Ashton tells UN Security Council: EU is committed partner for UN in search for international peace

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In a wide-ranging statement to the UN Security Council in New York on 14 February 2014, High Representative Catherine Ashton spoke about ways in which the EU was working with the UN. She reiterated the "strong commitment of the European Union to support and work for effective multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, in search of lasting solutions to critical international peace and security challenges."

Some of the issues she highlighted where the EU was playing an important international role included the Iranian nuclear negotiations, the Belgrade - Pristina dialogue and the stabilisation of Somalia. Catherine Ashton said she was proud that the EU was "a reliable partner of the UN."

Catherine Ashton was speaking at the UN Security Council when it heard statements on "Cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations". Below is her statement.

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  As delivered -

Mr President,

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  Thank you very much for inviting me to address the Security Council today.
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  Can I congratulate the Republic of Lithuania for its Presidency and membership of the Council - the first time that you serve on this distinguished body - as well as Chad, Chile, Jordan and Nigeria for their election to the Security Council.
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  May I pay tribute to Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, a good friend and a good partner. The EU has always supported your leadership, your efforts to reform the UN and make it more effective and the use of your 'good offices' to mediate, engage and achieve progress in conflict and crisis situations that are of concern to all of us.
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  By doing this, I want to reiterate the strong commitment of the European Union to support and work for effective multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, in search of lasting solutions to critical international peace and security challenges.
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  Our contribution is threefold :

o Our direct involvement in international negotiations on behalf of the international community;

o Our capacity to implement a comprehensive approach and use a wide range of tools to solve crises;

o Our close work with our international and region partners, where only collective efforts can deliver results.

Mr President,

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  In my role as High Representative, I'm responsible for leading on the Iranian Nuclear issue. Based on the mandate I received from the Security Council and together with the E3+3, we are engaging in intensive diplomatic efforts to seek a negotiated solution that meets the international community's concerns on the Iranian nuclear programme.
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  Our strength and our credibility derive from the unity of the E3+3 (P5+1) but also from the support received from the international community. I'm grateful for the constant support of the UN Security Council and I also appreciate the progress that has been achieved between Iran and the IAEA.
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  We are now implementing the Joint Plan of Action, agreed in Geneva last November, which is the first confidence building step to address the most urgent concerns on the Iranian nuclear programme. But, it is only the first step and we will start discussions next week in Vienna aimed at achieving a comprehensive and final settlement.

Mr President,

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  I feel proud of our work last year, facilitating the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Historical progress was made in the normalization of relations between the two sides. The Council had the opportunity to hear Prime Minister Dacic and Prime Minister Thaci addressing the Council on Monday this week and you will know from them how important and how positive this work has been for their people, for the stability of the Western Balkans region and for its European future.
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  From the beginning of this Dialogue I have facilitated 22 meetings between the Prime Ministers, with meetings lasting in total 226 hours. The last meeting took place just two days ago.
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  This has been a process with concrete results that have changed people's everyday lives on the ground. The First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations reached last April was a turning point in their relations. Its implementation has included the successful holding of Kosovo-wide local elections including for the first time in northern Kosovo and the integration of all security and justice structures into the Kosovo legal framework.
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  Because of this progress, the EU was able to respond by opening accession negotiations with Serbia and launching negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo. In the future, the dialogue will become more and more part of the EU integration process of both parties.
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  But the message to Pristina and Belgrade today is that it is crucial that the dialogue continues, and that they maintain the same commitment. The EU's and my own commitment to this process remain as strong as before.
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  Apart from the clear benefits for each side, we hope this dialogue can and should be the inspiration for positive changes, for a new momentum, in other parts of the Western Balkans. I think particularly of the events in Bosnia and Herzegovina today.

