S/PV.7705 Security Council

In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Her Excellency Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I now give the floor to Ms. Mogherini.

At the outset, I should like to thank the French presidency of the Council for having organized this briefing. This year marks the second time we have met under this agenda item during a French presidency. That may not be a coincidence, especially given France’s ability to build the kind of global unity that brought us success in the Climate Conference in Paris in December. I believe that this is an excellent opportunity to exchange views on a cooperation of truly strategic value to the European Union and the United Nations. I also wish to extend my best wishes to our Muslim colleagues and friends for the onset of Ramadan, which begins today. (spoke in English) When we last discussed cooperation between our European Union and the United Nations a year ago (see S/PV.7439), I had just taken office as the Union’s High Representative and it was my first time in the Security Council. Since then, I have came back to the Chamber also to discuss migration and our fight against terrorism. I cannot count all the exchanges, meetings and common work I have done with United Nations agencies all around the world, and with so many of those present her in different multilateral formats. I believe that this is the only way we have  — as Europeans andresponsible members of the international community — to face these difficult times in the history of the world. The entire Middle East is in turmoil, with so many forces trying to redefine the regional balance of power and so many people calling for an end to their suffering. Inequalities are on the rise in large parts of the globe. Climate change is challenging the economy and security of large parts of our world. An unprecedented number of people is on the move. Tens of millions are fleeing war, looking for a chance of survival or for a better life. We often say that Europe is facing a refugee crisis. Let us always remember that this is first and foremost a crisis for the men, women and children who are going through it as they flee their homes. And it concerns the whole world, not just Europe. But indeed our own continent faces a great deal of challenges. Our cities have been hit by terrorist attacks, just like so many other places in the world, from Africa and Asia to America. Hatred and violence are growing within our own societies. Together with inequality and insecurity, xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are also on the rise. In times like these, we need each other. We need all nations to come together, united. We need the United Nations, because only together can we draw the way forward and make sure that tomorrow will be better than today. One year ago, I told the Security Council that our European Union believes in multilateralism and in the United Nations. Today 1 can add that multilateralism will be one of the core principles and priorities of our new global strategy for foreign and security policy, which I will present in the coming weeks. But what truly matters to all of us is that we are turning this commitment to multilaterlism into practice on a daily basis. This has also been possible thanks to United Nations leadership, starting with the Secretary General and to the whole senior leadership of the United Nations. Our cooperation in these months and years has been truly excellent and makes such a difference in so many places in the world. Our European Union has put multilateralism at the core of our common external action. We have learned the hard way that unilateralism does not pay off. This is no time for global policemen. This is no time for lonely warriors. If we want to finally put an end to the many crises we face — and most of all, to prevent new ones before they explode — our only hope is to work as truly united nations. The hardest the task, the stronger our cooperation must be. In a moment I will talk about Syria, Libya and other crises that are constantly at the top of our common agenda, and also of the news cycle. But let me start by addressing a much older conflict that will soon enter its eighth decade. Let us not wait for the next open war between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Because that is what will happen if they do not go back now to meaningful negotiations. The proliferation of conflicts and crises in the region is not a reason to forget about the fate of the Israelis and the Palestinians. On the contrary, the new security threats in the Middle East should push everyone to renew our efforts towards ending this conflict. This is first and foremost in the interests of every single Israeli and every single Palestinian, and the events in the rest of the region make it even more urgent than in the past. A further escalation, especially around the holy sites in Jerusalem, would have grave consequences for the whole region. Contrarily, a peaceful solution to the conflict, with bold leadership demonstrated by both sides, could unlock genuine regional cooperation. The Israelis would benefit from it, and the Palestinians would benefit from it. The entire Middle East, Europe and the world — we would all benefit from peace. It would set a new paradigm of cooperation in the Middle East. Peace in the holy places would send such a powerful message to the whole world. That is why I made the Middle East peace process — if we can still refer to a “peace process” — a top priority for our action at the very moment when the prospect of two States is moving beyond reach. The possibility of a secure State of Israel and a viable State of Palestine living side by side is fading away. And together with the prospect of two States, peace would also move beyond reach. The trends could not be more clear. First, violence and incitement are not just inflicting terrible human suffering; they amplify the mistrust between the two communities. Secondly, Israel’s policy of settlements systematically erodes the prospects for a viable two-State solution. It also raises serious and legitimate questions about the Israeli leadership’s true ultimate goals. Thirdly, the lack of unity between the Palestinian factions is still a major stumbling block. Each of these trends — alone and/or combined — could make the two-State solution impossible to achieve. We would risk the collapse of all hope. The Israeli and the Palestinian leaders have a responsibility towards their people, the region and the world. They can halt destructive policies and rhetoric, reverse the trend, and finally rebuild the conditions for meaningful negotiations. The future of the situation is in the hands of the two peoples and of their leaders. Right now, we all know that there is no peace process at all and the international community cannot just sit and wait for the next war. We in Europe keep believing that the entire world has to do its part. Last year, our European Union pushed to revitalize the Middle East Quartet. We have had several meetings at the principals’ level to draw together the way forward. Here in New York, we invited Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the League of Arab States to also join the discussion. The cooperation among our envoys has proceeded for months, so let me thank the United Nations, the United States and Russia for all the common work we have done so far. A few days ago in Paris, we discussed how the international community can help and accompany this work. As Council members know, the Quartet’s report will be made public very soon. We will describe very frankly the immediate obstacles to direct talks and the policies that threaten the viability of a two-State solution. We will also make clear recommendations on the way forward with one main goal — to recreate some confidence between the two sides and the conditions to go back to meaningful negotiations. We are convinced that the current stalemate is not sustainable for anyone. There is no status quo, and we all know it. If the situation does not improve, it will get worse. And that is something no one — no one, first of all the Israelis and the Palestinians — can afford. We need to be as realistic as we can in analysing the difficulties, risks and threats of the regiona and today’s world, but we also have to recognize the signs of hope when we see them or when we manage to build them. This is a strong reminder that change — and change for the better — is possible if the international community is united and focused. In July last year, the Council endorsed our deal on Iran’s nuclear programme. The deal in itself was a major success of patient multilateral diplomacy. Six months later, the deal was implemented, and we keep monitoring the full implementation of all its parts, counting also on the good cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. In parallel, the European Union is working to make sure that the benefits of the deal reach the Iranian people and improve regional cooperation. Because after the deal, we all knew that we had to build on the positive momentum. In November we met again in Vienna, where the deal was signed with the new International Syria Support Group. For the first time since the beginning of the war, all regional and international actors were finally at the same table. Since then, Staffan de Mistura has been doing a truly amazing job, and much has been achieved. But we all know that the process has come to a critical point. It is now vital that humanitarian aid reaches a greater number of areas. It is vital for the too many people in need for help, but it is also vital for starting real negotiations among the Syrian parties in Geneva. We know how fragile the whole process is — and likely will continue to be. So much blood has been shed, and national reconciliation will not be easy at all. But there is no other way to stop the carnage, give hope to Syrians and defeat Da’esh. Europe is doing its part. We reopened our humanitarian office in Damascus. We are engaged on the ground as the main donor to Syria and the Syrian people. And we play our role in encouraging and supporting the political track. Staffan de Mistura knows he can always count on our full and active support. I was personally in Geneva to meet with the parties, at his request, during the last round of talks. All international actors need to do whatever they can to make the cessation of hostilities work, the delivery of humanitarian aid continue and the negotiations start so as to finally move towards a political transition for Syria. Our divisions here in the Chamber and in the international community will benefit only Da’esh and serve chaos. Having mentioned Da’esh, let me also say a word about Iraq, which must also remain high on our agenda as a centrepiece for stabilization in the broader region. Good progress has been made in the military campaign. The fight in Fallujah is ongoing as we speak. But there are also concerns. The liberation of areas must be followed by rapid stabilization and the restoration of services. The European Union is doing its part in Iraq, and will continue to contribute to both humanitarian and stabilization needs. The campaign against Da’esh needs to be framed by an adequate political settlement. We continue to support Prime Minister Abadi’s efforts in that respect. We hope that all political players will seek a swift resolution to the current political impasse. As the international community, we remain committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The unity of the international community and of the region is also central when it comes to Libya. I know some had lost hope that the Presidency Council would ever be formed, or arrive in Tripoli. But it has, and that would not have been possible without the Security Council’s unity and the excellent work of Martin Kobler. I know he is briefing the Council in a few hours, therefore I will limit my remarks to the European Union’s work on Libya, in strong coordination with him. In Vienna last month, we all restated our support for the Government of National Accord. The European Union has started to mobilize a package of €100 million to make Libya’s new start possible and help Libyans to live their lives in safety and dignity, which is what they deserve. Last month, the Libyan Government invited the European Union to provide training to the Libyan coast guard and navy. I spoke with Prime Minister Serraj about the modalities just last Friday. For us, it is key that anything we do be planned and delivered according to Libya’s full ownership and Libya’s priorities. Training the Libyan coast guard and navy will be an opportunity to put Libyans in a position to save lives at sea, dismantle the criminal economy of human smugglers, control the country’s territorial waters effectively and create a safe environment for Libyan fishermen. Let me say a few more words on how we are working in the Mediterranean. Last spring, when we decided to launch a naval operation — Operation Sophia — against the traffickers’ networks, we asked for a Security Council resolution to endorse our mission. Council members were impressively united in doing so, and I thank them for that. Since then, tens of thousands of lives have been saved, over 100 hundred assets seized and many traffickers brought to justice. On 23 May, we decided to extend operation’s mandate by a year. Now, once again, we are asking the Security Council to adopt a draft resolution on authorizing Operation Sophia to enforce the United Nations arms embargo on the high seas and off the coast of Libya. This is the course of action that the European Union has chosen: constant coordination with the United Nations to best serve our collective interests, that is, those of the international community as a whole. This is the place where international action should be discussed, decided and authorized. I can only hope that the Council will once again do the right thing and help us make the Mediterranean a safer place for everyone, starting with our Libyan friends. With so many crises taking up the headlines, Yemen risks not geting the attention it deserves. Yet the need for a political solution and for addressing the dire humanitarian situation is just as urgent there as it is elsewhere in the region and the world. We support the work of the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General. Progress was made during the peace talks in Kuwait, which I would like to thank for hosting the talks over the past five weeks. I encourage the parties and players in the region to seriously engage with a constructive attitude. While we deal with Syria, Libya and Yemen and keep our focus on the Middle East peace process we cannot forget other crises, including at the eastern borders of the European Union. Ending the conflict in Ukraine remains a top priority for the European Union. All parts of the Minsk agreements have to be fully implemented by all parties if we want the situation in eastern Ukraine to calm down. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is doing a very valuable job in mapping and organizing humanitarian assistance there. The United Nations reports on human rights in Ukraine that are financed by the European Union are also of great help in monitoring the situation. The European Union will continue to stand for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. We are working closely with Kyiv to help them achieve the reforms that the country and the people so urgently needs. In that connection, let me mention the important constitutional amendments approved just days ago, which will improve the efficiency and independence of the judiciary. They really matter because they can also build momentum for the adoption of the amendments on decentralization and other reforms. It is an important achievement. It is also an important opportunity to move the country forward and to address the needs of all the citizens of Ukraine. Our cooperation with the United Nations goes well beyond our immediate region. The more I travel the world  — which I am doing quite a lot  — the more I realize that many of our partners already consider the European Union as a global security provider. Colombia might sound like a far away place to many Europeans. Yet we are following very closely the negotiations that could put an end to one of the world’s oldest conflicts. I was there just a few days ago to sign some important agreements, thereby already lending our concrete support to the peace process, and in particular to the demining efforts. I confirmed to President Santos Calderón our willingness to engage even more on the implementation of the deal as soon as it was reached. Our coordination with the planned United Nations observer mission will be crucial. Moving to the other side of the world, next October we will host in Brussels a major international conference on Afghanistan. After so many years, a peaceful Afghanistan will be possible only if regional Powers and the international community unite and support the peace and reconciliation process and the economic and social development of the country. On that and on many other files, the unity of the Security Council is one of the most powerful assets in our hands for promoting peace and security. For instance, greater involvement by the Council in monitoring the security situation in Burundi would be most welcome, while a United Nations police mission could deter further threats to peace in the country. The European Union stands ready to cooperate with the United Nations to that end. Our common work can build on so much positive experience. Take the Central African Republic, where the European Union and the United joined forces to restore the basic functioning of the police and gendarmerie. Our efforts contributed to the political transition and the instalment of new, democratically elected authorities. The European Union continues to support the work of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of United Nations agencies. The current political uncertainty risks evolving into a full-blown crisis, with spillover effects in an already fragile region. In fact, our common work cannot be limited to crisis management, even if these difficult times require much of it. We in the European Union remain convinced that the best way to address a crisis is to prevent it. This is an area where the United Nations and the European Union can do so much together. When we discussed Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, it was clear to everyone that Europe and the United Nations shared the very same approach to security and development. When we invest in growth, we are also investing in security. Our cooperation has started to yield results. The Paris climate agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals are opportunities to overturn a narrow and short-term concept of security. I believe that everyone knows how much our European Union has worked for these deals to come true, for this philosophy of a long-term, comprehensive approach to be shared, and we are now working hard to ensure the full implementation of the deals we achieved last year. The same long-term, comprehensive approach has now become an integral part of our response to migration and the current refugee crisis. I have already mentioned our Operation Sophia and the great job it is doing together with Frontex, with the Italian vessels and our partners, including NATO, to save lives and chase human smugglers. But there is much, much more than that. We need to prevent those lives from being put in danger, both at sea, where we see them, and in the desert, where thousands die far from our eyes and our television screens. This is a common responsibility that we share. That is why tomorrow I will be in Strasbourg to present, together with my colleagues in the European Commission, the plan for a new migration partnership with our friends in our region and in Africa. Migration and displacement are one of the great challenges of our era. Our response is the measure of our very humanity. There are some key factors that Europe cannot overlook and that will be central to our new partnerships. We too often forget that countries such as Ethiopia or Kenya, let alone Lebanon and Jordan, host huge numbers of refugees. Hospitality is never an easy task; we experience this reality every single day. The closure of the Dadaab camp in Kenya could have dramatic humanitarian consequences; our European Union is following the issue very closely, together with the United Nations and all relevant agencies. For these reasons we will further reinforce our trust funds, which are already providing health care and food to those in need and are creating jobs for the refugees and — let me underline this, because I believe that it is very important to make hospitality sustainable — for the host communities. But we also know that public money alone will never be enough. So a key component of our migration partnerships will be to attract private investment on key projects. Africa in particular has a huge potential for growth, and we must manage to get the private sector on board. We must also offer opportunities: the best way to dismantle the illegal business is to work on legal avenues for human mobility. Europe needs to do its share, but we also count on our partners here  — in the United Nations and in the Security Council in particular — to do the same, to share responsibility. I look forward to the summit in September, where migration will be recognized for what it is: a global phenomenon concerning all of us and requiring a global answer. Strong partnerships are the building blocks of our foreign policy in the European Union. All of today’s challenges transcend borders and national sovereignties. None of us alone can carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. But we all have a role to play, together with others, in a multilateral framework, in a spirit of partnership and friendship. So our European Union will seek increasingly to reinforce old ties and create new ones. This is true in our bilateral relations, but it is even more true at the regional and global levels. A network of regional alliances can truly contribute to global peace and security. That is why we invest in regional networks and organizations. For instance, as the Council is aware, we have supported African-led peace efforts through the Peace Facility for Africa since the very beginning, with more than €1.6 billion euros in the last 10 years. It is now time to make sure that Africa’s capacities are provided in a more sustainable and efficient manner. This is first of all in Africa’s interest, to strengthen the continent and its regional structures against the many challenges it faces. Our cooperation with the African Union, the Arab League, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can only grow stronger. In some parts of the world, we need to strengthen existing organizations. In other cases, we need new and creative formats. Our recent experience with Libya and Syria shows the effectiveness of ad hoc formats working in close coordination with the United Nations envoys. Despite all of the setbacks, despite all of the stops and starts, multilateralism has shown its strength. Formats can change and institutions must be reformed. But in our conflictual world, where power is scattered and diffuse, global peace and security stands a chance only if our nations and our regions are united and work in a united manner. Our European Union will always come back to the United Nations, to the core of the international multilateral system, to the stubbornly held idea of a cooperative world order.

