TRT: 02:31
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 1 FEBRUARY 2023, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
SHOTLIST:
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN Headquarters
1 FEBRUARY 2023, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of February:
“With regards to UN Security Council resolutions on Ukraine, we do not foresee it. Clearly, there could be some countries that will take the initiative, but as Malta, we do not foresee it and as presidency we have not received the notification of a resolution in the council.”
4. Med shot, journalists in the audience
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of February:
“Putting on my national hat, we are very concerned about what’s going on in the Middle East. We have expressed ourselves, our position is known when it comes to the Middle East. We feel that it is important at the moment that both sides try to tone down, don’t take any action which can be provocative, and try to calm the situation if possible, so that we are able to have more dialogue when it comes to the situation. We respect Security Council resolutions. For us, those are our guidelines. And as Malta, our position is very clear: we wish we wish to see the two state solution with [19]67 borders.”
6. Med shot, journalist asking question
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of February:
“The situation in Iran and what is going on with the women is something of grave concern and it is not acceptable. We have made our position known on this and the situation really needs to be rectified. And I think, even though we believe and absolutely agree with President Biden that diplomacy is the best solution, there is currently no appetite for any diplomacy when this unrest and this persecution of women is ongoing. Therefore, in order to allow the diplomatic process to proceed, the situation in Iran needs to stabilize.”
8. Med shot, journalist asking question
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of February:
“Women are being abandoned and they have become second-class citizens, and this is not acceptable. I think that the Security Council has already voiced it and has already shown that it is keeping abreast of this situation. There have been two private meetings held in January. I’m sure that we will continue discussing it in February.”
10. Wide shot, press room
STORYLINE:
The UN Security Council will hold a ministerial meeting about Ukraine on 24 February, to mark the one year anniversary of the conflict with Russia, but there are no plans to vote on a resolution, informed the President of the Council for the month of February.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday (1 Feb), the Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of February, said “With regards to UN Security Council resolutions on Ukraine, we do not foresee it. Clearly, there could be some countries that will take the initiative, but as Malta, we do not foresee it and as presidency we have not received the notification of a resolution in the council.”
The ambassador also confirmed that, so far, two other meetings about the conflict in Ukraine have been requested and they will happen on the 6th and 8th of February.
On her national capacity, Frazier said Malta is “very concerned about what’s going on in the Middle East.”
“We have expressed ourselves, our position is known when it comes to the Middle East. We feel that it is important, at the moment, that both sides try to tone down, don’t take any action which can be provocative, and try to calm the situation if possible, so that we are able to have more dialogue when it comes to the situation,” said the Permanent Representative.
Speaking about the situation in Iran, the ambassador said that “what is going on with the women is something of grave concern and it is not acceptable.”
She added, “even though we believe and absolutely agree with President Biden that diplomacy is the best solution, there is currently no appetite for any diplomacy when this unrest and this persecution of women is ongoing. Therefore, in order to allow the diplomatic process to proceed, the situation in Iran needs to stabilize.”
The president of the Security Council also mentioned Afghanistan, saying that “women are being abandoned and they have become second-class citizens, and this is not acceptable.”
“I think that the Security Council has already voiced it and has already shown that it is keeping abreast of this situation. There have been two private meetings held in January. I’m sure that we will continue discussing it in February,” she concluded.
