Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-07-12

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] FM Molyviatis addresses UN Security Council on its role in humanitarian crises

[01] FM Molyviatis addresses UN Security Council on its role in humanitarian crises

The foreign minister focused on the issue proposed by the Security Council's Greek Presidency for the month of July:"The role of the Security Council in humanitarian crises:challenges, experiences and prospects."

Molyviatis presented the members of the Security Council with specific proposals on preventing the repetition of humanitarian crises and the threat of new conflicts, stressing that "the following three issues must be handled with success:a) Strengthening the state of law, b) Disarming, discharging and rehabilitating fighters, c) Reforms in the security sector."

He continued by saying "allow me to begin the discussion with a statement in my national capacity. Out of all the crises which have affected peace and stability in our globalised world since the beginning of the '90s, it is the humanitarian crises which touch our hearts and minds most. Nobody can forget Somalia, Rwanda or the Balkans, for me to mention only three of them as an example."

Molyviatis pointed out that it is a fact of great importance that the discussion is coinciding in time with the process of reforming the UN, meaning that it is coming at a time when efforts are being made to achieve more effective international action.

"Issues raised before the Security Council as threats for peace and security have been widened substantively in past years. The Security Council reacted sometimes to avert humanitarian crises. On other occasions it did not," he said.

"Of course, the responsibility and obligation of protecting non-combatants continues to belong to the countries concerned. However, in cases of mass human violations and atrocities the international community has an obligation towards the victims of such violent acts. The United Nations, and the Security Council in particular, must take effective action to alleviate the grief of non-combatants and to prevent humanitarian disasters," the foreign minister added.

Molyviatis further said he was pleased by the fact that the Security Council has made considerable efforts in past years to tackle this challenge, guided by the spherical concept of human security.

"This concept includes such issues as:Human rights, the protection of non-combatants in armed conflicts, and of women and children in particular, those displaced internally and of refugees and combatting the illegal trade of small and light arms," he pointed out.

"Humanitarian crises are surely not identical. Each one has its own characteristics," the foreign minister said, adding that "the managing of crises must be collective. However, operational action must be adjusted to the particularities and needs of each stage."

Molyviatis also said "I believe that the prevention of future humanitarian crises requires the timely handling of these issues and coordinated action by the Security Council, as well as by the other bodies and organisations of the system of the United Nations and of regional Organisations. Cooperation among member-states is very important."

The foreign minister concluded by saying that "the effective and timely handling of humanitarian crises by the Security Council is of vital importance. The peoples we represent, international public opinion, will accept nothing less than success."

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