the United Nations, Syria was no exception to that rule, he said, emphasizing that all violence in Syria must stop. The issues in that country should be settled in the best interest of its people. The country’s fate and future should be in their hands and they alone should lead the process towards a peaceful negotiated solution, which should be reached without outside influence. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would vote against the text, he said. The representative of Grenada offered condolences to the families of all those who had lost loved ones in Syria and stressed that the United Nations must act — and be seen to act — in line with the tenets of its founding Charter. Grenada was proceeding with the understanding that the draft resolution would “do only what the text says” — provide diplomatic support to Syria, the Arab League and the Secretary-General in order to help the Government and people of Syria to end all bloodshed, while finding an agreed solution. It also understood that the Assembly was not voting on or for a text that could in any way be interpreted as a basis for the removal of the Government, military intervention or any act against the spirit and letter of the Charter, she said. With that understanding, Grenada would vote in favour of the draft resolution, she added. The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions. The representatives of Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and Comoros informed the Secretariat that they had been unable to cast their votes properly. The representative of the Russian Federation said he had opposed the resolution because it clearly did not meet the criteria for ending the violence in Syria. The Russian delegation had proposed to place reasonable demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups and to demand that those groups themselves stop their attacks, he said, noting that those amendments had not been accepted. The Russian Federation would continue to work with all those striving for regional stability, he stressed. The representative of China said his Government had closely followed developments in Syria and was deeply worried about the escalating crisis that had caused civilian casualties and affected peace and security in the wider Middle East. China condemned all acts of violence against innocent civilians and urged the Syrian Government as well as all political factions to “immediately and fully” end all acts of violence and quickly restore order. It also called on the political factions in Syria to express their political aspirations through non-violent means under the rule of law. He went on to urge all parties concerned immediately to launch an inclusive political dialogue, without preconditions, hold a referendum on the new draft Constitution, as well as early parliamentary elections, and establish a national unity Government that included all factions. “We understand the concern of Arab countries and the League of Arab States on seeking a quick resolution to this issue,” he said, expressing support for their position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Emphasizing that the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he said: “We do not approve of armed intervention or forcing a so-called regime change in Syria.” Neither did China believe that sanctions or the threat of such measures would be helpful in achieving an appropriate solution, he continued. The actions of the United Nations and the wider international community should be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. Instead of complicating matters, such actions should promote the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East, he said, adding that he had voted in accordance with those principles. As a friend of the Arab people, China had always followed the purposes and principles of the Charter and would continue to work with the international community to resolve the situation in Syria. The representative of Serbia said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that all international efforts should aim solely for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. At the same time, Serbia would have wished that the proposals and amendments put forward by some delegations had been considered and evaluated. In particular, the resolution would have been enriched by some of the changes submitted by the Russian Federation, which were “truly constructive”, he said, adding that they could have led to the consensus adoption of the text. He expressed hope that the international community would nevertheless take notice of those proposed amendments as the diplomatic process progressed. “Their content cannot be avoided, and sooner or later will need to be addressed,” he said. The representative of Pakistan said he supported the Arab League position and had voted in favour of the resolution, but condemned the use of violence on all sides. An immediate end to violence and killing, as well as a peaceful resolution were aims upon which all Member States agreed. In that light, Pakistan had been stressing the need for consensus on the Syrian situation, he said, noting that there could have been better efforts in the Assembly and the Security Council to reach consensus and to fully assure delegations that there was no intention to carry out a hostile intervention. Reiterating his call for the Syrian people to be respected, he said they must be allowed to resolve their crisis, and he reaffirmed the absolute importance of respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all States. The representative of Costa Rica expressed his delegation’s deepest concern about the gruesome human rights violations being carried out in Syria. The international community could not remain silent, he stressed, calling on the Syrian authorities to definitively end attacks against civilians and other human rights violations. Condemning reports of sexual violence, including that perpetrated against girls and boys, he said all international stakeholders should work towards a swift and peaceful solution to the crisis, in line with the Arab League’s Plan of Action. The Human Rights Council had been playing its role of promoting a peaceful solution and, with the appropriate tools already at its disposal, it should move to create the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation in Syria, he said, calling attention to that Council’s report on the very serious acts — pointing to possible crimes against humanity — being carried out in Syria. Expressing concern that the Security Council had been unable to act on the matter, he said it had been prevented from acting by the use of a veto. The Council required deep reform, chiefly so that such measures could not be used to stymie action in the face of the worst international crimes, he emphasized. Stakeholders might disagree on certain matters, but the international community must speak resoundingly when human rights violations and acts of violence against civilians were committed. The international community should explore all avenues to reach a solution and ensure that those who had committed grave crimes were held responsible, including through referring the Syrian issue to the International Criminal Court. Finally, he said the “voices of change cannot be silenced with violence”, and called for a solution that met the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. The representative of Ukraine said that the Arab League’s peaceful efforts for a negotiated settlement deserved the Assembly’s support. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement last week in which it had expressed grave concern at the escalating violence in Syria, “which threatens to grow into a full-scale civil war, with unpredictable consequences in the entire Middle East”. Ukraine urged all parties in Syria to cease the violence and begin a dialogue, with the aim of finding a mutually acceptable and effective way to resolve their differences. The representative of Iran said he had voted against the resolution, in line with his delegation’s position that the Syrian people’s legitimate demands must be addressed through a peaceful and domestically led political process and without foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs, which would only worsen the crisis and have ramifications on the region as a whole. He regretted, in addition, that the Assembly’s consideration of the Syrian crisis had not followed proper procedure, including the vote under the agenda item “prevention of armed conflict”, which did not apply. It was even more regrettable, he continued, that the resolution’s co-sponsors had chosen not to accommodate any amendments that might have made it more balanced, comprehensive and suited to the real situation on the ground. In that light, it was necessary to be clear and steadfast in condemning any act of violence and terrorism, in any form and manifestation, he emphasized. As long as armed groups continued to resort to violence, the crisis would continue, serving the interests of the Zionist regime. All States must work together in a practical manner to assist a peaceful resolution of the crisis. The representative of Bolivia, stating that he had voted against the resolution, asked the Assembly to consider exactly what was happening in Syria. With the many possibilities and few answers, it was clear that no one really knew exactly what the real situation was. All that was known was that there was a recognized opposition and a Government that was prepared to undertake meaningful reforms. Indeed, Syria’s representative had twice informed the Assembly that such reforms, including constitutional changes, had been agreed and were under way. Saying he understood that such reforms were a work in progress, he added that Bolivia knew the dangers of a political vacuum, which could lead to destabilization of the entire region. He said there were two possible ways in which the Syrian situation could end, the first being “the way of Libya”, in which the United Nations had facilitated a “recipe for intervention” to justify regime change through a Security Council resolution. That text had actually promoted further destabilization and civil unrest, he pointed out, warning: “I fear we have not learned our lessons from that situation.” He added: “Last year, it was the Security Council and this year it appears to be the General Assembly.” Bolivia seriously hoped that that was not the case, but had voted against the resolution just the same. The other possible ending was through a peaceful resolution, as had occurred in Egypt and Tunisia, he said. In those cases, efforts had been channelled towards democracy and changes of Government borne by the will of the people, not foreign intervention. Hopefully, the winds of the “Arab Spring” would blow in Syria’s direction and stir peaceful change, he said, adding that, had the amendments put forward by the Russian Federation been integrated into the resolution, it would have been adopted by consensus. The representative of Argentina said he had voted in favour of the resolution and emphasized the utmost importance of ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights in Syria. It was necessary to preserve the fundamental rights of free association and expression, he said, adding that the crisis in Syria should be resolved through dialogue and democratic negotiations involving all sectors of society. The representative of India noted that his country had condemned all violence in Syria, no matter by whom it was committed, and had been supporting a peaceful, inclusive and nationally led political resolution of the crisis. India had voted in favour of the resolution, in accordance with its support for the Arab League’s efforts for such a political resolution. Regrettably, however, there had been exceptions to established General Assembly procedures during the week, he said, expressing a wish that there had been greater readiness from all quarters to negotiate a text with a view to reaching consensus. He went on to note that the resolution expressly reaffirmed that all countries should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. It condemned all violence, irrespective of its origin, and called for serious political dialogue under the Arab League. The country’s leadership was a matter for the Syrian people to decide, he stressed, calling on all opposition forces to engage peacefully in constructive dialogue with the authorities. In that connection, he noted the Syrian leadership’s decision to hold a referendum and multi-party elections, expressing hope that that decision would create an environment of peace and facilitate a political process. The representative of Singapore said he had voted in favour of the resolution because it was not a politically motivated text, but instead dealt with a unique emergency in an appropriate manner. He joined with all in calling on all stakeholders to end violence and resolve the situation peacefully. The representative of Viet Nam, affirming his country’s concern about developments in Syria, joined the call for all parties in Syria to exercise self-restraint, end the violence and find a political solution through a domestically led constructive dialogue and national reconciliation, in conformity with the people’s aspirations. He also underlined the importance of respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States. Viet Nam supported efforts by the international community, including the Arab League, to contribute constructively to the restoration of stability and the promotion of national reconciliation in Syria, he said. The representative of Chile said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that the Assembly had raised its voice to “energetically” condemn the “grave and massive” violations of human rights under way in Syria. Serious acts, such as torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention, including those highlighted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her briefing earlier in the week, must be denounced and those responsible brought to justice, he emphasized. All parties in Syria must open a true dialogue, and the authorities must allow access to those in need, he added. The representative of Bangladesh said he had voted in favour of the resolution. Despite its principled position of abstaining when texts targeted human rights situations in specific countries, Bangladesh had voted in favour of today’s resolution to end the shedding of the Syrian people’s blood, he said. The Assembly’s decision earlier in the week to consider the report of the Human Rights Council had contravened its rules of procedure, he said, expressing hope that no precedent would result from that action. The resolution had been drafted in line with the aims of the Arab League Action Plan, but Bangladesh would have hoped for the inclusion of the amendments submitted by the Russian Federation, he said, emphasizing that any actions taken in Syria must be in line with the aspirations of its people and lead towards a peaceful resolution. The representative of Egypt then made a general statement, saying that the international community had made its views known through its overwhelming support for the resolution. It had reaffirmed the need for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and sent a clear message to the Government to listen to the voice of the Syrian people and implement the decisions of the Arab League. The situation was deteriorating and all should now focus on ending the violence and meeting the people’s aspirations in order to avoid a worse situation, which would have effects in the region and lead to a humanitarian crisis. Egypt would continue to work with the League in that effort, he pledged. The representative of Syria also made a general statement, saying that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today as the resolution’s Western co-sponsors had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the Arab League had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Syria had left the Arab League temporarily; it was broken, politically and morally, he said, congratulating it on its new alliance with Israel. Syria no longer wanted the League to stand by it following its shameful actions, but it did want them to save whatever face it had left and cease the plotting against other Arab States. He went on to warn that the wealth of all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries would be squandered on losing causes and the price would be borne by all Arabs, who would be used as fuel to obtain the objectives of Israel and the West. Had the co-sponsors retained any credibility, they would have accepted the Russian amendments and worked to counter support for armed groups in Syria. In addition, the United Nations was betraying its own principles, and if that continued, the Organization would collapse, destroying the normative efforts of the past 66 years, he said. That would be the end result of intervention in the internal affairs of others. * *** * For information media • not an official record http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11207.doc.htm ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------