Mr President,

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  A particular strength of the EU is its ability to use a broad toolbox of instruments and policies that the EU - collectively with its Member States - have at their disposal to engage effectively in all phases of conflict.
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  We strive to put this into practice in close cooperation with international, regional and local partners - from prevention and early warning, to conflict management, post-conflict transition and sustainable development. This comprehensive approach has been certainly best exemplified in dealing with crises in Africa, where our cooperation with the UN and the African Union has been instrumental in achieving results.
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  In Somalia, we work with our partners and make use of a wide range of tools and resources in support of stability, security and development.
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  With the help of EU ATALANTA, piracy has dropped by 95% in about 3 years. We are helping to build up regional maritime capacity and train Somali security forces. We are deeply engaged diplomatically and politically, and as Somalia's biggest donor, we are a key partner for development assistance. The "New Deal" that the EU, Somalia and partners set out in September last year forms the basis of our engagement with the country, to accompany Somalia's transition.
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  We continue to be a steadfast supporter of the UN mission in the country (UNSOM). I also urge everyone to continue to support AMISOM and the Somali National Armed Forces as they step up their operations against Al-Shabaab.
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  One thing is certain, Mr President: as we seek to empower Somalia politically, we must do so by empowering its institutions and its people, across the country. That means that we will have to link together political processes, security and justice systems, economic growth, and service delivery so that we empower and enable the Somali government to carry out its sovereign functions.

Mr President,

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  I want to thank the Secretary-General for his personal commitment to the Sahel region and I welcome the UN Sahel Strategy. The Secretary General's mission to Mali, where my colleague, Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, also participated, was an important signal. So was of course also the visit of this Council earlier this month.
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  We have demonstrated from the beginning of the crisis our willingness to help Mali and the countries in the wider Sahel-Sahara region. We have provided humanitarian assistance to Mali up to €550m in 2013 and 2014. We have pledged €1,28bn in development aid to Mali that has already started to be committed.
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  Our two crisis management missions in Niger (EUCAP SAHEL Niger) and Mali (European Union Training Mission - EUTM) have delivered encouraging results, but it will take time and determination to build capacity up to existing challenges. A complementary civilian mission is under preparation that will help support the internal security forces of Mali in their fight against terrorism and illegal trafficking, while contributing to the reform of the security sector at large.

Mr President,

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  As the Secretary-General has said, we remain deeply concerned about the heavy civilian casualties, massive displacements of people, serious human rights violations and a worsening of the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic. It is imperative for the international community to act to enable a lasting solution to be found.
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  African countries and France responded swiftly, through the deployment of the MISCA and Sangaris forces. The EU will play its part in helping the Central African Republic by sending a crisis management mission to contribute to stability on the ground and the protection of civilians in the Bangui area. Our aim must be to ensure humanitarian aid can reach those mostly in need.
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  To re-establish the rule of law, a gendarmerie component will be embedded in the European force, which will facilitate cooperation on the ground. In parallel, the EU is setting up programs aiming at a swift reinstallation of the judiciary system, fully respecting local ownership. This is a crucial component; it will help us to sustain local progress on ending impunity for perpetrators of violations and enabling reconciliation efforts to bring communities back together.
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  I believe that the task is immense. We will work closely with the African-led MISCA and French forces already in the country and provide a bridging operation towards a proposed handover to the African Union, with which we have established good cooperation which continues. Should this Council decide that a full UN peacekeeping operation is best suited to take on this task, we will be happy to work with you to ensure a well-coordinated international support operation.

Mr President,

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  More and more, the most difficult challenges to international peace and security require that we join forces. We are therefore working closely with international, regional and local partners.
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  The disastrous conflict in Syria continues. We are determined to support the efforts to try and find a way out of this terrible situation. The Geneva negotiations, and I pay tribute to Lakhdar Brahimi, are a crucial first step to enable confidence building based on tangible results and relief for the population of Syria.
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  As Valerie Amos reminded us yesterday, with 9.3 million Syrians in need of outside assistance, half of them children, we are reaching the limits of what the international community can do. The neighbouring countries are sheltering close to 3 million refugees. We continue to support them, but the dangers for Lebanon and Jordan, as well as threats to the territorial integrity of Iraq are real and increasing.
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  At the recent conference hosted by Kuwait, we pledged an additional €550m for the relief effort raising its overall contribution to €2.6bn. Yet, the UN's unprecedented fundraising appeal of €6.5bn - of which only a third has yet been reached - clearly shows the urgency of settling the conflict in order to move forward.
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  We will continue in its humanitarian efforts and press all parties to allow unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and medical care country wide, and to allow civilians to evacuate.
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  We are deeply concerned that there are delays in the transfer process of the CW out of Syria. We are strong supporters of the SG's efforts. We and the Member States have provided substantial contributions to the OPCW, with armoured vehicles and with contributions to the trust fund.

