S/PV.7231 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2014/526, which contains a letter dated 22 July 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General transmitting a concept paper on the item under consideration. At the outset, I will make an introductory statement summarizing the work of the Council for this month. Let me start by recalling that during Rwanda’s current term on the Council — during which my country has twice presided over the Council, in April 2013 and in July 2014 — we decided to convene a wrap- up session at the end of both presidencies. In April 2013, the meeting was organized under the format of a private meeting, closed to the public and the media. But this year, Rwanda decided to convene a wrap-up session under the format of a public briefing. The convening of this meeting under this format is based on the need to enhance transparency and to enable the larger public to be well apprised of the Council’s work. We recall that under Article 24 of the Charter of the United Nations, it is the United Nations general membership that represents the citizens of all our countries and that confers on the Council the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. I state in the concept note circulated earlier this month that this wrap-up session shall be an opportunity for Council members to have an exchange of views on the situations addressed by the Council and on its methods of work during this month. It is also useful in helping the United Nations membership and the public to better understand the activities of and dynamics in the Security Council. However, as has been the practice since the Pakistani presidency revived the tradition of wrap-up sessions in January 2013, this meeting has not been convened to give Council members an additional opportunity to reiterate their well-known positions on substantive items discussed during the month. Rather, it shall be an opportunity for the Council to assess its work through country-specific situations and thematic issues considered during the month and to critically examine its progress on those issues, its processes and how it can increase its efficiency and effectiveness. Turning to the activities of the Council during July 2014, by the end of the month we will have held 35 meetings overall, mainly related to conflict- specific situations but also to thematic debates such as peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding. Those meetings included two open debates, which were the quarterly open debate on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, held on Tuesday, 22 July, and the open debate on regional partnerships in peacekeeping and its evolution, held on Monday, 28 July. With the meeting scheduled tomorrow, we will have held 10 briefings, including emergency briefings on the situations in Israel-Palestine and in eastern Ukraine, as well as a briefing on post-conflict peacebuilding. That latter briefing was followed by an informal interactive dialogue among the members of the Security Council, the chairs of various country configurations of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), the chair of the PBC Working Group on Lessons Learned and the countries on the PBC’s agenda. The Security Council also convened 15 consultations and a meeting of the troop- and police-contributing countries of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). During the month of July 2014, the Security Council adopted unanimously five resolutions, including resolution 2165 (2014) on the humanitarian situation in Syria; resolution 2166 (2014) on the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17; resolution 2167 (2014) on regional partnerships in peacekeeping, and resolutions 2168 (2014) and 2169 (2014), adopted this morning, extending the mandates of UNFICYP and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, respectively. Lastly, the Council adopted three presidential statements, 16 press statements and three press elements. It is worth noting that the number of press statements adopted this month is the highest since the introduction of the press statement as a tool of the Council, in November 2000. I now give the floor to the members of the Security Council.

I wish to begin by welcoming your initiative, Sir, in convening this wrap-up meeting, the sixth one of the year. I will not repeat the reasons why Argentina considers these meetings of fundamental importance. The fact that all non-permanent members and some permanent members have convened or planned to convene wrap-up meetings during their presidencies this year will, we hope, encourage those members who retain doubts about their usefulness and value to do the same. According to your directions, I will evaluate the Security Council’s working during the month of July with a view to proposing some recommendations on how the Council could improve its efficiency and effectiveness, and also its legitimacy. I would like to first thank you, Mr. President, for organizing the open debate on the participation of regional organizations in peacekeeping operations. Given that the very Charter of the United Nations promotes the Council’s use of “regional agencies” in fulfilling its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, the future of United Nations peacekeeping operations is inextricably linked to the process of regionalization of peacekeeping missions. Also, in view of the significant changes that have taken place in such operations since Argentina joined the Council in 2013, with increasingly robust mandates and the use of new technologies, to cite just a few, these debates provide the entire membership with a forum in which to express their views and also to participate, to the extent to which they set out their views, in the decision-making process, which my country believes is how it should be. You, Mr. President, have had the challenging and sad privilege of conducting our work during 15 days that have perhaps been the most dramatic and intense in recent years. Those 15 days have seen real turning points in the three conflicts — of the many and very serious conflicts on the Council’s agenda — that are keeping the international community in suspense in view of their implications not only for regional peace and security but also at global level. During those 15 days, on 14 July the Council members were able to overcome our differences and adopt resolution 2165 (2014), by which we decided that humanitarian agencies of the United Nations and their international partners could, with notification to the Syrian authorities, use routes across conflict lines and the four authorized border crossings, as well as those already in use, in order to ensure humanitarian assistance. However, the fact that the resolution was necessary is the result of systematic and deliberate non-compliance, by all parties to the Syrian conflict, with the Council’s prior decisions, including resolution 2139 (2014), adopted barely five months ago. Two weeks is too soon to evaluate the implementation of resolution 2165 (2014), but we hope and demand that it will lead to the change in the trend that we fruitlessly anticipated after the adoption of resolution 2139 (2014) and that it will begin to produce a positive change in the lives of thousands of people. Three days later, on 17 July, we witnessed one of the worst tragedies in international commercial aviation, in which almost 300 people lost their lives while flying over an area that has been enveloped in violence, in a crisis situation that holds the international community and the Security Council in suspense, if not because of the number of victims — although the latest figures indicate that more than 700 civilians have died since the start of the Government’s military campaign against the separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine in mid-April — at least because of its geopolitical dimension and potential ramifications in terms of international peace and security. For the first time in four months, the horror at the consequences of an incident that was not caused intentionally — at least, we hope that is the case — enabled Council members, not without difficulty and after long negotiations, to achieve a consensus that led to the adoption on 21 July of resolution 2166 (2014). Barely 10 days after adoption of the resolution the Council’s calls appear not to have been heard, given the persistent difficulties in accessing the site of the downed plane to finish recovering the bodies of the victims and conduct an investigation of the incident, as military activities in the area have not ceased, as the Council demanded. During those 15 days as we have again seen, for the third time in less than six years, Gaza being submerged again in violence — violence suffered mostly by the civilian population, including children and women. Despite appeals by the Council, children, women, disabled persons, innocent civilians have suffered the worst forms of violence in these days. Not only the Council but also other voices of the international community called for moderation. However, we have seen only an intensification of the fighting and an open challenge to the obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law and the protection of civilians. Faced with the horror of more than 1,300 civilian victims, attacks on schools and the deepening humanitarian crisis that exceeds the international community’s capacity to respond, Council members were able to agree on elements for the press, a press statement (SC/11472) and even a presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/13), for the adoption of which we met at midnight on a Sunday, since we could not do otherwise given the urgency and gravity of the situation. In that most recent statement of 28 July, the Council called for an immediate ceasefire. Despite that, within less than 24 hours, just yesterday, Gaza suffered the worst bombings since the beginning of the recent crisis. In the same presidential statement, the Council called on all parties to respect civilian and humanitarian facilities, including those of the United Nations. This morning, we woke in New York to the news of the deaths of 15 people as a result of an attack on a United Nations school that was sheltering Gaza refugees. Despite their differences, Syria, Ukraine and Israel-Palestine have in common the fact that they are experiencing conflicts in which the Security Council has a limited, if not marginal, role owing to the differences among its permanent members, which, in turn, reflect — it would be unfair not to recognize it — the differences among the international community. Such differences are evident not only in the disagreements but also in the agreements reached within the Council through its resolutions, presidential statements and other pronouncements, which, at best, are weak and ambiguous and are usually completely ignored by the parties to whom they are addressed. The vacuum left by the Security Council has been filled, in the best case, by countries, leaders and regional organizations. In your concept note (S/2014/526, annex), Mr. President, you asked us to make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our work. I am not sure that I have specific recommendations to make but I have a general appeal. Just as we call for the active role of countries, leaders and organizations in the various crises, we require the same of the Security Council. We do so as a part of it. We say that every time that we meet to address such situations, and we reiterate it today. We believe that the Security Council, assuming the responsibilities entrusted to it by the Charter, can and should more strongly support the efforts to establish the conditions for the parties from Ukraine and Syria to Israel and Palestine to resume dialogue in order to achieve specific political solutions, which are the only guarantee for a lasting peace and security. We far from oppose bilateral diplomacy or diplomacy among groups of States or that of other organizations, but not at the expense of leaving the Security Council as a body empty of content and unable to act in the settlement of conflicts. It is a question of finding complementary, convergent and effective strategies. It is about recovering ethics and of fulfilling the Charter mandate. Argentina believes that true multilateralism, such as that found in the space and scope of the United Nations, cannot be seen as an obstacle to achieving a more just and peaceful world. It is not about multilateralism versus bilateral relations or multilateralism versus regional organizations. It is about each of those dimensions and strategies being united and coordinated in a common goal, while acknowledging, at the same time, that it is the multilateral aspect that ensures that all States and their peoples, without exception, can be heard and recognized as equal in dignity and rights. I do not know if this is the last meeting over which you, Sir, will preside but, as it is a necessary meeting that the Security Council should hold, I would like most sincerely to thank you, Mr. President, and your entire team for your leadership of our work during the month of July. I also avail myself of this opportunity to wish the United Kingdom the greatest success in its presidency and to offer it all the support of the Argentinian delegation that it needs.

