http://www.jeanmarcmorandini.com/article-270059-chantal-jouanno-veut-faire-interdire-les-concours-de-mini-miss.html L'"hypersexualisation" des enfants est un phénomène encore marginal en France mais qui inquiète les parents, souligne un rapport de la sénatrice UMP Chantal Jouanno, proposant une série de mesures, comme l'interdiction de la promotion d'images sexualisées des enfants.
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Syria: 4 of 4 - 99th Plenary Meeting - General Assembly - March 2, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict [34] The Secretary-General will report to the General Assembly as required under last month’s General Assembly resolution on Syria (97th Plenary Meeting). UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's oral report to the General Assembly on situation in Syria: Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am making this report as requested by the General Assembly resolution A/Res/66/263 of 16 February. Given the gravity of the situation, please be assured that we will keep you regularly informed. We have all watched the events in Syria this week with growing alarm. We have seen heavy artillery shelling and tank fire in densely populated neighborhoods across the country. A major assault on Homs took place yesterday. Civilian losses have clearly been heavy. We continue to receive grisly reports of summary executions, arbitrary detentions and torture. In Homs, Hama and elsewhere, the brutal fighting has trapped civilians in their homes, without food, heat or electricity or medical care; without any chance of evacuating the wounded or burying the dead. People have been reduced to melting snow for drinking water. This atrocious assault is all the more appalling for having been waged by the government itself, systematically attacking its own people. All agree we must act in the face of this escalating crisis. Yesterday, the Security Council deplored the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and demanded access for relief workers. I welcome the Council’s clear and strong statement. The Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva, condemned the “widespread and systematic” violations of human rights and demanded an immediate end to the violence. I am extremely disappointed that the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Valerie Amos, has not been able to travel to Syria despite repeated assurances. I once again urge the authorities to allow her to visit, as soon as possible, so that humanitarian relief workers can reach the many thousands of people who desperately need assistance. Today, teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society have been permitted to enter Homs, but they are waiting to get access to Bab Amr. It is essential that aid workers be allowed to help civilians in the most devastated areas of the city; as of this moment, assistance can still not get through. As you know, the joint UN-Arab League Special Envoy, the Honorable Kofi Annan, will depart from New York this evening. During the past two days he has been consulting intensively with Member States, including members of the Security Council and the Arab Group as well as the Syrian mission and other concerned stakeholders. He plans to travel next week to Cairo for consultations with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and to a number of other regional capitals, including Damascus. My predecessor has taken on a difficult mission with immense challenges; he needs the full and undivided support of the international community, speaking in one voice. Excellencies, Let me turn now to the particulars of the situation: the deepening humanitarian crisis, the increasingly worrying human rights picture, and the political process that we hope will chart a way ahead. The Secretariat has sent a Note Verbale to the Permanent Mission of Syria requesting its response to the clear demands set forth in General Assembly resolution 66/253, dated 16 February. We received a reply yesterday. The Secretariat has also requested information from the League of Arab States on what Member States are doing to support the Arab League initiative. In the past two weeks, I have remained in close contact with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. I met him last week in London and spoke with him as recently as yesterday. Ladies and Gentlemen: The Syrian Government has failed to deliver on its responsibility to protect its people. Civilian populations are under military assault in several cities. The disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities has driven, what had been largely peaceful opposition forces, to resort to take up arms in some cases. But let us be clear: the opposition’s firepower appears to be minimal, compared to the heavy weapons being used by the Syrian army. Armed extremist groups have also opportunistically used the situation to carry out terrorist acts, in particular in Damascus and Aleppo. While the continuing lack of access makes it impossible to verify specific casualty figures, credible reports suggest that the total number of people killed since March last year is well above 7,500, including many women and children. On several occasions, the daily death toll has exceeded one hundred. Approximately 25,000 refugees are now registered with UNHCR in neighbouring countries; between 100,000 and 200,000 people are internally displaced. The Syrian Government has also resisted the General Assembly’s demand for full and unhindered access for international media. Journalists, too, have been killed or injured alongside the people whose plight they were there to report. Let me turn now to the human rights situation. This Assembly called upon the Syrian Government to immediately put an end to all human rights violations and attacks against civilians, protect its population and fully comply with its obligations under applicable international law. The Syrian authorities clearly have not done so. The International Commission of Inquiry for Syria, in a report issued on 22nd February, concluded that the Syrian Government forces have committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the State. The Commission’s report also concluded that anti-Government groups have committed abuses, although not comparable in scale and organization to those carried out by the State. The Commission also found that the security forces and Shabiha militias have continued to use live ammunition against peaceful protesters throughout the country, and that the Government has carried out reprisals in response to opposition calls for strikes. Freedom of expression continues to be severely restricted, and many human rights defenders, activists, protesters and journalists across the country are being arrested or detained. We are receiving widespread reports of torture under detention, even of children. In response to the worsening human rights situation, the Human Rights Council yesterday adopted a resolution that strongly condemns the use of force against civilians, summary executions, the killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The resolution also calls on the Government to allow free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs in Homs and other areas, and to permit humanitarian agencies to deliver vital relief goods and services, especially in Homs, Dar’a, Zabadani and other areas under siege. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We must do everything in our power to end the crisis. We must help move towards a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, as supported by this Assembly. Yet to date, the international community has failed in its duty. In fact, the actions – indeed, the inaction — of the international community seems to have encouraged the Syrian authorities in their brutal suppression of its citizens. Further militarization of the Syrian opposition is not the answer. The international community must urgently find unity in pressing the Syrian authorities and all other parties to stop the violence. It must insist, with one voice, that the Syrian authorities give access to international humanitarian workers as an essential first step towards a peaceful solution to the crisis. It is with this aim that, together with Secretary-General Nabil El-Araby of the Arab League, we announced the appointment of Kofi Annan as our Joint Special Envoy for Syria. Mr. Annan will work to end the violence and human rights violations, and promote a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. It is important to ensure that there is only one track in the mediation process being undertaken by the international community. Efforts to support the Arab League’s initiative to promote a peaceful solution also included last week’s meeting of the “Friends of the Syrian people” in Tunisia, which brought together representatives from more than 65 nations and organizations. The meeting demonstrated wide international support for the Syrian people and sent a strong message to the Syrian authorities: the time has come to stop the bloodshed. Excellencies, The way towards a peaceful solution of the Syrian crisis is difficult, but clear. First, there should be an immediate end to the killings and violence. International relief workers must be allowed in. Second, there is a clear need for an inclusive political dialogue among all Syrian actors. The international community must align itself with the process led by the Joint Special Envoy. To succeed, he will need our full and undivided support. It is time for the international community to speak with one voice, loud and clear. Continued division emboldens the Syrian authorities in their violent, dead-end path. Continued delay in the humanitarian effort causes more human suffering. Continued violence on the ground risks a descent into full civil war and sectarian strife that could haunt the country for generations to come. The stakes are high, above all for the people of Syria -- but also for the international community. We must act, urgently and in concert. I thank the Assembly for its support. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------
