S/PV.7112 Security Council

In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, to participate in the meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I warmly welcome Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to whom I give the floor.

I commend you, Mr. President, and the Government of Lithuania for having convened this timely discussion on cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, focusing in particular on the European Union (EU). We are honoured to welcome High Representative Lady Ashton. The principle of establishing stronger partnerships with regional organizations is embedded in the very DNA of the United Nations. With great vision and foresight, Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations lays out the critical role of regional organizations in maintaining international peace and security. Today, we know more than ever before that the effectiveness of the United Nations rests in large measure on our cooperation with regional bodies. We draw on their expertise. We maximize impact by coordinating our efforts. Pooling resources and pursuing a common approach are not only efficient but also essential. Conflict prevention, mediation, crisis management, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peacebuilding are complex endeavours. No single country or organization can possibly meet such challenges alone. That is why we have strengthened relationships with regional bodies, both to facilitate a swift response when crises erupt and to allow for long-term joint engagement. We have made important progress, including through liaison offices, joint envoys and cooperation agreements. Joint mediation deployments have become more common, allowing the international community to present a united front. Our cooperation with the African Union (AU) has made a difference in places such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Somalia. The United Nations is keen to deepen the partnership with the AU Peace and Security Architecture. I also commend the mediation efforts of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development in South Sudan. In Asia, United Nations cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has grown significantly since we signed a memorandum of understanding in 2007. We look forward to working with the new ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, launched in December. We are engaging in extensive collaboration with the Organization of American States in areas such as mediation and dialogue, as well as the fight against illicit trafficking. The partnership with the League of Arab States has been essential to our efforts to support inclusive political processes in the Middle East and North Africa and to work for peace in Syria. And, of course, our cooperation with the European Union stretches across our agenda and around the world. Throughout its history, the European Union has taken pioneering, forward-looking steps in promoting cooperation among nations, both within and, increasingly, beyond its borders. The EU’s many and generous contributions to the United Nations embody the kind of multidimensional approach that is needed to foster sustainable peace and development. The United Nations and the European Union increasingly work side-by-side on the ground in peacekeeping and civilian crisis-management operations, and through preventive diplomacy. The European Union has also been a valuable partner to the Peacebuilding Commission, a champion of human rights and a steadfast partner in promoting the Millennium Development Goals, advancing gender equality and tackling climate change. The topic of today’s debate could not be more timely. The United Nations and its regional partners face an urgent test. The dark clouds of mass atrocities and sectarian cleansing loom over the Central African Republic. Public lynchings, mutilations and other horrendous acts of violence are spreading mayhem and fear. All Central Africans have been victims, Muslims and Christian communities alike. Most recently, there have been large-scale attacks on Muslims in towns such as Bouali, Boyali and Bossembélé, where peacekeepers have not been able to deploy. I am deeply concerned by the cycle of revenge and reprisals. Entire Muslim communities are fleeing for their lives. Some have called it an exodus of historic scale. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, was in the Central African Republic this week and described a humanitarian catastrophe of unspeakable proportions. The local Red Cross reported finding a mass grave in Bangui. Public records confirming identities and land ownership are being deliberately destroyed. Citizens and officials are fanning the flames through hate speech. We must do our utmost to prevent further atrocities and retaliatory violence, in particular the widespread and coordinated targeting of Muslim communities. And we must understand what else is at risk. The very fabric of society, woven over generations, is being ripped apart. Communities that have no history of violent conflict are on a course that, if left unchecked, could lead to decades of debilitating conflict. Peace, security, human rights, development — everything that we at the United Nations stand for and seeks to promote is under assault. We must live up to the promises made around this table to act swiftly and robustly in the face of such bloodshed. We cannot claim to care about mass- atrocity crimes and then shrink from what it means to actually prevent them. Our commitment to protect civilians is only as meaningful as the political, military and financial muscle deployed to defend them. Our responsibility is clear: we must stand with the people of the Central African Republic. I commend the Economic Community of Central African States and the African Union for their intensive efforts to address the crisis and for the establishment of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA). I pay tribute to the courage and determination of the MISCA forces, who are doing their utmost to stem the violence and protect civilians. I appeal to the international community to urgently provide MISCA with the support it so clearly needs to save lives now. In that connection, I thank the Government of France for deploying its forces, and I look forward to the forthcoming military contributions by the European Union, which are to be coordinated with the MISCA operation. I am committed to doing everything in my power to prevent further atrocities and to reduce the risk of a de facto partition of the country. Now we must act together, we must act decisively and we must act now to prevent the worst. As Secretary-General of the United Nations, I am duty-bound to bring to the Council’s attention my best possible advice on how to address threats to international peace and security. I intend to return to the Council on Tuesday with recommendations for containing and ending that crisis. I look forward to discussing with the Council what it will take to urgently curtail the violence, save lives, protect human rights, support the delivery of humanitarian assistance and strengthen the command and control of the forces on the ground. That will be a crucial opportunity for us to fortify our collective efforts — a chance to show that the cooperation among the United Nations, the AU, the EU and others can help the people of the Central African Republic in their time of need. As we heighten our efforts to protect people, we must also pursue accountability for human rights violations. The international commission of inquiry mandated by the Security Council will become operational this month. I welcome the decision of the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary investigation into the violence. The international response is building strength, but does not yet match what is required. It is critical to do everything we can to support the efforts of President Catherine Samba-Panza in her courageous efforts to stabilize the situation, promote dialogue and find political solutions. The international community must work together with the national authorities, religious leaders and all stakeholders to strengthen reconciliation efforts in an inclusive and transparent process. Let us pledge here and now to ensure that the people of the Central African Republic have the lifeline of support and protection that they need. Let us commit to the strongest possible cooperation and coordination between the United Nations, the AU and the European Union. Let us show what solidarity and concerted action can achieve for the people of the Central Africa Republic.