I would like at the start of my statement to thank you, Mr. President, for having scheduled a wrap-up session on our work this month. As you know, Sir, my delegation strongly supports such an exercise. It gives us a welcome opportunity not only to review our work during the past month but also to look ahead. I also welcome your initiative, Sir, of holding the meeting for the first time since 2005 as an open meeting, which helps to enhance the transparency of the Council’s work. Finally, allow me congratulate you, Mr. President, and your entire team on the impeccable way in which you have presided over the Security Council during the month of July, which was particularly full of crises. I will mention three issues that were prominent on this month’s agenda, starting with Syria. At the initiative of Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2165 (2014) on 14 July. That resolution is based on the decisions taken by the Council in resolution 2139 (2014). Its adoption would not have been necessary if resolution 2139 (2014) had been respected. By deciding that the United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners are authorized to use routes crossing the lines of conflict and four additional border crossings so that humanitarian assistance reaches the people in need throughout Syria by the most direct routes without requiring the consent of the Syrian authorities, resolution 2165 (2014) gives a glimmer of hope to a scenario that remains very gloomy. The resolution could make it possible to help as many as 2.9 million people currently beyond the reach of humanitarian actors in Syria. This morning, we heard a first encouraging briefing by Valerie Amos on its implementation, but the Council should remain vigilant and take additional measures in the case of non-compliance with resolutions 2165 (2014) and 2139 (2014). However, humanitarian assistance can still only be palliative. Only a political settlement in line with the Geneva communiqué of June 2012 (S/2012/522, annex) will put an end to the indescribable suffering of the Syrian people. In that context, we welcome the appointment of Mr. Staffan de Mistura as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria and of his deputy, Mr. Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy. We hope that the Security Council will soon have the opportunity to review with them their ideas with regard to relaunching the political process for a democratic transition in Syria. I will move on to Ukraine. While armed separatist groups and their external support continue to destabilize the country and to undermine its sovereignty and territorial integrity, an additional step in the horror was taken when Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on 17 July. A total of 298 innocent civilians were killed in that tragedy. While the Security Council was able to reach a consensus on adopting resolution 2166 (2014), prepared by our Australian colleagues, we continue to observe the despicable behaviour of illegal armed groups that refuse or restrict access to the site of the accident and prevent the dignified treatment of the remains of the victims. That cannot be tolerated, and we urge all parties, especially the armed groups and those who support them, to guarantee without further delay safe and unimpeded access to the accident site for the international investigation. The tragedy of flight MH-17 reminds us of the importance of redoubling diplomatic efforts to create conditions conducive to the implementation of the President Poroshenko’s peace plan. We must find a solution to that crisis before it is too late. Diplomacy is also called for and the Security Council must fully play its role in another context — that of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has erupted again in Gaza. With more than 1,350 killed, the death toll and humanitarian misery have already far surpassed the suffering experienced during Operation Cast Lead of 2009. Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ indiscriminate strikes aimed at the Israeli civilian population. However, that right to defend itself in no way justifies the disproportionate use of Israeli military force, which continues to inflict terrible suffering on the Palestinian civilian population. I am referring in particular to the more than 200 Palestinian children who were killed in the past three weeks. The first priority must be the achievement of a ceasefire. However, any lasting solution to the crisis in Gaza must address the deep-rooted causes of the crisis and give the Palestinian people the chance to live their lives with dignity. That should involve a lifting of the blockade to put an end to the inhumane conditions imposed on the people of the Gaza Strip, but such a measure is not enough if we want to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The only way to live in peace will be the acceptance of the two-State solution by both parties. We hope that after the presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/13) that we adopted on the eve of the Eid celebration, at the initiative of our Jordanian colleagues, the Security Council will continue to speak out to actively contribute to settling the crisis in Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A great deal remains to be said on the various hotbeds of crisis in Africa, which are on the Security Council’s agenda. I am referring, in particular, to South Sudan where the security, humanitarian and human rights situations are especially serious. South Sudanese civilians are suffering as a result of the obstinacy of the leaders of both camps in rejecting all peace initiatives. Both parties should know that the international community — the Council — will tolerate no impunity for violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed during context of the conflict. Perpetrators will be identified and brought to justice. I should like to again congratulate Rwanda on having taken the initiative of organizing an open debate on the partnership between the United Nations and regional organizations in the framework of peacekeeping (see S/PV.7228). Resolution 2167 (2014), adopted the day before yesterday, will help us strengthen that partnership, which is increasingly important. In conclusion, I have no doubt that August will be a decisive month for the settlement of the number of crises that I have just mentioned. Luxembourg is ready to work actively to that end under the presidency of the United Kingdom. I want to, as of now, assure my colleague, Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, and his team our full support.

Allow me to start by congratulating you, Mr. President, on the leadership with which you have led the Council’s work during your term, which is coming to an end, and to congratulate the team that assisted you in that endeavour in what was a difficult context. The Security Council’s activities during this month, which is nearing an end, were dominated by crises in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, and in Ukraine. Six meetings over two weeks, including two emergency meetings, were devoted to the Middle East, and four, including two emergency meetings, were devoted to Ukraine. Three important resolutions were adopted unanimously by Security Council members. A number of press statements were issued without hindrance, which my delegation welcomes. With regard to the situation in Syria, Chad welcomes the successful conduct of the operation aimed at the destruction of chemical weapons, and the unanimous adoption of resolution 2165 (2014) on the humanitarian situation in that country. However, we remain deeply concerned by the human tragedy affecting the Syrian population, while no political solution is in sight. We deplore the Security Council’s inability to be able to assist the parties to the conflict in finding solutions to the crisis. We welcome the fact that the Security Council has not lost sight of the impact of the Syrian crisis on other conflicts in the region and we urge the Council to continue its efforts to find a lasting political solution. There is no military solution to the Syrian crisis. The situation in the Middle East, following the escalation of violence in Gaza, took up much of the Council’s time and the Council’s repeated calls for a ceasefire have unfortunately gone unheeded. The violence in Gaza has reached unacceptable levels and the number of civilian victims continues to grow each day by the hundreds. We regret the Security Council’s impotence in the face of that tragedy. Like dozens of other delegations, Chad calls for an immediate cessation of Israeli military operations and the firing of rockets at Israel to enable negotiations to resume. The grim toll of victims resulting from the Israeli operation has now surpassed 1,200 dead and 6,700 wounded in the Gaza Strip, the majority of them being civilians. The number of displaced persons is now in the hundreds of thousands. The Council has also considered the thirteenth report (S/2014/442) presented by Mr. Said Djinnit on the situation in West Africa, covering the period from 1 January to 30 June 2014. Chad welcomes the progress achieved in settling the political and security-related problems, including the implementation of the cross- border security strategy for the Mano River Union, the restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau and the successful execution of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone. However, many challenges remain, especially with regard to transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, terrorism, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and security-related problems. In that respect, the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group requires a pooling of efforts and close cooperation between the States of the subregion. Chad welcomes the attention the Security Council has granted to multilateral cooperation between the States of Economic Community of West African States faced with the threat posed by Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria and in neighbouring countries. The ebola epidemic that is currently raging in West Africa is an equally serious threat as it continues to spread dangerously towards other countries. The international community must mobilize to prevent its spread on a larger scale. Chad welcomes the outstanding cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, especially in peacekeeping. The efforts and sacrifices made by the African-led International Support Mission in Mali and the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic have enabled us to prepare the ground for the deployment of United Nations operations in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. To further strengthen that partnership, it is important that the issue of financing the African Union operations, the difficulties associated with the transition of the African missions and those of the United Nations or the role of the African Union in the pre-transition phase and the appointment of the leadership of the new mission be subject to greater study in future debates. In that regard, the support of the Security Council, which is determinant in the African Union’s efforts aimed at operationalizing the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises, as African authorities themselves undertook during the African Union summit held in Malabo on 26 to 27 June 2014, has proved to be insufficient. In conclusion, I would again like to reiterate my congratulations to the President and the entire Rwandan team for the tremendous amount of work done, the relevance of the subjects covered and the courage that they have shown throughout this particularly difficult term. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the delegation of the United Kingdom as it assumes the presidency of the Council in August and reiterate the Chadian delegation’s full support for the entire team and wish it every success.

