Security Council

6791^st Meeting (AM)

Security Council Extends Mandate of Observer Force Monitoring Israel-Syria Ceasefire

until 31 December 2012, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2052 (2012)

 

The Security Council this morning decided to renew until 31 December 2012 the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which monitors the ceasefire in the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria, while expressing grave concern at recent violations by Syrian Armed Forces in the Force’s area of operations.

Through the unanimous adoption of resolution 2052 (2012), the Council stressed the obligation of the parties to ensure security and unhindered access to mission personnel, expressing grave concern over Syrian forces’ entry into the Area of Separation on 1 March and deploring subsequent incidents in which shots were fired at observer teams.

The Council, through the text, also notes what it called “substantial progress achieved” in implementation of recommendations of the assessment of the operational capacity of UNDOF, as requested in its resolution 2028 (2011), in terms of maintaining and upgrading the Force’s equipment and infrastructure.

The meeting began at 10:15 a.m. and ended at 10:18 a.m.

Resolution

Resolution 2052 (2012) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Noting with concern that the situation in the Middle East is tense and is likely to remain so, unless and until a comprehensive settlement covering all aspects of the Middle East problem can be reached,

“Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force of 30 June 2012 (S/2012/403), and also reaffirming its resolution 1308 (2000) of 17 July 2000,

“Expressing grave concern at all violations of the Disengagement of Forces Agreement, in particular that by the Syrian Arab Armed Forces of 1 March in which they entered the Area of Separation,

“Strongly deploring the incidents of 5 March and 12 March during which shots were fired at Observer Group Golan teams, in particular that of 12 March in which shots were fired by a soldier from the Bravo side in the area of limitation,

“Further expressing concern at the 26 February incident in which soldiers on the Alpha side fired shots into the Area of Separation,

“Concurring with the Secretary-General’s finding that events elsewhere in Syria have started to manifest themselves in the area of responsibilities of UNDOF,

“1.   Calls upon the parties concerned to implement immediately its resolution 338 (1973) of 22 October 1973;

“2.   Calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the operations of UNDOF and to ensure the security of, as well as unhindered and immediate access for, the United Nations personnel carrying out their mandate, in conformity with existing agreements;

“3.   Stresses the obligation on both parties to scrupulously and fully respect the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, and calls on the parties to exercise maximum restraint and prevent any breaches of the ceasefire and the area of separation;

“4.   Welcomes the efforts being undertaken by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force to implement the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the United Nations code of conduct, requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all necessary action in this regard and to keep the Security Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take preventive and disciplinary action to ensure that such acts are properly investigated and punished in cases involving their personnel;

“5.   Notes the substantial progress achieved with regard to implementation of the recommendations of the assessment of the operational capacity of UNDOF, as requested in its resolution 2028 (2011), in terms of maintaining and upgrading the Force’s equipment and infrastructure;

“6.   Decides to renew the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for a period of six months, that is, until 31 December 2012;

“7.   Requests the Secretary-General to submit, at the end of this period, a report on developments in the situation and the measures taken to implement resolution 338 (1973).”

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For information media • not an official record