I thank the Secretary-General very much for his statement. I now give the floor to Baroness Catherine Ashton. Baroness Ashton: Thank you very much, Mr. President, for inviting me to address the Security Council today. Allow me to congratulate the Republic of Lithuania on its assumption of the presidency of the Council and its membership of the Council — the first time that it serves on this organ. I also wish to congratulate Chad, Chile, Jordan and Nigeria on their election to the Security Council. Let me also pay tribute to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a good friend and a good partner. The European Union (EU) has always supported his leadership, his efforts to reform the United Nations and make it more effective and the use of his good offices to mediate, engage and achieve progress in conflict and crisis situations that are of concern to us all. By doing that, I want to reiterate the strong commitment of the European Union to support and work for effective multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, in search of lasting solutions to critical international peace and security challenges. Our contribution is threefold: our direct involvement in international negotiations on behalf of the international community, our capacity to implement a comprehensive approach and use a wide range of tools to solve crises and our close work with our international and regional partners, where only collective efforts can deliver results. In my role as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, I am responsible for leading on the Iranian nuclear issue. Based on the mandate I received from the Security Council and with the collaboration of the E3+3 Governments, we are engaging in intensive diplomatic efforts to seek a negotiated solution that meets the international community’s concerns about the Iranian nuclear programme. Our strength and credibility derives from the unity of the E3+3/5+1 group, but also from the support received from the international community. I am grateful for the constant support of the Security Council, and I also appreciate the progress that has been achieved between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. We are now implementing the joint plan of action agreed in Geneva last November, which is the first confidence-building step in addressing the most urgent concerns about the Iranian nuclear programme. But it is only the first step, and we will start discussions next week in Vienna aimed at achieving a comprehensive and final settlement. I feel proud of our work last year aimed at facilitating the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Historic progress was made in the normalization of relations between the two sides. The Council had the opportunity to hear Prime Minister Dačić and Prime Minister Thaçi when they addressed it on Monday (see S/PV.7108), and it knows from their statements how important and positive that work has been for their people and for the stability of the Western Balkans region and for its European future. Since the beginning of the dialogue, I have facilitated 22 meetings between the Prime Ministers, meetings that have lasted in total 226 hours. The latest meeting took place just two days ago. It has been a process with concrete results that have changed people’s everyday lives on the ground. The First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations, reached last April, was a turning point in their relations. Its implementation included the successful holding of Kosovo-wide local elections, including, for the first time, elections in northern Kosovo, and the integration of all security and justice structures into the Kosovo legal framework. Because of that progress, the European Union was able to respond by opening accession negotiations with Serbia and launching negotiations for a atabilization and association agreement with Kosovo. In future, the dialogue will become more and more part of the EU integration process for both parties. But the message to Pristina and Belgrade today is that it is crucial that the dialogue continue and that they maintain the same commitment. The European Union’s and my own commitment remain as strong as before. Apart from the clear benefits for each side, we hope that the dialogue can and will be an inspiration, as it should, for positive changes and for a new momentum in other parts of the Western Balkans. I think particularly of events in Bosnia and Herzegovina today. A particular strength of the European Union is its ability to use a broad toolbox of instruments and policies that we  — collectively with our States members  — have at our disposal. We strive to put into practice, in close cooperation with international, regional and local partners, our work on all phases of conflict, from prevention and early warning to conflict management, post-conflict transition and sustainable development. That comprehensive approach has been best exemplified in dealing with crises in Africa, where our cooperation with the United Nations and the African Union has been instrumental in achieving results. In Somalia, we work with our partners and make use of a wide range of tools and resources in support of stability, security and development. With the help of the EU Atalanta mission, piracy has dropped by about 95 per cent in about three years. We are now helping to build up maritime capacity and train Somali security forces. We are deeply engaged diplomatically and politically, and, as Somalia’s biggest donor, we are a key partner for development assistance. The “New Deal” that the European Union, Somalia and partners set out in September 2013 forms the basis of our engagement with the country so as to accompany Somalia’s transition. We continue to be a steadfast supporter of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia. I also urge everyone to continue to support the African Union Mission in Somalia and the Somali national armed forces as they step up their operations against Al-Shabaab. One thing is certain: as we seek to empower Somalia politically, we must do so by empowering its institutions and its people across the country. That means we have to link together political processes, security and justice systems, economic growth and service delivery, so that we empower and enable the Somali Government to carry out its sovereign functions. I want to thank the Secretary-General for his personal commitment to the Sahel region, and I welcome the United Nations Sahel strategy. The Secretary- General’s mission to Mali, in which my colleague, EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, also participated, was an important signal. So, of course, was the visit of the Council earlier this month. We have demonstrated, from the beginning of the crisis, our willingness to help Mali and the countries in the wider Sahel-Sahara region. We have provided up to €550 million in humanitarian assistance to Mali in 2013 and 2014. We have pledged €1.28 billion in development aid to the country, which has already started to be committed. Our two crisis-management missions in the Niger and Mali have delivered encouraging results, but it will take time and determination to build capacity. A complementary civilian mission is under preparation that will help to provide support to the internal security forces of Mali as they fight terrorism and illegal trafficking, while contributing to the reform of the security sector at large. As the Secretary-General has said, we remain deeply concerned about the heavy civilian casualties, massive displacements of people, human rights violations and worsening of the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic. It is imperative for the international community to act to enable a lasting solution to be found. African countries and France have responded swiftly through the deployment of the forces of MISCA and Operation Sangaris. We will play our part in helping the Central African Republic by sending a crisis-management mission to contribute to stability on the ground and the protection of civilians in the Bangui area. Our aim must be to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach those most in need. To re-establish the rule of law, a gendarmerie component will be embedded in the European force, which will facilitate cooperation on the ground. In parallel, we are setting up programmes aimed at the swift reinstallation of the judiciary system, while fully respecting local ownership. That is a crucial component that will help us sustain local progress on ending impunity for perpetrators of violations and on enabling reconciliation. I believe the task is immense. We will work very closely with MISCA and the French forces and provide a bridging operation towards a proposed hand-over to the African Union, with which we have established good continuing cooperation. Should the Council decide that a full United Nations peacekeeping operation is best suited to take on that task, we will be happy to work with it in order to ensure a well-coordinated international support operation. More and more, the most difficult challenges to international peace and security require that we join forces. We are therefore working very closely with international, regional and local partners. The disastrous conflict in Syria continues. We are determined to support the efforts to try and find a way out of that terrible situation. The Geneva negotiations  — and I pay tribute to Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi  — are a crucial first step if we are to see confidence built around tangible results and relief for the population. It will be challenging. As Valerie Amos reminded the Council the day before yesterday (see S/PV.7109), with 9.3 million Syrians in need of assistance, half of them children, we are reaching the limits of what the international community can do. The neighbouring countries are sheltering close to 3 million refugees. We will continue to support them, but the dangers for Lebanon and Jordan, as well as the threats to the territorial integrity of Iraq, are real and increasing. At the recent conference hosted by Kuwait, we pledged an additional €550 million for the relief effort, raising our overall contribution to €2.6 billion. Yet the unprecedented fundraising appeal of the United Nations to collect €6.5 billion — of which only a third has yet been reached — clearly shows the urgency of settling the conflict in order to move forward. We will persist in our humanitarian efforts and continue to press all the parties to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and medical care countrywide and to allow civilians to evacuate. We are deeply concerned that there are delays in the transfer process of the chemical weapons out of Syria, and we are strong supporters of the Secretary-General’s efforts. We and our States members have provided significant contributions to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, with armoured vehicles and contributions to the special trust fund. Sustainable peace has often proved elusive in the Middle East. We want to commend the leadership shown by President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu, and we fully support the tireless efforts of United States Secretary of State John Kerry. We stand ready to support and contribute substantially to post- conflict arrangements to ensure the sustainability and implementation of a peace agreement. In December, the EU decided to offer an unprecedented package of European political, economic and security support to the Palestinians and Israelis in the context of a final status agreement. That includes the special privileged partnership with the EU, aiming, among other things, to increase access to European markets and to promote closer cultural and scientific links, the facilitation of trade and investment and stronger business relations  — all in the event of a final peace agreement. It is a genuine and tangible European offer, and we look forward to a strengthened relationship between ourselves and the two parties to help to develop a positive interdependence and a new mutually beneficial, peaceful relationship. The role of other regional actors is essential. I want to reiterate, in that connection, the strategic importance of the Arab Peace Initiative in securing a wider peace. However, for the negotiations to succeed, there needs to be an increase in mutual trust between the parties. Any violence must be avoided at all costs. Violence in the occupied territory, continuous rocket fire into Israel, the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and incitement and actions that undermine the status quo of the holy sites push agreement further away. In that context, I must of course deplore the continuing Israeli expansion of settlements. They are illegal under international law and constitute a significant obstacle to peace. There are many other issues of concern to the European Union that may not be at the top of the Council’s agenda but are at the top of mine, and I would be remiss not to mention just a few of them here. At the moment, we are especially worried about the situation in our own neighbourhood, especially in Ukraine and Egypt. We feel a special responsibility to help those countries find a way out of their current difficulties. I have been to Ukraine three times in the past two months and have seen people who have been standing on the streets of Kiev for the last 85 days in support of the country’s modernization and progress. I commend the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, and I strongly condemn the expressions of violence that have occurred and continue to occur in the country. Those who have committed violence need to be brought to justice. Those who carry the responsibility to protect the Ukrainian people’s right to free speech and assembly need to ensure that those rights are safeguarded, in compliance with Ukraine’s own international commitments. We hope that a negotiated way out of the current political crisis can be found soon. The elements for that are in place. We stand ready to work with all the parties in Ukraine and with the relevant international organizations to facilitate a solution. However, that has to be a Ukrainian-owned and Ukrainian-led process. Democracy-building in Egypt requires hard work, commitment and compromise. The aim is to achieve democratic, transparent and accountable institutions that protect all the citizens of Egypt and their fundamental rights. Three years have passed since Egyptian women and men from all walks of life rose up calling for freedom, human dignity, social justice and better economic conditions. Throughout that period, the European Union has stood by the Egyptian people. We have followed with great concern the violent events and loss of life before and during the constitutional referendum and on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. I have condemned in the clearest possible terms all acts of violence as well as terrorist attacks. I have also condemned the disproportionate use of force and supported the call for an investigation into such acts. We are concerned about the detention of political dissidents and journalists. Freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful protest must be safeguarded. We believe that the ratification of the new Constitution by the referendum is a positive step in implementing the road map, especially the human rights chapter, including freedom of expression and assembly and women’s rights. The Constitution should be applied in a way that ensures full civilian control over the branches of Government. But the process was flawed by the lack of a truly representative drafting process and the lack of political space for dissenting opinion. We welcome the announcement of elections, which should lead to a democratically elected President and a fair representation of different political views in the future parliament. We have been invited to observe the upcoming elections, and a EU election observation mission will be able to assess whether conditions are conducive to inclusive, transparent and credible elections. We are also concerned about the deteriorating economic situation in Egypt. Economic justice and a better life for all Egyptians is a prerequisite for a stable and prosperous country. We will continue to provide socioeconomic support to the poorest and most vulnerable groups of society, and we will assist Egypt’s vibrant civil society. We stand ready to work with the people of Egypt into the future. This will possibly be the last time that I address the Council as High Representative. I thank you very much, Sir, for the honour of being able to do so. I am very proud that we are a reliable partner of the United Nations and of the Council.

