Quit. This regime in iran is the worlds leading sponsor of terror. It has murdered americans, israelis, and jews across the globe. It is categorically devoted to the destruction of the state of israel. It is training and arming militant groups across the middle east. It is destabilizing its neighbors and meddling in their affairs. It is developing sophisticated ballistic weapons missiles, including icbms that could target america, and more than any actor, the blood of syria is on iranian hands. I know they supported the is israelis. That sends a message all the way around the globe as far away as china. [applause] if we are not willing to take action when an antiamerican, antisemitic tyrant gases people to death what does it say about us . He did the right thing and i commend you for it. A lot of my fellow countrymen say we are weary of war. We want to get out. I hear this phrase it phrase over and over again. Do you know how many times in history that has been said . Do you know how many times prior to world war ii when hitler andhed into the sudetenland Neville Chamberlain said we will not fight for people in a faraway country who do not speak our language and we do not know . We have to be ready and as Ronald Reagan used to say, paste your strength. Not your weakness and not through cutting our defense and cutting the army to the smallest we have had since world war ii. With uic americans who want our country to be engaged in events beyond our borders. I see americans who want an internationalist foreign policy. I see americans who want our country to stand with israel and our other partners. I see americans who are willing to spend their hardearned tax dollars on effective foreign assistance and to strengthen the greatest military the world has ever known. I see here today americans who want america to lead. I have been around a long time. Since the coolidge administration. You i have never seen this world in need of strong american readership than it is today. Of these the events negotiations with iran which i hope to succeed but i doubt, when i see the slaughter in syria, when i see the chinese inserting themselves in asia, when i see significant cuts in foreign aid and also in our defense budget, im worried. My final word to you my dear and beloved friends, america israel needs you more today than ever before. Thank you and god bless. [applause] senator john mccain this morning at the aipac conference. Discussing the situation in ukraine. This is two hours. The meeting is called to order. From the permanent representative to ukraine. Addressing the Security Council. The agenda is adopted. With 37, i invite the representative of ukraine to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. With rule 2039 of the councils provisional rules of procedure i invite the assistant secretarygeneral for Political Affairs to participate in this meeting. It is decided. The Security Council will not begin consideration id dash of item two on the agenda. Floor to thee assistant secretarygeneral. Thank you. President , members of the Security Council. Since the briefing by the secretarygeneral to this council on one march, the situation in ukraine has continued to evolve rapidly. We understand there is a andinuing buildup of troops ukraine. The situation remains fluid with reports of demonstrations in certain cities as well as attempts by local groups to cease control of some official buildings. Parliament urged russia to fulfill immediately the agreement of the black sea presence andrary called for the fast withdrawal of Russian Troops to their bases. The russian position on events was articulated by the foreign minister and remarks made at the human rights council. He stated that russias actions a relation to ukraine were question of defending our citizens and compatriots and ensuring human rights. The secretarygeneral has remained closely engaged on the floor on the situation in ukraine. In the latest phone call conversation with president putin over the weekend, the secretarygeneral told him that he was closely following the serious and rapidly unfolding developments in ukraine. The secretarygeneral expressed concern about the situation that would compromise the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country. He reiterated it was critical to restore calm and proceed to a deescalation and asked for cool heads reveal. Since secretarygeneral appealed to president putin to urgently engage in direct dialogue with the authorities, he has repeatedly said that it is critical to exercise respect for ukraines independence, unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He has underscored the utmost importance of restoring calm to deescalate tensions through dialogue. He stressed in the spirit of the u. N. Charter, we owe it here to peaceful resolutions of disputes. Following the Councils Consultation on saturday, and given development on the ground in ukraine, the secretarygeneral asked that the deputy secretarygeneral travel to ukraine on sunday. While there, the deputy secretarygeneral was personally appraised of the facts on the ground and will brief the secretarygeneral on the next steps the United Nations could take to support a deescalation of the situation. The deputy secretarygeneral arrived in kiev today and has already begun his meetings. A person who briefed the secretarygeneral yesterday on his mission joined the other in kiev today. In the last 48 hours, the secretarygeneral has spoken to a number of key people, including the Prime Minister of ukraine, the president putin, the e. U. High representative, as well as the osces secretarygeneral. He met with