I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Mogherini for her presence here today, for her commitment and for her briefing. As she has most kindly underscored, this is the second time she has met with the Security Council under the presidency of France (see S/PV.7402). We are most pleased with that and hope to continue this tradition. I shall now give the floor to the members of the Security Council.

We wish at the outset to welcome the participation in today’s meeting of the High Representative of the European Union on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms. Federica Mogherini. In the statement she made during the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, she underscored that no one alone can carry the weight of the world on their shoulders; today she elaborated on this idea. We fully agree with this view and note the intention of the European Union (EU) to strengthen multilateralism under the United Nations. Russia has consistently called for the development and improvement of cooperation with the United Nations and regional and subregional mechanisms on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations, first and foremost Chapter VIII. It is on that basis, as well as pursuant to General Assembly resolution 65/276, of May 2011, that interaction between the United Nations and the European Union should take place. The European Union objectively is an important political and economic player in the international arena and contributes to the resolution of many international issues. That is the reason that in spite of the ongoing crisis in Russian-European Union relations, in many areas our cooperation with the EU is ongoing, including in the context of the United Nations. Examples here include combating such global threats as terrorism, religious extremism, piracy, drug trafficking, transborder organized crime and illegal migration. Russia and the EU traditionally cooperate in the framework of the Quartet for the settlement of the Middle East crisis. We welcome the role of the European Union in attaining agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. The Russian Federation and its diplomacy worked hard here as well. We expect that the States members of the European Union will constructively participate in international efforts to move forward on a political settlement for Syria on the basis of agreed-upon parameters. These should be implemented fully and without preconditions. Putting an end to the conflict in the country would be a major jumping-off point for de-escalating tensions in the Middle East, which are spreading to all neighbouring regions, including Europe. Some members of the EU participate in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG). We expect from them impartial and honest work that will enrich our collective efforts. We deem it important that the EU remain an open channel for dialogue with the Syrian Government. We welcomed the meeting of Ms. Mogherini with the head negotiator of the Syrian Government, Mr. Ja’afari, on the margins of the March round of talks in Geneva. Such contacts are totally necessary. At the same time, as demonstrated in discussions in the Security Council and elsewhere, European partners often allow themselves to move forward with destructive unilateral approaches, manipulating decisions made by the ISSG and engaging in propaganda instead of doing patient and careful joint work. It must be clearly understood that pressure on Damascus will not produce the desired effect. On whom should continued pressure be brought to bear? On those who continue to support terrorists, including Al-Nusra. All sides should show flexibility during the talks. A major obstacle in that regard on the political track is the position of the so-called High Negotiations Committee. The representatives of the radical wing of the Committee are not thinking about obtaining compromise; they are focusing instead all of their ideas and actions on toppling the Government. Nevertheless, Brussels has drawn the conclusion that those people are the only ones who express the views of the Syrian opposition. That is at the very least an exaggeration. It is of the utmost importance to ensure the broad representative nature of the Syrian opposition, including Kurds from the Democratic Union Party, which Turkey has openly obstructed. We hope that our European partners will use their influence to resolve this and other pressing matters having to do with the selfish and destructive policies of Ankara towards Syria. There is also a need to take decisive steps to make Turkey end its encroachment on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, to close the channels for foreign terrorist fighters and finally close the Syrian-Turkish border. We note the detrimental effect of unilateral sanctions against Damascus, including those imposed by the EU. It is Syrian civilians who suffer from them. It has been a real factor that significantly restricts Syrians’ access to health services and medicines and serves as an obstacle to United Nations active participation in infrastructure projects to bring unified areas back to normal life. We are carefully following our European partners’ steps to settle the crisis in Libya. We understand their concern about security issues in the Mediterranean. We welcome efforts for a swift restoration of the unity of Libya and its State institutions, based on the Libyan Political Agreement to form a Government of National Accord, signed in Skhirat, Morocco. However, there should be an understanding that there is no alternative to a peaceful settlement, which must be exclusively Libyan led. We expect that the composition of a Government of National Accord will soon be approved by the House of Representatives, as provided in the Agreement, and that it will be supported by key influential forces in the country, thereby becoming a truly functional executive body. We were therefore bewildered by the European Union decision to include key Libyan players on the EU sanctions list. We are worried that the attempts to punish Libyan politicians will simply further deepen the division. We are also concerned about the growing threat of terrorism in Libya, especially the spillover of activities of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant from other States. However, that threat cannot be used as a pretext for intervention in the domestic affairs of Libya. While there is a need to help Libyans, it must be within the framework of international law. One of the major aims would be to unify Libya’s forces. More broadly, the need for tighter coordination of international and regional initiatives on Libya should be emphasized. In due time, we have supported the decision authorizing EU Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea to actively counter the flows of illegal migrants. We value the work of the navies that have saved many lives. However, according to solid statistics, so far in 2016 more people have drowned while trying to reach Europe than during the same period last year. On the one hand, that suggests that resolving the root causes of the problem remain remote. On the other, it poses a legitimate question: Is it advisable in this situation to extend the mandate of Operation Sophia with additional oversight functions to monitor the illegal flows of weapons? The situation of the mass arrival in Europe of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa regions is necessarily a serious concern. We agree with the High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, that the migration problem is not unique to the EU; other countries are hosting far more migrants, while having less capacity than that of the EU. We note that the recent agreements on the collective return of migrants from the EU, without clear safeguards to ensure the protection of their rights in accordance with international law, has been a serious concern for a number of specialized international organizations, non-governmental organizations and public players. We call upon our European colleagues to take a more conscientious approach towards their international obligations in that area. We believe that, even in the context of the extraordinary massive flows of people, we cannot dilute the institution of asylum, which, in line with the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol, clearly distinguishes refugees from illegal economic migrants, the latter of whom have been simply using the situation to their own ends. As we consider the issue of cooperation with the EU, we must necessarily think about the serious crisis in the European region, in Ukraine. Unfortunately, Brussels has played a very unseemly role, categorically insisting on the signing of an agreement and, in so doing, enabling those who have sought to forcibly seize power. We hope that in Brussels and European capitals the sad experience of the Ukrainian crisis will not just be carefully and objectively studied, but will lead to constructive steps. At the moment, the most important task is to implement the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements; there is no alternative. The unstinting, consistent and full implementation of the provisions of that document is the only way to resolve the conflict in the Donbas region and to solve all related issues. We hope that the European Union and European capitals will continue their efforts to ensure that Kyiv will fulfil its obligations under the Minsk package of measures in full. Furthermore, we call upon Brussels not to lose sight of the difficult situation in Ukraine as a whole, especially as it pertains to the rule of law. Much has been said about it in the reports on Ukraine by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including the most recent report issued last week. There is no progress in the investigation of such high-profile tragic events as the shooting of people in the Maidan, the killing of civilians in Mariupol and the fire in the trade union building in Odessa. The truth must be told, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. The growing tension in the world and the emergence of new threats and challenges are a compelling argument to strengthen the coordination and interaction of the international community. Russia is interested in meaningful cooperation based on common strategic goals shared with the EU, but that must be done on equal footing, taking into account the interests and concerns of one another.