I thank Baroness Catherine Ashton for her extremely interesting and valuable briefing. The Council has before it the text of a statement by the President on behalf of the Council on the subject of today’s meeting. I thank the Council members for their valuable contributions to the statement. In accordance with the understanding reached among the members of the Council, I shall take it that the members of the Security Council agree to the statement, which will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2014/4. It is so decided. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. I am happy to welcome Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, with whom we had fantastic cooperation during Lithuania’s recent presidency of the European Union (EU). I also thank Baroness Ashton for her briefing today. And I wish to sincerely thank the Secretary-General for his support and contribution to the ever-expanding cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in general to prevent, manage and resolve crises. Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations is as relevant today as ever, and this important debate today is a vivid testimony to that. Today, both the United Nations and the EU operate in an ever-changing global environment where the multiple challenges can be addressed only collectively. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, terrorism and violent extremism, horrendous violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, transnational organized crime, threats to cybersecurity, disputes over energy and natural resources, and climate change are but a few examples of global threats and risks. Yet they often manifest specific regional and local dimensions. For that reason, the knowledge of localized perspectives and the contribution of regional and subregional organizations are essential for the international community to be able to effectively tackle those challenges. The interaction and synergies of the United Nations, the EU and other regional and subregional organizations, first and foremost among which is the African Union (AU), are critical in solving conflicts. They are also key for prevention, as regional organizations can be particularly helpful in the early identification of potential crises and mediation. Over recent years, EU/United Nations cooperation has grown considerably in terms of both focus and scope. I will therefore limit myself to just a few examples and issues that define that mutually beneficial cooperation. First, humanitarian action remains one of the key areas of cooperation between the United Nations and the EU. The EU is the world’s largest humanitarian donor. By urgently responding to humanitarian crises in close cooperation with the United Nations, the Union has helped to save lives in numerous conflict and natural disaster areas. For example, the Central African Republic continues to suffer from the most horrendous crimes that can befall a nation in conflict. In response, the EU has taken it upon itself to maintain a regular humanitarian air service to ferry aid workers and emergency supplies to that strife-torn country. It thus complements the efforts on the ground undertaken by the United Nations, the AU and other actors. The Sahel region is another area where the United Nations and the EU are close partners in action. Earlier in February this year, the European Commission announced that it would provide €142 million in humanitarian funds to the Sahel region in 2014. Likewise, the EU has been supporting life-saving activities in South Sudan, providing aid for internally displaced persons and refugees. Since the end of 2011, in direct response to the Syrian crisis, more than €2 billion in aid has been provided to Syria and neighbouring countries from the EU budget and its member States. We call for full and immediate implementation of the presidential statement of 2 October 2013 (S/PRST/2013/15). The crisis is testing the response capacity of the entire international aid system, aid organizations and donors alike. Lessons learned should serve a basis for our joint efforts to improve the international humanitarian system even further. My country has been a consistent participant in humanitarian efforts, both bilaterally and through joint EU funding. Lithuania has made several contributions to alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Syria, including through aid to Palestinian refugees in Syria, as well as, more recently, to the humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic. A second area where United Nations-EU cooperation continues to have an impact on the ground is crisis management and early peacebuilding. At present, the EU is preparing for the deployment of an operation in the Central African Republic in support of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic and the French forces. Lithuania is about to join the efforts of the international community in the Central African Republic with an initial contribution of air assets to Operation Sangaris. My country is also contributing to EU operations off the coast of Somalia and in Mali. Those operations are being carried out in close coordination and complementarity with United Nations efforts on the ground. It is particularly encouraging that, thanks to such joint efforts, piracy off the East coast of Africa has decreased to the lowest level in seven years. Also in Mali, Lithuania is contributing to the EU training mission. Our officers are part of the team that provides training and advice for the Malian defence and security forces. That mission will help build national institutions, which will be essential for enabling Mali to defend itself as terrorism, violent extremism and international drug trafficking continue to pose serious threats to the country on its path to recovery. Both the United Nations and the EU continue to work for a better future for the Afghan people. The international community must stick to its commitments in Afghanistan, with a special focus on supporting regional cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours, building the capacities of central and local authorities and strengthening the rule of law and respect for human rights, in particular the rights of women and girls. In turn, Afghanistan must continue on the path of comprehensive reform and democracy, for the sake of the Afghan people’s future. A third aspect that I would like to emphasize is mediation. In that regard, I must personally congratulate the High Representative on her tireless efforts, skills and deep understanding of the situation in the Balkan region, which have led to a breakthrough in Serbia-Kosovo relations, which, in turn, represents a veritable success for the entire region. Thanks to that breakthrough, Serbia and Kosovo are today on the path to European integration, as accession negotiations with Serbia and negotiations on a stabilization and association agreement with Kosovo are ongoing. Another good example of EU-United Nations cooperation in the field of mediation is the international discussions in Geneva to address the consequences of the 2008 war in Georgia. That process is very important for strengthening security and stability in the region and must continue. The interim agreement reached during E3+3 and Iran talks, chaired by Baroness Ashton, is another example of well-coordinated and synergetic efforts based on mediation. We commend the High Representative for that achievement and hope that further efforts to reach a comprehensive solution to the Iranian nuclear issue will lead to greater stability and security in the entire region. As we all know, human rights violations are often the first sign of a bigger crisis to come. We can hope to break the cycle of recurring crises and conflicts only by ensuring full respect for human rights, justice, accountability, good governance and the rule of law in particular. Lithuania stresses the importance of the EU-United Nations partnership in the area of strengthening the rule of law, as the rule of law has tremendous potential in facilitating post- conflict peacebuilding, preventing armed conflicts and promoting progress towards sustainable peace and development. We welcome the Secretary-General’s “Rights up front” initiative. Lithuania looks forward to the continued work of the United Nations and the EU as natural partners in seeking to ensure human dignity and a safe and secure life for all. We are convinced that the voice of the EU should continue to speak clearly at the United Nations, and the core United Nations objectives should remain at the heart of EU foreign policy endeavours. Let me assure the Secretary-General and the High Representative of Lithuania’s continued support to the ever-expanding cooperation, based on shared values, between the EU and the United Nations in promoting international peace and security. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to the members of the Security Council.

I would like to welcome you, Sir, and to congratulate Lithuania on its election to the Council as a non-permanent member, as well as to commend the leadership of your country’s Mission to the United Nations under Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė. We welcome the initiative of Lithuania to hold the present debate. In that context, I thank the Secretary- General for his remarks and for the challenges to which he drew our attention. We also welcome the remarks of the High Representative of the European Union, Baroness Catherine Ashton. The present debate provides us an opportunity to consider the various dimensions and functioning of cooperation between regional and subregional organizations and the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. That is a matter to which my country attaches great importance. During our presidency of the Council in August 2013, we held an open debate on this topic chaired by President Cristina Fernández (see S/PV.7015). The Security Council holds important and frequent dialogues with the European Union. The European Union was present at August’s open debate, as well as at the meeting on the topic held in October by the Azerbaijani presidency, which focused on strengthening the partnership synergy between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (see S/PV.7050). That marks a trend that we hope will continue and extend to other regional and subregional organizations, based on the understanding that such organizations are equipped to contribute a more comprehensive and effective understanding of specific situations. Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in matters related to the maintenance of international peace and security is an integral part of the collective security envisioned in the Charter of the United Nations. The role played by regional and subregional organizations in the prevention and resolution of conflicts has grown in importance and can be seen in a broad range of situations since 1945. The contributions of regional and subregional organizations complement the work of the United Nations, bringing to bear, as they do, knowledge of specific regional circumstances and an understanding of the causes of conflicts — irreplaceable comparative advantages that are invaluable in efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts; establish and maintain peace; uphold legal order; promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law; and fight impunity. The United Nations, for its part, brings to bear its universal membership and legitimacy, its broad experience and its operational capacity in the area of international peace and security. Of particular note is the contribution made by regional and subregional organizations to the maintenance of international peace and security under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations through the deployment of peacekeeping operations authorized by the Council. Regional and subregional organizations can play an important role in prevention, resolution and mediation processes, as well as in post- conflict peacebuilding, recovery, reconstruction and development. In that context, Argentina believes that it is crucial for regional and subregional organizations to work closely with the United Nations in the context of the “Rights up front” initiative, which aims to protect and promote human rights and develop early-warning mechanisms as a strategy for preventing unstable situations from devolving into serious conflicts or mass atrocities. Cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union is notable for its scope in terms of both geography and content. Argentina welcomes the contribution of the European Union to upholding international peace and security in its own region and outside Europe, in particular, though not exclusively, in Africa, where several States members of the European Union have maintained a presence and have a historical responsibility. In recent years, that contribution has been strengthened through the Union’s cooperation with the United Nations in seeking solutions to conflicts in the Middle East, Somalia, Mali, the Sahel and the Balkans, inter alia. In particular, we should underscore the European Union’s role in international negotiations and mediation, its commitment to the maintenance and strengthening of peace and the humanitarian assistance and logistical support it has provided in various situations. In the context of an asymmetric negotiation such as that between Israel and Palestine, the international community must support those who promote peace on the basis of a fair and lasting solution. We therefore believe that the European Union, through its participation in the Quartet, has played an important role by supporting the talks currently under way, at all times reaffirming the principles and parameters of the two-State solution — a position that shared by the overwhelming majority of the international community. In that regard, we view the European Commission guidelines adopted last July establishing that it would provide subsidies only to Israeli institutions within the 1967 borders, and the recent offer of an economic, political and security assistance package in the context of an agreement between the parties, as specific examples of the international community’s contribution and reaffirmation of the Union’s commitment to the two-State solution. With regard to Syria, we recognize the financial contribution of the European Union in seeking to alleviate the terrible humanitarian crisis that the country is facing, the assistance to neighbouring countries and its support to the joint mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations. We also commend the European Union’s continued call for a political solution to the crisis on the basis of the June 2012 Geneva communiqué (S/2012/522, annex). However, we can only regret the step to lift the embargo that prohibits its members from exporting weapons to Syria, thereby opening the way for a greater militarization of the conflict, despite having expressed, on several occasions, its concern about the increase in arms flows to the country. Also, with regard to using sanctions, we wish to reiterate our strong belief that the universal nature of the United Nations makes it the most appropriate forum competent to undertake and monitor such measures. Argentina encourages regional and subregional organizations, including the European Union, to step up their efforts and strengthen their capacity for conflict prevention, crisis management and post- conflict stabilization. We attach great importance to interaction and cooperation between the Peacebuilding Commission and regional and subregional organizations. We encourage the European Commission to continue working in close consultation with regional and subregional organizations and arrangements in order to ensure more consistent and integrated strategies for peacebuilding and recovery in post-conflict situations. All United Nations organs and bodies must adopt preventive strategies and take measures in their respective areas of competence so as to assist Member States and regional and subregional organizations to eradicate poverty, strengthen cooperation and development aid and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Finally, justice and the rule of law are key to the promotion and maintenance of peace, stability and development. In that regard, it is essential to put an end to impunity with regard to gross violations of human rights in societies in conflict and post-conflict situations in order to address severe violations of international law, human rights and international humanitarian law and to prevent serious crimes from being committed in future. We are convinced that regional and subregional organizations and arrangements can help to achieve accountability by supporting the capacity-building of national legal systems and by cooperating with regional mechanisms and international tribunals, including the International Criminal Court.

