Security Council

In a summit meeting this afternoon, opened by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and attended by nine Heads of State and Government as well as six ministers, the Security Council pledged to continue strengthening all its activities in the maintenance of international peace and security, and to adapt them to ever-changing circumstances.

The following Security Council press statement was read out today by Council President Ertuğrul Apakan (Turkey):

Reiterating its strong condemnation of mass rapes in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in late July and August, the Security Council today urged that country’s Government to ensure swift and fair prosecution of the perpetrators, and expressed its readiness to consider all appropriate actions, including targeted measures against those responsible.

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process this morning called on the Security Council and the international community to maintain strong support for the recently revived direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. “Our collective task is to support these negotiations and maximize prospects for success,” said Robert Serry, who is also the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative, at the Council’s regular monthly briefing on the situation.

The growth of international terrorism, insurgency, piracy and human suffering in Somalia demanded an intensified, focused and coordinated response by the international community, the Secretary-General’s new Special Representative for the Horn of Africa country told the Security Council this morning. “Experience in Somalia has shown that the more delayed or inadequate the response is, the more complex the crisis becomes,” Augustine Mahiga said in his first appearance before the Council.

The following Security Council press statement was read out today by Council President Ertuğrul Apakan (Turkey):

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.

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.

On 9 September 2010, the Committee approved the changes specified with strikethrough and underline in the two 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.