S/PV.3117 Security Council

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): As this is the first meeting of the Security Council for the month of October, I should like to take this opportunity to pay a tribute. on behalf of the Council, to His Excellency Mr. Jose Ayala Lasso, Permanent. Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations, for his service as President of the Security Council for the month of September 1992. I am sure I speak for all members of the Security Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Ayala Lasso for the great diplomatic skill and unfailing courtesy with which he conducted the Council's business last month. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Zhe agenda was adopted. THE SITUATION BETWEEN IRAQ AND KUWAIT

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): 'The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on the agenda. The Security Council is mesting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Membe~s of the Council have before them document &/24605, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Belgium, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. Hungary and Japan have also joined as sponsors of the draft resolution. It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. If I hear no objection, I shall take it that that is the case. There being no objection, it is so decided. Before putting the draft resolutio.. to the vote, I shall call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting.

Mr. LI Daoyu (China) (interpretation from Chinese): First of all, Sir, I should like to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. I am confident that under your outstanding guidance the Security Council will successfully complete its tasks for this month. I should like also to express my thanks to your predecessor, Ambassador Jose Ayala Lasso, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations, for his successful guidance of the Security Council last month. The Chinese delegation believes that the issues of payments to the United Nations Compensation Fund, the costs of carrying out the tasks authorized hy section C of resolutior 687 (1991), the costs of the Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Demarcation Comnission and the financing of the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people should be resolved by making full use of the established United Nations machinery, through the implementation of Sacurity Council resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991). We have noted that the United Nations Secretariat and the Government of Iraq have, in accordance with those resolutions, held several rounds of negotiations on the export of Iraqi oil, and that they have made some progress. We have also noted that recently the Iragi side has expressed its willingness to resume nagotiations as soon as possible to resolve the remaining problems. Wa hope the relevant sides will resume the negotiations soon and reach agreement on the export of Iraqi of1 at an early date so that the relevant Security Council resolutions can be effectively implemented. in view of such circumstances, we believe it is unnecessary to take so extraordinary a measure as the seizure of frozen assets overseas. We should like also to point out that the seizure of a country's frozen assets abroad is a matter that concerns the sovereignty of that country aud involves complicated legal implications. Therefore, we believe the Council should be cautious on this matter. For all those reasons, the Chinese delegation will abstain in the vote on the draft resolution contained in document S/24605.

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of China for the kind words he addressed to me.

Mr. SNOUSSI (Morocco) (interpretation from French): I should like first of all to congratulate the retiring President, Mr. Jose Ayala Lasso, who conducted our business with rare courtesy and extraordinary 4judiciousness in his approach both to individuals and to affairs. We wish the Permanent Representative of France every success in his presidency for the month of October. My country h.s always welcomed the machinery set up by the Security Council to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid and other vital needs to the people of Iraq. In respect for the rules that have been laid down, and with a sense of discipline, Morocco did not hesitate to implement the most severe sanctions against a fraternal country. After long months of hesitation, Iraq and the United Nations seem, however, to be moving towarda a certain degree of cooperation. Ambassador Ekeus, who is known for his great reliability, came to our Council last week and told us that he was somewhat optimistic. He also spoke of the progress achieved. It is true that he stressed the difficulties that persist, but it was easy to conclude that the results, as a French leader has said, were by and large positive. We expected a reasonably good outcome. Unfortunately, difficulties encountered at the talks here on the implementation of resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991) and also tha negotiations on the Memorandum of Understanding led some members of the Council to contemplate a new draft resolution to replace temporarily the provisions of resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991). We certainly would have preferred to remain within the framework of the provisions of these resolutions, and to see more cooperation by the Tragi Government. We are well aware that this attitude and this situation are largely connected with a lack of confidence on various sides. We shall, nevertheless, vote in favour of the draft resolution (5/24605), in an attempt te create a bridge and revew dialogue, and in an attempt to explain to everyone concerned that we have lived through other conflicts where there was much deeper mistrust that have finally given way to concord, confidence and cooperation. But we wanted to take up this challenge anyway. This being the case, we hope that this probationary and transitional period will be as short as possible. Our gears, as you know, Sir, concern the restrictions on covering humanitarian needs such as medicine and food, and also, of course, we want to see that lasting as chort a time as possible. For some days now, contacts have been resumed in New York on humanitarian questions. The principles of meetings have been worked out, and tomorrow the date for the resumption of the talks with Mr. Eliasson and Mr. Picco's replacement will be set. The assertions made to us encourage us to hope for the best. We shall therefore vote in favour of this text as a reflection of our confidence in the Council and in what we have been told: that these are temporary short-term provisions ~ they are valid only as long as resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991) are not implemented. Wa have faith in the Council, and we are sure that it will strive to encourage Iraq to acide by its resolutions with the genuine purpose of ensuring for the Iraqi people, who have suffered so much, peace, security and tranguillity.