Syria: 3 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012

Syria: 3 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict: draft resolution (A/66/L.36) [34] The General Assembly strongly condemned the continued “widespread and systematic” human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and demanded that the Government immediately cease all violence and protect its people. The 193-member body adopted a resolution backing Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, where UN officials estimate that security forces have killed well over 5,400 people since the popular uprising began last March. http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2012/02/97th-plenary-meeting-general-assembly.html 16 February 2012 General Assembly GA/11207 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-sixth General Assembly Plenary 97th Meeting (PM) General Assembly Adopts Resolution Strongly Condemning ‘Widespread and Systematic’ Human Rights Violations by Syrian Authorities Text Passes by 137 Votes in Favour to 12 against, with 17 Abstentions Strongly condemning continued widespread and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities, the General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly to call on both the Government and allied forces and armed groups “to stop all violence or reprisals immediately”. Adopting an Arab-backed resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions, the Assembly expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and condemned a raft of violations carried out by the authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, the killing and persecution of protestors and journalists, and sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The Assembly called on Syria to abide by its obligations under international law, and demanded that the Government, in line with the 2 November 2011 Action Plan of the League of Arab States, and its decisions of 22 January and 12 February 2012, without delay, stop all violence and protect its people, release all those detained during the unrest, withdraw all armed forces from cities and towns, guarantee peaceful demonstrations and allow unhindered access for Arab League monitors and international media. The language of the resolution closely mirrored that of a text vetoed by China and the Russian Federation in the Security Council two weeks earlier. (See Press Release SC/10536) The Assembly’s action also followed a special briefing on Monday by Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed outrage at the bloody 11-month crackdown on opposition protesters. She warned that the Council’s failure to take action had emboldened the Syrian Government to launch an all-out assault to crush dissent, most evident in its “appalling” siege of the city of Homs. (See Press Release GA/11206) By other terms of the text adopted today, the Assembly expressed its full support for the Arab League’s decision to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, including through a “serious political dialogue between the [Syrian Government] and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition”. Reaffirming its strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, it further reaffirmed that all Member States “should refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”. The measure requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all relevant United Nations bodies to support the Arab League’s ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, including through good offices and the appointment of a Special Envoy. The Secretary-General was also requested to report to the Assembly within 15 days on the status of the resolution. Ahead of the action, the Secretariat announced that approval of those elements of the text would incur $900,000 in additional budgetary resources for an initial six months of the 2012-2013 biennium. Egypt’s representative, presenting the draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group, described the situation in Syria as “critical” and demanded that the Government immediately end the bloodshed. He said the text was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict. Stressing that the Arab League’s efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he expressed hope that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with “one voice” on events in Syria. Syria’s representative took the floor immediately thereafter in response to the points raised by his Egyptian counterpart, and said that the Government was responding in an accelerated manner to demands for reform. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments, in line with popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and to end the violence. However, Member States must stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria, he emphasized, declaring that no State would tolerate the presence of armed terrorists on its territory. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting such armed groups, even as they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. “Stop adding fuel to the fire,” he said, pointing out that the resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate itself from armed groups “says everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did its failure to condemn terrorist acts. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” Speaking after the vote, in a statement directed largely at the Arab League, he said that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today, as the Western co-sponsors of the resolution had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the League — “broken politically and morally” — had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Most other delegations hailed the resolution’s strong calls for an end to the violence and for the Syrian Government to protect civilians. Many reiterated their firm belief that the Arab League’s Action Plan, which proposed a negotiated solution among all Syrian factions, was the best path out of the crisis. Other speakers expressed grave concern about reports of massive human rights violations in Syria, and said that ending them must be the international community’s main priority. Costa Rica’s representative, who voted in favour of the resolution, emphasized that impunity must not be tolerated and, if necessary, the situation should be referred to the International Criminal Court. At the same time, several speakers echoed the concerns raised by the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who voted against the text and roundly denounced “attempts by imperial Powers and their allies” to trigger regime change in Syria, “even at the cost of further bloodshed”. The text represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he added. He was also among those who commended the Russian Federation’s efforts to produce a more balanced text, by placing demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups, expressing support for that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus. China’s representative expressed support for the Arab League’s position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Yet, the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he stressed, adding that actions taken by the United Nations should not complicate matters, but be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. In other action, the Assembly decided that the Marshall Islands, Sudan and the Federated States of Micronesia had all made the payments necessary to reduce their arrears under Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Under that Article, a Member State in arrears cannot vote in the General Assembly “if the amount of the arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two years”. Also speaking in explanation of position were representatives of Venezuela, Grenada, Russian Federation, Serbia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Bolivia, Argentina, India, Singapore, Viet Nam, Chile, Bangladesh and Egypt. The General Assembly will reconvene at a time and date to be announced. Background Meeting this afternoon to consider matters relating to the prevention of armed conflict, the General Assembly was expected to take action on a draft resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36). Procedural Matters The representative of Syria, recalling the Assembly’s previous meeting on the report of the Human Rights Council, said his delegation had informed Member States at the time that the earlier meeting contravened the rules of procedure, and had called on the Assembly President to obtain a legal opinion on the matter. It had been announced during that meeting that a draft resolution on Syria would be presented to the Assembly, but today it was meeting under the item “Prevention of armed conflict”. It was “pathetic” that the Syrian issue was being addressed under at least three different agenda items, he said, adding that there was clearly confusion over the matter. The Assembly’s legitimacy was at stake, he said, asking the President to provide the rules of procedure governing the current meeting. GARY FRANCIS QUINLAN (Australia), Assembly Vice-President, responded by saying it was his understanding that the Assembly President could convene a meeting at any time, under any agenda item, to consider a draft resolution presented to Member States. The representative of Yemen said his delegation had been surprised by reference to Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Action on Draft Resolution OSAMA ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt), introducing the draft resolution the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36) on behalf of the Arab Group, said the Assembly was meeting as that country faced “critical circumstances”. The major escalation of violence there had been condemned by the League of Arab States, the Arab Group, the United Nations and the wider international community. Demanding that the Syrian Government end the bloodshed, he said the matter was at the very top of the Arab League’s agenda. That regional body had called for an immediate and faithful implementation of the Arab Action Plan as the only way to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, he said, stressing the primacy of the Arab solution, under the “Arab roof”, and its rejection of military intervention. The draft before the Assembly was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict, he continued. It reaffirmed Syria’s territorial integrity and supported the aims set out in the decisions and resolutions of the Arab League. Stressing that those efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he said more than 70 Member States were co-sponsoring the draft, and it was to be hoped that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with one voice on events taking place in Syria. Hopefully, the vote would also show broad and commanding support for the Arab Action Plan, he added, calling on all Member States to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and the Syrian people by voting in favour of the text. Following that statement, the Secretariat announced that approval of the text, which requested the Secretary-General and all relevant bodies to support the Arab League’s efforts, including through good offices and by appointing a Special Envoy, would incur additional budgetary resources in the amount of $900,000 for an initial six months in the 2012-2013 biennium. Those requirements would be met through the use of commitment authority granted to the Secretary-General as related to the maintenance of international peace and security. Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Syria said his country continued to respond in an accelerated manner to demands for reform, in response to all the points raised by Egypt’s representative in presenting the draft resolution. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments that responded to popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and prestige and to end the violence. He called on all Member States to encourage the opposition to take part in that dialogue and not to impede participation by others. In addition, he called on Member States to stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria. No country could tolerate the presence of armed terrorist groups on its territory, he emphasized. Neither would it tolerate attacks against its officials, people and institutions. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting the armed groups, even though they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. They had also cut relations with Syria without justification, which showed that they did not wish to promote peaceful reform. He called on them to stop adding fuel to the fire, pointing out that the draft resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups “said everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did their failure to condemn terrorist acts. They had paid no heed to Syria’s plans for reforms, he added. The Arab League, in its resolution supported by today’s draft, had decided to provide all forms of support to the opposition, opening the door to the funding and arming of violent groups for terrorist acts, he said. The League was providing support to countries that had long wanted to undermine Syria, and Member States should instead help Syria’s Government and people to face the challenges of extremism and terrorism, which had been documented, but not well publicized. Adopting the draft resolution would only lead to a worsening of the crisis by encouraging extremism, he warned, appealing to all Member States to vote against the text lest they increase the chaos in Syria. