The Russian Federation's Presidency

Introduction

During October 1999 the Security Council held nine formal meetings and its members held 17 consultations of the whole. The Council adopted seven resolutions and issued one presidential statement. It extended two United Nations peacekeeping mandates, those of UNIKOM and MINURCA. Three new peacekeeping operations — the United Nations Office in Angola, the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone and the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor — were established by the Council. The President spoke to the press after each session of informal consultations and briefed non-members of the Council daily when informal consultations were held.

Combating international terrorism

On 19 October a formal meeting of the Security Council was held on the item entitled "The responsibility of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security", during which the question of international terrorism and the threat it may present to international peace and security was discussed. The Council unanimously adopted resolution 1269 (1999), unequivocally condemning all terrorist acts as criminal and unjustifiable, and calling upon all States to cooperate in combating terrorism and, in this context, to take appropriate steps.

Africa

Angola

On 15 October the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1268 (1999) authorizing the establishment, for an initial period of six months, of United Nations Office in Angola to liase with the Angolan political, military, police and other civilian authorities with a view to restoring peace, assisting the Angolan people in the area of capacity-building, humanitarian assistance, the promotion of human rights, and coordinating other activities.

Burundi

On 5 October the Security Council members were briefed by the Secretariat on developments in Burundi, including attacks by armed rebels against civilians and forced displacement by the government forces of the population in the countryside around Bujumbura. Members of the Council expressed their concern at those developments and called upon the Government of Burundi and those whose actions had given rise to that situation to end the armed conflict and to ensure that those affected by it could return to their homes as soon as possible.

On 22 October members of the Council were again briefed by a representative of the Secretariat on the situation in Burundi. Following the discussion, the President of the Council made a statement to the press in which he expressed the concern of members of the Council at the resumption of violence in the country. Members of the Council reiterated their indignation and concern about the killing on 12 October of three members of the United Nations personnel in Burundi. They registered their support for the efforts to revive the Arusha peace process, including those to find urgently a new international mediator.

Central African Republic

On 13 October members of the Council considered the report of the Secretary-General of 7 October (S/1999/1038) on the latest developments in the Central African Republic and on the activities of MINURCA in the light of the presidential elections held on 19 September 1999. Members of the Council discussed various aspects of the situation in the Central African Republic and agreed to extend the mandate of MINURCA in accordance with the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General, with a view to ending the Mission in three months. On 22 October the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1271 (1999), extending the mandate of MINURCA until 15 February 2000 with a view to ensuring a short and gradual transition from United Nations peacekeeping involvement in the Central African Republic to a post-conflict peace-building presence.

Guinea-Bissau

On 6 October members of the Council considered the report of the Secretary-General on developments in Guinea-Bissau and on the activities of the United Nations Peace-building Support Office in that country (S/1999/1015), which reflected the request of the transitional Government of Guinea-Bissau to extend for one year the mandate of the Office after its expiry on 31 December 1999. Members of the Council were also briefed by the Secretariat on the situation in Guinea- Bissau.

Members of the Council discussed positive developments in Guinea-Bissau, in particular the stabilized political climate and the move in a peaceful and orderly fashion towards legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 28 November 1999. Following consultations among members of the Council, the President made a statement to the press calling upon the transitional Government and all political forces in the country to proceed in good faith with the implementation of the disarmament and demobilization programme and the reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation processes, and to hold elections as scheduled in free and transparent conditions.

Sierra Leone

On 22 October the Security Council considered the report of the Secretary-General including recommendations for the mandate and structure of the enhanced United Nations peacekeeping presence in Sierra Leone (S/1999/1003). On the same day the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1270 (1999) establishing UNAMSIL for an initial period of six months, with the mandate, inter alia, to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the Agreement; to assist the Government of Sierra Leone in the implementation of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration plan; and, to that end, to establish a presence at key locations throughout the territory of Sierra Leone, including at disarmament/reception centres and demobilization centres.

Somalia

On 27 October members of the Council were briefed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahima Fall, on the current situation in Somalia. The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Sergio Vieira de Mello, reported on his mission to the region and, inter alia, on the status of humanitarian assistance to the Somali people. Following the briefing the President of the Council stated to the press that the Council members had expressed their support for the coordinated diplomatic efforts, especially those by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, to find a political solution to the conflict in Somalia, bearing in mind respect for its sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity, and welcomed the proposals made by the President of Djibouti to that end.

