Protection of civilians in armed conflict – SecCo meeting – Verbatim record (excerpts)

Security Council

Fifty-sixth year

4312th meeting

Monday, 23 April 2001, 10.15 a.m.

New York

Agenda

Protection of civilians in armed conflict

Report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2001/331).

The meeting was called to order at 10.25 a.m.

Adoption of the agenda

The agenda was adopted.

Protection of civilians in armed conflict

Report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2001/331)

The President: I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Egypt, India, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sweden, the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

At the invitation of the President, Mr. Cappagli (Argentina), Ms. Wensley (Australia), Mr. Buallay (Bahrain), Mr. Heinbecker (Canada), Mr. Aboul Gheit (Egypt), Mr. Sharma (India), Mr. Al-Douri (Iraq), Mr. Satoh (Japan), Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan), Mr. Dorda (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya), Mr. Hasmy (Malaysia), Mr. Navarrete (Mexico), Mr. MacKay (New Zealand), Mr. Ahmad (Pakistan), Mr. Lee Ho-jin (Republic of Korea), Mr. Kamara (Sierra Leone), Mr. Kumalo (South Africa), Mr. Schori (Sweden), Mr. Wehbe (Syrian Arab Republic), Mr. Samhan (United Arab Emirates) and Mr. Al-Ashtal (Yemen) took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.

The President: I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter dated 19 April 2001 from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, which has been issued as document S/2001/388, and which reads as follows:

“I have the honour to request that, in accordance with its previous practice, the Security Council invite the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations to participate in the forthcoming debate of the Security Council regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflict, which is to be held on Monday, 23 April 2001.”

I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite the Permanent Observer of Palestine to participate in the current debate, in accordance with the rules of procedure and the previous practice in this regard.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

I invite the Permanent Observer of Palestine to take the seat reserved for him at the side of the Council Chamber.

/…

Mr. Mejdoub (Tunisia) (spoke in French): …

/…

As today’s debate is thematic and, therefore, of a general nature, I shall not go into detail about the harsh realities facing Palestinian civilians in their day-to-day life in the occupied territories, in particular since last fall. However, it is my duty to stress that, in all respects, the situation of the Palestinian civilians is a clear example of a situation in which the international community must take urgent, resolute and effective action to come to the aid of a civilian population. The duty to provide international humanitarian aid and the requirements of international humanitarian and human rights law, as well as of United Nations resolutions, require the international community to provide Palestinian civilians with the urgent protection that they need to ensure their safety. The Security Council must bear these requirements in mind. Our Council cannot apply a double standard, rushing to help civilians in some parts of the world while disregarding the fate of other civilians in other regions.

/…

Mr. Wang Yingfan (China) (spoke in Chinese): …

/…

Thirdly, it is relatively easy to reach consensus when discussing this issue in general terms. However, in addressing specific issues the situation sometimes is much more complex, and difficulties and obstacles can be remarkably huge. For example, the Security Council has failed to promptly adopt necessary measures concerning the protection of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories. …

/…

The meeting was suspended at 1.30 p.m.