Security Council – Work assessment under Congo presidency (August 2007) – Letter from Congo (excerpts)

 Letter dated 31 December 2007 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.

of the Permanent Mission of the Congo to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  I have the honour to transmit herewith a report on the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the Congo in August 2007 (see annex). The document was prepared under my responsibility, after consultation with the other members of the Security Council. I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed ) Luc-Joseph Okio

Chargé d’affaires a.i.

    Annex to the letter dated 31 December from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Republic of the Congo to the President of the Security Council

[Original: French]

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the Congo (August 2007)

   Introduction

  Under the presidency of the Republic of the Congo, the Security Council held 11 meetings and 10 consultations of the whole, during which four resolutions and three presidential statements were adopted. The President also made two press statements on behalf of the Council.

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   Asia

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   Situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine

  On 29 August, at an open debate on the situation on the Middle East, including the question of Palestine, the Council heard the most recent briefing of Mr. Michael Williams, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Members of the Council welcomed Mr. Williams’ work and expressed the hope that the diplomatic initiatives launched in recent months, and particularly the in-depth dialogue between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the announcement that an international conference on the Middle East would be held in November 2007 at the initiative of the President of the United States of America, would lead to progress towards a definitive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Members of the Council considered, however, that a setback on the ground at the current stage could hinder the diplomatic process. The Council also welcomed Israel’s release of 250 Palestinian prisoners and the unfreezing of the Palestinian financial assets that had been frozen by Israel.

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