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14/07/2005
Press
Release
SC/8449
Security
Council
5227th
Meeting (PM)
SECURITY COUNCIL URGES SOMALI TRANSITIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO IMMEDIATELY
CONCLUDE NATIONAL SECURITY, STABILlZATION PLAN. INCLUDING CEASEFIRE
Presidential Statement Calls for Maximum Restraint by
Somali Leaders;
Says No
Lasting Progress Possible if Arms Flow across Border
Unchecked
Expressing concern at the recent disagreements
threatening the viability of Somalia's
Transitional Federal Institutions, the Security Council
this afternoon urged the immediate
conclusion of a national security and stabilization plan,
to include a comprehensive and
verifiable cease fire agreement leading to final
disarmament.
A
statement read out by Adamantios Th. Vassilakis (Greece),
Council President, called
on all
Somali leaders to exercise maximum restraint and take
immediate effective steps to
reduce
tension. It added that violence or military action by any
members of the Transitional
Federal
Institutions or other parties was unacceptable as the
means for dealing with the current
differences. The Council reiterated that any members of
those Institutions or other parties who
persisted
on the path of confrontation and conflict, including
military action, would be held
accountable.
The
Council condemned in the strongest terms the brutal 11
July murder of Somali
peace
activist Abdulkadir Yahya Ali in Mogadishu. It called for
the incident to be investigated
immediately and for those responsible to be held fully
accountable. The Council also deplored
the
recent hijacking off the Somali coast of a vessel that had
been chartered by the World Food
Programme
(WFP) to carry food aid for tsunami victims. Noting WFP's
subsequent decision to
suspend
all shipments of humanitarian assistance to Somalia, it
called for the quick and
appropriate resolution of that incident.
Taking
note of a request by the African Union's Peace and
Security Council for an
exemption
on the arms embargo imposed against
Somalia
by resolution 733 (1992), the Council
expressed
its readiness to consider that matter in due course. It
reminded all parties in Somalia,
including
all members of the Transitional Federal Institutions, as
well as all Member States, of
their
obligation to implement and enforce the embargo. Continued
non-compliance undermined
the
efforts of those seeking to establish peace in Somalia.
There could be no effective and
lasting
progress as long as arms and ammunition flowed unchecked
across Somalia's borders.
A stable
and secure environment was essential to the future success
of the national
reconciliation process.
Encouraged by the relocation now under way of the
Transitional Federal Institutions to
Somalia,
the Council urged further progress in that regard and
called upon Somali leaders to
continue
to work towards reconciliation through inclusive dialogue
and consensus-building in
accordance with the Transitional Federal Charter of the
Somali
Republic adopted in February
2004. It
commended the commitment of the African Union and the
Intergovernmental Authority
on
Development (IGAD) in support of the relocation and
reiterated its support for those efforts in
assisting
the transition in Somalia.
The
Council welcomed the readiness of the African Union and
IGAD to reinforce their
continued
support for the establishment of a functioning central
government, including the
possible
deployment of a Peace Support Mission to Somalia. Those
two organizations were
expected
to work out a detailed mission plan in close coordination
with the Transition
Federal
Institutions and consistent with a national security and
stabilization plan.
Stressing
that improving the humanitarian situation was an essential
component of
support
for the peace and reconciliation process, the Council
reiterated that ensuring
humanitarian access to all Somalis in need and providing
guarantees for the safety and security
of aid
workers was an immediate priority and obligation of the
Transitional Federal Institutions.
The
Council further welcomed the ongoing efforts and work of
the business community,
humanitarian organizations, non-governmental
organizations, civil society and women's groups
to
facilitate the demilitarization of
Somalia.
The
meeting began at 12:10 p.m. and ended at
12:20 p.m.
Presidential Statement
The full
text of presidential statement S/PRST/2005/32 reads, as
follows:
"The
Security Council reaffirms all its previous decisions
concerning the situation in
Somalia,
in particular the statements by its President (S/PRST/2004/43)
dated 19 November
2004 and
(S/PRST/2005/11) of 7 March 2005.
"The
Security Council welcomes the report of the
Secretary-General of
16June
2005 (S/2005/392), reaffirms its commitment to a
comprehensive and lasting settlemen1
of the
situation in Somalia and its respect for the sovereignty,
territorial integrity, political
independence and unity of Somalia, consistent with the
purposes and principles of the Charter
of the
United Nations.
"The
Security Council is encouraged by the relocation now under
way of the Transitional
Federal
Institutions (TFls) to Somalia, urges further progress in
this regard and calls upon the
Somali
leaders to continue to work towards reconciliation,
through inclusive dialogue and
consensus-building within the framework of the TFls, in
accordance with the Transitional
Federal
Charter of the Somali Republic adopted in February 2004.
