SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS DISENGAGEMENT IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, URGES ADOPTION OF COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL PLANS BY 15 MAY

Security Council

4282^nd Meeting* (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL DEMANDS DISENGAGEMENT IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO,

URGES ADOPTION OF COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL PLANS BY 15 MAY

Resolution 1341 (2001) Adopted Unanimously;

Council Intends to Monitor Progress with May Mission to Region

The Security Council this afternoon demanded that the parties to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo begin fully implementing disengagement plans on 15 March, and urged that all parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement adopt plans for the complete withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country by 15 May.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1341 (2001), as orally revised, the Council expressed its intention to monitor progress with a mission to the region, possibly in May, and indicated its readiness to consider measures to be taken should any parties fail to fully comply with today’s resolution.

The Council reaffirmed the authorization contained in resolution 1291 of

24 February 2000 for the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and endorsed the updated concept of operations recently put forward by the Secretary-General, in order to deploy all the personnel needed to monitor and verify ceasefire and disengagement plans, as a first step towards full withdrawal.  It further reaffirmed that it was ready to support the Secretary-General, if and when he deemed it necessary, to deploy troops in the border areas of the eastern regions of the country, including possibly in Goma or Bukavu.

Also, the Council, noting the respect the ceasefire had recently achieved and welcoming recent diplomatic initiatives, urgently called on all parties to the Ceasefire Agreement not to resume hostilities and to implement all relevant agreements and resolutions.

The Council also condemned the atrocities committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and demanded, once again, an immediate end to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, stressing that occupying forces should be held responsible for violations in territory under their control.  Demanding an end to all recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, it called for cooperation with MONUC, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and other organizations, to effect their speedy return and rehabilitation.  It requested that the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict pursue those objectives on a priority basis. 

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The 4280^th and 4281^st meetings of the Security Council were closed.

The Council also called on the international community to increase its support to humanitarian assistance in all areas affected by the crisis and called on the parties to ensure safe and unhindered access by relief personnel to all those in need. 

Further, the Council welcomed progress in the inter-Congolese dialogue and called for further cooperation with the neutral Facilitator, Ketumile Masire, by all concerned parties, including the Government and MONUC.  It called on all parties to the conflict to cooperate fully with MONUC, reaffirming their responsibility to ensure the security of United Nations personnel.  Requesting a relocation of the Joint Military Commission (JMC) to Kinshasa, it called on the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure the security of all JMC members as well.

Before the Council acted on the resolution, Jeremy Greenstock (United Kingdom) asked the Chairman of the Political Committee for the Implementation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement whether it was clear among all parties that the basis for the withdrawal from Pweto (referred to in the resolution’s operative paragraph 4), were the lines agreed upon on 8 April 2000.

Stanislaus I.G. Mudenge, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe and Chairman of the Political Committee, said the positions as agreed by the members and declared by the parties were those which were declared and signed by them on

8 April 2000 in Kampala, Uganda.  Those positions could also be found in the Harare Agreement.  There was no room for confusion as to which positions were intended.

The meeting, which began at 12:27 p.m., was adjourned at 12:36 p.m.

Resolution

The complete text of resolution 1341 (2001) as orally revised, reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its resolutions 1234 (1999) of 9 April 1999, 1258 (1999) of

6 August 1999, 1265 (1999) of 17 September 1999, 1273 (1999) of

5 November 1999, 1279 (1999) of 30 November 1999, 1291 (2000) of

24 February 2000, 1296 (2000) of 19 April 2000, 1304 (2000) of 15 June 2000, 1323 (2000) of 13 October 2000 and 1332 (2000) of 14 December 2000 and the statements of its President of 13 July 1998 (S/PRST/1998/20), 31 August 1998 (S/PRST/1998/26), 11 December 1998 (S/PRST/1998/36), 24 June 1999 (S/PRST/1999/17), 26 January 2000 (S/PRST/2000/2), 5 May 2000 (S/PRST/2000/15), 2 June 2000 (S/PRST/2000/20) and 7 September 2000 (S/PRST/2000/28),

“Reaffirming the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of all States in the region,

“Reaffirming further the obligation of all States to refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations,

