The Russian Federation's Presidency
July 1998
Introduction
During July 1998 the Council held 13 formal meetings and 15 consultations of the whole. The Council adopted eight resolutions and issued five presidential statements. It extended five United Nations peacekeeping mandates and established one new peacekeeping operation. 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.
Africa
Angola
On 1 July the President of the Security Council, on behalf of the members of the Council, made a statement to the press that, in accordance with Council resolution 1173 (1998), additional measures against UNITA went into force. On 6 July the President made a statement on behalf of the Council members at the memorial service in remembrance of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Angola, Alioune Blondin Beye, and others who perished in the aircraft crash on 26 June.
On 30 July the President made a statement to the press emphasizing the deep concern of the Council members about the deterioration in the political and security situation in Angola. In this statement he also welcomed the Secretary-General's decision to send Lakhdar Brahimi as his Special Envoy to Angola to assess the situation and to prepare recommendations for future actions.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
On 8 July members of the Council considered the letter of the Secretary-General dated 29 June addressed to the President (S/1998/581) transmitting the report of the Secretary-General's Investigative Team charged with investigating serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as letters from the representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/1998/582) and Rwanda (S/1998/583) transmitting the responses to the report by the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Following consultations among members of the Council, the President was authorized to make a statement on behalf of the Council, which was issued as a document of the Council (S/PRST/1998/20).
Central African Republic
The Security Council continued to follow developments in the Central African Republic. On 14 July the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1182 (1998) extending the mandate of MINURCA until 25 October 1998.
Guinea-Bissau
On 13 July the Secretariat briefed members of the Council on developments in Guinea-Bissau and the results of its t echnical humanitarian mission to that country. Council members expressed concern over deterioration of the situation in Guinea-Bissau and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
The Council conducted its review of sanctions on the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya on 2 July. Documents relating to the review included the following letters addressed to the President: a letter dated 29 June from the Non-Aligned Movement's Committee of Six established by the Cartagena Foreign Ministerial Conference (18–20 May 1998) (S/1998/596); a letter dated 1 July from the Permanent Representative of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the United Nations (S/1998/597); a letter dated 1 July from the Arab Committee of Seven of the Arab League (S/1998/598); and a letter dated 1 July from the Committee of Five of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) (S/1998/599).
In the course of the review members of the Council could not reach a consensus on the existence of the necessary conditions for the lifting of the sanctions. They called upon the Secretary-General to continue his efforts aimed at speedy implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions in accordance with paragraph 4 of resolution 731 (1992). Members of the Council also commended the efforts of the Committee established in accordance with resolution 748 (1992) aimed at resolving humanitarian and religious problems and urged the Committee to undertake further efforts in that regard.
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
On 15 July the Security Council endorsed the Secretary-General's proposal that the Council extend the dea dline for nominations of judges to the Trial Chambers of the International Tribunal for Rwanda until 4 August. The Council agreed that the President of the Council should send a letter to the Secretary-General expressing its approval of the proposal. The text of the letter has been issued as document S/1998/646.
Sierra Leone
On 9 July, in the course of informal consultations, Council members were briefed by the Secretariat on developments in Sierra Leone. The draft resolution on the establishment of a United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone was submitted to the Council. Upon discussion of the matter, the President was authorized by members of the Council to make a statement to the press.
On 13 July the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1181 (1998) establishing UNOMSIL for an initial period of six months, until 13 January 1999.
Somalia
During the Security Council's informal consultations of the whole on 9 July, Council members were briefed by a representative of the Secretariat on political, military and humanitarian aspects of the situation in Somalia.
Sudan
At the consultation of the whole on 30 July, Council members were briefed by the Secretariat on the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Sudan and international e mergency relief efforts to overcome the crisis in southern areas of the country. The President made a statement to the press on behalf of the Council members.
Western Sahara
On 15 July members of the Council considered the report of the Secretary-General concerning progress in the identification process (S/1998/634).
On 20 July the Security Council adopted resolution 1185 (1998), extending the mandate of MINURSO until 21 September 1998, in order that it might proceed with its identification tasks, with the aim of completing the process.
Asia
Afghanistan
On 14 July members of the Security Council were briefed on the situation in Afghanistan by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Afghanistan, Mr. Brahimi. They also discussed the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the country and agreed on a presidentia l statement (S/PRST/1998/22), in which they expressed grave concern at the continued Afghan conflict, deplored the military support provided to the warring Afghan factions from abroad and called upon them to return without preconditions to the negotiating table. The Council reiterated that the United Nations must continue to play a central and impartial role in international efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict and commended the work of the "six plus two" group. The Council urged the Afghan parties to cooperate fully with the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan and international humanitarian organizations and called upon them, in particular the Taliban, to take all necessary steps to assure the safety and freedom of movement of such personnel.
Cambodia
On 13 July th e members of the Security Council were briefed by the Secretariat on developments in Cambodia in the light of the forthcoming national elections in that country and the United Nations role in coordinating the international observers at the request of the Cambodian Government.