Syria: 3 of 4 - 99th Plenary Meeting - General Assembly - March 2, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict [34] The Secretary-General will report to the General Assembly as required under last month’s General Assembly resolution on Syria (97th Plenary Meeting). UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's oral report to the General Assembly on situation in Syria: Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am making this report as requested by the General Assembly resolution A/Res/66/263 of 16 February. Given the gravity of the situation, please be assured that we will keep you regularly informed. We have all watched the events in Syria this week with growing alarm. We have seen heavy artillery shelling and tank fire in densely populated neighborhoods across the country. A major assault on Homs took place yesterday. Civilian losses have clearly been heavy. We continue to receive grisly reports of summary executions, arbitrary detentions and torture. In Homs, Hama and elsewhere, the brutal fighting has trapped civilians in their homes, without food, heat or electricity or medical care; without any chance of evacuating the wounded or burying the dead. People have been reduced to melting snow for drinking water. This atrocious assault is all the more appalling for having been waged by the government itself, systematically attacking its own people. All agree we must act in the face of this escalating crisis. Yesterday, the Security Council deplored the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and demanded access for relief workers. I welcome the Council’s clear and strong statement. The Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva, condemned the “widespread and systematic” violations of human rights and demanded an immediate end to the violence. I am extremely disappointed that the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Valerie Amos, has not been able to travel to Syria despite repeated assurances. I once again urge the authorities to allow her to visit, as soon as possible, so that humanitarian relief workers can reach the many thousands of people who desperately need assistance. Today, teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society have been permitted to enter Homs, but they are waiting to get access to Bab Amr. It is essential that aid workers be allowed to help civilians in the most devastated areas of the city; as of this moment, assistance can still not get through. As you know, the joint UN-Arab League Special Envoy, the Honorable Kofi Annan, will depart from New York this evening. During the past two days he has been consulting intensively with Member States, including members of the Security Council and the Arab Group as well as the Syrian mission and other concerned stakeholders. He plans to travel next week to Cairo for consultations with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and to a number of other regional capitals, including Damascus. My predecessor has taken on a difficult mission with immense challenges; he needs the full and undivided support of the international community, speaking in one voice. Excellencies, Let me turn now to the particulars of the situation: the deepening humanitarian crisis, the increasingly worrying human rights picture, and the political process that we hope will chart a way ahead. The Secretariat has sent a Note Verbale to the Permanent Mission of Syria requesting its response to the clear demands set forth in General Assembly resolution 66/253, dated 16 February. We received a reply yesterday. The Secretariat has also requested information from the League of Arab States on what Member States are doing to support the Arab League initiative. In the past two weeks, I have remained in close contact with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. I met him last week in London and spoke with him as recently as yesterday. Ladies and Gentlemen: The Syrian Government has failed to deliver on its responsibility to protect its people. Civilian populations are under military assault in several cities. The disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities has driven, what had been largely peaceful opposition forces, to resort to take up arms in some cases. But let us be clear: the opposition’s firepower appears to be minimal, compared to the heavy weapons being used by the Syrian army. Armed extremist groups have also opportunistically used the situation to carry out terrorist acts, in particular in Damascus and Aleppo. While the continuing lack of access makes it impossible to verify specific casualty figures, credible reports suggest that the total number of people killed since March last year is well above 7,500, including many women and children. On several occasions, the daily death toll has exceeded one hundred. Approximately 25,000 refugees are now registered with UNHCR in neighbouring countries; between 100,000 and 200,000 people are internally displaced. The Syrian Government has also resisted the General Assembly’s demand for full and unhindered access for international media. Journalists, too, have been killed or injured alongside the people whose plight they were there to report. Let me turn now to the human rights situation. This Assembly called upon the Syrian Government to immediately put an end to all human rights violations and attacks against civilians, protect its population and fully comply with its obligations under applicable international law. The Syrian authorities clearly have not done so. The International Commission of Inquiry for Syria, in a report issued on 22nd February, concluded that the Syrian Government forces have committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the State. The Commission’s report also concluded that anti-Government groups have committed abuses, although not comparable in scale and organization to those carried out by the State. The Commission also found that the security forces and Shabiha militias have continued to use live ammunition against peaceful protesters throughout the country, and that the Government has carried out reprisals in response to opposition calls for strikes. Freedom of expression continues to be severely restricted, and many human rights defenders, activists, protesters and journalists across the country are being arrested or detained. We are receiving widespread reports of torture under detention, even of children. In response to the worsening human rights situation, the Human Rights Council yesterday adopted a resolution that strongly condemns the use of force against civilians, summary executions, the killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The resolution also calls on the Government to allow free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs in Homs and other areas, and to permit humanitarian agencies to deliver vital relief goods and services, especially in Homs, Dar’a, Zabadani and other areas under siege. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We must do everything in our power to end the crisis. We must help move towards a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, as supported by this Assembly. Yet to date, the international community has failed in its duty. In fact, the actions – indeed, the inaction — of the international community seems to have encouraged the Syrian authorities in their brutal suppression of its citizens. Further militarization of the Syrian opposition is not the answer. The international community must urgently find unity in pressing the Syrian authorities and all other parties to stop the violence. It must insist, with one voice, that the Syrian authorities give access to international humanitarian workers as an essential first step towards a peaceful solution to the crisis. It is with this aim that, together with Secretary-General Nabil El-Araby of the Arab League, we announced the appointment of Kofi Annan as our Joint Special Envoy for Syria. Mr. Annan will work to end the violence and human rights violations, and promote a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. It is important to ensure that there is only one track in the mediation process being undertaken by the international community. Efforts to support the Arab League’s initiative to promote a peaceful solution also included last week’s meeting of the “Friends of the Syrian people” in Tunisia, which brought together representatives from more than 65 nations and organizations. The meeting demonstrated wide international support for the Syrian people and sent a strong message to the Syrian authorities: the time has come to stop the bloodshed. Excellencies, The way towards a peaceful solution of the Syrian crisis is difficult, but clear. First, there should be an immediate end to the killings and violence. International relief workers must be allowed in. Second, there is a clear need for an inclusive political dialogue among all Syrian actors. The international community must align itself with the process led by the Joint Special Envoy. To succeed, he will need our full and undivided support. It is time for the international community to speak with one voice, loud and clear. Continued division emboldens the Syrian authorities in their violent, dead-end path. Continued delay in the humanitarian effort causes more human suffering. Continued violence on the ground risks a descent into full civil war and sectarian strife that could haunt the country for generations to come. The stakes are high, above all for the people of Syria -- but also for the international community. We must act, urgently and in concert. I thank the Assembly for its support. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------