secretary lavrov today in geneva. The secretary reiterated the need for coordination in support of a stable and united ukraine. In conclusion, i wish to reiterate the secretarygenerals call for dialogue to deescalate tensions. As he has underscored in his calls for leaders, he urges us to find a peaceful resolution and the collaborative effort. Thank you, madam president. [indiscernible] i now give the floor to the members of the Security Council. I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation. Thank you, madam president. The Russian Federation was the initiator of the holding of todays meeting of the Security Council. Since what is happening with our neighbors and ukraine, folks are very deeply concerned. The crisis provoked by the state in kiev as a result of the takeover of extremists is continuing to get worse and is creating risks for the country. Today in geneva our minister of Foreign Affairs spoke in detail about the situation in ukraine. We are convinced any internal crises must be overcome by a dialogue of forces in a constitutional way and with respect to International Obligations and obligations on International Humanitarian law, defending human rights and National Minorities. It is important to avoid extremists who are trying to take the situation under their control who are using violence and open terror. It is well known who created the crisis in ukraine. Disputing the legitimate actions of the legitimate authorities, some of our partners have taken a course to support antigovernment statements. They have encouraged their participants who have moved to aggressive actions of force in attacking the police, stealing from warehouses, and mocking officials in the region, and crude interventions. Many towns in western ukraine have been taken over by Armed National radicals under extremist antirussian and other slogans being used. On the 21st of february, almost three months after the unrest and the excesses, there was an agreement between the president of ukraine and the opposition whereby they signed by the ministers of Foreign Affairs of germany, poland, and other countries where they refused to bring in an emergency situation. They took to the streets. The opposition did not do anything. The use of legitimate weapons was not surrendered. Civic buildings were not freed. Radicals are continuing instead of a promise of the National Unity government based in the formation of the the parliament of ukraine made a decision limiting the rights of minorities, sent away the judges of the constitutional court, and insists on pursuing them criminally. Their arguments to limit or make it punishable to ban Political Parties that do not suit them and to use them as examples, so the victors want to use assurances of their victory to trample the rights and basic freedoms of people. All of this has bothered eastern and southern authorities of ukraine where millions of russians live. They do not want a repetition of this type of thing in this area. This situation of ongoing threats by the ultranationalists, who are jeopardizing the rights of russianspeaking people. We already have had to curb attempts of a forcible takeover in crimea and bringing weapons. We got information of provocative acts through the Russian Black Sea fleet in ukraine. The legitimately elected authorities of the republic have asked the president of russia to provide assistance to restore calm in crimea. It is legitimate in russian law that the threats to our compatriots, citizens, and the black sea fleet and the Russian Federation in ukraine, the president of russia went to the council of the confederation asking for the use of forces until there is a normalization of the situation. On the 1st of march, the federation supported this appeal which we hope will cut off the radicals. I repeat, we are talking about defending our citizens on defending the most important human rights, the right to life. Madam president , today i am also authorizing the following the president has received the following from the president of ukraine. The statements of the president of ukraine as a legitimately elected representative says the events in my place and the events in kiev have resulted in the fact that ukraine is on the brink of a civil war. In the country there is chaos and anarchy. The rights of people in the southeast part of crimea are being threatened. Under the influence of western countries, there is terror and violence. This is why i would call on mr. Putin, asking him to use the armed forces of the Russian Federation to establish legitimacy, peace, law, order, stability, and defend the people of ukraine. 3 march, 2014. I have an opportunity to show all of you a photocopy of the original of this statement of the president of ukraine. I show it to the president of russia. There it is. Madam president , those who are trying to interpret this situation as aggression are threatening all with all kinds of sanctions and boycotts. These are indeed our partners who consistently have encouraged forces close to them to engage in alternatives and refrain from dialogue, to polarize ukrainian society. We call on them to show responsible approaches to set aside geopolitical calculations and to put above all the interests of ukrainian people. It is necessary to fulfill obligations in the agreements dated february 21. The full consideration of Ukrainian Federation for subsequent approval in a national referendum, and the establishment of the legitimate governments of National Unity, considering the regions of the country. Remains consistent and open. While for some western politicians ukraine is only a geopolitical playground, for