I would like to thank Ms. Mogherini for her very comprehensive briefing. The partnership between the United Nations and the European Union is among the most important partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations. The effective strategic partnership covers a number of conflicts and crises that go beyond the immediate geographic neighbourhood of the European Union. I would like to touch on various problems. First, the escalation of certain crises has led the international community to put aside the Palestinian question to a certain degree. That of course heightens tensions in the region. Today more than ever, the international community needs to exert greater efforts to revive the peace process, based on a two-State solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions. That cannot be done if the Israeli and Palestinian sides refuse to respond to calls for negotiation and the Israelis continue to illegally annex Palestinian territory. The European Union has made many efforts in that direction. It has many tools at its disposal to encourage Israel to return to the negotiating table. We hope that the international conference on the Middle East peace process to be hosted by France and the upcoming report of the Middle East Quartet will be major factors in influencing the status and a return to the negotiating table. Secondly, Libya is going through a critical political phase, which calls for coordinating international efforts, represented by the Security Council, Special Representative Martin Kobler and regional efforts, to strengthen and bolster the establishment of the Government of National Accord. However, that will not be the end of the road. A major challenge is to build State infrastructure such that the Government will be able to respond to the major political and economic challenges it faces. International and regional assistance is needed to re-establish a unified Libyan army that is able to protect Libya’s territory and citizens and counter the danger brought by terrorism. We hope that the European Union will be able to play an effective role in this regard. Any delay in this area could increase the possibility of failure of the Libyan political process and strengthen the hand of terrorist groups, thereby worsening the problems stemming from flows of refugees and illegal migration. Thirdly, the collapse of State structures in some areas of the Middle East region have led to the growth of terrorist groups as a non-traditional danger that undermines the stability of States and international peace and security. International and regional cooperation is needed in this context to counter terrorist financing, the scourge of foreign terrorist fighters and the use of modern technology. International efforts should not simply be confined to the security and political dimensions of the fight against terrorism, but must also send a message that counters the narrative of terrorist organizations that operate under the guise of religion to attract funds and attention. We applaud the European Union’s steps to establish a public outreach centre to counter extremism, and we hope that collaboration with institutions of higher learning such as Al-Azhar University in Egypt will be undertaken in support of coexistence, tolerance and dialogue. Fourthly, various crises have led to the worsening of illegal immigration towards Europe. The European Union is undertaking major operational efforts to counter this phenomenon, in particular Operation Sophia, but the human dimension must also be dealt with. Focus must given to the security-related, political and economic root causes of the illegal migration crisis in order to find lasting solutions and put an end to a human tragedy that is unfolding in the Mediterranean. Fifthly, in recent years there has been effective cooperation among the European Union, the African Union and the United Nations in dealing with the series of crises that have arisen in Africa. In Somalia, a strong, clear message must be directed to all Somali stakeholders so that they will continue to build on the achievements of 2012. The Somalian presidency recently adopted an electoral model that opens the way to the holding of elections in accordance with the agreed timeline. We must make the most of this opportunity. A political message should be addressed to the European Union requesting assistance for rebuilding State structures, in particular the Somali army, as well as support for the African Union Mission in Somalia and for ongoing efforts to respond to piracy. In the Sahel region, complex challenges include a security vacuum, the expansion of terrorist groups, obstacles to development, including economic development, and the spread of organized crime. We hope that European support for the Mali Peace Agreement of June 2015 will be maintained in order that the Agreement’s timeline can be implemented. A lasting solution to the crisis continues to depend on the rebuilding of State structures and institutions, the extension of State authority throughout the territory of the country, and the fight against terrorism.

My delegation thanks the French presidency for organizing today’s debate on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security, with special attention on the European Union, after last month’s similar exchange, which focused on the African Union (see S/PV.7694). My delegation welcomes the presence of Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, whom I thank for her important statement. The many conflicts and crises in the world today require close cooperation among the United Nations and its partners, in particular regional organizations, which play a vital role in maintaining peace and international security. Indeed, as provided for in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, regional and subregional organizations can contribute to improving collective security in terms of maintaining international peace and security. On that basis, these organizations may act with a mandate from the United Nations, which in turn benefits from the organizations’ local expertise and operational methods. Senegal, which welcomes the opportunities offered by cooperation among organizations, would like to reaffirm its commitment to an effective multilateralism with the United Nations at its centre, dedicated to the pursuit of lasting solutions to critical issues of peace and security in the world. This perspective is one of the basic guidelines of our foreign policy as well as one of the main reasons for Senegalese troops’ presence in the majority of United Nations peacekeeping missions. The European regional organization is a major partner of the United Nations given its material, logistical and financial capacities, which allow it to conduct diverse activities. The European Union has developed institutional mechanisms to finance Security Council- authorized peacekeeping operations and is also working to prevent crises. The European Union’s significant and recognized commitment led to its being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. Furthermore, as Council members know, three important documents continue to provide the cross-cutting strategic framework for relations between the United Nations and the European Union in the areas of peacekeeping and crisis management: the Joint Statements on United Nations- European Union cooperation in Crisis Management of 2003 and 2007 and the Plan of Action to enhance European Union Common Security and Defence Policy support to United Nations peacekeeping, adopted in 2012 by the Political and Security Committee. The latter document identifies, for the purposes of cooperation in peacekeeping, priority measures that have been jointly implemented in recent years by both organizations, in particular with regard to increasing the number of uniformed personnel from States members of the European Union, coordination in planning stages, cooperation in general policy and guidelines, lessons learned and training. In addition, as rightly set forth in the report of Secretary-General contained in document S/2015/229, dated 1 April 2015, coordination and consultation activities conducted at the strategic level between the United Nations and the European Union in peacekeeping and crisis management take on various forms. The collaborative bridges between the two organizations naturally include the biannual informal meeting of the Security Council with representatives of the European Union Political and Security Committee, which constitutes a framework for reviewing peacekeeping operations and other issues of peace and security. Furthermore, there are other high-level meetings on the review of strategic issues, in particular the briefings to the Security Council by representatives of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy and the presentations made by high-level officials of the United Nations to the Political and Security Committee in Brussels. There is also the quarterly meeting of the United Nations/European Union Steering Committee on Crisis Management, which is co-chaired by the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations and the Deputy Secretary-General of the External Action Service of the European Union. The European Union’s comprehensive and collective approach in maintaining international peace and security should be commended. It involves the presence of European troops and teams in almost all peacekeeping operations across the globe. Just by way of example, I note the European Union’s contribution to the seeking of solutions to conflicts in the Balkans; in Haiti, with the European Union training mission; and in Somalia; as well as the European Union’s presence in Mali and the Central African Republic; its humanitarian assistance in Syria, and its contribution to promoting security, good governance and development in Afghanistan. In addition, the Security Council has given European Union member States a mandate to tackle the migrant phenomenon. Sengegal supports counter-trafficking operations and would like to call attention to the situation of migrants who have become victims of their own vulnerability. That is why an approach that pays more attention to the dimension of sustainable development must be adopted. Beyond these contributions to international peace and security, it is important to emphasize the various activities of the European Union in the area of prevention aimed at tackling the root causes of conflict. The United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel is a clear example and the Global Alliance for Resilience Initiative-Sahel are part of that same logic. The European Union provides a laudable contribution to United Nations activities and cooperates with all of the Organization’s bodies, agencies and programmes and is part of the broad spectrum of United Nations actions, development policy, reinstating peace and assistance in the fields of humanitarian matters, the environment, human rights and culture. It also participates in measures carried out in all regions of the world. The 28 States members of the European Union are the main donors to the United Nations system with regard to the regular budget of the Organization’s peacekeeping operations, as well as to United Nations funds and programmes. In conclusion, I would be remiss were I not to underscore the considerable contribution of the European Union to peace and security on the African continent. Along these lines, I would like to recall the importance that our subregional organization, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), attaches to the ongoing nature of the activities of its force in Guinea-Bissau, the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau. I hope further cooperation with ECOWAS and the European Union can contribute significantly to the re-establishment of political stability in this country. In that regard, I would also like to shed light upon the crucial role played by the European Union in promoting human rights, protecting civilians in armed conflict and promoting justice and the rule of law. With regard to the whole range of European Union activities, the Security Council could benefit were it to strengthen its cooperation with the EU through its institutional ties and its strategic partnership, pursuant to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