Syria: 2 of 4 - 99th Plenary Meeting - General Assembly - March 2, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict [34] The Secretary-General will report to the General Assembly as required under last month’s General Assembly resolution on Syria (97th Plenary Meeting). UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's oral report to the General Assembly on situation in Syria: Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am making this report as requested by the General Assembly resolution A/Res/66/263 of 16 February. Given the gravity of the situation, please be assured that we will keep you regularly informed. We have all watched the events in Syria this week with growing alarm. We have seen heavy artillery shelling and tank fire in densely populated neighborhoods across the country. A major assault on Homs took place yesterday. Civilian losses have clearly been heavy. We continue to receive grisly reports of summary executions, arbitrary detentions and torture. In Homs, Hama and elsewhere, the brutal fighting has trapped civilians in their homes, without food, heat or electricity or medical care; without any chance of evacuating the wounded or burying the dead. People have been reduced to melting snow for drinking water. This atrocious assault is all the more appalling for having been waged by the government itself, systematically attacking its own people. All agree we must act in the face of this escalating crisis. Yesterday, the Security Council deplored the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and demanded access for relief workers. I welcome the Council’s clear and strong statement. The Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva, condemned the “widespread and systematic” violations of human rights and demanded an immediate end to the violence. I am extremely disappointed that the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Valerie Amos, has not been able to travel to Syria despite repeated assurances. I once again urge the authorities to allow her to visit, as soon as possible, so that humanitarian relief workers can reach the many thousands of people who desperately need assistance. Today, teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society have been permitted to enter Homs, but they are waiting to get access to Bab Amr. It is essential that aid workers be allowed to help civilians in the most devastated areas of the city; as of this moment, assistance can still not get through. As you know, the joint UN-Arab League Special Envoy, the Honorable Kofi Annan, will depart from New York this evening. During the past two days he has been consulting intensively with Member States, including members of the Security Council and the Arab Group as well as the Syrian mission and other concerned stakeholders. He plans to travel next week to Cairo for consultations with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and to a number of other regional capitals, including Damascus. My predecessor has taken on a difficult mission with immense challenges; he needs the full and undivided support of the international community, speaking in one voice. Excellencies, Let me turn now to the particulars of the situation: the deepening humanitarian crisis, the increasingly worrying human rights picture, and the political process that we hope will chart a way ahead. The Secretariat has sent a Note Verbale to the Permanent Mission of Syria requesting its response to the clear demands set forth in General Assembly resolution 66/253, dated 16 February. We received a reply yesterday. The Secretariat has also requested information from the League of Arab States on what Member States are doing to support the Arab League initiative. In the past two weeks, I have remained in close contact with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. I met him last week in London and spoke with him as recently as yesterday. Ladies and Gentlemen: The Syrian Government has failed to deliver on its responsibility to protect its people. Civilian populations are under military assault in several cities. The disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities has driven, what had been largely peaceful opposition forces, to resort to take up arms in some cases. But let us be clear: the opposition’s firepower appears to be minimal, compared to the heavy weapons being used by the Syrian army. Armed extremist groups have also opportunistically used the situation to carry out terrorist acts, in particular in Damascus and Aleppo. While the continuing lack of access makes it impossible to verify specific casualty figures, credible reports suggest that the total number of people killed since March last year is well above 7,500, including many women and children. On several occasions, the daily death toll has exceeded one hundred. Approximately 25,000 refugees are now registered with UNHCR in neighbouring countries; between 100,000 and 200,000 people are internally displaced. The Syrian Government has also resisted the General Assembly’s demand for full and unhindered access for international media. Journalists, too, have been killed or injured alongside the people whose plight they were there to report. Let me turn now to the human rights situation. This Assembly called upon the Syrian Government to immediately put an end to all human rights violations and attacks against civilians, protect its population and fully comply with its obligations under applicable international law. The Syrian authorities clearly have not done so. The International Commission of Inquiry for Syria, in a report issued on 22nd February, concluded that the Syrian Government forces have committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the State. The Commission’s report also concluded that anti-Government groups have committed abuses, although not comparable in scale and organization to those carried out by the State. The Commission also found that the security forces and Shabiha militias have continued to use live ammunition against peaceful protesters throughout the country, and that the Government has carried out reprisals in response to opposition calls for strikes. Freedom of expression continues to be severely restricted, and many human rights defenders, activists, protesters and journalists across the country are being arrested or detained. We are receiving widespread reports of torture under detention, even of children. In response to the worsening human rights situation, the Human Rights Council yesterday adopted a resolution that strongly condemns the use of force against civilians, summary executions, the killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The resolution also calls on the Government to allow free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs in Homs and other areas, and to permit humanitarian agencies to deliver vital relief goods and services, especially in Homs, Dar’a, Zabadani and other areas under siege. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We must do everything in our power to end the crisis. We must help move towards a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, as supported by this Assembly. Yet to date, the international community has failed in its duty. In fact, the actions – indeed, the inaction — of the international community seems to have encouraged the Syrian authorities in their brutal suppression of its citizens. Further militarization of the Syrian opposition is not the answer. The international community must urgently find unity in pressing the Syrian authorities and all other parties to stop the violence. It must insist, with one voice, that the Syrian authorities give access to international humanitarian workers as an essential first step towards a peaceful solution to the crisis. It is with this aim that, together with Secretary-General Nabil El-Araby of the Arab League, we announced the appointment of Kofi Annan as our Joint Special Envoy for Syria. Mr. Annan will work to end the violence and human rights violations, and promote a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. It is important to ensure that there is only one track in the mediation process being undertaken by the international community. Efforts to support the Arab League’s initiative to promote a peaceful solution also included last week’s meeting of the “Friends of the Syrian people” in Tunisia, which brought together representatives from more than 65 nations and organizations. The meeting demonstrated wide international support for the Syrian people and sent a strong message to the Syrian authorities: the time has come to stop the bloodshed. Excellencies, The way towards a peaceful solution of the Syrian crisis is difficult, but clear. First, there should be an immediate end to the killings and violence. International relief workers must be allowed in. Second, there is a clear need for an inclusive political dialogue among all Syrian actors. The international community must align itself with the process led by the Joint Special Envoy. To succeed, he will need our full and undivided support. It is time for the international community to speak with one voice, loud and clear. Continued division emboldens the Syrian authorities in their violent, dead-end path. Continued delay in the humanitarian effort causes more human suffering. Continued violence on the ground risks a descent into full civil war and sectarian strife that could haunt the country for generations to come. The stakes are high, above all for the people of Syria -- but also for the international community. We must act, urgently and in concert. I thank the Assembly for its support. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------