"The
Security Council expresses its concern at the recent
disagreements and increased
tensions
among Somali leaders, which threaten the viability of the
TFls. The Security Council
calls on
all leaders in Somalia to exercise maximum restraint and
take immediate effective steps
to reduce
tension. Violence or military action by any members of the
TFls or other parties is
unacceptable as the means for dealing with the current
differences within the TFls. The
Security
Council reiterates that any members of the TFls or other
parties who persist on the path
of
confrontation and conflict, including military action,
will be held accountable.
"The
Security Council urges the Transitional Federal
Institutions to conclude without
delay a
national security and stabilization plan, to include a
comprehensive and verifiable
ceasefire
agreement leading to final disarmament, and welcomes the
willingness of the United
Nations
to provide advice in this regard.
"The
Security Council commends the commitment of the African
Union (AU) and the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in
support of the TFls' relocation to
Somalia
and reiterates its support for those efforts in assisting
the process of transition in
Somalia.
The Security Council welcomes the readiness of the AU and
IGAD to reinforce their
continued
support for the establishment of a functioning central
government of Somalia,
including
the possible deployment of a Peace Support Mission to
Somalia, and encourages the
AU Peace
and Security Council (PSC) to keep the Security Council
informed of all
developments. The Security Council expects the AU and IGAD
to work out a detailed mission
plan in
close coordination with and with the broad consensus of
the TFls and consistent with a
national
security and stabilization plan.
"The
Security Council takes note of the PSC's request to the
Security Council for the
authorization of an exemption on the arms embargo imposed
against Somalia by resolution 733
(1992) of
23 January 1992, contained in the AU's PSC Communiques of
12 May and 3 July
2005. The
Security Council stands ready to consider this matter on
the basis of information on
the
mission plan mentioned in paragraph 6 in due course.
"The
Security-Council further reminds all parties in Somalia,
including all members of
the TFls,
as well as all Member States, of their obligation to
implement and enforce the arms
embargo
imposed by the Security Council under resolution 733
(1992). Continued noncompliance
with this
measure undermines the efforts of those who seek to
establish peace in
Somalia.
There can be no effective and lasting progress in Somalia
as long as arms and
ammunition flow unchecked across Somalia's borders. A
stable and secure environment in
Somalia
is essential to the future success of the national
reconciliation process.
"The
Security Council welcomes the continued engagement of
donors in supporting the
establishment of a functioning government in
Somalia
through the mechanism of the
Coordination and Monitoring Committee (CMC) and in
fulfillment of the Declaration of Principles.
The
Security Council encourages donor countries, regional and
sub regional organizations to
continue
to contribute to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of
Somalia, in particular through
the
mechanism of the Rapid Assistance Programme and efforts
coordinated by the United
Nations.
"The
Security Council stresses that improving the humanitarian
situation is an essential
component
of support for the peace and reconciliation process. The
Security Council reiterates
that
ensuring humanitarian access to all Somalis in need and
providing guarantees for the safety
and
security of aid workers is an immediate priority and
obligation of the TFls. The Security
Council
further welcomes the ongoing efforts and work of the
business community, humanitarian
organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil
society and women's groups to facilitate the
demilitarization of Somalia.
"The
Security Council deplores the recent hijacking of a vessel
off the coast of Somalia
that had
been chartered by the World Food Programme (WFP) and was
carrytr1gfa-odaid for
tsunami
victims, and notes the subsequent decision by the WFP to
.s1!lSpendall shipments of
humanitarian assistance to Somalia. The Security Council
expresses its concern at thec1impact
of these
developments, and calls for the quick and appropriate
resolution of this incident. The
Security
Council condemns in the strongest terms the brutal murder
of Somali peace activist
Abdulkadir Yahya Ali on 11 July in Mogadishu. The Security
Council calls for the incident to be
investigated immediately and for those responsible to be
held fully accountable.
"The
Security Council welcomes the steps being taken to
strengthen the capacity of the
United
Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) and reaffirms
its strong support for the
leadership of the Secretary-General Special Representative
(SRSG) in his efforts in fostering
inclusive
dialogue among the leaders of the TFls. The Security
Council calls upon all Somali
parties
and Member States to extend to him their fullest
cooperation in this regard.
"The
Security Council reaffirms its full support for the peace
process in Somalia and the
commitment of the United Nations to assist the regional
and sub-regional efforts in this regard."