Mr. President, I wish to congratulate you on your astute steering of the Council during the month of July. Our appreciation goes to you and your team, Sir, for your patient, professional and diligent work during a demanding and difficult month where multiple crises had to be tackled simultaneously. We appreciate the number of open events held by the Rwandan presidency, including this open wrap-up session in the public briefing format, the first since 2005. Open debates and public briefings play a vital role in keeping United Nations membership abreast of deliberations in the Council, which is only right, given that the implementation of Council’s decisions behooves the entire membership. With respect to sanctions, for example, the Council may adopt all the sanctions it wants, but if the wider membership is unaware of the decisions or is unable or unwilling to engage with them, sanctions, no matter how well designed, will have no impact on the ground. Open briefings and direct engagement with a country’s neighbours and other interested States raises awareness of existing sanctions regimes and helps to advance their implementation. As Chair of the Central African Republic sanctions regime during an open briefing in July (S/PV.7215), I stressed the need — and stress it once again — for the neighbours of the Central African Republic and the wider membership to cooperate on the implementation of resolution 2127 (2013), including by providing full support and access to the Panel of Experts. For sanctions to work, in this as in other cases, we need coherent and determined actions by all actors. To do so, the complexity of targeted sanctions, existing legal challenges, lack of enforcement capacity and other relevant issues need to be addressed. In that regard, we found the informal discussion on sanctions with Under-Secretary-General Feltman earlier this month very timely. We encourage the Department of Political Affairs and other relevant United Nations departments and entities to continue their efforts and further engage with the Council on the matter. Peacekeeping is another area where Council decisions affect the wider membership, through assessed contributions, troop and material contributions, and at times by the loss of peacekeepers’ lives. For some time now, the Council agenda has been expanding to unprecedented levels. The risk of peacekeeping overstretch may no longer be an issue for a distant future. Unless we manage to reduce the number of conflicts themselves, questions of how to make do with available limited resources, how to mobilize ever larger numbers of peacekeeping troops and handle the ever constant problem of critical enablers, inter alia, will become increasingly acute. We appreciate the organization by the Rwandan presidency of an open debate on United Nations partnerships with regional organizations in peacekeeping (S/PV.7228), which provided an opportunity to explore the advantages and existing shortcomings as well as ways forward in making best use of peacekeeping synergies between the United Nations and regional organizations. As peacekeeping evolves into ever more complex, multifunctional and robust operations, we appreciate the Secretary-General’s initiative to conduct a wide ranging review of United Nations peacekeeping ahead of the fifteenth anniversary of the Brahimi report (S/2000/809). The multiplication of conflicts and the inevitable finiteness of available resources necessary to tackle them reaffirms the importance of early warning and prevention. In that respect, the mediation work undertaken by the Department of Political Affairs and the mediation and good offices of the Secretary- General deserve our full support. Right now, efforts are required on multiple fronts. In Afghanistan, the post-election power crisis needs to be carefully managed and resolved, and the United Nations and the Council have a critical role to play in supporting vote verification and helping the country steer towards a solution that would strengthen the political and democratic processes in the country. In recent days, the Middle East has seen some of the most dramatic mediation efforts. My delegation commends the determined and tireless efforts of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United States Secretary of State John Kerry to find a solution to the crisis. The rapidly growing number of civilian casualties, many of whom are children, is heartbreaking and a stark reminder of the need by all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians. The Security Council spoke with one voice last Sunday night by adopting a relevant presidential statement calling for a humanitarian ceasefire (S/PRST/2014/13). We urge the Secretary-General, the United States Secretary of State and all other actors with an influence an the parties to continue tirelessly their mediation efforts aimed at establishing a sustainable ceasefire on the basis of the Egyptian proposal and addressing the legitimate concerns of the parties. We welcome the Secretary-General’s critical visit to Iraq whose unity and territorial integrity are being threatened by the spread of Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham. In our view, the rare brutality and methods of operation of that new breed of terrorists requires some fresh thinking on how best to employ existing counter- terrorism toolbox at our disposal in combatting radical extremism and terrorist threats. My delegation welcomes the appointment of Mr. Staffan de Mistura as United Nations mediator for Syria and hopes that his appointment will reinvigorate the search for a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Implementation of resolution 2139 (2014) and of resolution 2165 (2014), which was adopted unanimously on 14 July, must remain high on the Council’s agenda. Although some humanitarian aid has recently entered Syria from Turkey, significant problems and failures to implement the resolutions remain, as discussed earlier today. Continued failure to implement the two resolutions must have consequences for those responsible. An Arria formula meeting last week with the participation of representatives of the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria reminded us once again of the scale and horror of crimes committed in that country and the imperative of putting an end to impunity. The flexibility and informality of Arria formula meetings is a great asset in our work and must continue unrestricted to provide additional insights into the issues on the Council’s agenda. After 20 meetings on Ukraine, in July the Council managed to adopt resolution 2166 (2014), sponsored by 13 members of the Council, on the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17, which cost the lives of 298 passengers from 11 countries. My delegation stresses once again the urgency of a full, thorough and independent international investigation into the shooting down of MH-17, as stipulated by resolution 2166 (2014). The perpetrators of the downing of the plane must be identified and brought to account. The tampering of evidence and obstruction of the investigation by pro-Russian armed separatists and the degrading treatment of the remains of the victims, marauding and theft of personal items of the victims speak loud and clear to the true nature of the separatists. They who deny dignity to the dead have also perpetrated countless abuses and crimes against the living. As the most recent report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights testifies, egregious human rights violations continue to take place in territories controlled by pro-Russian militias, including intimidations, abductions, torture and killings. In spite of all the ample evidence, Russia has yet to disown and condemn the illegal armed separatist groups that bear full responsibility for the bloodshed in eastern Ukraine. To do any less is to give those illegal militants a carte blanche to continue their criminal acts. Detractory finger-pointing elsewhere will not change the reality of the facts. To conclude, let me once again thank the Rwandan team for its dedicated work in the presidency of the Council during the month of July. At the same time, I would like to wish the incoming United Kingdom presidency the greatest of success. It can count on our full support.

I thank you, Sir, for your steady and very efficient stewardship of the Council this month. The Rwandan coffee that you shared with us at the beginning of July has held us in good stead. To the delegation of the United Kingdom, we wish a successful month of August and look forward to working with it. It has our full support. Today I would like to address areas where the Security Council has been productive during this very eventful month of July. I would also like to look ahead and touch on a few issues the Council will need to continue to track closely in August and beyond. First, I thank the delegation of Rwanda for organizing an open debate two days ago, Monday, 28 July, on peacekeeping and partnership with regional and subregional organizations (see S/PV.7228). The Council’s adoption of the Rwandan-sponsored resolution 2167 (2014) helped remind us of the essential role that regional organizations play in peacekeeping, not only in Africa but elsewhere. These groupings are often the first responders for severe crises that do not happen in a vacuum and that have repercussions across borders. Monday’s meeting was timely, as the United Nations and many Member States are rightly taking a fresh look at how to strengthen United Nations peacekeeping to better meet contemporary challenges. In that regard, we look forward to the comprehensive review of United Nations peacekeeping which the Secretary-General announced in the Council in the past month and touched on again on Monday. As I said, July has been an eventful and at times very tragic month. The Council united on 21 July to adopt resolution 2166 (2014) on the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17 in Ukraine (see S/PV.7221). That was an important step in our efforts to determine who was responsible for that horrific incident and to bring them to justice. The Netherlands has proposed to lead an international investigation, and the Netherlands and Australia have offered police to help secure the crash site. Malaysia is also working closely with other affected countries to send security and other personnel. The Dutch-led investigation will enable expert analysis of the evidence and, we hope, provide the answers to the questions that citizens and Governments, and of course, families, are asking about flight MH-17. To that end, the United States has offered assistance. Representatives from our Federal Bureau of Investigations and our National Transportation and Safety Board are already in Ukraine, ready to work with investigators. Further on Ukraine, the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Ukraine notes that a total breakdown of law and order and a reign of fear and terror have been inflicted by armed groups on the population of eastern Ukraine. The United States is committed to a diplomatic solution to the situation, and we remain concerned about Russia’s support of the pro-Russian separatists, including the flow of heavy weapons and rocket and artillery fire from Russia into Ukraine. Turning to Syria, the Council came together to support a new resolution to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Resolution 2165 (2014) opened four crossings on the Syrian border that will allow United Nations humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners to enter the country without needing a green light from the regime. If implemented fully, the resolution will allow critical aid to reach over 2 million Syrians who have been suffering without essential assistance over the past year. We were pleased to see the first of such convoys cross into Syria from Turkey last week. Proof of the dire situation in Syria was on prime display last Friday when the United Kingdom hosted an Arria formula meeting with the independent international commission of inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. As the Commission’s report makes clear, we need to maintain our focus on Syria as the regime continues to imprison tens of thousands of Syrians, including women, children, doctors, humanitarian aid workers and journalists, subjecting them to torture, sexual violence and inhumane treatment. Although the Al-Assad regime is the most egregious perpetrator of violations and abuses of international humanitarian and human rights law in Syria, the rapid gains of violent extremist groups in Syria, particularly the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), are alarming. In that context, we welcomed the adoption of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/14 on 28 July on the terrorist oil trade in Syria and Iraq. In the coming weeks and months, Syria must remain front and centre. The Council must continue to press for a political solution to the conflict and for accountability for violations and abuses of human rights, and to hold Syria to its commitment to completely eliminating its chemical weapons programme, including materials and facilities. Also, the ISIL threat merits our full attention. The Council and regional and international partners must remain focused on supporting the Government of Iraq as it combats ISIL and other violent extremist groups. That means working together to support a sound counter- terrorism strategy against those groups. It also means supporting the efforts of Iraq’s elected representatives to form a new Government that reflects a broad national consensus. In that regard, we were pleased to adopt just this morning the one-year extension of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, whose work remains absolutely essential to all of those efforts. Elsewhere in the Middle East, the situation related to Gaza will require our focus. In his meetings in the region aimed at securing a ceasefire, Secretary Kerry expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself and called for the end of Hamas rocket fire. Yet he also expressed our deep concern for civilians on both sides, especially women and children, affected by hostilities. We continue to call on the parties to comply with international humanitarian law, including on respect for and protection of civilians, as well as civilian and humanitarian facilities. We condemn Hamas’ use of civilian facilities for military purposes, and we reiterate the inviolability of United Nations facilities. The United States has been clear. President Obama and Secretary Kerry have both called for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire. A prolonged humanitarian ceasefire would significantly de-escalate the situation, allow for the distribution of urgently needed humanitarian assistance, including medicine and food, and allow for serious negotiations to restore a permanent cessation of hostilities. Any process aimed at achieving a lasting and meaning resolution to the crisis related to Gaza must also result in the disarmament of Hamas and other terrorist groups. We will work closely with the international community in support of that goal. Finally, we look forward to the Security Council trip that is coming up next month. The swiftly unfolding crises we face today do not allow us many moments to reflect, but taking some time to consider events leading to and the horrors of the First World War should give us new impetus as we strive to help end these conflicts. The second part of the trip to Somalia and South Sudan will offer us an important chance to push for peace in places where conflict has persisted far too long.