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” It would also play into the hands of Israel and help its efforts to defeat the aspirations of Palestinians and other people under occupation in the region. The representative of Venezuela, affirming the fundamental importance of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, denounced the attempt by imperial powers and their allies to trigger regime change in Syria, even at the cost of further bloodshed, reproducing the dire consequences of the Libyan situation. Those Powers sought to occupy Syria, to foment a coup against its legitimate authorities and to turn the country into a protectorate. The draft resolution, with its mentoring and monitoring mechanisms, represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he said. The text also attacked the Government for human rights abuses while hiding the heinous crimes committed by terrorist groups against civilians, as well as attacks with varied weaponry against public officials and facilities. He went on to note that the draft ignored the Government’s initiatives to promote inclusive political dialogue and its call for a referendum on a new Constitution, which were the best options for moving forward. The draft denied the Syrian State’s right to protect its population and ensure internal peace and security, he said, adding that it did not call for opposition groups to dissociate themselves from groups engaged in violence. Commending the Russian Federation’s efforts for a more balanced text, he supported that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus as well its efforts, with China, to prevent the Security Council from being used to violate Syria’s sovereignty. “It is not desirable that the logic of war, which imperialists intend to impose on Syria and the world, prevails,” he said. Instead, the Assembly should be concerned about recognition of a Palestinian State, the end of Israeli rights violations and ending the blockade on Cuba. The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that any issue relating to a Member State must be discussed in line with the principles of territorial integrity and State sovereignty. As a full-fledged member of the United Nations, Syria was no exception to that rule, he said, emphasizing that all violence in Syria must stop. The issues in that country should be settled in the best interest of its people. The country’s fate and future should be in their hands and they alone should lead the process towards a peaceful negotiated solution, which should be reached without outside influence. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would vote against the text, he said. The representative of Grenada offered condolences to the families of all those who had lost loved ones in Syria and stressed that the United Nations must act — and be seen to act — in line with the tenets of its founding Charter. Grenada was proceeding with the understanding that the draft resolution would “do only what the text says” — provide diplomatic support to Syria, the Arab League and the Secretary-General in order to help the Government and people of Syria to end all bloodshed, while finding an agreed solution. It also understood that the Assembly was not voting on or for a text that could in any way be interpreted as a basis for the removal of the Government, military intervention or any act against the spirit and letter of the Charter, she said. With that understanding, Grenada would vote in favour of the draft resolution, she added. The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions. The representatives of Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and Comoros informed the Secretariat that they had been unable to cast their votes properly. The representative of the Russian Federation said he had opposed the resolution because it clearly did not meet the criteria for ending the violence in Syria. The Russian delegation had proposed to place reasonable demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups and to demand that those groups themselves stop their attacks, he said, noting that those amendments had not been accepted. The Russian Federation would continue to work with all those striving for regional stability, he stressed. The representative of China said his Government had closely followed developments in Syria and was deeply worried about the escalating crisis that had caused civilian casualties and affected peace and security in the wider Middle East. China condemned all acts of violence against innocent civilians and urged the Syrian Government as well as all political factions to “immediately and fully” end all acts of violence and quickly restore order. It also called on the political factions in Syria to express their political aspirations through non-violent means under the rule of law. He went on to urge all parties concerned immediately to launch an inclusive political dialogue, without preconditions, hold a referendum on the new draft Constitution, as well as early parliamentary elections, and establish a national unity Government that included all factions. “We understand the concern of Arab countries and the League of Arab States on seeking a quick resolution to this issue,” he said, expressing support for their position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Emphasizing that the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he said: “We do not approve of armed intervention or forcing a so-called regime change in Syria.” Neither did China believe that sanctions or the threat of such measures would be helpful in achieving an appropriate solution, he continued. The actions of the United Nations and the wider international community should be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. Instead of complicating matters, such actions should promote the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East, he said, adding that he had voted in accordance with those principles. As a friend of the Arab people, China had always followed the purposes and principles of the Charter and would continue to work with the international community to resolve the situation in Syria. The representative of Serbia said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that all international efforts should aim solely for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. At the same time, Serbia would have wished that the proposals and amendments put forward by some delegations had been considered and evaluated. In particular, the resolution would have been enriched by some of the changes submitted by the Russian Federation, which were “truly constructive”, he said, adding that they could have led to the consensus adoption of the text. He expressed hope that the international community would nevertheless take notice of those proposed amendments as the diplomatic process progressed. “Their content cannot be avoided, and sooner or later will need to be addressed,” he said. The representative of Pakistan said he supported the Arab League position and had voted in favour of the resolution, but condemned the use of violence on all sides. An immediate end to violence and killing, as well as a peaceful resolution were aims upon which all Member States agreed. In that light, Pakistan had been stressing the need for consensus on the Syrian situation, he said, noting that there could have been better efforts in the Assembly and the Security Council to reach consensus and to fully assure delegations that there was no intention to carry out a hostile intervention. Reiterating his call for the Syrian people to be respected, he said they must be allowed to resolve their crisis, and he reaffirmed the absolute importance of respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all States. The representative of Costa Rica expressed his delegation’s deepest concern about the gruesome human rights violations being carried out in Syria. The international community could not remain silent, he stressed, calling on the Syrian authorities to definitively end attacks against civilians and other human rights violations. Condemning reports of sexual violence, including that perpetrated against girls and boys, he said all international stakeholders should work towards a swift and peaceful solution to the crisis, in line with the Arab League’s Plan of Action. The Human Rights Council had been playing its role of promoting a peaceful solution and, with the appropriate tools already at its disposal, it should move to create the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation in Syria, he said, calling attention to that Council’s report on the very serious acts — pointing to possible crimes against humanity — being carried out in Syria. Expressing concern that the Security Council had been unable to act on the matter, he said it had been prevented from acting by the use of a veto. The Council required deep reform, chiefly so that such measures could not be used to stymie action in the face of the worst international crimes, he emphasized. Stakeholders might disagree on certain matters, but the international community must speak resoundingly when human rights violations and acts of violence against civilians were committed. The international community should explore all avenues to reach a solution and ensure that those who had committed grave crimes were held responsible, including through referring the Syrian issue to the International Criminal Court. Finally, he said the “voices of change cannot be silenced with violence”, and called for a solution that met the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. The representative of Ukraine said that the Arab League’s peaceful efforts for a negotiated settlement deserved the Assembly’s support. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement last week in which it had expressed grave concern at the escalating violence in Syria, “which threatens to grow into a full-scale civil war, with unpredictable consequences in the entire Middle East”. Ukraine urged all parties in Syria to cease the violence and begin a dialogue, with the aim of finding a mutually acceptable and effective way to resolve their differences. The representative of Iran said he had voted against the resolution, in line with his delegation’s position that the Syrian people’s legitimate demands must be addressed through a peaceful and domestically led political process and without foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs, which would only worsen the crisis and have ramifications on the region as a whole. He regretted, in addition, that the Assembly’s consideration of the Syrian crisis had not followed proper procedure, including the vote under the agenda item “prevention of armed conflict”, which did not apply. It was even more regrettable, he continued, that the resolution’s co-sponsors had chosen not to accommodate any amendments that might have made it more balanced, comprehensive and suited to the real situation on the ground. In that light, it was necessary to be clear and steadfast in condemning any act of violence and terrorism, in any form and manifestation, he emphasized. As long as armed groups continued to resort to violence, the crisis would continue, serving the interests of the Zionist regime. All States must work together in a practical manner to assist a peaceful resolution of the crisis. The representative of Bolivia, stating that he had voted against the resolution, asked the Assembly to consider exactly what was happening in Syria. With the many possibilities and few answers, it was clear that no one really knew exactly what the real situation was. All that was known was that there was a recognized opposition and a Government that was prepared to undertake meaningful reforms. Indeed, Syria’s representative had twice informed the Assembly that such reforms, including constitutional changes, had been agreed and were under way. Saying he understood that such reforms were a work in progress, he added that Bolivia knew the dangers of a political vacuum, which could lead to destabilization of the entire region. He said there were two possible ways in which the Syrian situation could end, the first being “the way of Libya”, in which the United Nations had facilitated a “recipe for intervention” to justify regime change through a Security Council resolution. That text had actually promoted further destabilization and civil unrest, he pointed out, warning: “I fear we have not learned our lessons from that situation.” He added: “Last year, it was the Security Council and this year it appears to be the General Assembly.” Bolivia seriously hoped that that was not the case, but had voted against the resolution just the same. The other possible ending was through a peaceful resolution, as had occurred in Egypt and Tunisia, he said. In those cases, efforts had been channelled towards democracy and changes of Government borne by the will of the people, not foreign intervention. Hopefully, the winds of the “Arab Spring” would blow in Syria’s direction and stir peaceful change, he said, adding that, had the amendments put forward by the Russian Federation been integrated into the resolution, it would have been adopted by consensus. The representative of Argentina said he had voted in favour of the resolution and emphasized the utmost importance of ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights in Syria. It was necessary to preserve the fundamental rights of free association and expression, he said, adding that the crisis in Syria should be resolved through dialogue and democratic negotiations involving all sectors of society. The representative of India noted that his country had condemned all violence in Syria, no matter by whom it was committed, and had been supporting a peaceful, inclusive and nationally led political resolution of the crisis. India had voted in favour of the resolution, in accordance with its support for the Arab League’s efforts for such a political resolution. Regrettably, however, there had been exceptions to established General Assembly procedures during the week, he said, expressing a wish that there had been greater readiness from all quarters to negotiate a text with a view to reaching consensus. He went on to note that the resolution expressly reaffirmed that all countries should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. It condemned all violence, irrespective of its origin, and called for serious political dialogue under the Arab League. The country’s leadership was a matter for the Syrian people to decide, he stressed, calling on all opposition forces to engage peacefully in constructive dialogue with the authorities. In that connection, he noted the Syrian leadership’s decision to hold a referendum and multi-party elections, expressing hope that that decision would create an environment of peace and facilitate a political process. The representative of Singapore said he had voted in favour of the resolution because it was not a politically motivated text, but instead dealt with a unique emergency in an appropriate manner. He joined with