SECURITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO TERMINATE ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

Press Release
SC/6526

SECURITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO TERMINATE ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Security Council this afternoon decided to terminate the remaining prohibitions on the sale of arms and related matériel and petroleum product supplies to Sierra Leone, imposed under its resolution 1132 of 8 October 1997.

By its unanimous adoption of resolution 1171 (1998), the Council decided that all States shall prevent such sales other than to the Sierra Leone Government through named points of entry. A list of those entry points would be supplied by the Sierra Leone Government to the Secretary-General. The restrictions will also not apply to the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG).

Also by the resolution, States shall notify the Committee established by resolution 1132 (1997) of all exports from their territories of arms or related matériel to Sierra Leone. The Government of Sierra Leone was also required to mark, register and notify the Committee of all such imports. The Committee shall report regularly to the Council on notifications received in that regard.

Further by the resolution, the Council decided that all States shall prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of leading members of the former military junta and of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). However, such entry or transit may be authorized by the Committee.

The Council also decided that the Committee shall continue to undertake the tasks assigned to it under resolution 1132 (1997), including implementing the prohibitions imposed by the Council relating to the sale and supply of arms and related matériel and petroleum products.

The Secretary-General was requested to report to the Council within three months of the date of adoption of this resolution, and again within six months, regarding, in particular, the export of arms and related matériel.

The Secretary-General should also report on progress made towards the full re- establishment of Government control over all the territory of Sierra Leone and the disarming of non-governmental forces.

Under paragraphs 5 and 6 of resolution 1132 (1997), the Council banned the sale or supply of petroleum and petroleum products and arms and related matériel of all types, including munition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts for those items. Further, it decided that all States should prevent the entry or transit into or through their territories, of members of the military junta and their adult family members, except when authorized for humanitarian purposes.

The meeting, called to order at 4:10 p.m., was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

Text of Resolution

The text of resolution 1171 (1998) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recalling its resolutions 1132 (1997) of 8 October 1997, 1156 (1998) of 16 March 1998 and 1162 (1998) of 17 April 1998 and the statements of its President of 26 February 1998 (S/PRST/1998/5) and 20 May 1998 (S/PRST/1998/13),

"Welcoming the efforts of the Government of Sierra Leone to restore peaceful and secure conditions in the country, to re-establish effective administration and the democratic process, and to promote national reconciliation,

"Deploring the continued resistance to the authority of the legitimate Government of Sierra Leone and stressing the urgency for all rebels to put an end to the atrocities, cease their resistance and lay down their arms,

"Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

"1. Decides to terminate the remaining prohibitions imposed by paragraphs 5 and 6 of resolution 1132 (1997);

"2. Further decides, with a view to prohibiting the sale and supply of arms and related matériel to non-governmental forces in Sierra Leone, that all States shall prevent the sale or supply, by their nationals or from their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related matériel of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment and spare parts for the aforementioned, to

Security Council - 3 - Press Release SC/6526 3889th Meeting (PM) 5 June 1998

Sierra Leone other than to the Government of Sierra Leone through named points of entry on a list to be supplied by that Government to the Secretary-General, who shall promptly notify all Member States of the United Nations of the list;

"3. Decides also that the restrictions referred to in paragraph 2 above shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related matériel for the sole use in Sierra Leone of the Military Observer Group of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOMOG) or the United Nations;

"4. Further decides that States shall notify all exports from their territories of arms or related matériel to Sierra Leone to the Committee established by resolution 1132 (1997), that the Government of Sierra Leone shall mark, register and notify to the Committee all imports made by it of arms and related matériel, and that the Committee shall report regularly to the Council on notifications so received;

"5. Decides that all States shall prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of leading members of the former military junta and of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), as designated by the Committee established by resolution 1132 (1997), provided that the entry into or transit through a particular State of any such person may be authorized by the same Committee, and provided that nothing in this paragraph shall oblige a State to refuse entry to its territory to its own nationals;

"6. Decides that the Committee established by resolution 1132 (1997) shall continue to undertake the tasks referred to in paragraph 10 (a), (b), (c), (d), (f) and (h) of that resolution in relation to paragraphs 2 and 5 above;

"7. Expresses its readiness to terminate the measures referred to in paragraphs 2, 4 and 5 above once the control of the Government of Sierra Leone has been fully re-established over all its territory, and when all non-governmental forces have been disarmed and demobilized;

"8. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within 3 months of the date of adoption of this resolution, and again within 6 months, regarding, in particular, the export of arms and related matériel referred to in paragraph 2 above, and on progress made towards the objectives referred to in paragraph 7 above;

"9. Decides to remain seized of the matter."

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