Security Council Quotes

• Peace is not made at the council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men.

  Herbert Hoover

  Peace, Heart, Men

  75 Copy quote

• A nation has the right to defend itself, but when it comes to the broader issue of peace and security, the legitimacy rests only with the Security Council.

  Kofi Annan

  Issues, Legitimacy, Council

  5 Copy quote

• The Security Council should be seen as the executive committee of the global security system set up after World War II. Its members, and especially the Permanent 5 (P5), have a special responsibility for international peace and security.

  Kofi Annan

  War, Responsibility, Security Systems

  Source: www.accaglobal.com

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• Our effort was a serious effort, genuine effort, to open the door for peace, unfortunately, the Security Council is not ready to listen to that message.

  Riyad Mansour

  Peace, Doors, Effort

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• Unless the Security Council is restored to its pre-eminent position as the sole source of legitimacy on the use of force, we are on a dangerous path to anarchy.

  Kofi Annan

  Use, Anarchy, Path

  Daily Press Briefing Of Office Of Spokesman For Secretary-General, www.un.org. May 18, 1999.

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• We need a reform of the Security Council. It must be perceived as truly representative by all the 191 member states, to uphold the credibility and legitimacy of the UN as the main political arena.

  Anna Lindh

  Political, Reform, Needs

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• Britain, Europe's second largest economy, a member of the G-7 and the UN Security Council, wants to leave the EU. That weakens us and it weakens Britain.

  Martin Schulz

  Europe, Want, Economy

  Source: www.spiegel.de

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• The United Nations remains our most important global actor. These days we are continuously reminded of the enormous responsibility of the Security Council to uphold international peace and stability.

  Anna Lindh

  Responsibility, Important, Actors

  53 Copy quote

• International institutions like the Security Council, the General Assembly, the G20, the BRICs, the IMF, etc., continue to be little more than an extension of the (increasingly conflicting) values and interests of member states.

  Ian Bremmer

  Littles, Etc, Imf

  "A World Without Leadership: Ten Questions with Ian Bremmer (Part 1)". Interview with Ali Wyne, bigthink.com. May 6, 2012.

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• I feel that when the reforms in UN take place and the Security Council will be expanded in the permanent membership category, India will have a place, I hope so, but first it is to be expanded.

  Pranab Mukherjee

  India, Reform, Membership

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• The unfair composition of the Security Council is largely acknowledged. The principal defects are the anachronistic privileges of the five permanent members of the Council and the Council's insufficient representativeness.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Privilege, Unfair, Members

  "Promotion of a democratic and equitable international order". August 07, 2013.

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• The abuse of the veto power has become so predictable that frequently resolutions are not even tabled because of the certainty of a veto against their adoption. Necessary discussion is thereby suppressed. Concerted action by the Security Council, the General Assembly and other United Nations agencies is necessary to prevent major human rights violations, stop ongoing breaches and provide remedies to victims.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Agency, Rights, Adoption

  "Promotion of a democratic and equitable international order". August 07, 2013.

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• I do not exclude this, but I would like to draw your attention to one absolutely key aspect: In line with international law, only the U.N. Security Council can sanction the use of force against a sovereign state. Any other pretext or method which might be used to justify the use of force against an independent sovereign state is inadmissible and can only be interpreted as an aggression.

  Vladimir Putin

  Independent, Gay, Keys

  "G20: Russia says it will consider Syria military action but needs more proof". "AM", www.abc.net.au. September 5, 2013.

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• The failure of the United Nations - My failure is maybe, in retrospective, that I was not enough aggressive with the members of the Security Council.

  Boutros Boutros-Ghali

  Enough, Members, Aggressive

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• We should find other platforms, other forums for that [foreign policy], and there are plenty of them, including, for example, the UN and the Security Council.

  Vladimir Putin

  Example, Platforms, Should

  Source: thesaker.is

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• The sanctions may be imposed only by the decision of the UN Security Council. A unilateral imposition of sanctions is a violation of international law.

  Vladimir Putin

  Law, Decision, May

  Source: www.russianembassy.org

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• If I were doing the Security Council today, I'd have one permanent member, the United States, because that's the real reflection of the distribution of power in the world. All international laws are invalid, meaningless attempts to constrict American power.

  John Bolton

  Real, Reflection, Distribution Of Power

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• The Soviet Union, and Russia as the successor state to the Soviet Union, is a founding member state of the United Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council.

  Vladimir Putin

  Russia, Unions, States

  "Interview of President Vladimir V.Putin to American TV channel CBS and PBS". Interview with Charlie Rose, m.rusemb.org.uk.

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• If Saddam Hussein is unwilling to bend to the international community's already existing order, then he will have invited enforcement, even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act.

  John F. Kerry

  Hands, Order, Community

  "We Still Have a Choice on Iraq" by John F. Kerry, www.nytimes.com. September 6, 2002.

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• Well, the United States has said that the disarmament of Iraq is the top priority, but we have also noted that there are many other United Nations Security Council Resolutions which are on the books, including the necessity to respect the human rights of all the citizens of Iraq that we're very interested in.

  Richard Armitage

  Book, Rights, Iraq

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• Beijing would indeed consider vetoing any American effort to sanction Iran at the Security Council.

  Li Zhaoxing

  Iran, Effort, Beijing

  "Coming to Terms with China" by Chalmers Johnson, www.motherjones.com. March 16, 2005.

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• There is no sign, not one sign, that the Iraqi regime has any intent to comply fully with the terms of Resolution 1441, just as it has failed to comply with previous U.N. Security Council resolutions. The international community gave Iraq one final opportunity to disarm peacefully, and that opportunity has run its course. Dr. Blix [Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector] told us on Monday that there has been no progress toward credible, verifiable disarmament.

  Richard Armitage

  Running, Monday, Opportunity

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• The views of the European Union are fully reflected in this text, particularly the key objective of the EU, namely vigorously to address the disarmament of Iraq and to do so within the framework of the UN Security Council.

  Javier Solana

  Iraq, Keys, Views

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• Finally, I am encouraged to note that the Security Council issued a statement today expressing its concern about the massive humanitarian crisis in Darfur and calling on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and reach a ceasefire.

  Jan Egeland

  Party, Calling, Ceasefire

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• The United States must also continue to push the United Nations Security Council for strong action to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. In the meantime, it is our job to take meaningful steps to eliminate the threats posed by Iran.

  Allyson Schwartz

  Meaningful, Strong, Jobs

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