Security Council – Work assessment under Philippine presidency (June 2004) – Letter from the Philippines (excerpts)

Letter dated 19 August 2004 from the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  

  

  I have the honour to transmit herewith the assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of the Republic of the Philippines in the month of June 2004 (see annex).

  It would be highly appreciated if this document could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

 

( Signed) Lauro L. Baja, Jr.

Ambassador and Permanent Representative


    Annex to the letter dated 19 August 2004 from the Permanent Representative of the Philippines 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 Philippines (June 2004)

  

  

    Introduction

 

 

  The Republic of the Philippines, with its Permanent Representative, Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Jr., at the helm, served as President of the Security Council in June 2004.

  The Security Council held 22 formal meetings, 16 consultations of the whole, adopted five resolutions and five presidential statements and issued six statements to the press during the month under review.

/…

  The Council heard briefings and discussed the latest developments with regard to Haiti, Afghanistan, and the Middle East peace process.

/…

   Asia

 

/…

     Middle East peace process

 

  At its 4995th meeting, on 23 June, the Council heard a briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, given by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kieran Prendergast.

  The Under-Secretary-General said that, since the Secretariat’s last briefing to the Council, the situation in the Middle East had remained tense. The conflict continued to claim lives, economic conditions worsened, hope for a better future was low, and suffering continued. Despite the gloomy picture, peace and reconciliation were not beyond reach. Everyone knew the parameters of that peace, but the parties’ readiness to take the difficult, but necessary, decisions remained elusive.

  He said that implementation of the “road map” had stalled, but the plan remained a solid map that included both the road and the destination. He expressed the view that the proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank could help to break the stalemate. Such withdrawal would not be enough, however, as similar steps had to be taken in the West Bank as well. These actions would also not be a substitute for Israel’s compliance with other obligations under the road map, nor would they exempt Israel from compliance with its obligations as an occupying Power in accordance with international humanitarian law.

  On the other hand, the Under-Secretary-General said that the Palestinian Authority also had a major role to play in the success of the withdrawal. The Authority must establish a security zone in the vacated areas. It must also revitalize, reorganize and reform the Authority and become a full partner for peace.

/…

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Document symbol: S/2004/622
Document Type: Letter
Document Sources: Security Council
Country: Philippines
Subject: Palestine question, Peace process
Publication Date: 19/08/2004
2019-03-11T22:22:48-04:00

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