Security Council – Work assessment under United Kingdom presidency (May 2008) – Letter from the United Kingdom (excerpts)

    Letter dated 30 July 2008 from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  I have the honour to transmit herewith a report on the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the United Kingdom in May 2008 (see annex). The document was prepared under my responsibility, after consultation with the other members of the Security Council.

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

(Signed) John Sawers

    Annex to the letter dated 30 July 2008 from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (May 2008)

Introduction

  Under the presidency of the United Kingdom in May 2008, the Security Council held 16 meetings, including 4 open debates, 1 private debate, and 6 briefings. In addition, the Council held consultations of the whole on 11 occasions. The Council adopted one resolution and six presidential statements.

  The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, David Miliband MP, presided over the open thematic debate that the Council convened on 20 May.

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   Asia

    The Middle East, including the Palestinian question

  On 28 May, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Personal Representative of the Secretary-General to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, and Secretary-General’s Envoy to the Quartet, Robert Serry, briefed the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East. During subsequent consultations of the whole, Council members expressed strong support for talks aimed at achieving agreement on the establishment of a Palestinian State by the end of 2008, with many delegations stressing the need for practical progress on the ground to that end. They also welcomed productive engagement by the international community, including the meetings in London on 2 May of the Quartet Principals and the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, and the role played by regional actors, in particular the League of Arab States and the Governments of Egypt and Qatar. Council members expressed continuing concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. On Lebanon, there was strong support in the Security Council for the Doha agreement.

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