Syria: 1 of 4 - 99th Plenary Meeting - General Assembly - March 2, 2012 Prevention of armed conflict [34] The Secretary-General will report to the General Assembly as required under last month’s General Assembly resolution on Syria (97th Plenary Meeting). UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's oral report to the General Assembly on situation in Syria: Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am making this report as requested by the General Assembly resolution A/Res/66/263 of 16 February. Given the gravity of the situation, please be assured that we will keep you regularly informed. We have all watched the events in Syria this week with growing alarm. We have seen heavy artillery shelling and tank fire in densely populated neighborhoods across the country. A major assault on Homs took place yesterday. Civilian losses have clearly been heavy. We continue to receive grisly reports of summary executions, arbitrary detentions and torture. In Homs, Hama and elsewhere, the brutal fighting has trapped civilians in their homes, without food, heat or electricity or medical care; without any chance of evacuating the wounded or burying the dead. People have been reduced to melting snow for drinking water. This atrocious assault is all the more appalling for having been waged by the government itself, systematically attacking its own people. All agree we must act in the face of this escalating crisis. Yesterday, the Security Council deplored the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation and demanded access for relief workers. I welcome the Council’s clear and strong statement. The Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva, condemned the “widespread and systematic” violations of human rights and demanded an immediate end to the violence. I am extremely disappointed that the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Valerie Amos, has not been able to travel to Syria despite repeated assurances. I once again urge the authorities to allow her to visit, as soon as possible, so that humanitarian relief workers can reach the many thousands of people who desperately need assistance. Today, teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society have been permitted to enter Homs, but they are waiting to get access to Bab Amr. It is essential that aid workers be allowed to help civilians in the most devastated areas of the city; as of this moment, assistance can still not get through. As you know, the joint UN-Arab League Special Envoy, the Honorable Kofi Annan, will depart from New York this evening. During the past two days he has been consulting intensively with Member States, including members of the Security Council and the Arab Group as well as the Syrian mission and other concerned stakeholders. He plans to travel next week to Cairo for consultations with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and to a number of other regional capitals, including Damascus. My predecessor has taken on a difficult mission with immense challenges; he needs the full and undivided support of the international community, speaking in one voice. Excellencies, Let me turn now to the particulars of the situation: the deepening humanitarian crisis, the increasingly worrying human rights picture, and the political process that we hope will chart a way ahead. The Secretariat has sent a Note Verbale to the Permanent Mission of Syria requesting its response to the clear demands set forth in General Assembly resolution 66/253, dated 16 February. We received a reply yesterday. The Secretariat has also requested information from the League of Arab States on what Member States are doing to support the Arab League initiative. In the past two weeks, I have remained in close contact with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. I met him last week in London and spoke with him as recently as yesterday. Ladies and Gentlemen: The Syrian Government has failed to deliver on its responsibility to protect its people. Civilian populations are under military assault in several cities. The disproportionate use of force by Syrian authorities has driven, what had been largely peaceful opposition forces, to resort to take up arms in some cases. But let us be clear: the opposition’s firepower appears to be minimal, compared to the heavy weapons being used by the Syrian army. Armed extremist groups have also opportunistically used the situation to carry out terrorist acts, in particular in Damascus and Aleppo. While the continuing lack of access makes it impossible to verify specific casualty figures, credible reports suggest that the total number of people killed since March last year is well above 7,500, including many women and children. On several occasions, the daily death toll has exceeded one hundred. Approximately 25,000 refugees are now registered with UNHCR in neighbouring countries; between 100,000 and 200,000 people are internally displaced. The Syrian Government has also resisted the General Assembly’s demand for full and unhindered access for international media. Journalists, too, have been killed or injured alongside the people whose plight they were there to report. Let me turn now to the human rights situation. This Assembly called upon the Syrian Government to immediately put an end to all human rights violations and attacks against civilians, protect its population and fully comply with its obligations under applicable international law. The Syrian authorities clearly have not done so. The International Commission of Inquiry for Syria, in a report issued on 22nd February, concluded that the Syrian Government forces have committed widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations, amounting to crimes against humanity, with the apparent knowledge and consent of the highest levels of the State. The Commission’s report also concluded that anti-Government groups have committed abuses, although not comparable in scale and organization to those carried out by the State. The Commission also found that the security forces and Shabiha militias have continued to use live ammunition against peaceful protesters throughout the country, and that the Government has carried out reprisals in response to opposition calls for strikes. Freedom of expression continues to be severely restricted, and many human rights defenders, activists, protesters and journalists across the country are being arrested or detained. We are receiving widespread reports of torture under detention, even of children. In response to the worsening human rights situation, the Human Rights Council yesterday adopted a resolution that strongly condemns the use of force against civilians, summary executions, the killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children. The resolution also calls on the Government to allow free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to carry out a full assessment of needs in Homs and other areas, and to permit humanitarian agencies to deliver vital relief goods and services, especially in Homs, Dar’a, Zabadani and other areas under siege. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, We must do everything in our power to end the crisis. We must help move towards a Syrian-led political transition to a democratic, pluralistic political system, as supported by this Assembly. Yet to date, the international community has failed in its duty. In fact, the actions – indeed, the inaction — of the international community seems to have encouraged the Syrian authorities in their brutal suppression of its citizens. Further militarization of the Syrian opposition is not the answer. The international community must urgently find unity in pressing the Syrian authorities and all other parties to stop the violence. It must insist, with one voice, that the Syrian authorities give access to international humanitarian workers as an essential first step towards a peaceful solution to the crisis. It is with this aim that, together with Secretary-General Nabil El-Araby of the Arab League, we announced the appointment of Kofi Annan as our Joint Special Envoy for Syria. Mr. Annan will work to end the violence and human rights violations, and promote a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. It is important to ensure that there is only one track in the mediation process being undertaken by the international community. Efforts to support the Arab League’s initiative to promote a peaceful solution also included last week’s meeting of the “Friends of the Syrian people” in Tunisia, which brought together representatives from more than 65 nations and organizations. The meeting demonstrated wide international support for the Syrian people and sent a strong message to the Syrian authorities: the time has come to stop the bloodshed. Excellencies, The way towards a peaceful solution of the Syrian crisis is difficult, but clear. First, there should be an immediate end to the killings and violence. International relief workers must be allowed in. Second, there is a clear need for an inclusive political dialogue among all Syrian actors. The international community must align itself with the process led by the Joint Special Envoy. To succeed, he will need our full and undivided support. It is time for the international community to speak with one voice, loud and clear. Continued division emboldens the Syrian authorities in their violent, dead-end path. Continued delay in the humanitarian effort causes more human suffering. Continued violence on the ground risks a descent into full civil war and sectarian strife that could haunt the country for generations to come. The stakes are high, above all for the people of Syria -- but also for the international community. We must act, urgently and in concert. I thank the Assembly for its support. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------- Source: Name: United Nations Webcast Website: www.unmultimedia.org Country: United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------
Un Zombie débarque dans un cinéma durant la traditionnelle diffusion des bandes-annonces qui précède celle du film, c’est l’excellente idée qu’a eu une agence de communication d’Afrique du Sud pour le compte de FX Channel dans le cadre de la promotion de la deuxième saison de la série «The Walking Dead». Efficace !
Avant de fouler les planches de son stand au Salon de Genève, la 208 GTi Concept s’offre une petite vidéo de promotion pour montrer sa caractère de féline, via son moteur de 200 chevaux. Source : Peugeot.