Mr President,

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  Sustainable peace has far too often proven to be elusive in the Middle East. We want to commend the leadership shown by President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu and we fully support the tireless efforts of US Secretary of State, John Kerry. We stand ready to support and contribute substantially to post-conflict arrangements to ensure the sustainability and implementation of a peace agreement.
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  In December, the EU decided to offer an unprecedented package of European political, economic and security support to the Palestinians and Israelis in the context of a final status agreement. That includes a Special Privileged Partnership with the EU aiming - amongst other things - to increase access to the European markets, closer cultural and scientific links, facilitation of trade and investments, promotion of business to business relations, all of this in the event of final peace agreement.
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  This is a genuine and tangible European offer. We look forward to a future relationship between itself and the two parties to help to develop a positive interdependence and a new mutually beneficial, peaceful relationship. The role of other regional actors is essential and I want to reiterate the strategic importance of the Arab Peace Initiative in securing a wider peace.
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  But for the negotiations to succeed there needs to be an increase in mutual trust between the parties, and any violence should be avoided at all costs. Incidents of violence in the occupied territory, continuous rocket fire into Israel, the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, incitement as well as actions that undermine the status quo of the holy sites, they all push an agreement further away. In that same context, of course I cannot but deplore the continuing Israeli expansion of settlements. They are illegal under international law and they constitute a significant obstacle to peace.

Mr President,

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  There are many other issues of concern to the European Union which may not be on top of your agenda but that are on top of mine and it would be remiss of me not to mention them here. We are especially worried at the moment about the situation in our own neighbourhood, especially Ukraine and Egypt, but we also feel a special responsibility to help these countries find a way out of their current difficulties.
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  I have been to Ukraine 3 times in the last 2 months and have seen people standing on the streets of Kiev for the last 85 days, in support of the country's modernisation and progress. I commend the peaceful nature of the Ukrainian demonstrations; at the same time, I condemn strongly the expressions of violence that have occurred and continue to occur in the country. Those who have committed violence need to be brought to justice. Those who carry the responsibility to protect the Ukrainian people's right to free speech and assembly need to ensure that these rights are safeguarded, in compliance with Ukraine's own international commitments.
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  We hope that a negotiated way out of the current political crisis can be found soon, the elements for that are in place. We stand ready to work with all parties within Ukraine and with the relevant international organisations to facilitate a solution. However, this has to be Ukrainian owned and a Ukrainian led process.
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  Democracy-building too in Egypt requires hard work, commitment and compromise. The aim is to achieve democratic, transparent and accountable institutions that protect all citizens of Egypt and their fundamental rights.
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  Three years have passed since Egyptian women and men from all walks of life rose up calling for freedom, human dignity, social justice and better economic conditions. Throughout that period, the EU has stood by the Egyptian people.
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  We follow with great concern the violent events and loss of life, before and during the constitutional referendum, and on the occasion of the third anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. I have condemned in the clearest possible terms all acts of violence as well as terrorist attacks. I have also condemned the disproportional use of force and supported the call for an investigation. Furthermore, we are concerned about the detention of political dissidents and journalists. We believe that freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful protest must be safeguarded.
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  We believe the ratification of the new Constitution by the referendum is a positive step implementing the road map, especially the human rights chapter including freedom of expression, assembly and women's rights. The Constitution should be applied in a way that ensures full civilian control over the branches of government. But the process was flawed by the lack of a truly representative drafting process, and the lack of political space for dissenting opinion.
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  We welcome the announcement of elections which should lead to a democratically elected President and a fair representation of different political views in the future parliament. We have been invited to observe the upcoming elections. An EU Election Observation Mission will be able to assess whether conditions are conducive for inclusion, transparency and credible elections.
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  We are concerned, too, about the deteriorating economic situation in Egypt. Economic justice and a better life for all Egyptians is a prerequisite for a stable and prosperous country. We will continue providing socio-economic support to the poorest and most vulnerable groups of the society and we will assist Egypt's vibrant civil society. We stand ready to support the Egyptian people into the future.

Mr President,

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  I think this will be the last time - as High Representative - that I address this Council. I would like to thank you for what has been a tremendous pleasure and honour for me. I am also proud that we are a reliable partner of the UN and of this esteemed Council.

See also:

The Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council on "Cooperation between the UN and Regional and Sub-regional Organizations" (European Union)