S/PV.3297 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Burundi, Egypt, Mali and Zimbabwe, in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Sinunguruza (Burundi) took a place at the Council table; Mr. Elaraby (Egypt), Mr. Samassekou (Mali) and Mr. Mumbengegwi (Zimbabwe) took the places reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on the agenda. The Security Council is meeting in response to the requests contained in letters dated 25 October 1993 addressed to the President of the Security Council from the Permanent Representative of Cape Verde to the United Nations, the Chargé d’affaires, ad interim, of the Permanent Mission of Djibouti to the United Nations, and the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, and from the Permanent Representatives of Burundi and Zimbabwe to the United Nations. These letters are contained in documents S/26625, 26626 and S/26630, respectively. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/26623, which contains the text of a letter dated 22 October 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. Members of the Council have received photocopies of a letter dated 22 October 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Burundi to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council and of a letter dated 25 October 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Mali to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. These will be issued as documents S/26628 and S/26632, respectively. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Security Council expresses its grave concern at and condemnation of the military coup of 21 October 1993 against the democratically elected Government of Burundi. "The Security Council deeply regrets and strongly condemns the acts of violence and the loss of life which have been caused by the perpetrators of the military coup. It demands that they desist forthwith from taking any action which would exacerbate tension and plunge the country into more violence and bloodshed, which could have serious implications for peace and stability in the region. "The Security Council demands that the perpetrators of the military coup cease all acts of violence, reveal the whereabouts and fate of Government officials, release all prisoners, return to their barracks and put an immediate end to their illegal act, with a view to the immediate reinstitution of democracy and constitutional rule in Burundi. "The Security Council pays tribute to the deceased President of Burundi, His Excellency Mr. Melchior Ndadaye, and members of his Government for their supreme sacrifice for democracy. Those responsible for their violent deaths and other acts of violence should be brought to justice. "The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to monitor and follow closely the situation in Burundi, in close association with the Organization of African Unity, and report to the Security Council thereon urgently. In this context, it takes note with appreciation of the dispatch by the Secretary-General of a Special Envoy to Burundi. "The Council will remain seized of the matter." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/26631. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda. The meeting rose at 8 p.m.