Iraq
On 15 July the Executive Director of the Office of the Iraq Programme, Benon Sevan, briefed members of the Council on the results of his trip to Iraq and the implementation of resolution 986 (1995).
On 30 July members of the Security Council considered a status report from the Director General of IAEA (S/1998/694).
Jerusalem
On 13 July the Security Council is sued a presidential statement relating to the issue of Jerusalem (S/PRST/1998/21). In the statement the Council considered the decision by the Government of Israel on 21 June to take steps to broaden the jurisdiction and planning boundaries of Jerusalem as a serious and damaging development. The Council therefore called upon the Government of Israel not to proceed with that decision and also not to take any other steps that would prejudice the outcome of the permanent status negotiations.
Lebanon
On 23 July members of the Security Council considered the report of the Secretary-General on UNIFIL, and on 30 July the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1188 (1998) extending the UNIFIL mandate until 31 January 1999. At the same meeting the President made a state ment stressing the urgent need for the implementation of resolution 425 (1978) in all its aspects.
Tajikistan
On 21 July the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Sergio Vieira de Mello, briefed members of the Council on developments in Tajikistan. The discussion was overshadowed by reports of the killing of four members of UNMOT committed the day before. The President, in a statement to the press, said that the Council members strongly condemned that act, extended their condolences to the families of those killed as well as to the relevant Governments, called upon the Government of Tajikistan to carry out the speediest possible investigation of those murders and called upon the United Tajik Opposition to cooperate fully with the Government in that regard.
Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina
On 16 July the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1184 (1998), in which it approved the establishment by UNMIBH of a programme to monitor and assess the court system in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of an overall programme of legal reform.
On 27 July the members of the Council were briefed by the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Carlos W estendorp, on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the context of his report of 14 July (S/1998/643). Following the discussion during informal consultations, the President made a statement to the press expressing support for the peace process in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Croatia
On 2 July the Security Council adopted a presidential statement as a follow-up to the consideration of the report of the Secretary-General of 11 June (S/1998/500). In that statement the Council reiterated the continuing obligations of the Government of Croatia under the Basic Agreement on Eastern Slavonia and called upon it to fulfil all its commitments concerning reintegration of the region.
On 9 July members of the Council considered the report of the Secretary-General of 26 June (S/1998/578) on UNMOP. On 15 July the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1183 (1998) extending the mandate of UNMOP until 15 January 1999.
Cyprus
The Secretary-Gener al's Special Adviser on Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, briefed Council members on his visit to the island (30 June–4 July) during informal consultations on 6 July. The President was subsequently authorized by members of the Council to make a statement to the press expressing the strong support of the Council members for the mission of good offices of the Secretary-General on Cyprus and for the efforts of his Special Adviser.
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
During consultations of the whole on 20 July, members of the Council considered the reports of the Secretary-General on UNPREDEP dated 1 June (S/1998/454 and Corr.1) and 14 July (S/1998/644). They also considered a draft resolution on extending the mandate and increasing the troop strength of UNPREDEP. On 21 July the draft resolution was unanimously adopted as resolution 1186 (1998). In it the Council decided to authorize an increase in the troop strength of UNPREDEP up to 1,050 and to extend the current mandate of UNPREDEP for a period of six months until 28 February 1999, including to continue by its presence to deter threats and prevent clashes, to monitor the border areas and to report to the Secretary-General any developments that could pose a threat to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, including the tasks of monitoring and reporting on illicit arms flows and other activities that are prohibited under resolution 1160 (1998). The Council also expressed its intention to consider further the recommendations of the Secretary-General in his report of 14 July.
Georgia
On 10 July, following previous consultations among members of the Security Council, the President sent a letter to the Secretary-General (S/1998/633) in which the members of the Council supported the practical measures envisaged in the report of the Secretary-General of 10 June (S/1998/497 and Add.1) concerning the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia, as well as those already taken, to strengthen the security of UNOMIG while underlining the need to continue to make further arrangements in this field.
On 23 July Council members considered the report of the Secretary-General dated 14 July (S/1998/647) concerning the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia. On 29 July they also considered a draft resolution, which was unanimously adopted on 30 July as resolution 1187 (1998). In the resolution the Council decided to extend the mandate of UNOMIG for s ix months and underlined the primary responsibility of the parties for achieving peace and for ensuring the security and safety of international peacekeeping personnel deployed in the zone of the conflict.
Security Council responsibility under the Charter (India-Pakistan)
At the consultations of the whole on 9 July, Council members discussed the letter dated 8 July from the Secretary-General addressed to the President on implementation of resolution 1172 (1998) (S/1998/619).
The Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Jayantha Dhanapala, and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Alvaro de Soto answered questions posed by the members of the Council.
The President was subsequently authorized by members of the Council to make a statement to the press expressing their appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary-General, including the mission by Mr. de Soto. He was also authorized to call for the full implementation of resolution 1172 (1998) and to urge India and Pakistan to enhance the dialogue between them on all outstanding issues.
