SECRETARY CLINTON CHAIRS UNANIMOUS ADOPTION OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000893 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO, AF, S/GWI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM SOCI KPKO KWMN UNSC CG SUBJECT: SECRETARY CLINTON CHAIRS UNANIMOUS ADOPTION OF UNSCR 1888 ON CONFLICT-RELATED SEXUAL VIOLENCE USUN NEW Y 00000893 001.2 OF 003 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Secretary of State Clinton chaired the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1888 on conflict-related sexual violence which was co-sponsored by 68 UN member states including 10 members of the Security Council. Russia, China, Libya, Uganda and Vietnam did not co-sponsor the text. All 15 members of the Security Council made statements, including Alain Joyandet, French Secretary of State for Cooperation and la Francophonie, Bedouma Alain Yoda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, as well as Secretary General Ban ki-Moon. Delegations were unanimous in their praise of U.S. leadership on the resolution's action-oriented nature, with many lauding its appointment of a Special Representative dedicated to sexual violence, and plans to deploy a team of experts to conflict areas. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) On September 30 Secretary of State Clinton chaired the unanimous adoption of UNSCR 1888. In addition to the members of the Security Council, dozens of non-governmental organizations and representatives from non-Council member states attended this open session. Applause broke out following several interventions, including after Secretary Clinton's remarks, a rare occurrence in the typically stoic Security Council. UNSCR 1888 was co-sponsored by a diverse list of 68 UN member states, including 10 members of the Security Council (see paragraph 9 for complete list of co-sponsors). Russia, China, Libya, Uganda and Vietnam were the Security Council members who refrained from co-s ponsoring the text. The Secretary delivered the U.S. statement, emphasizing that the Security Council bears primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, which includes protecting the lives and physical security of women and children. She urged member states to ensure that assistance programs include measures to prevent and respond to violence against women and children and include women when designing and implementing these programs. UN Secretary General Ban pledged to impleme nt the elements of 1888 and ensure that gender equality is advanced among United Nations staff. He commended the United States for its leadership on the resolution and stated that, "the Security Council is sending an unequivocal message," with the passage of 1888. ¶3. (SBU) Burkinabe Minister of Foreign Affairs Bedouma Alain Yoda focused on the widespread, "scourge of sexual violence," in Africa and stated that these acts create greater hatred among parties and makes peace harder to achieve. French Secretary of State for Cooperation and la Francophonie Alain Joyandet alerted the Council to the tragedy now occurring in Guinea, where acts of sexual violence were being committed against women. Joyandet emphasized the need to rapidly implement the components of UNSCR 1888, including by filling the new Special Representative (SRSG) post and ensuring that the team of experts and women's protection advisors be effectively constructed. He emphasized that the new SRSG should remain in close contact with the Special Representative on Children and Armed conflict, as acts of sexual violence are often focused on minors, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),where 60 percent of rapes are committed against children. Praise from Council Co-sponsors -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Delegations were unanimous in their praise of U.S. leadership with Turkey, Burkina Faso and most others praising the resolution's substantial and action-oriented nature. All speakers acknowledged that perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence should not enjoy impunity for their crimes. UK Permanent Representative John Sawers lauded UNSCR 1888's creation of steps, "to name and shame parties to armed conflict that perpetrated sexual violence," and highlighted the creation of the team of experts and measures to improve information flow within the UN system. Mexico and Costa Rica also specifically named the team of experts as a welcome component of the resolution, with Costa Rica recommending that it would be timely and appropriate to build on initiatives such as the UN Standing Police Capacity. Sawers noted the DRC Foreign Minister's statement during USUN NEW Y 00000893 002.2 OF 003 the recent General Debate which called sexual violence in his country one of the most shameful and serious crimes experienced by humanity in the twenty-first century; the UK welcomed steps taken by DRC forces to end these atrocities. Sawers ended his intervention by emphasizing that the Security Council must, "never again relegate the question of systemic sexual violence to being a secondary issue." Recognition of SRSG's Importance -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Mexico suggested that the SRSG work in a coordinated manner throughout the UN system, taking into consideration the broad relationship between UNSCR 1888, UNSCR 1820, as well as resolutions concerning children and armed conflict. Costa Rican Permanent Representative Jorge Urbina emphasized that the SRSG should not carry out operational activities, but strengthen those already in place to avoid duplication of effort. Turkish Permanent Representative Ertugrul Apakan stated that the appointment of an SRSG is, "an important, yet a most necessary and belated step," and demonstrated the international community's commitment and political will to preventing sexual violence against women. Croatia and Austria were similarly enthusiastic, with Croatian Permanent Representative Ranko Vilovic stating that the idea, "deserves special praise." France, and Turkey also specifically commended the resolution's creation of an SRSG. ¶6. (SBU) Mexican Permanent Representative Claude Heller stated that the significant number of resolution co-sponsors demonstrated the resolve of the international community, and urged the Council to pay close attention to ongoing negotiations on the establishment of a gender entity and commit to renew the SRSG's term in two years. Japanese Permanent Representative Yukio Takasu encouraged countries to provide women and children with a full range of services to protect and empower them via a human security approach. As the Chair of the Human Security Network, Costa Rica also emphasized the importance of human security, including prevention, protection, women's participation, accountability, assistance to victims and data collection. Austria noted its plan to focus on the issue of protection of civilians in armed conflict during its Security Council presidency in November. Statements from China, Libya, Russia, Uganda and Vietnam -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Chinese Permanent Representative Zhang Yesui welcomed the "flexible spirit" of the negotiations and underscored China's condemnation of all acts of violence against women, including conflict-related sexual violence. Zhang appealed to all parties to armed conflict to respect both international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and emphasized that Governments bear the primary responsibility to prevent sexual violence. He stated that women's participation and concern for their rights should be central to the peace processes and civil society groups should play an active role. Russian Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin focused on a comprehensive approach to women's rights, stating that sexual violence should not be considered separately from other issues of gender equality and women's empowerment, including their participation in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction. ¶8. Vietnamese Permanent Representative Le Luong Minh welcomed the increasing awareness of sexual violence since the passage of UNSCR 1820 and emphasized that women's empowerment will ensure that their, "voices are heard, rights respected and needs met." He proposed the creation of a broad strategic framework to protect women and girls to include social, economic and development issues. As the next President of the Security Council, Vietnam will convene an open debate October 5 on "Responding to the needs of women and girls in post-conflict situations for sustainable peace and security." Ugandan Permanent Representative Ruhankana Rugunda welcomed the resolution's USUN NEW Y 00000893 003.2 OF 003 adoption, while emphasizing that strong rule-of-law and capacity-building measures are needed to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. Libya also focused on impunity, recalling the Council's visit to the DRC and other African countries suffering from conflict. Libyan Permanent Representative Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalgham stated that it is, "indispensible that legislation be adopted to ensure that perpetrators, whether in Iraq, the DRC or Palestine," be brought to justice. Cosponsors of Resolution 1888 -------------- ¶9. UNSCR 1888 co-sponsors are Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Liberia, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United Republic of Tanzania, and United States of America. RICE