OFFICE OF DISARMAMENT AFFAIRS REDESIGNS WEBSITE OF SECURITY COUNCIL’S

1540 COMMITTEE TO EASE NAVIGATION, PROMOTE INTERACTION WITH USERS

NEW YORK, 19 December (Office for Disarmament Affairs) -- The Office for Disarmament Affairs is pleased to announce the launching of the redesigned website of the 1540 Committee, http://www.un.org/sc/1540.  The website has been redesigned with the assistance of the Department of Public Information.

The upgraded design of the website offers new elements and useful links, which should facilitate ease of navigation and greater interaction with the public.  Users will be able to find current and informative content on the work of the 1540 Committee.

Comments and suggestions would be welcome to help update and improve the website so that it may serve better the needs of its users.  Please send your feedback on the redesigned site to Chen Wang, wang28@un.org.

The 1540 Committee was established pursuant to the unanimous adoption by the United Nations Security Council of resolution 1540 on 28 April 2004 under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, obliging States, inter alia, to refrain from supporting, by any means, non-State actors from developing, acquiring, manufacturing, possessing, transporting, transferring or using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their delivery systems.  Resolution 1540 imposes binding obligations on all States to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery, including by establishing appropriate controls over related materials.  It also encourages enhanced international cooperation on such efforts, in accord with and promoting universal adherence to existing international non-proliferation treaties.

On 27 April 2006, the Security Council extended the mandate of the 1540 Committee for two years, with the adoption of Security Council resolution 1673, which reiterated the objectives of resolution 1540 and expressed the interest of the Security Council in intensifying its efforts to promote the full implementation of the resolution.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record