13 Feb 2013

UN / EU COOPERATION

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, briefs the Security Council on cooperation between the European Union and the UN. UNTV

Posted at: February 13, 2013 5:08 pm

Duration: 02:12

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: UN / EU COOPERATION
TRT: 2.12
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 13 FEBRUARY 2013, NEW YORK

SHOTLIST:

FILE – UNTV – 2011, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters

13 FEBRUARY 2013, NEW YORK

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU:
"The current crisis in Mali provides us with a challenging test case: the threat posed by terrorist groups is not only a threat to the existence of one country but to the security of a region and the international community. It calls for swift and coordinated international action, for which the UN is playing a leading role.
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU:
"We need to do more. It is important to stress the central coordinating role that has been assigned to the United Nations under Security Council resolution 2085. We appreciate the leadership the UN Security Council has shown, was well as the recognition that was given to EU efforts. All of us need to support the UN in taking on greater responsibility, with for example a peacekeeping operation, particularly in the crucial stabilization phase."
7. Cutaway, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU:
"We remain determined to work towards a solution of the Iranian nuclear issue based on the dual track approach. There is no doubt that the pressure of sanctions has been instrumental in bringing Iran back to the negotiating table-but sanctions cannot be an end in themselves. The key is for Iran to comply with its international obligations."
9. Cutaway, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU:
"It remains vital therefore that the international community stays united and shows its determination. The EU will work with key partners, especially with the Council, to build a firm and unified response aiming at demonstrating to the DPRK that there are consequences for its continued violations."
11. Cutaway, delegates
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, EU:
"It will be equally important to engage on planning for the future and to closely involve the Syrian Opposition Coalition in the process. The EU will support a political transition with effective measures on the ground, institutional and economic recovery, post conflict accountability and needs/disaster assessment."
13. Cutaway, delegates
14. Wide shot, Security Council

STORYLINE:

Catherine Ashton said today (13 February) referring to the crisis in Mali that the threat posed by terrorist groups was not only a threat to the existence of one country but to the security of a region and the international community.

Briefing the United Nations (UN) Security Council in New York on Cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations, the European Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security added that Mali's terrorist crisis called "for swift and coordinated international action, for which the UN is playing a leading role".

Noting that lasting peace and reconstruction for Mali required long term commitments and that the 29 January donors conference had helped in further mobilizing international support, Ashton stressed that more needed to be done. She expressed her appreciation for the Councils leadership, still she said that the international community needed to support the UN in taking on greater responsibilities, "with for example a peacekeeping operation, particularly in the crucial stabilization phase".

Talking about EU cooperation with the issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions, Ashton said that there was no doubt that the pressure mounted through sanctions had been instrumental in bringing Iran back to the negotiating table, but Ashton said "sanctions cannot be an end in themselves. The key is for Iran to comply with its international obligations".

And commenting on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) recent nuclear test she said that the EU will work with its key partners and the Security Council, "to build a firm and unified response aiming at demonstrating to the DPRK that there are consequences for its continued violations".

When it came to the Syrian crisis, while pointing out the European Union's further imposition of sanctions to the Syrian regime and its work on improving the opposition's operational capacity, Ashton said that it was equally important to engage on planning for the future and involving the Opposition in that process.

She ended by expressing the EU's support for a Syrian political transition "with effective measures on the ground, post conflict accountability and the needs/disaster assessment".