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KARA (카라 en Corée, カラ au Japon) est un girlsband coréen ayant pour style de musique la K-Pop et le K-R&B. Il est créé en 2007 sous le label DSP Media (qui produisait en autre Fin. K. L, Lee Hyori, et SS501) composé à la base de quatre jeunes filles : Gyuri (Leader), Seung Yeon, Sung Hee et Nicole; il comptera cinq membres, un an après leur début. Le nom du groupe, choisit par la leader Gyuri vient du mot grec "χαρά" (littéralement, "joie") dont le groupe l'a interprété comme "douce mélodie". Le groupe possède un fancblub : Kamilia (KARA + Familia, (카밀리아) ) et leur couleur est le orange perle (pêche). Composition Actuelle : Gyuri (Gyulee) née le 21 Mai 1988. Positions : Leader, chanteuse principale. Seung Yeon née le 24 Juillet 1988. Position : Leader vocale. Nicole née le 7 Octobre 1991. Positions : Rappeuse principale / Chanteuse principale, danseuse Note : Nicole est née et a grandi aux USA. Elle était la maknae avant que Sung Hee ne quitte le groupe. Hara née le 13 Janvier 1991. Positions : Danseuse principale, chanteuse secondaire. Note : Elle rejoint le groupe en 2008. Ji Young née le 18 Janvier 1994. Positions : Maknae (la plus jeune), chanteuse. Note : Elle a rejoint le groupe en 2008 suite au départ de Sung Hee. Anciens Membres : Sung Hee Position : Leader Vocale Notes : Sung Hee a quitté le groupe afin de se consacrer à ses études. Elle annonce en 2011, son mariage avec Yang Won Joon. Le quatuor débute donc avec un premier album "The First Bloooooming", sorti le 29 Mars 2007, et font leur première apparition au M ! Countdown avec leur chanson-titre "Break It", le 27 Mars 2007. Pour ce premier album, le groupe a tourné deux clips : "Break It" ainsi que "If U Wanna". Le groupe a souvent été comparé à Fin. K. L dû au fait que les groupes avaient signé avec le même label, et avaient également un style similaire. Avec ce premier album, KARA remporte le prix du de la meilleure révélation musicale. Cependant, cette même année, d'autres girlsband dont Wonder Girls et Girls' Generation marquent leur début. L'album n'ayant pas remporté un franc succès, Seung Yeon a participé à de nombreuses émissions de variétés afin de garder le groupe au top. En 2008, alors qu'un comeback est prévu avec à la clef un second album, Sung Hee quitte le groupe, afin de se consacrer à ses études, et sera remplacée par deux nouvelles membres (qui formeront la composition finale du groupe) : Hara ainsi que Ji Young. Cette nouvelle formation fait son comeback avec un mini-album du nom de Rock U qui a pour concept "mignon", ainsi qu'avec sa piste-titre "Rock U". Leur première performance en compagnie des deux nouvelles membres se fera au M ! Countdown le 24 Juillet 2008. Le 29 Novembre 2008, DSP Media sort un teaser vidéo de leur prochain single "Pretty Girl" qui reçoit plus de 40, 000 vues en 12 heures. Le clip entier est sorti le 2 Décembre 2008 et reçoit des commentaires positives du public, le mini-album lui est sorti le 4 décembre et avait pour concept "party/fun". Le groupe a fait son comeback le 4 Décembre 2008 sur M ! CountDown. Pendant leur première performance national sur KBS 'Music Bank', Hara a accidentellement poussé un cri lorsque Ji Young dû changé de place à cause de la chorégraphie. Cette dernière lui aurait marché sur le pied, et Hara ne se souvenant plus des pas et étant un peu perdu cria un "AH ! " qui fut entendu par les spectateurs. A cause de l'embrassement, elle a pleuré pendant plus d'une heure dans les backstage. Les internautes ont en fait une "hot issue" mais Hara a reçu du réconfort au lieu des critiques du public. "Pretty Girl" devient alors un hit pour le groupe. Fin Janvier 2009, DSP Media annonce que les votes pour la prochaine chanson des KARA débutera le 28 Janvier et se terminera sur leur site officiel. Le 2 Février, Honey est déclaré vainqueur avec 60% des votes. Honey a fait gagner le groupe pour la première fois à M ! Countdown, elles ont aussi gagné un Mutizen à SBS 'The Music Trend'. Il a été révélé qu'en Juin 2009 le groupe reviendrait en Juillet avec un concept qui va être 'mis à jour'. La première photo teaser a été révélé mi-juillet et montre un changement radical du style du groupe. Le clip est sorti le 29 Juillet avec l'album au complet 'Revolution'. La promotion a démarré le 31 Juillet avec leur comeback sur Music Bank où elles ont chanté 'Wanna' ainsi que 'Mister'. 'Mister' a été très populaire auprès des internautes pour la 'butt dance'. 'Wanna' et 'Mister' sont alors devenus deux gros hits en Corée. Durant la promotion de Revolution le groupe a fait des performances internationale, incluant le 'Bangkok's Parc Paragon'. Après une courte pause, DSP Media publie deux photos teaser du comeback des KARA, le 9 Février 2010. Les photos ont gagné beaucoup d'intérêt parce qu'en comparaison avec leur dernier album les KARA présentent une image plus mature et mystérieuse. Le lendemain la couverture de l'album fut révélé avec un concept de 'voleuse' et le titre de la chanson principale, 'Lupin'. La chanson a rapidement été #1 dans des sites de téléchargements en lignes, avec cela, le groupe gagnera de nombreux prix, les semaines qui suivent. La même année, l'agence annonce que KARA fera ses débuts officiels au Japon. Leur premier titre, à cette occasion, sera le célèbre hit "Mister" qui sera réarrangé en japonais, paroles écrites et signées par Watanabe Natsumi. Deux albums suivront, ainsi qu'un autre single "Jumping". A noté que le groupe fera parallèlement la promotion de "Jumping" en Corée. L'année 2011 est marquée par une controverse alors que le groupe était en pleine promotion au Japon, en effet, certains des membres (Hara, Seung Yeon, Nicole et Ji Young) du groupe avaient demandé la résiliation de leur contrat, bloquant ainsi les activités du groupe en ce début d'année. Seule Gyuri voulait continuer n'étant pas au courant des poursuites que voulaient engager les membres. Hara se rétractera et c'est finalement fin avril, que les différents opposant les deux partis s'estompent. A cela, deux nouveaux singles japonais du groupe sortent, "Jet Coaster Love" sorti en avril, et "GO GO Summer ! " sorti en juin. Il a été annoncé, il y a peu que KARA sera de retour à la rentrée 2011 avec un nouvel album coréen.
A seulement 19 ans, Kate Upton affole les hommes du monde entier depuis qu'elle a dévoilé ses formes pulpeuses en bikini sur la couverture de l'édition Swimsuit 2012 de Sports Illustrated. De quoi inspirer la chaîne de fast-food Carl's Jr. qui aime inviter de jolies filles dans leurs spots provocateurs afin de nous faire croire que manger un hamburger peut être extatique ... Dans cette nouvelle publicité, Kate Upton fait la promotion du "Southwest Patty Melt", un burger très épicé de 890 calories....
Rainbow (레인보우) est un groupe composé de 7 filles qui ont été entraînées par la DSP Entertainement pendant quatre longues années. 2009 : Dès janvier 2009 il courrait une rumeur sur la formation d'un nouveau groupe d'idole féminin chez DSP, ceci fût définitivement confirmé en novembre par la sortie de Gossip Girl le premier mini-album du groupe Rainbow. Les filles y adoptent un concept coloré et frai et ont assuré la promotion de leur titre Gossip Girl sur les plateaux d'émissions de variété. Magrés tout, leur entrée en matière ne fera pas l'effet d'une bombe, le public n'étant pas vraiment au rendez-vous. Il faut dire que l'année 2009 fut riche en nouveaux girl's band, de ce fait le dernier sortit n'attire pas forcément l'attention c'est donc ce qui s'est produit pour les Rainbow. Néanmoins, elles arriveront à conquire quelques coeurs de fans qui les suivront même pendant leur inactivité. 2010 : Après la promotion du titre phare de leur mini-album et de la première piste Not Your Girl, les Rainbow se posèrent et décidèrent d'entamer la conception d'un nouvel mini-album qui, cette fois-ci, ferait du bruit dans le monde de la kpop. Pendant ce temps, elles ont entretenu leurs sites webs unes à unes et c'est grace à la toile que les fans apprirent le come-back de leur groupe favori. Cependant, les mois passèrent et les nouvelles des filles coté carrière se faisaient rares (hormis les endorsements et les quelques photoshoots) à tel point que les fans commençèrent à perdre espoir et l'idée que le come-back fût annulé prit place dans les esprits. Discrètement mais sûrement, alors que tout le monde ne les attendaient plus, les re-voilà au Dream Concert 2010 en mai pour interpréter leur fameux titre Gossip Girl. Après s'être doucement remises dans le bain, le 9 août, des photos dévoilant un concept plus mature avec toujours les couleurs attribuées sur chacune des filles font leur apparation puis c'est au tour de la découverte du teaser de A le 10 août. Le 12 août sera dévoilée la chanson A qui sera l'objet de promotion de leur second mini-album (qui ne sortira qu'en septembre) qu'elles interprêteront ensuite sur les plateaux de télévisions à partir du 13 août. Membres Kim Jae Gyung(김재경) Leader Date de naissance : 24/12/1988 Age : 21 ans Couleur : Rouge classée comme la première couleure de l'arc-en-ciel, le rouge défini donc son statut de leader Autre : Elle est apparue dans le MV A song Calling For You des SS501. Oh Seung Ah(오승아) Date de naissance : 13/05/1988 Age : 22 ans Couleur : Indigo Go Woo Ri(고우리) Date de naissance : 22/02/1988 Age : 22 ans Couleur : Orange No Eul/ Noel(노을) Date de naissance : 10/05/1989 Age : 21 ans Couleur : Bleu Jeong Yoon Hye(정윤혜) Date de naissance : 14/04/1990 Age : 20 ans Couleure : Violet Kim Ji Suk(김지숙) Date de naissance : 18/07/1990 Age : 20 ans Couleur : Vert Jo Hyeon Yeong(조현영) Maknae - Voix principale Nom : Date de naissance : 11/08/1991 Age : 19 ans Couleur : Jaune
Caroline de Dilemme (W9) et La maison du bluff (NRJ12) fait la promotion de La Conciergerie de Jeremstar en direct de son bain.
Très implanté en Allemagne, ce système commence à arriver en France. Le principe? Monter un dossier avec d'autres acéqureurs pour acheter un appartement dans du neuf sans passer par un promoteur. Exemple à Strasbourg.
EA envoie des jeux Mass Effect 3 dans le ciel Selon USA Today, EA prévoit d'accrocher des exemplaires du jeu à six ballons météo pour la campagne de promotion. Ceux qui trouveront chacun des titres pourront ainsi y jouer quelques jours à l'avance. http://www.jeuxactu.com/mass-effect-3-des-jeux-accroches-a-des-ballons-79004.htm - - ©FilmsActu.com Distribution Wizdeo.