all in calling on all stakeholders to end violence and resolve the situation peacefully. The representative of Viet Nam, affirming his country’s concern about developments in Syria, joined the call for all parties in Syria to exercise self-restraint, end the violence and find a political solution through a domestically led constructive dialogue and national reconciliation, in conformity with the people’s aspirations. He also underlined the importance of respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States. Viet Nam supported efforts by the international community, including the Arab League, to contribute constructively to the restoration of stability and the promotion of national reconciliation in Syria, he said. The representative of Chile said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that the Assembly had raised its voice to “energetically” condemn the “grave and massive” violations of human rights under way in Syria. Serious acts, such as torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention, including those highlighted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her briefing earlier in the week, must be denounced and those responsible brought to justice, he emphasized. All parties in Syria must open a true dialogue, and the authorities must allow access to those in need, he added. The representative of Bangladesh said he had voted in favour of the resolution. Despite its principled position of abstaining when texts targeted human rights situations in specific countries, Bangladesh had voted in favour of today’s resolution to end the shedding of the Syrian people’s blood, he said. The Assembly’s decision earlier in the week to consider the report of the Human Rights Council had contravened its rules of procedure, he said, expressing hope that no precedent would result from that action. The resolution had been drafted in line with the aims of the Arab League Action Plan, but Bangladesh would have hoped for the inclusion of the amendments submitted by the Russian Federation, he said, emphasizing that any actions taken in Syria must be in line with the aspirations of its people and lead towards a peaceful resolution. The representative of Egypt then made a general statement, saying that the international community had made its views known through its overwhelming support for the resolution. It had reaffirmed the need for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and sent a clear message to the Government to listen to the voice of the Syrian people and implement the decisions of the Arab League. The situation was deteriorating and all should now focus on ending the violence and meeting the people’s aspirations in order to avoid a worse situation, which would have effects in the region and lead to a humanitarian crisis. Egypt would continue to work with the League in that effort, he pledged. The representative of Syria also made a general statement, saying that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today as the resolution’s Western co-sponsors had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the Arab League had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Syria had left the Arab League temporarily; it was broken, politically and morally, he said, congratulating it on its new alliance with Israel. Syria no longer wanted the League to stand by it following its shameful actions, but it did want them to save whatever face it had left and cease the plotting against other Arab States. He went on to warn that the wealth of all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries would be squandered on losing causes and the price would be borne by all Arabs, who would be used as fuel to obtain the objectives of Israel and the West. Had the co-sponsors retained any credibility, they would have accepted the Russian amendments and worked to counter support for armed groups in Syria. In addition, the United Nations was betraying its own principles, and if that continued, the Organization would collapse, destroying the normative efforts of the past 66 years, he said. That would be the end result of intervention in the internal affairs of others. * *** * For information media • not an official record http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11207.doc.htm ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------

Syria: 2 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012

Syria: 2 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict: draft resolution (A/66/L.36) [34] The General Assembly strongly condemned the continued “widespread and systematic” human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and demanded that the Government immediately cease all violence and protect its people. The 193-member body adopted a resolution backing Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, where UN officials estimate that security forces have killed well over 5,400 people since the popular uprising began last March. http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2012/02/97th-plenary-meeting-general-assembly.html 16 February 2012 General Assembly GA/11207 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-sixth General Assembly Plenary 97th Meeting (PM) General Assembly Adopts Resolution Strongly Condemning ‘Widespread and Systematic’ Human Rights Violations by Syrian Authorities Text Passes by 137 Votes in Favour to 12 against, with 17 Abstentions Strongly condemning continued widespread and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities, the General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly to call on both the Government and allied forces and armed groups “to stop all violence or reprisals immediately”. Adopting an Arab-backed resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions, the Assembly expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and condemned a raft of violations carried out by the authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, the killing and persecution of protestors and journalists, and sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The Assembly called on Syria to abide by its obligations under international law, and demanded that the Government, in line with the 2 November 2011 Action Plan of the League of Arab States, and its decisions of 22 January and 12 February 2012, without delay, stop all violence and protect its people, release all those detained during the unrest, withdraw all armed forces from cities and towns, guarantee peaceful demonstrations and allow unhindered access for Arab League monitors and international media. The language of the resolution closely mirrored that of a text vetoed by China and the Russian Federation in the Security Council two weeks earlier. (See Press Release SC/10536) The Assembly’s action also followed a special briefing on Monday by Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed outrage at the bloody 11-month crackdown on opposition protesters. She warned that the Council’s failure to take action had emboldened the Syrian Government to launch an all-out assault to crush dissent, most evident in its “appalling” siege of the city of Homs. (See Press Release GA/11206) By other terms of the text adopted today, the Assembly expressed its full support for the Arab League’s decision to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, including through a “serious political dialogue between the [Syrian Government] and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition”. Reaffirming its strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, it further reaffirmed that all Member States “should refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”. The measure requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all relevant United Nations bodies to support the Arab League’s ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, including through good offices and the appointment of a Special Envoy. The Secretary-General was also requested to report to the Assembly within 15 days on the status of the resolution. Ahead of the action, the Secretariat announced that approval of those elements of the text would incur $900,000 in additional budgetary resources for an initial six months of the 2012-2013 biennium. Egypt’s representative, presenting the draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group, described the situation in Syria as “critical” and demanded that the Government immediately end the bloodshed. He said the text was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict. Stressing that the Arab League’s efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he expressed hope that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with “one voice” on events in Syria. Syria’s representative took the floor immediately thereafter in response to the points raised by his Egyptian counterpart, and said that the Government was responding in an accelerated manner to demands for reform. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments, in line with popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and to end the violence. However, Member States must stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria, he emphasized, declaring that no State would tolerate the presence of armed terrorists on its territory. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting such armed groups, even as they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. “Stop adding fuel to the fire,” he said, pointing out that the resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate itself from armed groups “says everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did its failure to condemn terrorist acts. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” Speaking after the vote, in a statement directed largely at the Arab League, he said that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today, as the Western co-sponsors of the resolution had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the League — “broken politically and morally” — had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Most other delegations hailed the resolution’s strong calls for an end to the violence and for the Syrian Government to protect civilians. Many reiterated their firm belief that the Arab League’s Action Plan, which proposed a negotiated solution among all Syrian factions, was the best path out of the crisis. Other speakers expressed grave concern about reports of massive human rights violations in Syria, and said that ending them must be the international community’s main priority. Costa Rica’s representative, who voted in favour of the resolution, emphasized that impunity must not be tolerated and, if necessary, the situation should be referred to the International Criminal Court. At the same time, several speakers echoed the concerns raised by the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who voted against the text and roundly denounced “attempts by imperial Powers and their allies” to trigger regime change in Syria, “even at the cost of further bloodshed”. The text represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he added. He was also among those who commended the Russian Federation’s efforts to produce a more balanced text, by placing demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups, expressing support for that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus. China’s representative expressed support for the Arab League’s position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Yet, the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he stressed, adding that actions taken by the United Nations should not complicate matters, but be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. In other action, the Assembly decided that the Marshall Islands, Sudan and the Federated States of Micronesia had all made the payments necessary to reduce their arrears under Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Under that Article, a Member State in arrears cannot vote in the General Assembly “if the amount of the arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two years”. Also speaking in explanation of position were representatives of Venezuela, Grenada, Russian Federation, Serbia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Bolivia, Argentina, India, Singapore, Viet Nam, Chile, Bangladesh and Egypt. The General Assembly will reconvene at a time and date to be announced. Background Meeting this afternoon to consider matters relating to the prevention of armed conflict, the General Assembly was expected to take action on a draft resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36). Procedural Matters The representative of Syria, recalling the Assembly’s previous meeting on the report of the Human Rights Council, said his delegation had informed Member States at the time that the earlier meeting contravened the rules of procedure, and had called on the Assembly President to obtain a legal opinion on the matter. It had been announced during that meeting that a draft resolution on Syria would be presented to the Assembly, but today it was meeting under the item “Prevention of armed conflict”. It was “pathetic” that the Syrian issue was being addressed under at least three different agenda items, he said, adding that there was clearly confusion over the matter. The Assembly’s legitimacy was at stake, he said, asking the President to provide the rules of procedure governing the current meeting. GARY FRANCIS QUINLAN (Australia), Assembly Vice-President, responded by saying it was his understanding that the Assembly President could convene a meeting at any time, under any agenda item, to consider a draft resolution presented to Member States. The representative of Yemen said his delegation had been surprised by reference to Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Action on Draft Resolution OSAMA ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt), introducing the draft resolution the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36) on behalf of the Arab Group, said the Assembly was meeting as that country faced “critical circumstances”. The major escalation of violence there had been condemned by the League of Arab States, the Arab Group, the United Nations and the wider international community. Demanding that the Syrian Government end the bloodshed, he said the matter was at the very top of the Arab League’s agenda. That regional body had called for an immediate and faithful implementation of the Arab Action Plan as the only way to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, he said, stressing the primacy of the Arab solution, under the “Arab roof”, and its rejection of military intervention. The draft before the Assembly was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict, he continued. It reaffirmed Syria’s territorial integrity and supported the aims set out in the decisions and resolutions of the Arab League. Stressing that those efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he said more than 70 Member States were co-sponsoring the draft, and it was to be hoped that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with one voice on events taking place in Syria. Hopefully, the vote would also show broad and commanding support for the Arab Action Plan, he added, calling on all Member States to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and the Syrian people by voting in favour of the text. Following that statement, the Secretariat announced that approval of the text, which requested the Secretary-General and all relevant bodies to support the Arab League’s efforts, including through good offices and by appointing a Special Envoy, would incur additional budgetary resources in the amount of $900,000 for an initial six months in the 2012-2013 biennium. Those requirements would be met through the use of commitment authority granted to the Secretary-General as related to the maintenance of international peace and security. Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Syria said his country continued to respond in an accelerated manner to demands for reform, in response to all the points raised by Egypt’s representative in presenting the draft resolution. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments that responded to popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and prestige and to end the violence. He called on all Member States to encourage the opposition to take part in that dialogue and not to impede participation by others. In addition, he called on Member States to stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria. No country could tolerate the presence of armed terrorist groups on its territory, he emphasized. Neither would it tolerate attacks against its officials, people and institutions. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting the armed groups, even though they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. They had also cut relations with Syria without justification, which showed that they did not wish to promote peaceful reform. He called on them to stop adding fuel to the fire, pointing out that the draft resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups “said everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did their failure to condemn terrorist acts. They had paid no heed to Syria’s plans for reforms, he added. The Arab League, in its resolution supported by today’s draft, had decided to provide all forms of support to the opposition, opening the door to the funding and arming of violent groups for terrorist acts, he said. The League was providing support to countries that had long wanted to undermine Syria, and Member States should instead help Syria’s Government and people to face the challenges of extremism and terrorism, which had been documented, but not well publicized. Adopting the draft resolution would only lead to a worsening of the crisis by encouraging extremism, he warned, appealing to all Member States to vote against the text lest they increase the chaos in Syria. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” It would also play into the hands of Israel and help its efforts to defeat the aspirations of Palestinians and other people under occupation in the region. The representative of Venezuela, affirming the fundamental importance of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, denounced the attempt by imperial powers and their allies to trigger regime change in Syria, even at the cost of further bloodshed, reproducing the dire consequences of the Libyan situation. Those Powers sought to occupy Syria, to foment a coup against its legitimate authorities and to turn the country into a protectorate. The draft resolution, with its mentoring and monitoring mechanisms, represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he said. The text also attacked the Government for human rights abuses while hiding the heinous crimes committed by terrorist groups against civilians, as well as attacks with varied weaponry against public officials and facilities. He went on to note that the draft ignored the Government’s initiatives to promote inclusive political dialogue and its call for a referendum on a new Constitution, which were the best options for moving forward. The draft denied the Syrian State’s right to protect its population and ensure internal peace and security, he said, adding that it did not call for opposition groups to dissociate themselves from groups engaged in violence. Commending the Russian Federation’s efforts for a more balanced text, he supported that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus as well its efforts, with China, to prevent the Security Council from being used to violate Syria’s sovereignty. “It is not desirable that the logic of war, which imperialists intend to impose on Syria and the world, prevails,” he said. Instead, the Assembly should be concerned about recognition of a Palestinian State, the end of Israeli rights violations and ending the blockade on Cuba. The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that any issue relating to a Member State must be discussed in line with the principles of territorial integrity and State sovereignty. As a full-fledged member of the United Nations, Syria was no exception to that rule, he said, emphasizing that all violence in Syria must stop. The issues in that country should be settled in the best interest of its people. The country’s fate and future should be in their hands and they alone should lead the process towards a peaceful negotiated solution, which should be reached without outside influence. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would vote against the text, he said. The representative of Grenada offered condolences to the families of all those who had lost loved ones in Syria and stressed that the United Nations must act — and be seen to act — in line with the tenets of its founding Charter. Grenada was proceeding with the understanding that the draft resolution would “do only what the text says” — provide diplomatic support to Syria, the Arab League and the Secretary-General in order to help the Government and people of Syria to end all bloodshed, while finding an agreed solution. It also understood that the Assembly was not voting on or for a text that could in any way be interpreted as a basis for the removal of the Government, military intervention or any act against the spirit and letter of the Charter, she said. With that understanding, Grenada would vote in favour of the draft resolution, she added. The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions. The representatives of Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and Comoros informed the Secretariat that they had been unable to cast their votes properly. The representative of the Russian Federation said he had opposed the resolution because it clearly did not meet the criteria for ending the violence in Syria. The Russian delegation had proposed to place reasonable demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups and to demand that those groups themselves stop their attacks, he said, noting that those amendments had not been accepted. The Russian Federation would continue to work with all those striving for regional stability, he stressed. The representative of China said his Government had closely followed developments in Syria and was deeply worried about the escalating crisis that had caused civilian casualties and affected peace and security in the wider Middle East. China condemned all acts of violence against innocent civilians and urged the Syrian Government as well as all political factions to “immediately and fully” end all acts of violence and quickly restore order. It also called on the political factions in Syria to express their political aspirations through non-violent means under the rule of law. He went on to urge all parties concerned immediately to launch an inclusive political dialogue, without preconditions, hold a referendum on the new draft Constitution, as well as early parliamentary elections, and establish a national unity Government that included all factions. “We understand the concern of Arab countries and the League of Arab States on seeking a quick resolution to this issue,” he said, expressing support for their position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Emphasizing that the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he said: “We do not approve of armed intervention or forcing a so-called regime change in Syria.” Neither did China believe that sanctions or the threat of such measures would be helpful in achieving an appropriate solution, he continued. The actions of the United Nations and the wider international community should be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. Instead of complicating matters, such actions should promote the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East, he said, adding that he had voted in accordance with those principles. As a friend of the Arab people, China had always followed the purposes and principles of the Charter and would continue to work with the international community to resolve the situation in Syria. The representative of Serbia said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that all international efforts should aim solely for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. At the same time, Serbia would have wished that the proposals and amendments put forward by some delegations had been considered and evaluated. In particular, the resolution would have been enriched by some of the changes submitted by the Russian Federation, which were “truly constructive”, he said, adding that they could have led to the consensus adoption of the text. He expressed hope that the international community would nevertheless take notice of those proposed amendments as the diplomatic process progressed. “Their content cannot be avoided, and sooner or later will need to be addressed,” he said. The representative of Pakistan said he supported the Arab League position and had voted in favour of the resolution, but condemned the use of violence on all sides. An immediate end to violence and killing, as well as a peaceful resolution were aims upon which all Member States agreed. In that light, Pakistan had been stressing the need for consensus on the Syrian situation, he said, noting that there could have been better efforts in the Assembly and the Security Council to reach consensus and to fully assure delegations that there was no intention to carry out a hostile intervention. Reiterating his call for the Syrian people to be respected, he said they must be allowed to resolve their crisis, and he reaffirmed the absolute importance of respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all States. The representative of Costa Rica expressed his delegation’s deepest concern about the gruesome human rights violations being carried out in Syria. The international community could not remain silent, he stressed, calling on the Syrian authorities to definitively end attacks against civilians and other human rights violations. Condemning reports of sexual violence, including that perpetrated against girls and boys, he said all international stakeholders should work towards a swift and peaceful solution to the crisis, in line with the Arab League’s Plan of Action. The Human Rights Council had been playing its role of promoting a peaceful solution and, with the appropriate tools already at its disposal, it should move to create the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation in Syria, he said, calling attention to that Council’s report on the very serious acts — pointing to possible crimes against humanity — being carried out in Syria. Expressing concern that the Security Council had been unable to act on the matter, he said it had been prevented from acting by the use of a veto. The Council required deep reform, chiefly so that such measures could not be used to stymie action in the face of the worst international crimes, he emphasized. Stakeholders might disagree on certain matters, but the international community must speak resoundingly when human rights violations and acts of violence against civilians were committed. The international community should explore all avenues to reach a solution and ensure that those who had committed grave crimes were held responsible, including through referring the Syrian issue to the International Criminal Court. Finally, he said the “voices of change cannot be silenced with violence”, and called for a solution that met the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. The representative of Ukraine said that the Arab League’s peaceful efforts for a negotiated settlement deserved the Assembly’s support. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement last week in which it had expressed grave concern at the escalating violence in Syria, “which threatens to grow into a full-scale civil war, with unpredictable consequences in the entire Middle East”. Ukraine urged all parties in Syria to cease the violence and begin a dialogue, with the aim of finding a mutually acceptable and effective way to resolve their differences. The representative of Iran said he had voted against the resolution, in line with his delegation’s position that the Syrian people’s legitimate demands must be addressed through a peaceful and domestically led political process and without foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs, which would only worsen the crisis and have ramifications on the region as a whole. He regretted, in addition, that the Assembly’s consideration of the Syrian crisis had not followed proper procedure, including the vote under the agenda item “prevention of armed conflict”, which did not apply. It was even more regrettable, he continued, that the resolution’s co-sponsors had chosen not to accommodate any amendments that might have made it more balanced, comprehensive and suited to the real situation on the ground. In that light, it was necessary to be clear and steadfast in condemning any act of violence and terrorism, in any form and manifestation, he emphasized. As long as armed groups continued to resort to violence, the crisis would continue, serving the interests of the Zionist regime. All States must work together in a practical manner to assist a peaceful resolution of the crisis. The representative of Bolivia, stating that he had voted against the resolution, asked the Assembly to consider exactly what was happening in Syria. With the many possibilities and few answers, it was clear that no one really knew exactly what the real situation was. All that was known was that there was a recognized opposition and a Government that was prepared to undertake meaningful reforms. Indeed, Syria’s representative had twice informed the Assembly that such reforms, including constitutional changes, had been agreed and were under way. Saying he understood that such reforms were a work in progress, he added that Bolivia knew the dangers of a political vacuum, which could lead to destabilization of the entire region. He said there were two possible ways in which the Syrian situation could end, the first being “the way of Libya”, in which the United Nations had facilitated a “recipe for intervention” to justify regime change through a Security Council resolution. That text had actually promoted further destabilization and civil unrest, he pointed out, warning: “I fear we have not learned our lessons from that situation.” He added: “Last year, it was the Security Council and this year it appears to be the General Assembly.” Bolivia seriously hoped that that was not