I warmly welcome your presence, Sir, in the Council today to preside over this debate and thank both the Secretary-General and the High Representative for their informative statements. A reading of the history of the negotiations leading to the Charter of the United Nations reveals that the framing of Chapter VIII, on regional arrangements, involved a particularly contentious debate. While the Charter clearly needed to confer primacy with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security on the universal institution that it was creating, a clear recognition of the important contribution that regional organizations could make to collective security was required, and the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations needed to be defined. Discussions on those issues at Dumbarton Oaks and San Francisco were particularly intense, and Chapter VIII was the result. Drafted decades before the emergence of transformative regional organizations such as the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU), Chapter VIII has proven to be prescient and utilitarian. As the Council recognized in its presidential statement last August (S/PRST/2013/12), cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations is now an integral part of the collective security provided for in the Charter. The European Union is self-evidently a natural and crucial partner for the United Nations. It is actively engaged within its region and beyond in conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacekeeping, as well as in combating proliferation and terrorism, all of which are key objectives of our collective endeavours, which are also significantly underwritten by the backing that the EU and its 28 States members together provide as the single largest financial contributors to the United Nations system. Such EU engagement contributes directly and fundamentally to our collective efforts on peacekeeping, peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Since the Council was last briefed by High Representative Ashton in February last year (see S/PV.6919), significant security challenges have emerged or persist in a number of countries in Africa. The EU has significantly assisted both United Nations and AU efforts to address those challenges. The EU provision of capacity-building in Mali and Somalia and its direct support for the AU peacekeeping Mission in Somalia are playing an instrumental role in building stability and sustainable peace in those countries. As the Secretary-General said this morning, the situation in the Central African Republic is of grave concern. Strong support for the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA) is essential. Australia therefore welcomes the EU’s support to MISCA and the establishment by the EU of its military mission to the Central African Republic. We welcome the strong commitment articulated this morning to continuing that support. Australia commends High Representative Ashton for brokering the historic agreement in April 2013 between Serbia and Kosovo and for her continued intense support for the high-level dialogue between the parties to achieve full normalization of relations. On Iran, the EU’s efforts have been pivotal in facilitating the interim agreement with the 5+1 group. The agreement provides a path towards a long-term comprehensive solution. In the meantime, as Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), Australia is working to ensure the effectiveness of existing Security Council sanctions measures. On Syria, Australia and the EU share the view that the international community must support the efforts led by Joint Special Representative Brahimi to build a credible political framework to end the conflict. We welcome the support of EU member States to the rapid establishment of the joint United Nations/Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons mission in Syria and their efforts to promote unhindered access for humanitarian assistance to the affected people in Syria and neighbouring countries, as well as their significant contributions to the United Nations humanitarian and refugee appeals for Syria. We look forward to their support for the urgent adoption of a resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Syria. On the Middle East peace process, we commend High Representative Ashton for her contribution as a principal member of the Middle East Quartet. We welcome the EU’s December announcement of an unprecedented package of security, political and economic support to Israel and the Palestinians in the context of a final status agreement. On Ukraine, we welcome the EU’s constructive response to the ongoing protests and its calls for dialogue between the parties. We acknowledge the important role that High Representative Ashton herself has played, including through her many recent visits to Ukraine. We encourage the EU to continue to promote a peaceful and democratic resolution to that crisis. In conclusion, given the number and complexity of conflicts around the world, continued close cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations obviously remains crucial. The EU-United Nations relationship shows the continued relevance and utility, and importantly, adaptability of Chapter VIII of the Charter. Finally, I would like to thank the High Representative for her own personal dedication during her time in office towards efforts to enhance peace and security.

On behalf of my delegation, I wish to thank the delegation of Lithuania for organizing this briefing and to warmly welcome you, Foreign Minister, to preside over this meeting. I also thank your Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sir, for the leadership she has provided during your delegation’s presidency of the Security Council. Both our Missions are led by women of considerable ability; perhaps that lends itself to the close affinity and cooperation that we enjoy. I should like to thank Her Excellency Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, for her briefing today, as well as to inform her of the very close cooperation that we have with the delegation of the European Union (EU) in New York on all matters in the General Assembly and the Security Council. On behalf of my delegation, I also wish to personally thank Baroness Ashton for the budget adopted in 2013 for the Africa-EU strategic partnership initiative, amounting to approximately €30.5 billion, which her delegation kindly informed us about. We wish also to thank His Excellency the Secretary- General, with whom we enjoy a very close — almost daily — relationship and contact, for his leadership in consolidating and engaging the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, particularly his commitment to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and the African Union’s peace and security initiatives. Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations was visionary as it laid the foundation for the United Nations and regional organizations to work together to prevent, manage and resolve crises. Indeed, many regional and subregional organizations have developed strategies to effectively engage in conflict prevention and mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, while drawing on lessons learned from the efforts of the United Nations in those areas. Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and securiy is a growing trend and a win-win partnership. It has been demonstrated time and again that regional and subregional organizations can contribute their usually proximate understanding of local and regional conflicts and their root causes, as well as their capacity to respond. The long-standing cooperation between the EU and the United Nations now covers the entire spectrum of response to international crises — from immediate crisis reaction, humanitarian action, peacekeeping and peacebuilding to development — even beyond the European continent. It must also be acknowledged that the EU is a committed partner that provides substantial support in capacity-building for regional organizations. We note the significant contributions of the EU to economic development and the stabilization of the Western Balkans region in order to further promote democracy, economic prosperity, stability and regional cooperation. We encourage the parties to deepen their constructive engagement. The EU remains an important partner, as the African Union continues to develop the African Peace and Security Architecture. In Somalia, for instance, European initiatives such as Operation Atalanta and EUCAP Nestor have contributed significantly to improving security in the Horn of Africa. We acknowledge the ongoing efforts of the EU in attempting to stabilize conflict situations in Mali and the Central African Republic. The provision of technical assistance, expertise and capacity-building to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali is a clear demonstration of the EU’s commitment to the security and development not only of Mali, but of the broader Sahel region. The decision of the EU to establish a temporary operation to support the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic in order to protect the civilian population and aid in the provision of humanitarian assistance is yet more evidence of the way in which regional organizations can cooperate with each other in the interest of peace and security. The credentials of the EU also reflect the values, purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Its support for the promotion of security, development, good governance and human rights across the world is well documented. The EU has also been strident in supporting concerted international action in the protection of civilians in situations of armed conflict. Those and other humanitarian endeavours, including its support for enhancing the role of women in conflict resolution, demonstrate the capacity of the EU for cooperation on a global scale. I should also take this opportunity to underline the importance of the cooperation that exists between the United Nations and the African Union. In 2006, the AU and the United Nations reached an agreement on a 10-year capacity building programme for the AU, which provides the main framework for United Nations assistance to the AU. Under the programme, the United Nations has supported the AU in areas such as capacity-building for mediation, electoral assistance and technical assistance to the AU’s Peace and Security Council. The United Nations and the AU have also worked for the maintenance of peace and security through collaboration in peacekeeping operations on the African continent. The Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council have, through their annual consultations, held discussions on issues of common interest, especially conflict situations in Africa. Those consultations are mutually beneficial, as they allow for close coordination of the actions of the AU and United Nations in matters of peace and security. We believe that the process could benefit from a strengthening of the policy-level coordination between the two organizations. We would like to reiterate our strong support for the engagement between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in line with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. We see the EU as a good example of how that engagement can work for the maintenance of international peace and security. As reflected in S/PRST/2014/4, which was just adopted, we would like to see that engagement strengthened. Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan) (spoke in Arabic): I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting. I also welcome you, Sir, as well as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Baroness Catherine Ashton. And I would like to thank her and the Secretary-General for their presentations. Jordan welcomes the partnership and cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the African Union. The EU enjoys great respect on the international arena owing to its balanced role in different international dossiers and because it is itself an example in terms of regional progress and the establishment of peace. We believe that cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union on peacekeeping and international security issues, pursuant to Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, will make a significant contribution to improving collective security. The European Union has major economic, security and political resources that enable it to play an effective role as part of international efforts in the prevention and settlement of conflicts. Allow me now to address certain aspects of complementary cooperation between the United Nations and the EU. First of all, the EU is a true and effective partner in the framework of the efforts designed to bring about a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on a two-State solution. Jordan undertakes to extend and strengthen the joint action with the European Union to establish peace in our region. Jordan agrees with the EU about the necessity of supporting the efforts of the United States Secretary of State to bolster direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis. We welcome the announcement made here by the European Union that it will provide exceptional support to the two parties if they reach an agreement, in addition to its ongoing support of the European Union for the Palestinian National Authority. We are also pleased with the excellent and skilful role the European Union plays in the Quartet, working with the United Nations, the Russian Federation and the United States of America. Jordan also welcomes the speed and efficiency with which the European Union reacted to the international appeals with respect to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and its repercussions in neighbouring States that continue to host a growing number of Syrian refugees. Jordan greatly appreciates the different forms of support that the European Union is giving to the Syrian people of Syrian and the peoples of neighbouring States. Jordan supports the efficient role being played by the European Union in the coordination of diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful and comprehensive negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. Jordan welcomes the agreement reached between the E3+3 and Iran with respect to the joint plan of action, which we consider to be step in the right direction. Secondly, Jordan believes that the European Union has a crucial role to play in the stability and economic development of the Western Balkans. We specifically welcome the personal efforts of Baroness Ashton to strengthen the dialogue between the Republic of Serbia and Kosovo in the framework of the historic First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations between them. The Agreement will not only help to meet the challenges of the next phase between the two parties, but it will also help to spread the culture of dialogue and cooperation in the region as a whole, thereby guaranteeing its stability and respect for human rights. Thirdly, Jordan welcomes the commitment of the European Union to contributing to the establishment of peace, security and development in Africa by playing a crucial role in the international effort to confront the constantly recurring threat of piracy. We also welcome its contribution to the training of the Somali forces in cooperation with African Union Mission in Somalia. We also welcome the European Union’s efforts in supporting the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and its contribution in the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic. In that regard, we call for the contribution of all support needed to bring stability back to those regions. Fourthly, when addressing issues related to the maintenance of international peace and security, which are at the heart of the Security Council’s responsibilities in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, we would emphasize the fact that peacekeeping operations are among the most efficient tools at the disposal of the United Nations in assisting States on the difficult road from conflict to peace. Jordan, as one of the principal troop-contributing countries, believes that the support for United Nations peacekeeping operations is a collective international responsibility, particularly because demand for such operations continues to grow. While we appreciate the support provided by the European Union to the budgets of peacekeeping operations, we express the hope that the States members of the European Union, which have vast capacities in the area of peacekeeping, will increase their investment in terms of contributing troops and police to United Nations operations. In conclusion, we endorse the presidential statement adopted earlier by the Council (S/PRST/2014/4).

