S/PV.3448 Security Council

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 document S/1994/1063, which contains the text of a letter dated 15 September 1994 from the Permanent Representatives of Argentina and New Zealand to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to the following other documents: S/1994/1136, letter dated 6 October 1994 from the Permanent Representatives of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/1994/1193, letter dated 20 October 1994 from the Permanent Representatives of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/1994/1201, letter dated 17 October 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/1994/1219, letter dated 26 October 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/1994/1221, letter dated 26 October 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/1994/1231, letter dated 27 October 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; S/1994/1237, letter dated 1 November 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council; and S/1994/1238, letter dated 1 November 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. “The Security Council has given further consideration to the question of communication between members and non-members of the Council, in particular troop contributing countries, which was addressed in the statement of the President of the Council of 3 May 1994 (S/PRST/1994/22). The Council remains conscious of the implications which its decisions on peace-keeping operations have for troop contributing countries. Having regard to the increase in the number and complexity of such operations, it believes that there is a need for further enhancement, in a pragmatic and flexible manner, of the arrangements for consultation and exchange of information with troop contributing countries. “To this end, the Security Council has decided in future to follow the procedures set out in this statement: — meetings should be held as a matter of course between members of the Council, troop contributing countries and the Secretariat to facilitate the exchange of information and views in good time before the Council takes decisions on extension or termination of, or significant changes in, the mandate of a particular peace-keeping operation; — such meetings would be chaired jointly by the Presidency of the Council and a representative of the Secretariat nominated by the Secretary-General; — the monthly tentative forecast of work of the Council made available to Member States will in future include an indication of the expected schedule of such meetings for the month; — in the context of their review of the tentative forecast, the members of the Council will examine this schedule and communicate any suggested changes or proposals as to the timing of meetings to the Secretariat; — ad hoc meetings chaired jointly by the Presidency of the Security Council and a representative of the Secretariat nominated by the Secretary-General may be convened in the event of unforeseen developments in a particular peace- — such meetings will be in addition to those convened and chaired solely by the Secretariat for troop contributors to meet with Special Representatives of the Secretary-General or Force Commanders or to discuss operational matters concerning particular peace-keeping operations, to which members of the Security Council will also be invited; — an informal paper, including topics to be covered and drawing attention to relevant background documentation, will be circulated by the Secretariat to the participants well in advance of each of the various meetings referred to above; — the time and venue of each meeting with members of the Council and troop contributors to a peace-keeping operation should where possible appear in advance in the Journal of the United Nations; — the President of the Council will, in the course of informal consultations of members of the Council, summarize the views expressed by participants at each meeting with troop contributors. “The Security Council recalls that the arrangements described herein are not exhaustive. “The Security Council will keep arrangements for the exchange of information and views with troop contributors under review and stands ready to consider further measures to enhance arrangements in the light of experience. “The Security Council will also keep under review arrangements to improve the quality and speed of the flow of information available to support Council decision-making bearing in mind the conclusions contained in its statement of 3 May 1994 (S/PRST/1994/22).” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under symbol S/PRST/1994/62. We have thus concluded our business for this meeting. The next meeting of the Security Council to continue consideration of the item on the agenda will take place immediately following this meeting.