the case, but had voted against the resolution just the same. The other possible ending was through a peaceful resolution, as had occurred in Egypt and Tunisia, he said. In those cases, efforts had been channelled towards democracy and changes of Government borne by the will of the people, not foreign intervention. Hopefully, the winds of the “Arab Spring” would blow in Syria’s direction and stir peaceful change, he said, adding that, had the amendments put forward by the Russian Federation been integrated into the resolution, it would have been adopted by consensus. The representative of Argentina said he had voted in favour of the resolution and emphasized the utmost importance of ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights in Syria. It was necessary to preserve the fundamental rights of free association and expression, he said, adding that the crisis in Syria should be resolved through dialogue and democratic negotiations involving all sectors of society. The representative of India noted that his country had condemned all violence in Syria, no matter by whom it was committed, and had been supporting a peaceful, inclusive and nationally led political resolution of the crisis. India had voted in favour of the resolution, in accordance with its support for the Arab League’s efforts for such a political resolution. Regrettably, however, there had been exceptions to established General Assembly procedures during the week, he said, expressing a wish that there had been greater readiness from all quarters to negotiate a text with a view to reaching consensus. He went on to note that the resolution expressly reaffirmed that all countries should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. It condemned all violence, irrespective of its origin, and called for serious political dialogue under the Arab League. The country’s leadership was a matter for the Syrian people to decide, he stressed, calling on all opposition forces to engage peacefully in constructive dialogue with the authorities. In that connection, he noted the Syrian leadership’s decision to hold a referendum and multi-party elections, expressing hope that that decision would create an environment of peace and facilitate a political process. The representative of Singapore said he had voted in favour of the resolution because it was not a politically motivated text, but instead dealt with a unique emergency in an appropriate manner. He joined with all in calling on all stakeholders to end violence and resolve the situation peacefully. The representative of Viet Nam, affirming his country’s concern about developments in Syria, joined the call for all parties in Syria to exercise self-restraint, end the violence and find a political solution through a domestically led constructive dialogue and national reconciliation, in conformity with the people’s aspirations. He also underlined the importance of respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States. Viet Nam supported efforts by the international community, including the Arab League, to contribute constructively to the restoration of stability and the promotion of national reconciliation in Syria, he said. The representative of Chile said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that the Assembly had raised its voice to “energetically” condemn the “grave and massive” violations of human rights under way in Syria. Serious acts, such as torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention, including those highlighted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her briefing earlier in the week, must be denounced and those responsible brought to justice, he emphasized. All parties in Syria must open a true dialogue, and the authorities must allow access to those in need, he added. The representative of Bangladesh said he had voted in favour of the resolution. Despite its principled position of abstaining when texts targeted human rights situations in specific countries, Bangladesh had voted in favour of today’s resolution to end the shedding of the Syrian people’s blood, he said. The Assembly’s decision earlier in the week to consider the report of the Human Rights Council had contravened its rules of procedure, he said, expressing hope that no precedent would result from that action. The resolution had been drafted in line with the aims of the Arab League Action Plan, but Bangladesh would have hoped for the inclusion of the amendments submitted by the Russian Federation, he said, emphasizing that any actions taken in Syria must be in line with the aspirations of its people and lead towards a peaceful resolution. The representative of Egypt then made a general statement, saying that the international community had made its views known through its overwhelming support for the resolution. It had reaffirmed the need for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and sent a clear message to the Government to listen to the voice of the Syrian people and implement the decisions of the Arab League. The situation was deteriorating and all should now focus on ending the violence and meeting the people’s aspirations in order to avoid a worse situation, which would have effects in the region and lead to a humanitarian crisis. Egypt would continue to work with the League in that effort, he pledged. The representative of Syria also made a general statement, saying that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today as the resolution’s Western co-sponsors had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the Arab League had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Syria had left the Arab League temporarily; it was broken, politically and morally, he said, congratulating it on its new alliance with Israel. Syria no longer wanted the League to stand by it following its shameful actions, but it did want them to save whatever face it had left and cease the plotting against other Arab States. He went on to warn that the wealth of all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries would be squandered on losing causes and the price would be borne by all Arabs, who would be used as fuel to obtain the objectives of Israel and the West. Had the co-sponsors retained any credibility, they would have accepted the Russian amendments and worked to counter support for armed groups in Syria. In addition, the United Nations was betraying its own principles, and if that continued, the Organization would collapse, destroying the normative efforts of the past 66 years, he said. That would be the end result of intervention in the internal affairs of others. * *** * For information media • not an official record http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11207.doc.htm ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------

Syria: 1 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012

Syria: 1 of 5 - 97th plenary meeting (Syria) - General Assembly - February 16, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict: draft resolution (A/66/L.36) [34] The General Assembly strongly condemned the continued “widespread and systematic” human rights violations by the Syrian authorities and demanded that the Government immediately cease all violence and protect its people. The 193-member body adopted a resolution backing Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, where UN officials estimate that security forces have killed well over 5,400 people since the popular uprising began last March. http://www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/2012/02/97th-plenary-meeting-general-assembly.html 16 February 2012 General Assembly GA/11207 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-sixth General Assembly Plenary 97th Meeting (PM) General Assembly Adopts Resolution Strongly Condemning ‘Widespread and Systematic’ Human Rights Violations by Syrian Authorities Text Passes by 137 Votes in Favour to 12 against, with 17 Abstentions Strongly condemning continued widespread and systematic human rights violations by the Syrian authorities, the General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly to call on both the Government and allied forces and armed groups “to stop all violence or reprisals immediately”. Adopting an Arab-backed resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions, the Assembly expressed grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria, and condemned a raft of violations carried out by the authorities, such as the use of force against civilians, the killing and persecution of protestors and journalists, and sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The Assembly called on Syria to abide by its obligations under international law, and demanded that the Government, in line with the 2 November 2011 Action Plan of the League of Arab States, and its decisions of 22 January and 12 February 2012, without delay, stop all violence and protect its people, release all those detained during the unrest, withdraw all armed forces from cities and towns, guarantee peaceful demonstrations and allow unhindered access for Arab League monitors and international media. The language of the resolution closely mirrored that of a text vetoed by China and the Russian Federation in the Security Council two weeks earlier. (See Press Release SC/10536) The Assembly’s action also followed a special briefing on Monday by Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who expressed outrage at the bloody 11-month crackdown on opposition protesters. She warned that the Council’s failure to take action had emboldened the Syrian Government to launch an all-out assault to crush dissent, most evident in its “appalling” siege of the city of Homs. (See Press Release GA/11206) By other terms of the text adopted today, the Assembly expressed its full support for the Arab League’s decision to facilitate a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, including through a “serious political dialogue between the [Syrian Government] and the whole spectrum of the Syrian opposition”. Reaffirming its strong commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, it further reaffirmed that all Member States “should refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State”. The measure requested Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all relevant United Nations bodies to support the Arab League’s ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully, including through good offices and the appointment of a Special Envoy. The Secretary-General was also requested to report to the Assembly within 15 days on the status of the resolution. Ahead of the action, the Secretariat announced that approval of those elements of the text would incur $900,000 in additional budgetary resources for an initial six months of the 2012-2013 biennium. Egypt’s representative, presenting the draft resolution on behalf of the Arab Group, described the situation in Syria as “critical” and demanded that the Government immediately end the bloodshed. He said the text was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict. Stressing that the Arab League’s efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he expressed hope that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with “one voice” on events in Syria. Syria’s representative took the floor immediately thereafter in response to the points raised by his Egyptian counterpart, and said that the Government was responding in an accelerated manner to demands for reform. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments, in line with popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and to end the violence. However, Member States must stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria, he emphasized, declaring that no State would tolerate the presence of armed terrorists on its territory. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting such armed groups, even as they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. “Stop adding fuel to the fire,” he said, pointing out that the resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate itself from armed groups “says everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did its failure to condemn terrorist acts. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” Speaking after the vote, in a statement directed largely at the Arab League, he said that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today, as the Western co-sponsors of the resolution had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the League — “broken politically and morally” — had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Most other delegations hailed the resolution’s strong calls for an end to the violence and for the Syrian Government to protect civilians. Many reiterated their firm belief that the Arab League’s Action Plan, which proposed a negotiated solution among all Syrian factions, was the best path out of the crisis. Other speakers expressed grave concern about reports of massive human rights violations in Syria, and said that ending them must be the international community’s main priority. Costa Rica’s representative, who voted in favour of the resolution, emphasized that impunity must not be tolerated and, if necessary, the situation should be referred to the International Criminal Court. At the same time, several speakers echoed the concerns raised by the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who voted against the text and roundly denounced “attempts by imperial Powers and their allies” to trigger regime change in Syria, “even at the cost of further bloodshed”. The text represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he added. He was also among those who commended the Russian Federation’s efforts to produce a more balanced text, by placing demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups, expressing support for that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus. China’s representative expressed support for the Arab League’s position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Yet, the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he stressed, adding that actions taken by the United Nations should not complicate matters, but be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. In other action, the Assembly decided that the Marshall Islands, Sudan and the Federated States of Micronesia had all made the payments necessary to reduce their arrears under Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Under that Article, a Member State in arrears cannot vote in the General Assembly “if the amount of the arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two years”. Also speaking in explanation of position were representatives of Venezuela, Grenada, Russian Federation, Serbia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Bolivia, Argentina, India, Singapore, Viet Nam, Chile, Bangladesh and Egypt. The General Assembly will reconvene at a time and date to be announced. Background Meeting this afternoon to consider matters relating to the prevention of armed conflict, the General Assembly was expected to take action on a draft resolution on the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36). Procedural Matters The representative of Syria, recalling the Assembly’s previous meeting on the report of the Human Rights Council, said