Allow me first to commend you, Mr. President, and your delegation for the initiative you have taken in holding today’s debate. I would also like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, for their respective statements. As previously stated in the Council, debates of this nature present opportunities to reflect on ways of reinforcing cooperation in areas of common interest to the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations and on how to strengthen cooperation in maintaining international peace and security as provided by Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union (EU) is one of the most advanced cooperation schemes in place between the United Nations and other regional organizations and it covers the vast array of activities related to the maintenance of peace and stability, including conflict prevention, mediation, crisis management, peacebuilding, development, humanitarian relief, the promotion of the rule of law, assistance and political cooperation. There is no doubt that the EU has become an important institution that promotes peace, security and stability in all its aspects around the world, particularly in Africa. We value the partnership between the European Union and the African Union in various fields, including logistical support and capacity-building. We believe that the annual meetings between the AU Peace and Security Council and the EU Political and Security Committee are important tools in supporting AU efforts in the areas of peace and security. In Somalia, the EU is playing a very important role in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia and stabilizing that country and in fighting the piracy off the coast of the country. We particularly commend the EU for organizing the donors conference on Somalia in Brussels last year and we believe that the pledges made at the conference will help Somalia to strengthen its institutions. In the Central African Republic, Rwanda welcomes the continued commitment of the EU to protect civilians, as demonstrated by its decision to deploy up to 1,000 troops in that country to assist the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA), which includes troops from Rwanda, and the 400 troops that France has announced it is adding to strengthen Operation Sangaris, in the ongoing effort to stabilize the Central African Republic, which has been torn by horrendous crimes and ethnic cleansing, mainly against the Muslim community. We also welcome the EU decision to allocate approximately €75 million as support to MISCA. All of those contributions are clear indications that the EU understands the concept of burden-sharing between the United Nations and regional organization in the maintenance of peace and stability. Rwanda also acknowledges the EU’s involvement in building State institutions in Mali, where about four battalions of the Malian armed forces have already received training through the EU training mission in Mali. That training will certainly help the Malian army to sustain peace and stability. We look forward to seeing further support from the European Union in that regard. Outside the continent, we commend the European Union for its important contribution in promoting the rule of law in Kosovo through the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo and for its role in mediating between Serbia and Kosovo. That mediation led to the signing of the historic 19 April 2013 First Agreement on normalization of Relations between Serbia and Kosovo. We also acknowledge the critical role played by the EU, including through the E3+3 Governments in the breakthrough in the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear problem, as well as its role in the Middle East, the destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons and its valuable contribution to humanitarian relief in Syria. Despite those significant developments, like most other regional organizations, cooperation between the United Nations and the EU has yet to reach its full potential. Increasingly, EU missions are deployed where the United Nations is already engaged. Both organizations are often deployed in the same countries, but do not necessarily coordinate with each other, which in some situations creates parallel or co-located missions, where cooperation between the two organizations is minimal or even non-existent. In that regard, we can give the examples of Afghanistan, with the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan and United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan; the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the European Union Advisory and Assistance Mission for Security Reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the European Union Police Mission in Kinshasa and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Somalia, with Operation Atalanta and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia. We believe that enhancing cooperation between the two organizations, as stressed by the presidential statement that was just adopted (S/PRST/2014/4), will increase efficiency and avoid the duplication of efforts. It is only through enhanced cooperation with other actors, both at Headquarters and on the ground, that such cooperation will have great potential to achieve success in the maintenance of international peace and security. I cannot conclude my statement without expressing my country’s appreciation for the European Union’s role in assisting many countries in addressing the root causes of conflict in post-conflict reconstruction, including its support for poverty alleviation, capacity- building, education, the promotion of the rule of law and good governance. We believe, however, that mutual accountability and respect will contribute to greater effectiveness of development assistance and to stability and development in recipient States and entities. To conclude, as this is the last briefing to the Security Council by the EU High Representative in her current capacity, Rwanda would like to state that it appreciates the personal role she has played in promoting EU/United Nations cooperation and to peace and security in various parts of the world, in particular on the African continent.

We welcome you, Mr. President, and congratulate you and your delegation on having convened this meeting. We thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his statement, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton, for her briefing. As we have noted in previous statements to the Council, Chile believes that collective action is crucial for addressing the threats to international peace and security, and that such action is enhanced by the involvement of regional and subregional organizations. That is the way in which my country interprets Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. That leads us to promote efficient multilateralism that is endowed with the ability to effectively include contributions by regional and subregional organizations in order to face crises and conflicts that may affect international peace and security. The presidential statement that we have just adopted (S/PRST/2014/4) reflects the appropriate way to make use of the potential of that Chapter’s provisions and outlines the strategic alliance between the United Nations and the European Union (EU). We therefore welcome the strengthening of the work that the United Nations has been carrying out with the European Union in the interest of international peace and security. Today’s presidential statement acknowledges the growing and unique role of the EU as a major player in the international system, especially with regard to its contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security. The work that that organization performs in support of other regional and subregional organizations is therefore particularly important, and we believe that that interaction is positive and should be continued in a collaborative and coordinated way in each case. As a country, we have found that to be true in the active participation of Chilean troops in Operation Althea, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has been ongoing for 10 years now. The recent signing of the framework agreement on crisis management, which provides a legal basis for Chile’s participation in civilian and military crisis management operations led by the European Union, will allow for a deepening of that cooperation and provide a concrete example of our excellent relationship and collaboration in various areas, the maturity of our bonds and our shared values. Chile believes that it was important to have supported the presidential statement, which acknowledges the values ​and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations that we share. It also highlights the crosscutting issues of interest to the United Nations that are supported by the European Union and in line with the elements of Chile’s foreign policy, namely, development cooperation, the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the protection of civilians and the participation of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict and in peacebuilding and peacekeeping. We also have common views on the relevance of the rule of law in the promotion and maintenance of peace, stability and development, including cooperation with international justice mechanisms, inter alia the International Criminal Court. In its presidential statement of 6 August 2013 (S/PRST/2013/12), the Council recognized that regional and subregional organizations were well placed to understand the causes of armed conflicts, given their knowledge of the region, which can help in the efforts to prevent or resolve such conflicts. We fully agree with that concept and believe that it reaffirms that actions taken by regional and subregional organizations can complement the work of United Nations on international peace and security. I conclude by thanking Baroness Ashton for her personal commitment to the resolution and prevention of conflicts, peacebuilding and peacekeeping.

