Security Council – Work assessment under Japan presidency (April 2010) – Letter from Japan (excerpts)

   Letter dated 1 June 2010 from the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  I have the honour to transmit herewith the report on the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Japan in April 2010 (see annex). The document was prepared under my own responsibility, following consultations with 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) Yukio Takasu

Permanent Representative of Japan 

to the United Nations

    Annex to the letter dated 1 June 2010 from the Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations addressed to

the President of the Security Council

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Japan (April 2010)

   Introduction

  Under the presidency of Japan in April 2010, the Security Council addressed various thematic and regional issues, including peacebuilding, working methods of the Council, women and peace and security, and the situations in Iraq, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic, Western Sahara, the Middle East, Somalia, Haiti, the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon. The Council held 13 official meetings, of which 10 were public, including three open debates, and 12 consultations of the whole, including an informal briefing by the Secretary-General on his recent travels. The Council adopted three resolutions, two of which extended the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping missions, and two presidential statements on thematic issues. The President also made two statements to the press on behalf of the Security Council.

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   Asia

    The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 

  At the open debate on 14 April, the Council was briefed by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, who said that efforts aimed at bringing about the conditions for a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks had continued. He said that the situation on the ground remained fragile and a crisis of confidence between the parties had so far prevented the resumption of talks. He stressed the continuing support of the United Nations for efforts to resume the peace process as well as for the Palestinian State-building agenda and briefed the Council about developments in that regard, including the convening of the recent meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for Assistance to the Palestinians in Madrid. He also addressed the Secretary-General’s visit to the League of Arab States summit and gave a briefing on the situation in Lebanon, noting that in the area of operations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) it remained generally quiet.

  Following the briefing, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, the Permanent Representative of Israel and 18 other speakers addressed the Council, and Council members also made statements. Many speakers stressed that there was no alternative to achieving a solution other than through negotiations. They expressed support for the effort of the United States of America to start the proximity talks between the Israeli and Palestinian sides and at the same time stressed that it should lead to direct talks. A number of members urged all parties to abide by their obligations under the road map, the Madrid terms of reference, the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant Security Council resolutions, which would contribute to a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian and Arab-Israeli conflicts and, ultimately, to attainment of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East. A number of participants expressed concern about the situation in Gaza and the need to address its humanitarian situation. Speakers also touched on the situation in Lebanon and expressed support for the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions and for UNIFIL.

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