I would like to begin by welcoming Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and thanking her for her very enriching and comprehensive presentation. (spoke in English) Japan and the European Union (EU) are strategic partners based on common values, such as democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law. Our partnership is comprehensive in nature and we cooperate in various fields, including peace and security, the economy and global issues. With regard to peace and security cooperation, Japan and the EU recently conducted joint programmes in Africa to improve our security situations. I would like to take as an example our cooperation in Mali where the security situation is very unstable. While the European Union provided training for Malian gendarmerie, police and national guard under the framework of the European Union Capacity Building Mission Sahel Mali, Japan provided assistance for the refurbishment of existing facilities, the provision of equipment and the capacity-building of trainers in the security sector in Mali in order to contribute to the enhancement of the training capabilities provided by the EU. Another example is Somalia, which also faces big security challenges. Japan and the EU have been jointly providing the salaries of the Somali security force officers. Another example is the Niger, which is important in preventing the flow of insecurity in the Sahel region. Japan provided radio equipment and vehicles with such equipment to integral command centres of the Niger, to which the EU provides capacity- building training. I hope that these cooperation programmes between Japan and EU will contribute to better security in the above-mentioned countries and the entire region. The Middle East is where both the United Nations and the EU play in important role. Japan, along with the EU, is determined to address the causes and consequences of the ongoing instability in the Middle East. We have been addressing not only the immediate humanitarian needs for targeting the mass displacement brought on by violent extremism, but have lead long- term efforts for the return and reintegration of refugees and the building of the foundations for post-conflict recovery. In this light, on the occasion of the Summit of the Group of Seven, held in Ise-Shima just two weeks ago, our Prime Minister announced the provision of an assistance package of approximately $6 billion for stability and human resource development in the Middle East and North Africa region from 2016 to 2018. Furthermore, Japan reiterates its position that a political approach is what can enable a durable solution to the crises of the region and that a military approach alone is not sufficient. We therefore reiterate our support for United Nations-led efforts in pursuing political solutions aimed at the achievement of peace, security and unity in Libya, Syria and Yemen and the settlement of other crises in the region. Finally, Japan values the cooperation between the EU and the United Nations under the framework of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. I strongly hope that the EU will continue to play an important role in the field of peace and security.

I thank High Representative Mogherini for her briefing. Today’s meeting provides another useful opportunity for the Council to engage another significant regional partner, following our meetings last month with the African Union (see S/PV.7694) and the League of Arab States. New Zealand is a strong supporter of close collaboration between the United Nations and regional and subregional bodies. Such bodies are essential partners for the Council in delivering on its mandate to maintain international peace and security. Indeed, the effectiveness of the Council often rests in large part on its cooperation with regional organizations. It is in all our interests to ensure that the engagement between the Council and the regional bodies is as effective and productive as possible in preventing and resolving conflict. New Zealand has deep and long-standing ties with the European Union (EU) and many of its member States have contributed to our development and our history. Those ties remain of deep importance and continuing relevance to our country. The European Union is an active and indispensable partner of the United Nations on a wide range of security-related challenges, including peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, non-proliferation and combating terrorism. Naturally, the EU plays a particularly important role in maintaining peace and security within its immediate neighbourhood. For many years, it has played central role in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s security and stability through its leadership of the European Union Force Althea stabilization force. The EU also continues to play an essential role in facilitating dialogue aimed at normalizing relations between the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina. The crisis in neighbouring Ukraine has been a great concern for the EU and its member States, as it has been for New Zealand. We acknowledge the EU’s ongoing role in supporting the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the objective of a lasting resolution of the crisis that is fully consistent with Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. As the High Representative has reminded us, in the Middle East the prospects for the two-State solution are diminishing. As a member of the Middle East Quartet, the European Union has a key role to play in ensuring that the peace process is revived through its support to the Palestinian Authority and to the United Nations, and through the various contributions of its 28 member States to encouraging the parties back to the negotiating table. New Zealand supports any constructive attempt to move the Middle East peace process forward. In particular, we have advocated for the Council to live up to its responsibilities and to take action to get the parties back to the negotiating table. We look forward to the release of the Quartet report, and are encouraged by the High Representative’s assurance that it will be made public soon. We also welcome the information that it will contain specific recommendations on rebuilding confidence and on encouraging the parties back to meaningful negotiations. Given the special relationship between the Quartet and the Council, we look forward to the Council having the opportunity to consider the Quartet’s report and recommendations when released. We also welcome France’s hosting of the ministerial meeting in Paris last Friday and hope that it can contribute momentum towards resuming negotiations between the parties. As others have said, in Syria the peace process is faltering and the humanitarian situation is disastrous and deteriorating. We are in serious danger of letting slip the best chance we have had in five years to end the conflict. We must not let that happen. The international community, collectively and in its constituent parts, needs to do all it can to reduce the fighting, increase aid and the get the parties back to negotiations on a political transition. We encourage and welcome the EU’s use of its influence to help make that happen. We also acknowledge the significant humanitarian and development assistance that the EU and its member States have provided to mitigate the human cost of the Syrian conflict and address its spillover effects in the region. In addition to the more than 1 million irregular migrants who entered the EU last year, many more continue to make the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. As we are all too aware, many are perishing in the attempt. As the United Nations has reported, the death toll in 2016 to date is higher than at the same point last year. New Zealand sponsored resolution 2240 (2015) relating to the international efforts to intercept vessels off the Libyan coast suspected of migrant smuggling. We are ready to consider other contributions EU countries could make, in partnership with the Council, to support safety and stability in the Mediterranean as part of a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges of irregular migration. We also welcome the EU’s continued efforts to support the Government and people of Libya in achieving peace and stability, including through its support to the Libyan security sector and much-needed humanitarian, reconstruction and economic assistance. Finally, I want to acknowledge the very important role played by the EU’s regional partnerships, particularly in Africa. For example, the EU continues to play a significant role in Somalia through its development assistance under the Somali New Deal Compact, the European Union Military Training Mission in Somalia, the European Union Naval Force ATALANTA counter-piracy mission in Somalia and its ongoing funding for stipends for the troops of the African Union Mission to Somalia. The EU also continues to play a vital role in support of stability in Mali and the Central African Republic through its military training missions to strengthen the capability of local armed forces. Those are just a few examples of the EU’s investment of effort and resources towards our common goals of maintaining international peace and security. We look forward to further deepening cooperation in the strategic partnership between the United Nations and the European Union in the years ahead.

Let me begin by welcoming Ms. Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, back to the Council today. I thank her for her informative briefing this morning. As the High Representative and other have set out, the European Union (EU) and regional organizations as a whole are fundamental to how the United Nations operates and how it delivers across the world. Both the United Nations and the European Union were born of the scourge of war, so it is unsurprising that we share so many values, such as peace, human rights and development, to name but three. Together, our shared values underpin our collective ability to promote and maintain international peace and security. Today, I want to focus on three ways that we do so. First, the EU and its individual member States play an active role in peacekeeping by directly participating in United Nations missions. The EU also provides complementary support to United Nations missions and the operations of other regional organizations through its own Common Security and Defence Policy missions and through the provision of training, mentoring and financing. That cooperation is crucial to the success of United Nations efforts to maintain international peace and security. We saw that cooperation first-hand during our visit to Somalia last month. The EU plays a crucial role there in supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia, in training the Somali National Army and in supporting projects to bring long-term peace to Somalia. Secondly, in addition to peacekeeping, the EU and its member States play a significant role in creating the conditions for peace through mediation and forging new peace agreements. The EU, along with several of its member States, is playing an important role in the International Syria Support Group and the political process, which is the only way of ending more than five years of conflict. The EU and its member States have also played a significant role in supporting Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons. Such support comprised nearly two-thirds of the 2016 pledges made at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference held in London this year. The EU is also actively supporting peace in Libya. The United Kingdom welcomes the close cooperation between the EU and the United Nations in the Libyan political dialogue process that led to the establishment of the Government of National Accord. The EU support and that of a number of EU member States, in close coordination and cooperation with the United Nations, is supporting the new Libyan Government. That is crucial and contributes to the unity of the international community behind the Government of National Accord. The EU has already provided financial support to the Stabilization Facility for Libya Project Board to fund quick-impact projects that will make a difference on the ground. That leads me to my third point, namely, the important role that the EU and its member States play in providing practical support to address ongoing crises. The tragic loss of life in the Mediterranean and the refugee flows into Europe have highlighted the need for stronger regional and global approaches to migration and refugees. The United Kingdom and the EU see a need for greater international burden-sharing to address those issues. We are actively pursuing that through the Khartoum process and the Compact approach, highlighted at the London Syria Conference. In addition to the EU work on tackling illegal migration, the EU is building the capacity of the Libyan coast guard. The United Kingdom will play our part in that effort. My Prime Minister announced in Japan, at the Summit of the Group of Seven, that the United Kingdom has increased our contribution to the EU Operation Sophia. Once the relevant permissions are in place and the Security Council draft resolution on the issue is adopted, the next phase of this operation to intercept naval vessels carrying illicit arms will begin, and the United Kingdom will deploy a further ship to the Mediterranean. Together, these developments will continue to help tackle the migrant crisis and limit the operational capabilities of Da’esh in Libya. In conclusion, EU-United Nations cooperation has proved to be invaluable on numerous occasions — in peacekeeping, mediation and tackling crises  — and so has the EU cooperation with other regional organizations. We look forward to continued cooperation and partnership, which can only serve to strengthen the principles and purposes of both the Charter of the United Nations and the EU.