us it is a fraternal country and we are bounded by many centuries of common history. Russia is interested in a strong ukraine. We see the legitimate rights of ukraine, our compatriots, and of all citizens. In this extraordinary situation, not of our making, when the security of the residents of crimea and Southeast Region are subjected to a threat due to the provocative actions of gangs and other ultranationalist elements, we would like to emphasize that the actions of russia are fully appropriate and legitimate. Thank you, madam president. I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for his statement. I will give the floor to the representative to the United States of america. Thank you, madam president. Listening to the representative of russia, one might think that moscow had just become the Rapid Response arm of the office of the high commissioner for human rights. So many of the assertions made this afternoon by the Russian Federation are without basis in reality. Lets begin with a clear and candid assessment of the facts. It is a fact that Russian Military forces have taken over Ukrainian Border posts. It is a fact that russia has taken over the Ferry Terminal in kerch. It is a fact that russian ships are moving in and around sevastapol. It is a fact that Russian Forces are blocking mobile Telephone Services in some areas. It is a fact that russia has surrounded or taken over practically all Ukrainian Military facilities in crimea. It is a fact that today russian jets entered ukrainian airspace. It is also a fact that independent journalists continue to report that there is no evidence of violence against russian or prorussian communities. Russian military action is not a Human Rights Protection Mission. It is a violation of International Law and a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the independent nation of ukraine, and a breach of russias helsinki commitments and its un obligations. The central issue is whether the recent change of government in ukraine constitutes a danger to russias legitimate interests of such a nature and extent that russia is justified in intervening militarily in ukraine, seizing control of public facilities, and issuing military ultimatums to elements of the Ukrainian Military. The answer, of course, is no. Russian military bases in ukraine are secure. The new government in kiev has pledged to honor all of its existing international agreements, including those covering russian bases. Russian mobilization is a response to an imaginary threat. A second issue is whether the population of the crimea or other parts of Eastern Ukraine, are at risk because of the new government. There is no evidence of this. Military action cannot be justified on the basis of threats that havent been made and arent being carried out. There is no evidence, for example, that churches in Eastern Ukraine are being or will be attacked. The allegation is without basis. There is no evidence that ethnic russians are in danger. On the contrary, the new Ukrainian Government has placed a priority on internal reconciliation and political inclusivity. President turchinov the acting president has made clear his opposition to any restriction on the use of the russian tongue. No one has to explain to ukraines new government the need to have open communications, not only with leaders of the countrys russian ethnic minority in the crimea and elsewhere, but also with its neighbors. That is why, when the Current Crisis began, the government sent its former chief of defense to the region to try to defuse the situation. A second emissary was prevented from entering the crimean rada to engage in discussions. And it is why ukrainian authorities have repeatedly reached out to russia. Russia needs to reciprocate and begin to engage directly with the government of ukraine. I note that russia has implied a right to take military action in the crimea if invited to do so by the Prime Minister of crimea. As the government of russia well knows, this has no legal basis. The prohibition on the use of force would be rendered moot were subnational authorities able to unilaterally invite military intervention by a neighboring state. Under the ukrainian constitution, only the ukrainian rada can approve the presence of foreign troops. If we are concerned about the rights of russianspeaking minorities, the United States is prepared to work with russia and this council to protect them. We have proposed and wholeheartedly support the immediate deployment of International Observers and monitors from the un or osce to ensure that the people about whom russia expresses such concern are protected from abuse and to elucidate for the world the facts on the ground. The solution to this crisis is not difficult to envision. There is a way out. And that is through direct and immediate dialogue by russia with the government of ukraine, the immediate pullback of russias military forces, the restoration of ukraines territorial integrity, and the urgent deployment of observers and human rights monitors, not through more threats and more distortions. Tonight the osce will begin deploying monitors to ukraine. These monitors can provide neutral and needed assessments of the situation on the ground. Their presence is urgently necessary in crimea and in key cities in Eastern Ukraine. The United States calls upon russia to ensure that their access is not impeded. The leadership in moscow may well be unhappy about former president yanukovychs decision to flee ukraine and move in with them. Russia may be displeased with the new government, which was approved by ukraines parliament by an overwhelming majorit