Security Council

Serbia and Kosovo should build on the momentum created during 2013 towards the normalization of relations between them, speakers in the Security Council said today as the 15-member body held its quarterly debate on that situation.

Protection of civilians, rule of law, and the situation in Syria would be among the Security Council’s top priorities in February, the Permanent Representative of Lithuania said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Raimonda Murmokaitė (Lithuania):

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 July 2014 today, noting that the progress made so far had not yet resulted in a comprehensive and durable settlement between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides.

The Security Council today renewed until 1 February 2015 the arms embargo and related sanctions imposed on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also requesting the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts monitoring the implementation of those measures.

With divergent historical narratives often pitting communities against each other, igniting conflict both among and within States, the international community had a responsibility to help create conditions that would enable national actors to rebuild the trust and respect required to ensure permanent peace, the senior United Nations political affairs official told the Security Council today.

While Burundi had made substantial progress in overcoming formidable political, security and development challenges, the Government must show more “visionary leadership” than ever in protecting those gains as it worked to complete its peacebuilding process, the senior United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) for one year today, deciding also to expand sanctions imposed on individuals to include a travel ban and an assets freeze, and authorizing the deployment of a European Union intervention force in the country.

The Security Council today called upon all Member States to prevent terrorists from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments or political concessions, and further, to secure the safe release of hostages.

Important progress had been made in Côte d’Ivoire’s political reconciliation process, but security remained fragile, the head of the United Nations operation in that country told the Security Council today.