I am pleased once again to welcome the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to this sixth round of talks between the European Union and the United Nations. I cannot but note the excellent degree of cooperation based, as the United Kingdom Ambassador so appropriately noted, on the fact that we share a set of values and principles. That valuable common denominator between our organizations allows me to affirm that the relationship could not be any better. I have a lengthy statement that I will not read out in full, but I will simply touch on the most important points, on the undestanding that the full version will be posted on the website of the Mission of Spain. I shall begin with the review processes, of which there are two of particular importance to my delegation: the reviews of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1325 (2000). With respect to the review of resolution 1540 (2004), which will conclude under the Spanish presidency of the Council in December, as we all know, I should like to stress the major support and deep commitment of the European Union to ensuring that non-State actors truly have no access to weapons of mass destruction. With regard to the review of resolution 1325 (2000), I believe that it is perfectly obvious that the European Union has been intimately involved in all processes related to the women and peace and security agenda. That was particularly evident in the adoption of resolution 2242 (2015). Turning to prevention, Spain attaches great importance to the fact that the European Union shall assign a major role to prevention in its global strategy. In that regard, I draw the attention of Council members and non-members listening in on this meeting today to Spain’s organization of the first Conference on Preventive Diplomacy in the Mediterranean, held a few days ago in Alicante, in which high representatives of the European Union participated. The conclusions of the Alicante Conference will be circulated by the Mission of Spain to the members of the Security Council and the General Assembly. With respect to Iran, I stress the very important role played by the European Union with regard to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that was agreed with Iran in July 2015, and later endorsed by resolution 2231 (2015). As facilitator for the implementation of resolution 2231 (2015), I can bear witness to the major role that the European Union continues to play in that process. Several comments have already been made today concerning the Middle East, but I wish to reiterate Spain’s full support for such initiatives as that being undertaken by France, in its capacity as President of the Security Council, to convene the ministerial meeting held in Paris on Friday. The role of the European Union, as reflected in the work of the High Representative in the context of the Quartet — to which the Ambassador of New Zealand referred at length — clearly shows that the Union’s resolve is firm. I endorse the statement of the Ambassador of New Zealand to the effect that once the report of the Quartet has been issued, the Security Council should support this process in some way. As to Syria, the High Representative noted that the European Union is the greatest contributor to efforts to resolve that situation, so I will not dwell on it. I will, however, mention Libya, where the European Union has decided, in full respect for international legality — as several speakers have noted — to support the stability of the country and fight the human traffickers working along its coasts. One example of this is the European Union Operation Sophia, dedicated exclusively to saving lives in the Mediterranean. It has no other purpose. Specifically, on 26 May the Spanish frigate Reina Sofia rescued 206 people in just one day, 35 miles off the coast of Libya. In its first year of operations, Operation Sofia has saved over 15,000 lives. The next challenge facing the Operation will be the fight against arms trafficking. We hope to enjoy the support of all Security Council members to that end. The European Union has a very clear commitment to Africa. I would define relations between the European Union and the Security Council by the word “complementarity”. I believe that complementarity is especially evident in two operations: the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. I also note the commitment of the European Union to assist in operationalizing the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis. With regard to migration, we are all aware of the tragedies taking place every day in the Mediterranean, to which the European Union has actively responded with all instruments at its disposal. We value the onset of high-level dialogues to promote cooperation with the countries of origin and transit of regular migrants. Packages of comprehensive incentives have been approved for 16 countries, highlighting the effectiveness of our action in that area. Lastly, I point to the migratory agreement reached with Turkey, which is yielding positive results. In conclusion, I should like to refer to the statement made early by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Senegal, who very eloquently described the relationship between the European Union and the United Nations, especially the Security Council. I believe that his statement can be summarized by asserting the European Union’s comprehensive commitment to the entire United Nations agenda. I say this as a member of the European Union, of which I am very proud.

I thank the French presidency of the Council for its initiative to convene this meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union. I listened attentively to the briefing of Her Excellency Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The United Nations is the most universal and representative international intergovernmental organization. In accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Cooperation between the United Nations and the Council with regional and subregional organizations in political, security and development areas is conducive to achieving the objectives of maintaining world peace and promoting common development. The EU is an important partner of the United Nations. In recent years, the EU participated actively in settling the Iranian nuclear issue and on various hot spots in the Middle East and other regions, and has made a positive contribution to maintaining international peace and security. The EU has provided support to African Union (AU)-led peacekeeping operations, extended assistance to AU regional organizations and played a positive role in maintaining peace and stability in Africa, while promoting the continent’s overall development. The EU is a major force on the world stage. China encourages and supports the EU in continuing to play a constructive role in United Nations affairs. We believe that the cooperation between the EU and the United Nations and the Security Council needs to adhere to the following principles. First, it must advocate the political settlement of hot-spot issues through dialogue, abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of countries and not interfere in States’ internal affairs, and facilitate the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue, consultation, good offices, mediation and other diplomatic means. Secondly, it must adhere to a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable concept of security. It must respect and ensure security for all. It must adopt an integrated response to security in both traditional and non-traditional areas. It must promote security for all countries and regions through dialogue and cooperation. It must strike a balance between development and security in achieving lasting security. Thirdly, it must respect the sovereign choice of countries to determine their own social systems and paths to development. It must abide by the principles of equality and mutual respect. It must be objective in its perspective of the historical, cultural and religious backgrounds of different countries and regions. It must be fair, objective and balanced in its evaluation of countries’ human rights situations and facilitate constructive dialogue and cooperation. Fourthly, it must generate synergy for the efforts of the United Nations to promote economic and social development. It must leverage the EU’s comparative advantage and, in the light of the needs of developing countries, strengthen North-South cooperation and support developing countries in achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China views and develops relations with the EU from a strategic, long-term perspective. China hopes that the EU will make a greater contribution to the achievement of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. China is ready to strengthen its interaction and cooperation with the EU in the framework of the United Nations, while continuously facilitating a greater role for the United Nations in international affairs and making joint efforts to forge new types of international relations with win-win cooperation as its core for a human community of common destiny.

I am very pleased to welcome to the Security Council Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (EU) and to thank her for the briefing. Ukraine commends the significant contribution that the European Union makes in support of the maintenance of international peace and security. We must admit today that living in turbulent times demands quick decisions and even closer cooperation. As the Secretary-General pointed out recently, “The challenges are too complex for one organization or one nation to meet alone. Hence there is the need for partnerships and innovation.” If history is any guide, we should once and for all learn the lesson that a weak, slow or hesitant reaction by the international community to challenging and tragic events, in particular in Ukraine and Syria, dictates the scale and pace of the consequences. Thus the lesson here is to treat the disease, not the symptoms. In the case of Ukraine, a strategic answer should be given on the EU side to security challenges originating from Russia to the eastern partnership. We hope that the new EU global security strategy will properly reflect that. The European Union has been the United Nations most reliable partner in promoting the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and in strengthening respect for the rule of law. The level of cooperation between the United Nations and the EU was strengthened recently, and we are seeing tangible results in the fulfilment of the provisions of presidential statement S/PRST/2014/4, on the institutional and strategic partnership between the United Nations and the EU, which was adopted two years ago. The High Representative addressed in detail many crises that affect our world today and on which United Nations-EU cooperation is much needed. I would like to comment on some of them. We fully acknowledge that fight against terrorism requires close cooperation between the United Nations and its international partners, including the EU. We commend the broad engagement of the EU and its member States in combating terrorism, including their active participation in the International Coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and in the work of the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum. The recent EU joint framework on hybrid threats was an important step to that end, and it envisaged intensified cooperation with partners aimed at combating organized crime, terrorism and trafficking. We are ready for such cooperation and await concrete proposals, in particular in the area of the fight against terrorism, which is of particular importance for us. Ukraine fully supports the work of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and its efforts aimed at finding a long-lasting political solution to the crisis. We believe that the implementation of the Vienna statement conclusions issued by the ISSG on 17 May can improve the humanitarian situation in Syria and enhance efforts to achieve a political solution. We welcome the United Nations and the EU’s readiness to provide comprehensive humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, which would contribute to improving their living conditions. Ukraine supports the key points on Syria stipulated in the conclusions of the European Union Council on the regional strategy for Syria, Iraq and the Da’esh threat, which was published on 23 May. We believe that, without strengthening the implementation and monitoring of the cessation of hostilities, ensuring country-wide humanitarian access and making progress on the issue of detainees, we will have no grounds for a credible resumption of the intra-Syrian talks. Ukraine supports the efforts of the Government of National Accord and the Presidency Council in Libya aimed at organizing the national dialogue and strengthening the security situation. We hope that arrival of the Presidency Council in Tripoli and the start of the hand-over of power will result in the gradual stabilization of the country. With regard to the conflicts on the African continent, we welcome the reaffirmed commitment between the EU and the African Union to peace and security in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter. Cooperation between the EU and the African Union based on the 2014-2017 road map can contribute to achieving results in improving the security situation, strengthening democracy, good governance and human rights and countering global and emerging issues. As current Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013), concerning the Central African Republic, Ukraine highly values the strong engagement of the European Union in that country, notably its humanitarian assistance, financial contribution and the establishment of a military training mission. Ukraine reiterates its support for the historic nuclear deal between Iran and E3/EU+3  — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — which was a milestone in strengthening the non-proliferation regime as a whole. Ukraine welcomes the choice of Iran in terms of its commitment to ensure a peaceful nuclear policy. We call upon all the sides to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action to ensure its diligent implementation, as well as that of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), including nuclear-related restrictions. Migration is another area for practical United Nations-EU cooperation. To resolve this problem of a global dimension, we should take a global approach and work more closely to tackle the causes of illegal migration, improve our efforts to fight the trafficking of human beings, and provide people in real need of international protection with all of the necessary help and assistance. We commend the EU’s efforts and dedication in contributing to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and protecting the universal principles of international law, including those enshrined in the United Nations Charter. For my country, this aspect is particularly pertinent, given the attempted illegal annexation of Crimea and the ongoing military Russian aggression in the east of Ukraine. What has happened in Ukraine over the past two years is the most serious crisis in Europe since the Second World War. It is hybrid warfare that is already being waged against all of us, and we can counter it only with a bold and coherent strategy based on our joint efforts, a clear understanding of the source of the threat and a vision of how to tackle it. We appreciate the EU’s uncompromising position on the matter and its consistent policy of applying the whole range of political-diplomatic tools, along with the appropriate economic and trade measures, to restore measures and right the wrongs committed by the Russian Federation. I urge the Russian Federation to comply with the United Nations Charter; the provisions of General Assembly resolution 68/262, entitled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”; as well as international treaties, and to de-occupy Crimea. I also urge this State to fulfil its obligations under the Minsk agreements, including the withdrawal from Ukraine of Russian weapons and its military forces and mercenaries. I am glad that the Russian delegation has finally started to pay attention to the reporting of the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, which was mentioned in my Russian colleague’s statement. It even mentioned some elements of the latest report, but time and again it has failed to notice the “elephant in the room” in the last and in all 13 previous reports. Russia itself is the root cause of the situation in and around Ukraine. Let me quote from the report: “The conflict broke out in spring 2014 with the influx of foreign fighters, including citizens of the Russian Federation, ammunition and heavy weaponry into east Ukraine from across the border with the Russian Federation”. To conclude, I would like to emphasize that it is only through enhanced and coordinated cooperation between the United Nations and the EU that we will be able effectively to counter the growing number of common global challenges. Ukraine is ready to contribute to this end and at the same time looks forward to strengthened international support in countering the external aggression against its own sovereignty and independence.

