Status Update
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): On 5 February the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev, briefed the Council in an open meeting (S/PV.6268 and SC/9857). (The acting OSCE chairperson has been invited to brief the Council on a regular basis since 2005.)
DPRK (North Korea): On 11 February Council members were briefed in informal consultations by the chair of the DPRK Sanctions Committee.
Peacekeeping: On 12 February the Council held a debate on transition and exit strategies for UN peacekeeping operations (S/PV.6270 and resumption 1 and SC/9860). Ahead of the debate France had circulated a concept paper (S/2010/67). The Council adopted a presidential statement committing itself to improving its practice in ensuring successful transitions by developing clear, credible mandates which would be matched by appropriate resources. On 17 February, Council members met in informal consultations with Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy and Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Susana Malcorra.
Iraq: On 16 February the Council was briefed (S/PV.6271) by the Special Representative for Iraq, Ad Melkert, who advised the Council that preparations for the 7 March general elections were nearly complete. The Council met in informal consultations after the briefing and issued a press release (SC/9862). On 26 February after receiving a letter from Iraq confirming its support for the international non-proliferation regime and compliance with disarmament treaties the Council adopted a presidential statement expressing its readiness to review lifting sanctions imposed in 1991 (S/PRST/2010/5).
Peace Consolidation in West Africa (Guinea): On 16 February the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2010/3) welcoming positive developments in Guinea while expressing concern about the situation. It expressed its intention to “remain seized of the situation and to react as appropriate to any threat or action against the transition” process towards democratic civilian rule (S/PV.6272 and SC/9863).
Middle East: On 18 February Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, briefed the Council expressing concern regarding stalled negotiations and urged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to accept US Special Envoy George Mitchell’s proposal for proximity talks (S/PV.6273 and SC/9864). The briefing was followed by informal consultations.
Western Sahara: The Council held informal consultations on 18 February. On 10-11 February, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross coordinated informal talks in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1871 between Morocco and the Polisario Front. Delegations from Algeria and Mauritania were also present at the opening and closing sessions of the talks and were consulted separately during discussions.
Haiti: On 19 February the Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, and the head of the Peacekeeping Department, Alain Le Roy, briefed the Council on the humanitarian situation in Haiti and the work of MINUSTAH (S/PV.6274 and SC/9865). Holmes urged the international community and the UN to come together and to align their “long-term plans with a national vision for reconstruction”.
Timor-Leste: On 23 February the Council held an open debate (SPV.6276) where it was briefed by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Timor-Leste, Ameerah Haq, on the latest UNMIT report (S/2010/85), and the Deputy Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, José Luis Guterres. Haq told the Council that Timor-Leste had made remarkable progress since 2006 but that the country was still fragile and faced serious socioeconomic challenges. On 26 February the Council adopted resolution 1912 renewing UNMIT’s mandate till 26 February 2011.
Threats to International Peace and Security (UNODC): On 24 February the Council was briefed by the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (S/PV.6277 and SC/9867). Also participating was the Secretary-General. The Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2010/4) during the meeting, noting that drug trafficking and transnational crime were a growing concern, contributed to undermining the authority of states and might threaten the security of countries on its agenda. It encouraged the coordination of UN in order to enhance the effectiveness of appropriate international efforts.