I congratulate you, Mr. President, on Lithuania’s presidency of the Security Council. I also thank the Secretary-General for his remarks this morning, in particular the forceful comments he made on the subject of the Central African Republic. The United States welcomes High Representative Catherine Ashton back to the Council and thanks her for elaborating on the European Union’s important relationship with the United Nations. Allow me to say that we appreciate her personal contributions and look forward to working with her through the end of her term. We also wish her well, of course, in her future endeavours, but we hope and expect to achieve a great deal more together on behalf of international peace and security between now and the end of the year. The Security Council’s resolutions and statements on cooperation with regional and subregional organizations emphasize the importance of developing effective partnership. In that context, we fully support the adoption of today’s presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/4). We share the EU’s conviction that, in response to global challenges, the international community requires an effective and efficient multilateral system, and we appreciate the EU’s focus on effective multilateralism as a key element of its external action. The EU is an indispensable partner to the United Nations and, of course, to the United States as well. Allow me to highlight several areas in particular where the EU is making an important contribution internationally to peace, security and respect for human rights. The European External Action Service is a young organization, but it is already having a tremendous impact in its neighbourhood. My Government appreciates the EU’s role in promoting European stability — in particular High Representative Ashton’s ongoing leadership of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which led to the landmark Agreement of April 2013 on normalizing relations. I have had some experience in the region and would have placed myself among the sceptics in the run- up to the dialogue, but the High Representative’s tireless efforts  — as we heard today, 226 hours of meetings  — and the courageous leadership of Prime Ministers Thaçi and Dačić have shown that, by sitting face to face, hashing out differences and focusing on the future, one-time rivals can achieve historic change. They deserve our praise and our support so as to ensure the full implementation of their pact. Much hard work obviously lies ahead. The EU’s contributions to the goals of the United Nations extend well beyond Europe. From its role as a member of the Quartet on Middle East peace to its engagement on Iran, the EU is working closely with its partners to foster stability and security. In that connection, we welcome the EU’s announcement in December that it will provide an unprecedented package of political, economic and security support to both the Israelis and the Palestinians in the context of a final status agreement. The EU role is especially welcome in Africa, where the Council focuses a great deal of attention. My Government commends the EU for its joint Africa-EU strategy, which is striving to advance cooperation on a range of issues, including peace, security, democratic governance and the Millennium Development Goals. We also applaud the EU’s commitment to enhancing the African Union’s capacity through the African Peace Facility to address conflict on the continent. The Council saw the EU’s real-world impact during its recent visit to Mali. We had the privilege of engaging with the Commander of the EU training mission to Mali, Brigadier-General Bruno Guibert, to discuss the EU’s effort to rebuild the Malian army, which is critical to lasting stability in the country. I was impressed by the hard work of the 550 dedicated military personnel from 23 European countries, who are helping the Malian armed forces to re-establish their ability to secure the entirety of Mali and to implement needed and crucial reforms that prioritize, among other things, the Malian military’s adherence to human rights and international law. As is well known, the EU is actively engaged in supporting stabilization in the Central African Republic, providing approximately €200 million in humanitarian and security assistance to help the people of that country. We welcome the EU’s recent announcement of an additional €25 million to assist the African Union-led mission and its agreement to provide up to 500 troops in support of that vital operation. We are hopeful that those troops can be mobilized and deployed very swiftly. In December, when I visited the Central African Republic, I was deeply saddened and struck by the terrible violence, which has spread along religious lines and is fuelled by an almost total absence of either security or accountability. We need urgently to step up our support for the efforts of Christian and Muslim leaders who are seeking to end the killing and restore a basis for national unity. I applaud the EU for its leadership at this critical time and look forward to a continual dialogue with the EU, the African Union and all the members of the Council regarding next steps. We agree strongly with the Secretary-General that the situation could not be more urgent. My Government also shares the EU’s concerns over the crises in South Sudan and in the broader Sahel. We endorse the EU’s efforts to promote peaceful solutions in the Sahel region, including its recent pledge of €142 million in humanitarian aid this year to meet the urgent needs of civilians. The EU is also engaged on a variety of cross-border issues, including combatting the scourge of piracy. Accordingly, we welcome the EU’s chairmanship of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, established pursuant to resolution 1851 (2008). We share the EU’s commitment to bringing the number of piracy attacks and hostage-takings down to zero. And we note the EU’s focus on prevention and regional maritime capacity-building, its increased engagement with the industry and its efforts to trace financial flows resulting from piracy. Finally, we welcome the EU’s commitment, as expressed in the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions issued on Monday, to remain a vocal advocate for human rights at the United Nations. The United States shares that dedication to promote and protect fundamental freedoms by working to oppose the global crackdown on civil society that is currently under way, eliminate gender-based violence, speak out on behalf of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, and by fighting attempts to restrict the freedom of expression. The United States stands with the EU in upholding the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I should like to welcome you, Sir, and to congratulate you on your assumption of the Council presidency. I also thank the presidency for having convened this morning’s meeting on such an important topic, namely, cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, specifically the European Union, in maintaining international peace and security. I thank the Secretary-General and Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union, for their statements. I wish to commend the European Union’s leadership in and its tireless commitment and immense contribution to the promotion of international peace and security. Given the numerous serious conflicts and crises taking place across the world, cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations is a matter of paramount importance. Such cooperation is especially significant when it involves a major regional actor such as the European Union, given that organization’s weight, strengths and increasingly important role in crisis management. Chad recognizes the leading role entrusted by the Charter of the United Nations to the Security Council in maintaining international peace and security. At the same time, the not-insignificant contributions made by regional and subregional organizations to the United Nations in that area must be underscored. In that respect, the transfer of authority from the African-led International Support Mission in Mali to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali is an example of effective cooperation between the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and the United Nations. Similarly, the close collaboration among the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of Central African States in the resolution of the crisis in the Central African Republic through the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic is yet another example of complementarity and synergy in crisis management. The deployment of a contingent of 500 soldiers of the European Union in the Central African Republic, which was authorized by the Security Council, has further strengthened that partnership and reflects the spirit of solidarity in the international community. The United Nations and regional and subregional organizations should further strengthen their cooperation in the areas of early warning of crisis situations, conflict prevention and peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. The activities of regional and subregional organizations in those areas can effectively complement those carried out by the Organization in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Moreover, their geographical proximity to and their understanding of local situations mean that such organizations are partners placed to better understand the causes of conflict and to help resolve them. The cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations should translate into regional capacity-building and ownership in the area of peacekeeping in order to promote regional responsibility for crisis management. The United Nations logistical support for the African Union Mission in Somalia and the valuable financial and political support of the European Union for that operation are good examples of partnerships aimed at strengthening regional capacities. It should also be underscored and welcomed that the many instances of European Union assistance to the African Union Peace and Security Architecture meet that criterion. We encourage the European Union to continue providing support to the African Union and United Nations peacekeeping operations in general. Strengthening regional capacities in maintaining international peace and security should have a holistic focus, so as to enable regional and subregional organizations to develop the skills needed to deal with issues involving human rights, impunity and the protection of children and women, which are an integral part of peacekeeping operations. To that end, they must have the appropriate funding. We call on the United Nations and the European Union to provide their expertise and financial support to the African Union in such areas. In conclusion, we would like to say that preventing, managing and effectively resolving crises in the world require close and ongoing cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations and concerted international action on the basis of a pragmatic results-oriented approach, while taking into account the relative advantages of the various actors. The European Union is a leading partner of the United Nations that can help to promote such a partnership.

We are pleased to welcome you, Mr. Minister, as President of the Security Council. The briefings by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union to the Security Council have become a good tradition. We would like to express our gratitude to Ms. Ashton for today’s briefing. The Russian Federation has consistently advocated the development and strengthening of United Nations cooperation with regional and subregional organizations. That cooperation must be based on the firm foundation of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Chapter VIII. On that basis, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 65/276, of May 2011, there should be cooperation arrangements between the United Nations and the European Union (EU). Objectively speaking, one can say that the European Union is one of the key political and economic actors on the international stage and contributes to strengthening multilateralism, with the United Nations playing the leading role in combating new threats and challenges, guarding against the impact of natural disasters and eradicating poverty. We note the efforts of the European Union to find a peaceful settlement to the situation surrounding the Iranian nuclear programme. We are convinced that, through joint constructive efforts, we can ensure that the initial steps stemming from the Geneva arrangements will continue to be successfully implemented, together with the joint plan of action of the 5+1 group, dated 24 November 2013. That will help to remove some of the most difficult concerns about Tehran’s nuclear activities and to ensure that Iran can exercise all its rights as a State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, including its right to enrich uranium. With regard to crisis management, the European Union and its members should strictly abide by the decisions of the Security Council. On that basis, Russia remains open to establishing practical cooperation with the European Union on crisis settlement. We continue to be interested in developing a bilateral cooperation agreement on the basis of the equal rights of both sides in that area. The conclusion of such a document would not only help to strengthen the capacity for security cooperation between Russia and the European Union but also significantly contribute to stepping up joint capacities for crisis prevention and management. We support the call of the Secretary-General to strengthen international efforts to find a settlement to the situation in the Central African Republic. In that context, we trust that Brussels will pay due attention to the recommendation that the EU should scale up its peacekeeping presence in the Central African Republic, including by accelerating the deployment of its mission to that country. That is integral to the authority of the Security Council, on the basis of which our European Union partners so successfully and resolutely managed to gain approval for its operation in the Central African Republic prior to the African-led mission’s being deployed. We will not conceal the fact that we were somewhat surprised by reports that, to date, there is still no clarity as to exactly which countries will provide peacekeepers and that most of those countries may not be members of the European Union. We are concerned that that may have an impact on the management of the European Union operation in an already chaotic situation in the Central African Republic. We share the approach of the European Union to finding a settlement in the Middle East, and we support reaching an acceptable final status agreement for Palestinians and Israelis on the internationally recognized basis of the Security Council resolutions, the Madrid principles, the road map and the Arab Peace Initiative. We intend to continue to constructively cooperate with Brussels, within the Middle East Quartet, in fully supporting the peace process by involving with the parties to the conflict and regional actors. We acknowledge European Union efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the internally displaced persons and refugees in Syria, but the positive effect is largely being eroded by its unilateral sanctions on that country, which only further exacerbate the already difficult humanitarian situation there. Lifting those sanctions would truly help to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. In general, imposing unilateral sanctions without Security Council authorization is counterproductive. Recognizing the importance of European Union efforts to establish dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, we would like to underscore that any arrangements between the two sides should be reached by the parties themselves without any pressure and without undermining the United Nations role. Resolution 1244 (1999) remains fully in force and is the internationally legally recognized basis for a settlement in Kosovo. With Security Council approval, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo has transferred to the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) a number of powers that it cannot support. Given that resolution 1244 (1999) remains fully valid, those powers, in international legal terms, remain within the competence of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo and cannot be transferred to a third party, particularly a self- proclaimed Pristina structure. The Serbian leadership holds a similar view, as stated in the Chamber as recently as 10 February (see S/PV.7108) by the Prime Minister of Serbia. In that connection, we are concerned about the mention of plans to reconfigure or even draw down EULEX. Ms. Ashton recently touched on the Ukrainian issue. We share the view that a solution to the crisis must be found by the Ukrainians themselves. We hope that that position will be consistently maintained in practice, without any threat of sanctions or competition to promote the European values of external actors with regard to who should be the ministers in a future Ukrainian Government. We also believe that the European Union could share its experience with regard to how one should respond to street protests. In conclusion, I would like to underscore that, despite the increasing need for effective mechanisms for the division of labour between the United Nations and regional organizations, including the European Union, the primary role of the Security Council in maintaining international peace and security remains unshakeable. That is enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and cannot be reviewed.

