Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean region – Information recd from Poland, Qatar – SecGen report (excerpts)

Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region

Report of the Secretary-General

I. Introduction

1. The General Assembly, in its resolution 62/58, commended the Mediterranean countries for their efforts in meeting common challenges through coordinated overall responses, based on a spirit of multilateral partnership, towards the general objective of turning the Mediterranean basin into an area of dialogue, exchanges and cooperation, guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity, encouraged them to strengthen such efforts through, inter alia, a lasting multilateral and action-oriented cooperative dialogue among States of the region, and recognized the role of the United Nations in promoting regional and international peace and security.

2. The Assembly also recognized that the elimination of the economic and social disparities in levels of development and other obstacles, as well as respect and greater understanding among cultures in the Mediterranean area, will contribute to enhancing peace, security and cooperation among Mediterranean countries through the existing forums.

3. The Assembly called upon all States of the Mediterranean region that have not yet done so to adhere to all the multilaterally negotiated legal instruments related to the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, thus creating the necessary conditions for strengthening peace and cooperation in the region.

4. It also encouraged all States of the region to favour the necessary conditions for strengthening the confidence-building measures among them by promoting genuine openness and transparency on all military matters, by participating, inter alia, in the United Nations system for the standardized reporting of military expenditures and by providing accurate data and information to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.

5. The Assembly encouraged the Mediterranean countries to strengthen further their cooperation in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the possible resort by terrorists to weapons of mass destruction, taking into account the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, and in combating international crime and illicit arms transfers and illicit drug production, consumption and trafficking, which pose a serious threat to peace, security and stability in the region, and therefore to the improvement of the current political, economic and social situation, and which jeopardize friendly relations among States, hinder the development of international cooperation and result in the destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and the democratic basis of pluralistic society.

6. Furthermore, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit a report on means to strengthen security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region. The present report is submitted in compliance with that request and on the basis of information received from Member States.

7. In this connection, a note verbale dated 19 February 2008 was sent to all Member States requesting their views on the subject. To date, the Governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Poland, Qatar and Ukraine have replied, and their responses are contained in section II below. Any replies received subsequently will be issued as addenda to the present report.

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*A/63/50.

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Poland

[Original: English]

[27 May 2008]

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3. In spite of the continuing conflict in the Middle East, the EuroMed partners have succeeded in maintaining a political dialogue aimed at creating a peaceful, stable and secure Euro-Mediterranean region. Poland acknowledges the political involvement of the EU in the settlement of the Middle East conflict within the Quartet, as well as its wide support to the Palestinian Authority.

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Qatar

[Original: English]

[13 May 2008]

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The State of Qatar believes that a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian question would contribute to improving the circumstances in the Mediterranean region, and generally in the Middle East, in all aspects.

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