Asia

Afghanistan

On 15 October the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1267 (1999), providing, inter alia, for the imposition of sanctions against the Afghan faction known as the Taliban effective 14 November, unless the Taliban had fully complied with the obligation to turn over Usama bin Laden to appropriate authorities with a view to bringing him effectively to justice.

On 18 October members of the Council were briefed by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, on the situation in the country. They also considered the report of the Secretary-General of 21 September (S/1999/994).

On 22 October the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/1999/29) in which it, inter alia, reiterated its grave concern at the continued Afghan conflict, strongly condemned the Taliban for the launching of a new offensive which had undermined international peace efforts, and demanded that the Afghan parties resume negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations without delay and preconditions.

East Timor

On 7 October members of the Council considered the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in East Timor (S/1999/1024) which presented a framework and concept of operations for UNTAET during the implementation phase of the popular consultation held on 30 August 1999.

On 25 October the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1272 (1999), establishing UNTAET for an initial period until 31 January 2001, with the mandate, inter alia, to provide security and maintain law and order throughout the territory of East Timor and to establish an effective administration.

Middle East and Europe

Iraq

On 4 October the Security Council adopted resolution 1266 (1999), by which Iraq was permitted to export sufficient oil to produce an additional amount of $3.04 billion in phase VI to make up for the deficit in revenue in phases IV and V.

On 11 October the Council members, having received the eighth semi-annual report of the Special Commission (S/1999/1037) and the letter dated 6 October 1999 from the Director General of IAEA concerning the Agency's mandate in Iraq under relevant resolutions of the Council (S/1999/1035), took note of those documents without consideration, owing to the absence of any new substantial information.

On 6 October members of the Council reviewed, in the light of the report of the Secretary-General of 24 September (S/1999/1006 and Corr.1), the question of the termination or continuation of UNIKOM and decided that the Mission should be maintained until the next review of the question, due by 6 April 2000.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 26 October the Security Council, at a private meeting, heard a briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Coordinator of United Nations operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jacques Paul Klein. The briefing was followed by an exchange of views. The Special Representative answered the questions posed by members of the Council.

Abkhazia, Georgia

On 4 October the President of the Council was authorized to make a statement to the press restating the position of members of the Council that they regarded the self-styled presidential elections and referendum held on 3 October in Abkhazia, Georgia, as unacceptable and illegitimate and that such elections would be possible within the framework of a comprehensive political settlement, and with the guaranteed possibility of full participation for all refugees and displaced persons.

Kosovo, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

On 11 October, in informal consultations, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hédi Annabi, briefed the members of the Council on the situation in Kosovo and on the course of the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999). The briefing was followed by an exchange of views, whereupon the President of the Council made a statement to the press reaffirming the need to implement fully that resolution, as well as resolution 1239 (1999), in which it had stressed the need to extend relief assistance to all internally displaced persons and other civilians affected by the Kosovo crisis.

On 13 October, in informal consultations, the Assistant Secretary-General briefed members of the Council on the murder in Pristina of a member of UNMIK, Bulgarian citizen Valentin Krumov. Members of the Council authorized the President to make a statement to the press, in which he expressed condemnation of the act of murder of the member of UNMIK, as well as of citizens of Chile and the Netherlands who had served as international staff in Burundi; expressed condolences and sympathy to the families and the Governments of the three countries; stressed the need to bring the perpetrators expeditiously to justice and reiterated the need to ensure the safety and security of international personnel in Kosovo and in Burundi.

On 21 October, in informal consultations, the Secretary-General briefed members of the Council on the outcome of his visits to Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and presented his assessments of the course of the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999) and of the peace process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The briefing was followed by a discussion on both subjects.

Other matters

On 11 and 12 October, during informal consultations, members of the Council took up the draft report of the informal working group of the Council concerning documentation and other procedural questions, in which the working group recommended that a note be issued by the President regarding transparency. In the course of their consideration of the matter the members of the Council agreed that, at the request of some delegations, further discussions would follow to finalize the draft note.

On 20 October the President of the Council introduced to the General Assembly the annual report of the Security Council, which had been adopted by the Council on 2 September, and, like that of the previous year, had been prepared in a new format reflecting the intention of the Council members to ensure more transparency.