“Reaffirming also the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo over its natural resources, and noting with concern reports of the illegal exploitation of the country’s assets and the potential consequences of these actions for security conditions and the continuation of hostilities,

“Expressing its alarm at the dire consequences of the prolonged conflict for the civilian population throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular the increase in the number of refugees and displaced persons and stressing the urgent need for substantial humanitarian assistance to the Congolese population,

“Expressing its deep concern at all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including atrocities against civilian populations, especially in the eastern provinces,

“Deeply concerned at the increased rate of HIV/AIDS infection, in particular amongst women and girls as a result of the conflict,

“Gravely concerned by the continued recruitment and use of child soldiers by armed forces and groups, including cross-border recruitment and abduction of children,

“Reaffirming its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security,

“Reaffirming its support for the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement (S/1999/815), as well as the Kampala plan and the Harare sub-plans for disengagement and redeployment,

“Stressing the importance of giving new impetus to the peace process in order to secure the full and definitive withdrawal of all foreign troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

“Also stressing the importance of advancing the political process called for under the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and facilitating national reconciliation,

“Recalling the responsibilities of all parties to cooperate in the full deployment of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), and noting with satisfaction the recent statements by the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and his assurances of support for the deployment of MONUC,

“Welcoming the participation of the members of the Political Committee of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement in its meetings of 21 and 22 February 2001, and stressing the need for the parties to honour the commitments they made to take concrete steps to advance the peace process,

“Commending the outstanding work of MONUC personnel in challenging conditions, and noting the strong leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General,

“Taking note of the Secretary-General’s report of 12 February 2001 (S/2001/128) and his conclusion that the conditions of respect for the ceasefire, a valid plan for disengagement and cooperation with MONUC are being met,

“Determining that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1.  Notes the recent progress made in achieving respect for the ceasefire, and urgently calls on all parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement not to resume hostilities and to implement this agreement, as well as the agreements reached in Kampala and Harare and the relevant Security Council resolutions;

“2.  Demands once again that Ugandan and Rwandan forces and all other foreign forces withdraw from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in compliance with paragraph 4 of its resolutions 1304 (2000) and the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, and urges these forces to take urgent steps to accelerate this withdrawal;

“3.  Demands that the parties implement fully the Kampala plan and the Harare sub-plans for disengagement and redeployment of forces without reservations within the 14-day period stipulated in the Harare Agreement, starting from 15 March 2001;

“4.  Welcomes the commitment by the Rwandan authorities in their letter of 18 February 2001 (S/2001/147), to withdraw their forces from Pweto in accordance with the Harare Agreement, calls on them to implement this commitment and calls upon other parties to respect this withdrawal;

“5.  Welcomes also the commitment of the Ugandan authorities to reduce immediately by two battalions the strength of their forces in the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, calls on the Ugandan authorities to implement this commitment and calls on MONUC to verify it;

“6.  Urges the parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement to prepare and adopt not later than 15 May 2001, in close liaison with MONUC, a precise plan and schedule which, in accordance with the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, would lead to the completion of the orderly withdrawal of all foreign troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and requests the Secretary-General to report to it by 15 April 2001 on the progress of these efforts;

“7.  Demands all the parties to refrain from any offensive military action during the process of disengagement and withdrawal of foreign forces;

“8.  Urges all the parties to the conflict, in close liaison with MONUC, to prepare by 15 May 2001 for immediate implementation prioritized plans for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation or resettlement of all armed groups referred to in Annex A, Chapter 9.1, of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, and demands that all parties cease all forms of assistance and cooperation with these groups and use their influence to urge such groups to cease their activities;

“9.  Condemns the massacres and atrocities committed in the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and demands once again that all the parties concerned put an immediate end to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law;

“10.Demands that all armed forces and groups concerned bring an effective end to the recruitment, training and use of children into their armed forces, calls upon them to extend full cooperation to MONUC, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and humanitarian organizations for speedy demobilization, return and rehabilitation of such children, and requests the Secretary-General to entrust the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict with pursuing these objectives on a priority basis;

