PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

 

At a monthly Headquarters press conference this afternoon, the Security Council President for the month of June, Ellen Margrethe Løj ( Denmark) shared with correspondents the Council’s programme of work for the next 30 days.

The first two days of her presidency had been busy, but productive, she said, and the Council had come up with its provisional programme of work for June this morning.  One of other issues taken up in consultations today related to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), whose mandate expired on  15 June.  The Council had scheduled a meeting on the Mission for that day.

The month ahead would be “a pretty busy one”, she said, particularly because some of the members of the Council would be on a mission for 10 days.  On Sunday, 4 June, the Council’s mission would be leaving to the Sudan and then to the Democratic Republic of the Congo early the following week.  Upon their return, the Council would debrief the Permanent Representatives of the United Kingdom and France, who would lead the missions.  After a formal report becomes available later in the month, a formal meeting would be held on the findings of the missions.

Among other things, the Council would take up the mandate of the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL), which would expire by 20 June.  Also, with the latest developments on the ground, the Council was planning a public meeting to discuss the situation in Timor-Leste either on the 9th or 12^th of June.  Next week, the Council would take stock of the situation and decide on the format and exact timing of such a meeting.  The mandates of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) were also on the agenda.

On 20 June, the Council had scheduled a meeting on the Liberia sanctions, which were expiring that day, she continued.  Next week, a report prepared by experts would be discussed, and the Council was scheduled to have consultations on both the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the sanctions on 16 June.  As the Chair of the Liberia Sanctions Committee, she would report on the discussions there to the Council.

On 14 June, Serge Brammertz would brief the Council on the work of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) on the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.  Following the open briefing, the Council would hold consultations on the matter.  An open briefing by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, on the progress in relation to the Court’s work on Darfur will also take place on 14 June.  [The situation in Darfur since 1 July 2002 was referred to the ICC by Security Council resolution 1593 (2005) of 31 March, which also invited the Prosecutor to address the Council within three months of the date of adoption of the text and every six months thereafter.]

On 15 June, the Council would review the progress of the multinational force in Iraq and hear an update on the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).  The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Søren Jessen-Petersen, would brief the Council, in a public meeting, on developments in Kosovo on 20 June.  Later in the month, consultations would be held on the situation in the Central African Republic.  Also scheduled was the usual monthly Middle East briefing.

Turning to “slightly more thematic issues”, she said that on 7 June the Council would be briefed by Presidents and Prosecutors of the two International Tribunals.  On 28 June, it would hold an open debate with a briefing by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egeland, on the protection of civilians.  And finally, an open debate was scheduled on 22 June on strengthening international law, rule of law and maintenance of international peace and security.

She also noted that the footnotes to the programme of work indicated the subjects, which “might be activated”, depending on developments, including Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia, non-proliferation, small arms, the working group on documentation and mandate review.

Asked what would be discussed in connection with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), she said that the issue had been addressed every so often and, while there would be some discussion, she did not know whether any decisions would be taken.  So far, she was not aware of any consensus as to how to proceed.

To a question about possible action on Myanmar, Ms. Løj said that the day before yesterday the Council had had a briefing under “other business” by Ibrahim Gambari, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on his visit to Myanmar.  She did not know if any follow-up would follow.

“You will have to be kept in suspense a little longer”, she replied to a question about Council discussion on the candidacy for the next Secretary-General.  The Council had, in fact, discussed the matter and approved a letter to the President of the General Assembly, which would later be communicated to membership at large.  However, it was not proper for her to brief the press on the contents of that document until the Assembly President and Member States had seen it.  The process would be transparent, and she was sure the President of the Assembly would share the contents of the letter with the press later on.

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For information media • not an official record