Legal

Arbitrary, unilateral sanctions infringed on development, violated human rights, defied the rule of law and harmed innocent people and States, delegates told the Sixth Committee (Legal), today, as it concluded its debate on the Special Committee on the Charter and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization and began consideration of criminal accountability of United Nations officials and experts on mission.

The rule of law could never be realized if States continued to threaten and disrupt the internal affairs of others, support extremists abroad, and apply unilateral sanctions, Syria’s delegate told the Sixth Committee (Legal) as it concluded its debate on the rule of law and began consideration of the Special Committee on the Charter and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization.

The United Nations had brought neutrality and global profundity to the progression of international law, which resulted in the first High-level Meeting on the subject and a declaration that exhibited the will of States, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Sixth Committee as it began its debate on the rule of law at the international and national levels.

A phenomenon that had grown in scope, sophistication and complexity, terrorism could only be combated through the eradication of its root causes, adherence to relevant instruments of international law and global and regional partnerships, delegates told the Sixth Committee (Legal) today as it concluded its debate on measures to eliminate terrorism.

As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began consideration of measures to eliminate international terrorism, delegates, while condemning the association of terrorism with any specific religious, cultural or ethnic grouping, called for increased international cooperation to — once and for all — define terrorism and conclude a convention on the topic.

The General Assembly’s Sixth Committee (Legal) today elected Yuriy A. Sergeyev (Ukraine) as Chair for its sixty-seventh session.

The Advisory Board of the newly established United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre met for the first time on 2 April, in New York.

Adopting its 2012 draft report, the Special Committee charged with examining suggestions and proposals regarding the Charter of the United Nations and strengthening the world body’s role in promoting international law concluded its regular session today, forwarding its recommendations to the General Assembly.

The economic reach and consequences of Security Council sanctions triggered robust debate over protecting affected third party States today, as the Special Committee on the United Nations Charter and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization opened its annual session. Considered to be a “last resort”, sanctions were called “important instruments” for the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security by many Committee members.

Ending the current session of its work, the General Assembly’s Sixth Committee (Legal) approved ten draft resolutions today, including one which recommends observer status in the Assembly for the West African Economic and Monetary Union, an organization credited with fostering economic integration in its region.