I wish to begin by congratulating the French presidency for having organized this briefing, and in particular I would like to thank Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, for her valuable statement to the Council. Uruguay attaches great importance to cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in the framework of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Uruguay highly values the role played by the European Union in upholding international peace and security. The cooperation of the United Nations with regional organizations such as the European Union is essential to preventing, managing and resolving conflicts. Allow me to reiterate what I said last month during the open debate on cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union (see S/PV.7694). At the time, we said that it is no accident that all recent considerations of the United Nations peace and security component have reached the same conclusion. The challenges of the twenty-first century are too broad and complex to be dealt with in the sphere of the United Nations alone. It is essential to revitalize the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter to more effectively guarantee international peace and security. New challenges and the serious ongoing humanitarian crises call more than ever before for coordination among international and regional bodies, so as to make it possible to more effectively respond to existing threats. Such coordination must respect the jurisdiction of each organization, boost synergies and promote complementarity. Terrorism, violent extremism, transnational crime, the current migratory and refugee crisis and piracy are just a few of the challenges that we must face together and that call for such synergies and complementarities. Allow me to touch briefly on one of those challenges. Uruguay is closely following the development of the migration issue in Europe. Uruguay belongs to a region where the phenomenon of migration is and has been an essential element. We received European immigrants who, during the various wars that struck Europe, decided to leave for the Americas in search of a better life. Also, because of internal political issues, Uruguay was the source of major political and economic migrant flows that headed, inter alia, to Europe, where they were able to integrate into and positively contribute to the societies in which they settled. The migratory phenomenon is very complex and multidimensional, as it touches on aspects of security, development and human rights. Respect for the human rights of migrants and their families is a subject to which Uruguay attaches the greatest importance. Uruguay notes the new policies and regulatory frameworks of the European Union to prevent and combat terrorism, which without any doubt is one of the major threats to international peace and security. Besides destroying human lives, it poses a threat to the rule of law, democracy and peaceful coexistence among civilizations, as well as to economic and social development. The global dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel calls for a commensurate solution. In this vein, the assistance provided by the European Union to address the terrorist threat in Mali and the Sahel is a clear example of its cooperation with the work of the United Nations. This kind of complementarity is both timely and necessary. In the area of health care, the European Union provided important financial and logistical cooperation in responding to the terrible Ebola epidemic affecting a number of West African countries. The European Union, as a member of the Quartet for the Middle East, also has a very important role and responsibility in the context of the peace process in order to achieve a sustainable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as was pointed out by several of the members of the Council who spoke before me. I wish also to mention the contribution of the European Union in the framework of the E3+3 negotiations with Iran, which led to the lifting of the sanctions imposed by the Security Council on Iran because of its nuclear programme. The European Union also plays a major role in the Balkans. I wish to highlight the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, under the auspices of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the contribution made by the EU to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the presence of the multinational EU Military Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR Althea) is an important factor in ensuring the political and social stability of the country. To conclude, I would like to note that the process of European integration, which began decades ago, is a model that has contributed to peace among its members and that, we believe, will continue to make a contribution to international peace and security.

Let me also join others in thanking High Representative Mogherini for making the journey to be with us today, for her briefing and for her consistent leadership in addressing so many of the challenges she described. As President Obama has observed, the European Union (EU) “remains one of the greatest political and economic achievements of modern times”. As we all know, the EU, like the United Nations, was created in response to the horrors of the Second World War, and built on the idea that a peaceful, united Europe could provide an antidote to the nationalism that had led to so much bloodshed in the region and around the world. In the nearly six decades since the signing of the Treaty of Rome, what began as a union predicated mostly on establishing a common market and customs union among six nations has grown into a union of more than 500 million people in 28 countries, 19 of them with a common currency, united by a range of shared political and economic institutions. As it has expanded, the EU has used the benefits of its membership to broaden the base of the principles that its countries hold most sacred: pluralism, human rights, diversity and, of course, respect for the territorial integrity of its members. Every member of the Union is a democracy and, not unrelatedly, since the EU’s establishment no EU country has raised arms against another. That is a remarkable accomplishment. We will never know how the countries of Europe would have evolved over the past half century without the creation of the EU. But, for all of the challenges the region faces in present times, the EU has delivered. It has delivered peace and prosperity of a kind the people of Europe never before enjoyed in a sustained way. That is a fact, and one too often obscured by the din of political debates. Moreover, as the members of the Security Council know, the benefits of Europe’s peace and prosperity and the common principles the EU has done so much to advance have extended far beyond the continent, making it an invaluable partner to the United States and to so many other States Members of the United Nations. The EU continues to provide a model for how regional organizations can work hand in hand with the United Nations to advance shared goals, from promoting sustainable development to seeking diplomatic solutions to deadly conflicts, to preventing mass atrocities. In my brief remarks today, I would like to suggest three lessons we can draw from the EU about how to make multilateral organizations, including this one, more effective in advancing international peace and security. First, the EU has demonstrated the effective pressure that regional organizations can exert to help address serious threats to international peace and security. Take Iran — the sanctions pressure exerted by the EU was critical to bringing Iran to the negotiating table, where the EU went on to play a key role in the negotiations to seek a diplomatic solution. The combination of sustained pressure and determined, relentless diplomacy made it possible to agree on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which, if fully implemented, will ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme remains exclusively peaceful. The EU is playing a central role in monitoring the ongoing implementation of, and adherence to, the Plan of Action as the coordinator of the joint commission, where its ongoing vigilance will allow us to determine whether or not Iran is upholding its commitments under the deal. Consider as well the diplomatic pressure the EU has applied to seek a political solution to the conflict in Ukraine, where Russia continues to occupy Crimea and to arm, train and fight alongside separatists in the eastern part of the country, in clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbour. The EU has responded to that threat by working first to help forge, and then to ensure compliance with, the Minsk agreements, including through the maintenance of sanctions on Russia. The United Nations human rights report released last week, which documents the widespread abuses to which the 2.7 million Ukrainians living in the territory controlled by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk are subjected, including arbitrary arrests and torture, serves to underscore the urgency of the task and the need for the Council and the EU to keep the pressure on the parties to resolve the conflict, including by maintaining sanctions on Russia until it implements its Minsk commitments in full. Secondly, the EU shows how a regional organization can use multiple tools in its toolkit  — technical, financial, military and others  — to target the root causes of instability, thereby helping to prevent violence before it arises. It has played an instrumental role, for example, in promoting the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, which is vital to ensuring stability in the Balkans, thus incentivizing Belgrade and Pristina by linking their respective progress in the dialogue to their respective paths to joining the EU. The EU has also engaged much further afield, as others have noted. In Africa, it is managing nine civilian and military missions, with projects ranging from reforming security forces in the Central African Republic to helping train the Niger’s security forces to combat terrorism, organized crime and smuggling networks, to building military and security capacity in Mali and Somalia. The EU missions have complemented those of the United Nations and the African Union, thereby contributing to coordinated interventions that increase impact. At the same time, since 2003, the EU has provided more than €1.6 billion through the Africa partnership to support peace operations, capacity- building and institutional support on the continent. In both diplomatic efforts and investments in conflict prevention, the pooling of resources and influence has enabled EU member States to have far greater impact than if any one European country were to act alone. For that arrangement to work, however, member States must live up to their commitments and remain true to the common values at the heart of the Union. When that arrangement breaks down, when individual members put their narrow shared interests ahead of their shared goals, they jeopardize the enterprise and the dividends it yields for the EU and the whole world. That is my third, and final, point. We see that risk today in the responses of some EU member States to the unprecedented number of migrants and asylum-seekers who have sought sanctuary in Europe. The scale of the challenges presented by the largest wave of displaced people since the Second World War is enormous. Their influx presents significant political challenges for many leaders across the continent, as they face calls to close their borders and abandon the principles at the heart of their individual Constitutions and at the heart of the EU. We understand here in the United States just how powerful those voices, and the fear that drives them, can be. We are hearing similar calls from some in the United States, including the governors of many states, who have said that they do not want to take in refugees from places like Syria. Nevertheless, we need to find ways to increase our generosity towards those desperate civilians, so that the United States and all nations do their share to meet needs not seen since Europe’s darkest days in the Second World War. The answer to a challenge as monumental as this displacement crisis cannot be to close our borders, jettison our core ideals and revert to a misguided and short-sighted sense of self-interest. A common challenge requires a common response, in Europe, in the United States and here at the United Nations. And it requires redoubling our commitment to the principles on which our common security and our common humanity depend.

