Security Council

Libyan authorities and opposition forces were “ready and willing” to implement a ceasefire but on different terms, the Secretary-General’s Envoy to Libya told the Security Council today, with the Government insisting that a ceasefire must be accompanied by a halt to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aerialattacks and the Transitional National Council asserting that any ceasefire would not end the conflict if not directly linked to the departure of Muammar Al-Qadhafi.

The Security Council would take advantage of a slightly lighter workload during May to take a week-long mission to the African continent, Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France, and Council President for the month, told reporters today at Headquarters.

Recalling the “heinous” terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, as well as the numerous attacks perpetrated by the Al-Qaida network around the world, the Security Council welcomed today the news that Osama bin Laden would never again be able to perpetrate such acts of terrorism.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Néstor Osorio (Colombia):

On 20 April 2011, the Committee approved the changes specified with strike-through and underline in the three entries below to its Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 1904 (2009) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

Determining that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire continued to pose a threat to international peace and security in the region, the Security Council this morning renewed until 30 April 2012 its arms embargo and diamond trade ban on the West African nation, as well as targeted sanctions restricting the travel and finances of individuals threatening peace and national reconciliation there.

Despite the promise of reform contained in a spate of recently announced legislative and legal changes, in fact the crackdown against anti-Government protesters by Syrian authorities had dramatically intensified, a top United Nations political official told the Security Council today.

Considering the results of the referendum of Southern Sudan announced on 7 February and the request by the Government of Southern Sudan for a continued United Nations presence there, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) until 9 July 2011. Unanimously adopting resolution 1978 (2011), the Council also announced its intention to establish a mission to succeed UNMIS.

Calling on Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front) to fully adhere to the military agreements reached with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the Security Council today extended that Mission’s mandate until 30 April 2012.

Unfortunately, the stalemate in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations had persisted over the past month and, with the state-building efforts of the Palestinians progressing, “bold and decisive steps” were needed to resolve the decades-old conflict, a top United Nations political official told the Security Council today.