I congratulate you, Mr. President, and your fantastic Rwandan team on a successful presidency for the month of July. You have led the Council with great stewardship and diplomatic skills in dealing with an unusual number of difficult issues. We also welcome your initiative in conducting this wrap-up session in a public briefing format. To our frustration, July has been marred by the loss of a great number of civilian lives in conflicts, as well as ongoing humanitarian crises in many parts of the world. Faced with the escalation of the situation in Gaza, the Council has met in four emergency meetings and an open debate on the Middle East (see S/PV.7222). We commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his tireless efforts to engage the region’s leaders through his visits. The Republic of Korea deplores the intensification of hostilities, as well as the tragic loss of life, and urges the parties to immediately engage in efforts to achieve a durable ceasefire. In the meantime, the international community must expedite its humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. In that regard, the Republic of Korea has decided to contribute $1 million to assist the Palestinian people. As for Syria, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2165 (2014), regarding cross-line and cross- border humanitarian assistance to Syria. The adoption represented modest yet meaningful progress. However, the meaningfulness of the resolution should be judged not by the unanimity of its adoption but by the degree of its implementation. The Council must fulfil its commitment to taking further measures in the event of non-compliance with resolution 2139 (2014) or resolution 2165 (2014). We welcome the appointment of Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura and look forward to his efforts to revive the stalled peace negotiations. The downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 was also one of several issues at the top of the Council’s agenda this month. By unanimously adopting resolution 2166 (2014), the Council spoke with one voice to ensure that the tragedy would be fully investigated and that the victims would be afforded the respect they deserve. While it is encouraging that there has been progress in recovering bodies since the resolution was adopted, we remain concerned that the crash site has yet to be properly investigated. We reiterate that all concerned parties must comply with their obligations under resolution 2166 (2014) and must cooperate with the international investigation. Last but not least, on 17 July the Security Council issued a strong and unequivocal warning against the continued launching of ballistic missiles by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Despite that solemn warning, however, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea launched another ballistic missile on 26 July. We condemn the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s unrelenting provocations as violations of Security Council resolutions and as clear acts in defiance of the authority of the Council itself. We strongly urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to desist from any acts that could further disrupt the peace and stability of the region and beyond. In that vein, the Republic of Korea welcomes the recent progress made in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea sanctions regime as a result of the Chong Chon Gang case. That is an example of the United Nations sanctions regime working properly in response to serious violations. We congratulate the Rwandan presidency once again on its achievements in July, and look forward to another fruitful month of work in August under the presidency of the United Kingdom.

China wishes to thank you, Sir, for convening today’s meeting. The Security Council has had a very busy programme of work this month. It has convened open debates on the Middle East (see S/PV.7222) and on peacekeeping operations (see S/PV.7228), and considered hot spot issues in Syria, Lebanon, the Middle East, the Central African Republic, Libya, Iraq and Cyprus. It has adopted resolutions on United Nations cooperation with regional organizations in peacekeeping (resolution 2167 (2014)), on the humanitarian situation in Syria (resolution 2165 (2014)), on the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 (resolution 2166 (2014)) and on the extension of the mandates of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (resolution 2169 (2014)) and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (resolution 2168 (2014)). China highly appreciates the efforts of Rwanda, as President of the Security Council for this month, in facilitating the successful conclusion of the Council’s work. On the matter of Syria, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2165 (2014), which identified priority areas for Syrian humanitarian rescue efforts, thereby restoring international consensus on the Syrian humanitarian situation, and reiterated the importance of a political settlement in Syria. China hopes that the parties concerned will maintain close cooperation, comprehensively and conscientiously implement resolution 2165 (2014) and previous Security Council resolutions and presidential statements, and effectively improve the humanitarian situation in Syria. In the meantime, the parties concerned should hew to the overall direction of political settlement by stepping up efforts to relaunch the Geneva peace talks as soon as possible and to seek a comprehensive political settlement of the issue on the basis of the 2012 Geneva communiqué (S/2012/522, annex). They should blaze a middle path that is consistent with Syria’s national conditions and accommodates the interests of all parties. China stands ready to play a constructive role in that regard. On the issue of Palestine and Israel, the Gaza conflict has caused massive civilian casualties and destruction, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. We urge all parties to implement an immediate ceasefire. We condemn all acts of force against innocent civilians. We urge the parties to stop answering violence with violence and to implement a sustained ceasefire. China has consistently held that peace talks represent the only way to achieve peaceful coexistence between the two countries. We urge the parties to create the conditions necessary to a resumption of talks. We appreciate the efforts of Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, Egypt and the other Arab countries, as well as the international community, to improve the situation. China’s special envoy on the Middle East has also been conducting shuttle mediation between Israel and Palestine. China stands ready to work with the international community to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the issue of Palestine in order to end the current crisis in Gaza as soon as possible.