I would like to start by commending you, Mr. President, for convening this briefing on cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union (EU). I very much welcome the presence and participation of Ms. Federica Mogherini, whom I thank for her comprehensive briefing to the Security Council on the multifaceted cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations. In a very complex international environment, with challenges of extreme magnitude, cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations is a crucial element for the maintenance of international peace and security and a strategic course of action in dealing with international issues that are key in meeting the goals of the United Nations and its Member States and their peoples aspirations to peace and social development. Regional challenges — whether security, social or political in nature — require solutions for which collective action is vital. That has already been referred to today by different members of the Council. Collective action enables multilateral approaches to addressing traditional or emerging threats to regional arrangements, as outlined in Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Such cooperation strengthens the United Nations efforts to prevent conflicts, restore peace and stability, and build and sustain peace in post-conflict situations, while taking into account the comparative strengths of regional organizations stemming from their specific knowledge of regional and local issues and their better understanding of the underlying causes of conflict. In that regard, we acknowledge the significant contribution of the European Union in supporting the maintenance of international peace and security and its ongoing commitment to international peacebuilding, peacekeeping, humanitarian and financial assistance and logistical support for peacekeeping undertakings. The long-standing triangular cooperation between the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union is a key element in the search for stability on the African continent. The institutional dialogue between the Security Council and the Political and Security Committee of the European Union is a fundamental prerequisite for enhancing the EU-African partnership. Angola welcomes the European Union’s commitment, reaffirmed at the most recent EU-Africa Summit, to Africa’s effort to manage its own security, as well as the EU’s tangible support for African Union-led operations through the Peace Facility for Africa, its support for the African Peace and Security Architecture and its practical assistance in enabling the implementation of the Architecture. The European Union’s participation has been particularly relevant in three theatres of operation in Africa under Security Council mandates: in the Central African Republic, in Mali and in Somalia. In the Central African Republic, the European Union-led peacekeeping force made a meaningful contribution to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic towards achieving important improvements to the situation in the country, despite the continuing presence of armed groups. In Mali, the EU remains committed to supporting the stabilization process at the political, security, humanitarian and development levels through the implementation of the Sahel strategy framework in response to the complex challenges in Mali and the region as a whole. The EU role in combating piracy off the coast of Somalia through Operation Atalanta and the European Union Regional Maritime Capacity Building for the Horn of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean, its provision of resources for capacity-building in Somalia and its direct and sustained efforts in support of the African Union Mission in Somalia have been instrumental in the fight against terrorism and in bringing stability and, we hope, sustainable peace to that country. The Libyan crisis is a matter of great concern to the Council and the international community. Its painful consequences are being felt by the Libyan people and by people to the South, with the Sahel and West and Central Africa experiencing a dangerous and deadly spree of terrorism. The impact is also being felt in the Mediterranean Sea, which has indeed been transformed into a cemetery, with the recurrent drownings that we see happening there. Terrorism is the main cause of forced migration of millions of people in search of survival, peace and a better future. The fight against terrorism is an issue that requires unity of action and the international community’s determination to extirpate that senseless expression of extremist violence, hatred and intolerance. The world coalition and its unity of purpose against terrorism must be strengthened. We very much appreciate the outcome of the Valletta Summit on Migration, held on 11 and 12 November last year, at which the European and African Heads of State and Government discussed means to strengthen cooperation in addressing the causes underlying irregular migration and forced displacement, enhance collaboration on legal migration and mobility, reinforce protections for migrants and asylum-seekers, prevent irregular migration, smuggling and trafficking in human beings, and commit to focusing on social, economic and political issues to revive hope, notably in Africa and for African youth. We commend the declared intent to deepen cooperation among the States members of the EU to find political and operational solutions in order to prevent the tragedies we have been witnessing daily with illegal immigrants. This is an issue that has to be addressed, within the perspective of international assistance, crisis management, integration and social inclusion. In this regard, we value the cooperation the European Union is providing to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to the International Organization for Migration in terms of addressing the needs of refugees and asylum-seekers. Angola looks forward to participating again in the Migration Summit, which will be reconvened later this year in order to address these issues. Through a strong partnership, the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union can strengthen the efforts of the wider international community to face the challenges and build capacity to address current threats in a comprehensive and long- term manner, based on the guiding principles of mutual respect and respect for human rights and international law as the key factors in sustaining peace and stability. Finally, Angola highly values the European Union as a global player of prime relevance whose influence worldwide, in working with the United Nations and its international and regional partners, is crucial to the collective effort to find lasting solutions to the issues we continue to face. This effort is a shared responsibility and a moral duty. We must make our best effort to work together for solidarity, peace and the well-being of all.

Mr. President, we congratulate you for convening this meeting. We are also grateful for the statement made by Ms. Federica Mogherini. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is convinced of the positive role played by regional and subregional organizations in the prevention and resolution of conflicts as well as in the process of peacebuilding through recovery, reconstruction and development of societies emerging from conflicts. With regard to managing crises, we believe that the European Union and its members must continue to act in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The European Union’s contribution to the search for peaceful and negotiated solutions to situations affecting international peace and security is laudable. Particular mention should be made of its efforts in the diplomatic process of the P5+1 to achieve a comprehensive, long- term and appropriate settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, which culminated with the adoption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. That represented a significant achievement in promoting and maintaining the international non-proliferation regime. This important diplomatic agreement highlighted once again that dialogue and negotiation are the only possible ways to achieve peaceful solutions to disputes affecting international peace and security. We also reiterate the need for the European Union to continue working to promote the denuclearization of other regions of the world, in particular the Middle East, in accordance with relevant international treaties on the subject. The situation of instability in the Middle East, which is the result of the stalemate in the peace process and the terrorist violence affecting the countries of the region, calls on the Security Council, with the support of the European Union, to play a prominent role in promoting a definitive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-State solution, including putting an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the establishment of a free, sovereign and independent Palestinian State along internationally secured pre-1967 borders. In this regard, we recognize that the European Union, as a member of the Quartet, must continue to support efforts to reactivate negotiations between the parties in order to reach peaceful solutions leading to a firm and lasting peace. We welcome the holding of the ministerial meeting, which took place in Paris last Friday, 3 June, and which we hope will pave the way for the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East. The armed conflict in Libya looms large on the agenda of the European Union, as demonstrated by its actions to address this problem. In this regard, we call on that regional organization to redouble its efforts to support dialogue and reduce tensions in order to strengthen the Government of National Accord and re-establish the political institutions in that country, which was affected by the military intervention of 2011. We also call on it to coordinate its actions with the African Union. The conflict situations in other countries in the Middle East and Africa have led to waves of migrants fleeing wars, which have been exploited by criminal organizations to carry out criminal activities related to human trafficking with deplorable consequences. The International Organization for Migration indicates that, by May this year, the number of migrants and asylum seekers who have reached Europe via different routes across the Mediterranean had exceeded 200, 000 people, of which more than 2,400 were killed or disappeared in their attempt to reach European soil. Despite resolution 2240 (2015), we note that lost lives are reported every day as a result of the sinking of vessels used by organized crime. We would like to reiterate that, in Venezuela’s opinion, neither making migration more secure nor criminalizing it are appropriate approaches to this issue, which is essentially a human rights issue. In this regard, we reiterate our call for the actions and policies adopted to work on this issue stay away from visions that run counter to applicable international human rights law. The discourse and actions must therefore lead to the decriminalization of migration, respect for diversity and tolerance. We welcome the initiative of some countries of the European Union to welcome a considerable number of refugees and migrants from these regions in conflict. In order to avoid or reduce the flows of migrants, a greater effort must be made to seek peaceful solutions to the ongoing conflicts rather than supporting policies of regime change and investing more in improving the living conditions of the populations in regions suffering from deep economic and social inequalities. We reiterate that any policy aimed at addressing this phenomenon, must be in strict compliance with the regulatory framework developed by the international community for refugees and human rights. Finally, we hope that these channels of cooperation and communication between the United Nations and the European Union will be strengthened and will effectively contribute to the promotion of international peace and security.

I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this important briefing. I too welcome Her Excellency Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, back to the Council and thank her for her statement. Malaysia reaffirms its full support for strengthening cooperation with regional and subregional organizations under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. As an established regional organization that shares the values and principles of the United Nations, we highly value the role played by the European Union (EU) in promoting peace, stability and development in its region and beyond. We listened careful to Her Excellency Mogherini’s update on the role played by the EU in the Middle East Quartet, including its participation in the international conference in Paris last week. Malaysia welcomes the constructive and objective role played by the EU as a member of the Quartet. We would like to see a more active role played by the EU in this regard, including as an honest broker, in view of the absence of leadership and political will in the Council on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. As one of the most important and influential regional organizations, we believe the EU we could pave the way in the Israel-Palestinian conflict by using the tools at its disposal to end decades impunity and ensure adherence to international law, freedom and respect for human rights, which are core values of the EU. In view of the deteriorating situation on the ground and the slow death of the two-State solution, we need to move away from the previous practice of managing the conflict it to addressing its root causes. We need to end the repressive Israeli occupation. Meanwhile, in facing other complex challenges in the Middle East region, such as Syria and Libya, we commend the strong support provided by the EU on the United Nations-led political dialogue in both countries. The massive humanitarian crisis arising from the influx of migrants and refugees from Syria and Libya prove too challenging for any one organization or country to handle alone. We therefore applaud the critical role played by the EU in supporting Syrian refugees whether within the EU’s territories or in the host countries in the Middle East through its migration policy and humanitarian aid. The most recent pledge by the EU amounting to over $3 billion at the London donors’ conference in February is yet another example of the EU’s commitment to address the migration crisis in the Mediterranean. On this note, Malaysia looks up to the EU’s vast experience and expertise in dealing with my migratnts and refugees to address the related problems of human trafficking and people smuggling in the South-East Asian region. Since the Council last convened to discuss cooperation with the EU (see S/PV.7439), we have witnessed shocking terrorist attacks in Europe by Da’esh. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families and loved ones of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels. No one is truly saved from terror attacks, regardless of one’s race, nationality, religion or beliefs. It is therefore our responsibility to strengthen our joint resolve in combating this menace. In this regard, Malaysia welcomes the comprehensive strategy adopted by the EU to counter the global threat of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization. The strategy seeks to address not just the symptoms of terrorism, but also its root causes. It also recognizes that military action alone is not sufficient to defeat Da’esh, as it addresses the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters, cuts off terrorist financing, promotes political stability, and engages in strategic countermessaging. As part of a comprehensive strategy to counter violent extremism and radicalization, we also need to address the increasing sentiment of Islamophobia, which has given rise to the marginalization and alienation of and discrimination against Muslims in Europe on the basis of their religion. Muslim minorities in Europe should not be pressured to be less Muslim in order to more European. They should not become the twofold victims, first, of terror attacks, and then of policy responses to these attacks. We acknowledge the EU attempts to deal with the problem of Islamophobia as part of its broader response to xenophobia in the region. We believe that policies based on more dialogue, social and economic inclusion, non-discrimination and support for minority groups would complement the EU counter-terrorism strategy and bring long-term benefits to Europe’s pluralistic societies. In the Western Balkans region, we highly appreciate the stabilizing role played by the EU, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. We commend the active participation of the High Representative in facilitating the ongoing dialogue to normalize relations between Pristina and Belgrade. We also fully support the continuing role of the EU in further strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law and the process of reconciliation, as well as in creating a functioning market economy in the Western Balkans. In Malaysia’s view, if there is a single most important lesson to be learned from post-Second World War Europe for the Western Balkans, it is the need to acknowledge and address the past. We strongly believe that this would be the best way to move forward towards peace, stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans. It may be difficult to swallow, but unless and until we acknowledge the atrocities committed in the past, uphold accountability and learn from the mistakes made, we will find ourselves unable to find closure, foster reconciliation and make progress in the region. Even worse, we may be condemned to repeat the past. On Africa, we commend the role and contributions of the EU, in close partnership with the United Nations and the African Union, particularly in the Sahel region, the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa. Over the years, the EU has provided a stabilizing presence in those regions, ranging from conflict prevention to conflict management, post-conflict transition and sustainable development. Closer to home, Malaysia welcomes the recent intensification of the EU engagement with Myanmar in support of the country’s democratic transition and sustainable development. This includes EU- Myanmar bilateral development cooperation under the Multi-annual Indicative Programme 2014-2020, and the EU support for the Myanmar Peace Centre in providing technical support in implementing the ceasefire and promoting political dialogue, reconciliation and peacebuilding. In conclusion, Malaysia welcomes the reaffirmation by the High Representative that the EU will continue its close cooperation with the Organization in upholding the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. As we have heard today, the EU has a lot to offer through its specific expertise, wide experience and pooled resources to complement and support the role of the United Nations in facing various global challenges. I take this opportunity to reiterate Malaysia’s commitment to playing a constructive role in further engaging with regional organizations, including the EU, in maintaining international peace and security.

