Security Council

6507^th Meeting (PM)

Security Council Briefed by Chairman of Committee Established

 

To Monitor Sanctions Imposed on Libya

 

The Committee established to monitor sanctions recently imposed on Libya is now “fully operational”, its Chairman, José Filipe Moraes Cabral of Portugal, told the Security Council this afternoon, stressing the need for Member States to fully engage with the Committee to make the sanctions regime effective.

Recalling that the objective of the sanctions was to encourage a resumption of dialogue leading to peace in Libya while respecting its national sovereignty, Mr. Moraes called on States to submit their national implementation reports by the required date of 26 June 2011 and pledged that the Committee, formally known as the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, would act with the greatest transparency possible. 

Through resolution 1970 (2011), the Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya and a travel ban and assets freeze on Muammar Al-Qadhafi, his family and associates, while demanding an end to violence and deciding to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court.  (See Press Release SC/10187/Rev.1 of 26 February.)

Resolution 1973 (2011) further tightened sanctions, adding a ban on flights of Libyan aircraft, while authorizing Member States to enforce a no-fly zone and take other actions to protect civilians.  (See Press Release SC/10200 of 17 March.)

Currently, Mr. Moraes said, there were 18 individuals designated as subject to the travel ban and 13 individuals and 5 entities designated as subject to the assets freeze.  Members of the Committee have been alerted to forthcoming proposals on additional designations of individuals and entities. 

Outlining the Committee’s activities so far, he said that it had met twice, adopting the provisional guidelines for its work, producing a note verbale reminding all Member States to report on time — within 120 days of the adoption of the resolution — and approving an update to the list of individuals and entities subject to sanctions.  It had also issued a press release on its work (see Press Release SC/10213 of 28 March).

Prior to the first meeting, he added, the Committee considered and approved an urgent request for an exemption on the flight ban to allow a Member State to evacuate its nationals from Libyan territory using a Libyan company-owned aircraft.  An urgent request from another State, which involved clarification on the applicability of the assets freeze to a subsidiary of a designated entity was also under consideration.

The meeting was opened at 3:10 p.m. and closed at 3:20 p.m.

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For information media • not an official record