Security Council

The Security Council today authorized an advance team to monitor the ceasefire in Syria, which it said all parties “appeared to be observing”, while calling again on the Government to begin a pull-back of military forces from population centres and cease the use of heavy weaponry in those areas.

On 12 April 2012, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) approved the addition of the entry specified below to its Al-Qaida 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 1989 (2011) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Susan Rice (United States):

Alarmed by escalating conflict between Sudan and South Sudan — as manifested most recently by the seizure of oil fields in Sudan — the Security Council this afternoon demanded that both sides immediately end cross-border violence and support to armed proxies and redeploy their forces from forward positions.

To advance national cohesion and ensure free and fair elections in Sierra Leone, the Security Council this morning called for dialogue, compliance with previous agreements, and adherence to international law by all parties in the country, as well as the prompt appointment by the Secretary-General of a new Executive Representative.

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs is announcing the launch of the redesigned website of the 1540 Committee, http://www.un.org/en/sc/1540. The work has been carried out in cooperation with the Department of Public Information.

Following the completion of the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq at the end of 2011, it was critical for the United Nations to continue comprehensive assistance in the areas of political facilitation, electoral support, human rights, reconstruction and development, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this morning.

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 9 April by Council President Susan Rice (United States):

The Security Council today called on the Syrian Government to follow through on its pledge to pull back its military from population centres by 10 April, and on all parties subsequently to cease armed violence, while signalling its readiness to authorize a monitoring mission to the strife-torn country — or to “consider further steps” if the commitments were not met.

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 5 April by Council President Susan Rice (United States):