I shall now make a statement in my national capacity. I welcome today’s briefing on cooperation between the United Nations and the European Union, in the presence of its High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. I once again salute her presence among us. The general tone of the statements around the table shows, I believe, the extent to which cooperation between the two organizations is both natural and essential, as their shared values and joint fields of action are many and growing. The European Union is indeed a major player in the maintenance of peace and a partner of the United Nations at the highest level level in this area. Like other regional organizations, its role is becoming increasingly central in the implementation of peacekeeping operations, be it in funding, military contributions or political support. More broadly, the European Union intervenes in favour of peace and security by using all its instruments in the context of a comprehensive approach. Thus, the many missions deployed by the European Union, both military and civilian, under its Common Security and Defence Policy, contribute to the implementation of or support for the decisions of the Council in various regions of the world. That is particularly the case on the European continent, where the Union contributes, for example, to the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the strengthening of the rule of law in Kosovo; in Africa, including Mali, the Niger, the Central African Republic and Somalia, where the Union supports the structural reinforcement of African capacities to respond to crises and provides vital funding to African peacekeeping operations; or in response to transnational threats through the action of the Union in the fight against the smuggling of migrants in the Mediterranean or against maritime piracy off the Somali coast. We should also recall the contribution of European countries to various peacekeeping operations both financially — with its funding of nearly one-third of the general peacekeeping budget — and in human terms, as for example in Mali, where more than 1,000 peacekeepers are engaged in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, with unprecedented resources. The European Union is also a strategic partner of the Security Council in the search for lasting solutions to the major crises on its agenda. That is the case first and foremost with the peace process in the Middle East, where the European Union recalls tirelessly that a just and lasting solution can be achieved only through respect for the law and that our common priority must be to preserve the viability of the two-State solution. The Union fully supported the French initiative for peace in the Middle East. The 3 June meeting in Paris brought together many actors, including of course the European Union, with the aim of laying the foundations for a new momentum for peace that enjoys the active support of the entire international community, with the ambition of holding an international conference by the end of the year. That is also the case on the Syrian track, where the European Union has added its voice to those who rightloy stress the urgent need to resume inter-Syrian negotiations for the establishment of a political transition in line with the provisions of the Geneva communiqué (S/2012/523, annex), endorsed by the Council, while stressing that it can reasonably occur only in a context of a lasting cessation of hostilities and the open, continuous and unhindered access of humanitarian aid to all in the need. It is also true in Libya, where the European Union and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya are engaged in a massive effort to empower the Government of National Accord to fight the threat posed by the growing presence of terrorist groups in its territory. The European Union has particularly expressed its willingness to contribute, through its naval mission Operation Sophia, deployed in international waters off the Libyan coast, to strengthening the implementation of the arms embargo on Libya without prejudice to possible exemptions for the benefit of the Government of National Accord. To that end, we are working with our European partners on the Council on a draft resolution that would strengthen deep-sea intervention procedures against ships carrying weapons or associated equipment in violation of the arms embargo. It is also the case with regard to the crisis in Ukraine, where the European Union is conducting a policy that combines dialogue and firmness. The sanctions are meant not to punish but to encourage the stakeholders to implement the provisions endorsed by the Security Council to resolve the crisis, including the package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements. The European Union is also a leading player in the response to the global migrant crisis. Let us see the situation for what it is. Faced with what amounts to the largest crisis of displaced persons and refugees since the end of the Second World War, in respect of which the entire international community shares an equal need for solidarity and responsibility, the determined action of the European Union is too often undervalued or misunderstood. It remains by far the largest purveyor of aid to refugees in the world. Its member States hosted more than 1 million refugees in 2015 alone. Operations headed by the European Union, first and foremost Operation Sophia of the European Union military operation in the Southern Central Mediterranean, have saved thousands of people drowning in the waters of the Mediterranean and helped to combat migrant-trafficking networks in the region. The European Union is also addressing the root causes of this phenomenon, as demonstrated by the fact that it is the primary donor globally of financing for development, in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as by the substantive financing it provides to countries of origin and of transit. While the EU cannot resolve the migrant crisis alone, it is shouldering fully its responsibility on the political, security and financial fronts, as well as the moral and humanitarian fronts, so as to provide an effective response. Today we are marking the anniversary of the Normandy landing, one of the key events that opened the way for the liberation of Europe and for the eventual creation of the EU. I should like to conclude by once again highlighting a key point of convergence between the EU and the United Nations. The two organizations are strategic partners to each other, united by a shared vision of the world in which right must prevail over might, and by a common vision of multilateralism. This is what makes the European Union, beyond its role as a regional organization, one of the central pillars of the current international system. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor once again to Ms. Mogherini to respond to the comments made.

My role at this stage is facilitated by the fact that collectively the members of the Council have emphasized better than I could have the areas in which United Nations- European Union cooperation is positive, fundamental and strategic. My concluding remarks will therefore be easier to make and briefer. (spoke in English) I would refer to the words that President Obama spoke in Europe, as quoted by the American representative, which reminded us of how much the European Union has delivered, first of all to the Europeans; this is sometimes seen much more from the outside than from the inside of the Union. I think that this is something that we have a responsibility as Europeans to bring back home, and too see with a certain lucidity what we have achieved. The anniversary of D-Day reminds us of how much Europe has done for Europe itself, for the neighbourhood and for peace and stability in the world, compared to how much war, instability and bloodshed Europeans had brought to the world in the previous centuries and decades. Speakers also highlighted how crucial and strategic the EU-United Nations partnership is. I would quote the Spanish Permanent Representative, who said, (spoke in Spanish) “[t]he relationship could not be any better”. (spoke in English) I think that this encapsulates the general outcome of our exchanges today. Speakers also stressed the added value of our role as the European Union and our cooperation with the United Nations on the many different issues that I mentioned in my introductory remarks; I will not go back to this. It also added to the already long and good list some new elements, integrating my introduction and mentioning key areas for the European Union and for our cooperation. These included the Balkans, in particular Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, but in general terms, the work that the European Union is doing with every single partner in the Western Balkans and with the region as a whole. It included also the work we are doing in faraway places, such as Myanmar, where we cherish our support and our cooperation, and also in general terms with our friends in South-East Asia, in the Far East and with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in particular on the issues of non-proliferation and, as we were reminded by our friends from New Zealand, on counter-terrorism. Here I would underline the words of the Egyptian representative on the importance of building a counter- narrative radicalization discourse, especially building on the European experience in valuing diversity and respect, which is the most powerful message we can put in place all together to counter the terrorist narrative. Also key is the work we do together on post-conflict issues, on crisis prevention, on the link between development and security that is at the core of the European Union’s external action, and the work we do on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, on the fight against xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, which is a key component of our internal and external policies. I would cite also our ongoing work, together with the United Nations, on respect for international law and its principles, starting with sovereignty and territorial integrity. Here I would like to acknowledge the words of the Ukrainian representative, and I thank him for recognizing the constant and consistent support that we are giving and will continue to give to Ukraine, especially with regard to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. I should like to react on only one issue, migration, because participants highlighted the work that we are trying to do and that we are doing. Operation Sophia has already saved tens of thousands of people directly, but it has also allowed us to save more than 100,000 people at sea. We would like to see no one die, either in the Mediterranean or in the desert. Here I would stress your words, Mr. President, when you say that this is a collective responsibility. We are doing our part; it is sometimes not easy politically inside Europe to do this, but we believe that this is our human duty and our political responsibility. We need the rest of the world to join us in this effort, because while the people who are dying in the desert are less visible, they are still a tragic loss that we cannot afford. So my plea to all present and to the international community as a whole and the United Nations system in particular is this: let us join forces to ensure that no one loses his or her life in desperate journeys, at sea, in the desert or on land. We need others here to support and contribute to this effort. One speaker mentioned the fact that the European Union is working to counter migration. No; we are trying to work to manage together a phenomenon that we know very well is here, is going to stay, is huge and does not relate only to Europe, because we know very well that the major flows are within Africa and within Asia, and in some cases they have been from Europe to Latin America. I myself come from a country that has experience in this respect, so we know very well that this is not a problem that we need to stop but a phenomenon that we need to manage together in a sense of partnership. This is the approach that we are taking in a spirit of common challenge, common responsibility and common solidarity, knowing also that migration can open up opportunities of different kinds for our societies if it is managed and addressed with a sense of partnership. That is exactly the meaning of our Valletta summit, which our Angolan friend was mentioning as a good common point. This is exactly the spirit in which tomorrow in Strasburg I will present the new migration package andr partnerships that the European Union will put in place, exactly in this spirit of working together, first of all for the sake of people’s lives and rights. I thank the members of the Council for this excellent exchange. Many speakers mentioned the role of the European Union and its member States. We see that in most respects we are the primary donor everywhere in the world, and the primary economic partner and economic investor in many different parts of the world. We are a major security provider with our 17 missions and operations in the region and many other places, mainly but not only in Africa. Together with our member States, we are a major diplomatic and political actor, especially on mediation. We would like all of this to be at the service of our common principles and values, knowing that the key elements of the European Union foreign and security policy are and shall remain those of dialogue, diplomacy and multilateralism. That is the European way. That is the United Nations way. And we look forward to strengthening our cooperation even more for the sake of peace and security in the world. (spoke in French): I thank you very much, Sir, for this exchange, which I found to be very useful and constructive.