“11.Calls on all parties to ensure the safe and unhindered access of relief personnel to all those in need, and recalls that the parties must also provide guarantees for the safety, security and freedom of movement for United Nations and associated humanitarian relief personnel;

“12.Calls also on all the parties to respect the principles of neutrality and impartiality in the delivery of humanitarian assistance;

“13.Calls on the international community to increase its support to humanitarian relief activities within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in neighbouring countries affected by the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

“14.Reminds all parties of their obligations with respect of the security of civilian populations under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949 and stresses that occupying forces should be held responsible for human rights violations in the territory under their control;

“15.Welcomes the expressed willingness of the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to proceed with the inter-Congolese Dialogue under the aegis of the neutral Facilitator, Sir Ketumile Masire, and in this regard welcomes the announcement by the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Summit in Lusaka on 15 February 2001 that the Facilitator has been invited to Kinshasa, and calls on all Congolese parties to take immediate concrete steps to take forward the inter-Congolese dialogue;

“16.Reiterates that MONUC shall cooperate closely with the Facilitator of the Inter-Congolese Dialogue, provide support and technical assistance to him, and coordinate the activities of other United Nations agencies to this effect;

“17.Calls on all the parties to the conflict to cooperate fully in the deployment and operations of MONUC including through full implementation of the provisions and the principles of the Status of Forces Agreement throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and reaffirms that it is the responsibility of all the parties to ensure the security of United Nations personnel, together with associated personnel;

“18.Requests the parties, as a follow-up to the discussions on this matter at the Lusaka Summit on 15 February 2001, to relocate the Joint Military Commission (JMC) to Kinshasa, co-locating it at all levels with MONUC, and calls on the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure the security of all the JMC members;

“19.Reaffirms the authorization contained in resolution 1291 (2000) of 24 February 2000 and the mandate set out in its resolution for the expansion and deployment of MONUC, endorses the updated concept of operations put forward by the Secretary-General in his report of 12 February 2001, with a view to the deployment of all the civilian and military personnel required to monitor and verify the implementation by the parties of the ceasefire and disengagement plans, stressing that this disengagement is a first step towards the full and definitive withdrawal of all foreign troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

“20.Emphasizes that it will be prepared to consider a further review of the concept of operations for MONUC, when appropriate and in the light of developments, in order to monitor and verify the withdrawal of foreign troops and the implementation of the plan mentioned in paragraph 8 above and, in coordination with existing mechanisms, to enhance security on the border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, and requests the Secretary-General to make proposals when appropriate;

“21.Reaffirms that it is ready to support the Secretary-General if and when he deems that it is necessary and that it determines conditions allow it to deploy troops in the border areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including possibly in Goma or Bukavu;

“22.Welcomes the dialogue initiated between the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, urges them to continue their efforts, and emphasizes in this respect that the settlement of the crisis in Burundi would contribute positively to the settlement of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

“23.Welcomes also the recent meetings of the parties, including the meeting of the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, encourages them to intensify their dialogue with the goal of achieving regional security structures based on common interest and mutual respect for the territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security of both States, and emphasizes in this respect that disarmament, demobilization and cessation of any support to the ex-Rwandese Armed Forces and Interahamwe forces will facilitate the settlement of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

“24.Expresses its full support for the work of the expert panel on the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and once again urges the parties to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the other parties concerned to cooperate fully with it;

“25.Reaffirms that it attaches the highest importance to the cessation of the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, affirms that it is ready to consider the necessary actions to put an end to this exploitation, and awaits with interest in this

respect the final conclusions of the expert panel, including the conclusions relating to the level of cooperation of States with the expert panel;

“26.Reaffirms also that an international conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region, with participation by all the Governments of the region and all the other parties concerned, should be organized at the appropriate time under the aegis of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity with a view to strengthening stability in the region and working out conditions that will enable everyone to enjoy the right to live peacefully within national borders;

“27.Expresses its intention to monitor closely progress by the parties in implementing the requirements of this resolution and to undertake a mission to the region, possibly in May 2001, to monitor progress and discuss the way forward;

“28.Expresses its readiness to consider possible measures which could be imposed, in accordance with its responsibilities and obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, in case of failure by parties to comply fully with this resolution;

“29.Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

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