I would like to start by thanking Ambassadeur Gasana and his entire team for their work this month. This second Rwandan presidency, which has been just as professional as the first, has unfortunately been marked by the tragedies in Ukraine and the Middle East. In a heated climate, Sir, you have worked with a cool head day and night, seven days a week. For that we thank you. I also wish to congratulate you on having made this month’s wrap-up session a public meeting. I am sure that future Presidents will be eager to follow your example. Fighting has continued in Ukraine after the separatists have refused to lay down their arms. Even worse, signs of outside support for the separatists have multiplied, especially with respect to the transfer of long-range weapons. On the one hand, Russia claims to be working for peace, yet on the other it continues to arm and support thugs. That is the context in which the European Union has decided to significantly strengthen its sanctions. The double game must cease, because when one arms bandits, anything can happen. Unfortunately, the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 on 17 July is tragic proof of that. The Council held an emergency meeting the next day to express its horror and outrage in the face of the disaster (see S/PV.7219). We wish once again to offer our deepest solidarity to the many countries that lost citizens in the catastrophe. The Council unanimously adopted resolution 2166 (2014), confirming Ukraine’s responsibility to conduct the investigation and demanding that the Secretary-General file periodic reports. The presence of three foreign ministers at the meeting was evidence that the public attaches great importance to full light being shed on the matter. Due to the lack of security, the investigators have not yet been able to begin their mission. It is urgent to establish the conditions necessary for the international mission to conduct its investigation. That will require the parties to respect a ceasefire. The victims must receive a dignified burial. The investigation must be able to proceed unhindered. Justice must be done. The tragedy of the crisis in Gaza demands that we stand firm. The catastrophic human toll, with more than 1,200 victims on the Palestinian side, most of them civilians, requires us to increase pressure on the parties. As French Minister of Foreign Affairs Fabius remarked on the occasion of the meeting in Paris on 26 July, the urgency of the situation demands an immediate, unconditional and renewable humanitarian ceasefire that will provide relief to the civilian population and delivery of the assistance they require. That can be only a first step. Our common goal must be to obtain, as quickly as possible, a lasting, negotiated ceasefire that meets the legitimate Israeli security needs and the legitimate Palestinian needs for the protection of civilians, free access and socioeconomic reconstruction. The Palestinian Authority must be brought in to help achieve that goal, on the basis of the Egyptian initiative. The crisis underscores yet again the urgency of restoring a political outlook to both Palestinians and Israelis. Only credible negotiations between the parties can lead to the signing of a just, definitive agreement establishing two democratic States living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders. Despite all the efforts made so far, armed force continues to prevail over political dialogue in Syria. The Syrian regime bears overwhelming responsibility in that regard. It has never sought anything but a military victory. It has refused to take part in negotiations, preferring to continue laying siege, bombarding and torturing all those who have resisted it or those who — peacefully at the outset — demanded reforms. The independent international commission of inquiry on Syria led by Mr. Pinheiro made that clear again on Friday. The regime has chosen instead to encourage the efforts of terrorist groups, to which it is now losing control and that are threatening the stability of the entire region. Given that situation, the moderate opposition continues alone to fight two forms of extremism; it is battling the regime on the one hand and the terrorists on the other. Only by giving it additional support will we be able to promote the emergence of a free and democratic Syria that is respectful of all its citizens. Civilians are bearing the brunt of the current situation. Humanitarian aid must reach them without any impediment, without political considerations and by the most direct routes, as required by resolutions 2139 (2014) and 2165 (2014). But it is also important to relaunch a process aimed at finding a way out of the crisis, with a view to reaching a political transition solution that is based on the Geneva communiqué. We welcome in that regard the appointment of Staffan de Mistura as the Special Envoy for the Syrian Arab Republic, succeeding Mr. Brahimi, whom we thank for his efforts. France is deeply concerned by the advance of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which poses a threat to the integrity of the country and the stability of the entire region. We have strongly condemned the atrocities committed by ISIL against ethnic and religious minorities and all those who do not adhere to its barbarous ideology, as well as the ultimatum given the Christians in Mosul. This is yet another illustration of the true nature of that terrorist organization. The Council, on the initiative of France, made itself clear on this issue. What ISIL has undertaken to eradicate in Iraq is a centuries-old tradition. The Council usefully recalled the obligations of States in the fight against the financing of terrorism and expressed its concern about access to oil zones and refineries by terrorist groups that are under the Al-Qaida sanctions regime, in particular ISIL and the al-Nusra Front. France supports the Iraqi State in this fight against terrorism and believes that the only lasting solution to the crisis is a political one. Only the formation of a national unity Government on the basis of an agreement involving all communities will allow for a political solution to be reached. Finally, in the context of this overview of the North Africa and the Middle East region, I would cite Libya as another example of a deteriorating security situation and continued political confusion. We have asked all of our nationals to leave Libya and have temporarily closed our embassy. After the elections, our priority must be to help the Libyans to relaunch a political process. They must unite around a common political project, through an inclusive process of national reconciliation. Today violence threatens this institutional perspective, and we must therefore help the Libyans reach a ceasefire as quickly as possible. To that end, the Libyans require greater support from the international community. We must act in a consistent and coordinated manner, and the United Nations has a key role to play in this process. It is of paramount importance that it continue its involvement in Libya and bring together all the efforts of the international community. The scant good news this month comes, for once, from Africa, and this must be stressed. First, Mali saw the consensus-based adoption in Algiers of the road map on inter-Malian negotiations. That is an encouraging and long-awaited step which the Council welcomed and which must be continued. Good news comes also from the Central African Republic, with the holding of the reconciliation forum from 21 to 23 July. That, along with the increase in the strength of and the preparations for the United Nations force, will make it possible to envisage a peaceful transition in that country. I would conclude by issuing a warning on South Sudan. For more than six months now, the Security Council has been stepping up its efforts to help resolve the crisis there, by doubling the size of the Mission last December, under the French presidency of the Council; building its capacity; revising its mandate; supporting the mediation of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development; and integrating the troops of the countries of the region to endeavour to enforce respect of the ceasefire. Unfortunately, experience has shown that the parties do not want peace. We heard Ms. Amos sound the alarm for the people of South Sudan; indeed, a million people have been displaced, there are hundreds of thousands of refugees, and now famine looms large. The Mission’s mandate was therefore tightened as concerns the protection of civilians, human rights and the facilitating of access to humanitarian aid. But we must continue to reflect together on the best way for the Security Council to have an impact on the disastrous situation in the country and to save lives. We must urgently devise concrete humanitarian initiatives and take action against those who make civilians pay such a high price for their unquenchable thirst for power and riches. I thank you once again, Mr. President, for your work this month, and I wish the United Kingdom good luck.

We are grateful to you, Mr. President, for your leadership of the Security Council during this past month. The Council’s work in July took place against the backdrop of a number of regional crises. Unfortunately, the Security Council was not able to play the role that the international community rightfully expects of it. Operations in the Gaza Strip continue, causing a significant number of casualties among the Palestinians. Rockets continue to be fired against Israel. The presidential statement adopted on 28 July on the situation around Gaza (S/PRST/2014/13), although accurate, is not up to the situation and came just a tad late. It is clear that the Council’s effectiveness in such cases hinges largely on the proactive work of penholders and delegations from the region. As experience has shown, crises between Israelis and Palestinians often erupt as a result of the fact that unilateral efforts by the United States aimed at reconciling the parties have yet again failed. We have repeatedly pointed out that secretive methods of work have outlived their usefulness. The need to devise more effective mechanisms for a settlement is long overdue. We expect that in September, on the margins of the political discussion in the General Assembly, an in-depth consideration in this respect will take place, including extensive discussion of prospects for a settlement in the Middle East within the framework of a ministerial meeting of the Quartet. We would propose that in August we hold an informal brainstorming session in the Security Council, inviting high-level representatives from Washington, D.C., who are directly involved in the process of the Middle East settlement, for a detailed discussion of the current situation and the obstacles hampering progress within the framework of the peace process. Clearly, the primary task today is the rapid achievement of a sustainable ceasefire between Israelis and the Gaza Strip. On 17 July, we all were shocked by the terrible tragedy that took place in the skies above Ukraine in which all 298 individuals aboard the Malaysia Airlines flight perished. The Security Council rapidly adopted resolution 2166 (2014), requiring a full, painstaking and independent international investigation into that event, in keeping with the guiding principles of international civil aviation, with an appropriate role being played by the International Civil Aviation Organization. One of the important provisions of the resolution that was incorporated at the insistence of the Russian delegation is the requirement to immediately cease, in the region directly adjoining the crash zone, all military activities so as to secure and safeguard the area during the conduct of the international investigation. The President of Ukraine stated that military operations would cease within a radius of 40 kilometres around the crash site. That promise was, however, immediately broken, and Ukrainian officials quite publicly spoke of a new task — cleansing the territory of militias and taking it over. Such actions are a direct violation of Security Council resolution 2166 (2014) and are fraught with the most dangerous of consequences for the conduct of an objective and impartial international investigation. We fear that the authorities in Kyiv are driven by a desire to destroy any evidence that would point to their role in the Malaysia airlines disaster. On 28 July, the Russian delegation proposed that the members of the Security Council adopt a simple, unambiguous press statement that would bolster the provisions of resolution 2166 (2014) on the ceasefire. However, it was quite unceremoniously blocked by some Security Council members which were clearly not interested in seeing that resolution implemented fully. We welcome today’s statement by the Secretary- General calling for an immediate cessation of combat activities around the crash site. We note that the Netherlands, Australia and Malaysia mobilized significant resources to carry out investigations at the crash site and deployed groups of experts to Kyiv and Donetsk. Many of them have established solid contacts with the militias. For