COUNCIL EXTENDS BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA MANDATE UNTIL 15 JULY

Security Council

4566^th* Meeting (Night)

COUNCIL EXTENDS BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA MANDATE UNTIL 15 JULY

The Security Council this evening extended until 15 July the current mandate of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), which was originally due to expire on 21 June.

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1421 (2002) today.  That action followed a negative vote by the United States last Sunday, 30 June, on a resolution renewing the mandate of UNMIBH and authorizing the continuation of the multinational stabilization force (SFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Immediately following the rejection of that draft, the Council adopted a technical, rollover text, extending UNMIBH's mandate for three days until midnight tonight.

Explaining his negative vote on Sunday, the United States representative linked it to his country's concerns about the risk of "politicized prosecutions" of its peacekeepers before the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose jurisdiction the United States Government did not accept.  (See Press Release SC/7437 and Press Release SC/7438 of 30 June for further details.)

[The ICC, which will prosecute war crimes, genocide, or crimes against humanity, became operational on 1 July.]

The meeting opened at 7:04 p.m. and ended at 7:07 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1421 (2002) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions concerning the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, in particular its resolutions 1357 (2001) of 21 June 2001, 1418 (2002) of 21 June 2002 and 1420 (2002) of 30 June 2002,

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

“1.  Decides that the provisions of its resolution 1357 (2001) shall continue in force until 15 July 2002;

“2.  Decides to remain seized of the matter.”

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*     The 4565^th meeting was closed.