China welcomes the Lithuanian initiative to convene this meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union in maintaining international peace and security. China welcomes Foreign Minister Linkevičius presiding over today’s meeting. We thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Baroness Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, for their presence. We have listened attentively to the briefings of Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon and Baroness Ashton. The United Nations lies at the core of international collective security. The Security Council bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Meanwhile, regional and subregional organizations are playing an increasingly significant role in maintaining peace and security and promoting the economic development of their respective regions, which represents a useful addition to United Nations efforts. At present, global and regional challenges are steadily growing, and nations’ security interests are interlocked. Further strengthening the cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations is conducive to the promotion of multilateralism and to the consolidation and strengthening of the international collective security machinery. China supports the efforts of the United Nations and the Security Council, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, to deepen their cooperation with the European Union and other regional and subregional organizations. We believe that the cooperation between the United Nations and such organizations needs to be focused on the maintenance of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the norms governing international relations. Attention needs to be paid to coordination and harmonization so as to give full play to each others comparative advantages in a joint effort to maintain international and regional peace, security, stability and development. In recent years, the European Union has maintained collaboration with the United Nations and the Security Council, having participated and played a significant role in the settlement of regional hotspot issues, such as the Iranian nuclear programme, as well as situations in the Middle East, Somalia, Mali and the Central African Republic. In his briefing earlier this morning, Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon mentioned the situation in the Central African Republic. Recently, the humanitarian and security situation in the Central African Republic has been steadily deteriorating. In particular, violent conflict between different religious groups continues to grow. China finds that deeply troubling and hopes that the international community will scale up its efforts and take action as soon as possible to help the new transitional Government of the Central African Republic to stop the violence and restore normal social order. China encourages and supports the European Union in its continued efforts to play a positive and constructive role in maintaining international and regional peace and security. It is our hope that, in its cooperation with the United Nations and the Security Council, the European Union will adhere to the basic principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations, such as sovereign equality and the peaceful settlement of disputes, and remain committed to the settlement of various regional hotspot issues through good offices, mediation and other peaceful means. China also hopes that the European Union will make use of its own resources and comparative advantage to provide the affected countries with development aid to build up their own development capacity, thereby rooting out the sources of conflict. As pointed out by President Xi Jinping, China, as the largest developing country, and the European Union, as the largest union of developed States, are two major forces for maintaining world peace. As the two major economies, China and the European Union are two major markets for the promotion of common development, and as important birthplaces of Eastern and Western cultures, respectively. China and the European Union represent the two major civilizations that promote human progress. Towards the end of 2013, the sixteenth China-EU summit was successfully convened in Beijing and issued the China-EU 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation, charting the course for future China-EU cooperation. China is ready to work with the European Union to scale up its efforts to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides to steadily deepen the strategic mutual trust between China and the EU, strengthen cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral forums, and jointly make further contributions to the promotion of world peace, stability and prosperity.

I would like to thank Lithuania for having organized this meeting, and you, Mr. Minister, for your presence, which gives it particular prominence. I thank the Secretary-General for his statement. I also wish to welcome to the Council Baroness Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Their statements confirmed that the European Union has demonstrated that it is a long-term partner of the United Nations at the service of the values and objectives that the two organizations share — respect for human rights, equal rights between men and women, the sovereign equality of all Member States and the rejection of war as a means of resolving conflicts. Thanks to the instruments it has developed in the areas of security, maintaining and building peace, humanitarian action and development, the European Union is particularly well placed to assist the United Nations in responding to the complex crises affecting the world. We commend the close cooperation between the Secretariat and the European External Action Service. The support on the part of the European Union and its member States for United Nations activities is also demonstrated in their financial contributions, which make up more than one third of the contributions of the United Nations regular budget and the peacekeeping budget. For the first time, thanks to Lithuania’s initiative, the Security Council has adopted presidential statement S/PRST/2014/4, which recognizes the cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union in the service of international peace and security for its true value. As a founding member, both of the United Nations and the European Union, we can only be pleased by this. Since the last statement of the High Representative to the Council (see S/PV.6919), almost a year ago to the day, European diplomacy, as was recalled this morning, has been able to achieve tangible results on two sensitive issues, which are also on the agenda of the Security Council. The first issue concerns Kosovo. I congratulate the High Representative for the skill and effectiveness with which she continues to facilitate the high-level dialogue between Belgrade and Priština. Her efforts led to the conclusion, on 19 April 2013, of the First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations between Serbia and Kosovo. Since then, the implementation of that historic Agreement has continued at a good rate with the support of the European Union on the ground. We fully support the efforts to sustainably regularize relations between the two countries from the viewpoint of their shared European future. The second issue I wanted to bring up is the Iranian nuclear programme. In that regard, we also commend the energy and the work of the High Representative, whose role in conducting negotiations between Iran and the E3+3 Governments was central to reaching the joint plan of action, agreed upon on 24 November 2013 in Geneva. We welcome the beginning of the implementation of the plan, which began on 20 January. It is a first step on the path, and as the High Representative said, an “important step”, which should lead to the reestablishment of international community’s confidence in the exclusively civilian and peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme. Cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union is particularly developed in Africa, where it is carried out in partnership with the African Union, subregional organizations and the countries involved. Let me raise two examples: the Central African Republic and Mali. In the Central African Republic, the European Union actively contributes to the efforts of the international community to settle the severe security and humanitarian crisis. After the authorization provided by the Council in resolution 2134 (2014), the European Union decided, on 10 February, to establish a military operation in the Central African Republic, which will act in close cooperation with the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic and the French Sangaris Operation. We fully share the Secretary-General’s views with regard to the urgent necessity for the Council and, by extension, the entire international community to redouble its efforts to put an end to the violence and atrocities perpetrated in the Central African Republic and assist that suffering country and its entire population. In Mali, the European Union continues its efforts, in close cooperation with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, to support the new authorities of that country. It has decided to extend its European Union training mission in Mali for two years, which will make it possible for Malians to have the means to eventually ensure their own security. As the High Representative stated, the European Union is also preparing a civilian support mission for the internal security forces in Mali. Those efforts are part of the broader framework of support provided by the European Union in its integrated strategy for the Sahel. While the United Nations has developed its own integrated strategy for the region, we now have a unique opportunity to strengthen the partnership between the international community and the countries of the Sahel. We share the deep concern expressed by the High Representative about the tragaic situation in Syria. Nearly 10 million Syrians, half of whom are children, need urgent humanitarian assistance. We welcome the commitment shown by the European Union and its States members in their pledge of an additional €550 million at the donor conference held in Kuwait on 15 January. Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg have taken the initiative to submit a draft resolution calling on the parties to the Syrian conflict to improve humanitarian access and stop the violations of international humanitarian law, including the use of starvation and siege as weapons of war against civilians. We hope that the Security Council will soon be in a position to adopt a humanitarian resolution that will also have positive impact on the negotiations currently taking place in Geneva. We are convinced that it can. Before concluding, I would like to address the long-standing commitment of the European Union to protecting children in the time of armed conflict. We welcome the Union’s decision to donate the cash award of its Nobel Peace Prize to projects to help children who have been victims of conflict through the European Union’s Children of Peace initiative, which served some 28,000 children last year. In December, Luxembourg became the first country to join the initiative, with a contribution of €500,000. In the same context, I would also like to mention the campaign of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and UNICEF called “Children — Not Soldiers”, which will be launched on 6 March in New York in the presence of the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg. That will be an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to all to protecting children affected by armed conflict. On that issue as well as others, the Council can count on the support of Luxembourg for the development of cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations in the service of effective multilateralism.

I thank the delegation of Lithuania for having organized today’s debate, and its Minister for Foreign Affairs for participating in it. Together with my colleague from the United Kingdom, I note that today — Valentine’s Day — happens to be the day when the United Nations and the European Union get together. It is obviously a sign. I salute the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The European Union is endowed with original tools and a proactive policy based on a comprehensive approach to crisis resolution. It is more than ever in Africa, which occupies nearly 70 per cent of the time and energy of the Security Council, that the European Union plays its role in promoting peace and security, most often in cooperation with the United Nations. In Mali, for example, the European Union has given its support rebuilding the defence force, working in perfect complementarity with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. The deployment of the European Union training mission in Mali to train the Malian armed forces contributes to the same goal of restoring Malian sovereignty as that of the Blue Helmets. The Security Council was recently able to meet the Commander of the training mission in Mali, and we took note of the effectiveness of the Mission’s efforts. Clearly, today it is the crisis in the Central African Republic that compels our attention. Since December, the international military presence has grown stronger in the country. The size of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic has increased from 2,000 to 6,000 soldiers in a few weeks. We are grateful to the African Union for that. The force is supported, as members of the Council know, by the 1,600 French soldiers of Operation Sangaris. Earlier today, the President of the French Republic decided to strengthen those 1,600 on the ground with an additional 400 soldiers. It will soon receive the support of the European Union force to the Central African Republic, as was decided by European Foreign Ministers on 10 February. The operation will make an important contribution to the efforts made to provide security and protection of civilians in the region of Bangui. It is crucial that the European force be in a position to be deployed quickly and that States members of the European Union go into action to help. The involvement of the High Representative and the Secretary-General in convincing still reluctant Member States to join in is essential in that respect. Any delay by the European Union would be difficult to understand. Until now, thanks to the Africa force supported by the French forces, many lives were saved and large massacres avoided. We are nevertheless confronted with a situation of general insecurity born of the collapse of the Central African State. What do we need today in the Central African Republic? First of all, money is needed to put civil servants back to work, in particular police and paramilitary police, followed by international police units, because the challenge that we must meet requires today police more than soldiers. Soldiers cannot control crowds or protect individuals. In all those priority areas, the United Nations, through the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic, which needs to be strengthened as the Security Council has requested, and, as soon as possible, through a peacekeeping operation, and the European Union, through the significant cooperation that it is implementing in the Central African Republic  — all of those organizations — have an essential role to play. They act together and with Africans to allow Central Africans to live again in peace. We are at a turning point in the crisis management in Central Africa. We have avoided the worst but we still must put an end to the cycle of ethnic and religious violence and prevent the country from descending into chaos. But as the Secretary-General said, we must act quickly — on the security front; on the political front, by promoting national reconciliation, fighting impunity and preparing for elections; and on the humanitarian front. That requires the efforts of all, and the European Union and the United Nations should do more. They will have to do it swiftly and realistically and creatively. We confidently expect to see the commitment of the United Nations and the European Union fulfilled in a crisis where values are at stake and where France is doing its duty. Beyond its deployment in the field, the European Union is also a valuable partner of the United Nations in the search for lasting solutions to international crises. In Syria, despite the persistent impasse in the Council, the European Union is firmly committed to a democratic transition and has been very vocal on that issue. Since May 2011, the European Union has imposed a wide range of individual financial and trade sanctions against the regime; they were necessary and we applaud them. With more than €600 million in humanitarian aid, the European Union and its States members are the primary support of the Syrian population, including in neighbouring countries. And the European Union continues to make its presence felt in assisting with the dismantling of the Syrian chemical arsenal by contributing to the trust funds that are financing the joint mission of the United Nations and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons created for that purpose. Similarly, on the Iranian nuclear issue, we thank the High Representative for her exemplary commitment in working with the E3+3 in order to keep the door open for dialogue with Tehran. It is both the United Nations sanctions and those of the European Union that brought about the progress that we have seen recently. With the adoption of a joint plan of action in November 2013, which began to be implemented in January, the appropriateness of that approach is clear. The dialogue is ongoing and the European Union will play its full role in helping to define a long-term solution. Finally, the ideal of peace that the European Union is seeking today to extend beyond its borders is already at work in its immediate environment. The European Union plays its role at the heart of the European continent: in the Balkans, a region once ravaged by war. While disturbances marred recent days in a number of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is for the Union to continue its efforts to bring stabilization and economic development to that country. Promoting bilateral dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, the European Union offers them an opportunity to find their place in a space that is beyond them. Only that perspective will allow them to turn the page on conflict once and for all. In addition, following a decision by the European Council in December, the first intergovernmental conference, which opened Serbia’s accession negotiations, was held on 21 January. Serbia now has everything it needs to join the European Union. Similarly, the Commission was authorized to open talks with Kosovo to negotiate a stabilization and association agreement. I conclude by saying that this particular work by the European Union resulted three years ago in the adoption of General Assembly resolution 65/276, which establishes the place of the European Union as a partner and friend of the United Nations. In paying tribute to the work of Baroness Catherine Ashton over the past four years, I also want to emphasize that the European Union is more than simply a regional organization. It is the pillar of a coherent and effective international system. It is a group of States that have embarked upon an undertaking without precedent and without parallel.