example, the special envoy of the Prime Minister of Australia, Angus Houston, noted the militia members’ professionalism and their constructive attitude regarding cooperation and the investigation. In that respect, I would ask the representative of Luxembourg to familiarize herself a little better with those statements and the statements of those who are present on the ground, so as to ensure that she does not come here with claims regarding what is taking place over there. The statement made here by the representative of Lithuania is something on which I simply will not comment. No objectivity or impartiality can be expected from that delegation. And thus, as before, the investigators were unable to reach the site of the disaster. Russia is cooperating in every way with the investigation. Our relevant organization, Rosaviatsiya, on the basis of its wealth of experience, has come up with a series of questions that must be clarified in order to elicit a full picture of the tragedy. Our specialists began working as soon as they were asked to by Holland, taking on a leadership role in the conduct of the international investigations. We have handed over our monitoring data from the disaster area to international organizations, including the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). We hope that others too will take such concrete and constructive action instead of spreading unsubstantiated accusations and insinuations. Early in the month there were glimmers of hope that the vicious circle of violence in Ukraine might finally be broken. On 2 July the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine issued the Berlin declaration. In a remarkable statement, President Poroshenko said that the hardworking and peaceful people who make up the majority of the residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions had their sympathy, love and respect; that the Ukrainian armed forces and its national guard and other units would never permit themselves to use force against civilians or attack residential neighbourhoods; that Ukrainian soldiers and guards would risk their own lives rather than threaten women, children and elderly men. Such, he said, had always been the chivalrous nature of Ukraine’s armies. Beautiful, no? In practice, however, the cruelty of the Kyiv authorities’ attacks simply spiraled. Donetsk, Luhansk, Horlivka and many other residential areas have suffered massive bombardments, including indiscriminate firing of Grad rockets and aerial bombing. Strikes are hitting civilian targets, including transport and public routes, hospitals and residential areas. In Horlivka alone, dozens of civilians have died. And in most cases there are no militias to be found anywhere near. Does the information that we have been seeing on the use of Ukrainian military ballistic missiles not speak to rampant military escalation? All of this fully supports our description of the Kyiv authorities’ actions as a punitive operation against its own people. Even according to the official data, the number of casualties among the civilian population already exceeds 1,000, and unofficially there are many more. At least 19 people have died just today. A stream of refugees continue to arrive on Russian territory, with more than 150,000 so far seeking temporary asylum, residence permits or citizenship. The number of those who are crossing the border and staying in the Russian Federation has reached the hundreds of thousands. Rockets launched by Ukrainian forces continue to fall on Russian territory. On 29 July, Russian customs personnel at the Gukovo border crossing were again deliberately fired on. It appears that Kyiv does not want the OSCE observer mission to conduct its normal work monitoring the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border. We demand that Kyiv stop firing on Russian territory and ensure the international observers’ safety. We have repeatedly warned against the disastrous attempts to solve the political crisis in Ukraine by force and called for establishing a mutually respectful and inclusive dialogue between all the principal political forces and between Kyiv and the regions. The priority now should become a speedy cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a peaceful negotiation process on the basis of the Geneva process of 17 April and the Berlin declaration of 2 July. Among other topics, the international community took an important step in the fight against terrorism on 28 July with the Russian-initiated presidential statement condemning the illegal trading in oil with terrorist groups occurring in Syria and Iraq (S/PRST/2014/14). We hope that the successful implementation of resolution 2165 (2014), adopted on 14 July, will enable us in some way to alleviate the suffering of Syria’s civilian population. The statements on 17 July by Special Representative Mitri and Mr. Mohamed Abdulaziz, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Libya, confirmed that the situation in that country is deteriorating rapidly. We cannot rule out the possibility that it will splinter into warring territorial entities. Extremists who feel free there to act as they wish have laid channels of communication with their comrades throughout the Middle East and North Africa. The closing of the United Nations mission and the evacuation of the staff of a number of Western embassies are clear evidence of the escalation of the current situation. We may want to rethink the nature and objectives of the United Nations presence in Libya. The situation in Iraq remains deeply worrying. The external support being given to terrorists in Syria has become a catalyst for the current worsening of the situation, though its roots lie considerably deeper, at least as far back as the events of 2003. Now Islamists are threatening the entire Middle East and beyond. The process of creating new State authorities should belong entirely to Iraq. That is the only way that national reconciliation can be achieved. We note the meeting held on 28 July at the initiative of the Rwandan presidency on the issue of interaction between the United Nations and regional organizations in the area of peacekeeping (S/PV.7228). We support the intensification of such cooperation on the basis of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. In conclusion, we would like to wish the delegation of the United Kingdom, which will lead the Council in August, every possible success. Sir Mark Lyall Grant (United Kingdom): I thank you, Mr. President, for all of your and your team’s hard work during this month’s presidency, and for convening today’s wrap-up session. I particularly welcome the fact that this meeting is being held in public. It is good to see that the Council can build on its past practice and enhance the transparency of these discussions. I hope to repeat this format at the end of our presidency next month. Comparing the programme of work issued at the start of the month with the current one, it is clear how much of the Council’s time this month has been taken up with emerging and worsening crises. We have had emergency meetings on weekends and late into the night, and unforeseen adoptions at short notice. This included the unanimous adoption on 14 July of resolution 2165 (2014), which marked a major step forward in our efforts to respond to the suffering in Syria and cut through the obstructions that the regime had been putting in the way of the delivery of humanitarian aid directly to those in need. The shooting down of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17 over eastern Ukraine shocked us all. The Council came together quickly to respond through a press statement, and followed that up in short order with the adoption of resolution 2166 (2014), demanding dignified and respectful treatment of the bodies of the victims, immediate access to the crash site and the full cooperation of all States with the investigation and efforts to establish accountability. Disgracefully, the pro-Russian separatists in control of the crash site have, from the very first day, tried to cover up what happened. They treated the victims’ bodies with appalling disrespect. They were deliberately slow to provide access, preventing the professional and rapid follow-up action that was needed to secure evidence at the site. Those actions created untold additional distress to the families of the victims. The Council has a collective responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, but every member also has an individual responsibility to meet the obligations set out in the Charter of the United Nations. The Russian Federation has not lived up to those responsibilities. Quite apart from illegally annexing Crimea, the Russian Federation could have brought about the end of the fighting in eastern Ukraine weeks ago. Instead, it has sought to foment the unrest, providing weapons and political support to the separatists, with predictably tragic consequences. Against this, President Poroshenko has provided repeated opportunities for the separatists to engage in dialogue, removing entirely their basis for taking up arms. For that reason, the Council will have to keep its attention on the situation in eastern Ukraine during the month of August. The Council has also had to respond with emergency meetings this month to the terrible situation in Gaza. It is deeply tragic that so many innocent civilians have been killed or injured in the current crisis. Both sides must do their utmost to de-escalate the situation and avoid further injury and loss of innocent life. The people of Israel have the right to live without constant fear for their security, but the people of Gaza also have the right to live safely in peace. The adoption late on Sunday night, on the eve of Eid Al-Fitr, of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/13 underlined the Council’s concern about the conflict and echoed the Secretary- General’s call for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire. While we must do all that we can to alleviate the suffering — and the United Kingdom is providing $3 million to help the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in that regard — the priority must be to achieve a durable ceasefire that will end this cycle of violence. A ceasefire agreement must therefore address the underlying causes of the crisis. It needs to secure full implementation of resolution 1860 (2009) and the November 2012 ceasefire agreement. Concerted action will be needed to get a grip on the security situation and open up Gaza’s economy. The Palestinian Authority must return to Gaza. Until the crisis is resolved, the Council must remain ready to do what it can, reinforcing the messages and actions of international partners to bring about a comprehensive and lasting peace. Finally, Mr. President, let me congratulate you on convening the open debate on peacekeeping and regional partnerships on Monday (see S/PV.7228). This was a welcome and thoughtful follow-up to the debate on new trends in peacekeeping held under the Russian presidency in June (see S/PV.7196). Making peacekeeping operations efficient and effective remains a vital strand of work for the Council and for the Secretariat. The Secretary-General’s review of peacekeeping will form a central part of this quest. At the same time, the more this Council can do to prevent conflict, the less we will have to turn to the last resort of deploying a peacekeeping operation. Looking ahead to our presidency, we plan to hold an open debate on this topic to ask questions about what more the Council should be doing to respond to the early warning signs we can all see and to take the early action that would help to prevent conflicts from escalating.

At the outset, I should like express our thanks and appreciation to you, Mr. President, for your efficient stewardship of the Council’s affairs in July, which has witnessed grave developments in the international arena with respect to various issues falling within the scope of the Council’s work, especially the tragic developments in the Middle East, notably in Syria, Gaza and Iraq. The Council has continued to follow the developments in Ukraine, in addition to issues related to the important and diverse African files. I would be remiss not to commend the convening of the debate on peacekeeping operations (see S/PV.7228). In that respect, my delegation will not delve into the details of the aforementioned important thematic issues, concerning which my delegation has expressed its position in detail during the Council’s debates. It has also engaged with all Council members in a constructive, positive manner to explain positions and to reach a consensus with a view to shouldering the responsibilities on the Council in that respect. Our intervention will focus only on the procedural matters alluded to by our delegation in the meeting held in March. We have reiterated those issues and our three proposals on procedural matters in subsequent meetings in order to improve the work of the Council through its Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions. In conclusion, my delegation wishes every success to the United Kingdom during its presidency next month.

