Security Council – Work assessment under Chile presidency (Jan 2004) – Letter from Chile (excerpts)

Note verbale dated 30 June 2004 from the Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  The Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations presents its compliments to the Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations, in his capacity as President of the Security Council for July, and has the honour to attach the assessment of Chile’s Presidency of the Security Council in January 2004, for circulation as a document of the Security Council.

Annex to the note verbale dated 30 June 2004 from the Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Chile (January 2004)

    Summary

  During the month of January 2004, the Security Council was presided over by Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz, Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations. During the month, the Council completed an extensive programme of work and held 25 meetings, 8 of which were public meetings, 3 open debates, 5 private meetings and 9 closed debates. The Council also adopted five resolutions, on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the situation in Western Sahara, the situation in Georgia, the situation in the Middle East, and threats to international peace and security; it adopted two statements by the President, on small arms and post-conflict national reconciliation. The President of the Security Council also issued seven statements to the press, on the situation in Afghanistan, the situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea, the situation in Sierra Leone, the activities of Lakhdar Brahimi in Afghanistan, the situation in Burundi, the situation in the Central African Republic, and once again on the situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

  The open debates held during the month concerned the issues of children in armed conflict, post-conflict national reconciliation, and small arms; the meetings on the first two issues were chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Chile, Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, and the third meeting by the Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations. During those meetings, at which authorities and experts on the respective subjects from the United Nations and its agencies were present, all of the members of the Security Council participated, followed by a large number of delegations interested in contributing to the debate.

    In addition, at an open meeting, Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz, in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban, presented the report on the work done by the Committee and the status of implementation of the sanctions provided for in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, proposing measures to enhance international cooperation aimed at preventing financial support for terrorism and ensuring the implementation of national measures of a political and legal character, which are essential in the struggle against terrorism.

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   Middle East 

   Lebanon 

  In conformity with resolution 1353 (2001), the Security Council held a private meeting with troop contributors to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

  On 28 January, in private consultations, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations reviewed with the Security Council the report of the Secretary-General on UNIFIL (S/2004/50). He emphasized that, in view of the conditions prevailing in the region, the Secretary-General was recommending that the Security Council extend the mandate of UNIFIL until 31 July 2004.

  The Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1525 (2004) extending the mandate of UNIFIL for a further period of six months, until 31 July 2004.

    The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 

  The Security Council held its monthly public briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast, reported to the Council on the most recent developments and stated that the peace process remained stalled. The Council later continued its discussions in private consultations.

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