I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General and Baroness Catherine Ashton for their statements and express our full support for the presidential statement just adopted by the Council (S/PRST/2014/4). I would also like to say hello to some friends from Brussels, the city where my wife and I met: it is Valentine’s Day. Today’s meeting is an opportunity to take stock. The European Union (EU) and its States members have a common set of objectives on matters of international peace and security. Driven by the values that have been central to European integration following the Second World War, those objectives are also evident in the cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations. Today I want to focus on three themes, namely, diplomatic engagement, responding to crises and taking action. First, regarding diplomatic engagement, at the outset, I want to pay tribute Baroness Catherine Ashton and to her wider team for the role they have played and are playing on two critical dossiers: Iran and Kosovo. On Iran, the United Kingdom welcomes the agreement of the joint plan of action between the E3+3 Governments and Iran. Through the Office of the High Representative, the European Union played a crucial role in that process, and we look forward to the start of negotiations on a comprehensive solution next week. It is our firm belief that skilled diplomacy has worked only because of the economic pressure brought to bear on Iran through international sanctions. In order to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that addresses all our proliferation concerns, it is critical that that pressure now be maintained. On Kosovo, the European Union has played an instrumental role in facilitating several rounds of talks in Brussels between the Prime Ministers of Kosovo and Serbia, which resulted in the historic 19 April Agreement on Normalization of Relations between the two countries. The Agreement was the result of painstaking diplomacy, which Baroness Catherine Ashton has just described, and will aid the irrevocable progress of both countries towards the European Union — a process that will have a profound and lasting impact on the stability of the Western Balkans. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Foreign Secretary and President of the Council has already expressed his deep concern at the violence we saw in protests last week. The protests should be a wake-up call to all of us. We need a major international effort to bring the country closer to the European Union and to NATO and to shore up its institutions and territorial integrity. The United Kingdom is ready to play its part, and we are proud of our military contribution to Operation Althea. The recent protests demonstrate clearly that stability is not yet fully entrenched in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the continued need for the safeguard that the European Union-led peacekeeping force provides. Secondly, I want to turn to the issue of crisis response. The European Union has been a steadfast supporter of United Nations efforts in response to a number of humanitarian crises. On Syria, the European Union has been working closely with the United Nations to provide the financial support and humanitarian assistance that is so necessary today. A greater international effort is required, and we urge others to increase the level of their contributions. Aid is necessary, and more is needed. But the ability to deliver that aid to those who need it is currently undermined by a regime using blocking and stalling tactics. For that reason, the United Kingdom, with its partners in the Security Council, supports urgent progress on agreeing on a draft resolution on the humanitarian situation. More broadly, our position remains clear on other aspects of the transition. Al-Assad has no future in Syria. That is something the European Union has also been very clear on. On Somalia, the United Kingdom welcomes the partnership between the European Union and the United Nations. We are united in our support for a more stable and prosperous Somalia, through our respective, direct and indirect support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia and bilaterally. We should be proud of our efforts. For the first time in nearly two decades of extremism and poverty, Somalis have hope for a better future. But our partnership in Somalia extends even further. AMISOM has been at the heart of efforts to rid Somalis from the dark shadow of Al-Shabaab. The European Union and United Nations support to AMISOM has enabled it to make progress that even five years ago seemed unimaginable. The United Kingdom also welcomes the European Union training mission in Somalia, which has now trained more than 3,000 Somali troops and continues to provide high- level support to the Somali national forces. That is vital, because it is only through supporting Somalia’s own security forces that a long-term solution to one of Africa’s saddest stories will have a happier future. Thirdly and lastly, I want to look ahead to future action. In that regard, I want to focus my remarks on just one place, the Central African Republic, following the Secretary-General’s remarks. The imminent deployment of the EU mission will help address the security and humanitarian situation in the Bangui area and, as it works closely with the United Nations, will help stop further deterioration. The policing component that Baroness Catherine Ashton described is a critical component of that, as is the strong cooperation between the European Union and the African Union on this issue and many others, which the representatives of Nigeria and Chad both referred to. The United Kingdom has worked closely with our European partners to ensure that that was possible, and I strongly align ourselves with the remarks that the representative of France made about the need for both creativity and realism in the next phase. In conclusion, those examples are just a small part of the significant and wide-ranging work the European Union and the United Nations have delivered together in the past year. It shows the effect we can have when we act in concert and from the same values-based start point. The United Kingdom will continue to play a full role in both organizations as we seek to tackle threats to international peace and security.

I shall read out my statement as fast as I can, as this is Valentine’s Day and I am the last speaker. First, I would like to welcome you, Mr. President, to the Security Council and thank you for convening today’s briefing on this important issue. Our deep appreciation also goes to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his statement earlier. We would also like to welcome High Representative Catherine Ashton back to the Council and to thank her for her statement. The security challenges that confront us today clearly illustrate that effective cooperation between the United Nations and regional bodies is of crucial significance in managing crises around the globe. In that regard, the Republic of Korea highly appreciates that the European Union (EU), as a reliable and responsible partner, is making substantial contributions to the work of the Security Council. The long experience of the European Union in the field of mediation and conflict management enables it to play an essential part in maintaining international peace and security. The EU’s role in bringing peace and security to the Balkans is especially noteworthy. The historic Agreement reached by Belgrade and Pristina in April 2013 was a strong testimony to the EU’s contribution to the peace process in the region. We would like to thank High Representative Ashton for her tireless efforts in facilitating that process. Serbia and Kosovo are now at a critical juncture on their path towards normalizing relations. We look to both sides to step up their efforts at consolidating their hard-won progress and we encourage the EU to continue its active engagement on that front. Nuclear negotiations with Iran represent another area where the European Union has played a pivotal role. We commend the EU’s efforts in reaching and implementing the interim agreement between the E3+3 Governments and Iran. We look forward to Iran seizing that momentum and fully undertaking the measures set out in the joint plan of action to comply with the relevant Council resolutions. We also hope that the ongoing progress will lead to the final resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue and that it will have a positive influence on other outstanding non-proliferation issues. The constructive role of the EU is also notable in that its contribution reaches beyond regional boundaries. In the Central African Republic, the EU has once again demonstrated its partnership with the United Nations in addressing the serious crisis there. We welcome that fact that last month the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the European Commission co-organized a conference where donors pledged nearly $500 million towards humanitarian assistance in the Central African Republic. We believe that the deployment of EU troops under resolution 2134 (2014) will further consolidate the joint efforts towards the prompt stabilization of the Central African Republic. We also value the EU’s role in the promotion of peace and economic development in the Sahel region, including Mali. In order to ensure progress towards the effective implementation of the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel, close cooperation between the EU and the United Nations will be instrumental. Likewise, with regard to Syria, we appreciate the EU’s continued efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people and to promote a political solution to that crisis. I would like to conclude by expressing Korea’s support for the active role played by the European Union in maintaining peace and security, and our hope that the close partnership between the Council and the European Union will continue.

Once again, I would like to thank Baroness Catherine Ashton for her presence here today. As this is likely to be her last time briefing the Council, let me thank her for her personal contribution to the building of peace and security throughout the world, and in particular for her efforts in cooperation with the United Nations. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.