DECEMBER 6 PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

ON BRIEFING OF COUNCIL MEMBERS BY DR. BLIX

This is the text of a statement to the press by the President of the Security Council, Alfonso Valdivieso (Colombia), on Friday, 6 December:

Members of the Security Council received a briefing by Dr. Blix.

Members of the Council had a discussion regarding the reception of the Iraqi declaration.

Members of the Council decided to make the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) the depositary of the declaration and asked UNMOVIC and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to review it immediately, with their experts and from the standpoint of existing international treaties, for any areas in the declaration that may contribute to proliferation, or be sensitive, in order to assure the confidentiality of that information.

Members of the Council will meet next week to decide on the further handling of the declaration.

The document will not be available for some days until this procedure is carried out and mechanical/logistical arrangements are made.

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