Press Conference by Security Council President on Programme of Work for September

Highlights of Turkey’s September presidency of the Security Council included a summit on the maintenance of peace and security, which expected to hear from Heads of State and Government, and a high-level review of cooperation in counter-terrorism, the country’s Ambassador told journalists this afternoon.

The country’s second Council presidency of its current tenure promised to be a challenging one, given the fact that there were one or more meetings every day except during the high-level opening of the General Assembly, Ambassador Ertuğrul Apakan said at a Headquarters press conference.

Aside from the highlighted thematic meetings, there were three peacekeeping mandates that were up for renewal, many briefings based on periodic reports of the Secretary-General, consideration of other topics with which the Council was regularly seized, plus such current concerns as the follow-up to the recent mass rape in the Democratic Republic of the Congo .

The summit meeting, to be held on the 23^rd and expected to be chaired by the Turkish President, Abdullah Gül, would be an important opportunity for Council members to affirm their commitment to the body’s effective role in peace and security and to adapting to a rapidly changing security environment, he said.  He could not yet announce specific attendees to the summit on peace and security.

The summit would consider new and growing threats to peace, as well as emerging tools in preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding, building on the last such meeting in 2000.  A presidential statement was expected to result, calling for a comprehensive approach to peace and security and enhanced relationships with partners inside and outside the United Nations system.

The second thematic meeting of the month, planned for the 27^th, was expected to be chaired by the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, and to be attended by other representatives at the ministerial level.  It aimed to take stock of the global fight against terrorism almost ten years after the attacks of 9/11 and the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001). 

Since that time, he commented, the world had gone far in cooperating in combating the scourge, but at the same time terrorists had proved extremely resilient and adaptive and it was important that international cooperation become equally resilient and unrelenting, collectively and with solidarity.  A Presidential Statement resulting from that meeting would aim to reenergize attention and foster more concerted action.

Following up on August consultations on the recent case of mass rape in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council would be briefed on the investigatory mission of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, upon that mission’s return.  The head of the mission, Assistant Secretary-General Atul Khare, and Margot Wallström, the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, were expected to brief in an open meeting followed by consultations.  It was particularly important to the Council to assess what more could be done to ensure more effective protection of civilians, he said.

United Nations missions for which mandates were expiring in September were those in Nepal (UNMIN), Liberia (UNMIL) and the Integrated Peacebuilding Mission in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), he said.  Other Secretary-General reports to be considered included those on Liberia, Somalia, Afghanistan and Haiti. 

There would be two presentations by the Secretariat on Sudan, one on progress toward the referendum in South Sudan and the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement there, the other on the Sudan sanctions committee.  There would also be a briefing by Japan as head of the 1737 Committee on sanctions on Iran, involving its nuclear programme.

The monthly briefing on the Middle East would be heard on the 17^th.  On the 9^th, there would be an election of a judge for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), to fill the remainder of the term of Justice Thomas Buergenthal of the United States.

Asked by correspondents about action on the violence connected to the Gaza aid flotilla, given that Turkey was an involved party, he said that the Security Council was following up on the work of the investigative panel very closely and had a commitment to ensure accountability as the Secretary-General had stated.  The Council looked forward to hearing about the first progress report by mid-September, he confirmed. 

In his national capacity, he said that Turkey had submitted a “substantive and comprehensive” interim report on the incident, incorporating evidence from witnesses.  He could not reveal any details of that report, however, saying that it was up to the panel to do so. 

In response to other questions, he said that the discussion on terrorism would focus on the implementation of existing resolutions, so it would not be about definitions, but it would take into account, as always, respect for human rights during the fight against terrorism. 

In his national capacity, he said that his country supported more dialogue with Iran and a solution of the problem of its nuclear programme through diplomacy.

On Security Council reform, he commented that Turkey supported ongoing intergovernmental negotiations and the work that was being carried out in the General Assembly on the issue. 

Finally, in his national capacity, he said his country was doing its best to play a role in resolving regional conflicts, sometimes in cooperation with the United Nations and hoped that this month’s presidency would help bolster multilateral and bilateral efforts to strengthen peace and security, globally and locally.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record