Security Council – Work assessment under United States presidency (May 2007) – Letter from the United States (excerpts)

    Letter dated 19 July 2007 from the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States of America 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 the United States in May 2007 (see annex). This assessment has been prepared by the United States Mission following consultations with other members of the Council.

  I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed ) Alejandro D. Wolff

Ambassador

    Annex to the letter dated 19 July 2007 from the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the United States of America (May 2007)

   Introduction

  During the presidency of the United States of America, the Security Council held 15 meetings, including four briefings, two open debates and two private debates. In addition, the Council held consultations of the whole on 15 occasions. During May, the Council adopted two resolutions and three presidential statements. Security Council members also met over one weekend at a retreat to informally discuss the role of the Security Council.

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   Middle East

  On 24 May, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, stressed the immediate need for the cessation of the violence in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel. He also addressed dangerous outbreaks of violence in Lebanon between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Fatah al-Islam gunmen around the Palestinian refugee camps. The Under-Secretary-General expressed concern that that type of instability might spread to other refugee camps.

On 30 May, the Council President read a statement to the press in which Council members expressed their grave concern at the breakdown of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the resulting increase in violence, welcomed the efforts of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, to establish a ceasefire, and expressed appreciation for the active support of the Government of Egypt in that regard.

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