Meetings Coverage

The Security Council was briefed today by the Chairperson of its Committee to monitor sanctions against Iran, following which several Council members expressed concern at that country’s continuation of its nuclear activities and sanctions violations, while underscoring their commitment to a negotiated solution.

Expressing deep concern at the recent tensions in Nepal, the Security Council today extended by four months the mandate of the United Nations Mission there, after which it would leave the country, as requested by the Government. Unanimously adopting resolution 1939 (2010), the Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) until 15 January 2011.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia for one year, until 30 September 2011, authorizing it to focus on elections, security and other issues key to the Mission’s future drawdown.

Encouraged by political leaders’ strong support for the United Nations as the centre stage of dialogue and collective action to address the world’s multiple challenges, outgoing General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki today implored the 192-member body, as the only global organ with a truly global agenda, to continue to innovate, build consensus and implement its resolutions to “stem the erosion of its authority”.

With countries gradually recovering from the global economic and financial crisis, the General Assembly had the duty to deliver results in its pursuit of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, reforming United Nations power structures and promoting sustainable development, incoming Assembly President Joseph Deiss stressed today as he opened the 192-member body’s sixty-fifth session.

The current strength of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, augmented after the devastating earthquake, should be maintained at least through the elections and the formation of a new Government, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this morning.

In a flurry of activity before the opening tomorrow of its sixty-fifth session, the General Assembly adopted three resolutions and two decisions today on issues related to the layout of its upcoming high-level meetings on the Millennium Development Goals, the Mauritius Strategy for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, and the International Year of Biodiversity, among others.

In a vote held simultaneously with the General Assembly, the Security Council today elected Joan E. Donoghue of the United States, by secret ballot, to the International Court of Justice to fill the remainder of the term left vacant by the resignation of Judge Thomas Buergenthal of the United States (see documents S/2010/442 and S/2010/443). She will serve until 5 February 2015.

The Economic and Social Council this morning decided that the inaugural election of the 41 members of the Executive Board of the new entity for gender equality would be held “as soon as possible and by early November 2010”.

The United Nations General Assembly today welcomed the European Union’s readiness to facilitate dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo over the province’s unilateral declaration of independence, saying that the process of such talks would itself be a factor for peace, security and stability in the Balkan region.