Security Council: No name

With the United Nations continuing the phased drawdown of its peacekeeping operations in Liberia, the Organization’s top official there briefed the Security Council today and underscored the importance of moving swiftly to address the social inequality, political infighting and other historic — and current — fissures that had led to decades of war and which still ran deep.

Following the visit by United States President Barak Obama to the Middle East last week, there was now an opening to develop a “serious and substantial” political initiative to achieve the negotiated two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians that would best serve the interests, rights and aspirations of both sides, a top United Nations envoy told the Security Council today.

The following statement to the press was issued today by Security Council President Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation):

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation):

With high-level political negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo entering a “critical stage”, the top United Nations official in the region urged the Security Council to throw its weight behind the European Union-brokered talks and help the two sides overcome the inevitable “short term political challenges, anxieties and setbacks” that could yet derail the historic opportunity that was before them.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation):

On 20 March 2013, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya updated the entry specified below to its List of Individuals and Entities subject to the travel ban and/or asset freeze.

Despite some progress achieved in South Sudan’s transition towards a stable, viable State, internal security challenges and political fault-lines — exacerbated by a recent spate of inter-communal violence — continued to render the new country fragile and threaten peace and security throughout the region, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative warned the Security Council this afternoon.

An ongoing political stalemate, protracted demonstrations, terrorist attacks and strained Arab-Kurdish relations could fuel existing political and security challenges in Iraq, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this morning, urging the country to remain “determined and steadfast” during a very challenging time.

On 18 March 2013, Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2048 (2012)concerning Guinea-Bissau updated the entry specified below to its Consolidated Travel Ban List.