Security Council

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 following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Li Baodong (China):

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.

As the Security Council navigated “a very packed schedule” in June, it was critical for the body to maintain “unswerving support” to international mediation efforts in Syria in the face of terrible recent events, the representative of China, which hold’s the Council presidency for the month, said this afternoon.

On 1 June 2012, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) enacted the amendments specified with strikethrough and underline in the entries below to its List (the 1988 Sanctions List) of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 1988 (2011) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

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.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Agshin Mehdiyev (Azerbaijan):