I too want to join others in thanking you, Mr. President, and your very efficient team not only for your spirit of endurance in a tumultuous month, but especially for a superlative performance even in the face of the numerous demands for your attention. The wrap-up session offers us an opportunity for self- assessment, and you have gone further by providing a concept note to guide our discussion (S/2014/536, annex). I believe that we could utilize this opportunity for self-assessment as a springboard for the future. The month of July has been characterized by very robust engagement on numerous rapidly developing situations all around the globe. I want to limit my intervention to three issues, namely, the Central African Republic, the situation in Gaza, and Ukraine. Regarding the Central African Republic, the Council noted the state of preparations for the full deployment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic as it is poised to assume full authority from the African-led International Support Mission for the Central African Republic on 15 September. The violence has imposed a very heavy humanitarian toll on the Central African Republic. It is important to note that this spate of tragedies in other theatres of conflict appeared for a while to distract the Council from the traditional arenas of conflict. Some time ago, I talked about the forgotten conflicts in Yemen, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I believe that the challenge for the Council in the future will be how to maintain a prudent balance in its attention to threats to international peace and security. There is a tendency for us to concentrate our attention on the immediate conflicts while we forget others that are still going on. I draw on the analogy to the mother with sextuplets, all of them crying for attention. She has to be very creative in dealing with them. I think we are encouraged, in spite of this omission, by the regional initiatives that were taking place while we were paying attention to other things. For instance, in the Central African Republic, the signing of the agreement on cessation of hostilities and violence in Brazzaville on 23 July should serve as a point of departure in the search for peace in that country. This brings me to the debate that we held a few days ago on partnerships in peacekeeping operations (S/PV.7228). While we were distracted the regional arrangement was in full force, and that served to bridge the gap. I think that this phenomenon and such developments must be encouraged. The tensions over the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli students and the apparent revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager evolved into a major conflict between Israel and Palestine. The story has been replayed in this Chamber on and off. We regret that, despite the calls by well-meaning leaders around the world for de-escalation and restraint, the conflict has continued to deepen both in intensity and in its scope, claiming numerous lives, including those of women and children. As we speak, the death toll on both sides is on the increase. I believe that our concern at this point must be to do everything possible to propel the parties to respect their commitments to a ceasefire that will permit the creation of corridors for the delivery of humanitarian supplies. While the Council responded swiftly by holding two emergency meetings, it is unfortunate that it could only agree on a presidential statement, three weeks after the outbreak of hostilities. In the future, the Council should aim for a quick and robust action — action designed to avoid colossal loss of life and alleviate human suffering. The third issue, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 on 17 July, was a very regrettable, tragic and unfortunate incident. In the face of what seemed like an apocalyptic end of the world, the Council kept the world in suspense for a while over an obviously amoral act capable of being replicated in other parts of the world. We can see the copy-cat tendency in the world today. The Council’s eventual unified stance in denouncing and condemning the incident, with the adoption of resolution 2166 (2014), must be commended. In adopting the resolution, the Council has demonstrated that it is capable of speaking with one voice when it so chooses. That is precisely the higher moral ground that the world expects from this Council. Indeed, it must constitute the pattern for the future. It must serve as credible scaffolding on which the future of global peace and security will be built. We want to take the opportunity to present that scaffolding to the United Kingdom delegation as it assumes the presidency, and we do it with tremendous confidence, hoping that this will be the pattern for the future in the Council.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, and your team on your continuing leadership and successful presidency in July. We welcome the convening of this open wrap-up meeting, which we consider an essential tool in the Council’s work. We urge that it be maintained. I wish to begin by mentioning two lessons learned in July that we believe contribute to improving the way the Council addresses challenges to international peace and security. The crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 on Thursday, 17 July in eastern Ukraine again put pressure on the Council to confront a crisis, one that caused the death of dozens of civilians and is a threat to international stability. Despite existing differences regarding the issue, we were able to adopt a press statement on 18 July that sought to ensure the conduct of a complete and impartial international investigation of the incident. That call was reaffirmed shortly afterwards through the unanimous adoption of resolution 2166 (2014). Moreover, the adoption on 14 July of resolution 2165 (2014), on the humanitarian situation in Syria, also showed that when we decide to focus our discussions on specific issues and concrete measures on the ground, it is possible to make progress and achieve results. In that particular case, discussions were focused on opening four border crossings and establishing a monitoring mechanism and responsibility for the delivery of humanitarian assistance once it enters Syrian territory — all concrete and pragmatic issues. It was possible to see in those discussions ways in which member States showed flexibility and worked constructively to achieve consensus. While it is too early to analyze the implementation of the resolution, the entry of the first convoy of humanitarian aid through the Bab al-Salam border crossing on 24 July is an encouraging sign. We hope it is the beginning of a process to help alleviate the critical humanitarian situation affecting millions of Syrians and that the resolution will continue to be implemented — unlike resolution 2139 (2014) and the presidential statement of 2 October of last year (S/PRST/2013/15). Nevertheless, we are aware that only a political solution will put an end to the humanitarian crisis. The unanimous approval of both resolutions bolstered the Council in creating a sign of unity. It also showed that it is possible that the Council can be capable of forging a common vision to fulfil its responsibility. However, one cannot address only the positive aspects. If we are to take a moment to analyse the Council’s effectiveness in the maintenance of international peace and security, there is no better example than the situation in the Middle East, including the peace process, to demonstrate that the Council is not completely fulfilling its role under the Charter of the United Nations. Indeed, the situation in the Middle East has been addressed by the Security Council nearly since the earliest days of the United Nations, with the first resolution on the matter dating back to 1948. Yet today the Council appears irrelevant when it comes to preventing the ongoing escalation of violence that, since 8 July and the launch of Operation Protective Edge, has caused more than 1,000 fatalities, including civilians — women and children — in Palestine and more than 50 in Israel, through the disproportionate use of force in Gaza and continuous rocket attacks on Israel. To us it seems crucial that this body do everything in its power to achieve an immediate ceasefire and impose respect for international humanitarian law, preventing a worsening of the conflict. In that sense, the adoption on 28 July of the presidential statement introduced by Jordan (S/PRST/2014/13) is highly important as this body resumes its rightful role in regard to the conflict, but it does not exhaust the ongoing discussions on other actions. As that conflict persists, the Council should consider new options, especially strengthening the Quartet’s role. We also underscore that the Council must firmly demand compliance with its resolutions under Article 25 of the Charter. We particularly wish to emphasize compliance with resolution 2143 (2014). We repeat that it is crucial that the Council address the root causes of conflict and echo the call of the Secretary- General for a comprehensive solution to this grave crisis, including the political, humanitarian, security and development aspects, to enable the peaceful coexistence of Israel and Palestine within secure, internationally recognized borders. Finally, we wish the United Kingdom every success in its upcoming presidency.

This month has been a hard one. On 17 July, we learned of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 over Ukrainian territory controlled by separatists, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Eighty of the victims were children. The victims were citizens of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. A number were dual nationals of other countries. That devastating incident reminds us that in an increasingly globalized world, the individual stake of each Member State in international peace and security is greater than ever before. It reminds us that we all have an interest in a Security Council that can respond effectively. On 18 July, the following day, the Council unanimously condemned the downing of Flight MH-17 (see S/PV.7219). That was followed quickly, on 21 July, by the decisive resolution 2166 (2014) to ensure a full, thorough and independent international investigation, to demand immediate and unrestricted access to the site to allow for the recovery of the bodies and the work of the investigation to proceed, to prohibit any actions that would compromise the integrity of the crash site, most notably by local armed groups, and to insist that those responsible be held accountable. That was what the international community expected of the Council. That is what the Council agreed. However, in itself, as we know, it is not enough. We now need the full and urgent implementation of resolution 2166 (2014). At the request of Ukraine, the Netherlands has taken the lead in the investigation with the assistance of the International Civil Aviation Organization and other international partners. Dutch and Australian unarmed personnel have been deployed in numbers to provide protection to the investigators at the crash site, to assist with the removal of the remaining bodies and belongings and to secure the wreckage and physical evidence. In that, we, the Australian deployment, as well as the Dutch deployment, and the Australian Special Envoy Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, who was just mentioned by Ambassador Churkin, have meticulously worked through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as the sole contact on our behalf with the local armed separatists. Unfortunately, the Australian and Dutch personnel have not yet been able to access the site because of the local conditions. However, urgent access remains imperative, while the conditions at the site deteriorate. All that makes it clear that the full and immediate implementation of resolution 2166 (2014) is a serious obligation. Certainly, my own country is determined to bring home our 38 dead, to identify those responsible and to pursue justice. While the Council’s progress in delivering resolution 2165 (2014) on humanitarian relief to the people of Syria was measured in weeks rather than in days, as in the case of Flight MH-17 and the relevant resolution, that humanitarian resolution again demonstrates, as our Chilean colleague has just noted, that the Council can break new ground in resolving even seemingly intractable issues. Resolution 2165 (2014) authorizes cross-border access by United Nations humanitarian agencies and their partners to enable them to reach an estimated 2.9 million people in need. As we were informed by Under-Secretary-General Amos earlier today, the first humanitarian convoy has crossed the Turkish border under the new arrangements. The adoption of resolutions such as those is a primordial part of the Council’s work. However, it needs to constantly remind itself that securing agreement on a text is of little use if it does not also relentlessly pursue the implementation of its decisions. The