YUGOSLAV SANCTIONS COMMITTEE MEETS WITH EUROPEAN UNION/OSCE SANCTIONS COORDINATOR AND SAMCOMM DIRECTOR

Following is the text of the statement issued today by Emilio J. Cardenas (Argentina), Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 724 (1991) concerning Yugoslavia, on behalf of the Committee members:
 

At its 131st meeting on Thursday, 19 October, the Committee heard statements from the Sanctions Coordinator of the European Union (EU) and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Antonio Napolitano, as well as the Director of the Sanctions Assistance Missions Communications Centre (SAMCOMM) in Brussels, Richardt Vork.

The Committee acknowledged the contribution of SAMCOMM and the Sanctions Assistance Missions (SAMs) and praised Ambassador Napolitano for the leadership he is providing in discharging his mandate. The Committee also expressed appreciation to Dr. Vork and his colleagues for their professionalism and dedication to their work. The hope was expressed that the SAMCOMM experience and infrastructure may be put to good use in any future arrangements.

The European Union/OSCE Sanctions Coordinator and Director of SAMCOMM presented proposals aimed at accelerating the supplies of foodstuffs and finished medicines, expanding the category of goods covered by blanket authorizations on the Danube, as well as ensuring more effective monitoring and enforcement of the arms embargo. The European Union/OSCE Sanctions Coordinator also hoped that ways could be found to assist third countries, especially those neighbouring the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), suffering the collateral effects of the sanctions.

The Committee noted with satisfaction that the streamlining of the Committee's rules and procedures helped eliminate the backlog of humanitarian applications, facilitate the flow of humanitarian supplies and encourage legitimate traffic on the Danube. In view of recent developments, some members stated the need for additional measures to be taken by the Committee in order to speed up humanitarian shipments. It was also stated that additional efforts should be made to ensure that the Secretariat could process at a faster pace new applications by Member States.

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