his delegation had informed Member States at the time that the earlier meeting contravened the rules of procedure, and had called on the Assembly President to obtain a legal opinion on the matter. It had been announced during that meeting that a draft resolution on Syria would be presented to the Assembly, but today it was meeting under the item “Prevention of armed conflict”. It was “pathetic” that the Syrian issue was being addressed under at least three different agenda items, he said, adding that there was clearly confusion over the matter. The Assembly’s legitimacy was at stake, he said, asking the President to provide the rules of procedure governing the current meeting. GARY FRANCIS QUINLAN (Australia), Assembly Vice-President, responded by saying it was his understanding that the Assembly President could convene a meeting at any time, under any agenda item, to consider a draft resolution presented to Member States. The representative of Yemen said his delegation had been surprised by reference to Article 19 of the United Nations Charter. Action on Draft Resolution OSAMA ABDELKHALEK MAHMOUD (Egypt), introducing the draft resolution the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic (document A/66/L.36) on behalf of the Arab Group, said the Assembly was meeting as that country faced “critical circumstances”. The major escalation of violence there had been condemned by the League of Arab States, the Arab Group, the United Nations and the wider international community. Demanding that the Syrian Government end the bloodshed, he said the matter was at the very top of the Arab League’s agenda. That regional body had called for an immediate and faithful implementation of the Arab Action Plan as the only way to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people, he said, stressing the primacy of the Arab solution, under the “Arab roof”, and its rejection of military intervention. The draft before the Assembly was based on the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes, which was at the core of efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict, he continued. It reaffirmed Syria’s territorial integrity and supported the aims set out in the decisions and resolutions of the Arab League. Stressing that those efforts enjoyed unprecedented worldwide acceptance, he said more than 70 Member States were co-sponsoring the draft, and it was to be hoped that today’s vote would show that the international community was speaking with one voice on events taking place in Syria. Hopefully, the vote would also show broad and commanding support for the Arab Action Plan, he added, calling on all Member States to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other and the Syrian people by voting in favour of the text. Following that statement, the Secretariat announced that approval of the text, which requested the Secretary-General and all relevant bodies to support the Arab League’s efforts, including through good offices and by appointing a Special Envoy, would incur additional budgetary resources in the amount of $900,000 for an initial six months in the 2012-2013 biennium. Those requirements would be met through the use of commitment authority granted to the Secretary-General as related to the maintenance of international peace and security. Speaking in explanation of position, the representative of Syria said his country continued to respond in an accelerated manner to demands for reform, in response to all the points raised by Egypt’s representative in presenting the draft resolution. A new Constitution providing for the establishment of a modern democratic State would be put to a referendum on 26 February, as part of “extremely important” developments that responded to popular demands by the majority and the opposition. A comprehensive dialogue had been called for among all those who wished to maintain Syria’s stability and prestige and to end the violence. He called on all Member States to encourage the opposition to take part in that dialogue and not to impede participation by others. In addition, he called on Member States to stop encouraging the violent groups in Syria. No country could tolerate the presence of armed terrorist groups on its territory, he emphasized. Neither would it tolerate attacks against its officials, people and institutions. Unfortunately, certain countries were supporting the armed groups, even though they claimed to be anxious to save Syrian lives. They had also cut relations with Syria without justification, which showed that they did not wish to promote peaceful reform. He called on them to stop adding fuel to the fire, pointing out that the draft resolution’s failure to call on the opposition to dissociate themselves from armed groups “said everything” about the intention of the text’s co-sponsors, as did their failure to condemn terrorist acts. They had paid no heed to Syria’s plans for reforms, he added. The Arab League, in its resolution supported by today’s draft, had decided to provide all forms of support to the opposition, opening the door to the funding and arming of violent groups for terrorist acts, he said. The League was providing support to countries that had long wanted to undermine Syria, and Member States should instead help Syria’s Government and people to face the challenges of extremism and terrorism, which had been documented, but not well publicized. Adopting the draft resolution would only lead to a worsening of the crisis by encouraging extremism, he warned, appealing to all Member States to vote against the text lest they increase the chaos in Syria. Asking whether anyone had thought about the aftermath, he warned: “This step will not only bring disaster to Syria, but to all international relations.” It would also play into the hands of Israel and help its efforts to defeat the aspirations of Palestinians and other people under occupation in the region. The representative of Venezuela, affirming the fundamental importance of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, denounced the attempt by imperial powers and their allies to trigger regime change in Syria, even at the cost of further bloodshed, reproducing the dire consequences of the Libyan situation. Those Powers sought to occupy Syria, to foment a coup against its legitimate authorities and to turn the country into a protectorate. The draft resolution, with its mentoring and monitoring mechanisms, represented an intervention in the internal affairs of an independent State, he said. The text also attacked the Government for human rights abuses while hiding the heinous crimes committed by terrorist groups against civilians, as well as attacks with varied weaponry against public officials and facilities. He went on to note that the draft ignored the Government’s initiatives to promote inclusive political dialogue and its call for a referendum on a new Constitution, which were the best options for moving forward. The draft denied the Syrian State’s right to protect its population and ensure internal peace and security, he said, adding that it did not call for opposition groups to dissociate themselves from groups engaged in violence. Commending the Russian Federation’s efforts for a more balanced text, he supported that country’s peace initiatives in Damascus as well its efforts, with China, to prevent the Security Council from being used to violate Syria’s sovereignty. “It is not desirable that the logic of war, which imperialists intend to impose on Syria and the world, prevails,” he said. Instead, the Assembly should be concerned about recognition of a Palestinian State, the end of Israeli rights violations and ending the blockade on Cuba. The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that any issue relating to a Member State must be discussed in line with the principles of territorial integrity and State sovereignty. As a full-fledged member of the United Nations, Syria was no exception to that rule, he said, emphasizing that all violence in Syria must stop. The issues in that country should be settled in the best interest of its people. The country’s fate and future should be in their hands and they alone should lead the process towards a peaceful negotiated solution, which should be reached without outside influence. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would vote against the text, he said. The representative of Grenada offered condolences to the families of all those who had lost loved ones in Syria and stressed that the United Nations must act — and be seen to act — in line with the tenets of its founding Charter. Grenada was proceeding with the understanding that the draft resolution would “do only what the text says” — provide diplomatic support to Syria, the Arab League and the Secretary-General in order to help the Government and people of Syria to end all bloodshed, while finding an agreed solution. It also understood that the Assembly was not voting on or for a text that could in any way be interpreted as a basis for the removal of the Government, military intervention or any act against the spirit and letter of the Charter, she said. With that understanding, Grenada would vote in favour of the draft resolution, she added. The Assembly then adopted the resolution by a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 12 against, with 17 abstentions. The representatives of Burundi, Kyrgyzstan and Comoros informed the Secretariat that they had been unable to cast their votes properly. The representative of the Russian Federation said he had opposed the resolution because it clearly did not meet the criteria for ending the violence in Syria. The Russian delegation had proposed to place reasonable demands on opposition forces to disassociate themselves from armed groups and to demand that those groups themselves stop their attacks, he said, noting that those amendments had not been accepted. The Russian Federation would continue to work with all those striving for regional stability, he stressed. The representative of China said his Government had closely followed developments in Syria and was deeply worried about the escalating crisis that had caused civilian casualties and affected peace and security in the wider Middle East. China condemned all acts of violence against innocent civilians and urged the Syrian Government as well as all political factions to “immediately and fully” end all acts of violence and quickly restore order. It also called on the political factions in Syria to express their political aspirations through non-violent means under the rule of law. He went on to urge all parties concerned immediately to launch an inclusive political dialogue, without preconditions, hold a referendum on the new draft Constitution, as well as early parliamentary elections, and establish a national unity Government that included all factions. “We understand the concern of Arab countries and the League of Arab States on seeking a quick resolution to this issue,” he said, expressing support for their position that the violence must stop immediately and that civilians must be protected. Emphasizing that the international community should respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity fully, he said: “We do not approve of armed intervention or forcing a so-called regime change in Syria.” Neither did China believe that sanctions or the threat of such measures would be helpful in achieving an appropriate solution, he continued. The actions of the United Nations and the wider international community should be helpful in easing tensions, facilitating political dialogue and resolving differences. Instead of complicating matters, such actions should promote the maintenance of peace and stability in the Middle East, he said, adding that he had voted in accordance with those principles. As a friend of the Arab people, China had always followed the purposes and principles of the Charter and would continue to work with the international community to resolve the situation in Syria. The representative of Serbia said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that all international efforts should aim solely for an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. At the same time, Serbia would have wished that the proposals and amendments put forward by some delegations had been considered and evaluated. In particular, the resolution would have been enriched by some of the changes submitted by the Russian Federation, which were “truly constructive”, he said, adding that they could have led to the consensus adoption of the text. He expressed hope that the international community would nevertheless take notice of those proposed amendments as the diplomatic process progressed. “Their content cannot be avoided, and sooner or later will need to be addressed,” he said. The representative of Pakistan said he supported the Arab League position and had voted in favour of the resolution, but condemned the use of violence on all sides. An immediate end to violence and killing, as well as a peaceful resolution were aims upon which all Member States agreed. In that light, Pakistan had been stressing the need for consensus on the Syrian situation, he said, noting that there could have been better efforts in the Assembly and the Security Council to reach consensus and to fully assure delegations that there was no intention to carry out a hostile intervention. Reiterating his call for the Syrian people to be respected, he said they must be allowed to resolve their crisis, and he reaffirmed the absolute importance of respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all States. The representative of Costa Rica expressed his delegation’s deepest concern about the gruesome human rights violations being carried out in Syria. The international community could not remain silent, he stressed, calling on the Syrian authorities to definitively end attacks against civilians and other human rights violations. Condemning reports of sexual violence, including that perpetrated against girls and boys, he said all international stakeholders should work towards a swift and peaceful solution to the crisis, in line with the Arab League’s Plan of Action. The Human Rights Council had been playing its role of promoting a peaceful solution and, with the appropriate tools already at its disposal, it should move to create the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation in Syria, he said, calling attention to that Council’s report on the very serious acts — pointing to possible crimes against humanity — being carried out in Syria. Expressing concern that the Security Council had been unable to act on the matter, he said it had been prevented from acting by the use of a veto. The Council required deep reform, chiefly so that such measures could not be used to stymie action in the face of the worst international crimes, he emphasized. Stakeholders might disagree on certain matters, but the international community must speak resoundingly when human rights violations and acts of violence against civilians were committed. The international community should explore all avenues to reach a solution and ensure that those who had committed grave crimes were held responsible, including through referring the Syrian issue to the International Criminal Court. Finally, he said the “voices of change cannot be silenced with violence”, and called for a solution that met the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. The representative of Ukraine said that the Arab League’s peaceful efforts for a negotiated settlement deserved the Assembly’s support. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement last week in which it had expressed grave concern at the escalating violence in Syria, “which threatens to grow into a full-scale civil war, with unpredictable consequences in the entire Middle East”. Ukraine urged all parties in Syria to cease the violence and begin a dialogue, with the aim of finding a mutually acceptable and effective way to resolve their differences. The representative of Iran said he had voted against the resolution, in line with his delegation’s position that the Syrian people’s legitimate demands must be addressed through a peaceful and domestically led political process and without foreign intervention in the country’s internal affairs, which would only worsen the crisis and have ramifications on the region as a whole. He regretted, in addition, that the Assembly’s consideration of the Syrian crisis had not followed proper procedure, including the vote under the agenda item “prevention of armed conflict”, which did not apply. It was even more regrettable, he continued, that the resolution’s co-sponsors had chosen not to accommodate any amendments that might have made it more balanced, comprehensive and suited to the real situation on the ground. In that light, it was necessary to be clear and steadfast in condemning any act of violence and terrorism, in any form and manifestation, he emphasized. As long as armed groups continued to resort to violence, the crisis would continue, serving the interests of the Zionist regime. All States must work together in a practical manner to assist a peaceful resolution of the crisis. The representative of Bolivia, stating that he had voted against the resolution, asked the Assembly to consider exactly what was happening in Syria. With the many possibilities and few answers, it was clear that no one really knew exactly what the real situation was. All that was known was that there was a recognized opposition and a Government that was prepared to undertake meaningful reforms. Indeed, Syria’s representative had twice informed the Assembly that such reforms, including constitutional changes, had been agreed and were under way. Saying he understood that such reforms were a work in progress, he added that Bolivia knew the dangers of a political vacuum, which could lead to destabilization of the entire region. He said there were two possible ways in which the Syrian situation could end, the first being “the way of Libya”, in which the United Nations had facilitated a “recipe for intervention” to justify regime change through a Security Council resolution. That text had actually promoted further destabilization and civil unrest, he pointed out, warning: “I fear we have not learned our lessons from that situation.” He added: “Last year, it was the Security Council and this year it appears to be the General Assembly.” Bolivia seriously hoped that that was not the case, but had voted against the resolution just the same. The other possible ending was through a peaceful resolution, as had occurred in Egypt and Tunisia, he said. In those cases, efforts had been channelled towards democracy and changes of Government borne by the will of the people, not foreign intervention. Hopefully, the winds of the “Arab Spring” would blow in Syria’s direction and stir peaceful change, he said, adding that, had the amendments put forward by the Russian Federation been integrated into the resolution, it would have been adopted by consensus. The representative of Argentina said he had voted in favour of the resolution and emphasized the utmost importance of ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights in Syria. It was necessary to preserve the fundamental rights of free association and expression, he said, adding that the crisis in Syria should be resolved through dialogue and democratic negotiations involving all sectors of society. The representative of India noted that his country had condemned all violence in Syria, no matter by whom it was committed, and had been supporting a peaceful, inclusive and nationally led political resolution of the crisis. India had voted in favour of the resolution, in accordance with its support for the Arab League’s efforts for such a political resolution. Regrettably, however, there had been exceptions to established General Assembly procedures during the week, he said, expressing a wish that there had been greater readiness from all quarters to negotiate a text with a view to reaching consensus. He went on to note that the resolution expressly reaffirmed that all countries should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. It condemned all violence, irrespective of its origin, and called for serious political dialogue under the Arab League. The country’s leadership was a matter for the Syrian people to decide, he stressed, calling on all opposition forces to engage peacefully in constructive dialogue with the authorities. In that connection, he noted the Syrian leadership’s decision to hold a referendum and multi-party elections, expressing hope that that decision would create an environment of peace and facilitate a political process. The representative of Singapore said he had voted in favour of the resolution because it was not a politically motivated text, but instead dealt with a unique emergency in an appropriate manner. He joined with all in calling on all stakeholders to end violence and resolve the situation peacefully. The representative of Viet Nam, affirming his country’s concern about developments in Syria, joined the call for all parties in Syria to exercise self-restraint, end the violence and find a political solution through a domestically led constructive dialogue and national reconciliation, in conformity with the people’s aspirations. He also underlined the importance of respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of States. Viet Nam supported efforts by the international community, including the Arab League, to contribute constructively to the restoration of stability and the promotion of national reconciliation in Syria, he said. The representative of Chile said he had voted in favour of the text, adding that the Assembly had raised its voice to “energetically” condemn the “grave and massive” violations of human rights under way in Syria. Serious acts, such as torture, sexual violence and arbitrary detention, including those highlighted by the High Commissioner for Human Rights in her briefing earlier in the week, must be denounced and those responsible brought to justice, he emphasized. All parties in Syria must open a true dialogue, and the authorities must allow access to those in need, he added. The representative of Bangladesh said he had voted in favour of the resolution. Despite its principled position of abstaining when texts targeted human rights situations in specific countries, Bangladesh had voted in favour of today’s resolution to end the shedding of the Syrian people’s blood, he said. The Assembly’s decision earlier in the week to consider the report of the Human Rights Council had contravened its rules of procedure, he said, expressing hope that no precedent would result from that action. The resolution had been drafted in line with the aims of the Arab League Action Plan, but Bangladesh would have hoped for the inclusion of the amendments submitted by the Russian Federation, he said, emphasizing that any actions taken in Syria must be in line with the aspirations of its people and lead towards a peaceful resolution. The representative of Egypt then made a general statement, saying that the international community had made its views known through its overwhelming support for the resolution. It had reaffirmed the need for a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis and sent a clear message to the Government to listen to the voice of the Syrian people and implement the decisions of the Arab League. The situation was deteriorating and all should now focus on ending the violence and meeting the people’s aspirations in order to avoid a worse situation, which would have effects in the region and lead to a humanitarian crisis. Egypt would continue to work with the League in that effort, he pledged. The representative of Syria also made a general statement, saying that a “Trojan horse” had been unmasked today as the resolution’s Western co-sponsors had paved the way to internationalizing the situation. It was clear that the Arab League had been kidnapped by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, he added. Syria had left the Arab League temporarily; it was broken, politically and morally, he said, congratulating it on its new alliance with Israel. Syria no longer wanted the League to stand by it following its shameful actions, but it did want them to save whatever face it had left and cease the plotting against other Arab States. He went on to warn that the wealth of all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries would be squandered on losing causes and the price would be borne by all Arabs, who would be used as fuel to obtain the objectives of Israel and the West. Had the co-sponsors retained any credibility, they would have accepted the Russian amendments and worked to counter support for armed groups in Syria. In addition, the United Nations was betraying its own principles, and if that continued, the Organization would collapse, destroying the normative efforts of the past 66 years, he said. That would be the end result of intervention in the internal affairs of others. * *** * For information media • not an official record http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11207.doc.htm ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------

BookTrailer - " IL PASOLISTA " Puzzle Mortale by Romy Beat

A crater ... an enormous crater , the view was apocalyptic , filled up quickly , with water red , color blood , which in the space of a few moments , endless moments ... shrouded a shame immense ... was hiding a suffering , a violence , a hidden truth , hid ...... many things , now ...... things inhumane , savage, cruel , incomprehensible to many ... but ... understandable for a few, very few ...... hiding ... justice and vengeance , the opposite of a logic situation of our times , but ...... also of times gone , where not always , who is right ... find vent and support , moral and material , but sometimes ...... may find even , Suffering and pain, misunderstanding and indifference . From that putrid water and foul-smelling , however , something went out ...... the waters pursed , also their that , usually , mansuete and lens , dragging wearily from sunset to dawn , nervously shoccate and turbulent , from happened , reveal something ...... something ... born ... like a flower on the water , one thing ... for a more just and peaceful tomorrow ... a hope ... one thing ... vague serene , floating safely and invincible , that ... it floats until ...... someone ... something ... or ... any ... go unnoticed to you ... and ...... the reveal . The breathtaking story, is based on a history of police and secret services , on a serial killer very particular , where things , from the outside , you must never know , and ... never know . Where things ... seem to! ... But ... THEY ARE NOT ! ... WHERE EVERYTHING ! ... And ... THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYTHING! ... Triller raw and violent , the ultimate tragic , entitled : THE PASOLISTA ( the significance and : Pasol - how does one pronounce normally " Puzzle " - List - means the list of dead leaves behind ) - MORTAL PUZZLE - This story will be followed ... For what regards the book , and a classic Thriller cloudy and violent , set in Miami , Florida , in our days . It speaks of a Serial Killer very particular , a policeman very particular , a command of police very particular, secret services , family stories Very intricate , a species of puzzle ... A MORTAL PUZZLE , where things ... are not as they appear , where everything ... And ... the opposite of everything , where everything seems to be ... DISCOUNT ! ... But ... it is not , where ... IT SEEMS ! ... But ... READ IT ! ... You freeze the blood in your veins ... YOU WILL SEE ! ... Always on the understanding that ... in my humble opinion, the HARSH REALITY ! ... Beats always fantasy , even if immense as my ... UNFORTUNATELY . *********************************************** Un cratere ... un enorme cratere , la vista era apocalittica , si riempiva velocemente , con l'acqua rossa , color sangue , che in pochi attimi , interminabili attimi ... ricopriva una vergogna immane ... nascondeva una sofferenza , una violenza , una verità nascosta , nascondeva ...... molte cose , oramai ...... cose inumane , efferate , crudeli , incomprensibili per molti ... ma ... comprensibili per pochi , pochissimi ...... nascondeva ... giustizia e vendetta , l'opposto di una logica situazione dei nostri tempi , ma ...... anche dei tempi andati , dove non sempre , chi ha ragione ... trova sfogo e appoggio , morale e materiale , a volte però ...... può trovare addirittura , sofferenza e dolore , incomprensione e indifferenza . Da quell'acqua putrida e maleodorante , però , qualcosa uscì ...... le acque increspate , anche loro che , di solito , mansuete e lente , si trascinano stancamente dal tramonto all'alba , nervosamente shoccate e agitate , dall'accaduto , fanno emergere qualcosa ...... qualcosa che ... nasce ... come un fiore sull'acqua , una cosa ... per un domani più giusto e sereno ... una speranza ... una cosa che ... vaga serena , galleggia in modo sicuro e invincibile , che ... galleggia sino a che ...... qualcuno ... qualcosa ... o … qualsiasi ... si accorga di lei ... e ...... la sveli . Il racconto mozzafiato, si basa su di una storia di polizia e di servizi segreti , su di un serial killer molto particolare , dove le cose , dall'esterno , non si devono mai sapere , e ... mai si sapranno . Dove le cose ... sembrano! ... ma ... NON SONO ! ... DOVE TUTTO ! ... è ... IL CONTRARIO DI TUTTO ! ... Triller crudo e violento , dal finale tragico , dal titolo : IL PASOLISTA ( il significato è : Pasol - come si pronuncia normalmente " Puzzle " - Lista - significa la lista di cadaveri che lascia dietro di se ) - PUZZLE MORTALE - Questo racconto avrà un seguito ... Per quello che riguarda il libro , è un classico Thriller torbido e violento , ambientato a Miami , in Florida , nei nostri giorni . Parla di un Serial Killer molto particolare , di un poliziotto molto particolare , di un comando di polizia molto particolare , di servizi segreti , di storie famigliari intricatissime , una specie di rebus ... UN PUZZLE MORTALE , dove le cose ... non sono come sembrano , dove tutto ... è ... il contrario di tutto , dove tutto sembra ... SCONTATO ! ... ma ... non lo è , dove ... SEMBRA ! ... ma ... LEGGILO ! ... ti AGGHIACCIERA' il sangue nelle vene ... VEDRAI ! ... Sempre fermo restando che ... a mio modesto parere , la CRUDA REALTA' ! ... batta sempre la fantasia , anche se immensa come la mia ... PURTROPPO .

jeff bridges - Everything But Love (live)

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