adoption in February of resolution 2139 (2014) on humanitarian issues in Syria was a direct response to the Syrian regime’s failure to abide by the provisions of the Council’s earlier presidential statement of 2 October of last year (S/PRST/2013/15). The Council received reports systematically each month from the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 2139 (2014), which laid out starkly how dramatically the humanitarian situation continued to deteriorate. It was unchallengeable from those reports that the parties were not implementing the obligations under the resolution and that a stronger Council response was therefore needed. We accomplished that through the groundbreaking resolution 2165 (2014). As the Council, we have the responsibility to ensure that that resolution and its parent resolution 2139 (2014), which remains fully in force, are implemented in full and to take further measures if non-compliance continues. In order to pursue implementation, the Council of course needs the correct information at the right time. It must not be hostage to routine reporting cycles. Rather, it should increase its attention on threats to international peace and security as they emerge and as situations demand. The Council has recently increased the pace of its consideration of Libya and used any other business to consider a number of immediate developments, including with regard to Yemen and Iraq. That is how the Council should work consistently. The Council also needs access to a broad range of information, not only from the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General and the Department of Political Affairs but also from other actors, including the Special Envoys of the Secretary-General. As the Rights up Front initiative has affirmed, understanding the human rights dimensions of a situation is a crucial element of the Council’s work. That means that it should look at what commissions of inquiry and the human rights special mechanisms can provide to the Council. In order to pursue implementation, the Council needs to be ready to fully utilize the tools that are available to it. The Council’s willingness to establish new sanctions regimes in Yemen and the Central African Republic and to consider doing so in South Sudan, which is overdue, has been welcome. However, sanctions will work as a policy tool only if they are properly implemented. That requires closer engagement with the affected States, including assistance to meet the conditions and to implement the obligations of Council sanctions, and better coordination with the other Council responses to the specific situation and across sanctions regimes generally. Australia hopes that the high-level review of United Nations sanctions, which we are co-chairing, can help deliver that. The Council also needs to support the implementation of mandates that it gives to other actors, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Council took the right decision in referring the situations in Darfur and in Libya to the ICC but, like all decisions of the Council, those referrals need follow- up action by the Council in order to be effective. The Council must shoulder its responsibility to support the Court’s efforts to fulfil the mandates that we, as the Council, gave it. A good start would be to respond to the Court’s eight letters about the failure of some States to cooperate with the ICC in relation to the Darfur referral. Finally, the Council must be ready to innovate so as to ensure implementation. It must also cooperate with regional organizations and other relevant institutions, including the ICC, to achieve the Council’s objectives. The world is now experiencing more simultaneous crises with regard to peace and security with a broader impact across the globe than for decades. Major humanitarian crises inevitably occur as a result and themselves become the source of further instability. The demand for peacekeeping is increasing. Civilians face a greater threat in larger numbers than at any time since the Second World War. Some 51 million people are displaced. In such a world, the protection of civilians becomes a even more central and compelling part of the work of the Council and the Council’s success in protecting people has become the measure to which we are held. Failure is always close by. Only through a relentless focus on the implementation of the Council’s decisions will we be able to meet that measure. I congratulate you, Sir, and your entire team on a successful and helpful presidency and wish the incoming United Kingdom presidency good luck for another possible difficult month.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Rwanda. Allow me to start by thanking my colleagues, members of the Security Council, for their continued support for the Rwandan presidency and for their full cooperation. which enabled us to carry out the programme of this busy and unpredictable month of July. Indeed, tomorrow, we have another emergency meeting on Gaza. I would also like to congratulate Sir Mark Lyall Grant, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, on his assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August. I am particularly pleased that the United Kingdom presidency is proposing to organize an open debate on the prevention of conflict in line with the briefing that Rwanda organized in April 2013 on the prevention of conflicts in Africa by addressing their root causes (see S/PV.6946). I also appreciate the fact that Ambassador Lyall Grant and his team will continue to hold wrap-up sessions in the format of a public briefing. As members know, the main topic of the month of July was the thematic debate on peacekeeping, as this very month Rwanda celebrates its tenth anniversary of participating in peacekeeping operations. Members will recall that two days ago, on Monday 28 July, Rwanda convened an open debate on regional partnership and its evolution, during which resolution 2167 (2014) was unanimously adopted (see S/PV.7228). In that resolution the Council expressed its determination to take effective steps to further enhance the relationship between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union, in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. It further stressed the need to enhance the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of financing regional organizations when they undertake peacekeeping under a Security Council mandate. Furthermore, Rwanda firmly believes that peacekeeping, multidimensional and robust as it may be, cannot alone resolve conflicts. Indeed, the maintenance of international peace and security requires concrete, coordinated and sustained action, from the stage of conflict prevention to that of post- conflict peacebuilding. It is in that context that on Tuesday, 15 July, the Security Council held a briefing on post-conflict peacebuilding (see S/PV.7217). That meeting was followed by an informal interactive dialogue among members of the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Chairs Group and countries on the PBC agenda and with the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support. The meeting was frank, direct and fruitful, as it was an opportunity to further discuss how to strengthen the PBC advisory function to the Security Council and on how to address the recurring relapse into conflict. Nonetheless, Rwanda regretted that while all PBC configurations were represented at an ambassadorial level, most Council members were represented at a lower level, not to mention that among the six countries on the PBC agenda — all of which are African — only Sierra Leone, represented by its Permanent Representative, attended the informal interactive dialogue. During the month of July, the Security Council also considered a number of country-specific situations. It is important to know that although African conflicts continue to be present in our work, they were not the majority of situations considered in the programme of work for the month. However, that was due not to the reduction of conflicts in Africa, which is always dominated by crises in South Sudan and the Central African Republic, but to the worsening situations in other parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. In Syria, following the violation of resolution 2139 (2014) by all sides, the Council unanimously adopted this month another humanitarian resolution, resolution 2165 (2014), by which it authorized United Nations humanitarian agencies to use routes across conflict lines and four additional border crossings in order to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people in need throughout Syria through the most direct routes. On Ukraine, the Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday 18 July (see S/PV.7219) following the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 in eastern Ukraine, which resulted in the tragic loss of 298 lives. The Council also adopted a press statement (SC/11480) followed by resolution 2166 (2014), calling for a full, thorough, independent and unhindered international investigation. In the Middle East, the Council was yet again confronted with the resumption of hostilities related to Gaza. Given the magnitude of the conflict, which has taken more than 1,300 lives so far, mostly civilians — women and children — the Council adopted for the first time since 2009 a Council product on the Palestinian question, in this case a presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/13) calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Unfortunately, that presidential statement was not implemented on the ground, and tomorrow morning the Council will again convene an emergency meeting to consider the humanitarian consequences of the conflict. It is worth noting that those three situations — in Syria, Ukraine and Gaza/Israel — brought to light in a single month the division among Council members, especially when the interests of the permanent members were involved. To be fair, the Council should be commended for overcoming its divisions and adopting critical decisions, such as resolution 2165 (2014) on Syria, resolution 2166 (2014) on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 and the presidential statement on Gaza. But, nonetheless, it is clear that in July 2014, as in previous months, Council members were once again unable or unwilling to use their influence to find a sustainable political solution to all those crises. In that regard, Rwanda believes that as far as the work of the Security Council is concerned, initial consultations among the permanent members alone or between penholders and countries of the region on a particular situation are important to clear the ground and facilitate a smooth decision by the Council. However, we also believe — as reminded by the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which ended this month — that team spirit, more than individuals, is the best chance for success. We therefore recall that the Council comprises 15 members and that all of them should be given enough time to consult and contribute to its work and to its decisions. In conclusion, I would like to thank Member States for participating in this wrap-up meeting and in other public meetings convened by the Council this month, sometimes on short notice. I wish particularly to commend the United Nations Members who actively participated in and contributed to the two open debates organized this month. However, I would encourage African Members of the Organization to participate more in the Council’s open debates, particularly those related to issues concerning Africa, such as the open debate on regional partnerships held on Monday (see S/PV.7228). Indeed, Rwanda believes that the Security Council needs, more than ever, the contribution of the wider United Nations membership and their various experiences, which will help the Council to effectively carry out its mandate of maintaining international peace and security. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. Before adjourning the meeting — which was scheduled to be the Council’s last meeting for the month of July, before the situation in the Middle East decided otherwise — I would like to express the sincere appreciation of the delegation of Rwanda to the members of the Council, especially my colleagues the Permanent Representatives and their respective staff, and to the Council’s secretariat for all the support they have given to us. Indeed, it has been a busy month and one in which we rallied to consensus on several important issues within our purview. We could not have done it alone and without the hard work, support and positive contributions of every delegation, the Secretary-General and the representatives of the Secretariat, as well as our very precious interpreters, translators, meeting services and sound engineers. As we end our second and last presidency of Rwanda’s current term in the Security Council, I know I speak on behalf of the Council in wishing Sir Mark Lyall Grant and the delegation of the United Kingdom good luck in the month of August.