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 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 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 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 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 ----------------------------------------------------------
11ème partie du KBS Musik Bank in Paris qui s'est déroulé à Paris Bercy le 08 février 2012 devant pas moins de 12 000 fans venus de toute l'Europe et du monde. Performence ► Girls' Generation (SNSD) : Girls' Generation alias SNSD (So Nyeo Shi Dae) est un groupe de 9 jeunes artistes formé en 2007 par SM Entertainment. Les membres du groupe sont : YoonA, Tiffany, YuRi, HyoYeon, SooYoung, SeoHyun, TaeYeon ("la leadeuse"), Jessica, et Sunny. Le 1er aout 2007, SM Entertainment sort leur premier clip vidéo avec leur "debut song" : 다시 만난 세계 (Into the New World). Site Officiel Tae Yeon Nom : Kim Tae Yeon Date de naissance : 9 mars 1989 Position : Chef, chanteuse principale Formation : 3 ans et 3 mois École : Jeonjuyesulgodeunghakgyo [lycée d'art de Jeonju] Tae Yeon est le leader de Girls' Generation. Elle est actuellement un DJ de la radio Good Friend avec un membre des Super Junior (Kang In ).Elle a été le première membre à enregistrer un seul morceau("If")pour le drama de Hong Gil Dong.Elle a également été dans le video de Lee Bul pour sa chanson "영원"("Forever")et a aussi chanté "들리 나요...?(" Can You Hear me...?")pour l'OST de Beethoven Virus.Elle a gagné une YEPP Popularity Award à la 2008 Golden Disk Awards. Jessica Nom : Jessica Jung Nom coréen : Jung Soo Yeon Date de naissance : 18 avril 1989 Grandeur : 162cm / 5''4 Poids : 45kg / 100 lbs Groupe sanguin : B type Position : Chanteuse principale Formation : 7 ans et 6 mois École : 2001~2003 : École internationale de Séoul [S. I. S] École étrangère de la Corée Kent [K. K. F. S. ] Jessica est née et a grandi en Californie. Elle a déménagé en Corée à l'age de 11 ans pour sa formation. Elle a sorti 2 singles avec Seo Hyun et Tiffany :"오빠 나빠"("Bad OPPA")et "Mabinogi"(It's Fantastic! ).Jessica a aussi joué dans les clips de Jo Han Kim "Love is Late, I'm Sorry".Elle est apparue dans le clip "SUPER GIRL" du groupe SUPER JUNIOR.Sa petite soeur Krystal est membre du groupe f(x), groupe récent de SM Town. Sunny Nom : Lee Sun Kyu Date de naissance : 15 mai 1989 Grandeur : 157cm / 5''1 Weight : 42~ 43 kg / 92~95 lbs Position : Chanteuse principale Formation : 9 mois (sous SM Entertainment) École : BaehwayeojagogeungHakgyo [le lycée de la fille de Baehwa] Après plusieurs mois de formation dans è SM Entertainment en 2007, Sunny a débuté en tant que membre du Girls' Generation. Elle est la nièce du chef de la direction de SM Entertainment, Lee Soo Man, et son père a été le gérant de la dissolution de K-pop girl groupe Sugar. Elle a été co-DJ de la radio Reckless avec Sung Min des Super Junior jusqu'à ce que l'émission se termine le 30 Juillet 2008.Sunny est apparue dans le clip des Super Junior-H "Cooking Cooking! ".Elle aussi chanté la chanson "Finally Now" pour l'OST de Story of Wine. Tiffany Nom : Stephanie Hwang Nom coréen : Hwang MI Young Date de naissance : 1er août 1989 Grandeur : 161 cm / 5''3 Position : Chanteuse principale Formation : 2 ans 7 mois École : École étrangère de la Corée Kent [K. K. F. S. ] Tiffany a été élevée à Diamond Bar, en Californie. Elle a été découverte dans le SM Starlight Casting System 2004 à Los Angeles et a débuté sa formation à la SM jusqu'aux débuts de SNSD. Avec Seo Hyun et Jessica , elle a publié un single, "Bad Brother"(오빠 나빠)et "Mabinogi"(It's Fantastic! ).Sa mère est décédée lorsqu'elle était plus jeune et son grand père, l'été 2009. Hyo Yeon Nom : Kim Hyo Yeon Date de naissance : 22 septembre 1989 Grandeur : 163 cm / 5''4 Position : Danseuse principale, chanteuse de soutien Formation : 6 ans 1 mois École : Junggukbukgyungeohakyeonsu [China Beijing Language Courses] Hyo Yeon est considérée comme la meilleure danseuse du groupe comme elle l'a une fois assisté à une école de danse hip hop qui se spécialise dans le waving, popping, locking, et l'animation. Avant son débuts, Hyo Yeon s'est rendue à Beijing, en Chine, en 2004, avec un membre des Super Junior (Siwon )pour apprendre le mandarin et la culture chinoise. Yuri Nom : Kwon Yu Ri Date de naissance : 5 décembre 1989 Position : Danseuse, chanteuse de soutien Formation : 5 ans 11 mois École : Neunggokgodeunghakgyo [lycée de Neunggok] Yuri a rejoint SM quand elle a gagné la 1ère place d'un concours de danse de la SM en 2001. Elle apparaît dans le clip "Beautiful Life" des DBSK .Elle a également eu un petit rôle à la télévision, "The King's Boyfriend", qui faisait partie d'un documentaire sur les Super Junior , le "Super Junior Show".Yuri a également joué un rôle dans le drama "Unstoppable Marriage" aux côtés Soo Young . Soo Young Nom : Choi Soo Young Date de naissance : 10 février 1990 Grandeur : 165 cm / 5''5 Position : Chanteuse de soutien Formation : 6 ans 3 mois École : Jeongshinyeojagodeunghakgyo [le lycée de la fille de Jeongshin] Avant l'audition de Girls' Generation, Soo Young a fait ses débuts au Japon en tant que chanteuse dans le groupe appelé Route φ. Elle a d'abord débuté avec Marina Takahashi avec la chanson "Start". Au Japon, elle est devenue amie avec BoA et Sunday de "The Grace" car elles ont travailé au Japon à la même époque.Elle était auparavant un DJ de ChunJi avec Sung Min des Super Junior .Elle a été bientôt remplacé par Sunny à cause de problèmes d'emploi du temps.Soo Young a également joué un rôle dans le drama "Unstoppable Marriage" aux côtés de Yuri . Yoona Nom : Im Yoon A Date de naissance : 30 mai 1990 Grandeur 166 cm / 5''5 Position : Danseuse, chanteuse de soutien Formation : 7 ans et 2 mois École : Daeyeonggodeunghakgyo [lycée de Daeyeong] Yoona est apparue dans plusieurs clips musicaux, comme dans The Grace "열정" (My Everything) avec les Super Junior & Kim Kibum, dans "U" et "Marry U" des Super Junior , et "Magic Castle" des DBSK .Elle est également apparue dans un grand nombre de Cfs, que ce soit en solo ou avec les autres membres.Elle a obtenu un petit rôle dans le drama coréen, "9 Ends 2 Outs"(9 회말 아웃 2)et a tourné dans le nouveau drama, "You Are My Destiny".Dans ce drama, Yoona interprète une jeune fille aveugle. Seo Hyun Nom : Seo Ju Hyun Date de naissance : 28 juin 1991 Grandeur : 166 cm / 5''5 Position : Chanteuse Formation : 6 ans et 6 mois École : Daeyeonggodeunghakgyo [lycée de Daeyeong] Seo Hyun est le plus jeune membre des SNSD. Elle est également pianiste. Avec Tiffany et Jessica , elle a sorti un single "오빠 나빠"("Bad OPPA")et "Mabinogi"(It's Fantastic! ). Pré-débuts Les membres ont reçu une formation professionnelle principalement dans le chant et la danse tandis que quelques privilégiés ont également été formés. Beaucoup de membres avaient déjà pris des noms de scène pour eux-mêmes à travers leur participation à des publicités dans des magazines, des publicités télévisées, et des petites apparitions à la télévision. Pendant près de deux ans, des sites coréens ont spéculé sur lequel les stagiaires féminins de la SM Entertainment serait placé dans le groupe. Avant la sortie officielle du nom du groupe, Girls 'Generation, le bruit courait que le groupe serait nommé "Super Girls" après leur homologue dite, Super Junior. 