Security Council – Work assessment under Ghana presidency (October 2007) – Letter from Ghana (excerpts)

   Letter dated 17 December 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  Please find attached the assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Ghana for the month of October 2007 (see annex). This assessment has been prepared under my own responsibility, following consultations with the other members of the Council.

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

(Signed ) Leslie K. Christian

Ambassador, Permanent Representative

    Annex to the letter dated 17 December 2007 from the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Ghana (October 2007)

   Introduction

  Under the presidency of Ghana in October 2007, the Security Council held 24 meetings, including one open debate, five debates, one briefing and four meetings with troop-contributing countries. The Council also held consultations of the whole on 16 occasions. Five resolutions and seven presidential statements were adopted. The President also made one press statement on behalf of the Council. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development of Ghana, Akwesi Osei-Adjei, presided over an open debate on women and peace and security on 23 October.

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  Asia

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   The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question

    On 24 October, the Council heard a briefing by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs. This was followed by informal consultations. The Under-Secretary-General informed the Council that the reporting period had seen both the Israeli-Palestinian political dialogue and international engagement with the Middle East peace process reach their most intensive levels in years. However, there had also been several developments of concern on the ground in the West Bank and a further serious deterioration of the situation in Gaza. Council members expressed support for the efforts of the Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, and the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and those of the Quartet, including the work of the Quartet representative, Tony Blair. Council members also expressed support for the international meeting on the Middle East to be held in Annapolis in November under the auspices of the United States of America. Council members further commended regional efforts, including the Arab Peace Initiative, and urged all parties to refrain from the use of violence and help ease the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories.

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