Mideast situation/Palestinian question – SecCo work assessment under South Africa presidency (April 2008) – Letter (excerpts)

    Letter dated 25 August 2008 from the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  I have the honour to enclose the assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of South Africa for the month of April 2008 (see annex). This assessment has been prepared under my own responsibility. I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed ) Dumisani S. Kumalo

Ambassador and Permanent Representative

of the Republic of South Africa

    Annex to the letter dated 25 August 2008 from the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of South Africa (April 2008)

   Introduction

  During the South African presidency the Security Council held 23 meetings, including an open debate on peace and security in Africa focusing on the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African Union, in the maintenance of peace and security, and a debate on small arms. The Council adopted six resolutions and five presidential statements. The Council also held 15 informal consultations.

   Asia and the Middle East

/…

   The situation in the Middle East

  On 23 April, the Council convened for its monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East pursuant to resolution 1322 (2000), by which it had invited the Secretary-General to continue to follow the situation in the Middle East and keep the Council informed of developments. The Council received a briefing on the developments in the region by the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Angela Kane. Her briefing focused on the political process, the humanitarian and security situation and the situation in Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic. Council members then discussed the briefing in closed consultations.

____________