PRESS CONFERENCE ON SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION TO WEST AFRICA BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF UNITED KINGDOM

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE ON SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION TO WEST AFRICA BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF UNITED KINGDOM

As part of its consideration of increasing the size of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), the Security Council was sending a mission to the area to assess the situation, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, the permanent representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, who will lead the delegation, told correspondents this afternoon in a Headquarters press conference.

The delegation would leave tomorrow evening for a week-long trip to West Africa, during which it would meet with the Presidents of Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone, the delegation intended to meet with a wide range of interlocutors, including the Government, UNAMSIL, the wider political society, United Nations agencies, civil society and non-governmental organizations. They would also look into aspects of the special court for Sierra Leone.

The conflict in Sierra Leone was being carried forward by a small minority, who did not in any way represent the wishes of the majority, he said. State structures were weak, so it was easy in that context for a relatively small number of people who were armed, to do damage. Their control over the diamond-producing areas was sustaining them and giving them channels to neighbouring countries and arms from those countries. There was, therefore, an important regional dimension in the mission’s programme, as the conflict in Sierra Leone had contributed to instability in Guinea and Liberia.

The mission could not address or hope to solve all the questions at once, but it was important in demonstrating the Council’s resolve and determination to help the people and Government of Sierra Leone to solve the problems, he said.

As the Council was discussing refining UNAMSIL’s mandate, it was hoped that the mission’s report would feed into Council deliberations on two broad aspects, apart from the separate issue of the special court: cooperation of the Security Council and the United Nations system with the regional body and leadership to connect all the issues of instability; and, to ensure that the mandate of UNAMSIL matched its capacity to carry out the mandate.

The Ambassador told a correspondent who asked if the United Kingdom intended to increase its operational role in Sierra Leone that the British Government was in the process of taking decisions, and an announcement on the matter would be issued soon from London. Those decisions would concern continuing and reinforcing what it was doing now in Sierra Leone, including expanding its training programme. It was the intention of the United Kingdom to continue its very strong programme of support.

In the context of the special court, a correspondent asked if the delegation intended to raise the issue of accused people who might flee or have fled to Liberia with the President of Liberia. The Ambassador said the Council

Greenstock Press Conference - 2 - 6 October 2000

deliberations on the court were in too early a stage. It would be necessary, though, for the Council to take a decision on non-Sierra Leonean aspects of the special court’s jurisdiction. The Council had agreed to a broader and deeper discussion on the special court when the mission had reported and when the Council had received more detailed comments from capitals.

Asked if the Mission was going to deliver a message to Liberia, the Ambassador replied that Liberia had, in the view of the United Kingdom and the members of the Council, rightly been criticized for the encouragement that it had given to the Revolutionary United Front to continue the conflict. At the same time, though, he did not believe that the mission should be going to Liberia with a sense of accusation or criticism.

“We want to solve problems”, he said. “Liberia has some legitimate security interests and has apparently been involved in some illegitimate activities. We want to find ways, with all the leaders of the region, of getting out of the pit that is being dug by this conflict and to discuss with them how to end illegitimate activity and meet legitimate requirements of all the governments that we talk to. That is the spirit in which the Mission will be going to Liberia”.

He then described the mission as an extremely important piece of the Council’s business during this “Year of Africa”. There were important political and presentational aspects to the fact that 11 Council members were going.

He said a draft programme for the mission, detailing its visits from 9 October to 14 October, was available.

The 10 other Council members going on the mission are the representatives of Bangladesh, Canada, China, France, Jamaica, Mali, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States.

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