Background
When the
Security Council met this afternoon on
Somalia,
it had before it a letter dated
8 March
2005 from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee
established pursuant to
resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia, addressed to the
President of the Security Council
(document
S/2005/153), transmitting the report of the Monitoring
Group on Somalia.
That
report, which covers the period from September 2004
through February 2005,
states
that, owing to the continued heavy flow of arms into
Somalia, much of which has been
directed
to those elements opposed to the Transitional Federal
Government, there is a seriously
elevated
level of threat of violence against the peaceful
establishment in Somalia of the
Transitional Federal Government. These opposition elements
have a considerably enhanced
military
capability, are well organized and funded and have
publicly expressed their intent to
violently
oppose the Transitional Federal Government and its
supporters if they enter Somalia.
It is
very clear that arms shipments moving into and through the
Bakaarah market are a
fundamental source of arms that helps perpetuate and
provide fuel for violent clashes and
instability in Somalia. Additionally, the Monitoring Group
is convinced that another arms market,
located
in Yemen, operates in conjunction with the Bakaarah arms
market by functioning as a
continuing source for the arms routinely received by the
Bakaarah arms market. The impact of
the
existence of these two arms markets on the instability of
Somalia, in particular, and the
many
arms-related problems to the front-line States, in
general, should not be underestimated.
Given the
reduced role of aviation in the shipment of arms to
Somalia and the
emergence
of the sea and road as the preferred modes of transport,
the Somali coastline and its
borders
with its neighbours have become linchpins of the entire
arms embargo violations.
However,
this is not to say that the role of air transport should
be ignored. To enforce the arms
embargo
effectively, it is critical that both the border crossings
and the Somali coastline be
monitored
effectively. In this regard, it is necessary fully to
engage the neighbouring and
regional
States, as well as the Transitional Federal Government and
International Maritime
Organization (IMO).
The
continued monitoring of the arms embargo is necessary to
ensure its effectiveness,
states
the report. The Group should continue to develop the draft
list of violators, including the
compilation of dossiers of relevant and evidentiary
materials, for eventual submission to the
Security
Council Committee for future punitive actions. It may also
be necessary or appropriate
to submit
the draft list to the neighbouring and regional States for
actions against the violators.
The Group
should establish a more formal and structured relationship
with the African Union,
the
Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and
possibly the frontline and
neighbouring States, to facilitate cooperation and
exchange of information as appropriate.
Also
before the Council is the report of the Secretary-General
on the situation in
Somalia
(document S/2005/392), which states that it is of utmost
importance that the
Transitional Federal Government and the transitional
federal institutions relocate to Somalia so
as to
ensure continued credibility with the people of Somalia
and the international community.
There are
serious challenges linked to the relocation, including
security, the choice of capital city
and lack
of infrastructure and resources. However, it is clear that
the government's relocation
plan has
become fraught with controversy and opposition, which
could assume further divisions
along
clan and regional lines.
There is
an urgent need for Somali leaders to enter into a serious
dialogue in the search
for a
consensus on the important issues regarding relocation.
The Secretary-General welcomes
the
efforts of the leaders in Mogadishu to restore stability
in the capital. He urges the
international community to help in providing the necessary
technical and material support that
would
improve the quality of those efforts. However, their
efforts must become national in order
to give
confidence to all Somalis. He reiterates his appeal to the
Transitional Federal
Government and Parliament, as a matter of priority, to
seek an agreement from all faction and
militia
leaders to cease hostilities and enter into immediate
negotiations for a comprehensive
ceasefire
agreement. The United Nations is ready to support
negotiations for such an
agreement, in collaboration with other partners.
With the
support for the expansion of United Nations Political
Office in Somalia
(UNPOS)
by the necessary organs of the United Nations, the
Secretary-General looks forward
to a
further energized role of the United Nations in the
stabilization of Somalia. Also, planning is
under way
for a peace support mission for
Somalia
by the IGAD and the African Union. As part
of the
expansion of UNPOS, a military adviser is expected to join
the Office's staff. One of his
tasks
will be to liaise with military counterparts in the
African Union, IGAD and other relevant
institutions.
The fact
that the deployment of any foreign military force in
Somalia will require an
exemption
from the Security Council arms embargo on
Somalia
poses a challenge for the
international community, at large, and the United Nations,
in particular. In its resolution 1587
(2005),
the Security Council mandated the Monitoring Group to
continue monitoring the proper
implementation of the arms embargo. The enforcement of the
arms embargo, with improved
monitoring capacity and the establishment of enforcement
measures, would considerably
enhance
security in Somalia. |
