SECURITY COUNCIL NOTES WITH CONCERN REPORTS OF LIBYAN-REGISTERED AI

Security Council                                                                                               SC/6370

3777th Meeting (PM)                                                                                         20 May 1997

SECURITY COUNCIL NOTES WITH CONCERN REPORTS OF LIBYAN-REGISTERED AIRCRAFT FLYING TO NIGER AND FROM NIGERIA

                                            In Presidential Statement, Council Calls

                       Upon All States to Fulfil Obligations under Resolution 748 (1992)

            The Security Council this afternoon noted with concern reports that a Libyan-registered aircraft flew to the Niger and Nigeria and then returned to Libya early this month in violation of resolution 748 (1992).  That resolution prohibits all international flights to and from Libya.

            Through a statement read out by its President, Park Soo Gil (Republic of Korea), the Council called upon all States to fulfil their obligations under the resolution in the event that flights originating in Libya sought to land in their territory.  The Council also requested the Committee established under the resolution to follow up on the matter directly with representatives of Libya, the Niger and Nigeria.

            The Council recalled that under the resolution, all States were to deny permission to any aircraft taking off from, landing in or overflying their territory if it was destined to land in or had taken off from Libya.  The resolution permits on humanitarian grounds flights previously authorized by the Council Committee monitoring sanctions against Libya.

            Also in the statement, the Council took note of a letter from the Permanent Representative of Libya (document S/1997/373), which described the flights as "purely religious".  The letter states that the Council's resolution essentially concerns commercial flights.

            The meeting, which began at 1:39 p.m., was adjourned at 1:43 p.m.

            Presidential Statement

            The full text of the presidential statement, which will be issued as document S/PRST/1997/27, reads as follows:

            "The Security Council takes note with concern of reports that Libyan-registered aircraft flew from Libya to Niger on 8 May 1997 and then returned to Libya from Nigeria on 10 May in violation of resolution 748 (1992).  The Council has requested the Committee established pursuant to resolution 748 (1992) to follow up this matter directly with representatives of Libya, Niger Security Council                                                - 2 -                              Press Release SC/6370

3777th Meeting (PM)                                                                 20 May 1997

and Nigeria.  The Council calls upon all States to fulfil their obligations under resolution 748 (1992) in the event that aircraft flights originating in Libya seek to land in their territory.

            "The Security Council takes note of the letters from the Permanent Representative of Libya dated 16 May 1997 (S/1997/373), from the Permanent Representative of Niger, dated 13 May 1997, and the note verbale from the Permanent Representative of Nigeria, dated 15 May 1997.  The Security Council recalls that paragraph 4 of 748 (1992) decided that all States shall deny permission to any aircraft to take off from, land in or overfly their territory if it is destined to land in or has taken off from the territory of Libya, unless the particular flight has been approved on grounds of significant humanitarian need by the committee established pursuant to paragraph 9 of the resolution."

                                                                         * *** *