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STORY: UN / SREBRENICA RESOLUTION VOTE
TRT: 03:37
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 23 MAY 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters
23 MAY 2024, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, General Assembly Hall
3. Wide shot, German Ambassador Antje Leendertse walks up to rostrum
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Germany:
“Almost 30 years ago, at least 8,372 Bosnian Muslims were systematically executed in the town of Srebrenica. Executions began on July 11th, 1995, and lasted several days. The prior designation of Srebrenica as a safe area through Security Council resolution 819 of 1993 could not prevent this crime from happening. Perpetrated amidst the Bosnian war, this act of genocide led to the tragic death of the victims and to unimaginable suffering for survivors and their families.”
5. Wide shot, Leendertse at the rostrum
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Antje Leendertse, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Germany:
“The resolution is closely modelled on the General Assembly resolution on the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. It creates an outreach program in order to facilitate annual remembrance within the United Nations and it invites all to join in this remembrance and reflection. The draft resolution also underscores the role of international courts in fighting impunity and ensuring accountability for genocide. And it contains language against genocide denial and glorification of perpetrators, urging member states to preserve established facts including through education.”
7. Wide shot, GA
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Aleksandar Vučić, President, Serbia:
“I'm asking those powerful, those big, and one might say arrogant, why did you need to make such a big pressure against UN member states in the last seven days just against one small country like Serbia? Why were you threatening the member states, those who didn't want to vote in favour of this resolution saying that if they don't vote in favour of that resolution, they will not get your support, your help, on economic and all the other issues? Is that European values? Democratic values? or you thought that I was not going to be able to speak up about it?”
9. Wide shot, GA
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Aleksandar Vučić, President, Serbia:
“This is something that will just open old wounds and that will create a complete political havoc, and not only in our region, but even here in this Hall.”
11. Wide shot, GA
12. UPSOUND (English) Dennis Francis, President, General Assembly:
“We shall now begin the voting process. Those in favour of draft resolution, A/78/L.67/Rev.1 please signify. Those against, and abstentions.”
13. Various shots, vote
14. UPSOUND (English) Dennis Francis, President, General Assembly:
“The result of the vote is as follows. In favour 84, against 19, abstentions 68. Draft resolution A/78/L.67/Rev.1 is adopted.”
15. Wide shot, General Assembly applause
With 84 votes in favour, 19 against, and 68 abstentions, the General Assembly today (23 May) adopted a resolution commemorating the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and declaring 11 July as the International Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide.
Introducing the draft resolution, German Ambassador Antje Leendertse said, “almost 30 years ago, at least 8,372 Bosnian Muslims were systematically executed in the town of Srebrenica. Executions began on July 11th, 1995, and lasted several days. The prior designation of Srebrenica as a safe area through Security Council resolution 819 of 1993 could not prevent this crime from happening. Perpetrated amidst the Bosnian war, this act of genocide led to the tragic death of the victims and to unimaginable suffering for survivors and their families.”
Leendertse noted the draft resolution was “closely modelled on the General Assembly resolution on the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi” and said, “it creates an outreach program in order to facilitate annual remembrance within the United Nations and it invites all to join in this remembrance and reflection.”
The draft resolution, she continued, “also underscores the role of international courts in fighting impunity and ensuring accountability for genocide. And it contains language against genocide denial and glorification of perpetrators, urging member states to preserve established facts including through education.”
Speaking before the vote, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić asked “those powerful, those big, and one might say arrogant, why did you need to make such a big pressure against UN member states in the last seven days just against one small country like Serbia? Why were you threatening the member states, those who didn't want to vote in favour of this resolution saying that if they don't vote in favour of that resolution, they will not get your support, your help, on economic and all the other issues? Is that European values? Democratic values? or you thought that I was not going to be able to speak up about it?”
Vučić said, “this is something that will just open old wounds and that will create a complete political havoc, and not only in our region, but even here in this Hall.”
In a statement, the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, welcomed the adoption of the resolution, which in her view “will be instrumental in honouring the victims, ensuring that their sacrifice is never forgotten as well as cementing the legacy of those who worked tirelessly to bring justice to them.”
