Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The Security Council today demanded the cessation of all actions aimed at undermining Yemen’s Government of National Unity and political transition — such as attacks on oil, gas and electricity infrastructure, interference with the restructuring of the armed and security forces, and obstruction of implementation of presidential decrees — and expressed its readiness to consider further measures, including under the Charter’s Article 41, if such actions continued.

Determining that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons remained a threat to international peace and security, the Security Council this morning extended the mandate of a Panel of Experts — established to analyse incidents of non-compliance with its resolution 1718 (2006) concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea — until 12 July 2013.

The Presidents and Prosecutors of the International Tribunals on serious crimes committed during the Balkan wars of the 1990s and the 1994 Rwanda genocide told the Security Council today that they had recently made great strides in completing their work and ensuring a transfer of remaining tasks to a so-called “Residual Mechanism”.

The Security Council this morning decided to extend until 9 July 2013 the mandate of the Panel of Experts of its Committee to monitor the implementation of the sanctions regime against Iran, imposed in relation to the country’s nuclear programmes.

The Central African Republic was at a critical juncture and it was essential for the international community to help it build on the momentum of recent progress on the political front, as well as in security and the reintegration of ex-combatants, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council today.

The world’s fight against impunity for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide was weakened by Sudan’s failure to render President Omer Hassan A. al-Bashir and three other Sudanese to the International Criminal Court on warrants issued for crimes in Darfur, its Prosecutor told the Security Council this morning, calling on the body to take action.

The future of United Nations peacekeeping missions in West Africa, as well as refugees, illicit drug traffic and other cross-border concerns and domestic challenges such as youth unemployment and disputed land ownership were among the top issues reviewed by Security Council members on their recent mission to the region, mission leaders said this morning.

Yemen’s transition to more representative Government, following last year’s protest movement, remained “largely on track”, but those who continue to pose security threats and otherwise undermined legitimate authority must be held to account, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser told the Security Council this afternoon.

Describing a mix of positive potential in the recent “quiet engagement” between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, as well as concurrent destabilizing events, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process warned the Security Council this morning that if current opportunities were not seized a dangerous “one-State” solution could result.

Deploring the continuing refusal of coup leaders in Guinea-Bissau to reinstate legitimate authority in the country, the Security Council this afternoon imposed targeted sanctions against them, establishing a new monitoring committee and requesting the Secretary-General to be actively engaged in coordinating international efforts to help restore constitutional order.