SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES LIBYA’S DECISION TO ABANDON WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION PROGRAMMES

Security Council                                           

4949^th Meeting (AM)                                         

security council welcomes libya’s decision to abandon

weapons of mass destruction programmes

The Security Council this morning welcomed Libya’s decision to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programmes, as well as the positive steps taken to meet its commitments and obligations, including its active cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Through a presidential statement read out by its President, Gunter Pleuger (Germany), the Council took note of resolution 2004/18 of the Board of Governors of the IAEA regarding implementation of the safeguards agreement of Libya, a State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).  That resolution requested the Agency’s Director-General to report a case of non-compliance to the Security Council for information purposes only, while commending Libya for the actions it had taken to date and those it had proposed to take to remedy it.

The Council also noted that the Board’s resolution had recognized Libya’s decision as a step towards the realization of the goal of an Africa and a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and at peace.

In a related provision, the Council reaffirmed the need to seek to resolve proliferation problems by peaceful means through political and diplomatic channels.  It encouraged Libya to ensure the verified elimination of all of its weapons of mass destruction programmes.

It welcomed the roles played in that regard by the IAEA and the OPCW in facilitating the fulfilment of Libya’s commitments, demonstrating the importance and usefulness of existing international treaty regimes.

The meeting began at 9:42 a.m. and adjourned at 9:46 a.m.

The full text of the statement, which will be issued as document S/PRST/2004/10, reads as follows:

“The Security Council takes note of resolution 2004/18 of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding the implementation of the safeguards agreement of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, a State party to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, by which the Board requested the Director-General of the IAEA to report a case of non-compliance to the Security Council for information purposes only, while commending the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for the actions it has taken to date and those it has proposed to take to remedy it.

“The Security Council welcomes the decision by the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to abandon its programmes for developing weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and the positive steps taken to fulfil its commitments and obligations, including its active cooperation with IAEA and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

“The Security Council takes note that in its resolution 2004/18 the Board of Governors of IAEA recognized the decision of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya as a step towards the realization of the goal of an Africa and a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and at peace.

“The Security Council reaffirms the need to seek to resolve proliferation problems by peaceful means through political and diplomatic channels.

“The Security Council welcomes existing and future efforts to assist the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in this task and expresses the hope that the steps taken by the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya would facilitate and improve international cooperation with and enhance the security of that country.

“The Security Council encourages the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to ensure the verified elimination of all of its weapons of mass destruction programmes.  It welcomes the roles played in that regard by IAEA and OPCW in facilitating the fulfilment of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya’s commitments, demonstrating the importance and usefulness of existing international treaty regimes.

“The Security Council expresses the hope that resolution 2004/18 of the Board of Governors of IAEA will be implemented in the spirit of continued cooperation.”

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