S/PV.3479 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Mozambique in which he 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.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on the agenda. The Security Council is meeting in response to the request contained in a letter dated 1 December 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, document S/1994/1373. Members of the Council have received photocopies of a letter dated 13 December 1994 from the Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, which will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/1994/1417. 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 congratulates the people and the parties of Mozambique for their peaceful fulfilment of the goals set out in the General Peace Agreement. It encourages them to continue their efforts in good faith to ensure post-election harmony on the basis, inter alia, of the observance of democratic principles. It believes that, with the new governmental structure in place, the foundations have been laid to secure lasting peace, stability, national reconciliation and democracy. “The Security Council commends the Secretary-General, his Special Representative and the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) and its staff for their fulfilment of the mandate of ONUMOZ and for their efforts in assisting the successful achievement of the objectives of the General Peace Agreement. “The Security Council notes that, ONUMOZ having completed its mission, its mandate has come to an end and ONUMOZ will be finally withdrawn from Mozambique by 31 January 1995 in accordance with resolution 957 (1994) of 15 November 1994. In this connection, it looks forward to the Secretary-General’s report on the final disposition of the assets of ONUMOZ within the framework of the withdrawal of ONUMOZ, as requested in its statement of 7 September 1994 (S/PRST/1994/51). In that context, it also expresses the hope that effective arrangements for the disposition and, as appropriate, the destruction of weapons and the establishment, with the assistance of the United Nations, of a national demining capability will be in place prior to the final withdrawal of ONUMOZ, and that consideration will be given to leaving demining and other equipment in Mozambique after the withdrawal, subject to the appropriate arrangements. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.