SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHARTER BEGINS DISCUSSION OF COMPENSATION TO THIRD STATES AFFECTED BY CHAPTER VII SANCTIONS

22 February 1996

Press Release
L/2750

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON CHARTER BEGINS DISCUSSION OF COMPENSATION TO THIRD STATES AFFECTED BY CHAPTER VII SANCTIONS

19960222 Also Elects Two Vice-Chairmen

The Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization this morning elected without a vote Phakiso Mochochoko (Lesotho) and Seyed Hossein Enayat (Iran) as two of its three Vice-Chairmen. Paula Escarameia (Portugal) was elected as a Vice- Chairman yesterday.

The Committee also adopted its agenda.

Addressing the Committee as it began considering how to implement the provisions of the Charter on helping third States affected by United Nations sanctions imposed under Chapter VII, the representative of Italy, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the notion of a right to compensation for third States affected by sanctions must be avoided as a precondition for applying Chapter VII measures.

Also, he said, the establishment of a new permanent mechanism, such as a trust fund, would not be a viable solution to the issue or an appropriate response to the problems of third States as they implemented sanctions. Meanwhile, the Union continued to provide economic and humanitarian help to third States affected by the imposition of sanctions, especially in relation to the situation in the former Yugoslavia. In 1995, the Union had budgeted 83.5 million European currency units (ecus) for border crossing infrastructure projects in the Balkans.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue discussing issues related to the maintenance of international peace and security, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the strengthening of the role of the Organization.

Statement

MAURO POLITI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that while the economic sanctions imposed by the Security Council, under the

Committee on Charter - 2 - Press Release L/2750 208th Meeting (AM) 22 February 1996

relevant provisions of the United Nations Charter, represented a useful instrument to respond to threats to peace, breaches of peace and acts of aggression, the Union was fully aware of the need to respond to economic problems that third States might encounter in implementing such sanctions.

The discussion in the Committee this year would occur in the aftermath of the adoption of General Assembly resolution 50/51, which contained practical measures that could minimize the effects of sanctions on third States and provide assistance to them, he said. He noted the European Union's contribution to the text of that resolution. In relation to it, the Union welcomed the improvement in the effectiveness and transparency of the sanctions committees. Dialogues between the committees and third States were essential for minimizing the effects of sanctions on those States. The provision by the Secretariat of information on international assistance available to third States would contribute to meeting their concerns, while maintaining the effectiveness of sanctions regimes. The Union also welcomed the resolution's invitation to international financial institutions to continue addressing the special economic problems of third States affected by sanctions.

For its part, the European Union, in 1995, had continued to provide concrete economic and humanitarian assistance to third States affected by sanctions, especially to States affected by sanctions on the former Yugoslavia, he said. In fact, it had been the main source of assistance to States of the region and in 1995 the total budget allocation for border crossing infrastructure projects in the Balkan region was 83.5 million ecus.

He said the Union believed that the notion of a right to compensation for third States adversely affected by sanctions ought to be avoided and should not be seen as a condition for the application of measures imposed under Chapter VII of the Charter. The Union reiterated its view that the establishment of a permanent mechanism, such as a trust fund, could not represent a viable solution to the issue, nor an appropriate response to the problems encountered by third States while implementing sanctions.

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