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of Morocco for the kind words he addressed to me. I shall now put the draft resolution to the vote. A_yots was taken by show of hands. in_favour: Austria, Belgium, Cape Verdes, Ecuador, France, Hungary, India, Japan, Morecco, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Venezuela, Zimbabwe Against: None Abstaining: China

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): The result of the voting is as follows: 14 in favour, none against and 1 abstention. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 778 (1992). I shall now cail on those representatives who have asked to be allowed to make statements after the voting.

Mr. PERKINS (United States of America): Let me formally congratulate you, Sir, on assuming the role of President of the Security Council for the month of October and pledge my cooperation and that of my delegation. We also extend our thanks and appreciation to the representative of Ecuador for his role in guiding the Council during the last month. Resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991) created a mechanism to fund United Nations operations mandated by resolution 687 (1991), as well as United Nations humanitarian relief operations in Iraq, from Iraqi oi] sales. Iraq's refusal to accept resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991) has prevented its own population from receiving humanitarian relief. Moreover, it has jeopardized the continued operations of the United Nations programmes mandated by resolution 687 (1991), which the Security Council instituted as part of its effort to restore peace and security to the region. The resolution adopted by the Security Council today is a reasonable and proportionate response to Irag's intransigence. It is based on the unique situation created by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and grounded on prior Security Council resolutions, including in particular resolutions 687 (1991), 706 (1991) and 712 (1991). It borrows Iraqi assets, already identified by the Security Council in resolution 692 (1991), for contributions to the United Nations Compensaticn Commission to fund the escrow account created by resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991). As those two resolutions originally contemplated, the Secretary-General will then be able to use those funds to pay for United Nations operations such as the Special Commission, the Compensation Fund and humanitarian programmes. The humanitarian efforts directly benefit the Iragi people; and, like the other United Nations programmes, they were instituted in response to problems Iraq itself created. It is therefore appropriate aud consistent with resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991) to use Iraqi funds to pay for these operations as well as to pay for the consequences of Iraqi aggression. The resolution does not prevent Iraq from accepting resolutions 706 (1992) and 712 (1991). On the contrary, it provides that if Iraq does so the Iraqi funds borrowed under this resolution, as well as voluntary contributions to the escrow account, will be completely and promptly returned. Indeed, the United States hopes that Iraq accepta resolutions 706 (1991) and 712 (1991) promptiy; the sooner the better. But we firmly believe that the Security Council was right in waiting no lenger for Iraq to implement these resolutions. The needs of the Iraqi people and of the United Nations required the Security Council to ensure that these ezitical programmes are securely funded. This resolution accomplishes that aim.

The PRESIDENT (interpretation from French): I thank the representative of the United States for the kind words he addressed to me. There are no other speakers on my list. Tue Stcurity Council has thus concluded the present stage of the item on its agenda. The Security Council will remsin seized of this matter. The meeting yoso at 6.30 p.m.