S/PV.3315 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Somalia in which she requests 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 that representative 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, Ms. Hassan (Somalia) took a place at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of Security Council resolution 837 (1993), document S/26022, and the report pursuant to paragraph 5 of Security Council resolution 837 (1993) on investigation into the 5 June 1993 attack on United Nations forces in Somalia conducted on behalf of the Secretary-General, document S/26351. Members of the Council also have before them document S/26750, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United States of America. I should like to draw attention to two technical changes in that draft resolution. The first is to be made to the first preambular paragraph, by adding at the end a reference to resolution 878 (1993). The second is to be made to paragraph 1, which should read as follows: "Authorizes the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry, in further implementation of resolutions 814 (1993) and 837 (1993), to investigate armed attacks on UNOSOM II personnel which led to casualties among them". I should like to draw the attention of members of the Council to document S/26627, which contains the text of a letter dated 25 October 1993 from the Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, transmitting the text of a letter dated 24 October 1993 from the President of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia addressed to the President of the Security Council. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote. There being no objection, it is so decided. I shall first call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting. Mr. BENJELLOUN-TOUIMI (Morocco) (interpretation from French): As this is the first time my delegation has addressed the Council this month, let me begin by congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council. My delegation highly appreciates the ability and effectiveness with which you are discharging you duties in that post. I wish also to pay tribute to Ambassador Sardenberg of Brazil for the very able way in which he conducted the Council’s business last month. The Kingdom of Morocco fully supports the goals set out in the draft resolution before the Council. We are convinced that any effort to resume the national political process and national reconciliation in Somalia should be supported. In order to attain that goal, and to help our brethren, the Somali people, overcome the suffering caused by famine, disease and anarchy, Morocco, an Islamic, Arab and African country, felt duty-bound to participate in the activities of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM), the Unified Task Force and now UNOSOM II. We have always been convinced that the search for a solution of the Somali crisis can succeed only through dialogue and concertation. But that dialogue can be possible and fruitful only if there is cooperation and good faith on the part of all the protagonists. There should also be a close analysis of the elements of Somalia’s social structure to identify an appropriate approach in keeping with the initial goals of UNOSOM, an approach that would give the process every chance of success. To be sure, the United Nations and the international community have made tireless efforts and tried various approaches to attain tangible results in the political sphere. But the situation in (The President) Somalia is particularly difficult, owing in part to the lack of any governmental institutions, which has complicated the job of the United Nations and has thus far blocked meaningful progress. While we appreciate the laudable efforts of the United Nations in the humanitarian, social and other fields, we hope the dialogue will commence as soon as possible, bringing together the heads of the Somali clans, and that it will have constructive results for the benefit of the entire Somali people. For all those reasons, we have decided to vote in favour of the draft resolution before the Council.

I thank the representative of Morocco for the kind words he addressed to me. I shall now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/26750, as orally revised. A vote was taken by show of hands. In favour: Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Djibouti, France, Hungary, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Venezuela

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution, as orally revised, has been adopted unanimously as resolution 885 (1993). I shall now call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting. Mrs. ALBRIGHT (United States of America): My Government is pleased to support the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry for Somalia, which will carry out a thorough investigation into the armed attacks on personnel of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II). We believe the Commission is vitally important to advancing the peace process in Somalia, a process that has been disappointingly slow. Our primary goal in Somalia is to (Mr. Benjelloun-Touimi, Morocco) foster a political dialogue which can lead to national reconciliation. We want to see the Somali people re-establish key institutions needed to ensure that the conditions which led to national tragedies in recent years do not recur. The United Nations must continue to do its part to help create a climate to facilitate that process. We hope that this resolution will allow all the key players in Somalia to join together in the crucial task which faces the Somali people: national reconciliation for Somalia. Mr. MARKER (Pakistan): My delegation voted in favour of resolution 885 (1993), because we feel it will advance two essential objectives. The first is the political process, which is essential for a lasting peace in Somalia, and responsibility for which is rightly attributed to the people of Somalia themselves. The second desirable objective relates to the necessity for a clear message of support to the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) and the brave men and women who have dedicated themselves to peace-keeping in conditions of the greatest hardship and considerable danger. We are confident that the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the armed attacks against UNOSOM II personnel is an important measure that will provide the requisite assurances to all those who have followed with concern the sad events that have occurred in Somalia. Mr. KEATING (New Zealand): The resolution we have just adopted flows out of the Security Council’s overall consideration of the United Nations role in Somalia. It is the first of two important resolutions the Council will adopt this week. The second will deal with the overall mandate of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II), while the present resolution deals with one aspect of the mandate that was created in resolution 837 (1993). (Mrs. Albright, United States) Resolution 837 (1993) gave the Secretary-General certain discretion with respect to the actions which should be taken to detain persons who were responsible for the attacks on United Nations personnel on 5 June 1993 in Mogadishu. The Council also called in that resolution for an inquiry. That inquiry will now proceed, and pending its conclusion the Council has asked the Secretary-General not to pursue the individuals who may be implicated. The New Zealand delegation does not accept the argument that the United Nations would have proceeded without allowing suspects the benefits of due process. But we can understand that in the extraordinary circumstances of southern Mogadishu it is a fact that fears in that regard have become an obstacle to the political dialogue. (Mr. Keating, New Zealand) We therefore accept that there is a political significance in this resolution, and value in indicating that arrest action will be suspended pending completion of the work of the Commission of Inquiry. The process of national reconciliation is critical for securing peace in Somalia, and New Zealand is 100 per cent behind both the United Nations and the Security Council in achieving that end. Mr. SARDENBERG (Brazil): The Brazilian delegation has expressed on various occasions our strong condemnation of the attacks perpetrated against United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM II) personnel in Somalia. We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our stand on that question. That UNOSOM II should be prevented from performing its mandate, which is aimed at improving the humanitarian situation in Somalia, is in itself sad, indeed tragic. That UNOSOM II personnel should be subject to attacks against their safety and against their lives is simply outrageous. Such attacks have to be prevented and have to be dealt with in a rigorous manner. Resolution 868 (1993), adopted by the Council on 29 September, established an important general framework for doing just that. Brazil gives its full support and encouragement to UNOSOM II efforts to promote the process of national political reconciliation among all Somali parties as the only real basis for an irreversible improvement in the situation in Somalia. It is our hope that significant progress will soon be achieved in that political process. Having these considerations in mind, the Brazilian delegation supported the resolution adopted today by the Council, which authorizes the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate armed attacks that led to UNOSOM II casualties. It is (Mr. Keating, New Zealand) particularly important that in adopting this resolution the Council act on suggestions coming from the region, notably the proposals submitted by President Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, as contained in document S/26627. We are hopeful that the work of the Commission will contribute to bringing an early and satisfactory solution to the serious problems posed by the attacks against UNOSOM II. By doing that, it will no doubt make an important contribution to the future work of the United Nations in Somalia.

There are no further speakers. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda. The meeting rose at 7.30 p.m. (Mr. Sardenberg, Brazil)