2007 : Début et leurs premier album. En Juillet 2007, Girls 'Generation ont eu leur premier spectacle sur Inkigayo. La chanson des filles s'appelait "Into the New World" (coréen : 다시 만난 세계), qui est devenue leur premier single. Un spectacle documenter avec les débuts des filles intitulée "M.Net girls go to school" a été filmé pendant ce temps. Ce documentaire a aidé les filles pour plaire au public coréen. En août 2007, le single "Into the New World". a été libéré. Ce single comprend deux autres chansons, "Beginning" et "Perfect for You" (coréen : 소원), plus tard, l'album rebaptisé Baby Baby pour leur auto-intitulé Generation premier album des filles. Un instrumental de "Into the New World" a également été inclus. Le groupe a commencé à promouvoir le single peu après sa libération. Girls 'Generation acquittés de leur unique sur Inkigayo SBS, MBC' s Show ! Music Core, ainsi que sur KBS 's Music Bank. Après une courte pause, le premier album du groupe a été libéré en fin de l'automne 2007, avec le premier single "Girls 'Generation" (coréen : 소녀 시대), une reprise de Lee Seung-Chul (Corée : 이승철) ' s hit. La promotion pour le single a commencé au début Novembre. Marquée par des routines de danse et de chant, "Girls 'Generation" a été un succès pour le groupe, et l'album s'est vendu à 121. 143 exemplaires à ce jour, la mise 8ème dans le Hit-parade personnel. Au début de 2008, Girls' Generation a commencé à promouvoir leur deuxième single, "Kissing You". Dans le MV était présent Donghae de Super Junior. Cette chanson atteint la place # 1 dans les trois classements télévisé principal music-SBS Inkigayo,M.net M. Countdown ! Et KBS Music Bank. En Mars 2008, l'album a été réédité et ré-intitulé Baby Baby. Un troisième single, "Baby Baby", a été utilisé pour promouvoir l'album. Girls 'Generation, avec leurs collègues tels que BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, CSJH la Grâce, Zhang Liyin, SHINee et d'autres artistes ont participé à SM SM Town Live '08. La tournée a élargi son itinéraire vers la Corée du Sud, la Thaïlande et la Chine. 2008-2009 : D'autres activités, de retour avec un mini-albums. Il a été annoncé à l'automne 2008 que la génération des filles serait en vedette dans une émission de téléréalitésurM.net. Intitulé Factory Girl, le spectacle relate les filles qui travaillent comme stagiaires à Megazine la mode "Elle". Le programme a commencé à être diffusée en début Octobre. Pendant leur absence de la scène musicale, ils sont apparus dans de nombreuses publicités pour MapleStory et Mabinogi. Il a été ensuite annoncé que le premier mini-album du groupe, Gee, serait publié en Janvier 2009. Une vidéo teaser est sorti en Janvier 2009 et le premier single "Gee" publié peu après. L'intérêt pour la chanson est passé après la sortie numérique, Topping Cyworld 's Music Chart horaires sur le jour de diffusion. La chanson s'est également rendue # 1 sur tous les grands palmarès de la musique numérique dans les deux jours. Le groupe a commencé sa promotion d'album sur Janvier 2009 sur MBC Show ! Music Core. Elles ont chanté leur nouveau single, "Gee", et "Lui Nae / Way To Go", un autre morceau du mini-album Gee. Cette chanson est un remake de la chanson "Haptic Motion" qui a été utilisé dans les publicités de téléphone cellulaire et est un mélange de pop bubblegum et du punk rock. Pendant ce temps, des questions ont été soulevées lorsque le groupe ne figure pas sur KBS 's Music Bank avec "Gee", même après avoir remporté # 1 sur le tableau montrent la musique. "Gee" est le détenteur du record du plus long-running # 1 sur la musiqueportailM.net (pour 8 semaines), surpassant le précédent record de 6 semaines fixé par "Nobody des Wonder Girls '". Elles ont aussi battu le record sur KBS l 'émission de musique Music Bank en étant n ° 1 pendant 9 semaines consécutives, précédemment établies par Jewelry "One More Time, qui ont eu 7 victoires. Elles ont gagné le prix de meilleur vente de chanson pour le premier semestre 2009. Pour "Gee" la promotions pour la chanson s'est terminée à la fin de Mars. Après une courte pause, SM Entertainment a annoncé que les filles serait de retour avec un nouveau single et révélant un "Marine Girl" concept, la chanson, intitulée "Sowoneul Malhaebwa (Genie) " (coréen : "소원 을 말해봐", littéralement "Dites Tell Me Your Wish "), le mini album est sorti en numérique le 22 Juin, 2009. Le mini-album comprend un duo entre Jessica et Shinee Onew appelé" One Year Later". Le 3 Mai 2009. Girls Generation a été la vedette ! Les filles apparaissent dans une nouvelle emission de télé réalité "SNSD Horror Movie", avec le premier épisode qui obtiennent une cote audience de 3, 3%. Le spectacle a ensuite été annulé après 6 épisodes en raison de faibles notes. [Modifier] Le spectacle a été remplacé par un autre programme de réalité Girls 'Generation "Himnaera-le ! " ou "Cheer Up ! " dans lequel les jeunes filles essaient de remonter le moral des personnes travailleuses, au milieu d'un marasme économique. Le spectacle a été annulé après deux épisodes dus aux filles de devenir trop occupé avec la libération et la promotion de leur nouveau mini-album, "Sowoneul Malhaebwa (Genie) ". Depuis le 23 Juin 2009 Les SNSD sont avec la chaine Cable TV appelé programme "HELLO BABY" de KBS Joy, où elles prennent soin d'un enfant et un peu la façon dont la maternité est une expérience similaire. Dans ce spectacle, ils prennent soin d'un petit garçon "Cho Kyungsan" (coréen : "조경산"), et chaque semaine, les pères (ou, les clients de sexe masculin qui sortent de temps à autre), sélectionne "la meilleure mère" et "la Worst Mom" entre les membres selon leur travail pour la journée. Malgré une arrivée tardive sur des créneaux horaires et d'être sur une chaîne câblée, le spectacle a reçu des cotes élevées, et a été étendu par quelques épisodes en raison de sa popularité. Le 26 Juin 2009, Girls 'Generation comeback performance a été enregistrée sur KBS' s Music Bank. Le groupe a ensuite vu leurs performances de retour sur MBC Music Core et Inkigayo de SBS sur le 27 et 28 Juin, 2009. Girls 'Generation's 2nd mini-album Genie a été libéré le 29 Juin, 2009. Leur première victoire de leur single "Sowoneul Malhaebwa (Genie) " a été obtenu au 10 Juillet, 2009 HQ d'KBS Music Bank. Leur deuxième prix a été revendiquée au 12 Juillet, 2009 HQ de SBS Inkigayo. Le groupe a achevé la promotion pour "Sowoneul Malhaebwa (Genie) " en août 2009. Actuellement, les membres ci exercent leurs activités en solo. Le 7 Octobre, Girls 'Generation, avec les f (x) ont publiés un single unique appelé "CHOCOLATE LOVE" pour la 4ème édition du BlackLabel LG série CYON, "chocolat". les SNSD ont chantés la version "Retro Pop" de la chanson des f (x) est chanté en version "Electronic Pop". Le Novembre 11, leur premier concert solo a été annoncé. Les billets seront en vente dès les 3 premières minutes, et elles ont commencer leur tournée avec un concert au Stade olympique de Séoul le 19 et le 20 Décembre. l'horizon 2010 : Deuxième album et d'autres activités En début 2010, le groupe a été choisi pour chanter SBS "Naeireul Bomnida" Plus tard en Janvier, SM Entertainment a confirmé la libération de Oh ! de l'album complet, publié le 28 Janvier. Le premier single " Oh ! ", a été numériquement publié le Janvier 25 avec la vidéo de musique avant d'être relâchée deux jours plus tard. La chanson s'est avérée populaire dans de nombreuses charts à la sortie. Le 30 Janvier, le groupe a commencé la promotions avec l'enregistrement de MBC s ' Show ! Music Core. La performance a connu une panne d'électricité près de la fin, à laquelle MBC fait tout le spectacle disponible en ligne. Les SNSD ont remportées le "Daesang", qui est la plus haute récompense que les artistes peuvent recevoir, "Bonsang", et "Digital Music Daesang" lors de la 19e Prix Séoul Musique sur 3 Février 2009; à cette Daesang, elles sont devenus le premier groupe de filles à gagner 3 Daesangs. Elles avaient auparavant remporté un Daesang de la République de Corée 17 Entertainment Award (en Novembre 2009) et le Prix 24ème Golden Disk. A partir du 11 Mars 2010 les photos des membres ont été libérés en ligne présentant un concept obscur, nommé "Girls 'Generation Black". Une vidéo teaser est sorti le 16 Mars avec le nouveau single en single digital le 17 Mars. Le clip de " Run Devil Run "est sorti le 17 Mars, et le groupe était attendu à effectuer Run Devil Run sur KBS Music Bank.....
