Wednesday, February 19, 2014

KERRY AND JORDAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Kerry, Jordanian Foreign Minister Judeh Before Meeting in Paris

19 February 2014
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE-Office of the Spokesperson-February 19, 2014-REMARKS
Secretary of State John Kerry-with Jordanian Foreign Minister Judeh-Before Their Meeting
February 19, 2014-Paris, France

SECRETARY KERRY: It’s great to be able to visit with Foreign Minister Judeh, who has been a tremendous partner in so many efforts with respect to Syria, with respect to the Middle East as a whole, and particularly we are listening very carefully to our friends in Jordan regarding the Middle East peace process. His Majesty King Abdullah just had a very good meeting with President Obama in California. We are discussing a number of ongoing security issues regarding the relationship, and we’re particularly grateful to the role that Jordan has played with respect to the Syrian refugees. It’s an extraordinary burden.
We’re proud that we’re the number one donor to this crisis, but both of us want to stop having increased clients. We want an end to the refugee crisis, an end to the problem of Syria, and we’re working hard to find ways forward on that. Thanks for visiting.

FOREIGN MINISTER JUDEH: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary, and as my good friend the Secretary of State said, I am here in the wake of an extremely successful visit by His Majesty the King to the United States. His Majesty just returned to Jordan yesterday – an extremely successful meeting with President Obama in Sunnylands, California, and His Majesty had the chance to receive the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C. before that. Excellent discussions. We are not just friends. We keep reminding the world we’re not just friends, we are true partners.And it is in this spirit that we meet here today, first of all to build on the very productive discussions that His Majesty had with American Administration officials and Congress and different friends, but also to keep in touch and to coordinate closely. This is the nature of our relationship. The political consultation is constant and intensive and ongoing, particularly at this juncture. His Majesty the King is always very careful to point to the diligent efforts that Secretary Kerry, on behalf of President Obama and the Administration, is conducting when it comes to Middle East peacemaking. He has visited the region a number of times only in this last year and engaged with the leaders.And when it comes to Middle East peace, and peace between Palestinians and Israelis in particular, we are always also careful to point to the Jordanian national interest, and Jordan is a stakeholder, not just a mediator or observer. All final status issues touch the very heart of Jordanian interests and (inaudible). And therefore, we are as interested as anyone out there in having this result in a fruitful outcome, and we salute the efforts of the Secretary of State on this front.We are also extremely grateful for his constant care to keep us updated at every juncture and with each development in that regard, and we also want to build on the discussions that took place between His Majesty and the President and the Secretary of State when it comes to the challenge of Syria. And as the Secretary pointed out, we are at the receiving end of a huge humanitarian spillover, with 600,000 refugees plus 700,000 economic migrants before that – 1.3 million Syrian nationals on our soil – and the huge challenge that that represents to our infrastructure and to many of our key sectors.So I look forward to, as always, an excellent discussion with the Secretary of State and to coordinate closely and to keep each other informed. So I thank you for this opportunity.SECRETARY KERRY: Thanks, Nasser.

U.S. Envoy at U.N. Debate on Promoting, Strengthening Rule of Law

19 February 2014
United States Mission to the United Nations-New York, N.Y.-February 19, 2014-AS DELIVERED
Remarks by Ambassador Rosemary A. DiCarlo, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council Debate on the Promotion and Strengthening of the Rule of Law in the Maintenance of International Peace and Security, February 19, 2014

Thank you, Mr. President and thank you for your presence here today and for organizing this debate on the vitally important issue of the rule of law. We also thank the Secretary-General for his valuable comments.
Mr. President, respect for the rule of law is critical for the establishment of stable, secure, and democratic post-conflict societies. But it takes hard work, sustained over a long period of time, to build a culture of respect for the rule of law in a post-conflict context. And it takes the support of the international community. As a result, it is important for us to consider what tools the United Nations can use to help foster the rule of law in nations emerging from conflict.In the wake of conflict, UN involvement often comes in the form of peacekeeping operations. And peacekeeping operations are particularly well positioned to spearhead the strengthening of rule of law institutions. Peacekeeping missions should always include rule of law experts who can serve on the front lines of supporting national justice and accountability efforts.For example, the UN Mission in Cote d’Ivoire assisted the government after conflict in restoring civilian policing presence throughout the country, and restructuring the internal security services. It also supported the Ministry of the Interior and Security in developing draft laws and regulations on the organizational structure, jurisdiction and functioning of the national police. As part of this, with the UN Country Team, UNOCI provided training to some 500 members of the national security forces on the protection of civilians. Meanwhile, in Haiti, MINUSTAH’s investment in the Haitian National Police as part of a broad effort to promote the rule of law has reduced Haiti’s reliance on international military forces to provide day-to-day security.Against this backdrop, peacekeeping missions can also play an important role in supporting national and international efforts to bring to justice those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, including through support for apprehension of fugitives.In addition to peacekeeping, UN development programs have made significant contributions to the rule of law. For example, the UNDP rule of law program in Darfur raises awareness of human rights and the rule of law. It works with local leaders, organizations and authorities to help end violations of international human rights law. The goal is to restore people’s confidence in both rule of law institutions and to gradually build a culture of rule of law and justice in the region.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN has assisted in the creation of mobile courts that have helped the country’s justice system tackle the challenge of sexual and gender-based violence in the conflict-ridden east.While it is important to consider the individual tools that are available, it is also important that the UN’s rule of law activities take a holistic, integrated and balanced approach. The Secretary-General’s institutional reforms in this respect are especially welcome. The strategic role of the Rule of Law Coordination and Resources Group chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General and the UN’s Global Focal Point arrangement on the rule of law – where the Department of Peacekeeping Operations works with the UN Development Program – could help enhance coordination and lead to concrete results on the ground. We are encouraged that these UN entities are joining forces to develop and implement common police, justice and corrections programs. We hope that these efforts will remove the disconnect that sometimes exists between New York and the field. In this context, we understand that the Global Focal Point is now coordinating on rule of law issues in Mali and look forward to the outcome of this work.Ultimately, national ownership is essential in successfully advancing the rule of law. Governments, at all levels, must buy into the core tenets of the rule of law. This includes the central principle that governments are accountable to the law and that no person is above the law. Only through a commitment to the rule of law at the highest levels, can rule of law permeate through all levels of society.Mr. President, let me reiterate that we strongly support the United Nations doing its part in promoting the rule of law, and encourage it to foster a culture of accountability in all of its work. Thank you.
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