9ème partie du KBS Musik Bank in Paris qui s'est déroulé à Paris Bercy le 08 février 2012 devant pas moins de 12 000 fans venus de toute l'Europe et du monde. Performence ► T-ara + Special Stage 3 : HyunSeung (BEAST), Junsu (2PM), Taemin (SHINee) & Kevin (U-KISS) reprennent "More Than Words" du groupe Extreme (1990). T-ara est le nouveau groupe de la Core Contents Media qui a produit d'autres groupes tels que les SeeYa, les DaVichi, les Supernova, etc. . Le groupe était initialement composé de 5 membres : Eun Jeong, Hyo Min, Ji Yeon, Ji Won et Ji Ae. Elles ont débuté en interprétant la chanson Good Person Ver 1 pour l'OST du drama Cinderella Man. Suite à des différences de style, Ji Won et Ji Ae ont quitté le groupe qui a alors accueilli Boram, Qri et So Yeon. MEMBRES ACTUELLES : EUNJEONG Nom : Ham Eun Jeong Date de naissance : 12 Décembre 1988 Position dans le groupe : Leader/Chanteuse principale/Rappeuse HYOMIN Nom : Park Seon Yeon Date de naissance : 30 Mai 1989 Position dans le groupe : Chanteuse principale/Rappeuse JIYEON Nom : Park Ji Yeon Date de naissance : 7 Juin 1993 Position dans le groupe : Chanteuse secondaire BORAM Nom : Jeon Bo Ram Date de naissance : 22 Mars 1986 Position dans le groupe : Chanteuse secondaire QRI Nom : Lee Ji Hyun Date de naissance : 12 Décembre 1986 Position dans le groupe : Chanteuse de soutien SOYEON Nom : Park So Yeon Date de naissance : 5 Octobre 1987 Position dans le groupe : Chanteuse principale Signe particulier : Elle a été une trainee (stagiaire) chez la SM Entertainment, elle devait faire partie des SNSD qui au départ devait être un groupe de 11 filles. ANCIENNES MEMBRES : JIWON Nom : Yang Ji Won Date de naissance : 5 Avril 1988 Position dans le groupe : Chanteuse Signe particulier : Ji Won devait faire partie du même groupe que Yoo Bin (Wonder Girls), UEE (After School), Hyo Sung (Secret) et Gina Choi (future soliste de la CUBE Entertainment) mais la Good Entertainment a coulé avant que le groupe ne débute. Ji Won a décidé de quitter le groupe pour cause de différence de style. JIAE Nom : Lee Ji Ae Date de naissance : 6 Août 1987 Position dans le groupe : Leader/Chanteuse principale Signe particulier : A la base c'était Ji Ae qui devait être la Leader des T-ara mais après son départ c'est Eun Jeong qui a été choisie. Ji Ae a décidé de quitter le groupe pour cause de différence de style. RÉSUMÉ Des cinq membres, Ji Yeon est celle dont on entend le plus parler, elle a participé au single Female Generation/Forever Love avec les SeeYa et les DaVichi et elle a été la première membre des T-ara à être annoncée. Elle a aussi posé comme mannequin avec le groupe SHINee pour ÉLÉGANT CF en 2008. Non seulement elle est apparue dans plusieurs MV comme Saranghae des SG Wannabe et My love is crying mais on lui donne également le surnom de seconde Kim Tae Hee pour sa ressemblance à l'actrice Kim Tae Hee. Pour le reste des 4 membres, elles sont toutes soient des danseuse, soient des actrices. Ji Won a récemment été récompensée pour sa prestation dans le film More Than Blue. Eun Jeong est récemment apparu dans le film Death Bell. Hyo Min est apparue dans le MV Heaven des FT Island. Les membres Ji Won et Ji Ae ont quitté le groupe au mois de Juin 2009 pour cause de différence de style. La Core Contents Media a décidé de les remplacer par Jeon Boram, la fille de Jeon Young Rok. Jeon Boram a déjà participé au single digital It is Today. Au mois de juillet 2009, Qri et So Yeon rejoignent le groupe faisant en définitive des T-ara un groupe de sixchanteuses.Commence alors la promotion de leur premier single Lies. Elles ont d'ailleurs reçu le prix Super Rookie pour le mois d'Août grâce à leur single Lies. Récemment elles ont collaboré avec le groupe Supernova pour sortir le single TTL(Time To Love).En vue de ce succès, les T-ara ont été choisies pour promouvoir le Samsung YP-P3.Leur duo avec les Supernova ayant été plusieurs fois premier au K-Chart, ils ont enregistré un autre single, avec cette fois-ci les membres des deux groupes au complet, TTL Listen.2.Titre qui a rencontré le même succès et qu'ils ont chanté au Dream Concert 2009. Les T-ara ont aussi enregistré une chanson Apple Song en vue de leur CF pour Nonghyup Apples. Elles ont aussi sorti un MV de Apple Song ou Ji Yeon a le rôle principal. Leur premier album Absolute First Album est sorti le 4 Décembre 2009 et contenait leurs principaux titres (Good Person, Wanna Play, Lies, TTL (Time To Love), TTL Listen. 2) et d'autres inédits. La Core Contents Media a sorti les MV de deux titres inédits de l'album des T-ara, Bo Peep Bo Peep et Like The First Time qui ont suscité l'intérêt des internautes qui ont d'ailleurs privilégié Like The FirstTime. Mais contre tout attente le groupe a commencé par la promotion de Bo Peep Bo Peep, chanson avec laquelle elles ont gagné 4 Mutizens Awards aux Music Bank et Inkigayo. Elles ont ensuite fait la promotion de Like The First Time mais elle s'est terminée rapidement à cause de l'emploi du temps surchargé de Ji Yeon alors occupée à tourner le drama God Of Study et à cause de l'état de santé de So Yeon ayant contracté le H1N1. Leur repackage album est sorti le 23 Février 2010 avec deux nouveaux titres I Go Crazy Because Of You et I'm Really Hurt. Des teasers de I Go Crazy Because Of You ont de nouveau suscité l'intérêt des internautes puisque les T-ara abordent un nouveau concept sexy. La promotion de I Go Crazy Because Of You a débuté le 25 Février 2010. RÉCOMPENSES [2009] Cyworld Digital Music Awards - Rookie du mois d'Août < Lies > [2009] Cyworld Digital Music Awards - Ting's Choice Artist Award < T. T. L > [2009] Golden Disk Award – Award du meilleur nouveau groupe
Le 27 juin prochain sortira dans les salles françaises le quatrième volet de "L'Age de glace". Afin de faire la promotion du film, "20th Century Fox" viennent de poster sur Internet un premier teaser.
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